Capítulo 87: Kurumi, Who Doesn’t Understand Magic, Decides to Face It Head-On
"According to the latest news, the footprints found on the outer wall of Milan Cathedral were determined to be part of a prank..."
...
The TV news broadcasted yesterday's events.
The camera zoomed in repeatedly, and Kurumi clearly saw the small footprint of a girl imprinted on the screen.
It was the same footprint Erica had left behind after using Boots of Hermes. If the little girl saw this, she would probably scream and insist they turn off the TV.
Ariana had prepared a traditional breakfast for Kurumi, consisting of sushi and a bowl of corn porridge.
The rice, produced in the Po River Valley, was wrapped around pickled veal slices, creating a deliciously rich flavor. Kurumi had to admit that Ariana's cooking skills were impressive.
However, the moment Kurumi casually scooped a spoonful of corn porridge and tasted it, her expression changed instantly.
A complex array of flavors exploded on her tongue, with an overwhelming sweetness masking the bitterness of life's many flavors beneath it.
Without a word, Kurumi set the spoon down.
"Ariana, I'll go check on Paolo," Kurumi said as she stood up.
...
The Grand Master of the Sage Council had not brought the information Paolo had hoped for.
It was unimaginable that a Heretic God could descend without any known myth or legend attached to them... What a headache.
The absence of mythological ties meant that they had no way to bind this goddess; no weakness.
But Alice had brought Paolo another piece of bad news.
Due to the alignment of the stars, they were now in the prime time for summoning Heretic Gods.
In England, another Heretic God had descended.
Knock-knock.
The door to the meeting room was tapped gently.
"Who is it?" Paolo asked, frowning. He had already given orders not to be disturbed when Alice arrived at Bronze-Black Cross.
"My, my, it's only been a day, and Paolo-san is already treating me like a stranger," a charming voice called out from behind the door. Kurumi could already "see" the lovely girl standing outside the meeting room.
A teasing smile curled on her lips.
"After all, just yesterday, you were so firm under me~~."
Kurumi said something incredibly misleading in a coy tone.
Though the battle had been entirely one-sided, with Kurumi thoroughly defeating Paolo and pressing him beneath her foot, her words were easily misinterpreted.
"Your Highness, please come in," Paolo sighed helplessly, then invited Kurumi inside.
Click.
Kurumi pushed the door open and entered the room.
Finally, Alice saw the Heretic God for the first time.
Kurumi was unexpectedly graceful and dignified, with a serene smile that made her seem like an exceptionally well-bred young lady.
Yet when Alice looked into those crimson eyes, glowing like a rose in the warm sunlight, she felt a shiver deep in her bones, a sense of overwhelming fear.
"Carry on, carry on," Kurumi said casually, finding a seat and resting her chin on her hands, motioning for them to continue.
Paolo glanced at Kurumi, puzzled... She seemed... weaker?
...
"I've come to ask for your assistance," Alice said, addressing Paolo.
"A Heretic God, Nuada of the Silver Arm, has descended upon the Isles of Scilly."
Heretic Gods were not something ordinary magicians could handle. Only those known as Campione—Godslayers—had the power to truly contend with them.
But if it was only a matter of driving the Heretic God away, then powerful figures like Paolo, one of the great knights, could unite to repel the Heretic God, provided they understood the mythological constraints of their enemy.
As a princess, Alice had come to request aid from the knight, Paolo Blandelli.
...
"Nuada of the Silver Arm!?" Paolo exclaimed in disbelief.
This was none other than the King of the Celtic Gods.
Nuada Airgetlám, the ancient king of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and the God of Victory.
"Yes... That's right," Alice said, her smile tinged with bitterness. "That God-King is an enemy we cannot hope to defeat."
"My purpose here today, aside from confirming the information regarding... Her Highness, is to request your help, Paolo."
As one of the world's strongest holy knights, Paolo was among the most accessible allies Alice could call upon.
"If we can drive him out to sea, we can then summon Marquis Voban. After that, it will be a battle between a Godslayer and a Heretic God."
...
"A Godslayer and a Heretic God, huh?" Kurumi yawned lazily, as if confirming something with herself.
"Why not consider a battle between a God and a God instead?" Kurumi's lips curled into a smirk.
"We... are quite interested in the gods of this world."
"We... this world..." Paolo pondered Kurumi's cryptic words.
Alice's eyes suddenly lit up as she looked at Kurumi Tokisaki.
That's right. The only ones capable of fighting gods... were not just Godslayers. Gods could fight gods as well!
——
In the end, Paolo decided to remain in Milan.
Kurumi's presence at Bronze-Black Cross had already caused enough commotion, and he had many matters to attend to.
If handled poorly, Bronze-Black Cross could become the target of many adversaries, particularly Copper-Black Cross, who would love to see them fall.
...
The selected team heading to London with Alice consisted of Kurumi and Erica.
Although both Paolo and Alice were grateful that Kurumi was willing to help, they were still somewhat worried about Erica going along as well.
Erica was, after all, the future of Bronze-Black Cross.
However, as they watched Erica's excited figure disappear into the distance, Paolo couldn't help but feel a strange sense of foreboding.
The next time they met, things might no longer be the same.
——
From the airplane window, the earth stretched out below in a breathtaking view, and the distant horizon curved gracefully.
Erica pressed her face against the glass, her expression full of excitement.
As a duke's daughter, it was no problem for Alice to charter a private plane. Moreover, she worried that ordinary people might disturb Kurumi.
Harnessing the power of a Heretic God wasn't a simple matter. Just as the monks of Tendai Sect went to great lengths to harness the power of the Monkey King, securing Kurumi Tokisaki as an ally had been a surprising stroke of luck for Alice.
However, despite her gratitude, Alice couldn't help but feel anxious, knowing that Kurumi was an incredibly powerful figure.
Nuadha, the wielder of the Sword of Light, Claimh Solais.
Moreover, what Paolo had told her about Kurumi's goal made Alice even more uneasy.
——Reclaiming Authorities.
What kind of god would have the goal of reclaiming lost powers?
For now, though, their priority was to drive off Nuada of the Silver Arm.
Respectfully, Alice began to explain the myth of Nuada to Kurumi. His story was just as crucial as the legends of heroic spirits in the Holy Grail War.
---
I am the one who holds victory.
I am the one who brings the presence of the ancient king of the world to modern times.
...
That night, the stars of Altair gleamed with a near-dazzling orange hue, burning brighter than usual.
From the distant, ethereal sky, from the forgotten past, He descended.
Who called upon me?
He did not know.
But such a trivial confusion was not enough to cause the great god any concern. He was the King of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the one who shattered the shackles before Him.
Much like the tragic heroes in many Celtic myths, He foresaw His grim fate in prophecy, only to meet death through His own unwitting actions.
He too saw it... that brilliant silver and blood-red spear.
Come! Come and face me in battle!
Accept your tragic yet grand destiny, and let the seas turn crimson!
...
"What a peaceful age," He marveled, a smile curling on His face as the golden dawn reflected upon His divine features. His deep, lake-like eyes gazed at the distant sun rising over the horizon.
He walked through ancient granite pillars still radiating faint magic, His strides resolute as He crossed the mountains, heading toward the sea.
Behind Him, vibrant flowers of all colors bloomed across the land. His steps were leisurely, passing through human cities.
Those who crossed His path, like the small humans who once knelt before gods in ancient times, dropped to their knees along the road. They watched in awe as the stone streets cracked open, allowing resilient green shoots and flowers to sprout.
A miracle, indeed.
As a Heretic God, merely releasing a fraction of His divine nature painted the world in colors of His choosing.
——
The Isles of Scilly lie southwest of Cornwall, England.
The group had just disembarked from the plane, and soon after a short pause, a sleek black Jaguar XJ pulled up in front of them.
Princess Alice, the White Hime-Miko, had already made all the necessary arrangements. She didn't even take the time to stop by the Sage Council, instead instructing the driver to head straight for Cornwall.
Letting a Heretic God roam freely across Britain wasn't something she could stomach.
"Kurumi-sama... have you remembered all the information I shared with you about Nuada?" Alice asked anxiously, her gaze filled with unease as she glanced at Kurumi.
Knowledge of gods was crucial when facing them in battle. A powerful Godslayer or Heretic God could even use the information against their opponent, binding them with Words of Power.
After all, Heretic Gods are those who defy the very names and myths that define them, wandering the Earth in defiance of the stories humanity crafted for them.
Initially, Alice had intended to impart the information directly to Kurumi using the Teaching spell.
However, since Kurumi had now transformed into a Heretic God herself, she was immune to weak enchantments and Words of Power, even those designed as blessings.
Thus, Alice had no choice but to explain everything about Nuada of the Silver Arm verbally—the most primitive form of communication.
While it was possible to transfer the information through a kiss, Alice quickly dismissed such an idea, assuming the divine lady would find it objectionable.
"Sigh... probably," Kurumi replied awkwardly, averting her gaze.
Although she could understand every word Alice had said, and grasp the meaning of every sentence, when they were all strung together, it was as if her mind blanked out.
She only managed to comprehend the myth of Nuada, but the vast amount of magical knowledge intertwined within it? Not a clue.
Kurumi didn't understand magic.
Is this really going to work... Alice felt a wave of helplessness wash over her. After all that effort, was it all for nothing?
"Ara ara, don't worry, Alice," Kurumi reassured her with a smile. "Knowing the myth is more than enough."
"You've already been a great help."
"Maybe," Alice sighed. She could only hope that battles between gods were different from those involving Campione or humans.
It was nearly 40 kilometers from Land's End to the Isles of Scilly. Gazing across the blue horizon, those with sharp eyes could just make out the outlines of the islands.
These islands, standing far from the English mainland, like jewels cast into the ocean by the gods themselves, seemed to shimmer at the edge of the vast sea.
"Kurumi-sama," Alice implored one final time. "I don't know the exact nature of your authority, but given your ability to face the King of the Celts, it must be an immensely powerful one."
"With your might, it wouldn't be difficult to wipe the Isles of Scilly off the map. I humbly beg you to lead Nuada to a remote area, away from human settlements, for the battle."
"Relax, relax~~~" Kurumi smiled reassuringly. "I'm not some sort of destructive maniac, you know."
Alice opened her mouth to speak but hesitated.
She had heard similar assurances many times from Campione before they engaged in battle, and yet, in the end, everything was always destroyed regardless.
Once a Campione or a Heretic God entered battle mode, no mere magician could stop them.
Alice dreaded seeing headlines the next day reporting that some island in the Isles of Scilly had sunk due to an earthquake or tsunami.
Of the nearly 50 islands that make up the Scilly Isles, only five are inhabited by humans.
And it was on St. Mary's, the largest of these islands, that Nuada had descended.
Since His arrival, flowers had bloomed across the island, and it had taken quite a bit of convincing from the priests to explain this to the locals.
The boat ride to St. Mary's would still take a considerable amount of time.
With a mischievous smile curling on her lips, multiple delicate arms emerged from the black-red shadows surrounding Kurumi, grabbing both Erica and Alice.
In the midst of their startled screams, the two were pulled into the shadow world.
"Shh-shh, welcome to my world," Kurumi whispered playfully.
Kurumi leaped toward the Isles of Scilly, and as she approached, a powerful, courageous presence erupted from the largest island, sending an open invitation to battle.
Come!
...
Divine light radiated from Him, enough to make any magician tremble. His godly power and divine nature were on full display, with nothing hidden.
He was a being humanity once looked up to beneath the vast skies, now a wandering god, a disaster known as a Heretic God.
He looked toward the northeast, where another Heretic God—one of His kind—was approaching. But alas, this was no ally.
He set down the flowers in His hand—His hands, delicate as those of a maiden.
He walked toward the sea, the water gently cradling His boots, His slender form cleaving through the wind as He covered nearly a kilometer with each step.
Come!
Fight!
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