Transformed into Cosmic Horror in a Sci-Fi Universe

Transformed into Cosmic Horror in a Sci-Fi Universe

EP.76 Interview

Whoa, that startled me.

Somehow, I was suddenly able to escape from there and return to my laboratory.

[ Hm? You suddenly went somewhere, and now you’re back. ]

Seeing Idra, who I was just talking to, it seems I’ve returned to the right place.

Wow, that really scared me.

This is the first time I’ve encountered an unexpected crisis since becoming an Outer God.

That was really dangerous.

At least when I entered that space, it felt like I gained some new power? That’s how I managed to escape.

What could that have been?

I couldn’t even perceive its existence.

[ Conversation requested. ]

Just as I was thinking that.

Suddenly, that voice spoke to me again.

[ What are you? ]

It was behind me.

Surprisingly, its form was that of a tentacled giant with red eyes, just like me.

Seeing the immeasurably large tentacled giant, I realize how grotesque my own appearance must be…

No, that’s not what’s important right now.

What matters is that this being followed me here.

Moreover, this isn’t just some gap that can be easily traversed; it’s a laboratory dimension I created independently.

It’s not a place that even beings like Idra or Nyarlathotep can casually break into without my permission.

Yet it appeared beside me as if it had come along without any effort.

[ Huh? Why are there two of you? ]

Idra is confused beside me.

It seems it’s not just visible to me…

[ Conversation? You want to talk with me? ]

When I asked that, the other tentacled giant nodded affirmatively.

A conversation, suddenly.

What happened to kidnapping me at will and trying to kill me for being a dangerous element?

As I glared at it with that thought, it moved its arm and suddenly transported me and itself to a different space.

“Is this more comfortable for conversation?”

[ ….. ]

I’ve seen this scene before.

It was when I had a conversation with Nyarlathotep.

It changed into a human form to make me comfortable.

This time was the same.

The difference is, while Nyarlathotep changed into a beautiful young woman.

This other giant, amusingly, took on the exact appearance of my human self.

What’s this? Is it deliberately imitating me?

As I started to feel a bit annoyed at that thought, it spoke.

“I apologize. In my haste to transform, I synchronized with you, the one I’m most strongly connected to at the moment. I hope you’re not offended.”

Strongly connected? Synchronized?

Why is it taking on my appearance?

I suppose I’ll find out all of that when I talk with it.

“Alright, let’s talk.”

I also change into a human form for easier conversation.

However, wanting to differentiate myself from it a bit, I take on Yujin’s appearance.

We look basically similar, but there are some differences between Yujin and my true form.

…Saying it like this makes me feel a bit annoyed again.

My human self was good-looking too, you know? Really!

“……”

“……”

So, me and that… ugh, what should I call it?

“Well, if it’s a name in your information… How about calling me ‘Azathoth’?”

How is it answering as if it’s reading my thoughts?

Can it read minds?

That thing’s name is Azathoth, Aza… what?

Wait a minute.

Azathoth?

The Azathoth I know is the being at the pinnacle of the Outer Gods in the Cthulhu Mythos, isn’t it?

No, it’s not just about Outer Gods.

It’s the absolute being in the mythology.

The creator of this world and a being unbound by anything.

It’s truly the being most deserving of the name ‘god’ in the Cthulhu Mythos, the very Origin of everything.

And at that moment, I felt like all the puzzle pieces were falling into place.

The most fundamental being, yet one without an origin.

The reason why I could only obtain information about the universe without any reaction when I connected with it.

How the being I’m now calling Azathoth could move me with overwhelming power.

And why I could resist its power.

Everything made sense in my mind.

“Azathoth… I see. I was your ‘Yujin’, the Yujin of you who are the Origin of this world.”

“……”

Finally, everything made sense.

The highest-ranking Outer Gods are the beings that come into existence from the primordial Origin.

But I suddenly appeared out of nowhere, as if I had dropped from thin air.

The reason is that Azathoth created me by breaking off a piece of himself.

Because I am his avatar and alter ego.

What about being human? Why do I have memories?

I’m not sure about that.

Is it because Azathoth created me that way?

Or… did some unexpected problem occur that even he didn’t anticipate?

Considering he said things like “dangerous element” and “must be eliminated,” I think it’s more likely the latter.

I have many questions.

Well, that’s okay.

There’s plenty of time.

That Azathoth fellow probably has plenty of time too.

No, I suppose the concept of time is meaningless for both of us.

Then I’ll ask the first thing I need to ask.

“Why did you create me?”

Above all else, that’s what I wanted to know most.

After understanding this fundamental aspect, I needed to think about the rest.

“For the same reason you created Yujin.”

Yujin.

The first alter ego I created.

I created him to communicate with the beings of the universe because I couldn’t approach them directly.

Of course, now it feels more like he’s the protagonist of a story for my amusement.

Then, the Outer Gods born from the most fundamental Origin…

Did he create me to communicate with them and the creatures they created?

Or to watch and enjoy it?

Considering the gaze I felt earlier, it’s probably the latter.

Is he saying he created me for his own amusement?

…This feels a bit unpleasant.

I’m starting to feel a little sorry for Yujin and the elves.

More than that, I see.

So I’m a being created by Azathoth.

To think that after creating and playing with creatures, I turn out to be the creation of an even higher being.

It couldn’t be more ironic.

But putting that aside, why was I human?

Was that some kind of disguise too?

Or did he want to experience something by creating an alter ego that was an ordinary human?

But then why make me an Outer God?

No, let’s think about this carefully.

Considering all the experiments I’ve done on various creatures, I might never have been human at all.

Perhaps, as part of curiosity or testing, memories of having been human were simply overlaid onto me.

That might be why the personality of my human self is gradually fading, and my sense as an Outer God is growing stronger.

I want to ask about this aspect too.

Just as I was about to ask the next question…

“Wait, let me speak first.”

It interrupted and said to me.

“I’ve come to warn you.”

“……”

A warning.

Is this about being a dangerous element?

Why am I considered a dangerous element?

I’ve done plenty of things that could be considered threatening, but…

Still, those were just things I did in a few small universe bubbles.

I don’t think that level of activity poses a danger to the entire Origin.

“The fragment of the Origin within you has sprouted.”

“…?”

What’s that supposed to mean all of a sudden?

What does it mean to sprout…?

“You are no longer a fragment. It means you are now an ‘Origin’ like me.”

“What…?”

The same as Azathoth?

What does that mean?

I understood that I was born from a fragment of Azathoth’s power.

But are you saying that fragment has sprouted and become like Azathoth… an Outer God above Outer Gods, an ‘Origin’?

Could it be that I was suddenly able to escape from the Origin’s space earlier because… I gained this power?

But wait, this is strange.

I don’t possess such an absurdly omnipotent power.

Of course, the power of a top-tier Outer God could be considered omnipotent, but it’s not the same as the inconceivable omnipotence of Azathoth, who exists on a level above all Outer Gods and is practically the Origin of this world.

That would be an absolute power that’s impossible to even describe.

He just said it sprouted.

Does that mean it’s the beginning of growth?

So eventually, I’ll become an ‘Origin being’ like him?

…How should I take this?

I’m confused.

I haven’t even clearly understood what kind of being I am yet, and now I have to worry about how I’ll change in the future.

This is too difficult.

Even as an omnipotent top-tier Outer God, this seemed like too complex a problem.

“If you have questions, ask. If you don’t know what to do, ask. But remember one thing.”

Azathoth said, pointing at both himself and me.

“Two Origins cannot exist in this world. Either you or I must disappear from here.”

“…!!”

Well, I suppose that makes sense in a way.

To put it simply, it’s like how two sets of physical laws can’t overlap in the universe.

A law stating that gravity acts downward and another stating that it acts to the right.

What would happen if both existed simultaneously?

The universe would become a complete mess, all jumbled up and in chaos.

Of course, those two might combine to create a new physical law, but imagine if every single law in the world overlapped like that.

The universe would struggle to maintain its very existence.

…It’s sudden, but I’m feeling a bit curious to experiment with this.

Anyway.

In other words, Azathoth is the ‘law’ of this entire world where Outer Gods live and multiple universe bubbles exist.

And I am the sprout that will become that.

If two Origins overlap, it’s obvious what would happen to this world in the cracks, where far more laws are intertwined than in the ordinary laws of physics.

Which means someone has to leave this place.

Literally disappear, or if that’s not possible, create a separate world with a different Origin.