The next morning!
Erica's golden hair was scattered messily. She yawned, still a bit groggy.
She rubbed her eyes, but when she saw Ayato before her, her body stiffened.
'My King?'
'Wait, how did the king get here?'
She had clearly gotten a separate room last night.
"You're awake."
Ayato said seriously: "I was just about to wake you up."
As he spoke, his gaze kept drifting downward.
'Yes.'
'Very smooth.'
'Very nice.'
Erica crossed her arms over her chest and said with shame and anger: "How did you get in? I clearly locked the door."
"As a Campione, if I still needed to open the door for something like this, that would be too insulting, wouldn't it?"
"You know you're a king. Have some decency."
"It's your fault for sleeping in. Liliana has been up for a long time."
Saying this, Ayato rubbed his chin regretfully: "I should have woken up even earlier."
Erica: "..."
'I knew it. This had nothing to do with sleeping in.'
'Oh well. Stuck with a king like this, I just had to accept it.'
A moment later!
The two met up with Liliana.
"My King, I've received the latest news. The location for your duel with the Sword King has been decided."
Liliana reported: "To avoid affecting the city, a deserted island was deliberately chosen. Should we go now?"
"What's the rush? Eat first. Let the Sword King wait."
…
The dueling ground is several thousand nautical miles from Sardinia.
After breakfast, Ayato and the others set off.
Throughout the journey, all transportation arrangements were handled by Erica and Liliana.
Ayato didn't even bother using magic to travel.
On the yacht,
Liliana looked curiously at Erica's wings: "So you've really been reincarnated as a Devil?"
"That's right. You will be too, sooner or later."
"Ah?"
Liliana was startled, her expression becoming somewhat dazed.
Becoming a Devil... she had never thought about that.
'But dating a Devil sounds pretty good.'
'Inspiration, inspiration is flowing again.'
Ayato glanced strangely at Liliana.
'What was this woman thinking about again?'
Before they knew it...
The group finally arrived at their destination.
It was a small island with a small land area.
Just as they stepped off the yacht, a man wearing glasses approached.
Looking at Ayato, the man clenched his right hand and placed it on his shoulder, performing a knight's salute. He said respectfully: "You must be the seventh king. I am Andrea Rivera. By the king's order, I am here to welcome you."
"Lead the way!"
"Yes!"
Andrea nodded and made a 'please' gesture.
But his gaze kept sizing up Ayato.
As Doni's subordinate, it was only natural for him to be curious about the new Campione.
'However, had these two genius knights already joined the new king's command?'
'They moved fast.'
As he thought of this, the group arrived at an empty area in the middle of the island.
"My King, the other king has already arrived."
A man with blond hair immediately jumped down from a large rock and greeted Ayato and the others.
"Haha, I am Salvatore Doni. Many call me the Sword King."
Doni looked at Ayato and smiled: "How should I address you?"
His eyes seemed to see nothing but Ayato.
"My name is Mori Ayato."
"Haha, good name."
Doni laughed heartily, but his eyes were filled with a solemn sharpness: "I don't know why, but my intuition tells me you will be a true opponent."
"Come on, let's fight. I can hardly contain myself."
As he spoke, Doni's expression became fervent, and his whole body radiated a wildness that was impossible to ignore.
Though he didn't outwardly exude any aura, the air on the entire island began to grow oppressive.
"Doni, you've only exchanged a few words and you're already demanding a fight. That's far too rude."
Andrea, standing by, couldn't hold back and roared directly: "At the very least, as a king, you should have the corresponding decency."
"Don't sweat the details. We're gathered here to fight, aren't we?"
Doni said nonchalantly: "I've already taken your advice and didn't come directly to your door. So don't react so strongly, okay?"
Watching this, Erica and Liliana had strange looks on their faces.
It had to be said...
Campione were all major headaches.
Their power transcending the mundane made them act without restraint.
Therefore, everyone both respected and feared them.
And yet, the relationship between Doni and Andrea was quite bizarre.
With this in mind...
The two instinctively looked at Ayato, both blushing slightly.
That said, their king was also very special.
"Alright, enough idle chatter."
At that moment, Ayato spoke: "If we're going to fight, let's do it quickly. My time is very valuable."
"Haha, that's more like it."
Doni laughed again, his pervasive wildness growing stronger: "Just as I'd expect from my kind. Let's have a exhilarating battle."
Ayato didn't reply, just glanced at Erica and Liliana.
Seeing this, the two women immediately understood and quickly retreated into the distance.
A battle between Campione was far too dangerous.
"Oh, Ayato-sama is quite chivalrous."
Doni, noticing this, chuckled lightly.
"I appreciate the compliment."
Ayato nodded and said: "After all, I am a man who intends to build a harem."
"Haha, what a great ambition."
Doni praised: "No wonder you have two beautiful young ladies following you."
Andrea: "..."
'What was so great about that ambition?'
'How was it that this new king seemed like an undeniable problem child as well?'
Meanwhile,
A sword had appeared in Doni's hand.
"So this is the Sword King's sword?"
Looking at this sword, Erica and Liliana had strange expressions.
Because this sword was far too ordinary.
From its appearance, it was clearly a mass-produced ordinary knight's sword.
Not to mention comparing it to divine swords or demonic swords...
Even compared to their own weapons, it was truly scrap metal.
Clang!
But just then, the knight's sword was drawn an inch from its sheath.
A boundless sharpness seized their very minds.
This was the Sword King.
The weapon meant nothing to him.