Lord of Mysteries 2: Circle of Inevitability

Chapter 1120: Negotiation

Greater Trier, in an ancient castle.

Red Angel Medici sat on a throne pieced together from iron-black weapons, gazing at the hall splattered with dark red blood-like stains. He lifted His right leg, resting it on His left knee.

Before Him, Lumian's figure, bearing three heads, swiftly materialized.

Dressed in a white shirt, black vest, and dark trousers, Lumian looked at Red Angel Medici and spoke in a mocking tone, "I thought you'd first hide, only showing up once you confirmed I didn't bring reinforcements."

As he spoke, violet flames ignited behind Lumian, quickly solidifying into a massive, bloodstained, iron- black chair.

"Aren't you worried there might be a deadly trap here?" Red Angel Medici shook His right foot, sneering in return.

Lumian sat down, leaned back against the chair, and answered indifferently, "I'd welcome a deadly trap. It might even be a blessing in disguise."

Red Angel Medici, His long blood-red hair flowing down, placed His right palm on the longsword armrest of the iron throne and asked disdainfully, "What do you want from me?"

With unusual sincerity, Lumian replied, "I want to ask you to hand over the two Conqueror Beyonder characteristics within you."

"Haha." Red Angel Medici burst into laughter. "I've lived for thousands of years and never heard such a request. Even Alista Tudor didn't dare say something like that. He knew well that what couldn't be won in war wouldn't be secured in negotiation."

Lumian seemed deaf to Red Angel Medici's taunts, continuing as if He hadn't heard.

"The Northern and Southern continents have already been effectively destroyed. If not for the one worshipped by the Aurora Order forcibly accommodating the Chaos Sea, buffering the initial impact of the Mother Goddess of Depravity's descent, and if not for the cooperation between Him and Mr. Fool in creating protected zones, human society would have long since collapsed. All of us, myself included, would be dead by now-only to be "reborn" into something else…"

At this point, Red Angel Medici Interrupted, "The main reason wasn't Adam or The Fool saving us. They couldn't even protect Themselves back then.

"We're still alive because the Mother Goddess of Depravity targeted the Western Continent, aiming at the Brood Hive."

Lumian didn't deny Red Angel Medici's assertion but calmly added, "If not for Mr. Fool exploiting the Mother Goddess of Depravity's instinctual desire, luring Her to breach the Celestial Worthy's barrier sealing the Western Continent, then reinforcing the seal using Her connection to it... If not for the Western Continent's Celestial Master and others burning their life forces and utilizing the powers of the sefirot to sustain the barrier... Even the naturally dissipating power of the Mother Goddess of Depravity and the symbolic instincts She represents wouldn't have allowed the protected zones to last this long.

"But even those measures are nearing their limit. Two months ago, the Mother Goddess of Depravity captured the Brood Hive within the gray-white fog sealing the Western Continent. The Brood Hive yearns to see its eldest daughter, Omebella, truly reborn, but it resists re-merging with the Mother Goddess of Depravity. It has developed self-awareness and enjoyed Its completed form for seven or eight millennia, maybe longer-It certainly doesn't wish to perish now.

"At present, the Mother Goddess of Depravity and the Brood Hive are locked in a tug-of-war. Both the World of Ruins and the Western Continent have attained a fleeting peace, with only the naturally dissipating forces and maternal symbolism still exerting their effects.

"This may be our last peaceful respite. No one knows how long it will take for the Mother Goddess of Depravity to utterly crush the will of the Brood Hive and fully accommodate this sefirot. Perhaps a year, or maybe only two or three months remain.

"We don't have much time, which is why I've come to you."

Red Angel Medici sneered, "How noble, how sanctimonious. But why should I hand over two Conqueror Beyonder characteristics to you?

"Why not give yours to me, voluntarily withdrawing from the competition for the Red Priest position?

"Sacrifice is something you say to yourself, not to others."

Lumian laughed, a laugh that gave Red Angel Medici the sudden feeling that He'd stepped into a trap.

With a relaxed smile playing across his features, Lumian replied, "Sure! I'll agree to that!

"I'll hand over my Conqueror Beyonder characteristic to you right now, along with a Demoness of Apocalypse Beyonder characteristic. At that point, my body will lose its balance, and I'll inevitably die. Then you won't have to worry about anyone competing with you for the Red Priest position."

He spoke rapidly, as if unwilling to give Medici the chance to change His mind.

Red Angel Medici focused intently on Lumian, as though evaluating the sincerity and truthfulness of his words.

Relaxing his posture further, Lumian continued, "My only condition is that you must inherit my fate, my identity, this half of my body, and this head."

As he spoke, he raised his right hand, lightly tapping the dark-gold peculiar mask at the center of his left- side head.

Red Angel Medici's gaze lingered on the mask, Alista Tudor's handsome face, and Cheek's maternal visage, moving back and forth several times before He sneered, "Do you think I'd accept that?

"Inheriting this mess? I'd rather perish when the apocalypse comes."

"And where's your courage?" Lumian provoked.

"Courage and wisdom aren't mutually exclusive, nor do they prevent me from discerning good from bad," Red Angel Medici retorted, changing His posture and crossing His left leg over His right, His foot shaking rhythmically.

Lumian taunted Him with a look of disappointment, "Then why bother vying for the Red Priest position?

"Without relying on the unique nature of this head and this half of the body, can you become the Red Priest without performing the ritual? Can you meet the requirements for the apotheosis ritual in such a short time?

"Without the unique qualities of this head and body, can you locate and defeat Primordial Demoness Cheek in time?

"Without these unique traits, can you subdue the malevolent dragon and fully accommodate the City of Calamity before the Mother Goddess of Depravity accommodates the Brood Hive?

"Even if you somehow became the Origins of Disaster, the Calamity of Destruction, before the apocalypse, your utility would pale in comparison to the existence of this head and body's unique advantages. You'd still perish.

"We're in a dire position. To save ourselves, others, and the world, every unique advantage must be exploited to the fullest. Only then is there even a sliver of hope.

"Medici, you're a coward. I despise you!"

Red Angel Medici chuckled. "There's no need to provoke me. I've never made decisions based on that."

After a few seconds of silence, He continued, "You're right. To become the Origins of Disaster before the Great Mother accommodates the Brood Hive, unique traits are essential. But how long would such an unstable existence last after the advancement?"

"I don't know," Lumian admitted candidly. "Maybe minutes, maybe years or decades. Perhaps, with some help and special methods, it could last millennia-or even longer."

Red Angel Medici stared at Lumian and the head for a long while before shaking His head, "If it were just sharing one body with multiple consciousnessed, I'd accept it-I've had ample experience. But the thought of being stuck with Alista Tudor forever, especially in a form beyond just Beyonder characteristics, is unacceptable."

Lumian's left-side head turned slightly, Alista Tudor's handsome, masculine face glaring at Medici.

With a slight shake of His head, He looked contemptuous.

"Coward. Where's your courage? Is your sharp tongue the only thing that's left undefeated?" Lumian voiced Tudor's sentiments on His behalf.

Red Angel Medici sneered, "Giving the order to retreat and giving up also requires courage."

Lumian sighed and asked, "So, do you agree?"

This referred to Medici extracting the two Conqueror Beyonder characteristics and handing them over to Lumian.

With a curving of the corner of His lips, Red Angel Medici replied, "Not yet. We're missing one thing.

"I'm considering whether we should duel for it - the loser takes this path - or..."

He paused before flashing a brilliant smile, "Why don't you beg me?"

Lumian froze for a second, then stood and spoke seriously. "Oh great God of War, the symbol of iron and blood, the ruler of chaos and strife, I beseech you. I beg you to save this world. I plead for the two Conqueror Beyonder characteristics..."

At the phrase "save this world," Red Angel Medici's expression subtly shifted, as though caught between sneering and being stunned, as if a memory had been jolted awake.

When Lumian finished, the King of Angels mocked, "What happened to your dignity?"

Before Lumian could respond, He tilted His chin slightly, "Fine. I agree, but under three conditions."

"Please, state them." Lumian's attitude remained excellent.

Red Angel Medici mulled over it and said, "First, if you truly become the Origins of Disaster when the apocalypse comes, spare the Einhorn and Sauron families if you can. Also, protect my descendants like Albus."

"No problem," Lumian agreed without hesitation.

Red Angel Medici smiled again. "Second, after becoming the Origins of Disaster, you'll need only one Conqueror characteristic to stabilize yourself. At that point, remember to extract the other two and return them to me."

To reach an Above the Sequences or Great Old Dominator, one needed the corresponding sefirah, the Uniquenesses of the corresponding pathways, and a singular Sequence 1 Beyonder characteristic of each pathway.

"That's fine," Lumian said without concern.

Red Angel Medici lowered His left leg and slowly stood.

"Third, give Adam a punch for me and tell Him, "Don't get mad. This is a necessary sacrifice."

"That's it?" Lumian raised an eyebrow.

Medici chuckled. "What else? Kill Him and doom us all?

"If He'd been honest with me back then, I might have joined His experiments or even sacrificed myself first. Do all Spectators eventually become this dark, perpetually distrusting others?"

After finishing, Red Angel Medici added mischievously. "I can't separate the highest Sequence Beyonder characteristics in myself. You'll need your godfather's help. But I won't speak His name."

Lumian nodded and solemnly recited in Hermes, "The shadow wandering through fate, the past God of Deceit, the destined messiah..."