Chapter 1144: My Britain Is Not Yours to Protect
That was a literal ocean of magical energy!
Even if released from here, it could cover the entire surface of Britain's over 200,000 square kilometers with extremely high density!
The overwhelmingly vast magical energy, the moment it connected with her, flowed backward through her fairy patterns into her body. Her fairy patterns overheated as if operating beyond capacity, her entire body burning as if thrown into blazing flames!
"No wonder Morgan was so confident, no wonder no one could replace her..."
Artoria forced herself to endure through sheer will, preventing herself from being drowned by the massive magical energy.
Anyone possessing such immense power would believe they could go anywhere and face any opponent without fear. No wonder Morgan never regarded them as threats!
With such enormous magical energy, there was no need for complex spell arrangements—simply releasing it would create crushing pressure capable of flattening anyone.
Few in the entire Fairy Kingdom could withstand such vast magical energy!
Aside from Morgan, only the Northern Queen Knocknarea or Eiji, the True Ancestor, could use the throne to control the Fairy Kingdom's life cycle.
Even she, who had rang six bells and become the Holy Sword's guardian, nearly failed to endure it. Ordinary fairies attempting to use the throne would instantly explode from the overwhelming magical energy!
It was like forcibly stuffing an entire mountain into one's body—no different from suicide!
"But with such powerful magical energy...!"
Artoria took a deep breath, striving to adapt to this state.
She connected her consciousness to the twelve holy spears arranged before the Great Pit, incorporating both the throne and the holy spears into a single magical system.
"Incredible, such complex spell formulas! To materialize them like this—what genius conception!"
Precisely because she was a Fairy of Paradise, Artoria felt indescribable admiration for Morgan.
That natural talent, that willpower, that determination and perseverance.
All were far beyond her reach.
"So this time, I won't run away!"
The memory of her farewell at Tintagel Village resurfaced in her heart.
Because she couldn't save the villagers no matter what, couldn't save Grandpa Ector no matter what.
So she had fled back then.
Her justification was following her grandfather's advice to live to fight another day.
But ultimately, it was because she, a Fairy of Paradise, was so weak and incompetent!
But now things were different!
She had grown stronger and held the means to resolve all conflicts!
This time, she would bravely face adversity head-on!
"Let's go!"
Enduring the pain of excess magical energy circulating through her body.
Artoria channeled the throne's magical energy, pouring it into the twelve holy spears!
From the Great Pit, endless cursed hands surged forth.
She saw clearly—for some reason, Eiji had abandoned his ranged attack advantage and chosen close combat, with massive numbers of cursed hands entangling around him.
With a single thought, she pulled the trigger!
"BOOOOOOM————!!!!"
The twelve holy spears roared with deafening cannon fire!
Brilliant golden light transformed into torrents of magical energy, roaring as they charged toward the Cursed God!
Countless cursed hands were utterly annihilated under the simultaneous barrage of these twelve shots.
But that was all.
The light didn't even reach the Cursed God's presence.
Could even the twelve holy spears powered by the Throne fail to pierce through the Cursed God?
"No, that's not it! The problem lies with me alone!"
Artoria gritted her teeth fiercely.
It wasn't the holy spears that were inadequate—it was her own fear!
Fear that too much magical energy flowing through her body would overwhelm it, shattering it completely!
Moreover, the holy spear technique was invented by Morgan—it was most suited for Morgan, but not for her!
She had to modify the technique!
She had to cast aside her cowardice!
But.
Could she really do it?
A flicker of fear crossed her heart.
Abruptly, she recalled the memories of the four seasons she had experienced earlier in the Inner Sea of the Planet.
Winter, autumn, summer—though she had lived through them one by one, they were by no means pleasant memories.
The only truly joyful memory was the final spring memory.
Though it had been fleeting at the time, it had lasted about half a minute, so she did have a fragment of a happy memory.
Not in Tintagel, nor in the Nameless Forest, or any city thereafter.
But on a certain night during her journey.
She had tasted a food called a hamburger—something she had never eaten before in her life, incredibly delicious.
On nights when closing her eyes brought the sound of urgent bells, and dreams showed the villagers of Tintagel tormenting her childhood self, she had a dream of becoming a high-ranking fairy, donning an extravagant gown, and attending lavish balls.
On the morning after.
"Eat! Get rid of all these hamburgers!"
The image of him flying into a rage was still etched in her mind.
Because of her fairy eyes, she had seen through it from the start.
He had glimpsed her dreams, learned of her past, and grown angry on her behalf, so he casually granted her a pleasant dream.
Because she loved hamburgers, he put on an air of "I have delicious food and I'm proud of it," pulling out a pile of hamburgers from imaginary space and condescendingly making her eat them all.
It was an experience of happiness she had never known before.
Was that happiness due to the pleasant dream? Or from eating hamburgers to her heart's content?
No.
Not at all!
What made her happiest was the kindness from that person!
In this land of fairies, where such things were nearly extinct—the pure, unadulterated kindness from an intelligent being!
"That's right! Isn't this why I've struggled all this way?"
At this critical moment, Artoria suddenly had an epiphany.
Even surrounded by a storm of malice, she had trudged alone toward the single shining star in the night sky.
That star guiding her forward, the reason she refused to yield—wasn't it precisely the rarest and most precious kindness in this malice-filled fairy kingdom?
Even if malice was everywhere, for the sake of that scarce kindness, she would fight to the end!
"In that case, how can I lose here!"
A blazing heart became her driving force.
Artoria's eyes burned with fervor.
She would not fear any failure or death now!
For that rare kindness, she chose to open her embrace completely. An endless surge of magical energy flooded into her body like a collapsing dam.
Even if it meant turning to ashes, she would not hesitate!
"Formula alteration! From Spirit Vein Sealing Armament (Rhongomyniad), transform into Dragon Vein Incineration Armament (Excalibur)!"
Consciousness synchronized completely with the Holy Lance.
Using her own fairy patterns as a medium, Artoria transformed the Holy Lance's formula into her own Holy Sword formula!
"O gods, forgive our sins—"
"Move aside."
A cold voice interrupted.
"Eh?"
Artoria froze in confusion.
"Eek!"
Then she was sent flying by a single slap.
"Don't casually tamper with others' formulas."
A slender figure, clad in an exquisite black gown, appeared before her.
"My Britain is not yet yours to protect."