Campione Lord of Realms Vol 2 Chapter 5 (Patreon)

Chapter 5 – The Child of Fate, Chanting the Name of Her Teacher

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1

Mononobe Yukino was sinking to the bottom of sea in the grasp of the aura palm.

Although she had fainted, her right hand was still grasping the divine sword of salvation take Mikadzuchi tightly. She wouldn’t let go of it under any circumstance.

Although it was only something plain, it was still an amazing stunt that was to be expected from the heaven-sent child of the sword god.

But now she was unconscious, she could only get dragged by the sea current helplessly. The one kindly protecting Yukino who was in such state──was dwelling in her body.

(Divine water pure and clear, divine water pure and clear, divine water pure and clear!)

It was Toba Riona who became a spiritual body and fused with Yukino.

Although she was sealed into the form of blue bird, she was still a prodigious onmyouji.

In order to protect her host from every water disaster like drowning, death by suffocation, water pressure, or hypothermia, she used every technique she had to single-mindedly prayed for divine protection of water.

And then, the effect from her effort was remarkably miraculous──

Yukino’s body was slowly sinking even with the sea current dragging her. Then she finally arrived at the bottom of the sea. The palm that was formed from the shining aura also vanished and she was liberated.

That place was the bottom of the sea, but stone paving covered the surface like a road.

There were also countless stone buildings standing around them. It was──a city of the old civilization that sank into the sea.

(This might be the guidance of the water god!)

The soul of Toba Riona who was dwelling inside Yukino suddenly burst into joy.

She exerted her telekinetic to move the body of her host that was dragged by the current. It was like carrying a luggage with “unseen arm”/

She moved the body to inside a small house that was nearby.

There was no door. And of course the interior was also filled with sea water.

(──My breath is the breath of god. As I blow the breath of god, all shall be relieved!)

Riona chanted the words of power of breathing and created a vast amount of air.

.

……When Yukino woke up, she found herself in a house somewhere.

However, outside the glassless window and opened doorway was completely filled with blue seawater. It was obvious from a glance that she was underwater from that.

For some reason only the inside of the house had air that didn’t allow the sea water to flood in.

She could also breathe without any problem. Also the inside of the room was quite war. This place could be said as perfect for taking a rest.

「W-what’s going on!/」

Yukino jumped on her feet in panic.

The floor of the house was covered with tiles. It was dry without any wetness at all.

(So you woke up.)

「Onee-sama! So you saved me Onee-sama!?」

(Well, that’s right. I used a ton of water disaster prevention magic and somehow established an environment that is possible for survival after entering here……it was a pain.)

「Thank you! And──where is Onee-sama right now?」

Yukino looked around restlessly.

She couldn’t see the figure of the blue bird”anywhere. Also, Onee-sama’s voice──no, telepathy was directly sent to Yukino’s heart.

(I’m still fused with you Yukino. It seems you aren’t aware, but you were seriously injured all over after getting hit with honorable master’s technique three times.)

「My body was that injured? However I don’t feel that hurt right now.」

Yukino tried touching her body here and there.

By the way her sailor uniform was completely dry. She felt no discomfort at all. Onee-sama must have dried up all the water on her.

「I guess. My chest and my limbs and my waist are a bit bruised. There are stinging pains from them, but that’s all.」

(That’s because I’m dwelling inside Yukino’s body. It’s an application of the《Super Saiyan technique》. Just like how you powered up the last time, this time I temporarily borrowed 『dirtily tenacious life force to make you so tough that you won’t die even when killed』 as substitute for ointment for your wounds.)

「That’s amazing Onee-sama, you can even do something like that!」

Yukino cheered when Riona disclosed the trick behind her survival.

「But if we are talking anyway, I want to talk while looking at Onee-sama’s figure properly……」

(You are asking for luxury again……. Well, it’s not like I can’t do it though.)

The familiar blue jay popped out before her eyes.

However it wasn’t a physical form. It was the illusion of Riona’s usual figure. However Yukino felt slightly disappointed.

「If you are using illusion anyway, it would be better to make Onee-sama’s original──human appearance.」

(Aa. Now that you mention it, that’s certainly true. I can’t believe that I’m making such blunder. Then, I’ll change my profile picture……ehhh?)

「You are still looking like a bird Onee-sama.」

(For some reason I can’t create the illusion of my appearance as human. For now I’ll keep it like this.)

Yukino changed the topic after the blue bird’s illusion said that.

「Anyway it’s a good news that I’m revived with the Super Saiyan technique. If my wound is healed, let’s go back to the surface right away and have a revenge match!」

(Y-you are a girl who is harder to get discouraged than I thought……)

The illusion of blue bird sighed and hung her head down.

Her despondent feeling was also transmitted.

(Let’s reflect on the battle just now, so that the next time won’t become just a repeat of that. For some reason you powered up in the middle Yukino. I also heard the honorable master saing something about the Covenant of Great Law or something──)

「I also heard that! But the detail about what kind of law it is was incomprehensible though-」

(If you can use that great law or something freely, then we will have a small chance of victory. I wonder what became the trigger for that……)

Yukino gasped in realization at Onee-sama’s words.

「I was remembering about Momotarou-sensei at that time! My martial art master!」

(Hohou. What kind of person is he?)

「Not only he is strong, his personality is──just amazing. He is kind, earnest, intellectual but also humorous, and when he get serious he is really dignified and reliable.」

(T-that sounds like a male character in shoujo manga that is the ideal of any girl.)

「That’s totally absurd. Sensei you see, there is no denying that he is super handsome, but shoujo manga is no good for him. He is more like, the main character of stormy battle genre that is full of drama and thrill that makes your blood boil and your flesh dance!! He is the embodiment of friendship, effort, and victory!」

Yes. The secret that Momotarou-sensei disclosed to her at the end.

He was a war god, the strongest warrior who was called the devil king extermination hero in the past.

Her master Godou Momotarou and his little brother Jirou-san. Yukino recalled the handsome twin siblings and she talked passionately without realizing it.

「Right right. Sensei also has a little brother who looks exactly like him. It’s really picturesque when the two of them stand side by side──」

(Nnpiiiiih! Are you bragging!?)

Riona got angry for some reason.

(Even though my own master is a heinous teacher who will do anything in the worst sense, always giving me corporal punishment that is just a power harassment and deathly training! And yet Yukino was trained by that kind of handsome teachers who spoiled you rotten in that kind of environment that is like a flower field with butterfly and flowers everywhereee!?)

「I-I didn’t intend to brag but, they certainly had treated me well……」

(Nn──ppiiiiiiiiiiiih!)

「But Onee-sama! Even Founder Luo Hao doesn’t seem like a bad teacher in my opinion!」

Yukino honestly spoke of what was in her mind.

「She is someone who mastered martial art to such level──she is nearly at the level of my Momotarou-sensei. Your senior pupil is also an amazing practitioner. Well, I admit that she is a really harsh person but, surely even the special training that she gave Onee-sama wasn’t just meaningless power harassment.」

(Kuh……. This is why sports-minded and muscle brained kid is just……)

Yukino smiled at the illusion of the frustrated blue bird.

「Now now. ──That’s right. This is a good chance, so how about we also look back at when Onee-sama was cursed into that bird form?」

(Heh?)

「Perhaps there is a hint to dispel the curse from there.」

Even the sword god’s heaven-sent child Mononobe Yukino didn’t just haphazardly train her swordsmanship.

She also used the training of other people as reference or perhaps using the bad example from others to fuel her own growth. She could even discover a hint from the teaching of a master of a field other than martial art.

She could also consider the meaning of the training given to her, or perhaps instinctually sensed it to quicken her own growth.

In respond to Yukino’s suggestion──the blue bird’s illusion replied.

(Actually……I don’t remember.)

「Eh!?」

(I think it was around ten months ago when we coincidentally came to the Sea King’s Capital. My memory of around that time is extremely hazy──. I fainted for some reason and when I woke up I was already a bird.)

The blue bird=Riona became unusually dejected.

Yukino pitied her and said.

「If Onee-sama want──should I make you remember?」

(Heh? You Yukino?)

「Yes. Despite appearance I’m still a god’s descendant. Other than sword, I can also do other things a little that a normal person cannot do.」

She took out a foldable knife from her skirt’s pocket.

It wasn’t for battle or self-protection, but an item that she carried around for its importance when doing activity in the wild. She took out the blade and pointed it at the blue bird.

「Focus on the blade. Relax your heart……」

Yukino also did what she herself said while whispering.

The knife’s blade──was tinged with a mystical light. While staring at that light, the target should be gradually getting sleepier and entered a hypnotic state.

Yukino was planning to attempt hypnotherapy.

It was a method of throwing questions to the target when they were dozing off to call up the memory that remained within the subconscious.

Before she had also did this for her friend Rumi-chan when she got insomnia.

At that time she succeeded splendidly. She managed to ask the private problem that her friend had been worried about all this time and advised her after she woke up.

But the problem was that this method was hard to be effective against a strong-willed god’s descendant like Toba Riona.

(Aa……I’m getting sleepy for some reason……)

It was just a needless worry. Her technique succeeded with unexpected ease──

The moment Yukino felt relieved, she herself was also getting sleepier. Her consciousness was rapidly getting farther away.

Come to think of it, the blue bird figure in front of her was just an illusion in the end. Riona’s soul was still fused with Yukino’s body, so she herself also got dragged into the effect.

Yukino got affected by her own hypnosis and began to sleep soundly *suyaaa*.

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2

……Around ten months ago, the day she was transformed into a bird.

Toba Riona sneaked into the mansion of her “honorable master” by herself. Furthermore she intentionally used a magic of out-of-body experience and became an existence that was only soul.

(Why did Onee-sama do something like this?)

(If I remember correctly at this time I……heard that honorable master invited “an important person” to her residence, so I came to investigate what they were talking about. And then, no matter how thorough I tried to act covertly, Founder Luo Hao is a monster who can immediately detect such attempt. That was why I went the extra mile and left behind my real body.)

The past Riona who became only soul was floating around inside the mansion──.

The two sleeping high school girls were watching that sight inside the dream.

Yukino and Riona had fallen into a hypnotic state. The two’s mind were clear even though they were sleeping. Furthermore they were fusing into one.

They experienced the same dream like watching a television while also communicating directly with their mind.

Things became like this as the result of them falling into a hypnotic state while Riona’s soul was still residing in Yukino’s body.

The past Riona was searching for Founder Luo Hao while the consciousness of two girls was watching her.

After a while, she finally found her target in front of a pond at the garden.

「Long time no see Nee-san.」

「I’m pleased that you also seems to be doing well, little brother.」

Surprisingly, Founder Luo Hao was smiling from that greeting.

It seemed that she was in a really great mood. It was clear from a glance that the guest was her “favorite”.

The person who was facing her at the edge of the pond was──an Earthian wearing a mountain hoodie. He was a young man who gave a friendly impression.

(Onee-sama, Luo Hao-san just called that person 『little brother』!)

(Yes. I too hadn’t known at that time that these two had exchanged the vow of step siblings with each other──I was also shocked by that.)

The two dreaming girls focused on the black haired 『young man who seemed like an agreeable youth in a first glance』.

(Actually that mister──Kusanagi-san, is someone who I’m acquainted with……)

(He is one of the godslayers then! The one who the Founder mentioned before this!)

(You mean those words, something about 『My step brother had defeated the devil king extermination hero』. I was also shocked because that was my first time hearing about it. Well, I’m already more than aware that person isn’t an ordinary person though, because despite his plain face, his act is preposterous in everything that he does──)

(But, I think his opponent was surely also a hero that was as plain as him.)

(Anyone who is a devil king extermination hero is already more than flashy from just that point alone though.)

(That’s preposterous Onee-sama! My teacher──Momotarou-sensei was also a devil king extermination hero from I heard, but he might be the number one hero who was far ahead of his competitors in the hero business. A plain person like that 『Kusanagi-san』 won’t have no hope at all against sensei♪)

(Y-your sensei was also a devil king extermination hero Yukino!?)

(Yes. Sensei is still alive, so surely he had exterminated all devil kings and retired as an undefeated hero. He said that he is living in retirement right now after all.)

Putting aside the two girls who were conversing inside the dream──

The reunion of the step siblings godslayer were enveloped in joy for each other’s good health.

However, Founder Luo Hao suddenly frowned. She glared at the right and at the left, then she suddenly thrust her right hand forward and,

「Hah!」

Let out a shout of fighting spirit.

Then there was a sound *Bam!* and the past Riona suddenly appeared in front of the palm that the Founder raised──.

(W-what happened Onee-sama!?)

(In the end honorable master detected my spirit aura. Furthermore she broke my out-of-body technique while also pulling my real body that I left behind at the city at the same time──well, she is a real monster……)

The materialized past Riona was prostrating herself.

Her blazer uniform looked really good on her. She was also a high school student like Yukino.

「Honorable master! I beg for your generosity to treat this as a special occasion and let me off just this one time──!」

「Really you……. It seems that you still don’t understand the honor and responsibility from being my personal disciple. You should naturally act like how you should if your heart is in order. Know shame!」

「It hurts! No but, I got curious of what honorable master might be talking with Kusanagi-san……」

The scolding words became a light shockwave that flicked the past Riona’s forehead.

Furthermore, the beautiful godslaying fairy smiled bewitchingly.

「But, this is also a good timing. I got an idea of a good training method in order to train you further. I shall apply it immediately……」

「D-don’t joke like that honorable master, even though the Capital of Pleasure is also still in the middle of development right now!?」

The past Riona was taken aback by her master’s words and displayed a strong rejection.

Meanwhile 『Kusanagi-san』 spoke in response to this conversation.

「Amazing! So you are Nee-san’s personal disciple huh! I never thought that Nee-san would take any other disciple than Yinghua. That means you must be an outrageously outstanding talent.」

「C-can we talk about that kind of thing later-? Right now to escape is to wi──kyaaaaaaah!?」

Even the praise that she was given only entered her right ear to flow out from her left ear.

The past Riona used a magic that emitted blue light for flight from her whole body. She planned to fly away. However.

Founder Luo Hao chanted a short words of power 『Chi!』.

The body of the past Riona quickly shrunk with blue and black feathers covering her everywhere. She completely transformed into a blue jay.

*Flop-* The past Riona fell down with her blue bird appearance and her eyes were whirling.

「Oi you! Your name was Riona right──uwa. This is horrible.」

The worried 『Kusanagi-san』 walked toward the blue jay.

In contrast, Founder Luo Hao was telling her while smiling.

「Fufufufu……Riona. Although I’m pleased with your remarkable growth, you should be able to aim for even further height yet. Your task is to break through my curse with your own strength.」

「No Nee-san. Even if it’s for training, something like this is just overdoing it.」

「Being given a trial is also a burden of having an outstanding talent. Can’t you feel it? This girl, it’s good that she possess an excellent talent and ambition, but she is slightly losing her head in it──」

「Aa……well, there was how she act like a queen……」

「I sealed her original form and ability with the technique of imperial majesty transformation. Can she strongly maintain her sense of self even in that inconvenient body? And can she overcome it? Depending on the result, it will become a turning point for her, whether she will stay as a baby phoenix forever, or accomplish greatness as a mature phoenix in the human world.」

「Aa, you mean that.」

『Kusanagi-san』 nodded at his stepsister’s words.

「In the end, the strength of the gods are proportionally correlated to their ego, the strength of their identity──that kind of things. It depends on stubborn they will persist with their own desire, even if they have to destroy heaven and earth for it.」

「As expected from my little brother, you are well discerning.」

「This girl too is like half a god at least. She is a powerful divine spirit, so it’s similar for her.」

「However, if she allow herself to be influenced by her tiny form and lose her sense of self, there won’t be any hope of growth for her anymore. In that case it might be better for her to live her life as a pitiful little bird……」

「You should help her properly in that case Nee-san.」

…………………….

………….

……The blue jay=past Riona was being dizzy the whole time. She was listening to the conversation of the stepsiblings before she finally fainted in the end.

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Yukino woke up with a gasp.

The dream that remained in the subconscious memory of Onee-sama ended and she was inside the house that sank at the bottom of the sea once more. It was a place of repose that was set up by the technique of Toba Riona.

When she looked around, the illusion of the blue jay had vanished.

In exchange, a 『thought』 was transmitted from inside Yukino.

(A test for the strength of my ego……so it’s that kind of trial.)

「Looks like it──wait, Onee-sama! In that case this is really bad!」

The soul of Riona who also woke up together was still fused with Yukino.

She vigorously insisted toward the inside of her body.

「Really Onee-sama, you have become really like a bird recently! What’s more, just now you couldn’t even make an illusion of your human form!」

(T──that was, so that’s how is it!)

「Actually I also felt uneasy when applying the hypnotist. Because it should be hard for this technique to affect a god’s descendant with strong will or sense of self. But Onee-sama, you fell asleep really easily. Perhaps your ego is weakening in a bad meaning.」

(Nnpiiiiiiih!)

This time the terror and uneasiness of the dumbfounded Onee-sama was transmitted to her.

(That’s a proof that my ego or personality as human is breaking down!? W-wait, it will be really bad if I don’t regain my true self, me!)

Riona’s soul yelled at herself.

(A great blunder of personality breakdown from getting influenced by a temporary form is a bad end that is unworthy for Toba Riona-sama! In order to return into human somehow──somehow……)

「Do your best Onee-sama!」

(……Thank you for your support Yukino. Also──)

Onee-sama’s thought was suddenly sharpened.

Her ardor was higher than ever before. It was dignified and really felt like the spirit of a sharp and able person. Perhaps she had thought of some kind of plan to recover from her hopeless situation!

(Help m──no, it will help if you lend me it. Let’s go.)

「Eeh!?」

A scene flowed into Yukino’s mind and heart.

The beautiful girl who she had just seen in the dream, Toba Riona’s “true form” that was a high school girl was talking with an elderly male.

『Do you know about the legend of Emperor Jinmu’s eastern expedition?』

『Although I look like this, I’m an existence that god dispatched to the human world. In other world I’m the same like an angel. Even reaching the level of Jesus Christ might not be a dream for me if I attain enlightenment.』

『Appointed by Amaterasu no Ookami, a god incarnated to be Yatagarasu in order to protect Emperor Jinmu. Yatagarasu is also the ancestor of Kamo clan that produced Kamo no Tadayuki, the teacher of Abe no Seimei. It seems that I was this god in my previous life.』

She said such things. Yukino was awed.

Onee-sama was really dignified, graceful, and super lovely.

She was toying and overwhelming a man who was far older than her and looked like someone in a really high post from his appearance with her intellectual and splendid speech!

And then Yukino noticed.

Until now, the one here was Mononobe Yukino wearing her sailor uniform.

But now, the girl standing in this place of repose at the bottom of the sea──was wearing a blazer.

The girl’s hairstyle also wasn’t in ponytail. It was a long hair that had a gentle waviness. Yukino looked at the 『outside』 that was filled with sea water and felt surprised.

Her face that was reflected on the water wall. It was extremely beautiful.

That was──the face of Toba Riona that she saw inside the dream.

It was equipped with elegant beauty and intellect that Yukino didn’t really have. There was even the majestic air of a queen around her.

Yukino had transformed. She muttered with lips that wasn’t hers.

「What is the meaning of this!?」

(If I’m getting influenced by form, then that’s fine. It’s convenient that I’m coincidentally fused with Yukino right now. If I’m iinfluenced by Mononobe Yukino who possess human body while applying transformation technique to this body──the beautiful Riona-sama is the result.)

「So there is that kind of method!」

(But, this is still a temporary transformation. And then I urge the human soul of Yukino to harmonize, sympathize, and resonate with my soul……)

She would regain her self as human.

Right after Onee-sama declared that, Yukino’s vision turned pitch black and various voices and scenes entered her view.

──Toba Riona who became stark naked for some reason spoke with determination.

『The secret ceremony to call back the dead from the underworld, 《Hangon(Reviving the Dead)》. There is no way Toba Riona cannot do something that Abe no Seimei can do!』

──The golden sacred bird Yatagarasu scattered the words of power of fire from the sky.

『Sacred flame pure and clear──I beseech for the purification of every misfortune by the means of purification of fire!』

──Riona who was wearing a white kimono was instigated by someone and whispered.

『I, have to become an even stronger existence. ……Can you grant me the power as a queen that won’t even yield against Goddess Izanami?』

Unity. Sympathy. Resonance.

Mononobe Yukino and Toba Riona, the two souls overlapped with each other. They supported each other and burned their heart ablaze to push up each other.

(Onee-sama! If Yukino’s soul and body can become of assistance, then use them as much as you want!)

(I’m grateful for your assistance! I am Toba Riona──the greatest onmyouji of this generation and the reincarnation of the sacred bird Yatagarasu! I have traveled many sanctuaries and fought the gods and godslaying devil kings, I’m a mature phoenix of this world and nothing else!)

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At the ruin of a city from previous civilization that sunk to the bottom of the sea.

The ancient houses were lined up like grave markers. One of them was smashed to pieces and a scared bird that was shining gold flew out.

The spirit of the sun that appeared in Japan mythology. The bird of guidance Yatagarasu.

Riona and Yukino fused into one and transformed even more to achieve this form.

It was the true form of Toba Riona that had been sealed for more than ten months. Right now a voice of two girls that was overflowing with dominating aura flowed out from the beak of the radiant sacred bird.

「Now is the time to return to the surface and make a settlement with honorable master!」

「Yes! Just leave it to me Onee-sama!」

「But, before that──we are going to help my fiancée, Rokuhara-san! It seems that he is also getting dragged into something troublesome at his side right now!」

「Eh, that Rokuhara-kun!? Why!?」

The girl who achieved revival and the girl helping her to do that.

The sacred bird Yatagarasu contained the two’s souls inside and broke through the sea surface while heading to the sky high above in a rush.

……Around the same time with that, another conflict was breaking out at the land.

It was the quiet and strange battle between Rokuhara Ren and Alexander Gascoigne.

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3

A sailboat moved through the azure sea.

The wooden boat departed from the harbor of the Sea King’s Capital a little while ago. It was a small boat with the length of five meter from its bow to its stern.

The sail that was bigger than its boat hull caught the wind and the boat was advancing with a nice speed.

Its destination was the sea area where the two girls had sunken into.

Alec rented the ship together with a single boatman from the water transport businessman who had job of transporting cargo at the harbor. However, the other godslayer was also boarding the boat together with him.

「Now then, it will be too uninspiring to just go with the flow.」

Alec spoke while feeling the sea breeze.

He sat down on a seat that was provided in the boat and gazed at Rokuhara Ren who was sitting at his opposite side.

「I’ll unravel your suspicious authority before we arrive at our destination.」

「Oh, could it be you are planning to ask me with brute force?」

Ren interrupted Alec’s words cheerfully.

「If possible, I hope you will go easy on me.」

「I have no interest with that kind of barbaric questioning. In the first place, you aren’t someone who will obediently allow yourself to be tortured if you are also a Campione right?」

「I already told you. My only redeeming feature is in how fast I run away.」

「Hmph, you already said that.」

Alec snorted at the young Campione’s remark.

「The godspeed that I use──is something that I usurped from a certain lightning god. It can also transform my  body into lightning itself when I accelerate. But」

Alec quickly waved his index finger to the side.

Originally his hand’s movement would become godspeed and his hand would transform into lightning. But nothing happened and it ended with him just waving his finger.

「It’s splendidly sealed. Then──」

Alec focused his mind and heightened the mystical force dwelling in his body.

One of Campione’s special privileges was extremely strong resistance toward magic and curse. That resistance could be heightened by doing what he was trying now.

The index finger of his left hand, its fingertip was starting to emit crackling electricity.

This was proof that the power that was sealing his authority of lightning and godspeed Black Lightning──was loosening bit by bit.

But, Ren immediately spoke.

「You shouldn’t play with fire on ship. That’s dangerous.」

「Hou.」

Alec’s finger stopped radiating electricity.

The slackening seal on his godspeed was tightened back.

「I see……. Your authority──it can be activated while staying undetected even from a Campione like me! Furthermore, even resisting against it is difficult unless I really put my effort into it. You have obtained a really troublesome power!」

There was one good method when one wanted to apply magic effectively against a Campione.

It was by applying the magic directly into the Campione’s body. Methods like breathing the curse through mouth to mouth or making the target drunk a magical medicine could be used.

As expected, Rokuhara Ren’s authority didn’t harass Alec until that strongly.

If that was the case, then the 『seal』 wouldn’t loosen even for a moment. However, using some kind of method, it was like Alexander Gascoigne had drunk a small dose of poison that was gradually gnawing inside him. That fact was clear to him.

「Then, how did you inject that 『poison』 into me……」

「Hahahaha. Poison huh. That’s really a smart thing to say.」

「Also, it seems this 『poison』 isn’t sealing my other authorities except the godspeed.」

Alec glanced briefly to the side.

The small sailing boat had advanced until the offshore. At the sea surface that spread at the other side of the boat──inside the blue water, there was a large band black shadow passing through.

Rokuhara Ren also noticed that and smiled wryly.

「That makes me remember of piked whale that I saw during a whale watching in the past. That whale’s size was also around that big but……as expected, that doesn’t seem to be a whale.」

He observed Alec’s expression while confirming that.

Alec admitted it with a composed face.

「Yeah. I can’t allow the boat to sink, so just in case, I called for someone good with swimming to see us off.」

Just from the shadow, the thing looked like a large mammal with body length that reached around seven or eight meter.

But, its true identity was──a female calamity with snake as its lower body and bird wings growing out from its back. It was a minion that Alec summoned with the authority Faceless Queen.

Although it had the restriction that it would be annihilated if her face was witnessed by someone.

Other than that restriction it was almost completely omnipotent otherwise. Not only on land, it also could rush through the sky and in water and followed Alec’s instruction. It was a convenient servant to have.

Yes. Other than his godspeed authority Black Lightning, there was nothing strange at all that he felt──.

「Then, what is the nature of the ability that is suppressing my godspeed? I want to confirm it along with the 『method to serve the poison』 that I asked just now.」

「How?」

「First with this.」

Ren acted nonchalantly. Alec suddenly tried something at him.

He took out an antique pen from his pocket and threw it like a throwing knife. It was a pen with metallic tip that had to be dipped into ink first before writing. It was that kind of pen.

It was an antique from the perspective of modern people. But it was a futuristic item in Hyperborea standard.

Anyway, the tip of that pen was applied with the magic of sharp blade to heighten its lethality.

It was going to stab Rokuhara Ren’s forehead and dealt a lethal damage──just before that happened, the pen stopped. It stopped still without any advance sign, so suddenly, midair!

「That’s dangerous. It was too sudden that I overdid it.」

「……That eye. That’s the secret of your trick huh.」

Alec muttered quietly.

Rokuhara Ren’s left eye──the pupil there was containing a rainbow colored luster.

That eye didn’t just shine mysteriously, it was also emitting a strong surge of curse.

The surge didn’t stop at just the pen that stopped midair. It was spreading until it swallowed the whole sailboat. This time Alec was genuinely astounded.

「What in the world……」

The young boatman kept fiddling with the sail for his work even while the two Campiones conversed.

But now the young man who was at his early twenty had stopped still. Not only that──even the sail that was flapping from catching wind had stopped still and didn’t move at all.

The sea breeze that had been blowing all this time settled down. The area was completely windless.

Alec threw his gaze toward the sea once more due to his hunch.

The sea surface that should be swaying from the wave’s surge was stopping. It wasn’t a calm at sea. The sea surface was currently stopping while the sea current was still undulating.

It was the result of getting exposed to the surge that was emitted by Rokuhara Ren’s magic eye.

「Even the guard that I called also stop moving huh……」

「Looks like it. It’s too bad, after you went through the trouble of calling it here. Actually I only planned to stop the pen, but I overdid it by mistake.」

Rokuhara Ren spoke with a playful tone.

His tone was very amiable. However Alec paid it no mind.

「An authority to stop object’s movement……? No, rather than that this is──an 『authority to stop time』 within a limited space!」

「Wow. That’s quite correct!」

Ren smiled cheerfully.

「My partner Riona said that it’s an authority of 『poisonous gaze』 that drive the target to a state of temporary death. It freeze everything, whether it’s human, or object, or even something shapeless, along with time. I was told it can freeze anything regardless of its attribute.」

Alec listened to Ren’s words while giving instruction.

He ordered the Faceless Queen that he made to standby inside the sea to shake the ship from below. But there was no reaction. Even her time had been completely stopped even though she was under the frozen sea.

However, Alec’s own body could move normally──.

「It seems it’s difficult for your ability to stop a Campione’s time huh.」

「Well, about that, that’s because our body is difficult to be affected by this kind of curse. But, I noticed that if I play a little trick with it, there are various things that I can do with it……」

Ren winked cutely.

「I finally got used to it recently. Even now I can freeze 『Alec’s time』 partially.」

「I see! You sealed my legs with that!」

Alec finally saw through the mechanism.

「Godspeed isn’t an ability to move in high speed. It’s an ability to shorten the time needed from point A to point B──into an instant. It’s a type of power that manipulate time instead of speed. Shortening the travelling time……it can also be said as slightly travelling to the future.」

Alec spoke assertively toward the Campione of time stopping magic eye.

「Rokuhara Ren. You are freezing my “time travel” with that eye aren’t you?」

「Yep. It was my first time trying it though, but it went well. I also experienced it in the past but, this travelling using godspeed──is something really unnatural, so even just a small interference can make the gear get greatly out of place.」

「I see. So it looks like you are my natural enemy in a sense.」

Alec was smiling fearlessly even though he was calling him a natural enemy.

He wasn’t bluffing. That smile was something that formed naturally. An encounter with a man who could seal time travel using godspeed with 『time stopping authority』──it wasn’t something that he could experience often.

Rather it was interesting! That rarity lit a fire in Alec’s heart.

「Even so that cursed Erica Blandelli. She must have known about your background anyway, and yet she kept quiet. What a nasty woman.」

「Aa, so you are acquainted with that impressively beautiful woman. Introduce me to her next time please!」

Rokuhara Ren talked with a friendliness that could only be called hardcore with how he kept at it.

Alec snorted and ignored his request.

「Rely on yourself for making connection. What’s more important right now is──I’ll have you accompany me with my inspection for a bit more.」

Alec heightened his mystical force once more just like before.

In order to regain the 『time』 of his own and his minion, he sorted his feeling and drew out his power as godslayer from deep inside his body.

Several lightning were generated from Alec’s whole body.

The beautifully huge body of the Faceless Queen that was frozen under the sea shook and she slowly started moving.

As expected, it must be difficult to 『continuously stop the time』 of a fellow Campione. Then, he wondered how he should take on this formidable enemy.

Yes──he didn’t mind it at all to designate this man as enemy.

Quietly withdrawing away after being hindered so blatantly wasn’t fitting for Alexander Gascoigne!

When Alec started leaning forward in excitement.

A doll sized beautiful girl suddenly appeared on Rokuhara Ren’s left shoulder.

「Anymore than this might be bad. I’m counting on you, Stella!」

「He is a really good man, so I wasn’t bored at all but──it can’t be helped. Come here, Rokuhara Ren’s other self, the avatar of the bird of fire! O servant of this goddess of love!」

「It’s great that Riona too seems to have revived too somehow!」

The mini girl called Stella was wearing a belt around her waist that shined in rose color.

Ren also laughed cheerfully. At the same time the 『time』 was also starting to move. The wind blew and the sailboat started to be shaken by the wave.

And then──a sacred bird that glowed gold danced out from the sea.

「What!?」

「Then, we will get off here! Let’s meet again somewhere Alec!」

Yatagarasu as was told in Japan mythology had a huge body. When she split the sea surface and appeared, the sailing ship that was right nearby was capsized powerfully.

However, only Ren and the girl Stella who was holding on his left shoulder caught on the fin of a dolphin that came rushing from somewhere and left from there.

The young boatman who had just been freed from the time stop was terribly flustered.

But, as expected from a man of the sea. He immediately clung on the bottom of his capsized ship and endured the disaster. Alec also did the same thing while thinking.

Should he become the godspeed lightning and chased after Rokuhara Ren──no.

If the magic eye stopped his time, as expected it would be difficult to deal it in midair.

「Somewhere again, huh……. That chance might come faster than you expected.」

Alec muttered to himself and foresaw their reunion.

「After all I’m also curious of the reason why you are bringing around the devil king extermination hero with you.」

.

4

And thus, the spirit of the sun, the sacred bird Yatagarasu was revived.

Bathed under the ray of suns, she spread opened her golden wings at the sky. From there she only flapped her wings once to cross the sea and the Sea King’s Capital──

In the blink of eye she returned to the mountain where the godslayer Founder Luo Hao was waiting.

Yatagarasu descended on the wide garden of the mansion where her master lived.

As soon as she landed on the ground, the giant body of the sacred bird that looked like a giant monster rapidly shrunk and transformed into two high school girls.

Toba Riona who was wearing a blazer and Mononobe Yukino who was wearing sailor uniform were there.

Yukino’s wound had also healed completely. Riona had also regained her dignity as human. The two of them faced the most wicked calamity with expression that was brimming with vigor.

In other words, they were facing Founder Luo Hao who was waiting for them.

「Finally──you are able to liberate yourself, Riona.」

「A condescending way of speaking like usual……but, honorable master. I’ll make you acknowledge the superiority of this capable student of yours after this.」

Riona didn’t falter and replied back nonchalantly.

She had been overwhelmed every time until now since she met her in this Hyperborea. The nature and strength of Founder Luo Hao were just too tremendous both in the good meaning and bad meaning.

However, even so.

It wasn’t Toba Riona’s style to humbly kneel just due to the reason that the opponent was superior and higher ranked. It wasn’t fitting for her at all.

If her master was a godslaying devil king, she also had to face her with the pride of a queen!

Furthermore she also must not forget about her elegance, intellect, and nobility that was worthy for her prided beauty while doing it as the incarnation of the bird of fire that was more radiant and beautiful than anyone.

Founder Luo Hao smiled while staring at her disciple evaluatingly.

But, her gaze suddenly turned toward Mononobe Yukino who was standing beside Riona. The devil king extermination hero had already unsheathed the divine sword of salvation Take Mikadzuchi.

「It looks like your injury has been healed. ……Excellent. There is a limit in how lacking you can be if you can’t even do that. After all you are someone who dare to consider us as 『enemy』.」

「……I acknowledge it. You have the qualification to make such a big talk.」

Yukino took an orthodox middle stance and pointed her sword’s tip to the Founder.

「The hero is a hero, the warrior of salvation only because they take down such fearsome devil king──I have a reason why I can’t lose, that’s why I’ll surpass you no matter what!」

「Fufufufu. The chirping of the baby birds is really adorable……」

Founder Luo Hao covered her mouth with the sleeve of her traditional Chinese clothing and whispered.

「Fine, fine. Teaching and admonishing the rash youngsters is also the duty of the senior in the world of martial art. This Luo Hao shall generously allow the both of you to test your mettle against me.」

「I accept! Burn our amazing figures into your eyes now that we have been awakened!」

「Yukino. That’s a nice provocation, but I’ll go by myself first.」

Riona gallantly stepped forward after telling that to her partner.

「Honorable master. I haven’t simply been released from that form of normal bird──I shall proof it to you. You will regret it if you don’t get serious facing me!」

「Hou──」

This time Riona was the one making a provocative statement. Founder Luo Hao’s expression changed.

Her atmosphere of someone teasing a small animal changed into the face of someone who encountered an unknown animal and decided to observe its ecology.

「Sacred flame pure and clear──!」

And then, Riona suddenly chanted. She was still in her human form.

「I beseech you to purify every misfortune with the exorcism of fire!」

「So you are directing the flame of purification toward me……」

The bluish white flame whirled and moved to swallow Founder Luo Hao.

It was something that was summoned by Riona’s words of power. An attack that she unleashed as a spirit of sun. That flame should easily burn a single human until not even their bone remained. Within such flame,

「It’s impressive that you are able to unleash a purifying fire this strong while staying in your human form. However, it will be a real disappointment if this is all……」

Founder Luo Hao was standing calmly.

She even evaluated Riona’s magic in disinterest. But.

「Of course. The curtain of the stage has only just been raised──please enjoy the main show fully, honorable master! Twelve divine generals, come here!」

「!?」

The flame surrounding Founder Luo Hao moved with a command from Riona.

It separated from the beauty who wasn’t even singed and ascended to the sky before transforming into fire balls. Furthermore there were twelve of them and they surrounded the Founder in a circle.

It was the shikigami Twelve Divine Generals that served the onmyouji Toba Riona.

Riona chanted even louder as their master and as the divine spirit of fire.

「The sky abruptly turn dark──. The golden sacred kite arrive from the sky and come to a stop on the emperor’s bow. That kite, it’s shining bright, like the lightning stream……!」

The number of fire balls surrounding the Founder was twelve in total.

All of them unleashed golden flash toward the Campione standing in the middle of them.

In addition Riona’s right hand pointed with a graceful movement. The same flash also surged out from the tip of her index finger and attacked her wise and valorous teacher!

It was an attack of thirteen laser beam. It was Riona, no, the sacred bird’s trump card.

Founder Luo Hao was hit fully by it──

「I see, certainly this is different from before……I shall admit it Riona!」

She was still unhurt even now with the golden flashes bathing her like a violent stream.

However right now two Deva Kings manifested at her left and right. Their naked muscular bodies were shining gold while protecting their master the godslayer.

『Fuhnnnnnnnnnnnn!』

『Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!』

The pair of Deva Kings let out a manly yell of fighting spirit and they pushed both their hands toward empty air.

Golden light enveloped Founder Luo Hao and the two Deva Kings. The laser attack from Riona and the twelve divine generals were blocked.

These Deva Kings were the avatars of Founder Luo Hao.

When fully exerting the authority of Divine Might of Vajrapani and wielding superhuman strength that flesh body couldn’t endure, they were clones that she created as extensions of her body. Although the way they appeared was really different, they were a similar existence like how the small goddess Stella was related to Rokuhara Ren.

Their manifestation was an indication of the seriousness of Luo Hao who was otherwise known as Luo Cuilian──!

「So you have reached a level where you can wield this much power even without transforming into the sacred bird!」

「My form……doesn’t matter anymore. I’m me in this human form. But I’ll still be me even when turning into Yatagarasu. I can use my magic and power as I please in either form. It wil be the same even if I’m in the form of a small blue bird──even if I’m put under that curse again, I won’t become weak anymore!」

Riona declared with the intention of boasting about herself.

……The thirteen laser beams finally ended and her fierce attack paused.

Then the twelve divine generals that manifested as fire balls flew back to Riona one after another. They were absorbed into their queen’s body.

Toba Riona absorbed the fire shikigamis and smiled fearlessly as her new self.

「That’s the greeting from me. But」

「Next is──my turn! Onee-sama isn’t the only one who has changed!」

Yukino moved forward with a powerful step.

.

Momotarou-sensei, lend me strength──.

Yukino thought inside her heart while stepping forward and faced Founder Luo Hao.

She had the orthodox middle stance. It was a form that pointed the divine sword of salvation toward the face of the peerless godslayer, but there was a distance of nearly nine meters between the two.

Yukino looked determined. In respond Founder Luo Hao told her with a beautiful voice.

「Certainly, it looks like your bottom line has deepened quite further. However unfortunately, I also can feel a caliber that is suitable to accomplish the great feat of devil king extermination from you. Because regardless of what you claim, in the end──you are nothing more than human.」

Yukino was captured in a strange feeling despite standing on a battlefield.

Founder Luo Hao felt captivating and alluring to a strange degree. Aa, facing the beauty in front of her──

Would without a doubt give her sweet experience that was beyond her imagination!

「All of us godslayers are warrior who has faced genuine……heretic gods instead of mere demigod. To be frank, you are nothing more than an imprudent fellow who doesn’t know her place.」

Here the Founder sported a smile.

There was no contempt at the slightest in that smile. Rather, it was a beautiful smile beyond compare.

It was filled with compassion like Buddha pitying the transient life of a dying insect──Yukino’s heart skipped a beat. How lovely, she felt.

Founder Luo Hao continued her speech.

「However, thinking back……. We too were nothing more than insignificant human before we accomplished our first godslaying. Even the scythe of a mantis can sometimes kill even god. As someone who know that truth better than anyone──you who wish to perform salvation. I shall face you as mine enemy!」

「In that case, I’ll face you as myself who has surpassed my best!」

In the name of Momotarou-sensei who was the hero of salvation!

The moment she made her resolve──it began again.

.

*Rattle rattle, rattle rattle, rattle rattle, rattle rattle*

.

She could hear that hallucinatory sound. The sound of wooden wheel silently rotating from somewhere.

And then, vast 『power』 filled her limbs.

It was a power that was in the type of ki, magic power, and spiritual power. The power strengthened the latent power of the existence called Mononobe Yukino from her base.

Where did this power flow from? Yukino sharpened her senses.

Further below her navel, in the pit of her stomach that was considered as the center of human body in the martial arts of the orient……the power came from there. Right now Mononobe Yukino’s stomach pit was connected to “something”.

It wasn’t something with a definite shape. Yukino instinctually felt that.

Contract, covenant, promise, wish, hope, prayer──. This something might be that kind of thing.

「I get it……」

Yukino muttered.

A heated feeling was seething up from the bottom of her heart.

──Multiple terrifying godslaying devil kings appeared. That was 『the end of this world』. But world, be at ease. The hero shall become the Asura and continued to fight until the day all the devil kings are exterminated. The hero will stand his ground as the ruler wielding the divine sword of salvation.

──Therefore we are the King of the End. The savior who appear at the end of this world.

──O ancient covenant, support me. Praise me. Serve me.

──O covenant of devil king extermination, now is the time I transform into 『sword』. Turn my existence itself into a living sword. I’m the valorous hero who descended from the lineage of sword god.

(I feel it……. Right now, the devil king who reign in this land isn’t just Luo Hao-san.)

Yukino’s senses were terribly sharpened.

(There is one, and one more quite nearby……three godslayers are gathering here. My goodness. But, the covenant of sword god is with me. I’ll definitely manage──somehow!)

The welling up feeling and power reached the peak at this moment.

In order to make Mononobe Yukino confront three devil kings, the corrective force of 《fate》 got into work. And the result, Yukino’s magic power swelled up explosively.

It reached a level that wasn’t at all inferior even compared to Founder Luo Hao who stood in her way──.

「Hou……the Great Law of the Covenant, so you have become able to make use of it this skillfully so quickly.」

「Yes! My teacher, Momotarou-sensei……no. That person’s true name is the hero Rama. I swear on his name that I shall ratify the covenant of devil king extermination!」

Yukino declared while gazing at the godslaying beauty.

Then──her teacher’s name made Founder Luo Hao to be astonished.

「Rama!?」

「Sensei is also supporting me! That’s why──I won’t lose against you!」

Yukino yelled. She kicked on the ground at the same time.

She closed the distance in an instant and unleashed a full powered two handed thrust toward Founder Luo Hao. Platinum radiance was enveloping Yukino’s whole body and the divine sword of salvation.

Yukino ran while becoming a lightning strike itself.

The deva kings ──Founder Luo Hao’s avatars threw themselves in front of their master to become her shield.

There were two Deva Kings who moved in harmony as a pair, but one of them had its torso pierced by Yukino’s sword and it was instantly annihilated.

It was a small victory. However, Founder Luo Hao’s palm strike assaulted Yukino at that moment.

It didn’t come from her avatar, but an absolute move that came from her own slender right hand’s palm.

「Ha──!」

「Kuuuuuuuh!」

Struck by the palm that felt like it could shake even a large mountain, Yukino’s body was sent flying to far away.

She must have flown for twenty or thirty meters. Even so she didn’t get knocked out and held her ground and somehow prevented herself from falling.

It was thanks to the divine sword of salvation Take Mikadzuchi radiating a light of divine protection to reduce the damage.

Yukino glared at the mighty enemy before her once more with a dignified gaze.

The fight had only started. More, give me more power──!

「Ah……」

Two lightning descended from the sky in respond to her subconscious wish.

*Dooon! Dooon!*

The *things* that came down together with thunder weren’t just lightning. Two weapons stabbed into the ground and stood tall in front of Yukino.

One was a long bow made from black steel──.

The other one was a wooden quiver that was painted black──.

「Come to think of it……Momotarou-sensei and Jirou-san told me!」

Yukino gasped.

Her handsome teacher and his younger brother certainly told her.

『O heaven-sent child of fate. I shall bestow several of my prized weapons to you.』『Quickly learn to use these miraculous bow and arrows.』

They told her.

.

5

Yukino instinctually realized.

The bow and quiver that descended in front of her were absolutely powerful to the extreme.

That they weren’t something that should be used except in a battle in the scale that influenced the fate of the world, the direction of where the multiverse was heading.

That it was impossible to pull the bow’s string for even a little unless it was by the worthy user.

And so, she called out to them without hesitation.

「Divine sword of salvation Take Mikadzuchi……return inside me and lend me power! I need your assistance to use these bow and arrows!」

The divine sword of salvation that she held──vanished.

It returned inside the body of Mononobe Yukino who was also『the sword’s sheath』 in order to become a pillar that supported Yukino from the inside with the spiritual power that was hidden in its blade.

Yukino pulled the steel long bow that was stabbed into the ground with her left hand.

Her opened right hand moved toward the quiver. This action too was based on her instinct. The quiver was empty, but it should give out the arrow that was the most fitting for the situation at hand if the user wished for it──

「……Oh?」

No arrow came out.

「Isn’t this, a little bad for me!?」

Yukino got flustered.

Right now she had spiritual power and magic power dwelling within her that weren’t at all inferior even compared to Founder Luo Hao. With this power she would be able to use a sure-kill bow and arrow, perhaps!

Even though she got optimistic like that instinctually. Her strength was still insufficient!

「Wait Yukino! Basically there won’t be any problem if your basic power as the hero is raised-. We have the “trump card” in our possession!」

「Onee-sama!」

Toba Riona flew toward her in the form of blue swallow instead of blue jay.

The bird collided on Yukino’s body, fused inside, and the two of them became one in body and soul once more. Riona’s thought was transmitted to her from the inside.

(If I jack you up with Super Saiyan technique from here──!)

「Here it come!」

The jet black quiver was standing tall by being thrust into the ground.

The inside was empty. However now an arrow with yellow feathers flew out from that quiver. The arrow settled on Yukino’s right hand. That was because the instant she fused with Onee-sama, magic power burst up from deep inside her body and it heightened until nearly double the amount from before.

She nocked the yellow feathered arrow on the bow, pulled the string, and aimed at Sect Founder Luo Hao.

「Ha──!」

The founder was already launching her palm strike.

The action of thrusting her right hand straight forward was accompanied by an aura with the shape of a palm flying toward Yukino. It had the size that could flatten Yukino’s whole body.

「O Great Boddhisattva Hachiman──I beseech your aid against my enemy!」

She aimed the arrow while praying to the protector Buddha of warrior family.

As a descendant of the sword god Take Mikadzuchi, praying to such god was “mismatched” religiously, but she paid it no mind.

In the first place Japan’s god and Buddha had coexisted together since ancient time. The mixture of Buddhism and Shintoism was none other than the “natural” state of things in Japan. Boddhisattva Hachiman was also god Hachiman.

The arrow that was filled with Yukino’s prayer clashed against the aura palm!

Explosion. Shockwave. There was a thunderous sound *BOUNN!*. The two projectile weapons burst the moment they collided. Both of them were smashed into pieces and vanished together.

「What a surprise……」

Founder Luo Hao muttered.

「To think you have the bow and arrow of King Rama in your possession. Furthermore you even fulfilled the qualification as their wielder even if just barely somehow!」

「Wait Luo Hao-san, you know about my teacher!?」

「That person is the supreme hero in the Orient, the most exalted wanderer of noble birth. It will be even stranger if there are those who don’t know of him.」

「O-of course it is huh-」

Yukino was shocked by what her extensively knowledgeable mortal enemy taught her.

As expected from sensei. His fame had thundered even until this corner of the multiverse!

Her right hand moved toward the quiver even while she was feeling greatly moved. The second arrow──the same yellow feathered arrow came out. She fired. She called for the third arrow. She fired. Fourth arrow, and fifth arrow, they came at the same time!

If she held the arrow feathers between her index finger, middle finger, and ring finger, she could fire two arrows at the same time.

It was an acrobatic four rapid shots.

Facing the four arrows, Founder Luo Hao thrust out her right and left palms simultaneously.

「──Twin Tiger Palms!」

With the movement of twin palm strikes, the aura palms also flew out from both left and right hands.

Yukino’s four arrows were smashed apart altogether. But, it didn’t change the fact that the four arrows also hit. The two aura palms exploded and vanished.

「Then next!」

Yukino called for four yellow feathered arrows simultaneously.

If she put her five fingers between the arrow feathers, she could fire four arrows at the same time. She nocked them all on the bowstring and fired.

──Four arrows flew.

Founder Luo Hao made a slapping movement with her right hand. Then a hand of shining aura became a horizontal slap that slapped away all four arrows.

Firing all four arrows at the same time backfired on her instead.

In addition, the godslayer who had mastered Chinese martial art to the extreme thrust her left palm straight forward.

「──Phoenix Claw Stealing Heart!」

A palm of radiant aura rushed straight toward Yukino.

She wouldn’t make it in time with her arrow. The heaven-sent child of sword god swung the steel bow in her left hand to the side.

She considered the steel part that curved from being tied with string as blade and swung the bow as though she was performing a one handed slash. In the end, she was able to bisect the aura palm.

It was a splendid slash using a weapon that shouldn’t be usable for cutting. It was due to Mononobe Yukino’s swordsmanship.

Founder Luo Hao’s eyes narrowed and she muttered in admiration.

「I see, so you can also use sword at such level……」

「Let’s compete and sharpen ourselves with each other even more, Luo Hao-san! If we keep repeating this, I can surely become an even sharper and stronger『sword』!」

A life and death struggle against a peerless warrior. It brought ecstasy for Yukino.

Every time she fired an arrow, every time she swung a sword, it steadily tempered her own self and the degree of completion of herself as a『living sword』 was increased──

Conviction was filling her. How joyful this was!

.

「Yukino is putting up a good fight isn’t she.」

「Well, it seems that witch Luo Hao is also still observing the situation. We should at least get that much use from her.」

Ren’s partner Stella commented at his muttering.

By the way, he was also sending his magic power──the power that he possessed as Campione to the two girls through the bond of Oath of Wings with his partner who was fused with Yukino. Rokuhara Ren was also in the middle of battling Founder Luo Hao through his part was terribly plain.

And then the current state of the battle wasn’t good by any means. Ren spoke.

「Luo Hao-oneesan is gauging the timing for counterattack. Although it looks like the two of them are having an intense battle, it’s only Yukino who is rushing, while Onee-san is completely composed.」

He was good at performing both counter punch and outboxing.

Despite appearance, Rokuhara Ren was a boxer who Lu Yinghua recognized as “all right”.

Right now he was sneaking into the residence of the Sea King aka Founder Luo Hao. The small goddess Stella was sitting on Ren’s left shoulder.

They were in the middle of watching the showdown between hero and godslayer from the garden.

There was no need for them to sneakily hide.

The servants serving the founder had run away since a long time ago. They were all skilled martial artists who always erased their presence the best they could so that they wouldn’t harm the mood of their difficult master and immediately escaped the instant they realized the emergency situation.

The only troublesome existence that was Lu Yinghua was──

「It was convenient instead that we ran into Ying-kun at the mansion’s entrance.」

「With that you could stop his『time』 to keep him in place. It would be a bit troublesome if he came running at the critical time.」

Ren and Stella rejoiced in their luck together.

He used his authority Magic Eye of Time Freezing the moment they met by chance. The surge of freezing was released from his left eye that contained rainbow luster.

Lu Yinghua became unable to move for even an inch after getting hit by that.

Also, this time he froze Lu Yinghua for two hours, but he could also limit the freezing to just several seconds.

Actually that was also what he did when sparring with Lu Yinghua. He froze him for only two seconds and during that time he circled behind him using his prided footwork and jabbed at the back of his head.

Ren spoke seriously.

「I can finally use this authority easily too.」

「In the first place it’s an authority that you stole from that stupid goddess Athena──furthermore she was a great villain who went as far as destroying the world and recreating it.」

It seemed Stella also recalled the events that happened. She felt deeply emotional.

「It could easily run wild even just from a little bit of use……」

「It could even control a factor like time, and its ease of use were both good and bad after all.」

Ren looked back at the past with a wry smile.

When he realized the nature of the authority that he usurped from Athena, he analyzed it together with Riona (she still wasn’t a blue jay at that time).

『Perhaps, this authority is based on Athena’s magic eye. The eyes of snake goddess Medusa. It will turn everything into stone with just a gaze.』

Riona spoke intellectually at that time.

『The goddess of wisdom and war Athena and the snake monster Medusa were originally the same divinity. They were a mother earth goddess who cultivated life and a god of death. Their eye of petrification──was their authority as a god of death. After all the act of changing something into stone is an act of granting temporary death.』

『But, Rokuhara-san’s magic eye isn’t for petrification but freezing time.』

『Both are the same in regard to giving temporary death but……their nature is subtly different might be because the Athena that Rokuhara-san defeated, was a “goddess of the end”.』

『She had definitely destroyed the old world once and then she started creating the new world.』

『At that time……when we fought Athena in the destroyed world, the time of the whole world was stopped. The time of the new world would only start to move when Athena give her permission──that should be the case. I think those factors are influencing Rokuhara-san’s magic eye.』

It was an authority that was hard to use.

Even so he gradually got used to it and invented many practical uses of it. Recently it was even useful for head-on close quarter combat. Just like how he stopped Black Prince Alec’s godspeed.

But, right now it should be used for backline support of his ally──Ren muttered.

「I learned from that time with Theo-kun that it’s completely effective even against Campione if it’s only for one or two seconds. What’s left is choosing the timing of stopping the opponent.」

The sacred king Theodorick. The anti-fate godslayer that they encountered some time ago.

Using this authority as trap like that would only work once or twice. It wasn’t something that should be abused against Campione.

If the opponent was on their guard, it would be hard for the surge of freezing to hit them──.

「Recently the activity of Sea King’s Capital’s pirates is also getting really active. I want to reduce the momentum of Luo Hao-oneesan so our city can focus on doing business and pleasure without worry……」

「Ren-. Teach a lesson at that haughty witch!」

Ren was waiting for a good chance while receiving Stella’s cheering.

.

6

At first the offense and defense between arrow and palm strike was equal.

But, the situation greatly favored one side from a point of time. Now it became clear even from the side that Yukino was in disadvantage.

It started since Founder Luo Hao started singing delicately.

「Autumn breeze come blowing from somewhere──. The wild gooses see it off with desolation……」

「How can that be……Momotarou-sense’s arrows are-!?」

Yukino was astonished.

The yellow feathered arrows were filled with fierce fighting spirit. They flew swiftly like a gale to strike through the godslaying beauty. However they would be disintegrated at the halfway of their flight.

They crumbled to become fine sands and lost their shape as arrow.

(It’s her authority of singing voice, The Great Law of Dragon’s Flute and Tiger’s Howl! It can not only launch shockwave, this person can even do a stunt like transforming her song into ultrasonic wave-. She is causing destruction through ultrasonic wave only using her voice and turn her target into sands──)

Riona’s thought was telling her what was going on.

But Yukino couldn’t fully accept the fact and argued back reflexively.

「B-but, this is the miraculous arrow of a war god we are talking about here!」

(But our opponent is a 『woman who murdered even gods』 you know! Obviously she can even smash apart holy object or divine relic!)

「No way──!?」

A palm of shining aura approached.

Yukino leaped to the left to dodge while firing a yellow feathered arrow.

「……A lone traveler, entering the garden, every since the morning, the first thing he ask──」

(Look, it got disintegrated again-. She has already grasped the trick or the frequency or whatever she needs to annihilate that arrow into sands completely!)

「Uuuuuuu」

Yukino’s arrow vanished due to the howling of the wind and the song of the magic sect founder.

She determinedly fired. It was annihilated. She called for even more arrow and fired. Annihilated. Fired, fired, fired, she continued firing──everything was annihilated.

Yukino was dumbfounded. But then she tasted even more astonishment in that moment.

「Fufufu──it seems that your skill with bow isn’t at the level of your mastery with sword.」

Founder Luo Hao was standing right beside her while smiling sweetly.

Before she realized it, she had arrived at the right side of Yukino. Even though just several seconds ago there was a distance of ten-odd meters separating them!

The distance was closed in less than an instant.

Rapid Arrow Step──it was a stepping technique that closed the distance in a single breath like a gust of wind.

It was an unbecoming blunder for an archer to allow a barehanded enemy to close the distance like this. Furthermore Founder Luo Hao was opening her left palm. It was a preliminary movement of an attack!

Yukino’s instinct as a “living sword” told her.

The move that was called as spear hand in karate was coming. The sect founder’s five fingers would gouge at her right flank. Her body already moved automatically when that image formed in her mind.

Yukino threw herself to the ground without hesitation.

In addition she rolled forward while taking distance from the sect founder. She turned around. She stood up at the same time when she finished rolling on the ground with flexibility like a cat. It was all done in a single action.

Founder Luo Hao’s spear hand thrust through the empty spot exactly at that moment.

「You have a very good instinct girl……」

The godslayer who was in the supreme domain of martial arts closely observed Yukino with a coquettish gaze despite standing in the whirlpool of bloody battle.

「I shall admit that the sharpness of your instinct has already reached the domain of divine revelation.」

「O-obviously. I am the reincarnation of the sword god Take Mikadzuchi.」

「However, it’s hard to say that you have sufficient strength to defeat this Luo Hao……. Perhaps I should finish this battle already.」

Smoothly──Founder Luo Hao approached with a casual footstep.

Yukino understood. It was the 『ruler’s gait』 that the sect founder’s disciple Lu Yinghua displayed to her, but this one had been polished to the furthest limit.

The sect founder’s median line that was connecting the top of her head, the pit of her stomach, and her groin was completely straight without any point being out of line.

She was like a pillar that connected the heaven and earth. Her walk also without any wavering at all. There wasn’t the slightest opening that could be found.

Unlike the majestic walking of her disciple, this walk was truly natural. Obviously. Because for Luo Cuilian, being a ruler was as natural as breathing.

Yukino couldn’t draw the image of how she could stop this walking no matter how she attacked.

But at the end when her opponent had approached really close to her, there was no doubt that she would lunge forward with an imperfect attack as though her body was sucked close. She wouldn’t be able to suppress her uneasiness and fear at that point…….

Onee-sama warned her from inside her body.

(Yukino! It doesn’t matter whether it’s with bow or sword, just attack her anyway to hold her back!)

「No! Luo Hao-san is waiting for that-. She is planning to make me commit the first move so that she can perform Go no Sen and land a counterattack on me!」

That was why, Yukino used her 『legs』.

Like lightning that descended from the sky, she ran zigzag on the ground.

It was a sprinting method that was worthy of the heaven-sent child of Take Mikadzuchi who was a sword and lightning god. She passed through Founder Luo Hao from her side with a speed that was like lightning personified.

Yukino stopped her legs when a large distance was opened between them.

Haa haa. Haa haa. She was breathing hard. Confronting an opponent who was far above her was terribly exhausting to this inexperienced devil king extermination hero.

「Fufufufu……as expected, you are fast in running away thanks to your good instinct.」

Sect Founder Luo Hao turned around and smiled at Yukino.

It wasn’t a smile of friendship, but an expression of pleasure derived from battle. Yukino realized. Her strength was still below this most atrocious godslayer. How could she get through this predicament?

(Yukino──you are still going to use arrow? Even though it didn’t work at all like that?)

「Eh……?」

She noticed from Onee-sama’s question.

Yukino’s right hand was holding a single arrow without her noticing it. Unlike the arrows from before, this arrow had pink feathers.

Come to think of it, the quiver was still left behind at the first place it appeared at.

But, that quiver sent her this arrow from there. The arrow that was suitable for Mononobe Yukino right now.

「I forgot. Before our parting, Momotarou-sensei gifted me a lot of types of arrows!」

There was the black steel bow in her left hand.

It was the favorite bow of her martial art teacher. And then the pink feathered arrow──Yukino sensed the wonder-effect that was hidden in it and immediately decided.

「Onee-sama! That thing we did before this, please do it again!」

(G-got it-. That one isn’t it!)

As expected from this spiritual fusion state. What she wanted was conveyed just by saying 『that』.

First Yukino readied the black bow in her left hand. She aimed it toward Founder Luo Hao who was approaching toward her with the relaxed walking of king.

She nocked the pinked feathered arrow on the bow, drew it──

「Haa──a!」

A palm strike of shining golden aura flew at her in that moment.

It was a perfect crosscounter. Yukino was hit by the powerful blow of 『light in the form of palm』 just before she fired the arrow.

……She felt like her whole body was exploding.

The damage was too big that even the intense agony only felt like heat to her.

All her limbs and internal organs were burning──. Even while she was hallucinating so, Yukino still stepped firmly on the ground with her two legs, endured it, and didn’t fall.

She endured it with her spirit and guts, and something else.

Right now Yukino’s body was far tougher than usual.

Her bone was──hard. Every single bone in her body was reinforced and transformed into solidity that was like super alloy. The muscle and fat covering her bone structure were also possessing toughness that they didn’t have before this.

Thanks to that she didn’t fall even after being hit by a direct hit from counterattack and she was able to stand her ground.

「Onee-sama’s Super Saiyan technique, it’s really amazing……」

Yukino whispered.

「I think she called it 『dirtily tenacious life force to make you so tough that you won’t die even when killed』? I somehow am alright thanks to borrowing that……」

Yukino released the arrow while her consciousness was hazy.

She endured the palm strike while still maintaining her stance of nocking the pink feathered arrow on the bow. The trump card arrow flew through the air.

……She couldn’t block Founder Luo Hao’s counter punch.

Then she should aim at simultaneous strike. Onee-sama gave her the necessary toughness to achieve that──.

.

The pink feathered arrow drew near.

Mononobe Yukino endured the counter palm strike with the preparedness to die using a toughness that surpassed the estimation of the emperor of the martial world, Lu Cuilian. She fired the mysterious arrow after that.

However, even that was already within the estimation of Luo Cuilian.

She didn’t know what kind of special property the arrow had but──she only needed to let out a breath 『fuh』 and changed this breath into a shockwave that mowed down everything.

Just like when the Banana Leaf Fan blew away all the fire of the fire mountain.

Because that was how terrifying the authority of wind, The Great Law of Dragon’s Flute and Tiger’s Howl was.

But──just before she breathed out.

She was astounded. The pink feathered arrow pierced her body. At her stomach pit that was a vital spot. Even though she should have enough time left for defending!

(It’s like, time had stopped……!?)

A shudder assaulted Luo Cuilian.

And then, she returned to her senses with a gasp. Freezing time──come to think of it, wasn’t that power the trump card of a “certain youngster”……?

Could it be, he had achieved growth in this short time?

To a degree that he could stop the time of this Luo Cuilian who was peerless under the heaven even if just for one second.

……That was her first shock.

The second shock, was the pink arrow piercing her stomach pit.

Her flesh wasn’t gouged. Her bone also wasn’t broken. That arrow was pouring in terrifyilngly powerful spiritual power into the flesh of Luo Cuilian that it stabbed.

It was──the miraculous effect of 『sealing and restraining』.

The pink feathered arrow and Luo Cuilian scattered into countless lights and vanished.

However, she wasn’t annihilated by any means. At the place where she was standing just now, the seal of 『pentagram』 was burned on the ground.

It was the proof of sealing evil, that something was imprisoned there.

The godslaying devil king, Luo Cuilian met the bitter experience of being sealed, her freedom taken away from her.

.

7

「Arrow of sealing huh……」

As expected, Ren felt slightly exasperated after witnessing everything from start to end.

He slightly stopped Luo Cuilian’s time with his new power the Magic Eye of Time Freezing to make the scenario of 『simultaneous strike』 from the pink feathered arrow a reality but──

「Isn’t it a bit too convenient for something like that to come out in this last moment?」

「That’s not it, Ren.」

Stella who was sitting on his left shoulder was frowning.

「Those bow and arrows were bestowed to that annoying girl by a hero……they are that person’s authority. It’s a helping hand of an ally that suddenly appear and reach out when she fell into a predicament──」

「Momotarou-san is it? Is that kind of thing also his quality as a hero……」

Rokuhara Ren was a person who got easily elated. That was something that was acknowledged by others and himself.

However, he let out a sigh from the bottom of his heart after knowing that there existed “a man loved by others” who surpassed himself in the mythological world.

「Yukino is the successor of that person. I wonder how long we will be able to deceive her from here on?」

「Right right. The annoying girl herself is utterly stupid, but conversely, it’s because of that she can get defiant and has the guts to make a big gamble at the critical moment. So you must never let your guard down.」

「Perhaps it will be better if I go a step further and get a bit closer personally with her.」

Ren winked at his soulmate the small goddess.

「If she become even more conscious of me, this is Yukino we are talking about, so she might hold back against me when we get into a dispute for some reason.」

「……Ren. That way of thinking of yours is making me real impressed instead……」

The Campione and his partner who was secretly maneuvering behind the scene.

Without knowing about the whispered conversation of the two, the two high school girls were immersed in the aftertaste of their victory (?).

.

「It was a bit of touch and go just now, but we did it in the end!」

Toba Riona finally regained her form as a beautiful girl after ten months.

She lifted both her hands toward the sky and stretched her back with a wide smile on her face. The vestige of sulky blue jay couldn’t be found anywhere from her look.

「My many thanks to you for helping me so much, Yukino!」

「I-I’m glad for you, Onee-sama……」

But as for Yukino, she was lying on the ground in total exhaustion.

She was facing up and could only stare at the clear blue sky. But when she wanted to get up and share happiness with Onee-sama──

Yukino tried to lift her body with guts.

「O──ouchhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?」

「It’s better if you don’t move yet. I’ll give you treatment now.」

Yukino let out a wordless scream. Riona walked toward her in a good mood.

The blazer uniform perfectly suited her. She kneeled beside the lying down Yukino and nestled close to her.

「You were hit head-on by an attack that honorable master executed with the intent to kill after all. No matter how tough you body became, there was no way you would get out from that safely.」

「I-I can’t feel it at all, just which part of my body is in pain……」

「Or rather, your whole body is rattled. This damage is similar like when a normal human got hit by a dump car that rushed at 100km/hour. I’m impressed instead that you were able to strike back even after getting hit like that.」

Several talismans appeared in Riona’s hand.

All of them were the same talismans that had the scripture of 『imperial edict』 and complicated pattern drawn on them. Most likely they were containing the wonder-effect of healing.

「To think that you even summoned an arrow of generic evil sealing at that eleventh hour──. To be honest, I underrated your potential Yukino. To think that you succeed in sealing that master of mine, you just committed the greatest distinguished service, it’s totally a coup!」

「It’s too bad but, the current Yukino is still not that person’s match……」

Riona’s tension was simply high. It seemed that she was really happy.

Yukino was just barely able to move her facial muscle to smile weakly. She was glad that Onee-sama was able to return to become human safely──.

「But, if I continue my journey like this, it won’t be long until I become able to fight her in equal ground. That’s the feeling that I got. I’ll rapidly become stronger each time I fight with a godslaying devil king……. That’s why, I sealed Luo Hao-san as an emergency measure until that day arrive──」

The day where she opened the seal and confronted Founder Luo Hao once more wouldn’t be that far.

Yukino instinctually felt that as the reincarnation of the sword god Take Mikadzuchi. She should grow dramatically compared to before when her wounded body healed……

She was convinced of that. Then she suddenly recalled.

「Ah……by the way Onee-sama. Do you see where sensei’s bow and quiver around here?」

「I don’t see them but──what’s the matter? I thought that you had simply “unsummoned” them Yukino.」

The weapons that descended from the sky. It wouldn’t be strange for them to vanish on their own and appeared again later when it was necessary.

However that didn’t make sense to Yukino.

「For some reason, I’m feeling concerned for them. When I thought that I succeed in sealing Luo Hao-san, I relaxed and let go of the bow. I also left the quiver somewhere else this whole time──」

「Yeah. You were certainly careless.」

……It was an unfamiliar voice.

Riona was surprised and looked behind her. Yukino felt uneasy and she too mustered her last willpower to somehow lift up just her upper body.

A young man shrugged in front of the gazes of the two high school girls.

He was a black haired Caucasian. He was wearing a well-tailored suits that also had black color. Combined with his white shirt, the outfit gave the Earthian an elegant appearance.

The young man was very handsome. He told them with a brazen tone.

「The bow and quiver of the hero Rama. In better times, he is a hero who can shoulder the mission of devil king extermination as the King of the End. Those are weapons that are used by such person. I was worried because such precious items must not be allowed to go through the misery of going missing or stolen you see. So I took the privilege of putting them under my safeguard.」

「Is that you Alec──!」

The one who called that name in astonishment was Rokuhara Ren.

Riona’s expression tightened hearing that.

「Don’t tell me that you are the rumored……one of the Campione? The leader of Shadow Chaser Forest, Alexander Gascoigne!?」

「So I don’t need to introduce myself. Thanks for that, it save me the time to do it myself.」

The young man Alec nodded with a somewhat haughty gesture.

「It’s great that I’m able to be acquainted with the rumored hero of devil king extermination. I shall properly examine the bow and quiver that you provided me. Those weapons are extremely interesting──I have been wanting from a long time ago to obtain those weapons.」

「P-providing……? I never gave them to you!」

It was unknown where the bow and quiver were hidden at. The godslayer called Alec was empty handed. However, Yukino was convinced. Those weapons were taken by this man──!

「You are just stealing them without asking!」

「What, I will definitely return them to you without a single scratch on them after I finish inspecting and researching them and I judge that it’s necessary to return them to you. I give you my promise.」

「That means that you won’t return them if there is no need to return them isn’t it!」

Yukino retorted. Even then Alec only treated it like a passing breeze.

「Aa. Certainly you can also interpret it like that. If you have complains about that, you can come visit me anytime. You can also find a point of compromise with me using armed might and brute strength if you want, though that kind of solution isn’t really beautiful──」

The young man Alec was gone while speaking those words in an exasperated tone.

He only left behind his voice while his appearance had vanished!

「At that time I’ll become the anti-fate godslayer and play with you. Farewell, miss devil king extermination hero, also Rokuhara Ren……」

For some reason the Campione also spoke the name of Yukino’s company at the end.

Come to think of it, when she used the Great Law of the Covenant, she felt that there were other Campiones nearby. Alexander Gascoigne was one of them!

He was a user of teleportation──no.

Most likely he was an owner of outrageous speed. Her instinct as god’s descendant was telling her that.

Yukino was dumbfounded. 『Rokuhara-kun』 disregarded her and muttered.

「What an amazing person. Really, these Campiones──they are all absurd monster without exception!」

That comment was said with complete earnestness.

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