C454

Perched upon the dragon's tongue was a humanoid figure, its presence sending shivers down the spine. In its grip lay an ominous, pitch-black box.

"Could that be... the Pandora's Box?" Shirou's eyes widened in disbelief.

Crack, Crack, Crack, Crack—

The lid of the box creaked open, emitting an intense black light that seemed capable of devouring everything in its path.

As people gazed at the extreme black light, an irresistible pull tugged at their minds and spirits, drawing them into its depths.

Two stark opposites stood in stark contrast, setting the Tower of Light on the ground against Pandora Box. One radiated an extreme black light, while the other emanated an intense white light.

"Oh no!" Merlin's expression shifted abruptly.

Not just him, but even Scathach and Emiya couldn't conceal their alarmed expressions.

The box had been opened, unleashing an unending torrent of inky black mud that cascaded out like a waterfall.

With a resounding "boom," it shattered through the radiant web of the Tower of Light, cascading onto the earth below.

The torrent of black mud swept over every trace of civilization, obliterating all in its path.

For those who hadn't managed to evacuate in time, for those who had hesitated for even a moment, the black torrent proved merciless. Its touch initiated a rapid process of decay.

At first, the skin on their bodies disintegrated, laying bare the complex network of muscles beneath. Gradually, these too succumbed to the corrosive force, leaving behind only the stark outlines of bare bones.

Eventually, even the bones themselves eroded away, their essence consumed entirely as the torrent swallowed their very souls.

Shirou: "..."

The torrent of black mud surged forward, resembling a relentless flood as it charged towards Mt. Enzou.

Caught in this dangerous situation, Gilgamesh cast a mocking gaze at him.

Shirou: "..."

He squirmed under Gilgamesh's gaze, his own eyes narrowing in a fierce glare. "Stop staring and help me repel this thing!"

Soon after, he managed to establish a connection with the Tower of Light, swiftly launching a barrage against the oncoming onslaught of black mud.

Gilgamesh erupted into hearty laughter, his expression brimming with pure delight. With a flourish, he produced his arsenal of treasures to mount his attack.

Shirou's frustration surged, and he shot back with undeniable irritation, "This situation has nothing to do with me!"

...

Splash, splash!

The pitch-black torrent of mud gushed forth like an unstoppable tidal wave, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. Any signs of human civilization were mercilessly obliterated.

Gilgamesh swung open the Gates of Babylon, summoning an array of wands. As he infused them with magical energy, they shimmered with a subtle light. In an instant, the magical power converged, erupting like a volley of artillery shells to pound the onrushing mudslide.

In Solomon's grip, the rings emitted a soft, silvery glow. With a distinctive sound of "crack, crack," the earth fractured, and mountains heaved, birthing a strange pillar adorned with countless monstrous eyes. These eyes locked their gaze onto the charging mudflow. In unison, they unleashed an unending barrage, their collective eyes blazing as they bombarded the advancing torrent.

A diverse array of Heroic Spirits, whether coming from throne, summoned through Shirou's Noble Phantasm, or acting as Counter Guardians, pooled their remarkable skills to thwart the menacing advance of the mud.

Storms intermingled with thunder, creating an atmosphere of impending doom. Radiance pulsed with an aura akin to mortality itself. Though the onslaught of mud bore resemblance to an apocalypse-worthy cataclysm, the Heroic Spirits stood strong as unyielding bastions on the frontlines, determined to repel its onslaught.

And this came as no surprise. Heroic Spirits were miraculous manifestations born from humanity's hopes, while Guardians were destructive mechanisms summoned from its deepest despair.

Heroic Spirits and Counter Guardians, at their essence, both stood as defenders of humanity. The sole distinction lay in their nature: the former enjoyed autonomy upon their thrones, while the latter remained bound as slaves to the Counter Force's commands.

At this moment, the motives of Heroic Spirits and Counter Guardians aligned, prompting them to unite in the face of the invading threat.

Meanwhile, Shirou established a connection to the Tower of Light and unleashed a relentless barrage upon the encroaching mudflow.

The barrier encircling the city intensified, gradually sealing the last remaining gap with its kaleidoscope of colors.

A symphony of rainbow hues embraced the Tower of Light. An entity made its presence known. Through the Tower of Light, a collective consciousness reached out to his mind, taking on a form that could be comprehended by humans.

"Why not depart, chosen one? An exit... it's something I've made for you..."

Shirou arched an eyebrow and replied softly, "I appreciate your generosity, Gaia. However, I've decided to confront that entity head-on."

"Why go to such lengths?"

His response was quiet but resolute, "Behind me lies a weakness I can't afford to show."

"...I understand. Do not forget our agreement, Guinevere..."

"My name is Fujimaru Shirou!" He declared.

Snap, snap—

The barrier emitted patterns resembling veins, creeping steadily toward the exit, which seemed to be shrinking.

"Move it! Quick!" Soldiers yelled.

"If you don't get out immediately, you'll be stuck here for good!" the volunteer groups also chimed in with their cries.

People scrambled in panic toward the exit.

Heroic Spirits and Counter Guardians positioned themselves at the exit, pushing back against the oncoming wave of mud.

Each fleeting moment ticked away. Six hours dwindled to mere moments. Just a little over ten minutes were left.

The aurora's brilliance intensified, as if trying to annihilate the massive dragon's head in the sky. Yet, right now, the strange being on the dragon's tongue began to slowly open the black box.

From within the black box, a darkness so deep it seemed to swallow everything materialized—a pure and utter blackness.

Slowly, it extended a hand deep into the box, pulling out a cup that was equally pitch-black, filled to the brim with boiling black mud.

"What's that?" Everyone couldn't help but be taken aback.

As the pitch-black cup emerged fully from the box, a chilling black light burst forth. It was like the birth of an all-consuming black hole, a force that suppressed and devoured everything, causing the surrounding Aurora to scatter in all directions.

"Vessel... my vessel..."

Countless eerie figures at the neck twisted and wailed.

Right then, the slumbering colossal dragon head cracked open its eyes. Aa aura of terror and hopelessness emanated from its massive eyelids.

Taking in the surroundings, it eventually locked onto Shirou with its gaze.

"Roarrrrrr!!!"

The gargantuan dragon head bellowed, unleashing a bone-chilling sonic shockwave that shattered the earth, causing ocean waters to surge dozens of yards high and crash onto the shoreline. Many of the elite legions and magi protecting the coast were swept into the sea by the sudden wave, consumed by the black mist. Their cries of pain echoed as they dissolved into prana and faded away.

Shirou focused on the area around the tongue of the dragon's head, where the eerie figure held the black cup. Upon seeing the nasty face of this figure and the black cup, the words left behind by Zelretch flashed in his mind.

——When the wicked heart is revealed, use Ruby and Sapphire wisely...

Before giving the green light for Illya and Miyu to evacuate, he made sure to keep both kaleidosticks. Right now, those two sticks are tucked away under his cloak, quietly watching everything happen.

While he wasn't entirely certain about the nature of the black cup inside the box, he had a hunch that it could be the same wicked heart Zelretch had mentioned.

The gigantic dragon head let out a deafening roar, its massive form trembling as it picked up on the fact that the whole city was on the verge of getting wiped off the map. Restlessness and agitation spread through its massive frame.

With an angry roar, the colossal dragon head made its presence known.

As the eerie figure gripping the black cup slowly merged into the dragon, the entire head started emitting a dense, inky black light.

The sky cracked open, and the colossal arms that had been still for so long finally began to stir, moving with a slow and deliberate motion.

Emiya was taken aback, blurting out, "What the... it's actually adapting to the aurora's suppression?"

Shirou, on the other hand, remained surprisingly composed. He'd become quite used to these curveballs that fate kept throwing his way.