Campione! - Volume 13 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5




Chapter 5 - Black Blade, Hitherto Unawakened Part 1 Directed by the goddess, lightning descended from the thunderclouds. Godou, Yuri and Ena had jumped into the stream together. They did not mind immersing themselves up to their knees. After all, they were going to get completely wet later. "Take this, Yuri. For tying everyone together!" Ena tossed a ball of red thread to her fellow Hime-Miko. It looked like the type of thread used for sewing. Yuri apparently knew how to use it already. Simply replying "Very well!", she caught the ball of thread. Next, Ena took out a small wooden toy. Simply stated, it was a mini-sized "raft." Ten-odd wooden rods had been cut down to the same dimensions and bound together with string. Placing this "raft" on her forehead, Ena chanted spell words. "The one who effects wondrous change shall enact a miracle." Then with a cry of "Ei!" she tossed the "raft" into the stream. The palm-sized "raft" expanded in size as it fell into the water, transforming unbelievably into a real raft. Godou realized at this time. This was the Japanese version of the magic Erica used to transform her beloved sword. "Because Ena already performed a secret 'rite' on this thing, it should be quite reliable. It is much sturdier than normal rafts built from wood!" The make-shift raft created using wizardry was a square roughly three meters long. Explaining, its maker was the first person to sit down on it. Godou and Yuri immediately followed. The make-shift raft started to move along with the stream. Whitewater rafting by inexperienced amateurs. A terrifying challenge was about to begin. — Woooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Godou and the girls screamed as they clung onto the raft. The one-eyed giant — the cyclops. After being blown away by the [Boar], this monster had stumbled and crawled his way to the stream, reaching out with his massive arm. Nevertheless, the giant on his last breath exhausted all his strength at this time and collapsed into dust. But just as the trio breathed a sigh of relief, the goddess' voice was heard from the sky. 'Are you going to flee as well, Kusanagi-sama!? Indeed, speaking of the various god-slayers of the current generation, they are all great indomitable heroes who flee with such alacrity as though they had wings!' Her words were filled with sarcastic laughter. Furthermore... 'Nevertheless, I will never give up on you, Kusanagi-sama! Fufu, I shall prepare a new assassin to replace the slain minions. Flee as much as you like. So long as I live, the day of your sucessful escape from this island shall never arrive!' She was issuing a warning. However, the goddess did not seem like she intended to pursue personally. Was she taking precautions because she was cut by Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi? In any case, getting far away from the goddess as quickly as possible was a good thing. By the time Godou turned his attention back to his surroundings, the sound of thunder was already quite distant. Thanks to riding the flow of the stream, they had now left behind the Fire Goddess hidden in the thunderclouds. However, the make-shift raft was not comfortable at all. Due to following raging rapids, the feeling was naturally akin to a rodeo. The raft kept jumping up at times while sinking into the water on other occasions. The up and down feeling was quite frightening. "By the way, you mentioned some kind of 'rite' just now. What is that?" Godou yelled while being shaken violently. Although it was a model handcrafted by Ena, this raft give off a feeling as if it were made of antique timber. Why? "Uh, it's that thing. Amakasu mentioned it before. Using popular terminology, I guess you could call it a shikigami spirit. Because this [Rite] was passed down in the Seishuuin family and used over the generations, it's quite effective!" "Ah yeah, that thing you see in television and movies!" Called onmyoudou or onmyouji.'-^ Godou recalled the relevant knowledge. It seemed to be something quite unexpectedly valuable. But sitting here without seat belts, one could easily fall off at any time. The trio hung on desperately with both hands as they sat on the wooden raft. As they stayed in this state, a short while passed — "O Kukuri no Himegami, I beseech you to watch over these skills of thread spinning and tying!" Yuri chanted spell words presently. She seemed to be concentrating her thoughts into the ball of thread she was clutching tightly in her hand. "Everyone, please lie down!" Godou and Ena did as she instructed. Yuri also laid herself face down on the raft. Then the thread she was clutching began to move on its own. Like spider's silk, it flew out of the Hime-Miko's hand! The thread wrapped itself around the raft, layer after layer. Godou, Yuri and Ena looked as though they were tied up face down as they lay on the raft. In any case, using the raft as a base, the three of them were bound together by thread. The thread wrapped around them repeatedly for ten-odd layers, binding Godou and the girls securely. Godou sensed magical power from the thread. This was probably no mere sewing equipment but a real wizardry apparatus. "This thread is strong enough to withstand cuts from bladed weapons. Except for special circumstances, it will not break at all!" In other words, this thread was as strong as metal wires. Nevertheless, this did not change the fact that they were engaged in a life-threatening event. The raft continued to rise up and down on the water surface due to the impact of the rapid currents. Water splashed into their faces repeatedly and the raft dipped many times underwater. Even when it floated back to the surface, they did not get that feeling of salvation from death. The possibility of drowning crossed everyone's mind. With such momentum and speed, the raft kept colliding into certain objects as the water currents pushed forward — Ena had said "much sturdier than normal," but how sturdy was it exactly? There would be collisions with rocks as well as driftwood, right? Dangerous elements were innumerable if one tried to count them all. This was the current situation. During this time of danger, the two Hime-Miko by Godou's side performed spells to their best ability. "O Great God of Arms! Hasten forth to welcome our arrival at this land of the rising sun!" "O Sai no Kami, please grant us your mercy and bless us along the road ahead!" Ena prayed to the guardian deity of warriors while Yuri pleaded to the guardian deity of travelers for protection. The Hime-Miko had been praying nonstop all this time. This was probably what Ena had meant when she said to "keep casting all the protective, disaster warding and anti-drowning spells you can think of." Since things have come to this, all Kusanagi Godou could do was believe in them. That said, faced with dangers he was powerless against, Godou could feel nothing but fright. Compared to a battle against gods, he lamented with even greater feeling — "l-l almost thought I was a goner..." "S-Same here. To be honest, I was thinking I would never live to step foot on Japanese soil again..." "Oh my... How intense... In all sorts of ways..." Godou, Yuri and Ena finally relaxed and muttered. Counting from the time they started the deadly voyage, an hour had already passed. The raft the trio was riding managed to survive. Along the way, the current brought them into collisions with hard rocks many times. Every single time, there was nothing they could do but pray to the heavens. There were also several times when the raft endured impacts with hard objects with a loud "crash." In the end, they capsized roughly three times (although miraculously, the raft righted itself every time). In spite of all that, this raft that barely counted as a boat still endured, transporting the trio to this place. Fortunately, there were no waterfalls along the way. The water current pushing the raft was quite gentle now. This was because they had left the mountains and finally reached flat lowlands. Seeing that it was safe, Yuri had released the thread of wizardry a short while ago. Although they were completely drenched, the trio could at least relax and rest on the raft after what seemed like eternity. "By the way, your anti-drowning spells were really effective, Mariya and Seishuuin." Godou thanked them sincerely from the bottom of his heart. Although their prayers did not show visible effects, he could not attribute the safe outcome of their reckless rafting to any other reason. "Yes. It seems like there were more benefits than expected." "To think you would say 'it seems like'... Didn't you guarantee it was going to succeed with full confidence?" Godou smiled wryly in response to Ena's exclamation. However, he noticed Yuri making an expression as if she wanted to say something. "Oh dear, those spells do not have 'visible effects on use' after all. They feel more like invisible protection." "Y-Yes. Which is why we were able to arrive here safe and sound. What a relief." "It probably wouldn't have worked if Ena was alone. But since Yuri is such a good girl, Ena believed she would surely find a way to overcome all difficulties." "Ena-san, please do not rely excessively on these spells in those kinds of situations..." I see. So that method of escape was actually beyond Ena's expectations, huh? Godou was utterly shocked. This brave attempt at rafting was perhaps an exceptionally risky gamble. That said, the fact of the matter was they were saved as a result. After all, being carried by the water current like this eliminated the need to walk, thus reducing Yuri's burden greatly. "So long as we ended up alright, I guess I shouldn't fuss over it..." Godou sighed as he spoke. Oh well, they were safe anyway. While the leader exhibited his natural easygoing personality, the voyage continued without incident. The one rowing was Ena who had somehow brought out an oar and was casually charting their course. Despite lacking prior rafting experience, she seemed quite used to using this type of oar. From the raft they could observe tropical rainforest scenery on the riverbank, quite different compared to the mountainous view in the mountains. The temperature was also much higher, prompting Godou and the girls to take off their jackets. A tropical zone. The land of constant summer heat again. The clothes drenched from raftting should air dry rather quickly. Soon after, the salty smell of the sea drifted across the river surface, announcing the ocean's approach. The trio looked at one another, recalling a particular warning. So long as the goddess is alive, Kusanagi Godou was absolutely unable to escape the island. So, what exactly was going to happen — ? Before boarding the raft, the trio had abandoned their burdensome rucksacks. Currently, they were only carrying minimal possessions such as water bottles. Also, everyone should be quite tired from the rowdy farce that lasted until now. Godou particularly wanted Yuri to have a rest. Calculating thus, Godou decided to make a rest stop nearby and regroup. As the sun set, the second night arrived on the island in the demonic realm. The trio of Godou, Yuri and Ena was currently on a beach by the seashore. Everyone was gazing towards the ocean beneath the night sky. Soon after, a boat sped across the sea to enter the cove that served as the entrance to the island. The engine-powered boat advanced nimbly, arriving at the beach where Godou's group was waiting. "Thank you for waiting patiently." "The important thing is that everyone is safe and sound!" The new arrivals at the beach were Erica Blandelli and Liliana Kranjcar. After reaching the beach, Yuri's psychic sensing could be used freely. They had contacted the knights and decided to meet up tonight here. Instead of flight magic, the knights traveled by boat in order to bring provisions such as food and water. But after a brief delightful reunion, they sat in a circle to hold a serious conference. Due to illumination by the moon and the stars, there was no need to use flashlights. "Reaching the seashore is a good thing, but I'm positive making an exit won't be so easy for me." Godou spoke with resignation. "However, it's different for everyone else — " "Are you asking the four of us to depart from the island, leaving behind Kusanagi Godou alone?" "How utterly inane. On the contrary, this is the only point that is a little fresh. But you couldn't really be considering that, Godou?" Liliana and Erica glared with reprimanding gazes. Well, I expected this sort of reaction. Godou shrugged and stopped what he was going to say. Hence, Yuri spoke up instead. "The labyrinthine magical effects that fills this island... I believe it is indeed Prince Alec's authority. After hearing His Highness' name mentioned by the goddess, I saw the same god's sacred name that I once saw at the floating island." "Cretan civilization's divine king, Minos huh? A deity of the earth with connections to Poseidon." Liliana nodded. "Yes. The authority Prince Alec used before... I believe the goddess is likely sustaining it through some sort of magic." "How terrible. So what extent of divine magic does this goddess possess?" As Ena grumbled about the enemy's myriad magical powers, Erica interjected: "A witch enslaving heroes as well as a sun deity... Although I can think of several names, jumping to conclusions at this juncture seems too dangerous. The issue of the 'Pan-Eurasian hero' also needs to be resolved." "A witch related to a hero from some country huh? No idea." "Let's either wait for more decisive clues or when Yuri receives a spirit vision. Right now, we're a little short on both." Erica and Ena nodded to each other. On the side, Liliana lamented with chagrin: "Furthermore, to think Verethragna's incarnations would be stolen... Kusanagi Godou, please be careful. The reduction of available combat potential is a huge problem — " "Hmm?" "Now that you have lost the [Ram], this means that you cannot revive as usual when suffering from fatal injuries." "True, but being excessively cautious isn't good either." Although he nodded to acknowledge the blue knight's advice, Godou replied: "If one falters in the face of a god, the already miniscule chance of victory shrinks further into nothingness. Oh well, I just have to go all out with what I have. Furthermore — " Suddenly remembering, Godou looked at his right arm. His "partner" was still available and ready. "I still have Ama no Murakumo. Although as a weapon, it's not that easy to use." This was not complaining or grumbling but simply what Godou thought. He did not think he could use Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi effectively as a weapon. Perhaps this was just as well, since swords were such dangerous existences. Oh well, if the divine sword wanted to go on a rampage, it was probably going to be disappointed. "Your Majesty, Ena will work hard too. Because Ama no Murakumo is Ena and Your Majesty's partner." Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi's real user stated. Perhaps Ena had already secretly heard the grumblings of this "partner." Imagining this to himself, Godou went "I'm sorry" to apologize. The situation was a bit — no, it was quite pessimistic. But in spite of all that, so long as there is a will, there should be a way... Godou resolved himself in this manner. Part 2 After the reunion and the conference ended, the team set up their tents to camp for the night. The tents were part of the equipment Erica and Liliana transported with the boat. Just like last night, they were going to rotate in shifts and have one person keeping watch while the others slept. As before, morning arrived without incident. Godou finished breakfast and was feeling tense in anticipation of the upcoming battle against the goddess today — But the current situation was not especially tense. In fact, one could say it was the opposite. A tropical zone's dazzling sunlight. The weather today was exceptionally sunny. A white beach. Completely free from pollution, this demonic realm's beach was truly pure and pristine. Beautiful beyond compare. There was the ocean as well. Facing this South Seas region of constant summer was a clear, bottomless, emerald-green ocean. Gathered here were girls in swimsuits, displaying their figures with freedom and delight... "No. Going swimming in this kind of situation, what on earth are they thinking?" Godou reproached calmly. The sight before him consisted of attractive maidenly figures that made him embarrassed to stare directly. But in this case, the situation was already developed. With common sense, full presence of mind and the spirit of critical appraisal, Godou turned his indifferent gaze towards the girls' gorgeous appearances. First was Erica. Godou originally expected her to wear a red swimsuit as usual, but that was not the case. Instead, it was a white bikini. Nevertheless, the two colors representing the association she belonged to — red and black — were used to line the edges of her swimsuit as decoration. This style of swimsuit, self-assertively emphasizing her proportions to an excessive degree, was on the other hand — Quite usual of her. Then there was Liliana, who adhered to her usual color by wearing a blue bikini with a black pareo wrapped around her waist. Untying the pareo, her astoundingly slim figure and slender limbs exhibited charm akin to that of a professional beach volleyball player. Yuri was also dressed in a bikini-style outfit. Her swimsuit's elegance and pink material were quite suited to her. According to Godou's memory, Yuri only wore one-piece swimsuits in the past. She was actually not very comfortable dressed like this, right? Looking quite embarrassed, Yuri attempted to hide behind the other girls. But it was impossible to hide. Despite Yuri's slender physique, her bust and posterior regions were rich with a curvaceous sense of fullness, clearly visible due to wearing a bikini. Finally there was Ena. Just as expected, she was wearing a bikini. However, its two-piece design had an especially adult flavor. Although Ena's personality was cheerful and innocent, her figure rivaled Erica in splendor. Furthermore, her waist-length black hair was full of luster. Standing on the beach dressed in a black bikini like this, she gave off an incredible sense of maturity as well as the charm of a mysterious young beauty. Equally beautiful. This was a blooming display of attractive young women. "We're about to fight a deity. Why are you girls dressed like that?" "Godou, your way of thinking is too shallow." The one who rebuffed his common sense commentary was naturally Erica. "Indeed, the battle is imminent. However, we still don't know when it'll begin, right?" Godou frowned at what she pointed out. She was right. The goddess' abilities were powerful and varied. In any case, surely she already knew her quarry was at the beach since yesterday. But yet she had not made any appearance. Was she planning on preventing them from going out to sea, to instill a sense of despair? Or perhaps, banking on her advantage of being able to strike at any time, she intended to let the hunted prey, Godou, fall into anxiety and unease? "It is not a good thing to wait nervously for an enemy whose arrival time is uncertain. You'll just get all worked up for nothing. Rather, wouldn't it be better to relax without compromising alertness excessively? Also, this is preparation." "I don't understand that logic... But anyway, why a swim in the ocean?" "Because we were going to be walking around the island, sufficient swimwear was prepared beforehand for everyone. Since we brought them here already, it'd be a waste not to use them. Also, isn't this simply more fun?" So this was the argument Erica used to convince the girls. Turning his gaze, Godou found Yuri going "Seriously, Erica-san, this again..." with a troubled expression, but the honors student did not seem like she was going to voice her objections. Liliana also went "well, this is also battle experience" and simply stood back with a sour look. One could ridicule the fact of her preparedness in casually bringing a lifebuoy. Speaking of Ena, she was smiling with her usual attitude. "Yes yes. Even if we waited with discipline akin to staying awake all night in a besieged situation, nothing good would come out of it." Oh well, perhaps they really were right. Godou nodded and Erica smiled tenderly as she tossed male swimwear over to him. After changing behind a rock, Godou found the four girls frolicking in the seawater, their playful laughter greatly adding to the beach atmosphere. To avoid exhaustion, he probably should not swim too strenuously. "Your Majesty, please come over here for a while!" Just as Godou was about to enter the water for a light swim, Ena called him. "Oh my, since Your Majesty is in a position of waiting for the enemy to arrive at this encampment, Ena thinks Your Majesty should make a display of solemn dignity. Yeah, something that feels suited to a king's position." "Say, Seishuuin, I don't think sea bathing has anything to do with position." "Okay okay. Come, let's sit here for a bit." Invited to a patch of cool sand next to the sea, Godou did as he was told. As Godou puzzled over Ena's intentions, the Hime-Miko of the sword swiftly took a seat by his left. Then she pressed her body close to him, leaning with all her weight! The tender supple sensation caused Godou to shudder in surprise. But unlike Erica, this did not convey the kind of alarming feeling as if the posture would progress into something even more intimate. Perhaps this was actually what made Ena so perfect? "W-What are you doing!?" "Ena saw this in a foreign teledrama once. Like a mafia boss guy sitting by the poolside with two ladies waiting on him, drinking cocktails. Your Majesty should do that too. Yuri, come over for a while!" Ena called to her childhood friend who was a short distance away. Over there, Liliana was floating casually in the water, sitting on a lifebuoy that served as a piece of the boat's lifesaving equipment. Yuri was also wearing a lifebuoy and the two girls seemed to be playing together happily. Called by Ena, Yuri turned her head to look and hence discovered the situation. "W-What are you two doing over there!?" "Fufu, you should hurry over here, Yuri. The two of us will play the roles of His Majesty's lovers together." "You two, please do not engage in this type of behavior during the daytime, especially outdoors." "Guh... What a situation of utter depravity! Even Kusanagi Godou could not possibly do that!" "It's not like that, Mariya and Liliana! Seishuuin decided this all on her own — " "l-ln that case, Godou-san, you should hurry and separate from her." "O-Oh yeah." Conditioned by past scenes of being held captive in Erica's forceful grip, Godou had forgotten that Ena did not possess the same kind of monstrous strength. Godou immediately stood up, forcibly struggling free from the Hime-Miko's body. However, someone else immediately pounced on him from somewhere. Godou could feel an elastic and supple sensation on his back together with a sense of volume. More conspicuous than anything else was the immense strength of the arms embracing Godou from behind, wrapping tightly around his neck — "Godou. Do you intend to engage Ena-san in loving intimacy, neglecting me on the side?" The voice whispering in his ear was, of course, the usual familiar one. "Ah, what happened? Erica-san arrived faster than Yuri. But no matter. We two will play the role of His Majesty's lovers, how's that?" "Role playing is redundant. Because I am truly Kusanagi Godou's lover. However." Erica declared proudly to Ena who listened nonchalantly. But a fearless lioness' smile immediately surfaced on Erica's face while she and the Hime-Miko of the Sword nodded at each other. "Perhaps this is not such a bad idea. For a stubborn someone who obstinately clings to his opinions, this is a good opportunity to let him realize the unparalleled extent to which his behavior is the antithesis of being human." "E-Erica-san. Since we are simply relaxing in preparation for battle, is this not contrary to what you were saying just now!?" "She is right, Erica. Besides, these matters should be the job of the grand chamberlain, in other words, me. K-Kusanagi Godou, you should not make a lustful face just because you are sandwiched between those two!" "Of course I'm not! Could you please direct your sight to my attempts to resist!?" Dazzling sunshine. A white beach. And also the sea. In any case, Godou's entourage was enjoying these conditions while "waiting" on standby without being excessively off guard. Then roughly two hours passed — The first person to look up was Yuri. Both yesterday and today, she had deployed her psychic sensing to cover the vicinity of the beach so as to discover any emergency immediately. Liliana also narrowed her eyes, casting her gaze towards the air. Ever since last night, she had been using a spell that gave warning as soon as powerful magic was sensed. This was to avoid repeating the same mistakes as during the divine eagle's attack and to prepare against the goddess who could arrive at any time. Noticing Yuri and Liliana's reactions, Erica smiled courageously and Ena nodded forcefully. Back on the beach, the girls were currently dressed in their swimsuits with a light parka and t-shirt to avoid getting cold. Godou had also put on a shirt. While having fun, all of them had remained alert. Then it finally came. 'Kusanagi-sama, I cannot believe you are frolicking with these lowly girls!' As the goddess' voice thundered, the originally sunny sky suddenly darkened. Dark clouds filled the sky with frightening speed. A gigantic silhouette of a woman floated up onto this dark canopy of the sky. Slender as a juniper, this was the shadow of the mysterious goddess. Her head almost reached the clouds. Such was the size of the gigantic silhouette. 'Fufu, only the tasteless would choose the company of such lowly girls. A hero like you should love a suitable partner!' "On the other hand, I'm pretty sure you're not the suitable one..." Feeling that a rebuttal would be futile, Godou simply muttered softly. However, he renewed his spirits and looked up, yelling with a loud voice: "Are you still refusing to come down here today!?" The goddess' figure looked as big as a rainbow hanging in the sky, but she was definitely far away. She was watching Godou and his group from up high in the distant sky. When having a close encounter with a deity, a Campione's power would be roused intensely. Due to the current lack of that effect, Godou instantly understood. Was the goddess highly wary because she was cut by Ena once? 'Hmm. Kusanagi-sama, you have apparently summoned all your subordinates. This time, I as the queen shall send troops to challenge you, the king.' "It's not just this time. Haven't you been sending your subordinates every time?" The enemy called herself the Fire Goddess. Godou felt that she must be hiding something else apart from her name. Although he wanted to keep questioning her, to probe the matter more thoroughly — 'Fufu. A weak woman and a heroic warrior differ completely in their ways of doing things. Kusanagi-sama, considering the courage it takes for a mere woman to challenge a manly god-slayer, please show generous leniency.' Things were not going well, The Fire Goddess was messing up all his plans. Godou had no idea whether it was on purpose or unintentional. However, he was beginning to harbor certain suspicions at this point. Could she be the "most difficult" opponent he had met so far? No matter how bad they were, all of his past foes had upfront personalities. The kingly warriors, Melqart and Athena. Heroic Perseus. The Great Sage Equaling Heaven who simply loved being the center of attention. Lancelot's cool charging spirit. Drawing a clear line between herself and those warriors, this goddess' behavior often made a display of femininity. "Oh yeah, it was mentioned she is a witch goddess." 'Come, please let me treat you as a guest this time, Kusanagi-sama.' While Godou could not help but mutter, the goddess' voice resounded in the sky. 'Fufufufu. I have prepared valuable assassins. After all, the power of divine beasts seems unable to capture you!' A glorious sacred beast descended from the sky amidst the dark clouds. It was a white and unruly stallion, its entire body shrouded in golden flames. Unlike the previous divine beasts, its body size was not abnormally large. Although its build was robust, the size was still within common sense for a horse. Kicking its hooves in the air, the stallion flew nimbly through the sky. As soon as he saw that sacred majesty, Godou instantly realized. "Godou-san! That is Verethragna's incarnation — the [White Stallion] stolen by the goddess!" Yuri also knew from spirit vision. This confirmed Godou's instincts. Not only did she steal, she could also make use of them... 'Due to a lack of time, I was unable to make all of them my servants... Kusanagi-sama, please enjoy a battle with your own kindred!' Informed by the goddess, Godou frowned. The girls also looked up at the [White Stallion] with grim stares. They too must have noticed the powerful godly powers residing in the flying divine horse. A troublesome foe had appeared, one vastly surpassing the "firebird" that had received the goddess' protection. Part 3 "Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. Erica chanted the spell words of smiting in order to wield the [Sacred Privilege of Extermination]. In response to her spell words, Cuore di Leone transformed from a slender longsword into a barbed lance. Simultaneously, an oval shield also manifested in the red knight's left hand. "They warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; and they slew all the males! And they slew the kings of Midian!"^ ^ It went without saying, this was Liliana's smiting. Her magic saber, II Maestro, transformed into a silver crafted longbow, a deadly weapon for firing sacred arrows of extermination. These were the secret arts of combat magic that stood as the trump cards of European knights. Nevertheless, their target was Kusanagi Godou's oft-used [White Stallion], the symbol of Verethragna as the heaven-sent child of the sun. 'Very well, Kusanagi-sama, the heavenly horse that transports the sun — Savor its power well. Fufu, even if its hooves of scorching flame happen to incinerate you completely, my secret drugs can still revive you from the ashes!' "This is going beyond twisting my arms and legs off!" Godou angrily retorted from the ground in response to the assertions made by the goddess' silhouette. From the ashes — Godou was suddenly struck with a thought; immortal deities did indeed exist. In that case, gods capable of reviving the dead might actually exist. Hopefully not to prove this point, the [White Stallion] charged straight towards him from the sky. "Everyone, please do as we decided earlier. Hurry and run!" Godou instantly yelled. In his current condition, only one incarnation was actually available. In order to fight the most effectively under such restrictions, Godou had already discussed with the girls their battle plan for today. Although contrary to expectations was the enemy's use of existences surpassing divine beasts as her servants — But the fact remained unchanged that their plan was the best and only solution. Only that the risk of the "bait" role had vastly increased... Erica, Yuri, Liliana and Ena all scattered according to plan. This was to distance themselves from Godou. Just before she left, Erica seemed to be yelling something but Godou could not catch her words clearly. The incoming [White Stallion] from the sky kicked Godou using its front legs. To him, it felt like being sent flying by a collision with a giant dump truck. Godou felt pain from his body as if it was broken all over. He was blown high up into the air. In addition, the burning flames enveloping the [White Stallion] had spread over to his body. Turned into a tumbler toy on fire, Godou flew through the sky. The kicking attack did not kill him instantly, probably because he crossed his arms at the last moment to protect his head. In that case... His remaining move could now be unleashed — ! "All evil-doers, tremble before my strength..." Now awakened in Godou's body was combat power and endurance obtained in exchange for heavy injuries. "Upon my mighty self, I shall bear the symbol of the raging camel!" Falling down on the sand, Godou felt pain all over, but the [Camel] was the ferocious and stalwart incarnation with immense pain toleration. Thanks to this blessing, Godou could endure and stood up immediately. Increasing his magical power at the same time, he dispelled the [White Stallion]'s flames on his body. The golden flames he received had been scorching Godou's body until now. An ordinary human probably would have burned completely, without even a bone remaining. However, these flames were not powerful enough to overcome a Campione's magical resistance and hence disappeared instantly. Despite suffering burns all over his body, Godou was able to endure the current level of pain. However, an ominous voice descended from the sky above. 'Fufufu. The show has only just begun, Kusanagi-sama. — O guardian of the righteous, I offer sacrifice and invite you. The one who grants victory and grace, I will perform justice, please direct me towards the light and the righteous path!' Godou was greatly stunned. To think she was capable of using these spell words!? Ignoring Godou in his state of shock, the [White Stallion] galloped through the sky once more. In the next instant, the white bronco transformed and expanded in the air. Unbelievably, it became a gigantic beast measuring ten meters long! A goat with jet black fur. As if swimming freely in the water, it flew leisurely through the air. "It changed form...!?" As Godou watched in shock, the black goat overhead — the [Goat] incarnation began to bleat. BAAAAAAAAAAAH! Instantly, the goat's giant body released an extra large bolt of lightning, striking mercilessly at Godou on the ground and his surroundings. Fortunately, Godou had already raised his magical power just now. Even divine lightning should not be able to defeat a Campione so easily. "Gun— huh!?" Suffering the terrifying lightning strike, Godou found himself sprawling paralyzed on the beach. Although pain was only natural, his entire body felt numb. During winter, one's fingertip often suffered pain from the shock of static electricity. The current feeling was now a thousand times more intense than that. And the numbing pain was experienced throughout his body. Godou surmised he had been bathed in quite a powerful electrical current. A throbbing pain now attacked his heart. Incredibly, the lightning breached both a Campione's magical resistance and the [Camel]'s endurance, wrecking Godou's body to such an extent. The lightning's power had completely surpassed expectations. However, the [Goat] flying in the sky had also exhausted almost all of its magical power. The lightning just now should have depleted the majority of its usable power. In that case, a second strike was not coming— just as Godou concluded, yet another transformation took place. The black goat turned back to the form of the [White Stallion]. Enveloped in golden flames, the white bronco flying in the sky — Fiercely kicking the air as it flew, the horse swiftly rose in height. Its figure vanished amidst the dark clouds covering the sky. Immediately afterwards. Wrapped in a golden explosion of flames, the [White Stallion] was crashing down like a burning meteorite. The target was obviously Kusanagi Godou on the ground. Without any remaining strength to evade, Godou was currently lying collapsed on the beach. Furthermore, the [Ram] that had saved him numerous times from the verge of death was already stolen! An unprecedented crisis. The two paladinos intervened at this very moment. "Midian's destruction, hereby effected!" Accompanied by spell words of destruction, Liliana shot an arrow of light. Sniping at the [White Stallion] that was crashing towards the earth's surface like a meteor, the sacred silver bow shot an arrow that instantly split into eight, tracing out separate trajectories towards their prey. Since the [White Horse] was galloping towards Godou in a straight line, there was no way for it to evade the arrows. All eight arrows found their mark. The pure white body of the horse, beautiful and strong, was tragically pierced in eight separate locations, two each on its forehead, neck, chest and torso respectively. But in spite of that, the white stallion's descent did not slow down. Enduring the severe injuries, it galloped towards Godou, bringing its flames along! Just as the horse's fiery hooves were mere meters away from shattering Godou's with their kicks, Erica struck the horse of flame from the side. "O horns, collapse the walls of Jericho!" Sacred exterminators were briefly granted the ability to fly. Using this power, Erica flew in a straight line, charging decisively. Striking the airborne [White Stallion] from the side, she stabbed with the tip of her lance. A full-powered thrust with the lance. Even the [White Stallion] was blown away by this attack. NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIGH!! The white bronco fell and rolled on the beach, bringing Erica along with it as it neighed shrilly. It was a cry of pain. The blade of sacred extermination had buried itself into the [White Stallion]'s body, inflicting heavy injuries. Erica swiftly stood up and brandished the lance. She intended to make a final decisive thrust. However, another transformation took place. First of all, the flames enveloping the pure white horse turned black in color. Next, the slender face of the horse transformed into a sturdy bull's head. However, its torso was human — a human body covered with bulging muscles. Moreover, its size was expanding. Immediately, the white horse had completely transformed into a five meter tall giant. With a stalwart bull's head, this was a bull-headed giant. Furthermore, a layer of short, dense, black fur covered its entire body. "— ! This is the [Bull] incarnation!?" Erica wielded her lance to thrust at the bull-headed giant. But at the same time, the giant went "moo" and boldly swung its long, thick, black, right arm, easily sending the incoming lance flying together with Erica's slender body. "Yaaaaaaaaah!" Struck by the [Bull] renowned for its strength, Erica was blown away almost a hundred meters. With that, she fell into the emerald-green sea. Even so, she still managed to block the mighty arm with her shield, thereby avoiding a critical injury. In spite of all that, she did not loose grip of her weapons. Rather commendable in fact. "Erica!" Seeing her longtime friend and rival sent flying, Liliana shot an arrow of light. The arrow was aimed straight towards the [Bull]'s incarnation of the bull-headed giant. A flash of silver flew towards the black bull's head, but the giant nimbly avoided the arrow. Make no mistake, nimbly indeed. With agile motions one could not imagine from its gigantic body, the giant leaped up high. Then the [Bull] landed before Godou's eyes. It had made its way towards Kusanagi Godou who was lying collapsed on the ground all this time, paralyzed from the electrical attack from earlier! MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM The bull roared ferociously, lifting its foot up high. It was planning to crush Godou beneath the sole of its massive foot. "...My body, please endure a while longer!" A crisis of desperate proportions. Nevertheless, this was actually a rare and perfect opportunity. Godou shouted at his sprawling painful body and started rolling on the sand. Two seconds later, the [Bull]'s foot crushed the spot where Godou was lying earlier! "I am the strongest, All enemies, all who harbor enmity will be vanquished !" Chanting Verethragna's scripture during this time, Godou increased the [Camel]'s power. The pain consuming his entire body subsided slightly. The sense of paralysis also dissipated gradually. The rest would rely on tenacity and fighting spirit. Godou gritted his teeth and yelled: "Daaah!" Standing up through sheer willpower, Godou took a leap — The bull-headed giant was five meters tall. Owing to the mighty leap, the ferocious bull's black fur-covered face was now right in front of Godou. Next, using the [Camel]'s leg strength, he unleashed a spinning kick at the [Bull]'s cheeks. MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM The [Bull] cried hoarsely, its giant body falling over backwards. The attack was effective, for it succeeded in inflicting substantial pain. But this was nowhere near fatal — With a glint of light flashing across its eyes, the [Bull] reached out with its stout right arm and caught Godou! "Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Gripped in the black giant's hand, Godou screamed tragically. All the bones in his body were creaking. Very soon, they were all going to be snapped, crushed and shattered. The [Camel] incarnation possessed even better resilience than a Campione's illogically sturdy body. Nevertheless, no matter how stalwart, this body would surely reach its limits within a minute or two! Even so, Godou still smiled with joy. As guerrilla fighters, the girls on standby surely would not let this opportunity go to waste. "O imperial blade Ama no Murakumo, in your best interests which I shoulder, grant power unto me!" Arriving as expected, Seishuuin Ena was sprinting from the distance, her "partner" in hand! Filling herself with the divine sword's spirit, divine possession was achieved. "Yaaaaaaah!" Ena jumped up high and swung Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi overhead using the hassou-no-kamae stance.^ Amplified by the might of divine possession, this full-powered slash appeared to spew flames as it made a deep cut on the bull-headed giant's humanoid back. Unable to withstand the attack, the [Bull] fell upon its knees and released its grip on Godou. "Gun..." Tossed onto the sand, Godou groaned. His injuries were very severe indeed. Godou vomited blood but the [Bull]'s heavy injuries were equally serious. Furthermore, ten-odd arrows of light flew in approach immediately. These were the arrows of extermination shot by Liliana. MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!? Struck by the arrows, the bull giant roared in pain. Lying sprawled on the ground and helpless, it had apparently exhausted its strength. "Your Majesty, are you okay!?" Having made display worthy of a mighty general, Ena called out with worry. Godou nodded in response as he panted heavily. This was the best possible battle plan achievable with only the [Camel] incarnation currently at his disposal. At least he pulled it off successfully. Oh well, as a battle plan it was actually quite simple. More injury resistant than anyone else, Godou was to attract the divine beasts' attention. At the same time, Ena's role was to perform guerilla attacks using Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi whenever enemies showed openings while busy with the "bait." As for Erica and Liliana, they were tasked with supporting Godou and Ena as appropriate. Simple as that. That said, given their current battle potential, there was no other way to fight. In actual fact, were the enemies of divine beast class, the [Camel] incarnation could have lasted for surprisingly long durations. In that event, breaking through using these foolhardy tactics could very well have succeeded. But unexpectedly, the goddess was capable of using Verethragna's incarnations as her pawns — "Wha— !?" "This time, it's... The [Wind] incarnation!?" Faced with shock and surprise, Godou and Ena were swept into the suddenly manifesting whirlwind. The bull-headed humanoid giant, in other words, the [Bull] that was just defeated, had lost physical form and transformed into a tornado. Normally, Kusanagi Godou was the one switching between combat powers in a diverse display. But this time, the side suffering at the hands of these transformations was Godou himself. Part 4 The wind strengthened all at once and became a tornado by the time one could notice. It started out as a small whirlwind only ten-odd meters in diameter. But now, it had become a violent vortex of wind swirling everything up into the sky, baring its fangs towards Godou and Ena. This was likely working on the same principle as the lightning released by the [Goat] just now. Elevating its power to the maximum possible in exchange for instantaneous depletion of the majority of magical power. In this manner, the Campione and the divine-possessed sword user were devoured by the tornado and swept up into the air. It felt like being thrown into a massive washing machine... Caught in the tornado, Godou and Ena were spun dozens of rotations at high speed. "Gun... Your Majesty! Use Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi together with Ena— Please!" Ena yelled as she tumbled around in the vortex of the storm. Her voice should have been drowned out by the roaring wind. Nevertheless, Godou heard her loud and clear. Her thoughts were being transmitted through Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi which they shared. Thanks to that, Godou was able to know the Hime-Miko of the Sword's wishes without even asking. "Okay, Seishuuin! Let's go!" He imagined the two of them swinging Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi together. This was what Godou and Ena had shared that night at Kisarazu when the divine sword's power was truly mastered. Taking this opportunity when their thoughts were relayed to each other through Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi as the medium, the same could be achieved without resorting to wizardry. Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi possessed the trait of absorbing magical and divine powers. Ena currently planned to use this trait to absorb the [Wind]'s power. Naturally, even a user of divine possession would be incapable of fully absorbing a tempest sent by a heretic goddess. However, were Godou to simultaneously infuse the divine sword with a Campione's magical power, then in that case — "Strong is the name that shall stand across subsequent generations — handed down by all who hears of his exploits!" In concert with Ena's chanted spell words, Godou poured magical power into Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi. Even the impossible could become possible through bonds of wizardry. Then the divine sword in Ena's hand released pitch black light, absorbing the vortex of [Wind]! — The tornado spinning the pair weakened progressively. Although they had already lost count how many revolutions they had been spun, the wind was suppressed all at once, finally dissipating the force that had swept Godou and Ena into the air. They fell down towards the beach from a height of seven or eight meters or so. Ena landed with monkey-like motions. Despite having no training in acrobatics, Godou accomplished the same, thanks to the agility conferred by the [Camel]. However, the spinning from just now had destroyed their sense of balance, causing great discomfort. Greatly exhausted, the pair instantly collapsed and sat on the ground. That said, they were at least liberated from the [Wind]. "Godou, Ena-san!" "You two, are you okay!?" Erica and Liliana ran towards them, the former from the sea and the latter from inland respectively. The red knight was unhurt. The [Bull]'s hit that sent her flying had apparently not caused any injuries. Although she was dressed lightly in a swimsuit, the sacred privilege of extermination must have protected her. Wielding the barbed lance and shield, Erica bore a stern and imposing countenance. Liliana was also carrying her sacred bow of silver. Godou nodded at the two of them. He could not answer because he was desperately enduring the sense of nausea. Ena was completely exhausted. "The [Wind] just now, it felt like it escaped just before it was completely destroyed..." □liana's power of spirit vision allowed to her to see things beyond the naked eye. She was looking towards the sea. Prompted by her, everyone turned their gaze to follow suit. A solemn expression surfaced on all their faces, for a new incarnation was manifesting. Upon the emerald-green sea. At this cove serving as the island's entrance... Over on the sea, black flames were burning. These were also flames that Godou had summoned many times before. 'So says Lord Mithra. The sinful shall be met with justice...' The goddess' voice came from the sky above. These spell words that Godou had always chanted, were now spoken softly by the goddess. 'The one unblunted and unapproachable, oath-breaking sinners be purged by the iron hammer of justice — !' The black flames over the sea started transforming into a pitch-black divine beast. Body length estimated to be twenty meters. A pitch-black gigantic beast of a [Boar] bearing a stalwart appearance. However, only the majestic head alone had manifested so far. Below the neck, the rest of the body had yet to form from the black flames. Apparently, the goddess could not summon and manifest the [Boar] as quickly as Godou. 'Fufufu. Despite the number of strong children among Kusanagi-sama's kindred, I have bestowed special care upon this one as my servant in particular! It does take quite a while longer to summon... But only this child is worthy of the wait!' Despite clearly in the middle of the summoning process, the goddess spoke as if victory was certain. But one could not disagree. The incarnations she had sent out one after another were all extremely strong. It would be apt to call them the simple arrangement version of Godou's powers. However, the divine beast being born over the sea was different. Were it to manifest completely, it could very well possess size, appearance and power no different from Verethragna's fifth incarnation as summoned by Godou. Just through a single glance at its face, once could tell the ferocity of this monster. Hovering over the sea were the black flames and the gigantic boar head. Grunting as it exhaled violently, the [Boar] glared condescendingly at the beach, roaring from its grotesque mouth. oooooooooooooooooooooooo. . . Soon to be liberated on the ground to bring destruction to all, it seemed to be expressing its joy of anticipation. "This must be something she held in reserve. What a troublesome trump card." "Weaker than under Kusanagi Godou's control — as much as one would hope for that, we cannot tell without a fight..." Erica and Liliana nodded at each other, their expressions tense from the will to fight. On the other hand, Godou and Ena's states were far from ready. Already heavily injured, Godou felt as if his body was made of lead. His movements were also very sluggish. Were it not for the [Camel]'s exceptional trauma endurance, Godou would have fainted a long time ago. Then there was Ena who had used divine possession thrice already in three days. Moreover, using a Campione's magical power, she had just drawn out Ama no Murakumo's powers at a level beyond human limits. The tough child of nature was clearly approaching her limits, her body shaking unsteadily. "Don't force yourself, Seishuuin. Rest for a while!" "Nonsense, Your Majesty. How could I remain idle at a time like this..." Ena remained stubborn. In a rare moment, her voice lacked her usual cheerfulness. Using Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi as a crutch, she supported herself. "You cannot, Ena-san!" The one who reprimanded the Hime-Miko of the Sword was Yuri who was supposed to have retreated to the rear. "Your life will surely be endangered if you continue like this! I absolutely forbid you to act recklessly!" Yuri spoke with a terrifying and intimidating expression. However, she walked over to the weakened Ena's side and caressed her back gently like a mother. A spell of caressing — she was applying recovery wizardry to heal Ena's painful body. Ena's trump card, divine possession, was said to require a week's interval between successive usage. Exceeding this frequency would mercilessly wear away her mind and body — Indeed. Godou nodded. Yuri must have run over to heal and restrain Ena because she knew her childhood friend was at her limits. "But everyone could very well be taken out, so having Ena rest by herself is meaningless. This is the time for a last stand. Don't worry, I'll just force myself a little and still be fine." "How absurdly driven by emotion you are, Ena-san. I now understand the reason why you get along with Godou so well." Erica commented with a frown. Also, the tone of her voice sounded more "deeply impressed" than surprised. "But no, denied. Please stay still obediently. Verethragna's [Boar] is nowhere lacking as an opponent for knights. Please leave this for us to handle." "Indeed, it has come to this." Liliana spoke up. "Ever since we came to this island, you have been the one protecting Kusanagi Godou all this time. It is about time you let us have an opportunity to take the stage." Godou nodded vigorously in agreement. However, the silver-haired knight frowned in response, expressing her regrets to him. "Allow me to add to that, Kusanagi Godou. You too should also rest, right?" "Eh?" In the instant Godou asked in response, he suffered an unexpected attack. Liliana performed a sweeping kick. Although Godou intended to evade, his legs were unable to move. Swept off balance splendidly, he fell over on his bottom. Seeing him like that, Liliana and Erica both sighed. "I knew it... Only your sense of pain is numbed, but your body is already at its limits." "You have accumulated extraordinary injuries starting from earlier. I had a feeling this would happen if you lost your incarnation of immortality." "I-I'm fine. My wounds are healing at an incredible rate." "Well. Using healing magic combined with the [Camel]'s recovery abilities, perhaps you could force your body a little more." In response to Godou's protests, Erica replied with deep thought. "Honestly, it is impossible to fight that [Boar] barehanded." Everyone turned their gaze towards the cove. What was just a [Boar]'s head a while ago had now manifested to its chest area. Once the flames formed the gigantic beast's body completely, the pitch-black destroyer was probably going to rush onto the beach with terrifying vigor... For the [Camel] which offered no other means of attack apart from "kicking," it was a most difficult opponent indeed. "I'm not barehanded. One could still say I have a weapon." Godou threw his "partner" a glance. Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi that Ena had stabbed into the sand to use as a crutch. Walking over with unsteady steps, Godou grabbed the sword's hilt. Despite his reluctance to get close to dangerous tools like swords, it was the time to put pacifism aside for now. "Are you able to use it without Seishuuin Ena?" "I should be. I managed it during the Kisarazu battle against Lancelot..." While thinking about how careless he was, Godou replied to Liliana's question. Indeed, Kusanagi Godou only truly used Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi for the first time back then, in a clash with Lancelot who wielded the Divine Sword of Salvation. "Besides, relying on you two, Liliana and Erica, to do something like fighting the [Boar], that's not gonna work. Unless that guy gets struck by firepower on the [White Stallion]'s level, there's no hope for victory..." Well, the question was whether Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi had that level of destructive power. The "partner" had exhibited its highest level of destructive power during the Kisarazu battle. In order to oppose the Divine Sword of Salvation used by the "King of the End," the silver-haired goddess had powered up Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi. The mortal enemy in the form of a pubescent girl with silver hair and eyes of night. The goddess bound to him by a strange twist of fate. How nostalgic to recall the opponent who vexed him by escaping after her victory, it was a lonely feeling. Heretic Athena — 'Farewell is unneeded. One day, this goddess shall return, reincarnated, to seek you for revenge. Because no matter when, the only one allowed to defeat Kusanagi Godou is this goddess!' The bold declaration uttered at the point of farewell. Her fighting spirit was completely opposite to the "femininity" displayed by the current goddess Godou was fighting. Rather than bold, one would prefer to describe her as noble. And there were her words. The one and only parting gift she had given... — the [Gate] had opened for but an instant. Creation of heaven and earth. The death and birth of stars. The blade forged through the goddess' wisdom. That was it. They had also banked on Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi back then. The steel that greedily devoured the enemy's power to assimilate as its own. That characteristic was essential for a drastic move. If you are in need of strength at this time, why not infuse me, the divine sword, with the most powerful wisdom — ? "Godou, what's with you?" "Kusanagi Godou!?" "Your Majesty...?" The voices of his companions sounded distant. However, what occupied Godou's field of view was neither the sight of the girls in their swimsuits nor the emerald-green sea. It was a pair of eyes. Owl eyes shining amidst darkness. Godou also sensed it. He sensed a "certain secret technique" dormant within his body. "Godou-san... Please pull yourself together!" Suddenly, he felt someone touch his hand. The tactile sensation caused Godou to return to himself. Brought back to his senses, Godou found Yuri by his side. She had placed her hands over Godou's hands that were holding Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi. Erica, Liliana and Ena watched with a face of wonderment. Godou shook his head hazily. He seemed to have caught a glimpse just now. Heaven and earth's creation, the technique embodying destruction and creation. The wisdom of the universe left behind by the goddess of earth and darkness — "...Ugh. What on earth is this..." Carved into the depths of his heart and mind, a powerful secret technique in the abyss. A relic left behind by the deceased rival. The gate was currently opening. However, this wisdom was far too colossal. Given Godou's capacity instead of a goddess', comprehension should be impossible regardless. No good. It was impossible to control no matter what. Precious long-awaited power was obtained yet it was going to be wasted... Just at this moment. "Godou-san. Please look at me. Do not worry." Once again reminded by Yuri's voice, Godou jumped in surprise. The Hime-Miko was staring directly into Godou's eyes. Her adorable and beautiful face was pressed rather near. It was almost like past times when she transmitted knowledge about gods. Finding himself at this type of close separation, Godou began to panic. But thanks to that, his sense of self returned. He was also greatly surprised by Yuri's murmuring whispers. "Steel embodying the birth and death of stars... The dark blade of heaven and earth's creation. The flames of the scorching jet-black divine sword... I saw them too." Yuri spoke solemnly. She was having a spirit vision. The other girls were staring at the Hime-Miko with amazement. Moreover, Yuri's eyes had changed to the color of glass at some point in time. Godou realized at this time. Eyes the color of glass. Radiant flaxen-colored hair. These characteristics belonged to the Princess of Glass residing in the Netherworld. Yuri's current appearance was the splitting image of the Netherworld's noble one. Speaking of which, Yuri's hair color was heavily shaded brown for a Yamato Nadeshiko. Godou began to wonder for no apparent reason. Suppose the Princess of Glass was the root of the Hime-Miko bloodline. Then the Hime who most strongly displayed the inherited blood and spiritual powers of the distant ancestor — wouldn't that happen to be Mariya Yuri? "The secret technique the goddess left behind in Godou-san's body... I think it is probably through the opened gate that I am able to see it... Let us forge it together." Godou was rendered dumbfounded by Yuri's resolute proposal. "Let us forge. To forge the sword of the beginning and the end. I shall guide you." Part 5 Over the sea in the cove, the [Boar] finally finished materializing. A stalwart black boar's head, chest, front legs, torso, rear end and even hind legs were already manifested, surfacing on the sea like a giant whale. The only remaining body part still shrouded in flames was the tail. "Let us take this opportunity to make an attempt." Liliana suggested softly and drew her sacred bow of silver. Injecting the privilege of extermination, she shot an arrow of light. Although the beach where she stood was roughly two hundred meters from the [Boar]'s location on the sea, the arrow from a paladino's arsenal flew straight across this distance instantly. The target was the [Boar]'s eyeball. But the instant before the splendid shot would meet its mark... The arrow of light was deflected as if it had struck an invisible barrier, oooooooooooooooooooo. . . The [Boar]'s low growl sounded like gloating over a victory. "I knew it, this level of attack is not going to work." "It's acting like it's taunting us... Rather than an incarnation of Godou's that was stolen, the [Boar] looks more like a rebel. Why is that?" Standing by Liliana, Erica nodded her head as she frowned. The two knights' mission was to stall for as much time as possible, until Godou, Yuri and Ena's Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi completed the necessary preparations. As the two knights stood ready on the beach for this purpose, the enemy finally started to move. ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARM Most familiar to the knights, the howling resounding. The black [Boar] had materialized completely. Like a beached whale, the twenty-meter body of brawn was charging towards the land! Like a speed boat racing across the water, the [Boar] rushed with astounding speed and vigor. "Lily. Let's concentrate everything on the first strike!" "Why!?" "Not just limited to size and appearance, the [Boar]'s personality could very well be the same as before, right?" "I see. Tactics for dealing with a child's temper tantrum!" A brief battle conference. For the longtime pair, the exchange was quite sufficient. Immediately, Liliana transformed her weapon. Earlier, it had taken the form of bow and arrows to apply the sacred privilege of extermination. Now, it was changing forms to a long-shafted weapon with a saber's blade, the naginata. Then it came — ROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAR!! With speed that a gigantic monster should not possess, the [Boar] reached the beach and began roaring as soon as it landed. Then it flashed its ferocious gaze as it glanced about its surroundings, searching for its prey — the god-slayer Kusanagi Godou whom the Fire Goddess had designated as the target. It completely disregarded the two paladinos. Liliana took flight at this time. "O wings of Artemis!" The exterminator form conferred powers of flight. At the same time, Liliana was already a witch skilled in flying. Enveloped in blue light and tracing a trajectory even smoother than Erica's, Liliana flew towards the air above the [Boar]. While in mid-flight, she slashed the [Boar]'s back. However, the blade could not cut. In the instant of contact, the black monster's body gave off an invisible Shockwave, blowing away the sacred blade and Liliana. "Gun!?" Struck by the Shockwave while in flight, Liliana lost balance. But she nimbly adjusted her posture and resumed flying. Several seconds later, she took up a position overlooking the [Boar]'s muscular back and hovered motionlessly in the air. Meanwhile, the [Boar] continued to head towards the island's interior with an expression of derision. From its perspective, Liliana was probably recognized as just a little flying bird. "So what deflected the arrow just now was this..." Liliana turned her gaze towards the ground. Erica had already completed preparations to charge. Enveloped in red light, she readied her shield and barbed lance. Liliana smiled smugly. The slash she performed just now was like a reward in passing. The "first strike" mentioned by her longtime friend and rival referred to what was coming next. Next, the two knights chanted spell words simultaneously, from the air and from the ground respectively. "O Saint Manuel, play the music of the heavens, manifesting angel's wings on my arms!" "O Archangel Gabriel, bestow blessings in protection from the lion's tyranny!" Erica and Liliana's weapons carried the sacred privilege of extermination. These spell words composed a blessing for a one-time amplification of their abilities through a massive infusion of magical power. Although it could not strike the enemy with equal might, this was sufficient. Their goal was not the [Boarj's defeat but simply to attract its attention. All they needed to do afterwards was leave the rest to the [King]! " "YaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahM" " The two knights yelled as the charged towards the [Boar]. Erica kicked the ground and flew up towards the black divine beast's face. Although she could not perform agile turns and hover motionless in midair on Liliana's level of aerial mobility, the red knight was clearly much faster when traveling in a straight line. Aiming at the [Boar]'s face, she made a thrust with her lance towards the eyeball on the right! Furthermore, Liliana was descending rapidly as if tracing out an arc. Likewise she slashed the blade of the naginata towards the right eyeball! — Huff. The [Boar] snorted violently, releasing Shockwaves from all over its body. These Shockwaves were supposed to blow away the two sacred weapons together with the knights. However, Erica and Liliana were able to withstand them, having amplified the privilege of extermination. The two of them put all their strength into the attack! GROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAN! Painful roars were emitted from the [Boarj's gaping jaws, causing the sky and the air to vibrate. Erica's lance tip was buried deeply while Liliana's blade also severed the eyeball sharply. This was not simply destruction of the eyeball. Using sacred might capable of slaughtering even divine subordinates, they thrust their weapons through the eyeball and into the depths of the [Boar]'s skull, to the location corresponding to the brain. Even a divine beast should have suffered a fatal injury — However, the [Boarj's remaining left eye began to swivel vigorously, glaring at the two knights before its eye with clear wrath. Then immediately, it emitted an intense roar. ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/ This time, the knights could no longer withstand the impact. Erica and Liliana were both blown away by the roar's Shockwaves and sent crashing towards the ground. Falling on the sandy beach, they kept rolling. Were they not protected by the privilege of extermination, they would probably have been smashed to pieces. "What an irate fellow as expected. We are nothing in its eyes, but that's exactly how we landed the first strike successfully as planned — " "Undefeated even by this, it has completely surpassed the rank of ordinary divine beasts!" "It's probably as strong as when under Godou's direct control. The goddess must have infused her power into it!" Barely managing to stand up, Erica and Liliana nodded at each other. Turning their gaze, they found the [Boar] glaring viciously down at the two of them, its remaining left eye seething with wrath and hatred. In addition, the black divine beast had forgotten its original goal. "Just as we had hoped, we now have its attention. An irate fellow indeed." "Then we just need to continue attracting its attention. Until Godou and Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi arrive. Time to fly like a butterfly, Lily." "I would not harbor much optimism for stinging like a bee... It's coming!" ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! The [Boar] finally rushed towards them, accompanied by a thunderous roar. Displaying the same intense furor it directed towards destroying giant structures, it seemed to be charging straight to crush Erica and Liliana. Its roars rocked the ocean and shook the land as Shockwaves. The two knights' mission was to buy time for the [King]. The telling blow was inflicted in hopes of the [Boar]'s tendency to get carried away on whim. This led to the [Boar] attacking them, forgetting its initial target of Kusanagi Godou. The plan went off smoothly, but there was still a problem. One could probably consider powering up on whim a trait of those who get carried away easily. Moreover, the [Boar] was clearly one who possessed such tendencies. Powered by wrath and vigor, the black divine beast displayed more savagery than usual. Dancing like butterflies, Erica and Liliana engaged the enemy in a desperate battle. Meanwhile, the Hime-Miko of the Sword was — Her irreplaceable "partner," Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi, was stabbed into the ground. "I implore you, Ama no Murakumo. Drain the divine spirit of heaven and earth to become His Majesty's new power!" Ena prayed as she yelled. Although she was unable to fight any further, she was still able to act as the divine sword's manager. While retreating to the back of the beach as she watched the red and blue knights battle the [Boar], she completed her task. The jet-black steel standing majestically on the beautiful beach of pure white — Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi was now absorbing everything. Absorbing the essence of the water and the earth in this island. Absorbing the life nurturing blessings of mother earth goddesses. One more thing. "Due to being in this situation, even that English prince's authority can also be absorbed!" Even the labyrinth's magical powers apparently left behind by England's Campione were being absorbed. This authority originated from Minos, the bull-headed god of the land. Its divine power carried the same qualities as what Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi hungered for. In that case, it would be wrong not to take these powers. Ena's actions were quite appropriate. As Godou relied on his companions' efforts, the preparation of Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi was almost complete. Godou watched Ena from behind as she concentrated on her task, then turned his gaze towards Erica and Liliana's battle with the [Boar] in the distance as he asked the Hime-Miko standing beside him: "So Mariya, tell me. What should I do next?" "I saw the technique of heaven and earth's creation — I will use the power of psychic sensing to transmit the contents to you, Godou-san. After that, just use the imperial blade of Ama no Murakumo to perform it." Yuri explained eloquently. "However, I can only transmit knowledge within the realm of understanding provided by my spiritual senses. Furthermore, you will likely suffer all sorts of discomfort. Please prepare yourself mentally before proceeding to receive." "You mean I won't be able to perform it if it's incomplete?" "Not only that. This should be wizardry accompanied with immense risk and danger, as only befitting for the technique created by the goddess Athena, using the Divine Sword of Salvation for reference." Yuri was talking about wizardry no human body could withstand. Nevertheless, Godou had to go through with it. If this battle continued as is, defeat would likely be the final outcome. It was time to stake everything he had. For the sake of defeating the mysterious Fire Goddess, to let everyone leave the island. Turning his gaze, Godou found Erica and Liliana running all over the place, chased by the [Boar]. Their aim was not to defeat the beast but simply divert its attention away from Godou and the two Hime-Miko. However, the [Boar] was not simply a monster with a gigantic body. It possessed terrifying power combined with astounding speed and acceleration. It could instantly close distances even up to a hundred meters, raising its front legs to trample everyone on the ground. It was even capable of firing Shockwaves as a ranged weapon to attack a wide area. Trying to keep this kind of monster pinned down in such a narrow beach — The ground's foundation could not possibly hold. The instant Erica and Liliana stopped moving, the [Boar] was probably going to take their lives. "Okay, let's do it. I think it's great that no one on the island is a stranger. After all, I can't act this reckless in other places." "Yes. If this was happening in Tokyo, I could not help you." Godou's heartfelt comment was met with Yuri's answer in the same tone of voice. This was a feeling Godou could never resonate with Erica and Ena. Presumably thinking of the same thing, Godou and Yuri smiled wryly simultaneously. However, their expressions tensed immediately and they turned to face each other again. "Well then, Mariya, I am relying on you, do it!" "Y-Yes, Godou-san. L-Let us do it together!" The sudden discrepancy in meaning compelled the pair to gaze into each other's eyes. What Godou meant was for her to apply psychic sensing and "do it." But Yuri's answer seemed to imply that they "do it together." Was the spirit power of psychic sensing not something that the Hime-Miko applied on Godou? "Yeah, didn't you do it before in the battle against the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Mariya? Just use that kind of sensing again." "1-1 was only able to do it that time because of your protection, Godou-san, which augmented my powers substantially. Even if I attempted to use my powers on a Campione under normal conditions, there would not be any effect..." This time, the two successfully reached agreement as they gazed into each other. They must perform the usual ritual. To think they had to engage in that kind of behavior when everyone else were fighting for their lives. But no one was watching at the moment. And no matter what, it was a necessary step — "V-Very well... I am ready whenever..." Hearing Godou whisper softly, Yuri lifted her face slightly. Their faces naturally closed the distance and came together successfully. Yuri accepted Godou's kiss with a blissful expression, opening her lips to receive him. Like two halves of a closing shell, their lips pressed together tightly as one. Just as Godou spontaneously inserted his tongue, Yuri likewise extended her tongue after a brief moment of hesitation. Like a bow playing against the string of a stringed instrument, their tongues tangled together. Then slowly, the ritual began. The first to manifest was a black sphere the size of a golf ball. In the beach of the cove serving as the battlefield, the black sphere manifested in the air above it like a dark blot. It was a small stellar object quite small in size. But in less than twenty seconds, it had already expanded to a sphere roughly ten-odd meters in diameter, creating a terrifying and imposing presence in the sky. 'A black star of destruction...?' The Fire Goddess whispered with great surprise. Like a rainbow hanging over the sky, the goddess had been leisurely observing the beach below. Calm and composed in her word choice all along, she displayed troubled feelings for the first time. Meanwhile, on the ground — A change was occurring on the blade of Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi which Ena had stabbed into the ground. The gently curving blade of black metal was shrouded in blue-black flames burning silently. These blue otherworldly flames were without temperature whatsoever. Instead of heat, they gave off extreme cold to the surroundings. "It's finally started...!" Watching the changes in her partner's steel, Ena yelled out. In its current state, she could no longer wield and swing the sword as usual. There was probably only one person in the entire world who could grip this burning metal of black in his hand. But before returning to the hand of the one and only user, the sword should at least make one strike — "Ama no Murakumo! I beg you, please help those two girls a little!" Ena called upon the black metal's will. Instantly, the burning metal of black started moving autonomously. Floating up into the sky above, the tip of the blade left behind the beach where Ena had stabbed it, then flew towards the red and blue knights who were fighting in the distance. Erica and Liliana were resolutely fighting the [Boar]. " "By the sign of the black cross! Grant unto us the blood of the Son of God, displaying stigmata to the world!" " The two knights crossed the lance and the naginata together. The two weapons formed the shape of a cross. Released from this cross-shaped weapon, white light was flying towards the [Boar] straight ahead. The light of the sacred cross was comparable in size to the [Boar]'s head. ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAR! Blinded by the intense brightness, the [Boar]'s face shrank back greatly. Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi flew forth with a whoosh. Brushing past the [Boar]'s face for but an instant, the sword slashed through its remaining left eye and continued flying towards another direction. GROOOOOAAAAAAN! This time it was a howl of pain. Overcome with rage and pain, the [Boar] began to rampage. Shaking its gigantic body intensely, it released roars of Shockwaves, stomping the ground viciously to express its wrath. But due to losing both its eyes, the Shockwaves failed to target the knights. Thanks to that, the two girls breathed a temporary sigh of relief. "Godou and Yuri seem to have activated the secret technique Athena left behind...!" "Erica. If we continue to stay here... The situation will be quite terrible. My spirit vision has given warning." As Erica expressed amazement, Liliana yelled at her. The two nodded immediately. Just at this moment, the jet-black divine sword that had rescued them reached a corner of the beach several hundred meters away. The people located there were Godou and Mariya Yuri, naturally. Using his right hand, Godou gripped the Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi that was burning with blue-black flames. With the sacred black metal finally returned to the hand of the user, it was time to welcome the "Sword of the Beginning and the End." Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi was wielded in Godou's hand. Instantly, the giant black star in the sky above began to spin. Like planetary rotation, the black star spun slowly on its own axis, once, twice. As it gradually increased its rotation speed, it was soon spinning at astounding speeds. Gwoon. Gwoon. Unique noises were coming from the black star overhead. Standing directly beneath this star, Godou lifted Ama no Murakumo up high. "O King, only by using the black blade to bring about ends and beginnings to the earth and the Netherworld can Your Highness be said to have truly mastered the goddess' wisdom..." Murmuring softly, Yuri leaned in close against Godou as if she were his spouse. Her gaze hollow, her tone of voice was also very solemn. Due to the excessive intensity of the oracle obtained through spirit vision, she had descended into a hypnotized state. The images seen by Yuri were transmitted to Godou's mind through psychic sensing, forming the foundation of the power causing the black star to "rotate." — Moon and darkness. Mother became the land. The Earth's green hills. The merciless queen of the night. — Yonder distant star. Deep in the deepest ocean abyss. The underworld's winds blowing through the frozen underground. — Black steel. Burning black metal. Sword. Sword. Blade. Attraction. Absorption. Compression. Crushed. Pulverized. Released. — Planetary rotation. Circle traced out. Revolution. Tornado. Hurricane. Storm. Storm. Storm. Indeed, this was the storm-summoning sword. The sword of freezing. The sword of dragons. The sword of dawn. The sword summoning destruction. Verily, this was the black blade. Nevertheless, destruction was the beginning of new life, holding both the beginning and the end. Hence, this steel created heaven and earth — ! These unbelievable, fragmented images were running amok inside Godou's body. "Those that summon storms... A thousand dragons, a thousand snakes. Gather now to become a blade!" The instant the spell words were uttered from Godou's mouth, a terrifying storm began to blow madly. Rather than blowing all existences away, this wind served to absorb them. The black star rotating above Godou's head was sucking in everything from the surroundings! This was akin to objects falling, attracted by the Earth's gravitational pull. The black star was attracting all creation with an unseen force. Seawater, the beach's sand, soil, trees, stones, rocks, river water, the island's ground — The invisible gravity was going to draw all creation into the black star. This force became wind, forming a tornado, resulting in a gravitational storm, blowing madly across this island in the demonic realm. All sorts of existences on the ground were sucked into the black star's interior. The only ones unaffected by the storm of gravity were Yuri and Godou who held Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi up high. Only these two's immediate surroundings remained calm and tranquil, allowing them to stand as before. Also, despite the current fragmented state of Godou's mind, he did not forget a certain matter. The existence of the enemy. The Fire Goddess who had brought much pain and suffering upon him and his companions — She must be sucked in as well, to be imprisoned in the cage of the black star. Godou directed his awareness towards the goddess' silhouette located opposite to the gravitational storm. He pinpointed the presence of the mysterious goddess over on the other side, in order to pull her in! '!? Unbelievable—!?' The goddess' distant location must have made her inattentive. Her panicking voice resounded across the sky. Godou transmitted his thoughts to Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi and the black star. Pull her over. Suck her in. Crush her! 'Guh, what authority is this!? Kusanagi-sama, please allow me to take my leave for now. To think that my territory would collapse in this fashion — you are truly terrifying!' The Fire Goddess' fearful whispers could be heard from afar. The storm of gravity continued to blow in Godou and Yuri's surroundings while the black star overhead kept sucking in everything on the ground. But Godou also reached his limit at this point. Was this because of the horrifying burden imposed on the mind and psyche by Athena's legacy technique of heaven and earth's creation? As if his batteries were drained, Godou lost consciousness. The storm-summoning black blade, bringing the beginning and the end to heaven and earth. Its seal had merely been lifted here, yet to truly ascend to becoming Kusanagi Godou's weapon. Meanwhile, the other girls who had already realized the danger — As soon as the storm of gravity appeared, Liliana had immediately invoked flight magic. Taking flight while carrying Erica, the silver-haired knight subsequently picked up Ena and swiftly escaped from the island of the demonic realm. Standing in the eye of the storm, Kusanagi Godou and Mariya Yuri's figures could not be confirmed visually. Liliana groaned "gun" softly and immediately gave up on rescuing the two of them. Enveloped in blue light together with Erica and Ena, she flew them back towards the city of Kota Kinabalu. Afterwards, the storm of gravity proceeded to fully unleash its mighty power. The storm must have blown for dozens of minutes. During this time, the island where the goddess and the divine beasts lived was completely blown away and wiped off the surface of the ocean. Kusanagi Godou and Athena's secret technique, the gravitational storm caused by Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi, destroyed an island completely. Moreover, only the emerald-green sea and a bit of reef remained in the coastal region around the formerly existing island. The perpetrators, Godou and Yuri, were also nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, at the same moment as when the storm of gravity finally calmed down — The location was a certain forest in the French region of Brittany. Deep in this forest by a certain lakeside, a silver-haired girl looked up into the sky. Watching the winter constellations with her eyes of darkness, she listened carefully with her ears. But she had no idea why. Miraculously, she could sense the presence of a storm created in a faraway region of the ocean. "Hmph. Guided by ill fate, an encounter with this goddess lieth in the future... Verily, this destiny summoned a storm, has it not?" These words rolled over the tip of her tongue like fine wine. Slowly and carefully, she savored the premonition of the inevitable battle. References 1 . t Onmyoudou(|3iPJI3iI): literally "the way of the Yin and the Yang", mixing science and occult, a traditional Japanese philosophy based on Chinese concepts of the Five Elements and the Yin-Yang duality. Users of onmyoudou are called onmyouji(HH^f). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onmy%C5%8Dd%C5%8D 2. t Joshua 6:16,21 3. t Numbers 31:7 4. t Hassou-no-kamae(A^X(D^^.): one of the five stances of kendo, an offensive posture with the sword pointing upright and the blade sloping slightly to the rear.http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Hass%C5%8D-no-kamae