A successful experiment?
"So what you're saying is... can I take it that everything happening in the Roble Holy Kingdom right now is nothing more than an experiment?"
Naraku's heart jolted at those words. He stared at the man before him and spoke slowly.
For a moment, countless thoughts surged through his mind.
The hideous Cracks in the sky, the endless stream of Miasma pouring from them, and those rampaging Contaminated Beasts.
The man opposite him looked at Naraku, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"You really are exceptionally perceptive. You found the heart of the matter remarkably quickly."
He paused briefly, seemingly choosing his words before continuing.
"Hmm. If I absolutely had to describe it with a single word, then 'experiment' would be appropriate enough. You can think of it that way for now."
As for the disaster that had suddenly descended upon this nation, should it be called an unjust calamity, or a trial bestowed upon humanity by God?
There was no single correct answer.
Even people who shared the same faith could interpret such things differently.
The man continued.
"To be honest, I admire you. There's no reason we absolutely have to become enemies. Perhaps there's another path open to us. We could become allies!"
"During our brief contact just now, I caught a glimpse of your true nature."
"You possess a spirit, yet lack a soul. Your entire life has been like that of a marionette controlled by strings, forever living beneath the heavy shadow cast by someone else."
"I can clearly sense the resentment, doubt, and confusion buried in the deepest part of your heart."
"You know all of this yourself, of course. Yet you've always restrained yourself, suppressing the urge to think too deeply about it."
"But if you're willing to give me this precious opportunity now, and at the same time give yourself the chance at a new beginning, everything could change."
"You would have the chance to break free of the shackles of your past, rediscover your true and unique self, and finally live a life that genuinely belongs to you."
"So please, hesitate no longer. Join me in devoutly offering ourselves to God!"
With a smile, the man slowly extended his right hand. His eyes held what appeared to be sincere anticipation as he offered the invitation.
Had he seen through him?
Naraku looked at the outstretched hand without saying a word, then quietly lowered his head.
Just as the man had said, he was nothing more than a pitiful puppet.
A parasite that could only continue existing through complete dependence on his True Self.
The words were harsh and difficult to accept, but Naraku knew perfectly well that they were an undeniable fact.
How long had it been since the Roble Holy Kingdom was sealed off?
One day?
Or had it already been two?
Naraku tried to recall the exact amount of time, but his thoughts were hopelessly tangled.
Every second, he could clearly feel his own spirit weakening little by little.
It was like a once-crystal-clear spring slowly drying up until, in the end, nothing remained.
The relationship between him and his True Self was much like that between a router and an electronic device that needed an internet connection.
He was the electronic device. Only by maintaining a stable connection with his router-like True Self could he function normally.
If that connection was severed for some reason, he could still keep himself running for a short while by relying on the spirit stored within him, much like switching a phone over to mobile data.
But such an emergency measure could only last so long.
Once the data ran out, the device would have no choice but to enter offline mode.
And once Naraku's spirit was completely exhausted, what awaited him was a body reduced to an empty shell, stripped of all independent consciousness.
Would he accept an outcome like that?
Heh. How could he possibly accept it?
When the Crack had first appeared, the very first thought that entered his mind had been to find some way, any way, to make the White Dragon Lord carry him away from the scene as quickly as possible.
Yes.
He was that selfish.
Whenever danger arose, his first concern would always be his own safety and interests. The lives of others and the direction of the overall situation could all be tossed aside without a second thought.
Even his earlier guilt toward Neia, along with his thoughts about his own selfishness and hypocrisy, had ultimately been nothing more than self-serving considerations.
His True Self was a dragon.
He, however, was human.
And the darker qualities inherent in humanity were far more frightening than most people imagined.
"I must admit, your offer is quite tempting. Would you mind telling me more about this rare opportunity you mentioned, and about the God you revere?"
Naraku smiled faintly as he spoke.
The moment the words left his mouth, he completely ignored Neia and the others standing nearby and stepped forward without hesitation.
"My Lord!"
Watching Naraku casually pass him and continue straight ahead, the White Dragon Lord finally lost his composure and cried out in alarm.
Something about the situation was beginning to feel deeply wrong, and an ominous premonition rose within him.
The True Self and the clone.
Surely this wouldn't end up like the Deep Darkness Dragon Lord...
"Lower the barrier, and then... stand down!"
Naraku swept his gaze toward him and gave the order.
At the reprimand, the White Dragon Lord's expression immediately became troubled.
He hesitated for a brief moment before obediently retreating.
Yet although his body moved backward, the enormous barrier formed from Wild Magic remained firmly in place, with no sign of being dispelled.
"It seems your subordinate isn't particularly obedient."
The man spoke with an amused half-smile.
"The one he submitted to isn't the weak version of me standing here now, but another, incomparably stronger version of me. So this reaction isn't all that surprising."
Naraku slowly raised his head and looked directly at the man before him.
"Enough small talk."
"I've already shown you sufficient sincerity. Now it's your turn to show me yours."
Naraku ignored the faint mockery in the man's tone entirely.
His expression remained unnaturally calm and composed.
"It seems you still have some doubts about what I've told you. But please believe me. Every word I've said is true."
The man paused, then continued.
"Actually, there's one thing I need to add regarding something you said earlier."
"The true source of everything that has happened so far is not me personally. It all stems from God's will and design."
As he spoke, he raised his head slightly and looked toward the Crack in the sky.
"As for why I can control those Cracks... the reason is quite simple. I was personally created by God."
"Because of that, I am qualified to borrow a portion of Divine Right from my God."
The man fell silent for a moment, seemingly recalling something from the past, before softly speaking his name.
"Enhela Read Gahi. That was the name I possessed when I first descended into this world as a human."
The man who called himself Enhela continued speaking at length.
He firmly believed that since God had chosen to preserve him in this world in human form, then God must have expectations of him. He had surely been left behind to fulfill some vital role.
God had never personally given him any specific instructions or demands.
But the simple fact that God had deliberately allowed him to appear before the people of this world was enough for Enhela to realize that he bore an immense responsibility.
So no matter what, he had to find a reasonable explanation for his existence and strive to carry out the mission God had entrusted to him.
Perhaps he was meant to become a guide leading humanity toward the future.
Or perhaps a savior destined to rescue mankind.
"So your idea of 'saving humanity' is turning them into Contaminated Beasts?"
Naraku listened carefully while considering the implications of Enhela's words.
"I didn't expect you to figure that out too. That's right."
Enhela paused, apparently somewhat surprised that Naraku had already seen through that much.
"However, it wouldn't be accurate to simply call it 'contamination.'"
"In truth, it is merely one necessary stage in humanity's evolution."
Enhela explained in a calm voice, as though discussing something perfectly ordinary.
Contamination, along with the process of reversing it afterward, was all part of humanity's evolution.
The process would not be smooth.
Sacrifices were inevitable.
Just as a phoenix had to pass through consuming flames before being reborn, humanity would likewise have to endure countless hardships and trials if it wished to achieve true evolution.
And the Roble Holy Kingdom had become the experimental ground.
Countless people were now caught within a transformation that concerned the future fate of humanity itself.
"My goal, or rather, my mission, is to push humanity toward evolution until it becomes a powerful existence surpassing every other race, and to help humanity overcome the countless trials God has placed upon it."
Enhela spoke rapidly, his eyes blazing with fanaticism.
Sacrifice was inevitable if such a grand objective was to be achieved.
The first thing he needed to do was break down the defenses within people's hearts.
He had to drive their emotions completely out of control, strip away their reason, and make them incapable of maintaining calm, rational thought.
Only then could the omnipresent Miasma exploit the opening and erode those humans who had originally resisted the first wave of infection.
Within the Roble Holy Kingdom, the highly revered Holy Queen had undoubtedly become the spiritual pillar supporting the people.
Her very existence allowed them to cling to hope.
And that was precisely what Enhela did not want.
Thus, he had decided to eliminate the Holy Queen.
Although the unexpected appearance of the Ancient Shell of the Gods had introduced an unforeseen complication midway through the plan, fortunately, nothing had ultimately gone wrong.
His desire to eliminate Naraku stemmed from exactly the same reasoning.
"Only humans? What about the Demihumans?"
Naraku frowned.
"Demihumans? They have no value whatsoever."
"In this world, the hatred between humans and Demihumans runs deep. And as a human myself, I naturally have to act in humanity's best interests."
The instant those words fell, a noisy commotion broke out nearby.
The Grand King and the others known as the Top Ten exchanged glances, inwardly cursing their rotten luck.
Everything had been going fine.
Who could have expected things to suddenly take such a bizarre turn?
First, the mysterious mastermind had appeared out of nowhere and killed someone. Then the Dragon Lord had briefly clashed with him. After that, the victim who had clearly been dead had somehow miraculously returned to life.
And now things had become even more incomprehensible.
The mastermind and the human he had decapitated were somehow showing signs of reconciling.
The entire chain of events was so confusing that everyone felt as though they were stumbling through thick fog.
But the meaning of Enhela's last statement could not have been clearer.
No matter how slow-witted the Demihumans might be, even they understood it perfectly.
That bastard!
All they wanted was to survive. Was he seriously not going to give them even the slightest chance?!
The Demihumans were furious, burning with indignation. They wanted nothing more than to rush forward and tear Enhela apart on the spot.
But after seeing him casually overpower the Dragon Lord's Breath Attack, none of them dared make a move.
At the same time, the Minotaur Sage who had been hiding in a corner wore an equally dark and grim expression.
He...
He was a Demihuman too!
"I have one final question... Please tell me the name of your God."
Naraku paused briefly before asking again.
Enhela frowned slightly, as though considering whether he should answer.
After a moment of contemplation, he finally spoke.
"Since you insist so strongly, very well... My God, Kuyō!"
As he spoke the name, Enhela's voice unconsciously rose, overflowing with absolute reverence and admiration.
He believed he had been born into this world with a specific purpose and a sacred duty.
Moreover, the great God had generously bestowed upon him enough power to accomplish that mission.
Enhela had never doubted this for even a moment.
He firmly believed that the sole meaning behind his existence was to faithfully carry out God's will.
Of course, if he could recruit a few devout souls along the way and have them worship his God alongside him, that would certainly be wonderful as well.
However, the instant Enhela uttered the name "Kuyō," Naraku and the Minotaur Sage hidden in the shadows both widened their eyes.
Their pupils contracted sharply from the sheer shock.
What?!
What?! Kuyō?!
If it really was Kuyō...
Holy shit!
Thoughts like these exploded wildly through their minds.
"Ahem..."
Naraku cleared his throat twice, trying to conceal the tension and unease inside him.
"This... Kuyō you speak of. What kind of existence is he, exactly?"
Although Naraku still appeared fairly composed on the surface, an enormous storm was already raging within him.
That name was simply far too familiar.
Could it just be a coincidence?
Enhela had only said "Kuyō," after all.
Naraku clung to that last sliver of hope, forcing himself to remain calm as he waited for an answer.
"What kind of existence? Omnipotent? Omniscient?"
"Heh. Those are nothing more than incomplete descriptions of divinity. How could humans ever truly comprehend the greatness and profundity of God?"
After saying this, Enhela turned his gaze back toward Naraku, an unusual light flickering in his eyes.
He took another step forward and lowered his voice.
"Now it's your turn to make your choice."
"So long as you are willing to worship my God alongside me, God's authority will grant you limitless possibilities."
"Heh... That really is a difficult temptation to resist."
"Then my answer is... Fire at me!"
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