Dungeon of Pride, Laplace



The presence of two Fragments of Pride within Simon magnified the effects of his arrogance to unprecedented levels. While even a single fragment could instil a dangerous sense of superiority, the combination of two unleashed a torrent of unchecked pride that consumed him entirely.

With each fragment resonating within him, Simon's ego swelled to immense proportions. It fueled his belief in his own superiority, blinding him to the perspectives and worth of others.

What's more, with the two fragments resonating with each other, its influence had reached a level where it amplified Simon's disdain for those around him. His arrogance became a force so overpowering that it affected not only his demeanour, but also the very fabric of his aura.

It radiated off him like an oppressive weight, causing even the most confident of demons to falter in his presence.

While the activation of two Fragments of Pride had subdued the whole crowd. It couldn't necessarily be said that it was a good thing. It had brought him to a dangerous state of being, where the boundaries of reason and empathy blurred, and the consequences of his actions became increasingly unpredictable.

While his transformation had ignited a newfound fire within him, it had also unleashed a torrent of hubris that threatened to consume him. The overwhelming arrogance he now embodied carried both the potential for greatness and the seeds of self-destruction.

It was a delicate balance, one that teetered on the edge of peril with every step he took.

While all this was happening, over on the side, seated comfortably in their seats a few distance away, the beings who could only be described as ancients, suddenly felt a jolt through their body.

Their leaning backs straightened and they couldn't help but lock their brows in consternation.

"Did you all feel this?" Gareth spoke, his eyes solemn.

"Yeah, something doesn't feel right. What could be causing this sudden change?"…

"This pressure... It's unsettling. I haven't felt something like this in thousands of years".

The other archdukes were perturbed too. This shift in the atmosphere was just too sudden.

"It is coming from the centre of the venue"…

"This invisible pressure that is making every cell and muscle in my body quiver.. could it be coming from Belial?".

With a serious expression, the Archdukes exchanged glances, a sense of unease and uncertainty could be seen on their faces.

As Demon Archdukes, they were the pinnacle of power and the bearers of the purest bloodlines. Yet when exposed to that aura, they couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with a sense of unease they couldn't explain.

It was as if a force beyond their comprehension was pressing upon them, making them feel a hint of inferiority and insecurity within their hearts. They thought that since the pressure was coming from the centre of the venue, it was Belial.

However, only Gareth knew that it was not the doing of his son. The Fragments of Envy that he knew of were powerful but even they didn't give off such an overwhelming feeling.

'Could it be the doing of that Demon Earl?' Gareth shook his head discarding that thought. There was no way a seemingly insignificant demon, an Earl no less, could exert such an imposing presence.

That said, it was still an enigma to him where that pressure came from. No matter how astute he was, even Gareth was unable to figure out that it was the Framgnets of Pride within the Demon Earl that caused the weird shift in the atmosphere and subdued all the demons.

But again, it was not like all the demons here were overwhelmed by that pressure. There were a few demons in the venue like Belial and Oswell who still still remained somewhat unaffected.

Though what they felt when exposed to the invisible pressure emanating from Simon was completely different from the rest of the demons here.

'This aura… why is it stirring up the Fragments of Envy within me? Why are they acting up right now and that too in the presence of a mere Demon Earl?' Belial muttered to himself.

Faced with the overwhelming aura wielded by the Demon Earl, the Demon Lord of Envy who possessed the Fragments of Envy, found himself entering a mysterious state.

In that state, he found himself looking at a vast starry sky. A large constellation was shining brilliantly amidst those stars. It was none other than the constellation of Envy.

This scene was not new to Belail, in fact, he had seen this scene many a time after being chosen by the Framgnets of Envy. That aside, what he couldn't understand was why the Fragments decided to show him this scene at this moment.

While Belial's mind became clouded with conflicting thoughts, from the corner of his eyes, he noticed two brightly shining stars in far far distant space. The light from those stars were so bright that it affected the surrounding dead stars too, bathing them in their starlight.

Meanwhile, Oswell was having his own thoughts as he observed Simon "This.. could it be…" A mixture of fascination and unease washed over him as he came to a realisation.

.

.

Silenced by his overwhelming aura, Simon's words reverberated through the hall, each point he made seemed to strike at the core of the established order.

"And Belial, your words are as feeble as your position. To think you would believe some insignificant creature trying to bootlick his way up the ranks. Has the mighty Demon Lord fallen so low as to require the assistance from the likes of them to solidify his position?"

Simon sneered. His words caused every demon present at this gathering to gasp in disbelief. His outright defiance of the Demon Lord's command shocked all of them including the Demon Lord himself.

"You…" being blatantly disregarded like that, as a Demon Lord whose position, power, rank, authority and everything towered over all the other demons here, how could he simply take it?

The others might be subdued by the aura of the Fragments within Simon; however, Belial was unaffected by such coercion due to the existence of the Fragments of Envy inside him. As such, after his momentary surprise at this sudden change in the Demon Earl's behaviour and aura dissipated, he was enraged by the audacious words of the latter.

Belial wanted to use his own aura and strength to silence this audacious demon and teach them their place,  when he felt the Fragments of Envy behaving peculiarly for some reason. It lay dormant within him and he was unable to muster up most of his powers.

'What is going on? I can't even channel half of my strength properly?' While Belial was having his own inner thoughts, a new voice interrupted in between at this moment.

"Although his words might be excessive and unnerving to hear, we cannot dismiss the underlying truths within them. He is the winner of the ritual of the Blades after all, and as per the rules that have dictated our demon realm through aeons, he has full right over the outcome".

"Duke Arctaurus' claims hold no weight, the same goes for Duke Famoon, the illustrious Hexennacht is no place for settling petty squabbles. Demon Lord Belial, I ask you to reevaluate your verdict".

The new voice spoke with an air of authority, cutting through the tension that had settled over the crowd.

The onlookers turned their attention to the source of the new voice, their curiosity piqued by this unexpected interjection. Who was it that dared to disregard the proceedings of the Hexennacht and even tell Belial to reconsider his judgement?

With their curiosity piqued, all eyes searched for the origin of the sound, but to their surprise, there was no physical presence to be found among them.

Belial, in particular, felt a mix of curiosity and apprehension as he listened to the voice which carried a powerful weight and insight that he couldn't ignore. His gaze darted around the sky, his mind racing to decipher the origins of this mysterious observer. 

However, after being unable to find any trace of them even with his powerful senses, he became even more apprehensive of them. Belial knew that since this person was able to hide from him, they must be in a different space altogether.

To be able to create a gap in space time, this person has clearly reached the…

As he came to a realisation, Belial understood that this was the special presence that his father notified him about a few moments ago.

While the demons in the venue were cluelessly wondering the identity of this mysterious voice, Gareth the most ancient demon present in the venue, rose from his seat and gazed at a particular space in the sky as he addressed.

"Marchosias, it is an honour to have you grace us with your presence at the Hexennacht. I extend my deepest gratitude for taking the time to be a part of this gathering."

With Gareth pointing it out, the demons gathered in the venue, be it Demon Dukes or the ancient Archdukes widened their eyes in surprise as they matched their gaze towards the area where Gareth was looking.

Nevertheless, forget about seeing anything, they couldn't sense even the slightest abnormality there. This fact further deepened the respect and surprise in their eyes.

That said not every demon was like that, there was one demon in particular who had no idea who this new voice was.

"Who the hell is this Marchosias?" raising an eyebrow, Simon gazed at the sky. 

"Haha, it's like you are a completely different person. But then it is understandable, let me tell you who Marchosias is. She is one of the Jesters and a direct subordinate of the Demon Lord of Lust, Lady Lilith. Marhosias the Rogue Jester" Oswell explained.