Sterl's eyes gradually brightened.
The idea of killing a god to survive seemed somewhat outrageous, but he already possessed the power to ascend to godhood. Furthermore, Sterl could ascertain that Licitris was, to some extent, on his side—
In the previous critical situation during the divine war, the Succubus Queen had shown no intention of abandoning Mephistopheles.
Sterl felt he could trust her, at least a little.
The only issue was that the Origin of Chaos amplified the combat power of the Archduke of Blood far too much.
That wouldn't be easy to handle.
But it was certainly simpler than dealing with Blood of Contamination, a calamity from the upper realms.
Moreover...
If he could enhance the Holy Spirit Bloodline once again, perhaps he could turn that buff into a permanent upgrade!
Wouldn't that be a game-changer??
The iron rule in the lower realms was that mortals could never defeat the divine, but with the Holy Spirit Bloodline, Sterl felt that his combat power could reach a level where he could challenge some weaker divine beings—
He could slay gods!
He had no fear of the strange effects of divine authority; his attacks would definitely deal damage, and with the enhancement from the Holy Spirit Bloodline, the Iridescent-Level Shattered Void...
He would be virtually invincible!
If it weren't for the fact that he was still under a countdown to death, Sterl would have wanted to throw a celebration right then and there...
"Cheat must evolve!"
"This is the only way to survive."
Sterl silently murmured. Next, he glanced out the window in boredom. Several distinctly different demons were engaged in a brutal fight, their brains splattering everywhere. Yet even the splattered gray matter shimmered with iridescent patterns, creating a bizarre spectacle.
The final victor greedily inhaled the air around him.
"I knew I wouldn't die! I can still live!"
"Ha ha ha!"
In the face of such a bloody scene, the other "people" were unfazed and went about their business as usual...
"What are you looking at? So engrossed." Sterl heard the sound of footsteps on the pristine white floor, and a tall figure emerged from behind him, wrapping him in an embrace.
A whisper, almost like a soft murmur, emanated from her, carrying an incredibly alluring quality.
Sterl... was initially startled, but then he realized something.
He silently closed off the influence brought on by the Holy Spirit Bloodline.
Previously, he had been completely unaffected by mental manipulations, but the Holy Spirit Bloodline allowed Sterl's body to remain unresponsive even in the face of the Succubus Queen Licitris's allure.
Just moments ago, Sterl had been startled, thinking he was done for!
However, as soon as he closed off the shielding effect of the Holy Spirit Bloodline against Licitris's temptations, he felt invigorated. The sensation of her soft, delicate touch, the silky caress, the subtly elegant fragrance despite her succubus nature, and the tingling whispers brushing against the nape of his neck ignited his desires in an instant.
When Sterl turned his head, he was met with a pair of deeply affectionate, stunningly perfect features.
Even he couldn't help but feel a sense of shock.
Among the women he had known, Rosalie and the later-rising Rayna were undoubtedly at the top of the beauty rankings.
Rayna still had the chance to rise through her strength and claim the champion's title.
But now, that title was surely lost.
Licitris presented the most perfect visage he had ever seen.
Sterl struggled to find words to describe it; every feature was exquisitely crafted. He thought of the "Goddess of Beauty" from sculptures in his past life, and Licitris's beauty surpassed even that!
Her inky black hair cascading over her shoulders appeared incredibly alluring, yet without a hint of lewdness.
Huh?
Sterl felt dizzy.
In his mind, he had envisioned that as someone who pursued strength with single-minded determination, his emotional detachment would be at a ten, while ordinary people would be at a one. For a succubus species that fed on the essence of the opposite sex, it should be at least a hundred!
How could a succubus possibly have feelings???
Licitris, in barely uttering a few words, had fallen for him?
Sterl, for some reason, recalled a scene from the Greek myths he had read in his childhood before transmigrating.
The young hero bound himself to the deck to resist the enchanting songs of the sea sirens.
Before him, all those enchanted had been thrown into the sea, becoming food for the sirens.
Yet the hero, by resisting temptation, caused countless sirens to fall for him, even willing to sacrifice their lives.
He looked at Licitris, inexplicably reminded of those incredibly beautiful, seemingly heartless yet deeply devoted sirens from the stories...
Had he, through his efforts—no, through the enhancement he received—resisted all temptations, and in turn, won Licitris's heart??
So...
Watching the unparalleled beauty before him with her eyes slightly closed and her cheeks flushed, resembling a blooming rose, Sterl felt a stir in his heart.
I have an idea!
The plan to hunt the Archduke of Blood was too risky for him to handle alone.
If Licitris could help by acting as a shield against the Origin of Chaos, then the opportunity would increase significantly!
Sterl's boldest idea had initially been to hide behind Licitris and let the Succubus Queen take on some of the burden, but now his thinking had expanded.
What if he could channel emotions to manipulate the divine? The benefits could be even greater!
Sterl quickly analyzed the logic in his mind, solidifying the persona and style of "Mephistopheles."
Faced with Licitris's tender words, any man would be unable to resist pulling her into his embrace.
But Sterl merely smiled coldly, grabbing Licitris's delicate, fragile little hand and tossing it down to the ground, forcefully removing it from his body.
"Don't be so frivolous, alright?"
From Licitris's perspective, the young demon Mephistopheles, completely unaffected by her allure, spoke these words in an extremely indifferent and upright tone.
Instantly, Licitris felt a jolt within her.
Her steps faltered, and she almost lost her balance.
She sensed something unusual arising within her nearly perfect divine body.
To put it simply—she was getting wet!
The sight of Licitris in that moment made Sterl's heart race.
It worked!
Sterl understood that if he wanted to take advantage of the fleeting affection Licitris had just developed for him, gentle actions would not suffice.
Women instinctively feel attracted to aggressive males; it's an instinct ingrained in their genetics. Although succubi are not human, the phenomenon of power attraction among demons should be even more pronounced.
Even if Licitris had fallen for Mephistopheles, to command this queen, he needed to first establish her position as subordinate and psychologically weaker.
However, most would not dare to play such a game with a divine level being.
One misstep could mean certain death.
But Sterl felt fearless.
On the other hand, by crafting Mephistopheles's image to appear indifferent toward the Succubus Queen, he could diminish Licitris's value, making her easier to manipulate.
In simpler terms, it was a form of psychological manipulation—essentially, PUA (Pick-Up Artist tactics).