I do not own High School DxD, Code Geass, or Campione! I am only writng this for fun and for no other reason. If you don’t like it then please go and find something more suitable to your tastes because I will not change my stories to try and please everyone. For those of you willing to continue, I hope you all enjoy.
God Slayer DxD
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 2: Defining Space
Flashback: After Mike killed the Heretic God, King Solomon
Mike shifted as he felt himself floating on air. Was he dead? He felt like he wasn’t, but if he wasn’t then why didn’t he feel the pain of having five spears lodged through his body. Was modern medical science even able to help someone recover from something like that? He kind hoped that it could since he didn’t feel like dying, even if he went down with a smile on his face.
A soft giggle echoed through the air, making him feel warm, “My my, what a good son I’ve become mother to. Risking his life to protect women in need, but so savagely bringing down the one who was committing such vile acts.”
“Mn,” Mike tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come to him. He felt so tired.
“Your heart showed its true colors when that naughty Solomon began his indulgence. Any mother would be proud to know they have a son like you!” the female voice praised, warmth and affection deep in her voice. “And a woman always enjoys knowing she has a good man who will protect her.”
Mike sighed, relaxing. Well, if he couldn’t talk then he couldn’t talk. At least the company was nice.
“I look forward to seeing what such a gentleman will do in the world as my son,” the woman giggled again. Mike could hear her take a deep breath before she spoke in a new tone, one full of command and Authority, “By the black art that I and Epimetheus left behind this is the sacred birth of an illegitimate child, shrouded in darkness, born of a witch and fool. A secret of usurpation only made possible through the sacrifice of a god.”
Mike felt quite suddenly a core of heat enter his body, starting from his chest and rippling out to the extremities. It felt like the heat wasn’t coming from him, but becoming part of him. Where the heat went, he felt like he was becoming brand new. Something more came with the heat, something powerful...something...more.
“I, the all-giving woman Pandora declare that you shall be reborn as a Campione. The godslayer, the king of kings, the Campione!”
Mike felt a kiss on his forehead and then...nothing.
(LINE BREAK)
Mike groaned and rubbed his eyes, feeling more tired than anything else. Reaching up, he rubbed his eyes. After a few moments to just allow his mind to reset, his eyes bulged as his last memories returned. With a gasp, he sat up and began patting his chest. Looking down, he realized that he was shirtless. That suited him well, since it allowed him to check his torso for the holes which he was sure that the spears which impaled him had left behind. What he found though was unblemished flesh and certainly no bloody holes made by golden spears.
“What…?” Mike frowned, looking at himself but then realized he was shirtless and not where he remembered being. Looking around, he found himself n what looked like a penthouse room for likely a really expensive hotel. Lavish decorations, expensive art, and even a canopy bed were all visible, especially since he was in the canopy bed.
“Where the heck am I?” he blinked. Frowning as he realized something, he peeked under the sheets which caused his face to turn red. “And why don’t I have pants on?!”
A click echoed from the door and it opened, prompting Mike to look to see who was entering. To his horror, it was the tanned woman from the airport which he recalled Solomon wanting to take advantage of. She entered as calm as could be, fortunately with her clothes fixed.
“My Lord? Are you awake? I heard talking,” she spoke, entering completely to see Mike sitting up in the bed. “Ah, splendid. You’re awake.”
“Ah!” Mike cried, pulling the covers up to hide himself. “Don’t look! I’m naked here!”
“My Lord, I am a knight. A little nudity is hardly the worst thing I have ever seen and you are far from an unattractive specimen,” the woman replied, walking towards his bed, making Mike’s face turn even more crimson as she got closer. She seated herself at the side of the bed and felt his forehead. “How do you feel? Are you uncomfortable? In pain? Queasy? Anything?”
“N-Nothing medical,” Mike flushed. In that regard, he’d never felt better before. “But...I’ve got a beautiful woman next to me in a room somewhere I don’t know and I’m naked!”
“Thank you for the compliment My Lord,” the woman beamed. She stood up and flattened her skirt. “There is a full wardrobe for you in the closet provided by the Whitengamont. Please take your time and I shall explain everything to you in the living room.”
The woman then walked from the room, leaving Mike alone and feeling more than a little confused. Still, not wanting to be naked near someone he didn’t know, he all but dashed for the closet. Inside was a number of outfits he knew didn’t belong to him. With his suitcase gone though, he didn’t have much choice. After a quick check, he grabbed a set of jeans and a white button up shirt complete with a belt and polished black shoes in his size.
He stepped out into the main living space of the hotel room, finding the woman walking to the dining table with a very expensive-looking tea set, complete with hot tea ready to be served. Mike steeled himself and approached the table as the woman poured a pair of cups for them to enjoy.
“Ah, good. You’re dressed,” she smiled, setting down the teapot. She approached him, but remained at a respectable distance and stood up straight.
“Yeah,” Mike sighed. “So...care to tell me who you are? Where we are? For that matter, what happened at the airport?”
“In that order, my name is Viletta Nu, knight of the Whitengamont,” the woman introduced. “We are currently on the top floor of the Hilton Hotel in London, and what occurred at the airport was a Heretic God manifesting in rebellion for his legend.”
Mike frowned, understanding at least part of what he was told. Apparently he was under the care of Villetta Nu, an apparent knight, and they were in a very nice hotel. The other parts, the ones pertaining to Heretic Gods and a Whitengamont went right over his head.
Mike blinked, but then massaged the bridge of his nose. “Okay, you’re going to have to explain this to me. First, what is the Whitengamont and then you can explain what Heretic God is supposed to mean.”
“Very well. Would you like to sit?” Villetta gestured to the chairs and Mike took a seat across from the beautiful knight.
Villetta explained that the Whitengamont was an organization established to research, administer, and organize the magic users of the British Empire and Europe. Magic was a force which was kept secret from the world at large, considering the strife and conflict which was caused by religion and magic coming into contact in the past. The monarchy was aware of their existence and they answered directly to the queen as their highest authority. Mike was very willing to believe her considering the things he had seen up until that particular point.
Talking about magic eventually lead to what Heretic Gods were. They were deities who rebelled against their legends after mankind began believing in different interpretations or stories about them. They came to earth, causing chaos just by standing there, never mind the transformation into Heretic God corrupted them through their particular vices. Solomon was a particularly good example of that. He was depicted as a very wise and wealthy king whose only real vice was beginning to worship pagan deities when he was supposed to follow Jehovah. As a Heretic God in the airport, his vice of lust quickly grew out of control thanks to turning heretic as well as modern beliefs in morals and such changing many people’s views on his actions.
That explanation in turn went into what exactly Mike had become: Campione. A human through sheer luck or incredible skill managed to do the impossible and bring down a god. But there was more than just prestige to it, but included taking command of the Authorities of the gods, the power which allowed them to be divinity. He got a bunch of other perks along with the raw power of the gods, which included an incredibly durable body, immense magical reserves, and even the ability to negate mortal magic he touched, and even become harder for divine magic to affect. In fact, in terms of magic and raw power, no one on earth but a Heretic God or another Campione could take him on and hope to win. Because of that, the general policy when dealing with a Campione was do whatever they say and hope it made them happy.
Mike couldn’t help but openly gape at what Villetta had told him, “So...I’m an uncontested king and generally everyone in the know about magic and probably governments will kowtow to anything I say just to make sure I don’t go destroying cities in retaliation?”
“It has happened before,” Villetta nodded. “Pompeii is an excellent example of that.”
“I thought Pompeii was destroyed by a volcano,” Mike frowned.
“No. That was the cover,” the knight shook her head. “The local magical society attempted to subdue a Campione so to control his power and he retaliated with one of his Authorities, burying the city in magma.”
“Woah,” Mike paled. “So...I mean...wow...uh…”
“Yes,” Villetta agreed. “It is quite shocking. If you wish, I can do my best to assist you in helping determining your Authorities.”
Mike gulped, but looked to the female knight with a bit of hope, “Really? Aren’t you afraid of what I could do?”
“A little,” Villetta nodded. “The great earthquake of Damghan in 856 was caused by a Campione who didn’t know how to use his Authorities. The entire city was destroyed. Since then it’s been an unspoken rule for any mage or organization who discovers a new Campione to help them understand what they are and what they are capable of.”
“But to do this by yourself when you’ve probably got dedicated scholars to the subject,” Mike spoke up. As Viletta explained herself and he had a moment to calm down, he suddenly realized there were connections he hadn’t noticed. If the Whitengamont was such a large organization, they probably had protocols for dealing with Campione. Villetta was a knight by her own admission and likely not part of the political scene. She was breaking those protocols by talking to him herself, even if there likely were unusual circumstances.
Villetta looked down slightly but nodded, “I...technically should have called in reinforcements to help like I did after Solomon was slain. But...I had hoped to speak to you personally without distractions. It was my hope with just one person and in a calm environment, it would make understanding your position somewhat easier to accept.”
Mike looked to her face and noticed she looked embarrassed, like she’d committed a rude gesture to someone in public and had gotten caught doing it, “You want to ask me something important to you, something a Campione can give.”
Villetta frowned, but nodded again, “I...I hoped to ask you if I could become your personal knight.”
Mike stopped, his thoughts brought up short at the shy admission, “Um...why?”
Villetta sighed and looked like she wished to say something else, but stopped herself, “I...I will not lie. First and foremost you rescued me from a fate likely worse than death, to be the loving pleasure slave of a Heretic God. As a knight, I cannot forget that kind of act done for me or the debt it places on me to you.”
“And as a knight, you must honor all debts,” Mike commented.
“Yes,” Villetta nodded. “Secondly, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. Although many fear a Campione, anyone who serves them is automatically considered the best of the best, nobility in their own right. I...I wish to gain a noble title by becoming part of your service. Such titles mean a lot in magical circles and it has been a goal of mine since I joined the Whitengamont.”
“But isn’t the title of knight a noble title?” asked Mike, his mind shooting off on tangents for the situation.
“Only for one generation,” Viletta shook her head. “If I was in it for myself, that would be fine. But having grown up poor and having to work for everything, I don’t want my relatives or future generations of my family to go through that. Having a noble title such as baroness would ensure a better future for all of them.”
“And being the personal knight of a Campione would be the same thing?” asked Mike.
“Indeed. Luo Hao, the Campione of China shows immense favor to the family of her first apprentice, taking each generation and training them. All magical societies there treat their names as a noble title,” Viletta explained. “Many magical families inside and out of magical groups struggle to earn the favor if their lands become those of a Campione, granting them a noble lineage through the ranks.”
“And you hope I can do that for you,” Mike nodded. He could tell Villetta wasn’t lying so she wasn’t blatantly trying to use him, just hoping he’d favor her for advancement.
Viletta nodded, but continued, “Lastly, and maybe the only reason I’m even asking all this of you, is that I believe you are a good man, one who people will benefit of having as their king and protector. I can trust my request to you and not be destroyed for asking such a thing.”
Mike leaned back in his chair, rubbing his head. He should have been freaking out, becoming a king who no one in the world would have the stupidity to mess with. He could harness the powers of the gods to fight, and would likely have to if Heretic Gods considered him such a powerful enemy. Add to the fact he’d outlive everyone he knew by centuries and was effectively unbreakable by mundane means and he would normally be fit to puke in the midst of his panic.
Despite that, he managed to keep calm. He was able to see the big picture in everything and keep calm. He had to fight Heretic Gods? He’d fight and he was confident he could. He just needed to know who he was fighting. Extended lifespan? With good friends and support, he could keep his good humor and find contentment, if not happiness. Something like that was always achievable so long as one didn’t drown in their sorrows. His new station? He didn’t need it now, but it was good to know if he had an emergency he’d have the ultimate trump card. Unbreakable body? Well, now he could feel more confident trying extreme sports.
With this knight thing though… “Villetta Nu.” The woman sat at attention, “Since you were honest with me and are offering to help me get used to my new Authorities, I only have one more question before I give you an answer.”
“Then please ask,” Villetta nodded. “I will answer to the best of my ability.”
Mike steeled himself, “More than my knight, can I trust you as my friend, my comrade, someone who I can turn to when I feel the pressure and can trust to help me if things get rough instead of abandoning me, thinking I’ll be fine since I’m a Campione?”
Villetta’s eyes widened at the question, but she then relaxed to smile softly at him, “I think I have already answered that much. After all, even if you did help me in such a situation, I do not give kisses to just anyone. I see you as more than simply a superior, but someone I can trust to aid me and help me shoulder my burdens when they become too much, someone who I can relax around and share my concerns with. I will be that friend and more should you ever need me to be, My Lord.”
MIke smiled, hearing her sincere willingness to be more than his servant, but someone he could trust. Whatever was keeping him calm could also alert him to the signs of her honesty. She was relaxed, holding eye contact, not fidgeting, but not over embellishing the promise. She was respectfully casual, which was a big indicator that she was telling the truth. Of course, hearing she felt he was the kind of person who could earn a kiss from her was quite flattering as well. Despite the situation, Villetta’s beauty wasn’t lost on him.
Thinking about that, and the affection she granted him, Mike was suddenly assaulted with a vision. He closed his eyes and frowned, feeling a small migraine come with it. The image came in the form of a large woven tapestry, roughly the size of a landscape portrait, frame and all. What it depicted was a man on the throne who seemed wise and experienced despite his youthful appearance. Before him, lounging on thrones were numerous women, all adoring and loving but at the same time dignified and proper despite obviously being concubines. Around them was the wealth of the ancient world, golden weapons, fine carvings of stone, incredible artwork. It was a throne room fit for a king, and a mighty and wise king the tapestry had come from.
“My Lord? What is the matter?” asked Villetta, standing up from her chair to approach Mike.
MIke frowned, the migraine becoming stronger, I...I think...one of my Authorities is activating. Like...like...qualifications for it are fulfilled or something and it wants to activate on its own.”
“I...I see,” Villetta nodded, “Since this is not a hostile situation, it is likely not a violent Authority. Do not hesitate to use it then. You must be accepting of your Authorities or else you may never master them and you cannot afford that.”
“Right,” Mike nodded. “Stand back then, just in case.” Viletta did just that as Mike stood up, planting his hands on the table to be ready for anything. Concentrating on the sensation, the tapestry in his mind started losing its color until only the women depicted remained in their brightly coloured finery and regal relaxation.
And like an instinct, Mike began to speak, “Ye woman of beauty, intellect, and charm, I reach out my hand to you. I shall take you as my mistress to protect and to please. I shall accept your devotion, your adoration, and your subservience. Be reborn as my mistress!”
As the words were spoken a glow came from Mike’s body, but then his body began moving on automaic. He stood up from his chair and walked towards Villetta before he promptly took her into his arms and kissed her passionately on the lips. The woman gasped and struggled slightly, but the golden glow then spread to her which caused her to moan and instead begin returning the gesture with passion. When the glow stopped for Mike, but didn’t stop on Viletta, he suddenly realized he had done something to her, making him think, ‘Oh shit.’
On her part, Viletta was in rapture. The minor affection she felt towards the new Campione as her rescuer and as obviously a decent young man for how he risked himself for her sake seemed to suddenly explode. She suddenly saw him as the man he could become, the man he would become if he had a good, honest woman serving as his knight...no, as his mistress! His lover! His queen! Yes, she could see herself easily spending the rest of her life with a good man like the young Campione. Furthermore, she could feel his emotions and thoughts about her. He found her beautiful, sexy even though she wasn’t even trying. He saw her as honourable, honest, and someone he could trust with his new situation.
Yes, yes, yes! She could be all that and more! She would be her Lord’s confidant in every way!
Breaking out from her thoughts as the golden glow died, Villetta could not hold back. She broke the kiss for only a moment to catch her breath before she went right back, ignoring Mike’s stuttering attempt at an apology. Relatively the same height, she leaned in and captured his lips with hers, using every ounce of passion she could muster. When he gasped in shock, she took the chance to worm her tongue into his mouth to gently wrestle his.
Although shocked and confused, Mike had to wonder if the adult woman kissing him was what fine wine tasted like.
(END FLASHBACK)
Occult Research Club Room
“Harem of the King, an Authority which allows Lord Summers to recruit women who hold any amount of affection either for him, or received by him into his network of mistresses to support him in his endeavours,” Villetta explained professionally.
“It’s a perverted and wrong Authority to have,” Mike blushed brightly. “We’re lucky so long as the affection is real it’s only amplified. Otherwise I’d had ended it as soon as possible.”
“Then we are indeed lucky my affections are real, otherwise I may not have my Honoured King and you would not have me to serve you,” Villetta smiled. Obviously the argument was an old one the couple would have, and Villetta would win it every time.
“Oh, how naughty,” Akeno giggled, squirming from her seat. Obviously she found the idea delicious from how she was trying not to rub her thighs together.
“Perverted,” Koneko commented blandly.
“No kidding. That’s why I’m never going to use it again,” Mike sighed.
“Wait, wait, wait!” Issei cried, openly gaping. “You mean to say that you have the power to collect a harem...and you’re not even going to use it?!” Issei just looked at Mike like he was a traitor at the highest level. He then leaped up and jabbed a finger at the Campione. “YOU FOOL! DON’T YOU DARE WASTE THAT GIFT! YOU’RE ON THE VERGE OF LIVING THE MALE FANTASY!”
“Like I care, perv,” Mike frowned. “One woman is enough for me and some days I’m still not sure if Villetta’s feelings are hers and not made by that Authority.”
“Despite numerous reassurances,” Villetta sighed with a hand on her cheek as if mournful. “Teenage boys can be so insecure.”
“Ah, ha ha ha,” Kiba laughed awkwardly. It made him wonder if he as the one who was truly different from other boys his age instead of Issei considering the way the conversation was going.
“But think of the oppai!” Issei cried out. “A neverending field of oppai could be yours with this power! Do you not call yourself a man? How can you remain unmoved by a sight like that?!”
Mike blinked at the resident pervert, “...there’s something wrong with you isn’t there?”
“No! There’s something wrong with you! Don’t you have any hormones at all?!” Issei snapped back, still outraged.
“Issei…” Rias sighed.
“Oh he does, but he just gets to exercise them,” Villetta spoke up with a grin. “With me.”
“VILLETTA!” Mike cried out, beet red.
“YOU BASTARD!” Issei cried out, his outrage growing. “To say you never will collect a harem and right here you’ve got the definition of hot secretary willing to do anything you want and even offering to help make that harem for you!”
Mike groaned and rubbed his face, “That’s it, I’m not talking about this anymore. I’m humiliated enough as it is,” sighing he pointedly ignored Issei so he could talk to Rias, “So, what’s the deal with that Fallen Angel? I thought the factions were in a truce.”
“They are, but that doesn’t stop members from all sides from making trouble now and then,” Rias answered, Issei fuming for being ignored in the background. “In this case, he and his allies tried to kill Issei for the Sacred Gear inside of him.”
“A Sacred Gear?” Mike asked, not knowing the term.
Viletta quickly stepped up to explain, “Sacred Gears are powerful relics which we believe the ruler of Paradiso created and then implanted into select people. The relics are constantly born inside of people after the previous wielder dies. Most extraordinary people in history had one, even if they didn’t activate it. Issei’s must be particularly potent if the Fallen would consider him a threat with it.”
“Hey!” Issei cried out.
“Exactly,” Rias nodded. “Sacred Gears are coveted by all three factions so its always a race to collect the users or render them not a threat.”
“Which Dohnaseek obviously tried to do for the Fallen,” Mike nodded. “But it does beg the question if the Fallen leader knows this is going on. From your name, I’d say you’re a prominent figure in Inferno politics. Am I wrong?”
“More or less,” Rias nodded gracefully.
“Then any kind of incursion into your territory would bring some hefty consequences, possibly even spark conflicts all over again,” Mike frowned. “Unless leadership of the factions changed, I doubt whoever is leading the Fallen would want to spark them off again without one hell of a good reason. Attempting to kill one of your servants so blatantly could easily blow things out of control.”
“Very astute,” Rias agreed. “You seem to have gotten some of Solomon’s wisdom along with his talent with women.”
MIke flushed, “Yeah...anyway, with all this going on it might be safe to say that we may be dealing with one of three things. A band of upstarts who think they’re hot shit, a special ops group with a secret mission…”
“Hmm, possibly the first, and they were too sloppy and arrogant to be the second,” Rias commented.
“Or we have the third, a splinter group who wants conflicts to start up again for whatever reason and are trying to collect or neutralize special resources,” Mike finished. “Starting with Sacred Gear users.”
Rias frowned, rubbing her chin. “That...might be possible. From what I know, Azazel may be odd but to my knowledge he is not a warmonger. He’s a scientist. Unless he’s sure of getting something out of whatever he does then he doesn’t do it. War isn’t going to help anyone unless he’s sure he can win and all three factions are just too weakened from the last conflicts to put up much of a fight.”
“Which means someone in his faction may be aiming for his spot, using botched operations like this to discredit him, or be trying to collect resources needed to get the war going again, this time so the Fallen can win,” Mike frowned. “Paranoid thinking perhaps, but as a Campione I have to at least consider the idea since we’re dealing with the supernatural.”
“Too true,” Rias agreed. “You’ve given me a lot to think about. And here I thought we would negotiate at least peace but instead we seem to have become friends.”
“Hey, I’d rather have more friends than enemies any day,” Mike grinned, causing Rias to chuckle along with him.
“Don’t you even think about adding Rias to your harem,” Issei threatened under his breath, somehow creeping up behind Mike’s seat to whisper harshly at him. Mike just huffed and pushed the pervert’s face away, making him growl back.
“Now now Issei, be nice to the Godslayer or else he’ll smite you,” Akeno tittered at the antics between the two.
“Anyway!” Mike pushed Issei back, making him drop to his butt. “I’ll definitely keep an eye out for more Fallen in case they try anything. Considering I’m a Campione and they’re partial divinity they’ll be gunning for me too. Apparently Gods and Godslayers don’t exactly have a good rep with each other.”
“I can’t imagine why,” Rias teased, taking a sip of her tea.
(LINE BREAK)
Abandoned Church
The basement of the Fallen’s base was a dingy, intimidating place at best. Still, it had arcane power to it, being a place of worship. In the main antechamber, the four Fallen Angels were hard at work, standing at the cardinal points around an elaborate magic circle. Numerous human priests were circled in the shadows, adding chants to boost the effectiveness of the ritual. No one dared move, no one dared lapse for a moment in their concentration.
They could not afford a mistake when trying to summon a Heretic God.
Normally an attempt to forcibly summon a Heretic God would require a massive setup and the sacrifice of numerous humans in order to work. Fortunately, the Fallen Angels had a bit of an advantage. Being holders of divine power themselves, albeit corrupted, they had the power and the know-how in order to make such a ritual without making it one big production. So they could afford to make the ritual smaller and without the reckless sacrifice of their minions.
Raynare led the others, speaking the language of Paradiso. It was beautiful, like listening to music, but the harsh edge she spoke with made it intimidating and cruel. Still, the magic was working and the array lit up with arcane power, reaching to the Domain of Immortality, beyond any physical realm, the home of the gods themselves.
And they got their answer.
The circle flared with light, blinding the priests in the room before the sounds of cracking echoed, promptly followed by an explosion. The stone floor was torn asunder and dirt and dust flew in all directions, forcing the priests to take cover lest they get dealt some bad injuries from the rubble. As the cloud of dust began to die down, the priests dared to look and pany gasped at the sight. Some cringed at the thought of facing a pagan god, but they knew better than to speak out over it.
Standing in the middle of the room was a new figure, one that while human-shaped, was most definitely not human. He stood strong and proud, wearing black pants which had silver armored greaves and thigh armor. He wore a red jacket with red trim and silver buckles, but the front was opened to revealed his barred bare chest which was marked with a glowing green insignia which nearly enveloped his front. Silver pauldrons rested on his shoulders while silver gauntlets adorned his hands. On his back was a longsword with a silver cross on the front encased in a silver ornamented black sheath. His face was handsome, albeit cold with nearly glowing green eyes. His hair was silver, but somewhat wild and hung slightly past his shoulders.
“Welcome, Hero God Siegfried,” Raynare smiled, trying to hide the tiredness she and her comrades were feeling at conduction such a ritual.
Siegfried frowned at the Fallen, staring at her with distaste, “Why have you summoned me, Fallen Angel? Why should I not cut you down where you stand for your heresy and insults?”
“I shall tell you,” Raynare explained. “For as much as you hate our kind, there are ones you no doubt hate more. No doubt you hate that Campione, Sasha Dejanstahl Voban for summoning you just so he could kill you for your power, like meat thrown to the wolves. Then you no doubt hate the Campione who killed you in the first place, Salvatore Doni.”
Siegfried’s scowl tightened further, “You dare rub those incidents in my face and-?!”
“Peace, Siegfried,” Raynare spoke calmly. “I am merely pointing out a fact. One which you now have the opportunity to remedy now that we have broken you free from your legends. Surely the unnaturalness of the Campione outweighs the sin we Fallen Angels represent in your mind.”
Siegfried’s face was still set in a stony scowl, but thoughtfulness likewise entered his features, “This is true. But why have you summoned me? Surely it was not in the goodness of your own hearts.”
“No,” Raynare shook her head, “For you see, there is an eighth Campione now, one who for the moment resides in this very city. We ask that you...deal with him for us before you go on your way to enact justice for the insults his siblings dealt to you.”
“Hm,” Siegfried frowned. One could see the wheels turning in his head. Obviously he had no love for the Fallen Angels, but he clearly saw the Campione as a greater sin that had to be addressed first. “Very well. But remember Fallen Ones, when the bastard children of Pandora are eliminated I shall return for the rest of you.”
“Defeat this Campione first and you will never see us again,” Raynare smiled sweetly, but the ever constant malice in her eyes made her look anything but. “We can even offer you a general location of the Campione if you like.”
“I am listening,” Siegfried nodded.
(LINE BREAK)
Kuoh Academy
Mike relaxed on the roof of his new school, just staring up at the clouds. It was an activity which he took up not long after he had become a Campione. Being faced with his own demise and then his ascension into kingship made him begin to appreciate the smaller things. Times of quiet, the chance to just enjoy a nice day, the freedom of the open sky. Open space was definitely something he had come to appreciate, after being around so many people who wished to speak with him after he became a Campione, being presented at numerous buildings with cramped spaces, and Japan itself wasn’t exactly a spacious place to begin with. He learned open space was something to treasure, thus his excursion to the rooftop during lunch.
“Mr. Summers.”
Mike blinked and turned his attention towards the only door in or out of the school and was a little surprised to see Sona and her vice-president Tsubaki there. He must have been out of it to not even notice the door being opened.
“Oh, hello Kaichou,” Mike greeted, hopping up to his feet. “How can I help?”
“This isn’t an official request, merely my formal greeting,” Sona replied, approaching Mike. When she was close enough, but had enough distance to be polite, she curtseyed with her skirt while Tsubaki did a formal Japanese greeting bow bowing at the waist, “As the heiress of the House of Sitri, I Sona Sitri wish to formally welcome you to our school.”
Mike blinked, but then chuckled, remembering the name Sitri from the book Villetta had shown him, “It’s a pleasure to be here Heiress Sitri. I am Michael Ichabod Summers, slayer of Solomon, and the Eighth Campione.”
“It is a pleasure,” Sona smiled, standing straight. “My apologies for the formality, but Devil Protocols demand it when meeting one of your position.”
“Ah, I knew you were different,” Mike nodded, recalling the miasma which Sona gave off to his senses. “Can I assume that your council are also members of your Peerage?”
Mike had been full of questions about Devils and Rias had been more than courteous enough to answer them. Peerages were in fact new recruits to the Inferno who used to be humans or other species, transformed into Devils with the use of Evil Pieces, chess pieces imbued with Devil’s power. Each piece had a special power to it, thus why Rias introduced her Peerage as those pieces. Kings were the control pieces, Queens had the combined strengths of the other pieces, Knights had incredible speed, Rooks had the inhuman strength, Bishops had immense magical reserves, and Pawns could promote to any of the other pieces while in enemy territory.
“You would be correct,” Sona nodded, gesturing to Tsubaki. “This is Tsubaki Shinra, my Queen.”
“Lord Summers,” Tsubaki nodded.
“Queen Shinra,” Mike smiled, making the girl blush lightly. “While I do understand the need to adhere to protocols, especially for someone in both your positions as Heiress and Kaichou, was there anything else you wished to discuss with me?”
“Unfortunately yes,” Sona nodded. “You see, Rias and I are what you would call the Second Owners of the land in this district. What goes on here reflects on us and if or when things begin to go wrong it falls to us to fix it. Usually when a Campione gets involved in things, they tend to begin getting a little…”
“Wanton destruction pretty much described it,” Mike finished, making Sona nod. The foreign boy chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I can’t deny that. I’ve heard stories about the others and some of the stunts they’ve pulled.” Especially that Kusanagi Godou guy who tore down Tokyo Tower in a fight or so he heard. “Well, I can say I won’t go around looking for trouble. I don’t like to stir things up unless I really have to. If someone comes after me though, I won’t have much a choice but to put them down though.”
“Fair enough,” Sona nodded. “Heretic Gods are known to be particularly ruthless when it comes to finding Campione. Just try to keep the fight away from the normal people if you can. We Devils need to keep ourselves secret just like mages do.”
“I understand,” Mike nodded. “There is one thing I’d like to know then.”
“Yes?” wondered Sona.
“Any chance I could play you at chess again?” Mike grinned.
Sona smirked back, “Anytime Lord Summers, anytime.”
Sona and Tsubaki said their goodbyes and headed back into the school to continue their own lunches and perhaps catch up on some paperwork. Once the door to the roof was closed completely, Tsubaki dared herself to speak, “I wasn’t expecting him to be so reasonable after all the reports I read about Campione.”
“They do come off as arrogant and overbearing, but they certainly earned that right by being able to slay Heretic Gods,” Sona nodded. “Fortunately, Lord Summers seems to hold the reasonable side much like the Seventh King reportedly does.”
“It is a bit of a shame though,” Tsubaki pondered. “Given how Campione seem to hold their own luck, mixed with his potential if he could kill a Heretic God, he would have made a wonderful addition to the Peerage.”
“That is true,” Sona agreed. “But as he is now, no Evil Piece has enough power to convert one of the Godslayers into Devils. Not even if he swallowed multiple Queen pieces would it work. The value of a Campione is just too high for any amount of Evil Pieces to equal.”
“True,” the vice-president agreed.
(LINE BREAK)
Despite going to a school which was practically run by Devils, Mike found it to be a good experience. He got to learn about both Japanese and Devil culture which he was sure would be helpful later in his life. The teaching style of the Japanese and how they went about school was a little more intensive than back home, but he was holding his own in it.
He was getting along well with the Occult Research Club and the Student Council. Being a supernatural powerhouse in his own right and one of the few approachable Campione, the two groups felt a little more relaxed around him. Having someone they could talk shop to seemed to help form a friendship between the Campione and the two Peerages.
He managed to wrangle a chess game out of Rias and it served to be an intense one. He managed to eke out a win, but only because he put his king in a high amount of risk in order to draw hers out. Rias admitted that she hadn’t had so much fun in chess since the last time she played Sona for fun before inviting Mike to drop by again for another game sometime.
His relations with the Occult Research Club were for the most part pleasant. Koneko was cordial with him, but only a few words or a nod before she’d be on her way. Kiba would greet him with a smile and they’d chat a little before the blonde’s fangirls would become to crowding and he’d have to move on. Akeno was friendly as any of the others, but she’d like to tease him about his relationship with Villetta which embarrassed him to no end. Still, Rias seemed to be the most casual with him out of the group, seeing him as a fellow noble despite their different means of getting the title. Issei on the other hand didn’t like him all that much, apparently viewing Mike as being some kind of blasphemer for not pursuing the desired harem fantasy although it was well within his grasp.
Well, who cared what the resident pervert thought?
Still, for all the supernatural hoopla going about, things were oddly peaceful. For a whole week Mike hadn’t seen hide nor hair of the Fallen or anything else which would appear on his personal radar. There weren’t even any magi around trying to get his attention and he was sure that the whole world of magical societies had to know who he was and what he looked like. Maybe they were worried he’d somehow catch Kusanagi’s attention and start a fight? Still, it meant peace and quiet, which Mike was always a fan of.
Since Villetta was off working on some personal project she wanted to keep secret, Mike had the day to himself as he wandered the town, looking for something to catch his eye. Heading through the park, he passed the fountain he remembered fighting Dohnaseek at. The ruptured ground from The King’s Treasury had been flattened down and re-seeded already, making it look like some maintenence had simply taken place instead of a fight.
Moving on from the fountain, he walked for a small water garden on his way to the entertainment district when he discovered a familiar face. None other than Issei Hyuudou was sitting on a bench, talking animately with a girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes, dressed up like a nun of all things. She just radiated innocence and seemed to be quite friendly with the Devil, although she seemed to be getting worked up over something as they talked.
‘For some reason, I feel like I’d leave a cute little mouse in the hands of a tomcat if I walked away from this,’ Mike thought to himself. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he began to approach the pair to see what was happening. After all, it wasn’t everyday a nun and a Devil would be together and not trying to kill one another.
And then it hit him. A wave of divine power which splashed over his senses, but contaminated with the dark sensation of something else, tainting the power and making it into something else. Mike frowned, picking up his pace towards the two. He didn’t see anything yet, but he could feel it and it was coming in hot.
And come it did in a flurry of black feathers as Fallen Angel appeared above the water in the ornate garden with a flurry of black feathers. Her appearance was beautiful, but she was dressed like a complete skank with leather dominatrix-like clothing. In Mike’s mind, it was no mystery what sin caused her to fall.
“This a private party or can anyone join in?” Mike announced himself, approaching the standoff with calm determination.
“Huh? Summers-san?” Issei blinked, surprised to see Mike there.
“Tsk!” the Fallen Angel frowned, seeing him. “So the Campione comes out to play.”
“A...Campione?” the nun gasped, looking at Mike with wide eyes.
Mike didn’t like the look of apprehension the girl was giving him, but he had more important things to worry about, “Fallen Angels ping kind of brightly on my personal radar. Despite being corrupt, you still hold divinity. Makes it pretty easy to track you down when you go on little strolls like this.”
“Hmm,” she frowned. “We’ll have to do something about that. In the meantime, I’d best advise you keep out of affairs that don’t concern you, Eighth. You’ll live longer that way.”
“If I followed advice like that, I wouldn’t have become a Campione in the first place,” Mike retorted, removing his hands from his pockets. “I’ve entered something of an alliance with the ones who run the supernatural scene here in Kuoh, and warmongering lunatics like you who want to push the envelope tend to disrupt the peace,” Mike’s body shone slightly as he prepared one of his Authorities for a fight. “Now here’s my offer. You back off, end whatever plot you Fallen have here, and maybe I won’t massacre you and your followers for attacking innocent people on the chance they’d get in your way.”
The Fallen took a look at Mike before smirking, “You’re joking, right?”
“I don’t joke,” Mike hissed, his eyes narrowing as his glow increased. “Not about this.”
“Yeah!” Issei spoke up. “He’s a Campione for a reason and if a god couldn’t take him down then a minor Fallen Angel like you sure as hell can’t!” He raised his left arm. “Sacred Gear!” A flash of green appeared over the back of Issei’s hand before forming into a green gem which glowed with an internal fire. Around it, red metal created something akin to a knuckle duster which covered his hand and most of his forearm with a red spine coming from the sides. “Now shove off and leave Asia alone!”
“Pfft!” Rather than be intimidated, the Fallen Angel seemed amused by the appearance of Issei’s Sacred Gear. “That’s it? When I was ordered to hunt you down, they said your Sacred Gear would be a threat to us, but all I see is a measly Twice Critical.”
“Twice Critical?” Issei frowned.
“A petty Sacred Gear which doubles your strength for a little while,” the Fallen waved of Issei’s threatening position. “A toy compared to some of the real Sacred Gears out there. Maybe if you were a bit manlier it might be worth something, but on you? Pathetic.”
Mike frowned as he approached Issei and took a position protectively in front of the little nun. His Campione senses had begun blaring when the Sacred Gear appeared and it made his logic begin to flare up. From the Fallen’s words, either she was trying to downplay Issei’s Sacred Gear in order to get one over him, or she didn’t have much experience with the arcane devices at all. Once Mike had gotten a look at the thing, his senses started ringing ‘DRAGON! DRAGON!’ and wouldn’t stop. Whatever the Sacred Gear was, the Fallen apparently couldn’t tell what it was really worth.
“Don’t listen to her Issei,” Mike frowned. “She’s obviously clueless when it comes to Sacred Gears.”
“Huh?” Issei blinked, looking to Mike.
“Oh? And the usurping king is better?” the Fallen sniffed arrogantly.
“Of course,” Mike smirked back. “Because only a total fool wouldn’t be able to sense the power coming off of that thing. It reminds me of a dragon to be honest, and never in history has there ever been a weak dragon.”
“Heh! I like the sound of that!” Issei grinned, raising his fists.
“A dragon? In that puny thing?” the Fallen frowned. “Don’t make me laugh! Siegfried! Now!”
Both young men frowned at the call, but then the pulse of power rippled through the air. The sky turned hazy as did everything else. An overwhelming pressure gripped every living thing, causing the trio facing the Fallen Angel to react in different ways.
Issei was probably the worst off, choking like he had inhaled a poisonous gas of some sort. He gasped and wheezed, hunching over as he clasped at his throat. His knees shook, not from fear, but the overwhelming sickness he felt attacking him at every angle.
Little Asia squeaked, her body trembling, although in her case it just seemed her frame was too frail to handle the pressure from the force coming down on her from all sides. She tried to stay standing, but she just could and dropped to all fours, dropping the small mouse-like doll she had been holding.
Mike’s teeth clenched, his entire body gearing up for the fight of a lifetime. His instincts screamed at him to get ready to fight, to strike down the enemy that was about to appear. The aura he was giving off just pulsed and grew larger. In his conscious mind, Mike knew what was coming.
“L-Lady Raynare,” Asia choked out. “Wh-what have you done?”
“Oh, nothing much,” the Fallen Angel shrugged innocently. “Just called a Heretic God down from the Domain of Immortality to take care of the little Campione problem we have.”
The sounds of clanking footsteps echoed through the air and from the other end of the garden, a figure seemed to appear in a swirl of mist. The imposing figure of the Heretic God appeared, looking stoically at the trio, his hand on the hit of his sword still sheathed on his back.
“So this is the whelp you wish for me to slay?” Siegfried asked almost contemptuously as he eyed Mike. “Barely a babe in arms compared to his siblings. Still, I am a deity of my word. His life in return for the chance to pursue my own vendetta.”
“Have at him,” Raynare smirked. “If you have to kill the Devil to do it, well, that’s just a bonus.”
“Hmm,” Siegfried glanced at Issei. “An unworthy foe, but I look forward in bathing in the blood of his dragon to increase my strength.”
The gem on Issei’s Sacred Gear flashed, almost with fury, before settling down. Issei grit his teeth, trying to ignore the pain which the Heretic God’s mere presence brought to his Devil hide and prepared for a fight. The knuckle duster seemed to agree before the gem flashed and cried out, “BOOST!”
“Asia! Stay back!” Issei cried, shielding the nun from the duo. “Summers and I will take care of this!”
“Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!” Mike bellowed, causing the ground to tremble before spears, axes, swords, all made of imperial gold erupted from the ground in a trail which crashed through the bottom of the water garden towards the pair.
Raynare hissed and flapped her wings to get into the air. Siegfried on the other hand drew his broadsword before charging towards the incoming gold. When the wave of golden weapons erupted to strike him, he slashed horizontally. His sword struck the erupting gold, slicing through it like a hot knife through butter, sending the pieces flying. Then from the edge of the blade, a shockwave spread from where it cut through the air, slicing even more of the weapons leading back to the trio.
“What the hell?!” Issei cried. “He, he cut right through them! Aren’t your weapons divine or something?”
“They are, but his sword is too,” Mike frowned. “And gold isn’t exactly the best material to make a weapon out of compared to steel.”
Siegfried smirked as the remains from the destroyed weapons fell into the water before he continued his charge. Mike cursed under his breath and willed several stone pillars to erupt from the ground in the form of a wall, sending dirt and cobblestone in all directions.
*SHNK!*
Another slash from Siegfried’s sword cut down the pillars like they were nothing. Mike opened his mouth to demand Issei and Asia to move, but he was cut off when Siegfried’s fist met his face, the force of the blow taking him clear off of his feet before he crashed through a tree before smashing into the grass several yards away from the duo.
“Dammit,” Mike crushed rubbing his jaw as he tried to pull himself up to his feet despite his blurred vision. His enhanced durability as a Campione was earning it’s keep in that moment, keeping his body from being pulverized into mush from the punch alone. “Issei had better take that girl and run.”
A shadow suddenly came over Mike and he looked up, seeing a figure in the air. Gritting his teeth, he dashed to get out of the way. Behind him, Siegfried came crashing down, slashing a deep groove into the dirt with his sword. The shock-wave from the blade cut several feet further from where the blade had actually struck, cutting another tree down the middle without even touching the actual sword.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Mike grimaced.
“Your weapons are of poor quality, as are your skills,” Siegfried spoke, standing up. “You killed a God of Gold, rather than one of Steel or of some other aspect to existence. Gold is a fine material for kings and can bring much, but in the end, wealth is finite and fleeting. It cannot bring glory, it cannot bring strength, it cannot ensure survival.”
“True,” Mike grimaced. “Which is why I don’t rely on it to win my fights!” He slapped the ground, invoking his Authority. The ground under Siegfried’s feet erupted with another polished stone pillar which sent the heretic God through the sky. Mike got his foot back before he charged at where Siegfried would land, letting the earth raise a golden sword for him to draw as he ran.
Siegfried’s trajectory was sound, allowing Mike to meet him where the silver-haired warrior landed. Siegfried landed on his feet, albeit a little unbalanced. Seeing his chance, Mike charged in, raising his blade, “Gold might not be durable, but it can still be sharp!”
Siegfried turned, leaving his chest open for Mike’s strike. The tip of the blade hit the bare flesh of Siegfried’s torso and Mike anticipated seeing the weapon sink through his flesh. Instead, Siegfried’s skin bent a little, but the golden sword crumbled with a metallic shriek almost as if it was tinfoil.
“Wha-!?” Mike gaped before he was struck at the temple by the hilt of Siegfried’s sword, sending him tumbling a second time with blurred vision again.
“A fine ruse, but you failed to know your enemy,” Siegfried mocked neutrally. “Another thing you cannot obtain with the powers of a God of Gold.”
Mike shook his head and tried to summon up more from the earth to fight Siegfried, but a kick to his abdomen, which would have crushed the ribs of an ordinary human, sending him tumbling across the clearing before he crashed into the cobblestone path of the central area of the park.
“Dammit,” Mike grimace, spitting a wad of blood out of his mouth. Shaking his head, he pushed himself up to his feet and tried to turn in the direction of Siegfried. The warrior was easy to spot, strolling almost casually out of the cluster of trees with his sword slung over his shoulder.
“Okay, if gold won’t cut you, maybe diamond will!” Mike clenched his fists, causing the ground to erupt with more dirt before diamonds fired from the depths like bullets with their points aimed directly at Siegfried.
Siegfried raised his arm to shield his face before the diamonds struck his body like rapid fire. The diamonds did indeed strike, but not a single one were able to cut his skin despite the nature of a diamond’s sharp edges. The silver-haired warrior merely took the barrage, confident in his invulnerability and patient in his purpose.
The barrage died, and Mike blinked at the sight of his unblemished opponent, “What…?”
Siegfried lowered his hand, smirking before he took proper hold of his sword again. Lifting the weapon, he unleashed a diagonal slash into the air. He swung with a visibly greater force than his previous strikes. The air actually rippled from the strike, creating a visible effect from the slash itself. Mike tried to move, but a piercing pain rippled across his chest and a spray of blood burst from his chest in a diagonal line.
“GACK!” Mike choked, both from the pain and the blood erupting from his body from the strike. His legs faltered and he collapsed onto his back, gagging as more blood rushed from his mouth. Panting, he tried to move, his survival instinct shrieking at him to flee while his Campione instinct bellowed insistently that he had to get up and keep fighting. Either way, his body wasn’t cooperating as his chest bled out.
“It would be so easy,” Siegfried spoke up, coming into Mike’s view. He placed the tip of his sword just under Mike’s chin, tilting his head up. “But it will not bring me satisfaction nor glory. There is no such thing when slaying a newborn Campione.”
Mark spluttered, spitting up more blood, but he couldn’t speak.
“I will wait until you ripen. I expect you when the Devil holding the dragon within comes calling for his pretty little woman,” Siegfried continued, bringing his sword away. Sheathing it, he turned and began walking away. “I do anticipate your arrival, for if you do not then I shall slay that dragon and add its might to my own before I hunt you down, Bastard Child of Pandora.”
Mike grimaced and tried to stand up, but his body was too wracked with pain and injury. Coughing another glob of blood out of his mouth, he slumped back and passed out.
To Be Continued...
(LINEBREAK)
CAMPIONE DATA: MICHAEL SUMMERS
Michael Summers hails from Canada and enroute to Japan for an exchange program, he decided to take the long way in order to do some sight-seeing. This led him to being at Ground Zero when Heretic God King Solomon decided he needed more concubines, shaped by people’s impressions and belief of him, and picked an international airport to search thinking a number of beauties from all over the world would be there. Due to his arrogance and preoccupation with the women he found, Mike was able to deal a lethal blow to Solomon with spears he had been impaled with.
Michael’s theme as a Campione is Noble. He holds himself to a responsibility to be responsible with his abilities and his position should he need to use them. His Authorities reflect the position and responsibility of kingship. His first one, Divine Gift of Kings reflects the three aspects of being a king, the Requirements, the Rewards, and the Responsibility of kingship. Heart of Wisdom reflects the most important requirement of effective kingship, meaning wisdom and intelligence to govern. The King’s Treasury reflects the reward in gold, jewels, and finery. Harem of the King is the responsibility of a king to ensure his kingdom continues with solid leadership, secured by continuing his line through an appropriate spouse or mistress. Out of the Campione, Mike is the only one who understands his responsibilities and holds the title as one rather than ignoring it or using it as a tool for their own ambitions like the others do.
Divine Gift of Kings
An Authority which is in fact three aspects representing the three aspects which come with kingship: The requirement, the reward, and the responsibility.
Heart of Wisdom
Oh yea, I beseech thy Lord for the sake of my people. I shall tell right from wrong, good from evil, and truth from lies. Let my wisdom come forth and solve all woes of my people. I shall be the one whose wisdom shall end all quarrel and strife!
This is a supportive Authority which is always active to an extent. It grants the user enhanced wisdom, the clarity of mind to see everything from a distance or observer’s point of view. In its passive state, the wielder is harder to lie to or trick and is capable of seeing a larger picture when it comes to any issue put before them be it war, investigation, or even word puzzles. When this power is fully activated, becomes impossible to lie to the wielder and they are capable of planning multiple steps ahead in any endeavor, and even by observing people they are dealing with they are able to determine the kind of secrets they hold, their personalities, and future actions they will most likely take. One limitation is that the wisdom only takes into account what the wielder knows so if something is happening he does not know about, he cannot anticipate it in his plans and observations. A second limitation is the human mind isn't biologically capable of working on a divine level so the longer this Authority is in use, the more pain the user will have to suffer through when it is shut down.
The King's Treasury
Deep within the earth, my reign grows onward. My wealth swells, my treasures increase, all for the prosperity of my kingdom. The vaults are locked to all but me and now I shall open the doors and bask in the radiant glow!
This Authority is the treasure and wealth of King Solomon, derived from the legends and belief of King Solomon’s Mine. Using this Authority allows the wielder to summon up treasures of Solomon’s kingdom, including weapons and armor, but not limited to gold, jewels, and other valuable artifacts. The wealth is only limited to what Solomon of old considered valuable so if the user wishes for modern currency he will have to sell the items in order to become wealthy in a modern sense. Weapons drawn, being Solomon’s property, hold a divine aura in themselves and can be used in clashes against other gods although they likely don’t have any special abilities in themselves. Wealth also extended to other materials such as stone and such, allowing the user to summon up marble pillars from the ground. The limit to this Authority for a Campione is that the user must be in contact with the ground at all times when using this Authority.
Harem of the King
Ye woman of beauty, intellect, and charm, I reach out my hand to you. I shall take you as my mistress to protect and to please. I shall accept your devotion, your adoration, and your subservience. Be reborn as my mistress!
This is an unusual Authority, which allows the user to bond with select women both magically and emotionally. The user and the target must share some form of affection with each other, otherwise the Authority will remain inert. After sharing a kiss, the subject's feelings will overflow from where they used to be, becoming deeply attached emotionally to the user. The subject in turn will also become enhanced as if in divine blessing, enhancing their magical reserves as well as their resistance. Their bodies also become much more durable than before. Although they do not reach Campione levels, they do rank up with high caliber mages who studied and practiced for decades. This attachment is capable of being removed and were not Villetta able to prove her feelings were still true, Michael would have removed it immediately.
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