[Incursio]—the armor-type Teigu forged from the fearsome Danger Beast known as Tyrant—possessed an extraordinary resilience. Even after being shaped into a weapon, it retained its consciousness and instincts, constantly influencing its user.
This armor placed immense strain upon its wearer; ordinary people would perish the moment they donned it. Among the forty-eight known Teigu, its strength undoubtedly ranked near the top.
It could even swiftly adapt to Esdeath's time-freezing Teigu.
Given such formidable strength, one could only imagine the magnitude of destruction if it were deliberately detonated.
No one had ever attempted it before.
But today, everyone present gained a terrifying insight into what might happen if a lesser, imitation version of Incursio were to explode.
...
For an instant, the world went utterly silent, as if all sound had ceased to exist. The horrifying blast immediately deafened everyone on deck.
They could only watch helplessly as, mere meters above the deck, space itself appeared to collapse inward at the point where the chained sword struck the colossal water blade.
In the blink of an eye, a searing flash of fire erupted. The ensuing shockwave tore through the ocean below, annihilating the already damaged deck in an instant.
Shirou Emiya, still clutching his wooden bow, knelt motionless until the deck gave way beneath him. He plunged downward below, unconscious and unresponsive.
Had the explosion occurred just a little closer to the ship, its destructive force would have instantly capsized it, leaving no survivors.
Tatsumi, who had no time to escape the explosive shockwave, was flung violently away like a discarded stone, plunging helplessly into the ocean with a distant splash.
Bulat's eyes widened in horror. He desperately wanted to rush to Tatsumi's aid, but his battered body refused to cooperate, and he too fell onto the lower deck alongside Shirou.
Below deck, the nobles and guards gradually began stirring from unconsciousness, awakened by the ongoing tremors and explosions.
Though weak and groggy, they managed to drag themselves upright, slowly regaining strength enough to stand.
At this moment, Nyau—still immobilized by excruciating pain—spotted an opportunity.
"I am Nyau of the Three Beasts, a direct subordinate of General Esdeath! Those two lying there are Night Raid assassins—the Empire's most wanted criminals! Quickly, apprehend them!"
Nyau could hardly believe his luck at having survived this chaos, even less that he'd now be forced to depend on these previously incapacitated guards. But none of that mattered now.
Shirou Emiya lay unconscious, completely defenseless.
Bulat was exhausted beyond resistance; even a child wielding a blade could easily end his life.
And Tatsumi, whose armor had shattered before plunging into the sea—there was little hope he could survive, let alone return.
Victory is mine.
Nyau felt a thrill of triumph surge through him, amused by how fate had unexpectedly allowed him to have the last laugh.
"Well? Hurry up and capture them!"
The guards, still dazed and utterly confused by the situation, stared blankly at Nyau. Only after his sharp command did they snap back to attention.
This was Esdeath's subordinate—someone capable of casually massacring entire cities. They knew all too well that defying him now would be suicide.
Fearful and hesitant, the guards approached the fallen Bulat and Shirou.
Despite their quiet admiration for Night Raid and their belief that the assassins represented hope within the Empire's darkness, none of them would risk their lives in defiance now.
They quickly surrounded Shirou and Bulat. Recognizing Shirou was barely breathing, they left him untouched for now, instead tightly restraining the still-conscious Bulat.
Struggling through his pain, Nyau attempted to rise, moving as slowly as a snail. Eventually, he gave up, exasperated.
"Hey, you! Come help me up!"
The pain was unbearable—he simply couldn't stand on his own.
Trembling fearfully, the guards hurried over, carefully helping him onto his feet. Esdeath's infamous cruelty ensured no one dared risk displeasing her subordinate.
"At last, I've captured a living, helpless Night Raid member..."
Nyau clutched his side in agony. Shirou Emiya's supposed gentle kick had shattered several of his ribs. He couldn't believe the boy's terrifying strength.
Bulat glared at Nyau with unbridled hatred. Normally, he would've easily broken free, slaughtering these guards and escaping with ease.
But now, exhausted and weaponless, escape seemed impossible. Once imprisoned and subjected to Esdeath's cruel interrogation, he'd inevitably betray Night Raid.
Determined to protect his comrades at all costs, Bulat steeled himself, prepared to bite off his own tongue—
Crash—!
Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass echoed sharply.
"What?! Impossible! I clearly saw you fall into the sea!"
Nyau's eyes widened in disbelief as Tatsumi burst back onto the scene, shattering through a nearby window. How could he have survived Liver's attack, the subsequent blast, and falling into the ocean so quickly?
Clearly, Nyau knew nothing of Incursio's terrifying adaptive ability.
When Tatsumi had hit the ocean, he'd been certain death awaited him. Muscles aching beyond bearing, lungs starved for oxygen, and deep-sea predators sensing easy prey—all seemed lost.
But Tatsumi hadn't wanted to die. He desperately yearned to live, to return to the ship and protect his aniki once more.
Though his body was too weak to comply, within mere moments, a pure rush of fresh air suddenly flooded his lungs.
His eyes snapped open, clarity returning. He was breathing—underwater.
His desperate will to survive had triggered Incursio's astonishing evolution, granting him the ability to breathe beneath the sea and move swiftly underwater, as effortlessly as if he'd been born a fish.
After only a brief recovery, Tatsumi had raced back toward the ship with newfound speed and clarity, his vision underwater becoming even sharper than before.