"What will you offer in exchange for the art of Demon-Man Forging, a method that, when taken to its extreme, can alter all the rules of the world?"
The question fell upon Miss Stargazer's ears, causing her expression to stiffen.
Mankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.
This was the principle of Equivalent Exchange in alchemy.
This principle didn't just apply to alchemy; it could be used in daily life as well.
The art of Demon-Man Forging—Eternal Destruction—was an exceptionally precious method of cultivation.
As long as one could master it to its pinnacle, they could use the "Law" born from their own desires to annihilate all the laws of the universe and reshape everything according to their will.
So, did she possess anything that could be exchanged for the art of Eternal Destruction?
Looking at the playful smile that filled his face, Miss Stargazer's heart felt heavier than ever.
The art of Eternal Destruction was too precious.
She... simply had nothing of equal value to offer.
"I feel that, for the sake of my own future—so that I don't suddenly get kicked out of bed one day—I should probably teach you everything I know without reservation."
"But, if I were to pass on the art of Eternal Destruction so easily, it would be a disservice to the name of the Lord of the Fourth Heaven—Mercury, wouldn't it?"
The man, who in reality only knew the Precepts system corresponding to the Lord of the First Heaven, True Self, brazenly sized up the girl's face, his gaze holding no aggression, but a clear and calculating scrutiny.
"It seems that, at present, I cannot meet the conditions you desire," the girl said, a strained smile appearing on her face.
Just when she had finally found the Immortal's husband and learned from him the method to save her world.
"So, could you tell me what your conditions are?"
"I will try to gather what you desire in exchange for the method of salvation."
Even if you learn the art of Eternal Destruction, you won't be able to get far on this path.
The youth, whose own insanity index was leagues beyond Miss Stargazer's but who still lacked the confidence to achieve Emanation naturally through desire and obsession, sighed inwardly.
Without the ability to achieve Emanation naturally, the only way forward was to strengthen one's soul.
The foundation of Eternal Destruction—the art of Soul-Forging through Slaughter—was indeed an effective method.
The essence of Demon-Man Forging was a demonic art that fused a "Holy Relic" with human souls, using those souls as fuel.
Any Demon-Man who employed this art would have the souls of those they killed devoured by their Holy Relic, which would then be converted into the Demon-Man's power.
However, as the price for this power, all who became Demon-Men would fall into a chronic homicidal impulse.
The more people they killed, the stronger the urge to kill would become.
Its essence was: "The more you kill, the stronger you become; the stronger you become, the more you want to kill." It was an art perfectly suited for madmen, perverts, and those with shattered personalities.
For Li Zihan, who had always walked the path of "Plunder—Strengthen Self—Continue Plundering," using this system came with no pressure at all.
But even so, Li Zihan did not believe he could achieve Emanation by force just by devouring a massive number of souls.
A good comparison here was Gilgamesh facing the Grail's mud.
"All the evils and curses of this world? To curse me, you would need at least three times that power! What kind of king cannot bear the weight of such a thing? A king is one who carries the lives of all his people, and that is a burden I have borne since long before my death!"
After shouting such a cool and impressive line, Gilgamesh accepted the baptism of All the World's Evils, and then—
He degenerated from the Oldest King of Heroes into that psycho, "Black Mud Gil."
Hoping to achieve a transformation by devouring countless souls was no different from trying to withstand All the World's Evils as a mere Heroic Spirit.
Even if there were shortcuts, they still required a heart of extreme paranoia and self-centeredness.
The youth, who had a rough idea of how he would achieve Emanation, thought to himself.
He didn't think Miss Stargazer was suited for this at all. Looking at the girl who was clearly determined to give it a shot, he felt that he was probably going to have to play firefighter for a long time to come.
So, I might as well set the price a little higher.
A slight smile touched the corners of the youth's lips.
"In this world, there truly aren't many who can meet the conditions I desire."
"No, in fact, you could say that the only people in this world qualified to conduct a fair, equivalent exchange with me are those two wielding the Sword of Stellar Demise."
The youth chuckled and snapped his fingers.
Without any warning, the girl found that her vision had changed.
A cold wind blew across her cheeks, causing the girl who had just been basking in the warmth of the izakaya's stove to shiver.
They were no longer indoors, but on the rooftop of the izakaya.
She looked toward him, wanting to demand what he was doing.
But—
She couldn't make a sound.
The reason was simple. The sky had changed.
As if a new sun had appeared in the heavens, a radiant ring of light ascended, illuminating the mortal world.
Ars Almadel Salomonis: The Time of Birth Hath Come, I Am the One Who Masters All.
Rank: EX
Type: Anti-Humanity (Anti-Human Order) Noble Phantasm
"The Third Noble Phantasm of the Beast of Pity—the band of light that announces the end of humanity," the youth explained calmly, narrating the story of the light in the sky.
"That's a piece of equipment I seized from Goetia back in the day. At full power, it can probably burn a planet into glass."
So...
Was he saying that she wasn't even qualified to negotiate with him?
A bitter taste filled the mouth of the girl, who still couldn't see through him.
It was true. Given the combat power he had displayed, if he wanted something, he could just take it by force. He had no need for an equivalent exchange.
"But, cute girls always get a few special privileges, don't they?"
The youth, who could theoretically take out the King of the End, Mithra, in a single surprise attack, said to the girl whose lips were curled in a bitter smile.
Miss Stargazer froze.
She looked at the youth, who had always felt as elusive as clouds and mist, and was surprised to find that he was also looking at her.
His gaze was teasing, but deeper within his eyes seemed to hide a mix of emotions she couldn't quite decipher.
What is this?
Completely unable to understand the situation, her head spinning from being led around in circles, the girl stared blankly at the ever-changing youth.
"So, how about being my personal maid for a while?"
With a cheerful tone, the youth stated the price for the art of Demon-Man Forging.
"After that's over, I'll teach you."