Chapter 61: The Outbreak of the Ten Great Authorities
"I didn't expect so many 'sacrifices' to be gathered here. It seems I won't have to waste time searching for them."
Marquis Voban flashed a smile of certain victory, his contemptuous gaze sweeping between the high-rise building and the youth standing before him.
"Speaking of which, I really must thank you. Their spiritual power is quite abundant. I imagine they could withstand the drain of summoning several 'Heretic Gods' at once."
Feeling Voban's gaze sweep over her, Mariya Yuri, inside the building, felt her body tremble slightly with fear.
What Marquis Voban intended to do this time was undoubtedly the same as what he did two years ago. Back then, in order to complete the "Summoning of God"—a ritual considered extremely difficult even among high-level sorceries—Voban had gathered talented shrine maidens from all over Europe to utilize their spiritual power.
Mariya Yuri, who happened to be invited to Europe by an acquaintance in Austria during her summer break, could only be described as unfortunate. The only stroke of luck in her misfortune was that she survived. Yet, because she survived, she now had to face being targeted by the Demon King once again. For a time, Yuri had felt a deep sorrow regarding her own destiny.
At this moment, Marquis Voban was sizing up Shirou with a look of genuine interest.
"I can feel your powerful aura. Given enough time, you would surely continue to grow. A pity, then, that you encountered me today."
Believing himself to be a lone wolf toying with a lamb, Voban spoke with leisurely ease. He possessed ten Authorities, whereas this youth, who had been a Campione for less than two months, could have seven at the most.
While the gap in the number of Authorities wasn't massive, Voban considered his mastery over them to be perfect. How proficient could this new Campione be after a mere two months? Voban had researched the timing and combinations of Authorities to the absolute limit.
To Voban, this battle was so devoid of suspense that it almost felt unnecessary; victory was the only possible conclusion. At this thought, Voban couldn't help but let out a grim, twisted laugh. Looking at the youth, he shook his head slightly.
"Too weak."
Evaluating him thus, Marquis Voban smiled cruelly and activated his Authority.
"Allow me to show you what a true Demon King looks like!"
In the next instant, the winds and clouds shifted violently. Thick, dark clouds gathered, and peals of thunder accompanied by spreading bolts of lightning saturated the sky.
This was one of Voban's ten great Authorities: [Storm and Stress]!
This was an Authority Voban had usurped from the trinity of wind gods: Feng Bo, Yu Shi, and Lei Gong. It was also because he killed these gods in Jiangnan that Voban had sparked a feud with Leader Luo Hao.
The full scope of this Authority was the summoning of a tempest and the manipulation of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. Due to the Authority's influence, whenever Voban's mood peaked, violent storms would brew around him. Its applications were incredibly versatile: striking targets like a lightning rod, preventing clothes from getting wet in a blizzard, manipulating the atmosphere to fly freely through the sky, or regulating the local climate to maintain a comfortable temperature.
In 1854, Voban had used this Authority to destroy Zadar, a port city in Dalmatia covering 194 square kilometers!
The transformation didn't stop there. Marquis Voban's eyes simultaneously glazed over with an eerie purple hue. The parts of Shirou's body caught in this gaze began to undergo a process of saltification.
"Sodom's Eye..."
Shirou murmured the name of the Authority.
It was an Authority Marquis Voban had usurped from the ancient Roman hero and "One-Eyed War God," Horatius Cocles. Any living being Voban viewed with these eyes, regardless of number, would be turned into a pillar of salt. It was named after the divine punishment that destroyed Sodom in the Old Testament.
However, against Gods and Campiones, this Authority could only temporarily saltify portions of the body, making it a supportive tool for close-quarters combat. During its activation, Voban's vision increased to see kilometers away, granting him X-ray vision that ignored obstacles. There was no upper limit to its power; if necessary, Voban could turn the entire population of Tokyo into salt without moving a muscle.
"Hmph. Brat, surely you didn't think I would slowly duel you with one Authority at a time?"
Looking at the salt appearing on Shirou's legs, Marquis Voban wore a cunning smile. He loved the thrill of erupting with multiple Authorities at once, watching his opponent's eyes fill with terror before being instantly killed!
"Hahaha! Not over yet! Come forth, [Fenrir, the Wolf of Ragnarok]!!"
Appearing alongside Voban's arrogant laughter was the skull of a giant Fenrir, exceeding sixty meters in size. This was an Authority usurped from the "Wolf of the End," Fenrir, of Norse
mythology. It allowed him to transform into or summon the massive skull of Fenrir to devour his target.
In the legends of the End Times, Fenrir swallowed the sun; therefore, this power was exceptionally effective against Solar Gods. If it crashed into the ground from the sky, it possessed the destructive power of a massive crane, obliterating everything within a diameter of several hundred meters. While this overwhelming power was hard to stop, the Authority lacked flexibility and was difficult to control precisely, preventing it from being fired in rapid succession.
However, since Shirou's legs were currently saltified and his mobility impaired, Voban had chosen to launch this strike directly. Among his many powers, this was one of the most destructive.
Faced with this simultaneous assault of multiple Authorities, golden divine power surged across Shirou's body. Lightning entwined around his saltified legs, and by entering a state of Divine Speed, he became immune to the saltification.
"Storms and lightning... I happen to like this kind of weather too."
The moment Shirou finished speaking, the lightning in the sky converged into a massive, thick bolt that crashed down violently toward Marquis Voban's body!
"Hm?"
Marquis Voban looked at the lightning falling toward him with some surprise. He attempted to use his own Authority to seize control of the bolt, but he failed.
"How...!?"
While Marquis Voban was reeling from the shock, Shirou raised his hand, gathering a massive amount of lightning into a giant spear of thunder comparable in size to Fenrir's skull. He then hurled it violently toward the descending wolf!
BOOM—!!!
The violent explosion in the sky caused the island below to quake. The members of the History Compilation Committee could only watch this scene in terror. As mages, they knew all too well what kind of cataclysmic destruction would occur if Voban's Authorities were unleashed upon the earth.
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