*BAM!*
The eighth simultaneous shot of the Holy Lances ended with a deafening roar.
Layers of curses scattered, rotting flesh disintegrated, revealing Cernunnos's even more decayed internal structure.
However, in just an instant, even right after being attacked, an unlimited tsunami of curses refilled Cernunnos's wounded parts, rendering the simultaneous Holy Lance shots futile once again.
This was a scene that had repeated several times.
Naoki sneered: "Tch, the output can't keep up? If it's increased further... no, the cannon stations won't be able to withstand it."
1000% output was already the maximum the Holy Lance cannon stations could endure. If increased further, the cannon stations themselves would burn out due to their inability to withstand the excessive Mana.
If he could ensure that the next attack would definitely defeat Cernunnos, then Naoki certainly wouldn't spare these few cannon stations, but he couldn't be sure.
If the Holy Lances fired with enough Mana to destroy the cannon stations couldn't completely defeat Cernunnos, then without the Holy Lances, he could only rely on his own Mana, Magecraft, and Imaginary Manifestation to fight Cernunnos.
Considering he had to face the Cursed Worm that would emerge from the depths after this, Naoki wanted to avoid using his own power as much as possible before that.
(The remaining Mana... still enough for twelve hundred years. At most, only nine more simultaneous shots can be made.)
Once again drawing Mana from the throne, Naoki took a deep breath, and injected Mana into the magic circuits to flow into the Holy Lance cannon stations.
However, at that very moment—
*SWISH!* *SWISH!* *SWISH!*
Cursed hands crashed against the isolation barrier formed by Mana like waves. Although it was a barrier dedicated to rejection, no matter how strong it was, a barrier constantly battered by countless cursed hands for several minutes could not possibly endure.
The barrier supported by the Golden Tree shattered! Unlimited cursed hands immediately swarmed the twelve Holy Lances!
"Magecraft Repetition, reactivate—"
*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*
Naoki immediately wanted to reactivate the barrier. Although this would delay the Holy Lance firing by about two seconds, the priority was to ensure the safety of the Holy Lances. It would be bad if they were destroyed by those cursed hands.
However, before Naoki reactivated, a golden rain suddenly fell from the sky. Thousands of golden ripples instantly covered the top of the Great Hole, and countless Noble Phantasms were fired in quick succession like bullets! Destroying the curse layers covering Cernunnos and the continuously growing and multiplying cursed hands simultaneously!
And immediately after that—
"Awaken, EA!"
Accompanied by a cold, emotionless voice, a crimson storm powerful enough to tear space instantly swept and raged! Wiping out all existence around the twelve Holy Lances!
Naoki was slightly surprised, looking up: "Angelica? No, not just her, there's also..."
*⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡!*
Deafening thunder echoed under the blood-red sky. A dense crimson lightning storm immediately fell from the sky and pierced the earth. As if wanting to crush Cernunnos, the storm flowed from all directions toward the center of the Great Hole, continuously damaging and destroying the curse layers and the divine body!
"ROAR —!"
A giant dragon's roar accompanied the sound, soaring directly into the sky.
(Rei Mimicry... Why are they here?)
Naoki didn't actually care much about these two who called themselves traitors. After that, he simply let them do as they pleased.
Are they here to help him now?
*TAP!*
A figure lightly dropped from the air, stepping on the winding magic circuits like tree branches and coming before Naoki.
"Yo, we came to help you, stupid Naoki."
"I should have locked all of you up, Arcueid." Naoki stared at Arcueid standing in front of him. "Did Rei and Angelica free you?"
"Of course. Although the Magecraft Master used to lock us was very sophisticated, for me, whose power source is the Holy Grail, I only need to wish upon the Holy Grail to destroy the Magecraft itself."
Landing beside the platform riding a giant red dragon, Rei smiled, looking at Naoki: "If Master wishes to punish me, please wait until we have successfully defeated Cernunnos together."
"Although we came to bring Master back to Proper Human History and were previously your enemies, our intention to help Master at this moment is by no means false."
"...."
Naoki was silent for a few seconds, then let out a helpless sigh: "I didn't call you, don't interfere—but, your arrival is timely. I now need an opportunity to destroy Cernunnos's Divine Core in one attack. You should be able to create that for me, right?"
"As long as it's Master's command, no matter how impossible, I will complete it for you."
Rei laughed, "However, Mana might be a bit short. Earlier, to break Master's Magecraft and continuously bombard the Horned God with lightning, I expended too much Mana all at once."
"That's not a problem."
Naoki raised his hand and snapped his fingers. From the crown part of the golden-tree-like magic circuit, dozens of circuits immediately stretched downwards, piercing into various parts of Rei's body simultaneously.
In an instant, a massive amount of Mana, like a tsunami, poured into Rei's body!
*SHUAAA!*
Golden light radiated from Rei's body, even soaring into the sky! The excessive Mana immediately exceeded the limits she could contain!
Rei had never felt so satisfied. Her body was filled with Mana from inside out, making her feel as if she had returned to the past when she was still connected to the Root.
"I immediately gave you Mana equivalent to three Holy Grails. That should be enough, right?"
"Yes." Rei nodded, "But, compared to this crude direct injection, I would prefer Master to do it through mucosal contact—"
"Go to work quickly!"
Arcueid immediately kicked Rei with a shockwave, sending her flying away from the open balcony.
Rei looked at the angry Arcueid below with a slight amusement. She stroked her body connected to the magic circuits, and the corners of her lips slightly lifted.
"More than half a century. Receiving Mana from Master like this... It's much more satisfying than before. Do you agree, Manaka?"
[That's why this time we must seriously defeat the god. After all, the Prince has asked us to.]
Right, must be serious.
Rei stood tall on the dragon's back, raising both hands to the sky. Countless lights gathered in her hands, finally forming a giant Holy Sword shining brilliantly.
Recasting Device: Simulation – Excalibur.
"Angelica, Arcueid, prepare to attack together. We'll make a big hole in his body!"
"Ready, Lady Rei."
Angelica, holding Ea, once again spun EA. The crimson storm soared into the sky.
"Don't order me around!"
Arcueid jumped back onto Vimana, taking a deep breath. Behind her, a faint rainbow-colored ring of light appeared, like a vortex of starlight, and also like a colorful black hole, uncontrollably drawing people's gaze.
And in the midst of its depths, a glimmer of starlight silently blossomed.
The next second—
*BOOM!*
The magnified star Holy Sword.
The crimson storm that tore the world.
The breath of stars that pierced the sky.
The attacks from the three simultaneously struck Cernunnos!
Unlimited cursed hands tried to resist, but were instantly annihilated and vaporized upon contact! The light, whose power might exceed the simultaneous Holy Lance shots, landed on the Horned God's body without any hindrance!
*BAM!*