Divine Right of Various Anime and Manga

It's like playing a game. If Aiwass is a max-level character breaking through her level cap by encountering more unknowns and gaining more knowledge, then Roy is a level-one character. What he needs to do now is find a way to level up to max, not explore the world beyond max level.

"But my game life is a bit different. In RPG games, the protagonist slowly levels up and then faces the final boss. I, on the other hand, saw the final boss right from the start and got killed by it... The game's creator is even more ruthless than Hidetaka Miyazaki."

Roy laughed at himself. He closed his eyes and began to recall how he had actually crossed over.

He had already lived in the A Certain Magical Index world for over ten years. As an ordinary person before, he didn't have the ability of 'absolute memory,' making it very difficult to recall events from over a decade ago.

"I remember that on the night I crossed over, I seemed to see a strange incantation. Out of curiosity, I memorized it, then went to bed... After that, I woke up and crossed into another world... No, that night I think I had a dream. In the dream, I unintentionally chanted the incantation."

Just as Roy thought of that incantation, its content suddenly surfaced in his soul. The incantation was written in simple Chinese, but strangely, Roy couldn't understand it at all. He recognized every character, but when they were strung together, they became something incomprehensible.

He opened his mouth and silently recited it. Aiwass, noticing Roy's odd behavior, stared at him intently. As Roy finished uttering the last word, Aiwass's expression finally changed drastically. She let out a soft 'huh,' and her body, composed of light, vanished from the bedroom along with Roy.

Roy felt his vision go dark for a moment, and the Next Moment, he arrived in an unknown world.

It was like an endless wilderness. Roy stood in the center of this wilderness. Not far ahead, there was a staircase leading up to the sky. The sky above was very low, only about a hundred meters high.

The sky was a chaotic flow of white mist, as if containing infinite mysteries. Beneath Roy's feet, however, there seemed to be a huge transparent pane of glass. Below that 'glass' was actually a starry universe!

That starry sky was like a colorful oil painting, dyed with countless hues. When Roy gazed at this cosmic starfield, he knew that this starry sky was the 'A Certain Magical Index' world he had been in before. If he wished, he could re-enter that starry sky at any time.

"I remember now. I came to this world in a dream before. At that time, it was all white mist. I thought I was having a lucid dream, so I tried hard to imagine going to a Two-Dimensional World, and then I was reborn into the Index world..."

Many people should have had this experience—suddenly becoming aware in a dream that they are dreaming. At that point, by relying on imagination, you can control the dream to some extent. That's what Roy did back then.

But he never expected that his 'dream' would become reality.

"Aiwass, do you have any knowledge of this place?"

Roy turned around and looked at the 'Holy Guardian Angel' behind him. At this moment, Aiwass seemed dumbfounded, staring at this strange place in shock and bewilderment.

After a long while, she came to her senses and said, "...I'm sorry, Roy. Everything here is beyond the scope of my knowledge. The only reason I can appear here is because of your existence, which allowed me to manifest my current form."

"Since even you don't understand this place, I'll stop trying to get to the bottom of it for now... I can feel that I can return to the 'Index' world at any time from here, but going back now would just leave me with nothing, unable to change anything. I'll explore this strange place first."

Roy lowered his head and took a deep look at the oil-painting-like starry universe beneath his feet, then walked forward. "...I clearly remember that in my dream, this staircase was sealed before. Now there's a door at the top."

He stepped onto the staircase with interest, slowly climbing toward the top a hundred meters high. Aiwass floated behind him, following closely.

"Aiwass, it just occurred to me—since this place can really let me cross into different worlds, what if I went back to the Real World now and forced those authors to revise the content of their works? What do you think would happen?"

Roy had a sudden whimsical thought and said to Aiwass.

"It would be meaningless. The world is a complex whole, composed of infinite variables. It follows the most basic logic. A world without logic or with too many contradictions would instead put you in danger... Besides, does a 'book's' world truly exist? Don't reverse this cause-and-effect relationship. My existence is the strongest proof. The fact that I can appear in what you call the 'Real World' shows that I am real, not just a passage of text."

"...In other words, it's because the world exists first that its information spreads here through some method we cannot understand, becoming stories in books. This isn't something inconceivable. A Magic God can do this—they can seal a story within a book. You cannot deny that the world in that book is false. This mysterious space we are in now might have been created by an existence even more powerful than a Magic God."

Aiwass explained to Roy in an almost instructive manner. As this 'Holy Guardian Angel' said, she was no longer content to merely observe Roy but was willing to help him.

"I stand corrected."

Roy nodded in acknowledgment, taking Aiwass's words to heart rather than letting them go in one ear and out the other.

"You can treat the contents recorded in those books as 'prophecies,' but don't trust them too much. There is a theory of the 'butterfly effect' in the human world, and it applies well to fate. The more you know, the more you become bound by fate. Only the unknown can create more possibilities."

By this time, Roy and Aiwass had reached the last step of the staircase. One more step forward, and they would cross the white mist-like sky and go to the other side of the door.

Roy stopped. He turned back to look at Aiwass and said with dawning understanding, "...What I need to know is 'only the necessary parts of necessary knowledge.' In other words, I just need to know the outline of a story and the important characters, but I must never Proactively seek it out. Is that right?"

Roy understood what Aiwass meant. Just like in the Index world, Roy knew it was the Index world and knew some main characters, but he only had vague memories of the specific story. Even because he hadn't read all the books, he had no idea about future developments.

And Aiwass was warning Roy not to actively read the later developments of the storybooks, as that would make him see through the future and instead become unable to change fate.

"That's exactly what I mean."

"I see. Aiwass, you too are bound by fate, which is why you seek the unknown to tear apart the Spider Web of fate."

Roy chuckled softly.

He knew that Aiwass helping him like this definitely had her own purpose. But whatever her goal, as long as it didn't threaten his life, Roy didn't mind. Just like this time facing Aleister—if not for Aiwass's help, he would probably have been killed by Aleister by mistake.

Roy's life, spanning over thirty years across two lifetimes, could only be described as ordinary. Compared to Aiwass's knowledge and life experience, he was completely a junior. Having such an existence helping him could only be to his advantage.

Without hesitation, he stepped over the last step and arrived at the second level of this mysterious space. Just as he had seen in his dream, the second level was also completely shrouded in white mist. Ahead, he could see a new staircase continuing upward, but the sky there was temporarily blocked.

"So there's still room to go up. How many levels does this world have?"

Roy looked around at the chaotic white world and said casually.

Aiwass didn't answer him, because she too was completely clueless about this place.

Roy didn't expect Aiwass to answer either. He thought for a moment and said, "...I wonder how many levels these stairs have, and where they lead. To give it a name, let's call it the 'God Ascension Stairway.'"

The last time Roy came to this world was in a hazy dream. This time, he came consciously. When he stepped into the second level of this mysterious space, he understood how to use it.

It was like a wish-granting machine, but it wouldn't directly fulfill your wish—it would only give you an opportunity to achieve it.

Roy pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke, "...Take me to a world where I can quickly become stronger!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the faint, cloud-like white chaotic mist drifting in this space suddenly contracted as if hit by a hurricane.

Roy's figure vanished into the Pure White...

Chapter 3: "Archangel" and "Celestial Scribe"

"It worked!"

When Roy's consciousness jumped again, leaving that mysterious space and arriving in a new world, he couldn't suppress the joy in his heart as he clenched his fist and swung it vigorously.

That joy came and went quickly; Roy swiftly calmed his mind and began to survey his surroundings, ensuring his own safety.

Although Aiwass had agreed to help Roy, her greatest assistance could only be in terms of knowledge. In matters of pure destruction and power, Aiwass's ability to aid Roy was actually quite limited.

Aiwass's essence was a 'spirit' located in a higher phase—as she herself said, an observer, an existence akin to an extraterrestrial being. In her state as a 'spirit', Aiwass had very little influence on the Material World. For Aiwass to truly unleash her full power, she needed to be given a physical body, meaning she needed to 'incarnate'.

However, as an angel of the Creative Realm, or perhaps even the higher Archetypal Realm, finding a usable body for Aiwass was impossible. Although she could temporarily grant power through possession, that would affect the host's 'spirit' and 'soul'. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary—like facing a certain-death situation against Aleister—Roy would never allow Aiwass to possess him.

The Holy Guardian Angel Aiwass mastered many powerful Angelic Arts, but using a human body to borrow Aiwass's power and activate those Angelic Arts was essentially attempting suicide.

This was also why Aleister wanted to use Academy City's AIM Diffusion Field to create a usable body for Aiwass. Without a body, Aiwass couldn't exert her full power—a power on the same level as a Magic God, only differing in expression, yet supreme.

The temperature around him was somewhat stuffy and dry, and what met his eyes was a dull yellow desert, completely devoid of any trace of human presence.

"First, I need to confirm whether I'm still on Earth, which world I've arrived in, and whether this world is one I'm familiar with... If I'm still on Earth, I also need to figure out which corner of the globe I'm in."

Relying solely on the dry desert around him and the blazing sun overhead, Roy had no way to determine his location.

"Be careful, Roy... There's a strong magical reaction to your front right."

Aiwass suddenly warned.

"Front right? Magical reaction?"

Roy looked doubtfully toward his front right. The next moment, his expression changed drastically. Less than two kilometers away in the direction he was looking, a terrifying wave of sand shot into the sky, turning into a patch of pure darkness. Even the sun overhead was obscured by this sand wave, towering hundreds of meters high.

"A sandstorm? No, what is that thing—angels?!"

Within that sand wave, Roy vaguely saw two angels with wings on their backs locked in battle.

One angel's wings were like the light of heaven, or like flames forging the majesty of God, fighting within the sky-obscuring sandstorm.

The other angel's wings also seemed to be burning flames, but unlike the first angel, this one bore countless wings on its back. With a single glance, Roy counted over thirty pairs.

"Thirty-six pairs of wings like flames, appearing as a fire angel—could this angel be the Celestial Scribe recorded in The Book of Enoch, the angel guarding the throne of God, Metatron? No, it should be called Enoch!"

"...The other angel wields a red cross sword, with wings like radiance or flames. According to the Bible, it should be the Archangel Michael. What kind of world have I come to, that I immediately see two of the highest-ranking angels recorded in Judaism and Christianity? And why are they fighting? Could it be that these two angels are contending for the title of 'Most Favored Angel Before the Throne of God'?"

Although Roy was a mediocre magician, he had considerable knowledge in the field of mysticism. Apart from what Aiwass had taught him—"only the necessary of the necessary"—his remaining knowledge came from Aleister Crowley.

Aleister was born into a Christian family, but he held Christianity in contempt. Yet this man had delved deeply into Christian mysticism; otherwise, he could never have written the rebellious The Book of 777.

Having read almost all of Aleister's works, as well as Christian canonical and apocryphal texts, Roy could instantly recognize these two distinct angels before him.

"The Book of Enoch records the story of Enoch walking with God for three hundred years, finally ascending to heaven to become the strongest angel, 'Little Jehovah,' the 'Agent of God' Metatron. But this scripture has long been proven to be a forgery written in Enoch's name, denounced by Christianity as apocrypha. In the Christian system, the angel 'Metatron' doesn't even exist."

"...But in Judaism, Metatron holds an extremely high status, even surpassing Christ. In some mystical Jewish sects, He is placed at the very apex of the Kabbalah Tree of Life."

"In the Bible—Old Testament, only two angel names are actually mentioned: Michael and Gabriel. Michael is even called 'Like God,' seated at God's right hand, undoubtedly the strongest angel before the throne."

"...Michael and Metatron also have many overlapping authorities, with nearly identical positions in their respective religions. This battle is practically a fight between Christian canon and apocrypha, a battle between Judaism and Christianity!"

"...What kind of chaotic world is this?!"

Just as Roy was bewildered by the battle between the two angels before him, the raging sand wave was rapidly approaching him. The shockwaves from the angels' clash reduced hill after hill to nothing.

"Damn!"

Roy cursed under his breath, turned around, and started running. Regardless of how these two angels had appeared or why they were fighting here, Roy knew one thing: as a mediocre magician, even the residual force of a battle between two great archangels, nearly divine, was enough to crush him.

Roy didn't want to die inexplicably again; that might very well mean he would never wake up.

But Roy's running speed was no match for the sand wave. In the blink of an eye, his body was flipped over by the sandstorm. He tumbled several times in the sand, getting a mouthful of bitter, gritty sand.

Soon, Roy's vision grew weaker. Entering the sandstorm, he gradually lost his perception of light. He knew that if he didn't find a way to escape this sandstorm, he would be buried alive by the sand without the two angels even lifting a finger.

"Huh? A sand cave?"

In his panic, Roy spotted a cavern beneath the sand and, without a second thought, dove inside.

The sandstorm was still chasing him from behind. He quickly ran deeper into the cave. The cave showed clear signs of artificial construction, obviously not natural. But at this moment, Roy didn't stop to think about whether someone was inside or whether there was danger.

No matter who was in this cave, no matter how dangerous it was, it was absolutely safer than the battle of those two great archangels outside!

After several twists and turns, Roy arrived at a chamber-like cave. The walls were made of piled sand, inscribed with magical symbols, presumably reinforced by magic, looking as solid as rock. When he saw the contents of the cave, Roy's pupils contracted, and then a look of joy appeared on his face.

Chapter 4: Angelic Art, "Angel Fall"

The items placed in this cave were extremely messy: strange clay dolls, scattered amulets, some aged parchment scrolls. If an uninitiated person came here, they might think they had stumbled into a flea market, seeing someone selling worthless trinkets.

But Roy, with his knowledge of magic, knew that these odd little items, though perhaps containing little magical power, were objects of significant symbolic importance in mysticism.

"Judging by the style of these items, the original owner of this cave wasn't a Christian believer, but a follower of Judaism—specifically, a follower of some secret Jewish sect."

Roy didn't casually touch any of these items. This hidden cave beneath the sand was like a magician's workshop—extremely dangerous. Any inconspicuous little object could be a trap capable of making life worse than death.

"Aiwass, is there any danger here?"

Roy didn't act rashly and instead asked Aiwass.

As the Holy Guardian Angel who imparts knowledge to others, few in the field of mysticism could surpass Aiwass.

"The magical symbolism here has faded."

Although this was no longer the world of Toaru nor Roy's Real World, under some inexplicable influence, knowledge of mysticism was interconnected across many worlds. For instance, the famous theory of the Kabbalah Tree of Life was universal in many worlds.

Aiwass glanced at it and gave Roy her answer, then curiously began to observe this world.

For an existence like Aiwass, what she cared about was never power as such, but the unknown information and knowledge of the rules she could obtain upon arriving in a new world—that was what Aiwass desired most.

"True. If this magician's workshop still had defensive functions, I should have been attacked when I ran inside."

With Aiwass's assurance, Roy felt at ease and began searching through the various magical symbolic artifacts around him.

"Judging by the paper, this is an original copy of The Book of Enoch?"

Roy picked up a piece of worn parchment and glanced at its contents.

"Hm, this is..."

Along the edge of the parchment was a strip of linen, stained with red marks like dried blood. "...Jesus's burial cloth? This is the Shroud of Turin!"

Having discovered these items, extremely precious in both Judaism and Christianity, Roy quickly began flipping through some nearby books.

Soon, Roy confirmed which world he was in—

"This is the world of Campiones!"

"...The owner of this workshop was a magician who followed Judaism—no, in this world they should be called mages. This guy used many precious magical artifacts and divine implements to conduct a large-scale magical ritual, attempting to summon a Disobedient God!"

"From these artifacts, this mage was incredibly bold. He tried to summon two Disobedient Gods at once. One of them should be Metatron, and the other he wanted to summon was Christ the Son of God!"

With his own knowledge of the occult and guidance from Aiwass, Roy quickly figured out the whole story.

The magical artifacts and divine implements in this cave were extremely precious; it would have taken no less than a century to collect so many. Coupled with the sheer scale of the ritual to summon a Disobedient God, which also required decades of preparation, what this cavern displayed represented the fruits of centuries of effort by multiple generations of a Jewish mystical sect.

As for why this Jewish mage wanted to summon Metatron and Christ the Son of God, Roy could understand. It was the fundamental conflict between the two faiths: though both believed in God, Judaism did not acknowledge Christ's status, did not recognize Christ as the savior or the Messiah, and only regarded him as a righteous saint.

Meanwhile, Christianity did not acknowledge Metatron's existence. So this mage probably wanted to summon Judaism's supreme angel to kill Christianity's Christ the Son of God, thereby blaspheming Christianity.

"They succeeded, but they also failed. They did summon a Disobedient God, but what these mages summoned was not Christ the Son of God at all—it was the Archangel Michael. In Christian mythology, Michael is the strongest warrior before God's throne!"

"...Some passages in the Bible describing Michael don't read like they're describing an angel at all, but rather like they're describing the Son of God. This is considered blasphemous in Christianity, yet the Bible records it that way. So some scholars believe that Christ the Son of God and Michael are the same person, which is why the Bible uses language meant for the Son of God to describe Michael!"