บท 426: C426
"Boom—!"
Two brilliant beams of light burst towards the sky shrouded in black mist.
The air crackled with a mix of storm and thunder, as if they were dancing together. Amidst this celestial display, piercing through the thick shroud of darkness were the radiant beams of light rushing straight at the monstrous dragon's head.
In an instant, the dragon's crown emitted a swirling mass of black mist, gradually taking the form of a sinister humanoid figure.
Though devoid of distinct features, the figure bore an unmistakably masculine presence. Clutched in his hand was a staff with an eagle-shaped head.
"Zra, Zra!!"
Pitch-black thunder rippled across the sky, a phenomenon far beyond mere natural lightning, much like the thunderous hammer of Beatrice earlier.
The sky over the city became a canvas of pitch-black thunder, its reach extending beyond the city limits, yet halted by the planet's isolation barrier.
These black bolts of thunder pulsed and converged, their immense divine power propelling them toward the dual columns of light.
At that moment, two kinds of energies clashed, warping the very fabric of space itself.
And then—
"Boom rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble—!!!"
The earth roared, the sea waters surged backward, as if recoiling from the sheer magnitude of the clash.
The storm with furious winds and blinding torrents descended on the unsuspecting city below, wreaking havoc and destruction that left nothing in its wake. Buildings trembled, streets flooded, and the city's landscape was reshaped in a torrent of chaos.
The clash between the two opposing forces ended in complete annihilation, leaving behind nothing but a vast crater. The air was filled with scorching residual energy waves, searing everything in their path.
"Roar, roar, roar, roar, roar—!!!"
The immense dragon head, spanning an impressive two hundred meters in width, let out a deafening roar that sent shuddering shockwaves through the ground and turned the sea waters into a boiling frenzy.
Right at that moment, thanks to the intervention of the Enlightened One, the corrective power of the planet surged from the sky, the earth, and the ocean. It worked swiftly, mending the rifts that had marred the sky, earth, and sea. Even the essence of these energies extended over the colossal monstrous dragon.
The creature, once shrouded in an eerie darkness, now became adorned with vibrant, rainbow-like auras, resembling the dancing northern lights.
The dragon head, once brimming with ferocity, appeared somewhat listless for a moment. Its massive red eyes blinked, as if about to fall asleep, and the sinister humanoid figures lined up along its neck slowly closed their mouths.
The colossal dragon's eyes drooped, and it slipped into a slumber.
The gigantic arms that had been swinging through the air also ceased their movement.
A perfect opportunity! He triggered the Tower of Light, poised to capitalize on this opening and deliver a decisive blow to the monster's head.
Yet, even quicker, a hand clasped his wrist.
Turning, he found Arcueid, her gaze somewhat distant, holding onto his wrist with a gentle yet resolute grip.
—[Touched by the Planet]
He couldn't help but be surprised, "You are..."
Gil's gaze sharpened as he observed her closely.
Shirou had long been aware that Arcueid was not just the closest True Ancestor to Crimson Moon, but also a creation of the planet itself.. This particular Arcueid, marked by his Noble Phantasm with [Touched by the Planet], undeniably carried within her the planet's consciousness, a phenomenon often referred to as the Princess Arc.
But Arcueid had lost her hair to Altrouge, and those vampiric impulses were holding her back from unleashing her full strength.
Most importantly, nine years ago, she had fallen into the Root together with him, causing the planet to completely abandon her.
These were the absolute prerequisites for activating the Princess Arc mode.
And now, none of these conditions had been fulfilled. So, how did the Princess Arc manage to activate?
Sensing his confusion, she reassured him, "I'm merely using her body to communicate."
The situation was a bit bewildering, but he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he pointed toward the colossal dragon head in the sky and asked, "Why can't we launch an attack on it?"
"You, wouldn't be able to defeat, it," replied the Princess Arc. She then glanced at Artoria, who was about to say something, and added, "My strongest defense mechanism is ineffective against it."
Frowning, he pressed on, "What exactly is it?"
"Don't know... It's like my limbs, but not. It's like an outsider, yet not." Princess Arc said in a robotic tone.
"In six hours, everything here will be wiped out," Princess Arc stated after a momentary pause. Her gaze shifted toward Mount Enzou, and she spoke with an absent expression, "I've provided you an exit. Take this body and flee together."
He asked, "Can you support my magical energy?"
"No power remains here..." Princess Arc lifted her hand, her fingers brushing against his cheek. With vacant eyes, she continued, "Escape, Guinevere, the one I've forged a pact with..."
Gradually, her eyes regained their luster. Arcueid's body quivered, and she regained consciousness.
She looked at her own palm with a puzzled expression, whispering to herself, "Why did I touch Shirou's cheek?"
Shirou's heart grew heavy as he retrieved both Rhongomyniad.
"My King, what should we do?" Artoria looked at him and asked.
As he surveyed the devastation around him, his heart sank. Especially in the area where he and the colossal dragon head had clashed, the energy surges had wreaked havoc on numerous buildings, and the extent of the casualties was impossible to fathom.
He turned his attention to the people nearby, took a deep breath, and calmly stated, "We need to rescue the survivors. Get them to safety."
"With just six hours remaining, do you truly believe we can save the people of this city? Is it even possible?" Gil questioned.
He shot back, "If we don't try, how will we ever find out if it's even possible?"
"Definitely in line with your style," Gil chuckled, "Alright then, I'll acknowledge you as my Master for now."
Shirou cast a quick look at the group and instructed, "Disperse and communicate using all available means, use broadcasting if needed. Don't worry about the mystery, the priority is to get the word out. Survival lies in reaching Mount Enzou!"
"Yes, my King!"
"Got it, Fujimaru-niisan!"
"Absolutely, Shirou!"
Several of them responded in agreement.
In this critical moment, an endless expanse of black mist surged out from the world-shattering rift in the sea's surface.
What's more, the black liquid of unknown origin, capable of obliterating civilizations, was about to drip down from above. However, the planet's corrective power blocked the descent of this civilization-erasing substance.
The sea's surface was shrouded in an unending sea of black mist, akin to the depths of an abyss, casting an air of hopelessness.
"What... what's happening now?" Illya's eyes brimmed with tears. She had been living a carefree life, and now suddenly, so many dreadful things kept happening.
Shirou's brows furrowed. Those black mists were the same as the colossal dragon head in the sky; they both negated his Noble Phantasm, rendering it useless.
He picked up the holy lances, poised for a clash with the encroaching black mists. However, in that moment, a remarkable scene unfolded atop the sea's expanse—fragrant flowers burst forth, a vivid sea of blossoms springing up, forming an impromptu barrier against the encroaching black mist.
In tandem with the materialized staff from his Noble Phantasm, an ethereal illusion of a mage began to manifest, becoming increasingly solid by the second.
"Merlin..." He stared on the slowly materializing figure of the mage.
"Ah... I'm glad I passed those records to you a year ago, my King. If not for your Noble Phantasm, I wouldn't have made it in here," Merlin materialized and patted his chest. Then, he knelt down on one knee in front of him with a gentle smile and said, "Merlin, in answer to your summons, my King."
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