Divine Right of Various Anime and Manga

Roy felt neither regret nor anger that Marquis Voban hadn't been completely eradicated.

His "Divine Right" had already calculated the Marquis's power; even if Marquis Voban revived, the next time they met, Roy wouldn't need to fight a great battle with him again. He could simply summon the 'Third Hand' and wave it casually to defeat the Marquis once more.

Unless the Marquis could gain even greater power in an extremely short time, causing the calculated output of "Divine Right" to fail—only then would he have the qualifications to fight Roy again.

However, given the situation where a Campione reaches the peak in one leap and then sees their strength grow increasingly slower, Marquis Voban's talent as a Campione had already reached its limit.

Unless he ceased to be a Campione, it would be impossible for him to undergo a qualitative change. And since there was no power stronger than a Campione in this world, Roy could confidently declare that he had eliminated this oldest of Demon Lords.

"I don't have a means to completely eradicate immortality. If it were ordinary immortality, that would be fine, but if I encounter someone with such exaggerated immortality as Marquis Voban again, it would truly be troublesome."

Roy examined the blood-red long sword in his hand, feeling dissatisfied with this situation.

In this world, the power that absolutely countered immortality was the 'Steel Hero' who slew the Earth Mother Goddess. Although Michael also had the achievement of defeating the Ancient Dragon Satan and could be considered a Steel Hero, in the legends, Michael only cast Satan back to Hell rather than killing him outright. Therefore, Michael was not a pure 'Steel Hero' and had no good way to deal with immortality.

"I need to upgrade this sword, at the very least give it the ability to counter immortality."

Although Roy's long sword was a top-tier Divine Artifact, its main function was to activate the "Sword of Judgment" authority. It could be said that compared to a sword, it was closer to a 'staff'.

Michael's attribute was 'Fire', and in occult tarot cards, the symbol of fire was the staff, while the symbol of wind was the sword. Therefore, this long sword belonging to Michael was essentially a 'staff'; the sword was merely its appearance, just a particularly sharp staff. This was the mage's method of combat.

Just as Roy was pondering how to upgrade this long sword, Aiwass suddenly materialized behind him, speaking in a voice that was beautiful, melodious, and full of human emotion, yet which Roy always felt carried a hint of irritability:

[Pandora's Dark Offering has been partially analyzed. The next time you slay a god, I will try to see if I can strengthen your power.]

"Partially analyzed? As expected of Aiwass."

Roy was momentarily stunned by Aiwass's words, then immediately overjoyed.

This was truly a case of someone bringing a pillow just when he was feeling sleepy.

[Based on the analysis, I highly suspect that Pandora's Dark Offering does not belong to Pandora. This ritual has been fixed; Pandora is merely the key to activate the ritual, not the inventor of $!$##!#$.]

Aiwass floated behind Roy, like a true "Holy Guardian Angel." The 'human touch' in her words—that playful, carefree attitude toward life—was growing stronger.

"What does that mean?"

[To explain in terms you can understand, this ritual for usurping authorities should be the ability of some object, and Pandora is merely the holder or keeper of that object.]

"In other words, Pandora isn't as mysterious or powerful as imagined?"

Roy raised an eyebrow and asked.

[Correct. Your previous guess was wrong. Pandora doesn't have much ability, nor could she be some kind of mastermind. She's just a special deity.]

Aiwass confirmed Roy's statement.

"Excellent. Then next time I see Pandora, I won't have to be cautious and put on a smiling face. I can be assertive with her. I thought she invented this ritual, but it turns out she's just borrowing others' generosity and bluffing."

The corner of Roy's mouth lifted, and his tone became relaxed.

Previously, he had been afraid that Pandora would see through him, afraid that something would go wrong with this god-slaying ritual. That was why he played the obedient child in front of Pandora. Now that he knew Pandora was just putting on an act, he no longer had to fear.

[...]

Aiwass was silent, saying nothing.

[Roy, what you need now is to acquire as much knowledge as possible. I will later teach you a variation of the 'Usurpation Authority Ritual,' but how to complete this ritual is something you must do yourself.]

Aiwass reminded him at this point.

"I'm very confident in my comprehension, but when it comes to 'acquisition,' that takes time."

Roy pondered a solution.

As the son of Aleister Crowley, Roy had fully inherited the wisdom of the world's strongest mage in terms of comprehension. That is to say, he could take any knowledge he learned and turn it into his own in the shortest possible time.

Back in the world of A Certain Magical Index, the main reason Roy was a third-rate mage who knew few spells was that he had no channel to obtain knowledge.

In the apartment where Aleister once lived, there were only some high-level 'philosophical and ideological' grimoires left by Aleister, but no basic knowledge or theories. No matter how strong Roy's comprehension was, even a clever housewife can't cook a meal without rice. Without learning the fundamentals, he couldn't research magic.

Given Roy's wisdom, if he had been given enough time, he might have been able to reverse-engineer magic from those 'philosophies and ideologies.' Unfortunately, before he could put his wisdom to use, Aleister killed him.

Now, Roy had a channel for knowledge, but 'acquiring' knowledge was a process. He needed to read books one by one, memorize the contents, and then use his wisdom to understand them. And reading books one by one took a lot of time.

"I recall that this world has a method of acquiring knowledge through 'bodily fluid exchange.' However, the knowledge gained that way is only borrowed, not directly turned into one's own. I can try to modify this magic to extend the time the knowledge stays in my mind, and then use my comprehension to fully grasp it before the knowledge disappears."

"...Modifying this magic isn't difficult. The hard part is simply finding a female who possesses a vast amount of knowledge and is willing to impart it to me. Of course, a male would also work, but I wouldn't be willing."

"Being a Demon Lord has its perks. Women are at my beck and call."

Roy laughed cheerfully.

Aiwass made no comment on Roy's choice. 'Sex Magic' was an ancient witch's art, a very orthodox magical method that existed in many worlds and cultures.

This angel merely reminded him:

[Someone nearby is spying on you.]

"Oh? Someone is hiding nearby?"

Although Roy used a questioning tone, he had no doubt about what Aiwass said.

Chapter 49: The "King's" Wrath

(Two books seem to have both gotten recommendations. The pressure to update is immense...)

The place Roy was in was Shinjuku Gyoen in Tokyo, a national park covering fifty-eight hectares. In the past, it had been a garden managed by the Imperial Household Agency.

The vegetation in Shinjuku Gyoen was dense. Apart from the lawn where Roy currently stood, patches of woodland could be seen in the distance. If someone were hiding in those woods to spy, it would indeed be very difficult to spot them.

Because Campione, unless they possessed special Authorities, were not inherently skilled at perception.

"Campione may not be good at perception, but if someone were spying on me from such a close distance without me reacting at all, they'd have to be an extremely rare type even among Great Knights and mages. So it's highly likely that the one spying on me isn't a mage or a knight... Hmm, I think I've already guessed who it is."

With just a brief moment of thought, Roy figured out who was hiding in the woods.

Aiwass said nothing about this. In the past, Aiwass had observed the world as an 'observer,' but now, due to Roy's special circumstances, she had chosen to intervene. However, intervening didn't mean managing Roy's entire life; she would only give him reminders when needed and teach him the necessary knowledge when required.

The 'Third Hand' on Roy's right shoulder hadn't disappeared. Although the 'Light of the Right' could now only be used once every seven days, as long as he summoned this hand, Roy could maintain its existence for a period of time. This 'Divine Right' now had other functions besides emitting the 'Light of the Right.'

Several clusters of light flew in from afar. These were the 'Angels of Light' Roy had summoned earlier. After Marquis Voban's defeat, the wolves he had summoned also vanished. With no enemies left, these angels returned to their commander's side.

A dozen or so angels remained; the rest had died in battle against the wolves. These remaining angels surrounded Roy, protecting him like loyal guards.

Then Roy raised his right hand and chanted the Word Spirit again: "...Your sins have reached the Lord; brimstone and heavenly fire shall burn everything!"

"Perish, sinful Sodom and Gomorrah!"

The clouds in the sky churned, turning into fiery clouds. Whirlpools descended from the sky like terrifying sights from the depths of the universe, pressing down with heavy force, as if heaven and earth were slowly closing in.

At the same time, the earth began to tremble. Hot air filled with the smell of sulfur rose, and from the cracks in the ground, hellish magma and flames burst forth.

The range between heaven and earth covered the entire fifty-eight hectares of Shinjuku Gyoen. With a wave of Roy's right hand, the heavenly fire of the sun crashed down, and the earthly fire of hell erupted upward.

"Boom boom boom boom--------"

The earth roared, the sky thundered, and the vegetation let out agonized cries. Under the collision of heavenly and earthly flames, this famous imperial garden in Tokyo was completely erased from the map.

The blazing fire burned, as if returning to the era of World War II decades ago when the American military launched massive air raids on Japan. The 'Third Hand' on Roy's right shoulder seemed forged from gold. Protected by over a dozen angels, he walked through the flames, wild and unrestrained, showing the world what it meant to be a tyrannical demon king.

Amid the roar of the heavenly and earthly flames, a figure turned into lightning and shot up from the woods that had burned to ashes. The figure seemed startled and, without looking back, activated 'Divine Speed' to flee far away. At that speed, it could probably fly out of Tokyo in the blink of an eye.

"It really is Alexander Gascoyne. This guy is the type who plans carefully before acting. Startled, he chose to run. If it were Salvatore Doni, he would have drawn his sword and charged at me."

Roy let out a breath. With the use of 'Sodom's Sin,' his Authorities were truly exhausted this time. Apart from the remaining Magic Power to use the 'Fist of Israel,' all his other abilities were spent. He was now at his weakest. If any Disobedient God or Campione came looking for trouble, he could only run.

But fortunately, the only Campione nearby was the Black Prince. Roy guessed that the sight of him defeating Marquis Voban with a single wave of 'Divine Right' had greatly frightened him. Now, with another bluff, forcing him out with an Authority, the Black Prince probably thought Roy still had strength left and fled in fear.

Roy didn't feel much about scaring off a Campione with one of his Authorities.

Just then, his mind stirred, and he immediately extinguished his Authority. With the disappearance of the heavenly and earthly fires, what appeared before Roy was a flat plain like a burned wheat field. And ahead of him stood a figure.

"Princess Alice, why are you here?"

The figure before him was Alice's astral body. As long as this princess used this ability, she could appear anywhere in the world with her 'astral body.'

"Marquis Voban, the oldest demon king with the most Authorities, was actually killed by you. King Roy, you are truly astonishing. This result will shake the entire mystical world."

Princess Alice's tone was full of admiration, and her noble, elegant eyes were filled with intense curiosity about Roy.

Roy didn't correct the mistake in Alice's words. Marquis Voban wasn't completely 'dead.' He simply asked, "...I know you like to join in the fun, Princess Alice, and I guessed you'd use your astral body to hide in the distance and watch my battle with Marquis Voban. But for you to appear directly before me, it shouldn't just be to celebrate my victory, should it?"

"King Roy, being too clever can take a lot of fun out of life."

Princess Alice's eyes sparkled with enchanting light. She stared at the 'Third Hand' on Roy's right shoulder, her expression full of amazement and curiosity, along with a hint of fear toward this eerie hand.

"...Your knights, Erica and Liliana, are in trouble. As a witch, I consider my talent unparalleled, but in combat, I can only admit my inferiority. If you don't want anything to happen to them, I suggest you hurry over."

Princess Alice finally revealed the news she had come to tell Roy.

"Erica and Liliana are in trouble? The Marquis has been defeated; his 'Dead Servant' Authority should have failed. With Erica and Liliana's strength, what kind of trouble could they run into? Could it be the Historical Records Compilation Committee?"

Roy's face showed faint anger. If the Japanese Historical Records Compilation Committee really dared to lay a hand on his knights, Roy wouldn't mind showing them what the wrath of a demon king meant. It would be a complete disrespect to him as a 'King.'

Although Roy had almost no Authorities left to use, as long as 'Jacob's Ladder' and 'Sodom's Eye' remained, he was still a Campione that mortals could never defeat.

Chanting the spell for 'Flight' magic, Roy and the dozen or so angels guarding him flew off. The power of these dozen angels alone was enough to give any country's mystical forces a headache.

Chapter 50: The Clash of Women

"Mr. Kasukabe... how... how much farther do we have to run?"

In a small alley in Tokyo, a girl in a shrine maiden's outfit was running quickly with a middle-aged man in his thirties. As they ran, they kept looking back, afraid of their pursuers catching up.

The girl's breathing was rapid, clearly not suited for long-distance running.

"Almost there, Wanitangi. Once we get out of this street, someone will be waiting to pick us up. I'll do my best to lead the pursuers away, and you take a car to Haneda Airport. The Historical Records Compilation Committee's plane is already waiting there. You just need to leave Japan by plane."

Kasukabe Touma, a descendant of ninjas, had excellent stamina. Even while running, his breathing was steady, and he had enough breath to explain things to Yuri Wanitangi.

"Is... is that Campione Marquis in Tokyo again?"

Yuri Wanitangi's small body shivered as she ran, recalling what happened two years ago when she was taken to Eastern Europe as a ritual shrine maiden. The cruel demon king never cared about the shrine maidens' feelings and conscripted her with harsh methods.

In that ritual to summon a Disobedient God, Yuri Wanitangi had witnessed many witches and shrine maidens dying miserably. Even now, when she slept, she would dream of the painful expressions and unwilling looks in their eyes as they died.

Thus, Yuri Wanitangi had great fear and aversion toward Campione, even disgust.

"This time, it's not just the Marquis. A new 'King' has also come to Tokyo. Their target is you."

Kasukabe Touma gave a bitter smile. This might be called 'an innocent man carrying a jade brings disaster.' In a small Japan without a Campione or sufficient mystical means, having a powerful shrine maiden with exceptional talent made them an easy target for others.

Hearing Kasukabe Touma's words, Yuri Wanitangi felt disgust toward her own abilities as a Shrine Maiden. If she didn't have these abilities, she could live an ordinary life as a normal student, instead of constantly being in danger and causing trouble for others.

"But... if I leave Tokyo, and the Marquis and the new 'King' can't find me, won't they do terrible things to Tokyo?"

Yuri Wanitangi suddenly stopped, stubbornly insisting, "...I can't leave here, Mr. Kasukabe! If Tokyo suffers because of me, that's absolutely not something I want to see."

Seeing Yuri Wanitangi stop in her tracks, Kasukabe Touma's face tightened with urgency as he grabbed her hand and pulled her along. He loathed her stubborn temperament—why couldn't she see reason? The conclusions the Historical Records Compilation Committee had reached after extensive deliberation wouldn't be abandoned just because of her personal obstinacy. If she stayed in Tokyo, that would be the real disaster!

"Trust me, Wanitangi! Leaving Tokyo is the only way to keep you safe. Besides, those two 'Kings' are already fighting—by now, probably an entire district of Tokyo has been destroyed. Only if you get far away from Tokyo might those two 'Kings' stop chasing you!"

In the Committee's view, the two Campiones were unlikely to settle their duel easily, which was why they'd devised this plan to redirect the calamity. If the two 'Kings' could decide a victor quickly, the Committee wouldn't have to be so cautious—they'd simply offer Yuri Wanitangi to the winner.

For the Historical Records Compilation Committee, their greatest fear was a battle between two Campiones, because even the mere aftershocks of their fight could annihilate heaven and earth.

"Knowing that a 'King' seeks this maiden, you still dare to flee with her—how audacious!"

Just then, a clear, stern voice of a maiden rang out behind them.

"Watch out, Mr. Kasukabe!"

The Shrine Maiden's Spiritual Vision alerted Yuri Wanitangi to the danger, and she cried out in warning.

As a ninja, Kasukabe Touma was keenly alert to danger, but his evasive speed ultimately fell a step too slow.

"Shlick—"

A blade pierced straight through Kasukabe Touma's chest. The middle-aged man, mid-sprint, halted in his tracks. Stunned, he looked down at the sword tip protruding from his chest, watching blood drip from its point. A sharp pain shot through his body, and he lost consciousness entirely.

"Mr. Kasukabe! Mr. Kasukabe!"

Yuri Wanitangi caught Kasukabe Touma, shouting in panic.

"Call an ambulance now, and come with me—you might still save his life. If you insist on running, you'll only watch him die."

Behind the fallen Kasukabe Touma stood a beautiful maiden. Her silver hair was tied into a single ponytail, a blue-and-black cloak draped over her shoulders, and her knee-length black skirt revealed slender legs clad in white stockings. In her hand, she held a long sword still dripping with blood. It was Liliana.

"You?! The new 'King's' knight!"

Yuri Wanitangi gasped in shock at the sight of Liliana.

Not long ago, she had been volunteering at a nearby shrine when this silver-haired maiden and a golden-haired maiden suddenly appeared, attempting to 'kidnap' her. Though Yuri Wanitangi was a powerful Shrine Maiden with strong spiritual energy, she had almost no combat ability, and in a single exchange, Erica had captured her.