Great, now we are dead!

The knowledge imparted by the [Monster Hunter] was put to full use at this moment. Ye Shou almost never attacked a second time. He dodged and crossed paths, and then killed Ye Shou with a single blow, immediately escaping!

The thermal blade neither breaks nor dulls, and even hard bones cannot cause it any hindrance. In just thirty seconds, Ye Shou rushed across a straight distance of two hundred meters, leaving behind twenty-seven corpses of various monsters.

He was too fast; many monsters didn't even have time to let out a wail before he flickered like a phantom in the thick fog, and no one could pinpoint his location.

Suddenly, the goggles detected a heat source similar in size to Hissl. Ye Shou charged forward like a bullet, his heat blade flashing red as it sliced ​​through the slender neck—

puff!

His head flew off, and his body collapsed. Ye Shou stopped, turned around, and squinted his eyes, feeling slightly disappointed.

That wasn't the Labyrinth Master Hissl, it was just a relatively tall goblin.

But just as he was about to continue his search, the familiar golden color came into view once again:

The goblin's headless corpse was clutching a golden-covered magic book, with half an elf's arm still attached to it...

"!"

Ye Shou paused, crouched down, as if to get closer and observe more clearly.

...Yes, it really is that magic book!

Perhaps Hissl ordered the monster to retrieve it for him...

Unbeknownst to them, the surroundings quieted down. The roars of the monsters had long since faded away, only faintly audible. Ye Shou stared intently at the golden book on the monster's corpse, his eyes filled with hesitation.

This thing is too dangerous; he doesn't want to touch it at all!

But upon closer reflection, if a mentally unstable hothead like Hisl could suppress the Winged Lion for a thousand years, then in the original story, without the Leos Squad, the Winged Lion would have been unable to resist Hisl.

Ye Shou believed his willpower was no weaker than Hissl's, and besides, he had long known that the Winged Lion was no good, so he would not give the demon any chance!

If he had left the half of the magic book at the bottom of the labyrinth to [Canary], then he could have secretly taken the other half without anyone noticing, and no one would have been able to detect what was in his private space.

With this book, Ye Shou's gains from "Delicious in the Labyrinth" will be much more than just a few Destiny Coins!

Resurrection, teleportation, familiar creation... the difficulty of casting these spells increases dramatically once you leave the labyrinth, let alone returning to the main world!

At that time, Ye Shou will probably only be able to use the magic power within his own body, and he won't be able to draw on the power of the Great Source at all. He'll be out of breath even if he casts a fireball!

But what if we have a magic book to help?

Let alone conventional magic, even resurrection spells could probably be successfully cast under certain conditions...

He needs this strength!

I am still too weak!

He seemed to be doing well in the main world, but the shadow of the future always lingered in his mind. Even a weakened Sukuna Oni could make him look miserable. Compared to those natural disasters, powerful monsters and aliens, what could he do?

Do we always have to rely on Kam Tin King-ryong to save the day, or Ultraman?

Shouldn't we be in control of our own destiny?!

With a firm resolve in his eyes, Ye Shou reached out towards the golden grimoire engraved with a winged lion pattern—

laugh!

The scorching blade pierced through the palm, sinking deep into the soil and pinning the entire hand to it!

"——!!!"

With his right hand holding a heat knife, he pierced his left palm. The boy was stunned for a second before he felt the excruciating pain sweep over him!

His face flushed red, and he clenched his teeth, but in the end he couldn't help but let out a hoarse groan... But gradually, the painful sound took on a hint of pleasure and mockery, and soon he burst into laughter.

The enormous wings vibrated the air, and a feather drifted slowly down in front of Ye Shou, causing his laughter to gradually subside.

Even after pulling out the thermal blade, his left hand was still twitching slightly, but not a drop of blood flowed from the charred wound.

Ye Shou knelt on the ground, his gaze fixed on the magic book. He slowly raised his head, and a lion with smooth, golden fur, its body covered by broad wings, exuding a sacred aura, came into view.

"first meet."

"..."

"No, I should say we've finally met."

The winged lion with clear and gentle eyes looked down at the human boy, and seemed to feel a little sorry for him when it saw his wounds.

"I noticed your existence the moment you came into this world, and I've always wanted to meet you... but I never expected it to be in this form."

I won't say that I have no ill intentions, because I know you are wary of me, which is why you rejected my invitation.

It seems you are well aware of the nature of evil, but such an extreme reaction is unnecessary.

I do not have the ability to force others to do something. The so-called demon is just a name given by people with a curse. We are just tools to help living beings fulfill their wishes. All the costs were marked from the beginning.

Without users, we can't do anything, so you don't need to be afraid of me, young human.

"..."

The gentle and kind voice kept entering his ears, but Ye Shou just looked at the other person quietly without saying a word.

Suddenly, a trickle of blood started flowing from my nose...

The winged lion noticed this and asked curiously, "What did you do to yourself, Ye Shou?"

"hint."

Ye Shou smirked, revealing a slightly unrestrained curve, and pressed his index finger against his temple as if he were digging it in.

"After first realizing that pride could spiral out of control and become a weakness of the soul, I decided to use demons to fight evil—"

[No matter the circumstances, if someone reaches out towards the Book of the Winged Lion, strike them down]—that was the implied message!

Chapter 77 Winged Lion's Heartfelt Confession

"I like you, Ye Shou."

The winged lion's voice was calm and gentle: "I have met all kinds of humans and understand their inner thoughts. At first, I thought you were the same, but I was wrong."

Perhaps this is fate, that just when I was about to be taken back by the "Canary," I met a man who could say no to me.

By rejecting me, you've rejected desire and taken control of your life... That's truly remarkable, and I admire you for that.

Ye Shou gradually stopped smiling and stared at him expressionlessly, without saying another word after that.

The winged lion scoffed: "In your eyes and those of other humans, I must be a heinous being, tempting humans, leading them to depravity, and causing them to be despised by the world."

However, I simply responded to their request; all actions and decisions were made by them—humans are truly creatures very good at convincing themselves.

Weak, impulsive, assertive, wavering... yet so endearing.

I really like humans like this—spoil them, cherish them, nurture them, and make them more and more adorable...and delicious."

"..."

"I'm scary like this, aren't I?"

The winged lion spread its wings and strolled around Ye Shou on all fours, displaying the languidness unique to large felines.

"However, the more dangerous something is, the more people want to get closer to it."

Perhaps it is because people's hearts are too empty, and reality makes their unique personalities feel lost, that some people will always be trapped in loneliness. They are fragile but also beautiful.

I have a deep compassion for such people, so whatever they ask for, I will do it all; my infinite magic is enough to support infinite desires. Whether it's bringing the dead back to life, making the night eternal, or building a better world... I helped them build Paradise.

The world has a very negative opinion of me, but there is one thing I can say frankly, and I will never lie to you:

They were content until the very last moment.

There is no time limit, no interest, and it provides for humanity unconditionally until all desires are fulfilled.

Just as a full stomach can no longer eat anything... only then will the fruit they cultivate meet my definition of deliciousness.

If such a contract is considered cruel, then reality for them is undoubtedly hell.

Compared to spending a lonely and short life in hell, I'd rather spend long and happy times in a paradise I've built according to my own wishes, until I can no longer find satisfaction, then it will become my prey—

Which of these two lifestyles brings more happiness?

"..."

"I know that in your human society there are things like morality and common sense, which require you to set aside your own perspective and make choices from a more objective point of view when looking at things."

Doing this is right, doing that is wrong, and doing nothing is irresponsible.

But in the end, these are all forces exerted from the outside, like words of power, like curses... or you could say they are the wishes of the masses.

Rather than that, I hope you can consider things from your own perspective and based on your own wishes.

The winged lion extended its soft tongue, the warm, wet touch licking Ye Shou's fingertips. The itchy sensation, like the roots of a plant, penetrated the skin and burrowed deeper.

It travels along the blood vessels to the heart, integrates into the bone marrow, and runs through the spine, causing a slight burning pain, but also making people inexplicably obsessed.

"You understand this, don't you? Nothing in this world comes without a price."

Everyone hopes to exchange a part of themselves for a better life.

Farmers exchange physical labor and time for food, prostitutes exchange health and dignity for money, and politicians exchange conscience and reputation for status.

Some people can use insignificant things to acquire wealth and power that most people cannot accumulate in a lifetime.

We are all slaves to something, but the cost and reward are completely unequal.

In my world, everyone is equal; there is no distinction of rank. Everything can be obtained simply through the outcome.

The winged lion came to Ye Shou and raised its head. Its clear eyes gazed at the handsome young man. The spots on its head slowly unfolded and turned into jewel-like eyes, both eerie and sacred.

"If you don't have a wish, you won't see me—"

What do you want, Ye Shou?

"..."

"I know you are a very responsible person, and you also have a very great ideal hidden deep in your heart."

That's right! Not for yourself, but for the safety of everyone. Make a wish upon me, Ye—"

hum!

The thermal blade flashed smoothly, and a pungent, acrid smell emanated from the mane. The pterosaur's eyes dimmed slightly, and then its entire head fell to the ground, leaving a smooth, slightly blackened fracture on its neck.

"To be honest, I'm really tempted."

Ye Shou looked down at the winged lion's head and aimed his thermal blade at it.

He said this, but there was no emotion in his eyes.

The high temperature had caused all the fur on the pterosaur's forehead to curl up, but the pterosaur seemed oblivious, still looking on with anticipation and joy, as if it were greeting a long-lost friend.

"Do you like the feeling of me licking you...? Will you still come to see me, Ye Shou?"

Zheng!

With a grin, the thermal blade pierced through the pterosaur's head from its forehead.

--call!

The winged lion's body vanished instantly, leaving not a trace, as if it had never existed. All that remained was the golden magic book lying on the corpse.

Ye Shou stood quietly in place, waiting for the mist formed by the spores to gradually dissipate before taking off his gas mask. Meanwhile, the members of [Canary] had already surrounded him without him even realizing it.

"I am the lord of this island. Are you messengers of the Western elves?"

Ye Shou looked around and finally fixed his gaze on Captain Mislen: "Regarding your unauthorized dispatch of a large force to the island, due to the urgency of the situation, we will not discuss it for the time being."

Now, I have taken the grimoire from the mad mage—"

With a kick, Ye Shou threw the goblin's corpse, along with the magic book, towards Mislen.

With a wave of his hand, the melancholy elf man caused the corpse to vanish instantly, while the grimoire remained firmly in his grasp.

"!"

In that instant, his face, which had previously been extremely expressionless and devoid of any enthusiasm for anything, now radiated an almost tangible resentment and murderous intent, even causing his subordinates to take two steps back.

"...It is indeed a container that seals the demon. I have received it."

Mislen suppressed her hatred and handed the golden grimoire behind her. The team members dared not delay and immediately took out special tools made by the Elven Kingdom to process it, giving the impression that they were going to turn the grimoire into a mummy and make it never see the light of day again.

—They are indeed a professional team.

Especially Mislen, the captain, who, like Hisl, was once a labyrinth lord tempted by demons.

However, he is one of the very few who survived after his desires were consumed by the demons and did not become a complete cripple. This is why he is regarded as a valuable talent and his status in the Canary rose rather than fell.