Chapter 22
'Perfection... it is a concept that has intrigued humanity for millennia. My father's obsession with creating a flawless being was not merely an ambition but a doctrine that shaped my very existence. From the moment I was born, I was groomed to be the embodiment of his ideal – devoid of weakness, unblemished by the imperfections that plague ordinary human beings.
To be flawless is to be unyielding, unshakable, and absolute in purpose. It means possessing an intellect that surpasses all, a physique that can withstand any trial, and a mind that remains calm and collected regardless of the chaos that surrounds it. Emotions are seen as a hindrance, a source of irrationality and vulnerability. Love, fear, anger, joy – all are discarded in the pursuit of an unbreakable will.
But is true perfection attainable? And if it is, what does it cost?
In my journey through the Dream Realm, I have encountered individuals who embody what society would consider flaws. Sunny's rashness, Nephis' cold detachment, Cassie's blindness – each of these attributes would be deemed weaknesses in the eyes of my father. Yet, these so-called flaws are precisely what make them human, what give them the strength to persevere and the capacity to form bonds with one another.
The irony is that my quest for perfection has led me to realize that perhaps the flawless being my father envisioned is not one who is devoid of imperfections but one who embraces them. In the crucible of conflict and adversity, it is these imperfections that forge resilience, creativity, and ultimately, the will to survive.
A flawless being, then, is not one who is without flaw, but one who understands and masters their imperfections. To be truly perfect is to know oneself fully, to recognize both strengths and weaknesses, and to wield them with precision. It is to navigate the complexities of existence with a clarity of purpose that transcends mere survival.
Perfection is not the absence of flaws, but the harmony between them. It is the ability to adapt, to learn, and to grow stronger through each experience. In this light, my father's vision, while noble, was incomplete. True perfection lies not in the eradication of what makes us human but in the acceptance and mastery of it.
I continue to strive for that ideal – not the cold, unfeeling machine my father desired, but a being who is perfect in their understanding of imperfection. It is a path fraught with challenges, but it is the only path that leads to true strength, true wisdom, and true humanity.
In the end, to be flawless is to be complete, not in spite of our flaws, but because of them.'
"So that's why... I will embrace it and utilize it to the fullest."
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It had been a few days since his encounter with Sunny. Currently, Kiyotaka was located in an area close to the Dark City's ruins. Sunny was also somewhere around, carefully looking at him through his shadow. Many horrendous Nightmare creatures were lurking around too.
It had been almost a full day since his last kill. Today, he was going to test the depths of his Flaw.
Flaw: [War Maniac]
His Flaw required him to kill someone with Essence once a day. Kiyotaka always maintained that schedule, even if it meant deceiving and killing one poor individual.
But today was different. He would refrain from killing for a full day. The consequences were hard to predict, but the most probable outcome would be that he would become a mad lunatic, slaying anything he saw. Why would Kiyotaka take such a risk? Because he wanted to understand what qualitative changes this would bring to him. He was also more or less certain that his sanity would return after killing a bunch of Essence-filled Nightmare creatures around this area.
One more thing he wanted to test if he could direct the bloodlust to nightmare creatures and not towards humans. Sunny was excellent target as he was very formidable and slippery fellow with the Divine Aspect.
As he waited and waited, the fateful moment was about to arrive.
5 minutes... His blood boiled to an unimaginable degree, becoming painful enough that an ordinary man would kill himself right away.
3 minutes... His eyes bled and started changing color to reddish.
1 minute...
30 seconds...
10...
5...
3...
2...
1...
"Let's see how it turns out."