A story created by Proximatic / Dan. A crossover between Hyperdimension Neptunia and Nanatsu no Taizai (The Seven Deadly Sins).


. . .

Neptune and Meliodas had finally commenced their exhibition match to fix the former's boredom. Their battle put everyone, Holy Knights and Sins alike, into shock and awe as their movements and power were almost unrivaled.

The battle would soon switch locations to a pair of mountains beyond the kingdom's walls, prompting Merlin to transport the Sins, Hawk, and Elizabeth to the new battleground.

Shortly after, Meliodas activated his Demonic power, his ace in the hole, which therefore activated his Demon Mark, granting him more overall strength and statistics.

The battle eventually reached its climax with Neptune laying the finishing blow using her Dimensional Liberation attack, rendering Meliodas unconscious, but also rendering herself unconscious from using too much energy.

Upon Neptune waking up from her slumber, a powerful tremor shook the ground beneath them.

The Ten Commandments have been unsealed.


. . .

? — Nepstation Studio

Nepstation Broadcast Jingle!

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Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory OST — Nepstation

0:01 •— 2:33

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ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ: —•

"Hai haiii! It's Nepstation time again, and your favorite host is finally back up and running! That fight really took a lot out of me, you see?"

"Had you not been able to render Danchō unconscious with your attack, you would have lost the fight."

"Oh, can it, Gowther; I won that fight fair and square, you see? Never underestimate the protagonist ever again!"

"According to my calculations, only 20% of us were underestimating you, that being Hawk."

". . .yeah, I don't think you're cut out for this. But we'll roll with it!"

"Now then, proceeding with the broadcast, it seems that we have received a few reviews since our third chapter was released. Neptune, will you please read them out and say something about them?"

"Wha—?! You're making me do this?! Alriiight, fiiine.
So, this first review we got here is from someone named "SilentHeroX", who says:

'This is interesting to say the least. I kind of want to see how Nep interacts or reacts future events of the original story. I also wonder about things like "Everyone not knowing what to think of Nep" and if there is a way to make them less confuse. Though I feel like everyone would know how to say Nep's name because of Million Arthur, but eh! I don't mind. Either way, good luck with this story'.

Well, needless to say, I'm pretty surprised that the people here. . .well, besides Meliodas for the most part, could correctly pronounce my name! Almost every new person I come across can't do it, so to have seven people pronouncing my name in the correct way almost immediately is pretty nuts! But we appreciate your feedback and we hope to continue doing more of this stuff!"

"Your name is not very difficult to pronounce, Neptune. Danchō must be fooling around and believed that coming up with a nickname was a better and more suitable method for his conventions."

"Whatever y'think, it's still pretty cool that you and the others can do it!
Alright, so this next review is from someone named "end5", who just says:

'That was a good story goodluck with the rest of it'.

Thank you, kind person!"

"Thank you, end5. Your support is very pleasant to Neptune and the writer."

"Alriiighty, last review is from someone named "JeaSonDash", who says:

'I know Neptune is strong but not shonen strong, at least when she's not in her HDD'.

Well, 'course I'm strong, I'm the protagonist! That means I—!"

Let me take over for this one, Neptune.


This'll be a bit of a long tangent, so I apologize. To start with, yes, Neptune is definitely stronger in her HDD Form, but that doesn't mean her Human Form is to be underestimated, or that she isn't 'shonen strong' when she's not in her HDD Form like you said. Her Human Form, at the beginning of the canon timeline, was able to fight against the Hyper Dimension's True Deity of Sin, and whilst it might have been alongside many other party members comparable in strength to her, that's still no small feat. Now couple this with the fact that she is consistently growing stronger and stronger as the canon timeline goes along, and you can start to see the reason why she was able to contend against Meliodas as well as she did.

Putting the two series side-by-side, Neptune's feats are much more impressive and powerful than Meliodas' going by the actual story (and not the gameplay like some people), such as her being able to defeat Rei Ryghts, the Dark CPUs, Kurome, and so on. Whereas, at this point in the NNT story, the best feat available at the moment is the defeat of Hendrickson, which is pretty minuscule compared to later feats in the story. So because of that, I had to significantly lower Neptune's power in order to make it work in the story without totally breaking it, but at the same time, I can't scale her down so much that she just isn't comparable to Meliodas, or any of the other Sins for the matter. Think of it like trying to put Dragon Ball Super Goku into One Piece - you're taking an extremely powerful character from a different setting and trying to fit them into a setting that is considerably less powerful than the character's home series, and trying to do so in a way that wouldn't make the whole series a complete joke because of that character's power.

Besides that, though, she isn't totally dominant right now, considering the NNT characters get much more powerful as time goes on, especially Meliodas.

And to subsequently respond to end5's review for Chapter 4,
"That was a good chapter goodluck with the next one. The fight was entertaining to read but I think you might have overestimated how much of her power Neptune has access to in her human form."
Firstly, I want to say, thank you, and I appreciate your support. But secondly, similar to what I said to
JeaSonDash above, I can't exactly underestimate Neptune's power in this story either (remember the comparison I made about putting DBS Goku into One Piece); there's got to be a fine line between her having a reasonable level of strength to where she isn't totally outclassed, but not entirely outclassing the other major characters either, hence why the fight from the last chapter was as close as it was. And also similar to what I said, Neptune continuously grows stronger over the course of the canon, to the point where her Human Form can contend with characters that are stronger than some of the big bads of the past games. So to say that I'm "overestimating" her, whilst not necessarily wrong, is somewhat overlooking the context of the series, though I can see why you think that way (I literally had her use Quad Burst, after all).

That said, however (and this goes for basically everyone), if you're not on board with the idea of Neptune being as powerful as she is in her Human Form, then I'm sorry to say that perhaps this story isn't for you, or at the very least, some of these fights aren't for you, because the fight from the last chapter is basically setting the foundation for how Neptune will work in these fights.


Just wanted to clear that up.

"Whew, that's a pretty good explanation you got there, Dan! Nice job!"

"Hm. . .you are interesting, Neptune."

"Regardless, looks like that's all the time we've got for this Nepstation session! How did it feel to be on air for the first time, Gowther?"

"I cannot say. I don't have any emotions to feel."

"Uhm. . .a-anyways, see y'all later, Nepsters!"

{ Audience Applause SFX }

Broadcast End

. . .


Kingdom of Liones — Outside the Boar Hat

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Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 OST — Breeze Time

0:01 •— 4:01

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ᴠᴏʟᴜᴍᴇ: —•

With the day being serene and quiet like always, Neptune lays in the grass in front of the Boar Hat tavern, with a gentle breeze flowing by her body and grazing through the greenery of the field around her. Clouds passing overhead and trying to block the sun, but failing to do so, as the celestial lamp shined upon both her and the grass. Quiet rustling came from her left as she opened her eyes, lifting her head and looking at the source. It was Elizabeth, dressed in a somewhat regal outfit.

"Aaah, what's up, Elizabeth? Y'came to see Meliodas, I'm guessing? He's behind the counter, just doin' some housework on the tavern."

"Y-yes. . .I wanted to ask him about him going on a journey soon."

"A journey? Think he told me he was goin' to, but maybe you should check to make sure it's true! I've seen all sorts of lies being posted on N-Chan over in my home, so what if this one is a lie, too? Ooooh, you could honestly catch him red-handed!"

"Th-that sounds a bit exaggerative. . ."

Elizabeth opens the door, and like Neptune said, found Meliodas behind the counter cleaning one of the mugs with a white cloth.

"Meliodas-sama!"

Directing his attention to Elizabeth's voice, Meliodas greeted the Princess with a slow wave, still holding the cloth.

"Hey there, Elizabeth!"

"Is it true that you're about to go on a journey?"

"Yeah."

From outside, Neptune could be heard shouting,
"I told youuuuu!"

"Nep, even I told you that I was!"

"Right. . .then I'll start getting ready to go, too!"

Kneeling down and putting the mug back on a shelf beneath the counter where it normally goes, Meliodas nonchalantly responds with,
"No need to."

"Meliodas-sama. . .! You said that when this incident was over, we would set up shop again, remember?"

"You sure you didn't mishear that?"

Elizabeth leaned forward and pushed her hands against the counter, trying to regain Meliodas' attention, seeing how he was busier with his tavern and ale than he was with Elizabeth.

"You're acting really strange. . .did something happen, Meliodas-sama?"

"Naaah, he ain't acting strange, he's probably just a little bit dizzy! You know, I saw him get hit on the head after a bottle fell on his—!"

Meliodas vanished before reappearing behind Elizabeth, flipping her skirt up with a cartoonish look on his face.

"Still think I'm acting strange?"

Elizabeth screamed from the pure shock and embarrassment of Meliodas' perverted actions as the latter gently rubbed the former's thighs.

"It's the same as ever. . ."

"Hey you!"

Out of nowhere, Hawk came running towards the two, pushing Meliodas aside, and. . .somehow, managing to trap him inside a makeshift barrel, with the pig holding nails in his mouth and hammering away at the barrel.

"Elizabeth! Make a run for it!"

"B-but we're not done talking yet. . ."

With the classic, happy expression returning to his face, Meliodas turns his head to face Elizabeth.

"Hey, sorry, but I gotta go buy supplies. Business is about to boom, y'know."

Elizabeth looks down as sadness washes over her face and her soul, letting out a disappointed sigh.

"I understand. . ."

"Hey, now, Meliodas, it'd be at least a little bit rude if you didn't take her with ya? I always take my little sister shopping whenever she asks, so it wouldn't hurt to have her tag along! It's like having a Player 2 at your side; they're helpful and can get things done quicker!"

"It's fine; I'm sure I'll find what I'm looking for as soon as I get there! C'ya later!"

Breaking out of the barrel and dusting off his outfit, Meliodas walked out of the tavern and to the main town of the Kingdom of Liones.

"Sheesh. . ."

"Mmh. . .Meliodas-sama. . ."

"I guess that was a little strange of him. . .maybe you should go and find someone to speak with about it, Elizabeth. Like Diane! She's in the town right now, so I think you'll be able to find her pretty quick!" Neptune suggested to the saddened Princess, who put her hands behind her waist.

"I suppose so. . .I just don't understand why Meliodas-sama is acting like this."

"Well, I feel like asking him about it won't get him to be honest, so maybe people who've been around him for much longer would know! King and Ban are gone, Hawk probably doesn't know—. . ."

"Of course I don't!" the pig interjected.

"—. . .Merlin's off somewhere, who even knows where Gowther is. . .Diane's the only one in town right now, so you may as well go find her and ask."

"I see. . .thank you, Lady Neptune."

Elizabeth left through the door and walked to the town like Meliodas did not too long ago.

". . .welp, you're on your own, Hawk!"

Neptune let out a yawn as she stretched her arms and legs.

"I think I'ma go for a little bit of a walk. . .maybe go find Meliodas or whatever after a little bit, y'feel me?"

"That's fine — I'll hold down the fort for now! The floors and tables will be clean as clean can possibly be!"

"Well, I'm off, then! C'ya!"


Kingdom of Liones — Main Town

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Hyperdimension Neptunia: The Animation OST — Fresh Again

0:01 •— 3:24

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As Neptune strolled around through the walkways of the main livelihood of the Kingdom of Liones, she could feel herself connecting with the activity and jovial feeling in the air. People were talking, couples were walking, some were trading, others were playing. Children pranced around the streets and laughed, whilst Holy Knights back from missions were bringing horses into their respective return locations. All felt so right and peaceful to Neptune.

Perhaps this would be a good time to gather some Share Energy from people! Searching around to try and find any opportunities for some, she notices a group of individuals struggling to move a few stacks of cinder blocks elsewhere, thus she walks over and taps on their shoulders.

"Excuse me! You need some help moving those?"

"Ah, you're the young girl from the other day. . .yes, of course!"

As they all moved aside to let Neptune through, the CPU picks up the stack of cinder blocks and moves them to the location that the others pointed to, setting them down on the floor.

"There we go! Anything else?"

"Ah, no, that'll do. . .thank you very much, young lady!"

"Hehee. . .no problem!"

Neptune jogs off elsewhere, looking for various helpful tasks to do for others! Finding an ingredient for a stew, helping craft a sharper sword, helping children find their parents again. . .she was going through the town and fulfilling the desires of the people one by one! She could feel herself gaining more Share Energy by the second! Her name was starting to become mixed in with the Seven Deadly Sins, with some believing she was one of them, and others believing she is their superior or even their replacement. Whilst those latter two are obviously wrong, she doesn't want to forcefully change others' beliefs, so she just lets them say what they want.

As the hour went by, more Share Energy started to accumulate inside her body, granting her some more vitality. Still a far cry from having enough to transform, though. That could be a testament to how this dimension has a much, much smaller population than that of Gamindustri.

"Ooh, that's her, isn't it? The girl who's friends with the Seven Deadly Sins?"
"What are you talking about? After that battle yesterday, she's got to be one of them now!"
"But then there would be Eight Deadly Sins, right? Unless one of them got kicked out. . ."
"That Ban guy always rubbed me the wrong way, honestly."

'Jeez, they're talking about me like a bunch of Parrot Chocopis. . .'

Those exist?

'At least they ain't spreading false rumors like how I'm lazy or that all I do is lay in my room and eat pudding while playing games, or that I only use HDD to look sexy! Those slandering sub-Neppits are so getting deleted after I get back!'

No comment.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spots Elizabeth and Diane sitting at a bench together with a fence behind them; some greenery lies beyond the fence with a gold statue behind it.

"Danchō's not acting like himself lately?" Diane asked. To hear that he's being unusual in his behavior is a bit worrying.

"Right. . .it's very strange."

"Hm. . ."

Diane puts a finger to her chin, trying to think of a reason why Meliodas would act in a way that's unlike himself. Elizabeth is safe, so that's one reason gone. No threats have arised since Hendrickson's defeat, so that's another reason. What about. . .?

"Ah. . .come to think of it, remember that huge tremor from yesterday?"

"Yes. . .everyone was so surprised. It happened so suddenly."

"Well, right after it happened, just for a split-second. . .Danchō seemed really flustered and panicked. Maybe that's why."

Elizabeth's eyes widened for a moment as they glistened before she turned away a bit, looking down at the ground and gently clenching her dress.

"I wonder what could have happened to make Meliodas-sama so nervous. . ."

"Heeey! Diaaane, Elizabeeeth!" the pinkette called out to both of them, waving her hand enthusiastically at the pair.

"Oh! Neptune!"

"Lady Neptune. . .!"

She quickly jogged over to them and smiled with a grin as bright as the sun.

"Seeee, Elizabeth? I told you you would be able to find Diane! Hmhmmm~! Score two for the protagonist!"

"W-well, I did not necessarily doubt you, Lady Neptune."

"Woooah, you're so good at finding people, Neptune! You could probably be some sort of mystery solver! People go missing and then you find them!"

"Ooh, that's not a half-bad idea!"

"Right, right? You'd probably get so much money from it!"

"And so much Share Energy!"

"Yeah, and so much—Share Energy. . .?"

"Does that mean you actually share your energy with other people?" Elizabeth inquired, going off of just the name.

"Nnnope! Well, I guess if you're the only CPU of a nation, then no. But Share Energy is essentially the faith of the people towards their CPU! So, like, if you put your beliefs towards me, then that'll give me Share Energy! It's like giving someone a pudding and then they become happy because of it!"

"Oooh, so that means I just have to believe in you and you'll get this energy?"

"Yup!"

"I should tell Danchō about this! If. . .well. . .if I knew where he was. . ." Diane nervously twirled one of her pigtails.

"He'll probably come back soon, don't worry about it! After all, he just went to go get some stuff for the tavern."

"Oh! So do you get more energy the harder I believe in you? Like, if I think you could beat literally anyone to ever exist, even the Demon Clan, does that give you more energy?"

"Hmm. . .I dunno, but I know that giving someone three puddings makes them happier instead of giving them one pudding!"

"Well, I guess if that makes someone happy, then I'll give them three puddings!" Diane exclaimed as she pumped her fist into the air.

"I don't think she meant it to be literal, Diane. . .I believe it was just supposed to be an analogy."

"O-oh. . .oopsies! Mwehehe!" Playfully sticking her tongue out, Diane giggled like a child. Neptune stood on her tip-toes to give Diane a few headpats.

"Well, as long as you put even a little bit of faith towards me. . .that'd make me happy."

Neptune's tone was alarmingly less enthusiastic, but still in a positive mood.

"I'm always worried about being shunned by people when I end up in a new dimension. I don't really show it because. . .well, protagonists aren't meant to be sad, right? I've always been telling myself that because it's worked for so long! Almost twelve years at this point! But. . .I can't help but get a certain fear in my spine about people rejecting me and calling me a fake CPU, or that I'm not cut out for it, or. . .anything."

"Lady Neptune. . ."

. . .

"But seeing all of you people welcome me and being kind to me. . .being totally chill with me even though I'm some stranger not even from this place. . ."

The Goddess twiddles her thumbs together as she looked down, separating them soon after, almost in some sort of. . .symbolic way.

". . .it really raises my spirits and stuff. So thank you. . ."

A nervous chuckle escaped from her lips as she rubbed the back of her neck, wondering how that managed to come out of her mouth. 99% of the time, she's an upbeat, playful CPU whose carefree attitude could pick up even the most dismal of people. Being in such a saddened mood, let alone others seeing her in this way, is rare.

"Heh. . .I dunno how I said all that. Maybe it's just me realizing that even protags can show more than just cheerfulness from time to time. . ."

The two girls stood up and walked over to Neptune, furling their arms around her and enveloping her in a gentle embrace.

"Neptune, even if you're from another dimension, and even if you're a CPU or not, it doesn't matter to us. You're our friend, and that's what truly matters! You shouldn't listen to the people who're mean to you or say you're a fake, or whatever the case may be! They only want to try and make you sad and watch you fail. . .and you won't fail as long as you keep looking forward and marching on!

Look at Danchō. . .he's always managed to keep a smile on his face, even in the worst of times. Even when he was really hurt, he never stopped smiling!"

"Wait, really? Maybe he just. . .somehow doesn't mind the pain, then! Oooh, I gotta learn from him sometime!"

Aaand back to the cheery attitude once again.

"W-well. . .that was rather anti-climatic."

"Hey, I still appreciate what Diane said, y'know! I didn't think she would come out of the blue and say all those nice things about me. . .hehe. . ."

"Aww, Neptuuune!"

Diane tightened the embrace a few seconds after Elizabeth released herself from the hug.

"G-gwaaah. . .! N-not so tight, I think you're going to crush my circuits. . .! N-not that I have any actual circuits inside me, but I needed to make a t-technology analogy for the fans. . .! Aaah. . .!"

Diane quickly loosened her grip on Neptune's body, putting on a confused expression after.

"Circuits? What are those things?"

"Aaaa-iiii think that would take way too long to explain, so I dooon't really wanna do that because if I did, this chapter would be, like, three thousand more words in length!"

"Eh? Ehh?"

Diane looks at Elizabeth, who just shrugs with a nervous smile on her face. Neither of them know what circuits are, but if Neptune won't explain it, then they probably won't ever know in general.

"I-tai-tai-taaai. . .that really almost gave a bio-android a run for his money in terms of a hugging competition!"

I get it!

Turning to her left, Diane spots a golden-haired young boy walking down the street by himself.

"Heeey! Zeeeal!"

Zeal was this boy's young name. . .looks like they're acquainted already! Elizabeth and Diane both walked over to Zeal.

"You're not with Guila right now?"

Zeal stared with a blank expression, blinking his eyes and tilting his head a little bit.

"Gui. . .la? Who's that?"

"Eh?"
"Huh?"

Both Elizabeth and Diane were rather astonished by the reply, and thinking it was just a joke, Diane puts her hands to her hips and leaned down a bit.

"What's the matter, Zeal?"

"Wh-who? I don't know. . .who am I?"

"What's going on over here?" Neptune asked, her arms behind her head and looking at the seemingly flustered young boy.

Zeal began to tear up as he held a hand to his head. . .something is very clearly wrong with him.

"Z-Zeal?"

"H-hey, what's wrong? Why's he crying?"

"We don't know. . .he's the younger brother of a Holy Knight named Guila, but he doesn't seem to remember who she is!"

"H-huh?!"


Kingdom of Liones — Merlin's Tower

"Gowther, swallow this," Merlin said, handing a small purple cube to Gowther, the Goat Sin of Lust. Holding it in his hand, Gowther opened his mouth and placed it in his mouth.

"Gulp!"

"That should do it. Remember to take one pill a day, and without fail, okay? I'll make sure to get the armor to you as quickly as possible."

As Merlin held up a small bottle of the same purple cubes, Gowther stared at it for a few seconds before taking it into his hand and putting his arm back down at his side.

"Understood."

Gowther walked down the steps of Merlin's tower and onto the gravel path, but once he reached a certain point away from the tower, he spits out the cube that he "swallowed" and dropped the bottle of the pills at the same time, with the cap coming off and the pills falling out of the bottle. He remained silent as he spaced out, looking out at the long field of grass until the silence was broken by Meliodas walking up to him from behind.

"Yo, Gowther!"

"Good afternoon, Danchō."

"We'll be leaving either tomorrow or the day after, so I'd like you to be ready to go by then."

"Is that an order?" Gowther asked. Besides the fact that it didn't sound like an order, the fact that he's asking whether or not he has to get ready is rather off-putting.

"Well, no, not really an order, but—. . ."

"Then I refuse," he nonchalantly fired back, walking away from the Seven Deadly Sins' captain and towards another individual.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, my love."

"No, no, it's fine. Are you done with your errand," the woman asked. She was dressed in a nice blue dress, and she had long black hair that reached down to her waist.

"Yes."

"Now that's an unusual pairing. Guess he wasn't lying after all."

The sound of crunching began as Hawk, who somehow came out of nowhere again, started munching on something he found.

"Heeey, these are tasty! Hom-nom-nom. . ."

It turns out that Hawk was eating the pills that were given to Gowther, which spilled out of the bottle after it was dropped. Meliodas leaned down and stared at Hawk.

"Hawk. . .what are you eating?"

". . .I-I'm not eating anything!"

"I can plainly see you doing it."

Meliodas just sighed and turning around, walking into Merlin's Tower, closing the door behind him. Merlin was performing some sort of magic spell with purple lightning emanating from a small orb in front of her.

"Yo, Merlin."

"I figured you would come by soon, Danchō."

"Merlin. . .ten years ago, the day we were chased out of the kingdom. . ."

. . .

"I'd like what you stole from me back now."

As the orb faded away, Merlin turned around and started at Meliodas with a smile on her face.

"I'm assuming this has to do with the powerful tremor that occurred yesterday?"

"Right. That tremor was a sign of the Demon Clan being unsealed. . ."

. . .


Kingdom of Liones — Main Town

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Megadimension Neptunia VII OST — Insecure Feeling

0:01 •— 1:46

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After spotting Guila with Gowther in the center of the town, Diane, Elizabeth, and Neptune all ran over to them, with Diane holding a sobbing Zeal in her arms.

"Guila! Something happened! Zeal's acting strange!"

"Hm? Who might you be?" the female Holy Knight inquired as she looked at Zeal and Diane.

"Come on, Guila, what are you talking about? Something happened to your little brother, Zeal!"

"My. . .little brother? Zeal?"

"Eh?!" Diane was genuinely shocked by the response. Not only does Zeal not seem to remember who Guila is, but the vice-versa is the same, too; Guila doesn't seem to remember who Zeal is! Something happened to their memories!

"This little boy is your brother Zeal, isn't he?"

Zeal continued to cry as tears were welled up in his eyes.

"No. This man is my only family," she said in response. This man being Gowther. The other three girls were shocked to hear such a response.

"But I don't remember Gowther ever mentioning he had a family! Diane, Elizabeth, did he ever say such a thing?"

"Not that I can think of. . ." Elizabeth said. But Diane didn't say anything. She just leaned back a little bit in recoil and what sounded like disgust.

"Gowther, you didn't. . ."

". . .I did."

Diane stammered as she put her foot forward and spoke in a tone of anger.

"You manipulated their memories?!"

"Wha?! Gowther can. . .do that?!"

"It was both a necessary action and process for me. For me to build a relationship with Guila, Zeal's existence was not needed. And thus, I discarded her memories of him.

I wish to have a heart. A heart that can comprehend emotions."

He wishes to have a heart? Does that mean he doesn't have one?

"I attempted to learn about friendship from Danchō and Ban. But in the midst of their argument the other day, I observed an even greater emotion with my eyes and ears.
That emotion is love*."

* To clarify, neither Meliodas nor Ban have romantic feelings for each other; Gowther only heard the words "I love you, Captain" from Ban because he didn't want to kill Meliodas mercilessly, and thus misunderstands what the intention was.

"I decided that I could study love, rather than friendship. And for that, Guila suited my needs perfectly."

"So you mean you faked saving Guila as she was about to turn into a Demon?!"

"It is a fact that I saved her, as evident by her not turning into such. A Demon's blood rampages due to feelings of inferiority towards others, and rage at oneself for being weak. After erasing such memories, I replaced them with memories of her being my betrothed, my apprentice, of having a happy childhood, and having become a Holy Knight on her own merits.
Although it took a while, the procedure was flawless."

Diane couldn't help but clench a fist as her breathing became heavy and anger-filled.

"No matter the reason, there's no way it's ever okay to manipulate and erase someone's memories, Gowther!"

"Guila's previous memories were filled with pain. Are you going to tell me that she would rather be happy with her real memories?"

"That's right! No matter how painful they may be, the memories Guila made with Zeal over so many years can't ever be replaced!"

"Incomprehensible. The love Guila and I share has no need for such an existence."

"This is going nowhere! Elizabeth, Neptune, bring Danchō or Merlin here quickly!"

"But. . ."

"Just hurry!"

"Right!"

"You got it, Diane!"

Both Neptune and Elizabeth started running back to try and find Meliodas and/or Merlin. Wherever they may be, they can't be outside of the kingdom walls.

"I won't let you get in my way."

Turning her head around, Neptune could see a pink flame forming in Gowther's finger-tips, to which she reacted by swiftly dashing forward and grabbing Gowther's wrist, extinguishing the flame. But Gowther still had his other hand, and so he aimed behind Neptune's shoulder, shooting a small arrow at Elizabeth, but it was quickly blocked by a risen pillar of earth that Diane created with her power.

". . .that's enough, Gowther!"

"Don't think we're gonna let you get away with ruining someone's memories, you creep!"


End of Chapter 5!

To be continued. . .