Chapter 72. Magus from the Age of the Gods shakes the world, a rain of light engulfs the sky!
["Tch…"]
[The witch floating at the peak of the sky let out a soft snort, her beautiful eyes revealing cruelty and resoluteness as she coldly gazed down at Sasaki Kojirou, sneering with contempt: "In the end, still an incompetent one—can't even deal with a mere human."]
[The plan had failed, there was no need to hold back anymore!]
[In an instant.]
[A terrifying aura from the Age of the Gods spread out, Medea let out a cold chuckle. Behind her, on both sides, purple halos spiraled forth, the light unfurled like wings dozens of meters long.]
[At a glance she resembled an angel, but those wings covered the entire sky.]
[Without any "incantation" like modern magi, she tore through the sky, simultaneously opening fire. Each burst of magical flare resembled a furious dragon, roaring wildly as they swept across heaven and earth!]
[In that moment, the night sky was dyed purple, evoking an indescribable sense of shock.]
[The so-called "Magecraft from the Age of the Gods," every single spell was equivalent to a Noble Phantasm!]
["RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE…!!"]
[The void completely shattered!]
[That magnificent land collapsed in an instant, the mountaintop split clean in half, torrents from the mountain surged down violently, the ground sunk deeply, forming countless large uneven craters.]
[Under mana spheres like a rain of bullets of ray light, Saber was still struggling to hold on. Each blinding beam was either slashed apart or struck her body. Though her entire body was covered in wounds and racked with excruciating pain, she stood firm, shielding her Master.]
[If Saber didn't naturally counter Caster and didn't possess strong Magic Resistance—]
[Then perhaps, Artoria would already be dead on the spot.]
[And yet, even so, that beautiful and noble figure gradually dimmed, giving off the feeling of a fading river, as though she could dissolve into foam at any moment!]
"So this is Grand Magus from Age of Gods…?"
Heaven and earth froze, light filled the skies, and many people spoke with trembling voices.
It was truly unbelievable.
This rain of light from mana bullets blanketing the entire sky—whether in intensity or accuracy—had been refined to the extreme, like a barrage of battleship cannons exploding. One person alone rivaled an entire modern army—and this wasn't even within a Magic Workshop.
If other Servants had intruded into Ryuudou Temple, Caster's power might have increased even further.
Impossible to contend with!
Truly impossible to contend with!
…
["With my Command Spell, I order you, Saber—bring me victory!"]
[From afar, Yukino bit her lip, the strange crimson symbol on her wrist vanished with a single motion.]
[A large amount of mana materialized from nothing, flowing through their connection into Saber's body, causing her aura to surge dramatically.]
[The silver armor, on the verge of shattering, instantly gleamed and restored as if brand new.]
[At the crucial moment, she chose to use a Command Spell to replenish Artoria's mana.]
[Though it was still very difficult to unleash the Noble Phantasm Excalibur, holding out a while longer shouldn't be an issue.]
…
[Thick white mist rose, covering the entire battlefield, obscuring human vision.]
["Vshh!"]
[In a flash, Caster's figure vanished with teleportation-like speed. The very next instant, she appeared above the distant Raku Sou, cold eyes locked onto Kojirou.]
[—Teleportation, this too was one of the Magecraft possessed by the Magus from Age of the Gods, Medea.]
["Proceed with the original plan. You handle Saber, I'll restrain the other two."]
…
["Tch, that damn fox woman really is looking down on me..."]
[On the ground, Sasaki Kojirou looked a bit displeased, turning his head helplessly toward the white-robed young master, "Your Excellency, it's a pity I won't get to cross swords with you. I had really wanted to experience those dangerous eyes of yours."]
[As soon as he spoke, his eyes turned sharp, and he launched himself straight toward the approaching King of Knights.]
[As though he had reached the peak of physical control, his body was as light as a swallow, his leap left no trace upon the ground, and his dashing figure soared like an eagle gliding through the sky, plunging down in the moonlight.]
[The white-robed young master frowned slightly with discomfort.]
[It seemed that information regarding the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception" had been leaked, and Servants were all wary of engaging him in close combat.]
[Perhaps the Assassin had no fear of a direct duel. As a hero carrying legends, he was confident he wouldn't fall to Raku Sou.]
[However…]
[Caster, who had allied with him, didn't want to see that happen.]
[After all, under those Mystic Eyes, any Servant engaging in melee could die instantly.]
[Even if the probability was very small.]
[But just one mistake meant instant kill.]
[What a pain~.]
[In the situation where Caster hovered midair, radiating a sense of danger like needles pricking one's back, Raku Sou had absolutely no way to stop Assassin—he could only watch helplessly as the opponent left, stepping into a 1v1 battle with Artoria.]
["Master of the Servant in the Archer class, why don't you just bow your head and surrender?"]
[A seductive voice swept through the air. Medea, as if already certain of her victory, smiled with alluring and unbothered confidence.]
["If you surrender now and hand over the little girl next to you—"]
["I could even give you the Holy Grail~."]
["You think I'd fall for some childish lie like that?"]
[Raku Sou smiled, gripping the black sword tightly, standing side by side in battle with Yukino.]
[The Holy Grail War isn't some banquet or party, it's not writing essays or painting embroidery. There is no such thing as gentleness, concession, or etiquette—this is a battle to the death, where any and all schemes and tactics can be used.]
[Only the victor gets to live until the end——]
["Oh… not planning to surrender?"]
[Medea looked slightly regretful, "In that case..."]
[Her lips suddenly curled into a cold sneer, a bone-chilling aura erupting from her that caused panic and dread to stab deep into the heart, "I'll just have to kill you first!"]
[Raaaash~]
[A raging flood crashed down onto the earth. The Witch of Betrayal smiled as she raised her pale hand. Mana surged into the water, and very quickly, countless whirlpools formed—as if some monstrous creatures were about to rise.]
[Item Construction (A Rank): A Skill that allows her to manufacture a variety of magical items. She can make Mystic Codes for combat, which far surpass those made by modern magi.]
["Gyaaaahhh…!!"]
[In the blink of an eye, a howling army of Dragon Tooth Warriors slithered out of the water.]
[Roughly a thousand of them, simultaneously condensed from the shimmering mist—claws sharp, roars thunderous, two-legged creatures trampling the ground beneath.]
[In the sky above, Medea laughed coldly, gripping the "Head and Spinal Magic Staff—Aki-kun!" Her expression ferocious, the rippling violet light behind her stretched wide once more. Countless void-element mana bullets rained down like feathers.]
[Like a mighty river bursting forth, crashing downward!]
["BOOM BOOM BOOM...!!"]
[Mountains trembled, clouds ripped apart, the offensive swept the land with terrifying force.]
[As if a witch were bringing calamity to the mortal realm, in an instant she overturned the heavens and earth—her presence overwhelming and tyrannical, suppressing mortals so they couldn't even move!]
[This was the power of Medea, Magus from the Age of the Gods, one who had nearly reached the threshold of "Magician".]
[As long as she had enough time to prepare, one night was all she needed to end the Holy Grail War.]
[Even if the rules of the Holy Grail suppressed Servants, it couldn't hold her back!]
[Just a few days after descending into the mortal world, she had already unraveled the Holy Grail system and planned to cheat by summoning Assassin—only for Hideyoshi to snatch the opportunity first.]
[If not for Hideyoshi, then no matter who else it was, the situation wouldn't be much different now.]
[Moreover, after seeing through the Holy Grail's system, Medea no longer needed her Master to supply mana. She could steal mana directly from the Holy Grail herself.]
[So long as she wasn't killed, even if the Holy Grail War ended, she could exist eternally.]
[In truth, the promise she made to Raku Sou was not an empty one.]
[That thing called the Holy Grail—if given time, she could "handcraft" as many as she liked.]
"I can't believe… something like that is even possible…"
Countless modern onmyoji shivered, their spirits rattled, eyes nearly bursting as they stared up at the Celestial Curtain.
Magecraft, onmyodou, daoist arts, spellcraft…
In the end, all were the crystallization of mankind's long study of nature—expressed differently by region, but essentially the same in nature.
All these supernatural forces were inseparable from chants, unable to surpass fundamental rules.
But Medea's 'High-Speed Divine Words' not only shattered the rules of chanting, she did so as a mere "summoned being"—a Servant—yet was still able to locate and tap into the mana funnel of her Summoner (Holy Grail) and proceed to steal mana.
She could even "handcraft" a Holy Grail capable of granting any wish.
This truly defied all common sense!
Heaven-defying!
Utterly heaven-defying!
"If only we could cultivate to that level… how wonderful it would be..."
The great onmyoji of the exorcist clan—Keikain Hidemoto—trembled with envy.
If he had power like that, and could handcraft a few Holy Grails himself, then maybe the heart gouged out by Hagoromo Gitsune from his best friend—Nurarihyon—could have grown back, restoring his peak-era strength, instead of him surviving miserably as a shabby and decrepit old man like now.
...
"Caster is that overpowered?!"
In Tokyo, Nishimiya Yuzuru's eyes widened as she looked up at the Celestial Curtain. She was utterly shocked—she never imagined the Servant her sister picked up would be this strong?
If that's the case, then maybe her alternate-universe sister's illness had a real chance of being cured?
That's amazing!
...
The atmosphere grew stifling, the orchestral BGM swelled into a murderous symphony, sending chills down listeners' spines and pounding their hearts like war drums.
["BOOM BOOM BOOM...!!"]
[Under the night sky, the mountains crumbled with a roar. Countless purple mana bullets rained down like meteors, while the Dragon Tooth Warrior army launched their assault.]
[Two figures—one male, one female—with cold expressions, charged relentlessly through the battlefield, killing nonstop.]
["Whish whish whish whish whish!!"]
[Brilliant rainbow-colored Mystic Eyes flashed brightly, as if dancing among the Dragon Tooth Warriors.]
[Their martial prowess had reached its peak—their movements fluid and perfectly coordinated, leaving the enemies no time to react.]
[To Raku Sou, who had activated Reinforcement Magecraft, these monsters were nothing more than disposable pawns.]
[The black blade swung down, slicing through Death Lines and Death Points—within moments, countless towering Dragon Tooth Warriors collapsed with a crash, dissolving into puddles beyond recovery.]
[Killed conceptually, even Magecraft from the Age of Gods was helpless against it.]
[Mystic Eyes of Death Perception were the natural nemesis of these immortal monster armies.]
[As countless brilliant mana bullets rained from above, he casually pulled out a massive handful of Gemcraft and, while slaughtering the minion army, hurled them with full force—countless brilliant beams of light exploded across the sky.]
[There exists a chasm between mortal and Servant as vast as heaven and earth. Normally, it can't be bridged—only offset by sheer quantity of resources.]
[In just that short burst of Gemcraft alone, he had already spent over forty million USD.]
[Boom boom boom boom…]
["A real man never looks back at explosions"—he remained calm and collected as he annihilated the army before him.]
[Carving through the battlefield!]
[At times when Caster tried some underhanded tricks, Yukino—ever vigilant at Raku Sou's side—would counter them. It seemed that after projecting Kanshou and Bakuya, she had absorbed a trace of Heroic Spirit characteristics herself, which remained permanently.]
[Though her physique couldn't match Raku Sou who had received Reinforcement, it was now enough to rival a Demi-Servant.]
[Their coordination became increasingly seamless—like close friends standing side by side in the heat of battle.]
[Caster did not waver either, only smiling coldly as she floated in the air, continuing her suppressive fire.]
[Reinforcement Magecraft has its limits. How many minutes can a mortal body endure?]
[Victory… was hers.]
...
The camera shifted focus to the other side of the battlefield.
A crisp, clear clang of swords rang out—the blonde knight gritted her teeth as she stepped back.
Blood was already flowing from a wound on her wrist.
She looked utterly shocked.
The blue-clad swordsman raised his brow slightly, his voice calm, bearing an air of elegance and leisure as it echoed through the air.
["I had at least seven chances to sever your head, yet you remain unharmed..."]
[Kojirou looked down from above, his voice tinged with surprise and a hint of admiration, "It seems Western swordsmanship has its own merits."]
[Artoria's gaze was sharp. She deliberately provoked: "Evenly matched. Your petty tricks are decent enough, but alas, they're just petty tricks."]
["Indeed~"]
["You have the advantage in both power and momentum, so I can only win through cunning."]
[Kojirou showed no anger, his smile bearing a slight chill, "Then, Saber... I suppose what comes next will be the real match."]
["..."]
[The King of Knights furrowed her brows tightly—she felt extremely troubled.]
[The Assassin's swordsmanship was refined to the extreme, far surpassing her own.]
[If she used her Noble Phantasm again, she might run out of mana and be eliminated from the war.]
[If only her Master had been Haruno instead...]
"So you're finally saying something nice about me..."
In the real world, Haruno couldn't help but sneer sarcastically.
She had endured way too much slander from Saber; her reputation was absolutely terrible.
Now seeing the Ahoge King admit her competence, though it was somewhat comforting, her feelings were incredibly complex.
Had she been gaslit?
...
[The blue-clad swordsman, face calm and unhurried, stepped down from the high ground.]
[As one of the most renowned swordsmen in Japanese history, he had gone down in legend as the eternal rival of Miyamoto Musashi. In his youth, he had been praised as an invincible swordmaster.]
[There was elegance all over him, but every movement radiated immense pressure.]
["...What are you scheming?!"]
[Saber became alert—this man had actually given up the higher ground, which had been in his favor.]
[Kojirou smiled faintly: "Though I am nameless, I have dedicated my entire life to the sword. If you do not give it your all in battle..."]
["That conviction."]
[As he spoke, his expression suddenly turned icy cold, eyes sharp as blades, "Then allow me to force it to kneel!"]
[In Kojirou's eyes was a layer of chilling frost, brimming with fighting spirit. He gripped his katana with both hands, raising it to shoulder height. Under the moonlight, it shimmered with lethal brilliance.]
["Hiken..."]
["Pfft--"]
[The pupils of the King of Knights contracted violently—it was as if a bloody phantom collapsed before her, and her instincts screamed at her with terrifying clarity: she could already see her own head flying from her body.]
[A wordless panic surged through her chest.]
[But in the blink of an eye, she overcame her fear of death. Just as the deadly slash was about to descend…]
["Strike Air!!"]
[She shouted with majestic authority—her sword erupted with dazzling holy radiance, summoning a tempestuous whirlwind that roared toward her opponent.]
["Whoosh whoosh~"]
[The raging winds carried atmospheric pressure that whipped Kojirou's tied-up hair wildly, further amplifying his murderous aura. Just as the ferocious storm was about to engulf him, he coldly uttered the final two words.]
["——Tsubame Gaeshi!"]
[A divine-slash born of a single thought—approaching the realm of The Second True Magic!]
[At that instant, a violent spatial distortion occurred.]
[Beneath the moonlight, the blue-clad swordsman cleaved through the kilometer-long storm surging toward him, tearing through the clouds.]
[Immediately, three massive violet sword lights—like skyscrapers—descended in unison: a mystic sword strike that could not be dodged, and was guaranteed to land!]
[Saber's pupils shrank—she rolled to evade while simultaneously raising her sword to meet the attack.]
["Clang clang——!!"]
[Two crisp sword clangs rang out, exploding in the air—the compressed atmosphere burst into waves of shock.]
[Sparks erupted wildly.]
The tension reached its peak—time seemed to freeze in that instant.
The camera slowly zoomed out…
["Thud!!"]
[A bloodstained, perfect body tumbled through the air and slammed into the ruins at the mountain's base with a heavy crash.]
That impact rang out like a sacred ceremonial gong, violently awakening the slumbering souls of humankind.
Tens of billions of people on Earth stared, stunned by the sight, trembling uncontrollably, their scalps tingling—unable to come to their senses for a long time.
The world…
Fell silent.
"Hiken… Tsubame Gaeshi?!"
High above the sea of clouds, the great yokai Shuten Douji leapt up from her throne in shock.
Putting herself in the King of Knights' position, she realized that no matter what she did, there was no way to avoid that mystic sword strike destined to hit its mark.
It seemed as though that slash had already touched the domain of law itself.
Only a god could…
No—even a god wouldn't be able to dodge it!