Italy, Sardinia
Huh? Train station? Italy, Sardinia
There aren't any train stations around here. Italy, Sardinia
Yeah...
I'll just ask someone.
Someone?
You don't speak Italian. Sure you'll be all right?
It'll work out somehow.
Anyway, I'm going to hang up now.
My grandfather, through his work in ethnography,
has traveled worldwide since he was young.
Because of that, he often gave me things lying around the house,
like stone tablets and strange jars from across the world.
This tablet is one of those he gave to me.
A woman from this island let him hold on to it.
And since I'm his grandson, he passed it on to me,
and now I'm here to return it.
This is one weird tablet...
Me?
My name is Godou Kusanagi.
Do you not speak Italian?
In that case, I'll say it again in Japanese.
Hand over that grimoire immediately.
Grimoire?
I am a knight of the Copper Black Cross.
Did you think I wouldn't know?
You mean this?
I can't give this to you!
I was asked to give this to someone-
Hurry up.
Is this a mugging?
Mugging?
How rude.
What about you-
What's going on?
It can't be.
What's that roar coming from?
W-What the hell?!
A god...
A rogue god.
A rogue god?
And forty-eight hours from now,
I, Godou Kusanagi, will become the seventh King of the World.
Tale of the Beginning
W-What do you mean it's a god?
You should run.
H-Hey...
Arianna!
Right!
Ms. Erica, where are we heading?
It's still in the port.
Take Rome Road south.
Understood.
We need to stop it.
This is good!
Get out of here!
Ms. Erica...
Fly, Boots of Hermes!
Lion of Steel...
And he who begets you, the Lionheart...
Heed the oath made by Knight Erica Blandelli!
It appears it's time for a duel.
Cuore di Leone!
I knew it.
This is a divine beast.
The gods wish to start a fight here.
Jeez...
Where did she go?
Huh?
Does this belong to you?
Y-Yeah...
You should get out of here quickly.
There's some kind of monster...
This is funny.
Funny?
Actually, who are you?
Your Japanese is kind of strange...
I am the Victor.
I am the strongest; that which will defeat any enemy.
Victor?
Though I don't think it's necessarily bad to have a taste of defeat.
I tried to revive the king of the ancient gods, in order to fight them,
but I have yet to be defeated.
It's almost feels like I'm talking with my grandfather...
W-Wait!
Did you come here to chase after that witch?
Witch?
No...
I'm here because my grandfather asked me to deliver that.
This?
How nice, how nice...
It seems you're a good kid, a good warrior.
This thief has told me so!
Are you going, Warrior?
Yeah, sorry.
Can I have that back?
Very well.
I shall let you hold on to it.
Hold onto it?
This is supposed to be mine...
What's going on?!
What was that?
You okay?
You're...
A tornado...
That's the avatar of a god!
So by "god," you mean a real god?
That's right.
A rogue god that brings disaster to the world.
A rogue god?
A god that has broken out of its mythic plane, manifesting on Earth.
They create different types of disasters depending on their nature.
The land where a sun god appears might become a scorching inferno.
And if a sea god manifests, a great flood.
If it's a god of war, it wouldn't be unusual for conflict to break out.
The rogue gods have existed since before recorded history.
But only those who possess magic are capable of perceiving them.
Normal humans can only perceive them as natural disasters.
You have such a powerful grimoire, but you don't even know that much?
I've been telling you, I'm only here to return this.
To whom?
Uh, let's see...
Lucrezia Zora.
Lucrezia?
The great mage, the Witch of Sardinia?
Why would she give a grimoire like that to a Japanese person?
I don't really know,
but my grandfather got it when he was young...
It sounds like he dated Lucrezia a long time ago.
Your grandfather is quite sociable, then.
Why are you looking at me?
You know,
the train sure is taking its time...
That's why I told you I didn't want to take the train.
You didn't say anything!
Actually, why are you coming with me?
As a knight of the Copper Black Cross, I cannot leave that grimoire be.
Under normal circumstances, I would have just taken it from you at sword's point.
You should feel lucky to have run into such a proper person as myself.
Didn't you threaten me with a knife for it not that long ago?
What are you talking about?
This girl...
Anyway, hurry up and carry my luggage.
We'll go by car.
Why do I have to carry your luggage?!
Do you need a reason to carry a lady's luggage?
Sardinia?
Correct.
So it's begun.
Interesting.
I thought I was gonna die.
Arianna's only faults as a maid are...
...she's terrible at making stew and she can't drive.
I haven't seen you before.
Who are you?
A cat?
We are here with a delivery from Ichirou Kusanagi,
Ms. Lucrezia Zora.
Ichirou...
Sorry...
I shouldn't be lazy just because I can use magic.
S-She's young.
Hmm? What's the matter?
N-No...
It's just, my grandfather said he met you when...
Well, I might be pretty old, compared to a normal human being.
But I'm nowhere near starting to decline...
It won't be much longer before dark.
You want to give this body a try, Boy?
Lewd.
S-Shut up.
Don't say that.
Innocent young men are typically overflowing with urges.
I'm not overflowing with anything!
The Secret Book of Prometheus...
That brings back memories.
Prometheus!
Yes.
So what do you plan to do?
I'm not sure...
It would be terrible if bad people began gathering because this was around.
If possible, I'd like someone to look after it.
Boy...
Did you run into anyone else on your way here?
Not really...
Oh, I ran into this kid.
He had a weird manner of speech.
Hmm, very well. I'll give it to you.
M-Me?
Wait just a second!
He's a beginner at magic!
If you give it to him, he'll just...
Yeah, I came all the way here just to give it back.
The god wishes for it to be in the hands of that boy.
That can't be.
What happens by chance is inevitable.
All the strings of fate are spun together.
Do you not understand?
O-Of course I don't understand!
A precious grimoire from the era of the gods...
I can't believe this foolishness!
Lethargy.
Don't space out. Hurry up and pour.
No, I think you've had enough.
You think I can't handle this small amount of wine?
No, it's just...
How slow are you, that you can't even change your expression a tiny bit?
You're not a cow!
I've been telling you for a while now...
...but that's not me.
Now...
Fill it up!
Why aren't you saying anything?
Ow!
How thickheaded are you?!
I shall punish you for refusing my finger!
Apologize!
Mistress Arianna!
He called me Mistress Arianna!
Come on, walk straight.
I bet that's an expensive perfume...
She smells really good.
Arianna, get my back.
Hurry up.
Uh, I'm...
Hurry up!
Erica?
If you fall asleep like that, you'll...
Goodnight.
Huh? Huh?
Huh?
Hey...
Hey, why won't this open?
Good luck, boy.
From what I've seen, you have the same talent as Ichirou...
With the ladies, that is.
Hey, Lucrezia!
Die, right here and now!
I didn't do anything!
I didn't do anything at all!
Of course not...
If you had, I would have broken your neck in my sleep.
R-Really?
But you've had this unladylike image of Erica Blandelli burned into your retinas,
and you've even touched her body...
No matter how little you've done, I'll have to punish you!
You're going to punish me?!
Anyway, I couldn't help it.
I...
What was that?
Rain?
What's going on?
W-What's happening?
Please wait, God!
How arrogant must you be, Child of Man, to stop a god's advance?
Please forgive my disrespect.
From what I can tell,
you are the king of gods the Phoenicians worshiped long ago, Melqart.
So there are still praiseworthy individuals who know the names of the ancient kings.
I am Melqart, the king once known throughout this island...
No, throughout these entire waters!
Lightning?
It rarely rains on Sardinia.
This is probably...
As always, you are adept at changing your form.
I must hurry.
Melqart has manifested.
That means...
You stay here.
Wait...
What are you doing?
I'm going to halt the gods' battle.
Melqart is one of the strongest of the Mediterranean gods.
If I don't stop them, this island will perish.
But how?
It is a knight's duty to protect the people.
No matter what happens, I will not save you.
This is your chance to run.
I know that.
That's right...
The trickster who deceived the gods.
And the hero who gave humans knowledge and flame...
Prometheus.
That power lies within.
And it can steal a god's Authority, so you can use that ability as if it were your own.
Authority?
A god's ability, their power.
For that tablet already contains a god's avatar, the power of the White Horse.
I hear that girl is a prodigy raised by the well-known organization, Copper Black Cross.
However, no matter how much talent you possess,
it would be difficult to confront a god.
I'm sure she's been under pressure...
Look!
There's nothing there.
It's a divine beast, the Bird of Prey.
It's here to join into a single form again.
It's been a while, Melqart.
I've been waiting...
Verethragna.
You know him?
The ancient Persian god of war and god of light.
A tempest, a bull, a white horse,
a camel, a boar, a youth,
a bird of prey, a ram, a goat.
And the warrior who holds the Golden Sword.
The one who contains all ten avatars: the invincible god of war, the Victor.
One of those ten avatars lies within, the White Horse.
Verethragna purposely gave you a weapon, to enable him to better enjoy the fight.
Erica!
Cuore di Leone!
It seems the wound I got when last we fought,
has yet to heal.
You have revived me out of your conceited desire to fight, to see who is strongest.
I cannot let your wound cause me to overlook this fact.
I look forward to it.
Now, only one avatar remains.
Please wait!
That witch, huh?
I'm afraid you must lay down your arms!
Right now, this land is a battlefield on which we shall determine who is dominant.
Give up, Human.
God, please have mercy!
Witch, I applaud your spirit, which tries to oppose the gods.
However, you should know your place.
Godou...
You're the...
This way!
Right now, your heart races because of that strange stone tablet,
because of this unfamiliar world in which gods exist... Am I wrong?
That isn't...
Melqart!
Verethragna's power of the White Horse lies within.
How about it? Want to team up with me?
If you protect us, he won't be able to return himself to his full form!
Are you trying to use me, a god?
It's my first time negotiating a deal with a god, but it isn't a bad deal, right?
Very well!
Very interesting! Very interesting, indeed, Human!
It seems my prognosis was correct.
Make this fun for me.
Godou!
You'd call that divine intervention.
Be grateful, Human.
What are you going to do now?
I hadn't thought about it.
I only considered what I'd do up until now.
We'll see how things go from here.
How can you stand there and smile?
Who knows?
I don't know myself.
As expected from the child I bet on...
But that still is not enough that I would lose!
What's going on?
Cursed gold!
The Golden Sword...
Wait, could that sword have the ability to cut through divinity?
Cut through?
That's right.
The sword steals divinity from a deity, causing that god to fall from godhood.
I wish for defeat.
Ancient King, Child of Man, entertain me more!
Godou, run away from here!
I was given the Secret Book to hold.
I can't leave without using it.
If a human uses that, his body will break down, killing him!
And if I don't use it, I'll die.
Or am I wrong?
You're a lot like Epimetheus.
Epimetheus?
A fool, you idiot.
That was for good luck.
Make it a good show.
Godou!
I cannot lose to my own avatar!
Godou!
I stole it.
I stole his sword,
the Golden Sword.
So that's what you were after from the start...
It can cut through divinity, right?
What do I do?
What should I do?!
He is the champion,
for he massacres the gods in Heaven,
and takes for himself the power that confers godhood.
He is the King,
for he brandishes the godly Authority that he has usurped,
so that all must obey him.
He is a demon, for no earthly living being possesses the power to resist him.
His name is Campione!
CAMPIONE!
A paradise with flowers to pick
All caught up in the wind
A shadow passes through the light
Our simple days change in a flash
The etude has begun and the wings begin to unfold
Where do you want to fight?
Are you going to run away because you're scared?
Which is it? What are you going to do?
You'll ask yourself and decide
Love is a song that won't quit
Love is a door that guides you
Someday you'll overcome
The gods that give you trials and test you
We'll become stronger, raise each other
Move the person who kisses you with emotion
And awaken
With the nameless overflowing power that you have
The era of the rose, fit for a new age
Will become legend
What awaited Godou Kusanagi
was the blessing of a red devil and a trial.
Stay strong, God-slaying King!
The Landscape With a King Stay strong, God-slaying King!
The Landscape With a King