"Camazotz, good job killing that monster. Now, give me that Core in your hand before I hit you."
It had always been like that.
"Bottom feeders like you should know their place. Do you think that this world has a place for the weak?"
I agree. This world was a place where the strong ruled and where the weak had no choice but to either bow their heads in submission, or roll over to the side and die.
"What's the point in trying hard when you know that you'll still fail in the end?"
Because no one knows if that ending was final. If there was a small chance that a different ending could be seen at the end of this suffering, then wouldn't all the sacrifices I made be worth it?
"Camazotz, run," a beautiful lady with long red hair said weakly. "He's coming, and he's coming for the both of us."
"Then let him come," I said coldly. "If we are going to die anyway, then we might die together."
"No. You will not die here. You will escape. You will become strong. And then, you will avenge me."
"I won't leave you! I'd rather follow you to the afterlife than spend eternity alone."
"Silly Camazotz," the beautiful lady smiled bitterly. "You know that I won't really die, right? I'll just disappear for a century or two before I pop out again like a mushroom. You, on the other hand, will not be so lucky. So run! Run not only for your sake, but for my sake as well."
It had been many years since I last saw her.
Had it already been a century?
I couldn't recall.
Everything was a blur, but after that fateful day, I did one thing and one thing only.
I did what I had to do to become strong.
From a Rank 2 Monster, I slowly rose through the ranks, using every dirty trick that I could think of to overpower monsters who were stronger than me.
Day after day.
Night after night.
It didn't matter if I felt pain, hunger, fear, or anxiety.
My goal was to only live long enough to be able to see her again.
At least, that was what I believed back then.
However, the anger that I had bottled up was growing stronger with each passing day.
Unfortunately, the one whom I wanted to kill the most was a Majin Prince.
I was just a Rank 3 monster.
Although I feared death, there was one thing that I feared more. That one thing was the thought that I wouldn't see her again.
Every time she revived, the Majin Prince, who gained the title "The Devourer" would come at her again and eat her just to make her regret her decision of going against his orders.
It was an impossible task.
Suicidal, even. But even so, I dedicated my life to reaching that one goal of killing Araton the Devourer.
It didn't matter even if I died in the process.
As long as I gained the power to beat him, I would not hesitate to sell my soul to whoever would grant me my wish.
"I like your eyes. Tell me, is there someone you would like to kill?"
A voice that came out of nowhere, whispered in my ears.
"Yes."
I answered back then without any hesitation.
"Then, would you like to have the power to kill that person?"
A being, who stood at the apex of the world, asked while sipping a cup of tea in the middle of nowhere as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"I do."
Once more, I answered with determination.
"Then take it."
The man who found me lying in the woods, covered with my own blood, said with amusement.
He took a black vial from his pocket and poured its contents into my mouth.
"The chances of you dying is ninety percent," the man, who looked like an ordinary human, stated. "So, whether you live, die, or gain the power you wish to have, it will all depend on your luck. So, tell me, do you feel lucky right now?"
That question, which I could still clearly remember even now, would often appear in my dreams.
The potion was an experimental concoction, made by one of the most elusive Celestials in Solterra.
He goes by the name, Dantanian.
The Celestial who had many faces.
No one knew what he or she really looked like.
Even the other Celestials and the Seven Fiends didn't know Dantanian's true identity.
Perhaps, even Dantanian himself had forgotten what he really looked like after the many faces he had worn and discarded on a whim.
As the potion took effect on my body, my flesh tore apart, and my bones broke without warning.
My body was being molded into something that I was not familiar with.
It was pure torture.
Muscles and blood vessels were torn up, while bones broke and reformed once again.
This agonizing incident lasted for an entire day before a red bat emerged from a pool of blood.
When I regained my senses, Dantanian was no longer there.
If not for the fact that my surroundings were covered in blood, which I knew belonged to me, I would have thought that everything I had experienced was just a dream.
But it wasn't a dream.
On that day, a mutant monster was born, and I would soon be known as Camazotz the Untamed.
With my new powers, I fought monsters who were two ranks higher than me.
Days, weeks, months, years.
They passed so swiftly like the changing of the seasons, and after a long period of time, I found an opportunity to kill the person whom I wanted to kill.
Araton the Devourer had decided to wage war on another Majin Prince, and they engaged in a very fierce battle.
His opponent wasn't a pushover, and after nearly half a day of fighting, Araton decided to escape after receiving a serious injury.
After years of life and death battles, I managed to raise my rank to become a Rank 8 Sovereign.
My opponent was two Ranks higher than me, but he was seriously injured.
I knew that if I didn't act then, my only chance to kill him would slip away.
So, I laid out an ambush and went for the kill when I was certain that he wouldn't be able to evade my attack.
slip away.
So, I laid out an ambush and went for the kill when I was certain At that time, I could already travel at the speed of sound using short bursts.
So, with everything in my arsenal, I took a leap of faith and took my enemy's life in a single decisive blow, aimed at his only weakness.
His heart.
I can still recall the taste of his heart as I devoured it back then.
It was the most delicious thing I had tasted in my lifetime.
But, to my surprise, Araton the Devourer held another secret that I wasn't aware of.
He was part of a secret organization called The Order of the Apocalypse.
And after killing him, I became its newest member.
I couldn't help but laugh after remembering that incident, so I did just that.
I laughed.
I laughed so hard that laughing made my sides hurt.
But, as I was laughing my heart out, a voice filled with annoyance reached my ears.
"Camazotz, you bastard! This is no time for a flashback! Get a grip!"
A flashback?
What is this person saying?
What flashback?
"Have you become brain dead after getting your ass handed to you? If that's the case, you don't have to think of anything else, just punch forward! Use your strongest punch!"
A punch?
Sure, I could do that.
Using all the strength that I could muster, I pulled back my arm and unleashed the strongest punch that had taken the life of Araton, who had mercilessly killed the woman I loved.
"Vortex Blow!"
Just like the voice said, I punched forward with everything I had.
It was then that I felt that I hit something, and it felt good hitting it.
Suddenly, the place where I punched, cracked, and soon, the world around me shattered, making me remember where I was and what I was doing.
The hateful Artemian, who was wearing cheat armor, loosened his grip on my neck after receiving my strongest attack.
Smelling, sensing, and in a way, tasting the scent of the blood that had emerged from his mouth after my punch connected made my eyes widen in shock.
I had tried every attack that I could think of, but none of them worked.
But now, for some reason, my blow connected and it made my enemy bleed because of it.
I didn't have a mirror, but I could feel that a devilish smile had appeared on my face.
But, before I could rejoice, the familiar voice once again reached my ears.
"What are you waiting for?! Continue punching, Doofus!"
My eyes glanced briefly at the ten-year-old clinging to Zazriel's leg like a monkey before I roared to unleash a flurry of blows on my opponent's face, leaving him no room to react.
My punches, which were three times faster than the speed of sound, connected with the bastard's face, fueling up my confidence that I now had the ability to defeat him.
"Die, you bastard!" I roared hatefully as my fists turned crimson, augmenting the strength of my punches to the next level.
"Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"
"Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"
"Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"
It didn't matter if my opponent was strong.
It didn't matter if he had better equipment than me.
I am Camazotz the Untamed, and with my fists, I'll carve my path in the world.
I will make those who looked down on me suffer the same fate as this Artemian, who would come to regret that he didn't kill me sooner.
"Camazotz, good job killing that monster. Now, give me that Core in your hand before I hit you."
It had always been like that.
"Bottom feeders like you should know their place. Do you think that this world has a place for the weak?"
I agree. This world was a place where the strong ruled and where the weak had no choice but to either bow their heads in submission, or roll over to the side and die.
"What's the point in trying hard when you know that you'll still fail in the end?"
Because no one knows if that ending was final. If there was a small chance that a different ending could be seen at the end of this suffering, then wouldn't all the sacrifices I made be worth it?
"Camazotz, run," a beautiful lady with long red hair said weakly. "He's coming, and he's coming for the both of us."
"Then let him come," I said coldly. "If we are going to die anyway, then we might die together."
"No. You will not die here. You will escape. You will become strong. And then, you will avenge me."
"I won't leave you! I'd rather follow you to the afterlife than spend eternity alone."
"Silly Camazotz," the beautiful lady smiled bitterly. "You know that I won't really die, right? I'll just disappear for a century or two before I pop out again like a mushroom. You, on the other hand, will not be so lucky. So run! Run not only for your sake, but for my sake as well."
It had been many years since I last saw her.
Had it already been a century?
I couldn't recall.
Everything was a blur, but after that fateful day, I did one thing and one thing only.
I did what I had to do to become strong.
From a Rank 2 Monster, I slowly rose through the ranks, using every dirty trick that I could think of to overpower monsters who were stronger than me.
Day after day.
Night after night.
It didn't matter if I felt pain, hunger, fear, or anxiety.
My goal was to only live long enough to be able to see her again.
At least, that was what I believed back then.
However, the anger that I had bottled up was growing stronger with each passing day.
Unfortunately, the one whom I wanted to kill the most was a Majin Prince.
I was just a Rank 3 monster.
Although I feared death, there was one thing that I feared more. That one thing was the thought that I wouldn't see her again.
Every time she revived, the Majin Prince, who gained the title "The Devourer" would come at her again and eat her just to make her regret her decision of going against his orders.
It was an impossible task.
Suicidal, even. But even so, I dedicated my life to reaching that one goal of killing Araton the Devourer.
It didn't matter even if I died in the process.
As long as I gained the power to beat him, I would not hesitate to sell my soul to whoever would grant me my wish.
"I like your eyes. Tell me, is there someone you would like to kill?"
A voice that came out of nowhere, whispered in my ears.
"Yes."
I answered back then without any hesitation.
"Then, would you like to have the power to kill that person?"
A being, who stood at the apex of the world, asked while sipping a cup of tea in the middle of nowhere as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"I do."
Once more, I answered with determination.
"Then take it."
The man who found me lying in the woods, covered with my own blood, said with amusement.
He took a black vial from his pocket and poured its contents into my mouth.
"The chances of you dying is ninety percent," the man, who looked like an ordinary human, stated. "So, whether you live, die, or gain the power you wish to have, it will all depend on your luck. So, tell me, do you feel lucky right now?"
That question, which I could still clearly remember even now, would often appear in my dreams.
The potion was an experimental concoction, made by one of the most elusive Celestials in Solterra.
He goes by the name, Dantanian.
The Celestial who had many faces.
No one knew what he or she really looked like.
Even the other Celestials and the Seven Fiends didn't know Dantanian's true identity.
Perhaps, even Dantanian himself had forgotten what he really looked like after the many faces he had worn and discarded on a whim.
As the potion took effect on my body, my flesh tore apart, and my bones broke without warning.
My body was being molded into something that I was not familiar with.
It was pure torture.
Muscles and blood vessels were torn up, while bones broke and reformed once again.
This agonizing incident lasted for an entire day before a red bat emerged from a pool of blood.
When I regained my senses, Dantanian was no longer there.
If not for the fact that my surroundings were covered in blood, which I knew belonged to me, I would have thought that everything I had experienced was just a dream.
But it wasn't a dream.
On that day, a mutant monster was born, and I would soon be known as Camazotz the Untamed.
With my new powers, I fought monsters who were two ranks higher than me.
Days, weeks, months, years.
They passed so swiftly like the changing of the seasons, and after a long period of time, I found an opportunity to kill the person whom I wanted to kill.
Araton the Devourer had decided to wage war on another Majin Prince, and they engaged in a very fierce battle.
His opponent wasn't a pushover, and after nearly half a day of fighting, Araton decided to escape after receiving a serious injury.
After years of life and death battles, I managed to raise my rank to become a Rank 8 Sovereign.
My opponent was two Ranks higher than me, but he was seriously injured.
I knew that if I didn't act then, my only chance to kill him would slip away.
So, I laid out an ambush and went for the kill when I was certain that he wouldn't be able to evade my attack.
slip away.
So, I laid out an ambush and went for the kill when I was certain At that time, I could already travel at the speed of sound using short bursts.
So, with everything in my arsenal, I took a leap of faith and took my enemy's life in a single decisive blow, aimed at his only weakness.
His heart.
I can still recall the taste of his heart as I devoured it back then.
It was the most delicious thing I had tasted in my lifetime.
But, to my surprise, Araton the Devourer held another secret that I wasn't aware of.
He was part of a secret organization called The Order of the Apocalypse.
And after killing him, I became its newest member.
I couldn't help but laugh after remembering that incident, so I did just that.
I laughed.
I laughed so hard that laughing made my sides hurt.
But, as I was laughing my heart out, a voice filled with annoyance reached my ears.
"Camazotz, you bastard! This is no time for a flashback! Get a grip!"
A flashback?
What is this person saying?
What flashback?
"Have you become brain dead after getting your ass handed to you? If that's the case, you don't have to think of anything else, just punch forward! Use your strongest punch!"
A punch?
Sure, I could do that.
Using all the strength that I could muster, I pulled back my arm and unleashed the strongest punch that had taken the life of Araton, who had mercilessly killed the woman I loved.
"Vortex Blow!"
Just like the voice said, I punched forward with everything I had.
It was then that I felt that I hit something, and it felt good hitting it.
Suddenly, the place where I punched, cracked, and soon, the world around me shattered, making me remember where I was and what I was doing.
The hateful Artemian, who was wearing cheat armor, loosened his grip on my neck after receiving my strongest attack.
Smelling, sensing, and in a way, tasting the scent of the blood that had emerged from his mouth after my punch connected made my eyes widen in shock.
I had tried every attack that I could think of, but none of them worked.
But now, for some reason, my blow connected and it made my enemy bleed because of it.
I didn't have a mirror, but I could feel that a devilish smile had appeared on my face.
But, before I could rejoice, the familiar voice once again reached my ears.
"What are you waiting for?! Continue punching, Doofus!"
My eyes glanced briefly at the ten-year-old clinging to Zazriel's leg like a monkey before I roared to unleash a flurry of blows on my opponent's face, leaving him no room to react.
My punches, which were three times faster than the speed of sound, connected with the bastard's face, fueling up my confidence that I now had the ability to defeat him.
"Die, you bastard!" I roared hatefully as my fists turned crimson, augmenting the strength of my punches to the next level.
"Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"
"Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"
"Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!"
It didn't matter if my opponent was strong.
It didn't matter if he had better equipment than me.
I am Camazotz the Untamed, and with my fists, I'll carve my path in the world.
I will make those who looked down on me suffer the same fate as this Artemian, who would come to regret that he didn't kill me sooner.
