Past Arc ⑨
Syrilis thinks.
What should be done?
Yet the answer never comes.
The more people one saves, the more others must perish.
The more problems one resolves, the more new ones arise.
An endless chain.
People who cannot be saved, no matter what.
Saved, yet never saved.
A man fell ill, expelled from the village.
Not a contagious disease, but medical knowledge had not yet advanced, and no one could determine its nature.
Thus cast out, left only to await death, Syrilis reached out a hand of salvation.
He healed the illness, restored health, and returned the man to the village.
The next day, the man was burned alive by others in the village.
They said he had been healed by a demon.
No—worse still, he sold his soul to the demon and returned for vengeance.
Anything is acceptable. If he comes back, he might bring illness. Or be killed.
Why.
Why.
Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why.
People fear phenomena beyond comprehension.
A human who suffered illness was cast out by the village—then returned, suddenly healthy.
This defied human understanding.
It provoked fear, not joy.
Above all, they had cast out the sick.
They abandoned one seeking salvation, out of self-preservation.
They justified their guilt.
The sickness was the sick person’s fault.
He must have sold his soul to the demon to be healed, then returned to punish them.
The sick man said:
"Thank you. Now I can live with my family again."
The family advanced, stacking firewood for the pyre.
No matter how much Sariel exerted herself, the tragedy would not cease.
The more force she wielded, the denser the shadow of tragedy descended upon them.
It would not end.
It would not end.
Even when attempting to end it, it would not end.
Poverty.
Discrimination.
War.
Crime.
There were times when someone was to blame.
There were times when no one was to blame.
There were times when everyone was to blame.
The tragedy occurred precisely because all were human.
While some possessed wealth, others struggled in poverty.
People desired mediocrity. They rejected and discriminated against anything deviating from the average.
Yet they sought elevation, striving to surpass the average and achieve superiority.
And because they sought superiority, conflict arose with rivals.
The tragedy would not end.
Because humans are creatures who create tragedy.
They abhor tragedy, strive not to create it, yet still accumulate tragedy.
Like firewood stacked upon a burned patient.
Illogical.
They possess a mind that rejects tragedy, yet their actions advance tragedy.
This contradiction is too irrational to be biological.
Yet that is what humans are.
It is precisely this irrational, imperfect creature that is humanity.
A rational, perfect being—such a thing is no longer human.
Yet humans strive toward it.
No matter how long they remain human, they will never reach it.
And the more they strive toward it, the more new tragedies accumulate.
Because to strive is to look upward, to betray others whom one claims to love, in order to deviate oneself.
And humanity shows no mercy to those who deviate.
Being different at any time makes one a target of discrimination.
To ascend, humans must advance steadily, in step with those around them.
Progress stalls because humans advance no faster than a turtle’s pace.
Even as civilization advances, its substance never progresses.
Ascending, yet circling the same place endlessly.
Spin, spin, spin, spin.
☆
"Potimas Haifenas is acting against divine providence. He must be eliminated immediately!"
The President of Dazdordia did not show it on his face, but the remark caused a sharp pain in his head.
The prolonged meeting had made her head feel heavy—truly.
Fatigue is part of it. The subject matter is part of it as well.
Other attendees, having heard Potimas’s earlier radical statement, voiced agreement or condemnation in turn.
The wide conference chamber echoed with the loud voices of the delegates arguing—painful to the ears.
The议题 concerned the research findings presented by a scholar named Potimas Haifenas.
Whether to accept or reject the findings.
The nation convened this meeting to achieve consensus.
Yet, as anyone could see from the state of the chamber, the议题 remained deeply divided.
Potimas had announced two new discoveries.
One was the discovery of a previously unknown energy source—MA energy—and successful application of it.
Energy scarcity was a matter of concern for advanced nations.
Fossil fuels were not infinite, and consumption increased annually.
Not immediate, but inevitable—depletion was apparent. Next-generation energy development was necessary.
Then, suddenly, a solution appeared before them.
It claimed MA energy was inexhaustible, replenishable from any source.
With dedicated facilities, infinite energy could be extracted from anywhere.
The president dismissed the claim internally as absurd.
Infinite energy did not exist in this world.
Such a thing was fantasy.
Not fantasy—actual dream.
It only appeared infinite. There was always a bottom.
The president glanced at the paper published by Potimas, in hand.
It details methods for extracting MA energy and converting it into electrical energy, but contains no description of what MA energy actually is.
It is described only as an infinite, newly emerging form of energy.
Such a suspicious energy cannot be trusted.
The president has already reached a conclusion within.
Yet the meeting remains unresolved—due to another announcement.
The second discovery presented by Potimas.
It claims that MA energy can be used to evolve the human body.
According to the paper, exposure to MA energy enables human evolution.
Clinical trial results are recorded: significant enhancement in physical capability, slight increase in thought speed, and—most notably—life expectancy projected to increase by approximately threefold, according to theoretical models.
On the basis of results alone, it is staggering.
In practice, Potimas demonstrated to the subjects by repeatedly surpassing athletic records.
This alone would bolster the paper’s credibility—but an overwhelming volume of data was submitted, as if to corroborate the claims.
Especially regarding lifespan, the data was extensive. Theoretical projections suggested approximately threefold increase, but estimates derived from predicted health maintenance indicated actual gains of roughly 2.5 to 2.75 times.
Under normal circumstances, such claims would be dismissed as the delusions of an eccentric researcher.
But when Potimas Haifenas is involved, the matter changes.
Development of brain transplantation devices. Creation of clone humans. Normalization of cancer cells.
A new announcement from a genius with numerous achievements to their name.
And crucially, with test subjects present.
To dismiss it as implausible would be perilous.
Above all, there was a psychological resistance to rejecting it.
Life extension.
Humanity evolves.
Nothing greater exists.
Thus, the council is divided.
The conclusion has already been reached among the leaders.
To reject MA energy is to reject the possibility of evolution using it.
Yet the atmosphere in the divided chamber does not suggest acceptance.
The meeting continues.
A stone has been cast into humanity stagnant with no progress.
Evolve, or do not evolve.
And if evolution occurs—does progress truly follow?