Campione! Vol 14 Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - Tuscan Prelude Part 1 A hectic journey running all over the place — That was how one could summarize Kusanagi G.o.dou's expedition to Italy's Tuscany. Basically, G.o.dou had battled the divine beast at the end of his journey although his memories of this segment were rather vague. Conversely, the matter of "traveling to so many places in such a short time" left a far greater impression on him. Not long after Kusanagi G.o.dou became a G.o.dslayer... Shortly after he dueled his kin, Salvatore Doni, by the sh.o.r.e of Lake Garda in northern Italy... On that very morning, after parting ways with Doni, G.o.dou was confronted with Erica's invitation. 'Hey G.o.dou, let's go slay a divine beast after we reach Milan, how's that?' G.o.dou began a journey in order to decline this invitation. More accurately, he fled. His destination was northern Italy's ancient city of Verona, the stage where the story of Romeo and Juliet was set. This town not only neighbored Lake Garda but also possessed an international airport. As soon as he entered Verona, G.o.dou dashed his way straight towards the airport. An ancient city with a long history, Verona was the site of the Roman amphitheater, the Verona Arena, which remained in use for activities even in the modern day. The city also had deep connections to the great writer Dante. Furthermore, there were many astounding churches, cathedrals and other architecture. Despite being a town where one could hardly resist a quick sightseeing tour, G.o.dou resolutely rejected temptation. Were he to stop here, he would surely be caught by Erica. Then with his personal freewill completely ignored, he would be forced to accept this amazingly attractive girl as his lifelong partner — Come to think of it, that would certainly be a sweet and blissful future. Nevertheless, it was only natural for a student to have doubts over committing his future by the May of his first year in high school. Without even listening to the details of the "divine beast slaying," G.o.dou went directly to the airport. This was an instantaneous act he undertook just as he was about to be devoured by Erica's overwhelming charm. In any case, after escaping fortuitously, G.o.dou finally managed to board the last flight scheduled that morning. However, he still could not let down his guard before the plane took off, in case Erica tried to prevent him from leaving the country. Nevertheless, G.o.dou's plane managed to take flight without incident, lifting off successfully. "All that worrying for nothing..." Seated on the plane, G.o.dou muttered to himself. With this, that Erica girl would probably have no choice but to give up. What an absurd itinerary. To go slay an unidentified monster the next day after fighting the Campione who stood as Europe's strongest swordsman? That would have been way too much no matter what. Besides, Kusanagi G.o.dou was a pacifist. He would rather keep a respectful distance away from such meaningless combat... While G.o.dou was contemplating these affairs, the plane reached Switzerland's Zurich Airport. He would then take a transfer flight to Tokyo from here. Since there were three hours until his next flight took off, he had to find a way to kill time. Hence, G.o.dou ordered a coffee at a cafe in front of a duty free shop. A long-missed moment of peace — Then G.o.dou was greeted with a sudden reunion. "Oh dear, to think I would run into you in a place like this, G.o.dou. What wonderful serendipity!" Approaching this way, Erica deliberately emphasized the element of luck in her exclamation. The smile appearing on her lips was like the devil's through and through. "Hoho. Surely this must be the G.o.ds rewarding me for my many benevolent deeds." "Hold it right there, Erica. This feels as though you took the same flight as me. If that were not the case, your presence here cannot be explained." Certain imaginings surfaced turbulently in G.o.dou's mind. Such as a pa.s.senger poisoned for the sake of obtaining a seat on the fully booked flight, followed by a scene of a blonde beauty nonchalantly sitting down on a vacated seat. These were delusions. Nevertheless, Erica was perfectly capable of doing that. "I didn't do anything illegal or immoral, okay? I asked an old acquaintance for a favor and borrowed a private jet, that's all." "1-1 see." G.o.dou was relieved to hear this unexpected answer. However, Erica put on a smile with deliberate affectation. "Be that as it may, should you happen to continue ignoring my myriad entreaties, G.o.dou, the flight to Tokyo might very well run into some trouble. The pilot might suddenly feel unwell, for example." "!?" "Should that be the case, G.o.dou, you'll be trapped here. Oh dear, so many people will be inconvenienced." "Are you threatening me!?" "Of course not. I would consider this a lover's willful request." Sitting down beside G.o.dou, Erica suddenly leaned over. G.o.dou could feel her astoundingly attractive body tightly against him. Separated only by the reddish blonde hair, her face also pressed close. G.o.dou could even smell the fragrance of her perfume. Faced with this helpless and lamentable situation, G.o.dou could feel himself unsettled greatly. His heart was pounding like mad. For a high school boy whose age equaled the number of years without a girlfriend, this was the absolute unbearable limit. "Moreover, I am actually quite willful, you know? How could you leave your lover behind without a single hug or farewell..." "For someone like me who is merely using radical measures to hold back her beloved, impatient for their next reunion, I'm certain the sympathy of most Italians would side with me, wouldn't you agree?" "B-But the fact is, you're calling us lovers on your own accord." "True, when clearly our relationship has reached the point where we have brought our lips madly together in the past, and even shared beds for the night?" "B-But that was necessary for fighting G.o.ds and that idiot Doni." G.o.dou knew it. The awareness of sharing "no ordinary relations" with Erica still lurked somewhere in the back of his mind. Consequently, the resolution behind his objections was compromised. Furthermore, his inability to push away the pa.s.sionate body she was leaning tightly against him stemmed purely from a difference in arm strength. Using mysterious magic to strengthen herself, Erica was able to command monstrous strength even beyond that of heavyweight wrestlers. "Then there is the latest news I obtained merely by chance." Hearing Erica's low whispers in his ear, G.o.dou's body stiffened even more. His cheeks felt hot. But after listening to the news she recounted, he immediately tensed his expression. "An eel-like monster surfacing in Tuscany... Previously, it was only sighted in the depths of mountainous forests, but last night, it made an appearance at the ruins of a medieval fort and apparently went on a rampage." "Did it attack humans!?" "No issue there for now, for it's a desolate site akin to historical ruins. However, there are towns nearby so it does pose a risk." "This is not as simple as a mere ordinary giant beast..." A divine beast. A type of creature similar to the [Boar] summoned by Verethragna's authority. G.o.dou was completely surprised to learn that a creature resembling an UMA could live quietly, making its residence deep in the mountain woods. "Since Doni lives near there, I'd rather have him handle it." "You're not wrong on that point, no doubt about it. But do realize that it could develop into a serious situation. If you really leave it to him, Sir Salvatore's existence itself is a great source of trouble." "That's totally ridiculous. You mean he's a double-edged sword, huh..." Rather than taking care of problems, Salvatore Doni was clearly more adept at causing them. Realizing what Erica meant, G.o.dou nodded. "Currently, the magic a.s.sociations of Florence intend to handle the situation. However, if this monster really is a divine beast-cla.s.s creature... They cannot be allowed to shoulder the responsibility. They are incapable of shouldering it..." Erica was currently sitting on G.o.dou's lap quietly. While feeling the sensations of her weight and body temperature, G.o.dou recovered his calm. "The only ones capable of facing off against the G.o.ds and their possessions are the Campiones. Namely, only you and your kin, Kusanagi G.o.dou, understood?" Faced with this notification which sounded like a challenge to his magnanimity, G.o.dou had no choice but to accept his fate. Kusanagi G.o.dou was a pacifist. One who kept a respectful distance from pointless combat. But at the same time, he was also a man with a greater sense of responsibility and aspirations to serve the public good than ordinary people. Thus, G.o.dou's third emergency trip to Italy was decided. The flight from Zurich to Milan was roughly one hour long. Part 2 "Worse comes to worst, should our opponent really turn out to be a divine beast, we have two options available. Either we put our lives on the line in an attempt to slay the enemy or put our lives on the line to stall for time." These words were spoken by Clarens, Erica's colleague. Sporting a shaved head, he was a Dutchman of African descent. "Let me clarify beforehand. These options are only available provided we form a hit squad consisting only of multiple Great Knight-cla.s.s magi like us. Unless this condition is fulfilled, evacuating and praying to G.o.d would be the only course of action." "In short, our enemy is totally absurd." The current location was a lounge in the headquarters of Milan's [Copper Black Cross], reserved for members of the core leadership. The room exuded an air of luxury. Not only were there everyday furnishings such as couches but it was even equipped with a private bar and a billiards table. This was where G.o.dou currently faced three other people. Since Erica had gone off to another room to get changed, all the people present were male. One of them began to discuss the challenge of fighting divine beasts. "Yeah. Furthermore, the Campione is precisely the transcendent existence that this kind of divine beast cannot hold a candle to." "Isn't the description, 'transcendent existence,' a bit too exaggerated..." "Oh no, it's only because you've repeatedly engaged in absurd battles of that sort, your senses are getting warped." This time, the speaker was Gennaro Gantz. Despite his short stature, he was quite a brawny young man. With a head of black hair and a bearded face reminiscent of a pirate's, he looked like he was in his latter thirties. In actual fact, he was only twenty-odd years old. He carried an unrefined air about him. "Disregarding the various Campiones who stand as kings, the only person belonging to the human realm and capable of soloing a divine beast is probably Paolo. Even so, it would still be a great battle where one must be prepared to accept the possibility of death." Paolo — Paolo Blandelli. G.o.dou had heard that he was Erica's paternal uncle and legal guardian. G.o.dou turned his gaze towards the third person present whose name was just mentioned. The man was smiling wryly. "Allow me to object to the accuracy of that statement. Aside from me, there are plenty of others who have reached that level of power." "But purely in regards to expertise in combat against divine beasts, you are considered the indisputable master, right?" "That's only because I've grown accustomed to it. Due to some personal ties to one of your kin, the Campiones, I ended up encountering divine beasts relatively often." While speaking, Paolo turned to face G.o.dou halfway through. G.o.dou was surprised by the gaze of Paolo's clear eyes of blue. After the flight from Zurich landed at Milan's Marpensa Airport, G.o.dou had arrived at the [Copper Black Cross] headquarters half an hour earlier. This was his first time meeting Erica's dear uncle. As expected of a man whose niece was such a beauty, his face was quite handsome too. His stately demeanor was coupled with a refined manner of speech. Long hair draped gently over his shoulders while a bit of stubble had gathered about his mouth. In addition, he was quite strongly built. Even dressed casually in a long-sleeved t-shirt with a parka, his muscular body, steeled through and through, was quite conspicuous. But more than his appearance, it was Paolo's comportment that held G.o.dou's gaze of fascination. Paolo was very dignified. Despite his slightly rough appearance and casual attire, nothing could detract from his inborn sense of dignity. Rather, it helped to serve as a foil for contrast. Gallant, intellectual, handsome, n.o.ble — Until Paolo, G.o.dou had never met anyone who embodied the "knight" concept so thoroughly. "Please, everyone, there's no need to show excessive respect to someone like me. Not to mention, I'm also the youngest person here. Please converse with me normally." The three men present were different from Salvatore Doni. Feeling particularly uncomfortable about the privileged treatment he was receiving from Paolo, G.o.dou suggested. For the high school student who was the youngest present, this type of worry was only natural. As a result, Gantz suddenly straightened his back. "Eh, is it really okay? That would be absolutely splendid. I'm really glad to know that the seventh Campione is someone easy to get along with, oh my." "Gennaro, even if His Majesty makes a personal request, please do pay a little attention to your behavior." On the other hand, Clarens frowned in response to his colleague's reaction. "Thank you for your considerate offer, Your Majesty. Respect for the various Devil Kings is the requisite att.i.tude displayed by those involved in the realm of magic. Rather, a candid chat would present difficulties. However." After deliberately offering this respectful explanation, the bald black man finally smiled. "By a stroke of good fortune, I, Clarens, am not so lacking in the talent of adaptability as to be unable to accommodate your request. Indeed, I shall bear your request in mind henceforth. Let us get along well together." Saying that, he elegantly bowed his head as he remained seated on the couch. G.o.dou could only smile awkwardly in response to Clarens' rigorous style of speech and elegant mannerisms. An exchange as befitted Erica's colleagues, that was G.o.dou's heartfelt impression. Smiling wryly at the sight of his subordinates' reactions, Paolo responded in the following manner: "Kusanagi G.o.dou, you are a king. It is only natural for us to take utmost pains to respect your wishes as much as possible. It is also a king's duty to accept the respect we offer as knights. Nevertheless, your intentions of practicality are greatly appreciated." "R-Respect?" "What we offer to all Campiones is the greatest reverence and awe. No matter what temperament they may display, they are the ones with experience, great achievements worthy of the G.o.dslayer t.i.tle." Paolo continued to gaze straight into G.o.dou's eyes as he spoke. Drawn by the sincerity and power in Paolo's gaze, G.o.dou nodded involuntarily. "Furthermore, even disregarding the respect offered to all Devil Kings, from a personal standpoint, I would still provide Kusanagi G.o.dou with maximum support. This goes for Europe without saying, but also extends to anywhere around the world." "Eh!?" Paolo smiled gallantly in response to G.o.dou's shocked reaction to the unexpected declaration. "There are multiple reasons for this. First of all, I have heard reports of your character, a splendid youth just as I expected. Additionally, there is the matter of grat.i.tude. Without Kusanagi G.o.dou, my niece could not have returned to Milan, safe and sound." "No really, all I've done is receive Erica's help." Ever since their encounter on the island of Sardinia, G.o.dou and Erica had been supporting each other. Moreover, Erica probably did the lion's share of helping. Considering the issue of grat.i.tude, G.o.dou felt that he was the one who should be returning favors. But seeing G.o.dou shake his head, Paolo suddenly seemed to be at a loss for words. After a brief moment of hesitation, he coughed dryly. Then he spoke rather slowly. "In that case, let me add another reason. Well, basically... In the place of Erica's deceased parents, I believe I am bound by duty to provide the best for this daughter's partner. As the uncle who acts as her custodian." "P-Partner— " Come to think it, on further examination, this current situation could very well const.i.tute G.o.dou's visit to the parental home of the girl with whom he shared "no ordinary relations." Isn't this basically meeting the parents...? "Consequently, whether stemming from official or personal reasons, I am bound by duty to pledge my support. Goodness knows if this is a mixed blessing or not, but you are surely unprecedented in regards to placating the stubborn surrogate father that I am." By suddenly addressing G.o.dou with the patronizing kimi form of saying "you" in j.a.panese, Paolo's mixed feelings were readily apparent. However, G.o.dou naturally had no objections. Instead, he was quite impressed with this forthright awkwardness coming from a man unaccustomed to his surrogate paternal role. "Indeed, she is a girl who is sometimes too smart for her own good. Currently, I am sincerely grateful and relieved that her chosen partner is a shrewd and able man on her level instead of a free spirit like Sir Salvatore." "It really helps to hear that coming from you." Gazing at each other for a moment, G.o.dou and Paolo Blandelli then smiled wryly simultaneously. Unlike his cunning niece, Erica's uncle seemed to be an upfront man of common sense. Watching G.o.dou and Paolo, Gantz remarked emphatically. "That said, you're quite a 'decent' person despite being the seventh Campione. Could this be an omen of cataclysmic change? I never would have expected the birth of a sensible Devil King." "Pay attention to what you're saying, Gennaro." Paolo spoke as if reprimanding his subordinate. "No matter how sensible or benevolent, a Campione cannot possibly be a harmless existence. I can predict with certainty that Kusanagi G.o.dou will become a world-shaking Devil King in the future." "P-Paolo-san?" "My apologies. Based on the reports so far, although I've garnered that you have no such intentions... But inevitably, you will undoubtedly become 'that type of existence.' Regrettably, I am a man who has dealt much with the various Campiones. This experience informs me." "I see." At that moment, G.o.dou could only think to himself that "Paolo-san sure loves to worry" and did not try to object. It was only months later, after encountering a number of his kin and reflecting on his own atrocities, when G.o.dou was struck deeply by how prophetic Paolo's words were. Seeing G.o.dou reserve his judgment for now, Paolo remarked with heartfelt intensity. "By the way, I never would have expected Erica to set her sights on the seventh Campione..." "Oh dear, that's certainly true. I could not have foreseen that our lady would..." "That female fox huh..." Staring into the distance, Clarens and Gantz were also overcome with emotion. They apparently regarded Erica as something of an unbridled horse — Just as G.o.dou racked his brain for a response... "h.e.l.lo everyone, did something happen? You're all bearing rather eccentric expressions. It's a little unusual." Accompanied by the sound of the door opening, Erica entered. The male magi immediately resumed their usual countenance and straightened their sitting posture. Clarens answered on their behalf with an innocent look: "Nothing at all. Anyway, are you ready to set off, my lady?" "Yes. I also intend to visit Florence for gathering intelligence." Erica had changed into a red jacket and black jeans, a simple coordination of rossonero colors. Pulling a trolley case behind her, she looked completely like she was about to go traveling. Before setting off for Tuscany, G.o.dou and Erica were simply making a quick visit to the [Copper Black Cross] headquarters. Next came the real journey. The pair's subsequent destination was the ancient city of Florence. The Arno was the major river in the Tuscany region flowing through this city. The eel-like monster was located in the mountainous region near the Arno's source. Part 3 "This comes as quite a surprise. I can't believe you'd want to take something like a train." Seeing his companion looking a little bored, G.o.dou struck up conversation. This was taking place in the s.p.a.cious first cla.s.s compartment on the express train which had just departed from the Milan station. On the other hand, this daughter of the Blandelli family, currently sitting beside G.o.dou, had once a.s.serted in no uncertain terms that "I shouldn't need to take buses or trains, okay?" "Well, this supposedly reaches Florence faster than traveling by car or by plane. Considering the way you are, you'd probably accept Gennaro's offer of 'let me take you there by car' or the like." Erica replied with an expression of annoyance. "And would there be anything wrong with that?" "Of course there would. Precisely because of him. He'd probably use the opportunity to play j.a.panese children's cartoons nonstop in the car. Trying to show them off to you." "C-Cartoons?" "I definitely have no wish of partaking in anything like that." G.o.dou recalled the terrifying face of Gennaro Gantz. That manly, bearded face. If a bandana was wrapped over his head, he would immediately become a fearsome pirate. It was impossible to a.s.sociate that face with anime. Nevertheless, G.o.dou did not get the impression that Erica was lying... "People have all sorts of hobbies." G.o.dou simply responded with a brief comment. While they were talking, the train really started to get going. Mineral water, coffee, wine, champagne and other drinks were offered in the first cla.s.s car. There were also various snacks and fast food. However, Erica slowly opened a basket she had brought herself. "What is that?" "I told the girl who is my a.s.sistant to bring me clothes for changing, but she turned out to be quite quick on the uptake. She asked me to take this on my journey as well." The basket was lined with quite a few handmade sandwiches. Various fillings in toasted bread — uncured ham, mozarella cheese, proscuitto, lettuce, rucola and other vegetables. The sandwiches were quite visually appealing. "Eh, these look very delicious." "She's an apprentice in the [Copper Black Cross] — As a mage in training, she was almost expelled for her lack of apt.i.tude. But because she's quite skilled in domestic ch.o.r.es, I tried her out as my a.s.sistant. Quite an interesting girl. I'll introduce her to you in the future." Judging from the way Erica spoke of her, G.o.dou imagined a girl in her early teens. It was slightly later when G.o.dou finally learned that she was Arianna-san and actually older than Erica. Only then was G.o.dou struck by the shock of Erica's patronizing description. In any case, G.o.dou enjoyed the food, thoughtfully prepared by the maid he had never met before, as they continued the train journey. The aerodynamic high-speed train took two hours to reach Florence from Milan. During this time, G.o.dou spent his time leisurely, chatting casually with Erica while he read Italian newspapers. Despite the fact that he was going to be approaching a monster's lair soon, he did not feel particularly nervous. Somehow, his instincts were informing him. Even if that eel-like giant organism really turned out to be a divine beast, he was not going to suffer in a desperate battle. G.o.dou knew this instinctively because he was capable of using a divine beast himself, the [Boar]. Speaking of desperate battles, those would occur only if the divine beast's master, a [Heretic G.o.d] or a Campione, was nearby — "After all, I shouldn't be running into those guys." G.o.dou muttered to himself as they got off the train at the Florence station platform. His battle against Melqart, the ancient Middle Eastern divine king, had taken place a month earlier. As for the fight with the G.o.dslayer Salvatore Doni, that was last night. These momentous events should not be happening all the time. In terms of probability, it should be impossible. Looking up, G.o.dou found a vast expanse of the Italian sky, illuminated by the glow of dusk. The red of the setting sun was mixing mysteriously with the darkness of evening, an exotic sight unlike dusk in j.a.pan. "Let's spend tonight in Florence and have a chat over dinner with the magi of this city. The [Capital of Lilies] is the magic a.s.sociation responsible for handling the incident. We'll first obtain information from them — " Just as Erica began to speak, her cellphone rang with an incoming call. G.o.dou had a worrying premonition. To him, this melody sounded like an ominous sign. Indeed, it was the apostle from the realm of absurdity, the person capable of blowing theories of probability right out of the water — "What's the matter, Uncle? Eh, Sir Salvatore?" Then G.o.dou realized he had forgotten about the most dangerous element. The ancient city of Florence was one of the best known places even in Italy. The river pa.s.sing through this city, the Arno, followed the terrain of the Tuscany region and flowed from east to west into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The ancient city of Pisa, famous for its Leaning Tower, was located near the river's mouth. Indeed, water was essential to human life, thus giving rise to cities adjacent to bodies of water. Given that G.o.dou was on a journey to the Arno's headwaters... It would only be natural to advance east from Florence. However, the car picking up G.o.dou and Erica went south of Florence instead, taking them to the city of Siena located roughly in the center of Tuscany. This was also a city with ancient origins, said to be a colony of the ancient Roman Empire of old. A historical zone preserving streets straight from medieval times, the entire city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Renowned as "the world's most beautiful public square," Piazza del Campo was the city's most famous tourist attraction. Despite being a plaza covered with red brick, it was actually not flat. The plaza's surface was shaped like a bowl and sloped gently. Townsfolk and tourists would take up sitting or sleeping positions on the sloping surface, spending their time as they pleased. "Coming to this place feels like a variety show's trip planning..." Recalling his itinerary for the past day, G.o.dou felt especially weary. Lake Garda, Verona, Zurich, Milan, Florence and Siena. These were all historically ancient cities and tourist destinations. But G.o.dou pa.s.sed through all of them with nary a stop, finally arriving here at Siena. What an exhausting trip, even crossing national boundaries. By the time they arrived in Siena, night had fallen completely. Although this was no time for touring around, G.o.dou and Erica were still led to Piazza del Campo. Instead of sightseeing, the purpose was for meeting a certain someone. "Ah G.o.dou, it's been a while, my dear friend!" The young man, who had parted ways with G.o.dou only this morning, was waiting for him. His cheerful frivolity carried a certain Latin quality indeed, suiting his personality quite well. Salvatore Doni was the Campione renowned as the King of Swords. A black, short-sleeved shirt. Cotton pants. A pair of sneakers. He was dressed casually as usual. Furthermore, a long cylindrical case laid fallen by his feet. Undoubtedly, it contained that dangerous and lethal weapon. "Just come over yourself if you've got any business. We're on the way to somewhere else." "Well, my dear aide is an excessively strict person, so I'm currently grounded from travel. He said I'm not allowed to go outside for now because I've caused too much trouble lately." "Wow, your aide turns out to be someone with normal thought processes... But then again." G.o.dou replied to Doni who was grumbling on his own. The message of "Let's meet briefly, okayi 1 " was transmitted from Doni to Paolo to Erica to finally reach G.o.dou. He could have ignored it, but that would probably spur Doni into his ridiculous antics again. G.o.dou only came to Siena because he was worried about this issue. "So let me say this. Even if you're grounded, don't get us involved." "But you're going to exterminate the divine beast that's lurking in Monte Falterona, right?" Doni asked with a grin. To think he would receive the news so quickly as soon as the incident happened. G.o.dou shrugged. Although Doni looked like a carefree idiot — No, he really was a fool in actual fact. But at the same time, he was also cunningly astute. G.o.dou was deeply struck by how important it was not to underestimate this man. "Sorry, but could you step aside...? Just a minor suggestion." "You mean you want to slay the monster in my place?" "Yes yes. This opportunity to make a quick trip and be back before that annoying Andrea discovers, just yield that to me. You and me, we're best buddies, right?" G.o.dou was quite surprised. Indeed, Salvatore Doni was a belligerent man, but this sort of request seemed really out of character. "Sir Salvatore. Allow me to point out that there is merely one monster sighted at Monte Falterona, the one that has been recognized as a divine beast. For a Campione of your stature, Sir, it would simply be a weak enemy." At G.o.dou's side, Erica interjected with a probing tone of voice. G.o.dou nodded. Indeed that was the truth. Even as a novice, G.o.dou did not consider a divine beast to be any sort of threat. Even more so for Doni, the experienced warrior. Yet for some reason, he wanted to defeat the divine beast himself. His insistence was quite strange. Tossing troublesome ch.o.r.es to G.o.dou would probably be more suited to his liking. "For a trivial task of this nature, I think you can just leave everything for us to handle." "Yes, you have a point there, but I also have various circ.u.mstances on my end." Doni smiled casually in response to Erica's intervention. "Circ.u.mstances? What do you mean?" "Well well. Some things need to be kept secret — " Playing the fool to evade G.o.dou's question, Doni picked up the cylindrical container on the ground. Then he drew out a longsword of iron. This was the weapon with which he used his silver arm authority to manifest ultimate sharpness. Doni casually entered a stance with his sword. "You intend to slay me to prevent me from exterminating the divine beast?" "Of course not. Didn't we just have a deadly duel yesterday? I have no intention of having a rematch suddenly on the very next day. This is just a wager. Let's play a game." Doni readied the longsword before him, pointing its tip at G.o.dou. "You win if you can block one strike from my sword. I'll yield the divine beast extermination to you this time. However, if you're unable to stop me... Let me do as I please." "I can't stand you. Just deciding all that on your own..." G.o.dou bent forward slightly in response to Doni's sudden declaration. He was taking the posture of a defending infielder in order to guard against Doni's sword. Speaking of which — G.o.dou noticed something. Even though it was not yet seven at night, Piazza del Campo was empty apart from the three of them. Did Doni use some sort of suspicious magic to drive people away, or did he use his influence as a Devil King to prohibit access? In any case, a match was already unavoidable. "G.o.dou, do you really intend to fight!?" "The situation will get weird if I leave things to this guy, so there's no choice." G.o.dou answered Erica who was a little worried. At the same time, he kept his attention focused on Doni. The enemy raised his right arm, holding the sword in a stance. In the parlance of j.a.panese swordsmanship, this would be called the ha.s.sou-no-kamae stance.^ But since Doni's original posture was a flexible and natural stance, he really seemed like he was sticking to his claim of not intending to fight seriously. Only because of that he was making this sort of attacking stance, intending to enjoy the game. That said, this was still a dangerous game of death where one false move could lead to one's demise — (...I guess I'll just have to try evading using the [Raptorj's speed.) (...Please be careful. This isn't an opponent who makes things easy.) After whispering this reminder, Erica immediately retreated. It was finally time for G.o.dou vs Doni, one on one. The enemy's right arm glowed with silver radiance. The previous night's battle had taken place roughly twenty-four hours earlier. Nuadha's silver arm authority, which G.o.dou had sealed with the [Swordj's spell words, was already recovered and currently usable. "Hoho. We already know each other's tricks. This will be no different from yesterday." Doni smiled quietly. This was different from his usual idiotic smile. Rather, this was a smile of delight with a hint of malevolence, coming from a man who enjoyed risking his life in battle. The frivolous and handsome face instantly transformed into that of a dauntless warrior. G.o.dou and Doni were separated by a mere distance of five meters. All Doni needed to do was pounce while swinging his sword and the distance would instantly shrink to zero. However, the speed and acuity of Doni's swordsmanship was great enough to unlock G.o.dou's [Raptor]. Verethragna's seventh incarnation possessed speed equal to lightning. Since G.o.dou was unable to make precise movements due to the excessive speed, it was not that useful for making attacks. On the other hand, it was quite a handy ability for defense and escape. In order to use divine speed the instant Doni swung his sword, G.o.dou readied his posture. However, he suddenly trembled for the air around him felt rather heavy. This was due to Doni's gaze. Without glaring at G.o.dou or making threats, he was simply gazing cheerfully. One could even call it a gentle and quiet look. But G.o.dou was certain his intentions had been seen through. Every single motion of Kusanagi G.o.dou's body down to the smallest fingertip, the violent pounding in his heart resulting from the sudden battle, his breathing — All were seen through completely. Heard. Observed. A complete grasp. "He really is an opponent for which defense won't work huh..." G.o.dou muttered to himself. Just as his foe mentioned, they already knew each other's tricks. Salvatore Doni's eyes were capable of seeing through divine speed. He also possessed mysterious movement techniques allowing him to close in before one could react, as well as horrifying swordsmanship that was challenging to evade. Although this was only going to be a split-second battle, was G.o.dou really capable of defending against martial arts as varied as a sword G.o.d's? His gaze met with Doni's. The enemy went "Hmph" and smiled fearlessly. G.o.dou had to muster his courage at this moment. If possible, he still wanted to take the least risky route and use the [Raptor] to evade — However, in order to crush the enemy's strongest technique, G.o.dou had no choice but to use his strongest power! "The one unblunted and unapproachable, oath-breaking sinners be purged by the iron hammer of justice!" "I hereby swear! I shall sever all existence in this world, slicing them in half with but a single cut!" Precisely because they knew each other inside and out, they were able to have this sort of simple clash. Throwing out his trump card before the horrific attack reached him, G.o.dou then leveraged his residual momentum to defeat his enemy. As a result, G.o.dou's summoned [Boar] crashed boldly through the stone tiles of Piazza del Campo to make its way to the ground surface. At the same time, G.o.dou prepared to charge straight into Doni. The instant the divine beast was about to penetrate the surface, Doni's swinging magic sword struck the [Boar]'s pitch black forehead. ROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! The beast's roars resounded. Swung by the silver arm, the magic sword stabbed itself deeply into the [Boar]'s forehead. The divine beast was destroyed by the time half of its head surfaced aboveground. However, Doni went "Oh no!" and cried out. Although it was excessively reckless, G.o.dou did indeed manage to block one strike from Doni's sword. Doni's sword of mental nothingness was achieved by letting the sword and the body move naturally. Hence, G.o.dou knew that as soon as he launched a powerful attack, Doni would involuntarily attack in return — The result ended exactly as he predicted. G.o.dou nodded greatly. However — "Although I did wonder if it would turn out like this when you agreed to the match, G.o.dou... You never let down expectations, do you?" Gazing at the "price" paid by Piazza del Campo, Erica remarked in amazement. There was a deep crack resembling a fault line. The ground was cracked open deeply in a straight line, tearing the plaza apart from one end to the other. Very likely, this resulted from G.o.dou choosing Piazza del Campo itself as the target when summoning the [Boar]. As soon as the pitch-black divine beast surfaced from the ground, it immediately caused destruction to the plaza. G.o.dou covered his head in his arms. Oh well, because the [Boar] was exterminated before it truly began to wreak destruction, one should be satisfied that only this level of damage resulted... "W-Wait a minute. That was no fair at all. How about another match!?" On the other hand, Doni kept hara.s.sing him, refusing to accept the result. While reflecting on his own actions, G.o.dou treated Doni's protests as meaningless noise. Although the destruction was a terrible result, one should probably count their blessings that a commotion's embers were smothered before they could be truly set ablaze. Nevertheless, why would Doni be interested in slaying a divine beast? Just as G.o.dou was about to question him, sirens could be heard in the distance. Police or firefighters were apparently on the move. Naturally, they must be heading here. Probably for the sake of calming down this commotion, Erica took out her cellphone and contacted someone... Part 4 In the end, Piazza del Campo's "aftermath" was handed over to Doni's subordinates to take care of. Having fled the scene for now, G.o.dou and company were seeking refuge in a nearby bar. Standing before them was the young man named Andrea Rivera. He was wearing silver-rimmed gla.s.ses and dressed neatly in a suit. Known for his serious demeanor, he was the one who served as Doni's butler. Upon hearing of his job t.i.tle, G.o.dou was filled with the deepest sympathies. After handling the aftermath by making some calls to local magic a.s.sociations in Siena and issuing a few orders efficiently, Andrea Rivera swiftly turned around to face G.o.dou again. "Regarding this incident, let's consider it the fault of my lord, Salvatore Doni. We will take charge of the aftermath." "I-I'm sorry. I've made trouble for you." "No, as someone who serves a king, this is simply a part of my duties. Please don't let this weigh on your mind... Anyway, putting that aside, may I have a word with you?" Ashamed of being Doni's accomplice, G.o.dou was bowing his head when Andrea addressed him. "A Campione causing trouble on momentary impulse is something that cannot be helped. There is no need to respond graciously to my lord's acts of folly. But please bear in mind the suffering and disaster brought upon the innocent commoners when you guys are horsing around." Righteously and resolutely, Rivera used a calm tone of voice to admonish the king. Truly befitting of Doni's chaperone. G.o.dou was greatly impressed with this fact while feeling indebted to him. The Devil King's Butler turned to Erica: "So, Erica Blandelli, may I rely on you to handle the divine beast incident? I must take that idi — Sir Salvatore back to a certain location." "Of course you may, Sir Andrea." Erica displayed a puzzled expression towards the young man who had almost called his lord an idiot. "However, where do you intend to take Sir Salvatore?" "Sir Salvatore was heavily injured in the fight against Kusanagi G.o.dou and must go recuperate. He needs to be placed in a quiet environment for now so as to recover his energy." "Eh!?" Being the man in question, Doni was completely stunned to hear his butler's words. He was the man who seemed completely fine in health apart from a sunburn from the [White Stallion] last night. Doni's face was filled with a frivolous expression of puzzlement. "What is this about, Andrea? I do have a bit of a burning sensation all over my body, but apart from that, I don't really think there's any problem with my health." "Nonsense. This is an excellent opportunity. Why don't you just take it easy and rest for three or four months, okay?" Switching instantly away from his respectful att.i.tude towards G.o.dou, Rivera addressed Doni as equals. On closer examination, Rivera was twitching slightly near his temples. Probably due to anger. It was some time later when G.o.dou would nod in understanding after hearing that these two men were friends from before Doni became a G.o.dslayer. The Devil King's Butler spoke with what one would call a "sullen look of seriousness and austerity." "I have already prepared for you a hospital no different from a prison on a remote island in the Indian Ocean. You will be forcibly hospitalized in a special sickroom on the twelfth floor underground. All you need to do there is cure your brain inside a jail akin to Alcatraz. You f.u.c.king lowlife whose mere existence causes trouble to the world, you're even worse than trash!" Thinking back, Rivera's outpour of curses and insults was probably the climax of the whole affair. Although G.o.dou did suffer some hardship afterwards, no commotion could be worse than crossing paths with a Campione. After Doni was taken away to be punished for his follies, G.o.dou and Erica stayed the night in Siena. The next morning, the weather was raining unfortunately. However, Rivera had arranged for a car and chauffeur to send them on the way. Thus G.o.dou and Erica reached the incident's stage without issues. This region of Casentino was located on the eastern side of Tuscany. An area surrounded by natural habitat, one could find lush green fields, hills, forests and valleys. In accordance with its designation as a national forest park, the region was virtually devoid of manmade structures apart from roads and the scattered homes of residents, as far as G.o.dou could see along the car journey. As for Monte Falterona which Doni had mentioned, this was Erica's explanation: "A streamlet that is born in Falterona / And not a hundred miles of course suffice it... This is Dante's Divine Comedy. Purgatorio, Canto XIV." "So this is the river it's referring to." G.o.dou and Erica sat side by side in the rear seats as the car sped along its way. A stream was flowing beside the road. It was the Arno River. It was supposed to progressively widen as it flowed through the lands of Tuscany to become a wide and major river. Probably due to the rain, the river volume seemed to be higher than normal. "So the only place we need to visit is that Falte whatever mountain?" "It would be ideal if it were as simple as that. However, the target seems to have left its lair and moved its habitat elsewhere." "Where did the monster appear yesterday?" "Medieval castle ruins at the foot of Monte Falterona. Having said that, the ruins are just a few castle walls that remain standing. Apart from that, there's nothing." Erica opened and examined a map of the area as she spoke. "In fact, yesterday's divine beast-like organism has made an appearance in some other castle ruins. Crashing into and damaging the castle walls, it even caused a ruckus before leaving. Luckily, no humans were caught up in it, but seeing as it's quite close to the city after all... It could get dangerous." "That's very true. By the way, that eel monster that's like a snake — " After listening, G.o.dou tried to probe an issue that had been bothering him. "Since it has gone to castle ruins twice, could it be that it likes old places?" "That could be true. Alternatively, it might prefer to be near water." "Water?" "Yes. Since ancient times, cities and villages have always been constructed near water. Based on the terrain, the Arno River basin naturally contains many towns and structures built since ancient times. Also, the second appearance was this place." "Eh, that's really close to the river." Seeing the spot on the map Erica was pointing to, G.o.dou nodded. "We will be in this place, contemplating our next move while we wait for the Florentine magi who are tracking the beast. If my predictions are accurate, we could very well discover the target today." "Then let's stay in this area to search for now." "It'd be wiser to wait for their investigation's report first." G.o.dou and Erica went on standby at a town near Monte Falterona and the Arno River. Then at a time one could consider late night, Erica's cellphone received a report of discovery. The two instantly got on a car and rushed towards the Arno River. Then G.o.dou saw it. Beneath the pouring rain, a black and slender creature was swimming on the surface of the flooded river. Indeed, it did look like a giant eel. Putting on a raincoat, G.o.dou braved the rainstorm to enter the torrential Arno River. He wanted to observe the "enemy." But perhaps because it sensed his presence, the black creature submerged itself into the water. Erica was rather intrigued by this wariness, uncharacteristic of a vicious monster. "Clearly it remained calm when the searching magi discovered it. Perhaps it's because it realized you're a Campione, G.o.dou?" "Are things like divine beasts capable of that?" "It wouldn't be strange, no, because it's a supernatural creature after all. Among the monitoring personnel, a spirit vision user apparently saw that it's a divine beast with ties to a snake deity." "So, handling it like an eel isn't actually going to work." In any case, there was nothing to discuss until it was caught. Thus the overnight chase began. Furthermore, they requested support from the Florentine magi to use search magic, communicating by cellphone and pursuing by car. When dawn almost arrived, or rather, during morning... G.o.dou and Erica finally faced off the monster again. The place was a rural town called Poppi on the sh.o.r.e of the Arno River. Around here was a medieval fort dating back to the fifteenth century. Using borrowed binoculars to observe the monster that was roaming leisurely, G.o.dou and Erica murmured to each other. "Not only is it not an eel, it's not even a snake..." "It should be called a dinosaur instead. I remember seeing a similar one in an old movie." A certain action movie whose stage was set in a theme park where dinosaurs had been brought to life using the power of science. Not far from their eyes was a species resembling the dinosaur that became a symbol of the movie. Called the velociraptor in the story, these carnivorous dinosaurs were slender, agile, cunning and vicious. "A true dinosaur fan would probably call it something like the Deinonychus or the Utahraptor." "Oh my, that name really suits its appearance." "What do you mean?" "Deinonychus. It means 'terrible claw' in Latin." Hearing the explanation of Erica who was proficient in linguistics, G.o.dou nodded. The black Deinonychus before them was walking upright on its tough hind legs, with a ma.s.sive, sharp, hooked claw on each foot. Its body was roughly seven meters long, with a slender torso and a very long tail. Its dorsal outline was probably impossible to see except for when it was swimming on the surface of the water. Especially due to its black color, it was indeed quite easy to be mistaken for a snake or an eel. "Normally, no one would expect a dinosaur in this river." Finally figuring out how the eel description came about, G.o.dou muttered as he summoned the [Boar] to defeat the creature. The battle needed to be finished immediately because it would be troublesome if the enemy escaped into the water. The pitch-black giant boar swiftly sent the dinosaur flying in accord with expectations. G.o.dou could no longer remember how much time it took to knock out the enemy. Roughly three or four minutes perhaps? After all, there were other problems outside of combat. The [Boar]'s howls were mixed with Shockwaves as usual and ended up smashing the ground which had softened from the pouring rain. As it happened, G.o.dou's foothold on a hillside collapsed as a consequence. Rolling down the slope, G.o.dou fell into the Arno River and spent several hours in a predicament, drifting along the flooded river's turbid currents. Nevertheless, G.o.dou would naturally come to forget what happened in this region. This stemmed from the never ending series of conflicts that arrived henceforth from May of that year, after he became a Campione. A duel with Doni at the beginning of May, followed directly by the expedition to Tuscany. After returning to j.a.pan for a week, he was called to Italy again by Erica and forced to attend a seance with dozens of magi. When the end of May rolled in, the great event of Athena's duel happened — Thereafter, battles and troublesome incidents still continued to take place in succession. Various matters, such as the fact of traveling being more exhausting than combat, were inevitably buried in the back of his mind. Consequently, G.o.dou had almost forgotten about this incident after the pa.s.sage of nine months. Nevertheless, what happened back then was going to lead G.o.dou into yet another troublesome adventure. References 1 . t Ha.s.sou-no-kamae(A^X(D^^.): one of the five stances of kendo, an offensive posture with the sword pointing upright and the blade sloping slightly to the rear.http://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha.s.s%C5%8D-no-kamae