Campione! - Volume 21 - Chapter 3.3

Part 3
「Hmmm……」

After the fight ended, Godou strained his eyes.

It was for the sake of checking the surface──of the moon hanging in the night sky.

「No good. I cannot see it at all……」

「What’s the matter with the moon, your majesty?」

Seishuuin Ena who came to his side made a wondering face. Godou answered.

「No. Just, I’m worried if there is gash created on the moon somewhere.」

「Gash, on the moon?」

This time it was Mariya Yuri who made a dubious face.

「I said gash, but in the first place the moon is littered with holes though……」

The planet’s satellite, moon is constantly facing the earth with the same surface.

This was already a common knowledge. Usually, the back side of the moon that earthling had never saw was extremely ugly with holes littered all over it.

In contrast, the front surface that people often saw was vividly beautiful.

Of course, crater and lunar mare and the like also existed on the front surface. However, it instead gave accent to the inorganic whiteness and could be called a 『pattern』 wasn’t it?

However, well, what Godou was concerned about wasn’t “that kind of thing”.

As expected, it was Erica who noticed it first.

「Could it be Godou」

The Italian girl sighed while staring at the beautiful moon’s surface.

「The Boar that you called out just now……could it be that you told it something like this? Something like 『Beat up Hanuman midair, and wreck up the moon while you’re at it』──」

「Aa」

「You did that didn’t you, Kusanagi Godou……」

When Godou was at loss of how to answer just for a moment, Liliana also guessed it.

The silver haired girl who was in 『serious group』 with Yuri murmured with great regret.

「The condition to use the incarnation of Boar is to make that divine beast destroy some kind of big object. But sometimes──it can also be thought as evil spirit that can be employed in exchange of the permission to destroy……. Should I say that it’s just too flexible, whether in the aspect of its action after getting called out, and also in the aspect of its ability.」

「I’m of the same opinion with Lily.」

The comment of the blue knight was approved by the red knight Erica.

「Even though it’s more or less a land mammalian creature, but it can fly until that high.」

「Right about now it might be arriving for real until the moon. Come to think of it, in the past I once read a sci-fi novel that was like this. Both the main character’s side and the enemy’s side were towing an enormous planet with beam like thing and smashed it against each other’s base.」

「My? That sounds so ludicrously flashy, something that is a bit of my taste.」

「It was too preposterous which doesn’t really match my preference. But, the way the Campiones are fighting, it’s quite similar in some aspects……」

「Yes. That Boar especially has that kind of tendency clearly.」

The heaven-sent children of blue and red nodded to each other.

As expected from the protectors knight who were his trusted confidant. They were also gradually noticing the doubt Godou was vaguely sensing──.

「Moon is it. As expected even Ena never thought of smashing the moon!」

On the other hand, the hime–miko who was in the 『uninhibited group』 together with Erica laughed.

「As expected, the thinking of a person who killed a god isn’t normal!」

「……Actually, it’s vague but, when I’m looking at that moon, I’m feeling subtle sense of discomfort. It feels like there is small, subtle difference somewhere in it──compared to before.」

In contrast with the cheerful Ena, Yuri spoke worriedly.

Because she was an owner of unparalleled spirit vision, hime-miko Mariya Yuri’s 『vague』 was more reliable compared to the deduction of any kind of genius physicist.

It was already a common sense among Godou and co. Ena laughed further.

「Ahahahaha. There is really a new 『hole』 created somewhere on the moon.」

「I cannot think of anything that can deny that possibility.」

「As expected the Boar surely cannot display destructive power in the level that can destroy the moon, but it feels like it can do the feat of reaching until the moon by its own strength. No, if Kusanagi Godou seriously support it and even Lancelot help out, then even the destruction of moon might not be a mere dream……?」

「Godou also still has the trump card of White Horse which is still unclear how powerful its maximum destructive power is.」

「I retract my previous statement. It’s not a dream, it should be called as nightmare instead.」

Erica and Liliana also spoke unanimously.

Everything was the seed that he planted himself, so it was hard for him to comment.

Godou spoke what should be said the most right now to avoid even further allusion.

「Well, anyway I’m glad that everyone is saved. I’m relieved.」

「That’s really thanks to Godou. But」

Erica shelved her usual elegance and frowned with a depressed look.

「I wonder, at the end was we only in the 『critical state at the verge of death』? Or perhaps we really did──」

「Don’t think about it too much. Anyway, the condition of you all was “in the degree that can be healed by my and Verethragna’s power”. Isn’t it fine to look at it like that?」

「To accept that explanation, a sketchiness in the same level like Godou and others, the Campione will be necessary……」

「If your majesty say that then Ena won’t think too much about it though.」

Ena cut in with a baffled look.

「We were attacked by two of that prince Rama’s arrow. It’s already a wonder that we got away with only that level of condition. Rather, it wouldn’t be strange even if we were blown away until no trace of us was left──」

「The same like how Tokyo’s bay area ended up.」

It seemed that Liliana was also similarly unable to come to a grip with it.

Godou who somehow guessed the trick behind it put an end to it with a murmur.

「It must be that. Perhaps there was this “surmise” thing in those arrows toward my feeling.」

「Surmise?」 (TN: I’m not really sure about the meaning of this part, but I interpreted it as Rama surmising Godou’s feeling, that’s why his arrows didn’t blow the girls into ash. Credit to Sparhawk6 and his friends for their help)

Erica who boasted an outstanding wisdom tilted her head in puzzlement.

It was a matter that had to do with things like 『pride between fellow men』 or 『something between man to man』, that was why as expected even this red devil also unusually had difficulty in understanding it.

Well, it would be uncouth for him to talk minutely about such thing.

Godou deliberately closed his mouth. Just, only Yuri alone exchanged look with him with an expression that noticed something. As expected from her.

It seemed that she alone somehow guessed it with an intuition that exceeded logic.

「Anyway. I could settle it with Hanuman before fighting Rama. The preparation for the last battle is perfect. It’s enough like that.」

Godou purposefully spoke carefreely.

「Even that nonsensical internal dissension──wasn’t useless it seemed.」

「What do you mean, Kusanagi Godou?」

「In the middle of that battle royal, Hanuman got driven away to twelve thousand years ago right? Perhaps that guy was greatly weakened because of that.」

Godou answered Liliana’s question right away.

This time he ended up bringing down the white monkey god of wind Hanuman with leisure.

Previously, when he was confronting his elder sister Luo Cuilian──it felt like Hanuman was a tough powerful enemy. That was before he got sent to super ancient period far away.

Yes. Toward the unimaginable far away past of twelve thousand years ago or something.

It was to the degree that Perseus and Sun Wukong’s souls got abraded and they vanished somewhere along the line.

Even for the immortal gods, it wasn’t a short time by any means. In the first place there was even gods who “retired” in Astral World after getting tired of passing through eternity.

What was Hanuman doing during the twelve thousand years?

By any chance he might even did 『hibernation』. That was what Godou thought. If that was the case then it would explain why in ancient Gallia and devil king civil war there was no “two Hanuman” in participation.

A dormant of more than ten thousand years──.

His objective must be to prevent the abrasion of his soul and the dulling of his self as much as possible.

The source of Heretic Gods’ vitality and fighting spirit was a firm identity after all.

However, even a “sleep that was too long” that reached a super long period would slowly weaken war god Hanuman’s soul in its own way.

That was why he was unable to persist to the end in the fight this time against Godou…….

「Everything is just my own imagination though.」

「Even if that’s the case Godou, it doesn’t change that you had grown greatly. To the degree where you can crush a powerful enemy like Hanuman easily.」

Erica nodded.

「You should have enough qualification to fight against the King of the End.」

–

After that, Godou moved away from the burnt area.

When he said to the members of History Compilation Committee who came running that he『wanted to rest somewhere』, they prepared a hotel in city center for him.

「It’s fine even if it’s not a place this extravagant though.」

Godou spoke to Amakasu Touma who sent them by car.

He only asked for different place to rest because it felt like Shizuka would be noisy if he returned home.

Even if it wasn’t a hotel with more than three stars, he wouldn’t mind even if it was something like sauna in pub area, and yet──.

「Well, it’s our committee who paid. Please relax there at ease.」

Amakasu smiled in front of the hotel room.

「Kusanagi-san got seriously involved with 『the fate of the world』 aren’t you? ……But, can I ask one thing?」

「What is it?」

「It felt like it would be fine even if you begin the last battle immediately after that. Aah, I’m sorry. I really don’t have intention to hurry you on, I’m just purely curious. Of course, taking a bit of rest will also make it possible to reuse Verethragna’s incarnation after all. I understand about that.」

「It’s fine.」

Godou smiled to reassure him.

「Even if the start got delayed by half a day or more──we won’t mind it.」

「We?」

「Yes. Rather if the fight begin with my condition still not in order, that guy would dislike it more.」

「Hahaa.」

Amakasu blinked in surprise hearing Godou’s words. Perhaps it was a state of mind that was hard for a『ninja』 who prized knowledge and quick wit more than fighting to sympathize.

In any case, Godou’s heart was calm.

He wasn’t impatient. There was also no feeling of wanting to delay the fight.

Tomorrow, he would settle it with that man. He was convinced of that while taking shower and then fell asleep. Right now, he should rest more than anything else.

If Godou was an athlete for boxing or the like challenging a fight for world title.

If at that time he had no uneasiness whatsoever with the amount and content of training he had accumulated until then.

Then perhaps he would be able to reach his current state of mind in that case. Godou’s heart was mysteriously serene before the decisive battle. What’s left was only to fight.

When he turned on the TV, the recent affair of the world was reported.

『The rise of temperature that is unusual for late winter──』

『The sign of volcanic activity is reported from everywhere in Japan──』

『An unprecedented measure from meteorological agency of simultaneously raising the alert level of eruption in the whole country──』 and so on.

His heart wasn’t especially moved even from watching the various news.

Some sort of conclusion for everything would be reached after he had a showdown tomorrow with that man.

By the way at the same night.

In a new workplace that the committee prepared, Liliana seemed to complete the desired secret medicine.

The next morning, when Godou was eating breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant, all his girl companions came bringing it. And then there was one more guest.

「Alice-san.」

「We also made it in time from our side, Kusanagi-sama.」

As expected from a high class hotel in a metropolitan area, there was no out of place feeling even with a graceful Caucasian woman (spirit body) being here. Godou nodded at Princess Alice’s smile.

There was three glass bottles put on Godou’s table.

Each one was filled with red, blue, and black liquid. Everyone was vividly colored that it looked poisonous. But what was important was their effect.

Godou drank up the three bottles in succession without hesitation.

Everyone of them tasted terrible. But, the drunkenness and the abnormality in his vision that he experienced right after it were more terrible.

Not only his head felt dizzy, his whole field of vision was warping like jelly and the view of the restaurant was changing into a surrealism landscape painting.

In the end, that condition somehow settled down after around two minutes…….

When he noticed Erica had came before his eyes and asked him this.

「How is it Godou? Do you feel anything strange?」

「I still don’t really notice. Well, I’ll understand it right away if I try various things for real.」

「That crudeness is as expected from you.」

Erica was in admiration. Beside her Liliana spoke in vexation.

「I have something to report. According to the princess, when you embark into the 『true battlefield』, it seems that only one person can accompany you.」

「Only one person?」

「Yes. The princess said that she obtained that kind of spirit vision.」

This time it was Ena who spoke with dissatisfaction that she couldn’t clear away.

Beside her, Yuri also spoke sadly.

「There last night we talked about it……about who will come together with Godou-san but……」

「In the end we didn’t reach any conclusion. It couldn’t be helped so we drew a lottery.」

「It should be called as the guidance of bad luck. The one who drew the winning lottery was this female fox. From my view the doubt of foul play cannot be denied, so it’s hard to accept.」

「You’re being a poor loser, Lily. I swear to the heaven that I didn’t do anything I will need to feel guilty about.」

「Aa……」

Yuri, Liliana, Ena, the three people were making a gloomy face together.

In exchange it was only Erica who was keeping her elegance from the beginning. Godou comprehended, but he immediately tilted his head.

「But, drawing lottery huh? I think that Erica drew the short end of the stick instead though because we are going to head to a dangerous battlefield.」

「My, Godou, there is also this way to look at it you know?」

Erica spoke with a composed expression.

「A great match where the fate of the world is on the line──the invitation ticket for the ringside seat was splendidly drawn by this Erica Blandelli.」

「Is that so?」

「In any case be thankful. I will accompany you in your battle until the very end.」

「Yosh.」

After coming this far, he wouldn’t say anything like he wouldn’t allow her to come or anything.

Godou immediately nodded. Erica too brazenly smiled like a female lion.

And then together with his companions he returned to the room where he was staying last night. He exchanged glance with Princess Alice, in order to have her to begin the transfer ritual to Astral World.

Two hours later──.

Led by Alice’s spirit body, Godou and Erica arrived in the grey colored domain.

The end of Astral World, the entrance to the domain of gods.

「Hey Godou. There was also report that there was a war god on Fuji Mountain who seemed to be Prince Rama though. Is it fine to ignore it?」

「No problem. If it’s that guy, he will surely notice my movement.」

「……Somehow I feel jealous. You are talking about that person as though he is your lover of the heart.」

「Well then Godou-sama. Please follow the procedure that I taught you before this──」

Urged by Princess Alice, Godou immediately began.

Previously he discovered the territory of the god of fate with the intention of seeing through the farthest end of the world. This time Godou sharpened his senses with the intention to embark into it.

Godou’s senses for magic were nonexistent, but this time there was the effect of those three nasty miracle drugs──

And then, Godou began to transfer.

Erica quickly hugged his arm and she became the only one accompanying him.

The final battle would finally begin.

Right now, Godou obtained──the conviction that the gong of a title match rang out.