Their romance storyline only begins on the second playthrough

Rhodes knew very well that the Goddess of Fallen Lust's wisdom had long since fallen into chaos... If she were allowed to continue breaking through, the consequences would be immeasurable.

How could Cecilia and the others dare to think of such a thing?

They planned to abandon the Fallen Goddess here to fend for herself after obtaining the divine position, and then have her besieged by a united force.

They really are a bunch of fools who don't care about the consequences when they act...

Everyone says that intelligence is affected after falling into the demonic seed, and this is concrete proof.

Vivian looked frightened, her eyes tightly shut, but she still said:

"But you can't leave me here... Your skill has conditions for use, right? I can sense it. It will automatically deactivate as soon as you take your eyes off me... Wasting a combatant for a weakling like me is simply not worth it..."

"Ah...so clever, sir, what should we do?" Shirley gently tapped Rhodes' ankle with her toes.

Rhodes did not respond.

Vivian is absolutely right.

Although Shirley's Gate of Hell looks terrifying, it is not actually that powerful.

First, the Gates of Hell are only effective against those at or below the same level. Second, during the use of the Gates of Hell, Shirley cannot use other [Transformation] skills; in other words, Shirley will also lose her ability to move.

Of course, having Shirley, the tank of their team, lose some combat power for a period of time in exchange for a chance to finish off the enemy is extremely advantageous for their team in many situations, but it just doesn't make sense here.

“But why do you think I’m trying to control you until the end of the battle?” Rhodes pinched her cheek and replied softly, “That’s never been my goal.”

His hand moved from Vivian's chin to her head, and instantly gripped the top of her head.

At the same time, the thorny crown within his body began to float and glow, generating an absorption power like a black hole, and began to frantically absorb [resentment].

The source of these resentments was naturally within Vivian's body—

The pitch-black "resentment" was a low, vile whisper that could corrupt people, but at this moment it seemed like a wriggling worm, being pulled out of her head and flowing into Rhodes' body through his veins.

"Ah, ah...!"

Vivian's body began to convulse violently.

Her twitching wasn't due to pain, but rather like the instant release of muscle soreness after a full-body run – it was so comfortable that she twitched.

It is also a release, a release that is the removal of the huge stone that has been weighing on one's heart for years in this instant.

Even Vivian, who usually appears gentle and timid, found it difficult to control her state and expression under this powerful sense of comfort, falling into a dazed and hazy state.

But her heart was not as relaxed as her appearance suggested; instead, she was filled with panic and shock.

If you ask her to come down right now, her first reaction will definitely be to run away. If she can't escape, she'll definitely cry and kowtow.

Because... her resentment is being absorbed.

That's impossible.

That's impossible.

How could someone extract the resentment of another person from the body of a demon?

Such a creature simply does not exist in this world.

The human body is merely a passive container for absorption; it is never a tool capable of receiving the resentment of others—as long as Rhodes is a living being, he could never do such a thing.

Her body convulsed twice, and she barely opened her half-closed eyes, her breathing rapid—

Monster...this is a monster.

But when she managed to open her eyes and look at Rhodes, who was absorbing her energy, her face instantly went blank, and her lips trembled.

The endless stream of resentment was being absorbed, yet Rhodes's purple eyes remained unchanged.

Always as calm as the sea, as steady as a mountain.

At the same time, in an instant she felt something special evaporating within her, which was then absorbed by Rhodes;

The moment she sensed this eastward movement, she froze completely, her face stiffened, and her hands went limp.

Because this isn't resentment, it's...

It is faith.

It is the people's faith in the gods.

Is she now a believer in him?

"No...that's not right."

Her breath caught in her throat, and her mind snapped like a broken string. In that instant, she finally realized there was another possibility—that there were people in this world who could absorb resentment.

There exists a being capable of absorbing the resentment of demonic seeds.

The Fallen Demon God – Cyrus.

As the resentment was gradually drained away, Vivian's witch-like symptoms lessened, and she became more and more like a timid young girl, while her intelligence began to gradually return.

A clear glint flashed in his pupils, his gaze as hazy as that of a newborn child, staring at Rhodes with incomprehension at this moment;

"It seems you've realized it." Rhodes released his hand and waved it twice to shake off the remaining unabsorbed resentment.

That's a bit too much.

Although the Crown can absorb an infinite amount of resentment, as the Crown's energy grows stronger, the subtle feeling of its potential eruption also becomes more intense.

Rhodes was thus forced to stop.

But isn't this enough?

“You are…” Vivian’s voice trembled.

In Vivian's eyes, Rhodes' figure grew ever taller, ever more sacred and inviolable.

Even though no divine light flowed through him, and no divine position hovered above his head, this seemingly ordinary Rhodes became the word "invincible" in her heart at this moment.

Rhodes slightly raised his eyes:

"I'm just here to take what I'm entitled to. Cecilia is just trying to steal what I'm supposed to have."

"There's no need to throw your life away over something like this, because whether I win or Cecilia wins, you'll both be back to normal."

"Of course, I think I have a much higher chance of success than Cecilia."

"No, no, why..." Vivian still couldn't believe it, shaking her head, the shock in her heart unable to subside, "Demon God? Demon God...?"

"what happened?"

"How could you possibly be a demon god? Rhodes, you are a soul god, I... I know that..."

"But, but, you can absorb resentment, and there's only one person in this world who can absorb resentment... Moreover, my faith is being offered to you, why?"

"Why is this happening?"

"If you are a demon god, why would Cecilia seize the demon god's throne herself?"

She couldn't understand it, and she simply didn't want to believe it.

The reason these witches support Cecilia is simply because she has the potential to become a demon god.

But if Rhodes is a demon god, and what they are doing is contrary to Rhodes, then aren't all their actions so far foolish and meaningless?

What about the witches who died?

What about our compatriots who died?

Wouldn't their deaths be completely meaningless then?

No, that's impossible, it can't be like that...!

A mountain of corpses, a sea of ​​corpses—those who fell before her, begging her to go on and redeem the witch—made it impossible for her, absolutely impossible, for her to believe that Rhodes was a demon god…

Even if it were true, even if Rhodes really was a demon god, she couldn't believe it—because then, it would all be meaningless.

The deaths of those naive brats who died before her eyes were all in vain.

"I... I don't believe it..." Vivian said these words with a sense of fear in her heart.

She knew why Rhodes was absorbing her resentment at this moment.

Of course, this was all to convince her of Rhodes and get her to help him obtain the fragments of godhood.

But she cannot do that, and she would never do that.

Rather than simply being told that Rhodes was a demon, she preferred to believe in Cecilia, her companion whom they had supported all along and who had strived for excellence. It had to be this way...

Because they are partners... they are mice who eat and sleep together, and live together in their mouse holes.

How could she possibly believe in a "demon god" that appeared out of nowhere, instead of trusting the companions who had followed her all the way?

"Why don't you believe me?" Rhodes asked.

Vivian's eyes went completely black. After a few seconds of silence, she raised her head and forced a smile:

"Rhodes, no, Lord Cyrus, I know your purpose is to keep me out of trouble, isn't it?"

"I swear by the divine seed that I will not take action again, nor will I participate in your battles. If I break this oath, I will surely die."

"I can't support you, but at least I can't betray my partners, that's all..."

Roddenton—

After Vivian revealed her true feelings, Rhodes understood her attitude.

It's strange, but not incomprehensible.

Compared to believing in facts, is she more willing to trust her past companions?

This was somewhat...unexpected for Rhodes.

Because he rarely saw witches with such thoughts, and he rarely saw witches with such attitudes.

Like that guy on the train last time—in essence, betrayal without hesitation is actually the norm, isn't it?

The witches generally knew that Cecilia was originally his partner, and Vivian knew it even better.

Cecilia's defection to him and her establishment as queen is problematic no matter how you look at it, and Vivian must know this.

In the end, will Vivian still believe Cecilia?

"……it is good."

It doesn't matter if she doesn't help.