Chapter 1

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE A PLAN?!" Laura shouted as Ernesto covered his ears.

"Geez did you need to yell that loudly?" Ernesto complained.

"We had the whole flight and you STILL didn't come up with a plan for Lord Salvatore?!" Laura shouted in disbelief.

"Give a guy a break, will you? I did just fight a Heretic God and needed rest."

"All you did was play Cards Against Humanity with the other passengers!" Laura criticized.

"Look, far be it from me to deny the other passengers the right to create grossly inappropriate, offensive but hilarious ideas."

Laura covered her face with her hands and shook her head. "I can't believe they actually played with you."

"I can't believe what the grandma put down for that one round! Grandpa's Ashes?! I was dying!" Ernesto started to chuckle.

"Anyways! Use this time with John Pluto Smith to come up with a battle plan. You won't be able to just go in there and wing it!" Laura complained.

"Alright alright, I'm sure Annie has lots of advice on facing Lord Salvatore." Ernesto calmly affirmed.

"So you have absolutely no advice on facing Lord Salvatore?" Ernesto asked Annie once more for clarification.

She was dressed in a surprisingly more casual fashion with a pink sleeveless blouse, some dark blue jeans that wrapped beautifully around her slender waist and curves and some brown high top boots with dangling square cuts that sprouted at the top. Despite her more salacious style, she kept her arms wrapped in front of her as she realized how embarrassing such clothing was.

"Yeah none. Sorry!" Annie's face showed the disappointment in being unable to help Ernesto.

"Ah." Ernesto let out. Then he turned to Laura. "Hindsight is 20/20."

"OH FOR GOODNESS SAKES! King Charlton! Could you please help my short-sighted master formulate an effective battle plan?" She implored as she bowed fully.

A bit surprised, Annie bowed her head and replied, "I'll do my best."

"You know all of this pre-planning is getting me hungry. Hey Annie, why don't we…" Before Ernesto could finish, he heard the summoning of a weapon and felt a fiery murderous intent.

"…stay here and plan while we order delivery?" Ernesto wisely suggested.

"Sure, I know a good Mexican restaurant that delivers." Annie replied smiling at Ernesto's predicament.

Having put away her weapon, Laura spoke. "Now while you ACTUALLY plan, I'll go talk to headquarters to see if there's any information on Lord Salvatore we might have overlooked." And with that, she took her leave.

Soon their food came and the discussion began.

"So you really haven't thought of a plan? That's not like you." Annie inquired as she took a bite of her burrito.

Ernesto smiled. "I'm flattered that you've paid attention to me in such detail." He replied.

Annie began to cough. "*Cough cough* Of course I'd pay special attention to my partner…Ally! Alliance partner!" She added as she turned red.

"Jajaja I'm just teasing you Annie." His face became more ponderous.

"Well you're actually right in your suspicions. I have given it much thought. As you remember, I slew Quetzalcoatl. Most gods with affiliations with snakes which connected them to the earth have always been at a disadvantage against Gods of Steel."

"But isn't Quetzalcoatl a sky god?" She asked. "Wouldn't he be immune to such a disadvantage?"

"True. Normally, he would be without such a weakness but unfortunately, that's where history comes in. The conquering of the New World."

"Guns, germs…and steel." Annie replied knowledgeably.

"Exactly. In certain passages, Quetzalcoatl was identified as Jesus Christ by Catholic priests who felt pity for the natives. He served as a great example due to his peaceful nature and opposition to human sacrifice. But such connections remained tenuous at best so he lies in this weird middle ground."

"But wasn't he also connected with Hernán Cortés, the conquistador?" Annie quickly suggested.

"That's a common misconception. The natives knew that Cortes was not a god, let alone Quetzalcoatl. It was simply an explanation used by Spaniards for the rapid conquest of the Aztec Empire at his hands. If that was true, I would have gained a small authority of steel when I defeated Quetzalcoatl and we know that's not the case." Ernesto explained.

"Hmmm…I think I know who we should talk to. We should call Kusanagi-san." Annie proposed.

"Well, he already told me about Lord Salvatore's Authorities, what more could I…?"

"Did he tell you about his fight with him?" Annie interjected.

Ernesto suddenly remembered that he never inquired the details of his battle with Doni.

"Alright." Ernesto decided. "Let's give him a shot."

"Hello?" Godou's voice echoed from the phone's speaker.

"Hey Kusanagi-san! I need to ask you for some advice." Ernesto simply stated.

"Oh Ernesto-san! Sure go ahead." Godou answered.

"How do I deal with Doni Salvatore?" Ernesto asked.

Godou's eyes narrowed, "By staying as far away from him as you can."

"Yeah, he's waiting at the same hotel you stayed at for a duel. That I agreed to, if that's of any help."

"WHAT! You shouldn't have done that!" Godou shouted in response.

"Yeah well I already did that so what can I do so we can get him to join our alliance?" Ernesto said inquisitively.

At this, both Annie and Godou on the other side of the world stood in silence.

"WHAATTT?!"

Godou was having a pretty nice day. He went to school and had been able to eat with his sister and the girls without a negative reaction from his sister. Erica's teasing was kept to a minimum and it was soon going to be the weekend.

Now he was in a state of shock.

He hadn't been in contact with Ernesto for about a week and a half and just as Godou was wondering if he should give him a call to see how he was doing, he calls him with the intent of finding a way to deal with Doni Salvatore after having given him a hotel and agreeing to a duel despite Godou having warned him from interacting much with him. But what Godou really was completely shocked about was Ernesto had the crazy idea of having Doni JOIN their alliance.

"Ernesto-san! This is crazy! You won't be able to keep Doni to a binding vocal agreement! Even if you do win the duel, it won't happen!" Godou tried to explain.

"Well aren't Campiones exceptionally lucky and are able to make the impossible happen?" Ernesto asked.

"Yes but even then Campiones and other gods are on a whole other level!" Godou replied.

"I can't believe you're actually serious about this!" Annie added.

"You really need to reconsider this!" Godou continued.

"It's completely ludicrous! Why would you want him to join us?!" Annie asked

"OKAY OKAY OKAY!" Ernesto yelled out. "Calm down! Both of you! I can't listen to both of you at the same time. It hurts my head." Ernesto replied while rubbing his head.

"Look, both of you. I know from everything you told me and briefly talking to Mr. Salvatore that he isn't much of a calm, rational person. Despite this, he seems to be one of the few that seems to be lax enough out of all the other Campiones that would possibly accept joining our alliance. The only other possible ally we could gain without too much effort would be Madame Aisha but that's only if we knew her location, so that leaves us with Mr. Salvatore."

At this both Annie and Godou silently listened.

Ernesto continued. "While I'm confident that our alliance can form a successful offensive against the King of the End, I don't think we'll fare well if we are attacked on multiple fronts from the other Campiones."

"What do you mean?" Godou asked.

"He means that we might be threatened if the other Campiones decided to target us individually." Annie replied.

"What? Would they even do that?!" Godou asked in a panic.

"Well think about it Godou-san. You are one out of now eight Campiones. Suddenly three Campiones form an alliance. Normally this leaves you with the other Campiones as easy pickings but your biggest threat remains the alliance. While Campiones are aware of how powerful they are, they are not going to underestimate the power of an alliance of Campiones. The alliance would be the greatest threat and to defeat an alliance is simple." Ernesto explained.

"What would that be?" Godou asked.

"To divide and conquer." Annie answered.

"Yet looking at us, it would be difficult for them to attack Annie or me without the other interfering because of our relatively close proximity to each other. But as for you Godou…"

"Wait! Are you saying I'd be the prime target before anyone else?!" Godou exclaimed.

"Well think about it this way Godou. You are in close proximity to Luo Hao who has already thought it would be fantastic to have a decisive battle between you two. You have formed bad relationships with the Duke Voban and the Black Prince Alec. You haven't invested much in the friendship between you and Doni…"

"But why would I pretend to be friends with that idiot?" Godou complained.

"I understand but due to the situation we're in now, things are different. You can make allies with Madam Aisha but due to her wandering nature, it's a low possibility she would be able to help you in a time of need and lastly you have Annie and I which are a bit a ways from your home."

"But…if Doni were to join, wouldn't he be in the same boat if not worse than me?" Godou tried to reason.

"Godou-san, I'm going to be blunt with you. You're greatest strength has been two factors: 1) your ability to create successful battle tactics while fighting and 2) your vital strength is the ability to use your allies and friends to help you gain victory. This last factor is what puts you at a disadvantage in this war."

"What do you mean?" Godou asked but as he thought about it he started to realize his flaw.

"You do not have a solid strength or skill alone. While most of our kin have plowed through their journey's alone, you have been the only one who has been able to forge victory from depending on others. Pretty much every single Campione is notorious for doing things by themselves, whether it's facing gods or other Campiones. Most of your authorities require you to have some sort of support."

"But how is that a flaw?" That was the part that Godou did not understand.

"Normally it would be a great strength Godou. Being able to call upon others to support you allows for more options in a battle. But in a war of Campione where it is possible that multiple Campiones would target you at once, it will stretch your forces too thin. It would overwhelm your one greatest strength. Having Doni on our side would help improve our odds of surviving any onslaught."

Godou began to imagine having to battle with Nee-san and the Duke. Knowing his luck, that wasn't too far-fetched of a possibility. He then thought of all the destruction three Campiones fighting in Tokyo would cause. He shuddered at the thought. Then he came to a conclusion.

"Okay I understand. It is better to have allies and while I would not want to have on with that idiot Doni, I suppose there's not much of an alternative is there?"

"Sadly no, there isn't." Ernesto replied. "So is there any possible way we can get him to not only agree to join our alliance but not ask us to duel with him as well?"

"Well in your case no, you will have to go through with the duel." Godou responded.

"*sigh* Figures." Ernesto commented in a resigned tone.

"But…" Godou added. "We can use that duel in our favor to get what we want."

"Really? How so?" Annie asked as Ernesto's eyes lit up at the possibility.

"Here's what you'll need to do." Godou began with a determined look on his face.