Naturally, Selene had warned Konrad of the risks Death Conversion involved. And if it were before, he would have refrained. However, times had changed.
Power.
He needed an immediate and absolute return to power, to gain even greater might than he previously possessed so that he could handle all the events they now faced. Without such a drastic move, the road ahead wasn't optimistic.
Therefore, he had to risk it all. And he did.
Else wasn't even given the time to congratulate him on his breakthrough, that horrid, pitch-black lines stretched across Konrad's body, marking the beginning of his Death Conversion. Life left him at remarkable speed, and in less than three seconds, though he still remained seated, Else could no longer hear his breathing.
Alarmed, she checked his pulse, and was startled to see that it no longer beat! Her eyes widened in disbelief!
"Im-impossible. How could this be?"
She stammered, thinking herself deceived, and unable to believe her eyes. However, even as she refused reality, life's breath didn't return to Konrad's body. Seeing this, Qehreman shook his head.
"Failed."
Indeed, Konrad failed and perished in meditation. Now, as his soul collapsed, Selene too sighed in helplessness. Meanwhile, in the absence of the valley's overwhelming chthonian energies, the Terrestrial Expression could finally peer deeper into it.
His eyes locked on Konrad's fallen body, which now turned into a gargantuan source of chthonian force!
"If I can refine him, perhaps I can even transcend my earthbound fate and leave this place!"
The Terrestrial Expression reckoned in jubilation and shot toward him!
"No…no…I am not willing. I will never accept this. I REFUSE!"
Else roared, and in an explosion of demonic energies, summoned her Ankh of Myriad Eternity!
A maddened glint shone within her eyes, and without hesitation, she forced the Ankh into her chest before forcing it to release an unending stream of life sea!
Dark-yellow light erupted from her form while her eyes erratically fluttered!
"How foolish."
Qehreman sighed as he saw through Else's plan.
"SEER'S VISION!"
She snarled while burning her lifeforce and soul to fuel the strongest expression of her past altering ability! Instantaneously, Konrad's deceased form reverted to the beginning of the Death Conversion.
However, again, it failed, and again he perished in her arms. Still, Else didn't flinch!
"SEER'S VISION!"
"SEER'S VISION!"
Whenever Konrad's Death Conversion failed, she would return him back to before he started, using her Ankh, burning lifeforce and burning soul to fuel her move. In a flash, Konrad died and was brought back to life seven times.
But in each attempt, he failed.
Meanwhile, Else's lifeforce dwindled, and her soul bordered destruction. Still, she endured; still, she carried on!"
"SEER'S VISION!"
"SEER'S VISION!"
Seeing this hopeless struggle, Qehreman heaved another sigh.
"Love makes hopeless fools. If he failed in the past, no matter how often you bring him back to it, he can never succeed. Unless you manage to alter the reality of that past, you can't change his fate.
Meanwhile, with your second layer Seer's Vision and strength, that is as far back as you can go. Now, you too have stepped on the road of destruction."
Qehreman declared and waved his hand, causing an impregnable barrier to rise, and repel the descending Terrestrial Expression.
"You saved my mortal mother of this life. Therefore, I owe you a debt of gratitude. However, I reverted time and changed reality to save your Astarte's life. That debt is repaid.
You offered a brotherhood pledge, and I accepted you. Though our fate ends with my mortal life, since I called you -brother- I leave behind this barrier for you. Whether to change your fate or not…depends solely on you."
With that said, Qehreman turned heels and prepared to depart when suddenly, the hologram of a perfectly carved doll of a golden-haired girl appeared before him. Naturally, that girl was Selene.
"Oh? You can see me?"
He remarked with minimal surprise. His words allowing Selene to realize that he was well aware of her existence. And, therefore, of the system. However, he clearly didn't care.
"It appears my conjectures were correct. You are what hid within Qehreman's body and provided him with that astonishing ability."
She replied. But hearing this, Qehreman shook his head.
"Wrong, I am Qehreman. Or rather, he is me. My chosen incarnation of this lifetime. Every now and then, I incarnate myself in a mortal world in the vain attempt of righting wretched societies by relying solely on my mortal skills. Of course, my successes have always been minimal. But when you have an eternity of time to kill, failure is a remarkable drive."
Qehreman replied with his lips curved into a smile.
"You are…the system's true owner."
Selene hypothesized. As soon as she failed to grasp Qehreman's true origins, she'd assumed him connected to that unparalleled existence. After all, as the system's soul, within the Three Realms, there was nothing she couldn't see through.
Only that existence could stand above her vision. And now, she no longer had any doubt.
However, Qehreman again shook his head.
"I am not."
"How can this be? If not him, who else?"
Hearing this, Qehreman shrugged.
"Within the Three Realms, no one is qualified to force a lie out of my lips. I have no need to lie to you. However…"
As his words carried on, his smile brightened.
"…We are indeed related. The one you refer to as True System Owner is my eldest brother."
Startled by the words, Selene's eyes widened in astonishment.
"No wonder…"
And without hesitation, she bowed toward Qehreman.
"Please save him!"
And beseeched his help.
"Why would I? I already repaid what I owed. Allow me to blunt, although experience enabled me to reshape my view, there is one thing that will never change. I despise evil. If you think I'm going to help the devil's growth, you're sorely mistaken."
He directly refused. Still, Selene didn't lose hope.
"Not even for the sake of your eldest brother's plans?"
Hearing this, Qehreman frowned.
"I understand his plans better than you do. And frankly spoken, the requirements are too high. Throughout the Three Realms, no one can succeed. Although in terms of natural talent Konrad only loses out to my eldest brother, he is no exception. At best, he will complete all the quests."
When even an existence of Qehreman's level used the words "the requirements are too high," Selene realized the Hidden Quest Goal's difficulty remained leagues above all her expectations.
Still, she didn't lose hope.
"You refuse to help because his nature opposes all your beliefs. I can accept that. But what about Else's? For the sake of her devotion, will you not make an exception? You say you despise evil, but what is evil?
To the world, Konrad will always be an unparalleled devil. But as far as his women are concerned, there is no better mountain to rely on. To them, he only has tenderness and care. Therefore, they always stand beside him.
Can you really say that in your existence, you've never received the care of such an existence? A devil to all except you? If I'm not wrong, such a person stands very close to your heart. Otherwise, for someone of your level, what nonsense is debt?
It would be great if you didn't burn him to a crisp."
Selene affirmed, causing Qehreman's face to contort into a frown.
