章 17: 17 Demon Always Lies
At this moment, Natsuki Minamiya reflected on everything that had happened to her earlier.
The peculiar black paper had been picked up on her way to high school.
As a pure-blooded witch, Natsuki had not yet completed her contract with the devil, but she had received elite training from demon hunters since childhood.
Moreover, Natsuki possessed an extraordinary innate talent for spatial manipulation.
However, spatial magic requires an immense amount of magical power, a burden far too great for ordinary humans.
Despite her talent, as a human, Natsuki was unable to use such spells freely.
Both Natsuki herself and the administrative agency of Itogami Island were aware that once she made a contract with a devil and gained non-human magical power, she would undoubtedly master those spatial manipulation spells.
As an accomplished demon hunter, Natsuki had sensed the mysterious power emanating from the black paper and recognized that its owner was formidable.
Yet, the true extent of this black paper's owner's terror was beyond her imagination.
Even as an exceptional demon hunter, Natsuki's strength in her own world was not particularly remarkable without a devil's contract.
If her power was represented as '1', then forces of '10' or '100' were beyond her ability to discern.
This was why Morax and Yukari Yakumo, after encountering this black paper, exercised extreme caution and refrained from using it.
While Natsuki was intrigued by the paper's power, she did not give it much further thought.
The Archon and Youkai Sage, being extraordinarily powerful, naturally had a deeper understanding of the Mother of Evil Gods' terror.
After finding the black paper, Natsuki had studied the symbols on it. Using some of the privileges granted to her by the Itogami Island administration, she discovered that the symbol was related to a lost mythology in her world.
To a demon hunter, such an antique left over from the mythical era was naturally an object of interest.
Natsuki initially thought the paper was merely a relic left by a long-gone deity and did not pay it much attention.
But who could have anticipated that the deity who left this mark was not dead, and that this deity was unexpectedly terrifying?
'He knows my name, Natsuki Minamiya. That's not too surprising; even among demon hunters, there are some spells that can probe others' thoughts.'
'…Perhaps everything I'm thinking right now is being detected by him.'
Realizing this, Natsuki did not abandon her train of thought. Instead, she focused on understanding what this terrifying deity intended to do.
The appearance of that strange paper in her world, right in front of her, was certainly not without purpose.
From that deity's earlier brief statements, Natsuki deduced a horrifying conclusion.
Words like 'invitation,' 'world's beacon,' and 'sufficient value' were enough to make Natsuki waver.
Given her intelligence, she roughly guessed that this terrifying presence was interested in her world.
And if her actions had led such a fearsome entity to her world, she would be guilty of condemning not just herself but all of humanity, demons, and every living being on Earth!
When this conclusion dawned on her, a thought surged in Natsuki's mind—suicide!
Her character was such that she would never easily surrender unless a more perfect outcome could be achieved.
Even though she admitted her fear of death in the face of Aya, when it came to her own safety and the safety of the entire world, she would rather choose self-destruction.
"Humans truly are a contradictory species. Some are so despicable that they would sell everything to save their own lives, while others, like heroes and saints, sacrifice themselves without seeking any reward."
Saigou did not mind letting Natsuki Minamiya know that he could indeed read her thoughts.
That terrifying voice caused Natsuki Minamiya's delicate form to shudder, even leaving bloodied cracks on her pristine skin.
"Abandon your futile thoughts, Natsuki Minamiya! Your soul is now in my grasp; you are nothing more than a puppet on strings, unable to even decide your own life!"
"...Why the distressing expression? Why the despair? Did you not prepare yourself for this very moment when you chose to sell your soul to a devil?"
"Since you are willing to offer your soul to a devil, you should not care which devil receives it!"
Saigou's malevolent laughter echoed through the darkness, a laughter imbued with absolute darkness and all-encompassing sin.
In truth, Saigou was merely deceiving Natsuki Minamiya.
While he could easily reverse life and death within this dark space, if Natsuki Minamiya were to commit suicide in her own world, Saigou would be powerless.
The Authority of the Mother of Evil Gods only holds sway within this dark realm; his power cannot extend beyond its confines.
The few invitations he had sent were his utmost effort to create an impact on the outside world.
In the external world, Saigou's power could only manifest as that of an Aging Demon, and not in its complete form.
If Natsuki Minamiya were to truly end her life in her world, Saigou would be helpless, merely watching as the beacon of that world faded, losing the chance to extract nourishment from it.
However, Natsuki Minamiya was unaware of this. Saigou could manipulate her with absolute informational superiority.
For someone like Saigou, who had climbed to the heights of political power, this kind of manipulation was second nature.
"Who are you, exactly?"
Natsuki Minamiya's face was ashen, her once-ivory skin now marred by numerous bloodstains, almost transforming her into a figure of blood.
She stared at the incredible entity, asking each word with deliberation.
The lost mythological texts had long been forgotten, which is why they were called lost.
Natsuki did not know who this deity was.
"I am the Sovereign of Zoroastrianism, the Supreme God of the Evil Realm, the Great Lord of Darkness and Death!"
"...Natsuki Minamiya, let us play a fascinating game; you have no right to refuse!"
"If you sell your soul to me, I will grant you the power of my created avatars through the Witch's Ritual."
"...The contract will be based on the deepest desire of your heart. If you fulfill the contract, I will spare your world."
"But if you fail, darkness and death will descend upon you, and countless DAEVA, led by the six great demons, will consume everything you hold dear!"
Demons are masters of deceit, much like Demiurge.
As a demon himself, Saigou had no intention of abandoning this old craft.
As long as he could trick Natsuki Minamiya into signing a contract, he would secure a stable beacon and continually extract nourishment.
He could even use the contract to manifest in Natsuki's world!
___
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