"As expected of a Campione—your intuition is remarkably sharp."
Sayanomiya Kaoru nodded as she spoke. "In fact, the mythical blade that entered the sea together with Ototachibana-hime lies near the eastern coastline here."
No one present seemed surprised by this answer.
For people at their level, divine artifacts were not exactly cabbages sold on every street corner, but neither were they peerless treasures seen only once in a millennium.
Moreover, divine artifacts were not cheat-like weapons that granted invincibility to whoever held them. Rather, they were more akin to a [double-edged sword]—armaments that imposed a considerable burden and backlash upon their wielder. The most representative example was the Kusanagi no Tsurugi possessed by Ena Seishuuin. If she were to recklessly unleash the divine power of the blade without restraint, she would indeed obtain overwhelming strength, but within ten minutes her body would completely collapse under the strain of that power.
And she was Japan's foremost Hime-Miko, a direct attendant of Susanoo.
Even Ena, acknowledged as number one, faced such consequences. One could imagine what would happen if second- or third-rate magi obtained a divine artifact—before they could display any real power, they would likely be buried by the artifact itself.
Thus, the more one understood such objects, the deeper the reverence they inspired.
That said, the world never lacked ambitious schemers or those utterly confident in their own strength. A divine artifact was, after all, a formidable power. Being coveted was only human nature.
"Beneath that torii gate out at sea, there's a tremendous reaction of divine power and a curse boundary... oh~ and some explosives as well. So that must be where you chose to hide it? Judging from the divine aura, it seems to be a sacred object connected to [Steel]."
Using the insight of her Tenseigan, Satsuki located the burial site of Ama no Sakahoko at a glance. Although the interference of the [Divine Arena] still lingered, she could already deduce a great deal through her own methods.
Candle Nine Yin resided within her. The mysterious bond between that dragon god and [Steel] was enough to provide her with considerable information.
"As expected of Lady Satsuki. To be honest, Yamato Takeru and Britain's King Arthur are both military gods of Steel associated with this legend."
Amakasu looked at her in mild astonishment. From their current vantage point, the torii gate out at sea lay thousands of meters away when viewed from above, with several industrial districts in between. In addition, multiple layers of anti-reconnaissance and perception wards had been placed around the torii. Yet even so, she had locked onto the divine artifact's location at once.
Merely pinpointing the artifact's location was already shocking enough. What was more outrageous was that she had even mentioned the barriers and the explosives laid there. For a brief moment, he could not help but question whether the work the History Compilation Committee had done all these years held any meaning at all.
...But that thought did not linger long in his mind before he dismissed it. Matters like this could be left to the higher-ups to worry about—he only needed to handle the tasks within his pay grade.
"I'm not too familiar with Yamato Takeru," Satsuki remarked casually, "but that so-called divine artifact sounds almost like the sword in the lake slumbering within the fairy realm."
"Mm, when you put it that way, the two do seem to share similarities. The so-called [Last King] might very well be one of them."
...
As they conversed, the group crossed the Kisarazu connecting road and arrived at the Bōsō Peninsula.
The sea that had once served as the stage of myth could now be traversed in mere dozens of minutes by car.
After arriving, Kaoru finally voiced her request. "In truth, as for the object called Ama no Sakahoko—what exactly it is remains difficult for us to determine with our current abilities. Therefore, we hope to borrow the discerning eyes of you two."
Because of the need for strict confidentiality, even Yuri had not been informed.
"It's a trivial matter."
Upon reaching the shoreline, they could see from a distance that excavation work was proceeding in an orderly fashion. It appeared they had already reached the final stage of hauling the object up.
Aside from the laborers, numerous onmyōji, samurai, ninjas, and soldiers in uniform were present at the site. They seemed to be directing the workers to dig at other locations—presumably to avoid triggering the explosives and defensive formations buried below.
If this were a country that rushed construction without careful planning, where cables were severed and water pipes punctured every few days, such meticulous operations would likely be impossible.
An onmyōji retrieved the unearthed object and handed it to Amakasu.
"...So this is the thing called Ama no Sakahoko?"
What Amakasu brought back looked, on the surface, like nothing more than an ordinary stick, roughly the thickness and length of a pencil.
The material was unknown, displaying the malt-like hue of carefully polished wood. It felt quite firm to the touch—though not as hard as stone, it was far tougher than plastic.
Satsuki did not even need to deliberately sense it. Her Tenseigan perceived a reaction similar to what she had once seen from the Gorgon Stone.
"It is indeed a divine artifact. However, its current appearance is merely a facade. Within this unremarkable object lies considerable divine power."
If that is the case, it seems another dispute with a god may be inevitable.
But destroying this divine artifact now would bring me no benefit. On the contrary, I would lose a piece of bait. Why should I do such thankless work?
It would be better to keep it and see what interesting developments follow.
"How do you intend to deal with it? Sooner or later, keeping this artifact will attract a god," Satsuki asked.
Kaoru rubbed her temples. "If it could be destroyed, matters would be much simpler. Unfortunately, such divine artifacts possess protection of [indestructibility and imperishability]. Our methods simply cannot affect them."
Satsuki offered no comment—she had already confirmed that her power of Vipralopa could indeed damage such objects.
However, destroying this artifact now offered her no advantage. Rather, it would eliminate a useful lure. There was no reason for her to act so foolishly.
"Since it cannot be destroyed for now, I'll carry it with me. That should be safer. I'll just place it in my jacket pocket for the time being." Erica took the artifact.
For a Godslayer, the unconscious curse power radiating from such an object would not impose too great a burden.
Moreover, her own strength ensured it could not be easily snatched away. Even if she were outmatched, she had methods to escape or call for aid. It was a prudent arrangement.
When Kaoru invited Erica here, she likely had some intention of passing off this hot potato to her.
However—did the elders of the History Compilation Committee have no plan to handle it?
Satsuki asked casually.
"Actually, Ena tried contacting Grandpa earlier," Ena Seishuuin suddenly spoke up.
The grandfather she referred to—the old gentleman in everyone's conversation—was none other than Susanoo, who resided in seclusion within the Netherworld.
"We originally wanted to ask for information about this spear. But it seems that won't work. The 'voice' should have reached him, yet there was no response."
The guardian of the great blade's Hime-Miko was that rugged man, Susanoo. Ordinarily, he and Ena communicated through what amounted to a phone with no signal whatsoever.
It seemed he had resorted to the petty tactic of pretending not to be there.
"It appears he is not as forthright as that Princess of Lapis Eyes..." Satsuki was not surprised. However, her gaze fixed upon a certain point in empty space. "But for now, let us welcome this guest who has come from afar."
The moment Satsuki finished speaking, Erica drew the Lion's Heart. At the same time, Ena pushed the guard of her Japanese sword forward with her thumb, slipping into the same [enemy-detection state] as before.
"Everyone, please be careful. This enemy is no ordinary opponent."
In the next instant, at the very point where Satsuki's gaze had been fixed, a young girl suddenly materialized.
She had radiant golden curls and a beauty like that of an antique doll crafted by a master artisan. She wore a black formal dress. Everything about her left a striking impression. She appeared to be around twelve years old. The moment Satsuki saw her, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
"Lady Satsuki, the original owner of this body seems to have some connection with the woman before us. I can feel the dragon-serpent godhead within me stirring."
Candle Nine Yin's voice echoed within her sea of consciousness.
Connected to the dragon-serpent godhead of the divine ancestor Angela? In that case, her identity was easy enough to guess.
"Divine Ancestor Guinevere. For you to appear here, it seems this Ama no Sakahoko truly is a crucial key to that one's awakening." Satsuki lightly revealed both her identity and her purpose.
A flicker of surprise and gravity flashed through the young girl's eyes at having her identity exposed so effortlessly. She was, of course, no stranger to Erica, Satsuki, and Ena.
The former had once captured Angela alive before her eyes. As for Ena, she was capable of invoking divine descent. Any one of them was beyond Guinevere's ability to confront head-on.
However, the excavation of Ama no Sakahoko had disrupted her plans and arrangements, forcing her to appear in person.
"Lady Satsuki, you misunderstand. I have come today because there is a matter I must report to you. That is why I have taken the liberty of disturbing you."
As she spoke, the divine ancestor performed an elegant bow toward Erica. Though she bore the appearance of a twelve-year-old girl, her movements were as precise as those of a noble descendant trained from childhood.
"Crimson King? That title lacks originality," Erica said loftily, lifting her chin. "Still, your manners are commendable. I don't mind listening to what you have to say—but choose your words carefully."
"Thank you for your magnanimity, Lady Crimson King."
Guinevere revealed a delicate smile, as though it had been rehearsed countless times.
So this was the one Lu Yinghua had mentioned. Though it was merely intuition, it was unlikely to be wrong.
"I've already heard rumors about you from Luo Hao. You and Divine Ancestor Angela are companions, correct?"
"As you say. Guinevere and Angela are indeed sisters. We are both witches who stand in the rank of Divine Ancestors."
Divine Ancestors—beings that seemed similar to gods at first glance, yet were entirely different.
"I have come today to deliver a piece of information to the Crimson King."
The golden-haired Divine Ancestor smiled gracefully.
Before she could continue, however, Ena spoke up.
"Um... you're the one who's been observing this place—and us—from afar all this time, aren't you? The aura feels exactly the same. Your target was Ama no Sakahoko, wasn't it?"
The Hime-Miko of the great blade possessed instincts as sharp as a beast's. If she said so, it was virtually certain.
"Mm, Miss Ena is absolutely correct. Guinevere does very much desire that divine artifact—but I am not so lacking in self-awareness as to believe I could seize it by force. I understand clearly that with my own strength, I cannot take this artifact."
Guinevere admitted her objective without hesitation.
Kaoru spoke calmly. "And so? Divine Ancestor, what information are you offering in exchange for exposing yourself like this?"
"I wonder how much the Crimson King remembers of the god Melqart?"
"Melqart?"
Erica was naturally no stranger to the name.
"He is called the King of the Gods, a great warrior, the mightiest dragon-slaying hunter. He possesses multiple divine aspects. He was also the supreme god worshipped by the Semitic peoples—a god of wisdom, life, war, and the underworld. His true name is Baal, an ancient sky god. The Old Testament records him clearly. Baal was the greatest enemy of the God of Judaism and Christianity, and a deity who exerted enormous influence upon those monotheistic faiths..."
"Of course I know of such a great god," she said, a faint look of confusion crossing her face. "But what does that have to do with me?"
"No offense intended—but do you truly not know?" A trace of surprise appeared on Guinevere's face. "Your Authority was usurped from the Persian war god Verethragna. On that day in Sardinia, the ones engaged in battle were precisely Melqart and Verethragna."
"Was that so?" Erica looked at Satsuki in bewilderment.
In truth, Erica's memory of how she obtained her Authority had always been hazy, as though she had inexplicably become a Godslayer all at once.
The only person who had truly experienced that event firsthand was Satsuki.
"Your Authority," Satsuki replied calmly, "was seized by me from that youthful god using the Prometheus' Grimoire and transferred to you."
"What I wish to say," Guinevere continued, "is that the King of the Gods, after that day, fell silent for reasons unknown. However, he has recently reappeared and openly declared his intention to wash away his humiliation."
"Wash away his humiliation?"
Most of those present were baffled by the phrase. Only Satsuki understood its meaning.
During that battle, after she had eliminated the Persian war god, she had driven away the god-king with a single glance. It seemed that fleeing the battlefield had left an unbearable scar upon the deity's pride.
But wounded pride was better than perishing on the spot. If the god-king had chosen to endure humiliation then yet now dared to resurface, he must have gained some form of support.
"Washing away humiliation is a bold ambition," Satsuki said lightly. "But it must be founded upon strength. What does he intend to do?"
Though Melqart was a powerful Heretic God, to Satsuki he was no more than a speck of dust that could be brushed aside. The only reason she had spared him before was to test the power of the Prometheus' Grimoire.
"Lady Satsuki, in recent days, storms and disturbances have once again arisen near Mount Falterona in Italy. Although the King of Swords is stationed there, he has been occupied dealing with unrest caused by the remnants of the most ancient Campione's former subordinates. He has had no time to address this matter, and the Copper-Black Cross has suffered considerable losses as a result."
"Furthermore, according to what I have learned, during this period the god-king's divine power has increased dramatically. He has also found a powerful divine ally. Meanwhile, the remnants of Marquis Voban in Eastern Europe have withdrawn and consolidated their forces. For the time being, the King of Swords likely has no spare capacity to intervene."
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