Campione! Vol 13 Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Bow, Arrow, Divine Beasts' Arrival Part 1 After a good soak in the hot springs, G.o.dou and everyone else returned to the hotel. Dinner commenced an hour later. As meals were allowed to be brought up to the rooms, everyone had gathered in the room for the men — G.o.dou and Amakasu's room. Due to the j.a.panese style of the hotel, all members of the group had changed into yukatas provided by the accommodations. The long table was laden with various dinner dishes, with seafood comprising the majority as expected. a.s.sorted sas.h.i.+mi, salt roasted mackerel, boiled red bream — the various fish dishes brought a myriad of vivid colors to the dining table. On the side was a bucket filled with cooked rice, ready to be served. However, the main dish occupying the most table s.p.a.ce was something else. An earthenware pot was bubbling and simmering on a gas stove. This was the anglerfish hot pot that Amakasu had booked in advance. The fish market at the town of Ooarai in the Ibaraki Prefecture was quite famous as the place of origin for this type offish. Anglerfish could also be caught at Chous.h.i.+ City, apparently. "Speaking of winter hot pots, the most common ones use pufferfish or cod, I like those too." Amakasu commented. "It's almost ready." Observing that the boiling pot was almost ready, Yuri lifted the lid, thus releasing a very fragrant aroma. A great deal of steam drifted up, carrying with it the appetizing flavor of miso. The j.a.panese trio of Yuri, Ena and G.o.dou naturally began to smile. Indeed, gathering everyone together for a hot pot meal was a unique pleasure. On the other hand, the foreign duo were displaying vastly different expressions. Liliana seemed to be racking her brain as though she was facing a trial of a lifetime. As for Erica, despite maintaining her usual n.o.ble airs like a lady, her overflowing antic.i.p.ation could not be suppressed. Her eyes were glimmering brightly. "Ever since I saw the real thing this morning, my curiosity was piqued greatly, so this can't be helped. What sort of astounding taste might come from a fish with that kind of appearance, how could I possibly not confirm it..." She seemed to be murmuring randomly. Erica was very particular about her food, always making all sorts of demands in her everyday diet. But with regards to non-everyday food, Erica was a girl who placed greater emphasis on impressions than taste. But was this "famous specialty" really going to meet the Diavolo Rosso's expectations in this regard? G.o.dou had his doubts but he refrained from voicing them. After all, things would become all clear as soon as she tasted the food. On the other hand, he turned his gaze towards Liliana. Normally taking charge of adding the ingredients sequentially to the hot pot during times like these, she was currently staring at the pot instead. "There is other food here, so you do not have to force yourself..." Yuri tried to lighten the mood. Liliana answered in a stern voice. "N-No. Avoiding food without even tasting it once is unfitting behavior for a knight. Mariya Yuri, please be sure to serve me a proper portion." Asking Yuri to serve her instead of doing it herself, Liliana was a bit of a sore loser. But she resolutely accepted the food served by the industrious Hime-Miko. Watching the gelatinous substance quivering in her bowl with an expression of great determination, she finally took her chopsticks and brought the morsel to her mouth — "H-Hey, the taste is not bad after all." Liliana remarked with relief and began to chew and eat as usual. "By the way, although the liver is very popular, Ena prefers the cheeks. On such occasions, a cup of a certain boiling hot beverage would really hit the spot." "Let me be clear, Seishuuin. Amakasu-san is the only one allowed to say sake would be nice in this kind of situation..." In response to Ena's bold admission to underage drinking, G.o.dou preemptively blocked the notion. Before these two, Yuri was ladling the pot's contents into their bowls. Taking the so-called seven organs — the liver, the meat, the stomach, the skin, the ovaries, the gills and the fins, her earnest efforts at equitable distribution for everyone stood in testament to her care and concern. Simply watching was enough to feel it. This was a natural gesture of considerate care, very true to Yuri's style. Meanwhile, Amakasu was eating the gelatinous substance at his own pace. Judging from the emptied state of his beer bottle, he probably had no intention of working tonight. Finally, there was one more person. With a complicated expression, Erica was savoring the delicious cuisine made from Chous.h.i.+ City's deep sea catch. "The taste is quite agreeable, but it's a little different from what I expected." A mediocre rating given to delicious cuisine, it resembled a food critic's statement to a certain extent. Then the dinner continued. Having renewed her vigor midway through, Liliana put down her bowl and chopsticks to help Yuri replenish the pot's a.s.sorted ingredients. Then she served everyone to savor — When dinner was just about finished, G.o.dou raised an issue. "By the way, Amakasu, about our conversation just now." "Ah yes, various matters about Yuriwaka and Odysseus." The special agent, drinking sake brewed locally in the Chiba Prefecture, muttered as he poured himself a full cup. His voice and mannerisms remained the same as usual even while he was drinking. "Ultimately, stories similar to Odysseus' tale of adventure do exist on the continent." Also just as usual, he was speaking in a knowledgeable tone of voice. Clearly a bottle of beer and two bottles of j.a.panese sake were not enough to make him drunk. "I already know that in various places in Europe, there exist stories similar to the epic poem about Odysseus... But the same goes for Asia too?" Erica inquired. Amakasu chuckled "Hoho" as he responded. "There's j.a.pan's Yuriwaka Daijin, China's Xue Pinggui^, as well as a prince who went through something similar in a Buddhist story. Then there's Korea, Southeast Asia and India which all have similar heroes." Amakasu slowly poured sake into his cup as he made a statement on a grand scale. "Odysseus — His prototype must have been a heroic story that spread throughout the continent via tribal migration and cultural interchange. A Pan-Eurasian myth, one could say." Erica frowned at this explanation. "In other words, a hero who straddles the continent, both oriental and occidental." "This is one of the characteristics of the King of the End' as mentioned by His Highness the Black Prince. Hoho, I was reminded of it during Yuri-san's oracle. Perhaps it really could be him." So the Devil King-exterminating hero was finally returning? Although Amakasu had raised an unsettling possibility, he immediately shrugged and smiled wryly. "That said, this is merely speculation no matter what. It is highly likely that our fears are actually unfounded. At this juncture, worrying over everything won't be of much help. Simply based on the epic poem, Odysseus doesn't really have the characteristics of [Steel]." "Indeed, now is still too early a stage to be discussing the 'King of the End'..." Liliana grumbled with her arms crossed. "Yeah, so in any case, we'll take things easy tonight then start investigating seriously tomorrow." "Well, Amakasu-san, although this might be a little sudden, may I discuss something with you?" Erica smiled suspiciously. "For example, perhaps you could be so kind as to disappear from your room tonight or something like that?" This exchange caused G.o.dou's heart to skip a beat while Amakasu muttered "Hoh." "In other words, something like room arrangements favorable to couples during school excursions." "It's wonderful how well you understand." "But this time, Kusanagi-san explicitly requested me to room with him. This was demanded directly by the peerless Devil King himself. Opposing it would take substantial boldness of heart." "Then would you consider a return gift in accordance with j.a.panese tradition, I remember it's called the year-end present?" "Oh my, it really is." "If you wish, I'll treat you to a week's vacation in Europe, how about that?" "I just happened to have acc.u.mulated enough paid vacation days." Amakasu and Erica were akin to a pair of sly foxes, one old and one female. Just as their conversation was reaching a high point, another person interjected. "Ah, what about this? Amakasu-san, do you prefer the mountains or the sea? If that's the case, Ena can provide you whichever one you choose. I also saw many year-end presents delivered back home." "Oh I see, goods from the Seishuuin home. One would really look forward to them." With even Ena was joining in, G.o.dou decided the situation was moving in a terrible direction... Right when G.o.dou was about to frantically interrupt, Liliana issued a warning before he could do so. "Amakasu Touma, please do not get ahead of yourself. Considering these two people here, they are not really offering you benefits in earnest." "No, but the task is welcome in its own right." Amakasu smiled wryly as he turned his gaze to the girl who had not spoken. "If we don't stop soon, Yuri-san is going to scold us... Eh, what's the matter, Yuri-san?" Taking a closer look and finding Yuri staring out the window mesmerized, G.o.dou called out: "Mariya?" "...Ah, my apologies, what were you saying?" Suddenly brought back to her senses, Yuri apologized. Then Ena inquired: "Did you actually see something?" "Y-Yes. Just now, I felt an ominous presence from the sea." G.o.dou also turned to look at the window. Due to the heating in the room and the hot pot, the temperature difference between indoors and outside had covered the window gla.s.s with dripping condensation. Like the hot spring spa earlier, this hotel also faced the ocean. A view of the Pacific from each room was apparently a selling point. The ocean was outside right next to the window. "Ominous... What did you see in particular?" "Good question... Just a feeling that something exceedingly dangerous was approaching by riding the ocean current from the south — " As Amakasu confirmed the situation with an increasingly serious expression, Yuri answered without confidence. But G.o.dou could feel his body tense up. Of all the people present, no one would dismiss Yuri's "just a feeling" as inconsequential. Part 2 "Just in case, I'd better return to the scene..." In response to Yuri's coincidental oracle, Amakasu muttered in contemplation. "That way, I can get a hold of the latest news faster. Well then, Kusanagi-san, since I believe I might return very late, please feel free to go to bed first without waiting for me." G.o.dou went "Eh?" in surprise at the sudden news. "V-Very late? How late is that?" "Well, it could very well last until morning. Worse comes to worst, I'll just have to take a nap directly at the scene." This meant that G.o.dou's male roommate plan was wrecked. Erica began smiling elegantly in response to Amakasu's words. Feigning ignorance, the special agent smiled at G.o.dou as if cheering him on. "You're over thinking things. Compared to thinking, making babies is much easier." "W-What's that supposed to mean?" "Perhaps an opportunity might arise for babies to be conceived tonight, four of them all at once — In any case, we of the Committee pledge our full support in helping raise the children, so don't worry about needing to hold back." "What nonsense are you spouting? Of course I'm coming with you!" Hence, an hour later — Having changed their clothes, G.o.dou and his entourage returned to the beach of Kimigahama. This time, Amakasu accompanied them as well. As a side note, because the only person with a driving license had been drinking, the Committee sent someone else to pick them up. The time was after 9pm so night was well underway. Entering the sealed off coastal area, Amakasu immediately headed off to the location of his colleagues and Committee staff. Meanwhile, Yuri murmured "Ah — " as she stood beside G.o.dou. "The feeling is stronger compared to during the daytime... Yes, unmistakably so." a.s.serting thus, the Hime-Miko broke into a run. G.o.dou glanced at his companions and started chasing after her along with Erica, Ena and Liliana. Yuri was heading towards the place where the steel bow was embedded. — The metal bow of steel standing upright on the beach. As the four caught up, Yuri was already out of breath and staring seriously at the steel bow. "The divine presence has strengthened...?" The instant Liliana whispered softly, G.o.dou experienced a repulsive feeling. Someone was watching? Come to think it, the same feeling happened this morning too. He could feel with greater certainty that someone was staring at him — rather, it was definitely an "enemy" existence. Owing to a Campione's sense of danger, keen as a wild beast's, G.o.dou discovered something in the long and ma.s.sive bow of steel. Unmistakably, "something existed" inside the bow. "Carrying this bow is the hero who shoulders a fate of wandering..." Yuri suddenly murmured, for she too had seen the "enemy." "Firing an arrow from the bow in a show of his mighty arm strength and valor to the people — G.o.dou-san!" Immediately, a humanoid shadow suddenly appeared behind the bow. Lacking a well-defined outline, a vague blue figure — Standing roughly five meters tall, it rivaled the steel bow in size and was clearly no ordinary person. Yet G.o.dou's body and mind did not switch to a Campione's combat ready state. Even if this was the user of the divine bow and arrows, it was clearly not a [Heretic G.o.d]. Using a body part resembling the left hand, the figure grabbed the steel bow in a simple manner. Then an arrow appeared in the right hand, two meters or so in length. Like the one discovered at the Tokyo Tower, it was a long and ma.s.sive steel arrow resembling a spear. The figure slowly positioned the steel arrow on the bow, drawing it and aiming towards Kusanagi G.o.dou. The distance was less than ten meters. For an archer capable of sniping from a hundred kilometers away, this arrow was clearly not going to miss its mark. Erica and Liliana sprang into action instantly. "Yuri, stand back please!" "Kusanagi G.o.dou, you be careful too." Erica summoned the magic sword of the lion as she directed Yuri. Liliana also called forth II Maestro. Nodding at her voice, G.o.dou began to run. Fiercely, towards the mysterious figure, G.o.dou moved as if ignoring the warning. But this would do well enough. In actual fact, G.o.dou alone could handle the situation with the [Raptor] even if shot at — The figure finally drew the bowstring to its limit. The arrowhead, resembling a spear's tip, was aimed at G.o.dou's forehead. "Ama no Murak.u.mo, I entrust His Majesty's safety to you!" At this moment, Ena called out from behind. Immediately, the divine sword Ama no Murak.u.mo from G.o.dou's right arm suddenly manifested, presumably taking emergency action in response to Ena's call. At the same time, the figure released the arrow from its fingers. Woosh, the arrow of steel flew at G.o.dou, but he — or rather, Ama no Murak.u.mo in his right hand moved by itself and chopped it down. A sharp metallic clang rang out. This act of defense was not a move G.o.dou could originally perform, being completely unversed in swordsmans.h.i.+p. But of course, it was a different matter with Ena controlling Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi from a distance. Saved through his comrade's a.s.sistance, G.o.dou relaxed his right arm and went 'Til leave things in your hands" to inform Ama no Murak.u.mo his intention to attack. Hence, the "partner" flew out from G.o.dou's hand, hurtling towards the bow-wielding figure. An eye for an eye. The divine sword counterattacked in vengeance for the "arrow." The battle was decided with unexpected ease. Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi's tip pierced the figure's chest quite splendidly. The sword's attack caused the figure with the poorly defined outline to vanish. As the figure dissipated like mist bathed beneath the morning sunlight, a metallic clang was heard. Due to the wielder's disappearance, the giant steel bow fell down on the sand of the beach. "What the heck, that's..." Watching the steel bow fall down so simply, G.o.dou muttered. In terms of strength, the feeling was similar to that from a divine beast. However, the enemy was rather fragile... G.o.dou turned to face Yuri. "The one just now was not a deity. I think it is a a G.o.d's shadow — an existence of that sort. A portion of some great divinity, manifesting on earth..." Perhaps this was the reason why spirit vision was unable to discern the deity's ident.i.ty, Yuri concluded. "When something incomprehensible happened so suddenly, how should we seek to understand it?" Just as Erica was murmuring with a frown — Amakasu approached, a cellphone in his hand. "As expected, once a Campione gets involved personally, things progress immediately... I'm glad that everyone is okay. Although I just received some terrifying news — " Apparently, he had noticed and quietly observed the scene just now. "In fact, right now a ma.s.sive unknown life form is traveling north towards the Pacific along Honshu Island." "...Huh?" G.o.dou suddenly heard an unexpected report. "Due to Yuri-san's information, we checked it out just in case. The coast guard is apparently in turmoil over the situation that resembles a giant monster movie... After our staff went to investigate, 'does not seem to be a divine beast' was the report." "It will arrive offsh.o.r.e of Chous.h.i.+ very soon. As expected, the destination really was this place." "P-Please do not say 'as expected' during times like these." Despite harboring the same suspicions himself, G.o.dou still voiced his objections. Then he felt his back shake violently as power for combat surged through his body, filling his heart with fighting spirit. As a Campione's mortal enemy, a [Heretic G.o.d] has appeared! G.o.dou surveyed the surroundings and discovered it. When clearly the winter night sky had been cloudless all along, dark clouds had appeared before they knew it. The pitch black clouds rumbled, announcing the coming of thunder. Then in the sea — an alarming sight had appeared! A silhouette of a "woman." A woman's shadow, graceful and seemingly clothed. Hair of considerable length. Standing so tall that her head rose above the clouds, it was quite a gigantic silhouette. 'I have found you, my new lord hero..." A woman's whispers came from the sky. Although it was a beautiful and lovely voice, G.o.dou remained vigilant. What was the enemy's goal!? 'Ufufufu, please do not be so tense. Tonight is the night that commemorates our first encounter.' Once again, whispers were heard from the sky, carrying laughter. The voice gave a n.o.ble impression as if belonging to a princess who nurtured flowers and b.u.t.terflies in a palace. The beautiful voice alone was already worthy of a G.o.ddess' elegance. "What purpose brings you here specifically, great G.o.ddess? Let me make myself clear first, I have no intention of fighting you." G.o.dou refused on the outset. The majority of G.o.ds and G.o.d-slayers were hostile to one another. As a pacifist, G.o.dou had no wish of playing a willing part in their desires to make situations deteriorate. On the other hand, the G.o.ddess resembling a princess spoke with full composure. 'My, you really do not act like a G.o.d-slayer. Fufu, it is because I am convinced that I shall undoubtedly find a famous hero. For truly the ways of fate are mysterious!" "...I can't believe you said 'find'?" 'Ah yes, these islands have pleased me for some time now, for all sorts of conflicts have arose in a span of mere months. The heroic presence is raging and running amok.' These islands. She was probably referring to the islands of j.a.pan. As for all sorts of conflicts — was she referring to the series of battles against Athena, the Great Sage Equaling Heaven and Lancelot? Realizing one of the reasons why this G.o.ddess had come, G.o.dou calmed down slightly. Come to think of it, given her current explanation, could she be a G.o.ddess who has traveled to j.a.pan from overseas...? 'I sent the "divine spirit of the bow" over for a little test. As expected, I finally found a hero it approved. This is most pleasing.' The princess-like G.o.ddess declared and pleaded further. 'Lord Hero, please accept my feelings. We have a great deal to talk about, but let us save that for another time!' Instantly, the G.o.ddess' silhouette disappeared without warning. In addition, the steel bow fallen on the beach vanished as well. But the clouds in the sky remained. G.o.dou's combat state persisted, standing as evidence that the G.o.ddess was still nearby. "Amakasu, please leave us here and ask the others to conduct an emergency evacuation. A [Heretic G.o.d] and divine beasts will soon descend upon this place!" The one who issued direct orders was naturally Erica. She apparently understood what the G.o.ddess meant by "feelings." G.o.dou felt the same way. It was hard to imagine other possibilities given the situation. Amakasu went "I pray for victorious fortune to smile upon you all" and immediately took off. Very quickly, G.o.dou and his companions were the only ones remaining in the vicinity of Kimigahama beach. This was now a wide open battlefield where one did not have to worry about innocent victims. Having obtained ideal conditions, G.o.dou turned his gaze towards his comrades. Erica, Yuri, Liliana and Ena. Everyone immediately understood. The five would find an "enemy" appearing out of the Pacific Ocean soon. As expected of Kimigahama beach where swimming was prohibited, the waves were truly ferocious. "Something really is approaching land, resembling a coral reef...?" "Ena thinks it's an extra large turtle sh.e.l.l with the limbs retracted?" Liliana and Ena gazed at the horizon and commented with their excellent vision. It looked like the enemy's appearance could not be confirmed. Given G.o.dou's eyes, he could not even determine the location. "In any case, it's surely a divine beast." Ena a.s.serted. She had already drawn her partner, Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi. Liliana was caped in her black and blue striped bandiera. Erica was also armed with the magic sword Cuore di Leone and clad in her red and black cape. However, as the one with the sharpest spiritual senses here, Yuri issued a warning. "Everyone, up there! Please look at the sky!" G.o.dou was shocked to turn his gaze towards the sky. A crescent moon's light was s.h.i.+ning from the dark clouds which had appeared together with the G.o.ddess earlier. The gliding shadow of a gigantic bird then blocked the light. With a wingspan of fifteen meters or so, its size and appearance resembled a Steller's sea eagle. ^ A sacred giant bird serving a G.o.ddess — a divine beast in the form of a divine eagle had appeared. SQAAAAAAAAAAAAWK! The divine eagle's cries resounded through the night sky. At the same time, the unknown life form from the ocean was also arriving at Kimigahama beach rather quickly. G.o.dou was finally able to discern its shape with the naked eye. Indeed, it did resemble a coral reef or a turtle's sh.e.l.l. But instead, it was actually a "great serpent in a coil." Spinning like a top as it glided on the ocean surface, it rushed forth. "I don't think a snake can actually do that kind of thing..." "Only befitting of a minion serving divinity..." The two Hime-Miko murmured. In contrast to Ena's grumbles, Yuri's sincere admiration was quite in line with her high-born lady's style. Uncoiling itself, the great serpent would soon make a landing. HIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSS! The fifty-meter sea serpent roared. Spinning like a top as it glided over the sea, it rushed at the beach on Cape Inubou, looking as though it was just about to bite the seash.o.r.e. The divine eagle in the sky and the great sea serpent in the ocean — As well as the [Heretic G.o.d] located somewhere else. In a rather unfitting manner to conclude the year-end, an intense battle commenced. Part 3 A single divine beast was already challenging enough to handle, but not only did two appear, one was even flying freely in the sky. This left no opening for a direct frontal a.s.sault. G.o.dou immediately called out: 'Til deal with the one in the sea. You girls try your best to restrain the flying one!" Erica, Ena and Liliana nodded respectively in acknowledgement and scattered. Motioning to Yuri with his eyes to ask her to retreat, G.o.dou quietly chanted spell words. "So says Lord Mithra. The sinful shall be met with justice." Enveloped in flames, a black shadow suddenly manifested before his eyes. "The one unblunted and unapproachable! Oath-breaking sinners be purged by the iron hammer of justice!" Responding to G.o.dou's chanting of spell words, the flames and shadows transformed into a twenty-meter long divine beast. Verethragna's fifth incarnation, the [Boar], had manifested. This time, the targets for destruction were the sea serpent and the divine eagle. Might as well use a monster's strength to crush monsters. ROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAARM The air rumbled from the familiar roar. With pitch black fur covering a monstrous and gigantic body, the boar kicked the ground with its short, stout legs, glaring towards the sea as it reared up vigorously on its hind legs. Its gaze was directed towards the great sea serpent rus.h.i.+ng at the Cape Inubou sh.o.r.e. Instantly, the sea serpent shot out forcefully from the sea like an arrow, its jaws and fangs clas.h.i.+ng violently with the [BoarJ's snout. HIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!! The sea serpent howled in pain. In a frontal clash with the [Boar]'s snout, the sea serpent was the only side receiving damage. Verethragna's pitch black sacred beast remained virtually motionless. Taking a human fight as an a.n.a.logy, this was like one person taking hits while the one throwing the punches reeled back in pain. Then the [Boar] dug its long, sharp tusks into the sea serpent's body, ripping its scales apart. The sea serpent twisted its long and winding body to slither on the beach, trying to escape from the pitch black slaughterer. However, the [Boar] used its front legs to step violently on the snake's slender body, pinning it down. This motion was unexpectedly agile in spite of the [Boar]'s brawny appearance. Then the [Boar] thrust its tusks forward again. HIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSM The sea serpent howled again, writhing and shaking its ma.s.sive body violently. Indeed, a fundamental difference existed between a Campione's authority and the likes of a divine beast. Since the serpent side seemed to be well-handled, G.o.dou turned his gaze towards his friends and the divine eagle. The divine eagle was currently circling the Kimigahama sky slowly. The supernatural bird of prey gazed at the ground down below as it flew. Immediately, G.o.dou felt a terrifying chill down his spine. Intense killing intent was directed towards him presently. Using its keen avian eyes, the divine eagle had targeted the Campione below as its prey. "Tsk, possessing night vision even though it's a diurnal bird." Just as G.o.dou made a verbal jab at the enemy's unnatural ability, the divine eagle swooped down rapidly. Of course, it was heading straight for Kusanagi G.o.dou. However, G.o.dou did not try to evade. Since it was too late anyway, he will depend on support — ! "People, listen to David's song of mourning! How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!"^ Just as he had hoped, the incantation of a trump card could be heard. "O bow of Jonathan, the warrior's weapon fast as an eagle and strong as a lion. Descend into my hand now!" Having scattered previously, Liliana now summoned the bow of Jonathan to fire an arrow of blue light, capable of piercing even G.o.ds. It was a projectile that once struck the hero Perseus right on target. Using this weapon, Liliana sniped at the divine eagle that was swooping rapidly down on G.o.dou. The arrow of blue light flew straight towards the swiftly descending bird of prey. Combined with Liliana's archery, the bow of Jonathan delivered a fatal arrow to the divine eagle's neck with perfect accuracy and speed like the wind — That was what was supposed to happen. Instead, just before the arrow struck, the divine eagle quickly ascended, evading the deadly arrow at the very last moment. This was probably deserving of praise. The divine eagle was exceptionally skilled in flying. Watching the bird trace out a U-shaped trail in the sky through its rapid ascent, G.o.dou clicked his tongue. From a Campione's perspective, divine beasts originating as the servants of the G.o.ds were indeed weak foes. But for Liliana and the girls, divine beasts were formidable enemies requiring going all-out to secure a narrow victory. Ordinary methods were not going to work, naturally. And this time, the enemy possessed the ability to fly freely in the sky. Such an opponent could not be expected to fall so easily to an attack of this level. Seeing things unfold as expected, Ena cried out. "O divine wind, go forth and exorcise, blow forth and rage!" These were spell words chanted to manipulate wind. Furthermore, even a G.o.d's power had been added on top. Haya Susanoo no Mikoto was the "grampsy" who protected Ena. Calling upon this storm G.o.d's divine spirit, the Hime-Miko of the Sword used an imitation of a wind G.o.d's power. First she struck the flying divine eagle horizontally with a swift gust of sudden wind from the side. As expected of a bird of prey that glided upon the wind, this was not enough. Ena proceeded to create a vortex of wind in the air to swallow up the divine eagle. Devoured by the swirling vortex, the divine bird of prey, which resembled a Steller's Sea Eagle, kept twisting its gigantic body. However. SQUAAAAAAAAAAAAWK! The divine eagle cawed sharply. From its body, immense magical power was released and spread out as tempestuous wind, neutralizing Ena's vortex. This divine eagle also possessed sacred powers ruling over the wind. SQUAAAAAAAAAAAAWK! It cawed again. The tempest increased in strength from the divine eagle's power, causing the sky to rage turbulently. As though a typhoon was landing on the sh.o.r.e, the sea also became turbulent all of a sudden. Was the girl who stood as Susanoo's cherished Hime-Miko no match for the divine eagle in a contest of wind — ? Even so, Ena still put forth all her strength, intending to control the wind and the atmosphere. However, just as she was about to reach her limit, it went without saying that the one who took action was naturally the blonde knight of red. "Eli Eli lama sabachthani? Oh Lord, why hast thou forsaken me?" Chanting the "Golgotha spell words" that expressed despair towards G.o.d through a Psalm, Erica invoked one of her trump cards. "I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee."^ Cuore di Leone was entrusted with power capable of tearing a G.o.d apart. Its form was that of a slender longsword. Wielded in Erica's hand, this sword transformed into a javelin for throwing. The owner had applied transformation magic upon it. The javelin's shaft was roughly one meter long. Erica swiftly took this javelin and handed it over to the person beside her. The one who received the javelin was Liliana, wielding the blue bow of Jonathan. Using Cuore di Leone in its javelin form as an arrow, she placed it upon the glowing blue bowstring using her right hand and fired at the divine eagle. A shooting attack performed using the bow of Jonathan together with the Golgotha spell words added on top — The arrow streaked across the night sky like a comet, finally striking the divine eagle's broad left wing. SQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWK! The divine eagle cried out with excruciating pain. With one wing shot and injured, the divine eagle went "Gah" as its balance was disrupted greatly. However, it managed to barely pull through. Once again it gave off an acute caw. SQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWK! As if controlling the wind, a sudden updraft rose from below to support the divine eagle's ma.s.sive body. The supernatural bird of prey began to increase its speed patiently. Even Erica and Liliana's combination skill was unable to disable its wings. "Once it escapes high up into the air, it'll be difficult for us to launch an effective follow up attack..." Erica furrowed her brow. Even someone like her would probably find it difficult to maintain her elegance at this time. After all, it was a battle against a divine beast. Due to the enemy's advantage of wings, even the numerical superiority of three against one was not enough to guarantee victory. G.o.dou turned his gaze sharply towards the great sea serpent. Currently, the sea serpent was battling the [Boar] on the sh.o.r.e. Verethragna's fifth incarnation was ramming with its tusks, occasionally slamming with its body, trampling fiercely with its four stout legs, ravaging its opponent violently. G.o.dou decided he had better hurry and finish up so that he could a.s.sist Erica and the girls. Was that possible!? — However, G.o.dou's fighting spirit suddenly ran into a snag. The G.o.ddess' silhouette appeared over the Pacific again. She could be seen making what appeared to be hand waving motions. Next, sparks flew down from the sky, landing on the sea serpent's body. Immediately, the great sea serpent glowed with white brilliance and suddenly coiled up its body. Cras.h.!.+ Moving like a whip, the serpentine body sent the [Boar] flying far away with a fierce whipping attack. Apparently, the serpent had powered up from the energy conferred by the G.o.ddess. Furthermore, it followed up with an unexpected attack. The sea serpent suddenly extended its body. Numerous scales covered the snake's body. Until just now, its body length was roughly fifty meters or so, but suddenly it stretched like rubber, lengthening several fold. The sea serpent's body became even more supple and increased in elasticity. Moreover, the great snake was indeed like a rope made of rubber, using its extraordinarily long body to entangle the [Boar]'s gigantic body. Literally, the boar's head, stout torso, limbs, everything was restrained. And this serpentine rubbery ma.s.s was even capable of releasing electric shocks. ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!! This time, it was the [Boar]'s turn to howl in pain. Desperately, it shook its body, trying to peel off the sea serpent ensnaring it. But it was useless. It did not even succeed in loosening the serpent's grip. ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAR!! The [Boar] howled again. This time it was a cry of anger. But the sea serpent's rubbery body remained tightly coiled around it. In response, the serpent released an electric shock again. The [Boar] rolled about painfully, looking completely helpless. "I didn't think there existed something it couldn't destroy..." 'Fufufufu. Rather well fought, Lord G.o.d-slayer!" As G.o.dou listened in surprise, the G.o.ddess' voice was coming from overhead. She was still talking like a confident princess. At the same time as its mistress' appearance, the divine eagle in the sky also flew towards the sea. The G.o.ddess' silhouette that manifested began to glide on the sea, but it did not seem like she was intending to defeat G.o.dou's group all at once. 'Truly awe-inspiring in your stand against the Fire G.o.ddess and her servants. As expected, you do possess talent worthy of my attention!' Her lovely voice sounded like a child's. G.o.dou stared at the G.o.ddess' silhouette. It was a giant figure appearing in the night sky over the Pacific. Located at the easternmost point of the Kantou region, Cape Inubou was quite a popular place for watching the first sunrise every New Year's. But currently, the G.o.ddess' shadow was dominating the view instead of the sun. Nevertheless, this was obviously not her original size... "What is your name?" 'It cannot be disclosed at this juncture. The Fire G.o.ddess, yes. Fufu, please consider that my name for now.' G.o.dou's question only elicited a jestful answer. Clearly the G.o.ddess did not plan on revealing either name or her true appearance, despite the fact that out of all the G.o.ds G.o.dou encountered so far, the majority of them possessed extreme egos and loved making grand appearances — As he frowned, G.o.dou's companions gathered by his side. Erica, Yuri, Liliana and Ena. Nodding to them all, G.o.dou motioned to Yuri with his eyes. The Hime-Miko mournfully shook her head in response. Yuri was apparently unable to discern the ident.i.ty of this "Fire G.o.ddess." It could not be helped. This meant the [Sword] could not be used to tear apart this divinity! 'After so long, I finally find another hero G.o.d-slayer. This must be guided by the stars... Fufu, I feel the hand of destiny in our encounter. O hero, please indulge me with your exalted name.' "Just call me insect. I don't want to tell my name to someone who won't even introduce hers." G.o.dou felt slightly annoyed by this strange n.o.ble lady's use of "destiny" as a description. It sounded like something a lovestruck adolescent girl might say. Feeling like this would be troublesome to deal with, G.o.dou refused. 'Well, what an unsympathetic gentleman you are. But no matter. If I wanted to, I could instantly find out for myself. — Right, you are Kusanagi G.o.dou-sama.' What!? G.o.dou was shocked. He never expected his name to be read so easily! 'Fufu. All objects and living things existing between heaven and earth... Knowing all their names is a woman's accomplishment. Please do not underestimate me!' "l-ls that how it works?" "Are you an idiot, G.o.dou? Accomplis.h.i.+ng something ridiculous like that takes a G.o.ddess, not a woman!" "Hmm. We witches and miko also have the power of spirit vision. She must possess eyes with far greater powers than that!" Erica and Liliana explained independently in response to G.o.dou's shock. How ridiculous. As G.o.dou recovered from his surprise, Yuri declared solemnly: "This G.o.ddess is a deity of magic... A G.o.ddess possessing myriad transformations, making use of a variety of spells to produce all sorts of miracles and mysterious phenomena. Please be careful, for this G.o.ddess bears similarities to the Great Sage Equaling Heaven in this regard!" Come to think of it, that monkey had also skillfully employed all sorts of spells in a flexible manner. G.o.dou turned his gaze up towards the G.o.ddess' silhouette again. Compared to the Great Sage Equaling Heaven who was also a member of [Steel], she was vastly inferior in martial prowess. Even so, naive optimism was unwarranted. What skills and abilities she concealed were still unclear. Most prominently of all, Lancelot was a perfect example. No matter how few the number of authorities, sharply honed powers could easily surpa.s.s a hundred authorities — Powerful beings of that sort existed in the world. G.o.dou raised his wariness to the maximum level. 'Fufufu. Please rest a.s.sured, for I have no intention of harming you, Kusanagi-sama. I am simply extending an invitation to you, Kusanagi-sama, for a delightful conversation.' "You not only sent an invitation but also monsters to attack." 'Because Kusanagi-sama is someone worthy of being called the peerless warrior, a rejection of my invitation would be disastrous. I cannot rest a.s.sured unless one or two limbs of yours are twisted off for good measure!' What kind of reason was that!? G.o.dou was dumbstruck. This G.o.ddess was completely different from all the deities he had encountered so far. Approachable and open to conversation on a superficial level, but communicating on a subtly different wavelength in actual fact. Truly a challenge to handle. "Doesn't twisting off an arm or a leg count as intention to harm...?" "Or perhaps from the perspective of an immortal G.o.ddess, that level of injury isn't really considered as harm...?" Hardly surprisingly, Ena and Erica were whispering to each other as they covered their faces. However, the "Fire G.o.ddess" was unconcerned with the private whispers of lowly humans. Sonorously, she chanted: 'O one who derives enjoyment from flames, please bestow your pleasures upon us.' Sparks flew down from the sky again. This time, the receiver was the divine eagle flying leisurely above the sea. Then the bird's ma.s.sive body together with its fifteen-meter wingspan was suddenly engulfed in flames. Flapping its wings powerfully and majestically, the bird flew in a beeline straight towards the sh.o.r.e where G.o.dou's group was located. This was literally the flight of the "firebird." Swiftly, Liliana shot using the bow of Jonathan. "Go—!" The arrow of blue light flew towards the flaming bird and split itself into five. The sacred arrow traced out five trajectories in the sky, striking the burning body of the divine eagle — But all the arrows were incinerated by the flames and disappeared. The enemy was apparently protected by the flames. The burning divine eagle continued to fly towards G.o.dou and his group's position. Even if not scorched by the flames, they were going to be ripped apart by the divine eagle's beak and claws directly. With the [Boar] currently immobilized, Kusanagi G.o.dou had no available means to intercept the attack! The instant G.o.dou realized he was out of options, Ena suddenly sprang into action. Raising Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi up high, she yelled out spell words. "O divine sword that has long protected j.a.pan through the ages! Leave my hand for now and may the curses of foreign nations be infused in this sword. Bestow upon us your protection. — Erica-san, please use this!" Ena proceeded to stab the divine sword into the beach before them. These were desperate words of permission. Brilliant beyond compare, the red knight gradually displayed an expression of understanding on her beautiful face. Erica nodded immediately. "Allow me to express my grat.i.tude for entrusting things to me. — Senatus consultum ultimum!" Erica began to invoke magic for constructing the most secure defensive barrier. Beside her, Liliana also swiftly spoke up. "Erica, I will help too! For the sake of maintaining order in Rome, the Senate decreed the suspension of imperium!" The blue knight recited an incantation to a.s.sist her childhood friend's spell. The two knights' spell words and magical power were channeled into Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi that Ena had relinquished to use as a "catalyst." Although only for a few minutes, this defensive spell had managed in the past to resist the attack of divine messengers sent by the sky G.o.d Melqart. The jet black divine sword's cold blade was infused with this protective power. A barrier of black light was released from Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi, covering G.o.dou's group like a canopy. At the very last moment, the incoming attack of the flying firebird was blocked! SQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWKM The divine eagle cawed with frustration. The giant bird, enveloped in roaring flames, spread its majestic wings and struck with its beak from the air, trying to shatter the black canopy. However, the barrier constructed by [Senatus Consultum Ultimum] still managed to repel the attack. Strengthened by the G.o.ddess' spell, the flaming bird's power far surpa.s.sed ordinary divine beasts. Ama no Murak.u.mo's divine might. Liliana's a.s.sistance. Erica's own progress. Combined with the two-second window of opportunity, this barrier was the result achieved. This was only possible thanks to the progress made in the girls' teamwork after all. However — 'Fufufu. The source of this child's fire has yet to extinguish. Now please start burning once more!' The G.o.ddess' spell words and sparks once again descended upon the divine eagle's back. A "fire" was lit up in accordance with her words. An explosion of fire was swiftly released from the giant bird's wings. The roaring flames spread over the black canopy, swirling all around it. The temperature instantly rose inside the barrier protecting G.o.dou's group. On this seaside that was clearly in midwinter, the feeling was like being baked in a sauna. The heat of the divine flames were finally invading the barrier's interior! "O exalted G.o.d of Susa, please grant us tempestuous wind!" "May lawful justice be meted out to the traitorous enemies of Rome!" Ena used the power of divine possession to summon a tornado in an attempt to blow away the divine eagle overhead. On the other hand, Liliana infused the barrier with greater magical power for reinforcement. But in spite of their efforts — All they managed to do was slightly shake the divine eagle's ma.s.sive body. The temperature continued to rise. "Gun...! G.o.dou, we can't hold for long!" If this continued, the heat was going to vaporize them. Erica called out, her face drenched with sweat. Currently, she was bearing the greatest strain as the one who invoked the barrier. Nevertheless, she remained as glamorous as a rose. Confronted with Erica's Blandelli's wonderful quality and true worth, G.o.dou gritted his teeth. Ever since his companions were creating the barrier, he had been busy preparing "a certain task." For this purpose, he was trying his best to raise his magical power to the max. But it was still insufficient — Clearly with just a little more, I could rouse that guy to the limit! Are we going to vaporize just like this? Or crushed along with the black canopy by the flaming divine eagle? — Just as these two worst possible outcomes were about to materialize before his eyes... Yuri walked over to Erica's side. Without any combat ability, she was always the Hime-Miko who waited quietly in the back in battle situations. "Mariya!?" As G.o.dou called out to her in surprise, Yuri brought her hands together before her chest and closed her eyes. It was a motion akin to offering a prayer. Immediately, the elegant Hime-Miko's entire body emitted white light. "A prayer offered to the G.o.ds, Kami-musubi, Takami-musubi, Iku-musubi, Taru-musubi, Tamatsume-musubi, Oomiya-no-me, Oomeketsu-no-kami, Kotos.h.i.+ronus.h.i.+. Pacify the spirit in response to the diviner, may tranquility manifest...!" SQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAWKM Bathed in the white light released by Yuri, the fiery bird cawed in discomfort. At the same time, one could feel what seemed to be a gust of cool wind. Although it was not much, it still managed to suppress the heat. "G.o.dou-san. Even if it only amounts to a brief while, I shall endure! So please — !" The Hime-Miko declared with a look of desperation. The white light was apparently a new spirit power the Hime-Miko had acquired. Bathed in the white light, the divine eagle looked as if it had been tamed slightly. This divine favor that suppressed a minion of the G.o.ds, was it an application of psychic sensing? In any case, there was no time to ponder this matter. Rather, G.o.dou intensified his thoughts. Now was the time to focus his concentration on completing the "task" at hand. The precious time bought by his comrades could not be squandered so easily! "Come on, surely you can't be satisfied with things ending like this..." G.o.dou had been firing off taunts repeatedly in his mind. Now he spoke aloud, directing his words towards the [Beast] whose wrath was seething like boiling magma. "If that's what you really want, I'm not going to summon you ever again. Show me your spirit right here!" Although these were rather ungracious words, they were still spell words. The goal was to infuse the maximum amount of magical power into the black beast — the [Boar]. Immobilized by the rubbery sea serpent, Verethragna's fifth incarnation was disgracefully disarmed. G.o.dou's taunts served as the detonator to further raise the [Boar]'s power. Then came a response. Still imprisoned by the sea serpent, the [Boar] released a sound from the depths of its throat. ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. . . A low groaning noise. It was unlike the [Boar]'s usual strenuous roars that exploded with power. ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. . . It squeezed a little more out. Into these bellows the [Boar] channeled the rage it felt towards the sea serpent binding it. ooooooooooooooooooooooo. . . The [Boar] stopped groaning. This meant the prelude was over. Starting now, a climax was going to start instantly. The black divine beast opened its mouth wide. "Everyone get down! Cover your ears!" G.o.dou immediately yelled out. The trio, Liliana, Ena and Erica swiftly did as ordered. Then Yuri frantically laid herself down on the beach. After checking that everyone had covered their ears with their hands, G.o.dou issued the command: "Go for it!" ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO' The powerful roar and Shockwave was released from the [Boar]'s mouth. Releasing Shockwaves that accompanied its cries had always been part of the [Boar]'s repertoire. This time, due to the rage from its immobilized state, the power output had sublimated to the greatest possible. First, the sea serpents body imprisoning the black giant beast was ripped apart and sent flying instantly. Next, in the manner of a fire-breathing monster, the [Boar] unleashed the strongest ultrasound and Shockwave it had ever produced. Struck directly by this attack, the fiery bird was blown away high into the sky. The fire enveloping its body also dissipated. The [Boar]'s attack had clearly caused the bird substantial damage, to the point of losing the will to fight. Like a cras.h.i.+ng jet plane, the divine eagle flew unsteadily towards the southern sky. Then the [Boar] twisted its body as if throwing a tantrum, firing Shockwaves in all directions. Struck by this wave of attacks, the G.o.ddess' silhouette also disappeared. The [Boar] was also unexpectedly(?) a sacred beast. Although the extent of the effect was unknown, its voice was apparently capable of blowing apart and scattering divine power. 'Well. How truly ferocious! Now that is truly a display worthy of my Kusanagi-sama!' Despite the silhouette's disappearance, the G.o.ddess' voice continued to offer jestful commentary. Most likely she did not receive any injury. On this front, the [Boar]'s howls had even scattered all of the dark clouds hanging over the night sky. Then once the echoes of the extra strength roars finally died down — Peace and quiet returned to Kimigahama and Cape Inubou at last. 'How truly splendid, Kusanagi-sama! You have exhibited your might very clearly. Fufu, you are the hero who slew glorious Victory to usurp his authority, I see. In that case, I do have a corresponding strategy. I look forward to our next encounter, Kusanagi-sama!' These whispers were even mixed into the sea breezes blowing across the sh.o.r.e. But this was a troublesome declaration of a subsequent encounter. G.o.dou exchanged glances with his companions successively and sighed. Part 4 After the skirmish at Kimigahama, a night had pa.s.sed and it was 8am the next morning. After the battle, G.o.dou and the girls had returned to the hotel to rest. All of them agreed that the G.o.ddess most likely would not attack again in rapid succession. Naturally, if any emergency arose, they were always ready to head to the scene immediately. Fortunately, the night went by without incident, allowing them a peaceful sleep until morning. Currently, G.o.dou, Liliana and Yuri, the three of them were gathered in the hotel's dining room, having breakfast. Arranged on the dining table was food such as flavored seaweed and fermented soybeans called nattou. A proper traditional j.a.panese inn breakfast. Currently absent, Erica was sleeping in as usual. As for Ena, she was still resting from the fatigue sustained from the use of divine possession. Her roommate Yuri had taken care not to waken her sleeping childhood friend when leaving their room quietly. "By the way, Mariya Yuri, is your condition really fine?" "Ah yes. Although I was tired from overuse of power, I am now finally fine after a good night's rest." Yuri answered Liliana's verification with a calm expression. Last night, this Hime-Miko had used a white and glowing spirit power to buy them precious time. After the battle ended, she had told the others about this type of power known as [Spirit Pacification]. Bringing one's level of psychic sensing to the maximum, a spell to radiate the Hime-Miko's tranquil soul — That was how she explained it. Using a heart of harmony to pacify fervorous magical power, all sorts of mysterious and supernatural phenomena could be calmed. Since this ability proved effective against the "firebird," it could be considered a trump card on the same level as Erica and Liliana's [Smiting]. Nevertheless, it was apparently quite draining. After the battle, Yuri collapsed, completely depleted of strength. G.o.dou was only relieved after seeing her get up this morning without any ill effects. Liliana probably felt the same. The trio proceeded to finish breakfast leisurely. "Finding a hero... That was what the G.o.ddess mentioned." Liliana spoke as she drank the tea served after the meal. As a side note, she was currently dressed in a yukata. Despite being a Caucasian girl of Eastern European descent, the look suited her unexpectedly well. "If that's the case, it explains why she had that arrow shot into Tokyo. Flaunting her servant's archery to provoke 'someone with power,' thereby luring them over." "In actual fact, that was how G.o.dou-san arrived here." Similarly dressed in a yukata with a short coat called the hanten draped over on top, Yuri nodded in agreement. Pouring hot water into the green tea powder in two cups, she pa.s.sed one of them to G.o.dou. Drinking the tea gratefully, G.o.dou found the taste quite agreeable. More than likely, this delicious taste owed more to Yuri's skill and care than the actual flavor of the green tea powder. "There's probably no special reason why the Tokyo Tower became the target... It just happened to be a tall structure and particularly conspicuous, right?" If G.o.dou had not made his way here, would all the tall buildings in the Kantou region be sniped one after another? The Tokyo City Hall at s.h.i.+njuku, or skysc.r.a.pers at various places such as Roppongi, Ikebukuro, s.h.i.+buya... G.o.dou muttered as he imagined. "Seriously. Yet another troublesome deity appeared." "Yes, indeed." "Quite a serious situation..." Yuri and Liliana concurred with G.o.dou's conclusion without objection. Nevertheless, they seemed to be casting a gaze towards him as if they had something to say. "Hmm, what's the matter with you two?" "Well no, regarding that, I believe there is more than an element of chance in you being the 'someone with power' the G.o.ddess encounters. A sufficiently strong ability to 'attract' those sorts of things..." "Really, drawn in as if by fate every single time..." Attracting what? Drawing in what? Neither Yuri nor Liliana were explicit. However, their eyes secretly conveyed a cold and critical att.i.tude. Somehow feeling uncomfortable, G.o.dou shrank back from their gaze. At this moment, a savior appeared. Amakasu had returned. Dressed in a suit rather than a yukata, he had not returned to the hotel last night but was busy handling the aftermath instead. "Ah, good morning everyone. Last night sure was tiring." Hearing this from someone whose labors vastly surpa.s.sed their own, G.o.dou felt rather apologetic. At the same time, Yuri suddenly stood up and bowed her head deeply towards Amakasu. "I am truly sorry for last night. I cannot believe we did that sort of thing again... I am certain we must have caused a great deal of trouble to everyone. Please forgive us." He really had been too careless last night. Recalling this, G.o.dou also bowed his head. Back when the [Boar] had released the extra strength Shockwave, a portion of it had flown towards the cape like a stray bullet, thus demolis.h.i.+ng the Cape Inubou lighthouse. This was where the sun rose earliest in the entire Kantou region, an extremely popular tourist spot for watching the sunrise on New Year's day. And very soon, New Year's Eve was approaching... After discovering the atrocious act he had committed, G.o.dou began scratching his head. Erica went "Oh well" and expressed admiration while Liliana simply closed her eyes silently. Yuri was quietly going "G.o.dou-san..." with worry whereas Ena exclaimed "Ooh — " instead — "No no, this is part of my job." On the other hand, Amakasu was answering in a frivolous tone of voice to the Hime-Miko who bowed her head and apologized sincerely. "Currently from the way it looks, this level of damage is no different from that caused by inserting an advertising leaflet in a book. It's akin to mechanical defects which unflatteringly lie on the boundary of quality control standards despite high performance production. But anyway, since we are relying on your a.s.sistance, Kusanagi-san, please don't let it weigh on your mind." Poking fun at what G.o.dou had done, Amakasu smiled briefly. "But the apology just now really sounded like a wife apologizing desperately for a hopeless husband's misconduct. No, perhaps that really is the case." "W-Wife — Please do not say something so bizarre!" "Indeed, Amakasu Touma. P-Please pay more attention to your frivolous words!" Yuri began to get fl.u.s.tered while Liliana angered somewhat. Being the main culprit, G.o.dou tried to dispel the awkward atmosphere by changing the subject. "B-By the way, those monsters arrived by crossing the sea, right?" "Yes. Via the Kuros.h.i.+o Current." The special agent had most likely collected intelligence from the surrounding area starting last night. Relying on his decidedly competent talents, he was able to answer immediately. "Because it was a long distance expedition undertaken by divine beasts, interested parties related to the Committee and those in the wizardry field were able to sense them. After that, ideas such as 'Attack of the Mysterious Giant Monsters!' were conveyed to organizations including the Maritime Self Defense Force and the coast guard. Thanks to that, we were able to track down the basic route traveled by the divine beasts." "I think the G.o.ddess yesterday said she came from outside of j.a.pan." "A stalkerish [Heretic G.o.d] who has her sights set on Kusanagi-san. Yes, this aspect is rather fitting. Oh dear, that group of monsters happens to have a stronghold." Hearing unexpected news, G.o.dou stared with his eyes wide open. Yuri and Liliana reacted the same way. Stronghold. This was a term quite removed from [Heretic G.o.ds] who wandered incessantly. "The serpentine divine beast rode the Kuros.h.i.+o Current while the bird-like divine beast flew in the sky. That should have been how they reached Cape Inubou from their stronghold. We are currently collecting information about that area." "Stronghold huh..." G.o.dou began to ponder. The enemy's target was himself. If he continued living in Tokyo, the next time they showed up, it might really turn into a scene from a monster movie. During times like these, perhaps he should cast aside notions of pacifism for now and take action instead — ? "Kusanagi G.o.dou. Are you actually intending to head towards that location?" Liliana asked. She had apparently noticed what G.o.dou was thinking. "If we let those things invade Tokyo, severe destruction will likely occur. That's why I don't think we can just simply wait around quietly." "Indeed, perhaps we really should take action..." Yuri whispered softly with an expression of contemplation. "It felt like the G.o.ddess was quite keen on concealing her true appearance. I believe that is why I could not discern her sacred name and origins." "If that is the case, then we have no choice but to enter enemy territory to seek clues..." Liliana also nodded. In this regard, it seemed as though this G.o.ddess was similar to Lancelot whose true appearance was hidden behind armor. Having made his decision, G.o.dou cut straight to the chase and asked: "Amakasu-san, where is her stronghold?" "Well said. It is in the region known as the South Seas." G.o.dou nodded at the geographic name revealed by Amakasu. Although Yuri and Liliana both widened their eyes, they were not excessively surprised. Since they were dealing with a G.o.ddess, it was a completely plausible scenario. Oh well, it did not require any profound prediction in the first place. A few nights more and the year was going to end. However, G.o.dou was apparently left with no choice but to spend New Year's overseas. References 1 . t Xue PingguKH^Fft): the protagonist of a Chinese folk story set during the Tang dynasty. He married the prime minister's daughter and later went on a military expedition out west, eventually becoming the king of Western Liang, finally returning to China to reunite with his wife. 2. t Steller's sea eagle: Haliaeetus pelagicus, is a large bird of prey inhabiting coastal northeastern Asia and mainly preys on fish. On average, it is the heaviest eagle in the world. This bird is named after the German naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller.http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/StellerVs_Sea_Eagle 3. t 2SamueM:27 4. t Psalm 22:22