Campione! - Volume 4 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3




Chapter 3 - Hero's Sojourn Part 1 It had almost been two hours since they began their voyage across the sea in the night. It was already past twelve midnight. Kusanagi Godou heaved a sigh of relief as soon as the shore and city lights came into view. Setting out on a journey, not knowing the destination, this ordeal was almost at an end. Athena's manipulation of the yacht's velocity was an evident abnormality. If they traveled at this speed on land, the consequences would be unimaginable. Godou had prayed that no obstacles would appear before their path on the voyage. Due to the fact that they were getting close to their destination, their speed had reduced greatly, and Godou was deeply grateful for it. There was a gigantic castle next to the harbor. It was a special landmark, for sure. They were probably still within Italy's boundaries, but he had not a clue where he was. A quick observation showed that the city was of considerable magnitude. " Hey, what is that place? Is there a reason why we came here?" "Hmm? Where are we, eh? I don't know." His reasonable question was answered with an irresponsible answer. "Don't ask me that, Kusanagi Godou. I merely felt where the winds were blowing to. In the first place, wasn't this that sort of journey? I entrusted our fate to the guidance of the wind, advancing in the same direction, it was merely divine ordain. Moving like clouds in the sky." On the 'borrowed' yacht, the goddess Athena murmured softly. To the average modern person, it would be a ridiculous idea, but Godou didn't really mind, and only just wanted to tell her not to do things as though she were Homer, the Greek poet, improvising poems in real time. It was this moment when a sudden change happened. From a corner of the harbor, an emerald light could be seen stretching towards the heavens. "What is going on, over there?" "Hm... It seems like someone had carelessly stimulated the essence of the land." Godou and Athena observed the situation from their yacht - The emerald light gradually shifted into a familiar shape a dragon, spreading wings of over ten meters and soaring through the air, a massive dragon with emerald scales. "As I thought, is that a god of something?" "No, it's probably something like a divine beast although its origins should have connections to a god..." Being used to this, it was terrifying. It was preferable that the enemy was not a god this time, Godou thought. As the god and the devil king looked on, the gigantic dragon slowly descended onto the ground. Soon after, a light like a flash of lightning, from nowhere, as if aiming for the dragon, swooped down somewhere in its general vicinity. " I have a really bad feeling about this." "It seems my prediction was spot on, we have just witnessed the descent of a troublesome god. Fufu, things are just starting to get interesting." The yacht, propelled by Athena's divine power, slowly drew closer to the land. Thus, Kusanagi Godou and the heretic goddess arrived at the most dangerous city in Italy. Perseus. He defeated the snake-haired demon Medusa in Greek Mythology, and then, when the princess of Ethiopia, Andromeda was about to be sacrificed to a monster, he engaged in battle with said monster by the seaside, and obtained victory, saving the princess. It was well-known that he was a god that represented the slaying of serpents, dragon and snakes alike. [Perseus and Andromeda Style] was a term that referred to myths of similar themes. The Heraion - the loss of control of the symbol of the land would bring about the manifestation of its sworn enemy, this was what Liliana Kranjcar had thought, having noticed the possibility of such an occurrence. "Not in Greece, nor in Iraq, but right in the middle of Italy, why did this, so suddenly " A murmur escaped from her lips. But, she knew that [Heretic Gods] could manifest in places their original myths had nothing to do with, thus she was not that bothered by it. "Well then, you have heard my name, beautiful maiden. To show your respect to the great name of the serpent slaying warrior, it would be best to leave now. After my introduction, it is now time for me to display my valor." Perseus flashed a brilliant smile, showing his pearly-whites. He was surely not your normal pretty boy, his smile both bold and charming. As though in response, the dragon behind Liliana roared. GRAAAAAAAA!! A terrible, loud sound. It caused Liliana's slender body to shake uncontrollably, the sheer magnitude of the sound almost bursting her eardrums. Not just the harbor of Santa Lucia, perhaps the entire city of Naples had felt that. And in return to that roar, a sword materialized in Perseus' palm. It was over a meter long, its blade thick and heavy like a cleaver. A fitting sword for a hero - not good. To prevent the start of a battle, Liliana called out to that beautiful hero. "God Perseus, please stop! This dragon is formed, from Naples - from the essence of the land, a divine beast, if you carelessly destroy it, the spiritual aura of the land will die along with it, please stay your hand!" "Young lady, that I cannot do." Perseus answered, with a faint smile. "Slaying dragons and serpents is what I embody. It is the duty and responsibility of a hero, thus, the actions I must perform, if I were to give up on it halfway, it is unforgivable!" "Because of that reason, you won't care what happens to the land!?" "This is for the sake of completing my duty. It can't be helped." He said cheerily, as though he were shining like the sun. Those were cheesy lines only a true hero who fights for mankind and saves damsels could utter. Somehow, the pretty boy who said those words and was radiating elegance - was also a seasoned warrior, tempered and forged in battle. "It would be best if you stood back. The role of a young maiden is to stand by and wait to be saved by the hero, and offer her love to the victorious. It would be presumptuous of you to interfere any more than that!" Liliana was frozen to the spot after being coldly reprimanded. A thinly-veiled threat. Even if she were to use up all her strength, she still had to stop Perseus. Although that is what her mind had decided, her body would not obey. Her limbs would not move, no, rather, could not move. It might have been the power of his words. Perseus - the serpent-slaying hero, in his overwhelming presence, Liliana could only gulp. She did not know that the girl she saw as a rival had once, before the war god Verethragna, experienced a similar event. To be suppressed like this under the authority of a god, it was indeed vexing. "Hahaha, such an obedient girl. If it's fine with you, after I fell the dragon, fall into my embrace like a saved maiden, reenacting the tale of Andromeda!" As Perseus said that... The emerald dragon spread its wings out and took off, probably intending to engage the hero from the air. Opening its maw, revealing its razor-sliarp teetli and dark red tongue. - An open siiow of liostility. From tine ferocious snarl of the divine beast, Liliana understood that. From its maw, flames came spewing forth, as if to cleanse the land clean, sacred flames that engulfed Perseus. However, in that mere instance, the beautiful hero's form had seemingly turned into that of a brilliant white meteor. At speeds beyond what Liliana's eyes could follow, his movements were like that of a meteor - terrifyingly fast, and it was also then that he threw his sword straight up into the sky. Spinning through the air, it easily hacked off the wing of the emerald dragon. GUAAAAAAAA!! The giant beast howled in agony. - The dragon descended towards the harbor, with its neck raised, still indicating its determination to fight on. However, the speed of Perseus would not allow it to do so. Catching his sword that flew back into his hand like a boomerang, he leapt off the ground. It was a mere tenth of a second. Within that split second, Perseus was already at the side of the dragon, and with a flick of his sword, he hacked open the dragon's massive neck, causing emerald blood to gush out of the wound. The gigantic dragon, once again, howled, or rather, wailed. Although the neck had not been completely severed, it was more than halfway to a complete decapitation. - If only it were us magicians who had engaged the dragon instead. Liliana thought to herself, watching the spectacle unfold, even if the world's greatest magicians practiced the best strategy, did a complete surround, even so, it would not even be close to an assured victory. To the magicians, dragons were divine beasts of such immense power. However - the being with the appearance of a human in front of her, was easily forcing the dragon into a corner, intending on taking its life. This was a [Heretic God], a being of such terrifying might. Though he had the attitude, style and bravery of a hero, she could only see a symbol of ill omen. While she was still rooted in her fear, a voice could suddenly be heard. "Hold it, the war god over there. The one you should be fighting is right here. As a god, picking on a divine beast, isn't it simply pitiful?" "Fufu, the dragon's dependents, aren't you. How disrespectful, isn't it an overstatement to denounce me as such? Perseus jumped aside while answering, putting distance between him and the dragon. Guaaaaaaa The weakened dragon cried out. From around the divine beast that was almost slain by the hero, appeared a young girl who looked slightly over ten years old. It is not known when she had arrived at the harbor, but more importantly, why would such a girl be here - Wait... Liliana realized she was also a [Heretic God]. Bathing in the moonlight, glimmering silver hair, eyes blacker than darkness. The divine aura of a powerful goddess, guardian the land, ruler over darkness, could be felt. A great goddess of the land, and a rather famous one at that. Engulfed in the divine aura emitted by the goddess, Liliana felt her body grow hot. An encounter with she, the guardian goddess of witches and serpents, who, under the divine protection of the almost full moon, the [Strega]^ \ she, whose magical strength was at its peak. Nevertheless, it was thanks to her arrival that Liliana had broken out of Perseus' binding. Regaining her freedom to move, she quickly checked her surroundings, and saw that behind the goddess, was someone who clearly should not be present here. "Kusanagi Godou? Why are you here in such a place!?" "You are Erica's friend - Liliana, am I right?" And so, the Campione from the far east, exchanged greetings with her. A chance meeting with a hero, a goddess and a devil king. Liliana became depressed with this foreboding ill omen. Part 2 Somehow, this night, was a night destined for encounters with acquaintances, one after another. In this harbor which he didn't know, he chanced upon someone he had met before, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Kusanagi Godou, there's something I'd like to ask you, but..." Liliana Kranjcar left the side of the dragon, walking over to him. A beautiful, fairy-like maiden of Eastern European lineage. "Did you, by any chance, bring that goddess to Naples?" "The opposite. She, - Athena, brought me to Naples." It seemed that this place was Naples. Godou had been dying to find out his current location. A knight like Liliana, upon hearing that name, would surely realize the severity of the situation. Her eyes widened in shock, then quickly nodded. "... Athena. The goddess you had fought with this spring, right?" She did not probe any further into this, and immediately turned her attention towards the confrontation between the two gods. Indeed, she was a serious and rational person, someone who could be relied on and trusted in situations like this. "Then, I shall report the current situation promptly. The [Heretic God] over there is the hero Perseus, to Athena, with the aspect of serpents and as a goddess of the land, he is a natural enemy, please take heed of this." "Come to think of it, Athena and Medusa are both one and the same god, it seems." Godou nodded at Liliana's warning of Perseus' advantage over Athena. Although he had forgotten most of the knowledge of Athena, he still had a general idea. While they were talking, the pair of gods were gazing intently at each other. It was not out of romance, but intense enmity, it was rather headache inducing to watch them. "True, we are the dependents of the dragon. After all, they are the descendants of the wise snakes, my beloved children... Should some ruffian brandish and harm them with a blade, as their guardian goddess, I would naturally defend them." "I, Perseus, do not have any interest in picking a fight with a woman, but..." The two gods faced each other provocatively. Though polite in their speech, their eyes gleamed with hostility. "If my foe is the mighty goddess Athena, then it would be disrespectful to refuse you." "Perseus, was it?" "To the one previously known as Medusa, it should be quite an unforgettable name. To have a chance at wiping away your disgrace of your defeat in the myths is amusing, don't you think?" " Hmph, such a distasteful fellow. To mention that name on purpose, truly a foolish man." Athena said in a hateful tone, grimacing. "Very well, I will accept your invitation - my wounded child, return to my embrace, and recuperate your body." With the fierce smile of a warrior, the goddess called out, at the side of the dragon. With most of its neck liacked apart, tine dying divine beast responded, dissolving its liuge emerald body into light, which was absorbed by Athena. Immediately after that, she raised a single hand, toward the heavens. Suddenly, the surface of the sea in the Bay of Naples protruded upwards sharply. The sand and grit in the sea rose up even higher, forming the shape of a gigantic serpent. A serpent of sand. There was not just one of them. The protrusions from the sea, numbered at eight - eight giant serpents that rose from the sea, looking down upon Perseus. Godou was reminded of the battle at Tokyo. Then, Athena had also used similar giant serpents like these, as if to show off her power as a goddess of the land. She had also shrouded the area in darkness. Thick, pitch black air. To be engulfed by that would block out all light, which had caused the people of Tokyo to fall into great panic, thankfully, she only used a small amount this time... "The snake of darkness and earth. This is going to be a little troublesome." Perseus said. However, his expression did not match his words. On his mouth, a knowing smile surfaced. "Fortunately, I am well prepared for this My tale from the ancient times, by the neck of the Gorgon i severed, I shall do it once again. Before me, all serpents are powerless." As he said that, the eight serpents Athena had just created turned into dust. The mist-like darkness also began to scatter, as if blown by a wind. "Serpent-slaying words of power, is it? It seems like a power you had obtained after defeating a goddess with similar attributes to mine." "If you would like me to do so, I could make an oath not to use this power in our battle. How about it?" In response to the goddess' dangerous look, the hero lowered his head respectfully. "Hmph, that would not be necessary. I will make you regret your audacity... Using those words of power, should have weakened your divine power. Though you have inherited the will of Zeus, back then in Greece, you had the blessing of the land for protection. That privilege which you do not have here!" Hearing those angry words of Athena, Godou started to have doubts. The words of power earlier, was it the same power as the [Sword]? The image that Perseus had evoked with his sword and its effects, it seemed as though it had completely sealed all serpent-related divine powers. In her anger and great desire to oppose Perseus, Athena's divine power swelled up explosively. It was at a level where she no longer cared to test her opponent's strength, similar to what had transpired in Tokyo - perhaps even worse - this was bad. Remembering the aftermath of their previous battle and panicking, Godou thought that he had to stop them no matter what. "Wait, wait a second! Don't go all out in this sort of place! Stop!" "Hm. I had been concerned earlier, but who are you? Not an ordinary human, it seems... A modern godslayer, are you not?" Focusing his gaze on Godou, who had entered his field of vision, Perseus asked. The one who answered was Athena instead. "It is as you say. He is Kusanagi Godou. Though he is not yet ripe, still, he is a rather impressive brat... I'll say this first, but he is already my prey. It would be best if you remembered that well." "Ho. To be spoken of like that by a god of your stature, not bad at all..." As Perseus stared at him, squinting, Godou felt somewiiat uneasy. It is likely that he was being assessed. Does this guy feel that fighting Athena won't be enough, and is considering me as well? "Like I said, wait. If you two would like to duke it out, that's fine, but please don't fight in the city. You'll be a nuisance to the residents!" "Some time ago, you expended all your might to engage me in battle in your own country, how ironic." "With the circumstances then, I had no choice! At any rate, if you want to fight, do it somewhere else!" "Young godslayer, your inclinations are simply too superficial. You are mistaken." He had wanted to act as a mediator between the two divinities, but instead had been accused of being arrogant by Perseus. For sure, this guy won't be making any proper suggestions. Godou could not help but frown, thinking that. "Are you listening? The people desire the great efforts of a hero, and await the tales of my deeds. I, respecting their wishes, will fight, for them, I will display all my valor. For this is the duty of a hero!" "Don't use 'respecting the wishes of the people' so conveniently! Thick-skinned, aren't you?" As expected, Perseus had said something that suited his own interests. If they were to continue the conversation this way, it would definitely end in him asking the Campione - Kusanagi Godou for a duel. "Though you should already know this, you are also one of my enemies, young godslayer." Looking at Godou who was attempting to deny reality, Perseus smiled. A righteous hero he may be, yet he had a twisted desire for battle. He felt as if he had seen this before, to be exact, a few months back - the heretic god Verethragna was also the same. "Demon, rakshasa, fallen angel, godslayer... warriors that are branded as great abominations. You share many similar qualities as them, as a devil king, and with the heroes of steel, gods like me, between us we can only be eternal archenemies, to wage tempestuous war against. Us gods, born above the ground, and you humans, who have obtained the same standing as the gods, the chances for our paths to cross are frequent - our fates have already been decided in the eons past." The hero of steel, saying that, startled Godou slightly. It seemed like his Campione instincts were warning him - On the other hand, it could also be said that it was the excitement that could be felt before a deathmatch with archenemies. "If you put it that way, that's how it is." Athena murmured. "Godslaying devil kings and the forces of the hero have always been in conflict since time immemorial... Hm. With that connecting destiny, it would be inevitable for them to meet again." To say it was inevitable, or whatever other reasons, wasn't it obvious that it was all this goddess's fault... While complaining to himself, the goddess continued on. "Very well. Shall we retreat this time round, hero of steel? I have just remembered that I had planned to train this boy well." An inauspicious declaration. To Godou who was holding his head with his hands, Athena issued an order like a queen. "Kusanagi Godou, if you would like for the city to not get involved, then you will have to fight for it. As a King, to protect your own friends. This is indeed good training that the inexperienced you have to undertake." "Fufu. To be able to exchange blows with both a godslayer and the queen of serpents, this is getting more and more exciting." "You, you guys, don't decide this at your own convenience..." Why do the gods always turn out to be so willful and stubborn? Godou cursed his own misfortune, and at tlie same time analyzed iiis surroundings calmly. Athena was smiling provocatively, while Perseus wore an expression brimming with fighting spirit. Liliana Kranjcar was silently observing from the sides, looking worried. How would he approach the fight with this hero from the myths? Godou could not come up with an idea. Besides that, there was also the problem of location. The castle that was built on the land formation reaching out towards the sea, the harbor, and even the streets leading to the city, they were far too close! Right now, they were only about ten meters away from the pier, next to the streets, which looked rather prosperous. No matter how they fought, they would likely cause damage to the environment, which Godou wanted to avoid. "I don't mind playing along with you guys, but I have a request. I want to change the place for our duel. I can't fight in a place like this." Godou said in an exasperated air. He would not let himself be swept up in their pace. In addition to that, he would also have to make them comply with his conditions. "Ho, are you unsatisfied with this place as our dueling grounds?" "Of course I am." "... Hmph. Although, at any rate, I don't feel that it is a big problem, no?" Godou's firm insistence caused Perseus to inspect the surroundings carefully. "In a sentimental and historical city, under the moonlight and gaze of a goddess, this is a decent stage for us to do battle on." "It's terrible. Normally, before a duel, you have to make preparations for various things. If you ask me for a duel on the spot, as if I can get fired up!" The ten forms of Verethragna, under these conditions, who knows which could be activated. To fight without preparation, would be to be beaten one-sidedly, which is why he needed to buy time and come up with a plan. Quickly making up his mind, Godou whispered to the female knight. "... Sorry, but because of that, I will be leaving this place. If I'm not around, you should be safe, so take that opportunity to get away." Originally he had intended to leave upon finishing those words, but Liliana also whispered her reply. "... In other words, leaving this place for the present, wanting to prepare a counterattack?" "Yes, that sounds about right. That guy is extremely fast on his feet, although I probably can't beat him in that aspect, for now, I can only try." "In that case, then please leave it to me." Suddenly, Liliana clung on him tightly. Her slender body glued to his, embracing him, Godou's mind went blank in a fluster. Did she fall into the sea, her half-dried clothes giving off a scent of salt water. He could feel the gentleness and warmth of the fairy-like, beautiful girl through their body contact - The moment he had felt that, the silver-haired witch cried out. "O' wings of Artemis, grant me the power to journey through the night and soar across the heavens!" Was this an incantation - words to activate magical power? Right after, Godou and Liliana were sent flying through the air. "Eh?" The view before his eyes suddenly became very vast. The inner bay of Naples, the harbor stretching out to sea, the gigantic castle near the harbor, and many bright street lights... Godou looked towards where he had stood moments ago. The looks of Athena and Perseus, who had been left behind on the land. "Eeeh!?" As though attracted by some unseen magnet, Liliana and Godou moved through the skies, directly above the streets of Naples. If someone were to look upwards, they would think that they saw a shooting star, but naturally, shooting stars will not be this close to the ground. They continued to fly for about half a minute. Slowing down, they descended, and gradually landed on the roof of a building. Though Godou had feared that the roof might give way under their weight, it was an unfounded fear. Godou and Liliana landed on the roof softly, with the same flying posture. And after, they slid forwards like a plane that had just touched down, and quickly came to a stop, a safe landing. They had flew for a distance of about two or three kilometers. Gazing at the seaside castle in the distance, Godou heaved a sigh of relief. Parts Godou and Liliana returned to ground level from the rooftop. High-rise buildings were usually rather rare in European cities, but this large metropolis of Italy was an exception, there were quite a few multi-storied buildings around. The city at night before them, was indeed lively. Although it was already late, there were still many stores still operating, restaurants, hotels, pubs, for example, even some of the boutiques and grocery stores have not closed shop yet. There were many people going back and forth. The duo of a young male and female particularly stood out in the crowds... "Could it be that this area is a popular night date spot?" "Yes. The Santa Lucia district, even at niglit, is one of tlie safer areas in Naples." Godou fully agreed with Liliana's answer. Having just come from rural Sardinia, the scenery here felt dazzling. "... At any rate, I didn't think that Liliana-san could fly." Recalling how they had escaped, he remarked earnestly. He had once asked Erica before whether she could use magic to fly, but she had answered with 'Not if it's me', sighing. A magic which that genius could not use, but Liliana could - Godou felt a little surprised. "It is my honor to be of service to you. The magical spell of flying is a secret art of us witches, have you not heard of it before? Of stories that mentioned witches flying in the sky on brooms?" Liliana seemed somewhat proud, but Godou's attention was on a contradiction he realized. "Eh? Erica is a witch too, but she had told me that she couldn't fly?" "Strictly speaking, she is not a witch, but rather a female magician. A witch has to possess the disposition of a miko, to be able to receive the arts of the witch that are imparted... But, based on just her abilities, she could also be called a [Witch]." Come to think of it, during that turmoil in June, they had introduced Liliana as a witch possessing the disposition of a miko. I see, so it had that kind of meaning. At any rate, it was thanks to Liliana that they could escape from that situation, Godou turned around and bowed his head. "Anyway, thank you. If it weren't for your help... who knows how that would have turned out." "To render a King their assistance is the duty of a knight, nothing that I did is worthy of your praise... But, why couldn't you have fought at that place?" To the knight who had no clue of the current status, Godou wanted to whine about his troubles. It seems that he had to do some explanations about the authorities of Verethragna, and just as he decided... "Liliana-sama, you were here! Has the situation taken a turn for the worse like what we predicted!?" From the crowds, appeared a short young girl. She seemed to be similar to Shizuka in terms of age, wearing a half-sleeved maid uniform which suited her well, and appeared to be someone Liliana knew. As she came, she threw Godou a few looks of suspicion. "Ah, sorry about that, making you search for me." Liliana faced the young maid who had shown up all of a sudden calmly. Godou suddenly thought of the magic art that could scry the location of people. If you had an object that belonged to the target, something like a strand of hair, as long as they were in the same city, you could roughly tell their current location. Erica had occasionally used spells of this sort, that young girl must have done something similar. "Karen, you should know who is he, shouldn't you? The Campione of Japan - Kusanagi Godou-sama. Remember your manners. Kusanagi Godou, this is my servant, Karen Jankulovski." Liliana introduced them to each other. From her hard-to-pronounce surname to a Japanese, she seems to be of East European lineage. "... Kusanagi Godou-sama? Liliana-sama, weren't you together with Sir Salvatore earlier, did something happen?" "Well, many things did. Many things that give me a headache whenever I think about them." "By Sir Salvatore, did you mean Doni? Eh, did that guy come to Naples too?" Things looked more complicated than he had thought. As he headed to the hideout of the [Bronze-Black Cross], Godou listened to their report on the current situation in Naples. ...As expected, Salvatore Doni was an idiot who specialized in being a nuisance to others. After hearing about the events that have transpired in Naples and making the above conclusion, Godou noticed that the person who had been controlling her pace and trailing them constantly — the young girl in the maid uniform — ^was grinning from ear to ear. "Mm, it has already turned into such a crisis... But, unexpectedly, Liliana-sama is someone who should not be underestimated. The moment Sir Salvatore was gone, she had brought along yet another [King] - no, grew intimate with. Were you planning to take advantage of Erica-sama's absence?" "K-Karen! Don't speculate about such weird things!" Aah, this girl was a demon too, Godou thought, sympathizing with Liliana. From the female maid's, Karen's smile, a shadow of a demon could be seen. It was such a cute smile, yet Godou found himself being unable to compliment it. It was, in a different way, a demonic personality like Erica's. "A, anyway, we have to quickly come up with a counterplan for the god Perseus. Kusanagi Godou, do your authorities have any sort of activation conditions? The words of power of the [Sword] - the ability you had used against Marquis Voban in Tokyo, what is required to use it?" Liliana forcefully changed the topic. "In order to use that, I have to have precise knowledge of the enemy's divine nature and aspects. The problem is, I have completely zero knowledge of those details in mythologies." Of course, he still knew the story of Perseus. Godou looked at his right hand. No, the [Sword] could not yet be felt, hence knowledge of that degree was insufficient. "But, if I recall correctly, you should have used the [Sword] a few times, how did you satisfy the conditions then?" "Erica used magic to impart all the knowledge to me, that spell named [Instruction]." "Then it's simple, I too, have the ability to use that spell. In the place of Erica, let me, Liliana Kranjcar, complete the task!" "No, about that, it's impossible... You know, magic has little to no effect on us Campiones." This is bad. Godou started to get flustered. If this goes on, he would have to explain how Erica had done it, he couldn't possibly do that! "... There is a loophole in Kusanagi Godou-sama's words. We already know that magic has no effect on Campiones, so how exactly did she manage to use the spell [Instruction]?" As expected, Karen had interjected. Liliana was also awaiting Godou's answer with anticipation, did he really have to spell it out for them? This was like one of those penalty games. "Erm, regarding that, in other words... Magic from external sources have no effect, but it is a different story if it's from the inside, something along the lines of 'oral insertion', but with magic?" "Oral... from the inside... ah, I see. That's what it was." Liliana turned her head to the side, while Karen was hiding her laughter. This girl was truly a demon, she had seen through him from the start, and turned the situation into a source of entertainment for her. Ignoring Godou's woes, the female master turned towards her maid. "What is it, Karen? I do not have a clue." "Fufu, as expected of Liliana-sama, how innocent... It is exactly what he said, oral insertion. In other words, mouth to mouth. A passionate kiss between a man and a woman. Have you forgotten, that legend of a maiden who offered her body to the devil king Campione in order to cast sealing magic?" " Mouth to mouth? A passionate kiss?" Liliana repeated softly, and blushed a deep red. "I, I see. Then, that time at Tokyo, in front of me, with Erica - th, those actions had such a meaning behind it!?" "Ah, wait, what? ... Yeah, well, that's how it is." In actual fact, that was merely Erica fooling around, but she did not need to know that. As it was embarrassing to say out loud, Godou merely nodded ambiguously. His answer had seemingly caused Liliana to realize a lot of things that were rushing into her head, and she was shaking slightly. "That time - you were not even the slightest bit concerned that we were around you, urged on by your passion and impulse, as though you were alone with your lover, with the sound of a viola in the background, to hold each other intensely, that time, was that!" Please don't use that kind of expression to describe it, although his inner self had really wanted to say it, he resisted the urge. "Although I had already thought so then, I'll say it once more! You are too shameless! To engage in those acts right before me, that passionate kissing scene!" Feeling deeply apologetic, Godou had been mistaken about her, he thought she had been empathizing with him. "So, sorry... Because it's that sort of thing, we can't do it this time round. Understood?" "Y, yes. I understand. As long as Erica is not here, we have no means of using that spell on you." "Why can't we? I think it's an extremely easy solution to our problems." And naturally, the person who interjected once again was Karen. With that, she touched on the topic which the king and the master had been trying to avoid. "Liliana-sama simply has to perform mouth to mouth on Kusanagi-sama, there is no problem with that, right?" "No, there is a problem! For me and Liliana-san to do that, would be really bad!" "Th, that's right. As a pure and chaste maiden, there's no way I can do that!" Godou and Liliana retorted simultaneously. However, Karen, like a stubborn child, continued on. "Now is the time of crisis when the [Heretic God] has descended upon us. The both of you, as a Campione and as a knight, please do not underestimate the severity of the situation. Indeed, it is a terrible thing to trample over the purity of a maiden, but the disaster that will be caused by the god is even more unforgivable - now, now, because of that Liliana-sama, please kiss!" This girl, as I thought, is fully enjoying herself! Godou was very sure of it, that while Karen was making suggestions with a serious face, but inside, she must be giggling looking at her master's troubled face. However, the little devil maid's suggestion was the right choice - Godou stole a glance at Liliana's face. Panicked, troubled, and a little bit of anger, but the silver-haired girl definitely knew the truth of those words. She had to make up her mind. It was evident that her resolve was wavering, and her expression weakened. - Godou suddenly felt the rush of power through his body. An indicator that a [Heretic God] was near, he hurriedly checked his surroundings, and then immediately realized. From the direction of the sea, on a pure white horse with large wings spread out wide from its back, rode the beautiful yet bold hero. "Come to think of it, Perseus is also capable of flying." Pegasus, the horse of the sky. Legend speaks of a divine beast that can soar through the heavens, born from the blood of Medusa, as well as sandals that can grant its wearer flight... Godou recalled about the Greek myths of Perseus. At any rate, this was quite tine spectacular siglit. it was overiy sliowy. Tlie piace tliey were currently at was a ratlier wide open piaza. iViany men and women iii<ed to froiic around tinis area due to tine snacl<s and beverage staiis tliat were concentrated around tine area. In tlie skies that were lit up by the bright lights of the streets, the pure white Pegasus gracefully approached. The handsome man who was holding the reins put aside his sword at his waist, and then in his hands appeared a masterfully crafted wooden bow, a quiver on his back, his white cloak billowing with the wind. An extremely eye-catching appearance. "Hahaha! There you are, godslayer, I've been searching for some time!" The sound of Perseus' elated voice could be heard. The people on the streets, raising their heads and seeing the flying man and horse, started to scream, causing a stir. Watching the figure of the hero approach through the unfolding chaos and disorder, Godou grew incredibly nervous. "Liliana-san, do you think we can escape from the Pegasus with what you used earlier!?" To be honest, I think it will be difficult. If we are counting on the divine beast from the legends to be slower than our magic, it is overly optimistic of us." An expected answer. Godou readied himself, as it would be pointless to try and run away. With nowhere to retreat, then there was only one option - go forward. "It seems there's no other way except to fight... I'll be going now. Should it become the worst case scenario, I leave the rest to you. At any rate, that bastard Doni should be fine, if it comes to that, find him and somehow have him fight it out with Perseus!" Leaving Liliana and Karen with those words, Godou headed directly for Perseus. Part 4 A handsome man of bizarre appearance. As if made using CG, a Pegasus that could only have existed in movies. Appearing in front of the residents of Naples, it caused a huge stir. Some, upon seeing that, wanted to flee, others thought that it was some sort of performance, and there were also people who began to panic - at any rate, it was pure chaos. But most of the people were here to watch. Wanting to know what will unfold next, for the time being.... Dismounting from the Pegasus, the handsome man, and an Asian boy that walked out from the crowds. In the night, in the plaza, the crowds surrounded the two of them, waiting for something to happen in anticipation. Ever since he became a Campione, this was the first time that he had to fight in front of such a huge audience. Wanting to minimize the amount of casualties, Godou asked without expecting a favorable answer. "Hey, if it's fine with you, I would like to change the location for our battle, is that ok?" "No can do. If we change the location now, it will ruin the mood." Flat out rejecting Godou, Perseus smiled, his eyes narrowing. "It has been a while since I've materialized in this world, and the human world has flourished greatly. To me, this has made my want to have our duel here even greater. To have such a glorious and elaborate setting for our duel, in those mythological times was impossible!" As he listened to the hero's speech, Godou began an analysis of Perseus. It was obvious to anyone that he was a full-blown narcissist. In spite of that, even having the appearance of a pretty boy, his intentions were not simply just to draw attention to himself. Only someone who had experienced the reality of the battlefield, fighting for their life, would be able to possess such a degree of confidence. His [Individuality] was an intense presence, that even the smallest of his actions drew the attention of others. Whether that was good or bad, undoubtedly he had the abilities and power worthy of the term 'hero'. As Godou continued his analysis, Perseus started to make his move. He placed the bow he was holding on his back, drew his sword from his waist - And then he was right in front of Godou, closing the distance instantly. There were no excessive or complicated movements, he merely moved in a straight line, and simply swung his sword. However, it was incredibly fast. Godou instantly jumped towards the side. Perseus followed him closely, and threw out yet another quick slash. Godou barely managed to evade it, almost falling down in the process. Without even considering a counterattack, he was fully focused on dodging in his desperation. Kusanagi Godou, facing a warrior of such combat prowess and having nil martial arts background, had no other options. With such unrefined and forced evasive maneuvers, Godou finally lost his balance, falling down on the floor. Perseus immediately pressed his advantage with a ferocious swing of his blade. Almost like the speed and flexibility of a white panther. Godou managed to escape by rolling aside, but doing mat exercise-like movements on the stone paving hurt quite a fair bit. Be that as it may, it was infinitely preferable to being cut into two. "Hmph, this will not do. Although most godslayers usually have the bad habit of a 'disregard for one's appearance', you should not be one of those types? This simply will not do, to stand as a monarch above other men, you have to fight with an elegance and dignity of a king." "If I had enough room to do that, I would have!" Perseus seemed as though he were playing chess, and pointing out the wrong moves to his opponent, and Godou was the person shouting angrily at his opponent who was not even breaking a sweat. Finally, he stood up. Just as he thought, melee combat was unfavorable to him, and using the [Raptor] to escape was not feasible either. Perseus had not even used those techniques he had utilized against the dragon earlier. Not just the speed of a white panther, but that of a white shooting star. The speed of the [Raptor] could not even be compared with that. But, as for other methods of escape... there were some possibilities. Thinking of that method, Godou started to grow doubtful, if he were to use it, a large part of Naples' history and cultural assets would be destroyed, which was definitely not good. As he was thinking, Perseus thrust his sword forward once more. I'm almost at my limits, can I still go on? Godou stared at Perseus, and just as he realized there was no escaping the blade - A girl, with her hair of silver tied into a ponytail, barged onto the scene. Wearing a blue shirt, coupled with a black-striped cloak - a battle dress of blue and black, and carrying a long and beautiful sword. She was Liliana Kranjcar, without a doubt. "I'll be your second, Kusanagi Godou!"^^^ As she said that, Liliana caught Perseus' sword with her own. No, she deflected it. Liliana took the resolute, determined attack with her saber held at a slight angle. Given the mass of Perseus' sword, it would not be surprising if her blade had snapped under the weight. However, Perseus' sword slid off that slight angle of Liliana's blade, and - His sword cut only air, before being embedded on the stone pavement. "A fitting blade for the hand of a graceful maiden you have there, young lady. For the sake of that godslayer, do you intend on crossing swords with me?" "Yes. Insolent it may be, but I will have the dragon-slayer, you, accept my challenge." A smile of ease appeared on Perseus' countenance and he pulled his sword out from the ground. On the other hand, Liliana Kranjcar displayed a difficult expression, strained with determination. The knight in blue lifted her saber, pointing it at the hero's forehead as she stood in front of Godou to protect him, ready to attack at any moment "Stop it, Liliana-san! I am this guy's opponent, so step back!" "I cannot obey that order! Although I have no intention of taking the place of that obscene Erika to serve as your lover, I, as a knight, am in no way inferior to her. With my valor, I will make up for my previous failure!" Even if you are a knight, there's no need to go this far, was what Godou would have liked to say, but he kept it to himself. Perseus smiled wryly as he slashed towards Liliana. Like a wild beast playing with its prey, it was a light-hearted attack. "Well said, young maiden! In the face of a god, yet be able to challenge him without faltering. That's an impressive spirit!" Swift, decisive and versatile. Perseus' continuous chain of attacks were the embodiment of the above style. No matter whether it was a fast, a heavy or a strong blow, Liliana desperately deflected all of them. Although she was a knight on the same level as Erika, to take on a god, was too arduous a task. As Perseus was not taking it seriously, she could barely keep up. To be able to challenge a god on even footing, one must first have power on par with the god's. An exploit like that, could only be done by someone like Salvatore Doni - the [King of Swords]. As someone who had far exceeded the limits of the human body, no matter how much of a genius you were, to match up to him was not something a single knight could accomplish. She understood that fact all too well, but had still become a shield for him. In this instance, Godou flung aside all his doubts and fears. I'll worry about that later, for now I'll have to grab that bastard hero's attention, and create an opening for Liliana to escape from danger! "Thus speaketh Lord Mithra. The sinful shall be met with justice." Godou chanted, words he had not spoken for a while, spell words of conviction. These were the words of power that summoned that, the pitch-black, ferocious, and most aggressive out of the ten forms. "May spines be crushed, may bones be broken, tendons torn; hair, brains, and blood mingled and trampled together with the earth! The one unblunted and unapproachable! Oath-breaking sinners be purged by the iron hammer of justice!" Where Godou stood - the plain stone floor had started to turn into a shade of black. A distortion in the space had opened, that which linked this world to the 'imaginary' world, and right after, a black form began expanding out on the ground of the plaza. "Hm? Finally gotten serious, have you, godslayer? This is your authority, isn't it?!" "Kusanagi Godou, what on earth is that form - !?" Perseus seemed overjoyed, while Liliana looked on wide-eyed, and then Godou liberated the fifth form of Verethragna. "Come forth, [Boar]! Listen well to my commands today!" The black floor was the clearest indicator that this world had been connected to the 'imaginary' world. And then, it came, the fiercest form, the [Boar] emerging from the ground. First, the fur. From the area around Godou and Liliana, and then all the way to where Perseus was standing, was black fur. The fur was unexpectedly fine and glossy, it was exquisite. There was also none of the odor or stench usually present on wild beasts, this was how the divine beast could be described. From the tip of its snout to its rear, it measured about twenty meters. From where Godou was, on top of it, he could not see its entire form, but any onlookers who could see the full terrifying, massive and ferocious form of the [Boar] - most likely would have been scared witless by its savage visage. Most likely the people watching were looking upwards now. Standing on top of the giant beast's back, Godou slowly rose up into the air, like an escalator, the beast slowly lifting his body up. The [Boar] that had emerged from the land, finally could be seen in all its glory. Godou now had a bird's eye view of the city, as though he were on a rooftop. The Santa Lucia district directly in front of the Bay of Naples. It was commonly known that, from the history of this area, there was a royal palace that the King of Naples had once lived in, which has become a standard sightseeing spot. The folk song [Santa Lucia] had originated from that place. Godou and the [Boar]'s line of sight were fixated past the coast. That was the area they had been at earlier, the harbor of Santa Lucia. Further out into the sea on the protruded land, stood a castle of stone. (Also known as [Egg Castle]) When Kusanagi Godou thought about destroying a large object, he would be able to summon the [Boar]. In other words, he had designated that castle as the target. No matter how you looked at it, the castle was the most fitting target, it simply stood out too much, regardless of whether you saw it from the sea or from the harbor, it could be clearly seen, and also left a deep impression. RRUOOOOOOOOOO!! The [Boar] which was destruction incarnate, roared out into the night in Naples. "That's an interesting thing you called out, godslayer! But, what are you planning on? You cannot defeat me with merely that!" "Like this! Liliana-san, hold on tight and don't fall off!" Godou shouted at both the hero and the female knight standing atop the fur. And at the same time, the [Boar] kicked off hard against the ground. It charged towards the castle - no, to be precise, it jumped. The ground shook with every step, the stone pavement cracking every time its hoof landed. The target was the castle beside the sea, if it charged towards that, there would be widespread destruction, hence the jumping. Fortunately the castle's surrounding area was the harbor and pier, hence there was plenty of space. "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?" "Mgh, this is - !" Liliana had let out a surprisingly cute scream, while Perseus was impressed. But the fact that both of them were not thrown off the [Boar] was indeed praiseworthy. Standing on the normally not-very-stable back of the gigantic monster, which had leapt off the ground, even under these difficult conditions, Liliana still clung on to the black fur for dear life, though she had already fallen down. If it were Erica, she would have thought of something, somehow. The knight who was equal to Erica would probably be the same, and Liliana did not betray his expectations. On the other side, Perseus was relying on his superb sense of balance to stand firm. Although his body was swaying, he did not fall over, as expected of a god. A being of a completely different dimension compared to humans, and in contrast, Godou was on his knees, his hands grabbing on to the black fur. "Well, I didn't think that I could have thrown you off that easily..." Speaking in a low voice, Godou started to move. On all fours, on the back of the [Boar], Godou shifted into a riding position, like a wild beast. When he had summoned the beast, for some reason his own body had also gained the charging power of the boar. Also, the jumping movement of the [Boar] was also a result of being telepathically manipulated by Godou. (Of course, it would not have been possible if the [Boar] resisted) ... Could it be that this guy, was not like one of those [Summoned Beasts] from a video game, but rather an offshoot of me? That seemed like a rather dangerous relationship, as Godou's mind and body were overly linked to it, at times. That would mean that it were a personification of his destructive tendencies. It was a rather ominous premonition. Leaving that fact aside, Godou, like a beast, dashed forwards on all fours. His target was obviously Perseus. The footing was poor as the body of the beast was constantly quaking from when it jumped, it was worse than riding a rampaging horse. To be able to maintain your balance in these unfavorable conditions, was certainly an admirable feat, but purposely standing on two legs in such a situation would not be wise. With the stance of a boar, Godou charged at Perseus, preparing to grab him by the legs in a tackle. If he attempted this on flat ground, it would mostly likely be evaded by Perseus. However, this was no flat ground. On this unpredictable field, the hero who cared about his appearance and hence would not go down on all fours could only stand firm against Godou's unsightly assault. Very quickly, Perseus was knocked off his feet, and fell off the back of the boar. Although something of this extent would not be enough to defeat him, but it was a way to buy some time. "Ku - !" The body of the hero flailed through the air as he fell. Simultaneously, a tremendous impact could be felt from the pitch-black back of the boar, the tremors spreading through its body. The [Boar] had landed on the ground. From the plaza where it had been summoned to the harbor was about a few hundred meters in a direct line, and it had crossed that entire distance in one jump. Though it had such a massive body, it possessed such incredible jumping power. "Wait! There's no need to do anything more! Return to where you came from!" Godou hurriedly commanded the [Boar] which was fiercely charging towards the castle. The boar stopped. The beast growled in a low voice, retreating a few steps, stomping on the ground, as if in defiance of Godou's order to stop. It seemed to be resisting, Shockwaves could be felt from its back due to its movements - this was bad. Priceless historical buildings were going to be destroyed again, at this rate. Godou concentrated and issued a 'disappear already!' command telepathically, but the [Boar] did not cease its growling. Just when he felt despaired and powerless. " - Kusanagi Godou, please take note! Perseus has returned!" The warning from Liliana reached his ears, and Godou turned his head around, frantically searching for the enemy's location. "You have my praise, just this time. Though it was neither graceful nor stylish, your attack was still successful. That I acknowledge." Speaking with eloquence, Perseus was riding upon tine wliite winged liorse - Pegasus. It seemed like he was caught by the white horse after he fell off the [Boar]. And then, as he rode upon Pegasus, Godou noticed a few rings on his back had been shining. The lights were like the golden rays of the sun, to Godou, it seemed as though Perseus had his back to the sun. Godou then realized. What had stopped the [Boar] from charging on, was not his order, but the unimaginable strength of the divine energies emitted by those rings. What is this? What kind of power is this? "The power you had usurped, was it from a war god of victory? My distant comrade, by one that came from the east... Truly unlucky." Perseus spoke in a voice filled with pity, and the rings began to shine brighter. "My ancestors, the light of the east, grant me power - in your name I request this miracle. By the oath of the serpent-slaying warrior, now is the time to grant me this strength!" In response to these words of power, the rings shone with even greater intensity. Like the blazing sun that illuminated the sky and the land, it was a very warm, gentle light. The [Boar] began to growl as the light rays fell upon it. - Rrroooooooooo Doesn't seem like its usual self. This was the first time Godou had heard it produce such a sound. Seemed almost as though it was howling. "Wh, what is that?" Godou murmured in shock. The surface supporting his weight disappeared, and Godou felt the sensation of free-fall. The power of the ferocious [Boar] had totally vanished - Godou fully realized this fact. "Wings of the witch, grant me the power of flight!" The one who had swiftly chanted the spell words was Liliana. Falling along with Godou, she had immediately recited the incantation to obtain flight capabilities. Like a glider gliding through the sky, she quickly changed directions and headed straight for Godou, then grabbing on to his body tightly, and finally descending slowly towards the ground. They were almost at ground level. Though they had avoided the impact of falling, they could not prevent falling during their landing. "O, ouch.... thanks for saving me, Liliana-san. I almost fell to my death." "Kusanagi Godou, earlier, just what was that power Perseus had used...?" "Not a clue. All I know is that he had fully sealed my authority." The serpent-slaying words of power had sealed the power of Athena. That was understandable as Perseus had defeated Medusa, who was of the same being as Athena, and the hero who had decapitated her, and this myth served as the origin for Perseus' power to seal the goddess of serpents. However, to seal Verethragna's - the Persian war god's powers, how did that happen? But first, they had to fix their posture. Godou and Liliana stood up, albeit painfully, they had hit the floor of the harbor in an undignified heap, rolling a few rounds, their bodies covered with bruises. And right then, in front of them, was Perseus on his winged horse, hovering in the air, with his bow ready. A single arrow was fired. Like a flash of lightning from the heavens, the arrow planted itself into the ground near Godou's foot. And exploded. The arrow blew up like a bomb, creating a Shockwave. Godou and Liliana were flung aside violently. Were that a real bomb, they would probably be dead. When Godou could finally pick himself up off the ground, the second arrow came. The target was not the ground near his foot this time, it was aimed directly at his head. Godou sensed the incoming danger, and instantaneously activated the [Raptor]. Besides this form, there were no other viable options. Hastened, he felt the world around him slow down. The trigger for the [Raptor] form was a high-speed attack, and it granted the user superhuman speed and a lightweight body. A speed that exceeded the arrow, evading death. However, as Perseus was about to fire his third arrow - The rings on his back began to shine, and the speed of the [Raptor] form began to fade. With only his normal mobility remaining, Kusanagi Godou could not dodge the incoming arrow. It struck dead center, in the middle of his chest, near the area of his heart. - His strength had vanished. To the Campione, this was the first time it had happened. As his consciousness started to grow thin, he desperately activated the last form, hoping that Perseus would not notice this last-ditch attempt to hang on to life, and then he thought of Liliana.... worried for the girl's safety... And with that last thought, Godou lost consciousness. Parts There were no forms that could be used to fight Perseus. For example, the pitch-black [Boar] that Kusanagi Godou had summoned. That was a fearsome summoning art, something that even if a highly skilled magician had tried for a hundred days straight, would not be able to summon such a divine beast. And lie liad only used ten seconds to do tliat. Tiiis was a powerful authority possessed by a devil king Campione. However, Perseus had used some divine secret technique, sealing the divine beast. And then finally, shot Kusanagi Godou dead. - This was all my fault. Liliana Kranjcar who witnessed the entire fight from the start could only look on, horrified, as the dead body of the Campione had collapsed on the ground. If only she had used the spell, [Instruction], on him... If he could have used the spell words of the [Sword] that even suppressed the Marquis Voban, the fight would definitely have turned out differently. Because of her indecisiveness, someone had died. And it was someone who fought against the gods for the sake of mankind - a savior of the world, a bringer of discord, one of the devil kings. Magicians hailed the Campiones as [King] for a reason. The main reason was fear, but besides that, when the [Heretic Gods] brought suffering and disaster to mankind, they were mankind's last bastion of defense, the only saviors of the world. That was how it should have been, but she had done nothing but caused his death - ! "... Hm. I am feeling a strange unease." Ignoring the currently despairing Liliana, Perseus had a troubled expression "I should have just defeated this young godslayer, but I do not feel the sense of elation that comes after victory. Did I make a mistake somewhere - such a detestable premonition. Why is that?" Walking towards the body of Kusanagi Godou, he spoke in a low voice. Does he plan to desecrate his body? Could a hero be capable of such a hideous act - perhaps he would really do it. In those ancient times, warriors had sometimes beheaded their fallen enemies, which had happened surprisingly often. At the very least, she had to protect the body of the [King]. Her mind made up, Liliana picked up II Maestro, but Perseus ignored her, continuing on his path towards Godou. - And immediately, Perseus fell over. Liliana witnessed it. In the Santa Lucia harbor, barely illuminated by the street lights, the shadow of a hero. A figure of a young girl appeared from the darkness, in her hands a huge sickle, with a blade of pure black. This was Athena, her form swathed in darkness, and the sickle in her hands had cleaved into the hero's back. Perseus' response was also perfect. Although it was an attack from the back, he had executed a forward roll reflexively, preventing a fatal wound. However, it was still a severe wound, his blood flowing freely as he jumped back. His beautiful visage had turned into a grimace of pain. "You, as Athena, I never thought you'd be capable of such underhanded tricks!" "As I thought, when the hero has finished the godslayer off, he would then relax his guard - Fufu, admittedly, I may have violated the rules of a duel, but I will spare your life this once. Have I not said it before? That I will only retreat for a short while, and that he was my prey to hunt... which you have not yet slain." Athena snickered while saying that. Perseus nodded furiously. "I see. In other words, the boy has not been defeated yet... Even so, attacking me from the back in jest is simply too harsh." "Do you think you have the right to be saying that? Doing things in jest, isn't that you instead?" Terrible, that would be the word used by humans to describe Athena's smile then. Perseus' smile was a strained and bitter one. "Ugh, I'll have to give it to you this time. IVlay I asl< if you have cooled off a bit?" "Of course. If you will withdraw now, I will spare you. How does that sound?" Perseus shrugged his shoulders at Athena's suggestion. "I cannot comply with that." "If that's the case, then you leave me no choice. I will strike you down!" "You intend on striking me, the one who possesses the serpent-slaying words of power, down? Fufu, I already have an idea of why you would want me to withdraw." "What do you mean by that? I do not understand." "Taking into account your intention to stall for time, and my current wounded body, in order to benefit the both of us, why don't we both retreat for now?" ".... Hm. That's fine with me. Until you have recovered, I'll comply with that." "You have my gratitude. Then, when the Campione is fully healed, we will meet once again on the battlefield." Hearing Perseus' words, Athena raised her brows. "You intend on fighting this guy again?" "Can't I? It is a rare chance for me to fight a godslayer and the Queen of Serpents both simultaneously. It may be somewhat thick-skinned and shameless of me to say so, but when there is such an opportunity in front of me, I will definitely not let it slip away." He smiled, unabashed, even as Athena stared at him dangerously. Hmph. With a strained expression, Athena lightly nodded. - What's going on? Liliana was thoroughly confused. The situation liad developed in an unexpected way. Witli Atliena liolding lier sickle, Perseus wielding his magnificent sword, and Godou who had perished in battle, she had expected the two gods to be clashing with each other in combat. Were they saying that the young King had not yet perished? Why did Athena immediately stop her attack? She had already given Perseus such a terrible wound, wouldn't it be more advantageous for her to press on the attack - "The time of battle, we shall decide some other time - until then!" Mounting his beloved horse that came at his whistle, Perseus bid them farewell. Even though the wound had not yet closed, he could no longer feel the pain. Pegasus galloped, rather, flew towards the sea at night. " - Well then, I leave Kusanagi Godou in your care, girl. He should be awakening soon. Ah, and also, make sure to duly prepare him for Perseus.... I will be the only one to defeat him, should he perish in battle before then, I will definitely never forgive him!" Leaving those words behind, Athena departed. The ordeal of Liliana Kranjcar and Kusanagi Godou, who was lying on the ground as though he were truly dead, was nowhere close to being over. References 1. t A reference to Walpurgisnacht (Like Madoka) 2. t A second as in a duel, the person who takes over once the first guy loses.