Elliot burned with the desire to scream and shout, but due to the total paralysis the System imposed on his body, he failed to utter a single sound! Nevertheless, he knew that somehow, the only way to survive this dilemma was to convince this "Female Version" of the validity of their original path, turning her away from choosing the PATH OF CELIBACY, which would kill any chance for growth!
Elliot strained to move his eyes with superhuman effort—it being the only freed part of his body he could move—trying to draw the System’s attention that he wanted to be released from these restraints.. Despite his complete lack of faith in the System’s reaction to his glances, he suddenly felt freedom gradually creeping back into his limbs.
The System undid the frozen state little by little under the gaze of "Female Michael," who was watching him coldly, as if waiting for him to agree with her opinion, accept her new proposal, and choose the exact same path!
Female Michael spoke in a calm, confident tone: "Surely you’re convinced by what I’m saying, aren’t you, Elliot? You don’t want to violate your best friend’s body, right?"
Elliot got up heavily from the floor, fixing his pleading yet firm gaze on his transformed friend’s eyes:
"Michael.. Wake up! This isn’t you for hell’s sake! Remember who you really are.. We are males, remember that fact, man! The thoughts and emotions rushing through your head right now are nothing but strange feelings originating from a ’foreign I’ to you! I don’t lust after my friend’s body, because my friend is a man, not a woman!"
The tight men’s suit was violently squeezing Female Michael’s gorgeously sculpted body to the point of suffocation, but her captivating demonic appearance was not merely attractive—it was dangerously stunning and mesmerizing!
Female Michael smiled mockingly and replied: "You’re joking, right? I haven’t changed at all.. You’re the one hallucinating and seeing ghosts! Tell me the truth: did you like this body and want to sleep with it as you were blabbering and declaring minutes ago, or did you forget like you usually do?! You know very well that these female versions have become an inherent part of our entities and abilities.. So how can you claim that I’m not me?! I’m telling you loud and clear: we must choose the PATH OF CELIBACY immediately!"
Elliot’s eyes widened in shock and bitterness.. No, this was not his usual friend at all! Every time he grasped this psychological gap between the two versions, he suffered a shock far harder and harsher than the previous one.
Elliot shouted in anger, waving his hand wildly: "Damn this cursed ability! You don’t need this form or these hormones in the first place.. We are men, Michael, and our primary and only goal is SURVIVAL! We desperately need rapid POWER, and this form and appearance are nothing but a burden holding us back!"
Female Michael fixed her cold, threatening glare on Elliot: "So.. you’re saying that I’m just a burden?"
Silence immediately fell, and Elliot bitterly realized that arguing with this emotional approach would yield no results whatsoever.. It was hard for his mind to accept that he wasn’t addressing his friend of many years, but a different entity sharing the same body and mind!
Elliot re-evaluated the entire situation in those critical seconds..
He and Michael were naturally selfish and opportunistic individuals; both always prioritized their individual self-interest first and foremost. Although Michael’s female version wouldn’t openly admit to thinking selfishly, she was definitely thinking of protecting her own "Female I" above all else!
Just as Michael had previously put his "Male I" at the top of his priorities when he was a man.. this girl now stood putting her "Female I" at the peak, utterly indifferent to the overall master plan!
Elliot held his head as he grasped the fatal black comedy of the situation: Michael was—indirectly—conspiring against his own self!
Elliot breathed heavily and said, trying to remedy the situation: "Alright.. I’m not saying you’re a burden! We definitely need our female versions desperately.. But what about the rapid power we could gain if we remained male?! The most important thing here is survival! Didn’t you hear the human Assessor earlier?! He wants to force us to sleep together in front of thousands of spectators who will gather to watch us! If we don’t get strong as fast as possible, we won’t be able to stop them at all! Since we’ll eventually be forced to sleep together anyway, why don’t we just choose the path of ABSOLUTE POWER, and let everything else go to hell?!"
Michael’s female version stared at Elliot, who was sweating profusely as he spoke.. Elliot was still wearing the same revealing female dress, and despite his attempt to appear serious and stern while talking, his current outfit made his words look completely abstract and ridiculous!
Michael’s female version replied with cold firmness: "This path is insidious and vile from the very start, just like the path of absolute power! You think in your imagination that you won’t become more attractive because you’ll remain trapped in your male body.. But you, Elliot, were the first among us to experience the terrifying reality of finding a man you considered your best friend longing to violate your body! We aren’t just males anymore; we are females too.. like it or not! And the path of permanent celibacy is the only safe path you must take!"
Elliot placed both hands over his face, letting out a deep sigh filled with bitterness.. This girl was extremely logical and firm in her dialogue, and her logic was not easily penetrable!
Because her logic was right and convincing to her mindset, the matter was extremely complex and frustrating for Elliot!
Elliot raised his head and said in a clever tone of surrender: "Fine.. I agree to choose the path of permanent celibacy! But since this is your true logic, Michael.. transform into a man right now, and tell me decisively that this is your actual and final choice!"
Michael’s female version smiled triumphantly.. She didn’t particularly desire to transform into Michael’s male form, but reviewing the arguments and logic in her mind, she truly believed in this decision with absolute faith, believing that nothing in her stance would change even if she swapped her form this very second!
The demonic body gathered its energy, and Michael transformed once again right before Elliot’s eyes, returning in the blink of an eye to his solid MALE form just as he originally was.
Michael took a deep breath and said: "Alright.. I now choose the path of..."
Michael abruptly stopped mid-sentence, his tongue tying completely as expression of absolute shock and horror washed over his face!
His pupils dilated, and he grabbed his head with both hands, screaming in total disbelief: "Wait... How did I even think of the PATH OF CELIBACY in the first place?! How did I accept this at all?!"
Michael took a step back, his fingers clutching his hair.. It was terrifying! Terrifying to the absolute extreme! Just a few seconds ago, he was completely and thoroughly convinced that he was a female trying to protect her body. But now.. he felt like a completely different person with an entirely different mindset!
This violent revelation was a stark peak of DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) and a total split of the "I".. Michael felt sheer terror because this was the sole truth and actual explanation for what had happened: he was blindly conspiring against himself without even knowing it!