Campione! Vol 12 Chapter 5

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