"Human souls are still too fragile. Good thing I didn't start with Bethel…" Alaric muttered internally, his gaze still studying Aucuses, alert for any undetected aftereffects.
Aucuses, unfamiliar with Alaric and too drained to notice his guilt, didn't pick up on it. His current state was peculiar... not good, even terrible, but lighter than ever before.
He vaguely sensed his soul had just endured a prolonged "torment." The blurred impressions of chaos and distortion were more terrifying than any madness or corruption he'd faced before.
Yet, Aucuses was certain he hadn't been truly tainted. He was still himself... not a stitched-together mental monstrosity or something else entirely.
He knew this wasn't because the chaos was harmless, but because the man before him had suppressed its corruption.
Even so, a lingering madness left Aucuses with an unsettling feeling, as if he teetered on the edge of a boundary, one misstep away from plummeting.
But alongside this, he felt an unprecedented lightness... not from insanity, but because the influence of the Primordial One had faded from his soul. His humanity, freed from divine interference, had reclaimed its true self.
It was almost euphoric, a sensation so distant he couldn't recall the last time he'd felt it... perhaps before he became an angel.
"You seem to be doing alright," Alaric said, though Aucuses hadn't answered. After careful observation, Alaric sighed in relief, confirming Aucuses was likely fine and the treatment had succeeded.
"…The Primordial One's will seems to have gone dormant? I'm not sure, but it's no longer affecting me," Aucuses said softly, his gaze dazed, as if afraid to shatter a fragile dream.
"That's no illusion. The Primordial One's will... or at least the portion in you... has indeed fallen into a temporary slumber. Until it adapts to or analyzes the traces of my power left in you, it won't reawaken," Alaric said with a smile, pausing before adding, "Given your limits, I didn't leave much power, so it won't sleep long... about three years? If you want it to stay dormant after that, you'll need another treatment. By then, I'll have refined the process, so it should be much smoother and more effective."
Nyarlathotep's power could suppress the Primordial One's will, but just as Alaric couldn't fully purge pollution from Mr. Door or others without breaking them, he couldn't recklessly use Nyarlathotep's force against the Primordial God Almighty. Aucuses wouldn't survive it.
It was unavoidable. Nyarlathotep's power was too potent and perilous, even for Alaric, its wielder, to fully tame. If Aucuses were as resilient as the Primordial One, there'd be room to maneuver... Alaric could dial back the danger. But Aucuses' soul was far less durable.
The Primordial One, as one the Original Creator's persona and a pillar of this world, had a soul far tougher than Aucuses', a difference rooted in their essence, not willpower.
"Three years…" Aucuses' expression grew complex, his face twitching. He took a deep breath. "I'll do my best to gather enough anchors in that time to suppress the Primordial One on my own."
Alaric glanced at him, unsurprised by the response. He blinked, then asked abruptly, "Was this treatment really that bad?"
He could tell Aucuses dreaded the prospect of another session. The experience had clearly left deep psychological scars.
Aucuses fell silent, his face twitching again as he fought to suppress instinctive fear, his gaze drifting as if he'd checked out.
"Your Excellency Lucifer," Aucuses said, his voice dry, almost pleading, "I'm grateful for everything you've done, but… can we drop this topic?"
He really was traumatized… Alaric rubbed his chin, studying Aucuses, whose every detail screamed resistance. "Alright, it seems this treatment left quite the mark. I'll definitely need to refine the method."
Alaric reflected. This time, due to inexperience, he'd nearly botched it.
That was likely why Aucuses was so shaken. Even if he couldn't recall the process, his soul remembered nearly being corrupted into another Nyarlathotep.
But Alaric was adept at learning from mistakes and improving. His growing skill at purging Outer Deity pollution was proof.
With this experience, he was confident the next attempt would be safer, less harrowing.
Too bad Aucuses wouldn't benefit. So, who's the next test subject? Maybe Lilith? Her situation's somewhat similar… Alaric's expression lit up with curiosity. He was deeply invested in using Nyarlathotep's power to suppress ancient divine wills.
But Lilith might not agree, and I need her as an ally. Can't force her into surgery. Any other candidates?
Alaric mentally ran through a list of potential "test subjects," pondering suitable picks, when a sudden thought made his eyes gleam.
Wait, there's a perfect one right here!
***
Hi guys, Elenea here. I hope you're all doing well.
I wanted to let you know that I'm currently working on one of the best projects you might ever read. This project is set in the world of Fairy Tail with some combined elements from the Yu-Gi-Oh! series.
I'm confident you won't regret giving it a try, so don't hesitate to visit my second account's page (elenea) and start reading it.
[Fairy Tail: My Magic is a Yu Gi Oh Deck?]
Synopsis:
Getting isekai'd into the world of Fairy Tail sounds amazing with all the magic and beautiful girls in it...
But do you know what's even more fun than that?
Getting isekai'd with a Yu-Gi-Oh deck!
(No knowledge of Yu-Gi-Oh is needed, so don't worry.)
...
If you like it feel free to giving it a try.