Myths Reawakened

Violent black tides pushed Wayne and Hesione toward the Gate of Hell. The gravity of the Gate seemed infinite. No matter what Wayne did, he could not move away from it—not the first time he was caught in the proximity of the Gate of Hell, nor the second time. It seemed like an allegory that nothing in the world could escape sin.

Or, perhaps, those with greater sins deserved to go to Hell more, and thus the pull was greater for them.

Hesione radiated a blazing aura as she flew toward Wayne with all six of her wings, her eyes frosty. Everything standing in her way was unceremoniously wiped out by the Oath Sword. She didn’t see the Gate of Hell at this moment, only Wayne.

Below the Gate of Hell, Śār Auriel had just broken free of the sinful chains. He frowned, doing nothing to help Wayne. Although he didn’t like Hesione, he cared very much if Hesione was pure. If he could send the great sinner who had tainted Heaven to Hell through the hand of a demon lord, it would be ideal.

To be blunt, he believed Wayne deserved to go to Hell.

These inhuman entities were each up to different things. Wayne was busy saving himself, Hesione only wanted to save Wayne, Auriel planned on saving no one, and Lord of Envy... had been laughing nonstop.

“Hahaha—”

Black tides pushed Hesione and Wayne toward the Gate of Hell. As the gateway collapsed, the light coming from the human world gradually contracted, while the darkness of Hell gradually grew larger. Envy’s power also grew at a rapid pace.

Amid the black tides of thoughts, replicas of Envy’s upper body emerged in the tens of thousands, either spreading their arms and laughing out loud or crossing their arms and sneering darkly.

They were all laughing, basically.

The catharsis and satisfaction of finally proving his innocence couldn’t be put into words. Envy alone knew how much he had suffered to get to this point. The joy of it shone on him and dispersed the darkness that had filled his heart like the light of dawn shining on the land. It wasn’t just about emotional release, but also the liberation and rebirth of his very soul.

He said goodbye to his past and welcomed a new life and a new future. Even the sulfuric smell of Hell seemed refreshing and sweet at this moment.

“Justice will prevail. Truth does not change because of lies. Hesione, your disgraceful side will be exposed for all demons to see...”

“While I, after countless trials and tribulations, as well as tireless effort, will welcome my rebirth. Whatever difficulties that don’t kill me will only make me stronger...”

“Damn Pride and you deceitful angels, look carefully. I, Envy, have not uttered a single lie. You all will pay for the injustice you’ve subjected me to!”

From the black tides came Envy’s resolved voice. It sounded at first like he had reached an epiphany or even nirvana, but listening closely, it would seem that he had suffered unfair treatment.

What false accusations have you overturned for you to be this thrilled? Wayne wondered incredulously. He finally realized that Envy had only put everything on the table with no regard for his losses because the thrill-seeker wanted to prove himself after being wronged.

“So you are my nemesis, Joker...” Wayne grumbled. Wasn’t it beneath Envy, one of the Seven Demon Lords, to be hung up on something this trivial? Couldn’t he have learned to be more magnanimous like Wayne? He hadn’t even made a comment when Rognes took Julia back and rode her.

An angel glowing with white light flew over to Wayne, taking him to the mouth of the Gate of Hell. Hesione’s chest ended up pressed against Wayne’s. She glared at him. Since he had broken his promise, he would never ever lay a finger on her in the future.

Her glare looked flirtatious to Wayne when she had him in her embrace. Feeling good, he blushed and said in an emotional tone, “I knew you would come save me, Hesione.”

“I’m Mona!”

“You saw what happened. Stolas was going to take the Headless Knight’s skull back to Hell. If I had done nothing, the Gate of Hell would sooner or later open again. I broke my promise to save the world. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“It’s unforgivable!” Hesione bit out. Something was more important than others. While the Gate of Hell was a major threat, the Anointed One’s safety came first. Heaven would go into collective hysteria if the Anointed One fell to Hell.

“If you don’t forgive me, fine...” Wayne shrugged, extending his fleshy wings with white feathers of the Golden Law attached, joining Hesione in accelerating their flight.

See. He had forgiven himself, but Hesione refused to accept it, insisting on calling him untrustworthy for breaking his promise. Then he should continue to go back on his word and blatantly disregard his promise, touching Hesione as he had done before.

That was the kind of untrustworthy man he was!

They continued to speed up. Between them, Hesione’s wings were better at their jobs, taking them closer and closer to the mouth of the Gate of Hell.

Envy, naturally, wasn’t going to let them escape. While breaking the Gate of Hell apart with raw power, he obstructed Hesione by attacking her, determined to send the pair of degenerates to Hell.

The sunk cost was too great. If he failed, all would be lost; he would continue to be subject to the other demons’ jeers, and there would be nothing he could do when the angels spouted blatant lies. Losing was out of the question. He would end this day a winner!

Right after Envy stepped through the Gate, his Authority and thoughts streamed endlessly into him, enhancing his power to an incredible level. Given Hesione’s current condition, she would be no match for him.

In theory, she and Wayne should be dragged to Hell, but somehow, she continued to take them toward the exit without slowing down.

Roooar—

Amid Envy’s angry roars, black tides morphed into immeasurable chains, grappling Wayne and Hesione viciously.

Nom.

Seeing his ultimate attack offset, Envy’s roaring suddenly halted, and the tides became silent. His shock was evident. Even so, he would not give up. He had endured too much to get to this point, so he would not and could not give up. He had to take at least one of them to Hell!

His gaze shifted between Wayne and Hesione. When they were about to exit the Gate of Hell, Envy blocked the collapsing doorway in a streak of black light without hesitation.

On the other side lay light, representing the hope of the human world.

The demon lord was personally guarding the Gate!

Hesione pushed Wayne away and crossed blades with Envy. Since she was far from her peak, she ended up forced to retreat nonstop, getting further and further from the Gate of Hell. All the while, the layer of white light covering Wayne forcibly took him closer to the Gate.

Everyone and everything was sinful, but they could all be redeemed by making a sacrifice. Hesione chose Wayne between the two of them, pushing him to the exit.

All around him, the spatial tunnel was falling apart, while Hesione, who had sacrificed herself, was right below him. After exiting the Gate of Hell involuntarily, Wayne returned to the Gate without hesitation, the white light gone from his body.

“Hahaha, what a pair of loyal degenerates. I like you!” Envy swung his sword of darkness, laughing.

Hesione’s face was dark with fury. Raising a hand, she hurled the Oath Sword at Wayne. While bracing against the current, it increased in size and slammed Wayne out of the Gate.

Wayne elongated his arm. The moment he flew out of the Gate, his five tentacle fingers grasped Hesione’s ankle and... lost their grip.

She had broken out of his hold!

Wayne’s eyes widened. He didn’t understand what Hesione was doing. They could’ve escaped together. Why would she want to stay in Hell? Did she resent him so much?

He was about to rush through the Gate again when the Oath Sword unfurled glowing wings, hardening into a cross prison to trap him outside the mouth of the Gate.

The dark vortex quickly shrank until the Gate closed up, Envy’s laughter still ringing.

Wayne stood still with a dark look on his face. His thoughts broke down the cross-shaped seal on him and caught the spatial ripples coming from Hell. He tried to force his way in. Just then, the seal ripped open with pulsing light, and Hesione returned to the mortal realm while breathing heavily.

Behind her, Envy roared with fury. Blocked by a white barrier, he could only watch as Hesione, arrogant as she was, left without even a glance back. His ire rushed out of his throat in the form of a large volume of black blood. Then he could only rage helplessly.

Wayne blinked in surprise, unsure what had happened. But he knew what he should do. Taking a step forward to put an arm around Hesione’s slim waist, he gave Envy a friendly flip-off.

This is for you and your family!

As the ring of light shrank, Envy’s furious roars faded away. Wayne wasn’t sure if the demon lord had seen his gesture.

“You’ve lost my trust,” Hesione said impassively, pushing Wayne away. “Do not touch me from now on!”

“Let’s put that aside for now. Why have you returned? I thought—”

I thought you wouldn’t be able to return.

Hesione was unwilling to answer the question, but someone else would do it for her.

Auriel furiously descended while flapping his wings, radiating a brilliant golden light with his sacred lance in his hand. “What did you do, Hesione? Heaven’s seal on Hell is crucial. How could you let the demon lord know that we Seraphim could pass through it freely?”

That answered Wayne’s question. The seal on Hell was implemented by Heaven, and the four Śārim held the key to the backdoor, able to bypass the safety measures for direct passage.

Judging by Auriel’s furious reaction, the demon lords didn’t know that. Only the Four Śārim were privy to the secret. It was supposed to be a useful surprise at a critical moment.

Hesione broke the rules again!

Facing Auriel’s criticism, Hesione stayed silent. Time would prove her right. Once Wayne was announced as the Anointed One, not only wouldn’t she be punished, but she would even be rewarded.

Her lack of guilt further infuriated Auriel. He pointed at Wayne and snarled, “You could’ve escaped, but for this human, you...”

“Do you even know what you’re doing? This human deserves to go to Hell. There’s nothing wrong with that. Why would you risk yourself to protect him?”

He was so angry that he started stuttering. “You’ve committed such a serious sin. You... I... I would send you back to Heaven for your judgment right now if I could!”

Hesione rolled her eyes at him, remaining silent.

“Perhaps this is love!” Wayne interrupted. “Śār Auriel, you should refrain from pointing fingers when you don’t understand love. I deserve to go to Hell? I saw it. If you hadn’t stayed on the sidelines doing nothing, the demon lord wouldn’t have learned of the secret of the seal. You have to shoulder the bulk of the blame.”

“Shut up. This is Heaven’s business. A human like you has no right to make comments!” Auriel glared at him, clutching his weapon with killing intent. Clearly, he was beyond furious. Not even banishing the Lord of Envy and destroying the Gate of Hell were enough to appease him.

Hesione summoned the Oath Sword, blocking Wayne with an icy look in her eyes. She was about to demand an apology from Auriel when she felt compelled to say, “Auriel, he’s an extraordinary man with all the virtues found in humanity, as well as the seven most supreme virtues of Heaven. He will not go to Hell. Your judgment is unfair. You’ve allowed your prejudices to color it.”

“Also, he’s Wayne. Don’t just call him ‘human’!”

Wayne cocked his head, shocked that Hesione would go against her conscience to praise him. Did she knock her head on the portal when she escaped earlier? Right, she had to be defending her man. This was love!

He puffed out his chest unconsciously, walking up to snake an arm around her waist. He delusionally believed that they looked like a good couple.

Hesione struggled weakly, like this was merely part of their flirtatious rituals.

Auriel couldn’t bear to look at them any longer. Face flushed with fury, he said through clenched teeth, “Are you blind, Hesione? This man is despicable and shameless, with all the vices known to the world. Consider it a compliment that I didn’t call him a demon. He does not know morality or shame at all!”

Keep going! I love to hear it! x2

An enemy’s opposition was a validation and the highest of praise. An enemy’s insults should be interpreted as the opposite. Auriel’s curses were music to Wayne’s ears, and the frustrated expression made him feel warm and fuzzy.

Wayne felt wonderful. If Hesione could step on him, he would feel even better.