Campione Lord of Realms Chapter 1 (Patreon)

Chapter 1 – Kusanagi Godou, Meeting a Fellow Campione Across the North Wind

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Part 1

Kusanagi Godou was a godslayer.

He was also an expert of traveling from earth to another world.

Another world──it could also be rephrased as parallel world. There  existed countless 『earths that walked a different history』 from the  earth where Kusanagi Godou was born and lived in for many years.

There were also a lot of other destinations than parallel world.

For example the mythological worlds. Greek mythology, Mesopotamia  mythology, India mythology, Japanese mythology, etc. The mythological  words were worlds that reproduced the mythology in various places on  earth.

He had also gone to places like the Astral World, the space-time singularity, and so on.

The way to go to another world was varied. The simplest way was to 『have the other side summoned you』.

In the past, there was a period where Godou shouldered someone’s  burden of fate to be the hero of salvation. At that time he frequently  responded to the call of many worlds. Please defeat the demon king, save  the world from danger, etc, etc. Godou was traveling all over where  there was request for him.

Many times the people of the other world where Godou visited were shocked when they learned his true identity.

The godslayer Kusanagi Godou──.

He was also called Campione. At times he was also feared as a devil king.

He wasn’t a “sacred existence” by any means. Kusanagi Godou was a fellow who was classified at the side of the monsters.

Perhaps that was why the 『fate of hero』 left from Godou before he realized it.

It didn’t look like it returned to its former owner, so perhaps it went to search for someone else who was worthier for it.

Well, there were several other ways to travel even without the fate of hero.

He visited his acquaintances and old friends who were skilled in the  technique of travel and asked them to create a path to another world. He  passed through a gate in a secret place. And actually Godou himself had  the authority to fly to another world with his own strength although in  a limited fashion (it was an application of the power he stole from the  god of war of ancient Persia).

He also aged older while going through such days.

More than ten-odd years had passed since he became a Campione at age sixteen.

The number of his acquaintances also increased in proportion to the  length of his career──but, today the visitor who visited Godou had been  his acquaintance for more than ten years.

However, it was hard to say that he had a harmonious friendly relationship with this person.

The moment the visitor saw Godou’s face, he spoke with his usual brusque and sarcastic tone.

「Even you have grown a lot older huh.」

「You’re saying that while your appearance hasn’t changed at all since the past.」

Godou muttered with Alexander Gascoigne at his presence.

This black haired Englishman had his roots at French. He had a  handsome look, white skin, and a bearing that was like a young nobleman.  His appearance looked like a man at his late twenty.

He was also one of the Campiones with the nickname Black Prince Alec.

「It looks like our aging became really slow after we reached adolescence after all.」

Alec shrugged.

「Someone like sect founder Luo Hao is also a magician who has reached  the mental state of absolute purity, so her appearance stay young  forever no matter how much time passed. The world won’t match our pace  no matter what. ……By the way Kusanagi, this is your hideout huh? You  have a really good taste.」

「Well yeah.」

In the multiverse, there were singularity points that didn’t belong  to any space-time continuum. One of them, the 《Sanctuary of Infinite  Time》was the stronghold of Kusanagi Godou.

Described simply, it was a chalk white palace. Its main building material was white marble.

There was a comfortable and elegant building at the center of it.  Around it there were seven towers, fountains, waterways, and springs,  and a beautiful garden.

The courtyard that was facing the garden had two chairs and a small table placed there.

Godou was sitting while facing Alec there. He began to talk.

「And? What is your reason for purposefully coming at my place? Is it  about the mythological world Hyperborea that I recently often heard the  rumors about?」

「Rumors?」

Alec frowned with a displeased expression. Godou spoke.

「That idiot Doni came to my place saying he want to go there. That  guy apparently got interested because of how fixatd you are to  Hyperborea.」

「Tsk. That cursed Italian moron. I can’t let my guard down against him.」

They were talking about an Italian born jovial young man who was a mutual acquaintance of Godou and Alec.

However, this man was also one of the Campiones. He was also a genius  swordsman with talent so great he was called the King of Sword. Alec  clicked his tongue.

「Then, I’ll get right to the point. Godou, right now multiple  Campiones from various space-time continuums are in the middle of  gathering to Hyperborea.」

「What? Again, why is something like that……」

Godou grumbled.

「It’s strange for me to say this but, nothing good will happen from us gathering in one spot.」

「That’s just how special the mythology world called Hyperborea is.  ……That place is the original homeland for Greek mythology, India  mythology, Persia, Norse, Celtic mythology──and the mythologies from the  language family of Indo-European languages. That is my conjecture.」

「In other words, it’s the cultural sphere of Indo-European protolanguage!?」

Godou guessed what Alec wanted to say and interrupted.

Godou spent his time at Milano and Bologna when he was a university  student. Although he was extremely busy from going around to other  worlds, he also attended as many lectures as he could using his natural  stamina. From there he learned quite a lot of archeology, history,  knowledge of mythologies. Now he was even capable to talk smoothly with  Alec about this kind of topic.

The Black Prince who possessed both extensive knowledge and intelligence spoke further.

「Furthermore, that world is also the aftermath of 『a world that was destroyed by god’s fury』.」

「You’re saying something really significant there.」

「Fuh. It’s a hint. Think about its meaning by yourself. ……Kusanagi.  Many 『godslayers who are also planewalker』 like you and me are starting  to notice. About the peculiarity of Hyperborea. It’s an extraordinarily  unique universe even within the multiverse. Because of that people who  got interested and go there are also coming out of the woodworks.」

Godou nodded at Alec’s words.

「If multiple Campiones leap over the wall of era and world and gathered there……」

「It’s possible that the hero of devil king’s extermination will also  descend. In order to oppose that, it’s also possible that things will  develop into a battle royal between godslayers just like us at the  『Devil King Civil War』──」

「That whole Hyperborea world will become an arena.」

Alec whispered to Godou who was able to digest the situation.

「That’s the situation. You too should quickly go to Hyperborea.」

「Whaat? That’s backward Gascoigne. Just now you should warn me so that I won’t go there too.」

Godou immediately objected.

However Alexander Gascoigne replied without any change in his serious expression.

「That’s wrong. It’s already clear from the case of Salvatore Doni.  The flow of godslayers gathering in Hyperborea cannot be stopped  anymore. Then what I can do is only to increase the number of 『those who  can be reasoned with』 as many as possible there. I don’t know whether  you and me will fight together or oppose each other over there though.  But I want to make the game’s development to be as rational as  possible.」

「In other words, you also plan to return to Hyperborea huh.」

Godou let out a sigh. The Black Prince was this knowledgeable with  the situation, so he obviously had already visited that place.

In the end Alec easily asserted.

「Obviously. There won’t be another mythological world as interesting  as that. Even if no one else go there, I’ll absolutely go there again  even by myself.」

「Dammit. You intentionally brought such fishy story to me……」

Godou realized it even while cursing.

The mythological world Hyperborea, it would be extremely dangerous  for him to ignore it. It was irritating for him to get on Alexander  Gascoigne’s plan, but there was one thing here──

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Several months after his talk with Alec. Godou loitered to here and  there in the multiverse while searching for the route that connected to  the origin mythological world Hyperborea. He was doing this because it  would be annoying to ask the Black Prince himself. Also many times the  information that he grasped while searching like this could be useful  later on.

Fortunately, he was used to this kind of travel.

Godou gathered clues like stacking up several stones together, then  he finally succeeded in stepping into the land of Hyperborea.

「The sea is really vast……」

Godou muttered while standing on a steep cliff of a solitary island with vast ocean around it.

There was only ocean as far as his eyes could see. The most he could  see was a dot that might be an island at faraway, other than that there  was only seawater expanding as far as his sight could see.

There was only this kind of sight at Hyperborea.

He was already stayed in this world for around one week. Sometimes he  would also encountered local residents who lived a simple and primitive  life by hunting or picking food. Sometimes he would also get invited to  stay in their house, but although they had earthenware or stone tool,  he never saw any metal tool.

And then, the population density here was really low.

Godou who was standing on a steep cliff of the new island he visited muttered while staring at the sea.

「There isn’t even a single ship passing. There is also no sign of human living in this island.」

Godou had tried walking around for a bit before coming to this cliff.

He saw grassland, forest, and a stream. This island seemed abundant  in nature. Pretty flowers were blooming profusely here and there. He  also encountered some rabbits and deer. But, there wasn’t a single human  here.

「This world really has nothing but sea and island.」

Godou nodded. It was exactly like he heard from Alec.

Anyway he was at the phase of field survey right now. He already  found materials to form various inferences, but he had to search for  even more clues──

「Hm? Someone is coming over here?」

There was a black haired maiden walking toward him.

She had a sublime beauty. The garment she was wearing was just a  simple long fabric that was wrapped around her body, but just the aura  that was radiating from the woman was enough to decorate her appearance.

「Dear traveler, do you want a lump of gold!?」

The beautiful woman called out with a smile. Godou shook his head.

「I still have enough for my travel expenses. I’m grateful for your offer though.」

「Don’t say that. I want to give away my possession. Gold, jewels, I’ll give you anything you know?」

Gold. Jewels. Those words were very out of place from the primitive living of the locals who he had seen until now.

Most likely this woman was a resident from 『before the god’s rage  befell this world』……Godou made that conjecture while trying to refuse  her offer firmly even now.

「You’re very generous. But I don’t have anything to give back to you──」

「I won’t allow you to say that you have nothing.」

The beautiful woman suddenly glared coldly at him.

「Thief who murdered god and plundered the god’s divine authority from their corpse. That’s you and your ilk──the godslayer.」

「So you found out. But, you too are also a goddess right?」

Godou smiled wryly.

Actually strength had been overflowing in his heart and body since the moment he encountered this woman.

Campione’s body would naturally become like this when facing the  gods. It was in preparation for fighting the gods who were the mortal  enemy of Campione.

The black haired maiden smiled cruelly.

「Yes. I am the《Maiden of Water》. My husband is the《Warrior of Flame》.  And then, you are someone who is hiding a power of flame……. We husband  and wife wish to take that away……」

「Uoh!?」

Godou was surprised when the maiden suddenly slashed at him.

A long sword suddenly appeared in the maiden’s hand. The way she  handled the sword was also masterful. However, Godou blocked the  lightning fast slash without moving at all──.

*Giin!* There was the metallic sound of blade clashing with blade.

He summoned the divine sword Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi at midair and deflected the maiden’s sword.

It was the second authority in Kusanagi Godou’s possession. In Japan  this sword was counted as one of the three sacred treasures.

「That’s dangerous!」

「To be able to deflect my sword, it seems to be a famous divine sword……」

Godou yelled angrily. The maiden glared at Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi.

While it was a national treasure level of divine sword, its blade was  ominously jet black. Its blade loosely curved and closely resembled a  Japanese katana. That was because its shape imitated the ancient  Warabitetou, a type of iron sword with curved pommel from Nara period  that was the prototype of Japanese katana.

And then the Maiden of Water muttered a shocking sentence.

「I see……your name is Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi.」

「How do you know the name of my sword!?」

Godou was astonished. The maiden chuckled seeing that.

「My husband is a dragonslaying hero and a god of sword. As his  spouse, it’s only natural that I too excelled in handling divine sword  isn’t it?」

「Uwah. Lady, you’re that type of god huh.」

Godou grumbled.

Since the past he often encountered with sword gods who possessed  deep bond with divine sword──the war gods of the steel. That bunch and  Campione had been mortal enemy with each other since they very old  ancient time.

The sword gods sometimes would have symbiosis relationship with goddess of water.

The goddesses were the one who raised and protected the sword gods,  then the goddesses would grant the sword gods with immortal body or  magic sword. It looked like this Hyperborea was also the same.

Furthermore the goddess whispered, while her hand was held out toward Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi.

「Now, you mustn’t stay at the hand of the like of godslayer. Come to me──」

「What!?」

Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi floated on air.

The divine sword that should be called as Godou’s partner was sucked  toward the Maiden of Water. It settled on her beautiful hand.

Godou muttered in astonishment.

「Ama no Murakumo is taken away……?」

「Godslayer-dono, I can see it. The ten spirits residing in your body.  A soaring wind, a strong bull, a ferocious boar, a king of bird──and  most importantly, a white stallion carrying the shining sun! Hand them  over for the sake of my husband!」

The goddess pointed the tip of Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi to Godou.

Godou immediately felt the sensation of a part of his body feeling  like it would be torn off. He had felt this before. He received a  similar attack from Goddess Circe at a solitary island in the southern  sea more than ten years ago.

At that time, seventy percent of Godou’s first authority was stolen away──.

「So you’re planning to take away my authority thoroughly……」

「Yes. Prepare yourself, godslayer!」

「No. The best move here is to run away!」

Luckily his location was on a steep cliff.

Godou leaped to the air in order to get away. He jumped down from the steep cliff.

*Splash!* He hit the water after a dive of more than 20 meters.

The tough body of Campione wouldn’t hurt just from this much. Godou  calmly moved his limbs and began to swim while wearing clothes.

The Maiden of Water’s voice came down from above the cliff.

「Where are you going, godslayer!?」

「I’m temporarily retreating because the opponent is someone troublesome like you lady. I’ll lend you that sword for a while!」

「Damn you!」

Godou listened to the maiden cursing while swimming toward the open sea.

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「As expected from a godslaying beast, he is quick to escape……」

The Maiden of Water spoke with trembling lips from above the steep cliff.

She was greatly angry from letting her prey got away. Furthermore she  also felt from the bottom of the ground──a horribly fierce growl  welling up.

The maiden switched mood from the excitement of battle to whisper with a kind voice.

「Calm down dear. That beast also said it just now. He will come here  again on his own. Let’s harden the island’s defense until that time  come. It will be better if we can also get a skilled guard from  somewhere……」

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Part 2

The ocean of Hyperborea generally had beautiful ultramarine color.

But, the sea water around here was cloudy. There were turquoise  colored seaweeds and white bubbles floating here and there. Was this a  place with over nutrition?

Although it was a bit curious, Rokuhara Ren immediately took off his mind from it. There was a more important matter.

They had just ride a ship for a whole day before they finally  discovered a small island and landed there. The yacht of Ren and co was a  quality vehicle that moved using magic. It also had convenient  appliances like refrigerator and so on.

That was why, he spoke to the silver haired beautiful princess nestling close beside him.

「Let’s gather water and food in this island too. Help me out Cassandra.」

「Yes Ren-sama!」

The princess of Troia’s royal family, Cassandra replied in high spirits.

She was the same person with the woman who appeared in the famous  Greek mythology『Horse of Troy』. She was extraordinarily beautiful and  possessed the spiritual power of prophecy.

However, she was also cursed so that no one would believe her prophecy──.

Also, Rokuhara Ren was a Japanese who came from 21th century earth.

The two should have never met. However, Ren was also a traveler who  went around mythological worlds here and there. He had also gone to the  world of Norse mythology and Japanese mythology. His meeting with  Cassandra naturally happened at the world of Greek mythology where they  became travelling comrade due to fate.

And then, their other comrade──

「H~m. As I thought, freedom is great even in this strange world that only has sea isn’t it–!」

She subtly dissed this world Hyperborea while stretching.

Toba Riona. She was a female high schooler who was also from Japan like Ren.

She wore the blazer of her school uniform. She was an intellectual  beauty, but she wasn’t ordinary even more than her appearance suggested.  She was a partner that Ren overly relied on in his travels through the  sanctuaries.

Riona felt the sea breeze on her skin and narrowed her eyes.

But, she seemed to recall something and muttered absent-mindedly.

「But……sometimes there are strange things drifting in the sea.」

「Yeah, that. Those things seems to be the corpses of cow and the like.」

Ren immediately responded. Riona was taken aback「Corpse!?」.

Cassandra who was watching their exchange with a smile also cheerfully told.

「Just now I happened to see『something like a flabby lump of meat』.」

「To think that such things are floating in the sea, Hyperborea is  really a strange place……. Well, but, this freedom after so long is the  best!」

Riona lifted up both her arms and went banzai while glorifying in her freedom.

It couldn’t be helped that she acted like this. She was imprisoned in  a “certain place” until just several days ago. By a traveler of  sanctuary who was just like Ren and who also happened to be a great  magician.

The person’s name was Luo Cuilian. Her other name was sect founder Luo Hao──.

She was also a walking calamity who murdered god and plundered god’s authority.

「But Riona-sama is recognized by a great magician who is without  compare in the world and taken as her personal disciple though……」

Cassandra’s question angered Riona.

「I wasn’t a live-in disciple but a victim of abduction and  confinement-. That wasn’t teaching but abuse! Furthermore that cursed  fiancée-sama over there, he left me there like a hostage while quickly  escaping by himself……!」

That’s right. Ren and Riona were engaged with each other.

They got into engagement that was on paper only because their  interests happened to match each other and it was convenient for them to  get into such arrangement.

「Well, I left behind my little sister at the place of my honorable master. She can become a substitute for me.」

Ren turned his gaze from his grumbling fiancée to the prophet of Troia.

「Cassandra, you think it’s here? The gate that is connected to our earth……」

「Yes. the space distortion that everyone mentioned. I feel its presence here.」

「It makes me want to believe when it’s said by the number one prophet of Greek mythology.」

The prophecy of Princess Cassandra wouldn’t be believed by anyone.

That was the form of her curse that was also depicted in the  mythology. However, Rokuhara Ren was an exception because of a reason.  Also the curse’s effect to Riona would also weaken if she heard the  prophecy through Ren.

Actually the three of them were currently looking for a route that could bring them back to『Ren and Riona’s earth』.

「Stella, show yourself a little.」

「……What do you want, Ren?」

Ren and others who had just landed on the island were still at the sandy beach.

On that white sand──a small goddess popped into existence. Her height  was only around 30 cm, however her body proportion was dynamite and  seductive.

She was an adorable small beauty with baby face. The name of Stella was a temporary name to hide her identity.

「I have a request that need your ability as the goddess of love  Aphrodite. Try summoning someone who looks like can give us  information.」

Ren crouched and joined his hands together in front of Stella in a begging posture.

Yes, the girl was formerly a goddess although she was now small like  this. She was an owner of an extraordinary power. If for example there  was a god or fairy with good compatibility with her nearby, she could  call them to her──.

That authority was called as《The Circle of Friendship》 by Ren and co.

Also, Rokuhara Ren and her were『partner』 who were one in mind and body. Ren continued.

「Though this island look uninhabited, so there might not be anyone here.」

「If that’s what you think, stop making this kind of useless suggestion.」

Stella replied curtly with a standoffish composed face.

「It’s just as you say Ren, this island is dreary, it’s remote, it  smell like the sticks, there isn’t a shred of elegance to it or anything  else. There is no way that this place will have a god with good  compatibility──」

*Za-. Za-. Za-. Za-.*

There was the sound of footsteps that were stepping on the sandy beach.

When they looked there, there was a black haired maiden approaching.  She was very pretty, slender, and yet her footsteps were strangely firm.

「……You said that there is no way this place has a god who is  compatible with you isn’t it, foreign Mrs. Goddess. I agree with you. I  don’t feel like I’ll be able to get along with an ill-mannered person  like you at all.」

「My. What a beautiful lady!」

「Looks like this island isn’t uninhabited, Stella.」

Cassandra reacted to the appearance of the beautiful woman who  obviously wasn’t someone normal with a praise, while Riona threw a  sarcastic sentence to the small goddess.

Stella herself only snorted「Hmph」 while arrogantly folding her arms.

While she only had minimum physique that didn’t reach 30 cm tall, she  sent a condescending gaze to the beautiful woman and stared  appraisingly to her without holding back.

「Look at her bird girl. That stuck-up face. There is no doubt that  she is a just a misunderstanding goddess at best with the way she is so  full of pride with only a beauty of that level in this cramped small  island in the middle of nowhere while acting like a queen. She isn’t  someone who the queen of Cyprus, Aphrodite need to pay any attention  to.」

She said such scathing words over her shoulder. In respond, the strong-willed looking goddess also spoke snidely.

「It’s you whose disgusting nature is radiating from your face you know?」

「What did you say!?」

Their relationship suddenly worsened. However this was within the calculation. Ren quickly took action.

「Miss-! It must be some kind of fate at work that allow us to meet here, please forgive the rudeness of my companion!」

Ren slid between both the goddesses with his head first toward the sandy beach──

It was a smooth sliding dogeza. Ren’s favorite trick. There wasn’t  any waste in his movement from how often he repeated this move.

The face of the island’s goddess became dumbfounded and she got her  wind taken out of her sail. Cassandra’s expression turned into a smile.

「As expected from Ren-sama! Truly a magnificent dogeza!」

「Certainly there is nobody else but Rokuhara-san who can perform a dogeza this beautiful with such smooth motion……」

Riona was extremely calm. And then Stella got angry.

「Oi Ren, don’t kneel to this kind of woman!」

「It’s alright. We can finally meet with the resident of this island.  That’s right miss, we are searching for a gate that connect to a world  called earth……」

「Geez. There is no way that stuck-up woman will answer!」

「I have an idea about what you’re looking for.」

The island’s goddess interrupted the dialogue between Ren and his partner.

「I also won’t mind to allow you to use it you know?」

「Really? Then please. It looks like the destruction of earth is going  to begin soon. We have to quickly return and prevent it from  happening.」

That offer was a godsend, so Ren immediately responded.

Actually Ren and co, even though they had been joking around like  this, they were travelling through mythological worlds with the great  cause of『preventing the destruction of earth』.

The goddess who shouldn’t know about the circumstance nodded magnanimously.

「Very well. I shall forget the rudeness of this small goddess and  help you. In exchange, I also ask you to lend your assistance to us  husband and wife.」

「Miss, or ma’am, you are married?」

「Yes. I am the Maiden of Water. My husband is the Warrior of Flame.  But my husband is severely wounded and he is unable to walk around  outside. And yet, there is a “pirate” who is aiming at us husband and  wife──」

The island’s goddess aka Maiden of Water said. Ren pondered about the pirate she mentioned.

「So we need to guard you and your husband? Of course it’s alright but, I wonder if we will be able to answer your expectation.」

「My, how humble.」

「My only good point is how fast I am in running away you see.」

「But, you are a godslayer……. It’s pointless even if you play stupid. I  understand you know. You are one of the warriors who murdered god and  usurped their divine authority.」

Ren was taken aback by what the Maiden of Water pointed out.

Nervousness also ran through his comrades. Especially Stella, she was  glaring at the Maiden of Water with harsh expression that fully  displayed her vigilance.

Stella aka Goddess Aphrodite. She was actually the second god who Ren killed.

But, her soul and authority fused with Rokuhara Ren’s flesh. And like  this she manifested in the form of small goddess like this as a part of  Ren.

By taking in her inside him, Ren got endowed with a certain quality.

Even when he faced the gods, they were unable to see through his  identity as godslayer. This was a trait that his other fellow godslayer  didn’t have. And yet, Ren’s true identity was easily exposed here. It  seemed the Maiden of Water had very good instinct.

Ren stopped trying to play stupid and spoke brightly.

「Amazing, you’re spot on. Is that why you want to rely on me ma’am?」

「Yes. Actually this pirate who is targeting us husband and wife──is also a godslayer.」

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Thus several hours passed since their encounter with the Maiden of Water.

Ren and co were staring at the ocean of Hyperborea from the island’s beach.

「He is coming, the rumored pirate. He is currently approaching the island from the sea.」

「But Riona-sama. He is a bit different from the image in my mind. The  ship he is on is really small, and he also has a kind look……」

Riona and Cassandra were conversing.

Certainly the rowing boat that the『pirate』 was slowly rowing was about the same size that could be rented at Chidorigafuchi.

He also didn’t bring even a single henchman with him and came here  alone. He was also looking really young, perhaps he was at his late  twenty.

「Black hair and black eyes. He is strikingly similar with the Asian people at earth──」

Riona was also muttering in surprise.

「He is an agreeable looking youth who won’t look out of place even if he work as café owner at Kiyosumi Shirakawa.」

「But, there are people whose inside is completely the opposite with their outside.」

「The persuasiveness of that argument is staggering when it’s Rokuhara-san saying that……」

「Ah. He finally landed!」

While the three were talking, the black haired pirate youth quickly got down from his boat.

Then without pause, he walked straight toward Ren and co with light  footsteps like he was only entering a friend’s house. In addition,

「Yo. Could it be you guys are planning to get in my way?」

The first sentence that the black haired youth was also sounding really carefree.

On top of that his words just now──Riona’s finger pressed on her forehead. She was impressed.

「That’s a super fluent Japanese language just now……」

「That means, are you perhaps from Japan?」

The black haired brethren of Ren easily nodded at Ren’s question.

「Correct. It’ll be too long to explain so I’ll omit it but, a lot of  things happened and I ended up traveling other worlds and mythological  worlds.」

「You omit too much!」

「But it really will be too long if I talk in detail. It’s troublesome.」

The youth also lightly warded off Riona’s retort.

It seemed he was really experienced with conflict. He acted relaxed  and natural as “himself” no matter what he faced. Ren felt an affinity  with him. This person seemed to be very casual. And most of all.

Japanese – godslayer – traveler of sanctuary.

He couldn’t believe that he would meet with someone who had such similar profile like him in this kind of place!

「It must be troublesome for you guys too that you have to obstruct or hold me back like this, right? So let me pass.」

「Too bad, we can’t do that.」

「The island’s owner made a request to us. She wants us to fight you, and if possible capture you.」

Ren refused with a light tone, while Cassandra politely explained further.

Then the black haired youth looked up to the sky and muttered seriously.

「That lady, she got herself some strange helpers.」

「By the way, my fiancée and goshujin-sama Rokuhara Ren──this person is also the same like you, a godslayer.」

Riona pulled herself together and provoked the youth. The youth’s eyes widened when he heard her words.

「The same like me? That man over there is?」

「Yes. You will regret it if you underestimate him.」

The youth finally stared hard to Rokuhara Ren.

Ren’s hair color was quite bright, and his face was often praised by  women that he looked like a prince. He was very good at using his body  in boxing and dance, and most of all was his lighthearted attitude──.

The black haired youth stared fixedly at that Ren before he murmured.

「That guy only looks like a really shallow young man but, if he is really my 『colleague』 then……I got to revise my plan.」

The youth’s wording was concerning. Ren asked him.

「What kind of revision?」

「Like playing my 『ace』 right from the start for example──」

Right after that.

The sea behind the youth suddenly burst.

A terrifyingly large something smashed out of the turquoise colored sea surface!

「The lord hath spoken. Bring down the judgment to the criminal. Break  his back, and gouge out his bone, hair, and brain──. O sharply  approaching one, hand down the iron hammer to punish the oath breaking  sinner!」

A soul-stirring roar overlapped over the words of power that the youth chanted.

.

──OOOOOOOOOoooooooooooNn!

.

The air shook just from that loud sound. Even the ground was quavering.

The roaring something had a gigantic body that was more than 20  meters long. And yet it displayed a great jump that made its body flew  out from the sea until the sky.

The brawny giant body that was rising steeply with a fierce speed like a rocket looked like──

「A 『beast』 came out from the sea! Is that a boar!?」

It was just as Cassandra yelled.

The beast that leaped out to the sky was clad in jet black fur. Its  shape was exactly that of a boar. Ren also yelled while being taken  aback.

「It’s super big! He suddenly started by summoning a monster!」

「What he did is really flashy even though he got a plain face!」

Riona was burning with fighting spirit. Ren whispered to the prophet of Troia.

「Cassandra, quickly run away. Riona and me will deal with this somehow.」

「Yes-」

Cassandra’s physical capability was really good despite her calm and gentle bearing.

She was running away with springy movement. When she had taken enough  distance, the giant boar finally landed on the ground while causing a  tremor *ZUZUuuuNN!*.

「Now! Let’s have a little match shall we, kouhaijunior!」

The black haired and plain faced and agreeable looking godslayer youth declared so while grinning.

.

Part 3

Godou had a carrier of more than ten years as godslayer, as Campione.

That was why he had also gotten used to a battle against his  “brethren”. However, this was his first time meeting a Campione who was a  Japanese person from the same generation like him.

(This guy probably came from a parallel world somewhere. To think I have this kind of kouhai.)

It had been said that Kusanagi Godou was the youngest Campione even until now.

After meeting with this “shallow looking young man” who was younger  than even him──perhaps around 20 years old, Godou suddenly came to a  realization.

It’s not a bad feeling to have a kouhai huh. 

In the first place Kusanagi Godou was a sports-minded person who was completely absorbed in baseball until his middle school.

He was used to the hierarchical relationship of senpai-kouhai. He  grew older and now he faced a group that was clearly younger than him.  It made him had a bit of fun.

(Perhaps I should give them a bit of scare?)

He summoned the Boar following his sudden impulse.

Perhaps Godou’s emotional uplift was also transmitted to the Boar.  The jet black giant beast was snorting in great excitement while  scraping the beach with its nose and tusks──

In addition it threw down its torso and rolled around *roll roll* on the ground.

It would be a cute scene if it was a dog doing that, but a giant  monster sized boar was doing it, so the ground was shaking as though  there was earthquake. And then, seeing that irregular movement of the  giant body that they didn’t know when it would roll their way, the  expression of the 『godslayer kouhai』 and the 『mysterious female high  school student』 was cramped.

.

ooooOOOOOOOOOOOO────NNNN!

.

The Boar suddenly stopped rolling and stood up to howl to the sky.

It seemed that it was getting too high-tensioned. Godou calmed it down with a wry smile.

「I get it, I get it. You can wreck this island as you please so go  and rampage. Those guys who are on my way will also take you on.」

「You are planning to crush us together with the island using that boar!?」

The female high school student who was wearing a blazer was dumbfounded. Godou winked at her.

「That guy is willful you see. It won’t listen to me unless I let him destroy something huge.」

ooooOOOOOOoooooooNNN!

The Boar finally started dashing in full speed toward the direction where Godou and his juniors were at.

Its ferocious gaze was turned toward──

「Uwah! It’s rushing at me!」

The shallow looking man whose name seemed to be Rokuhara Ren. He was taken aback while starting to break into a run.

He was quiet, no, he was really quick on his feet. But the Boar’s  stride and speed were too much. He would be overtaken immediately and  crushed underfoot. But just before that happened.

His godslayer kouhai vanished *shuh*.

The Boar ran past the spot where the kouhai was originally at without stopping with explosive footsteps *DODODO*.

「Eh? That shallow looking guy is gone.」

「My goshujin-sama is fast when running away! I also can’t lose!」

The blazer girl spoke sharply in front of the murmuring Godou.

The girl was immediately enveloped in crimson flame all over her  body. As expected, this girl was also a magician or a spiritualist.

「Do you think that I’m just a beautiful girl?」

「At least you look like a Japanese high school girl to me. You are wearing school uniform after all.」

「That’s not all. This Toba Riona-sama is the reincarnation of the  sacred bird Yatagarasu──the 『bird of fire』 that is the pride of Japanese  mythology!」

Miss Riona shouted haughtily. Her slender body swelled up.

Astonishingly she transformed into a three legged sacred bird that  soared to the sky while radiating golden light. It had a size that  wasn’t inferior to the Boar.

「So you can transform into a bird of fire!」

Was she in sacred beast class? No, Godou felt a potential from her that might rival even god.

The girl’s voice came down from above the surprised Godou.

「No matter what kind of huge monster it is, a boar that can’t fly  won’t be able to win against the bird of fire! ──This lowly self wish to  reverently state in the presence of Sume-Mikami……by the means of the  burning flame and my malediction, purify and exorcise──」

It was a chanting of words of power.

The Boar’s huge brawny body was instantly enveloped in roaring flame.

「How’s that, this is the secret words of fire and sun!」

The triumphant Yatagarasu looked down on the Boar who was writhing within the scorching flame.

.

OOOOOOoooooooooooNN-!?

.

That roar must be like when human was crying and screaming. Godou grumbled.

「Uwa. That fellow got turned into a lump of fire. That’s really a big flame……」

「That’s Riona’s sure kill technique. Amazing right?」

Before he realized it, 『the shallow looking man who should have vanished』 was at his side laughing.

Rokuhara Ren. On the contrary of his appearance, this guy was also a  godslaying beast as expected. He was hiding his claws as a Campione.  Godou smiled wryly.

「I thought you run away. You are also fast when returning back huh.」

「My only good point is being fast you see. ──Mister, it doesn’t feel  pleasant to watch this kind of animal cruelty even though it’s happening  to a monster. It will be great if you can surrender.」

「Oi oi. The match has still just started.」

Godou gradually enjoyed himself even more. His lips distorted into a ferocious shape.

He was smiling. And then in respond to his worked up fighting spirit,  the burning Boar also roared. That roaring voice was also mixed with a  strange high-pitched sound *KIIIIIIIIN!* in it.

.

──OOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooNN!

.

Rokuhara Ren and the gliding Yatagarasu=Miss Riona were astonished by the result of it.

「Eh!? The fire on the boar got completely blown away!」

「The flame of Yatagarasu is erased with just a roar!?」

The Boar directed the roar that was transformed into ultrasonic waves  to itself, blowing away the flame. Godou boasted when he was the  astonishment of his juniors.

「That guy is really skillful even though he is that huge. Also, I also have this kind of hidden talent.」

Godou pointed his opened right hand toward the huge body of Yatagarasu in the sky.

And then he clenched his hand into a fist. It was as though he was  tightly holding the golden sacred bird. Then, wind immediately started  to blow.

*Byuu byuu. Byuu byuu.*

The raging wind became a『shadow』 of a huge human shape. It clung on Yatagarasu!

「──Once upon a time, there was a monkey named Hanuman in India. That  guy is a son of a wind god and can fly freely in the sky. He can even  fly to the sun to try eating it.」

「KYAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?」

Godou chanted his words of power as though he was speaking about a folk tale. Riona who transformed into Yatagarasu shrieked.

And then, the radiant figure of the sacred bird vanished from the air. Rokuhara Ren muttered in astonishment.

「A black human shape……swallowed Riona?」

「Too bad. It’s not human but monkey. It’s a monkey god-sama who is  like King Kong. I won against that guy and obtained the authority of  Hanuman.」

「It can swallow the bird of fire just like it eat the sun!?」

「Yeah. The『firebird girl』 is my hostage right now. If I take care of you next, then all the obstacles will be removed──」

Godou finally faced his godslayer junior one on one.

But, energetic footsteps *DODODODODODODODOH!* were approaching  without paying any attention to the exchange between the two. The Boar  was willfully charging toward them.

Of course, it was planning to crush Rokuhara Ren underfoot. However.

「──Please Nemesis. May the judgment of justice come here.」

Godou’s junior that had been talking and acting shallowly until now was chanting with perfect composure.

The Boar that was charging ferociously with a momentum that  pulverized everything that was standing on the ground was blown away  explosively. It flew backward as though it had collided hard with an  invisible wall.

Its jet black body floated in the air and drew a large arc before crashing.

.

──OOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooNN!?

.

Godou stared at wonderment hearing the scream of his alter ego.

The damage to the Boar was significant. The Boar was rolling around  on the sandy beach while writhing in pain. But, before long it stopped  moving and hung its head down while lying on the ground.

「Can you still go on?」

……oooooooooN.

Kusanagi Godou’s trump card responded powerlessly before it vanished.

Godou turned his gaze toward Rokuhara Ren once more. He noticed his  godslayer junior had his right hand’s index finger and middle finger  pressed on each other.

Was it a coincidence or was there a meaning in that gesture? Anyway Godou said this first.

「So you KO-ed a large monster boar like that with just one hit. I didn’t catch what you did at all just now.」

「Actually, it’s my signature move. Cross counter.」

「You hid an amazing trump card there. Really outrageous. Perhaps I shouldn’t exert myself too much here……」

「Eh?」

*Byuuuuuh!* A gust suddenly blew fiercely.

The silhouette standing by at the air──Hanuman’s shadow was called to  Godou. Godou’s body was carried to the air in front of the bewildered  Rokuhara Ren.

The『imitation Hanuman』 that was materialized as shadow had a huge body that rivaled King Kong.

Its two hands were enveloping Godou.

Below Godou, there was a steep cliff at the sandy beach. Two maidens were standing on the cliff.

Godou yelled a parting line at his junior who was looking taken aback on the ground.

「There is a fellow sneakily peeking to take a look when I show my  hands. I already secured a hostage for now, so I’ll come again later!」

「Wait wait!?」

「See ya!」

.

「My! The shadow that captured Riona-sama is carrying that person away!」

Cassandra who was watching the battle from above the cliff spoke in a daze.

The Maiden of Water was also right beside her. However, the words  that the beautiful goddess secretly murmured didn’t reach the ear of the  prophet of Troia.

「How shrewd of him to escape to the sky this time……. Next time I have  to drag out the『spirit of flame』 dwelling inside that person’s body no  matter what……」

.

Part 4

Godou was rowing a small boat through the ocean.

He negotiated with some locals in a certain small island in this  Hyperborea and exchanged things with them to obtain this boat. It had  wooden framework with tree barks laid on it to form a long and narrow  boat.

Godou was using oars to control the boat in the same way like driving canoe.

It had very primitive structure, showing the low level of Hyperborea’s civilization.

(Perhaps the civilization here is in the process of transitioning from stone tool culture to bronze ware culture.)

Also, he wasn’t alone on the boat.

There was a girl sitting on the opposite side of Godou. Even though  she was a captive, she was cocky without showing the slightest fear or  nervousness──.

「There is only sea as far as the eyes could see.」

The girl who introduced herself as Toba Riona whispered. Godou also shortly replied.

「There isn’t any land anywhere.」

「Let me ask this as reference. Do you have a stockpile of water and food?」

「Does it look like I have them? There is nothing loaded on this boat as you can see.」

「You were the one who took me captive, so please provide me with food  at minimum! Please treat me humanely in accordance to Geneva  Convention!」

Riona shouted angrily while insisting to be fed. She might be hungry right now.

She spoke true, so Godou agreed with her earnestly.

「Certainly I have to take care of such matter properly.」

「As I thought you are from earth. You understand what I mean by Geneva Convention……」

「Yeah. Let me say this so you don’t misunderstand, I am a pacifist. I also plan to treat you as courteously as possible.」

Yes. Kusanagi Godou was a pacifist.

It was his creed that he had since before he became Campione and even after he became one.

This girl was his guest even though she was a hostage. He wanted to  treat and entertain her politely. Godou spoke just now because he was  thinking like that. But.

Riona’s expression became a mix of distrust and baffled that was blended into one.

「……Ha?」

She said that. Godou tilted his head.

「You’re making a really strange face there, what’s wrong?」

「No. I thought I heard an outlaw who is the furthest away from being a  pacifist in this universe was babbling about『Love & Peace!』 just  now.」

「Love and peace, those are important things.」

「I can’t believe you said that after rampaging so violently like that!」

「You’re really strong-willed even though you’re a captive. Though I don’t hate that kind of fellow.」

For some reason there were many『impertinent ruffian』 around Godou.

Godou himself also didn’t find it a hardship at all to deal with that  kind of people. Rather, he would even feel that something was lacking  when there wasn’t that kind of eccentric near him.

And so, it was unexpectedly amusing to converse with Riona.

「Oh!? Look over there!」

Godou pointed because something that couldn’t be overlooked was drifting nearby.

It was a drifting object that could only be encountered here in Hyperborea. Riona muttered.

「……Another cow corpse. Why is something like that floating at sea……?」

A cow with very outstanding physique was floating in the ultramarine colored sea while drifting away.

Its round and cute eyes moved just slightly. Godou searched around at the ship’s bottom for a knife.

「That thing is still not a corpse. It’s on the verge of death. Have  you only come to this world recently that you don’t know about  the『sacrificial beast』?」

「I got confined in a certain place before this and couldn’t really go outside.」

「I see. You can come across something like this frequently in this sea. ……Watch.」

Godou rowed the boat to approach the『cow』.

Godou swung down his knife on its thick neck and dealt the finishing blow──

「Yosh! Let’s get away quickly from here!」

「This is!?」

Riona was astonished while Godou was desperately rowing the boat.

That was because she witnessed how the corpse of the dead cow was  gradually bloating and became a small land. Furthermore flowers and  trees also grew and the expansion was also continuing──

An『island』 was born with a tremendous speed.

.

They disembarked on the freshly created small island and began to stroll.

Godou and Riona walked through the open field where flowers were  profusely blooming and now they were walking inside a forest filled with  broadleaf trees and abundant greenery.

Also, Riona was muttering with a grimace.

「……It seems I am tired. I saw a daydream of a corpse of cow whose neck was slit suddenly turning into island──」

「That wasn’t a dream. You are already on that island right now.」

「Please allow me to escape from reality! I’m shocked from the super  development of a cow corpse turning into an island without any  foreshadowing like that!」

Riona yelled ‘WAAAH’ loudly.

The forest was filled with the chirping of birds. Insect sounds were  also frequently audible. She caught sight of a pair of deer just now.  There were also snake and lizard crawling within the bushes…….

「──This island is full with flowers and trees even though not even  thirty minutes has passed since it was created. There is a forest, the  river is pretty, and it looks like there are a lot of birds and animals  too, just what’s going on!?」

Riona spoke further with a face that couldn’t accept what happened.

Godou grinned and commented calmly.

「Thanks to this we won’t be troubled with food. There should be a lot of medicinal herb too here if it follows the myth.」

「……Myth?」

「This place is mythological world. Another world that reproduced the  mythology that we mankind passed down. Naturally there should be an  original source this place is based on.」

Unlike in the past, the current Kusanagi Godou was also sufficiently knowledgeable about mythology.

Riona who was in the side of being lectured looked uncomprehending.

「This world is the Sanctuary Hyperborea. But you won’t find  Hyperborea mythology anywhere on earth. In the first place the meaning  of the word Hyperborea is『across the north wind』. It’s the name of a  land that appeared in Greek mythology.」

「Located in the north, it’s the birthplace of the sun god Apollo.」

Riona was far more knowledgeable about mythology than him when he was still at high school.

Godou was secretly impressed at how clever she was even though she  was still at this age while humming in affirmative. Then Riona  considered the matter even further.

「The utopia with abundant nature where people who worship the sun god  live──that’s the description of the place in Greek mythology. But this  Hyperborea only has sea and islands. It’s completely different.」

The intelligent girl was approaching the heart of the matter, so Godou easily said to her.

「But, this freshly made island is pleasant to live in right?」

「Eh?」

「My guess, human might be born after this and they will increase in number.」

「……So that’s how it is.」

Though for Godou this was still a theory that was in the opening stage of the discussion.

Riona’s eyes suddenly sparkled and she mumbled to herself. What she  was saying was sufficient to make a veteran Campione like him to be  struck in admiration.

「There is the『Giant of Beginning』 in the Norse mythology. ──In the  past, in a world where there was no land or sea, a giant died. The  corpse became a land, and the flowing out blood became a sea. From the  corpse of the giant was born plants and animals, and even gods and  mankind……. It’s a type of creation myth that is often found in the  cultural sphere of Indo-European language family.」

Riona solemnly recited the tale of ancient times.

She decisively chose the episode that really hit right at the core of  the matter. Godou didn’t interrupt her and attentively listened to the  girl’s monologue.

And then, from here Riona talked to the finish in one stroke. She formed her words unreservedly.

「If we trace back the mythologies with this pattern to even more  ancient era, it wouldn’t be a Giant of Beginning that died but  『animal』.」

「The primitive man of India mythology Purusha had a thousand heads  and a thousand legs, his figure really couldn’t be called as human at  all. At Persia mythology, the bull of the beginning gave birth to grains  and medicinal herbs and animals.」

「Sacrificial beast. A sacrifice to give birth to life.」

「Here in Hyperborea, with the death of the sacred cow at sea, land  would be born from its corpse and become an island. This is perhaps a  cycle that reenacted 『a creation myth of extremely ancient culture of  Indo-European language family』.」

「The sacrificial beast become the new land.」

「In other words 『creation of world』 is continuously being reenacted even if just in a small scale.」

Riona was rattling on and on with great vigor.

Godou gave her applause.

「You learned until that far just from few words from me. You are really smart!」

「I’m often told that.」

The girl replied with a smug expression at Godou’s heartfelt praise. Godou smiled wryly.

「Though it looks like you don’t know what modesty means.」

「That’s because I’m perfect even without that.」

「I can see that your personality is completely like a queen.」

「More importantly, I wonder why is there only sea in Hyperborea?」

「My acquaintance──a guy named Gascoigne has this conjecture. 『Most  likely it’s because it’s a world that has been destroyed by a great  flood once』 he said. The philosopher Plato wrote the story of Atlantis  that sunk from flood. The inspiration for that story was undoubtedly a  myth.」

「Norse mythology’s Ragnarok. Then there is the flood of Deucalion and Trojan War in Greek mythology.」

Riona immediately listed some concrete examples.

If it was Godou when he was still at high school and had only become a  Campione, he surely wouldn’t be able to keep up with this kind of talk.  However his current self was able to talk back and forth with this girl  of the same generation.

Godou smiled because Riona’s responsiveness felt comfortable.

「Noah’s ark. There is also something like that in the epic of Gilgamesh.」

「All of them are story of the world being destroyed because the god got angry and caused a great flood……」

「Yeah. But few such myths talked about the 『aftermath of the flood』.  This place is a world where rebirth and revival are repeated after  everything has been sunk into the sea.」

They finally reached the conclusion. Godou was satisfied.

No, the youth nowadays was really reliable. He felt happy for that.

……Perhaps, that was because he had children who he had been separated  from. It was unknown since when it started, but it made Godou really  happy when he watched young people and children growing up comfortably  and developing their natural talent.

Riona asked Godou who was being like that.

「By the way……is it alright if you tell me your name already?」

「Come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself huh. I’m Kusanagi  Godou. Actually I’m already a middle-aged man and a senior of you guys  by quite some years.」

.

Part 5

A few hours after the battle against a fellow godslayer who strangely looked like a very agreeable youth.

Rokuhara Ren and his two companions were welcoming the night.  Although they were still at the island of the Maiden of Water, they  weren’t at the beach where the battle happened but in the forest right  now.

「The day has turned into night. I hope Riona-sama is safe right now.」

Cassandra was worried. Ren winked at her and said.

「There is no need to worry for now. She seems quite energetic.」

「You know how Riona-sama is doing, Ren-sama!?」

「Riona and me are one in body and soul. After all she is my partner who is connected to me with god’s power.」

The third goddess who Ren defeated, Nike.

The winged subordinate god who served the goddess of wisdom and war  Athena. With the authority 《Contract of Wing》 that he usurped from her,  Ren made Riona who was the incarnation of the sacred bird Yatagarasu  into his retainer. Just like how that agreeable looking godslayer  employed the boar──.

Ren sensed the wellbeing of Riona through that bond and then he looked around.

He was walking at night through thick underbrush and trees.

Of course it was dark and the path should be really difficult to walk through. But, this forest was a strange place.

There was a path that cut through the forest. It seemed to be a path for human to walk on.

Furthermore there were watch fires lit up here and there along the  path. It was really easy to walk on even at the middle of night like  this.

The mini goddess-sama who was only 30 cm tall was sitting on the left  shoulder of the walking Ren. Stella was in a bad mood because of this  night outdoor activity. She spoke with a frown.

「By the way Ren. What are you planning to do inside this forest?」

「Won’t it be better to stay near the sea? That godslayer-sama will come attacking again.」

「Actually there is something that bother me. ──Oh, there is it again.」

Ren pointed at another watch fire. It was burning with crackling sound.

「This island has fire lighted up all over the place.」

「That stupid goddess who called herself Maiden of Water something,  she said that her husband is the Warrior of Fire. Perhaps these flames  are offering for that husband.」

As expected from a goddess. Stella easily taught him the answer. But.

「But you know. We……haven’t met that mister husband himself. It bothered me a bit. Why won’t he show himself?」

Ren was puzzled. Cassandra made a suggestion.

「How about asking his wife directly?」

「I think that lady won’t give us a clear answer. I have a feeling that person is hiding something.」

「Ren. Head over to the watch fire over there.」

Stella on his left shoulder suddenly pointed to the left.

There was a crossroad at the forest path ahead. Ren tried looking at  the left where Stella pointed instead of keeping going straight.

「Oh, there are also fires lighted up over there. As expected there  are a lot of them ahead of there. They are placed in interval from each  other──it looks like a path of flame.」

「It’s exactly like that.」

Stella spoke unusually solemnly. It seemed her spiritual sense as a goddess was at work.

Ren focused to listen the sacred oracle that was spoken into his ear.

「If those fires are offering to the Warrior of Flame, the path that  is decorated with the blazing flames is a guidepost to reach his  sanctuary.」

In that case, they had to move with haste.

Ren and others walked through the forest path hastily arrived to a cliff at the end of the path.

「A dead end……or not.」

There was a hole at a corner of the scraggy cliff.

It was a café. Ren walked ahead with Stella on his shoulder. While  Cassandra was following right behind him. The inside wasn’t wrapped in  pitch black darkness.

*Bou!*

Inside the cave, the torches that were placed inside some jars  suddenly caught fire and burned, becoming watch fires. There were around  ten or twenty of them.

The cave’s space needed that many to illuminate it.

There were pictures drawn on the rock surface. They were illuminated by the many lightings──

Cassandra was in admiration.

「My. There are various 『pictures』 drawn here.」

「There are a lot of mural of animals like cow or horse──it’s like the  cave of Altamira that I went for sightseeing in the past. Is the  biggest picture there a snake?」

Ren muttered in front of the mural.

The cave of Altamira located at the northern part of Spain. It was a  world heritage that was famous with its animal painting that was drawn  at the Old Stone Age. Ren once saw its replica in the local museum.

But the mural of this island had 『a certain animal picture』 that Altamira didn’t have.

It was a snake that was drawn larger than the rest of the mural. Or  perhaps it was a lizard with long tail──it was the small goddess Stella  who saw through its model.

「It’s a portrait of dragon. These animals depicted 『the prey of the warrior』.」

「Warrior?」

「Look deeper inside. That’s a warrior’s gravestone.」

Deep inside the cave where Stella was pointing at, there was something thrust into the ground.

It seemed to be a piece of black stick stabbed into the ground.  Furthermore, several earthen jars were placed around it in a circle.

「I wonder what is that black stick?」

「It seems to be a rusty sword. I don’t really understand what are the jars around it though……」

As expected from Cassandra, a princess from military royal family. She immediately noticed the true identity of the stick.

「One, two, three……there are eight jars.」

Ren counted. Then Stella murmured.

「Perhaps they are funerary urns or caskets. They belong to that stupid goddess’s husband──」

「You’re saying that lady’s husband is dead!?」

「……Yes. My husband Vahagn was torn apart and died.」

「Goddess-sama!」

Cassandra turned around in shock.

The Maiden of Water was behind Ren and co without them realizing it.  The beautiful black haired goddess started talking with a sad voice.

「When the divine punishment of flood assaulted the land and sunk the  world into the sea──. My husband fought the Dragon of Water and he was  torn to pieces. ……But there is a prophecy. If Vahagn obtain the power of  fire one day, he will revive as the Warrior of Flame──」

「I think I have heard a similar story recently……」

「The trial of death and the revival of hero! The husband of that stupid woman is the same kind like the sun god Apollo!」

Stella yelled at the puzzled Ren.

Yes. The reason why they came to the mythological world Hyperborea.  They chased after Apollo who was famous as the sun god of Greek  mythology.

He took away the prophet Cassandra to Hyperborea that was his birthplace.

After going home, Apollo was killed by a dragon. However, he revived  as an even stronger 《god of fire》and had a showdown with Rokuhara Ren.

A sacred being, one with power would obtain new power and attribute by going through death and rebirth.

It was an event that frequently occurred in Hyperborea. The one who  told them that was Riona’s master and also a godslayer, the great  magician La Cuilian…….

The Maiden of Water spoke further in front of Ren who caught on the situation.

「Actually, that other godslayer──that pirate is hiding a spirit of  fire inside him. I planned to snatch that away no matter what and offer  it to my husband but……. But today, I found an even better prey.」

The Maiden of Water smiled extremely cruelly.

「──The girl who was taken away by that cursed pirate, she is an  incarnation of a bird of fire isn’t she? It was careless of me to not  realize that. But, now that I have noticed I won’t let her get away from  my grasp.」

「Uwah. Could it be that you’re talking about Riona!?」

「My husband Vahagn, right now is the time for you to revive with my life as your nourishment!」

The goddess didn’t look at Ren anymore and yelled.

A long sword immediately flew out from empty air. Its tip stabbed into the Maiden of Water’s chest and fresh blood scattered.

Instantly the jars surrounding the rusty sword all cracked and broke.

Then 『human body』 flew out from the eight jars. There were limbs, head, chest, stomach, and hips of a strong warrior.

Each part was sucked toward the body of the goddess who was stabbed by a sword──.

At the next moment, standing there was already a naked handsome young  man. He had splendid blond curly hair and beard of the same color.

Stella whispered gloomily.

「From the jars two arms, two legs, head, torso──the body parts that  were torn apart flew out and became one with the stupid goddess who  committed suicide……. This is bad Ren. It looks like this spouse revive  the husband’s wife forcefully by combining themselves.」

「My! She took the form of a warrior!」

「His name is Vahagn is it? I can’t believe that this kind of “Helping  Hands” is possible.」(TN: A performance where one person wears a haori  on their shoulders while another person behind them puts their arms  through the sleeves of the haori and feeds the person in front)

The revival was completed despite Cassandra’s astonishment and Ren’s grumble.

The naked body of the handsome young man was suddenly covered with bronze armor.

His hand was holding a magnificent long sword. For some reason the  blade of the sword was similar with katana that had a gentle curve.  However it was ominously jet black──. It was a sword that looked like it  had extraordinary history.

Vahagn lifted up this black sword to the sky.

「GUAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

Great amount of electricity was radiated from the youthful god’s body. Right after that.

He flew toward the cave’s exit with his body clad in lightning. His  speed was truly lightning fast. *DOOOONN!* A roaring sound that was like  thunderclap reverberated.

「He went out from the cave……」

「Ren-sama! I can see the future right now! Something dangerous will happen to Riona-sama soon──!」

「Of course it will be like that.」

Ren muttered after hearing Cassandra’s prophecy. They had to go to the rescue as fast as possible, his partner was in danger!

.

Part 6

At the island with abundant nature that had just been born.

Godou made an effort to gather food for a while there. He picked  edible looking wild grasses and fruits, then he caught insect and used  it to fish.

He also made his 『hostage』 to help out even though it made her complained on and on. Then they finally reached a stopping point.

Godou sat on a random place at the beach and called out to the girl with him.

「We have secured foods. Let’s have barbeque in this beach.」

「Ah, let me declare this so you don’t have any weird expectation from  me. No matter what kind of situation it is, I’m completely an 『eating  specialist』 till the end.」

Even though she was a captive, Toba Riona still operated as usual.

Godou smiled wryly at her haughty words while reaching out toward the ingredients.

「I thought that’s the case, your majesty──what’s that sound?」

It felt like there was suddenly a sound of thunder from afar.

Then right after that, *DOON!* lighting fell at very nearby. A flash  of lightning descended and struck the ground that was just ten-odd  meters away from them.

Furthermore, that lightning had the shape of a 『young man』.

The young man was a burly good-looking man. He looked really wild  thanks to the beard covering the lower part of his face. He was wearing a  bronze armor and holding a black iron sword.

That weapon was especially familiar to Godou──Riona yelled.

「A sword wielding warrior fell from the sky!」

「That’s Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi! That goddess seized that from me.  So this guy must be the rumored husband, the Warrior of Flame!」

「But, despite his title he isn’t on fire at all──kyaaaaaah!?」

Riona’s body suddenly floated and got sucked.

She flew toward the bearded youth. And then she was absorbed and  fused. The instant the girl Riona was absorbed, the Warrior of Flame  caught fire.

His blond hair and beard radiated blazing flame and his eyes were also shining.

「GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

It seemed to feel exaltation from catching fire like that. The Warrior of Flame raised a simple roar.

It seemed he wasn’t a talkative type. He must be a type of war god  who specialized in combat. It was a common tendency for sword god  variety.

Godou appraised the enemy while muttering.

「Bird of fire──in other words a 『spirit of fire』. He started to burn  by absorbing that. His eyes are also shining dazzlingly like sun……could  it be, this guy’s name is──」

「GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

He roared again. The warrior was finally fully enveloped in crimson flame.

And then he pointed Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi to Godou. The  treasured sword of Japan that the Maiden of Water snatched from its  original owner.

「So this is the revival of the Warrior of Flame. But calm down. There is no need to point sword at me right?」

「GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

The warrior’s fighting spirit didn’t settle down even when Godoy calmly tried to pacify him.

Godou shrugged. This was a line that he didn’t want to say as a pacifist but──

「So you can’t be talked with. Do it Hanuman!」

Authority Hanuman’s Shadow.

His strongest archenemy, the hero of devil king extermination and a great hero of India mythology, Rama.

The war god who served as his confidant was none other than Hanuman.  There was also theory that this monkey god had influenced how the legend  of Sun Wukong was passed down. The authority that was stolen from him  now produced the silhouette of a huge monkey──

It swallowed the blazing Warrior of Flame whole!

And then the silhouette leaped right away into the ultramarine colored ocean.

「Well done dragging him into the sea. As expected from Hanuman.」

Hanuman was the second in command serving Kusanagi Godou’s archenemy in the past.

He was a faithful and wise god from the start, but even after he was  turned into Godou’s authority, he was still clever and helpful with  various things.

「Yosh. Let’s cool down that guy’s head and flame with sea water──hm?」

Godou’s eyes widened.

Water vapor was rising up thickly from the sea surface around the  spot where Hanuman sank. That sight was like an occurrence of thick  mist.

He could only think of one thing that could be the source of this evaporating sea right before his eyes.

「That must be the work of the Warrior of Flame. Is he planning to  evaporate the whole sea here by using his flame in full power? Even  Hanuman isn’t going to last long like this.」

「Oh, there you are!」

There was a familiar voice while Godou was grumbling.

Godou looked toward the voice in surprise. There Rokuhara Ren was running toward him like it was only natural.

「It’s you huh kouhai! How did you come here?」

「I have a yacht──a magical ship that was given to me. It can go  forward to the direction I want it to go to with amazing speed. The wind  is also helping, thanks to that I can arrive here quickly.」

Rokuhara Ren exposed his trick, then he smiled mischievously.

He was overflowing with playfulness and friendliness. He was just  like Salvatore Doni, but Godou couldn’t feel any kind of madness like  what the King of Sword was hiding within him.

He didn’t hide both his surface personality or the inside of his heart and laid bare his true self unguardedly──.

Godou was drawn by Rokuhara Ren’s casualness and reflexively said this.

「You got a nice thing……. Even though my boat is just a rowing boat.」

「My special skill is to borrow and receive things from various people.」

「You seems like you really have a knack for that.」

「Riona and me are one in body and soul, so I can feel her general  whereabouts. And so senpai, about that girl who is my partner──was she  absorbed by the mister Warrior of Flame?」

Rokuhara Ren was staring at the bubbling and evaporating sea.

He didn’t boast when saying that he was one in body and soul with his  partner. It seemed he had finished ascertaining his partner’s  condition. Then Godou suddenly said.

「Correct. And, what’re you going to do? You want to continue your match with me?」

「The client is already gone, so there is no reason to continue. By  the way, is senpai planning to have a fight with the Warrior of Flame?」

「A sword who is like my partner is taken by him. I can’t ignore it.」

「Nice! Let’s solve the problem with both of us fighting together,  it’s win win. Take care of me for now! ……Eh senpai, you don’t like to  handshake?」

The kouhai quickly reached a conclusion by himself and offered his right hand with a smile.

Godou didn’t respond and only stared fixedly at that hand as though he was looking at something suspicious.

「That depends on the other side. But you seems like an alright person.」

「Yep. I’m often told that.」

「Looks like you are good in quickly and skillfully turning into enemy  or ally depending on the situation at that time. I don’t really feel  like I can trust you 100%.」

The moment Godou said that warily.

Rokuhara Ren smiled cheerfully and spoke out nonchalantly.

「Eew senpai, that’s obvious! We aren’t one in body and soul, so it’s  not strange that we can become either enemy or ally depending on our  objective!」

「So that’s how you explain it.」

Godou smiled wryly. This young man was more energetic and tougher than he imagined.

Even a shallow looking man like this was still a ruffian who was worthy to be one of the Campiones.

「But, right now our interest aligned. Let’s become a partner for a brief time!」

On top of that, he talked like this. Godou finally nodded.

「Roger. As expected, you are really our『brethren』.」

「What do you mean?」

「About the fellows who murdered god, generally they are all haphazard  and blunt fellow who consider『all is well that ends well』.」

「I see. So senpai too is like that!」

「Guh!? ……No comment.」

「I understand it really well from that reaction just now.」

Rokuhara Ren teased with an easygoing mood.

Godou thought that he couldn’t let his guard down against this guy as expected while yelling.

「Shut up kouhai! I am Kusanagi Godou. Though it’s fine even if you don’t remember it!」

「I’m Rokuhara Ren. I’ll be a bit sad if senpai forget my name.」

「It’ll be harder to forget a guy like you!」

There was something that came out from the sea while they were arguing.

The sea of this area was evaporating into water vapor that spread out  to the surrounding──however, there was a flying object that floated  until the height where this white vapor didn’t reach.

It was the Warrior of Flame that was burning all over its body.

He glared at the beach of the island where Ren and Godou were at with an expression that was burning with fighting spirit.

「Hanuman……ran out of power within the sea. That guy’s flame is quite powerful.」

Ren asked Godou who sensed the disappearance of his underling.

「Come to think of it, I heard that senpai also has the power of sun?」

「Yeah. But, it’s hard to use that guy. ……The condition to use my  power is strict. Especially the authority to call the sun, it can only  be used against『great sinner who torment the populace』.」

「The hurdle for that is too high!」

Godou muttered toward the retort from his junior.

「It can’t be helped. The god who I defeated first was a『guardian god of justice and people』 after all.」

「Senpai fight using the authority that is taken away from that god?  Amazing. I feel the dignity of a great devil king from senpai for  winning against the god of justice like that!」

「Kuh. Don’t speak loudly about something that is bothering me a lot……」

「I’m praising senpai so it’s fine──he is coming.」

Ren who was half laughing until the middle of the talk suddenly spoke with a sharp and small voice.

Vahagn was pointing Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi to the sky. Then flame bullet was falling from the sky like a shooting star.

Furthermore it was heading to the beach where Godou and Ren were at. The flame bullet fell right nearby.

*DOOOOOOOOOOON!*

It exploded as soon as it reached the beach. It even made flame to  whirl up. Furthermore even more flame bullets were starting to come  rapidly──

「Run! You’ll be sitting duck if you stop moving!」

Godou started running on the sandy beach so that he wouldn’t get hit directly by the flame bullets.

Ren also ran together with him. It seemed that he wasn’t lacking in  stamina and physical ability. His running form was beautiful.

「That sword the Warrior of Flame pointed to the sky, that’s senpai’s sword!?」

「Yeah! Now it’s being used like a conductor’s baton!」

*DOOOOOOOON! DOOOOOOOOOON!*

The flame bullets fell one after another after the two ran for a  while. Both of them yelled at each other while listening to the  explosive sound behind them.

「Can’t senpai call it with remote control function to obstruct his direction!?」

「I’ll do it already if I can! Anyway run! It’s harder to get hit if you keep moving!」

「Roger──ah」

It happened while they were in the middle of arguing with each other.

It was just a matter of time, but one of the flame bullets finally hit one of the targets──it fell right above Rokuhara Ren.

Impact. Direct hit. And then there was an explosion and his junior’s slender body was enveloped in it.

「Kouha!? Rokuhara Ren!?」

Godou called that name for the first time here.

.

Part 7

The sandy soil was gouged by the explosion. Smell of sulfur was hanging over the air.

The figure of that witty and frivolous young man wasn’t there anymore──. Don’t tell me, he was a man who could be done in this easily? Even though he should be a godslayer?

The rain of flame bullet also stopped at that timing.

When Godou looked to the sky, the Warrior of Flame put down Ama no  Murakumo no Tsurugi and caressed its blade with his left hand.

It seemed to be gathering mystical force into the blade. Perhaps it  was in the middle of “reloading” the flame bullets. Godou stopped his  feet and returned to the spot where Ren vanished.

「──Was he blown to pieces everywhere? Shit. That guy act frivolous  and carried away, and he also strangely touched at other people’s sore  spot but still……」

「……I actually liked him a lot, is that what senpai is going to say?」

Surely it was intentional that he was laughing playfully like that.

Rokuhara Ren called out to Godou from the side as though it was only natural.

「……Oi, dead guy.」

「I’m not dead, not at all. After all I properly dodged right just  before it hit me. I’m fast when running away. I also got an acceleration  method.」

「Looks like it. You can move faster than sound right?」

「Bingo. As expected from senpai, you noticed it right away.」

「There are quite a number of guys like you, those who can run fast  like lightning! Tell me something like that beforehand! You made me  worried pointlessly!」

「So senpai was worried for me? I’m happy.」

「It was just the heat of the moment, forget it! More important, it’s coming again!」

The Warrior of Flame held up his sword once more in the air.

Godou started running. Ren also followed him. He had learned one of  the authorities of his ally, so he wasn’t worried anymore at all. In  exchange he thought.

(Guess I’ll hide it that I have similar power.)

For the sake of when he confronted Rokuhara Ren at another time in another form──.

And so Godou ran through the sandy beach using only his natural  running ability. Rokuhara Ren also easily kept up with him. Perhaps Ren  was faster than him in speed.

*DOOON! DOOON! DOOON!*

Godou listened to the roaring explosions behind him while talking to his ally.

「Oi fast guy. Can you run on sea and punch the Warrior of Flame hard even while he is floating in air?」

「Too bad. Sea and sky are out of my field.」

They had strategy meeting while sprinting really fast.

They could do that because the two of them had trained their heart  and lungs considerably. Well, they never met a Campione with problem in  toughness, so it wasn’t surprising.

But the bigger problem than that was how to attack the enemy in the air──Godou said.

「……If I at least know the enemy’s name.」

「Name? It’s not Warrior of Flame?」

「That’s just a nickname right? I mean his actual name──the real name.  If I can learn the enemy’s actual name and know the detail of their  actual character, I’ll be able to use Verethragna’s sword.」

「What is that sword?」

「It’s a sword that can cut down a god’s name together with the god  themselves. Though it’s useless asking for something that we don’t  know──」

「Vahagn.」

Ren casually muttered a name while being chased by explosions.

「The husband’s name is Vahagn. The island goddess-sama said it. Is that enough?」

「As I thought! Let’s go to counterattack, kouhai!」

Godou finally stopped his feet.

He glared at the war god of flame Vahagn who was holding up Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi in the air and started chanting.

「……Mythological world Hyperborea is something that reenacted the old  mythology of Indo-European language family. It traced back to more than  several thousand years ago from our era.」

「Eh?」

Ren was taken aback.

Because light spheres were being created from Godou’s whisper.

「At this era there is no way to know which was the original. But, the  traces are clearly left behind in the mythologies of ancient Persia and  Caucasus region.」

The spheres were as large as a fist and they shined gold.

By reciting the 『god’s history』 like a spell, the light spheres were  appearing one after another. Right now the whole beach where Godou and  Ren were located was being filled with light all over the place──.

「Amazing. I can’t count the number of the light spheres!」

「Caucasus──the bank of Caspian Sea and Black Sea. At the region that  we know as Armenia and Azerbaijan……there was a war god named Vahagn. He  was a dragonslayer who slayed the evil dragon Vishap and also a sun god  with flaming hair and beard!」

Flame bullets rained down on Godou and Ren who finally stopped moving.

Right now Vahagn was pointing Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi’s tip toward  the two on the ground. It was the posture for concentrated bombardment.  However.

Several lights that were summoned by Godou erased all the flame bullets!

His godslaying junior was impressed.

「The flame bullets──they are all blocked by the lights senpai created……」

「These things are all swords. The swords of words of power. It’s a  weapon that I stole from war god Verethragna. Words that detailed god  turn into swords that cut apart god. That’s why they can cut apart the  enemy’s attacks and absolutely won’t let any pass──」

「In other words it’s perfect as both offense and defense……that’s an amazing weapon!」

「But, it has one flaw.」

Ren’s eyes sparkled in excitement. However Godou looked to the sky and shrugged.

Vahagn stopped its bombardment and brandished Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi while starting to rapidly descend toward them.

He had gave up on making any progress with his flame barrage. Ren appealed.

「Let’s push him back with a lot of the light swords senpai!」

「I’m already doing it! ……He still won’t stop.」

Godou immediately gave up. His junior sharply pointed out.

「The swords of words of power are super flashy but, it doesn’t have the power to push back the opponent physically……?」

「Well, something like that.」

「GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

「Gather, o golden swords! Become a wall of light and protect me and kouhai!」

Vahagn landed on the ground without braking.

He landed in front of Godou and Ren, the two godslayers. Furthermore  his brawny warrior body swelled up to be three times bigger. It was  transforming into a giant!

Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi also grew bigger together. Vahagn swung it down powerfully.

*Fuun!* Just the sound of it slicing through wind was terrific.

Blocking it was the 『lights』 that Godou gathered. The swords of words  of power became a dome of wall  that surrounded Godou and Ren.

The lights of words of power forced back the slashes from Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi many times over. Vahagn roared.

「GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

*Buun! Buun! Buun! Buun!*

There were only the powerful sound of swords slicing through air  being repeated. The divine sword’s blade didn’t reach both Godou or Ren.  Their defense was currently perfect. They only needed to switch into  offense──

「One more piece for offense is needed. I really don’t want to do that……」

The sharp-eared Ren picked up what Godou muttered.

「In other words, senpai can do it if you decide to use it? Then I wish senpai will use that trump card by all means.」

「Don’t just pester me while acting carefree.」

「I can’t allow myself to die here. Senpai is also the same right?」

Ren requested impertinently, furthermore he did it with an adorable gesture.

It seemed that another unique oddball had joined the lineup of  Campiones that only consisted of ruffian. Godou keenly felt that fact  while saying.

「……Hey kouhai. The first god I defeated was Verethragna. He was a war  god of the ancient Persia. The place’s name is Iran plateau, a land  that is adjacent with Armenia where Vahagn came from.」

Godou suddenly talked about history and myth.

As expected, his easily carried away junior was puzzled.

「That’s enlightening but, I don’t think that’s what I want to hear right now……」

Of course that was.

The enlarged war god was continuing to swing his sword *Buun! Buun!* without rest.

The non-stop slashes were being held back by the dome of light right  now. However, Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi’s black blade was now also  being enveloped in flame without them realizing it.

That heat was transmitted to inside the dome. The inside was hot like in a steam bath.

It was a proof that the defense by the swords of words of power was  being whittled down. It wasn’t a situation where they could take their  time talking leisurely.

However, even in that situation Godou still talked──.

「Well, listen first. Naturally there is also interaction between the  two areas because of how close they are. The influence of Iran to the  language and civilization to the ancient Armenia is really big. The name  of the god of justice of Iran plateau, Verethragna. If the  pronunciation of that name that doesn’t exist in Armenia language is  excluded──it will become Vahagn.」

「Eh? You mean they are the same god?」

「They aren’t one and the same. But Vahagn’s myth is clearly based of  Verethragna’s myth. The god who I defeated at that time was just that  major of an existence. He was the protector of the populace who has ten  transformations. His first avatar is wind, his second is bull, and then  the third avatar is white horse──. A white stallion decorated with gold  and carry the sun from the east to the west……」

「Eh? The sky at the other side is really bright──?」

Ren was looking toward the 『east』.

Godou understood that even without using compass.

After all even though it was late at night, the sun was slightly  peeking out from beyond the horizon. The first light of the dawn was  starting to illuminate the world.

A throbbing headache assaulted his forehead because he was using two avatars of Verethragna at the same time.

The 『Warrior』 that summoned the golden swords and the 『White Stallion』, those two were──.

「Hasten forth to me, for the sake of victory. O magnificent stallion, swiftly bring the halo of thy lord!」

In respond to the words of power that Godou chanted.

The sun that came from the east appeared above the horizon and radiated a semicircle shaped light.

Ren was shocked by that sight.

「I’m not looking wrong! The sun is rising even though it’s night!」

「I used the avatar of White Stallion. You see, the authority of  Verethragna is ten kind of sure-kill techniques. Like the swords of  words of power, or a giant boar──or dropping the flame of sun like laser  to the ground.」

「You casually said something outrageous just now aren’t you senpai!?」

The lump of dazzling light poured down from the eastern sky.

It was a thick pillar of light that could swallow the whole beach  where the battle was ongoing. It was a laser cannon that was fired from  the sun.

The flash and super heat assaulted Vahagn and also Godou and Ren!

「W-wait! This laser are going to swallow us to──WAAAAAH!?」

「Don’t worry. We are fine.」

Godou calmed down his panicking junior while Vahagn was roaring instead.

「GUAAAAAA! GUAAAAAA!」

His roar from before was to express his fighting spirit, but this roar was the voice of someone writing in agony.

Godou clenched his fist and said 「Yosh!」.

On the other hand Ren was puzzled inside the 『dome of light』, the  barrier of the converged swords of words of power that was protecting  them even now.

「……The barrier that is created from the words of power to seal Vahagn can also defend against senpai’s laser beam?」

「That’s because I also chanted the words of power to seal Verethragna.」

「I don’t really get it. In the first place senpai, is there any need  for us to be within the range of attack too while you’re attacking  Vahagn……?」

「The White Stallion can only target 『great sinner who tormented the people』. It can’t be helped.」

「GUAAAAA──!」

They conversed while the light that poured from the east was showering them.

Vahagn was writhing in pain even now within the light while the two  godslayers were protected. Godou used the fewest words possible to  answer, but Rokuhara Ren sharply noticed.

「Don’t tell me the targeted great sinner here──is senpai?」

「Don’t speak it out loud. Be more considerate there.」

「I see! Senpai targeted yourself to drag Vahagn into it too!」

「That’s why I told you to not speak it out loud like that-!」

「Ahahahaha! So senpai gave that longwinded explanation just now was  to chant the words of power 『to protect yourself from the laser of war  god Verethragna』!」

Ren exploded into loud laughter without any restrain while turning aside his gaze.

The scorching beam that possessed unparalleled might also finally  ended. The whole body of Vahagn who was directly hit by that was shining  bright red.

He looked like an iron ore that had just gotten pushed into a smelting furnace.

However he hadn’t fallen even while scorching red like that. Vahagn  weakly raised Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi and pointed its tip to here.

Come to think of it, many of the sword gods──the war gods who were the personification of sword had 『immortality』.

It was an authority that represented the hardness and solidity of bronze or steel.

Godou also recalled another thing.

「Come to think of it, that guy was also a sun god. ──Guess you can’t defeat a sun by throwing another sun to it……」

「No. Light will vanish if it hit by even stronger light. Leave the rest to me.」

Rokuhara Ren suddenly made an assurance to Godou.

He grinned with a very confident look.

「I’m really strong even though I look like this. ──Nemesis shall hand  down divine judgment to misdeed that harm life. May the judgment of  justice come here!」

He pressed his right hand’s index finger and middle finger together and thrust it toward Vahagn.

A stunning attack began the moment Ren made this gesture.

Bullets of flame were raining down one after another from the sky and  struck the scorching red war god. It struck. Struck. Struck. There were  also explosions when the bullets hit.

Vahagn roared 「GUAAAA!?」 in agony and fell on his knee.

Even so the flame bullets didn’t stop raining and continued attacking the war god of flame. Ren spoke lightheartedly.

「I return back all the attacks you aimed at us just now in full!」

「You reproduced Vahagn’s barrage and gave it back to that guy? Ren, could it be the cross counter you mentioned──!?」

The matchless counter user gave a thumb up to Godou who came to that realization.

「Yep. I can repay back the opponent with exactly the attack they sent at me.」

「So my boar was also knocked out with this!」

「I can also choose to not return it right away and stockpile it.  That’s why, I can also do something like this. What did senpai say……?」

Godou gasped.

The eastern sky was──turning bright once more. He couldn’t believe it.

「You even copied the avatar of White Stallion!?」

「Hasten forth to me, for the sake of victory. O magnificent stallion, swiftly bring the halo of thy lord!」

The words of power that Godou usually chanted was spoken by Rokuhara Ren this time.

A pillar of light flew from the east. That radiance and super high  heat swallowed Godou and Ren once more. The dome of light protected them  once more from it.

And then, Vahagn fell on the beach this time.

His whole body that was scorched was melting like mud and flowed into the sea.

「With this our victory is settled!」

「The problem is recovering my sword and your partner──」

「It’s fine. My other companions are out there at the sea on the yacht.」

.

The battle was finally over, but the night sea was stormy.

However, the 『small magic sailing boat』 that was lent to them wasn’t  bothered at all by the rough waves. It kept Princess Cassandra and small  goddess Stella safe without any problem.

The two of them were staring at the stormy sea from the side of the ship.

「Come on bird girl, get up on the boat quickly.」

「I-I’m desperate here just so I won’t drown!」

Riona yelled her complain at Stella.

She was currently treading the water to keep her head above the  water. After Vahagn’s body melted like scorching liquid metal and  vanished within the sea, Riona was liberated and she somehow came up  until the sea surface.

Naturally it was Cassandra’s achievement that they were able to predict the spot where she surfaced.

The prophet of Troia threw a fixture that was indispensable in a ship.

「Riona-sama! Please grab on this rope!」

「I-I’m saved!」

Riona caught the rope and then Cassandra quickly pulled her up.

She was raised at Troia Kingdom near the sea. She excelled in both  horse riding and ship handling. She looked like a refined princess but  she was actually really active.

The soaked Riona sat limply on the ship while saying.

「Vahagn has melted and sank into the sea. He will have to spend  several years or dozens of years to slowly regenerate his body……」

「He is not dead yet!?」

Cassandra was shocked. Stella spoke as someone who was knowledgeable about god’s state of affairs.

「That guy was so stout he could still revive after getting torn to pieces. He won’t die just from that much, perhaps.」

「As expected from a god of battle……」

「More importantly──something is drifting between the waves. Is that a sword?」

Stella sharply discovered a jet black long sword.

It was bobbing up and down in the water and drifting amidst the waves. Riona was astonished.

「A metal item that doesn’t sink into the sea. As expected from a mythological world, that’s an absurd phenomenon.」

She then noticed after saying that.

This sword looked similar with a katana. There was no doubt it was  the sword that was wielded by Vahagn. In that case, it was floating like  this must be because of some kind of divine power at work.

Come to think of it, the other godslayer also spoke something about a sword…….

.

Part 8

After the battle, the dawn, the real one this time came.

However, the island that became the battlefield was already gone. So  they were returning to the island where the Maiden of Water enshrined  the Warrior of Flame.

Kusanagi Godou was watching the rising sun from the beach of that island.

It was really a tiring night. For a body that had the self-awareness  that it wasn’t young anymore by any means, just staying up all night was  already having an effect, to also fight a god on top of that…….

On the other hand, the crews of the ship that brought Godou until here were undisputedly youthful.

They were energetically conversing in a circle.

「We finally returned to the previous island! I already have enough being a hostage!」

「You really have it hard Riona-sama……」

「Indeed. I don’t care at all about the bird girl getting captured  but, I already have enough with staying at the sticks! Are you  listening, Ren!?」

「Now now. Let’s quickly find the space distortion that goddess mentioned!」

The people themselves might not be aware of it but, they looked like they were having a lot of fun.

Godou smiled seeing that while calling out to them.

「Then, let’s say farewell here. You guys have also collected my sword for me after all.」

Everyone turned around toward him in unison.

The kind hearted princess, Cassandra asked him.

「Kusanagi-sama……what are you planning to do after this?」

「I still have a business in Hyperborea. I plan to go take a look around this place.」

Riona casually spoke in respond to Godou’s reply.

「Then, looks like this will be farewell forever for us.」

「We have to return back to earth after all. Things will get lonely.」

「Well, I don’t think we will ever meet again, but stay in good health from here on.」

Rokuhara Ren and, a small goddess who seemed to be a part of him that  was most likely created and materialized by his authority also spoke to  Godou.

However, Godou muttered with a small voice.

「A farewell forever──I wonder about that……. This Hyperborea you see,  it seems that it has a really special position even among the many  mythological words.」

「What do you mean?」

Godou unreservedly replied to the question of his fellow Campione youth.

「For example, like how fellows like you and me are gathering one  after another in this place. ……Some acquaintances of mine are already  getting into this place too. Do you guys have anyone in your mind that  might fit the description?」

「Ahahaha. You mean someone like my master.」

Riona was making a twitching smile. Godou nodded.

「I myself have to built a base somewhere.」

Then the small goddess Stella declared with her suspicion in full display.

「I don’t know what all of you are planning to do, but there is no reason for Ren to go along with it.」

「That will be good if that’s really the case……. But, we Campiones  always have something unexpected happening to us. Even you might also  return to this world one day.」

「Campione?」

Ren must be someone who came from a world where this title didn’t exist. He repeated the title with puzzlement.

Godou turned his back on his young brethren and started walking.

「We are calling the fellows who killed god like that. ……We’ll meet again if fate will it. Farewell!」

Now then, how many fellow Campione he would encounter from here on?

If there were Campiones who he never met before like Rokuhara Ren,  surely there would also be Campiones who he was acquainted with.

「Well, as expected there is no way I’ll meet Aisha-san here. Ah, not,  this is that person I’m talking about, so perhaps it could be……」

Suddenly Godou recalled the nostalgic Madam Aisha.

Among all the Campiones he had met until now, she was the most  troublesome and dangerous godslayer. The gods were still better because  they still fussed about dignity and honor and the like.

However that woman turned into “eternally sleeping princess” in a certain parallel world.

It was Kusanagi Godou who watched everything that transpired from  finish to end. That was why he should be able to say 『It’s impossible  for me to reunite with that person!』 with confidence. And yet.

Godou suddenly felt anxious.

After all that person was the great expert in causing something that originally should be impossible…….

.

They saw off the senior godslayer Kusanagi Godou──

「He left without even looking back……」

First it was Troia’s princess Cassandra who spoke with a deep emotion.

Even Rokuhara Ren who was a “brethren” of the man they were talking about also murmured seriously.

「Even though he is a really good person, he is someone who can do something nasty isn’t he.」

「That person surely won’t want to hear that from Ren.」

「Come on, we should also search for the way to return back to earth. I  think the place like the cave that was Vahagn’s sanctuary is  suspicious!」

His partner Stella was a bit exasperated, while Riona had already switched gear.

And then Ren muttered with a small voice.

「Yep. ……But, will I really go back to this place? If that really happen──I wonder whether that person will be ally or enemy?」

Of course, Ren didn’t know.

How his words prophesied the coming 『Hyperborea Great Hero War』 in the future.