"Human nature... it's not something that's easily defined."

  "I'm not some well-read philosopher or a schor with sophisticated theories. I'm just an ordinary person."

  "My uanding of human nature is shallow, at best. Nothing profound."

  Amamiya Ren spoke with calm hoy.

  He wasn't here to impress ah plex theories or elegant rhetoric.

  He was simply sharing his own perspective, one built through experiend observation.

  "To me, human nature is closely tied to desire."

  "People without desires have, in essence, lost their humanity. I holy don't think there's a there pletely devoid of desire."

  He paused, his eyes refleg a quiet iy.

  "Maybe... not even gods be free from desire."

  "If gods were truly without desires, they wouldn't need faith. They wouldn't crave power."

  "And without power and faith... would we even still call them gods?"

  "So, even gods possess human nature in some form."

  "That's why I believe that emotions and desires are the clearest expressions of human nature."

  The room grew silent as everyone processed his words.

  But then, Ren's tone shifted slightly.

  "Of course, I'm not talking about unchecked desires or out-of-trol emotions."

  "I'm talking about desires aions that remain under our trol."

  "Oneoheir desires run rampant, they stop being human."

  "They bee beasts, driven solely by instinct."

  "That's why humans are suplicated creatures."

  "The liween us as isn't just intelligence or speech—it's self-restraint."

  "Self-restraint is the very core of what makes us human."

  His words carried a weight that resonated deeply.

  People weren't human simply because of biology.

  They were human because they could impose limits on themselves because they could a reason instead of pure instinct.

  "If a wild animal ever came to uand mortality the way we do, it would start developing something akin to human nature as well."

  "And if that happened... that creature would eventually begin evolving toward humanity."

  He exhaled slowly.

  "The same principle applies to the path of Sequence."

  "Even the gods that reach Sequence 0 need anchors to hold on to their humanity."

  "Without that anchor... they fall into madness."

  "Power without restraint is like a ship without a rudder."

  "The stronger someone bees, the more important it is for them to remember who they are and what they stand for."

  Ren fell quiet.

  He wasn't certain how Sequence 0 gods mao maintain their sanity.

  He only knew ohing:

  If he ever abandoned his own sense of self, the power would eventually e him.

  He refused to live like a beast.

  After he finished speaking, the weight of his words lingered in the air.

  Kaguya's gaze was thoughtful.

  "...Amamiya," Kaguya finally said, her voice hesitant.

  "If we have to maintain our humanity... then what's the point of pursuing power in the first pce?"

  The others shifted unfortably.

  They'd been w the same thing.

  Ren turoward her and gave a knowing nod.

  "You're w why we chase after power if we have to stantly hold ourselves back, right?"

  Kaguya nodded.

  "Exactly. If we 't even use our strength without restraint, doesn't that defeat the purpose?"

  The room held its breath as Ren smiled faintly.

  And then, he said something that left them pletely stunned:

  "Self-discipline doesn't mean you're supposed to feel aggrieved."

  The girls exged fused gnces.

  "What do you mean?" Kaguya asked.

  "Self-restraint doesn't mean you have to sit bad tolerate being bullied," Amamiya Ren expined.

  "When someone crosses the line, when someone provokes you, you absolutely should respond with the full weight of your strength."

  "But what makes you human is what es afterward."

  "After punishing the one who provoked you, you don't let yourself get drunk on that feeling of power."

  "When you enter people like that, the best thing to do is step on their fad make sure they uand that provoking you was the worst decision they ever made."

  "Shinomiya-san, you should know that bottling up your emotions too often lead to psychological issues."

  "For your owal well-being, you o learn how to retaliate—within reason—so you feel at ease afterward."

  "Enduring everything without pushing back will only hurt you in the long run."

  Kaguya froze.

  She had never heard someo it this way before.

  "Think about it. Buddhism says that 'a butcher bee a Buddha the moment they y down their bde.'"

  "But Taoism says, 'If someone wants to bee a Buddha, let them. As for me... I have no sutention.'"

  "In other words, Shinomiya-san, you o adjust your mi."

  "If someone bullies you, don't just sit there and take it, bully them back."

  "That's ower is for."

  Ren's voice was calm, but his words struck a chord with everyone present.

  Of course, he wasn't advog for mindless aggression.

  When you had no power, adopting a "Buddhist" attitude, one of non-interference was the best approach.

  But once you possessed the strength to act, it became equally important to follow your heart when dealing with provocations.

  Power was meant to be used—not hoarded.

  "After all," he added with a slight shrug, "it's not like I haven't meddled in other people's affairs before."

  "Besides... who said the pursuit of power was meaningless?"

  "Huh?" Kaguya blinked, fused.

  The shift in topic caught her off guard.

  She was still trying to process his earlier words.

  "What do you mean by that?"

  "You asked earlier if there oint in seeking power when you have to restrain yourself."

  "Well, I'd argue that, especially firls, power has a very clear, tangible be."

  "...A be firls?" Kaguya tilted her head.

  The others, sensing something iing, leaned in closer.

  Ren smirked.

  "When you reach a certain level of strength, something iing happens."

  "The stronger you bee, the more your body ges to aodate that strength."

  "With greater mastery over your powers... es aension of your lifespan."

  The girls froze.

  "Loy might sound mythical, but it's not."

  "Eternal life is nearly impossible... but living signifitly lohat's absolutely achievable."

  Kaguya's eyes widened.

  "Loy?" she repeated.

  "Exactly." Ren nodded.

  "As your prows, your body and mind adapt."

  "Reag the point where you could live for turies isn't unrealistic."

  "And if you're lucky, true immortality might evehin reach."

  Silence.

  Loy. Immortality.

  cepts they'd always associated with fairy tales were suddenly being presented as attainable goals.

  The weight of his words settled over the group.

  For a moment, no one spoke.

  And then—

  "Wait… wait, wait, WAIT!"

  Chika, who had been slouched against Ren in exhaustion, suddenly shot up.

  Her cheeks, which had been pale from her earlier nausea, flushed a bright, healthy pink.

  "Did you just say... IMMORTALITY?!"

  "That's right," Ren said with a chuckle.

  Chika's eyes sparkled.

  "Eternal youth?!" she squeaked.

  Ren shrugged again.

  "With enough power? Yes. That's entirely possible."

  The entire versation about self-discipline, restraint, and responsibility evaporated in an instant.

  The girls' expressions shifted from solemn ption t curiosity.

  Because now...

  They'd just discovered the ultimate iive to seek power.

  Loy. Immortality. Eternal youth.

  ***

  Bonus for 400 PS bonus at 600 PS. We're almost back at T20, give me some more PS onegaiii xD