34 - Leviathan

"…All of your soldiers are dead. How are you possibly supposed to fight them off?"

"It would have been possible if you had returned my authority."

Shirou froze.

It's not like I could have even if I wanted to!

"Well, the Prince of the Underworld will be busy, so it should be possible even if I am only a Transcendent."

Shirou tilted his head.

"Prince of the Underworld?"

"He is one of those dastardly Daemons. Should you not be aware? You have taken the appearance of one of them after all."

Shirou was even more confused. This was just how he looked, right?

"I did?"

She looked at him as if he was an idiot.

"…Did you not choose this appearance yourself?"

"Uh… I've always looked like this. When I'm not a sword, I mean."

Shirou hurriedly added that in, as to not arouse suspicion.

She was lost in thought for a moment, before deciding to continue their conversation.

"No matter. You may as well know about the Daemon that you currently have taken the appearance of. He is known as The Daemon Blacksmith. Although he is called one, he is not truly a Daemon. He has simply risen to their ranks because his authority is around the level of their own."

Shirou felt as if he didn't get any real information.

"What authority are you talking about?"

"I'm referring to the authority that separates Supremacy from Transcendence. That which is called domains. Of course, the Gods and Daemons are Divine entities. Their domains are much more powerful than the one that I use."

So if a human beat the Fourth Nightmare, they would get a domain?

"Their domains are exactly as you would expect. War, Sun, Shadow, Beast, Heart, and Storm. Their domains are explicitly related to what they are associated with, and on an unfathomable scale. The Daemons follow a similar pattern."

"What is your authority?"

She furrowed her brow, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"…You were the one who had given me my authority. I am not a Supreme in the truest sense. Of all things, you should at least be able to understand this."

Shirou tried to play it off, like this was all just a test.

"Of course I know what it was. However, do you truly understand it at it's core?"

"It is Utopia, is it not?"

Like the light in my soul sea? Is that a coincidence?

"And what exactly do you believe it does?"

She thought for a moment before shrugging.

…Huh?

"I have never understood what it is at it's core. I just know that it helped heal my soldiers whenever they were wounded."

Is she serious right now?

Shirou walked down towards her, grabbed her shoulders, and shook her a few times.

"…What is the meaning of this?"

"Are you trying to tell me that you have been using something you didn't understand?!"

"As long as it brings results, does it really matter?"

Shirou sighed. He stood up and walked back to the throne.

He sat down, and looked at her from his position.

"Let us ignore this, for now. What is most important is that you are able to become worthy of being the king of Camelot. Where is the closest human settlement?"

Instead of answering his question, she simply walked past the throne. Shirou turned his head to see what she was doing, before seeing her place her hand on a pedestal. Once she did, it glowed, and the castle started to shake.

"Uh…would you mind explaining what is happening?"

"I am taking us back to the real world."

"…What?"

After a few seconds, the scenery changed, and Shirou felt somewhat cold.

They were still inside the throne room of the castle, but if one were to look through the whole of the castle, they would see a winter landscape.

"…Are you trying to tell me that we were in some fake world?"

"Why, of course we were. How else was the corruption supposed to be held back? Of course, now that all of the soldiers are dead, it should be fine for me to be in the real world until I become fully corrupted."

So, it's like a virus? But it only spreads if she fully becomes a Nightmare Creature?

"In that case, let's get going."

Shirou walked past her and was about to exit the throne room, when he felt a grip on the back of his collar.

"Huh?"

After a moment, he was flying through the air, with Artoria's hand still latched onto him. He had no idea where they were going, but he didn't bother asking.

I'm not going to throw up after this, right?

————————————————————

Shirou's legs shook as he tried to stand. He was extremely disoriented from flying through the air at such speeds. He heard Artoria scoff at him, but he ignored it.

Once he was stable, he looked around before seeing the compound that had contained the Seed of Nightmare was in front of him. He turned towards Artoria, but she was looking at it strangely.

"What is it?"

"There is nobody here. Just an abomination."

Strangely enough, she actually seemed… frightened?

…What the hell could be in there for a Saint to be scared?!

Shirou looked towards the compound for a moment, before asking Artoria:

"Should we just leave?"

She stood still in contemplation.

"…No, a king cannot allow a creature such as this to stay. It might end up becoming a threat to others."

Oh! That makes sense.

Shirou used the [Soul Storage] enchantment of the [Shroud of Justice], and stored his Blades before summoning them again. It turns out that his Blades can be stored from any location.

Once he had summoned them, Cerise immediately entered his bloodstream. He summoned the [Rotbone Lance] and walked behind Artoria.

Something is wrong…

As they walked into the first arena, Shirou figured out what the issue was. Below them, the arena was completely flooded. He didn't know how so much water could end up here, but he suspected that it was caused by the Nightmare Creature that took over this place.

As Shirou looked around, the stands were completely empty. The bloodstains haven't appeared yet.

While Shirou was observing the area, Artoria suddenly burst into motion. At the same time, something flew out of the water. Shirou couldn't comprehend what he was looking at, but it was some kind of serpent.

It wasn't that the appearance was overly compilcated, but that it's power made it too difficult for Shirou to focus on it.

"LEAVE!"

Shirou immediately listened, and ran back in the direction they had came. He heard destructive sounds behind him, as the building started to break down in some areas.

It has to be at least a Corrupted. No… a Great?!

A Great Nightmare Creature had no business being within a Second Nightmare. Shirou did not ponder long, as his only goal was to escape this destruction.

Even though he was completely out of the building, he kept making more distance, as even a shockwave would be enough to leave him as a smear on the ground. He ran towards Draconis who was standing near the entrance, and hopped onto his back.

They flew up into the sky, trying to create as much distance as possible. He heard something explode causing him to look towards the ground.

It can fly?!

Indeed, the serpentine creature dragged Artoria around in it's jaws that she was struggling to keep open. It started to ram into the nearby mountains, causing avalanches to start.

As Shirou looked down at the legendary battle currently happening, he figured that she wouldn't be having nearly as much trouble if she was Supreme. Shirou decided that he needed to help her somehow, even if it was only slightly.

However, it seemed that it wasn't necessary, as she had escaped from the jaws of the serpent and launched herself into the air. She rose her sword, and it started to glow with golden light. This golden light faded into purple and black, a sign of the corruption within her soul.

A loud scream resounded across the snowy landscape.

"EX—"

Shirou froze. He felt shivers down his spine.

"—CALIBUR!"

She swung her sword, releasing a beam of corrupted golden light. As it struck the creature, a pillar of that same light rose into the sky.

Shirou was in awe. She hadn't even used the transformation ability that all Transcendents have!

Artoria landed on the ground. She looked around for a moment before staring up at Shirou riding upon the back of Draconis. She looked back at the body of the Nightmare Creature.

He had landed back on the ground, and used [Soul Storage] to send Draconis away. He walked towards Artoria to make sure that she was not injured.

However, the Nightmare Creature was still alive.

It started to move, causing Artoria to get into a fighting stance. Instead of attacking her however, it decided to target Shirou instead.

Shirou immediately used [Chronos Rose] for a couple of seconds. He ran back before deactivating it. The [Speedster] enchantment from [Drang Armor] was extremely useful. He still had enough essence to use [Chronos Rose] again, just in case.

The creature did not stop moving however, as eve in it's injured state, it's bloodlust overwhelmed any survival instincts. It had almost reached Shirou, but he was pushed away by another serpentine body.

The abomination clamped it's jaws upon Ingvild.

Shirou immediately used [Chronos Rose] again, and applied it to both his body and the [Rotbone Lance]. He pulled it back.

He threw.

The lance was moving at seven times the speed it should, and as a Transcendent Memory, it should have been strong enough to pierce the flesh of a Great Beast.

At least, that is what Shirou hoped.

[Your Blade has been destroyed.]

[Storm Ruler has been transferred to you.]

Shirou widened his eyes.

The lance had pierced through the scales of the abomination, and rot started to spread within it. It started to twitch for a few moments, before it stopped moving.

[You have defeated a Great Beast, Ingvild of the Storm.]

What?

[The Leviathan does not accept this outcome.]

What?

[The souls of the two have been absorbed by the Storm Ruler.]

What?

[Storm Ruler is evolving.]

What?

[The two souls fight for dominance.]

[The Divine drives away the Profane.]

[You have received a Blade: Ingvild of the Storm.]

Shirou did not speak, and simply opened his runes.

Blades: [Cerise, Heir of War], [Lumen Draconis], [Ingvild of the Storm].

Name: Ingvild of the Storm

True Name: —

Rank: Awakened

Class: Titan

Soul Core: [7/7].

Soul Shards: [7000/7000]

Aspect: [Storm Priestess].

Aspect Rank: [Divine].

Aspect Description: [There was once a priestess who carried the blood of the Storm God. Wherever she walks, the sea parts and storms disperse. She had achieved a higher level of divinity after offering herself to a Divine Sword. THE WORLD SHALL WITNESS THE REBIRTH OF THE SEA SERPENT.]

Attributes: [Spark of Divinity], [Undrowning], [Master of Storms], [Reforged].

Aspect Abilities: [Galebreathe], [Sea-Sunk], [Vorpal Blade].

Aspect Legacy: [Soulstorm]

Soulstorm Description: [A Storm rages within the depths of your soul. You can enforce that Storm upon the world, and control it as you see fit.]

Soul of Currents: [Ready to Claim]

Soul of Direction: [Locked]

Soul of Winds: [Locked]

Soul of Thunder: [Locked]

Soul of Depths: [Locked]

Soul of Disaster: [Locked]

Soul of Darkness: [Locked]

Noble Phantasms: [Storm Ruler].

Shirou quickly skimmed through it to see if he could find any answers, but after finding none he tried to summon Ingvild.

The [Storm Ruler] floated in the air for a moment, before falling towards the ground.

Ingvild did not appear.

…Is she dead?

Shirou furrowed his brow as he tried to find an answer to this. She was destroyed by her corrupted self, which turned out to be the Great Beast. However, something called the Leviathan caused the [Storm Ruler] to absorb both of their souls.

Does that mean…

Shirou picked up the [Storm Ruler], and watched as water automatically formed itself into a hand. It moved in a waving motion.

Shirou stared blankly for a moment, before waving back. The water returned to the sword and Shirou stared at it in silence. Shirou sent some mental commands, but he didn't hear any responses, only movements of water that formed words.

…Why is she a sword now?