Chapter 1709: Who is next?

"No... this isn't right, is it?!"

Watching the 【Rage Horn】—which had just been touched by someone—happily and eagerly attach itself to the head of that goat, becoming its third horn, the minds of the Original Sin Demon Gods went blank in unison.

That was it? It just stuck on like that? And... there was no other reaction?

Where was the madness of reason being torn apart by rage? Where was the agony of a common demon bearing the weight of sin? Where were the screams of a soul nearly shattered by the violent pollution of the Sin of Rage?

Could it be... that Samael had broken off the wrong one? Had he broken off the other horn, the one not infused with the Sin of Rage?

Looking at the Hearing Hearing Heishanyang, who had reached up to touch the top of its head and accepted the attachment of the 【Rage Horn】 with a calm, almost reluctant expression, even Samael, the Demon God of Rage who had personally snapped off the horn, began to doubt himself.

In the eyes of the other Original Sin Demon Gods, Samael shook his head in utter confusion, sensing the concentration of the Sin of Rage within the remaining horn.

"I didn't get it wrong. This really is the horn infused with the Sin of Rage. You have to believe me!"

"..."

Although... how were they supposed to believe him?

Glancing at Samael, who was so flustered that blood was spraying from his forehead, Pride Demon God fell silent for a moment before turning his gaze back to the "Hearing Hearing Heishanyang" on the table.

"You... have already borne Samael's sin? You have fully accepted the immersion of the Sin of Rage?"

"Yes."

"..."

"What's wrong? Is there something not right?"

Something not right... nothing about your performance is right at all!!!

Instinctively taking a deep breath, Pride Demon God leaned forward, his silver eyes locked onto the "Hearing Hearing Heishanyang" on the table, and demanded:

"Show us the sin you have borne. Let us see your Sin of Rage."

"Oh."

Hearing Li Ang responded, reaching up to touch the newly attached Rage Horn on his head, tentatively releasing a small portion of the Sin of Rage.

"Hiss..."

A faint sound like a leaking balloon echoed out. The Rage Horn on the Hearing Hearing Heishanyang's forehead accepted the portion of rage Hearing Li Ang hesitantly released with joy, and then impatiently exhaled it.

Under the scrutinizing gazes of the Demon Gods, the originally dark red blood-horn flickered, shedding its filth and gloom to reveal a vibrant, scorching red.

As that sliver of sin unfolded at the tip of the horn, a terrifying aura—not particularly high in intensity, but unexpectedly scorching, as if it could burn a hole through the world—exploded outward with the Hearing Hearing Heishanyang at its center.

Unlike Samael's feeling of blood and slaughter, this raging fire spreading rapidly carried a strong will to consume everything in its path, slamming heavily into the hearts of the Original Sin Demon Gods.

There was no madness, no hatred, no hysteria, no jumping with rage. Where this surging, fervent fire spread, there was only total incineration, only the resolve to destroy everything that had ignited the flame!

From the moment my anger is stirred, you are destined to be reduced to ash... This is not a declaration, but a notification!

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

After a long, agonizing silence, the four Original Sin Demon Gods—excluding Samael—cast complex looks toward him.

Shock, mockery, sympathy, confusion, bewilderment, and schadenfreude...

Reading a sense of terror from the eyes of the other Demon Gods, Samael, his eyes bulging with rage, roared out.

"This is impossible!!!"

"Nothing is impossible."

Leaning back into his chair, Pride Demon God, his silver eyes filled with shock, shook his head, the lingering astonishment turning into pity.

"We felt what just happened clearly. Your Sin of Rage has lost..."

"It's fake!"

Rudely cutting off Pride Demon God, Samael's desperate roar thundered like muffled thunder above their heads.

"It's all fake! Someone must have tampered with this! Asmodeus! Yes! Asmodeus! You must have..."

"Samael."

Calling out to him, Greed Demon God, sitting opposite Samael, sighed and reminded him with a look of pity:

"Don't you want to look at your hand?"

My hand?

Samael froze, instinctively looking down at his palm, only to discover with utter horror that his body was trembling uncontrollably, as if...

... as if it were terrified of something.

Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could my Sin of Rage lose to a mere Great Demon, not even a Demon God?!

Unable to accept that his rage had been utterly defeated, Samael roared and reached out to grab the "Hearing Hearing Heishanyang" looking up at him.

Strangely, faced with his sudden outburst, the other Original Sin Demon Gods did not intervene, and the ugly, lowly "Hearing Hearing Heishanyang" did not resist, allowing Samael to clench it in his palm.

But just as Samael squeezed with all his might, intending to crush this fake demon into meat paste and escape this nightmare, he discovered with horror that his palm felt like butter in a hot pan, melting away.

Even more terrifying was that his melting palm did not fall to the ground; instead, it was absorbed by the 【Rage Horn】 that had once belonged to him.

And the things that had melted his palm seemed unsatisfied with this result, beginning to crawl rapidly up his arm, as if intending to consume him entirely!

"Enough."

As the blood-red light faded from Samael's eyes, and he began to shriek while trying to pull his arm back, Pride Demon God waved his hand. A flash of silver light passed, and Samael's arm was severed at the elbow, allowing him to escape the horn's consumption as he collapsed backward.

"Samael still has his uses; I cannot let you eat him just yet."

Explaining this, Pride Demon God, who had saved Samael, studied the "Hearing Hearing Heishanyang" on the table—which was only half his size—with glowing eyes.

"Samael's rage is merely a frenzied outburst that has lost control, while your Sin of Rage, once stirred, will never extinguish until it has incinerated everything that provoked it. Your Sins of Rage are not even in the same league... Are you really just a piece of meat?"

"..."

"I am the genuine article."

Answering Pride Demon God's question, Hearing Li Ang sniffed the fragrant scent on "himself," then scanned his surroundings and took the initiative to ask:

"I have borne the Sin of Rage. Who is next?"

(End of chapter)