A Knight's Journey Begins in Faiz

"what?"

Kiba was clearly a little taken aback, so Jiang Yang spoke again.

"Stay away from him. Trust me, Kiba. You may not know this, but there's a low chance that people killed by Orphnochs using special methods will be resurrected and transformed into Orphnochs. Once they become Orphnochs, there's a chance they won't be able to control themselves. Don't get close to him until you're sure he can control himself."

Jiang Yang's words conveyed several meanings: first, he knew a lot about the Orphnochs; second, he wouldn't kill Orphnochs indiscriminately; and third, Jiang Yang was on the side of humanity.

"Believe me, let him go, leave this place, go back to your own lives, and don't get involved in this. This is for your own good."

Upon hearing this, both of their expressions turned gloomy.

Why? Because both of them were hurt and abandoned by the past.

As Yuka had said before, the long-term bullying and abuse led to her death. After being reborn, she didn't intend to seek revenge, but the endless bullying eventually made her snap. She had no future to return to.

Yuji Kiba, he's also a very tragic character.

A car accident destroyed everything he had, and he lay in a hospital bed for years until doctors pronounced him dead.

Perhaps it was obsession, or perhaps it was coincidence, but he awoke as an Orphnoch. However, in the two years that followed, everything changed. His parents were dead, his family's company was seized and sold off by relatives, and his girlfriend found a new source of support—the very person who had taken over his family's assets.

He seemed to be the superfluous person.

"Honestly, wouldn't it be better to just die like that?"

These are the words spoken by a relative.

He was later betrayed by his girlfriend.

In short, he no longer has a life he can go back to.

Jiang Yang deliberately stepped on a landmine; the reason is unspeakable.

"What's with those expressions on your faces? Never mind, neither of you seems like the type to abandon him. Anyway, let's get out of here first. Can you drive?"

"Ah, um, yes."

"Get in the car, let's find a place first, we'll talk about the rest later."

Of the people present, Kaidou is unconscious, Kiba's mind is probably a complete mess, and Yuka is still relatively clear-headed, but she doesn't have her own opinions yet, so she will follow Kiba's lead.

In this way, no one would notice the irrational aspects of Jiang Yang's behavior.

I don't know what Kiba was thinking. Jiang Yang is such a suspicious person, yet he just dragged him home. He really had absolutely no sense of caution towards people. It was inevitable that he would suffer a loss.

But this was exactly what Jiang Yang wanted to do, so there was no need to say anything.

On the way, Kiba couldn't help but ask a few questions.

"Toda-san, did you kill him, Jiang Yang?"

"No, he was already like this before I even made a move."

"Who are you exactly?"

"Who are you? If I had to put it that way, you'd be a busybody traveler, that's about it. But you two don't seem to be afraid of the Orphnoch at all. If you two hadn't run away in the first place, I would have thought you already knew that guy was an Orphnoch."

Kiba was ashamed. "I already knew that, didn't I? Not only did I know, but I knew it myself."

"Jiang Yang, what's your opinion on Orphino?"

Kiba still asked the question. He was very confused. Orphnoch, human, what exactly was he now?

He couldn't understand why the Orphnochs and humans would kill each other. What was the point of it? Was it to increase their companions?

And then, after endless killing, what will be left in the end?

"How do you see it? Just look at it with your eyes."

"..."

"Haha, the atmosphere is too oppressive, I was just joking. Orphnochs are a new species that humans naturally resurrect after death without external intervention. You don't seem surprised, did you already know that?"

Never mind, I'll continue.

In my view, what exactly an Orphnoch is is actually uncertain.

"Eh?"

"Surprised? Actually, there's nothing surprising about it. In my opinion, Orphnochs are a special kind of life form that exists somewhere between humans and monsters. I don't know if you've noticed, but Orphnochs can freely switch between human and Orphnoch forms."

Even Yuka nodded this time. Although they had always known about this ability, they had never thought about why it was like this.

"If the Orphnochs are monsters, then monsters should just exist as monsters. Why retain their human form?"

"So, do you think the Orphnochs are still human?"

"Humans? Only beings that are not human would ask themselves if they are human. That's what a senior of mine named Takayama Jin said, and I think there's some truth to it."

"Of course, whether the Orphnochs are human or not is something I cannot decide yet; that decision is theirs to make."

"What's the meaning."

"Is a person who commits arson, murder, robbery, and all sorts of atrocities still human? An Orphnoch, who does not harm the innocent but instead uses his power to do the right thing, can you call him a monster?"

What I mean is, people may not be able to choose their birth, but they can choose the way they want to live. If they decide to live as humans, then isn't the Orphnoch's stance a power they can use? If a person abandons their pride as a human, what's the difference between them and a monster?

To be honest, Jiang Yang didn't even know what he was saying, but Kiba and Yuka had expressions of deep understanding.

"Hey, watch out ahead! Don't get distracted while driving!"

"Um, may I ask one last question?"

"Haven't you asked enough questions yet?"

I'm not afraid of you asking questions, I'm just afraid of you not asking anything at all.

"If, and I mean if, such an Orphnoch really existed, would you become friends with him?"

Jiang Yang thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Why not? If becoming a monster is a destiny, then the will to be human is the spear to resist that destiny. I have a respected person who once said that he would fight against fate and win. I have great respect for those who dare to challenge and fight against fate."

After that, until they reached the bottom of Kiba's house, the group didn't say another word.

After getting off the bus, Jiang Yang helped carry Haitang upstairs. With his current physical condition, carrying one person up and down the stairs was incredibly easy for him.

"This place is nice, quite big. Well, that's all for today. It's getting late, and I have things to do, so I won't stay any longer. Here's my phone number. If you need any help or have any questions, feel free to call me anytime. Since we're friends, I'll give you a 50% discount."

Jiang Yang handed over a handwritten business card, then left without looking back. He had done what he needed to do; there was no point in staying any longer, so he might as well move on to the next event.

Looking at the handwritten business card in his hand that read "Yorozuya Koyo," Kiba was filled with mixed emotions.

Do you believe what he said?

Yuka walked up to Kiba, her voice very soft.

"He should have already guessed who we are,"

Yuka fell silent.

"Maybe, as he said, we can still choose our own way of life. I want to believe that, Yuka."