"Is this... a power similar to a Field Spell?!"
Yubel's expression stiffened as she realized they were no longer in the city. The sudden shift in reality was a jarring blow. She had never expected her opponent to possess such a high-tier ability.
A Field Spell.
As a Duel Monster spirit, she knew of several "Sacred Lands" that existed within the spirit realm. The fields created based on those lands always brought about unexpected enhancements and powers. To think that a mere human could replicate such a feat was something she couldn't afford to overlook.
Gritting her teeth, she commanded the massive dragon to strike again. Its colossal tail swept across the snowy landscape with bone-shattering force.
"Hah!!"
Muramasa slammed his blade into the ground before him, bracing for the impact.
CRUNCH!
The snow sprayed as he was pushed back. He could feel the weight of the blow through his arms. This wasn't some illusion or a flawed construct. This was a real dragon.
"Now!"
Red Archer and Miyuverse Shirou split off instantly, flanking the beast as they began to forge the weapons they needed. To face a dragon, one had to choose the perfect tool for the job.
A legendary blade meant for slaying dragons. Naturally, both of their minds drifted to the Noble Phantasms of the great dragon-slaying heroes.
"Are you okay?" Artoria's Shirou asked, rushing to help Muramasa as he was nearly swept off his feet by the tail's momentum.
"Heh, just a few bruises. Nothing to worry about." Muramasa stood his ground, leaning on his sword as he watched the two Archers engage the beast. "It looks like those two are better suited for this kind of work than I am."
He could have finished the dragon himself by releasing his Noble Phantasm, but that would be a waste of energy at this stage.
"But this world... this heart of his... what on earth did that other Shirou go through to produce something so desolate?" Muramasa murmured, glancing at the endless field of swords buried in the snow.
Artoria's Shirou stood silent, his eyes sweeping over the landscape.
A Reality Marble.
He had heard of such things before, but seeing one in person was a different matter entirely. This was a world eroded by its creator's soul, a world that overwrote reality itself. In other words, by looking at this place, one could see the true essence of the man who created it.
Loneliness. Resolve. Protection.
Through the biting cold of the snow, Shirou could feel the will of his alternate self. It was a determination that would never yield, a desperate oath to protect someone even at the cost of his own life. It was a conviction so heavy it felt as if it belonged to a dead man. For someone sensitive to such things, the weight was almost suffocating.
"Ugh..."
Artoria drew her holy sword, her gaze fixed on Yubel, who was hiding behind the massive dragon. She wasn't comfortable leaving the intruder to the Archers alone. Those strange effects and unpredictable abilities were too dangerous. If they weren't careful, all of them could be wiped out in an instant. The memories of ten years ago were still vivid in her mind. Five Servants had nearly been annihilated by a single Caster using similar "magic." Even the King of Heroes and the Savior of Humanity had struggled against it. That mysterious "magic" was a threat that couldn't be underestimated.
"Ha!!"
The sounds of blades biting into scales echoed across the field.
"What is this? Can those two actually manufacture their own weapons?" Yubel's brow furrowed as she watched wounds open on the dragon's hide. She recalled the sight of Saber releasing her Noble Phantasm the previous night, an attack that had shaved off 1500 of her Life Points in a single blast. If these two Archers also possessed dragon-slaying traits, she was in serious trouble.
[LP: 1500]
Between the night's battle and her current expenditures, her mana reserves hadn't recovered enough to be used carelessly. If another situation like last night occurred, her remaining Life Points would vanish in the blink of an eye.
'Crunch.'
The sound of snow being compressed caught Yubel's attention. She turned to find Artoria approaching, holy sword in hand.
"Ignoring the monster to strike at the Duelist directly?" Yubel scoffed. "In an irregular confrontation, I suppose that is the most logical choice."
"Can you really stay so calm when your back is against the wall?" Artoria asked, her eyes narrowing as she studied the device on Yubel's left arm. She noticed that only a single card remained facedown. She didn't know what it was, but given Yubel's confident smirk, it was likely a crucial "magic" piece. She had to force the intruder to play that card before she could land a decisive blow.
***
"It's huge, but that just means it has a high limit for the damage it can take."
Red Archer and Miyuverse Shirou surveyed the dragon. Despite the numerous blades embedded in its hide, its life aura showed no signs of fading. If anything, the creature seemed to become more savage with every strike. The dragon's breath and its massive claws were lethal. A single direct hit would be catastrophic.
"We need a weapon with decisive power to end this."
Swords rose from the snow, launching themselves at the dragon's head, only to be deflected by its wings.
"Hmph. I have just the thing in mind," Red Archer said, his voice cold. "Given our Masters' condition, they should be able to handle the strain."
Miyuverse Shirou looked over at him and nodded.
"Forge this!"
Refusing to give the dragon a chance to breathe, Red Archer projected a massive greatsword and shouted to his double.
"!"
Stopping his barrage of projected blades, Miyuverse Shirou focused on the weapon. He studied its structure for a heartbeat.
"I see... The legendary dragon-slayer of the Nibelungenlied."
"Siegfried's Greatsword."
As he understood the construction, he began to use his own projection magic to mirror it. The moment it took shape in his hands, the corresponding combat experience flooded his mind.
"In that case..."
"Let's finish this in one go!"
Mana began to surge into the blades. Even though Illya wasn't a conventional magus, her capacity was more than enough to handle this level of output. Beside him, Red Archer took the same stance. Magic energy wrapped around the blades, a vibrant blue light shimmering in the cold air. The two "holy swords" were blindingly bright. Simultaneously, the two of them unleashed the power of the Noble Phantasms they had forged.
"[Balmung]!!"
"[Balmung]!!!"
BOOM!
Sensing the twin beams of light hurtling toward her, Yubel ignored Artoria's approach and reached out, activating her last facedown card. But it was a fatal mistake. Artoria saw the opening and struck with precision.
SLASH!
Mirroring the technique of a certain swordsman ten years ago, Artoria hacked through two specific sections of the device.
"You!!"
Yubel's eyes widened in rare agitation as she looked at her Duel Disk. Two of the zones used for monsters and spells had been physically severed.
ROAR!!!
At that same moment, the twin pillars of light consumed the dragon. The massive beast was swallowed whole, its body dissolving into fragments that vanished into the snowy wasteland. The force of the impact at close range sent Yubel tumbling backward through the snow.
"You bastards!!"
As the air cleared, Yubel's gaze fixed on Artoria, her eyes burning with pure hatred.
"Do you really think you're safe just because the dragon is dead?!"
"What?!"
The group sensed something wrong. A lingering shadow remained in the air where the dragon had stood.
"The dragon's grudge?" Muramasa realized the dragon's influence hadn't fully vanished.
"Heh... I'll tell you this much."
"When it dies, a special effect is triggered."
"Care to guess what it is?"
Yubel's tone was playful, as if she held the power of life and death in her hands. Her mockery sent a chill through the group.
"It has an ability that triggers even after death?"
"I think... it'll be you!"
Yubel's gaze landed on Artoria, the enemy who had hindered her the most. She made her choice. The spectral dragon, fueled by resentment, lunged at the King of Knights.
"Master!!" Shirou screamed as he saw the shadow close in.
But Artoria didn't panic. She sheathed her holy sword and called out the name of her scabbard.
"[Avalon]!"
A golden barrier erupted around her. The lunging dragon-shadow slammed into the wall of light and dissolved into nothingness. It vanished without a trace.
"What?!"
Yubel was stunned. The "Last Will" effect of [Bystial Druiswurm] had failed? That was impossible. It wasn't just a matter of "destruction",it was a direct "send to Graveyard" effect, a power that surpassed even conceptual immunity to damage. It should have been an unavoidable strike that sent the target to the afterlife.
And yet, that woman stood there completely unharmed. Realizing a terrifying possibility, Yubel's face went pale.
"Could you be...!!!"
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]