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

[Arc5] - 35. A Seven Deadly Sins-Style Consolation

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"The trials of the druids vary from person to person. Although we've prepared appropriate trials for others, we truly didn't know what to arrange for you, so we simply pressed the random button."

Setting aside Jenna's rather irresponsible statement, Cyd was quite curious about where exactly this "random button" was.

"So, you also don't know where the things inside came from?"

"Of course not. That's one of the most mysterious places for druids. Everything stems from the possibilities within oneself; we don't have the ability to spy on it, though others might…" Jenna chuckled and motioned toward the lake. "Your teammates and the captain are inside struggling right now."

As Cyd leaned in, he saw Ban, beaten beyond recognition.

"Hmm, although the Seven Deadly Sins fall far short of the Ten Commandments, they still stand tall compared to most. Aside from honing one's own potential, there's hardly any other way to improve. And Ban, well, he's just a human."

Humans have limits. No matter how powerful the magic, it has its limits—not everyone can have the overwhelming strength of Escanor. Even with immortality, Ban is powerless against truly strong foes. His potent magic, Snatch, strains his body when absorbing the strength of others.

Neither the young Diane nor King the fairy has tapped into more than a fraction of their potential. Gowther even wears armor seemingly designed to suppress magic. Compared to them, Ban has the smallest potential among the Seven Deadly Sins.

"Immortality ultimately involves constant regeneration. My only idea was to continuously injure him, then let him regenerate so that his body would gradually become tougher." Jenna shrugged and sighed helplessly. "But it would take a very long time—maybe two or three thousand years."

"Could you avoid casually mentioning such an exaggerated timeframe? Just release Ban already. Right now, he's just taking a senseless beating."

This was just broken bones and twisted limbs; it was not even as bad as the beatings he usually got from Meliodas and Diane. Taking a beating for its own sake was not a trial.

"Fine, fine." Jenna clapped her hands, and Ban, bloody and battered, rolled out from the tree roots like a ball, landing at Cyd's feet.

"Ah, Vice-Captain?" Ban squinted through the blood covering his eyes, smiling when he recognized who it was. "No surprise you breezed through your trial, Vice-Captain."

"You're reacting differently than I thought you would. I expected you to be discouraged from not getting stronger."

"Huh? You've got me pegged, Vice-Captain. In the past, I would've been, but now I know how to get stronger." Ban lay flat on the grass, a confident smile on his face. "I need to go to that place, right? That place will give me plenty of time, won't it?"

"It seems that while I was experimenting, you, Meliodas, and the other three came up with some sort of plan." Merlin stood with one hand on her hip before Cyd and Ban. "Let me guess—you're planning to send Ban to Purgatory."

"Hey, hey, your expression suggests… you're not planning to stop them." Jenna raised her eyebrows, understanding what kind of place it was with her vast knowledge.

"The only one who's ever come back from Purgatory was my father, but he was useless by then. I don't know what exactly they're planning, but I suspect they intend to reclaim Meliodas's emotions from the Demon King in Purgatory. With Ban or Cyd's immortality, there might be a chance of success."

After thinking for a moment, Merlin nodded seriously.

"No, Meliodas can't get his emotions back." Zaneri's voice sharpened as she stared into a mirror. Realizing her lapse, she cleared her throat and pointed to the mirror in front of her.

"A Meliodas with emotions is too dangerous. Anger would make him lose all reason."

Ban and Cyd approached the mirror. They saw Meliodas, roaring at the sky, blackness engulfing everything as a massive city turned into a colossal crater in an instant.

"That place…" Cyd squinted. "Danafor."

"Hey, hey, I've never seen the captain like this before." Sweat ran down Ban's face as his smile turned uneasy; he had never seen Meliodas enraged.

"I made him witness her death over and over…"

Zaneri's hand brushed over the mirror's surface, and the ruined city turned back into its original state. The seemingly harmless Meliodas once again met the young woman at the door, beaming with genuine happiness—until she died in front of him.

[Aaaaargh—]

The dark energy engulfed the city once more, which was only natural; the love of his life had died before his eyes again.

Meliodas realized it was all an illusion, but he couldn't control his rage, losing his reason time and time again.

"Stop it! You're just torturing the captain!" Ban grabbed Zaneri's hand tightly, restraining himself from crushing it.

He couldn't imagine what he would do if he repeatedly witnessed Elaine dying. He couldn't fathom the numbness that would come from her death.

In that state, immortality wouldn't be able to assure him he was still alive.

"You've seen it. Meliodas, as long as he has emotions, will rage like that. Once he does, he's even more dangerous than the Ten Commandments. Rather than have him in such an unstable state when facing them, it's better to leave him here."

Zaneri made no move to resist, her downcast gaze giving her the appearance of a soulless puppet.

"Ah, I forgot you're fond of Meliodas." Jenna knocked on her head, frustrated. "Little sister, let Meliodas out. Choosing to abandon emotions shouldn't be forced; there's no rush. Or is it that you're still…?"

"I won't release Meliodas. He hasn't made a decision." Zaneri interrupted Jenna, glaring coldly at Ban. "I won't end the trial. Either he abandons his emotions to gain the power to save her, or he stays there."

"You!"

"That's enough, Ban." Cyd pulled Ban away, then did a few stretches before glancing at Jenna. "It's fine to send one more person in there, right?"

"Sure, but are you sure about this?" Jenna gestured toward the enraged Meliodas in the mirror. "I doubt he'll listen to anyone."

"Ah, he doesn't need to." Cyd cracked his knuckles and pulled Medusa from the shadows. "Medusa, wait here for me. I have to go bring Meliodas back."

"Understood." Medusa pulled her hood further down and glanced at Ban. "He looks like the type who'd rush in with you. Need me to hold him back?"

"Ban, stay put. That's an order from the Vice-Captain."

"Tsk." Ban grumbled, crossing his arms and sitting on the ground. Although his posture seemed rebellious, he didn't move an inch.

"Good enough." After signaling to Jenna, Cyd hoisted his [Reforged Pandora] and approached the tree roots.

"Are you going to persuade him to abandon his emotions?" Zaneri murmured as Cyd passed.

"No way. I promised to knock some sense into him if he couldn't smile like he does now. And…" Cyd smirked, "If he does abandon his emotions, I'll knock some sense into him for that, too."

"So, what are you planning to do?"

Cyd stepped into Meliodas's nightmare beneath the tree roots.

"A Seven Deadly Sins-style consolation."