Chapter 158: Instantly Killing Juggernaut and Confronting the God Rudra with Ryuu!
After discussing the past Evilus intelligence with Thanatos, Shirou realized that he had to take action against the Rudra Familia. At the very least, he needed to find evidence linking the destruction of the Astraea Familia to Ouranos.
If he could do that, there might be a chance to persuade the goddess of justice, Astraea, to defect to his side. But instead of directly searching for the Rudra Familia, Shirou first headed to the dungeon to find Ryuu.
This was not only because of a commission from Syr, but also because Alise, Ryuu's former comrade, wanted to ensure Ryuu's safety.
Shirou immediately rushed into the dungeon. After some searching, he confirmed intelligence that Ryuu was pursuing the Rudra Familia in the mid-levels.
Shirou headed straight to the mid-levels, planning to locate Ryuu, when suddenly a tremendous shockwave reverberated throughout the entire floor.
The sound, as if the whole floor had been blown apart, instantly reminded him of the tragedy he had witnessed in Alise's dream.
He quickly searched all floors and, before the disaster could unfold, found Ryuu confronting Jura Halmer of the Rudra Familia. Shirou successfully rescued him from the hands of the calamity Juggernaut.
However, when repelling Juggernaut, Shirou inexplicably felt a strange sensation.
The battle with Juggernaut gave him a sense of familiarity, as if he had encountered it before when fighting the avatars of the Corrupted Spirits or the artificial angels...
From this, he deduced that Juggernaut might possess some divine power within its body.
But this was clearly abnormal.
According to prior assumptions, Juggernaut was a creation born from the dungeon's cry of sorrow—a sort of self-defense mechanism intended to eliminate beings that threatened the dungeon.
As a dungeon-born creation, it should never possess divine power, a force alien to the Labyrinth.
Unless one possibility existed:
Juggernaut was not a naturally-generated dungeon creation but a product of a divine experiment conducted by the god Ouranos!
The more Shirou thought about this, the more plausible it seemed.
Firstly, in the history of Orario, there were no records related to the "calamity" Juggernaut. In a thousand-year history of the dungeon, only the Astraea Familia had encountered Juggernaut five years ago, which was highly abnormal.
Secondly, normally, the dungeon would only react strongly to divine power. When a god used divine power within the dungeon, it would nearly go insane in creating monsters—but even then, those monsters would only be of floor boss-level strength.
The Rudra Familia merely damaged a dungeon floor, yet somehow summoned a monster more absurd than those triggered by divine power usage.
This made no sense.
The dungeon's hatred toward gods should surpass all else; how could it create a monster even more terrifying than one sensing divine power, simply because the floor was damaged?
Moreover, after that disaster, Ouranos did everything possible to conceal the truth about the "calamity." As a result, almost no one in Orario today knows of Juggernaut's existence.
Why would Ouranos hide all of this?
Lastly, the Rudra Familia's method of summoning Juggernaut and their intelligence obviously came from the god Ouranos. But how would Ouranos know the way to summon Juggernaut? Ouranos had never delved into the dungeon, nor had any of his followers explored it.
Even adventurers over a thousand years never discovered Juggernaut's existence. Ouranos never entered the dungeon, so how could he know of Juggernaut?
All these doubts led to one conclusion—
Juggernaut was not a dungeon self-defense mechanism, but a creation of the god Ouranos, an experiment using divine power on the dungeon.
This explained why, for over a thousand years, almost no Familia encountered Juggernaut except the Astraea Familia.
Since it was his own creation, Ouranos naturally knew the method to summon Juggernaut.
If Shirou's reasoning was correct, Ouranos, like with the Spirits or artificial angels, had created Juggernaut by injecting divine power.
But after creating Juggernaut, he lacked the ability to control this unusual creation.
At that time, the Astraea Familia caused him considerable trouble.
He then seized the opportunity to use Juggernaut to destroy the Astraea Familia, secretly giving this information to the Rudra Familia, ultimately leading to the Astraea Familia's annihilation.
Once he understood everything, a chill ran down Shirou's spine.
If even Juggernaut was a product of a divine experiment, it meant that gods' research into divine power experiments had long surpassed ordinary monsters, and they had begun to study and control the dungeon itself.
Their ultimate goal was likely not simply to create a divine-powered monster, but to control the dungeon itself!
After all, according to Shirou and Thanatos's initial assumptions, the gods' original intent in the Labyrinth was to control Divine power in Genkai.
Creating divine-powered beings in the Labyrinth was merely preliminary work to achieve that final goal.
If Ouranos's divine experiments were nearing the final stage, he might soon fully control the dungeon and Genkai!
And that was certainly something Shirou did not want to see.
For a moment, Shirou focused seriously on Juggernaut.
He didn't just intend to kill Juggernaut—he planned to capture the monster and bring it to Thanatos for research to confirm his hypothesis.
However, Juggernaut's power far exceeded ordinary adventurers. Its ability to instantly kill the Astraea Familia proved it was at least Level 6, perhaps higher.
Though it posed no real threat to Shirou now, capturing such a dangerous monster alive was still extremely difficult.
Therefore, Shirou had to aim for a one-hit kill, leaving no time for Juggernaut to react, and directly bring the monster down.
"!!!"
Sensing Shirou's oppressive aura, Juggernaut tried to distance itself. It slithered along the walls, deciding not to approach Shirou and looking for a chance to strike.
Ryuu and Jura Halmer were astonished at Juggernaut's caution. They had never imagined the nearly invincible Juggernaut would face a human so warily.
Even more unexpectedly, Shirou advanced toward Juggernaut and attacked the calamity head-on—
"Boom!"
Shirou's action triggered Juggernaut's instinct. It swung its long tail, smashing the wall in front of it, using the debris as cover to conceal itself.
But this was far from its true intent.
Juggernaut disappeared from sight and, the next second, as if ghostly, vanished into the wall. Before anyone could react, it had appeared behind Shirou with consecutive jumps, swinging its claws at the back of his head!
"So fast!!"
Ryuu and Jura Halmer could not track Juggernaut's movements. By the time they reacted, Juggernaut had appeared where it shouldn't have been.
This was the truth of Juggernaut's power. Despite its massive body comparable to a Monster Rex, it moved with the extreme agility of a first-level adventurer, bouncing between floors, ceilings, and walls like a projectile, striking adventurers like a phantom.
"Ah Ah Ah…"
Ryuu's voice was hoarse. She was completely consumed by fear of Juggernaut, unable to move to assist Shirou.
All she could do was weakly cry out:
"Dodge, Emiya!"
Her voice couldn't even keep up with Juggernaut's movements. As her words fell, Juggernaut's claw was already swinging toward Shirou's neck!
Shirou was about to be torn apart just like the Astraea Familia.
But the next second, what happened left Ryuu in disbelief. Although Juggernaut had launched the attack, its body was suddenly shredded by an invisible strike!
"Trace on
Nine Lives: Shooting the Hundred Head!"
Long ago, Shirou had had Hestia use divine power in the dungeon to create a monster resistant to divine power, the giant Goliath. He then killed Goliath and used its body to create the Heavenly Chains Enkidu, which had repeatedly aided him.
The technique he used to kill Goliath was a special move possessed only by the heroic spirit Heracles, an ultimate form of martial skill.
Now, he unleashed that power again, projecting a black stone axe-sword, and struck the monster at point-blank range.
Yes, Shirou deliberately let Juggernaut approach him. To ensure a one-hit kill, he intentionally exposed a gap for Juggernaut to come close and then attacked at maximum power at point-blank range.
Like a whirlwind tearing through the air.
Shirou had once killed giant Goliath with this move. Now, at semi-divine level, his speed was beyond description.
"Wham!"
In everyone's eyes, a flash appeared in the air, splitting into nine different strikes, piercing Juggernaut's body.
Even though Shirou held back slightly, Juggernaut was instantly torn into pieces. Its claws, limbs, and tail were shredded.
"Boom!"
Finally, after the exaggerated sword energy tore the ground, Juggernaut's massive body was reduced to just the head and torso.
Shirou deliberately preserved this as a sample to bring to Thanatos. He bound the remains with Enkidu, leaving them completely immobilized.
"..."
Ryuu and Jura Halmer were stunned by the fleeting battle. They had never imagined this fight, which should have been one-sided, would turn out this way. Though still one-sided, the opponent had completely changed.
Seeing Shirou instantly kill Juggernaut, Jura Halmer muttered in disbelief:
"Sword Demon! This fighting style… you're the Sword Demon!?"
"Sword Demon?"
Ryuu had worked as a waitress at the Hostess of Fertility, but she had still heard rumors about the dungeon, especially about the Sword Demon, countless times.
When she realized Shirou was the Sword Demon, her mind was in complete turmoil. The nightmare that had plagued her life had been defeated so effortlessly, leaving her utterly lost and confused.
Shirou, however, paid no attention to Ryuu's state.
He took one step at a time until he stood in front of Jura Halmer, pressing Agaris against the other's head and speaking: "If you don't want to die, come with me."
"..."
Facing the threat of the mighty Sword Demon, Jura Halmer was already completely disheartened. He had no thought of resisting, not even to command the nearby monsters to attack Shirou. He simply knelt on the ground, like a gambler who had lost everything, utterly despairing.
.
.
.
Shirou left the underground labyrinth with the captured Jura Halmer and a still-confused Ryuu, entering the entrance of the artificial labyrinth. During the journey, he forced Jura Halmer to reveal everything, including the truth behind the Astraea Familia's annihilation five years ago.
The actual truth was very similar to Shirou's own speculation.
Five years ago, the Astraea Familia had reached its peak, hunting the remnants of Evilus, including gray Familias like Ikelos and Rudra.
Faced with the powerful Astraea Familia, the Rudra Familia was undoubtedly terrified.
In their moment of desperation, Jura Halmer received a plan from the chief god Rudra: to lure the Astraea Familia to the mid-levels and then destroy the entire floor at once, eliminating their enemies.
Although Jura Halmer doubted whether this method could truly destroy the monstrous Astraea Familia, since it was the chief god's suggestion, he ultimately chose to follow it.
In the end, while the explosives blew up the floor, they did not kill the powerful Astraea Familia.
However, the explosion summoned a monster like Juggernaut, nearly annihilating both the Rudra Familia and the Astraea Familia present. Only Ryuu and Jura Halmer miraculously survived.
Later, Ryuu threw herself into a desperate hunt for the Rudra Familia, even storming their strongholds in hope of killing Jura Halmer and all his companions.
Yet Jura Halmer survived thanks to the aid of the chief god Rudra.
Since then, he had been preparing to summon the calamity again, researching for five years until he could finally execute his plan.
Jura Halmer's goal was not just to kill Ryuu, but also to control Juggernaut using the beastmaster's iron whip.
In this way, he would possess an invincible monster, no longer needing to worry about his own safety.
"You've gone completely insane!"
Upon learning Jura Halmer's plan, Ryuu revealed an angry expression.
Jura Halmer, utterly disheartened, spoke: "This was my original plan, but it's completely ruined now. Even Juggernaut can be killed… Sword Demon, you're inhuman. Just kill me!"
"Of course, I will never let you live!"
Ryuu angrily drew her dagger, ready to stab Jura Halmer.
But Shirou raised his hand to stop her.
"Emiya, what… what are you doing?"
Ryuu was clearly confused by Shirou's intervention. She was grateful to Shirou for saving her, but also bewildered by how, during the process, he had repeatedly acted in ways reminiscent of Alise.
Without realizing it, Ryuu was overlaying Shirou's image with that of Alise.
Shirou, however, did not notice Ryuu's thoughts. He silently spoke: "Ryuu, who do you think your real enemy is?"
"What?"
Seeing Ryuu's bewildered face, Shirou quietly said: "Is your goal just to kill Jura Halmer? Do you think that once Jura Halmer is dead, the Rudra Familia will completely disappear?"
"Th…that..."
Shirou's words left Ryuu in silence. She had long realized that killing Jura Halmer or members of the Rudra Familia would change nothing.
No matter how many she killed, the Rudra Familia would continue to emerge endlessly, like a shadow that could never disappear.
As for how to truly destroy the Rudra Familia, Ryuu did have ideas, but she knew how nearly impossible they were to achieve.
Shirou noticed Ryuu's hesitation. He didn't try to persuade her excessively; he simply said: "People are always afraid of things they cannot do.
When faced with an enemy they cannot overcome, they instinctively choose to escape or give up, using false means to hide their cowardice.
What you did in the past was the same.
No matter how many members of the Rudra Familia you killed, nothing would change. Only by killing the chief god Rudra can you break all the chains."
"That's impossible!" Ryuu gritted her teeth. "How can mortals oppose a god?"
"That's just because you don't have the courage to do it." Shirou shook his head quietly. "So what if it's a god? In the Labyrinth, they cannot fully use divine power—they can only use their authority. Even if they could use divine power, what of it? Are you saying that because the enemy is strong, you don't even have the courage to fight?"
"..."
"And who says mortals can't oppose gods? Up to now, I've already defeated several gods: Soma, Apollo, Kali, Thanatos, Hermes, Miach… If mortals couldn't defeat gods, then in my eyes, it's not impossible."
"What?"
Ryuu widened her eyes at Shirou's words. She could not have imagined that he had defeated so many gods.
Especially the return of God Miach to the heavens, which had caused a sensation in Orario, yet no one knew who was responsible.
Now that Shirou admitted everything, Ryuu had to acknowledge that this man had achieved incredible miracles.
"But that's because you're strong." Even so, Ryuu still felt confused. "You could easily destroy the calamity that annihilated the Astraea Familia. With your strength, defeating gods isn't impossible. But someone like me could never accomplish that..."
"Is that so? So you're planning to give up on avenging your comrades?"
"..."
"Just killing some pawns who don't even know the real conspiracy, unable to see the true mastermind… and thinking that satisfies your emotions, achieving false justice. Is that enough?" Shirou spoke sharply without hesitation. "If that's all you're capable of, then give up on revenge, because you don't even have the right to avenge your fallen comrades."
"...!"
Shirou's words made Ryuu's pupils dilate. She was filled with intense frustration, emotions nearly bursting from her chest.
Shirou continued: "The method to summon Juggernaut was told to the Familia members by Rudra. That means Rudra knows even more important secrets. If you truly want to avenge your fallen comrades, you should strike at the gods, not just kill the pitiful pawns who are being used! Of course, that's if you really want revenge."
Shirou's words, fully loaded with provocation, left Ryuu completely silent.
The elven girl fell into long-lasting silence, as if engaged in a deeply complex internal struggle.
Finally, she took a deep breath and made up her mind: "I understand. I will confront the god Rudra and uncover the truth completely!"
"That's right."
Shirou nodded at Ryuu's newfound resolve. Having inherited Alise's memories, he instinctively regarded Ryuu as his junior, hoping she would regain her strength rather than succumb to despair.
Then he turned to the dumbfounded Jura Halmer and quietly said: "Then, you'll obediently be used by me from now on, in order to completely eliminate your chief god."
If anyone else had said such words of godslaying, Jura Halmer might have scoffed.
But seeing Shirou's attitude, Jura Halmer felt an unprecedented fear.
Perhaps this man truly could kill a god!
Countless thoughts flashed through Jura Halmer's mind, ultimately leaving him in an unparalleled state of fear and despair.
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