Yuuki had obtained Mariabell's power.
"I wish you'd told us this from the start."
"Hahaha, didn't I already tell you that it wasn't possible? It was thanks to my method that even Mariabell was caught in the loop."
"But it was awfully tiring for me to keep all my subordinates away!"
While Yuuki was fighting Atem, in order to preserve the secret of Yuuki's power, Kagali had worked relentlessly to keep her crew occupied. If she did anything suspicious, **Atem—King of Eterna, the man whose insight carved through deception like a blade—**would instantly see through her act. That fear forced her to be extremely careful.
Yuuki, however, was unbothered. Even if his enemies learned about his ability to nullify Skills, they would not be able to easily counter it. It was his ace in the hole—though definitely not his trump card.
"I did that because I had faith in you. We managed to pull through successfully anyway, so just quit complaining."
"You seem to have robbed Mariabell of her power; was that part of your plan as well?"
"Yes, I mean, sort of. The Deadly Sins are the strongest among Unique Skills. I always wanted one. I heard that the amount of 'Desire' one possesses fuels 'Greed,' so naturally, I would be its better master. And that's how things went."
"You can be really absurd sometimes. Normal people can't just rob other people's Skills, you know?!"
"Probably. But this time it was 'Greed' that chose me. With that being said… even with it, I still can't win against that Demon Lord Atem."
"—You have a point. That demon lord was beyond common sense."
"Seriously. But now, we can shift all blame onto Mariabell for everything we've done. I walk free of suspicion. For now, we'll have to quiet down… but we'll enjoy ourselves more later."
"Given how things have developed, rushing won't help. That demon lord was meticulous—disgustingly so. I have several complaints about this plan, but I suppose I'll have to accept it."
Kagali's grievance centered on the tomb's destruction.
Yuuki explained to Atem that Mariabell had committed suicide by activating the engine reactor. He presented it as a desperate attempt to destroy evidence. The explosion affected only the lowest level, causing less damage than expected—or so Yuuki claimed.
In truth, he had detonated a pre-placed magic bomb, later scattering fragments of the real reactor to enhance the deception. Even if questioned, Yuuki intended to lie through to the end.
That was what angered Kagali.
"Didn't you plan to abandon the place anyway? Don't think too much about it," Yuuki reassured.
To Kagali, however, the city had been her home for years. After finishing her duties, she had planned to restore it to its former liveliness. But now, with the tomb—the core of its heritage—destroyed, anger was inevitable.
"—That's not true. This was still like our second home," Kagali shrugged, prompting a bitter smile from Yuuki.
"You have a point. But thanks to this, we've profited. Clearing my name was our primary goal. And now, we've learned something crucial—the 'Blood Shadows' Mariabell sent were capable of 'Holy Magic.' That's a major breakthrough."
"Indeed. I noticed it too. The Council's connection to the Western Holy Church must be tied to the true identity of the head of the Council of Five Elders."
"That's right. It made the news, quite the hot topic—the Farmus civil war dragged the champions' reputation through the mud. It also weakened the Council's influence on the Western Holy Church. And this also reveals something else! Mariabell's great-grandfather, Granbell Rosso, was probably one of the Seven Luminary Clerics."
"I see… As expected from Yuuki-sama, such sharp observation."
Kagali had strong intuition of her own; Yuuki's reasoning aligned with what she had been suspecting. Now she could confirm it.
Yuuki then grinned wickedly. "I suppose I can handle deduction at this level. But more importantly—I've found something far more significant. Do you know what it is?"
Kagali raised her hands, admitting defeat. "I give up."
"I've been thinking about Mariabell's actions this time. She was unusually reckless, wasn't she? Even if she had killed Demon Lord Atem, Veldora might've emerged and unleashed chaos. Controlling the Chaos Dragon would also enrage Demon Lord Milim. You were nervous too, weren't you? Afraid Milim would see through your disguise. Mariabell was unbelievably bold to challenge a high-risk demon lord and a True Dragon."
"Now that you've laid it out, it does sound strange…"
"There's no way she overlooked such risks. By her logic, every outcome should've had a planned countermeasure. So then—what was the plan?"
Yuuki asked, staring into Kagali's eyes. He didn't know the answer himself; the question helped him organize his thoughts.
"You're right… Maybe she knew her own safety was guaranteed?"
"That's possible, but not the full story."
"Perhaps she accepted the need for a small sacrifice—giving up the minimum to gain long-term advantage? She feared Demon Lord Atem's rise. Maybe losing something now was acceptable for greater future benefit…"
Yuuki nodded thoughtfully.
"Well, I don't believe she would've used such tactics without knowing exactly how much sacrifice was required. If she could predict the scale of damage, she could also calculate the resulting cost and benefit."
"—Which means?"
"Even if Veldora or Milim lost control, Mariabell had a means to handle both—I have enough evidence to claim that."
"…And what would that be?"
"Is it Granbell—?"
"No." Yuuki had reached his conclusion. A wide grin spread across his face. "Who fought against Laplace in the Holy Land?"
"Demon Lord Valentine—AH!"
Kagali's reaction widened Yuuki's grin even further.
"Exactly. Demon Lord Valentine is dead, yet another Valentine sits among the Octagram. The real demon lord must be far stronger than the substitute."
"Even the deceased Valentine could fight me at my prime… That means—"
"The real one is overwhelmingly stronger! And I am certain the demon lord's base is within the church."
"Are you saying Demon Lord Valentine is also the god Luminas? No way, how can that be…?"
"It can be—and most likely is," Yuuki said with confidence, as Kagali realized the truth.
"I see… that would explain it. For someone like Granbell, knowing the truth wouldn't be strange."
"You're correct. Mariabell knew too. That's why she believed the god Luminas would protect the Western Nations."
Everything clicked neatly into place.
Kagali accepted the explanation; there was no room for argument.
"If that's the case, we need a new strategy."
"Right. First, we'll relocate our base to 'The East.'"
"Hehehe, you sure are scary. Talking about staying quiet while running around so eagerly."
"That's only natural—since I'm going to rule this world. Didn't I promise already? I'll rule this world!"
"You're right. Hehe, I'm looking forward to it. Really, really looking forward to it. Clayman would be thrilled."
"Exactly. So you need to support me properly."
"That's for sure. And you—don't even think about betraying us, Yuuki-sama."
"Of course not. I'll rule the world. And everyone will live happily ever after!"
Yuuki and Kagali laughed, and laughed, and laughed.
Like children playing a game, the majins conspired to take over the world.
To rule the world—such a childish ambition—yet one they would pursue without end…