After hearing Aslan's voice, Melusine abandoned her clash with the half-giant and soared into the sky. She crossed the gate of light, passed through the sea of clouds, reached the Supreme Masterpiece, and finally broke through the last gate of light—transforming into a complete dragon. Her dragon heart thundered in her chest, each pulse like the strike of a war drum.
Aslan charged toward the half-giant, arms spread wide. The scabbard that had hung at his waist now materialized in front of him, gleaming. The colossal half-giant roared in fury. The Hassans embedded in his abdomen bellowed incoherently, their cries more beast than human, as if rabid dogs snapping at the air.
To Aslan, it was nothing more than the barking of the impotent.
Unlike the howling Hassans, the puppet of the Hero King once more raised its weapon. Fed by the Holy Grail, its magic reserves were inexhaustible, allowing it to unleash yet another devastating Noble Phantasm without pause.
The Sword of Heaven and Earth whirled violently, unleashing an overwhelming torrent of sword pressure and magical energy that tore toward Aslan like a crimson storm.
The evil of the world, inhabiting the half-giant, seethed. If not for Aslan's interference, victory would already have been his. None of the Heroic Spirits present could breach his defense. Yet hope remained: kill this intruder now, and triumph could still be reclaimed.
But Aslan did not flinch. He had once endured the Spear of End from a goddess—why would he falter before the imitation of the Hero King? The Sword of Separation released by this puppet was formidable, far surpassing the Noble Phantasms of the other Heroic Spirits…
And yet, it still fell short of the true Hero King's might.
Aslan pressed his palms together before his chest. A quiet golden radiance bloomed between them, condensing into his hands.
His lips curled into a faint smile as he extended his fingers forward. The scabbard dissolved into motes of light, scattering like golden petals to form a shield around him. His smile vanished, replaced by solemn determination, as the torrent of world-rending energy bore down upon him.
"This is the inner sea of the other side, a paradise of eternal tranquility. An illusion yearned for by kings yet never reached—a cradle that carries starlight and upholds hope. Become a wall of protection. The bell has already rung!"
Shards of crystal bloomed into a radiant shield, dazzling as a dream. Though the raging sword pressure tore at it with unrelenting ferocity, the crystalline wall held firm, unmoved by destruction.
This was no ordinary defense. It was a treasure that touched the very realm of magic, stripping away interference of matter, parallel worlds, and even the five great magics. The absolute barrier—unshakable, unreachable. Not even the Sword of Heaven and Earth could pierce it.
No matter how violently you tear the world apart, this wall will not yield.
Then, golden ripples spread outward across the shield's surface. The crimson storm rebounded, redirected toward the half-giant himself.
The gathered Heroic Spirits stared in stunned silence. Even Melusine, gazing from high above, could not help but draw in a sharp breath. No matter how many times she had witnessed it, this defense was beyond comprehension—majestic, dreamlike, eternal.
A utopia that endures so long as hope resides in the hearts of men. A paradise untouchable, indestructible.
Her golden eyes flashed. Her dragon heart thundered ever louder, each beat quickening her pulse until her chest split open, releasing her true might.
"The magic surges within me, mana overflowing—gnnnnaaahh! Watch closely! This attack, strong enough to destroy everything, will shatter the shell of evil wrapped around the Holy Grail! And if it destroys the Grail itself… so be it!"
Her voice rose into a declaration.
"This is Albion—the last dragon, who opens paths to new frontiers. Born from a decaying corpse, bearing fire for breath and iron for wings. In the twilight sky, like a newborn child—fly, even as a ruined remnant! This is the end!"
[The pure pulse unknown to all!]
From her chest erupted the pulse of a true dragon's heart, a spear of world-destroying force that crashed down from the heavens. The earth trembled beneath the voice of the Horizon Dragon.
This was a Noble Phantasm equal in might to the Sword of Heaven and Earth—a strike that could redefine the world.
Already weakened by the backlash of his own attack, the black half-giant's body began to fracture. His defenses shattered, leaving him exposed to Melusine's all-destroying assault.
Even as the black mud surged wildly from the pool, the Supreme Masterpiece's bombardments hammered it down. Each blast fell like a divine judgment, suppressing the tide of corruption.
Then the dragon's pulse struck true. The golden torrent engulfed the embryonic demon—the evil Buddha—shattering it piece by piece.
The altar, which centuries ago had crushed the Saint of Winter and forged her into the vessel of the Grail, crumbled at last. From the ruins, the golden Holy Grail itself floated upward, gleaming amid the swirling black mud.
Irisviel tightened her grip on the gem in her hand. Her eyes closed briefly as she reconnected to her new vessel. Her consciousness was sluggish, her soul strained from the transfer, but she forced her body to respond.
Now was not the time for rest.
-End Chapter-
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