Myths Reawakened

Lightning crackled across the dark veil of the sky above the island, where the council meeting of demon lords was held. Pride, the head of the Seven Deadly Sins, pulled out a chair and sat down, staring blankly at the four pieces of trash and the Anointed One, who was even more loathsome.

Ever since the Anointed One’s arrival, Hell’s moral standards had lowered further.

Wayne sat on the chair that once belonged to Wrath. The wood creaked, and the rusty nails bit into his bottom. That didn’t matter as much as the lack of a weight on his lap—he missed Sister Lust’s soft, fragrant body.

ε=(´ο`*)))

“What is that sigh for?” Pride glared at Wayne. “We’ve taken down two traitors who dared corrupt Hell. As my replica, you should be as happy as I am.”

“Kekekeke—” x2

Wayne went against his conscience and laughed in the same way as Pride did.

The other four demon lords would like to join in, but the most they could manage was a stiff smile; they couldn’t laugh.

Pride had taken out Wrath and Gluttony with some difficulties, but no dangers. If he hadn’t put on an act, the whole process would’ve been smooth-sailing, as smooth as the map of the Chosen Land.

Pride could kill Wrath and Gluttony. Then he could do the same to them in the future. How could they possibly laugh when they were at Pride’s mercy?

Pride looked at the five trash in turns and said in a steely voice, “I’ll repeat what I said. I allow you to surpass me as long as you have the power to do so. Any of you can become the head of the Seven Deadly Sins, but not a traitor!”

Envy opened his mouth and then closed it. He would like to say something, but his envy made him ineloquent. He would rather die than praise Pride.

Since Envy wouldn’t say anything, Sloth said bluntly, “Pride, have you become a god already?”

“If I have, why would I stay in Hell and look at you bunch of imbeciles baring your teeth at each other every day?” Pride sneered, raising his voice as he insulted them. His displeasure with working with the vermin was on open display.

“...” x5

You’re so right! x4

“So you haven’t become a god?” Envy immediately broke his silence.

“Ha.” Pride smiled mysteriously. “I’m not a god to others, but to you... it’s hard to say.”

“Bastard, I’m challenging you to a duel!”

Envy slammed the table and shot to his feet, bringing his hand up to point at Bat Demon.

Wayne cocked his head. “What a funny joke. I can’t laugh to death at all. Do you think you can defeat me?”

“I may not be able to defeat you, but that’s my concern rather than yours.” Envy huffed with barely suppressed frustration. “Do you think you’re entitled to that chair? Get over there and lie on top of Lust!”

Good idea!

Wayne nodded vehemently. All six eyes on Bat Demon’s face lit up.

“He is entitled to it,” Pride said flatly. “Hell must have the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Demon Lords corresponding to the Sins. Bat Demon will join us as one of the seven. Who’s for it, and who’s against it?”

“I’m for it,” Lust voiced her support first. Then she threw Wayne a pointed, leering look.

Envy’s eyes twitched. He turned to Sloth and Greed, but received no response. “There is only one Bat Demon. What are you going to do with the other spot?”

“That’s simple...” Pride’s eyes gleamed with black light, and another pale figure appeared on Gluttony’s seat. He was two meters tall with slim limbs, with sinful faces appearing and disappearing on his face and chest.

“My replica will take Gluttony’s place and become the new Deadly Sin.”

“...”

So you’re taking three spots among the Seven Deadly Sins? Do you take Hell as your personal domain, where you can do whatever you want? Have you no respect for fairness and justice?

Envy’s face twisted with envy. It was particularly unbearable for him because Pride was the one going overboard instead of him.

He envied Pride!

He felt like he should say something, so he turned to his allies with wide eyes, hoping that Sloth and Greed would back him up. No luck. Sloth was dozing off, and Greed was pondering what business to do. Neither paid him any attention.

Damn it!

Hell was doomed. It might as well be known as the Household of Pride from now on.

Envy sat down grumpily, slamming the table to express his dissatisfaction.

Pride ignored him and turned to his replica instead, his black eyes cold and chilling. “My replica won’t occupy Gluttony’s spot forever. Let it be known that whoever defeats my replica will be the new great demon lord.”

“Who could possibly defeat you...” Envy mumbled. They all saw how absurdly powerful Pride’s replica was. Bat Demon could beat up Wrath one-sidedly. He wasn’t a replica, but Pride himself.

Who could possibly defeat Pride in Hell? Seraph Mikhael after he fell?

Ha, Mikhael was the Viceroy of Heaven. Any angel would fall before he did.

Envy saw the writings on the wall. Pride had claimed three of the Seven Deadly Sins and cemented his dominance. Hell would henceforth follow the Cantos of Pride. Even if Pride wasn’t yet god, he would be the de facto great demon god.

Even so, Envy believed that fairness and justice remained. One day, a demon would overturn Pride’s tyranny and dominance.

Envy scanned the room. Lust was spreading her legs, Sloth was dozing off, Greed was playing dumb. The three useless demon lords couldn’t achieve anything. He suspected that he would be the fated rebel, which made sense given the injustice he had suffered all this time!

A king’s crown only gleamed after the polish of time and hardships. Envy would climb to the top one step at a time and become the real demon god of Hell. Huhu.

Pride looked at the daydreaming Envy with exasperation. He suspected that Envy had lost his mind from stress. It didn’t matter, though. Envy was useless even when he had his marbles with him. Whether he was sane or not didn’t matter.

“I’m the first demon born in Hell, way before you all were born. That means I acquired the Seven Deadly Sins before you did, too. I can tell you with certainty that Hell has never been a static, lifeless place. She’s constantly evolving and transforming.”

Pride steepled his hands under his chin, spouting nonsense at a deliberate pace. “Hell has the Seven Deadly Sins, but isn’t limited to the seven particular sins. Wrath and Gluttony are in the past, and a new chapter begins. The two new demon lords will have their own monikers.”

“What do you mean?” Envy exclaimed in shock. “What are you doing?”

Wayne and the other three demon lords looked at Pride in surprise. The Seven Deadly Sins could in theory be replaced, but was it really... possible? Even if it was, what gave Pride the right to change it?

Hiss— x5

Yet you insisted that you weren’t the great demon god, Pride! x5

“Stop overthinking. I’m not the demon god. I’ve explained how it’s possible, so I won’t repeat it.” Pride revealed the Void above the island. Within the dark abyss, Books of Hell carrying heavy sins floated, each representing a sin.

The demon lords gaped in disbelief, their breaths hitching and their pupils contracting. Fear and shock overpowered their greed, leaving their minds blank.

The Seven Deadly Sins weren’t the only sins in Hell. That much they could understand. But why was Pride the only one privy to the fact, and... why did it seem like Pride owned the sins?!

What gave him the right?

“What gave you the right?” Envy slammed the table and stood up, his eyes reddening. “Just because you were the first to be born and the first to come into contact with Hell?”

“Yes, just because I was the first demon.” Pride stared at Envy impassively until Envy sat back down under the pressure. Then he turned to the other great demon lords. “Envy believes fairness does not exist in Hell, but I disagree. If you have any objections, feel free to share with the class. I’m all for democracy.”

As if I’d believe you! x5

Wayne looked up at the knowledge floating in the sky, feeling the urge to swallow all the books. No wonder Pride was so strong. The amount of sins and knowledge he possessed guaranteed his prowess. Even pigs could fly with such support. It would be strange if he weren’t better than the other great demon lords.

Wait!

Wayne’s heart skipped a beat. Each great demon lord owned a Book of Hell, and they could each share their cantos. Could it be that the great demon lords were only keeping the cantos for the true owners of the Seven Deadly Sins? Or perhaps the true master of Hell was the source of the knowledge?

Who was the master of Hell? Pride?

The more Wayne thought, the more shaken he became. The other demon lords shared the sentiment.

Pride rolled his eyes. “I was born first and got to meet the real Hell... Yes, just as you imagined, I purposefully kept you from seeing the same truth so that you wouldn’t surpass me.”

“Damn you!” Envy screamed. “This is a benefit we all should share. If you had shared it with us earlier, we would’ve defeated Heaven!”

“Even if I had given you the power, you wouldn’t have defeated Heaven,” Pride scoffed. “There are more than seven Deadly Sins in Hell. Do you think there are only seven Sacred Virtues in Heaven? Use your brain. If it’s possible to defeat Heaven, I would’ve done it myself. I have the replicas to do it.”

No, you are hiding something!

Wayne narrowed his eyes. He increasingly suspected Pride to be Heaven’s spy. That would explain why Pride hadn’t killed him after learning that he was the Anointed One...

Or maybe not. No undercover agent would toss their boss to the redlight district, would they?

Wayne didn’t understand him.

Sloth, Greed, and Lust would like to say something, like they should all share the new knowledge to become stronger together. However, Pride’s demonstration of greater power prevented them from taking the initiative. They were all waiting for someone to speak up as they provided emotional support.

Seeing that Envy was the only one who dared to talk—and he was snarling—Pride continued, “The introduction of the new Sins marks a new beginning for Hell. I’m confident that we will succeed in invading Heaven, killing Mikhael and capturing Hesione alive!”

Wayne led the applause. From the perspective of a demon, he didn’t really care about Mikhael. That was Pride’s dream. As for capturing Hesione, he would happily do the honor. Such dirty work should go to a dirty man like him. He would not relinquish the responsibility.

“Bat Demon, there are a few Sins that fit you perfectly here.” Pride turned to Wayne with a smile. “Which would you like?”

Seriously, bro. You’re making extra investment?

Wayne’s eyes widened as he stared at the four Books of Hell manifesting before him. Though they were projections, their knowledge content was noticeably substantial. They were just a little lesser than the books on Wrath and Gluttony, which would explain why these Sins hadn’t been among the first selection.

“What do you think, Bat Demon?”

“May I take them all?”

“...”

Wayne interpreted Pride’s silence as a resounding ‘no’. Taking a close look at the four Books of Hell, he saw the cantos on the four new Sins.