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Chapter 2 - Duel with the Diavolo RossoPart 1 The evening gradually became darker, and many stars hung high in the night sky—— Citing danger as a reason, Erica did not take Anna along with them. Together with Godou, the pair proceeded to a hill near the famous Colosseum[1C 1] of Rome. In the first few centuries AD, the city of Rome was built in the middle of seven hills[1C 2]. This is a well-known historical fact. This particular hill was called the Palatine; in its Republican past it was a high-class residential area, and in the Empire it was the site on which the emperor's palace was built[1C 3]. But today it is only known as 'that place near the famous tourist attraction, the Roman Colosseum', and silently crumbled into a pile of ruins through neglect. "Although still a spot for tourists, it is so much quieter compared to the Colosseum nearby." Erica said what was on her mind. It may have been because it was already past midnight, but due to the surrounding atmosphere, even if the spirit of a Roman nobleman appeared it wouldn't have seemed strange. "That said, to see a building that has been around for more than 1500 years, still preserving its shape, you can't help but admire it." The sections built from brick still remain. Similarly for the pathway made from brick. Walking slowly amidst the ruins, Godou looked around, noticing the surrounding landscape. If it was possible, he wished he had come in the daytime, but this similarity to a test of courage was also very exciting. There were no street lamps anywhere near them. But even without torches they both continued on naturally, because Erica and Godou both had owl-like night vision... this too, was because of the life or death situations he had gone through since this spring, that he could obtain such a superhuman constitution. "Is that so? Ancient buildings such as these can be found anywhere, can't they? For example, Medieval temples and castles. I know Japan also has quite a few, right?" "Your examples are from completely different time periods. And besides, if you exclude those that are tourist attractions, they're hard to find." Erica's opinion came from those who see things from a Neolithic point of view. In the first place, for most of the cities in Italy, a large percentage of their buildings and names come directly from the Medieval period. And if you're talking about the roads and the town as a whole, it's not an understatement to claim over half of them are historical relics. Especially here at Rome, where the roads, sewage systems, the water supply and more were all facilities constructed in the Imperial period. They were used continuously, and with at most a simple bit of repair, could still function perfectly in the present. "Godou, how long has it been since both of us were alone? Can you please not talk about such unromantic things? This is a rare, short rendezvous for us lovers." Erica suddenly drew close. She kept near Godou, and began to whisper these words in his ear. Facing such an attractive maiden who displayed her affection so aggressively, no one, much less a healthy high-school boy, would not blush and grow nervous. Godou of course is no different. However... "I've already told you so many times— please stop making jokes like this! We should follow etiquette and establish a positive and healthy relationship!" "I'm not joking. That was just a confirmation of mutual love from long separated lovers." Erica ignored Godou's retort and moved her face even closer. Their cheeks almost touching, Erica leaned her body nearer to his, and began to whisper words as sweet as honey. Godou desperately backpedaled, and continuously retreated with all his might. "We-We aren't lovers, so please stop now!" "I only want you to quickly accept my proposal. What parts of me are you not satisfied with? My features, age and body are definitely fine... unless you have some sort of special fetish?" "Stop speaking rubbish. I am a perfectly, completely normal guy! This has nothing to do with fetishes!" Erica continued her attempts to cling on to Godou, who was frantically retreating. ... To tell the truth, once you got used to both her willfulness and stubbornness, you couldn't help but find her cute. Godou just had to worry, that despite being constantly manipulated by her, he could not find it in himself to hate her. That said, he was still unable to accept Erica's aggressive style of romance. "I like Godou, and Godou also feels the same towards me, right? See, there are no problems at all, and even after marriage we would get along well. We might even be the world's strongest couple." "And that is the problem! Stop arbitrarily deciding on things like marriage! I haven't even considered starting a family!" Godou could just imagine it: having accepted her love, he would be kidnapped and forced into a church for the marriage ceremony. If one assumes a normal lifespan to be eighty years, Godou hasn't even been around for a quarter of that time. It was natural that anyone would feel uncomfortable, if he decided on a lifetime partner with such meager life experience. But there was an even more pressing reason. Although Erica loudly proclaims herself to be Godou's lover, she is likely to have some sort of plan in mind. "——Erm, Erica, please don't make use of me in some strange place, ok? I know that I owe you a lot, and even if you cause me great headaches, I still consider you a friend. I'll help you if you ask me normally, so please stop doing these sorts of embarrassing things." Godou said this with sincerity. It wasn't something to be happy about, but Godou knew that he wasn't the type who was popular with girls. Kusanagi Godou is not a humorous person, and is useless when it comes to sensing other people's emotions. His sister often calls him obtuse, or that he talks too much. There was no way any interesting girls would like this sort of man, much less Erica. With her beauty and intelligence, she could choose anyone. "Is the reason why you are trying to seduce me because of some kind of order from your corps? I understand that, so there is no need to flaunt yourself, and I don't want you to say these sorts of lies—— hey, are you listening?" "I heard you... You really are amazingly slow. A beautiful flower appears before you, even asks you to pluck it... You don't understand its mind at all." Erica, still sticking close to Godou, sighed. Coming from her, this sigh is a rare, heartfelt expression of her worries. "I wasn't ordered by my superiors to choose a lover. I can't believe that you can't even understand this simple point— really, you are a troublemaker." Erica finally let go of his hand. Just as he began to relax, she bent over and kissed him. And this wasn't a kiss on the cheek, but a soft kiss on the lips. "This is your punishment for always being so cold to me... forget it, I'm willing to spend more time, so that you will finally understand my love. So for now, just prepare yourself for that moment!" Erica, smiling lightly, looked exceptionally dazzling. If this continued, he might begin to have some strange ideas, so Godou quickly changed the subject. "That's right, there was something I wanted to ask about Anna-san." "Un, Arianna is honest and generous, isn't she a great kid?" Hearing her tone of voice, Godou's face grew momentarily stern. "Don't call someone older than you 'a great kid', you should show more respect. But anyway, I want to ask you something more important. Tell me truthfully, did you deliberately order Arianna to drive me around?" "... Wow, you really got into Anna's car. You really have the bravery of a lion, such great courage." Facing Godou's direct gaze, Erica replied flippantly. It seemed that she wasn't going to give a serious answer. "If you're planning to use such a suspicious reply, the least you could do is look me in the eye. So that really was your scheme— did you know that I almost died?" "Calling it a scheme is going too far. I just mentioned to her, if she drove you around for some sightseeing, you might feel happier... Arianna really is such a good kid." The two chatted idly while walking. Suddenly the view broadened before them, and they arrived at a spacious location. "We've arrived. This will be our battleground, the remains of the Roman Emperor Augustus'[1C 4] palace." Before his eyes were huge and broad walls, perhaps they used to be the awe inspiring bulwarks of the ancient palace. All around were round columns, lying on the ground. Only a few were still standing. Surrounded by all these things was a green patch of turf, on which three figures stood, waiting for them. The first two were venerable. They were probably the [Old Dame] and the [Female Wolf] that Erica mentioned. Next was a young man. He was probably the [Purple Knight] of the [Capital of Lilies]. On that note, the knight corps they belonged to were secret associations. In all the countries bordering on the Mediterranean, each one basically had multiple knight corps, which had the Medieval Knights Templar as a common root. "It is an honor to meet you in person, Kusanagi Godou, for the first time." In reply to the [Purple Knight]'s formal greeting, Godou bowed his head in reply. "Hello, I am Kusanagi Godou. Although I've obtained this special physique due to certain reasons, there is no need for any of you to treat me with such respect. Please just treat me like any other normal person." "...You are much too humble; one can tell you are no simple human from what you just said. This Italian of yours isn't something which can just be learnt from merely simple experience, is it?" "She is correct. That just now was [Mille Lingua][1C 5] —— magic that can only be patiently honed for a long period of time. And even then, those adept at it must grasp the secrets of language before he can learn the skill. One who can use the technique at such a young age, such as you, is surely a rare sight." The two elders praised him, one after the other. Ever since Godou became a Campione, he had never encountered the problem of trying to communicate with foreigners. After associating with them for three days, he was naturally able to both understand and speak their language. He always thought it was an extremely convenient, but also incredibly pathetic ability. Who knew it actually had such a story behind it... Just as Godou was at a loss for things to say, Erica, who stood by his side, raised her voice and said, "Right, since all the actors are here, let's start the main event. [Purple Knight], can you please stand as arbitrator?" "No problem, [Diavolo Rosso][1C 6]. Elders, if it pleases you to step back. This is a contest between the Campione and a great knight of the [Copper Black Cross], hence it would be safer to stay at a distance." The older two nodded their head to the [Purple Knight]'s suggestion. The outlines of the pair immediately start to fade, and in an instant, there is no trace of where they were. "They really disappeared, how amazing." "In your current state, that can't be any kind of amazing magic, right? They only hid their bodies, while watching in the distance. Don't get distracted by that, from here on out this is a stage for just the two of us." Erica, leaving the suddenly nervous Godou, stood at a distance of about 5 meters. From there, she called out to the [Purple Knight]. "Please give the starting signal." "I wish you both the best of luck —— begin!" Though Godou could not feel any sort of fighting spirit at all, nevertheless he reluctantly turned his body to face Erica. Erica had changed her clothes before the match began. She wasn't wearing the elegant dress from before, but a simple long sleeved shirt and slim black trousers, giving her more freedom of movement. In addition to this she had put on something resembling a red cape. The red cloth had black patterns stitched onto it; Erica called that a banner. Godou still remembered how she proudly boasted before, that a banner containing both red and black colors could only by worn by a great knight. "O lion of steel and your ancestor, the lion-hearted king —— please hear the oath of the knight Erica Blandelli." Erica began to intone the unearthly incantation to summon her weapon of choice. She spoke clearly, as though delivering poetry. The incantation or 'spell words' which people talk about, is the ability to bend the forces of magic to one's will. "I am the valorous successor to the bugle, the descendant of the Black Knight. 'Til my fighting spirit is broken, my sword will never shatter. O lion-hearted king, I implore you— bring the essence of battle into my hand——!" A sword appeared. Into Erica's right hand, which was completely empty just a moment ago, a longsword suddenly appeared. "Advance! The time for Cuore di Leone[1C 7] to fight has come!" Erica's favorite blade, Cuore di Leone, was an elegant and fine longsword. With an extraordinary length, and the lightness of a willow branch when swung, it was completely different from normal, steel swords. The blade reflected a brilliant, silvery light, and could be said to be more a work of art than a mere weapon. But Godou knew very well that this was a demonic sword, which could easily cut through swords made of steel. ——In an instant, Erica closed the gap between them. "Hey! Wait a minute!" Cuore di Leone flashed like a bolt of lightning, aimed to pierce Godou's chest. Even flinging himself to the side, he only just managed to evade it. But Erica didn't pull back her sword, but rather swept it horizontally, as if to pursue Godou, who was evading her strikes. For one who had barely escaped, he couldn't help but feel the chill of death travel down his spine. Her fluid change of a thrust to a sweep was beautifully executed. That attack was one which completely presaged all of Godou's possible responses. "You're really trying to kill me, aren't you!? Actually attacking me carelessly with a real sword!" "This is a duel, using real swords is completely natural." "Don't use one! If I'm cut by that thing, I'm definitely going to die. Didn't you use this same sword to split concrete before? My body is going to be diced up like tofu!" "Tofu is that ingredient made from soybeans, right? Don't worry— you're much stronger than that stuff. Even after suffering a blow from Lord Salvatore's demonic blade, didn't you still survive? Having witnessed that battle, even I could not help but admire your tremendous vitality, and I wondered what would happen if you were hurt by me ——" "... Erica, rather than deciding to duel with me, didn't you just want to test your weapon on my body?" "Don't be silly. But this definitely is a rare opportunity for me, and it's true I don't want to just pass it over." Hyuu. Erica lightly angled her wrist, and Cuore di Leone lashed out like a whip towards Godou's neck —— this was probably an attack at his carotid artery. He was totally unable to predict the natural movements of her strikes, and besides, they were extremely fast. Godou was even unable to perfectly see them coming. Depending partially on his intuition, he swung his head away. At least he got away from that one. "How impressive... there are few people who can successively evade three strikes from my sword —— Ah! I forget, Godou is only partially human, so it's not totally inconceivable." "For someone who continuously calls herself my darling, my lover, you sure don't hold back in trying to kill me! I think that is even more inconceivable than my body!" "But that's only because my lover and my opponent happen to be the same person. There's nothing strange about it, and besides, I never wanted to kill you... although little accidents could still occur." Erica elegantly brought her sword back on guard, while her expression had a sweet expression, just like a poisonous flower. Her flirtatious manner was just too alluring. "I apologize for the interruption, but I would ask you both to halt your flirting momentarily. Although I sympathize with the need for such passionate lovers to express their desire for each other, I must remind you that this duel is a sacred matter." Having heard the [Purple Knight]'s admonition, Godou couldn't help but retort incredulously, "If you think this is us flirting, you must be blind. Or maybe those eyes of yours are just for show?" All these people were the sort who considered betting on one's life a game; which, of course, included Erica. "Well said— let's enjoy our love later tonight, Godou. Right now, you must display your full prowess!" Apart from his parents, basically no one else talked to Godou personally with his first name. And to be specific, there was only one person in this world, who at times would whisper his name with such overflowing tenderness, and at other times call it out with such a firm and self-confident manner. And that person was Erica Blandelli. ... The problem being, while she used his name so lovingly in public, yet felt no problem in ruthlessly stabbing at Godou with her blade. Erica once again swung her sword thrice in a single movement. The first was a diagonal slash downwards, the next a rising cut, the last a vertical swing downwards, aimed directly at Godou's head. All it took was one hit on his body, and Godou was a dead man. But in that instant, Godou leapt backwards, then turned around and leapt further back again, and so managed to escape. "There's no way for us to decide a victory if all you do is dodge. And more importantly, I'm getting bored." "Please stop! You know just as well as I do, this strength of mine is a complicated ability which I can't use at will, and when I do, I can't control its strength. How can I, just use it whenever you want me to!?" "Still going on about the same pacifistic things... well, then I'll press you with something even more dangerous than just a sword. If you don't want to lose, then you'd better get more serious about this fight!" Erica lithely vaulted backwards, her feet pressing on the ruined wall, left from the period of Imperial Rome. "Soar, sandals of Hermes![1C 8]" Accompanying this short incantation, she began to run along the walls, her soles tapping against the brick. "Cuore di Leone —— Thus I order you to this mission, O lion of steel. May you rend, skewer and rip apart the foe! May you conquer, annihilate the enemy, and seize victory! I leave the battlefield to you." After Erica tenderly caressed the blade of her favorite longsword, and kissed it lightly... She tossed out her sword. It fell on the dead center of the grassy field on which Godou stood. "...Now what are you up to?" Puzzled, Godou watched the sword which stood completely still, about five meters away. If Erica wanted to impale him, there was no way she would have missed at this distance. —— As he expected, the sword started to change. The sword which was stuck in the ground began to grow in size. The silvery metal expanded continuously and gradually took on the shape of a lion, such a realistic sculpture. But it did not just look like a lion, for it grew to a huge size. ...But what was even more incredible, the silver lion was no normal carving. The lion growled, then turned forward to face Godou, and focused on his target. The statue's every movement was exactly like a lion. "You want to attack me with that!" Godou was both appalled and awestruck at the lion's immensity. The head of the beast was almost two stories high. Perhaps if there was a bus or a truck around, he might have had a chance of fending off the giant beast. But for Godou, measuring 179 centimeters and 64 kilograms, there was perhaps just a bit too much of a difference in their respective weights. ——The giant lion lifted up its front legs, preparing to bring them down with a crash. It moved scarily fast, swiping at Godou's head. It wouldn't be far-fetched to compare this to a falling steel pylon from a construction site. Godou frantically dodged. The ground which he stood on a moment ago was already torn and rent by the wickedly sharp claws and that immense weight. If he actually got hit, there would be nothing left of him except a bloody mess on the pavement. Part 2 The lion happily chased after the maniacally dodging Godou. It struck with lightning speed with its front paws, or attacked with canines or claws as sharp as swords, tearing things apart, and sometimes flung its body at him, as though it was trying to crush a small animal. "It seems as though his Majesty isn't very motivated for this duel." The person who said this to Erica was the nearby [Purple Knight]. At some unknown time, he must have used sorcery, because he was now standing on the top of the wall. "If he only continues to dodge and evade, there will be no means for us to determine his strength. Well, your expression informs me that you pre-empted what I said long beforehand." In reply to the tall youth's comment, Erica revealed a brilliant smile. "I already considered that this might very well happen. Besides, my Lord never enjoyed fighting with people... however, that is only at the beginning of a duel." "Oh? So what you mean is...?" "However my Lord tries to deny it, he is a Campione. He is one able to equal a god in combat, a man who has usurped the ultimate, unconquerable power. Despite his constant words to the contrary, he cannot truly hate combat. If all Campione are similar, Kusanagi Godou too is a genius at the art of battle, and is also a victor amongst victors." "Umm... although I do not disagree, he is still most skilled at evasion." The [Purple Knight] looked down suspiciously at him. Erica looked lovingly at the youth, who was desperately running here and there. "Things will change soon— he is almost at the point where he has nowhere else to run to. The parliament has a report on Kusanagi Godou, have you perused the document?" "I have read it, but it is hard to believe, and I remain highly skeptical." "If we judge the report based on its trustworthiness, perhaps about 60% of it is accurate. To be able to conduct such good investigations is quite impressive." "So you're telling me that what is in the document is real? That Kusanagi Godou's ability is to adapt to the enemy he is facing and the surrounding situation —— an ability that gives him the strength to overcome all obstacles?" "Of course! Please watch, [Purple Knight]!" Before their eyes, the situation suddenly reversed. Facing the lion's looming front paws, Godou took a stand for the first time. In order to escape being mauled by the sharp silver claws, he carefully stepped back then leapt forward, and wrapped both arms around its paw. Then he lifted it up. Grabbing on, he simply lifted the immense bulk of the lion. Just like a weight lifting competitor, Godou, measuring 179 centimeters, raised the huge lion, as large as a truck, high into the air. "What ——! What sort of strength is that!" "In myth, it is said that the hero Hercules had divine strength, enough to support the sky. The war god that Godou defeated, Verethragna, has a very similar origin to Hercules— hence Godou can equal him in terms of strength." Erica proudly explained to the dumbfounded [Purple Knight]. Godou had now already raised the silver lion to face the heavens, and the lion's four feet were off the ground, flailing about in the air. One could call that a strange strength beyond the ordinary. "I remember that this was written on the parliament's report, '... We have termed the ability that Kusanagi Godou obtained the [Persian Warlord]. The battle deity Verethragna's ability was to change into ten different forms, entering countless battles and leaving each victorious. Hence Kusanagi Godou is clearly also a monster, able to change his strengths at will ——" An elder suddenly interrupted with those words. The commander [Female Wolf] had appeared at some time at Erica and the [Purple Knight]'s side. "Oh, Venerable—— is it just you?" "Mmm. That old rascal from Turin is still hiding like a mouse in a corner somewhere. I certainly don't intend to miss seeing the new Campione's strength up close, so let me watch his strength with my own eyes." The commander [Female Wolf] spoke in the Roman dialect, impolitely tossing out her insult, and even let a smile spread across her face. She was the leader of Rome's knights and sorcerers, and disliked the [Old Dame] who had their stronghold at Turin. "I felt Lord Salvatore to be very young when he became a Campione, and this time, the King here is even younger. Other than sharing that godly strength, is Kusanagi Godou able to change between different abilities?" "So if Kusanagi Godou wishes to use those abilities, a requirement is that his enemies had strength enough to overwhelm him?—— at least, that is what the parliament's report said about it..." The magical leader of Rome and the [Purple Knight] spoke in unison. Facing the inquiring looks of the pair, Erica grinned with satisfaction and replied calmly. "When he meets an enemy with unnaturally great muscular strength, Kusanagi Godou is able to obtain and use one of Verethragna's ten forms: the [Bull]. Verethragna has ten transformations in total, and while it is currently unknown if he can utilize all of them, it is confirmed that he already has a few." A gust of [Wind], the [Bull], the [White Stallion], the [Camel], the [Boar], the [Youth], the [Raptor], the [Ram], the [Goat], and the [Hero]. When the ten transformations of Verethragna are compared, the [Bull] and the [Camel] are most closely related to the earth, but they are also a direct symbol for those greatest in strength, greatest in constitution, and greatest in fighting spirit. Hence these attributes naturally became identified with divine powers or a symbol of fierceness, receiving adulation and reverence. And today, before their eyes, Godou easily destroyed the silver lion. The lion's huge bulk was lifted and flung out, and crashed into the ground. Next, he rushed on top of the sprawled lion, stepping on its neck and chest with his foot. Then, he grasped the foreleg, and wrenched with his feet placed firmly on the lion's body. The lion was easily ripped apart. Next he attacked the lion's chin, chest and abdomen, viciously kicking it without pause, till its entire body resembled a V shape. "—— I've destroyed your toy! So now you'll fight me personally, right? Get down here, I'll end this now!" "Oh, he finally got serious." Godou looked up unhappily at Erica. Seeing Godou's unsatisfied look, the [Purple Knight] nodded with satisfaction. "For someone who usually mouths off about pacifism, he seeks victory without mercy when he warms to the fight... Well, my lover is calling for me, so I'll excuse myself." The agile Erica leapt to the ground. Watching the golden-haired maiden beautifully execute the jump, Godou once again felt a sense of regret. Who would have thought that in this foreign country, he was forced to duel with someone again... Although he had already guessed this was a likely outcome when he agreed to Erica's plea for him to come to Italy, he couldn't help but feel depressed when this actually happened. "... Erica, you know that the difference between a civilized man and a savage one comes from the degree of capability in dealing with things in a civilized manner. I'm begging you; can you please learn to curb your violent instincts, and your frequent need to go making trouble for others? Do you know how hard it is for those who try to stay around you?" "Still, on the same old topic? I don't see any problem with it, especially because while you always start off shunning a fight, the minute it actually starts you get so serious. You actually really love this, don't you? Why not be a little more honest with yourself? Facing Godou's endless complaints, Erica replied flippantly. "You are a King and I am a knight. We have an obligation to stage an intense but exquisite duel. So let us fight each other with all our love, and make this duel the climax of our romance!" "From my experience, lovers don't bet their lives in duels like this! Don't go pushing your ideas of romance on other people!" Godou both retorted violently, and carefully watched the golden-haired maiden. The silver lion had already been smashed, and so Erica should have lost the materials for her longsword... but he couldn't imagine Erica becoming unarmed because of that. "O Cuore di Leone —— you are the unyielding blade. 'Til my fighting spirit is broken, my sword will never shatter. O lion, I implore you once again; return into my hand!" Erica stretched out her hand towards the silver wreckage of Cuore di Leone. The wreck, which originally had the shape of a lion, began to shrink; the torn portions began to meld back together, and again changed its form. Miraculously, the wreck molded itself back into a sword, and flew back to Erica. "You're still doing such absurd things, and after I finally managed to break it..." However, this was all still within his expectations. 'Erica coming to the battle field without a sword? That's impossible.' Godou, who understood this logic, looked on with an unsurprised gaze. Thank goodness the monstrous strength from the [Bull] was still present. He could probably still use it for another ten minutes or so, and hoped that he could achieve victory in this time limit. —— That power of Godou's, which London sorcerers named the [Persian Warlord], was an ability that gave him unimagined power, but only in special, specific circumstances. For example, calling upon the [Bull], he is able to wield a godly strength. But before it can be used, he must be facing an enemy with extraordinary physical power. That said, however... Last month, Godou was attacked by a man weighing 138 kilograms (who obviously knew martial arts). However, he was unable to manifest the [Bull], and suffered extremely painfully. It seemed that only a superhuman type of strength—— say, a train carriage which was hurtling at full speed, or a man eating tiger which weighed more than 300 kilograms; if that was the sort of enemy, he could call it forth. In addition, there were skills which Godou could only use when he had suffered a fatal injury. Even if these skills could only be used to fight 'great sinners who have brought great suffering to the people', each and every skill seemed to make people fear that it was a type of evil itself. And besides, the requirements were all extremely troublesome to fulfill. "... For I am strongest amongst the strong. Truly, I am one that holds each and every victory. I care not whom challenges me, whether man or devil— I may face all my foes and all my enemies. Regardless, I shall crush all those who wouldst stand in my way!" Godou, while contemplating the mighty aspect of the bull, muttered this verse. This was a battle hymn chanted to call the war god Verethragna to the fight. To put it simply, it was a method to maintain the god's strength, like a fuel to keep it burning. He still had ten minutes before the strength of the [Bull] receded. If he used a form once, he would have to wait a whole day before he could use it again. And if he changed to a different form, the currently active one would vanish. Hence, Godou could not use it carelessly. So while his ability was ridiculously strong, it also had many restrictions on how it was used. "I have to hand it to you, Godou. Although you're still blabbing about 'pacifism', your body and mind have already readied itself for the fight—— it's because of this that you qualify to be my lover!" Erica praised him in that annoying way, and then pointed with her finger. Thrust in the ground next to Godou's foot was a greatspear, about one and a half meters. It was probably similar to Cuore di Leone, both summoned by Erica's magic. "... You want me to use this?" "Of course, the honorable Erica Blandelli would never duel with someone completely unarmed. For the current Godou, wielding that spear should be a piece of cake, right?" "Why do you only think when it comes to this sort of thing... since you want to make the fight fair, why not put down your weapon? That way it'll be fairer." Godou sighed and picked up the spear. He remembered that in his hand was Erica's beloved spear, which had a magical core embedded in the handle. It was so heavy even a grown man couldn't lift it, yet she so easily twirled and raised this steel spear. Truly, what monstrous strength. It was probably the benefits of a body strengthening type of sorcery. Though Erica seemed slender and frail, the strength in her grip was far greater than Godou's. But that was only in normal circumstances. To the current Godou, even if this spear was three times heavier, he could still pick it up as easily as a toothpick. Godou shifted his grip on the spear like a baseball bat, and a gust of wind was produced by the single movement. —— Erica happily charged at him. Just like a shadow, it was impossible to see her movements, and because her violent actions had almost no wind resistance. This sort of technique could only be patiently trained. Cuore di Leone silently moved through the air. When Godou finally realized that, the silver blade was already approaching his face. "—— Can't you be more careful?! You're fighting a novice!" To make a comparison, what just happened was like a world class boxer punching with all his might. And this wasn't some fleshy fist, but a deadly, hard blade. Just as if he was playing a game of dodge ball, where Godou prioritized evading the speeding ball aiming for his head, he evaded Erica's sword thrust. Because he had never learnt any martial arts, he could only rely on his sharp eyesight and fast reflexes to preserve his life. "But Godou, anyone able to dodge my attack just now definitely cannot be called a novice." "But that was just by luck, and you're aiming for spots which are 100 percent fatal if they strike home!" Ever since he had become a Campione, the moment he stepped onto a battlefield, his concentration could rise to an unimaginable level. It was also thanks to this that he was able to see Erica's superhumanly fast sword thrust. Godou had played baseball ever since he started primary school. In middle school[1C 9] he would have been the catcher or the fourth hitter – cleanup - even in semi-professional teams. At that point he was in his physical prime, and he could match any fastball thrown by the opposition. Perhaps because of that, he was more comfortable with a Campione's constitutional abnormality. The 'constitutional abnormality' that Godou was thinking about, was his ability to suddenly heighten concentration and maintain his peak physical condition, the minute he entered a battlefield. If he could use this during normal sporting events as well, he was confident he could hit a homerun even against a ball-throwing machine of 190 miles an hour. ...In fact, he could probably engage that change. The moment he had to go all out, his body would naturally configure itself for optimum functionality. It had become like this ever since Godou became a Campione. Although Godou loves sports, he did not enter a sporting club in high school. This was because he felt that this ability of his was too unfair, too much like cheating, when competing against other people. "Damn you, ever since we started you've done whatever the hell you wanted—— I'm warning you now, I can't control the strength of my attack, so you'd better dodge well!" Thus Godou shouted while brandishing the spear. Although he was never interested in dueling, he knew that in these circumstances, if he only defended and never attacked, it was inevitable that the opponent would crush him. To ensure Erica's safety, he used the spear's haft instead of the blade to sweep at her ankle. But she leapt aside. Pressing the attack, as if to chase after the fleeing Erica, Godou continued to strike, this time bringing the spear down above her. This time, Erica did not leap to evade the attack. Only moving backwards by a small margin, she dodged the strike, and then charged forward. Simultaneously thrusting her sword like a needle she aimed for Godou's chest. This was a counter strike! Having suspected Erica's plan Godou deliberately chose not to dodge – but it was also because he was out of time – and swept the spear which Erica had dodged horizontally. Only relying on the flick of his wrist, the steel spear moved like a whip, poised to strike the slender maiden. This was a cross-counter impossible for a normal person, but for the [Bull]'s monstrous strength this was easily accomplished. It happened in an instant. Just before he was to be impaled by Cuore di Leone, he successfully warded off Erica. "Geez... Your reflexes are as keen as ever— you never change, do you?" Although her counter strike failed, Erica simply laughed it off. It seems that she didn't suffer an injury. The truth be told, the instant before the spear struck home, she also jumped backwards to avoid the attack. He had to hand it to Erica, both her attacks and her defenses were perfect. Facing such an expert how was he to defeat her? The answer lay in careful scrutiny. Godou had done this for such a long time. The more distant victory was and the greater the pressure to obtain it, the faster his eyes and mind worked. The enemy's every move, expressions, gaze. As long as there was even a slight glimmer of hope, he would seize it. Ascertaining the opponent's character, discerning the opponent's pattern of thought; he would use both observation and analysis to confirm the other's movements. Whether the enemy was a human, a god or a monster, as long as he grasped their psyche, he would be able to formulate a plan for victory. From some point onwards, all of Godou's concentration was placed on attaining 'victory'. That was no sudden change, but rather was a natural outcome of his actions. This extended duel, in addition to his opponent being both a genius at the sword and a wielder of arcane magic, allowed Godou to completely absorb himself in combat. Erica had no weaknesses. And even if she did, he could not see them. But he deeply understood Erica's character, which was completely opposite to her devil-like mischievousness. She truly believed in an honorable and fair style of combat, and would never conserve her strength. Her favorite battle tactic was the frontal charge, and using her greatest strength and her full spirit, at that. That Erica was currently not doing this, was probably because she wanted to draw out all of Godou's strength, and so purposely toned down her attacks. "Craftiness is written all over your face. The intelligence of a fox and the ferocity of a lion —— now that is the Godou I love! Give me all you've got, I accept your challenge!" Hearing Erica say this, Godou momentarily flashed a grin. Then, he smiled grimly. Whatever he said before, he couldn't deny that dueling was very exciting. That there was an opponent willing to handle his attacks could only make him feel happy. Because of this thought, he inadvertently grinned. Which should he choose? The forms with the greatest destructive power were either the [White Stallion] or the [Boar]. He currently was unable to call on the [White Stallion]. But he could probably use the [Boar] —— "Thou hast violated the pact, and sinned on earth. The Lord hath spoken —— The sinner must be punished. May his spine be crushed, may his bones be broken, his tendons torn, his hair ripped from his skull— may his blood, spilled over the earth, be churned into a bloody froth. I shall become one who buries fangs into the sinner's flesh, that the will of the Lord be followed— Thou shalt be purged!" Originally, this was an oracular verse from the sacred texts. The verse was suddenly turned into an incantation, and flowed from Godou's mouth. "The Boar shall ravage you! The Boar shall exterminate you!" This was the Campione: "This is my boast of victory over the gods, the paean of my strength!" This was the man turned into a devil: "This is my taunt at the gods, who are my foes!" This was the victor: "This is my declaration of defiance, in order to grasp my godslaying strength!" "O aethereal[1C 10] Gods, ye all who hath heard this verse of mine, rage at the death of your brethren!" "O chthonic[1C 11] Gods, ye all who hath heard this verse of mine, wait uselessly for the day when my sacrilege returns for me!" "O marine gods, ye all, who hath heard this verse of mine, mourn with adirge at your own helplessness!" "I am the foe of all gods! I am the usurper of divine strength!" Compelled by his devil-like ability, Godou unknowingly chanted these verses. "What is the cause of this earthquake?!" "He just uttered the name of the [Boar], thus it should be an ability of that Lord... Verethragna's fifth incarnation, a boar with wickedly sharp tusks. Legend has it, that it could crush any object with one blow ——" The wall on which the commander [Female Wolf] and the [Purple Knight] stood began to shake. The previous incantation of Godou's was exactly that: a hymn to summon the divine beast called 'the bearer of ruin'. Perhaps it was because one felt as though the beast would really descend from the heavens, the sky shook while gathering storm clouds and the earth trembled while rumbling with minor earthquakes. "To, to come to this... To use even the [Boar] when dueling with an opponent as weak as me, how heartless are you! If you mess this up, not just the hill and the Roman Colosseum, but even the Forum Roman will be completely flattened!" Erica gave off a rare emotion; that of worry. Seeing this atypical anxious look, Godou felt a great sense of satisfaction. "If I used conventional methods against you, I would have no chance at victory. So, I decided to use the strongest attack which was available to me at this moment." In the air above Godou and the others, a distortion of space appeared. Between the 'real' world and the 'imaginary' world – which was not meant to exist – appeared a path accessed through the cracks of both. There appeared a huge, ferocious beast, wrapped in dark black fur, fighting to escape from the distortion. Its body was even larger than the lion Erica had summoned. Twice its size, in fact. Its entire length was at least 20 meters. At the moment only the nose to the neck could be seen, along with two huge, sharp tusks. Just a few more minutes, and it would completely enter the 'real' world. This gigantic bulk couldn't yet be fully seen, and it couldn't yet be definitively called a 'ferocious monster', but the features, especially the nose and tusks, were definitely those of a boar's. Godou and Erica had seen the awesome strength of the monster themselves before. Underneath the dark fur of the [Boar], was a chilling amount of muscle. Originally, this was a manifestation of Verethragna's desire to vanquish the enemies of his patron deity, Mithras. The burly, divine beast which Godou called forth was exactly the manifestation of the [Boar]. He didn't know why, but the conditions for enabling this ability were very broad. As long as Godou 'had a huge object as a target, and was determined to crush it', the condition was satisfied. He had never tested before exactly how large or small the object needed to be, but as long as it looked heavier than ten tons, it could be specified as a target. And, the [Boar]'s manifestation was not only concerned with immensity of size. "I knew Godou was anything but normal— all that talk of peace was just some platitudes... Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani![1C 12] My God! Why hast thou forsaken me!" Erica raised her sword to the heavens, loudly singing the sacred hymn.
Erica raised her sword to the heavens, loudly singing the sacred hymn. He had heard this many times before, the incantation to release her most powerful magic. "O Lord! I wail and beg through the day, yet you forsake me— I cry and pray through the night, yet you ignore me. But you remain the most holy, you that have the praise of Israel as your throne!" The despondent incantation shook the air, and began to freeze over the whole earth. Godou's body began to tremble faintly. That was because the surrounding temperature was decreasing at an alarming rate. ...In the end, she still used this technique. Because Erica never restrained herself in her attacks, it was easy to predict her overall plan; actually, it was probably because she thought it didn't matter if someone saw through her plan, as long as she crushed the enemy. Godou momentarily glanced down at the grass near his feet. A good chance to get one last confirmation on his target. "Though each bone of my body is shattered, my heartache melts like a lit candle. You shall bury me in the dust of dead earth! Wild dogs surround me, Evil Company hems me in! God sits aloof in heaven, unwilling to lend aid. To be alone is to despair, difficulty gives rise to curses." This incantation, filled with negative emotions, suffused the earth, and Erica, being the current spellcaster, was focusing all that negative energy. The temperature continued to plummet, and was now at the point where even bones started to ache from the cold. "O Lord my Savior, I beseech you— aid me! Snatch me away from the weapons of the enemy, snatch me from the jaws of the lion, snatch me from the horns of the bull!" The instant before the Messiah's death, this was both a funeral dirge and a paean of exaltation which he sang, despairingly and longingly. Simply hearing the words themselves, the average human would be blinded; the physically weak would even collapse. If the spellcaster wanted to, this incantation could even kill off everyone then present. Godou threw aside his spear, and suddenly bent down. He grabbed the pebble which he checked was there, lying in the grass just a moment ago, and immediately flung it outwards. This was an action he had performed countless times in basketball courts. What he aimed at was Erica's chest. Godou was supremely confident in his arm strength and accuracy; from this distance, there was no way he could miss. Although this was merely a pebble, one should not underestimate it. Since antiquity, a thrown stone was the simplest and cheapest weapon, yet possessed sufficient deadliness to kill a man. Even the Christians have it, the weapon which David used to kill Goliath was the stone.[1C 13] ——But Erica shot it down with Cuore di Leone. "My God! Why hast thou forsaken me!" The overwhelming strength of this incantation required the full concentration of the spell caster. This was a minor error in judgment that made the difference in a life or death situation. For Godou, his chance for victory rested in this very moment. Erica did not consider Godou's master plan, so she casually used her blade. Godou didn't summon the [Boar] in order to crush Erica. That was only a feint —— encouraging her to momentarily relax her pinpoint accuracy. Seeing the instant when the sword moved, Godou began his attack. When manifesting the [Boar], Godou himself gained a boar-like charging ability. ...But it was just a mad dash in a straight line. If he used this in rugby or a sprint it might not matter, but in a duel facing a sword wielding foe, it really didn't appeal to him. However, if an opponent's stance fumbles, it was possible to seize the gap in his defence to batter him down. If his opponent was a regular swordsman, his plan of a sudden attack would probably have the opponent easily defeated. The problem was that this enemy was a monster far beyond the common man. Erica instantly corrected her weak posture. One could say this was her scariest aspect; she had an extraordinary sense of balance. Cuore di Leone flashed, and cut downwards at Godou, back bent to pierce Erica. 'Thank goodness the [Boar]'s speed was just that much faster.' Only the end of the blade, near the hilt, scored Godou's arm. The cut was very light, and was probably only skin deep. Even if one was an expert, there was no way to use that part of the weapon to kill someone. If Godou's attack had been any slower, the sharpness of the blade and the speed of his charge might have split him in two... Meanwhile, Godou heaved a sigh of relief, while grabbing onto Erica and pinning her to the ground. "——!?" Even if it was Erica, there was no way to face the [Boar]'s charging speed. Godou had her completely pinned, sitting on top of her body. Of course, he immediately restrained the hand which held Cuore di Leone. Part 3 The two stared at each other for a time. "...If it's possible, I'd prefer to be in this position when we're alone together, on a bed." "Sto- Stop cracking jokes like that— anyway, is this enough? I've already checked your movements; this duel should be my victory, right?" Facing a stubborn Erica, Godou retorted coldly. "That last move was somewhat underhand. You didn't attack from the front, it wasn't elegant at all." Godou knew very well what Erica was trying to say. No matter how good his plan was, to force Erica to prepare her strongest move as the decisive blow, yet deciding victory before she could use it, was a pretty pathetic strategy. To use sumo wrestling as an example, it would be as though a Yokotsuna master[1C 14] challenged you to a match, yet attacking you by surprise with a distraction. "It's not enough that I defeat you, but I have to do it elegantly? With you as my enemy, there's no way I can do such an amazing thing. And anyway, whether it's dirty or despicable, a win is a win, right?" "Geez... It's because you think this way, that you have no chance at winning a beautiful victory. Forget it, it's because you're just this sort of guy that you've managed to keep winning till now... Fine, I admit defeat. It's my own fault that I fell for that trick. But this is the last time, you hear? This is the last time it'll happen!" "... I get it; don't pout like a primary schooler just because you lost." Erica's unhappy expression was just like a child throwing a tantrum. Those watching couldn't help but smile inside. But, Godou changed his mind two seconds after. Erica suddenly smiled with a wicked look on her face. Only when she found it interesting to tease Godou, would that devil-like expression show. "Godou, it's been so long since we hugged each other so tightly like this——" "Ah, no, this isn't another one of your awkward, steamy situations, is it?" When he found out the danger, it was already too late. Erica wrapped her empty left arm around Godou's neck. "This is perfect. Let me give you a victory kiss. It's a man's job to take the lead in these moments, you know?" Those luscious, cherry red lips, whispering those sweet words, looked so fresh and filled with desire. "Stop playing around, didn't I just tell you to stop with your antics?" "What? I don't know what you're talking about, sorry. Because of the shock I suffered from my lover's betrayal, I don't remember anything." Usually, Godou made sure to not pay attention, but Erica's figure was dangerous. Her figure was as slim as a cypress tree, but the parts which were meant to be full, were full to the point that it was hard to know where to look. Her heavy and ample breasts seemed just like luscious fruits, and from the slender waist to the perfectly curved back, this was arousing enough to be considered criminal. And now this same maiden was pressing her body so close to him, even now feeling her warmth, even now tempted by her sweet kisses. 'I can't let Erica lead me by the nose!' This was a completely different sort of battle from before, now the duel was between him and his reason. The wafting perfume on Erica's body, her warmth and her softness to the touch, had Godou dizzy with sensations, but he continued to remind himself of his purpose. "Erica, these sorts of things should only be done by couples who are properly going out, so I don't think we should do this. Besides, there are people around us, so please stop!" "I want to do this, what's wrong? As long as Godou is interested, and we both agree, then there's no problem. If you're that worried about other people looking on, why not just switch locations?" Perhaps it was because Erica could already see that Godou was becoming affected, but when she smiled again, it was most suspicious. You might compare it to how the sun encourages travellers to take off their clocks. She too revealed that wicked grin. 'I've got to escape from this devil's clutches, the sooner the better!' Having decided, Godou stood up fiercely. It was only then that he noticed the ground was still shaking. And shaking fiercely, at that. Probably around a three on the Richter scale. "Kusanagi Godou, I have now indeed witnessed your strength, which, if I may say, exceeded my expectations." "That you would even be able to tame a divine beast of this sort, the powers held by a lord are truly worthy of praise, and truly command the greatest reverence." "Hence, in accordance to the pledge of the Lady Erica, We here thus acknowledge and confirm you truly as a Campione, this I pledge as representative of my corps." The knights laboriously walked across the shaking ground towards them. The [Purple Knight] and the commander [Female Wolf], along with the [Old Dame] who suddenly appeared, meant that everyone was present. "But there is one thing which we would request from you, is it possible to for you to end this horrendous rattling?" "Yes, if you do not send the beast home soon, I fear the results will be grave..." Hearing the [Purple Knight]'s plea, Godou nodded his head and agreed. Since victory had already been decided, there really was no need to keep the [Boar] on earth. Godou concentrated for a moment, then thought, 'That's enough, you can go back now.' This way, the huge animal would disappear, and he could go back to sleep... but things like that never go to plan. The [Boar] didn't disappear. 'Oi! I came especially at your summons, and now you just send me back just like that?' Partway materialized, the animal gave of an unwilling gleam in its eye, and was struggling about. "Sorry, but he doesn't seem to want to go back..." "But that will be disastrous! A divine beast of that sort really rampaging around Rome would be the worst outcome possible." "That is certainly the case. Whatever it is, we must stop matters from ever getting that bad." Both the [Purple Knight] and the Commander [Female Wolf] looked extremely uneasy. Added to that, the [Boar] overhead was now almost fully materialized. If it was let out, it would definitely fall to the ground, and happily destroy everything. "The last time you summoned it, after the target was destroyed it returned by itself. Did you ever ask it to go back before that?" "Yes. It wasn't very happy about it, but it went back obediently." After Godou answered Erica's question, he hit upon a probability. "About my control over the [Boar], perhaps I still haven't achieved complete obedience. Even if I gave an order, it may not comply." "If so, all we can do is let the celestial beast quickly destroy the selected target, and send him back at the soonest opportunity? I think this is the best method of reducing damage." The leader, [Old Dame], gave her advice with a grave tone. It was the most appropriate suggestion. The only problem was, the target itself —— as to what it was, Erica had long already worked it out from Godou's gaze. "Godou, you couldn't have selected me as the target to summon the [Boar], I'm not large enough to be considered a valid target." "...Yeah, I did choose something else as its target, yes." Because Godou didn't want to be questioned carefully, he unknowingly started to sound evasive. But Erica saw her chance, and precisely pin-pointed it, "The only thing here that could attract Godou's attention, should be 'that'. 'That' is the most distinctive thing around here, and also the largest. But someone who's always preaching about common sense wouldn't choose something like that, right? Even though it is a really dirty tourist attraction, it's still a world heritage site, right?" Erica continued to probe deeply. 'Damn, she just wants to savor each and every moment she gets to make me suffer.' "The 'that', you're referring to... can't be that, can it?" The commander [Female Wolf] questioned with a trembling voice, then with a trembling finger pointed to 'that'. She pointed outwards, indicating a place not far from this hill, the huge arena from the Imperial period —— There stood the Roman Colosseum. ... Under the tyranny of Nero, it was the ruins of a man-made lake[1C 15], and took a period of eight years to complete. It was finished under the reign of the Emperor Titus in 80 AD. A hundred days of games were put on in it as a celebration, and 9000 wild beasts were killed. After that, this place continued to take the lives of thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of fighters and beasts. That continued till the Middle Ages, when it became a convenient stone quarry to quarry stone for building, whenever someone wanted to build a magnificent church or mansion. Truly, it is a huge relic which has stood two thousand years of history. "Erm... Because 'that' was pretty much the only thing that could be a target, in the heat of the moment I..." And just as Godou ashamedly confessed... The summoning of the [Boar] was finally completed, and the body had fully materialized. From its sharp tusks to the hooves of its feet, and even to the tail, it was now a full part of this world, and a body mass of close to ten tons fell onto the earth. "———————————————!!!!!!!!" "————————————————————————!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" A beast which obviously could not exist on this earth bellowed an immense roar. Heeding its ferocious will, it suddenly began to stampede. Each time the black furred [Boar] struck the earth with its feet, a quake of incomparable violence would strike the whole area —— No, it was shaking up the whole district of Rome. And of course, its target was the Roman Colosseum before its eyes. The divine beast had appeared before the target in an eye blink, and began to create destruction on a shockingly vigorous scale. —————————— For the next three days after that, the incident aroused global news coverage, and received the front page headline "Rome Suffers from a Terrorist Bombing! The Mysterious Destruction of the Roman Colosseum!" The real reason behind it was this. Part 4 "You're going back already? And I just got to know you, such a pity..." "C'mon... just relax and stay for another one week— even two weeks is fine, right? Then we can go out together and play— there's just not enough lovey-dovey time between us..." Anna and Erica both said reluctantly. Godou continued to pack his few belongings, while replying both of them with completely different answers. "I feel the same way, Miss Anna. If you ever get a chance to visit Japan, please contact me, I will certainly make the effort to find you. Erica, stop spouting such irresponsible suggestions, how can I skip school for so long? And we don't need lovey-dovey time, definitely don't need it!" Äàòà äîáàâëåíèÿ: 2015-09-27 | Ïðîñìîòðû: 403 | Íàðóøåíèå àâòîðñêèõ ïðàâ |
