Gap (3)
Frondier drew upon the devil's power.
Unrestrained power surged through his body.
The devil's power, the power of the soul.
The power that had subdued tens of thousands of demons with one hand, Frondier brought it forth once more.
Now that he could properly wield the power, it was even greater, stronger.
More terrifyingly, Frondier unleashed the devil's power upon Baal.
"...What is that?"
Marco, who was watching, muttered involuntarily.
The devil's power does not interfere with physical force. The pandemonium, a battle of souls and minds, only affects the two combatants and the surrounding living beings.
But now Marco felt it. The air was trembling.
'...If I tried to intervene now, I would die.'
Unlike pandemonium, the devil's power does not attack anyone other than its intended target.
That's why Elysia was fine when Frondier used the devil's power at the mansion.
The devil's power that Frondier currently possesses is beyond Marco's comprehension.
If that power were to change its target and be directed at him, Marco had no confidence in his survival.
Even with his regenerative abilities, he couldn't regenerate his mind, and he didn't know any such method.
'Such powerful devil's power...'
Marco had seen it a few times, though rarely.
The Satan he currently serves, and those who hold the same rank as him.
The Seven Deadly Sins.
'Has Frondier already reached their level?'
He didn't know how the other powers would compare, but judging solely by the devil's power, Frondier might have already reached that level. The scent was similar.
But if that were the case, Marco was even more certain of one thing.
Entering the already established pandemonium with that power was impossible.
'The Seven Deadly Sins, they are masses of curiosity. They've all tried to rescue a devil defeated in pandemonium. What Frondier is doing right now is the same.'
Their thoughts were similar to Frondier's current ones.
Does it make sense that I cannot enter my own pandemonium?
But pandemonium is not theirs.
It is, so to speak, a devil's sanctuary. A solemn place where two devils clash with their souls.
The Seven Deadly Sins may not acknowledge it, but the owner of that place is truly worthy of being the king of devils.
The Seven Deadly Sins are undoubtedly comparable to the power of gods. No, most gods cannot surpass the power of the Seven Deadly Sins.
There are countless gods whose roles and significance in myths, and the power of their names, fall short.
Yet, despite that, there was no owner of pandemonium. Not a single devil is allowed to enter it.
So, surely Frondier would be the same.
'Trying to become the owner of pandemonium now is the height of arrogance, Frondier.'
As Marco sensed Frondier's impending failure,
Frondier was thinking something entirely different.
'Pandemonium is not just an illusion. Baal and I unfolded it right here. If Baal is still trapped inside, it hasn't moved or disappeared anywhere.'
Right now, in this very place, pandemonium still exists.
It is invisible, yet present, still in its place, but the world has removed its presence.
Frondier had already had a very similar experience before.
'...Elodie.'
When Elodie vanished due to Headmaster Osprey's influence.
Frondier had used his 'sixth sense' to find her.
If pandemonium couldn't escape the eyes of the 'otherworld' like back then, his sixth sense would work this time too.
'Alright.'
Frondier drew upon the mana of Helheim. Just like when he found Elodie, he poured all his mana into his sixth sense.
The difference now was that he was also using the devil's power at the same time.
This wasn't difficult, but rather a headache. It felt like moving his left and right hands separately.
However, the mana of Helheim was ultimately like his limbs, and the devil's power was his very soul.
Finally, as if a hidden veil was slowly unfolding before Frondier's eyes,
"Got it."
With those words, Frondier stepped back into the pitch-black world. The moment he realized it, he had re-entered the world of pandemonium.
He didn't know how this would appear to Marco right now. Whether Frondier had disappeared, or if he was just standing still like when he fought Baal.
He would find out once he left this place again.
"You said I could never enter, but it seems you were just being dramatic."
Frondier said calmly.
However, it was only 'dramatic' from Frondier's perspective.
Once the victor is decided, pandemonium never reveals itself to reality again.
This is now a law among devils.
Therefore, what Frondier was doing now was...
"It's like I found a bug."
In this world, the higher the being's rank, the purer they are. Whether in terms of evil or good.
Here, purity refers not to the nature of their disposition, but rather to being more unified as a constituent element of the world.
Just as the Seven Deadly Sins are infinitely tainted by the demon realm, Baldur and Thor belong infinitely to Asgard, and Zeus belongs to Olympus.
The higher the rank, the more deeply connected they are to that world, and the less mixed they are.
From their perspective, Frondier, who constantly carries the mana of a completely different world within his body, is truly a foreign object among foreign objects.
And because of that, only Frondier could achieve the forbidden 're-entry'.
"Now then, let's find you, Baal."
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