Campione! - Volume 16 - Chapter Pr

Chapter Prologue
Prologue

In terms of human history, it happened towards the end of the fifth century . 

A time when human faith was still honest and unsophisticated . 

A time when the relationship between humans and [Heretic Gods] was slightly more intimate than in the modern age . 

During those times, he was still a [Heretic God] wandering freely upon the earth . 

His entire body clad in armor, wielding a lance, riding the white divine horse . 

Sometimes he would appear on the ground as an inhuman white knight, while other times he would roam the skies in the form of lightning . 

Anyone with the slightest intelligence would identify him as a war god from that majestic appearance and cower in reverence . 

When descending before humans, he appropriately announced his name as the "Lancea God . 

" The only reason why he visited the island of Britain then, was simply on a whim . 

Because he heard from his old friend in this place that there was a [Heretic God] like him . 

Because he recalled old ties, he paid a visit without deliberate intent . 

"A while ago, I met a rather interesting member of [Steel] . " The old friend smiled as she chatted . "[Steel] . . . This Knight's kin?" "Yes . 

The great hero, born to exterminate the god-slaying Devil Kings . 

Quite a few Devil Kings have surfaced in recent times, and that man descends to bring salvation to the world as it approaches end times--" "Oh? Hence the warrior who manifests at the end of eras . " "Not too long ago, he most splendidly slaughtered the god-slayer rampaging on this island . 

" It was several decades ago when she was reported to have wandered to this land (later known as Wales) .

Thereafter, she was feared as the [Heretic God] who disseminated the blessing of life and the peril of death . She seemed to be known as the "White Goddess" Gwenhwyfar . 

"Then his name is?" "No idea . I already asked, but he remained silent . " "Hmm, he does not want to reveal his name either eh?" "Seems like it . The people of this land started worshiping him as the island's guardian god, calling him the hero 'Artos . '" The man known as the "Lancea God . " The woman known as the "White Goddess . " That was how the bold and ferocious tribes worshiped them . 

However, excessively unruly tribes inevitably fell into decline . 

Without exception, these peoples lost their country and even their basic traits . Their blood and culture assimilated by other nations, sooner or later, they all lost their defining identities of old . 

When cultures change, so do myths . Sometimes these changes were so drastic that even the names of gods were altered completely . 

"Goddess who is this Knight's ancient companion . In that case, this Knight will soon obtain a new name . Hohoho, to encounter such hardship, it seems like the war-torn world is not as pleasant as expected . " "You sound like you are enjoying it . " Hearing the laughter leaking out from the helmet, the ancient mother earth goddess smiled quietly . A few decades after that, she would forsake immortality for the Holy Grail's creation, and be reborn as the hero's maidservant . 

A death prior to receiving a new name . Consequently, in accordance with the White

Goddess' alias of Gwenhwyfar, the reborn being called herself Guinevere . . . "Hmm . After all, this Knight simply journeys along a directionless path . One shall visit the great hero as a way to pass time . 

Can you inform this Knight of the location?" Thanking her for the answer, he bid his old friend goodbye and departed . Riding the divine steed to gallop across the sky, he sped off to the legendary hero's location . 

The place where the Devil King exterminating hero slept was located on the peak of a towering mountain . The knight had always been the rider of the sky-faring divine horse . Allowing his partner to fly like lightning, he easily reached the mountaintop . 

Along the way, he spotted the figures of humans striving to climb the mountain . 

A group of Britons who also aimed for the peak . But unlike him, they were desperately risking their lives . For the sake of offering prayers of reverence to the hero "Artos" believed to be there . An iron sword was embedded on the top of the peak . 

A sturdy sword . The double-edged blade was extremely long, broad, and heavy in structure . But compared to its shape, the sword's most outstanding feature was the brilliance radiating from the blade . 

Emitting from the sturdy sword was a platinum-colored brightness as if coming from a star . "How truly beautiful . . . " A divine sword indeed . A sacred sword indeed . He exclaimed in admiration . 

Whether in beauty or power, there was probably no existing sword that could rival it .

The knight was also a sword that had been born like a white meteor, a dragon-slaying and snake-slaughtering sword god . A single glimpse was sufficient for him to know how astounding the platinum divine sword was . "Pardon this intrusion . 

This Knight humbly visits this place, seeking the war god who exterminates Devil Kings . One humbly apologizes for the rudeness of disrupting your slumber . Nevertheless, this Knight wishes to converse with the peerless hero and become friends . 

Pray manifest your divine self . " The platinum divine blade was not only a weapon but the god's avatar . The Devil King-exterminating warrior was resting in the form of a sword, probably preparing for the next battle . The instincts of a fellow member of [Steel] explained . In order to induce an awakening, he slowly reached his hand towards the divine sword . 

Immediately, sparks scattered . Sparks turned into electrical shock to assault his hand, preventing his rude contact . "Fufu . . . Not waking up so easily eh? Looks like you are a rather weary person, a difficult man to get along with . " Conversely, this cold reception only piqued the knight's interest, causing him to smile . 

He -- was to be known as the "Lancea God" Lancelot du Lac in his subsequent encounter with the Devil King Exterminator, not far in the future . That was when the new god-slayer had landed on the island of Britain, subjecting it to unbridled tyranny . 

In the decades after that, the mother earth goddess and Lancelot assisted the "Devil King Exterminator" as his companions in battle . The reasons for the mother earth goddess to do so were unclear . 

It could very well have been romantic love, but Lancelot was not one so tactless as to deliberately confirm such reasons . As for Lancelot, his reason was simple . 

Simply for the sake of seeking intense deadly battles . This way of life fully satisfied his desires . However, to the very end, the "Devil King Exterminator" never revealed his name or origins . At the time, Lancelot felt that the man was similar to himself, most likely a god who had also lost his name . 

Reminiscing old times, Lancelot suddenly had this thought . --The strongest of [Steel], one whom we called "King of the End . " That man had probably grown weary of battle . He distanced himself from everything that could draw him onto the battlefield . 

Yes, everything . He was obliged to eliminate the god-slaying humans . Forced by the stars of destiny to engage in battle . 

Why? That man always fought with complete indifference . A shadow of gloom clung onto his face like iron rust, gradually turning his handsome features drab and dismal . And on certain occasions, as he gazed into the eyes of his comrade on the battlefield, the same disquiet and unsettled feeling could be gathered . 

Or perhaps, what the man grew sickened of was not only the enemy- However, Lancelot du Lac was a resolute warrior from ancient beginnings to the modern day . 

The most primitive [Steel] that only knew to charge straight forward . All along, he had never worried over things that could no longer be confirmed . 

At this time, he simply shook his head silently, and ended the useless trip down memory lane .