547

 [Chapter 148]

[New Humanity Project (5)]

『There is something called cellular memory theory among things treated as pseudoscience.

It says that organs constituting the body contain memories, personalities, and habits of how that being has lived so far.

Therefore, memories, personalities, and habits of the person who donated the organ can be transferred to the person who received the organ transplant.

In fact, there are people among those who received heart transplants who seem to have had memories, personalities, and habits of the person who donated the heart transferred.

(Omitted)

...According to mana studies, cellular memory theory is quite explainable.

As I said before, human hun can be classified into reason and emotion, and it's gaining some credibility that they are seated in the brain and heart.

Based on that, we can assume that while the hun responsible for emotion is in the heart, memories or personalities possessed by the hun are also present.

It's not surprising that a person who received a heart transplant suddenly knows memories the heart donor had.

(Omitted)

...If so, assuming cellular memory theory really exists,

Wouldn't Belphegor, who received 42 heart transplants, have 42 memories?

In fact, there are times when he gets confused occasionally.

Belphegor's personality is changeable.

Some days he seems like a boy, some days he shows aspects like a girl.

Also, some days he shows an appearance like an elderly person entering twilight years. According to confirmation through researchers, this apparently started appearing after Belphegor received an elderly person's heart transplant as part of research.

(Omitted)

...So, I had Belphegor's mind analyzed by a researcher who said he studied psychoanalysis and behavioral psychology in his younger days.

As a result of counseling, it was determined that Belphegor has more than 10 selves.

Because he has so many selves, we couldn't determine if Belphegor really has 42 selves.

More detailed research is needed.

(Omitted)

...As a result, we found that 42 selves coexist in Belphegor. No, it's 43 adding Belphegor's own self.

But I have a question.

What is Belphegor's original self? It seems we've only thought Belphegor's personality was unusual while looking at him so far, but haven't tried to think about what kind of personality he really has.

(Omitted)

Belphegor says he doesn't seem to be sure about his original self either.

The moment we asked about his self, Belphegor showed various faces and each claimed to be his original self.

Then one self said.

"─We are one as a whole."

(Omitted)

A young child is a blank canvas.

Very easy to color.

That's why I mainly use young children as test subjects for the New Humanity Project.

Easy to handle as I wish and as he wishes.

Probably the dozens of selves in Belphegor's body are like that too.

The young self he would have originally had must have been colored by other selves.

Perhaps that's why he doesn't complain of any side effects.

What one self said is right.

It's meaningless to think of their selves separately.

Belphegor's self is now an aggregate of dozens of selves gathered.

One as a whole.

(Omitted)

...A researcher came up with a really absurd idea.

Let's see what happens if we transplant a pig's heart into Belphegor.

It wasn't impossible since pig and human heart sizes are the same.

This crazy idea was approved by him.

He said.

"─It would be interesting."

Actually, I thought so too.

It would be interesting.

(Omitted)

After receiving a pig's heart transplant,

Belphegor showed behavioral patterns like a pig.

After a week passed since the surgery, Belphegor's appearance changed to look like a pig.

Only then did we realize what we had done.

We hurriedly initiated a heart transplant.

(Omitted)

...phegor killed a researcher.

It was in the blink of an eye.

He killed research staff who came for a checkup after adapting to the newly transplanted heart and even attempted to escape.

(Omitted)

...phegor killed another researcher.

I don't know how many times it's been now.

He's getting stronger with each experiment.

(Omitted)

Belphegor seems to be gradually escaping from the vessel of a human.

This time was really dangerous.

He almost escaped.

It's fortunate he was there just in time.

Meanwhile, he seems to have become even more interested in Belphegor.

(Omitted)

It seems we've created a real demon.

─ From Dr. Deus' research journal』

☆

Mad scientist Deus.

In the previous life, he incited public opinion saying the New Humanity Project was an experiment conducted under Fairy Lady Im Ga-eul's name.

And after thoroughly inciting public opinion,

A human who wasn't a Mayin, directly executed by Belphegor's hands.

"─Kuhek!!"

Eunha finally found him.

He took him to a place with few people and thoroughly beat him.

"...Cough cough...!"

The man kicked below the solar plexus.

He coughed up clotted blood and gasped for breath.

"Make him kneel." "Kuhek!"

The Slayers with collapsed minds followed Eunha's words.

They forcibly made Deus kneel.

"...Kuh... huk...!"

"Do you feel like talking now?"

The man with his mechanical eye destroyed raised his head.

Eunha asked him who was looking up at him with trembling eyes.

"Hurry up and say it. Who did it?"

"..."

"Who's the guy behind you?"

"...!"

"You won't say?"

The mastermind behind the New Humanity Project.

Mad scientist Deus who must surely know him.

When Eunha saw he wouldn't open his mouth, he inflicted violence on him again.

"...Kek...! St-stop aaah...!"

"Then talk."

Where to hit for severe pain.

How much force to use without killing.

What to do to instill fear.

Eunha knew it all.

Was it because he couldn't endure the extreme torture?

"─Kekekeke!"

"What's wrong with you?"

As if he had lost his mind,

Suddenly Deus cackled.

Thud

He spat out a broken front tooth.

He glared with his one remaining eye.

"..."

Hostility, killing intent, malice, hatred.

Despite being tortured so much, the light in his eyes didn't die.

The cackling stopped as if it was a lie.

"─You'll regret it after hearing."

"Hah, really..."

Then he provokes Eunha.

Eunha snorted.

If it's regret, he had enough before the regression.

When the guy in front of him suddenly met his death by Belphegor.

And because of that, the truth couldn't be revealed and public support for the Fairy Lady plummeted to rock bottom.

When the Fairy Lady fell becoming a villainess.

'─There's no way Ga-eul unni would do that. You know that too, oppa!'

And when Ha Baek-ryeon cried.

How much anger did he have to swallow then.

So that such a thing never happens again─

"─Speak."

"...!"

He needs to know the truth.

Eunha slapped Deus' cheek.

A loud slap sound rang out.

His face turned sideways.

"You won't talk?"

"I-I'll talk..."

Deus who seemed to have lost his mind after being slapped once.

When Eunha was about to raise his hand again, Deus made a hiik sound and bowed his head.

Eunha lowered his hand.

Then─

"─Fairy Lady. This is something Fairy Lady Im Ga-eul approved... kuhek...!"

"You still haven't come to your senses."

Eunha slapped the other cheek.

He got angry for a moment when he spouted such an obvious lie.

Deus' neck almost snapped.

"I-it's true... Th-this is really the Fairy Lady's..."

"..."

"Kahaha! Do you understand now!? Do you realize who you're trying to lay hands on... kuhek!"

"Stop talking nonsense and just answer truthfully."

Not even worth listening to.

Eunha kicked Deus.

With his arms held by Slayers on both sides, he was hit once and returned to his original position like a roly-poly toy.

Eunha attacked again.

"Kuhehehehe..."

"Or did I say it wrong? Right, who's the bastard who fabricated the project using the Fairy Lady's seal as he pleased?"

"...You... who on earth are you." "What's the point of knowing."

"Hehe..."

Deus about to fall backwards.

Held by the Slayers, he ended up suspended in the air with his head tilted back.

As if the posture was uncomfortable,

He lowered his head forward and drooled.

"─Yes, it's as you say. The Fairy Lady has nothing to do with this project."

"..."

Eventually Dr. Deus giggled and spat out the answer Eunha wanted.

Eunha sneered.

"So who is it? The culprit who planned such an absurd experiment using the Fairy Lady's name as he pleased."

"Kuhehehehe..."

As if mocking him,

Dr. Deus burst into laughter.

Then as if he choked, he spat saliva on the floor repeatedly.

No, he coughed up blood.

He dripped saliva mixed with blood.

He continues speaking.

No, he mocks.

"─What? Borrowed? Kuhahahahaha! You're really talking nonsense."

"..."

"We didn't borrow the Fairy Lady's name. We simply used the right given to us! Do you think that name was just given for no reason? Do you think that name has such value because of that woman?"

"What are you saying?"

"Kuhehehehe..."

Deus coughs up blood.

While cackling madly.

Tears form in his eyes.

They mix with blood and flow down his cheeks as bloody tears.

Then as if looking down on something trivial,

With a gaze that naturally seemed pitying─

"─You don't know anything." "..."

"I thought you would know everything if you reached here and even found out my identity..."

"..." "You didn't know anything!"

"Speak, hurry."

"Kuhek...!"

Annoyed by the look in his eyes,

Eunha used violence.

Just enough not to kill him.

Eunha struck Dr. Deus.

Then Deus screamed in pain and desperately shouted.

"Fairy Ladyyyy─!!!"

Thud

"Do you really think that nameee─!!"

Slap

"Was created because that woman existeddd─!!!!!"

Smack

What's so good about it.

Dr. Deus shouted at the top of his lungs even while being attacked.

He went insane.

He opens his mouth with loose teeth, making an expression that's unclear if he's crying or laughing.

"...Huh... urk... youngster..."

"..."

"A Fairy Lady without winged clothes..." "..."

"A Fairy Lady who can't ascend to the sky, how can she be called a Fairy Lady."

"..."

"How... can that be different from other humans. Nevertheless... you think that woman is truly some special being! Tsk tsk..."

"..."

"A Fairy Lady who descended to earth... is not a Fairy Lady. That's just a person. You're all being deceived. The name Fairy Lady has no meaning, value, or weight."

"..."

"So the reason that name has such status is because you're all mistakenly assuming so, and because it was made that way. Tsk tsk..."

He rambles incomprehensibly.

Eunha ordered the Slayers to release Dr. Deus.

Dr. Deus collapsed on the floor.

He finally relaxed his face while lying down looking at the ceiling.

"So."

"Hehe..."

"Tell me who planned this." "Youngster, you absolutely can't handle it."

"That's not for you to decide."

"No, that's not for you to decide either."

"What?"

"Youngster."

"..."

"Rule is carried out from the unseen. Perfect control, perfect rule is carried out in a situation where one doesn't even know they're being ruled. Kekeke."

"..." "When you don't even know you're being ruled by someone now... what use would it be even if I tell you. Tsk tsk."

Crunch

Eunha crushed his arm.

The sound of bones twisting rang out.

Deus screamed.

"─Speak."

"...You... don't know anythinggg!!"

Crunch

Even though pain was overwhelming him,

Dr. Deus just cackled and writhed.

...This bastard is really tough.

Eunha frowned.

He intended to make him confess the truth through torture as much as possible.

He could have used Stygian Eye to collapse his mind and make him confess the truth, but then it would be difficult to drag him into the light and reveal him to the world.

He needs to be there to catch the mastermind.

So he was trying not to collapse his mind, but─

─This won't do.

This will go on endlessly at this rate.

Eunha regretfully tried to collapse his mind and make him spill information.

Just then.

"─Youngster..."

"..."

Dr. Deus suddenly called out.

Eunha stopped the magic.

He makes a kuk sound and painfully moves his mouth.

"─The abyss is deep enough that the bottom can't be known..."

"..."

"When you look into that abyss, the abyss will also look into you. You!! After doing this to me! Do you think you'll be safe!!"

"..."

"You... are now a dead man... kuhek...!"

It wasn't even worth listening to.

Eunha very slowly stomped on his ribs.

As the sound of bones slowly breaking rang out, Dr. Deus fainted.

Soon Eunha─

─Stygian Eye

Forcibly made him open his eyes,

And planted fear in his mind.

"...!"

Dr. Deus' body went limp.

When Eunha removed his foot that was stomping on his chest, he convulsed.

His consciousness is consumed by fear.

His self breaks down.

Just as he was becoming a doll that spills memories and information.

"─Kiaaaaaaaaaaaah─!!"

The body that was about to go limp started convulsing again.

It was a different movement compared to before.

His limbs twist grotesquely.

His neck turns sideways and he foams at the mouth.

He rolls his eyes back.

"...Damn it. Who laid hands on his mind first."

When the trembling finally stopped,

Eunha clicked his tongue seeing Dr. Deus' state.

"..............."

There was nothing left in him.

His self didn't collapse but was completely annihilated.

Of course, his memories and information too.

As a result, what was there was nothing more than a living corpse.