From Sherman's account, Angel learned the full story of how he had become a Beyonder.
It sounded terribly clichéd. This young man, usually reserved and even somewhat timid, had rather androgynous features. Even his expressions and movements lacked a certain masculine air, so he was often bullied by others while doing odd jobs.
Once, when an ill-tempered foreman cornered him in an alley and beat and berated him at will, a man named Joels happened to pass by. He easily stopped the man and saved Sherman. As they spoke, Joels asked Sherman whether he wanted to become someone like him, someone who could easily deal with those who bullied him. As if possessed, Sherman agreed.
After that, the two often met. Joels first taught him some fighting techniques, how to use the terrain against multiple enemies, then went further, guiding him on how to attack weaknesses and even how to kill...
Hearing this, Angel guessed that Joels was very likely an Instigator, using the opportunity to instigate Sherman against those who bullied him to act out and digest his Potion.
Thinking in a darker direction, perhaps the incident where Sherman had been cornered in the alley, or even the earlier bullying, had all been arranged by that Instigator. Angel herself had similar experience. In Tingen City, she had instigated two gangs, reigniting a conflict that had already subsided, before finally reporting them to the police and having both sides swept up in one go.
But she did not tell Sherman this. There was no point in saying it now. Judging from the outcome, the Instigation had clearly been very successful.
"...My first murder was also carried out with Joels's help. He taught me to lie in wait along the foreman's route home, prepare a box filled with heavy objects on