Campione! - Volume 19 - Chapter 1.1

Chapter 1 – Prelude of Civil War Part 1 

Although it was February, but Los Angeles was reasonably warm. 

It wasn’t a land where the cold of winter was harsh. It was a metropolis of warm coast. But, it was also an area that couldn’t be said of having a good public order. 

At night, it was a neighborhood that wasn’t suited for a female to walk alone. 

And then right now, Annie Charlton was walking at such downtown at night. It was at the area that was nearby Little Tokyo which was a district of Japanese descent and also a sightseeing area. 

「……It looks like, this place is indeed not place that by any means is comfortable.」 

Annie murmured with small volume. 

The time had went past midnight, so there was few people who were passing through. But, sometimes she passed by another passerby. In addition those passerbies were also didn’t seem of the right sort. This was a neighborhood where street gang and homeless people weren’t rare, so, well this was only natural. 

A single woman was walking alone in this kind of place late at night――. 

The people here were mostly related to the night industry, or those people who came to play around in such industry. 

But, the figure of Annie who was clad in a suit tensely didn’t seem like any of those people. Perhaps it was because of that, that the men who passed her by was frankly gazing at her suspiciously. 

However, relatively to that. 

「…………」 

The men were mysteriously not calling at her rudely or anything. 

By any chance, it might be because of the『atmosphere without opening』that Annie was clad in. 

The bearing of a man of valor where an omen of danger could be discovered altogether just from nonchalant gaze――. Perhaps such thing could be felt from Annie. In actuality, it wasn’t rare for Annie to be thought as plainclothes police officer or a female bodyguard of a rough business world. 

「Well it’s fine. It helps that I don’t get involved in any strange crime.」 

Even while whispering like that, for some reason Annie didn’t look fully satisfied with that. 

She arrived at her destination. At Los Angeles, it wasn’t rare for a shop to open their business in a one-story house. This place was also one of those places. However, what this store was selling was things like dream, future, or reduction of stress. 

「Mystic Reader by Bianki……it’s this place.」 

A maisonette front door. At the side there was a small plate that was written with that name. 

The letters were handwritten with permanent marker, it was a rough penmanship. This place should be the so called『 fortuneteller shop』, but the shop owner didn’t seem to be passionate in his business. 

Even when she peeked across the glass door into inside the shop, there was no light inside. 

No matter how she saw it the shop was closed. But, even like this the shop was properly open in business. 

「It’s just like the information say.」 

This place was a downtown with bad public order. 

If the shop was really being closed then the shutter would be lowered down so that the glass door couldn’t be touched. If such thing was not done then the glass door could be broken with a bat or stone. 

Annie opened the door without hesitation and passed through the corridor. 

She went through the shop space and also passed through the corridor. 

There was not a single lighting until that point. She relied only on the lighting of the street lamp that shined from outside through the glass window. 

However, a faint light was leaking out from a room deep inside the corridor. 

The door was left open. Annie entered inside with brisk steps. The source of light of this room came not from fluorescent lamp or even LED light. 

Traditional candlesticks that were attached on the wall held several dozen candles where orange flames were flickering……. 

「Welcome, to the mansion of David Bianki.」 

At the center of the room, there was a refined handsome man. 

He was a Caucasian. Perhaps he was about at his twenty. The dot patterned business shirt and the necktie he wore gave a considerably stylish air. 

「Love consultation, instruction of business management, solving life worry……I’ll give you consultation about anything without reservation. I guess you must have know it already but, if it is with my art of physiognomy, the I can give any answer that you wished for.」 

His way of talking that was putting on airs was slightly frivolous. 

But, as a magician that was straying here from southern Europe a few months ago, he was an expert in art of divination by using the lay of the land. The region and aura of a person――by reading the flow of those, various information could be obtained by this art of divination. 

It seemed that he was a practitioner that had accumulated legitimate training at the center of sorcery Europe. 

In reality, the bookshelf inside the gloomy room was tightly packed with old book of sorcery. 

Antiques and curios that appeared to be excavated from historic ruins somewhere, old map and so on could be found scattered everywhere inside the room. The room was like a warehouse of a museum or art gallery. All those things weren’t just mere reference material. It was likely that they were also catalyst for sorcery. 

Everything was articles that verified Bianki’s self-respect and competency as magician. 

Just why such man was drifted until California and now earning small change by acting as a sham fortuneteller? Annie knew the reason for that. 

Wasting no time, she whispered this. 

「Carry out the matter that thy willed, that is exactly the entirety of law.」 

「……aa」 

Bianki smiled after listening to the given password. 

「Of course, I’ll also undertake the business of that side. ――Welcome to my school of heretical teachings. What are you wishing for from this evil sorcerer David Bianki? Death. 

Slaughter. Death of many. The death of innocent people. Grief. 

The death of the loved one. Immorality. Degeneration. Ruin……. If you pay the appropriate compensation, then I’ll devote my poor ability in order to call chaos and calamity into this world.」 

It seemed that Bianki had perpetrated a great error even while being a magician of a noted family from a righteous faction. 

He was being considered as a criminal by all magic society in the whole Europe and so he escaped until here the West Coast of North America. 

In the end he sold his soul to evil and black arts, and his self fell until becoming an evil sorcerer. 

A hound of a cult where degeneration and madness and vice were their only behavioral principle. Terrorist of magic world. And then above all an enemy of the patron saint of Los Angeles, John Pluto Smith――. 

The man in front of Annie’s eyes, was that kind of fellow. 

Since the evil sorcerer cult《King of Flies》that was the greatest even in Los Angeles was destroyed a few months ago, this kind of small fry was increasing in number. And then in order to secretly investigate the work of a newcomer who was repeatedly being “naughty” even among those small fries, Annie came to this place tonight. 

But. 

「……Hm?」 

Suddenly Bianki frowned. He stared hard at Annie in suspicion. 

「What’s the matter? Is there something in my face?」 

「Aa, no. There is something that concerned me a bit. You are……have you often get told like this? That you have an appearance where it’s hard to read your fortune.」 

「Appearance? In other words, you mean my face or my expression?」 

「That kind of thing. More strictly it’s not only the face, the appearance of the whole body, the style, the color of the aura that such personage is clad with……the『appearance』that I meant is such thing that lump all of those together.」 

「Now that you mentioned it, you are an expert in that area aren’t you.」 

Annie nodded and then she said. 

「Unfortunately, tonight is the first time I met a master of physiognomy. I have no memory of receiving a comment like what you said just now.」 

「I……see. Then I’ll explain it to you, you are possessing an appearance that is extremely unique.」 

The right hand of Bianki that was being opened until now――nonchalantly clenched. 

It was just a small gesture. But, Annie’s observing eye didn’t overlook that. At this point of time her interception attack switch had been turned on. 

「If I have to say it is an『appearance of a supreme ruler』. In your mind and body there are good fortune and bad fortune. Both of those fortunes are overflowing violently in great amount to absurd degree. You should be a transcendental being, that has long surpassed thing like the normal scale of good luck and bad luck.」 

「…………」 

Before Annie knew. Bianki’s expression had turned into a serious one. 

Frivolous airs had vanished from his way of talking. Taking its place, was a sharp gaze that was like a drill which was staring straight at Annie’s face. 

「Before this, there is only one time I have ever seen the same appearance like yours. At that time……I was unable to 

understand well the significance of that. But, now is different――」 

「I see.」 

Annie smiled faintly. 

She guessed that David Bianki had experience of facing against her “fellow kind”. 

And then, he most likely committed an error. Whether that experience was good or bad, it became nourishment for him that should be the impetus that made him grew greatly as a practitioner. 

It was to the degree that by looking at Annie Charlton, he was able to catch a glimpse of the essence of champion in a glance. 「What a really intriguing story that is, Bianki-san. If you don’t mind, I wonder if you can let me listen more to that story while you divine my fortune?」 

「Unfortunately, that’s a request that I find it hard to accept!」 Bianki quickly swung his right hand that he clenched. 

At the same time he opened his palm. Metallic dust that he summoned beforehand inside his hand using sorcery was scattered inside the room, and then, all the dust caused combustion and explosion――. 

*GOuuuuuuuuUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNN-!* 

Flame and explosion impact swallowed Annie whole. 

However, the hero of Los Angeles wouldn’t flinch just from that. She smiled still with relaxed composure. 

「Fufufufu. That’s quite a passionate welcome.」 

「As I thought you are also like that……. The worst monster with only your appearance pretending to be human, the very disaster of earth itself that murder the revered gods!」 

「Can an evil sorcerer like you say that? Well, indeed I am the devil king itself though.」 

Two seconds ago, she was Annie Charlton. 

However, the instant flame and explosion swallowed her, Annie changed her clothes using magic. 

Right now her face was hidden by a steel mask and that body was clad in a black cape. On the waist was a holster that was holding a metallic magic gun. The feet were wearing boots attached with metal. 

She faced Bianki with the appearance of the demon king, John Pluto Smith. 

Due to the explosive sorcery that assaulted Smith, the inside of the room was being enveloped with fierce flame. But, something that was produced by human sorcery wouldn’t harm a Campione. 

Even while flaring up burning flame was scorching, there was not a single scorch on Smith’s costume. 

「Just in case I suppressed the magic, because even like this it doesn’t change that it is something hot.」 

When Smith chuckled, the vibration of his stifled laughter caused his mask to shake. 

The voice that came out from her lips became lower, changing into a gallant tenor. 

Furthermore, if she concentrated her mind a little to raise her endurance against sorcery, the magic flame that was burning around her should be extinguished instantly. That was also the privilege of the demon king Campione. However, Smith instead didn’t do that. 

A black clothed demon king standing inside fierce flame――. Such thing was a picturesque scene, that was the reason Smith didn’t blow away the flame. 

John Pluto Smith, had the duty to enact dramatics in his self! 

Besides above all else, David Bianki who was swallowed in the dignity of『Masked King Clad in Flame』forgot to even escape. It was fine for Smith to still keep like this. 

「Now then Bianki-kun. Is it necessary for me to introduce myself?」 

「Kuh……-!」 

「Very well. So it’s fine to cut the introduction. Today I planned to only investigate secretly, but it is an emergency situation just as you see. As a vigilante that contribute in the peace of Los Angeles no matter how meager it is, let’s get through with this arrest of yourself.」 

Smith drew out his magic gun from his waist. 

It was a large caliber revolver with six shots. It was different from all gun that existed in eart. 

「That gun――you are planning to use something like that to the likes of me!?」 

Bianki yelled in astonishment. 

「Against me who is not even a heretic god, who is not even a demon king who slew a god――!?」 

「It appears that you know about my gun. Exactly because it is loaded with magic bullets that ruin even god, it can only fire six shots in one month. The bullets are terribly precious. I want to avoid using it excessively but…..」 

*click* The firing hammer was set, the gun muzzle was aimed at Bianki’s heart. 

「Be relieved. Actually it can also be used like this.」 

「AA――!」 

*klik-* The trigger rang. Bianki screamed from great terror. However, there was no light bullet that came out from the steel muzzle. The gun was empty. 

But, the shockwave that was vomited out from the gun muzzle blew off the southern Europe evil sorcerer. 

「This is a magic tool exclusive for demon king that was created for my sake by the blacksmith of astral world. Just by shooting out lump of air it will become a sufficient force. Well, it is just an additional function that won’t be useful against gods though.」 

Smith noticed while he bragged casually. 

The shot just now not only made Bianki crashed onto wall and knocked him out. 

The shockwave that was launched from the gun muzzle also cleanly blew away the burning flame at the surrounding and accomplished the role of fire extinguisher. 

What was left was only blackly scorched room, and the stinky smell of burned things――. 

Also, the shockwave pulverized the glasses of this shop, and turned the fragile items into small bits……. 

「Hmm.」 

Smith shrugged slightly. 

「I let out too much force.」 

If it was like this, then didn’t the shockwave rush through not only the shop of Bianki but also the whole one district of downtown? 

Inside that range, the scene should also be the same like this place where many things were pulverized. 

「This is a meager compensation for the sake of victory.」 

Smith calmly whispered and returned his magic gun into the holster. 

John Pluto Smith. The people close to him that knew him really well called this masked hero as『gambler of ‘it turned out all right in the end’』, it was also said that they scowled every time they heard the sacrifice (of the surrounding) that accompanied his philanthropic activity――.