"There's a small window here."
Merlin closed his eyes, spreading his arms as he began to chant.
"The Inner Sea of Stars. The lookout. Whisper from the corner of paradise. Your tale is blessed. Only the sinless may pass."
Pink flowers bloomed beneath his feet, spreading outward in a tide of blossoms. They grew like falling tears, each droplet turning into a flower until the scene transformed into a vision of paradise. A tower rose into sight — the Tower of Paradise, the prison that bound Merlin himself. From this image alone, he looked as though he had stepped straight out of a fairytale.
But then, isn't that what "Mary Sue" truly means? Colorful hair, graceful movements, dazzling eyes, and an almost elven beauty. In truth, the modern image of Mary Sue was likely inspired by Merlin himself. The irony was not lost on anyone.
"[The Forever-Sealed Utopia, Garden of Avalon]!"
Though only a C-rank anti-personnel Noble Phantasm, it shone with miraculous effect in this dire moment.
The vision of the tower unfolded around them: a cell barely ten square meters wide, with only a sliver of sky visible above, yet suffused with eternal light and warmth. No matter how dark or hellish the surroundings, flowers covered the earth and sunlight reached the ground.
Merlin's domain was not a prison of despair, but a sanctuary brimming with hope.
The advancing black mud slammed against the boundary of the flowered field, surging endlessly but unable to breach the wall of blossoms.
"Aslan… hurry. I can't hold this for long…"
This body was merely an avatar summoned into the world, his reserves far less than his true form's. Prolonged defense was impossible. If the battle dragged on, Aslan might have to expend a Command Spell to restore Merlin's strength.
Aslan, however, had already moved. He stared at the towering wall of black mud blocking their path and prepared to unleash the full might of the Supreme Masterpiece.
The mecha stepped back, its armored hands parting as the special muzzle embedded in its abdomen opened wide. Within, the Mecha Core pulsed, encircled by dragon souls. With this power, the Supreme Masterpiece could strike with the force of divine judgment — the wrath of a god reborn through steel.
The Fire God's fury, channeled through the Gate of Justice. The white dragon that once razed Britain, whose destructive power was sealed in legend, would roar again. The enemy would be judged by divine punishment.
"This man-made god, born from the remains of divinity itself… I swear the Supreme Masterpiece will fight only for justice. Now—awaken, Heart of God! Witness this glory: [Supreme Masterpiece – Justice]!! [Command – Hammer of Justice]!"
The muzzle throbbed like a beating heart. Through the glow, the shadow of a white dragon could be glimpsed, coiled tightly around the Heart of God. Its pulse drove a torrent of magic, surging into artillery fire. The dragon's roar echoed as flame and shadow entwined, merging into a blazing avatar.
A flaming dragon burst forth from the muzzle, its body wreathed in searing fire. It streaked across the battlefield, carving a line of molten destruction.
The black giant born of this world's evil was incinerated on contact. Walls of writhing mud, thought indestructible, collapsed under the dragon's assault.
Realizing brute defense would not suffice, the mud shifted tactics. Tentacles and spears of darkness lashed out toward the Supreme Masterpiece. If it could not destroy the mecha outright, it would corrupt it, reverse it — bend it to its will.
But Aslan felt no fear. The black mud's corruption was meaningless to him. After fusing with the compressed essence of the island and the Breath of Destruction, even his own reversed state merely shifted his alignment from good to evil. He was beyond its grasp.
It was almost convenient — an ability that automatically counteracted forced corruption.
If Aslan were a game character, Melusine might be the first card capable of switching Noble Phantasms between single- and multi-target attacks. In that case, Aslan himself would be the unique card able to freely flip his own alignment — good or evil, light or dark. No gacha duplicates. No separate "forms." Just one card. Miss it, and you miss it forever.
The mud spears could not pierce the Supreme Masterpiece's armor, but they clung to its frame like parasites, flooding it with corrosive emotions. The machine trembled faintly, its systems showing signs of agitation.
Aslan sighed.
To grant the mecha autonomy, he had fused his foster father's dragon soul into it, giving the Supreme Masterpiece both intelligence and spirit. It was not wrong to call it alive. Allowing this corruption to gnaw at it was painful — even if the machine itself could not truly be overturned.
So he made his choice.
"The Supreme Masterpiece will take to the skies," he murmured. "Artillery from above. I'll strike the core from the ground."
The mecha ascended, accelerating with explosive force. The parasitic mud was flung away, incinerated by sheer velocity. In mere moments it pierced the clouds, reaching an altitude untouchable by the creeping evil below.
Here, it was safe. Even if puppet Riders stormed the skies in chariots, the Supreme Masterpiece would lock on instantly and unleash annihilation.
"Command: Supreme Masterpiece – Justice. Switch to automatic mode."
The dragon-soul crest glowed on the display. The cockpit door hissed open.
Aslan withdrew a vial of the island's power and poured it into Melusine. The doll-like form at his side stirred — her figure shifting, returning to its true, draconic majesty.