Fantasy Library, Ch 321-325

Chapter 321: "Kamishini no Yari"

"Buzz..."

Accompanied by the spinning of the disc, the god named Verethragna became the sacrifice for the dark grand spell that was about to be cast, sucked into the disc, lighting up the sword emblem on the disc, even causing the dragon-head pattern to faintly glow.

Holding the Ser-Veresta, now returned to its normal size, Kaiser did not relax just because Verethragna had been defeated, instead turning his gaze toward the sea below.

"You should be coming up soon too, Melqart."

Kaiser spoke calmly.

His voice was not loud, but what responded was a resoundingly loud reply.

"Not bad, that was truly a splendid battle. You've made this old man view you in a new light, God-Slayer."

From beneath the ocean, where countless pieces of ice floated, a massive figure suddenly burst forth from the water, slowly rising.

Holding the pair of magical maces, Yagrush and Aymur, the fifteen-meter-tall giant emerged bathed in seawater, once again appearing before Kaiser.

"To sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, I didn’t expect a dignified King of Gods to enjoy such elegance."

Kaiser said this not without sarcasm.

"This old man is indeed a king, but besides being a king, I am also the finest hunter. Since I am a hunter, waiting until the prey is exhausted before striking is only natural."

Melqart spoke without concern, even with a laugh.

"Besides, I’ve always been at odds with that unruly God of War, and with you, we are enemies, not friends. If two of my enemies are willing to fight each other to the death, why would I interrupt?"

Before his Trident was stripped of its divine power by Verethragna's Golden Sword, Melqart had already broken free of the sea's restraints.

After all, he was not merely a Sky God—he was also the Storm God, the Sun God, the God of Life who governed harvest and decay, and like Poseidon, also a Sea God.

The sea was likewise a domain under his control—how could Kaiser expect to drown him with a tsunami and suppress him at the bottom of the ocean?

It was just that, when he broke free from the sea’s shackles, the battle between Kaiser and Verethragna had already reached its climax, so naturally he had no reason to jump in and risk being targeted by both of them.

Rather than saying he was watching the tigers fight from a mountain, it was more accurate to say he was hoping to profit as the fisherman when the snipe and the clam fought.

"To make the ever-victorious God of War taste defeat, you should be proud, God-Slayer."

Melqart couldn’t hide his glee as he smiled.

"But do you still have the strength to deal with me?"

In Melqart’s view, having fought a life-or-death battle with Verethragna, Kaiser must be close to exhaustion.

Whereas he was the complete opposite—at full strength, with abundant stamina and magical power.

Last time in the underground temple, he had been in a weakened state from serious injury, while Kaiser was at full power.

Now the roles had reversed, and Melqart found it quite satisfying.

However...

"Dealing with you doesn’t require much effort." Kaiser said calmly. "Our victory and defeat were more or less already settled last time."

"Hm?" Melqart's laughter came to an abrupt halt, his brow furrowing. "What did you say?"

Kaiser didn’t respond, but instead put away the Ser-Veresta and took out a dagger-sized Zanpakutō.

It was not Shinsō, but the still Bankai-state Kamishini no Yari.

"Remember this blade?"

Kaiser raised the Kamishini no Yari in his hand, making Melqart instantly assume a guarded stance.

How could he possibly not remember that blade?

Although there wasn’t much divine power emanating from it, and it didn’t seem to be a sacred weapon, the speed it had displayed in the underground temple was enough to make even Melqart wary.

There’s a kind of speed known as the third cosmic velocity.

That refers to the speed an object must reach when taking off from Earth’s surface to escape the Sun’s gravitational pull without further propulsion, allowing it to leave the solar system and enter broader space.

The third cosmic velocity is 16.7 kilometers per second.

Yet the extension speed of Kamishini no Yari had reached 170 kilometers per second—more than ten times that!

With such an astonishing attack speed, even a god could not help but fear it.

Even if he and Kaiser were separated by ten thousand meters, the tip of Kamishini no Yari could strike him in less than 0.1 seconds, and within one second, it could hit him seventeen times—how terrifying is that?

If not for the fact that while the blade was fast, its lethality wasn’t on par with legendary weapons and could only inflict surface-level injuries to a god, Melqart would have turned and fled the instant he saw it.

Thus, Melqart said solemnly:

"That blade cannot harm me."

This was no bluff—it was the truth.

But Kaiser remained completely composed.

"That’s because you don’t yet know this blade’s true ability."

As he spoke, Kaiser raised Kamishini no Yari and pointed to its blade.

"Look here. What do you see?"

Hearing that, Melqart followed Kaiser’s gesture and looked at the blade of Kamishini no Yari.

With one glance, Melqart immediately noticed something wrong.

"A chip?"

Indeed, the blade of Kamishini no Yari had a chip in it, a fragment was missing.

Kaiser’s voice slowly rang out.

"The extension speed of Kamishini no Yari is astounding, and the reach of its blade is terrifying. However, neither the reach nor the speed is what makes Kamishini no Yari most terrifying."

"The most terrifying part of Kamishini no Yari is that, in the instant it extends or contracts, the blade turns to ash."

"When Kamishini no Yari strikes an enemy, it can turn a part of itself to ash and leave it inside the opponent’s body."

Kaiser looked at the now pale-faced Melqart with a half-smile.

"Guess—what do you think the ash left inside the enemy’s body does?"

Melqart didn’t answer but began frantically burning his magical power, igniting every part of his body.

"No need to answer. I’ll tell you."

Kaiser ignored Melqart’s desperate struggle and spoke with the coldest tone:

"The ash left inside the opponent’s body will, upon reconstituting into a blade, release a powerful toxin capable of dissolving cells."

"Even if it's a god or a monster—as long as it has a physical body, this poison will dissolve it instantly."

This was a poison that even Aizen, whose life form had evolved multiple times, could not resist.

Were it not for the protection of the Hōgyoku, which granted Aizen the trait of immortality, he would have died at the hands of Gin Ichimaru.

Gods, though great beings standing at the pinnacle of life, if they possess flesh and blood, this poison will work on them.

Perhaps it’s not a poison strong enough to slay gods, but it’s at least enough to dissolve their bodies.

"Found it!"

Melqart suddenly roared.

As the God of Life, if something were hiding inside his body, as long as he searched carefully, there was no way he wouldn’t find it.

Unfortunately...

"Too late."

Kaiser activated his finisher without hesitation.

"Kill, Kamishini no Yari."

The moment the words fell, the invisible ash that had remained inside Melqart’s body immediately turned into an unremarkable blade fragment.

From the fragment, the potent toxin was released.

"Boom!"

Melqart’s enormous body collapsed like a crumbling mountain, instantly dissolving.

"Uwaaaaahhhhhhhh...!"

With a wail of agony, the fifteen-meter-tall giant melted at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if his entire body had suddenly vanished.

After becoming Kaiser’s exclusive weapon, Kamishini no Yari’s enhancements were not limited to its speed or extension—it had also significantly strengthened the deadly poison that could dissolve cells.

Unless one had extraordinary resistance to poison, even a god would be helpless in the face of this toxin.

Thus, the God-King Melqart was annihilated.

"No! I haven’t lost yet!"

A roar erupted, and at the location where Melqart’s body vanished, a ball of lightning suddenly appeared, crackling with white electric arcs.

That spherical plasma was Melqart’s spirit body.

"I am the God of Life—the ruler of the ever-reviving sun! How could mere destruction of the flesh be enough to defeat me?!"

The God-King’s roar triggered a tsunami, and the sky once again filled with thunder and lightning.

But what responded to this furious Melqart was a brilliant, blinding, supremely radiant blade of light.

"Swish!"

The blade of light, moving at the utmost speed, flashed and vanished—piercing through the spherical plasma.

"————"

Melqart’s roar, like Verethragna’s earlier laughter, was abruptly cut off.

Separated by about a hundred meters, Kaiser floated in midair, holding the fully extended Kamishini no Yari in a thrusting posture, expressionless, as he spoke:

"Too bad—I used to be a Shinigami."

Perhaps most people, when facing only Melqart’s spirit body, would be at a loss.

But Kaiser was definitely not among them.

He had been a Shinigami for decades—the Zanpakutō in his hand was meant to slay spirits.

When it came to dealing with spirits, he had more experience than anyone in this world.

"Buzz!"

The Circle of Usurpation, which had been spinning in midair, instantly flew to the top of the spherical plasma and emitted a powerful suction force, drawing the plasma inside.

The lightning and thunder in the sky disappeared, the tsunami gradually calmed, and no further waves formed.

"It’s finally over..."

Kaiser put away Kamishini no Yari and slowly exhaled a breath.

Immediately afterward, a smile appeared on his face.

"Killing two gods—this harvest ought to be quite good, huh?"

Wasting no time, Kaiser used Shunpo to flash beneath the Circle of Usurpation.

"Buzz!"

The Circle of Usurpation vibrated instantly, returning the absorbed divine power to Kaiser, making him feel a heavy sensation on his back.

Chapter 322: Realizing a Certain Truth

On the sea surface filled with drifting ice, standing beneath the rotating Circle of Usurpation, Kaiser had his eyes closed, slowly sorting through the gains from this dual God-Slaying.

First was the Authority. This was the fixed reward for God-Slaying—Kaiser didn’t even think about it and made his choice directly.

Next was the power beyond the Authority—all of it had turned into Magical Power, merging into Kaiser’s body, causing a substantial increase in his Magical Power once again.

The increase in Magical Power affected many aspects, but what Kaiser valued most was undoubtedly the enhancement of his own Magical Power resistance.

As long as Magical Power was circulated, one’s Magical Power resistance would grow stronger. The more Magical Power, the stronger the resistance. If this continued to rise, one day, perhaps even the Authorities of the gods would be repelled by Kaiser’s physical body and would have no effect on him.

“My current Magical Power... is probably around ten times that of an average Campione, right?”

Kaiser sensed it and nodded in satisfaction.

Once the Magical Power finished increasing, Kaiser opened his eyes and put away the Circle of Usurpation that had completed its task.

At this moment, a radiant golden sword appeared in Kaiser’s hand.

This was precisely the Authority he obtained from Verethragna.

In the original work, after the protagonist slew Verethragna, the Authority he received was the Ten Incarnations—allowing him to use the powers of "Strong Wind," "Bull," "White Horse," "Camel," "Boar," "Youth," "Phoenix," "Shepherd," "Goat," and "Warrior," just like Verethragna—extremely versatile.

Of course, because it was only one Authority, his Ten Incarnations came with very strict usage conditions.

Verethragna’s Ten Incarnations—any one of them alone could become a powerful Authority. The original protagonist combined all ten into one Authority, so naturally, there were corresponding limitations.

For example, once an Incarnation was used, that protagonist could not use it again within the same day. The usage time of an Incarnation was also limited and required additional activation conditions.

Like the "Bull" Incarnation, it could only be used when fighting an opponent possessing superhuman strength.

Like the "White Horse" Incarnation, it could only be used when confronting a great sinner who brought suffering to the people.

Also, the "Camel" Incarnation could only be used when seriously injured. The "Boar" Incarnation required a massive object as the target to be activated—these were clearly imposed limitations, which made the original protagonist’s combat strength fluctuate, sometimes strong and sometimes weak. Coupled with a poor mentality, he often got beaten up—even ordinary people could trample on him, which was quite humiliating.

Therefore, Kaiser had no intention of obtaining all Ten Incarnations of Verethragna and only took the Golden Sword used in the “Warrior” Incarnation.

This was the strongest sword and shield against gods—even if the opponent wasn’t a god, as long as they possessed divine power or an Authority, this sword could take effect.

In the original, the protagonist could only use the "Warrior" Incarnation and summon the Golden Sword when confronting a god or someone else and thoroughly understanding them. Kaiser, having taken only the Golden Sword as an Authority, naturally had no such restrictions—he could summon it anytime, anywhere.

Of course, if he could thoroughly understand the opponent and use that knowledge to hone the Golden Sword, the Golden Sword would become even more powerful and sharper.

“With this, I now have a deadly weapon specifically meant for dealing with gods.”

Kaiser played with the Golden Sword, smiling.

Although he already possessed a God-Slaying spear, the positioning of the Golden Sword and the God-Slaying Spear was different.

The Balance Breaker of the True Longinus—[Spear of Divine and Demonic Judgement]—its god-annihilating power was, in essence, not a force designed specifically for dealing with gods.

It targeted all beings, all life.

Whether god or demon, as long as they were pierced by the spear, they would certainly die. This Balance Breaker’s power was essentially an extreme enhancement of the power to kill living beings, not a force designed to counter gods.

In other words, the God-Slaying Spear dealt true damage, while the Golden Sword dealt bonus damage—one’s essence was slaughter, the other’s essence was restraint. In the field of gods alone, the Golden Sword was undoubtedly stronger.

Moreover, when using the Golden Sword, Kaiser would also receive the blessing of the "Warrior" Incarnation.

“Physical abilities will be enhanced, and I’ll also gain special eyes that can pierce through the nature of hostile gods. This will undoubtedly help me understand enemy gods faster, see through their origins, and use that knowledge to forge an even stronger Golden Sword.”

If he brought this sword back to the High School DxD World, or went to those other worlds where gods existed—it would definitely be interesting, wouldn’t it?

Kaiser thought with a hint of mischief.

“With the Golden Sword, plus the Circle of Usurpation, from now on, all gods will serve as nourishment for me.”

Kaiser then activated his Authority, letting golden engravings spread across the Golden Sword, claiming it as his own and strengthening it.

Immediately after, Kaiser put away the Golden Sword and instead summoned two staves.

These two staves—one wrapped in whirlwind, the other in lightning—emitted the aura of wind and thunder, ancient and full of divinity.

They were precisely the divine tools Yagrush and Aymur, forged by the God of Craftsmen and wielded by Melqart.

At this moment, compared to when they were in Melqart’s hands, the appearance of these two divine tools had changed significantly.

When held by Melqart, these two staves were rather unappealing in form—one had a bulbous head like a clump of whirlwind, the other was shaped like lightning—no matter how you looked at them, they seemed awkward.

Perhaps it was due to this impression—when Kaiser selected these two divine tools as his Authority, the Authority responded to his will and altered their forms.

Now both staves were long rods, pitch black throughout, seemingly cast from some kind of ironwood—one bore wind-patterned engravings, the other lightning-patterned engravings—and inscribed in Semitic script were the words “Yagrush (Pursuer)” and “Aymur (Exiler),” appearing ancient and mysterious.

These two divine tools respectively symbolized wind and lightning. The former could control storms, the latter could control thunder. When used together, they could summon a tempest—the scale of the storm depended on the amount of Magical Power expended. If Kaiser were willing to spend enough Magical Power, it would be no problem to engulf an entire large country in a storm.

“Ryūjin Jakka is the strongest flame-type Zanpakutō, capable of incinerating all creation.”

“Hyōrinmaru is the strongest ice-type Zanpakutō, capable of commanding water in the sky and atmosphere, freezing everything.”

“Now, adding Yagrush and Aymur—one with the power of wind, one with the power of lightning...”

Fire, ice, wind, lightning... Kaiser had now mastered various elemental attributes—and each was especially powerful, powerful enough to harm even gods—making him tangibly feel himself growing stronger step by step.

“These two staves also have the ability to change size.”

With a thought from Kaiser, Yagrush and Aymur immediately began to enlarge, instantly growing to about the same size as Melqart’s giant form.

Each magical staff could grow up to fifteen meters in height, or shrink to the size used by ordinary people—down to one meter in length, becoming two short rods.

“They can also automatically engage the enemy.”

With a wave of Kaiser’s hand, the two massive staves immediately flew out, dancing like twin dragons—soaring into the sky, diving into the sea, summoning storms one moment, lightning clouds the next—instantly throwing the entire sea area into chaos.

“Though not as lethal as the Golden Sword, they are still powerful weapons for regular combat.”

Kaiser summoned the two staves back, placed both hands on them, and activated his Authority to claim and strengthen them.

Once ownership was complete and the staves were returned to his body, Kaiser stretched lazily.

“Odin, Poseidon, Verethragna, Melqart... In just a few days, I’ve slain four gods in a row, gained four Authorities, and obtained four powerful exclusive weapons.”

“God-Slaying truly is a high-risk, high-reward endeavor—once successful, it never fails to yield results.”

“Next...”

Next, where should he go to find more gods?

Kaiser mused for a moment, then turned his head to look east.

“Looks like I’ll have to return to that country.”

After all, a god was still sealed there.

That god had been Kaiser’s childhood idol—he was genuinely looking forward to meeting him.

And...

“Mariya Yuri... if I can obtain her Spirit Vision, I should be able to locate even more gods, right?”

Kaiser increasingly felt that he had to bring that Hime-Miko under his command.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t done something like that before.

In the Asterisk world, Kaiser had personally invited Kirin Toudou to be his teammate for the Phoenix Festa.

In the High School DxD World, Kaiser had also recruited Kuroka and Asia, taking these two girls along as they roamed the world.

In the Bleach world, he even had Hinamori Momo—a vice-captain who could come at a call, be graceful in public, do housework at home.

So when it came to recruiting teammates and subordinates, Kaiser wasn’t unfamiliar at all.

“It’s just... with that shrine maiden’s personality, she’s probably very worried I’ll do something outrageous, huh?”

Kaiser muttered, then suddenly chuckled.

“Mm, no rush—let’s take it slow. Teasing her a bit along the way could be fun too.”

For some reason, just thinking of Mariya Yuri’s timid look around him always made Kaiser want to tease her.

“Could it be... that’s exactly why that super-intuitive shrine maiden subconsciously grows more afraid of me?”

Kaiser suddenly realized—feeling like he had learned a certain truth.

……

At the same time, far away in the island nation of the Far East, inside the Shichio Shrine, Mariya Yuri—who was combing her hair in front of the mirror—suddenly shuddered all over.

“...I have a bad feeling something’s going to happen.”

The Hime-Miko lady immediately became somewhat uneasy.

Little did she know—someone had already set their sights on her.

And not just one person.

Chapter 323: A Rather Astonishing Battle Record

Southern Italy, Sardinia.

When they saw the sky beginning to clear up, with both the storm and blizzard completely receding, all those from the mysterious side knew one thing.

"The Heretic God has been vanquished."

Only then could Sardinia welcome this moment of clearing skies after the storm, this peace after crisis.

“We won?”

Erica looked up at the now clear sky, her face showing an expression of exhaustion she couldn’t hide.

The other members of the mysterious side were mostly the same—each of them with a face full of fatigue, some even collapsed on the ground and didn’t get back up, showing just how drained they were.

If one looked closely, they would find that the Magical Power in these people’s bodies was nearly depleted.

There was no helping it—for the sake of protecting the people of Sardinia amidst the calamity-like storm and blizzard, they had given their all.

Especially those stationed along the coast—each one of them was completely spent, looking half-dead.

It had to be said, during the fierce battle between Kaiser, Verethragna, and Melqart, this area was hit hardest by the aftershocks—sudden tsunamis, violent shockwaves, even avalanches occurred. It was utterly absurd.

To block these disasters, they had exhausted every means available, yet still could not fully protect the entire coastal region—many areas were damaged as a result.

Fortunately, thanks to prior anticipation and the joint efforts of various magical societies, people in high-risk areas had already been evacuated beforehand. Thus, while the damage might be significant, casualties were relatively minimal.

“Thank goodness it’s over… otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to hold on.”

“Who isn’t feeling the same?”

“This is what a battle between gods looks like?”

“Not to mention there was also a God-Slaying Campione involved, right?”

“…As expected of the King, truly powerful and terrifying.”

People chatted in small groups, displaying a kind of bitter humor, but their mood was not bad.

After all, the calamity had passed. As long as no lives were lost, and Sardinia still stood, being a little more tired didn’t matter.

Of course, this was just a temporary mindset.

Later, they still had to carry out post-disaster reconstruction, organize the aftermath—there were plenty of tasks ahead.

“That Sardinia, located in the Mediterranean, would experience such heavy snow… is quite rare.”

Erica stood atop a building, looking at the snowy scenery before her, and sighed.

The sudden change in weather—the unexpected blizzard swept across the entire Sardinia, blanketing everything in white.

The snow was so thick, not only were roads buried, even some buildings were completely covered.

Erica could already imagine how much effort the magical societies of Italy would need to spend just to clear away all this snow.

“Where on earth did that blizzard come from?”

This was the only question Erica couldn’t figure out.

Because, none of the three combatants should have possessed an Authority of that nature.

Verethragna possessed Ten Incarnations, each with different powers, but none of them related to ice or snow.

Melqart’s Divinity was very complex—sky, life, sea, sun—it had everything, but still no Authority related to ice or snow.

As for Kaiser...

According to the reports provided by the Witenagemot, the god he had slain should have been the chief god of Norse mythology—the one who wielded the infallible spear, Odin.

The domains governed by that chief god were likewise vast—prophecy, kingship, wisdom, healing, magic, poetry, war, and death—but again, none related to ice or snow.

In other words, the Authority Kaiser took from Odin should also not contain the power of ice or snow.

Yet this disaster-level blizzard still came, sweeping across all of Sardinia. To say it wasn’t the doing of those three, Erica couldn’t believe it.

“Could it be that the King’s Authority mutated somehow?”

Erica couldn’t help but think so.

Just then, as if noticing something, she lifted her elegant chin and looked up at the sky.

“Whoosh!”

Far away in the Mediterranean, over the drifting ice, a figure flew as if freed from gravity, stopping midair.

“King!”

Erica couldn’t help but call out.

Kaiser, now appearing in the sky, seemed to hear Erica’s voice and looked in her direction—but didn’t fly toward her, instead turning toward the land of Sardinia.

Seeing that the thick snow had nearly covered every corner of Sardinia, Kaiser thought for a moment and finally made his move.

He extended his hand and grasped. A pitch-black Activator immediately appeared in his hand, which he activated.

Intense heat condensed into a pitch-black blade, and the transformed demon sword was tightly gripped by him. The red Urm-Manadyte emitted a blinding light, with dark patterns floating and writhing around the sword.

“Go, Ser-Veresta.”

Kaiser then threw the demon sword in his hand toward the ground, letting the blade of Ser-Veresta stab into the thick snow.

In the next moment...

“Boom!”

A burst of intense heat exploded within Sardinia, making the entire island’s atmosphere shimmer like it had turned crimson with flame.

Under the searing heat, the thick snow quickly melted. The once white-covered Sardinia returned to full color, vibrant like early spring after a long winter.

Once there was not a trace of snow left in Sardinia, Ser-Veresta, which had pierced the ground and turned it into a furnace, flew back into Kaiser’s hand, retracted its blade, and returned to its Activator form.

Only then did Kaiser, controlling gravity, descend in front of Erica.

“Congratulations, my King, on successfully slaying two gods.” Erica knelt on one knee before Kaiser, smiling like a blooming flower as she said, “Your Majesty’s valor is truly admirable and astonishing. Erica Blandelli is in awe.”

These weren’t just polite words—they came from the heart.

If Kaiser had only slain one god, Erica wouldn’t have been so impressed, because she knew all Campiones had that ability—they had each slain gods more than once.

But to take on two gods at once—two of the highest-ranking gods—and still emerge victorious? That, she had never heard of anyone accomplishing.

No, in general, it was already extremely difficult for a Campione to encounter two gods at once.

Yet Kaiser not only encountered them, he successfully slew them. That was enough to amaze Erica.

Especially since this King before her had only become a Campione a few days ago, had only slain one god before this, and possessed only one Authority—yet could rely on that lone Authority to defeat two gods. What kind of achievement and feat was this?

Just thinking about it, even someone like Erica—who rarely admired others—couldn’t find any fault this time.

“Melqart was simply courting death.” Kaiser naturally knew what Erica was admiring and shook his head. “If he hadn’t chosen to hide in the sea and wait until Verethragna and I had exhausted ourselves, giving me a chance to defeat them one by one, it would’ve been difficult to take down both gods at once.”

If Melqart had chosen to ally with Verethragna, the battle would certainly have become much more brutal.

Unfortunately, Melqart could never team up with the god who had once severely injured him, who had summoned him back just to find a strong foe—even if that foe was a Campione.

“Even so, Your Majesty’s valor remains impressive.” Erica looked at the man before her, who wasn’t much older than herself, and said, “It hasn’t even been a full week since Your Majesty became a Campione.”

“In such a short time, you’ve slain three gods—that’s already a remarkable feat.”

“After this battle, I believe no one will think of you as merely a newly emerged King.”

As the newly ascended seventh King, Kaiser, although feared by mysterious factions around the world due to his status as a Campione, still couldn’t compare in people’s eyes to the other Campiones.

If nothing else, in terms of Authorities—until recently, Kaiser had only one. How could that compare to the other Campiones who had slain many gods and wielded multiple Authorities?

However, after today, Kaiser would no longer be seen as the least threatening Demon Lord.

Being able to slay two gods at once already proved his strength—not to mention that he had now obtained new Authorities, increasing the number to three.

It had to be said—even Salvatore Doni, who became a Campione four years ago, only had four Authorities. That was just one more than Kaiser had now.

This was enough to let the world know—the new King had already begun to shine and was no longer a novice.

And if they knew that the number of gods Kaiser had slain wasn’t three, but four—and that Poseidon had been dealt with by him without anyone noticing—they’d be even less inclined to see Kaiser as some greenhorn.

In short, with this battle, Kaiser had truly asserted his dominance and fame. He was destined to cause a greater sensation across the entire world than ever before.

“I don’t really care how others see me.”

Kaiser, not particularly interested, shook his head and walked toward the building’s interior.

Only Erica remained, not following right away, but standing still and gazing at the scene of Sardinia’s first snow melting, silently thinking:

“With this, the incident in Sardinia has come to an end.”

The outcome, one could say, was gratifying—but her own objective was now effectively shattered.

Based on her performance in this incident, even if she had some shining moments, it wouldn’t be enough to earn her the title of “Diavolo Rosso.”

This time, she had merely served as a companion to the new King.

“But I will not give up.”

After witnessing how great and mighty true gods were, although her shaken confidence hadn’t fully recovered, it had steeled her resolve even more.

“I will definitely become the chief knight of the Copper Black Cross and inherit my uncle’s title—Diavolo Rosso.”

As for how to do it, Erica already had a clear plan in mind.

Chapter 324: The Arrived King of the Sword

Greenwich, Witenagemot.

After several days, many sages and elders gathered here once again.

They sat around a round table, in front of which were placed the latest intelligence reports on God-Slaying.

“The Heretic God in Sardinia has been confirmed slain.”

“It seems to be the doing of that newly arisen King from the East.”

“...How did he suddenly appear in southern Italy?”

“No one knows. According to reports from the subordinates, they received no information about that King’s movements. None of the airports had any records of his boarding, and the sea routes were the same.”

“So, that King went to Sardinia relying solely on his own power?”

“Just what method did he use?”

“That’s not the main point. The main point is that this King, who had only recently slain a god, went alone to Sardinia and faced off against two of the highest-ranked gods.”

“Even that is not the key point. The real point is that he directly confronted those two gods—and successfully slew them...”

“Is this really something that a newly crowned King with just one Authority can accomplish?”

Many sages and elders looked at the intelligence displayed on the table, only feeling it was beyond belief.

A newly minted Campione who had only been a God-Slayer for a few days, managed to slay two gods while possessing just one Authority—and these two gods were no ordinary deities, but a King of the Gods and an undefeated God of War.

Such powerful Divinity—even taken individually—was already not something a typical Campione could handle. Yet to face both at once, and still successfully slay them... was this truly possible?

“Even the Wolf King of Eastern Europe probably couldn’t pull off such a feat, right?”

“Could the Martial Arts King of China do it?”

“These two are the oldest Kings in existence, possessing far more Authorities than the average Campione. They’ve slain who-knows-how-many gods, yet to simultaneously slay two of the highest-ranked Heretic Gods—even for them, it wouldn’t be easy, right?”

“To fight two at once is one thing, but both of those Kings aren’t weak. It’s impossible that they’d be rendered helpless just because they were attacked by two gods. However, being able to fight is one thing, actually slaying them is another.”

“Indeed, it’s truly unbelievable.”

The crowd discussed fervently, their words filled with disbelief, so much so that it took them a while to fully digest the latest information.

Only after everyone had finally processed the news did a new round of discussion begin.

“To be able to slay two gods at once, the new King must have gained a very powerful Authority from the Norse chief god, Odin.”

“Has anyone confirmed what Authority that King actually used?”

“No. The battle took place in the sky above the Mediterranean, off the coast of Sardinia. At the time, there were storms and blizzards, and with the tsunamis and shockwaves caused by the god battle, no one was able to ascertain what exactly happened.”

“The battle was in the sky above the Mediterranean...”

“Meaning, the new King possesses the power of flight?”

“No wonder he was able to reach Sardinia without using any form of transportation.”

“Was that power granted by an Authority? Or was it the result of some kind of magic?”

“It should be an Authority, right? According to investigations into that King, before becoming a Campione, he was just an ordinary person whose entire clan had emigrated abroad.”

“Then it must be an Authority. Otherwise, it can’t be explained.”

“What kind of magic can let someone fly all the way from the eastern land of the rising sun to Europe? Even the flight techniques that only witches can learn wouldn’t allow someone to fly that far or that long. Only a god’s Authority could achieve such a thing.”

“But if this Authority holds the power to slay two gods, then flight surely isn’t its main function.”

“It might not be that he used this Authority to slay both gods. Maybe he slew one first, then used the newly obtained Authority to slay the second?”

“Hmm, that’s possible.”

Everyone enthusiastically discussed Kaiser’s Authority.

The purpose of the Witenagemot's existence was to collect intelligence on Campiones and Heretic Gods.

The newly born King—his Authority and all of his powers were still a mystery, and that naturally attracted the Council’s attention.

Especially when this Authority seemed to possess the power to slay two gods simultaneously—this only deepened their desire to uncover the truth and understand the true nature of this Authority.

Under such circumstances, they really did arrive at some useful insights.

At the very least, someone guessed that Kaiser might have obtained Odin’s spear, believing that only that infallible spear could grant such power, enabling a newly born King to slay two gods.

However, since this information had not been confirmed, even though the sages believed this possibility to be the most likely, they couldn’t make any definitive conclusions.

After all, there was no clear pattern to the Authorities that Campiones usurped from gods. Some Authorities, after being taken, underwent major changes—becoming only superficially similar or even entirely unrecognizable from their original divine form.

Therefore, in the end, the sages could only make speculations using words like “suspected,” “possibly,” or “most likely,” and sigh with emotion.

“With this, the new King now possesses three Authorities—only one fewer than the Sword King of Italy.”

“To think he was just an ordinary person before becoming a Campione. What sort of mindset must he have had, to charge across the world to Sardinia and throw himself into another god battle as soon as he acquired supernatural power?”

“Campiones... not a single one of them is normal.”

“Mind your words. That’s not something to say lightly—what if word of it reaches the King’s ears?”

“It’s a shame. Everything about that King is still shrouded in mystery. We don’t know his Authorities, nor do we understand his modus operandi. We can’t name his Authority, and we can’t assign him an epithet either.”

“The Wolf King of Eastern Europe, the Martial Arts King of China, the Enchanting Queen of the Cavern, the Nobleman of Godspeed, the Hades King of America, and the Sword King of Italy—other than that Queen, all the others have their own territories. But this new King seems to have no territory, nor even vassals.”

“Then let’s not make a decision for now. We have too little information on the new King. All we know is that he has three Authorities, one of which possibly grants the power of flight, and that he is suspected of being able to slay two gods simultaneously.”

“That concludes today’s meeting. This intel will be sealed for now.”

“What about the report on the new King slaying two gods?”

“That can’t be hidden. And we don’t need to publicize it either. The Sardinia incident already drew the attention of many forces on the mysterious side. I’m sure they’ve all learned about it by now.”

“Mm, let them worry about it themselves.”

“The birth of a powerful new King will definitely trigger multiple chain reactions.”

“All we can do is watch and see.”

This meeting lasted a full four hours before it was finally declared over—with very little to show for it.

Similar scenes took place all across the world, with many forces from the mysterious side discussing the matter, repeatedly confirming the new King’s astonishing battle record and feats.

To simultaneously slay two of the highest-ranked gods—such an accomplishment made many realize that this newly risen King was no mere greenhorn.

Thanks to this, many Campiones who had previously shown no interest in Kaiser now turned their attention to him, and some even began to take action...

…………

Sardinia, Province of Oristano.

In a luxurious hotel, after resting for a day and fully restoring his condition, Kaiser was already preparing to leave.

His purpose for coming to Sardinia had already been fulfilled, and he had no intention of staying any longer.

If nothing had happened in Sardinia, perhaps Kaiser—who had just gone through two god battles in a row—might have wanted to explore the area a bit. After all, this place was a well-known tourist destination. Since he was already here, taking a vacation and having some fun wouldn’t have been a bad idea.

Unfortunately, due to the impact of yesterday’s god battle, Sardinia was still in a state of post-disaster recovery. Many tourist attractions had already suspended operations and were unable to receive guests. As a result, many foreign tourists who had come during this time were scrambling to leave, clearly frightened by recent events.

After this battle, Sardinia would have a hard time regaining its former prosperity. It might even collapse completely, never able to revive its tourism industry.

However, with help from the mysterious side and the efforts of Italy’s major magical societies working behind the scenes, this state should only be temporary. Sardinia would eventually recover.

It was just a matter of time.

For now, Sardinia would remain abandoned for a while, no longer suitable for tourism.

Since that was the case, Kaiser saw no reason to stay here.

He wanted to return to Japan nation and, according to his original plan, either abduct a Hime-Miko or release the childhood idol.

But when he left his room and found Erica, preparing to say goodbye, she brought him a surprising piece of news.

“Our King of Italy, leader of the Southern European Magic Society Alliance, the Sword King—Salvatore Doni—has already arrived in Sardinia.”

Erica informed Kaiser of this matter.

“Salvatore Doni?” Kaiser raised his eyebrows. “That guy finally showed up?”

“Yes.” Erica nodded. “As soon as Sardinia’s weather cleared up, the plane carrying His Lordship landed at the airport.”

Hearing this, Kaiser more or less knew what Erica was about to say next.

Sure enough...

“His Lordship asked me to convey a message to you.”

Erica hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

“He said he would like to meet with you.”

Chapter 325: I'm No Battle Maniac

Salvatore Doni, twenty-four years old this year, was the youngest King in the world before Kaiser became a Campione, the sixth Campione.

He is the leader of the Southern European Magic Society Alliance. A few years ago, he was just an ordinary knight, and not many people thought highly of him.

Because he possessed a unique constitution that couldn't store Magical Power, and his talent in magic was nearly zero—a person destined from birth to be at odds with the mysterious.

The reason he could still become a knight, despite lacking magical talent, was entirely because he had exceptional talent in swordsmanship.

He once apprenticed under a Paladin and learned swordsmanship under his tutelage. As a result, he completely mastered his master’s swordsmanship within a month, becoming a powerful swordsman.

Later, by a twist of fate, he defeated a god with swordsmanship and usurped the Authority, altering his constitution. Although he still couldn't learn magic, he gained vast Magical Power, and thus became the sixth Campione, gradually reaching the top of the Southern European magical world.

He is called the King of the Sword because he basically knows nothing except the sword.

Now, this king, who could be called a prodigy, had come to Sardinia and stood before Kaiser.

“Hello there, compatriot.”

When Kaiser saw him, he greeted Kaiser with a bright smile and cheerful voice.

He was sitting in the hotel restaurant, right across from the seat Kaiser had been dining at before, holding a big chicken leg in his hand, seemingly already having been eating for quite some time.

Kaiser immediately sized him up, confirming his appearance.

He was a blond-haired Italian youth, quite handsome in appearance, and slender like a bamboo pole. His body had clearly undergone intense training, giving him the look of an athletic-type man who would surely be popular among schoolgirls.

He wore a casual-style shirt and slacks, sports sneakers on his feet, and a slender cylindrical case by his side, exuding a laid-back and frivolous air that made Kaiser narrow his eyes.

Although this youth appeared to be a frivolous man in attitude, Kaiser still keenly sensed the flash of sharpness in his eyes and the vast Magical Power within him.

Facing this young man, though it wasn’t like facing a god where he could instantly flip the switch and enter combat mode, the vague sense of danger still somewhat stirred his constitution, causing the Magical Power in his body to naturally respond and start flowing.

“Salvatore Doni?”

Kaiser ignored his grease-covered hand and made the inquiry.

“That’s me.” Doni didn’t seem to care either, acting like an optimist as he laughed, “You’re the seventh one, right? Not bad—you became a Campione even younger than I did.”

“About the same, probably?” Kaiser spoke leisurely, “I heard you became a Campione four years ago. You were only twenty back then, right?”

In this world, Kaiser was nineteen—a foreigner who had just graduated high school not long ago and was in a state of indecision about whether to attend university.

So while it was said he was young, in truth, he had only become a Campione one year younger than Doni.

The two could barely be called the same generation—at least in terms of the age they became Campiones.

As for now, Doni was about five years older than Kaiser, making him a senior.

Of course, Kaiser had no intention of showing deference as a junior.

Twenty-four?

Before becoming the Librarian of the Fantasy Library, he had been around that age, and now, after having spent decades in the Bleach world, even if his mindset and mental state were already set and didn’t change much, it was impossible to treat a young man in his twenties as a senior.

To him, age and seniority had more or less lost meaning, so he faced Doni on equal footing.

And Doni didn’t seem to mind this at all—on the contrary, he looked rather happy.

“When I became a Campione, I wasn’t as incredible as you—rushing to Sardinia just days after gaining your powers and fighting two gods—totally badass.” Doni said with a grin, “I feel like we’ll get along really well. How about I call you bro?”

“No thanks.” Kaiser refused without hesitation and said, “I thought you came to demand an explanation.”

After all, this was Italy—Doni’s territory.

In other words, any gods that appeared here could basically be considered Doni’s prey.

The moment he got word, Doni had rushed over, but due to the weather, all flights to Sardinia were suspended, which delayed him and let Kaiser steal the opportunity.

If pursued seriously, entering another’s territory without permission and acting against their prey without consent was undeniably a provocation—a problem.

However, Doni didn’t seem to care.

“That's how battle is—it arrives suddenly and vanishes just as suddenly. It’s my fault for not making it in time. I can’t blame you, bro.” Doni brushed it off easily and said, “I’ve snatched other people’s prey too. I’ve got no right to blame you.”

Speaking of which, this King of the Sword did have some ties with Mariya Yuri.

A few years ago, Mariya Yuri had been requisitioned by the Wolf King of Eastern Europe to conduct that god summoning ritual that caused heavy casualties.

The summoned god back then wasn’t slain by the ancient King, but was instead intercepted by Doni, whose Southern European territory bordered the Eastern King’s.

Because of this, the Wolf King of Eastern Europe even hunted Doni for a while—but unfortunately, Doni managed to escape unscathed.

Being someone who didn’t follow the rules, Doni naturally wouldn’t demand others follow them either.

In any case, with god-slaying, it’s first come, first served.

Doni was open-minded—even if he made the trip in vain, he didn’t see it as a big deal.

However...

“To be honest, hearing that you successfully slew two gods really surprised me.”

Doni stared at Kaiser, the corner of his mouth lifting.

“I knew there were two gods here, and I knew a newly born compatriot was here too. I thought that even if I didn’t make it in time, I’d at least get one. Didn’t expect you to take down both. That’s really...”

As he spoke, the aura around Doni changed completely.

It became like a drawn sword—sharp and blazing.

Standing beside Kaiser, Erica and the rest of the Copper Black Cross members all felt a stinging on their skin and an eerie chill in their hearts.

It was like someone had pressed a sharp blade against their throats—Erica and the others couldn’t help but shudder.

In contrast, Kaiser saw joy in Doni’s eyes—saw blazing fighting spirit.

That look—Kaiser understood better than anyone.

In the world of Asterisk, the student council president of Jie Long Seventh Institute had shown that look.

In the High School DxD World, the heir to the Old Lucifer bloodline, Vali Lucifer, had shown that look.

In the Bleach world, the captain of the 11th Division, Kenpachi Zaraki, had shown that look.

It was the look of someone who thirsted for battle, longed for opponents, sought strong foes, and relished combat—a true battle maniac.

Now, Kaiser had met such a person again.

“Flipped your switch already?”

Kaiser spoke with nonchalance, as if uninvolved, his tone casual.

“Looks like you really get it, bro.” Doni grinned wider and said, “I knew it—we’ll definitely get along.”

“Cut it out.” Kaiser still bluntly denied it. “I’m no battle maniac.”

“Are you serious?” Doni blinked and said, “Don’t try to fool me, bro. I can feel it—you’re also a warrior who enjoys intense combat. That powerful warrior scent—I could smell it all the way across Sardinia.”

“Smell...” Kaiser couldn’t help but retort, “What kind of breed is that nose of yours?”

That said, Kaiser didn’t deny Doni’s words.

Back in the Asterisk world, he had already realized he might have some tendencies toward being a battle junkie.

He didn’t enjoy slaughter, and he disliked gore—but he truly didn’t resent intense battles.

Maybe it was the repression of his past that caused a rebound. After becoming the Librarian of the Fantasy Library, Kaiser began to let loose, growing more unrestrained, and gradually found joy in fierce combat.

This tendency seemed to have grown stronger after becoming a Campione.

Just a bit of focus, and his body would automatically enter battle mode. The hormones in his body stronger than adrenaline would surge, heating up his whole being and making his blood boil—facing gods in battle would stir a deep excitement and thrill within him.

Given that, how could he deny Doni’s words?

It’s just...

“I won’t deny that I don’t shy away from combat, but I’m not like you people who single-mindedly pursue it—battle maniacs who can’t enjoy anything but fighting.”

Kaiser folded his arms and looked at Doni, speaking calmly.

“Besides battle, I also like good food and beautiful women.”

This line made Erica’s brow twitch ever so slightly on the side.

“Beautiful women, huh...”

Doni didn’t seem to expect Kaiser to say that. He was stunned for a moment, then rubbed his chin and muttered.

“Among our fellow Campiones, quite a few like battle, and some like good food too—but ones who like beautiful women... there aren’t many, are there?”

Hearing this, Kaiser was speechless.

Seriously... I just said it offhand, why are you analyzing it seriously?

“Forget it, that’s not important. As long as you also like fighting, bro, that’s enough.”

Doni gave up on the thought and looked at Kaiser with blazing eyes.

“Anyway, it’s a rare chance—how about a spar?”

That was what Doni truly wanted to say.

(End of Chapter)