The Degree
The Past Ray

Terumi nodded awkwardly. He swallowed his saliva because the situation did not go as he expected.

Terumi initially intended to make small talk but who would have thought the conversation would be heavy and revealed other facts.

“Yes. I'm sure you won't lie about that. At first I wouldn't believe her words, but when you were angry my thinking changed.”

No one would be angry if his words were so obvious it was a lie. But the fact is Ray is really angry because of it.

There's no step for Ray. At that time his head was not really clear so he stepped on his own marijuana.

Lying doesn't make things better. In the future maybe I'll meet Virgo more often. Her thought.

Ray doesn't know who that guy is. In his life he almost never met many people because he had to languish in the man's cage.

There seems to be no other move for Ray. He certainly doesn't have to tell the truth.

“This is not a fun story that many people will probably experience. I'm sure this isn't something that people as good as you deserve to hear.”

Terumi seemed to have rounded up her resolve so there was no way to make her retreat.

“Take it easy, I'll listen to it. And, I swear I'll keep it a secret.”

Whether you can believe it or not, but as long as Ray stays with him there will be no chance of Terumi leaking it.

Ray walked to the window. His hands polished it as if trying to figure out the thickness of the dust. He needs some readiness because this story is not something he has ever talked about with anyone.

Even though he is trained in controlling any feelings he has. Ray is a man full of flaws.

“Well, this is not something big. Good. Now from where should I start ...” Ray finally gave up and chose to reveal everything.

“That man— My father is someone who has an important position in this world. I don't know for sure, but he was looking for a good educational method to develop people.”

The research has been going on for nearly ten years. Ray doesn't know exactly what they're doing and what they've achieved. All he knew was that the man was such a researcher. Get to it.

“I don't know what happened to him, but it seems he was excluded from the study. Until she finally married and gave birth to me. Everything starts from there.”

Ray grew up in a dilapidated orphanage without ever being raised directly by his parents. Of course, Ray does not remember whether his parents ever took care of him or not.

But since he started to remember, there were only unbeautiful things that he got.

“That man— may be, My father. He has always given me his great ambition to promote the creation of the perfect man. He wanted to create intelligent humans who would make the genius scientists of the past easy to find anywhere.”

To this day. Great scientists like Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Nicola Tesla are still irreplaceable. Surely there are many other scientists but these three are probably the most widely known.

His father Ray's goal was to create a world like that. A world where geniuses were common.

“That's a great destination. Is it possible that you—” Terumi has not had time to finish her sentence, because Ray cut it.

“Yes. I am a victim of this impossible ambition. From birth all I've found is a study table and stationery. Ever since I lived the life I've seen is a screen of learning and books. My daily activity is learning. Studying. And, studying. Be it theory, martial arts, to some small practices to have no compassion.”

It was not a room full of comfort. Very shabby place and unhealthy food every day. He also had to master the martial arts he was taught. And, at the age of 10, he had to learn to kill someone.

It was a painful experience and I don't know how many people he had slaughtered with his own hands.

“Since then other things you wouldn't have imagined happened. Until I could no longer feel sorry and forgive those who resisted me until that day, when I was seventeen. I rebelled.”

Seventeen years is a phase of rebellion for teenagers. No matter what kind of place someone grew up in. They will not be able to fight against destiny.

“I burned the place down. Kill the people who are in it. Until arriving at the last moment, where I faced my father.”

That sight. A place in the middle of the forest. The house and surrounding trees are engulfed in red. In the midst of the fire was Ray who straddled a man and beat him with anger.

“This is for everything you did to me. Whether we accept blood or not. You're the one who taught me. Any bond is useless. And, it's fine to throw it away!”

Ray hit the half-destroyed man's face with all his might.

“Do not think that I am a victim of your ambition. Quite the contrary. You're a victim of your own ambition!”

Again and again he struck without showing what it was called compassion. Although his facial bones were shattered, even though his teeth were broken, and even though his hands were bleeding. Ray never had the brakes to stop his actions.

“WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?! QUICKLY CRY, SUFFER AND BEG FOR MERCY!” Ray has anger mounting within him.

“Ku ha ha ha ha! HA HA HA HA HA!”

“Stop laughing!”

“HA HA HA! HA HA HA!”

“It's fun! Even if I die, if the world dies. My ambition will live on! Through this rebellion of yours, a step towards the future is bound to happen! Thank you for being born as my son, Ray Morgan!”

Ray felt it was futile to continue beating and torturing him. Either way the man had soiled his hands just for his ambition. It was impossible to surrender to the pain.

Ray then picked up a burning log. In the process his head was scratched by a fallen and injured branch.

With a burning branch in his hand, Ray stomped on the chest of the man he could call his father.

“I'll smash that arrogant face. I'll smash that proud and happy face. I'll smash all your faces in my memory!”

Ray thrust the branch into the eye, and burned the man's entire face at the end of his step before shooting it right in the head.

Back to the present.

Ray who told me clenched his hand. Until now the pain in his chest was not treated at all. Even after those days he tried various pleasures, but none of them lightened him.

“Until the end the man became a ghost to me. I can no longer be a normal person like you. Like Leo. And, like everything else.”