Campione 04

by The Hero

  That superman should not have drowned like this.

  He would probably have casually swum towards some unknown shore, and then say something like 'Eeh - I thought I was going to die'.

  The dragon was still circling around in the skies, but it had started to pick up its speed.

  The view of the harbor slowly drew closer and closer, the most striking landmark being the Castel dell'Ovo.

  It was a construction that was built on a piece of land in the middle of the sea, the official name being Castel dell'Ovo. The nickname that people had given it was [Egg Castle]. [If this egg breaks, then calamity will be brought down upon this castle and Naples!] was the prediction that people once had, which was the origin of the nickname.

  In the medieval times, this structure that was built for the purpose of observing the seas had now become a popular tourist attraction.

  Visitors could enjoy the view of the entire city of Naples from the roof of the building.

  - The dragon landed on the road leading up to the Castel dell'Ovo from the city. The castle and the harbor were located on the land protruding outwards from the Santa Lucia district.

  The dragon obediently let its passenger off on the ground.

  Someway or the other, she had managed to make it back safely. Letting the sea breeze dry her clothes, she began to think about her next course of action -

  It was at this moment when lightning flashed across the sky.

  To be exact, it came from the sky to the east - perhaps from the area of Mount Vesuvius.

  Alongside the sound of the thunder, the lightning took the form of a humanoid before her.

  This was the visage of the most handsome man that Liliana had ever seen.

  Golden hair that reminded you of the blazing sun, elegant and delicate brows. A robust, divinely body -

  The white clothing and cloak he wore were clearly not from this age.

  [Heretical God].

  Without a doubt, at first sight, Liliana confirmed this fact.

  Mankind's greatest disasters, gods that wandered the land, bringing destruction with them.

  Although she had expected to meet one sometime in her life, she never thought it would be this soon -

  It was an unexpected development, causing her heartbeat to accelerate, her throat becoming extremely dry.

  This handsome man could kill her, Liliana Kranjcar, in an instant with ease, an existence beyond mortal comprehension.

  Although in this aspect he was completely the same as Salvatore Doni, on the other hand, he gave off a very strong, intense aura that could be felt deeply by Liliana's heart.

  It was mainly a mixed feeling of fear and admiration, but there was also something that felt strange about him.

  Just the sight of the beautiful countenance of the god made her stop in her tracks, her mind blank.

  However, only his appearance was similar to that of a human, merely borrowing their shape.

  There was only one human here right now. Liliana quickly made up her mind.

  She had no choice but to find out by herself what the god wanted.

  "... ... What mythology or place are you a god of? If it's ok with you, will you kindly tell me your name?"

  Upon hearing her respectful request, the beautiful young god smiled.

  "Well asked, young lady. My name, my identity, I have been worried whether I should tell you that - as I thought, it would be better that I should grace you with my name. I am Perseus. Remember it well."

  As though he had some issues on the inside, he gave his name after a while.

  The dragon behind Liliana growled in a low tone.

  It was a warning of the danger looming ahead, from the meeting of a sworn, bitter enemy, and the unavoidable battle that was to come.

  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 you
r 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-sharp teeth and dark red tongue.

  - An open show of hostility.

  From the 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][14], 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 hacked apart, the dying divine beast responded, dissolving its huge 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.