Campione 06

by Flying Phoenix of Divine Mountain

  However, this enormous amount of magical power completely dwarfed the magic used by Erica and Liliana. From this it was certain, Cult Leader Luo Hao was a spell practitioner far surpassing the magi in Godou's company.

  "Now that a candle-shadow stands on the screen of carven marble --"[66]

  From the beauty's throat came a lyrical rhythm, reminiscent of harmonious melodies. It was a soothing beautiful voice.

  "And the River of Heaven slants and the morning stars are low / Are you sorry for having stolen the potion that has set you / Over purple seas and blue skies, to brood through the long nights?"

  This was a magical incantation.

  But Cult Leader Luo Hao recited it with great musicality.

  Godou immediately regretted calling her weird. The reason why her character was so problematic was precisely due to her natural talent and well-honed skills. In that instant, such a thought entered Godou's mind.

  "Whom can the lonely Moon Goddess take as her neighbor!"[67]

  Finally finishing her spell, what was going to happen?

  Godou cautiously surveyed the surroundings, Yuri nodded, and then Hikari --

  Held by her older sister, Hikari forcefully pushed her arm aside, and with hollow eyes, drew out the treasured blade, Zanryuutou, from its sheath of white wood.

  "Godou-san! That treasured blade is the key for releasing the divine monarch's seal, and Cult Leader Luo Hao has injected massive amounts of magic to awaken the blade, and released the spell sealing the blade! Hikari has also been caught up in it!"

  Yuri yelled out loudly having used her spirit vision, and there was no time to hesitate!

  "Wait... Wait a minute! Luo Hao, hold it for a second! Are you planning on letting that monkey descend on the earth and cause havoc!?"

  Eschewing honorifics, Godou reproached Luo Hao. Somehow he could never harbor any respect for elders when facing these fellows called Campiones, how vexing.

  "Aren't you a very great king? Then please think of the people!"

  "You are correct, I am the Ruler of the Martial Realm, the conqueror that none may oppose. My will is the will of the heavens and the truth of the earth. However, in my view, humans are undeserving of mercy or benevolence. From the perspective of the earth and the sky, it is debatable whether human existence is good or bad..."

  How could such a problematic character obtain divine authority?

  Watching the cult leader convinced of her righteousness, Godou sighed.

  Damn it. Looks like words were a waste of breath, and only brute force remained...! As he made his decision, the transcendent beauty smiled. It was a spectacular otherworldly expression that added great color to her existing beauty.

  "I see, my young eagle was right sometimes."

  Right about what? Godou was puzzled.

  "To come here to Wakoku where the young devil king was born, as long as trouble was caused in his territory, a conflict with him was unavoidable no matter what. Only a king can match another king, which is why he urged me to come here -- hohoho, who would have thought his words were so prophetic?"

  Cult Leader Luo Hao drew near lightly.

  Danger -- just as the thought entered Godou's mind, his shoulder was caught.

  "King Kusanagi, thank the heavens that you have the chance to learn from and exchange blows with the martial pinnacle. I will treat you as my obstacle, and defeat you with the martial arts of Luo Hao!"

  In the instant the cult leader waved her wrist, Godou found himself flung high in the sky.

  Godou's body crashed through the roof of the stable and flew up into the heavens.

  To think her arm strength could be this horrifying! Or was it a mystic martial arts technique!? Watching the increasingly wide and complete view of the Chinese-style palace beneath him, Godou trembled in fear.

  Part 2

  It was not long after meeting Lu Yinghua and the girl named Asherah.

  Erica felt enormous amounts of magical power exploding from somewhere nearby. Someone was clearly using high level magic, and the powerful aftershock could be felt from far away. This was definitely no ordinary spell.

  "Lily!"

  "I know, wait up a little!"

  With just a brief command from Erica, the silver-haired friend responded immediately. Possessing a witch's disposition, her senses were more acute than typical magi, and she could sense magical presences and their flow much better than ordinary people.

  Liliana surveyed the surroundings and began to search for the location of cataclysm.

  "Her Eminence seems to have started, Lu Yinghua, I will fly to the appointed location."

  Asherah's lips maintained a smile as she spoke.

  As if jeering the great knights for their immaturity, it was a smile full of confidence and mockery. On the other hand, her companion was coldly muttering "it's finally here."

  "You go and start first, I'll be there shortly."

  Erica could hardly believe her hearing. Go and start first?

  Lu Yinghua, highly renowned for his outstanding qinggong[68], allowing another to arrive before him? Could this girl be -- Asherah's body was surrounding by blue light, and she took off like fireworks, her continuously ascending figure flying through the air like a comet.

  [Flight] magic! Erica's suspicions were correct.

  The spell allowing free flight through the skies, could only be used by people possessing dispositions to be witches (or similar miko). All other practitioners of magic had to summon flying equipment and ride upon them. Even so, no other witch had that kind of speed.

  "You people -- no, what is Cult Leader Luo Hao planning! Answer me, martial artist!"

  Liliana questioned the remaining Lu Yinghua.

  However, the young Hong Kong-born martial artist smiled with supercilious derision, ignoring the question.

  "You can simply find out for yourself in a little while. Goodbye, Nee-san! If you want a fight, then wait until my master arrives!"

  Lu Yinghua fled directly.

  It wasn't normal running, but the magic that Liliana and Erica called [Leap], using supernatural leg strength and jumping power to run as if flying through the air, a spell for rapid mobility that rivaled the speed of wild beasts or vehicles.

  "Erica, I will follow that fellow! See you later!"

  As Liliana yelled out, she used [Leap] as well.

  Though Erica could also use this magic, her speed and jumping ability was inferior to Liliana.

  Unlike the technique of [Flight], [Leap] was classified under physical techniques and martial arts. But as a witch, Liliana was naturally born light because a witch's disposition conferred advantages over typical magic practitioners not only in flying, but also every kind of magic related to mobility.

  --Yet in spite of that, she still could not catch up to Lu Yinghua.

  Liliana was greatly surprised to find the figure before her growing increasingly distant.

  Her prided [Leap] was what Chinese martial artists termed [Qinggong]. Lu Yinghua's outstanding qinggong allowed him to move faster and jump higher than anyone else.

  Instead of the witch, he was one who had reached the limits of bodily techniques and martial arts.

  "No way, Lily! Not even you can match his speed and lightness of body!"

  Erica called from behind to stop the silver-haired girl.

  The only way to surpass that kind of speed was [Flight], but in order to use that magic spell, it was necessary to know the destination, which made it unsuitable for pursuit.

  "Investigate where magic spells have been used. As long as we identify the location of the cataclysm and head there directly, it could very well be a shortcut."

  Seeing Liliana returning with dismay, Erica decided to play a little joke.

  "By the way, Lily, isn't it just like I described?"

  "What?"

  "Just as I said earlier, charging forth without consideration, that is your true character."

  "--!? Just now was because I had no idea of the other's abilities
! Next time I will face my opponents with greater calm and intelligence. Someday, I will cease to be played around by an adviser like you!"

  The silver-haired knight objected with her face red. Looks like her defeat did affect her spirit.

  "Is that so? Well then let's create an opportunity to strike back. Lily, check out the surroundings to see what kind of magic has been used."

  In response to Erica's request, Liliana closed her eyes and concentrated.

  Searching for nearby traces of magic and spiritual conditions was the technique of [Magic Investigation], one from a witch's prided arsenal of investigative spells. In many areas, Liliana was actually a much more talented mage than Erica.

  "-- In the north there is a shrine hidden by magic, with a very suspicious barrier. That should be the location of Saitenguu, and the large magic felt just now is also being carried out over there."

  "So it is Cult Leader Luo Hao's spell after all?"

  Erica concluded from Liliana's report.

  "Probably a spell related to the other world, this is great magic that normally requires several tens of magi to perform. For her to do it alone... I will lead the way, follow me."

  This time the two of them charged forward using [Leap].

  In just a few minutes, they reached the shrine north of Futarasan Shrine.

  Liliana went forth into the depths and found a small shrine, as well as the shimenawa[69] lying on the ground. The Kuhoudzuka gentleman was laid fallen on the ground.

  "Just unconscious."

  "Dominated by mental magic for such a long period, and continuously deprived of sleep for several days, they really went too far."

  The young master of the Kuhoudzuka family was staring off into space, his eyes completely out of focus. His slightly opened lips did not speak as Liliana and Erica studied him and nodded to each other.

  "This is Saitenguu without a doubt, so where is Kusanagi Godou and the others?"

  "And no sign of Amakasu-san either."

  Immediately afterwards, the change in the sky happened.

  This was the autumn sky of the setting sun. Though it was still very bright, everything would be a shade of orange in about an hour.

  In the corner of the sky -- right above Nikkou Mountain appeared a large serpent.

  From the perspective of the ground, the snake's body length was roughly several tens of meters. The exceptionally long snake's body was covered with silvery-white scales. However, it lacked the usual feeling of disgust when one saw a snake, rather, there was an attractive feeling of strong and solemn beauty.

  "A Heretic God... Heretic Leviathan...!"

  Liliana suddenly cried out.

  Was this spirit vision! Hearing the name that could not be ignored, Erica held her breath.

  "Lily you said Leviathan just now, right? The name of that snake deity?"

  "Yes, no mistake, I did see the divine name of the god. If Mariya Yuri was here, her spirit vision would likely see through her entire past and origin..."

  When encountering a mother earth deity, a witch's powers will temporarily amplify. Dragon and snake deities also belonged to this lineage, and produced the same effect. Hearing Liliana's explanation, Erica began to ponder.

  "...Half a month ago, there seemed to be a [Heretic God] that appeared at Los Angeles. From the appearance of the giant serpent described in the Witenagemot's report, it was most likely the deity Leviathan."

  "The deity defeated by John Pluto Smith."

  "Yes, it should have been summoned by rituals of the sorcerers of the [King of Flies]... I've heard before that their leader was the witch named Asherah."

  "The witch just now was also called Asherah, and came from Los Angeles."

  The silver-haired childhood friend had noticed.

  "And then Leviathan has also appeared, so we can conclude it is the same person. Furthermore, I've noticed something else. Even the strongest sorcerer cannot summon a [Heretic God] alone, don't you find it suspicious?"

  "Of course it is impossible, if it could be done... No, could it be -- a divine ancestor?"

  Amongst magi, there were secret myths in circulation.

  For example, amongst the great mother goddesses of the earth conquered by dragon-slayers like Perseus, there were those who were weakened, fallen, or driven from their divine thrones. They were the witches known as [Divine Ancestors].

  Human in form, but not human.

  Possessing supernatural powers surpassing humans but inferior to gods, these girls remained forever young and never succumbed to old age.

  By abandoning their eternal longevity, they could regain their unruly divinity of the mother earth goddess, or in other words, revive themselves in the form of a dragon or snake god...

  "Could the leader of the [King of Flies] be an authentic divine ancestor...?"

  "The name Asherah, was probably derived from Athirat.[70] The sea monster Leviathan that first appeared in the Old Testament of the Bible and began circulating in other myths, was also a reference to the Mesopotamian goddess Asherah which was treated as an evil beast."

  The two of them looked up at the sky once again.

  Somehow, distributed all over Leviathan's body were all sorts of wounds, big and small.

  Blood constantly flowed out from the wounds, and because the snake deity was hovering in the air, the blood naturally fell upon the earth.

  Bright crimson blood descended like rain and mist, and was dyeing Nikkou Mountain red everywhere!

  "What is going on in there...!?"

  Erica worried as she watched the depths of darkness beyond the gridded door to the shrine.

  Part 3

  Crashing through the roof of the stable, Godou's body flew up into the sky.

  Luo Hao shook the sleeves of her robe and flew in the air, chasing after the Campione she had thrown outside. This was not a metaphor, she was literally flying.

  [Flight] magic that flew like a bird in the sky. This was a Daoist art[71] which was only possible for Daoist priestesses possessing a witch's disposition. Like Liliana Kranjcar, Luo Hao was someone who the Europeans would call a witch.

  The strange happenings in the stable did not end there.

  Yuri was terrified by the changes in her younger sister and the monkey divine monarch.

  "Akashiura is hazy with in the morning mist / On the boat to the secluded island, old friends are reminisced."

  Chanting the spell song, Hikari brandished the kodachi.

  Slicing at the eastern position, slicing at the southern position, slicing at the western position, slicing at the northern position. Currently, the one controlling the younger sister's motions was the kodachi -- infused in Zanryuutou was some unknown spell.

  "Male--yang, female--yin, their union results in conception, thus beginning pregnancy. Carried to term after ten months and born as human, yet to leave my body but already knows Hito-maru."[72]

  Taking clumsy footsteps circling around the monkey divine monarch, Hikari waved the sword as she chanted.

  --The entrance to the corridor that connected the real world to the Netherworld, that four-sided hole was originally just the size for a human to pass through. It had now enlarged suddenly, and even the walls of the stable had expanded as well.

  Seeing the reddened sky of dusk, this was clearly the scenery on earth, the sky of the real world.

  And far in the distance was something hovering, Yuri focused her gaze and saw a coiled snake -- floating in the air, with blood red mist and rain descending upon the earth!

  "Hoho, that snake deity looks heavily injured."

  The monkey divine monarch had turned into stone at some point in time, and was completely unable to move.

  Once this stone was cracked open like the shell of an egg, the monkey divine monarch will be reborn as a [Heretic God]! Under the direction of spirit vision, Yuri believed without a doubt.

  "I am a member of steel, a god born under the stars to crusade against dragons and snakes. Thus the blood and divine power of dra
gons and snakes shall rouse me, and act as poison that forces me to recall my violent nature. Hohoho, now that I think about it, the leisurely life of a monkey wasn't bad at all. Oh, what a shame, what a shame!"

  Even after being turned into a stone monkey, the monkey divine monarch continued to speak as before, without any change in his frivolous tone.

  But within that tone of voice, one could sense there was an extremely powerful feeling mixed inside.

  With the entire body petrified, only the eyes kept their fleshy form. Somehow the eyes had turned red, with the white of the eyeballs now completely red in color, except for the golden colored pupils.

  --Fiery eyes and golden pupils, these were the holy eyes possessed by the Chinese sacred beast.

  "Divine Monarch-sama, please could you remain calm! I beg you, please!"

  "I would like to, but it is impossible. I guess this is basically like being drunk... No... More like drunk in blood."

  The monkey divine monarch replied to Yuri in an aloof manner.

  As if unwilling to let himself be tainted by the dirt of the common world, a voice sounding like a member of some divine clan.

  "Anyway, change is the only constant in this universe. Everything beyond an inch is enshrouded in darkness. That Rakshasa girl could very well betray me in a critical moment. Just in case, I should prepare beforehand."

  The stone monkey's eyes gave off golden light.

  "Miko, infuse your power into the treasured blade, fill it to the limit until the vessel saturates, use all the power you possess."

  "The flow of blood is the father and mother's flow of blood. When the flow of blood ends, so does life, the god of the flow of blood --"

  Hikari held Zanryuutou up high.

  Yuri could sense her sister using spell words constantly, infusing the spirit power of disaster purification into Zanryuutou, entering the evil-vanquishing, curse-lifting, treasured blade blessed with fortune!

  "--!? Please do not let this continue!"

  "Hahaha, pray forgive me, but I also need to use this miko's power and body!"

  It seems like even in such a state, the divine monarch was still able to use a portion of his divine power.

  Though she had no idea what intentions he had with Hikari, there was no time to hesitate. It was imperative to leave here as quickly as possible! Silent, Yuri began to concentrate.