Success.
Naoki immediately confirmed it when Rei, Arcueid, and Angelica's attacks simultaneously pierced through the defensive line formed by the cursed hands.
The layer of curses was once again shattered, and the divine body was once again defeated.
Unlike the simultaneous firing of the twelve Holy Lances, this time the combined attack of the three left a wound on Cernunnos twice as large as before!
It almost completely destroyed Cernunnos's chest!
"Glug glug glug glug glug glug!"
The curse immediately began to boil!
Despite the immense power of the attack, it was impossible to completely eradicate Cernunnos's curse. Even such severe wounds, under the influence of the continuously proliferating curse, would soon be covered again by layers of curses, restoring Cernunnos to his unharmed state!
The time required would not exceed twenty seconds.
But Rei had just expended all of her Mana equivalent to three Holy Grails. Arcueid would also be immobile for approximately ten seconds. Even if she could pursue, the cursed hands gathering around required her and Angelica to deal with them.
Therefore, this large gap created by their combined attack was probably the only chance, the first and the last.
(Good job, Rei, Angelica, Arcueid. You've bought me twenty seconds. Now it's my turn.)
The remaining Mana in the throne was approximately twelve hundred years' worth.
Naoki was not stingy and, without hesitation, immediately unleashed all restraints, allowing Mana to flow into the twelve Holy Lances!
*BZZZZT!*
The twelve cannon stations consecutively emitted a golden-white, even reddish-gold light. It was a sign of excessive Mana charging, which caused the cannon barrels to start becoming overwhelmed. A 1000% charge alone was already close to the limit of the cannon barrels, and now more than 1000% was being charged!
The twenty seconds continued to tick away. The wound on Cernunnos's chest was visibly covered by layers of curses, and the silhouette of Aurora, serving as the Divine Core in Cernunnos's chest, was also gradually concealed.
"Naoki!"
Arcueid couldn't help but shout.
And right after she shouted—
"Holy Lance, anchor lifted."
*BOOM!*
Accompanied by Naoki's final command, the twelve already overloaded cannon stations simultaneously unleashed the most dazzling light of the Holy Lance!
The Mana accumulated over two thousand years, completely empty and zero at this moment!
*PU-CHI!*
Without the slightest delay, the twelve Holy Lances simultaneously struck the chest housing Aurora as its core! Swallowing it completely in an instant. Its entire body melted and vaporized by the light and heat of the Holy Lance!
Then, the light of the Holy Lance pierced through Cernunnos's body!
The curses were continuously purified and eradicated within the light. The decaying divine body crumbled and disappeared under the terrifying heat—after losing its Divine Core, Cernunnos's curse activity drastically decreased, almost stagnating, completely losing the monstrous regenerative ability it previously possessed.
"Hold on a little longer, Holy Lance."
Naoki watched the condition of the Holy Lance anxiously.
He absolutely could not stop now. If he were to stop the Holy Lance's output at this moment, Cernunnos's divine body would not be completely annihilated.
Although it was overheating and could explode at any moment, Naoki currently hoped the Holy Lance could continue to endure. Approximately sixty percent of Cernunnos's body still remained. Completely annihilating this remaining portion would solve the problem.
"We'll help too."
Arcueid moved her hands and feet, raising both hands, and immediately manifested a lightning storm and rain that began to destroy Cernunnos's corpse. Meanwhile, Angelica also opened the Gate of Babylon to its maximum, lavishly firing her Noble Phantasms.
Sitting on the giant dragon's back, Rei saw the two who still had the strength to fight and let out a slight sigh: "How nice. I have no energy left at all. Just flying like this is my limit... But with this, the Calamity of Curses is over."
The curse summons beasts, the beasts summon fire.
The Three Calamities that were supposed to destroy Britain. The Calamity of Curses, as its root, had been defeated. Thus, Barghest and Melusine would also not transform into new calamities under the continued impact of the Calamity of Curses.
In fact, the three Calamities could now be said to have been completely defeated and sealed.
So what remained was...
"The Cursed Worm, Vortigern."
Rei stared at the bottomless Great Hole below.
The Cursed Worm was there. Previously, due to Cernunnos's suppression, it couldn't appear at will. But now that Cernunnos had been defeated, the Cursed Worm should soon emerge.
(Our current combat power hasn't decreased at all. At most, my Mana is overly drained, that's not a big problem. With Master present, this deficiency can be filled anytime.)
(Furthermore, Master should have already prepared countermeasures to deal with the Cursed Worm. The next step is the final work.)
(But... with this, Master's plan seems to have failed.)
The Mana stored in the throne had been depleted. After losing this foundation, Naoki's plan to transfer the Island of Britain to Proper Human History might not be able to proceed. Moreover, all the fairies had also been annihilated.
Due to Cernunnos's awakening, Naoki's two-thousand-year plan had completely failed.
(Something feels wrong.)
Rei frowned.
She remembered Naoki once saying that he would deal with both Cernunnos and the Cursed Worm before Rayshift, without bringing any problems to Proper Human History. But if defeating Cernunnos alone required two thousand years' worth of Mana, then of those two things, defeating Cernunnos and Rayshift, only one could be realized.
Yet Naoki said both could be realized.
(Master... hiding something else? I should go down and ask.)
Thinking thus, Rei controlled the giant dragon to fly toward the Throne Room.
And just as she arrived in the Throne Room and jumped off the giant dragon—
*PU-CHI!*
A piercing sound reached her ears, and in her vision, Naoki's chest, sitting on the throne, had been pierced by a golden holy sword.
"You've all worked very hard."
A voice sounded from behind Naoki—it was Naoki Number Two!
"Both the original, and Rei, Arcueid, Angelica—you all worked hard. Thanks to your painstaking efforts in defeating Cernunnos, we can finally be free."
"Free... You... Could it be..."
As if realizing something, Naoki immediately placed his hand on the Holy Sword, trying to break free.
But Naoki Number Two tightly gripped his arm from behind: "I won't let you go, the original. Let us reunite. After being separated for two thousand four hundred years, it's time to become one person again."
"You... Stop it..."
"Welcome back, and... I'm back, Natsukawa Naoki."
Naoki Number Two whispered softly into Naoki's ear.
Immediately after, the Star Holy Sword piercing Naoki's chest suddenly emitted a brilliant light!
*BZZZZT!*
The bright light instantly obscured everyone's vision.