The first could be shrugged off as coincidence, but not when it
happened a second time. Alexandre Gascoigne was not an optimist.
No matter what, he had to confirm the details with his own two eyes.
Alec activated the authority of [Black Lightning].
Those fellows at the Witenagemot were the ones who named this
authority.
Alec did not bother to decide on a particular name himself. This was
the authority usurped from Ramiel, the fallen angel of visions and
lightning.
God speed — the power to enter a supernatural realm of acceleration.
At the same time, it conferred to the body a kind of agile feline
athleticism.
However, so-called "god speed" came with many troublesome
aspects. In the beginning, he was unable to touch things that were
moving at normal speeds until he grew accustomed to the speed. To
others it looked too slow while Alec was too fast.
Moreover, it strained the mind and the body.
After entering the realm of god speed for five minutes or so, his body
would start making violent creaking noises. Due to the massive
difference in time flow compared to the world of normal speed,
processing this disparity caused the brain to give off a terrible ringing.
If he continued for yet another twenty minutes before deactivating
the authority, the unpleasant aftereffects would be a thousand times
worse than the initial symptoms of time disparity.
There were also times when god speed was overused, making it
impossible to return to normal for what felt like three days' worth of
time. The whole experience was really similar to the story of Rip Van
Winkle. [5]
Even though it was an extraordinarily powerful ability, there were too
many troublesome side effects.
Rip Van Winkle: a short story about a man who wandered up a mountain away from
his wife's nagging, took a nap and woke up twenty years later.
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However, two years after he usurped the authority of god speed, Alec
finally discovered a new way to make use of his power.
Sustained use of god speed caused all sorts of troublesome strain on
the human body. In that case, might as well turn the body into one
that was suitable to the true nature of lightning speed —
Campiones often made effective use of their authorities by altering
the form of their body.
This was called manifesting an [Avatar]. In order to use god speed
fully without suffering from the strain, Alec became thunder itself —
taking on an avatar of lightning.
Turning into lightning, Alec flew towards the sky.
This avatar dissociated the human body, transforming it into plasma.
Turning into this form completely eliminated the god speed's burden
on the mind and body, allowing him to fly without reservation. That is
right, not running along the ground on legs as normal, but flying in
the sky.
— Well, the avatar of lightning also had its weakness. In fact, it was
quite a fatal one...
Nevertheless, it was currently the form most suited to long distance
travel.
Using god speed (or perhaps more aptly, lightning speed), Alec flew
immediately to Orosei Bay on Sardinia's east coast, moving due east
from Lucretia's home inland to reach the shore.
Appearing before his eyes was a beautiful beach. Every May, the
tourists flocking to frolic in the summer sea must have made quite a
bustling crowd. However, what occupied this place was currently —
Alec stared at the massive creature before him and snorted "hmph."
Walking from the shallows of the sea towards the beach without
slowing down at all, it was going to land soon. Body size... roughly
50m or so.
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With a shocking gigantic body and bulging muscles all over, it was the
form of a strong and well-built male. However, above the neck it had
a [Bull]'s head.
A bull-headed human-bodied [Heretic God]. It was the god Minos that
Alec had just fought previously.
"...This seems to be quite interesting."
Making a comment, Alec released his body of lightning and returned
to human.
"Oooh... This appearance... I recognize it! No mistake, the
appearance of an ancient warrior!"
Standing tall, it boomed with a loud voice from far above the beach.
The call of Minos. Hoh, Alec smiled sardonically.
"We gods and ye god-slayers — the two sides commonly exchanging
nothing but swords, spears, arrows and blades! However, thou shalt
hear my declaration first!"
It's coming, what will be said next?
Let's have a guess, right... Something like: Mine appellation be Minos,
God who ruleth over ancient Crete as the great king of the land.
"Mine appellation be Minos, God who ruleth over ancient Crete as the
great king of the land."
A correct guess, how boring.
Alec's smile was infused with greater and greater mockery.
"God-slayer! I, king of the land, declare war upon thee! We gods
ruling the heavens, the oceans and the great land, and ye devil kings
of taboo, are absolutely irreconcilable mortal enemies! Come, as
determined by ancient Fate, it is time for us to duel!"
What was with this Minos?
Those were the same words uttered before battle by the bull-headed
god that Alec faced a few days ago.
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With only minor differences in content, was this an illusion that
imitated that god's appearance and behavior? No, as a Campione,
Alec's entire body and mind were full of fighting spirit and power,
having entered a state of battle. This was the state when facing a
Heretic God.
"This shouldn't be an illusion..."
Alec muttered as he sneered.
"However, it doesn't make sense for that god to revive. If that fellow
really did resurrect, then more impressive skills should be displayed.
What of it?"
Faced with the incomprehensible giant god, Alec was full of curiosity.
The desire to clear up this mystery heightened. This unexpected farce
lit up his battle desire and his heart burned with hostility towards the
god.
As a result, a change came over Alec's body.
Mastery — he had now mastered the authority usurped from the bull-
headed god he defeated not so long ago.
A great sense of satisfaction flowed from within.
If this thing was an incomprehensible existence, then forget about
everything else and subdue it first before investigating. That was the
fastest and most direct way!
"Nothing is stronger than the great bull dwelling in my heart. Death
goes to that which carries false appearances... Very well, I will go all
out to reveal your true form."
As the corner of his lips rose to reveal a calm and clear smile, the
Black Prince activated his third authority.
"Wind that sings of fascination, night which devours the light, all
travelers, helpless in the perilous journey, accompanied by heavy
sorrow, abandon all hope!"
Spell words flew out from his mouth.
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Alec immediately kicked the heel of his leather shoe hard against the
beach.
"Fu, ooooooooooooooooooh!?"
"Hahahahahaha! Last time I was dragged by Minos into a labyrinth,
but this time the tables have turned. I invite you into my labyrinth.
Enjoy it carefully!"
The god that greatly resembled Minos, but was not Minos, roared in
shock.
The gigantic bull-headed god that had just landed on the beach was
now sinking down into the ground. The beach it was standing on had
suddenly turned into a viscous mass like a bottomless bog.
The bull-headed giant was sunk down to its knees, then its waist, its
muscular chest, its thick arms, and finally its majestic head of a bull.
All sank into the ground.
Completely submerged. Witnessing the scene unfold, Alec's own body
also sank into the viscous ground.
— This was the power later dubbed [The Labyrinth] by Princess Alice.
A subterranean river was reconstructed into the interior of an
underground building, creating a massive maze to trap the enemy.
However, this was a divine power of creation that applied a
threatening pressure on the enemy according to the user's intellectual
level.
This was the authority Black Prince Alec usurped from Minos, the god
of the land and the labyrinth.
Using this new authority, Alec created a massive labyrinth from the
land.
The passage was tiled with square stones and quite spacious. Its
height around 10m or so and width around 7-8m, the construction of
the passage was rather roomy.
This passage extended in all directions like a spider's web, forming an
intricate and complicated maze.
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As its creator, Alec had a complete grasp of the labyrinth's structure
and layout.
Including his own current location, the enemy's position, as well as
everyone caught inside the maze. It was like looking down at the
ground from far above in the sky.
"My impression of this labyrinth... is pretty much the same as the one
I unintentionally sneaked into recently."
Alec shrugged as he walked underground.
It was true, this place did in fact have the same structure as the
labyrinth created by the god Minos on the island of Crete.
Perhaps it was because the battle from a few days ago left behind
such a strong impression. Without associating the impressions of that
labyrinth, it should be possible to alter the structure to other forms...
that was the feeling Alec had.
This should be tested out in the future. Though a firm grasp had been
obtained, new authorities often had many uncertainties. Often it
required combat experience during first use to truly understand them.
(In the few months after becoming a Campione, Alec gained a true
and thorough understanding that "training" to master an authority
was completely meaningless. No amount of time spent training could
compare to experience. It could very well be true that one day of
actual combat yielded better returns in understanding than even a full
year of training. Perhaps the presence of tension was the reason.)
"So that [Bull] is now... over there. Hmph, still moving after all."
Alec had a firm grasp of his foe's position. It had fallen into a different
place, a dead end 200m northeast from his current position.
However, it suddenly began to move. Completely ignoring the
complicated passages of the labyrinth, it was heading straight towards
Alec. And extremely rapidly too.
The battle against Minos last time was the same.
Previously, that bull-headed god ascertained Alec's position through
smell, and —
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"There thou art, god-slayer! With my two horns I shall cut thee to
pieces!"
With the sound of dynamite exploding, the walls of the labyrinth were
being crushed and blown apart.
Collapsing stone turned into dust, filling the air with flying debris.
From behind this smokescreen charged the bull-headed god. Its body
was no longer as gigantic as when it was on the beach. Probably
about a tenth in size now with a height of 5m or so. It was a body
size chosen to move easily inside the labyrinth.
However, even shrunken in size, the [Bull] — the might of a god of
the land was still exceptionally frightening.
"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARR!!!"
With the sound of roaring, the bull-headed god charged at Alec.
So fast! That speed likely reached 300km/h, and was attained
instantly. As befitted a god, this explosive power was beyond common
sense.
However, Alec was able to dodge this sudden charge.
"— Hmm!?"
The bull-headed god groaned with surprise. However, it did not slow
down and crashed violently into the wall behind Alec.
CRAAAAAAAAAAASH!!
Crash. The labyrinth's walls were simply pulverized and scattered by
the bull-headed god's collision.
A majestic divinity of the great land. Its power, tenacity and
penetrative power must be outstanding even amongst gods. These
kinds of walls must be like paper to it.
This must be how it crashed through walls repeatedly, opening a
straight path to charge forward.
Yes, it was exactly the same as what the god Minos did on the island
of Crete.
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"Hmph... Couldst thou be —"
The bull-headed god seemed to be muttering in doubt.
Discerning the opponent's weapon from a single glance? Again it was
exactly the same as the Minos from that time.
Nodding, Alec moved his body as the bull-headed giant crashed
towards him at super high speed once again. With this kind of speed,
even a martial arts master would likely find it difficult to evade.
But to Alec, dodging this kind of impact was a piece of cake.
Using the same principle as before, Alec performed evasive
maneuvers.
Currently, he was only using half of god speed.
In this state, the world around felt extremely slow to Alec.
It was like the fast forward and slow playback functions on videos.
Even if the bull-headed god used frightening speed it looked like a
tortoise's crawl.
Easily seen with clarity.
Slowly approaching. Until impact was imminent in 5cm, 2cm, 10mm,
5mm, 1mm... At that instant, Alec raised god speed to the max.
Dodging with the speed of lightning with a stride towards the side.
However, it was only a 10cm sidestep and god speed was reduced to
half immediately afterwards.
(From an observer's point of view, it would have looked like he was
squashed to the side as a result of being struck.)
Maintaining god speed all the time caused a heavy strain on the mind
and the body.
For a human body, precise movements were the most appropriate.
This was the wisdom Alec gained after experiencing many battles.
"Truly the footsteps of god speed! The god-slaying warrior akin to
thunderous lightning!"
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The bull-headed god began to transform. From a bull-headed giant
into a humongous bull — !
Like a small hill, the massive body like an elephant gave a sense of
overwhelming strength.
"Hmph, as expected. This method — it is enough to use the same
trick as against Minos."
Alec sneered and used god speed once again.
Running. With supernatural speed, he began to traverse the complex
passages of the labyrinth.
Just as his enemy described, he was the warrior akin to lightning,
distancing himself greatly in an instant. However, clearly this was not
his full speed.
The maximum was lightning speed, but this was only around fifty
percent.
Even so, this was fast enough. However, the gigantic ferocious bull
was also catching up with unnatural speed!
So fast! Clocking 300... 400... 500km/h, the ferocious bull was
accelerating ever more furiously.
Alec finally went full speed ahead, reaching the maximum in an
instant, attaining complete god speed. However, the ferocious bull
had also reached god speed!
Following immediately behind!
Furthermore, it was carrying overwhelming momentum.
Alec twisted left and right along the complicated passages of the
maze, even jumping down platforms occasionally.
However, the pursuing god in the form of a ferocious bull smashed
through the walls of the labyrinth, charging in a straight line. If this
continued, it was obvious which side was going to cover more ground
in the long run.
Alec running away, or the charging bull?
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— The charging bull had a pair of thick sharp horns on its head that
rivaled the sharpness of swords and spears. These weapons were fast
approaching, intent on accomplishing the goal of piercing holes into
Alec's slender body.
"Thunder, descend!"
Alec chanted the brief spell words. Releasing the human body, he
turned into thunder — the avatar of lightning.
Abandoning his material body to become a mass of electrified plasma,
the Black Prince charged at those horns of the ferocious bull that
resembled battering rams of pirate ships. Naturally, it was futile to
attempt the piercing of intangible lightning.
Conversely, the lightning offered resistance. The ferocious bull's
gigantic body was bathed in electricity, giving off loud scorching
noises.
"Oohohohoh!! God-slayer!"
The ferocious bull god groaned briefly. Its violent charge did not stop
completely, continuing to target Alec despite his lightning form. This
level of electrical attack was clearly not enough to produce a critical
hit.
— Right. Alec nodded secretly to himself. The avatar of lightning had
not been effective against god Minos either. His electrical attack did
not produce enough effect, and the enemy had instantly discerned the
weakness of this avatar.
"However, I have seen through it, how to conquer thy impenetrable
fortress of lightning. In that case, it shall fall!"
Ahah, as expected. Even the dialogue was identical to that time.
Alec's lips naturally distorted themselves into a mocking smile.
At the same time, the ferocious bull god slowed down, returning to
normal from god speed. Its distance from Alec instantly increased, but
that was not because it had given up the chase. It was the opposite.
"OOOOOOOLAAAAAANNNNNN!!"
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The ferocious bull god suddenly yelled out. It was a terrifying roar
that was reminiscent of thunder.
It was also a form of spell words. Sacred words for neutralizing spells
and releasing a god-slayer's authority.
Turning into lightning eliminated the burden of god speed, allowed
electric strikes, and evaded physical attacks thanks to abandoning the
material body.
However, if dispelled, it becomes extremely fragile...
If countered by a god or a Campione's spells, the lightning avatar
could easily be dispelled. Perhaps if several magi of Alice or Lucretia
Zola's caliber were to gather together for an attempt, even human
magi might be able to disrupt it.
Alec's body of plasma returned to human form. If this had happened
while he was flying in midair, the result would have shared the same
fate as Icarus with his melted wings. Luckily this was not going to
happen this time.
In the last battle with god Minos, this point in battle resulted in a
desperate crisis.
"Hoh, thou hast seen through my counter, what a man with sharp
eyes."
"...Of course, because this is the second battle."
Alec muttered in response to the ferocious bull god's praise.
The true identity of the foe before him was still unclear. So far, its
manner of movement, strength and speed were completely identical
to the god Minos at Crete. Let's verify in a little while —
"Those who walk past my gravestone, whoever steps upon my
shadow, I know each and every one of you!"
Alec quietly chanted the spell words that naturally surfaced in his
mind.
The authority he had mastered not too long ago — the power usurped
from Minos, will be used to discern this fellow's secrets.
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Clearing his mind, he recalled the structure of the labyrinth.
The overlooking view from above surfaced in his mind. Yes, this is my
domain. Any destination could be reached without walking, requiring
only thought.
In the next instant, Alec's body sunk into the ground as thought.
"Sorry, I am the Master of the Maze. Let me try a little trick. If you
want to fight me then you must catch up to me. Fake Minos!"
These words were left behind.
The labyrinth actually had ninety-eight levels. Its structure was
extremely vast.
Just now, Alec and the god were located on the seventeenth level
counting from the top. Reaching the bottom would mean traversing
eighty-one levels. So, how will the unidentified ferocious bull pursue?
It was a massive circular space with a diameter of 10km.
Alec was now standing in the deepest level of the vast labyrinth. Bare
ground. Massive space. Located in the center were the altar and
throne for worshiping the bull-headed god.
These were all familiar sights from last time. The final battlefield
where the defeat of god Minos had occurred.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
Strange crashing noises echoed in the quiet holy sanctum. Alec looked
up to the ceiling, which began to show minor cracks. Pieces of stone
clattered as they fell. Finally, the cracked portion became a great
opening.
The bull-headed human-bodied giant god jumped down from the
opening. It landed with a great slam.
Its height had returned to 30m. This powerful monster had used its
gigantic fists to smash the labyrinth's floors, one level at a time,
eschewing the use of stairs to descend directly.
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It must have decided that coming straight down like this was faster
than searching for stairs on every level.
"To think you finally caught up, Fake."
Alec grumbled as he looked up at the familiar figure of his foe.
"Even though it's an amazing power, your imitation really kills the
mood. If you have the ability to copy another god's powers and
appearance, make yourself better-looking for goodness' sake.
Ugliness should have limits."
"Warrior of lightning, dost thou intend to insult the divine esteem of I,
the mighty king?"
From above came a solemn voice. However, Alec responded
sardonically.
"I don't know what game you're playing, but ultimately you are just a
well-made counterfeit of a god. Very likely you have recreated the
illusion of thirty or forty percent of the original divinity's power."
"...I as an illusion? What nonsense dost thou speak, god-slayer?"
The bull-headed god looked perplexed as it spoke. Apparently, it had
no awareness of being a fake.
"Indeed, an illusion. If I had to put a finger on it, there is the fact that
you have no soul. You don't have the heart of savagery shared by
[Heretic Gods] as heralds of disaster. That is why you are so
shamefully weak."
The bull-headed god approached step by step. Alec coldly gazed up at
its solemn face, speaking in a calm tone of voice.
"The strength of gods is proportional to the steadfastness of their ego.
Compared to the type of abilities or weapons they possess, obstinacy
and intense desire are far more important factors in their power.
Without this layer of meaning, there is nothing special about you."
Fake Minos' giant body was threatening and full of tension.
It seemed to have reproduced with great fidelity the [Bull]'s strength
and charging ability from that divinity. However, it completely lacked
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the divine power of the [Master of the Maze], one which Alec
considered far more troublesome. That explained why it only made
use of strength to resist.
Alec looked with despise at the bull-headed god's face high above
him.
"At this level, you can't even compare with a heretic god's
subordinate deity. What a boring fake. Well, at least it could be said
that fake gods have the value of being rare!"
Will it work? Alec asserted with determination. He had enough of
training and it was now time to use this power of the fake bull god
properly.
'If you have any objections, then just try smashing my body to
smithereens!"
"Fine. Smashing thy intricate creation seemeth a pity. But there is no
other way to fully display the great power of I — king of the land!"
"URRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAALLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHH!!"
Minos suddenly — rather, Fake Minos suddenly roared loudly.
Of course, this was in order to use spell words of divine power.
Fake Minos gathered together the spiritual essence of the earth and
filled the underground space. This terrifying presence, must have
gathered power of the earth not only from the confines of the
underground cavern but also the entire coastal area.
Then Fake Minos clenched its fist and swung violently.
Crack! The violent impact struck the floor of the labyrinth's deepest
level.
Immediately, the entire underground labyrinth shook intensely
despite its vastness.
CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!
From the point of impact on the floor, cracks were gradually radiating
out. The surface was littered with patterns reminiscent of spiderwebs
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and the cracks stretched all the way into the depths of the vast empty
space.
The cracks even reached up the walls, covering them with numerous
crevices.
Fake Minos roared once more, continuing to strike at the floor.
Rocks from the ceiling of the hollow space shattered noisily and fell
down.
As Master of the Maze, Alec already knew that all ninety-eight levels
were collapsing.
"Fuhahahahahaha! God-slayer, 'tis apparent that thou canst move like
a shadow within this labyrinth! But thy palace is about to collapse! —
URRRRRRRRAAAAAAALLLAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"
Roaring once again, it continued to strike the ground. Obviously, the
shaking and destruction of the labyrinth became even more severe.
Of course this could not be limited to physical impact. As a violent god
of the great earth, some kind of powerful destructive authority must
have been used.
However, Alec was laughing from the bottom of his heart. This was
perfect.
During the time it took this thing to reach the deepest level of the
labyrinth, Alec had already completed the most time-consuming
[Summon]. All that remained was to wait for the signal of revenge!
"Hear me, daughters of the endless night, daughters of the earth and
shadow."
These spell words formed the hymn offering sacrifice to the goddesses
of vengeance.
Guarding Alec, the infernal goddesses' black wings deflected all the
stones and rocks falling from above, preventing every one of them
from approaching his body.
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"Fighting evil with evil, repaying crime with crime, shedding blood for
blood, knocking out a tooth for a tooth, thus vengeance begins. By
the blood of the slain mother, tragic death denies all future attempts
at filial piety!!"
Standing on the violently shaking ground where crevices continued to
appear, Alec did not lose his balance.
The three concealed infernal goddesses manifested from behind,
holding the Black Prince in their arms, pulling him up into the air.
On the heads of the three beautiful infernal goddesses, each
individual strand of hair was a snake.
Raven-black wings sprouted from their backs.
"Megaera the demon, Tisiphone the avenger, Alecto the relentless,
retrieve the curse and execute vengeance!"
Responding to the completed spell words, vicious countenances
appeared on the three infernal goddesses.
These were the Erinyes, the three goddesses of vengeance in Greek
mythology —
Alec had activated his second authority, previously usurped from their
defeat.
[Judging Furies].
Named as such by the Witenagemot, this authority returned to the
perpetrator all destruction, attacks, impacts, and curses performed
before the three infernal goddesses.
In this case, all destruction wrought by Fake Minos upon the giant
maze was reflected back onto it.
"Guh — GAAAAAAAAAALHAAAAAAAGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
The giant bull-headed god's movements suddenly stopped, overcome
with pain.
Struck. The majestic bull's head, the muscular chest, the sturdy abs,
the broad and solid back. All parts of the body were being struck.
Assaulted violently in a frenzy!
Page 200
Fake Minos' gigantic body shuddered violently with every impact and
was blown away.
Struck by a giant invisible fist.
These were all the punches performed by Fake Minos — the attacks
that channeled the energy of the great land into destructive power to
cause the labyrinth's collapse.
"Then the end draws near..."
Alec commented as he watched the battered Fake Minos.
A Campione's warrior instinct told him that his enemy had met its
fate. The incident had drawn to a close.
Alec once again turned himself into the intangible avatar of lightning.
He began to exit the collapsed labyrinth and flew towards the surface
of the ground.
Part 6
Alec flew into the sky in the form of lightning.
A massive depression in the ground had formed at Orosei Bay in
Sardinia. It was like the appearance of a crater.
This change in the foundation of the land was due to the destruction
of the underground labyrinth along with Minos.
Nodding in approval at his own victory, Alec surveyed the
surroundings beneath him.
In a situation like this, she could not possibly have kept still
obediently. Surely she must have come running — there!
Discovering the figure of the girl he sought, Alec flew towards her
with lightning speed. Landing on a little hill, he released the avatar.
Recovering a human's body, he immediately ran over to Princess
Alice.
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As a spirit body, she was also able to fly at high speeds comparable to
Alec's.
"You came as expected. Could it be that you couldn't bear killing time
in a relaxed manner?"
"Of course. What does it matter anyway? I've long wanted to
investigate you properly."
The Princess put on airs and turned her face in response to his
question.
She seemed to be harboring a grudge for being left behind just now.
Hmph, Alec smiled in satisfaction over his little victory.
"Alexandre, I think you should slightly correct your discourteous
tongue and eccentric character. It's really quite rude to ladies!"
Alice spoke in anger as she waved her slender hand, her skin as white
as snow.
Accompanying this motion was the appearance of particles of light,
glittering as they flew into the sky. They stopped rising after reaching
a certain height.
— There eh? A dash of savagery crept into Alec's smile.
The White Miko-Hime Princess Alice had several special spirit powers
at her disposal.
Her most representative abilities were spirit body separation and
psychic sensing.
Using the latter ability allowed the Princess to read minds
approximately. If she extended the probing of her sensing, she could
most likely read the minds of everyone in the area. Of course, this
was not indiscriminate. For example, it was impossible to read Alec's
or a magi of Lucretia Zola's caliber.
Nevertheless, even if she could not read their minds, it still allowed
her to sense their positions.
"Glory of all creation, turn into power and be displayed! Seize the key
to wisdom of the past as a woman!"
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At the position indicated by the Princess' light, Alec applied counter
magic. This was special magic for dispelling specific spell domains.
For example, fire-type counter magic can be used to neutralize water-
type spells.
Currently, Alec was using counter magic targeted towards witchcraft.
"Hohohoho, as expected of the Prince. You saw through it all."
A beautiful young blonde suddenly appeared in the air.
Wearing a white summer dress, she was smiling as sweet as the most
exquisite of confectionery. This was the [Divine Ancestor] who called
herself Guinevere last time.
She had been hiding herself using the witchcraft of [Concealment].
"Hmph, to go so far as to summon a fake god. There should be limits
to mischief, whether from [Heretic Gods], Campiones or you, who've
been leaving suspicious trails everywhere lately. So how many of the
recent events are of your doing?"
Alec looked up to the hovering witch as he mocked sarcastically.
"However, I can't imagine what sort of trick created a fake god. To be
able to approach the authority of gods and Campiones, it looks like
Divine Ancestors are not a group to be overlooked. I seem to have
underestimated you."
"No, even standing at the pinnacle of witches, I, Guinevere cannot do
this using my own magic."
Maintaining her smile, the witch in the form of a young girl descended
to the ground.
"How was it done? I will tell you in a little while."
"Oh? That's very generous of you."
"No, Prince — thanks to the assistance Your Highness has provided, it
is only right to return the courtesy. As for that miko over there —
hohoho, what a girl with a bright future. If you wish, I, Guinevere,
welcome you to my side with open embrace."
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Wearing a pure white dress, Guinevere turned her gaze towards Alice.
"Prince, come with me, Guinevere, and let us set off together in
search for this 'King who manifests at the end of eras.' This is the
sleeping King of the End, the most mysterious of the gods of [Steel].
Finding that king is an arduous and perilous journey. Nevertheless, let
us set forth together."
"What about Lucretia Zola? Didn't you go searching with her in the
past?"
King who manifests at the end of eras.
It was a greatly fascinating title, but Alec maintained his rationality
and pointed out his doubt.
"That child is no good. While we were wandering together in search
for clues, that child disobeyed the will of Guinevere."
"...Will?"
"Yes, she believed that the last — the strongest [Steel] should not be
revived, because it would surely bring about the end of this era of
humans."
The last of this era. End. Only dangerous terms were being tossed
around.
Without the full picture, it was impossible to imagine.
Alec shrugged, bringing up what he believed to be the crux of the
matter.
"This King who manifests at the end of eras... Does it refer to King
Arthur? With the inscription 'Once and Future King' on his tomb, will
that hero awaken from eternal slumber, to save the world or destroy
it?"
"Hohoho, as expected of the Prince, truly clever."
"That is what came to mind once during my search for the Holy Grail
in the past few years."
For the first time, Alec revealed the speculation buried in his heart.
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"Between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries in medieval Europe,
there existed individuals who worked secretly to popularize myths
that regarded King Arthur as a god... Their core consisted of you
ladies, daughters of the earth mother goddess' miko of the ancient
world."
Alec glared sharply at Guinevere and Alice as he spoke.
"It is unknown whether they acted independently or in concert.
However, the Knights Templar, its parent organization the Priory of
Sion[6], as well as the Order of Cistercians[7] should have interfered
greatly in the formation of this myth... How's that, to what extent is
my speculation correct?"
"Well well, what should we do?"
Guinevere responded casually with an innocent smile.
"After all, I, Guinevere, was only reborn less than a hundred years
ago. It's hard to be sure of things that happened before I was born."
An adorable smile along with a glamorous melodious voice.
Alec went "hmph" with despise. What an impossible fellow to
interrogate. But thanks to the ill-fated encounters with that Princess
over there, he found it easier to guess what she was thinking.
"My wish is to revive the 'King of the End.' For this goal, I will put
forth all my effort, wealth, and yes, even the Magic Holy Grail."
"What?"
"Prince, the fake god Minos you encountered... Was an illusion of
Guinevere's doing, born from the blessing of the Holy Grail. I had
chanced upon Your Highness' earlier battle and used it for reference!"
Light shone from behind Guinevere.
At some point in time, a vessel slightly taller than the twelve or
thirteen-year-old girl had appeared.
Priory of Sion: a name given to multiple groups, both real and fictitious. Order of Cistercians: a Roman Catholic order of monks and nuns.
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Shaped like a cup or an urn, the vessel was shining brilliantly.
Furthermore, it was infused with an astounding amount of magical
power.
From the rim of the vessel's opening, how could such an enormous
amount of magical power be flowing out continuously?
This magical power surpassed Campiones like Alec as well as human
magi by far. Furthermore, the vessel was releasing what was
equivalent to the total magical power of several dozens of Campiones.
If just the overflowing magical power was this much, what amazing
power must lie within...
"Alexandre, that is the Magic Holy Grail... The Graal of legend."
"I don't need you to tell me that! What else could that astounding
object be!?"
Alice shouted out excitedly, having confirmed with spirit vision, while
Alec responded gruffly.
The holy relic had suddenly appeared before the two of them.
However, it vanished as abruptly as it had appeared. As the bright
light disappeared, only the young Divine Ancestor remained.
"Hohohoho. Prince — Alec-sama, if Your Highness will assist me,
Guinevere, then the sacred treasure just now can be yours."
What? Alec stared in astonishment.
"As mentioned already, I, Guinevere, am not a woman who hoards
treasure like a miser. Even if it is the famous Holy Grail, I will gladly
offer it with both hands for the sake of finding the King of the End. —
We distant descendants of the miko! You too, must do the same as
Alec-sama, you must accept the wish of the queen of witches no
matter what!"
The Holy Grail had vanished, as commanded by the Divine Ancestor —
With that, so did the sense of excitement. Princess Alice sighed as a
result.
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"It is puzzling how I should properly address my senior who looks
younger than me... Madam, do you have any idea of Alexandre's
personality?"
The Princess answered coldly with a sigh.
As his rival bound by ill fate, she understood him very well.
"This eccentric mister here loves to play devil's advocate and act in
opposition. He will never agree no matter how serious you are if you
look at him with eyes of superiority that says 'you can have the gift
you desire but in return you must obey.' Instead, it's going to cause
him to resist without hesitation. At times like this, he most likely
would say —"
"'If I already know who possesses it, why would I need to listen to
your demands?'"
Alec responded before Alice could quote him.
"You think I will kneel down and beg? What a joke. I never hesitate
for even a moment towards treasure I desire. Because all that
remains is to take it from the hands of the original owner!"
Alec mocked with instigating tones. Alice commented from the side,
saying "Oh well, that's the way it is."
If the current Grail possessor was a powerless or innocent commoner,
Alec might have hesitated and backed off due to various reasons, but
that was only a special case.
Hmph, that kind of situation was the only exception, hurry up and
forget about it!
Alec cursed quietly to himself as he drew near the Divine Ancestor.
"I never expected the owner of the secret treasure to appear so
nonchalantly... I should express my gratitude first. Thanks to you, I
can finally fulfill my long time wish!"
He activated god speed at fifty percent.
Sparks flowed noisily all over his body. Now he could accelerate at
will.
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"So there is no more room for negotiations? What a shame. With
outstanding wisdom and rationality that trumps wild instinct, listen
well, you rare terrifying god-slayer. I, Guinevere, have been waiting...
Or perhaps I need to seek out new situations."
Sigh. Guinevere sighed once.
"As a Campione, illegitimate child of the courageous fool, you are
truly like an indomitable poisonous dragon. Looks like there are no
exceptions."
"I don't know about the other fellows, but bowing down is impossible
for me!"
So, it was now imperative to capture this annoying Divine Ancestor
before considering anything else.
Clearly just a young girl in appearance, there was no cause for
apprehension. Just tie her up using the authorities on hand, take the
Holy Grail and extract any other useful information. Well, nothing
particular violent or savage was planned in the first place anyway...
Just as Alec pondered like that.
"Hear my summons and come forth, Sir Knight. Please protect
Guinevere."
This time, dense mist burst forth from behind her.
It was the kind of thick fog that completely pervaded lake shores on
mornings, with visibility less than 10m.
Then Alec saw it.
A knight in white armor came forth from the depths of the dense
mist!
A knight riding astride a beautiful white steed. The visor of the helmet
was down and obscuring the face.
Wielding a barbed cavalry lance.
A knight on a white horse —? Just as Alec frowned, the knight had
already arrived before him somehow.
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What was with this speed!?
Alec activated god speed completely.
The surroundings began to slow down while he accelerated alone.
Normally, Alec was the only one who moved freely in this accelerated
world. However, the knight mounted on the white horse made thrusts
with the lance, performing a series of splendid attacks.
Looking like the frame-by-frame replay of a DVD, the tip of the lance
extended towards Alec as if about to pierce him right through.
This was a martial arts secret technique for countering god speed!
Even Paolo Blandelli and Sir Iceman had been unable to execute this
knightly secret art with perfection.
It was the ability to use the mind's eye to discern god speed and
capture it using the shortest trajectory.
— Dodge it!
Alec jumped far back to avoid the deadly weapon of steel.
During this time, Guinevere's young and tiny body was lifted onto the
saddle. However, the knight did not seem intent on pursuing.
Was protecting Guinevere the first priority?
Understanding the knight's intentions, Alec shut down god speed. His
heart as a Campione was full of fighting spirit, and his body was filled
with battle power. — Without a doubt, this fellow is a god.
"Probably should keep this a secret from Iceman? Hard to believe, I
fought gods three times within a single week!"
Just as Alec sighed softly to himself, Guinevere's voice could be
heard.
"That was a great help, My Knight. Would you stay on guard by
Guinevere's side from now on, please?"
The young girl leaned against the chest of the white armor, pleading
as if being spoiled.
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Watching this scene unfold, Princess Alice spoke alarming words.
"That's... Lancelot of the Lake — Lancelot du Lac!"
Softly whispering the god's name. It was a divine oracle from spirit
vision.
Trembling, Alec turned to face Guinevere who was smiling adorably.
"I apologize if you took offense today, Black Prince. It is most
regrettable that Your Highness will not become my ally. On the other
hand, we have a long road ahead of us as enemies!"
"That is your wish? Or is it something you know through spirit vision?"
"Who knows? I've never mulled over it. However, I, Guinevere, am
the most legitimate Divine Ancestor. My premonitions are quite
accurate. — So, until next time!"
The white knight Lancelot and Guinevere rode the white steed, flying
into the sky.
It was like galloping on open plains of grassland.
As the hooves of the horse kicked at the air, the white steed galloped
majestically across the sky.
Lancelot du Lac did not utter a single word the entire time.
As Alec watched their figure recede into the distance, he wondered if
he should chase them in the form of lightning. In the end, he
abandoned the notion because his life would be in peril if the avatar of
thunder was dispelled in midair.
"The reason why I assisted Guinevere? Very simple, I was expecting
something to happen on that particular day, when the 'King who
manifests at the end of eras' appears."
After that, Alec and Alice had returned to Lucretia Zola's home.
The Witch of Sardinia replied simply to the sudden question of her
junior, Princess Alice.
"...Really, will there be an actual end of the world?"
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"Yes. There is surprisingly little evidence that can disprove such a
prediction. I definitely don't consider it a fool's delusion."
Lucretia nodded at Alice's comment.
I see, indeed it is so. Alec was beginning to understand.
If a god of fire arrived, the surrounding territory will be engulfed by
flames. If a god of darkness descended, the area will be enveloped by
eternal night. The manifestation of [Heretic Gods] always followed this
kind of principle.
Hypothetically, if this god that appears at the end of eras surfaced —
It could very well be the beginning of an apocalypse. Even though
incredibly ridiculous, it was a persuasive notion.
"After finding out something like that, I gave up my long time search.
At the end of the day, it is impossible to maintain indifference towards
the destruction of the world. I am not slow or insensitive, after all...
Unlike you Campiones."
"— What's that supposed to mean!?"
Lucretia smiled knowingly in response to Alec's anger while Alice
shrugged.
However, after saying the joking first sentence, Lucretia continued
with the following:
"In truth, there is still a point of doubt. Is the 'King who manifests at
the end of eras' really King Arthur? As my research dug deeper, I
began to notice that it should be a much more ancient existence that
transcends oriental and occidental divisions."
The woman who was once fellow researchers with the Divine Ancestor
sighed at this point.
"I suppose I count as an Arthurian novice. The thought of finding out
that the long sought king in my heart was someone else... This was
the biggest reason why I stopped the search."
"However, that Divine Ancestor believes in it firmly, right?"
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"Yes. She calls herself the same name... as the queen consort who
betrayed King Arthur and had an adulterous relationship with Sir
Lancelot. Well, the King of the End's identity is still uncertain at this
point. If that fellow turns out not to be Arthur, I wonder what that
Guinevere would do?!"
Black Prince Alec, Princess Alice, and Divine Ancestor Guinevere.
The scene of their first gathering basically happened like that.
At the very least, neither Alec nor Alice would have expected the fates
of the three to remain bound together even after eight years had
passed.