Vol 4 Chapter 3 (1/2)

Chapter 3 - Hero's Sojourn

Part 1

It had almost been two hours since they began their voyage across the sea

in the night. It was already past twelve midnight.

Kusanagi G.o.dou heaved a sigh of relief as soon as the sh.o.r.e and city

lights came into view. Setting out on a journey, not knowing the

destination, this ordeal was almost at an end.

Athena's manipulation of the yacht's velocity was an evident abnormality.

If they traveled at this speed on land, the consequences would be

unimaginable. G.o.dou had prayed that no obstacles would appear before

their path on the voyage.

Due to the fact that they were getting close to their destination, their speed

had reduced greatly, and G.o.dou was deeply grateful for it.

There was a gigantic castle next to the harbor.

It was a special landmark, for sure. They were probably still within Italy's

boundaries, but he had not a clue where he was. A quick observation

showed that the city was of considerable magnitude.

” Hey, what is that place? Is there a reason why we came here?”

”Hmm? Where are we, eh? I don't know.”

His reasonable question was answered with an irresponsible answer.

”Don't ask me that, Kusanagi G.o.dou. I merely felt where the winds were

blowing to. In the first place, wasn't this that sort of journey? I entrusted our

fate to the guidance of the wind, advancing in the same direction, it was

merely divine ordain. Moving like clouds in the sky.”

On the 'borrowed' yacht, the G.o.ddess Athena murmured softly.

To the average modern person, it would be a ridiculous idea, but G.o.dou

didn't really mind, and only just wanted to tell her not to do things as

though she were Homer, the Greek poet, improvising poems in real time.

It was this moment when a sudden change happened.

From a corner of the harbor, an emerald light could be seen stretching

towards the heavens.

”What is going on, over there?”

”Hm... It seems like someone had carelessly stimulated the essence of the

land.”

G.o.dou and Athena observed the situation from their yacht -

The emerald light gradually s.h.i.+fted into a familiar shape a dragon,

spreading wings of over ten meters and soaring through the air, a ma.s.sive

dragon with emerald scales.

”As I thought, is that a G.o.d of something?”

”No, it's probably something like a divine beast although its origins should

have connections to a G.o.d...”

Being used to this, it was terrifying. It was preferable that the enemy was

not a G.o.d this time, G.o.dou thought.

As the G.o.d and the devil king looked on, the gigantic dragon slowly

descended onto the ground.

Soon after, a light like a flash of lightning, from nowhere, as if aiming for

the dragon, swooped down somewhere in its general vicinity.

” I have a really bad feeling about this.”

”It seems my prediction was spot on, we have just witnessed the descent

of a troublesome G.o.d. Fufu, things are just starting to get interesting.”

The yacht, propelled by Athena's divine power, slowly drew closer to the

land.

Thus, Kusanagi G.o.dou and the heretic G.o.ddess arrived at the most

dangerous city in Italy.

Perseus.

He defeated the snake-haired demon Medusa in Greek Mythology, and

then, when the princess of Ethiopia, Andromeda was about to be sacrificed

to a monster, he engaged in battle with said monster by the seaside, and

obtained victory, saving the princess.

It was well-known that he was a G.o.d that represented the slaying of

serpents, dragon and snakes alike.

[Perseus and Andromeda Style] was a term that referred to myths of

similar themes.

The Heraion - the loss of control of the symbol of the land would bring

about the manifestation of its sworn enemy, this was what Liliana Kranjcar

had thought, having noticed the possibility of such an occurrence.

”Not in Greece, nor in Iraq, but right in the middle of Italy, why did this, so

suddenly ”

A murmur escaped from her lips. But, she knew that [Heretic G.o.ds] could

manifest in places their original myths had nothing to do with, thus she was

not that bothered by it.

”Well then, you have heard my name, beautiful maiden. To show your

respect to the great name of the serpent slaying warrior, it would be best to

leave now. After my introduction, it is now time for me to display my valor.”

Perseus flashed a brilliant smile, showing his pearly-whites.

He was surely not your normal pretty boy, his smile both bold and

charming. As though in response, the dragon behind Liliana roared.

GRAAAAAAAA!!

A terrible, loud sound.

It caused Liliana's slender body to shake uncontrollably, the sheer

magnitude of the sound almost bursting her eardrums. Not just the harbor

of Santa Lucia, perhaps the entire city of Naples had felt that.

And in return to that roar, a sword materialized in Perseus' palm.

It was over a meter long, its blade thick and heavy like a cleaver. A fitting

sword for a hero - not good.

To prevent the start of a battle, Liliana called out to that beautiful hero.

”G.o.d Perseus, please stop! This dragon is formed, from Naples - from the

essence of the land, a divine beast, if you carelessly destroy it, the spiritual

aura of the land will die along with it, please stay your hand!”

”Young lady, that I cannot do.”

Perseus answered, with a faint smile.

”Slaying dragons and serpents is what I embody. It is the duty and

responsibility of a hero, thus, the actions I must perform, if I were to give up

on it halfway, it is unforgivable!”

”Because of that reason, you won't care what happens to the land!?”

”This is for the sake of completing my duty. It can't be helped.”

He said cheerily, as though he were s.h.i.+ning like the sun.

Those were cheesy lines only a true hero who fights for mankind and

saves damsels could utter. Somehow, the pretty boy who said those words

and was radiating elegance - was also a seasoned warrior, tempered and

forged in battle.

”It would be best if you stood back. The role of a young maiden is to stand

by and wait to be saved by the hero, and offer her love to the victorious. It

would be presumptuous of you to interfere any more than that!”

Liliana was frozen to the spot after being coldly reprimanded. A

thinly-veiled threat.

Even if she were to use up all her strength, she still had to stop Perseus.

Although that is what her mind had decided, her body would not obey. Her

limbs would not move, no, rather, could not move.

It might have been the power of his words.

Perseus - the serpent-slaying hero, in his overwhelming presence, Liliana

could only gulp.

She did not know that the girl she saw as a rival had once, before the war

G.o.d Verethragna, experienced a similar event. To be suppressed like this

under the authority of a G.o.d, it was indeed vexing.

”Hahaha, such an obedient girl. If it's fine with you, after I fell the dragon,

fall into my embrace like a saved maiden, reenacting the tale of

Andromeda!”

As Perseus said that...

The emerald dragon spread its wings out and took off, probably intending

to engage the hero from the air.

Opening its maw, revealing its razor-sliarp teetli and dark red tongue.

- An open siiow of liostility.

From tine ferocious snarl of the divine beast, Liliana understood that.

From its maw, flames came spewing forth, as if to cleanse the land clean,

sacred flames that engulfed Perseus.

However, in that mere instance, the beautiful hero's form had seemingly

turned into that of a brilliant white meteor.

At speeds beyond what Liliana's eyes could follow, his movements were

like that of a meteor - terrifyingly fast, and it was also then that he threw his

sword straight up into the sky.

Spinning through the air, it easily hacked off the wing of the emerald

dragon.

GUAAAAAAAA!!

The giant beast howled in agony.

- The dragon descended towards the harbor, with its neck raised, still

indicating its determination to fight on. However, the speed of Perseus

would not allow it to do so.

Catching his sword that flew back into his hand like a boomerang, he leapt

off the ground.

It was a mere tenth of a second.

Within that split second, Perseus was already at the side of the dragon,

and with a flick of his sword, he hacked open the dragon's ma.s.sive neck,

causing emerald blood to gush out of the wound.

The gigantic dragon, once again, howled, or rather, wailed.

Although the neck had not been completely severed, it was more than

halfway to a complete decapitation.

- If only it were us magicians who had engaged the dragon instead.

Liliana thought to herself, watching the spectacle unfold, even if the world's

greatest magicians practiced the best strategy, did a complete surround,

even so, it would not even be close to an a.s.sured victory.

To the magicians, dragons were divine beasts of such immense power.

However - the being with the appearance of a human in front of her, was

easily forcing the dragon into a corner, intending on taking its life.

This was a [Heretic G.o.d], a being of such terrifying might.

Though he had the att.i.tude, style and bravery of a hero, she could only see

a symbol of ill omen. While she was still rooted in her fear, a voice could

suddenly be heard.

”Hold it, the war G.o.d over there. The one you should be fighting is right

here. As a G.o.d, picking on a divine beast, isn't it simply pitiful?”

”Fufu, the dragon's dependents, aren't you. How disrespectful, isn't it an

overstatement to denounce me as such?

Perseus jumped aside while answering, putting distance between him and

the dragon.

Guaaaaaaa

The weakened dragon cried out.

From around the divine beast that was almost slain by the hero, appeared

a young girl who looked slightly over ten years old. It is not known when

she had arrived at the harbor, but more importantly, why would such a girl

be here - Wait...

Liliana realized she was also a [Heretic G.o.d].

Bathing in the moonlight, glimmering silver hair, eyes blacker than

darkness. The divine aura of a powerful G.o.ddess, guardian the land, ruler

over darkness, could be felt. A great G.o.ddess of the land, and a rather

famous one at that.

Engulfed in the divine aura emitted by the G.o.ddess, Liliana felt her body

grow hot.

An encounter with she, the guardian G.o.ddess of witches and serpents,

who, under the divine protection of the almost full moon, the [Strega]^

she, whose magical strength was at its peak.

Nevertheless, it was thanks to her arrival that Liliana had broken out of

Perseus' binding. Regaining her freedom to move, she quickly checked her

surroundings, and saw that behind the G.o.ddess, was someone who clearly

should not be present here.

”Kusanagi G.o.dou? Why are you here in such a place!?”

”You are Erica's friend - Liliana, am I right?”

And so, the Campione from the far east, exchanged greetings with her.

A chance meeting with a hero, a G.o.ddess and a devil king. Liliana became

depressed with this foreboding ill omen.

Part 2

Somehow, this night, was a night destined for encounters with

acquaintances, one after another.

In this harbor which he didn't know, he chanced upon someone he had met

before, and breathed a sigh of relief.

”Kusanagi G.o.dou, there's something I'd like to ask you, but...”

Liliana Kranjcar left the side of the dragon, walking over to him.

A beautiful, fairy-like maiden of Eastern European lineage.

”Did you, by any chance, bring that G.o.ddess to Naples?”

”The opposite. She, - Athena, brought me to Naples.”

It seemed that this place was Naples.

G.o.dou had been dying to find out his current location.

A knight like Liliana, upon hearing that name, would surely realize the

severity of the situation. Her eyes widened in shock, then quickly nodded.

”... Athena. The G.o.ddess you had fought with this spring, right?”

She did not probe any further into this, and immediately turned her

attention towards the confrontation between the two G.o.ds. Indeed, she was

a serious and rational person, someone who could be relied on and trusted

in situations like this.

”Then, I shall report the current situation promptly. The [Heretic G.o.d] over

there is the hero Perseus, to Athena, with the aspect of serpents and as a

G.o.ddess of the land, he is a natural enemy, please take heed of this.”

”Come to think of it, Athena and Medusa are both one and the same G.o.d, it

seems.”

G.o.dou nodded at Liliana's warning of Perseus' advantage over Athena.

Although he had forgotten most of the knowledge of Athena, he still had a

general idea.

While they were talking, the pair of G.o.ds were gazing intently at each other.

It was not out of romance, but intense enmity, it was rather headache

inducing to watch them.

”True, we are the dependents of the dragon. After all, they are the

descendants of the wise snakes, my beloved children... Should some

ruffian brandish and harm them with a blade, as their guardian G.o.ddess, I

would naturally defend them.”

”I, Perseus, do not have any interest in picking a fight with a woman, but...”

The two G.o.ds faced each other provocatively.

Though polite in their speech, their eyes gleamed with hostility.

”If my foe is the mighty G.o.ddess Athena, then it would be disrespectful to

refuse you.”

”Perseus, was it?”

”To the one previously known as Medusa, it should be quite an

unforgettable name. To have a chance at wiping away your disgrace of

your defeat in the myths is amusing, don't you think?”

” Hmph, such a distasteful fellow. To mention that name on purpose,

truly a foolish man.”

Athena said in a hateful tone, grimacing.

”Very well, I will accept your invitation - my wounded child, return to my

embrace, and recuperate your body.”

With the fierce smile of a warrior, the G.o.ddess called out, at the side of the

dragon.

With most of its neck liacked apart, tine dying divine beast responded,

dissolving its liuge emerald body into light, which was absorbed by Athena.

Immediately after that, she raised a single hand, toward the heavens.

Suddenly, the surface of the sea in the Bay of Naples protruded upwards

sharply.

The sand and grit in the sea rose up even higher, forming the shape of a

gigantic serpent.

A serpent of sand.

There was not just one of them. The protrusions from the sea, numbered at

eight - eight giant serpents that rose from the sea, looking down upon

Perseus. G.o.dou was reminded of the battle at Tokyo.

Then, Athena had also used similar giant serpents like these, as if to show

off her power as a G.o.ddess of the land.

She had also shrouded the area in darkness.

Thick, pitch black air. To be engulfed by that would block out all light, which

had caused the people of Tokyo to fall into great panic, thankfully, she only

used a small amount this time...

”The snake of darkness and earth. This is going to be a little troublesome.”

Perseus said.

However, his expression did not match his words. On his mouth, a knowing

smile surfaced.

”Fortunately, I am well prepared for this My tale from the ancient

times, by the neck of the Gorgon i severed, I shall do it once again. Before

me, all serpents are powerless.”

As he said that, the eight serpents Athena had just created turned into

dust.

The mist-like darkness also began to scatter, as if blown by a wind.

”Serpent-slaying words of power, is it? It seems like a power you had

obtained after defeating a G.o.ddess with similar attributes to mine.”

”If you would like me to do so, I could make an oath not to use this power

in our battle. How about it?”

In response to the G.o.ddess' dangerous look, the hero lowered his head

respectfully.

”Hmph, that would not be necessary. I will make you regret your audacity...

Using those words of power, should have weakened your divine power.

Though you have inherited the will of Zeus, back then in Greece, you had

the blessing of the land for protection. That privilege which you do not have

here!”

Hearing those angry words of Athena, G.o.dou started to have doubts.

The words of power earlier, was it the same power as the [Sword]?

The image that Perseus had evoked with his sword and its effects, it

seemed as though it had completely sealed all serpent-related divine

powers.

In her anger and great desire to oppose Perseus, Athena's divine power

swelled up explosively.

It was at a level where she no longer cared to test her opponent's strength,

similar to what had transpired in Tokyo - perhaps even worse - this was

bad.

Remembering the aftermath of their previous battle and panicking, G.o.dou

thought that he had to stop them no matter what.

”Wait, wait a second! Don't go all out in this sort of place! Stop!”

”Hm. I had been concerned earlier, but who are you? Not an ordinary

human, it seems... A modern G.o.dslayer, are you not?”

Focusing his gaze on G.o.dou, who had entered his field of vision, Perseus

asked.

The one who answered was Athena instead.

”It is as you say. He is Kusanagi G.o.dou. Though he is not yet ripe, still, he

is a rather impressive brat... I'll say this first, but he is already my prey. It

would be best if you remembered that well.”

”Ho. To be spoken of like that by a G.o.d of your stature, not bad at all...”

As Perseus stared at him, squinting, G.o.dou felt somewiiat uneasy.

It is likely that he was being a.s.sessed.

Does this guy feel that fighting Athena won't be enough, and is considering

me as well?

”Like I said, wait. If you two would like to duke it out, that's fine, but please

don't fight in the city. You'll be a nuisance to the residents!”

”Some time ago, you expended all your might to engage me in battle in

your own country, how ironic.”

”With the circ.u.mstances then, I had no choice! At any rate, if you want to

fight, do it somewhere else!”

”Young G.o.dslayer, your inclinations are simply too superficial. You are

mistaken.”

He had wanted to act as a mediator between the two divinities, but instead

had been accused of being arrogant by Perseus.

For sure, this guy won't be making any proper suggestions. G.o.dou could

not help but frown, thinking that.

”Are you listening? The people desire the great efforts of a hero, and await

the tales of my deeds. I, respecting their wishes, will fight, for them, I will

display all my valor. For this is the duty of a hero!”

”Don't use 'respecting the wishes of the people' so conveniently!

Thick-skinned, aren't you?”