Vermillion winced her brows, growing a bit cheerful so she floated a bit closer to the gargantuan Murai. “I initially wanted a helper for myself, but having this opportunity to talk with you is the start of something that is more than plenty enough for me. Your watchful and careful stay in this world is an important part of it, while your past is an answer I am willing to chip in.”

“You don't say...” Murai said for his sake but Vermillion seemed to have some plan already.

“Many Gods are interested in the following times, and what will happen next. That includes me as well. Maybe your life here will be different from others, but remember one rule, which is a fundamental rule of the Battleworld. One that many know about, but don't talk about it. No Gods are allowed to directly affect the occurrences in the Battleworld. None, under any very specific circumstances. IOt goes along with you or anyone.” she said, showing her resolution with a serious face.

“That means they can, but indirectly. What nasty excuses,” Murai said. “That could also mean I will have to force myself onto god's realms or force down one myself. Whatever... It's not like rules are something that will forever remain. In fact, sometimes, they should be broken. They should.”

“I am not denying that. Take it as a warning instead.”

“Warming? Heh!” Murai sneered. “What you are doing is against the rules, isn't it? Involving...”

“... I am not involving myself directly, that is a difference. What do you think Blessed, Gifted, and others are? What a Will of myself is? What do god-touched work for, or act as?”

“Nothing but tools as you stated... Which I suppose is what you want from me as well, don't you?”

“Not necessary.”Vermillion crossed her arms around her chest, flowing close to the Murai's face. “I don't want to force anything onto you. Your unwillingness is steady enough, so coming up with enough reasoning is the first side to making it work. It's not as if you will do it anyway, but I may try.”

“Liar. You hope for that.”

“ Alright. A little bit.” she shrugged her shoulders and continued “It's nothing but my Will and hope. In the end, it depends on your Will and what will you do. You may hope and desire plenty of things yourself. You and many others act as they wish in this world, filled with countless filths, egos, and undeniable plots that Pantheon uses to form connections and hope for advancements. It's a peculiar world. One that I don't, for once, consider a fitting piece to the universe. It makes this road to power chaotic, yet interesting from many points of view. A place that always changes is rightfully something that needs a steady force, as well as much-needed change. A steady and firm hand.”

“And? Your wordy efforts are making me sleep.”

Vermillion sighted, getting a slight headache already. “The Divine Kingdoms fluctuate in power, making the gods put effort into their rise to power. That includes me. Don't you think what I am talking about should pose an interesting subject of interest? I mean no ulterior motives. Only goodwill.”

“Your words make me sick, but I have no idea what you are getting into... What are your true intentions in... all of this? You speak to me as if you want to ask something from me, so do it already.”

“One doesn't need hidden intentions for anything, but sincerity speaks thousands of words. I want a helper to change my divinity to the Rank 0 God. Is it a bad thing to ask, or desire?”

“You? You a Creator?!” he shouted. “You think and hope too highly of yourself,” Murai uttered these words with utter mockery.

“One mocking expression is someone else's dream. That is a saying of some mortal tribe in one of my places... You know that am I right, former Nimerius?” she said, flowing closer once more.

“Oh? That name brinks memories... You were there back then? I wonder who you were, and why THE FUCK you are bringing that up?”

“Because I am interested in you. Don't you think me, coming here is a good thing? It's not bad to try something for oneself, and while I am at it, I may get to know you, and help you. It's a win-win!” She insisted, appearing like she said the easiest thing in the world.

However, what did she just say? Rank 0 God? Creator? She wanted a big pile of something that none should give. Neither Murai nor anyone else, so why did she desire the undesirable?

“Bad? It's a terrible thing. Greed comes afterward, and you... I can't see a reason to not laugh at your face.”

“How direct. Alright... You never change yourself, but maybe that is also a will of the universe. I like that part of you.”

“Shut up already...”

“Fine... I cannot get what I want but that doesn't change my willingness since I am careful. My God's Will is already forming a steady flow and is already steadying for 2 millennia, but this chance is rare. Ceila will be nothing to you in the future, but allowing your freedom is the basic thing I can give you. Is this what you want? Something that will accept my willingness? A Pledge? I can't give you that, so what do you want?”

“I want nothing but revenge... for the sins or my curse. Neither could work.” Murai said calmly.

“Revenge because of no cause but revenge. How dull... yet filled with intent and undeniable Will that goes back so many millennia... No wonder you are like this.”

“You would feel like this too, after enduring the pain of other parts of yourself dying alongside you.”

“Oh, that was a rather deep sentence. I will remember it for following millennia, or forever.” Vermillion smiled, swirling her body before his soul, unbothered by the pressure as if she was flying to take scrolls amid the stars. “It was a good refreshment to seek your memories... I don't regret doing this, nor should I be worried about your future.”

“Shut up...”

“No, you shut up.” she smiled, giving him no chance to retaliate. In fact, Murai was unable to do a thing. His soul was doing nothing to this Goddess, which was... surprising? Murai was sure if there was one thing to be confident in, it was his soul. Yet, it did nothing, so perhaps his whole being was yet to become what he wanted it to be.

He needed time since it was a bit early to think of treating any gods. Since he came to this world, not that long passed. Even his soul will need some time to adjust to the body and New Beginning. It could only get stronger, he believed.

He knew that every time he was reborn, the soul always stayed the same, but it had some repercussions that he was yet to know. Every time, it took time to readjust properly, and this shouldn't be any different, even though a lot of the Will of the Battleworld made it different.

Murai got quite a haul of messages under that voice, after all. His soul was well perceived by that power, giving him rise in abilities, strength, and some form of a systematic overview of his powerful soul. What was the Will attribute? Robust Spirit? Oneselve? It was a simple state of stubbornness and many things he didn't understand since they were gifts of this world and meanings of the power system.

That was at least what Murai would explain it like. In fact, anyone could form a Will on their own, since it was a mental state and nothing else. The Attribute was just something that Battleworld came up with to give it some name, and nothing else.

Adding the number, which did some things according to his senses, he held the Robust Spirit in higher regard. As for what was the most useful, or how useful the thing that Battleworld gave him, Murai will have plenty of time to look into it in the future.

For now, he had no plans to try his hardest, since he was hurt.

Vermillion continued. “Ceila will help you with some things according to your wishes. I mark my word. Your life depends on you as usual, but allow me to help you, at least. If it's for your revenge, regardless if I am part of it or not isn't important. In fact, it makes it exciting for me more than you think. But as with all-time in the world, I will observe your time.” she stopped smiling, giving him a strange look.

Murai didn't know why, or what for, but she waved her hand, and with a last smile said. “Farewell for now, Murai, and I hope I will get to change your mind soon,” she told at last, while her sudden appearance and feelings of her Will ended.

She didn't give Murai a chance to retaliate. She ended the discussion as if she was the one giving a favor, and not the other way around.

Murai would curse her in normal circumstances, but he didn't want to for some reason.

Suddenly, Ceila's face appeared dull, while the next moment, it was brighter, as if a light switch turned upside down. Her Will changed to the other, or it was a state of the temporary slumber of the former one? It was hard to tell since Murai didn't know why Vermillion would suddenly barge to him like that.

Forcing her subject to become such a tool, that Ceila forced her own Wil towards him, thus forming a connection between him and her Lady? Calling it a good plot was nothing but an understatement. It was a clever use of Ceila, as Lady Vermillion said.

It was as if a switch turned up and down, yet nothing much changed. Ceila's face moved once again, glancing at the powerful force that was before herself. It was close.

A bit too close for her. She got spooked.

“T-this... You have spoken to her!” She exclaimed, backing away from the powerful pressure that was before her. Unlike Vermillion, she had no such mental barrier to Robust Spirit. She was hoping to seek the truth since her awareness was completely cut off by her Lady, the moment she started the process of coming to his soul space. That meant she had no knowledge of what they talked about.

“What a strange turn of events...” Murai sighed. “Really... Gods are fucking freaks, I tell you that. Using the subject like toys, playing with them on a whim. Plaything. You are exactly that.” he mocked his own words and hoped nothing but to have some calmness in this situation.

This whole mess was so damn confusing and unnecessary to him, that some gods were no longer important to him.

“Calm down... Ceila. Your tasks or whatever you called it, you didn't see it, but it should be in your Will, isn't it?” Murai asked, stopping his pressure to calmness. It seemed that Ceila was indeed someone he could be forceful with, but it wasn't needed. In fact, he shouldn't do a thing to her, unless he wanted to piss Vermillion off.

“Of course!” Ceila said, firmly clutching her first in confusion. “It makes me mad for some reason.”

“It's just your soul being shocked by... being a plaything.” Murai chucked, using that word even though it was in the wrong context. “It will calm down, or you can freely think of other things. You decide what is good, or you can blame your Lady for the seventh hell. Be my guess on that.” Murai said, dismissing her momentary change of face.

It appeared Murai was right, and Ceila observed herself a bit better and calmed in a moment. For once, she didn't retort against Murai's unnecessary remarks.

She also noticed some strangeness around herself, or it was inside of her Will? Being put to use by her Lady wasn't something she found strange at all, but this circumstance was indeed a bit weird. She would usually use her partial Divinity inside of her in the real world. It was how most gods do their bidding.

Being put through the Will of a God was always a strange thing to anyone, but it was a part of oneself and willingness that mattered. In poor condition, the Will of God would kill any mortal. Only a few would manage the power of a proper divinity.

In fact, this was her first time feeling a certain strangeness, and it was stemming from being in the state of her Will. It was as if she forgot something important. Perhaps her own Will was overturned by hers? It was strange... She couldn't remember a thing. What did they talk about? She didn't know.

Her mind was still in shambles because she saw the content of Murai's memories. Because Vermillion wanted her to take note of that too, she stored the memories in Ceila's head. For the others, unnecessary ones, Vermillion will be the sole witness to them and the conversation between her and Murai.

“You... I see that...” Ceila said, clutching her fist upon going through the memories. They did surprise her, and by sheer sense, if Vermillion wasn't the one to take them before, Ceila would have trouble absorbing them for sure.

Thankfully, Vermillion used her love for her subject, and also her plot to give her only the kind of information that was needed, unlike what Murai intended.

“You angered God of Battle so much that he put forth a God's Trial?! You also forced the God of Pain under his pilgrimage to change his mind? Dungeon? Hm? No wonder... Did he know about your... case? Old Soul. I knew it. The situation is strange. It is no wonder Battleworld is so against you, regardless of you, being who you are.” Ceila talked as if what she was speaking about was none of Murai's concern, yet it was. It was his big, huge concert and problem.

For now, Ceila was aware of the majority of things that Murai endured in this world, even though Murai had no intentions of letting this go that easily. It was Vermillion who let the memories flow in a steadier manner, allowing Ceila to discern them without a problem.

“Oh well... You know plenty now... So?” Murai asked, ending Ceila's worked-up face. “Yet, it seems your lady is good for you. Hmph! So much for our trade, it seems.”

“Of course, she is good for me...” she said in an unsteady flow of words. She was still feeling kind of apprehensive and shaken by what happened. She was her own being, regardless of Vermillion's influence or not.

Another question was, if her own being was so within her influence, that it no longer mattered to be its own thing. This Ceila was yet to become aware of that. But perhaps it was too early for her.

Murai could see a tinge of Vermillion in Ceila even without her Divinity active. What that meant?

She put her careful nursing to good use, giving Ceila a good place in this world for the past 2 centuries. Now, that she was a high-level being, it was an easy step to the god's influence. Thus, Vermillion had a subject that would never leave her grasp.

Whether it was good or bad, it was questionable. Even Murai didn't dare to think of other people's decisions. He may not like it, but others would have no trouble with being that. It was a matter of perspective, and he was his own boss.

It was always like that, neverending.

Though it appeared Murai underestimated the situation quite a lot, that was a story for another time.

“So? What's your conclusion about seeing my memories? Are you willing to think about my offer, or what you saw? I expect a good deal! ” Murai inquired, sounding a bit angry and even greedy.

“Your memories... I knew you was a strange being, the moment I became hesitant about you... Even my Lady's curiosity was put to use, so what can I say other than offer my sincere and utmost help? I will also add some things, as I don't find the situation charitable enough. A Church's Mission. Are you willing to take that?”

“Mission? What for? I thought our deal was already over the moment you watched my memories!” Murai unhappily argued.

“Certain things change. It's because of your... huge problem that even Vermillion Church has no power to control yet.”

“Yet? Is it you who are telling me that?”

“Who knows?”

Murai sneered, upset. “So now, that it's too much of an issue, you give me another thing to worry about? Fine... Fine. I will remember this. I don't like owning favors, as much as you, it seems, but my questions still remain the same and so does my healing!”

“Don't worry, I will take the part of my deal with much more sincerity than you,” Ceila said, sounding quite confident after she calmed down. “Let's get this over with here, and not outside. Soul Space is the safest place to do business after all. No one will discern our discussion here.” she offered, but it wasn't as if she had any say in that.

In fact, her words sounded a bit strange, since they came from her, and not Vermillion. While that was good, Vermillion used this exact reason to speak with Murai.

“So, why its a problem for you, or are you speaking of the church itself? Are the things that Battleworld put me through not to your liking? Aren't you entertained to see my misery?” Murai asked mockingly.

“I am not unhappy, nor happy. What you experienced is... something. That's for sure.”

“You don't say...” he sighed, letting go of his unnecessary words. “Get on your topic and stop wasting being so vague.”

“I am still thinking... Your memories are quite a lot but... I swear I won't let anyone know them.”

“Of course. That goes without saying. Now, go on. You should know my questions and worries by now.”

“Right. A Gift of a God, while subsection to that is... overthrowing the Centralis Kingdom... My Goddess... You seriously put some effort to make your life miserable, didn't you?”

“Speak for yourself, plaything.”

“Hm... I will give you a week, and also a Grade S Spring-root of Paguta Flower and my personal Alchemy. Iris will work around that to heal you, while I will... do the rest. It should be enough to raise your Vitality and give your body a nice return. It's quite a high-quality material, for such a bothersome duck.”

“Finally some sense!” Murai cheered. “I thought the world already turned upside down when I am not the one speaking!”

“Not so fast... It's complicated but this problem of yours can be partly solved by us.”

“You, us? Do you mean the Vermillion Church? Oh, wait... I think I am starting to see some patterns here.” Murai said, forming a better context from the conversation between him and Vermillion. “You want to overthrow the Centralia Kingdom as well?”

“Not that ridiculous one yet. Do you even know what that means?” Ceila said with ridicule and questionable gaze within her eyes.

“Overthrowing a Centralis Kingdom. What else?”

“By the degree of a God of Battle, a ruler of this world. Also, it is a Tier A kingdom!” Ceila added.

“As I said... It's the playground of the gods, didn't you watch my memories?”

Ceila smacked her forehead, unwilling to see eye to eye with Murai. “I... I don't have time to watch every little thing you went through... It's full of curses anyway, you vile guy.”

“Tha puts a smile on my face for some reason.” Murai unwillingly commented, making Ceila regret her life's choices.

“Fine... You are clueless about the Battleworld anyway... What in the world did you do in your previous living to offend your fate so much? Even your life companion is questionable like you.” she looked at Lisa in the distance. She was still sleeping, while the mana around her fluctuated, revealing something strange was going on with her, and Ceila noticed it, but Murai wasn't interested in her sleep.

“She is a little rascal, but my rascal nonetheless. She put some effort into this life of mine, but she lacks certain... motivations.” Murai said.

“She... Nevermind... I don't think your case of going against the Battleworld will come to any fruition. You are too entitled to your own power, and lack any critical thinking.”

“How harsh... yet truthful. I have some plans, but I need a calmness of time, resources, and actual living conditions.”

“2 of them are easy to solve, yet the last one isn't something that a Blessed has. You... You may regret being born here.”

“It's not like I had a choice in this...” Murai said, and with that, their conversation ended in a semi-successful order.