[Ding! Congratulations on successfully completing the seventh reincarnation.]
[Please choose three skills to inherit: Burning Heaven Slash, Infernal Demon Flame, and Three Thousand Thoughts.]
Elliot Yuan remained silent, his gaze cold as he reviewed the three options.
Burning Heaven Slash: Imbues your weapon with flames capable of incinerating all things. These flames bypass all forms of defense and cannot be extinguished or destroyed by any substance.
Infernal Demon Flame: Uses negative status effects as fuel to unleash soul-burning flames that ignore all physical defenses.
Three Thousand Thoughts: Increases spiritual power by 500%. Enables the user to manifest physical objects through mental focus. When the mind reaches its peak, it can create entire worlds with a single thought.
After reading through them, Elliot Yuan let out a bitter smile.
"Do I even have a choice?" he muttered.
"With my current spiritual state, the moment I enter the eighth cycle, I'll be devoured by karma. Even though the karmic taint in my body hasn't grown, the instant I use force or overexert myself physically, it'll consume me. You know that—you know everything about me. That's why the options you offer are always perfectly tailored."
[…]
The system offered no reply. An awkward, indescribable smile spread across Elliot's face.
"I'm just a puppet, a toy for your amusement."
"You enjoy watching me suffer, don't you?"
"I know all of this, and yet I always fall for it… let you manipulate me. Even my death isn't my own. And still… I accept it willingly."
[…]
Still no response.
"…Fine."
"Let's keep going."
"If becoming a puppet means I can help them, then so be it."
With a heavy sigh, Elliot selected Three Thousand Thoughts.
He had come this far—there was no turning back now.
[You have selected: Three Thousand Thoughts. Initiating your next cycle.]
[Cycle initiated successfully.]
[Mission: Slay the Great Serpent and participate in the Khaenri'ah War.]
[Assigned Role: Sasayuri.]
[Transferring consciousness…]
"Hah…"
Elliot Yuan took a deep breath, suppressing all emotions. That gentle smile returned to his face—unchanging as ever.
This time was a soul transfer. He inherited Sasayuri's memories, as well as his strength.
From what he recalled, the current time was during the late stages of the Archon War.
The Seven Seats of the Archons had not yet been finalized. The deity he now served, Baal, was just one among many vying for dominion.
Her sister Beelzebul, who bore an uncanny resemblance to her, served as her shadow warrior.
To distinguish them, the elder sister was Baal, the younger was Zebul.
The two were inseparable. Zebul was a fearsome warrior, while Baal preferred peace and avoided combat whenever possible.
"Awake now? Want something to eat?"
A cheerful voice came from a stunningly beautiful woman.
She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman Elliot had ever seen.
Her name was Mikoshi Chiyo, a demon with elegant horns on her forehead and a flawless face beyond compare.
No wonder Kitsune Saiguu wanted her to wear a mask—to hide such otherworldly beauty made sense.
Even Kitsune Saiguu, who was as beautiful as Yae Miko, was amazed by Chiyo's appearance. That said everything.
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry right now," Elliot replied with a soft smile.
"Alright, I'll go check in with Kitsune Saiguu then."
Chiyo smiled as she walked gracefully toward Narukami Shrine.
After she left, Elliot quietly resumed organizing his thoughts.
He realized they were already at the tail end of the Archon War—it wouldn't be long before it ended.
The timeline lined up with what he remembered.
He—now Sasayuri—and that breathtaking demon woman, Chiyo, were both followers of Archon Baal, serving as her strongest generals.
Kitsune Saiguu served as the Guuji of Narukami Shrine, a white fox who had taken human form.
Yae Miko, still just a small pink fox cub, had yet to transform. She and Kitsune Saiguu shared the same bloodline, which explained their similar appearances.
"My time is running short…"
Elliot knew Sasayuri's fate. He would die in the Archon War, slain by the sea god Orobashi.
Zebul, enraged, would take up her sister's name and unleash the terrifying Musou no Hitotachi, a strike so powerful it altered the landscape and split the island.
Since the Archon War was nearly over, it meant his confrontation with Orobashi would happen soon.
If he could kill the serpent, the rest would be easy. He only needed to survive long enough to take part in the Khaenri'ah War.
"This time… let me, the puppet, bear everything…"
He gave a bitter laugh.
He hated war.
War tore families apart, left civilians ruined. All they wanted was peace.
Slaying the serpent would only be the beginning…
Elliot stood up slowly, understanding his mission clearly now.
He walked up the steps with calm, deliberate strides.
His long black hair and white robes flowed with the wind.
When he reached the final step, he found Baal and Zebul sitting ahead.
On Zebul's lap, a small pink fox lay curled up, fast asleep.
Sunlight streamed down gently on them. In Zebul's hand was a green dango.
"Sasayuri, is something wrong?"
Zebul looked up and asked with a gentle smile.
Elliot hadn't expected it—that the cold and distant Raiden Shogun could smile so innocently and purely.
It only solidified his resolve.
"I'd like to take a short leave… just for a while," he said calmly.
Both Baal and Zebul were visibly surprised.
"Why? Did something happen? Tell us—we'll face it together."
Baal's voice was soft and warm. Even the way she looked at people carried a gentleness.
She was like the winter sun—quietly warming everything she touched.
Thinking about how Baal would one day perish in the Khaenri'ah War, and how Zebul would then shut herself away for centuries… Elliot felt a pang in his heart.
He could endure pain a hundredfold worse for himself, but seeing others suffer always stirred his compassion.
"It's nothing serious. After fighting through this endless war, I just feel... tired. I'd like to rest for a bit."
"But if something urgent comes up, I'm still willing to fight without hesitation."
A trace of weariness showed in his eyes, and his voice carried a subtle shift.
It was this small shift that made his words feel undeniably real.
"That's understandable. You've been on the frontlines since the start of the Archon War."
"With most of Inazuma's threats now gone, it's a good time to take a break."
Baal smiled gently, then turned toward her sister.
"What do you think, Zebul?"