Help! I changed the gender of the male protagonist in the yandere game.

Chapter 251 The Living God of the Island Nation
Zenzang did not expend much effort to defeat the guards stationed along the way at Mount Aso.

Among these people were many outstanding experts, but compared with Zenzo, who betrayed Kurama Temple, the difference in strength was simply too great.

He slowly removed his "armor," a fighting style similar to the armored transformation ability of the demonic aura, and also a secret technique of the Kurama-ryu Demon King style.

"We shouldn't have used this tactic. The overall combat strength of the mountain protection team isn't high, so it was completely unnecessary..."

"No, it's that your strength is even greater than before."

The alchemist Hank also slowly emerged from the mountain path behind.

"Although the patrol team was drawn from various places by the Yamato court and stationed in Higo Province, and although there are no experts of the Twelve Warriors level among them, they are still an elite force... You have not yet adapted to your further improved combat power, which is why you have come to this conclusion."

The foreigner smiled and said, "In the past, you were indeed very strong, but you always lacked a core. After obtaining the research data from the Eight Blessings Society, I was finally able to complete the synthesis of the Philosopher's Stone. The Philosopher's Stone implanted in your heart is like an energy furnace, which can continuously provide you with energy."

"is it?"

Shanzang pressed his hand to his chest, where there was an old scar with surgical stitches.

Although he had some reservations about Hank's "unorthodox" methods, he had to admit that there was nothing wrong with what Hank said.

Kuramaji Demon King Style is a martial art that demands extremely high physical strength. When the "Fist Saint" Utsuro Kyoryu sought the reincarnation technique from Ōtengu, he unexpectedly gained some inspiration and created the Demon King Style on his own.

However, even after living for over a hundred years, he still couldn't find a suitable disciple to practice this style of boxing.

There's no other way; in the training process of the Demon King School, to complete the transformation of the physical body, it is necessary to gradually fuse the flesh and blood body with the limbs of demons.

Furthermore, the person being modified will suffer immense pain during this process.

Xu Long was, after all, a monk, and compassionate at heart. He would never use human lives for experiments like the Shadow Cage Mechanism.

Originally, the Demon King Style Fist should have been lost forever, becoming a regret in Master Xulong's heart, until the Fist Saint found a disciple with a physical disability but a strong will to live.

This newly accepted disciple is Shanzang. Due to an accident, he lost the ability to take care of himself and his hands became crippled.

After learning about the lineage of the Demon King Style, Shanzang knelt down and begged the Fist Saint Xulong to teach him this fist technique.

Master Xulong was initially hesitant, but his disciple’s resolute attitude moved him, so he searched for the demon’s arms for Shanzang and transplanted them onto his severed arm.

Subsequently, Shanzang underwent several more modifications, and even some of his internal organs were replaced with demonic tissue.

After undergoing layers of transformation, under the guidance of Master Xulong, he learned to control superhuman strength and refine demonic and spiritual energy, completing the "fighting poison with poison" Demon King Style Fist Technique.

However, after years of training and dedicated study of the Demon King Style Fist, Shanzang also discovered that his lifespan was shortening.
This is only natural, because unlike Hyakusuke, he did not receive the "mermaid's grace." His body was severely eroded by demonic energy, and coupled with years of high-intensity combat, he was in a state of near-limit.

Hank knew this too. In order to make up for Zenzang's shortcomings, he completed the research on the Philosopher's Stone and transferred the completed Philosopher's Stone into Zenzang's heart.

Thus, the last weakness in this martial arts master's body was repaired, and the Philosopher's Stone replaced his original heart, becoming his source of power.

"Weren't the other members of the Knights of the Martyrdom also implanted with fragments of the Philosopher's Stone by you?"

Suddenly, Shanzang remembered this and couldn't help but ask him, "What are you planning? This kind of power is a bit too much for ordinary people."

"Do not worry."

Hank's smile remained unchanged.

“I’ve adjusted those fragments. Unlike the one in your heart, which is the complete version, these are all weakened versions. In addition, this is also part of the plan to strengthen our combat power…”

He added, "Afterwards, there will definitely be many great battles. The 'Twenty-Six Holy Knights' are also full of good men, but compared with the Yamato court's abundance of talent, our manpower is simply stretched thin."

"I implanted the Philosopher's Stone fragments into them not simply to enhance their combat power. I deliberately adjusted the effects of the Philosopher's Stone fragments to produce a regenerative effect similar to the Mermaid's Grace."

"This is to save our comrades' lives on the battlefield, but if we had real mermaid flesh, the effect would be even stronger."

"Mermaid meat?"

Zenzang muttered to himself, "It is said that it was brought by Xu Fu, who sailed east to Japan."

"Yes, I've heard the legends about this for a long time. Mermaids are man-made demons, created by Xu Fu, who served the First Emperor, in order to study the art of immortality. But let's not talk about that now."

Hank's gaze drifted towards the distant ocean.

"Now, your senior brother, the monk Sanhai, has led a large army to launch a campaign against Kyushu. The imperial court is also putting its heart into this."

"It must have been the suggestion of the Left Minister Nagao; he will likely strongly advocate for military action against Kyushu."

Shanzang's calm analysis.

"Shimabara has already fallen. If Hizen also falls later, then the surrounding areas of Kyushu could very well become the spoils of the rebels."

"It must be because the evil god Kotankoro Kamui did not march south to invade the Kinki region that gave the court officials some breathing room, and they decided to deal with the situation in Kyushu."

Hank laughed and said, "Fortunately, we were able to take down Mount Aso this time. Next, we'll make arrangements for this area."

"You really want to detonate Mount Aso?"

Shanzang looked at the foreigner warily.

"will not."

Hank said in a deep voice, "This is just a smokescreen. If we don't have enough power, we still can't shake the Yamato court. My goal is to control the spiritual veins of Mount Aso and use that to deter the court."

He coughed lightly again.

"The core of the plan remains the completion of the 'Prayer of Light'. The results obtained from the Eight Blessings last time were crucial. With these results, the mass production of androids is no longer a fantasy, and even the cost can be further reduced."

"Your idea of ​​creating 'virtual gods' using androids is insane."

Shanzang still harbored some wariness towards this foreign alchemist.

"I don't believe that virtual gods are gods."

Hank shook his head.

"The Yamato nation has always believed in animism and acknowledged the existence of gods in heaven and earth. I am a skeptic and have doubts about past rumors about gods. The existence of illusory gods may be a research that can break this myth."

“No wonder you were expelled from the Holy Order of Europe. It’s strange that your heretical ideas weren’t burned at the stake.” Shanzang sighed. “Well, I can accept the plan of that ‘Prayer of Light.’ If it were the other members of the Knights of the Martyrdom, they might not agree with your idea.”

“I am well aware of this.”

Hank just smiled.

The experiment he was about to conduct was something that would be considered "taboo" in this country.

As for the continent of Europe, it was even considered blasphemous.

The so-called "people who pray for light" are man-made gods.

Hank still remembers reading the Genesis account in the Bible since he was a child. He remembers the priest who taught him telling him that God spent six days creating all living beings and rested on the seventh day.

Furthermore, God created the human race.

Humans are a race that is lower in status than gods.

Hank discovered this common phenomenon while researching various countries and regions.

This is how it is recorded in almost all civilizations or mythologies.

The divine is of a higher status than human beings.

Human prayers can reach the divine realm and be felt by all.

However, his research also found that in addition to natural deities, there are also personal gods shaped by human culture and social background.

During his travels in the Ming Dynasty, Hank even discovered the local concept of "incense becoming god," which means that some beings that should have been classified as "natural spirits" became gods after being worshipped by people.

Strangely enough, this is an argument for deification through faith.

Nature spirits are beings of a higher status than ordinary humans. In the narratives of theologians, they are not gods, but rather spirits of the natural world.

This phenomenon of spirits becoming gods has frequently occurred in various civilizations.

After a series of studies, Hank came up with an idea.

The "omnipotent being" in the scriptures is not a universal deity; most of them are spirits of nature who were elevated to godhood through faith.

The reason is that humans of lower status can elevate elves to the status of gods through their own faith.

So, here's where a problem arises.

Is this a unique ability of an elf, a natural spirit? Or is it that this low-level faith power helps in elevating a god's status?

If it's the former, then it's easier to talk about.

If it's the latter, then this matter becomes somewhat intriguing.

Hank felt that this issue deserved further investigation.

He thought it could be designed like this: for example, humans could create an existence that is lower in status than themselves, that is, an artificial human.

Let's try the prayers or faith of androids again, and see if it can elevate the status of humanity.

If the power generated by the prayers and faith of androids can elevate a mortal to a higher status, it proves that the attainment of divinity through incense and faith is not the exclusive domain of natural spirits, but rather a kind of order and law at the level of reality.

After his travels, Hank was inspired and, upon returning to the European continent, began to tirelessly conduct research on "artificial humans".

However, his action quickly attracted the attention of the Inquisition.

Hank's mentor also urged him to stop his research before the judges could act.

"You are already a rising star in the field of alchemy, regarded by everyone as a future genius. You shouldn't violate human ethics and break such taboos; this will be punished by heaven..."

“Teacher, you should know that the so-called ‘divine punishment’ is just a deception. The God we believe in will not send down such a thing as divine punishment.”

Hank retorted, "Furthermore, where exactly did the research on androids touch upon any taboos? I was merely trying to verify the existence of the illusory gods. In fact, the scriptures do not consider those things to be gods at all."

“A hundred years ago, someone had the same idea as you.”

The mentor sighed softly: "This is a very dangerous taboo. Your idea and concept have been thought of before, and others have conducted similar experiments, which resulted in very horrifying consequences."

"In other words, my idea is feasible."

Hank continued, "By utilizing androids, beings of a higher status than humans, it is possible to elevate the status of humans, allowing mortals to be influenced by this power and become higher-ranking individuals, is that correct?"

I don't know the outcome.

The tutor shook his head.

"That was intelligence sealed away by the Inquisitors. No one knows exactly what happened a hundred years ago. However, the horrific disaster it caused directly led to the erasure of a city of 600,000 people from the map."

The frail old man even tried to persuade Hank.

"The personhood of man and god is absolute. Humans should not touch the realm of gods. This is why the Church has always regarded the experimentation on artificial humans as a taboo... Hank, you are a talented alchemist."

"As your mentor, I have high hopes for you, hoping that you will become a great achiever like Trismegistus or Paracelsus."

"But the Inquisitors won't think that way. They have no interest in these studies or your ambitions. If they consider you a heretic, they'll burn you at the stake."

"If your will is so firm that you are not even afraid of death, then there is no need to throw your life away. I suggest you leave this country and go to an island nation in the Far East. It is said that the kings of that country have been born with half-human, half-god blood, and they are also known as 'human gods'..."

His mentor’s words, especially regarding the name “Human God,” forced Hank to change his mind. Driven by research interests, he developed a strong interest in the small island nation in the Far East, which led him to travel thousands of miles to this country.

Later, some things happened, and this foreign alchemist somehow became a member of the Twenty-Sixth Holy Knights Order—no, now he is considered a "leader" in the Martyr Knights Order.

However, even now, Zenzo himself, the strongest man in the Knights of the Martyrdom, still cannot believe in this alchemist.

To be honest, he didn't think there was anything inherently right or wrong about Hank's ideas. As a member of the Yinqiezhidan, Shanzang even harbored some hostility towards Hank's ideas.

As a believer serving the Father God, Zenzang couldn't help but be wary of his heretical ideas, but considering the man's position in the Knights, he couldn't say anything...

(End of this chapter)