Aogashima is a small volcanic island located approximately 358 kiloters south of Tokyo, part of the Izu Islands. With an area of only about 5.98 square kiloters, the island has a unique topography—a large caldera within the main caldera, creating a dramatic landscape. Its history records a major eruption in the 18th century that nearly wiped out its entire population. Today, although there is a small settlent in the northern part of the island, Aogashima's population is no more than 200 people, making it an almost uninhabited place.
For non-human entities like Campione, this is an ideal location for battle. There are no skyscrapers or billion-yen infrastructures that could be destroyed in an instant. Even if the Campione's powers run wild, the only things affected would be rocky terrain and volcanic craters. Additionally, access to the island is difficult—there are only two ways to reach Aogashima from Tokyo:
First, by plane and helicopter—flying from Chofu Airport to Hachijōjima, then taking a helicopter to Aogashima.
Second, by ferry—requiring a 10-hour journey from Tokyo to Hachijōjima, followed by a two to three-hour sea voyage to Aogashima, with the possibility of failing to dock if the sea is rough.
With a minimum travel ti of 2.5 hours by plane and helicopter, it is nearly impossible for ordinary people to reach Aogashima without thorough preparation. This ensures no civilians could be dragged into their duel.
In the center of the island, Ren and Godou stood facing each other on rocky ground surrounded by 200-ter-high caldera walls. Strong winds blew in from the sea, carrying a faint sulfurous scent.
Five hundred ters away, Erica and Hayasaka stood on the edge of a hill, observing the battlefield.
Knowing Hayasaka was just an ordinary person, Erica cast Eagle Eye magic on her, enhancing her vision to witness the Campione duel as clearly as possible, even from a distance.
Hayasaka blinked a few tis, feeling her vision suddenly sharpen. She could see the details of Ren and Godou's expressions and even the fine dust lifted by the wind around them. The sensation felt surreal.
"So this is magic... Amazing." Hayasaka murmured in awe.
"First ti experiencing magic on your body?" Erica asked with a smile.
"Mm." Hayasaka nodded.
'Could I also learn magic?'
So far, she had only played the role of a maid, and although she had mastered so self-defense techniques, they were only effective against ordinary humans. But in a world filled with supernatural powers, re martial arts were not enough against mystical practitioners.
anwhile, on the battlefield, Godou scanned the surroundings, then looked at Ren with approval.
"I have to admit, you picked a great spot. At least we don't have to worry about destroying a city or involving civilians."
Godou still vividly rembered his crazy fight with Doni in Italy—in the middle of a historic city, without the slightest consideration for the consequences. Ancient buildings collapsed, streets were destroyed, and the Italian governnt had to spend a fortune on repairs.
"That's natural. Unlike other Campione who disregard their surroundings when fighting, I don't want to involve unrelated people."
"By the way..."
Deliberately pausing his sentence, Ren raised his finger to the sky. Dozens of military-grade drones hovered in the air, moving slowly in an orderly pattern like invisible spies monitoring every corner of the battlefield.
"I hope you don't mind our duel being broadcast live."
"Live broadcast? Don't tell this is going on national TV?"
"Of course not. This isn't for public consumption."
Calming Godou's concerns, Ren looked at one of the drones hovering lower, its light blinking.
"The viewers are people from my faction. After all, I need to show them they didn't make a mistake in submitting to ."
"I see..."
Godou understood his intention. A demonstration of power. For soone in Ren's position, directly showcasing his superiority was the best way to solidify his authority.
"So, this is kind of a show, huh?"
"You could say that. I need to make sure they truly believe in . Of course, testing my Divine Authority is the main purpose of this duel."
No matter how Godou interpreted this duel, Ren had already completed all preparations.
In fact, these preparations had been made from the start. Before departing, Ren had instructed Hayasaka to report the duel to Gan'an. He ordered these drones to be prepared on Aogashima so his faction mbers could witness his true power firsthand.
"It's up to you, Ren. I don't mind this arrangent." Godou shrugged.
"How about we set a small rule? For the first five minutes, we only fight with pure strength. After that, we can use Divine Authority."
"Why set such a limit?"
Godou frowned, not understanding why Ren proposed such a condition. In his fights against Doni and Marquis Voban, both sides would imdiately use Divine Authority from the start.
Ren stretched out his arms, as if presenting his entire body.
"The purpose of this duel isn't just to fight. I want to test my strength as a Campione. I need to know the upper limit of a Campione's raw power without relying on Divine Authority."
Godou observed him for a mont before finally nodding. "Hmm... that makes sense."
After all, a Campione isn't just strong because of the Divine Authority they possess. Their physiology alone is far beyond that of an ordinary human.
"Alright, I agree."
"Thank you for indulging my selfishness. Then, let's begin."
Fortunately, it was Kusanagi Godou. If it were another Campione, Ren feared they wouldn't be willing to listen.
Strong winds blew over the Aogashima crater.
Raising his hand, Ren revealed a coin glinting in the sunlight.
"We start when this hits the ground."
"No problem."
With Godou's agreent, Ren tossed the coin into the air.
In an instant, the atmosphere grew tense. Erica and Hayasaka, watching from a distance, held their breath.
The coin spun in the air, reflecting golden light before finally falling to the ground.
*CLINK!*
*WHOOSH!*
As soon as the faint sound was heard, Ren disappeared from his spot. With incredible speed, he shot forward like a bullet, swinging his fist straight at Godou!
*BAM!*
The impact sent a shockwave across the area. The force of Ren's attack was so great that Godou's body was sent flying 100 ters, crashing through several large trees before finally stopping.
In the distance, Erica remained calm, confident in Godou.
anwhile, Hayasaka was stunned. This was her first ti witnessing a Campione fight firsthand, and just from the first clash, she could feel how overwhelming their power was.
'Is this the kind of power humans can possess?' She thought to herself.
Amid the fallen trees, Godou stood up, brushing off his slightly dirtied clothes. The only effect of the attack was a slight numbness in his wrist.
He raised his head, looking at Ren with a serious expression.
"You didn't hold back at all, huh..."
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