Campione! Vol 12 Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Incident's Cause and True Culprit
Part 1
This situation had started during December .
During then were Kusanagi Godou's last moments of peace. The entire
world was in tranquility just after the battle against Lancelot, the War God
of the Lance, had ended. On December 3rd, he was leisurely at ease when
his sister Shizuka's birthday came around. Although the day for the end of
year exams were fast approaching, when compared to a battle between a
deity and a devil king, it wasn't really a big deal.
Well, there has been a bit of turmoil.
Their grandpa had left for Bhutan four days before Shizuka's birthday.
"Starting today, the responsibility of cooking will fall onto me for the time
being. What's something good I should fix up?"
Godou mentioned this in the academy's courtyard while eating and idly
chatting away.
The scenery of his surroundings were still the same as before with the
three girls Erica Blandelli, Mariya Yuri, and Liliana Kranjcar by his side.
"Speaking of which, Godou-san has made various kinds of dishes before.
This has nothing to do with me."
Yuri carried a warm smile as she spoke. She probably remembered the
time at Nikkou.
However, in actuality Godou had a reason for being indecisive.
"The problem is this. Occasionally cooking something is fine, but I feel like
I don't have the ambition to persevere through an official daily cooking
routine."
"Please don't talk about these matters using that expression you use
during battle."
Liliana made a smooth and natural assertion, however her expression
actually turned into embarrassment.
But there was no other way. Kusanagi Godou felt that he possessed the
characteristics of an honest and considerate person, however, he lacked
the discipline of a husband who enjoyed doing household chores and the
disposition of a manageable guy who was incapable of cooking.
"During times like these, I would have probably used curry to conveniently
solve this problem. If I were to use a large pan and fill it to the top, cooking
something of that size would last three, four days. A simple yet convenient
method."
The reactions of the girls were all very subtle. Yuri cautiously went silent,
but you could see she carried a slight bit of sorrow in her eyes as she
thought about the meaning behind the question "Would this be ok?".
Liliana on the other hand shook her head in distress as she thought "So
that means this person is really ". Her face looked sullen as she sighed.
As for the last person, Erica remained silent while she was eating her
sandwich. Afterwards she said,
"Hey Godou, if it was me and you came to my house and continued to
prepare those crudely made dinners several days in a row, I would
probably decide to revolt against the King after two days."
Erica spoke with complete indifference.
"At least put in a little more effort. It'd be so boring if you did that."
"I don't have the guts to make those hazardous dishes that you find
interesting to put up a fight. As long as it can be prepared with simplicity,
tastes good, and is nutritious, it would be good enough for me."
"Even so, that is extremely dull. Doesn't life basically revolve around
eating?"
"Shizuka would probably also feel depressed as a result "
After Godou retorted Erica's comments, Liliana spoke her own opinion.
Yuri on the other hand casted her gaze downwards.
What Godou felt at this moment was the separation due to the differences
in culture between boys and girls.
For the relatively easygoing, frequently exercising male, Kusanagi Godou,
there was absolutely nothing wrong with this sort of dietary lifestyle
consisting of "eating curry for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for three days in
a row".
But, could it be that girls were different?
He finished his lunch while still bearing the indecision to his problem. Once
his afternoon classes had concluded, his day of school was over.
As soon as he returned home and put away his backpack, he would head
out to purchase the ingredients for tonight's dinner. What should I
make He stressed over this issue on his way back. Unexpectedly, he
found Liliana waiting by the entrance to his house.
The Kusanagi household was located on the Nezu Sanchome shopping
district.
Since it was an old bookstore back in the days, the entrance on the first
floor was directly facing the street of the shopping district. In other words,
the silver-haired European girl standing at this location received a lot of
attention from the people passing by and the neighbors. However, Liliana
remained calm and collected while disregarding their gazes and said to
Godou:
"I was waiting for you Kusanagi Godou."
"Why are you here, is something wrong? Would you like to come inside
first?"
"No, before going in we must first purchase tonight's dinner ingredients."
Liliana spoke firmly. Godou felt puzzled and responded with "going
shopping?".
"Since you, as our lord, said you didn't have the attitude to cook every day,
as your number one knight it is imperative that I assist you. Let me handle
tonight's dinner ok?"
"Eh! ?"
"Moreover, you don't need to regard me as an outsider. Clearly all you
needed to do was mention 'please cook tonight's dinner'. However, you
need to figure it out for yourself one day."
□liana's complaint appeared to contain a slight hint of criticism in it. Godou
hurriedly waved his hands,
"T-There is no need, these problems only apply to my household."
"Did you forget? I, Liliana Kranjcar, am the sole person who would certainly
undertake your personal tasks. Problems in the kitchen are of course
within my realm of responsibilities. Is there anything you would like to eat
tonight?"
In the end, Godou was unable to decline and thus they headed off together
along the shopping district.
They went through butcher shops, vegetable and fruit markets, fresh fish
stores, supermarkets etc.
Just as Godou retrieved his wallet to pay the bill, Liliana resolutely stated
"the household spending is also part of my responsibilities".
He had no choice but to just hand the wallet to her and let her decide how
to spend the money (after all, there was no way to tell her to pay upfront
and allow him to repay the expense later).
Afterwards they returned home. Liliana put on her own commonly used
apron around her uniform and started to cook.
Godou was politely declined when he offered to help and was currently
bored while idly standing by.
The door opened and Shizuka came in bristling with anger
"Onii-chan! Rumors about you were already being spread throughout the
neighborhood! I heard that today it appeared that Liliana-san and
Onii-chan were together and specifically went to the shopping district to
engage in a shopping date. Furthermore, you even handed your wallet to
her, it's like you guys are an engaged couple or newlyweds!"
Well, what ensued was an argument. However, it would probably be best
not to elaborate the details on this matter.
On the contrary, the problematic issues arose only when he got up the next
day.
Just as Godou finished freshening up at six-thirty in the morning, the
doorbell rang.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw Yuri wearing her uniform standing
right in front of him.
She was carrying a delicately made bento with an embarrassed look all
over her face.
"I'm very sorry for disturbing you this early. There is something I must
discuss with Godou-san "
"I usually wake up very early so it is fine, however, what's the problem?"
Godou tensed up at this sudden morning visit.
"Could it be that a god has appeared somewhere?"
"No. It isn't anything like that. Actually, Amakasu-san passed on some
information. He said that last night Liliana-san went to Godou-san's house
to make dinner."
"H-How does that person know what happened here that night! ?"
Amakasu is a descendant of the ninjas. His intelligence gathering could be
described as his forte
Once Yuri heard Godou muttering to himself due to the unexpected
information that was gathered from him, Yuri's expression slightly stiffened.
"Does that mean it was true?"
"Ah, haha. That girl Liliana seemed to have said 'this kind of task is also
part of my job', something like that."
"About that, despite Liliana-san being your number one knight, if you
completely rely on her good intentions, wouldn't that feel inappropriate?
Especially this time when the housework was to be done by Godou-san."
"I guess you're right "
Godou lowered his head upon hearing her sincere advice.
"It's different from everyone individually bringing food during the day.
Yesterday I was spoiled by Liliana's enthusiasm, however this is actually
very bad."
Yuri offered her righteous opinion, but on the contrary, Godou actually
rejoiced upon hearing her words.
"Yes. Thank you Mariya. Speaking to me in this manner helps me out a lot.
If I'm not capable of doing these type of things myself then that wouldn't be
right."
"Ah, no. It is me, I was the one who spoke out of line."
Godou expressed his gratitude while the gentle ojou-sama was
panic-stricken.
"I feel like Godou-san is generally a well-behaved person other than your
indifference to your own conduct during important events."
Yuri shyly gazed downwards and handed over the contents in her hands.
She handed over the furoshiki that was in her possession the entire time.
"Here you go if you don't mind, please accept this."
"What is this?"
"I made some onigiris. If you don't mind, please eat them in place of your
lunch."
"I must say, during times like these I feel like I shouldn't completely rely on
other people's good intentions. Especially this time since it involves
matters related to housework."
Godou repeated his counterpart's argument from before causing Yuri to
instantly raise her head.
"T-That's how it should be! What I meant by having a sense of propriety
was referring to you having to behave appropriately in other aspects!"
"Even so, that's still "
"I want to help Godou-san since you still are not used to doing housework.
The complications that would arise from this is what I'm concerned about.
Those that are close to you would of course share these same feelings of
concern. So, if you don't mind then "
Yuri once again timidly handed over the bento.
Godou felt slightly perplexed but he still accepted it with gratitude. He then
said "come in and stay for a bit" to Yuri who was heading directly to school.
Inside the bag were: salmon, plum, and bonito flake rice balls with three of
each kind.
They were neatly arranged inside the bento box. Godou immediately
thought about making some miso sauce and Yuri offered to help.
Halfway through, Godou's role was reduced to being Mariya's assistant as
she showed off how to prepare the Mariya family's miso soup recipe
"Onii-chan yesterday it was Liliana-san and now today it's
Mariya-senpai, what's going on? Both of them have come early in the
morning!"
It was obvious that this was the first thing Shizuka said when she entered
the kitchen in the morning.
By the way, Yuri and Liliana also accompanied each other shopping today
once they got back from school.
"This issue is entirely the Kusanagi household's problem. Godou-san must
work hard to maintain independency."
"The responsibility of assisting the King falls to his retainers. I would rather
see him leisurely sit around and watch me complete his tasks."
As they were shopping, the direction of their argument took on the form of
neverending parallel lines.
During this time, Liliana's gaze had the endurance of a composer who just
found inspiration for a composition or like a poet immersed in writing
poetry.
" No, wait a second. Actually in that aspect there are
various residences with newlywed lifestyles where the bride expends a
lot of effort in the kitchen preparing dinner. The husband who isn't
accustomed to this field wishes to lend a hand. Their gazes accidentally
intersect, the young and tender emotions that arises it's exactly like
this!"
She nodded with approval as she spoke. Following that, she cleared her
throat and said "h-having it this way might not be so bad" and suddenly
accepted Yuri's viewpoint.
As a result, when the three of them returned to the Kusanagi house, he
started helping the two of them make dinner.
On the way home, Shizuka once again became furious.
After that, the evening of the next day came around.
Erica, who had found this situation to be quite interesting when she heard
about it, brought a meat pie personally made by Arianna that had been
stored in the kitchen of the Blandelli household. Ena, who roams around
like a wandering traveler, also suddenly showed up and brought him two
pounds of both brown rice and miso.
Even Yuri and Liliana appeared together at that time .
During this time, Shizuka placed a picture of her deceased paternal
grandmother and spirit tablet on the living room table.
"Onii-chan, come over here and kneel down for a bit. Please put your hand
against your chest, then turn around and reflect over what you did recently.
Carefully reflect on this for a bit and afterwards apologize to grandma's
departed soul. Ah, hey, I'm not done speaking yet!"
Being forced to do this without realizing what his immoral conduct was,
Godou evaded her to reach his room on the second floor in order to take
refuge.
The other four people followed him inside. Erica started to snicker, Yuri
was completely embarrassed, Liliana still kept her usual earnest
expression, and Ena showed no signs of concern .
"Geez, Shizuka has recently been very irritable."
"That means even Godou could figure out how to solve this kind of
problem. That was quite a difficult task."
Erica commented on Godou who expressed his discontent.
In short, because of these unexpected circumstances it was made possible
for his usual friends to all gather together inside Godou's room for the first
time.
Since it was an empty and dull room, even after fitting five people in there it
unexpectedly didn't feel very cramped.
He took out what appeared to be either a seat cushion or sofa pillow for
each person there and all of them appropriately sat down.
"Well then, how capable is your Majesty at cooking?"
"It is hard to say after only one or two days."
Seishuuin Ena's question made Godou wryly smile.
She had arrived in Tokyo not too long ago after recovering from the injuries
to her body during the battle against Guinevere.
Ena, who was also honing her cooking capabilities, smiled and said:
"That's perfect. Did Your Majesty go to Yuri and the others for cooking
lessons today? Ena also wants to enter and study with Your Majesty."
For the time being I should probably focus on my cooking responsibilities.
Godou had this kind of meager resolve.
He didn't want to push his responsibilities on the accommodating Yuri and
Liliana since it completely matched the saying, give him an inch and he'll
want a mile. As a result, he asked them "can you please teach me the art
of cooking".
Nevertheless, in reality there was the restriction of his cooking level being
inadequate.
While Godou was dilly dallying, the girls had already decided on some
other business to deliberate.
"Oh yeah, it's almost Christmas. Can you teach me how to cook something
involving turkey?"
"Will there be an event scheduled for this time of year as social convention
dictates? Are you celebrating the holidays together with Shizuka and your
mom?"
After Godou freely spoke, he was questioned by Liliana.
"No, there isn't anything special being planned. Well, it just feels like
everyday around that time there would be numerous visitors in the house
with Shizuka and I. Speaking of which, Nanami and the others previously
mentioned that as a guy you have to stay up and party till dawn. Giving
that a shot doesn't seem so bad."
"All the way till morning? It sounds like a lot of fun."
"Mariya Yuri. If you say it like that, Kusanagi Godou might actually consider
participating."
"Yeah. When you consider this gathering of his and the serious tone he
had not too long ago, he is heavily guilty of contradicting himself."
Erica and Liliana's tone hinted a bit of sorrow as they responded to the
smiling Yuri.
Afterwards, the silver-haired knight cleared her throat and slowly began to
speak.
"I have a suggestion. Even though it sounds a bit ambitious, how about
holding a Christmas party and having me be in charge of the invitations?"
"A party It has been quite peaceful recently so it sounds like a pretty
good idea."
Her suggestion came quite suddenly but Godou nevertheless heavily
nodded in response.
However, today was December 9th. It hasn't even been half a month since
the battle with Lancelot. Knowing how long this kind of tranquility will last
was quite an enigmatic matter.
"Well, I'm guessing it would be quite good to occasionally host a gathering
for our group."
Erica winked as she stated her opinion.
Her manner of speaking really seemed to indicate she was already used to
attending parties.
"Ah, however, can a miko normally celebrate Christmas?"
"Overall what we do isn't that strict. However "
Yuri wryly smiled towards Godou's inquiry. Afterwards she slightly became
at a loss for words.
"However?"
"Kaoru-san is amazing whenever it reaches this time of the year. Starting
from the twentieth, she would have dates with girls every single day.
Amazing people should behave like this, completely unfazed even when
faced with the nagging of elders."
Ena continued where her friend left off and explained to Godou.
Speaking of Kaoru, the girl she takes as her partner on a date is definitely
swapped every day. She has even developed the ultimate skill of having
Christmas dates with three separate people within the same day.
"Guess it would be best to not invite her "
"Since she is someone who likes to be rowdy, I suspect she would still
show up for a bit. However the problem lies on Ena's behalf. Every year
around this time Ena will head to the mountains to spend the holidays."
"Hey Seishuuin, about those religious practices in the mountains, are you
able to get a head start on it?"
Ena clasped her hands and said "ah, I see" in response to Godou's
question.
To the rigid Hime-miko of the Sword who wasn't used to having a good
time, Godou couldn't help but smile.
Seeing this, Yuri exposed a graceful smile and Erica elegantly glanced
over everyone as if she was a noblewoman. Even though Liliana was the
person who had to invite other people and act as the host, she was still
very happy.
Just like this, the early parts of December have indeed been very peaceful
for Godou and company.
At this time, the person who brought the doom and gloom was the martial
artist Lu Yinghua no, instead it was someone in this world whom he
feared the most, someone whom he was most humble to, a person whom
he was in contact with that was deemed the most supreme tyrant.
Part 2
"I've brought a message from Master."
The current location was the VIP room of the Akihabara maid-themed tea
house, the "Peerless Statesman."
Lu Yinghua spoke gloomily as soon as he spotted Godou.
Fourteen years old. A handsome youth with a slim but not particularly tall
physique. Nevertheless, an unmistakable sense of arrogance hung on his
face the same way dark circles below the eyes could not be concealed.
Besides Kusanagi Godou, Sayanomiya Kaoru and Amakasu Touma also
happened to be present in the room.
Those two were currently playing baccarat on one of the card game tables.
"From Nee-san? What a rare occasion."
The unexpected report livened up Godou's spirits.
It was currently after 10pm on the ninth of December after his discussion
with the girls about the party. After a lively dinner with everyone, Godou
had received a call from Lu Yinghua informing him "I just got back."
Lu Yinghua had apparently made a trip back to Hong Kong for some
reason.
Hearing that he was back in Akihabara, Godou looked forward to meeting
him again.
"Come to think of it, I haven't contacted her all this time."
The sworn elder sister Luo Cuilian. Style name Hao.^ The one people
addressed as Her Eminence Luo Hao. As well as being Lu Yinghua's
master, she was the leader of the Holy Cult of the Five Mountains.
Friendship between gentlemen was as insipid as water J -- she was one
who lived according to this principle. Consequently, even though she and
Godou were sworn siblings they did not have frequent contact. In fact, this
was the first time Godou heard from her since parting at Nikkou.
"During my recent visit to the Mount Lu convent, Master suddenly said the
following."
In a remote corner on the sacred peaks of Mount Emei, looking up at the
moonlit sky.
The transcendent beauty who rivaled the moon fairy was declaring in a
beautiful voice as melodic as a musical instrument.
'Perhaps it would be a pleasant experience to admire the beauty of the
moon together on occasion, just the two of us, siblings bound by oath. My
young eagle, I have a mission for you. You must take care and accomplish
it as if it was your job.'
Hearing the demonic cult leader's statement retold, Kaoru and Amakasu
exchanged glances.
"Considering it's Her Eminence, would things really be over with just moon
watching?"
"Hey don't slander her. Even though she's someone who can't be left alone
in urban areas, I think she's quite affectionate in certain ways -- Eh, am I
wrong?"
With a wry expression, Godou objected to the two History Compilation
Committee members who were both older than him.
Standing next to Godou, Lu Yinghua shook his head with a complicated
expression on his face.
"Listen to me carefully, Honored Uncle. If five or ten years had passed
since you last parted, then sure, her words might seem a little plausible.
But less than two months? Master in particular, cannot possibly desire a
reunion with her sworn little brother simply because she misses you!"
Stated in no uncertain terms, a depressing sense of truth.
"I can guarantee with an oath, something suspicious is definitely going on!"
"Decidedly..."
"In any case, allow me to deliver this to Honored Uncle first. Master's
orders are to drink it up during the next full moon."
Lu Yinghua handed over a little bottle containing a liquid that looked like
mercury.
"What'll happen if I drink it?"
"I expect it will lead to all kinds of trouble. Drinking it results in instant
transportation to Mount Lu where Master resides."
Godou shrugged in response to this rather problematic explanation that left
great room for elaboration.
Well, it's not like I'll die -- thought Godou to himself. Accepting the bottle
and putting it away, he said:
"When's the next full moon?"
"It happens to be tomorrow..."
Tonight, I'm gonna meet my elder sister in China--
Godou announced to the girls during lunch the next day. "No ordinary
meeting for sure" was Erica's response. Saying that, she sighed. As for
Yuri, she pleaded "You must return safe and sound" with a grave
expression. On the other hand, Liliana offered her assurance, promising
"In the event of unforeseeable tragedy, I will take good care of little sister
Shizuka."
Godou sent a text message to inform Ena who was currently training in
Chichibu.
'Please tell me about your experiences throughout the journey. However,
it'd be best if you don't die.'
Her reply did not seem like she was joking at all.
In any case, Godou could agree with her response in certain ways.
"Compared to tigers in human form, Nee-san sure is ten thousand times
more fearsome..."
Godou muttered as he walked over to Shinjuku's Kabukichou^ district
during dusk.
It did not feel appropriate to wear school uniform on this bustling street, so
naturally, Godou had changed into casual clothing. He made his way to the
address of a multi-tenant building. The office of Hong Kong's Lu family was
located on the top floor of this building, and Lu Yinghua apparently had a
room there for conducting daily affairs.
Anyway, today's destination was the rooftop of this building.
Lu Yinghua was waiting right there. Furthermore, this nephew's male
subordinates were using chalk to inscribe on the floor of the roof geometric
shapes and patterns with lots of Chinese characters written on them.
"We welcome your grand arrival, Honored Uncle. We are now preparing
the magic circle."
Godou nodded to acknowledge Lu Yinghua's martial arts salute, then
waited for ten-odd minutes.
By the time the circle was complete, the evening sun had already set and
the sky had turned completely dark. Godou stood in the center of the circle
with only Lu Yinghua by his side.
Mustering his determination, Godou drank the bottle of silver liquid he had
received earlier.
His first reaction was that it tasted really bad. A kind of indescribable taste
rivaling Arianna's efforts in pot-stewed cuisine. Furthermore, the instant he
swallowed this viscous fluid, an exceptional sense of scorching heat
seemed to be spreading from his stomach.
This liquid's effects were apparently quite astounding.
It seemed to be the medium for applying Daoist arts to Godou all the way
from distant Mount Lu.
Due to the discomfort in his throat and the scorching feeling in his
stomach, Godou collapsed to his knees on the floor of the rooftop. In that
very instant...
He was transported. The surrounding scenery of the Kabukichou building
rooftop gradually dissipated and Godou found himself no longer crouching
on the rooftop of the multi-tenant building in Kubukichou.
'Much time have passed since our last parting, my little brother.'
"Nee-san...?"
Hearing the beautiful voice he missed so much, Godou groaned.
Enduring the discomfort in his throat and stomach, Godou stood up with
great difficulty and surveyed his surroundings.
This place was deep in mountains he had never been to, and consequently
never seen before. Also, he had not been sent to the foot or even midway
up the mountain.
Situated on one of the peaks of Mount Emei, this place was at substantial
altitude. Godou was standing on a protrusion of rock that resembled an
observation platform and offered a wide expansive view of the neighboring
mountains and the world below.
The greenery at the foot of various mountains, together with the swathes of
white snow near the mountaintops, looked as if they were far off in the
distance.
Turning his gaze up, Godou could see the sky filled with twinkling stars.
"I can't see you, where are you?"
"Honored Uncle. Master is simply projecting her voice from far away."
As Godou looked around for signs of Luo Cuilian, Lu Yinghua informed
him.
The nephew proceeded to kneel on one knee and salute with one fist
against an open palm.
"Master's might and virtue, rivaling the sun in the sky, becomes ever more
dazzling for each passing day. Your disciple Lu Yinghua reports his return,
and at the same time, offers wishes of eternal longevity to wise and
valorous Master."
Godou was immensely impressed by how far Lu Yinghua went with these
words of flattery.
Luo Cuilian's unique and wonderful voice was heard once more. But her
message was exceedingly merciless.
'My young eagle, thank you for accomplishing your task. Now go back to
your training for I have prepared a suitable opponent. You shall be lauded
if you achieve victory in one day. You pass if you do it in two. If it takes you
three days... Hmph, then I shall personally give you a good schooling.
Nothing else needs to be said.'
Luo Cuilian had infused a certain power into these quiet words. Namely,
the [Dragon's Roar and Tiger's Howl].
The authority to turn her voice into Shockwaves of wind. The current level
of force was probably strong enough to send a light vehicle flying.
ii 1 1 1
Surrounded by the intangible Shockwave, Lu Yinghua took a great leap
backwards and crossed his arms in an X-shape to protect himself. True to
the name of the promising young star of the martial realm.
Dodging the full brunt of the force, he was instead blown into the night sky
between the mountains. Furthermore, the magical wind continued to blow,
pushing him further and further back in the air.
"Oowaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah . . . ! "
For the very first time, Godou heard the pitiful screams of his arrogant
nephew.
Lu Yinghua was blown away like a kite whose string was severed, falling
somewhere amongst the peaks of the mountain range.
"This really doesn't look good for Yinghua..."
'Do not worry. I have already summoned an appropriate opponent to the
place where this child will land. Leave him be for now.'
Luo Cuilian answered Godou's comment on a completely different
wavelength.
Was the scene that just transpired an everyday occurrence for this
master-disciple pair? Whether the disciple who could instantly react to any
situation, or the master who imposed her expectations upon him, neither
were normal.
Oooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaooooooooo. . . .
Hearing the rumbling roars of a magical beast in the far distance, Godou
spoke up:
"Could that be Yinghua's opponent?"
'Yes. Hoho... Even though I said two days would earn a pass, from what I
can tell, he passes if he can hunt and kill this formidable foe within four
days. So, how well will my young eagle perform?'
The demonic cult leader uttered words that had long transcended the
realm of strictness.
Godou remarked "she really is someone like that" as he nodded, praying to
the heavens for Yinghua's safety.
'So, little brother. Come up directly along the mountain path. Your elder
sister has been waiting impatiently.'
Urged by the voice of his sworn elder sister, Godou got off the rock that
resembled an observation platform.
He proceeded to ascend the mountain path. This place should be
somewhere in the Lushan National Park in China's Jiangxi province. The
sky was filled with stars and constellations without being shrouded by a
single cloud. A completely clear and lucid night sky.
This splendorous canopy of radiant starlight was a view one could not find
in gloomy urban environments.
"Since we are here to admire the full moon, I guess it's lucky the sky is not
overcast."
'In accordance with prior wishes, I had the clouds blown away beforehand.
Chasing after a cloud-hidden moon could be amusing at times.
Nevertheless, tonight is the reunion of we sworn siblings after our
two-month separation. Truly, taking place beneath the bright full moon is
most ideal, hence those impertinent clouds have been driven away for this
occasion.'
Godou was merely remarking on something he noticed, but little did he
expect such a surprising answer.
She turned out to be even more counter to common logic than imagined...
Godou thought to himself emphatically as he conversed with the sworn
elder sister's voice. Soon after, he reached a pavilion.
In an open area in the mountain, a little house with only a roof and no walls
had been built here.
The transcendent beauty in front of this pavilion was the Campione who
stood as the Ruler of the Martial Realm.
"You have arrived without trouble, my little brother, Kusanagi Godou!"
In this fashion, the sworn elder sister and younger brother were reunited
after two months.
Part 3
Family name Luo. Given name Cuilian. Style name Hao.
Despite having passed the age of two hundred, she still possessed the
beautiful appearance of a late teen. Hers was beauty that put nature to
shame and could bring nations to ruin. Indeed, such incomparable beauty
of hers was truly transcendent.
Tonight, she was dressed in Han Chinese clothing, in a style reminiscent of
a heavenly goddess.
The elegance of her long flowing sleeves and lightly floating hemlines gave
one an illusion of having arrived at the heavenly emperor's palace.
But in actual fact, she was the warrior standing at the martial pinnacle and
the Daoist priestess who had reached the peak of Daoist mastery.
Ingrained in her body were arts and knowledge completely surpassing all
other Campiones.
"Why don't you relax? Sit or lie down, whichever you want. Should you tire
of moon watching, we can have a quiet conversation throughout the night.
Hoho, as Devil Kings, it is not a bad idea to enjoy ourselves in a style in
tribute to the Seven Sages.
Making such a suggestion, Luo Cuilian lowered herself on her own.
And sat down on a white tiger(!) rug that had been laid over the floor of the
pavilion.
Another similar rug could be seen, most likely prepared for her sworn little
brother. Godou was currently wearing a winter coat, but it was merely one
intended for use in Tokyo. At the top of a mountain at such high altitudes, it
was completely ineffective.
Chilling mountain air seeped into his clothes, mercilessly robbing Godou of
his body warmth.
To be honest, the tiger fur rug was truly a blessing. Godou immediately
bent down and sat cross-legged. At the very least, this should help keep
his legs and lower torso warm.
Running his hand through the striped pattern of the white tiger fur rug, it
felt extremely smooth.
"Was this really skinned from an actual tiger...?"
"Who knows? These were simply offered in tribute by members of the holy
cult some time ago. I'm not really aware of the details."
The sworn elder sister's uncertain answer fully convinced Godou instead. It
was definitely the real thing.
He could not imagine anyone foolish enough to offer something inauthentic
to Her Eminence Luo Hao.
"If you're hungry, please enjoy some of these dishes. In order to receive
you as a guest, your elder sister ended her long absence from the kitchen,
bringing to life her arts of the kitchen knife once more."
"Eh? Nee-san cooked personally!?"
Luo Cuilian lightly waved her hand before Godou as he watched in shock.
Immediately, a number of large dishes appeared between them. Laden
upon them were three brightly-colored specimens of Chinese cuisine.
The first dish seemed to be thick pork slices heaped over leafy vegetables.
The second dish consisted often-odd springrolls arranged in a triangular
shape. For some reason, the pastry wrappers were red in color.
The third dish consisted of clear transparent soup. Even the wrappers of
the floating dumplings in the soup were transparent, and they seemed to
hold fillings made of diced meat and vegetables. Unbelievably, the fillings
contained all seven colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
indigo and violet, giving a bright and colorful display like a kaleidoscope.
"...Nee-san turns out to be someone really talented at cooking."
Godou remarked emphatically in admiration. Every dish without exception
was astoundingly phenomenal.
This was not simply limited to taste. Even the appearance exhibited artistic
flair like the creative masterpieces of a master chef. Combined with the
extraordinary aroma, the visual impact truly made the viewer look forward
to the excellent taste.
"You absolutely must not disclose to others these skills possessed by Luo
Cuilian. Even though I once underwent training as befitted a daughter of
the Luo family, I am now the Ruler of the Martial Realm. Putting on a show
in the kitchen does not really suit my stature."
Accepting the sworn little brother's praise, Luo Cuilian smiled with
satisfaction.
"Expressly going against principles for the sake of offering hospitality to a
sworn little brother. Hohoho, even though it was fairly time consuming, the
result turned out to be surprisingly favorable."
Faced with this incredible cuisine, Godou eschewed modesty and took up
his chopsticks. First he went for the thickly sliced meat.
Amazing! The pork was actually sliced to millimeter thickness then piled
dozens of layers together in a manner akin to mille-feuille . The texture was
such that it melted in the palate as if it were snow, dissolving into a rich
meaty flavor.
Next were the red springrolls. The crispy surface offered the sweet taste of
carrots.
The springrolls contained a sweet-tasting sauce. The fillings had a mixture
of several types of tubers with thickening added. The complex and
wonderful interplay of differing sweet tastes immersed the tongue in
pleasure without being overwhelming.
Then there was the secret recipe of transparent soup and rainbow-colored
dumplings.
Sipping the soup, a marvelously cool taste of sourness brought a great
refreshing feeling to the palate. Biting into a rainbow dumpling, the
delicious taste of meat and fish, together with the savory flavor of a great
assortment of vegetables played a harmonious symphony upon the taste
buds.
Godou was completely unable to fathom what ingredients and cooking
processes had been used to produce these marvelous creations.
"Hmm. These are all wonderfully delicious without exception. It's amazing."
Godou offered praise and admiration without flattery as he rapidly busied
his chopsticks and his mouth.
"Is it possible that you cook for Yinghua occasionally?"
"Ridiculous. Cooking for the master is part of a disciple's training. Reversal
of the master-disciple relationship is not permitted. Tonight is the first
occasion for me to step into the kitchen in seventy years."
"...I see."
Was this kind of life the reason his "nephew" became so depressed?
This subtle thought occurred to Godou as he savored the magnificent
cuisine. All things considered, he was currently enjoying rare cuisine as
uncommon as the occurrence of Haley's comet.
Anyway, just as Godou finished the dishes offered as part of the sworn
elder sister's hospitality...
Luo Cuilian casually took out the moon guitar^ that had been placed by
her side.
As her fingernails strummed away gently, a heavenly melody seemed to fill
the clear atmosphere. The quick rhythm of her singing resounded as if
following the sounds of the instrument.
Placing the qin on a curved stand,
And sitting tranquil beside it, emotions contained.
Why trouble to pluck or strum it?
The wind on the strings makes it sound itself.^
She probably played simply as the mood dictated rather than showing off
her talents.
Humming casually like an ordinary person, she strummed the musical
instrument with her nails. But even in such an act, Luo Cuilian displayed
mastery unsurpassed by anyone in the entire world.
Even though he was the only audience, Godou wanted to continue
listening along, mesmerized.
But it was probably time for him to ask. About the matter her disciple went
so far as to assert as "definitely" suspicious.
"Nee-san. Do you have something you want to tell me?"
Godou's probing question caused the sworn elder sister's hand to pause in
her playing.
"Now that you brought it up, yes, that is my intention. I wanted to recount
an old tale."
"An old tale?"
"Back then, I was already the Ruler of the Martial Realm, but due to
various matters I was traveling in the ancient kingdom of the Turks."
"Come to think of it, you recently came expressly to Japan as well."
"Over there, I chanced upon a rare divine artifact. Yes, a precious item
which had the ability to give birth to [Heretic Gods] and release them upon
the world."
"~A divine artifact that can give birth to gods!?"
Divine artifacts, were objects similar to grimoires which had been etched
with heavenly wisdom and the laws of sacred spells.
It was common for them to possess the attribute of immortal
indestructibility. These were objects that were very difficult to dispose of
once they manifested on earth.
"After a convoluted series of events, I finally defeated the god that had
manifested, and sealed the divine artifact's power."
"Ah... That's great news."
Godou was relieved to hear the sworn elder sister recount her past victory
nonchalantly.
"As a safety precaution, I took the sealed divine artifact back with me and
kept it for the time being."
The conversation seemed to be taking an ominous turn.
"A few days ago, I noticed the divine artifact had started recovering its
powers at some unknown point in time, and was once again about to
produce a [Heretic God]."
"Shouldn't you get rid of such a dangerous divine artifact right away
instead!?"
He could already guess what Luo Cuilian was about to say.
But Godou suppressed the worry in his heart and went with the flow,
probing further. No matter how unprecedented the actions of this sworn
elder sister were, he never expected the extent-
And so, the beautiful demonic cult leader, showed an acute expression like
a great general leading a million troops into battle.
"Of course not. What the divine artifact created was only a being less than
a [Heretic God]. That kind of weak enemy is completely unworthy of
receiving even a palm strike from me, Luo Cuilian. Dealing directly with
that kind of opponent would be a taint to my honor."
The sworn elder sister who prompted Godou's ominous premonitions,
followed up with this kind of statement.
"Godou. Your insight as a king still seems rather inadequate. You need to
reflect properly on this."
"No, no, wait a minute. So Nee-san did you ignore that being less than a
[Heretic God]? The thing created by that divine artifact! What happened to
it next?"
"Hoho. Your elder sister was not careless. Naturally, there was a plan."
The sworn elder sister displayed an arrogant smile.
Not only did Godou's ominous premonition not subside, it became even
stronger. From his experience, it was certain that Luo Cuilian would
proceed to reveal something completely beyond his expectations--
"The divine artifact wishes to bring vengeance upon me. However,
slaughtering that loser would taint the honor of me, Luo Cuilian. And so I
communicated the following to the other party."
Alas, this was the key sentence. As expected.
"My sworn little brother, Kusanagi Godou, is located at the Japanese
capital of Tokyo. If you wish to have a rematch with me, Luo Hao, defeat
my younger brother first to demonstrate your strength. Then we shall see."
"I knew it... At least tell me beforehand."
As Godou hung his head, the sworn elder sister smiled gently in return.
"This comes from your elder sister's vast love, to bestow upon you this trial
with a merciful heart. Riding upon this victory, you shall continue along the
glorious path of heroism."
"Well, since the situation has already come to this, there's no other way
around it."
Wow, my adaptability is surely surprising. Greatly impressed by himself,
Godou said:
"Even though I know only two names out of the gods slain by Nee-san, it
really seems like you fought many gods in the past."
To Godou's knowledge, Luo Cuilian's victories included an Om pair of
Buddha Guardians and the goddess Gayatri.
Well, this was the sworn elder sister after all. It felt like she had fought all
sorts of gods in the past.
"Yes. The name of the god I slew a century and a half ago is Saturnus.^ A
god from the Roman Empire and associated with land and harvest.
Furthermore--"
"Furthermore?"
"Although I get the sense there were all sorts of causes, I've forgotten
them."
Recounting her victory, Luo Cuilian asserted thus.
As for this statement, rather than her memories of the past had faded over
time, it would be more accurate to say she never had any intention to
reminisce over her past battles.
"The divine artifact seeks revenge... Nee-san, didn't you mention that just
now?"
"Correct. The divine artifact, [Crown of Saturnalia]. Even though it is not a
living object it can carry a conversation. An existence infused with divine
qualities to a certain extent. Since this sacred vessel displays will and
perception, perhaps it is possessed by some kind of spirit."
"The same kind of existence as Ama no Murakumo!"
Well, even if it was also made by the gods, Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi
must be ranked on a much higher level.
However, there was no doubt the artifact was a troublesome existence.
After that, Godou was once again given "that elixir."
The secret elixir which resembled mercury, said to be concocted
personally by the sworn elder sister.
Informed that he would return to Tokyo by drinking it, Godou had no choice
but to obey. Immediately, enchanted with the demonic cult leader's
instantaneous transportation technique of [Terrain Reduction], Godou
found himself crouching on the rooftop of the mixed ethnic building in
Kubukichou.
Naturally, Lu Yinghua was not present. He was still in the middle of his
special training(?) at Mount Lu.
After arriving back in Tokyo, Godou did not return home at once. Instead
he instantly contacted his usual friends. A troublesome foe was apparently
coming to Tokyo to defeat Kusanagi Godou -- was what he told them.
"More accurately, it has already arrived."
Deep into the night after Godou's return to Tokyo from Mount Lu, an
emergency meeting was being held at the Sayanomiya residence.
The one who spoke in an awkward tone of voice was Amakasu. Even
though Ena was not present due to her mountain training, Erica, Yuri and
Liliana had all hurried here. Obviously, Kaoru was also present.
"Indeed. More than enough time has already elapsed for it to travel here."
Kaoru agreed with her subordinate's opinion.
"But didn't Yuri fail to sense any divine presence?"
"Yes. I have not had that kind of feeling at all lately."
The Hime-Miko confirmed Erica's question with great confidence.
"Produced by the divine artifact, also something not a god -- something
less than a [Heretic God], that was what Her Eminence said?"
Liliana asked for confirmation, prompting Godou to nod and grumble:
"Ah yes. Exactly that. Damn it, do I really need to go over there to ask
Nee-san for more details?"
"What do you expect to happen? Considering Her Eminence, even if
Godou goes there with a list of questions, I don't think she will properly tell
us everything we want to know."
"That's right. In this regard, even Lu Yinghua can only face her in panic."
Godou agreed with the red and blue knights' comments.
Come to think of it, even for the youth who knew the demonic cult leader
best, "face her in panic" was the best he could do.
"Regarding Heretic Saturnus, let's start investigating from other avenues."
Erica proposed as if trying to brighten the mood.
"Even though it was a battle between a [Heretic God] and a Campione that
occurred a century and a half ago, it is very likely that records have been
left behind by people near the scene and involved in the world of magic. I
will contact Milan's [Copper Black Cross] to begin urgent investigations."
"That's right. Turkey is actually not too far away from Italy."
Godou recalled it was a place regarded as the boundary between Europe
and Asia.
Thus ended the meeting that night, and the next day arrived.
Amakasu had History Compilation Committee members running around all
over Tokyo, but no clues concerning the divine artifact [Crown of
Saturnalia] had been found yet.
Without the arrival of spirit visions, Yuri's repeated meditation did not bear
any fruit in obtaining divine revelation.
Liliana also attempted to use witchcraft to investigate, but did not obtain
any results.
But there was other good news. Godou received a call from Lu Yinghua
through his cellphone.
"You're safe and sound, Yinghua!"
'Yeah I suppose. Pursuing each other with that troublesome monster that
Master had found from goodness knows where, running all over the
mountain made me half dead with exhaustion. I'm now taking advantage of
the chaotic situation... no, resting near the foot of Mount Lu.'
Despite having the disposition of an extraordinary genius prodigy, he was
such a crafty and slippery customer.
'That's what Master said. If I can't defeat it completely, I will surely suffer a
fatal counterattack from that monster. I have no choice but to defeat it in a
slow but sure manner."
Like master, like disciple? Godou felt like Yinghua always had the ability to
see through the master's bluffs.
Even though Godou was greatly impressed by Yinghua's sharp
perceptions, he still decided to go ahead and inquire about the matter.
"So Yinghua, what kind of monster is the enemy?"
"Uh, its body looks like some kind of cross between a tiger and a bull, plus
wings as well as fur like a hedgehog. Its howls are similar to a dog's. Can
swallow a man whole in one bite. Cannot be hunted down like a normal
tiger..."
What he described was an unimaginable monster, supplemented further by
a few outrageous statements.
Yinghua definitely hunted tigers barehanded. Concluding that to himself,
Godou listened as Lu Yinghua continued:
'Not only is it vicious, it's also quite smart. A crafty fellow that cannot be
underestimated. What about this monster?"
"Defeat it as quickly as possible. Even a day earlier would be good. Then
report immediately back to Nee-san."
Godou was well aware he was issuing difficult orders.
Then he briefly outlined the issue with Saturnus that had happened so far.
"If you can say some good things to Nee-san, wouldn't you be able to find
out roughly what happened a hundred and fifty years ago, as well as the
nature of that god? We need as much information as possible, every detail
counts. I know it's tough, but you're the only one I can rely on."
'S-Since it is Honored Uncle's orders, of course I will put forth my best
effort into it.'
Far away in distant Mount Lu, the nephew replied in a trembling voice.
'This is very challenging on many levels. Whether hunting the prey, or the
task after the hunt. In fact, the latter is three times harder than the former...
Nevertheless, whatever, I will try to find a solution.'
"I am counting on you."
'However, the surroundings of Master's convent include not only the depths
of Mount Lu, but also a forbidden area sealed away by Master's barrier.
There's no network since cellphone signals are out of reception, and even
electricity, gas and running water are absent. So I will be out of contact for
now. Please understand.'
Indeed, such a description brought to mind natural reserves in Japan such
as Yakushima^ or Shirakami-Sanchi } ^
Recalling where the reunion with his sworn elder sister had taken place,
Godou immediately understood.
'After all, it's a place where I can't even bring in gaming devices for killing
time. There was one time when I brought a satellite cellphone and it was
mercilessly crushed. Master truly believes that the decline of modern
countries began with the invention of the steam engine.'
"That's even earlier than Edison's invention of electrical power
distribution..."
'If something requires me to go to the village to handle, I'll secretly try to
send a progress report by computer. Anyway, I don't expect many
opportunities for that either.'
"Then just try your best without breaking the rules."
'That's good enough. I just need to borrow without asking for a minute or
two.'
Offering mild advice to the foster nephew seemed to have secured a
confident guarantee instead.
'Oh by the way, if Honored Uncle wishes to contact me while I'm at Mount
Lu, please feel free to give orders to my subordinates over at Shinjuku. So,
Honored Uncle, Yinghua takes his leave.'
News from Erica came a few minutes after Lu Yinghua's call ended.
The manifestation of the [Heretic God] Saturnus in Turkey a hundred and
fifty years ago. Members of the [Copper Black Cross] had successfully
confirmed the sacred fruit he had left behind on earth.
Part 4
A small package was sent from the faraway place of Istanbul using Mailing
magic.
The sender was Erica's friend who resided in Turkey's largest metropolis,
Istanbul. He easily attained the desired results when he was dispatched to
the country where the demonic cult leader's previous battle took place to
investigate its traces.
The first stop of his investigation took place within Turkey's records which
recorded a 200 year period of heretic god appearances.
His focus was on the recorded history from 138 years ago where a god
appeared in the Anatolia^ plains, so he immediately went to the scene of
that occurrence. By interviewing an elderly magician, he was fortunate to
find out that his father was also an investigator for the battle in this region.
Therefore, he immediately proceeded to hear out his father's investigation.
In the end, he had learned from those records that it was basically
something along the lines of a fight between an earth god and some
Campione.
However, he was fortunate to ensure himself that the fruits could be
brought back as data.
It appeared that after receiving this report, Erica immediately contacted
him.
"Don't worry about whether or not it's ethical at this time. You can do it
however you want it, just quickly send the fruits over here to me!"
As a result, the little box holding the fruits was sent to her with astonishing
speed.
It was said that these were the sacred fruits left behind by the heretic god
Saturnus in the past. Yuri, who came into contact with the item, finally
received a spirit vision.
"The Crown of Saturnalia. The divine artifact giving rise to Heretic Saturnus
is presently located at that place."
In accordance to Yuri's guidance, Amakasu quickly drove off to Kasai
Rinkai Park.
The place where it took root was reportedly located not too far from here
on the surface of the sea .
Actually, currently it was the night of December 11 th, the day after Godou
visited Lushan by himself.
"Within such a short time frame, we were able to arrive at the designated
location right away."
Godou muttered with mixed feelings while riding on the patrol boat
borrowed by the History Compilation Committee through their connections
to the Japanese Coast Guard.
Thus, the need to issue such inconsiderate orders towards Lu Yinghua
might arise again.
After depressingly thinking over this, Erica, who had a facial expression
indicating this was as it should be, exaggeratedly said:
"This is just Kusanagi Godou enhancing his formation. Even if you carefully
selected six or seven of the most elite figures in all of the magic guilds from
around the world, you won't find any place that can match us right? Our
battle strength, investigation ability, spirit vision, magic power, negotiating
skills, and intelligence gathering are all very outstanding."
Erica, Yuri, Liliana, Ena, Amakasu, Kaoru, and Lu Yinghua were all
considered as part of his group.
Godou thought about these friends of his that he had grown accustomed to
and nodded his head.
After surveying each of the aforementioned people, everyone was clearly
not some type of superhuman (although there were many who possessed
a high likelihood of becoming that sort of person). However, it is worth
mentioning that the comprehensive strength of entire group was probably
at a very high level and balanced.
"Well, nevertheless you will be subjected to danger when your opponent is
a god "
"In our case, we practically had no confrontations with strange occurrences
or magicians."
Liliana wryly smiled as she replied to Godou's thoughts.
The scene consisted of Godou, who was the leader, and the knights from
Milan. Plus, there was another member in the patrol boat who was a friend
of theirs.
"But Godou-san, is it ok to not inform Ena-san about this situation?"
"Uh huh, this isn't some auspicious matter, we don't even know what will
happen."
"W-What do you mean?"
"If something unexpected were to happen to us, there would have to be
someone else to deal with the aftermath the most appropriate person
would probably be Seishuuin right?"
Godou felt his own words were a meaningless assurance as he spoke.
This was of course the worst outcome. However, if in the remote chance it
did happen then it would be all over. In fact, for this very reason, Amakasu
and Kaoru were not with them on the patrol boat. Relevant members
should take precautions so they are not all wiped out
"Based on how she is, even if you request her to wait for the perfect
opportunity over there, she will follow her own authority and come down
from the mountain. For the time being we shouldn't let her know."
"S-So it's like that "
She must have remembered the personality of her childhood hime-miko
friend.
Yuri's expression seemed to have suddenly tensed after reluctantly
agreeing to that statement.
"I sense the aura of the previously envisioned Crown. Everyone please be
careful."
It looks like they were quickly approaching their destination. Not only did
Godou nod in response, but Erica and Liliana did as well.
Afterwards, everyone was finally confronted with the Crown of Saturnalia.
Rooted in the surface of the sea near Kasai was an emblem made out of
stone. The shape of it only resembled a sizable bird with its wings spread
open.
Suddenly, what appeared to be a parasitic tree grew on top of this bird.
Furthermore, it was progressively increasing in size. In the blink of an eye,
a 1000 year old giant tree no, a divine tree emerged.
The divine tree's trunk and branches permeated with hostility towards the
Campione.
In addition, it began releasing a very powerful incantation. It clearly wanted
to combat Godou.
"I never would've thought the day I would have to fight a tree would
arrive "
Moreover, it was on the surface of the sea in Tokyo Bay. There really must
be a limit to the absurdity that occurs.
Looking up at the majestic sight of the ferocious dignified colossal tree
from the deck of the patrol boat, Godou calmly whispered.
"Is this basically the sprout of that heretic god Nee-san mentioned?"
"Who knows, there's barely any viable data to make a judgment."
"In that case, it would be best for the person who can determine what it is
to examine it. Hey Yuri Yuri? What's wrong?"
Liliana kept to her own judgment. Erica on the other hand intended to
entrust the evaluating to another person.
Godou and the others noticed it. The body of the hime-miko stiffened as
she stared at the thing in front of her. Standing on a branch of the divine
tree was something wrapped in a grey sailcloth!
For the time being it could be said its stance had a human-like
appearance. Resembling a blanket or coat, the grey sailcloth was wrapped
around his entire body.
Just as its name implied, the Grey One had absolutely none of its flesh
exposed.
"A spirit no, don't tell me it is a divine spirit!? Is it a divine being who
served a god in the past ?"
Did she sense something? Yuri gazed at the Grey One in astonishment.
After receiving the hime-miko's attentive gaze, he dramatically rotated his
body and hollered:
'Oi oi. Miko from the island of the world's farthest reaches! I beseech you to
stop gazing upon my unsightly fall from grace!'
A very coarse ear piercing sound was made. It would give people the
impression of an indescribable, artificial way of speaking.
'It was humiliating, a history full of defeat. In ancient times, I retreated in
defeat as I was chased from the throne. However, now there emerges a
new king as a replacement!'
The words he spoke simply looked like it was for self-entertainment.
"You are the strange crown the divine artifact's willpower, a guardian
spirit. You intend to retaliate against cult leader Luo Hao right?"
Godou tried calling out towards the Grey One who was sitting on a branch
on the divine tree.
True! True! My latest defeat was bestowed upon me by that beautiful
godslayer. I sent an invitation to that person. I challenged her to battle
once again!'
The Grey One shouted as he leaned back and squirmed.
Erica and Liliana both sent an eye signal to each other. Yuri on the other
hand unsteadily gazed at him. At first glance his appearance would seem
quite comical, however the other party was the embodiment of a
supernatural existence! The girls couldn't help but feel nervous.
'However, this is a complete surprise! My challenge had been declined.
Instead, I get a young godslayer as a substitute! That would be you,
Kusanagi Godou. My new challenge is now directed towards you!'
"No thanks. As far as I am concerned, I hope you can leave immediately."
Godou felt awkward as he spoke.
"Any battle arrangement with me is just Nee-san's doing."
'Incorrect. I was comfortably overseeing the gathering of the people's
essence and energy to build up power, thereby allowing my sprout to
awaken as the new Saturnus!'
The Grey One hinted at the colossal tree he was sitting on.
This tree's sprout is the sprout of a heretic god? Godou's gaze
intensified.
'Please, in the near future go to my divine heir, heretic Saturnus, and do
battle, Kusanagi Godou!'
Perhaps this is the first time a god related member has issued a request.
Godou frowned while being astonished at the same time.
'Ever since that defeat in the distant past, I have become a degenerate
god. However, during this festive occasion, I can still gather divine power
with this deteriorating body . Ha ha ha, a grand festival is needed to
awaken this ancient frenzy so it can challenge you godslayers!
Furthermore, more time is required!'
"What the hell, after all this "
Godou sighed as he gazed at the Grey One who revealed an evil smile.
Requesting a godslayer to let it finish its preparations in peace, the Grey
One appeared to be an underling to that divine artifact. Based on his
frivolous manner of speaking, he doesn't seem very bright. Instead, a
dunce would be a suitable description.
However, since it's like this . Godou took a deep breath.
He might as well display his own strength to make him quickly leave
Tokyo.
"The one unblunted and unapproachable! Smashing covenants, sinners be
purged by the iron hammer of justice!"
Suddenly the Boar was summoned. Its target was the gigantic divine tree
right in front of them.
Even though there was naturally some hesitation due to the potential
destruction, this supernatural event quickly

Chapter end