บท 80: C80
Shirou soared towards the source of the dark beam. The destination of his flight was the Church, the very place where the Grail was housed.
"Hmm?"
He raised an eyebrow as he gazed at the Church, which was pulsing with intense black light. His pitch-black wings flapped behind him, and he angled his flight towards the side.
In an instant, the intense black light exploded. A massive black beam shot upward from the ground, stretching toward the sky.
If Shirou hadn't reacted quickly, he would have been struck by the blast.
The devastating force of this Noble Phantasm, whose true name was released with an A++ rating, could not be thwarted by even the black mud. Despite the presence of The Seven Rings that Cover the Burning Heavens, it was a challenge to hold down this beam cannon.
However, Shirou managed to evade the attack, but the danger was far from over. The black beam roared towards the sky, its destructive power unrelenting.
"Boom boom boom!!!"
The sound of an explosion echoed in Shirou's ears. He quickly spun around, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the scene before him. To his surprise, the black beam had missed him but instead hit the military transport planes that were flying towards the Church.
She must be stopped at once!
Shirou made up his mind.
The black beam was relentless, though, sweeping towards him like a pillar reaching towards the sky. His thoughts raced as he flapped the black wings behind him, soaring around the church. The powerful black beam cannon trailed him like a shadow, determined to claim its target.
Shirou scowled as he looked back at the beam trailing behind him. Artoria's sword swung faster than his flight speed, making it clear that he couldn't outrun it forever. It was becoming increasingly clear that this wasn't a viable option. Confronted with the overwhelming beam, he lacked the confidence to face it with a smile.
With a quick thought, Shirou willed his black mud to move, causing it to swirl and form a large cannon-like hole behind him. He infused the hole with magical energy, and with a loud bang, the energy acted as a powerful propulsion system, propelling Shirou forward at incredible speed and leaving the black beam far behind.
After a short chase, the magical energy dissipated with a whoosh, and the intense black beam finally shrunk and vanished.
The black mud propulsion system behind Shirou transformed back into delicate black wings, slowing down his speed, and he landed steadily in front of the church.
With a determined expression, Shirou gazed at Artoria, who stood before the Black Grail, a brilliant light flickering in his fiery eyes.
[Instict C-]
[Mana Burst C-]
[Charisma E]
Hm?
Shirou raised his eyebrows, as he was only able to copy the skill to an E level. As he looked upon the corrupted Artoria, his understanding of the concept of the "Heroic Mortal" grew deeper within his heart.
Due to the contamination of black mud, Artoria's "Charisma" had plummeted to an E-level, which is why he could only replicate it to that same level.
"Guinevere?" Artoria Alter regarded Shirou with a questioning gaze.
"No, you have mistaken me for someone else. I am not your queen. My name is Fujimaru Shirou," Shirou corrected her, shaking his head.
"Such distinctions hold no significance right now. Whether you are Guinevere or Fujimaru Shirou, anyone who seeks to destroy my Camelot must meet their end!" Artoria's body was surrounded by waves of black magical energy, a manifestation of despair.
"That won't happen. I have no intention of dying. I still want to take my family on a vacation to Hokkaido," Shirou said with a smile. "And Fuyuki City is not your Camelot. It's my home."
The black mud roiled and eight massive arms wielding immense swords descended upon Artoria like a comet!
Artoria firmly grasped the Black Excalibur in both hands and launched a counterattack. The clash of steel echoed throughout the battlefield as the two forces collided.
"Clang clang clang!"
The speed was too fast, the sounds of the swords striking each other a blur in the heat of the moment. Artoria's skill and strength were pushed to the limit as she fought against the relentless barrage of black arms.
Artoria, who had been engulfed by the mud and had her Saint Graph reversed, was no longer the Saber under the control of Kiritsugu. The potent magical energy of the mud had returned her to her prime state.
All of her abilities, excluding agility and luck, had reached A-level, with her mana reaching an impressive A++ level.
Therefore--
Counter Hero!
The drain on his magical energy, along with the ability he had copied from the Enlightened One, took an immediate effect on Artoria. With a sharp "crack," all of her ability parameters plummeted by one level.
"A curse... How trite," She declared, brandishing the black sword as she lunged at Shirou.
"Kalaripayattu, Activate!"
In a moment, the ancient Indian martial art of "Kalaripayattu" infiltrated Shirou's domain, causing the mud to ripple with its effect.
Kalaripayattu doesn't rely solely on strength or intelligence but is considered the progenitor of martial arts that prioritize rational thought. It places greater emphasis on defense over the attack and can be accurately referred to as a defensive martial art.
So, as Artoria charged forward with an attack, the eight black hands swiftly reacted, defending themselves with a counterstrike.
"Clang clang clang~"
The continuous clanging of metal echoed throughout the dark, moonless night, illuminating it with a never-ending, cold gleam.
Shirou's magical energy was so abundant that he imbued each of the evil hands with the power equivalent to that of the peak of Spartacus, at least ranking as an A-level strength according to parameters.
Artoria was outmatched. She was able to withstand the eight-to-one disadvantage for as long as she had only because of the defensive nature of Kalaripayattu.
Additionally, the resulting copy of the martial art that Shirou had brought with him was not that high, so he was unable to grasp its deeper realm. And despite their overwhelming power, the black hands were not very nimble, and their movements were easy to predict.
Artoria, who had been consumed by the black mud, was now a merciless king, unshackled from all of her inner constraints. However, as a seasoned knight on the battlefield, she intuitively sensed the danger.
Despite her strength and skill, she was unable to defeat the black hand that had unleashed Kalaripayattu. Her speed was not significantly greater than that of the black hand, giving her no advantage in agility.
"Boom!"
At this critical moment, she unleashed her mana, and the magical energy she had acquired from the black mud enveloped her, pulsating and flickering like a shadow that bring terror.
With a flick of her ebony sword, the corrupted mana flowed into her body and weapon, imbuing it with a fear-inspiring power that was no less potent than that of one of the black hands. Together with her sword mastery, she stood a good chance of breaking through the rudimentary Kalaripayattu, which was made up of only eight black hands.
However, just as she was about to strike, Shirou raised his hand, his eyes alight with a glimmer of flame.
Mana Burst!
A massive surge of magical energy was infused into the eight black hands, and in an instant, the black flames blazed on the eight arms with a bleak hue that was even more intense than Artoria's, as if they were the source of despair.
He willed the black hands to swing down towards Artoria. The moment the eight great swords touched the ground, even space seemed to freeze for an instant. And then, with a deafening rumble, the ground shattered like a spider web, the flat surface breaking into massive boulders. Due to the immense force, it was lifted thirty meters into the air, and the terrifying gale swept everything away.
Not even the blackened Artoria, who had unleashed her magical energy, was immune to the destruction. She was tossed about by the massive wave, her once-unbreakable form now at the mercy of the elements.
In the distance, the mud was overturned and sent back like a giant wave by the shockwave. The sheer force of the impact left everything in its path destroyed and broken, creating a terrifying sight.
It was a mana burst strike, but even though it was only ranked at C-level, the destructive power it unleashed was terrifying!
Smoke and dust swirled, blocking the view.
Shirou stood still, protected by the eight giant black arms that stood in front of him, like an ancient deity.
And at that moment--
"Excalibur Morgan---!!"
A brilliant pitch-black light glimmered amidst the swirling dust and smoke.
...
Waver was stunned as he found himself in the world of Ionioi Hetairoi. Suddenly, an army appeared behind him, demanding that he conquer Rider.
"There's no time for you to be stunned, successor!" the handsome man next to him exclaimed. "Lead us to victory!"
Waver looked at the man, confused. "Who are you?"
"I am Hephaestion, the son of Alcmene!" the man declared with a bright smile. "And you, the successor of the King's Will, shall lead us towards the ultimate world together!"
Hephaestion's shout was echoed by the army.
"Towards the ultimate world! To the end of the sea of stars!"
The army behind him roared, their voices full of heroism, thirst, vigor, and an unwavering ambition fueled by greed. They were driven by a desire to reach the limits of the world and see what lay beyond the horizon, all ignited by their king's relentless pursuit of greatness!
Waver scanned the faces of the officers around him. He found that the officers around him were exactly the soldiers summoned by Iskandar last night when they attacked Spartacus.
These were not just ordinary soldiers, but rather powerful figures - some were self-proclaimed kings in the wake of Iskandar's death, and others were generals who commanded their own legions. Each of these leaders held sway over an iron army, comprising every type of troop imaginable.
Waver finally understands the situation. He realized that this was the inevitable outcome and that Iskandar had foreseen it all along. But why, despite recognizing the trajectory of events, had Iskandar still taken this path? Why did he do this?
Iskandar... He...
--- "Ha! Kid, don't forget, as a leader, barking and getting angry won't get you anywhere. What's important is learning to use your wits and having the courage to back them up."
--- "Why do you confine yourself to such a narrow world?"
--- "You arrogant guy, always talking nonstop. Is the reason you're participating in this war only to prove your own worth?"
--- "The only thing that this king fear is that these legs will not reach the end of the starry sea. Do you understand? How small is the world inside your heart?"
--- "You're quite talented, little master. If you were born in my era and were a king, maybe we could have a glorious battle."
--- "I have faith in you and your potential. Preserve your strength, focus on the future, and return to face me, to defeat me. I, Iskandar, will be the greatest obstacle standing in the way of your path to the ultimate world!"
Finally, Waver understood. He grasped what Iskandar was truly seeking and the essence of what he was offering. It was a dream, a journey, a King who would reveal the world to him, a journey he was granted to embark upon.
"Rider...rider..." Tears streamed down his cheeks, and he couldn't hold them back.
"Accept this sword and don this cloak, young heir of the King," Hephaestion presented Waver with a short sword and a red cloak.
Waver gazed at the red cloak, a gift from Iskandar. He couldn't help but smile as he recalled how the King had purchased it with the money he had swiped from Waver's wallet to buy the game "The Great Journey."
He donned the cloak and mounted Bucephalus, brandishing his short sword high as he cried out with a fierce shout, "Let's head towards the ends of the world! That is where our dreams lie!"
"To the ends!"
"To the ends!"
The soldiers roared with thunderous voices, their cries shaking the ground and echoing through the skies. This was the power of humanity!
...
Next 92 Chapters are up on my Patreon: patreon.com/bcloud
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