"What's the wager?" The Primordial God Almighty looked at Alaric, asking calmly.
"Whether someone can suppress you, whether someone can defeat you through humanity," Alaric said with a smile, gazing at the Primordial God Almighty. "And I'm betting they can."
"And the stakes?" The Primordial God Almighty's expression remained composed, as if unsurprised by Alaric's words.
"The stakes are simple. If I win, you'll help Earth fight the Outer Deities with all your might," Alaric said, his smile widening. "If you win, I'll do one thing for you... anything I'm capable of, as long as it doesn't go against my will."
"That doesn't sound particularly fair," The Primordial God Almighty said, giving Alaric a deep look.
"Of course it's not fair. Do you talk fairness with the ants in your eyes?" Alaric replied matter-of-factly, his gaze cold as he looked at the Primordial God Almighty. "Just as you see humans as ants, you're an ant to me, aren't you?"
"You can refuse, of course," Alaric continued, his smile returning. "I may not be able to do much else, but ensuring you never return? That's child's play for me."
He couldn't suppress the Primordial God Almighty's will long-term, but its return required a vessel. If no Sequence 0s from the relevant pathways existed, the Primordial God Almighty's return would be a pipe dream.
Alaric wasn't planning to kill everyone involved, but stripping characteristics was feasible. If no one could suppress the Primordial God Almighty, it might be better to eliminate the threat cleanly rather than let it wreak havoc.
"And…" Alaric's smile grew brighter. "I don't want to taint you with madness right now, but if it comes to it, I wouldn't mind. A mad Primordial God Almighty sounds pretty entertaining, doesn't it?"
The Primordial God Almighty's brow furrowed... a rare sight. As the ultimate Spectator, it could tell Alaric wasn't bluffing; he truly wouldn't hesitate.
"Oh, and I bet if I offered that as a condition, the Celestial Worthy would be happy to lend a hand," Alaric added with a grin.
"..."
At the mention of its archenemy, the Primordial God Almighty's composure cracked, its earlier elegance replaced by a blank expression.
"So, you see, you know how great I am. How could you think you could manipulate me?" Alaric said, smiling at it. Despite being no taller than Aucuses, he exuded a commanding presence. "You should be grateful I have humanity. Otherwise, someone like you would be my favorite toy. Or are you already eager for that?"
As Alaric's words landed, the Primordial God Almighty's expression turned downright grim.
Even the Ancient Sun God glanced sidelong, hesitating as if wanting to speak but holding back.
In all his time knowing Alaric, this was the first time he'd seen him so openly aggressive.
Alaric really didn't like the Primordial God Almighty.
And indeed, he didn't. The Primordial God Almighty was far from the "good guy" Alaric admired and was the root of countless tragedies. That Alaric hadn't dealt it a harsher blow was only out of consideration for the innocent Beyonders of its pathways. How could he possibly like it?
Yet this being acted as if it held all the cards, its flattery laced with attempts to control him.
What a joke! Alaric was the one who manipulated others, not the other way around. How could he not strike back when someone tried to pull that on him?
He'd always been petty.
As for whether this would enrage the Primordial God Almighty... no matter. First, it was incomplete. Second, if push came to shove, Alaric could summon its archenemy, the Celestial Worthy.
The Celestial Worthy's credibility was near nonexistent, which made it naturally opposed to the Outer Deities. Even if it claimed to ally with them, they'd assume it was another trick.
Summoning the Celestial Worthy meant no risk of it betraying Earth for the Outer Deities.
Most crucially, the Celestial Worthy and the Primordial God Almighty were mortal enemies. The Celestial Worthy would never stand by and let the Primordial God Almighty return... it'd nail its coffin shut faster than anyone.
Of course, Alaric wouldn't do this unless absolutely necessary. Summoning the Celestial Worthy carried risks; it might pull a move to revive itself in this era.
That would give even Alaric a headache.
But… if it's the Celestial Worthy, I might just have a way to counter it.
Considering the Celestial Worthy's identity as a sort of weakened "Nyarlathotep," Alaric blinked, then smiled at the Primordial God Almighty.
Its expression had softened, regaining its composed elegance. "Let's talk openly, Mr. Zoroast. I'm wary of you, and what you've described could indeed harm me. But you're wary of me too, aren't you?"
It looked at Alaric. "You haven't reclaimed your divine status yet. You need time. And the Celestial Worthy… I don't deny it would side with Earth, but can you really trust it?"
Alaric laughed. The Primordial God Almighty was clever, regaining composure quickly and pinpointing his weak spot.
He did need time to fully master the Nyarlathotep fragment within him, and the Celestial Worthy… well, it wasn't exactly trustworthy.
"But why would I need to trust it?" Alaric asked, feigning confusion. He smiled at the Primordial God Almighty. "Omniscient as you are, can't you see the connection between my power and the Celestial Worthy?"
He didn't know exactly how to counter the Celestial Worthy, but no matter... say it first, figure it out later.
The Ancient Sun God glanced at Alaric, recalling a recent conversation where Alaric mentioned his link to the Celestial Worthy... being its "Daddy" in a sense.
The Primordial God Almighty gave Alaric a deep look. "The Celestial Worthy isn't one to be easily controlled. Can you ensure you can fully keep it in check? I doubt you can control it completely, correct?"
Alaric didn't deny it, still smiling. "It's enough to let the Celestial Worthy fight the Outer Deities and keep your coffin nailed shut."
The Primordial God Almighty didn't refute that. It seemed to sigh, then said, "We both have things the other fears. Neither of us will yield. What's the point of continuing this negotiation?"
"That's up to you," Alaric said with a smile, implying... I'm not yielding, that's for sure.
***
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