章節 1441: Prelude to Chaos
Due to the nature of the Photonic Abyss, finding someone else wasn't a difficult feat to achieve. The abyss itself was an endless virtual space, but, unless someone was nearby, it didn't simulate an environment or its Laws, reducing waste and saving processing power. Thus, it was only when people inside that the environment began to change, perfectly adapting to suit the entities within, even allowing fish to swim around in the air as if it were water.
As a result of the phantasmal nature of the Photonic Abyss, it was possible to find other people by simply following the existing paths. Though these paths could be unstable, often as a result of the various Attack Programs that aimlessly wandering about, anyone with the capabilities to clear the path could quickly find other people. Everything was connected, one way or another.
With his unique Skill, [Nameless Hero:EX], derived from the fact his 'original' was never inscribed on the Throne of Heroes, Shirou was able to functionally erase his existence from the perception of others. The only people this Skill didn't work well against were those who knew the original, as, despite Alaya having erased his existence from the world, their Od allowed them to remember he existed. This was the reason he had needed Musashi and Caenis to serve as a distraction during the previous operation, as, the moment he got anywhere near Artoria, she would undoubtedly be able to sense his presence.
Due to the nature of his Skill, Shirou was able to 'walk' right past massive Attack Programs, some the size of blue whales, without drawing any attention. He would only be revealed if he decided to attack, but, knowing Caenis needed something to relieve her stress, he elected to leave them be as he searched for the location of Jason and his other allies. Dealing with him before Caenis could cause a conflict would save them a lot of trouble.
Fortunately, while the Photonic Abyss was functionally infinite, it took less than an hour before he discovered the first landmark, a dirt path that seemed to float atop nothingness. It had several red Torii-style gateways, leading to what appeared to be an ancient Japanese city in the distance. This caused Shirou to manifest, his body forming together in an instant as he considered following the path or taking a detour. He knew full-well that Jason couldn't be found along the left path, but, as he needed to convince everyone, starting with those closest to him wasn't a bad idea.
As he considered his options, Shirou heard the sound of feathers ruffling in the wind, followed by a swift pitter-patter of footsteps. Then, appearing from atop the nearest Torii, a petite young girl, standing at only 130cm in height, jumped down, landing silently on the ground. When she raised her head to stare back at him, Shirou smiled awkwardly before saying, "Benienma...it is good to see you again. How are Raikou and the others?"
In response to Shirou's greeting, the young girl, wearing a modified kimono that seemed to be formed of large feathers, perked up slightly before bowing politely and saying, "Shirou-dono, I am pleased to see you in good health. Have you come to stay the night or were you intending to send a message to Raikou-sama? I just opened an Enma-tei so you can be my first customer, free of charge."
Since Benienma had the ability to see through lies, Shirou knew better than to try and deceive her. She didn't carry around a katana that was longer than she was tall for decorative purposes, so, if you intended to deceive her, you needed to prepare yourself both mentally and physically.
Though Benienma had the appearance of a child, she was actually a yokai, an Oni Spirit that had existed since 1885. She had burgundy hair, cut short to frame her face, with a long ponytail that was impossibly straight and flat, transitioning from burgundy to gold at the end. To prove that she wasn't human, she had a sparrow's beak poking out between her bangs, while, seated in the hat atop her head, a rather creepy 'sparrow', stared unblinkingly at anyone speaking to Benienma. It had a rounded, ball-like, body matching the color of Benienma's hair, and glowing red eyes set in an abyssal black circle that also housed its metallic black beak...
While Benienma's peculiar appearance stood out quite a bit, especially with a long katana at her side, what truly made her stand out were her clothes. She was wearing a smock-like kimono that only reached her waist. Beneath that, she wore a too-short black skirt, but, to protect her dignity, she also had a pair of form-fitting hot pants on underneath. As for the rest of her outfit, she wore a feathered mantle that extended into two large sleeves, much like a pair of wings. To complete the outfit, she also wore an apron made from several layers of white downy feathers, finishing things off with a pair of black geta that artificially increased her height from 130cm to 135cm.
Overall, Benienma was a very adorable 'creature', so long as you ignored her milky-white pupils, how the beak on her head would periodically open, and the persistent gaze of demonic sparrow that nested within her hat. These things made it readily apparent that Benienma wasn't a human, a lesson many had, unfortunately, learned the hard way. If you weren't aware of her true nature and ended up telling a lie, she would either shave off a portion of your skin or, depending on the nature of the lie, attempt to slice off your tongue. This was the manifestation of her legend as the Shitakiri-Suzume, the 'Tongue-Cut Sparrow'.
Though he was confident in being able to escape, Shirou wasn't all that fond of lying in the first place, so, with a wry smile on his face, he explained, "I was actually searching for Jason. I don't mind paying a visit to your Enma-tei, but it will have to wait until I finish my other business."
Hearing Shirou's response, Benienma showed a slightly saddened expression as she muttered, "I see..." in a deflated tone. Immediately afterward, she turned tail, leaping up to the top of the Torii and scampering away with such speed it was nearly impossible to follow her movements. Despite this, her voice still reached his ears without any issues, adding, "I will prepare a room and keep the bath warm in preparation for your visit."
While it wasn't that noticeable when you were talking to her, as she spoke with minimal mouth movements, the most peculiar part of Benienma was that she could speak coherently, despite the lack of a tongue. She had the [Ventriloquism: EX] Skill, allowing her voice to carry vast distances without any interference from things like wind or, in the most extreme cases, physical barriers. She could use this to easily catch opponents by surprise, making use of her A++ Rank Agility to strike them before they realized her true location.
If he were being honest, Shirou was a little perturbed by all the girls that had been summoned using Raikou, herself, as a catalyst. They were all a type of Yokai, giving them a myriad of strange, and often lethal, abilities. One, Shuten-douji, even had the ability to phase her hands through any person that had ingested her alcohol, removing their bones while leaving their organs and blood vessels completely intact. It was a terrifying ability that made anyone think twice about sampling the 'Demonic Dragon's Wine' she was reputed for.
Since the Yokai summoned by Raikou had seemingly all gathered together, Shirou was in no hurry to meet with them, at least on his own. It was never safe to associate with Yokai alone, as, similar to the Faeries common in European Folklore, they could mess with your perception of time. As a result, you could spend weeks drinking a single cup of sake or engaging in a conversation, even if it only seemed like a few minutes from your perspective.
Now that she was gone, Shirou realized he had been too hasty in agreeing to Benienma's offer to stay at her Enma-tei. She had likely influenced him with her 'yokai aura', making it impossible for him to make rational, spur of the moment, decisions. Now, he would have to visit her Enma-tei in the future, as, with the passage of time, her ability would manifest in the form of a grudge, a very powerful curse that could even claim the lives of powerful Onmyouji and Gods.
Realizing his mistake, Shirou released a tired sigh before taking a seat and waiting for the others to arrive. There were only two other paths to take, and, while this gave him a 50% chance to track down Jason, it could be increased to 100% with Caenis' ability. Considering where he might end up if he made the wrong decision, Shirou felt it was best he exercised some patience. He didn't want to encounter someone like Tamamo-no-Mae or Brynhildr on his own, both women who had a very 'dangerous' inclination towards the opposite sex. In fact, due to the conditions used in their summoning, most of the Heroic Spirits summoned by Archimedes had some severe personality flaws...himself included.
---
Unbeknownst to Shirou, one of the more troublesome women in their group had, for reasons only she was aware, stumbled across the Ivory Castle. This was a woman with remarkable beauty, sleek red hair, and a lithe, yet mature, figure. What stood out the most, however, was the chariot upon which she stood, pulled along by a host of immaculate black stallions, each possessing muscular bodies and silken manes. They were perfect equine specimens, their bodies radiating the kind of majesty you would expect from a King, not a horse.
Without losing to her cherished companions, the woman also radiated an aura of confidence as she viewed the Ivory Castle in the distance, her crimson red tongue slowly licking her lips as she considered conquering it. She had been summoned for a very specific purpose, so, after idling around for several months, she had started to lose her patience. Thus, without thinking too hard, the woman's smile grew into a sadistic grin as she mused, "It's been a long time...I wonder how my beloved sister is doing~?"
Following her musings, the woman lifted a peculiar spear, similar in structure to [Gae Bolg], but, rather than a deep scarlet, it possessed a sapphire blue hue. She raised this spear high into the sky, causing a phenomenal amount of mana to surge out from her body as she shouted, "Heed my call to arms! Armorican warriors, answer your Queen's summons! Become a tide of death that lays waste to my enemies! Drown them in my fervent passion! [Tochmarc Emire la Coinculaind]!!"
In response to the woman's outburst, a massive calvary of skeletal riders, each riding crystalline horses made from the same sapphire blue materials as her weapon, formed into existence. They numbered more than six-thousand, each possessing long spears that, on their own, could rival C-Rank Noble Phantasms. Together, their combined might qualified them for the EX Classification, as, so long as the woman provided an adequate amount of mana, they would regenerate without end.
As a result of the large cavalry appearing, a vast plain appeared between her position and the location of the Ivory Castle, providing ample room for maneuvering. This caused the smile on the woman's face to twist into an expression of maddened glee as she pointed her spear towards the majestic fortress and shouted, "Ride forth! Defeat my enemies! Let the Empire quake under the might of my, Queen Aife's, might...!"
Though they didn't have lungs, the skeletal warrior managed to release a phenomenal war cry, spears raised high as they charged down the sloped plain leading to the Ivory Castle. From a distance, they looked like a wave of sapphire blue water pouring into a basin, but, as gaps began to open in their charge, it became very apparent that an enemy army was approaching the Ivory Castle's mighty walls...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'So many broken Skills...','Yokai are terrifying o_o...','Aife descends...!!')
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章節 1442: Control
Though not outside of expectations, as he had already seen the battle coming, Vahn was still a little surprised that someone would try and charge a static fortification with calvary. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of person would issue such an order, so, while Gawain, Kenshin, and Lancelot took command of the defense, he stood atop one of the many wizard towers, accompanied by Artoria, as they both gazed out over the horizon.
Voicing what he had been thinking, Artoria asked, "Does she not appear similar to Scáthach? There are clear similarities between them...even their weapons are similar..."
Nodding his head, Vahn answered, "If I had to guess, she is most likely Scáthach's older sister, Aife. I have heard a bit about her so that ridiculous chariot and those horses are a dead giveaway."
As the legends surrounding Scáthach and Cú Chulainn were well known to her, Artoria was privy to most of Aife's own legend, including the fact she had, for a time, been considered the equal of her sister in battle. While this hadn't made much sense, as Aife ended up losing to a version of Cú who had yet to complete his training, she should still be a capable warrior.
Preempting Artoria's question, Vahn shook his head, calmly stating, "This may very well be the only battle they have the opportunity to fight. Most of the Captains and Commander should be capable of taking down Aife so there is no reason for us to intervene."
Understanding Vahn had likely 'seen' the outcome of the battle, something he could guarantee by taking no actions, Artoria decided not to press the matter. He had already explained how his ability works, so, if he was confident things would go well, there was no need to worry. She just needed to remain vigilant, ready to step in if things seemed like they were deviating off course...
Though the current Ivory Castle lacked its usual defensive and magical formations, it still had sturdy walls, heavily reinforced by [Faerie Rune]s and Dwarven craftsmanship. Thus, even siege weaponry, enhanced by magic, would be hard-pressed to deal substantial damage to the majestic walls, much less the spears of calvary soldiers. As a result, Gawain had the Militia take turns releasing devastating volleys of magical energy, raining one-sided destruction upon the crystalline warriors attempting to breach the castle walls.
While some might imagine that mounts gave the cavalry an advantage in regards to mobility, the truth of the matter was that the Homunculi could easily match the pace of a fighter jet, much less a supercharged horse. This allowed them to easily respond when the calvary split, attempting to leap over the tall walls and invade the interior of the castle. At the same time, Kenshin led her forces from the backside of the castle, where tall cliffs could usually be found, using the newly created route to flank the enemies with devastating effectiveness.
Kenshin wasn't known as the Goddess of War for nothing, so, by happenstance, her attack came exactly at the most inopportune time for the enemy forces. They had just been splitting to try and surround the castle, leaving less than half of their numbers to meet with the three-hundred elites led by a total of eight Kenshin. She even led the charge directly, riding atop Houshoutsukige, her trusted steed that could gallop at a pace easily exceeding the speed of sound.
With her eight-branched spear in hand, Kenshin tore through enemy lines with impunity, shattering both the skeletal warriors and their mounts with ease. Her attacks even prevented the regeneration of every soldier she cut down, her mastery over the Laws allowing her to severe their connection to Aife. This hadn't gone unnoticed by the vermillion-haired woman, who, from the moment Kenshin took to the battlefield, had been glaring at Houshoutsukige with a covetous expression.
While her own steeds were like masterworks carved by the Gods, there was no way they could hope to compete against Kenshin's Houshoutsukige. The latter was capable of competing against B-Rank Heroic Spirits, and, while it didn't give the same impression of beauty as Aife's beloved pets, the aura that surrounded it, much like a famous General, inspired feelings of awe in anyone who bore witness to his majesty.
Aife had originally been intending to lure out Scáthach, but, seeing Kenshin unceremoniously carve a path through her Noble Phantasm, she was no longer able to sit idle. She grabbed the golden reins of her chariot, shouting, "Onwards!" in a commanding tone. At the same time, she pulled one of the sapphire blue spears resting in a compartment at her side, allowing her to replenish her stock as she used the lethal blue spears as projectile weapons.
Though Kenshin was the focus of her ire, Aife thought to get even with her by targeting the former's forces. Unfortunately for her, the unit trained by Kenshin wasn't dealt with so easily. The Platoon and Squad Leaders had been paying close attention to her movements from the start, so, in response to her movement, they quickly banded together, forming a dome-like structure using shields that had pulled out of interspatial artifacts. As a result, the spears thrown by Aife impacted harmlessly against the barrier they had erected, creating a vibrant, bluish-white, light in the process.
Immediately after her opening attack, Aife pulled hard on the reins of her chariot, a vain attempt to try and evade several powerful attacks that had been sent her way. While the [Primordial Rune]s she had carved into her chariot and embossed into the bridles of her horses would protect them against most ranged attacks, her instincts screamed at her to evade. Unfortunately, while her stallions could keep pace with Houshoutsukige, the barrage of attacks loosed by Tristan, famous for 'never' missing a target, proved more than a match for her defensive measures.
Tristan's Noble Phantasm, [Failnaught], was a bow forged from his favorite harp, capable of firing vacuum arrows that moved swiftly enough to hit even the fastest Heroic Spirits. While the might of each arrow left something to be desired, the fact he could fire off dozens in a single second made his assault like a persistent stream of destruction, overwhelming anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in the tempestuous onslaught.
Taking advantage of one of the main weaknesses of a chariot, Tristan had aimed the majority of his arrows towards the second row of horses, overwhelming the defenses in that singular area to easily kill the otherwise defenseless creature. As a result, its body went limp, causing the entire chariot to crash due to the interference caused by its corpse.
As there were few things she cherished more than her stallions, Aife released a feral cry in response to one of their deaths. At the same time, she arched her body in a perfect throwing motion, tossing her primary spear towards the red-haired Knight standing atop the castle's bulwark. This attack was strong enough to tear through the void itself, sending ripples of blue lightning coursing through the area as it reached its target in what appeared to be an instant.
What Aife could have never expected was, despite the swiftness of her attack, someone was able to interfere, stepping in front of the entirely unperturbed Tristan and 'catching' it out of the air. For a brief moment, her thought process came to a complete halt, gawking in disbelief as a purple-haired Knight reigned in her secondary Noble Phantasm, wielding it as if it were his own. Though they were more than a kilometer apart, she could see his lilac eyes, filled with a resolute light as he arched his body similar to her own, throwing the spear back at her with even greater force...
Though not on the same level as someone like Artoria, Aife's [Instinct]s could be directly compared to Mordred. As a result, her body moved even before her mind could completely process everything that had happened. This allowed her to toss out a handful of small gemstones, each inscribed with an Algiz Runes inlaid with the blood of her Ancestors. These were heirlooms that were passed down to each generation, making them one of the most powerful protective charms that could be created using [Primordial Rune]s.
Due to the swift action of her body, Aife was spared the indignity of being struck down by her own spear. This did little to pacify the horror she felt, however, as the attack dished out by Lancelot was able to tear through four layers of protection before it finally lost its power. Since each layer would be able to protect against an A-Rank Noble Phantasm, this left her considerably shaken, her senses dulling as a powerful urge to flee took root in her heart.
In the brief moment where Aife was distracted, Kenshin appeared at her side, startling the red-haired warrior queen as she pointed her spear at the former's neck and stated, "This battle is your loss. Will you concede or fight till your death? Make your choice!"
Momentarily bereft of her weapon, Aife was at a loss as to how she should respond to Kenshin. She didn't want to concede defeat, but, according to the traditions of her people, she had little choice in the matter. Thus, after clenching her teeth and forcibly holding back tears, she begrudgingly stated, "I surrender..." in a shaky tone. At the same time, her soldiers began to dissolve away into motes of white light. Shortly thereafter, her chariot and horses also vanished, leaving Aife surrounded by a trio of Kenshin, a resentful look on her face as she averted her eyes in shame.
Despite Aife's apparent surrender, Kenshin didn't drop her guard for a moment, waiting until the former was restrained using the same artifacts used on Caenis. Her weapon was also confiscated, leaving Aife staring pointedly at the group of women before asking, "What will you do with me? I have already surrendered so there is no honor to be found in shaming me further..."
Hearing Aife's remark, Kenshin stared at her curiously, stating, "You will, most likely, be meeting with the Emperor. You share a lot of similarities with one of our comrades so I imagine he wishes to speak with you before releasing you to your comrades."
Not expecting Kenshin's remark, Aife showed an expression of disbelief as she asked, "What do you mean by that? I had thought the situation with Musashi and Caenis was ridiculous...do you mean to tell me that your Emperor is truly foolish enough to just release his captives without-"
Before Aife could finish her statement, a flash of light passed through the periphery of her vision, far faster than she could react. Then, with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, Kenshin, while wiping away a small amount of blood from her sword, stated, "You would do well not to insult our Emperor. Take a look around you...I'm not the only one offended by your words."
Without minding the fact her cheek was bleeding, Aife turned her head, matching gazes with several hundred Homunculi, each looking at her with a murderous glint in their ruby-red eyes. Their focused gazes were enough to even send shivers through Vahn's body, so, feeling the killing intent wash over her like a baptism, Aife's body began to tremble as she swallowed her words and lowered her head.
Seeing the warrior woman's reaction, Kenshin released a small sigh, finding the red-haired beauty rather pitiful. Despite this, she offered no words of kindness, as, over the last three years, Kenshin had come to view Vahn in a similar light to Bishamonten. He was her God, Master, and Lover so she would never tolerate someone arbitrarily slandering his name, especially if they were an enemy. This was a notion she shared with everyone in her battalion, each devout believers in Vahn, willing to lay their lives down without hesitation for his cause...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I kind of feel bad for Aife xD...','Lancelot don't play o_o...','Insulting a God in front of his most devout believers...unwise (UwU)...')
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