Some people must not have read the description throughly enough. The real grimoire was under Godou's shirt while the fake one was held to his chest. And there's definitely luck in these events. It's lucky that the gods were mutually weakened and this time it was the [Sword of Wisdom] not the [White Stallion]. By wits, I mean Godou approaching the gods together instead of teaming with Melqart and also dual wielding the [Sword of Wisdom]. All in all, is still extremely lucky and similar to Black Prince Alec's description of slaying Ramiel.
Conditions still apply to Verethragna's authority. The [Wind] will be explained here. The [Bull] will summon a bull (not minotaur) whose charge can cause earthquakes and giant cracks on the earth. Do tell me if you have a better solution. I want a kickass Campione not a wimp.
Sometimes a person gets a part of the god's authority and so Godou won't get locusts or sea controlling ones. It's like how Luo Hao got [Wind] related Authority from Gayatri, who also should have had a [Knowledge] based one or how Marquis Vorban got [Wolf] from Pheobus Apollo rather than a sun based attack.
...
The Divine (Demonic) Beast before them was roughly at the same level as Verethragna's [Boar]. It's flame-red eyes revealed it's higher intelligence than average Divine Beasts. It stood roughly at four meters, bulging with muscles, covered by pitch black scaly skin. His horns and razor sharp claws dripping in blood. All in all, a horrific sight to behold.
Godou hadn't spoken a word with Salvatore Doni, while assessing the opponent with eyes of the [Warrior]. The Italian Idiot kept his distance, but still on guard. Of course, Kusanagi Godou wasn't such a genius who knew what the Revelations spoke of, but he could make out that, Bael, from the 72 pillars who served Solomon, was the prototype of Beelzebub. Bael, the King of Hell and Beelzebub, the Demon of Gluttony were the same being or in this case [Heretic Deity].
No, the [Warrior] and his own instincts told Godou otherwise.
What laid before him was two incarnations of a single [Heretic God]! Albeit each slightly weaker than a singular [Heretic God]. Bael and Beelzebub, both derived from Baal Haddad, nothing less from the king of Phoenician, Semetic and Cannite pantheon.
"Kukuku! A youth who slayeth thine Divine visage, Baal!" Erica-Beelzebub lets out a maniacal laughter.
"No shit, Sherlock." Godou mumbled under his breath while trying to find a hole in Bael's defensive stance, so he could get to Beelzebub. The demon (Bael) most likely was a subjugated god under the Devil Beelzebub, similar to Verethragna's incarnation. The problem was that the [Sword of Wisdom] couldn't be used, due to lack of familiarity and knowledge, although the [Warrior] indeed was partially activated in battle.
The desire to rescue Erica fought with the desire for battle in Godou. Besides, Doni was in sore condition and Godou had nothing against him and so he wouldn't leave his 'brother' open to danger.
Godou looked up. The sky was split in two, one side blue and grey of a stormy day while the other red and black, colors of fire and darkness of the Underworld. Yagarish and Ayamari circled readily around each other with complex motions, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Beelzebub was also assessing the situation. He was weakened as well but had Bael to shield him while Erica's presence would repel Godou from attacking physically. If push comes to shove, the Devil could attack Doni as well.
Godou decided sniping Beelzebub wouldn't be much of a problem, but Erica's human body couldn't take the punishment. Bael, on the other hand, was a Prince of Hell and commanded over sixty legions of demons. Odds were that, he possessed destructive, flame-related or summoning [Authority], along with Super Strength.
The mental battle between god and godslayer raged on, until the godslayer chose to give in.
"Beelzebub, I shall concede to allow you recovery before our battle, given that you release the knight you possess." Godou spoke cautiously. From the two gods he met and slayed, he observed that they possessed incomparable pride, more so than sense.
Erica's bloody lips stopped smiling for a second, adopting a thoughtful expression for even less than one. But the grin was back again as soon as it left.
"Aye, Godslayer. Wait for thee, Defiant Beelzebub, the Harbinger of Thy Death!" Beelzebub proclaimed as thousands, no hundreds of thousands of locusts dropped from the black side of the sky, like rain, coating around Beelzebub and Bael.
Almost like the wind itself, the Devil and the Demon vanished, leaving the battered body of Erica Blandelli behind. Godou ran to his fallen comrade.
Erica was a total mess. Her wound caked in her own blood with pitch black filthcovering parts of her body. Only a tattered cloak shielded the red bruises all over her body from view. A human could only handle a god's power for so long.
The sky cleared as the glorious dusk revealed itself. Even though the [Heretic God] Beelzebub left, the evil aura stayed stagnant in the air. It would take Beelzebub a day or two at most to recover from the injuries. As a deity of Darkness, there was no specific place where he would recover. Steel gods seek warm places to temper their weapon form while Earth gods gather the essence of the earth from underground.
Doni had already collapsed, causing a crater in the concrete around his body. Godou sighed as he hauled the Italian Idiot's immensely heavy body over his shoulder and Erica on his other arm.
Unfortunately, the [Tempest] was unavailable for the rest of the day, when Godou tried to access it.
It was going to be a damn long walk home...
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Siegfried was a decorated hero of Norse Mythology where he bathes in the blood of Fafnir, an evil dwarf-turned-dragon, turning him immortal. Like in all dragon slaying myths like those of Perseus, St. George and Susanoo, Siegfried was a [God of Steel], the embodiment of sword. Their myths contained veiled elements akin to the process of forging swords, which in this case was bathing in blood, a reference to the process of sumberging a sword in water after tempering it.
The [Gods of Steel] all had [Immortality] aspects to them, like how a sword broken can be mended again, melted and reforged. Siegfried's [Immortality] thus gave him an invincible body of steel.
"Therefore, Sir Salvatore is in such a 'regenerating' condition, due to his Authority [Man of Steel]." Lucretia explains.
They were currently on Lucretia's infirmary, or a room with 5 single beds, two of which were occupied by Salvatore Doni and Erica respectively.
The Italian Idiot was in dire condition, his skin had a metallic shine to it and his while body was as cold as iron. His breaths were ragged and painful, causing him to having a coughing fit frequently. But even so, he would heal in just about five hours, much faster than Erica. Honestly, the difference between humans and godslayers were so high that godslaying Campiones cannot be called homo sapiens at all.
Erica Blandelli, even through far above what average humans were capable of, was still mortal. Thus, the [Great Knight] was in a sheer white hospital gown with heavy layers of bandages on her arms and abdomen. Her bones were heavily damaged, now brittle. A god possessing a human had such dire consequences. It almost pained Godou to look at such a reduced state of the confident and headstrong Erica Blandelli.
'But she's still beautiful.' Godou thought as he gently combed through Erica's golden mane, sprawled across the her pillow. It might probably take her a month to leave the bed and a year to heal completely.
"Ahem..." Lucretia clears her throat to snap Godou out of his reverie. His head turned abruptly to the left.
"I was wondering what you'd do about Bael and Beelzebub. You promised them a battle." Lucretia reminded.
Yes, Godou intended to keep that promise. But no amount of planning could ensure victory in a battle between gods and Campiones. The rules of strength, skill and numbers were void against gods and those of their level. But technically, Campiones had more base instinct and luck while gods had more power and skill. A god had complete control and unlimited power and understanding over their [Authorities], but still had to be extremely unlucky to get killed by humans. That said, preparation couldn't hurt.
"I intend to face Beelzebub. Doni can take Bael."
Lucretia raised an eyebrow, questioning his intent to lead Salvatore Doni into battle.
"There's no guarantee that Beelzebub won't possess another human and Doni would of course disregard that fact while swatting at locusts. Bael at least has a solid physical form that can be damaged by that Idiot's sword." Godou spoke, treading slowly, should Lucretia object and rectify his plan. The Highest Witch on Earth made no such objection.
Godou's stomach growled loudly and ferociously, as if it was a dragon demanding sacrifice. On cue, Lucretia brought a tray of food with ham, bread, cheese, salads and of course, wine. Sports required a lot of sustenance but godslaying required even more. Godou gulped them down almost instantly.
"Umm, Lucretia-san. You don't happen to have a Bible lying around somewhere, do you?" Godou asked.
"I think I do." Lucretia replied with a smile as she went out, leaving Godou sitting beside Erica.
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Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. [Matthew 12:25-28]
Thus denoting Satan and Beelzebub are in fact not the same entity.
Godou read and noted from the Hebrew Bible, or Lucretia's version from the early eleventh century. Only after ten or so minutes of trying, Kusanagi Godou came to understand the Hebrew letters and on half an hour, he read it almost impeccably. A wondrous ability to learn languages, belonged to those who rightfully call themselves Devil King Campione.
Speaking of Devil Kings, the Italian one was still asleep but his wounds healed, thus it could be called a period of suspend animation or stasis. Salvatore Doni slept like a brick, or more accurately a log of solid steel, not making a single sound.
'What an optimistic fool.' Godou thought as he immersed himself in his books again.
It was late at night, when Erica Blandelli finally opened her ice blue eyes, gazing at the ceiling while trying to regain the feelings in her arms and legs. It hurt everywhere, every bone, muscle and tendon.
Even her memory was fuzzy, a truly disgraceful thing to happen to a knight. But considering the circumstances, it was the only thing that could have happened while facing a god.
'Oh, right. I was possessed.'
Erica's memory returned slowly and so did her senses. Delicately turning her head right, she was greeted by the sleeping face of Sir Salvatore Doni, the Italian godslaying Devil King of all Magi. She then felt something heavy on her thigh. Peering down, Erica Blandelli was greeted by the sleeping face of Kusanagi Godou, the Japanese godslaying Devil King of all Magi.
'Is this fate catching up to me?! Or merely divine karma for teasing Lily?!' Erica thought ruefully.
Few were (un)lucky enough to be in the presence of a Devil King, even fewer were acquainted with them. Only an (un) privileged part of those, met two Campiones in the span of days. But it had to be her, Erica Blandelli, the [Great Knight] of [Copper Black Cross] who was in the same room as two Campiones sleeping beside (not with) her.
Erica's temper reached boiling point. How dare they sleep soundly while a lady is in distress?! How dare Kusanagi Godou steal a lap pillow from her, Erica Blandelli?!
'I swear I'm...'
Erica didn't get to finish her mental rant as it was interrupted by a flurry of movements before her eyes, so fast that even her eyes could keep track. In a second, all was calm, as two figures stood face to face, in the miniature spacing between the infirmary beds.
In the pale light of the moon, creeping in from the window behind Erica's bed post, both of the figures looked divine. Not even a single muscles of theirs twitched, their postures were akin to those of Greek sculptures of legendary heroes. One had only cotton pants on, leaving his sculpted and grandiose upper body bare to Erica's view. The other had a darker presence. His black shirt and pants absorbed the moon's glow completely, making him indistinguishable from the darkness. Only his arms and face shone in the moonlight. His face, highly contrasting the black hair, while the moon glazed of the other's golden mane.
They could have been mistaken for statues, except for the sharp glint in their black and violet eyes, looking intensely at each other. After what seemed like eternity, the figured backed of and relaxed.
"Strange. I thought someone wanted to kill me." The shirtless Salvatore Doni spoke casually.
"I felt the same." The all-in-black Kusanagi Godou consented the same opinion curtly. Erica gulped at the sheer strangeness of Devil Kings who could sense killing intents even in their sleep.
Fortunately for Erica, the blonde man sighed, shook his head and shrugged while Godou glanced out of the window.
"By the way, you're seventh, right?" Salvatore Doni asked in a way that left nothing to imagination.
"What if I am?"
"Then why don't we have a little duel. You know just to commemorate our meeting?" Such frightening words were carelessly cast off from Salvatore Doni's mouth. A battle between gods and godslayers were just about as destructive as an earthquake or Tsunami.
Godou pondered a little but abruptly looked out the window, promoting Doni to do the same.
"Go back to sleep, idiot." Godou states calmly as he karate chopped Doni behind his neck. The Italian Campione collapsed on the spot. Erica could be mistaken, but she thought she saw Salvatore Doni's right hand raised to his shoulder, in a posture that would suggest holding a sword behind one's neck. With a sword, Godou's sneak attack might have been evaded, but the Italian Campione lacked his favourite weapon.
"Ara ara. Troublesome." Godou sighs and shakes his head.
"You're awake. When?" Godou asked as his eyes met Erica's, a relieved smile forming on his face.
"Just about now. It's hard to sleep beside Devil Kings." Erica replied curtly. Godou's sudden concern for her, honestly worried (Well it really wasn't worry, but naive Erica couldn't name what the butterflies in her stomach meant) her more than her condition itself. Nobody had permission to pine after her, Erica Blandelli, not even Devil Kings.
"Is that what I get for saving you from a [Heretic God]?" Godou asked while kneeling beside her bed, smiling all the while.
"You were late. I called you." Erica replied. Her last memory was that of falling into her own shadow, calling for Godou, although he had still been asleep in Lucretia's house where she dropped him. Actually, Erica was near the market, buying food, when the [Heretic God] appeared.
"My humble apologies, princess." Godou spoke as he leaned in closer to Erica's face. Strangely, his mediaeval version of sorry wasn't sarcastic.
Erica got flushed at her close proximity to a boy and promptly turned her head. Unknowing to her, Erica's reddened cheek was wide open to Godou.
"Let me make it up to you then." Godou whispered while planting a soft, sweet but chaste kiss on her cheek.
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'What selfish heart I have.' Erica thought after finally gathering her senses. Judging by the warm body pressed to her side, it must have taken her quite long to recover from Godou's emotional assault.
Erica was too tired to do anything so she closed her eyes again. Honestly - and she would never say this aloud - having someone embracing you wasn't that uncomfortable a feeling.