episode_0234

There is only one difference between Canos and Jehovah.

Is it okay to do something called empathy or not?

That is the difference between 0 and 1.

“The presence or absence of this small causes a very huge difference. Because it determines whether all species in the world, including humans, can exist.”

“That… Is this true?”

“Let’s think about it simply.”

He straightened his finger and gently placed it on Albrecht’s shoulder and then released it. Repeat so many times. Little by little.

“Albrecht is the god, and my fingers are the living things… No, it’s actually hundreds of thousands of times smaller than this, but anyway, think of these fingers as all kinds of creatures. So, no matter how hard I hit this finger, will a being like the Lord be able to feel anything?”

“If you hit too hard, it looks like she will die.”

“Don’t grab the pod. Anyway, what I’m saying is that the main god is a being of too high a rank. Even if a single piece of fine dust sticks to our body, we wouldn’t be able to notice it, right? The Lord is also like that. The one who governs the entire universe is the Lord. To him, are we just fine dust, or worse, lactic acid bacteria? That’s about it.”

However, there is a crucial difference between Jehovah and Canos.

“Jehovah had an exceptionally good ability to empathize. If we are walking down the street and a puppy falls into a river and whines, we may not be able to jump in and help, but we can stand around and say, what should we do? You do it, right? Jehovah did the same.”

“Hoo.”

“The higher his intelligence, the more he was able to empathize with it. Actually, it’s monumental. Even though we can sympathize with dogs, pigs, and cows shedding tears, we can’t share Plankton’s emotions, right? But the Lord is still the Lord. His empathy was completely different from that of us humans and demons. In the end, the intelligent being was given all kinds of blessings by the Lord, and the plankton that the Lord could not sympathize with… So, small things were reduced to livestock. It’s the essence of love.”

but.

“Canos is not like that.”

All things in the world eventually change.

“Canos is a supreme being born through equivalent exchange. From the time the first god, Chaos, disappeared, Jehovah, who has an outstanding ability to empathize, has reigned as the god. From now on, Kanos, who lacks the ability to empathize, can reign as the main god.”

“Jehovah was not an absolute being.”

“Umm… This is my first time hearing such words.”

“It’s natural that it’s the first time. The three archangels who assist Jehovah? Secret Angel Raziel? It’s something only they know.”

It may sound profane to Mary. The Holy Church teaches that Jehovah is a supernatural and absolute providential being, but what I am saying now is that Jehovah is also nothing more than a very great living being.

But what can I do, it’s true.

“To Kanos, the continent and living creatures, including humans… Actually, it’s probably just lactic acid bacteria and E. coli. Although the main god had an extremely outstanding ability to empathize, he thoroughly gave goodness centered on intelligent beings.”

“That line is… Is it still relative?”

“Think simply. A country boy felt sorry for the starving cat, so he caught a mouse and gave it to him to eat. To a cat, a child may be a good person, but to a mouse, a child is just a crazy psychopath who kills himself even though it is not for him to eat.”

“… … .”

“Same as Jehovah. If dogs, pigs, and chickens who are eaten are rats, then humans are cats. But not Kanos. Kanos is a kid who sees humans and chickens the same way. By their standards… Whether it’s lactic acid bacteria or E. coli, I look at it from there. But is there really a need to save him?”

Why does Kanos want to destroy the world?

It’s so simple.

“There’s no reason not to break it.”

It’s the same as before.

Me when I didn’t know love.

“Just like I killed someone because I had no reason not to kill them.”

It would be nice if I could teach Kanos about love too.

“He can’t love anyone. First of all, love has to be on the same level as yourself. Just as an intelligent being is attracted to a fellow intelligent being. The reason Maria and I feel love for each other is because we are ultimately ‘equal’. A person can’t feel rational feelings for a rat, right?”

“… … .”

“There is an equivalent to Kanos. Only one. It is Jehovah. But what should I do? Jehovah is already an old man who is fading away?”

Just like me during the Chaos era.

The power of time is so fierce.

“There are no limits to Kanos. In fact, even at this very moment, he is probably becoming stronger by absorbing Jehovah’s power. So Kanos does not have a defined body. This is why he can appear in any form and at the same time is not tied to a specific gender. But Jehovah is about to disappear. He is definitely old now. Even if Kanos wanted to harbor feelings like love, he just couldn’t.”

This is the world’s most hidden secret.

Even the genius of the century, Albrecht, could not figure it out without a clue.

“I’m trying to stop Kanos like that. Kanos hopes for that too. Why do you want it? Because there’s no reason not to want that, right? Think about it, how boring it is. In the end, massacring the people of the continent is nothing more than eradicating bacteria for Kanos. It’s much more fun to find the right match and have a good fight.”

Albrecht nodded blankly after listening to my long and valuable teaching.

Maria looked a little stiff. Was it a shock because the scale of the story was so large? So I placed my hand on Maria’s hand and offered comfort.

The sunlight that rose just in time was shining brightly on us. It’s almost 8 o’clock.

He used his telekinesis to float Albrecht and held Maria in his arms. Meanwhile, Maria, who had been silent the whole time, opened her lips and asked a question.

“… If so.”

“Huh?”

“Joker, are you okay?”

Am I even worried?

Maria was holding my collar tightly with her small white hands.

“Of course I’m fine.”

“If it doesn’t bother you, may I ask how far the matter has progressed?”

“What can’t be done? There’s still a long time left. It’s not yet at a level that can compete with Kanos. but… .”

“Is something happening?”

“It’s almost done now. Haha.”

“Yes?”

“So I’m trying to get permission.”

I placed my hand on Maria’s hand. Two hands overlapped each other.

“The sun, which illuminates all things without exception, also creates shadows. I have to commit sins to save people.”

“Yes?”

“It means that someone has to be sacrificed. Like a child catching a mouse for a poor cat. Actually, I’m not the type of person who cares about these things, but Maria is different from me.”

Maria’s pupils twitched mercilessly at the word sacrifice. Oh, why are you like that? I don’t think there will be such a strong reaction.

“No way… Joker, no, not Oscar… ?”

“Huh?”

“No, right?”

“What strange things are you saying? Why do I make sacrifices?”

“Ah… … .”

She lowers her head as if in a state of collapse and leans her face against my chest. I wonder if he was worried about something like that.

“Thank goodness. I am truly fortunate.”

“Kuhm.”

“Joker comes first. Above all else, Joker, you must prioritize your own safety.”

“Uh, is that a proper teaching?”

“… That’s why Joker is so important to me.”

“If so, please allow it.”

I don’t plan on taking any more time.

I let go of Maria and Albrecht, moved Albrecht into their dorm room first, and then looked at Maria’s face clearly and said,

“My last sin.”

Maria didn’t answer.

“… … .”

He just looked at me with a trusting smile and smiled softly.

I led Maria into her dorm room that way.

The last restriction has been unlocked. Mary chose me over the scapegoat.

I did not try to convey some trivial consolation by asking for the name of the victim. It’s the right attitude. To the scapegoat, that is just a deception.

The Demon King is getting stronger in real time at this very moment. There is no reason to take any more time.

Another week I devoured, Metatron’s power was fully embodied. Right now I am in perfect condition.

Jeopuk-.

I took a step. The morning blooms like a flower petal. A refreshing breeze blew and tickled my nose.

There is a victim at the end of this road. A person who will become a stepping stone for me to hunt Kanos.

Perhaps he has become extremely strong recently. As I told you, you must have feasted on the gods and gathered a lot of divinity.

For me.

A zero-sum game of life and death (a game in which the gain of one side and the loss of the other side add up to zero, and the sum of the winner’s points and the loser’s points conceded is zero).

A zero-sum game between goblins and demons.

A goblin raised to capture Kanos.

The rats that were fed to save the continent.

It’s time to hunt.