Campione! - Volume 21 - Chapter 3.1

Chapter 3   The Beginning of the Last Battle
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Part 1
It wasn’t just Godou who had accumulated experience in this one year.

His comrades who accompanied him through battles and adventures were also the same.

His first partner, his “lover” Erica. The owner of incomparable spiritual sight power (Spirit Vision), Mariya Yuri. A witch and a knight, excelling in the techniques of both, Liliana. The hime-miko of the sword and wielder of Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi, Ena──.

An unexpected attack came down from above them.

What’s more, it was an『Arrow of Flame』 that was fired by war god Lakhsmana.

Normally, anyone would be trampled by explosion blast and flame together with the new market building that was targeted. Unable to do anything to resist, they would be annihilated without leaving even a bone behind.

But, the girls possessed experience and methods.

「Everyone──something is coming.」

Mariya Yuri’s warning.

The voice and expression of the hime-miko who excelled in spirit vision more than anyone was filled with urgency. The moment the others saw and heard that, first Erica called her beloved sword Cuore di Lione to her hand.

「In order to maintain the order of Rome, the senate counseled the tearing down of imperiumthe right to command the whole army!」

The magic sword of lion transformed into a long chain and moved automatically.

The metal chain was moving with jingling sound while drawing pentagram in the air. It was the sacred mark that was also used by King Solomon to repel evil.

「O lion’s steel. Senatus Consultum UltimumSenate Last Counsel, announce!」

It was the greatest protection magic that Erica learned from being affiliated with the Copper-Black Cross.

If it was only for a short time, it could form a barrier that could even endure divine power to a certain degree. The degree of its effect had been proved in the battle against divine king Melqart and god of good harvest Saturnus.

「Lily, hide the secret medicine!」

「Of course, I know!」

Liliana was moving even before Erica was speaking.

Her right hand quickly waved above the work table. Just with that the medicine that was near completion immediately vanished. It was “hidden” using magic.

It could be summoned back with the technique of <Summon> anytime she needed it.

Also, Yuri who gave warning at the beginning was──

「I offer prayer to the gods of Kamimusubi, Takamimusubi, Ikumusubi, Tarumusubi, Tamatsumemusubi, Oomiya no Me, Oomiketsu no Kami, and Kotoshironushi. Answering the quelling of diviner calming the spirit of the dead, please display tranquility……!」

She joined both her hands in front of her chest and prayed.

White light was starting to be emitted from her whole body that was clad in shrine maiden outfit.

It was the dharma <Spirit of the Dead Quelling> for the sake of suppressing unruly divine power and spirit of the dead. A white light gently enveloped the four girls.

Likewise this too could display miraculous efficacy of protection even against holy authority of a god, even for a short time.

And then, the hime-miko of sword also accomplished『things that was ought to be done』.

「Your majesty, lend Ena Ama no Murakumo!」

Even if the other party wasn’t on this earth’s surface.

There was a bond between the two that couldn’t be severed due to the divine sword that was equivalent to Japan’s national treasure. When Ena yelled, Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi immediately appeared in her hand.

Ena lent the spiritual power of the divine sword to Erica and Yuri, cooperating with the secret arts of protection while──

Ena called the name of her beloved youth one more time.

「Your majesty, Kusanagi Godou! In order to protect all of us……come here quickly!」

The first incarnation of Verethragna, Gale.

If his name was called by someone who was approached by mortal danger, he would be able to arrive there instantly.

The condition to activate this incarnation was completely arranged. The countermeasure to rescue everyone from the fury of the Arrow of Flame was also perfect.

That was why, the girls didn’t commit any mistake at all.

When Godou accomplished his return using instant teleportation by Gale incarnation from the Astral World──the location of the mother Pandora, all four of his comrades on the surface were falling down.

Rather, it was something natural that couldn’t be helped.

After all in the first place, someone who was able to be safe after getting exposed to a god’s fighting spirit and malice was the strange one.

「……Erica. Mariya. Liliana. Seishuuin.」

Godou called everyone’s name when he witnessed the disastrous scene.

The four of them──were lying on the ground.

Perhaps because of the benefit of their overlapping defensive spell, their clothes and body didn’t look scorched or scalded.

Godou dashed toward Erica who was the nearest and tried touching the cheek of her face that still looked beautiful. It was cold like ice.

He also tried to do the same to Yuri, Liliana, and Ena. Everyone was cold.

Godou looked around.

It was a burnt field. Surely there was a large facility on this unduly wide empty plot. However right now what survived from the fire was only few building framework made from rebar──.

Two war gods were there at the fire-devastated area that was smoldering here and there.

「So you come, Kusanagi Godou.」

The white monkey god of wind Hanuman spoke.

「You too are a user of wind. Furthermore, you are a godslayer who blow the wind of protection and salvation. I thought that when danger approaches your companions on the surface, you will surely come running.」

「So it’s you who did this to everyone, Hanuman?」

「No way. Something like the life and death of lowly people isn’t even in my mind.

「It’s just as Hanuman-dono said. What I did is nothing more than firing the arrow of scorching heat and──the arrow of frozen land which I borrowed from elder brother’s quiver.」

Lakhsmana calmly spoke with a long bow made from wood in hand.

「These people, it seemed they somehow endured the first arrow. But as expected they were only mortal humans. It’s obvious that they couldn’t endure the second arrow too.」

Lakhsmana repeatedly showed a distortion that could even be said as evil.

However, at this time he was aloof. He had a dignity that was really worthy for a『god』.

Surely he thought of the likes of Kusanagi Godou’s comrades as nothing more than a bell to call out the target. ……Such thing ignited Godou’s rage.

「For victory, hasten forth before me.」

Godou muttered.

「O immortal sun, I beseech thee to grant radiance to the stallion. O stallion that moveth godlike with wondrous grace, bringest forth the halo of thy master.」

The words of power for the sake of calling Verethragna’s third incarnation, the White Horse.

The chanting was calm instead. However, from far above──the sun shining at the zenith vomited out a flare from its rim──

Godou was immediately convinced. He further chanted this too.

「It’s your turn, Lancelot du Lac. Fight as my lance!」

The White Horse that compelled sunlight to become the javelin of annihilation.

The full power and full speed knight’s gallop by a war god of lance.

It was a drastic move of which Kusanagi Godou simultaneously through the two strongest “projectile weapons” he possessed.