The Demon’s Menu

How could this possibly be Jason’s setup?

If it really was Jason’s setup, according to Edward’s description, Jason would definitely have had more complete means rather than this kind of probing.

Exactly.

It was probing.

Brian could tell, Jason’s previous actions were full of probing.

If it was a real schemer, they simply wouldn’t act like this.

To put it simply, the previous assertion was completely Edward’s conjecture.

It’s just... this plausible and reasonable conjecture involuntarily influenced him.

Brian shook his head repeatedly, trying to throw Edward’s influence out of his mind, but just then, he was slightly startled.

That shadowy figure was indistinct as though it was a... snake?

And a two-headed one at that!

Brian turned his head and looked, and when he saw John’s expression, he knew he wasn’t hallucinating.

"This madman still has a trump card?"

Brian couldn’t help but say.

"Don’t worry,"

"He has one, Jason has one too,"

"And more, only more!"

John said with considerable confidence.

Edward didn’t hear any of the conversation between the two.

He stared at Jason and pointed at the huge shadowy figure that was there one moment and gone the next.

"Did you see that, Jason?"

"You are a snake, and so am I."

Edward said with an inexplicable pride, as if this was an immensely significant matter, but each time he spoke, he spat out blood and the ’book’s’ resistance intensified by several degrees.

Jason repeatedly cast "Protection Against Evil", suppressing the ’book’s’ rebellion.

Meanwhile, the scent of the ’feast’ grew stronger with the ’book’s’ struggle.

Jason’s sense of hunger deepened within him.

Control!

Discipline sets me free!

Jason reminded himself, striving to not ’smell’ the ’feast’s’ scent, but the aroma still involuntarily penetrated his nostrils.

This was agony for Jason.

It was torture.

His body began to tremble uncontrollably.

This was his willpower restraining his instincts.

And watching Jason’s trembling, Edward also began to shake.

"Are you also excited?"

"This feeling..."

"It’s marvelous!"

While spitting out fresh blood, Edward looked down at his trembling hands. The reigning king of Cherry City, who had never really fought, was experiencing a wondrous sensation for the first time.

Edward’s earlier life had always been graceful, relying on his family’s strength, he was invincible.

Even if there were any troubles, someone would solve them for him.

All this changed after that incident!

After that incident, he felt a sense of powerlessness!

He began to fend for himself!

Already accustomed to being cold-blooded and deceitful, he stopped at nothing.

He thought it was only natural.

After all, he was just trying to survive.

Even until just recently, Edward didn’t think there was anything wrong with that.

But now?

He still didn’t think he was wrong.

However, what was this ’Excitement of Feast’ he had never felt before?

And, his enemy was also in ’excitement.’

Was this ’resonance’?

Was this...

’Nemesis’?

Whew!

Edward took a deep breath, involuntarily looking at Jason who was shaking just like him.

He was vomiting blood even more violently.

But then, he raised his hand and pointed at Jason—

"Jason!"

"My ’nemesis’ for life!"

"Let us fight with all we’ve got!"

As he spoke, Edward charged straight towards Jason.

The massive shadow of the four or five-meter-tall Two-Headed Snake also charged forward.

The ’book’s’ struggle reached some sort of climax.

Jason’s repetitive casting of "Protection Against Evil" seemed almost instinctual.

The rich aroma stimulated the desire deep inside him.

Gurgle, gurgle.

He could hear the hunger growling from his stomach.

But to others, these growls sounded like roars!

Roar! Roar!

With every hungry roar, a pitch-black shadow surged from Jason into the sky.

Crack, crackle!

A violent wind sprang up, and one streetlight after another exploded around them.

The night grew even deeper.

Only those colossal crimson eyes remained.

It lowered its head to look at the charging Edward, opened its gaping maw without hesitation, and swallowed Edward whole.

Whoosh!

The shadowy figure plunged down, its gaping maw sweeping past Edward.

The once majestic and faintly visible Two-Headed Snake had vanished.

Edward remained standing stiffly in place.

He lifted his head to look at the immense, inky-black figure above him.

His vision was too blurry to make out the details of the figure, but deep down, he was certain of one thing.

"Is this your ’Snake’?"

He murmured softly to himself.

Then, a trace of regret appeared on his face.

"I should have reached this level too, but I made the wrong choice of focusing on so-called ’strategy.’ It has dissipated too much of my energy; such a pity."

"Indeed, human energy has its limits! The more I engaged in schemes, the earlier I should have realized the limits of human energy; unless..."

"Transcend humanity!"

Thoughts emerged in rapid succession from deep within, Edward felt life slipping away from him, but the regret on his face gradually faded.

He looked at Jason and said, word by word,

"Jason, I’m done being human!"

Boom!

Edward’s entire body exploded.

His flesh, bones, and organs turned into swathes of shadow that merged into the ’book.’

The ’book,’ which had quieted down after the disappearance of the Two-Headed Snake, once again struggled violently.

Similarly, the fragrance intensified.

"Jason!"

Edward’s ethereal head appeared on the cover of the ’book,’ he looked at Jason, his eyes devoid of any spark, his expression wooden, but the power was increasing exponentially.

The power of shadows!

SI oT Yn

’i!

The power of [Protection Against Evil] once again surged forth from the direction of Jason’s fingers, enveloping the ’book.’

However, this force field lasted less than a second before it began to waver.

Jason immediately followed up with another [Protection Against Evil].

Then, a third time, a fourth time, a fifth time.

After thirty-three consecutive attempts!

A qualitative change was finally induced by the quantitative changes!

Rumble!

Like the sound of thunder, thin serpent-like lightning appeared amidst the collision of the two forces.

They coiled around Jason’s body.

They also wrapped around the ’book.’

And they invaded Edward’s phantom as well.

Almost instantly, Edward’s phantom shattered.

The power on the ’book’ was directly weakened to the extreme.

Jason’s hand was getting ever closer to the ’book.’

3 centimeters!

2 centimeters!

1 centimeter!

Snap!

Explore more at

In the end, Jason’s fingers touched the ’book,’ pressing down on it.

The power of the ’book’ shattered instantly.

In this shattering, Edward’s shattered phantom exploded, turning into tiny glimmers that scattered all around.

The fragrance surged forward!

It kept drilling into the nose!

Having endured for so long, Jason lifted a corner of his mask, opened his mouth, and stuffed the entire book inside.

Upon entering his mouth, the ’book’ began to taste sweet, its cover had a distinctive scorched crispness, while the pages were filled with soft mushiness. Most importantly, between the pages, the ink unexpectedly tasted like cream.

With a slight chew, the cream flowed from between the layers of softness, filling Jason’s mouth.

A unique texture.

Perfectly sweet.

Subconsciously, Jason closed his eyes in contentment.

Cream layer cake, perhaps?

"Delicious."

Jason silently judged in his heart.

And before his eyes, words began to appear—

[Consuming the Shadow Book (Imitation, Damaged)]

[Physical Strength, Energy, Excessive Recovery of Injuries!]

[Satiety+200]

[Satiety:247]

[Excitement of Feast+2]

[Excitement of Feast:9]

...

Apart from dying thirty-three times in the last moment, Jason had also died twelve times during the previous battle, consuming a total of 135 satiety points, leaving only 47 from the original 182 points.

However, with the consumption of [Shadow Book (Imitation, Damaged)], the satiety on the verge of depletion not only recovered but increased further.

Of course, what Jason cared about more was ’Excitement of Feast’!

2 points of Excitement of Feast!

Jason had suspected he might gain Excitement of Feast during the fight, but he had not expected 2 points!

Looking at the total 9 points of Excitement of Feast, Jason took a deep breath.

Enough to boost [Protection Against Evil]

"With satiety, raise the level of [Protection Against Evil]!"

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