บท 460: Chapter 460: Red vs. Black Showdown · Meteor Spear
Even without the "Andreias Amarantos," Achilles still possessed A-rank endurance.
Endurance refers to the resilience of the body. Although Shinji's attack was heavy, it couldn't inflict significant injury on Achilles—in normal circumstances, Achilles should have gotten up as soon as Shinji landed.
But Achilles didn't, because Shinji had once again overturned his understanding—this human Servant, without divinity and divine armaments, had managed to break through his prized immortality and cause him harm.
Though the injury was slight, the numbness in his chest was real.
The warrior, standing up under the shield's protection, showed a serious expression for the first time. He scrutinized the enemy before him, hoping to find the reason.
Soon, he noticed something unusual—the strange Assassin's right hand had turned black at some point, emanating an aura that blended uniquely with the night.
However, this aura wasn't related to divine power, divinity, or authority associated with the night. Instead, it was another kind of mystery. This mystery might not be as powerful as divine might, but it was more bizarre and ominous.
Recalling the brief moment of the throw, Achilles found the answer.
"I see."
When Shinji's right hand grabbed his chest, a strange power invaded his body. For some reason, the "Andreias Amarantos," which should have activated, did nothing to counter this foreign force, allowing it to wreak havoc inside him.
"This hand is—?"
"This is the 'Black Hand'," Shinji replied.
Achilles waited quietly for more explanation, but nothing came, so he had to ask.
"And then?"
"It can break through your immortality."
"Why?"
"That I can't tell you unless you become my ally."
Hearing this, Achilles pouted in annoyance.
"Tch, not straightforward at all, just like that old man."
"Explaining one's abilities to the enemy isn't straightforward, it's stupid! How about I kill you first and then explain it to your corpse?"
"Uh..."
Achilles was taken aback, then said, "We Servants disappear right after death, no corpses."
This answer also stunned Shinji.
"Didn't expect you to be humorous."
"Don't compare me with your Saber. Haven't I said it before? This world is already so gloomy and rotten. At least let us be happier when we vanish."
"Couldn't agree more. So let's continue—win with a smile, or die with a smile!"
Shinji shifted his center of gravity, both hands forming chains, his right hand black as ink, his left hand shining with golden light, adopting a stance that seemed very familiar to Achilles.
"Pankration?"
"Yes, Pankration."
"Are you also a Greek hero?"
"You'll find out when you kill me, or when I kill you."
"Still so unsatisfactory."
Achilles shrugged helplessly and put away his shield.
"Fine, since you're using Pankration, I'll follow the traditional etiquette and have a wrestling match with you."
Pankration was not only one of the oldest mixed martial arts of ancient Greece but also a popular traditional sport throughout the country. As a disciple of Chiron and the most valiant warrior of the Trojan War, how could Achilles not know it?
He wasn't just familiar with it; he was a master.
Shinji was well aware of this. However, compared to weapon combat, he had a better chance of winning in hand-to-hand combat.
"Then let's begin."
Just as Shinji was about to launch his attack, Achilles suddenly raised his hand, making a pause gesture.
"Wait a moment."
"What's the matter? The famous Achilles isn't afraid of wrestling with a nobody like me, is he?"
"Afraid, no. Just a bit concerned," Achilles admitted frankly without hiding anything.
"You're too much like that old man. I'm worried you might use a Noble Phantasm during the wrestling match."
"Uh..."
Shinji felt slightly embarrassed. It seemed his frequent use of devious tricks had lowered his trustworthiness to rock bottom.
"If I say I won't, you probably wouldn't believe me. But this time, I don't plan to use any tricks."
"To make me trust you, it's simple. Look at this—"
Achilles said as he stepped back a few paces and picked up the thrown spear that had fallen on the ground.
"This is my Noble Phantasm; it represents my belief—go, 'Diatrekhōn Astēr Lonkhē: (Spear-tip of the Star Traversing the Skies).'"
The spear flew up into the air and landed precisely at the midpoint between the two.
This wasn't a thrown attack aimed at Shinji. Neither the spear nor Achilles carried any killing intent.
Then, the laws of time and space were replaced once again.
Unlike the "Akhilleus Kosmos," this world had no mountains, no seas, no grand landscapes.
This world was so simple yet solid. Rather than saying it built up walls, it would be more accurate to say it extracted a portion of space itself. Although it seemed no different from the previous surroundings, with the scenery unchanged, it was undoubtedly no longer part of the world Shinji was familiar with. However, since the supply of magical energy wasn't cut off, it wasn't completely severed from the world.
In this world, the unmistakable divinity that Achilles possessed vanished without a trace. The spears of Ishtar and Indra stuck in the ground also lost their divine power, turning into ordinary golden artifacts and war spears.
Indeed, this world isolated divine power; anything related to the gods couldn't function here. The only unrestricted force was the power of humans themselves.
This was a variant of a Reality Marble, a grand magic Achilles created not as a demigod but purely as a human. Though a warrior, he had surpassed many magus with this miracle.
"This is the space I created for a decisive battle with old man Hector."
During the Trojan War, despite the participation of renowned heroes like Achilles and Ajax, Troy couldn't be conquered for several years. There were several reasons for this.
Achilles abandoned the battlefield due to his disgust with the greed and arrogance of their leader, Agamemnon.
Even after returning, the internal conflicts persisted. Such internal strife meant that even though they were superior in combat strength compared to the united Trojans, their morale was much lower.
Perhaps the exceptional fortifications of the city of Troy, rare even in history, and the protection of the sun god Apollo were also reasons.
However, all of these were just minor details. If it were only these issues, the Achaean army might have faced some difficulties, but they would never have fallen into the despair of being unable to capture the enemy city.
The primary reason for this despair could be attributed to one man—the Trojan prince and great hero, Hector.
Hector was not only a warrior but also a general, a strategist, a politician, and a royal family member. He unified the entire Trojan army and maintained high morale, continuing the fight with unwavering spirit.
Although the Trojan War itself ended with Achilles seeking vengeance for his friend and defeating Hector, leading to Troy's downfall, it was an undeniable fact that the Achaean army struggled greatly because of Hector's presence.
"That guy, he smiled and said, 'If I fight with a goddess-blessed warrior like you, I'll be struck by a divine retribution,' and kept evading me. So, to have a fair one-on-one battle with him, I created this space."
Even knowing the effects of this Noble Phantasm, Shinji was still astonished. This man, blessed by the gods of Olympus and so close to being a divine warrior, had given up all of that just to pursue a fair and impartial battle by creating such a space. This was a warrior who loved combat, enjoyed combat, and was truly worthy of respect.
"In here, there is no divinity or anything like that. If you get hit, you'll bleed; if your joints are twisted, they'll dislocate. Not even luck can intervene, and time stands still. Once a victor is decided here, the outcome will be reflected in the outside world as well. Simple, right?"
"So, Hector agreed to duel you under these conditions," Shinji remarked.
"Yes, when he heard about it, he said, 'If that's the case, I might have a chance to win,' and agreed. But in the end, I still managed to defeat him—so, Black Assassin, do you accept?"
Achilles stomped the ground with a "thud," issuing a challenge to Shinji for a duel.
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