Berserk of Gluttony (LN) - Volume 6 - Chapter SS

Side Story:

Dean Graphite

IT HAD BEEN a long time since I’d tasted battle. I’d spent five years resting in the cold soil of my grave, and with that in mind, I didn’t perform too badly. But I hadn’t intended to fight at all, actually. I only wanted to keep an eye on my son as he fought the Zodiac Scorpion. However, before I knew it, I was in the heat of the fray myself, fighting by his side. It was a steady reminder that once again, I was a father.

I stared up at the moon as I walked the desert, alone.

“So, even Snow is back,” I said to myself.

I had expected her return, but not so soon. Fortunately, her resurrection was incomplete, and her memories were lost. We wouldn’t have won so easily had she been resurrected in the state she left.

I was the person who’d killed Snow the first time, and she’d dealt the wounds that eventually led to my own death. Because of this dark past, I wanted to rid the world of her, yet Fate hadn’t let me. He was kind, just like his mother.

I had no choice but to allow it. If Snow had taken a liking to Fate, then he would have a guardian of unbelievable strength. She shared the same inhuman power that I did, and the thirteen of us who bore this power were known as the Zodiac Knights. When we unleashed the slumbering power of the holy beasts within, we had the fearsome strength of the Domain of E at our disposal.

In the beginning, only the Zodiac Knights had been able to reach the Domain of E and utilize its power. In this way, we could maintain a balance. However, when Libra, the thirteenth knight appeared, this balance began to fall apart. He created minions with the power of the Domain of E, his reasoning being that it would make the world easier to govern. Where he received the knowledge and power to do such a thing was a complete mystery. However, it was effective at bringing an end to the frequent wars that scarred the lands of the world. At the time, my thoughts were not like those of humans, and I didn’t concern myself with any lives sacrificed if they were for the sake of balance. Rather, I encouraged their loss. If Fate learned of the person I was then, he would never be able to forgive me.

The person who changed me, the person who transformed my cold, cruel heart, was my wife. She was nothing more than a human—an existence I thought of as almost nothing. Even so, from the moment I first beheld her, my worldview completely shifted. I had lived for countless years, and yet these sudden feelings hit me for the first time and sent shock waves through my core. I couldn’t hold them back, and together we created something that never should have been.

Fate was the first of his kind: a child of mixed blood, born from the union of a holy beastfolk and a human.

Knowing that the Zodiac Knights would never permit the existence of such a child, we escaped in search of a place to hide. At the small village where we ended up, my wife gave birth to Fate and died in the process. For the first time in my life, tears fell from my eyes. Her last words carved themselves into my heart.

“Restia,” I said to her, “this time, I’ll make it work. I promise.”

Her last wish became my own, and it remained unchanged. I was bound by my Revelation, but I would strive to do what was needed.

As I climbed to the top of a small sand dune, I heard a young woman’s voice.

“You said that you were only going to observe the battle, but you went out there and helped him anyway. Couldn’t stand to watch Fate in a tight spot?”

There was nothing in my field of vision. I felt no presence and no magical energy around me. I walked toward the direction of the voice and spoke.

“Laine, no more hiding. We talk when I can see you.”

“Oh, sorry. My bad.”

Laine quickly took off the cloak she wore. In an instant, she appeared as if from thin air. As usual, she looked pale, sickly, and sleep deprived. There were dark rings around her eyes.

“I am just in constant awe of this cloak,” she said. “I adore lost Galian tech.”

“Well, I’m glad you like it. Sorry I kept you waiting.”

“Meh, I don’t mind. If Fate died, I’d have no reason to be traveling with you.”

“It makes me proud as a father to know he’s got such good people around him.”

I took the bag Laine had been carrying and hefted it onto my shoulder. We trudged on farther east.

“Let me know if you get tired,” I said, “I don’t mind carrying you if I have to.”

“Don’t mind me—I can handle a little walking.”

It was obvious that exercise had never been her strong suit. She was a researcher through and through.

Noticing my look, Laine glowered. “I’ll have you know that I don’t need my Telepathy to know what you’re thinking!”

“You’re saying you can read my thoughts without a skill… Impressive.”

“My skill means that people’s thoughts and feelings flow through me even when I don’t want them. As such, I’ve grown sensitive to people’s expressions so I can figure out their thoughts without touching them.”

“So that was the reason you opted to follow me without putting up a fight.”

“Precisely. I decided to help you because I knew your request was genuine. And I’d be lying if I said you didn’t intrigue me.” Laine peered at me. We had only traveled together a short time, but her motives were clear as day.

“Because I’m not human?” I asked.

Laine nodded quietly. “Ever since I started running tests on Fate, there’s been a question without an answer. The Gluttony is changing his body, yes, but it was also clear that Gluttony wasn’t the only thing that made him unique. I couldn’t help but wonder…was he even human?”

“I see.”

We came to the eastern border of the desert and arrived at a large pool of quicksand. We stared at it for a time, listening to the sound of the sand as it swirled around the pool. 

Laine grinned. “So, the ancient ruins are under here?” 

“There’s a giant hollow beneath this point that the sand flows into,” I said. “This phenomenon causes the pool of quicksand you see before you.”

“Well, let’s get to it then.”

Laine reached a hand toward me. From here on out, she’d need my help whether she wanted it or not.

“So obedient all of a sudden. I like this,” I said.

“Don’t treat me like a child, please.”

“How rude of me. My apologies.”

I took her hand in my own, and we dove into the quicksand. Laine was nothing if not a passionate researcher. Her eyes glittered with excitement even as she was about to be swallowed by the quicksand. It was proof that her desire to explore the unknown outweighed any trepidation in her heart.

“You have to hold your breath until we get through,” I said. “Can you do that?”

Laine nodded, and I pulled her in close. The sand enveloped us. Time passed in darkness as we endured the coarse, heavy pressure, drowning in the sound of flowing sands. Then, just like that, our bodies grew light.

“We’re through,” I said. “You can breathe now.”

Laine coughed gently. She’d swallowed some sand on the way down. But when she saw the relics that stretched out beneath us, she forgot her discomfort entirely.

“These ruins… But how? They’re…” 

“They’re exactly what you think.”

“They’re still functioning.”

The black buildings lined up in neat rows, protected from the elements here beneath the earth. The outer walls surrounding them shone with red lights at certain intervals.

“Your tongue is going to fall out if you keep your mouth open like that,” I said.

“What are you looking at my mouth for?! Focus on making sure we land safely! That’s your job!”

“No need to worry, but watch it. Not a good idea to wriggle too much while we’re falling through the air.”

It had been a long time, but I hadn’t forgotten how to fly. As we fell, Laine looked at what appeared from my back and raised her voice in surprise for the second time. 

“Wings?!”

“These are unique to me,” I explained. “The others each have their own unique differences.”

“You’re like…an angel.”

“Nothing quite as majestic as that,” I said. “Get ready, we’re landing.”

We circled the buildings as we descended toward the floor. Landing softly, I lowered Laine to the ground. As soon as she was on her feet, Laine crouched down to study something.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“We’re underground, right? But there’s grass growing from the earth. And it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

“As you can see, these ruins also produce life-giving illumination. A long, long time ago, this place was isolated from the outside world. All the vegetation is exactly as it was when that isolation occurred.”

“So it’s like a living fossil, is that what you’re saying? There must be others too.”

“There are. But we can’t stand around watching grass grow all day.”

“I will do my best not to get distracted!”

Laine reached out and grabbed an insect that had happened to poke its head out from between blades of grass. As she did, I silently grabbed her by the collar and dragged her toward the ruins.

“Can you save the bug catching for later, please?” I said.

“No need to look so stern. That tattoo that pops up on your face is already scary enough. Why go to the trouble of making it scarier? I’ll behave myself, okay?”

“Good. Then let’s head inside.”

“If the ruins are still functioning as they once did, should we be careful? I’m an unauthorized trespasser, after all. Will that cause any trouble?”

“I can authorize our entry. I might look like a ruffian, but I know my way around these parts.” I put a hand to the gate at the walls, and it silently opened.

“The Seifort military has implemented this technology in a few areas. It allows access to authorized individuals by scanning their body.”

“So the kingdom is already making use of Galian technology. If they’ve come that far, they’ll be able to do much more in the future.”

“You don’t mind us stealing the technology for our own use?”

“On the contrary, I hope they’ll make more use of it. There’s no sin in technology.”

We passed through the open gates and to the relics. The place was still spotless, even after countless years of complete abandonment. It was eerie to think of how little it had changed since the incident. Our footsteps echoed as we walked.

“Hey, can I ask you something?” said Laine.

“What?”

Laine looked on ahead as she walked. “Did Fate inherit a similar power to your own?” 

“He didn’t when he was born. Back then, I thought it would remain the case, but I realize now that I was wrong.”

“How so?”

“It wasn’t that he didn’t have it, it was that certain requirements needed to be met before it would reveal itself. I believe this is because human bodies can’t handle the strength of a holy beast. It’s ironic, perhaps, but it’s because his Gluttony skill has strengthened his mind and body that he can now meet those requirements.”

“Fate told me that in Galia, his Gluttony almost broke free entirely, but strangely, it didn’t. Right before it should have, it settled down. Am I right to think that was when the power of the holy beast awakened? Fate believes it was a miracle that he owes to Roxy.”

“Miracles… Well, stranger things have happened. She pulled the final trigger, I think. This allowed for the power of the holy beast to release from Fate’s heart and quieten his Gluttony.”

“So that’s what happened… And that’s why you’re interested in her. You heard my story about Galia, and that detail stuck with you.”

“You watched the battle earlier, then?”

“Well, I was pretty far away, but I used this.” 

Laine gave me a sly smile as she showed me a pair of binoculars. I knew she hid in her cloak of invisibility, but I hadn’t realized that she’d done more than that. She looked sleepy and careless, but her personality was the opposite, and she paid sharp attention to every detail.

“You talked to her, didn’t you?” Laine said. “After the battle, just before you left. What did you say to her?”

“Why do you want to know?”

We were walking through a corridor deeper into the relics, but Laine suddenly stood in front of me, blocking the way. “Because I’m curious.”

“Fine. I’ll tell you, but get out of my way.”

“Really? You’ll tell me?”

“I will.”

“Then I’ll do as you ask. Let’s hear it, then.”

Laine had a way of drawing people into her world. I imagined she was just as much of a handful for Fate. I laughed, thinking of the hoops he had to jump through for the women in his life. 

Laine raised an eyebrow impatiently. “Well? Spit it out!” 

“Relax. There’s no need to rush.”

“It’s in my nature to analyze the things that capture my interest, whatever they are. Hey! Did you just laugh at me?!”

“It’s just your imagination. So, you want to know what I said to Roxy…”

“I do!”

I took a deep breath. “I told her that if she wants to be with Fate, then she needs to be stronger.”

“What does that mean?”

She knew what it meant, she just wanted me to say it.

“Fate’s true power is awakening, and it’s awakening because of her. But if he loses Roxy, the damage to his heart and mind will be enormous. His Gluttony could still lead him to a place of no return.”

“And you want Roxy to be strong in case of that?”

“Yes. She has a strong heart, but she’s not in the Domain of E. I’m glad she’s with him, but things will only become more dangerous from here.”

“Roxy already knows all that, doesn’t she? And she still decided to travel with him despite the dangers.”

“She knows it better than anyone. It’s why I had to tell her myself.”

“To get stronger?”

“Roxy will have to make a choice. Either stay by his side as she is, or take a step into the unknown. If she won’t take that step, she needs to go home.”

But the person most worried about Roxy entering the Domain of E was none other than Fate himself. Laine had told me as much. Not long ago, Fate had faced off against a holy knight by the name of Rafale Vlerick, and in that battle, he’d seen what happens to those who can’t control the power. Having fought that monster, he knew firsthand the risk one took when they played with such abilities. I didn’t think Fate had it in him to ever put Roxy in a situation so dangerous. This was why her decision was paramount.

“I hope it goes the way you want,” said Laine.

“All I can do is leave it to her and take care of what’s within my control.”

We came to a thick, heavy door. It was the entrance to the most important place in the ruins—the entire purpose of this facility. To push research ever onward.

“The security in this place is as tight as it gets. Can you get us through?” asked Laine.

“I used to be pretty important, you know.”

“And now you’re just a suspicious old man who kidnaps young women.”

“I’ve already apologized for that. Getting on a woman’s bad side…I don’t know if there’s anything quite so terrifying. They’ll tell you it doesn’t matter, then one day suddenly bring it back like a weapon. Like they never, ever forget a slight.”

“Coming from a married man, those words have a lot of weight,” said Laine with a giggle. “I guess you must be right.”

She looked like she believed it too. I could only imagine how hard things would be for her future husband.

“Give me a break,” I said.

I put my hand to the door, which slid open after scanning my body. As expected, everything beyond the doors still functioned. The large glass canisters were still lined up, filled with monsters soaking in red liquid, quiet in their slumber.

“This… This is just like Rafale’s research facility,” Memil whispered.

“The biological experiments happened across the land, all of them attempts to copy phenomena from elsewhere. Anyway, we need to head farther in.” 

Laine pulled at my sleeve to stop me and pointed toward one of the monsters. “Where did monsters come from, anyway?” 

“You’re a smart girl, Laine. But if you’re asking me that question, it’s because you already have an idea of the answer, right?”

“All the same, I want to hear it from you.”

“If I tell you that now, we’ll have a hard time cooperating, so you’ll have to forgive me for keeping the secret.”

“You’re horrible.”

“I won’t deny it. Before I met my wife, there was no other word to describe me.”

Staring at monsters submerged in liquid wasn’t going to change anything. I walked on, and Laine followed close behind. In this place, Galian technology still lived, functioning as it always had. The whole place should have captivated Laine, but she followed me without so much as a glance at the artifacts around her.

We came to a stop in the very center of the facility. The energy source that powered the entire facility was here, and it floated in empty space, emitting a blue light.

“This is what you came for?” Laine asked.

“Yes. In the past there were many, but the vast majority of them are now lost to us. It’s an ether blood crystal. God granted people skills and left behind blood crystals. They are formed from the blood of divinity itself. We call it a miracle stone.”

I walked up to the ether blood crystal and pulled the blood-red stone from my pouch. Laine and the researchers in Seifort had called it a Philosopher’s Stone. It was part of a superorganism that bestowed great power upon those it infected. It could grant them the ability to heal, or even access to the Domain of E. However, because it had a will and consciousness of its own, the chances of the organism successfully bonding with a host were incredibly slim. In the majority of cases, the host’s mind was overtaken, and they were instead forced into the Domain of E. This led to Soul Decay and the birth of a new monster.

“It seems that when you handle the Philosopher’s Stone, it has no effect on you,” said Laine.

“To me, this is little more than a tool. But as you thought, it won’t listen to my commands because it’s sentient. So, we’ll purify it with the power of the ether blood crystal.”

The motes of light falling from the blood crystal touched the Philosopher’s Stone, and its surface began to writhe.

“It’s reacting to the light!”

A face arose from the red crystal, and it let loose an anguished, inhuman scream that echoed through the facility. When the room finally fell silent, I held in my hand a harmless red stone.

“It’s done,” I said. “It went exactly as I thought.”

“What should I do now that you’ve finished up with your…Revelation business?”

Laine pointed; the tattoo across my face had vanished. It was the mark of Divine Revelation. In exchange for the power of the holy beast, my actions were bound by contract. When I did what it asked of me, it released its grasp.

“It’s hard for you, isn’t it? The Revelation.”

“It’s been with me for far longer than you can imagine. I’m used to it. Anyway, let’s do what we came here for.”

I walked toward a console beside the ether blood crystal, which controlled the flow of its energy. This energy was channeled throughout the facility.

“A lot of work was done here,” I said, “but it’s time for this facility and its research to end. I’m going to use the ether blood crystal for my son.”

I typed the shutdown code into the console, sending the order for the entire system to halt processes. Then I tapped in a command to package the crystal and make it easier to carry. A mechanical arm dropped from the ceiling, grabbed the crystal, and placed it in a portable vessel.

“It’s done,” I said. “I need you to look after it for me.”

“But what am I supposed to do with this…energy source?”

“It’s not an energy source. As you just witnessed, it cleansed the Philosopher’s Stone. This ether blood crystal contains the rarefied wisdom of God. I merely pulled forth a small fraction of that power.”

“So, you want me to analyze it…”

“With this,” I said, passing the container to Laine, “your understanding of Galian tech will deepen. Use it to help Fate.”

“I will.” Confusion marred Laine’s features. “But if you wanted to analyze it, surely we could have used this facility? Why shut it all down? Why are we leaving?”

“I have to go to Hausen, and it would be dangerous to leave you here alone. It’s safest for you to continue traveling with me for now.”

“What sort of danger are you talking about?”

“As you saw with the Zodiac Scorpion, the Zodiac Knights don’t share a unified agenda. Each of us is independent, with our own goals and motivations. Though I don’t intend to let any danger befall you, I can’t speak for the others. In particular, Libra…”

“Okay, I get it. Then I’m with you. But you’ve got a place ready, right? A place where I can study and analyze this?”

“Of course. But we should hurry. Without energy, the facility lights will dim and go out. We should get out of here before that happens.”

As we left the room, I looked at the glass cylinders. Now that the facility was shut down, the monsters inside had no life support to rely on, and they dissolved into fragments. As I walked on ahead, I heard Laine’s voice behind me.

“Hey, can I ask one more thing?”

“What?”

“Are you glad you came back to life, Dean?”

“I am,” I said. “Very glad. I could see the man my son grew up to be, and this time…” I took a breath and smiled. “I can finally put an end to things with Libra.”

My return was like one last chance granted by God. I had promised my wife, as I stood crying tears of joy in front of her grave, that I would make the most of it.