Sybil, brimming with confidence in contrast to Marchosias's darkened expression, was actually troubled within.
"A devil with regenerative abilities..."
The hand Sybil had just severed regrew in mere seconds.
She had found it strange that he remained unfazed even while his entire body froze from Aten's coldness. It seemed he cared less about his own flesh than others.
"Aten, stay away. No, go somewhere else entirely. Go to the Headmaster."
At Sybil's words, Marchosias's expression hardened slightly.
"You think you can escape me,"
Sybil sliced through Marchosias's lips, removing the upper lip above the lower one.
"You've already lost."
As Sybil said, Aten had already fled while he was regenerating.
Although Aten didn't quite understand why, Marchosias seemed resistant to her ice even without his regeneration.
Meanwhile, the black flames surrounding Aten extinguished upon contact with Marchosias, due to Aten's own coldness.
She judged that she would only hinder the fight further and her decision was spot on.
"...Sigh, this is truly... The word 'irrational' seems inadequate."
"Same goes for your regenerative abilities."
Sybil had imbued her aura with magic, not just the blade itself. Most enemies' aura couldn't withstand her attacks.
While the Helheim Mana possessed by Frondier also pierced through opponents' aura more easily, Sybil completely ignored it. In that sense, she was a perfect superior.
"The target escaped, and I'm struggling against an unmarked enemy. I suppose the operation has already failed miserably."
Marchosias scratched his head, flames erupting from his fingertips with each scratch. It seemed as if he intended to burn his own hair, but that didn't happen.
"...Is he emitting flames unconsciously? This devil..."
Question turned into suspicion, and Sybil asked,
"Hey devil, what's your name? All the devils I've met flaunt their names around."
Marchosias clicked his tongue. It seemed this moment was more unpleasant for him than having his wrist or head cut off by Sybil.
And he quietly muttered,
"No, it's nothing. My name is Marchosias. The second rank of wrath."
At those words, Sybil blinked.
Marchosias observed her expression. Aten had also furrowed her brow upon hearing his name, as if she recognized it.
And unfortunately for Marchosias,
Sybil knew more about devils than Aten did.
"...Why do you know that? That knowledge should be obsolete in this Empire."
Marchosias's expression changed.
With a mix of tension and a bold smile, Sybil said,
"There was a time when I was obsessed with devils."
Sybil had once doubted herself.
When she received the love of fate, and that fate resulted in harm to those around her.
She wondered if she was actually a devil.
Therefore, Sybil had searched for a devil with similar characteristics to her own.
It wasn't that she hoped such a devil didn't exist.
If such a devil did exist, she wanted to know how they dealt with their traits.
"...And in the process, I ended up memorizing almost all of Solomon's 72 devils."
Marchosias was one of the 72 devils. Sybil remembered clearly.
His ability to control flames and his strangely magnificent beard were all consistent with the records.
However, that raised a question.
"Why did the 72 devils fall under Satan's command? They have nothing to do with the Seven Sins, do they?"
The Seven Sins were undoubtedly the highest rank of devils, but the 72 devils were a separate matter. They were devils from different worlds.
This was as strange as saying Hercules was under Odin's command.
Marchosias's expression became the most severe it had been so far.
"You already know too much. That question itself proves it."
"You're not going to tell me anything more?"
"I didn't want to tell you anything from the beginning, but yes, that's right."
And then, Marchosias's murderous intent, aura, and flames flared up.
As if he had been consuming them all along, flames began to spew out with each breath he exhaled.
"I considered fleeing since the operation failed, but now I have a reason to silence you."
"Your mouth seems useful. Want to work under my dad? He's been complaining lately about the fire not lighting."
Marchosias's new form shot forward. The incredible speed that Aten couldn't even track with her eyes. The same technique he used to grab Aten's neck in an instant.
However, that was because Aten was a mage.
Aura-Mana Combination
Sybil's eyes locked onto Marchosias.
"Are you faster than lightning?"
With a provocative remark, she swung her sword, crackling with bursts of energy.