Chapter 90: Awakening of the King of the End
"Eh? What are you afraid of?" Shirou approached her step by step.
The Queen of the Night seemed to have developed a sort of PTSD from their last encounter. Despite her burning shame and anger, her body instinctively trembled slightly as she began to retreat.
"You... don't come any closer!" Athena's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately barked the command. "Hmph! My power has increased; you are no longer my match!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Shirou raised an eyebrow.
Athena could no longer endure Shirou's indifferent attitude toward her. Consumed by indignation, she decisively struck out.
However, after several hours had passed, the goddess was breathless, lacking both the time and the strength to continue opposing him. What Shirou found interesting was that this goddess could switch between her petite form and her mature "big sister" form. In this way, the experience became far more rich and colorful.
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Autumn arrived silently. A torrential rainstorm fell over Mount Lu.
"Ugh... I've only just returned, yet I encounter this kind of weather. It feels like a bad omen." Along with the sudden downpour, Luo Cuilian raised her head to gaze at the pitch-black sky.
The thatched cottage where she resided was built on Mount Lu in Jiangxi Province. Only when she felt a sudden elegant whim would she take a leisurely stroll through these deep mountains. Snow had painted the mountains in a lustrous white. Whether the trees still clung to their leaves or stood bare, they all bore the heavy weight of the snow and the piercingly cold air. Melting snow froze again as it dripped, forming transparent icicles everywhere. Ice shards and mist floating in the air added a dreamlike brilliance to this silver-white world.
Luo Cuilian, the peerless beauty standing in this snowy mountain land that could be called a fairyland, wore a silk Hanfu with the front tied with a ribbon, exuding a graceful charm and style that was pleasing to the eye. The sleeves of her upper garment were billowing and loose, and the hem of her robe was long enough to trail along the ground.
Despite the rain, which should have easily soaked the hem of her clothes, not a single water stain touched Luo Cuilian's attire. For her, who had reached the pinnacle of sorcery, the technique to ward off rain was mere child's play. Furthermore, not a single footprint or trace of her trailing hem could be seen on the snow. The only things marring this silver land were the tracks left by wild rabbits.
Walking, leaping, sprinting, and demonstrating martial arts as if her clothes and weight were nonexistent—if she could not overcome an environment of this level, how could she proudly proclaim, "I am the zenith of martial arts"?
Thus, in the winter of Mount Lu, there was nothing that could move the moon-like, clear, and brilliant beauty of Luo Cuilian.
"To think it would rain today..." Through sorcery, Luo Cuilian could pray to the heavens to call forth clouds and rain. For today's and tomorrow's weather, she only needed to look at the sky and bathe in the wind to know. Interpreting the climate of the deep mountains was an easy task for her.
However, she had been completely unable to sense the arrival of today's sudden storm.
"A massive abnormality is occurring between heaven and earth... Is this the omen?" she murmured to herself. At that moment, the falling rain suddenly ceased. The grey clouds dispersed with incredible speed, and the winter sun hung in the sky once more.
Immediately after, Luo Cuilian saw a vision. A white rainbow hung in the sky, piercing through the sun—an ominous sight. She possessed extraordinary sensitivity in terms of divination, a talent that could summon the revelations of spirit vision.
"A white rainbow piercing the sun..." she whispered, turning to go back. As the supreme King of the martial world, there were things she now had to do.
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The days passed one by one, and in a flash, it was September. The journey to Mount Lu was about to begin, but just as Shirou was planning to depart, he unexpectedly encountered Luo Hao, who had rushed to his side.
"I was just about to head to your place; why did you come here so suddenly?" Shirou asked with curiosity as he looked at the exquisite woman in Hanfu.
"What were you coming to my place for?" Luo Hao asked, somewhat confused. Before the words had fully left her mouth, she immediately spoke again. "A few days ago at Mount Lu, I observed a celestial anomaly. I've been feeling uneasy, so I came to ask if you have any clues."
Hearing this, Shirou frowned. "It seems it has something to do with the 'King of the End'."
"The King of the End?" Luo Hao repeated the name, feeling a sense of recognition. "I've heard that name from Guinevere."
"Correct. When the number of 'Godslayers' reaches a certain point, the enemy of all Demon Kings—the Hero of Steel, the 'King of the End'—will awaken." Shirou recalled the things Pandora had told him.
"And where did you hear that from?"
"It's none of your business where I heard it," Shirou said, raising an eyebrow.
"You...!" Luo Hao's cheeks flushed with anger. She stared at Shirou with displeasure, her small but powerful fists clenching secretly.
"I only ask you one thing: do you trust me?" Shirou ignored her expression and asked directly.
"You have no reason to lie to me," Luo Hao said without hesitation. "Since this 'King of the End' is the enemy of the Demon Kings, when will he awaken?"
Hearing her question, Shirou looked toward the distant horizon, his eyes narrowing. "He has already awakened."
After a long conversation, Luo Hao immediately proposed a sparring match. Shirou naturally did not refuse and proceeded to give her a thorough beating. Finally, wearing her tattered Hanfu, the Leader dejectedly used her 『Shrinking Earth Divine Footwork』 to depart from Italy.
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Higher than the clouds, above the atmosphere—this was the sky at the limit of what people call satellite orbit. It was the region where one crosses the atmosphere and reaches the realm of space. Looking down at the world below, it spread out like a map. Vast oceans made the entire planet appear blue.
In this realm reachable only by a few, a small piece of land could be seen floating above the clouds. It was similar in size to a small island in the Pacific, featuring both hills and plains. However, there was no vegetation on the island, nor any sign of life; it was a small island composed entirely of soil and rock.
If one were to look only at these features, it would seem unremarkable in this world where "Heretic Gods" are common. However, at the center of this island stood a massive white sword. This white sword was about a hundred centimeters long, double-edged, with a thick blade—resembling a medieval claymore. Yet the sword appeared dilapidated and was covered in rust.
This single feature alone made the island unique. Furthermore, that sword was the 「Salvation Dungeon Blade」—the sword of the hero who annihilates Demon Kings, the strongest Steel!
And today, someone set foot on this island. After sensing the appearance of this island in the sky, Guinevere immediately arrived on Pegasus. Stepping onto this land, she looked slightly
agitated, holding a disc tightly in her fair, jade-like hand. This was the divine tool
"The time has come...!" Guinevere murmured, pouring power into the 「Disc of Arrowheads」. The disc instantly erupted with a brilliant light.
Manifesting within the roaring white flames was a deity with a face like a ruby, golden fur, a tall body, four faces, and eight hands—the divine monkey Hanuman. Finally, a burst of lightning transformed into the figure of Lancelot du Lac. This female knight, who was also an Amazon Queen, held a spear and sat atop a white horse soaring through the sky.
"Everyone, let us begin!" Lancelot spoke first.
"Yes!"
"It is time!"
Gathered here were all Gods of the Sword—warriors possessing the attribute of "Slaying Dragons and Snakes."
「
Disc of Arrowheads
」
, capable of commanding three heroes related to the sword.
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