After repeatedly confirming that they were not pulling his leg, the Blood Emperor took a deep breath, nodded to everyone, and said calmly:
"All right, I'll accept the Divine Authority."
"I'll put it to good use."
The simple promise concealed immense resolve.
After only a brief discussion, the City Lords had unanimously entrusted something so precious to him. The trust behind that decision was beyond words, and the Blood Emperor could only repay it through his actions in the days ahead.
With the three high-grade Divine Bones allocated, the remaining five Divine Authorities were slightly less important, but decisions still needed to be made as soon as possible.
After suffering such heavy losses, the God-Eater Beasts must have fully realized the threat posed by the Fools. Moreover, the Fools' location had now been exposed, and the God-Eater Beasts' next attack could come at any time.
They had to turn these spoils into strength of their own as quickly as possible.
The City Lords and the leaders of the major factions each took the lead in drafting a list of five people they considered suitable for the Divine Authorities. These lists were then gathered together for everyone to review and screen, candidate by candidate, at a meeting.
The review centered on three criteria. First, candidates could not already possess a Divine Authority, so the City Lords themselves need not join the scramble. However, they could recommend suitable people under their command.
Second were strength and character. Candidates had to rank among humanity's current top tier in strength, while also having a good reputation, with no unsavory history or rumors.
Third was merit. Candidates had to have made tangible contributions in both the earlier battle against the Giant invasion and this battle for the City of Order. Otherwise, no matter how strong