Chapter 6 - Queen of TurmoilPart 1Erica Blandelli and Seishuuin Ena.All news of the two had disappeared from Colonia Agrippina. Naturally,they had not left without reason. There were compelling reasons why itwas necessary.After the battle where the "King of the End" had descended —Helping Madame Aisha mount a horse in her dazed state, Erica and Enahad brought her with them back to the city of Colonia Agrippina. However,Doni"s body had been stolen by the G.o.ddess Artio.More serious of all, their king, Kusanagi G.o.dou, had gone missing..."But I can still sense G.o.dou"s direction."The next day after the hero"s descent, Erica raised the issue in "KusanagiG.o.dou"s residence."In her hand was the pocket watch she often used, attached to a chain.Given the hair of someone she wanted to find, it could seek out theirposition — That was the magic she was using."Isn"t that to the north of here... Approximately fifty kilometers northeast.""That"s quite far a place he went."Hearing the results of the search, Ena remarked with deep feeling."But as expected of His Majesty. To think he managed to survive somiraculously!""As much as I"d like to hurry over to find out exactly what sort of miracle itwas, this distance is a little far."In the modern world, this distance would not have posed any issue at all.However, covering this on foot or horseback would take a few days. Also,G.o.dou"s area was already outside of the Roman Empire"s road network.Searching along routes without paved roads would be even more timeconsuming."Our most pressing problem is still the Franks" situation after all.""Those misters are in disagreement and they"re all impulsive people. Sotroublesome."Erica frowned and remarked. Ena nodded with a bitter expression.Despite surviving miraculously, Kusanagi G.o.dou was very likely injured.More importantly, Erica wanted to see her beloved as quickly as possible,but right now, she must suppress that impulse. Through Erica, news of"Salvatore Doni missing in action" had spread to the Franks.This caused them to recognize Doni as slain in battle, resulting in a greatturmoil.Then the next day after the hero"s descent, Erica and Ena held anothermeeting."Among the Franks who supported Sir Salvatore as the great chieftain,there are four other chieftains.""Oh okay, that reminds Ena of powerful daimyos serving under theshogun"s banner.""This is similar to j.a.pan"s early modern feudal system? Well, they"reessentially n.o.bles serving the monarch whose family founded the country.Also, after Sir Salvatore"s alleged death in action, the Franks" fourchieftains each came up with their own respective course of action."Course of Action 1: Inherit Doni"s legacy, continue fighting the G.o.ddess"sarmy.Course of Action 2: Swiftly withdraw from Colonia Agrippina, return to theirhomeland.Course of Action 3: Continue their occupation of Colonia Agrippina, but donot fight the G.o.ddess.Course of Action 4: Using this place as a base, loot the immediatesurroundings in the short term before retreating."Of course, it"s best if they hurried and left without looting or doinganything!""That would be the choice with the least sacrifice and chaos. However,even if they plan on returning to their homeland, it still doesn"t solve theproblem, leaving them no choice but to cower each day in fear of theG.o.ddess"s curse.""But the fact that the Franks have been staying in this city is already quiteweird in itself.""True. Extras with no place on the stage should just make their exit. Oncethe battle with Artio and Sir Salvatore begins, who knows what couldhappen. It would be best if all ordinary people were gone from this area."If necessary, Erica was fine with resorting to unscrupulous schemes. Also,there was someone here who was able to — rather, absolutely capableof — producing an effect.Hence, Erica and Ena had gone to find Madame Aisha."I plan on leading the Franks" warriors to confront the G.o.ddess!"Gathered with the Franks" three thousand warriors in the former Romanarmy outpost...Standing in this kind of place, Madame Aisha declared as soon as she metthe two girls."I was asked by those who wished to inherit Doni-san"s legacy, hoping Icould a.s.sist them. Also, the Franks are in a state of disarray due to thegreat chieftan"s absence... Also, the current mood where they want tosubject the citizens to atrocities is totally unacceptable."Madame Aisha clenched both fists in a display of determination."Also, Kusanagi-san is absent so I must do my best. I intend lead theFranks to have a meeting first with Artio-san who has stolen Doni-san"sbody.""But Aisha-san, the Frankish guys are already divided in opinion, right?""Don"t worry. I will go around and request everyone"s support."The Madame answered Ena"s question nonchalantly.Using the female Campione"s authority of absolute charisma, all dissentwas very likely going to be overturned, converting the Franks into her loyalbelievers.Madame Aisha was a gentle and kindhearted woman.Nevertheless, she clearly had no self-awareness regarding her bewitchingcharm..."But Madame, once it turns into a battle between Colonia Agrippina andthe G.o.ddess, severe casualties could very likely occur in the citizens. Also,the hardship suffered by the Franks as a result of the G.o.ddess"s curse canbe considered their just deserts, but it could end up involving inhabitants ofthis city apart from the Franks."Erica was the one entering the conversation with an elegant tone of voice.In order to stimulate the Madame"s sense of benevolence and mercy, shedeliberately raised the issue of the "populace." This was tantamount toremonstrating a Devil King Campione, but given the situation, it was quitenecessary."I believe that that they should not suffer out of the blue. I implore you toreconsider — ""Hoho, don"t worry. Since preparations are already made to some extent, Iintend to take the Franks and leave this city, to begin a journey in search ofArtio-san."This course of action could very well lead to another kind of commotion.Just as Erica and Ena exchanged a glance, intending to offer a contraryview..."By the way, Erica-san and Ena-san, I hope I can still receive youra.s.sistance. Let"s all give it our best together, okay?"After that, the two girls spent roughly half a day with Madame Aisha.They accompanied the Madame to converse amiably with Frankishwarriors in the outpost, women and children in the city, as well as talks withcertain chieftains. Erica and Ena also heard from the Franks that theymostly held the view that "Madame Aisha was precisely the one suited tobecome the new great chieftain."That night, the two girls parted ways with Madame Aisha who was stayingat the outpost.Returning to "Kusanagi G.o.dou"s residence" with the master missing, Ericacame to sudden realization at the entrance. Ena also went speechless allof a sudden and started to think in reflection."...No way, Ena and you were struck by Aisha-san"s authority too?"Ena muttered.When the two of them recalled their actions over the past few hours, theywere quite stunned."Clearly Ena had no intention of accommodating her plan, right?""Same here. Without any awareness of being charmed, we started toa.s.sist the Madame very naturally...""But why did we suddenly recover now?""Probably because we are both accustomed to magic and also possessmuch stronger magical power than ordinary people... That"s why we wereable to regain our senses."Even the absolutely brilliant Erica Blandelli was in a gloom —Feeling the impact of an unprecedented situation, Erica desperately puther mind into motion."Recovery was probably due to physical separation from the Madame, isn"tit? But if we encountered the Madame again, perhaps we may be charmedagain...""Hearing you say that, Ena feels like we will inexplicably want to seeAisha-san, right?""So you feel the same way too, Ena-san?"Erica and Ena discussed the terrifying aspects of the charisma authority.However, during the process, they would naturally recall the "gentleness"of Madame Aisha"s smiling face, feeling a strange sense of admiration forthe benevolent Campione —Sensing this mindset, the two girls respectively said:"Oh no! We must hide from Aisha-san... No, we must escape, right!?""Also, the farther away the better. Until this feeling of admiration subsides,we need to get to a place where we won"t run into her so easily."Madame Aisha"s curse was probably alleviated by distance and time.Based on this speculation, the duo of Erica Blandelli and Seishuuin Enacame up with this idea and made their decision.Immediately entering the house to pack their luggage, they took out horsesfrom the stable and instantly departed.Despite being nighttime, the pair still went through the city gates and leftColonia Agrippina. Following the road along the Rhine for now, theyheaded south."Aisha-san mentioned earlier, right? About taking the Franks with her toseek the G.o.ddess Artio. But the other side is probably taking an army ofthose bears, right?""If the two armies meet, then a battle will probably begin directly..."Madame Aisha and three thousand Frankish warriors.As well as the bear army led by the G.o.ddess.If the two armies met somewhere on a wide open plain, would a battlebreak out just like that? Fearing this possibility, the two girls spurred theirhorses to gallop."Ah, jeez. If only Ama no Murak.u.mo could wake up, then His Majesty canbe contacted.""We must act with the worst outcome in mind. In order to stop bothMadame Aisha and the G.o.ddess Artio, we must make preparations...!"Ena controlled her favorite horse while lamenting the loss of the divinesword"s a.s.sistance. On the other hand, Erica murmured with adetermination on her face.At this moment, Erica touched the small leather pouch hanging on her belt.Inside was a bronze pen, ink and papyrus...It was two days after the "King of the End""s descent when the two girls leftColonia Agrippina at night.Three days later, G.o.dou arrived at this same city together with Liliana andYuri.Part 2Back to Colonia Agrippina, after the meeting with Madame Aisha...Back to his residence in the city, G.o.dou was welcomed by a lineup of thirtymaids.M ii ii ii n"Welcome back, master!The thirty young maids greeted in unison.Since this was a luxurious mansion with a vast garden, the entrance waslarge enough to accommodate the thirty people gathered here. At someunknown point in time, the maids had procured a complete set of uniforms,resulting in a scene of grandeur.G.o.dou could not help but recall the maid cafe business run by hissurrogate nephew, Lu Yinghua.Finding the experience quite refreshing, G.o.dou could not help but feelimpressed."I see. So this is the harem situation the Madame mentioned.""G.o.dou-san is honestly... incurable..."On the other hand, Liliana was muttering sardonically while Yuri sighedand remarked in a quiet voice.G.o.dou endured this embarra.s.sment silently while approaching one of themaids. This was the daughter of Frankish n.o.bles who had helped himduring his patrols in the city."Master, I have a message from mistress Erica.""Erica left it!?""Don"t worry even if you return and find me absent. I will surely returnlater — That was what the mistress said."G.o.dou was told that Erica and Ena had suddenly left the house during thenight, three days earlier. They looked like they were in quite a rush anddeparted without saying much, only leaving a message.That night —"It"s really not like Erica"s style to leave without saying anything in spite ofthe obvious situation here.""Possibilities we could consider are...""Fears of pursuers. Or perhaps, Erica and Seishuuin Ena felt that it wasnecessary to set off even before deciding on their destination. It could verywell be one of these two.""If that were the case, Erica-san and Ena-san must be in quite a state ofpanic..."Yuri"s worried expression darkened.Currently, only G.o.dou"s trio was present in the office, holding a meeting."Well, it looks like they"re fine. Considering it"s Erica, she"ll always find away to handle things appropriately.""Yes. This conclusion suits those two quite well. Especially since Erica is agirl as wily as a fox, it is fine not to worry about her."Liliana summed up the situation with a remark that seemed to express thetrust and grudging relationship she shared with Erica."Right now, the greatest unresolved issue is still Madame Aisha going outfor battle."They had heard that Madame Aisha intended to leave Colonia Agrippinatomorrow, leading the several thousand Frankish warriors to negotiate withthe G.o.ddess Artio.During the daytime, G.o.dou and his companions had witnessed theG.o.ddess in the gathering with the giant bear army. Most likely, the Franks"scouts had also discovered it and reported to Madame Aisha.However, the army, several thousand strong, worshiped the Madame fromthe bottom of their hearts."They will surely lay down their lives to fight in defense of Madame Aisha.If those giant bears were to attack without notice...""Judging from the terrain where the two armies will meet, a field battle isvery likely.""The G.o.ddess probably won"t consider any option apart from battle — That"sso worrying."Only able to imagine dark futures, the trio all began to sigh."In that case, it can"t be helped. Let me follow Aisha-san. There are toomany things that need to be done. Reducing casualties in the Franks asmuch as possible, resolving the matter of Artio and the Divine Sword ofSalvation, recapturing Doni... I really have no idea how much my currentbody can do."Frowning, G.o.dou muttered."At least if my health was okay, I could stop Aisha-san forcibly. Imprisoningher somewhere would be a solution. But she"s probably quite strong and Iwon"t be able to do it the way I am now."" "Eh?" "Seeing the two girls show surprise on their faces, G.o.dou answered with aserious expression."No actually, I"ve never seen her fight either, but it"s just a feeling frominstinct. I believe that Aisha-san should be quite powerful in contrast to herappearance and personality... Ahhh, rather than "powerful," maybe"troublesome" would be a better way of putting it."At this moment, Alexandre Gascoigne came to mind.That man was also in a distinct category separate from powerful G.o.ds andother Campiones, troublesome to handle in his unique way."Regarding matters of combat, G.o.dou-san"s opinion is probably correct..."Yuri nodded. Indeed, as the Hime-Miko with superb senses herself, sheseemed to have recalled the exceptional instincts that Campionesdisplayed in areas related to combat.Liliana instantly responded:"In that case... In order to handle the Divine Sword of Salvation, theG.o.ddess who has obtained Sir Salvatore, as well as Madame Aisha,Kusanagi G.o.dou needs to be cured as soon as possible."At this moment, G.o.dou sat down on a chair at the office desk.But for some reason, Liliana swiftly came over to G.o.dou"s side. Because itwas quite a natural movement, it did not feel particularly out of place."Regarding the reasons for your ill health, I have been thinking over it theentire time today and I feel that I have understood something. Let me goprepare a witch"s elixir later. Hopefully, it will succeed in curing you."While saying this in a serious tone of voice, Liliana swiftly moved her handat the same time.She placed a papyrus memo on G.o.dou"s lap while he was sitting on thechair. On it was written "I will visit you tonight." Obscured by the desk"sposition, her action was out of Yuri"s sight despite being in the same room.It looked like she was planning to apply magic directly instead of usingmedication...Surprised as a result, G.o.dou looked at the knight beside him. Lilianamaintained her stern demeanor and simply responded with her eyes.Lasting only an instant, her glance conveyed an astounding sense ofseductiveness, causing G.o.dou"s heart to pound.But at the same time, he could not help but feel that "this behavior isn"tright."Spurred by this impulse, G.o.dou was just about to speak up when Yurisuddenly became startled."E-Excuse me. Actually, regarding G.o.dou-san"s injury, I have also seensomething!"A stiff and slightly abrupt suggestion.Perhaps through her extraordinary spirit senses, Yuri had received a spiritvision ahead of Liliana. G.o.dou immediately tore up Liliana"s note."If Liliana-san"s medication works, then my method is not necessary.However, if it is your wish, G.o.dou-san, l-l can also...""B-But ever since antiquity, medical treatment has always been part of awitch"s duties."Finding the Yamato Nadeshiko, who was supposed to be quiteconservative, following suit, Liliana began to falter."I think I should be more suited to this task after all...""A-Although that may be true, it is possible that there might be things that Imay be of a.s.sistance..."The two girls chose to compete using reasonable manners and tones ofvoice.To avoid this type of situation arising, Erica and Ena had established anagreement. Now that things had developed to this, the one who shouldintervene between Yuri and Liliana was probably Kusanagi G.o.dou after all.Making his decision, G.o.dou interrupted."Anyway, can I ask the two of you about the result of my wound"sdiagnosis?""Ah yes. This is something I felt subconsciously, G.o.dou-san... Currently,rather than healing magic not taking an effect, it would be more accurate tosay that your body has lost its ability to recover."Seeing Yuri answer timidly, Liliana also stopped arguing."I feel the same as well. Have you noticed? The magical energy stored inyour body currently is probably less than one seventh what you had beforethe injury. What we call magical power is akin to the concept of "ki"mentioned in oriental medicine and Chinese martial arts, namely, the mindand the body"s energy itself."In order to allow a j.a.panese person unversed in magic to understand, shedeliberately used the term "ki."While displaying this type of considerate care, Liliana continued explaining."The toxin injected by the Divine Sword of Salvation deprives aCampione"s body of magical power, hence resulting in a slow down ofrecovery speed.""Then how do you think I can recover?"Asked by G.o.dou, the witch and the Hime-Miko pondered for a short whilebefore answering."For example, there is the way Seishuuin Ena goes to sacred mountainsfar away from civilization to purify her body and mind, to allow her body toslowly absorb the sacred aura of the land. However, that method is tootime consuming.""I intend to use magic to transmit my own body"s magical power toG.o.dou-san.""I also intend to use the same magic — n-no — to concoct an elixir of similareffect. But as a Campione, Kusanagi G.o.dou"s body contains a ma.s.siveamount of magical power that ours cannot compare to at all.""Will our level of magical power be able to produce an effect if we share itwith him...? Actually, I am quite worried about this point."Yuri brought up an uncertain element and Liliana nodded in agreement.It looked like their diagnoses and methods of treatment were virtuallyidentical. Furthermore, after listening to all this, G.o.dou felt his mood relaxand he smiled at the two girls."Thank you, both of you. I understand very well now. If the injury is only ofthat level, I"m not worried.""G-G.o.dou-san!?""Please do not say something so ridiculous! To this date, you have neverwounded your body of a Campione"s to this extent, right!?""Yeah, sure. But after all, the bodies of my kind are not ordinary to beginwith."How many months would it take to fully recover? With that worry in mind,G.o.dou spoke up in cheerful mood."I think that all it takes is a life-threatening battle, then stuff like strengthand magical power will automatically surge from the depths of the body."This was something that G.o.dou had experienced many times already,during every battle.Also, as soon as he said it out himself, G.o.dou found quite convinced. As aG.o.dslaying beast, a Campione"s mind and body fully approved of hisunreliable suggestion. Furthermore, G.o.dou could feel his body tremblingwith excitement.Yuri and Liliana fell silent, wondering "Is that what you really think?""Anyway, I think I won"t have that level of motivation unless in a battle oflife and death, so I won"t be stopping Aisha-san for now. But don"t worry, Iwill go with her.""But Kusanagi G.o.dou, I still think it would be better if you tried treatmentfirst...""It probably won"t be effective, right? In that case, just forget about it."Finding the two girls slightly dissatisfied, G.o.dou made his tone slightlymore forceful."I don"t like having to pick between the two of you on who is going to dothis kind of thing. This is different from previous times. Well, it"s not like Icould request this from both of you at the same time, right?""P-Please do not say something so embarra.s.sing!""V-Very correct, G.o.dou-san. A-Although I cannot deny that it has nothappened in the past, G.o.dou-san, to think you would make such anoutrageous suggestion on your own...!"As expected, the two girls objected with embarra.s.sment and anger.G.o.dou smiled at them as though saying "just kidding" and ended theconversation."Well, I think this is fine. Thank you for your care."As though watching G.o.dou"s smile with displeasure, the two girlsexchanged a glance in an attempt to probe each other"s feelings. Thenthey both bowed their heads.G.o.dou was the only one relieved that he was able to keep the argumentunder control.Then the next day arrived.Leading the Franks, Madame Aisha left Colonia Agrippina and startedmoving towards the east of the Rhine — the interior of Germania.Of the roughly three thousand warriors, a thousand stayed in the city.This was for guarding the city as their stronghold together withnoncombatants such as women, children and servants.Even so, there were still approximately two thousand warriorsaccompanying the Madame, wielding swords, spears, axes, bows, arrowsand various weapons, giving off an atmosphere of thugs overall.Based on the actual situation, rather than "moving", it was probably moreaccurate to call them "marching."Having joined the vanguard, Madame Aisha was riding a horse gallantly.On the other hand, treated as one of the injured, G.o.dou was mixed in thelast group with the horse-drawn carts carrying supplies, sitting on afour-wheeled pa.s.senger cart together with Yuri and Liliana."We also saw scenes like training at the Roman army fort at the other cityearlier."G.o.dou was on a specially-made impromptu bed on the cart.Sitting cross-legged on it, he recalled his stay at the city of AugustaRaurica."Compared to the marching and field training the Roman army wentthrough, these Frankish warriors are very... sloppy. They don"t seem tohave any precise rules."The Roman army"s infantry division would carry out strict training on a dailybasis.Hence the obtained results. In simulated battles, they were able to get intoformation in an organized manner, displaying unity of movement. When onthe march, they were able to move swiftly in defined groups and could takebreaks efficiently. They were also highly experienced in setting up camps.On the other hand, the Frankish group of thugs —Could barely be considered gathered together, advancing at a sloppy pacewhile following the people in front.However, due to their greatly varied armament, they were unable to getinto proper formations. Consequently, the Franks never had any intentionto actively group together in the first place."I remember Erica mentioning something about "ten thousand Romantroops can defeat thirty thousand Germans" once, but now it doesn"t lookvery surprising after all.""Even when outnumbered by a factor of three!?""That was probably referring to the Battle of Strasbourg."G.o.dou"s heartfelt mutters elicited an exclamation of surprise from Yuriwhile Liliana smiled wryly."The way I see it, the Frankish warriors gathered here are already quiteused to battle. In a fight often against ten, I think the Franks willoverwhelm Roman infantry. On the other hand, if it were fifty versus fifty,Roman infantry will win for certain.""Yeah.""Using spears, shields and metal armor as standardized equipmenttogether with infantry contingents that can swiftly enter formations, theseare elements that can produce comparative advantages on ancientbattlefields. More importantly, the Roman army maintained strict disciplineand had a very refined commanding structure, hence allowing them tomove as a group from one battlefield to the next in quite a rapid manner."Gathered around the outskirts of Strasbourg was an allied force ofGermanic tribes, numbering thirty thousand strong.Ten thousand Roman soldiers intercepted them by using tactics to targettheir disorganized offensive and splitting them into multiple fronts. Whilethe first row was valiantly resisting the barbarian"s overwhelming numbers,the Roman army led by Emperor Julian entered the fray at an opportunemoment and slowly reversed the tide of battle. In the end, they were ableto obtain an overwhelming victory.After Liliana finished talking about the exploits of how a losing battle wasreversed, G.o.dou said:"Despite having such a powerful army, it was still the Romans who wentinto ruin at the end.""The Western Roman Empire was swiftly declining while on the otherhand, the barbarians kept bolstering their strength from various areas. Thisresult can be considered perfectly logical.""Now that"s a story of earthly impermanence."Sighing over the principle of rise necessarily followed by downfall, G.o.doucontinued his journey on the shaking cart.With the G.o.ddess Artio"s location as their destination, discovered byFrankish scouts serving Madame Aisha, they made their way across awide open plain in Germania. Completely devoid of the speed anddiscipline of Roman armies, this was quite a disorganized march.The shaking produced by horses was definitely not friendly for an injuredbody.However, G.o.dou could not allow frail girls to see him so useless. G.o.doulooked for another conversation topic."It might be a bit late to ask at this point, but what"s with the "King of theEnd" which sounds like a nickname? What exactly is his real name?""That is a research theme that Prince Alec has been investigating for manyyears.""I heard about the matter from Princess Alice when we were traveling toBulgaria together last time."Liliana brought up the name of the peer with whom G.o.dou was not exactlyon friendly terms while Yuri named the princess with the n.o.ble butrelatively lighthearted personality.After mentioning the name of the White Miko-Hime, Yuri murmured withdeep thought:"Despite searching for the "King of the End" for eight years already, notonce has she ever received a spirit vision regarding that hero"s origins. Asfor why, the princess a.s.serts the following.""a.s.serts?""Yes. "His name cannot be read from the source of spirit visions, the[Akashic Memories], because it has undergone special treatment." Theprincess probably visited Plutarch"s Residence in the Netherworld toconfirm this matter...""Then speaking of which, the old man in that residence never mentionedthe true name of the "King of the End" throughout the entire time."Liliana nodded. G.o.dou recalled something else as well.Back when the pale-haired hero manifested, the G.o.ddess Artio haddefinitely called out his name, but a clap of thunder at the time covered upher voice completely. Initially, the "King of the End""s face was shrouded inshadow, obscuring his original appearance.Perhaps these unnatural phenomena and the mysterious power preventinghis true name from appearing in spirit visions were all caused by his intentto conceal his origins."As expected of a G.o.d, how utterly absurd..."While they carried out this type of conversation with Yuri and Liliana in theshaking cart, the first day went by.The second day was also similar to the first.Then on the afternoon of the third day, the situation finally changed. Aheadof the Franks led by Madame Aisha, an army of a hundred and fifty giantbears was waiting.Part 3Crossing the Rhine together with over a thousand companions, theyadvanced towards the interior of Germania...Although Madame Aisha prided herself on being used to traveling ingeneral, she was actually quite used to group travel in this sort of racialmigration as well. After journeying in various places, she wouldspontaneously find herself surrounded by crowds... This phenomenonhappened quite frequently."However, I must be careful this time."Clenching her dainty fists tightly, Madame Aisha murmured."I am heading off to meet a G.o.ddess who plans on killing every single oneof the Franks. If I don"t display a little intimidation, she"ll underestimate andbully me."Just as a precaution, she had already completed preparations for reversingthe "healing authority."Currently, the wind blowing around Aisha and her entourage wasexceptionally cold.Even though it was clearly spring, the wind was as chilly as though theseason was midwinter. The air temperature dropped continuously, gettingso cold that it would not be surprising if it snowed.Once things had cooled down to this level, she was able to reverse herauthority any time.Aisha nodded. The "healing authority" was usurped from the Persephone,the G.o.ddess of spring. In actual fact, this G.o.ddess was also the queen ofthe underworld who ruled over the season of winter.Whenever inescapable circ.u.mstances forced her to use this power, thisauthority turned out to be unexpectedly useful."Although Kusanagi-san always treats me as a worrisome little sister, Imust show him that I am actually the "older sister"!"With the greatly spirited Aisha as the rider, the pet.i.te horse trotted along itsway.As a side note, surrounding her nearby were the four Frankish chieftains,accompanied by two hundred of their direct subordinates on horseback.Warriors on foot were also advancing steadily behind and on the left andright of this vanguard.Also, a group of horse-drawn cargo carts carried food and other supplies,moving at the very back.The Franks" two thousand warriors were marching in a disorganizedmanner, lacking in discipline.However, there were also quite a few people, despite their barbarianorigins, who had learnt logical army management from the Roman Empire,as well as those who had mastered this type of knowledge by their ownmethods. Examples active in this era included the conqueror, Attila of theHuns, as well as King Alaric of the Visigoths, one of the Gothic tribesoriginating from Germania.However, none of the people gathered here seemed to possess this typeof logical knowledge.Anyway, mixed in the cargo cart group, Kusanagi G.o.dou was watching thissituation and thinking "as expected of people compatible with Doni..."G.o.dou recalled keenly.Then on the third day after this disorganized movement began, a reportcame back. A small squad scouting ahead had discovered where giantbears were gathered and sent back a report.This was a vast open plain with almost no cover at all.A few small hills and rocks were scattered to some degree across this vastgra.s.sland within a couple square kilometers. Led by Madame Aisha, theFranks" two thousand warriors were advancing without any hindrance.However, a group of beasts had already occupied one corner of this place.These beasts were all bears, each measuring four or five meters in bodylength. Furthermore, there were close to a hundred and fifty of them.Naturally, the giant bear army also noticed the approaching Frankishwarriors.A hundred and fifty giant bears all growled or made threats with theirvicious visages.In any case, the two thousand Frankish warriors drew their weapons inturn, yelling loudly for intimidation. Both sides displayed belligerentatt.i.tudes.The hundred and fifty giant bears were separated from the Frankishwarriors by several hundred meters.However, the two factions were on the verge of battle. The slightestprovocation would instantly trigger a combat state.At this time, Aisha was currently at the forefront of the Frankish army."E-Excuse me... Everyone, could you calm down slightly?"Riding on horseback, she looked back, tilting her head slightly as shepleaded.Despite speaking at a volume that should not be able to reach all twothousand troops no matter what, the Frankish warriors in the backsuddenly quieted down, displaying a polite state of standby.Seeing the warriors so obedient, Aisha could not help but smile.Despite some excessive violence and love for battle, these people wereactually kind souls at heart."Hohohoho. Messrs Bear, you need to quiet down too^"Aisha made her "request" of the giant beasts several hundred metersahead.Although the giant bears remained ferocious, they all cast curious stares atAisha."I knew it, true feelings can always be transmitted...!"Despite being the minions of a violent deity, each and every one of themwas a Mr Bear of the forest, fluffy and clumsy.It is possible to get along with these children as friends, thought Aisha asshe nodded. Naturally, this was also due to the a.s.sistance of the "charmauthority."Spurring her horse forward alone, Aisha approached the group of giantbears.This was all done on whim. Aisha made a gesture with her hand to stop theFrankish warriors who wanted to follow her. Next, a young man walked outfront from between the giant bears...Dressed in refreshingly white attire, carrying a thick and heavy divinesword on his back.He was someone bearing the same face as Salvatore Doni.Emotional cries of "Great chieftain!" were heard from the Franks."Everyone, please quiet down! Doni-san"s body has been stolen by theG.o.ddess! I will retrieve it, so please don"t worry!"She pleaded to the warriors wavering behind her.Consequently, they went silent immediately. Feeling the Frankish warriors"trust in her, Aisha felt great warmth in her heart. At this moment, Donispoke up:"We have met before, third of the G.o.dslayers. To think you are able totame my minions."Sure enough, it was the G.o.ddess Artio"s voice."What truly bizarre behavior. Do you intend to use this skill to make myminions attack me instead, thereby obtaining victory?""No."Although their inborn ferocity had been weakened, the giant bears werestill glaring angrily at the two thousand Frankish warriors.The situation was now a face off between them and Doni-Artio"s faction.Aisha called out.In order to eliminate the resentment carried by the G.o.ddess, now was thetime to put her secret strategy in action."I came here to make friends with you!""Hon.""I know that we have many unfortunate misunderstandings. But I still feelthat provided we are able to put aside those differences and converse, weshould be able to understand each other"s thoughts and feelings.""Hmm.""I know it"s very difficult. I am human while you are a deity. We differcompletely in birth and upbringing. But even so, that should not const.i.tutesufficient reason to prevent our hearts from connecting. After all, aren"tlove and benevolence things that both humans and G.o.ds possess alike!?""I see now. I understand completely.""Yes, Artio-san!""Namely, you not only wish to cross blades against me in battle but alsohope for mutual understanding. In a battle between heroes, pitting theirutmost against each other, developing a sense of respect for one"s foe isdefinitely inevitable. Not simply engaging in deathmatches motivated byhatred towards the enemy but also seeking friendship on the battlefield...""Yup.""Very well. I am also a G.o.ddess carrying the name of the [Bear]. You havedefinitely conveyed your mettle to me. Then let us clash our blades to ourhearts" content with fervor and intensity that inhabitants of the land shallsing of till the end of time!""Oh no, not that kind of interaction carried out with fist against fist!"Aisha frantically tried to deny.However, smiling with Doni"s visage, Artio drew out the Divine Sword ofSalvation while at the same time, a ferocious desire for conflict surged fromall over the body!"O woman G.o.dslayer, make your move!""Please listen to what others are saying!"Held by Doni-Artio, the Divine Sword of Salvation released radiance.This was the platinum light that was just as dazzling as the sphere of lightthat had appeared in the air previously.But this time, only the blade shone with light, unlike the previous time whenit had gone out of control. Probably due to having grown used to using thedivine sword, controlling its power was now possible. Whether this wasgood or bad was still indeterminate.In this instant, Aisha suddenly started to chant:"Excuse me... O beautiful maiden, I beseech you to open the terrifyingdoors of esoterism..."Spell words. For the sake of enacting an authority"s reversal.These murmurs originated partially without conscious thought. Had she notdone so, she would have died. Warned by her survival instincts, Aisha"slips moved on their own. Swiftly, she also leapt down from horseback."Hurry and leave this place!"As soon as she spoke, the pet.i.te horse galloped away. Perhaps thanks tothe "charm authority" as well, Aisha"s message was instantly conveyed.Then Aisha turned her back towards Doni-Artio and began to run herself."O sword of salvation, let lightning be released!""Eeeeeeek!"As the G.o.ddess"s voice came from Doni"s mouth, the divine sword in hisright hand gave off lightning. Suffering the shocking impact of light andheat, Aisha was blown far away.Like a log, she rolled along the ground."E-Ehhhh."But completely unharmed, this was by the corrective force"s grace.To a certain extent, the "fairy"s corridor" authority was also capable ofmanipulating history"s corrective force.For example, Aisha"s presence in the current era could only be maintainedif she did not suffer excessive injury. Both this time and the last, when shehad been shot by Hunnic G.o.dslayer Uldin"s arrows, were instances of thecorrective force"s protection.Rolling on the ground, Aisha pondered while her gaze wandered.(1-1 knew it, this level cannot produce much threat...)Artio was not [Steel], but just a mother G.o.ddess of the earth.She intended to use the Divine Sword of Salvation to fight in the place ofthe body she had lost. However, this was not a power she was supposedto control in the first place. Hence, it was impossible for her to control itfreely. Rather, letting the sword go berserk like last time would pose agreater threat.However, Doni-Artio intended to conserve the divine sword"s power andonly controlled it casually. Hence, the reduction in power had the oppositeeffect instead. Weakening in power was no problem as long as the enemycould be slain."Were Doni-san and Kusanagi-san present, they would surely seize thisopening to counterattack..."After murmuring, Aisha"s body suddenly shook.Finally stopped rolling, she instantly stood up and yelled:"A-Artio-san! It"s very dangerous, hurry and escape now!""What?"The north wind began to blow, cold as frost, chilling wind mixed withsnowf lakes."Ice and snow — the power of a winter G.o.ddess!?"Surprised, Doni-Artio"s body was being frozen by the rampaging northwind. The cold wind rumbled and kept increasing in momentum.This divine north wind brought the cold air of winter to Germania"s wideopen plain. Furthermore, the sky turned dark and bleak as white and tinysnowflakes began to fall."Oh no... I used it again..."Aisha"s shoulders suddenly slumped dejectedly.As the G.o.ddess of spring, Persephone was a kindhearted young girl.Forcefully abducted by the G.o.d of the underworld, Hades, she became hiswife and was taken to the realm of the dead.But when winter arrived, she suddenly transformed into the cruel queen ofthe underworld, bringing freezing air to the world.Furthermore, whenever the power of healing was reversed, "winter"sauthority" frequently executed Aisha"s impromptu strategies mercilesslywithout hesitation.It was as though Aisha"s own temperament and principles were reversedas well."An attack going as far as to advise me to flee... If I do not take it on, myname as the G.o.ddess shall be tarnished!""Th-That"s not what I mean!"Currently, Doni-Artio held up the divine sword amidst the ice-cold northwind, mobilizing the magical power in a Campione"s body to resist thisauthority.However, the ground beneath the sword-wielding Campione suddenlycollapsed.Like a great earthquake — a creva.s.se appeared on the ground, dozens ofmeters long."Gun..."The divine sword"s user fell into the depths of the earth.The underworld ruled by Queen Persephone existed deep underground.Consequently, the queen"s authority not only included extreme cold butalso the ability to drag enemies underground."This means that this area will become a world of midwinter for now..."Powerful blasts of cold air flowed out from the creva.s.se where Doni-Artiowas swallowed.Although Aisha did not feel any discomfort herself, an ordinary humanwould freeze to their very bones if they spent long durations in this area. Inthe worst case, they would freeze to death here.But this time, what flowed out from the fissure in the ground was not justcold air."O woman G.o.dslayer, superbly done indeed."Hearing the G.o.ddess"s voice coming from underground, Aisha shuddered."Even for G.o.ds, escaping from the underworld"s prison is no easy task. Themajority of G.o.ds would have no choice but to welcome death.Nevertheless, I am also a queen ruling the earth..."Artio"s voice carried neither anger nor hatred but tender affection instead."Please be patient and wait for now. I shall terminate this one-way journeyand return to the surface once more. Before that, please allow my minionsto serve as opponents to quell your boredom!""Oooh, sure enough!"The secret technique of dragging enemies underground was immenselypowerful.Depending on circ.u.mstances, its power could deliver a one-hit kill.However, the majority of mother earth G.o.ddesses like Artio held ident.i.tiesas underworld G.o.ddesses as well, hence it was impossible to deal her aneffective blow. Also, this technique was also ineffective against divinitieswhose legends included "dying at one point but miraculously revived."Furthermore, after Artio spoke —Holding their positions obediently until just now, the giant bears suddenlybegan to riot.Roughly a hundred and fifty giant bears were groaning viciously, makinggrim gazes and expressions at Aisha and the Franks while slowly movingin their direction."Everyone calm down! Please!"Aisha clasped her hands together and prayed towards the giant bears.But there was no effect. Recovering their ferocity, the beasts did not halt,continuing to approach Aisha and the two thousand Franks severalhundred meters away.The giant bears were the G.o.ddess"s minions to begin with. Also, Aisha wasmeeting them for the first time today.Hence, even the charm authority was unable to wield influence beyond"requests.""Heeeeeee!""Hohohoho. Do not be mistaken, this is not all there is for the return gift!"The G.o.ddess laughed heartily while starting a pursuit.In the next instant, platinum radiance shone underneath Aisha"s feet. No,not just underfoot but also the ground of her entire surroundings wasglowing with light. This was the lightning of salvation released from deepunderground.Unlike the power of the neutralized lightning earlier, this was on acompletely different level.This time, the G.o.ddess did not bother with precise control, probablyperforming the attack without caring if it went berserk or not.Engulfed by the exploding flash of light underfoot, Aisha"s body vanished.Part 4The bear army led by the G.o.ddess Artio. The two thousand warriors of theFranks.These two armies finally encountered each other. But rather thandeveloping suddenly into a battle, they faced off, separated by a distanceof several hundred meters. The two faction"s leaders met at the midpoint tohold negotiations.Madame Aisha"s authority had dragged Doni-Artio into the bottom of theearth."Although I sort of guessed a little already, it really turns out to be ad iff i cult-to-control power after all..."G.o.dou muttered. Mixed among the Franks, he had observed the meetingjust now.Just as a precaution, he had stood near the front row. The two girls whohad brought G.o.dou there, Yuri and Liliana, were also rendered speechlessby the sudden developments of the situation."A-As much as she did not intent to fight, her authorities wouldautomatically unleash themselves.""Within Madame Aisha"s authorities, perhaps all of them inevitably includeaspects that cannot be consciously controlled by her own will...""Despite lacking any intent to fight, attacks are suddenly launched."In a certain sense, her usual behavior and existence itself became feintsand diversions during battle. Witnessing what was so scary about MadameAisha, G.o.dou frowned."Doni was right, it"s definitely very sly..."However, the battle did not end there.Coming from underground, the G.o.ddess Artio"s voice roused the bear armyto go violent. Struck by the lightning coming from underground, MadameAisha vanished from sight."Aisha-san!?"G.o.dou doubted his eyes. Impossible, how could that person be...Furthermore, the hundred and fifty giant bears started to advance.The giant bears had ma.s.sive bodies, roughly four or five meters in length,and would look as big as a house if they stood up on their hind legs. Inaddition, all of the giant bears had gone violent, baring their fangs in adisplay of fighting spirit.This army boasted of ma.s.sive bodies while rushing towards the Franks.GROWWWWWWWWLLL— !GROWWWWWWWWWWWWLLL— !GROWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWLLL— !The giant bears" incessant howling shook the air and the ground.Faced with the giant bears that were arriving like a tidal wave, the Frankswere clearly wavering due to having witnessed Madame Aisha"sdisappearance.Every one of them shouting "Great chieftain!", they started to cry andscream.However, someone among them yelled out:"You guys! Aren"t you going to avenge the great chieftain!?"This yell"s effect was quite p.r.o.nounced. The men instantly changed theirdemeanor.HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO— !HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO— !HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO— !The human faction also began to shout and charge.Naturally, they were charging towards the tidal wave composed of ahundred and fifty giant bears. Wielding swords, spears, axes, bows, arrowsand other weapons respectively, their bodies and minds were all fired upwith determination and desire for vengeance.On this wide open Germanian plain, the two armies engaged in an intenseconflict —The chaotic battle began.Naturally, the giant bears were overwhelming in power if one were tocompare one giant bear with a single Frankish warrior.However, the giant bears numbered a hundred and fifty. On the otherhand, the humans were two thousand strong. Simply by calculation, tenpeople could challenge each bear with extra to spare.A giant bear swung its stout front limb. A Frankish warrior fell.The giant bears were biting with their vicious jaws and teeth. Screams andbleeding Frankish casualties began to appear on the battlefield.This type of tragic scene could be found all over the battlefield.Nevertheless, there were many powerful individuals among the Frankswho were able to halt the giant bears" violent offensive using shields andagile movements. In addition, many more were able to stab their weaponsinto the giant bears" bodies that presented ma.s.sive openings in theirb.e.s.t.i.a.l, savage attacks.As a result, this vast plain in Germania became littered with the corpses ofbeasts and humans."The fighting only started five minutes ago and there are already so manycasualties!""l-lf only Madame Aisha with her healing authority were still here at least...""Oh well, given who she is, I don"t think she"d die so easily..."Remarking respectively, every member of G.o.dou"s trio was currently faraway from the battlefield.They had stayed where they were when the Frankish warriors charged forthe attack. This decision was made in order to avoid getting swept up intothe violent chaos of the battlefield.At this moment, Liliana took the bow off her back and wielded it in her lefthand.This was a composite bow used by equestrian tribes. Instead of wood, itwas made from animal bones and tendons, a bow that could fire arrowsfrom quite a long range despite its small size. Using her right hand to drawan arrow from the quiver at her waist, she placed it on the bowstring.Swiftly, she fired, sniping a giant bear dozens of meters ahead.The giant bear happened to be fighting savagely with Frankish warriors.With perfect aim, Liliana"s arrow pierced the giant bear"s right eye.Immediately, she shot a second arrow, this time sending it into the giantbear"s left eye.These two arrows not only skewered the eyeb.a.l.l.s but also penetrated intothe brain.The giant bear was struck dead by the two arrows and collapsed.Witnessing Liliana"s archery, the surrounding Franks shouted withexcitement.However, having exhibited these superb skills, the silver-haired knightshook her head."At this rate, the situation will deteriorate. Alone, I cannot annihilate all theenemies...""My body still can"t fight..."At least if one or another of Verethragna"s incarnations could be used —G.o.dou gnashed his teeth in chagrin. Currently, not only did his body feelheavy as h.e.l.l, but his magical power did not rise at all. Perhaps due to this,despite the battle having started already, he could not think of whichincarnation should be used.Yuri leaned herself over as though worrying for G.o.dou"s condition.Feeling grateful for her care and consideration, G.o.dou began to push hismind to think. Just as Liliana said, the situation was going to deteriorate. Inthat case, a risky gamble must be taken — !Then just as G.o.dou intended to start this gamble..."...Dragon?"Liliana suddenly looked up, staring at the southern sky.G.o.dou also focused his eyes. At first, all he could discern was a black dot,but after a while, he immediately saw what was flying in from the south.Roughly four meters in body length. Similar to an agile theropod in form.However, instead of stubby forelimbs, it was soaring in the sky using a pairof wings that sprouted from the shoulders.The strong hind legs each had a thick claw at the end of its foot, a sharpweapon supposed to be called the "terrible claw" that the flying monsterwas born with.Unmistakable. This was one of the pterosaurs under Uldin"s control.Furthermore, riding on the pterosaur"s back was a glamorous blondebeauty —"Erica!"G.o.dou could not help but call out her name."What"s the matter, Ena-san?""Is it imagination? Ena feels like someone is calling your name, Erica-san."Seeing the black-haired Hime-Miko"s surprised look, Erica asked her.Exceptionally gigantic bears were currently engaged in a chaotic battle withthe Frankish warriors below.The pterosaur easily glided in the sky ten-odd meters above the ground.Erica was the one holding the reins and mounted on the saddle. Sittingbehind her was Seishuuin Ena."His Majesty could very well be down there!? Did he discover us!?""That would be ideal if it were the case. Considering it"s G.o.dou, beingpresent at a great commotion is totally not surprising at all.""His Majesty really tends to get drawn into things like battle and conflict."The pterosaur borrowed from Uldin was able to glide effortlessly despitesupporting two people"s weight. Hanging on Erica"s neck was a pendantmade from a dragon"s tooth with a string through it. This was also given byUldin.Apparently, his pterosaurs could be tamed in a matter of days, providedone possessed this object.Due to the issue of riding skills, Ena did not borrow a pterosaur.Essentially, these pterosaurs could be controlled similar to how horseswere ridden. However, it was relatively difficult for the Hime-Miko who wasstill a novice in this area."Thank goodness we made it. However, I can"t seem to find Madame Aishaand the G.o.ddess who possessed Sir Salvatore"s body.""Oh well, it"s already time to get into action."The Hime-Miko of the Sword smiled happily and reached out. Taking anarrow from the quiver hanging on the saddle, she handed it over to Erica."There is no question that these bears need to be dealt with.""Well said. Then, let"s get on with it!"Erica took down an iron bow from the saddle.An iron bow was used to give arrows range and power beyondconventional. Even a burly and muscular man would have extremedifficulty drawing this bow. However, Erica had already augmented her armstrength using magic.Taking the arrow handed over by Ena, she effortlessly pulled thebowstring.This was mounted archery performed while riding a pterosaur. Erica"s feetwere supported by the two stirrups hanging on each side of the saddle.Relying on the a.s.sistance conferred by this equipment, Erica shot the firstarrow —Whoosh!Howling like a strong gust of rapid wind, the arrow flew towards thebattlefield below.Erica had already applied iron alchemy to all of the arrows, a spell toincrease penetrative power. Combined with the iron bow"s power, thearrow easily skewered a giant bear"s body that was as large as a house.Having penetrated the enemy, the arrow did not lose momentum andembedded itself into the ground.The targeted giant bear collapsed with a crash and stopped moving. Deadon the spot.The skillful archery required to pierce a moving beast"s eye was quitesuperb. However, achieving the power of a one-hit kill required aiming forthe relatively less mobile torso — in particular, sniping the heart was themost efficient.This bold sniping was repeated ten times continuously, carried out from theair.In rapid succession, ten arrows pierced the giant bears nearby, producingten corpses.Fighting with all their might in the bears" surroundings, the Franks stared inshock at the airborne reinforcements. However, there was no time to payattention to them."Go to a place with many bears. Let Ena down!""Understood!"Since this was wide open plain, there were also open s.p.a.ces in addition toareas where the density of people and bears were high.Using the pterosaur"s mobility effectively, the duo swiftly moved to the airabove another zone of intense battle. Ena instantly jumped down. Indeed,directly from the pterosaur"s back!Like a cat or a monkey, the agile Hime-Miko landed lightly, descending onthe battlefield.Usually, she wielded the divine sword, Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi. Butright now, she was holding in her hand a broad sword in itssheath — Rather than a j.a.panese sword, this was a western double-edgedsword."Cuore di Leone! Help Ena-san right this instant!"The magic sword in Seishuuin Ena"s hand responded to its master"srequest. The silver blade shone faintly with light.Normally, Erica used Cuore di Leone in the form of a slender sword. Onthis occasion, she had returned the sword to its form as a longsword,lending it for Ena to use as the divine sword"s subst.i.tute."Yahhhhhhhh!"Wielding the magic sword of the lion in the stance of ha.s.sou-no-kamae^,Ena ran.In order to be swung hard with two hands, Cuore di Leone"s hilt was quitelong. Consequently, it could wielded in the same manner as a j.a.panesesword.Armed with this magic sword, Ena rushed towards her target — naturally,one of the giant bears.Although the giant bear was being surrounded by six Frankish warriors,Ena breezed past the warriors like the wind and jumped with movementsas agile as a monkey"s.With the giant bear standing on its hind legs, its head was roughly fivemeters above the ground.Ena jumped up high, slashing at the giant bear"s short neck using thestance of ha.s.sou-no-kamae. The enemy swung its thick forelimbs, trying totear the Hime-Miko"s delicate body apart.However, Ena and Cuore di Leone did not stop moving.The lion"s magic sword first chopped off the giant bear"s elbow thenproceeded to sever its head in one flowing motion.Compared to wielding Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi, the sharpness andpower was equal."Next!"Having slaughtered one giant bear, Ena immediately turned and rantowards a second one not far away.The second giant bear was surrounded by Frankish warriors as expected,but again, Ena squeezed through them and slashed at the giant bear"sbody with the magic sword. Cuore di Leone"s blade pierced into the areabelow the ribs, chopping the abdomen horizontally without hindrance. Withthe blade buried deeply in its liver, the second giant bear was alsoeffortlessly struck dead."That"s rather magnificent."While praising her rival, Erica did not stop either.Seeing her quiver empty, Erica waved her hand and used summoningmagic. Hence, ten-odd arrows instantly appeared and could be shot again.Erica controlled the pterosaur while continuing to snipe the ground fromthe air.Every arrow shot out was accompanied by the creation of a giant bear"scorpse. This repeated like ma.s.s production. In this manner, she and Enacontinued to clear away the giant bears. Once the surrounding enemieshad been exterminated, Erica made the pterosaur descend.It so happened that there were several Franks below.Seeing the pterosaur descending overhead, they began to panic.Running towards where the pterosaur was descending, Ena jumped withagility, landing behind Erica neatly. With two pa.s.sengers again, thepterosaur flapped its wings violently to ascend.Erica and Ena had already defeated nearly twenty giant bears.However, there were still a great number of them. While having thepterosaur soar, Erica looked for her next prey."Their clean manner is really quite absurd..."Watching Erica and Ena"s active performance from afar, G.o.dou muttered.Due to the separation of four or five hundred meters, their detailed actionscould not be seen clearly, of course. However, judging from the way theyflew around the battlefield on the pterosaur, they were evidently victoriousagain and again.For those girls, the most important aspect was being individually powerful.Furthermore, in order to apply this power effectively, they made maximumuse of the pterosaur"s mobility, fighting all over the place with fervor.This was an active performance that only those two could achieve, incommand of both power and clear minds.Meanwhile, standing by Kusanagi G.o.dou"s side were Liliana and Yuri. Thesilver-haired knight was obvious, but even the Hime-Miko also possessedextraordinary powers. In the past, she had employed the spirit power ofpsychic sensing to protect G.o.dou from the G.o.ddess Circe.The two of them were staying by G.o.dou"s side to protect him.Despite being far from the chaotic battle"s center, a few giant bearsapproached on occasion in search for prey. Every time this happened,Liliana shot the bear dead with arrows."Thanks for the help, both of you."Another giant bear was slowly approaching. G.o.dou instantly said quietly:"No need to protect me anymore. It"s fine if you leave me alone."Saying that, he started moving towards the giant bear.Yuri went "G.o.dou-san...", intending to chase after him but Liliana shookher head and placed a hand on Yuri"s shoulder. Presumably reminded ofwhat she "should be doing," the Hime-Miko immediately stopped and witha worried expression, watched G.o.dou leave."Kusanagi G.o.dou..."Despite worrying as well, her dignified and beautiful face tensing up,Liliana watched him silently.During this time, G.o.dou continued to walk. Still injured at this point in time,even his footsteps were unsteady. Nevertheless, he still forced himself tocontinue, finally facing off against the giant bear one on one.GROWWWWWWWWWL!The four-meter giant bear howled loudly and stood up on its hind legs. Thiswas a threat made by displaying its gigantic body.Next it swung its left arm, intending to strike G.o.dou viciously with itsma.s.sive paw and claws.In response, G.o.dou desperately moved his unsteady body, jumpingbackwards and successfully evading at the last moment, However, the tipof the bear"s claws scratched his chest slightly. Searing pain wanderedover his chest as blood splattered."Gah— !?"Enduring the pain, G.o.dou focused his concentration.Currently, he neede