Crossover PS 185 (Patreon)

Psykos closed her eyes. "Fire filling the sky, cities burning, streets piled with corpses, the air thick with the stench of charred remains. It wasn't war, it wasn't a natural disaster."

"It was humanity itself. They attacked each other frantically, destroying everything that could be destroyed."

"High-rises collapsing, vehicles exploding, screams, cries, hideous laughter..."

"Later, there was nothing left. Cities became ruins, ruins were buried by wind and sand. Rivers dried up, forests withered, and animals went extinct."

"The last few people alive were rummaging through ruins for rotten food, tearing at each other like wild beasts. They all died, too."

Psykos opened her eyes and looked at Minoru. In those eyes, the toughness from before was long gone, only complete despair could be seen.

"That is the future I saw—the end of humanity."

Psykos continued, her voice carrying a self-deprecating hint of laughter, "Do you know how I felt when I saw that future? It wasn't fear or sadness but disgust."

She gritted her teeth. "Disgust for those humans who clearly have life, who have this world, yet only know how to trample it, waste it, and hurt each other."

"Disgust that they gnaw at this planet like vermin, yet still think themselves so remarkable."

"Disgust for myself... for actually being one of them."

Psykos's fingernails dug deep into her palms. "So I decided..."

"Before they destroy the world, I will destroy them first. At least... to make this planet a little cleaner."

Minoru still didn't speak, just looking at her.

Psykos felt a bit unnerved by Minoru's gaze. "You... don't think I'm crazy?"

Minoru shook his head. "Not crazy. It should be considered... being tricked, right?"

Psykos was taken aback. "What?"

Minoru folded his hands and leaned forward slightly. "That future you saw—do you believe it's real?"

Psykos frowned. "Of course it's real, the Third Eye is never wrong."

Minoru nodded. "The Third Eye isn't wrong but what if the 'person' who showed you that future never intended for you to see the truth from the very beginning?"

Psykos's pupils contracted slightly. "W-what do you mean?"

Minoru asked a seemingly unrelated question, "You know Homeless Emperor, right?"

Psykos was stunned. "I do, he joined the Monster Association. He's a madman, shouting every day about God granting him power while slaughtering humans everywhere."

"A month ago, he was just a vagrant who lost his job, couldn't pay rent, and started wandering after being kicked out. While looking up at the sky, he awakened his hatred for humanity and then obtained power."

"Right." Minoru nodded. "Do you know why he became like that?"

Psykos remained silent.

Minoru continued, "He is just like you. In his moment of despair, God appeared before him and showed him a certain truth. Then, he became a pawn for God to slaughter humanity."

Psykos's face began to turn pale.

Minoru's tone was flat. "And then there's Vaccine Man. You might not know him. He claimed to be the will of the Earth, wanting to destroy humanity because he was dissatisfied with how they were damaging the environment. As it turned out, as soon as he appeared, he was one-shot by a bald guy."

"They were just like you, all believing they were spokespeople for the Earth, the judges of humanity. But in reality, I believe they were all just being used by that 'God'."

Psykos's body trembled slightly. "Y-you mean... the future I saw..."

Minoru was straightforward. "Has most likely been tampered with. The purpose is also very simple."

"To make you despair, to make you hate humanity, and to make you do the dirty work in its place."

"After all, isn't it much easier to have someone else do it for you, to toy with all living beings, than to do it yourself?"

"And besides, it's quite interesting."

Psykos opened her mouth, but couldn't say a single word.

Countless images flashed through her mind.

Those "prophecies" she once believed in without a doubt.

Those images that had made her so despairing she wanted to destroy everything.

If it was fake...

If it had been a scam from the very beginning...

The words Minoru spoke were very persuasive. For some reason, Psykos believed him completely.

However, in Minoru's view, this was quite normal. After all, [Unfathomable] had already evolved to a ridiculous degree. As long as his words were reasonable, their credibility would be greatly enhanced.

"I... For that future, I created the Monster Association, raised so many monsters, did so many bad things..."

"I..."

Psykos lowered her head, covering her face with both hands, her shoulders tremblimg slightly.

It wasn't crying but the kind of helplessness where one feels completely hollowed out after their beliefs have collapsed.

After a long time, Psykos lowered her hands and looked up. Her eyes were red, but she didn't shed any tears.

She looked at Minoru, her voice hoarse. "Why... why are you telling me this?"

Minoru thought for a moment and said, "Maybe because... that line of yours earlier, 'I am a polite guest,' was actually quite cute."

Psykos was stunned, her face flushing red.

"You!!!"

"Just kidding." Minoru interrupted her, his tone returning to serious. "Because I think you can still be saved."

"Those who truly deserve to die wouldn't still be sitting there eating cake after being crushed by me nor would their first reaction upon hearing the truth be regret instead of making excuses."

"Psykos, you are not an evil person. You are just a terrified, desperate person who wanted to do something."

"You can still be saved. Are you willing to make a change?"

Psykos was stunned.

Just then, Minoru's brow suddenly furrowed and he looked up in a certain direction.

Psykos subconsciously followed his gaze. "What's wrong?"

"Your Monster Association. Something has happened."

Psykos was taken aback, her expression changing slightly.

She closed her eyes, trying to sense Gyoro Gyoro but that familiar connection was now a complete blank.

"How can this be... Gyoro Gyoro..."

"When I pulled you in here, the connection was severed."

Minoru stood up and walked to the center of the courtyard.

"Now, your subordinates have discovered that 'Gyoro Gyoro' suddenly died, and they think an enemy has invaded."

Psykos's face turned even paler. "They will..."

Minoru finished for her, "They will charge out from underground to seek revenge on the Hero Association. Orochi should already be on his way."

Psykos stood up abruptly. "I have to go back! I have to explain to them!"

Minoru turned back to look at her. "Explain what? Explain that you, their leader, were actually captured by me to eat cake?"

Psykos was speechless.

Minoru smiled. "Don't be in a hurry. Isn't this just the right opportunity?"

Psykos was confused. "What opportunity?"

Minoru's gaze pierced through the spatial barriers of the Infinity Castle as he looked toward the boiling darkness deep underground.

"An opportunity to wipe out the Monster Association in one go."

Psykos's expression became extremely complex. "You... you want to... the Monster Association..."

Minoru nodded. "Yes. Those monsters were originally tools you created in your despair. Now that you know the truth, what's the point of keeping them? As pets?"

Psykos bit her lip. "But among them, there are also... also innocent..."

Halfway through the sentence, she couldn't even continue herself.

How could there be any "innocents" among those monsters she had personally modified and raised?

Minoru looked at her. "You want to save them?"

Psykos remained silent, lowering her head.

"I don't know. I just... can't watch them go to their deaths."

Minoru nodded. "Understood. I'll go deal with the Monster Association. You wait here."

Psykos looked up. "You... are going alone?"

"Yes."

"There are many Dragon Level monsters in there."

"I know."

"And there's Orochi, the Monster King I personally raised."

"I've heard, you've said it many times."

Psykos looked at Minoru with complex eyes. "Why are you willing to do this?"

Minoru thought about it and said, "Because of the things you just said."

Psykos asked, "What things?"

Minoru smiled. "About the future, about despair, and about the feeling of wanting to change something. Since that future is fake, there's no need to be afraid."

"As for those monsters... Since you created them, I'll help you clean up the mess. Just watch from here. Watch how that future that made you despair is changed by me."

Minoru waved his hand, opening the livestream interface.

The screen showed the scene of the Monster Association deep under Z-City.

Psykos bit her lip. "Don't die. If you die, who am I supposed to get my revenge on?"

Minoru laughed. "Don't worry, I won't die. Besides, what you said is a bit funny. Even if you die, I won't."