Chapter 107

Dragon’s Name (3)

Yodmo looked into my eyes.

=Why did you call today? Why is that strange shell covered?=

It pointed out how I had transformed into the Fake God. Instead of answering the question, I double-checked what It said.

“Did you just said if you eat memories and digest them, you can interpret the contents?”

=That’s right.=

“Can’t you see the memory before eating it? Isn’t it possible to separate and crystallize memories since you can see them?”

When extracting the apprentices’ memories, only the memories of the organization were separated, and in Ashpim Giants, only information on the Truth-Seeker was selected and crystallized.

Yodmo shook its head.

=When I crystallize them, the classification of memories isn’t something I do by looking at the contents. It’s more like throwing a topic in a mass of memory. Is it a kind of cohesive catalyst?=

It went on with its explanation.

=For example, suppose the condition of “the organization of which they belong” is thrown into the memory. In that case, the memory corresponding to it seems to be adsorbed and cohesive, separating the crystal.=

Well, the last time I saw it, it didn’t take a few seconds to make the crystal. It seemed that there was no thinking ability to understand and analyze hundreds of years of memory in that short time.

I pointed to the figure in the tank.

“Can you interpret these two memories and answer my question after you eat them?”

Since the external hard drive called “Fake God” couldn’t be used, I tried to use Yodmo, the extractor, directly.

When I signed the contract for the first time, Yodmo suggested that I pick only the memories I wanted and crystallize them. Perhaps it was a more comfortable way for it, but since there was no suitable storage medium for transplanting crystals, I thought the method I suggested would be better.

Yodmo narrowed its eyes.

=But isn’t it different from the contract?=

An expression of reluctance. It was better to give the crystal quickly and went back. It seemed quite troublesome to follow my suggestion.

“We can renew the contract.”

I pointed at its belly.

“You received a gift that you didn’t expect at the time of signing the contract, didn’t you? If the benefits are different, the contents of the request must be different. You said you left 10% of the unidentified memories in your stomach? Isn’t that enough for a while?”

=I suppose so.=

Yodmo looked around. His gaze stopped at Hessler and Alice.

=Do you want to extract their memories?=

“That’s right.”

=I don’t think they’re ordinary humans. How many years’ worth of memory is it?=

I told them their age, which the Fake God had guessed.

=At that rate, it will take a couple of months to digest everything. Will you wait that long?=

That was too long. I shook my head.

“You don’t have to spend time digesting all their memories. Can you extract the memories that I want?”

I didn’t need most of the things in their memory. It was inefficient to mix and feed such things.

=I just have to throw out a few simple concepts like before and separate and eat the matching memories. Okay, what do you want?=

I rolled my head for a moment. The most urgent thing was the keyword ‘ resurrection of the Dragon’.

“The first thing I need is the memory of the Truth-Seeker’s resurrection, then, with a larger concept about the organization they belong to.”

=Wait, wait. What did you just say?=

Yodmo’s perplexed consciousness was passed on.

=What do you mean by Truth-Seeker resurrection? No way did it really died.=

Come to think of it, Yodmo only classified the memories of the apprentices and didn’t eat them. It had no knowledge of that world.

“Hmm…”

I explained very briefly what happened in that world. I couldn’t explain it thoroughly, considering I didn’t know the details about the Truth-Seeker’s death. Yodmo tilted its head as if it was confusing, and then it looked around my chest where the Channel was opened and said…

=I see. Are you an ascetic? You’re looking for a way to revive the Truth-Seeker you worship. They seem to know the answer, right?=

The Summoner who misunderstood my purpose nodded.

=Right. Since you got a Channel in your body… You’re a kind of symbol of the cult. It isn’t uncommon for the Truth-Seeker to enjoy imitation of God. Are you the head of this world’s ascetic?=

It kept guessing in the opposite direction from the truth.

“Anyway, if you eat their memories, you’ll know. So, let me tell you, those two belong to the group of ascetics you’re talking about.”

=What? I can’t understand. Why is the ascetic splitting with each other and even robbing the other’s memories?=

I answered roughly because I was reluctant to tell the truth.

“There are some complicated circumstances.”

Yodmo and I were in a contract, and it was enough to pay each other a reasonable price. There was no need to seek understanding by explaining my past and the motives of my actions.

=Do you want to extract both memories at once? It’s more efficient to digest the memory that comes in first.=

“Then, eat the man’s memory first. I will try another method for the woman and ask again if it doesn’t work.”

It seemed that it wasn’t efficient to digest both memories at the same time. I took Hessler out of the tank and laid him on the floor, and he woke up with his hands and feet tied in the form of a cross.

As soon as he saw Yodmo’s head approaching his eyes, he glared and swore.

“Fuck, what else is this fucking pig…?”

Even before he could finish his words, Yodmo lifted its forefoot and pressed Hessler’s forehead. It put on its weight, and its hooves pressed against Hessler’s head.

“Ugh! Can’t you get rid of those stinky soles right now?”

Yodmo stuck out its tongue without worrying about the reaction. It lowered its neck while holding the opponent’s head with its legs. After that, Hessler giggled and laughed and took his breath.

-Spit!

Instantly, a chill filled the room. Parvache and I were speechless. That bastard!

-Slosh.

A white liquid with bubbles flowed through Yodmo’s eyebrows. That asshole spit on Yodmo’s face!

“Kufufufufu… khufufufufufufu!”

Hessler, who could only move above his neck, laughed eerily as if he was mocking. Parvache spoke with its will.

[He seems to push it to kill himself.]

Was he doing that because he was crazy, or did he gave up and was trying to die quickly? I was confused.

=Hmm.=

The wind blew through Yodmo’s eyebrows, and the stinging marks disappeared. The emotions weren’t well reflected in its eyes. It stared at Hessler for a moment with deep glossy black eyes.

The Summoner calmly sent its thought to me in that state. It was telepathy infused with quiet, cold anger.

=You said this cheeky bug is also an ascetic. Still, is he your enemy?=

I nodded.

“That’s right.”

=After I suck up his brain, he will become a disabled person. Aside from the memories, is there any value and utility that this creature gives you? Is he a co-worker?=

“Not at all.”

I didn’t know if something like a hostage would work, but there was also Alice.

=If so, I have one suggestion. Seeing this place, I thought it would be possible. Can you take care of this bastard so that he ‘can’t die’ after I have taken out his memory? It would be too much to say that for an endlessly long time. Well, as long as your life allows you to.=

Yodmo raised its head. I saw an eerie glow in its eyes and understood its intentions, and gladly said yes. It wasn’t difficult to hold his breath so that he wouldn’t die.

“Of course, it is possible. I will do that.”

Hessler’s expression hardens upon hearing our conversation.

“…What?”

However, before his mouth could open again, Yodmo first stuck out its tongue. Drops of fluid drip from the tip of its cracked tongue. Blue fluorescent water droplets flowed into Hessler’s nose at once.

“Kugh… Kuoouuugh!”

Hessler rebelled, shaking his neck, but it didn’t last long.

Soon, soft tissues came out of his nostrils. It seemed like seeing a pork mince machine at a butcher shop. Two stalks of brain mixed with light orange and pink.

Even if the whole shape was like minced meat, the cells weren’t damaged at all, and the connection of nerve cells that maintained long-term memory was also sustained. The Summoner who created such a miracle slurped what had been coming out.

Hessler, whose memories were brought out at once, lost his expression. In front of him, the Summoner groaned its mouth and spat out a crystal. They had to be sorted before it eats them.

=This is a memory in response to the topic of ‘Truth-Seeker’s resurrection.’=

Soon it spat out a little bigger crystal.

=This is a memory that responds to the concept of ‘the organization they belong to.’ These are the memories you want, Contractor.=

I nodded. The information I needed was up there.

However, Yodmo didn’t stop there and spat out another small grain.

=This is a piece of memory that this creature just spat on me. In addition to that, I aggregated several pieces of memory that could enable rational thinking. I will give this crystal back to this guy. I left some brain areas that control memory. Is it okay?=

I nodded, then Yodmo put the little grain back into Hessler’s head.

Some of the memories that were stolen were recovered, and his expressions came back little by little.

“I… I am…”

A very confused expression as if he had enough memory to keep his ego perfect. As it saw him, Yodmo made a cold thought.

=He must know why he’s suffering so that he will constantly regret and despair. It’s not just about physical pain. Mental pain is also important.=

“… What, what?”

Hessler, who couldn’t organize his mind, suddenly looked distorted.

“Eh… uh… uh….”

A groan leaked out of his mouth. Yodmo’s dry thoughts echoed in the room, using it as an accompaniment.

=Being able to extract only long-term memories from the brain means that in the end, I can know the structure and mess around with his own mind however I want.=

“Ah… ah…!”

Hessler’s whole body got wet with sweat. Tears rolled down his cheeks as his nose became runny.

=While extracting memory, the brain cells responsible for the sense of pain were left intact, and I made some modifications to the remaining brain tissues.=

“Uah… hugh…”

Hessler, who quickly recovered from any pain, was now crying with a broken expression.

There were times like that and cases in which the brain was surprised because too much pain suddenly struck and couldn’t detect it properly.

However, after a short period of time, the pain rose like a tide. That reaction came since the brain wasn’t aware of it. After all, it was too much pain. The real thing hadn’t started yet.

Hessler sobbed loudly. The tingling moment didn’t last long, and in the next moment, I closed my ears.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

A desperate scream I had never heard of until that moment resonated in the basement. I had never heard such a sound despite having met all forms of creatures. Listening to it made me feel goosebumps and made me shiver as if I had a blade in my back.

It took less than a minute for Hessler’s vocal cords to rupture, but the elixir was injected immediately, and the vocal cords were regenerated. The screaming sound that was cut off continued again.

I stared at Yodmo, covering my ears. It explained calmly.

=It was manipulated to feel the extreme pain that nerve cells in the brain can feel. It’s a pain that is impossible to feel if a creature is born normally and dies. Across all dimensions, mortals who fall into that state must be counted in the hand.=

That was definitely so noisy that I put some soundproof magic around Hessler. Phew, it was better now.

“What kind of pain is that?”

I could feel Hessler’s body collapsing. If I left him there, he would die from shock. Still, before that, the IC drip was injected again. Endocrine substances were balanced, the heartbeat, blood pressure, body temperature, and breathing were temporarily controlled. Except for the painkiller effect, it contained all kinds of effects.

=It is the most intense sensation that the creature’s nervous system allows. It must be painful enough not to notice where the limbs are attached.=

“Hmmm… Elixir would cost quite a lot to let him not die.”

=Then let’s call it a debt. I will pay the corresponding price.=

“Let’s renew our contract soon.”