Saat Belphegor meninggalkan tonggangnya, Frondier menggandeng dua pitchinnya.
Asas Bela Diri Keluarga Roach
Variasi Gaya Frondier
Potongan Diagonal, Silang Dua Pitchin
Terlihat jelas bahwa pitchin Frondier itu mengalir cahaya.
Frondier menyilangkan lengan-lehannya, lalu menyebarkannya dalam gerakan menyilang.
Kepala Belphegor berputar sedikit.
Satu hal yang harus dihindari Belphegor adalah Excalibur. Diterkam oleh pitchin yang dipenuhi Mana itu akan berbahaya.
Belphegor menghindari trajektori Excalibur dan melompat mendalam ke sisi pitchin pendek.
Itu adalah perkiraan terbaik yang bisa dia buat dalam detik singkat itu. Terima kasih pada keputusannya, dia mampu menghindari Excalibur.
Pemilihan mereka tidak salah, tetapi...
Ia harus menanggul musak yang lebih parah dar yang diantisipasikan.
Pitchin pendeknya memotong dalam dada Belphegor.
"Aura dari pitchin pendek...!"
Di tengah kebingungan dan kekacauan, sulit untuk melihat dengan jelas.
Ciri khas aura Frondier, 'tidak berwarna'.
Aura yang memanjangi panjang pitchinnya memotong dada setan yang tidak hadapi.
Belphegor sesorot kaki karena rasa sakitnya. Itu tidak fatal, tetapi tidak juga ringan. Sang manusia biasa akan mati instan dari gokkan itu, tetapi ia bertahan dengan aura kuat yang menanti dirinya.
"...Seperti yang diharapkan, seorang setan."
Mata terengah Frondier memindai Belphegor yang menjauhi.
"Untuk hanya mengalami sebanyak itu cedera dari gokkan itu."
Mata Belphegor berubah merah.
Ia marah, meskipun memiliki nama Samsak.
Belphegor lebih marah pada Frondier yang menggunakan pitchin dalam dua tangan daripada meninggalkan senjatanya atau cedera di dada.
"Bagaimana cara kau menyalahkan, menggandeng dua pitchin sebelum ku...!"
Penggunaan dua pitchin lebih kuat dalam ilusori daripada dalam realitas.
Sepanjang sejarah, ide memegang dua pitchin dalam setiap tangan tidak akan terlalu sulit.
Namun, jumlah orang yang benar-benar menggunakan dua pitchin yang bisa dihitung.
Ini karena penggunaan dua pitchin tidak benar-benar lebih efektif.
Secara umum, penggunaan dua pitchin lebih sulit dikuasai daripada menggunakan satu pitchin. Setiap pitchin saling mengganggu trajektori yang lain, dan berbeda dengan pitchin satu tangan yang bisa diambil keduanya jika diperlukan, mudah jatuh senjata.
Selain itu, sebagian besar gerakan serangan mengandalkan lengan, sehingga tidak mungkin menambahkan kekuatan pada satu gokkan tunggal.
Itulah sebabnya Belphegor merasa Frondier bertindak macc, tetapi...
"Jangan marah terlalu cepat, Belphegor."
Mata Frondier sangat dingin.
"Aku hanya mengusulkan cara yang paling tepat untuk menghadapimu."
Frondier masih belum melepaskan stance dua pitchinnya.
Dalam konfrontasi yang baru, Belphegor segera menyadari niat Frondier.
'...Sungguh, pitchin itu adalah apa yang membuat penggunaan dua pitchin itu mungkin.'
Penggunaan dua pitchin Frondier, pada detik itu, berbeda dari biasanya.
Excalibur, yang masih dipenuhi Mana, adalah pitchin yang tidak bisa diblokir, tidak bisa digoyangkan.
Tambahan, pitchin pendek di tangan kirinya yang melakukan satu gokkan, membuatnya ragu untuk biar senjatanya bersentuhan.
Excalibur, yang harus dihindari sebisa-manku, dan pitchin pendek yang tidak bisa diblokir dengan senjata.
Dalam keadaan Belphegor, yang harus menghindar dan mencari celah, kelemahan penggunaan dua pitchin hilang sebagian besar signifikansinya.
'Aku berharap ia sadar akan Falling Edge.'
Dengan tambahan, bluff Frondier.
Frondier tidak bisa lagi menggunakan Falling Edge dengan bebas seperti Azier. Setidaknya seorang pejuang yang berkemampuan akan dapat membedakan kapan Frondier menggunakan Falling Edge dan kapan tidak.
Namun, setelah melihat Falling Edge pertama kalinya, menyingkirkan senjata lawan dengan sempurna, Belphegor tak bisa menolak untuk waspada.
Belphegor memperpanjang lengan, dan tonggang yang jatuh karena gokkan itu gemetar dan terbang mendekati dirinya.
"Kau pikir itu akan terjadi?"
Tentu saja, Obsidian Frondier menindan tonggang itu.
Ekspresi Belphegor menuntuk kembali, tetapi segera headnya miring seperti seseorang yang mendapatkan ide.
Dengan marah yang seakan hilang dari wajahnya, ia memandang Frondier.
"Teknik yang kau pakai memang pasti Weaving. Teknik yang dewa sebahagian besar sepakat untuk mencegahnya ada di dunia ini. Pasti kemampuan unik Frondier de Roach. Jadi itu harus berarti kau adalah Frondier."
Frondier bermain-main seolah tenang, tetapi pikirannya berkecewa.
Weaving adalah teknik yang dewa sepakat untuk mencegahnya ada? Maka penurunan Thanatos ketika teknik itu diaktifkan juga termasuk dalam 'ikatan' dewa?
"Namun, jumlah Mana Helheim yang kau miliki bukan sesuatu yang bisa dikumpulkan oleh manusia biasa."
Belphegor menunjuk pada Obsidian Frondier.
Jika Mana Frondier termasuk Helheim, itu akan melebihi waktu yang iahabiskan mengunyah Nadi Dragon. Itu adalah hadiah untuk menyerang banyak jiwa dalam fragmen Helheim.
"Walau hidup, manusia hampir memiliki kualitas jiwa yang sama. Untuk mengalahkan jiwa seseorang, perlukan usaha yang mendalam. Bahkan menolak ampuh sederhana mudah bagi manusia, tetapi kau telah mengunyah kekuatan jiwa yang relatif lengkap, hampir puluhan ribu, dari Helheim? Itu bukan sesuatu yang bisa dilakukan manusia. Bahkan setan tidak akan melakukan hal ini dengan liar. Apa kau?"
Frondier diam di depan sepucu perasaan Belphegor.
Dalam fakta, itu sesuatu yang ingin ia ragukan.
Apa yang ia hadapi adalah sekumpulan jiwa yang dikondensasi. Meskipun angka mereka berkurang sedikit karena saling mengunyah, dan niat mereka telah kehilangan arah, apakah mereka benar-benar lawan yang mudah?
Namun, Frondier telah memecahkan sekumpulan itu. Dengan sekadar satu genggaman tangan kanannya. Dan pada saat itu, Frondier pasti bisa menang. Tanpa dasar.
Belphegor membaca ekspresi Frondier, tidak bisa memberi jawaban. Pandangan yang langu pada Frondier.
"Kau masih tidak tahu apa yang kau adalah, bukan? Luar negeri."
"Hidup dalam tubuh Frondier, meniru padamu, menipu orang di sekitarmu, tetapi tidak bahkan tahu apa yang kau adalah. Memang, itu sebabnya kau adalah palsu."
Belphegor memanjangkan jari.
Frondier kaku posturnya.
"Aku tidak biasanya memakai kekuatan Keslahan pada manusia."
Pikiran Frondier mamam terkubur sekejap, Diganggu oleh rasa pemihak yang mendalam.
"Tetapi tidak apa-apa untukmu. Perlu ku anugerahkan ini sebagai caraku mengakui kamu. Berkatalah."
Frondier menurunkan pitchin di tangannya. Genggammatnya gemetar.
Suara lambat Belphegor terdengar jauh.
"Orang tidak takut Samsak."
Tangan Frondier yang memegang pitchin terasa berat, dan semua yang ia bisa lakukan adalah hanya menoleh sedikit untuk melihat Belphegor.
"Karena mereka percaya mereka selalu bisa bebas dari Samsak dengan kemampuan masing-masing. Itu lucu, mereka takut marah, sewu, melobai begitu banyak, tetapi bertindak seolah mereka bisa menggulingkan malasnya kapanpun."
Saat Frondier mendengar suara Belphegor, ia berusaha untuk berdiri.
Apa yang ia alami bukan sekadar pengantukan atau kelelahan. Ia merasakan seperti dimasukkan ke dalam sambar likuk kepuasan eksistensial, perasaan tidak berharga dari hidup.
Ia mungkin bisa menancapkan diri sendiri ke dalam jantung sekarang dan mati tanpa rasa sakit pun. Sensasi yang Frondier rasakan saat ini mendekati dorongan bunuh diri.
'Apa yang tak terukur ini? Bahkan enam dinginaku tidak bereaksi.'
Sebuah kekuatan yang tak diketahui asal usulnya atau cara membacanya. Bukan sekadar masalah tidak terlihat atau tidak.
"Itu cara manusium mati, Frondier. Aku telah membunuh lebih banyak manusia daripada setan lainnya lainnya."
Adakah ini yang merupakan Keslahan?"
"Itu minor. Kematian manusia seperti itu. Itu bukan perang, kelaparan, penyakit, atau bencana. Fakta bahwa manusia mudah teralih oleh hal yang terlalu jelas adalah bukti bahwa rancangan manusia itu malas."
Adakah ini setan Samsak, Belphegor?
Selena kembali ke rumahnya di Manggot dan berubah pakaian.
Dengan telah mengetahui geografi Manggot dengan sebagian, dan berusaha asas, kembali ke rumahnya adalah hal yang cukup mudah buatnya.
Rumahnya tampak tidak terganggu, semua pakaiannya tetap utuh. Jarum bersematnya juga baik-baik.
Namun, ia, yang bisa secara sempurna merasakan jumlah masing-masing jarum, merasakan sesuatu yang aneh.
Jumlah jarumnya berbeda.
Tidak kurang. Ada tepat satu yang lebih.
Namun sekarang, tidak ada waktu untuk mengeluarkan semua jarum dan mengeceknya satu per satu untuk melihat apa yang salah. Selena menyelesaikan sisanya dan keluar.
Selena bergerak dengan hati-hati, mempertahankan kesembunian maksimal.
'Yeolgot', kelompok penyembunyi yang dibangun Manggot, dan Selena, anggota terakhirnya, telah menyerap seluruh esensi penyembunyian, menyusup, dan perilaku yang Manggot kembangkan selama bertahun-tahun.
Jika ia memutuskan untuk bersembunyi, ada sangat sedikit orang dalam Manggot yang bisa menemukannya.
Selena, berjalan hati-hati melalui grottenya, berhenti sebentar.
Personel Manggot mengumpulkan di satu tempat, membentuk lingkaran. Suara berulang berulang doa dan nyanyian. Aura Mana yang kuat teredam.
A ritual untuk memanggil seorang dewa.
Selena tidak tahu tepat kapan dewanya akan turun, tetapi ia tahu bahwa jumlah Mana yang dikumpulkan di sana berbahaya sebuah pandangan.
Hampir secara instingtif, Selena merasakannya.
Alasan Frondier datang sendirian ke Manggot juga karena penurunan dew
The moment Belphegor dropped his staff and Frondier drew swords in both hands.
Roach Swordsmanship Basics
Frondier-style Variation
Diagonal Slash, Cross Dual Swords
It was evident that Frondier's blades were radiating light.
Frondier crossed his arms, then spread them out in a crisscross motion.
Belphegor's head spun for a moment.
The one thing he absolutely had to avoid was Excalibur. Being struck by that Mana-infused blade would be dangerous.
Belphegor dodged the trajectory of Excalibur and dove deep into the side of the shorter sword.
It was the best judgment he could make in that brief moment. Thanks to it, he was able to avoid Excalibur.
His choice was not wrong, but...
He had to endure a greater wound than he had anticipated.
The blade of the short sword cut deep into his chest.
'The aura of the short sword...!'
In the midst of confusion and chaos, it was difficult to see clearly.
The characteristic of Frondier's aura, 'colorless'.
His aura, which extended the length of the blade, sliced through the unguarded devil's chest.
Belphegor stumbled back in pain. It wasn't a fatal wound, but it wasn't a shallow one either. An ordinary human would have died instantly from that blow, but he endured it with his innate, powerful aura.
"...As expected of a devil."
Frondier's sunken eyes scanned the retreating Belphegor.
"To receive only that much damage from that blow."
Belphegor's eyes turned red.
He was enraged, despite bearing the name of Sloth.
Belphegor was more furious about Frondier wielding swords in both hands before him than the fact that he had dropped his weapon or the wound on his chest.
"How dare you, wield dual swords before me...!"
─Dual swordsmanship is more powerful in illusion than in reality.
Throughout history, the idea of holding two swords in each hand wouldn't have been that difficult.
However, the number of people who actually use dual swords is countable.
This is because dual swordsmanship is not actually more effective.
Generally, dual swordsmanship is more difficult to handle than wielding one sword. Each blade interferes with the trajectory of the other, and unlike a one-handed sword that can be gripped with both hands if necessary, it is easy to drop the weapon.
Furthermore, as most slashing motions rely on the arms, it is impossible to put more power into a single strike.
That's why Belphegor thought Frondier was acting arrogantly, but...
"Don't get too angry, Belphegor."
Frondier's eyes were infinitely cold.
"I simply devised the most appropriate method to deal with you."
Frondier still hadn't released his dual sword stance.
In the renewed confrontation, Belphegor soon realized Frondier's intention.
'...Indeed, those swords are what make dual swordsmanship possible.'
Frondier's dual swordsmanship, at this very moment, was different from the usual.
Excalibur, still imbued with his Mana, was a blade that could not be blocked, let alone struck.
Additionally, the short sword in his left hand had performed a single disarm, making him hesitate to let the weapons touch each other.
Excalibur, which had to be avoided at all costs, and the short sword, which could not be blocked with a weapon.
In Belphegor's situation, where he had to dodge and find an opening, the weaknesses of dual swords lost much of their significance.
'I hope he's conscious of the Falling Edge.'
And on top of that, Frondier's bluff.
Frondier couldn't yet use Falling Edge as freely as Azier. At least a skilled warrior would be able to distinguish between when Frondier was using Falling Edge and when he wasn't.
However, after seeing the Falling Edge for the first time, disarming his opponent's weapon so perfectly, Belphegor couldn't help but be wary.
Belphegor extended his arm, and the staff that had fallen due to the disarm trembled and flew towards him.
"You think that will happen?"
Of course, Frondier's Obsidian intervened, seizing the staff.
Belphegor's expression crumpled once more, but soon he tilted his head slightly as if a thought had occurred to him.
With the anger seemingly gone from his face, he looked at Frondier.
"The technique you use is undoubtedly Weaving. The technique that the gods mutually agreed upon and made a pact to prevent from existing in this world. It is definitely a skill unique to Frondier de Roach. So that must mean you are Frondier."
Frondier pretended to be calm, but his mind was racing.
Weaving is a technique that the gods made a pact to prevent from existing?
Then was Thanatos' descent when the technique was activated also included in the gods' 'pact'?
"However, the amount of Helheim's Mana you possess is not something a mere human can gather."
Belphegor pointed to Frondier's Obsidian.
If Frondier's Mana included that of Helheim, it would surpass the time he had consumed the Dragon Heart. It was the reward for defeating countless souls in the fragments of Helheim.
"While alive, humans have almost the same soul quality. To overcome someone's soul requires a desperate struggle. Even warding off a mere imp is difficult for a human, but you devoured the power of relatively complete souls, close to tens of thousands, from Helheim? That's not something a human can do. Even devils wouldn't do something so reckless. What are you?"
Frondier remained silent at Belphegor's words.
In fact, it was something he himself questioned.
What he had faced was a massive clump of condensed souls. Though their numbers had decreased somewhat due to devouring each other, and their wills had lost direction, were they truly such easy opponents?
However, Frondier had shattered that clump. With just a single grab of his right hand. And at that moment, Frondier was certain he could win. Without any basis.
Belphegor read Frondier's expression, unable to answer. His languid gaze fell upon Frondier.
"You still don't know what you are, do you? Outsider."
"Living in Frondier's body, imitating him, deceiving everyone around him, yet you don't even know what you are. Indeed, that's why you're a fake."
Belphegor extended a finger.
Frondier stiffened his posture in response.
"I wouldn't normally use the power of the Deadly Sins on a human."
Frondier's mind went hazy for a moment, overwhelmed by a sudden, intense feeling of helplessness.
"But it's alright for you. Consider it my way of acknowledging you. Be grateful."
Frondier lowered the swords in his hands. His grip trembled.
Belphegor's slow voice sounded distant.
"People don't fear Sloth."
Frondier's hands holding the swords felt heavy, and all he could do was barely lift his eyes to look at Belphegor.
"Because they believe they can always break free from it with their own will. It's funny, they fear anger, lust, gluttony so much, yet they act as if they can shake off laziness at any time."
As Frondier listened to Belphegor's voice, he struggled to stand up somehow.
What he was experiencing wasn't just drowsiness or lethargy. It felt like being thrown into a swamp of existential helplessness, a sense of worthlessness in being alive.
He could probably stab himself in the heart right now and die without any pain. The sensation Frondier was feeling now was close to suicidal urges.
'What kind of power is this? Even my sixth sense didn't react.'
A power he didn't know where or how it came from. It wasn't simply a matter of being invisible or not.
"That's how humans die, Frondier. I've taken more human lives than any other devil."
Is this what a Deadly Sin is?
"It's trivial. Human death is like that. It's not war, famine, disease, or disaster. The fact that humans are so easily distracted by such obvious things is proof that the design of humans is slothful."
Is this the devil of Sloth, Belphegor?
Selena returned to her house in Manggot and changed her clothes.
Having grasped the geography of Manggot to some extent, and being an assassin originally, returning to her house was quite simple for her.
Her house seemed undisturbed, as all her clothes were intact. The embedded needles were also fine.
However, she, who could perfectly sense the number of each needle, felt something strange.
The number of needles was different.
It wasn't lacking. There was exactly one more.
But now, there was no time to take out all the needles and check them one by one to see what was wrong. Selena completed the rest of her checks and stepped outside.
Selena moved cautiously, maintaining maximum stealth.
'Yeolgot', the assassin group raised by Manggot, and Selena, its last member, had absorbed all the essence of assassination, stealth, and acting that Manggot had developed over the years.
If she decided to hide, there were very few people within Manggot who could find her.
Selena, carefully walking through the cave, stopped for a moment.
Manggot's personnel were gathered in one place, forming a circle. The continuous sound of prayers and songs. The powerful aura of Mana emanating.
A ritual to summon a god.
Selena didn't know exactly when the god would descend, but she knew that the amount of Mana gathered there was dangerous at a glance.
It was close to descent, almost instinctively, Selena felt it.
The reason Frondier came alone to Manggot was also for this god's descent. The Empire's Spear had flown here to pierce that altar.
'...Can he defeat Belphegor?'
Selena bit her lip in worry for Frondier.
She had seen enough of Frondier's strength, but Belphegor was a devil of the Seven Deadly Sins. Frondier was practically facing a god.
A devil of that level was no different from being in the position of a god.
'No, I have to trust him now.'
Selena shook her head. Even if she intervened in their fight now, there would be nothing she could do.
From the moment she asked Frondier for help until now, Selena always had the same thought.
She would just do what she could.
As Selena slowly made her way towards the exit.
With near-perfect stealth and the map of Manggot in her head.
There was no problem reaching the exit with the combination of those two, but...
If someone was standing at the exit she needed to leave from, that wouldn't be a problem with stealth.
The man waiting at the exit spoke with a heavy voice as Selena approached.
Seeing him say her name,
Selena glared at him with cold eyes, as if trying to pierce him.
Releasing her stealth, Selena stood before him.
"You knew my name, Hagley."
Hagley simply stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Selena with a benevolent expression, as if looking at a child.
Hagley extended one hand towards Selena.
As if giving her one last chance, Hagley's eyes softened, and he spoke as if it were nothing significant.
"It was I who brought you from the family."
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