"I refuse!"
"HUH!?" Yuria had six eyes, and all of them seemed to widen and bulge. "Refuse? For what reason!?"
Calm as still water before the storm, Joseph responded simply.
"You're no demi-god. You're a parasite." His voice carried quiet authority. "A system where you give me quests for power? A powerful being offering her abilities because she saw potential? This isn't fantasy—this is deception disguised as benevolence."
Yuria's form flickered, but Joseph continued, his face like stone.
"Being ordered around against my will? That's slavery. Gaining stats through your powers? Most likely a way for you to eventually be reborn and take over my body. Even if that weren't the case, you'd simply use me to settle scores with your enemies." He tilted his head. "Power free of charge? Such gifts never come without strings. You offer chains with promises of wings."
He took a step forward.
