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*****
Unfortunately, while the fantasy was pleasant, the reality was proving to be cruel.
Just as Morgoth, wielding his incredibly potent dark power, prepared to slay George with a single strike of his demonic sword, George's draconic face was filled with an expression of pure delight.
"After bombarding you for so long, I've finally forced you to come out!"
His two dragon claws slammed together with immense force, performing a 'bare-handed blade catch' maneuver for Morgoth's benefit. Before Morgoth could even retaliate or channel his power, George had already activated his Devouring Magic and the "Qi Body Origin Flow."
Morgoth instantly felt a significant portion of the dark power clinging to his demonic sword dissipate.
Seizing the opportunity while Morgoth was stunned, George opened an entrance to his personal small world and instantly pulled Morgoth right into it.
Given Morgoth's immense power, if he had been genuinely set on escaping, it would have been quite troublesome to stop him.
But now, having been drawn into George's personal small world, escaping would not be nearly so simple.
"What is happening? Where is this place?"
Immediately upon entering George's small world, Morgoth sensed that something was fundamentally wrong.
Eru Ilúvatar had used the Music of the Ainur to create the universe, and as one of the original participants, Morgoth was naturally intimately familiar with the laws governing Middle-earth.
This place, however, was not Middle-earth. It was a world that George had personally forged, a patchwork cobbled together by integrating the laws of myriad other worlds. The differences were bound to be significant.
"World Seal: Chains of Heaven!"
Before Morgoth could even attempt to slice open the fabric of space with his demonic sword and escape this small world, George had entered as well and immediately launched his attack.
In that moment, innumerable golden chains, each intricately engraved with runes, materialized from all directions, instantly binding Morgoth in an iron grip.
This was a world-level version of a technique he had developed and improved, based on Gilgamesh's Noble Phantasm, the Chains of Heaven.
The original Chains of Heaven already possessed a special property that made them exceptionally effective against divine beings. By additionally imprinting various sealing techniques from countless other worlds onto these chains, George had amplified their effect manifold.
"My power... it's being suppressed!"
With his body locked down by the Chains of Heaven, Morgoth immediately sensed his own strength being stifled. The chains suppressed him to the point where he could exert less than half of his true power, and his heart was instantly seized with great alarm.
"Demonic Sword: Slash!"
With a single thought, he dared not hesitate any longer, pouring the vast majority of his power into his demonic sword.
He did not attempt to sever the chains, nor did he attack George who had just entered. Instead, he continued to strike at the space directly in front of him.
He was severely suppressed in this alternate dimension; it was imperative that he leave this place first. He had to return to Middle-earth to continue the fight.
Yet, how could George possibly allow Morgoth to escape?
His small world was not yet perfected. With Morgoth's terrifying power, that single strike truly did have the potential to cleave this dimension apart.
"Sword of Promised Victory: Excalibur!"
George used his Unlimited Blade Works to replicate Artoria's Noble Phantasm. A smirk played on his lips as he controlled the Sword of Promised Victory, unleashing its full power in an aerial slash aimed directly at Morgoth.
It was a classic strategy: "Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao." He paid no mind to the demonic sword tearing at his world, but instead launched a direct attack on Morgoth's physical body.
Morgoth had still not broken free from the restraints of the Chains of Heaven, making it impossible for him to dodge the attack. He had only two choices: retract his demonic sword to block, or endure the blow with his own body.
In truth, using the Sword of Rupture, Ea, would have been far more effective at this moment. Its power was greater, and it held the promise of a one-hit kill.
However, he had not yet finished analyzing the Sword of Rupture; he still required more time before he could replicate it.
Nonetheless, the Sword of Promised Victory was far from a poor substitute. It was inherently an attack of the light attribute, which naturally suppressed Morgoth. Furthermore, the version he unleashed was vastly more powerful than any Artoria herself could have wielded.
"This is bad!"
Sensing the terrifying power contained within George's strike, Morgoth's expression changed drastically once more. He hurriedly retracted his demonic sword to defend himself.
He wouldn't be killed if he took the blow head-on, but he would undoubtedly suffer a grievous injury.
If he was too heavily injured, he would be unable to break free from the chains, much less escape this dimension.
Even if he did manage to break the chains and escape, in his weakened, heavily injured state, he would be no match for this terrifying human mage, to say nothing of the allied armies of the three races watching with predatory intent.
"Can this truly be the fabled potential of humanity?"
Deep within his heart, he had always looked down upon humankind.
Ilúvatar had created two races of children: the Elves and Men.
He had personally witnessed the strength of the Elves, particularly the Vanyar, who had been blessed by the light of the Two Trees. The greatest masters among them possessed power that approached that of the Valar.
Men, however, were different. From his observations, the human race was pitifully weak, their lifespans fleeting. They were not even comparable to the Dwarves whom Aulë had created.
Today, however, he finally realized how wrong he had been. The power wielded by this single human before him was in no way inferior to his own power at its zenith.
"I am the Master of the Fate of Arda, the Lord of all creation! How could I possibly lose to a tiny, insignificant human like you!"
The overwhelming holy light erupting from the Sword of Promised Victory made it difficult for Morgoth to defend, and for the first time, it made him feel a genuine threat to his life.
Because of this, he held back no longer, erupting with the full, unbridled totality of his divine power.
His body swelled rapidly, transforming into a colossal giant that seemed to span heaven and earth, and he forcefully shattered the Chains of Heaven binding him.
He swung his massive demonic sword, unleashing a torrential flood of dark power that clashed with and neutralized the immense blade of light from Excalibur.
He could see the situation clearly now. If he failed to kill the human before him today, he would likely never escape the dimension his enemy had created.
"Then let us begin!"
George, not to be outdone, expanded his draconic form to its absolute maximum size and charged forward, engaging in brutal close-quarters combat.
Simultaneously, he manipulated the very laws of his small world, using them to continuously suppress Morgoth.
Spells from every major element—wind, rain, thunder, and lightning—rained down from the skies as if they cost nothing, relentlessly striking Morgoth.
Time-stop effects, spatial-cutting attacks, magic designed to inflame the seven emotions and six desires, light-based ultimate magic, psychic suppression, and more—all of it continuously assaulted Morgoth, preventing him from ever unleashing his full strength.
"Relying on these tricks alone is not enough to kill me. And your dimension... if this continues, it may not be able to withstand our battle.
"Human, cooperate with me. With your strength, if you just submit to me, we can undoubtedly become the masters of Middle-earth.
"When that time comes, I will give you half of the world. You will have everything you could ever desire!"
As one of the Valar who had participated in the world's creation, Morgoth's power was beyond question. He possessed a considerable resistance to nearly every form of magic.
However, George's magic was simply too potent and too varied. Even if each individual spell only had a minor effect on him, the cumulative result left him in a miserable state.
This was to say nothing of the dangerous close-quarters combat, the fundamental suppression from the world's laws, and the ever-present Chains of Heaven, which had recovered and were now constantly roaming nearby, ready to ensnare him the very instant he revealed an opening.
As the battle dragged on, he began to feel that he might genuinely perish in this place. Thus, he started to use his formidable spiritual power to bewitch George.
He was a true master in this dark art. Gothmog, Sauron, and all the Balrogs were once Maiar whom he had personally bewitched and corrupted into his service.
"Trying to bewitch me? You're courting death!"
Perceiving the invasion of the opposing spiritual power, a smirk lifted the corner of George's mouth. He knew that the opportunity to finally end this battle had arrived.
"Spiritual Unification!"
The spiritual power from his true body and all his other-worldly avatars instantly concentrated into this single form. This overwhelming force not only violently expelled Morgoth's attempt at bewitchment but also launched a reverse invasion into Morgoth's own soul, causing his physical body to falter for a critical instant.
(End of Chapter)