Such a bold charge inevitably drew the attention of the Laḫmu swarm.
Shiomi and Artoria stood back to back atop the pterosaur, wind howling past them.
Magecraft and the Holy Lance, partially unsealed, struck the leading Laḫmu with pinpoint accuracy. Even so, the newly carved path through the sky was rapidly closing, visibly contracting toward the center as it tried to surround the pterosaur carrying Shiomi and Artoria.
"At the edge of the azure sea, where no wind blows from any direction—'Panta Rhei'!"
Using Gungnir as his staff, Shiomi recited the full incantation. The furious winds of the sky bent to his will, transforming into shields and blades that tore through the advancing Laḫmu.
Ishtar and Gilgamesh, though fighting separately, provided just the right level of support. Surrounded as they were, the pterosaur beneath them still managed to push forward.
Tiamat's massive form grew larger in their sight—so large now that it required turning one's head just to take it all in. But even then, it would still take time for their attacks to reach her.
"Hey, you're charging way too far ahead!" Quetzalcoatl caught up. "Why is my pterosaur flying this fast...Whoa?!"
Shiomi tossed a Rune Stone into her hand. The power of the Primordial Runes surged into the pterosaur, causing a sudden burst of speed that nearly threw Quetzalcoatl off balance, dragging her toward the Laḫmu.
"This speed's just perfect!"
Thrilled by the sudden acceleration, Quetzalcoatl drove her fists and macuahuitl through one Laḫmu after another.
Still unsatisfied, she ignored the burden on her Spirit Origin and unleashed the authority of the Chief God, summoning the blazing flames of the sun to incinerate every Laḫmu in sight.
Even the damage that exceeded her Spirit Origin's limits was flamboyantly brushed aside, as she transformed into a pure warrior, unleashing a relentless assault.
"To pierce the heavens and the earth—comes the thunder that approaches steadily, 'Wild Thunder'!"
Noticing that the Laḫmu had begun adapting to wind-element Grand Magecraft, Shiomi immediately shifted its elemental nature. Lightning surged once again across the darkened battlefield sky.
"Master, I'm jumping off for now! Be ready to catch me!" Artoria pushed off lightly and leapt from the pterosaur.
Using the Laḫmu as stepping stones, she poured out her mana without hesitation. The Holy Sword's glow blazed through the darkness—like the final light leading the way to victory.
The sight stirred something in Shiomi's heart.
Surely, it was this very radiance that had moved the people and soldiers of Britannia—and the Knights of the Round Table—to follow her without question.
But Artoria, charging alone and unable to fly, had reached her limit.
She released the golden brilliance hidden by the "Invisible Air," then swept it forward. The Holy Sword's light engulfed even more Laḫmu, clearing the path ahead to Tiamat.
Losing her footing and upward momentum, Artoria began to fall—only for Shiomi to catch her by the hand and pull her back onto the pterosaur.
"You're being reckless," Shiomi muttered.
"When the Master's reckless, how can the Servants not follow suit?" Artoria half-knelt on the pterosaur's back, careful not to interfere with Shiomi's Magecraft.
"Well, fair enough—!"
Before he could finish, Shiomi suddenly lunged forward and thrust his spear into the gaping maw of an onrushing Laḫmu.
Its jaws still tried to snap shut, but Shiomi gripped it tight. Runes spread rapidly across the creature's body—then he flung it away like a projectile.
Boosted by three-stage Rune acceleration, the Laḫmu became a glowing cannonball, crashing into its kin and detonating in a brilliant explosion as it reached the center of the swarm.
"My Master is truly a force to be reckoned with." Artoria praised Shiomi's attack.
While their exchange helped ease the tension of the aerial battlefield, it couldn't mask the overwhelming difference in numbers.
Following the initial breakthrough, their pterosaur now struggled to move forward—like digging through solid earth by hand. They had to carve a path inch by inch, taking down the outer Laḫmu as they pressed inward.
They were nearly within effective range to strike Tiamat, yet all they could do was watch as she ignored them completely and steadily advanced toward Uruk.
"Gilgamesh!" Hakuno, noticing the problem, called out.
"A sharp call—let this king respond!"
Laughing haughtily, Gilgamesh drew on the power of the Noble Phantasms within his treasury and ascended higher into the sky, ignoring the swarming Laḫmu.
Noticing Hakuno alone aboard the Vimana, the Laḫmu tried to close in, but were intercepted and wiped out by Ishtar's precise attacks.
"Thank you, Ishtar," Hakuno said.
"No need to thank me. This is merely a reward from the city goddess for your achievements in ruling Uruk," Ishtar huffed.
Still, her attitude toward Hakuno was unusually friendly.
After all, before Chaldea's arrival, during her frequent disturbances in Uruk, Ishtar had interacted with Hakuno several times.
She'd been quite pleased with Hakuno's leadership as acting king—even declaring, "If you sever your contract with Gilgamesh, I'll protect Uruk myself."
Of course, that promise had never gone beyond words.
Seeing that things were under control, Shiomi gave up on returning to the Vimana. He looked up—just as the dark clouds above were pierced by a dazzling cascade of golden light.
The Gate of Babylon.
Only ten percent left? Looked like plenty to him. Shiomi couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
A torrential downpour of Noble Phantasms rained down, each striking a Laḫmu with precision. The wall of monsters blocking their flight path cracked wide open once again.
"Now!"
Shiomi crouched down and steered the pterosaur, a transparent barrier of Mana forming around them.
Step by step, they pressed closer to Tiamat.
The only sound was the wind howling in their ears, layered over the screeching cries of Laḫmu—and yet, it felt as if someone was laughing wildly in the background.
But none of that mattered. They had finally reached striking distance.
Shiomi prepared to summon Marduk's Axe, intending for Quetzalcoatl to hurl it at Tiamat repeatedly.
"Wait, Master!"
Artoria stopped him.
The reason was obvious—Gilgamesh's barrage had already reached Tiamat, but despite the continuous explosions, not a scratch had been left on her.
Tiamat continued her advance undeterred.
"Looks like we'll have to stop her first, or Marduk's Axe might miss its mark." Shiomi narrowed his eyes.
Quetzalcoatl slammed her fists together.
"In that case, we'll just have to vaporize all that black mud below her!"