"Arete." Leruji called her.

 

She turns and smiles at him, "Oh. You haven't slept or is it one of the shrine priest's duties not to sleep, especially on the cursed mountain?"

 

"Can it be the same?" He chuckles and sits beside her, "I can see that you're older than I am."

 

"...Hmm?"

 

"Life is mysterious, Arete. No one knows if there is another life after you die in the world you belong to."

 

"Do you believe there is life after a person dies?"

 

"Depends on the sin they committed."

 

"Does justice have scales?"

 

Leruji nodded, "Arete... Do you feel like you're drowning in your own mind when you're looking for your true self?"

 

"Am I not good enough for you?"

 

Her eyes widened. She couldn't believe the voice she heard.

 

"Arete?"

 

"When we finish this project, let's live together."

 

"Arete?" Leruji calls her repeatedly.

 

"Oh... Uh... What's your question again?"

 

"The depth of your thoughts…. Did you feel too much about my question and lost yourself in your thoughts?"

 

".... Do you hear a voice in your head, Leruji? The one from the past?"

 

".... You hear a voice?"

 

".... I just asked. When my coworkers tell me what they're going through, I just shrug and ignore it." She brought her knees close to her chest and let her chin rest on it.

 

"Maybe it's because you're not connected to that experience. It's a good thing that you don't push yourself because in the end you're the one who will break if you go beyond your limits."

 

".... The elders say, we need to fight and break our limits."

 

"Not in all cases, those words are applied. Our body gets tired of doing things that will make us stronger. Our brain gets tired of thinking that we can handle all the burdens we carry. Our heart gets tired of hopefully we will be free."

 

'Is it wrong... Did I think wrong about Leruji?' She noticed the sadness in the man's eyes. Even if he is smiling, the eyes cannot hide the true feelings of a person.

 

"We are not free even though we were born in a world that is so vast and beautiful." She smiled bitterly.

 

"You're right." He looked at the night sky, "If we are just birds, we can fly and feel the sweetness and refreshing wind that lands on our body."

 

".... Do you think we have no responsibility when we become entities or animals?" Arete stared at him.

 

"There is still. It is our responsibility to stay alive every day. It is our responsibility to be part of the flow of energy of the galaxy."

 

"....Leruji."

 

"Hmm?"

 

"... If I can remove the curse of this mountain... Can you come with me on my journey?"

 

"... Huh?"

 

".... I still don't trust you to be honest." She clenched her fists, "but I can accept who you are after this."

 

".... I felt it."

 

"Huh?"

 

"I know you don't trust me." He smiled widely, "I'll tell you a story. It might be a long one but I'm sure it's sad and longing."

 

"I'm ready to listen."

 

"Once upon a time, there was a boy who lived in a happy and simple village. All the elders and his age were kind to him. They all believed in the existence of various gods. They always prepared food to put on the altar and pray for their thanks and other needs that require guidance."

 

"Sounds like I can live there."

 

He smiled warmly, "All the villagers work together. They don't ruin each other’s lives even if others have achievements. All of them sympathize with hardships and comforts. Do you know the altar where they put food? It was made by a boy. He has great respect and love for the Gods and dreams of meeting one of them."

 

"To know a God?! That's impossible!"

 

"Right?" He laughs, "but it's free to dream. The villagers didn't insult or belittle him. They supported him in making altars to different Gods. Because of the boy's sincerity, the people living there became more successful. they are dependent on the graces given by the Gods. They forgot their beliefs and they pressured the boy to make more altars and act of appreciation so they would receive more."

 

".... Greediness..." She frowned.

 

Leruji nodded, still looking at the sky, "the boy does what they tell him to do because he loves the Gods."

 

".... They are still given grace even though the boy is being abused."

 

"Yes. Even his own parents are willing to hurt their child to meet their needs."

 

".... Heartless.... I hate them."

 

"The boy couldn't get angry because according to him, the Gods don't want to have that kind of emotion. The only thing it causes is destruction."

 

"... The boy has always been a kindhearted person from the beginning." She smiled and looked up to the sky, "Then? What happened?"

 

"That routine continued until he decided to leave the village to look for herbs. The boy knows something about making medicine."

 

"The boy is all around... I can't say anything. I'm amazed."

 

"Mn. He was peacefully picking plants when he heard lightning and an explosion near the village. He immediately returned and saw all the houses and people on fire. According to eyewitnesses, it seemed that heaven was angry with their action and punished those people without their dedicated followers."

 

"... Nothing... Nothing left?" She was horrified. Her jaw dropped, eyes widened.

 

"Nothing. The village was reduced to ashes. The boy blamed himself for leaving and not being able to protect the innocent people who incurred the wrath of the Gods. He couldn't handle the great loss in his life. He cursed his fate that he would kill all the trusted followers of the Gods he used to worship."

 

"But... But the Gods did that because he was being abused. The genuine respect and prayer that used to be there when he was just starting to make the altar is gone... It is the fault of the villagers why they experienced that. They have longed for the increase of what they already have." She gritted her teeth in anger.

 

"....."

 

"... Where did you hear that story, Leruji?"

 

"That's one of the legends of Iryankka."

 

'Iryankka?!' She composed herself and looks back at him, "I heard from people that that world is ruled by magicians."

 

"You're right there."

 

"... How do you know that story?"

 

"There were philosophers who made a book about that world. It is also believed that they encountered the magicians who escaped from the Iryankka explosion."

 

'I hope Han's friends met the philosophers because the story could be fabricated if they met a twisted person.' She thought to herself.

 

"Arete..."

 

"Hmm? What's that?"

 

"If you were in the boy's place? Who would you take revenge on? The people or the Gods?"

 

"....." She looks down on the ground, thinking, "Your question is difficult... Even though I said an opinion earlier, it was focused on emotion and reason. What you asked about was the act... I think... Mankind."

 

"Mankind? Why?"

 

"Before we lived... Before the creation of the various worlds made by our creator, all the minor Gods who ruled had value in the function of each element to achieve balance —"

 

"They have power, Arete. They can do what they want to do. They can be greedy and feel destiny and write that in people's fate."

 

".... You can't fight the Gods even if you are our creator himself. He made us in his likeness —"

 

"No. Why should I focus on teaching people a lesson when the root of all our suffering came from the creator himself?" He glares at her.

 

"You're sympathizing with the little boy..." She smiled sadly, "Well... We're different from each other after all. We'll clash and fight until one will remain."

 

"....."

 

"You're lonely, Leruji. I can feel it."

 

"Does it matter? I mean I have to do my duties as this shrine's priest."

 

"It doesn't matter."

 

"....."

 

"You know —" Arete couldn't finish what she was going to say when the ground shook. She lost her balance and fell to the ground, "Ow!"

 

"Are you all right except for the bump, Arete?!" Leruji immediately supported her upright.

 

"My bump hurts but my vision is not blurred." She reassured him.

 

"I'll check what's on the outside." He starts walking away, "I have a feeling that the entities in this mountain are going out of control since it's a bloody moon."

 

"I will go with you! I can protect you. I have a high sense of awareness of surroundings. Obviously." She groans at her words.

 

"No. As this temple's guardian, I must do it with myself only."

 

".... I'll guard each corner while you check out the commotion."

 

"That's fine with me." He smiled and Arete watched him go until he disappeared in her eyes.

 

Leruji reached the temple entrance. His gentlemanly persona disappeared and was replaced by eyes looking for trouble and bloodthirst.

 

"Who are you?" He stared at the pink haired man who kept kicking the barrier of the temple.

 

"I'm Lobin. Mortal, where is she?"

 

"Who is this 'she' person? If I may ask." He smiled.

 

"Arete and Miss Lily are here. Take them out, mortal."

 

"Are you one of the entities playing on their path to get lost on this mountain?"

 

"Tell me where the hell are they and you will never see us again, mortal." Lobin summons two metal poles that are forming smoke at each end.

 

"Oh? You want a fight? Then give me a good one." Leruji took a bead bracelet from his pocket and pulled it to break it apart. He put his palms together and he motioned his index fingers up, "Scatter, Zen."

 

Every particle of the bracelet glowed and it immediately flew up into the sky, focusing on where Lobin was. Leruji also brought out his metal fan that can detect unusual energies.

 

"You are one of the Gods. I know you, Lobin." His eyes are widened and, also, his smile makes his cheeks hurt.

 

"Then be honored to meet one." He twirled two metal sticks and began to emit smoke, causing Lobin to disappear in front of Leruji.

 

Leruji looked up and waited for the beads to move. One of them glowed and Leruji attacked in this direction. Lobin appeared underground and wrapped metal poles around Leruji's legs.

 

Lobin grinned. He created a fire in his hand and it moved like a thread following the source of the smoke. It exploded but he was shocked when Leruji deflected the damage with his metal fan.

 

"If you're really a God, then why are you weak?"

 

Lobin immediately moved away to adjust his composure, away from the beads, "You're like my master. You're from... Iryankka. Now that I look in your face... You're the mastermind in that cave."

 

"....." Leruji covered the upper part of his face as he smiled again in a creepy way, "I was going to pretend for more hours but you caught me." He created another copy of himself with a different personality. It’s disgusting to witness how his skin slowly separates to another to make a new one.

 

"... When I burned you outside the cave, it's your other persona just like that, isn't it?" As Lobin tightens his grip on the metal poles, it begins to melt and become liquefied.

 

"A God who's both intelligent and entertaining is a bliss. If you're Lobin then your master is…”

 

"The right hand of the kings."

 

"Oh... Oh...!" He then bent down, holding his stomach while laughing, "You mean the enemy of mankind?!"

 

"He's no enemy of mankind, mortal. Watch your mouth before I burn it with these." He smirked at Leruji.

 

"Is that the only thing you can say as an excuse for what he did?"

 

"Come at me, useless mortal." Lobin's eyes lit up as he said that, "If you're not a part of the organization, you will never know his sacrifices."

 

"Why should I know if he's terrible just like me?!" He jumped and landed on the beads, "He can't act righteous when everyone knows what kind of a right hand he is!"

 

Leruji's other persona rushed to Lobin. As it rushed forward, he saw that it was not summoning a weapon like he and Han were. Leruji's other persona is like storage because the weapon is gradually being formed in his body.

 

"WHY CAN'T YOU ANSWER, LOWLY GOD?! I AM RIGHT, RIGHT?!"

 

He still didn't answer because he was busy fighting with someone else. Because it is still a long time before the liquefaction process from the metal poles is finished, his technique is physical combat for now.

 

"FALL LIKE A METEOR, ZEN!" Leruji laughs maniacally.

 

His hands reach for that clone's collar, seeing himself dragging it up to act like a shield. Even though it was his persona, Leruji never stopped targeting Lobin. Its body has holes like paper thrown by many rocks when,

 

"Leruji, Leruji, Leruji..."

 

He was stunned to hear that chill voice. It's Han who's carrying Arete in his arms.

 

"...Arete..."

 

"... I heard it all... Are... Are you that boy? The one who wants to take revenge against the Gods?"

 

"Wrong choice to bring her and yourself here, right hand." He changes the subject.

 

"Oh really? I think you should go and pack up." Han looks down at Lobin, "You will not get hurt. You're a God, dumbass."

 

"It's an instinct for your information." Lobin threw the body to the side and clapped his hands to spread the dust in the surroundings.

 

Han laughs, "Now, my dear student." His green eyes shone when he lifted his face a little bit, "What do you want to do with Leruji?"

 

"....Kill him at all costs." Her eyebrows are furrowed, determined to end his life.

 

"My, My... You even invited me to join your journey. You told me you will accept who I am. You're a liar like the right hand!"

 

After Lobin disappeared from Han's sight, the man immediately asked Faier what he and Lily found out when they left them alone to talk.

 

"The blacksmith we went to is a survivor of unusual activities."

 

"How can he survive if according to what we conclude, they lose control of their bodies."

 

"... He's a survivor but... He's not himself."

 

"Huh?"

 

Faier looks at Han, nervous, "A soul got away from the ceremony we saw earlier in the cave. When a soul rejects the summoning of your friend's song that is covered by a curse or spell, it will deteriorate slowly."

 

"Hmm... What more?"

 

"You seemed... Calm..."

 

"I'm trying to understand what you're saying. Continue."

 

"Oh okay. Well, the soul isn't his."

 

"....."

 

Faier, "....."

 

Han, "....."

 

Faier, "...Han?"

 

"Am I hearing this right...? The soul swapped?"

 

"That's not exactly what happened. Although it's close. The stray soul was almost swallowed and when he found a vessel that hadn't been dissolved in the ceremony, it got in."

 

"But during the ceremony, it will still be absorbed."

 

"... That's what we're going to find out."

 

"That's interesting... I'll just summarize it when we find Arete and Lily."

 

"You're exposed to that kind of environment. Be a man and own your sins." Arete said firmly.

 

"I'm a man who will wipe out humanity and the Gods."

 

"That's a big word, don't you think?" Han mocked him.

 

"That's also your words, right hand."

 

"Lobin, carry Arete and Lily back to town. I'll deal with him myself." He commands.

 

"I want to stay." Arete grabs his hair to make him look at her.

 

"All right. Arete will stay. Lobin, go to Lily and Faier. That poor boy has been waiting for you."

 

"Yes. And once, partner."