Chapter 89. Gluttony's Fang (2)
"Keugh…! Krrrk…!"
The knife that pierced through Rupel went on to pierce the wall.
Immediately, Rupel grabbed at his throat, but there was no way the bleeding would stop just from that. A bubbling sound of blood seeped out from inside his throat.
When Rupel lifted his head, Verden was already aiming his staff at him.
At that moment, Fargan and Valchen broke down the door and rushed in.
They instinctively grasped the situation, and with killing intent laid bare, they charged toward Verden.
'Quick to judge the situation.'
With telekinesis, he hurled the dining table with great force.
For a moment, their vision was blocked. Yet Verden, with his senses, saw clearly through to the exact positions of the two.
Dozens of stone fragments pierced through the table.
Their knees and hips struck precisely, the movements of the two faltered briefly, and Verden clenched his fist.
"Keugh!"
Fargan's body was impaled by dozens of spikes.
Thanks to his abnormal vitality he did not die, but the force was overwhelming for his tier, and he dropped to his knees. Valchen, who barely avoided the spell, smashed the floor and thrust his scale-covered hand toward Verden.
'This time it's a reptile, huh. Well, if even abnormal species can be transplanted, then why not.'
Kwaang!
Verden and Valchen clashed. In raw strength Verden was clearly outmatched, but he was a mage. Magic power enveloped him, flames swirling around his body.
In the fierce heat, Valchen leapt back, reptilian pupils glaring. And from the side, Fargan, who had broken free from the spell, joined in.
These two were clearly different from the other transplant subjects.
"Then, how about this."
Verden aimed his staff at Rupel.
Valchen and Fargan's eyes widened, and they quickly hurled their bodies toward Rupel.
The condensed wind exploded.
The two were blasted away by the direct hit. One flew out the window, the other down the stairs outside the door. No matter how tough their bodies, they wouldn't be coming back up immediately.
"But how long do you plan to keep pretending to sleep?"
Sharp shards of stone shot toward Rupel's head.
But of course, they did not hit. Raising one arm, he caught the shards with his bare hand. Two fingers were blown off by the impact, yet he did not let out a single cry of pain.
Rupel lifted his head.
Veins bulged on his forehead as he asked Verden,
"Where is the Doctor?"
***
The commotion from the third floor of the mansion.
The Gluttony who had been on the island began to gather at the sound.
Theon instinctively hid his body.
'So there really was a Fang…!'
A relief.
This meant he would not have to die at the hands of a mage.
'No… should I even call this a relief?'
Theon shook his head.
Now was not the time for such pointless thoughts.
The priority was to get out of here.
Stay here, and he was sure to meet a dog's death.
Then, an explosion rang out, and someone shattered a window and fell.
The transplant subject Valchen. His ribs must have broken, for shattered bone tore through flesh and protruded outward. All the eyes gathered at the mansion turned toward Valchen.
'Now!'
Lowering his body, Theon swiftly ran toward the edge of the island, and leapt straight into the lake. The splash was small, and luckily, with everyone focused on the mansion, no one noticed.
Theon swam beneath the surface of the lake.
Without looking back, he kicked his legs with all his might toward the far shore.
Theon.
Thus he survived once again today.
***
What had happened to the Doctor, was it.
Verden pointed to Gluttony's incisor hanging from his neck.
"Isn't it obvious?"
The Doctor was dead.
Not even a body could be found.
The research journals he had spent his life building had burned away to nothing.
To ask how… was meaningless.
The incisor Verden carried was the genuine article, and Theon had been one of the Gluttony who followed the Doctor.
Rupel had already confirmed the matter himself. Even if he raised doubts now, reality would not change.
Rupel rose from his chair.
At that very moment, a spear of earth impaled his heart. Yet Rupel's gaze remained fixed firmly upon Verden.
'Different from transplant subjects.'
Those ones, though dulled to pain, would die when dealt a fatal blow.
But Rupel was not like that. As though he cared nothing for death. Truly befitting the title of Fang, he would not die so easily like the others.
Rupel spoke.
"Asher, I had heard the name… but to think you were Ark."
His voice brimmed with fury.
The face he had shown as commander of the 3rd Central Knight Order was now shed completely. As though realizing something, he nodded slowly.
"Ah, so it was you, the one who thwarted my plans time and time again. In the matter of Count Dabirk as well. You stole the shadow of the other side, you stole the crimson fragment from me."
"..."
Whether Ark or not, the words were the same.
Come to think of it, it was true. All the Gluttony who had heard Verden deny being Ark had ended up dead.
Letting out a light sigh, Verden activated all of his mana circuits.
The opponent was scum who delighted in human experimentation. A breed Verden despised above all.
From here on, every last Gluttony on this island would be purged. To speak further with Rupel was a waste of breath.
Just then, Rupel cast a glance outside.
"Well then, it seems no one else is around… did you come alone?"
"Do I need more?"
"Haha, such splendid confidence. Well, I suppose it looks like you're stalling for time, waiting for Ark's support… but honestly, I don't know what meaning that would have."
The air currents inside the mansion changed.
A chilling sensation that pierced the skin. Verden instinctively unleashed
"Because by now, you should already be dead."
Darkness spread out from Rupel.
That darkness consumed the world.
***
Verden looked around.
The mansion was gone, and all around was only darkness. It was as though he had stepped into a space where light did not exist.
Yet, despite that, Verden's figure was clearly visible.
Even though no suggestion had been used, even though there was no light, things could be seen… this could not be considered a natural phenomenon.
'Nor is it anything magical.'
Not the slightest trace of magic power could be felt.
Before he could resist, the space had been overturned. Heightening both his senses and his magic power to the extreme, he kept his guard up, when a presence was felt from afar.
Rupel, with not only his wounds but even his attire restored. With arms spread wide, he indicated this darkness.
"How is it, this place. Is it not truly cozy?"
"What is this?"
Rupel answered with a laugh.
"I was born frail. Frequent illnesses, and more than once I stood at death's door, and when the Kingdom of Estiria declared independence, I lost my mother. My family collapsed beyond recognition, and I was left to await nothing but death. Then, hope came to me."
Gluttony.
They approached Rupel, whispering that they would mend his body. It was too sweet. With no other way to survive, he could not help but accept the offer.
Even if the chance of failure was astronomically high.
But against all odds, he succeeded.
"A being who has received an organ transplant from Gluttony gains a body different from before. Strength, regeneration, a physique that far transcends the feeble limits of old humanity. And so, I cast away the sickly past, and obtained a new life."
Rupel soon stood out.
His exceptional physical abilities were a talent, awakening the potential that lay dormant. At last, he became a figure befitting the sole heir of Marquis Gardran's house.
Not only that, but he also helped people in need, preventing meaningless sacrifices. Most knights who knew Rupel respected him.
Rupel proudly spoke of his achievements.
Verden's eyebrow twitched.
"Coming from a bastard who toys with human experimentation."
"Human experimentation, is it. Then let me ask. Is that a bad thing?"
Rupel snorted.
"As you say, our Gluttony used old humanity as material to reach this point. From the perspective of old humanity, yes, it would be evil. But for us, it is good. After all, is not good and evil a subjective concept?"
And then.
"The fact that I saved countless lives, that is simply fact. Nothing more, nothing less. Instead of dying meaningless deaths, they were used meaningfully for Gluttony's future… but is it not the same for old humanity? They raise and slaughter livestock for their own sake."
Humans are inferior.
If they do not gather together, they perish. And even if they survive by gathering, once danger fades, they scatter, and begin taking each other's lives.
They sacrifice and trample upon those they deem inferior races.
Not that he condemned them.
That was simply the nature of humans.
But because of that, Gluttony was right.
To erase inferior old humanity, and redefine mankind as new humanity. It was no different from what humans had always done.
The only change was that the inferior race to be sacrificed had shifted from livestock to old humanity.
Rupel looked at Verden.
"Asher, why do you oppose Gluttony? Is it merely because you belong to Ark? Or is it to protect old humanity? Do you harbor some petty sense of justice?"
Justice, was it.
There was no reason to attach such a grand word.
"Because I don't like it."
"You don't like it? Hah, such a raw reason. Well, fair enough. The ideology of old humanity is mostly like that. They always raise fine-sounding logic and ethics, but when they themselves are the subject, they make excuses and flee as though none of it ever mattered. Ah, and you had asked me, had you not? What exactly this place is."
Rupel stroked his chest.
"This is 'Gluttony's Stomach'. An infinite space itself, created by the power of the organ I received. Enough to engulf the world whole. Until recently, I would have soon died, drained of life force, but no longer."
Rupel pulled out a crimson fragment and held it to his chest.
Then his abdomen opened, countless teeth emerging to devour the fragment. With this, the number of crimson fragments Rupel had consumed totaled ten.
Kwaa-dududuk!
A massive spear of earth shot forth to skewer Rupel.
Yet though nearly half his body was torn away, he did not die, and within seconds, his form returned to normal.
"And the power of Gluttony's organ is not limited to just this space."
Rupel stepped toward Verden.
"In this space, I am undying, immortal. A god."
Rupel gestured.
From the darkness forming the floor, something rose. Black creatures the size of humans, with white eyes and torn mouths. Judging by their forms, they were abnormal species.
"These are the denizens of Gluttony's Stomach. In ancient times they were called 'Sweepers'. Think of them as cleaners."
Individually, they were weak.
But the defining trait of Sweepers was their numbers. Beings that cleaned this endless space. Naturally, there were countless. Sweepers rose one by one from the darkness.
They surrounded Verden in such vast numbers it was impossible to count.
"The master of this space, and Sweepers near to infinite. A mere 4th-tier mage cannot hope to overcome such a gap in power. Asher, what will you do? If you surrender now, and willingly become material for Gluttony, I promise you a peaceful death. And abandon hope of aid. In this place, completely severed from the outside, no old humanity can enter."
Numbers far beyond the four digits.
Never before had Verden faced so many enemies. In sheer force, Verden was at a clear disadvantage.
Then, Verden asked.
"You say this space is completely severed from the outside?"
"Yes."
Severed from the outside, was it.
But instead of despairing, Verden let out a small laugh.
"That's perfect."
"What? What are you…."
Fwoooosh!
Vast magic power surged around Verden. At the same time, in his right eye the magic circle of Defying the Heavens appeared, as the Mystic Eye activated.
The suddenness of it, the overwhelming scale of the magic power, made Rupel falter for a moment. Then he looked up.
A flowing star, a meteor.
Verden's first star fell toward Rupel's head.