Paradise Lost (2004) Part 29: A Visit to the Doctor

“The next time I wake up” - The line he said was, ironically, the same line I told Sophie when we parted. “The next time I wake up” …..Does that mean I wasn’t killed? “The next time I wake up” ……The future that will be waiting. What exactly is it? I’m alone…. Frightened, shivering, sobbing…. Hugging myself and enduring my own fear. I’m terrified of waking up. Lyle: What? Lil: No, it’s nothing. Lyle sighs when he sees his companion, who is in a bad mood, contrary to her words. As he learned, it seems that she’s surprisingly inflexible.

Especially when it comes to fighting in general, she seems to be unusually annoying. What a real nuisance. In order to avoid troublesome situations it’s inevitable that they’ll be acting independently more and more. Well, Lyle wants to believe that his hard work is about to pay off. Lyle: I’ll hear your complaints afterwards. I’m going to be on the move for the time being. Lil: What are you going to do about this person? Are you just going to leave him behind? Lyle: What should I do? Take him along? He finds me just as troublesome.

01:05 - The boy lying down at his feet - looking down at Know, he mutters coldly. There is no benefit to working together with someone whose mutation is about to begin. Therefore, this is a mercy. By temporarily knocking him out, the transformation of his body can be suppressed. His injuries can get worse, but it won’t be by much. Lyle removes the telepathy equipment he was wearing wearing and silently crushes it. Lyle: If he’s lucky, he’ll live. If he’s unlucky, he’ll die.

He’s the one who attacked me in the first place, so why are you complaining? 01:31 - Lil: You were the one who provoked him. Don’t do anything that could cause trouble. Lil: Poor kid. He’s definitely misunderstanding. Lyle: Fine by me. It’s up to him. Lyle: Anyway, thanks to this kid I was able to make some progress. If you’re so worried, why not stay here and take care of him? Lil: Eh? …..But that’s…… Lil hesitates for a moment, but notices that she’s being teased and tightens her lips. Lil: No. I have no clue where you’ll go if you’re by yourself. That’s why I’m going to watch you. Lyle: I don’t need a lucky charm. Lil: I don’t care what you say.

If you won’t take him with you, at least put him in a safe place….. Having said that, Lil had already picked up Know and is looking for a place that’s out of sight. Although I was a little worried, it seems as though she realizes my previous treatment wasn’t malicious. But then, what is she even mad about? Lil: What kind of person is his sister? Lyle: Huh? Ah. So that’s it. Lil: It makes no sense for him to introduce you. You really do have a bad personality.

02:50 - Lil: That’s why you end up with tons of misunderstandings. I really can’t leave you alone. Lyle: Yeah, yeah. Fine. Lyle sighs again, shaking my head. Good grief, looks like she’s going to be following him at any cost. As a matter of fact, the information that Lyle acquired from Know was extremely vague. Partly because he used a cheap toy, all he was able to find out was the object of Know’s hatred and the object of his love. ….The latter is irrelevant. The former is more useful. Lyle: It’s here. The person Lyle heard about from Carmine - the one who controls the gate.

He’s hit more than a dozen back-alley doctors and scientists, but no dice. There’s no guarantee that this will be the one, but it’s worth checking out. Lyle: You really going to follow me? Lil: I’m going. I told you already, I can’t leave you alone. Lil, who replies without hesitation, still seems to be in a bad mood. I decide to ignore her for the time being. Lyle: Then stay out of my way at least. Saying that, he turns towards the back-alley doctor’s clinic.

According to Know’s memory, it should have been half-destroyed a few days ago, but there are already no traces of the destruction. Hm. Looks like he’s had help. Lyle smiles thinly. Lyle: I’m coming in. Casually, Lyle kicks in the door, which had probably been well reinforced during the renovation. Lyle: Doctor, sorry for the sudden visit but I have some questions. Doctor: …….. A momentary annoyance at the sudden visit crosses the doctors face, but as he recognizes Lyle’s figure, it’s quickly replaced with fear. Doctor: What do you want….? Lyle: I’m a patient. I can’t sleep because there’s something bothering me. I’d like a little counseling.

04:32 - Lyle: This girl wants to see a blue sky, but do you really think that something like that exists? And if so, how should I go see it? Lil: …….Eh? Lyle: Well, that’s what’s on your mind, isn’t it? Lil: Eh, ah yes, I’m curious. What do you think? Lil hurriedly nods at Lyle’s prompt. Although she’s obviously flustered, he keeps calm as he continue the barefaced lie. Lyle has been forced to bring her along, so the least she could do is help out here. Though this is just for his own fun. Lyle: What do you think, Doctor? I’d like you to answer me. This girl is a bit naïve, so you should spell it out clearly. Lyle: What do I need to do to break through the gate and get outside? Doctor: ….I don’t know what you want me to say, but are you sure? Doctor: You want to go outside? Even if I could do that…. Lyle: I’ll be the one asking the questions, Doctor.

05:23 - Lyle grabs the doctor, obviously playing dumb, by his collar and lifts him up. Doctor: Ah, gaaaaaah! Lyle: Doctors shouldn’t lie. Even if you don’t heal people with your medicine, your attitude should be sincere. Lil: That’s rich, coming from you. Lyle: Shut up for now. Glancing at Lil, who said something, Lyle turns his eyes back to the doctor. His bald head, lifted to the extent that it’s rubbing against the ceiling, is exuding oily sweat, and his complexion is dyed in purple, one step away from cyanosis.

05:49 - Of course, he probably won’t vomit with just this much. Lyle pulls out the white blade from his scabbard and brings the tip closer to the doctor’s left eye. Lyle: Looks like your main business partner is that body chopper. Why don’t you also have a taste of his feelings too? Lyle: First, I’ll scrape out your left eye, then your nose. I’ll leave your tongue for last, but talk quickly or you’ll become a Noppera-bo. As evidence that it wasn’t just an idle threat, Lyle cut through the cornea of his left eye with surgical accuracy. If even one billionth of a millimeter of the blade enters the eye, blindness is inevitable. The doctor screams and cries. Lil: H-hey, that’s a little overkill. You don’t have to do such a terrible thing. Lyle: Quiet. It’s better for me to ask his body directly. Despite responding to the annoyance, Lyle’s blade is still touching the doctor’s left eye and does not move. It’s a terrible force in the state where one person is suspended in the air. Lyle: I’ll ask you again, Doctor. And if you play dumb again, it’s too late for you to say anything else. I’ll cut it out.

06:37 - Lyle: We’re looking for a way to break through the gate. Do you know of it? Yes or no. Please answer. Doctor: I-if you kill me… Lyle: Is the device operated by a person? Don’t worry. Even if I don’t rely on a pervert like you, I know a guy who’s useful. Lyle: So, what are you going to do? From the way you’re talking it seems like a success, but will you cooperate or die? Just so you know, I have little patience. The edge of the blade rotates from its original position, and the doctor screams again. Doctor: O-okay okay. I get it, so just stop….

07:09 - Lyle: Well you could have just said that at the beginning. Disappointed, Lyle throws the doctor against the wall and stares down at him. He’s aware of the girl next to him, but isn’t going to deal with her right now. He grabs the doctor’s neck to wake him up, then activates a nearby terminal. Lyle: It’s not here anyway. Let me do a little research. And after a few minutes…. Lyle: I see. It’s natural if you think about it. The gate controller isn’t here. This is what Lyle had expected - now he’s back to square one when it comes to actually finding it. It’s Clemens who owns it.

Looks like it’s impossible to get out of town without fighting the snakes after all. Then what exactly is the smart way? The woman who recommended it seems to suggest Lyle annihilates the snakes by himself. There’s no chance of avoiding an all-out war now that Lyle has attacked this back-alley doctor. In this case, it’s better to strike while the iron is hot and attack from the front. Lyle: That tomboy…. It’s no use cursing her. Lyle switches his thoughts and looks at the doctor beside him. He has to be silenced. Lyle: Lil…. Go through this for me.

You know how to use it, right? 08:14 - Lil: Ah, yes. Leave it to me. Lyle: Thanks. Lyle gives a distraction to the noisy person. It’ll take only a few seconds to get rid of one or two dead old people. Perhaps he felt Lyle’s bloodlust, because the doctor’s face once again distorts in fear. Lyle: Looks like you’re out of luck, doctor. It’ll be a problem if you live. Lyle: Oh, guess what this is? Lyle presses a glowing iron block against the doctor’s forehead. A movement that seemed more annoying than slow. …..It’s a gun. Lyle: A kid had it, but it looks like he wants to kill you. That’s why - no hard feelings. Doctor: …..Hiiii! The pale-faced doctor pissed himself without shame hearing Lyle’s words and feeling the touch of cold steel between his eyebrows. Lyle glances at the rising steam, but at the same time, a scream came from another place. Lil: Ah….. No! Lyle: Huh? Lil, who should have been playing around with the terminal for comfort just a moment ago, is quivering while holding her shoulders.

What happened? 09:13 - Lyle: Hey? Lil: Aaaah…. No…. It’s wrong….. Lil: This….. This is….. I….. No….! What the hell is this? Staring at the desktop monitor, Lil is rejecting something. What is displayed there? Lyle: …..Let me see. Lyle turns around and walks up to Lil. At that moment, a light flashed before his eyes. Lyle: ――!? There’s no mistaking it. A laser beam easily penetrates Lyle’s coat, made of a special material, and splits the thick wall in two. Lyle turns around once again. Doctor: Hihi, hihihihihihihiii! Lyle: ….

Hey, can you not? 10:00 - What was he thinking, playing around with something like that? Far from being amazed at the violence, all Lyle had was pity, but he was not the doctor’s target. The target was the laser injection machine with its automatic aiming function, aimed straight at Lil’s forehead, who is still forgotten. Lyle notices a moment too late. Lyle: —–Tch. He moves to half-heartedly destroy the injection machine, to kill the doctor, and then help Lil. Lyle’s kick, unleashed in a hurry, breaks through a pipe running along the wall, and the steam that spews out reduced the density of the laser. Lil: Kyaaaah! However, it didn’t completely disable it.

Lil’s scream and the slight smell of blood irritates Lyle without him realizing why. Then his anger swells. Lyle: Did this perverted $*)!@ forget who he picked a fight with? His view is impaired by the high density steam, and can’t see even a few meters. However, he could still detect the signs of a frightened doctor. Lyle: You’ll regret that. Lyle’s right hand grabs the doctor and pulls him onto the operating table. The frenzied doctor shoots a series of lasers, but they accomplish nothing in the thick steam.

11:01 - Lyle: Have a taste of a your patients’ feelings, quack. Holding down the doctor’s arms and legs, Lyle activates the surgical device haphazardly. This thing has probably chopped up and dismantled a ton of body choppers while the doctor watched on with distorted pleasure, so this suits him. Numerous devices rush into the doctor’s body with an ominous sound. And it goes without saying, there’s no anesthesia either. Doctor: Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh! Lyle: Amen, Hallelujah. Lyle makes a cross while looking down at the doctor’s shredded corpse. The steam has finally cleared up, but Lil is gone. Lyle: Hey, idiot. There are bloodstains all over the floor. It doesn’t seem like she was bleeding much, but she’s still injured. Going out at night in this city in such a state is suicide. She really is a ton of trouble. That’s why Lyle told her to stay behind. What the hell did she even see to get so upset in the first place? Lyle, wondering that, took a look at the monitor and saw what was displayed there. Lyle: ………… To be precise, it was a single word….

12:02 - Lyle, silently destroys the terminal, then disappears into the night as if chasing Lil. The word was Beelzebub. Judas: Hah, looks like they’re pretty persistent. Judas Strife is laughing despite his desperate situation, surrounded by a hail of gunfire. Judas: Do you really want to take back the princess that badly? It’s currently men directly under the command of Clemens that are attacking him. Of course, this is very different form the miscellaneous small fry from earlier, and the fact that he’s being driven back is proof.

12:36 - Despite this, Judas’ smile remains engraved onto his face, unchanged. Judas: Boring. Worthless. And that’s what makes me laugh, Clemens. His smile is in no way that of a dead man. Judas: You should know that these guys aren’t good enough. If you want me dead, come out yourself. Judas: What’s wrong? Not enough yet? Don’t tell me it’s because you’re scared. Judas: Are you so timid that you can’t come out unless your subordinates are all dead? And you call yourself a Demon King! Dodging the enemy’s bullets like dance steps, each and every one of his own attacks hit the bull’s eye.

It’s almost like the ricochets dancing in the narrow back alley are under the control of Judas Strife, the Magic Bullet. A bullet fired in a different direction hits a blind spot from a different angle. Even cyborgs with nerves of steel and mutants with beastly senses hesitate. In other words, the situation is an inevitability, not coincidence. Judas, having already annihilated 80% of the thugs, shakes his head disappointedly and holsters his gun. Judas: Are you going to come out now? Judas: Good grief. You’re too old to be embarrassed to be seen in public. Judas: It can’t be helped then. Why don’t I drag you out? It’s unclear if the bullet fired into the darkness is a literal invitation, or if it was intended to kill him. What is clear is that the bullet was fired straight between Clemens’ eyebrows, and that Clemens is hesitating. Judas: Bravo! As expected of a member of the three-way-deadlock; a survivor of the poison jar.

14:08 - Perhaps he had predicted that this would happen, but Judas is laughing happily, even if his prediction was off. And even as his voice quietly freezes, his expression remains unchanged. Judas: Come on, that’s enough, isn’t it? Judas: Are you done analyzing my strength yet? Almost singing as he states that, Judas twirls the gun around his finger. Judas: If you say you still want to continue with the psychological warfare…. The muzzle pointing towards the darkness is now different from before. Judas: I’ll get serious, Clemens.

14:39 - A series of bullets, almost like a thunderstorm, burn through the freezing night air, leaving a strange noise of tearing flesh. Judas: This is your last chance. Come out, Clemens. Clemens: …………. Facing the ultimatum, Geese Clemens emerges from the darkness. It’s difficult to read the emotions on his stiff face. But what he’s thinking in this situation is irrelevant. The only thing that is relevant is the enemy in front of him. Clemens: Strife…. I wasn’t mocking you at all. Rather, I was appreciating you. Clemens: It’s a shame.

I don’t know what you were thinking and you confused me….. Judas: Confused? Confusion? Is that really what you just said? Judas raises his mouth and mocks Clemens, who had told him in a rough voice, as if he were suffering. Judas: That line is nonsense. I’ve been sane from the moment I was born. Judas: You’re surprisingly normal. Don’t disappoint me too much. If you want to succeed Beelzebub, you have to be crazier than anyone. Judas: You’re pretty ugly, fake. Oh well, just disappear. However, the bullet is blocked by an obstacle just before reaching its target. What appeared in Judas’ line of sight was a lump of meat - originally four people - that suddenly crashed from overhead, bound together and entwined by silver chains. Judas: Oh, this is….

15:55 - The voice responding to Judas, who is trembling with joy, is itself overly stern. Lyle: I have some business with him. Lyle: This is the first time we’ve met, baldy. I have a couple questions for you. Judas: What am I? Chopped liver? Lyle: Shut it. I’ll fight you later. Lyle irately snaps at Judas, who quickly switched to attacking the enemy behind him. Clemens is standing in front of Lyle. The king of crawling insects that stands atop the snakes and controls the gate.

16:26 - Lyle: Asshole, where did you get Beelzebub? And where is it now? Clemens: …..What? Judas: Wow, you knew her too? No, what do you intend to do with her? Lyle: Sorry, but I’m not interested in that. Lyle: But it seems like my companion is. Tell me quickly. Judas: Ahahahaha. I see, that’s how it is. Even as this is happening, assassins are gathering one after another. Surrounded on all sides, Judas bursts into laughter. Judas: For your girlfriend, it’s an unmistakable enemy. And she can’t help it either.

17:09 - Judas: What are you going to do, Clemens? This guy is a competitor too. Clemens: Hm. Looks like a dog barking at his betters. Clemens: So that must make you…. The Reaper of D4, am I wrong? Clemens’ footsteps, which don’t appear to have taken much effort, are sinking into the ground with a loud sound. Not only that, but amoeba-like blood is wriggling in the center. Clemens: Strife… It doesn’t matter what you thought when you conspired against me. I don’t know why, and I don’t want to here it if you have an excuse. Just die like pointless trash in this city.

17:38 - Clemens: I’ll send the two of you to hell together so that you won’t be lonely. If you’re accompanied by a god of death, you won’t get lost. Judas: What an honor. I can’t stop crying because of your understanding. Judas: This is a good opportunity to test that immortality. I can’t even try it out on the Princess. Lyle: Immortality? Judas: Oh, yeah. He’s been drinking Beelzebub’s blood. It hasn’t been completely assimilated, but it’s clear that he can’t be killed by normal means. Judas: But if you use “that” it’s a different story….. Lyle: ………… Lyle hesitates for a moment, hearing those ridiculous lines. In front of him, Clemens is approaching with a rumbling sound. He’s full of openings, but maybe that’s because he has absolute confidence in his endurance? Judas: So what are you going to do? Aren’t you in a hurry? Do you really have the time to hang out in a place like this? Lyle: ………….. Judas: Don’t tell me you’re thinking about running away? Lyle: Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? It is a low, angry response to the demon blood invading under his feet and the mockery behind him.

Yes, in order to go “outside” - one way or another, Clemens must die. It’s a path that cannot be avoided, so there’s no other option but to proceed without fear or hesitation. If flying is impossible, then Lyle just needs to run faster than anyone else. Don’t look back. Don’t regret. And therefore—– Lyle: You said he was immortal. His hair stands on end. His eyes change color. The tattoo on his left cheek becomes burning hot. Lyle: You have some nerve to act like that in front of the Reaper. I’ll tell you one thing.

19:14 - Lyle: There is no such thing as eternity in this world. Access - My Sin. The surge of wind blows away the devil’s poisonous blood. A jet black flame swirled around the black-clothed man standing at the center. From the core of the body, to the sin of the heart - the Gates of Hell open once more. .