Chapter 60: An Uncertain Strategy

"Okay, okay, all of this is fascinating, but none of it changes concrete FACTS. I’m screwed, this little human science fiction project is useless to me, and I still have an enemy to focus on!!" Nio speaks almost arrogantly to the other Nio.

"[You’re right.]"

"Seriously?"

"[Magic will never be surpassed by technology. While your mediocre little world just learned how to access other universes, Typhon alone was capable of tearing universes to shreds — an abysmal difference that would only grow with time.]"

"[I won’t deny the human project was fascinating considering the short lifespan of mortals like them, but magic will always be the absolute pinnacle of all things. It is unsurpassable, because while technology must obey the laws of the universe and physics, magic breaks any of those rules, shaping everything to its user’s will.]"

"[Knowing this won’t help you. Their technology is useless. The only thing that helps is the fact that Typhon and I are weakened. Typhon doesn’t have even a fraction of her original power. She’s so weak it’s almost comical, since she can barely destroy a continent with great effort.]"

"...Well... I expected disagreement..."

"[There’s nothing to disagree about. Typhon is the biggest problem. Technology won’t work against her. Besides, do you even have modern technology?]"

"...No... in the game the technology level wasn’t that high. At most you could make some modern weapons and service robots that were NPCs..."

"[There’s your answer.]"

"...Dammit... I swore you’d say that technology would be the key..."

"[It’s a window, not a key to anything, and it will cause you problems if you ignore the monster hunting you.]"

"Okay, okay, I get it... everything still stands as it was... and knowing this terrifying truth changes nothing..."

"[It does. Now your theory has real facts behind it. You really can become far stronger than level 100. That limitation is stupid and ineffective, and it can be broken with time.]"

"[In my universe, I was as strong as Typhon. Your world just wasn’t capable of understanding that, so it showed those limitations like ’level 100’ to restrict the scope of action.]"

"You’re a lot friendlier than I expected coming from a dragon... don’t you despise me for being an ex-human? And worse, for being a man? I can kind of see everything of your naked body." She speaks while looking down, since she’s bathing and has nothing on.

"[I couldn’t care less. We’ve been together for years. We’re ’partners.’ But if you prefer, I can treat you like a parasite. Your choice.]"

"Partners sounds good to me..."

"[Perfect. Besides, I don’t care about this seeing-a-naked-body thing. That’s a human concern. Why would I feel shame? You shouldn’t even be capable of feeling desire. Millennia-old beings like us don’t feel that kind of thing.]"

"H-Hahaha... yeah..." Nio feels a bit hurt because she really doesn’t feel anything — no interest, no arousal, not even a twinge of lust. Her body is like a pretty picture and nothing more.

"[Besides, I saw you trying to test your humanity. If you want my opinion, your humanity is dead. Your body won’t become human just because you want to feel like one. Killing, torturing, blood, entrails — none of that shook you. Do you think you’d have had that courage before?]"

"..."

"[Be realistic. Your focus should be 100% on killing Typhon, and ignore this nonsense with tests. You are NOT human, and you never will be, no matter how much you want to pretend you still are.]"

"You’re very cold... in the game you were supposed to have a gentler personality..."

"[This is not a game, and I’m not bound by the silly rules you made up. I am not gentle. My gentleness died at Typhon’s hands. All I want is to see that thing torn apart on the ground, dying and begging for her life.]"

’What coldness... she’s a lot more... malicious than I expected... I know her alignment in the game was evil, but her coldness is far greater than I judged before...’

"[Pragmatic, not evil.]"

"...Are you reading my mind?"

"[I’m living in here. It’s not hard to see what you’re thinking.]"

"Haaa... could you please help me? Look, I know what I said, but I want help to defeat Typhon!!!"

"[...]"

"Silence? Really? You’re not going to say anything else?"

"[...]"

"Okay... I get it. You don’t want to get involved. But if I lose, you’ll be captured too, right? Isn’t it better to help me? Rationally speaking?"

"[...]"

"Coward. Are you that afraid of her?"

"[You can’t even imagine what she did to me for so long. I never want to face her again.]"

"Haaa... fine... do as you wish... wait, don’t you want revenge on her?"

"[Revenge is pointless. Even if I defeat her, if I keep her alive just for revenge, she’ll escape and come back worse.]"

"No!! I just had an idea! You’re right — I should focus 100% on defeating Typhon. And you know something I’ve noticed? Typhon is always centered. She normally doesn’t lose her cool, correct?"

"[...Yes. Even if I did something she hated, at most her expression would change, but she avoids yelling or showing explicitly that she’s irritated.]"

"Exactly! But I think that’s the key point! Typhon isn’t dangerous just because she’s strong, but because she’s cunning, meticulous, and extremely rational even in the midst of a terrible scenario."

"But what if we give her a scenario where calm is impossible?"

"[...Go on.]"

"...Nio, will you marry me?"

"[...?]"

"Think about it — what does Typhon hate the most? Clearly it’s being rejected. She told me that herself. What better way to reject her than by marrying someone else? If we’re married, her hatred for it will be so great that not even she’ll be able to stay calm."

"[That would irritate her a lot.]"

"Oh, it will, and that’s good. The angrier she gets, the less rational she’ll become. At some point she’ll ’break’ and stop thinking so rationally."

"[...This plan sounds idiotic. She wouldn’t fall for it... I think.]"

"Alright, alright, alright, what you think hardly matters. I’m in charge, right? As of today, you’re my wife. We’re getting married!!"

"[...I’ll see you in your dreams tonight... I’ll follow your plans, as long as I don’t have to appear before her.]"

"Perfect!! You’ll see. Typhon is like a mighty bull — I’m going to make her blind with rage!! I’ve always been good at setting traps. Without calm, she’ll fall for my tricks and schemes."

"[...Maybe it will work, but if it fails, prepare yourself for the worst scenario of your life.]"

"Okay! I’m betting on it anyway! Typhon accidentally revealed her weakness. She herself said she never accepts being rejected, so I’m going to give her the greatest rejection of her life — one that will make her burn with the purest fury!! Now I just need to... devise a plan. If she becomes furious, I’ll need a trap capable of defeating her, so I’ll have to think calmly..."