Campione 06

by Flying Phoenix of Divine Mountain

  It had only been a few hours, but he missed the voice of this girl very much. In order to fulfill the conditions for using [Wind], she risked her own life.

  "What 'my woman', don't make decisions like that on your own..."

  Godou protested, but this was a savior in more ways than one.

  With the awkwardness from just now all blown away, Godou waved to the girls all around him.

  Everyone gathered and waited, prepared to ride the wind away.

  From the Netherworld back to the surface, setting off for the Japanese ancient holy sanctum where his companions awaited! As the violent winds disappeared from around them, Godou and his group had arrived at the Okusha inner shrine at the top of Toushouguu.

  Before his eyes were Erica and a naked girl lying on the ground, as well as the back of the demonic cult leader. Who knew just the back view of the girl dressed in a mandarin gown[108] could be so beautiful?

  But at the same time, Godou's fighting spirit as a Campione was reaching boiling levels in his mind.

  "Erica, can you still move?"

  "Yes, a little, I used healing magic, but I have reached my limits. Without my assistance, can you win?"

  The pair of sisters, Yuri and Hikari rushed over to the side of Erica who was forcing herself to endure the pain.

  "Of course it is not a problem, how can I ask someone injured to look after me!"

  Godou looked over at Alice.

  The princess whose expression had become completely serious, nodded and motioned for Yuri and the rest to leave. The Hime-Miko sisters picked up Erica in their arms, and slowly moved towards the stone steps. This Okusha inner shrine was going to become a battlefield, and departing from this place was the safest action.

  The sisters and Erica, as well as Alice guarding the rear had left from the Okusha inner shrine.

  "-- King Kusanagi, I see you have rode the wind to cross the gap between Youmingjie[109] and the human world."

  Cult Leader Luo Hao finally turned her head.

  That adorable expression like a beautiful flower, continued to maintain that smiling face.

  Part 3

  The loveliness of Cult Leader Luo Hao, far surpassed all the beauties Godou had ever encountered.

  However, Godou did not let her steal his heart away.

  "You not only possess combat skills and brute force, but also know magic, hohoho, I never expected Wakoku's[110] king to be such a promising young man. I have no idea how many [Kings] there are currently, but only I, Luo Hao, am blessed with both valor and wisdom. Perhaps one day you will be my successor."

  "For me to become your successor? What a joke, who the heck would want to do that?"

  Godou resolutely refused her suggestion.

  "I am completely uninterested in martial arts that hurt people, and I won't learn any strange magic!"

  "Say that as you may, but you do possess authority more powerful than any human on earth."

  Luo Hao gazed at him as if watching an adorable little brother, while Godou glared straight at her.

  "This is also a king's privilege. Take my rival for example, the wolf king of Eastern Europe is a devil king who ignores martial arts and eschews magic. In spite of that, he still holds power on the same level as me."

  Was she referring to Marquis Voban? Godou recalled that abnormal old man. He definitely did not want to become like that, Godou wanted to lead a normal life like a human!

  "Anyway! I don't approve of what you are trying to do. To go so far as to restore that monkey, give me a break! Because of this, Mariya and her sister have been through so much hardship, and you even injured my companion to that extent -- despite appearances, I am a pacifist at heart. However, I will fight you to avenge her."

  "You will compete against me in combat? Hoho, King Kusanagi, do you think you can win?"

  "It's not a matter of winning, but the principle of things that must be done. And right now I'm all fired up! I haven't been this angry for quite a long time!"

  "Not bad, then you shall properly savor the authority and skills of I, Luo Cuilian!"

  Luo Hao slightly parted her red lips, and began to recite verses lightly.

  "Who shall report one's death / Self-pitying since return!"

  Boom! The shockwave advanced towards Godou.

  An attack fast as the wind with neither color nor form. Godou raised the magical power in his body and stood firmly on the ground. He felt like falling over, but he endured without much damage.

  "You are surely talented at fighting, it is evident that you have been learning how to master your powerful abilities. Excellent. To us [Kings], the spells of the strongest magi or Daoists are completely ineffective. Even between [Kings] as peers, unless authorities are used to fill their bodies with mighty power, no lasting effect can be made. So --"

  During such a perilous situation, why does she show such an expression?

  The more he fought with her, the more Godou wanted to ask, how can she show such an innocent smile in the midst of battle? However, she constantly talked about the principles of fighting and ways of combat, and now her delicate and slender body was quietly approaching Godou --

  "In times like this, a bold close quarter attack is the most effective!"

  From this point onwards, Godou couldn't see anything or understand what happened because he couldn't read her moves.

  In terms of close quarter combat ability, Godou and Cult Leader Luo Hao were ten thousand light-years apart.

  Thus, Godou did not dare dodge recklessly.

  His only goal was to endure the first strike without dying. In the instant he saw Luo Hao drawing near, his body began to move. Arching his back, he positioned his arms in front, guarding his face, chest and abdomen, at the same time moving his hips back.

  Godou's only consideration was to prevent her from scoring a critical hit, which is why he entered this kind of unsightly posture.

  --Perhaps she might use a middle kick.

  Something that felt as hard as an iron chain, struck Godou on his defending arms.

  There was a feeling like an intense electrical current, a shock running amok within his body.

  He could no longer feel his arms except for a scorching hot sensation where they were struck. Anyway, his entire body hurt, from his head, to his fingertips, his hands and feet, chest, abdomen and back, all parts of his body was being attacked by sharp pain, and blood gushed out of his mouth, for all his internal organs suffered severe impact. There was a feeling that a mere single attack damaged all parts of the body. Wait a minute, Luo Hao had the strength to throw a high school student high into the air, but this time Godou did not get sent flying by the mysterious impact, and simply collapsed on the spot. Presumably, she somehow converted her monstrous strength into direct damage. Scary...

  These types of thoughts ran through Godou's mind.

  Even so, he survived, Campiones were truly terrifying existences.

  His entire body felt pain as if crushed, the two arms could only feel a scorched sensation, and there was a real sense that the body had been damaged from the core. Godou was able to analyze all these sensations one by one, because he had activated the [Camel] incarnation.

  Verethragna's fourth incarnation, could only be used after suffering a certain level of injuries. This ability massively raised his leg strength and combat ability, and also conferred extraordinary defense.

  --Godou's eyes were finally able to capture Cult Leader Luo Hao's movements.

  As guessed, she did use a kick just now, and her beautiful right leg was just returning to the ground.

  This time, it was an upper attack aimed at Godou's face. Entering a kungfu stance for a vertical punch, it was a move frequently seen in Hong Kong action movies.

  Of course, Luo Hao's motions were a thousand times more fluent.

  Godou evaded Luo Hao's punch by falling to the ground, and then maintaining that lying down posture, bounced his lower body up and kicked at her slender body.

  "Oh... Your mo
vements have changed. There is no art here but the fighting spirit and will to push yourself towards victory, like a ferocious beast -- adapting oneself to the opponent's power and situation. You usurped your authority from the war god with the ever-changing forms, and are using this ability to its full extent!"

  Evading the kick, Luo Hao praised as she glanced sideways.

  Carefully examining Godou who was lying on the ground, she was not deliberately showing off nonchalance, but only to clarify his ability.

  Compared to her domineering attacks, her caution was even more terrifying instead.

  Feeling like he was one of those legendary participants in a Yokozuna sumo wrestling match, Godou slowly got up.

  Come to think of it, when he had just become a Campione, Erica had investigated his physical characteristics. His greatest difference from a normal person was the hardness of his bones, which surpassed that of most metals. Other than that, there was also an extraordinary natural healing ability.

  Because of that, he was exceptionally durable, and that was how Godou survived. Had a normal person been hit by the attack just now, all the bones in their body would have been crushed and the internal organs all ruptured.

  Thanks to the [Camel], Godou was now able to understand much more clearly how powerful Luo Hao was.

  Her martial arts completely surpassed his imagination.

  When she released her punches and kicks, the presence of her attacks could not be felt at all. Even for the most renowned martial arts masters, when they performed moves of that level of power, an amateur would be able to sense the incoming momentum. However, Luo Hao was able to completely bypass her opponent's senses.

  Furthermore, her moves were extremely rapid and aggressive, her limbs traced very short trajectories, and the movements were tiny.

  But they carried absolute power. Famed boxers can release a powerful punch with just a ten-centimeter separation, but Luo Hao didn't even need that kind of distance to release the same attack.

  So that was why Godou had been unable to evade her attacks.

  Godou became increasingly impressed, thanks to the combat senses conferred by the [Camel], he was now able to barely keep up with her attacks. In the split second when Luo Hao's limbs began to move, his reflexes automatically reacted.

  In the instant she unleashed a middle punch, his body stepped lightly to the side to evade.

  When she stepped forward for a heavy punch, he coordinated with her motions and stepped forward to counterattack with his knee.

  If Luo Hao chose to counter this incoming attack, he would then crouch down and attack her pivot foot. So far, Godou's enhanced senses allowed him to sustain an equal fight.

  His arms still felt numb and scorching hot, and likely needed more time to recover.

  Actually he was wondering if they were broken, but Campiones had extraordinary self-healing, and the [Camel] also boosted recovery... However, the arms could very well get broken again the instant they healed.

  "This might take forever, then I shall demonstrate to you one of my ultimate techniques."

  The flower-like beauty bloomed in splendor.

  Like the sun peering out from between the clouds. Like silver moonlight illuminating the dark night. As she exuded beauty and loveliness reminiscent of such imagery. Godou began to think, why doesn't this person normally show this kind of appearance to others?

  "The Twelve Divine Palm Strikes of the Phoenix. This set of palm techniques is the most prided of my martial arts, and one of the most sought secrets of the martial realm. Savor it well."

  Now that it's mentioned, Godou had heard somewhere that her disciple was very skilled in palm strikes. Looks like it was inherited from his master.

  The first act of the tragedy began.

  Slicing through the air with a sound like a jab, her palm struck Godou on the lower jaw, and then his abdomen was hit by both palms, his shoulder near the collar bone was chopped by the edge of her palm, and his thigh was pierced by her long and slender fingers.

  Suffering a series of blows one-sidedly, Godou was finally able to return with a kick after she performed another three moves.

  Unfortunately, this kick missed its target.

  "The Twelve Divine Palm Strikes of the Flying Phoenix is a set of ultimate techniques consisting of twelve moves: Fengchudengmen, Fengyanchuanlian, Fengzhuataoxin, Feifengzhuiluo, Danfengchaoyang, Jinfengliangchi, Qunfenglianhuan, Xiongfengqianjin, Fengyitianxiang, Fenglongyinyang, Fenghuangshuangfei, Dafengwutian. Every move adheres to the principles of the yin-yang duality of complementary opposites, thus making equal use of gentle and strong force."[111]

  Luo Hao even provided explanations in a friendly manner.

  Furthermore, in addition to using her palm strikes with the very exaggerated names, she casually inserted the shockwave attacks as well.

  "As if looking up at snowy Mount Taibai / Delighted to find Mount Wugong's sky."

  "Government officials all in silent shadows / The seven generals lie awake."

  "Welfare of the country this morn / Years of middle revival."

  Every time she sang a verse, Godou felt as if he was struck by a shockwave like an invisible wall, pushing him backwards repeatedly.

  If he didn't have enhanced combat abilities, he definitely would not have survived the attacks just now. On the other hand, Luo Hao hummed to herself as she walked towards Godou. The vast gulf separating this beauty from his ability level was increasingly evident.

  e

  Struck by a few more shockwaves, Godou was blown back far away.

  These were the steps that led up to the Toushouguu inner Okusha shrine.

  Sent flying there, Godou rolled down like a log. A normal person would have been heavily injured. Rolling down the steps, Godou was able to stop himself near the middle section.

  Standing up, Godou concentrated power in his knees. However, his legs were still weak and he couldn't stand properly.

  From the top of the steps, Luo Hao casually looked down.

  "Stand up, King Kusanagi, you are one of the devil kings, you cannot fall from an attack of that sort. Stand and continue our fight."

  Uttering willful words, Luo Hao's beautiful musical voice like a yueqin[112] sounded once again.

  "I am only an old woodsman, whispering a sob / As I steal like a spring-shadow down the Winding River. / ...Since the palaces ashore are sealed by a thousand gates!"[113]

  She was getting ready to release the shockwave that blew the [Boar] away! Godou swallowed hard.

  The black divine beast was no longer, if he took the attack with his body, Godou had no confidence in his ability to survive. Damn it. For her to use such a high-powered attack on a person!

  Godou smiled wryly as he cursed in his heart.

  On further thought, he had done the same thing to other gods or Campiones.

  In the vast majority of cases, the enemy was still lively after being struck. In that case, he himself should be able to resist this. In actual fact, he had already prepared a counter for the move.

  --Luo Hao had two authorities.

  Caught in a dilemma over which one to nullify, there was no longer any time for deliberation now.

  Since she could use both at the same time, the close combat ability and the projectile were both powers that had to be sealed. But if this continued, he would be stuck in a battle where he was pressured without the ability to fight back.

  "Fine willows, new rushes, for whom are you so green? ...I remember a cloud of flags that came from the South Garden / And ten thousand colors, heightening one another!"

  Luo Hao's song became even more intense.

  The magical wind born from words, blew shockwaves that attacked every direction, knocking everything over.

  By this point, the storm could not be stopped by ordinary methods. Godou entered the [Warrior] and drew his sword of spell words.

  "Cult Leader Luo Hao! Your song is the authority usurped from the Hindu goddess Gayatri! Five face, ten arms -- the dei
ty worshipped as the goddess of the sacred song with five faces and ten arms!"

  The spheres of light appeared around Godou like stars.

  On the other hand, the demonic cult leader's surroundings were being destroyed by the shockwaves accompanying the magical wind.

  All of Toushouguu's inner Okusha shrine -- the precious tower housing Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains, the gate, the shrine, the surrounding cedar trees, all were being swept by the magical wind and shattered into innumerable pieces.

  Watching this scene from the stone steps, Godou created the spell words of the [Sword].

  Like stars in the night sky, his surroundings flashed with countless sources of light.

  Spreading out around him, they protected him from the impact of the magical wind.

  "The Vedas, sacred scripture of the ancient religion Brahmanism. Gayatri was originally one of the verses in the Vedas, taking form from a particular mantra. But as a deity, Gayatri is the wife of the creator Brahma, she is the river goddess, and also the goddess of language and writing. Following the lineage back to the mother earth deity, she should be identical to Saraswati, a very high ranking goddess!"

  By this point, the shockwaves of Luo Hao had reached their maximum power.

  With the Okusha inner shrine as the center, the surroundings were all destroyed as if swept by a typhoon. Everything was blown to a total mess by the violent wind.

  Virtually anything with form had collapsed.

  Other than Luo Hao at the eye of the storm, the only one unaffected was Godou protected by the [Sword], but as the area of destruction gradually expanded, not only the Okusha inner shrine but the rest of Nikkou Toushouguu, Futarasan Shrine and Rinnouji, as well as Nikkou Kaidou outside, could very well be blown away.

  Just protecting himself was not enough.

  He should sever the root of destruction, thus Godou pointed the [Sword] at Luo Hao.

  Somehow his right arm felt quite hot. When taking the [Warrior]'s form to control the blade of spell words, believing in the rise of power, it was always this arm, is that why it became hot?

  "Saraswati is the creator of Sanskrit and Devanagari script. The goddess ruling over music and the arts, she is also called Benzaiten in Japan. As Gayatri she could control the spirit of sounds, the goddess in charge of sacred songs of praise for the gods! This is the root of your authority!"