"So you're saying Nikki isn't just the medium through which I was corrupted — she's also a trap?"
Hel rubbed her chin thoughtfully, a faint laugh slipping out.
"As expected, both the witches of Desire and Virtue — those who toy with emotions — have filthy hearts."
"Perhaps if Master replaced her brain with a demigod-grade one, it would raise your resistance to such influence,"
Niv suggested earnestly, drawing on her own experience.
But Hel waved her hand dismissively.
"No need. Even you, Niv — with eight brains — fell for it without even realizing it. You're just not as deeply affected as I am.
Besides…" She smiled faintly. "I've thought of something better."
From her pocket, Hel drew a shimmering elemental crystal — one infused with a holy attribute. It had once belonged to Paladin Pablo, a sixth-tier elemental crystal of divine energy.
"You know why the Church refused to believe Bishop Orad was tainted by a devil?
Even after proof surfaced that he'd fallen, they still tried desperately to hide it."
"Wait — Master, you mean…" Niv blinked. "You're going to use holy energy to suppress the fallen attribute?"
"Exactly."
Hel nodded, tossing the crystal lightly into the air.
The milky-white, translucent gem caught the light of the underground sanctuary's magic lamps, scattering radiant hues across the walls.
"Life and Death.
Corruption and Sanctity.
Two pairs of opposing forces — but the rejection between Corruption and Sanctity is far more absolute.
Where Corruption exists, the Holy cannot;
and where the Holy shines, all Corruption is cleansed.
"There may be some fusion possible between them," she added, "but nothing as balanced as Life and Death.
That's why I said I've found a way out.
If I can cultivate even a small amount of holy energy, I can temporarily free myself from the Desire Witch's influence."
She held the crystal high, confidence gleaming in her eyes.
But Niv — ever the realist — couldn't help but interject:
"But Master… you don't have any Holy Attribute Aptitude Trait, do you?"
"Uh…"
Hel froze, momentarily speechless. Then she scowled, reaching out to ruffle Niv's hair in mock irritation.
"Seems like you're not that deeply affected after all — still sharp enough to ruin my moment.
Keep this up, and I'll have to punish you tonight."
"If that's Master's wish, Niv wouldn't mind at all," Niv replied sweetly.
"…"
Hel inhaled deeply, forcing down the sudden surge of dark, intrusive thoughts.
"Niv, please — until I've dealt with this corruption, stop teasing me.
If I lose control even once, that Desire Witch will have me completely.
Her power clearly feeds on temptation and indulgence. If I give in, I'll become her slave."
Niv blinked, momentarily startled — then immediately ran a deep self-diagnostic.
Several long seconds passed before she opened her eyes again, face pale.
"Understood, Master," she said solemnly.
"Good."
Hel nodded.
"Now, help me with the procedure. Implant this crystal into my body."
"Master… are you planning to cultivate Holy Battle Qi?"
Niv's tone grew serious — she knew Hel possessed only a few gold-grade Holy Battle Qi traits, most of them harvested from fallen Paladins.
If Hel was saying this now, it meant she was ready to begin training in battle qi — a path she had never walked before.
Hel simply nodded.
Originally, she hadn't planned to pursue it.
Her three magical affinities — Life, Death, and Elemental — were already more than enough to enhance her body to near-divine resilience.
But plans change, and reality had forced her hand.
"But Master," Niv hesitated, "your body already contains multiple energy attributes.
Adding another — especially something as volatile as holy energy — could cause internal conflict."
"Conflict? I doubt it."
Hel closed her eyes, feeling the calm flow of her three types of magic.
Death and Life energies rested in perfect harmony. Elemental energy, while harder to control, was still obedient enough.
"What's one more attribute?" she said casually. "I can handle it."
"That's because, until now, you could handle it," Niv countered gently.
"Your mastery over Life and Death — both of which you rule over — allows you to keep balance.
And your Elemental talent is already at the demigod level.
"But the Holy attribute is different.
It doesn't obey you — it rejects you.
If you introduce it recklessly, it may clash with your existing energies and damage your body."
Hel fell silent.
She knew Niv was right.
Her Holy Affinity Trait was low-grade — merely gold.
Even if she dismantled all those Saint-Knight undead, she could at best upgrade it to red.
And now, she was about to absorb the full power of a sixth-tier crystal — a flood of divine energy that could very well overwhelm her.
After a long pause, Hel opened her Trait Library.
Her gaze fell on one particular entry:
"Righteous Saint's Relic."
In her possession, she had one [Divine Matter of Justice] and two [Greater Saint's Relics of Justice].
"If I integrate one Divine Matter," she mused, "it might help me stabilize the holy energy.
But… why stop there?"
Her lips curved into a daring smile.
"Nineteen energy points? That's affordable."
With a wave of her hand, she began duplicating the necessary traits — merging, refining, and fusing them together.
One by one, traits dissolved into glowing motes within her Trait Library, until finally…
A new trait materialized before her eyes — radiating a soft pink holy light.
[Essence of Justice (Pink)]
A conduit linking directly to the authority of the Witch of Justice.
Can be used to create false god-spawns or demi-artifacts.
If the Witch of Justice perishes, this trait will lose all effectiveness.