Chapter 41. This Move is a Tribute to a Certain Berserker!
Dungeon, 50th Floor.
This place was supposed to be the finish line known as the "Great Wasteland," but it had mutated into a bizarre "Resident Evil" scene.
Massive man-eating flowers danced in the air like tentacle monsters, each vine thicker than an adult's thigh, with buds dripping acid hanging from the tips. At the center of it all, that half-human, half-plant [Corrupted Spirit] acted like a broken RTS (Real-Time Strategy) game base, continuously producing units named "Despair."
"Firebolt—Volley!"
Green beams of mana poured down like a rainstorm. This wasn't magic; this was a bullet hell game.
"Defensive formation! Don't break rank!" Gareth raised his tower shield—which looked capable of blocking a nuclear bomb—and stubbornly withstood the frontal fire coverage. His beard was covered in frost and sparks; he looked like a towering fortress. "This firepower is too much! It's even more troublesome than that fire-breathing dragon from last time!"
"Stop complaining, old man! If we don't cut off its mana supply, it can grind us down until the next century!" Bete transformed into silver lightning, weaving through the gaps in the barrage. Each of his kicks shattered a vine, but for the massive Spirit, it was as painless as a nail trim.
On the other side of the battlefield, a 1-on-1 match of "Destiny" was unfolding.
"ROAAAAR!!!"
[Spartoi—Custom]. This monster, fed by the Freya Familia, remodeled by the Spirit, and even equipped with its own "revive armor," was currently in a state of extreme hyper-excitation. Each swing of its Orichalcum greatsword carried a sonic boom that tore the air.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Shirou Emiya's [Pseudo-Magic Sword: Mountain Slasher] collided repeatedly with the greatsword. Sparks flew everywhere, like fireworks ignited on the battlefield.
"You've gotten stronger, old friend." Shirou gritted his teeth, his feet plowing two deep furrows into the ground. Though he joked, he knew clearly in his heart that this monster's stats (Panel) had likely touched the threshold of Level 6. Without the support of [Structural Reinforcement] and the [Mystery] skill, he would have been flattened into a meat patty long ago.
"However, you can't beat me with brute force alone."
Shirou's gaze turned sharp. [Mind's Eye (True)] was fully active. At the moment the monster's greatsword fell again, he chose not to meet it head-on.
"Trace—Alteration."
The greatsword in his hand suddenly deconstructed, turning into countless black fragments. The monster's attack hit nothing but air, and the massive inertia caused its body to stiffen for a split second.
"Now!"
Shirou seized this 0.1-second opening. The black fragments did not disappear; they restructured in mid-air, becoming two slender—handguns.
[Kanshou & Bakuya (Pistol Edition)]? No, they were mana amplification devices.
"Eat this—Gun Kata!"
Shirou's figure cut into the monster's reach, pressing the twin guns against its sternum.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Though there was no gunpowder, the ultra-compressed mana bullets detonated at point-blank range with a power more terrifying than armor-piercing rounds. The monster's sternum was instantly blown to bits, and black blood splattered.
"Roar?!" The Spartoi let out a pained howl. It couldn't seem to comprehend why the human wielding a sword had suddenly become a marksman. This didn't follow the basics!
"Don't worry, I'm not done yet."
Shirou used the recoil to retreat, and the handguns transformed again, becoming a pitch-black greatbow.
"I am the bone of my sword."
The incantation began. The surrounding atmosphere started to resonate. It wasn't to deploy a Reality Marble, but for—ammunition loading.
In the void behind Shirou, dozens of golden ripples appeared. Although that was the trademark of "Goldie" (Gilgamesh), as a faker, imitating the visual effects was no problem.
"Sword Barrel—Full Open!"
Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Dozens of projected magic swords shot out like missiles. Each sword carried a different attribute: explosive, freezing, corrosive, gravity... it was essentially a miniature Noble Phantasm bombardment.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
The Spartoi's massive frame was instantly engulfed in the smoke and dust of the explosions. The ground trembled; the air burned.
"So... so amazing..." From a distance, Haruhime, who was buffing everyone, watched in a daze. "Is Shirou-sama... really human? That attack frequency feels more exaggerated than a mage's!"
"That is 'Infinity'." Ais, while clearing out surrounding tentacles, stole a glance in Shirou's direction, a flash of pride in her eyes (though she didn't notice it herself). "As long as he has enough mana, he is... an army."
However, as the smoke cleared, the red figure still stood.
Crack... crack...
The bones on the Spartoi were regenerating at a speed visible to the naked eye. Furthermore, a layer of crystal-like armor grew over its body. It was a defensive layer specialized against magic attacks.
[Enemy Unit Evolved. New Traits Gained: Magic Resistance (Large), Self-Regeneration (Extreme).]
"Tch, what an unkillable cockroach," Shirou clicked his tongue. The Spirit's mana supply was too abundant. As long as that giant flower bud remained, this bone monster was immortal.
"Since long-range bombardment is ineffective, I can only... cut off its 'lifeline'."
Shirou looked toward the main body of the Spirit in the distance. Finn and Riveria were organizing an offensive, but the Spirit's defense was too thick—countless petal shields blocked the core, acting as an absolute barrier.
"Someone has to tear an opening."
Shirou took a deep breath. He made a reckless decision.
"Big guy!" Shirou beckoned to the Spartoi. "Want to kill me? Then follow me!"
With that, he turned and ran. Direction—straight toward the Corrupted Spirit in the center of the battlefield!
"ROAAAAR!!!" The Spartoi was enraged. It took massive strides, like a runaway train, thundering after him.
"Emiya?! What is he doing?!" Finn noticed the movement. "Leading that monster here? It'll break the formation!"
"Trust him!" Ais shouted, her Despair Sword erupting with a dazzling Wind King Barrier. "All units! Clear a path for Emiya!"
"YES!"
The Loki Familia's chemistry was displayed to its fullest. No one questioned him; everyone adjusted their positions in an instant, opening a corridor to the Spirit's core.
"Thanks, everyone!"
Shirou wove through the crowd with the berserk Spartoi trailing behind him. His speed grew faster and faster. The magic circuits in his body began to overload, and a metallic luster appeared on the surface of his skin.
"Steel is my body!"
Fifty meters from the Spirit. Surrounding tentacles surged like a tsunami.
"In the way!"
Shirou didn't stop, nor did he even swing his sword. The Spartoi behind him solved the problem. The massive Orichalcum greatsword swept through, pulverizing all the blocking tentacles (including the friendly magic covers).
This was Shirou's tactic—killing with a borrowed knife. Using the Spartoi's attack power to tear through the Spirit's outer defenses.
Thirty meters. The Spirit seemed to sense danger. Her chaotic eyes turned this way.
"No... don't come any closer..." Countless green beams concentrated their fire on Shirou.
"Rho Aias!"
The purple flower shield deployed in front of Shirou. Though it had only four layers, three shattered the moment they contacted the beams. But that was enough.
Ten meters. Shirou could now see the panicked expression on the Spirit's face. Behind him, the Spartoi had already raised its greatsword, prepared to cleave Shirou along with the Spirit into two halves.
"Now's the time!"
Shirou braked violently, his feet creating a crater in the ground. He spun around, facing the descending greatsword.
No block. No dodge.
"Trace—On."
In his hand appeared an incredibly massive, stone-axe-like greatsword. This was the Noble Phantasm of the great hero Heracles from Greek mythology. Though it was only a projection, and lacked Divinity, the "Technique" within was perfectly replicated.
[Nine Lives].
"This move is a tribute to a certain Berserker!"
Shirou didn't swing the sword. He activated the ultimate technique that surpassed time.
"Nine Lives Blade Works!"
Swish!
Time seemed to stand still. Before the Spartoi's greatsword could fall, nine slashes overlapped almost simultaneously.
The first strike severed the Spartoi's greatsword. The second shattered its armor. The third cut off its arms. The fourth through eighth strikes completely dismantled its torso. And the final strike—the ninth—carrying the potential energy of the first eight, transformed into an unrivaled shockwave that pierced through the Spartoi's remains and blasted straight toward the Spirit behind it!!!
This was Shirou's true target: striking the cow across the mountain. Using the Spartoi as a springboard to amplify the power of "Nine Lives" and then pouring it all into the Spirit's defensive wall.
Crack...
The indestructible petal shield, facing this nine-fold strike that surpassed human limits, finally cracked open. It revealed the massive core magic stone inside, radiating a prismatic light.
"Finn! Ais! Do it!!!" Shirou collapsed from exhaustion, shouting at the top of his lungs.
They didn't need a reminder. How could the Loki Familia main force, who had been waiting for this moment, miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
"Hell Finegas!" Finn's spear became a red meteor, accurately piercing the gap.
"Lil Rafaga!" Ais followed immediately after, her golden sword-wind roaring along the path carved by the spear, slamming ruthlessly into the core.
"Wynn Fimbulvetr!" Riveria's triple chant was finally complete. Extreme freezing mana poured into the Spirit's body through the wound, completely freezing its core.
"No... no..." The Spirit let out a final wail, a sound filled with resentment and fear.
"Only... a little more... Mother... save me..."
With a crisp shattering sound, the core magic stone exploded. The massive Spirit's body began to collapse, dissolving into countless points of light. The still-dancing tentacles and flowers withered instantly, turning into ash.
The battle was over.
The entire 50th floor returned to dead silence once more. There was only heavy breathing and the sound of weapons hitting the ground.
"We... won?" Tiona plopped onto the ground, gasping for air. "This really killed me this time..."
"It's more than just a win." Finn pulled out his spear, looking at the empty battlefield, his eyes flashing with excitement.
"We... cleared the obstacle to the 51st floor."
"We did what no one before us has ever done."
"Emiya!" Ais was the first to rush toward Shirou, who was lying on the ground.
"Cough... stop shaking me, my bones are falling apart..." Shirou smiled bitterly, letting Ais help him up. While this time wasn't as bad as the last (at least his hand was still there), the exhaustion from the mana overdraft made him want to sleep forever.
"You... were too reckless." Ais looked at Shirou; though her tone was reproachful, her eyes were filled with pride. "But... it was very cool."
"Hehe, to get a compliment from the Sword Princess, this was worth it." Shirou smiled, then looked toward where the Spartoi had disappeared. Only a pile of black powder remained.
"Farewell, 'Trial'." Shirou thought to himself. Though forced, this monster had truly allowed him to touch a higher realm—the technique of merging [Unlimited Blade Works] with various Noble Phantasm traits at the edge of life and death.
"Alright! All units rest where you are!" Finn's voice rang out again.
"Don't let your guard down! This is the 50th floor! New monsters could spawn at any time!"
"Medical team! Prioritize Emiya! Logistics team! Prepare food! We're having a banquet here!"
"Banquet?!" Hearing those words, Shirou's sleepy eyes snapped open. An ominous premonition flooded his mind.
"..." Shirou was silent for three seconds. Then he sighed helplessly.
"Lili, bring me my spare apron."
"And tell Mr. Gareth to help start the fire."
"YAY!!!" The entire Familia erupted in a cheer more enthusiastic than the one for defeating the BOSS.
Looking at this heartless group of teammates, Shirou Emiya confirmed one thing once more. Compared to those monsters, these foodies were his greatest enemies in this world.
But... looking at Ais's expectant eyes, Haruhime's busy figure, and the smiles on everyone's faces...
"Fine." Shirou picked up the kitchen knife, a gentle curve appearing on his lips.
"This is... the everyday life I want to protect."
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