The captains sat in stunned silence for a long moment, the weight of Dave's words settling over the room like a heavy fog.
Jack was the first to break it, a crooked grin stretching across his face. "Heh. So you're tellin' me that kid's swingin' around a piece of power that can kill devils—and he doesn't even know it? Damn… that's hilarious."
Yami snorted softly, exhaling a trail of smoke. "Figures. That runt's been full of surprises since he joined my squad."
Nozel crossed his arms, expression sharp. "If that's true, then Asta isn't just unusual. He's… dangerous, even if he doesn't realize it."
Dave shook his head calmly. "Not to us. Not yet. And definitely not to the devils. In fact…" He paused, his tone flat but deliberate. "…they don't even know he exists."
That made several captains blink in surprise.
"The devils don't know about Asta?" Fuegoleon asked, frowning.
Dave nodded. "Exactly. To them, he's just another weak human—one with no mana. A worm crawling at the bottom of the world. They see him as nothing. They don't sense Anti-Magic because it doesn't emit mana—it devours it. It's invisible to them, hidden by its own nature."
Mereoleona's eyes narrowed with intrigue. "So the kid's walking around with the one power that can actually destroy them… and they're too arrogant to notice?"
"Pretty much," Dave said with a faint smirk. "Their pride blinds them. They look down on anything without magic. And Asta, to them, is less than nothing."
Jack laughed, his grin widening. "Heh! That's rich. The devils have no idea that the weakest brat in the kingdom's the one who could chop 'em to bits!"
Even Yami chuckled under his breath. "Tch. Guess the universe's got a sense of humor after all."
Dave folded his arms, the humor fading from his face. "That's what makes Asta important. The moment they realize what he really is, they'll come for him—and they won't stop. The Anti-Magic inside him is something they've never faced before. It's their natural opposite."
Julius leaned forward slightly, eyes gleaming with interest. "So, as long as the devils remain unaware, Asta's our hidden card."
"Exactly," Dave replied. "And we need to keep it that way. The moment they learn his secret, the kingdom loses its best advantage."
Mereoleona's aura flared slightly, but her tone was firm. "Then we train him in secret. No one outside this room needs to know what he truly carries."
Julius nodded in agreement. "Agreed. He'll continue as he is—an underdog in the eyes of the world—but we'll make sure he's ready for when that changes."
"Hmm, okay," Yami said, folding his arms. "Asta's another matter. Back on topic—this fake Licht, how do we contact him now?"
"He isn't roaming around," Dave replied as he set his drink down. "No, wait—that fake Licht is actually one of us."
Yami frowned, not immediately following. "What do you mean?"
Dave's gaze shifted toward William. "Rather, the fake Licht is a soul existing inside another body."
"You're not joking, brat?" Yami asked darkly.
"It's true," Dave said firmly. "I've suspected it from the start—just wasn't sure who the other one was until I met the real Licht."
Julius turned his sharp gaze to William. "William, do you have anything to add?"
William sat up, meeting Dave's eyes. "The story you told earlier—about the devil manipulating the nobles and the elves—is it true?"
"One hundred percent real," Dave replied without hesitation. "If you resurrect your leader Licht right now, you'll see it yourself."
William's expression shifted. The captains noticed his eyes gleaming faintly with light. His voice changed—calmer, deeper.
"I am Licht," he said, his tone steady but distant. "I can take over William's body at any moment. Even William himself doesn't know about it. For him, it's just… blackouts he can't explain."
William's body tensed briefly, then his voice returned to normal, sounding shaken. "It's… true," he admitted softly.
The room fell silent. Every captain stared at him, the weight of what they'd just witnessed sinking in.
Nozel was the first to speak, his voice low and measured. "So it's true then. The leader of the Eye of the Midnight Sun has been among us all this time—within one of our own captains."
Charlotte's expression hardened. "You've been letting a foreign soul share your body, William. Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"
William bowed his head slightly. "I didn't know… not at first. By the time I realized something was wrong, it was too late. Licht and I—our souls coexist. He never tried to harm me directly."
"Convenient," Jack muttered, his grin sharp but strained. "You expect us to believe you didn't notice a damn elf camping in your head?"
Yami shot him a look. "Can it, Jack. This isn't the time for your crap."
Julius raised a hand, silencing them. His gaze remained fixed on William, though his tone was calm and steady. "I always suspected there was something unusual about your mana, William. But even I didn't imagine this."
Dave leaned back slightly, arms crossed. "It's not entirely his fault. The spell used by Licht and his followers during the massacre wasn't just reincarnation—it was a binding ritual. Their souls latched onto compatible vessels the moment they reawakened. William was just the perfect match."
Fuegoleon frowned. "Meaning… there could be others?"
"Not could be, there are others," Dave corrected grimly. "The descendants of those who stole mana—the so-called nobles—carry traces of that corruption. The elves' life force and the devils' influence became entwined through mana. Because of that, their echoes still exist, dormant within bloodlines. If this fake Licht had ever tried to resurrect his people fully, those souls would have awakened inside different bodies—taking them over completely."
A heavy silence settled over the chamber. Even the candlelight seemed to waver.
Nozel's brows drew together. "You're saying the nobles themselves could be vessels?"
Dave nodded. "Some of them already are, even if they don't realize it. The magic they pride themselves on—the vast mana reserves they flaunt—might not be purely human. It's borrowed power from an ancient curse they never understood."
Charlotte's eyes hardened. "And if those souls awaken again?"
"Then we'll see another massacre," Dave said quietly. "Humans turning against each other, old grudges reigniting, and the devil laughing in the dark while both sides destroy themselves."
Jack clicked his tongue. "Heh. Figures. The high-and-mighty nobles, walkin' around like they're gods, might just be time bombs waitin' to blow."
Yami exhaled a stream of smoke, his voice low. "Tch. Makes sense why the devil's been stayin' quiet. It doesn't need to move—its seeds are already planted."
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