However, Roy was no ordinary man. If his fifteen years in the world of A Certain Magical Index had been lived as a commoner, his two years as a Campione in this world—and his reign as the "King of Europe"—had fundamentally reshaped his way of thinking.
He had fully embraced his status as one who stood above mortals, unbound by their laws and morals.
It didn't matter if the shrine maidens were generations removed from him. Even if Yuri Mariya and Ena Seishuuin were his direct daughters or granddaughters, he wouldn't have cared. As a Campione who transcended humanity, as a Demon King reigning supreme, why would he be constrained by human morality or law?
Taking a deep breath, Roy turned his gaze to the Divine Ancestor Janaki before him. Dressed in a resplendent kimono, her delicate features radiated beauty. Though the heavy robes concealed her graceful figure, Roy could still vividly recall the exquisite curves and jade-like skin hidden beneath.
But he hadn't come to the Netherworld for Janaki. There was still one matter left to settle.
"...Since you're here, Janaki, you must know where Susanoo-no-Mikoto has gone, don't you?"
After a pause, Roy added, "...I apologize that our first meeting in two thousand years begins with me asking about a Heretic God. But that hidden nuisance has caused me enough trouble, and I won't let it escape today. Once this is resolved, if you wish, I can make amends. If you'd rather not see me again, I'll leave and never appear before you."
Roy was not the type to discard a woman after taking his pleasure. Over two millennia ago, he had flirted with Janaki and taken her to bed—and if she was willing to accept him now, he would shoulder the responsibility of a man. If she rejected him, he wouldn't cling shamelessly.
Though his actions were often tyrannical, that was reserved for outsiders. To act domineering toward those close to him would be nothing but cowardice. A man who only bullied his own was better off dead.
He was a conqueror. A king. A true man of honor—not some wretched creature lurking in the shadows.
Janaki could sense the sincerity in Roy's words, and her heart gradually settled as an unconscious smile graced her lips.
Two thousand years ago, she might have harbored thoughts of revenge against Veeraj, but deep down, she knew she had been drawn to this overwhelmingly domineering yet tender man. That was why she had fallen so deeply. Otherwise, their encounter would have been nothing more than a fleeting night of passion before parting ways forever. Janaki would never have borne the lineage of the Demon King for him. When a woman is willing to bear your child, it signifies the surrender of both body and soul.
Though she still resented Roy for his "abandonment" over these two millennia, blaming him—a man of the modern era—for meddling with an ancient goddess like her, leaving her to drift alone in the Netherworld for a thousand years, Janaki also understood that none of this could be entirely Roy's fault. It was simply the whims of fate.
With this thought, the furrow in Janaki's delicate brows gradually smoothed, and she spoke softly, "...I know you wish to slay Susanoo-no-Mikoto. Over the past thousand years, I have indeed received much kindness from Him."
Her words made Roy raise an eyebrow, unsure of her intent. Did she consider Susanoo her benefactor and thus refuse to reveal the god's whereabouts?
If that were the case, Roy wouldn't blame her.
Perhaps sensing his thoughts, Janaki quickly added, "...I don't mean to shield Him. In truth, Susanoo-no-Mikoto is the God of Storms and a Steel God, long an enemy of us Earth Mother Goddess. I also know His help was calculated—He targeted me because of my mythological identity as Veeraj's wife. Since gods cannot speak of Veeraj, He sought to use me as a mouthpiece to warn those under His care."
As she spoke, Janaki retrieved a magatama from her robes and handed it to Roy. "...Susanoo doesn't know of my connection to you. He trusts me deeply and even revealed another of His hidden locations. This magatama contains the coordinates of His current refuge in the Netherworld. If you wish to kill Him, go there."
Roy channeled his magical energy into the magatama, studying the recorded coordinates. He lifted his gaze to meet Janaki's glass-like, beautiful eyes and remarked with amusement, "...If He's been kind to you, why sell Him out like this?"
Janaki pressed her lips into a faint smile. "...Since He sought to manipulate me, His kindness is nullified. Besides, as a Steel God, I've always disliked Him. And now... now that He's provoked your ire, it's only fitting He returns to myth. A Heretic God hiding in the Netherworld shouldn't meddle with the mortal realm. He broke the rules and deserves to die by the Demon King's hand."
Watching the elegant, noblewoman-like smile on the beautiful goddess's face, Roy was reminded of her earlier bashfulness. To Janaki, that moment might have been over two thousand years ago, but for Roy, it felt like it had just happened.
A sudden impulse stirred within him. His hand slid around the slender waist hidden beneath the goddess's heavy kimono, and as Janaki flushed with shyness, he lightly nipped at her crystalline earring, whispering into her ear, "...In these two thousand years, have you sought out anyone else?"
The goddess's eyes seemed misty, her glass-like pupils turning into droplets of water. She felt her breathing gradually quicken, her body growing weak under his intimate touch, and she slowly shook her head...
"Good, I'll come find you again after dealing with Susanoo!"
Roy's words made Janaki think of something. She bit her lip, her ivory cheeks turning completely crimson like a ripe apple, and softly murmured an "Mm."
In mythology, Janaki was originally a woman of flawless chastity, only misunderstood by her people, which led to her suffering many hardships. Back then, Roy hadn't taken her by force either—instead, their feelings had gradually deepened during their shared flight. Roy hadn't expected that Janaki, who had transformed from a god into a human, would remain untouched for a thousand years.
Roy activated the secret arts of the Netherworld, instantly leaving the courtyard and arriving at another hidden location. This place closely resembled the previous courtyard, and as soon as Roy arrived, he sensed a presence that instinctively repulsed him.
It was the unmistakable aura of a Heretic God. Without suppressing it using the Face of God, Roy, as a Campione, would naturally react to the presence of a Heretic God.
"This old man truly never expected Janaki to have such a relationship with you—to the point she would reveal my final hiding place to you, Roy, the King!"
The moment Roy stepped into the courtyard, he heard a robust male voice. His gaze shifted, landing on an elderly man with the burly build of a blacksmith, dressed in simple samurai attire, sitting imposingly on a stone bench in the courtyard. Beside him lay the 0.7 fragments of the Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi sword that Roy had previously shattered.
"Susanoo-no-Mikoto, one of the Three Noble Children of Takamagahara. Today, I have come here to kill you!"
Roy advanced step by step, the immense cursed energy within him—far surpassing that of a typical Campione—seething like molten lava. The terrifying energy fluctuations caused steam to rise around him, distorting even the Netherworld, a realm of the mind.
With each step, his presence grew stronger, exerting a pressure so overwhelming that even a Heretic God would tremble in fear. Cold sweat formed on the brow of Susanoo, the ancient god of storms and steel.
He had many words he wished to exchange with this Demon King, but Roy's killing intent was absolute—leaving him no opportunity to speak.
'How can he be this strong? A Campione shouldn't possess such power!'
As Roy's towering figure completely blocked his line of sight, Susanoo's expression shifted. His hand gripped the hilt of the wailing Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi sword.
***
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