CHAPTER 87: I REFUSE... OR DO I?

’What the fuck!? So if I just let Alya fully transform... she could’ve been revived? But if Vivi had a system, and had been alive for so long, why did she still get sealed? Shouldn’t she be able to change her fate?’ Johan thought curiously, his senses picking up a massive skill issue.

It was normal for him to think this way, because even as Johan von Matilda, the weakest S-class character and a healer, he was able to escape most of the death flags and change the world so much.

Now, someone who was already Divine stage at birth—the top of the crop Divine stage at that—with hundreds of connections with other Divine stage creatures... and still couldn’t avoid her fate?

"What’s wrong?" Sensing Johan’s spiraling emotions, Nolan asked seriously. He knew this information must be shocking, but Johan didn’t even look shocked—just... excited.

Johan wasn’t even listening to Nolan anymore, staring at the blue screen with a knowing smile.

[SSSSS class: Servant of Death]

[The Goddess of Death, when revived, will feel a strange connection to the host—sparing, allying, or even marrying the host, depending on the host’s game.]

Johan remembered that skill vividly, and now this made so much more sense. If Johan was a fellow transmigrator and treated her nicely, there was already a huge chance of allying.

But this also made Johan think that the rewards the system provided were rigged. Something like this couldn’t just be coincidence, right?

"Nothing. I was just thinking over something. But you just hate her for the people she killed, right?" Johan asked seriously, trying to fully understand Nolan’s stance.

This also made him a little bit cautious about the Goddess of Death. He personally didn’t mind people having hobbies of genocide or being evil. Even with Leor, he only hated him because the people he hurt were him and his daughter.

But instead of trying to change her story and have some character development, she still chose to have the same lore. As far as Johan knew, everything about her history was the same as the game’s flashbacks about her.

Nolan gently shook his worm-filled head, smiling nostalgically. "...I feel like she’s being controlled by something. Something that gives her those abilities. Something that gives you your abilities..." his voice grew mysterious at the end.

Johan’s heart skipped a beat, his breath catching in his throat at Nolan’s words. But before Johan could reply, Nolan added softly:

"She was a good girl, trying her hardest to keep the balance of the world so it didn’t cause disasters. Death is the most important—even more important than life, after all."

Sighing, he continued, "From the first day of my ascension to divinity, I attracted the attention of many entities we shouldn’t even learn of. She protected me from all of them. Without her, I wouldn’t be alive."

Nolan’s eyes turned dim. "She even allowed me to meet the creator, Goddess Ymir—her mother. Something that should be impossible for just a random Asura to do, even at the divine levels. Whenever I was in trouble, she smiled warmly at me, telling me it’s gonna be okay."

"She was the furthest thing from what I imagined a primordial horror to be." Nolan wasn’t even looking at Johan anymore, lost in his memories.

Johan’s eyes grew serious. "So... me being a reincarnator and a person with multiple abilities is not the only reason you’re so interested in me..." For Johan, spotting Nolan’s intentions was easy.

He clutched his forehead, and instantly, a half-moon tattoo slowly molded itself on his skin, glowing menacingly.

Nolan nodded cautiously. "I want to save her. From that mysterious power that made her like that. End her suffering... her consciousness, so she can be free. In the process, learn why she became like this. Why did she make me like this? Why did she... seal me?" His voice was shaky, filled with sorrow.

Nolan then looked up, his face pleading. "Of course I will make sure you get an equal deal if you help me...

I will help you in defeating whatever power you have. Believe me, it will also change you—get rid of it.

Then, I will help you kill Leor. And right now, I will give you anything you ask for, be it a divine spell, a secret, or a blessing. Just trust me," he said with darting eyes, which Johan didn’t miss, suspecting he was still hiding more.

Johan didn’t reply instantly, turning to look at the blue screen that seemed cold, emotionless.

As if getting the cue, white text appeared immediately and started typing itself at the center of it.

[Host, you’re safe. Every system is different. I have no idea who Vivi is or what her system is, but the host need not worry! Was there any time the system gave a quest that you had to do, or you would die?]

[Gambler’s Gambit is only usable with points, and every single thing is in the Host’s hand.]

Johan took a deep breath. It was true. The system never really forced him to do anything.

’I mean, it did give me shitty choices in every quest, some basically psychotic, but I could’ve always chosen to do none at all.’

Johan sighed, choosing to trust the system.

Nolan was just a stranger with suicidal tendencies. Wanting to kill Vivi’s consciousness? Yeah, that’s suicide.

"I refuse," Johan replied quickly, not wanting to waste anyone’s time. He had to focus on saving his family, saving Sebas, and surviving first—then endgame things could come later.

Nolan’s eyes widened, hastily saying, "What’s your reason? I can give you anything! And could you at least give me the seal on your head? We need it!"

Johan’s eyes turned cold, not missing the ’we’ in Nolan’s quick reply.

"You saw my memories, right? Then you know that’s out of the question. First of all, it’s Alya, not Vivi. I will save her one day, and I won’t let the Goddess of Death die until I find a way to separate both of their consciousnesses."

Nolan’s lips parted at the audacity of Johan—the person who was alive at his mercy. But before he could reply, Johan added in an even icier tone:

"Also, the fact that you sent the manifestation of my worst fears and insecurities while already giving me this trial, which should’ve just been solitude...

It was almost as if you were genuinely trying your best to break me..." Johan said through gritted teeth, not trusting Nolan one bit.