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nThere was no room for further dialogue.

nIn the face of such a creature as a devil, any attempt at communication was futile.

nThis was the lesson imparted by the boy’s teacher and reiterated by priests and bishops in the church.

nCrouching to inspect the segmented corpse, the devil rose once again, its crimson eyes settling on the boy lying on the ground, breathing more out than in, and abruptly stood up.

n“Since you’ve destroyed my human body, I might as well make use of yours! It’s only for a few months. After I’m done, I’ll give it back to you. I doubt that detestable creature would have much to say about it.”

nThe devil sneered, positioning itself beside the boy, bending down to examine his face closely.

n“I didn’t notice before, but now that I’m looking, you were born with a fine skin.”

n“If it weren’t for that guy constantly watching me from the mana ocean, I might consider getting a skin like yours to try on.”

nThe feeling of being wanted, whether as a devil or as a human, was something this pitiful creature had never experienced.

n“Ha, if you want it, take it! In the end, you’re just a monster, too scared to show your true face among the crowd, aren’t you?”

nScratching his head, which bore flames instead of hair, the devil flicked the boy’s forehead with a gesture.

n“That’s why I said you’re all skin and no substance! Are you still unwilling to face reality? From the beginning to the end, it was you who attacked me baselessly. If it weren’t for my intervention, the companions who were with me would likely not survive.”

n“Which is more important, your personal vendetta or the lives of many?”

n“If you truly are a believer, then you should know the answer.”

nThe doctrine is clear: one should not let personal desires guide their actions, nor wield a blade driven by selfish motives.

n“If I had my way, I would have killed you the moment you showed yourself! But that guy has been watching me, just waiting for me to slip up. Violating our bet would ultimately disadvantage me.”

nWith a gesture, a complex rune matrix, the size of a palm, materialized instantly.

n“But simply using your body like this would be too easy for you, almost a form of release.”

n“If I’m not mistaken, you’ve lost someone very close to you, haven’t you? It’s impossible to exhibit such conviction otherwise, especially for someone with as little talent as you.”

nA moment of bravery consumes nearly all one’s courage, and a brush with death becomes a nightmare remembered for a lifetime.

nThis is something most people cannot ignore, after all, those with talent are always in the minority.

n“How about this! I will take over your body but leave your consciousness intact!”

n“Let’s see who the real monster is!”

nThe moment the words ceased, a true, unmistakable devilish smile spread across the devil’s face.

nThe rune matrix descended, and from the devil, a burst of crimson flames surged, wrapping around the boy’s body!

nRather than a scorching agony, the boy felt a comfort akin to soaking in warm water.

nWarmth, softness, boundless darkness, a deep-seated sense of safety and relaxation enveloped him.

nWas this what they called the ultimate resting place?

n“Hehehe, so this is your deep consciousness? Quite straightforward, really, just like a child… No, that’s wrong, I forgot, you are indeed still a child.”

nThe devil’s voice echoed in the boy’s ears, and in the endless darkness, he suddenly opened his eyes!

nThey were incandescent, shining with the brilliance of the sun, yet unable to illuminate the mist-like darkness surrounding him.

nThe boy looked around but found nothing.

n“Stop looking; with your current abilities, you cannot see me.” The devil’s voice sounded again.

n“I am hidden in the deepest darkness of your heart, tsk tsk, truly pitiful. If I were one of those hungry ghosts that feed on negative emotions, I would probably have burst by now.”

nThe voice resonated right by the boy’s ear, but no matter how he turned, he saw nothing.

nEventually, he gave up and sat down.

nPerhaps it wasn’t even a floor; did this expanse of darkness even have directions like up, down, left, or right? .

nHe lifted his head, and suddenly, a small screen appeared at the end of his gaze.

nThe screen wasn’t large, just enough for him to see all the details within clearly.

nAfter a quick mental calculation, he realized the scope displayed on the screen was exactly what his eyes could cover.

n“From now on, this will be your window to the world,” the devil’s voice carried a hint of mockery.

n“Trust me, through this viewport, you’ll see far more than you could imagine.”

nAt least much more than you could see before!

nMeanwhile, in the real world, the boy on the ground suddenly opened his eyes, a fleeting flash of red light vanishing from his gaze.

nHe stood up, his face breaking into a sunny, mischievous smile.

n“From now on, call me Zeno!”

nOn a certain day, in a certain month of a certain year, in an unnamed corner of the Avala Continent, Zeno was reborn, at the cost of his body being occupied by a devil.

n…

nLet’s set aside for a moment the events on the other side of the continent.

nThey might have a significant impact, but like ripples in water, no matter how large, the time and distance they spread limit their reach.

nPerhaps, Ali will never feel the effects of these events in her lifetime.

nWarm sunlight filters through the trees onto a clearing, where three figures stand in confrontation.

nAli, Roronora, and Code 19, or rather Gick wearing Code 19’s guise.

nThree individuals with different stances but fates inevitably intertwined, three distinct yet overlapping beliefs.

nEverything mingles together, like a soup with too many ingredients, resulting in an unsightly mess.

nAli lowers her long sword, its descent aided by the force of gravity, the metal blade easily piercing the soil and standing askew on the ground, its edge reflecting the sunlight.

nAli lowers her long sword, its descent aided by the force of gravity, the metal blade easily piercing the soil and standing “Have you decided to give up?”

nThe voice came from Code 19’s body, but the will behind it belonged to another soul.

n“Why would you think that?”

nAli lifted her head, her eyes sparkling with a brilliant golden light.

n“If laying down arms means surrender, then why do so many still die!”

nHer raised palm was the center of a swirling golden radiance.

nUnder Ali’s unreserved control of her spirit, the mana within a fifty-meter radius was drawn in!

nBands of light formed directly in the air, binding towards the figure of Code 19, who stood frozen in place.

nAlthough Gick had somehow taken control of Code 19’s body, Ali was sure of one thing, which was also the reason she had not attacked directly until now.

nTo confirm whether Gick’s soul was actually inside Code 19.

nWas Gick controlling Code 19’s body through some form of consciousness manipulation, or had he directly lodged his soul within Code 19? 𝘪𝘳.𝒸𝑜𝑚

nWithout clarifying this, acting rashly would only alert Gick and miss the opportunity.

nAs for what Gick had just said? Unfortunately, Ali is neither a naive child nor a hot-blooded young girl.

nOf course, she hopes that subhumans will one day achieve true freedom, and she has considered the feasibility of Gick’s ideas.

nHowever, regrettably, Ali has come to her own conclusion.

nNot everything Gick said could be true.

nIf what Gick claims is true, his very presence here constitutes the greatest contradiction since Monka is the successor designated by Kurot himself.

nEven in the current situation, Monka’s absence implies his preparations are still inadequate.

nOn one hand, there is the chosen successor, who traveled across half the continent with Kurot, and on the other, a figure who seems more like a power-hungry war fanatic.

nAny rational individual would choose the former.

nThe bands of light appeared instantaneously, their movement speed defying intuition, as if slicing directly through the air.

nOne end of the light band materialized beside Code 19’s body, binding it tightly in a mere moment! Mana binding is not a particularly powerful restraining spell, but it is especially effective against spiritual entities.

nRegardless of how Gick managed to control Code 19’s body, it is clear that Code 19 is in a state of unconsciousness, meaning Gick cannot mobilize the mana within Code 19.

nThe likelihood of Gick using his own soul is slim; while it would grant him combat capabilities, a soul without the protection of a body is exceedingly fragile, and any accident could lead to significant trouble.

nTherefore, she theorized, Gick must be using some spiritual entity as an intermediary to control Code 19’s body.

nIn such a scenario, Gick’s options are limited to utilizing the physical strength of Code 19’s body for combat or escape.

nHowever, if limited to mere physical strength, Code 19 poses no threat to Ali and Roronora.

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