บท 428: C428
Shirou, along with Merlin and Miyu by his side, reached the city hall.
To rally the residents of Fuyuki City and lead them out of Mount Enzou, the best and most efficient approach was to use the government's resources.
The mayor of Fuyuki City was the father of his classmate, Kane Himuro. However, he didn't engage in conversation with him. Instead, he had Merlin use illusions to bewilder these people and gain control over them.
He instructed Mayor Himuro and his office staff to contact others and spread the message. But when they attempted to use the phone, they discovered that the signal was gone.
Following Fuyuki City's isolation by the planet, not only phones, but also various other communication devices began to malfunction.
The disruption extended beyond communication tools—it encompassed electrical appliances, technological gadgets, and even magnetic devices.
This news carried significant weight. The bedrock of modern human society rested on the exchange of information. With information technology now crippled, it was as if society had taken a step backward in time.
Facing this problem, Merlin asked, "My king, what should we do?"
Shirou responded thoughtfully, "Well, there... must be more than just one way, right?"
Merlin fell into a silence.
He looked at Merlin and smiled, "When all's said and done, technology is just a tool—a convenience that humans have grown accustomed to using to make their lives easier. But its absence doesn't make people powerless."
Drawing a deep breath, he used his Noble Phantasm, summoning 2.000 soldiers to collaborate with the mayor's office personnel.
In no time, despite the breakdown of technology, the office swiftly resumed its normal operations.
Concern creased Merlin's brow as he turned to him, expressing his worries. "Your magical energy..."
He waved off the concern. "No need to worry. I've a plan and I can handle it."
With the central city hall now back in operation, the full force of the government's influence began to take effect.
The message rippled from one person to ten, then from ten to a hundred.
Quickly, those in authoritative roles rallied their respective factions and set out towards Mount Enzou.
But, was the time really enough?
The planet only provided six hours for them to escape. And her intention was clear: to obliterate this land from the world entirely.
Yet, the process of reinstating the government had already devoured a significant portion of time, leaving a mere five and a half hours behind.
In a world where technology had become useless, could they complete the massive evacuation of the city?
He wasn't certain either. But if failure was considered even before taking any action, there would be no possibility of success at all.
Before the team dispersed, he asked Merlin's help in creating alchemical stones for communication. These stones were then distributed to every group, ensuring a means of contact could be maintained.
Currently, their group, including the initial summoning of 100 soldiers, had dispersed throughout Fuyuki City, aiding the people.
Still, considering the vast expanse of Fuyuki City, their current numbers fell short of what was truly needed.
Faced with this problem, he found himself with little option but to summon an additional 3.000 soldiers to bolster their rescue efforts.
This brought the total count of summoned soldiers to an impressive five thousand and one hundred.
Of course, this didn't come without its problems; the strain on his magical energy was now extremely heavy.
As he felt the rapid drain of his magical energy, beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.
In this moment, it struck him that his Noble Phantasm might pale in comparison to Ionioi Hetairoi. The strength of the latter lay in the shared magical energy among the entire army of Heroic Spirits, while his own Noble Phantasm placed the burden solely on his shoulders.
Although its power was formidable, the burden was indeed heavy.
And now, without the support of magical energy—especially since "Evil Flower" had stopped working—the consumption was happening at an alarming pace.
With no other option, he had to carefully allocate and utilize every ounce of strength, hoping that his magical energy would hold out until the major evacuation is complete.
Standing within the city hall office and gazing into the distant sky where the dormant dragon was, his grip on his palm gradually tightened.
...
The clash between Shirou and the dragon sent a colossal surge of energy sweeping through the area, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Buildings crumbled into ruins, and the once festive celebration transformed into a sudden farewell to life.
The irony of the situation was hard to ignore.
Amidst the ruins, Gil managed to lift the debris and rescue those trapped beneath.
"Uncle, are you okay?" He asked.
"Thank you, thank you..." The uncle heaved a sigh of relief as he embraced Gil, his emotions overflowing.
Gil scratched the back of his head, his smile breaking through the tension. "Hmm... this is starting to become troublesome."
Chloe glanced over and felt a twinge of a headache, muttering to herself, "Could this be any worse? Of all people, I end up in the same group as him."
"Chloe, why are you talking to yourself?" Gil smiled.
"Let's not get too chummy. Your presence doesn't exactly put me at ease," Chloe said, taking a couple of steps back.
Gil scratched the back of his head, showing a slightly troubled expression. "I must admit, being disliked does bother me."
Observing the people around who had been saved by Gil, Chloe remarked, "Actually, I don't quite understand why you're doing these rescue things. After obtaining your card, I understood clearly that you're an arrogant and selfish person. You and Fujimaru-niisan are two extremes. It's really hard to believe you'd be helping people."
"You're not wrong. I'm as selfish as they come," Gil chuckled, his voice carrying a light-hearted tone. "From the moment I graced this world with my presence to this very moment, every second has been dedicated to no one but myself. But you see..."
Gil's gaze shifted to the colossal dragon head dominating the sky. His smile grew, and he continued, "The road that paves my road to glory—should anyone dare to defile that path, regardless of their identity, I'll be the one to crush them with my own two hands."
Turning his attention back to Chloe, Gil's grin remained as he asked, "Are you following me so far? I'm dripping with arrogance, so if anyone dares to tarnish that arrogance, regardless of who the opponent is, I'll crush them with my own hands."
Chloe fell into silence.
At that moment, she suddenly felt somewhat reassured by him.
Avoiding Gil had been a calculated move for Chloe, driven by the nagging worry that he might ambush her at any moment, ending her life and making off with her class card.
However, the way he spoke now threw her hesitations into relief.
His arrogance knew no bounds. He wouldn't let anything tarnish that arrogance. So, it seemed less likely he'd try to ambush her for the card, right?
"Why... why did this happen?" At that moment, Illya collapsed onto the ground.
Chloe rushed over and found Illya crying.
"Illya," Chloe's voice held a gentle concern as she called out.
Illya lifted her gaze to meet Chloe's, brushing away her tears. She stood up again, her voice shaky as she managed to say, "Chloe, it's okay... I'm just..."
Chloe enveloped her in a reassuring hug, her words a soft whisper, "It's okay to feel vulnerable, even just for a moment."
Illya's body trembled, and tears flowed freely down her cheeks.
She was just an ordinary fifth-grade elementary school student, enjoying the daily routines of youth and naturally savoring the blessings of peace. When she accepted Sapphire, she had prepared herself for battle. However, facing this tragic scene and the immense terror in the sky that seemed like the end of the world...
She was genuinely scared!
She clung to Chloe, trembling for a while, then dabbed at her tears, turning her gaze toward Chloe, "Thank you."
"We're sisters, always remember that," Chloe chimed in.
"Yeah!" she nodded, her gaze shifting to the ruins, a profound sadness welling up within her.
It was all in ruins now.
Whether it was peace or lives, in one devastating blow, everything had turned to dust.
The count of lives lost was beyond her understanding.
All she knew was that she was fortunate.
She had Sapphire, friends who genuinely cared, and dependable adults by her side. So, she lived on, surrounded by people who comforted her. But many others had already turned into bones, many had lost their loved ones.
...
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