Transaction

"Don't be so serious." The cat gently swayed its slender tail, lightly leaped down from the cabinet, and padded forward with elegant feline steps.

"I'm just here to remind you that you're being a little too obvious."

"..." The girl's relaxed body suddenly tensed as she fixed her gaze on the kitten.

"What did you say?"

"Isn't it just that acting nonsense? Even if you're harvesting the lifespans of people about to die, you're playing it way too straightforwardly. At least kill one before preparing the next. Preparing them in batches like this leaves far too many obvious flaws! Even when people shear sheep, they don't keep shearing the same spot!

"And why do you think a Witch has to create death? A Witch can curse people to death, so does that mean one who divines fate isn't a Witch? To put it more extremely, the point of this acting is to be hated, feared, and rejected. Killing is merely a means of producing that effect... Oh, I get it. Are you enjoying the thrill of taking lives? Or are you simply afraid of trouble? Tsk, tsk... I think having the Night Watchers come knocking would be even more troublesome. Don't forget, you're only acting."

The kitten spoke in a shrill voice like that of a little girl, yet delivered words that sounded far too worldly. The girl immediately revealed an incredulous expression.

"You really know? How could you possibly know? I only just started preparing!"

"Why couldn't I? You can counter-divine, so why can't others counter-counter-divine? Nothing in the Mysterious World is absolute. You've changed hideouts so many times, but didn't I still find you? Take my advice, don't be too hasty, or you'll easily be affected by the Mental Imprint in the potion.

"You're only acting, not trying to become the person the potion points toward. Of course, if you want to turn into a woman in both body and mind before becoming a man again, then pretend I said nothing."

The cat circled around the girl, occasionally raising its head to glance beneath her skirt before clicking its tongue.

The girl did not get angry at the cat's lewd behavior. She merely returned to the chair before the dressing table and, though she was clearly looking down at it, asked in a somewhat timid voice:

"Do I really have a chance to become a man again?"

"Don't play pitiful with me. I already explained it very clearly. Aside from the Monster Pathway's Orphan Sequence, every Extraordinary pathway has at least one Adjacent Pathway. When advancing from Sequence V to Sequence IV, Adjacent Pathways can be exchanged. And Sequence IV of one Pathway adjacent to the Assassin Sequence just so happens to turn women into men." The cat easily climbed onto the dressing table, keeping itself at eye level with the girl as it continued.

"I'm only your trading partner, not your sugar daddy. And I have no intention of sampling a Demoness, either. So if you want more information, pay the appropriate price—or find a way to verify it yourself."

"I helped you obtain that Fourth Epoch notebook before! That was a high-grade Extraordinary Item that could substitute for Extraordinary Materials!" The girl glared at it, but the cat disdainfully flicked its tail.

"Girl, can you say that with a clear conscience? I told you exactly where they were hiding and when to make your move. All you did was go out and pick up the spoils after both sides had beaten each other senseless. Giving you an acting method for the Demoness of Pleasure that didn't violate your male way of thinking was already exceptionally generous. Not to mention, I just gave you the Witch's Acting Core for free!"

"Phew..." Listening to the cat, the girl took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. After repeating this several times, she finally composed herself and stared at the cat.

"Tell me. What would it take for you to tell me the name of the Pathway adjacent to the Assassin Pathway, and exactly what that Sequence IV is?"

"What else do you have to trade?" The cat tilted its head disdainfully, its gaze sweeping back and forth over the girl as if considering what remaining value it could still squeeze from her.

"Assassin Pathway potion formulas, from Sequence Nine to Sequence Seven." The girl stared solemnly at the Black Cat before her. The cat turned its head and showed a humanlike smile. "Do you think I lack potions?"

"You can use them to train subordinates." The girl looked directly into the cat's eyes. "Assassin potions rank among the most versatile of all potions, whether in terms of utility or sexual function."

"..." The cat fell into brief silence after hearing her words. A moment later, it raised its head.

"Fine. Consider it an investment. Write down the formulas. My reputation should be decent enough."

This time, the girl did not delay. She picked up a pen from the table and began writing rapidly.

The cat watched the words the girl wrote, while elsewhere, Sno copied down the formula contents in sync.

This potion formula is genuine. Sno silently recited the thought, then communicated with his spirituality and tossed a gold coin high into the air. As it landed heads-up, the cat elsewhere also smiled.

"Very good. Then the deal is concluded. The Sequence adjacent to the Assassin Pathway is the Hunter Pathway, and Sequence IV is called Iron-Blooded Knight."

"Iron-Blooded Knight?" The girl nodded, yet continued staring at the cat.

"What about the freebie?"

"Huh?" The cat wore a baffled expression, but the girl said with complete seriousness:

"Don't I get a freebie every time I trade with you?"

"Please. I give you freebies because I'm in a good mood, not because every transaction automatically comes with one!" The cat helplessly spread its front paws, but the girl narrowed her eyes.

"So? Is there one or not?"

"No!" The cat cocked its head, but the girl suddenly stood up, lifting the hem of her skirt with both hands. "Then if I make you a little happier, will you give me a freebie?"

"Put away those affected tricks! I'm a cat right now. The allure of a human female does nothing for me! And if you're going to seduce someone, at least show a little something. Holding it up without even revealing your knees shows absolutely no sincerity!" The cat disdainfully glanced at this transformed big shot. Only after seeing her face visibly flush did it change the subject.

"A complete set of materials for an Assassin potion, and I'll tell you a secret closely tied to the Sorceress Cult. I'll also throw in the identity of an Iron-Blooded Knight. Of course, that person is a demigod, so whether you can hunt him is your own problem."

"Closely tied to me?" The girl ignored the so-called location of an Iron-Blooded Knight and focused instead on those words.

Since the night she had become a Witch and encountered this cat, they had conducted many transactions. Although the cat's personality was atrocious beyond belief, its credibility was fairly reliable. Since it said this matter was closely tied to her, the problem was probably not a small one.

"Mm. Simply put, it's why the Sorceress Cult is so obsessed with feeding Assassin potions to men. By the way, you're currently their most satisfactory work!"

Hearing the deliberately emphasized word "work," the girl immediately felt a bad premonition rise in her heart. She nodded.

"The materials for an Assassin potion aren't rare. Tingen's black market should have them. Even if it happens not to, I can requisition them from the Sorceress Cult under the pretense of training subordinates. Three days at most. Let's arrange a location..."

"You can offer them to Our Lord through sacrifice..."

"No. Either give me an address, or come collect them yourself!" The girl firmly rejected the cat's proposal. The cat spread its paws helplessly.

"Is praying to Our Lord really that unacceptable?"

"A completely unknown evil god? Even an idiot at mysticism wouldn't pray to one so casually, would they?"

PS1: The original work specifically mentioned that during the Ancient God Era, there was no concept of Sequences, so people would randomly consume Beyonder Characteristics with similar abilities. For example, after obtaining a Witch's ice powers, they might consume Zombie Characteristics; or after gaining the notarization ability of the Bard Pathway, consume Characteristics from the Inquisitor Pathway; or have the Monster Pathway consume Seer Pathway Characteristics, and so on.

PS2: Those of you who thought of the Sphere-Splitting Paradox are very perceptive, but that would involve spoilers, so I can't say anything about it. laughs