"three-quarters a god, and for a quarter a mortal" no. Gil is 2/3 god and 1/3 human. * Touches his fingertips and raises his eyes to the ceiling whistling (off-key) * My bad... * Laugh, embarrassed*... I can't even tell the difference between 2/3 and 3/4. Thank you for reporting my mistake.
I wonder, if their interference could technically cause a Singularity or Lost Belt that could draw in Chaldea. Since this is another universe, no possible intervention of Chaldea. Nevertheless, the intervention of other-worldly aliens can cause (and WILL cause) singularities. You will meet soon with the local equivalent of Chaldea... Madam Aicha, the Beautiful Queen of the Cavern.
Living in a library. That's my definition of paradise: lots of books close to you, no TV, no loud voice, you need to unplug your phone, and the accumulation of books drives away people who only know how to talk about beer and soccer as effectively as a crucifix repels Dracula.
Dariatory: you have my condolences. The French are often represented in a caricatured manner in anime... but at least there are a few counter-examples.
Wait if Shirou manage to Kill Gilgamesh would Shirou become a Campione since it's the rules of that World their in right and Gilgamesh could probably be counted as a God right? To become a Campione one must kill a full-fledged god. Gilgamesh is a demigod. Imagine how many Campiones there would be in the Campioneverse if it was enough to kill a Divine Ancestor or a Divine Beast to become a Devil King? On the other hand, if Shirou becomes a Godslayer and kills Gilgamesh, he can acquire Eä, because it's a Divine Authority.
The Drums of Mars
The large living room of the Tohsakha residence was large enough to host a conference. A large round table in the center of the room allowed twenty people to sit down. There were also sofas and armchairs along the walls or around coffee tables.
Not all seats were occupied... and fortunately, because Shirou felt uncomfortable. Why on earth, besides Amakasu Touma, Godou Kusanagi, and him, were all the other participants... women?
Was there a law of this world that all persons in important positions were women and - Shirou looked around before shaking his head- very pretty, moreover? Not to mention the oldest participant (Sayanomiya Kaoru) was only... 18!
It was like a teenage fantasy!
Shirou Emiya sighed and decided not to pay any more attention to this kind of nonsense, focusing instead on what Princess Alice said. The bright and bubbly princess told for the third time her dream, the scenes of battles, the powerful warriors she had seen, and above all... Gilgamesh.
Everyone listened in silence.
Finally, Alice Louise told of her awakening with a start and the name she had yelled... "Sefar".
What made Ereshkigal flinch before turning to Hakuno... a reaction that did not go unnoticed.
Everyone present understood immediately that this 'Sefar' and the Sovereign of the Moon had some kind of relationship. Everyone... except Hakuno.
The teen girl was drinking with a straw of grenadine syrup. When everyone turned to her, Hakuno blushed. She turned her head right then left, looking confused.
Ishtar cleared her throat so that everyone turned to her. The Goddess of Venus hesitated briefly before speaking.
"First of all, let me confirm one thing... Shirou is right. The blond tyrant is Gilgamesh, king of Uruk."
Ereshkigal confirmed with a nod what her sister had said.
"I speak from experience. I have met him several times... even if these are not my favorite memories."
The Mistress of the Heaven crossed her arms and turned her head to the side, a drop of sweat slipped on her cheek.
"Um... before we go on, there's one thing I need to explain to you. We told our story to King Godou. My sister and I have... oh, we didn't lie... but we preferred to leave out some... details. We thought it would unnecessarily complicate things. You see, Ereshkigal and I are deities from another universe."
Ishtar looked around the table. Athena did not seem to react, obviously more interested in the glass of milk and the plate of biscuits that Shirou had just brought to her. Amakasu Touma simply nodded As for Liliana, she reluctantly took out her wallet to give banknotes to an absolutely delighted Erica... the origin of the goddesses having obviously been the object of a bet that the Croatian had just lost. No screams of surprise...
Ishtar sighed.
"I see... I tried to hide the Tokyo Tower behind two crates..."
The Ruler of Martial Art turned to the Mesopotamian goddess.
"This Luo Hao knew it since we first met."
"Really?"
"Yes, goddess Ishtar, Duke Voban had killed the goddess Innana. It will take another two or three centuries for Innana - the goddess of this world- to escape once again from her legend."
"Without counting," says Erica Blandelli "that methods of travel from one dimension to another are known to different magical societies. Of course, the Divine Authorities are more effective. Sasha Dejanstahl Voban could travel from one world to another... and among the Campiones still alive Madam Aicha is renowned for this ability. The arrival of gods from another dimension, therefore, had nothing to surprise us."
Ereshkigal sighed.
"Since we're talking about Duke Voban, my Sister and myself, we... we talked a lot about his death and we think we've identified the culprit."
Placing a briefcase on the table, the Goddess of the Netherworld took a document.
"One of the teams sent to the Carpathians noticed wheel tracks, the mark left by the wheels of some sort of antique war wagon. They speculated that it could be the wheels of Thor's chariot (1) since the suspect is a god of lightning."
Around the conference table, several people agreed. Ereshkigal leaned towards the Inheritor of the Moon to speak with her in a low voice.
"But we have another suspect," resumed Ishtar "Hakuno?"
As she got up, the teenager held out her hand, concentrating on the Regalia. And a 3D image materialized above the conference table. The slightly translucent hologram represented a colossus with broad shoulders and muscular arms dressed in a bronze pectoral with gold inlays. Laced sandals that went all the way down to the ankles, leather straps protected his wrists. He had a long red cape woven with gold threads and a fur collar. One hand on his hip, wielding a short sword, the man with red beard and hair smiled fiercely.
Princess Alice uttered a small cry and pointed her finger towards the hologram:
"That's him... that's the man who commanded a Greek army in my dream. Is that Alexander the Great?"
"Absolutely," replied Ishtar. "But this is our version of Alexander the Great... a stranger belonging to our parallel world."
Ishtar's statement gave a chill.
History Compilation Committee Tokyo Branch Leader Sayanomiya Kaoru straightened up.
"You mean the demigod who killed Duke Voban... is a stranger from your world? Why is he here? What is your responsibility in these events?"
The Mistress of Heaven remained silent for a few seconds and blushed before coughing into her fist.
"Well, it's a very long story. Ten thousand years ago, in our world, the machine-gods of Atlantis were at the peak of their power. But the climax reached by divine civilization drew the attention of a monstrosity wandering between the stars. A predator called Velber, the Umbral Star,... "
Fascinated, the inhabitants of Campioneverse, but also Hakuno and Shirou, discovered the past history of the Extraverse. Ishtar recounted the vain struggle of men and gods until the Bearer of the Holy Sword Excalibur arrived and destroyed the White Titan, the avatar of Sefar.
"... 10,000 years have passed and Velber is back. In his prison, Sefar has woken up and is trying to free himself. But only the Regalia can deliver it. It seems that we are being pursued by Heroes of our world who now serve Sefar."
Goudou Kusanagi seemed to think. While many people around the conference table were worried, even terrified, he was smiling with excitement. His reaction seemed to have electrified his entire 'harem'. Erica Blandelli, Yuri Mariya, Liliana Kranjcar, and Eina Sheishuuin looked at their 'husband' waiting for the order to engage in battle. Even Athena was not insensitive to the mood of her 'prey', judging by the slight redness that had appeared on her cheeks.
"I see" ends up saying the Japanese Campione. "So, the characters seen in Princess Alice's dream are your pursuers. And they want to take the Regalia."
Sayanomiya Kaoru flinched.
"That's true... so if those goddesses hadn't come then..."
Godou interrupted the Tokyo Branch Leader.
"Except that the Campiones collectively have a share of responsibility."
The red-haired Japanese ( Shirou sister?) seemed surprised.
"What do you mean, King Godou?"
"Didn't you understand? The pursuers didn't appear immediately after the foreign goddesses' arrival, but after the clash with King Luo Hao."
The Ruler of Martial Art frowned and her younger 'brother' had an apology smile.
"No, it's not your fault, Onee-Sama. It's Black Prince Alec's mistake."
"He took the Regalia from Hakuno," Ereshkigal understood.
Goudou smiled.
"Exactly. As I understand it, the Moon Cell Automaton is a computer without any sense of initiative. When Black Prince Alec took the Regalia to Hakuno, she was deprived of the protection of the Moon Cell... This allowed Sefar to discover her presence here. And without Hakuno's orders, the Moon Cell was probably unable to stop Sefar from taking control of four 'Servants' (as you call them) and sending them here."
As most people looked at him with amazement (especially Ishtar) Godou took offense.
"You seem to think I'm incapable of thinking. I would never have defeated Verethragna if I wasn't able to use my head!"
Ishtar assumed an air of outraged virtue.
"But I didn't say anything!"
Godou rolled his eyes.
"No needs to say anything... the way you look at me is an insult."
A new dispute between Ishtar and Godou was about to begin... it had become routine. Nevertheless, Kaoru intervened, speaking in a diplomatic tone.
"Excuse me, revered Ishtar, King Godou... could we focus on the current threat?"
The Japanese Campione sighed and turned away ostensibly... and missed Ishtar's change of expression. The goddess now looked at him with a mixture of fun and tenderness. Shirou massaged his forehead... he might have been happy that the goddess found a second 'victim'. But Godou took all Ishtar's mocking remarks at face value.
"Godou stops responding to Ishtar's provocations. You're just encouraging her."
Erica Blandelli strongly supported Shirou's remark.
"True, she is a Goddess of mischief."
Kaoru laughs with embarrassment before resuming the speech: "So Alexander the Great... or Iskandar as you call him, and Gilgamesh are among the pursuers. And who are the other two? The two women?"
"Well, one is certainly our version of Jeanne d'Arc... and I hope I'm wrong about the second one," replied Ishtar.
Goudou looked at the goddess and winked at her worried expression.
"Why? Who is she?"
"I fear she is Altera. And this Servant is able to face all the people in this room simultaneously. For her, it would be a simple warm-up."
The Mistress of Heaven's icy response surprised everyone. Knights, Hime-Miko and Campione exchanged worried looks, wondering if they could believe Ishtar. But her sister intervened.
"Altera is Sefar's avatar. It's the dormant form of the White Titan... If she ever wakes up, even if all your gods joined forces to face her, she would crush them without difficulty," explained Ereshkigal. "Do not forget what happened to the gods of Atlantis."
At the same time, in Rome (Italy).
In Italy, the sun had only been up for two hours. It was still cool... a spring morning in a city that looked like an art book. Tourists took advantage of the freshness to walk among the ruins of the Roman agora unless they go for a picture in Piazza San Pietro (Saint Peter's Square).
It was one of those places that almost everyone recognized at first glance because every year, from a balcony overlooking this square, the pope gave the famous blessing 'Ubi et orbi'.
Few paid attention to one of the countless tourists who crossed the circular square, looking at the statues of the saints on the outskirts and the Egyptian obelisk dedicated to Ra (now wearing a Catholic cross) which in the center of the square formed like the gnomon of a sundial.
Perhaps the young woman was surprised by this astonishing syncretism desired by the architect of the Vatican, Cavaliere Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
The young woman was an exotic vision. She was thin with a teenage body. Her skin was sun-kissed. Her white hair was very long and beautiful. She was dressed in light brown jeans, almost white, sandals, and a black satin sling tank top. Her eyes hidden by sunglasses were red. She had a sports bag on her shoulder and she would occasionally take a sip from a cardboard cup.
Leaving the national territory of the smallest state in the world, the young woman headed towards Castel Sant'Angelo... the ancient mausoleum of Hadrian, transformed into a fortress in the Middle Ages, crossing the Tiber through a magnificent stone bridge.
Ten steps back, making no effort to hide, walked a man. He was a blond Italian... like all Italians (2). He had a very colorful summer shirt, which was widely unbuttoned, showing a gold medallion. He also had sunglasses raised on his forehead. On his shoulder, he wore a kind of long case, perhaps a bag for a fishing rod. He was a handsome young man who seemed to be around 25. He smiled continually, seeming delighted to follow the young white-haired woman.
Yet she did not seem to have noticed him... which seemed hard to believe. Even passers-by turned heads to see the strange duo.
Altera - since it was her -stopped in front of the Dromos (the entrance passage of the mausoleum, carved in yellow marble) to read the list of Roman emperors buried in the mausoleum. She nodded and sighed. Her last visit to Rome was not a joyous memory. She saw the ground covered with corpses in front of the walls of the capital of the Roman Empire. The mighty walls had resisted all her attacks. Altera had gone back, defeated...
When she turned around, she passed by Lord Salvadore Doni - since it was him - and his smile became more pronounced.
The Campione had felt the divine power emanating from the young woman (precisely from her white tattoos). Too stupid to be afraid, he just felt the excitement of having found a worthy opponent.
"Bella straniera, we are honored to see you walking our streets," Doni said clumsily tending to chivalry.
Altera stopped and turned to look at the Godslayer.
"This world... is it a good civilization?"
Salvatore Doni looked at her with curiosity.
"What if it's not a good civilization?"
Altera's scarlet look was terrifying. And her face was as impassive as a statue when she answered.
"Then I will destroy it!"
Tokyo, Tohsaka Residence.
Shirou would come back pushing a wagon of drinks and pastries when the door slammed.
A member of the Committee made his entrance. The man had a pale face. He seemed terrified.
"Meteorites fell near Rome!"
Godou Kusanagi and Luo hao exchanged a look of understanding and spoke at the same time:
"Salvatore Doni/ King Salvatore."
One of Salvatore's authorities allowed him to transform any object he touched into an invincible sword. Naturally, this power lasted only as long as the Italian Devil King touched the object... Nevertheless, Doni could reactivate this power remotely... regardless of the distance. Now, during a battle against a Heretic God that had taken place throughout the solar system, Doni had created many of these swords (stony-iron meteorites) that orbited everywhere. During several battles, he had attacked his enemies by reactivating these stony-iron meteorites remotely, retransforming them into magical swords.
Pale, visibly worried, Erica Blandelli left the conference table.
"I have to call my parents!"
The blonde knight lived in Rome before her first meeting with Godou Kusanagi, and her family always lived in the Italian capital.
Near Rome, not far from the ancient Via Appia (a Roman way)
Paolo Blandelli (Erica's uncle) was a man in his forties often compared to a statue of David. Standing on a hill, he watched the battle that ravaged the countryside outside Rome. The leader of the knights of the Copper-Black Cross order was terrified... but also relieved that the two fighters decided to move away from the Italian capital before starting to confront each other.
A new 'meteorite' fell from the sky.
The line of fire struck near the Via Appia and... There was a huge explosion that would blow out a hill just before a mushroom of fire and smoke formed. The ground vibrated and trees were thrown to the ground by the blast of the explosion... the equivalent of a TNT charge of at least one kiloton!
Alongside his leader, the Great Knight Genaro Gantz whispered a spell to chase away the dust that remained around them.
"Paolo, where is the woman?"
The head of the Copper-Black Cross looked at the place where the previous explosion had taken place and grimaced with grief... the tomb of Tuliota (the daughter of the philosopher Cicero) had been replaced by a huge smoking crater...
A Roman tomb more than 2,000 years old! But he forgot his grief when he saw Altera reappear. The Servant had just sprung out of the whirlwind of smoke and fire.
At the beginning of the confrontation, she changed clothes. Her combat outfit looked like a kind of bikini with sleeves and leggings. But the most remarkable element of her outfit was an immaculate veil that made her look like a bride.
In her hands, Sefar's avatar was holding a kind of... sword that looked like a frozen rainbow.
She was running towards Doni and the Goldslayer turned towards her, brandishing his sword towards heaven.
"O arm of Nuada, grant me the sword of victory!"
The Devil King's arm was covered with a silver-like substance, while a violet aura enveloped his body.
Altera and Doni met between two tombs and... the two knights watching them immediately lost sight of them. They heard the clash of the blades that met, and even saw the rainbow of prana created by the Sword of Mars, but the fighters themselves had disappeared.
Gantz held out his finger: "There!"
Indeed, the fuzzy form of Altera had just reappeared. Concentrating, the woman raised her sword... and a ray of ice came out of the Sword of Mars.
The King of Swords blocked the attack and an expression of concentration and suffering was inscribed on his face.
"I hereby swear, I forbid the existence of things I cannot cut!"
And the ice ray split into two, freezing the ground around Doni, without touching him. Usually impassive, Altera looked at her opponent with a hint of surprise.
As Athena told Ishtar and Ereshkigal, "The Devil King Doni was an idiot who believed he could cut anything... until then reality had never proved him wrong."
Paolo Blandelli's cell phone started ringing. It was Erica.
Tokyo, Tohsaka residence.
The huge screen of the home cinema showed a journalist commenting on the latest news, a drop-down band on the bottom of the screen mentioning in a loop the fall of meteorites in the region of Rome. But for now, they didn't know anymore.
Godou and the rest of his 'harem' surrounded Erica Blandelli. Erica spoke to her uncle, the leader of her knightly order.
The Italian knight turned to Ishtar:
"My uncle says that King Salvatore's opponent is a woman with brown skin and white hair, she called herself Altera!"
The Mistress of Heaven replied with a grimace.
"In this case, Salvatore Doni is done for. He cannot win against such an opponent."
But Godou shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm not so sure. Doni is a Campione. Campiones can do things that are considered impossible... And even if there is only one chance in a thousand to succeed, a Campione is favored by luck. Besides, Salvatore Dioni is the best swordsman in Europe. Doni being too stupid to use magic, it was with an ordinary sword that he killed his first Heretic God."
Near Rome, Parco degli Aquedotti (park of the Aqueducts).
The landscape was barred by an ancient aqueduct, the Aqua Marcia. It crossed the plain on arches of masonry stones.
The fight between Altera and Doni had shifted so far...
Salvatore Doni looked at his broken sword for a moment and smiled. After all, it was only the fifteenth time this had happened. He threw away the weapon... which turned into stone and took a branch that had fallen to the ground.
"O silver arm, upon my oath, turn into the invincible blade!"
The branch in his hand turned into a magnificent sword whose guard was adorned with a small ruby.
Although the combat had lasted for over an hour, Europe's Greatest Swordsman was still not tired.
He smiled fiercely at Altera and made a gesture with his hand.
The stone he had carelessly abandoned turned back into a sword and leaped towards the Servant.
Sefar's avatar blocked the attack, breaking the sword again.
"Very nice fight ragazzina Altera, I haven't had that kind of fun in a long time."
"I'm not small," replied Altera, humorless.
"Giovane Altera?"
"I'm older than you."
Doni looked at her with incomprehension. She was a teenager and he...
"I'm 24 years old."
"I am much older than you," insisted Altera, apparently offended by his unbelief.
"E allora?"
" I am 1 600 years or older" replied the female version of Attila the Hun.
"Ah, yes... still..."
The Italian vigorously rubbed the back of his skull, smiling like a fool (he was a fool!).
"Well, even if it's fun, I have to finish it. Right?"
Doni holds his sword to heaven and... slashed the empty air.
"Yosh, I see it. …Light"
The careless gesture and ridiculous invocation could not prepare Altera for the power of The Sword Hidden From God the divine Authority of the Armenian god Vahagn. A flow of energy ran to her. She raised the Sword of Mars to block the attack. A translucent Spiritron shield appeared before the Servant.
There was a gigantic explosion when the attack - like a laser beam - hit the shield.
Some distance away, Paolo Blandelli watched a large portion of the ancient Roman aqueduct Aqua Marcia disappear in the explosion with tears in his eyes...
"A 2200-year-old aqueduct that was still functioning."
In Rome, many homes were now to be deprived of water... but the worst was that the aqueduct was a marvel of past times, now lost forever.
The Great Knight Genaro Gantz looked at the smoke as it dispersed.
In the midst of flames and ground widely burned and melted... a human figure was gasping.
"Altera!"
The female version of Attila the Hun straightened out and turned to look at the King of Swords. Her clothes were burned, but other than that she had only abrasions.
"Well, if you want me to get serious."
Altera turned her sword, tending the knob to the sky. A red ray came out of the handle of the sword and went to the sky.
Where the ray was lost in the clouds appeared multiple magical circles of various colors.
« I will destroy the target."
"I won't take life. Only destroy your civilization.
"Photon Ray"! »
And a ray of blue light coming out of the magic circles... something like the divine version of an orbital laser firing.
It was also very ironic that, like Doni's attack, Altera's attack resembled the shooting of a giant laser gun. Nevertheless, Altera's 'cannon' was much more powerful...
Of course, Doni had not sat on the terrace of a café to order a Perrier while Altera was preparing her attack. Seeing the magical circles forming above his head, he used the Authority he had taken from the Heretic God Bacchus.
"O priestesses of Bacchus, be drunk with the wine of gods!"
This Authority was one of his best assets, allowing him to completely cancel the power of the most powerful magical artifacts and even of another divine Authority... at least if he had time to prepare the use of Divine Confusion.
However, even when used without preparation, this Authority could weaken Altera's attack. Besides, the magic circles flickered briefly in the sky... disappeared before reappearing, like the image on a terrestrial television during a storm.
But the King of Swords was not content to resort to the power of Bacchus. He immediately used another Authority.
"O blood of the evil dragon Fafnir, bestow upon me the fate of invulnerability."
Man of Steel was the Authority of the Norse God Siegfried.
He had scarcely said the last word of the invocation that a dazzling blue light was falling from magical circles into the sky.
Paolo Blandelli and Genaro Gantz had just entered the area hit by Photon Ray: War God's Sword. But the heat was untenable. In front of them, the ground was liquefied and it emanated a red glow.
"No one can survive this! There's no need to be stubborn. Let's wait for the firefighters and..."
But Gantz paused, speechless... staring at a figure walking in the lava.
It was a glowing red steel statue with the face of Salvator Doni. Without taking care of the two knights, he emerged from the crater... and resumed human form. Doni was naked, but he didn't seem hurt.
Picking up a stone, he turned it into a new sword and then turned to Altera who had just arrived.
"Come on, let's continue our duel! It would be a shame to stop now. I haven't had this much fun in years. Forza, andiamo."
Altera gazed at him placidly and then made the Sword of Mars disappear.
"No."
A few seconds later, she Astralized.
The violent battle had ended without victory or defeat.
And no one was more disappointed than the King of Swords.
(1) Chariot mentioned in the Poetic Edda:
Then home the goats to the hall were driven,
They wrenched at the halters, swift were they to run;
The mountains burst, earth burned with fire,
And Odin's son sought Jotunheim
Thor's chariot is pulled by two goats called Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr. Interestingly (there are strange coincidences in mythology... or very very old connections), because of this chariot one of Thor's surnames is 'lord of goats', and Verethragna's authority "The Goat" makes him the master of lightning. The coincidences do not stop there, and there is enough material in these stories of storm gods, chariots, goats, and bulls to write enough books to fill entire libraries. This has given rise to many strange theories (including the Indo-European theory).
(2) What? Italians are brown? There is not a brown Italian in Campione! In the campionverse, all Italians are blond... so there... besides in Japanese Mangas/ Animes, Europeans are ALWAY blond.