NOVEL NEXT 279. The Seven Deadly Sins.
"Why are you looking for the Seven Deadly Sins?"
Billy looked at Alex in shock, not understanding why he suddenly had an interest in his ancient enemies.
The Seven Deadly Sins, in the DC multiverse, are ancient demons. They were born at the dawn of life, originating from the seven fundamental sins of living beings. Although they aren't as powerful as someone like Lucifer, they are far beyond what normal demons can compare to.
Since they are unable to manifest physically in reality, they seek out the most corrupt and filthy souls in the multiverse to inhabit. They inject their power into these mortal vessels, corrupting them, spreading their sins, and polluting the world.
In ancient times, the great wizard Shazam discovered their power and, using his magic and the strength of the gods, sealed them on Earth. Because of this, the Seven Deadly Sins have been eternal enemies of the wizard Shazam and his successors.
Since the wizard Shazam passed on his power to Billy, the Seven Deadly Sins have been the long-standing adversaries of the Shazam family (or the Marvel family). However, this long war changed slightly after Darkseid's invasion.
Although the Parademons destroyed the Rock of Eternity and released the Seven Deadly Sins, they were also trapped on Earth. Without enough souls to replenish their power, the Seven Sins couldn't even manifest their physical forms. All they could do was continuously change hosts, with no other options.
On top of that, given their previous enmity with the heroes, no sanctuary around the world would accept them. As a result, they were forced to corrupt corpses in the wilderness, hiding from the Parademons while trying to consume the souls of those who perished.
This time, Alex had set his sights on them.
Alex had encountered pure demon power before. If the Seven Deadly Sins were at their full strength, he might have reconsidered. But now, on this barren Earth, how much power could they really wield?
Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, Lust.
Each of these was pure evil, a rare and potent power. Even in Hell, absorbing such pure demonic energy wasn't easy. Naturally, Alex wasn't going to miss this opportunity. But absorbing demons' power didn't exactly look like something a 'hero' should be doing. So, in order to keep Billy from thinking he was some kind of villain, Alex had to explain.
"I have a way to dispel their demonic power and convert it into usable magical energy. You know how strong our current enemies are, so for that, I need to be a little... ruthless."
"...I see." Billy was only briefly surprised before calming down. "It doesn't matter. Even if you wanted to control the Seven Deadly Sins, it wouldn't make things any worse."
Alex couldn't help but be a little surprised by Billy's nonchalance. After all, Shazam's main purpose was to seal away the Seven Deadly Sins and keep them from wreaking havoc on the world. Yet Billy seemed so indifferent now.
Noticing Alex's thoughts, Billy shrugged and quietly explained.
"I've been through a lot in the past two years. I've seen countless heroes and criminals put aside their hatred. I've also seen beings that were once labeled as 'evil' fighting on the frontlines. So, don't treat me like some immature kid."
Hearing Billy's words, Alex nodded silently. For a moment, he thought of Gotham City. In its most desperate times, it was the madmen and criminals who gave their lives to protect the city. In a war of this magnitude, the line between good and evil becomes difficult to define.
Billy paused for a moment and then spoke slowly. "But I'm not sure where the Seven Deadly Sins are right now. Finding people isn't my specialty. Aren't you a wizard? You could try divination or reciting their incantations. Maybe that will draw them to you."
"You're suggesting I summon them?" Alex rubbed his chin, thinking about the feasibility of this plan.
"Technically, it's more like necromancy, but I've never actually summoned a demon before, so I'm afraid I won't be of much help," Billy said with a shrug.
Shaking his head, Alex replied, "No worries, you've already helped me a lot. I'll be staying in Gotham for a while. Once you arrive, we can discuss our next move."
"Alright," Billy nodded, then suddenly thought of something. "How will I contact you once I'm there?"
"When you arrive, I'll know," Alex said with a smile, giving Billy a firm pat on the shoulder.
"And don't forget, stay safe."
Billy slowly opened his eyes.
The familiar dimness appeared before him as his senses gradually returned. The foul stench he was accustomed to and the dripping sounds of the sewer reached his ears.
Tilting his head slightly, he could still feel the lingering warmth of Alex's hand on his shoulder. That touch held an indescribable sense of trust.
Billy's gaze sharpened as he leaned against the wall and slowly got up. While in his Shazam form, he could use divine power to heal his broken leg, but in his normal form, he needed a cane to walk.
Touching his face and feeling the rough scars, Billy's wounds ached faintly.
"Hope, huh?"
For so long, Billy had wandered aimlessly, fighting the Parademons without any clear purpose. But now, things were different. Thinking of Alex's face, for the first time in two years, Billy had a reason to fight again.
With a self-deprecating smile, Billy stood up straight.
"Shazam!"
Crack—!
On the other side of the world, Alex's fingers twitched slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes.
(How did it go, sir?)
Miss Minutes, who had been waiting beside Alex, noticed his movements and quickly came over, curiously asking.
"Not bad." Alex hadn't yet fully shaken off the strange sensation from earlier. Rubbing his slightly throbbing temples, he replied, "Though I didn't find the key person, it was still a productive encounter."
(That's good to hear. It seems this world has already accepted your magical energy, so from now on, using magic here will be much easier for you.)
"Yeah, that's good news. At first, I thought I might be rejected when using magic here. But now, it seems like this world is quite accommodating." Alex smiled.
(So, do you know what your next steps will be?)
"More or less. Although I still need to refine the overall plan, I've already identified the primary goal."
With that thought, Alex stood up. He raised his head, gazing at the night sky. The dark sky was blanketed with clouds, no stars visible in the endless blackness. Alex licked his lips.
"A dark and stormy night... Perfect for summoning demons."
.....
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280. Preparations for Summoning Demons.
281. The Demon You Are Trying to Summon is Out of Service…
282. Constantine.
283. A Bad Encounter.
284. Why Not?