Chapter 5 - Black Blade, Hitherto UnawakenedPart 1Directed by the G.o.ddess, lightning descended from the thunderclouds.G.o.dou, Yuri and Ena had jumped into the stream together. They did notmind immersing themselves up to their knees. After all, they were going toget completely wet later."Take this, Yuri. For tying everyone together!"Ena tossed a ball of red thread to her fellow Hime-Miko.It looked like the type of thread used for sewing. Yuri apparently knew howto use it already. Simply replying "Very well!", she caught the ball of thread.Next, Ena took out a small wooden toy.Simply stated, it was a mini-sized "raft." Ten-odd wooden rods had beencut down to the same dimensions and bound together with string.Placing this "raft" on her forehead, Ena chanted spell words."The one who effects wondrous change shall enact a miracle."Then with a cry of "Ei!" she tossed the "raft" into the stream.The palm-sized "raft" expanded in size as it fell into the water, transformingunbelievably into a real raft. G.o.dou realized at this time.This was the j.a.panese version of the magic Erica used to transform herbeloved sword."Because Ena already performed a secret "rite" on this thing, it should bequite reliable. It is much st.u.r.dier than normal rafts built from wood!"The make-shift raft created using wizardry was a square roughly threemeters long. Explaining, its maker was the first person to sit down on it.G.o.dou and Yuri immediately followed.The make-shift raft started to move along with the stream.Whitewater rafting by inexperienced amateurs. A terrifying challenge wasabout to begin.— Woooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaah!G.o.dou and the girls screamed as they clung onto the raft.The one-eyed giant — the cyclops. After being blown away by the [Boar],this monster had stumbled and crawled his way to the stream, reaching outwith his ma.s.sive arm.Nevertheless, the giant on his last breath exhausted all his strength at thistime and collapsed into dust.But just as the trio breathed a sigh of relief, the G.o.ddess" voice was heardfrom the sky."Are you going to flee as well, Kusanagi-sama!? Indeed, speaking of thevarious G.o.d-slayers of the current generation, they are all great indomitableheroes who flee with such alacrity as though they had wings!"Her words were filled with sarcastic laughter. Furthermore..."Nevertheless, I will never give up on you, Kusanagi-sama! Fufu, I shallprepare a new a.s.sa.s.sin to replace the slain minions. Flee as much as youlike. So long as I live, the day of your sucessful escape from this islandshall never arrive!"She was issuing a warning. However, the G.o.ddess did not seem like sheintended to pursue personally.Was she taking precautions because she was cut by Ama no Murak.u.mono Tsurugi?In any case, getting far away from the G.o.ddess as quickly as possible wasa good thing.By the time G.o.dou turned his attention back to his surroundings, the soundof thunder was already quite distant. Thanks to riding the flow of thestream, they had now left behind the Fire G.o.ddess hidden in thethunderclouds.However, the make-shift raft was not comfortable at all.Due to following raging rapids, the feeling was naturally akin to a rodeo.The raft kept jumping up at times while sinking into the water on otheroccasions. The up and down feeling was quite frightening."By the way, you mentioned some kind of "rite" just now. What is that?"G.o.dou yelled while being shaken violently.Although it was a model handcrafted by Ena, this raft give off a feeling as ifit were made of antique timber. Why?"Uh, it"s that thing. Amakasu mentioned it before. Using popularterminology, I guess you could call it a shikigami spirit. Because this [Rite]was pa.s.sed down in the Seishuuin family and used over the generations,it"s quite effective!""Ah yeah, that thing you see in television and movies!"Called onmyoudou or onmyouji."-^ G.o.dou recalled the relevant knowledge.It seemed to be something quite unexpectedly valuable. But sitting herewithout seat belts, one could easily fall off at any time. The trio hung ondesperately with both hands as they sat on the wooden raft. As theystayed in this state, a short while pa.s.sed —"O Kukuri no Himegami, I beseech you to watch over these skills of threadspinning and tying!"Yuri chanted spell words presently.She seemed to be concentrating her thoughts into the ball of thread shewas clutching tightly in her hand."Everyone, please lie down!"G.o.dou and Ena did as she instructed. Yuri also laid herself face down onthe raft.Then the thread she was clutching began to move on its own. Like spider"ssilk, it flew out of the Hime-Miko"s hand!The thread wrapped itself around the raft, layer after layer.G.o.dou, Yuri and Ena looked as though they were tied up face down asthey lay on the raft. In any case, using the raft as a base, the three of themwere bound together by thread.The thread wrapped around them repeatedly for ten-odd layers, bindingG.o.dou and the girls securely.G.o.dou sensed magical power from the thread. This was probably no meresewing equipment but a real wizardry apparatus."This thread is strong enough to withstand cuts from bladed weapons.Except for special circ.u.mstances, it will not break at all!"In other words, this thread was as strong as metal wires.Nevertheless, this did not change the fact that they were engaged in alife-threatening event.The raft continued to rise up and down on the water surface due to theimpact of the rapid currents.Water splashed into their faces repeatedly and the raft dipped many timesunderwater. Even when it floated back to the surface, they did not get thatfeeling of salvation from death. The possibility of drowning crossedeveryone"s mind.With such momentum and speed, the raft kept colliding into certain objectsas the water currents pushed forward —Ena had said "much st.u.r.dier than normal," but how st.u.r.dy was it exactly?There would be collisions with rocks as well as driftwood, right?Dangerous elements were innumerable if one tried to count them all. Thiswas the current situation.During this time of danger, the two Hime-Miko by G.o.dou"s side performedspells to their best ability."O Great G.o.d of Arms! Hasten forth to welcome our arrival at this land ofthe rising sun!""O Sai no Kami, please grant us your mercy and bless us along the roadahead!"Ena prayed to the guardian deity of warriors while Yuri pleaded to theguardian deity of travelers for protection.The Hime-Miko had been praying nonstop all this time. This was probablywhat Ena had meant when she said to "keep casting all the protective,disaster warding and anti-drowning spells you can think of."Since things have come to this, all Kusanagi G.o.dou could do was believein them.That said, faced with dangers he was powerless against, G.o.dou could feelnothing but fright. Compared to a battle against G.o.ds, he lamented witheven greater feeling —"l-l almost thought I was a goner...""S-Same here. To be honest, I was thinking I would never live to step footon j.a.panese soil again...""Oh my... How intense... In all sorts of ways..."G.o.dou, Yuri and Ena finally relaxed and muttered.Counting from the time they started the deadly voyage, an hour hadalready pa.s.sed.The raft the trio was riding managed to survive. Along the way, the currentbrought them into collisions with hard rocks many times. Every single time,there was nothing they could do but pray to the heavens. There were alsoseveral times when the raft endured impacts with hard objects with a loud"crash."In the end, they capsized roughly three times (although miraculously, theraft righted itself every time).In spite of all that, this raft that barely counted as a boat still endured,transporting the trio to this place.Fortunately, there were no waterfalls along the way. The water currentpushing the raft was quite gentle now. This was because they had left themountains and finally reached flat lowlands.Seeing that it was safe, Yuri had released the thread of wizardry a shortwhile ago.Although they were completely drenched, the trio could at least relax andrest on the raft after what seemed like eternity."By the way, your anti-drowning spells were really effective, Mariya andSeishuuin."G.o.dou thanked them sincerely from the bottom of his heart.Although their prayers did not show visible effects, he could not attributethe safe outcome of their reckless rafting to any other reason."Yes. It seems like there were more benefits than expected.""To think you would say "it seems like"... Didn"t you guarantee it was goingto succeed with full confidence?"G.o.dou smiled wryly in response to Ena"s exclamation.However, he noticed Yuri making an expression as if she wanted to saysomething."Oh dear, those spells do not have "visible effects on use" after all. Theyfeel more like invisible protection.""Y-Yes. Which is why we were able to arrive here safe and sound. What arelief.""It probably wouldn"t have worked if Ena was alone. But since Yuri is sucha good girl, Ena believed she would surely find a way to overcome alldifficulties.""Ena-san, please do not rely excessively on these spells in those kinds ofsituations..."I see. So that method of escape was actually beyond Ena"s expectations,huh?G.o.dou was utterly shocked. This brave attempt at rafting was perhaps anexceptionally risky gamble. That said, the fact of the matter was they weresaved as a result. After all, being carried by the water current like thiseliminated the need to walk, thus reducing Yuri"s burden greatly."So long as we ended up alright, I guess I shouldn"t fuss over it..."G.o.dou sighed as he spoke. Oh well, they were safe anyway.While the leader exhibited his natural easygoing personality, the voyagecontinued without incident.The one rowing was Ena who had somehow brought out an oar and wascasually charting their course. Despite lacking prior rafting experience, sheseemed quite used to using this type of oar.From the raft they could observe tropical rainforest scenery on theriverbank, quite different compared to the mountainous view in themountains. The temperature was also much higher, prompting G.o.dou andthe girls to take off their jackets.A tropical zone. The land of constant summer heat again.The clothes drenched from raftting should air dry rather quickly.Soon after, the salty smell of the sea drifted across the river surface,announcing the ocean"s approach.The trio looked at one another, recalling a particular warning. So long asthe G.o.ddess is alive, Kusanagi G.o.dou was absolutely unable to escape theisland. So, what exactly was going to happen — ?Before boarding the raft, the trio had abandoned their burdensomerucksacks.Currently, they were only carrying minimal possessions such as waterbottles. Also, everyone should be quite tired from the rowdy farce thatlasted until now. G.o.dou particularly wanted Yuri to have a rest.Calculating thus, G.o.dou decided to make a rest stop nearby and regroup.As the sun set, the second night arrived on the island in the demonicrealm.The trio of G.o.dou, Yuri and Ena was currently on a beach by the seash.o.r.e.Everyone was gazing towards the ocean beneath the night sky. Soon after,a boat sped across the sea to enter the cove that served as the entranceto the island.The engine-powered boat advanced nimbly, arriving at the beach whereG.o.dou"s group was waiting."Thank you for waiting patiently.""The important thing is that everyone is safe and sound!"The new arrivals at the beach were Erica Blandelli and Liliana Kranjcar.After reaching the beach, Yuri"s psychic sensing could be used freely.They had contacted the knights and decided to meet up tonight here.Instead of flight magic, the knights traveled by boat in order to bringprovisions such as food and water.But after a brief delightful reunion, they sat in a circle to hold a seriousconference.Due to illumination by the moon and the stars, there was no need to useflashlights."Reaching the seash.o.r.e is a good thing, but I"m positive making an exitwon"t be so easy for me."G.o.dou spoke with resignation."However, it"s different for everyone else — ""Are you asking the four of us to depart from the island, leaving behindKusanagi G.o.dou alone?""How utterly inane. On the contrary, this is the only point that is a littlefresh. But you couldn"t really be considering that, G.o.dou?"Liliana and Erica glared with reprimanding gazes.Well, I expected this sort of reaction. G.o.dou shrugged and stopped whathe was going to say.Hence, Yuri spoke up instead."The labyrinthine magical effects that fills this island... I believe it is indeedPrince Alec"s authority. After hearing His Highness" name mentioned by theG.o.ddess, I saw the same G.o.d"s sacred name that I once saw at the floatingisland.""Cretan civilization"s divine king, Minos huh? A deity of the earth withconnections to Poseidon."Liliana nodded."Yes. The authority Prince Alec used before... I believe the G.o.ddess islikely sustaining it through some sort of magic.""How terrible. So what extent of divine magic does this G.o.ddess possess?"As Ena grumbled about the enemy"s myriad magical powers, Ericainterjected:"A witch enslaving heroes as well as a sun deity... Although I can think ofseveral names, jumping to conclusions at this juncture seems toodangerous. The issue of the "Pan-Eurasian hero" also needs to beresolved.""A witch related to a hero from some country huh? No idea.""Let"s either wait for more decisive clues or when Yuri receives a spiritvision. Right now, we"re a little short on both."Erica and Ena nodded to each other. On the side, Liliana lamented withchagrin:"Furthermore, to think Verethragna"s incarnations would be stolen...Kusanagi G.o.dou, please be careful. The reduction of available combatpotential is a huge problem — ""Hmm?""Now that you have lost the [Ram], this means that you cannot revive asusual when suffering from fatal injuries.""True, but being excessively cautious isn"t good either."Although he nodded to acknowledge the blue knight"s advice, G.o.doureplied:"If one falters in the face of a G.o.d, the already miniscule chance of victoryshrinks further into nothingness. Oh well, I just have to go all out with whatI have. Furthermore — "Suddenly remembering, G.o.dou looked at his right arm. His "partner" wasstill available and ready."I still have Ama no Murak.u.mo. Although as a weapon, it"s not that easy touse."This was not complaining or grumbling but simply what G.o.dou thought.He did not think he could use Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi effectively asa weapon. Perhaps this was just as well, since swords were suchdangerous existences.Oh well, if the divine sword wanted to go on a rampage, it was probablygoing to be disappointed."Your Majesty, Ena will work hard too. Because Ama no Murak.u.mo is Enaand Your Majesty"s partner."Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi"s real user stated.Perhaps Ena had already secretly heard the grumblings of this "partner."Imagining this to himself, G.o.dou went "I"m sorry" to apologize.The situation was a bit — no, it was quite pessimistic. But in spite of all that,so long as there is a will, there should be a way... G.o.dou resolved himselfin this manner.Part 2After the reunion and the conference ended, the team set up their tents tocamp for the night.The tents were part of the equipment Erica and Liliana transported with theboat. Just like last night, they were going to rotate in shifts and have oneperson keeping watch while the others slept. As before, morning arrivedwithout incident.G.o.dou finished breakfast and was feeling tense in antic.i.p.ation of theupcoming battle against the G.o.ddess today —But the current situation was not especially tense. In fact, one could say itwas the opposite.A tropical zone"s dazzling sunlight. The weather today was exceptionallysunny.A white beach. Completely free from pollution, this demonic realm"s beachwas truly pure and pristine. Beautiful beyond compare.There was the ocean as well. Facing this South Seas region of constantsummer was a clear, bottomless, emerald-green ocean.Gathered here were girls in swimsuits, displaying their figures with freedomand delight..."No. Going swimming in this kind of situation, what on earth are theythinking?"G.o.dou reproached calmly.The sight before him consisted of attractive maidenly figures that made himembarra.s.sed to stare directly.But in this case, the situation was already developed. With common sense,full presence of mind and the spirit of critical appraisal, G.o.dou turned hisindifferent gaze towards the girls" gorgeous appearances.First was Erica. G.o.dou originally expected her to wear a red swimsuit asusual, but that was not the case.Instead, it was a white bikini. Nevertheless, the two colors representing thea.s.sociation she belonged to — red and black — were used to line the edgesof her swimsuit as decoration. This style of swimsuit, self-a.s.sertivelyemphasizing her proportions to an excessive degree, was on the otherhand —Quite usual of her.Then there was Liliana, who adhered to her usual color by wearing a bluebikini with a black pareo wrapped around her waist. Untying the pareo, herastoundingly slim figure and slender limbs exhibited charm akin to that of aprofessional beach volleyball player.Yuri was also dressed in a bikini-style outfit.Her swimsuit"s elegance and pink material were quite suited to her.According to G.o.dou"s memory, Yuri only wore one-piece swimsuits in thepast. She was actually not very comfortable dressed like this, right?Looking quite embarra.s.sed, Yuri attempted to hide behind the other girls.But it was impossible to hide. Despite Yuri"s slender physique, her bustand posterior regions were rich with a curvaceous sense of fullness, clearlyvisible due to wearing a bikini.Finally there was Ena.Just as expected, she was wearing a bikini.However, its two-piece design had an especially adult flavor.Although Ena"s personality was cheerful and innocent, her figure rivaledErica in splendor. Furthermore, her waist-length black hair was full ofl.u.s.ter. Standing on the beach dressed in a black bikini like this, she gaveoff an incredible sense of maturity as well as the charm of a mysteriousyoung beauty.Equally beautiful. This was a blooming display of attractive young women."We"re about to fight a deity. Why are you girls dressed like that?""G.o.dou, your way of thinking is too shallow."The one who rebuffed his common sense commentary was naturally Erica."Indeed, the battle is imminent. However, we still don"t know when it"llbegin, right?"G.o.dou frowned at what she pointed out.She was right. The G.o.ddess" abilities were powerful and varied. In anycase, surely she already knew her quarry was at the beach sinceyesterday. But yet she had not made any appearance.Was she planning on preventing them from going out to sea, to instill asense of despair?Or perhaps, banking on her advantage of being able to strike at any time,she intended to let the hunted prey, G.o.dou, fall into anxiety and unease?"It is not a good thing to wait nervously for an enemy whose arrival time isuncertain. You"ll just get all worked up for nothing. Rather, wouldn"t it bebetter to relax without compromising alertness excessively? Also, this ispreparation.""I don"t understand that logic... But anyway, why a swim in the ocean?""Because we were going to be walking around the island, sufficientswimwear was prepared beforehand for everyone. Since we brought themhere already, it"d be a waste not to use them. Also, isn"t this simply morefun?"So this was the argument Erica used to convince the girls.Turning his gaze, G.o.dou found Yuri going "Seriously, Erica-san, thisagain..." with a troubled expression, but the honors student did not seemlike she was going to voice her objections.Liliana also went "well, this is also battle experience" and simply stoodback with a sour look. One could ridicule the fact of her preparedness incasually bringing a lifebuoy.Speaking of Ena, she was smiling with her usual att.i.tude."Yes yes. Even if we waited with discipline akin to staying awake all nightin a besieged situation, nothing good would come out of it."Oh well, perhaps they really were right.G.o.dou nodded and Erica smiled tenderly as she tossed male swimwearover to him.After changing behind a rock, G.o.dou found the four girls frolicking in theseawater, their playful laughter greatly adding to the beach atmosphere.To avoid exhaustion, he probably should not swim too strenuously."Your Majesty, please come over here for a while!"Just as G.o.dou was about to enter the water for a light swim, Ena calledhim."Oh my, since Your Majesty is in a position of waiting for the enemy toarrive at this encampment, Ena thinks Your Majesty should make a displayof solemn dignity. Yeah, something that feels suited to a king"s position.""Say, Seishuuin, I don"t think sea bathing has anything to do with position.""Okay okay. Come, let"s sit here for a bit."Invited to a patch of cool sand next to the sea, G.o.dou did as he was told.As G.o.dou puzzled over Ena"s intentions, the Hime-Miko of the swordswiftly took a seat by his left. Then she pressed her body close to him,leaning with all her weight!The tender supple sensation caused G.o.dou to shudder in surprise.But unlike Erica, this did not convey the kind of alarming feeling as if theposture would progress into something even more intimate. Perhaps thiswas actually what made Ena so perfect?"W-What are you doing!?""Ena saw this in a foreign teledrama once. Like a mafia boss guy sitting bythe poolside with two ladies waiting on him, drinking c.o.c.ktails. YourMajesty should do that too. Yuri, come over for a while!"Ena called to her childhood friend who was a short distance away. Overthere, Liliana was floating casually in the water, sitting on a lifebuoy thatserved as a piece of the boat"s lifesaving equipment. Yuri was also wearinga lifebuoy and the two girls seemed to be playing together happily.Called by Ena, Yuri turned her head to look and hence discovered thesituation."W-What are you two doing over there!?""Fufu, you should hurry over here, Yuri. The two of us will play the roles ofHis Majesty"s lovers together.""You two, please do not engage in this type of behavior during the daytime,especially outdoors.""Guh... What a situation of utter depravity! Even Kusanagi G.o.dou could notpossibly do that!""It"s not like that, Mariya and Liliana! Seishuuin decided this all on herown — ""l-ln that case, G.o.dou-san, you should hurry and separate from her.""O-Oh yeah."Conditioned by past scenes of being held captive in Erica"s forceful grip,G.o.dou had forgotten that Ena did not possess the same kind of monstrousstrength. G.o.dou immediately stood up, forcibly struggling free from theHime-Miko"s body.However, someone else immediately pounced on him from somewhere.G.o.dou could feel an elastic and supple sensation on his back together witha sense of volume.More conspicuous than anything else was the immense strength of thearms embracing G.o.dou from behind, wrapping tightly around his neck —"G.o.dou. Do you intend to engage Ena-san in loving intimacy, neglectingme on the side?"The voice whispering in his ear was, of course, the usual familiar one."Ah, what happened? Erica-san arrived faster than Yuri. But no matter. Wetwo will play the role of His Majesty"s lovers, how"s that?""Role playing is redundant. Because I am truly Kusanagi G.o.dou"s lover.However."Erica declared proudly to Ena who listened nonchalantly. But a fearlesslioness" smile immediately surfaced on Erica"s face while she and theHime-Miko of the Sword nodded at each other."Perhaps this is not such a bad idea. For a stubborn someone whoobstinately clings to his opinions, this is a good opportunity to let himrealize the unparalleled extent to which his behavior is the ant.i.thesis ofbeing human.""E-Erica-san. Since we are simply relaxing in preparation for battle, is thisnot contrary to what you were saying just now!?""She is right, Erica. Besides, these matters should be the job of the grandchamberlain, in other words, me. K-Kusanagi G.o.dou, you should not makea l.u.s.tful face just because you are sandwiched between those two!""Of course I"m not! Could you please direct your sight to my attempts toresist!?"Dazzling sunshine. A white beach. And also the sea.In any case, G.o.dou"s entourage was enjoying these conditions while"waiting" on standby without being excessively off guard.Then roughly two hours pa.s.sed —The first person to look up was Yuri.Both yesterday and today, she had deployed her psychic sensing to coverthe vicinity of the beach so as to discover any emergency immediately.Liliana also narrowed her eyes, casting her gaze towards the air.Ever since last night, she had been using a spell that gave warning assoon as powerful magic was sensed.This was to avoid repeating the same mistakes as during the divine eagle"sattack and to prepare against the G.o.ddess who could arrive at any time.Noticing Yuri and Liliana"s reactions, Erica smiled courageously and Enanodded forcefully.Back on the beach, the girls were currently dressed in their swimsuits witha light parka and t-shirt to avoid getting cold. G.o.dou had also put on ashirt.While having fun, all of them had remained alert. Then it finally came."Kusanagi-sama, I cannot believe you are frolicking with these lowly girls!"As the G.o.ddess" voice thundered, the originally sunny sky suddenlydarkened.Dark clouds filled the sky with frightening speed. A gigantic silhouette of awoman floated up onto this dark canopy of the sky. Slender as a juniper,this was the shadow of the mysterious G.o.ddess.Her head almost reached the clouds. Such was the size of the giganticsilhouette."Fufu, only the tasteless would choose the company of such lowly girls. Ahero like you should love a suitable partner!""On the other hand, I"m pretty sure you"re not the suitable one..."Feeling that a reb.u.t.tal would be futile, G.o.dou simply muttered softly.However, he renewed his spirits and looked up, yelling with a loud voice:"Are you still refusing to come down here today!?"The G.o.ddess" figure looked as big as a rainbow hanging in the sky, but shewas definitely far away.She was watching G.o.dou and his group from up high in the distant sky.When having a close encounter with a deity, a Campione"s power would beroused intensely. Due to the current lack of that effect, G.o.dou instantlyunderstood. Was the G.o.ddess highly wary because she was cut by Enaonce?"Hmm. Kusanagi-sama, you have apparently summoned all yoursubordinates. This time, I as the queen shall send troops to challenge you,the king.""It"s not just this time. Haven"t you been sending your subordinates everytime?"The enemy called herself the Fire G.o.ddess. G.o.dou felt that she must behiding something else apart from her name.Although he wanted to keep questioning her, to probe the matter morethoroughly —"Fufu. A weak woman and a heroic warrior differ completely in their ways ofdoing things. Kusanagi-sama, considering the courage it takes for a merewoman to challenge a manly G.o.d-slayer, please show generous leniency."Things were not going well, The Fire G.o.ddess was messing up all hisplans.G.o.dou had no idea whether it was on purpose or unintentional. However,he was beginning to harbor certain suspicions at this point. Could she bethe "most difficult" opponent he had met so far?No matter how bad they were, all of his past foes had upfront personalities.The kingly warriors, Melqart and Athena. Heroic Perseus. The Great SageEqualing Heaven who simply loved being the center of attention. Lancelot"scool charging spirit.Drawing a clear line between herself and those warriors, this G.o.ddess"behavior often made a display of femininity."Oh yeah, it was mentioned she is a witch G.o.ddess.""Come, please let me treat you as a guest this time, Kusanagi-sama."While G.o.dou could not help but mutter, the G.o.ddess" voice resounded inthe sky."Fufufufu. I have prepared valuable a.s.sa.s.sins. After all, the power of divinebeasts seems unable to capture you!"A glorious sacred beast descended from the sky amidst the dark clouds.It was a white and unruly stallion, its entire body shrouded in goldenflames. Unlike the previous divine beasts, its body size was not abnormallylarge. Although its build was robust, the size was still within common sensefor a horse.Kicking its hooves in the air, the stallion flew nimbly through the sky. Assoon as he saw that sacred majesty, G.o.dou instantly realized."G.o.dou-san! That is Verethragna"s incarnation — the [White Stallion] stolenby the G.o.ddess!"Yuri also knew from spirit vision. This confirmed G.o.dou"s instincts.Not only did she steal, she could also make use of them..."Due to a lack of time, I was unable to make all of them my servants...Kusanagi-sama, please enjoy a battle with your own kindred!"Informed by the G.o.ddess, G.o.dou frowned.The girls also looked up at the [White Stallion] with grim stares.They too must have noticed the powerful G.o.dly powers residing in theflying divine horse. A troublesome foe had appeared, one vastlysurpa.s.sing the "firebird" that had received the G.o.ddess" protection.Part 3"Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman,young and old, and ox, and sheep, and a.s.s, with the edge of the sword.Erica chanted the spell words of smiting in order to wield the [SacredPrivilege of Extermination].In response to her spell words, Cuore di Leone transformed from a slenderlongsword into a barbed lance. Simultaneously, an oval shield alsomanifested in the red knight"s left hand."They warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses; andthey slew all the males! And they slew the kings of Midian!"^ ^It went without saying, this was Liliana"s smiting.Her magic saber, II Maestro, transformed into a silver crafted longbow, adeadly weapon for firing sacred arrows of extermination.These were the secret arts of combat magic that stood as the trump cardsof European knights.Nevertheless, their target was Kusanagi G.o.dou"s oft-used [White Stallion],the symbol of Verethragna as the heaven-sent child of the sun."Very well, Kusanagi-sama, the heavenly horse that transports thesun — Savor its power well. Fufu, even if its hooves of scorching flamehappen to incinerate you completely, my secret drugs can still revive youfrom the ashes!""This is going beyond twisting my arms and legs off!"G.o.dou angrily retorted from the ground in response to the a.s.sertions madeby the G.o.ddess" silhouette.From the ashes — G.o.dou was suddenly struck with a thought; immortaldeities did indeed exist. In that case, G.o.ds capable of reviving the deadmight actually exist.Hopefully not to prove this point, the [White Stallion] charged straighttowards him from the sky."Everyone, please do as we decided earlier. Hurry and run!"G.o.dou instantly yelled.In his current condition, only one incarnation was actually available. Inorder to fight the most effectively under such restrictions, G.o.dou hadalready discussed with the girls their battle plan for today.Although contrary to expectations was the enemy"s use of existencessurpa.s.sing divine beasts as her servants —But the fact remained unchanged that their plan was the best and onlysolution. Only that the risk of the "bait" role had vastly increased...Erica, Yuri, Liliana and Ena all scattered according to plan.This was to distance themselves from G.o.dou. Just before she left, Ericaseemed to be yelling something but G.o.dou could not catch her wordsclearly.The incoming [White Stallion] from the sky kicked G.o.dou using its frontlegs. To him, it felt like being sent flying by a collision with a giant dumptruck.G.o.dou felt pain from his body as if it was broken all over. He was blownhigh up into the air. In addition, the burning flames enveloping the [WhiteStallion] had spread over to his body.Turned into a tumbler toy on fire, G.o.dou flew through the sky.The kicking attack did not kill him instantly, probably because he crossedhis arms at the last moment to protect his head. In that case...His remaining move could now be unleashed — !"All evil-doers, tremble before my strength..."Now awakened in G.o.dou"s body was combat power and enduranceobtained in exchange for heavy injuries."Upon my mighty self, I shall bear the symbol of the raging camel!"Falling down on the sand, G.o.dou felt pain all over, but the [Camel] was theferocious and stalwart incarnation with immense pain toleration. Thanks tothis blessing, G.o.dou could endure and stood up immediately.Increasing his magical power at the same time, he dispelled the [WhiteStallion]"s flames on his body.The golden flames he received had been scorching G.o.dou"s body untilnow.An ordinary human probably would have burned completely, without evena bone remaining. However, these flames were not powerful enough toovercome a Campione"s magical resistance and hence disappearedinstantly.Despite suffering burns all over his body, G.o.dou was able to endure thecurrent level of pain.However, an ominous voice descended from the sky above."Fufufu. The show has only just begun, Kusanagi-sama. — O guardian ofthe righteous, I offer sacrifice and invite you. The one who grants victoryand grace, I will perform justice, please direct me towards the light and therighteous path!"G.o.dou was greatly stunned. To think she was capable of using these spellwords!?Ignoring G.o.dou in his state of shock, the [White Stallion] galloped throughthe sky once more. In the next instant, the white bronco transformed andexpanded in the air.Unbelievably, it became a gigantic beast measuring ten meters long!A goat with jet black fur. As if swimming freely in the water, it flew leisurelythrough the air."It changed form...!?"As G.o.dou watched in shock, the black goat overhead — the [Goat]incarnation began to bleat.BAAAAAAAAAAAH!Instantly, the goat"s giant body released an extra large bolt of lightning,striking mercilessly at G.o.dou on the ground and his surroundings.Fortunately, G.o.dou had already raised his magical power just now.Even divine lightning should not be able to defeat a Campione so easily."Gun— huh!?"Suffering the terrifying lightning strike, G.o.dou found himself sprawlingparalyzed on the beach.Although pain was only natural, his entire body felt numb. During winter,one"s fingertip often suffered pain from the shock of static electricity. Thecurrent feeling was now a thousand times more intense than that.And the numbing pain was experienced throughout his body.G.o.dou surmised he had been bathed in quite a powerful electrical current.A throbbing pain now attacked his heart.Incredibly, the lightning breached both a Campione"s magical resistanceand the [Camel]"s endurance, wrecking G.o.dou"s body to such an extent.The lightning"s power had completely surpa.s.sed expectations.However, the [Goat] flying in the sky had also exhausted almost all of itsmagical power.The lightning just now should have depleted the majority of its usablepower. In that case, a second strike was not coming— just as G.o.douconcluded, yet another transformation took place.The black goat turned back to the form of the [White Stallion].Enveloped in golden flames, the white bronco flying in the sky — Fiercelykicking the air as it flew, the horse swiftly rose in height. Its figure vanishedamidst the dark clouds covering the sky.Immediately afterwards.Wrapped in a golden explosion of flames, the [White Stallion] was crashingdown like a burning meteorite.The target was obviously Kusanagi G.o.dou on the ground. Without anyremaining strength to evade, G.o.dou was currently lying collapsed on thebeach. Furthermore, the [Ram] that had saved him numerous times fromthe verge of death was already stolen!An unprecedented crisis. The two paladinos intervened at this verymoment."Midian"s destruction, hereby effected!"Accompanied by spell words of destruction, Liliana shot an arrow of light.Sniping at the [White Stallion] that was crashing towards the earth"ssurface like a meteor, the sacred silver bow shot an arrow that instantlysplit into eight, tracing out separate trajectories towards their prey. Sincethe [White Horse] was galloping towards G.o.dou in a straight line, therewas no way for it to evade the arrows.All eight arrows found their mark.The pure white body of the horse, beautiful and strong, was tragicallypierced in eight separate locations, two each on its forehead, neck, chestand torso respectively. But in spite of that, the white stallion"s descent didnot slow down.Enduring the severe injuries, it galloped towards G.o.dou, bringing its flamesalong!Just as the horse"s fiery hooves were mere meters away from shatteringG.o.dou"s with their kicks, Erica struck the horse of flame from the side."O horns, collapse the walls of Jericho!"Sacred exterminators were briefly granted the ability to fly.Using this power, Erica flew in a straight line, charging decisively. Strikingthe airborne [White Stallion] from the side, she stabbed with the tip of herlance.A full-powered thrust with the lance. Even the [White Stallion] was blownaway by this attack.NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIGH!!The white bronco fell and rolled on the beach, bringing Erica along with itas it neighed shrilly. It was a cry of pain. The blade of sacred exterminationhad buried itself into the [White Stallion]"s body, inflicting heavy injuries.Erica swiftly stood up and brandished the lance.She intended to make a final decisive thrust. However, anothertransformation took place.First of all, the flames enveloping the pure white horse turned black incolor.Next, the slender face of the horse transformed into a st.u.r.dy bull"s head.However, its torso was human — a human body covered with bulgingmuscles. Moreover, its size was expanding.Immediately, the white horse had completely transformed into a five metertall giant.With a stalwart bull"s head, this was a bull-headed giant. Furthermore, alayer of short, dense, black fur covered its entire body."— ! This is the [Bull] incarnation!?"Erica wielded her lance to thrust at the bull-headed giant.But at the same time, the giant went "moo" and boldly swung its long, thick,black, right arm, easily sending the incoming lance flying together withErica"s slender body."Yaaaaaaaaah!"Struck by the [Bull] renowned for its strength, Erica was blown away almosta hundred meters.With that, she fell into the emerald-green sea. Even so, she still managedto block the mighty arm with her shield, thereby avoiding a critical injury. Inspite of all that, she did not loose grip of her weapons. Rathercommendable in fact."Erica!"Seeing her longtime friend and rival sent flying, Liliana shot an arrow oflight.The arrow was aimed straight towards the [Bull]"s incarnation of thebull-headed giant. A flash of silver flew towards the black bull"s head, butthe giant nimbly avoided the arrow.Make no mistake, nimbly indeed. With agile motions one could not imaginefrom its gigantic body, the giant leaped up high.Then the [Bull] landed before G.o.dou"s eyes.It had made its way towards Kusanagi G.o.dou who was lying collapsed onthe ground all this time, paralyzed from the electrical attack from earlier!MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM The bull roared ferociously,lifting its foot up high.It was planning to crush G.o.dou beneath the sole of its ma.s.sive foot."...My body, please endure a while longer!"A crisis of desperate proportions. Nevertheless, this was actually a rareand perfect opportunity.G.o.dou shouted at his sprawling painful body and started rolling on thesand. Two seconds later, the [Bull]"s foot crushed the spot where G.o.douwas lying earlier!"I am the strongest, All enemies, all who harbor enmity will bevanquished !"Chanting Verethragna"s scripture during this time, G.o.dou increased the[Camel]"s power.The pain consuming his entire body subsided slightly. The sense ofparalysis also dissipated gradually. The rest would rely on tenacity andfighting spirit. G.o.dou gritted his teeth and yelled:"Daaah!"Standing up through sheer willpower, G.o.dou took a leap —The bull-headed giant was five meters tall. Owing to the mighty leap, theferocious bull"s black fur-covered face was now right in front of G.o.dou.Next, using the [Camel]"s leg strength, he unleashed a spinning kick at the[Bull]"s cheeks.MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMThe [Bull] cried hoa.r.s.ely, its giant body falling over backwards.The attack was effective, for it succeeded in inflicting substantial pain. Butthis was nowhere near fatal — With a glint of light flashing across its eyes,the [Bull] reached out with its stout right arm and caught G.o.dou!"Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"Gripped in the black giant"s hand, G.o.dou screamed tragically.All the bones in his body were creaking. Very soon, they were all going tobe snapped, crushed and shattered.The [Camel] incarnation possessed even better resilience than aCampione"s illogically st.u.r.dy body. Nevertheless, no matter how stalwart,this body would surely reach its limits within a minute or two!Even so, G.o.dou still smiled with joy.As guerrilla fighters, the girls on standby surely would not let thisopportunity go to waste."O imperial blade Ama no Murak.u.mo, in your best interests which Ishoulder, grant power unto me!"Arriving as expected, Seishuuin Ena was sprinting from the distance, her"partner" in hand!Filling herself with the divine sword"s spirit, divine possession wasachieved."Yaaaaaaah!"Ena jumped up high and swung Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi overheadusing the ha.s.sou-no-kamae stance.^Amplified by the might of divine possession, this full-powered slashappeared to spew flames as it made a deep cut on the bull-headed giant"shumanoid back. Unable to withstand the attack, the [Bull] fell upon itsknees and released its grip on G.o.dou."Gun..."Tossed onto the sand, G.o.dou groaned. His injuries were very severeindeed.G.o.dou vomited blood but the [Bull]"s heavy injuries were equally serious.Furthermore, ten-odd arrows of light flew in approach immediately. Thesewere the arrows of extermination shot by Liliana.MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!?Struck by the arrows, the bull giant roared in pain.Lying sprawled on the ground and helpless, it had apparently exhausted itsstrength."Your Majesty, are you okay!?"Having made display worthy of a mighty general, Ena called out with worry.G.o.dou nodded in response as he panted heavily. This was the bestpossible battle plan achievable with only the [Camel] incarnation currentlyat his disposal. At least he pulled it off successfully.Oh well, as a battle plan it was actually quite simple.More injury resistant than anyone else, G.o.dou was to attract the divinebeasts" attention. At the same time, Ena"s role was to perform guerillaattacks using Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi whenever enemies showedopenings while busy with the "bait." As for Erica and Liliana, they weretasked with supporting G.o.dou and Ena as appropriate.Simple as that.That said, given their current battle potential, there was no other way tofight.In actual fact, were the enemies of divine beast cla.s.s, the [Camel]incarnation could have lasted for surprisingly long durations. In that event,breaking through using these foolhardy tactics could very well havesucceeded.But unexpectedly, the G.o.ddess was capable of using Verethragna"sincarnations as her p.a.w.ns —"Wha— !?""This time, it"s... The [Wind] incarnation!?"Faced with shock and surprise, G.o.dou and Ena were swept into thesuddenly manifesting whirlwind. The bull-headed humanoid giant, in otherwords, the [Bull] that was just defeated, had lost physical form andtransformed into a tornado.Normally, Kusanagi G.o.dou was the one switching between combat powersin a diverse display.But this time, the side suffering at the hands of these transformations wasG.o.dou himself.Part 4The wind strengthened all at once and became a tornado by the time onecould notice.It started out as a small whirlwind only ten-odd meters in diameter. Butnow, it had become a violent vortex of wind swirling everything up into thesky, baring its fangs towards G.o.dou and Ena.This was likely working on the same principle as the lightning released bythe [Goat] just now.Elevating its power to the maximum possible in exchange forinstantaneous depletion of the majority of magical power. In this manner,the Campione and the divine-possessed sword user were devoured by thetornado and swept up into the air.It felt like being thrown into a ma.s.sive washing machine...Caught in the tornado, G.o.dou and Ena were spun dozens of rotations athigh speed."Gun... Your Majesty! Use Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi together withEna— Please!"Ena yelled as she tumbled around in the vortex of the storm.Her voice should have been drowned out by the roaring wind.Nevertheless, G.o.dou heard her loud and clear. Her thoughts were beingtransmitted through Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi which they shared.Thanks to that, G.o.dou was able to know the Hime-Miko of the Sword"swishes without even asking."Okay, Seishuuin! Let"s go!"He imagined the two of them swinging Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugitogether.This was what G.o.dou and Ena had shared that night at Kisarazu when thedivine sword"s power was truly mastered. Taking this opportunity whentheir thoughts were relayed to each other through Ama no Murak.u.mo noTsurugi as the medium, the same could be achieved without resorting towizardry.Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi possessed the trait of absorbing magicaland divine powers.Ena currently planned to use this trait to absorb the [Wind]"s power.Naturally, even a user of divine possession would be incapable of fullyabsorbing a tempest sent by a heretic G.o.ddess.However, were G.o.dou to simultaneously infuse the divine sword with aCampione"s magical power, then in that case —"Strong is the name that shall stand across subsequentgenerations — handed down by all who hears of his exploits!"In concert with Ena"s chanted spell words, G.o.dou poured magical powerinto Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi.Even the impossible could become possible through bonds of wizardry.Then the divine sword in Ena"s hand released pitch black light, absorbingthe vortex of [Wind]!— The tornado spinning the pair weakened progressively.Although they had already lost count how many revolutions they had beenspun, the wind was suppressed all at once, finally dissipating the force thathad swept G.o.dou and Ena into the air.They fell down towards the beach from a height of seven or eight meters orso.Ena landed with monkey-like motions. Despite having no training inacrobatics, G.o.dou accomplished the same, thanks to the agility conferredby the [Camel].However, the spinning from just now had destroyed their sense of balance,causing great discomfort.Greatly exhausted, the pair instantly collapsed and sat on the ground. Thatsaid, they were at least liberated from the [Wind]."G.o.dou, Ena-san!""You two, are you okay!?"Erica and Liliana ran towards them, the former from the sea and the latterfrom inland respectively.The red knight was unhurt. The [Bull]"s. .h.i.t that sent her flying hadapparently not caused any injuries. Although she was dressed lightly in aswimsuit, the sacred privilege of extermination must have protected her.Wielding the barbed lance and shield, Erica bore a stern and imposingcountenance.Liliana was also carrying her sacred bow of silver.G.o.dou nodded at the two of them. He could not answer because he wasdesperately enduring the sense of nausea. Ena was completelyexhausted."The [Wind] just now, it felt like it escaped just before it was completelydestroyed..."□liana"s power of spirit vision allowed to her to see things beyond thenaked eye.She was looking towards the sea. Prompted by her, everyone turned theirgaze to follow suit. A solemn expression surfaced on all their faces, for anew incarnation was manifesting.Upon the emerald-green sea. At this cove serving as the island"sentrance...Over on the sea, black flames were burning. These were also flames thatG.o.dou had summoned many times before."So says Lord Mithra. The sinful shall be met with justice..."The G.o.ddess" voice came from the sky above.These spell words that G.o.dou had always chanted, were now spokensoftly by the G.o.ddess."The one unblunted and unapproachable, oath-breaking sinners be purgedby the iron hammer of justice — !"The black flames over the sea started transforming into a pitch-black divinebeast.Body length estimated to be twenty meters. A pitch-black gigantic beast ofa [Boar] bearing a stalwart appearance. However, only the majestic headalone had manifested so far. Below the neck, the rest of the body had yetto form from the black flames.Apparently, the G.o.ddess could not summon and manifest the [Boar] asquickly as G.o.dou."Fufufu. Despite the number of strong children among Kusanagi-sama"skindred, I have bestowed special care upon this one as my servant inparticular! It does take quite a while longer to summon... But only this childis worthy of the wait!"Despite clearly in the middle of the summoning process, the G.o.ddessspoke as if victory was certain.But one could not disagree. The incarnations she had sent out one afteranother were all extremely strong. It would be apt to call them the simplearrangement version of G.o.dou"s powers.However, the divine beast being born over the sea was different. Were it tomanifest completely, it could very well possess size, appearance andpower no different from Verethragna"s fifth incarnation as summoned byG.o.dou.Just through a single glance at its face, once could tell the ferocity of thismonster.Hovering over the sea were the black flames and the gigantic boar head.Grunting as it exhaled violently, the [Boar] glared condescendingly at thebeach, roaring from its grotesque mouth.oooooooooooooooooooooooo. . .Soon to be liberated on the ground to bring destruction to all, it seemed tobe expressing its joy of antic.i.p.ation."This must be something she held in reserve. What a troublesome trumpcard.""Weaker than under Kusanagi G.o.dou"s control — as much as one wouldhope for that, we cannot tell without a fight..."Erica and Liliana nodded at each other, their expressions tense from thewill to fight.On the other hand, G.o.dou and Ena"s states were far from ready.Already heavily injured, G.o.dou felt as if his body was made of lead. Hismovements were also very sluggish. Were it not for the [Camel]"sexceptional trauma endurance, G.o.dou would have fainted a long time ago.Then there was Ena who had used divine possession thrice already inthree days.Moreover, using a Campione"s magical power, she had just drawn out Amano Murak.u.mo"s powers at a level beyond human limits. The tough child ofnature was clearly approaching her limits, her body shaking unsteadily."Don"t force yourself, Seishuuin. Rest for a while!""Nonsense, Your Majesty. How could I remain idle at a time like this..."Ena remained stubborn. In a rare moment, her voice lacked her usualcheerfulness. Using Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi as a crutch, shesupported herself."You cannot, Ena-san!"The one who reprimanded the Hime-Miko of the Sword was Yuri who wassupposed to have retreated to the rear."Your life will surely be endangered if you continue like this! I absolutelyforbid you to act recklessly!"Yuri spoke with a terrifying and intimidating expression.However, she walked over to the weakened Ena"s side and caressed herback gently like a mother.A spell of caressing — she was applying recovery wizardry to heal Ena"spainful body.Ena"s trump card, divine possession, was said to require a week"s intervalbetween successive usage. Exceeding this frequency would mercilesslywear away her mind and body —Indeed. G.o.dou nodded.Yuri must have run over to heal and restrain Ena because she knew herchildhood friend was at her limits."But everyone could very well be taken out, so having Ena rest by herselfis meaningless. This is the time for a last stand. Don"t worry, I"ll just forcemyself a little and still be fine.""How absurdly driven by emotion you are, Ena-san. I now understand thereason why you get along with G.o.dou so well."Erica commented with a frown.Also, the tone of her voice sounded more "deeply impressed" thansurprised."But no, denied. Please stay still obediently. Verethragna"s [Boar] isnowhere lacking as an opponent for knights. Please leave this for us tohandle.""Indeed, it has come to this."Liliana spoke up."Ever since we came to this island, you have been the one protectingKusanagi G.o.dou all this time. It is about time you let us have anopportunity to take the stage."G.o.dou nodded vigorously in agreement.However, the silver-haired knight frowned in response, expressing herregrets to him."Allow me to add to that, Kusanagi G.o.dou. You too should also rest, right?""Eh?"In the instant G.o.dou asked in response, he suffered an unexpected attack.Liliana performed a sweeping kick. Although G.o.dou intended to evade, hislegs were unable to move. Swept off balance splendidly, he fell over on hisbottom.Seeing him like that, Liliana and Erica both sighed."I knew it... Only your sense of pain is numbed, but your body is already atits limits.""You have acc.u.mulated extraordinary injuries starting from earlier. I had afeeling this would happen if you lost your incarnation of immortality.""I-I"m fine. My wounds are healing at an incredible rate.""Well. Using healing magic combined with the [Camel]"s recovery abilities,perhaps you could force your body a little more."In response to G.o.dou"s protests, Erica replied with deep thought."Honestly, it is impossible to fight that [Boar] barehanded."Everyone turned their gaze towards the cove.What was just a [Boar]"s head a while ago had now manifested to its chestarea. Once the flames formed the gigantic beast"s body completely, thepitch-black destroyer was probably going to rush onto the beach withterrifying vigor...For the [Camel] which offered no other means of attack apart from"kicking," it was a most difficult opponent indeed."I"m not barehanded. One could still say I have a weapon."G.o.dou threw his "partner" a glance. Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi thatEna had stabbed into the sand to use as a crutch.Walking over with unsteady steps, G.o.dou grabbed the sword"s hilt.Despite his reluctance to get close to dangerous tools like swords, it wasthe time to put pacifism aside for now."Are you able to use it without Seishuuin Ena?""I should be. I managed it during the Kisarazu battle against Lancelot..."While thinking about how careless he was, G.o.dou replied to Liliana"squestion.Indeed, Kusanagi G.o.dou only truly used Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi forthe first time back then, in a clash with Lancelot who wielded the DivineSword of Salvation."Besides, relying on you two, Liliana and Erica, to do something likefighting the [Boar], that"s not gonna work. Unless that guy gets struck byfirepower on the [White Stallion]"s level, there"s no hope for victory..."Well, the question was whether Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi had thatlevel of destructive power.The "partner" had exhibited its highest level of destructive power during theKisarazu battle. In order to oppose the Divine Sword of Salvation used bythe "King of the End," the silver-haired G.o.ddess had powered up Ama noMurak.u.mo no Tsurugi.The mortal enemy in the form of a p.u.b.escent girl with silver hair and eyesof night.The G.o.ddess bound to him by a strange twist of fate. How nostalgic torecall the opponent who vexed him by escaping after her victory, it was alonely feeling. Heretic Athena —"Farewell is unneeded. One day, this G.o.ddess shall return, reincarnated, toseek you for revenge. Because no matter when, the only one allowed todefeat Kusanagi G.o.dou is this G.o.ddess!"The bold declaration uttered at the point of farewell.Her fighting spirit was completely opposite to the "femininity" displayed bythe current G.o.ddess G.o.dou was fighting. Rather than bold, one wouldprefer to describe her as n.o.ble. And there were her words.The one and only parting gift she had given...— the [Gate] had opened for but an instant.Creation of heaven and earth. The death and birth of stars. The bladeforged through the G.o.ddess" wisdom.That was it. They had also banked on Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi backthen. The steel that greedily devoured the enemy"s power to a.s.similate asits own. That characteristic was essential for a drastic move.If you are in need of strength at this time, why not infuse me, the divinesword, with the most powerful wisdom — ?"G.o.dou, what"s with you?" "Kusanagi G.o.dou!?" "Your Majesty...?"The voices of his companions sounded distant.However, what occupied G.o.dou"s field of view was neither the sight of thegirls in their swimsuits nor the emerald-green sea. It was a pair of eyes.Owl eyes shining amidst darkness.G.o.dou also sensed it. He sensed a "certain secret technique" dormantwithin his body."G.o.dou-san... Please pull yourself together!"Suddenly, he felt someone touch his hand. The tactile sensation causedG.o.dou to return to himself.Brought back to his senses, G.o.dou found Yuri by his side. She had placedher hands over G.o.dou"s hands that were holding Ama no Murak.u.mo noTsurugi.Erica, Liliana and Ena watched with a face of wonderment.G.o.dou shook his head hazily. He seemed to have caught a glimpse justnow. Heaven and earth"s creation, the technique embodying destructionand creation. The wisdom of the universe left behind by the G.o.ddess ofearth and darkness —"...Ugh. What on earth is this..."Carved into the depths of his heart and mind, a powerful secret techniquein the abyss.A relic left behind by the deceased rival. The gate was currently opening.However, this wisdom was far too colossal. Given G.o.dou"s capacityinstead of a G.o.ddess", comprehension should be impossible regardless.No good. It was impossible to control no matter what.Precious long-awaited power was obtained yet it was going to be wasted...Just at this moment."G.o.dou-san. Please look at me. Do not worry."Once again reminded by Yuri"s voice, G.o.dou jumped in surprise.The Hime-Miko was staring directly into G.o.dou"s eyes. Her adorable andbeautiful face was pressed rather near. It was almost like past times whenshe transmitted knowledge about G.o.ds.Finding himself at this type of close separation, G.o.dou began to panic. Butthanks to that, his sense of self returned.He was also greatly surprised by Yuri"s murmuring whispers."Steel embodying the birth and death of stars... The dark blade of heavenand earth"s creation. The flames of the scorching jet-black divine sword... Isaw them too."Yuri spoke solemnly. She was having a spirit vision.The other girls were staring at the Hime-Miko with amazement. Moreover,Yuri"s eyes had changed to the color of gla.s.s at some point in time.G.o.dou realized at this time.Eyes the color of gla.s.s. Radiant flaxen-colored hair. These characteristicsbelonged to the Princess of Gla.s.s residing in the Netherworld.Yuri"s current appearance was the splitting image of the Netherworld"sn.o.ble one. Speaking of which, Yuri"s hair color was heavily shaded brownfor a Yamato Nadeshiko.G.o.dou began to wonder for no apparent reason. Suppose the Princess ofGla.s.s was the root of the Hime-Miko bloodline.Then the Hime who most strongly displayed the inherited blood andspiritual powers of the distant ancestor — wouldn"t that happen to be MariyaYuri?"The secret technique the G.o.ddess left behind in G.o.dou-san"s body... Ithink it is probably through the opened gate that I am able to see it... Let usforge it together."G.o.dou was rendered dumbfounded by Yuri"s resolute proposal."Let us forge. To forge the sword of the beginning and the end. I shallguide you."Part 5Over the sea in the cove, the [Boar] finally finished materializing.A stalwart black boar"s head, chest, front legs, torso, rear end and evenhind legs were already manifested, surfacing on the sea like a giant whale.The only remaining body part still shrouded in flames was the tail."Let us take this opportunity to make an attempt."Liliana suggested softly and drew her sacred bow of silver.Injecting the privilege of extermination, she shot an arrow of light.Although the beach where she stood was roughly two hundred meters fromthe [Boar]"s location on the sea, the arrow from a paladino"s a.r.s.enal flewstraight across this distance instantly.The target was the [Boar]"s eyeball. But the instant before the splendidshot would meet its mark...The arrow of light was deflected as if i