Chapter 103

What is the essence of humanity?

What makes humans truly human?

Once a human, now no longer—though I couldn’t clearly answer this question, I had a vague hunch.

What makes humans… human…

Humans who, during their fleeting lifetimes, run tirelessly without rest, burning themselves like matches.

At the root of their intense lives and emotions… desire must surely exist.

Desire…

The heart that yearns.

While what people yearn for varies individually, one thing is certain:

Humans live racing forward relentlessly toward whatever they desire.

Even if at the end of that race lies an endless abyss.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

After traveling the world for about a year, I returned to Babel.

During that time, I wandered through Lizardman territories, followed coastal routes, met humans using primitive navigation techniques to sail far out to sea—all minor stories reflecting how fast the world was changing.

Ah, by the way, I should visit Thetis soon. At this rate, she might get mad at me.

Thetis has a kind personality, but it’s been too long since we last met.

Kind people can be scary when they’re angry. Yeah.

Anyway…

“Why have you suddenly returned here?”

“Hmm… just… there’s something I need to check.”

“Something to check…?”

With the Hero tilting his head in confusion, I headed toward the Temple of Life.

How many Mana Stones would have gathered over the course of a year? If my prediction is correct, there should be quite a lot—but…

My expectations…

“Hmm. This much after a year.”

“Definitely more than before.”

A box of decent size. It might seem like a lot considering it’s been a year, but…

However, according to the function I secretly added to my Inspector skill—which detects the number of Darkness Fragments embedded in Mana Stones—the amount should be five times greater.

It was a feature I added on a whim… and now, since everything seemed above board, I thought I’d let it slide. But…

Now, it seems I can’t overlook this.

“I need to see the Mayor first.”

“If so, I’ll arrange a meeting for tomorrow.”

“No need. That won’t be necessary.”

I stopped the young Dragon who offered to contact the Mayor and quietly moved on.

The Hero and the First Beast were left behind in the temple quarters with instructions that I’d be back shortly. So, slipping away unnoticed, I began walking through the evening streets.

An era where the number of people on the streets drops sharply once the sun sets—an era where, aside from the guards patrolling for public safety, it’s rare to see anyone else. And in this desert city, where firewood for torches is precious, yet also the only place where Magic powered by Mana Stones is freely used.

Instead of torches, the pillars and walls were adorned with glowing Mana Stones, creating small lights.

Even such tiny lights feel precious in a street cloaked in darkness.

Though, honestly, it all looks like money-flashing to me. Ugh. Once someone gets on your bad side, everything they do annoys you, doesn’t it?

I know I shouldn’t hold such attitudes, but still, some things just rub me the wrong way.

Thus, I wandered through the quiet night streets, lit only faintly, heading towards the massive Tower standing in Babel.

Even as the sun had set in the west, a significant number of people were still busily working inside the Tower.

Ignoring the workers absorbed in their tasks on the first floor, I climbed the stairs.

Since I’m invisible, no human could possibly notice me. My steps move forward without hesitation.

Upward. Higher still.

Climbing the spiral staircase of the tower again and again.

The destination: the top of the tower. Following the traces of magical power I memorized from my last visit, I ascended the spiral staircase.

The higher I go, the narrower the drill-shaped tower becomes, until finally, there’s only a small room at its tip.

For a mayor of a city that amassed great wealth even before proper trade was invented, it’s surprisingly modest in size.

But the important thing isn’t the size of the room—it’s what’s inside.

And then…

“Hehehe… Everything’s going according to plan.”

Inside that small room lay a man consumed by desire.

“The heavens are aiding me. With my Inspection Tools almost depleted, she came back to me. And fell for my dazzling rhetoric, providing even more material to inspect!”

Numerous boxes filled with Mana Stones stacked beyond count in the room.

In that room, the man picked up a single Mana Stone from one of the boxes.

“Thanks to you, gathering these fragments will become much smoother. I must express my gratitude.”

The man rolled the Mana Stone around in his palm, then delicately brought it to the tip of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

And then…

“SSSsuuuu…”

The man inhaled deeply, invoking magic, as something slowly seeped out of the Mana Stone.

A small fragment of Darkness entered his body through his nose.

“Hmm. Excellent. Absolutely wonderful. This power. This pleasure. This Darkness keeps whispering to me. Hehe… Hehehe… At this rate… Someday, I will transcend humanity…”

“Hmm. Indeed, was that your purpose?”

I spoke coldly.

“What?! You?! How did you find me here?!”

“How? I simply entered through the entrance and walked up the stairs.”

(Though I was invisible.)

“Gah! The employees should’ve blocked your ascent! Could you have taken down all nine of Babel’s Mages?!”

What’s that supposed to mean? Did they even notice me? Meh, probably not.

“Let’s cut the meaningless chatter. Now, let’s see… Are all these stones imbued with Darkness? You’ve certainly accumulated quite a collection.”

I opened the lid of the nearest box and inspected its contents. Hmm… indeed, there are extremely small fragments present.

Are you seriously snorting these like some kind of drug? What’s going through your mind?

“You were supposed to turn them in, but instead, you kept them for yourself. What exactly did you plan to do with these fragments? I’ll confiscate all of them. And our contract? It’s going straight to disposal.”

“Kuh… Since I’ve been found out, there’s nothing I can do.”

The man’s magical power spread throughout the surroundings, filling the small room.

Hmm… Quite an impressive amount of magic for a human. And… there’s Darkness mixed in with it.

Did he enhance his own magic using those Darkness Fragments? A mere human?

“Ho. How did you come up with such an idea? These fragments’ power is far too dangerous for any human to handle.”

“Thanks to you. Ever since you revealed the existence of Darkness Fragments within the Mana Stones, I’ve been researching them continuously.”

“Not my fault, right? Don’t blame me for this!”

“Not your fault, indeed. Rather, I’m grateful. Thanks to you, I’ve been able to aim even higher.”

The man grinned wickedly, pointing his index finger skyward.

“These Darkness Fragments have been speaking to me. They told me to gather them all… and ascend to Godhood.”

“Using those Darkness Fragments to become a god? You’ve clearly lost your senses.”

Of course, it is possible for a human body to attain a part of Mythology and become a god managing layers of the Underworld.

But this… No way.

To use fragments of Erebus, the embodiment of Darkness, to achieve godhood? Preposterous.

You’d be lucky not to be swallowed whole by Erebus.

“Perhaps ‘losing one’s senses’ is accurate. After all, a sane human wouldn’t insert these fragments into their body. But tell me… hasn’t the world seen humans wielding godlike powers despite being human?”

The man pointed his index finger at me.

“The power to create anything. The ability to conjure objects that didn’t previously exist at will—that godlike power resides within you, a human. Why shouldn’t I aim for the same?”

What?! Blaming me again? I’m not even human! I’m a Dragon! Just because I walk around in human form!

“That’s why I started collecting these Darkness Fragments. As they accumulated within me, I began to gradually understand the original Will of this Darkness.”

The Darkness Fragments embedded in the Mana Stones reacted to the man’s magic, flowing out and merging into him.

“This Darkness has been telling me… To become one. To gather them all and return to the original state.”

“Hmm.”

Do these fragments really possess Will? Can they speak?

Nonsense.

All that remains within them are faint fragments of memory. There’s no way those memories could form a Will.

If they do possess Will… shouldn’t they apologize to me first?

Apologize for what they’ve done to me.

“Ho… Usually, I absorb just a little at a time… but this time… it feels like my whole body will explode…”

The man’s body began to transform, gradually darkening.

The lean physique of a middle-aged man thickened, his muscles becoming prominent, his height increasing.

This transformation… it’s like the molting of an insect.