Campione! - Volume 20 - Chapter 2.1

Chapter 2 –The Man Who Returned

Part 1

「If you ask me why I’m here」 

The masked godslayer, John Pluto Smith. 

He was aloof even in this time, speaking as though he was reciting a tale.

「The answer is simple. Due to Queen Aisha’s corridor# we were sent to fantastical super ancient times――I think it’s roughly twelve thousand years in the past――to the era where we mankind was nothing more but people of stone age civilization. I arrived at an island country in Atlantic Ocean that seemed would become the model of the Atlantis legend, asked for the cooperation of the fairies that lived in that land, and finally I was able to secure the mean to time travel.」

「…………」 

Putting aside the dumbfounded Godoum the hardships story that suddenly began continued further.

「In my point of view, it was an expedition that took about three months. However, when I came back in this present time, of all things it hasn’t even been three hours since that corridor rampaged. Truly it should be said as the mystery of time travel in my opinion.」

「………」

「My return to this present age is really just some time ago.」

「So, in place of greeting you aimed at me and Nee-san huh. With that dangerous gun――」

「Hahahaha. Correct answer.」

Smith easily confessed when Godou pressed on him. 

Smith was laughing lightly, but if he remembered correctly it should be an authority that was usurped from the famous archer and moon goddess of Greek myth, Artemis. It was too malicious to be used for joke. 

Nevertheless, the man who traveled to another world just a bit ago had already returned.

「……So this is what Gascoigne is talking about!」 

Godou sighed. 

You are overlooking two important factors. One is that you are thinking that Madam Aisha can be trusted. And I think you will come to understand yourself about the other factor during that time――! 

Godou was finally able to understand the meaning of that statement of Alec. 

In the case that the destination was the past, it was possible to return back by time travel using one’s own strength!

「That means, the gods that were sent together with you are also able to go back here then. Perseus, Son Goku, and 

Hanuman are also――」

「More or less. Though it should be a really difficult journey for them.」

「Why?」

「I think here I should praise Madam Aisha, as expected from her. In the era where I was sent to, the gods and Astral world too weren’t as mature as the present era!」

「What do you mean by that?」

「In the good old days, the myth that the people talked about was also simple. The character and ability of the gods that were talked there naturally also became simple. Even if the fairies and gods of that kind of era suddenly encountered a traveler that wished to return back to twelve thousand years later――they really cannot be expected……to be so mature intellectually to understand properly the circumstance of the traveler.」 

Smith spoke clearly as though in lecture.

「Well, though perhaps in return of being simple, they were also kind toward a really troubled child lost in time. But, whether the virtuous ancient gods have the power to accurately send home a traveler from their era to twelve thousand years later or not――one also couldn’t have much expectation in this aspect too.」 

Godou recalled. 

The existence of gods that brought about strangeness to the world. What regulated their character was the『myth』that humans told from generation to generation. In an environment where the whole civilization of mankind was still immature, surely there would be nothing but simple gods who were born.

「I see! If it’s a person that can time travel by their own strength like Aisha-san then there won’t be any problem! But# those who cannot do that need to rely on someone to send them back to this era so――」

「Yes! The super ancient era where I was sent at didn’t have that kind of prospect.」 

Smith shrugged. 

「It was the furthest end of the world where rarely anyone could go back in the end after being sent there once. Even though Madam Aisha didn’t intend for it# but she unconsciously always firmly chose the path for victory. Though whether it was the most optimum solving method or not――」

「Like how you actually returned from there like this.」

「Yes! It was really difficult# but it wasn’t impossible! Well# this time I made a cunning preparation beforehand though, that was why I was able to return back in unprecedented short time of three months.」

「What do you mean cunning?」

「Nothing big. I only requested the fairy kings in Astral world before this. Please give me guidance with the strength of all of you when I became a lost child in time, I said.」

「Something like that is possible!?」

「Because while I’m a newcomer# I’m still one of the fairy kings! It’s because of connection# and also because of debt! That side too had a reason of wanting to lend a hand――」 

Before Godou realized, he was absorbed in the talk with Smith. 

For some reason it would become like this when he met this suspicious man. They strangely got along well and would naturally exchange words without reservation. 

Even though currently they were right in the middle of the thorny devil king civil war. 

A phenomenon that caused Godou who was like that to suddenly return to his sense appeared. 

The white thick mist that was enshrouding the surrounding was――suddenly clearing up! Furthermore# even though until now he should be inside a forest For some reason they were now on a ridge with good visibility. They were in the middle of the ridge that connected Kumotori 

Mountain that had its summit blown away and Kokumotori Mountain that was shrouded by mist. It was the mountain path that Godou passed through before this. 

They were forced out from the barrier of mist.「I see, this is how Black Prince-dono make his approach.」

「That guy gave up huh. We got pulled into the labyrinth, and if we keep staying inside his encampment like that……」 

Even Godou was able to read Alec’s intention already!

「After all he already pulled in Aisha-san and Doni inside. If even we also go there, that means that his enemy also increases by two――」

「That’s right! This judgment is really like him whose forte is in calculation. Now then」 

In this side too, John Pluto Smith suddenly made an action. 

He withdrew the magic gun from the holster on his waist and aimed it at Godou.

「It’s about time soon for me to also return to the devil king civil war. What about you, Kusanagi Godou?」

「What is happening? My body……it feels like my power as godslayer has completely slipped out from it.」

「As expected, it seemed that Sect Founder Luo Hao has sucked out most of the magic power.」

「So she had been aiming for that kind of chance all that time she was cornering Madam Aisha.」 

The female Campione was perplexed with the abnormality of her body. 

Erica Blandelli and Liliana Krancjar nodded to each other as the caretaker of this woman. 

They were in the middle of wandering the forest that was enshrouded with white mist. 

The heavy fog that caused them to be unable to see their front clearly was thinning down only slightly. Right now they at least could confirm by sight the blurry silhouette of the trees. 

However# no matter how much they walked# they couldn’t get out of the forest at all……! 

Liliana spoke to ignore that eeriness.

「Having no magic power means that most of the authority is unusable. It was exactly like the condition of Sect Founder Luo Hao when she fought Prince Rama.」

「Unexpectedly that experience might became the hint that gave her the idea.」

「But, geez that Onee-sama, in order to that she」 

Madam Aisha’s eyes were shining brightly behind Erica who was looking down. 

She looked really delighted even though it was this kind of situation.

「She locked her lips――she kissed me didn’t she@? As# as I thought, because she has a feeling for me that she cannot throw away, that was why she chose that kind of method wasn’t it@?」

「Well, putting that aside」 

The knight of Krancjar family smoothly eluded the speech. 

This was Sect Founder Luo Hao they were talking about. It could even be thought that she had came to a clean decision to do the necessary method for the sake of victory, and carried out『the oral administration of secret technique to absorb magic power』without particularly feeling conflicted. 

But, the silver haired girl didn’t speak that kind of comment and instead said.

「Erica. If I remember correctly, that time the sect founder used a special qigong tecchnique for fast recovery of magic power.」

「It’s not just that! After that she seemed to use technique of unorthodox style or something to directly absorb magic power from Hanuman# and drastically recovered! ……If possible# I wish Madam Aisha can also recover using the same method but――」

「That’s impossible for me Erica-san. There is no way I can use something like that kind of technique.」 

It was unclear whether she understood the situation or not. 

Madam Aisha spoke brightly and thoughtlessly. It seemed that she was really happy after getting told that a technique was applied on her from her Onee-sama through mouth. 

That was cute# but it wouldn’t be any help to endure through this pinch. 

For the time being they should escape from the mist barrier though. These three began to wander inside the mist and more than thirty minutes were passing. 

Even though they had walked that long, there was no sign that they were getting out from the mist. 

They were only wandering the forest of leafless trees and saw nothing but the same trees.

「This make me recall something, the time when we had expedition to Kota Kinabalu.」 

Erica murmured.

「The time when Godou, Yuri, and Ena-san were kidnapped to the island that cannot be left, they were made to wander inside mountain endlessly! I wonder if it’s too much of an unjust suspicion to suspect that this is the intervention of that person.

」

「What a coincidence. I was also remembering about the same person.」 

Liliana also nodded.

「Alexander Gascoigne-sama. Well, this is a situation where there is no problem even if we declared that this is that person’s work I think! With woman instinct and a witch’s spiritual sense# betting on those two……」

「Eh@? This mist# it’s because of Alex-san’s fault@?」 

The three females were getting excited with the quiz to guess the culprit. 

Well――for him it was a talk that doesn’t matter! He hid his presence, and followed behind all this time without making a single sound of footstep. Not a single person from the female camp was noticing. 

Putting aside the dull Madam Aisha, the two female knights were sensitive to killing intent. 

But# they didn’t seem to detect his presence! 

Even though the distance between them was only seven, eight meter. It was thanks to the technique of covert action he learned and the thick mist that his figure was hard to see. 

That was why――it should be possible to take them by surprise out of nowhere without trouble. 

His aim was of course Madam Aisha. He guessed that the knights of Kusanagi Godou would be a hindrance, but they were still unripe as knight! They wouldn’t be any obstacle. 

He was arranging the requirement for a success surprise attack until completion. 

However. 

Actually he wished to wait until Madam Aisha was back to perfect condition and had a match anew. 

He had such feeling. But, if her condition was because of a technique that was applied by Sect Founder Luo Hao, then she shouldn’t be able to recover that easily! In that case# to fully enjoy the rest of the devil king civil war, perhaps it was better to remove Madam Aisha here first huh. 

There would be no end of it if he was just thinking, for now how about he just do it. 

Rather than regretting because he didn’t do it# let’s regret after doing it! 

The katana was drawn out without any sound from the sheath. He had thrown it away in the middle of battle, but after that he came to sudden realization『it might be really troubling without it』and he somehow recovered the sheath back. 

He――jumped back in a flash just before he slashed with his sword. 

He did that because he felt it. The killing intent of someone that was creeping up at him by using godspeed without making any sound. It was something impossible for an average person to do something like detecting this man’s attack# but of course he was different――!

「Salvatore Doni! If you plan to do it then I won’t stop you! But」 

Black Prince Alec spoke as soon as he turned off his godspeed.「Although she is a troublemaker that span over world and history# it doesn’t change the fact that she is more or less a lady even if just barely. I think that you should at least introduce yourself before slashing your sword at her.」

「Hahahaha. As expected, Alec is soft on woman huuh.」 

Doni smiled broadly facing his sour-faced old friend.

「You are completely looking after her like that after all aren’t you?」

「Shut up. This is because it seem that the madam really has lost all her magic power. Anyway there is no more necessity to remove her now# so it’s only natural to change how to deal with her.」 

The three people of the female camp turned around when they heard this exchange.

「Ah# isn’t that Alec-san and Doni-san there!?」

「Madam. Please hide behind us.」 

Madam Aisha’s eyes turned round# while Liliana Krancjar covered her behind herself. 

And then, Erica Blandelli alternately looked at the faces of the two men in comparison and then shrugged with a face that looked a little exasperated.

「From what I can guess through the dialogue just now――Lord Salvatore! So you were tailing after us all this time? And then seeing an opening, you were planning to attack 

Madam Aisha……」

「Oh maan」 

Doni laughed foolishly and warded off Erica young miss’s gaze!

「When I was swallowed by strange mist and got lost, I found you guys by chance see. And so I thought, is this a chance perhaps―! Well# but」 

He easily switched around his feeling and winked at the black prince.

「I’m happy that you came here for me. As I thought rather than Madam Aisha who lost her strength, I want to do it with an opponent that can give me a proper match instead.」

「Hmph」

「But, this time there is a lot of enemies huuh. If by any chance Alec-san is fine with it」 

Doni foolishly spoke further toward the disagreeable young noble.

「How about you also join an alliance with me? Facing the alliance of sect founder-sama and gramps with everyone might be really wonderful you know?」

「There is no way I can agree with that kind of talk.」 

Alec curtly spitted out. 

「In the first place I have no mood to trust you as alliance partner! And then above all else――this devil king civil war# is just too far removed from my preference. Something like a game where seven people are just killing each other, there is a limit even in being stupid! I can’t even feel like doing it seriously.」 

The young noble of white declared with an eloquence that was to be expected from the black prince.

「I am merely brushing off the sparks falling on me. Know that if you want to talk to me.」

「Hahahah! That’s really just like you# Alec! Then! This is a good chance so――be my opponent right here@」

「Usually I absolutely won’t accept that but……」 

Alexander Gascoigne pompously murmured in his style. 

While staring straight at the eyes of Salvatore Doni who threw down the gauntlet cheerfully at him.

「Perhaps it’s the time soon――that I should knock that head of yours who is making merry in this devil king civil war. Fine then! I’ll go along with that joke of yours!」