Chapter 236: Chapter 235: The Defeat of the Hera Familia, the Holy Bell Tower
On the battlefield, at this moment, the only ones barely able to stand were just a few people.
[Gluttony] Zald, [King] Ottar, and [Knight of Knights]Leon Vardenburg, who had joined midway through the battle.
Hippolyta passed through the [Academy District] on her way back to the Dungeon City from the Great Tree Sea. Under her persuasion (threat), Leon departed for Orario.
It was just that, compared with the [Empress], the speed of the [Knight of Knights] was still much slower, and he only arrived today.
[Dvergr Gauntlet]
[Blaze of Round]
Just as Emiya was about to strike the finishing blow at [Gluttony], the late-arriving "young hero" entered the battlefield.
A golden sword light thrust upward, meeting the heavy black blade.
The man with lion-like golden long hair and equally golden eyes clenched his teeth and swung his longsword resolutely.
At the moment the blades crossed, the golden one-handed sword shattered to pieces, and the gust of wind raised by the greatsword almost sent the man flying.
The strength of that golden longsword was even inferior to an ordinary Level 1 weapon. However, after recognizing its essence, Emiya rarely showed a bit of interest.
"[First Weapon] (Percil) breakthrough, [Second Weapon] (Gabel) release."
The shattered one-handed sword turned into particles of light and transformed into dual swords in Leon’s hands.
At the same time, his speed suddenly increased.
Emiya raised his hand and used a hand chop to sever the thrusting dual swords.
"[Second Weapon] (Gabel) breakthrough, [Third Weapon] (Dalbazar) release."
This time it was an axe of light.
Leon, the [Knight of Knights], possessed only a single magic, an extremely powerful but highly inefficient strengthening magic.
Using magic power to condense into armaments, after the armament of light is destroyed, the next form can be activated, and a boost in ability is obtained.
From the [First Weapon] to the [Eleventh Weapon], Leon can receive in order: Agility Boost, Agility Boost, Strength Boost, Endurance Boost, Magic Boost, Development Ability Boost, Skill Effect Boost, All Ability Boost, Magic Effect Boost, Additional Skill [Supreme Light], Attack Correction and Additional Skill Boost.
And [Twelfth Weapon], greatly increases all abilities, status, magic and skill effects.
In the state where all twelve layers of amplifications are fully released, the strengthening effect even surpasses [Vana Arganture], and may even exceed the [Uchide no Kozuchi].
"Heh," Upon realizing the effect of the opponent’s magic, Emiya did not choose the correct approach, directly defeating the user while the magic hasn’t been fully released. Instead, he chose to meet the harsh requirements of this magic.
Battle axe, shattered; light shield, shattered; longsword, shattered...
"Your magic is seriously disgusting!", Hearing each familiar name called out, Zald shouted, charging at Emiya together with Leon.
"Your turn is coming soon," Leon grasped the dispersing light particles, "[Seventh Weapon] (Melvetore) breakthrough, [Eighth Weapon] (Zaldor) release."
Every blade name in the [Blaze of Round] came from adventurers of the [Zeus] and [Hera] familias.
They had all once given Leon help, and after that, the man who wanted to become a hero engraved these names into his ability values.
Hearing the handsome man shout out his own name and summon a heavy light sword, Zald shuddered with a chill.
"AHHHHH!!"
This time, only Leon and Ottar were knocked back by the slash, and unexpectedly, Zald actually blocked Emiya’s sword.
Because he had continuously maintained the stamina-consuming [Vana Arganture], Ottar seemed to have reached his limit; he kneeled on one knee and could no longer stand up.
Emiya punched [Gluttony] on the side of his face, forcing him to stagger back a few steps.
Then, he swung a sword at Leon.
[Iaido Blade · Gokou]
"[Ninth Weapon] (Alfiar) release, [Tenth Weapon] (Regnant) release, [Eleventh Weapon] (Maximun) release..."
The light sword shattered four times and reformed four times; Leon roared as he swung the holy sword that seemed to be burning with divine fire, actually receiving Emiya’s descending blow.
"[Twelfth Weapon] (Ragnareth Leo) release."
"Finally—", Leon and Zald let out a light sigh at the same time.
[Gluttony] took a deep breath, and then suddenly swung his greatsword.
The sword drew a perfect arc in the air, and at the same time, the pitch-black sword light suddenly erupted.
It was neither magic nor a skill, but an attack brought forth purely by power and swordsmanship.
A secret technique developed by the strongest heroes of the Hera and Zeus familias, [Afterimage].
Emiya stared at the sword light that Zald unleashed; he held his longsword sideways and slashed diagonally from bottom to top.
A sword light even more dazzling burst forth from the pitch-black greatsword.
The two sword lights collided, and the explosive shockwave blew everything around away. Zald also staggered back two steps.
After seeing this attack, Emiya’s expression changed a little. He stared at Zald and Leon; a deathly silence lasted several seconds.
Finally, he spoke, "So, you plan to use tricks like these to challenge ’the End’?"
Emiya lowered the pitch-black greatsword, "Trace on."
Like drawing from the void, he pulled out a silver demonic sword. In front of this sword, even Leon’s fully-released twelfth-tier armament magic paled into insignificance.
[Balmung]
Emiya: "Bear witness. This is what the true Sword of Light is."
"A true sword light, huh, could we also be allowed to witness it?", A spirited Amazonian voice rang out.
At this critical moment, the heroes of the strongest familia finally made their appearance.
Lv.9 [Empress], Lv.8 [Sword Saint], Lv.8 [Celestial Fox], and the supporter [Stellar Bow], all Lv.6 and not inferior to the [King].
Zald held on for a long time and finally lasted until their arrival.
However, Emiya merely cast his gaze over, and their bodies trembled.
[Development Ability [Domination] effect activated]
[Mental Intimidation: gain increased ability value when the targets fall into fear, submission, worship, etc.]
[Skill effect increases according to number and strength of targets]
And Emiya clearly remembered everything that happened last night.
[[Oath under the Snow] skill effect activated]
[When possessing a close bond with the protected target, all abilities are boosted beyond limits, ability value growth speeds up, ability value cap is surpassed, and magic and skill effects surpass limits.]
[Skill effect increases according to the number and strength of bonds.]
Taking into account their races and genders.
[[Innocent Monster] skill effect activated]
[Extra-high attack power against elven women and Amazons]
[High attack power against beastmen and human women]
Cold sweat broke out on Zald. Clearly reinforcements like the [Empress] had arrived on their side, yet somehow he felt the danger level had actually risen.
"N-No way..."
Emiya slowly raised his greatsword, "This is fine. Come at me all together then."
———
"There’s still hope!"
"That’s right. There’s still the [Knight of Knights], and the lords of those two familias!"
The battle at the central plaza was being relayed by crystal screens to all residents still remaining in the city, and to adventurers of all familias.
From their frustration at seeing [Gluttony] and [King] being crushed, to their despair as [Braver], [Nine Hells], and [Scarlet Harnel] were instantly killed, then to the appearance of the [Knight of Knights] and the swing of [Afterimage] by [Gluttony], they finally began to feel hope.
And when the [Empress] and others arrived, some people even cheered.
The Freya Familia and Loki Familia, standing at the peak of the modern city, had taken their position only in the last ten years. While the Hera and Zeus familias had ruled at the top of the world for the past thousand years.
The marks and memories left in the city by them ran far deeper.
Whether it was the lower floors below the 60th floor deep in the Dungeon, or the [Osiris Familia] that challenged king’s authority, or even the Behemoth and Leviathan among the Three Great Calamities, they had all fallen before them.
The failures of the [Heroes] of the Hera and Zeus familias had only happened that one time, and now, they had returned.
Not everyone liked the Zeus and Hera familias. They were overbearing, arrogant, haughty, and pressed down on everyone so hard they couldn’t lift their heads... but the people of the city held absolute trust in the strength of the two great familias.
[Sis, I’m going to help Ryuu,] At the Ganesha Familia, looking at the note left by her missing sister, Shakti let out a powerless sigh.
"Leader, what should we do?", Ilta asked.
"You stay at the base. Don’t act recklessly. I’ll go to the central plaza."
"No! We’re going with the captain!"
"Don’t worry, captain. The Hera Familia has made their move. Nothing bad will happen."
This time, no matter how much Shakti tried to command them, Ilta and the others refused to back down. In the end, the Level 2 adventurers of the Ganesha Familia set off together.
———
"Aisha, the captain told us to stay at headquarters and not go out."
"Like I care what that old toad thinks. The one over there is a man who crushed [Gluttony] and the [King]. If I don’t see him before the Hera Familia subjugates him, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life!"
In fact, most of the battle courtesans of the Ishtar Familia thought the same.
Even if that man could defeat [Gluttony] and the [Knight of Knights], he would definitely lose to the [Empress]. Every Amazon was firmly convinced of that.
For the pride of their race, the [Empress] standing at the top of the world, they had absolute blind faith.
Therefore, if they wanted to see him before he was crushed and broken, it had to be now.
Not only the Ganesha and Ishtar familias; numerous adventurers left their bases and headed toward the central plaza of the Dungeon City.
Some sincerely wanted to help the still-fighting heroes, some intended to seize this opportunity to gain fame, and some simply wanted to witness a battle between the strong.
However, one thing was certain: nobody believed that the Hera Familia, with the [Empress], the [Sword Saint], the [Celestial Fox], and even [Gluttony] assisting, would be defeated.
On the crystal screen, Emiya stood in front of the many heroes, wielding the holy sword.
The image froze at that moment, then suddenly distorted and turned into chaotic snow.
’Maybe by the time we get there, Her Highness the [Empress] will have already defeated that man and have him under her foot,’ This was what Aisha thought.
———
"H-How... could this be," Aisha couldn’t believe the scene before her eyes.
Directly in front of Emiya lay the ruins created by the fully released demonic sword. From where he swung his sword, the destruction stretched through several blocks of buildings.
The torrent of true ether even burst outside the city, slicing through the city wall that reached the sky. The wilderness beyond the wall was split in half.
Within the sword light he unleashed, the "Afterimage" released by the [Empress], the [Sword Saint] and the others was completely swallowed up, just like a drop of ink in a great river, leaving not the slightest trace.
A "Dragon Roar"-like sword strike brought them back to the nightmare from eight years ago.
[Gluttony], [King], [Knight of Knights]... the broken bodies of these people were sprawled across the ruins.
[Celestial Fox] was leaning powerlessly against a crumbled wall. [Stellar Bow] lay crying in her arms. The [Sword Saint] had even knelt directly toward the enemy, praying in a trembling voice.
In the center of the battlefield, the only man still standing had one foot on the head of the [Empress].
As if sensing Aisha’s gaze, he turned his head this way.
Before even meeting his eyes, Aisha’s body moved on its own. She fell to her knees, unable to remain at the same height as him.
Irresistible fear, utter and complete despair.
Not only Aisha, none of the adventurers who had come here were able to remain standing.
Even though their bodies were unscathed, their inner will had already completely collapsed with the defeat of the Hera Familia.
Emiya sighed softly, as though feeling sorrow for something.
He turned around, picked up the black greatsword again, and raised his head to look at the Babel Tower.
During the previous battle, Emiya had deliberately avoided it. Therefore, this tower that symbolized the Dungeon City and the Age of Gods still stood intact and unharmed.
In the eyes of everyone, he lifted the greatsword.
However—
"Stop!"
Emiya’s action paused. Behind him, a girl stepped out.
The girl had soft light-blue short hair and deep-sea blue eyes. She wore a pure blue top paired with a uniquely designed short skirt, black in the center and dark gray on both sides.
Her arms were covered by black gloves that extended to her elbows. The girl, holding the straight sword named [Holy Oath] with both hands, was trembling violently in both body and voice, yet still faced Emiya courageously.
"Adi?", From the top of the tower, Ryuu looked at her close friend in surprise.
She was about to leap from the tower to stop Emiya. If the Hera Familia’s adventurers couldn’t defeat despair, then only Ryuu could step in.
They couldn’t really allow Emiya to cleave the Babel Tower with one sword.
At this moment, Adi Verma’s appearance was completely unexpected.
"I... I won’t let you act as you please," Adi’s voice trembled continuously, but her resolve grew stronger and stronger, "Because, because I am a Hero of Justice!"
[[Dharmas Argo] skill effect activated]
[All familia members (those blessed by the gods) within a certain range gain increased mental resistance]
Just then, it echoed. And resounded.
Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong!
The unending ringing of the [bells] reverberated throughout the entire city.
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