Chapter 3 - Sword, Erica, MelqartPart 1"Hey G.o.doh, dying like this is completely unacceptable!""...Huh?"Upon hearing these sudden words of mockery, G.o.dou answered in asluggish voice.He opened his eyes to find a cute little girl. Her face was slender anddignified. Though "beautiful," her sense of "cuteness" was far moreoverwhelming in comparison. Judging by appearance, she seemed to befourteen years old or so. Perhaps enhanced by the twintailed hairstyle, shegave off a rather young impression.Puzzled by the girl"s strange words, G.o.dou surveyed his surroundings....This completely empty s.p.a.ce contained nothing else. The entire placewas grayish white. Even the ends of the horizon were gray. An incredibleworld of gray.The girl before his eyes was wearing a white and flimsy dress. Whichcountry did it come from?"This is the [Boundary of Life and Immortality]. Perhaps it might be easierto understand if I used expressions like "almost at the afterlife" or "prettymuch at the Sanzu River 1 ^ to describe this place?"The beautiful girl explained in an exceptionally casual tone of voice."By the way, I am Pandora. But not a [Heretic G.o.d], mind you. I stand as atrue and proper G.o.ddess, impossible for humans to encounter unless Idescend to this realm. With the express intent of meeting my son, I camehere from the Domain of Immortality.""...Son? Who is that?""Of course I"m referring to you, G.o.doh. You are my son. You may call memama, maman, mommy or whatever you wish, okay?""...So, Pandora-san, there"s something I wish to ask.""Wan, of all the choices you went with this! -You"re the worst-"Pandora enunciated her words as if deliberately trying to act displeased."It"s not very nice to look down on the bonds between mother and child,you know-""But my real mother is authentic j.a.panese. And not younger than me,either.""Fine, stepmother then. The prospects of gaining a child-faced lolistepmother with no blood relations, that"s known as "moe" on earth, right?Isn"t that really lucky?""I think even if you narrow the range to earth, it would only apply to a verysmall subset of people..."G.o.dou decided to change the subject."You said something like "dying" just now. Did I really die?""Yes, you were promptly killed by Melqart-sama. But never fear, forG.o.doh"s body is currently resurrecting on earth. Just before you died, youdid well to understand the hint I sent."The G.o.ddess who called herself Pandora smiled proudly."Since this is your first real battle, I did you a great service, allowing you toresurrect in one piece. For me and my husband, our children all tend to berather impulsive and short-lived. Most of them end up dying on a battlefieldsomewhere. So, G.o.doh, you"d better be more careful.""You and your husband"s children... I get it now!"G.o.dou remembered. What Erica had mentioned before."Campiones are the illegitimate children of Epimetheus and Pandora,right?""Correct. Pandora in particular, is the stepmother who acts as the one whosupports you G.o.d-slayers. Although I"m rather casual and completelyirresponsible, I do offer hints on occasion."As Pandora smiled, she emanated a certain alluring aura incommensuratewith her child-like appearance.Indeed this was a "womanly" existence. G.o.dou understood that greatwisdom lay beneath her mesmerizing cuteness.Even though she did not act very proper in behavior, she was still aG.o.ddess."Well, even though you"ll forget about seeing me as soon as you return toearth, remnants of my teachings will survive somewhere in yoursubconscious, so don"t worry.""I will forget?""Yes. When traveling between this realm and the world on earth, all sortsof things can happen.""What... Anyway, if possible, could you tell me something? I"m currently introuble with a G.o.d, so how should I fight? I seem to recall some kind ofweapon of light."Given this rare chance, G.o.dou decided to ask this question.Pandora made a slightly mischievous expression and smiled with greatpride as she explained:"It would be meaningless if I told you the answer -- or rather, it wouldn"t befun anymore -- ah, that"s not right, it won"t help G.o.doh at all. You have totry harder by yourself.""In that case... I get it."G.o.dou gave up and nodded indifferently.After all, the one doing the fighting was himself. Always thinking of relyingon others for victory would not be conducive to handling split secondchanges during intense confrontations. In this era of junior cultivation fromthe ground up, G.o.dou had no objections as a baseball player and a mightyathlete.No matter how many comrades stood by his side, ultimately the onefighting to the very end was himself.In a team -- obviously he had to trust in his comrades to back him up.However, were he unable to fight alone, he would be useless in a teamanyway. Hence, it was imperative he put forth all of his own effort first.As these thoughts crossed G.o.dou"s mind, Pandora watched him with anamused expression."Hehe. No matter what kind of past life they led previously, the vastmajority of children who became G.o.d-slayers already knows how to fight.G.o.doh is no exception. So let me skip that part and tell you somethinguseful."Hearing unexpected words from the stepmother, G.o.dou straightenedhimself in full attentiveness."Even considering the entire history of mankind, you are a uniqueG.o.d-slayer. There is no point for you to emulate any other person. It wouldbe utter stupidity. Consequently, please, always stay true to yourself.""...In other words, do things my own way?""Yes. Follow your heart and let instinct guide you. Fight smartly withcraftiness. Only by doing this will you become the strongest warrior onearth. There is no need to worry yourself too much!"Like she said, if he could emulate someone else, things would be mucheasier...Casually advised to undertake a challenging direction, G.o.dou could nothelp but smile wryly."Anyway, I guess I"ll start learning how to use my powers flexibly.""My, how hardworking of G.o.doh! However, it"s best if you don"t do that,because it"s useless.""Eh?""The grand enchantment for a person"s rebirth as a G.o.d-slayer... There aremany strange aspects to it, probably because it is such a preposterousprocess after all. For example, the condition of "no matter what, only actualcombat worksiV or the like. Since G.o.d-slayers only resemble humans inappearance but are actually more like demonic beasts inside, it"s onlynatural to progress like wild beasts, no?""In other words, earnest effort is useless?""Yes! G.o.d-slayers" authorities can only be honed on the battlefield throughactual combat. But that"s totally fine, after all, ancient warriors were thesame. As long as you kill enough enemies, you will become powerful^""Please don"t use such a disturbing a.n.a.logy!"Seeing Pandora winking with a thumbs up sign, G.o.dou could not stophimself from screaming."By the way, G.o.doh, your authority is a bit unreliable. It might be a littledangerous if you try to do things alone, so please be careful.""What do you mean by unreliable?""It seems like you need the a.s.sistance of friends in order to satisfy certainactivation conditions. Isn"t this a power that can only be used whensomeone is trying to beat up G.o.doh?""Come to think of it, there is also a condition of "only when facing strongenough opponents."""G.o.doh"s heart is only roused when threatened by true battle. This isprobably what limits you from using your authority. Ultimately, a rampagingsoul is necessary to hone a G.o.d-slayer"s power."Tension levels and the rousing of emotions were the most important? Thisfact seriously needed careful attention."So if you ever need to fight, just shout "Come and kill me with everythingyou"ve got" and everything will be finei 1 ""I"m definitely not going to do that!"It looked like the future will be filled with trials and tribulations. Even so,had it been any different-When G.o.dou came to, he found himself lying on a simple bed in a roomsurrounded by white walls. There was an odor of medicine. Along the barewhite wall was a practical-looking sideboard. This was apparently ahospital room.Also, Erica was sitting on a chair beside the bed.G.o.dou pushed against the bed to raise his upper torso. He had died duringthe battle with Melqart but managed to resurrect. For some reason, he wassure of that."I have something to say first, so please listen carefully."Erica declared immediately. Even though she tried her best to stay calm,she could not hide her irrepressible rage. It was a voice that seemed toshake the air."If you can come back from death, then please say so before dying...! Youare truly a fool beyond help!""D-Don"t say something so unreasonable. I was suddenly thrust on stagewithout any preparation."Severely chastised by Erica, G.o.dou muttered in response."This power to revive from the verge of death, cannot be used unless I amactually about to die. If I die completely, it"s meaningless... Anyway, I admitI"m at fault, sorry."Getting up from bed, G.o.dou bowed his head."It seems like I made you worry, I"m really sorry."Erica was angry because she was really worried about him, right?This apology resulted in provoking an unexpected response from thedefiant blonde beauty."What idiotic nonsense are you talking about! As if anyone would worryabout you!"Saying that, Erica"s face was entirely flushed red. However, if she was notworried then there would be no reason for her to be this angry.As G.o.dou felt skeptical, Erica shouted more and more emotionally."I am only telling you this because I cannot bear the sight of your stupidbehavior. Do not get any strange and mistaken ideas!"Apparently, this declaration was her attempt to cover up the reason for heranger.In light of Erica"s outspoken habits, such words clearly showed her loss ofcomposure."The only thing I"m worrying about is at most my own reputation! I evensacrificed my purity for the sake of helping you. If you died just like that,that would be truly shameful!"Saying that, Erica turned her face away in disgust, refusing to admitanything.G.o.dou suppressed the urge to laugh wryly and waited for Erica to calmdown."By the way, how long did I sleep for?""It was during daytime when the battle with Melqart occurred, just before1pm. It is now evening at 7pm. You"ve slept continuously for six hours orso."Erica swiftly replied in response to G.o.dou"s change of subject."This is a hospital?""Yes. A little hospital roughly 2km away from the Soluntum ruins. It was noteasy but I managed to bring you here for sanctuary after you collapsed.""You did well to save me from that G.o.d...""Remember the lion figure I gave you beforehand? It was actually Cuore diLeone, altered by [Transformation] magic."G.o.dou was surprised. The lion-shaped item was actually that magicsword?"I originally planned to watch your battle from afar, but later on I saw youwere almost dead. So I hastily used a [Magnet] spell to summon Cuore diLeone back to me. That was what you were carrying.""Melqart didn"t pursue?""No. Just as I already said, you were almost dead.""Eh?""Blunt trauma all over your body, numerous broken bones, internalhemorrhage, ruptured internal organs, damage to the brain and spine,burns covering over 80% of your skin area. Naturally, your heart alsostopped and you were unable to breathe on your own.""l-lt was that serious...""Under such conditions, even I thought it would be hopeless, even whenyou are a Campione."Erica"s manner of speaking made it seem like she was very angry."Your current body is truly ridiculous. Not long after that, you resumedbreathing and your body kept healing while you slept. It has alreadyrecovered completely."It was ridiculous indeed. Even though he was the subject in question,G.o.dou nodded vigorously."By the way, what about Zamparini-san?""Currently missing, after being blown away by the storm. However, sincehe completely failed to enter Melqart"s view at the time, I think his chancesof survival are quite high. The magi of [Panormus] are currently searchingfor him, but due to the current weather, they haven"t made much progress."G.o.dou looked outside the window.Enduring the roaring wind and pelted by the ma.s.sive raindrops, thewindow had been rattling noisily all this time."The storm has continued all the while?""Yes, just like this all along. However, the storm zone only covers thenorthwest region of Sicily centered on the city of Palermo. Also, SoluntumArchaeological Park... was sunk earlier into the sea, at dusk.""What did you say!?""Those ruins were located on a hillside facing the sea, right? Havingweakened its foundations using the pouring rain, Melqart attacked theground with Yagrush and Ayamur, causing a ma.s.sive landslide whichswept the ruins from the hillside into the sea."G.o.dou recalled Melqart"s announcement.Every day at sunset, he would sink a city from his former territory into thesea-Although the ruins of Soluntum attracted tourists, it was fortunate thatvisitors were few in number. However, tomorrow"s target was Palermo, acity with a population of one million.Erica nodded as if she read G.o.dou"s worries and changed the subject."By the way, no matter how overabundant a Campione"s vitality is, thisresurrection performance was way too dramatic and miraculous. What"sthe secret to this trick?""Is there any sheep amongst Verethragna"s incarnations?""Of the ten incarnations, the eighth is the ram.""That"s the one. When I was struck dead by Melqart, a sheep came tomind. It felt like it could help me escape death, so I tried entrusting my wishto it. So that"s what happened. However, I still don"t understand."G.o.dou sat on the bed, bewildered."Amongst the ten incarnations, the bull gives monstrous strength, thecamel gives kicking attacks, the boar is a monster, and the bird givesextreme speed. I can understand all of those. But why would a sheep bringrecovery?""Perhaps it"s because sheep have been a symbol of bountiful harvests andvitality since ancient times."Erica"s fluent answer rendered G.o.dou dumbfounded."As a type of wild beast that is easily tamed and kept, sheep have beendomesticated since very early times as a source of food to support humanlife. Eventually, it became a sacred beast.""Sacred beast...""The sheep is a sacred beast with deep ties to royal authority. In ancienttimes -- particularly amongst nomadic societies, livestock numbers weredirectly correlated with reliable food supplies, wealth, as well as thepopulation that could be supported."So sheep had this kind of significance? G.o.dou widened his eyes."G.o.dou, the ten incarnations you usurped, probably recreatesVerethragna"s powers piecemeal -- the different abilities unleashed by histransformation into various forms.""Indeed, that guy was able to do a lot more. And he wasn"t restricted in thenumber of uses.""Number of uses?""I"ve felt it ever since the first time I used this power. Whenever I used anincarnation, it felt like it was no longer available for a period of time. That"sright... It"s just intuition, but I think it takes a day to reset."Erica sighed lightly in response to G.o.dou"s words."Well, it"s not surprising to have this kind of restriction when you have tendifferent transformations. Next, there are the conditions for using eachincarnation.""Yes. I can use the bull when fighting strong enemies, the camel when I"minjured, the boar when I want to destroy a ma.s.sive target, the bird whenthe enemy"s speed is astounding, and the sheep probably when I"m aboutto die... W-What about that weapon of light, how do I use it? Yeah, Erica,that bright and shiny thing.""It"s the [Golden Sword] Verethragna was using, right?"Erica was the first to utter the description that had suddenly occurred in hismind before he died."I thought of it while you were recovering. And stop using such a crudedescription like "bright and shiny weapon." You should call it the [BrilliantSword of Light] instead. Pay attention, G.o.dou, you"re probably lacking inpoetic talent."Criticized, G.o.dou began scratching his head."Well, I can"t disagree at all... In any case, can we think of a way to find outhow the [Sword] can be used?""Why not do the same as before, figure it out on the fly?""In a battle against a G.o.d, it"s not gonna work."G.o.dou declared in no uncertain terms as Erica pondered."How should I put it... Right, as a first step, I have to follow my heart and letinstinct guide me. Also, I feel like I"m not supposed to forget about beingsmart and crafty. I don"t think I could have done this before I went to theruins."G.o.dou muttered as if reciting words of warning that had been carvedsomewhere in his heart.After Erica listened with great intrigue, she offered new information."Understood. Let"s think again later. By the way, Lucretia of Sardinia haswoken up. I obtained her contact through a Cagliari a.s.sociation. If youhave anything to ask, G.o.dou, why don"t you give her a call?"Part 2"Hmm, I suppose words of congratulations are in order, young man. Aninstant job change from commoner to level one Devil King... In any case,it"s great to know you are safe. It is truly worthy of celebration."In an idle lobby of the little hospital, G.o.dou and Erica were using a publictelephone in a corner to contact a female acquaintance."I"ve already been informed of the basic situation by Miss Erica. Having toduel the divine king Melqart immediately after your rebirth as a G.o.d-slayer,your life is truly one filled with stormy drama."Lucretia Zola spoke with nonchalant airs as usual.Td really like to help you, but given this dreadful weather, neither ship norplane are allowed to depart, while flight magic has its dangers. Basically,all I can do is cheer for you wholeheartedly. Well, do your best.""...Thank you very much."Such encouragement was far from rea.s.suring, but G.o.dou still expressedhis thanks through the telephone."By the way, Lucretia-san, the gold and shiny [Sword] that Verethragnawas using... It seems like I can use it too, right, so what conditions would itrequire?"A question that went straight to the point. Given she was one of the topwitches in all of Europe, one should hope she was capable of offeringuseful advice."I wouldn"t necessarily know.""That"s very true.""Indeed, when Verethragna understands the detailed origins of an enemyG.o.d, he is able to slice apart the opponent"s divinity -- No, wait a minute..."Lucretia suddenly stopped and began to whisper."Learn. In order to understand the enemy and forge the blade of wisdom."These sudden instructions caused G.o.dou to go "Eh?" in response."Fufufu. I suddenly received a divine revelation. How fortunate of you,young man. Or rather, it must be the divine presence of Melqart filling theMediterranean which stimulated my inspiration. Anyway, it"s your luckyday.""What does it mean though?""Well. The enemy"s mighty stature has given you an advantage instead. It"sbest that I leave the detailed explanations to Miss Erica. I pray for yourvictory, Your Majesty the Devil King.""As expected of the top ranking Witch of Sardinia."Sitting in the back seat of the BMW speeding its way across the stormystreets, Erica expressed admiration after listening to G.o.dou.The hospital where they had stayed earlier was located in a town near theSoluntum Archaeological Park. But since G.o.dou had already recovered,there was no reason to stay any further. After contacting [Panormus], theywere picked up.The driver was one of Zamparini"s subordinates."Her spirit vision really revealed something important. This could very wellbe the key to victory.""Spirit vision -- that"s something like clairvoyance, right?""Yes. Verethragna"s final incarnation is the [Warrior] wielding the goldensword. We"ve already seen it before, how it was used as spell words forslicing G.o.ds apart. G.o.dou, you probably need to understand the enemy"sdivinity in order to forge the sword. Let"s try it immediately!"Erica spoke with great enthusiasm."Melqart is the king ruling over the Phoenician realm of the G.o.ds. Hisoriginal name is Baal, which he also mentioned before. His myths laterspread to Greece where they became the prototype for the hero Heracles."Erica repeated again what she had said before."Baal is a sky G.o.d with very ancient origins. Did you know his name wasalso clearly recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible? Baal wasconsidered the greatest enemy of the [G.o.d] of Judaism and Christianity. Atthe same time, he was also a divinity which greatly influenced thosemonotheistic religions.""Eh, is that so!?""In the Old Testament of the Bible, those who did not follow monotheismmostly engaged in idol worship of demonic deities. In many cases, this wasBaal because he was the most popular G.o.d worshiped by inhabitants ofthe ancient region of Canaan in the Bible"s Old Testament... What"s thematter?""Hmm... I have a feeling like something is acc.u.mulating... That should bethe description, right?"It felt like a tiny drop of water had fallen into the pool in his heart--That was the impression G.o.dou received after listening to Erica"s profoundwords."It feels like we"re going in the right direction.""Good. Then let"s make the most of our time as I explain Melqart"s originsto you. I think it"ll probably take two to three hours or so, please payattention and listen carefully!"While the car raced along the roads at night, amidst howling winds,splattering rain and roaring thunder, Erica continued to teach with her cleartones and melodic voice.Arriving at the Zamparini mansion in its master"s absence, they continuedin the bedroom where they had spent the previous night.Erica was highly talented whether it came to speaking or teaching. Withgreat clarity and organization, she conveyed "what kind of G.o.d Melqartwas" in simple and easily understood terms even when interjected withrandom chatter.Even so--"Looks like... It"s not working. Why!?"With the storm showing no signs of abating, midnight had arrived. G.o.douclutched his head.While he listened to Erica"s instruction, only a trickle of knowledgemanaged to flow into the pool in his heart. It felt like forging brilliantlyl.u.s.trous golden steel, one particle at a time. However, it was totally notenough."What am I missing!?"It would pose no problem to G.o.dou if he were asked to write atwo-hundred-word essay on Melqart right now. Nevertheless, what onearth was the problem!?"Was Lucretia mistaken...? A spirit vision received by a witch like hershould not be this impractical. Then the problem is -- could it be that?"Erica seemed to have realized something."Hey G.o.dou, can you tell me about the influences of ancient Sumeriancivilizations on the origins of the Ugaritic pantheon headed by Baal?""Of course not. Probably those ancient civilizations like Sumer orMesopotamia?"G.o.dou answered using what vague knowledge he could recall."By the way, Erica, you never taught me that at all.""Well, how about the Phoenicians, Canaanites and Hebrews whoworshiped Baal and equivalently Melqart as their chief deity? Do youunderstand what roles these groups played between the ancient orient andthe Mediterranean?""Of course not. Other than the fact that the Phoenicians were a seafaringtribe, I know nothing.""That must be it!"Erica immediately exclaimed as she shook her head."Right now, you"ve only memorized the concise origins, but you have yet tounderstand the G.o.d"s true nature and process of development. That is whyyou"re unable to use the golden sword...""Simply memorizing and rote learning won"t work!?"G.o.dou was greatly surprised. Nevertheless, he did agree with herstatement."Let alone essays, you could write a book or two using the knowledgerequired... Before we attempt any further, let me ask this first, what exactlydo I need to learn?""Right... For sure, Phoenician history is required. Likewise for knowledgeabout ancient Palestine. Let"s skip Judaism and Christianity which grew outof oriental soil for now since it"d be more appropriate to first understandwhat is considered the most ancient culture, that of the Sumerians. Also,same for Egypt. After that, there is the primitive nomadic society whichgave rise to the existence of the sky G.o.d...""Can this lecture be done within half a day or so?""Are you stupid? Even if you spend two hundred times the time, it"simpossible!"M ii ii iiRealizing the difficulty they faced, G.o.dou and Erica fell silent.In that very instant, a large crash of thunder descended nearby.BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! The crash resounded.Furthermore, blown by strong wind, a broken board smashed into thebedroom window with a great "bang!" With the sound of shattering gla.s.s,raging wind and rain invaded the room."In that case, we might as well do what we can..."Realizing the storm was strengthening, G.o.dou muttered."Erica, in any case, you should tell me all the information you consideressential, one piece at a time. I don"t know if we"ll make it in time, but wemust give our full effort for as long as we"re able to.""That"s a waste of effort. Rather than that, let"s first review our options for amore practical plan."As G.o.dou suggested they continue no matter what, Erica made aproposal."For example, there"s [Instruction] magic, which can pour knowledge intothe mind in very short time... It will be much more practical and efficient incomparison.""Eh? Such convenient magic exists!?""Yes. Although it"s a spell which only maintains its effects for half a day orso, it does allow an entire library of books" worth of knowledge to betransmitted without issue. However, there remains the fact that you are aCampione."Though Erica displayed hope for the first time, she immediately continuedwith an expression of melancholy."Remember how all the magic cast on us was deflected by you? Thateffect not only applies to hostile magic, but also towards beneficial magicas well.""So there"s no other way to remember other than through magic after all...""Well, it"s not like we"re Bianchi, taking shortcuts... Ah."Erica suddenly stopped talking as if she had said something wrong.Furthermore, her beautiful face went all red. G.o.dou was intrigued. Whatwas going on?"You"ve already said this much, don"t just stop there. Continue.""T-There shouldn"t be anything to continue! I refuse to sacrifice anyadditional purity beyond what I"ve already lost! Forget everything you justheard!""W-Wait a minute! Where are you going!?"Erica suddenly ran out of the room, screaming with her face flushed red,completely ignoring G.o.dou"s calls for her to stop. Her figure graduallyreceded in the distance.Part 3Night had pa.s.sed and it was now 11 am the next day.G.o.dou was idling in the Zamparini residence"s astonishingly s.p.a.ciousliving room. It was like a hotel lobby with three very large sofa couches.There was also a large LCD television.Erica had gone missing since last night. After questioning the maids,G.o.dou found out she had apparently left the mansion.G.o.dou had wondered if he should go find her but finally decided against it.He was now sitting alone on a couch, watching television. A local cablenews program was currently airing, reporting live the situation of Palermoafter the storm zone had arrived for half a day.Within the confines of an interior bay in the harbor, what should have beena calm and peaceful sea was now a turbulent storm.The seaside route of Corso Vittorio Emanuele had also flooded.On this city"s bustling street were numerous tourist attractions such asduomo cathedrals or the Palazzo dei Normanni. It also featured sixteenthcentury structures such as Porta Nuova on its west and Porta Felice on theeastern end.Just now, G.o.dou had asked one of Zamparini"s suited subordinates aboutthe situation in the city.There seemed to be an exceptionally intense aura occupying the airs.p.a.ceabove the Bay of Palermo. Melqart was causing the storm from there...That was what the magi had observed.By the way, it really was an exceptionally fierce storm...Though compared to the most severe cla.s.s of storm that G.o.dou knew, thislevel of rain and wind speed was definitely not the highest. From what hecould tell on television, cars could still barely make their way across theroads near the Bay of Palermo. It was not yet the kind of flood whichparalyzed the functioning of an entire city.To Melqart, this storm was probably just a warmup exercise.The attack scheduled to arrive at dusk again, now that would be true divinepunishment descending from the sky G.o.d..."Ultimately, no matter what, I have to face him..."Muttering to himself, G.o.dou felt burdened with a heavy heart.If he simply let the situation develop as before and entered another "duel"against Melqart, the result would likely be identical. He would be killedwithout the slightest idea how to counterattack. Trying to challenge theoutcome again would not bring any changes.With an incredibly gloomy heart, G.o.dou looked up at the images ontelevision.No matter what their size, ships and boats moored at the harbor weregradually washed away.The city streets were flooded as a result of the persisting rainstorm. Thehowling wind was sending signs and timber flying, as well as wooden hutsand building materials such as bricks from some home... Not only werebranches snapped off by the wind, even entire tree trunks could be foundscattered across the streets.The city of Palermo was brought to a tragic state.Melqart had already announced. He will sink this city into the sea today atsunset."I can"t ignore what"s happening, right..."G.o.dou had witnessed all sorts of scenes on the television.This was enough to rouse G.o.dou"s determination. If the one who interferedin the battle between Verethragna the war G.o.d and Melqart the G.o.d ofstorms, if he himself did not handle this situation-Just at that moment, noticing someone behind him, G.o.dou turned aroundto find Erica."What the heck are you doing? You didn"t even try to find me. I can"tbelieve you"re just lazing around in a place like this."Despite Erica"s scolding words, G.o.dou replied calmly."Because I knew you"d return by yourself.""Why?""Since I"m the only one who has the slightest chance of winning, and Erica,you"re the only one who knows the way to victory, if we don"t cooperate,that G.o.d cannot be stopped. I felt that given you"re so smart, you"lldefinitely figure that out and come back. Well--"Seeing that Erica was clearly still angry, G.o.dou continued."Basically, it"s the only choice left given no alternatives... That"s what Ithought.""Isn"t that completely obvious!? Had there been an alternative path ofsurvival, I would never have steeled my heart to return. And to think G.o.douyou are sitting here all casual, it"s truly infuriating!""A-Am I really that casual?"As Erica continued her temper tantrum, G.o.dou was at his wits" end."I"m really worried as I watch this city and island being targeted, you know.""So am I. In order to safeguard a virgin"s purity, sacrificing a city or twowould not be too much -- that"s what I was thinking, but as a knight, I can"treally allow myself to give in to such temptation...""Purity? Didn"t you mention that yesterday as well?"As G.o.dou stood there bewildered, Erica suddenly traced out complicatedpatterns in the air with her finger to form some kind of seal."...This is barrier magic. A spell to prevent anyone from coming in here fornow."She"s making sure we have privacy! G.o.dou felt more and more suspicious."Magic is ineffective against Devil King Campiones. This is a fundamentalprinciple that cannot be overturned. However, exceptions do exist after all.G.o.dou, you"ve already experienced it before.""Eh?""After the battle against Bianchi, I gave you a drug, right? One thatproduces the same effect as performing healing magic on a human. Yourecovered so quickly thanks to that.""Eh? But isn"t magic ineffective against Campiones?""Yes. But through the intake of a magical drug, applying magic to the bodyfrom the inside is a completely different matter.""So, based on what you said yesterday, Erica, if there"s a drug infused withmagic for transmitting knowledge -- all I need to do is swallow it!""That"s exactly the issue. But no such drug exists. Even if it existed, thechances of successfully teaching you all knowledge on Melqart... Is zero."a.s.serting directly, Erica turned to face G.o.dou with a decisive expression."Only one method remains. Applying [Instruction] magic through themouth, pouring all necessary knowledge into you -- I"ve already spent anight in contemplation, there is no other way!"Applying through the mouth? In other words, could it be that?"Could it be, s-something like mouth to mouth!?""Yes. Precisely. Applying magic to you in any other manner will not work."Before they knew it, G.o.dou and Erica found themselves looking at eachother face to face.They were both blushing. After all, this was how embarra.s.sing this kind ofthing was to them."To be that concerned with purity... Erica is actually inexperienced, afterall?""l-lsn"t that obvious? As the daughter of the Blandelli family, of course Iwish to preserve a virgin state for the beloved man I shall marry one day..."Erica confessed despite her trembling lips."However, in any case, because of such extenuating circ.u.mstances, itcan"t be helped. Imagining myself from a [King]"s standpoint, if there was ayoung maiden beside me who possessed the knowledge I required forbattle -- 1 would immediately order her to offer her lips. For the sake ofdueling a G.o.d.""N-No, but that"s terrible!""Which is why I said it can"t be helped -- rather, this is quite unfair. We aresimply doing what we must do. You are fighting because you are [King]. Iam a.s.sisting the [King] as a knight. All for the sake of saving this poorinnocent city and its people."With what appeared to be awe-inspiring honor, as well as the shy heart ofa pure maiden, Erica declared.Furthermore, she began to whisper as she brought her face near G.o.dou"scheek."You should understand clearly now? There"s no other way.""A-Ah yeah. But then, how should I put this--""How indecisive of you... Fine, if you don"t have the courage to do so, I willtake initiative and kiss you first."Declaring courageously, Erica pressed her lips even closer. However.Just as she was about to reach G.o.dou"s lips, her movements stopped.Those l.u.s.trous lips of hers, were trembling nonstop. She must be scaredafter all, hesitating over her first time."G.o.dou. You are the [King] while I am the knight. Hence, this should standas no loss to either you or me."Erica shuddered as she mustered her courage and drew her face closeagain.Consequently, G.o.dou also steeled his determination. After the battleagainst Verethragna, Erica had kept initiative firmly in her hands, but thiscould not be allowed to continue indefinitely.He definitely could not become anyone"s puppet.The most important thing was "decisiveness." As well as the shouldering ofresponsibility. Hence, I shall—"Erica, I will fight Melqart. I"m very sorry, but please lend your strength tome!"While making this declaration, G.o.dou approached with his face -- and tookErica"s lips."Mmm, hmm!?""Teach me, things about that G.o.d."Kissing awkwardly as he muttered. Erica"s lips were sealed."G-Got it. Okay, G.o.dou? Melqart, and equivalently, Baal originated fromthe primitive society of Semitic tribes, a very ancient divinity, you see...""S-Semitic tribes? In concrete terms, that means?""Just ask slowly and gradually, one question at a time. I will teach youproperly -- and transmit to you... Mmmm."Both of them were clearly unaccustomed to this.Kissing as they pressed their lips firmly together, they franticallyconversed. Following such a rhythm, their teeth often collided and theyeven made unnecessary talk.Nevertheless, they continued to hold their lips tightly together.Erica"s magic was transmitting vivid images and bountiful knowledge intoG.o.dou"s mind. Numerous geographical locations and historical drama. Thenames and legends of the G.o.ds who ruled over this great land. For thesake of connecting various elements, and interpreting all kinds ofkeywords..."As Melqart"s true form, Baal is a divinity that could not have beenconceived in a land with four seasons like j.a.pan. He is a G.o.d born from thedesert and the wilderness. Furthermore, he is the [G.o.d of Storms] formedfrom both the searing sun and torrential rains."Pa.s.sionately whispering softly, Erica"s lips felt unbelievably sweet."Records of Baal in literature are extremely few in number. Nevertheless,he frequently makes his appearance in a certain ancient text that survivesin close proximity to us. Namely, the Bible"s Old Testament. Baal"s tracesare actually most commonly found in the sacred text of the religion thatregarded him with enmity."While knowledge was repeatedly transmitted, the two of them kept leaningtheir bodies forward more and more. G.o.dou seemed to be trying to coverup Erica"s mouth completely as he pressed his lips down upon her.Sealed by such pressure, Erica"s lips continued to transmit knowledgewithout pause.However, she did not remain pa.s.sive and reactionary for long.Erica opened her mouth, trying to surround G.o.dou"s lips as she kissed himthis time.Furthermore, she was using her lips to carefully explore G.o.dou"s lips. Eventhe tiniest of s.p.a.ces between their lips were being cautiously compressedas they continued to kiss.Wishing to probe ever deeper, their hearts opened sincerely to each otherand connected.Those were G.o.dou"s hopes, and probably Erica"s too. Thus, their kissingnaturally grew more and more pa.s.sionate as they continued.Perhaps due to their inexperience in this type of behavior, they did notreach overly intense heights.However, their rich and delicate kisses caused saliva to continually escapethe confines of their lips, completely moistening the corners of theirmouths, moving as if under a dreamlike state.Not long after that, the two of them suddenly let go of each other"s lips witha surprised expression, their faces blushing brightly.Immediately, G.o.dou could feel Verethragna"s dormant power in his bodyawaken.The pool of water in his heart that was previously acc.u.mulating in adrop-wise fashion, was flooded all of a sudden -- filling his heart with anincredible sense of satisfaction.It could now be used. What the warlord Verethragna had used once, theG.o.d-severing spell words were now ready for use.Certain he had obtained a new weapon, G.o.dou nodded deeply.Part 4Things were exceptionally awkward afterwards.G.o.dou and Erica were unable to look into each other"s face. No matterwhat, it was too embarra.s.sing.G.o.dou desperately searched his mind for a way to start a conversationwith Erica. However, he was a fifteen-year-old boy with absolutely noexperience in this area. Most probably, he would not be able to find anymodel answer."S-Say, Erica...""Do not speak a single word! There is no need for that... I am totally fine. I,Erica Blandelli, will not lose composure to something like this. This is noshock to me."Cutting G.o.dou off, Erica murmured as she continued comforting herself."Besides... Although there was no choice given the emergency situation, itis still within acceptable limits, even to me. Had the boy I kissed been anearthworm or a hyena, even if those were lips that would drive me to bitemy tongue to commit suicide afterwards, I will not complain a single word.""l-ls that so?""Besides, there also exists the case of the frog prince kissing the princess.So there is nothing strange here anyway. So like I said, I am totally fine."She really seemed quite shocked, but her defiant att.i.tude was definitelyintact.G.o.dou was slightly rea.s.sured. If it would help this glamorous girl recoverher spirits, he did not mind being labelled an earthworm, a frog or anythinglike that. That was what G.o.dou thought in earnest.No matter what it took, he was willing to compensate Erica for going so far.G.o.dou spoke up:"Hey Erica. I"m a pacifist and I hate conflict and violent behavior.Furthermore, the fact that there are no absolutes in the outcomes ofbattles, that is also one of my beliefs.""You seem to be talking to yourself."Finding Erica had recovered slightly, G.o.dou continued."I"m going to confront Melqart next. I definitely will not lose to him.""...Really, definitely?""Ah yes. I can swear on it.""Fine. Very well. In that case I will forgive you completely. G.o.dou, promiseme you will fight for my sake. Furthermore, you must save this island fromMelqart"s threat!""Of course. Leave it all to me!"After that, they did not bring up the topic of [Instruction] again.Erica lifted her face with vigor and swept her hand through the brilliantblonde hair that adorned her head like a crown. G.o.dou was alsodetermined to forget the previous scene and go back to normal.Only the battle lay before them. Erica summoned magi from [Panormus]and ordered them to prepare the car. Their destination was the sea, theBay of Palermo where Melqart was hidden high above in the sky.Gazing through the window of the car, G.o.dou witnessed the city"sstorm-battered state which could not be seen through television.Due to the severe weather, there were few pedestrians about.Overwhelming drainage systems, rainwater flooded the streets withvolumes on the level of a small river. Nevertheless, thanks to the heightand water resistance offered by the 4WD vehicle, they managed to reachthe main road along the sh.o.r.e. This was Via Cala facing the Bay ofPalermo.G.o.dou and Erica got off the vehicle before the s.p.a.cious yacht harbor thatwas once a trading port."While handing matters over to [Panormus] to handle yesterday,apparently all the people in the buildings and facilities along the sh.o.r.ehave been evacuated. There"s basically no one in the area, so it"s fineeven if you ignore the issue of casualties.""If anyone stayed near such a turbulent sea, they could be engulfed bygiant waves at any time."The Bay of Palermo had been an excellent harbor since pre-era times, forit was an extremely calm inner bay. But currently, this stretch of sea wasas turbulent as outer waters during storms.Pelted by the rainwater of the raging storm, G.o.dou"s and Erica"s clotheswere instantly drenched.It was currently two in the afternoon. If they failed to defeat Melqart beforedusk, the city of Palermo would be sunk into the sea-With a glance from G.o.dou, Erica immediately took off. Her a.s.signed rolewas to provide support as the situation demanded while keeping a certaindistance.In a battle against a G.o.d, it would be too dangerous to fight in a formationlike in an RPG.That was what G.o.dou learnt from Zamparini"s example. Like Erica haddone last time, it was best to have his comrades stay back in reserve sothat they can react according to changes in the situation."Are you there, Melqart!? Please respond to my challenge now!"G.o.dou yelled out to sea as he endured the rain splattering upon him.Immediately, lightning flashed."Oh! The G.o.d-slayer of the orient! How resilient of you to survive!""Yeah. So what!?"G.o.dou shouted loudly in response to the G.o.d"s voice accompanied by therumbles of roaring thunder."Kukuku... As Melqart who vanquished his own elder brother the dragonking Yam^, I seem to have gone a little senile. Could it be possible that Iactually failed to discern my enemy"s strength in reserve! Though there aremany G.o.ds carrying the attribute of immortality, you seem to possess thesame authority, brat!"The raging storm suddenly stopped.A fissure opened up between the thick and heavy thunderclouds, allowingsunshine to reach the ground.A [Heretic G.o.d] was present within the beam of light. His appearance wasidentical to the Phoenician divine king G.o.dou had faced in the ruins on theisland of Sardinia.The strongly built man was covered with bulging musculature andoverflowing with an air of wild roughness. His tousled hair always left astrong impression on others. His attire consisted of a tattered mantle ofgrubby cloth, leather breastplate and sandals. Nevertheless, in contrast tohis coa.r.s.e attire, his entire body emanated a [King]"s terrifying splendor.And he was very huge. Melqart"s height stood at 15m or so."Brat, the authority you managed to usurp from Verethragna certainlyproves to be rather versatile. However, I would advise you not to entrustyour hopes to clever little powers. Against the unrelenting hunter ofdragons, Melqart the embodiment of lightning, the warlord of the changingforms is nothing but a minor character!""So what. Even if you are indeed the ancient [King] of the G.o.ds."G.o.dou looked up at the giant descending along with the sun"s rays."You are definitely not invincible, nor are you an existence who knowsnothing of defeat. But that guy -- Verethragna, claimed to be the strongest,most victorious, and never defeated. Well, even though it sounds a bitstrange to say it myself, still, the odds don"t seem that stacked against me.""Oh? You sound like you know everything about me, eh..."Giant Melqart landed on the main road by the sh.o.r.e, laughing delightfully."Nevertheless, the battlefield is not decided by fighting words but arrowsand blades as well as fists. I shall do well to teach this lesson to your bodythoroughly!""Nay. Words can become power and turn into swords. Have you forgotten,Melqart?!"Words continuously surfaced in G.o.dou"s mind.He already understood. These were spell words. The scripture forcontrolling the war G.o.d"s authority.The incantations for summoning and raising the power dormant inKusanagi G.o.dou"s body."Your power was once sliced apart by that guy"s words, right? If you reallybelieve that I failed to inherit that power, isn"t it too early for jumping toconclusions!? --I am the strongest!"Hearing G.o.dou"s spell words, Melqart went "Hmm" and entered a stance."Brat, you"ve usurped his blade -- the brilliant golden sword!?""Yes! Behold the words of this incantation, both eloquent and powerful. Iam the sword of wisdom, that which tears foes apart. I am the strongest,for I am the one holding all victory in my hands. I shall smash through allenemies in my way!"Turning into Verethragna"s final incarnation, G.o.dou unleashed the goldensword.Flashing light gradually flooded the surroundings."Melqart is a G.o.d born in the ancient Middle East. Baal is his true name. Hewas originally the [Sky] -- the G.o.d worshiped by primitive nomadic tribeswho tended to sheep and lived upon them. In ancient times, people viewedthis G.o.d as the infinite unbounded sky itself!"Several tiny spheres of light manifested in response to these words.At first there were only ten or so, but very soon their numbers multiplied.Each and every one of them was brilliantly golden in color.This was the [Sword] indeed. The G.o.d-severing golden blade."Central Asian nomadic tribes -- such as the Mongolians, also deified the[Sky] in a similar manner. However, Baal, and equivalently, Melqartbelongs to the Middle East... A G.o.d born in the land of the orient. He is notsimply a G.o.d of the sky, for he has one greatest attribute. Namely, the G.o.dof the [Rainy Season]!"The ultimate ident.i.ty of the G.o.d before him. The surrounding brightnessincreased as he continued to chant -- before he knew it there were over athousand flashing spheres of light hovering all around G.o.dou.Bright as the countless stars that fill the night sky, it was like a sparklinggalaxy."In the land of the Middle East where the dry and the rainy seasons aredistinct and separate, "storms" only arrive during the rainy season.Accompanied by the raging wind of cyclones and land sinking from thepouring rain, lightning descends from the sky. Nevertheless, becausestorms bring rainwater ~ without the benefits brought by this water, plantsand animals, and even humans would certainly fail to survive. Though your"storms" cause the death of many, it is also the nourishment of life!""Hmph -- true words. I am the storm of the rainy season. The G.o.d whoembodies both blessing and destruction from the sky!"Melqart yelled."Now I shall test the results of your sword forged from words of wisdom. OWind, O Rain, O Thunder!"These too, were spell words.Like the ones used by G.o.dou, they were words carrying power."By Melqart"s true name of Baal Hadad, I summon! O Storm, listen to thecalls of the cloud rider, make haste and come!"Melqart"s muscular body dissociated to become violent wind. Furthermore,hundreds of flashes of lightning were fired in all directions."You are the sky G.o.d of storms worshiped by the nomadic tribes. Thesepeople soon started to engage agricultural settlers who worshiped G.o.ds ofthe land and the sea, eventually subjugating them with overwhelmingmilitary might!""Kukuku... The weak should bow down to the strong. This is the truth of theworld!""The G.o.ds of the land and the sea worshiped by farmers who lived invillages and towns, were indeed symbolized by the sacred beast, the[Dragon]. Hence, Baal, and equivalently Melqart, is the hunter of dragons!"Emulating Verethragna, G.o.dou spoke profound words. All this was for thesake of making the sword sharper and more effective."Becoming the enemy of settled peoples, you took on the appearance of asavage giant who vanquished dragons. Thereafter, the coa.r.s.e savagebegan ruling as [King], as tyrannical as the storms. This is Baal, or in otherwords, Melqart"s true nature!"G.o.dou yelled out the origins of the sky G.o.d before him and beganmanipulating the [Sword].A portion of the golden light flew around its user, dancing haphazardly. Theraging wind which should have blown G.o.dou away was sliced apart,disappearing instantly.The lightning and thunder that should have burnt G.o.dou to a crisp, werealso annihilated a hair"s breadth away from him, leaving only the distinctiveodors of ions."I am the strongest bearer of victory. Obstructions, be dismissed from mypath!"This time, G.o.dou chanted Verethragna"s scripture in order to attack.Several dozen golden lights flew towards Melqart, aiming to slice apart theG.o.d"s main body.Tsk!"Fifteen-meter-tall Melqart took a flying leap. Despite his ma.s.sive body, hewas truly worthy of his t.i.tle as the king of storms. As the wielder of agilewind and keen thunder, he dodged the spheres of light most splendidly.Melqart proceeded to hover in the sky, shouting majestically."Very well, G.o.d-slayer! I too shall call upon my weapons to engage you whohas drawn your sword. O Yagrush, O Ayamur, the cloud rider Baalsummons you two!"Responding to his commands, the magic club Yagrush flew out of emptys.p.a.ce. Following in succession, the one flying out from the thundercloudswas naturally Ayamur.These were the sacred weapons of Baal that had sent G.o.dou to his gravethe day before."d.a.m.n it... As expected, I can"t win that easily!"G.o.dou smacked his lips. Melqart knew very well. When an enemyperforms a threatening attack, one would be forced to concentrate ondefense. If the G.o.d of storms fell for that, G.o.dou would calmly attack withthe [Sword] and slice through the enemy along with the defensive barrier.Hence, he did the opposite.Not only did he eschew defense, Melqart went for offense instead. This inturn made G.o.dou aware of his own need to defend."Yagrush the Chaser, Ayamur the Driver! Charging swiftly, flying swiftly,sweep everything away!""Evildoers shall never triumph over me! Tremble before the greatness ofmy strength!"In order to control their respective loyal weapons, G.o.d and G.o.d-slayerchanted spell words simultaneously.Part 5Under Erica Blandelli"s careful gaze, the battle was gradually approachinga climax."By my renown as the lion-hunting and dragon-slaying hero, I herebycommand, fly across the sky!"Melqart chanted spell words and brandished his weapons. Namely, violentwind and lightning.With hurricane force, powerful gusts of wind rampaged and swept acrossPalermo"s sh.o.r.e. Whether made of stone or steel-reinforced concrete,buildings creaked noisily under the strain. Cars parked on the roadsidewere blown tumbling while boats and ships moored at the pier werewashed into the sea.Furthermore, lightning continually shot out from the dark clouds,incinerating the land.The next target of the raging wind and lightning, was naturally KusanagiG.o.dou. Like a ma.s.sive tidal wave crashing down upon him, the wind andthunder rushed towards the youth who commanded thousands of star-likelights.However, these spheres of light surrounding G.o.dou did not lose to theraging wind and lightning.Sparkling gems of light -- the [Sword] born from Verethragna"s spell wordsflew around nimbly, tracing out radiant trails in the air.Sliced by the brilliant spheres, the storm was instantly neutralized,returning to calm serenity.The thunder was eviscerated in the same manner, and the temperatureand impact of the lightning was rendered equally harmless.The [Sword] successfully sealed away Melqart"s authority. On furtherthought, these light spheres numbered over a thousand. Properly arrangedinto a defensive formation, they should be almost impenetrable.When a swordsman held perfect defensive capabilities, it was standardprocedure to patiently search for openings in the attacking side. Waiting forthe attacker"s momentum to subside, and for attacks to wear out. But in thecurrent situation, the presence of Yagrush and Ayamur did not allowG.o.dou to do that.The first club, Yagrush, was enveloped in gales.Flying up, down, left, right, freely across the four cardinal directions, itattacked from all sides and angles like raging wind, trying to snipe G.o.doufrom a spot where the sword formation of light could not defend.The second club, Ayamur, was shrouded in lightning.Rapidly descending towards G.o.dou in a straight line, it gave off intenseheat like burning charcoal. Though its attack trajectory was simple anddirect, it travelled extremely quickly, with lightning speed no matter howyou looked at it."By these words of truth, I bestow protection upon myself. Know that Icannot be vanquished!"Feeling slightly anxious, G.o.dou composed spell words once again,desperately trying to endure.Using several dozen spheres of the [Sword], G.o.dou sealed off the path ofYagrush and its accompanying gales descending from behind, intending tooverwhelm and slice it to pieces. However, the wind and the club soonpenetrated the blades of light and returned to the sky.Immediately after that, Ayamur came flying like lightning, prompting G.o.douto attempt to eliminate it with a counterattack.However, it too failed to be sliced. Instead, Ayamur was deflected by the[Sword] and sent flying back like a tennis ball which had been struck by aracquet."Guh~!"Yagrush and Ayamur"s offensive powers transcended ordinary wind andthunder.G.o.dou endured it all. The weapon he controlled was not a real sword but amagical blade constructed from spell words."...Perhaps a Campione"s authority manifests in a form that is most naturalfor the possessor to control."Erica murmured to herself. The Eastern European Devil King, MarquisVoban, started out completely unversed in martial arts and magic, just likeG.o.dou. Nevertheless, he fought like a ferocious beast by summoningpacks of demonic wolves using his [Legion of Hungry Wolves] authority,even turning himself into a wolf.That took place in the first half of the nineteenth century.At the time, there existed mercenary teams of magi who relied on flamemagic and the latest firearms and weaponry to obtain great firepower. Theywere active as soldiers in the special forces of various powerful nations.And the one who exterminated them all, was Marquis Voban during hisdays as a youth.In addition, a mysterious war G.o.d had descended somewhere in Europeduring that time.In order to slaughter the G.o.d"s sacred forces, the Marquis had gathered hisown demonic army under his command.Nicknamed the "King of Wisdom," the elderly Campione repeatedlyengaged in intense and b.l.o.o.d.y battles against his peers. It was a legendestablished in a matter of years by a vagabond youth.Currently, Erica could very well be witnessing the opening scene of asimilar story.As the protagonist of the current story, G.o.dou was desperately defendingagainst Melqart"s attacks. However, signs of anxiety could be seen fromthe side of his face. It was perfectly clear from his expression.As much as she wished to deny it, perhaps certain bonds were solidifyingbetween the two of them for some reason.Precisely because of this, right?Without any other choice, she had undertaken the ritual of [Instruction]together with him. In response to G.o.dou"s demands, Erica had immersedherself in the required behavior. Simply recalling the event was enough tomake her cheeks hot."It was a mistake that happened in the heat of the moment due to thosecirc.u.mstances. Regardless, as the one who became the seventhCampione, he is not a man suitable for Erica Blandelli..."As Erica grumbled to herself, she focused her attention on the battle oncemore.With many dangerously close encounters, G.o.dou continued to defendagainst Melqart"s wind and thunder as well as the attacks conducted byYagrush and Ayamur. However, Erica was certain.He was getting anxious after all. In addition, he seemed to be hesitatingover something-!The instant she realized, Erica had already summoned Cuore di Leone intoher right hand.At the same time, her surcoat also manifested and wrapped around her.This sacred protective garment, patterned with rossonero stripes, was onlyallowed to be worn by great knights of the [Copper Black Cross]."Clearly you are already a G.o.d-slayer, but why do you still keep bringingtrouble to others!?"For some reason, Erica actually felt happy about this.The gales and thunder on the battlefield were as turbulent as Whitewaterrapids. Nevertheless, she advanced towards the youth in the very center.Even if she could not reach his side, it was sufficient as long as she couldget within hearing distance.The brave smile of a lioness flashed spectacularly across her face for aninstant."As expected of a G.o.d, this won"t be easy to finish..."G.o.dou muttered to himself.Were Melqart"s attacks limited to wind and lightning, defending would notbe too difficult. But Yagrush and Ayamur, lying in wait using the storm forcover, were truly terrifying. It was completely impossible to predict when orwhere the two magic clubs would suddenly attack."Chaser and Driver, pursue with all your might! May the ocean be exiled,and even the sea currents crushed!"Melqart stood upright within the storm, composing spell words.In response to his summons, wind and thunder sprang into action, asYagrush and Ayamur continued to fly in the sky.To protect himself from the attacks of the two clubs, G.o.dou kept using the[Sword] for defense.His manner of control was completely self-styled. As Yagrush came flyingin a circular trajectory -- this could be considered the "ball" while thenumerous blades of light acted as the "glove."Vivid images of catching penetrating batted b.a.l.l.s surfaced in memory.Thus, the [Sword] moved swiftly and blocked Yagrush splendidly.Immediately, lightning-powered Ayamurflew with amazing speed.This recalled impressions of batting against pitches of strong fastb.a.l.l.s.Similarly, the [Sword] spectacularly struck the lightning-speed clubsquarely, sending it rebounding with a clang."Well, it"s not too different from baseball after all..."G.o.dou knew this was simply his nonsensical comparison, but it turned outto be surprisingly effective. However, another emerging problem could notbe ignored. The blades of spell words were gradually decreasing innumber.It was like a bladed tool which dulled with each use--!At the beginning, there were roughly a thousand spheres of light, but nowonly about half remained. He definitely had to switch to offense before allthe light spheres disappeared.However, Melqart was also initiating even more intense a.s.saults. Ragingwind and lighting began a boisterous dance. Furthermore, Yagrush andAyamur which hounded G.o.dou towards his demise, were attacking withever increasing ferocity.G.o.d