บท 42: Chapter 42: Spear of Death

After a brief encounter several days ago, Scáthach had already learned that Caster excelled in summoning magic and was prepared for the possible onslaught of magical creatures.

In general, the best way to deal with such magic is to kill the summoner before they can fully prepare.

However, Scáthach would not employ such a method.

She enjoyed every battle and would not resort to stealthy ambushes like other assassins. She would give her opponent ample time to display their techniques, even if those techniques could cause her harm or defeat. She had no regrets.

Scáthach had originally planned to use her extraordinary spear skills, as she had done countless times in mythological times, to kill Caster by piercing his heart. However, the number of magical creatures summoned by Caster was simply too great. Relying solely on the power granted to her by the Holy Grail as a Servant, she couldn't break free from the entanglement of these creatures, let alone kill Caster.

"Die, die, die!"

"Use your flesh and blood as the sacrifice to awaken Jeanne d'Arc."

Watching the struggling figure amidst the sea of magical creatures, Caster raised his hands high, his eyes bulging as if they could fall out at any moment.

"Giiiiiiii!"

As if echoing the voice of the summoner, the cluster of magical creatures let out a collective roar. They emitted strange and eerie sounds, expressing either joy or hatred, as they charged towards the center of the encirclement.

Scáthach furrowed her brows, an unusual expression for her, as she continued to destroy the creatures with her dominant spear skills that defied her physical stature. She sighed softly.

"I don't dislike the persistence that surpasses family, friendship, and love, but... when jealousy, madness, and hatred mingle in these emotions, they become rather ugly."

The creatures fell like wheat, whether they were small sea demons, medium-sized tentacles, or large monsters. None could stand against Scáthach's spear.

In that instant, there was a brief vacuum in the creatures' attacks. Seizing the fleeting opportunity, Scáthach swung her spear heavily, striking the ground with tremendous force. The solid and sturdy national highway collapsed and sank under the impact as if it were nothing for a heavy truck to crush.

The initiator of this spear, Scáthach herself, leaped high into the air, propelled by the force of the earth's rebound, reaching a height of over ten meters.

This height was far beyond the reach of the horde of magical creatures.

"Struggling in your dying moments! Wouldn't it be better to just die obediently?"

Caster raised his head and snorted contemptuously, swiftly flipping through the pages of his human skin book.

The sea of blood churned, and the demonic mist surged. Countless creatures covered in thorns, resembling bats to some extent, swarmed out, emitting piercing screeches as they attacked Scáthach in mid-air.

"It's you who's damned, Caster!"

The Queen of the Land of Shadow danced in the sky, her presence akin to that of heavenly soldiers and generals descending.

She maintained an attitude of ease as if she didn't even consider the massive army of magical creatures summoned by Caster a threat.

Casually tossing the crimson spear in her hand upward, she then turned her head downwards, feet pointing towards the sky, executing a standard "bicycle kick" maneuver seen in football techniques.

"Gáe Bolg Alternative (Piercing Spear of Death)!"

She weaved the words in her mouth, calling upon the true name of her Noble Phantasm.

The surrounding space groaned and creaked like a lament.

Legend has it that the Queen of the Land of Shadow bestowed upon her greatest disciple, Cú Chulainn, a magical spear. When thrown, the spear would transform into countless arrows that tracked the enemy, known as "Gáe Bolg" (Piercing Spear of Death), a cursed Noble Phantasm.

Of course, the one Scáthach was currently using was not the one bestowed upon her disciple but an older version of the same model. Although it was an older version, its power was not inferior to the newer version.

This was a devastating blow, like the weight of a thunderbolt.

It was impossible to evade, relentlessly pursuing its target no matter how many times one tried to dodge.

It was difficult to withstand. With this spear, Scáthach had defeated countless formidable enemies, never tasting defeat.

This is truly a deadly strike!

Scáthach hooked the tip of the magical spear with her toe and kicked it downward towards Caster.

Infused with magical energy, the spear split into two, then four, then eight, multiplying within the blink of an eye to create dozens, even hundreds, of spears.

The army of demonic bats in the air was the first to be targeted. They were pierced by the myriad of spear shadows before they could even let out a cry, reduced to fragments.

With the aerial forces annihilated, it was now the turn of the ground forces.

Caster sensed the danger, and his bulb-like eyes contracted. He quickly commanded his summoned creatures to tighten their defenses, while he took shelter beneath the largest monster, preparing to withstand Scáthach's deadly strike in this manner.

The spear of death, its true name unleashed, reached its utmost limit in an instant!

The spear shadows pierced through Caster's proud army of magical creatures, creating a violent storm and unimaginable high temperatures. Rather than spears, they were more like magical bullets!

Each spear shadow was akin to a howitzer shell, and the release of its true name was equivalent to the simultaneous firing of a hundred cannons!

Except for a few special Noble Phantasms, most of the abilities possessed by Heroic Spirits can be classified into three categories: those that target individuals, those that target armies, and those that target cities. The strength of a Noble Phantasm is unrelated to its category; it merely emphasizes different aspects. Those targeting individuals focus on a single person, those targeting armies emphasize range, and those targeting cities emphasize destructive power.

Scáthach's "Piercing Spear of Death" was precisely an army-targeting Noble Phantasm, making it ideal for dealing with Caster's strategy of summoning a horde of magical creatures.

"You summon an army, and I annihilate it with a single spear—this is Scáthach's tactic!"

The storm and the intense heat continued to pierce, engulf, evaporate, and scatter the magical creatures. In an instant, the entire road was cleared of the army of monsters, except for the largest one that Caster used as a physical shield. Its twisted, enormous body had been severely damaged by the dense rain of spears, and even the resilient magical creature couldn't withstand the assault of an army-targeting Noble Phantasm. It was on the brink of death.

At the core of the rain of spears, the main body of the magical spear was like a streaking comet that tore through the sky, completely ending the lives of the monsters, and delivering the final blow to this barrage of magical bullets.

"Wuooooo!!!"

Even though the corpses of the magical creatures obstructed her path, Caster's agonized screams were still clearly audible. Judging from his vigorous voice, it could be determined that the spear did not end his life.

Scáthach inwardly muttered, "What a pity." Her body, in a free-falling state, inexplicably changed direction and swiftly charged toward Caster's location, its speed comparable to the earlier barrage of magical bullets.

This was the result of her skill, "Wisdom of the Land of Shadows," utilizing "Mana Release" to convert the instantly released magical energy into physical force, altering the direction of descent.

—"Piercing Spear of Death" couldn't kill you, so I'll make up for it with another strike.

Scáthach shows no mercy even to her disciples, let alone enemies!

Her violet-colored greatsword materialized and mercilessly cleaved through the body of the magical creature.

Beneath the enormous body of the monster, there was an irregular one-meter-wide space, and Caster, who should have been hiding there, disappeared without a trace.

"Using the tentacle monsters to create an escape route underground, is not a bad tactic."

Scáthach crushed the corpse of the magical creature with one hand and retrieved her spear with the other. Her eyes focused on the hole in the ground while simultaneously opening a communication spell between her and Shinji. She multitasked efficiently and methodically.

"Shinji, what do you think we should do?"