Free Web NovelChapter 103: Chapter 102 - Root of Evil
Point-of-View: Inoka Fonseka
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"I heard what you did, way to go. I’m impressed," Smiled Liling, as she blocked my punch and flipped me over her shoulder, before pinning me down to the ground.
"Ow...thanks, but it’s hard to take praise from someone whose knee is pressing into your back," I responded with a wry smile, as she let me go and helped me back up.
Today’s the 8th of June, and I’d been working on the new technique I created, Restoration. Neo brought me some small lizards, all sedated, and I got to experimenting on them.
Namely, cutting off and growing back their limbs. I felt kinda bad about it at first, but I’ve gotten used to it, and besides, in addition to being sedated, they were also pumped with painkillers. fгeewebnovёl.com
In the meantime, Liling had been training me in hand to hand combat, which I’m still apparently just barely average at, and I was also continuing to try and work on mastering Dispel and some other Light Skill techniques.
"Let’s take a short break, shall we? I must say, you’re improving steadily, I can see a definite difference," She remarked with a nod of approval.
"Yeah, well, it’d be pretty sad if I’d made zero improvements after all this time," I sighed wistfully, before adding, "I don’t feel like I’m making any progress with Dispel though...it’s such a pain, I just can’t figure it out! Heh, probably shouldn’t say this, but I wouldn’t mind meeting Anarchy and getting some pointers. After all, it sure seemed like they had mastered it."
"Come on, don’t even joke about that," She sighed in exasperation, lightly chopping the top of my head with her hand.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry. By the way, it’s impossible for a Meta-Human to have both Light and Dark Skills, right?" I asked her.
"Hm? Yeah, as far as I know, anyway. Well, I guess it could be possible through unnatural means, like if someone with the Dark Skill touched the Light Skill Meta-Orb. Why do you ask?" She responded curiously.
"Well, I just figured that if Anarchy has got the Light Skill, then the person who manipulated the memories of the Chaos members we captured has gotta be someone else. Meaning that they’ve got both a highly talented Light Skill user and a highly talented Dark Skill user," I surmised with a sigh.
"Yeah, I guess so. But, then, the fact that they revealed themselves so boldly probably means that they’re confident in their strength," She pointed out.
"No, not necessarily. After all, who knows how many members they have? And pretty much every single one of their members can serve as double agents, that’s a pretty damn extensive spy network into both Harmony and Eden," I replied grimly.
"You know, you’re really smart, Inoka...the way you said you used your knowledge of biology to figure out that Restoration technique gave me that impression too. It seems like a waste that you lived a a mostly shut-in life, given your intellect," She remarked pointedly, with a wry smile.
"Ouch...yeah, I can’t exactly argue with that. And I would say that I’m reasonably intelligent, but I’m no genius or whatever...so I never really thought of it as a waste or anything, but to be fair, I was in a pretty dark and pessimistic place back then," I admitted sheepishly.
"I see. So, what changed? Besides the whole getting kidnapped by Neo," She laughed in response.
"Probably meeting the others. At first, it was likely just a ’we’re all in the same boat’ kinda thing, but now-...you get the idea, it’s too cheesy to admit out loud. And this might sound a bit shallow, but befriending so many cute girls has done wonders for my confidence," I grinned half-jokingly.
"Didn’t expect you to admit that, but I have to say, your blunt honestly is nice, in a way. So...which of the girls do you think is the cutest?" She inquired with a teasing smirk.
Huh?
"That, uh, kinda came out of nowhere."
"Come on, answer it. As your personal trainer for all these months, I’m curious," She grinned in response.
"Well, I don’t want to make a big deal of this, and taking longer to answer will make it feel that way, so...I’m gonna have to say either you or Kiyana," I answered honestly.
"Oh, um...I wasn’t actually considering myself as a potential answer. Well, that’s flattering and-...hm? Uh...wait a second, is it just that you have a thing for glasses?" She inquired with narrowed eyes.
Hehe, she figured it out.
"Oops...guess I’m busted."
"Wow, that is significantly less flattering," She chuckled in amusement.
"Come on, there’s more to it than just that," I replied sheepishly, as I took out my phone and opened up my social media.
It’s been pretty entertaining to see all the reactions online...it’s been almost a week since the UN live stream, but the most trending topics are all related to it in some way or another...
"Two more minutes and the break’s over, you better start warming back up, Inoka," She advised me.
"Hey, check this out...looks like a bunch of priests from radical or extremist churches are being arrested for inciting murder sprees. Wow, religious fanatics seem to be using this whole Meta-Human narrative as an excuse to kill people they don’t like," I remarked, showing her my screen.
"This is exactly why we’ve remained hidden all this time. Even in the modern era, crazed lunatics like this are still alive and well, and they’re frighteningly good at inciting and spreading fear amongst the general population. Talk about scary...," She responded with a grimace.
"Yeah, this’ll only spread more fear and confusion towards us. People are already unsure how to feel since there are multiple Meta-Human factions, each with different objectives," I added in agreement.
"True, that’s-...hm? Hey, check it out, towards the bottom of the trending topics...does that say ’#Dracula’?" She suddenly pointed at the bottom of my screen with a look of intrigue.
"Huh, I wonder what that’s about?" I muttered in fascination, as I tapped on the tag.
There were a ton of posts that seemed to be questioning the legitimacy of a video, and it wasn’t long before I found it. This was uploaded three days ago, and seems to only now be getting some traction...
"It looks like a farmhouse...," Noticed Liling, as it began playing.
"Hm? Have you begun recording?" Inquired the man in front of the camera.
He had long, slicked back black hair, a pointy chin beard with a goatee, and redish eyes. He looked like he was in his early, or maybe mid, thirties or so.
"Mhm."
"Are you certain? Should there not be a red blinking light?" He frowned uncertainly.
"Huh? No, that’s not how it works. You’re thinking of older cameras."
"Ah, I see. Very well, then, I shall begin. Ahem...wait, can I be heard cleary? Can such a small device properly record my voice from this distance? Should I speak louder?" He responded with a skeptical look on his face.
"Seriously, don’t worry about it, it should be just fine...and we can always watch it back afterwards to make sure it’s okay," Came the response from the person holding the camera.
"Hm, I suppose that is fine," He nodded, before finally starting as he cleared his Thorat and staring into the camera, "Greetings, I am Vlad Tepes III. I have also been called many other names, including Vlad the Impaler, King of Vampires and most famously, Dracula."
Huh?
"Wait, is this for real?" I blurted out in surprise.
"It’s hard to imagine...the greatest Vampire to ever exist, he disappeared ages ago, no one ever knew what happened to him. If it is him, then I have a bad feeling about this...," Replied Liling with a grim smiled on her face.
"I have been living peacefully for a very long time, but three days ago, my home was attacked by the members of a church, killing nearly all of those with whom I lived with, on false, unjustified claims that they were ’devils’. This is an unforgivable affront, and I intend to make those responsible pay in blood. And I believe similar cases are happening all across the world, innocents being unjustly and baselessly murdered by those involved in churches."
Well...he’s definitely not wrong to be pissed off at them, and I have a strong distaste for religion myself, so I can kinda relate, on a much smaller scale, of course.
"Even after all these centuries, you humans have not changed...and I finally understand the root of that evil. Religion. In the coming days, I shall go about destroying every last church, temple, mosque and any other place of worship."
Not just churches, huh?
"That’s, uh, a little bit extreme, isn’t it?" I remarked with a nervous smile.
But like I said, I don’t give a crap about religion, I was a firm atheist well before I found out about Meta-Humans...
"From what I know, Dracula had a stormy relationship with churches in the distant past, and has quite an intense hatred for them. Back when he ruled Romania centuries ago, there are stories about the church going after the people that he cared for, since he refused to bend to their will," Liling informed me. frёewebnoѵēl.com
"To all the Vampires out there...I may have been known as the King of Vampires, but I acknowledge that we are an individualistic species, I do not claim to rule over any of you. So, this is but a humble request...I ask that you assist me in this endeavor. Oh, and to all humans watching this...my targets are the places of worship and those directly involved in spreading the false creeds known as religion. Any and all who get in my way...will be shown no mercy. And finally, as proof of who I am...this should suffice," He remarked, as his eyes began glowing, his ears growing more pointy and fangs protruding out from his upper jaw.
"At the very least, this guy is definitely a Vampire," Said Liling with a nervous smile.
"I believe that is all I needed to say. Hm? Are you still recording?" Dracula asked the person behind the camera.
"Well, you said not to stop until you say so."
"Ah, right...I believe the correct term is...cut?" He responded after a brief pause.
"We’re not making a movie here, Vlad."
"Hm...but I have always wanted to say ’cut’ in this manner."
"Fine, I guess it works."
"Are you still recording?"
"Right, I guess I should end it now-."
"No, wait!"
"Huh? What for?"
"Ahem...cut."
"...seriously?" The person recording sighed in exasperation, before the video ended...
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