Sorry for the release gap guys.., been sick past few days, will make up
“A reward for saving all of humanity.”
I laughed. Of course, it was a laugh of sheer disbelief.
So even someone like Satan resorts to such blatant and pathetic deals.
‘Give me the monster, and I will not attack humans. Since I did not attack, I have saved humanity.’
Those words were clearly laced with mockery and contempt for humans. But Satan wasn’t just spouting such nonsense out of arrogance.
He wanted me to be enraged by his provocation. When people are angry, their minds don’t function properly.
Anger doesn’t make people stronger. This isn’t some comic book.
Behind these shamelessly arrogant words lay Satan’s own display of power and threat.
If I were to be angered by these words, I would be forced into two choices: to give in to anger and reject the offer, or to suppress my anger and accept it.
Satan is not the demon of pride. He is the demon of wrath. That’s why he knows how to use anger.
“Indeed, that’s true.”
I nodded at his words.
Despite finally agreeing with Satan, his eyes turned cold.
[You are having pointless thoughts.]
“Pointless? It’s a perfectly reasonable thought.”
Does Satan even realize how many hints he’s giving me right now?
He came out in front of me, trying to look impressive, but I can’t ignore the sense of dissonance it creates.
“Your offer basically means this.”
I raised a finger.
“The monster I currently possess is powerful enough to make you, a demon, consider waging war against humanity.”
[……War? Don’t be ridiculous. To me, humans are nothing but…]
“Second.”
I cut off Satan’s words and raised a second finger.
“You have no way to retrieve the monster except for me handing it over directly.”
Despite recalling all the demons gathered here and holding Mizonas’s head in his hand, despite boasting about his power, he still offers me a ‘deal’.
It’s not important that Satan made a mocking offer. What matters is that he made an offer at all. It’s as good as admitting that he has no other choice.
“Furthermore, third.”
To Satan, who suddenly fell silent, I raised a third finger.
“You yourself cannot come here.”
If the Metamorph is so important, Satan could have come and taken it himself. The gate is open, so why send other demons instead of coming himself?
Satan just recalled tens of thousands of demons in an instant, and in the process, even grabbed Mizonas’s head in his hand.
That was to show off his abilities and power, but it was also meant to create a certain illusion.
The illusion that Satan himself can intervene in this world. He retrieved the demons in this world with his own hands, so he could also attack this world, or so he wants us to think.
However, once you see through his intentions, the information that falls into my hands is entirely different from what he intended.
“The Seven Deadly Sins are similar to the gods in that regard.”
[……!]
Satan’s eyes widened. Well, that’s a pretty scary line for a human in this world to say.
“You guys also need conditions for ‘descent’.”
Just like how the gods need a considerable amount of energy from worship and wishes to come to this world.
Even the Seven Deadly Sins cannot enter this world through a simple demonic contract.
‘Come to think of it, that makes sense. Methods for making contracts with demons can be found in books, and that’s how the Shadow Unit made their contracts. But in this world, despite encountering demons throughout history, the Seven Deadly Sins have never appeared.’
The answer is simple.
The Seven Deadly Sins, like Satan of Wrath and Belphegor of Sloth, are not beings that can be met through demonic contracts.
“That’s why you make such a pathetic offer. You ignorant coward. A fool who can’t control his own mouth and spills information. A decrepit and ugly old man who abandons his subordinates to hide his own mistakes. You’re not worthy of the name Satan.”
At my outburst, Philly glanced at me nervously instead of Satan.
Philly probably came to a similar conclusion as me through Satan’s appearance, but for Philly, it’s just one of several possibilities.
[…….]
Satan listened to my words silently and closed his eyes.
[It’s been a long time.]
The voice that came out was like a well-honed blade, filled with murderous intent. As expected of the Seven Deadly Sins, even their murderous intent is refined and sharp.
[It’s been a long time since a human dared to speak to me like that.]
“Seeing you in this state, any human would mock you.”
[Haha. Is that so.]
Satan laughed. He smiled and let out a chuckle. The more he did so, the more intense and ferocious his murderous intent became.
[You have just declared war on all demons by yourself. Disregarding the lives of humanity. I may not be able to go there right now, but whenever your home is ravaged by the claws of demons, then you will realize your mistake,]
“You spout nonsense after becoming a demon. Did you learn how to bark?”
I said. I could feel the murderous intent infused in every syllable I spoke.
I didn’t know if it was more intense than the demon’s, or if it could even stand against his immense power. But I couldn’t just ignore the words that demon just uttered.
“If demons invade and defile human territory, is it the humans’ fault? No. It’s the fault of the stupid demons who dared to stick their heads in where they don’t belong. If they commit such atrocities, they’ll have no right to complain even if they get their heads chopped off on the guillotine in the order they came in.”
Satan looked at me with a slightly surprised expression. I couldn’t tell if he was surprised by my words or my momentum.
“Satan. Oh, Satan, who acts like he knows everything about anger. Humanity doesn’t have the time or the luxury to spare for the likes of you. Say that kind of thing again. Just once more, and on the day your minions’ foul stench reaches this land, I will crush your world. I will smash the heads of the horned ones with a hammer. I will tear the winged ones apart with my sword and discard them like toys. I will pull out all your fingernails and toenails and burn you from your fingertips in a furnace. On that day, endless lightning will strike your sky, and arrows will rain down like a storm.”
The Seven Deadly Sins, demons who exist haughtily at the highest positions, Satan.
These words I speak to him may sound like mere bluffs. He may not even hear my warnings and threats.
But I am delivering this as a prophecy.
“When that time comes, will you, as you yourself said, deeply regret your own fault and repent for your mistakes? No. You, driven mad by anger, will resent me and scream even as your limbs are torn apart. No matter how much you want to look down on me, Satan, I can see your ugly form all too clearly. So stop your dog-like barking. A declaration of war? If you like those words so much, then go ahead and say them. If you think this continent, the Imperial Palace, Zodiac, and my family and I are a joke, then go ahead and try. You coward who speaks of war but wants to shift the blame onto others. How can you hold your head up high when your words are so weak and pathetic? Know your place, you ugly thing.”
The world of the game, Etius, was originally destined for destruction someday. Though not because of demons.
To me, who knows this future, how laughable it is to be threatened with the fear of destruction.
I have long been prepared for it since the moment I came to this world.
Does Satan think the destruction of humanity is truly far away? Is that why he speaks so lightly of its weight? To me, it’s just pathetic.
[──Fine.]
After hearing all that, Satan spoke quietly.
[I will remember all your words. And you should too. You will soon face the future,]
Crack-
I didn’t listen any further and crushed the Dragon Heart. I used the technique of holding the Obsidian within my hand to crush it together.
Satan’s image, along with the Dragon Heart and the open gate, vanished.
“Phew.”
I briefly looked at the empty space where Satan had been and let out a long breath.
For now, it’s over. The demons are all gone and can’t return. The monster is currently inside my workshop. I don’t know if it will resist me or not, but…
“Well, that’s the end of it. I’m glad there doesn’t seem to be much damage to the Imperial Palace.”
I said with a smile, looking at Philly.
“…….”
For some reason, Philly didn’t answer my words and just stared at me silently.
It was like the way one would look at a monster.