Campione 05

by Miko of the Sword

  All sorts of knowledge about Susanoo flowed into Godou's mind.

  Then Godou felt in his right hand, the reaction of the [Sword] being prepared. He fell silent.

  "Ha! As expected of the fellow who obtained the sword of wisdom, just by listening to my story, you were able to forge a weapon!"

  All he wanted was to know, but why did it turn out like this?

  The spell words to slay Susanoo have been obtained, but his head was hurting like it was about to explode. It was probably impossible to win if he had to fight with this god before him in such conditions.

  Godou felt doubt at the unexpected occurrence.

  He felt that he was exactly like Verethragna—the original user of this sword.

  "W-why is this happening..."

  "Because this is the Netherworld, which is different from the reality where you live. This is where everything is recorded, from the birth of the universe to all possible future outcomes. Those who possess the ability can obtain some of these records from this place."

  The old god seemed to be undertaking an explanation role.

  Godou thought about what he heard before, that the power of spirit vision was the ability to extract [Memories of the Void] from the Boundary of Life and Immortality. So the Netherworld was that kind of territory.

  So that was the reason why the environment and the [Warrior]'s power produced some kind of chemical reaction...?

  However, his headache was getting worse, and his brain felt like it was burning up.

  Very likely, it was the price of performing something similar to spirit vision. This kind of task was probably best left to Yuri, Godou painfully realized.

  "Anyway, I must leave this place. Something bad is about to happen to my companion—Erica and your miko Seishuuin Ena, and I must go to them."

  "What are you talking about? I called you here precisely to stop you from interfering."

  Godou endured his headache as he tried to make a sincere request. The former [Heretic God] laughed heartily.

  "Just wait a while longer, why the rush? Should I bring out the alcohol?"

  This old bastard, why is he making me wait?

  As Godou frowned, he heard another voice.

  "Looking for your girlfriends? Hahaha, you really are as lecherous as the rumors."

  Unlike Susanoo's steady voice, it was a hoarse sound.

  Godou frantically looked in the voice's direction. In a corner of the little house, another character had started sitting there at some unknown point in time.

  The one dressed in a monk's black habit did not look human at all. With dry, parched skin and no real flesh, it was as if everything had peeled off.

  Resembling the body of a living Buddha or a mummified corpse, the sight made Godou swallow hard.

  "To treasure her to such a degree, looks like our efforts to send you a concubine have not gone to waste. Since Susanoo-san's miko was a peculiar person, I originally worried if she might not suit your tastes... Or perhaps, you worry more about that barbarian little lady?"

  The black clad figure spoke in tones that hid subtle sarcasm.

  Simply bearing superficial politeness, he was clearly a very rebellious person.

  "Your Majesty the Rakshasa King[38] would like to see the girls, yes? Please wait a moment."

  A third voice. This time it was female.

  Godou shifted his gaze towards the voice, opposite to the dried out monk's position.

  An otherworldly beauty was sitting in seiza, dressed like a noble princess from the Heian era in a brilliantly colorful juunihitoe[39] style kimono. But where did she come from?

  Those pupils of hers were crystal clear like the color of glass. Her hair was a deep flaxen color while her smooth delicate skin resembled polished ivory.

  This adorable beauty of hers, resembling a sculpture, surpassed the looks of any modern Japanese.

  The princess with pupils of glass was sitting before a basin.

  When did this basin, filled with water, appear along with the princess—

  "W-Who are you people?"

  Godou asked frantically.

  Unlike Susanoo, the mummified monk and the princess did not provoke his battle spirit, so they should not be gods... Then the old hero god said to the unsettled Godou:

  "This is the Netherworld, a gathering place for those who are neither human nor gods. Especially those gathered here: obsessed fools unable to relinquish their feelings for the real world. We have been dealing with the other side for quite a long time, and have been involved in many affairs."

  "Simply put, a bunch of old people watching over the young ones."

  The dried out monk in black chimed in.

  Though most of the teeth in his mouth had already fallen out, his words were surprisingly clear.

  "The wizards in charge of this country are too busy with mundane worldly affairs. So in order to prevent them from becoming sleeping tigers, our duty is to give them reminders from time to time. Sometimes when existences like you pop up, we will also make a few comments."

  "...Sleeping tigers?"

  As Godou asked, the princess spoke once more.

  "Please look this way, Rakshasa King. Your majesty's concubine is here."

  Images were appearing in the basin of water before her.

  Godou hurried over for a look. The image on the surface of the water showed two girls fighting. Erica Blandelli was wielding Cuore di Leone while Seishuuin Ena swung her great blade.

  Ena's sword had changed in appearance. The originally straight blade was now curved and its color had become black.

  The duel ended dismally.

  Facing Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi, Erica suddenly collapsed.

  "To think that naughty brat Ena has come to the Netherworld. Fool, if she performs divine possession in such a place, her body will surely be taken by me and Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi."

  "Divine possession?"

  Godou questioned Susanoo's scolding of Ena.

  "Correct, that is her power as a Hime-Miko. The ability to turn her body into a vessel for containing a god's divine spirit. But with a single mistake, she will lose her mind and body. Looking at her like this... most likely she has been taken over by our divine spirit."

  "A miko with that kind of ability is almost like a demigod. It's too unfortunate for the little lady who battled against her."

  Susanoo and the monk in black delivered their commentary without any sense of culpability.

  Seeing their attitudes, Godou stood up. It was no longer time for gentle requests.

  "Send me there. The faster the better, hurry!"

  There was no time to tend to the splitting headache.

  Godou forced himself to endure the pain and raised his right arm—the one carrying the [Sword], pointing at Susanoo.

  Making clear that he would show no mercy if refused.

  Despite Godou's threat, Susanoo simply ignored him and looked bored while the monk in black mocked him and went 'hoho, how amazing.'

  "Hahaha, good good. Those little ladies would be delighted if they heard your words. You have not shamed the name of the [King], I am deeply impressed!"

  Hearing such insincere praise, Godou glared at the monk.

  Godou gnashed his teeth, but currently he did not have an incarnation to defeat this mummified monk.

  "Rakshasa King, if Your Majesty imagines the place shown here and makes a wish to be there, it will be done. In a place like the Netherworld, methods of travel are different from the real world."

  The princess with the pupils of glass explained humbly.

  Godou could not help gazing at her beauty.

  Unsure where this beauty came from, Godou lowered his head.

  "May Your Majesty's merciful virtues help those girls. That is my humble wish."

  "That goes without saying! Thank you very much, it's been a great help!"

  Godou immediately thanked her politely.

  Strangely enough, it did not feel like she was lying.

&nb
sp; It was as if the Campione's supernatural sense of danger informed him... the exact same feeling.

  Godou did as she described and imagined the scenery shown on the water surface. The place where the two girls were, where did such a beautiful river flow in the Netherworld?

  In the next instant, Godou vanished from the little house.

  Because of that, the young Campione did not hear the following conversation.

  "That person loves women too much. All it took was the sight of his concubines in a desperate plight to make him lose all composure. Hahaha, looks like he is unlikely to perform above expectations."

  "Yes, it's all that brat Ena's fault for coming here and making him believe there was a crisis."

  The desiccated monk could not stop laughing to himself, while Susanoo scolded with displeasure.

  "It's time we stop using those girls to test the Rakshasa King's disposition. I am starting to feel displeased, Enlightened Master, Old One."

  Admonished by the princess with eyes of glass, the two men continued unfazed.

  Part 3

  Erica watched as Seishuuin Ena slowly approached with Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi. If this continued, she would be slain. Given her current frail body, what other measures could she take—

  Searching in vain with no solution in sight, was it really hopeless?

  "Wait, Seishuuin, put your sword away!"

  A familiar voice. The figure of the familiar youth appeared between Erica and the Hime-Miko.

  Kusanagi Godou. The youth she was determined to save.

  "Godou, you're okay...?"

  "Well enough, I will handle this. You should rest for a while."

  With barely enough strength to ask, she could only watch the back of the youth who answered.

  For whose sake did I, Erica Blandelli, come to be caught in this desperate situation? Though she wanted to call him an idiot, her depleted stamina caused Erica to abandon the notion. She substituted her displeasure with a relieved sigh.

  '—Godslayer, I cannot follow your orders.'

  Ena's lips did not move, and a robotic voice was heard.

  Speaking to Godou who stood in front of the weakened Erica, she continued.

  '—As the enemy of gods, you are also the enemy of me, the divine sword. To listen to your orders will be my greatest shame.'

  "You... are not Seishuuin."

  The calm and penetrating voice once again replied.

  'Correct, my master and the miko call me Ama no Murakumo, good that you know.'

  "Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi! That's Susanoo's weapon, and the Kusanagi sword!"

  Godou yelled at the Hime-Miko controlled by the divine blade, the one who looked like Ena but was not Ena.

  Seeing him surrounded by countless flashes of light, Erica got a big shock. These were the spell words of the [Sword]!

  "Susanoo is a god who shares a long history with [Steel]! His territory Susa is well known for producing iron ore, and he is the god of storms. In ancient times, strong wind provided the greatest assistance to forging iron by fanning the flames to make them stronger, and that intense fire can melt iron!"

  The brilliant light of the [Sword] started moving like a stream of meteors, and flew to attack Ena.

  Targeted, she silently kicked at the ground, and began running like the wind at superhuman levels, intending to escape the onslaught of the [Sword].

  However, it still caught up to her.

  Wielding the divine sword with movements like a puppet, she tried to deflect the [Sword] in vain. Steel that should have cut through the spheres of light was pushed back by the light instead.

  Erica was certain, these were the spell words that can defeat Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi.

  '...Spell words that can conquer a god and his belongings. True to the status of a godslayer, a most troublesome weapon indeed.'

  It was still that robotic voice.

  Ena admitted her disadvantage. Ena—no, Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi controlled the Hime-Miko to jump backwards.

  Such a jump would probably require a human-sized cricket or grasshopper, to instantly create a distance of dozens of meters.

  '—Continuing to stay in the Netherworld will cause damage to my miko's body. It would be wise to repeat this duel another time. Godslayer, I shall return to the real world, and wait for you there.'

  Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi manipulated Ena's body and buried her into the ground.

  Darkness consumed the ground beneath her legs and spread out into a great patch of jet-blackness.

  This was probably the [Door] that pulled the two of them into the Netherworld. Erica watched in surprise as the darkness gradually swallowed Ena and the divine blade until they disappeared.

  "How could that girl do such a thing...?"

  "The current Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi is just like a cheap copy of Susanoo. With that smelly old bastard's power, of course it's possible, and because of that, the [Sword] was effective against her."

  Godou explained as he massaged his temples.

  He was struck with intense pain once again, and the worried Erica hurried over before him.

  "Godou, how are you?"

  "Perhaps because I forced myself too much to create the [Sword] to defeat Susanoo, using it gives me a great headache. I'm afraid I can't continue..."

  Evidently, a lot had happened to Godou and he was reaching his limits.

  Erica sighed deeply. Though she was concerned about Ena, who had escaped back to earth, their current biggest problem was being stranded in the Astral Plane. Was there a way for them to leave...?

  It was around six in the evening when Amakasu's phone call was received.

  "Ena-san disappeared? So has Godou-san and Erica-san?"

  At the Nanao Shrine, Mariya Yuri was greatly surprised to receive such news.

  'That's right. We have been keeping Ena-san under surveillance, actually.'

  Hearing this unsettling news, Yuri frowned. The Committee must have some reason for doing that.

  'During the weekend, Ena-san had visited your school and then suddenly ran into Erica-san and Kusanagi-san, and the three of them vanished together... What an unbelievable development.'

  Amakasu began to recount in detail everything that happened in order.

  His tone of voice suggested that he was the one in charge of the surveillance mission. After all, tailing the highly alert premier Hime-Miko would not be possible except for a master of concealment like Amakasu.

  "There was an inside story after all."

  'It's the elders, there can be no other. What are they planning?'

  The elders who even the History Compilation Committee members have to please.

  They were inhuman, supernatural existences. Fairies, demigods, holy monks, ascended ascetics, great magi, vengeful spirits... With all sorts of different legends, they were a group that surpassed humanity and approached immortality. It was said that they had freed themselves from the natural order of reality and chose to live in the Netherworld.

  Yuri recalled the Old One watching over Ena, the frightening god who was also known as a [Heretic God] once.

  The ancient deity who possessed the Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi.

  Kidnapping a Campione was something that no one but the elders could do.

  However, Yuri could not understand why they were acting so rashly.

  This could not be allowed to continue. If she did not learn by trying, she would not be able to improve her powers of deduction. She wanted intelligence and wisdom rivaling Erica and initiative that did not require being led by Ena.

  Yuri made a resolute decision as she requested.

  "I will now go to school and see if I can discern where Godou-san and the rest have gone."

  'Actually I was going to ask you to do that, much appreciated. My apologies.'

  The Committee's top investigator seemed a bit happy.

  But then he seemed troubled by the condition Yuri proposed next.

  'Hmm, I don't think it's a good idea
, it's too early for that.'

  "No, I believe it is a necessary measure, Amakasu-san. Though it pains me to put it this way, but please regard it as the price and condition for my cooperation."

  The "Hime" part of the term Hime-Miko, was not simply for show.

  Indeed, the Hime-Miko organization was ranked beneath the History Compilation Committee. On the other hand, the reverence and respect for the bloodline of the Hime-Miko was a tradition passed down over a thousand years.

  Amakasu and the members of the Committee did not have the authority to give a Hime-Miko orders on whim.

  Yuri decided to take advantage of her status for the first time.

  After about an hour, three people gathered on the sports ground of Jounan Academy.

  Mariya Yuri, Amakasu Touma, and Liliana Kranjcar.

  Though the sky was darkening, the sun had yet to set entirely, which is to say, it was dusk.

  In these ambiguous, dimly lit conditions, the silver-haired knight glared at Amakasu Touma.

  "I heard that Kusanagi Godou was kidnapped by the one backing Seishuuin Ena."

  "Please don't be mad, this time we are also victims... That is why I suggested not bringing her along."

  Yuri shook her head at the complaining History Compilation Committee member.

  "The magic and knowledge that Liliana-san possesses will definitely come in handy in this situation. Besides, there is no one else with a witch's powers..."

  She was one who was outstanding in witchcraft.

  Actually, this was also Liliana Kranjcar's most valuable disposition.

  In terms of martial ability, she was equal to Erica, while Yuri was vastly superior in spirit vision.

  However, Liliana was the only one who could use witchcraft.

  Understanding the thoughts of birds and beasts and be able to command them, flying like a bird in the sky, swimming freely like a fish in water, gathering forest herbs to make potions, these were all classified under the most talented domain of witches.

  "Since Yuri-san insists, I will not object. So please participate together, Liliana-san... So, let's start immediately?"

  Prompted by Amakasu, Yuri surveyed the "crime scene" once again.

  Godou, Erica, and Ena disappeared from a corner of the school, and in front of her was a wall of the school building.