Campione!

Chapter 7 - Journey's EndPart 1Transformed into a white dragon, Guinevere was facing AlexandreGascoigne.The two had been engaged in a covert struggle all this time. Nevertheless,a direct confrontation never occurred because Guinevere always avoidedsuch a situation. After all, it was impossible to face a Campione in a duelwithout turning into a dragon, an act equivalent to choosing "death."Hence, this was the first and last battle.Guinevere spread her white dragon wings and began to flap. However, thisdid not cause the dragon's massive body to take flight. Flapping her wingswas for some other purpose rather than flying.What the vibrating dragon wings produced was wind.With a great noisy racket, a vortex of wind was forming around Guinevere'swhite dragon body.The vortex immediately turned into a cyclone, as violent winds sweptacross the forty-thousand-square-meter artificial island. Alec was almostblown away."Sealing my movements in your territory?!"'Correct! Alexandre-sama, Your Highness may possess the speed oflightning. Nevertheless, as long as you are immobilized, it poses no threatat all!'The magical wind caused by the Divine Ancestor was not simply strongwind.The cyclone even formed masses of air to strike at Alec with ferocity, tryingto send him flying. Furthermore, there was a curse which wrapped aroundhis tall, thin physique like a snake, sealing all movement.Trapped within the confines of this magical wind, even a giant creaturewould probably be unable to move an inch.It would not be an exaggeration to say his immobility was like being boundby metal restraints, for this was a type of bondage spell. The only one leftuntouched was the white dragon transformed from Guinevere, able tomove freely while her opponent was left with no choice but to stand still.Standing inside this cyclone that conferred an absolute advantage, thewhite dragon bellowed.GaaaaaaaaaaaaaahM'Alexandre-sama, Your Highness should prepare yourself!'Guinevere's adorable voice was heard from the white dragon's jawssimultaneously with the roar.Next came the frontal attack. Swinging the dragon's massive front limbs,those sword-rivaling sharp claws were going to rip him apart. An ordinaryperson would probably be torn to pieces helplessly.But Alec was a Campione, and thus possessed absolute resistanceagainst magic. Even against the curse cast by a divine class sacreddragon-"Be thou faithful unto death! And I will give thee a crown of life!"^Chanting scripture, he raised the magical power residing in his body.This in turn increased his magical resistance. Just as he finished raisinghis magical power, the wind's curse pressing on his body disappeared.Recovering his freedom, Alec instantly used god speed.A bystander would probably think he teleported.In an instant, Alec charged behind the white dragon and leaped lightly,touching the dragon's back with his hand. Of course, it was no mere touch.Turning his right hand into plasma, he released an electrical attack.Zap! Sparks flew.'Guh... Truly a nimble one!'A sound came from the dragon as if Guinevere was smacking her lips. Asbefitted the gigantic dragon god which surpassed divine beasts, theelectric shock did not seem to have done any damage.Furthermore, the magical wind was increasing in momentum.Guinevere once again poured divine power into the wind.The wind roared, bellowed and moaned. This rampaging wind's purposewas entanglement in addition to blown attacks. Alec's slender body wasonce again constricted by the magical wind, unable to lift a single finger letalone make use of god speed."Tsk!"Suddenly restrained tightly, Alec found his legs tied together.He was caught in a difficult situation of falling over as he smacked his lips.Taking advantage of this, Guinevere swung the white dragon's massive tailwith a swish. Being struck by that object would be no different from beingpummeled by a steel beam from a building construction site.Alec raised his magical power once again and managed to struggle free ofthe magical wind's curse. Activating god speed when the tail was merecentimeters from his body, he dodged. However, Guinevere infused thewind with divine power once more-This was essentially an endless self-defeating cycle.Using the instant when the wind restrained Alec, Guinevere used thedragon's body to attack.Swinging those sharp claws on her front and back limbs. Biting down withthose jaws, filled with rows of sharp and deadly teeth. Charging with thatmassive body as a weapon. Swiping with that unexpectedly troublesomeweapon of a tail.And more terrifying than any of those attacks, the breath from the dragon'smouth.The dragon's breath instantly turned into a tempest mixed with shards ofice. This sharp onslaught displayed merciless ferocity, seeking to send theliving flying, slicing them apart, freezing them.Whenever any of these attacks approached, Alec struggled free from hisbonds.Using divine speed to jump backwards, he repeatedly evaded the dragon'sattacks in the last second before being struck. Nevertheless, he could notcounterattack in any effective way. Not due to Alec's manipulativepersonality, but because Alec's authorities were not very offense-orientedin nature."Oh well, the labyrinth creation authority was never one to be used foroffense in the first place."Alec muttered as he continued to endure the dragon's fierce attacks."Though talented, the bashful servant is unsuited for direct confrontations.The magical sphere of avarice is currently in use. And if I used thatthunderstrike, I will lose the ability to escape from the palm of your hand.What a predicament!"The authority of divine speed actually had an attack mode called [BlackThunder] which could incinerate everything on the ground.However, using it meant that he could no longer use divine speed for half aday. Alec had no wish to use it in this situation."But anyway, Guinevere. There's not much time remaining beforecheckmate. Have you prepared a way to seal that move?"Guinevere did not have the leisure to respond to Alec's question.The ferocious dragon was using her gigantic body to fan the magical wind.--This could be described as the battle between a lion and a cat. No matterhow agile Alec was, suffering a single strike from the dragon would resultin instant death. Hence for Guinevere, as long as she cautiously kept upher pursuit of her prey and delivered a decisive blow once sufficientdamage had been caused, things were set.That said, Alec was actually the one with effort to spare."Clearly you could have stalled for time while waiting for Lancelot's rescue,but you didn't. That means that knight must be suffering from some kind ofinconvenience. For example, maybe something like insufficient stamina forcontinuous battle."'Gun!'Guinevere answered Alec's mutterings with a new wave of furious attacks.Clearly she was feeling anxious. The hunch was correct. Furthermore, shemust be aware that little time remained until the fulfillment of the conditionsAlec needed to reverse his unfavorable situation.He continued to evade the raging attacks of the white dragon -- until finally,the time had come.Once Alec was certain enough power had been stored from Guinevere'sattacks, he chanted the spell words."Hear me, daughters of the endless night, daughters of the earth andshadow!"Even though the magical wind sealed his body's movements, Alec nolonger cared.In response to the chanted verse, three beautiful infernal goddessesmanifested.Standing guard above him and to his left and right were Megaera,Tisiphone and Alecto. These were the Erinyes, the three goddesses ofvengeance."Fighting evil with evil, repaying crime with crime, shedding blood for blood,knocking out a tooth for a tooth, thus vengeance begins. By the blood ofthe slain mother, tragic death denies all future attempts at filial piety!"Raven-black wings sprouted from their backs, while every strand of hairwas a "snake."Using their feathered wings, they completely deflected the razor claws,sharp teeth and deadly breath from Guinevere's dragon form."Megaera the demon, Tisiphone the avenger, Alecto the relentless, retrievethe curse and execute vengeance! Now is the time for revenge!"This was the second authority Alec had usurped, the authority ofvengeance.Summoning the three infernal goddesses required spending a substantialamount of time on meditation and a ritual. Hence it was impossible to usein immediate battles. On the other hand, if the enemy could be lured wherepreparations had been made beforehand to summon the Erinyes, Alecwould gain an astounding advantage.Because all damage and destruction performed before them was reflectedback to the perpetrator.Responding to Alec's chant, vicious countenances appeared on thesnake-haired Erinyes. Spreading their black wings, they attacked the whitedragon.The goddess in dragon form was tragically clobbered and sliced open-Guinevere's entire body suffered the full force of the attacks she hadunleashed on Alec earlier. Like living prey tossed high into the air to beshredded by the sharp beaks of gathering ferocious birds of prey.A complete massacre.Even though he had successfully sent his enemy to the grave, Alec wasnot moved the slightest. The problems of Lancelot and Kusanagi Godoustill remained. As he thought of them, a familiar voice was heard."So things seem to have concluded.""You came. What a keen sense of smell you have."Turning his head back, he found Princess Alice's spirit body there.Knowing she came to catch the show, Alec went "Hmph" at her and said:"Just as you see, Guinevere has reached her end. Though Lancelotremains as an enemy... Perhaps there is no further need to fight him.""Once the one he protected is gone, Sir Lancelot loses his original reasonto fight."Sharp as ever, Alice immediately concurred."Ah yes. Normally, this would constitute a motive for revenge, but that guyis a [Heretic God] after all. He has acted as Guinevere's knight for over athousand years. If this lone constraint disappears, it would not besurprising for him to start wandering the earth."This was precisely the reason why Alec targeted the Witch Queen first.However, immediate objections were raised against his statement. It wasthe hoarse voice of Guinevere on the verge of death.'No! Even though Sir Knight has indeed become a [Heretic God], his loyaltytowards our sworn master has never been lost! Now that the land ofAvalon has appeared, he will not succumb to his heretical tendencies!'She must be dying. The dragon's body had begun to petrify. Thesilver-white dragon scales covering her body were losing their luster andturning into milky-white stone.'Guinevere believes in Sir Knight's heroism and devotion. He will surelytake the place of us Divine Ancestors, going forth to serve under thebanner of the "King of the End," pledging his allegiance as the premierknight!'The Divine Ancestor's soul still appeared to be intact. Alec replied to hervoice:"If that island were the true Avalon, perhaps things might proceed in thatfashion."Neither merciless nor hateful, he simply responded without emotion.As if mechanically pointing out errors in an experiment."The Heavenly Reverse Halberd is simply a divine artifact for buildingcountries, and is affiliated with Izanagi and Izanami, the parents of Japan'sislands. Their creations were not limited to intact land but also included theso-called 'Leech Child,' an amorphous fluidic object that was exiled to theocean according to the myths."Having severed Guinevere's tragic hopes, revenge was complete. As aresult, Alec spoke coldly without emotion:"The Heavenly Reverse Halberd happens to be the divine artifact thatimitates this legend, allowing it to produce both dry land and LeechChildren. Approximately a thousand years ago, the 'King of the End' hadrevived for the sake of exterminating the Campiones active at the time.Completing his mission as usual, he went to sleep on a certain island inJapan."Through the experiment at Los Angeles, Alec understood the properties ofthe Heavenly Reverse Halberd. After associating it with the strongest[Steel], he came up with a certain hypothesis."The island where the 'King of the End' sleeps, was converted into a LeechChild using the Heavenly Reverse Halberd. You should have figured it outby now, that is the Floating Island I revived... The island you call Avalon.Here comes the mystery, who did it and why?"Alice made an expression as if she realized something. She must havefigured out the mechanism behind the trap."Apparently the masterminds are the elders who viewed the 'King of theEnd' as a threat. Turning the island where the troublesome tiger slept intoa Leech Child, they sank it to the bottom of the sea to conceal it. And trulywhat a brilliant method of concealment. Nevertheless, there still remainedexistences like you Divine Ancestors. Since they were going to hide theisland, the elders thought they might as well use an even morewell-thought out method to be safe."This was one of several possible developments that Alec had deduced."A week earlier, I tried using the Heavenly Reverse Halberd to reconstructthe Floating Island. What this verified was the absence of something thatshould exist. On that island there was no decrepit divine sword -- theremains of the 'King of the End.' After careful consideration, the eldersmust have changed the king's sleeping location beforehand."In any case, there was no sword anywhere on the Floating Island.Consequently, the Heavenly Reverse Halberd was simply a red herring -- adiversion to trick seekers of the king.Although Alec had a hunch about where the King of the End was trulylocated, there was no need to reveal it at this time."Ultimately, the Floating Island is not Avalon. Even so, it was sufficient formy purpose of baiting you. Hence I used the labyrinth authority to lock itup, to act as the crucial element of the trap."'The divine sword's aura that could be sensed from the island -- could thatactually be!?'Without answering Guinevere's sobbing voice, Alec shrugged.Sardinia's Lucretia Zola had once mentioned. The "King of the End" wasmuch more ancient than Arthur and a hero spanning continents, bothoriental and occidental.Alec believed her statement and had been performing field research invarious lands. What this achieved was the discovery of a decrepit DivineSword of Salvation in Indonesia. This was the item he had ordered CeciliaCheung to retrieve and bring over to Japan."Even though I was worrying how things would turn out when KusanagiGodou appeared, in the end the plan continued smoothly without a hitch.Guinevere, this is the truth of the matter, which cannot be changed nomatter what. As the Witch Queen, it is only fitting for you to pass away withdignity, is it not?"'No! Even like this, Guinevere still has things to do!'The white dragon's body had completely petrified. Turned into amilky-white statue, it was lying on the ground. However, this statuecollapsed all of a sudden.As if eroded by the long and merciless passage of time, it lost shape andbecame sand with a rustling sound.The grains of sand, which had been part of a dragon god only momentsearlier, scattered noisily across the ground. Carried by the blowing wind, alarge clump of sand scattered and flew towards the sea."I can sense Guinevere-sama's consciousness in that clump of sand!""How resilient. As befits one who carries immortal divinity!"Alec exclaimed in response to Alice's observation. What was Guinevereplanning to do in that state?Despite his curiosity, Alec turned himself into lightning. His destination wasthe Floating Island. By this time, Lancelot should have already landed.Alec wanted to find out what the knight would do after witnessingGuinevere's demise.Part 2That "island" Alec had caused to surface in Tokyo Bay was still severalkilometers away.Even so, Lancelot du Lac was stuck in midair, unable to advance.Imprisoned by the gravitational pulse emitted from the black sphere hiddenin the sea, it was impossible to budge an inch.Nevertheless, the dark clouds covering the sky above continued to releaseflashes of lightning.The purpose of these electrical strikes was to replenish the essence of[Thunder] for the flying knight and divine horse."In order to reach the island of destiny which finally appeared, this Knightand steed shall go full speed at maximum power. This Knight's ally, turninto lightning together with one in a display of valor. Go forth!"Recharging was complete for the secondary effects of lightning speed andmeteoric impact.Whispering to the beloved white horse softly, Lancelot leaned forwardagainst the horse's back. In that instant, rider and partner became a whitemeteor. Turning themselves into a dragon-slaying snake-slaughteringdivine sword, it was a charge which could tear apart heaven and earth.Now they needed no longer fear the gravitational pulse.Focusing purely on flying, they broke free from the restraints of gravity,thereby traversing the Devil's Sea. From high up in the air, Lancelot lookeddown at the island of destiny she had finally reached. A little island whichcontained nothing but rock.Covered entirely by conspicuous strangely shaped rocks, there were noother distinct landforms or structures.Ordering the divine horse to circle the island from the air, Lancelot caughtsight of something shiny on the ground below. It appeared to be metalreflecting sunlight.Descending instantly, they landed on the peak of the strange rocks.Embedded there was a rusted decrepit iron sword.It was once a broad and mighty sword. Lancelot recognized it as one ofmany identical swords. Namely, the Divine Sword of Salvation which hadbeen used as the material for the divine lance Excalibur.The decrepit sword was the hero's remains. He was supposed to besleeping in the land where this sword was embedded.However, Lancelot could not sense from anywhere on this island thepresence of his kin - [Steel]. The warrior who should be lying in slumberwith the decrepit divine sword. That lethargic presence, similar to a rustedsword blade, was nowhere to be felt."This place is not Avalon either... Is that the situation now?"Then the white war god became aware.The final death roars of the [Dragon] not far away. Unmistakable.Furthermore, the presence of the girl Lancelot was supposed to protectcould no longer be felt.It must be Guinevere who had been abducted by Alexandre Gascoigne.Even in a battle against the Black Prince, Guinevere should have beenable to seek protection by sending out her thoughts. Had she been able toescape successfully, she would have delivered thoughts to report hersafety..."Has the beloved child fallen before her grand aspirations could berealized? Looks like our journey is coming to an end."Notions of resignation surfaced. What should she do from here onwards?A duel with the Black Prince to avenge Guinevere? Or to finally indulge herlong time wish, to begin a journey of wandering and battle -- No.From atop the castle of strange rock, Lancelot could see the sailing shipapproaching the island.The "enemy" should be there. Questions along the likes of how she shouldsurvive henceforth, shall be considered after the battle's conclusion.Due to the full powered charge at maximum speed just now, Lancelot andher beloved steed were exhausted. Nevertheless, now that the belovedchild was gone, she was free to rampage without reservation.Feeling the duel approaching, Lancelot smiled under her helmet and tightlygripped the reins once more.The castle of strange rock that Amakasu had described.The ship sailed smoothly and approached this island of conspicuous andstrangely shaped rock. The labyrinth authority had already vanished.Fortunately, Guinevere had magically enchanted the ship to move inresponse to Kusanagi Godou's orders.Not only Godou but Erica, Yuri and Liliana were all on the deck."Sir Lancelot is now approaching. Alone."Liliana reported. With Ena absent, she was the one with the best eyesight.Godou focused his eyes and was able to make out the figure of the whiteknight. Rather than flying like lightning as usual, Lancelot flew in a straightline no faster than a normal horse's trot.Lancelot appeared in the usual full armor, with no skin exposed.However, the knight seemed to be giving off an impression of exhaustion,and the divine horse's footsteps felt heavy and dulled."You look really tired?"Godou asked out loud as he walked to the edge of the deck.The three girls retreated to the back, as if trying not to disrupt his dialoguewith a god. It was not yet their time to enter the stage."Hmm. In order to struggle free from the Black Prince's minion, oneresorted to a galloping charge. Furthermore, the beloved child who had toface that man alone, turned into a dragon and was defeated. In the end, allthis sacrifice achieved was reaching a fake Avalon."Ordering her beloved horse to hover motionless in the air, Lancelot spokein low spirits. Apparently, reaching the Floating Island was a trap.Godou was horrified by what Alec had done.He was not sure what kind of relations he would develop with that man inthe future, but if that guy prepares for a fight it would be unavoidable. It feltlike no amount of struggling could get out of those multi-layered traps, andfalling into them meant "checkmate.""Were this Knight a sage with a keen mind, perhaps Gascoigne's schemingcould have been thwarted. But unfortunately, one is merely a warrior whoonly knows how to charge forward. Thus, this Knight failed the belovedchild.""Are you going to seek Gascoigne for revenge?""One considered it. Nevertheless, incredible as it may sound, one's heartdid not get fired up at the prospects."With a metallic scratching sound, Lancelot lifted the visor of her helmet.The white war god's beautiful face -- the unobscured face of a woman wasrevealed."Now that the fetters of the protector knight's duties have been lost, thisKnight wonders. Henceforth, one only needs to journey as one desires,fighting only those enemies whom this Knight deems worthy."With the helmet opened, Lancelot used a female voice."Gascoigne is indeed a formidable foe. And the beloved child's enemy aswell. However, this deviates from one's preference. Hohoho, this Knight'strue wish is to charge like an arrow that has been shot, swinging a lanceferociously. Were one not this foolishly straightforward, this Knight wouldnot have gotten involved with that certain man."Even though the girl under her protection had just been lost, the beautifulwar god was smiling instead.Once heroes suffered loss, they did not wallow in nostalgic attachment.This twisted sense of competitiveness, truly belonged to a [Heretic God].Exactly the same as when Godou had befriended the war godVerethragna."So, what are your plans now?""No further words are necessary. There is no lack of familiarity betweendear sir and this Knight. Surely dear sir's purpose is the same? In order toplay the symphony of an intense duel, to mourn the goddess Athena!"Lancelot smiled delightfully as she spoke.She was already completely certain. Godou nodded silently."Naturally, this Knight would never be so rude as to challenge dear sir withan exhausted body! This Knight shall curse oneself, for the sake ofvanquishing Kusanagi Godou, one shall risk all with this body!"In the instant she called out, Lancelot's immense divine power wasrestored.These were words of magic. The curse of [Insane Rush] which had beenapplied to Godou previously. In the same manner that it had replenishedGodou's power after the battle against Alec, the white war god now used itto recover herself!Then the familiar lance descended from the heavens.This was the ultimate weapon that created the white star which had madeGodou and Athena suffer so much. Gripping it tightly in her hand, Lancelotannounced as if chanting:"Come, Excalibur... The sacred lance born from the Divine Sword ofSalvation! Now then, Kusanagi Godou, this Knight has already shown dearsir one's true face. In that case, there is no point in hiding the remainder!"Lancelot's white armor flew apart.That honey-colored hair was most suited to her cool and refreshing facialbeauty.Fully exposed was her tall and slender physique, with an astoundinglyvoluptuous bosom and exceptionally mesmerizing hips. As the body of amature woman, it was completely flawless.In addition, her attire changed.Chain mail protected her upper torso. The helmet no longer had a visor toobscure her beautiful face. The divine lance Excalibur was wielded in herright hand, while an iron bow was strapped to her back. The saddle of thewhite divine horse now carried a quiver of arrows.Furthermore, the armor which had been protecting Lancelot till now-The white steel that flew apart now shattered and scattered noisily, turninginto countless pieces. These pieces further fragmented, expanding andtransforming as they scattered. Unbelievably, each fragment became aknight and horse combination.The style of each knight's armor, was very similar to what Lancelot used towear.On the other hand, the color of their steel was a deep gray like an overcast sky. With the same majestic appearance of the white knight, they linedthemselves up in a row.Numbering roughly three hundred or so, the knights were all flying on theirhorses in midair, rapidly gathering around Lancelot. They were like aperfectly disciplined flock of birds.When birds of prey gathered to hunt collectively, they most likely moved insuch a fashion.A squadron of heavy cavalry had appeared to guard the beautiful wardeity."Hohoho, it has been so long since this Knight last commanded thesesubordinates. This Knight shall lead these soldiers into battle as theirmonarch, to fight as a simple warrior to settle the duel with dear sir. Todecide the victor through ordinary battle!"This was Lancelot du Lac's completed state.He was still in an abnormal state last time -- Recalling Athena's warning,Godou was terrified.In that case, he could not hold back any more."As the one who ought to be the knight amongst knights, why are youfemale!? The greatest clue to unraveling this mystery, lies in Greekmythology!"Erica, Yuri and Liliana -- the knowledge they taught was being yelled out.Godou activated Verethragna's final incarnation, the [Warrior], andsummoned the sword of spell words."You are no ordinary [Steel]. As sword gods born as heroes of steel, allwere male warriors who shared intimate symbiotic relationships withmother earth goddesses. Nevertheless, you exist within the realm of theheroes of steel as a female instead. An extremely rare existence with dualidentities as both a goddess and a member of steel.""Oh? You intend to direct that weapon at this Knight? The spell words forslicing gods apart!"Lancelot smiled with relaxed composure. If she had been watching hisbattle against Athena, it was only natural for her to know about the[Sword]. Godou continued unfazed:"Rare, but not nonexistent. One of them was Hippolyta, the queen of theAmazons. Widely known in Greek mythology as the daughter of the wargod Ares. The queen of the female warrior tribe! The prototype for the wargod Lancelot is either her or a goddess corresponding to one of hersisters. Am I right!?"Appearing in the sunny and clear sky above Godou's head were the spellwords of the [Sword].Tiny spheres flashing with golden brilliance. With dozens of them twinkling,they were reminiscent of the stars in the sky. Each sphere of light was aweapon for severing Lancelot's divinity."Hohoho. You have mentioned a nostalgic name!""The Amazons were a ferocious all-female equestrian tribe descendingfrom the war god Ares and a naiad. Inhabiting the coastal areas of theBlack Sea, they were ruled by two queens. One who administered internalrule while the other commanded in battle. Amongst them were queens,such as Hippolyta, who were also daughters of their ancestor Ares!"The formation of shining swords of light was being arranged in the airabove Godou's ship.Immediately in front, the "Squadron of Dark Gray Knights" lay in wait, withLancelot in the center of their formation. Every one of them were pointingtheir lance tips at the spell words of the [Sword].Then a frontal conflict commenced-"The reason why Hippolyta and her sisters are [Steel], originates from theirfather Ares. For he is a corner of the most primitive source -- the purestincarnation of the sword which fights in total compliance with its duty.Hence, he is violent and inconsiderate, a war god symbolized by a swordstabbed into the earth!"Godou was stunned as he continued to compose the spell words.The squadron of knights, roughly three hundred of them, had deployed halftheir numbers as a vanguard and charged into the [Sword].Was Lancelot really choosing her own defeat!?"If the battle ends with dear sir as the only one swinging your weapon, itwould be this Knight's dishonor as a warrior. So let one's subordinatesraise some havoc!"In spite of the situation, the beautiful war god was truly feeling joyous. Wasthere some kind of trick?It was like sending birds of prey into a net. These shining golden spheresof light were the blades for slicing Lancelot apart. The dark gray knightsshould also be valid targets as well--Godou puzzled as he continued chanting spell words. His first priority wasto increase combat potential!"The ancient historian Herodotus recorded in his narrative, The Histories,that the equestrian Scythians worshiped a divinity equivalent to Ares fromGreek mythology and even treated him as a special deity. But unlike othergods for whom they built altars, the Scythians worshiped Ares through hissymbol -- the sword stabbed into the earth!"The golden sword easily slashed the dark gray knights to pieces.The spell words' blades sliced helmets in half and pierced chain mail asthe knights and their horses were noisily shattered into fragments as easilyas glass sculptures.The fragments disappeared in an instant. In the blink of an eye, thesquadron of knights had its numbers thinned out by half.Nevertheless, Godou did not feel a sense of victory. Instead, it wasanything but reassuring."In addition, Herodotus also recorded this: intermarriage between theequestrian Scythians and the female warrior tribe gave rise to equestrianSarmatia. This nation is precisely the key to how the Black Sea's goddessand queen of war took on the appearance of Lancelot the knight!""No truer words than that! This Knight was once worshiped by the peopleas the queen of war!"Lancelot's forthright admission only served to bring bone-chilling terror. ButGodou could not stop now.Spreading out the [Sword] in a giant ring shape, Godou surrounded theremaining half of the knight squadron.The knight squadron guarding the beautiful war god, was indeed akin to adark gray flock of birds of prey. A golden net encircled them, preparing todown them in one fell swoop. At this moment, Lancelot also chanted spellwords."A decree to the valorous knights. Falter not, fear not. For you are allknights, undaunted and unrelenting. You are only permitted to advance.Forward! Think nothing but charge forth to crush the enemy!"Then she tossed the iron bow on her back to the sky.This time, the bow shattered and scattered, its fragments forming dark grayknights. The newly born knights numbered roughly a hundred. Thesquadron of knights whose numbers had been halved, once againbolstered its ranks!"Eh, are you actually...!?""Hohoho, as befits the one who is Knight's destiny, how observant! Haveyou discerned one's intentions?!"Lancelot had revived the squadron of dark gray knights.The knights made another charging attack at the encircling net weavedfrom the golden sword. Repeating the same scene as before, the knightswere continually slain by the [Sword].However, Godou trembled in fear once he figured out Lancelot's goal.'King, this is another tactic used by immortal [Steel]!'Godou nodded to acknowledge the warning given by Ama no Murakumono Tsurugi residing in his right arm.Lancelot's immortality did not simply manifest itself as the power to turninto mist. She also held the power to resurrect the minions who served her.'Undaunted by your spell words, aiming for victory by openly contesting viafrontal charge. Be they snapped or crushed, she polishes and sharpensthese sword blades anew.'Sounding extremely impressed, the partner's voice was filled with praiseand admiration.'How befitting of one who shares my origins of [Steel]! Granted, showingoff little tricks for running away was never in a sword's nature!'"I get the principle, but being unable to do anything but react passively isinfuriating!"Godou remarked with surprise and admiration. This apparently suicidaltactic, was one which would threaten Godou if repeated enough times, forthe sharpness of the [Sword] would dull after each use.If it turned into a battle of attrition, the sword would become useless sooneror later...!"That Lancelot, is using the weapons and armor on her person as thematerials to create those knights?"'Hmm, indeed.'"In that case, whether she uses up her armaments first, or my [Sword]vanishes first, isn't that the key to victory?"While the conversation with Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi occurred, thedark gray knight squadron's numbers were cut down by half again.This time, Lancelot tossed her quiver into the distance. It contained twoarrows or so, each fitted with an arrowhead of iron. Once again, theseobjects shattered and scattered, giving birth to a hundred new knights whoregrouped with the squadron again. In Godou's past battles, there hadbeen other gods who had countered the [Sword]--But the way Lancelot achieved it through this foolishly straightforward andsimple manner was something new."So, Kusanagi Godou. Are you enjoying this spectacular battle!?""Give me a break! As if anyone would enjoy this annoying battle ofattrition!"Contradicting his words, Godou's lips were smiling savagely.Very well then. Since you are replenishing your knights over there, I willchant spell words to sustain the [Swordj's power as much as possible!"The Sauromatae were later known as the Sarmatians. They initiated aconflict with their kin, the Scythians, and obtained victory. Both theScythians and the Sarmatians were equestrian tribes. However, theSarmatian's heavy arms and sturdy iron armor allowed them to crush thelightly armed Scythians!""Hmm. Using even sturdier steel was the style of the Sarmatians, for it wasthe victory of their predecessors!"Flying all over the sky, the [Sword] formed a golden net of encirclement.Surrounded, the dark gray knights prepared for a defensive battle to thedeath.This was the beginning of a foreseeable battle of attrition. Using thegreaves and gauntlets from her arms and legs as materials, Lancelotcreated knights once again. In opposition, Godou also weaved more spellwords together."The Sarmatians in the myths, were also a nation which inherited thecustoms of female warriors. It was said that the women of Sarmatia werewell trained in martial arts, and prohibited from marriage unless theygained the experience of killing a man!"Godou wished to strike at Lancelot herself while the [Sword] was stillsharp.With this intention, Godou controlled the spell words. However, thedecimated squadron of dark gray knights continued to guard her with theirlives, preventing Godou's [Sword] from reaching her.Lancelot proceeded to toss away her helmet to replenish her knights."The kings and queens spoken of in the myths are equivalent to 'gods.'Your past identity as the queen of the Amazons, as either Hippolyta,Penthesilea, or Antiope... Was a goddess as Ares' daughter. Hence, you,as a goddess, must have inherited the female warrior customs of theSarmatians!"The [Sword]'s overwhelming advantage against the knights was graduallyeroding.The knights who were destroyed in the beginning simply by being struck bythe golden spheres of light, were now offering continued resistance. Soonafter, the situation evolved into a stalemate.In a direct confrontation, the [Sword] and the knights were mutuallyannihilating.This was because the [Sword] was becoming rather blunt. Lancelot beganto smile with a chuckle.Other than the divine lance in her hand, her only remaining armament washer chain mail. Immediately, the chain links constituting this piece ofdefensive gear also shattered and scattered in the surroundings.The numerous chain links turned into dark gray knights as her finalreinforcements."Go forth, knights of the wilderness! Become this Knight's second lance, tovanquish Kusanagi Godou!"The queen issued her orders.The gray knights arranged themselves in a spindle-shaped formation in theair. She must have judged the encircling net of the [Sword]'s spell words tobe breachable at this juncture.Godou's breathing quickened. Now was the decisive moment for victory.Acting passive will lead to defeat. He must switch to offense instead!"Due to becoming soldiers of the Roman Empire, the Sarmatians and theirculture were spread all over Europe. During that time period, you musthave been known as the goddess of [Steel], the queen of the Amazons!"Chanting spell words, Godou transmitted his thoughts to the remainingportions of the [Sword].Gather together. Do not fight while scattered in the sky like stars at night.Concentrate in one location to create an organism. Yes, faced with theknights who serve Lancelot, fight them like a ferocious beast!"It was during an age when the heavy cavalry culture of Sarmatian originwas transforming into medieval European chivalry. Nevertheless, Sarmatiafell into ruin and its culture changed. In stark contrast to the flourishing ofthe majestic 'knight' on the battlefield, the names and myths of theAmazonian queens gradually entered obscurity!"Thousands of flashes of light gathered to create a golden outline.This could be compared to the light of a galaxy. A shining nebulailluminating the darkness of space. Concentrating light together to becomemighty power, to pave the road to victory-"Before she knew it, the goddess as the Sarmatian queen of war waswrapped in heavy armor, becoming Lancelot the god of knights.Consequently, she carried a sense of insanity and savagery unsuited to aknight's nature... Nevertheless, she was still the ultimate knight closer tothe primitive source than anyone else!"Manifesting over Godou's head was a [Snake]-shaped nebula shining withgolden brilliance.The form of a massive and slender [Snake] composed of thousands oreven tens of thousands of light spheres. The head portion was an inflatedoval shape, which proceeded to split open as if opening its jaws.For convenience in battle, Godou had ordered the [Sword] to take the formof a living organism.In the likeness of a divine beast, as a symbol in tribute to the goddess whohad passed away due to the involvement of Lancelot."Hohoho. Are you going to challenge the dragon-slaying andsnake-slaughtering war god with such a formation, god-slayer!?"Glancing at the golden [Snake], Lancelot laughed heartily.Rather than a mocking laugh, there was an authentic sense of exhilaration.It was the sound of someone who enjoyed battle from the depths of theirhearts."This mettle of yours in bringing such elegance to the battlefield, trulycaters considerably to this Knight's liking. True to form, dear sir is preciselythe great opponent one had always sought! You are the man of destiny towhom this Knight offers absolute adoration!"Queen Lancelot raised the lance in her hand towards the sky."Since dear sir has entrusted your destiny to the shadow of Athena, thisKnight shall reminisce the divine splendor of the master of old, to displaythe unyielding might of the man who once stood as the one bearingoverwhelming strength!"The lance tip shined with platinum brilliance. Excalibur was the name of itsblade. This divine sword had been swung in the past for the sake of worldsalvation, by the hero who became the source of King Arthur's legend."O Divine Sword of Salvation, steel slices apart the planets! Lend power tothis Knight!"The platinum-colored star suddenly manifested behind Lancelot and theknight squadron.Its size and brilliance made it seem like a second sun had descended uponthe earth. The destructive power of this star, capable of firing blades, wasno joking matter.Godou found it difficult to breathe as he directly faced the brilliance of theburning white star.His [Sword] could not defend against that divine sword. How could heescape this desperate plight--!?Part 3In the middle of the sky, the flying squadron of knights was facing offagainst the golden snake.Arranged in a spindle formation, the remaining gray knights roughlynumbered a hundred. In opposition to them was the forty or fifty-meter-longsnake. The [Sword]'s spell words had concentrated together to take on theform of a snake.Focusing her gaze on her subordinates' formation, Queen Lancelot lifteddivine lance Excalibur.The white star gradually approached the beautiful war god's back."Finally time for the ultimate weapon to be used, eh..."Riding on the deck of the magically-operated sailing ship, Erica gasped.Standing upright on the prow, Godou was controlling the [Snake] as hefocused his gaze on Lancelot and the white star. Erica, Yuri and Lilianawere all on standby in the back of the ship in case of any emergencies.Come to think of it, Lancelot turned out to be unexpectedly adept intactics...Erica frowned. Lancelot had repeatedly employed a foolish suicidal tacticwhile cautiously cherishing the ultimate weapon. This was done inpreparation for the opportune moment to crush Godou in one fell swoopusing her subordinate knight squadron and Excalibur in concert. Evidently,she was no simple berserker.Originally, her true talents should lie in charging without distraction at fullspeed and maximum strength.However, at some point in time she had become a sage who could calmlyanalyze the battle situation while fighting at full power.Godou most likely thought the same. He was savagely smiling as hefocused his sharp gaze on Lancelot hovering in midair. In order not to loseagainst these odds stacked against him, he was burning with battle spirit.If Erica and the girls failed to assist him in a time of need like now, theirexistence would be meaningless."For Godou to defend against Excalibur, he must switch from the [Warrior]to a different incarnation. But while Sir Lancelot's knight squadroncontinues to exist, the [Sword] should still be needed. So let us protect himwith our power.""That goes without saying. Is that not the reason why we are here?"Liliana immediately responded to Erica's call. As expected of the longtimefriend and rival.If the squadron of dark gray knights were Lancelot's subjects, then the redand blue knights were Godou's sword and shield. Erica and Lilianasummoned their magic swords at once.The steel of the lion, Cuore di Leone, and the steel of the master musician,II Maestro.The former was a great sword of heavy construction, while the latter was anaginata with a blade fitted on the tip of a long shaft."Divine Sword of Salvation... The steel whose remains Guinevere-samahad taken and reawakened--"At this time, Yuri murmured as she looked up towards Lancelot and thedivine lance."Erica-san and Liliana-san. I have seen the magical 'pathway' connectingSir Lancelot to the divine lance. I think if it can be severed, Sir will nolonger be able to use Excalibur.""As expected. Did you see it through spirit vision?""However, it's unfortunate that we two cannot see that pathway ourselves.Anyway, without Yuri's spirit vision it can't be done with certainty..."Liliana praised in admiration while Erica tried to come up with a plan.Even though Yuri was a rare world-class user of spirit vision, she was noexpert in weapons or magical combat. Those were the responsibilities ofthe knights themselves.Nevertheless, the Japanese Hime-Miko tensed her beautiful face andspoke with determination:"No problem. Please leave it all to me."Come to think of it, there was a similar situation once. At that time, indeed-Realizing something, Erica nodded at Yuri."I recall the Princess definitely said something about wanting to instructyou. So, Yuri, you have already...""Yes. It was during the journey to unravel the mystery of Sir Lancelot.Since I possessed the disposition towards learning this type of ability, Ireceived instruction on it. Even though I am still a novice, I still believe Ican be of help to everyone!"Just as Yuri declared so, a transformation immediately occurred.The Yamato Nadeshiko originally had black lustrous hair strongly tinted ashade of brown. Now on top of that, a layer of faint luster appeared,causing it to shine with flaxen-colored light. Furthermore, her pupilsbecame the color of glass.In addition, a sacred aura was emanating from Yuri.The only miko who gave off the same presence was Princess Alice and noother. The White Princess' most prided ability of psychic sensing. In actualfact, users of psychic sensing were extremely rare, roughly with the samescarcity as Ena's divine possession. Nevertheless, it was a power that Yurihad once used before."I see. In order for her to use it without Verethragna's [Protection], thePrincess instructed Mariya Yuri after discovering her disposition--!"Liliana also realized the situation and nodded."Yes. Please extend your hand forward, Erica-san and Liliana-san. Unlikethe Princess, I cannot do it without direct tactile contact."Yuri held out her hands, holding Erica's right hand and Liliana's left.Erica could feel her heart entering contact with another. It was the samefeeling she had during the battle against the Great Sage Equaling Heaven.The psychic connection with Yuri had begun.Erica could feel a scorching sensation in the back of her eyes. Lilianashould be feeling the same thing."Through this power of mine, I will entrust every image I saw to you two.Please make the most of it."Murmuring, Yuri collapsed as if she were anemic.This resulted from her use of an unaccustomed spirit power, as well as theburden of dividing her magical power into two and sending each half intoErica and Liliana's bodies respectively.Erica felt the energy center beneath her navel brimming with magicalpower and gently caressed her abdomen."Ah yes. Please allow me to do that. You should rest properly now.""T-The rest is up to you two. I wish you victory--"Yuri answered weakly in response to Liliana's invocation."If we do not get fired up and put on a good show, we are unworthy aswomen. Erica.""That goes without saying. We must fight for Yuri's part as well, Lily."The red and blue knights nodded to each other. The decisive battle in thesky had already begun.The knight squadron in spindle formation charged dauntlessly at theserpentine [Sword]. It was a legendary scene evocative of Ragnarok.In any case, the monstrous snake of light was having a frontal battle withthe squadron of knights in the air.Flying across the sky in waves, hundreds of knights were laying siege tothe giant body of the snake.The snake of light rapidly ascended with speed incommensurate with itsmassive size, trying to create distance. Knights followed in hot pursuit,trying to pierce it with their lances. At this time, the snake of light whippedits long and slender body to strike at the approaching knights.Their armor shattered instantly, their horses sent flying, these knightsdisappeared in such a manner.However, the remaining knights stabbed their lances into the snake of lightand then drew back immediately -- they were fighting with everything theyhad, and using guerrilla tactics to pin down the snake.Furthermore, it was not merely a battle between subordinates. Lancelotherself finally sprang into action.Pointing the tip of the divine lance at Kusanagi Godou standing on theprow, the queen soaring on her divine mount gave majestic orders forattack.In that very instant, the white star hovering in the sky above began to flashwith brilliance.--It's coming! Just as Erica became certain, Liliana swiftly called out:"There is no time left to defend! Help me take flight!"A hasty order. Nevertheless, it was sufficient for her longtime friend Ericato understand.She selected the appropriate spell words to assist the witchcraft Lilianawas planning to use."O Artemis! I beseech you to bless one who is female with the power ofwings!""Once again I offer my prayers! Please bestow upon us the privilege to flyacross the sky!"Liliana chanted the spell words and crouched down.Striking her hand against the ship's deck, she activated her skilled flightmagic. In the past, she only used to it to carry multiple people at once, butthis time was different. Having received Yuri's magical power and Erica'sassistance, she was able to produce much more powerful lift than usual-What Guinevere had summoned, was this sailing ship which had beentransporting Godou and his group.Liliana's flight magic now levitated this ship. In the instant the entire shipwas surrounded by blue light, the white star released a flash of lightning.This was the hammer of god for incinerating all existence upon this ocean.Just as the ship was inches away from being engulfed by this attack, itmoved, relying on Liliana's flight magic. Surrounded by blue light, thesailing ship shot forward in a straight line, towards the Floating Islandahead. Furthermore, they barely managed to evade the lightning ofannihilation.On the other hand, this forced manner of transport half wrecked the ship.The sailing ship now lay on the shore of the Floating Island -- or rather, theship had crashed its prow, sending timber flying. Standing on the deck,Erica, Liliana and Godou lost balance from the intense rocking while theunconscious Yuri continued to lie motionless."Sorry for the sudden movement. I could not think of any other means toescape Excalibur's attack.""What are you talking about? It's thanks to you that we're saved, thanks!"Godou replied to Liliana's apology with smiling thanks.Nevertheless, this was only an emergency maneuver. If they tried to evadein the same manner again, Lancelot would probably calmly destroy theship using Excalibur."Godou, leave Excalibur for Lily and me to handle. You should focus yourconcentration on using the [Sword]. Your first priority is Sir Lancelot'ssquadron of knights."Erica spoke without hesitation, assigning roles and duties in a clear-cutfashion. It was the same strategy that had been used against the GreatSage Equaling Heaven last time."But Lancelot is not that easy to handle! Are you sure you two can keepthings under control?""Of course, it would be impossible for us to stop Sir Lancelot. However, ifit's just Excalibur, I think we have a way. Yuri saw it just now with spiritvision. That weapon over there is very unstable."In that case, it was enough.Realizing Erica's intentions, Godou turned around towards the sea,focusing his gaze on the legendary battle in midair between the flyingsquad of knights and the great serpent of light. He intended to concentrateon controlling the [Sword].Furthermore, a lone knight was flying towards the Floating Island. Wieldingthe divine lance Excalibur, it was Queen Lancelot in all her splendorousbeauty.Now was the exact time to release the trump card. Erica was first to beginchanting."And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark ofthe Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armedmen went before them!"^Smiting. These were the spell words for acquiring the Privilege ofExtermination."They compassed the city seven times. And it came to pass at the seventhtime, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto thepeople, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. And they utterlydestroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old,and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword'™Red light surrounded Erica.The chanting continued for the purpose of converting this luminance intothe curse of sacred slaughter."Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city,Jericho: At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at thecost of his youngest he will set up its gates." 1 JThanks to receiving Yuri's magical power, the technique was much easierto control in comparison to last time.Erica infused the Privilege of Extermination into her beloved sword, Cuoredi Leone. Furthermore, she manifested her defensive gear in the form ofchain mail, a helmet and a large round shield.The red exterminator had arrived. Naturally, Liliana was next."And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses;and they slew all the males. And they slew the kings of Midian, beside therest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur,and Reba, five kings of Midian!"^Her silver-haired ponytail swayed as she chanted spell words."And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and theirlittle ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and alltheir goods. And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all theirgoodly castles, with fire!"'- 6 -'What surrounded Liliana was blue light, obviously.She must have secretly studied the spell laboriously. Executing thetechnique with much greater fluency than before, she poured power intothe blue light. Naturally, Yuri's assistance also played a major role."And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses.Liliana used the Privilege of Extermination to alter II Maestro's form.The naginata with the long shaft was transformed into a silver longbow. Inaddition, her choice of defensive gear was much lighter than Erica's,consisting of blue gauntlets, greaves and a breastplate of light steel. Thisappeared to be battle attire geared towards Liliana's strengths in speedand agility."First, I will shoot down Excalibur with my arrow. Then Erica, sever the linkbetween the divine sword and Sir Lancelot!"Issuing orders, Liliana's pupils became the color of glass.This must have been the result of receiving the images from spirit visionthrough Yuri's psychic sensing."Yes, if there are no exceptions amongst the gods, we can be fairly certainSir Lancelot would be uninterested in us humans. Strike there with thesacred Privilege of Extermination — !"Nodding in response. Erica's own pupils were probably the same color.For the sake of Yuri who had entrusted this power to them, victory must beseized.Part 4"Hohoho, the spell words for slaying gods... A rather excellent weapon itmay be, nevertheless, it seems slightly inadequate before this Knight'sweapon."Finally breaching the defensive line held by the [Snake], she smiled as sheoffered praise-Spurring the flying divine horse, Lancelot was approaching Godou'sposition. Rather than going at maximum speed like lightning, she wasriding at a leisurely trot.However, this act definitely did not carry arrogance or carelessunderestimation of the enemy.The horse was an animal unable to sustain a full gallop for long periods oftime. Judicious use of full speed was part of a rider's skill. Whether in thecontext of ancient cavalry battles or modern racehorses, this point hasnever changed. It was imperative to properly judge when to gallop at fullspeed.Standing on the prow of the half-wrecked ship, Godou looked up at theformidable foe in the sky.Having removed all steel from her body, the war god exhibited her originalbare skin. She was currently dressed in sheer fabric no different fromunderwear or a swimsuit, most likely offering no protection.Wielded in her right hand was the divine lance Excalibur. Its tip shone withplatinum brilliance, guiding the white star.The divine artifact known as the embodiment of destruction which couldslice apart heaven, earth and the planets--"If dear sir cannot pull out a weapon surpassing this, the battle is over.Truly what a shame it would be. Nevertheless, this Knight firmly believessuch is not the case. Dear sir is surely the man who shall respond to one'shopes!""Yeah. It feels like such a hassle, but I will try as hard as I can."Godou grumbled as he called out in his mind. Come quick!"But you have overlooked something. Up until now, your defense wasperfect because of the knight formation around you... But aren't you wideopen now?""Oh... This Knight!?"Immediately after Godou hollered, Lancelot became aware of the attack.Glancing into the distance above her, she frowned. Riding her divinehorse, she made a leap backwards.Two seconds later, at the location the war god and her horse had beenoccupying, a great splendorous golden serpent -- Godou's [Sword] passedthrough. Rather than attacking the knight squadron, Godou had issuedorders to snipe the leader.Naturally, Godou did not expect this sort of ambush to defeat Lancelotdirectly.It was only meant for containment. In addition, it was for buying himselftime to move. Godou decisively jumped into the sea from the prow. If hefell straight down like this, he would have no choice but to swim.But before Godou hit the water, the golden [Snake] swiftly flew down belowhim.Godou barely managed to land on the head of the giant [Snake].From the feeling beneath his feet, it was like landing on a hard and solidsurface. Riding the [Snake] in this manner, Godou ascended. The[Sword]'s spell words could be used in such a way because of their abilityto manifest as a real sword.Having mounted the [Snake]'s head, Godou turned his gaze to thesquadron of dark gray knights.Maintaining a spindle formation, the knights moved like a flock of birds ofprey. As expected, they were flying here to pursue the [Snake] which haddisappeared from before them."Attack that fellow's back! Strike from behind!"Godou gave orders to the [Snake].The snake undulated its body in response. As theseveral-dozen-meter-long [Sword] began to rise rapidly, Godou lay downprone and hugged the [Snake]'s head tightly.His entire body could feel that distinct touch of the [Sword] he had felt inhis hand so many times before.Compared to metal, it felt more similar to stone. Since it was not meant tocarry passengers, he had to grip with all his might to avoid falling off.The snake continued to fly at high speed, subjecting him to horrifying windpressure.Godou's head, shoulder, arms and back were being struck by masses ofair as he endured the heavy pressure. Even so, he did not fall off, perhapsbecause the [Sword] protected him.Regardless, the [Snake] moved according to Godou's orders.The squadron of knights in spindle formation -- was the target as the snakeflew rapidly to devour the remaining knights. In response, the knightsforcibly switched directions in an effort to pierce the [Snake]'s tail with theirlances.In any case, both sides were trying to catch each other's tails.On one side was the snake of light, and on the other, the spindle shapedsquadron of knights. But from a distance, it looked like two flying serpentstrying to swallow each other's tail, tracing out a ring shape in the air.Godou glanced down below.On the nearby sea surface, Lancelot was pointing her lance tip at him,targeting Kusanagi Godou as he rode the [Snake]'s head."Well, this is turning out to be endless repetition..."At the moment, Godou and Lancelot's subordinates were entangled inmutual pursuit. If Lancelot used Excalibur to attack recklessly, herirreplaceable companions would likely be caught up in the attack-But this type of worry most likely never crossed Lancelot's mind.Because she was the knight able to use the mind's eye to see throughdivine speed.Hence, Godou did not expect her to hesitate. On the other hand, he wasexpecting something else while he prepared a splendid finishing blow forLancelot. If Erica and Liliana successfully find an opening, it should bepossible-"O Blade which destroys heaven, earth, and the stars. In place of yourproper master, this Knight is your current wielder. Exhibit sacredannihilation and slaughter!"As expected, Lancelot fearlessly chanted spell words. In order to strike ablow using Excalibur.The white star released lightning which would probably destroy Godou andthe [Snake] alone while avoiding the dark gray knights. However, if it wasthose two girls, definitely...!"Manifesting justice in this world through these spell words of mine! Divinemight indeed resides in my oratory incantation!"Godou chanted the spell words in firm belief. Rather than defend againstExcalibur's attack, he infused the snake-shaped [Sword] with the maximumamount of magical power, for the purpose of obliterating Lancelot'ssquadron of knights."O Sword, shine with brilliance for the sake of my victory and justice!""O Sword, manifesting the light of salvation, bring balance to this world!"God-slayer and war god chanted and immediately, several completelydifferent things happened at the same time.First was Excalibur whose lance tip was thrust forwards, causing the star ofthe white sword to release lightning.Next, a flashing arrow of blue light was shot from the sailing ship,splendidly striking the tip of the divine lance. This resulted in the divinelance tip's deflection by a few dozen centimeters.Furthermore, Godou had infused the [Snake] with abundant magicalpower.The snake of light instantly accelerated in pursuit of the squadron of darkgray knights, devouring them from behind, tearing apart the spindleformation.Lightning came attacking from Excalibur, but its trajectory had beenperturbed greatly.The light which should have pierced Godou and the [Sword] like a threadthrough the head of a needle, the divine lighting of destruction passed overGodou's head in the distance instead.Finally, surrounded in red light, the blonde knight flew in the air like acomet.Swinging the magic sword of the lion, she sliced through empty space.This void was located right in between Lancelot du Lac and the divinelance Excalibur that she was wielding.Erica should have simply sliced through air, but a cataclysmic changecame over Excalibur.The lance's shaft gave off platinum-colored sparks as it jumped out fromLancelot's hand as if rejecting her, falling into the sea below.All thanks to Erica, Yuri and Liliana's full efforts, Godou was saved.Since the [Snake] had greatly weakened after the devastating strikeagainst the squadron of dark gray knights, Godou ordered it to return to theFloating Island. The sword blades had been reduced greatly, both innumber and sharpness, so it was best to stop fighting in the air.Godou once again landed on the shore of the Floating Island.By this time, the [Snake]'s length was down to ten meters or so. Godoureleased the snake shape and allowed it to return to its original form ofspheres. Thirty or forty spheres of light were shining as they hovered overGodou's head."It's called Excalibur, right? That lance doesn't seem like it can be usedany further.""Hmm. It was dear sir's subordinates' doing."Spurring the white divine horse to fly in approach, Lancelot responded toGodou.The divine lance with the platinum blade had disappeared from her hands.However, the war god and the warrior queen of equestrian tribes seemedto be smiling with joy."Indeed because of this, only the beloved horse remains by this Knight'sside. Even as a horse, this is the premier vassal who overcameinnumerable battlefields alongside this Knight, and no less worthy thanthose subordinates who serve dear sir.""They're not subordinates. Those girls are my important companions.""Hohoho, what a subtle manner of calling them. In that case, allow thisKnight to correct oneself. This divine horse is one's irreplaceable dearfriend. Even intimate as one's bond with dear sir may be, it cannot surpassthat between Knight and steed. Now is the time for the final conclusion!"A cavalry lance suddenly manifested in Lancelot's hand.This was the weapon she had also used during the battle against Athena.She must have saved it expressly instead of turning it into knights. Yes, forthe sake of delivering the final blow."Yeah, got it -- that's all I want to say. I've already seen how terrifying thatthing can be. The attack that even Athena could not stop. It's finally timefor me to experience it for myself!"Saying that, Godou issued attacking orders to the [Sword].The blades of spell words hovering over him began rushing towardsLancelot. There was no longer any steel protecting her body. Neither wasthere any squadron of dark gray knights for defense ~ however."Do not sound so cold and distant. This Knight truly wishes for dear sir toendure against one's full powered charge at maximum speed. Given thismist of one's immortality... Even dear sir's [Sword] will be unable to slicethrough. Prepare yourself well."Lancelot's figure disappeared as the Floating Island was covered by thickmist.Visibility became so low that it was impossible to see a few meters ahead.However, Godou recalled the previous battle and focused his mind onfinding Lancelot's presence... She's there, attack with the [Sword]immediately!Nevertheless, there was no reaction and it seemed like nothing had beencut."Hoho, this mist is a blessing this Knight borrowed from one's greatgrandmother and water goddess. The spell words for cutting Lancelot duLac will not work against it. There is nothing you can do but prepare forone's return!"Her voice sounded as if she was smiling.Godou understood. This was similar to the time when he had been unableto sever Medusa's divine power. Due to defense from a different deity'spower, the [Sword] was rendered ineffective.Lancelot did not make a further sound. She must be charging up for a fullgallop."Well, I knew this was gonna happen."Muttering to himself, Godou took a deep breath.Last time, in order to resist Lancelot's Excalibur, Godou had relied onAthena to create the blade that could open up heaven and earth. Bothsides had been using borrowed power.In their next duel perhaps, that should not be repeated-That was what Godou could not help but wish for. Neither Lancelot norKusanagi Godou were the type to enjoy a battle undertaken with borrowedpower."As the one who holds all victory in my hands, I am the strongest... Allenemies, all who harbor enmity will be vanquished!"Standing surrounded by the mist, Godou chanted the sacred verses ofVerethragna to raise magical power.With the [Sword] no longer needed, Godou decided to use a differentpower. That said, which incarnation should he use? In actual fact, Lancelotwas not a perpetrator of sinful crimes or the like and therefore not a targetof the [White Stallion] or the [Goat].What could he use to strike down the lightning comet...No other way. At a time like this, only that guy could be used after all.Godou drew a certain image in his mind. Having done that, a certainincarnation could now be released at will. However, would that guy's poweralone be enough to defeat Lancelot's galloping charge...?As he pondered, Godou heard a soft voice saying "Let me participate aswell."Godou immediately nodded. If the enemy was going full speed atmaximum power, he had to respond with full force in turn!Then he waited. Seconds, minutes, or even dozens of minutes passed.Even though the passage of time was unclear, the mist finally cleared upafter a long wait.However, the sky was not clear. Black thunderclouds filled the sky above.These had been summoned by Lancelot for the sake of gathering theessence of lightning."This Knight is Lancelot du Lac indeed. Commonly known as the Knight ofthe Lake. This Knight infuses this lance with all of one's authority and spirit,charge forth! Kusanagi Godou, dear sir shall gamble everything to stop thisKnight!"Carrying these fierce words, a white light began to shine amidst thethunderclouds.Immediately, the knight flew out at lightning speed with meteoricdestructive power.Her skin clad only in sheer fabric, the beautiful war god Lancelot wascharging with a cavalry lance-And then, Godou unleashed Verethragna's fifth incarnation, the [Boar]."The one unblunted and unapproachable! Oath-breaking sinners bepurged by the iron hammer of justice!"The one most capable of charging with astounding force and embodyingtyranny itself, the incarnation of destruction.The black [Boar] flew out from the sea like a torpedo, rushing towardsLancelot and the divine horse.It was a frontal clash between the white meteor and the black giganticbeast.ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!The [Boar]'s ferocious howls reverberated across the ocean. Nevertheless,even if this intimidating creature was a sacred beast, it was merely a wildanimal by itself. Facing against the lance-wielding war god, having aweapon was imperative.Hence, Godou continued chanting spell words."It was here at this place, that Susanoo led a thousand unruly deities inrebellion."These were the sacred verses of Susanoo. The song for summoning thepartner residing in his right arm."A thousand swords standing upon the earth, used as city walls to defendagainst the enemies."Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi was used to absorb Godou's authority, inorder to produce a newly synthesized power.Combining with Verethragna's [Goat] allowed the use of a railgun whileadding the [Warrior] made it possible to damage a divine artifact. And thistime was a combination with the [Boar], naturally.'Here! Namely, the Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi! The steel that breaks athousand blades!'The divine sword Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi announced its name witha thunderous voice resounding throughout the vicinity.The divine sword's power was applied towards the furry hide whichcovered the [Boar]'s musculature.The shiny fur instantly changed in nature, producing a body forged fromjet-black [Steel]. This was no longer fur but armor.In addition, the two long tusks that protruded from the corners of the boar'smouth had been converted into sharpened blades.Like lances for penetrating all existence. The amalgamation of Ama noMurakumo no Tsurugi and the [Boar], was an incarnation of the divinesword in boar's form.'Hahahahaha! War god Lancelot, as fellow [Steel] originating from the mostprimitive source, I announce my arrival! Try stopping these great swords ofours!"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!Ama no Murakumo and the [Boar] seemed to be in exceptionally highspirits.Like fish in water, they ascended rapidly like a torpedo shot from asubmerged submarine, clashing intensely with the white meteor."Hoo... Most befitting of this Knight's destined one! Such power, suchintensity, one can hardly bear it!"Lancelot spoke softly, licking her lips.Enveloped in white lightning, she and her beloved horse were descendingswiftly towards the little island in Tokyo Bay. Halting their descent, was ofcourse, the black metallic [Boar].Using her beautiful right arm, Lancelot made a thrust with her cavalrylance. The [Boar] blocked the blade with its snout. Having been turned intosteel, it was not sliced apart.Equally matched, neither could gain the upper hand.The war god in rapid descent from the sky, and the black metallic beastflying out from the sea to block her path.The two's violent clash swung alternately in each other's favor. However-The balance was slowly eroding. Gradually, the white master andsubordinate were gaining ground.The [Boar]'s position reached a peak and began to be pushed down asLancelot and the divine horse advanced towards the ground.The beautiful war deity did not seem to possess any flashy authorities andexisted purely as an especially powerful charging knight. So it turned outeven the [Boar] could not keep up with someone who specialized purely inthis one attack."Hohohoho, Kusanagi Godou, please be patient a little while longer. ThisKnight shall be over by your side presently. Accept one's fervent passionwhen the time comes, and be annihilated! The time of destinyapproaches!"Convinced of her victory, Lancelot yelled out from the sky above.Spoken with passionate tones like a confession of love. Nevertheless,there was no room for sweet romance to blossom between Godou and her.If the [Boar] were to be blown away, Kusanagi Godou would be wiped offthe face of the earth...!Godou infused all his magical power into the black gigantic beast.Not good enough. Power should have been increased, but it was notsufficient to reverse Lancelot's descent. This level of power was nowhereenough.What about a surprise attack? The [Boar] had two tusks growing out of itsmouth like spears. Without warning, one of them was shot out as a longrange weapon to send Lancelot flying. It's going to hit -- that was what itseemed like.However, Lancelot and the divine horse managed to dodge the sharptusk's surprise attack. Against a user of the mind's eye who could evendiscern divine speed, it was too reckless even as a surprise attack. It wouldbe bad if the situation remained unchanged...!Godou watched with anxious eyes as the battle between black and whitecontinued in the air."Lancelot currently holds the advantage... However, there still seems to besome leeway for a reversal. Kusanagi Godou, if you really wish for it at allcosts, it's not like I can't offer you some help? Even someone like me feelsthat it is not a bad idea to have a Campione owe me a favor."A calm voice was suddenly heard during the intense battle.A quick glance found Alexandre Gascoigne to be standing somewhereclose without Godou noticing earlier. He must have flown here as lightningafter eliminating Guinevere."I refuse. If I owe you a favor, who knows what kind of price I'll have to payin the future? If I took that kind of gamble, it would be utter stupidity."Responding coldly, Godou again focused his gaze at the meteor in the sky.Concealing his anxiety, he glared sharply at the descent of the goddessand the divine horse. Right. In front of this man -- the only man other thanSalvatore Doni who had been able to provoke a sense of hostility fromKusanagi Godou, he could not allow himself to be embarrassed by ashameful battle.This inexplicably intense emotion made Godou burn with great intensity ofwill.Lancelot must be defeated, in order to avenge Athena. But what else couldbe done now!?--Yes. Even in this situation, an effective weapon remained. Ironically, itwas Alec's appearance which reminded him of it.Godou suppressed the impulse to curse out loud and yelled at the partnerin the air."Ama no Murakumo, the horse! Use Gascoigne's thingy!"The divine sword also possessed the ability to emulate enemy powers.In the earlier battle against Alec, Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi hademulated "divine speed" at Godou's behest.Lancelot would likely defend successfully again if a normal attack wasused. However, if Black Prince Alec's divine speed was used to execute anattack, perhaps -- !In response to Godou's orders, the [Boar], assimilated with Ama noMurakumo no Tsurugi, fired off its tusk.There were two tusks growing out of the corners of the [Boar]'s mouth.One had been fired as a weapon just now but was defended against.Lancelot's divine horse was again approached by a projectile fired at closerange, this time the remaining tusk."Hmm -- !?"The beautiful war god's face turned pale. If the surprise attack had beenaimed at Lancelot directly, she probably would have evaded it using themind's eye. However, her beloved horse did not possess such a skill. Itwas too late for the rider to give directions for evasion.Flying with divine speed, the massive tusk struck the white divine horsesquarely. Or rather, the white divine horse was sent flying.The tusk of steel continued flying towards the distant ends of the sky.Swept away by this attack, the divine horse disappeared as well.Furthermore, having lost her mount, Lancelot's white descent was nullified,and at that moment the black metallic boar came charging-"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"The enormous divine beast crashed straight into Lancelot.Even the war god was sent flying high into the air as screams reverberatedall around.The black [Boar] fell back into the sea, tracing out a parabolic trajectory.The impact created a massive pillar of water, rising almost to the clouds.Furthermore, Lancelot's body fell down onto the shore of the FloatingIsland.Godou and Alec immediately approached her. Even fallen upon solid rock,the war deity's gorgeous figure did not lose its form, and continued todisplay absolute beauty.Nevertheless, this did not mean she was unharmed.Lancelot lay on the ground in that manner, smiling at the god-slayer whohad brought her death -- Kusanagi Godou. Courageously, she said:"Ho, hohohoho. Truly a wonderful battle. One cannot thank you enough,god-slayer. Whether Athena or dear sir, both responded splendidly to thisKnight's millennium-long thirst for battle. Ah yes, Gascoigne, even though itwould be nice to fight you after Kusanagi Godou, it looks like such a wishcannot be realized. This must be fate."These were Lancelot's final words.In the next instant, her body turned into stone and immediately crumbled.Thus vanished a [Heretic God] who had manifested over a thousand fivehundred years ago. Were Lancelot the war god to manifest upon the earthagain, it would most likely be a male knight completely different from her.Such was the change her myths had undergone.Such a formidable foe, but she will never be encountered again.Thinking that, Godou could feel a sense akin to loneliness overflowing inhis chest.References1. t Revelation 2:102. t Joshua 6:133. t Joshua 6:15-16,214. t Joshua 6:265. t Numbers 31:7-86. t Numbers 31:9-107. t Numbers 31:11-12

 

Chapter 7 - Journey's EndPart 1Transformed into a white dragon, Guinevere was facing AlexandreGascoigne.The two had been engaged in a covert struggle all this time. Nevertheless,a direct confrontation never occurred because Guinevere always avoidedsuch a situation. After all, it was impossible to face a Campione in a duelwithout turning into a dragon, an act equivalent to choosing "death."Hence, this was the first and last battle.Guinevere spread her white dragon wings and began to flap. However, thisdid not cause the dragon's massive body to take flight. Flapping her wingswas for some other purpose rather than flying.What the vibrating dragon wings produced was wind.With a great noisy racket, a vortex of wind was forming around Guinevere'swhite dragon body.The vortex immediately turned into a cyclone, as violent winds sweptacross the forty-thousand-square-meter artificial island. Alec was almostblown away."Sealing my movements in your territory?!"'Correct! Alexandre-sama, Your Highness may possess the speed oflightning. Nevertheless, as long as you are immobilized, it poses no threatat all!'The magical wind caused by the Divine Ancestor was not simply strongwind.The cyclone even formed masses of air to strike at Alec with ferocity, tryingto send him flying. Furthermore, there was a curse which wrapped aroundhis tall, thin physique like a snake, sealing all movement.Trapped within the confines of this magical wind, even a giant creaturewould probably be unable to move an inch.It would not be an exaggeration to say his immobility was like being boundby metal restraints, for this was a type of bondage spell. The only one leftuntouched was the white dragon transformed from Guinevere, able tomove freely while her opponent was left with no choice but to stand still.Standing inside this cyclone that conferred an absolute advantage, thewhite dragon bellowed.GaaaaaaaaaaaaaahM'Alexandre-sama, Your Highness should prepare yourself!'Guinevere's adorable voice was heard from the white dragon's jawssimultaneously with the roar.Next came the frontal attack. Swinging the dragon's massive front limbs,those sword-rivaling sharp claws were going to rip him apart. An ordinaryperson would probably be torn to pieces helplessly.But Alec was a Campione, and thus possessed absolute resistanceagainst magic. Even against the curse cast by a divine class sacreddragon-"Be thou faithful unto death! And I will give thee a crown of life!"^Chanting scripture, he raised the magical power residing in his body.This in turn increased his magical resistance. Just as he finished raisinghis magical power, the wind's curse pressing on his body disappeared.Recovering his freedom, Alec instantly used god speed.A bystander would probably think he teleported.In an instant, Alec charged behind the white dragon and leaped lightly,touching the dragon's back with his hand. Of course, it was no mere touch.Turning his right hand into plasma, he released an electrical attack.Zap! Sparks flew.'Guh... Truly a nimble one!'A sound came from the dragon as if Guinevere was smacking her lips. Asbefitted the gigantic dragon god which surpassed divine beasts, theelectric shock did not seem to have done any damage.Furthermore, the magical wind was increasing in momentum.Guinevere once again poured divine power into the wind.The wind roared, bellowed and moaned. This rampaging wind's purposewas entanglement in addition to blown attacks. Alec's slender body wasonce again constricted by the magical wind, unable to lift a single finger letalone make use of god speed."Tsk!"Suddenly restrained tightly, Alec found his legs tied together.He was caught in a difficult situation of falling over as he smacked his lips.Taking advantage of this, Guinevere swung the white dragon's massive tailwith a swish. Being struck by that object would be no different from beingpummeled by a steel beam from a building construction site.Alec raised his magical power once again and managed to struggle free ofthe magical wind's curse. Activating god speed when the tail was merecentimeters from his body, he dodged. However, Guinevere infused thewind with divine power once more-This was essentially an endless self-defeating cycle.Using the instant when the wind restrained Alec, Guinevere used thedragon's body to attack.Swinging those sharp claws on her front and back limbs. Biting down withthose jaws, filled with rows of sharp and deadly teeth. Charging with thatmassive body as a weapon. Swiping with that unexpectedly troublesomeweapon of a tail.And more terrifying than any of those attacks, the breath from the dragon'smouth.The dragon's breath instantly turned into a tempest mixed with shards ofice. This sharp onslaught displayed merciless ferocity, seeking to send theliving flying, slicing them apart, freezing them.Whenever any of these attacks approached, Alec struggled free from hisbonds.Using divine speed to jump backwards, he repeatedly evaded the dragon'sattacks in the last second before being struck. Nevertheless, he could notcounterattack in any effective way. Not due to Alec's manipulativepersonality, but because Alec's authorities were not very offense-orientedin nature."Oh well, the labyrinth creation authority was never one to be used foroffense in the first place."Alec muttered as he continued to endure the dragon's fierce attacks."Though talented, the bashful servant is unsuited for direct confrontations.The magical sphere of avarice is currently in use. And if I used thatthunderstrike, I will lose the ability to escape from the palm of your hand.What a predicament!"The authority of divine speed actually had an attack mode called [BlackThunder] which could incinerate everything on the ground.However, using it meant that he could no longer use divine speed for half aday. Alec had no wish to use it in this situation."But anyway, Guinevere. There's not much time remaining beforecheckmate. Have you prepared a way to seal that move?"Guinevere did not have the leisure to respond to Alec's question.The ferocious dragon was using her gigantic body to fan the magical wind.--This could be described as the battle between a lion and a cat. No matterhow agile Alec was, suffering a single strike from the dragon would resultin instant death. Hence for Guinevere, as long as she cautiously kept upher pursuit of her prey and delivered a decisive blow once sufficientdamage had been caused, things were set.That said, Alec was actually the one with effort to spare."Clearly you could have stalled for time while waiting for Lancelot's rescue,but you didn't. That means that knight must be suffering from some kind ofinconvenience. For example, maybe something like insufficient stamina forcontinuous battle."'Gun!'Guinevere answered Alec's mutterings with a new wave of furious attacks.Clearly she was feeling anxious. The hunch was correct. Furthermore, shemust be aware that little time remained until the fulfillment of the conditionsAlec needed to reverse his unfavorable situation.He continued to evade the raging attacks of the white dragon -- until finally,the time had come.Once Alec was certain enough power had been stored from Guinevere'sattacks, he chanted the spell words."Hear me, daughters of the endless night, daughters of the earth andshadow!"Even though the magical wind sealed his body's movements, Alec nolonger cared.In response to the chanted verse, three beautiful infernal goddessesmanifested.Standing guard above him and to his left and right were Megaera,Tisiphone and Alecto. These were the Erinyes, the three goddesses ofvengeance."Fighting evil with evil, repaying crime with crime, shedding blood for blood,knocking out a tooth for a tooth, thus vengeance begins. By the blood ofthe slain mother, tragic death denies all future attempts at filial piety!"Raven-black wings sprouted from their backs, while every strand of hairwas a "snake."Using their feathered wings, they completely deflected the razor claws,sharp teeth and deadly breath from Guinevere's dragon form."Megaera the demon, Tisiphone the avenger, Alecto the relentless, retrievethe curse and execute vengeance! Now is the time for revenge!"This was the second authority Alec had usurped, the authority ofvengeance.Summoning the three infernal goddesses required spending a substantialamount of time on meditation and a ritual. Hence it was impossible to usein immediate battles. On the other hand, if the enemy could be lured wherepreparations had been made beforehand to summon the Erinyes, Alecwould gain an astounding advantage.Because all damage and destruction performed before them was reflectedback to the perpetrator.Responding to Alec's chant, vicious countenances appeared on thesnake-haired Erinyes. Spreading their black wings, they attacked the whitedragon.The goddess in dragon form was tragically clobbered and sliced open-Guinevere's entire body suffered the full force of the attacks she hadunleashed on Alec earlier. Like living prey tossed high into the air to beshredded by the sharp beaks of gathering ferocious birds of prey.A complete massacre.Even though he had successfully sent his enemy to the grave, Alec wasnot moved the slightest. The problems of Lancelot and Kusanagi Godoustill remained. As he thought of them, a familiar voice was heard."So things seem to have concluded.""You came. What a keen sense of smell you have."Turning his head back, he found Princess Alice's spirit body there.Knowing she came to catch the show, Alec went "Hmph" at her and said:"Just as you see, Guinevere has reached her end. Though Lancelotremains as an enemy... Perhaps there is no further need to fight him.""Once the one he protected is gone, Sir Lancelot loses his original reasonto fight."Sharp as ever, Alice immediately concurred."Ah yes. Normally, this would constitute a motive for revenge, but that guyis a [Heretic God] after all. He has acted as Guinevere's knight for over athousand years. If this lone constraint disappears, it would not besurprising for him to start wandering the earth."This was precisely the reason why Alec targeted the Witch Queen first.However, immediate objections were raised against his statement. It wasthe hoarse voice of Guinevere on the verge of death.'No! Even though Sir Knight has indeed become a [Heretic God], his loyaltytowards our sworn master has never been lost! Now that the land ofAvalon has appeared, he will not succumb to his heretical tendencies!'She must be dying. The dragon's body had begun to petrify. Thesilver-white dragon scales covering her body were losing their luster andturning into milky-white stone.'Guinevere believes in Sir Knight's heroism and devotion. He will surelytake the place of us Divine Ancestors, going forth to serve under thebanner of the "King of the End," pledging his allegiance as the premierknight!'The Divine Ancestor's soul still appeared to be intact. Alec replied to hervoice:"If that island were the true Avalon, perhaps things might proceed in thatfashion."Neither merciless nor hateful, he simply responded without emotion.As if mechanically pointing out errors in an experiment."The Heavenly Reverse Halberd is simply a divine artifact for buildingcountries, and is affiliated with Izanagi and Izanami, the parents of Japan'sislands. Their creations were not limited to intact land but also included theso-called 'Leech Child,' an amorphous fluidic object that was exiled to theocean according to the myths."Having severed Guinevere's tragic hopes, revenge was complete. As aresult, Alec spoke coldly without emotion:"The Heavenly Reverse Halberd happens to be the divine artifact thatimitates this legend, allowing it to produce both dry land and LeechChildren. Approximately a thousand years ago, the 'King of the End' hadrevived for the sake of exterminating the Campiones active at the time.Completing his mission as usual, he went to sleep on a certain island inJapan."Through the experiment at Los Angeles, Alec understood the properties ofthe Heavenly Reverse Halberd. After associating it with the strongest[Steel], he came up with a certain hypothesis."The island where the 'King of the End' sleeps, was converted into a LeechChild using the Heavenly Reverse Halberd. You should have figured it outby now, that is the Floating Island I revived... The island you call Avalon.Here comes the mystery, who did it and why?"Alice made an expression as if she realized something. She must havefigured out the mechanism behind the trap."Apparently the masterminds are the elders who viewed the 'King of theEnd' as a threat. Turning the island where the troublesome tiger slept intoa Leech Child, they sank it to the bottom of the sea to conceal it. And trulywhat a brilliant method of concealment. Nevertheless, there still remainedexistences like you Divine Ancestors. Since they were going to hide theisland, the elders thought they might as well use an even morewell-thought out method to be safe."This was one of several possible developments that Alec had deduced."A week earlier, I tried using the Heavenly Reverse Halberd to reconstructthe Floating Island. What this verified was the absence of something thatshould exist. On that island there was no decrepit divine sword -- theremains of the 'King of the End.' After careful consideration, the eldersmust have changed the king's sleeping location beforehand."In any case, there was no sword anywhere on the Floating Island.Consequently, the Heavenly Reverse Halberd was simply a red herring -- adiversion to trick seekers of the king.Although Alec had a hunch about where the King of the End was trulylocated, there was no need to reveal it at this time."Ultimately, the Floating Island is not Avalon. Even so, it was sufficient formy purpose of baiting you. Hence I used the labyrinth authority to lock itup, to act as the crucial element of the trap."'The divine sword's aura that could be sensed from the island -- could thatactually be!?'Without answering Guinevere's sobbing voice, Alec shrugged.Sardinia's Lucretia Zola had once mentioned. The "King of the End" wasmuch more ancient than Arthur and a hero spanning continents, bothoriental and occidental.Alec believed her statement and had been performing field research invarious lands. What this achieved was the discovery of a decrepit DivineSword of Salvation in Indonesia. This was the item he had ordered CeciliaCheung to retrieve and bring over to Japan."Even though I was worrying how things would turn out when KusanagiGodou appeared, in the end the plan continued smoothly without a hitch.Guinevere, this is the truth of the matter, which cannot be changed nomatter what. As the Witch Queen, it is only fitting for you to pass away withdignity, is it not?"'No! Even like this, Guinevere still has things to do!'The white dragon's body had completely petrified. Turned into amilky-white statue, it was lying on the ground. However, this statuecollapsed all of a sudden.As if eroded by the long and merciless passage of time, it lost shape andbecame sand with a rustling sound.The grains of sand, which had been part of a dragon god only momentsearlier, scattered noisily across the ground. Carried by the blowing wind, alarge clump of sand scattered and flew towards the sea."I can sense Guinevere-sama's consciousness in that clump of sand!""How resilient. As befits one who carries immortal divinity!"Alec exclaimed in response to Alice's observation. What was Guinevereplanning to do in that state?Despite his curiosity, Alec turned himself into lightning. His destination wasthe Floating Island. By this time, Lancelot should have already landed.Alec wanted to find out what the knight would do after witnessingGuinevere's demise.Part 2That "island" Alec had caused to surface in Tokyo Bay was still severalkilometers away.Even so, Lancelot du Lac was stuck in midair, unable to advance.Imprisoned by the gravitational pulse emitted from the black sphere hiddenin the sea, it was impossible to budge an inch.Nevertheless, the dark clouds covering the sky above continued to releaseflashes of lightning.The purpose of these electrical strikes was to replenish the essence of[Thunder] for the flying knight and divine horse."In order to reach the island of destiny which finally appeared, this Knightand steed shall go full speed at maximum power. This Knight's ally, turninto lightning together with one in a display of valor. Go forth!"Recharging was complete for the secondary effects of lightning speed andmeteoric impact.Whispering to the beloved white horse softly, Lancelot leaned forwardagainst the horse's back. In that instant, rider and partner became a whitemeteor. Turning themselves into a dragon-slaying snake-slaughteringdivine sword, it was a charge which could tear apart heaven and earth.Now they needed no longer fear the gravitational pulse.Focusing purely on flying, they broke free from the restraints of gravity,thereby traversing the Devil's Sea. From high up in the air, Lancelot lookeddown at the island of destiny she had finally reached. A little island whichcontained nothing but rock.Covered entirely by conspicuous strangely shaped rocks, there were noother distinct landforms or structures.Ordering the divine horse to circle the island from the air, Lancelot caughtsight of something shiny on the ground below. It appeared to be metalreflecting sunlight.Descending instantly, they landed on the peak of the strange rocks.Embedded there was a rusted decrepit iron sword.It was once a broad and mighty sword. Lancelot recognized it as one ofmany identical swords. Namely, the Divine Sword of Salvation which hadbeen used as the material for the divine lance Excalibur.The decrepit sword was the hero's remains. He was supposed to besleeping in the land where this sword was embedded.However, Lancelot could not sense from anywhere on this island thepresence of his kin - [Steel]. The warrior who should be lying in slumberwith the decrepit divine sword. That lethargic presence, similar to a rustedsword blade, was nowhere to be felt."This place is not Avalon either... Is that the situation now?"Then the white war god became aware.The final death roars of the [Dragon] not far away. Unmistakable.Furthermore, the presence of the girl Lancelot was supposed to protectcould no longer be felt.It must be Guinevere who had been abducted by Alexandre Gascoigne.Even in a battle against the Black Prince, Guinevere should have beenable to seek protection by sending out her thoughts. Had she been able toescape successfully, she would have delivered thoughts to report hersafety..."Has the beloved child fallen before her grand aspirations could berealized? Looks like our journey is coming to an end."Notions of resignation surfaced. What should she do from here onwards?A duel with the Black Prince to avenge Guinevere? Or to finally indulge herlong time wish, to begin a journey of wandering and battle -- No.From atop the castle of strange rock, Lancelot could see the sailing shipapproaching the island.The "enemy" should be there. Questions along the likes of how she shouldsurvive henceforth, shall be considered after the battle's conclusion.Due to the full powered charge at maximum speed just now, Lancelot andher beloved steed were exhausted. Nevertheless, now that the belovedchild was gone, she was free to rampage without reservation.Feeling the duel approaching, Lancelot smiled under her helmet and tightlygripped the reins once more.The castle of strange rock that Amakasu had described.The ship sailed smoothly and approached this island of conspicuous andstrangely shaped rock. The labyrinth authority had already vanished.Fortunately, Guinevere had magically enchanted the ship to move inresponse to Kusanagi Godou's orders.Not only Godou but Erica, Yuri and Liliana were all on the deck."Sir Lancelot is now approaching. Alone."Liliana reported. With Ena absent, she was the one with the best eyesight.Godou focused his eyes and was able to make out the figure of the whiteknight. Rather than flying like lightning as usual, Lancelot flew in a straightline no faster than a normal horse's trot.Lancelot appeared in the usual full armor, with no skin exposed.However, the knight seemed to be giving off an impression of exhaustion,and the divine horse's footsteps felt heavy and dulled."You look really tired?"Godou asked out loud as he walked to the edge of the deck.The three girls retreated to the back, as if trying not to disrupt his dialoguewith a god. It was not yet their time to enter the stage."Hmm. In order to struggle free from the Black Prince's minion, oneresorted to a galloping charge. Furthermore, the beloved child who had toface that man alone, turned into a dragon and was defeated. In the end, allthis sacrifice achieved was reaching a fake Avalon."Ordering her beloved horse to hover motionless in the air, Lancelot spokein low spirits. Apparently, reaching the Floating Island was a trap.Godou was horrified by what Alec had done.He was not sure what kind of relations he would develop with that man inthe future, but if that guy prepares for a fight it would be unavoidable. It feltlike no amount of struggling could get out of those multi-layered traps, andfalling into them meant "checkmate.""Were this Knight a sage with a keen mind, perhaps Gascoigne's schemingcould have been thwarted. But unfortunately, one is merely a warrior whoonly knows how to charge forward. Thus, this Knight failed the belovedchild.""Are you going to seek Gascoigne for revenge?""One considered it. Nevertheless, incredible as it may sound, one's heartdid not get fired up at the prospects."With a metallic scratching sound, Lancelot lifted the visor of her helmet.The white war god's beautiful face -- the unobscured face of a woman wasrevealed."Now that the fetters of the protector knight's duties have been lost, thisKnight wonders. Henceforth, one only needs to journey as one desires,fighting only those enemies whom this Knight deems worthy."With the helmet opened, Lancelot used a female voice."Gascoigne is indeed a formidable foe. And the beloved child's enemy aswell. However, this deviates from one's preference. Hohoho, this Knight'strue wish is to charge like an arrow that has been shot, swinging a lanceferociously. Were one not this foolishly straightforward, this Knight wouldnot have gotten involved with that certain man."Even though the girl under her protection had just been lost, the beautifulwar god was smiling instead.Once heroes suffered loss, they did not wallow in nostalgic attachment.This twisted sense of competitiveness, truly belonged to a [Heretic God].Exactly the same as when Godou had befriended the war godVerethragna."So, what are your plans now?""No further words are necessary. There is no lack of familiarity betweendear sir and this Knight. Surely dear sir's purpose is the same? In order toplay the symphony of an intense duel, to mourn the goddess Athena!"Lancelot smiled delightfully as she spoke.She was already completely certain. Godou nodded silently."Naturally, this Knight would never be so rude as to challenge dear sir withan exhausted body! This Knight shall curse oneself, for the sake ofvanquishing Kusanagi Godou, one shall risk all with this body!"In the instant she called out, Lancelot's immense divine power wasrestored.These were words of magic. The curse of [Insane Rush] which had beenapplied to Godou previously. In the same manner that it had replenishedGodou's power after the battle against Alec, the white war god now used itto recover herself!Then the familiar lance descended from the heavens.This was the ultimate weapon that created the white star which had madeGodou and Athena suffer so much. Gripping it tightly in her hand, Lancelotannounced as if chanting:"Come, Excalibur... The sacred lance born from the Divine Sword ofSalvation! Now then, Kusanagi Godou, this Knight has already shown dearsir one's true face. In that case, there is no point in hiding the remainder!"Lancelot's white armor flew apart.That honey-colored hair was most suited to her cool and refreshing facialbeauty.Fully exposed was her tall and slender physique, with an astoundinglyvoluptuous bosom and exceptionally mesmerizing hips. As the body of amature woman, it was completely flawless.In addition, her attire changed.Chain mail protected her upper torso. The helmet no longer had a visor toobscure her beautiful face. The divine lance Excalibur was wielded in herright hand, while an iron bow was strapped to her back. The saddle of thewhite divine horse now carried a quiver of arrows.Furthermore, the armor which had been protecting Lancelot till now-The white steel that flew apart now shattered and scattered noisily, turninginto countless pieces. These pieces further fragmented, expanding andtransforming as they scattered. Unbelievably, each fragment became aknight and horse combination.The style of each knight's armor, was very similar to what Lancelot used towear.On the other hand, the color of their steel was a deep gray like an overcastsky. With the same majestic appearance of the white knight, they linedthemselves up in a row.Numbering roughly three hundred or so, the knights were all flying on theirhorses in midair, rapidly gathering around Lancelot. They were like aperfectly disciplined flock of birds.When birds of prey gathered to hunt collectively, they most likely moved insuch a fashion.A squadron of heavy cavalry had appeared to guard the beautiful wardeity."Hohoho, it has been so long since this Knight last commanded thesesubordinates. This Knight shall lead these soldiers into battle as theirmonarch, to fight as a simple warrior to settle the duel with dear sir. Todecide the victor through ordinary battle!"This was Lancelot du Lac's completed state.He was still in an abnormal state last time -- Recalling Athena's warning,Godou was terrified.In that case, he could not hold back any more."As the one who ought to be the knight amongst knights, why are youfemale!? The greatest clue to unraveling this mystery, lies in Greekmythology!"Erica, Yuri and Liliana -- the knowledge they taught was being yelled out.Godou activated Verethragna's final incarnation, the [Warrior], andsummoned the sword of spell words."You are no ordinary [Steel]. As sword gods born as heroes of steel, allwere male warriors who shared intimate symbiotic relationships withmother earth goddesses. Nevertheless, you exist within the realm of theheroes of steel as a female instead. An extremely rare existence with dualidentities as both a goddess and a member of steel.""Oh? You intend to direct that weapon at this Knight? The spell words forslicing gods apart!"Lancelot smiled with relaxed composure. If she had been watching hisbattle against Athena, it was only natural for her to know about the[Sword]. Godou continued unfazed:"Rare, but not nonexistent. One of them was Hippolyta, the queen of theAmazons. Widely known in Greek mythology as the daughter of the wargod Ares. The queen of the female warrior tribe! The prototype for the wargod Lancelot is either her or a goddess corresponding to one of hersisters. Am I right!?"Appearing in the sunny and clear sky above Godou's head were the spellwords of the [Sword].Tiny spheres flashing with golden brilliance. With dozens of them twinkling,they were reminiscent of the stars in the sky. Each sphere of light was aweapon for severing Lancelot's divinity."Hohoho. You have mentioned a nostalgic name!""The Amazons were a ferocious all-female equestrian tribe descendingfrom the war god Ares and a naiad. Inhabiting the coastal areas of theBlack Sea, they were ruled by two queens. One who administered internalrule while the other commanded in battle. Amongst them were queens,such as Hippolyta, who were also daughters of their ancestor Ares!"The formation of shining swords of light was being arranged in the airabove Godou's ship.Immediately in front, the "Squadron of Dark Gray Knights" lay in wait, withLancelot in the center of their formation. Every one of them were pointingtheir lance tips at the spell words of the [Sword].Then a frontal conflict commenced-"The reason why Hippolyta and her sisters are [Steel], originates from theirfather Ares. For he is a corner of the most primitive source -- the purestincarnation of the sword which fights in total compliance with its duty.Hence, he is violent and inconsiderate, a war god symbolized by a swordstabbed into the earth!"Godou was stunned as he continued to compose the spell words.The squadron of knights, roughly three hundred of them, had deployed halftheir numbers as a vanguard and charged into the [Sword].Was Lancelot really choosing her own defeat!?"If the battle ends with dear sir as the only one swinging your weapon, itwould be this Knight's dishonor as a warrior. So let one's subordinatesraise some havoc!"In spite of the situation, the beautiful war god was truly feeling joyous. Wasthere some kind of trick?It was like sending birds of prey into a net. These shining golden spheresof light were the blades for slicing Lancelot apart. The dark gray knightsshould also be valid targets as well--Godou puzzled as he continued chanting spell words. His first priority wasto increase combat potential!"The ancient historian Herodotus recorded in his narrative, The Histories,that the equestrian Scythians worshiped a divinity equivalent to Ares fromGreek mythology and even treated him as a special deity. But unlike othergods for whom they built altars, the Scythians worshiped Ares through hissymbol -- the sword stabbed into the earth!"The golden sword easily slashed the dark gray knights to pieces.The spell words' blades sliced helmets in half and pierced chain mail asthe knights and their horses were noisily shattered into fragments as easilyas glass sculptures.The fragments disappeared in an instant. In the blink of an eye, thesquadron of knights had its numbers thinned out by half.Nevertheless, Godou did not feel a sense of victory. Instead, it wasanything but reassuring."In addition, Herodotus also recorded this: intermarriage between theequestrian Scythians and the female warrior tribe gave rise to equestrianSarmatia. This nation is precisely the key to how the Black Sea's goddessand queen of war took on the appearance of Lancelot the knight!""No truer words than that! This Knight was once worshiped by the peopleas the queen of war!"Lancelot's forthright admission only served to bring bone-chilling terror. ButGodou could not stop now.Spreading out the [Sword] in a giant ring shape, Godou surrounded theremaining half of the knight squadron.The knight squadron guarding the beautiful war god, was indeed akin to adark gray flock of birds of prey. A golden net encircled them, preparing todown them in one fell swoop. At this moment, Lancelot also chanted spellwords."A decree to the valorous knights. Falter not, fear not. For you are allknights, undaunted and unrelenting. You are only permitted to advance.Forward! Think nothing but charge forth to crush the enemy!"Then she tossed the iron bow on her back to the sky.This time, the bow shattered and scattered, its fragments forming dark grayknights. The newly born knights numbered roughly a hundred. Thesquadron of knights whose numbers had been halved, once againbolstered its ranks!"Eh, are you actually...!?""Hohoho, as befits the one who is Knight's destiny, how observant! Haveyou discerned one's intentions?!"Lancelot had revived the squadron of dark gray knights.The knights made another charging attack at the encircling net weavedfrom the golden sword. Repeating the same scene as before, the knightswere continually slain by the [Sword].However, Godou trembled in fear once he figured out Lancelot's goal.'King, this is another tactic used by immortal [Steel]!'Godou nodded to acknowledge the warning given by Ama no Murakumono Tsurugi residing in his right arm.Lancelot's immortality did not simply manifest itself as the power to turninto mist. She also held the power to resurrect the minions who served her.'Undaunted by your spell words, aiming for victory by openly contesting viafrontal charge. Be they snapped or crushed, she polishes and sharpensthese sword blades anew.'Sounding extremely impressed, the partner's voice was filled with praiseand admiration.'How befitting of one who shares my origins of [Steel]! Granted, showingoff little tricks for running away was never in a sword's nature!'"I get the principle, but being unable to do anything but react passively isinfuriating!"Godou remarked with surprise and admiration. This apparently suicidaltactic, was one which would threaten Godou if repeated enough times, forthe sharpness of the [Sword] would dull after each use.If it turned into a battle of attrition, the sword would become useless sooneror later...!"That Lancelot, is using the weapons and armor on her person as thematerials to create those knights?"'Hmm, indeed.'"In that case, whether she uses up her armaments first, or my [Sword]vanishes first, isn't that the key to victory?"While the conversation with Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi occurred, thedark gray knight squadron's numbers were cut down by half again.This time, Lancelot tossed her quiver into the distance. It contained twoarrows or so, each fitted with an arrowhead of iron. Once again, theseobjects shattered and scattered, giving birth to a hundred new knights whoregrouped with the squadron again. In Godou's past battles, there hadbeen other gods who had countered the [Sword]--But the way Lancelot achieved it through this foolishly straightforward andsimple manner was something new."So, Kusanagi Godou. Are you enjoying this spectacular battle!?""Give me a break! As if anyone would enjoy this annoying battle ofattrition!"Contradicting his words, Godou's lips were smiling savagely.Very well then. Since you are replenishing your knights over there, I willchant spell words to sustain the [Swordj's power as much as possible!"The Sauromatae were later known as the Sarmatians. They initiated aconflict with their kin, the Scythians, and obtained victory. Both theScythians and the Sarmatians were equestrian tribes. However, theSarmatian's heavy arms and sturdy iron armor allowed them to crush thelightly armed Scythians!""Hmm. Using even sturdier steel was the style of the Sarmatians, for it wasthe victory of their predecessors!"Flying all over the sky, the [Sword] formed a golden net of encirclement.Surrounded, the dark gray knights prepared for a defensive battle to thedeath.This was the beginning of a foreseeable battle of attrition. Using thegreaves and gauntlets from her arms and legs as materials, Lancelotcreated knights once again. In opposition, Godou also weaved more spellwords together."The Sarmatians in the myths, were also a nation which inherited thecustoms of female warriors. It was said that the women of Sarmatia werewell trained in martial arts, and prohibited from marriage unless theygained the experience of killing a man!"Godou wished to strike at Lancelot herself while the [Sword] was stillsharp.With this intention, Godou controlled the spell words. However, thedecimated squadron of dark gray knights continued to guard her with theirlives, preventing Godou's [Sword] from reaching her.Lancelot proceeded to toss away her helmet to replenish her knights."The kings and queens spoken of in the myths are equivalent to 'gods.'Your past identity as the queen of the Amazons, as either Hippolyta,Penthesilea, or Antiope... Was a goddess as Ares' daughter. Hence, you,as a goddess, must have inherited the female warrior customs of theSarmatians!"The [Sword]'s overwhelming advantage against the knights was graduallyeroding.The knights who were destroyed in the beginning simply by being struck bythe golden spheres of light, were now offering continued resistance. Soonafter, the situation evolved into a stalemate.In a direct confrontation, the [Sword] and the knights were mutuallyannihilating.This was because the [Sword] was becoming rather blunt. Lancelot beganto smile with a chuckle.Other than the divine lance in her hand, her only remaining armament washer chain mail. Immediately, the chain links constituting this piece ofdefensive gear also shattered and scattered in the surroundings.The numerous chain links turned into dark gray knights as her finalreinforcements."Go forth, knights of the wilderness! Become this Knight's second lance, tovanquish Kusanagi Godou!"The queen issued her orders.The gray knights arranged themselves in a spindle-shaped formation in theair. She must have judged the encircling net of the [Sword]'s spell words tobe breachable at this juncture.Godou's breathing quickened. Now was the decisive moment for victory.Acting passive will lead to defeat. He must switch to offense instead!"Due to becoming soldiers of the Roman Empire, the Sarmatians and theirculture were spread all over Europe. During that time period, you musthave been known as the goddess of [Steel], the queen of the Amazons!"Chanting spell words, Godou transmitted his thoughts to the remainingportions of the [Sword].Gather together. Do not fight while scattered in the sky like stars at night.Concentrate in one location to create an organism. Yes, faced with theknights who serve Lancelot, fight them like a ferocious beast!"It was during an age when the heavy cavalry culture of Sarmatian originwas transforming into medieval European chivalry. Nevertheless, Sarmatiafell into ruin and its culture changed. In stark contrast to the flourishing ofthe majestic 'knight' on the battlefield, the names and myths of theAmazonian queens gradually entered obscurity!"Thousands of flashes of light gathered to create a golden outline.This could be compared to the light of a galaxy. A shining nebulailluminating the darkness of space. Concentrating light together to becomemighty power, to pave the road to victory-"Before she knew it, the goddess as the Sarmatian queen of war waswrapped in heavy armor, becoming Lancelot the god of knights.Consequently, she carried a sense of insanity and savagery unsuited to aknight's nature... Nevertheless, she was still the ultimate knight closer tothe primitive source than anyone else!"Manifesting over Godou's head was a [Snake]-shaped nebula shining withgolden brilliance.The form of a massive and slender [Snake] composed of thousands oreven tens of thousands of light spheres. The head portion was an inflatedoval shape, which proceeded to split open as if opening its jaws.For convenience in battle, Godou had ordered the [Sword] to take the formof a living organism.In the likeness of a divine beast, as a symbol in tribute to the goddess whohad passed away due to the involvement of Lancelot."Hohoho. Are you going to challenge the dragon-slaying andsnake-slaughtering war god with such a formation, god-slayer!?"Glancing at the golden [Snake], Lancelot laughed heartily.Rather than a mocking laugh, there was an authentic sense of exhilaration.It was the sound of someone who enjoyed battle from the depths of theirhearts."This mettle of yours in bringing such elegance to the battlefield, trulycaters considerably to this Knight's liking. True to form, dear sir is preciselythe great opponent one had always sought! You are the man of destiny towhom this Knight offers absolute adoration!"Queen Lancelot raised the lance in her hand towards the sky."Since dear sir has entrusted your destiny to the shadow of Athena, thisKnight shall reminisce the divine splendor of the master of old, to displaythe unyielding might of the man who once stood as the one bearingoverwhelming strength!"The lance tip shined with platinum brilliance. Excalibur was the name of itsblade. This divine sword had been swung in the past for the sake of worldsalvation, by the hero who became the source of King Arthur's legend."O Divine Sword of Salvation, steel slices apart the planets! Lend power tothis Knight!"The platinum-colored star suddenly manifested behind Lancelot and theknight squadron.Its size and brilliance made it seem like a second sun had descended uponthe earth. The destructive power of this star, capable of firing blades, wasno joking matter.Godou found it difficult to breathe as he directly faced the brilliance of theburning white star.His [Sword] could not defend against that divine sword. How could heescape this desperate plight--!?Part 3In the middle of the sky, the flying squadron of knights was facing offagainst the golden snake.Arranged in a spindle formation, the remaining gray knights roughlynumbered a hundred. In opposition to them was the forty or fifty-meter-longsnake. The [Sword]'s spell words had concentrated together to take on theform of a snake.Focusing her gaze on her subordinates' formation, Queen Lancelot lifteddivine lance Excalibur.The white star gradually approached the beautiful war god's back."Finally time for the ultimate weapon to be used, eh..."Riding on the deck of the magically-operated sailing ship, Erica gasped.Standing upright on the prow, Godou was controlling the [Snake] as hefocused his gaze on Lancelot and the white star. Erica, Yuri and Lilianawere all on standby in the back of the ship in case of any emergencies.Come to think of it, Lancelot turned out to be unexpectedly adept intactics...Erica frowned. Lancelot had repeatedly employed a foolish suicidal tacticwhile cautiously cherishing the ultimate weapon. This was done inpreparation for the opportune moment to crush Godou in one fell swoopusing her subordinate knight squadron and Excalibur in concert. Evidently,she was no simple berserker.Originally, her true talents should lie in charging without distraction at fullspeed and maximum strength.However, at some point in time she had become a sage who could calmlyanalyze the battle situation while fighting at full power.Godou most likely thought the same. He was savagely smiling as hefocused his sharp gaze on Lancelot hovering in midair. In order not to loseagainst these odds stacked against him, he was burning with battle spirit.If Erica and the girls failed to assist him in a time of need like now, theirexistence would be meaningless."For Godou to defend against Excalibur, he must switch from the [Warrior]to a different incarnation. But while Sir Lancelot's knight squadroncontinues to exist, the [Sword] should still be needed. So let us protect himwith our power.""That goes without saying. Is that not the reason why we are here?"Liliana immediately responded to Erica's call. As expected of the longtimefriend and rival.If the squadron of dark gray knights were Lancelot's subjects, then the redand blue knights were Godou's sword and shield. Erica and Lilianasummoned their magic swords at once.The steel of the lion, Cuore di Leone, and the steel of the master musician,II Maestro.The former was a great sword of heavy construction, while the latter was anaginata with a blade fitted on the tip of a long shaft."Divine Sword of Salvation... The steel whose remains Guinevere-samahad taken and reawakened--"At this time, Yuri murmured as she looked up towards Lancelot and thedivine lance."Erica-san and Liliana-san. I have seen the magical 'pathway' connectingSir Lancelot to the divine lance. I think if it can be severed, Sir will nolonger be able to use Excalibur.""As expected. Did you see it through spirit vision?""However, it's unfortunate that we two cannot see that pathway ourselves.Anyway, without Yuri's spirit vision it can't be done with certainty..."Liliana praised in admiration while Erica tried to come up with a plan.Even though Yuri was a rare world-class user of spirit vision, she was noexpert in weapons or magical combat. Those were the responsibilities ofthe knights themselves.Nevertheless, the Japanese Hime-Miko tensed her beautiful face andspoke with determination:"No problem. Please leave it all to me."Come to think of it, there was a similar situation once. At that time, indeed-Realizing something, Erica nodded at Yuri."I recall the Princess definitely said something about wanting to instructyou. So, Yuri, you have already...""Yes. It was during the journey to unravel the mystery of Sir Lancelot.Since I possessed the disposition towards learning this type of ability, Ireceived instruction on it. Even though I am still a novice, I still believe Ican be of help to everyone!"Just as Yuri declared so, a transformation immediately occurred.The Yamato Nadeshiko originally had black lustrous hair strongly tinted ashade of brown. Now on top of that, a layer of faint luster appeared,causing it to shine with flaxen-colored light. Furthermore, her pupilsbecame the color of glass.In addition, a sacred aura was emanating from Yuri.The only miko who gave off the same presence was Princess Alice and noother. The White Princess' most prided ability of psychic sensing. In actualfact, users of psychic sensing were extremely rare, roughly with the samescarcity as Ena's divine possession. Nevertheless, it was a power that Yurihad once used before."I see. In order for her to use it without Verethragna's [Protection], thePrincess instructed Mariya Yuri after discovering her disposition--!"Liliana also realized the situation and nodded."Yes. Please extend your hand forward, Erica-san and Liliana-san. Unlikethe Princess, I cannot do it without direct tactile contact."Yuri held out her hands, holding Erica's right hand and Liliana's left.Erica could feel her heart entering contact with another. It was the samefeeling she had during the battle against the Great Sage Equaling Heaven.The psychic connection with Yuri had begun.Erica could feel a scorching sensation in the back of her eyes. Lilianashould be feeling the same thing."Through this power of mine, I will entrust every image I saw to you two.Please make the most of it."Murmuring, Yuri collapsed as if she were anemic.This resulted from her use of an unaccustomed spirit power, as well as theburden of dividing her magical power into two and sending each half intoErica and Liliana's bodies respectively.Erica felt the energy center beneath her navel brimming with magicalpower and gently caressed her abdomen."Ah yes. Please allow me to do that. You should rest properly now.""T-The rest is up to you two. I wish you victory--"Yuri answered weakly in response to Liliana's invocation."If we do not get fired up and put on a good show, we are unworthy aswomen. Erica.""That goes without saying. We must fight for Yuri's part as well, Lily."The red and blue knights nodded to each other. The decisive battle in thesky had already begun.The knight squadron in spindle formation charged dauntlessly at theserpentine [Sword]. It was a legendary scene evocative of Ragnarok.In any case, the monstrous snake of light was having a frontal battle withthe squadron of knights in the air.Flying across the sky in waves, hundreds of knights were laying siege tothe giant body of the snake.The snake of light rapidly ascended with speed incommensurate with itsmassive size, trying to create distance. Knights followed in hot pursuit,trying to pierce it with their lances. At this time, the snake of light whippedits long and slender body to strike at the approaching knights.Their armor shattered instantly, their horses sent flying, these knightsdisappeared in such a manner.However, the remaining knights stabbed their lances into the snake of lightand then drew back immediately -- they were fighting with everything theyhad, and using guerrilla tactics to pin down the snake.Furthermore, it was not merely a battle between subordinates. Lancelotherself finally sprang into action.Pointing the tip of the divine lance at Kusanagi Godou standing on theprow, the queen soaring on her divine mount gave majestic orders forattack.In that very instant, the white star hovering in the sky above began to flashwith brilliance.--It's coming! Just as Erica became certain, Liliana swiftly called out:"There is no time left to defend! Help me take flight!"A hasty order. Nevertheless, it was sufficient for her longtime friend Ericato understand.She selected the appropriate spell words to assist the witchcraft Lilianawas planning to use."O Artemis! I beseech you to bless one who is female with the power ofwings!""Once again I offer my prayers! Please bestow upon us the privilege to flyacross the sky!"Liliana chanted the spell words and crouched down.Striking her hand against the ship's deck, she activated her skilled flightmagic. In the past, she only used to it to carry multiple people at once, butthis time was different. Having received Yuri's magical power and Erica'sassistance, she was able to produce much more powerful lift than usual-What Guinevere had summoned, was this sailing ship which had beentransporting Godou and his group.Liliana's flight magic now levitated this ship. In the instant the entire shipwas surrounded by blue light, the white star released a flash of lightning.This was the hammer of god for incinerating all existence upon this ocean.Just as the ship was inches away from being engulfed by this attack, itmoved, relying on Liliana's flight magic. Surrounded by blue light, thesailing ship shot forward in a straight line, towards the Floating Islandahead. Furthermore, they barely managed to evade the lightning ofannihilation.On the other hand, this forced manner of transport half wrecked the ship.The sailing ship now lay on the shore of the Floating Island -- or rather, theship had crashed its prow, sending timber flying. Standing on the deck,Erica, Liliana and Godou lost balance from the intense rocking while theunconscious Yuri continued to lie motionless."Sorry for the sudden movement. I could not think of any other means toescape Excalibur's attack.""What are you talking about? It's thanks to you that we're saved, thanks!"Godou replied to Liliana's apology with smiling thanks.Nevertheless, this was only an emergency maneuver. If they tried to evadein the same manner again, Lancelot would probably calmly destroy theship using Excalibur."Godou, leave Excalibur for Lily and me to handle. You should focus yourconcentration on using the [Sword]. Your first priority is Sir Lancelot'ssquadron of knights."Erica spoke without hesitation, assigning roles and duties in a clear-cutfashion. It was the same strategy that had been used against the GreatSage Equaling Heaven last time."But Lancelot is not that easy to handle! Are you sure you two can keepthings under control?""Of course, it would be impossible for us to stop Sir Lancelot. However, ifit's just Excalibur, I think we have a way. Yuri saw it just now with spiritvision. That weapon over there is very unstable."In that case, it was enough.Realizing Erica's intentions, Godou turned around towards the sea,focusing his gaze on the legendary battle in midair between the flyingsquad of knights and the great serpent of light. He intended to concentrateon controlling the [Sword].Furthermore, a lone knight was flying towards the Floating Island. Wieldingthe divine lance Excalibur, it was Queen Lancelot in all her splendorousbeauty.Now was the exact time to release the trump card. Erica was first to beginchanting."And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark ofthe Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armedmen went before them!"^Smiting. These were the spell words for acquiring the Privilege ofExtermination."They compassed the city seven times. And it came to pass at the seventhtime, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto thepeople, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. And they utterlydestroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old,and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword'™Red light surrounded Erica.The chanting continued for the purpose of converting this luminance intothe curse of sacred slaughter."Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city,Jericho: At the cost of his firstborn son he will lay its foundations; at thecost of his youngest he will set up its gates." 1 JThanks to receiving Yuri's magical power, the technique was much easierto control in comparison to last time.Erica infused the Privilege of Extermination into her beloved sword, Cuoredi Leone. Furthermore, she manifested her defensive gear in the form ofchain mail, a helmet and a large round shield.The red exterminator had arrived. Naturally, Liliana was next."And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses;and they slew all the males. And they slew the kings of Midian, beside therest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur,and Reba, five kings of Midian!"^Her silver-haired ponytail swayed as she chanted spell words."And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and theirlittle ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and alltheir goods. And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all theirgoodly castles, with fire!"'- 6 -'What surrounded Liliana was blue light, obviously.She must have secretly studied the spell laboriously. Executing thetechnique with much greater fluency than before, she poured power intothe blue light. Naturally, Yuri's assistance also played a major role."And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses.Liliana used the Privilege of Extermination to alter II Maestro's form.The naginata with the long shaft was transformed into a silver longbow. Inaddition, her choice of defensive gear was much lighter than Erica's,consisting of blue gauntlets, greaves and a breastplate of light steel. Thisappeared to be battle attire geared towards Liliana's strengths in speedand agility."First, I will shoot down Excalibur with my arrow. Then Erica, sever the linkbetween the divine sword and Sir Lancelot!"Issuing orders, Liliana's pupils became the color of glass.This must have been the result of receiving the images from spirit visionthrough Yuri's psychic sensing."Yes, if there are no exceptions amongst the gods, we can be fairly certainSir Lancelot would be uninterested in us humans. Strike there with thesacred Privilege of Extermination — !"Nodding in response. Erica's own pupils were probably the same color.For the sake of Yuri who had entrusted this power to them, victory must beseized.Part 4"Hohoho, the spell words for slaying gods... A rather excellent weapon itmay be, nevertheless, it seems slightly inadequate before this Knight'sweapon."Finally breaching the defensive line held by the [Snake], she smiled as sheoffered praise-Spurring the flying divine horse, Lancelot was approaching Godou'sposition. Rather than going at maximum speed like lightning, she wasriding at a leisurely trot.However, this act definitely did not carry arrogance or carelessunderestimation of the enemy.The horse was an animal unable to sustain a full gallop for long periods oftime. Judicious use of full speed was part of a rider's skill. Whether in thecontext of ancient cavalry battles or modern racehorses, this point hasnever changed. It was imperative to properly judge when to gallop at fullspeed.Standing on the prow of the half-wrecked ship, Godou looked up at theformidable foe in the sky.Having removed all steel from her body, the war god exhibited her originalbare skin. She was currently dressed in sheer fabric no different fromunderwear or a swimsuit, most likely offering no protection.Wielded in her right hand was the divine lance Excalibur. Its tip shone withplatinum brilliance, guiding the white star.The divine artifact known as the embodiment of destruction which couldslice apart heaven, earth and the planets--"If dear sir cannot pull out a weapon surpassing this, the battle is over.Truly what a shame it would be. Nevertheless, this Knight firmly believessuch is not the case. Dear sir is surely the man who shall respond to one'shopes!""Yeah. It feels like such a hassle, but I will try as hard as I can."Godou grumbled as he called out in his mind. Come quick!"But you have overlooked something. Up until now, your defense wasperfect because of the knight formation around you... But aren't you wideopen now?""Oh... This Knight!?"Immediately after Godou hollered, Lancelot became aware of the attack.Glancing into the distance above her, she frowned. Riding her divinehorse, she made a leap backwards.Two seconds later, at the location the war god and her horse had beenoccupying, a great splendorous golden serpent -- Godou's [Sword] passedthrough. Rather than attacking the knight squadron, Godou had issuedorders to snipe the leader.Naturally, Godou did not expect this sort of ambush to defeat Lancelotdirectly.It was only meant for containment. In addition, it was for buying himselftime to move. Godou decisively jumped into the sea from the prow. If hefell straight down like this, he would have no choice but to swim.But before Godou hit the water, the golden [Snake] swiftly flew down belowhim.Godou barely managed to land on the head of the giant [Snake].From the feeling beneath his feet, it was like landing on a hard and solidsurface. Riding the [Snake] in this manner, Godou ascended. The[Sword]'s spell words could be used in such a way because of their abilityto manifest as a real sword.Having mounted the [Snake]'s head, Godou turned his gaze to thesquadron of dark gray knights.Maintaining a spindle formation, the knights moved like a flock of birds ofprey. As expected, they were flying here to pursue the [Snake] which haddisappeared from before them."Attack that fellow's back! Strike from behind!"Godou gave orders to the [Snake].The snake undulated its body in response. As theseveral-dozen-meter-long [Sword] began to rise rapidly, Godou lay downprone and hugged the [Snake]'s head tightly.His entire body could feel that distinct touch of the [Sword] he had felt inhis hand so many times before.Compared to metal, it felt more similar to stone. Since it was not meant tocarry passengers, he had to grip with all his might to avoid falling off.The snake continued to fly at high speed, subjecting him to horrifying windpressure.Godou's head, shoulder, arms and back were being struck by masses ofair as he endured the heavy pressure. Even so, he did not fall off, perhapsbecause the [Sword] protected him.Regardless, the [Snake] moved according to Godou's orders.The squadron of knights in spindle formation -- was the target as the snakeflew rapidly to devour the remaining knights. In response, the knightsforcibly switched directions in an effort to pierce the [Snake]'s tail with theirlances.In any case, both sides were trying to catch each other's tails.On one side was the snake of light, and on the other, the spindle shapedsquadron of knights. But from a distance, it looked like two flying serpentstrying to swallow each other's tail, tracing out a ring shape in the air.Godou glanced down below.On the nearby sea surface, Lancelot was pointing her lance tip at him,targeting Kusanagi Godou as he rode the [Snake]'s head."Well, this is turning out to be endless repetition..."At the moment, Godou and Lancelot's subordinates were entangled inmutual pursuit. If Lancelot used Excalibur to attack recklessly, herirreplaceable companions would likely be caught up in the attack-But this type of worry most likely never crossed Lancelot's mind.Because she was the knight able to use the mind's eye to see throughdivine speed.Hence, Godou did not expect her to hesitate. On the other hand, he wasexpecting something else while he prepared a splendid finishing blow forLancelot. If Erica and Liliana successfully find an opening, it should bepossible-"O Blade which destroys heaven, earth, and the stars. In place of yourproper master, this Knight is your current wielder. Exhibit sacredannihilation and slaughter!"As expected, Lancelot fearlessly chanted spell words. In order to strike ablow using Excalibur.The white star released lightning which would probably destroy Godou andthe [Snake] alone while avoiding the dark gray knights. However, if it wasthose two girls, definitely...!"Manifesting justice in this world through these spell words of mine! Divinemight indeed resides in my oratory incantation!"Godou chanted the spell words in firm belief. Rather than defend againstExcalibur's attack, he infused the snake-shaped [Sword] with the maximumamount of magical power, for the purpose of obliterating Lancelot'ssquadron of knights."O Sword, shine with brilliance for the sake of my victory and justice!""O Sword, manifesting the light of salvation, bring balance to this world!"God-slayer and war god chanted and immediately, several completelydifferent things happened at the same time.First was Excalibur whose lance tip was thrust forwards, causing the star ofthe white sword to release lightning.Next, a flashing arrow of blue light was shot from the sailing ship,splendidly striking the tip of the divine lance. This resulted in the divinelance tip's deflection by a few dozen centimeters.Furthermore, Godou had infused the [Snake] with abundant magicalpower.The snake of light instantly accelerated in pursuit of the squadron of darkgray knights, devouring them from behind, tearing apart the spindleformation.Lightning came attacking from Excalibur, but its trajectory had beenperturbed greatly.The light which should have pierced Godou and the [Sword] like a threadthrough the head of a needle, the divine lighting of destruction passed overGodou's head in the distance instead.Finally, surrounded in red light, the blonde knight flew in the air like acomet.Swinging the magic sword of the lion, she sliced through empty space.This void was located right in between Lancelot du Lac and the divinelance Excalibur that she was wielding.Erica should have simply sliced through air, but a cataclysmic changecame over Excalibur.The lance's shaft gave off platinum-colored sparks as it jumped out fromLancelot's hand as if rejecting her, falling into the sea below.All thanks to Erica, Yuri and Liliana's full efforts, Godou was saved.Since the [Snake] had greatly weakened after the devastating strikeagainst the squadron of dark gray knights, Godou ordered it to return to theFloating Island. The sword blades had been reduced greatly, both innumber and sharpness, so it was best to stop fighting in the air.Godou once again landed on the shore of the Floating Island.By this time, the [Snake]'s length was down to ten meters or so. Godoureleased the snake shape and allowed it to return to its original form ofspheres. Thirty or forty spheres of light were shining as they hovered overGodou's head."It's called Excalibur, right? That lance doesn't seem like it can be usedany further.""Hmm. It was dear sir's subordinates' doing."Spurring the white divine horse to fly in approach, Lancelot responded toGodou.The divine lance with the platinum blade had disappeared from her hands.However, the war god and the warrior queen of equestrian tribes seemedto be smiling with joy."Indeed because of this, only the beloved horse remains by this Knight'sside. Even as a horse, this is the premier vassal who overcameinnumerable battlefields alongside this Knight, and no less worthy thanthose subordinates who serve dear sir.""They're not subordinates. Those girls are my important companions.""Hohoho, what a subtle manner of calling them. In that case, allow thisKnight to correct oneself. This divine horse is one's irreplaceable dearfriend. Even intimate as one's bond with dear sir may be, it cannot surpassthat between Knight and steed. Now is the time for the final conclusion!"A cavalry lance suddenly manifested in Lancelot's hand.This was the weapon she had also used during the battle against Athena.She must have saved it expressly instead of turning it into knights. Yes, forthe sake of delivering the final blow."Yeah, got it -- that's all I want to say. I've already seen how terrifying thatthing can be. The attack that even Athena could not stop. It's finally timefor me to experience it for myself!"Saying that, Godou issued attacking orders to the [Sword].The blades of spell words hovering over him began rushing towardsLancelot. There was no longer any steel protecting her body. Neither wasthere any squadron of dark gray knights for defense ~ however."Do not sound so cold and distant. This Knight truly wishes for dear sir toendure against one's full powered charge at maximum speed. Given thismist of one's immortality... Even dear sir's [Sword] will be unable to slicethrough. Prepare yourself well."Lancelot's figure disappeared as the Floating Island was covered by thickmist.Visibility became so low that it was impossible to see a few meters ahead.However, Godou recalled the previous battle and focused his mind onfinding Lancelot's presence... She's there, attack with the [Sword]immediately!Nevertheless, there was no reaction and it seemed like nothing had beencut."Hoho, this mist is a blessing this Knight borrowed from one's greatgrandmother and water goddess. The spell words for cutting Lancelot duLac will not work against it. There is nothing you can do but prepare forone's return!"Her voice sounded as if she was smiling.Godou understood. This was similar to the time when he had been unableto sever Medusa's divine power. Due to defense from a different deity'spower, the [Sword] was rendered ineffective.Lancelot did not make a further sound. She must be charging up for a fullgallop."Well, I knew this was gonna happen."Muttering to himself, Godou took a deep breath.Last time, in order to resist Lancelot's Excalibur, Godou had relied onAthena to create the blade that could open up heaven and earth. Bothsides had been using borrowed power.In their next duel perhaps, that should not be repeated-That was what Godou could not help but wish for. Neither Lancelot norKusanagi Godou were the type to enjoy a battle undertaken with borrowedpower."As the one who holds all victory in my hands, I am the strongest... Allenemies, all who harbor enmity will be vanquished!"Standing surrounded by the mist, Godou chanted the sacred verses ofVerethragna to raise magical power.With the [Sword] no longer needed, Godou decided to use a differentpower. That said, which incarnation should he use? In actual fact, Lancelotwas not a perpetrator of sinful crimes or the like and therefore not a targetof the [White Stallion] or the [Goat].What could he use to strike down the lightning comet...No other way. At a time like this, only that guy could be used after all.Godou drew a certain image in his mind. Having done that, a certainincarnation could now be released at will. However, would that guy's poweralone be enough to defeat Lancelot's galloping charge...?As he pondered, Godou heard a soft voice saying "Let me participate aswell."Godou immediately nodded. If the enemy was going full speed atmaximum power, he had to respond with full force in turn!Then he waited. Seconds, minutes, or even dozens of minutes passed.Even though the passage of time was unclear, the mist finally cleared upafter a long wait.However, the sky was not clear. Black thunderclouds filled the sky above.These had been summoned by Lancelot for the sake of gathering theessence of lightning."This Knight is Lancelot du Lac indeed. Commonly known as the Knight ofthe Lake. This Knight infuses this lance with all of one's authority and spirit,charge forth! Kusanagi Godou, dear sir shall gamble everything to stop thisKnight!"Carrying these fierce words, a white light began to shine amidst thethunderclouds.Immediately, the knight flew out at lightning speed with meteoricdestructive power.Her skin clad only in sheer fabric, the beautiful war god Lancelot wascharging with a cavalry lance-And then, Godou unleashed Verethragna's fifth incarnation, the [Boar]."The one unblunted and unapproachable! Oath-breaking sinners bepurged by the iron hammer of justice!"The one most capable of charging with astounding force and embodyingtyranny itself, the incarnation of destruction.The black [Boar] flew out from the sea like a torpedo, rushing towardsLancelot and the divine horse.It was a frontal clash between the white meteor and the black giganticbeast.ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!The [Boar]'s ferocious howls reverberated across the ocean. Nevertheless,even if this intimidating creature was a sacred beast, it was merely a wildanimal by itself. Facing against the lance-wielding war god, having aweapon was imperative.Hence, Godou continued chanting spell words."It was here at this place, that Susanoo led a thousand unruly deities inrebellion."These were the sacred verses of Susanoo. The song for summoning thepartner residing in his right arm."A thousand swords standing upon the earth, used as city walls to defendagainst the enemies."Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi was used to absorb Godou's authority, inorder to produce a newly synthesized power.Combining with Verethragna's [Goat] allowed the use of a railgun whileadding the [Warrior] made it possible to damage a divine artifact. And thistime was a combination with the [Boar], naturally.'Here! Namely, the Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi! The steel that breaks athousand blades!'The divine sword Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi announced its name witha thunderous voice resounding throughout the vicinity.The divine sword's power was applied towards the furry hide whichcovered the [Boar]'s musculature.The shiny fur instantly changed in nature, producing a body forged fromjet-black [Steel]. This was no longer fur but armor.In addition, the two long tusks that protruded from the corners of the boar'smouth had been converted into sharpened blades.Like lances for penetrating all existence. The amalgamation of Ama noMurakumo no Tsurugi and the [Boar], was an incarnation of the divinesword in boar's form.'Hahahahaha! War god Lancelot, as fellow [Steel] originating from the mostprimitive source, I announce my arrival! Try stopping these great swords ofours!"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!Ama no Murakumo and the [Boar] seemed to be in exceptionally highspirits.Like fish in water, they ascended rapidly like a torpedo shot from asubmerged submarine, clashing intensely with the white meteor."Hoo... Most befitting of this Knight's destined one! Such power, suchintensity, one can hardly bear it!"Lancelot spoke softly, licking her lips.Enveloped in white lightning, she and her beloved horse were descendingswiftly towards the little island in Tokyo Bay. Halting their descent, was ofcourse, the black metallic [Boar].Using her beautiful right arm, Lancelot made a thrust with her cavalrylance. The [Boar] blocked the blade with its snout. Having been turned intosteel, it was not sliced apart.Equally matched, neither could gain the upper hand.The war god in rapid descent from the sky, and the black metallic beastflying out from the sea to block her path.The two's violent clash swung alternately in each other's favor. However-The balance was slowly eroding. Gradually, the white master andsubordinate were gaining ground.The [Boar]'s position reached a peak and began to be pushed down asLancelot and the divine horse advanced towards the ground.The beautiful war deity did not seem to possess any flashy authorities andexisted purely as an especially powerful charging knight. So it turned outeven the [Boar] could not keep up with someone who specialized purely inthis one attack."Hohohoho, Kusanagi Godou, please be patient a little while longer. ThisKnight shall be over by your side presently. Accept one's fervent passionwhen the time comes, and be annihilated! The time of destinyapproaches!"Convinced of her victory, Lancelot yelled out from the sky above.Spoken with passionate tones like a confession of love. Nevertheless,there was no room for sweet romance to blossom between Godou and her.If the [Boar] were to be blown away, Kusanagi Godou would be wiped offthe face of the earth...!Godou infused all his magical power into the black gigantic beast.Not good enough. Power should have been increased, but it was notsufficient to reverse Lancelot's descent. This level of power was nowhereenough.What about a surprise attack? The [Boar] had two tusks growing out of itsmouth like spears. Without warning, one of them was shot out as a longrange weapon to send Lancelot flying. It's going to hit -- that was what itseemed like.However, Lancelot and the divine horse managed to dodge the sharptusk's surprise attack. Against a user of the mind's eye who could evendiscern divine speed, it was too reckless even as a surprise attack. It wouldbe bad if the situation remained unchanged...!Godou watched with anxious eyes as the battle between black and whitecontinued in the air."Lancelot currently holds the advantage... However, there still seems to besome leeway for a reversal. Kusanagi Godou, if you really wish for it at allcosts, it's not like I can't offer you some help? Even someone like me feelsthat it is not a bad idea to have a Campione owe me a favor."A calm voice was suddenly heard during the intense battle.A quick glance found Alexandre Gascoigne to be standing somewhereclose without Godou noticing earlier. He must have flown here as lightningafter eliminating Guinevere."I refuse. If I owe you a favor, who knows what kind of price I'll have to payin the future? If I took that kind of gamble, it would be utter stupidity."Responding coldly, Godou again focused his gaze at the meteor in the sky.Concealing his anxiety, he glared sharply at the descent of the goddessand the divine horse. Right. In front of this man -- the only man other thanSalvatore Doni who had been able to provoke a sense of hostility fromKusanagi Godou, he could not allow himself to be embarrassed by ashameful battle.This inexplicably intense emotion made Godou burn with great intensity ofwill.Lancelot must be defeated, in order to avenge Athena. But what else couldbe done now!?--Yes. Even in this situation, an effective weapon remained. Ironically, itwas Alec's appearance which reminded him of it.Godou suppressed the impulse to curse out loud and yelled at the partnerin the air."Ama no Murakumo, the horse! Use Gascoigne's thingy!"The divine sword also possessed the ability to emulate enemy powers.In the earlier battle against Alec, Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi hademulated "divine speed" at Godou's behest.Lancelot would likely defend successfully again if a normal attack wasused. However, if Black Prince Alec's divine speed was used to execute anattack, perhaps -- !In response to Godou's orders, the [Boar], assimilated with Ama noMurakumo no Tsurugi, fired off its tusk.There were two tusks growing out of the corners of the [Boar]'s mouth.One had been fired as a weapon just now but was defended against.Lancelot's divine horse was again approached by a projectile fired at closerange, this time the remaining tusk."Hmm -- !?"The beautiful war god's face turned pale. If the surprise attack had beenaimed at Lancelot directly, she probably would have evaded it using themind's eye. However, her beloved horse did not possess such a skill. Itwas too late for the rider to give directions for evasion.Flying with divine speed, the massive tusk struck the white divine horsesquarely. Or rather, the white divine horse was sent flying.The tusk of steel continued flying towards the distant ends of the sky.Swept away by this attack, the divine horse disappeared as well.Furthermore, having lost her mount, Lancelot's white descent was nullified,and at that moment the black metallic boar came charging-"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"The enormous divine beast crashed straight into Lancelot.Even the war god was sent flying high into the air as screams reverberatedall around.The black [Boar] fell back into the sea, tracing out a parabolic trajectory.The impact created a massive pillar of water, rising almost to the clouds.Furthermore, Lancelot's body fell down onto the shore of the FloatingIsland.Godou and Alec immediately approached her. Even fallen upon solid rock,the war deity's gorgeous figure did not lose its form, and continued todisplay absolute beauty.Nevertheless, this did not mean she was unharmed.Lancelot lay on the ground in that manner, smiling at the god-slayer whohad brought her death -- Kusanagi Godou. Courageously, she said:"Ho, hohohoho. Truly a wonderful battle. One cannot thank you enough,god-slayer. Whether Athena or dear sir, both responded splendidly to thisKnight's millennium-long thirst for battle. Ah yes, Gascoigne, even though itwould be nice to fight you after Kusanagi Godou, it looks like such a wishcannot be realized. This must be fate."These were Lancelot's final words.In the next instant, her body turned into stone and immediately crumbled.Thus vanished a [Heretic God] who had manifested over a thousand fivehundred years ago. Were Lancelot the war god to manifest upon the earthagain, it would most likely be a male knight completely different from her.Such was the change her myths had undergone.Such a formidable foe, but she will never be encountered again.Thinking that, Godou could feel a sense akin to loneliness overflowing inhis chest.References1. t Revelation 2:102. t Joshua 6:133. t Joshua 6:15-16,214. t Joshua 6:265. t Numbers 31:7-86. t Numbers 31:9-107. t Numbers 31:11-12