Dragon Maken War - Chapter 147

Chapter 147

Chapter 147 – Heaven and Hell (3)

The Albatan forest was a demonic land located at the eastern end of the continent .  The members of the Plain of Darkness didn’t dare intrude on this location thanks to the beings that ruled over the forest .  When high caliber troops like Niberis and Duran was sent out to find the whereabouts of Saibein, they avoided all confrontations within the forest .  Instead, they had run away at first sign of danger .  They had to be very cautious in their search .  

This had been the case during and before the Dragon Demon war .  It was a demonic land that was left over from the olden days…… .

“Can you guarantee that the wise Dragon Albatan won’t be hostile towards us?”

-I can’t .

“Wait a moment .  You can’t?

-However, I can’t think of another place to go to .  Especially now…

“Especially now?”

-The Demon King Balserk spoke about it .  He said the answer is with Albatan .

“What?”

Yuren became surprised .  Azell spoke .

-My curiosity is mounting as to who the guide really is .  He is reading my moves as if he had seen my future .  How could he arrange all of this without it?

“Mmmm…… . ”

-If there were other options available to me, I might have rejected what he had arranged for me .  These subtle arrangements fit too well with my situation .  It makes me wonder if I’m drinking from a poisoned well .

“You are saying we have no other options?”

-The cards we hold is limited .  If we had been successful in completely escaping the clutches of our enemies then maybe… . .

“It’s fine .  If we are going to die anyways, I’d rather not to be killed by the Dragon Demon king worshippers .  When we have time, I’ll take a nap .  Maybe, the guide will give us a decent plan . ”

Azell and Kairen was taken aback by his words, so they stared at Yuren .  Kairen spoke .

“I know you trust the guide, but… .  Is it ok to put all your eggs in one basket by blindly trusting the guide?”

“I’ve always lived liked this .  Maybe, I’m the one that should be called a fanatic . ”

Azell and Kairen was at a loss for words .  The more they saw this side of Yuren it became harder for them to understand him .

Yuren queried .

“What was the truth that Balserk wanted to impart on us?”

-He wanted to tell us about the identity of the Demon race .

“Mmm?”

Azell told the two puzzled men about the last conversation he shared with Balserk .

3

Balserk spoke .

<When hearing a long story, don’t humans like to hear a summary that is three lines or less beforehand?  Since I like buying the goodwill of my audience, I’ll tell you the summary first . >

“You are kind .  So is it three lines?”

<Unfortunately, I’m not talented enough to put the summary into the form of a three line stanza… . .  I’ll resolve it with a single line .  Demons are humans . >

“What?”

Azell became surprised at Balserk’s words .

Demons had deep ill will towards humans, and they led humans to destruction by baiting them with knowledge .  How could beings that are so engrossed in destroying humans be humans themselves?

Balserk cackled .

<Are you surprised?>

“…honestly, I am surprised .  However, it isn’t as if it is unbelievable . ”

<Ho-oh .  Why?>

“You said they were humans . ”

<Mmm?>

“The beings that hate humans the most are humans .  If you frame it like that, it seems obvious . ”

The ones that had the deepest understanding of humans were other humans .  The ones that were capable of hating humans the most was also humans .

Azell didn’t know any existence that hated humans more than other humans .  Hatred and ill will towards other humans seemed like a natural phenomena .

Balserk spoke .

<Ah ah .  It is quite unfortunate . >

“What are you referring to?”

<I regret the fact that I don’t have much time left to share my story with you .  The act of sharing a story with someone is a very sweet thing .  It is an opportunity where we can get to know about each other .  If it was up to me, I want to extend this conversation for a thousand or ten thousand years to fill this emptiness… . .   My wish is to enjoy my life in that fashion . >

He had been in absolute isolation, and he had been pining for his own destruction . The Demon King spoke with a sad voice . .

Azell didn’t give a reply .  Balserk looked at him for a brief moment before he continued to speak . .

<Yes, it is as you’ve said . Humans hate humans the most .   In this world, the ones to kill the most humans isn’t wild beasts, natural disasters or even plagues… .   If one thought about humans as a possibility, it is a logical conclusion . >

The Demon race yearned for human, yet they hated humans at the same time .  If the Demon race were once humans, it really was an obvious conclusion .  

<There are several myths that points to this truth .  For example, the birth of the Dragon Demon race…>

They were the product between Dragons and the Demon race .  Dragon Demons were a high rank species that was the last amongst the races to walk on the surface of this world .

They were a a completely different species, yet they held resemblance to humans .  On top of that fact, they were able to procreate with humans .  The Dragon Majins were the product of such unions .

<Dragon Slayer’s Ritual . >

In nature, the Dragons were tyrants that were born with massive amounts of energy .  Humans were the weakest if one took away their wisdom and weapons .  It was an odd match .

<Legend of Babel . >

The way one thinks differed depending on where one lived .  Every humans are the same at a fundamental level, yet humans from different regions had different languages .  

This led to magicians wanting to stop all tragedies that stemmed from a breakdown in communications .  They consolidated the language of the human race into one .

<There are several other myths… . .  However, these are the classic examples . >

“Are you trying to say the existence of the Demon race should be included as one of them?”

<That’s right . >

Balserk gave an affirmation .

<I don’t know how or when humans came to walk on the surface of this world .  However, I do know that Demon race originated from the human race . >

“There is something I am curious about…… . ”

Azell asked a question .

“Where do the Demon race get their knowledge?  How can you be so sure that you are right?”

<Again, it all originates from humans . >

“What?”

<The Demon race cannot exist in this world .  I don’t know who started calling us Demons, but it was an apt nickname .  We live outside of the human world… .   It is a place filled with emptiness .  In other words, it is hell . >

“Do you mean hell really exists?”

<The place I am talking about is a little bit different from the hell discussed within the temples of this world .  Let me put aside the explanation about hell for now . There are two qualities that are lacking from Demons that humans possess .  >

“What is it?”

<It is sleep and forgetfulness . >

“Hmm…… . ”

<We do not fall asleep, and we never forget .  We are always observing the world .  When I say the Demons ‘observe’, you should think of it as… . .  Yes, it is a bit different than looking at someone from afar . >

“What do you mean by that?”

<When the Demon race observes a human, it is a similar experience as reading a novel .  Basically, half of it is from an omniscient viewpoint . >

“Basically, you are saying it includes the thoughts within a humans head?”

<It isn’t just thoughts .  We are even able to see the causal relationship .  It isn’t as if we can pick and choose everything we want to see .  However, this means we are able to gain a variety of knowledge . >

If a human discovers something, does the knowledge get transferred to everyone?

No .

Does an achievement attained by someone benefit all humans?

No .

<Many information gets lost, but if one is lucky, the knowledge may get passed on to another   human .  The knowledge of the Demon race is based on personal observation .  Moreover… . >

Balserk raised a finger, and he focused Azell’s gaze on it .

<The only condition needed for a human to become a Demon is hate . >

“Humans that possess hate becomes a Demon?”

<If we are to summarize it, your statement is correct . >

“…I’m just trying to confirm something .  Death is part of the process in becoming a Demon?”

<Of course .  You are correct . >

“So everyone that dies with hate in their heart becomes a Demon?”

<That isn’t the case .  If one wants to become a demon, one has to fulfill two prerequisites . . >

It didn’t matter how, but one had to hate humanity after being murdered by a stranger .

Moreover, the hate had to be so enormous that the hate doesn’t become limited to a single person .  The person has to hate everything that was made by humans in this world .

<The first Demon was the very first human to be murdered by another human .  I’ve met him before . >

“You’ve met him?  How?”

<The magician that put me in this state made me confront him .  It was an interesting experience . >

“The very first human to be murdered by another… .  It really does sound like a myth . ”

<Everything has a first .  The being that imprisoned me was trying to find the origin of humans through this Demon .   I’m not sure if he gained the answer he wanted . >

“Hmmm…… . ”

<I’m not sure if there are more conditions, but that is all I’ve discovered .  The one to imprison me here found out the reason behind the birth of the Demon race .  At the same time, he surmised that something went went awry when humans appeared on this world . >

“Something went awry?  Do you mean this world?  Or are you talking about humans?”

<Both .  I’m not entirely sure what the problem was .  However .  From the perspective of a demon, humans were changed into Demons, and they were thrown into hell .  It is a consensus amongst us that this is proof that something is wrong with this world .  As a human, you probably see the Demons as evil existence .  However, I told you about the prerequisite needed to become a Demon .  Can’t you see that process is unfair?>

“The ones that have hate in their heart after being murdered is thrown into hell .  The temple tells us that we reap what we sow . It seems that is far from the truth . ”

<It means morality has nothing to do with hell, Demons and humans .  One doesn’t become a demon, because one was evil or one had committed a wrong .  It is akin to a human contracting a incurable disease .  We were just unlucky in becoming Demons and being sent to hell… . .  This world is horrifying cruel, and there is something wrong with it . >

“Do you want sympathy from me?”

<It would be great if you could give me some . >

“…… . ”

<If you look at me like that, I’ll be wounded .  All right .  I’ll talk more about hell . >

Balserk let out a self-deprecating smile .

<The Demon race can watch the world strictly as outsiders .  We are similar to humans… .  To be precise, we used to be humans, and our minds had been corrupted .  We couldn’t contact anyone in the outside world, so we could share our plight with anyone .  Do you realize how horrifying that is?>

“That is hell?”

<That’s right .  The only reason why we know know we are separate beings inside that place is the fact that we still have self-awareness .  However… . >

They knew where the world was, yet they couldn’t approach it .

Even as they brushed by it, they couldn’t reach the world .

<There is no conflict in that place .  There is no discrimination .  No one suffers from hunger or sickness .  Since we’ve escaped the circle of life, we do not grow old .  Do you know what some call such a world?>

“It is… paradise . ”

<That is correct .  It is a world everyone yearned for .  It was an ideal world that everyone had dreamed about . >

They were able to perceive the existence of other beings, yet they were thrown into a world where they couldn’t vent their feelings .  Moreover, it didn’t matter if one wanted to or not .  One was able to observe the world that they had once existed in .  

This world had happiness within it .

There was anger .

There was sadness .  

There was joy .

<We could see it . >

They could only see it .

No matter how enticing it was they couldn’t possess it .

No matter how sad it was they couldn’t save them .

Moreover, they couldn’t share what they had seen and felt with others .

<When the ability to communicate is taken away, the problems that had to be gotten rid of to create a utopia is solved .  However, it is also a hell where one’s soul is infriged on . >

“…… . ”