"Really no need?"
The demon's voice carried a hint of appreciation. "You, human, are very good at finding loopholes and even better at deception; you are truly a rare partner."
It continued its enticement.
"If you and I join forces, what in this world could possibly stand in our way? Perhaps the entire world would be trampled beneath our feet..."
"No need!" Ansu interrupted directly, his gaze sweeping over the spot where Samantha's body had dissipated. "Lord Demon, our transaction is over."
He was unwilling to have too much involvement with demons; these fellows were far too devious, and every word they spoke could be a carefully designed trap.
If it weren't to completely settle his grievances with Samantha, he wouldn't have even touched the forbidden black magic that was the Soul Feast.
Besides, as the dignified Chosen One, was there really any need for him to make deals with a demon?
Ansu had his unpretentious progress bar, and now he had a mountain of magic texts; he simply looked down upon a mere demon's power.
"Are you really not going to reconsider?" Zak-Eos's lava-like eyes flickered slightly, seemingly unwilling to give up.
"Not just power, but knowledge, longevity, authority... everything humans desire, I can grant!"
Ansu asked back indifferently, "And the price?"
"The price?" Zak-Eos let out a low laugh. "Ansu, you are indeed very cautious, but I can guarantee that for a high-quality client and partner like you... I certainly won't demand too much."
"Rest assured, because every businessman knows how to play the long game..."
Listening to him finish, Ansu felt a slight sense of irritation in his heart.
Perhaps this was a side effect of casting black magic related to demons—this guy was like a persistent shadow that couldn't be shaken off.
Consequently, his tone turned a few degrees colder.
"Demon, should the Soul Feast not be ending now?"
Ansu frowned as he watched the surrounding black void; the other party didn't seem to have any intention of letting him go. "You wouldn't be thinking of violating the contract and trapping me here, would you?"
"Of course not..." Zak-Eos's laughter was a bit awkward.
"I have already eliminated Samantha for you; the transaction is over, and you are naturally free to leave at any time."
As the words fell, the golden scale beneath Ansu's feet began to slowly become transparent, and the surrounding darkness quickly receded like a tide.
Everything from the real world flooded into his vision—the scorched earth, the broken tree trunks... He had returned to the clearing in the center of the forest.
"Ansu!!"
Celia, who had been waiting outside the whole time, immediately rushed over, her eyes filled with anxiety. "How are you? Are you hurt?"
Feeling Celia's concern, Ansu gently took her slightly cool fingers, a smile spreading across his face.
"I'm fine, it's all over."
After he and Samantha had disappeared, Celia had been keeping a vigilant watch outside; beside her stood the head maid, who had just performed a great service.
His gaze swept over the still stiff-faced head maid, and Ansu looked at Celia with a smile. "Samantha is dead. From now on, we never have to be on guard against that old witch again."
Celia nodded gently. "Yes, I know..."
When she discovered that Samantha had not returned with him, she understood that Ansu had won.
Even though she had always believed Ansu could do it, now that it was truly over, Celia's gaze became somewhat vacant...
Just like that... it was over?
One day in the past, when Ansu said he would fight Samantha with her, Celia had imagined countless tragic victories, and had even prepared to elope and flee with him, but she hadn't expected...
This battle of fate would end in such a simple manner.
As expected of him, the Ansu who could always bring her surprises...
"Why are you spacing out?" Ansu looked at the World Ending Witch before him in confusion, waving a hand in front of her eyes. "What are you thinking about?"
Celia snapped out of it, the vacancy in her eyes gradually turning into softness. "I was thinking... now that this matter is resolved, is our wonderful new life about to begin?"
Ansu had said before that Samantha would lead her fate toward a dark and unfortunate end.
Although she never knew where Ansu's strange prophetic ability came from—perhaps it originated from his talent as the Chosen One—no matter what, starting from today, could her fate really move toward a more beautiful trajectory?
"A new life?" Ansu looked into her eyes that were shimmering with anticipation and nodded seriously and solemnly. "Of course it will."
"That's wonderful..." Celia's lips curled up, the smile in her eyes becoming even brighter.
Just as the two were smiling at each other and preparing to leave this place.
A low and familiar voice suddenly echoed deep within Ansu's soul.
"Human."
"Are you really not going to reconsider?"
Ansu's whole body jolted.
When he realized this voice belonged to Zak-Eos, he was instantly moved to exasperated laughter.
Was this demon like an insurance salesman? Was there no end to this?
"Rather than wasting your time on me, you'd be better off finding some easy-to-trick unlucky fools." Ansu mocked with a half-smile, "But I've also realized one thing: it seems you cannot see through my identity. If you knew who I was, I'm afraid you wouldn't waste any time on me at all."
"You? What identity could you possibly have..." Zak-Eos naturally thought the other party was bluffing, so he gave a silent laugh.
"I admit you do have a bit of cleverness, and in the human world, you have quite decent strength and status, but in our eyes... you are nothing more than a tiny and ordinary human."
Hearing the demon say this, Ansu actually felt relieved.
Reasonably speaking, a demon could perceive the essence of a person's soul, but Zak-Eos had not seen through his identity as the Chosen One at a glance like the God of Slaughter had.
This was enough to prove... the other party's status was indeed not high enough.
"I am willing to condescend to negotiate with such a tiny existence because I have seen your potential." Zak-Eos spoke with a superior tone, "I am willing to give you time to consider. After all... everyone has times when they need help—like right now."
"Right now?" Ansu's brow furrowed tightly.
"Ansu? What's wrong?"
Celia looked at him in surprise, because Ansu had been talking to himself toward the air.
"Who are you talking to?"
Ansu couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, giving her a look that said 'don't worry about it.'
"A persistent salesman with a worrying lack of professional skill."
Celia was slightly stunned, then became thoughtful. "Is it... the arbitrator from the Soul Feast, that ancient demon?"
"Time is running out!" Zak-Eos's voice intruded into Ansu's mind again.
The next second, a blurred vision of Freya's side appeared before Ansu's eyes—
"That pink-haired lover of yours can never be a match for that clergyman." Zak-Eos spoke with a tone of schadenfreude, "Yet for your sake, she is stubbornly holding on with a determination to die. I have already foreseen her end..."
In the vision, Freya's hood was blown back by a violent gust of air, revealing a pair of slightly trembling fuzzy ears, her long pink hair flying wildly.
White holy light flashed repeatedly like sharp swords. Although Freya's figure was in a sorry state as she dodged Seance's offensive, she did not yield in the slightest.
She bit her lower lip, stubbornly blocking the way of this powerful opponent, never letting him get close to the direction of the forest where Ansu was located.
Rate on N.U.
