tvk | [Voice]

[The audio of the phone turns on, and it picks up a slightly muffled argument. Naoya seems to be having a quite vehement disagreement with someone.]

- fair at all! Genesis 38:7.

[There's the sound of pages flipping for a moment.]

'… Er?'

Yes. He was killed for no reason. It doesn't say anything about why he was killed at all.

'He must have had a reason!'

He is cruel and a tyrant. You need to realize this.

'I don't believe you.'

It's in your own book! Exodus 11:2. Leviticus 5:17. Deuteronomy 7:10. The entirety of the book of Job. Ezekiel 18. Shall I start on the New Testament?

[The woman he's arguing with just seems to be getting more and more frustrated.]

'But He loves us! You need to accept His love!'

[… Naoya goes quiet for a long moment before starting to shout at the woman.]

"Love"?! Where was His love when I made a mistake and did something I didn't understand the consequences of?! Where was His love when he cursed me?! Where was His love when I went through so much suffering over and over at His hands, being placed in the worst situations because of what He did?! I refuse to crawl back to Him, and He is going to die for all He has done - not just to me, but to humanity as a whole!

'… You can't kill God!'

Oh, but you can! Now leave, before I kill you!

[That seems to do the trick, because the woman runs. It's quiet for a long moment, before Naoya starts to laugh.]

Once I return… once I return, the war will begin.

[He keeps laughing for a while, and eventually the phone shuts off.]

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[Since when did you grow a spine, Atsuro? Naoya narrows his eyes as he types a combination in to add extra security. Not that he particularly cares as much who knows this, but anyone who might listen in doesn't need to hear all of the relevant details.]

Only because you and your friends and my dear cousin only needed to know so much. You want to know the truth? Though I don't know if you can handle all of it, you may have it.

You know now how Bel came to be fragmented, and the demons resulting from that. Before even that, there were two humans... Adam and Eve. Through their foolishness they were cast out of the Garden of Eden.

Their first son was named Cain, and their second, Abel. The first was a tiller of the soil, the second a shepherd. God asked for sacrifices from both of them, but accepted only Abel's... for Yehowah is a fickle and cruel god, and only wanted blood. He asked the impossible of Cain, knowing blood does not flow in crops!

[His expression narrows in anger, a contrast to the relative calm during the rest of the story.]

So Cain took Abel out into the field and slew him. Abel's soul was shattered and inherited by many among mankind... such as my cousin. Cain was punished for his deeds - the earth would no longer yield anything for him, and misfortune seemed to follow him. But the last punishment was more than any human could ever hope to bear. He was cursed to reincarnate again and again with all of his memories from each life intact.

This accumulation of memories - my accumulation of memories - is the worst punishment that anyone could ever be given. Many times have I tried to break this curse... and each time I have been led to the same conclusion. Kill God.

It's not as if killing Him won't benefit humanity as well. I do wish for them to be free from His tyranny.

[His grip on the phone tightens as his anger rises.]

But for what He has done to me - and to the incarnations of Abel, His favored child - He must die.

[When did he grow a spine? Because Atsuro no longer have his usual restraints. He would normally think and be afraid, even if he want to know. It's always one of those moments when, once you know, you can never go back.

Because things might change.

He want to interrupt, to ask more questions during the infodump. But Atsuro shut up mouth long enough to listen. Despite the Devil Arcana's effect on him, he's still Naoya's student.

He listen and understand. The angels' words, the significance of "him" being in the war and why Naoya's so intent on God's death.

His teacher, the man he looks up to, is suffering.]

Naoya...you're someone I look up to and believe in. [That's the truth.] Even if you can be tough on me and I think killing God is a bit extreme...

[So why did he stay instead of leaving?]

I don't care how long it takes, I'll do whatever it takes to help you.

[... He shuts off the video for a few moments so he can think. He didn't expect that to happen. He didn't mean to say it all but now that it's out in the open there's no going back.]

[And Atsuro is still willing to help him. No wonder he's Abel's friend. He swallows hard (there will be no tears, those were all gone long ago) and sets his expression to his usual smirk.]

[He turns the video back on, the mask back up.]

Haha. Well, it's good to know you stand with us. The road will be long and dangerous... but it will be worth it to free humanity from Him.

[When Naoya shuts off the video, Atsuro got worried. Only to hide them and look determined when Naoya's face reappears.

He's serious about what he said. He will help Naoya out. The man did a lot for him, so something like this isn't out of the question.]

I expect it to be hard when I decided to stay with you and him. [He trust his judgement the most. That might be why he defers to him many times in the lockdown.]

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