Chapter Fourty Five: [Oath Under the Snow]

"Ryuu, guard the entrance! Do not let a single monster in!" Alicia roared.

Alicia's once-beautiful and neatly arranged orange-gold hair was now completely disheveled, and she could no longer maintain her usual composure. 

Ryuu bit her lip, looking towards the entrance where the sounds of monsters grew louder, and then back at Alicia.

If the monsters entered this room, not only would Shirou and the others be doomed, there was no way Alicia and Ryuu could fend off the Black Goliath while being surrounded by a swarm of monsters.

Once they were entrapped by the horde of monsters, their fate would be sealed.

But could Alicia really handle the Black Goliath alone? 

Even if she could fend it off, how would she deal a fatal blow? Alicia's short chant magic lacked the power needed to kill the giant. Was she planning to outlast the Goliath in a battle of endurance?

"Ryuu, go guard the entrance! Lefiya, stop standing around and get moving, now!" Alicia scream, while attacking the giant, 

"Rea Laevateinn (CN: Sword of Victory)! Use that magic!"

Rea Laevateinn—was a powerful magic possessed by the vice-captain of the Loki Familia, [Nine Hells], Riveria. Alicia clearly remembered Lefiya, who had [Elf Ring], learning this magic from Riveria.

In terms of pure destructive power, this magic ranked among the most powerful offensive magic in all of Orario.

If Lefiya could successfully complete the chant and hit the Black Goliath near its magic stone, even a Level 5 Floor Boss Goliath would be seriously injured!

This was their only chance for victory. Although Lefiya was only Level 2, her raw magical firepower exceeded that of Alicia, who was a Level 4, and even surpassed Ryuu.

Ryuu would block the swarm of monsters, Alicia and Shirou would hold off the black Goliath and create an opening, allowing Lefiya to deliver a fatal blow. 

Alicia, as the commander, quickly found a possible path to victory—but the problem was…

"I… I…" Lefiya's heart was racing so fast that Shirou could hear it several meters away. Her hands, clutching her staff, were trembling uncontrollably. She couldn't even speak properly, let alone chant a spell. 

A regular Goliath could already sparked her PTSD, let alone a far more terrifying Black Goliath!

On the other side, Haruhime was also shaking. She held the unconscious Aisha in her arms. "What… what should I do?" 

She wanted to cast her magic, but members of the Ishtar Familia had always told her to not reveal it in front of outsiders.

"Shirou-sama, what should I do—?" Haruhime looked to Shirou, hoping he could give her the courage she needed.

At that very moment, while Haruhime and Lefiya were still trembling with fear and hesitating, Shirou moved.

"I don't know if this will work, but it's worth a try," he said softly, stepping forward. He grabbed Ryuu's shoulder with his left hand and wrapped his right arm around her head.

Pulling her into his embrace, he kissed the elven girl firmly on the lips.

Ryuu's mind froze from the shock, and her body went completely stiff as she felt the warmth and the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. 

To stay alert, Shirou had bitten his own tongue, their first kiss tasted of blood.

"Ryuu, go help Alicia. I'll handle the monsters here. I'll protect you all."

[Skill [Oath under the Snow] activate.]

- When there is an intimate bond with the protected target: massively boosts all stats, increase stat growth, stat cap remove, and magic and skill effects massively increase.

- The skill's effects scale with the number and strength of bonds.

…..

The moment Shirou kissed Ryuu, it was as if the entire world went silent. 

Lefiya's trembling stop, she stood there, dumbfounded. Haruhime covered her eyes with her hands, but the gaps between her fingers were wide open. Alicia, who had turned to tell Ryuu to act quickly, was equally stunned.

Even the Black Goliath seemed to had pause for a moment.

But what shocked them the most was the change that began to occur in Shirou.

A massive and intense surge of magic power erupted from within him, a powerful force radiating outward as his crimson hair danced in the air, seemingly lifted by the power from within. 

Alicia was the first to come back to her senses.

"Ryuu, switch!"

"Huh?" Ryuu was still in shock when Alicia rushed forward. The Black Goliath, now unchallenged, attempted to unleash its [Roar Blast], but Ryuu quickly threw a magic sword to interrupt it.

"Alicia, what are you doing—" Ryuu shouted as she charged toward the black Goliath.

"I'm not sure exactly how your skill or magic works, but this should do, right?" Alicia pulled in Shirou's head and, closing her eyes, kissed him.

"ALICIA!!!!"

The background was filled with Ryuu's furious scream, accompanied by the sound of her katana slicing through the air as she violently attacked the Black Goliath. Her newly dyed green hair violently dance in the wind. (TN:In China Green is the color of getting NTR.)

[Skill [Oath under the Snow] activate.]

- When there is an intimate bond with the protected target: massively boosts all stats, increase stat growth, stat cap remove, and magic and skill effects massively increase.

- The skill's effects scale with the number and strength of bonds.

"We're counting on you to protect us, Shirou," Alicia said, turning her head to avoid showing her embarrassed expression to the young boy.

"Yes, I will protect you all. That's my [oath]."

Alicia charged towards the black Goliath, while Shirou rushed in the opposite direction—toward the massive entrance to the room.

"Judging the concept of creation.

Hypothesizing the basic structure.

Duplicating the composition material.

Imitating its craftsmanship.

Sympathizing with the experience of its growth.

Reproducing the accumulated years.

Excelling every manufacturing process.

  Come forth the sword of fantasy—"

"[Hrunting (Hound of the Red Plains)]!"

Shirou's left hand gripped a massive, pitch-black greatsword. 

Though still a projection and thus technically a counterfeit, this time, the sword he projected was no longer a hollow shell.

"[Nine Lives (Shooting the Hundred Heads)]!"

With a low growl, he channeled a surge of overwhelming magic power into the large bow held in his right hand. The weapon, a projection nearing its expiration, was reinvigorated with newfound strength.

Mana and willpower filled in the hollow Noble Phantasm and the massive bow gradually changed its shape, transforming into a fearsome giant axe-sword.

[Nine Lives], Axe-sword form.

A technique that materializes as a Noble Phantasm, embodying various weapon styles, including handheld and even unarmed combat techniques. It maximizes the power of a weapon, manifesting forms capable of taking on anything from unit to army, and even fortress.

At this moment, Shirou needed a weapon that was far more simple and straightforward than a bow.

"Skill [??????(Roadless Valhalla)] activate."

[Temporarily acquired Development Ability [Hunter] H.]

[Temporarily acquired Development Ability [Mad Enhancement] I.]

[Temporarily acquired Skill [Valor].]

[Temporarily acquired Skill [Indomitable].]

The first monster to charge out of the passageway was a black-furred wolf resembling a wild dog—a Hellhound, a middle floor monster known for its ferocity and terrifying flame breath.

However, just as it was about to breach the passageway and enter the vast room, a heavy black axe-sword cleaved through the air and crushed its hard skull.

Shirou's figure blocked the only entrance, he wielded [Hrunting] in his left hand,and [Nine Lives] in his right hand.

"Trace, on!" 

Without hesitation, he pressed forward and stepped into the passageway.

With each step he took, several silver spears materialized, embedding themselves into the ground at an angle, their tips pointing forward. These spears formed a tightly packed iron wall behind him.

[Spears of Leonidas]

King Leonidas of Sparta, his name was known throughout the world for holding back the Persian army of over 100,000 soldiers for over three days and three night with merely 300 men at the Battle of Thermopylae.

Beyond the spear formation lay the room where the Black Goliath awaited. 

In front of it was a massive wave of monsters. 

And standing alone in front of the spear formation was a single man.

[Skill [??????(Roadless Valhalla)] activate]

[Temporarily acquired Skill [Rear Guard's Pride]]

At that instant, Shirou felt as if he could hear the voice of several confident men behind him.

[Alright, it's time for battle. Day or night, let's fight until one of us fall!"] (Beowulf)

[Fear not son of man, overcome this [Trial]!](Heracles)

[This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die!](Leonidas)

For some reason, a sense of calmness washed over him as he stared at the endless swarm of monster, who were momentarily frozen by his overwhelming aura.

"From now on, this path is off limit."

——-

Alicia to Shirou 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nMhLa5HOVS8