Aslan, leading everyone out of the hotel toward the new city district, suddenly turned his head. A firework had risen in the direction of Ryūdō Temple, blossoming in the night sky before scattering into ancient English script. His lips twitched. Only one nightmare of a man would pull such a stunt. Even crying for help, that particular nightmare wasn't so easy to kill.
Merlin, after all, was a candidate for the Grand Title. Though compared to the true holders — and especially the other bearer of Clairvoyance — he was somewhat inferior in destructive power and presence, he was still a substitute. A man who had lived for centuries, accumulated forbidden knowledge, and — importantly — wasn't dead yet.
Longevity meant time, and time meant freedom. With enough of both, anything was possible. Who could say whether Merlin hadn't already created a few forbidden spells and merely refused to use them? In truth, even his illusions already bordered on forbidden sorcery — illusions powerful enough to be woven into the dreams of Tiamat herself. Of course, poor little Merlin had been crushed to pieces the moment Tiamat woke up.
In short, it would take more than this to finish him off. And Merlin was still sharp enough to disguise his signal as fireworks instead of wasting a Command Seal. That alone told Aslan the old bastard still had energy to spare.
But a flare, especially one in the direction of Ryūdō Temple, meant trouble — serious trouble. The Holy Grail was there. Could it be, as he had feared, that something had gone terribly wrong with it?
Aslan sighed. Akuta Hinako probably had no desire to involve herself in what came next. And if the Grail truly had been corrupted… the Evil of this World might already be stirring. He had coaxed Hinako into opening up to life again; what if this sight of all-consuming malice dragged her back into despair?
And then, of course, there was Sakura. She needed someone to stay with her.
"So — Sakura's in your care," Aslan said, entrusting the girl to Hinako. He cautioned her again and again: stay away from the city if possible. If the Grail failed, it wouldn't be surprising if the entire city were destroyed.
Leaving them behind, Aslan mounted his dragon and sped toward Ryūdō Temple. Along the way, he unclasped the dragon-shaped pendant at his throat. Magic poured into it, glowing crimson, and as he hurled it forward it expanded, unfolding into something immense.
The Supreme Masterpiece activated.
"Driver, ready to log in."
The chest plates opened, arms raised to lift Aslan gently into the cockpit. The chamber closed around him, and light flared in the construct's eyes. The Supreme Masterpiece — Justice — had officially launched.
Its propulsion wings spread wide. Ether roared from the engines. Forged from divine materials, its frame gleamed like polished steel, and at its core the Heart of God beat with power.
Like a red meteor, Justice streaked across half the city in an instant, descending on Ryūdō Temple in a blaze. To modern magi, it was simply a mecha. To those attuned to the mysteries of the Age of Gods, it was something far greater — a relic whose existence was impossible to ignore.
The black mud puppets noticed. Their weapons rose as one. Barrages of cursed treasures, fired like machine guns, rained upward, joined by chariots of countless Conqueror King replicas charging headlong.
Aslan's hands moved without hesitation. Justice dodged with surprising grace, then thrust a crystal forward. A shield unfolded, vast and luminous, radiating a barrier of force that enveloped the entire machine. At his waist, a compartment snapped open, absorbing the overflowing mana. A colossal firearm extended into Aslan's grasp, its barrel aimed at the swarm within the mountain's hollow.
Calm-eyed, Aslan locked onto every target. The weapon blazed, spewing lances of pure energy that tore through puppet after puppet, detonating them into smoke and ash. The beams struck the mud itself, vaporizing portions of the foul mass.
The giant mecha descended into the cavern.
Merlin's eyes lit up at the sight. Relief washed across his face, and in the next instant he was clinging to Justice's leg. Well — calf, to be exact. The machine was too massive for him to even reach the thigh, no matter how high he stood on tiptoe.
"Aslaaaan! I'm so pitiful! Look at me — I just stepped out for a walk and ran into this! I've been bullied, beaten, and nearly banished back to Avalon! If you'd been a moment later, I'd already be halfway there! For the sake of our fifteen hundred years of friendship, you must help me!"
Merlin's wailing, complete with tears and snot smeared against the mecha's ankle, made Aslan shiver. Goosebumps prickled his skin. Even Justice seemed to register its displeasure at the indignity.
How to describe it? Well… Merlin was Merlin. No matter how shameful the act, he could do it without a shred of self-consciousness. This was the same man who could, without the slightest irony, seduce someone in drag if the fancy struck him. And if Aslan ever heard he had, he would not be surprised in the least.
-End Chapter-
Visit the Patreon!!
Read 30 chapters ahead, more on the way!
[email protected]/TrashProspector