Continuing where we left off...
Narrator's Perspective.
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The Tokyo sky remained covered by dark clouds.
Scarlet lightning bolts crisscrossed the skyscrapers like furious serpents, tearing through the city's silence as successive explosions turned entire avenues into ruins.
In the center of that artificial inferno, Gudako, now transformed into the form of a great Beast, remained motionless.
Her head was lowered, yet the beast could be heard breathing heavily.
However, the crimson electricity enveloping her body roared like a living storm.
The electricity was responding to Gudako's rage and savagery, still unable to control the mental chaos unfolding.
Ritsuka silently observed, analyzing everything that was happening; the visor of his helmet registered the gradual increase in imaginary energy emanating from Gudako.
"She has completely lost control of herself... Get ready, everyone!"
Ritsuka said, already assuming a fighting stance, ready to begin the fight. Beside her, Sam makes small flames erupt from her armor's chest, and she also assumes a fighting stance.
Tiamat closed her eyes for a moment, saddened to have to confront one of her children, but she knows it's necessary to save her.
"My child... is still crying in pain..."
Draco crossed her arms, displaying a serious expression; she's not using the cheerful and lively persona that Nero (Saber) uses.
"Then we can't hesitate! A show can't reach its splendor if the audience is suffering!"
Behind Ritsuka, Alter emerges from within his shadow, smiling discreetly after looking at Gudako more attentively.
That smile carried something strange.
As if he saw far beyond that battle.
Gudako slowly raised her large beastly head, and it was possible to hear her growling.
Two empty golden beastly eyes met Ritsuka's.
The next instant...
She disappeared.
At an incredible speed, even though she was in the hospital in the form of a large beast.
---
BOOOOOOM!!
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The asphalt exploded.
Sam (Firefly) was the first to react.
Her armor was engulfed in flames as she intercepted Gudako before she reached Ritsuka.
The shock made space tremble.
The shockwave launched dozens of cars into the air.
Without wasting a single movement, Sam (Firefly) delivered a powerful flaming punch and struck Gudako in the abdomen.
The blow completely pierced her body, causing a flaming explosion strong enough to destroy a good part of her body.
However...
The wound disappeared before the blood could even fall.
"..."
Sam (Firefly) narrowed her eyes inside the helmet of her armor.
"The regeneration has become even faster."
Gudako responded with a loud roar, opening her large jaw.
A sphere of scarlet lightning condensed within her large mouth.
Sam (Firefly), Ritsuka, Alter, Tiamat, and Draco immediately retreated.
The next instant...
The world exploded.
Thousands of lightning bolts devastated entire city blocks.
Skyscrapers crumbled.
Bridges vanished.
Even within Ritsuka's Reality Marble, the violence of that attack made space itself tremble.
Tiamat used her giant horns to fly, extending her arms toward Gudako and summoning the Chaos Tide to counterattack Gudako's attack.
The Chaos Tide was large enough to absorb a good portion of Gudako's destructive attack, and the tide struck Gudako, causing her to lose her balance for a moment.
"As long as I'm here... No one will touch you."
The flash disappeared after the Chaos Tide managed to contain some of the destruction it had caused.
Even though Gudako struggled to advance while fighting against the current of Tiamat's Chaos Tide, she continued to run towards her enemies, more specifically towards Ritsuka.
Nero Draco smiled.
"Finally. An opponent worthy of contemplating my magnificence."
Her power exploded and Nero Draco summoned several dragon heads that hurled waves of fire of various colors towards Gudako.
Each blast hit Gudako squarely, giving her no chance to move and dodge. Successive explosions consumed her body.
Unfortunately, the Beast of Humanity's regeneration continued to allow it to recover from the damage received quickly, a consequence of the Aeon of Abundance's blessing.
To Ritsuka's surprise, Nero Draco's attacks weren't doing as much damage as before, and seeing this reminded him of one of Berserker Hercules' Noble Phantasms.
Ritsuka's expression turned serious inside his armor's helmet, seeing that this battle was becoming increasingly complicated.
"She's adapting... Tch, that's all I needed, this definitely has the Aeon of Abundance's hand in it."
The adaptation wasn't a simple defensive mechanism; she was learning, each attack used even once becoming less efficient on the next attempt, something very similar to Hercules' twelve lives.
This means that the longer this battle dragged on, the harder it would be to defeat her without causing world-wide destruction.
The Beast of Humanity lets out another loud roar that makes the entire sky respond. A scarlet storm descends upon Tokyo.
Sam (Firefly) begins to fly and dodge the rapid red lightning bolts that Gudako is summoning.
Tiamat does the same and begins to dodge the lightning bolts using her horns to fly.
Ritsuka raised his hand to the heavens and uses Archer Emiya's projection ability, summoning a large shield of purple petals.
"Rho Aias! Everyone stay behind me now!"
Following Ritsuka's orders, everyone stays behind him as he uses Rho Aias to protect everyone from the scarlet lightning.
"We can't let this battle drag on for much longer! If we can't stop it, this world will end and the people of Loufu will be dragged into this mess."
Silence fell over the group for a moment until Alter, who had been silent, decided to break the ice.
"I have a suggestion. As the Mother Goddess mentioned, this Beast of Humanity is crying, and I can feel that its soul is dormant, unlike its mind, which is active but out of control."
"And what do you suggest, Alter?"
"That we awaken the soul of that Beast. Doing so will cause the body to stop functioning until the mind and soul begin to work together. I suggest we use our flames of vengeance to strike the soul."
"Doing so will burn her soul!"
"Quite the contrary. You must have realized, or perhaps you haven't understood yet, but you and that Beast are the same person, and the flames of vengeance would never burn you, and that includes the Beast."
Alter's words left Ritsuka speechless. What Alter said was correct; after Ritsuka was affected by the Beast's memories in the corner of his mind, he suspected that he and this Beast of Humanity shared a connection. Hearing Alter reveal that they are the same person begins to make sense of some of Ritsuka's doubts.
Normally, a normal person would be shocked to learn of the existence of someone who is practically a perfect copy of themselves, except for gender. However, Ritsuka is past the point of being greatly affected by such revelations.
"Alright then, let's do this! Tiamat and Sam, you distract the Beast. Draco, you use your Noble Phantasm at the same time as me. Let's attack it with everything before it can adapt!"
"Right!"
With an attack plan in place, everyone is ready to return to battle. The storm broke, and Sam (Firefly) and Tiamat advanced simultaneously.
Sam flies at high speed, unleashing explosive flaming attacks on all sides of Gudako, while Tiamat is at a distance firing elemental attacks towards the Beast.
Their actions completely capture Gudako's attention, giving Draco, Alter, and Ritsuka the perfect opportunity to attack.
While both were locked in direct combat with Gudako, Nero Draco began gathering an absurd amount of mana.
"I will set the seas ablaze!!!"
Sam (Firefly) delivers a final aerial attack, falling like a meteor onto Gudako's head, causing massive fiery destruction. This was strong enough to stun the Beast, giving Tiamat enough time to act.
Tiamat summons a copy of the Chains of Heaven and uses them to bind Gudako's entire body, paralyzing her for a time.
"Forgive me... My child."
Gudako begins to roar loudly again, trying to break the chains, and at the same time, she begins to release electricity from her body. The electricity strikes and tears through Tiamat's body.
Even so, she continues to use the Chains of Heaven to bind the Beast of Humanity, giving Nero Draco enough time to use her Noble Phantasm.
"Let the crimson blood bring the curtain's fall! Burn, Babalon Domus Aurea! Shatter, Laus Tyranno Claudius! My passion burns like hellfire!"
As Nero Draco finishes using the destructive Noble Phantasm, Ritsuka and Alter use their Noble Phantasms simultaneously.
Black-blue flames erupt around Alter's body, who has a sadistic grin on his face, holding back an evil laugh inside, and then he begins to fly at high speeds towards Gudako.
"I follow a path beyond love and hate! Enfer Château d'If!"
At the same time, Ritsuka transforms into the form of the Count of Monte Cristo and uses the full power of the Flames of Vengeance.
"I will overcome the end of love and hate, and go towards my own tomorrow! These black flames shall open the way towards that Star!" "Paradis Château d'If"!!!
A massive blue explosion consumes a large part of Tokyo, creating a pillar of blue light that reaches the heavens. The flames would have consumed the rest of the world and possibly Ritsuka's allies as well, if it weren't for his incredible control over the flames.
The black flames of vengeance didn't just burn the body; they judged the victim's soul as well, to the point of burning it until nothing remained.
Absolute destruction occurred in the city of Tokyo, as if a war had taken place, causing this complete destruction.
Gudako lies on the ground, her bestial body completely covered in the flames of vengeance.
Her mind, reduced to pure instinct, recognizes the danger of these flames, but due to the effects of Ritsuka's Reality Marble, which is draining her energy and soul, it is very difficult to resist the flames.
For a brief moment, the Beast of Humanity remains still, screaming in pain until, for a moment, the screaming ceases.
"Is it over? Did we manage to stop her?"
Nero Draco asked, looking at the destruction they caused beyond Gudako's burning body.
"No. All that remains is to wait and hope that the soul of this Beast can return."
"Alter said, looking intently at Gudako. Tiamat, on the other hand, is looking at the Beast she considers a daughter with the expression all mothers have when they see their child suffering.
"Please... You need to be strong..."
Meanwhile, Ritsuka and company are observing and waiting for the outcome of their plan.
Something is happening inside the Beast of Humanity, with flames of vengeance reaching a place that lies in the depths of Nihility.
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Gudako's mental world...
Gudako's perspective...
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There is no miracle...
There is no hope...
My path has already dissolved into the darkness of oblivion...
Yet...
I still...
Remain
Why?
Why haven't I disappeared yet? Why am I still sinking in this colorless black sea?
I can't understand why this is happening. I've forgotten how I got here or even who I am.
After all, what good are memories or identity if everything no longer has any meaning?
All I see is darkness, without sound, without light, and without any kind of sensation.
I continue to fall and sink deeper into this colorless black sea.
I think that in this place I am, even the concept of time has disappeared.
Nothing matters in this sea, absolutely nothing, because what is the point of this place, of something existing in a place that doesn't need anything?
In a way, this place is comfortable. Not being able to feel, not thinking, not desiring.
Just waiting for the inevitable moment when I will disappear into this deep, dark, endless sea without light.
It was then that, within this colorless black sea, a flame managed to reach this place.
A small, dark blue flame appeared before me. It didn't burn my body, it only warmed it, unlike any other flame.
I observed the dark blue flame in silence, unable to understand how it got to this place or why it seemed so familiar.
Something inside me began to ache for a reason I couldn't fathom, and then I started to receive a memory.
"..."
No. I don't want to forget. The less I remembered who I am, the less I would suffer from what happened in the past.
The flame approached me, then another appeared, and then another. Soon, dozens of small black flames illuminated this empty sea. Each flame carried an emotion, a promise, a battle, a farewell, a laugh, a companion.
Fragments of a life I lived, a life I had lost forever, and another life in another world I had passed through while learning to live again.
All these things are making me feel alive again, even though I'm inside this deep, dark sea.
At that moment, a cord I had around my neck began to emit a subtle light, illuminating the sea a little, and then I heard a voice I recognized the moment I heard it.
"Giving up so soon? Where's that willpower and resilience I know so well, Fallen Star?"
I look at the person responsible and have a surprised expression, not believing what my tired eyes are seeing.
"Lu... Lumine..."
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To be continued.....
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A/N: I think those with eagle eyes must have noticed some parts influenced by AI. That's because I realized I'm absolutely not very good at writing fight scenes, so I decided to have something to assist me, and I saw that AI certainly helped me in some parts; for the most part, I had to correct a good portion of the chapter myself.
Does this mean I'll be using AI regularly in my stories? No, but I'll probably use it during fight scenes because I lack confidence in that area myself.