A Certain Multiverse's Holy Right

Roy was not the kind of man who wielded his power to oppress the weak, nor did he allow newfound strength to corrupt him into arrogance.

At his core, he was a calm, thoughtful individual with a unique ability to decisively act in line with his current role and circumstances.

He was no grand figure in his previous life. After all, he had made his living as a mere photographer.

Yet Roy possessed an extraordinary talent: a steadfast commitment to embodying the identity and responsibilities of his position.

As an ordinary person, this mindset kept him grounded, perhaps even mundane. But as he ascended to greatness, it became the cornerstone of his magnificence.

Were he a knight, he would act with the chivalry befitting his rank.

Were he a magician, he would pursue the truth and Root of existence with relentless dedication.

Were he a Messiah, he would offer everything to save the world.

And now, as a god-slayer—a Campione—he would act as one.

…

Roy's eerie double pupil eyes fell on Diana Milito, the youthful-looking leader of the Bronze Black Cross. Before the gathered assembly of Italy's Seven Sisters magical factions, the woman began to transform.

From her feet upward, her body turned to salt.

"Marquis Voban's Authority?!"

"The Eyes of Sodom!!"

"Diana, don't move!"

The hall erupted into chaos. The other leaders of the Seven Sisters rose from their seats in panic, shouting warnings at Diana.

Though the factions often competed, the bonds between these leaders were strong. Their alliance was what maintained the stability of Italy's magical community—a precarious balance in a land that also housed the Vatican.

Diana's expression grew ashen. She obeyed her colleagues' advice, sitting perfectly still as her legs transformed into brittle pillars of salt. She knew that even the slightest disturbance could shatter her salt-bound limbs, crippling her forever.

As the leader of the Bronze Black-Cross, Diana was one of Italy's most formidable magicians. Yet now, she was utterly powerless under the gaze of the god-slayer.

"Marquis Voban's Authority?" Roy chuckled, a derisive smile on his lips. "No, his ability is a pale imitation—a cheap knockoff of the original. What you see here is the true form of this Authority, derived directly from the myth of Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction as told in the Bible. This is one of my seven Authorities."

The Sin of Sodom.

This Authority, one of the seven Roy had taken from Michael, was rooted in the Book of Genesis.

Sodom, a city of the plain, was consumed by sin and depravity. Its transgressions reached the ears of Yahweh, who dispatched two angels to destroy it. Yet within the city lived a righteous man, Lot, whose innocence spared him and his family.

Yahweh unleashed fire and brimstone to annihilate the city. The angels warned Lot and his family not to look back as they fled. However, Lot's wife disobeyed, turning to witness the destruction. She was instantly transformed into a pillar of salt.

In the Book of Zerubbabel, Michael proclaimed: "I am the one who rained sulfur and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah."

It was from this myth that Roy had gained the Sin of Sodom, a devastating Authority. With it, he could summon heavenly fire and infernal sulfur to obliterate an entire city. However, its immense power came with a limitation—it could only be used once every three days.

As for the Eyes of Sodom, they were a supplementary ability of the Authority: a divine punishment mirroring Lot's wife's fate. These eyes could petrify any living being into salt, a power as potent as Medusa's petrification. Against ordinary magicians and knights, the Eyes of Sodom were a guaranteed kill, enabling Roy to slay with a mere gaze.

"Seven Authorities?!"

"Impossible! No Campione has ever gained seven powers from slaying a single god!"

The revelation sent another wave of shock through the assembly.

Liliana Kranjcar, a proud member of the Bronze Black-Cross, stood frozen in terror. Diana Milito was her mentor in magic. To see her revered teacher reduced to salt by Roy's gaze, the petrification creeping up to her abdomen, was unbearable.

Liliana's sharp, noble features twisted in desperation. Frantically, she recited a chant, attempting to dispel the curse with her own magic.

"Master!"

Her voice cracked as her efforts failed. The curse was impervious to her magic, and the salt continued its slow march upward.

"Don't waste your strength, Liliana… This is a god's Authority, not something mortal magic can undo," Diana said through gritted teeth. Despite her dire situation, she maintained composure as the leader of her faction.

"How can this be?!"

Tears welled in Liliana's steel-blue eyes. Her love and respect for her teacher left her heartbroken as Diana's life seemed to slip away.

Driven by despair, Liliana's trembling hands drew her beloved sword, Il Maestro (The Master). Blindly, she raised it, intending to strike Roy.

A flash of red broke into her vision.

Erica Blandelli, the Bronze Black-Cross's rival from the Copper Black-Cross, moved with unmatched speed. Grasping Liliana's wrist, she halted her attack.

With a swift motion, Erica's rapier, Cuore di Leone (the Heart of the Lion), knocked Liliana's sword from her grip. Following up with a precise knee strike to her abdomen, Erica forced Liliana to the ground, breaking her trance.

"Liliana Kranjcar!" Erica barked sharply. "If you dare raise your blade against the King again, I will personally sever your head!"

She turned to Roy, immediately kneeling before him. Her rapier's tip pressed into the floor as she bowed deeply.

"O King, I am Erica Blandelli, Great Knight of the Copper Black-Cross. We are unworthy to face your wrath, yet I beg you—spare us! Allow us to serve you and redeem ourselves through loyal service."

Erica's words were a plea for mercy and a calculated act of submission.

Catching Erica's pointed gaze, Liliana stumbled to her knees beside her. Despite her inability to match Erica's eloquence, she bowed her head low, her face flushed with desperation and unshed tears.