4

I don't own Campione it belongs to Jō Taketsuki.

On the road, a green-clothed merchant was traveling.

His life was unexpectedly saved by the one who would become a Campione.

Yet he still needed to sell the excess oil he had lest he fell into debt.

Thus he was making his way towards Kararagi unaware of the misfortune that would befall him.

In The Great spirit of wind exploration dwelling, a group of fools was adventuring.

Reize was among those fools. To seize vengeance against the Witch cult she must gain more power.

The Great spirit dwelling was without a doubt a place where her desire could be fulfilled.

The young Oni noticed a certain shiny ball on a pedestal.

[ How strange it looks like a jewel] the oni slowly approached the pedestal.

Upon touching it her mind shut down, an incredible Bloodlust took control of her.

Where a brown-haired blue-eyed oni once stood, a white-haired woman wearing a black kimono now remained.

The great spirit of wind exploration Zarestia's Hoshi no Tama was stolen.

Subaru was making way toward Kararagi after a few days on the road. A strange sight greeted him once again.

A dragon carriage was left alone on the road. An earth dragon was anxiously looking around.

Subaru urged Pastrache to slow down.

[ How strange ] Subaru thought he was slowly looking around trying to determine the cause of this scene.

Beatrice removed her head from the wagon half of her was in the Forbidden Library along with Melty.

She was in the process of teaching more useful magic to the young nun. When she felt the wagon stop, she chose to contact her contractor.

" Subaru what's wrong, I suppose."

" Ah well, there's an empty wagon in the road in front of us. Also, I feel like I saw this earth dragon before" Subaru muttered the last part.

" Bandit must have accosted the one before us, be careful I suppose."

" Um, is there something wrong?" The nun asked from within the enclosure of the Forbidden Library.

" Nothing I'm going to check" Subaru jumped from his seat slowly approaching the cart.

[It seems familiar. Ah that earth dragon is Furufu! That's Otto's earth dragon !] Subaru pleased, he mentally did a fist pump.[ Wait where's Otto then?]

While Subaru was deep in thought. Rustle could be heard from the forest around them.

Numerous people jumped from the side road. Slowly encircling the Subaru.

" Leave your belonging and all the money you own if you wants to live!" The bandit presumed leader announced.

[ Really what a typical speech. Bandits that's cliche as hell. Wait, they must have done something to Otto.] Subaru thought annoyed.

" Really, you don't want to do that." Subaru declared.

" Hahahaha what can you do alone boy? You are encircled quietly leave your belongings behind lest we rough you out."

Subaru was annoyed and so in a fit of quick thinking, he released his hold on [Death's shroud]. In an instant, all those before him could feel the power unleashed.

Subaru slowly used his magic reserve to pressure the bandits before him.

Said bandits were regretting their life choice. They ambushed a Campione of all things they were done for. Slowly they all fell to the ground.

" Well, now you're going to quietly answer all of my questions got it?" Subaru approached the bandits who could only nod feebly in response.

Otto was despairing he was captured by the Witch cult recently and now he was caught by Bandits. His luck was truly abysmal. He was tied to a rock in said cave via rope.

Slowly from the cave, he was kept in he could hear footsteps. Thinking that his captors came back Otto pretended to be asleep.

" Yo Otto, how are you?"

[ Huh I know this voice] Otto thought slowly he opened his eyes only to be greeted by the sight of a familiar black-haired young man.

" Heeeeeh Natsuki-san? What are you doing here?"

" Saving you again I guess" Subaru answered he was cutting the rope holding Otto back with a knife.

" There you're free now!"

The merchant thought that his luck was truly the strangest.

" So that's how it is. You need to sell all that oil good luck with that."

" That's a bit harsh don't you think ?!"

The group was sitting around a campfire. A pot of soup was currently on the fire slowly cooking.

The nun turned toward the newest addition to their group in curiosity, eager to know who this young man was and why he could address the Campione so casually.

" You are going to Kararagi too, so why don't you travel with us?" Subaru asked the merchant.

At that Otto hesitated, Natsuki-san was his benefactor yet he was also a Campione trouble would certainly follow him. At the same time traveling with a Campione would ensure his safety. After a small debate, he came to a decision.

" It would be an honor to accompany you Natsuki-sama."

"Ah drop the sama Otto it feels weird! '' Subaru exclaimed the sudden amount of respect he was addressed with never stopped from being strange to him.

Seeing the looks of confusion from his two companions Subaru chose to quench their curiosity.

" This is Otto a merchant. He may look like a con artist but he's a good guy! He helped me get in time to save Emilia from Sloth."

" A con artist that's a bit too much don't you think ?!"

" If he helped Subaru before Betty has no problem with him I suppose."

" Ah welcome to the group Otto- san" the nun spoke up in greeting.

" Otto this is the Great spirit Beatrice, my cute partner, and over there this is Melty Pristis a nun from the Dragon Church." Subaru presented his companions to the merchant.

A small scream hit him. Pastrache did not like to be sidelined.

" Oh, the beautiful dragon over there is Pastrache, my loyal companion." The dragon seemed satisfied by the presentation.

" Aaah, nice to meet you both." Otto was a bit shaken to think that small blonde girl was a great spirit, how unexpected.

" Well that settles it, let's eat now!"

The group ate the soup while the two earth dragons were fed appa.

The night was spent slowly trading stories of the past.

Before long the group retired within the confines of the Forbidden Library to spend the night.

Finally, after one more week of travel, the Group reached Banan. One of the ten great cities of Kararagi.

The group made its way towards the checkpoint. Upon reaching it Subaru stopped using Death's Shroud letting the people around them feel the Campione's power.

The people present parted ways letting Subaru's group reach the post without waiting in line. All bowed low, not wishing to turn the Campione's attention towards them.

The guards were also in the same position; none moved till Subaru's wagon was in front of them. Then the eldest guard spoke up.

" It is an honor to welcome you in Kararagi, your highness "

[Ah that still weird me out every time.] Subaru thought.

"Ah well, it's nice to visit Kararagi. I heard many tales about this country. Out of curiosity, I came here to visit." He declared.

The people around him were greatly affected by this declaration. Did the King wish to claim Kararagi as his own? Such thoughts crossed their minds. Still, a Campione was illogical thus they could not decipher the intention behind his words.

Meanwhile, Subaru's companions slowly came out of the carriage causing more questions to spring in their minds.

Subaru's turned toward them, gesturing them to approach. Once they stood in front of the guards he presented them.

" Those are my companions, the nun Melty, and the great spirit Beatrice. We're here together. Oh before I forget Otto there is with me too. '' Subaru spoke the last part as an afterthought.

The merchant who preferred to stand in the back was shocked by this. He did not wish to be noticed thus he stood at the end of the line. All the people in front of him turned to look at him.

[Why Natsuki-san WHYYYYYY ?] Otto despaired.

The group was easily let go; no check was imposed on them. People feared Campione far too much to dare refuse him entry.

In Banan unease ran. The Great spirit Zarestia left her dwelling. Many feared the destruction the most beautiful shinigami would bring upon the city.

In an unspecified building, a certain shinobi was gearing himself to fight the Great spirit if the need arose.

Only for another shinobi to suddenly burst in the room.

" Has there been any change ?" The demihuman asked.

" The whereabouts of the Great spirit are still unknown. But another important matter has happened."

" What is it?" [ Admirer] questioned his fellow shinobi.

"The third Campione has entered Banan." The masked shinobi spoke fear in his tone.

This new development would without doubt shake the city.

In an inn near the entry of the city, Subaru was unaware of the storm brewing in the city.

He was currently enjoying a Japanese stilled meal.

[ Sashimi it's been a while since I had those. The whole town is making me nostalgic.] Sorrow filled him Subaru was reminiscing all things he left behind in Japan.

Noticing her contractor state Beatrice approached him and sat in his lap.

" Betty is here with you, there is no need for you to feel this sad, I suppose."

" Ah thank you Beako you're being really cute right now!"

" Betty is Always cute Betty's Subaru should pay more attention to his partner." The loli turned her face red from embarrassment, a pleased smile on her face.

Melty was also eating and enjoying the taste of this exotic meal.

Otto wasn't with them; he chose to directly try his luck and sell his cargo the fastest possible.

Soon they would be interrupted by an unexpected visitor.

"So it's there huh." A white-haired woman was looking at the inn where the group was residing.

She could clearly feel the Godslayer power from where she stood.

The woman in question was unnaturally beautiful, donning a white kimono she was quite the sight, people around her found their gaze gravitating towards her.

" Still I need help, well no matter let's go."

Her name was Zarestia and to recover her light ball she needed the Campione' assistance.

A knock on the door stopped Subaru in track he was getting ready to sleep. Sporting a kimono he slowly turned toward the window where the noise emanated from.

[ That's starting to feel like a horror movie. Well, I got no choice then] he thought.

" Come in! "

The window opened, from there emerged a beautiful lady

[ That's the most beautiful woman I saw since coming into this world. She almost put Emilia to shame.] The thought of the half-elf saddened him. As such he quickly focused on his guest.

" Well who are you and what do you want Miss?"

" I am the great spirit of wind exploration Zarestia and I request your help in recovering my light ball Campione-sama." The now identified Zarestia bowed respectfully.

[ Huh that's not how I expected it to go] Subaru thought ruefully usually his meeting with a transcendentally beautiful woman ended with him fighting for his life.

Beatrice upon hearing noise hurried into her contractor's room. Only to be greeted by the sight of Zarestia and Subaru seated around a small table facing each other.

Beatrice could feel that the intruder was a powerful and old spirit as such her guard was up.

" Who is this I suppose?"

" Ah, Beako that's Zarestia. She's "

" Zarestia !?" The loli interrupted her contractor.

" Yes? She's here to request help. Apparently, they stole something from her."

" Subaru, that one before you is one of the four Great spirits and the oldest spirit in the world she's dangerous I suppose !"

" Indeed I am one of the oldest beings in the current world. Campione-sama who is that young spirit over there?"

" That's Beatrice, my partner."

" I see, as I was saying my light ball was stolen from my dwelling As such I respectfully ask for your help in recovering my belonging."

" Ha I don't mind helping you but what's a light ball?" Subaru asked while scratching his head.

" It's a jewel that contains most of my power, this one before you barely possesses the silver of what I am. That's why recovering it is vital for me."

" Ah it's like a Hoshi no Tama then " Subaru nodded to himself.

Not noticing his partner growing horror.

" Wha who could have stolen such a thing from you I suppose?" The young spirit asked befuddled.

" A group of humans visited my dwelling and got lucky enough to survive. One of them touched my light ball only to be swallowed by its power."

" Swallowed?" Subaru muttered in confusion.

" That's bad, that means that a mortal currently possesses most of Zarestia power I suppose."

" Indeed and I know not of what this human design is. I cannot recover my light ball alone ."

" I see then I will help you! We'll find the thief and recover your light ball I swear." Subaru exclaimed determined to recover the light ball before the thief caused trouble.

" For now the thief has yet to make his presence known. It's better to rest and gather information tomorrow I suppose." The blonde loli announced at last.

Both Subaru and Zarestia turned toward her.

" I have no objection with this course of action." The great wind spirit declared.

" If both of you think like that then let's wait tomorrow."

After this decision the group chose to sleep to save energy for tomorrow would be without a doubt hectic.

" I asked for two futons Zarestia you can take one while I share the other one with Beatrice."

Beatrice slept with Subaru since the two formed a contract that's why Subaru requested two futons. One for him and one for Beatrice.

" Betty doesn't mind I suppose." The great spirit quickly hopped in a futon gesturing to her contractor to follow her.

Subaru followed her. After a minute of hesitation, Zarestia chose to take the offer and lay in the spare futon.

" Well, then good night everyone."

" Good night I suppose"

" Good night."

Tomorrow a great upheaval awaited them. For now, they could rest.

The next morning a certain ninja would greet them having been chosen to guide the Campione in Banan.