Does a God Bleed?
The villagers of this town have the answer.
When the disaster first hit, they were completely unprepared. They only had farm tools made of some metal scraps—no real weapons. They couldn't stop the destruction.
The white giants were enormous and powerful, like giants knocking over toy blocks. They destroyed homes and crushed people into pieces.
Then, a "person" appeared.
He was a fierce warrior from heaven. In front of everyone, he tore one of the white giants in half with his bare hands.
From that day, he became the village's "god."
He wore a gray-black mask.
People worshiped him as their "god."
But over time, they saw that their "god" was not perfect. He sometimes went mad like a beast.
As a result, people's respect turned into desire, and they started planning to kill their "god."
How do regular people deal with a so-called "god" they can't even fight against? It's simple. If he has a human-like body, they can harm him just like anyone else.
They poisoned his food and put strong drugs in his water. With greed no limits.
So, the "god" was tied up, and every day, the villagers would let his blood flow over the land.
...
"This village is an altar."
Orion looked at the lamps. To ordinary people, they seemed normal, but he saw a hidden pattern.
The Honkai was spreading and affecting the whole area, starting from the village's center.
Orion knew the village chief's plan was to use them as a sacrifice.
Even though Honkai doesn't actively eat humans, it changes the energy levels on Earth. Allowing people to contact Honkai energy lowers pollution.
"The villagers here are infected with Honkai, turning them into zombies."
Orion saw that many villagers, especially the older ones, had white spots on their bodies.
"Eventually, they'll fully turn," he concluded.
The group walked to the village center.
It was a big open space with a tall red cloth in the middle, hiding something inside.
Around it, there was a lively feast. The smell of delicious food made the hungry visitors drool.
"Come, everyone, eat!" the village chief said with a malicious smile. The tired tourists didn't hesitate.
The square became noisy with the clatter of eating and people chatting.
Orion kept his eyes on the red cloth in the center.
"This is it."
The red cloth was very tall as if hiding something.
There were steps below, and a strong smell came from inside.
After the meal, the village chief climbed up to the high platform in front of the red cloth. Though he looked old and frail, he was full of energy.
"Now, let me show you the biggest secret of our village!"
"Okay! Okay! Show us!" the excited tourists cheered, not noticing the locals' wicked smiles.
The old man pulled up the red cloth.
The lively atmosphere turned tense.
On a wooden stake was a "man" covered in blood.
His body was full of wounds, and he looked like a beaten beast.
The tourists stared, stunned.
"Now that everyone has eaten and drank enough…" The village chief's smile turned sinister. "It's time to pay up."
The villagers picked up a man and aimed their weapons at him.
"You're breaking the law!" the "man" realized too late that the villagers' friendliness was fake.
"What can you do? You walked into a remote village. You're trapped now!" some villagers laughed.
At that moment, the "god" tied to the pillar started to move.
His wounds began to steam, and his blood flowed in a strange way.
"What's happening? Wasn't he tied up?" The village chief was confused.
Before he could act, a hand grabbed his neck.
The "god" in the black mask and gray hair had begun his revenge.
"Ahh! You you can't kill me!!!" the village chief screamed.
"No, no, no! Don't…"
But it was too late. The village chief's head exploded, starting the chaos.
"Who's next?" echoed the "god's" voice.
No one dared to speak. The hunt had begun.