I Will Eventually Embark On The Path Of No Return Called A Hero

[Arc5] - 33. I'm Good at Trials

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As it turned out, they were indeed treated rather coldly. In this barren place with only a few stones sticking up, they were left standing for half a day until the wind had Zaratras howling before the "door" finally opened to let them in.

It was a pure lake that mirrored the sky, with a winding path leading to a small island in the lake's center. At the end of the path were two petite girls.

"Yo, Jenna, Zaneri, long time no see! You're both as petite as ever," Meliodas greeted the two young girls with familiarity. Clearly, these seemingly young girls were as deceptive in appearance as Meliodas himself.

"Vice-Captain, do you think the Captain has a thing for this type?" Ban nudged Cyd, smirking wickedly as he whispered about Meliodas, "I mean, having a special preference for women who look so young. Princess Elizabeth is even younger than these two."

Ban was probably the only one brazen enough to gossip without bothering to lower his voice, allowing every word to reach Meliodas' ears. And Meliodas, who seemed carefree but was actually quite petty, heard it all.

"Ban, I can hear you."

"Oh, sorry, Captain. I'll make sure to say it right in front of you next time," Ban replied with an "apologetic" smile, which sounded more like a taunt.

"So, these are the Seven Deadly Sins," said Jenna, one of the twin leaders of the Druids, with a touch of liveliness that made her stand out from her sister, Zaneri. "Looks like you've got your hands full."

"Oh, not at all. It's not that hard since we have someone to clean up after us," Meliodas chuckled, waving to Cyd. "We trust him completely. No matter how much trouble we cause, he can always handle it."

"Could you not say that out loud, especially in front of me?" Cyd interjected.

"Oho~ that black box... so you're the one from the prophecy, aren't you?" Jenna circled Meliodas, approaching Cyd while singing in a chant-like tone:

[The hero we chose shall come here, bearing our blessings, bringing a black box born of despair but holding sealed hope, to accomplish what I cannot. Until then, I will wait in silence.]

"A prophecy left by a goddess. No one knows what it truly means. Neither the Demon nor Goddess Clan cared much for it since the so-called hero is just a human, and the hero never appeared before the end of the Holy War. The goddess also disappeared. Rather than a prophecy, it seems more like the goddess was venting."

"There's no proof, but my instincts tell me you're the hero the goddess spoke of," Jenna mused.

"Is that so?" Cyd crouched down slightly so the Druid leader wouldn't have to look up. "Seems like I'm two thousand years late. Can you tell me where this goddess went?"

This world is dangerous; even gods would struggle to survive here. It could only be Athena or Ares. If it were Athena, she'd probably leave clues here with her usual mischievous style. But if it's Ares… that's trouble.

"I already told you, didn't I? The goddess disappeared. Only the Demon and Goddess Clans might know her whereabouts."

Cyd looked over to Meliodas, who crossed his arms, tilted his head thoughtfully, and blinked.

"…There might have been a woman claiming to be a god, but she didn't quite match the level of the Demon King or Supreme Deity. It's said her intelligence was lacking. I might have met her, but I've died so many times over two thousand years that my memory is a bit foggy."

Lacking intelligence… Lord Ares, are you alright?

Cyd quietly offered a prayer for Ares, who'd been around for two millennia. Athena would never be called unintelligent, but judging from Meliodas' tone, he might have met Ares.

"Well, it's better than having no clues. Anyway, you know why we're here, right?"

"Of course. The Druids possess all sorts of secret arts, and you're here to face the Holy War," Jenna replied, stroking her chin as she examined the Seven Deadly Sins. "Hmm, rather uneven."

"Pass," Jenna pointed to Meliodas and Escanor. Needless to say, the rest were marked as failing.

"Hey, hey, hey! Are you saying the Vice-Captain and I are the unqualified ones?" Ban raised an eyebrow, displeased as he stepped up to Jenna and questioned her judgment with a scowl.

"Obviously, I'm comparing you to the full strength of the Ten Commandments. You wouldn't even make a decent punching bag; you'd probably be crushed in one hit and spend the whole time watching your companions die."

"What did you say?!" Ban's eyes reddened as he reached out, ready to grab Jenna's collar.

"Hold it, Ban." Cyd grabbed Ban's arm, looking into his bloodshot eyes and shaking his head.

"Tch." Ban clicked his tongue, went to sulk on a rock, unable to refute Jenna's harsh but accurate assessment. The Ten Commandments' strength was a given, especially with Meliodas as their former captain. If Cyd was considered weak, how could he take that?

"If I'm not mistaken, you only gain power under specific conditions, correct?" Jenna's gaze settled on Cyd's wristband. "Thirteen crystals. They seem like mere vessels. Your power comes from within… Can I assume you have thirteen types of magic?"

"It's closer to the Demon King's 'Commandments' and the Supreme Deity's 'Graces' than mere magic. We could discuss this in depth," Merlin, who'd been silent until now, spoke up, intrigued by the topic.

"I think that can wait until later. Since you understand our purpose here, I assume you're prepared?"

"Of course. While we wish to avoid the Holy War, that doesn't mean we haven't prepared for it." Jenna turned and pointed toward a large tree in the island's center. "Seven Deadly Sins, inside is the trial you'll face. If you can't pass, you'd better give up on traveling with Meliodas."

"Ha, who do you think you're underestimating?" Ban smirked and headed toward the tree. The others, except for Escanor and Merlin, followed him.

"Cyd, until you reach your peak, feel free to hide behind me," Escanor said from behind Cyd, arms crossed, his tone arrogantly caring.

"You're joking, right, Escanor?" Cyd shouldered his [Reforged Pandora], glancing up at Escanor with a slight smirk.

"My peak? Who decides that? I do. I surpassed time long ago."

"What an arrogant statement." Escanor looked to the sky, his expression softening as he gazed at the sun. "Yet, a person standing beside the sun ought to have such pride."

"Oh, enough with the arrogance. Let's go," Cyd said, heading toward the tree, grabbing Meliodas by the collar to drag him along.

"I'm not bragging, but I'm quite good at trials."

After all, he was still walking his path of trials.