A Certain Multiverse's Holy Right

Roy gestured to the driver to keep driving.

"My friend, come on! Let's have a good fight. You must have been waiting for me here, eager to battle!"

The King of Swords shouted excitedly.

"Sir Salvatore, this is the city of Rome. Please retract your previous remarks. Such statements are extremely dangerous."

It was not Roy who spoke, but the great knight accompanying Salvatore. This knight, who appeared to be around thirty years old, had a stern expression and almost rebuked the King of Swords with his tone.

Salvatore, however, was not angered by this. Instead, he responded as if it were completely normal: "...Ah, I know, I know. Andre, you're really troublesome."

Salvatore Doni was the sixth Campione, completing his feat two years before Roy killed a god. Even before his ascension, he was well-known throughout Italy, though not for his strength. On the contrary, his fame stemmed from his weakness.

He was a pure sword fanatic, practically born for the sword. Yet, despite his incredible talent in swordsmanship that could leave others in despair, he lacked even the slightest aptitude for magic.

In the world of Campione, strength is rooted more in magic than swordsmanship. Although powerful warriors were often called Great Knights, it was magic that truly elevated humans to new heights. Without any magical talent, Salvatore Doni was weak, and the subject of ridicule.

This man once displayed unimaginable perseverance, seeking out Italy's only Paladin, Saint Raffaello, and studying under her tutelage. But without magical talent, he made no progress and ultimately left her guidance.

Later, by a twist of fate, Salvatore was possessed by a god. Using that god's power, he managed to slay another deity, thus ascending to become a Campione.

Among the seven current Campione, all except Roy- who succeeded through his wisdom, Aiwass's assistance, and a touch of luck- had relied heavily on fortune to achieve their victories.

"I'm not waiting for you here. You came to find me," Roy replied dryly.

"My friend, don't be so distant! I just decided to wander out on a whim, and then I met you. Surely, this is fate!"

The man seemed entirely oblivious to Roy's displeasure. He sat down beside Roy without hesitation and even draped an arm over his shoulders, forcing Roy to subtly shift towards the left side of the seat to maintain his distance.

"Why do you want to fight me? Is it because I took the position of Italy's leader from you?"

"Ahaha, I don't care about that position at all. If you want it, you can have it, my friend! Andre once told me that losing the title would harm my reputation as King, but what of it? I've been losing that for years. It doesn't bother me at all! I came because I heard you defeated that old man from Eastern Europe. It got me excited to challenge you. That old man is formidable—I couldn't even determine a winner when I fought him."

Salvatore's cheerful tone was as genuine as his words. He wasn't embellishing or hiding his thoughts but speaking his mind openly.

Roy couldn't help but respect him for this. Were he in Salvatore's position, knowing that a new king had taken something that belonged to him, Roy would have been furious. He would have unleashed devastation to ensure that traitors and thieves paid a fitting price.

But Salvatore was different. He could shrug it off with a laugh, genuinely unbothered by matters of reputation, and lived wholeheartedly for his sword.

It wasn't that Roy was narrow-minded or that Salvatore was particularly magnanimous—rather, they simply approached life in fundamentally different ways.

Although Roy found the Italian King of Swords exasperating, he could not bring himself to dislike him.

"I have important matters to attend to right now, so I don't have time to spar with you," Roy stated firmly.

At the same time, he subtly signaled to the knight accompanying Salvatore, urging him to remove his "king." This knight, named Andre Rivera, was Salvatore's most trusted confidant and was known as the King's Butler. Salvatore's ability to live a relatively normal life in human society could largely be attributed to Andre's tireless efforts.

"Important matters? I heard from sources in Italy that you're searching for divine tools to find the Heretic God. It seems you enjoy fighting Heretic Gods too. That's great! I don't mind waiting for you to finish your fight—then we can have our duel afterward."

Salvatore dismissed Roy's explanation entirely and continued acting according to his own whims.

Roy found him unbearably irritating. After thinking for a moment, he said, "…Sir Salvatore, do you know why human history spans thousands of years, and myths have persisted for millennia, yet the oldest Campione today is less than 300 years old? Where did all the previous Campione go?"

"Huh?"

Salvatore blinked in confusion before muttering, "...You're right. Where did all the earlier Campione go?"

He asked the question earnestly, seemingly baffled.

"Among the Heretic Gods, there is a being called the Last King. He is a hero who exterminates Devil Kings. Whenever the number of Campione reaches a certain threshold, he awakens to destroy them all. And now, with the number of Campione at its limit, his awakening is imminent."

Roy's tone was serious, as though he were deeply concerned about the Last King.

Before Salvatore could reply, his knight Andre sat upright and interjected, "...King Roy, I have never heard of the Last King. Could this be an insight granted by the Wisdom of Solomon?"

After slaying Solomon, the Greenwich Assembly and other organizations presumed that Roy had obtained Clairvoyance, the ability to see into the past. None were aware of the existence of the Foundation of Human Order.

However, even the supposed Clairvoyance caused a massive stir among scholars and magicians alike. The ability to freely access past information symbolized infinite knowledge and secrets ripe for exploration. While it lacked direct combat power, it gave Roy an unparalleled strategic advantage.

"Yes," Roy affirmed without hesitation, "This is a revelation from Wisdom of Solomon. Based on this insight, I have roughly determined that the Last King is sleeping on an island in the Pacific Ocean. Sir Salvatore, I truly have no time to fight you now. If you're eager for a worthy opponent, go search for the Last King in the Pacific. As a hero who exterminates Devil Kings, his strength is unparalleled in history. I'm sure he'll be to your satisfaction."

Roy made no false statements, wary of Salvatore possessing some intuitive ability that could detect lies. Everything Roy said was true, though the implications carried an intentional misdirection. The Last King was indeed sleeping on an island in the Pacific Ocean—but Japan, a significant island within the Pacific, was the truth Roy conveniently omitted.

...

This information, however, was sure to mislead Salvatore. The vastness of the Pacific Ocean would likely have him scouring countless uninhabited islands.

Sure enough, upon hearing Roy's words, Salvatore's expression shifted to one of excitement. The King of Swords was quick to act. He opened the car door and turned to Andre, saying, "...Andre, let's head to the Pacific! Such a powerful opponent mustn't be left to others."

He then looked back at Roy and said with genuine gratitude, "...Thank you for this information, my friend! We are truly good friends. Once I've dealt with the Last King, I'll come back to fight you!"

"Very well. Let me offer you one last piece of information: England's Black Prince, Alexander Gascoigne, once sought the Holy Grail six years ago, causing a major upheaval in the mystical world. From what I understand, the Holy Grail is related to the Last King. If you can't locate the Last King's resting place in the Pacific, you might consider seeking out Alexander Gascoigne. He likely holds a wealth of information about the Last King."

Roy deftly executed a plan of sowing discord. It was impossible for Salvatore to locate the Last King's resting place. The next most likely course of action for him would be to approach Alexander Gascoigne, setting the stage for conflict between the two Campione. This maneuver effectively redirected the two most troublesome individuals who could pose a threat to Roy into potential adversaries of each other. (T/N: Truly a great conspirer and instigator)

The Eastern Cult Leader remained in seclusion, the American Campione was known for being one of the few in the "benevolent" camp who avoided trouble, and the Marquis Voban was temporarily incapacitated by Roy. By eliminating these threats, Roy had made an optimal environment to focus on his growth.

"And then there's Madame Aisha, the unpredictable troublemaker. I can only hope that the Mysterious Queen of the Caves continues her travels across time and space," Roy muttered under his breath.

At this moment, Salvatore had already leapt from the car with Andre in tow, disappearing into the distance.

"Excellent. Now, my date with the goddess will finally proceed without interruptions!"

Roy smirked and leaned back, the road ahead now free of distractions.