Chapter 9: Divine Authority in Hand!
Shirou naturally understood the implication of Pandora's words. It meant that the six previous "Godslayers" had never called the goddess before him "Mama." Even without doing so, they had still obtained divine Authorities.
Shirou suddenly felt conflicted. Did he lose out, or did he gain something?
At this moment, Pandora seemed to sense the speechless expression on Shirou's face. She swayed her body slightly, leaning down toward him.
"Don't be unhappy~ my seventh child. Having a cute goddess like me, who isn't blood-related, as your 'foster mother'—you lose nothing. In fact, you've hit the jackpot!"
She spoke with such righteous confidence that Shirou felt helpless. He didn't intend to keep arguing with this goddess whose thought process was clearly unconventional, so he asked directly:
"In any case, I should be qualified to obtain a divine Authority now, right?"
Hearing this, a cute smile bloomed on Pandora's face. She looked at Shirou with "maternal" affection.
"Yes, indeed. Since you're so eager, I shall grant you the Authority of the 'Black Dragon' Nidhogg right now."
"Good," Shirou replied immediately. He was impatient, though he maintained his composure.
Pandora leaned further down, bringing her face—a blend of cuteness and beauty—close to Shirou's.
"A normal reincarnation ritual wouldn't be like this, but as a reward for being the first good child to call me 'Mama,' I'll give you a bonus~"
Shirou was puzzled. Just as he was wondering what the "reward" could be, a waft of fragrant air hit him, making his pupils contract. Simultaneously, he felt his body heating up with a comfort akin to soaking in a hot spring. In this state of utter bliss, drowsiness overcame him, and the world began to blur.
As Shirou fell into a deep slumber, the power of the reincarnation ritual caused divine energy to strike his body like golden lightning within the "Boundary of Life and Immortality." His frame began to radiate a faint, divine luster.
Like a dream, the sleeping Shirou saw an epic scene. It was the trunk of a tree that pierced heaven and earth, making everything in the world seem infinitesimal. That massive trunk separated the mortal realm from the heavenly realm, dividing them into two distinct regions. The gods above were constantly at war due to their conflicting views, just like mortals below.
But in the mortal realm, unknown to anyone, a giant black dragon coiled at the roots of that World Tree, gnawing at its three roots every second of every day. The serpents following the
dragon were vastly different from normal snakes; they had majestic horns on their heads and four legs on their torsos. Shirou recognized them clearly—they were Jiao-Dragons.
Then, as the black dragon finished devouring the three roots, the heavens began to shake. An endless twilight shone down, and the apocalypse arrived.
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As if crossing a dream ten thousand years long, Shirou's consciousness gradually returned to the real world. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a beautiful, faerie-like face.
"Thank goodness, you're finally awake!"
Seeing Shirou open his eyes, Liliana revealed a look of immense relief and gazed at him with concern.
"..."
"How do you feel? Is there any discomfort? I can perform healing magecraft for you... ah... but I've never used magecraft on a Devil King before, I don't know if it will be effective..."
The girl spoke faster and faster. Judging by her urgent expression, she seemed more concerned about his body than he was.
"How long was I out?"
Shirou felt the softness of the legs beneath his head, noting that he seemed to be on a streak with lap pillows today.
"Um... about half an hour." Liliana answered quickly.
Hearing this, Shirou sat up. He checked his memory and was surprised to find that he had retained his memories of the "Boundary of Life and Immortality." Goddess Pandora's cute doll-like face remained vivid in his mind.
Shirou smacked his lips, as if savoring the final trace of sweetness and refreshing fragrance from the Netherworld.
'Was it because of Pandora's help, or the system, that I could keep my memories...?'
The question surfaced briefly, but he quickly pushed it aside. He could feel that after undergoing the ritual, his combat power had grown significantly. Moreover, because his original body was already capable of fighting Heretic Gods, this enhancement pushed him to a level that previous "Godslayers" had likely never reached at their birth.
Furthermore, he had obtained the divine Authority of the Black Dragon Nidhogg. The Authority was named: [Doomsday Proclamation]!
This Authority granted Shirou two distinct powers:
Devouring Force: It allows Shirou to exercise Nidhogg's power to consume even the World Tree. He can swallow the power of any enemy—even a "Heretic God." The success rate is determined by the target's current state. Simply put, the lower the enemy's "health," the higher the success rate of devouring them. Dark Domain: It allows Shirou to summon a field of darkness, similar to the black mist Nidhogg exhaled. Within this domain, he can summon the six great serpents: Goin, Moin, Grabak, Grafvollud, Ofnir, and Svafnir.
"[Doomsday Proclamation]... so this is Nidhogg's divine Authority..."
Shirou closed his eyes slightly, feeling the power. Then, he checked his current attributes.
Name: Orihara Shirou (Campione) Gender: Male Height: 187 cm Race: Human Bloodline: [Third Cosmos Particle Body] Authority: [Doomsday Proclamation] Special Ability: [Unlimited Blade Works] Physical Strength: 1223 → 1359 (Base: 10) Neural Reflexes: 1040 → 1268 (Base: 10) Vitality: 1377 → 1502 (Base: 10) Spirit: 846 → 1107 (Base: 10)
Every value had increased. Having his first Authority was a great start. Shirou looked at the panel with delight. However, as the excitement faded, his mind cooled down.
He thought of Pandora and the ritual. He didn't quite understand why she granted such power to humans.
'Systematically creating so many Campiones... it's unlikely to be a mere whim. There must be a deeper reason behind it...'
After realizing he had no clues, he gave up the pointless speculation.
"Forget it. I'll ask Pandora in detail the next time I visit the Boundary."
Besides, the "brief taste" today had left him wanting more; he looked forward to seeing more of that goddess's charms.
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