Campione! - Volume Ex - Chapter Pr1

Prologue
.

「Thank you for expressly coming here. It’s a big help.」

An old monastery was standing beside a rocky mountain.

Kusanagi Godou spoke his thanks to someone he had arranged to meet with in front of there.

The rocky mountain standing tall at the back had some patches of green grass growing on the slop. The exposed rock surface was conspicuous. It was a place that could be called remote.

It seemed that this Geghard Monastery was more or less a sightseeing place.

But, there wasn’t any sign besidesof other people  Godou and Liliana Kranjcar. Perhaps the cause was because of the inconvenience of access to this place as well as the few number of tourist visiting this country of Armenia.

「But Liliana. It’s strange for me to say this even though I was the one calling you here but」

Godou smiled while speaking to his silver haired partner.

「It’s surprising that you really come so quickly.」

「No. I too was coincidentally at Bucharest.」

Liliana who was descended from Eastern Europe spoke the name of Romania’s capital city.

This Armenia was more or less categorized as Eastern Europe too. However although it was said to be a part of Europe, it was located at the furthest edge, at the east end. It was adjoined with Russia, Middle East, and central Asia.

Armenia was a country located at the side of Black Sea.

Immediately his comrade who had crossed several country borders to meet him said this to him.

「So my king. What is the reason that you specifically called me to come here?」

「Yeah. I thought that it would be best to have Liliana see this.」

「More than Erica, Mariya Yuri, or Seishuuin Ena? In other words I can consider that not only the spiritual sense of a shrine maiden will be needed, but it’s also better to have the knowledge of witch for this?」

「Something like that. Anyway, let’s wander around the monastery while talking.」

The two of them attended the same high school in Japan however that was already five years ago.

During that time, Kusanagi Godou became 『the demon king-sama who wandered around even into and across many worlds. As an 『aid who often assisted her lord』, Liliana would sometimes became his travelling companion, or sometimes became Godou’s representative. She played an active role in many fields.

But, as expected Liliana was the best personnel among Godou’s partner in regards of being an all-rounder. She was the one who got asked the most to accompany him in his travel as his support.

「It’s a bit of coincidence that I came to this area. I only planned to take care a minor business, and when I realized it I arrived here without meaning to.」

「Could it be it’s related with Longinus’s spear?」

「You’re sharp. As expected from Liliana.」

「Because when talking about Armenia’s Geghard Monastery, it’s the holy ground which was hiding that divine spear for a long time now, after all. The spear that stabbed Jesus’s side and absorbed His blood──」

「Come to think of it, Geghard meant spear huh.」

This monastery wasn’t made from stone that was the norm in Europe.

The rocky mountain was dug at and the sanctuary of Christianity was assembled inside the hollowed out cavern.

A building in the “style of monastery” was purposefully built at the entrance of the holes as a substitute for the entryway. People could pass through into the cavern from there.

The lighting inside the monastery was minimal and the place was really dim.

However, at the altar located at the deepest part──there was a small hole opened at the ceiling. The sunlight shining in from there was illuminating the inside of the cavern solemnly with mystical atmosphere…….

Godou walked around such place with Liliana while talking.

「After taking care of various things related with the spear, in this place I──happened to find something concerning. I could only see the back of the figure though. It was someone who I remembered seeing from somewhere. And then……」

Godou closed his mouth at this point.

He wondered what kind of reaction Liliana who was a witch and possessed preeminent power of spiritual sight would show. He wanted to ascertain it without giving her unnecessary information.

Thus──

「Someone who can make a person at your level to say that you’re 『concerned』……」

Liliana narrowed her eyes with a dignified expression.

After that she muttered 「I see」 and started walking. Godou followed behind her.

「I’m different from Erica, I didn’t face “him” directly. I had only heard about the story of that time. But, because I have a long experience serving Kusanagi Godou──I believe that I’m someone sensitive to “his” presence.」

He. Liliana spoke without mentioning any definite name.

And then she walked. She finally came out outside the monastery under the sunlight once more. But, Liliana didn’t stop walking and entered the rental car she used to come here.

Godou also quickly slid on the passenger seat. The car immediately took off.

「I understand the reason why I sensed “his” presence in this country.」

Liliana grasped the steering wheel and declared solemly.

As expected she spiritually saw something and now she would guide Godou to the place where he should be at.

「Armenia is a land that become the border of Europe and Asia. Before the propagation of Christianity, mythology that received the influence of both east and west was passed down in this land. Greek mythology, Turkey──Anatolia Peninsula’s mythology, and then the orient’s Zoroastrianism……」

「…………」

「In this Armenia, “he” was called Vahagn. He was considered the same existence with Heracles of the west, and then, with that “war god of the east” ──the sword god of dragon slaying.」

Dragon slayer. The steel sword gods.

These several years, the chance of hearing this vocabulary was decreasing.

Godou felt nostalgic hearing those words. Then Liliana stopped the rental car.

They passed a straight path of a tranquil rural town and arrived at a place after more than ten minutes. When they entered a side road from the roadway and drove for a bit, there was that historic ruins.

It looked similar with that famous Parthenon Temple.

Stone pillars were lined up, and above them there was a stone roof placed. That was the style.

「This temple site look similar with the one in Greece.」

「Naturally. After all this is a product of Hellenism era. This place is Garni Temple, a sacred ground dedicated to the sun god Mithra. Mithra is also from the east──a god whose myth was handed down from the ancient Persia. His true divine name is Mythra, an existence that “he” revere as lord……」

「So it’s a god who is that guy’s boss.」

「Yes. The god whose back you saw and whose presence’s remnant I sensed. He should have come from this temple site.」

「You’re saying that guy’s presence is also remaining here?」

「Yes.」

Godou still hadn’t forgotten how in the past he fought the sun god Mitras who was the offshoot of Mythra and got his authority of war god Verethragna sealed.

And then, Godou gasped.

Because strength suddenly welled up inside his body and heart.

It was a supernatural phenomenon that lured Kusanagi Godou’s heart and body to prepare for battle. It was “that” which happened when a Campione or godslayer and heretic gods encountered each other.

*Bam!* Godou opened the door loudly and rushed out of the car.

「So it’s you, Verethragna!」

He finally yelled that name while running.

The arch-enemy who he faced at the decisive battle against the first godslayer and the King of the End Rama. The youth who declared that the time for their rematch would one day come. The god who transformed into ten avatars. The personification of victory…….

When Godou dashed until beside Garni Temple.

*KUeeeEEEEEEEEEEH──.*

A bird cried above.

He stopped his legs and looked up. A bird of prey that seemed like an eagle was flying away. It was as though the bird was satisfied after confirming Godou’s existence.

.

×　　　　×　　　　×　　　　×

.

Tokyo Metropolis──.

That interview was carried out in a café at Taitou ward.

「Space distortion?」

「Wait, what is that thing prince?」

Mariya Yuri’s eyes opened wide, while Seishuuin Ena asked bluntly.

The other party coolly smiled 『Fuh』and started talking fluently.

「It’s a phenomenon that is recently affirmed. I named it like that. Fortunately it seems that it doesn’t occur in “our earth” but……. There is also world among the diverse worlds where this phenomenon occur frequently.」

The voice’s owner was the Black Prince, Alexander Gascoigne.

Similar with the young man who Yuri and Ena loved, he was a Campione who murdered god.

「To put it simply, it was a 『gate of light』. An assembly of countless lights. But, by passing through it you can arrive at the domain of myth.」

「Domain of……myth?」

Yuri felt an indescribable anxiety and froze.

Her spiritual sense as princess shrine maiden, her spiritual sight that was the finest on earth gave her a warning. That this talk wasn’t something they could disregard by all means. Yuri asked.

「What kind of phenomenon is it?」

「What. Greek mythology, Norse mythology, India mythology……in short it’s parallel world that reproduce the mythologies all over the world. Let’s call them mythological world. If normal person enter there, it won’t become anything decent.」

「Gates that connected to such places are appearing everywhere?」

Ena frowned.

「Somehow that remind me of the past, when Aisha-san opened the 『Fairy Corridor』. That also gave us a lot of hardship……」

「That’s the one.」

Black Prince Alec agreed in disgust.

「The space distortion phenomenon that occurred recently and our acquaintance──the most bothersome madam. Perhaps there is a connection between the two. I managed to obtain a data just some time ago that supported it. It wasn’t like I really wanted it but……」

「Eh? Aisha-san was finally found!?」

「Even though she is already missing for several years!」

「It’s only a trace that I thought belongs to her though.」

Ena and Yuri, the two princess shrine maidens were similarly astonished.

Black Prince Alec continued commenting with a really displeased look.

「Even though I was praying that if possible she would be missing for eternity, it didn’t bear any fruit. It seemed the godslaying madam-dono was fully enjoying her life. And so, I visited here thinking that I would try consulting “the only godslayer whose dimension travelling rivaled mine” about it.」

‘Hmph.’ Alec spoke in displeasure.

「Kusanagi Godou isn’t even at Tokyo that should be his headquarter and his whereabouts is unknown. He isn’t reporting his present location even now. Good grief, that guy. What does he think about his position that he is responsible for. No matter what the situation is, a leader has to be available to be contacted anytime. Does he know that?」

「「…………」」

Yuri and Ena spontaneously stared at the older young man wordlessly.

Then Black Prince Alec came back to his senses and rapidly said this.

「Wait. In the end I only spoke of the common opinion. It’s not like I intend to say anything about myself, not at the slightest. I ask the two of you to stop having any strange misunderstandings.」ED Note: Pot calling the kettle black.

「Ena and Yuri doesn’t say anything though.」

「You insist that there is no wrong with yourself exactly because there is a feeling of guilt in your heart……」

「Stop, I’m different from your boss! Don’t look at me with those eyes like you are looking at pitiful human who is just all talk-」

「「…………」」

.

×　　　　×　　　　×　　　　×

.

The king who appeared at the end of this world, Ramachandra.

Since the devil king extermination hero and Kusanagi Godou’s deathly battle, five years had passed.

During that time, the Campiones were of course living a life that was really far from peaceful. However, even then these days were quieter than the year when the hero Rama exercised his fierce might.

Even that period of complacent days would finally end──.