Shiniki No Campiones Volume 2 Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - The Demon Wolf's Roar 1

「Sacred flame pure and clear──」

Riona transformed into Yatagarasu and chanted the words of power.

「With the purification of fire, exorcist every kind of misfortune!」

What answered the prayer was the shikigami twelve divine generals.

Similar like before, they manifested as fire spirit in the form of a lump of flame burning bright red.

Riona=Yatagarasu was followed by twelve flames behind her and climbed up steeply toward the skull of Fenrir that was falling from the sky.

On the other hand, Rokuhara Ren who was remaining on the ground at Valhalla Palace──.

「……Then, my opponent will be the marquis-sama directly?」

「……So you noticed. You're a brat with good instinct.」

There were 540 gates that could be used to come and go from the palace.

A young man wearing clothing of modern earthling of business suit and black coat entered from one of them. His step was brazen.

「You said that, but you didn't even hide your presence or gaze.」

Ren smiled wryly in front of Marquis Voban who was fearless as well as haughty.

「I feel a chill on my back, like a strange feeling.」

「That was impolite of me. Forgive me. I was simply unable to suppress my excitement.」

In contrast with his words, the marquis didn't look bashful at all.

What dwelled inside his emerald eyes was surely killing intent without any doubt. However, Rokuhara Ren also wasn't a character who would falter just from that. Ren spoke with his usual pace.

「The Fenrir this time isn't marquis-san's transformation?」

「I have done that the other day. Rather than your flying retainer, today I'm thinking to……play with you directly without rushing.」

It was a peaceful exchange of words. This part was like a jab.

It was the foundation of all offense and defense in boxing. Holding back the enemy. A light punch for the sake of gauging the distance. Both Ren and Voban fired that while probing their opponent's condition with their eyes.

Unlike several days ago, the wolf slayer marquis was in perfect condition physically and mentally──.

Rokuhara Ren had also rested enough. He could accelerate to full throttle anytime──.

And then, the battlefield was the garden of Valhalla Palace.

Everyday the dead warriors were training their martial art here. It was a place where sword and shield clashed and horse dashed. It was vast enough and there was also no obstacle. Furthermore it was also protected with magic, so there wasn't any snow pile here. He could start anytime!

Marquis Voban suddenly chanted.

「Run you wolves and lightning!」

「I'll also use my acceleration device here!」

The two G.o.dslayers switched from stillness to movement instantly.

At this time Voban summoned demon wolves. The wolves that boasted a build like a horse that he saw the other day. They numbered 39 in total. The kinetic vision of Ren that was accelerated until the realm that allowed him to see through even lightning easily counted that number.

The demon wolves manifested from empty air in a position that was surrounding him. They suddenly leaped.

The wolf pack a.s.saulted him one after another from all directions of 360 degree. The beasts attacked in mult.i.tude using their fang, fang, fang. However, between the beast's rapid attacks there was extremely short──pause that was even less than half a second each. That was enough.

Ren skillfully slipped through the wolf pack with a G.o.dspeed movement.

But, the savageness of the marquis added lightning attack too there.

Seven lightning fell from the sky at the same timing when the agile Ren slipped through the pinch. The s.p.a.ce where Ren should be at was burned down along with the dozens of wolves that the marquis summoned.

Nemesis's escaping feet made its way through even this net of lightning attack──.

「My bad but, even that is a bit slow!」

「Kukuku. But, how long you can keep dodging?」

Marquis Voban pointed his index finger to the sky.

Sparking electricity was fired from that fingertip, burning the s.p.a.ce right in the front of the marquis. The next electricity spread to the s.p.a.ce at the right of the marquis, next it was the left, and after that to the back──

He rained down lightning to the surrounding from very close range, burning everything indiscriminately.

He didn't do anything like aiming at Ren who was running around. He was repeatedly carpet bombing his surrounding so that he would hit the target in due time.

And then the marquis──undoubtedly possessed toughness that enabled him to keep this up for eternity!

「That's really forceful!」

Ren continued to avoid the numerous lightning attacks that were repeatedly scattered to everywhere using Nemesis's escaping feet.

He did it while half laughing from excessively feeling half exasperated and half impressed.

The ancient demon king had experienced the adversity of many battle, in addition he also possessed a reborn young body. This feat of strength was exactly from those. It was truly an amazing violence.

Ren flexibly stepped to all directions to dodge, jump, skip, turn, and dance.

He continued to dodge Marquis Voban's lightning with super speed dance while──

「This is him luring me to counterattack isn't it?」

Ren mumbled to himself.

Yes. The enemy already knew. His stock of retribution would increase if they attacked him and sooner or later the attacks would return back to themselves. And then, Ren also knew. In order to stop an attacker that had obtained momentum, there was no other way that to counterattack and landed a painful blow on the enemy. However.

「He is planning to counter my counter isn't he……」

Marquis Voban was discharging electricity again and again with eyes that were shining penetratingly.

But, there was also calmness somewhere within those eyes that was gauging the timing. He must be observing. When Rokuhara Ren would heighten his magic power to the maximum and came out to decide the match.

There was no other way for him but to unleash a single attack that even the formidable warrior who killed Fenrir "couldn't handle".

The existence that was the key of it──

Was his "fiancée" who was fighting in the sky. That was Ren's thought.

「I never thought that I would be forced to imitate gundam at this kind of place……!」

Toba Riona who personified Yatagarasu yelled from her heart.

「I swear I'll stop this colony drop no matter what!」

The skull of demon wolf Fenrir that split the dark cloud hanging in the air and fell from the sky.

It opened its gigantic and empty mouth so wide that it could swallow Valhalla Palace whole while approaching the land of Asgard.

The descent of the skull was as fast as a meteor that fell within earth's atmosphere.

In that case, the damage that resulted from that would also be the same like meteor impact or even greater──

Yatagarasu halted on the s.p.a.ce between the skull in the sky and the palace on the ground.

「O the heavenly myriad of Hid.a.m.no-mikoto as well as Ame-no-Sazuchi-no-kami, o G.o.d of dog Izanagi-no-kami, I beg you to protect us!」

She used her full power into the words of power of curse reversal and telepathy.

In order to stop the falling skull of Fenrir and pushed it back to the heavens.

The twelve flame spirits gathered around Yatagarasu who spread open both her wings. The shikigami twelve divine generals. They formed a circle with their master the sacred bird at the center.

A magic circle of fire and sun appeared in the air──.

Riona=Yatagarasu's whole body blazed bluish white. The flame spirits also combusted in the same color. The heightened divine power changed into a telekinesis that could stop even meteor.

The falling speed of Fenrir's skull was suppressed until half of it forcefully by brute strength!

「Twelve divine generals, send me more power!」

She encouraged the divine generals and heightened everyone's telekinesis even more.

The momentum of the evil skull that was falling from the sky wakened again. But it didn't completely stop. It was steadily approaching the palace of Valhalla.

「As I thought, it looks like it will be no good unless the source is severed!」

And then at the same time, she felt the thought from her goshujin-sama on the ground.

Just like how his memory was transmitted to her, Riona's scheme was surely transmitted to him too. Rokuhara Ren's thought was calling out. 『Let's start that thing now!』 It said!

「Everyone, that's how it is-. We're starting the Fierce G.o.d Exorcism!」

She called out to the twelve divine generals who transformed into flame.

「The abrupt darkness of heaven──. The golden spirit of black kite come and the imperial bow stop it. That black kite is shining bright, like a lightning stream……!」

Actually she wasn't just using telekinesis. She was also accomplishing one other task.

Although the sky was cloudy with the snow-laden clouds blocking the sun, right now was daytime. Furthermore it was morning. Even though the cloud was hiding it, the sun would arrive at the zenith. Her strength was increasing every second as the sun was heading toward the noon.

And then, Yatagarasu and the flame spirits were the heaven-sent child of the sun──.

It was a suitable situation to heighten the spirit of sun within themselves.

「If the enemy is coming with colony drop, then our side will pay respect with colony laser!」

Now was the time to decide victory or defeat. Ren chanted the words of power.

「Nemesis will hand down the divine punishment to misdeed that jeopardize life.」

The faint and transparent figure of G.o.ddess Nemesis──appeared behind him.

She was a G.o.ddess with spread out white wings, fluttering ice blue hair, crimson garment, and black mask. What that avatar unleashed was the numerous lightning that the Fenrir slayer fired.

「The calamity that I confronted is none other than thy agony. I wish for the judgment of justice here!」

Amazingly a total of 300 lightning attacks shot toward Marquis Voban as divine punishment.

Furthermore, they were fired at the same timing.

Far above Ren, his comrades were emitting light.

Yatagarasu that was burning bluish white and the twelve spirits of flame──dazzling golden flash was unlashed toward the ground from their whole body.

It was a laser attack from a total of thirteen body. The lights glinted and using their scorching heat they gouged. Gouged. Gouged.

Riona and others had ama.s.sed the energy of sun and sublimated it into a weapon of certain kill!

「O, OOOOOOOH!」

The lightning and laser combination showered the Fenrir slaying demon king together.

It caused a roar to be raised. Marquis Voban raised a roar of anguish. The golden light and radiant heat, impact and hot wind overran the courtyard of Valhalla Palace. They were burning it to ash.

Ren's field of vision was also filled with dazzling light, but.

He certainly saw it within the light.

The marquis's body was bloating. It was transforming into a grey wolf. That body's size was more than ten meter. It was a transformation toward the demon wolf that they had witnessed several times until now.

Furthermore, the giant body of the grey wolf was──

Releasing brilliant white light from under his fur!

「Like the star shining in the daytime……the light of Lykos reach even the heavens!」

The marquis's spell was overflowing with fighting spirit. The white light that the demon wolf's body emitted was also getting stronger.

The light of the grey wolf and──Nemesis's lightning, and then the laser of Yatagarasu and others that was fired from the sky melted into one, becoming a platinum colored radiance.

It was as though all the lights were neutralizing and negating each other…….

Right now, the sacred Valhalla Palace and its courtyard was sublimely illuminated.

「In other words, it's not really effective!?」

「It's no good Rokuharsan! If we don't rally ourselves quickly──!」

「Hahahahaha! This is far more powerful than I imagined……it's really a stimulating attack! This is a return gift from me──accept it brat!」

Ren was astounded. Riona warned him from the sky.

Marquis Voban who transformed into a grey wolf howled arrogantly and his magic power heightened explosively.

And then, Fenrir's skull that split the dark cloud and was in the middle of falling, the falling object that was somehow held in place by the telekinesis of Yatagarasu and others──

The symbol of world destruction sped up its falling.

The telekinesis of Riona and others was drastically weakened by the laser attack just now.

Falling. Falling. The skull of demon wolf Fenrir was falling. The twelve flame spirits collided with the ominous falling object and their fire was drowned out.

「……Kuh!」

The sacred bird Yatagarasu alone steeply climbed to diagonally above and dodged.

But, as expected even her already didn't have any way to stop the fall of the dead Fenrir. It was approaching Valhalla Palace with a falling speed that was like a falling meteor within earth's atmosphere.

Ren naturally decided to use Nemesis's escaping feet. However.

Marquis Voban who transformed into a giant wolf──spat out something small from his savage mouth. It flew toward Ren. It was a somewhat large short sword.

「When my sword is swung down, something that shouldn't rot will rot into nothing──」

「Eh?」

With Nemesis's authority, something like a thrown short sword wouldn't be anything worth mentioning.

He should be able to easily dodge it. But, for some reason his chest was already stabbed when he noticed. The mediocre short sword was in Rokuhara Ren's chest…….

「Kukukuku. Accept that blade that severe even the Gordian Knot!」

Fenrir's skull was falling even while he was in a daze.

Ren endured the intense pain in his chest while using Nemesis's escaping feet somehow. He desperately ran. He would die if he didn't get away as far away as possible──

The next moment, the magnificent Valhalla Palace was crushed.

The skull of dead demon wolf crashed on it.

Explosion and shockwave raged violently.

It was a terrific destructive power──that changed the sacred precincts where Odin's palace was built into a giant crater.

2

The crater that was gouged on Asgard's ground.

It was in a scale of several hundred meters in diameter. There was something that crawled out from underground at a corner that was near the bottom of this overly large hole.

The grey giant wolf that became covered in dust──. It was Voban.

He dived into the ground in order to escape from the explosion of Fenrir's skull that he dropped himself.

Rather than a wolf, he was more like a small rat that crawled into underground sewer or a cave. He deeply, deeply advanced to the bottom of the ground and escaped the danger somehow.

「With this Fenrir's bone can't be used for a while.」

Voban returned from a grey wolf into a human body and muttered.

This authority would surely get named as Ragnarok's Wolf if it was the pretentious magicians who decided it. It was extremely powerful but, it couldn't be used consecutively after all was said and done.

「Well it doesn't matter. Even without it, it doesn't change the fact that I am the strongest wolf.」

Voban keenly felt his own strength and gloated shortly.

The G.o.d of wolf that Voban first killed was extremely strong.

If talking about the G.o.d's greatness in legend, compared to the wolf of the end Fenrir it was──superior. It wasn't even comparison anymore between the two when it came to the degree of popularity.

The name of that wolf was known by anyone in Europe.

That G.o.d was born in an underground café together with his twin little sister.

His mother was a G.o.ddess of earth. Thanks to that spiritual relationship, he could crawl into underground like diving into water and survived. Voban wasn't bothered at all that he looked like a pitiful mouse or anything.

It was fine if he won. It was fine if he survived. That was all.

「The view has become better.」

He climbed the slope of the crater with his two legs and returned to a flat ground.

Stuffy hot air filled the ground and the surrounding that was gouged by the authority of Fenrir. It was the lingering aftermath of the explosion. The ground he was stepping on was also still hot.

And then, the palace of Valhalla that was pointlessly extravagant had disappeared.

Voban was satisfied and narrowed the eyes of his human body.

He was born as a street urchin and spent days of wandering in the street even after that.

Although he was held in awe as a demon king for long, he wouldn't stay for long in one land. He felt completely bored of the territory and castle of the marquis that became the base of his t.i.tle within a few years.

He felt it stupid to display his strength and influence with the extravagance of his dwelling.

「Fuh──. It's still understandable if it's the royalty and n.o.bility everywhere who are lower than even mongrel. But for the G.o.ds to fool around by boasting of their gaudy castle is nothing but ridiculous.」

The name of Dejanstahl Voban was an improvised name that he called himself.

The marquis house that he attacked in his youth and took as his possession was keeping three savage dogs. Their names were Dejan, Stahl, and Voban.

He made the dogs' names as his own from sarcasm and joking mood toward the bunch that had nothing to be proud of except their family name──.

「Grimoire. Tell me the situation of Odin and the others.」

「……As you wish.」

A girl wearing a black hat, a cloak, and a purple dress appeared with a puff.

The authority Singing Grimoire of the demon G.o.d Baphomet that was worshipped by sorcerer group and Templar Knight. That spirit was holding a crystal ball.

What was projected there was──

……Lightning G.o.d Thor and his little brother Vidar swung down a hammer and stabbed a sword into the head of the overly large world snake Jormundgand. However, the snake that entwined around the continent twisted its giant body that was as big as a giant tsunami. It was still going strong──.

……Two giant ships and the giants boarding them were rampaging in order to take away the rainbow bridge Bifrost. They fired arrows and threw stones from the ship. They also got onto the rainbow and swung their sword and spear. The valkyries and einherjars defending the bridge were gradually getting cornered──.

……The giant Surtr that was like a moving small mountain swung down his flame sword. Fire bullets were shot without rest from his whole body that was clad in flame. The chief G.o.d Odin and the handsome G.o.d Freyr were desperately defending while searching for a chance to counterattack──.

「Now then. Vigrior Plain is the nearest from Valhalla where I'm at……. It's the battlefield where my allied friend Surtr is at. Odin and Freyr, let's take care of them together.」

But, the fighting spirit inside Voban's heart welled up even more.

Breaking off relations with the flame giant Surtr after erasing two G.o.ds and then competed to decide who was the strongest in this sanctuary also wasn't bad──

「……It seems it's too early to think of such thing.」

Voban laughed at his own hastiness and looked up to the sky.

A glittering golden bird was flying. The background behind the bird was the cloudy sky that was covered by thick cloud, so that glorious majestic figure stood out even more. It was a sacred bird with three legs.

「First is to bring that down.」

Voban muttered and then added more.

「Though I don't know whether that bird is the memento of that brat or if that brat is also still alive!」

And then, the soaring Yatagarasu──.

「Marquis-sama is still eager it seems……」

Toba Riona who transformed into a three-legged golden feathered bird was looking down on the crater that was gouged on the ground while gliding. Her form with her wings spread out was the appearance of the ruler of the sky.

But, Riona wasn't composed.

She was painfully feeling the gaze of the surviving Marquis Voban at her.

Even though he was a wolf that was running on the ground, he intended to leap at the phoenix dancing in the sky and bit it to death!

「How far Rokuharsan ran to!?」

Perhaps because of the bond from the authority of G.o.ddess Nike, she didn't think that he was dead.

She was sure even without any basis. That he was surely alive. However, the colony or rather the Fenrir drop swallowed all her shikigami twelve divine generals and exterminated them.

Could she resummon them even without Rokuhara Ren beside her?

「……It feels impossible.」

The feeling of omnipotence when she was fighting together with him didn't well up.

Riona circled on the sky while sighing.

Besides──Marquis Voban was already enduring her attack once.

The full power attack that was fired by Riona and the shikigamis, the spirits of fire and sun. It was the Great Exorcism of Golden Kite that condensed sunlight and changed it into the laser bombardment from thirteen bodies.

「At that time, it looked like our attack was mostly neutralized.」

It was still comprehensible that the lightning attack Nemesis returned became like that.

Surely the marquis suppressed the lightning as much as he could with his authority of wind and rain and thunder. He heightened his magical force to the maximum by transforming into wolf and enlarging himself──

「But, the laser of me and the shikigamis……」

Did he neutralize it with the authority of world-destroying conflagration that he showed before? No, that should be an authority that couldn't be used like that at all. If that wasn't the case then there was no way he would be able to instantaneously spread out such absurd firepower to that degree.

There should be other spiritual factor that could suppress the holy spirits of fire and sun that were the sun itself──

「……Don't tell me」

Riona recalled.

The grey wolf the marquis transformed into didn't dig into the ground, it was obviously crawling deeply underground by an application of divine power. It was almost instantly. That was a demon wolf with deep connection to the earth.

But at the same time, it might be also related to the sun of the sky──?

「For example, the blue wolf that the equestrian tribe worship is the symbol of sky. There is also a possibility that it can exert great influence to the sun……?」

She raised a hypothesis before immediately erasing it by herself.

「That's not it! The true ident.i.ty of that wolf is──!」

It wasn't instinct. Her spiritual sense as an incarnation of G.o.d was working.

A single name of a G.o.d surfaced in Riona's heart. That G.o.d was born in the dark depths of the eart. But, later he became a sun G.o.d that shined in the sky.

「His sacred beast first is rat……and then wolf!」

Riona's words became a shot of 『Kueeeh!』 from Yatagarasu's beak.

「This isn't a joke! Obviously there won't really be any effect even if I launch an attack of sun element to such opponent! Wait──eh!?」

When she looked, Marquis Voban was transforming once more on the ground.

He was transforming into the grey wolf that possessed the same gigantic build like the wolf of the end Fenrir that she witnessed before. His upper body jerked down and his four limbs warped. It looked like a wolf that was in the verge of leaping toward its prey.

It would be bad if the same blunder in Spain was repeated──. Riona chanted.

「O shoes of son of forest Vidar, grant me strength!」

The three legs of Yatagarasu, one of them was swung through air.

The present from Odin was thrown toward the ground. The pair of magical shoes that lightning G.o.d Thor's little brother Vidar was wearing flew toward Marquis Voban.

It was entrusted toward her from her goshujin-sama this time too just like with Achilles's shield.

「Oo, this is!?」

A shocked shout came out from the mouth of the marquis who transformed into wolf.

Surprisingly as soon as the left and right shoes fell near the ground──they transformed into a giant ash tree.

Without stopping it took root on the ground while growing its branches toward the giant wolf. They entangled him and splendidly sealed his movement!

Naturally Marquis Voban's giant body rampaged to shake off the branches.

*Creak-! Creak-! Creak-! Creak-!*

The ash tree was creaking. Creaking. However, it was holding on firmly.

「A mere tree dare to restrain this Voban. Quite the herculean strength it has there!」

「Obviously! The G.o.d of forest Vidar is a hero that is second only to the lightning G.o.d Thor. He trample down on Fenrir's jaw and seal his movement before stabbing him to death. It is the magic shoes that grant him the power of wolf sealing──. The shoes that I threw just now!」

Riona looked down on the giant wolf struggling on the ground and boasted loudly.

Vidar was a word with the meaning of forest.

He was a son that was born between Odin and a female giant who wasn't his legal wife. He lived in seclusion in the forest of Vidi and possessed shoes that his mother gifted him. While it was a shoes that was created from leather sc.r.a.ps, it was said to seal Fenrir's fang and strength with the hardness of iron──.

「I see. In that case……I'll overturn even that legend!」

Marquis Voban howled even while the ash tree was binding him.

The giant body of the grey wolf was giving off the majesty of the fierce demon king even further. The composure of the powerful could also be seen from him. He had the conviction that he would be able to free himself from this without fail.

Time was his ally. On the other hand, Riona was──

「Rokuharsan, the time I can endure by myself isn't that long you know……」

If possible, she wanted to bury the marquis right now.

But if she carelessly attacked, the ash tree would also get blown away and Dejanstahl Voban would be freed. Right now she could only watch quietly…….

Riona thought about him, her goshujin-sama who still hadn't returned.

3

「Nn……Ren-sama……」

「Ca.s.sandra huh」

Ren was lying down on snow when he noticed.

And then, the princess of Troia was leaning over him. Ren's lips were plugged by her moist lips.

It seemed the magic power of healing was blew into him through mouth-to-mouth.

The pain of the stab wound on his chest was receding. At this rate the intense pain that might make him lost consciousness once more would somehow settle down to something that he could endure.

The softness and moderate weight of Ca.s.sandra who was leaning over him.

He felt that it was pleasant while touching the wound on his chest. The short sword that should be stabbed there was gone and the place was bandaged. It seemed his upper clothes were taken off while he was unconscious.

「You were healing me?」

「Yes. I somehow, made it in time.」

Ca.s.sandra's lips finally separated from Ren and she smiled sweetly to him.

She must be really worried. Her eyes were tearful.

(She must have learned from her prophecy……that I'll escape to here.)

They were somewhere in a plain that was covered by snow. That was the only thing that could be said about the place.

But, it was without a doubt outside Valhalla Palace. Ca.s.sandra foresighted that Ren would come here and came ahead of him.

「Ren-sama.」

Ca.s.sandra smiled sweetly at him.

「That short sword, its stab was shallower than I worried. I believe the wound will heal soon.」

「Really? Then, it was good I desperately ran away.」

The short sword of Marquis Voban──it was absurdly hard to dodge.

Ren's legs and body wouldn't hear his order and the short sword stabbed his heart.

Nemesis's escaping feet couldn't be used only at that time. Even so Rokuhara Ren fully mobilized his inherent reflexes and leaped backward. That was why it didn't stab deeply──. Well, even so it seemed his heart was gouged quite much though.

After he was stabbed, the usual super acceleration activated.

So he desperately ran away at full speed to outside Valhalla Palace.

「Just what was that?」

「In order to oppose Ren-sama's authority that control karma, the wolf G.o.dslayer-sama──filled the short sword with an authority that sever even the determined fate.」

It must be her diagnosis as a priestess who was bestowed with the spiritual power of premonition.

Ren's eyes opened wide hearing the solemn revelation.

「Authority to change fate!? Amazing, so even such power exist.」

「Ren-sama's power, might be weak against such divine power……」

「I'll bear it in mind. Well, I understand the trick's secret, so I think I'll be able to dodge it even if the marquis-sama try it again though……」

Ca.s.sandra nodded in relief.

He stood up. Although he was slightly staggering, Ren firmly stood upright. He had to quickly return to where Marquis Voban and Riona were at──

「Eh?」

Thick mist was suddenly enshrouding the area.

He couldn't even see Ca.s.sandra in front of him. When he was about to call her name,

「You are healthier than I thought, G.o.dslayer.」

「Apollo-san!? Why are you in this kind of place!?」

There was a golden haired handsome young man inside the mist.

An old acquaintance and the protector of Troia, Apollo.

He was wearing a southern-style thin garment that was unsuited for the snowy Norse mythology.

It was natural. After all the radiantly good looking sun G.o.d was a resident of Greek mythology. The sun G.o.d Apollo brightly spoke toward Ren who was surprised toward the unexpected reunion.

「Something is in my mind and so I'm traveling to everywhere outside our sanctuary. Whether it's Troia or this place, the chaos of these diverse worlds is really interesting.」

Apollo grinned.

「You are having a hard fight aren't you, G.o.dslayer.」

「I thought that I'm on the right track with the laser attack though.」

「It can't be helped. That wolf is also an avatar of sun after all.」

「Eh, sun?」

「Yes. In the first place wolf is a beast that run through darkness and the ground. But, in the domain of myth──sometimes wolf will mean the sky and sun. The effect will be faint even if you hit him with the sun.」

「Now that you mentioned it, I think I have heard about that kind of story before.」

The legend that was handed down in the equestrian tribe of middle and west Asia including Mongol.

It said, that the blue wolf was the envoy of heaven. His acquaintance who loved movie and novel told him such thing when they were drinking.

「So brother Voban has defeated that kind of G.o.d……」

「And then to reveal the trick, that G.o.d is a divinity that is really close to this Apollo. The name of the wolf that person murdered is Apollo Lyceus──my spiritual sense is telling me that.」

「Eh, Apollo?」

「My divine name is Apollo the BrightPhoebus Apollo. However, there was also times when I manifested with another name──and nature. For example mouse ApolloApollo Smintheus. And then wolf ApolloApollo Lyceus is also one of that.」

Apollo spoke with a beautiful voice that reminded one of the sound of lyre.

「There was also a time when I was a G.o.d of wolf at the northern land outside Greece. The people raising livestock were all worshipping me. At the wilderness, wolf is the most atrocious beast, because they are the envoy of heaven.」

「Apollo-san is wolf……」

「And then, I was also worshipped as G.o.d of light that came from the east.」

「In other words, Apollo-san is like the Greece version of Inari-sama and the scary Inari-Dai-Myoujin?」

The grandmother who raised Ren was deeply religious which was unusual in these days.

In the past, when he was playing at the shrine that was worshipping Inari, he got coolly chided by her 『You will be punished by the scary Buddha you know?』.

He got the feeling that she was saying things like Inari-Dai-Myouji or Dakini-sama or something.

Sure enough Apollo nodded easygoingly.

「I don't really know about that G.o.d but, well, you aren't really wrong. Anyway, I'm saying that cursed G.o.dslayer has killed a G.o.d that is an offshoot of me.」

「In other words the marquis's wolf is the sun's offshoot, so it's hard for beam to affect him.」

「But Rokuhara Ren. It's logical that there will be hardly any effect even if light is opposed with light, but it's also the truth that light will vanish when hit with even stronger light. If the light of your side is hotter and more dazzling then──」

「Ouch」

Apollo hit where it hurt. Certainly it was just as he said.

What erased the radiance of a star was even brighter light. That was standard.

But, Ren was immediately taken aback with realization.

「Wait. That means, if I can borrow the sun arrow from the other day again from Apollo-san then……」

Would he be able to defeat the wolf of sun that was Marquis Voban?

Yosh. Then he would immediately call out Stella whose body was a.s.similated with him and they would kowtow together asking "please"──

He wondered why. He was vaguely feeling danger.

The radiantly beautiful young man Apollo was grinning. His smile was scary. If he got into debt with him at this kind of decisive scene, it felt like he would get charged with an absurd amount of interest at the distant future──

(Riona)

At this kind of time he could only consult a wise person.

Ren thought of his "fiancée". Even if they were separated, their bond, the authority of G.o.ddess Nike should give him some kind of response.

Yes. The bond of authority that should be named as The Contract of Wings was──

Giving no response. Nothing came back to an unnatural degree. Could it be,

Ren silently stared at the radiant Apollo. He was grinning.

「What's the matter, Rokuhara Ren?」

「Nothing. I'm just wondering why Apollo-san is kindly giving me advice.」

「I said it right? That a close relative was killed by that person. This is revenge for that.」

「I wonder about that. Apollo-san, you don't look like a character who will mind about such thing……」

「Hahahaha」

Apollo laughed loudly with the ruffian expression still on his face.

「What. It's just as I mentioned just now, the great chaos that is visiting these diverse worlds──is extremely enjoyable for me. I wish that it will grow even bigger and intense. And then, I believe that right now rather than that wolf slayer……I should cooperate with you instead.」

Even though he was saying that, but he was severing his connection with Riona.

And then, what was said by this sun G.o.d who was enjoying the world's chaos──

(Diverse worlds……the great chaos of several worlds. In other words, it's a situation that will destroy Troia, Midgard, and our earth huh……)

This G.o.d found pleasure from such thing. He felt terribly dangerous.

Just how great a tragedy it would become if destruction kept progressing like this, Ren had seen it with his own eyes.

When he carried Julio to escape using the feet of Nemesis who controlled karma, they flew off course not to "slightly ahead" but "even more ahead, further than half a year ahead"──

(A flood will swallow not only Tokyo, but everywhere on earth. The sun won't rise for the second time. Various G.o.ds and monsters appear……)

Ren stared at the sun G.o.d before him and thought.

Could it be, "he" was also among those G.o.ds?

────Fuu.

Ren let out a deep breath.

Right now he should defeat Marquis Voban. But, even so he felt that it would be bad if he was begging for help from Apollo. There would be no way to escape if he got caught in an unexpected trap.

However, how would he fought the formidable enemy who wasn't affected by Ren and his fiancee's trump card……?

「Ah」

'I see.' He suddenly noticed.

In the past Rokuhara Ren saw the sight of the earth's sun dying. And then──he had just heard a similar story. He could do it.

「Thank you. It's thanks to Apollo-san teaching me the hint.」

「What do you mean, young G.o.dslayer?」

「Perhaps, I'll be able to win against that senpai. I'll bring him down after this.」

「Hou!」

The sun G.o.d of Greek mythology stared at Rokuhara Ren with a great focus.

When he noticed, Apollo already vanished from in front of him.

That mysterious thick mist had already dispersed too. In front of Ren who could see clearly, Troia princess Ca.s.sandra was getting all panicked in worry.

「Ple, please get a hold of yourself, Ren-sama!?」

「I'm fine……. I'm somehow staying sane.」

「Ren-sama!」

It seemed that for a while he was falling into unconsciousness while standing still.

Ren understood that from Ca.s.sandra's reaction. Even so, how should he interpret the interference of the sun G.o.d Apollo──?

Ren felt doubt remaining in his mind. But, the priority right now was the confrontation against his "colleague".

He had to hurry back to Riona, but before that.

Ren kneeled down on one knee and crouched, then he joined his right hand's index finger and middle finger together. He stretched those fingers and touched the snow covered ground and chanted.

「The power that caused Ragnarok……this time it's my turn to use it.」

It was different from the other day when he was swallowed by the world-destroying conflagration.

If it was now he was able to take it slow in preparation of the counterattack.

4

*Creak-! Creak-! Creak-!*

The ash tree that was created from the magic shoes was making a conspicuously creaking sound.

The branches holding down the struggling giant wolf became unable to endure and finally they were about to break.

The grey beast that was trying to tear apart the ash tree's restriction──stopped moving and roared with laughter using Marquis Voban's voice.

「Hahahaha! I'll give you this too!」

Lightning fell from the sky that was completely covered by cloud.

It fell toward the ash tree that was capturing Marquis Voban who transformed into wolf.

Actually the tree had received the same attack several times until now. Each time, the sacred ash tree would repel the lightning attack. But this time it finally couldn't endure anymore.

The hard strike from the lightning caused the ash tree's trunk to start burning around its root.

「Yo, you are going to burn yourself too like that you know!?」

Toba Riona flew in the sky as Yatagarasu while watching the G.o.dslaying wolf.

She called out to the captured beast in panic from the sky.

「Marquis-san! Don't you know about the folktale of Kachi-kachi Mountain!?」

「I don't know of any place like that. What, there is no need to worry. Everything will be fine if I simply break this tree faster than the fire reaching my body!」

「Geez-. This is why I dislike someone with the brain of beat-em-up game who is behind the times!」

The raging demon king. The fed-up Riona. It was then.

(……Riona!)

Rokuhara Ren's thought was transmitted to her heart. Riona instantly understood his intention.

「Very well. If it goes well then I'll cancel the penalty for temporarily leaving this place. Please do it properly okay, goshujin-sama!」

She haughtily responded and began the strategy──.

That feeling of omnipotence was revived in the mind and body of Riona=Yatagarasu once more.

「O Vidar's shoes, thanks for your hard work!」

「Oo!?」

The giant ash tree suddenly vanished and the G.o.dslaying giant wolf recovered his freedom.

Small light ascended from in front of the surprised Marquis Voban toward Yatagarasu in the air. That was a pair of shoes that were emitting golden radiance.

The sacred bird of guidance recovered Vidar's shoes and summoned in exchange.

「Twelve divine generals, gather on me!」

「Those people again!」

The shikigami twelve divine generals manifested as flame spirits──.

They flew together with Yatagarasu and became twelve blazing cl.u.s.ter of flame beside her.

And then they received the holy spirit of fire and sun from the sun that should be shining above over the black cloud covering the sky, in order to change it to the light spear of scorching heat.

Riona chanted the words of power.

「The abrupt darkness of heaven──. The golden spirit of black kite come and the imperial bow stop it. That black kite is shining bright, like a lightning stream……!」

Yatagarasu who spread open her wings and the twelve blazing flame fired out laser beam.

It was a single attack that bundled thirteen flashes into one. It descended straight to the ground and reached the demon wolf that boasted a size and fierceness that were equal to that Fenrir──.

However, the monster that slaughtered the sun also emitted light from his own giant body.

It was the divine protection of light that neutralized the Great Exorcism of Golden Kite from Yatagarasu and returned it into nothingness.

「There is no way a technique of that level will be able to kill me!」

「I know that!」

Voban stared in wonderment the instant Riona returned an agreement to his roar.

「What did you say!?」

Something gushed forth from the ground right beside the G.o.dslaying wolf.

That was the skull of demon wolf Fenrir. The wolf who summoned the end that Marquis Voban dropped from the sky just some time ago.

The wolf skull opened its mouth that could swallow even Valhalla Palace──

And with a snap it savagely bit into Marquis Voban who transformed into a giant wolf!

「Tsk! An attack from that brat who control karma huh!」

Marquis Voban howled.

Fenrir's skull was faintly transparent. It was an appearance with meager sense of reality.

Furthermore, there was a G.o.ddess behind it. A winged G.o.ddess with fluttering ice blue hair, red garment, and black mas. The avatar of Nemesis that Rokuhara Ren controlled.

「Nemesis pa.s.s down divine punishment to misdeed that jeopardize life.」

He held his right hand in front of his face and joined his index finger and middle finger together──

Ren was chanting the words of power of retribution.

「The cause of future phenomenon lie in the past. O fate, manifest the entanglement of fate……!」

It was different when he was attacked by the authority of world-destroying conflagration the other day.

He took time conventrating, heightened his magic power enough, and manifested the skull of Fenrir. In addition he got a ride on the divine horse that Ca.s.sandra was riding and she took him until the site of Valhalla Palace.

And then, he asked Riona to use the Great Exorcism of Golden Kite──

Marquis Voban's wolf heightened his sun G.o.d attribute and implemented "swallowing light with light". In that moment Ren made Fenrir 's skull attacked.

Ren spoke to Ca.s.sandra who was right beside him.

「Riona told me, that Fenrir will swallow the sun at the end of the world.」

「Yes. Certainly I too have seen that moment.」

As expected from the priestess who got the vision of future. Ca.s.sandra nodded to him.

「That's why if it's Fenrir, he should be able to win even against the marquis who heightened his power of sun. And then because he heightened his sun power, the marquis also won't be able to win against Fenrir……」

The grey giant wolf was captured by the ash tree until just now.

Right now he was captured by Fenrir's skull──by that jaw that had lost its flesh and skin and was bigger than him. He was stuck between the upper and lower fangs.

「Honestly, just reproducing Fenrir's single attack might not work against the marquis. That thing has absurd power and destructive energy but it's not maneuverable. It also cannot be used in a smart way.」

The marquis didn't defend against the laser bombardment of the sun spirits with Fenrir's authority.

Even though that would be the most effective method when thinking about the affinity. In other words 『he was unable to do it』. Ren who was now in the side of using Fenrir understood that very well.

「Ren-sama, that!」

Ca.s.sandra yelled. She was staring at the giant wolf with a fearful and awed gaze.

The wolf where Voban's soul was dwelling stopped rampaging right now. His eyes that were filled with fighting spirit──were fixed at Rokuhara Ren who was slightly above the ground.

「Now you have done it brat──my young colleague!」

「I'm sorry but, I'm really strong you see……. I'll take the win like this.」

「Big talk. Then I too will continue my vain struggle!」

The ancient demon king didn't falter or shrunk back even when he was in a pinch.

He arrogantly howled ferociously from the wolf's mouth even while being held in the mouth of Fenrir's skull.

「Lightning fall, shatter the wolf of Ragnarok!」

「Riona!」

「Leave it to me-. O Vidar's shoes, grant me strength!」

A huge lightning burst from the sky and attacked Fenrir's skull.

Ren yelled. The golden Yatagarasu that was in the sky of whirling dark cloud──began to swoop down.

The three legged sacred bird. Her powerful wings and also her feathers were shining gold, but only her three legs and talons were jet black.

However right now, those three legs were enveloped by something like "cover that was created from iron"──.

The power of the shoes that Odin gave dwelled in Yatagarasu's legs.

「The evil wolf is trampled down by Vidar's shoes! The remarkably miraculous magic shoes that also has the divine effect of wolf sealing, if it's right now when you're together with Fenrir──then it can be used exactly like in the prophecy, marquis-sama!」

The legs of Yatagarasu that rushed from the sky performed……dropkick!

The skull of the wolf of end was heavily sent flying by the three legs that were wearing magic shoes. The skull was crumbling into pieces. And then the G.o.dslaying giant wolf was starting to rapidly shrink──

The two demon wolves vanished like that.

The shoes of Vidar forcefully reproduced the plot of Ragarok despite the adversity!

「It suppress the authority of wolf! You have a troublesome tool there!」

There was only a loathing voice resounding. The marquis's figure wasn't anywhere. He was vanishing.

「He should appear there any time now, Ren-sama!」

「Thank you Ca.s.sandra!」

At the place that Ca.s.sandra pointed at more than 100 meter ahead, a young man in black coat flew down from the sky. He escaped the predicament by returning to his human body.

The marquis was in the verge of rushing away with the speed of four legged beast.

His temporary retreat might come true without the prophecy. And then they might receive the marquis's revenge after he rallied himself and allowed the table to be turned. But if it was now then it was still possible……to finish him off!

Ren chose his trump card from his "stock" that still hadn't been used.

At that time the might was too great and he couldn't manifest it well but, if he did this──

「I wish for the judgment of justice!」

「Kuh──! The authority of world-destroying conflagration!?」

He joined his two fingers and a vortex of flame was created at the direction where he thrust his fingers at.

The conflagration that Marquis Voban once unleashed. Ren manifested only a miniscule portion of it here using Nemesis's authority.

Against his own conflagration, the marquis heightened his magic power for the first time to resist it.

He pushed aside the magic attack using G.o.dslayer's const.i.tution and strength of will. It was the same like what Ren always did. But, surprisingly the marquis──stopped it immediately.

「Eh?」

「What's the meaning of this!?」

Ren was bewildered, while Ca.s.sandra was astonished.

The body of Marquis Voban was burning like paper in front of the two. He became ash without even leaving behind bone and crumbled. Could it be he gave up fighting and escaping?

But, the lump of ash that was resulted from the G.o.dslayer's corpse was──

Suddenly got carried by the strongly blowing wind to far beyond.

(Kukukuku. You're quite formidable. I'll give you my praise for that, brat. In deference to that, I will withdraw for now this time. When we reunite one day somewhere……I will return this debt without fail.)

「Eeehh!?」

The marquis's voice came from the ash that was carried away by the blowing wind.

Ren realized. The marquis intentionally showed himself getting burned in order to take Ren by surprise. The lump of ash was already vanishing from the view of the astonished Ren and Ca.s.sandra.

「Come to think of it, he was a person who revived even after becoming just soul……」

「So there is that kind of person among human who isn't even G.o.d or hero……. As expected from Ren-sama's colleague.」

Ca.s.sandra reflexively spoke out a praise beside the muttering Ren.

In any case, if he was turned into ash, he wouldn't be able to counterattack right away──.

Rokuhara Ren and his comrades triumphed against Ragnarok's wolf. There shouldn't be any change to that fact.