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Campione Lord of Realms Vol 3 Chapter 3
🕑 Added 2021-10-06 13:25:10 +0000 UTCChapter 3 – Child of Fate, Chasing the Silhouette of the Black Prince
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Part 1
「What do you mean he isn’t here~~~~~~!?」
Mononobe Yukino yelled, driven by her fury and disappointment.
「Even though it was he himself who said that 『You can come visit me anytime』 with such serious expression! And yet he is away when we actually come until his home!」
「My deepest apologies for the ill manner of my lord Alexander Gascoigne.」
A mild-mannered gentleman politely apologized to the girl wearing Japan’s high school uniform.
He was an Earthian, a Caucasian who was born in Netherlands.
His nicely tailored business suit combined with his grey coat was similar to the Black Prince Alec who he looked up to as his master.
His real name was unknown. He was a 『knight』 who was called with the nickname Sir Iceman.
If the handsome and manly Iceman stood side by side his master, it would make a very lovely picture but──if anything, more often he stayed behind for house-sitting while his master was gone.
「Even though my lord is a perfectionist, he is also an owner of personality that is far from perfect. Especially his bad habit of 『Wanting to test the idea that he came up with right away and keep changing his locations to start a new plan』. Anyway he is a seriously troubling person.」
Iceman’s tone was gentle and filled with the composure of a gentleman.
However, his resentment toward his lord was subtly visible. Rokuhara Ren and Toba Riona also reflexively criticized the personality of the problem person.
「Putting it nicely, he has light footwork, on the other hand……」
「He has no calmness and his dignity as a king is also quite lacking. Rather he feels more like an entrepreneur starting up new business one after another.」
「Yes, it’s exactly as the two of you said.」
「Uu~~~! My bow and arrow──the important items that I received from sensei are stolen by that kind of troubling person you know!?」
「My apologies for that. That is one of Black Prince Alec’s 32 vices.」
Sir Iceman politely apologized at the clamoring Yukino.
He was a high ranked magician who had the rank of knight──to be more accurate, a Great Knight. Actually Ren’s sworn friend, Julio Blandelli also had the same status.
He was also the second in command who was managing the Forest of Shadow Chaser during Black Prince Alec’s absence.
An imposing mansion that was built deep inside a forest──. Everyone gathered in its lobby and amused themselves with gossips about the Campione of godspeed.
Yukino suspected that perhaps Alec was hiding somewhere inside the mansion only for an instant.
But, the pride of the person in question was extremely high. Although Yukino had only talked with him for a little bit, even she managed to discern that clearly.
It was unthinkable that person would be absent in this situation. That was why this felt even more irritating.
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Mononobe Yukino visited the Capital of the Sea King, the headquarters of the pirate group Byakurentou.
He got into a confrontation with Campione Sect Founder Luo Hao as the hero of devil king extermination and managed to seal her. In addition, her Onee-sama aka Toba Riona also got liberated from her blue bird form.
It was truly a spectacular feat of the youngsters. A coup.
However, the divine tools that became the clincher of the victory, the bow and quiver of hero Rama got stolen by the Black Prince Alec──.
Yukino and co hurriedly procured a ship and came to Island Three of Claw Archipelago.
In the northern part of this island, there was one of the Forbidden Realms, the Forest of Shadow Chaser. This was the headquarters of Alec, and when they visited here right away.
The Earthian gentleman who came out from the wooden mansion apologized to them.
Ren talked to the soft mannered Sir Iceman with his usual carefree behavior.
「By the way, where did Alec go to──can you tell us that?」
「I don’t mind. Although there are many things that I have to keep secret for the sake of my lord, this case isn’t one of them. Rather I believe that Alec himself wishes to meet with everyone quickly so……」
Iceman smiled as he talked.
「Someone with the talent of prophecy in our camp spoke of this.」
──There is a presence that suddenly appeared at Island One.
──That person is bursting with divine aura. They will surely go into a great rampage sooner or later.
「Prophecy huh. She is like our Cassandra.」
Ren muttered.
Riona who had completely regained her form as a beautiful girl also said.
「And so the Black Prince headed to Island One. That place is an undeveloped land where there is almost no human settlement. Even we have never set foot on there.」
「It can’t be helped, there is nobody there to trade with.」
The Capital of Pleasure of Ren and co had build great wealth from commerce with the outside.
Because of that they naturally never headed to Island One that was said to be filled with wasteland, desert, and ruins.
The impressed Ren suddenly noticed a gaze.
「I see. You are exactly like Alec said……」
「Ahaha. Did he gossip about me?」
Ren responded with a wink toward Sir Iceman’s mild gaze.
「I have been told various things. About how the new hero is an innocent girl like that, and also about various other things too……. Now that I have a chance to directly meet with everyone like this, I have learned just how splendid everyone is.」
The knight at the prime of his life bowed elegantly after saying that.
「I am the number one knight of Black Prince Alec and also his representative……please call me Iceman.」
「Got it. I’m also happy that I can get acquainted with you.」
「────I’ve decided!」
Yukino ignored the conversation between Ren and Iceman and yelled passionately.
「We got to chase after that thief with such embarrassing name like prince! Onee-sama, Rokuhara-kun. We’re going to Island One too!」
「Well, of course you will do that.」
Riona said candidly.
「Change of destination! We’re returning to the ship and go to the east. Toward the Island One!」
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「Eh? Come to think of it……」
Yukino noticed as she was basking in the salty sea breeze above the ship.
「The refined uncle just now, for some reason he used polite language toward Rokuhara-kun alone wasn’t he? Even though he talked to me like talking to a normal neighborhood girl.」
「About that, you know. Even I am the oldest person in this group.」
Ren pointed at himself casually.
「Perhaps he took that into consideration? Like he was treating me as the representative of the group.」
「Certainly. Besides in the first place we are the ones in charge of the Capital of Pleasure. Naturally his attitude will become polite if he considered Rokuhara-san as a representative of a diplomatic group.」
「So that was why, Onee-sama. I didn’t notice!」
Yukino was convinced by Riona’s additional explanation.
「I understand now. There isn’t any need at all to pay respect to Rokuhara-kun personally, so that’s the only explanation! That was really unobservant of me.」
「It’s fine, you’re always like that anyway.」
「O-Onee-sama, saying that at this timing is a bit offensive you know!?」
Yukino reflexively objected when Riona told her that with a composed face.
(By the way outside of Yukino’s sight, Ren and Riona were putting one hand behind their back as they gave a thumb up to each other to celebrate the success of their tactic. They even exchanged eye contact that said 『Nice cover up!』『You too, let’s continue tricking her just like this』 while doing that……)
They already sailed away from Island Three and headed to the east.
The ship that Yukino and co were riding was a large sailing ship. It also had around twenty sailors and they all sailed the ship with experienced hands.
They also had enough stock of water and food. Their sailing preparation was perfect.
Alexander Gascoigne headed toward the desert area at the eastern part of Island One for the time being──. They were given that information.
They sailed toward that direction from the coast of the Forest of Shadow Chaser that was located at the northeast part of Island Three.
It would also depend on the wind but, most likely they would arrive in two days.
「Then it’s nice timing.」
Yukino muttered.
「I have to become even stronger. Let’s try doing training as a hero of the devil king extermination during this trip!」
「Hohou……」
For some reason Riona-oneesama fell into thought from Yukino’s proclamation.
「What’s the matter Onee-sama?」
「No. I’m worried that you will get tired instead from training recklessly even though the confrontation against the Black Prince is near. …………Also, I’m worried that we won’t be able to control you anymore if you get stronger too fast……」
Onee-sama’s words were becoming small muttering from the middle.
However Yukino felt moved hearing the first half.
「To think that Onee-sama is thinking that far for me──!」
「We kept getting into fierce battles nonstop since you came to Hyperborea after all. How about you use this chance to take a rest instead?」
「Good idea, that. We also got a lot of fruits and ingredients lined up in the food storage after all.」
Rokuhara Ren made that suggestion in delight beside the smiling Riona.
「I can make tropical juice or cocktail for us. Let’s bring out some reclining chair or hammock so we all can have a nap elegantly while enjoying the drink.」
「That, it will be the best to enjoy a vacation like that.」
Riona also agreed with that suggestion just like the queen that she was.
However despite appearance Mononobe Yukino was a stoic and sport-oriented girl. She also had a side of a martial artist who liked to corner herself until the limit.
「Yukino is happy by the consideration but, I’ll be fine!」
Yukino clenched her fist tightly and appealed with blazing eyes.
「Right now my birthplace and a lot of universes are being encroached by chaos, and because of the godslayers in Hyperborea here, the power of fate’s corrective force is also not working well. Who else is going to take care of this situation if not this Mononobe Yukino! I’ll do a special training even if it breaks this body!」
Careless, thoughtless, and lively, those were the three factors that Yukino was made up of.
That was just how simple her personality and thought were. She was straightforward and above all else resolute. It was completely out of the question that she would stumble at this kind of place.
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Part 2
「It’s nice and all to do special training, but」
Rokuhara Ren suddenly spoke.
「How are you going to train specifically? We are on the sea here. You can’t do things like jogging or the like.」
「Uh……. I’m going to try thinking about it now.」
Yukino got into the mood of special training without thinking about it first. She replied like that with a flustered tone.
The ship’s large sail caught the salty sea breeze and the large sailing ship was moving forward on the azure sea with a pleasant speed. They were on the deck of such ship.
It was a moderately big wooden ship, but it was too cramped for training.
No, of course one could also train in swordsmanship here like swinging sword, but such training was a far cry from a 『Special training!』.
Then Riona fell into her thought with a very wise looking face.
「Well, when talking about special training, the standard is something like catching turned on electric drill barehanded, or increasing endurance by whipping your body with log, or swinging a bat for two months in a special training room that has high pressure like the deep sea. I guess we can also try out various things like that.」
「Sounds good. Yukino can try swinging sword inside the sea for example.」
Rokuhara Ren spoke enthusiastically. Yukino retorted back.
「U-umm, I think we should try something that is based on scientific grounds more! Those examples, not only they’re absolutely bad for the body, they are simply dangerous aren’t they!?」
「Even though they are legendary special trainings that left their name in the history of sport tenacity. This girl is really spoiled……」
Even though she mentioned that kind rubbish, in the end Riona was an intellectual person.
Her sulking mood from when she was locked in the blue bird from had already gone somewhere without any trace. As a beautiful girl with both perfect intellect and elegance, this Onee-sama put on a pondering face.
「Still, now that you mention it. I never thought about it at all until Yukino mentioned special training but, in the first place, what should you do in order to level up the hero power I wonder?」
「Uuh…………」
Yukino fell silent. It was something that she herself wanted to know the most.
For the time being, she tried unsheating the divine sword of salvation, Take Mikadzuchi from her left hand smoothly.
The blade that was shining platinum radiantly was smooth and slender, but it was tougher and sharper than any other sword. It was the divine sword that in the past she was unable to even pull out.
「My power as hero──somehow it’s increasing easily even without me doing anything, so I myself don’t really know what to do to make it grow……」
「Well, you can also say that it’s amazing how it’s growing even without you thinking anything though.」
「Onee-sama, I wish that you can pick your words a bit more you know!?」
Yukino protested while she thought up an idea.
「That’s right Rokuhara-kun. I want a bit of your help.」
She said that as she held up her beloved sword not with its handle but with both her hands on the shining blade.
And then she held out the divine sword of salvation itself toward Rokuhara Ren.
「It’s different from the drill idea just now, but perhaps challenging something similar to that is also feasible. Try slashing me with this.」
「Eh──me?」
Young man Rokuhara was unusually taken aback.
Usually he was so easygoing, or in another sense, he was someone with unmovable personality.
「It’s really dangerous swinging a real sword at someone else……」
「It’s fine. I’ll show a live example of catching real sword barehanded.」
「No, the key point of the drill story of Astro’s special training isn’t that kind of circus trick……. But, I’m also simply curious to see it, a real bare handed blade catching.」
「Normally nobody can do that kind of feat after all.」
Ren seemed to be curious too. He was staring at the divine sword of salvation fixedly.
「But, I only ever did kendo at PE class you know?」
「It’s fine. With Rokuhara-kun’s athelitc ability, even just that much experience should be more than enough. I think that you might be able to do a better slash than even an unskilled kendo club member.」
Yukino said.
Even her acquaintanceship with Rokuhara Ren had gotten quite long at this point.
As an average human who wasn’t descended from any divine being, he was still an owner of a prodigious reflexes and physical ability.
His sense of rhythm and the strength of his body core were also unusually excellent. Actually these qualities were especially important for a martial artist. When punching or jabbing *bam, bam* at the enemy, what decided the speed and quality of timing of the attack was the fighter’s rhythm in the end.
In that aspect, Rokuhara Ren was definitely an outstanding talent that was hard to encounter.
If only his personality was also taciturn and diligent, then perhaps the way Yukino looked at him would change a bit more──
「Hee. So Yukino acknowledges me, that makes me happy.」
「!?」
Ren suddenly smiled broadly at Yukino.
It was a friendly smile that left a cute impression deeply. Rather it could be said as sly for a young man around twenty years old to smile like that──.
But, even while she was feeling backlash, Yukino spoke with a flustered tone for some reason.
「Do……don’t say something strange like that, come on, take the sword already!」
「Yeees」
Ren smiled ‘tehe’ and reached out.
And then, the instant his fingers touched the divine sword’s handle, that abnormality occurred.
「Uwah!?」
「Rokuhara-san!?」
The instant Ren’s fingers came into contact, the divine sword of salvation Take Mikadzuchi generated electricity violently.
Crackling sparks and flash radiated from the platinum blade. Rokuhara Ren who was directly hit by that was blown away violently.
「Ouch ouch ouch ouch……」
Ren couldn’t stand back up from surprise. He smiled bitterly while rubbing his right hand.
「That was really shocking.」
「I was also surprised──. What’s the matter, Take Mikadzuchi?」
「Perhaps, only the hero of devil king extermination can wield this sword……. Something like that. Even if there is the hero’s permission, it must be refusing to be used by an ordinary person.」
Riona was staring fixedly at the divine sword.
The platinum blade was still being held on Yukino’s hands. Yukino fixed her hold to grip the handle and stored it inside her left hand.
「I see……. I did something bad to both Rokuhara-kun and Take Mikadzuchi.」
「It’s fine. I don’t mind it at all, and I’m also not seriously harmed.」
The frivolous youth was smiling carefreely even after going through that painful experience.
Perhaps, this person was far more broadminded than she thought. Yukino got thinking like that and her heart skipped a beat for some reason.
She felt that Rokuhara Ren’s smiling face was a bit dazzling.
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And then──
Yukino didn’t notice at all.
Of the secret dialogue between the Campione Rokuhara Ren and his partner and subordinate Toba Riona. They were sharing information.
『The sparks just now. Just how strong it actually was?』
『Hmmm. A normal person might have died from it. It looks like that sword really hate me. I was able to endure it only because of my Campione body……』
『The reason why the divine sword of salvation rejected like that, rather, it was because Rokuhara-san is a godslayer──』
『That might be the truth, certainly.』
『Well, let’s continue hiding our true identity while going along with the hero. Fortunately she is just a reckless girl who is full of opening. The possibility of her noticing on her own is small……』
Ren and Riona were secretly holding a strategy meeting behind Yukino’s back.
The journey of the hero of devil king extermination and a godslayer’s group still hadn’t entered the main event.
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……The curtain of the night had been lowered.
The ship that was bringing the new hero lowered its anchor for a stop break. During that time.
At the 『desert of ruin』 that was spreading at the east part of the Island One, the princess shrine maiden of the sword Seishuuin Ena was looking up at the clear night sky.
She was sitting down on the sand with a sheathed Japanese katana lying beside her.
However, the katana that was also Ena’s partner wasn’t a normal sword. It was the sacred tool Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi that she shared with her beloved Kusanagi Godou who entrusted it to her.
She was wielding a divine sword on top of being able to summon a god’s soul into her body.
That was the reason why among Kusanagi Godou’s comrade, Ena was the undisputed best in the regard of strength.
Right now she was talking as she watched the sky.
「Well, I don’t think that our stay here will be that long, so please be lenient with that person. Ena will also be vigilant so that she won’t do anything too bad.」
However, there wasn’t anybody or anything else here to be her talking partner.
Ena was in this desert alone with only Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi as her company.
Her gaze was leisurely looking up to the night sky. From outside it looked like she was talking to the twinkling stars──but, that wasn’t the case at all.
Ena was talking to the desert’s sky itself.
「I can’t call Aisha-san harmless at all but, there isn’t anybody living in this kind of place. It will be hard for her to do anything wicked here.」
『…………I wonder about that……』
Ena was listening to the voice that was dwelling in the night wind that was blowing through the desert.
In the heroic world Hyperborea, it wasn’t only human who was strutting through the sea, sky, and land, but also gods.
And then right now, the sky that Ena was looking at itself was the vessel of a god.
The sky itself was a god──.
If a name had to be given, perhaps the god’s name would be Duw, a word that meant sky in Hyperborea language.
『…………There is someone approaching the empty wasteland where both of thee art staying……. People with extraordinary power dwelling inside them art sailing ship……』
The god’s voice reached Ena from the night sky.
Seishuuin Ena was a unique shrine maiden who could shelter god’s soul in her body. From the start she was also used in being intimate like this with the gods from her experience of talking with her protector god Susanoo like this too.
That was why she calmly asked the god of sky with over-familiarity.
「Hmm. Those people, do you think that they will get into a quarrel with Aisha-san?」
『…………The possibility of that not happening is more unlikely instead……. After all, one of them……she is still not yet the King of the End, but she is the hero of the devil king extermination……』
「Hee」
Ena only gave a short reply, but her eye glint was sharp.
The one who should come had finally come. Her hand reflexively reached out toward Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi’s sheath.
『…………Also, the people who have already arrived in this land are actually terrifying……. Such dreadfulness, this will truly become the strife of the end of the world…………』
『People, there are others and more than one of them? What a bad sign.』
Ena sighed.
She left the ruin where Madam Aisha was at and enjoyed the night of the desert alone. The madam was focusing in her ritual to summon Kushanagi Godo too tonight.
However the sky was calm. Far from distant thunder, there wasn’t even that much cloud above.
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However──
There was someone listening to the conversation between Seishuuin Ena and the sky god.
It wasn’t like the two of them were having a secretive talk, so it was inevitable instead. This person was simply passing nearby when the conversation entered his ear.
However, Ena’s sight didn’t catch the presence of anybody.
He was an uncommon and extraordinary existence. His listening was a miracle that only happened because he had a hearing that could listen to anywhere on the surface for the voice of the people asking for salvation.
「I see……」
He muttered.
Now then. That accursed witch had been holding her ritual for days and nights consecutively.
It seemed that his name was Kushanagi Godo because of that…….
「Fufu. How should I behave in this land……」
He was smiling naturally. The feeling that this might also be amusing was welling up inside him.
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Part 3
The desert of ruin──.
In the past, it seemed there was an abundant river was flowing here, making this land to be abundant with water.
Multiple deep and long grooves were running on the ground that signified the traces of it. They were continuing to stretch until the coast. Surely this place should also be a fertile plain.
However currently there were only fine grains of white sand everywhere like it was an ocean.
In the past this place was a land of greenery──. Because of that this place was called 『ruin』 now.
Alexander Gascoigne who transformed into lightning was flying around freely above that. He was currently trying to grasp the full picture of the desert.
And then he discovered an unexpected person which made him groaned 「uumu」 with a troubled look.
There was an ancient ruin at a corner of the desert.
There was a shrine made from stone there. It had a stone altar that looked like it could also be used as a stage.
Kneeling on that stage with both her hands clasped together in a prayer toward the sky was a woman──someone who he knew.
Alec dispelled his lightning transformation and landed on the shrine’s roof.
He crouched down so that he wouldn’t be noticed while staring hard at the problematic woman. The woman was praying earnestly by raising her lovely voice.
「Heaven! If you have mercy then please dispatch the warrior of anti fate Kushanagi Godo here! I beg you to send the comrade who shall fight together with me Aisha!」
「……What the hell」
He wondered when was the last time he encountered Madam Aisha whose whereabouts was unknown.
Alec muttered in a daze before he resolved himself.
From the fact that she was here, it was hard to consider that she was unrelated with the 『terrific divine aura』 that Alec’s subordinate prophet sensed. Then──
Alec lightly leaped down from the roof and called out.
「Long time no see, madam. What are you doing here?」
「That’s obvious, Alec-san! I’m calling out for Kushanagi Godo, the protector of my anti fate religion-」
Madam Aisha wasn’t even surprised by Alec’s sudden entrance and replied immediately with composure.
Only after that Madam Aisha looked astonished. However, the words that came out from her mouth next were overly absurd and betrayed Alec’s expectation in a bad way.
「C-could it be you are Kushanagi Godo!?」
「…………That’s absolutely impossible. Let’s keep the nonsense within acceptable limit.」
Alec denied her mercilessly.
「When I ran into you before this, you were in the middle of starting up this nonsense religion huh. Well, though it’s also thanks to them that this Hyperborea is becoming an environment that is hard for the fate camp to fight in──」
「Fate camp-. Yes, that’s true Alec-san!」
This time Madam Aisha didn’t even show any sign of running away and drew closer to Alec.
Her tension was higher than usual. Her vigor was abnormal. Alec secretly strengthened his wariness of how disquieting and ominous she felt.
「I heard that the hero of devil king extermination has finally descended. At this rate, we will once more──」
「Enter a confrontation against the hero of salvation, is it?」
「Yes! It won’t stop there, that tragic internal fighting might also occur again. That’s why the world need Kushanagi Godo!」
「I’ll ask just for reference but, isn’t that just a fake that you fabricated on your own convenience?」
Alec asked for confirmation at the excited madam with a feeling of anxiety.
「And then, I don’t think that I even need to ask this but, as expected the inspiration for that is Kusanagi Godou……」
「Yes, that’s right. Well, certainly it’s an unrealistic character.」
In the end the godslaying witch acknowledged it with a nonchalant expression.
「But──if it’s in the current Hyperborea that is filled with this much trend of anti fate, I think that it won’t be strange even if that kind of existence can appear easily『hyoi-』, like that……」
Alec’s eyes widened unconsciously.
Looking from the side, Madam Aisha looked like she had completely lost it.
However, he felt a kind of firmness from her statement just now. Certainly there was no denying that her mind was odd, but what he felt just now wasn’t anything like derangement──
(Perhaps, her battle instinct as Campione, something inside her that is like the instinct to reel in victory is running wild……can I interpret this like that?)
Alec pondered inside his head.
Perhaps that was how much her hostility toward the existence of fate had ballooned up. He stared straight at Madam Aisha once more to thoroughly observe her expression once more. It was at that time.
──A breeze was blowing.
This place was a desert area, but the temperature was far from hot.
In the end the area felt cool, sometimes it even became freezing. The blowing wind was also gradually getting stronger and colder.
*Byuu byuu* The blowing wind was already reaching violent intensity.
And then Alec suddenly sensed the presence of 『enemy』 and he shuddered. Power for the sake of fighting was welling up copiously inside his body and heart.
Madam Aisha was also making an astonished expression.
「「!?」」
The enemy of godslayer. That meant a god was approaching.
The two Campiones realized that. Wind was whirling before them.
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──*BYUUUUUUUUUUU!*
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A violent whirlwind was whirling for a while before it suddenly vanished.
The violent gale also stopped. In exchange, a young man was standing before Alec and Aisha. He was small and lean, on top of that his look was also beautiful.
Even though he was wearing a cloak that looked like a rag, he was overflowing with dignity and divinity.
He was at the middle of his teenage. Most likely he was around fifteen years old from his look──.
When they caught sight of the handsome young man who was overflowing with too much presence, it was Madam Aisha who expressed her astonishment first.
「Y-you are──!?」
He seemed to be her old acquaintance. In respond the young man spoke casually.
「Fufufufu. Right now I am Kushanagi Godo correct? The one who protect and save the people as the representative of that man──」
He was sporting a faint grin.
Even though he was putting on an archaic smile that reminded one of an oriental bodhisattva statue, a hero’s pride and bravery were flooding out from that smile.
A delighted look surfaced on Madam Aisha’s face when she heard the young man’s words.
「Ce……certainly, you are just the perfect stand-in! But, is it alright!?」
「I was called after all. It’s unavoidable. Well, thinking back, through that turmoil in the past, some amount of connection was formed between me and you all……」
The madam and young man conversed. Alec was shocked on the other hand.
「This is…………」
Someone with a 『status』 this high came.
Most likely he crossed the border of mythological worlds, the interstice of space-time to come here. “A worthy one” came here from outside Hyperborea as the blending of the multiverse progressed.
Alec still didn’t understand what kind of existence this young man who appeared was.
However, most likely──relying on several conjectures and his instinct, the Campione of godspeed snapped his fingers.
*Thump-. Thump-.*
Two heavy objects fell on the ground from the sky.
「Hoou」
The young man narrowed his almond eyes and sent his gaze toward the two items.
They were the divine tools that Alec hid using magic and secretly carried with him. They were the iron bow and quiver of Hero Rama.
「These are tools with extraordinary history behind them. Where did you obtain them, godslayer?」
「A snake has its own snaky way. I can’t tell you the detail──but, I’m thinking that it’ll be alright even if I hand these over to Mister Kushanagi Godo.」
「Are you serious, Alec-san!?」
Madam Aisha rejoiced. Alec nodded.
「I too am one of the godslayers. If you are an existence who is called for the sake of facing the hero of devil king extermination, then I’m willing to lend my help. Besides……」
If judged only from his external appearance, this Kushanagi Godo only looked like a thin youth.
However, Alec asserted with conviction.
「I’m sure that he──has the befitting 『status』 to carry these weapons with him.」
「I admit it, it’s just as you say.」
The young man with radiant handsome face declared calmly. Alec smiled.
「Then it’s decided. After I finished my examination of these bow and quiver, my head had been filled with various thought of how should they been used. But entrusting them to someone who can use them is the best way. I’m glad that this problem is solved.」
With this he could focus with taking measures against a “different matter”.
The Black Prince Alexander Gascoigne was a user of godspeed. He was also a tactician of inscrutable stratagem. He intended to make use of all the weapons in his possession to face the challenge before him.
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The two Campiones and the young man Kushanagi Godo.
Under the stage──altar where they were standing, Seishuuin Ena was actually sitting there. She was leaning on the altar that looked like a stage while holding the sheath of Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi.
She was in the middle of monitoring/guarding Madam Aisha with a relaxed posture. But.
Suddenly Black Prince Alec, and then even Kusanagi Godou’s stand-in showed up. Now she couldn’t come out even if she wanted to.
「Uwaa……. This is turning into something super serious……」
Ena muttered in a daze.
.
──The sailing ship of Yukino and co arrived at Island One just before noon of this day.
From there it was Riona’s time to shine. She ordered the ship to be anchored before taking position on land where she made use of Onmyoudou technique and shikigami.
She sent thousands of blue bird shikigamis into Island One.
It was a technique to see through the numerous eyes of the birds to ascertain the island’s terrain and object location.
One hour since she began searching, Yukino who couldn’t bear staying still finally went to ask her Onee-sama.
「So, have you found this mister black prince!?」
「Unfortunately, not yet. But──I found an outrageous person in exchange. It’s the woman who I’ve been suspecting as the founder of Anti Fate Religion since some time ago.」
「Eh, Aisha-san is also in this island!?」
「Ah. You mean that group who held really awesome concert.」
「I’m getting a bad feeling……」
A doll sized goddess suddenly appeared on Rokuhara Ren’s left shoulder.
Stella’s adorable face frowned. She appealed at her partner with annoyance.
「Ren, be careful. There is the matter with the religion. The method of that scoundrel woman is clearly different from before isn’t it? This feels really suspicious……」
「This is your goddess’s instinct talking huh. I’ll keep it mind.」
Ren winked and thanked her. And then he whispered.
「The request from Umayado no Taishi-sama is also still ongoing. He said to bring that person somehow to the Capital of the Dead if we catch sight of her. After all it’s her existence that is making the multiverse thing to be in pandemonium……」
「What do you mean Rokuhara-kun?」
「I also don’t know much. I was told that various worlds got riddled with holes of space distortion as the result of that person’s authority running wild. It seems that if that phenomenon progress too much, the world’s land will melt into mud and change property into this thing called Chaos.」
「────!」
Yukino turned speechless from Ren’s reply.
Yes, the Sea of Chaos. The cause that was making Mononobe Yukino’s birthplace, Universe 966 to be crumbling. The cause of that was nearby!
「Then we got to catch that person at all cost!」
「Well, she is also a rare character that’s really hard to encounter……」
Riona also had made her decision apparently.
She told everyone to stand close to her and used the flying magic. Yukino, Ren, Stella, and Riona were enveloped by blue light and they flew to the sky.
They flew across Island One from the eastern coast toward the desert of ruin at the west.
They found that ancient ruin at a location that was close to the end of the desert.
It was a shrine that consisted of a stone roof being supported by a group of pillars. There was also a spacious stage that looked like a place for holding a ritual. It was a sanctuary that was filled with divine artistry.
……Madam Aisha was on the stage alone.
Surprisingly, she didn’t even look surprised when Yukino and co landed suddenly. Rather she talked to them in elation as though she had been waiting.
「It’s good that you come, miss hero of devil king extermination! Also Rokuhara-san and Riona-san who are also here for some reason!」
「Nn……Aisha-san, your bearing has really changed hasn’t it?」
First Rokuhara Ren talked to her with a puzzled look.
「You were together with 『senpai』 the last time we met but, did something happen after that?」
「That’s right. It’s really not like you to be this proactive. In the end isn’t it Aisha-san’s style to cause troubles in universal level unaware?」
Riona also added in.
However, the madam in question replied to them with a tone that even felt solemn.
「I was awakened to my duty. The mission to liberate all mankind and worlds from the yoke of fate and grant true freedom to the people──」
「What are you saying!」
Yukino instantly interrupted with objection.
「It’s none other than the enforcement of fate that is necessary for the sake of maintaining the order of the multiverse. Rather it’s the existence of godslayers like you that torment the many worlds and even drive them to the verge of destruction! Surrender yourself obediently and come with us to the Capital of the Dead!」
She had heard about the summary of the situation from Ren and Riona during the flight.
About the existence of the godslayer called Madam Aisha and the virtuous ruler who was worrying about her action.
「A person with the same name like Shoutoku Taishi-sama for some reason will do something about this mess!」
「For a time I too thought that I should sacrifice myself for the sake of the world. But, that was actually the greatest mistake!」
Madam Aisha yelled passionately with a hotblooded speech like she was a completely different person.
「Opposing Fate as one of the godslayers, and in addition fighting together till the end with the warrior of anti fate Kushanagi Godo──. Surely I was released from my seal and returned to this era for that sake-. Banzai, Kushagi Godo!」
「Don’t be stupid you troublesome woman!」
Stella cut in with an insult.
「That’s something that you made up using that plain man as the inspiration right!? And yet you shamelessly and brazenly preached as though this fake actually exist as a god or deity──」
「That’s really shallow of you, Stella-san. Come here Kushanagi Godo!」
Wind blew the instant she finished saying that.
At first it was a breeze that blew through the desert. It immediately turned into a gust and before long it turned into a strong gale. A slender young man was standing in the middle of that whirling wind.
He was sporting a smile on his radiantly handsome face. His black hair that was reaching until his shoulder was fluttering by the wind.
Even though he was clad in a slightly dirty cloak, he was bursting with a divine heroic aura.
「Fufufufu. I was called with fanfare, so I need to at least give a show here!」
The young man heroically chanted words of power.
「For one cannot come near you with ease! Punish him for breaking the contract!」
「Wha──!?」
Rokuhara Ren was astounded.
「That should be Kusanagi-senpai’s──!?」
*OOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!*
A roar that sounded like several hundreds of thunder piling up on top of each other shook the ground from the bottom of earth. And then a giant beast burst through the desert ground and flew out to the sky.
It was a jet black giant boar with size that was more than twenty meters long.
「It’s that guy just as I thought!」
「Isn’t that Kusanagi-san’s other self, the mister boar!?」
Ren and Riona raised their guard at the same time.
.
Part 4
The body of the giant boar was bulging with muscles on top of muscles.
It was an impressively muscular body. His whole body was fluffy due to the jet black fur covering it. However unlike a cute little animal, its face and growl were terrifyingly fierce.
──OOOOOooooooooNNNNNNN!
The ground was shaking just from its roar.
The young man Kushanagi Godo leaped high to the air and easily landed on the head of the giant boar.
The voice of the young man who displayed such extraordinary agility came down to the ground.
「Now! How will you meet the vanguard that I dispatch-!?」
「Something like this isn’t a trump card but just a warning shot, or rather cannon shot!? Aah-. Something crazy just came out to get in our way!」
Yukino pulled out the divine sword of salvation Take Mikadzuchi from her left hand.
Kushanagi Godo smiled when he saw the brilliantly shining platinum blade.
「Fufufufu. The sword of salvation, how nostalgic……」
「On top of that he also know about this? This is a worthy opponent!」
Yukino leapt in a single breath as soon as she finished speaking.
She sensed that it would be the end of her if she flinched even for a bit in the presence of this formidable enemy.
She launched a preemptive attack instead against the overly large enemy. Yukino mowed horizontally with the sword of salvation and slashed the terrifyingly thick left front leg of the boar.
──Hell lie exactly under the crossing swords. What is left after stepping forward is only paradise──.
That was the teaching of master swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. Fighting hesitantly in a real battle using sword was a bad move. Rather it was harder to get injured if one moved forward without hesitation.
……However, she slightly underestimated the giant boar that wasn’t a swordsman.
「Kyaaaaaaaaah!?」
The boar swung its front leg at the slash Yukino launched at it.
The hero and the divine sword that came slashing was counterattacked with a tremendous kick. The black fur with its absurd hardness wasn’t even scratched by the blade of the divine sword.
Yukino screamed while being sent flying dozens of meters backward.
She ended up falling on her butt before the momentum caused her to roll on the ground nonstop.
Even so she was unharmed because the light of protection that was emitted from the divine sword of salvation was covering Yukino’s whole body and protecting her.
There, the boar came rushing with the young man riding on its head.
.
*OOOOOOOoooooooooooooNNNNNNNNNNNNNN──!
.
The boar roared with ear-deafening volume while stomping down with its right front leg.
It was planning to crush Yukino’s tiny body with an artiodactyla foot that consisted of four toes and a heel.
However Yukino was magnificently protected even from the stomp of a huge beast that was no different than a giant monster.
「Thank you, Take no Mikadzuchi!」
Even now the foot of the boar was grinding down on her.
But, the light of protection that was bestowed to her from the divine sword of salvation was durable without equal. It became a canopy that solidly protected Yukino without wavering at the slightest.
That was also because──Yukino whispered.
「……I feel it. It’s the same when fighting against Luo Hao-san. There are three godslayers in this area right now. It’s naturally increasing my power──」
Her power was increasing in proportion to the number of the devil king facing her.
This was the Great Law of Covenant. The secret power that elevated the hero of devil king extermination to be a supreme being. Thanks to the power that was welling up from the depth of her body, the divine protection of the divine sword was also strengthened.
In that case, next she just needed to use it for attack!
「Teyaaaaaa──AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」
With a cry of fighting spirit, she swung down her divine sword from overhead stance.
This time she didn’t target the boar and only swung at empty air. However platinum colored lightning surged from the blade and sent flying the brawny giant beast splendidly.
「Hoo……!? The lightning of salvation is it!」
「This is payback──for just now!」
The young man on top of the boar’s head widened his eyes. Yukino boasted proudly at him.
The giant body that was more than twenty meter in length was pushed back by a tremendous lightning that swallowed even that giant body whole. The impact and heat thoroughly grilled and injured the boar.
──NNOOOoooooooNNNNNNNNNN!
The boar howled with a voice that sounded a bit like it was crying. It might be a scream.
Yukino followed the flow and moved to attack further.
「I am the reincarnation of the sword god Take Mikadzuchi and the heaven sent child of lightning! Electric shock is my forte just so you know-!」
「……That seems to be the case. Then, I too shall display my next move.」
The young man Kushanagi Godo smiled with ‘fuh’.
Yukino gasped. He was standing on the giant boar until now. But, the beast he was riding had changed in an instant.
The young man was straddling the back of a black goat that was floating in the air──!
A gigantic lightning surged from the divine sword once more toward him and his ride.
However──
「……O lightning. I am the conqueror who vanquished a thousand with a hundred. Release bright and shining brilliance, and grant me divine power!」
Kushanagi Godo chanted words of power.
His ride that was a goat also neighed 『Meeeeeeee……』 with a terribly intelligent gaze.
Right after that, the two were swallowed by Yukino’s lightning. However, the terrifying electric heat didn’t burn them. The young man swiftly waved his hand while bathing in lightning flash.
──Immediately, several hundreds of lightning poured down.
The gigantic lightning that Yukino fired became small lightnings and rained down on the ground to burn Yukino herself who was originally the attacker to ash.
「H-how!?」
「Kukukuku. When controlling lightning, you should be able to do at least this much.」
Kushanagi Godo chuckled. The black goat neighed 『Mee……』.
Then the sky of the desert was suddenly covered with black thunder clouds──
Lightning rained down without pause! They were falling endlessly right above Yukino and even around her where there was nobody!
「Uuuuu. I don’t want to admit it but, this might be even more amazing than mine……!」
Yukino unconsciously complained.
However, she didn’t lose heart and sent out her thought──.
When the battle suddenly began, Madam Aisha and Rokuhara Ren, and also Toba Riona evacuated from the battlefield temporarily.
They ran away full speed in panic so they wouldn’t get crushed under the boar’s rampaging feet.
「Onee-sama, let’s do the Super Saiyan move!」
『About that, you see, I also can’t use it today because of some reasons……. Also, this is unrelated with this matter but, when I realized I can’t find Rokuhara-san anywhere──』
「Eeh!?」
Yukino was flustered after receiving the thought of Riona from a distance.
Kushanagi Godo was displaying ever changing abilities. She was relying on the mysterious power up magic when faced against that strength. The secret technique that also became the last push in the final battle against sect founder Luo Hao the other day.
『Anyway, let’s switch mood!』
Riona said to fire up herself and Yukino.
『I’ll come right away to back you up, so endure it for just a bit more!』
「I get it! If I have no chance of winning with projectile weapon──as expected I only have my sword left!」
She raised the divine sword of salvation Take Mikadzuchi overhead.
This stance was also called the stance of fire. It was a stance for doing a suicide attack.
──Right after that, Yukino’s body was midair. Furthermore she was right in front of Kushanagi Godo who was riding the flying black goat.
From outside, it looked like she had teleported.
But in reality, it was a leap that had completely omitted any preliminary movements like approach run, initial step, etc. Furthermore she leaped through a distance of more than 30 meters and sprang out to the sky.
She only looked like she vanished because of the speed that was just like a flash.
The young man was already inside the range of the divine sword. With this──she could do it.
「IYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」
「Hohou, excellent swordsmanship!」
A piercing cry of fighting spirit and words of praise.
However, Yukino who swung down his sword from overhead at the height of sky doubted her own eyes. Even though she heard his voice just now, Kushanagi Godo had vanished from view.
*Byuu!* A gust of wind ran through.
Yukino’s slash only cut that wind.
Even for the heaven sent child of a sword god, cutting something immaterial was impossible.
The gust whirled and became whirlwind that was growling *byuu byuu* on Yukino’s back. It was as though the slash just now was getting mocked.
「M-me of all people is getting toyed with!?」
Yukino who had leapt high drew an arcing trajectory and splendidly landed on the ground.
It was a deft landing. However inside she was filled with humiliation. She was overwhelmed in an exchange lightning, and the swing of her sword was dodged.
The opponent was using such variegated fighting method that made her dizzy like this──.
This was a type of enemy that she faced for the first time. Yukino yelled with irritation.
「You keep playing tricks with transformation since the beginning! How about facing me fair and square head on now huh!?」
「Fumu……. Then, perhaps I’ll try using this.」
Kushanagi Godo appeared with the form of a young man at the distance of more than ten meters ahead.
In his left hand was──a black steel bow. Beside his right foot there was a wooden quiver that was painted jet black placed!
「Someone took the trouble to lend me this. So I’ll make use of them at the very least.」
「Those are, my──! Don’t tell me, you are also working together with that mister black prince!?」
「Correct. The witch who called me here and that man, the two godslayers are hitting it off with each other. Now then, these bow and quiver possess extraordinary origin behind them……there are truly excellent itmes.」
「Obviously! Those are the treasures that my sword instructor bequeathed to me!」
Yukino was feeling indignation. The young man showed off the iron bow with delight before her.
He immediately smiled and spoke with an understanding look.
「I see. So they are related to the great hero Prince Rama. No wonder they are this excellent.」
「──! You know that just from looking!?」
「Of course. I am the strongest, the one smashing through all enemies in my way. The one gifted with the sword of wisdom. Possessing thousands of eyes, I always see through the truth……」
The young man’s right hand reached out toward the quiver.
Platinum arrow came out from the quiver as though it was only natural. He grasped the silver arrow feathers, nocked it on the string of the iron bow, easily drew it to the limit──.
The platinum arrowhead was aimed toward its former owner Mononobe Yukino.
The bow and arrow that Yukino couldn’t use with the Super Saiyan technique was easily used by Kushanagi Godo!
「Let’s see. First I’ll shoot an arrow as a test……」
The young man muttered. Yukino was overwhelmed by terror.
No matter how much she had powered up with the Great Law of Covenant, would the current her be able to endure the great might of those bow and arrow──.
She had no confidence at all. Those should be a trump card even for Momotarou-sensei!
「Yukino!」
A nostalgic blue bird came flying at that timing.
Blue jay. It was a form that Onee-sama/Toba Riona transformed into.
That blue bird flew so fast as though it was going to collide at Yukino. The next moment, Yukino flew together with Onee-sama.
However, Riona had already transformed into the golden Yatagarasu.
When she spread out her wings, the body of the divine bird wasn’t at all inferior even compared to the boar from before──.
She was the “bird of fire” that was talked in Japan mythology and the spirit of sun. Yukino was absorbed into that body where she was inside the protection of her Onee-sama.
「T-thank you, Onee-sama-!」
『For now let’s retreat to rally ourselves!』
Riona’s thought and anxiety were transmitted to her.
『At first I was just observing because I thought it was strange how similar he is with Kusanagi-san, and then he unleashed outrageous skills one after another──he must be a god of war of absurdly monstrous level!』
「T-that kid, he is a god-!?」
『Daah! You’re a god’s descendant, so notice that kind of thing on your own!』
Explosions kept going off while the two girls were conversing.
Yatagarasu was flying with a speed like lightning──. Platinum arrows were flying one after another from behind to shoot her down.
Each time an arrow approached, Yatagarasu=Riona dodged it by veering left or right.
Even though she was a giant bird, she continued to perform midair turn with agility like a swallow. It was a superb flying technique. However.
The platinum arrow exploded the moment she dodged. It sent Yatagarasu’s body flying and robbed her balance.
Additional arrows came flying one after another to take advantage of that──!
『He is using the great hero’s bow and arrows with even more skill than Yukino!』
「D-don’t say that Onee-sama!」
Riona desperately continued running away from the arrows that the war god Kushanagi Godo fired.
Even though she had already flew until far beyond and even left the desert area, the arrows were still coming. She couldn’t even let her focus slip for an instant as she escaped.
Even so, when she had somehow endured the pursuing attacks to the end──
Even Yatagarasu who should be the undying divine bird got extremely tired and had no energy left except flying slowly in great distress…….
.
And then, about Rokuhara Ren who suddenly vanished without anyone noticing.
「Why is there something like this underground the desert……?」
Most likely that place was the inside of an underground labyrinth.
Ren was wandering through the labyrinth while muttering in a daze.
There were lights from torches here and there, so the place wasn’t pitch black. The passages were complicated and sometimes he would even come out into a spacious room. There were even some small rooms when he opened the doors that he found.
「This place feels like the rumored Knossos labyrinth where a minotaur might be lurking……」
Stella who was sitting on his left shoulder was looking annoyed.
They were on the surface not long ago. They were trying to back up Yukino who was fighting the giant boar using the magic eye of time freeze.
The moment the magic eye was activated, the time of Ren himself got stopped──.
Someone instantly dragged Ren’s frozen body to underground. When he was feeling anxious thinking that the culprit might be trying to bury him alive, he ended up getting tossed into this underground labyrinth.
He didn’t understand at all what was done to him. That was his first time experiencing such thing.
But, he had the rough idea of whose work this was.
「Say──!」
For now, Ren tried yelling to the labyrinth’s ceiling.
「Is this just as I thought, a trap that Alec set up!?」
『……Hou. So you noticed. You have sharp instinct.』
Rather than the ceiling, it felt like the voice came from even far above. That was what Ren felt.
That was undoubtedly Alexander Gascoigne’s voice.
『Just now, your partner mentioned the name of Knossos. She is really sharp. Indeed, this place is created by the authority of King Minos──』
「Uwa. That sexy guy, he has the authority of labyrinth creation of all things……」
Stella muttered in exasperation.
「Even though he must have other power that is easier to use. Ren, this guy is a very twisted person. After all the authority of you godslayers is greatly affected by the person’s authority──」
『Well, feel free to say anything. I can expect someone else to take on the hero this time.』
Only Alec’s voice came down. His figure couldn’t be seen at all.
Right now Rokuhara Ren’s situation was no different than dancing in the palm of the Black Prince.
『I want to give you thanks for toying with me as you please last time, and so I invited you to this vacation home of mine. I also had a lot of time to prepare. Surely you will be able to enjoy this place greatly.』
「If you’re going to invite anyway I’ll rather get invited to a place like amusement part.」
『No worry, this place is similar to that. The only difference is that you might die from the attractions. Look forward to it──Rokuhara Ren.』
It was a bold and ridiculing challenge from Alexander Gascoigne.
Ren realized that he himself was getting cornered into a predicament after so long. He shrugged and resolved to escape from here somehow.
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