Upon hearing Shirou's words, both Ikki and Nagi Arisu nodded. They were all sharp-minded individuals and understood that with only women and children as hostages, unexpected situations could easily arise, especially from clueless children. They often proved to be the turning point that made things worse.
"But we just need to wait, look!"
Nagi Arisu handed over his phone, which displayed a message from Shizuku: "I'm setting up the barrier now. I'll give the signal when it's ready."
"As expected of a sorcerer with A-rank magical control; you can't see anything from up here!"
Hearing Ikki's exclamation, Shirou smiled and said, "For someone with Shizuku's level of magical control, if they seriously set up camouflage, outsiders can hardly detect it. And Ikki, you're also someone who's extremely bad at magical control, aren't you?"
Hearing Nagi Arisu's teasing, Ikki helplessly scratched the back of his head. He was indeed not good at controlling magical power. After all, his magical power was so meager that it would be gone with just a few uses, leaving no room for training.
"For now, we just hope everything goes smoothly. After all, they have hostages, so it's really hard for us to make a move." Although he said this, Shirou kept his gaze fixed on the scene below. He knew what was coming.
Sure enough, as the terrorists violently herded the hostages, a pregnant woman's child screamed, "Don't hurt my mommy!" and threw an ice cream at one of the terrorist's faces. This act undoubtedly provoked the terrorist.
Looking at the screaming child, the terrorist completely ignored his comrades' attempts to stop him and pulled out a gun, firing at the mother and child. But a sudden burst of flames instantly burned the bullet into molten iron, which then rapidly evaporated and vanished.
"Calm down! What kind of person bullies a child?"
Seeing Stella step forward, all the terrorists were shaken.
"There's a Blazer!"
"Shoot!"
All the terrorists in every corner unleashed their firepower on Stella, who stood in the center. But these bullets ultimately failed to achieve their intended purpose.
"Princess Dragon Robe!"
Against Stella's magical armor, firearms were nothing short of a joke. All the bullets turned into molten iron before they could even reach Stella, then rapidly evaporated, disappearing without a trace.
Observing the situation unfolding below, the three upstairs naturally understood what was happening.
"I knew things wouldn't go so smoothly."
Hearing Shirou's helpless sigh, Ikki and Nagi Arisu also shook their heads in frustration. Such sudden situations were always so vexing.
"It seems we don't have time to wait for Shizuku's water barrier. That 'Smile' ability will be troublesome for Stella." Since the three of them arrived, Shirou had been eyeing the opponent's Blazer, 'Smile,' his Noble Phantasm and ability. After all, this ability, if unknown beforehand, could very likely result in an instant kill.
Even if it wasn't an instant kill, it was an unparalleled ability against projectile-based opponents.
Noble Phantasm: Arch-Judge's Ring.
Ability: Sin and Punishment.
The ring on the left hand absorbs any damage inflicted on oneself as 'sin,' while the ring on the right hand converts it into magical power as 'punishment' to retaliate against the opponent. In front of these rings, the opponent's strength determined one's own strength.
Whether in the original story or in what was about to happen, Stella would suffer greatly at his hands.
Upon hearing Shirou's words, Ikki and Nagi Arisu immediately understood the situation. The opponent's leader's ability had probably already been projected by Shirou. Otherwise, how would Shirou know the opponent's ability?
"But what about the hostages? With hostages, I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to act, right?"
"You don't need to act. I'll handle both the hostage rescue and the elimination of the terrorists!"
Looking at the confident Shirou, both Ikki and Nagi Arisu trusted his decision implicitly. This man was simply that easy to believe.
"However, once I activate my ability, I'll disappear from here. At that time, Arisu, you stay and keep an eye on the hostages below to see if any terrorists are mixed in."
"Understood!" Although she didn't know what he meant, Arisu still trusted Shirou's decision.
Looking at the two whose expressions had become serious, Shirou smiled and said, "Don't be so nervous. After all, my plan will only activate after Stella's defeat."
"What if she wins?"
No sooner had Shirou spoken than Stella, who had charged at Smile to save the child, was knocked down with a single punch.
"Hey, hey, Stella, at least show some morale! I just praised you!" Shirou muttered with a helpless sigh, then slowly stood up and walked along the railing.
"Ikki, Arisu can't appreciate the next scene due to the mission, but you can't escape it. Witness my Noble Art!"
Staring at the rampant terrorists below, and listening to Smile's command for Stella to strip to atone for the child, Shirou's heart remained unperturbed. At this moment, he was chanting a magical incantation in a voice only he could hear.
"I am the bone of my sword."
"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood."
"I have created over a thousand blades."
"Unknown to Death, nor known to Life."
As Shirou moved along the third floor, and the magical power surged around him, the terrorists downstairs immediately discovered his presence.
"Have withstood pain to create many weapons."
"Someone's upstairs!"
"Is it another Blazer?" Smile chuckled, looking at the magical power surging around Shirou.
"Yet, those hands will never hold anything."
Stella, who had already made up her mind to strip to buy time for Shizuku, also froze.
"So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works."
"It's Shirou! Why isn't he waiting for Shizuku's signal? Why is he acting now?" But in the next moment, she understood. "He's here to save me!"
"Shoot!" At the terrorists' command, countless bullets rained down on Shirou.
But just then, flames suddenly wrapped around Shirou, burning all the bullets into air. Shirou's left hand was gripping the Scarlet Princess' Levatin Sword.
"So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works."
"You're the Blazer sent from above, aren't you? If you dare to make another move, I'll order all the hostages to be killed!" Hearing Smile's threat, the surrounding hostages hugged each other, trembling slightly.
"Do you really still have hostages?" This was the first time Smile heard Shirou speak, but those very words caused his pupils to constrict.
"Attack the hostages!" Smile ordered without thinking twice, issuing this cruel command.
But what resonated before that was Shirou's declaration.
"Unlimited Blade Works!"
Accompanied by the surging magical power from Shirou, everyone nearby was enveloped. After a brief moment of disorientation, what appeared before their reawakened eyes was no longer the bustling shopping mall. Instead, it was a desolate snowy field with snowflakes drifting down. And in this snowy field, countless weapons were thrust into the ground. In the air of this place, countless killing intents swirled everywhere.
This was Shirou's inner world. It was also the grave of weapons.
"Welcome to my domain. Here, I and the weapons here will welcome you! And here, your judgment shall be carried out!"
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--------More Bonus Chapters!!!!
Every 300 power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter