The silver radiance clashed with the vibrant crimson petals, unleashing a violent storm of magical power. The blinding light forced everyone present to shield their eyes.
Jiang You pulled out a pair of sunglasses from his pocket, put them on, and handed a pair to Illya as well.
Prisma Illya and Miyu simultaneously felt immense pressure bearing down on them. Their arms trembled uncontrollably as they struggled to maintain the shields, but they gritted their teeth and held firm. If they let go, Medusa's Class-based shockwave would instantly engulf them.
In truth, if they hadn't expanded the collection area of their Rho Aias to create a larger barrier, Medusa's attack wouldn't have even reached them.
Now that they had reached this point, Medusa couldn't stop her Noble Phantasm. She could only suppress it, preventing further bursts of power.
The two overlapping Rho Aias formed a total of fourteen layers of magical power barriers, each capable of absorbing damage independently. However, unfamiliar with Emiya's Spirit Origin, their projected Rho Aias possessed only about seventy percent of its original strength. Without their combined effort, they wouldn't have lasted long.
One layer, two layers, three layers... eleven layers!
The flower petals disintegrated layer by layer until the clash of Noble Phantasms gradually subsided. Medusa and Pegasus emerged from the silver streams of magical power, finally coming to a halt. Pegasus snorted in annoyance, as if complaining about Medusa not letting it gallop freely.
Medusa could only pat its neck in reassurance.
"We... we survived," Prisma Illya and Miyu collapsed to the ground. The force of Pegasus's charge had been overwhelming, like a mountain crashing down on them. Even now, the memory of their helplessness made their legs tremble.
When they regained their senses, they realized their hands were tightly clasped together. In moments of crisis, people instinctively grasp for the nearest thing, seeking a sliver of security. Prisma Illya and Miyu were no different. Having entrusted their lives to each other, their bond had deepened significantly in that instant.
Of course, Jiang You had already prepared to pull them all into his own Noble Phantasm the moment Rho Aias shattered its final layer.
Realizing what they had done, the two girls abruptly released their hands, their faces flushing as they hastily pulled apart.
Jiang You emerged from the shadows, clapping slowly, a wide smile spreading across his face as he looked at Prisma Illya and Miyu.
"Congratulations, you two! The combat simulation has concluded successfully."
"It's over?"
Prisma Illya slumped to the ground. Although the battle had lasted only a short time, she had never before run with such complete abandonment of everything. Now that she had relaxed, she felt pain all over her body. "Combat is truly terrifying," she groaned, "but at least we passed the simulation. I never want to experience that feeling of rushing to finish homework at the last minute!"
"By the way, Miyu, Ruby said you have the Lancer Class Card. But why..."
Once relaxed, Prisma Illya began making conversation with Miyu. After all, Miyu was her future comrade, a member of their team, and it would be very awkward if their relationship wasn't good.
"Miyu... you don't look well. What's wrong?"
"Yeah, combat is terrifying. But it only ends when one side is completely defeated."
Jiang You pointed behind Prisma Illya.
"Illya, behind you!"
Ruby also issued a warning. Prisma Illya stiffly twisted her neck around, already guessing what this meant. Medusa had appeared behind them at some unknown time, her chain sword pressed against the backs of their necks, declaring their death.
"How could this happen...?"
Prisma Illya felt a wave of helplessness. Just defending against Medusa's Noble Phantasm had exhausted all her strength. How could she possibly continue fighting?
"Actually, you've done quite well," Jiang You remarked, his tone half-praise, half-criticism. "After all, Medusa is a battle-hardened servant. If you two little girls, fighting for the first time, had defeated her, where would she put her face?
"But as a combat simulation, you both fail miserably! In a real battle, you would have died hundreds of times over. You wouldn't have even gotten the chance to clash Noble Phantasms with Medusa! Combat doesn't give you time to explain that it's your first fight!"
"You're full of hot air, you know," Illya retorted, approaching them. Seeing Jiang You's righteous indignation, she couldn't help but scoff.
"You're the one with zero combat sense! What will you do if your Noble Phantasm gets countered and you can't activate it? What then? My suggestion is: next time, you train with them. I want to see who's the most embarrassing one!"
Ever since obtaining the lowest-tier Riding Skill, Jiang You had considered boosting his Parameters through training. Developing his character was part of the game's appeal, after all. But he ultimately abandoned the idea. This damn game wasn't something you could master with a few mouse clicks—you actually had to train yourself. And to think, this was supposed to be a card game! Not only did it forbid card battles, but it also insisted on this tedious grind. If the game's developers actually existed, Jiang You would launch them and their mothers straight into outer space.
His thoughts ran one way, but the words Jiang You spoke were quite different.
"If Illya asks, I'd be happy to. But right now, our priority is helping Miyu return to her world to save Shirou Emiya there. After we're done here, I'll follow your instructions."
The moment Illya heard the words "but right now," she knew Jiang You was going to flake. She sighed. She had meant well—Jiang You's Noble Phantasm was the strongest she knew, even Tiamat couldn't evade its effects. But Jiang You wasn't some Creator God; he would inevitably face Servants who could circumvent his Noble Phantasm. Without his Noble Phantasm, Jiang You's own abilities would leave him with no chance of resistance.
The reason Illya insisted Jiang You train, despite knowing he was a Servant, was that she was his Master. She could see his Parameters, and since their contract, Jiang You's Parameters had gained numerous attributes he'd never possessed before. He had even inexplicably acquired C-Rank Divinity, a development utterly beyond Illya's comprehension. Regardless, it was clear Jiang You could continue to grow stronger.
"Same time tomorrow, we'll meet here again," Jiang You announced.
He wasn't sure how effective this cram-style training would be, but rote memorization always had some value. If their minds failed them, their bodies could at least record the movements. Jiang You certainly didn't want to log in one day to find both of their avatars darkened.
"Not even a day's rest? You're such a cruel slave driver!" Prisma Illya protested, but her protests fell on deaf ears.
"So, you're admitting you're my slave? Then see you tomorrow, Miss Slave... or should I say, Young Lady?" Jiang You teased, pinching her cheek before leaving under her indignant glare.