# Chapter 55
"THE SIN OF GLUTTONY?!"
Pope Denovan exclaimed at the sight of the shield in Lugh's left hand.
"How do you have Gluttony too...?"
Behind a giant rock, Alexi remained hidden with his frozen sister. His face carried a mixture of relief and confusion.
Relief at seeing Lugh unharmed.
Confusion at Denovan's reaction.
(I've never seen Denovan with such a pale expression...)
Meanwhile, Alcium was flabbergasted. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.
Lugh had survived his attack.
Not only that, he now possessed another Sin.
(He now even possesses the Sin of Gluttony...)
Alcium instinctively turned towards Denovan. The Pope was still staring at Lugh, seemingly unable to process what he was witnessing.
Denovan subconsciously took a step backwards, his mouth slightly agape.
(He not only wields Envy and Lust, but Gluttony as well... But how?)
Denovan covered his face with his palm and took a deep breath.
When his hand fell away, his expression had changed.
His piercing gaze settled upon Lugh.
"...Kill him, Alcium."
The order echoed across the ruined battlefield.
Alcium stiffened.
He slowly turned towards the Pope, his movements rigid, almost mechanical.
"...Are you serious?"
Denovan's expression didn't change.
"...Did I stutter?"
Alcium's lips twitched.
His eyes drifted back towards Lugh.
The young man stood amidst the destruction as though nothing had happened.
Blindfolded.
Venidia rested loosely in his right hand.
Gluttony remained raised in his left.
Not a single burn marked his clothes.
Not a single scratch stained his skin.
Alcium swallowed.
(Is he for real? He wants me to fight that monster?)
(He just survived my strongest attack, which used the Transcendent Flame... the only Factor ability I possess! And the Pope thinks I can fight him?)
A bead of sweat slid down his temple.
His hands trembled.
Behind the shattered boulder, Alexi slowly exhaled.
Only now did he realise he had been holding his breath.
His shoulders relaxed.
"...He's alive..."
A wave of relief washed over him.
But it lasted only a moment.
His eyes shifted towards Denovan.
The Pope's reaction...
It disturbed him more than the shield itself.
(I've never seen him like this...)
(Not once.)
The man who had always seemed above fear...
Had panicked.
Alexi's gaze returned to the black shield.
(Just... what are those weapons...?)
Lugh remained motionless.
He neither acknowledged Denovan's order nor Alcium's hesitation.
The crimson core embedded within Gluttony pulsed once.
His grip tightened around Venidia.
Then...
He tilted the blade slightly.
A silent invitation.
Alcium forced a laugh.
"...You know\..."
"It'd be really convenient..."
"...if you just surrendered."
Silence.
Lugh answered by taking a single step forward.
Crunch.
Broken stone shattered beneath his boot.
Alcium's smile disappeared instantly.
"...Yeah."
"I figured."
Flames ignited along the edge of his axe.
This time, there was no overwhelming eruption.
The fire condensed, compressing into a thin layer around the weapon.
The surrounding air distorted from the heat alone.
Lugh moved.
Without warning.
His figure vanished.
Alcium's instincts screamed.
He twisted sideways.
A flash of emerald sliced past his face.
Venidia.
Too fast.
Steel collided with the burning axe.
CLANG!
The impact echoed across the battlefield.
Before Alcium could recover—
A black shield slammed into the side of his weapon.
BOOM!
The force knocked his stance apart.
Not to injure him...
But to create an opening.
Lugh stepped through it immediately.
Venidia swept upward.
Alcium barely leaned back.
The emerald edge skimmed across his chest, cutting through his clothes and leaving a thin crimson line.
His pupils contracted.
(He... changed the angle...?)
Lugh hadn't aimed for a killing blow.
He had used Gluttony to break Alcium's guard, then altered Venidia's trajectory the instant his balance shifted.
No wasted movement.
No unnecessary strength.
Only efficiency.
Alcium leapt backwards, dragging his flaming axe between them.
The flames roared to life once more.
He stared at Lugh.
"...You're not even trying to kill me..."
Lugh lowered Venidia.
His voice was calm.
"If I wanted you dead..."
He paused.
"...we wouldn't be talking."
Silence settled over the battlefield once again.
Alcium's grip tightened.
For some reason...
Those words frightened him more than the sword ever could.
Alcium gritted his teeth.
(Damn it...)
He couldn't afford to keep exchanging blows with Lugh. Every time they clashed, he was forced to defend himself against another unpredictable combination of weapons.
And that shield...
It was making things worse.
He needed to keep Lugh away from him.
The flames surrounding his axe suddenly spread across his body.
In an instant, Alcium was engulfed in Transcendent Flame.
The temperature around him rose sharply.
Even the ground beneath his feet began to crack.
Lugh stopped.
Alcium raised his axe, the flames dancing around his entire body.
"Come on, then!"
He took a step forward.
"Let's see you try getting close now!"
Lugh tilted his head slightly.
He didn't approach.
Instead, his attention shifted towards the enormous stone pillar behind him.
The same pillar the two giants had used earlier.
Alcium noticed his movement.
But before he could understand what Lugh intended to do—
Lugh placed his hand against the pillar.
His muscles tensed.
And then...
BOOOOOOM!
The enormous structure was launched into the air.
Dust erupted from the ground as the pillar shot upwards, leaving a deep depression where it had stood.
Alcium's eyes widened.
"What the—?!"
His gaze briefly followed the pillar before returning to Lugh.
(What is he planning?!)
He couldn't allow Lugh to use the opportunity to escape or prepare another attack.
With Transcendent Flame still covering his body, Alcium rushed forward.
He had to close the distance before Lugh could do anything else.
But that was exactly what Lugh wanted.
As Alcium charged towards him, Lugh raised his right hand.
"Aphrode."
The staff of Lust extended.
Its length increased rapidly, stretching across Alcium's path.
Alcium was too committed to his charge to react in time.
His foot caught against the elongated staff.
"WHAT?!"
His balance gave way, and his own momentum sent him crashing forward.
Before he could recover, Lugh was already moving.
He leapt into the air, reaching towards the enormous pillar as it began its descent.
His hand caught its surface.
With a calculated movement, Lugh redirected its fall, guiding the massive structure directly towards the fallen Alcium.
Alcium looked up.
His expression changed.
"WAIT—!"
KRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAASH!!
The pillar slammed into the ground with tremendous force.
A shockwave swept across the battlefield, sending dust and fragments of stone flying in every direction.
For a moment, everything disappeared behind the enormous cloud of dust.
Silence followed.
Slowly, the dust began to settle.
The pillar lay across the battlefield.
And beneath it...
Was Alcium in a blood pool.
Lugh landed a short distance away, his weapons still in his hands.
He turned his blindfolded face towards the fallen pillar.
He had used the very obstacle that had cornered him to bring his opponent down.
The silence that followed was broken by a single voice.
Calm, yet sharp enough to cut through the tension that had settled over the battlefield.
"You should have sent someone stronger, Pope."
— Lugh.