He was a rather young boy, looking no older than fifteen or sixteen. He wore a complex and elaborate, yet action-oriented, modified Cardinal's robe. His too-neutral features made it difficult to tell his gender at first glance. His heterochromatic eyes radiated a chilling light that stood in stark contrast to the gentle smile on his lips.
He appeared to be both man and woman, child and adult, his very appearance holding an ambiguity that defied definition. This was not the power derived from slaying a god, but rather the innate aura of the individual named Roy Crowley.
Despite this being their first meeting, everyone recognized his identity.
The Seventh Slayer of Gods, the one who achieved the feat of slaying the Archangel Michael, a being at the pinnacle of the world.
“『King』…”
The Commander of the 『Lily City』, the ‘Purple Knight’, turned pale. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, his dry lips parted slightly, and his body trembled slightly. This was a far cry from the arrogance he had shown when facing Erica Blandelli. He was now consumed by fear.
Roy had not used any of his powers, but the vast magical energy, almost describable as 'abnormal', he had gained from slaying a god was enough to make these knights and magicians tremble.
This profound and vast magical power simply being present was enough to negate most of the magic used by ordinary humans!
The young magicians and knights felt a degree of fear, while the commanders of the magic societies, such as the ‘Old Lady’, the ‘Bronze Black Cross’, and the ‘She-Wolf’, managed to remain composed thanks to their life experiences. Even so, Paul Blandelli, the Commander of the ‘Bronze Black Cross’, Italy's strongest knight, who was always known for his refined and amiable demeanor, gradually composed himself and grew serious.
These commanders of the major magic societies might not have personally witnessed a God of the Unaligned in their lifetimes, but they had all interacted with Slayers of Gods in some way. Unlike the Gods of the Unaligned, who thought and behaved differently from humans, Slayers of Gods were ultimately still within the realm of humanity. Even with their immense power, they still possessed the possibility of communication.
Therefore, when facing a Slayer of Gods, knowing their personality and avoiding actions that might disrespect their boundaries due to ignorance was a fundamental strategy for confronting a demon king.
Among the current Slayers of Gods, the two most difficult to deal with were the ‘Supreme and Only One’ cult leader from the ancient Eastern nation, and the King of Eastern Europe, the ‘Cruel and Ruthless’ Earl of Walban.
Although the Seven Sisters magic society alliance of Italy had not encountered this new King, Roy, they knew from limited information that he was similar to the Earl of Walban in personality, being a highly self-absorbed individual. This kind of personality was the most difficult to deal with as a subordinate.
“Why aren’t you speaking, everyone?”
In the quiet, eerie atmosphere, Roy walked down the passage leading to the round table. He drew back the last chair under the gaze of all present and naturally sat down.
He placed his left hand on the table, supporting his chin, and swept his gaze across the leaders of all the magic societies present. He paused briefly on the two fourteen-year-old girls, Erica Blandelli and Liliana Cranicahr, who each possessed their own unique charm, then looked out at the entire assembly.
Though his memories of the Slayer of Gods’ story were hazy, Roy knew the importance of these two girls in the original story. It was no wonder that they were favored by the world, blessed with exceptional talent and beauty. It was truly awe-inspiring, whether it was Erica or Liliana.
In this oppressive silence, Roy waited for a while, applying sufficient pressure before finally speaking: “…I understand why you are all hesitant between me and Salvatore Tony. After all, Tony Taimu… no, Tony-sama, is my compatriot and senior, even if he only slew a god a mere two years before me.”
“…He is the leader of the Southern European magic alliance. Although you are not directly loyal to him, you are technically his subordinates. Humans have an inherent instinct to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, and will naturally choose to rely on the stronger individual when making decisions. I agree with this point, as it is a manifestation of wisdom. You are all torn between whether I or Tony-sama is stronger, and whether your choice will lead to retaliation from the other side. This is all natural.”
“Furthermore, if you choose to obey me and become mine, there might be rumors of 'betrayal'. This would be detrimental to your reputations.”
Seeing that this new King did not seem as arbitrary and capricious as the information suggested, and even demonstrated rationality by considering the situation from the perspective of the weaker party, many people breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that this new King was someone they could communicate with.
Diana Mililto, the Commander of the ‘Bronze Black Cross’, sat up straight and said in a respectful tone: “…Thank you, 『King』, for your understanding. We…”
“Silence!”
Before Diana Mililto could finish her sentence, Roy interrupted her with a low growl, silencing the rest of her words.
“I haven't finished speaking yet. It’s not your turn to interrupt, lady! I recall my command was for you all to come to the Vatican immediately. However, upon reaching Rome, you did not come to me, but instead convened what you call a 'meeting'. Do you mean to defy my command? Or do you simply not care about my presence?”
Roy suddenly broke into a cold smile. Though he did not remember the original story clearly, he still knew that the protagonist, Kotarou Tatsumi, despite being a Slayer of Gods, was used and manipulated by others, even being called upon and ordered around, completely lacking the demeanor befitting a Slayer of Gods.
He was even subjected to a so-called ‘battle test’ by these magic societies under the pretext of ‘evaluation’. This was a clear case of insubordination, an insult to the Slayer of Gods.
When did Slayers of Gods need to prove their titles to others? As Slayers of Gods are the Demon Kings of the earth, they should naturally resolve conflicts through the means of a Demon King.
Roy’s principle was to act in accordance with his status, and he believed that the only ones truly worthy of the title of Demon King among the Slayers of Gods were the Earl of Walban and the God King, Rōhō. Who dared to even think of disrespecting these two ancient Slayers of Gods?
The mysterious Lady Aisha could also be considered a qualified Slayer of Gods. She was a Demon King who acted according to her own whims, completely imposing her will on others, regardless of whether that will was benevolent or malicious.
As for the new generation of Slayers of Gods, in Roy's opinion, they were all unqualified.
Roy’s sudden change in disposition made all the magicians present abandon their previous thoughts. Slayers of Gods were indeed Slayers of Gods, and the new King was indeed as capricious as the records stated.
One moment they were mutually understanding, the next they were being directly questioned with their lives on the line.
“Do you doubt my strength! Do you doubt my identity as a Slayer of Gods, that you would dare to defy me so openly? I’m not interested in performing my powers for you like a circus monkey, but you can feel it through your own bodies.”
Roy suddenly turned towards the Commander of the ‘Bronze Black Cross’ and activated his Second Power.
This was Roy’s blatant display of power!