Chapter 1079: A Fading Mind, A Rising Monster
An observation of a [Breakdown] by ••••, Kaijin Lord of the ••• era.
If I had to compare a kaijin [Breakdown] to anything, the most accurate comparison would be to Alzheimer’s.
Unlike Alzheimer’s though, where a person eventually forgets how to function altogether and die from being unable to remember how to breath, drink or eat, when a kaijin fully breaksdown, they become a mindless beast that can’t do anything other than eat and destroy.
As to why they get like this…I have a theory: memories.
Memories are what determine who someone is, kaijin, mortal, aether beast, it doesn’t matter.
Depending on what memories that someone develops overtime and what memories they hold on to, that collection is what determines who someone is as a person.
This, however, is a little different to kaijin.
Mortals, even if they forget big chunks, still remember certain key things about themselves.
That they’re alive, that they’re human, et cetera.
But…kaijin aren’t born, they’re made.
They don’t grow like mortals do, and thus, lack those key memories that help a person remember that the end of the day that they’re still a “person”.
If anything, kaijin key memories could be summed up as…they remember that they’re monsters.
They remember that they’re not of this world.
They remember that they’re made of [Chaos].
The memories they gain over time, under the stewardship of a lord, being the only thing that holds them together.
However…I have reasons to believe that if a kaijin can fulfill their [Core]’s desire on a regular basis, they’ll be able to resist the [Return to Chaos], a bit longer than normal.
That stated, this is only a temporary solution.
Eventually, as time goes on and their inability to connect with a proper source of [Chaos] continues, a kaijin will breakdown into an abomination.
Not only that, but moments of high intensity such as combat or emotional aggravation has a way of speeding up the process.
Much like how in the same way that agitating a wound makes it worse.
As for the results of what happens after an abomination is born…well, there’s a reason why so many locations around the world have legends associated with great beasts being the cause for their creation.
And how they always ended in tragedy.
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[You w-w-wretched fake, I will smash you into p-p-pieces!,] Tortallion shouted[and glitched] as he swung his mace at Gao Ao Long.
Tortallion would’ve normally used a bit of [Chaos] or aether to reinforce the blow and to make sure it would make contact. However, he didn’t need to this time around.
For some reason, Tortallion felt way stronger than before. Like his entire body wasn’t filled with energy or anything like that. Rather, it was like his muscles, his bones and very sinews were larger and denser than ever before.
Why, he felt as if he could now fight…now he could fight…who was it that was stronger than him in a physical sense again?
…Memory Erasure…begins…
Once upon a time, when Undertow was a bit brighter…
[Ladies, gentlemen and kaijin alike! We gather here today to see who is stronger! The hammer or the shield?,] Medusina announced while standing in the middle of a floating arena made of wrecked boats.
“WOOOOO!”
In the arena’s stands were all manner of mortal freedmen.
Aetherii, Bloodliner, Human, it didn’t matter. In this city, in this place, all were free.
One section of the stands though were separated from the rest, which is where the Storm Queen and her knights were seated. The former had originally wanted to sit in the stands with the rest of her people, but the people insisted she had a higher seat. It was her right, or so they said.
As for the combatants themselves, two other kaijin were standing across from each other in the same arena as Medusin@.
One was Tortallion, armed with his trusty mace and shield combination.
Across from him was g®@nD &_-e, the largest and strongest of the Storm Knights, armed with a heavy anchor that he wielded like a two-handed battle-axe.
The two elder-like kaijin had actually fought each before, multiple times when they sparred. However, this time was a little different.
[Are you sure you still want to do this, old friend? You know how strong my swings can get,] the whale-like kaijin rumbled.
[Worry not about me,] Tortallion replied while readying his shield. [Instead, worry about your hands breaking against my polished shell.]
[Haha! Well-said!]
[Alright, kaijin!,] Medusina interjected.[Enough talking, let’s get to fighting! In three…two…go!]
…Memory erasure… twnety-two percent…
“Father…”
Terra was initially ecstatic that her father was able to get back into the fray and challenge Gao Ao Long once more. However, once he started fighting again, that joy turned into worry and…fear.
Normally, when Tortallion fought, he did so in a careful, defensive manner.
His body was slow and heavy, but his ability to defend was second to none.Tortallion would often use this to his advantage to lure in unsuspecting foes and then smash them with his mace.
However he wasn’t fighting liked that right now.
Instead, he was fighting like a novice who just learned how to swing a hammer.
No…he was fighting like a mad man who had nothing on his mind but the desire to slaughter.
A part of her thought that Tortallion was simply lost in the desire to kill Gao Ao Long, but then she heard him make a very strange proclamation.
[A-A-ACCURSED TRAITORS! HOW DARE YOU BETRAY THE QUEEN IN THIS MANNER?!]
“Oh no…”
It was right there and then, did Terra realize something was wrong.
…Memory Erasure forty-seven percent…
The darkest day in Undertow…
“Those monsters are still alive?! How?!”
“I don’t-BAH!”
[Tortallion…]
[YOU BASTARDS! HOW DARE YOU?!]
Today was supposed to be a routine slave rescue mission.
Tortallion, Marlancer and Shockheel were supposed to simply intercept a slave ship under the Floating Khan’s protection and bring the occupants back to Undertow. This should’ve been an easy job, as the information was provided by a close associate of the Storm Knights.
Little did they know, the Khan was expecting them.
The entire ship was dirty.
Every single slave turned out to be hidden warriors loyal to the Khan, armed with weapons that were infused with Dragon Froce. And to make matters worse, their close associate turned out to have been bribed into betraying them.
Needless to say, that traitor died first.
However, the kaijin were now in a bind.
Because they were unprepared for the ambush, a couple of the attacking warriors managed to get in some cheap blows and inflict varying wounds on them all.
[My shell is too tough for bastards like you! There’s no way you’ll be able to crack through it with measly blades like these!]
Tortallion was fine because he had the highest defenses amongst the Storm Knights. The blades stung, but were knocked away and shattered against his shell.
[Bah! You may have nicked me, but I’m too fast for the likes of you inglorious curs! En Garde!]
Marlanc3r was fine because he was the fastest amongst the kaijin. Despite initially being caught off guard, once he realized he was going on, he managed to swiftly react and disarm the ones attacking him post haste.
As for Shockh33l…she wasn’t so lucky.
Despite having the highest attack power of the trio, she had one additional weakness that made her vulnerable to the ambush: her maternal instincts.
Due to a recent event, Shockheel’s fondness for children had become a bit more evident.
As such, when one of the ambushers took on the guise of a crying child, Shockheel went to comfort her. Turning off the electrical veil that usually made her untouchable.
“DIE, MONSTER!”
[AH!]
SCHTICK!
And making it so that the disguised assailant could stab her in the chest with a poisoned blade.
Needless to say, the wound was life threatening.
Tortallion and M@r£@n3r were now on a timetable.
The quicker they finished off these loathsome bastards, the quicker they could get Shockheel back to Undertow for medical treatment.
But as soon as this thought crossed thier minds, a somewhat insidious realization came to them.
[Wait…if these bastards went through all the trouble to get us separated from the others, set up this whole trap, then…]
In that moment, @+$-: and =^{¢=✓ set off alarms in all three of the kaijins’ heads.
=Alert! Alert! Undertow is under attack, we repeat! Undertow is under attack! Every Storm Knight that is able-bodied must retreat immediately and defend the city!=
Now understanding that this wasn’t just a moment of malicious whimsy, but a full-blown planned conspiracy, Tortallion and Marlancer became enraged. However, the former managed to keep his cool long enough to make a plan.
[Marlancer… I’m going to use my big move for this. I’ll catch up after, just get Shockheel out of here and retreat to Undertow, now.]
[But-]
[Do it!]
