Facing an army of two hundred thousand Qin soldiers, Roy, alone on horseback, carved a path straight to the beacon tower where the First Emperor stood.
The famed generals of Qin stood in Roy's way—Wei Zhang, Gan Mao, and Sima Cuo from King Hui of Qin's era; Bai Qi, Wang He, and Meng Ao from King Zhao of Qin's reign; and Wang Jian and his son Wang Ben from the First Emperor's unification of the six states.
These were the legendary generals who had laid the foundation for Qin's dominance since the Warring States period. The First Emperor, inheriting the achievements of six generations before him, had fulfilled the dream of unifying the Central Plains in his lifetime.
Yet, none of these historical generals could withstand even a single exchange against Roy. Wielding his crimson spear, his strikes swift as a dragon, Roy carved through the Qin army ten times over. In the blink of an eye, the two hundred thousand soldiers were reduced to mere tens of thousands.
Standing atop the highest beacon tower of the Great Wall, the First Emperor watched as his soldiers were slaughtered by Roy alone. He sighed deeply and murmured, "...Had I such a man at my side, what worry would I have for the world? Alas, alas..."
The First Emperor shook his head. He knew his dream—to unify the entire world and raise the banner of Qin across every land—had been shattered here.
He had believed that, having attained the body of a True Human and with the ancient gods and immortals long departed from the world, the remaining powerful beings like Yu Ji and Tamamo-no-Mae had lost most of their strength. With his own abilities, this was the perfect time to conquer the world.
Yet, just as his grand ambition had begun to sprout, it was now being extinguished. The great aspiration of Qin was about to crumble at the final step.
In the end, he had miscalculated the strength of this outsider, underestimated his unyielding determination to ensure the continuation of human history.
"Perhaps this is what they call the Counter Force acting against me?"
The thought made the First Emperor chuckle wryly.
He neither complained about fate nor harbored resentment toward the world, facing everything with calm acceptance.
Since it was his own choice, since his strength had fallen short, he would naturally bear the consequences. An emperor must possess such magnanimity.
"Valiant warriors of Qin, march forth to defend our land!"
Qin Shi Huang spread his arms wide as a desolate song echoed across the Great Wall.
Roy, astride his black steed, leaped high into the air with a furious roar. Channeling his magical energy into his demonic spear, he hurled it with tremendous force.
"Gáe Bolg: Barbed Spear that Pierces with Death!"
A crimson streak transformed into an annihilating force that pierced through everything in its path. Ahead, the layered segments of the Great Wall stood like stacked blocks, attempting to block the oncoming strike.
"BOOM—————!"
A deafening explosion erupted, the shockwave sweeping tens of thousands of Qin soldiers off their feet. Gáe Bolg was inherently an anti-army Noble Phantasm, its prototype being the divine spear Gungnir of the great god Odin. Moreover, Roy's strike was no mere Servant's half-hearted Noble Phantasm release—it was a true divine weapon hurled by a Campione!
The overlapping layers of the Great Wall were blasted apart, leaving a gaping breach. Though it couldn't completely destroy the entire structure, for a warrior of Roy's caliber, this opening was more than enough.
With a fierce neigh, Roy's steed leaped forward like a fleeting shadow, charging straight through the breach in the Great Wall.
Now, nothing stood between Roy and Qin Shi Huang.
Standing atop his horse, Roy bent his knees and launched himself forward—swift as the wind, fierce as thunder, radiant as light, blazing as flame. The authority he had stolen from the archangel surged forth, propelling him into a state of divine speed. Roy's authority had now reached near-perfection—this speed wasn't mere velocity but a force akin to a natural calamity, stirring violent gales and terrifying thunderclaps.
To the First Emperor, it was as if the heavens and the cosmos themselves were bearing down upon him!
He wanted to evade, but he knew it was impossible. His body could barely react, yet his mind went blank, leaving him no means of escape.
He was an emperor, not a warrior. In this life-or-death moment, he might barely manage self-preservation, but he couldn't find the means to counterattack.
Instinctively, Qin Shi Huang attempted to manipulate the power of his Reality Marble once more, seeking to distort space and displace Roy. But this time, he failed.
Roy's body radiated a near-tangible surge of magical energy. The emperor felt like an ordinary man trying to push open a massive city gate—no matter how much strength he exerted, the gate remained immovable, instilling utter despair.
Roy had naturally anticipated this move. Earlier, unfamiliar with the Reality Marble's ability, he had been forcibly relocated to the plains, forced to face the Qin army of two hundred thousand.
This technique bore a striking resemblance to Alexander the Great's "Ionioi Hetairoi" in Roy's understanding.
But after being accidentally transported once, Roy became wary of this move. Although Roy was not a Saint, to think the same trick would work on him again would be a grave underestimation of a Campione, a gross disregard for the countless battles and divine slayings that had forged Roy's experience.
"Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng, return to where you belong!!"
Roy, having transformed into a natural phenomenon and entered a state of divine speed, gripped the hilt of the Sword of Judgment with both hands and descended from the sky like a falling meteor.
The tip of the blade was aimed directly at Qin Shi Huang's heart.
"Though Chu has but three clans, Qin shall perish at Chu's hands!!"
That was Qin's inevitable fate!
The First Emperor had no time to react. He only felt a sharp pain in his chest before seeing a sword radiating holy crimson light pierce through it. The heroic spirit of Jing Ke, who once never returned, was finally reenacted by Roy in this moment.
The earth trembled violently. The Great Wall and the mountains crumbled instantly. Tens of thousands of Qin soldiers stood frozen in place with a mournful cry before a yellow sandstorm swept over from the distance, engulfing them all. When the sand receded, what remained before everyone's eyes were rows of terracotta warriors, now stained with resplendent hues.
They stood upon the yellow sand, their formation impeccable, showcasing the indomitable spirit of the ancient Qin people. The ground split open, forming massive pits as the terracotta warriors sank into the mire, awaiting future generations to unearth them, to display them in museums, where children would learn of the ancient legends that once unfolded on this land two thousand years ago.
With a sword embedded in his chest, the First Emperor plummeted from the sky, landing upon the yellow sands that had formed the city of Xianyang, beside an alchemical furnace.
There was no regret on his face, nor any sense of humiliation. He faced it all with serenity, his expression still regal, like an emperor who sought to rule the world for eternity.
The phoenix had returned to the earth!
"Hmm, indeed, I too have regrets. My empire—until the very end, I never had the chance to see it for myself."
Lying upon this land, he laughed.
"The human order that belonged to me—alas, I can no longer watch over it!"