Chapter 35: The Handshadow of the Destroyer
"So, you intend to fight me?"
Shirou looked toward this hero endowed by heaven.
Having once fought side-by-side with Karna, Shirou naturally possessed some understanding of this son of the Thunder God Indra, who shared a fated rivalry with Karna.
The ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata, is a magnificent and resplendent tale where various heroes assemble, but it would be no exaggeration to say that Arjuna is the figure situated at its very center.
And the divine bow in Arjuna's hand, "Gandiva," was a divine artifact crafted by Brahma.
Brahma possessed this divine bow for a thousand years; thereafter, Prajapati held it for five hundred and three years, and the Celestial Emperor Indra held it for eighty-five years. King Soma possessed it for five hundred years, and the Sea God Varuna held it for one hundred years. Before the burning of the Khandava Forest, the Fire God Agni requested this divine bow from the Sea God and bestowed it upon Arjuna as a weapon.
The epic describes Gandiva thus: It has one hundred indentations, one thousand golden curves, and is larger than all other weapons, capable of destroying enemy armies. It can be used as if it were hundreds or thousands of bows, capable of expanding a nation. It features various colored paintings, is beautiful, and is indestructible. It frequently receives worship from the Devas, Danavas, and Gandharvas. Handed to Arjuna along with it were two inexhaustible quivers.
After the Kurukshetra War ended, the five Pandava brothers resolved to renounce their thrones and travel on a long pilgrimage. On the way, the Fire God appeared, and at his request, Arjuna returned the divine bow Gandiva to the great ocean, giving it back to its original owner, Varuna.
In addition to the divine bow "Gandiva," Arjuna possesses numerous magical treasures in the epic; however, having manifested in the Archer class, he brought only this divine bow.
But even so, the strength he exerts is at the level of a top-tier Heroic Spirit. After all, as a Heroic Spirit who exists as Karna's fated rival, his strength would naturally not be weak.
"I am a person of the past buried by history. There is no need to lament anything; I only need to stake my life to pursue that omnipotent cup."
A smile full of battle intent appeared on Arjuna's face. Blue flames ignited upon the divine bow "Gandiva" in his hand, and an arrow of light manifested the moment his right hand touched the bowstring.
Seeing this scene, light from magical energy surged in Shirou's hands as well: "When it comes to the technique of using a bow and arrow, I don't believe I would lose to you."
The same deep blue magical energy bloomed. As a Noble Phantasm manifested, the confident smile on Arjuna's face froze.
"Gandiva... How can you also possess it!?"
That's right. What manifested in Shirou's hand was precisely the divine bow "Gandiva" used by Arjuna.
Arjuna did not think he could be mistaken; that was absolutely a Noble Phantasm of the same quality as the divine bow in his own hand.
Shirou slightly raised the divine bow "Gandiva" and tugged the string; the blue light of magical energy condensed into an arrow of light, ready to fire.
"If Brahma could create 'Gandiva,' why can't I?"
Hearing these words, Arjuna's pupils contracted slightly, finding it somewhat unbelievable.
"Do you mean to say that you are not beneath Brahma?"
Having said this, Arjuna himself felt it was somewhat laughable, because in his cognition, such a thing was simply impossible.
"To be more accurate, Brahma might not necessarily be able to defeat me."
Shirou spoke with indifference, and the arrow of light burning with fiery red flames shot out instantly, streaking straight toward Arjuna.
Although he did not have the flames of the Fire God, Shirou possessed the flames of Hephaestus, the "God of Fire and Forging," which naturally were not inferior in the slightest.
Arjuna also sensed the power of that force—its greatness and its difference from his own—and without any hesitation, he drew the string of the blue-flamed bow to a full moon.
"Let us see if you can withstand this strike of mine! Agni Gandiva (Roar of the Fire God)!"
The deep blue arrow shot out like a meteor, then collided with that arrow of light burning with fiery red flames.
BOOM—!!!
After a violent explosive shock, a magnificent firework was released into the night sky.
"Power equivalent to mine..."
There was reflection in the gaze Arjuna turned toward Shirou. When Lorelei spoke earlier, Arjuna had already learned the name of this red-haired youth.
"Orihara Shirou... Your name does not exist in any myth or epic. No, neither in the past nor the future is there any trace of your existence; there has never been a seat belonging to you in that Hall of Heroes."
Precisely because of this, Arjuna felt surprise and confusion. He did not understand why a person possessing such strength would be unknown in the long river of history.
"That kind of thing doesn't matter to me at all."
Shirou shook his head with a light laugh, and the divine bow in his hand dissipated, taken back into his "Unlimited Blade Works."
"Fighting until now, I have only done so to fulfill a promise and to mend the cracks that appeared because of myself. Only after that will I consider other things."
Although Arjuna could not fully understand what Shirou said, he could sense Shirou's resolve from his tone, so he nodded in acknowledgment.
"Is that so... But regardless, our current position is merely that of enemies."
As Arjuna said this, golden light surged in Shirou's hand, and an exquisite spear, as delicate as a work of art, was constructed.
In that instant, Arjuna's breath hitched.
"That is—"
Almost in that single moment, Arjuna recognized the prototype of the golden spear appearing in Shirou's hand. Shirou also timely spoke to answer Arjuna's doubt.
"In the previous Holy Grail War, I once fought together with Karna. And this spear is precisely forged using his God-Slaying Spear as a prototype."
As he said this, golden lightning overflowed around Shirou's body.
The golden O'Sun was then constructed, decomposed, and reorganized onto the shaft of the spear in Shirou's hand.
In the next moment, a "spear" appeared that seemed to snatch away all the light in the world.
Glorious, great, and soul-stirring.
The overflowing golden lightning ravaged the earth. Everything beneath Shirou's feet was compressed by this powerful energy, leaving only his figure holding the divine spear.
"Burn away completely—"
Fiery red flames covered the God-Slaying Spear with unparalleled speed, and even Shirou's entire body seemed to melt into this spear.
"Vasavi Shakti (O' Sun, Abide to Death)!!!"
Seeing this, Arjuna likewise held nothing back and used his strongest Noble Phantasm.
"With this wrath of Shiva, let your life end here—Pashupata (The Handshadow of the Destroyer)!!!"
A beam of light ignited in the night sky, then swiftly banished all darkness, enveloping the entire city in this glow of gold and blue.
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