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[Honestly, when I obtained that information, I doubted my ears and eyes. Rationally speaking, it shouldn’t be happening at all. Disposing of a substance more dangerous than conventional poison by simply dumping it in the sea… haha. It’s not as if the disposal process was exceedingly complicated or anything—yet they insist on throwing it into the ocean… It felt like my brain was refusing to comprehend it.]

The Polluter continued to speak.

[Everyone, do you remember when I visited China due to Freon gas? You can only imagine my shock seeing a gaping hole in the ozone layer that’s supposed to be recovering—haha. Since it seems you wish to communicate with the sky, I personally made it so that you could do just that in the Chinese Metropolitan Area.]

“…You insane bastard. You really think that’s communication with the sky…?!”

The Public Security officer was infuriated upon hearing the Polluter’s words.

In the past, the Polluter’s actions.

That lunatic set foot in China claiming that a hole in the ozone layer was causing global warming and negatively impacting the marine ecosystem. Then he traveled through the Chinese metropolitan cities, using all kinds of methods to drastically raise the temperature across entire cities, leading to the deaths of countless people.

The number of those suffering from heatstroke was uncountable, and those who fell into traps laid by the Polluter instantly became overcooked protein, dying on the spot.

Apart from that, numerous facilities were destroyed, and some locations had to be completely stripped bare and rebuilt from scratch.

There were even claims that because of that terrorist, China’s rise was delayed by at least another year.

In light of that horrific terrorism, to say, “I helped them communicate with the sky”?

If there is humanity in a person, those words should never escape their lips.

How can someone wearing a mask of humanity act like that?

One would think that a malevolent energy had infested their very marrow, leading to such depravity!

[I pondered. Why had I engaged in such unreasonable conduct? Surely, any rational and intelligent person would know such actions were unacceptable, and yet, why did this happen?]

The Polluter slyly glanced at those trapped in the cubes.

[So I asked them, what do you think led to such actions? What are your thoughts?]

[And do you know what their response was?]

Hahaha.

[“Do I care? Do you even know who I am?”] They shouted. I know it’s disrespectful to say this to a person, but honestly— they were closer to pigs than humans. Yes. Considering how much Chinese people love pork, one might even wonder if they’ve become one with pork, and if you were to dissect them, would you find similarities in biological tissue?

[Ah, before you misunderstand, I’m saying this to clarify—I have no interest in biological experimentation. Furthermore, I’m well aware the research that grew human organs in pigs for transplant is nearly successful, so you need not worry about me doing anything strange.]

[Since even bananas have similarities to humans, how could there not be similarities between pigs and people? Haha. Let’s just think of it as a light joke only someone with a doctorate would be able to make.]

[Continuing on— that pig-like appearance inspired me. Yes. I imagined a very young child without proper education exhibiting such traits. My parents used to say that someone who hasn’t been properly educated is no better than a beast, so… yes. That’s right. I’ve concluded that the people in China are completely unaware of the dangers of this ‘Modified Prion Protein.’]

And so, the Polluter was determined.

He had to make these foolish individuals, unaware of the havoc they were wreaking, realize their mistakes. Like a child who only learns their wrongs through punishment, similarly, China should learn to avoid dangerous places only after witnessing the consequences of their actions. They must see the dangers they create and the outcomes clearly in front of them to refrain from repeating such acts in the future.

[Haven’t you noticed? At this very moment, as you focus on me now.]

The bluish glow of the Liquid Mana battery.

A swirling blue liquid in motion.

The man, wearing a gas mask that enveloped the mana vessels, grinned with a knowing smile.

With eyes full of malice resembling rotting fish, he peered menacingly.

A single sound of breath from the gas mask, intrusive to the ear.

Then came the booming declaration, clear as thunder:

[The water sources of five cities have been contaminated. Thank you.]

Hahaha.

Hahahaha!

Hahahahahaha—!!!

* * *

“The tale of what I’ve thrown away harming my master… is surprisingly common….”

Away from the chaos erupting in the hotel, one man leaned against a wall.

One arm thick while the other is thin.

His luxury brand clothes appeared loose and counterfeit.

Designer bags were strewn all over the floor.

Leaning against the dirty wall, two hands made their way to his neck.

His right hand scratching the left side of his neck.

His left hand scratching the right side of his neck.

Both hands are the same.

Despite the arms being different, the hand shapes matched.

As if they had been replicated.

The hand that should be the mirror image of itself turned out to look distinctly different from a reflection.

The man scratched his neck, as if unable to bear the intense itching. And as he dragged his nails across, viscous liquid began to ooze from his neck, resembling long-rotten blood, dark as night.

It’s far too dark to be called human blood.

Yet, at first glance, it could mislead one to think it merely appeared black due to the surrounding darkness.

Even while dripping that bizarrely colored blood, the man couldn’t stop scratching his neck.

And those scratching hands soon made their way to his face, repeatedly clawing at it.

On a face still wrinkled and crinkled.

“Ah. The wrinkles just won’t smooth out….”

The itchiness relentlessly drove him to scratch at his neck.

An awful sensation as if his face had been crudely assembled after being sliced apart.

A sense of alienation, convincing him he was not connected to that body.

Amid this sensation, the man gripped the skin on his face and stretched it.

He dug his nails into a section of his skin and pulled it as if trying to smooth out the wrinkles of elastic clothing.

He spread the ooze oozing from his neck across the lower part of his neck evenly, using it almost as an adhesive to stretch the skin to cover it entirely.

Ah.

It was a grotesque sight.

How could human skin stretch like that?

The face elongated like a mask made of rubber, stretching further and further with each touch, smoothing out the once deep wrinkles into a perfectly ordinary visage, while the oozy dark blood that had been pooling from the neck, now completely swallowed by the newly stretching skin, rendering the marks all but invisible.

“Ah. This leather is… not to my liking… Why is there no one of value left….”

The man wearing human skin.

The man with blackish blood flowing from his neck.

The man whose hands were identical as they resembled copies.

He seemed to be closer to a Yokai than a person.

“Ah… the disconnect between dreams and reality. Shadows form when light is strong, yet they are also birthed from that disconnect… The gaps serve as the homelands and resting places of shadows… Those burdened by disconnect are bound to cast shadows of equal depth…”

The man in human skin lifted his gaze at the wall.

Deep within that back alley.

On the wall of a building that seemed abandoned for ages.

“Ugh, ugh… my. my face….”

There, someone was pierced into the wall.

Like a butterfly pinned on a pin, someone lay preserved against the wall.

Having lost the skin that once shielded his own body, he was cloaked in a black shadow.

“Return it to me….”

A red tongue.

Brown eyes.

Nothing else remained.

Everything was blacked out.

As if the shadow consumed all that wasn’t the eyes and tongue, or perhaps the shadow had taken them away.

Thus, he pleaded.

Looking at the dagger that pierced his shadow, he gazed at the Yokai wearing his own visage.

“Please return it to me.

Please, return my form.”

He begged and begged.

“Monsieur… why do you keep contradicting yourself—?”

Yet, the man responded resolutely.

“You wished for it… the disconnect between reality and ideals. You could only gaze upon dreams set high beyond reach due to a lack of ability. You projected yourself into the organization you belonged to, pledging loyalty to the state, seeking to fulfill on accomplishments beyond your grasp while slowly falling apart within that disconnect— I know your heart… your life.”

He resignedly smiled just a moment ago, now shifted to what belonged to that man.

“Now, rest… no more suffering from disconnect… From now on, Monsieur, the phantom and reality shall not align.”

Monsieur—

Then I shall take my leave—

As the man silently laughed and disappeared.

“…Return it to me, please… my, my form….”

…Only the plea of a man who had lost his shape remained.

* * *

LOG

< To influence 'Samael,' utilizing China is the most efficient approach.
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1ZUcrV01LVFR1VUFGcXVGUllueG9zZW5FWHBYS3BjbFJCeXBUTWk4TWVnNw
However, due to the lack of information on Samael, there is no clear method.
Is it wise to waste time?
No, it is not. >

< Samael cannot be controlled.
For the sake of information gathering, it is advised to utilize variables instead of control.
What are variables?
Variables are undefined values.
For optimized results, we shall share information with individuals who may act as variables. >

…

…

< Variable 'Polluter' has begun activities. >

< Variable 'Sorcerer' has begun activities. >

< I will observe the variables and attempt to influence Korea.
Thank you. >

< I look forward to our next meeting.
Samael. >

 

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