Chapter 114
"That's a monster."
Why would anyone let her stay here?
"I'm very afraid of her."
"Her eyes look so strange."
"Please, let me move out of her room."
The above is just what the bishop here heard about Benny in just one morning.
It wasn't just children anymore; there were even people coming to pray. There were civilians, even guards.
There were even statements from bishops praying to God.
Even so, Benny was still allowed to live in the church like everyone else. She hadn't done anything wrong; she was human. Humans wouldn't make things difficult for other humans.
Humans are truly strange creatures. Only when resources are plentiful do they think of scheming against and betraying each other. But when everyone is starving, and even those around us are in danger of dying at any moment, everyone cherishes the lives of others. Even a mute person who cannot speak is considered especially precious.
Therefore, it was merely a report to the bishop; there was no intention to drive her away, but rather out of fear that she might want to distance herself.
The paladin taught her how to use a sword in one night. Just one night, because he was too busy, so he only had one night to teach a child who wouldn't let go of a sword how to use it.
It's not swordsmanship, not mental techniques, not skills.
It's just a very simple thing.
Grip the sword hilt tightly, never letting go until death. The tip must be pointed at the enemy, undivided, never aimed at mortals. Never admit defeat, never give up, march towards death, yet also seek life.
This was all she was taught, along with a short sword. Because she was a very thin girl, even a regular sword was too big for her. So only a spare short sword was available for her.
So she simply gripped her sword, facing the chaotic cataclysm that could be seen even from inside the church.
They remained motionless for at least a dozen hours every day, ever since the paladin left.
What changed everything was a guard who, carrying his sword, walked up to Benny one day and watched her remove the tip of her sword.
“From this moment on, I am your enemy,” the guard said, then drew his own sword and pointed it at Benny.
There should be more details, such as whether the guard had been drinking that day. His anxiety about not being part of the clergy and the difficulty of his advancement, and how he was considered an outstanding member of the guards.
And some provocations.
But Benny only remembered one sentence: he said he was her enemy.
No one had ever witnessed such a frenzied battle, with a child who looked to be only eight years old wielding a small short sword. It was so heavy that he could barely hold it, as he was so thin and frail.
Yet she wielded her weapon like a madman; it was a chaotic attack, but it always conformed to everything the paladin had taught her.
Acting entirely on instinct, with an excessive sense of danger and lightning-fast reflexes, she lacked any skill to make her progress more successful. Yet, she still managed to defeat the guards with almost overwhelming force.
The bishop witnessed the entire process, and a few days later, Benny officially became a knight. As a member of the church system, she often stood at the city gate.
Back then, some called her the Silent Mad Dog because of her incredibly frenzied fighting style. But shouldn't all fighting geniuses be like that? If they were mediocre, they wouldn't be called geniuses.
The reason that disrupted their relatively peaceful life was a simple invitation. Ark suddenly asked her, "I need a helper in the industry right now, but there's no stable pay. Would it be alright if I offered you a portion of my earnings as payment?"
Six months later, with his remaining gold coins and some savings accumulated during that time, he established himself in the area and invested in buying carriages and other goods suitable for sale in other cities. However, he didn't leave any money for hiring people, because it was simply too expensive. Going out with them was practically a death sentence. Plus, everyone was terrified of the chaotic natural disaster outside, so naturally, it was impossible to find travel companions here.
Only Benny was willing to come along. She nodded and packed her bags that very day. That evening, she arrived at Yak's carriage.
Ark hadn't expected his casual joke to be taken seriously, leaving him somewhat embarrassed. He scratched his head, a helpless smile playing on his lips as he looked at the young girl standing before him with his sword and minimal belongings. It seemed rather unexpected that she had agreed so readily, given that she didn't appear to be very bright.
Despite having a companion who couldn't speak, Ark didn't show any dislike for her. Instead, he maintained a smile, and soon discovered that, apart from not being able to speak, Benedict was a quick learner in everything else.
The main reason is that Benny has never produced a normal sound. Combined with prolonged disuse, this has caused problems with her vocal tract, making normal speech very difficult. Furthermore, since she has no interaction with others, she doesn't need language to express herself.
And so, Ark and Benny began their journey.
"For me at that time, Yak was someone who brought me into... this world..."
"Every time she appeared, she would take me to a new world, bigger and wider. Although we gradually encountered dangers, that journey is a treasure in my memory." Benny looked at the little spider and said, "...each time she appeared, she would take me to a new world, bigger and wider. Although we gradually encountered dangers, that journey is a treasure in my memory."
The little spider listened, unsure of what comment to make.
After all, this kind of talk about the past, which sounded a bit like showing off their relationship, made her a little embarrassed. However, after saying this much, Benny stopped and looked at Spider-Man, saying:
“I want to know if Ark is alright now?” She paused. “I’ve told you enough about myself. In exchange, I need to know how Ark is doing.”
"He's still alive." After a long pause, this was the only answer Christon could give in a soft voice.
I don't know what else to say.
“Really? That’s not bad.” Benny smiled.
The little spider was stunned. He had thought she would definitely be angry because of the incomplete information. But instead, she was laughing.
“He’s the kind of guy who can get back on his feet as long as he’s alive. He’s very selfish.” Benny paused and said, “Even if the people who love him and the people he loves die, even if he loses what he owns and what is precious to him, as long as he’s alive, he’s the kind of guy who can keep going.”
"Is that so?" Chris thought hesitantly, considering the expressionless face of the man. It did seem to be true.
That indifferent, detached attitude is truly disgusting. Benny is right; such an attitude is incredibly selfish. Perhaps it's because they've witnessed so many unchangeable tragedies that they've become someone who no longer wants to concern themselves with tragedy.
“However, I don’t really want to go on with this much information.” Benny smiled, then turned to leave: “Do you want to go back?”
The little spider was stunned: "Go back?"
“You’re not with Ark right now, do you still want to go back to find him?” Benny looked at the somewhat timid boy and said, “We’re going to find him now. If you come with us, we’ll find them very quickly.”
"But I'm afraid of causing them trouble."
"You're going to cause him trouble? Don't be ridiculous. Someone who dares to have a demon by his side would be afraid of trouble?" Benedict smiled helplessly. "That guy may not care about other people's lives, but he's a fool who will definitely help if he gets the chance. The trouble you're talking about is that you can't hide your aura, right? Then go find the swordsmith, she'll teach you."
"But I will bring danger."
“This world is dangerous enough; no one is safe.” Benny paused. “Don’t overthink it. Just be selfish. I am a saint, someone approved by God. So my selfishness is also approved by God. You don’t need to think too much about it.”
With that, she left, leaving only the little spider on top.
The little spider remained silent for a moment, and then the sky was dyed red. That was because the sun was beginning to rise. This thing in the sky is always red, a blood-red color, whenever it begins to light up or begins to fade.
Some say it's the blood of a demon god, some say it's the blood of an angel, some say it's the blood of a devil, and some say it's the blood of a god.
Some say it's human blood.
The little spider looked up at the sun, and as it lit up, what had been shrouded in darkness was now exposed. All it could see were the corpses of monsters.
Every day is like this; nighttime is the perfect opportunity for monsters to slaughter each other. These monsters don't know what their own kind is; they only kill one another. Because no matter what, they will all be wiped out when the next natural disaster strikes.
Therefore, they are constantly fighting each other. In their extremely short lives, this is the most common game. They take pleasure in taking the lives of others, laughing in their own way regardless of pain or suffering, laughing with such despair, as if they don't care about the end of the world.
Spider-Man thought to himself that he was one of them.
There are actually many, many monsters like him. It's just that because they live in extremely dangerous places, people might think there aren't many monsters now. Actually, it should be the other way around: powerful monsters are born every day, and powerful monsters die every day. Everyone who wants to survive must be able to face the terror of death, and everyone must be prepared to die.
To be a monster and yet forced to live in a human settlement is utterly illogical.
The truth is, I shouldn't hide my presence; I am a monster. They hate monsters. Even if I pretend to be someone they're not and become friends with them, I'll still become the target of their hatred once I reveal my true nature. Therefore, the best course of action is to not hide the reality of being a monster. If others can accept it, they can be my friends; if not, I should stay away.
It's good for everyone.
The little spider felt a slight pain in its back, but it could heal the wound at any time. Its magic was now very pure, and such pure magic was more than enough to restore the wound.
It's not that I harbor any deep resentment towards Deedri, but I just can't shake the feeling.
After all, I initially thought we were all the same kind, all monsters. But when I turned around and saw her expression, I realized I was wrong.
When he blocked the attack head-on, he felt an injury on his back. He turned around in surprise and saw a terrified expression.
That was the Dragon Slayer, one of the most powerful mercenaries. He had seen terror and danger, lost friends, and faced death countless times. Yet, he looked at me with such a terrified expression. If even someone like that couldn't accept me, then who could tolerate me?
"You seem to be struggling with this." He looked up at the swordsmith standing before him. "You're a powerful demon, after all. How about I witness your extraordinary abilities as a powerful demon?"
The little spider didn't speak, it just lowered its head.
“Didn’t Benny say that?” The swordsmith sighed helplessly, “We’ve got the order wrong, haven’t we? You should be asking me how to conceal your aura, not me asking you to learn this ability.”
“I just don’t want to wear sheep’s clothing anymore.” The little spider looked up at the knifesmith and said, “I don’t want others to panic because of me.”
"Sheepskin?" The knifesmith hesitated for a moment before saying, "If you're comparing yourself to a wolf and a sheep, then I can only tell you this: if you make friends while you're in disguise, they'll miss you when you're exposed and have to leave."
"Really?" Spider-Man was taken aback; he hadn't really considered this question.
Would anyone even think of him? Could such selfish, arrogant, and self-centered thoughts really be true? Spider-Man himself didn't believe it, thinking this guy was lying to him.
“At least Ark would.” The swordsmith paused. “Although I don’t know why, I always feel that I made a mistake by attacking you first. I take back what I said back then; you’re not suitable to be made into a weapon. A coward like you would be soft even as a shield. I don’t know if I should turn you into a powerful weapon.”
Spider-Man sighed helplessly; he couldn't agree with that statement at all.
I still want to live, after all, there are still so many places I haven't seen.
"In short, whether you like it or not, you'd better learn how to conceal your aura," the swordsmith said. "I don't want to have to deal with you myself later. Don't worry, you're not a demon king, much less a demon god. You're just a chaotic calamity. Such a thing is nothing but a cannon fodder in front of saints. This is a system built on absolute violence, and you're far from capable of stirring up trouble in such a system."
The little spider could only sigh helplessly, but he smiled, watching the swordsmith's happy smile.
"Thank you so much," he said softly.
"Your smile looks really strange; it reminds me of a lot of unhappy things," the knifesmith sighed. "You're a monster."
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