Campione 09

by Return of the Goddess

  "East... The far east, Japan..."

  Guinevere whispered softly as she panted for air.

  The goddess finally displayed true solemnity.

  Sure enough, it was still impossible to resist. Guinevere felt absolute terror from her innermost depths, and could only pray with all her heart.

  Come save me, Sir Knight! Lancelot du Lac!

  "Yonder island? One visited that place recently but did not sense that fellow's presence at all... Perchance it was very skillfully concealed?"

  The snake-eyed Athena's murmurs were heard.

  Alas, it was a voice like the freezing wind. Simply hearing it was enough to make the body tremble and lose all strength.

  "Thou knowest, maidservant?"

  Guinevere shuddered in fear.

  She could feel the murderous intent seeping from Athena's solemn voice.

  "One's mortal rival, that god-slayer inhabits yonder island. That man — will be the first to be targeted with the awakening of the hero whose fate is to bury all devil kings. For the nearby Kusanagi Godou, inevitable it must be. Nonetheless, it is one's final wish to serve defeat to that brat..."

  Athena's pubescent face had never shown this sort of tempting or seductive aura.

  As the goddess' flirtatious gaze focused on her, all Guinevere could think was how to solve the current crisis!

  "One hath been waiting for Kusanagi Godou to mature as a warrior. Before that time arrives, it would be quite inappropriate to let that man awaken. In that case, one shall bury thee here, plucking this young sapling..."

  The snake eyes were infused with a golden brilliance.

  There was not an instant left to hesitate! So, make haste!

  "Pray accept these apologies, goddess of snakes."

  Boom! The sound of thunder and the apology descended from the heavens at the same time.

  "That girl is this Knight's beloved child. Killing her is not permitted."

  Dark clouds suddenly filled the sky, and a flash of white lightning descended — no.

  Rather, enveloped by white lightning and riding a white horse was the knight in white armor, Lancelot du Lac! He proceeded to launch the barbed lance in his hands.

  This attack turned into lightning once again, approaching Athena.

  "Guh...!? Lightning and horse — the most primitive [Steel]!?"

  Athena instantly distanced herself from Guinevere, jumping backwards.

  The attack from the sky was evaded. However, in the instant before it struck the ground, the lance took a right-angled turn and continued forwards, flying towards the escaping Athena.

  "Guh—!"

  The lance of lightning embedded itself deeply into her left shoulder, distorting the goddess' face with pain.

  "As the goddess of wisdom, could your sacred eyes not discern this Knight's true name... As a matter of courtesy, let this Knight announce his name. Lancelot du Lac. The Knight of the Lake as known by others."

  Leading thunder and his white steed into battle, the war god descended upon the earth as he declared.

  Part 3

  "Sir Knight! Guinevere has always believed in Sir Knight!"

  Lancelot simply nodded at her emotional cries of gratitude.

  Turning his gaze towards Athena, he suddenly spoke.

  "This Knight apologizes sincerely for the rude act of pointing a lance at an unarmed opponent like you without even a sword. However, this was done for the sake of protecting this Knight's beloved child. Pray grant your forgiveness."

  "Fu — Even if forgiveness is withheld, that lance still continueth to attack."

  Athena smiled despite her heavy injuries.

  "One had almost forgotten, the mighty name of one called the [Steel] of mist and thunder. Rumored to have become the retainer of that man, it must be you!"

  Athena was the goddess of wisdom and war, as well as the earth, the darkness and the sky.

  However, was it because of the goddess' heavily weighted warrior aspect? The injured Athena displayed an exotic kind of beauty, full of imposing dominance. Being bathed in fresh blood simply contributed to her glamor like heavy makeup.

  Lancelot felt like uttering the word "beautiful" in praise and admiration.

  "Worryest not. Even if challenged by the lance, one shall respond with force. 'Twould be better to say, a little girl who knows not of battlefield etiquette would be truly shameful. Ultimately, Athena is the heavenly child of death and war!"

  Athena suddenly grew in height, turning from a pubescent girl into a young woman of seventeen or eighteen years of age. With maturity came a sense of lively beauty and dynamic vigor. The beautiful girl's appearance and powers evolved all at once.

  The shoulder wound healed itself, closing up and stopping the bleeding.

  Like a grim reaper's iconic weapon, a scythe with a long shaft manifested in her right hand. Its blade was jet black. Embodying darkness and the earth — this was the weapon of the queen ruler of the subterranean underworld.

  "Now then, comest with everything thou hast, Lancelot du Lac!"

  "Much appreciated. This Knight expresses the greatest respect towards your courage."

  Lancelot respectfully replied atop his horse.

  Even though she had grown taller, Athena was still at a height which required looking up to him. She laughed fearlessly.

  "...But war god, one knoweth. Surely thou art not complete right now, yes?"

  "Oh? Very clever of you."

  The process of undertaking Excalibur's rebirth and cancelling the guardian's spell started half a month ago.

  However, Lancelot had yet to be revived in any complete sense of the word.

  "One's wisdom informeth, thou art neither a [Proper God] nor a [Heretic God]. Staying long term in this intermediate state, thy body hath yet to accustom itself to this world. In short, thou spendst the majority of thy time with a dazed consciousness, is that not so?"

  Lancelot slowly nodded in response to the goddess' question.

  "Admittedly so. For the sake of injecting vigor into this Knight's exhausted body, one must dive into thunderclouds every day to be struck by lightning. Without this, the body's link to the earth feels like it is separating. Thanks to you, this Knight no longer needs to wander around aimlessly."

  Even while confessing his weakness, the knight remained relaxed and easygoing.

  "On the other hand, well, there is no cause for worry. This Knight has proffered his utmost respect and thus will battle you to the bitter end, concluding with nothing but death itself!"

  Faced with a duel to the death, completely and utterly dauntless.

  As if seeing off blades of grass floating away on water currents without a care in the world.

  "This Knight shall go full speed at maximum power to defeat Athena. Please understand that battle is what this Knight has long sought over thousands of days and nights, for this is Lancelot's style. Turning into madly blowing wind, becoming dashing galloping lightning, crushing enemies in an instant. Indeed, that is this Knight's way."

  "Ha—! Well said. Should that be the case, one shall respond with everything as well!"

  Athena took a giant leap.

  This was a humongous leap that no bipedal creature could have taken naturally. In a single bound, she closed the 100m distance between her and Lancelot mounted on his white horse. She flew as elegantly as a white bird with feathered wings.

  "O Earth, knowest one's determination! O Darkness, understandest one's rising emotion! As one along the matriarch's lineage, Athena hereby judgeth this follower of steel as the archenemy!"

  The adorable voice was shouting spells words loudly.

  Boom boom boom boom boom— With a terrifying sound that chilled one to the bone, the ground began to rumble.

  Earthquake. The skies also began to darken, or rather, darkness was spreading out. Somehow, the broad plains of Thrace were suddenly plunged from daylight into a shroud of darkness.

  "This Knight's lord... This hand defiles your divine remains, pray
grant your absolution."

  Lancelot quietly muttered as he calmly rode his white steed upon the shaking earth. Flying towards the sky, the divine horse and rider were completely unfazed by threats on the level of earthquakes.

  "Tearing apart the ancient earth, penetrating the skies, Divine Sword that brings stars crashing down, now is the time for your return, to the hand of the Knight of the Lake, once again sounding the horns of war!"

  From atop his mount, Lancelot extended his hand towards the white blade embedded in the shaking ground.

  Guinevere had awakened the new Excalibur. Immediately, the 50cm white blade left the ground's surface, flying towards Lancelot's hand!

  "Mystic powers of the Oak, lend your strength to Sir Knight!"

  Guinevere immediately used magic.

  An oaken shaft suddenly manifested on the summoned white blade, and proceeded to be held in Lancelot's right hand. The combination of the blade and the long shaft was truly like a [Lance].

  Divine Lance Excalibur was born.

  "The earth collapseth, the ground spliteth open, behold the goddess' violent song of destruction!"

  As Athena began to chant, the ground beneath Lancelot and the divine horse collapsed.

  The earthquake attacking the vast plains became even more intense, creating cracks in the ground. At the same time, black snakes flew out from the raised ground, numbering in hundreds. Lancelot and his beloved horse were entangled and swept down by the snakes baring their fangs, trying to drag them into the earth.

  "O Winds of mist, blow forth."

  Upon his mount, Lancelot chanted.

  Mist began to flow out from all around him. Furthermore, the knight and the divine horse's material bodies lost color and form.

  The mist burst forth continuously, becoming thicker and thicker. It was like the dense fog that hangs over lakes, with a visibility of less than 5m.

  "...Sir Knight, may fortune accompany your battle!"

  Using flight magic, Guinevere fled for safety.

  Seeing her off, Lancelot who had turned into mist, muttered:

  "The Goddess Athena... a dangerous and formidable foe."

  The authority of turning into mist was part of his immortality as [Steel].

  Mist cannot be struck. Mist cannot be cut. However, Athena was the ruler of the underworld. She held the highest authority over everything related to death and immortality. It was only natural for her to be knowledgeable in the methods of sending immortal [Steel] to its grave — But there was a catch.

  "However, encountering this Knight is truly your misfortune. This Knight is the galloping invincible divine sword that tramples innumerable dragons and snakes. Even Athena, or rather, precisely because you are Athena, defeat is inevitable."

  He was currently displaying the martial arts of the sword which he had attained to the highest perfection.

  This was the shocking strike of the ultimate dragonslayer. To Athena, this was a deadly weapon akin to a natural predator due to dragons and snakes being the violent incarnations of the great mother earth goddess.

  Lancelot and the divine horse flew up in the form of mist, materializing in midair.

  They flew into the thundercloud he had descended from when first summoned. Within the dark clouds where lightning crackled and sparked, the knight spoke softly to his beloved horse.

  "Respond to the wish of the beloved child, smash apart the great and venerated foe, we shall take the form of lightning, and this Knight's life is entrusted thus."

  Lancelot readied the divine lance, pointing its blade forward.

  The white divine horse galloped forth. Towards the ground, where Athena was standing!

  They had taken the form of lightning when saving Guinevere just now. But this time they were moving at lightning speed — god speed, and this time with extreme destructive power as well.

  This impact and destructive power was comparable to a massive meteor descending from the heavens.

  —Crash!

  A white meteor crashing down with the speed of lightning.

  It was a divine iron hammer that defies existence.

  The white knight and divine horse descended from the sky, charging at the earth like a god of destruction. Reaching the ground in an instant, the divine lance was thrust out.

  Athena brandished the jet-black scythe, intent on deflecting the blade of the divine lance.

  This was the divine skill of the goddess who discerned the lance tip approaching with god speed.

  Lance and scythe, the two weapons clashed together violently.

  A storm was created at the moment of impact. In the eye of the storm were Lancelot and Athena while everything else in their surroundings were blown away by the cyclone formed by the impact.

  The earth crumbled beneath Athena's feet.

  Vegetation growing on the plains of Thrace, the land and rocks were all dug up and blown away.

  The surface of the ground was transformed into a depression like a crater. The massive area dug out was roughly 2 or 3km in diameter. The atmosphere rumbled.

  At the bottom of this crater-like depression, the goddess and the war god's clash intensified.

  Athena absorbed the essence of the earth, infusing peerless might into her slender girl-like arms. Darkness materialized into nine demonic snakes which attempted to crush Lancelot in their jaws.

  —However, the final result was most unexpected.

  In the end, Athena's scythe was sent flying by Lancelot's divine lance. The demonic snakes of darkness were annihilated by the resulting impact.

  It was achieved by a meteor crash descending from the heavens that collapsed the earth.

  "Guh — gah, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!"

  Finally skewered through the chest by the divine lance, Athena gave off painful cries.

  However, her snake-like eyes continued to stare at Lancelot. Relentless, her desire for vengeance continued to burn like fire!

  The white knight kicked at the belly of the divine horse, intending on following through by severing the goddess completely. However, the goddess, pierced by the lance, gathered together the divine power of the great land, attempting to produce a force of repulsion to push back Lancelot in his white meteor form.

  In kendo terms, it would be described as a situation of tsuba-zeriai.[2]

  Truly worthy of the name of Athena. Lancelot generously praised in admiration as he called out to the girl he was protecting.

  "Beloved child, now is the time to release the Holy Grail's mystical powers!"

  (What is the matter, Sir Knight!?)

  Guinevere's thoughts arrived, flying from far away.

  "The Holy Grail has the property of absorbing the life force of great mother earth goddesses and storing it. Now is the perfect opportunity to obtain the life force of the highest ranking earth mother goddess! Do not miss it!"

  (—! Understood!)

  No further instructions were necessary.

  A golden urn, the Magic Holy Grail, suddenly appeared beside Lancelot.

  "!? Knight of the Lake, what art thou planning — oh?"

  "Because simply defeating you will likely not be enough to overcome your immortality. However, it would be an entirely different matter if the Grail absorbs all your life force. Farewell, Heretic Athena. You were the most suitable formidable foe that this Knight had long awaited to battle."

  From the wound where the divine lance Excalibur pierced —

  The great earth mother goddess' life force of Athena was beginning to spill out and flow into the Holy Grail!

  "This seemeth to be some mysterious technique!"

  Athena wrapped the Holy Grail in black mist coming from her hands.

  Lancelot could tell that it was a corrosive gas. However, the Grail continued to absorb Athena's life force. The golden vessel's lustrous brilliance did not falter!

  "This is the infinite power offered by this Knight's lord, the vessel created by sacrificing the life force of the earth mother goddess equal to your rank, we call
it the Holy Grail."

  Lancelot explained nonchalantly to the shocked Athena.

  "Seeming to be a material like earth, but not in reality. Divine wisdom, that which is symbolized by the truth of heaven and earth. Even for you, Athena, it cannot be destroyed."

  "Guh... That so? It is like the Gorgoneion that one sought, an immortal indestructible vessel."

  Her beautiful face in pallor, Athena murmured.

  However, Lancelot was astounded by the goddess' pupils which had yet to lose their luster.

  "One feeleth clearly. One's life force shaven off, devoured by yonder vessel."

  At some point in time, Lancelot and the divine horse's motion had stopped. In the end, all effort had been spent in halting the meteor-like charge.

  "This be the vessel that compeleth the maidservant of the white mother goddess to stoop so low? O Despair!"

  By this point, the Holy Grail had already taken the lives of a good many mother earth goddesses.

  Even Athena had no way of escaping. Nevertheless, the goddess did not lose the will to fight. She grabbed and forcefully pulled out the lance piercing her chest. Blood gushed out in a torrent from the piercing wound between her breasts.

  Athena proceeded to display a smile of absolute despondency.

  "However, one is the goddess of wisdom who claimeth all knowledge as her possession. A little toy like this Holy Grail, one never expected to discover it so soon had this body not experienced it first hand. But then again, this doth not fit one's style, so one shall undertake revenge!"

  Athena's blood-splattered hands slowly turned towards the Holy Grail.

  Next, the great urn-like Grail began to fly towards Athena.

  "Holy Grail that absorbeth life, one shall be keeping it!"

  Athena reached out with her hands to touch the Grail, causing the great urn of a child's height to vanish in an instant.

  It was absorbed into the goddess' body.

  "One shall take leave for now, Knight of the Lake. Thou shalt repay the remainder at some other opportunity!"

  Having devoured the Holy Grail, Athena began to sink into the earth.

  Lancelot charged forth in pursuit and swung the lance.

  However, it was too late. The lance tip only managed to pierce air.