Campione 09

by Return of the Goddess

Alas. An excellent battle—

  With great satisfaction, Lancelot savored the thrill of battle he had missed greatly.

  He was currently hidden within the thunderclouds. Lightning crackled and popped in his surroundings, exploding, raging. A most familiar scene.

  Having turned into mist together with the white divine horse, they had made their way here.

  Protecting his favorite woman was not disagreeable, but it was insufficient to satisfy his hunger. Other than the battlefield, no other place allowed him to fully apply his skills and talents.

  Pursuing this way of life even into bitter death, the implements of war and horse could not be done without.

  He had guarded the Witch Queen, the Divine Ancestor, for over a millennium. Along the way, he had also offered minor assistance to witches who had attained the pinnacles of heaven and earth.

  Spending his days in this manner could not be considered unhappy. However, would a raging warrior who charged on the battlefield be satisfied with such a life? No, impossible.

  Lancelot could feel his body and mind awakening.

  "Having a god and a god-slayer as opponents, displaying the valorous might against unfavorable odds of two against one. Now that is a man's long-cherished wish. Hohoho, this Knight is reminded of battles past."

  Lancelot soliloquized and looked down at the world beneath him once more.

  Using the mind's eye he located two "presences."

  Namely, the goddess Athena and the god-slayer Kusanagi Godou. Both were amazingly roused in battle spirit.

  "One would really like to enjoy a duel like this for eternity. Be that as it may, it is not this Knight's style. Time to gallop forth."

  The dim mist vanished. Spurring the white divine horse onwards, Lancelot restored the valorous form of the knight.

  Within the thundercloud, Lancelot lightly caressed his partner's neck.

  "This Knight's incomplete form probably cannot endure battle beyond this. If this joy of battle were to be savored for too long, this Knight's heart will begin to lose composure. Perhaps it would hasten the arrival of the day when the beloved child shall be abandoned. Indeed, it is about time for the tide to ebb."

  Finishing his muttering, Lancelot instantly made his divine power incinerate.

  Last time, the lightning infused meteor crash had defeated Athena. For the sake of this full powered attack at maximum speed...

  He had already began preparations when he turned into mist.

  In order to reach lightning speed — god speed, a great amount of lightning needed to be absorbed.

  Which was why he had entered the thunderclouds.

  "In this current state, a single charge at maximum speed will probably deplete all energy. Failure means defeat and repeating the past. One shall charge with care."

  Reminding himself, he lightly kicked the divine horse's abdomen.

  First Athena shall be pierced in the sky, and then Kusanagi Godou shall be flattened on the ground. Having thus decided, the white knight and divine horse instantly descended from the sky with lightning speed.

  Turning into a white meteor flying out of the thunderclouds—!

  Knowing Lancelot was coming, Godou ran at full speed.

  Meanwhile, Athena had suddenly stopped at a certain position in the air, and called out spell words.

  "Aegis of the Gorgon, defendest this goddess to the death!"

  The silver longbow previously held in her hand had transformed into a massive shield.

  A rectangular shield large enough to cover the entire body of pubescent Athena. The shield's surface was carved with a design in the likeness of the snake demoness Medusa.

  Lifting the shield high towards the sky, Athena readied her defensive posture.

  Abandoning her weapon and taking out the shield. She must have decided she would be struck down immediately otherwise. Was this still the great and aggressive goddess!?

  In the instant of Godou's surprise, the white flash descended.

  With hardly any time elapsed, Lancelot and the divine horse collided with Athena.

  What amazing speed. Indeed it was a descent of god speed as fast as lightning!

  Riding the galloping white divine horse, Lancelot made a thrust of the barbed lance with one hand, using the other hand to hold a rhombic shield. Over his armor was a combat surcoat. Flawlessly armed to the teeth.

  Furthermore, his entire body was giving off the light of electricity.

  Bringing astounding heat and shockwaves, this was exceptional destructive power.

  With her massive shield, Athena blocked this attack like a canopy guarding the earth.

  The tip of Lancelot's lance pierced into the Gorgon's shield, trying to dig through. However, with Medusa's protection, the defensive equipment squeaked as it resisted—

  "Gwooh! An astounding attack as ever!"

  "What! This Knight professes admiration. Twice you have blocked my maximum speed full powered charge, as befits one along the lineage of the matriarch deity, and the goddess of war!"

  The war god and the goddess who blocked his rapid descent were locked in a standstill.

  It was a battle of strength in the divine realm, comparable to a violent impact between a meteorite and the earth's surface.

  Nevertheless, it seemed like Lancelot had the advantage? Godou felt anxious.

  It was readily apparent that Athena was halting the white knight's descent with all her strength. Conversely, Lancelot gave the impression that he had yet to go all out.

  Were Lancelot to strike the ground, it would result in a tragic disaster on the level of a massive meteorite impact.

  Certain in this belief, Godou raised his arms above his head.

  The war god and the goddess were clashing about a hundred meters in the air above.

  Then there was no problem. Godou was originally a baseball player; moreover, he had been a catcher with a strong throw.

  On many occasions, too many to count, he had foiled base-stealing attempts of fast runners. Godou had absolute confidence in the speed, power and accuracy of his pickoffs.

  Furthermore, he still had the monstrous strength provided by Verethragna's [Bull].

  In that case, his pitch will surely reach its target. Besides, Lancelot and Athena were hovering motionlessly in one spot, pushing each other at full strength.

  In terms of sumo wrestling, this would be the grappling phase. A perfect target. Evasion would be impossible!

  "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

  Godou yelled as he threw the piece of obsidian.

  It was the arrow that Athena had fired but Lancelot had dodged by turning into mist. This was the arrowhead portion that Godou had ripped off. That lovely thing Godou had been searching for in the mist.

  Stone. This was probably the most primitive weapon humans ever laid their hands on.

  No matter what situation, a stone could be used to strike as a weapon simply by holding it in one's hand. If thrown, it was an excellent projectile.

  Godou initially intended to throw the concrete blocks that were being used as wavebreakers on the beach. With his current monstrous strength, acting as a catapult was a simple task.

  However, he remembered the white armor's sturdiness as well as the arrowhead's matter.

  Throwing as hard as he could, the piece of obsidian was launched towards the sky. Right on target, it struck the white helmet of Lancelot while he clashed his lance against Athena's shield, trying to overpower her.

  "Gufu! This was the earlier...!?"

  "Ohoh! Superbly done, Kusanagi Godou."

  In that very instant, Lancelot expressed shock as Athena offered praise.

  The obsidian shattered into a thousand fragments, scattering inside the knight's armor. Furthermore, a black amorphous shadow manifested, entangling itself around Lancelot's shoulder and back.

  This blackness was equivalent to death itself.

  Even more pitch-black than the surrounding night sky, a Campione's senses knew.

  A shadow d
arker than black night. This was true darkness surpassing aphotic black.

  Expressly prepared for the purpose of sending Lancelot to his grave, most likely. In any case, it was like the time when Athena was prepared to rouse a dormant volcano for the sake of exterminating Perseus.

  "Guh, oooooooooooooooooooh!"

  Lancelot roared like a wild beast.

  It was a sound similar to a lamenting wail. A loud scream that expressed suffering far greater than a cry of pain.

  Godou could sense that the divine power released by the white knight had substantially weakened. Most likely his strength and endurance had been eroded completely.

  This strength was probably what the knight had used to power his meteoric descent.

  Athena, just about to reach the limits of her strength and be sliced apart, forcefully used her shield to push Lancelot and his lance back and summoned spell words.

  "Medusa, one of this goddess' avatars! The time cometh to restrain this enemy!"

  The snake demon's likeness had been carved onto the great shield.

  Despite being a beautiful maiden, countless snakes instead of hair grew out of her head.

  Shining with golden brilliance, her eyes glared at the weakened war god Lancelot and his white divine steed!

  Instantly, the divine steed was turned into stone, from a vigorous white horse into a statue of a galloping horse. Lancelot's left arm, left leg and armor were also petrified at the same time.

  The battle was decided, right—

  This thought only crossed Godou's mind for an instant before he changed his mind. Even though an arm, a leg and the white horse had been petrified, the knight did not stop charging. He continued to clash against the Gorgon's shield.

  For the goal of skewering Athena and flattening Kusanagi Godou to the ground!

  "This resolute resistance on the verge of death, deserveth one's praise indeed! But war god, dost thou have a way to overturn this unfavorable situation!?"

  "Ooohmmm... That other one..."

  Lancelot replied in feeble moans to Athena's call.

  He was originally in an abnormal state already. Enduring [Death] from the underworld deity and deprived of power, even moving a single finger felt exhausting. All movements felt like heavy burdens.

  He also felt colder than anything else.

  This sort of coldness could probably be savored only in the instant before one froze to death.

  What a blessing it would be to simply lie down and die just like that. Nevertheless, Lancelot did not halt his charge, pouring forth what remained of his divine power into the petrified beloved steed, forcing his left arm and leg to move, continuing to act as a white meteor.

  It was truly hard to believe. His body was clearly in such a state, yet his heart continued to yearn for battle!

  Perhaps it was precisely this perilous situation that incited him to fight forcefully like scattering sparks. This was a knight's talent, the style of the warrior —!

  "This Knight apologizes for the earlier rudeness. One had no intention of deceiving you..."

  "Hmm?"

  As Athena expressed surprise while she pushed against him, Lancelot continued clashing against the Gorgon's shield.

  Rather, his current situation would be more accurately described as "falling." At the same time, he turned his gaze up towards the air. To a place even further beyond the clouds. Where the object of his attentions was currently hovering.

  "One originally thought it unnecessary for this battle, so it was cast aside. With no ulterior motives, this cannot be helped for there is no other trump card. Surely you are unable to block in that direction, hence, this Knight shall take advantage of that!"

  "War god, couldst thou..."

  Athena's beautiful face clearly showed she understood. Nevertheless, it was too late.

  The divine lance that had been tossed into the sky before the battle. Even if the blade had slipped off the thunderclouds, it remained motionless, hovering in midair still.

  However, summoned by the thoughts of the wielder it was magically bound to, it began to stir.

  Lancelot began chanting in secret.

  —Come, Divine Sword of Salvation. The sacred sword that brings stars to fall.

  The platinum blade fell from the distant sky.

  And stabbed directly into Athena's defenseless back.

  The goddess began to weaken as her life force was absorbed, becoming like Lancelot. She had already depleted most of her remaining strength in the current battle. Using such a body to block the white meteor, she likely lacked spare capacity to defend against the Divine Sword of Salvation.

  In the instant the brilliant blade struck, golden light erupted all at once from Athena's body.

  Part 4

  The Holy Grail's creation was almost fifteen hundred years ago.

  However, the Divine Sword of Salvation had existed even before that. The king who manifested at the end of ages — was the war god who was the divine sword's original user. What did that imply?

  In other words, even without the Grail, the Divine Sword of Salvation could still be used.

  Before Guinevere's previous incarnation and Lancelot had joined under his command, the "King of the End" had already wielded the divine blade countless times.

  The Divine Sword of Salvation was fueled by the life force of the earth—

  So before the Holy Grail existed, how was it provided to the sword?

  The answer was simple. The "King of the End," strongest amongst [Steel], provided it himself.

  So-called heroes of steel were themselves warriors who fought against the mother earth goddesses. In the myths, they defeated desperate mother earth goddesses who had turned into dragons and snakes, thereby obtaining power. Furthermore, they would often take as their lovers or supporters the mother earth goddesses who had been reduced to the form of young girls.

  The majority of [Steel] possessed the attribute of exploiting the earth.

  In that sense, it was only natural for Him to be called the strongest man. In fact, there was no other war god who could surpass him in this domain.

  The so-called Holy Grail, was the divine artifact offered to the "King of the End" for the purpose of lessening his labors.

  For the first time, Lancelot imitated his former master's authority of exploitation.

  "For this Knight's victory, one beseeches. Grant unto this Knight permission to plunder the sacred!"

  Lancelot never expected to develop such a relationship, fighting alongside that man on the battlefield, riding shoulder to shoulder.

  How he gathered power, how he fought, everything was etched clearly in Lancelot's memory.

  Furthermore, Lancelot was also [Steel]. He believed he could surely achieve the same thing. Gambling upon this belief he yelled out the spell words — and it worked as expected.

  Golden light was bursting out of Athena's slender body.

  This brilliant splendor was the mother earth goddess' essence, life force of the purest form beyond compare.

  The Divine Sword of Salvation absorbed it and began to awaken. This was followed by an explosion of golden light. Life force flowed out from Athena's body as if dynamite had exploded.

  Between Athena and the Divine Sword of Salvation, a "pathway" had been established towards Lancelot.

  The "pathway" for absorbing life force from the goddess who embodied the earth was rather narrow and weak. Imitation was merely imitation after all. The difference in the ability compared to the original possessor was immensely vast.

  However, this was sufficient to use the divine sword—

  Blown back by the explosion of golden light, Lancelot nodded. Transmitting his thoughts, he summoned the Divine Sword of Salvation to return.

  Meanwhile, Athena crashed towards the earth.

  Whether the white meteor whose descent was halted or the flying winged goddess, both were blown away by the explosion of golden light.

  "Damn. Was she defeated!?"

  Godou yelled
as he ran towards where Athena was free-falling.

  He made it at least. Just barely before she hit the beach, he caught her in his arms.

  Even though it was the slender body of a young girl, having fallen from such a height up in the sky, Godou would probably not have caught her so easily without the [Bull]'s strength.

  "...'Tis most unfavorable, Kusanagi Godou. Yonder blade shall attack us once more..."

  Held in Godou's arms, Athena moaned as she spoke.

  This was his first time to witness the goddess' face showing vulnerability commensurate with her pubescent appearance.

  In addition, his arm cradling her back was wet. With blood. Blood was flowing from the wound in her back and the owl's wings had already vanished.

  "Did Lancelot do this?"

  "Yes. 'Tis no easy feat for thee to have sealed the Holy Grail. But that fellow is using his own power to absorb this goddess' life. If one were not injured, that kind of undeveloped authority, should more or less hath been resisted..."

  She no longer had the strength to proudly raise her head up high.

  Athena leaned powerlessly against Godou as she whispered. Just as Godou was overwhelmed with surprise at the unusual situation, he saw a white sun shining in the sky.

  It was currently night. Night forcefully summoned by Athena.

  However, the white star hovered in midair, illuminating the area brightly.

  "...For one's full powered attack at maximum speed to be blocked for the very first time, you deserve this Knight's praise, Athena. Young god-slayer, Lancelot is delighted to be able to fight you!"

  Furthermore, a muttering voice, as gloomy as a dead ghost's, could be heard.

  Lancelot must have landed at some point in time. His left arm and left leg petrified, the white knight stood a couple dozens of meters ahead.

  He was speaking in a cheerless and commanding tone, yet his entire body expressed delight in battle.

  Probably because he no longer had the strength to talk cheerfully. Lancelot was also covered in wounds. However, that lance — his hand held the Divine Sword of Salvation. He still held the overwhelming advantage.

  "A long drawn-out battle is not this Knight's style. Let the conclusion be reached right here. O Sword, split apart the earth!"