The atmosphere in the living room was so oppressive that it felt as heavy as lead, making it difficult to breathe.
Genichi sat on the couch with his brows tightly furrowed, tapping his fingers against his knee in a steady rhythm.
His gaze shifted between Demeter and Astraea, his eyes filled with confusion.
"What's going on?"
His voice was quiet, but a trace of suppressed anger lurked beneath it.
There had been no problem with Demeter or Astraea.
After devouring their divine blood, he had obtained their Authorities: Spirit Healing S and Justice S.
Everything had gone smoothly, without the slightest complication.
Yet when he tried the same method and repeated the same steps with Loki, it failed.
Genichi couldn't help suspecting her.
His gaze settled on Loki, filled with scrutiny and suspicion.
Being stared at like that made Loki extremely uncomfortable, and she instinctively shrank back.
"Loki, did you do something?"
Astraea's questioning voice came from beside him.
Loki's expression instantly became animated.
Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something.
Then she abruptly stood, pointed at Astraea, pointed at Genichi, and finally pointed at herself.
"That's nonsense!"
Her voice was shrill and agitated.
"I didn't do anything! The problem is on your end!"
Demeter regarded her calmly, but her voice left no room for argument.
"Astraea and I both gave our Authorities to Genichi without any trouble."
Her implication was obvious.
Neither she nor Astraea had encountered any problems. The process had only failed when they reached Loki.
Wasn't it obvious who was responsible?
Loki's face turned bright red.
She felt more wronged than Dou E. She had done nothing, had given Genichi her blood exactly as instructed, and had even agreed to surrender part of her Authority.
Yet it still hadn't worked.
She didn't know why. She was just as confused and frustrated as everyone else.
"Well, I don't know what happened."
Loki's voice carried a distinctly aggrieved note.
"I didn't do anything. I gave you my blood exactly as you asked."
She immediately resorted to shamelessly denying any responsibility.
She had given him the blood. She had done what he asked. There was no problem on her end.
Why it hadn't worked was their problem, not hers.
Genichi's frown deepened.
He stared at Loki.
"If you disagreed, you could've simply refused. But don't you think playing tricks like this makes people hate you?"
That accusation was rather harsh.
Loki's face instantly darkened. She slammed her hand against the table and shot to her feet, glaring down at Genichi.
Fury burned in her eyes. Her lips trembled, and she looked like a volcano on the verge of erupting.
"That's bullshit!"
She was practically roaring.
"I didn't do a damn thing! You're not planning to take what you wanted and then break our agreement, are you?"
Genichi looked at her and sneered.
Without saying anything, he turned around, removed his shirt, and exposed his back to everyone.
His muscular back was covered in tightly packed words and symbols. It was his Falna, proof of the power Demeter had bestowed upon him.
"Demeter, update my status."
Demeter nodded and stepped forward. She pricked her finger and allowed a drop of divine blood to fall onto Genichi's back.
Light flared.
The words and symbols began to shift as new information appeared.
Loki's eyes widened. She leaned closer and carefully examined the text.
Strength: SSS 1499
Endurance: SSS 1499
Dexterity: SSS 1499
Agility: SSS 1499
Magic: SSS 1499
Development Abilities: Mystery D, Mage D, Luck E, Mixing F, Abnormal Resistance G, Spirit Healing S, Justice S
Magic: Magic Index, Manifestation at Will, King of Shadows
Skills: Devour, Demon, Sevenfold Army, Dragon Eater, Apotheosis, You Are the Dragon, Goddess's Love, Schrift
The corner of Loki's mouth twitched.
No wonder this brat was as strong as a monster. His skills and magic were utterly absurd.
Magic Index allowed him to record and use any form of magic.
Manifestation at Will allowed him to summon anyone who had ever existed from the river of time.
As for King of Shadows...
Then there were Sevenfold Army, Dragon Eater, and Apotheosis. Every one of them was an ability powerful enough to make even the gods envious.
Her gaze finally settled on Goddess's Love.
Demeter's Love: Spirit Healing S
Astraea's Love: Justice S
The two records were clearly displayed before her.
Most of Loki's suspicions vanished.
Genichi hadn't lied. He really had obtained Authorities from Demeter and Astraea.
His method worked.
"Under normal circumstances, there was no problem with either Demeter or Astraea."
Genichi put his shirt back on, turned around, and looked at Loki.
"You're the only one it failed with. Who do you think I should suspect, you or myself?"
Loki looked deeply aggrieved.
She opened her mouth to argue, only to realize she had no idea what to say.
She had given him her blood. She had agreed to surrender part of her Authority. She genuinely hadn't done anything.
Yet it still hadn't worked.
"I didn't do anything."
Her voice became much quieter, carrying a hint of genuine hurt.
The situation reached an impasse.
Both sides believed they were blameless. Both thought the other should accept responsibility, and both felt wronged.
Genichi had used the same method successfully twice, so he saw no reason for it to fail with Loki.
Meanwhile, Loki had done everything he asked of her and couldn't understand why she was being blamed for his failure.
Astraea stood to the side, watching the two of them argue. She sighed inwardly as her gaze moved between Genichi and Loki.
Then a possibility occurred to her.
"Could it be that it only works if you do it that way?"
Her voice was quiet and hesitant.
Genichi turned toward her.
"That way? What way?"
Astraea's cheeks reddened slightly, but she still forced herself to answer.
"Have you forgotten how I gave you my divine blood?"
Genichi froze.
Then his expression became strange.
Of course he remembered how Astraea had given him her divine blood.
It had been through a kiss, one carrying the taste of blood, the warmth of her lips, and an indescribable intimacy.
The living room fell silent.
Demeter's expression became subtle, while Genichi's grew complicated.
Astraea lowered her head and twisted her fingers together, her cheeks as red as ripe apples.
"You mean..."
Genichi's voice sounded slightly hoarse.
"We need to kiss?"
Astraea said nothing and merely nodded.
Loki looked at Astraea, then at Genichi. The corner of her mouth twitched.
"So you're saying I have to kiss this brat?"
Astraea raised her head and looked at Loki.
"Perhaps Demeter's relationship with Genichi and my relationship with him go beyond that of a goddess and her child. We share a deeper connection, a more intimate bond. That connection may be the key to obtaining an Authority."
The corner of Loki's mouth twitched even harder.
She looked at Genichi, then Astraea, and finally Demeter.
Demeter appeared calm, but a mischievous glint in her eyes suggested she was enjoying the show.
"I..."
Loki opened her mouth, only to discover that no words would come out.
She was Loki, the Goddess of Trickery and Deception, a being who had lived for hundreds of millions of years.
What hadn't she seen before?
What absurd experiences hadn't she endured?
But asking her to kiss a human boy was another matter entirely. If it had been a beautiful girl, she wouldn't have had a problem.
"No."
Loki's voice was firm.
"Find another way."
Genichi looked at her, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.
"There is no other way."
Loki's face turned bright red.
"You!"
Genichi spread his hands.
"I don't particularly want this either, but if you want me to revive Ais's parents, this is the condition."
Loki gritted her teeth as an intense struggle raged within her.
Kiss him or refuse?
Kissing him would be unbearably embarrassing.
But if she refused, Ais's parents couldn't be revived.
She remembered Ais's golden eyes, filled with hope and pleading.
She remembered the tremor in Ais's voice when she said, "I want to bring my parents back to life."
Her words had carried longing and more than a decade of suppressed grief.
Loki closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
The atmosphere in the living room froze completely.
Loki stood before Genichi with her hands on her hips, wearing an expression as though she had swallowed a live fly.
Her lips were pressed into a thin line, her brows were tightly knitted, and she glared at Genichi as though she wanted to tear a chunk of flesh from his body.
She was the Goddess of Trickery and Deception, a being who had lived for hundreds of millions of years, and someone even the other gods treated with caution.
She could deceive people, scheme against them, and manipulate anyone in the palm of her hand.
Never had she imagined that one day she would be driven into such a humiliating predicament.
She had to kiss a human boy.
Fine. A kiss is just a kiss.
Loki cursed inwardly, though her expression remained twisted.
She took a deep breath, turned around, and looked at Ais, her eyes becoming pitiful.
"Ais-tan."
Her voice was as soft as cotton candy, carrying traces of coyness, grievance, and a clear demand for praise.
"I'm only putting myself through this for you. You'd better remember how much I sacrificed."
Ais stood behind her, her long golden hair shining brilliantly beneath the sunlight. Her delicate features remained completely expressionless, and her golden eyes were as placid as a still lake.
Her gaze passed over Loki without stopping or wavering, as though a meaningless breeze had brushed past her.
Then her eyes settled on Genichi.
An intense light immediately ignited within them. It was burning, focused, and filled with almost overflowing desire.
She looked at him as though he were a priceless treasure, something precious she had lost and finally recovered, or someone for whom she would willingly trade everything she possessed.
Loki's expression froze.
She stared into Ais's eyes.
At that moment, those eyes reflected another person's figure.
That person wasn't Loki.
It was Genichi.
Loki felt as though something had stabbed straight into her heart. It wasn't physical pain, but agony that struck her very soul.
It felt like a helpless husband being forced to watch his wife cheat on him, unable to do anything about it and even having to tell the other man to be gentle.
Loki's face turned crimson.
Her lips trembled as she tried to say something, but no words came out.
She clutched the hem of her clothes so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her entire body was like a taut bowstring on the verge of snapping.
Genichi had no idea what was going through Loki's mind.
If he had known, he would have rolled his eyes.
This wasn't some romance novel written for women. Loki had clearly lost her mind.
"Let me make something clear first."
Genichi's voice was calm but unwavering.
"I'll only help Ais revive her parents after I obtain your Authority. If I don't receive it, I absolutely will not revive them."
The corner of Loki's mouth twitched.
She glared at him, her eyes filled with anger and resentment.
"Are you certain kissing you will let you obtain my Authority? What if something goes wrong again?"
"I can't guarantee anything."
Genichi spread his hands, wearing an innocent expression.
"This is how I obtained the Authorities of Astraea and Demeter. If I still fail to obtain yours, then the problem must be on your end."
The moment Loki heard this, rage erupted within her.
This bastard was truly determined to dump all the blame on her!
His method was obviously flawed. He had failed to obtain her Authority, yet he was somehow making everything her fault?
She had given him her blood, cooperated with him, and done absolutely nothing wrong.
"So..."
Genichi remained perfectly calm.
"You can choose again. We can continue, or we can end this here. Honestly, I'm not exactly enthusiastic about kissing you either. After all..."
His gaze traveled up and down Loki's figure.
Then he sighed.
The sigh was quiet, but it pierced Loki's heart like a knife.
Loki felt a rush of blood surge into her head.
Her eyes became bloodshot, and her teeth ground together. She resembled an erupting volcano.
"Die!"
She screamed and lunged at Genichi, her fingers curled into claws as if she intended to drag him down with her.
She moved with astonishing speed and reached him almost instantly.
Her fingers stopped only an inch from his throat. Another fraction of a second and she would have torn into him.
Then a hand reached out from the side and grabbed the back of Loki's collar.
It was slender and pale, with delicate, well-defined knuckles.
It was Ais's hand.
Loki's body stopped in midair before Ais firmly slammed her down against the coffee table.
Her face was pressed against the cold glass, and her limbs sprawled outward like an overturned turtle. She couldn't move at all.
"Ais-tan!"
Loki's voice was shrill and aggrieved.
"Let me go! I'm going to kill that bastard!"
Ais didn't answer.
She merely looked down at Loki, her golden eyes showing neither anger nor reproach, only helplessness.
Her hand remained firmly pressed against the back of Loki's head. No matter how violently the goddess struggled, she couldn't break free.
Genichi crouched until he was eye level with Loki.
He studied her face pressed against the table, her furious eyes, and the mouth still cursing him without pause.
"With you lying like that, I can't even tell your chest from your back."
His voice was quiet, carrying mockery, amusement, and an indescribable hint of satisfaction.
Loki's entire body stiffened.
Then she began struggling far more violently than before, thrashing with reckless fury.
Her hands slapped against the edges of the coffee table, and her feet kicked against the floor. She flailed like a fish thrown onto dry land.
Her face became crimson, her eyes nearly spewed fire, and a stream of indistinct curses poured from her mouth.
"Let me go! I'll kill him! I swear I'm going to kill him!"
Ais still didn't release her.
Her expression remained calm, but a faint smile flickered through her golden eyes.
Demeter stood to the side, watching the scene unfold.
Of course she knew Genichi was doing it deliberately.
He was intentionally mocking Loki, provoking her, and driving her into a rage.
Only then would Loki forget her embarrassment. Consumed by anger, she might do something she would never ordinarily consider.
Something like kissing him.
Astraea couldn't suppress her smile either.
Watching Loki suffer was surprisingly satisfying.
The Goddess of Trickery and Deception was normally so arrogant and overbearing that she treated everyone else like fools to be toyed with.
Seeing Genichi lead her in circles while Ais pinned her helplessly against the coffee table was more refreshing than drinking an entire pot of fine tea.
"Ais-tan, let me go."
Loki's voice finally became calmer, though anger continued burning in her eyes.
"I'm not going to kill him."
Ais looked at her and remained silent for a moment before finally releasing her.
Loki climbed off the coffee table and straightened her messy hair and clothes.
She took a deep breath and struggled to calm herself.
When she looked at Genichi again, her eyes contained a complicated mixture of fury, resentment, unwillingness, and a trace of embarrassment she hadn't even noticed herself.
"Fine. I'll kiss you."
Her voice was quiet, but it carried the grim resolve of someone who had abandoned all restraint.
"I'm going all in."
She stepped forward and stopped before Genichi, raising her head to look at him.
They were so close that she could see the curve of his eyelashes and smell the faint trace of alcohol still lingering on him.
Her heart pounded like a drum, and her face burned hot enough to catch fire.
"Close your eyes."
Her voice carried a commanding edge.
Genichi looked down at her, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.
"No."
The corner of Loki's mouth twitched.
She rose onto the tips of her toes, closed her eyes, and leaned toward Genichi's lips.
The living room fell silent.
Demeter and Astraea held their breath, their eyes widening as they watched.
Ais stood to the side with a calm expression, though a strange light flickered through her golden eyes.
Loki's lips touched Genichi's.
Genichi bit her lip, drawing a trace of divine blood.
At that moment, Loki felt a portion of her Authority being taken by him.
Her eyes flew open. She stepped back and pushed Genichi away.
Genichi looked back at her, a glimmer appearing in his eyes.
"Did you get it?"
Loki's voice was slightly hoarse.
Genichi closed his eyes and sensed the new power emerging within his body.
He could feel Loki's Authority merging with his soul.
It was the power of the Goddess of Trickery and Deception. Although he had obtained only a portion of it, that was enough.
He opened his eyes and nodded.
"I got it."
Loki released a long breath.
She turned toward Ais, her eyes filled with exhaustion and relief.
"Ais-tan, I did it. Your parents can be brought back now."
Gratitude flickered through Ais's golden eyes.
"Thank you."
Loki froze for a moment before smiling.
The smile was faint and gentle, carrying relief, gratification, and an indescribable sense of fulfillment.
(End of Chapter)
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