After hearing Leo's pleading words, Elysia felt she was in a difficult spot.
Honestly, if what Leo said was true, then at this point, Elysia would have found it perfectly reasonable no matter what methods or words he used to deal with her.
From Leo's perspective, Finality was approaching. He had a way, a chance, to defeat it, but he needed her power as a 'key'.
In that situation, whether Leo resorted to taking it by force, threatening her acquaintances, or just straight-up guilt-tripping her, Elysia wouldn't have thought it was going too far.
After all, this wasn't a game. It would be reasonable for an extreme person to use extreme measures.
But Leo hadn't chosen any of those methods. Instead, he had calmly and sincerely told her the situation and left the choice to her, letting her decide when it was best to give him the power.
Well, then...
It had to be said, at that moment, Elysia's impression of Leo improved significantly.
As for Leo's own thoughts... those weren't quite so suitable to be voiced.
[You know full well that extreme measures won't get you the power from Elysia. So, for your own goal, you thought of another way.]
[As the Bishop of the Apocalypse family, you know that human nature, while complex, is also easy to understand.]
[Directly throwing out a guilt trip like 'If you give it to me too late and we lose, it's all your fault, you little fatso' might work, but the risk is far too great.]
[Elysia is a good person. And to guilt-trip a good person, all you need is something simple.]
[Threatening them or directly guilt-tripping them will easily backfire.]
[But if you just state your request directly, these people will analyze the current situation and immediately start guilt-tripping themselves.]
You talk too much.
[Then tell me, is this System right or wrong?]
I'm only complaining because you exposed my inner thoughts!
Looking at Elysia, who was clearly already contemplating whether to give him the power now, Leo truly felt—good people like her were really easy to read.
When facing good people who have the ability to change the tide of battle, as long as they realize that they and those around them are in danger, they will, just as the System said, begin to guilt-trip themselves.
Take Welt Yang, for example. During the Second Eruption, his body was destroyed and his mind nearly shattered. After being ambushed by Otto, he should have been resting and recuperating.
But because Sirin demanded to see him after throwing the meteors, Welt successfully guilt-tripped himself without anyone else needing to say much.
Although his trip to the moon was tactically motivated by [Stalling for time so Siegfried could analyze Previous Era tech from the Soulium] and [Hiding his soul in the Core to ambush Sirin], regardless, Welt, who held Sirin off for an hour, had indeed sacrificed himself after that self-guilt trip.
If Fu Hua hadn't later been tricked by Otto, forcing her to use Sword God to create an opening in Sirin's consciousness, Welt likely would never have had the chance to pop up and save Siegfried and Cecilia.
As a transmigrator who had seen the plot, Leo naturally knew what kind of person Elysia was.
Facing this 'divine maiden' who loved the world, he just had to emphasize the crisis humanity faced and be sincere. She would start guilt-tripping herself.
He didn't need to put much pressure on her; she would ramp up the pressure on herself.
Plus, Leo was speaking the truth as he knew it, his tone sincere and his attitude good. If it weren't for the fact that Elysia likely knew he was about to go beat up Kevin, he felt the process of getting the power might have been even smoother.
"Um..."
Seeing Elysia's hesitant expression, Leo immediately interrupted her.
"If you're worried about me using this power to attack Kevin, then I think some things are negotiable."
"Eh? Really?"
Looking at the young man, Elysia said happily.
"Are you planning to cancel your duel with Kevin?"
"No, I mean..."
"—Since time is tight, let's not drag this out. I'll go to the World Serpent headquarters tomorrow, finish this fight, and then everyone will know who calls the shots in this world."
Hearing Leo's declaration, the smile that had just appeared on Elysia's face froze.
Although this was very much in line with Leo's style... but, but, but...
Sigh, why so many 'buts'.
Kevin won't give up the Stigmata Project. At least, not until he sees enough hope, he won't abandon that plan to 'protect' humanity.
And right now, forget Kevin. Even I, hearing what Leo said, wouldn't believe he could handle the Herrscher of Finality if it weren't for his sincere attitude.
This test was unavoidable from the very beginning.
But thinking about how Leo was the Herrscher of Binding—and a Herrscher of Binding whose own power was terrifying and who used his binding fields as variably as play-doh—Elysia felt that Kevin probably couldn't win.
"However, I don't think Mr. Kevin wants to test a Herrscher who just suppresses him with the power of Binding, so..."
"Y-You, wait!"
Seeing Leo's action, Elysia immediately tried to stop him at all costs.
"I know you're in a hurry, but just calm down first."
After back-hopping to avoid Elysia's lunge, Leo coated his fingers in Dimensional Energy, turning them into a blade, and cut open the skin and muscle on his own body.
Using Precision Control, he extracted the Herrscher of Binding's Core from his body. He held the blood-covered Core out to Elysia.
"You... you... you... What are you doing!?"
Even though she knew exactly what the young man was about to do, watching him, Elysia felt an overwhelming ache in her heart.
"Here, the Core is yours. This way, Kevin won't have to face a Herrscher of Binding."
Looking at the Herrscher of Binding Core Leo had tossed her, Elysia fell silent for two seconds before letting out a helpless sigh.
"You... You know perfectly well that's not what I meant."
"How should I put this..."
After healing his body with a Powerful Healing Spell, Leo spoke frankly to Elysia.
"Just think of it as a brat who only knows petty tricks, pulling a pointless guilt-trip on a hero of the Previous Era."
[Incredible. How did you even think of this combo?]
Ah, about that... Did I even need to think?
I just went with the flow.
[You make it sound so easy?]
[First, use sincere words to emphasize humanity's plight, giving her a hint.]
[Then, after Elysia's impression of you improves and she's ramped up the pressure on herself, give her new hope in another area.]
[Then, immediately shatter that hope, and pull out your Core, giving Elysia a shock worthy of an Avenger—with this combo, her emotions shift multiple times in a short period, making her naturally easier to win over.]
Can't be helped. I'm just a naturally evil brat from the Apocalypse family, after all.
A naturally evil Apocalypse brat bullying a Previous Era hero. Isn't that the original script?
I'm just following the script. Former Patriarch Otto led the way. If you have to blame someone, blame the family's ancestors for being crooked from the start.
"I really don't know what to do with you."
Taking out a handkerchief she had swiped from somewhere earlier, she wiped the Core clean. As she looked at Leo, her helpless expression was now mixed with a clear trace of heartache.
According to Previous Era research, even if a Herrscher Core leaves the body, the Herrscher can still reabsorb it through special means. But Elysia didn't think Leo would use such a cheap trick in the coming duel.
He didn't have to hand over the Core in the first place. When facing an enemy of Kevin's caliber, he should have been fighting with all his strength.
But now, to show his sincerity and to calm Elysia's heart, he had proactively handed over his Core.
If Leo were to start reforming the Core mid-battle, it would not only be a negation of his own actions, but it would also expose a fatal flaw on the battlefield.
Elysia really had no answer to Leo's combo.
She wasn't a fool; she had more or less sensed Leo's intentions.
But that's precisely why she had such a headache.
The young man before her was a ruthless person, willing to put himself on the scales as a bargaining chip for humanity's future.
Facing such a person, Elysia really had no reason not to trust him.
Of course, both of them were clear on one thing, which was precisely why Elysia hadn't just handed over her power yet.
And now, Elysia, having already made a decision in her heart, decided to ask the question.
"Um, Leo, I can feel your determination. But from the beginning until now, you still haven't told me *how* you plan to deal with the Cocoon of Finality."
"If it's okay, can you tell me that method?"
"Of course. And not just you—Miss Aponia, since you're already at the door, please come in."
Using his psychic energy to press the door switch, Leo looked at Aponia, who had arrived alone, and spoke to her.
"Now, in this world, can you see those 'threads'?"
Staring at Leo, Aponia felt she really couldn't understand this young man.
She had come to Schicksal today precisely to confirm if the Discipline she had placed on Leo in the Elysian Realm was functioning correctly.
After confirming that Schicksal HQ was safe, Aponia had let Pardofelis take Griseo to tour the headquarters, while she herself had asked Su for the location of Leo's office and come alone.
Although the expression on his face was so natural, Aponia felt this person was far 'deeper' than she was.
And just now, as she arrived outside the office, she had seen new visions.
"Other people's threads, no."
"But Mr. Leo... your threads... I can see them, just a little."
"Eh, really?"
Hearing Aponia, Elysia suddenly asked her curiously.
"C'mon Aponia, tell me what you saw~."
"In the future, I saw... Mr. Leo, still alive."
Aponia recalled the future she had just seen and spoke to Elysia with certainty.
"It was only for an instant, but I am not mistaken."
"Hmm..."
"I know that's not enough proof, so..."
At that moment, Leo suddenly placed his hand on Elysia's head and said to her.
"After you see this, you'll probably believe that I really do have a way to deal with the Cocoon of Finality."
...
A few minutes later. World Serpent Headquarters
Inside the headquarters, Kevin, who was alone once again, suddenly saw the intel screen pop up.
"Hi~."
"Kevin, did you miss us after we left for Schicksal?"
Seeing Elysia's smiling face on the screen, Kevin felt for a moment as if he was in a daze, recalling old memories.
But after that brief moment, Kevin's consciousness returned to reality.
"Elysia. Did you gain anything over there?"
"Hmm, how to put it... The gains were *huge*."
"But I'm not contacting you just because of that."
Hearing this, Kevin didn't respond, but motioned with his eyes for her to continue.
"You... Forget it, now's not the time to talk about that."
"Leo asked me to tell you, he wants to complete the test you have for him tomorrow. And also..."
Letting the Core in her hand float in mid-air, Elysia spoke to Kevin with utmost seriousness.
"For the sake of fairness, he requests that you do not open the 'backdoor', and..."
"—He has already given me his Core of Binding."
...