BXBX NOVEL Chapter 38: Is Evangeline Trustworthy?
[It was risky to attempt such a thing with someone else present in the room. If Evangeline had any ill intentions, she could easily disrupt the process and sabotage your evolution. A single moment of treachery from her could mean your death.]
['If Evangeline dares to attack me while I'm in the middle of this, it'll be the end for me. But so what? This is just a simulation. I can afford to take this risk to see if she's trustworthy.']
['In real life, I might never attempt something so reckless. But here, I can have as many do-overs as I need. If she proves loyal, I'll know I can trust her. But if she betrays me, I'll make sure she pays for it in every simulation from now on.']
['Just because I want to start a harem of beautiful women doesn't mean I'll let them walk all over me. If they betray me, they'll suffer before they die.']
['In my past life, I saw too many of my friends get ruined by women who betrayed them. I won't let that happen to me. I might not be a saint, but I do want to help those who need it. But if they turn on me, I'll make sure they regret it.']
[Evangeline was oblivious to your thoughts as you began to absorb the avatar crystal without hesitation, undeterred by her presence.]
[You didn't see yourself as a good person, and you had no intention of pretending to be one. But you also couldn't ignore those in need when you had the power to help.]
[After all, the God Simulator System had informed you that you could become the owner of the Avatar World if you completed the simulation and ascended to godhood.]
[This meant you didn't have to save the Terra World; you could choose to migrate to the Avatar World if the risk of facing the Outer God was too great.]
[But abandoning the Terra World wasn't an option unless you had no other choice. That planet was home to billions of human lives. Walking away would mean abandoning their future.]
[You knew there were people not worth saving—criminals and Outer God Lackeys—but leaving them behind also meant abandoning those who were worth saving.]
[Sometimes, evil is necessary to fight greater evil, and the process can corrupt even the purest of souls. Ending a life, no matter the justification, is still the act of erasing someone's future.]
[That's why, they say, if a hero lives long enough, they inevitably see themselves become the villain.]
[But you didn't shy away from that fate; you were prepared to embrace the darkness if it meant saving your home world.]
['If I lose my humanity in this process, even if I become a god, I'll be no better than the Outer Gods. Becoming a god means wielding power, but it also comes with the responsibility of protecting the worlds under my care. I know it's idealistic to try and save everyone, but I'll save as many as I can and minimize the losses.']
[As you grappled with the chaotic surge of power from your Invisible Providence avatar, you felt it slipping out of your control once again.]
[But this wasn't new; it was the twelfth time you had absorbed an avatar crystal, and by now, you were used to the excruciating pain of being ravaged by your own tentacles.]
[Despite the agony, you remained calm, knowing that you could handle it. However, as you focused on reigning in the rampant energy, you sensed Evangeline moving behind you.]
[Even with your eyes closed, you could still detect her through the vast domain of your avatar. The essence of your power wasn't just the tentacles but the domain of invisibility that extended around you.]
[Within this domain, you could summon invisible tentacles at will, though at this moment, controlling them was nearly impossible due to the rebellion of your avatar.]
[As Evangeline approached, you noticed she was gathering energy, and a thought crossed your mind, 'Is she planning to attack me? Did I miscalculate in trusting her?']
[Your mind raced, contemplating the possibility of Evangeline sabotaging your evolution process. 'If she strikes now, I won't be able to defend myself. Perhaps I was wrong to trust her,' you thought, a wave of resignation washing over you.]
[But then, instead of an attack, you felt a sudden wave of cooling frost energy envelop your body as Evangeline placed her energy-infused palm on your back.]
[You didn't die.]
[Instead, the rebellion of your avatar seemed to freeze, making it easier for you to regain control. It was as if the instinctual urge of your avatar to resist was being suppressed by the frost energy.]
[The chaotic energy that had been rampaging through your body began to calm, allowing you to exert your will over your avatar once more.]
[The situation felt akin to how the human immune system reacts to a virus—fighting against the intrusion, causing fever as a result. But in this case, the frost energy acted like a calming agent, helping you subdue the rampaging power.]
[If your Invisible Providence had been a sentient-type avatar, it might have been an alter ego rebelling against you, but since it was instinct-driven, the frost energy effectively quelled its rampage, giving you the upper hand.]
[Soon enough, you successfully absorbed the avatar crystal, bringing your total to twelve. You were now just one crystal away from achieving the complete evolution of your avatar.]
[This risky experience proved that Evangeline wasn't just trustworthy—she had gone above and beyond by revealing her ability to calm the rampaging avatar during the absorption process.]
[Such a revelation was no small thing. It was a power that could easily be exploited by someone with ill intentions, putting her at considerable risk.]
[You smiled in relief, thinking, 'I would have been content if Evangeline simply didn't backstab me and kept watch while I absorbed the crystal. But for her to reveal an ability that could pacify the rampage of an avatar during crystal absorption? She's earned my trust.']