Chapter 476: Chapter 476: Red and Black Showdown · Battle in the Sky
Seeing Achilles thrown off balance by Chiron's sudden appearance, Shinji finally felt at ease to leave.
As soon as he sat on the back of the swift eagle, Shinji winced and drew a sharp breath.
"Hiss, it hurts so much."
Achilles' combat and spear techniques were on the same level, and with the added benefit of his skill, "Bravery"—
Bravery: Rank A+
A skill that nullifies mental interferences such as intimidation, confusion, and bewilderment. Additionally, it increases hand-to-hand combat damage.
—Achilles' destructive power was even greater when unarmed than when wielding a spear.
Wrestling with such an opponent, even adhering to the traditional rules of pankration, Shinji felt immense pressure. To avoid being defeated by Achilles, he had to perform beyond his usual capabilities, exhausting all his potential.
In this extreme state, he even forgot the pain, thinking only about what his opponent would do and what he should do. It was only after leaving the battlefield that Shinji allowed himself to relax, and the accumulated injuries on his body finally registered in his brain through nerve feedback.
Curious, Astolfo turned his head. He had witnessed Shinji and Chiron's intense training and seen Shinji's indifferent expression despite being covered in bruises. In his eyes, Shinji had already earned the label of a "monster who doesn't know pain or fatigue." So hearing Shinji cry out in pain now piqued his curiosity.
A glance was enough to startle him.
"Whoa, that's terrible! Are you okay, Assassin?"
Yes, it was terrible, extremely terrible.
At this moment, Shinji looked as if he had used Spartacus' Noble Phantasm, Crying Warmonger. His entire body seemed swollen, and his exposed skin was a purplish blue, turning black in places, like a piece of rotting flesh, minus the stench.
The worst was his right arm. Achilles had focused his attacks on this spot, the only weak point in Shinji. Continuous blows and joint techniques led to multiple fractures, muscle strains, and contusions. In the end, to escape, he had to use this arm to block Achilles' sidekick, resulting in a complete break, making it difficult to even grip objects.
As Shinji used his still-functional left hand to inscribe healing runes on his fractured areas, he replied through gritted teeth:
"It's nothing, just surface wounds. With the Goddess' Staff, I'll recover quickly. Besides, I've taken so much, Achilles isn't much better off."
After enduring so much pain and effort to deal with Achilles, and making Chiron expend so much energy, Shinji hadn't just taken a beating.
Although the time was short and the training insufficient to surpass human limits into the realm of gods, he still made Achilles suffer considerably.
In direct numerical comparison, if Achilles caused twenty points of damage to Shinji, Shinji could return ten to twelve points. If Shinji was swollen all over, Achilles would at least be half as swollen. This was despite Shinji holding back to avoid further provoking Achilles. If he hadn't adhered to the rules, Achilles might have suffered even more. In terms of breaking the rules, no matter how wild Achilles was, he couldn't outdo someone like Shinji, who had no scruples.
With these injuries as a prelude, even if Achilles went mad and wanted a life-or-death match with Chiron, Shinji wasn't worried about Chiron losing. Both were top-tier fighters, but one was heavily injured while the other was unscathed, leaving no suspense about the outcome.
Now, he could finally let go and execute his plan wholeheartedly.
As Astolfo extended his hand, a uniquely shaped staff emitted a soft white light, enveloping Shinji's body in the healing power of a goddess from ancient Egyptian mythology. From afar, it looked like a bright star shining on the autumn night.
The fortress in the sky couldn't stand the sight of the rising star and cast a rain of purple light, intending to shoot down the star.
However, this star, like a stormy petrel in a tempest, pressed forward fearlessly against the storm.
Just as the mistress of the aerial garden was about to leave her throne to personally confront the brave petrel that had caught her eye, the "petrel" suddenly began to circle in the air. No matter how the aerial garden's magic struck, it didn't advance a single step.
"Oh, what a delightful Valkyrie and noble Assyrian Empress! How will this duel end?"
Shakespeare exclaimed, waving his hands in excitement.
"Good eye," Father Shirou praised with a smile.
"Crafty fellow," Semiramis remarked with a discontented expression.
Despite possessing the rare skill "Double Summon," which granted her the abilities of both the Caster and Assassin classes, Semiramis' primary class was still Assassin. She couldn't freely and effortlessly cast magic as she did in life. Her magic had to rely on the support of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to bypass the limitations of her class.
If Astolfo continued to advance, she could unleash a grand-scale magic similar to the one that blasted Siegfried away, giving the enemy a painful lesson.
Little did she know that Shinji had anticipated this move. With the maneuverability of the swift eagle, even in a prepared state, it wasn't impossible to evade concentrated magical attacks. The reason they didn't dodge and faced the attacks head-on was to test the power of the magical barrage and find the critical point that the Universal Magic Book Resistance could withstand.
Knowing Semiramis could release grand-scale magic, how could Shinji not be cautious? He wasn't like Astolfo, who tended to lose rationality.
After waiting a while outside the critical zone, Shinji flexed his left hand, which had regained feeling, and said to Astolfo:
"Maintain this distance and keep an eye on the aerial garden. If you get too far, move closer. If you get too close, move away. Don't change altitude; if you get too low, you might get sniped by an archer lurking somewhere."
Shinji didn't know Atalanta's maximum range, but before the battle, he had asked Chiron about the safe flying altitude. The aerial garden and the two of them were currently at this safe height.
"Also, since the other side can summon so many Dragon Tooth Warriors, it's not impossible for them to send some flying fodder to harass us. If they do, don't hold back—take them down. Don't conserve your mana. You wouldn't want the homunculi you worked so hard to protect to die from carelessness, right?"
"Got it!"
Astolfo replied energetically. Having recovered from his injuries, he was eager for action. "So when do we charge in? That aerial fortress looks interesting."
"Not now. I need an opportunity," Shinji shook his head.
"Oh," Astolfo pouted in disappointment, his eyes darting around.
Seeing this expression, Shinji knew exactly what Astolfo was planning and immediately flicked his forehead.
"I warn you, every move we make determines our comrades' fate. If you do something irreparable out of curiosity, no matter the outcome, I'll bind you and send you to Miss Celenike. I'll also ask the Duke and Caster to craft some special restraints just for you. It'll be an experience you'll never forget—how about that? Want to try?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone