NOVEL NEXT Human or Not?
I am inherently a loner, that fact was made clear when my only company is Londinium on the rooftop. Together, we watch the event going on, the laughter of the students, without a care of what just happen yesterday.
Huh...
"Londinium.", I spoke with a soft tone, "Do you ever experience existential dread?"
"Not really, no.", he shrugged, looming over me while providing shade too, "I am treated as an existential dread more than feeling it."
Guess being a world destroyer does that to you.
"Personally, I don't feel it too.", I closed my eyes.
Existential dread, humanity avoids and blocks it on a subconscious level. To prevent mankind from experiencing the futility of our existence. It is a defense mechanism that stops a person from breaking down.
For me, it doesn't work. This cognitive preservation. I understand my place in the universe and my role as the one to usher in change. Still, I don't care.
As long as I accomplish my dream...
Nothing else matters.
"Say... why do all the Harbingers of Life seem so... dangerous?"
An unhinged world destroyer, a mechanical god that sounds like a mess to deal with, I have no idea about The Necro Lord but from its title, it isn't that nice of a being, greedy capitalistic treasure hunter, a train that travels across the universe, a seemingly omnipresent blue screen, something that straight up ignores the established system, Death itself, and a ball of disease that can end life instantly...
Wait... I think I see a pattern.
"It is simple.", Londinium nodded, "The Harbingers of Life have some way to bypass the limitation of their light. From The Pale Court's Swords of Judgment to the disease-riddled Avatar of The Plague Garden. That on top of being able to create Life, with the exception of The Starlight Psychopomp who reaps Life."
I see... my assumptions were correct.
"What are you planning to show the students?", I change the subject.
"Sarin gas absorber. I am just introducing one of the technologies from Venus to help with breathing. Turns out, it is the best filter on Earth that can stop global warming."
Damn.
"How bad was the air quality on Venus?", I wondered.
"How many elements are on the periodic table?", he asked back.
"A hundred and twenty-five?", I tilted my head.
"Add ten more and you have what is in Venus' air."
"That bad, huh.", I look up at him, "Have any gossip to share?"
"Well, people are thinking we used to date—", I smashed him in the face with the coffin.
"How the fuck did anyone come to that conclusion?!", ME? DATING SOMEONE MUCH LESS A COCKROACH?!
I glare at him, "How the fuck did it start?!"
"You know you always attack me on sight, right? That's where the misunderstanding starts.", he shrugged.
Oh.
I've calmed down after realizing my blunder... nah, I didn't do anything wrong.
"That's because you annoy me so much.", I retorted.
"Cope.", he responded.
I clicked my tongue, "I don't have enough time for this shit!"
"We both know the truth, Charlotte.", he turned around, "But since the rumor had started, you know better than anyone else it can't be stopped once it started."
"Let's get down to business... we still have a show to put up.", I turned to the courtyard, seeing the festiveness of this place.
I truly don't fit here.
But this might be my only chance to relax and chill out. After all, once I can do something about Theia... and take care of the other two... heha...
The world is my oyster~
=0=0=
It was night now, and I had dragged the cage with the Wendigo in it to the backstage. It is still sedated, but I need to make this more... interesting.
I summon a couple of gold coins from the Legacy of Monte Cristo.
"Reforge.", they turned into nails, to which I impale the Wendigo with perfect throws. Both of its hands and feet, its chest and head. The green flame blarred up for a second, then fizzled out.
The power to twist destiny, so something will definitely go wrong.
I glance back, seeing one of the professors... let's see... James was his name.
"Hey, your show is about to start, are you ready?", he looks at me, then at the motionless Wendigo behind me.
"Yup.", I nodded, dragging the cage with me.
"...and now, let us welcome The Voyager of Destiny, Captain Sinclaire.", the announcer said as I made my way onto the stage.
The cheering was gone, replaced by complete silence.
Everyone looks at the monster trapped inside the cage, with a silver spear stabbed right through it.
"Greetings, one and all~ you all must be hating me.", I smiled, "Well, apart from dating that cockroach, all of your assumptions about me are true."
"I am a terrible person, so what terrible thing I'll do today?", I tilt my head to the side with my eyes wide open, "I am going to teach you an aspect of a Hunter."
I pulled the spear out, and immediately, the Wendigo screamed.
"KAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEHHHHH!!!!!"
"Shut up.", I slapped it with the silver spear, making it growl at me before lunging, crashing into the cage.
"Anyway.", I put the spear back into Ouroboros Omniscia, "A Hunter is also a researcher, but without things like morality or ethics. An animal is an animal, it doesn't deserve rights."
People started to chat with each other, and most of them objected to what I said with examples like cats and dogs.
"Why do you think cats and dogs deserve rights?", I look around, "Miss Angel Watson, can you give me your take?"
A girl with pink hair flinched as my gaze met her.
"Uh... um... because cats and dogs had been companions of humanity since the beginning...", she shyly looked away, unable to bear my gaze.
"Hmm, good enough for me. So as long as they are useful for you, they deserve rights is what you are trying to say.", I chuckled.
"Wha— no! That's not what I meant!", she glared at me, "cats and dogs are humanity's friends from the beginning!"
"That very bond is something born out of usefulness. We are getting off track here, so I want to ask you all a question.", I grabbed the snarling Wendigo's face, yanking its head out of the cage.
"Those this thing count as a human? A Wendigo is a human that went under a transformation into a mindless monster.", I look around, "This question is a controversial one, but I have found the answer."
"A Wendigo is a subspecies of human, forcibly evolved through mystical means. It has more in common with a Relic than a living creature.", I ripped its arm off, it growled at me and its decapitated arm tried to snap at me.
"It can control its appendages without being connected, some sort of puppet.", I threw the arm at the coffin, to which Ouroboros Omniscia opened up and swallowed it.
"This is my topic of research, to find the relationship between humanity and curses. With this being my first find, confirming that the Wendigo isn't human... no, it's no longer human."
I crossed my arms... huh, there is an Azure Wyvern coming toward this direction from the sky. It is coming straight for me.
Some students are running away after spotting it.
I grabbed Ouroboros Omniscia, pulled out the missile launchers, and began to shoot. The explosions broke off its scales but it still hurled toward me.
Lifting the coffin up, I timed my strike...
BOOM!
And smash it in the face, at the same time, I summon Galatine and unload all six shots, six beams of Judgement, into the animal.
This is a pretty funny prank, to be honest.
I teleport the gun away, staring at the corpse of the wyvern.
"Hmm, anyone wants to eat wyvern meet tonight?", I stare at the empty ground... they all ran away.
Tch, a bunch of cowards.
I swung the coffin behind me, unleashing the lazer beam into the chest of the Wendigo, killing it by burning its heart with plasma.
"Quite rude, aren't you?", I smiled.
Oh, Francis is running towards me with a frantic look.
"What the hell are you doing?!", she yelled at me.
"A wyvern attacked. So I took care of it.", I shrugged, "Want some grill wyvern?"
"...", she just stared at me, "You know what, sure."
"What about the students?", I look at the students, they are doing their own thing now after I dealt with the wyvern.
"I'll have a notice later, could you drag that wyvern somewhere else?", Francis looked at the dead wyvern.
It might be as big as three elephants combined, but for me it isn't a big deal.
It is time for master chef Charlotte Silvi to show herself.
...
After the whole welcoming event ended, I made a full-course dinner for all the faculty members to enjoy. Well, I did rob the canteen to make side dishes so the chefs weren't happy about that.
But what do I care?
I am only Human, after all.
