Twenty-ninth of November, Monday, evening.
Today Shizuka learned that a bit of the magnificence of kingship is not quite as bright as it seems to be. More specifically, she is talking about one of the useful side effects of slaying a deity, the ability to speak any language with ease.
Doesn't that sound amazing for a student? Any language course that you need to follow can be aced without effort. Shizuka too can see the use of such an advantage: because of this ability she has a few more free hours left each week, which is then spend on learning a bit more about magic society.
This plan fell a bit apart after the English grammar test an hour ago. Shizuka fully expected to ace the test with her omniglot powers, just like she did the with the listening test.
If she actually tried even a little bit of learning she would've known that this is a very bad idea. While Shizuka may speak English fluently, perfectly knowing what each word means, she does not have an instinctive knowledge of the grammar.
As a result Shizuka screwed up her test big time. Now looking back on it she is pretty sure that governor should not be spelled with an f. Worst comes to worst and Shizuka will have to do a retake.
Shizuka lets out a sigh as she walks back from school. Lesson learned, perhaps next time she should at least use a bit of her time to learn grammatically correct English.
Walking back home she wonders about what will be for dinner. It's Godou's turn to cook, so it will at least be semi-decent. Godou produces decent but somewhat average food, akin to Shizuka. Of the Kusanagis it is grandpa Ichirou who is the best chef of the family. Using exquisite ingredients obtained from some lady or another he knows well (and those ladies number in the dozens) he can prepare masterful dishes, with a taste that seems to become even better the more women are joining in on dinner.
Damn that womanizer!
Her thoughts switch when she hears her phone ring. It's an old model flip phone, but it fulfills its function as communication device. A small window on the front gives Shizuka the number of her caller, which is a number she recognizes as that of her follower.
With a flip she opens the phone, answering the call: "Good afternoon, Fuyuhime."
"Hello Shizuka-san."
The duo has a bit of small banter about everyday stuff, but after a minute or so Shizuka wants to get to the point:
"So, why are you calling me?"
"I'm having an invitation for you. Do you have something important tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow is a Tuesday. Unlike your university courses I'm not so free at skipping classes." If there's one major advantage about being a university student it has to be that you can skip classes freely as long as you pass every single exam. It's one of the few concepts the Japanese took over from the western countries, and giving rise to the knowledge that college students have the most free time of all Japanese.
"Shizuka-san, didn't I ask for something important? Since when is following classes to obtain a normal job important for a king whose future is to slay heretic gods?"
"Point… taken." Shizuka has no retort for that answer. "But I expect you to come up with a valid excuse for missing a day of school. I don't want to end my school life as a delinquent."
"Says the one who committed murder and deicide."
"The one who saved hundreds of lives by committing murder and deicide. That doesn't count." Having had enough of this accusation Shizuka gets straight to the point: "So what is this invitation for?"
"Well, ever since I became a witch my position in the committee has changed. Hime-miko fall under the regulation of my family, but witches fall under a different branch." The Seishuuin have control over military affairs, and since witches are generally considered to be jack-of-all-trades mages well-suited to battle they control the witches of Japan. "It's a tradition for our witches to be granted a magic blade upon joining the committee, and since what you… well, did to me I'm not an exception."
"So next time I see you there will be a blade slung at your waist or so?" So witches carry weapons around them? Strange, that witch from Niseko didn't use a weapon when he challenged Shizuka. Perhaps he didn't want to draw it or so? "Besides, why do you actually get a weapon? Surely magic blades aren't cheap enough to be given away freely like that?"
"It's to attract witches to Japan. The HCC may control the largest number of hime-miko of all magic organizations in the world, the number of witches is actually quite low here in the east. To attract fresh blood they offer nifty little bonuses like that."
"Even to an exceptional case like yours."
"Heh… well, yes… though the reasoning was slightly different." Because hey, let's make sure every registered witch in this country is treated as special except for the loyal follower of the godslayer. Now that's a good way to piss the youngest king off! Of course they are going to give Fuyuhime her own weapon, the HCC isn't stupid. "A-Anyway, on the last day of every month there is a possibility for new witches to be officially registered with the HCC and given a magic weapon in recognition. Could… could you please attend this meeting?"
"Do I have to?"
"N-No, I'm not forcing you!" Well someone is getting quite flustered. "Bu-But, wouldn't it be good to show yourself around a bit? And… and… ah, don't you need to know what your own followers can do to help you in battle?"
"…" Actually, Shizuka never helped Fuyuhime because she wanted a witch to follow her in battle. Sakura simply said that her friend has a problem and the Campione solved it. Battle is the last of things Shizuka thought about when she did that. "Is it really needed that I come, because you aren't convincing me." The mages there will either be ass-kissers trying to get in her favor, ass-kissers trying to get in the seventh king's favor or idiots believing they can manipulate a king because she is not even fifteen years old. Shizuka preferably doesn't deal with any of these.
It stays silent on the other side of the line, only a few "well's" and "uhm's" proving that Fuyuhime didn't hang up the phone. The witch desperately searches for a reason to show off her pride, but no good answers form in her head. Until…
"Ah!" Yes, she's got a good reason. "Well, usually the future branch head of the witch shows up at the graduation, confirming that she now falls under his hands. Since I am a direct follower of the eight king that does make you my leader."
"So you need me to make some grandiose statement about how you serve me, right?"
"No, all I need is your presence." Nobody is going to force a Campione to do anything against their will. Many have tried in the past. The best result thus far was disastrous, and for the sake of all that is righteous and holy we do not speak about the worst result. "L-Look, just come, alright?"
"…Fine. I guess I'll see you then, Fuyuhime." A few minor details are handled over the phone, like the time and meeting place, but after that was finished Shizuka hangs up her phone.
So, a ceremony of sorts, huh? Shizuka has to admit that she is interested. Let's see what that will be.
-x-
Thirtieth of November, late morning.
The ceremony is not quite what Shizuka expected. No grand western hall with stained glass, but a simple large traditional room created on the twelfth floor of a skyscraper; No western fancy ornaments, but only the basic necessities, all thoroughly Japanese. Didn't Fuyuhime say something about most Japanese witched being drafted from outside of Japan? Why is this place so non-foreign?
The only thing that seems to be from outside of Shizuka's home country is the other witch who gets to be officially recognized today. This month the number of witches who get registered is two, one of which is Fuyuhime and the other is this Caucasian young woman… who is clearly not happy that she has this joyous moment ruined by the sudden appearance of a Campione.
Warily she keeps her distance from Shizuka, only make the bare minimum amount of contact with this inhuman being. As long as she can get past this event-no, trial would be a better word for it, the rest of her life should be good.
Other than the second witch there are three other people in the room that Shizuka doesn't know: The first is the branch head, in control of all of Japan's witches. A woman who looks like she's in her late twenties, she emits wisdom unbecoming of someone so young. It's likely she used some form of rejuvenation magic to give herself those looks.
The other two are there for the other witch, the older male probably being the head of the witch's future department, but Shizuka is not sure why the younger male is here. Perhaps an associate who is here for the same reason as Sakura?
The seven take their seats around the room, sitting on small pillows around an empty space: The woman faking her age sits on the head, and to her left and right are the two heads seated, Shizuka on the right side and the older male on the left. Next to them are the witches seated, and furthest away from the head seat are the two associates.
"Say Fuyuhime, why is this room so Japanese? I thought that witches would style themselves more after their country of origin."
"You can blame uncle Enjou for that. He's one of the four elders and leader of the family going over the witches of Japan." Enjou Seishuuin took that job with pleasure, even though he is a bit of a xenophobe. "That old man is a little bit… obsessed with preserving the Japanese culture, so to increase foreign integration he forced certain aspects onto the witches here."
"Tell me about it," The head speaks up, knowing full well what Fuyuhime is talking about. "To enforce those rules he ordered me to not give out any magic weapons that are not styled after Japanese weapons. It's hard enough to find and create magic swords to begin with, such restrictions only make it worse." The eyes of the branch head go wide as she realizes with what kind of person she is casually talking to. "Oh, M-My apologies for interrupting your conversation, your highness."
"Don't worry about it. You don't need to treat me any different than normal people, all I did was kill some goddess." Some respect is right, but there's no reason to act all that stiff. It's not that she is like her peers and actually tries to be a tyrant. The others in the room decide to ignore the last part of that ridiculous sentence. "Just call me Kusanagi."
"Ahah… yes, I will do so Kusanagi-sama…" Clearly the other four in the room recognize that surname. Upon realizing what kind of demon would join this ceremony they did a bit of research, eventually figuring out that there's actually a brother-sister pair of Campione out in the world. None of the four other magi are going to mention such things to Shizuka, though. If she knows, then there's no need to say the same thing twice.
And if she does not know the relation between the siblings? Well, they would rather not be responsible for the destruction of half of Tokyo. Therefore all four stay silent about this issue, instead introducing their own names, beginning with the woman hiding her true age:
"My name is Kusinada Rei. It is an honor to meet you."
"I am Watanabe Yujiro." The department head of the other witch speaks up. "I am graced to be in your presence."
"Yes, it is rather special to have a king show up for these events. My name is Alena Panenka, and I am grateful to be in your presence."
The last one to tell his name is the younger male supporting the other witch: "I am Jaroslav Panenka, the husband of Alena and simple heretic mage hailing from Czech. Please, do not concern yourself with me." Huh, so that's why that man is also here.
Fuyuhime and Sakura also introduce themselves, and the ceremony can begin:
"Alena Panenka, please step forward." The European witch does as told, getting up from her position before kneeling down in front of Rei. The older witch starts speaking again, now starting a magical incantation to make a lasting oath:
"The contributor, Kusinada Rei; The recipient, Alena Panenka; As witnessed by gods and man, upon agreement of this pledge all conditions spoken will be kept and fulfilled. May Sancus bless her who upholds the oath, and Orcus {1} curse those who break it."
"Alena Panenka vows thus: One will join the History Compilation committee, directly led by Watanabe Yujiro unless appointed otherwise. I will uphold the laws of the organization and work to bring it greatness. I will continue doing so until either my death or mutual abandonment of this vow by both parties."
"Kusinada Rei vows thus: The committee shall grant you weapons and payment. We shall be your allies, and help you against those opposing you. These laws will be upheld until Alena Panenka's death or mutual abandonment of this vow by both parties."
"The third party, Watanabe Yujiro, shall bear witness to this pact. May the gods curse the one who breaks his vow! Hereby I declare this contract to be mutually agreed on, successive now!"
As Watanabe speaks these words Shizuka notices that there is a stream of magic flowing between Alena and Rei. It was there before, but then it was minimal enough that it stayed under Shizuka's radar as long as she didn't actively try to sense it.
The magic in the airs quickly dims down, getting absorbed by the two witches. When it is all back to normal the only thing that seems to have changed is the… magical composition, so to say, of the two witches. The world of magecraft probably has some more technical terms for such a power, but Shizuka is just a month-old Campione. Most of the used terms are still complete mumbo jumbo for her.
"As the one who holds the arsenal, I am the grand commander of blades." While the contract spell is over there's still one last part that needs to be completed. Fuyuhime already talked about it, and now Rei speaks about this too: all witches who join the HCC get a magic blade. "The blade befitting this maiden, come and show thyself!"
Out of thin air a long spear appears, at least two meters from the spearhead to the shoe. If Shizuka's memory serves well that weapon's official category is a yari, a traditional Japanese infantry spear. There are faint traces of magical energy leaking out, but there's no doubt that that spear is a magical item.
Alena gracefully accepts the yari before returning to her seat, letting the weapon rest against her shoulder. Now that she is finished it is time for the other witch to step up:
"Renjou Fuyuhime, please step up." Fuyuhime does as told, and places herself in front of the head witch. Once more the magical spellwords are chanted, with only slight variation in the names.
"The contributor, Kusinada Rei; The recipient, Renjou Fuyuhime; As witnessed by gods and man, upon agreement of this pledge all conditions spoken will be kept and fulfilled. May Sancus bless her who upholds the oath, and Orcus curse those who break it."
"Renjou Fuyuhime vows thus: One will continue to serve the History Compilation Comittee, now as one of the witches of earth. I will directly serve her majesty Kusanagi Shizuka until death do us part. I will uphold the laws of the organization and work to bring it greatness. I will continue doing so until either my death or mutual abandonment of this vow by both parties."
There are a few other changes here and there, showing that Fuyuhime is a bit of a special case. But was that "until death do us part" really necessary? Such words are better reserved for a wedding.
"Kusinada Rei vows thus: The committee shall grant you weapons and payment. We shall be your allies, help you against those opposing you. These laws will be upheld until Renjou Fuyuhime's death or mutual abandonment of this vow by both parties."
It stays silent for a short while, but Shizuka doesn't realize what the delay is. Can't they continue?
Sakura lightly nudges Shizuka in the side, while conveying body language that seems to say… "speak already"? In fact, everyone else also seems to impatiently look at the young king. Why is tha-oh wait.
Technically she is the boss of Fuyuhime. Watanabe did it for the other witch, and it is now her turn to speak the last verse of the spell… that she doesn't know. Perhaps Fuyuhime forgot to tell her about this spell. Perhaps Shizuka did receive it but never paid it any attention.
Either way, Shizuka is not exactly sure what to do. Even the words spoken by the other head can at best be vaguely recalled. There's only one option left:
Brute-force it and hope for the best!
"The eighth king, Kusanagi Shizuka, validates this contract. Cursed is he who breaks this vow!" Okay, not precisely the correct text. In fact, it's completely off. However, the sheer amount of magic energy poured in still makes the contract binding. Perhaps it's considered inefficient by mages, but Shizuka does not care that much about efficiency when she has an overflow of the source.
The others give slightly wary looks of confusion, but both Fuyuhime and Rei note that the contract is in effect. In the end it all worked out. With no need to worry about that anymore Rei goes right ahead to the weapon granting:
"As the one who holds the arsenal, I am the grand commander of blades. The blade befitting this maiden, come and show thyself!"
This time a different weapon appears. The blade looks the same as that of a standard katana, but the hilt and blade are of the same length. There's a specific name for these kind of blades, but Shizuka never learned that tidbit of information.
It should be noted that there's a slight discrepancy between the power of these two weapons. Fuyuhime's nagamaki {2} emits more power than that spear. Could this be a subtle touch to please a king, so that the head witch of Japan gets seen in a positive light by one of the eight greatest of humanity? Is this just nothing more than a coincidence, or maybe a combination of both?
Probably the second. Even if there were ulterior motives Shizuka will still write it off as a coincidence, not wanting people to believe that it is so easy to curry favors with her.
"Thank you." A small word of thanks from Shizuka's own witch signifies that the weapon has been officially granted, and Fuyuhime returns to her position with weapon in tow. Now that all witches have been registered there is no reason to continue being here, so Kusinada Rei speaks the final words:
"Then hereby do I declare Alena Panenka and Renjou Fuyuhime the newest witches of the history compilation committee. I declare this gathering dismissed!"
And with those graceful words this ceremony is finish-
"So anyone up for lunch?"
Or perhaps not such a graceful finish… talk about an expectation lowerer.
-x-
"Seriously? This is the restaurant you chose?" Shizuka is a bit annoyed by the restaurant chosen
"O-oh, my apologies, milady." Kusinada Rei is not happy to hear the unhappy voice of a king, mainly because it usually leads to the destruction of at least a house. "We will immedietly choose something that fits your tastes more."
"No, it's not that which bothers me." The restaurant itself is decent enough: The inside is clean and has a good ambiance. Combined with the fact that two-thirds of the tables are full means that it's probably a pretty good restaurant. It's also not the food itself that Shizuka dislikes, as the kitchens offers a variety of international cuisine that looks delicious. No, there's exactly one problem with this restaurant. "why are we eating in a place called 'Garden of Witches'?" Yes, to have actual witches eat at a location with this name is rather ridiculous, a pun of the worst caliber.
"Oh, so it's the name?" The head witch sighs from relief, happy that it is not the restaurant itself. "Actually, that was done on purpose. Who in their right mind would think that a group of witches hold secret lunch meetings in a restaurant with this name?"
…point taken. It's like hiding a needle in a stack of needles, or a tree in a forest. Shizuka can see where this is going, and accepts the explanation.
Having no further issues with the restaurant the group of seven enter inside, where they are greeted with surprising familiarity by the store owner.
"Ah, Rei-chan, welcome! I guess it's that time of the month again, right?"
"That joke is getting really old, Yosuke. Just give us table 25."
"Ah, two new witches." Does Yosuke know the amount of new witches purely by the ordered table? Do these two know each other for that long? "Very well, table 25 it is!"
The group is led upstairs, away to a room with just a single round eight-person table. Everyone takes their seats as Yosuke removes one of the sets of cutlery. "So, what can I offer you to drink?" Rei lets Shizuka go first, allowing her to order something to drink.
"Is it possible to get a Sazerac {3} please?" Pretty much everyone looks dumbfounded at that idea, some not even knowing what that is. Rei is making subtle gestures to make sure that Yosuke treats this client literally as a king, making sure that Shizuka does not see her do that.
"I… will see to it that you get it." Yosuke replies, being rather glad that the restaurant has its own bar. "So what would the rest like to drink?"
The others tell what they want to drink, though none are as absurd as Shizuka's drink.
"So… the house wine, two autumn beers, three cokes and a Sazerac. I'll make sure to bring that." Yosuke walks away, but not before giving everyone the menu card.
Shizuka looks over the card, and sees several options. There's a lot of possible dishes from all over the world, but it's probably the American tortilla that interests her the most. It's also the dish that fits in the most with her American cocktail, so that only makes it even better.
After a minute or three Yosuke has returned, this time with the drinks. Everyone orders their specific food, which are all noted down by the waiter. When asked for anything else Fuyuhime replies that she wants another coke, but that's all the extras. The waiter notes it down before returning to the kitchen, where he informs the chefs to start cooking.
Back at table 25 several topics are brought up as they wait for the food, from the supernatural to the non-supernatural. There's talk about Kyushu, the island where Alena will work in the future, people talking plans for the near future, just like there are a few questions about Shizuka's kingship itself. In the end there is only one thing that truly makes the young king wonder:
"So Fuyuhime, where did your weapon go?" Somewhere along the line Shizuka had lost sight of both of the witches' new weapons. When did they store it away?
"Well, obviously I used the spell of [Dismissal], what else?" Fuyuhime answers with a face that really questions the intelligence of Shizuka, as if she just asked how to breathe.
"[Dismissal]?" What is that? Shizuka has never heard of it. Is that some sort of spell to dismiss things with? Sure, given the name that sounds quite likely, but for all Shizuka knows it could be something else entirely.
Even the other branch head, Watanabe, begins to cast doubts on this situation. "Your highness… you… seriously don't know basic magic spells like those?"
"Shizuka-chan, even I know that…" With even Sakura knowing something like that, it makes everyone stare in disbelief at that lack of knowledge that this young king shows.
"Do I need to remind you all that a month ago I did not know that magic exists? Unlike most of you I wasn't spoon-fed this type of knowledge since I was a baby."
Everyone offers small apologies for forgetting this fact, those from Sakura and Fuyuhime being fully genuine, while those from the other four are mainly to prevent a king's anger levels from rising. Shizuka doesn't notice, so she accepts the apologies.
"So, could someone explain what exactly that spell does?"
"Oh, leave that to me." Alena speaks up, ready to give a good explanation. "You know what the astral plane is, right?"
"Yes, I think. It's a parallel world to our own inhabited by several spiritual creatures, right?"
"For the most part that's correct, yes. It's a magic world where dwarves, elves and even deities live, but most of the world is actually completely empty. That section is called the [Dark Void]. Because there is nothing in it and it is hard to enter a specific place within there it's the perfect location to safely secure goods."
"Entering the astral plane from this realm is considered hard," Watanabe adds to the conversation, "but that's only because living beings will have their mana constantly drained, faster than anyone but Campione can replenish. Sending non-living objects to the astral plane is actually a lot easier. In fact, I would dare to say that anyone with a week of training can do it!"
"As for the general principles, [Dismissal] works by sending an object away while at the same time marking it." Alena resumes her explanation, not needing her future boss to interrupt. "For something as simple as a weapon merely a set of spellwords combined with the summoner's DNA will do, while more secretive items have a lot more markers on them. Obviously [Summoning] is the reverse procedure: Using the markers you set for an item you resummon an object back into the real world."
"Well, that sound quite useful." Another advantage of being a mage, free storage space. Why are most of the best advantages of magic and kingship so surprisingly petty?
"While certainly useful it's recommended not to store too many objects. Say you store a hundred objects, then that requires you to remember a hundred different markers. If you even forget one then corresponding item is lost forever. And if you ever wrote all those markers down, can you imagine what would happen if someone steals that list?"
Yes, the big downside is visible. Even so, it sounds like a rather useful spell to know. "Say Fuyuhime, you should teach me those spells sometimes." Because it turns out that a keychain is not the best place to hide a legendary artifact. Locking it in another world seems like a much better idea.
Fuyuhime agrees to that, and just as the conversation starts to enter a new topic the delicious smell of food streams into the room. There stands Yosuke and another waiter, both carrying the lunch plates of the seven.
The time for talk is over. Now, it is time to eat!
-x-
After lunch
Shizuka and co, having filled their bellies with food, are now back on their way home. They will go to the train station together before splitting ways, Shizuka towards her home and the other two to their university dorms. Since the ladies would rather take in some nature than the exhaust gases of cars they plan their route through Kinuta Park {4}.
It's rather desolate in the park, which is not really surprising. The park is famous for its cherry blossoms, and it's completely the wrong season to watch flowers bloom on the trees. There are still some people left, but it's not much. There are a few kids playing soccer on the soccer field and some elderly people sitting on benches, but there's not much else. Well, there are also two foreigners sitting on a nearby bench, but they're more an exception than a rule.
"Hey, Giobbe, you were right!" Suddenly one of the foreign duo loudly shouts out these words, much to the annoyance of the other people in the park. "There really is an eighth king in Japan!"
Eight king. There's obviously only one meaning such words can hold: The speaker is perfectly aware of the existence of magic, and he speaks those words to a Campione without any form of fear. No, it is Shizuka who fears, fear that the interval where she doesn't get involved with other kings and deities is over.
The one who spoke is a handsome blond in his early twenties, with a tall and tightly sculpted physique. He is dressed in a bright red cardigan and denim pants, and slung over his shoulder is a tube that carries something so chillingly scary that even Shizuka can feel it.
This man has a rather handsome body, and a smile equal to the bright Mediterranean sun. Unlike Godou or Ichirou this man does not feel like a lady-killer, perhaps it is because of this frivolous air surrounding him that prevents his success with the ladies.
He stands right in front of Shizuka, and the two immediately lock eyes. "Hmm… it's you?" Uttering a few words to himself he examines the eighth king thoroughly, as if wanting to be fully sure that he is right. "Yeah, it has to be! Wow, still so young yet already a Campione, not bad, not bad! When I became a king I was already an adult, there's always some surprise when facing others of my kin."
Yeah, it's all clear now. Shizuka has met the British nobleman of lightning, and now another Campione has entered the fields of Japan. "A pleasure to meet you, fellow godslayer." Politely answering in return, Shizuka shows the Japanese custom of etiquette. "My name is Kusanagi Shizuka."
"Kusanagi… Shizuka, huh?" The other king recognizes the name, as it is the same of his good friend Godou. "Say, did you meet any other kings before me?"
"Yes, I know Alexandre Gascoigne… why?"
"Ah, no, I guess it doesn't really matter." Seems that the last name is just a coincidence. "Either way, my name is Salvatore Doni. Let's get along well, okay?" Salvatore extends his hand, wanting to shake hands as a sign of friendship.
"Likewise." Shizuka accepts the shake of friendship, glad that this does not seem as bad as that it really is. Perhaps peaceful solutions are actually possible for once? "By the way, how did you find out about my existence? I believe that I told the history compilation committee to stay quiet about my existence, and I doubt that that Gascoigne would've told you this information."
"Hmph, don't underestimate the investigative powers of the [Copper-Black Cross], o king!" The one speaking is a man of rather short height but strong build. For some reason Shizuka cannot determine this person's age, because he has a long beard akin to a pirate that hides his facial features. Anywhere between the age of twenty and forty is possible. "Even with limited information like this we can still determine the truth of rumors if we put our minds to it. Given what was known it became obvious that there has to be more than one Japanese king in existence!"
Hmm? That's quite the commendable skill. Shizuka doubts that she could've figured that out if she were in his position. That deserves at least some manner of respect.
"And how could I not try and figure out the true identity of the youngest king? A young girl, suddenly cast into the world of magic, obtains the magical power of a god so she can defend her country for love, peace, truth, and justice!"
…
Shizuka literally has no words for the stupidity of those last words. What the hell is wrong with this man?
Oh wait, Shizuka realizes it already. This is clearly an idiotic western otaku {5} obsessed with those children's shows on television. Shizuka doesn't understand what kids see in them, let alone adults.
"…I believe that you might be slightly mistaken there." And with slightly, we mean a lot. Only a maniac would make up such ridiculous stories.
Giobbe looks a bit disappointed, but his Italian lord still has the same nonchalant air around him. "Ah, don't worry about those kinds of stuff. In fact, let's talk about the reason why I came here."
Shizuka perks her ears, wanting to hear what kind of proposition Doni has for her. What could it be?
"So, I have this minor suggestion: Would you have a duel with me?"
"What?"
No seriously, what? A duel? What kind of idiot travels around the world to duel his equals? This isn't the era of legendary swordsman like Miyamoto Musashi or Yagyu Yubei {6}, have some common sense!
"There are very little opponents that are worthy challenges for kings like us." Doni gives his explanation for the stupid suggestion, but he only makes his own ideas seem stupider. "Pretty soon you'll be bored and wish for a good opponent. So how about we take care of that now, a nice little fight to commemorate our first meeting?"
"Please tell me this is a joke." Shizuka speaks with exasperation, having no more intention to handle this foreigner with respect. "I really am not in the mood for such insane ideas."
"Oh come on, are all Japanese like this?" Doni shouts out in frustration, really disliking the similarities between both of the Kusanagi. "Can't you see that I was hoping for something like 'sure, why not?' or 'let's fight a little right now?' as a response? I didn't expect that this entire island would be filled with tsunderes!"
Tsunderes? Where did he get that word from? Shizuka looks to the man who took a few steps backwards from Doni, the pirate called Giobbe and also probably Doni's source for that word. But let's set aside the influence of the otaku culture on non-otaku, that is not important right now.
"You did this too with the other Campione of Japan? How did that turn out? Did you randomly attack him?"
"Nah, just like now I asked nicely. He was the same as you, also calling it a joke. I had to make a few arrangements, like kidnapping his girlfriend, before he gave in to his true nature. After the battle we became great friends, so it was all worth it in the end. But to be fair, simply randomly attacking my enemy doesn't sound so bad either."
Oops, Shizuka accidentally gave this idiot an idea. That wasn't her intention… As it sounds now she will be either fighting a duel or she will be fighting a battle, but fighting itself is unavailable.
How absolutely annoying.
"Tsk. Fine then, I accept your duel. However, we won't be fighting right here and now." At least mitigate the damage as far as possible. Just take another day off from school, have a nice and clean duel, go home, and spend a happy birthday celebration without worrying about this idiot. "Tomorrow, at noon, in some sort of remote area where we don't cause millions of property damage."
Of course, saving millions of Japan's economy is nice and all, but the main reason Shizuka has for such a location is that it will prevent unwanted witnesses. After all, there won't be any disaster tourism if there is no disaster, right?
"Good, good! Sure, I can wait a day. There's also fun to be had in the anticipation of a duel."
Shizuka and co want to get away from this man, but another person enters the fray, this time from a man saying something in Italian:
"Salvatore Doni, from your actions I would say you have prepared yourself to spend your next holiday on the south pole. We've build a beautiful igloo for you where you can stay the rest of your life! What kind of idiotic stunt did you come up with this time that you found it necessary to keep this escapade a secret from me?"
A bespectacled man who stands even taller than Doni, with black hair slicked back over his head. He seems to be a meticulous person, completely the opposite of this Italian king. Especially his impeccable dress code seems to tell that he is in no way alike to the carefree Salvatore.
"My beloved Andrea, it is great to see you again! It was rather lonely to not have you join me to these eastern lands."
"Stop spewing nonsense, you trash! I am absolutely certain that you coming here in secret will only create more trouble for everyone. So what is it this time you want to do? Did you catch wind of another heretic deity or are you planning for a final conclusion to the match of half a year ago?"
"What do you see me for, Andrea? If I did any of that, I would've made sure to keep you occupied for a while." Shizuka suddenly does not want to know what this king's version of occupied is, as merely thinking about it makes her shiver. "I just heard of some really strange rumors, you know? There were a few people talking about an eighth king here in Japan, and I wanted to see if that was true. That's all."
"And when he found out that the rumors were true he decided to challenge the youngest king to a duel, with the promise that if his invitation were not accepted he would simply start a battle right here and now." Shizuka enters the conversation, speaking in fluent Italian without realizing it herself.
The other three people stay outside of the conversation. Giobbe doesn't talk because he believes it is best to stay neutral here, while Fuyuhime is too busy translating what is said to Japanese for Sakura.
Andrea thunders with anger as he hears Shizuka's words: "Salvatore Doni, you moronic scumbag! You are undeniably the worst of the worst, the lowest lifeform on earth! Undoubtedly such idiocy could only come from you! Ugh, do you actually realize what a mess you made… again?!" Salvatore stays silent, seriously not understanding the fuss his friend makes.
"Yes, of course you don't, you are too goddamn stupid to realize." Andrea turns to Giobbe, and asks him from what magic organization he is.
"Just a member of the [Copper-Black Cross] who figured out the existence of an eighth king. Our lord here heard about my recent discoveries, and graced me with the opportunity to go and search for this newest lord. Refusal would've lead to, well, his usual angry behavior."
"Oh fantastic, and here I thought It couldn't get worse." Andrea sighs, really needing a drink. "Involving a prestigious magic association; instigating trouble with another king for no good reason… again; threatening to turn a national park into rubble; If news of this gets out the other organizations of Europe and Asia who knows how many will be shocked senseless. Just try to imagine how hard it is to keep this information contained! Think of the other people around you when you do such idiotic things you airheaded simpleton!"
Shizuka subconsciously nods, fully agreeing with Andrea. Salvatore on the other hand waves those worries away from him:
"Still the same old Andrea, huh? Always getting so worked up about appearances! What I do is perfectly norma-"
"Shut up with that nonsense, you moron amongst morons!" Shizuka found herself blurting out these lines accidentally, her limits to stupidity finally reached by this other king. In fact, Andrea said the exact same words too!
Butler and king look each other in the eyes, and sees a glimmer of kinship. Sure, their origin and power may be different, but both know the hardship of dealing with idiots for multiple years. A smile from both sides, realizing that they are not so different from another.
This might be the beginning of a wonderful friendship!
"So, Andrea, I doubt that that moron over there will back off from this fight, no matter how we persuade him." Completely ignoring Doni the other two continue the conversation, realizing that results can actually be made from this.
"Yes, if he doesn't get what he wants he will act like a spoiled baby and plot against those who did not do him his favor. I assume that the time and place of the duel have already been settled?"
"Only the time: Tomorrow at noon. For the location I want something where the damage will be restricted, preferably some backyard beach with little recreational value."
"Leave that to me. I'll make sure to find a suitable battlefield." The duo exchange cellphone numbers, keeping contact for short-term and potentially also for long-term purposes.
"Then I guess I will see you tomorrow. Good luck with keeping the idiot in tow."
"I also wish you the very best." With a polite bow Andrea turns around, dragging Doni away from here. Giobbe follows, leaving Shizuka with just her entourage.
The talk is over, now it is time for them to prepare for battle.
-x-
The youngest king and her two followers have entered an internet café, one specifically belonging to the committee. It's another in the long chain of businesses directly ruled from the dark world of magic.
"Greetings, ladies. What can I do for you?" The owner of the café heartedly greets the trio, acting like any good and normal store clerk.
Fuyuhime answers that question in a cryptic manner: "Nothing much, we merely need the knowledge of kings and gods."
"I see, I see." While that sentence would be illogical gibberish in any other shop here the clerk precisely understands that password. "Wait here for a moment." He goes back behind his counter, searching for a while before finding what he was looking for, an usb-stick.
He hands over the stick to Fuyuhime, along with a key to the staff-only room. The trio enter said room to find that it contains a single computer, a coffee table and a few chairs. There's also a vending machine in the corner but since they just ate no one is really thirsty right now.
Sakura starts the computer, and Fuyuhime puts in the information device. On the computer a new screen opens, this one merely containing a single bar to enter a password.
Fuyuhime enters a long string of letters and numbers before pressing enter, thus opening up a lot of files called the "HCC information storage", which Shizuka can guess is the private data of the committee. Fuyuhime opens the search function and enters the name of the sixth king, Salvatore Doni. Fuyuhime presses enter, which opens up the page describing the sixth king:
Name: Salvatore Doni
Sex: Male
Length: 185cm
Land: Italy
Title: King of Swords
"Yes, that's him." Shizuka remarks, seeing the little picture in the top right of the screen. So there is an extensive database containing all other kings. She scrolls downwards, looking at the rest of knowledge written about this Campione:
Summary:
The sixth king, became a Campione in 2006 after slaying the king of the Tuatha De Danaan, Nuada Airgetlam. Considered equal in the art of the sword to war deities. He is always seen with a sword nearby, usually kept in a large storage tube. Whimsical in nature, his mania centers around having fun.
"They completely forgot to put in that he is a childish moron." Shizuka remarks, still remembering how dumb and idiotic that sixth king is. How can someone actually be that dumb?!
"That's on purpose." Fuyuhime assures, knowing perfectly well why that was not mentioned: "If the reports were to write that he has such a childish character then people might try to fight the king using that weakness, which equals suicide for the challenger and whoever lives on the battlefield."
"In other words, it's to keep other idiots out." Heck, random human challengers might even go after Shizuka if her identity gets known. Understanding this the eighth king moves onto the most important part of the report, the authorities:
[Rippling Arm of Silver]: The first authority of Salvatore Doni. Allows him to transform any melee weapon into a divine tool that can cut everything. This weapon can be altered in size and length by the sixth king. Capable of cutting a medieval fort in two with a single swing. Capable of crumbling a wall into dust with a single swing. Usually used on the sword Salvatore carries with him. Sign of activation is that Salvatore Doni's right arm turns silver. Obtained from the Celtic god-king Nuada Airgetlam.
[Man of Steel]: Obtained from the Germanic hero Siegfried. Literally turns the king's body into steel. Grants defenses strong enough to even completely defend against authorities like [Red Punishment] or [White Stallion]. Increases Salvatore's weight the stronger his defense gets, but does not force him to sacrifice agility. Allows him to survive getting cast to the bottom of the sea without food or oxygen. While the original deity has a leaf-shaped weak spot on the back it is unknown if Salvatore Doni shares this weakness.
[Return to Medieval Times]: Little is known about this authority other than its ability. Makes a large area around Salvatore Doni unable to use anything technologically more advanced than the middle ages. At worst could potentially cover a city like Tokyo for multiple days. It is unknown what the exact requirements are for this authority, nor is it known from which god this power is obtained.
[?] Salvatore Doni has slain heretic Bacchus. According to Andrea Riviera, the king's butler, he managed to obtain an authority from it. However, all data on this power is unknown. It has never been used or shown in any situation. Regard this power with extreme caution, as it is unknown what its exact abilities are.
Shizuka sighs as she reads all these authorities of her enemy. "Really, a sword that can cut everything and armor that defends against everything? What absolutely ridiculous powers." Who even thought of this ridiculous combination of powers? It's like the spear-shield myth {7}, except now it's happening in real life. At least his third authority isn't that bad, Shizuka doubts that Doni will use it in the upcoming duel.
"Look who's talking, miss control over the elements." Fuyuhime won't have any claims of ridiculous or absurd from Shizuka. No king is allowed to call anything ridiculous, that would be denying their own nature as the pinnacle of ridiculousness.
"Yeah, it's not like you're not a match for that blondie, Shizuka-chan!" Sakura adds in a few encouraging words, though in context Shizuka sees it as more accusations that she is not all that different from the Campione of Italy. Quickly the eighth king changes the subject:
"That aside, since this authority is quite literally just like the spear-shield myth that must mean that there is a conclusion too." Ultimate sword and ultimate shield. Since they cannot coexist, one must break before the other and accept that the other is the true ultimate.
"Considering he only used [Rippling Arm of Silver] to slay Siegfried I would say that the sword beats the armor." Fuyuhime gives a logical argument, which is most likely the truth. And if that is indeed so, then Shizuka believes she has taken the first steps to defeating those ridiculous powers.
Now, is there any more info about this king? Shizuka asks this question to Fuyuhime, who is reading the heads of Doni's article to find an answer:
"History, relationships and acquaintances, trivia… there is still some info left, but will you actually need it?"
A good point made by the witch. What will be the purpose of researching that? All Shizuka wanted was a bit of basic knowledge, to give her an idea of what is coming. It's not like her powers require her to know the entire history of her opponent or anything.
"No, I guess you're right." Yeah, Shizuka is ready to battle if she can go home and get a bit of rest tonight. Then she will be ready for battle.
Fuyuhime takes a final look at the data and is suddenly very glad that Shizuka made that decision. If only the young king read everything, then she would've seen Kusanagi Godou in the list of Salvatore's relationships. At least this keeps the secret a secret for just a bit longer.
"So Fuyuhime, Sakura-chan, what will you do tomorrow?" After all, they are not forced to join Shizuka to this mad battlefield. There's no reason for them to join this quest.
"My magic isn't good enough to support you in battle, Shizuka-chan, but of course I'll cheer you on." With bright optimism Sakura stands beside her lord, her bright attitude soothing weary hearts. Shizuka may not have used her authority to make Sakura a better mage, but the emotional support she provides is more than enough!
"Most magic is useless against Campione, so there is not much I can do. I… I may be almost useless in battle, b-but please use me!" Fuyuhime too, while a bit nervous, is brave enough to stand at the side of her king in times of war and strife, doing whatever she can to help.
"Thanks, you two." Seeing those two stand alongside her is a great encouragement, a power granted by those who follow in your footsteps. Shizuka will make sure not to disappoint them. "Let's keep it at this today. Let's go home and rest, and meet again tomorrow."
The other two agree, and after agreeing on minor stuff like the time and location where they will meet they go their own ways, each preparing for the special day.
-x-
December 1st, almost noon.
Shizuka has arrived at her destination alongside her two companions. After a trip of ninety minutes they now stand on the location of duel, a beach next to the small town of Kujikuri {8}. A mish-mash of European and Asian mages are working together to keep everyone not related to magic away from this battlefield. In the middle of it all stands one man, accompanied by his own companions:
Salvatore Doni. The ultimate swordsman, wielding the all-cutting sword and donned with skin of steel. Alongside him stand Giobbe and Andrea Riviera, the latter looking rather annoyed by this all while Giobbe seems much more interested in watching this battle from afar then to actually do something himself.
A few strategies have popped in Shizuka's mind since, but there's no conclusive way to beat this man and his ridiculous powers. Won't stop the youngest king from trying, though.
The eighth walks over to the sixth, who is heartedly greeting his fellow king: "Yo, Shizuka, ready for our duel?"
"I guess I have to be, otherwise this battle will be a bit one-sided." Shizuka turns to the aides of her opponent, talking about what they will do in this battle. "So Andrea, what will you and Giobbe do? Are you going to watch this duel from the sidelines?"
"Yes, Doni isn't the type to bring others to fight with him." Doni nods, agreeing to those words. Andrea however looks with suspicion at Shizuka. "But who is this Giobbe you're talking about?"
Shizuka simply points at him, and Giobbe understand precisely what the problem is. With a sigh that seems to say 'not again' he explains the situation: "My name is not Giobbe, your highness. It's Gennaro Grantz, not any form of Giobbe."
"Then why did Doni call you that?"
Ugh. Andrea lets out a sigh of annoyance as he realizes the problem, another bad side of his friend, if you can call Doni that.
"Fucking hell, not again!" And once more Andrea gets mad at his friend. It's a common occurrence by now. "Salvatore Doni, how often did I tell you to at least remember someone's name?"
"Haha, my friend, it's just not my specialty. No matter how hard I try, I can only remember the names of those important to me." And with important, that is a list of only eight people: Every single godslayer in the world… and Andrea, of course.
"My bad, I should've known that an idiot like you will always be idiotic. Now shut your trap you asshole!" Andrea turns back to Shizuka, doing his best to show no hints of anger anymore. "Kusanagi Shizuka, we've emptied the beach for you. Will this suit you as the dueling grounds?"
"Actually, no. There is a different reason I asked you to find a deserted beach: It's so I can create a battlefield that nobody cares if it will be destroyed."
After all, Shizuka has an item perfect to create such a situation. While it may not be useful in battle it's perfect for creating a battlefield to fight on. Pulling out her cell phone from her pocket she unhooks the keychain attached to it. That keychain, the Ame no Nuhoko, the legendary creation spear of Japan, will now be used as a battlefield creation kit.
Hey, at least it's a step up from being used as a keychain!
Fuyuhime and Sakura both recognize this item, gifted two weeks ago by the committee. Yes, creating a temporary battlefield is certainly possible with this blade.
Now… how do you use this?
Shizuka has not really experimented with this item, considering that doing so might possibly lead to large scale disaster in the surrounding area, and affecting the millions of inhabitants of Tokyo badly is not something she wants to be caught doing.
Everyone waits in anticipation for Shizuka to use this blade, to show off the grace of a kin-
"Hey, how do you use this thing?"
Okay, perhaps that was a bit too much to ask. Shizuka never really considered irresponsible use of such a legendary weapon so she never even tried to activate it, let alone use it. It's impossible for her to operate such a weapon.
"Hey, is that a spear? Let me have a look at it, please?" It is Doni who actually answers that question, as he too takes a look at the legendary spear, interested by its design and function. A much as Shizuka cares he can look all he want, she doubts that he will make the situation any better or worse. There's no way that an idiot like him can figure out how to use such a delicate item, and if he simple looks at it he won't actually do something to harm the people in the vicinity.
Three seconds Doni looks at the blade before giving his opinion: "Hmm, it's not really a blade of steel, more a weapon of earth. Say, did you try to infuse it with some divine earth energy? I would do it myself, but I never slew an earth god or goddess." Spoken in his usual casual tone, Shizuka does not believe the words of a fool for even a little bit.
"Oh Earth, descend from the heavens!" But even if they are words from the biggest moron alive, it's always worth a shot if you don't have anything better. Shizuka is almost certain that this will not work, but the chance always exist.
Sacred words are spoken, and a small margin of the energy in the earth stone is used on the tiny blade. As if by magic-wait, literally by magic the weapon grows to its true size, a naginata of more than two meters tall.
"See, told you it would work." Against everyone's surprise Doni actually managed to successfully unlock the secret of this weapon. Now Shizuka can finally use it. "So, what are you going to do with this blade, huh?"
"Just stay there and watch." While she does not know how to activate this blade of legendary myth she does have a pretty good inkling on how to it, at least if Japanese myth is anything to go by.
Shizuka walks over to the sea and stabs Ame no Nuhoko in the sea water. Izanagi churned the chaotic mass of sea, and from the droplets falling off his blade he created the first island. That is the legend that will today be reborn.
The naginata is stirred clockwise, causing the sea to change into a small whirlpool. The sea has liquefied even more, and the beach has turned into mud. Most of the mages have retreated to higher ground, not wanting to be caught in this soft mud.
The sea also starts to shine, first pure white before becoming a kaleidoscope of light that contains every single color in the world. Because it held every color, it shined with unmatched colorlessness.
The Naginata is swiftly flicked upwards, and a few droplets hit the ocean floor a few meters away from where Shizuka is standing. From there, stretching outwards to the sea, an island rises from the bottom of the sea.
Actually… island is not the right word to describe this newly formed mass. The definition of an island is a chunk of land that is surrounded by sea. While this does fulfill the latter criteria it cannot be said that what Shizuka created is land.
Not land, not sea. It's an abomination that does not fit either. The official term for this would be a 'leech child', but Shizuka isn't aware of that term. At least it is obvious that she failed.
"Eh, I think you botched up a little there."
Oh fantastic, now even the Italian idiot is pointing out the flaws.
"Yes, I know." How can one man irritate people so much? Is he the result of all brilliant scientists in the world to genetically engineer the greatest annoyance in the history of mankind?
More importantly, how can this problem be solved? Shizuka recalls the legend of Japan's creation, and how that exactly went:
After Izanagi and Izanami created the first island they stepped on that island to procreate. They walked around a large circle, and when they met each other they complimented each other:
"Oh indeed, you are a beautiful and kind youth." Izanami spoke. This was followed by Izanagi, who spoke second:
"Oh, what a most beautiful and kind youth."
However, because Izanami spoke first the child was a deformed one without bones, and cast away in the sea. To create functional children they went around the pillar the other way, and Izanagi now spoke first. This led to the creation of 8 children who would make up the isles of Japan.
That is the creation myth. And in there is a small tidbit of information that leads to the problem.
They changed the way they walked around the pillar, and Shizuka has been stirring in a circular motion. There must be some connection between these two facts!
Instead of stirring Ame no Nuhoko clockwise Shizuka starts to stir counter-clockwise. The sand under Shizuka's feet, which used to be kind of gooey, returns to normal, and the leech child also turns back into a normal watery substance.
The stirring gets harder and harder. First it felt like Shizuka was stirring through air, but that quickly changed back to water and now it feels like mixing concrete.
Eventually the water gets tough enough that it can barely be stirred anymore, so Shizuka throws a few of the droplets out in the sea. With a small earthquake land rises from the sea, forming a patch of flat land around twenty meters out into the sea. It's size equals a soccer stadium, large enough for a duel.
"I guess that will do." Shizuka feels satisfied. It's a rather basic slab of land, but that also means it has no value and does no harm if it gets destroyed in battle.
"So that will be our battlefield, huh?" Doni looks at it, but for once he does not smile foolishly. "Hmm… say, mind if I lend that spear for a second? I want to try something real quick."
While Doni may be an idiot of the highest caliber he does not seem like an untrustworthy person, someone who would harm others for evil reasons. The only reason he would hurt others is by sheer stupidity, but there's little he can do to make this situation much worse.
"Sure, but do remember to give it back immediately afterwards."
Doni takes the spear before performing a long jump to the new island. A jump of thirty meters like that is easy for a mage, just use a spell like [Leap] and you can do it too. But Doni doesn't know that spell. In fact, while with his current body he can use spells the incantations never stick around in his mind. This was a leap purely done with the strength of his body, an impossibility only Doni can perform.
On the island he starts to use Ame no Nuhoko, with surprisingly amazing results:
Through a combination of stirring, jumping and flicking Salvatore has reshaped the battlefield to be adorned with large pillars, each being at least a meter thick and ten meters tall. Looking at his work with self-satisfaction he almost forgot that he had to return this weapon in his hands. Doni doesn't want to be the one who is known for not keeping his promises, so naturally he will return it!
Shizuka feels herself shuddering, her instincts flaring. Doni stands on that island with his body almost limp, but everything is telling her he is planning something. Suddenly Doni turns blurry, which is the sign for Shizuka to get out of where she stood immediately! Quickly she steps to her right, and not even a tenth of a second later she hears something whizz through the position she just stood in. Looking back she sees what exactly happened:
That damned idiot threw the spear back! If she didn't react in time she would've been impaled! That moron, is he that willing to start the fight?
Luckily for the rest of the people there the spear was thrown slightly downwards, landing close behind Shizuka. It does not reach far enough to be able to hit anyone other than her.
"Shizuka lodges the weapon out of the sand, and tries to return it to its original form. The former is easy, the latter on the other hand… The weapon stays in its active state, and there is nothing Shizuka can do about it. She really needs to learn [Summoning] and [Dismissal] soon, but sadly enough now isn't the time for that. Now she has to start a duel.
She hands Ame no Nuhoko over to Sakura to keep it safe, and asks Fuyuhime to use [Flight] to transport her over to the island. Fuyuhime complies, and quickly the two of them have entered the arena. Fuyuhime jumps to the edge of the battlefield, preferring not to get caught in the crossfire of kings. This leaves the two Campione alone, in the middle of the battlefield, where they will hold a duel of legends!
"Are you absolutely insane?!" but that battle can only start after a bit of Shizuka admonishing her opponent. "Who throws around weapons like that for no good reason?"
"Hahaha! Does it matter? Ol' teach always said to train in the art for decades to become a master, but I couldn't even hit you just now. As expected of my kin!"
Doni laughs cheerfully, not caring about being admonished. However, there is a shadow in his pupils which shine like the sun, hidden bloodlust proving that this man is not a simple airhead.
"Training, talent? It doesn't matter. Weak people stay weak, and strong people are strong even if they never train at all! I'm so glad to have met another strong person like me!"
An idiot. Doni is an idiot of the highest order. Nobody can deny that. However, can they see his primal intelligence, the wisdom of a fool? If Shizuka does not give it all she got she will certainly die against an opponent like him!
"So, Shizuka, ready to duel?" Doni take the container from his back, opening it to reveal that it holds a sword inside. Compared to the chills it gave her yesterday Shizuka does not see what the danger is of this weapon. It's a weapon, yes, but it's not some legendary Excalibur. It's a piece of mass production with no traces of magic, something even an everyman can buy if he knows a blacksmith. But the moment Doni actually wields the sword he starts to get terrifying. Compared to the moment he threw Ame no Nuhoko at Shizuka the monarch currently standing in front of Shizuka is much more dangerous!
"O metal, descend from the heavens!" Summoning the stone of metal to her side Shizuka readies herself for imminent combat.
"So, is that stone part of your authority?" Doni lets his sword hang limply to his side, making him seem only more dangerous. "Hmm, okay then, I guess that this is where the fun starts! Let's duel!"
-x-
{1} Sancus and Orcus: Sancus is the Greek god of trust, honesty and oaths who blesses those who keep their vows. Orcus is his counterpart, a Roman god of the underworld and punisher of oath-breakers.
{2} Nagamaki: A Japanese longsword with an increased handle length, mainly used against cavalry. Most famously used in the armies of warlord Uesugi Kenshin.
{3} Sazerac: A cocktail made using sugar, rye whiskey, absinthe, Peychaud bitters, Angostura bitters and ice, served with a lemon slice.
{4} Kinuta Park: A park in Setagaya ward, Tokyo. Perhaps one of the world's most famous places to watch the cherry blossoms bloom, but other than a few sports facilities it's rather barren. As a results it gains a third of its yearly visitors in fourteen days of spring.
{5} Otaku: You, obviously. Otherwise you wouldn't be reading this fanfiction on the internet.
{6} Miyamoto Musashi and Yagyu Yubei: Both are famous ronin from the end of the warring states era, wandering samurai who lived and died for a good battle. The former was a wandering swordsman who defeated Sasaki Kojirou and became known for mastering dual sword techniques. Yagyu is a wandering swordsman who served the Tokugawa and became their sword instructor, and is known for wearing an eyepatch.
{7} Spear-shield myth: A story from China about a businessman who sold spears that could pierce anything and shields that can block anything. When asked what would happen if the two were pitted against each other, he had no answer. Created the Chinese word for contradictory.
{8} Kujukuri: A small town in Chiba province. Popular in summer amongst surfers, but rather desolate in winter.
-x-
Well, that's another chapter done. As you can guess this chapter sets up the battle with Salvatore Doni. What's a Campione story without a good king v king fight?
Of course, it doesn't allow the writer to create a new deity, but it has other advantages. For example, you already know what both sides can do, limiting the amount of deus ex machinas a writer can pull. Another positive thing is that it brings in a few other characters that do not show up often in the official story.
Either way, let's talk a bit about a different subject: Athena. Seems there are some people who want her back, which proves that she's clearly one of the more popular characters of the series. I don't disagree, as she's my favorite canon deity in the series after the King of the End. Sorry to say, but Athena is death. Gone. Not coming back. The reason she died so soon is because she has no more purpose. The story doesn't make sense if Athena sticks around, so she is dead. For good. So is Guinevere. Too bad, but I stand my ground on this subject: Those two are not returning.