Multiverse's Holy Right

He was a remarkably young boy, appearing no older than fifteen or sixteen. Dressed in a complex yet elegantly modified cardinal's robe that did not hinder his movements, his overly androgynous features made it difficult to discern his gender at first glance. His eyes, marked by double pupils, emitted a chilling light that starkly contrasted with the gentle smile on his lips.

Neither distinctly male nor female, neither wholly child nor adult—his very appearance held an elusive ambiguity that defied categorization. This was not a power derived from slaying gods but rather an intrinsic quality of the person known as Roy Crowley.

Though it was their first meeting, everyone recognized his identity.

The Seventh Campione, the one who had achieved the great feat of slaying the Archangel Michael, a being standing at the pinnacle of the world.

"Your Majesty..."

The leader of the "Capital of Lilies," the "Purple Knight," paled visibly. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as his dry lips parted slightly, his body trembling faintly. Gone was the arrogance he had displayed earlier when facing Erica Blandelli—now, he was consumed by terror.

Roy had not invoked any of his divine authorities, yet the sheer magnitude of his divine energy—so vast it could only be described as "alien"—was enough to make the knights and magicians shudder.

The mere presence of this profound and immense divine energy was sufficient to nullify most of the magic wielded by ordinary humans.

The younger magicians and knights felt varying degrees of fear, while only the leaders of magical associations such as the "Olden Dame," the "Bronze-Black Cross," and the "She-Wolf" could maintain their composure due to their life experiences. Even so, the ever-gentle and refined leader of the "Copper-Black Cross," Italy's strongest knight, Paolo Blandelli, gradually schooled his expression into solemnity.

Though these leaders of various magical associations might not have personally witnessed a Heretic God in their lifetimes, they had all, to some extent, interacted with Campiones. Unlike the Heretic Gods, whose thought processes were fundamentally alien to humans, Campiones remained within the bounds of humanity. Despite their overwhelming power, there was still a possibility of communication.

Thus, when facing a Campione, understanding their temperament and avoiding transgressing their boundaries out of ignorance was the fundamental strategy for confronting a Demon King.

Among the currently living Campione, the most difficult to deal with were the Eastern Cult Leader from the ancient eastern nation and the "Ruthless" Marquis Voban of Eastern Europe.

Although the Seven Sisters Magical Alliance of Italy had not yet interacted with Roy, the new king, they knew from limited information that his temperament bore a striking resemblance to Marquis Voban—a highly self-centered individual. Such a personality made him one of the most challenging superiors for subordinates to handle.

"Everyone, why the silence?"

Roy walked down the corridor leading to the round table amidst the eerie quiet, pulling out the last chair under the collective gaze of those present and seating himself with an air of natural authority.

His left hand rested on the table, propping up his cheek as his gaze swept over the leaders of all the magical associations present. It lingered briefly on the two strikingly different fourteen-year-old girls—Erica Blandelli and Liliana Kranjcar—before surveying the entire assembly.

Though Roy's memory of the original tale of the Campiones was somewhat hazy, he was well aware of the significance these two girls held in the original story. It was no exaggeration to say they were blessed by the heavens, cherished by this world. Whether it was Erica or Liliana, both possessed astonishing talent and beauty.

In the oppressive silence, Roy waited for a long moment, letting the tension build before finally speaking. "...I fully understand your hesitation in choosing between me and Salvatore Doni. After all, Doni is my fellow Campione and senior, even though he only became one less than two years before me."

"...He is the leader of the Southern European magical alliance. Though you haven't sworn allegiance to him, you are nominally his subordinates. Humans have an instinct for self-preservation, naturally gravitating toward the stronger side. I agree with this—it's a sign of wisdom. Your concerns about who is stronger between Doni and me, or whether you'll face retaliation from the other side after making a choice, are all perfectly understandable."

"Moreover, if you choose to obey me and pledge yourselves to me, you might be accused of 'betrayal,' which would harm your reputations."

Seeing that this new king didn't seem as reckless as the records suggested—in fact, he appeared quite rational, even capable of empathizing with the weak—many breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he might be someone they could reason with.

Diana Milito, the leader of the 'Bronze Black Cross,' straightened her posture and spoke respectfully, "...We deeply appreciate your understanding, Your Majesty. We—"

"Silence!"

Before Diana could finish, Roy sharply interrupted her, cutting off her words mid-sentence.

"I haven't finished speaking. It's not your turn to interject, madam! I recall my order was for you to come to the Vatican to see me immediately. Yet, after arriving in Rome, instead of presenting yourselves before me, you chose to hold this so-called meeting. Does this mean you intend to defy my command? Or perhaps you simply don't care about my existence?"

Roy suddenly smirked coldly. Though his memory of the original story was fuzzy, he still knew that the protagonist, Kusanagi Godou, had been manipulated and ordered around despite being a Campione, completely lacking the demeanor befitting a Godslayer.

Worse yet, these very magical associations had once subjected him to a so-called 'test' under the guise of evaluation—an outright act of insubordination and an insult to the Campiones.

Since when did a Godslayer need to prove their title to others? If the Campiones were the demon kings of the earth, then disputes should naturally be settled by the methods of demon kings.

Roy's principle of conduct was to act in accordance with his status. In his view, only the Marquis Voban and the Luo Hao Sect Leader truly lived up to the title of God-Slaying Demon Kings. Faced with these two most ancient Campiones, who would dare harbor even the slightest disrespect?

The enigmatic Lady Aisha could also be considered a qualified Campione—a demon king who acted entirely on her whims, imposing her will upon others regardless of whether it was benevolent or malevolent.

As for the Campiones born in the modern era, Roy deemed them all unworthy.

Roy's sudden shift in demeanor made the gathered magicians retract their earlier thoughts. A Campione was still a Campione, and the new king was indeed as capricious as the records described.

One moment, there was mutual understanding; the next, a life-or-death interrogation.

"Do you doubt my power? Or do you doubt my identity as a Campiones, that you would defy me in secret? I have no interest in performing my Authorities like a circus monkey for your amusement—but you may experience them with your own flesh."

Roy suddenly turned his gaze to the leader of the Bronze Black Cross and activated his second Authority.

This was Roy's blatant show of dominance!

***

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