Chapter 33: The Gate to the Demon Realm Overflowing with Death
Scáthach is a warrior from the Celtic Ulster cycle, as well as a queen. Proficient in both martial arts and magecraft, she has slaughtered countless humans, gods, and spirits. She has deprived many of their lives, confronted an uncountable number of beings, and massacred them all. Constantly battling, constantly killing—this body, stained by the blood of her enemies, has become eternal.
The consequence of being human yet approaching too close to the gods is that she is accepted by neither the current world nor the netherworld. Thus, the witch's territory was severed from the living world, becoming the land of the dead. That is the "Land of Shadows." She no longer ages; she does not die. She has become an eternal existence. Her wish in participating in this Holy Grail War is simple: to welcome death as a human.
"I am the Queen of the Land of Shadows, the mistress of the foreign land and the demon realm. None may stand beside me!"
There is no longer any need for perception; one can see with the naked eye the ominous light enveloping her body. The sky under the moonlight gradually turns to absolute pitch black. Looking up, the gate to the Land of Shadows—the realm exclusive to the land of death—has manifested completely.
"Open, tomb of the foreign land filled with death! Let life fade, and become the spirits within the Land of Shadows." "Tremble, freeze, and shatter!"
Every living being is, at this moment, sucked into the gate of the Land of Shadows—the demon realm severed from the world, temporarily summoned by her. Everything within the range of effect is drawn into the Land of Shadows, the realm governed by Scáthach. In this domain, those who fail a mana and luck check die the instant they are pulled into the Gate of the Demon Realm, and those not acknowledged by Scáthach cannot set foot in the Land of Shadows while alive. Even if one succeeds in resisting, they still suffer massive damage due to their mana being rapidly absorbed.
Following this, the crimson magic spear held in Scáthach's hands, covered by purple silk, bursts forth with a brilliant radiance.
"Pierce! Gáe Bolg Alternative!"
Violent mana rages within this Golden Theater, and the Gate of the Demon Realm appearing above seems as if it intends to swallow all life. Under the devastation of that power, the Golden Theater begins to sway, nearing collapse. And the magic spear in Scáthach's hand is projected toward Nero!
This spear is not one-of-a-kind; Scáthach still possesses many of the same spears. However, the Noble Phantasm she wields at the moment of True Name release is a secret technique that combines "Gáe Bolg: Barbed Spear that Pierces with Death" and "Gáe Bolg: Soaring Spear that Strikes with Death."
A red gleam, impossible to track, flashes in Nero's eyes. Scáthach's figure follows closely behind, the sharp spear tip thrusting forward with the scent of death!
Seeing this, Nero immediately holds her deep crimson greatsword aloft and proudly declares: "Admire my talent, listen to the thunderous applause! Then praise it, praise this Golden Theater! The glorious imperial government sung by the maiden!"
This is the name of a sword technique that can only be used while "Invited to the Heart-Throbbing Golden Theater" is deployed. During her lifetime, Nero received a heroic-spirit-level blessing for some unknown reason, but since she is not a true Heroic Spirit, she cannot use the Theater Noble Phantasm sublimated from her post-death deeds; it is precisely because of this that the Noble Phantasm has been altered.
Clang—!
The clash of weapons produces fluctuations as if space itself were being torn, and roars echo throughout the Golden Theater. Relying on the short-term, rivaling skills brought by the EX-rank "Imperial Privilege," Nero is able to fight Scáthach—who has been weakened within the Golden Theater—to this impasse. Both sides can be said to have exhausted their strength, giving their opponent respect without any reservations.
However, just as their battle was reaching its fervent peak, an anomaly suddenly occurred. Both of their Noble Phantasms were destroyed by an incomparably vast power like a crumbling dam; they were like a village submerged by a flood, powerless to resist. The barrier shattered, and as they returned to the dark night, both could not help but look up at the sky over the Mion River.
There, thunder capable of illuminating the firmament was being unleashed.
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"It looks like things are quite intense over there."
Shirou gazes toward the direction of the Mion River and the Shinto district; the brilliance of the mana discharge is simply too obvious. If it weren't for the recently issued curfew and the Mage's Association maintaining order in the Holy Grail War to prevent ordinary people from being caught up in it, such a disturbance would have attracted a massive crowd of onlookers long ago.
Basically, those who had even a slight perception of what happened ten years ago would have guessed that something bad was happening in the city at night after seeing the curfew issued. Naturally, there were those who wandered out of their homes at night out of curiosity, but these people had their memories erased by the Mage's Association and were sent home to sleep peacefully.
"Shirou, are we going over there?"
Saber says, eager to try. Nowadays, possessing the Noble Phantasm "Avalon," Saber's combat power is at its absolute peak. With immortality, defense, offense, and a master with abundant mana—calculating everything, Saber does not fear the disadvantage of facing multiple Heroic Spirits.
"Yeah, let's go. Let's head to the Mion River nearby and take a look."
Saying this, Shirou and Saber immediately rush toward the Mion River. During the journey, Saber suddenly notices that Shirou's speed is even faster than her own, and his effortless demeanor makes it seem as if he is deliberately waiting for her. She had not expected that ten years would make this boy so much stronger than before. However, Saber actually has no concept of exactly how strong he has become; she is only speculating based on the power Shirou displayed ten years ago. If she knew that the current Shirou was already capable of destroying a star on a whim, who knows what she would think.
They quickly arrive at the scene of the fierce battle, where two Heroic Spirits are engaged—an Archer drawing his bow and a Berserker wielding a magic spear... wait?
"That person looks like...!"
The moment her gaze rests on Morgan, Saber's eyes widen involuntarily. That is indeed Morgan's face, but Saber feels that the nature of her mana and her aura have a heaven-and-earth difference from the Morgan she knows. The temperament of a king does not require any words; it is something that others can perceive unconsciously.
After hearing Saber's voice, which carries a hint of shock, Shirou also casts his gaze toward Morgan, instantly revealing a look of slight interest.
"This is truly... an unexpected person..."
A Heroic Spirit from a Lostbelt, actually summoned in this Holy Grail War—although their strength is downgraded in the form of a Servant, they are still an incredibly powerful existence.
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