Chapter 488: 488: Bloodlust VIII

The title stayed. The relationship did too. That history made the decision uncomfortable.

It did not make it forbidden.

Elena had also lived far longer than any mortal could properly understand. Gods could live for millions of years. After reaching that level, differences of decades or centuries stopped carrying the same meaning they held for ordinary people.

She had never had a romantic partner. She had never married. She had never needed either.

For most of her life, cultivation, duty, Dawn House, and the people she had chosen to protect had been enough.

This situation had nothing to do with romance.

Sekhmet was losing control. If killing continued feeding the Bloodlust and Sofia’s second solution was real, then allowing embarrassment to stop her would be foolish.

What mattered was preventing Sekhmet from killing important people around him.

And protecting Sekhmet from whatever might happen if the Blood God instinct completely took his body. (Note: They don’t know about the blood god will. They think of it as his instinct.)

Elena looked toward Lily.

“He needs someone his current strength cannot easily injure.”

Lily did not answer.

Elena continued, “Sofia and Natasha cannot move. You cannot safely do it. Neither can Mira or the twins.”

Lily looked toward Sekhmet. His head had turned slightly toward another wounded prisoner again.

The System corrected him, but everyone could now see the effort it took.

Lily slowly nodded.

“I know.”

There was no anger in her voice. It was only worry.

Elena looked back toward Sekhmet.

“Then there is nothing else to discuss.”

Mira watched Elena carefully.

“You are certain?”

Elena gave her a flat look.

“Would you prefer to wait until he starts pulling blood from everyone in the courtyard?”

“No.”

“Then I am certain.”

Sofia, still lying on the ground, managed to speak.

“If the old stories are right, it does not need to become complicated.”

Elena looked toward her.

“What does that mean?”

“The goal is redirection. His body needs another instinct strong enough to pull the mind away from killing.”

Natasha added, “The Bloodlust may not disappear immediately. It may simply become easier to control.”

“That would already be an improvement.”

Sekhmet heard them. Their words reached him from what felt like an enormous distance.

The Bloodlust had risen again.

[Host Bloodlust: 125%.

Blood God Will is gaining control over the host’s body.

Voluntary control continues to decline.

System suppression is near failure.

Immediate redirection is strongly recommended.]

Sekhmet tried to lift his left hand. It rose halfway. Then stopped. He ordered it to continue.

Nothing happened for a second. Then it moved again. His jaw tightened. He could still think. He could still hear. He simply did not fully own his body anymore.

The large blood sphere above him shifted. Several streams separated. One moved toward a dead body. Another moved toward a captured enemy. A third turned toward a wounded battle maid.

Sekhmet reacted violently.

“Stop!”

The blood froze.

The System answered.

[System intervention active.

Friendly target blood acquisition cancelled.

Warning: Host control loss accelerating.]

Sekhmet forced the blood back into the sphere.

He could not keep doing this.

“System.”

[Listening.]

“Sofia said there are two kinds of release.”

[Statement recorded.]

“Killing and lust.”

[Historical Blood God behavioral patterns indicate predatory aggression and physical reproductive instinct may share overlapping Blood God impulse pathways.]

Even in his condition, Sekhmet almost became irritated at the long explanation.

“Can you redirect it?”

[Clarify requested redirection.]

Sekhmet clenched his teeth. A wounded enemy nearby cried out. Blood began pushing through the man’s bandages without Sekhmet deciding to touch it.

“Take the need to kill.”

He forced the blood back into the wound.

“Push it into lust.”

The System remained silent for a moment. Then the response appeared.

[Redirection is theoretically possible.

The system can redirect part of Blood God’s predatory Will into physical lust.

This will not remove excess Blood God power.

This will not immediately reduce Bloodlust value.

Violent impulse may be suppressed while another instinct becomes dominant.

Warning: Resulting physical desire may become extreme.

Warning: Host physical strength is currently unstable.

A suitable partner requires sufficient body durability to survive uncontrolled Host strength.]

Sekhmet looked toward Sofia.

The System reacted immediately.

[Target Sofia: Temporarily unsuitable.

Blood Exhaustion active.

Severe skeletal and muscular damage detected.]

Natasha.

[Target Natasha: Temporarily unsuitable.

Blood Exhaustion active.

Severe skeletal and muscular damage detected.]

Sekhmet’s eyes moved toward Lily.

[Target Lily: Physical durability insufficient for Host’s current uncontrolled state.]

Mira.

[Target Mira: Physical durability insufficient.]

Vera.

[Target Vera: Physical durability insufficient.]

Vela.

[Target Vela: Physical durability insufficient.]

His gaze finally reached Elena. No warning appeared. Sekhmet stared at her.

Elena noticed. Unlike the others, she did not look away.

Sekhmet tried to speak. His mouth opened.

“Elena.”

His voice sounded rough.

She approached him.

“I know.”

Sekhmet frowned. His thoughts were moving slowly now.

“You know what?”

“What you are considering.”

She stopped several steps away.

Sekhmet looked at her.

“You do not have to.”

“I know.”

“That is not what I meant.”

“I also know that.”

Elena crossed her arms.

“You can barely control yourself, and you are still trying to protect everyone else from being uncomfortable.”

Sekhmet stared at her.

Elena continued.

“Your priorities are terrible.”

Under normal circumstances, he would have answered immediately.

Now it took him several seconds.

“Runs in the family.”

That made Elena pause. Then the smallest smile appeared on her face.

“You are still in there.”

“Mostly.”

“That is enough.”

Sekhmet’s eyes moved toward one of the prisoners again.

Elena stepped into his line of sight.

“Look at me.”

He did.

“You are not deciding this alone while your mind is like this,” Elena said. “I am deciding too.”

Sekhmet said nothing.

Elena continued, “We are not related by blood. I helped raise you. You call me aunt because that is what I became in your life. But I am not your father’s sister, and I am not your mother’s sister.”

Sekhmet’s expression remained tense.

“That does not make this normal.”

“No.”

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!