Chapter 25: The Goddess of Purity and Allure – Kingu!
At this moment, Kingu looked as though he were being physically choked.
His expression was a complex mess of emotions, clearly screaming, "I have a million curses in my heart, yet I cannot utter a single one."
However, despite the boiling dissatisfaction in his chest, the reality was undeniable: Akira was now the biological child of Mother. In terms of status and hierarchy, he already stood far above Kingu.
To Kingu, being allowed to address him as "Big Brother" could almost be considered a high honor. After all, the more ancient a god or entity was, the more absolute and rigid their hierarchy became.
As a son of the Mother of Creation, Shin Akira's standing surpassed that of many gods. Only those deities truly birthed by Tiamat herself could even hope to stand on equal footing with him.
"Big Brother..."
Under Akira's blatant, teasing gaze, Kingu finally lowered his head.
To Kingu, Mother was everything. As Mother's child, as long as it didn't involve her direct affairs, he would obey Akira in all things. In fact, the fury and hatred he had harbored toward Akira just moments ago vanished without a trace.
That was Kingu's nature. For Mother's sake, he could truly sacrifice anything and surrender every ounce of his pride.
Seeing Kingu—someone who had been so arrogant—actually bowing his head, the "pleasure-seeker" soul within Shin Akira felt the smile on his face slowly fade. Teasing someone this much... he felt like he might have actually gone a bit overboard.
"Kingu, you and I are both Mother's children. In that sense, we are siblings. However, you weren't born directly from Mother's womb, so, inevitably, there is a slight 'defect' in your existence."
"I am sorry, Big Brother."
There wasn't a hint of anger in Kingu's voice. Instead, Akira could hear a faint trace of an inferiority complex.
Kingu called himself Mother's child, but he lacked a true, direct connection to her. If he had never met an anomaly like Akira, he might never have felt this lack. But now, faced with the real thing, it was only natural for him to feel inadequate.
"Why lower your head? You are Mother's child; there is no doubt about that. And besides, Mother is very satisfied with you."
"What? Mother... she is?"
Upon hearing Akira's words, Kingu's head snapped up, his expression one of profound emotion. Tears began to shimmer and well up in the corners of his eyes.
For a child, nothing was more important than the recognition and satisfaction of their mother. At this moment, Kingu was the living embodiment of that sentiment. All the sacrifices he had made until now finally felt rewarded. Even if it was just a verbal confirmation relayed by someone else, it was enough to leave him deeply moved and fulfilled.
Of course, in reality, this was nothing more than a kind lie. To Tiamat, Kingu was an existence that could either be there or not. The one who had granted Kingu life wasn't Tiamat, but Goetia. Kingu was, fundamentally, just a tool.
Suddenly, Akira's hand moved. A mass of black mud from the Chaos Tide, accompanied by a mountainous surge of dark energy, lunged forward and swallowed Kingu whole.
Kingu's reflex was to be startled, and he instinctively moved to break free. But then, he forced himself to stop.
He surrendered. This was the act of his "Big Brother." Even if Akira intended to kill him, he decided he would not resist.
However, Akira had no intention of killing him. On the contrary, he wanted to solve Kingu's greatest problem.
Kingu, while a new soul born from Enkidu's body through the power of the Holy Grail, was unable to perfectly control that vessel. Furthermore, because Enkidu's body had long since ceased to function, the only reason he could move was that the Holy Grail was acting as a substitute heart.
That was the source of his power, but also his tragedy. The moment the Holy Grail was removed, he would face the same fate as Enkidu: a vessel that had lost its function, leading only to inevitable crumbling and destruction.
Using the power of the black mud, Akira slowly merged the darkness with Kingu's body. The "dead" vessel began to truly reawaken—not by relying on the Holy Grail, but through a genuine reactivation of its core.
As a child of the Mother of Creation, the authorities Akira could wield weren't limited to the Chaos Tide.
Self-Modification: Rank EX.
By using the Chaos Tide to replace the very foundation of an existence, Akira was "modifying" Kingu. Yes, modifying. This was more than just a rebirth.
An hour later, the Chaos Tide receded.
A new Kingu emerged in the sky.
The body that had previously been "flat" and genderless now possessed beautiful, feminine curves. Between the eyes and the brow, there was a soft aura that held a hint of seductive charm, yet it was dominated by a refreshing presence, like a cool breeze through a forest.
If one had to describe the look in a single phrase, it would be "pure yet alluring." A nearly perfect manifestation.
"Big Brother, what... what happened to me?"
Looking at her new body and hearing a voice that was now distinctly feminine, Kingu was struck by a wave of confusion.
To Kingu, the concept of gender hadn't existed from the start. Just like Enkidu, the body was a doll made of clay, making it "genderless." But now, through Akira's "modification," Kingu had been granted the sex of a woman.
"From now on, you are no longer a mere substitute for the Divine Weapon, Enkidu. You are the daughter of Mother Tiamat—and my younger sister, Kingu."
"Mother's daughter...?"
The moment "Mother" was mentioned, Kingu's expression shifted instantly. The confusion she had felt moments ago was replaced by pure happiness and joy.
Staring at the figure who still looked eighty percent like Enkidu, but was now a beauty radiating a peak blend of purity and charm, Akira felt immensely satisfied.
This was what Enkidu's form was always meant to be. After all, Enkidu's face had originally been crafted to mimic a certain Divine Courtesan. If Enkidu had understood the concept of gender back then, he likely would have chosen a female form from the beginning.
"In that case, Big Brother, what should we do next?"
Kingu was now clearly looking to Akira as her main pillar of support and guidance.
"It's simple. You don't need to do anything special. Return to Gorgon's side and wait until the final Master of Chaldea arrives in this land. After that, we can proceed with the next phase of the plan."
"Why? Can't Big Brother communicate with Mother now? Why not just wake her up?"
"Kingu, Mother is no longer just the pure Mother of Creation. She is one of the Evils of Humanity—Beast II."
"And so what? If Mother is awakened, this world will become hers. At that point, this Singularity will slowly transform into a Lostbelt. Even if the Incineration of Humanity occurs, it won't be a problem."
"It's not that simple. If the Incineration of Humanity truly comes to pass, not even a Lostbelt would likely survive."
"Then..."
"But there's no need to worry. The Incineration of Humanity will not happen. That is a fixed fact. The 'World' itself will not allow it," Akira stated firmly.
The final Master of humanity was essentially a protagonist backed by the "buffs" of the World itself.
"Then, Big Brother, what is it we must do?"
"One word. Wait."
"Wait?"
"Exactly. Wait until the timing is right. Once Mother returns to the world, the foundation of her existence will slowly be rewound, returning to a primordial state. At that point, the World will begin to reject her. What we have to do is save Mother before that happens."
"But... how?"
"You don't need to worry about that. I already have a plan."
A vast, infinite World of Darkness. It would be more than enough to house a Mother of Creation. Especially a world that had been completely swallowed by the Chaos Tide.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Join my Patreon here:
patreon.com/FaaanzKun
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —