Manhattan is the most densely populated borough of New York City in the United States. The entire area is situated on an island, hence its name, Manhattan Island.
It serves as the economic and cultural heart of the United States, housing New York's central business district and boasting the world's greatest concentration of skyscrapers. Most Fortune 500 company headquarters are based here, alongside global institutions like the United Nations Headquarters, Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange, and NASDAQ. It's widely regarded as the epicenter of global finance and the true stronghold of capitalism. Additionally, Manhattan is home to the country's wealthiest residents.
Owning a house in Manhattan is a luxury far beyond the reach of the average American.
In this most expensive real estate area in the world, a luxurious garden villa stood proudly amidst the land scarcity. Only such a place was befitting for one of the seven noble "kings" of the world to stay.
Even though the rulers of the United States may change annually, a Campione—the "king" who has slain gods—only appears a few times in an era.
"Asherah actually chose Manhattan Island as her target for destruction!"
At the dining table, Annie Charlton slammed her fist down hard, venting her anger with the loud thud.
Annie was no longer wearing her armor or mask. Since Roy already knew her true identity, there was no need to maintain the disguise—it would only make her seem insincere.
Annie Charlton had short, fiery red hair. She was dressed smartly in a fitted women's business suit, paired with tailored suit pants. She wore frameless glasses, completing the appearance of a top-level corporate executive. Her composed demeanor would never lead anyone to associate her with a Campione.
Annie was a striking woman, though far from a breathtaking beauty. She didn't possess the mesmerizing allure of a goddess like Athena. Even compared to Erica or Liliana, her looks fell short.
However, her identity as a Campione and the commanding aura she exuded from her years in a superior position more than compensated, granting her an undeniable presence. She didn't rely on beauty like most women; she commanded respect with her authority.
Roy could now understand why Annie chose to hide her identity as a Campione. She was an extremely low-profile individual, avoiding both adoration and attention. By always wearing a mask and armor, she could live a peaceful daily life as "Annie Charlton" without being disturbed by magicians.
"Thank goodness for your warning, Mr. Roy. Otherwise, I would have suffered a major setback this time! This is Manhattan, the financial center of the world and the United States. If it were to sustain large-scale destruction, it would be worse than the 9/11 attacks and could trigger a global financial crisis."
Annie exhaled heavily, releasing her pent-up frustration. "...If that were to happen, it would be my failure as Annie Charlton. I would have failed to protect the people of the United States."
Listening to her impassioned words and her sincere gratitude, Roy found himself amused by the diversity in Campione personalities.
From the cruel and cold Marquis Voban and Cult Leader Luo Hao to the kind and responsible Annie Charlton and Madame Aisha, and even the single-mindedly sword-obsessed Salvatore Doni—the differences were staggering.
And then, there was Roy himself, someone who reveled in schemes and tricks, a Campione who was neither entirely good nor entirely evil.
"The leader of the Lord of the Flies is the Divine Ancestor Asherah. That witch has been operating on the West Coast of the United States, collecting the essence of the earth and water to restore herself from the state of a Divine Ancestor to that of a serpentine dragon. She's been intentionally misleading you into believing that her target lies on the West Coast.
"...In reality, this Divine Ancestor desires nothing. Her hatred for Campiones and humanity is so intense that her only goal is destruction. This time, she has gathered enough essence and has moved from the West Coast to the East Coast, intending to wreak havoc on Manhattan Island. Even if you rushed here from the West Coast, it would likely be too late.
"If that happens, it'll be like a Hollywood blockbuster brought to life—a giant snake rampaging through Manhattan. It would be no different from a gorilla fighting planes on the Empire State Building."
Roy ended his explanation with a teasing comment, adding, "...If it comes to that, all the magicians in the United States will have to play Men in Black, running around erasing everyone's memories. Hahaha!"
Roy was not someone driven by a sense of justice or responsibility in these matters, so he didn't care much. However, Annie was the complete opposite. She cared deeply about the people under her jurisdiction, and her expression grew even more solemn.
"Thank you again, Mr. Roy, for your help. If it weren't for you, countless innocent people would have been killed or injured on Manhattan Island this time."
Annie Charlton thanked him solemnly once more.
Roy waved it off nonchalantly. To him, all he had done was acquire the medium related to the Lord of the Flies from Annie. Using Clairvoyance to trace back into the past, he easily uncovered the purpose behind the Divine Ancestor Asherah's actions.
The so-called Divine Ancestor refers to ancient Earth Mother Goddesses who transformed into dragons and snakes, eventually devolving into pitiful goddesses that even lost their identities as dragons and snakes. They could no longer be referred to as gods and had lost divine powers. However, because the Divine Ancestors still retained some Earth Mother Goddess divinity, their descendants became witches.
Witches like White Princess Alice and Liliana are descendants of such Divine Ancestors.
"The vast majority of Earth Mother Goddesses, having lost everything, harbor great resentment towards the Steel Heroes and this world. There are very few of us Earth Goddesses like me who have managed to retain our godhood."
Athena, seated beside Roy, sighed softly, her tone carrying the sorrow of ancient Earth Mother Goddesses.
These Earth Goddesses, who once stood at the apex of mythology, lost their powers as the myths and mankind evolved. They became the possessions of father gods, then were transformed into dragons and snakes to be slain by heroes. But even death wasn't their release. The slain Earth Goddesses lost their divine powers and lives, only to linger on as Divine Ancestors. Such cruel transformations were enough to drive anyone to madness.
"Athena and I have an agreement that, unless absolutely necessary, I won't attack Earth Mother Goddesses. So this time, I won't help you, Annie. But as it's just a Divine Ancestor—even if she temporarily regains some power—you should be more than capable of handling her as a Campione."
Roy claimed it was due to his agreement with Athena, but in truth, Earth Mother Goddesses were fundamentally incompatible with his domains of "Victory," "Sun," and "Steel." Killing one wouldn't lead to any meaningful changes or benefits for him. With that in mind, he had no interest in tangling with them unnecessarily.
Still, saying things that would please Athena was something Roy didn't mind doing.
"Mr. Roy, you really are kind to women."
Annie, the sharp and capable female Campione with her fiery short hair, remarked with a teasing smile.
Roy neither confirmed nor denied it. He simply picked up the coffee on the table and took a sip, keeping his response ambiguous.
"But I hope your sympathy doesn't extend too much to Madame Aisha. These past few days have been giving me a massive headache."
Annie rubbed her temples in frustration.
Roy smiled bitterly at her words. Over the past few days, Madame Aisha's uncontrollable authority, Queen's Curse, had gone out of control twice. Thankfully, both incidents were resolved without any major chaos, but Roy had to admit that it was nerve-wracking.
He finally understood why people avoided Madame Aisha. She really was a walking disaster.
"Ding Dong——————"
At that moment, the villa's doorbell suddenly rang. Roy and Annie exchanged a glance, each seeing the same confusion reflected in the other's eyes. Neither had expected a visitor at this time.
Before either of them could react further, the uninvited guest walked right through the door.
When Roy saw the charming figure enter—a woman smiling sweetly, as radiant and pure as a blooming lily—he couldn't help but grumble, "...Alice, what are you doing here!"
The uninvited guest was none other than White Princess Alice. However, it wasn't her real body but an astral projection. This mysterious ability, unique to Alice, allowed her to traverse distances instantly—traveling from England to the United States in the blink of an eye.
"Because, Roy, it's been so long since you visited me in England. I was starting to miss you."
Princess Alice smiled playfully, her voice carrying a hint of mischief. She wore a pitiful expression, like a small, abandoned rabbit.
"You don't miss me. You just heard that something exciting was going to happen in the United States, so you came to join the fun."
Roy snorted. He knew this witch far too well—every inch of her personality, every feature of her body, and every path he could explore. Alice was simply a mischief-maker who loved excitement, no matter whether the next day brought the end of the world.
"Hehe~~"
The White Princess, famous throughout Europe, covered her mouth with her hand and giggled. She didn't bother refuting Roy's claim because she knew there was no point.
She had no secrets left when it came to him.