Campione 11

by The Second Tale

  "I see..."

  'As one of its descendants, the [Copper Black Cross] also plays the role of a financial group to the outside world. In actual fact, it is a prosperous corporation that manages several different businesses. Furthermore, its representative, Mr Paolo Blandelli -- namely, the uncle in custody of Miss Erica, is the commander-in-chief of the [Copper Black Cross] as well as a legendary knight.'

  Thus Godou was informed by the beauty who possessed slothful airs and a sensual body.

  Keeping Lucretia's words firmly in mind, Godou looked at the map as he wandered through the business district around the central station. Finally, he found the building he was looking for.

  A grand fifteen-story building. The people who frequented the premises were mostly men and women in suits.

  A high school student, and especially a Japanese who was clearly of a different ethnicity, would need to be quite bold to enter that building. Nevertheless, Godou stepped inside without hesitation.

  Walking through the impeccably clean entrance of the building, he found the reception before him.

  Godou smiled and spoke to the middle-aged woman sitting there:

  "Can you relay this to Paolo Blandelli with utmost urgency: Kusanagi Godou has arrived in Milan. I will enjoy myself a little in this neighborhood, so do whatever your obligations dictate. If you want to take me to Salvatore Doni, bring it on as if your life depended on it. Please inform him with this kind of feeling."

  On Lucretia's advice, Godou made up this instigating speech.

  Having expressed his demands, Godou departed without waiting for the woman to reply. Along the way, he even gave the security camera an intense glare before leaving the building.

  After that, he took a casual stroll.

  Since he was here already, he might as well get a view of the scenery. Godou thought as he walked.

  Part 2

  Godou got off the subway at Duomo station, four stops away from Milano Centrale.

  Duomo -- a Catholic cathedral, in other words.

  This was a sacred domain for people to pray for wishes and sing praises of the Lord. In short, it was an elegant and majestic religious building. In terms of interior decoration, this Duomo di Milano truly stood out from other cathedrals.

  "Well, ignoring basics and jumping directly into practical applications, it doesn't mean much anyway."

  With that, Godou began touring Milan's standard sightseeing destination, the great cathedral.

  This was the world's largest Gothic building, with almost 150(!) spires, the tallest one over a hundred meters in height. There were also over 200 painted sculptures. Given its long construction period of five centuries, the cathedral's magnificence matched perfectly.

  Godou had previously seen cathedrals on the islands of Sardinia and Sicily.

  But in comparison, this was definitely in a class of its own.

  After sightseeing for a while, Godou realized he had yet to have lunch. He was strolling along the main street and wondering what to eat when the aroma of cheese wafted into his nostrils.

  Following the scent, he found a delicatessen-like shop with a crowd of people standing out front eating something like bread. Lining up obediently, it took quite a while before Godou could enter the shop. Everyone was there to buy the popular pizza, which explained the large crowd standing around eating.

  The semicircular chewy bread was filled with plenty of cheese and tomato sauce.

  Indulging himself in this unusual atmosphere, Godou finished his hot and tasty junk food.

  There was a kind of itchy and slightly unpleasant feeling on his neck.

  Someone was probably watching him. Were they going to start an assault out on the open streets? Godou surveyed his surroundings. The place was packed and bustling.

  Godou's authority did not offer abilities that would not disturb the surroundings.

  Perhaps, a more open space -- a place easier to act unrestrained in would be better. Godou resumed walking once again. Luckily he already had a destination in mind. As it happened, the next place would be rather ideal for his purposes.

  Castello Sforzesco.

  It was the castle of the Sforza family ruling Milan in the fifteenth century. During the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci had participated in its interior design. The very spacious plaza in front of this castle was adjacent to Milan's top park -- Parco Sempione.

  Passing by the castle, Godou intended to enter the park

  Standing before the castle, he waited for the traffic lights to change. Like other major cities, Milan's traffic volume was massive as evidenced by the vehicles whizzing before Godou's eyes. At this time, a large RV suddenly accelerated and hurtled directly towards Godou!

  "Huh?"

  Godou stared in shock at the speeding heavy vehicle.

  Then he realized. People in the European world of magic all seemed to think of Campiones as equivalent to monsters. Furthermore, Campiones were virtually immune to the magic they specialized in.

  Using "force" on such an opponent, was naturally equivalent to the efforts of ants.

  Anyway, I should protect myself first.

  Evade -- no, attack. Godou instantly made his decision. At some point earlier, the [Bull] had been unlocked. Though heavyweight fighters were ineligible, man-eating tigers or RVs were perfectly fine as targets -- this usage condition was really way too strict.

  In any case, Godou's body instantly overflowed with monstrous strength. He then thrust his arms forward.

  Thrusting his hands into the RV's hood, he completely halted the vehicle, and using all his strength--

  "Yaaaaaaaaaah!"

  With both hands, Godou raised the two-ton RV high above his head.

  Raised in the air, the four tires turned noisily, fruitlessly expending power. In the driver's seat was a middle-aged man, his face convulsing from fear.

  Godou set the RV upside down on the sidewalk.

  Since the car's roof was resting on the ground, the four wheels continued spinning in the air. Upside down, the driver in the vehicle made a sign of the cross as he mentally prepared himself for something.

  People nearby were basically flabbergasted. They must be having a hard time accepting this scene as reality due to its ridiculous nature. Whether young or old, black or white or oriental, everyone at the immediate scene was stunned. Except a nearby man muttering "Wow..."

  However, there also existed people who did not seem particularly surprised. At the intersection of the plaza before Castello Sforzesco, on the roadside and various other places, there were indeed several men who glared sharply at Godou's brute strength.

  In that case -- with a clang, Godou opened the RV's door on the driver's side.

  "Excuse me. Do you belong to that Copper whatever association?"

  He directed his question to the driver who was still sitting upside down. Since he was speaking to an elder, Godou naturally used polite language.

  "Anyway, I am going to the castle and will be waiting for you guys there. Please tell your companions that."

  Since their numbers were many, it might be difficult to handle if he entered the park as originally planned. In terms of overpowering large groups, a wide open space would take less effort.

  "Also, can I rely on you guys to help guide ordinary people in the city to safety?"

  Palermo's Zamparini and his faction had been able to do it.

  Erica's fellow members should be capable of the same given their immense financial clout. Well, it did occur to Godou that things were probably different in Milan this time, especially since they were suddenly asked without sufficient time for preparation, but he ignored these notions.

  Listening to this request, the middle-aged RV driver nodded repeatedly.

  Rather than a "brave warrior challenging the Devil King Campione," he resembled more of a "worldly man rashly sent to battle on orders." Quite pitiful, to say the least.

  In any case, Godou left the RV and ran into Castello Sforzesco a couple of dozen meters aw
ay.

  Erica was sitting in a room, watching events unfold using magic from afar.

  This was a popular scene in fairy tales, analogous to a crystal ball showing distant happenings to a witch...

  Currently, the images were shown to Erica in exactly the same way.

  Except that object displaying them was a large slim LCD television.

  Erica's taste for the nostalgic preferred the old fashioned crystal ball. However, her fellow Great Knights did not approve and hoped she would turn to more convenient tools.

  --The current location was the tenth floor of the [Copper Black Cross]'s headquarters, a "lounge" reserved for the top echelons.

  Only those who had attained the rank of Great Knight were permitted to use this room. Furnished with a billiard table, darts, chess and other entertainment equipment, there was even a private bar.

  'Yaaaaaaaaaah!'

  From the screen, Erica could see a familiar youth in an active display of vigor.

  He lifted a large vehicle, opened its door, declared "fight at Castello Sforzesco" and left. Very likely, he did not want to cause trouble for the surrounding people.

  In that case, there was clearly an option which did not require fighting--

  Erica was secretly surprised that the youth overlooked this fact.

  "Just as we were at our wits' ends dealing with Sir Salvatore's unreasonable excesses, yet another Campione arrives? Reality is a complete nightmare..."

  The one lamenting was one of the Great Knights, Clarens.

  Bearing a shaved head and a presentable face, he was a striking black man from Holland.

  Thirty-one years of age. Equipped with capability, experience and insightful knowledge, he was in fact a leading knight of the [Copper Black Cross]. But because his nationality was not Italian, he could not inherit the leadership title of the [Diavolo Rosso].

  "It can't be helped. The opponent is a god-slayer, a Devil King Campione after all."

  The one complaining in an outraged tone of voice was Gennaro Gantz.

  Despite being an unrefined man in his early twenties, he was a Great Knight with substantial achievements in magic and swordsmanship. Hailing from southern Italy, he was Erica's competitor for the [Diavolo Rosso] title.

  In spite of his young age, the beard covering his face allowed him to convincingly pass for over thirty years of age.

  "Without the kind of personality that insists on paying injuries back fivefold, he probably would not have been able to oppose a god..."

  "By Sir Salvatore's decree, 'You people must lead Kusanagi Godou to my location by any means necessary.'"

  Clarens groaned with a gloomy expression.

  "For us to naively execute this command and battle the seventh Campione would be truly absurd. While we pretend to undertake this mission, the estimate for finding that man is also..."

  "Currently, Sir Salvatore is refusing to leave Milan. Critically overseeing things at this juncture, you're not going to get away with phoning it in. Because you are in the [King]'s presence... By the way, Clarens."

  In a manner unbefitting of a Great Knight, Gantz spoke up.

  Even though Erica did not hold this aspect of Gantz's in high regard, he felt the same way about her. Gantz too, often grumbled about Erica's facade of deliberate elegance.

  "How are things on the search front?"

  "Sir Salvatore's chaperone... Or rather, his butler Andrea Rivera is still missing."

  Blurting out chaperone, Clarens corrected himself nonchalantly.

  "His last sighting happens to be two weeks ago. Our [Copper Black Cross] received the decree exactly one day before that."

  "Then isn't the truth obvious!"

  Gantz roared gruffly.

  "If that serious man disappeared, Sir Salvatore surely must have thought he could spread his wings!"

  "Ah yes. The report about Rivera said, contact was lost on his way to the Etruscan ruins at Bologna on Sir Salvatore's orders... Very likely, the incident started there. Maybe a group kidnapped and imprisoned Rivera on Sir Salvatore's instigation or something like that--"

  Hearing the two of them sigh, Erica slowly opened her mouth.

  "If that's the case, then their interests are aligned with Sir Salvatore. Perhaps in a few days, Sir Andrea will be found safe and sound."

  This was her first time to speak at the table. Presumably she had kept silent because she was under "house arrest." Hearing that, Clarens frowned.

  "Given the current situation, isn't the battle between Devil Kings imminent?"

  "Even though Sir Salvatore does not ponder sufficiently, he is surprisingly meticulous sometimes. Currently, he is dallying in Milan for the sake of some momentous change."

  Salvatore Doni's base, was the region of Tuscany in central Italy.

  He did not keep a personal army, with only a handful of attendants and a lone sword by his side, spending his easygoing days in leisure. Whenever he needed subordinates to command, all he needed was simply make a request to an association.

  In this instance, that role was played by the [Copper Black Cross].

  Citing "your Blandelli family's daughter served as Kusanagi Godou's attendant" as his reason, he was impossible to refuse.

  As a side note, Erica had not informed her fellow comrades regarding lovers or anything of that sort. Due to Godou's orders, those details had not been disclosed to the magi of Sardinia and Sicily.

  Hence, Erica also remained silent over the "lovers' relationship" issue.

  "But my lady. You already mentioned about the seventh Devil King whose temperament requires reasons before he fights."

  Clarens addressed the young mistress of the Blandelli family as "my lady." For Erica, this bald-headed Dutchman was her teacher in tactics, strategy and politics.

  "That's right. Though he is a person who doesn't like to attack first, fighting in retaliation is fine to him."

  "...Do you think he'll turn to attack?"

  Gantz wondered as he pointed at the young Devil King shown on the television screen.

  "That's rather twisted of him. So he's basically suppressing himself currently. As soon as he finds any minor pretext to justify battle, his fighting attitude will immediately escalate."

  "If that's the case, all I can predict is a disastrous outcome..."

  Clarens' cellphone started ringing at this time, and he took the call for a few dozen seconds.

  "Bad news. Sir Salvatore has disappeared from his hotel."

  "I also have a very bad feeling about this. Hey, how are evacuation efforts going in Castello Sforzesco and the surrounding area?"

  The interior of Castello Sforzesco was being shown on the large LCD screen.

  A residence of nobles in the past, it was now a museum. Forty knights from the [Copper Black Cross] had stormed into the premises in pursuit of Kusanagi Godou.

  'You people must lead Kusanagi Godou to my location by any means necessary.'

  In order to execute this decree, Clarens had sent out a suicide squad.

  In addition, they were secretly ordered 'there's no need to risk your lives, just make sure you look like you're trying hard.' This was strictly confidential.

  "On standby over there and at the designated time, all parties were contacted. Right now, police assistance is being used to seal the castle's surroundings and neighboring Parco Sempione. Also, within the castle--"

  As Clarens watched the chaotic battle in the castle, he grumbled softly:

  "There are not too many ordinary visitors since closing time is near. So that should facilitate evacuation efforts. We have already sent a very sharp team, so it should be handled well... That's what I really want to believe."

  Godou's chaotic tactics proved to be an advantage.

  He made the most of his strength against the combat troops trying to capture him. Using the [Bull]'s monstrous might to pick up a Gothic pillar, he swung it in a manner like an electric fan. He also threw with one hand marble statues that were taller than people. Seeing his ene
mies equipped with projectile weapons -- guns, he effortlessly picked up a 2m thick slab of stone to use as a shield...

  Nevertheless, the current battle was taking place between an amateur against well-trained and experienced professionals.

  In principle, the professionals should hold an overwhelming advantage in this kind of fight. But in actual fact, the situation was the opposite, just as Erica predicted.

  "In other words, my lady... Is it time for the Campione to show his true power?"

  "Probably. He's not going to behave himself indefinitely for sure. He appears to be under control, but could show off his true power in a moment's notice. He may be an amateur in 'combat', but in terms of 'tactics' he is surprisingly talented--"

  Scarcely had she finished speaking when the ominous predictions were proven completely true.

  Pictured on the television screen, in the air above Castello Sforzesco appeared a gigantic pitch-black beast.

  Part 3

  Sprinting into Castello Sforzesco, Godou rampaged wildly using his monstrous strength.

  However, enduring to this point was his limit. He was gradually being cornered.

  During this time as he relied on his monstrous strength to hold out, all the ordinary people and staff in the castle had somehow disappeared... Hence, without further thought, he did it. Backed into this "It's gonna get dangerous!?" situation, he summoned the [Boar].

  Blasting this castle away (together with the troublesome people), was as easy as flipping a coffee table.

  For this reason, the [Boar] suddenly manifested in the air above Castello Sforzesco.

  The 20m-long black divine beast landed in free fall, its belly violently striking the roof of Filarete Tower in the castle's center. This impact shook the entire castle intensely.

  Landing on the ground, the [Boar] resolutely smashed its head and body against the castle walls to its heart's content.

  Naturally, the castle shook violently again. The stones and bricks used to build Castello Sforzesco were continually smashed and sent flying. In short time, the entire castle was on the verge of collapse. Not to mention those roars.