Chapter 260: The Power of Sloth (3)

Chapter 260: The Power of
Sloth (3)

Sacred
power and demonic energy mixed together.

That
power, which seemed to straddle between good and evil yet leaned
slightly toward evil energy, shone within the Demon of Sloth’s
embrace.

[???’s
blessing responds to the fragment of the Demon of Sloth.]

The
mass of power handed over by the Demon of Sloth began to change as it
resonated with my blessing.

According
to Bunny’s mention, perhaps it was because of her past…betraying
other demons while being a demon herself, along with the Earth Mother
Goddess.

Unlike
Bunny who was purely condensed with demonic energy, the Demon of
Sloth’s power, mixed with sacred power and demonic energy, began to
split gradually.

The
fragment of sloth, which was emitting a faint black color, divided
into two streams while drawing the form of yin and yang.

Eventually,
the once-unified fragment of sloth separated into pure white sacred
power and pitch-black demonic energy.

Like
filtering dirt and water from sewage, the complexly intertwined
demonic energy and sacred power were separated into their respective
forces.

“What
is this?”

“…That’s
what I want to ask. How did you separate this?”

The
Demon of Sloth also looked at her own energies that had split before
her eyes with a bewildered expression.

It
seemed quite different from what she had expected.

“You’ve
removed only the drawbacks of my authority.”

“Drawbacks,
you say?”

“Demonic
power comes with risks. Just as using the power of gluttony makes you
feel endless hunger, my power needs such risks too. For example…”

I
looked at her separated fragments while listening to the Demon of
Sloth’s explanation.

[◆
Authority of Sloth]

— You
gain severe lethargy and fatigue. This is a permanent penalty that
cannot be recovered.

— You
gain power in exchange for diligence.

— Stamina-20,
Wisdom+10, Finesse+10

If
a status window had appeared, the Authority of Sloth that would have
been displayed like this, after being divided by the question mark
blessing, became:

[◆
Authority of Sloth]

— You
have gained power.

— Wisdom+5,
Finesse +5

I
suppose you could say it changed like this.

“Our
power stems from intense desires and cravings. Taking myself as an
example, every time I handle power, fatigue increases, making me
endlessly crave rest.”

That
wouldn’t do.

What’s
the point of training to better control the body, conditioning to
become stronger, entering the labyrinth and pushing the body every
day?

If
one falls into lethargy and craving for rest, they cannot leap
forward for the future.

Even
the purpose of heading to the depths of the labyrinth to save my
younger sister would become hazy, making one stagnate and become
obsolete by settling for the present.

“But
your power isolated the desire that inevitably follows when handling
my power, so that you won’t be corrupted by being swallowed by
desire.”

[◆
???’s Blessing]

– ???

– Stamina+10
Strength+10 Agility+10

At
her words, I opened the status window to check the blessing that
caused this strange phenomenon.

The
first blessing I had, the one that had been with me since I first
fell into this rough world and became my greatest strength.

The
blessing that could be said to have made who I am today…

‘Was
it trying to protect me?’

“……”

In
silence, I reached out toward the power before me with the sacred
power refined by the question mark blessing.

-Kwak!

The
moment I grabbed it, changes immediately appeared and something began
seeping into me.

It
was a sensation different from the blessings and curses obtained from
leaving the labyrinth.

If
blessings and curses felt like they were suddenly bestowed, this felt
more like regaining something nostalgic.

If
I had to compare, it felt more similar to the miracles used by the
priests of the Earth Mother Goddess’s order than to blessings?

It
feels similar to the Stigmata of Patience as well.

I
opened the status window to check the changes in detail.

[◆
???’s Blessing]

– ???

–
Partially recovered the authority of [Diligence].

– Stamina+10
Strength+10 Agility+10 Wisdom+5 Finesse+5

Changes
appeared in the question mark blessing. Wisdom and Finesse each
increased by 5, for a total of 10.

It
was additional stats equivalent to almost 5 level-ups. Moreover,

“Diligence…?”

“Ugh.”

[Hiek.]

The
moment they heard that word, both the Demon of Sloth and Bunny
simultaneously grimaced and their complexions hardened.

“What’s
wrong?”

“…That’s
what I want to ask. How did you separate this?”

The
Demon of Sloth also looked at her own energies that had split before
her with a bewildered expression.

It
seemed quite different from what she had expected.

“Since
I was sealed in that power. Ugh. After I went through the trouble of
betraying them, they could have sealed me more gently…”

[Crazy
bitch. That crazy bitch. That psychopath who handled the Seven Great
Authorities alone…how the hell is she called the Earth Mother
Goddess…? This must be historical distortion.]

The
demons, clearly far from good, began to have fits and slandered the
Earth Mother Goddess at the mention of the fragment of diligence.

The
Demon of Sloth was somewhat okay, but Bunny’s eyes were slightly
bloodshot.

Just
looking at her, strong hostility and desire for revenge against the
Earth Mother Goddess were gushing out.

Though
I didn’t know exactly what the fragment of diligence was, seeing the
demons having fits like PTSD-stricken soldiers made it clear that it
was at least beneficial to me.

Looking
at the details of the authority of diligence, that power was somewhat
abstract.

[Diligence]

–
The authority of diligence dwells within you.

–
You gain resistance to the temptation and desire of sloth.

‘Does
this mean I won’t become lazy?’

Sloth
doesn’t stop at just lounging around lazily.

It
makes one neglect efforts for improvement, and even puts off what
must be done, making one voluntarily give up a future that could
certainly have been obtained.

Resistance
to the sin of sloth that makes people rot by making them forget the
comfort of warm blankets and cozy beds, the fear and terror of
failure, and completely give up.

[Diligence]
was the power to protect oneself and others from such sloth.

Though
I’d need to learn more about its detailed usage, just obtaining a
power that gives positive effects made an inexplicable motivation
well up inside me.

But
one question remained.

‘A
change occurred within the question mark blessing.’

[◆
Blessing of Hard Fight]

[◆
Blessing of Radiance]

[◆
Blessing of Time
of Judgment]

[◆
Blessing of Dragon’s Heart]

[◆
Succubus’s Curse]

No
additional blessings or curses were added.

I
had roughly expected this since the sensation was different from
receiving blessings and curses, but the power of diligence entered
into the question mark blessing as if being subordinated.

‘Why
did the power that the Earth Mother Goddess handled enter the
question mark blessing…?’

No
matter how much I pondered, there were only abundant speculations
without any clear answers.

I
had one more question to ask the fragment of the Earth Mother Goddess
at the fountain on the 20th floor.

All
questions could be resolved one by one as we progressed through the
labyrinth.

[So.
What are you going to do with this?]

At
Bunny’s voice, I turned my head to see the demonic energy that had
been separated from the power given by the Demon of Sloth.

Bunny,
who had already approached close to the demonic energy, was wiping
her mouth while drooling, all while watching my reaction.

She
had an expression like wanting to steal snacks behind the owner’s
back but hesitating because of feeling guilty.

[Seeing
how you deliberately separated it, it seems you weren’t planning to
eat this…]

“Somehow
that sounds like you’re asking for it?”

[……!!]

Hit
right on the mark by that response, Bunny who momentarily held her
breath hurriedly rolled her eyes and continued with excuses.

[Ah,
no. That…Hmph! Do you think I would eat such trash-like demonic
energy?! Such things aren’t worth putting in my mouth even if someone
offers them! I, who was one of the great seven demons, have no reason
to covet such crude demonic energy!]

Despite
shouting like that, Bunny’s gaze remained fixed directly on the
demonic energy of sloth.

‘Of
course.’

The
demonic energy directly handed over by the Demon of Sloth contained
power incomparably greater than any demonic energy Bunny had eaten so
far.

It
made the soul stone of the chimera monster she ate before look
ridiculous, and was high-purity demonic energy that could even make
that Eldritch seem like nothing.

There
was reason enough for Bunny, who could recover power by consuming
demonic energy, to not take her eyes off it.

“Really?
Then there’s nothing we can do. I was going to give what’s left to
you.”

[Eh.]

At
my words, Bunny turned back to look at me with a dumbfounded
expression as if asking, ‘really?’

I
answered while laughing inside at that stunned expression.

“Even
though it’s separated from the sacred power, it’s still power
received as payment for the contract so it would be a waste to return
it. But since it’s such high-purity demonic energy, there’s no way it
could help me, who has sacred power, and it’s hard to store and
handle it separately.”

[……]

“So
considering your help with the Elder Lich too. I was going to give it
to you as a gesture of working well together in the future…but if
you don’t want it, can’t be helped.”

[I,
I didn’t say I didn’t want it!!]

Bunny
hastily withdrew her previous words and hugged the demonic energy.

But
unlike when I grabbed the sacred power, the demonic energy wasn’t
absorbed by Bunny. It just remained held in her hands, probably
because the Demon of Sloth hadn’t permitted it.

“Bring
it here.”

[……]

At
my words, Bunny approached with the demonic energy in her hands,
looking a bit more docile.

I
took the demonic energy Bunny handed over. But I didn’t absorb it.

“Kneel.”

[…ugh…]

A
hint of hesitation appeared on Bunny’s expression at the calm
command.

Bunny
had already knelt and even given fellatio service with her mouth
pussy.

Though
there was nothing to be hesitant about anymore, the reason she was
hesitating like this was probably because the Demon of Sloth had been
staring this way since a while ago.

“Could
you close your eyes for a moment?”

“Ah,
uh, uh… okay……”

The
Demon of Sloth, who had been staring at Bunny and me with strangely
excited eyes, hurriedly nodded and squeezed her eyes shut.

-Swoosh.

With
the gaze of the interferer gone, Bunny who had been slightly
hesitating knelt before me with a more comfortable expression.

“Open
your mouth.”

At
that short command, Bunny squeezed her eyes shut and carefully opened
her mouth.

‘This
is a kind of test.’

Going
forward, we’ll encounter various monsters and enemies through various
incidents, and among them, we’ll surely face beings possessing
powerful demonic energy.

To
face such beings, both I and my weapon, Bunny, must become stronger.

But
Bunny is none other than the Demon of Gluttony, and the biggest
reason Bunny obediently follows my words is because the restraint
created by the Blessing of Radiance is suppressing her.

But
as Bunny continues to recover her power, that restraint will
eventually break.

I
felt it again seeing Bunny’s resistance this time.

Bunny
must become a weapon that faithfully follows my words even when this
restraint breaks someday.

So
this is like fastening the first button for submission.

“Stick
out your tongue.”

Bunny’s
fists clenched tightly, making her veins pop out.

Though
some anxiety rose at her appearance that seemed to be asking just how
far I would go, soon the smile in my heart grew deeper.

Baeeeee—

Bunny
on her knees stuck out her red tongue as long as possible.

Her
eyes showed embarrassment and awkwardness as if asking if this was
good enough.

Bunny,
who had a big appetite, also had a lot of saliva.

The
saliva that naturally flowed out from continuously sticking out her
tongue dripped down between her bunny girl milk tanks.

After
watching that sight for a moment, I grabbed Bunny’s tongue with my
thumb and index finger.

[…!
Euugh…!!!]

Every
time her tongue was kneaded and she protested with clumsy
pronunciation, I looked down at Bunny whose nipples were getting
erect again and whose pussy was leaking bit by bit.

After
feeling the wet and hot sensation of her tongue for a while, I
stopped my hand again.

Then
with my hand covered in saliva, I took out the demonic energy and
placed it on Bunny’s tongue.

[Mmph…]

Even
though it was already placed on her tongue and she just needed to
swallow, Bunny exhaled hot breaths and waited for my words.

“Want
to swallow?”

-Nod
nod.

Bunny,
who carefully just nodded her head while sticking out her tongue,
looked up at me with desperate eyes.

I
spoke to her, who showed an expression as if just waiting for her
master’s permission.

“Swallow.”

-Gulp.

In
the Demon of Sloth’s space, the sound of swallowing saliva rang out
loudly.

At
the same time.

-Clank!

One
of the restraints constricting Bunny was torn off.