From Disdain to Respect

'Death...'

'...!?' In that moment of stunned silence, the air seems charged with disbelief, and all that hangs in the air is the weight of the revelation.

"Reapers of life..."

"..." Despite it being clear that the boy spoke to them, all the faceless more or less normal-looking floating veils stayed still, rather they seemed to not notice him making them look like they were waiting for something... or someone.

"So arrogant... till the end..." The beast's face became annoyed, speaking like he was bothered by the need to face them again. The green in his dark eyes began to ooze around with this annoyance.

"Throughout so many lives have we searched... searched and searched... And even if it is too late now... We have found it, the way to end... you!" His words, again after the long time they were toned down become loud.

'What!?' What is this monster speaking, both man and god questioned.

"What is that beast speaking of, such stupid ideas, killing the Reapers... Killing death itself!? Gahahahah, don't fucking make me laugh!"

"..." Though one of the gods was mocking the boy, the other fixated his gaze, looking with a straight face.

"Let's see..." The beast stretched its charred arm out and without hesitation grasped at the air or to be more precise... At the white veil in front.

"...!" A wordless fluter.

"Do you care now!?" The boy dragged the captured veil's top which looked to be its head in front of his face.

"...!?" A chaotic movement, a struggle for freedom?

"Let me tell you... once again..." But all in vain, the child's hand did not loosen, it held so firm that rather than escaping a crack appeared on the veil.

"...!?" If this thing could speak it would ask, I can be seen!? I can be touched!?

But this is obvious, everyone would become surprised by something when it completely overturns their knowledge, even the gods...

"I... can kill you!"

"...!?" Almost like a shockwave passing through, the hundreds of veils fluttered at the same time, it was clearer than any bright sky, that now they understood the words of this immortal thing.

"Isn't it quite funny...? Death itself can also... feel fear!"

"...!"

"Now... Let me see, the actions you all will show when you realize, you lot no longer are the hunters, but just another prey!" And to prove the feeling of that slight uncertainty that rose in these wordless existences wrong, a hideous wide smile, a wordless action.

Tilting his tightly closed hand, the veil's form twisted, and then the same flowing green-colored cracks showed up, traversing the veil, invading its form and existence only for it...

Without a second passing, *Puff* the veil shattered like its form wasn't even present in this world in the first place, and the only indication of its once existence is the grey sand-like substance pouring out of this horrid monster's hand.

"Death... how fascinating end isn't it...?" Looking at the grey substance in his grasp, his smile widened even more to an extent that should have been impossible and yet he showed it, his teeth ready to tear only for a joy field echo of laughter to erupt.

*AHAHAHHAHAH...*

"..." Now it wasn't just the veils that got spooked but rather all things, not just mortal and god but the earth the trees everything containing the world as well.

It was like the world itself held its breath, waiting for someone to break the silence and make sense of what just happened.

'...' But... in the end no one did, only the joy of the monster echoed.

"It died... it died..."And even in the heavens, the once loud young god was stuck in thoughts, but no wonder, seeing nothing but Immortal Residue being left behind there was no possibility of a lie to it.

"Is this the price...?" 

"Hmh?" A faint side glance. Even the mighty one was interested in the contemplating words.

"The knowledge of how to kill death itself... is sanity the price?"

'Sanity...?'

'To be honest, I found it strange... his tone shifted the moment that green flow emerged... but not his will nor did his views shift... Thanks to these eyes of mine that can see the will of beings, I can tell why changes happen in someone but this time with this kid I feel stuck.'

'Is the reason for it the loss of sanity...?'

'No... that can't simply be, something... something is not adding good together. Sanity is easily lost, the mind of beings is fragile just as much as their form, but then why did his will to fight not change if it was his mind that got crushed...'

'But this kid... fuck, why is it so much trouble that he brings!?' Feeling frustrated the mighty one gazed down.

Throughout the now empty and desolate field which just a day ago was a verdant world of vegetation now the echoing sound was not the light fluters of leaves and the chirping of birds but rather the laughter of a mad beast... a monster that could scare even death and his girn which was still so wide that if his skin wasn't burned off his lips would have ruptured and begun to bleed.

*AHAHAHHAHA* And his laughter which truly seemed uncasing until...

'...!' The sudden stop raised questions, which were just as quickly answered as they surfaced.

"You think... a hunter would let its prey run... or be ambushed by them?" The monster's eyeless skinless face was still as horrid when it turned to the veils, but now rather than that, the people paid attention to the veils, those that which began to move, some forward some backward, did some try to run, did some try to attack? 

These were questions that were unnecessary to ask, this beast of monstrosities would let neither be done.

"Now, come... come and kill me! Come and try!" With the declaration of his challenge, the red haze of his burned blood and the oozing green invasive flow solidified to form something akin to a semi-transparent barrier.

A clear feeling that it could hold nothing back from entering yet at the same time an ominous feeling that told you, there was no out once you chose to step into that realm of battle.

"..."

'...'

In the dimly lit world of devastation, the beast, with his battered-looking form but determined and unfazed face, faced the horde of ghost-like veils. The air grew thick with tension as the spectral entities began swirling around him, their white and red forms billowing and twisting like ethereal smoke.

With fists clenched and muscles tensed, the monster steeled itself and the green flow for the onslaught. As the first veil lunged forward, he sprang into action, launching a powerful kick that tore through the ghostly form with ease. One down, but hundreds more to go.

Despite the strange agility and strength his scorched form showed, the sheer number of opponents overwhelmed him...

No, that was simply what the people thought, he stumbled, falling to the ground but with it, he took one and another, there was no escaping the grasp of the monster only in the form of grey dust.

With gritted teeth he grasped at another, refusing to stay down. His hands were full of enemies only for his mouth to open, biting down at the veil aiming for his head, unwavering resolve, there was no holding back.

'Why... Why... WHY!?' And amidst the battle down on the earth, another one was fighting inside its own mind.

'This profound feel, the oozing heavy and oppressive strength... Why do I feel mesmerized!?' The young god shouted inside his head, these thoughts that he had now were something he would never say out loud for the world to hear, how could a god be impressed by a mortal and Art of his?

'Even more as that... that Art, it's full of flaws and missteps, wound after wound show on him! Why in the ever-existing worlds would I feel this!?'

'...' But even through the efforts, the mighty one could see the annoyed expression of this man of his.

"You are perceiving it wrong." And feeling a slight amusement, he was kind enough to clear this young one's misunderstanding.

"Wrong...?"

"That battle art... it has no defense nor any dodge in it."

"N-no defense? Then still... why?"

"That is exactly why, it has no flaws, that technique is... Complete!"

"Complete...? That's... complete?"

"Attack after attack, a devastating kick followed by a grasp of unrelenting hands, his teeth tore, his nails dug, that kid right now is a living weapon himself."

"..."

"If we look at it this way, that appearance, it is not a man fighting, but rather a beast's... no, a monster's struggle of survival mixed with a fascinating thrill caused by the shedding of blood."

"..." Hearing such words, the young god looked back, again his eyes scanning the fight of this man-like monster.

Each time an attack approached him, a new wound appeared, and every time a wound formed so did an enemy fall.

He was knocked to the ground, and he rose again, fueled by determination and a fierce desire to protect what mattered most. With each punch, gash, bite, and kick, he carved a path through the ghostly horde, leaving only destruction in his wake.

"But... even still..." Yet, this god was still not convinced.

"Hmh?"

"This way, even if he wins... he will die from the loss of blood, wound upon wound there is no..."

"What blood?" And again, the mighty one cleared his thoughts with a simple sentence.

"...? What boold? The one he i..."

"Look again..." Before he could finish his words, he interrupted his thoughts.

"..." Following the words, his gaze shifted back.

The veils fought back though unsurprisingly sloppily at first, they had never before needed to fight and even still it seemed more like an instinct than actual knowledge when they finally began to use their forms. 

These harmless-looking veils now seemed less veil-like and akin more to a weapon arsenal, webbed razor-sharp claws formed through their fringes, their edges turning more solid forming blade-like sharpness, tendrils similar to whips dug through the monster's scorched flesh.

Claws and ghostly tendrils, lashing out with swift and unpredictable attacks one after the other, and instead of a movement or reflexive dodge, the monster marched forward each attack only connecting once and only for a moment before on their forms green cracks swiftly spread for them to turn to gray dust in a second.

Despite the monster's resilience proving unmatched, on his pre-cracked body, more cracks, wounds, and tears of flesh appeared.

Cracks... cracks, and more cracks, first it was a piece of his arm... then his leg, his side... one after the other, as cracks and wounds reached together his form began to crumble away.

*Puff* A piece of his right knee broke, his body fell, and yet still... He pushed up... *Puff* his left hand disappeared...

*ARFGHGH* Shouting incomprehensible words and sounds, crawling on his wrist the stump of his hand, more and more his form was becoming that of a true... Monster!

And yet still... using the ground and the veils themself, he pushed, jumped, punched, tore, and bitten, he marched forward till the end of his mortal flesh! And even still, that was not enough to break his form, dust and haze... his body curmbeld only for dust and haze to snap back together.

"There... there is no blood..."

"Yes, isn't it quite funny... That kid said, I fight till my body turns to ash, till my blood turns to dust or something the like."

"..." Strengly the man felt annoyed again, but now it was a different reason one he had not yet known and honestly didn't wish to know.

"W-whats... funny?"

"Ah, it's that, just that his burning flesh... it long since turned to ash, similarly, his veins dried up just as long ago, and now... only dust remains... His form and soul unbroken, even if his body breaks... What... What can stop somthing like this?" In solemn words, said the mighty one, even he felt something that did not let his words become light.

"..." The god turned back, gazing at the form of the monster... a slight feeling of discomfort... disappointment... no, pain... such distressing pain was it to gaze at something so... desperate.

"What... what horrible will...!" The young god wanted to say something only to realize his mistake, that the being sitting beside him was the God of Will himself.

"Don't mind it." Surprisingly the mighty one was calm... it was one of the soft points to insult the power of will in front of him yet he let it pass, after all, he thought the same.

"And it's true, what a horrible will... could keep such a creature as him alive in a form like that? I myself am uncertain..."