Campione! - Volume 17 - Chapter 1.3

Part 3 

"I'm not one scouting out the convent at Mount Lu."  

This was the young man, Lu Yinghua, who stood as Luo Cuilian's one and only  direct disciple.  

A young leader from Hong Kong's Lu family, a clan of outlaws with a long and  distinguished history, the handsome youth had entered Godou's room. Speaking  of which, he actually did not come in through the main door either.  

Godou's room was on the second floor. Lu Yinghua had suddenly entered through  the window.  

True to his epithet of "superiority in lightness," Lu Yinghua's agility was beyond  even that of Liliana and Ena.  

As a side note, the view outside the window was the sky adorned by an evening  glow. It was precisely the bustling hour when residents in the vicinity of Nezu's  Area 3 shopping district would go out to shop for dinner ingredients.  

"Reportedly, the convent was discovered to be empty only when the Holy Cult's  Glorious Messenger of the Right made his semiannual visit. Hence, a search all  over Mount Lu failed to find any signs of her—"  

After hearing about a mysterious position in the cult and the whole story of what  had happened, Godou scratched his head.  

Lu Yinghua had sent his text yesterday. To deliver a detailed report, he then went  out of his way to visit the Kusanagi home. 

"Even if she's not on Mount Lu, it's possible that she might be somewhere else  nearby in the mountain range. At least she probably hasn't gone to urban areas."  

"Why is that?"  

"Because there hasn't been news like some city in eastern Asia getting destroyed."  Lu Yinghua's expression was quite serious.  

He probably had no intention of making a joke. As expected of someone who  knew the absurd personality of Luo Cuilian, the demonic cult leader, best.  

"Whether Master's disappearance is connected to the 'King of the End' or not, let's  reserve our opinion on that for the current stage."  

"I agree. But you make it sound like she'll do things exceeding your worst  expectations any time."  

"It's the same with every Devil King, the Campiones. Including you, Honored  Uncle."  

"..."  

Godou was unable to raise his objections against Lu Yinghua's comment that  appeared to stem from deep enlightenment.  

"Anyway, I'll do everything I can in this matter—"  

Mid-sentence, Lu Yinghua vanished.  

More accurately, he had jumped backwards so quickly that an ordinary human's  dynamic vision would only have registered "an instantaneous shadow," opening  the closed window without any sound and leaving the room.  

It was definitely like a flash of lightning. As quick as wind.  

Godou was only able to comprehend thanks to his familiarity with Lu Yinghua's  skills. 

Just as he was puzzling why Lu Yinghua had left, Godou heard footsteps ont he  wooden staircase.  

"Onii-chan, who is there with you?"  

Someone called to him from outside the door. His little sister Shizuka had  arrived.  

"...No one. I'm alone right now."  

"Okay, then I'm opening the door."  

A moment later, the room door was opened and Shizuka entered. She looked at  Godou with a weird expression while staring with full surprise at the window that  was wide open despite the winter weather.  

"Was it my imagination...?"  

"What's with you?"  

"I heard a boy's voice from the second floor—Something like that. I even thought  it was him, that guy with the family name of Lu."  

"If he really were here, what were you planning to do?"  

"Have a chat with him and ask for his phone number and email address. If he's  willing, maybe even set a date to meet up some time. He always makes me  curious."  

If these were the seeds of a budding romance between young boys and girls,  perhaps Godou should offer his assistance.  

However, Kusanagi Shizuka was very similar to her mother and was born with a  queenly aura. What she said about meeting up could probably be replaced by the  word "summon." Very probably.  

To prevent the misogynistic Lu Yinghua from suffering unnecessary hardship,  Godou decided to feign ignorance to the very end. 

"Oh okay. I'll ask him next time I see him."  

"Whatever. Even without you worrying, Onii-chan, I can still make friends on my  own."  

Hearing Shizuka's indifferent response, Godou nodded generously.  The fact that he mentally replaced "friends" with "flunkies" must be kept secret.  

"Oh right, Asuka-chan invited us just now. Basically, to go out with her to have  okonomiyaki for dinner. Do you wanna go, Onii-chan?"  

"Sure. Grandpa should be coming home quite late tonight."  

"Okay. Then let's head over to Asuka-chan's place at 7pm or so tonight."  

Tokunaga Asuka, the Kusanagi siblings' childhood friend, lived at a nearby sushi  shop.  

Hence, Shizuka left the room. Godou could hear her quick lively footsteps  descending the staircase. Lu Yinghua proceeded to return to the room lightly  from the window.  

"...You noticed from the sound?"  

"Yeah. Because I heard footsteps from the staircase, I realized she was coming  up."  

Hearing footsteps approaching downstairs even in a building constructed from  steel-reinforced concrete and correctly deducing the identity of the approaching  person as well— 

Lu Yinghua had acquired superhuman hearing as a result of his harsh training as  Luo Cuilian's disciple.  

At merely the tender age of fourteen, he definitely deserved to be called a  promising young star, a martial arts prodigy. 

...However, apart from genius talent, he was also burdened with many negative  assets including "being forced to endure inhumanely cruel training since early  childhood," "living a life of seclusion for over eight years in the mountains since  the age of three," "a great quantity of mental trauma giving rise to latent hostility  towards women," ...etc.  

"I have embarrassed myself in front of you, Honored Uncle."  

"Of course not, you already have many things troubling you to begin with. Not  increasing the number of hassles would be best. I agree too."  

The two of them had experienced many hardships due to female relationships.  

There were many things they could mutually understand without needing long  explanations. Like those girls who were close to Godou as companions, with  Erica first and foremost, Lu Yinghua was a trusted comrade as well, but in a  different sense.  

Hence, after returning home, Kusanagi Godou was preparing for the predicted  state of emergency.  

However, he still went to school properly every day and had normal contact with  family members such as his sister, mother and grandfather. As for interacting  with neighbors, he would occasionally chat with his childhood friend, Asuka.  

Although this was only to rest his body and mind, Godou experienced an  incredible feeling.  

As the days went by, one at a time, he felt his body's functions gradually grow  stronger.  

He was almost like an athlete carefully adjusting his body in preparation for a  world competition. 

What was recuperating was most likely the deepest parts of his body and mind.  The decisive battle was imminent.  

As a godslaying warrior, a Campione's body and mind would subconsciously  adjust Kusanagi Godou to peak condition in preparation for the decisive battle  against mortal enemies.  

That was probably the case.  

When Amakasu Touma contacted him, Godou was able to react with composure.  'Kusanagi-san, it's now clear what the threat coming from southwest is.'  

Several days after his return, Godou happened to receive a call just as he was  going home from school.  

'Athena—no, Pallas Athena—did not head to Japan directly. For the past few  days, she was apparently present at the South China Sea. Namely, a small island  somewhere between Taiwan and the Philippines."  

The South China Sea. From Tokyo's perspective, that was indeed in the  southwestern direction.  

'She seems to have conducted an unidentified summoning ritual there. Leading  multiple serpentine divine beasts, entering the Pacific Ocean from the South  China Sea, she is currently advancing northwards without impediment. Rather  rapidly by following the Kuroshio Current. That's the same method as the  goddess who appeared at New Year's—Circe."  

"Based on what you said, could it be that she discovered power there that was left  behind by Circe, intending to reuse it?"  

This was just a random guess, but it was probably not far from the truth.  

Pallas Athena was not Athena. It was impossible to imagine her employing a  pack of divine beasts back when she was a goddess. There was probably a trick in  there somewhere. 

Hence, Amakasu smiled wryly on the other side.  

'You noticed it too huh, Kusanagi-san? Actually, our members made the same  speculation. However, the previous goddess landed at Cape Inubou, but this time,  it'll probably be—"  

Tokyo Bay. Perhaps the destination was the sea where the "King of the End" was  sleeping.  

In response to the History Compilation Committee's special agent's  announcement, Godou replied quite calmly.  

"Umm, I'm sorry but could you pick us up near the school? Also, it'd be best if  you could bring Seishuuin as well."  

'Roger that. It will be done as the king decreed.'  

Making a joke that did not sound funny to Godou at all, Amakasu ended the  emergency conversation.  

Godou hung up and gazed at his companion beside him.  

The two of them were traveling together by chance along the way home from  school. Tossing her head of red-tinted blonde hair, Erica Blandelli smiled,  dressed in school uniform.  

It was as though she found the conversation just now quite funny.  

"Godou, you've become quite reliable. Even though you've been a Campione for  less than a year."  

"It's currently the latter part of February. The first anniversary happens to be a  month away."  

Calculating the time just for kicks, Godou muttered.  

"How rare to have a year of such hardship." 

"For me, Erica Blandelli, I'll have you know that this was a year of many joyful  happenings. I really ended up dragging quite an amazing character onto the world  stage."  

"How does it count as you dragging me along, Erica?"  

Godou shrugged at his companion who had provided mutual support ever since  the beginning of everything.  

"It was reaping what I sowed and going with the flow that made me walk the path  I have trodden so far."  

"Naturally, I intend to accompany you till eternity, because I am Kusanagi  Godou's first knight and at the same time, the most beloved lover. You ought to  understand that, right?"  

Naturally. That was why Godou had asked Amakasu to pick "us" up.  

But Godou did not voice these thoughts, instead nodding to respond. This alone  was enough to make Erica smile with satisfaction, bowing her head gracefully.  This was a knight's etiquette.  

"Yuri and Lily are probably still in the school's vicinity. Let's call them over."  

"I've already asked Amakasu-san to pick up Seishuuin. Although I feel feel bad  about it every time, once again, I'll be counting on you all as always."  

Even Godou felt that this was quite an irresponsible demand.  

But there was no helping it. Before the decisive battle, it was hard to predict what  was going to happen. In Kusanagi Godou's book, there was no policy apart from  "going with the flow and adapting to changes."  

The quick-witted female knight smiled lightly.  

"I feel truly fortunate for possessing the talent and capability to compensate for  your flaws, Godou. I really hope you can express sufficient gratitude to me." 

"Of course. I've always appreciated you."  

These were his honest feelings without any pretense at all.  

Thus, the adventure surrounding the "King of the End" was now off to an official  start.  

Although Kusanagi Godou had survived many battles since becoming a  Campione, the upcoming fight was going to be the most difficult trial. This was  the truth beyond a doubt.