Myths Reawakened

“How shameless,” Bat Demon grunted. “You’ve got double standards.”

“It’s not double standards,” Wayne huffed. “It’s strategic wisdom to lie low and conserve strength. It’s hard for me to explain such a difficult concept to someone whose intelligence is lacking, like you.”

“You said that, but you keep moving!”

“You’re moving.”

“You’re controlling me to move.”

“Oh, I control you, and you move, but when I’m not controlling you, you’re still moving, aren’t you? You don't make sense at all.”

Wayne and Bat Demon’s reunion wasn’t a pleasant one. The former reprimanded his replica for falling voluntarily, while the latter claimed that it was all instinct, and that as he only existed because of Wayne, it was his parent’s influence that he turned out like this.

Wake up. I am you. Stop lying to yourself!

Failing to shift the blame, Wayne fumed, and he was so furious partly because he was envious. In the heat of the moment, he sped up, leaving Mattea completely helpless. She got tossed to the poolside with a thud.

0(:3)～('、3」∠)_

Though she was in Hell, she reached Heaven at that moment.

Splash—

Amid the splashing sounds of the roiling waves, Bat Demon stepped out and slowly floated up, unfurling his massive monochrome bat wings. His tentacles retracted back into the underside of his wings and his philtrum.

Lust took another step back, vexed by her own fear. With a wave, she dragged Bat Demon down from the air.

Lust was a hundred and eighty centimeters tall in human form, looking quite petite in front of the two hundred and fifty centimeter Bat Demon. She narrowed her eyes slightly, unfolding a pair of bat wings and transforming into her true form.

Just like the Bat Demon, she had wings, a tail, and a pair of curved handles—bah, goat horns that curved backward—on her forehead. Her rectangular pupils looked insidious and demonic.

Wayne had hidden in Mattea’s body to conceal his energy from Lust, so he hadn’t observed the overlord of succubi closely.

Now that he was looking at her from a close distance, he would call her body the most perfect female body.

Lust’s body rose in height. She grabbed Bat Demon’s neck and pressed her chest to his to apply great pressure, but her eyes were cold and free of desire. Looking closely, one would see that blazing in her eyes wasn't desire, but competitive spirit.

If you’re so good, prove it by taking me down, too!

(는_는)

What have you done in the Lost Paradise, Bat Demon? Wayne thought. Is this still the fabled Lord of Lust?

Lust was perfect, so perfect that Wayne couldn’t and didn’t want to resist. He had to distract himself to stop himself from getting lost in the intrusive thoughts.

Such long legs. It would be a shame not to see them doing the bicycle motion! Such a beautiful back. It would be a shame not to leave cupping marks on it! Such a pretty mouth. It would be a shame not to have it on—

Wayne’s attempt to resist Lust’s charm failed miserably. It frustrated him that he was no better than the simple-minded Bat Demon. Bat Demon had at least endured two years under Lust’s wiles without falling head over heels for her.

Wayne wasn’t sure that he could keep himself under control, so just in case, he turned down Lust’s challenge.

“I’m tired. Let’s call it a day. O Great Lord of Lust, you won.”

“I won?!”

Lust looked visibly ecstatic. All her pent-up frustration made her eyes rim with redness. Before Wayne could sigh in relief, her expression suddenly shifted, and she said seductively, “I didn’t win. You’re just tired of me, aren’t you?”

Impossible. You don’t know how stunning you are!

Wayne shook his head. He admitted his defeat willingly, so he hoped that Lust would show mercy to him. They could sit down and talk.

Unfortunately, Lust didn’t believe him at all. She pinned him down with a wave.

Is that a gun or are you happy to see me?[1]

Wayne ordered Bat Demon to struggle, but Bat Demon didn’t obey. He insisted that everything he did was because of Wayne’s influence. Before, he was influenced by Wayne’s instinct, and now, he was influenced by Wayne’s will. It was because Wayne didn’t want to struggle that Bat Demon refused to carry out his order.

“Bastard, you just want her. Stop defending yourself!” Wayne snapped. “Wake up. She’s the Lord of Lust, the most evil and malicious demoness in Hell.”

“But you can’t deny that she’s got a big heart. She craves the essence of life and is incredibly accommodating. She’s meant for big stuff.”

“Damn it, you’re bastardizing phrases again!”

“I’m only saying what you’re thinking.”

“...”

Wayne groaned. It was possible that since he took over Bat Demon, the voice that he had been talking to belonged to himself.

An angel wanting to fall and a demon trying to make the angel fall linked their arms and, together, dragged his nonexistent chastity to Hell.

While a storm of thoughts raged in his head, Lust had already gotten busy. Seeing how trigger-happy Bat Demon was today, she laughed and made a charge.

The sky cleared, and the rain stopped. The Lord of Lust felt like she was at the top of the world again.

Not long after.

('、3」∠)_x5

Wayne sat in a chair with beautiful ladies lying prone at his feet to mark his series of victories, like a martial arts master who found no rival in the world...

That wasn’t reality.

Wayne remained wary of Lust and still hadn’t overcome her charm. He shuddered when he thought about the information provided by Stolas, about the demons who had lost everything while worshipping the ground Lust walked on.

He shook his head. He knew that he alone wouldn’t be able to resist Lust’s charm, so he closed his eyes and thought of his white moonlight from the human world.

Anastasia was tender and magnanimous, elegant and accommodating. She was the only one who could counter Lust’s charm and disperse all the fantasies haunting him...

Unfortunately, Lust was so strong that not even Anastasia could beat her. Resigned, Wayne deployed the three elite units in his harem and summoned the trio of magical girls and his secretaries, too. He even conjured Hestia, Vichy, and other helpers.

In the end, under the guidance of the disciplinary teacher—the Goddess of Darkness—his harem successfully subdued Lust and cleared his mind.

He won!

He rejoiced and shot to his feet, looking down at Lust. She wasn’t anything spe—

Holy shit, she’s still so beautiful!

His compliment was out of his appreciation for beauty rather than the haunting fantasies he couldn’t help but have. He no longer felt the compulsion to duel Lust when he saw her.

With a clear mind, he tried to communicate with Bat Demon again. Bat Demon responded blankly, no longer misusing the Windsorian language to depraved effect.

He had never been talking to Bat Demon. Bat Demon was a replica purely operating on instinct. Wayne had been talking to himself, to the lustful thoughts that had been amplified by Lust.

“What a terrifying succubus...”

“It’s even more terrifying that the other demon lords aren’t affected by her...”

“No, Bat Demon is the most terrifying one for keeping her subdued for so long...”

Wayne shook his head and looked at Lust’s stunning subordinates, grumbling to himself. He had just received Bat Demon’s memory. It was a real mess that shouldn’t be put into words. The only thing worth mentioning was Lust’s relationship with Moma, Leone, Michele, and Mattea.

Rognes saw the Goddess of Death as his god, faith, superior, and mother, while these four harbored even more complex feelings for Lust. On top of god, faith, superior, and mother, they also saw Lust as their idol, master, and the love of their lives.

The four of them were all demigods and had created their own succubi in the Lost Paradise, with their familiars seeing them in the same complicated light. Bat Demon had gone through many body counts before finally meeting the Lord of Lust...

More than a mother and daughter sandwich, Bat Demon was having a family meal!

“I envy you!”

Now that he had put aside his desire, Wayne got bolder in chiding his replica. He no longer feared spilling his thoughts. He had the courage to speak his mind and carry out his thoughts. He had reached nirvana!

It was the confidence of a man who had overcome lust.

“You’re quite talkative today, unlike usual...” Lust rose to her unsteady feet and plopped herself down on Wayne’s lap. Resting her head on his shoulder, she said languidly, “I used to try to make you talk, but you almost never respond to me. What’s going on today?”

“I’m tired.”

“Ha, I think you’re awake.” Lust looked at his six golden eyes and then at the big eyeball on his chest, marveling at his form. “What a perfect body. Pride, where did you get the evolution of the Void from?”

What do I have to do with Pride—oh, right, this body is very much connected to Pride.

Wayne cocked his head. Lust had clearly misunderstood something, but there was no arguing against her theory when he looked like this. He didn’t try.

“You’re the most powerful of the Seven Demon Lords and the first life of Hell. You could’ve exceeded all and become the one true demon god. But you didn’t...” Lust stroked Wayne’s face, breathing fragrance at him. “Tell me, what are you thinking?”

“Stop talking. The smell’s too strong.”

“Ha.” Lust was suddenly dressed in a red evening gown with her long blonde hair put up. There was no filth on her body. She looked holy, noble, and elegant like a queen.

“Pride, Envy didn’t lie. He became a clown largely thanks to you. Without you twisting the truth, we wouldn’t have mocked and jeered at Envy for what seemed like lies,” Lust said. “You must have known the truth for a long time. What’s with this replica? Are you trying to prove that my sin is nothing compared to yours?”

“Am I wrong?”

“...”

Lust’s eyes twitched. Yes, she had never once defeated Bat Demon and ended up thoroughly humiliated, but it had nothing to do with the sin she carried; Pride was simply too powerful.

“Got a bruised ego again?”

“Hmph!”

Scoffing, Lust rose to her feet, her gait still a little weak. Her attempt to project confidence suffered as a result.

“Just say it,” she said bluntly. “Heaven’s threatening to invade and has even invented a powerful living weapon. With the seal on Hell, our progress has been stagnating for years. We weren’t Heaven’s match before, and we’re even less likely to be Heaven’s match now. You...”

“What are you trying to do?”

“I want to fight back and invade Heaven!”

“Huh?!”

“What? Do you think I can’t do it?”

“No, I think the six of us can’t do it.”

1. The original is “can can need new new”, which is an intentional mishearing of 看看你的牛牛 (can-can-ni-de-niu-niu), which means ‘look at your penis’. ☜