Slip of the Tongue (3)
Satan pondered for a moment, observing the situation unfolding in Palma Square.
"How is Frondier wielding that power?" he finally asked.
The power of a devil.
Fundamentally, it was the same power as divine power. It was the reason why pandemonium erupted when the two clashed.
Those who knew this truth commonly referred to this power as "Eclexis."
While they had witnessed gods and devils wielding it, this was the first time they had seen a human utilize it.
'…No, I haven't actually seen it, but I've heard that the 'Giants' used it.'
The war between gods and humans. Satan, who hadn't participated in it, wouldn't know for sure, but such tales certainly existed.
Beside him, Mammon spoke.
"We've been receiving reports about it for a while now."
"Hmm, still, seeing it firsthand is quite astonishing."
Satan tilted his head.
He had heard rumors of Frondier wielding demonic power. Moreover, those who didn't fully comprehend the nature of that power spread whispers that Frondier was, in fact, a devil.
It was utter nonsense, of course, but to the uninformed, the power of a devil was the most compelling evidence of being a devil.
"So, Frondier is also bound by the fate of the Giants."
"Well, it was somewhat expected."
As the devils conversed, Satan continued to observe the screen.
'He's turning the fact that he was wrongly accused of being a devil and chased off the continent to his advantage. This time, he's taking the initiative and proclaiming himself a devil.'
He even understood the nature of pandemonium and took the precaution of blinding himself with magic beforehand.
A smile crept onto Satan's face.
'You're truly intriguing, Frondier. You're strong, yet so desperate.'
Meanwhile, Lucifer's eyes narrowed.
"Giant's fate or not, I want to know the trigger."
"Trigger?"
"For humans, Eclexis is a power that cannot be used without prior knowledge. Even if they're aware of its existence, they can't even fathom using it unless they're driven mad. Look at how many humans have received divine power yet failed to awaken their own Eclexis. Someone must have revealed its existence to him."
Satan nodded in agreement.
A power unusable without knowledge. It certainly held true. Despite their proximity to divine power, humans had remained unable to wield it for all this time.
Satan scanned the screen.
One figure caught his eye.
'…That devil.'
There was a devil who hadn't succumbed to Frondier's power, seemingly unaffected by it from the start.
A devil Satan recognized.
Arald, the former chairman of Hitchcock.
He didn't know why Arald was following Frondier, but he was the most likely candidate to have taught Frondier about Eclexis.
At that moment, Mammon tilted his head.
"…It seems Frondier is unaffected by the 'Humanity Contract.'"
"Indeed. He's using Eclexis far too easily."
Beelzebub agreed.
Satan let out a breath and spoke.
"Since we're here, we can't feel the nature of Frondier's Eclexis, but there are only two outcomes: either they collapse, or they don't."
"An effect that renders the opponent unconscious? Quite useful."
"No."
A voice refuted Mammon's speculation.
It was Asmodeus.
"According to reports, unconsciousness is merely a consequence. Those struck by Frondier's power experience something, and their inability to overcome that experience leads to their collapse."
"…So, if it's more severe, they could die?"
"Actually, when Frondier first used Eclexis, the devil he targeted died."
The Seven Sins grimaced at that.
Mammon turned to Satan and asked,
"Satan, can you do that? Kill someone with Eclexis?"
"I could drive them mad with rage, potentially leading to their death, but I can't elicit such an immediate response. There's no guarantee of death even if they're consumed by rage."
Mammon then looked at Lucifer.
"What about you, Lucifer?"
"Impossible. My power has little to do with human death. In some cases, it might even create a more favorable environment for them to live in. Besides, it's already difficult to break the spirit of a trained human, and even if I managed to, it wouldn't directly result in death."
Beelzebub then addressed Mammon.
"Mammon, if there had been a devil capable of instantly killing someone with Eclexis, we would have already chosen our king."
"Aha, don't be so sure. That doesn't represent all devils."
Satan interjected, soothingly, but with a hint of caution towards Beelzebub. His statement was a sensitive one.
However, Satan's eyes narrowed slightly as he added,
"…Well, the one who could have produced the most similar effect was Belphegor, wasn't it?"
"Ugh!"
Astaroth, who had been silent until now, reacted to the mention of Belphegor.
Unfazed by his reaction, Mammon stroked his chin and nodded.
"Indeed. Belphegor turns people into living corpses."
"If the goal is to create a corpse, then a living corpse or a regular corpse makes no difference."
Mammon and Satan continued their conversation.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Astaroth blurted out,
"I-I could do that too if I put my mind to it…!"
"Ahaha, don't get so worked up, Astaroth. We're not asking that of you."
Satan placated him with a gentle tone.
His words were soft, but their meaning was ice-cold.
You can't. That was the only message they conveyed.
Glancing at Beelzebub, Satan remarked,
"By Beelzebub's logic, Belphegor should have been our king."
"…No, I only said that because I placed significance on 'death' itself."
Beelzebub shook his head, drawing a clear distinction.
At that moment, Lucifer crossed his arms.
"I don't particularly disagree."
His words surprised everyone, who turned to look at him.
Satan, with an amused expression, addressed Lucifer,
"Lucifer holds Belphegor in high regard, it seems. The Devil of Pride, no less. I would have thought your ideals would clash the most."
"Ideals or whatever, everything about him is incompatible with me. The guy is full of things I can't comprehend."
Lucifer let out a huff of displeasure.
However, his eyes held no trace of hatred or contempt.
"But he's strong. Most of what I couldn't understand were those weaker than me. That's why I accepted it. Their differences from me were proof of their weakness."
This was Lucifer, the Devil of Pride.
Standing at the pinnacle of strength, anything different from him was inherently wrong. That was the epitome of his pride.
"But Belphegor is different. He's full of things I can't understand, yet he's strong nonetheless. He's a being who directly contradicts my principles. That's why the mere sight of him makes my blood boil, but I can't help but acknowledge him."
"…Are you saying that strength surpasses yours?"
Satan couldn't resist a slight provocation, poking at Lucifer's pride.
Lucifer shook his head.
"I have no desire to kill him. Even if I were to defeat him in battle, I wouldn't be able to fully comprehend him. So, it's fine if he becomes king. King! Doesn't that sound utterly absurd for Belphegor? Hahahaha!"
Lucifer's laughter was genuinely amused.
Mammon sighed.
"…Well, it's so unfitting that he wouldn't even consider it himself."
"Indeed. It was a pointless hypothetical."
Satan agreed, and they continued to discuss Belphegor for a while.
Among them, only Astaroth remained silent, trembling with a mixture of anger and fear.
He was currently occupying the seat of Sloth. He held the same position as the other Seven Sins present.
And yet, the rest of them were engrossed in a conversation about Belphegor.
"Oh, it looks like Frondier is about to make his move."
Satan reacted, still paying no attention to Astaroth.
"…He intends to kill one of the humans?"
"Indeed."
Satan nodded, his gaze fixed on the screen.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'd prefer it if he got this over with quickly."
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