Chapter 3 - Two Kings, EncounterPart 1Reportedly, a particular hypothesis was proposed six years ago.The location of delivery was in France, at the little port town of Saint-Maloin the region of Brittany.A well-known vacation destination situated near the tidal island andmonastic commune of Mont Saint-Michel.The speaker was occupying a terrace seating at a certain restaurant.Named Alexandre Gascoigne, indeed he was the famous Black PrinceAlec."What you proposed just now, could you reiterate that again, Alexandre?""Don"t make me repeat myself so many times. I believe the legend of KingArthur is a catalyst the medieval Witch Queen, the first Guinevere, spentpainstaking eons to prepare. For the sake of accomplishing some sort ofcolossal magic. Or perhaps it could be described as a type of magic circle."Catalyst? The listener, Princess Alice, was intrigued.A particular substance used to ensure the success rate when performingspecific magic -- this was called a catalyst.For example, black lotus and rose petals in powdered form are used as acatalyst to enhance [Sleep] magic."...Using the King Arthur legend as a catalyst? In order to accomplish somekind of magic?""King who manifests at the end of eras. It"s definitely a spell for summoningthe strongest [Steel]."Alec said as he sliced open his baked pigeon pie. No food was placedbefore Alice, for she was unable to ingest anything as a spirit body."For the Divine Ancestors" ultimate purpose of bringing forth the "King ofthe End" again, that is the pertinent spell. The ritual for summoning a[Heretic G.o.d] from the Domain of Immortality... You should already knowthat.""Of course. Don"t ask a stupid question of that sort."As a side note, this type of colossal magic was accomplished two yearslater by Marquis Voban.Using Wagner"s Nibelungenlied as a catalyst, the heroic deity Siegfriedwas summoned. He ended up being slain by the sword of young SalvatoreDoni."There are apparently three [Keys] to the success of this secret art.Witches and miko with outstanding powers. A priest bearing fanatical willand desire for a G.o.d"s descent. And finally, to provide the summoned G.o.dwith a material body, myths... the stories widely circulated amongstpeoples and countries in the world."Without myths, G.o.ds could not exist. Alice nodded as soon as she realizedAlec"s reasoning."The first and second conditions can be easily prepared by the WitchQueen herself. But the last one, that of myths, is impossible to fulfill by oneperson"s power alone. Which is why the previous Guinevere--""Ah yes. That was why she devoted her efforts to expanding andpromoting the Arthurian legends under her supervision."Alec poured wine into his gla.s.s then moistened his throat with it."The twelfth century serves as a boundary to mark a significant change inthe nature of King Arthur"s legends. At that time, a local hero who only hada fanatical following in Britain was promoted in France, and from there tothe rest of Europe. The troubadours received support from the Count ofAnjou and the Duke of Aquitaine as well as various n.o.bles with deep tiesto the English royal family, and went to work writing stories in praise ofKing Arthur as if competing against one another.""As a result, King Arthur became one of Europe"s most notable heroes.Anyway, Alexandre."Discovering what had caught Alec"s attention, Alice spoke."What you"re saying is that the previous generation"s Guinevere-sama hadpromulgated King Arthur"s legend for the purpose of summoning the "Kingof the End." All those troubadours who sang praises to the Knights of theRound Table -- had received a.s.sistance from an organization that workedbehind the scenes."There were many authors in Medieval Europe during the twelfth andthirteenth centuries who published stories about King Arthur and theKnights of the Round Table. Since many of them used pen names, theirtrue ident.i.ties and histories were mostly unknown. On the other hand,based on the content, it can be a.s.serted that many authors werewell-versed in the occult."The ones you found concerning, are probably the Cisternian Chretien deTroyes, Hartmann who joined the Crusaders, as well as Wolfram vonEschenbach, Robert de Boron... These poets, right?"Alice listed the names of many poets in detail."Scattered amongst their works ~ especially the parts related to chivalryand the Holy Grail -- is a substantial amount of occult knowledge inheritedfrom the Knights Templar.""From the fact that many of these people belonged to the Knights Templar,evidence can be found that the parent organization was formed frommembers of the Priory of Sion and the Cisternians. Furthermore, themajority of n.o.bles who sponsored the poets were intricately linked toknightly orders of the English royal family."The Knights Templar. Officially known as the "Poor Fellow-Soldiers ofChrist and of the Temple of Solomon."The mage organization which established the foundations of Europe"smagic a.s.sociations."The Knights Templar most likely had some sort of connection to the firstGuinevere. I fear it was probably along the lines of her providing instructionabout the spells and knowledge of Divine Ancestors... In actual fact, thespell words of David and the essence of smiting-level combat magic, thesetechniques that only paladino-ranked knights are permitted to read shouldhave many portions influenced by witchcraft..."Two years after his first encounter with Guinevere-Alec and the Divine Ancestors had apparently devoted themselves likeidiots to unraveling the mystery of the "King of the End." This probablycontributed to making him so talkative on this occasion."Alexandre. According to the secret records of witches I investigated, theprevious generation"s Guinevere-sama was murdered around the end ofthe twelfth century during a chance encounter with a Campione."Alec nodded proudly at the information Alice provided."I knew it, the same time period. But I have a different interpretation. It islikely that the previous Guinevere died before her conspiracy could bearfruit, as a result of running into obstacles during the summoning of the"King of the End."""...Can we be certain that the present Guinevere-sama intends to resumethe plans of the previous generation?"The Black Prince and White Princess had discreetly entered Brittany dueto finding out that Guinevere was about to begin the ritual for summoningthe "King of the End.""Well yes, and it most likely failed already...""What are you talking about?""Rather, purely in terms of summoning Arthur, the ritual was a success.Even though she is a narrow-minded woman who overlooks everything shedoesn"t want to see, her abilities are special as a Divine Ancestor.Nevertheless, it"s probably too late."Alec seemed to be showing a kind of lonely expression. The answer to themystery he had devoted so many years to pursuing, was finally in sight.Losing his all-consuming goal and pa.s.sion seemed to be filling him with asense of forlornness."Almost a thousand years have pa.s.sed from the time the plan was put intomotion. This interval is sufficient for a "new G.o.d" to be born. Try recallingThomas Malory"s origins."The fifteenth century English knight, Sir Thomas Malory.This was the time period when the main role on the battlefield held byknights was being displaced by firearm-equipped infantry.In a society where the knighted gentry was in decline and centralized royalauthority was expanding, Malory was one of those fallen knights. Falleninto depravity, he escaped prison many times and was repeatedly jailed forcommitting various crimes such as failed a.s.sa.s.sination, rape, robbery,stealing domestic animals, etc.But in the modern world, he would be remembered as the author of LeMorte d"Arthur, a work renowned as the definitive compilation of Arthurianlegends."Malory was not a mage. He referenced earlier existing works -- rather, hewas a rascal who connected them together superficially. However, hisdefinitive edition was indeed widely circulated amongst the people, andreceived independent development.""So throughout this millennium, King Arthur became a new war G.o.d insteadof the "King of the End"?""Ah yes. Even writers of Templar descent added commandments andphilosophies of taboo, causing the story content to surpa.s.s the intentionsof the previous Guinevere, and thus the legends became bloated."Alec seemed to be speaking in tones of regret."The French royal family used the legend of Charlemagne to publicize theirprestige and authority. Attempting to do the same, the English royal familyused the Arthurian legends thoroughly as a tool to strengthen royalauthority. The end result was, embellishment of the hero King Arthurcontinued unabated, producing an image that deviated greatly from theoriginal."Charlemagne. The King of the Franks during the eighth and ninthcenturies. Also known as Charles the Great.His territory not only included modern France, but extended to Germany,Spain and Italy. The greatest conqueror in medieval Europe.However, the great king Charlemagne was not only a ruler recorded inhistory, he was also served by twelve great heroes.He was the subject of magnificent heroic legends rivaling those of KingArthur and the Knights of the Round Table."Myths are what forms the body and spirit of a deity. Since the myths ofKing Arthur the hero have been altered, the hero who descends from thosemyths will also change. If you look at it that way, it is only natural."Draining his wine gla.s.s in one gulp, Alec ended the conversation.A fortnight later, the summoning of [Heretic Arthur] proved the correctnessof his hypothesis, causing the current generation"s Guinevere to enter astate of partial insanity.G.o.dou listened to Erica and Liliana as they explained the hypothesisregarding King Arthur.Having read the report, the knights recounted its contents to G.o.dou on thereturn flight. Yes, it was the return flight leaving England and bound forj.a.pan.Changing their plans due to the emergency, G.o.dou and his group decidedto hurry back home. On the following day after the visit to Cornwall, theymanaged to obtain tickets for a flight to Haneda Airport."So this is the "principle" Alice-san mentioned."G.o.dou nodded. As a side note, Yuri was not present.In order to solve the mystery of Lancelot, she had stayed back withPrincess Alice. It was a difficult decision taken only because neither theBlack Prince nor Lancelot could be left unchecked."By the way, Mariya said something about Sarmatae? What is that?""In all the battles you have experienced so far, G.o.dou, you"ve heard thename of the Scythians many times, right?""Sarmatae is one of the equestrian tribes under the Scythian lineages... Abelligerent tribe that went into decline despite being as battle-capable astheir ancestors the Scythians."Erica and Liliana simultaneously provided explanations."Compared to the Scythians, the Sarmatians had the advantage of armorand spears forged from iron. They possessed the stirrups to support heavyarmament, and established squadrons of heavily armed knights whichsurpa.s.sed the lightly equipped Scythians.""Iron armor and spears? Somehow that doesn"t feel very nomadic?"G.o.dou remarked at Erica"s explanation.His impressions of equestrian tribes consisted of people lightly equippedwith leather protective gear and wielding bows and arrows as their primaryweapons. Hence Liliana joined in:"During the second and third centuries, their heavy armaments ushered ina new age. The other tribes that had fought against the Sarmatians -- theGoths began to use the same armaments. The Roman Empire recruitedSarmatians as mercenaries and volunteers, a.s.signing them to variousprovinces across Europe. This resulted in their armaments being promotedthroughout Europe...""Their armor and spear became the prototype for the fully armed knight.Such speculation has been proposed.""So Lancelot is the war G.o.d of that equestrian tribe?"Erica contemplated G.o.dou"s question for a moment before answering."It"s possible. However, Sarmatians and Scythians are both peoples whohave died out a long time ago. Even though there are small groups ofpeople who are considered their descendants, the myths they circulate aredifferent from their ancestors.""So in the end, it is impossible to judge until we receive notice from MariyaYuri and the Princess."Liliana sighed as she spoke.Burdened by these mysteries, G.o.dou and his companions sank deeperinto their airplane seats.Part 2"Traveling back and forth between j.a.pan and England over four days andtwo nights, is really tiring after all..."G.o.dou could not help but grumble as he finally stepped out from the airportfloor tiles and onto j.a.panese soil once more.Even though he was young and vigorous, this was indeed a very hecticitinerary. When G.o.ds traveled to Europe, it was probably like normaleveryday travel for them...?"Sometimes I think to myself, one way to go on such trips would be tobecome a player on the national team representing j.a.pan or somethinglike that."Or perhaps, a lightning fast trip necessitating a weekend in Europe.No matter which, none of these were reasonable schedules. Normally,arranging trips for three to five nights would be more appropriate."Even though the exhaustion is quite unpleasant, the complete lack ofelegance is the main problem. Traveling should be far more leisurely, anundertaking that should be comfortably enjoyed in a foreign country."In a rare moment, the usually cool and magnificent Erica was complainingwith a tone of annoyance. Next to her, Liliana also responded with extremedispleasure."Really... Well, if Black Prince-sama"s personality is truly as rumored, thenhis motivations are not impossible to understand."The group had departed on Friday night and were now arriving back inj.a.pan on Monday afternoon, the last of their three-day weekend. This wasprobably akin to a military forced march.Nevertheless, dozens of minutes later, G.o.dou and his group were takingyet another holiday flight."Sorry for your troubles. But a picture is worth a thousand words. I think it"sbest for you to get a firsthand view of the castle of strange rock that hasappeared in Tokyo Bay."Amakasu explained in the helicopter.Due to the noisily spinning rotors, his voice was rather difficult to hear.Finally arriving at Haneda Airport to end their long distance journey, G.o.douand his group had been contacted by Amakasu. Let us surveymagnificently from the air -- just as suggested, they headed off to an oldstaging area near the airport. It was hidden in a corner amongst manydecrepit hangars whose ancient age was evident.At a s.p.a.cious vacant lot indicated by Amakasu, several helicopters werewaiting on standby."I pulled some strings beforehand to prepare by borrowing some j.a.panCoast Guard helicopters. In fact, both Coast Guard and news agencyhelicopters are kept inside this hangar here."And so, the helicopter took flight.The interior of the mini-helicopter was rather cramped. However, this wasG.o.dou"s first helicopter ride and his curiosity was piqued as he surveyedthe inside of the cabin and peered out at the scenery outside.Naturally, Erica, Liliana and Amakasu also came along. There were alsotwo pilots, most likely affiliated with the Committee. They simplyacknowledged G.o.dou without saying a word and focused on operating theaircraft.The helicopter reached the Tokyo Bay airs.p.a.ce soon after taking off."Getting too close would have troublesome consequences, but we cannotstart without looking at the real thing.""A castle of strange rock? Will it be the cause of rumors?"An island that suddenly surfaced in Tokyo Bay. It was far too ridiculous andabnormal.G.o.dou"s worried inquiry was met with Amakasu shaking his head."It"s a small island, but luckily nothing of that sort has happened yet. Onlythose related to shipping and a couple fishermen have discovered it so far.Information control is currently underway. Oh yeah, there are Coast Guardfacilities nearby, so of course they also know."This portion of Tokyo Bay faced Tokyo, Kanagawa and Edomae of Chiba.Not only the shipping industry, but fishery also flourished in these parts.Infamous in the past for its murky polluted waters, Tokyo Bay hadbenefited from multi-decade efforts in ocean purification. Thus great resultshad been achieved such as vast gains in the fishery yield....In any case, this sea had many users so information control was verydifficult.G.o.dou was filled with sympathy as he thought of Amakasu and his crew"slabors. Well, the petrification of the Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway the previousweek was probably even worse."Late last night, Committee-affiliated personnel sensed a great explosiveincrease in magical power in Tokyo Bay. They wondered if it was theappearance of a [Heretic G.o.d] -- and entered high alert. Flying onhelicopters, they attempted all sorts of reconnaissance."G.o.dou looked down at Tokyo Bay"s great expanse as he traveled in thehelicopter flying in the sunny holiday sky. As long as he ignored theexhaustion from the long trip, it was actually quite a pleasant experience."Next, in the very center of Tokyo Bay ~ in the sea right betweenYokosuka and Cape Futtsu, an island that had never existed until a fewhours ago was discovered."As a side note, Yokosuka was a city situated in Kanagawa prefecture. Itwas also the location of the Yokosuka military port and an Americanmilitary base.On the other side, Cape Futtsu was in Chiba prefecture. G.o.dou recalledthe map of the Tokyo Bay area. Compared to the commotion centered atthe artificial island of Umihotaru last time, the current position was furthersouth and closer to the outer sea."Also, this is an island holding a terrifying amount of magical power. WhenI found out from Kusanagi-san that it was basically the doing of PrinceAlec, I thought to myself, that explains everything.""...What is that?"Liliana narrowed her eyes as she gazed at a certain spot in the air ahead."Is that a cloud...? Feels very unnatural.""What sharp vision, as expected of a witch. If all that happened was simplythe surfacing of a terrifyingly shaped island, then there"s no actual harmdone. However, things are not so optimistic. Ah yes, it should be visiblenow."Prompted by Amakasu"s words, G.o.dou began to focus his eyes as well,forward beyond the pilots.A spiral of clouds stacked together lay ahead. It resembled the type of darkcloud cover which heralded the arrival of a thunderstorm. Shifting his gazedownwards from there, G.o.dou figured it out.I see, it"s the castle of strange rock. An exceptionally terrifying island wasfloating right there.It was covered by unevenly shaped rock. From a distance, greenery andsoil were completely absent. All that could be seen were black walls ofrock, rock beds and rock surfaces. It was really like a small island."In terms of area, ah yes... About ten hectares or so. It"s probably easier tograsp if I describe it as the size of an amus.e.m.e.nt park."As expected from the appearance, it was not very large.The center of the small island rose up like a mountain. A mountain of blackrock almost fifty or sixty meters tall. This uneven mountain was alsoreminiscent of an ogre"s face, which must be why Amakasu called it the"castle of strange rock."Furthermore, completely surrounding the island-There were rocky reefs which would cause ships to easily run aground."...Could it be that no one has successfully approached the island so far? Ican feel an extremely unsettling presence coming from those reefs.""Oh, right on the money, Liliana-san."Amakasu praised the silver-haired knight for her question."All the boats sent to approach the island for investigations have beenwrecked. Very clearly, the reef is an impediment. When the pa.s.sengersjumped into the sea with their lifejackets and began swimming furiously,somehow they all ended up far away from the island.""So there were no casualties?""Fortunately none so far. Due to the quick action of the rescue boats, allpersonnel were successfully saved."G.o.dou was relieved to hear Amakasu"s report."Not sure what kind of mechanism it is, but lingering in the immediatewaters of the island results in drifting to the coast -- various places atKanagawa and Chiba.""Doesn"t that make it something like the Devil"s Sea?" [1]"Yes, indeed. But for a Devil"s Sea to appear in Tokyo Bay, it"s really nojoking matter.""Perhaps, this could be the [Labyrinth]"s doing."Listening to G.o.dou and Amakasu, Erica spoke up."What"s that?""An authority of Prince Alec"s. From a report personally written by PrincessAlice, it is the power usurped from Minos the G.o.d of the land and thelabyrinth."The authority to create labyrinths above and underground.In addition, it was not limited to creation. Existing places and structures --whether official residences, buildings, underground tunnels, forests or evenmist, anything could be turned into a labyrinth in accordance with Alec"swishes, Erica explained."It is well within reason that the use of this authority on the sea canproduce something like the Devil"s Sea.""Ah... So we really should have gone with this possibility that we hadsuspected. Actually, there"s yet another troublesome concern."Amakasu was muttering emphatically when Liliana suddenly cried out."Ex--calibur? No, Divine Sword of Salvation! The same light as the lance ofSir Lancelot!?""What"s up, Liliana?"G.o.dou asked the knight who was staring in shock at the island surroundedby dark clouds and rocky reefs."Is it really some kind of spirit vision?""Y-Yes. Sir Lancelot"s holy lance -- the same light could be seen beingreleased from the island for an instant. Also, there was the name of thesword.""Divine Sword of Salvation. The personal blade of the king who manifestsat the end of eras. Sacred steel."Liliana explained as she expelled a deep breath, followed by Erica"smurmurs.On the other hand, Amakasu seemed to be scratching his head with greatworry in response to the knights" statements."Ah... Kaoru-san also received the same kind of oracle as Liliana-san.Then there is no doubt. Something unimaginable is lying dormant on thatisland.""Is this all of that Gascoigne guy"s doing? What on earth is he planning...""It"s also related to the Heavenly Reverse Halberd. Things have reallybecome very troublesome..."While G.o.dou muttered, Erica was puzzling over the situation next to him.For Erica to show such a reaction when she had always been the one wholed everyone else by the nose, the only ones G.o.dou knew who couldaccomplish such a feat were Salvatore Doni and Luo Cuilian. In short, onlyG.o.d-slaying Campiones.Black Prince Alec was apparently as talented as his peers in this regard.G.o.dou and his group discussed their concerns and views as the shakyhelicopter ride continued.The helicopter appeared to be avoiding the airs.p.a.ce of the "FloatingIsland" as much as possible, and basically circling it once.Along the way, the wireless communications in the cabin sounded andAmakasu picked it up."Yes. Eh? Guinevere has been sighted at the remains of the excavationsite?"Another member of the History Compilation Committee seemed to becontacting him. As Amakasu listened intently to the detailed report, G.o.dousteeled his determination and signaled to Erica and Liliana through hiseyes. That was sufficient. The red and blue knights immediately nodded inresponse."We will make a brief visit. Perhaps some useful information can beobtained."G.o.dou patted the shoulder of the young man of ninja descent.G.o.dou was sick and tired of being played by the Black Prince. Pa.s.sivitycould not be allowed to continue. Action must be taken with initiative tochange the situation.Noticing G.o.dou"s resolve, Amakasu nodded in acknowledgement as hecontinued his communications.Part 3The helicopter carrying G.o.dou and the rest was still flying in midair.Opening the cabin at this time would be extremely dangerous.Nevertheless, such recklessness was indeed required for the sake of usingâ–ˇliana"s flight magic.Violent winds suddenly swept into the cabin as the door opened!"But Kusanagi-san, if you encounter Guinevere, Lancelot could alsoappear!? What are you going to do in that case!?""No! I don"t think it"s likely!"G.o.dou and Amakasu grabbed onto nearby objects to steady themselvesas they yelled above the noise.As if trying to stop the strong winds from overwhelming their voices."On what basis!?""Guinevere"s personality!""G.o.dou"s right! Considering her usual caution, "Avalon" where the King ofthe End sleeps must be near. I don"t think she will be taking unnecessaryrisks!"Erica chimed in. She was right.Judging from the many actions the Divine Ancestor had taken in the past, itwas apparent that she was an extremely cautious woman. She would notuse her trump card so easily....Well, as for Lancelot himself, who knows? Whenever the white war G.o.denters a frenzy, he becomes a battle maniac who even forgets whom heshould be protecting... That was what G.o.dou felt."Then let us depart! Hold on tight!"Finishing the preparations for the ritual, Liliana yelled.G.o.dou and Erica each placed a hand on the blue knight"s shoulder.Immediately, blue light burst forth and they took flight. The destination wasthe beach at Kisarazu-The place where the Heavenly Reverse Halberd had been excavated lastweek.A lone red torii stood on the empty field which still showed clear signs ofexcavation by heavy machinery. Rather than this spot, Guinevere wasstanding closer to the beach, across the windbreak plantation.Over there. She was motionlessly gazing at the sea.Her blonde hair wavered gently in the breeze. Her wondrous girlish eyesshimmered with brilliance. Also, that exquisitely beautiful face like anantique doll"s -- Divine Ancestor Guinevere indeed.Held in her hands was a bronze-colored disc.Perhaps some kind of alloy, for it appeared to be colored like a mixture ofiron and gold. Guinevere embraced it with tender affection.As if it were the relic of someone she held dear-"Salutations. Would you be offended by this manner of greeting,Kusanagi-sama?"She must have noticed. Guinevere immediately turned around.Greeting with a curtsy as she held the hem of her black formal dress. All ofa sudden, the disc disappeared from her hands."I"m in a particularly bad mood, so quit it with the formalities."G.o.dou responded coldly, the two knights standing on his left and right.Erica and Liliana were each clad in their respective capes of red and blue,readying themselves for battle."Then let me offer my utmost apologies. The act of borrowing YourHighness" power a few days ago was truly impertinent.""Let that be. In the end, I also made use of your power."G.o.dou replied indifferently to Guinevere"s apology."On the other hand, interference in my conflict with Athena cannot possiblybe forgiven. I believe the debt you owe will be repaid one day."G.o.dou was speaking in a cold tone of voice that even surprised himself.There was no anger at Guinevere and Lancelot for interfering in his duelwith his enemy. Neither was there any hatred. All that was present was theconviction of "an eye for an eye.""I believe that day draws near. You should better prepare yourself.""Yes, certainly. Guinevere and Sir Knight are both keenly aware that thenext encounter with Your Highness is inevitable. By the way,Kusanagi-sama, for the sake of caution, would you mind listening toGuinevere"s question?""What?""Are you the one who raised the island where both the king who manifestsat the end of eras and the Divine Blade of Salvation sleep -- Avalon?"Avalon. A location repeatedly mentioned recently.The island of the fairies where England"s hero King Arthur sleeps. As thelegends go, after fighting his nephew Mordred, he waited for his revivalwhile his wounds were being healed on this island..."No, it wasn"t me. It seems to be that guy, your old pal.""As expected... Guinevere also thought the same. It is most likely aninvitation Alexandre-sama sent out for Guinevere."A shadow of worry entered Guinevere"s eyes as she gazed at the vastopen sea."That person continues to hara.s.s without end! For him to have discoveredbefore Guinevere the land of hopes that she seeks, and locking it awaywith his labyrinth authority, how truly contemptible...!"A statement of hatred. G.o.dou was stunned for a moment.This emotional outburst was completely different from what he hadwitnessed from Guinevere all along. With only a superficial smileremaining, that wondrous lady-like demeanor was gone, and the intenseemotions hidden in her heart revealed themselves.To think this witch also had a side like this -- how unexpected."By the way, didn"t you mention the Divine Sword of Salvation just now?Isn"t that the spear Lancelot was wielding last time?""No, it is the relic belonging to the King of the End."Guinevere replied indifferently to G.o.dou"s change of subject."Our master is the strongest immortal hero. Nevertheless, aftervanquishing all the G.o.d-slayers, he enters a dormant state akin totemporary death. While he restores himself from the state of exhaustion,he readies himself for his next coming -- when multiple Devil KingCampiones roam free, threatening the world."In other words, lying in a state of suspended animation, waiting forCampiones to be born?The strongest [Steel]. G.o.dou nodded, finally learning the true state of thesleeping one."When Master enters sleep, his body dissociates and a.s.similates itself withthe earth in order to acc.u.mulate its essence. When that happens, hisremains appear in the form of a divine sword, marking the land like atombstone.""Remains appearing in the form of a divine sword...""Human magi seem to be calling them names with the likes of dragonbones, angel"s remains, sacred relics. Guinevere had polished thoseremains once more to become Sir Knight"s lance. Nevertheless, it is merelya fake. Only the one wielded by its owner the "King of the End" can truly bethe Divine Sword of Salvation."The Witch Queen once again stared out at sea, towards where thetreasure she desired lay."Guinevere and other Divine Ancestors are the miko who served the "Kingof the End." When Master arrives again, all of us shall hurry forth to serveunder his command. However, so many G.o.d-slayers have already beenborn in the past millennium. Even so, Master still has not descended uponus once more."Guinevere lamented her situation poignantly."We Divine Ancestors seek our sleeping Master, hoping Master willdescend again. In our long and arduous search, many remains in the formof divine swords have been discovered. However, none of these locationsheld the sleeping Master--"I see. G.o.dou figured it out.When multiple Campiones appeared on earth, the "King of the End"apparently revived. And then he would start the war of annihilation tosweep the world clean of G.o.d-slayers. Even though it was unknown howmany millennia ago it began, this cycle of dormancy and rebirth seemed tohave already repeated many times.As a result, even if the divine sword remains were found, it did not meanhe was present..."I have also tried summoning Master by magic, through promoting mythsinvolving one of Master"s sacred names, "Arthur." However, it failed. Orperhaps, considering there are other myths circulating under Master"salternate names, I have also searched for legends of [Steel] in bothoriental and occidental lands."The witch and Divine Ancestor, neither immortal nor indestructible.In order to find the strongest [Steel], she resorted to reincarnation despitebeing murdered before her wish was fulfilled, thereby continuing hersearch.As if bound by a curse. In a certain sense, it was a pitiful existence.Hearing Guinevere"s mutterings, G.o.dou found himself slightly pitying thoseDivine Ancestors."Then the long search finally came to fruition, by tracking down this land"slegend of the "n.o.ble One who sleeps with the sword." Furthermore, thedivine sword"s aura now emanates from that island."G.o.dou immediately tensed as soon as Guinevere"s gaze brightened.Both she and her protector were G.o.dou"s "enemies.""In the surroundings of where that one sleeps, legends of "a hero who shallrevive together with a divine sword" will always surface. Due to the divinesplendor of the strongest [Steel], the legends have taken root deep in thehearts of humanity. The legend of Avalon that once existed in Britain hasmade its reappearance."G.o.dou recalled the legend he recently heard from Kaoru.Queen Oto Tachibana-Hime, jumped into the sea with sword embosomed.Sea currents carried her sword to a landless location, whence a floatingisland subsequently appeared. That was indeed the island where the "Kingof the End" slept.a.s.serting thus, Guinevere turned to face G.o.dou."By the way, Kusanagi-sama, we have no objection to our inevitable battleagainst Your Highness. However, there is the saying, the enemy of anenemy is a friend. When a common enemy appears, it is not a bad idea toput our grudges aside to cooperate.""I don"t think enemies can be determined that easily.""No. The way Guinevere sees it, Kusanagi-sama and the Black Prince aredefinitely incompatible. Once you have determined the Prince to be ahindrance, please do let me know."Hmm. G.o.dou frowned. That was a separate matter anyway.This Guinevere is trying to borrow my power again? By the time henoticed, Guinevere was already drawing near. The previous week"smemories reawakened.Another kiss? G.o.dou stayed on high alert."Guinevere-sama, please step back.""Ah yes. Approach any further and you will regret the consequences."Erica stepped forward as Liliana followed suit, grumbling.The two extended their hands in a stance ready to summon their magicswords."Hohoho. How prepared. I would be most pleased if Your Highness wouldgive my words some consideration. Nevertheless, Guinevere has noreasons of refutation. I shall take my leave for now!"Surrounded by light, she took flight. Steadily accelerating upwards, shedisappeared into the ends of the sky."Huh, so Guinevere-san said that."Amakasu arrived with the helicopter"s landing on the beach.Hearing G.o.dou"s explanation, he remarked emphatically."So that castle of strange rock is Avalon, eh? This is something that can"tbe ignored. As a j.a.panese, it would be more appropriate to call an islandthat surfaces in the Bousou Sea the Floating Island.""Hey Amakasu-san, so the object Prince Alec stole was the HeavenlyReverse Halberd."Erica began to talk to the History Compilation Committee member."Isn"t that the same name as the tool used by the G.o.ds to create theislands of j.a.pan?""Yes. Actually, the myth of the two G.o.ds Izanagi and Izanami"s founding ofthe country seems to be an ancient legend originating from the seafaringtribes of southern Chuugoku^ region.""Prince Alec used the land-creating divine artifact to raise up that island...?This is the most simple and direct explanation one can deduce..."Seeing Erica and Liliana deep in thought, Amakasu relaxed his shoulders."Everyone, let"s go home for today. It"s really been a long and arduousjourney. You should all get some rest in preparation for what is to come."And so, Amakasu gave G.o.dou and the rest a lift back to Tokyo"s Bunkyouward. Still, G.o.dou remained worried about Yuri and Alice who continuedwith investigations in Europe-Amakasu stopped before the shopping street of Sanchoume at Nezu.Home sweet home. Due to the brief but eventful journey, G.o.dou felt like hehad been away from home for ten days. Watching Amakasu"s car leave,G.o.dou suddenly noticed.His childhood friend Asuka was standing at the entrance to the commercialstreet."What are you doing? Waiting for someone?""Uh yes, pretty much. G.o.dou, you just came back eh?"Before he knew it, the sun had already set and it was night.It was already the time when visitors to the commercial street had thinnedout. At a time like this, Asuka was standing before the entrance to thecommercial street, looking like she was waiting for someone."Ah yes. Even though it got a bit messy, I was able to return home atleast.""It has been quite a while, Tokunaga Asuka."Standing by G.o.dou"s side, Liliana also tried to make conversation with hischildhood friend. However, Asuka simply answered vaguely with "Umm,yes, it"s been a while."For some reason, her usual domineering glare had vanished today,showing only meekness.Her gaze was focused towards Erica Blandelli. A strikingly beautiful girlwhose natural beauty was further enhanced by splendorous presence andtalent. With those well-trained manners from a Milanese education, it wasonly natural for her to become the focus of any situation."By the way, I guess it"s the first time for you two to meet. Asuka, this isMariya and Liliana"s friend, Erica. And Erica, this is my longtime friendAsuka. You"ve never met before, right?""Right. Though I"ve heard her name before."Erica nodded in response to G.o.dou"s introductions.Walking immediately up to Asuka, Erica bore a smile that could only bedescribed as synonymous to elegance itself."A pleasure to meet you. My name is Erica Blandelli. As you can hear, myj.a.panese is perfect so you don"t have to worry. Also, perhaps you mayknow already, but G.o.dou and I share an extremely intimate relationship. Ihope you don"t mind.""Extremely intimate -- ah, I"ve heard rumors at least."For some reason, Asuka"s face began twitching for an instant after hearingErica"s cheerful self-introduction."Is that so? Then there"s no need to spell out the details."On the other hand, Erica was bearing a blooming smile like a flourishingj.a.panese camellia flower.A gorgeous smile. It was a radiant smile from the heart without anyreservations."In actual fact, I had wanted to visit all of G.o.dou"s longtime friends. Lettingthem all know the name of Erica Blandelli should prove to be convenientfor various things in the future.""Hey you, plotting that kind of thing after all.""Oh my, plotting is such an unexpected description. It"d be nice if the onesclose to you can become our mutual friends, wouldn"t you agree?"This was a mode of thinking that Liliana, Yuri, and definitely Ena would noteven consider.However, Erica explained it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.The goal of expanding social circles required a habit of consciouscultivation of friendships. Possessing the quality of becoming the center ofattention and popularity in no matter what kind of organization, that wasErica"s true nature."However, even without that sort of intentions, I feel like I can becomegreat friends with Asuka-san. I shall be in your care. Most likely, we will berunning into each other frequently from now on."In addition, Erica did not neglect to smile at the hesitating Asuka. Enteringa carefree dialogue to help reduce the sense of distance, she was sociallyskilled indeed.Well, that said, Erica was still a person who often acted recklessly as shepleased..."Umm, yes. I"ll be in your care.""What is the matter, Tokunaga Asuka? You do not seem very well?"The extremely domineering childhood friend whose scoldings were ascommon as greetings. Such was Asuka"s original personality, butsomehow she had become so meek in front of Erica she was like adifferent person.Feeling puzzled, Liliana questioned with a surprised expression."N-No, I"m fine, don"t worry! It"s just something that makes me slightlyconcerned!""Something makes you concerned? If you don"t mind, you can talk it outwith me.""It"s my own problem, so mind your own business! Anyway, you have toput some thought into Shizuka-chan"s present! There"s not much time left!"As soon as she switched to speaking with G.o.dou, Asuka"s state seemed torecover instantly.What on earth was going on? It felt like the childhood friend was watchingErica as if she was some kind of exceptionally bright object."So, we"ll be going. Are you waiting for someone?"Recalling the first thing she had said, G.o.dou asked.Unexpectedly, Asuka shook her head."It"s done. And just so you know, I was waiting for you.""Eh, me? Why?""Someone who knows you is waiting at our shop. I used to think the onlyforeigners you knew were Erica-san and Liliana-san, but never expectedsuch a handsome foreign gentleman to be your friend.""...That guy, could he be blonde?"The shop mentioned by Asuka was the family business pa.s.sed down forgenerations, the sushi shop "Sushi-Toku."Someone considered a handsome foreigner. G.o.dou immediately recalledthe r.e.t.a.r.ded Italian. Did that guy finally come around to my neighborhood?However..."No, he"s tall and black-haired. Half an hour ago, he was standing here,drinking canned coffee. Seeing as he was a foreign stranger, I went up andasked if he was lost."She probably started a conversation with a clumsy mixture of English andj.a.panese.An ordinary girl would never act in such a friendly manner but Asukaalways seemed so fearless. Precisely because of that, G.o.dou felt it wasrather jarring that she displayed such apprehension only in front of Erica."His j.a.panese was very fluent. "I am waiting for the man called KusanagiG.o.dou" was what he said. So I told him it was someone I knew but hadgone traveling abroad. Then he a.s.serted "He"ll be back immediately, I"mabsolutely certain" just like that."And so Asuka had advised him "In that case, why don"t you wait in ourshop?"Hearing this exchange, G.o.dou immediately signaled to his twocompanions with his eyes."Could it be possible, even that person has...!?" Liliana"s eyes seemed tobe saying."Even though unexpected, it is very possible--" said Erica with her eyes.G.o.dou immediately broke into a run.Running straight to the sushi shop he had known since childhood.Crack! The slide door flew open with great momentum. On this Sundaynight, within "Sushi-Toku" that was bustling with customers, a black-hairedyoung man with eyes of black was sitting next to the cashier. A handsomeman with a pale white complexion, tall physique, and wearing a stylishblack jacket.He was drinking sake from a cup as he dined on a sashimi platter to gowith the alcohol.His sharp gaze turned towards the entrance. As their eyes met, G.o.dou andthe man glared at each other head on.As this was not an encounter with a G.o.d, there was no sense ofoverflowing battle spirit or power. However, G.o.dou was certain beyonddoubt. This guy was Alexandre Gascoigne, the English Campione who hadbeen playing G.o.dou for a fool.Part 4"The one I"m waiting for finally arrived. Later than expected."Alec grumbled as he laid down several 10000 yen notes at the cashier.He immediately stood up without waiting for the change."Thank you for the hospitality. Should there be another opportunity, I shallenjoy a longer stay. Ah yes, sorry for all the trouble."Alec had just reached the entrance to the shop.At that very moment, Asuka arrived from behind G.o.dou, panting nonstop.She looked like she had been chasing after the childhood friend whosuddenly ran here."...You two are friends, right?"Asking with a bit of worry, she seemed to have sensed the tenseatmosphere between G.o.dou and Alec."Rather than friends, more like acquaintances... No, a bit different fromthat.""Ah yes. Kin, two of a kind, birds of a feather. Such descriptions should beappropriate."G.o.dou and Alec simply gave Asuka a quick glance.Neither of them shifted their gaze away from the other Campione. Or moreaccurately, they could not shift their gazes.Based on the fact that neither of them was supposed to be the type ofperson who rampaged recklessly, they should be dealing with each otherin a more calm and composed manner. Nevertheless, G.o.dou did not takehis eyes off Alec and neither did Alec shift his gaze from G.o.dou."Go for a quick walk?""Sure."G.o.dou responded curtly to Alec"s suggestion and the two exited the sushishop.Continuing to stare at each other was not a solution. G.o.dou deliberatelywalked beside Alec, as if trying to avoid seeing his face. The other guyseemed to be thinking the same thing.G.o.dou and Alec walked side by side without saying anything.This probably made them look like a pair of friends. Realizing that, G.o.douinstantly felt displeased. Alec was definitely feeling the same thing.Erica and Liliana had been waiting outside the shop.G.o.dou motioned with his eyes and the knights followed silently."Looks like you can"t even take a walk without female company.""Better than someone who doesn"t even tell his subordinates andcompanions where he"s going."Standing shoulder to shoulder like friends, but bickering with vitriol.Why? G.o.dou began to feel anxious. This was his first time -- no, this wasthe same sense of anxiety he felt when he met Salvatore Doni.A completely unfounded sense of compet.i.tiveness against the man beforehim. A rising sense of hostility had been aroused."I already advised you not to return for now, and yet you deliberately camerunning back..."Alec entered the main topic without even bothering to introduce himself.G.o.dou did not mind. As humans, an appropriate level of manners wasdesirable, but for us two right now, it was unnecessary."Could you do as the letter suggested?"Leaving the commercial street at Nezu Sanchoume, the two of themwalked into the area of Nezu Shrine.Luckily there were no other people around. G.o.dou replied without holdingback."Looking at it the other way, anyone would consider that a challenge.""Useless and redundant compet.i.tive spirit. For me to revive "Avalon" andcause this incident at this time, you should have understood my goals andintentions."As if anyone would understand! G.o.dou was amazed as Alec continued toharangue."Why not stand back and watch? You should wait until things have settledbefore venturing out. If I were in your shoes, that"s what I"d do without anyhesitation. It would be the most relaxing and efficient way. And you don"twaste unnecessary power.""As if anyone would do that! On the contrary, they"d come back to checkout the situation instead, right?""Hmph, you really are a Campione. A savage who acts on impulse insteadof reason. What good are you if you can"t even do something as simple assitting back and solving a locked room mystery?"^"Completely unnecessary. Instead of guessing randomly about the ident.i.tyof the murderer, just do things properly by looking for clues at the scene!"It was turning into a childish argument. Even though the witch had seemedlike a sheltered lady oblivious to the real world, her a.s.sessment ofcharacter was perhaps rather accurate.Kusanagi G.o.dou and Black Prince Alec, were indeed rather incompatible..."By the way, aren"t you the one who stole the artifact we unearthed?Shouldn"t a thief get off his high horse?""Only borrowing. I already wrote clearly on the letter I"d return it as soon asthings are settled.""I"ve heard that you have borrowed many times without returning. Tsk, youreally are the worst amongst Campiones. What a weirdo who neverconsiders the trouble you bring to others.""You"re in no place to say such words. You savage who causes destructioneverywhere you go. With the things you do all over the world, you are justa terrorist no matter how conservatively you estimate the damage. Howcarefree of you to ignore your own issues."As they argued against each other, G.o.dou"s lips were distorted by ragewhile Alec"s face was filled with fury.What was this feeling? Both knew so much about each other"sweaknesses and the ugly truths they did not wish to face."Basically, I still don"t understand what goal you"re talking about. What areyou planning by making that island in Tokyo Bay?"G.o.dou abruptly changed the subject."If you don"t understand, then enjoy the show until the matter is over.Anyway, I"ve already used my authority to turn that island into a labyrinth.Approach at your own risk.""Alexandre-sama, may I ask a question?"Walking with Liliana behind them, Erica suddenly spoke up."Call me Alec instead. Whether writing or p.r.o.nouncing, that name is such apain.""Then Alec, may I confirm a fact. The so-called king who manifests at theend of eras, is the G.o.d who descends for the purpose of exterminating theDevil Kings when a number of Campiones appear on earth...?""Indeed. The G.o.d for exterminating all the Devil Kings... Though I still havea few doubts in this regard."Apparently, his enmity towards Kusanagi G.o.dou did not extend to theknights."After seeing that Great Sage Equaling Heaven who appeared severalmonths ago, my opinion changed. For that monkey to be so powerful, itseems to be the same power used by the "King of the End" as part of hisDevil King-exterminating authority.""Furthermore, the "King of the End" disappears from earth as soon as allG.o.d-slayers are eliminated, entering deep slumber until the time whenmultiple Campiones appear again--""An acceptable description. However, seven Devil Kings have alreadyappeared and yet he remains asleep."Black Prince Alec replied rather cautiously.G.o.dou was somewhat surprised. Despite his arrogant personality, this mandid not mind instructing others. In actual fact, he was probably someonewho was good at looking after people."What I suspect is, a few centuries after the "King of the End" battled inEngland, he descended somewhere in Asia. At that time, he alsoexterminated the G.o.d-slayers and went to sleep. That somewhere in Asiais indeed j.a.pan, in the region of Tokyo Bay."After questioning, Erica suddenly proposed her speculation. Alec simplyanswered "Oh" in acknowledgement."The little island that surfaced in Tokyo Bay must be where he sleeps. Butas luck would have it, j.a.pan has its elders -- the group of guardianscentered around the heroic deity Susanoo. Seeing the King of the End" asa threat, they sank the "island" into the sea using some kind of wizardry.The key to this wizardry is the Heavenly Reverse Halberd. Thereafter, Alecdiscovered how to use this halberd and made the island surface again. Isthat correct?"The Heavenly Reverse Halberd. The same name as the divine artifactused to create the islands of j.a.pan.So in the past, Susanoo and his group did not create an "island," but sankit into the sea instead?It was an imaginative but reasonable hypothesis. Erica"s speculationseemed bold but the logic was sound. How would the Black Prince react?"...That"s rather sharp of you. Though it"s not exactly correct, you"vemanaged to outline a rough picture of the truth."Alec looked at her as if impressed by an excellent student."Let me tell you a hint, that of the name of the so-called "Leech Child." Therest is left as an exercise for you people. For Guinevere, that island is afinal destination she cannot disregard. However, I have prepared a trapthere to send that witch to her grave.""...You"re planning on taking out Guinevere?"Alec immediately nodded at G.o.dou"s question."That woman owes me. The likes of making counterfeits of the Holy Grailhas incurred multiple debts. It"s about time to make her pay. Though she"scautious and good at running away, with Avalon prepared, she will surelyfall into the trap."Alec"s facial profile displayed unshakable willpower as he spoke.This man was a G.o.d-slayer after all. Even if he had a few idiosyncrasies,he was still a natural born G.o.d-slaying warrior. That type of ferocity of hiswas now clearly displayed."I see... However, Lancelot who guards Guinevere is my enemy."If Alec wants to defeat her, just leave it all to him. As a pacifist,unnecessary battles should be avoided as much as possible. Even thoughthe idea clearly crossed his mind, G.o.dou did not give voice to it."I can"t let you have them. Besides, you don"t lose anything by retreatingnow.""I could say the same to you. After all, Lancelot is just an enemy youfought once, right? Stop acting like you own the place."Glaring at each other, both refused to back down.Emotions of hostility and resistance were starting to get fired up.Unbelievable. Was it because these two Campiones were rather close inage? Or was contention over the Heavenly Reverse Halberd the rootcause?G.o.dou and Alec could feel ferocious battle spirit from each other that hadbeen absent when they first met just now."May I offer a suggestion to you two?"Liliana suddenly spoke.She had been watching the situation silently until now, so why was sheentering the fray? G.o.dou nodded in puzzlement as Alec answered "Sure.""Alexandre-sama, or rather, Alec"s target is Guinevere. Then there isKusanagi G.o.dou"s wish to fight Sir Lancelot. In that case, since both sideswish to fight against their respective opponents, it would seem appropriateto form an alliance.""...Oh?" "...Hmm."That"s right, this should have been the first topic of discussion from thevery start.The two pondered for a moment, but quickly reached a conclusion.Without any coordination beforehand, G.o.dou and Alec gave the sameanswer simultaneously. Going "tsk" and smacking their lips at the sametime, they looked away and turned their backs on Erica and Liliana.(Hey, are those two not a perfect match for each other after all?)(That"s so true. Even though their personalities are clearly incompatibleand their rhythm is supposed to be off, right?)(Their personalities are supposed to be completely different, but thereseem to be subtle similarities in certain areas.)(Whether G.o.dou or the Black Prince, both are incredibly vain. They bothinsist "I am different from other Campiones.")(I see. It is akin to looking at a distorting mirror and seeing a distastefulreflection of oneself.)(They must be aware that even though the other person"s character wasopposite to themselves, similarities exist. Hence the resulting intensity ofrevulsion. Most likely, that kind of feeling is like listening to your ownrecorded voice.)Erica and Liliana could be heard whispering behind his back.G.o.dou secretly cursed them a thousand times for their gossiping ways. Alec also frowned, most likely feeling the same thing. The two Devil Kingspretentiously faced each other once again."I have said everything I wish to inform you about, Kusanagi G.o.dou. If youstill want to interfere, prepare yourself for the consequences."Alec declared, speaking the name of Kusanagi G.o.dou for the first time."You"re the one who should be careful, Gascoigne. If you do anything toharm where I live, I will not remain silent."G.o.dou responded with a tone of warning that he seldom employed.The two knights watched as the Black Prince sneered and left. Whetherthe Devil King of Swords, the old Marquis of Eastern Europe, the swornelder sister who commanded the Chinese martial realm, the hero of NorthAmerica, any of these so-called peers who had recently appeared oneafter another, none of them seemed possible to establish friendly relationswith.Part 5While Kusanagi G.o.dou and the Campione of divine speed were havingtheir verbal dispute...The war G.o.d in white armor was silently staring up at the moon.Lancelot du Lac. The one known as the Knight of the Lake. Wielder of thedivine lance Excaliburand protector of Witch Queen Guinevere.Protected from head to foot by white armor. Helmet, breastplate, gauntlets,greaves -- Nowhere was any skin exposed.He was at a beach, basking in the moonlight.Having gazed at the distant full moon, he turned towards the ocean beforehim. Avalon was floating straight ahead. This was the island where hismaster, the hero once known as "Artos" in the land of Britain, lay sleeping.The enemy Alexandre Gascoigne had made this island surface. Surely itwas to summon Guinevere as well as her protector Lancelot.Furthermore, Kusanagi G.o.dou, who had promised a second battle, hadapparently returned as well.--Alas! Lancelot lamented.The day of battle was drawing near, but he had yet to fully revive. Thismust have been due to the recent battle against Athena and KusanagiG.o.dou which had delayed the recovery of divine power.Fighting in the current state will result in premature depletion of poweragain.He had never liked prolonged battles or wars of attrition. It was Lancelot"strue style to gallop at maximum speed for a full-powered attack, sweepingall his enemies away.But in his current state, a single charge would deplete his strength.For the sake of battling without reservation, he had to prepare well for thesecond and third charges. Time was needed. Time for retrieving divinepower.-No. Lancelot realized that was surely not the case."This Knight"s wish is to reach a conclusion with that youth without beingburdened by any restrictions..."Discerning his true wish with clarity, he gained a new sense of selfunderstanding.Not even a fortnight had pa.s.sed since the previous battle. KusanagiG.o.dou -- the details of the intense battle with the young G.o.d-slayer werestill vivid in memory."Kusanagi G.o.dou... The name of the foe this Knight shall vanquish.Hohoho, what a sound to be cherished."He savored the name as it rolled off the tongue like fine wine.The youth who had been bound to Athena by unfavorable fate. Recallingthat face, calling out that name, Lancelot could feel his heart stir withexcitement as he recalled the youth"s strength and bravery.Blood was boiling. The soul was shaking."One desires power. One desires time for the sake of healing thiswound-riddled body. One desires the blade for meeting that youth in battle,clashing together, slicing each other, exchanging blows."In actual fact, this wish was already within reach. A complete makeover.Very likely, it would fully manifest the divinity of the heretical war G.o.d whowould abandon the girl under his protection.However, it came at the cost of changing oneself.-Alas! What sweet temptation!Just as Lancelot sighed silently as he contemplated under the clear brightmoon..."Sir Knight. So you are here."A voice from behind. Guinevere had arrived."Ah yes. What is the situation?"Lancelot turned around and answered in a carefree tone of voice.He should not burden this girl with unnecessary worries."Most regrettably, failure. As expected, it is impossible to land on Avalonwithout breaking through Prince Alec"s labyrinth... Other than that particularmethod.""The method of manifesting Minos the G.o.d of the land and the labyrinth?"Guinevere recounted with a worried expression while Lancelot muttered inresponse.Alec"s labyrinth authority had been usurped from the Cretan bull-headedG.o.d Minos. In the past, Guinevere had emulated a portion of Minos" divinityand manifested it. This was achieved using the spirit power of [DivineSummoning] that only Divine Ancestors could use.As long as the divinity of Minos as the G.o.d of the labyrinth was emulated, itshould be possible to break through Alec"s labyrinth."However, creating fake G.o.ds requires the Holy Grail"s magical power. Notonly that, a huge amount is needed. Fortunately, the magical powerabsorbed from Athena has provided ample stores.""Using the Holy Grail to summon a fake G.o.d would be deviating from itsintended usage."Storing and supplying the essence of the earth was the Holy Grail"s originalfunction."Gascoigne also knows this. Beloved child, he is trying to bait you intodoing so. Forcing you to manifest fake Minos, and then drawing you intoAvalon."Guinevere was in possession of three trump cards.Lancelot, the Holy Grail, and the divine lance Excalibur.If the Grail was used to summon a fake G.o.d, it would become unusable fora certain reason. Not only that, the divine lance also depended on the Grailfor supplying magical power. This meant losing two trump cards."Yes, indeed that is true. Nevertheless, Guinevere is still obliged to go!"Tears flooded Guinevere"s eyes as she was overcome with anger andhumiliation. Her tearful gaze was pointed towards the other side of the sea."It cannot be helped. Unless fake Minos is used to destroy the maze,Avalon cannot be entered. Before that, this Knight shall spare no effort."Identifying clearly what he must do, Lancelot declared with boldmagnificence.Yes. The recovery of divine power was only secondary. It was enough touse all strength from this inadequate body and fulfill the duties of a knight.All redundant emotions must be abandoned.However-"If only Kusanagi-sama could be won over to fight against Prince Alec thenthings would be a lot easier. If that could be done, then Guinevere and youcan focus completely on breaking into Avalon."But Guinevere said it.The name o