(In the end, I decided to let the monsters make an appearance.)
Somewhere, sometime.
"I need you to create a species."
"What kind of species?"
"One that isn't powerful enough, but can still threaten humanity."
"Why?"
"Laws only make people more brutal, while compassion is mocked. That is what humanity has become. Without a threat, humans will eventually forget their humanity."
"That..."
"You didn't deny it. You know what I said is an undeniable fact."
"No... I will create a new species, but I won't do it the way you suggest. I will use hope, compassion, and every positive human emotion to create a mirror."
"Humans won't see them as a mirror."
"How will we know unless we try?"
"...Fine. You won't give up until you try... I won't try to dissuade you anymore."
Linde jolted awake from his dream, gasping for breath. Yet no matter how hard he tried to remember, he couldn't recall what he had dreamed...
"So you came in the end..."
In the Last Corridor, sunlight streamed through the windows onto the floor. The original judge was gone. Standing there now was an old hero from days gone by.
The Hammer of Justice-Gorson.
Long blade in hand, Ye Yu silently advanced toward Gorson, his expression dark and unreadable.
Gorson gripped his iron hammer in both hands, watching Ye Yu with a grave expression. He knew this battle would be extraordinarily difficult for him.
Ye Yu could only be injured by a hit to his abdomen, whereas even the slightest lapse on Gorson's part, even a single hit from Ye Yu, would leave him beyond salvation.
And Ye Yu possessed the special advantage of being able to reload and try again endlessly. Semi had told him that.
As the battle began, Ye Yu shot forward,