Campione 04

by The Hero

  There was not just one of them. The protrusions from the sea, numbered at eight - eight giant serpents that rose from the sea, looking down upon Perseus. Godou was reminded of the battle at Tokyo.

  Then, Athena had also used similar giant serpents like these, as if to show off her power as a goddess of the land.

  She had also shrouded the area in darkness.

  Thick, pitch black air. To be engulfed by that would block out all light, which had caused the people of Tokyo to fall into great panic, thankfully, she only used a small amount this time...

  "The snake of darkness and earth. This is going to be a little troublesome."

  Perseus said.

  However, his expression did not match his words. On his mouth, a knowing smile surfaced.

  "Fortunately, I am well prepared for this... ... My tale from the ancient times, by the neck of the Gorgon I severed, I shall do it once again. Before me, all serpents are powerless."

  As he said that, the eight serpents Athena had just created turned into dust.

  The mist-like darkness also began to scatter, as if blown by a wind.

  "Serpent-slaying words of power, is it? It seems like a power you had obtained after defeating a goddess with similar attributes to mine."

  "If you would like me to do so, I could make an oath not to use this power in our battle. How about it?"

  In response to the goddess' dangerous look, the hero lowered his head respectfully.

  "Hmph, that would not be necessary. I will make you regret your audacity... Using those words of power, should have weakened your divine power. Though you have inherited the will of Zeus, back then in Greece, you had the blessing of the land for protection. That privilege which you do not have here!"

  Hearing those angry words of Athena, Godou started to have doubts.

  The words of power earlier, was it the same power as the [Sword]?

  The image that Perseus had evoked with his sword and its effects, it seemed as though it had completely sealed all serpent-related divine powers.

  In her anger and great desire to oppose Perseus, Athena's divine power swelled up explosively.

  It was at a level where she no longer cared to test her opponent's strength, similar to what had transpired in Tokyo - perhaps even worse - this was bad.

  Remembering the aftermath of their previous battle and panicking, Godou thought that he had to stop them no matter what.

  "Wait, wait a second! Don't go all out in this sort of place! Stop!"

  "Hm. I had been concerned earlier, but who are you? Not an ordinary human, it seems... A modern godslayer, are you not?"

  Focusing his gaze on Godou, who had entered his field of vision, Perseus asked.

  The one who answered was Athena instead.

  "It is as you say. He is Kusanagi Godou. Though he is not yet ripe, still, he is a rather impressive brat... I'll say this first, but he is already my prey. It would be best if you remembered that well."

  "Ho. To be spoken of like that by a god of your stature, not bad at all..."

  As Perseus stared at him, squinting, Godou felt somewhat uneasy.

  It is likely that he was being assessed.

  Does this guy feel that fighting Athena won't be enough, and is considering me as well?

  "Like I said, wait. If you two would like to duke it out, that's fine, but please don't fight in the city. You'll be a nuisance to the residents!"

  "Some time ago, you expended all your might to engage me in battle in your own country, how ironic."

  "With the circumstances then, I had no choice! At any rate, if you want to fight, do it somewhere else!"

  "Young godslayer, your inclinations are simply too superficial. You are mistaken."

  He had wanted to act as a mediator between the two divinities, but instead had been accused of being arrogant by Perseus.

  For sure, this guy won't be making any proper suggestions. Godou could not help but frown, thinking that.

  "Are you listening? The people desire the great efforts of a hero, and await the tales of my deeds. I, respecting their wishes, will fight, for them, I will display all my valor. For this is the duty of a hero!"

  "Don't use 'respecting the wishes of the people' so conveniently! Thick-skinned, aren't you?"

  As expected, Perseus had said something that suited his own interests.

  If they were to continue the conversation this way, it would definitely end in him asking the Campione - Kusanagi Godou for a duel.

  "Though you should already know this, you are also one of my enemies, young godslayer."

  Looking at Godou who was attempting to deny reality, Perseus smiled.

  A righteous hero he may be, yet he had a twisted desire for battle. He felt as if he had seen this before, to be exact, a few months back - the heretic god Verethragna was also the same.

  "Demon, rakshasa, fallen angel, godslayer... warriors that are branded as great abominations. You share many similar qualities as them, as a devil king, and with the heroes of steel, gods like me, between us we can only be eternal archenemies, to wage tempestuous war against. Us gods, born above the ground, and you humans, who have obtained the same standing as the gods, the chances for our paths to cross are frequent - our fates have already been decided in the eons past."

  The hero of steel, saying that, startled Godou slightly.

  It seemed like his Campione instincts were warning him - On the other hand, it could also be said that it was the excitement that could be felt before a deathmatch with archenemies.

  "If you put it that way, that's how it is."

  Athena murmured.

  "Godslaying devil kings and the forces of the hero have always been in conflict since time immemorial... Hm. With that connecting destiny, it would be inevitable for them to meet again."

  To say it was inevitable, or whatever other reasons, wasn't it obvious that it was all this goddess's fault... While complaining to himself, the goddess continued on.

  "Very well. Shall we retreat this time round, hero of steel? I have just remembered that I had planned to train this boy well."

  An inauspicious declaration.

  To Godou who was holding his head with his hands, Athena issued an order like a queen.

  "Kusanagi Godou, if you would like for the city to not get involved, then you will have to fight for it. As a King, to protect your own friends. This is indeed good training that the inexperienced you have to undertake."

  "Fufu. To be able to exchange blows with both a godslayer and the queen of serpents, this is getting more and more exciting."

  "You, you guys, don't decide this at your own convenience..."

  Why do the gods always turn out to be so willful and stubborn?

  Godou cursed his own misfortune, and at the same time analyzed his surroundings calmly.

  Athena was smiling provocatively, while Perseus wore an expression brimming with fighting spirit. Liliana Kranjcar was silently observing from the sides, looking worried.

  How would he approach the fight with this hero from the myths? Godou could not come up with an idea.

  Besides that, there was also the problem of location.

  The castle that was built on the land formation reaching out towards the sea, the harbor, and even the streets leading to the city, they were far too close!

  Right now, they were only about ten meters away from the pier, next to the streets, which looked rather prosperous.

  No matter how they fought, they would likely cause damage to the environment, which Godou wanted to avoid.

  "I don't mind playing along with you guys, but I have a request. I want to change the place for our duel. I can't fight in a place like this."

  Godou said in an exasperated air.

  He would not let himself be swept up in their pace. In addition to that, he would also have to make them comply with his conditions.

  "Ho, are you unsatisfied with this place as our dueling grounds?"

  "Of course I am."

  "... Hmph.
Although, at any rate, I don't feel that it is a big problem, no?"

  Godou's firm insistence caused Perseus to inspect the surroundings carefully.

  "In a sentimental and historical city, under the moonlight and gaze of a goddess, this is a decent stage for us to do battle on."

  "It's terrible. Normally, before a duel, you have to make preparations for various things. If you ask me for a duel on the spot, as if I can get fired up!"

  The ten forms of Verethragna, under these conditions, who knows which could be activated.

  To fight without preparation, would be to be beaten one-sidedly, which is why he needed to buy time and come up with a plan.

  Quickly making up his mind, Godou whispered to the female knight.

  "... Sorry, but because of that, I will be leaving this place. If I'm not around, you should be safe, so take that opportunity to get away."

  Originally he had intended to leave upon finishing those words, but Liliana also whispered her reply.

  "... In other words, leaving this place for the present, wanting to prepare a counterattack?"

  "Yes, that sounds about right. That guy is extremely fast on his feet, although I probably can't beat him in that aspect, for now, I can only try."

  "In that case, then please leave it to me."

  Suddenly, Liliana clung on him tightly.

  Her slender body glued to his, embracing him, Godou's mind went blank in a fluster. Did she fall into the sea, her half-dried clothes giving off a scent of salt water.

  He could feel the gentleness and warmth of the fairy-like, beautiful girl through their body contact -

  The moment he had felt that, the silver-haired witch cried out.

  "O' wings of Artemis, grant me the power to journey through the night and soar across the heavens!"

  Was this an incantation - words to activate magical power?

  Right after, Godou and Liliana were sent flying through the air.

  "Eh?"

  The view before his eyes suddenly became very vast.

  The inner bay of Naples, the harbor stretching out to sea, the gigantic castle near the harbor, and many bright street lights...

  Godou looked towards where he had stood moments ago.

  The looks of Athena and Perseus, who had been left behind on the land.

  "Eeeh!?"

  As though attracted by some unseen magnet, Liliana and Godou moved through the skies, directly above the streets of Naples.

  If someone were to look upwards, they would think that they saw a shooting star, but naturally, shooting stars will not be this close to the ground.

  They continued to fly for about half a minute.

  Slowing down, they descended, and gradually landed on the roof of a building. Though Godou had feared that the roof might give way under their weight, it was an unfounded fear.

  Godou and Liliana landed on the roof softly, with the same flying posture.

  And after, they slid forwards like a plane that had just touched down, and quickly came to a stop, a safe landing.

  They had flew for a distance of about two or three kilometers.

  Gazing at the seaside castle in the distance, Godou heaved a sigh of relief.

  Part 3

  Godou and Liliana returned to ground level from the rooftop.

  High-rise buildings were usually rather rare in European cities, but this large metropolis of Italy was an exception, there were quite a few multi-storied buildings around.

  The city at night before them, was indeed lively.

  Although it was already late, there were still many stores still operating, restaurants, hotels, pubs, for example, even some of the boutiques and grocery stores have not closed shop yet.

  There were many people going back and forth. The duo of a young male and female particularly stood out in the crowds...

  "Could it be that this area is a popular night date spot?"

  "Yes. The Santa Lucia district, even at night, is one of the safer areas in Naples."

  Godou fully agreed with Liliana's answer.

  Having just come from rural Sardinia, the scenery here felt dazzling.

  "... At any rate, I didn't think that Liliana-san could fly."

  Recalling how they had escaped, he remarked earnestly.

  He had once asked Erica before whether she could use magic to fly, but she had answered with 'Not if it's me', sighing.

  A magic which that genius could not use, but Liliana could - Godou felt a little surprised.

  "It is my honor to be of service to you. The magical spell of flying is a secret art of us witches, have you not heard of it before? Of stories that mentioned witches flying in the sky on brooms?"

  Liliana seemed somewhat proud, but Godou's attention was on a contradiction he realized.

  "Eh? Erica is a witch too, but she had told me that she couldn't fly?"

  "Strictly speaking, she is not a witch, but rather a female magician. A witch has to possess the disposition of a miko, to be able to receive the arts of the witch that are imparted... But, based on just her abilities, she could also be called a [Witch]."

  Come to think of it, during that turmoil in June, they had introduced Liliana as a witch possessing the disposition of a miko.

  I see, so it had that kind of meaning.

  At any rate, it was thanks to Liliana that they could escape from that situation, Godou turned around and bowed his head.

  "Anyway, thank you. If it weren't for your help... who knows how that would have turned out."

  "To render a King their assistance is the duty of a knight, nothing that I did is worthy of your praise... But, why couldn't you have fought at that place?"

  To the knight who had no clue of the current status, Godou wanted to whine about his troubles.

  It seems that he had to do some explanations about the authorities of Verethragna, and just as he decided...

  "Liliana-sama, you were here! Has the situation taken a turn for the worse like what we predicted!?"

  From the crowds, appeared a short young girl.

  She seemed to be similar to Shizuka in terms of age, wearing a half-sleeved maid uniform which suited her well, and appeared to be someone Liliana knew. As she came, she threw Godou a few looks of suspicion.

  "Ah, sorry about that, making you search for me."

  Liliana faced the young maid who had shown up all of a sudden calmly.

  Godou suddenly thought of the magic art that could scry the location of people. If you had an object that belonged to the target, something like a strand of hair, as long as they were in the same city, you could roughly tell their current location.

  Erica had occasionally used spells of this sort, that young girl must have done something similar.

  "Karen, you should know who is he, shouldn't you? The Campione of Japan - Kusanagi Godou-sama. Remember your manners. Kusanagi Godou, this is my servant, Karen Jankulovski."

  Liliana introduced them to each other.

  From her hard-to-pronounce surname to a Japanese, she seems to be of East European lineage.

  "... Kusanagi Godou-sama? Liliana-sama, weren't you together with Sir Salvatore earlier, did something happen?"

  "Well, many things did. Many things that give me a headache whenever I think about them."

  "By Sir Salvatore, did you mean Doni? Eh, did that guy come to Naples too?"

  Things looked more complicated than he had thought.

  As he headed to the hideout of the [Bronze-Black Cross], Godou listened to their report on the current situation in Naples.

  ...As expected, Salvatore Doni was an idiot who specialized in being a nuisance to others.

  After hearing about the events that have transpired in Naples and making the above conclusion, Godou noticed that the person who had been controlling her pace and trailing them constantly—the young girl in the maid uniform—was grinning from ear to ear.

  "Mm, it has already turned into such a crisis... But, unexpectedly, Liliana-sama is someone who should not be underest
imated. The moment Sir Salvatore was gone, she had brought along yet another [King] - no, grew intimate with. Were you planning to take advantage of Erica-sama's absence?"

  "K-Karen! Don't speculate about such weird things!"

  Aah, this girl was a demon too, Godou thought, sympathizing with Liliana.

  From the female maid's, Karen's smile, a shadow of a demon could be seen. It was such a cute smile, yet Godou found himself being unable to compliment it. It was, in a different way, a demonic personality like Erica's.

  "A, anyway, we have to quickly come up with a counterplan for the god Perseus. Kusanagi Godou, do your authorities have any sort of activation conditions? The words of power of the [Sword] - the ability you had used against Marquis Voban in Tokyo, what is required to use it?"

  Liliana forcefully changed the topic.

  "In order to use that, I have to have precise knowledge of the enemy's divine nature and aspects. The problem is, I have completely zero knowledge of those details in mythologies."

  Of course, he still knew the story of Perseus.

  Godou looked at his right hand. No, the [Sword] could not yet be felt, hence knowledge of that degree was insufficient.

  "But, if I recall correctly, you should have used the [Sword] a few times, how did you satisfy the conditions then?"

  "Erica used magic to impart all the knowledge to me, that spell named [Instruction]."

  "Then it's simple, I too, have the ability to use that spell. In the place of Erica, let me, Liliana Kranjcar, complete the task!"

  "No, about that, it's impossible... You know, magic has little to no effect on us Campiones."

  This is bad. Godou started to get flustered.

  If this goes on, he would have to explain how Erica had done it, he couldn't possibly do that!

  "... There is a loophole in Kusanagi Godou-sama's words. We already know that magic has no effect on Campiones, so how exactly did she manage to use the spell [Instruction]?"

  As expected, Karen had interjected.

  Liliana was also awaiting Godou's answer with anticipation, did he really have to spell it out for them? This was like one of those penalty games.

  "Erm, regarding that, in other words... Magic from external sources have no effect, but it is a different story if it's from the inside, something along the lines of 'oral insertion', but with magic?"