SSS-Class Suicide Hunter Chapter 159

3.

In the beginning, there was 'Rime'.

No one was sure where 'Rime' came from, or where he would go in the future. But Rime had chosen them to be the chief among all the races in the world, and he had given them proof that they were the chosen.

-Although there are many races in this world, you are the only ones who can say the word 'Rime'. So you are the only ones I will allow to say my Holy Name. Ahh! This is your right. Take 'Rime' as evidence that you are the chosen and in everything you do, be it poop, sleep, eat, or dress, recite it to prove my existence.…

“…what the hell is this bullshit?”

The Heretic Questioner smiled at my question.

“It is a holy covenant I made!”

“A holy covenant?”

“Yes! The vocal organs of the Snail Race are unique. Of the seven races, only the Snail Race can say 'Rime'. That's why I chose that pronunciation to be the name of God.”

With a soft sound, the Heretic Questioner landed lightly in the underground city. My companions and I followed him. Smiling, the Heretic Questioner began to explain the history of the 'Snail Civilization'.

“Neither the Elves nor the Sprites can say the word 'Rime' properly. This is simply because their vocal organs are different, but I gave it a different meaning.”

The snails continued to crawl around, and even passed through our bodies like we weren't there.

“The Snail Race says that the fact that they can say 'Rime' means that they are the ones chosen by God!”

“Why…?”

The Crusader opened her mouth.

“Why did you do this, Heretic Questioner? You should understand the fear of religion better than anyone else. If you were to misuse the name of God, you wouldn't be able to undo-.”

“Ah. I'm not misusing it. Instead, I used it with great care and purpose!”

“My usage is very different from misuse, and even further from abuse.”

The Heretic Questioner chuckled.

“Everyone. Religion was bound to happen anyway. People will always try to search for a cause. They will try to find out a reason for their existence, and the existence of the world. God. That word is so magical that it can be used as the ultimate reason for everything!”

The Heretic Questioner pointed towards a pillar. It was a giant pillar. Erected in the center of the underground city. It reached from the ceiling at the very top of the cavern down to the ground. And it was filled with murals similar to the ones from Ancient Egypt.

The 'covenant' that he'd recited earlier was also written on this pillar.

“However……”

“Crusader. I know what you want to say! But there are still many things that the people in this era don't know. They don't know why it rains, they don't know why their hearts beat, and they don't know why they need to drink water to survive”

A smile spread across the Heretic Questioner's lips.

“Think about that fear.”

“Fear…?”

“Yes. Fear.”

The Heretic Questioner said.

“Their hearts beat in their chests. They can hear the beating. But they don't know why it's beating. If they get hurt, they bleed, and if they lose too much blood, they die. But they don't even know why their blood flows. They don't know why bread is delicious, why eating when they're hungry makes them happy, or why they need salt.”

The Heretic Questioner put his hands together as if he was praying.

“For them, the world is filled with unknown monsters! No. There are even monsters in their bodies. They don't know anything, but they can only live the lives they were given. To be totally ignorant and powerless about their own lives… Can you understand their fear?”

Chapter end