Inside his mental sea, Tenra stared up at the colossal shadow looming overhead—so vast it seemed to blot out the sky itself.
The true form of the Codex of Divinitas et Diabolus.
Tenra's first self-created Sacred Gear had always seemed unimpressive by artifact standards—so faint, so ordinary, that most wouldn't even notice it was a Sacred Gear at all.
But tonight, something was different.
The Codex's aura, once barely perceptible, now pulsed with a subtle but unmistakable strength. And woven across its surface were a dozen or more golden threads, radiating outward in every direction, vanishing into infinite darkness.
He couldn't see where they ended, but Tenra could sense it—each thread was connected to someone: Asia, Raynare, Yubelluna… every girl who had sworn faith in him.
He'd felt the change the moment the girls pledged themselves. Now, with his first true believers, the Codex had awakened a new power.
Tiny currents of energy traveled along those threads, flowing from Asia and the others into the Codex. Weak, yes—but impossibly pure. This was a kind of power Tenra had never encountered before.
When the Codex fed that energy back into his mind, understanding struck him.
Faith.
This was the power of faith.
Gods gathered faith through their systems, granting blessings and protection to their followers. Tenra had never imagined his Codex could do the same.
Shock lasted only a moment, quickly replaced by wild, giddy joy.
Right now, he had only a handful of believers—Asia, Raynare, Yubelluna, and the rest. The faith he could collect was limited. But what about the future? What if he amassed thousands, millions, even more? The possibilities were staggering.
And unlike spiritual or magical energy, faith had no inherent attribute. It was raw potential, able to transform into any kind of power—spiritual, magical, demonic, you name it. With a single thought, Tenra could shape it into whatever he needed.
Any energy, any form.
He couldn't help but marvel. He hadn't yet become the supreme ruler or god he dreamed of, but he already possessed the qualifications.
Rule-breaking Sacred Gear Plunder.
Limitless potential of the Codex of Divinitas et Diabolus.
Dominant power of the Boosted Gear.
In this world, who could possibly stop him now?
A cough broke the silence.
Tenra opened his eyes, collecting his thoughts, to find Yubelluna's beautiful face close by.
Raynare and Tosca were off in their own rooms, poring over the Codex Tenra had given them. Tonight, only Yubelluna kept him company.
"You're getting better and better at this," Tenra murmured, stroking her cheek as she knelt beside the bed, wiping the corner of her mouth.
Yubelluna's face flushed crimson.
With all this nightly practice… how could she not improve?
"Continue."
Tenra's voice was soft, but held the unmistakable ring of command. Yubelluna bowed her head and obeyed without hesitation.
Morning. Training grounds.
BOOM! BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Winds roared, magic flared, and the air crackled with thunder as Tenra—clad in the Red Dragon Emperor's armor—sparred furiously with Xuelan and the others.
When he'd first seized the Boosted Gear, Tenra had reached the Forbidden Hand level instantly, thanks to his Sacred Gear Plunder and his own Demon Lord-class spiritual power. But true mastery of the Red Dragon Emperor's strength required relentless practice.
"Haa!!"
Xuelan and Isabella moved like lightning, calling out in unison as they charged him.
Both girls, as Rooks, possessed explosive power and ironclad defense. Their combined assault was nothing to take lightly. Tenra met their fists head-on, armored knuckles slamming into theirs.
CRASH!
A shockwave rippled across the field. Xuelan and Isabella cried out as they were hurled backward, landing hard on the ground. They were strong, but still far from matching their king.
"Lord Tenra!"
Kalamaina and Siris appeared in a blur, their Knight speed carrying them from the far side of the arena to Tenra's front in a heartbeat.
No holding back—both girls swung their swords in rapid, deadly arcs. Tenra conjured twin magic blades and met them blow for blow.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Steel rang and sparks flew. Tenra fought both Knights at once, his swordplay so fast it blurred, creating a wall of flashing steel.
"Ha!"
Not one to linger, Tenra seized an opening, dispelled his magic swords, and thrust his palms outward. He didn't strike the girls directly, but the force of his attack sent Kalamaina and Siris flying, slamming them into the magic shield at the edge of the training ground.
No sooner had they hit the barrier than fresh attacks came barreling in.
"Iron staff—extend!"
Mira's iron staff whipped out, stretching to dozens of meters as she brought it crashing down on Tenra's shoulder. The ground splintered beneath the impact, and even with the Red Dragon Emperor's armor, Tenra felt his arm go numb.
"Hahaha… tear him apart, tear him apart!"
"Lord Tenra, die die!"
Ile and Nel rushed in, cackling with glee as they swung their magic chainsaws at him.
Tenra's eye twitched, but he let the sisters hack away to their hearts' content. When they finally tired out, their chainsaws clattered to the ground, and the armor bore only a few shallow scratches.
"Haa… haha… Lord Tenra, we surrender…"
Seeing Tenra's stony expression, the sisters raised their hands in surrender.
"Request denied."
His voice rumbled from inside the armor. Before they could protest, Tenra flicked each loli on the forehead.
Just a flick—but the girls tumbled across the field, clutching their heads and howling.
"Iron staff…"
Mira, undeterred, swung her weapon again, but Tenra gave her no chance. In a flash, he was in front of her, driving a fist into her stomach.
"Ugh…"
Mira crumpled, face pale, unable to continue.
Tenra started to say something, but suddenly his expression shifted—danger prickled at the edge of his awareness.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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