A few moments before,
Kai wanted to defeat Saber Alter by himself.
Being the strongest Servant, on par with Enkidu and Gilgamesh, defeating her would give the highest rewards.
Kai was greedy, but even he didn't think that he could win this war alone.
It was best for the rest of the Servants to water down the situation outside, while he took care of Saber Alter within the Reality Marble.
So, guessing Enkidu's ridiculous move, Berserker had thrown himself forward, instantly unleashing Limitless Blood Firmament.
The more the number of people he brought to the Reality Marble, the lesser its duration.
Also, the more powerful the enemy, the lesser the duration of the Reality Marble as well.
Time was the key here, as it was in most cases. But, unlike those cases, it might mean losing everything for Kai. There was just too much that depended upon his win over Saber Alter. Too much.
All the planning… All the manipulations… All the scenarios…
He needed to give his all.
He needed to give his best.
And he needed to be fast — faster than ever.
So, the moment a gray sky and a shallow, blood ocean appeared around Saber Alter, making her look around in confusion, Kai unleashed the chaos within.
Buffs of Items and Blood Essences compiled over each other, rattling the space in his surroundings.
Then, red-colored veins slithered over his body as his hair lengthened, turning red, and two small horns surfaced on his forehead.
A red mist layered itself over his blackened, red-veined body as he used Selfless Breathing — as much as he could use it.
Crack!
Yellow bolts of lightning thundered around him, his slitted, hazel eyes glowing yellow, donning purple demonic rings around the pupils.
A storm surged.
Hundreds of feet tall waves rocked the world.
Yellow lightning snaked from horizon to horizon.
Kai slammed his hands into the blood ocean and pulled out Kanshou and Bakuya Overedge in their Shikai forms.
After his last battle with Lancer, Kai had gained an immense boost in his Attribute Points. Yet, despite all those extra points, he felt… weak.
Even now, wielding the Heroic Items felt like he was carrying mountains.
On the other hand, he would have literally preferred carrying mountains to these two swords.
Against Lancer, Kai had elevated his strength using Selfless Breathing, edging toward implosion and true death. Even Biokinesis wouldn't be able to help him recover from something like that.
However, it had also allowed him to wield the Released Swords for moments — enough to execute the First Transformation… with broken wrists.
Against Saber Alter, it was impossible to count on those lucky moments, though.
So, taking precaution, Kai emptied his Unassigned Attribute Points into Strength.
And the moment his Strength gained 7 more points, it surpassed the 50 mark, rising to 52.
The Reality Marble shuddered.
For the first time, Saber Alter brought her gaze upon the cursed existence, her black, armored blindfold glowing.
Something irresistible was happening to Kai. Something… transcending…
He was achieving the 2nd Threshold!!!
Till now, Kai was pushing his Stats beyond the 50-Points limit to achieve a faux 2nd Threshold. It wasn't a true crossing of the threshold, as it brought no qualitative change within Kai, only helping him to meet some Item's Requirement that demanded him to have 50 Points in all Stats.
A true threshold was much different.
Not to mention, it was the 2nd Threshold — the true beginning of a Higher-Floor Contestant.
This was the threshold beyond which one could access The Myriad Manifestations of Perception!
Kai could already access the Observation Haki way before even achieving the 1st Threshold. However, it was only after achieving the 1st Threshold that it had truly bloomed, rising to the Advanced Level.
Now, the 2nd Threshold was giving Kai another chance…
… a chance to truly transcend his limits… to evolve… to take another step forward on the Path of Absolute Power!
Every inch of Kai's muscles, all cells, and even his Source, thrummed.
Strength, Agility, Stamina, Correspondence, and Breath latched onto the Perception… becoming one — synchronizing with each other.
Kai could feel… everything.
He could sense… everything.
He could see into the future… if he so wished.
The tremendous weight pressing on him, trying to rip off his arms, suddenly lessened. No, it didn't lessen. It was just… the Strength of 52 became more harmonized with his self.
It wasn't just a number anymore.
It was a definite step toward perfection.
Not only Strength, Kai felt more Agile as well.
Not just speed, but in reactions, in stimulus… in thoughts.
His vitality thrived like never before, his Stamina feeling drunk over his Strength and Agility.
And Mana and Spirituality blossomed in his surroundings, becoming a part of him. His self.
The same Reality Marble that had been on the brink of shattering just after being released suddenly solidified. Neither did it receive more Mana nor Breath. Yet, it was the quality of both that had risen, stabilizing Limitless Blood Firmament's existence.
Even Ayin's image in the blood ocean under Kai felt more… clear, a yellow shine flashing on her long, yellow hair.
With one step, Kai appeared next to Saber Alter, making her eyes pop out behind the blindfold.
Then, he disappeared.
Silence.
Something hit the Blackened Heroic Spirit from the left after Kai's disappearance.
It was like a titan had grabbed half the earth, turned it into a sword, and then slammed it using its flat side.
With a deafening BOOM, Saber Alter was sent flying, her blindfold breaking apart, revealing her yellow eyes — lacking all emotions but confusion.
She raised her hand, Mana gathering on her palm as she summoned her sword.
However, with a snap, the entire Mana suddenly ceased to exist, turning the confusion in her eyes to astonishment.
She turned around midair, trying to gain footing.
However, before she could on the blood ocean, a gigantic dragon lunged out, the darkness within its maw-like fanged mouth glowing golden.
With a hissing BOOM, the Hyper Beam blasted the Heroic Spirit toward the sky.
And, as she hung at the top and looked down, Saber Alter finally realized the true nature of Berserker's Reality Marble, seeing…
… hundreds of meters tall, titanic, magical beasts taking shapes around her, carrying madness in their eyes!
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