Sacrifice's Rise: I Became Invincible After Entering Godslayer Temple Chapter 685 The Occupied Body

Further discourse was impossible.

Faced with a fiend, any attempt at negotiation was utterly futile; this crucial lesson had been ingrained by his tutor and reinforced by clergy members, from priests to bishops, within the church's walls.

As the boy crouched to examine the brutally dismembered remains, the devil resurrected itself. Its eyes, burning with a crimson light, locked onto the boy lying prone, his breaths shallow and ragged, before the creature abruptly straightened.

"Since you've so rudely dismantled my human vessel, I shall commandeer yours! It'll only be for a few months. Once my business is concluded, I'll return it. I doubt that detestable entity would object much."

The devil smirked, positioning itself next to the unconscious youth and bending low to scrutinize his features.

"I hadn't truly noticed before, but up close, you possess rather delicate skin."

"Were it not for that ever-watchful presence lurking within the mana ocean, I might even consider acquiring a complexion like yours for myself."

The sensation of being desired, whether as a demonic being or a mortal, was an alien concept to this pitiable soul.

"Hah! If you crave it, then take it! In the end, you're nothing more than a monster, too cowardly to reveal your true form amidst the masses, aren't you?"

The demon, whose hair was a cascade of flames, scratched its head and playfully tapped the boy's forehead with a fingertip.

"This is precisely why I call you all bark and no bite! Still refusing to confront the truth? From the outset, it was you who initiated this unprovoked assault. Had I not intervened, your companions likely wouldn't have survived."

"Which holds greater significance: your personal vendetta or the multitude of lives at stake?"

"If you truly claim devotion, then the answer should be clear to you."

The tenets were unambiguous: one must not let personal desires dictate actions, nor should a blade be brandished for selfish gratification.

"Given the choice, I would have obliterated you the moment you manifested! But that wretch has been monitoring me, poised to capitalize on any misstep. To break our accord would ultimately work against my interests."

With a mere flick of its wrist, an intricate, palm-sized runic matrix materialized instantly.

"However, to simply inhabit your body thus would be far too lenient, almost a form of absolution for you."

"Unless I am mistaken, you have suffered the loss of someone incredibly dear, haven't you? Such unwavering conviction is impossible otherwise, especially for someone of your limited talent."

A fleeting act of courage can deplete nearly all one's bravery, and a brush with mortality often leaves an indelible, nightmarish scar.

This is a burden most find difficult to dismiss, for those possessing true talent are invariably a rarity.

"How about this arrangement! I shall assume control of your body, yet your consciousness will remain intact!"

"Let us discover who the genuine monstrosity truly is!"

The instant the words left its lips, a genuine, undeniable demonic grin stretched across the devil's visage.

The runic matrix descended, and from the fiend, a torrent of crimson flames erupted, swirling and enveloping the boy's form!

Instead of a searing torment, the boy perceived a sensation akin to being immersed in comfortably warm water.

A comforting warmth, a gentle embrace, an infinite blackness, a profound sense of security and utter relaxation washed over him.

Could this be what was referred to as the ultimate sanctuary?

"Hehehe, so this is the innermost sanctuary of your consciousness? Remarkably unadorned, much like a child... No, that's incorrect, I neglected to remember, you are indeed still a child."

The devil's voice reverberated within the boy's mind, and amidst the boundless void, his eyes suddenly snapped open!

They blazed with an incandescent intensity, mirroring the sun's brilliance, yet struggled to pierce the obscuring, mist-like darkness around him.

The boy surveyed his surroundings, but found nothing tangible.

"Cease your searching; with your current capabilities, you are incapable of perceiving me," the devil's voice sounded once more.

"I reside concealed within the deepest recesses of your heart, tsk tsk, truly pathetic. Had I been one of those spectral entities that subsist on negative emotions, I would have likely imploded by now."

The voice seemed to emanate from directly beside the boy's ear, yet no matter how he turned, no visual confirmation was possible.

Eventually, he relinquished the effort and sank down.

Perhaps this formless expanse wasn't even a floor; did this vast darkness even possess directional concepts like up, down, left, or right?

He tilted his head upwards, and abruptly, a small display materialized at the edge of his vision.

The screen was diminutive, just large enough for him to discern every element within its frame with perfect clarity.

After a swift mental assessment, he deduced that the depicted area precisely encompassed the visual range of his own sight.

"From this moment forth, this shall serve as your sole window to the world," the devil's voice carried a distinct note of sardonic amusement.

"Believe me, through this particular aperture, you shall witness far more than your imagination can currently grasp."

At the very least, significantly more than you could perceive previously!

Meanwhile, back in the corporeal realm, the boy lying on the ground abruptly opened his eyes, a transient flicker of crimson light vanishing from his gaze.

A sunny, mischievous grin spread across his face as he stood up.

"You can call me Zeno from now on!"

On a day, in a month, in a year, in an uncharted part of the Avala Continent, Zeno experienced rebirth, though his body was now occupied by a devil.

...

Let's momentarily shift focus from the events unfolding across the continent.

While these occurrences might carry significant weight, they are like ripples on water; however vast, their reach is constrained by time and distance.

It's possible Ali will never personally witness the repercussions of these happenings throughout her entire life.

A sun-dappled clearing welcomes three figures locked in a standoff, warm sunlight filtering through the canopy.

Ali, Roronora, and Code 19 – or rather, Gick inhabiting Code 19's form – are present.

These three individuals, with their divergent paths, find their destinies inextricably linked, their distinct yet overlapping beliefs creating a tangled narrative.

Everything intertwines, forming a chaotic blend, much like a soup with an excess of ingredients, resulting in an unappetizing concoction.

Ali lowered her longsword, its descent guided by gravity, the steel blade easily embedding itself into the earth and standing at an angle, its edge catching the sunlight.

"Have you decided to yield?"

The voice emanated from Code 19's body, yet the intent behind it belonged to a different spirit.

"What makes you think that?"

Ali tilted her head upwards, her eyes ablaze with a radiant golden light.

"If putting away my weapon signifies surrender, then why do so many continue to perish?"

Her outstretched palm became the focal point of a swirling golden aura.

Under Ali's complete command of her spirit, mana within a fifty-meter radius converged!

Bands of light materialized in the air, swiftly converging on the figure of Code 19, who stood rigidly.

Although Gick had somehow seized control of Code 19's body, Ali was certain of one crucial detail, which explained her hesitation to strike directly until this moment.

Her objective was to ascertain if Gick's soul truly resided within Code 19.

Was Gick manipulating Code 19's body through some form of psychic influence, or had his soul directly infiltrated it?

Without resolving this uncertainty, any hasty action would only alert Gick and forfeit the element of surprise.

As for Gick's recent statement? Ali is no naive child, nor is she a hot-headed youth.

Naturally, she harbored a hope for the eventual liberation of subhumans and had even contemplated the viability of Gick's propositions.

However, regretfully, Ali had arrived at her own conclusions.

Not everything Gick asserted could be factual.

If Gick's claims held true, his very presence here represented the most significant paradox, given that Monka was the successor personally appointed by Kurot.

Even in the present circumstances, Monka's absence suggested his preparations were still insufficient.

On one side stood the chosen successor, who had journeyed across half the continent with Kurot; on the other, an individual who seemed more akin to a fanatical warmonger.

Any rational observer would naturally favor the former.

The light bands appeared with startling speed, their motion appearing almost to defy physics, as if tearing through the very air.

One end of a luminous band materialized adjacent to Code 19's body, ensnaring it tightly in a fraction of a second! Mana Binding, while not an exceptionally potent binding spell, proves remarkably effective against spiritual entities.

Regardless of how Gick had gained dominion over Code 19's corporeal form, it was evident that Code 19 was in an unconscious state, rendering Gick incapable of wielding Code 19's internal mana.

The probability of Gick employing his own soul is minimal; while it would afford him offensive capabilities, a soul unprotected by a physical vessel is exceedingly vulnerable, and any mishap could lead to dire consequences.

Therefore, she theorized, Gick was likely utilizing some form of spiritual intermediary to manipulate Code 19's body.

In such a scenario, Gick's options would be restricted to exploiting Code 19's physical attributes for combat or for evasion.

Yet, if limited solely to physical prowess, Code 19 would pose no threat whatsoever to Ali and Roronora.