Disclaimer: Campione! was written by Taketsuki Jou, I get nothing out of writing this fanfic save personal satisfaction (and possibly reviews).
Author's Notes: I've retouched Insert six-seven(shizuka) and a minor rewrite for Chapter seven towards the end.
I had intended to make this Chapter Eight. But because of the shortness, and the nature of the chapter I decided to just declare it an insert.
I was actually surprised when I realized that the title held a double meaning as the title for this insert (I renamed it almost randomly at the last minute and it fit- for me). If you actually see more than two- Kudos!
If you have time, please drop by my Author page and answer a poll (if you haven't yet).
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Pet na Campione-sama!
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Insert Three-Eight : Athena: "A Hero..."
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This goddess had continued to shadow the god of ever-changing forms. It was this one's hope to find the snake with one of his incarnations and reclaim it before the god of victory completes himself.
With each Avatar that one met and reclaimed, the closer this goddess came to the snake. But the more forms that fragmented god reclaimed, the more dangerous he became.
So when, that sun god's path crossed with the mortal youth, this goddess spied through the eyes of one's familiars.
With haste, the incomplete god of victory sought a battle against the child of man. That child refused, this one would not blame him.
But this goddess' wisdom tells one that the battle hath gone essentially in accordance with that young one's design.
Verethragna attacked first, without provocation, that child's guardians leaped to hinder that one's assault. The youthful god forced his divine protection on to the young witch and warrior.
If Kusanagi Godou's stratagem had one flaw, it had been the strong will of one of his protectors.
His rage had painted his vision in bloodlust, thus he failed to deal the god of victory a fatal blow in his first attack.
But perhaps that was that one's good fortune at work. Had that child not used all of the sealed incarnations, it was doubtful he would usurp any authority. And instead the sacrifice of Verethragna and the sin this one had commited wouldst be for naught.
Still... to survive using the legacy of Prometheus three times, that child cannot be under estimated.
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"Verethragna..."
Even after that god's demise, his name still brought a vile flavor in one's mouth.
This goddess, however, realized that this defeat was something Verethragna hath blessed. Thus in this defeat, that one only saw victory.
That god's true goal, was the child's rebirth into a God-Slaying Demon King... one with the Authorities of the God of Victory.
All for a future clash... therein his opponent possesseth the same victorious authorities.
And that one had achieved it with manipulating this goddess.
How loathsome...
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Despite the termination of that detestable sun god, the path to the snake remains hindered.
Perchance it is because of the presence of the Divine King. The one that was once the sun, the sky, the rain and the storm. Must this one sacrifice thee as well?
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To this goddess' surprise, this one had not needed to incite the Divine King's lust for battle.
The defeat of his enemy was enough to call him to challenge the newly reborn god-slayer.
It was at that time that this goddess hath first laid her eyes on the reborn Kusanagi Godou.
This one experienced confliction within one's self.
Pride.
Battle-lust!
Fear...
The authority that one god-slayer could have seized from one god ought to be paltry. Yet this one's wisdom tells one that child is already an exceedingly dangerous foe.
Still the odds appeared to be in the favor of the Divine King.
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However, the battle did not proceed as this goddess had anticipated.
The young god-slayer dodged Melqart's preemptive strike with skill far above this one's expectations. Then fought back with the ferocity akin to the Persian War God himself.
Only seasoned Demon Kings would contest a god in this manner.
Yet, even in the current state of the Divine King, the odds were tipped against the new born King.
Or so one thought.
One forgets the tenacity of mankind. And in many histories, an adversary brings about their unity.
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So a second god had been felled.
This one feels it. The call to avenge. The demand to punish. The insistence to slay the one that had sacrificed one's kin.
But this goddess will ignore it.
Attacking a weakened opponent, that has not challenged one, is not something Athena will resort to.
Nor will combating Kusanagi Godou in one's incomplete form yield a favorable result.
So this one had only one path open to one...
The search for one's Gorgoneion must continue.
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But even with the Divine King slaughtered, this goddess could barely sense the presence of the snake.
The day had changed to night, and night to day.
Tis troubling... yet persistently search as this one might, hereafter the trail had gone cold.
Naught could be felt.
It was as though something had completely shrouded the snake from one's eyes.
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One found oneself in the center of one of mankind's settlement.
This goddess did not find it utterly repugnant.
But perhaps it was just this light coating of poison in the air.
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Once again, mine search had been fruitless.
Had the god of victory created a facsimile of the snake, to get one to covertly plot against his being?
No...
Cunning and obsessed with victory as that one is, this much deception is beneath him or any god.
Could a third party had it stolen?
For what purpose?
And why is one filled with the sense of foreboding?
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The Gorgoneion had made its presence known!
Tis close... but one's premonition, dictates immediate retreat. Why?
"Fair goddess, could you deign to spare a moment of your time."
This goddess turned to the voice. It was of a weak capacity, just below one's notice. But one heard it... perchance it originated from an individual with some worth.
Surprise and seething rage filled one's being as the face of one's caller was reflected in one's eyes.
Perseus.
The Serpent Slaying Hero.
The man who had beheaded one's serpent self.
But something is wrong...
The one before this goddess does exude the presence of power, however, this one cannot feel the might, the majesty, and the mystery that shrouds a heretical god.
Was this a proper god?
No... that would not be possible. A proper god would never incarnate into the world.
"Speaketh thy nomenclature."
The man's golden hair gracefully swayed and covered his red eyes as that one bowed with pretentious reverence. "My name is Perseus, fair goddess."
His name unraveled his existence. But how strange... for this one could only divine a trifling amount of knowledge.
Specific knowledge... limited. lacking. insignificant.
A counterfeit!
One would not thought it possible.
Why?
Naught!... This one's wisdom requires more evidence.
How?
The snake! This one senses it as part of this simulacrum.
The audacity! To use one's other self as a catalyst to summon a false copy of one's hated foe.
Mine patience has reached its limit and one's wrath had overflown.
Probability of victory... irrelevant.
Preemptive strike without provocation... permissible.
"Kusanagi Godou..." Forgiveth one.
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This goddess released death in its purest form from one's hand. But the golden haired warrior sliced it with his Adamantine sword.
The fake hero moved his lips, but his words no longer reached one's ears.
One summoned one's familiars and ordered the destruction of mine enemy.
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How long had one been fighting?
Without the snake, one was not vulnerable to serpent slaying spell words.
However, it was of no consequence. For even as a fake god, one's muddled mind had lead to one's disadvantage.
How disgraceful...
But one mustered all of one's remaining strength and remained on one's feet.
"Have you returned to your senses goddess of the dark?"
How much has one's power lost in combat... to hear the fake hero's voice with great clarity.
Tis maddening.
"This one has, serpent slayer."
"Will you concede this battle to me, fair goddess?"
The fake hero loosened the draw of his bow.
"Hmph... and submit oneself to thee? Death would inconvenience one, but tis infinitely preferable."
"That is not my-"
A circle of magic started forming before one's feet. It shown with demonic light; powerful, but not evil; dark, but not evil; evil, but not.
This one had a revelation!
Conjuration of the dark. Blood of a maiden. Bringer of the Contract.
Ruin. Greed. Power. Knowledge. Demon. King.
One understood.
That King was coming...
In the blinking on one's eye, three forms appeared before one.
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In the blinking on one's eye, three forms appeared before one.
A witch, a warrior and a King.
Without a word of warning the fake hero unleashes his last arrow.
But with just a wave of his hand the newly reborned King dismissed the arrow's existence.
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That child felt even more powerful than one had remembered.
Was it because of the Authority usurped from Melqart? or had this goddess become so weak?
Still one will cannot allow oneself to be rescued by the enemy of one's kin.
"Kusanagi Godou..."
But one could not bring oneself to put it into words.
"why art thou here?"
To one's surprise, that child looked away from the fake god before him and met one's eyes.
"You called."
Those words unraveled the mystery of the revelation. A demon with many names. Summoned by witches and maidens. As an untouched goddess, one had unknowingly triggered his authority.
Nevertheless... why answer this one's summons?
One can not comprehend this... feeling.
Such a comfortable warmth...
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Insert Chapter Three-Seven: End
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Chapter End Notes: Was anyone expecting that plot twist? Nyahahaha! I know you guys were expecting Perseus. And you got him- sort of.
Sorry for the cliffy troll that left us pretty much where we were last week, but I think the next part is best in Liliana's point of view. Also this is the fourth time I had to rewrite this from scratch (I was a little sick of being stuck in this part). I've only proofread it once, and as you might notice, it's not Archaic heavy as Athena's previous chapters. But I'll fix that when I find myself with time to spare after the next chapter is done.
