God Simulator: The Goddesses In The Simulation Are All Real

"Good," Linsley said, dismissing the artifact with a wave of his hand.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

He turned toward Lucy, who remained tense but no longer restrained. Despite her outward composure, faint signs of the side effects of overusing her Fallen Angel gift lingered.

Her crimson eyes glowed faintly, and dark flux swirled around her like a restless shadow, betraying the storm of emotions she was still struggling to reign in.

"Now, we need to address her," Linsley said, his voice steady but carrying an edge of concern.

Ted frowned, glancing at Lucy again. "You sure she's ready? She's still giving me the death glare—and, uh, that flux around her doesn't exactly scream 'calm.'"

Lucy finally met Ted's gaze, though her expression was tight, her voice quiet but steady.

"I'm fine," she muttered, though the faint crackle of dark flux around her said otherwise. "Ted, I didn't mean to drag you into my… mess."

Ted softened, his respect for Lucy overriding any lingering frustration. "It's okay, Lucy. I get it now. But we're in this together, right? We always have been."

For a moment, Lucy hesitated, her crimson eyes flickering as if fighting back the negative emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

Finally, her gaze dropped briefly, guilt flashing across her face before she nodded. "Yeah… together."

Aurielle's voice shattered the fragile silence, her tone light and teasing. "Aw, how touching. Can we get back to the part where we're all fugitives now?"

Linsley shot her a warning look before addressing the group. "We'll regroup here for now, but this isn't over. The Dominion will retaliate, and we'll need to strike before they can recover."

"What's the plan, bro?" Ted asked, standing up, his newfound power radiating subtly but steadily as if he were still adjusting to the surge from his Second Awakening.

Linsley's eyes narrowed, his expression hardening with cold determination. "We dismantle their control, piece by piece. Starting with the Emperor."

"If we remove him and his loyalists, the Dominion will fracture. The military heads are already under my control," he said with a sharp glance at Aurielle, "and I'll use that leverage to manipulate their forces. But we need to ensure there's no resistance from the imperial family."

Lucy, still standing apart, crossed her arms, her crimson eyes glowing faintly as the remnants of dark flux swirled around her. "And when we get to the Emperor? Are we taking him alive or eliminating him outright?"

"Alive, if possible," Linsley said. "Dead if necessary. He's a figurehead. What matters is dismantling their system of control and seizing the military command. But for any of this to work," he glanced meaningfully at Lucy, "we need everyone to be at full strength—and stable."

Aurielle raised a hand, her tone laced with teasing exasperation. "Oh, speaking of stability, are we going to address the glowing ball of angst over here? Because, as much as I enjoy Lucy's whole 'dark and brooding' shtick, she's going to be a liability if she can't control that Fallen Angel gift of hers."

Lucy's crimson eyes snapped to Aurielle, narrowing dangerously. "Excuse me?"

Aurielle smirked, stepping forward. "You heard me, princess of gloom. Your gift's side effects have been doing the cha-cha with your emotions, and if you can't reign it in, you'll be a walking disaster waiting to happen."

Before Lucy could respond, Aurielle's expression shifted, her teasing demeanor giving way to something more thoughtful.

She held out her hand, and a golden sphere of radiant light began to form, glowing with an otherworldly warmth.

"This isn't about pity," Aurielle said, her voice calm but firm. "It's about balance. You can't fight darkness with darkness alone."

Without warning, Aurielle vanished and reappeared behind Lucy in an instant.

Before Lucy could react, Aurielle slammed the golden sphere into her back. The light surged into Lucy's body, spreading outward in rippling waves.

Lucy's knees buckled briefly as the golden energy from the Angel of Redemption: Gabriel gift coursed through her.

Her dark flux resisted it at first, clashing violently with the radiant golden light. But as the energy began to stabilize, a pair of radiant white feathered wings unfurled from her back, and a glowing golden halo appeared above her head.

Her crimson eyes softened into twin golden orbs, glowing with an ethereal radiance. Golden flux radiated outward, filling the room with a calming warmth.

For a moment, Lucy marveled at the balance she felt, her chaotic flux now soothed by the gift's harmonious energy.

But her expression grew determined as she pushed herself further, attempting to summon both the Fallen Angel: Lucifer and Angel of Redemption: Gabriel gifts simultaneously.

As she concentrated, her white wings darkened at the edges, sprouting a second pair of black, feathered wings below the first. Her golden halo began to flicker, entwined with a faint shadowy aura.

Her golden flux merged with the dark flux, swirling together into a striking duality. Her eyes reflected the change, one glowing crimson and the other gleaming gold, embodying the balance of sin and redemption.

The room trembled slightly from the power emanating from her, but Lucy grimaced as she struggled to maintain control.

The dual nature of the gifts was overwhelming, and sweat beaded on her forehead as the flux around her destabilized momentarily.

Aurielle whistled, her violet eyes wide with amusement and intrigue. "Well, now that's a look. You've got the whole 'fallen angel redeemed' aesthetic down pat. But you're struggling, aren't you?"

Lucy staggered, catching herself with one of her dark wings. "It's… harder than I thought. The balance… It's not natural yet."

Ted stepped closer, his brown flux steady and calming. "Lucy, you're forcing it. Take it slow. You've only just reached Level 9.9—don't push yourself too hard."

Linsley's sharp eyes locked onto Lucy, analyzing her state.

He stepped forward, his tone both commanding and supportive. "Ted's right. You've only just unlocked this duality. The flux from both gifts is conflicting because you're not used to balancing them yet. For now, focus on mastering one at a time."

Lucy nodded reluctantly, allowing the golden flux to fully dominate as the influence of her Fallen Angel: Lucifer gift receded.