[Narrator POV]
The human brain, the most mysterious and least understood part of our bodies. The secrets it still holds, being a treasure trove for scientists and experts to explore to this very day.
Ultimately, it's not that we use 10 percent of our brains, merely that we only understand about 10 percent of how it functions, with one of them being, it's response to different stimuli and emotions.
For one, when you perceive something to be a threat or are in an extremely stressed state, like in anger, or when facing extreme fear, the brain releases adrenaline and noradrenaline in response to help remedy the situation.
[Kuzan POV]
"Hohoho..." the old man laughed weakly while walking into the room, with a smile on his face despite my current grotesque appearance.
"He's done boy..."
[Narrator POV]
Increased heart rate, raised blood pressure and respiratory rate follow closely after, as your blood gets redistributed to the skeletal muscles, drawing away from the guts and other areas unnecessary for immediate survival.
It even draw's back its flow to the frontal cortex, the area responsible for clear thinking, analytical problem solving, and logical thought, their minds going into a fog.
[Kuzan POV]
"Chee."
[Narrator POV]
Some studies show that even merely witnessing someone else's expression of anger, can lead to impairment in logical thinking and problem solving abilities.
[Kaku POV]
'Those cowards...'
[Narrator POV]
But what happens when the brain is under dire stress, facing such an extreme ordeal that it can't release any more adrenaline to keep itself from burning up?
What happens when it's need to survive such a strong sensation superseeds what it can produce?
[Kuzan POV]
'As much as I want to argue with the old man, I know he's right.'
[Narrator POV]
It cools, pouring as much rain over the fire as possible, pooling the blood strictly to the head in an effort to drown out its pain.
But what happens if such a state happens not to a human's brain, but to a demon's?
[Kuzan POV]
'The side dish is complete.'
I smiled in excitement, as who I would next, hoping to dear God that it was as I believed, my licks salivating at the thought.
'Now to move onto the main course.'
[Narrator POV]
It feasts.
Devouring that blood, using it as sustenance to suppress its emotions until they could be reduced to an acceptable level of release, instead focusing all of that excess thought of anger or pain or fury into something more constructive.
Feeding it to the frontal cortex in an attempt to come up with a solution.
Not being able to rest until the problem has been resolved.
[Kaku POV]
'Those cowards, not even sticking around to deal with the mess they've caused, those two foreigners calling them the boy's masters.'
'Don't make me laugh.'
Still, even as I mocked their actions, I could not help wondering whether I had somehow played a part in leading to this...thing in front of me.
The mechanical movements by which he had grabbed the waists of those he loved, the way he commanded them while leaving no room for debate, his voice without cadance and without passion.
He continued, whether he realized it or not, threatening everyone around him by the mere heat he was constantly releasing, like a furnace, as his hair stood constantly on end.
I could see it in his eyes.
'There's only thought, no passion.'
That boy was not living, he was simply moving, like a machine built only for a task that it completed, not knowing why it was doing so.
Even his song, his beautiful melody, was filled without venom or playfulness, instead only consisting of mere words that were being spoken, one after the other, in succession.
My heart beat was continuing to slow down, threatening to stop at any moment to escape his presence, to escape the anger that he was cooling constantly with his blood which evaporated more by the second.
It was my punishment, as his master, for having eluded them for so long while cheating death, to now support this devil, to ensure that he is kept well fed.
I would have brought the rarest of delicacies for him to feast upon if it had made any difference, hoping that a demon would be able to fill his hunger.
'I can't boy, these bones are far too old.'
I had no power to arrange such a meal, especially when the bastard had simply sauntered away back to its jungle, saving its appetite for another day.
'Maybe it's for the better, sometimes it's not the quality of the meat but it's quantity.'
It was apparent that none other than those who had disrespected him would be able to satisfy his hunger.
Still, I provided as much help as I could, even when breaking the countless rules I had followed since birth and had even instructed to some disciples.
I had even been able to guess as to who would have been stupid enough to seek death in such a open and welcoming manner, choosing to commit suicide in the most round-about way possible.
'Those fools.'
My hunch merely stemmed from the stories I had, about the havoc caused by a similar calamity, when angered by the same power a short while ago.
All I could do was delay the inevitable, as a courtesy from one figurehead of a nation to the other, to give it a warning before 'it's' arrival.
[Kuzan POV]
I saw the man, just standing there while handing me a notepad which continued every last word of information gained from the questioning of the victims, as well as of those contained within the both the Chinese intelligence force.
'Looks like my care for those ministers really paid off.'
I was sure that they had called in every favor to get their hands on this piece of intelligence, of the name of one of the suspected past accomplices of the egg that I had just shattered.
I smiled at his help, for guiding me even like this, even when standing in the middle of this grotesque scene, thanking him for his final lesson.
I really appreciated the man's straightforwardness, at giving me exactly what I wanted without having to go through the trouble of spelling it out for him.
Thus, I tested him once again, staring into his eyes while hearing the cries of Melissa as she pounded on the locked room door with her fists, wanting to break in to see me.
They were quickly aided by another pair of fists, no doubt belonging to my Aunt, after Retsu had finally broken her out of her hypnosis, under the request of Diana stemming from my own instructions.
I was no idiot, I was well aware of what was going on with some help form the system's prompts, probably knowing my condition better than anyone else around me.
Although I could not fully understand why, I knew through logic alone that I would not be able to see them again until I 'recovered' from this 'condition'.
Unfortunately for them, I could logically see no reason for doing so, at least not until I finished climbing this new height.
I narrowed my eyes while staring into his own, asking for confirmation for his continued support in exchange for my continued friendship not just with the Temple, but with his country itself.
"Boy," he spoke while a single tear developed in his eyes before flowing down his face, for a reason I could not yet determine, "you're a disciple of the Temple."
Still, his word's weren't enough, thankfully he was not finished.
[Kaku POV]
'No, I have not failed him.'
I could feel weight on my shoulders finally being released before it could bury me further.
I could see it, not in his manufactured smile of thanks, but in the presence of his gaze, the emotion finally leaking out while he was still being cooled.
His playfulness coming out in full display, refusing to be blocked out, as he attempted to test his own master.
'How much will I be willing to concede?'
I deliberated, while finally giving the boy the answer he would be satisfied with, earning another look of thanks from the boy, this time filled with just the tiniest hint of satisfaction.
"Yes." I spoke for the nation, taking the boy's gracious offer.
His eyes narrowed further, still seeking confirmation.
'Fine.'
"I'll watch them, no matter what."
I spoke monotonously attempting to learn the devil's new language.
"They will stay at the Temple, they will be safe."
[Kuzan POV]
I had learned better than to rely on the words or strength of others to protect your things while you were gone. Still, I had no other choice if I wanted to never face this situation again.
'Plus...'
'This feeling, it transcends mere words.'
I could see it, laid bare like a roadmap in front of me, the path I would have to take to reach even greater than his height, reaching a path he had refused to take.
There had been a lot of things I had been able to learn today.
I had been able to grow more than I had ever expected, and this gift, more so than anything, surpassed even my wildest of imaginations.
Still, it was not my growth that had caused me such immense joy that had allowed me to maintain that delicate balance within my brain.
For every yin, there was a yang.
It matched it in sheer intensity, my pleasure at my discovery healing my pain, making me feel as healthy as a newborn.
It was not my newfound strength that was able to bring me back from the brink of death
It was not my newfound skills that by themselves had allowed me to earn the submission of a whole nation.
It was not even my new way of thought that surpassed even his.
It was the revelation of the discovery I had made today, when I had recognized the identity of the assassin, my heart skipping a beat at his mere existence, changing my world view.
'Now that I really think about it, I was a fool for not even considering it sooner, limited in my dreams to the levels of just those around me.'
All of the pleasure I had experienced in this life combined could not hold a candle to the amount of excitement and equal part madness I experienced as a result of my discovery today, it's mere possibility being too much for me to even fathom, despite my currently mellow and rational state.
For once, my heart and my mind were perfectly in sync as if finding peace with one another after so long.
I had finally found it.
'My purpose for life.'
AUTHOR'S NOTE: EVERYONE IS CONFUSED. Yes, I known everyone is confused. Don't worry, its partially on purpose, everything will be explained in the next chapter.