Hearing this, Raven calmed down slightly.
Yuka had killed people both at school and outside. Logically, no matter how incompetent the Japanese police were, some clues should have surfaced after so long. Yet, things had remained quiet, and the heat surrounding the missing persons cases in the news had faded. This was indeed the work of Smart Brain.
However, he knew Smart Brain didn't intervene to protect Yuka but to avoid drawing trouble to themselves; it was purely self-preservation.
But as things stood, he might have a use for Smart Brain. Their influence was vast; there might be high-ranking officials in the Japanese government who had been converted into Orphnochs.
"Mr. Raven, I know that you aren't truly human either. Although you are not an Orphnoch, you are an evolved, new species, just like us. Why don't we join forces and collectively stand against humanity?"
"Stand against humanity? Were you not born of humans? Are you forgetting your origins so quickly?" Raven scoffed.
Although his mentality had changed after becoming an Amazon, leading him to disregard human life, he still viewed himself as human at his core. It was just that he was willing to kill humans, and he was willing to kill Kaijin. Essentially, he killed anyone who provoked him, regardless of whether they were human or monster.
Saeko Kageyama and the others' faces instantly changed.
Murakami, however, spoke without haste. "Do you know how humans will treat a minority like us, those who are different? They will try every means possible to capture us and use us for experiments."
Raven immediately cut him off:
"Mr. Murakami, what you're saying is meaningless. How about we discuss something about the Orphnochs instead?"
"For example, your King."
"You actually know of the King's existence." Murakami was inwardly startled.
Raven's gaze swept calmly over everyone at the table. "Although you Orphnochs are evolved humans, there is a major flaw, a deficiency, that I wonder if you are aware of."
"A flaw? What flaw…" Takuma said nervously.
Saeko Kageyama also looked confused. Even Murakami stared at Raven, utterly baffled. "What exactly do you know, Mr. Raven?"
He actually didn't know about this major flaw of the Orphnochs. The former President, Hanagata, had destroyed all related data, keeping it a secret from everyone.
"The Orphnochs' lifespan is very short. In less than about twenty years, you will turn to sand and die due to the depletion of the Orphnoch factors (dna/cells) in your bodies," Raven stated slowly. "Your former President disappeared suddenly precisely because he learned of this."
"You shouldn't say such things so lightly, Mr. Raven." Murakami took a deep breath. But internally, he felt a certain conviction about the answer, having seen similar hints in the incomplete documents Hanagata hadn't fully destroyed. He had simply been unwilling to accept the fact until now.
"How can this be…" Saeko was profoundly shaken.
"Th-then what do we do… I don't want to die…"
Seeing Murakami's lack of a direct refutation, Takuma's mental state immediately collapsed.
"But don't worry, there is a way to prevent this from happening," Raven added, as if he had taken control of the negotiation.
"Oh? Then would Mr. Raven be willing to share that with us?" Murakami was eager to learn how much more Raven knew.
"It's simple. You just need to find the Orphnoch King, who can grant you eternal life. However…"
Raven paused there.
"However, what?" Takuma was the most agitated.
Saeko also looked at Raven curiously. Even the usually distracted Kitazaki seemed slightly unnerved now, as this was a matter of his own life.
"The awakening of the Orphnoch King requires devouring the lives of a large number of high-level Orphnochs," Raven stated. "Furthermore, once you are granted eternal life, you will have to remain in your Orphnoch form forever; you can no longer return to being human." Raven finished, picking up his wine glass and taking a slow sip.
"Devouring the lives of high-level Orphnochs… and never being able to change back to human?"
Upon hearing this, Takuma completely broke down inside. Neither of those outcomes was what he wanted.
"Mr. Raven, how can I be sure that what you are saying is true?" Murakami feigned composure, though internally, he was already in a panic. The details Raven provided—combined with the sudden change in former President Hanagata's attitude towards the Orphnochs (shifting towards humans) and his subsequent mysterious disappearance—all seemed to fit perfectly.
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