"Hmm, I see... It certainly was a powerful ability."
The scene shifted back to the garbage disposal site. Abyss muttered to himself, a subtle, mocking smile playing on his lips as he continued his monologue.
"[Invincible]... An ability that completely negates damage from an opponent’s attacks, whether physical or magical. A truly formidable Clear Plate that literally transforms its wielder into an invincible man. And yet—"
Abyss looked down, his eyes narrowing into a sinister grin. He stared at the pathetic excuse for a human groaning beneath his boot and continued with evident delight.
"—as expected, you were still no match for me."
"Ghu... hah...! Hngh!?"
Cyan let out a pained gasp. Having been trampled by Abyss and forced to swallow a total, humiliating defeat, he shook his head as if he couldn't wrap his mind around the reality of his situation. Just moments ago, he had been on top of the world, ecstatic to hold the [Invincible] Clear Plate. Now, he lay broken and defeated, kicked aside like trash and beaten so badly he couldn't even push himself off the ground.
"No... this can't be... I have the strongest Clear Plate... How could I lose?"
"Heheh. 'The strongest,' you say?"
Cyan was devastated. The [Invincible] plate was supposed to be absolute, yet he had been crushed without effort. The information claiming it was the strongest, and the very knowledge of the Clear Plates—which weren't even supposed to exist in Luminous History—had all come from Abyss.
From start to finish, Cyan was nothing more than a puppet on a string. Since he was dancing exactly to Abyss's tune, there was never any hope of him overcoming a superior being.
(Well, I suppose ignorance is bliss. Everything is moving exactly as planned. Now...)
There was no need to tell Cyan that he was being played like a fiddle in the palm of Abyss's hand. Intending to use him as a simple pawn and a character in his grand narrative, Abyss approached the cowering, terrified boy with a wicked smile.
"Hie...! W-Wait...! P-Please don't kill me—"
"Heh, heheh... It’s quite alright. I won’t kill you. If I had intended to, I would have done so long ago. Surely even someone as incompetent, pathetic, and worthless as you can understand that much?"
Even when pelted with such scathing mockery, Cyan found no strength to resist or feel anger. Abyss looked down at him—a man consumed entirely by fear of his overwhelming opponent and a desperate desire to survive—and spoke cheerfully.
"You’re a lucky man; you’ve caught my eye. Cyan Fail... swear your absolute obedience to me. Do so, and I shall allow you to live. I’ll let you keep the power of [Invincible], of course. And... if things go well, you might even become the King of the World."
"What...!?"
Cyan’s eyes widened in shock. Far from being killed, he was stunned to hear that he would be allowed to keep his power and even be made the King of the World, provided he followed orders. Abyss pressed him for a decision.
"Naturally, you could choose to refuse my proposal. However, if you do... you understand what the alternative entails, don't you?"
"Ugh...!"
"So, what will it be? Obedience or death. Which do you choose?"
No matter how he struggled, Cyan knew he couldn't beat Abyss. The power of that man's Clear Plate surpassed even [Invincible]; it was literally a cheat that went beyond invincibility itself.
Yet, this monstrous man was offering to make him the King of the World. As long as he swore obedience, he could have anything he wanted. With this power, he could crush the hated Yugo and his friends, destroy the people at Luminous Academy who had expelled him, and take whatever girls he liked for himself. If this mysterious Cheat Great Demon King was guaranteeing him that level of freedom, there was no reason to refuse.
"I-I understand. I'll do whatever you say. Just... please!!"
"Wonderful. A decision filled with the raw greed of a foolish, ugly human. I welcome you, Cyan Fail. As my pawn, I expect you to liven up the stage for me."
Abyss wore a satisfied smile as everything proceeded according to his script. He smirked to himself, thinking it had been well worth the effort of planting the knowledge and the specific abilities into Cyan. It served as an excellent demonstration to the Audience, building anticipation for the drama yet to come. However, he soon wiped the smile from his face, sinking into thought.
(However... I still don't have enough pawns. I expected as much, but I'd like two or three more.)
Cyan's invincibility was formidable. Yugo and his companions likely couldn't defeat him in a direct fight right now.
However, breaking through his position was a different story. If they couldn't beat him, they could simply stall him, or even ignore him entirely. While Yugo couldn't defeat Cyan, it was highly probable that Cyan wouldn't be able to win against them either.
Deciding he needed a few more pawns to realize his vision, Abyss looked up and addressed Cyan.
"It seems we require a few more performers to dance on our stage. Let us go scout them."
"S-Scout them? How...?"
"Isn't it obvious? The same way I did with you. We shall make them understand the gap in our strength and subjugate them by force... it is the quickest way, and it makes for the most thrilling entertainment."
There were likely members of the Audience who had yet to witness his power. This would be another chance to demonstrate his superiority. Just as he had done with Cyan, Abyss intended to crush the Hero Candidates he had selected and force them to swear obedience. With his absolute puppet in tow, Abyss vanished into the darkness.