Fantasy Library, Ch 341-345

Chapter 341 – Big Words, Small Ability

As a spirit channeler capable of summoning divine spirits and using a portion of divine power, Seishuin Ena was undoubtedly very powerful.

When she activated her spirit descent technique, allowing the spirit of Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi or Susanoo to possess her, both her physical abilities and Magical Power would undergo a massive enhancement.

To what extent, you ask?

To the level equal to that of a demigod or Divine Beast!

In other words, the pinnacle of humanity!

Erica's uncle, Paolo Blandelli—the Paladin and commander-in-chief of the Copper Black Cross—was at this very realm!

Seishuin Ena, once she used her spirit descent technique, could reach this realm, thereby becoming even stronger than the prodigious Erica herself!

That was why Seishuin Ena was known as the number one Hime-Miko of this generation, the foremost among all Hime-Miko—she herself was the trump card of the Japanese magical community, an existence capable of slaying even Divine Beasts!

If the one who had appeared on Sardinia back then hadn't been Erica, but Seishuin Ena instead, she might have been able to fight the "boar" to a draw—or even slay it!

From this, one could imagine just how powerful Seishuin Ena truly was.

However, when such a powerful spirit channeler faced the most unreasonable Demon Lord in the world, she was nothing more than an ant.

"Boom!"

A whirlwind-clad staff descended from the sky, piercing through the torrential rain, braving the storm, and crashed onto the ground, instantly shattering it.

With a thunderous roar, the whirlwind on the staff exploded outward, sending rubble, soil, gravel, and tiles flying—all while launching the Hime-Miko holding the divine sword into the air.

"Yaaaaaaaah...!"

Like a kite with its string cut, Seishuin Ena was blown away from within the storm, crashing heavily into a tree, shattering it on impact.

"So... strong..."

Her entire outfit torn and ragged, Seishuin Ena staggered to her feet. Her delicate face was smudged with dust and dirt, looking utterly wretched.

She could no longer remember how many times she had been blown away.

She also couldn’t remember how many times she had collapsed to the ground.

All she knew was—if that whirlwind-staff dancing through the storm hadn’t deliberately avoided striking her directly each time, her body would have long since been torn apart, utterly mangled—there would’ve been no way for her to even stand again.

"This is... the power of a king?"

Though a trace of pain lingered on her face, Seishuin Ena still managed to force a smile.

Then... a staff wreathed in crackling lightning fell from the sky like a bolt of thunder, slamming down before her.

"Boom!"

Accompanied by yet another deafening crash, lightning exploded from the staff embedded in the ground, utterly devastating the area around it, forming a crater, and striking the wavering Seishuin Ena directly.

"Yah!"

Her entire body was engulfed in lightning as she screamed, sent flying once more—her skin scorched and blackened.

"Ena!"

Mariya Yuri, seeing her childhood friend in such a pitiful state, let out a scream of her own.

"King! I beg you..."

She tried to plead for Seishuin Ena, but was coldly cut off by Kaiser, who had remained standing there, unmoved, the entire time.

"I already held back. She won’t die."

Kaiser spoke calmly, as if he hadn’t seen Seishuin Ena’s miserable state at all. With a wave of his hand, the two staffs flew back into the air.

Yagrush, entwined in whirlwind, and Aymur, crackling with lightning—divine weapons personally crafted by the God of Crafts—danced through the storm, completely unaffected by it. In fact, they seemed to be in their element, agile and natural.

"I, wield this divine blade!"

Seishuin Ena, enduring the pain throughout her body, chanted her Kotodama aloud.

"Chihaya, shatter gold with me—stand by my side!"

The divine sword in the girl’s hand instantly radiated extraordinary Magical Power. She raised it high, slashing at the oncoming Yagrush and Aymur.

"Bang!"

The pitch-black divine blade clashed with the ancient-looking staffs, erupting into a shockwave.

Seishuin Ena was once again blown away.

But this time, she quickly stabilized herself and, swinging her divine sword, released gales and lightning.

"Boom!" "Boom!"

Yagrush and Aymur were instantly blown away by the gusts and struck by lightning. Spinning through the air, they were repelled by Seishuin Ena.

"Oh?" Kaiser raised an eyebrow. "So that’s the ability of Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi?"

In the ancient times of this country, the Yamato court had conquered the Heretic peoples through sword and army, enslaving the subdued and conscripting them as soldiers, turning their strength into its own.

Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi was the divine relic enshrined by the Yamato court, a symbol of military might and plunder.

Combined with the traits of the God of the Steel Sword, the blade possessed the ability to copy or steal part of an enemy’s power or nature—to convert the divine power that harmed the wielder into their own power, or even to steal the wielder’s own strength and merge it with their Authority to generate new effects.

Just now, Seishuin Ena had activated this ability, stealing or copying part of Yagrush and Aymur’s power, thereby releasing wind and lightning. She even drained a bit of Magical Power from the divine weapons to replenish herself.

"It’s somewhat useful... but in the end, just a thief. And she still dares talk big about testing me?"

Kaiser’s comment was especially biting.

"Big words, but sadly, small ability."

As he spoke, Yagrush and Aymur flew in from the horizon once more—moving quickly, unleashing gales and lightning, launching a fierce assault.

Seishuin Ena tried to repeat her trick, using Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi’s ability to steal or copy the divine weapons’ power to repel them—but just as she swung the divine blade, the two staffs nimbly evaded, drawing elegant arcs as they dodged the pitch-black blade and launched close-range attacks.

"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!"...

Seishuin Ena’s swordsmanship was not inferior to Erica’s. She quickly reacted, repeatedly swinging her divine blade to block Yagrush and Aymur’s strikes—but their attacks only accelerated, as though two invisible masters were wielding them against her, driving her back step by step.

The staffs struck Seishuin Ena multiple times, landing blows across her body, forcing painful expressions onto her face as she staggered back—yet Yagrush and Aymur showed no mercy, relentless in their assault, shaking her delicate frame with every hit.

"Rumble—"

Above, lightning and thunder intensified, swelling the storm further and further, nearly rivaling the one that had struck Sardinia.

"King!"

Mariya Yuri, soaked to the skin and unable to even open her eyes in the wind and rain, couldn’t move an inch from the shrine gate. She cried out desperately.

"Please stop! If this continues... the shrine will be destroyed!"

As a Spirit Vision user, Mariya Yuri sharply sensed that the storm was intensifying—not just because the one who had summoned it was increasing their output, but also because Kaiser was fighting for control over it.

Yagrush symbolized wind. Aymur symbolized lightning. Together, they summoned storms—so Kaiser, too, was a master of storms.

He was wrestling control of the heavens from the one who had summoned the storm—engaged in a silent battle.

In other words, Kaiser never saw Seishuin Ena as his true opponent. His real fight was with the person behind her—the one pulling strings from the shadows.

With Seishuin Ena on the brink of collapse, and Mariya Yuri nearly caught in the aftermath, Kaiser furrowed his brow.

"Looks like I’ll have to get a little serious..."

So muttering to himself, Kaiser’s hand suddenly held a Golden Sword radiating brilliant light.

"Buzz..."

The Golden Sword suddenly quivered, flew from his hand into the sky, and pierced the dark clouds above.

"Shing!"

With a sudden expansion, the Golden Sword transformed into a massive blade over a kilometer long—and slashed downward, splitting the sky in half.

"————"

The raging storm that engulfed the land instantly froze—its divine power severed in two by the Golden Sword, swiftly dispersing.

Immediately, the lightning and thunder ceased. The oppressive black clouds scattered. The storm itself vanished without a trace—as though it had been cleaved apart.

"Boom!"

On the other side, Yagrush and Aymur struck Seishuin Ena at the same time, knocking her to the ground.

"Cough...!"

Seishuin Ena could no longer hold on. She coughed up blood, her divine blade slipped from her hand, and the divine power within her began to fade—leaving her unable to rise again.

"Ena!"

Soaked through, Mariya Yuri couldn’t hold back any longer and ran to her side.

Kaiser, who had remained motionless this whole time, recalled Yagrush and Aymur and summoned the Golden Sword back from the sky.

"This little greeting gift... should be enough to satisfy you, right?"

As if speaking to an invisible person, Kaiser looked skyward and said this indifferently.

And these words, as if imbued with magic, rode the wind—drifting into a world different from the present one.

"Puah!"

In a world wholly distinct from the present—a realm filled with storms—an old man sitting inside a ramshackle wooden hut suddenly spewed blood, his aura rapidly weakening.

"Honestly..."

The old man had just been sipping a cup of wine. Now the wine and cup fell to the floor as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled bitterly.

"Today’s God-Slayers are even more hot-tempered than I am."

Chapter 342: The Hidden Secret

The Netherworld, the Boundary of Life and Immortality...

In a mountainous forest space where a storm was raging, a plain wooden cabin sat here, making one wonder if it would be blown away in the very next second.

Inside the modest wooden cabin, around an old-style hearth, three people were seated.

Among the three, the old man sitting at the head was clearly the owner of this cabin.

The old man sat cross-legged, standing at least one hundred and eighty centimeters tall. He was very tall and wore only a rough kimono, allowing his extraordinarily muscular body—completely unfitting for his age—to be seen clearly. That muscular physique outshone even most burly men, forming a truly robust figure.

However, this strong old man suddenly coughed up blood for no apparent reason, startling the two people sitting beside the hearth.

“Master.”

A gentle female voice was the first to speak, expressing concern for the old man.

“Are you alright?”

The one who spoke was a woman dressed in a vibrant twelve-layered kimono only worn by noble princesses during the Heian period, possessing a beauty far beyond mortal standards—so beautiful she didn't seem like something from this world.

Her pupils were a clear glass-blue, her hair was flaxen, and her skin was smooth ivory, exuding an aura of nobility and gentleness—just like a true princess, graceful and beautiful.

In contrast, the other person present displayed an utterly harsh demeanor and actually spoke with sarcasm.

“Is the old man really getting old? Or is he suffering from some incurable illness? How come he suddenly started coughing up blood?”

This was a person dressed in black monk robes, with dry, shriveled skin, completely devoid of real flesh—like his body had been stripped of all its meat, resembling a mummy.

His voice was hoarse, but his aura was not sinister; on the contrary, it carried a sense of enlightenment—like a worldly transcendent, or even a Buddha. However, his way of speaking was far too caustic, giving off a cold and unsympathetic impression.

Facing these two companions—completely opposite in both appearance and personality, one beautiful, one ugly; one gentle, one harsh—the old man seemed used to it, casually wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.

“I underestimated that guy a bit,” the old man said, whether as an explanation or a passing remark. “Even though I’m still in the Netherworld and only cast my Authority toward the mortal world to bring down a storm, part of my Divinity was severed through that Authority. That kid really is something.”

Upon hearing this, the glass-blue-eyed princess and the mummy-like mage immediately understood what had happened.

“He was actually able to sever a portion of your Divinity while you’re in the Netherworld?” the mage said in shock. “That newly-born young Campione has such power?”

Clearly, the mage was well aware of what the old man had been doing.

“I didn’t expect it either,” the old man said indifferently. “I was originally just trying to test his aptitude. I didn’t expect to be outplayed instead. If he hadn’t become a Campione right here in our territory, I’d have thought he was a seasoned warrior.”

Before the mage could respond, the princess with the glass-blue eyes spoke up first.

“Testing Lord Rakshasa’s aptitude in such a manner was never appropriate to begin with. Acting recklessly and bringing about such a result—are you both satisfied now?”

The glass-blue-eyed princess seemed different from the old man and the mage. While she understood what had happened, she clearly did not approve of their actions.

Therefore, her exquisitely beautiful face bore a trace of displeasure—yet was ignored by the two.

“To be able to sever my Divinity across the boundary of the life domain, even if it was done using that God-Slaying sword, still proves that boy’s power is extraordinary,”

The old man now seemed fine. He lifted his sake cup and resumed drinking as he said this.

“What a pity. That kid is too mysterious. I don’t know where he got the Circle of Usurpation, and with it, so many powerful divine artifacts. He’s just too much of a threat. Otherwise, I really would’ve liked to meet him and talk face to face.”

The old man’s words again drew a sarcastic response from the mage.

“From the looks of it, this new Campione has quite the temper. You even deliberately sent your granddaughter to his side to test him. If you meet him in person, he might just stab you to death with that terrifying spear.”

Though sarcastic, the mage was also subtly advising caution.

He was a truly enlightened high monk, viewing things from a broad perspective. Thus, he had already foreseen that a meeting between the old man and the new Campione would not be pleasant.

The old man was inherently hot-tempered. Even though he had “aged” and no longer rampaged around like before, he was still not someone who would easily compromise or swallow his pride.

And that new Campione seemed even more hot-tempered than the old man. Just one test had resulted in him injuring the mastermind. If they truly met face to face, it’d be surprising if it didn’t lead to a clash.

The glass-blue-eyed princess thought the same, and thus spoke to dissuade them.

“Since we already understand Lord Rakshasa’s attitude, we shouldn’t provoke him further,” said the glass-blue-eyed princess. “Gentlemen, we should not take further action. If conflict arises again, we’ll be the ones paying the price.”

To this, the old man made no comment, while the mage redirected his fire toward her.

“Doesn’t the princess worry?” the mage provoked deliberately. “After all, he became a Campione in this very country—he’s far too close to the Heretic Gods.”

“Besides, he’s a Campione deeply obsessed with seeking out gods and utterly loyal to his fighting spirit—a full-fledged God-Slaying Beast.”

“Aren’t you afraid he’ll discover the secret we’ve hidden away and awaken that thing?”

“Or... is that the scenario you actually want to see, princess?”

Despite the mage’s provocation, the glass-blue-eyed princess remained unfazed.

“Can you stop joking like that?” she stared at the mage, her eyes brimming with displeasure. “None of us want that being to awaken. Isn’t that a consensus we’ve long held?”

“So scary, so scary.” The mage, being glared at by the princess, instantly raised both hands in a gesture of surrender and mockingly said, “Don’t look at me like that. I was just reasonably speculating.”

“Enough.” The old man put down his sake cup, speaking with clear displeasure. “I’m the one who got hurt, not you two, so don’t spout nonsense in front of me.”

“Right now, we still don’t know the true attitude of that newly-born boy. Staying vigilant is necessary.”

“The mage is right. Judging from his actions so far, if he finds out the secret of this island nation, it might really lead to the awakening of the Heretic God.”

“That secret must remain hidden. It must never be exposed.”

The mage and the glass-blue-eyed princess immediately fell silent.

This was effectively an acknowledgment of the old man’s handling and a sign of their agreement.

“The question is—what should we do?” the mage rasped. “This new Campione is clearly no easy opponent. Unless the old man personally descends to the mortal world, whatever he wishes to do there—who could stop him?”

“I don’t think you two need to overreact,” the glass-blue-eyed princess said. “I observe that Lord Rakshasa, while somewhat combative, is not an unreasonable person. Perhaps a peaceful dialogue can lead to a shared understanding.”

“Spare me, princess,” the old man shook his head firmly. “I really don’t want to clash with that boy.”

“That kid already had one—no, two dangerous spears. Now he’s gotten a terrifying sword from a foreign war god. He’s practically becoming the nemesis of the divine.”

“I’m genuinely worried he’ll stab me to death with one of those spears if I say the wrong thing.”

“Though I’m old, I’m not ready to return to myth just yet.”

There weren’t many people who could make this man say such things—at least none of the other Campione could.

But precisely because he had personally witnessed what Kaiser had obtained, the old man admitted defeat.

A Gungnir that guarantees a sure-hit victory was already dangerous enough. Now, add a Golden Sword that can sever Divinity—faced with such a combination of trump cards, what god would rush in just to show off?

Even the most hot-headed wouldn’t dare!

Not just the old man—even the ever-sarcastic mage, who seemed to rebel against everything, said:

“If we’re really going to negotiate, princess, you’re welcome to go yourself. As for us, count us out.”

Knowing full well how unlikable the two of them were, the mage decisively shoved all responsibility away.

“Very well,” the glass-blue-eyed princess, though a bit helpless, still nodded and said, “If it really comes to that, I will personally invite Lord Rakshasa to the Netherworld and discuss the matter.”

The old man and the mage immediately nodded in agreement.

……

At the same time, Shichio Shrine.

Night had already fallen, allowing the bright moonlight to descend from the heavens and bathe the grounds of Shichio Shrine—now somewhat messy after the sudden storm.

The grounds of Shichio Shrine were full of pits and scars of destruction. Because it was night, no repairs were being made yet. They’d have to wait until morning to start.

In the office building behind the shrine, light shone from the window, illuminating the path at night.

In the room that had formerly belonged to Mariya Yuri and now belonged to Kaiser, Seishuin Ena was lying in bed, receiving treatment for her injuries under Mariya Yuri’s care.

“Honestly, you two were being reckless.”

While tending to Seishuin Ena’s wounds, Mariya Yuri grumbled non-stop.

“Can’t you talk things out properly? Did it really have to come to a fight?”

Her tone was filled with dissatisfaction.

Chapter 343: I’m Taking This Thing

Mariya Yuri was indeed very dissatisfied.

She still didn’t understand, up to this moment, why while they were chatting, Kaiser suddenly ended up fighting Seishuin Ena.

Seishuin Ena herself, on the other hand, wore an unconcerned expression. Though she lay on the bed covered in injuries, her face was full of smiles.

“No helping it. Before I knew it, it just ended up like this.”

With such a statement as her justification, Seishuin Ena concluded the topic, causing the dissatisfaction on Mariya Yuri’s face to deepen further.

“Then what about you?” Mariya Yuri turned toward the doorway, speaking with indignation, “Why did you strike so ruthlessly at a girl you just met, Your Majesty?”

The one Mariya Yuri was questioning, Kaiser, was standing at the door, leaning against the entrance, not looking into the room, but instead playing with an object in his hand.

What Kaiser held in his hand was precisely the divine sword that had previously radiated extraordinary battle aura and shown a transcendent will to fight—Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi.

At this moment, the divine sword lay obediently in Kaiser’s hand, as though it had lost all desire to resist, letting him toy with it.

Ever since Kaiser grasped it and held it in his hand, this famed divine sword had remained this meek, completely void of its former edge.

Clearly, once Kaiser held it, the divine sword finally sensed the existence of Authority within him and realized what kind of dominance a Campione like him held over an existence such as itself, hence it yielded obediently.

Kaiser, while toying with the divine sword, casually responded to Mariya Yuri without even turning his head.

“Can’t you tell? I already went easy on her more times than I can count.”

If Kaiser had truly intended to be ruthless, then how could Seishuin Ena still be cheerfully talking?

If Kaiser had gone all out, then this chief Hime-Miko would’ve long since been turned into a puddle of minced flesh, not a single intact piece remaining.

Don’t let the merciless strikes of Yagrush and Aymur against the chief Hime-Miko fool you into thinking Kaiser had struck with full force. In truth, had Kaiser truly intended it, Seishuin Ena wouldn’t have even withstood a single blow from the magical clubs.

With Kaiser’s current strength, whether it was Yagrush or Aymur, if unleashed at full power, they possessed the terrifying might to obliterate an entire mountain in one strike.

Though Seishuin Ena was a Spirit Possession User, and even with a Divine Spirit descending into her through her art, at best she could fight divine beasts or demi-gods—there was no way she could contend with Yagrush and Aymur.

Thus, Kaiser had genuinely shown considerable mercy, which was why Seishuin Ena ended up merely in her current state.

Despite the girl’s body being covered in wounds, they were all just superficial.

The proof being, after Mariya Yuri treated her wounds and even used some healing spells, Seishuin Ena’s injuries began rapidly recovering and were already nearly healed.

In this regard, the person most aware was clearly Seishuin Ena herself.

Thus, the girl echoed Kaiser’s words.

“His Majesty truly did show mercy to Ena, otherwise Ena would certainly be dead right now.”

Seishuin Ena cast a gaze full of admiration and reverence toward Kaiser.

“Truly amazing. Even though Ena used Ame no Murakumo and even summoned Grandfather’s Divine Spirit into her body, she was still completely defeated. His Majesty is indeed a God-Slaying Sovereign. Ena and Ame no Murakumo’s challenge was indeed overestimating ourselves.”

The girl truly seemed to admire Kaiser, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him. Not a trace of resentment could be found in her expression despite her battered state.

She was the epitome of a magnanimous Yamato Nadeshiko—perhaps even if she had actually died by Kaiser’s hand, she wouldn’t have held any grudge against him.

Of course, Kaiser also bore no ill will toward Seishuin Ena.

After all...

“It’s not your fault either. If you really think about it, you were just caught up in something beyond your control.”

Kaiser continued playing with Ame no Murakumo, speaking casually while doing so.

“The reason you came here, stood before me... I’m guessing someone sent you, didn’t they?”

Hearing this, Mariya Yuri froze.

“Sent...?”

She looked at Seishuin Ena in surprise.

“As expected, His Majesty has already seen through it,” Seishuin Ena seemed to be deifying Kaiser, and upon hearing him say that, she looked a bit embarrassed as she said, “Even Kaoru and Mr. Amakasu could tell—Ena knew she couldn’t hide it from His Majesty.”

“What exactly is going on?” Mariya Yuri couldn’t help but ask. “Who sent you, Ena?”

“There were two people who sent Ena.” Seishuin Ena apparently no longer intended to hide it and replied straightforwardly, “One was Grandmother from back home, the other was Grandfather.”

“Grandfather?” Mariya Yuri recalled what she had just seen through Spirit Vision, covered her mouth, and murmured, “So it really was that old gentleman...”

Kaiser also turned his gaze over.

Familiar with the original work, Kaiser naturally knew who Ena’s “Grandfather,” Mariya Yuri’s “old gentleman,” and the elders mentioned by Sayanomiya Kaoru and Touma Amakasu truly were.

They were a group of ancient beings—figures so old that even the History Compilation Committee and all the factions and clans within this nation’s magical community had to take them seriously.

Some were spirits, some demi-gods, some enlightened monks, some degenerated god-ancestors, and even some were once Heretic Gods. They were entities beyond human understanding, nearly immortal, having detached from the laws of the mortal world, and chosen to live in seclusion in the Netherworld.

They had existed on this land since ancient times and held an inseparable bond with it. So although they lived in seclusion in the Netherworld, they still occasionally interfered with the mortal realm and influenced the workings of forces including the History Compilation Committee.

They generally didn’t care about the tribulations the people of this land would face, but they did care when the land itself faced significant influence. Hence, when a factor capable of impacting the land's safety appeared, they would intervene in the mortal world.

The “Grandfather” Seishuin Ena referred to and the “old gentleman” Mariya Yuri mentioned was one of these beings.

Mariya Yuri had already recited his identity using Spirit Vision.

Susanoo-no-Mikoto, also known by numerous names—Susa-no-O, Susanoo, Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto, and others—was one of the three noble children born of Izanagi, the sea god of Aohara, the land deity of Izumo, and the god of storms.

The Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi was the sword he drew from the body of Yamata no Orochi. He had once rampaged across the land as a Heretic God, but later grew weary of his deeds, shed his rebellious nature, and secluded himself in the Netherworld.

Seishuin Ena called him Grandfather only because he had bestowed the divine sword upon her and she served as his Hime-Miko.

In other words, the true master of Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi was this old gentleman, not Seishuin Ena.

As for the “Grandmother” Ena mentioned, she was the head of the Seishuin household.

“Originally, it was Grandmother who wanted Ena to approach His Majesty, to build a good relationship and attempt to bring His Majesty over to our side. That’s why she gave orders for Ena to come down from the mountain.”

Seishuin Ena readily explained the whole affair.

“Because Ena had always been training in the mountains, she only learned about the emergence of a God-Slaying King here after receiving Grandmother’s instructions.”

Initially, Seishuin Ena was just curious about Kaiser and hadn’t decided to immediately carry out the order.

However, that was when the old gentleman she called Grandfather appeared.

“Grandfather told Ena to bring Ame no Murakumo to test His Majesty’s capacity.” Seishuin Ena looked at the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi in Kaiser’s hand and said helplessly, “But Ena didn’t plan to challenge His Majesty right away—she intended to build a good relationship first.”

“Who would’ve thought that Ame no Murakumo would be so impatient.”

“Was it because of Grandfather’s instructions?”

After all, the sword belonged to Susanoo-no-Mikoto. It was his subordinate deity.

When Seishuin Ena encountered Kaiser and the sword developed a special fighting spirit toward him, that old gentleman in the Netherworld fanned the flames and awakened the sword’s power.

That sudden storm was the handiwork of the old gentleman.

Unfortunately for him, Kaiser saw through it. While entangled in battle with Seishuin Ena—or rather, with Ame no Murakumo—he used the power of Yagrush and Aymur to compete for control over the storm, and with the Golden Sword, severed a portion of the old gentleman’s Divinity, injuring him even while he was in the Netherworld.

On the surface, Kaiser struck Seishuin Ena, but in reality, he struck Susanoo-no-Mikoto hiding behind the scenes.

“But why would the old gentleman target His Majesty?”

Mariya Yuri felt puzzled by this.

“Didn’t I just say? To test His Majesty’s capacity!”

Seishuin Ena answered as if it were only natural.

“...It still doesn’t seem that simple.”

Mariya Yuri frowned, murmuring softly.

Kaiser glanced at Mariya Yuri.

This Hime-Miko’s spiritual sensitivity really was strong—she had already faintly sensed that there was a deeper reason behind it all.

Others might not know what those beings in the Netherworld were scheming, but Kaiser understood completely.

Because this country hid a tremendous secret—and that secret had everything to do with those people.

No, more precisely, it was because of the secrecy and concealment by those people that it became a secret.

And with a God-Slayer like him suddenly appearing here and displaying extraordinary capabilities, those reclusive entities in the Netherworld could not possibly ignore him.

Whether he could potentially become a great danger to this nation, or possibly uncover that secret, neither was something those elders were willing to tolerate.

Hence, figures like Susanoo-no-Mikoto sought to make contact with Kaiser and test him.

The result... test and perish.

The old man probably never imagined that Kaiser could launch an attack on him from the mortal world, using the Golden Sword to sever a part of his Divinity and injure him.

If not for the separation between the Realm of Life and the Realm of Immortality by an entire world, the portion of Divinity severed wouldn’t have been so limited.

Aware of all this, Kaiser smiled faintly and said to Seishuin Ena.

“In that case, you all should already be mentally prepared for my retaliation, right?”

Those elders held considerable status in this nation and great influence—but what did that matter to Kaiser?

All he knew was that he had been unjustly suspected, provoked, tested, and schemed against.

Any king with a temper, who didn’t tolerate being wronged, wouldn’t simply let it go.

Kaiser considered himself a man of limited patience, so he was genuinely curious whether those people had anticipated his revenge.

Though in the end, it wasn’t him who suffered, but rather the old gentleman hiding in the Netherworld...

“Your Majesty!” Mariya Yuri sensed Kaiser’s intent and hurriedly said, “Ena and the old gentleman have already been punished. I beg you to be merciful!”

Clearly, Mariya Yuri was very worried that Kaiser would blame Seishuin Ena.

As for Seishuin Ena herself, she appeared completely willing to accept any punishment.

“Ena did indeed offend His Majesty. Even if it was Grandfather’s command, or Ame no Murakumo’s willfulness, Ena was the one who raised her blade toward His Majesty.”

Saying so, Seishuin Ena struggled out from the covers and solemnly bowed her head to Kaiser in a dogeza.

“Ena is prepared to bear His Majesty’s wrath. His Majesty may deal with Ena as he pleases—Ena will not harbor any resentment.”

The girl’s open-mindedness, as if she had even put aside concerns for her own life, showed no fear on her face, and even her voice remained so cheerful.

“Ena…”

Mariya Yuri immediately looked at her childhood friend with a face full of worry, then cast a pleading gaze toward Kaiser, as if hoping he would show leniency.

“I have no intention of blaming you. I said before—you’re innocent.” Kaiser ignored Mariya Yuri’s expression and calmly said to Seishuin Ena, “You’re already injured anyway. Just take that as your punishment, and we’ll call it even.”

Hearing this, Mariya Yuri breathed a sigh of relief, and Seishuin Ena also lifted her head, smiling as brightly as ever.

“Looks like Ena doesn’t have to lose her life after all. Thank you for Your Majesty’s mercy.”

However, just as Seishuin Ena’s voice fell, Kaiser spoke again.

“But I’m taking this thing.”

Kaiser raised the divine sword he had been toying with all along and spoke playfully.

“It was this guy that challenged me, and the one behind the scenes was also this guy’s original owner. So as compensation, this sword is mine now.”

To be able to replicate or steal part of an opponent’s power or properties during confrontation, and to convert the stolen target into the wielder’s own, able to fuse with existing Authorities and produce new powers—Ame no Murakumo’s abilities were indeed interesting.

Furthermore, it could absorb power that inflicted harm on the wielder and convert it into its own, able to suppress dragons and serpents, and even possessed anti-magic properties.

Kaiser was very curious—if he used it to absorb his own Authority or power, what kind of effect would it produce?

Therefore, Kaiser intended to take the sword.

Chapter 344: Granting Eternal Affection

In the original story, Kusanagi Godou once borrowed the power of the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi to steal his own Authority, merging his Authority with the sword to produce various different abilities.

When he fused the incarnation of the “Goat” with the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, he gained the ability to control electromagnetism, accelerating objects with electromagnetic force and unleashing ultra-high-speed railguns, even turning large-mass objects into mass projectiles launched into space.

When he fused the incarnation of the “Boar” with the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, he could summon a giant wild boar clad in black-gold armor, transforming it into a Divine Beast with a body of steel, with its pair of tusks capable of launching like missiles at divine speed.

When he fused the incarnation of “Strong Wind” with the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, he gained the speed of wind and the destructive power of a hurricane, achieving mobility rivaling teleportation and the ability to sever the flesh of gods.

When he fused the incarnation of the “White Horse” with the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, he could continuously release fragments of the sun radiating golden brilliance, with extremely terrifying destructive power.

And when he fused the incarnation of the “Warrior” with the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, the summoned Golden Sword would merge with the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, changing the blade’s black color to a dazzling golden hue, and granting the power to sever the threads of fate and cut through even undying and immortal divine tools.

In addition, Kusanagi Godou also used it to steal, copy, and imitate many gods’ Authorities and powers, thereby displaying many different abilities.

So, don’t be fooled by Kaiser belittling the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi as worthless—if it had been Susanoo using it instead of Seishuin Ena, the result would certainly have been completely different.

Its strength depends entirely on the opponent and the user's own abilities—the stronger the opponent, the stronger it becomes; the stronger the user, the stronger it will be.

It is, after all, a Steel Sword God that manifests on earth in the form of a divine tool, and is a subordinate god of Susanoo. Thus, Seishuin Ena could also summon the spirit of Ame no Murakumo onto herself and use the divine power of this divine blade.

Before Kaiser fought with Seishuin Ena, the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi had already attempted to inject its power into her body in order to temporarily control her and fight Kaiser.

In addition, with Susanoo summoning a storm, the divinity of the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi was greatly stimulated, and its fighting spirit was maximized. Eager to battle Kaiser, Kaiser had cleanly and decisively initiated the fight.

Even if Kaiser hadn’t made a move against Seishuin Ena, under the influence of Susanoo and the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, she would have eventually raised her blade against Kaiser.

Because of this, Kaiser acted straightforwardly and without hesitation.

Now, he didn’t intend to blame Seishuin Ena, and he had already taught the mastermind behind it all a lesson. But this divine tool with such a unique ability—he had no intention of returning it to Seishuin Ena, or to Susanoo for that matter.

This was already his spoils of war.

Unlike the Gungnir, Trident, Golden Sword, and Yagrush and Aymur, although the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi is also a divine tool, it is not essentially an Authority.

Those divine tools—Gungnir, Trident, Golden Sword, Yagrush and Aymur—possessed Divinity and divine power, but because Kaiser slew their owners and usurped them as Authorities, they became manifestations of those Authorities.

They were not only Kaiser’s Authorities but also exclusive weapons that recognized him as their master.

Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi was different. It was a god in itself, and so its sense of self was exceptionally strong. Upon recognizing how unusual Kaiser was, it immediately followed its nature as pure-blooded steel and challenged him.

However, since it is a god, once defeated by the God-Slayer Kaiser, Kaiser naturally could use it as a sacrifice, offering it to the Circle of Usurpation to activate the grand God-Slaying spell—the Dark Christmas Rite—and take its Authority.

That’s exactly what Kusanagi Godou did in the original story. After defeating the revived Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi that had possessed Seishuin Ena’s body, the sword acknowledged him as its master. Though due to his reckless actions it turned into something no one could confirm was even an Authority anymore, he did indeed gain ownership and the right to wield it.

Now that the sword was in Kaiser’s hands, he certainly wouldn’t allow such a relationship to remain vague.

Therefore, without waiting for Seishuin Ena’s consent, Kaiser summoned the Circle of Usurpation and offered the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi as a sacrifice.

As his back grew heavier, a massive power flowed into Kaiser’s body, once again increasing his Magical Power.

At the same time, Kaiser summoned the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi once more.

At this moment, the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi was no longer Susanoo’s subordinate god, but like Gungnir, Trident, Golden Sword, and Yagrush and Aymur, had become a manifestation of his Authority.

Its appearance also changed. It was still three shaku, three sun, and five bu in length, a straight single-edged sword with no curve, but even without curving into a saber, its blade no longer reflected the brilliance of the sun—it had turned into a bottomless black.

The hilt was black, the blade was black, and even the guard was black—pure and profound.

Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, also known as Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, Kusanagi-no-Ōtachi, Totsuka-no-Tsurugi, Tsumuha-no-Tachi, Yatsuka-no-Tsurugi, Kutsunagi-no-Tsurugi, etc., is a legendary divine blade.

In Kaiser’s hands, this divine sword no longer concealed its sharpness, nor its original form.

“From now on, you’ll follow me.”

Kaiser spoke calmly to the divine sword in his hand.

The divine sword immediately responded.

“Yes! I am the so-called Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi! The steel that shatters a thousand blades! From now on, I shall obey my lord’s commands!”

Now a loyal servant, both divine tool, Authority, and exclusive weapon of Kaiser alone, its voice echoed in Kaiser’s mind.

“Buzz!”

Kaiser activated his Authority, golden patterns spreading over the pitch-black divine sword, covering it entirely and carving onto it an eternal exclusive imprint.

With Kaiser’s Authority-enhancement, the power of the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi had grown significantly stronger.

Although the sword could steal, copy, and imitate a portion of the power and nature of its adversary and even fuse with the stolen power to produce new abilities, due to its limited capacity, overuse could result in damage to the sword itself.

Now, after being empowered by Kaiser’s Authority and reinforced by his strength, its power had grown considerably, and its capacity had greatly increased. Even if it continued to copy and fuse more Authorities, it would no longer be so easily damaged.

And even if it were damaged, it didn’t matter. As Kaiser’s Authority and exclusive weapon, as long as Kaiser lived, even if the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi were completely destroyed, it would be restored under the nurturing of his power.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, Seishuin Ena let out a startled cry, snapping Mariya Yuri out of her trance as she gazed at the Circle of Usurpation, nearly triggering her Spirit Vision.

“Wh-What’s wrong, Ena?!”

Mariya Yuri asked in a hurry.

“I...” Seishuin Ena spoke with a bit of disbelief. “I feel like my connection with the Ame no Murakumo has been severed.”

“From now on, I might not be able to use the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi anymore.”

The Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi is a divine tool, which in principle should be completely unusable by humans.

But Seishuin Ena was an exception, being Susanoo’s shrine maiden and a spirit medium capable of connecting spiritually with the sword. By summoning the spirit of Susanoo or the Ame no Murakumo onto herself and gaining divine power, she could freely wield the divine sword.

Although, with Seishuin Ena’s capabilities, she couldn’t draw out much of the sword’s power—only enough to deal with Divine Beasts or demi-gods, not enough to handle Heretic Gods—even so, she still possessed strength at the peak of humanity, on par with the Paladins of the magical world.

But now, she could no longer use the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi. She couldn’t even grip the sword, let alone summon its spirit onto herself.

She was no longer the Hime-Miko of the Long Sword.

Not only Seishuin Ena felt this, even Susanoo, far away in the Netherworld, sensed the departure of his beloved sword.

“...Even the sword’s been taken? What a stingy king.”

The strong old god could no longer taste the flavor of his wine, smiling bitterly again and again.

Kaiser had no idea how foul a mood that sly old god was in now. He simply sheathed the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi and stored it back inside his body.

“This is my compensation and my spoils of war. Any objections?”

Hearing this, the shock on Seishuin Ena’s face gradually faded, replaced with admiration and reverence as she looked at Kaiser, eyes sparkling.

“The King even conquered the Ame no Murakumo? That’s amazing!” The girl openly praised him, then said something shocking: “Since the King has accepted the Ame no Murakumo, how about accepting Ena too?”

In an instant, the entire place fell silent.

“Huh?”

A question mark popped up above Kaiser’s head.

“E-Ena?” Mariya Yuri also looked at Seishuin Ena in disbelief and said, “W-What are you saying?!”

“Ena isn’t speaking nonsense,” Seishuin Ena said seriously. “Ena originally came to build a good relationship with the King under Grandma’s instructions.”

“Before I left, Grandpa also told Ena that if the King was pleased with her, he wouldn’t mind offering his shrine maiden to him.”

“The King has subdued the Ame no Murakumo and defeated Ena. As the loser, submitting to the victor is only natural.”

“So, if the King doesn’t mind, please grant Ena the same status as Yuri, let Ena be your concubine, and bestow eternal affection on the Seishuin family!”

As she spoke, Ena gave a deep bow.

Her etiquette was extremely formal, even more proper than the self-proclaimed graceful Erica. Completely unlike her open and forthright nature, it was clear she had undergone strict education.

As the only daughter of the Seishuin family, even if her personality was a bit brash, her every move was elegant. Whether sitting or standing, she was extremely dignified—no wonder she was praised in the original work as “surpassing anyone in ladylike upbringing.”

Unfortunately, Kaiser was not in the mood to admire this, and Mariya Yuri even less so.

“I-I’m not the King’s concubine!”

Mariya Yuri hastily protested.

“Really?” Seishuin Ena looked doubtful. “I feel like you and the King have a very close and natural relationship. Mr. Touma even provided Ena with intelligence, saying the King stayed in Yuri’s room all night yesterday?”

Her tone and expression practically screamed she already knew that Mariya Yuri had received the King’s affection yesterday.

“He stayed here alone!” Mariya Yuri flushed bright red and raised her voice. “I didn’t stay here!”

“So Yuri hasn’t received the King’s affection yet?” Seishuin Ena nodded as if understanding, then said something even more shocking: “Then shall we do it together? Honestly, Ena is a bit nervous since I have no experience.”

“I-I don’t have experience either!” Mariya Yuri instinctively shouted, then suddenly realized what she said and yelled in shame and anger, “No! I don’t want to be pampered together with Ena!”

“I see.” Seishuin Ena smiled. “Then Yuri can go first. Ena’s not in a hurry. Just teach me a bit afterward.”

Such blunt talk rendered Mariya Yuri completely speechless.

Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish, her face growing redder and redder, until she finally rushed out the door, covering her face in shame and fleeing. Seishuin Ena was left with a puzzled expression.

“What’s wrong with her?”

The girl clearly hadn’t realized how lethal her words were to a pure-hearted shrine maiden like Mariya Yuri.

The flustered Hime-Miko fled the scene, leaving only Kaiser and Seishuin Ena behind in silence.

“Are you serious?”

Kaiser crossed his arms, looking at Seishuin Ena with great interest.

“Of course!” Seishuin Ena nodded firmly, wearing a joyful expression as she smiled and said, “Please, King, don’t withhold your affection. Let Ena follow in your footsteps and walk the path of the Tyrant together!”

“Please accept this loyalty!”

This wasn’t just Seishuin Ena’s personal resolve—it was the resolve of the entire Seishuin family.

As mentioned before, while many feared God-Slayers, just as many wished to follow them and receive their protection.

The Seishuin family differed from the Sayanomiya family. The latter, being a family of strategists, were still observing Kaiser, while the former, known for its martial strength, had both political and military reasons to be drawn to a God-Slayer.

If Kaiser were to accept Seishuin Ena, then the Seishuin family would likely submit as well, becoming the first faction to pledge allegiance to Kaiser.

Fully aware of this, Kaiser walked up to Seishuin Ena and lifted her chin.

“You really want me to favor you?”

Kaiser spoke with a half-smile.

And under his direct gaze, Seishuin Ena’s pretty face finally turned red.

Chapter 345: No Other Reason?

Seishuin Ena’s personality was actually quite interesting.

She was the only daughter of the Seishuuin family, educated from a young age in etiquette and manners to near perfection—a young lady destined from birth to be flawless, the ultimate Yamato Nadeshiko.

However, at the same time, Seishuin Ena was also a top-ranking Hime-Miko, the Miko of Susanoo, and a Descending Spirit Medium.

Because she needed to receive divine power and maintain a pure mind and body, she could not stay long in crowded places. She often trained in the mountains, so while she was the ultimate Yamato Nadeshiko, she also seemed innocent and carefree, detached from worldly desires, aware of the evils of the world but without truly feeling them.

Naturally, Seishuin Ena was also extremely naive regarding matters between men and women. Let alone having any experience, she knew very little, having only been taught some necessary knowledge by the Seishuuin family.

Thanks to this, Seishuin Ena was able to openly request affection from Kaiser, because according to the Seishuuin family's teachings, their daughters should offer themselves when needed.

Be it for marriage alliances or for battle, the daughters of the Seishuuin family should possess this kind of virtue.

Naturally, when necessary, she must also become someone’s concubine, someone’s secondary wife, even someone’s private property.

Isn’t this what a daughter of a great family is supposed to be?

Thus, having been educated this way from a young age, Seishuin Ena did not feel much resistance toward the instructions of the head of the household, nor did she harbor much resentment toward that old man’s arrangements.

She was the only daughter of the Seishuuin family, the Miko of Susanoo, and the current top-ranking Hime-Miko. As long as there was a need, with her status and position, she was obligated to offer herself—and now was simply the time.

But when Kaiser approached her with such an ambiguous gesture, standing so close, Ena, who had never had any experience with men, still became shy in the end.

In short, she was a girl with high attack but low defense.

Thus, for the first time since her appearance, Seishuin Ena retreated.

“L-let Yuri go first. Ena doesn’t mind being second.”

The girl escaped into the bed, covering her head with the blanket.

Kaiser couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.

“With your courage? Second place? I’d say there’s no spot for you in third, fourth, or fifth.”

In that moment, Kaiser thought of that black-haired girl who kept teasing him and scheming to have his children, of the red-haired girl whose first kiss he stole, even of Hinamori Momo, of Kirin Toudou...

...Why does it feel more and more like a crime the more I think about it?

Kaiser’s mouth twitched slightly. He quickly shook his head to dismiss the strange thoughts.

But the more he shook his head, the more he thought. In the end, he even recalled the image of a certain Hime-Miko completely naked last night...

“Am I going through puberty?”

Kaiser’s mouth twitched even more violently.

Feeling that continuing this train of thought would be dangerous, Kaiser quickly sat up.

“You should focus on recovering first before talking about receiving affection.”

He left behind those words.

“I don’t want to break you.”

With that, Kaiser decisively turned around, preparing to leave.

“Wait! My King!”

Seishuin Ena’s voice suddenly rang from behind, causing Kaiser to turn and look.

He saw Seishuin Ena’s eyes peeking out from under the blanket, sneaking a look at him.

“This is the love nest of the King and Yuri. Ena shouldn’t be occupying your bedding.”

Fortunately, Mariya Yuri wasn’t present. Otherwise, that sentence would’ve rendered her completely speechless, blushing, and fleeing once again.

“Stop worrying about unnecessary things.” Kaiser waved his hand tiredly. “Just borrow the room and the bedding for now. We’ll talk about other things once you’ve recovered.”

Without saying more, Kaiser left the room, returning it to silence.

Seishuin Ena watched Kaiser leave, then after a while, turned over and pulled out her phone.

She realized she had to study some necessary knowledge...

…………

The administrative building of Shichio Shrine wasn’t very big, but it wasn’t without other rooms to stay in. Among these rooms, the one Mariya Yuri had previously used was the most well-equipped, so Kaiser had occupied it and moved in directly.

Now that an injured person had been added, the room with the best accommodation had to be given to her.

Under these circumstances, Kaiser began searching for another room, only to run into Mariya Yuri midway.

“You’re...?”

Seeing Mariya Yuri, Kaiser was stunned.

Because in Mariya Yuri’s hands was a bag full of fresh clothes.

“E-Ena didn’t say anything weird again, did she?”

Mariya Yuri’s face was slightly red, her gaze a little evasive when she saw Kaiser—clearly still concerned about what Seishuin Ena had said.

“What do you think?” Kaiser didn’t answer directly but asked back teasingly. “Based on your understanding of that girl, what do you think she’d say?”

“I don’t know either...” Mariya Yuri shrank her head a little and softly said to Kaiser, “That person is just like that. Despite having received impeccable education from the Seishuuin family, she often says strange things because she’s lived so far from the normal world.”

“So?” Kaiser found Mariya Yuri’s reaction interesting and smiled. “What are you trying to say?”

“I-I’m trying to say...” Mariya Yuri timidly said, “You don’t have to take what Ena says too seriously, My King...”

“Are you sure?” Kaiser raised an eyebrow. “This concerns the future of the entire Seishuuin family. You’re telling me not to take it seriously—is that really okay?”

Mariya Yuri instantly fell silent.

Clearly, when it came to the future of one of the Four Great Families that oversaw the Japanese magical world—even Mariya Yuri... no, especially because she was serious by nature, Mariya Yuri couldn’t casually tell him to ignore it.

“Let’s put that aside for now.” Seeing that Mariya Yuri wasn’t speaking, Kaiser didn’t press the issue and instead asked, “Are you planning to stay here now?”

Bringing a bag full of fresh clothes—there’s no way he’d believe she didn’t plan to stay.

“Because Ena’s here.” Mariya Yuri said a little guiltily, “I-I have to stay and take care of her.”

“That’s all?” Kaiser looked at Mariya Yuri with a half-smile. “No other reason?”

“N-no.” Mariya Yuri’s tone stiffened, still clearly guilty. “No other reason.”

“Alright then.” Kaiser shrugged. “I thought Miss Mariya was staying because she was afraid her childhood friend just made a bold statement and wants to keep an eye on us to prevent anything happening tonight.”

Mariya Yuri fell silent again.

This girl really was terrible at lying.

“Alright.” Kaiser stopped teasing her and waved. “Then go keep Ena company. I’ll go find another room to sleep in.”

“O-okay.” Mariya Yuri let out a huge sigh of relief, then quickly ran off.

Kaiser once again resumed his search for a room, but vaguely heard a short scream from the room behind him.

“E-Ena! What are you secretly looking at all by yourself?!”

The Hime-Miko’s embarrassed and indignant shout made Kaiser turn his head in confusion.

“What are they doing?”

Hearing the room behind him grow noisier, Kaiser thought for a moment, then decided not to join in.

Two girls were getting worked up in there—it wouldn’t be appropriate for a guy like him to intrude.

Although he was curious why the two of them were making such a fuss, Kaiser still didn’t want to disturb them.

“If I really end up taking both of them, I’ll ask them what they do all day...”

Thinking this, Kaiser left the increasingly noisy room behind.

…………

At the same time, in the Balkan Peninsula.

This was one of Southern Europe’s three major peninsulas, located in the southeastern corner of Europe between the Adriatic and Black Seas. It covered an area of about 550,000 square kilometers and had a population of nearly 55 million.

Together with the Iberian Peninsula (home to Spain and Portugal) and the Apennine Peninsula (home to Italy), the Balkan Peninsula was one of the three major peninsulas of Southern Europe. Its territory included Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as parts of Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, and Turkey—not far from Italy.

Because of this, some of Italy’s magic associations submitted to the Demon Lord who claimed this region as his territory—the oldest Campione, Sasha Dejanstahl Voban.

The Bronze Black Cross was one such group.

The Copper Black Cross and Bronze Black Cross were the two dominant magic associations in Milan, and two of the Seven Sisters of Italy.

Logically, as Italian magic associations, the Bronze Black Cross should have submitted to Italy’s king—Salvatore Doni, who was the leader of all Southern European magic associations.

However, although both were based in Milan, the Bronze and Copper Black Crosses were rivals. Moreover, the leader of the Bronze Black Cross was from the Kranjčar family, a name as famous as the Blandelli family. For several generations, the Kranjčars had served Marquis Voban and were his devout followers. Thus, the Bronze Black Cross distanced itself from Italy’s allied leader and chose to increase its influence by staying at Marquis Voban’s side.

Liliana Kranjčar was the one carrying out this policy.

She was the eldest daughter of the prestigious Kranjčar family in the magic world and a Great Knight of the Bronze Black Cross.

Everyone in Italy’s magic world knew that Milan had two prodigies.

At the age of twelve, they both became official knights of their respective associations. Before even turning sixteen, they had each become Great Knights—superior in both swordsmanship and magic, geniuses with promising futures.

One belonged to the Copper Black Cross; the other to the Bronze Black Cross. They were destined to be rivals—destined to be enemies.

And compared to Erica Blandelli, who was still striving to earn the title of “Diavolo Rosso,” Liliana Kranjčar had already been granted the title “Fairy Knight.”

At this moment, this knight, who matched Erica in both talent and strength, stood atop a castle tower.

This girl, who had just turned sixteen, possessed the beauty of a Western doll. Her slender figure was dressed in a long-sleeved black T-shirt and a short ruffled skirt. She wore black tights and a blue cape, giving her a striking appearance.

Her beauty rivaled Erica’s, but the two were entirely different types.

If Erica’s beauty was that of a refined noblewoman—elegant and seductive—then Liliana’s was like a fairy—natural, fresh, cold, and enchanting.

Born of a noble family, beautiful, and full of potential—no matter where she went, such a girl would always be welcomed and pursued by men.

But at this moment, this girl knelt on one knee, bowing her head to the Demon Lord seated on the throne.

“Liliana Kranjčar of the Bronze Black Cross, here at your summons, My King.”

The one she served was a foreign old man.

He had neatly combed silver hair and a clean-shaven face, dressed in a well-tailored suit, looking every bit the gentleman.

His face radiated intelligence, his tall and thin frame showed no weakness. He sat straight with perfect posture.

But despite his proper appearance, his expression was arrogant, haughty, dangerous, and fierce...

Yes—just like a wolf.

“The granddaughter of Kranjčar, huh?”

The aged Wolf King—Sasha Dejanstahl Voban looked down at Liliana and chuckled.

“Didn’t expect this. I only said I needed a subordinate to help manage some affairs, and the Kranjčar family actually sent their most prized daughter. Quite serious of them.”

The Marquis’s words were met with a straightforward response from the girl.

“Since it is the King’s request, it must be carried out with full effort. That is what my grandfather told me.”

The girl’s cold voice did not earn the Wolf King’s praise. Instead, he looked rather disinterested.

“Your grandfather is a shrewd man, but still boring. A guy who only knows how to flatter isn’t worth as much as a stray dog that bares its fangs at me—at least in my eyes.”

Marquis Voban’s eyes glinted.

“I prefer wolves—ones who hide their fangs and are always ready to pounce.”

“Girl, you seem to have that potential. Much better than your grandfather.”

“You’ll do. You’ll be my subordinate.”

“Come with me... to the far eastern island nation.”

(End of Chapter)