Under the moonlight that illuminates the earth, you wouldn't want to lower your gaze to see what it brightens. Life has come to a standstill here; the pulse of existence in this village has ceased.
Scattered spears are planted in the damp soil, their tips adorned with heads of varying sizes, depending on the hunger of the crow that has settled upon them.
In a renewal of its tattered garment, leaves have fallen, their roots soaked in red, draping every bare branch. A human fruit is feasted upon by a flock of crows, while human corpses dangle gently, swaying in the whispers of the wind... awaiting their turn to fall when they can no longer bear their weight.
In what state will the leaves of these trees grow? Perhaps they will take on a shade of red...
The sound of hooves gradually intensified from the distance; a large group of mercenaries had just arrived atop their horses...
"This is horrifying," the captain said, his gaze fixed on two motionless children lying side by side in a pool of blood, their umbilical cord still attached to the mother hanging from a branch.
"Do you see this? It seems we are to be rewarded with the title of Best Mercenary Group for Pillaging with Grace and Peace."
Even the mercenaries themselves felt a twinge of shame at the extent of the brutality inflicted upon the villagers. Some averted their eyes, while others gagged at the stench of decay...
The captain signaled to resume marching, but the child let out a cry and began to weep...
"Hey? Wait!! He's alive!"
Amidst a pool of blood and remnants of the placenta, the child cried out, breathless, beneath his mother's corpse. The captain's face showed signs of astonishment, torn between resuming the march and dismounting to save the child... He ordered one of the handmaidens brought along to attend to the matter.
"Commander, are you really allowing this?!"
"Are you afraid, men?"
Murmurs spread among the mercenaries, just out of the captain's hearing...
The captain turned as he caught snippets of unintelligible words. "What's going on?"
In a trembling voice, one of them replied, "Commander... to rescue two children from a place like this, where everyone perishes, is a bad omen, isn't it?!"
"In what civilization is this considered? They will die anyway. Until then, let him be a comfort doll for the handmaidens we brought along."
"Let's get out of here, and stop talking about this nonsense."
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The Building of Mercy and Reconciliation, a sanctuary where people open their hearts and confess their sins...
"Are you a swordsman, or am I mistaken? Your demeanor doesn't suggest it, but your blade reeks of blood, my boy. Even with the barrier between us, I can smell it." A wooden barrier with a circular hole in the center separated us.
"I've taken down a few men here and there. That was over the past two years."
"So you want to tell me that you kill with finesse? Typically, people like you don't end up in a place like this."
I saw him stealthily extend his hand beneath his cloak. "Swordsmen still can't seem to stop. They kill and cut down people as though it were divine command. How many have you killed, one or two?"
I bowed my head in remorse and replied, "More than that, dozens of them, if I haven't already reached a hundred."
"What did you say? That's a large number..."
The man stood, directing his gaze towards the opening to see me clearly, and continued speaking. "Oh my God, Creator of these heavens, shine the light of Your mercy upon this sinner..."
"The Lord has responded. It pains me to tell you this, but He says the only way to atone for your sins is through your death."
I lifted my gaze towards the hole in the barrier that separated us, a gun already aimed at me. Since when did you start playing the role of God, deciding who lives and who dies? You must be a damned cop planted here to kill me.
A man with an ugly face, cross-eyed, and a wide smile on his lips said, "I see you object to the Lord's decree. We are merely obedient servants carrying out His orders."
"Bang!" The sound of gunfire...
A raucous, celebratory laugh erupted, "Ha ha ha ha ha, this is too much for you! From now on, the strongest man in Japan is me, I am the one who crushed the killer of a hundred!"
Ha ha ha! He made a hole in my forehead! I hear his celebration over his achievement. I feel my legs freezing; I knelt down, moving towards the door behind me. I placed my hand on the doorknob and opened it. In that moment, he fell silent, wiping the laughter from his face, and turned around...
Ha ha ha! I laugh hysterically, wanting to share in your joy of making a hole in my forehead.
"W... what... what!!! H... how!!!" He stammered, unable to string the letters together into a coherent word.
You surprised me. You know, this kind of shock still hurts. I suppose this means I'm still human to some extent. It took me quite a while to manage standing on my feet again. Oh, look, you've wet your pants.
Crouched in the corner, he said, "I've been setting traps and killing people at the will of the Lord for over ten years... don't tell me I've fallen into a trap!"
Don't say that, man. Take a good look, my friend. Your shot to the center of my forehead was impressive. Is my head even in place? I can't feel it... I placed both hands to feel my head... Oh, lucky me, it's still there. So... I'm sure you won't mind or reject the Lord's decision.
With one hand, I grabbed him by the neck, lifted him off the ground, and propped him against the wooden barrier. Then I took his gun, feeling the warmth of its muzzle. It's the first time I've held a gun. I pointed it to the same spot where he shot me, right in the center of his forehead...
"Bang!" The sound of gunfire.
His blood splattered across my face, hot and disgusting...
So this was the so-called Jaysto, the priest whose reputation preceded him, known for his collaboration with the police.
Ah, how that sound annoys me—the sound of little vipers coiling around each other, trying to close the gap the priest made in my head...
Well, my little snakes, it seems you're working to save my damned life once again, so hurry up; I feel my head about to explode...
Alright, before I head to the market, let me pass by the river. I can feel my face sticky and revolting...
It was less crowded than usual, with a few people scattered apart. I laid my garments on the grass along with my sharp weapons underneath them, and I entered naked to bathe and wash away the remnants of that priest's blood from my body.
As I stepped onto the shore, I spotted my weapons uncovered. Where's my robe? I lingered in the water, turning my face left and right in hopes of catching a glimpse of it, but there was nothing...
Damn, what a day I'm having! I've been robbed, which means I have to steal someone else's clothes. The only person I see in front of me is a solitary foreign tourist enjoying the coolness of my country's water...
I'm sorry, my friend, but you took too long inside. I stealthily approached where he had left his clothes...
Ah, what strange clothing and vibrant colors! I'll be the talk of the town as the thief in this bright yellow outfit...
A yellow striped shirt with black, white shorts, and sneakers. Oh yes, I even took his sunglasses.
Well, the loose shirt seems to belong to someone suffering from obesity. The only good thing is the sneakers—they'll make me quick on my feet if I run into trouble. But the shorts, damn it, all my sharp weapons will be on display for everyone to see...
In the village market corridor, surrounded by small wooden buildings, stalls and kiosks lined the sides, showcasing various goods amidst an atmosphere charged with vitality.
Men and women passed by in traditional attire, all eyes focused on me as if I were someone of great renown...
As usual, who else would dare to approach me but my sister? She leapt onto my back like a child. "Hello, brother! Did you bring me something? Oh, you look so dapper in that outfit. Are you searching for a witch?"
"There you are, you old witch."
"Oh my, what are these clothes? Did you make a trade?" the old woman said, mocking my appearance.
"Shut up, you hag! They took my habata at the river while I was bathing, so I had to do the same while one of the tourists was still washing up. Let me sit, sister."
"What about the church? Didn't you say you were going to seek forgiveness?"
Indeed, I went, and it ended with a hole in the forehead of the monk or the cop.
Those snakes you placed in me saved my miserable life once again... That son of a whore surprised me by putting a hole in my head, claiming it was the will of the Lord.
Ha ha ha, here, here... (Brando touches the spot on his forehead with his finger, where the hole was, and finds no scar...)
My sister is out of her mind. Since she was little, she's always screamed through the narrow market alleys and among the carts, playing with all the children and often causing trouble by breaking other people's things... But she is loved, and since she is my sister, no one can hold her accountable or treat her poorly. It's a mix of fear of me and love for her.
Let's put that aside... I want to know, you hag, how long must I live in this filthy body? The bullet pierced my brain as if nothing had happened.
What kind of cruel monster am I! I know those things can't kill me, so my sword becomes lazier day by day. A fight with a known end holds no excitement.