บท 466: C466
The Emperor revealed a cold smile. This was what he had strived so hard to obtain—the great power of [Mortal Awakening]! While it cannot be controlled under normal circumstances, the 'Mortal Awakening - Emperor' of the Eternal King can be manipulated.
As long as the Eternal King's incomplete Imperial records could be completed with the fragments of the Crimson Moon, his Invisible Vortex would activate, officially crowning him as the Emperor.
Using the fragments of the Crimson Moon, he managed to complete those incomplete Imperial records, triggering the [Mortal Awakening - Emperor.]
So here he stood, no longer just the Eternal King. Thanks to the Crimson Moon fragments, he was reborn as the Emperor of the Moon!
In simpler terms, consider [Mortal Awakening - Emperor] as something similar to a Fusion card in "Yu-Gi-Oh!" The Eternal King serves as the ultimate fusion material; he can use the records of other individuals to create an Imperial Heroic Spirit that should never exist."
Born from fragments of the Crimson Moon, the Emperor naturally inherits the authority of the Crimson Moon.
As a result of this transformation, the figure now standing as the Emperor of the Moon can also be identified as Shirou Brunestud.
Likewise, the complete Eternal King has the ability to use [Mortal Awakening - Emperor] and the records of other beings to bring forth new Emperors, each endowed with different authorities.
With the authority of the Crimson Moon in his hand, the Emperor of the Moon has access to all the rights once held by the Crimson Moon. Whether it's the ability to manipulate reality with [Marble Phantasm] or command over the demonic sword, he even has the conceptual power to dominate the moon itself.
Given sufficient magical energy, he could even recreate the [Moonfall], a devastating power that Crimson Moon unleashed over 1,500 years ago!
However, thanks to the remarkable force of the Invisible Vortex, these rights and abilities have all been transformed into Noble Phantasms unique to the Emperor of the Moon.
So, in a particular way, the Emperor of the Moon is like a god, but without the actual divinity!
This was the trump card he had prepared specifically to fend off foreign invaders!
Ironically, now he's using it against Crimson Moon. Talk about poetic justice—wielding Crimson Moon's power to defeat Crimson Moon!
The Emperor of the Moon stared coldly at Crimson Moon and commanded, "Destroy her!"
But actually, he didn't even need to say it. Artoria, who had only one thought on her mind—killing Crimson Moon—had already sprung into action. Her holy sword cut through the air, aimed straight for Crimson Moon without a second's delay.
"Don't assume that taking my power will give you the upper hand!" Crimson Moon hissed, brandishing her demonic sword to block the incoming blade.
With a simple hand gesture, the Emperor of the Moon's crimson eyes glowed softly in red. His thoughts connected with the demonic sword, and with a slight mental nudge, he disrupted Crimson Moon's movements just long enough for Artoria to drive her sword deep into Crimson Moon's abdomen.
Clutching her wound, Crimson Moon's figure slightly distorted as she rapidly retreated. Her eyes filled with murderous intent, first locking onto Artoria, then shifting to the Emperor of the Moon behind her. In response to her predicament, she summoned an army of magical beasts using [Marble Phantasm], but Shirou responded in kind. Their magical creatures clashed and began massacring each other.
As magical beasts took on magical beasts and Dead Apostles fought against the soldiers of Camelot, Crimson Moon couldn't contain her disbelief. "Impossible! I know you have stolen my authority, but how can you possibly use my power to this extent?"
Shirou flashed a cold smile. "Isn't this because something you've been yearning for?"
"What I've been yearning for..." Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "Ah, I see. So this is the power of the invisible vortex? Truly, it's beyond understanding!"
Artoria didn't let her finish. With a swift swing, she pursued Crimson Moon with her blade.
"You imitator! You think you can best me with my own power? In your dream!" Crimson Moon yelled as she kicked away the approaching King of Knight and lunged at him.
Maintaining his cold smile, he shouted, "Arcueid, it's time to wake up!"
Crimson Moon's figure suddenly shook, and even the demonic sword in her hand vibrated with a humming sound.
Gripping her forehead and gritting her teeth, she muttered, "You can't resist me; you are my sword..."
"I... I'm not your sword... I... I am Arcueid..."
Spoken softly through the physical form of Crimson Moon was the consciousness of Arcueid. It became evident that both this body and the demonic sword rightfully belonged to Arcueid!
Thanks to the [Mortal Awakening - Emperor], the Emperor of the Moon was able to access Crimson Moon's authority. This allowed him the leverage to awaken the suppressed consciousness of Arcueid.
"Damn it!" Crimson Moon ground her teeth.
She clutched her forehead, struggling to keep Arcueid suppressed. But with Shirou leveraging the authority of the Emperor of the Moon to aid Arcueid, maintaining that suppression became increasingly difficult.
Reluctantly, she had to admit.
She had made a grave mistake!
Her mistake was assuming that this was the right moment to take over his body. But she couldn't have been more wrong. Not only did this move give him the mana required for the full manifestation of the Eternal King, but it also granted him shared authority, disrupting her plans from the inside!
She was filled with regret, but what could it change now? Fate—or what people refer to as destiny—isn't it just the outcome of choices made by their past selves? Choices they thought were the best at that particular moment?
Artoria lunged, her eyes as cold as ice, thrusting her sword forward. With no other option, Crimson Moon had to meet the attack, blocking it with her own blade.
But her power was significantly weakened, and in her skirmish with Artoria, she could barely hold her ground. Her movements and awareness were sluggish, and her body was marred by cuts from Artoria's blade.
"Stop resisting! This is your body!" Crimson Moon yelled.
Arcueid, however, ignored her, continuing to fight back against Crimson Moon's influence. With Shirou's backing, she also managed to restrain the demonic sword's power.
With the Emperor of the Moon aiding her, Arcueid regained partial control over her body. She looked at Artoria, tears streaming down her anguished face, and spoke, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I had no idea... I didn't know my actions would hurt you this much..."
When Crimson Moon fully emerged to claim her body, Arcueid regained her own consciousness, even though she had no control over her own body. So she also overheard Crimson Moon's conversation.
It was almost too much to fathom that she was actually the demonic sword of Crimson Moon. Even more shocking was the realization that the terrible events at the millennium castle from eight hundred years ago, which had haunted her all this time, were a result of her own actions.
But the most gut-wrenching revelation of all was the pain she had inflicted on her closest friend.
She held her friend in such high regard, cared for her so deeply. Yet, in a twist of fate, she had turned out to be the one who harmed her friend the most.
Why was life so fickle? What she held dear was broken, and what she cherished the most was undone by her own hands.
Arcueid's spirit was on the verge of collapse. If she weren't being controlled by Crimson Moon, she would have chosen to self-destruct right then and there.
"...I don't hate you, Arcueid."
Artoria's response was brief, a single sentence without further words. Yet, her actions spoke volumes as her sword thrust mercilessly, one strike after another, piercing the body that Crimson Moon had overtaken—Arcueid's body.
...
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