Apocalypse: System of lotteries



Wu Teda Tsugai's corpse hung from the center city's west city wall, swaying in the wind. Thousands below craned their necks up, staring at the white-robed deity standing atop the wall. 

The red sun rose in the east, shining right behind the deity, like bearing the scorching sun on its back. 

"Amaterasu Omikami!" A cry rang out from the crowd. 

In a sudden, roaring wave, thousands dropped their weapons and prostrated themselves on the ground in adoration. 

"Amaterasu Omikami!"

"It is Amaterasu Omikami!"

"..."

Standing atop the wall, activating [Divine Prestige] and preparing for another fierce battle, ming was a bit stunned. How... did he become a god?

"Thank you, Amaterasu Omikami, for slaying this beast! Sister, your vengeance has been fulfilled!"

"Sister, the vile ghost who caused your death has finally been punished!"

"Nanako, if only you could see this devil being chastised, it would surely bring you joy."

"..."

ming didn't expect things to develop this way either, he was still a bit surprised. No wonder these people reviled Wu Teda Tsugai so much. A king who used young girls to feed a monster, how could he not incur hatred? Moreover, he practiced slavery. 

Below the king, all were lowly slaves.

ming turned and vanished from the morning light-drenched wall, those below continued worshipping. 

...

Outside the city in the wilderness, ming hurriedly deactivated [Divine Prestige]. If not for intimidating those people earlier, he wouldn't have borne to use this talent. After all the resource consumption was massive, all painstakingly mined by the hardworking miners, piece by piece.

As he walked, he collected pieces of the Yamata-no-Orochi's flesh from the ground. None of it could be wasted; it was all meant for the earthworms. Eventually, in the wilderness, he found the Orochi, left with only a section of its body, dragging itself forward by its seven remaining heads.

Raoul stood to one side, waving six knives and continuing to chop.

"Halt."

ming went up to stop it and circled around to Yamata no Orochi's front. "A question, first, where's your bitter gallbladder?"

"!!"

Yamata no Orochi's human face stared blankly at the man before it.  your puppet chopping away, then you come to collect the pieces, and still ask me for the gallbladder? Aren't you a bit too cruel?

Yamata no Orochi shouted angrily: "The part you're holding, isn't it in there!?"

"Uh..."

ming lowered his head... the gallbladder was indeed inside. He was so fixated on it purely because that guy David liked eating it. He could sell it to David when he got back. After storing away the gallbladder, he looked up at the snake. "Second question, to kill you, do I need to behead all eight heads together?"

"~~"

Yamata no Orochi's human face twisted furiously, glaring angrily, wanting to curse but not knowing what words to use. It could only fume: "You, you, you..."

"Oh, my mistake~"

ming put on an understanding look. "After all you've never died before either, it's normal you don't know this. I understand~"

"!!" 

Yamata no Orochi's head had remained firm instantly drooped, collapsing on the ground, no longer struggling. The human face let out a long sigh. "Chop then~ I beg you, make it quick, don't make me suffer too much."

ming held up the chainsaw in his hand, looking a bit awkward. "As you see, my weapon isn't for chopping, it's for sawing. You'll have to endure it a bit."

"!!"

At this, the Yamata-no-Orochi's last remaining head also dropped, "Sigh~~~"

"But, before I pierce you..."

Ming squatted down, placing the giant teeth of the chainsaw at the base of the human face on Orochi's neck. "How about we have a little chat?" he proposed.

"~~"

The snake man looked at the chainsaw, then recalled what this person just said. You'll actually chat nicely? Do you think I'd believe that?

ming glanced at the other. "Of all the talking monsters I've seen, you're the one with the most... independent thinking. And you actually live in a human division. I want to know, did you go down the monster path before or after the apocalypse began?"

The snake man was stunned. My god! You're actually properly chatting with me! 

Slap!

ming slapped the snake man's face. "What are you looking at me for? Speak!"

The snake man felt like crying. Your alternating good and bad temper is too changeable. Nonetheless, he answered, "Well, since I'm going to die anyway, I'll tell you the truth. I was originally a resident of this sector. 

I became a mortician after the apocalypse. One day, when I was near death, I heard a voice. The voice asked if I wished to live. I chose yes, and then I accepted the mission.

The first phase required me to consume a woman and ten snakes each day. The second phase doubled this...I'm now in the eighth phase, and upon completion, I'll proceed to the ninth.

In this process, my body kept changing, strength growing too. Later I supported Wu Teda Tsugai to become king, using his power to continue eating... Now my body is gone, with no meaning in living anymore. Kill me."

"Alright."

Ming extended a prescription and stuffed it into the Yamata-no-Orochi's mouth.

[Skill effect: Acquire 10,000 gold coins from the target]

[Insufficient funds, items will be used to settle debt]

Ding~ obtained Heavenly Cloud Sword.

"!!"

Where had he heard of this sword before?

That's right, legend said Yamata no Orochi really did have a sword hidden inside its body, so this must be it. Didn't expect a dying snake could still be of some use, gotta keep squeezing~ 

"Why aren't you killing me yet?"

The snake man stared at the man before him, a bit dazed.

ming said very naturally: "No rush~ I'll chop you after squeezing you dry."

"Sigh~" 

The snake man took a deep breath and asked, "Have you always been this kind of person who loves to tell the truth and never hides anything?"

Ming shook his head helplessly, "I've only been like this for the past couple of days."

"Uh~"

"Mm."

A moment later, Ming handed out the prescription again, stuffing it into the snake man's mouth.

[Skill effect: Collect 20,000 gold coins from the target]

[Insufficient funds, items will be used to settle debt]

Ding~ You've obtained two chrysanthemum plants, three patches of moss, and ten fungi...

"~~"

Ming glanced at the plants now missing from Orochi's body, then waved at Raoul. "Go ahead and kill it."

"Wait a moment!"

The snake man quickly pulled his head back. "I'm not afraid of death. I just want to tell you one more thing. Consider it a final act of kindness after my deeds of evil. Please remember, we 'faction' gods have only nine stages of evolution. And after the ninth stage, we will be transported to 'god...' Uh!!"

Thud!

The human face of the Orochi slammed into the ground, dead.

[Your Da Vinci lies on your shoulder, watching the snake die. It feels you and Alice are a perfect match, both your mouths are quite powerful, able to talk 'people' to death~]

[Your Da Vinci wants to hurry home. I had a wonderful dream last night, and I want to verify it~]

"~"

ming picked up the cards on the ground, pondering. What was the 'God...' that Yamata no Orochi didn't finish?