Campione! - Volume 21 - Chapter 2.3

Part 3
The Divine Sword of Salvation.

The length of its blade was nearly a meter, it was an extraordinarily long sword.

It was double edged, the thickness of its blade closely resembled a hatchet. And then, the unblemished sword blade that contained clear brilliance and majestic dignity.

That was its original appearance.

A peerless sacred treasure overflowing with dignified elegance despite its boorishness──.

However, through long months and years, the divine sword was losing radiance.

The time it was covered in rust was also long.

There was even period where let alone rust, it even ended up rotting and worn out, as though it was merely a steel pole.

After the owner Ramachandra was defeated by Kusanagi Godou, a black stain was spreading on the blade that was containing Prince Lakhsmana.

And then, just a bit of time ago──.

The white monkey god Hanuman let the great enemy Kusanagi Godou to slip away in a corner of the Astral World, then he muttered to himself how he must hurry the revival of hero Rama.

It was right after that.

Hanuma threw the Divine Sword of Salvation to the air.

The divine sword that was dyed black vanished *fuh* in the air, and the next moment it flew in the sky of the  surface world like a gale.

The Divine Sword of Salvation flew straight for a while, and then in fell in arching orbit.

It was aiming at the “center” of Japan that would become the land of Rama’s resurrection.

That place was the top of mountain that only had rock and sand.

*Za-!* The Divine Sword of Salvation stabbed at a moderately big rock.

There was a worn out <ruby>torii<rt>shrine archway</rt></ruby> nearby. This mountain summit was at the vicinity of the caldera of a huge volcano. If a human was walking around the caldera by foot, they would surely need more than an hour.

The sacred mountain, Mountain Fuji──.

It was the most powerful spiritual land in Japan, a spiritual center.

Right now, the Divine Sword of Salvation was stabbed on the summit of the sacred Mountain Fuji.

……If a Japanese person was in this place by chance, they would surely think of it as bizarre. It was February, the mountain Fuji was right at the height of winter.

And yet despite so──

There was almost no snow piling up on the mountain summit.

No, not just that, the amount of snowfall on the whole Mountain Fuji was nearly nonexistent.

If someone gazed at the majesty of this sacred mountain from afar, it would be obvious in a glance. Even though a white blanket of snow should be covering the surface in this season for sure.

Right now, it was the 『bare』 mountain Fuji that should be visible only in the summertime.

Of course, it was because Ramachandra’s revival was near. The increase of geothermy and atmospheric temperature brought about the odd phenomenon of “early snow melt” to the sacred Mountain Fuji.

The divine sword stabbing the summit of the sacred mountain──.

The blade that should be clear and pure had a black stain still spreading on it.

But a whole day and night passed. When the summit of mountain Fuji welcomed sunrise, the stain vanished from the Divine Sword of Salvation. The filth had fallen.

The aura of purity filling sacred Mountain Fuji was said to awaken god’s majesty.

……Then, what about swordsman who should wield sword?

About a week ago, hero Rama was defeated by godslayer Kusanagi Godou.

The place was Pushpaka Vimana. A gigantic flying ship with a size similar like a city. It crashed on Pacific Ocean nearby Japan’s Kanto region and sunk into the sea……

Then, was the corpse of the great hero also sunk into the ocean depth together?

No, his soul melted into air, at times it rode the wind, at times it opposed the wind while moving toward the spiritual ground that was the purest in Japan.

The soul unconsciously felt that ground was the most fitting place for his resurrection.

「Aa. My elder brother Rama is the supreme noble birth who should be pure.」

Prince Lakhsmana materialized into human form once more and kneeled.

He was in front of the divine sword stabbing into the rock──his elder brother’s real body.

「A holy ground that purify and cleanse every worldly filth……. This little brother believe that the solemnity of this place is the most worthy for your body!」

Lakhsmana’s skin was dark brown despite looking exactly like Rama.

His love and respect toward his clear white elder brother turned into words of power and he wholeheartedly chanted.

「Right now is exactly the time, for the hand of salvation to bring these last days……oh elder brother!」

「Indeed, Prince Rama.」

The one who muttered with serious tone was Hanuman.

He suddenly appeared beside Prince Lakhsmana and kneeled.

「Right now there is only one devil king remaining in this world. The wolf king of storm, the chivalrous queen of martial art, the queen of disaster, the king of black lightning, the king of mask, the king of sword──all of them is gone. In order to bring down the last remaining one, Kusanagi Godou──realize your second coming right now!」

Hanuman kept kneeling while straightening his back, and recited sonorously.

「In order for us to cut apart the darkness of the last days and exterminate the godslaying devil king, we wish the rebirth of the sword. Aa, the most noble sword among swords, blade among blades. Thy art the blade of devil king annihilation. Thy art the white light of salvation. Thy art the one born for the sake of massacring all the Rakshasa!」

That was the scripture to dictate the second advent of the King of the End.

Instantly──the beautifully clear sky clouded and thunder clouds filled the sky.

*GOooooooooOOONN-!*

*GOooooooooOOONN-!*

Two lightning fell in succession and the flash of lightning dyed the sky white.

That light reflected──a shadow of a person on the ground. It didn’t come from both Lakhsmana and Hanuman. It was the shadow of a third person.

「Oo」

「Oo, tiger among human! O holy king who accumulate splendor on top of splendor!」

Hanuman was deeply moved while Lakshmana yelled passionately.

The third person slowly grasped the Divine Sword of Salvation, and pulled it out from the rock──

「I have made the two of you wait.」

「Elder brother!」

「My lord Ramachandra.」

Prince Rama nodded toward his kneeling little brother and loyal vassal.

Bluish white long hair. The features of graceful handsome man. But, that resplendent beautiful look──was added with accent from tiredness that was like a rust and virility.

Similar like before, he was wearing simple blue shirt and trouser, and pure white mantel.

Rama sheathed the long divine sword inside the scabbard on his back and he muttered.

「……To think that my second advent can come true this fast. As expected it is different after using the Great Law of Covenant. The restoration of my strength and flesh is really fast……」

There was no happiness in his voice.

There was only the melancholy from heading toward a new conflict. However.

「On that subject during my termination, the godslaying ladies and gentlemen carried out a competition correct? And then the one who remained until the end is……」

「It’s Kusanagi Godou.」

「I’m aware.」

Prince Rama’s lips burst into smile hearing what Hanuman said.

「Fufufufu. To think that they themselves will crush their fellow godslayer in order to oppose my great law. What a really simple, and bold plan that they chose. Good grief, this is why they cannot be underestimated……」

Even Rama himself didn’t know since when it happened.

However right now, he was stimulated by an urge that was hard to describe──

He was smiling. The man who should be completely exhausted from long battles was chuckling with shaking shoulders. He was desperately suppressing how he actually wanted to laugh loudly like an idiot…….

His loyal vassals stared at their lord with bewildered gaze.

「Lord.」

「E, elder brother.」

「Aah, my apology Hanuman, Lakhsmana.」

Rama somehow suppressed the urge to burst into laughter and he smiled.

However, the shock of witnessing how this King of the End who was brooding a lot of the time to be almost breaking into loud laughter seemed to be really big. The two vassals were staring at the extraordinary great hero with startled eyes.

Rama faced them and spoke.

「Perchance……it might be fine this time.」

「What could you mean, my lord Rama?」

「Fufufufu. Forgetting all the troublesome this and that, and simply fighting earnestly.」

「Elder brother! Doesn’t that sounds like you are going to do the same thing──like those hateful godslayers!?」

「Isn’t that fine, my little brother.」

Lakhsmana remonstrated with a flustered look, but Rama told him with a refreshed tone.

「Even I have time when I want to simply go wild as a mere warrior. If the opponent is Kusanagi Godou, then I have nothing to complain about.」

Prince Rama closed his eyes just for a moment and recalled the past.

「I confronted him twice a thousand years ago in Gallia. It’s also twice in the occasion of my previous advent. If combined with the next confrontation, I will have fight Kusanagi Godou five times.」

He spoke further after muttering that.

「Five times battle. I won’t even mind calling him a worthy opponent at this point. He is my opponent from opposite fate.」

「Absurd! Something like a powerful enemy who could rival elder brother doesn’t exist!」

「Is that so? In the first place looking back at all the confrontation until now……The score is one loss and three defeat for my side. I’m far behind in the number of victory, what’s more it can be said that it’s me who is in the position of the challenger.」

「Elder brother!」

「I’m saying nothing but fact here, Lakhsmana.」

「For the most noble here to grant such evaluation toward the like of Rakshasa Raja──is unacceptable! That is an act contrary to the underlying principle of heaven!」

「Fufufufu. If that is so, then that means I’ve become the same kind of those godslaying ladies and gentlemen.」

「Lord!」

「My apology, forget what I said just now. It was a joke.」

The loyal little brother and monkey god were bewildered. In contrast Rama was smiling mischievously.

And then unfitting for the King of the End──the hero of devil king extermination said.

「My strength and body are completely recovered but……it’s still a bit lacking. I will take a bit more rest and prepare a flawless condition.」

「My lord. As you will.」

「I am going to face my powerful rival of opposite fate. This is manners.」

「…………」

Hanuman bowed his head hearing the declaration of his master who was unusually laying bare his fighting spirit.

Both he and Lakhsmana kept kneeling. The white monkey god of wind rubbed his forehead on the ground and appealed to his awe-inspiring lord.

「In that case lord. I have one request.」

「What?」

「Please allow this lowly self to depart for the front. Your ardor to put everything into the confrontation with Kusanagi Godou, it has been engraved into the heart of this Hanuman. That’s why」

The vassal, subordinate god with unswerving loyalty Hanuman, wished like this.

「I will be the vanguard, while lord is resting──I wish to challenge Kusanagi Godou.」

「Ridiculous.」

Rama curtly rejected his loyal retainer’s direct appeal.

「Fighting with him using all my strength is my dear wish you know? There is no way I will yield that chance to you. That’s too impertinent of you, Hanuman.」

「Your rebuke is the most correct. However, if lord is wishing for a duel with him」

The white monkey god lifted his forehead from the ground and looked up at his lord’s handsome face from the posture of prostration.

「Please, allow this lowly self to depart.」

「……What do you mean?」

「I am lord’s vice general. When the last decisive battle begin, I will surely assist lord without fail. That’s why. The result of this Hanuman’s departure, whether it’s life or death, victory or defeat, either I or Kusanagi Godou will be terminated──」

「O loyal warrior Hanuman.」

Rama directed a stern gaze toward the prostrating white monkey god.

「If you win, won’t I lose my turn?」

「That is well, something that cannot be helped. Please lament it as the inadequacy of that lowly Kusanagi Godou.」

「You who will be a hindrance──I won’t hesitate to cut you down here you know?」

「I have resolved myself of that from the beginning. Rather than merely being a spectator to lord’s decisive battle like this, being personally brought down by lord is just what I wish.」

「──Fuh. So you too are saying similar thing with those godslaying ladies and gentlemen.」

After sternly scolding, in a complete change Rama lightly smiled.

This too was also something rare for him to do, as though his tiredness that was like rust was blown away.

「Fine then. To comply with my chief servant, I will allow the departure of warrior Hanuman.」

「I am grateful and joyful!」

「Elder brother. This Lakhsmana also wish for the same role!」

「Good. Go, both of you.」

Rama didn’t object anymore. He also allowed his little brother’s departure.

He understood the feeling of his vassals. They wished to become useful for the sake of their lord who was trying to begin a decisive battle that was wholly unrelated with the mission of devil king extermination──.

「Head to the battlefield as the vanguard of I, Ramachandra. Challenge the devil king, Kusanagi Godou and come back with magnificent victory!」

It was a majestic command that was worthy for the radiant great hero of ancient India.

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