Trafalgar Square, the iconic plaza in the heart of London, has served as a backdrop in 48 well-known films. This landmark is often chosen for scenes requiring the city's distinctive atmosphere, with its magnificent fountains and the majestic lion statues. Locals are accustomed to seeing film crews scattered there, setting up cameras and spotlights, while tourists and onlookers gather at the fringes to witness the filming process.
Among the predominantly Caucasian crowd, a striking young Asian man stood out. His slightly messy brown hair and sharp eyes made him noticeable.
The young man was Rokuhara Ren, the Seventh Campione, one of the few humans standing at the pinnacle of the world's power.
On one hand, his appearance was enough to overwhelm most people, and on the other hand, the inexplicable aura he exuded made others hesitant to approach.
Although Ren did not intentionally flaunt his aura, the confidence stemming from his immense power made many feel incapable of competing with him in any aspect just by looking at him.
"He's an acquaintance of mine, let him through."
Suddenly, a soft and flirtatious voice was heard. A woman walked closer, wearing an elegant long coat even though her hair was still styled for her role in the film. She was one of the actresses filming that day. The security guards nodded respectfully and cleared the way.
Ren stepped past the security barrier, then smiled at the woman—Nakano Ichika, his sister-in-law who had become a national actress in Japan and was beginning to enter the international market.
"I saw you acting earlier, Ichika-san. You really look like a different person in front of the camera. Your acting was amazing." Ren complimented in a relaxed tone.
Ichika smiled broadly, slightly puffing out her already prominent chest.
"Ren-kun can praise Onee-san even more, you know~." She replied in a flirtatious tone, then linked her arm with Ren's and led him to the staff tent.
"Ren-kun looks so calm. Isn't this your first time on a film set?"
"Yeah, I've come to places like this a few times." Ren answered ambiguously, not giving any further details.
"..."
Ichika looked at him curiously but didn't press. Usually, ordinary people would be busy looking around the film set with great curiosity—the large cameras, spotlights, and actors busy rehearsing their lines. But Ren was different. He stood with a relaxed demeanor, as if all of this was commonplace for him.
In his previous life, as a member of the Nine Dragons Family in Indonesia, Ren was indeed accustomed to the entertainment industry—especially its darker side. Behind the glamorous glitter and luxury that many people dreamed of, he knew very well how this industry worked. Despite appearing to live in glory, female celebrities were often just playthings for the rich and powerful. Ren himself had been involved in it—he had slept with many female celebrities in the past.
"Have you had lunch yet, Ren-kun? If not, would you like to eat with me?" Ichika asked, breaking the silence.
"Sure, I'm hungry too." Ren accepted the offer.
"Wait here for a moment."
Then, Ichika got some food from the catering table provided for the cast and crew, and they sat together in a corner of the tent.
While Ichika went back to work after eating, Ren used the free time to sit quietly, recovering his magical energy that had been depleted after the previous battle. He closed his eyes for a moment, preparing himself to face the next Heretic God.
Whenever there was a break in filming, Ichika always came back to Ren.
They chatted lightly, and occasionally Ichika teased her brother-in-law with a mischievous smile or a flirtatious comment.
"Ren-kun, if I fall off the stage, you'll catch me, right?" She said with a laugh, then nudged Ren's arm with her elbow.
"Of course. If something happens to Ichika-san, Itsuki will be sad." Ren replied lightly.
"So you're doing it for Itsuki, huh..." Ichika whispered in a low voice.
Ichika knew what she was doing was wrong. She shouldn't be so close to her brother-in-law—her own sister's boyfriend. But there was something about Ren that made it difficult for her to resist. The feeling of guilt was mixed with a strange sensation that gripped her heart, like a venomous snake coiling tightly, making her unable to break free.
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"Huft... That's enough for today. Fighting three Heretic Gods in a row in one day, maybe only I can do that, right? Even Marquis Voban, who is famous for hunting Heretic Gods, wouldn't work this hard." Ren muttered, exhaling a long breath.
He stood on Canvey Island, feeling the new Divine Authority merging with his body after his latest victory.
He glanced at the Holy Grail in his hand, its glow now dimmer compared to yesterday.
"I'm worried, the Holy Grail can only be used two more times." He said to himself, his brow furrowed.
Ren had not anticipated that summoning Heretic Gods would consume so much magical energy from the Holy Grail.
"Let it be. After all, the Holy Grail doesn't belong to me. Guinevere is the one who loses the most. With this, it's not impossible that the King of the End's resurrection will be delayed due to the lack of magical energy in the Holy Grail." Ren smiled faintly.
Imagining Guinevere frustrated because her plans were delayed made him feel satisfied.
"Such a petty woman deserves to suffer a little."
Ren activated Godspeed, a power that allowed him to move faster than lightning. In an instant, he returned to the Silver Dusk Palace, his residence in London.
The day was already late, and his body felt tired after the long battle. He needed rest to prepare for the next day's fight. With calm steps, he entered his room, leaving the outside world still busy with its own affairs.
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After taking a shower, Ren came out of the bathroom wearing only a loose gray bathrobe. His hair was still slightly damp, and droplets of water occasionally fell to the floor.
He walked towards the large mattress in the middle of the room, sat on the edge, then began to chant an incantation.
"Tales, Facts, Myths, all are stored in my writings, all secrets gathered in my grasp, nothing can be hidden from my thoughts."
As the last words left his mouth, the air around him vibrated softly. A thick book with an old brown leather cover appeared in his right palm, as if summoned from another dimension.
This is the Book of Knowledge Divine Authority, the power that Ren had wrested from the Heretic God Thoth after today's battle.
In ancient Egyptian mythology, Thoth was known as the God of Wisdom, writing, and knowledge. He was depicted with the head of an ibis or sometimes as a baboon, often carrying a reed pen and palette to record the secrets of the world. Thoth was the creator of hieroglyphs, the keeper of cosmic balance, and the patron of scribes.
The Book of Knowledge Divine Authority has only one ability, called Omniscient Codex. With this ability, Ren can summon a book containing all knowledge about the world – from historical facts to hidden secrets. The book will display the answer to any question asked by its user, as long as the question relates to the past or present. The future is still out of his reach, but for Ren, that's more than enough.
"Hmm... What do I want to know..." Ren muttered, opening the book and looking at the blank pages waiting for his command.
Leaning back, he thought of something interesting to find out. Suddenly, his memory drifted to a woman he had met some time ago—Kasumigaoka Utaha, the saleswoman who sold him a car when he was with Hayasaka.
"What exactly happened to that poisonous-tongued girl for her life to fall to the point of becoming a middle-aged man's mistress?" Ren asked himself, his brow slightly raised in curiosity.
"Alright, let's find out with the Book of Knowledge."
*SNAP!*
He snapped his fingers, and the blank pages in the book began to vibrate. Golden writing slowly appeared, forming neat sentences that answered his question. Ren read calmly.
After a while...
"I see. Her father was addicted to gambling, which led to a divorce with her mother. Not only that, that useless father used Utaha's name as collateral for debt, then ran off somewhere. Because her life was chaotic and restless, Utaha lost her inspiration to write light novels. Without income as a writer, she worked part-time in many places, and eventually became a saleswoman at a car showroom. One day, the manager got Utaha drunk and slept with her in a hotel. Since then, Utaha has become that manager's mistress."
The Book of Knowledge indeed could not see the future, but recording the past was trivial. Utaha's sad life story unfolded clearly before his eyes, but Ren did not feel the slightest sympathy. For him, women like Utaha—who had betrayed the man who liked her in pursuit of a career—did not deserve pity.
"One choice has the power to completely change a person's life. If Utaha could turn back time, I'm sure she would never have left the Blessing Software circle and moved to the Rouge en rouge circle." Ren said lightly.
Unfortunately, the world did not allow the word 'if'; everything that happened now was a self-chosen path from the past.