I’m the Madman of This Family

Chapter 343. River of Blood, Mountain of Screams (6)

It’s just a punch.

But with that punch, Paratool couldn’t keep his balance.

“Kuuuugh…”

Paratool, a dragon also known as a great race, groaned in pain. It wasn’t an exaggeration.

“How… How can a mere human like you…!”

Paratool had never seen a human enter the Unconscious World.

To his knowledge, only two humans had entered the Unconscious World and become ‘gods,’ and those two were worthy of it. They were either agents of gods or individuals with the mental strength to found a religion.

But Keter is not. He is neither an agent of a god nor a noble soul seeking to establish a religion. He is a human driven by desire.

The Unconscious World is a dangerous place. It’s different from the Mental World.

Minds can mix. That’s why Keter and Paratool fought using their mental strength and imagination.

But this is Keter’s Unconscious Space. Here, Keter is the god. Paratool is just an intruder.

As Paratool staggered, Keter blew on his fist.

“Feels good, doesn’t it? Looks like I can kill you here.”

Keter immediately noticed the impact of his fist and Paratool’s panicked expression.

Thwack!

At that moment, Franken jumped and smacked the back of Keter’s head.

“You should greet your master when you see him.”

Keter rubbed his stinging head and grumbled.

“Still as hot-headed as ever, Master Franken. Wait a bit. Let me deal with this guy first, then we can chat leisurely.”

Keter swung his arms and approached Paratool. Paratool tried to negotiate.

“Wait. I have the best offer for you…”

“Shut up!”

Keter swung his fist. The most primal weapon of humans, the fist.

Paratool is a dragon. Known as the progenitor of magic. Naturally, he responded with magic.

With his right hand, 9th Circle Dark Magic, Black Coffin.

With his left hand, 7th Circle Freezing Magic, Ice Age.

Bam!

But Keter’s fist was faster than the activation of the magic.

“This is for Serena, you bastard.”

Keter’s fist carried emotion. The anger of losing Serena.

Even as he was being pummeled, Paratool tried to use magic. Dragons can use magic with just their will, without hand seals.

But it didn’t activate.

“Right now, the only thing I allow here is fists.”

Keter isn’t just using his fists for no reason. He changed the ‘rules’ of this place with his will.

Even Paratool, a dragon, must submit. This is Keter’s Unconscious World.

‘If it’s martial arts, I have thousands of years of experience.’

Dragons don’t always use magic. Living as a human for fun, he also learned human techniques.

Just as Paratool, who had been taking hits, tried to deflect Keter’s fist and counterattack.

“Too old-fashioned.”

Boom!

Keter’s forehead slammed into Paratool’s face.

Crack!

Followed by a knee to the solar plexus-

Thud!

And a finger jab to the throat.

“Gahk.”

Paratool, in human form, clutched his throat and stumbled back.

Keter didn’t follow the retreating Paratool, just watched and said.

“Why that face? Didn’t you expect this? You acted like you’d won when you entered the Unconscious World. Huh?”

“Haa, haa. Keter. Listen to me. If you kill me here, you won’t be safe either.”

“Threats are so old-fashioned.”

Keter clenched his fist again.

Paratool hurriedly continued.

“I admit defeat. I’ll stay quietly in a corner of your mind. Just spare me. In return, I’ll give you my knowledge and power.”

“What knowledge and power? Give me a sample. I need to be tempted.”

“Methods to kill or seal gods. And all the history of this world. The secrets of the universe. You’ll know everything. And the power of a dragon. Even Lilian or the Grand Duke won’t be able to ignore you.”

“Is that all?”

“I won’t interfere with you. I’ll just watch. But if you insist on killing me, I’ll have no choice but to kill you too.”

“Oh, scary. Can someone who can kill me really be struggling like this?”

“I can’t take over your body, but I can kill you. That’s a fact.”

Paratool glanced at Franken.

Keter, reading that glance, looked at Franken. Franken sighed and said.

“…Annoying, but it’s true, Keter. If that guy uses his last resort, both you and Paratool will die. Mutual destruction.”

“Tch. Annoying till the end.”

Keter bit his lip and glared at Paratool. Countless thoughts raced through his mind.

It’s not just anyone, but Franken’s testimony. If it were just Paratool’s threat, he might have ignored it, but if Franken says it’s true, it must be true.

And Keter doesn’t know much about the Unconscious World. This time, he couldn’t just recklessly eliminate Paratool, thinking ‘it’ll work out.’

‘The knowledge and power of a dragon. It would be a great help in fighting gods, as he said.’

He tried to find a compromise in his mind. Rationalizing to himself why he shouldn’t kill Paratool.

“So you’ll parasitize my mind and try to take over my body when you get the chance?”

Just like what Amaranth tried to do.

But unlike Amaranth, Paratool is a dragon. Not just a fragment of a sealed god, but a real dragon.

Paratool nodded without hesitation.

“If your mental strength weakens. If you’re on the verge of death, then yes. But if you don’t create such a situation, I don’t have the power to forcibly take over your body.”

“In short, you’ll be a nuisance.”

“It’s better than mutual destruction.”

“Hmm. That’s true.”

“Glad we agree. Then let’s make a contract.”

Paratool offered a handshake.

Keter also reached out. But it wasn’t a handshake, it was a fist.

“That’s true. A punch is true!”

Keter’s punches, which had been beating Paratool, were filled not with killing intent, but with anger.

The anger of being tricked.

The anger of losing his beloved Serena.

But now, the intent of the punches had changed.

Killing intent.

The punches, filled with the will to kill, were neither dull nor painful.

They only aimed for vital points. The destructive power to crush the opponent was quietly concentrated.

Paratool, panicking, shouted.

“Fool! It’s not a lie that I can kill you. That human also testified, don’t you believe it?”

Keter didn’t stop punching as he answered.

“I believe it. But so what?”

“…?!”

“I’ll never negotiate with scum like you. Even if it means my death.”

“Wh-what kind of irrational… stupid reason is that!”

“That’s what it means to be human, and to be me.”

Paratool’s defense was clumsy. Having never defended with his body before, it was natural.

Crunch!

Finally, Keter’s fist shattered Paratool’s head. Not that Paratool would die immediately, but he certainly realized.

‘This guy is serious about killing me.’

Paratool couldn’t understand. Mutual destruction. Both would die. No one gains. It’s a stupid act.

This isn’t the life of an ordinary person, but of beings who can change this world, this universe. And even both of them.

Yet they choose mutual destruction? How foolish.

“I can’t understand. Absolutely, absolutely. Humans are such a race!”

As Paratool shouted in anger, Keter answered with a punch first.

“Why do you have to understand? Don’t understand.”

“Fine. I’ll grant your wish.”

Flash!

The moment light seemed to emanate from Paratool’s body, he shed his human form.

A massive, intimidating dragon appeared before them.

As big as a small mountain.

Golden scales, shining and dazzling.

Rumble!

The Unconscious World shook violently with the dragon’s appearance.

“You’re still as stubborn as ever.”

Franken, who had been watching, approached.

Keter shrugged.

“That guy is trying to unleash his Unconscious here. If two Unconscious collide, any existence will be annihilated. Keter. I know you didn’t do this knowingly, but is there any way out?”

“Nope. None.”

“Bragging.”

Franken teased Keter. Keter looked up at the sky without pretending to be hurt.

“I admit it. As long as Paratool remains in my mind, I can never be at ease. It’s annoying, and since I can’t see a way out, I’d rather die.”

“Paratool isn’t going to do anything to you right now, and with the power and knowledge of a dragon, you’d instantly become one of the top powers in the world. Isn’t it a waste? All you’ve achieved, all you could enjoy.”

“It’s a waste. It’s worrying. But well-”

Keter scratched the back of his head and smiled brightly.

“I’ve lived ready to die, and now I don’t want to die. It’s not cool.”

“Hah, hahaha. You’re insane.”

Crackle, rumble.*

The Unconscious World rapidly split apart. Paratool’s majestic body also began to collapse.

“Sorry for dragging you into this. Making you die with me.”

“Now that you’re about to die, you’re apologizing. Anything else to say? Like you’ve always had a crush on me.”

“Never happened.”

“How boring.”

Franken poked Keter with his elbow and stretched.

“Sigh. I had a feeling it would come to this.”

“Where are you going?”

“Where? To save you, of course.”

“…?”

“Foolish disciple. Don’t give up learning even at the moment of death. I told you. When two Unconscious collide, both are annihilated.”

“…Are you sacrificing yourself for me?”

“Not for you, for myself.”

Franken walked towards Paratool as if taking a stroll. Keter blankly watched his back, then urgently spoke.

“I’m grateful for saving me, but if you disappear like this, how can I repay you?”

“Why can’t you? Disciple. You seem to have forgotten why I went to Ruquer.”

Keter actually had forgotten, so he needed time to think.

“Be good to the ‘me’ outside.”

But there was no time. Franken immediately approached Paratool and unleashed his ‘Unconscious.’

Seeing this, Paratool screamed.

-Kyaaaaah! You fool! You could just escape from here, why choose annihilation for that guy!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Franken answered.

“Because he’s my one and only disciple.”

Paratool couldn’t understand. He wanted to scream, what does that have to do with anything?

But, as Franken unleashed his Unconscious in the already collapsing Unconscious, the two Unconscious merged and annihilated.

Franken accepted annihilation with a smile, but Paratool, with a face of despair, met annihilation without ever understanding the human heart.

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