Mercenary Black Mamba

What the madam of the house said earlier, which Margerie did not pay much attention to, suddenly popped up in his head.

He felt his heart race. Gulbeig was a mysterious individual that had seemingly descended from the heavens one day. As if to prove that, a strange creature that should not have existed on Earth served him, and close aides with shocking abilities worshipped him as a deity.

Since he accurately figured out the symptoms, Margerie began wondering if his illness could be treated too.

Magerie was a self-proclaimed materialist and his god was oil. He was not interested in Christianity or Islam. He would get goosebumps if he heard cringey stuff like Allah's blessing, Allah's will, God's grace or Jesus leading you to heaven and non-believers ending up in hell, etc.

He knew his body better than anyone.

Recently, his company had been out-muscled by BP and TEXACO in the North Sea and Maracaibo respectively. Meanwhile, in the Middle East, OPEC was pushing back against the oil majors while beating on the nationalistic drums of communal resources.

Being forced to run around here and there resulted in his physical condition deteriorating to the point of needing to find a successor soon. So bad, in fact, he now had to be accompanied by a personal physician just in case something happens during his business trips abroad.

Could his atrial fibrillation really get better somehow?

"Right, Dubaiburupa's blessing! Could it be possible...!"

Out of nowhere, a baseless anticipation that his accursed chronic illness could be taken care of filled his mind. He did not care whether it was Jesus and his heaven, Allah's blessing or even Dubaiburupa's blessing. As long as his body could last for another ten years, he would ask for nothing more. For the first time in his life, he wanted to believe in the existence of a god.

"Chairman Margerie. You've come a long way at great expense, so allow me to present you with this gift. It might hurt a little, but do try to endure."

Mu Ssang grabbed Margerie's head with both hands.

"Du-wooooong—"

The resonance wave was injected into the head.

No human organ was more sensitive than the brain. The blood flow in the brain consisted of the vertebral arteries joining together in the lower part of the brain to form arteritis basilaris and connect to the cerebral arteries at the back of the brain as well as carotid arteries at the left/right sides of the frontal lobe. This was called the Circle of Willis.

This Circle of Willis was the product of evolution which ensured that blood could be sent to the various parts of one's brain even if one part of the blood vessels got blocked off.

But the issue came when both passageways were blocked, making things quite serious. Chairman Margerie's condition was similar to this, in that one side was already blocked off while the other was about halfway blocked. His capillary vessels could not complete the Circle on their own, so they had to be opened up no matter what.

With the image of a cotton hammer breaking boulders down, Mu Ssang began pounding on the blood clots clinging on to the blood vessels using the resonance wave.

The brain's blood vessels were intertwined like a net. If it was possible, the blood clots had to be broken down to pieces small enough to be dissolved in the flowing blood. But if he failed to control his strength, the already-weakened lining of the blood vessels might burst, or blood clots might travel along the vessels and end up blocking somewhere else.

Despite his previous experiences, Mu Ssang still tensed up.

*

'Ah!'

The face of Gulbeig dripping with thick sweat was right in front of Margerie's eyes.

Several times in the past, Margerie had invited Soul Masters from China and shamans from Africa without any regard to cost just to treat his illness. Of course, he made sure to give any con men a bullet or two in their hearts too.

Even with a simple glance, he could tell that Gulbeig was in a different realm compared to those people. The 'Gulbeig' that coldly drove Margerie to a corner had disappeared now, and only Dubaiburupa that gave his all to heal the patient existed here.

It had not even been an hour since Margerie met Gulbeig, and the two men had no other point of contact until now. Their negotiation was already over, meaning Gulbeig had nothing to gain from doing this, so why was he going out of his way to help? Cracks began running on the stubborn heart of Margerie just then.

*

"Aigo. Man, this is bloody tough!"

Mu Ssang pulled his hands away from Margerie's head, then wiped his sweat-soaked face with gauze.

Completely removing all the blood clots in the brain's blood vessels required twenty solid minutes. What he performed was a medical procedure that could have ruined a perfectly healthy person with a single mistake.

Eliminating blood clots in the cerebral arteries and opening nine capillary arteries exhausted his mental strength to the point of him almost fainting.

Mu Ssang wordlessly stared at Margerie, currently in a half-vegetative state induced by the shock of the procedure. Why did he act on a whim and decide to do this, he wondered.

The memories of Bangtaesan, Chui Do Shik, and the Soul-Renewing Practice floated up to the surface of his consciousness.

He began recalling the desperate times from back then. He remembered the elders of the Inje Nature Preserve that warmly looked after him too.

That's right — rather than a whim, this was 'meant to be'. He was doing what he wanted, so why did he even need to explain himself?

It was easy enough to reopen the blood vessels connected to Margerie's corpus cavernosum penis. If the chairman was not suffering from another issue, he should be able to regain his pride as a man.

Mu Ssang ended up imagining Margerie getting very emotional after witnessing his junior erecting a tent in his pants in the early morning. That made him chuckle a little.

Lord Buddha said that if you wanted to help, then you should be ready to take off even your shirt. The cause for Margerie's atrial fibrillation was his aged heart. Modern biomedical science was responsible for moving the metaphorical human heart away from the physical heart to one's brain, but that did not mean the physical heart was simply a lump of muscles.

Whether the idea of human heart = physical heart would get reaffirmed with this or not, no one could tell. Regardless of that, though, the heart was the only internal organ that reacted to the changes in the person's emotional state. For instance, it'd run wild in moments of rage, while despair would make it shrink.

When a person's rationality was affected, only the heart would react, while the lungs or liver would remain as they were. Whether it was done through electrical signals or hormonal secretions, a heart exposed to severe fluctuations in emotions would rapidly age.

It was the same for the fibrillation of the heart. Too much load weighing on the heart often leads to the nerve cells in the atrioventricular node malfunctioning. And when the blood from the atria failed to flow properly to the ventricles, it would lead to a lack of blood supply to the brain. The brain would then raise one hell of a fuss, indiscriminately firing signals to the heart to send more blood.

The phenomenon of atrial fibrillation occurred when the heart began racing almost out of control after receiving all those electrical signals. When left alone, the symptoms would only get worse and more blood clots would block up the arteries.

The aging of one's heart was the realm that modern medical science could not do much about. But for Mu Ssang, he could deal with it easier than twisting the arm of a child. Vibrating the heart cells with the resonance wave would cause all the waste material accumulated in and around the cell's interior and exterior to seep out. Imagine your coins flying out of your pockets as you start break-dancing.

Once the accumulated waste was gone, the mitochondria would then reactivate. In other words, the cells would become 'younger'. The heart cells getting younger would obviously improve the heart's condition.

Mu Ssang pressed his palm where Margerie's heart was. "Chairman Margerie? I've already eliminated the clotting around your brain and your manhood. From now, I'll be treating your heart. Try not to open your mouth."

The resonance wave traveled through the body's tissues and organs and were projected into Margerie's heart.

Ripples seeped into the heart like particles of fog. This was all thanks to Mu Ssang's dramatically improved control over his ability.

The heart faintly vibrated. Dark liquid began oozing out of it.

"Mmmmmph!" Margerie began making weird moaning noises as seconds ticked by.

"The procedure will soon finish. Endure it."

"Non, non! Your 'cadeau' (gift) feels so good, that's why!"

Chairman Margerie's expression became blissful like a drugged-up junkie. Even his voice purred like a content cat. His ruddy complexion, his body spasming intermittently, thick sweat drops caking his forehead, and then, his sticky, heavy moans...

"...Wait, could this old man be?"

Mu Ssang suddenly felt a chill and hurriedly pulled his hand back then stepped away. He was not scared of anything in this world... Except an old man almost ejaculating.

"Chairman Margerie, your treatment was a success."

Margerie, still stuck in a hazy state as if he was still swimming in a pleasant dream, sobered up in an instant, his eyes opening wide.

"Ah, aaaaah~!"

He let out a loud cry without even realizing that he did. His entire body felt so light he was certain he would float away. His head that always seemed to weigh a ton now felt as clear and uncluttered as the Autumn sky.

"My... My chest, it's beating energetically? B-but, how? How can this be?"

The rhythmic and energetic beatings of his heart washed over Margerie's senses like the ecstasy of life itself. The ever-constant dull pain in his chest that bothered him all the time was gone without a trace. He felt so unencumbered right now that it almost seemed like he did not have a heart anymore.

"It's as you feel. Your heart has been reborn. It's become as healthy as a man in his early 30s. You can now take out the useless defibrillator inside you."

"How... How can this be! How can this be!" Margerie found himself unable to finish his sentences, before jumping up to his feet. "Oh? It… It's coming back?!"

His crotch felt tight as it swelled, making a noticeable tent down there. This would be the first tent in three years for Margerie.

He failed to contain the tsunami of emotions raging within him. Maybe he saved Earth or even the universe itself in his past life, because not only his brain and heart, but even his junior was given a second lease of life.

This unbelievable development caused his brain and mouth to act independently of one another.

"Mister Gulbeig! N-no, everyone calls you Dubaiburupa, so I should call you that as well. Dubaiburupa, just what are you? Are you really a human? Not a god?"

Chairman Margerie seemed like he would start prostrating at any second now.

"Chairman, what I am isn't important. No, the important thing is what you choose to do from now on. Something that delights your mind can turn into a calamity once it passes you. You must not turn a moment's delight into a hundred days of worries.

"Your greed and excessive competitive streak have shaved away at your body and soul. What I'm trying to say is that you have been abusing your body and mind, steadily killing yourself in the process. No matter how important the business in front of your eyes is, it's not as important as the life your parents have given you.

"Remember that even if you possess all the farmlands in the world, in the end, all you can eat is a small loaf of bread and a piece of fish. True happiness isn't with possessing things, but in generously giving things away. Happiness has the capacity to wash away the debris accumulated in your mind and body. If you managed to make someone smile, then on that day, your lifeforce has gotten a little stronger.

"Tell me, do you see me as a fool who carelessly wastes billions of Francs in this withered corner of the Sahara desert? Indeed, I will look like a fool depending on one's viewpoint. However, it doesn't matter if my actions are foolish or not. Because, this is what I wish to do.

"The citizens of Novatopia are made up of people that were driven to a dead end due to religious and racial reasons. This place is the final refuge for those people. For my own happiness, I dream of a land where those desperate people and I can all live fulfilling lives.

"However, what do you dream of, chairman?"

Something profound washed over Margerie's mind just then. Feeling lost, he could only stare at Mu Ssang with dazed, empty eyes.

"What do you dream of?"

That last question rang noisily in his eardrums like a powerful echo.

"Ah! Just what have I been living my life for?"

Thick teardrops began trickling down from Chairman Margerie's eyes.

It felt like the past 62 years of his life was just an illusion, merely fleeting soap bubbles. He lived like an emperor, yet he never was at ease, not even once. He had to keep his guard up at all times.

This life... He had not lived it for himself, but that did not mean he lived it for other people either. Now that he got his wits back, he finally realized that only a broken body and withered mind remained as his reward.

Margerie began sobbing uncontrollably. His wrinkled face was soaked with his tears.

Mu Ssang wordlessly observed the sobbing Margerie. Every human possessed the seed of awakening in them, but only a handful was able to truly awaken. Once your consciousness becomes corrupted, the seed of awakening would get buried away forever.

His awakening was proof that Margerie had lived a 'pure', straight life, regardless of whether he was a villain or not.

"That old man is a goner, too! Yep, he's a goner for sure. Uh-huh? Even Ariba is a goner now, huh."

Samdi, bringing refreshments to the drawing-room, saw this scene and chuckled softly. Edel was behind him, quietly wiping away her tears, too.

This was the true face of Dubaiburupa. A young and frail little soul without someone to lean on would seek out a bigger soul for shelter. Chairman Margerie was attracted to Dubaiburupa's big soul just like Edel.

Chairman Margerie jumped up to his feet before kneeling in front of Mu Ssang with a thud.

"I exalt Dubaiburupa. I always proclaimed that the world is a small place, but today, I finally realized that I'm no different from a little child that lost his mother's secure hand in an amusement park. It is said that a foolish man should follow the words of the wise man. I wish to dream the same dream as you, Lord Dubaiburupa. Please, sir. Allow me to join your flock."

Even the manner of Chairman Margerie's speech changed. His previously-frigid silver eyes were now burning brightly with fervor.

Mu Ssang wordlessly observed Margerie for a bit longer before calling out to Samdi. "Samdi, bring me the fang."

After receiving the huge Sarcosuchus fang, Mu Ssang began circulating the resonance.

The Billion's Water Armor began caressing the ancient crocodile's fang. The pure-white bone powder densely rose up in the air as sparks danced wildly. The fang transformed into a dagger in no time at all.

"Hul? W-what on earth is that thing?" Margerie, stunned by what he saw, shot up to his feet and asked Samdi.

Just what was that huge fang-like object, and was a human hand strong enough to cause sparks to fly just by striking it with another object?

"Shh. Old man, you struck gold today. Not sure what the master likes about you, but he's thinking of accepting you as one of our family," Samdi whispered back in a quiet little voice.

Margerie was still confused about some things, but even then, he managed to figure out the situation more or less. It seemed that Gulbeig... No, Dubaiburupa had decided to answer Margerie's wishes.

Margerie's life was about to be transformed... And just what would it look like once transformed? His heart began pounding faster from the anticipation and curiosity.

"Dooong—"

The crafting was completed in no time at all. A gleaming pure-white bone dagger now rested in Mu Ssang's palm. It had the same shape and design as the dagger granted to Bonipas.

As if he was in a trance, Margerie began alternating his gaze between the dagger and Mu Ssang's face.

When a hole was being opened on the handle, flames erupted and the hole punctured without Mu Ssang even touching it. To call that a mere superpower was an understatement. That feat looked too mysterious.

"Chairman Margerie, kneel before the master." Samdi spoke in a serious tone.

Still in a trance-like state, Margerie went down on his knees once more.

Mu Ssang lightly tapped Margerie's shoulder three times with the bone dagger. "Margerie, you are now Dubaiburupa's family. As proof, I shall bestow you with this, a 'Nova'. You are the second foreigner ever to become a Nova. As for your name, it shall be Dapsang. From now on, you shall refer to me as Wakil."

Mu Ssang scrubbed the Nova's hilt with the Billion's Water Armor.

More sparks danced as the word 'Dapsang' was engraved on the bone dagger's handle.

Margerie accepted the dagger, now also called Dapsang, in a half-dazed state. He muttered in a trance-like voice. "...Nova! Dapsang!"

Nova meant 'new world', while Dapsang was meant to indicate 'big mountain' as Tibetans used that word to call K2, the second highest peak in the Himalayas.

Acknowledged by Dubaiburupa...

He was Michel Margerie, but at the same time, also Dapsang Nova. From somewhere deep inside his chest, this sense of fulfilment began welling up. His body felt hot as if he had stepped inside an inferno.

He gripped the dagger 'Dapsang' tightly and cried out. "Wakil, how should I live my life now? No, wait. What should I do from this moment on?"

"Dapsang, do you wish to pay me to tithe? Or donate your entire fortune? Forget about it. From now on, you're Dubaiburupa's family and a member of Novatopia."

Mu Ssang stopped talking there and stared deeply at Margerie, a slight smile now forming on his lips.