Chapter12-Michael's Tragic Past

Timeline when the pandemic occurred:- 1st March, 2030.

Disease name:- CONTAGI-30

A century ago, a devastating pandemic swept across the globe, transforming those infected into various kinds of monsters. 

The disease was identified by symptoms such as nosebleeds, indicating the person was infected and would transform into a monster within two weeks of being infected.

After few weeks of this pandemic, the planet was overrun by monsters, outnumbering the remaining human inhabitants. 

With humanity on the brink of extinction, the monsters had seized control of the Earth. 

With no organized government to manage the chaos, some individuals took charge and led the remaining survivors. 

They discovered that monsters could be killed by injuring them first and then burning them with fire. 

These leaders organized groups known as Hunters, who hunted and killed the monsters to protect humanity. 

Around 10 million humans made it through the pandemic thanks to the Hunter's efforts.

But even then, there wasn't a secure place for them to stay safe from the monsters and disease. Out of those 10 million, two-thirds turned into monsters.

After countless battles and sacrifices between the hunters and monsters, the Hunters managed to create a safe haven for all humans called Ambrosia.

They built massive walls around an area equivalent in size to Australia, providing refuge for the four million surviving individuals. 

Within this fortified haven, people began to rebuild their lives and find happiness once more.

...

My eyes were currently fixed on the system window where I was reading a paragraph titled "World's Monster History," and after reading it, I didn't know what to say. 

From the information I got, this seems to be just the beginning. I mean it literally... There's so little information.

It only gave me answers about when the monsters first appeared, the virus that triggered it, how humans were transformed, what Ambrosia is, and about my current timeline, which seems to be 2130.

I'm not exactly sure about my guess, but according to the given information, these are the only hints it gave me.

I wasn't that worried, though, as only five minutes had passed since the monster attack. 

Anna and Lia were walking a few meters away from me, probably still thinking of me as a pervert. 

And I didn't know how much longer I had to wait to get that guy's memories. 

It had been like 25 minutes or more since I clicked on the memory transfer button, but even now, I didn't have his memories. 

It would be really helpful if I could get his memories; then everything would make sense and become clearer to me.

***

After few minutes of walking suddenly, without warning, a sharp, organ-rending pain pierced through my head.

"Mhmm!" A pained, muffled scream escaped my sealed lips. It felt like someone was hammering a nail into my skull. The pain was excruciating, far worse than anything I had ever experienced.

Seconds later, just as the agony began to ebb, I managed to take a deep breath. "Ahhh! What was that—khuuh!" But before I could even finish my thought, a flood of memories surged into my mind. It was as if a dam had broken, and everything was gushing in at once.

The earlier pain was nothing compared to this.

"Aaarghhh!" This time, the scream wasn't muffled. It was loud. I was screaming at the top of my lungs. It felt like my mind was being squeezed and ground in a juicer.

My knees gave out, and I fell to the ground, convulsing violently. The agony was unbearable, and I genuinely thought I might die—again.

"Arghhhhaha!" The scream tore from my throat, raw and desperate. 

Images, thoughts, emotions, and experiences rushed through my consciousness at an overwhelming speed. 

I saw flashes of a life I hadn't lived, memories of people and places I didn't recognize. 

The guy whose body I now inhabited had led a life full of both triumphs and tragedies. 

The pain of these memories, mingled with my own confusion, was indescribable.

Through the haze of pain, I dimly heard Anna and Lia's voices calling out to me. Their footsteps rushed towards me, but I could hardly focus on them.

I clutched my head, trying to make sense of the onslaught of information.

But I couldn't think clearly; the pain was just too much to handle.

My vision blurred, and the world around me spun out of control.

"Michael! Michael, what's happening?" Lia's voice was frantic, filled with concern.

Anna's voice, although more composed, held a sharp edge. "Stay back, Lia! We don't know what's going on!"

I tried to respond, to tell them that I was fine—or would be fine eventually—but the words wouldn't come out. 

The only sounds escaping my lips were incoherent, pain-filled groans.

Time seemed to stretch and warp around me as the torrent of memories continued to flood my mind. 

Gradually, the intensity of the pain began to subside, and the memories started to settle, organizing themselves into a coherent narrative.

I felt a cool hand on my forehead, and through the haze, I realized Lia was trying to comfort me. 

Her touch, gentle and reassuring, was a small anchor in the storm of my mind.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the pain ebbed to a manageable level. My convulsions stopped, and I lay on the ground, panting heavily.

Anna knelt beside me, her expression was same... A mix of suspicion and concern. "What the hell just happened to you?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. 

The memories had settled, and with them, a new understanding of the world and my place in it. 

"I… I don't know. Suddenly, I felt a headache so strong that I couldn't control myself and shouted as loud as I could," I managed to say, my voice weak but steady.

I didn't know what excuse to give them. I never expected the memory transfer to be so painful. I barely managed to stay conscious. The pain was so intense, I can't even describe it with words.

Anna's sharp voice cut through the lingering fog of pain. "What do you mean you don't know? Everything just suddenly happened? Wait, wait, wait! Are you acting so that we'll forgive you for your previous acts? If so, then you've failed. I am not going to forgive that easily. Hump!"

I couldn't believe her. 

Here I was, literally crying in pain, and she thought I was acting. 

What an absolute bitch. 

A crazy bitch. 

"You—"

[Control yourself, host!]

Crap! I almost messed up...

She asked me, "What?"

But I forced myself to respond with a pained expression. "Nothing, Diana, I just really don't know why I felt the sudden headache."

She just ignored me, turning her head away in dismissal. 

Thankfully, Lia's concerned voice reached me next. "Michael, are you okay?"

At least her sister had some decency. "Yeah, I am good now."

But Anna wasn't done. "Okay, okay, you can continue your dramas and stuff another time. For now, we need to keep moving before any monsters catch up. I really don't want to fight, especially when I'm too hungry and tired."

'Shut your mouth for a second, will you?'

Lia looked at me with genuine concern. "Michael, can you walk?"

I gave them a thumbs up and, with Lia's help, managed to stand up. 

The pain had left me drained, but the memories had brought a lot of useful information. 

We resumed our walk, my thoughts drifting back to the torrent of memories that had just flooded my mind. 

From that guy's memories, one thing was certain—he had been a psychopath since childhood. It all started when he was five years old. 

One day, he and his mother visited a park, accompanied by 10 to 15 bodyguards. 

They spent most of their time there in the evening, watching people jog, couples enjoy their time together, and elderly individuals relax on benches, enjoying the scenery. 

No one paid much attention to them because it was common; they visited that park every day.

But that evening, something unexpected happened. 

As the sun began to set, a huge monster that looked like a sea octopus appeared out of nowhere and started its killing spree. 

And, as you all have already guessed...

The bodyguards all failed to protect them, and by the end of the day, his mother had sacrificed herself to save him. 

This is where everything went wrong. 

Because, after that, I didn't saw a single scene like how he survived. 

A monster wouldn't just leave its prey, so who saved him? 

It wasn't clear. 

The scene shifted to his mother's burial. His father was hugging him closely while he shivered and cried. 

I could feel his pain, but after that day, without his mother's love, he craved his father's affection more and more. 

Unfortunately, his father's demeanor and attitude towards him changed. 

He became cold, strict, and immersed himself in his business, which expanded greatly as a result. 

Michael fell into depression, and his mentality broke. 

The scene changed again, showing a little boy crying in the corner by a tree, his head down between his legs while both hands tightly gripped his knees.

In the garden of their house, the boy cried alone, feeling abandoned and helpless. Suddenly, something fell in front of him, startling him. 

He lifted his head to see a butterfly with only one wing, the other torn off, perhaps by a bird.

Approaching the wounded butterfly, the boy noticed its struggle to survive. He whispered, "You and I are the same. Nobody helps us in our bad times. In the end, we walk alone and die alone. But worry not, my friend, I will end your suffering."

With a small stick, he ended the butterfly's life. 

From then on, he began to kill animals who he found in pain. 

Crazy guy, right?

While I agree with him about the butterfly—it would have died eventually—I don't feel the same about the other situations. 

He actually killed a street dog when he saw it was injured on its right leg.

His mentality twisted further over the years.

At the age of 18, he encountered a beggar in the streets, writhing in pain. 

He decided to help the beggar whom he found in pain.

How?

By giving him food?

No, that's what good people do.

Killing him?

No, that's what bad people do.

So what happened?

He brought the beggar home and tortured him until he begged to die.

And what did Michael do?

He gave the beggar a knife, and the guy swiftly took his own life by slicing his neck.

Yeah, it was essentially suicide.

This act drew severe punishment from his father and the government of Ambrosia, but no real consequences due to his father's wealth and influence.

After all, his father was the 3rd richest person in the human domain.

Although he was warned by the government that a second offense would result in his execution.

So, he built a killing chamber outside the human domain, deep in the woods, where he could hunt without restraint.

Yeah, that well was his killing chamber.

Thus, he began his journey as a hunter killer, targeting other hunters and anyone who crossed his path. 

He was famously known as "Shadow Stalker" by both the hunters and the government.

Inside the human domain, he maintained a friendly facade, deceiving everyone, including his own father, with his Oscar-worthy acting skills. 

However, little did anyone know that...

Behind the mask of kindness lay a truly evil nature.

But, I have to admit, even that guy did not expect his death to be like this, to be killed by the very being he summoned. How sad... For that guy, of course. For me, it was a good thing.

While I was busy in my thoughts, Diana suddenly said to me, "Hey, I just noticed something strange about you..."

I snapped back to reality, my expression as neutral as usual. "What?"

She looked at me intently, her eyes narrowing. "Where is your watch?"

'Urghh, shit, I forgot.'