C518 - Bonus Chapter!

The atmosphere was thick with tension as dragon tooth warriors, golems, and homunculi clashed all around. The battlefield resonated with the constant clink and clang of steel meeting steel, a testament to the fierce combat taking place.

At the very heart of this battlefield, Karna found himself cornered by both Vlad and Arjuna. As skilled and formidable as Karna was, he was on the defensive more often than not.

Vlad, with his home ground advantage in Romania, and Arjuna, a renowned archer from the Mahabharata, might not surpass Karna in pure might. However, both were on par with him as they were legends in their own right. Together, they presented a formidable challenge, even for the hero of the Mahabharata.

Karna's immense power was a double-edged sword. While his abilities were unparalleled, they came at the cost of draining a significant amount of mana. And just like Shirou, Karna wasn't blessed with a Master capable of sufficiently fueling his vast energy needs.

Holding his ground in a two-on-one battle was a testament to Karna's prowess. Yet, he was precariously perched on the edge of a cliff. If Vlad and Arjuna decided to unleash their Noble Phantasms, Karna would have no choice but to respond in kind. That level of power display would take an even greater toll on his already strained mana reserves.

This was the ironic twist of Karna's existence. His very brilliance, his flawless combat ability, made him the best among Heroic Spirits. Yet, this perfection had a downside. His overwhelming strength meant he required equally overwhelming energy, and in that, lay his Achilles' heel.

Shirou had a distinct advantage with his [Evil Flower A+]. This unique skill allowed him to regenerate mana autonomously, making him somewhat self-sufficient in battle. Karna, on the other hand, had to rely completely on his Master's reservoir of magical energy, resulting in a significant disparity between the two.

Karna was acutely aware of his disadvantage. But surrendering was not an option. If he were defeated, the retaliation from both Arjuna and Vlad would be overwhelming for Achilles to face on his own.

Karna, Arjuna, Achilles, and Vlad were all Heroic Spirits of the same tier. But even among the top-tier Heroic Spirits, there were variations in strength, whether in raw power or skills.

Karna's prowess was legendary, placing him shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Gilgamesh, Ramesses II, and Shirou. These elite Heroic Spirits represented the apex of power, setting a benchmark that few could reach, let alone surpass.

However, just like Shirou, Karna had an Achilles' heel—his limited magical energy. With a reservoir of mana matching his formidable abilities, he could have potentially taken on multiple opponents, including the likes of Arjuna, without batting an eyelid. But given his current situation, the tables were decidedly tilted against him.

...

Deep within the forest, Kotomine observed the battlefield through his crystal ball, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

Semiramis asked, "Thinking of using a Command Spell?"

Kotomine's expression was heavy with regret. "Considering how things stand, I don't see another way."

Spartacus's premature move had thrown a wrench in their plans. If only things had played out as planned, they would now see Semiramis's Hanging Gardens soaring over the battlefield. With Vlad and Arjuna pinned down, the stage would have been set for Karna and Achilles to besiege Eternal King. But alas, the best-laid plans...

He had hoped, even with this hiccup, that they could still pull it off. But he underestimated just how powerful Eternal King was.

Even though they were mentally prepared, they were still caught off guard.

In terms of combat prowess, Eternal King in this state was as formidable as Karna.

Karna said that Eternal King had not yet displayed his full strength.

One could only imagine how terrifying his full power would be.

Initially, they thought Achilles could use his Noble Phantasm to seal Eternal King, but the result was the forcible dematerialization of his chariot by Astolfo.

The most crucial point was...

Eternal King could fly!

Considering the situation...

Kotomine let out another sigh, realizing he was cornered into using the Command Spell.

All for a wish he'd held onto for so long.

His eyes glinted with determination.

He, having control over the Masters of Karna, Achilles, and Atalanta, directed them to lift their arms, unleashing the Command Spells.

In the next moment...

Whether it was Karna, Atalanta, or Achilles, they all felt a surge of powerful magical energy flowing through their contracts into their bodies.

With Karna's magical energy being replenished, his eyes glowed even brighter, making his attacks even more ruthless.

Meanwhile, the gash on Atalanta's right leg began to mend.

But the most important thing was Achilles' chariot; thanks to the Command Spell, it had been restored to its original state.

He shared a brief, knowing look with Atalanta.

Without hesitation, she pulled back the string of her bow, taking aim at Assassin, and released her arrow.

The power behind her shot was immense. After all, she wielded the Bow of Heaven, gifted to her by Artemis, inherently possessing formidable power as a divine construct.

Shirou had earlier duplicated it, but due to the limitations of replication, similar to those of [Caladbolg II (Fake)] and [Nine Lives (Fake)], he could only reproduce its outer shell without inheriting its unique properties.

The arrow, swift as light itself, raced towards Shirou who hovered above the ground.

However, with a swift motion, he parried it using two swords he'd thrown.

But that didn't matter.

For the Noble Phantasm had been activated.

— "Phoebus Catastrophe"!

Almost instantly, a radiant glow appeared right above Shirou.

He glanced upwards, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

From above, countless arrows of light locked onto him and then began descending like a rain shower.

Atalanta's signature Noble Phantasm worked in harmony with the Bow of Heavens. By attaching a complaint letter for divine intervention to an arrow, she calls upon the might of the Sun God Apollo and the Moon Goddess. In response to her plea, the two gods unleash a relentless barrage of light arrows. This divine assault rains down, striking without prejudice and decimating everything within a specified vicinity.

Atalanta could adjust the area of effect herself. The more she compressed the area, the more concentrated the arrows of light would become, increasing their lethality!

It was clear that she had adjusted the rain of arrows to focus solely on Shirou.

"Feel the wrath of Goddess Artemis and Sun God Apollo!" she cried out.

However, facing this rain of arrows, Shirou just chuckled and shook his head, saying, "The moon goddess and the sun god, huh?"

He wasn't sure which expression to show.

He possessed the highest aspect of the Moon God, the Emperor of the Moon. Not long ago, he had also consumed an aspect of a Sun God.

Caught in the crossfire of both the moon and sun gods, he genuinely didn't know how to respond.

As the rain of light arrows descended, there was no time to dodge. The [Evil] within him surged, giving birth to massive upper and lower jaws resembling the abyss itself, which devoured the entire cascade of light arrows.

...

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