"His magic enchantments are not mere system driven like simple rules that can be tricked easily with a basic workaround. Beowulf might have placed small particles of himself all around this area to 'lock' me here in this spot permanently and without escape. I swear to you, I cannot be taken from this very chamber we stand in no matter what clever method we try to use."
I brought my dragon-like golden eyes downward, the glowing orbs shifting slowly as a heavy feeling settled in.
I was wondering deeply why such a strong and powerful guy like Beowulf had to exist in the same world as me right now.
I might become a villain someday, who knows how things will turn out, so this Beowulf guy might... definitely be a major pain in the ass.
If he ever decided to seal me away too, I was already thinking I would commit seppuku without hesitation.
I have to get strong fast.
Shion, who had been delivering her serious sermon with a firm and steady voice, suddenly went soft in her expression and extended one of her hands gently toward me.
She was patting the tentacles that made up my hair with slow, comforting strokes.
"I understand that you are genuinely worried about me and my situation here. Thank you for caring so much..." She said in that deep, rich feminine voice that carried warmth even in the middle of the heavy moment, "But I might have a better idea that could truly work for us."
"Oh? What idea? Tell me right now, I want to hear every detail..." I replied quickly, my golden eyes widening with sudden interest as I leaned in closer.
The idea she proposed was more crazy than anything I had come up with earlier...
But it still stayed within the realm of things that could be doable if we played our cards right.
She explained that I could eat away at the enchantment holding her in place, consuming the thousands of powerful enchantments layer by layer from the outside where I had better access.
If the attempt came from outside the sealed chamber instead of trying to pull her out, it might become possible to break the hold without triggering everything at once.
And Gabriel confirmed the possibility without any hesitation in its usual computer-lady tone;
{Affirmative; the possibility of removing the enchantments by consuming them with Gluttony is 100% possible... in approximately 500 years of continuous effort.}
Chi-chi-chi! (Note: this is Kivuli's laughter. Enjoy).
You hear that?
If I kept munching on the enchantments nonstop for a full 500 years, I would eventually finish the entire thing and free her completely...
Nah, that was straight-up a punishment that felt no less than staying trapped myself!
But... it was the only clear way in sight right now.
I personally believed deep down that there had to be a faster method to free her still, even if it turned out to be extremely difficult to obtain and required more than I currently had.
I might have to do a lot of dirty work and make tough choices along the way.
But I didn't think it was completely impossible if I pushed hard enough.
{Notice... If you can evolve to Divine Shoggoth, the enchantments could be consumed a million times faster than the normal rate.}
A m-million times faster?!
This whole thing suddenly felt like a high-stakes gamble.
Where?!
Where is that Divine Shoggoth power-up hiding and how can I reach it?!
Wait, how much more evolution was actually needed before I could even get close to that level?
{It is uncertain at this stage. You will have to finish the four levels of Shoggoth Evolution completely, then become a spiritual being, before coming close to divinity at all. But the chances are high because of the possession of Gluttony. Evolution has extremely high to no ceiling with this Special Skill supporting you.}
Then I just got myself a clear life goal that burned bright in my mind.
Get to godhood and free my Shion no matter how long or hard the road becomes!
"What are you doing mumbling to yourself over there with all those faces you are making?" Shion asked, looking puzzled by the way my expressions kept changing and my tentacles twitched with every internal thought.
"Ah, the Special Skill Gabriel can talk to me directly if I ask it a question inside my head," I replied and shrugged my small shoulders immediately like it was the most normal thing in the world. "More importantly, let us begin working on this as soon as possible so we don't waste any more time."
"Casually implying your skill is sentient and can hold full conversations with you like another person," Shion held her temples with both hands for a moment, rubbing them slowly, "but I will chalk it up to you being you and just accept the strangeness that comes with it..."
We said our last farewells again, the words stretching out longer than before as we almost got emotional with the endless goodbyes.
We were repeating the same promises and reassurances while trying not to let the heavy feeling take over completely, but I finally stepped out of the sealed space after one last look back.
I stood in front of the large cavity entrance that held my parent, Shion, trapped deep inside.
I smiled at her through the transparent barrier, and she smiled back with the same warmth in her eyes.
"Break me out of prison quickly, arrogant child of mine!" She shouted loudly toward me, her smile growing wider and brighter as she called out the words.
"You bet I will..." I reassured her, my voice carrying the same confidence even if my small body felt the weight of the task ahead.
The plan was simple in theory but massive in scale.
Since I could not bring her out of there without risking exploding from thousands of god-level enchantments all activating at once...
I would eat the entire thing piece by piece until nothing remained to hold her.
I began to transform right there at the large cave mouth, my body melting down into that familiar grey drop of flesh and scattered eyes that spread across the ground.
Then I began to expand slowly at first, growing larger and larger across the cave floor, and expand some more until my form stretched wider and taller, filling more and more of the space in front of the sealed chamber.