Because Morgan had his damage compensation, Shiomi had leaned slightly toward Scáthach when blocking the attack earlier.
That was why, in the end, both Morgan and Scáthach came away with roughly the same level of minor injuries.
"It's nothing… that's a relief," Shiomi replied, then added with a quiet sigh.
"What is?" both of them asked at once.
"In terms of Authority alone, I have the upper hand. Come, heal up while we still can." Shiomi dropped to one knee, cupping his hands together. "『Miracle Water』."
Clear water gathered out of thin air in his palms, though it was quickly stained red by the blood on his hands.
There were two reasons he said "while we still can."
First, Demeter hadn't immediately followed up with another action, clearly needing time to cool down after that massive expenditure. Second, a defensive battle group made up of wide-area defense units and Magical Beasts was already converging on their position.
"It really does resemble Fionn mac Cumhaill's Noble Phantasm," Scáthach said with a laugh.
"That man can't create it from nothing like I can," Shiomi grinned, though even his teeth were stained red. "It tastes a bit like blood. You'll have to put up with it."
"This is my husband's own vital essence. How could that be 'putting up with it'?" Morgan replied with a radiant smile.
Without the slightest hesitation, she leaned in and drank the entire handful dry.
Her injuries vanished in an instant, and even the Mana she had expended was fully restored.
Scáthach was about to comment on Morgan not leaving a single drop behind, but Shiomi was already holding another handful of water, leaving her with nothing to complain about.
After both of them drank the restorative water, they were completely refreshed, returned to their original peak condition.
"A very Celtic-style Magecraft… no, it's more accurate to call it a Noble Phantasm," Scáthach said, wiping the corner of her mouth with a long finger.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't compare to Mimir's well. It can't grant wisdom to those who drink it."
Shiomi lowered his hands and grasped the Chosen Spear embedded in the ground.
A faint wisp of steam rose from his body as his wounds and bloodstains disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving only his tattered clothes as proof of the damage he'd taken.
Nearby, the fallen Bronze Giant let out an uneasy sound. Having been caught in Demeter's attack, the massive construct was already on the verge of reviving thanks to Demeter's Klironomia.
"Be careful. If Demeter keeps using attacks like that, you'll exhaust yourself protecting us," Scáthach warned.
"Don't worry. I won't give her that chance again," Shiomi said, his voice turning cold. "I originally meant to draw her to our side, but that's no longer possible."
Morgan silently nodded and raised her hand. A water-colored mirror formed in front of Shiomi.
"My husband need only move forward without hesitation."
The Bronze Giant was struggling to rise, and the encirclement formed by Magical Beasts and defense units was tightening.
"…Understood."
With a calm reply, Shiomi stepped into the Water Mirror and vanished as if he had shattered its surface. The mirror itself scattered into fragments in the next instant.
Morgan and Scáthach then stood back-to-back, ready for what came next.
"It's been a long time since we fought side by side like this," Morgan said.
"Feels the same to me," Scáthach laughed.
"Don't slow me down, Scáthach."
"I won't. If you got hurt, my beloved disciple would be heartbroken, and I'd be sad right along with him," Scáthach teased. "Though I doubt you'll get hurt anyway. After all, my disciple's been taking the damage for you."
"There are too many annoying fakes. Hold that Bronze Giant down. I'm going to release my Noble Phantasm," Morgan ordered.
"You really know how to put people to work!"
As she spoke, Scáthach leapt into the air, plunging down like a meteor and slamming into the Bronze Giant's head, forcing it down to the ground.
"This is mercy. Bow your head.
No terror, no hope.
Die like a sinner.
None shall pass—!"
Countless magic spears rained down upon the ruins, setting off a chain of explosions.
Mana surged, its roar shaking the heavens.
Out of the corner of her eye, Morgan glanced toward Demeter. A silver meteor was circling the goddess's true form, launching relentless charges and assaults against the colossal vessel.
Her husband was fighting. How could the wife afford to fall behind?
Roadless Camelot was continuously unleashed, burning away everything that dared approach this place!
…
Just as Morgan had seen, Shiomi burst through the Water Mirror and arrived before Demeter in an instant.
With the Chosen Spear in hand, he slammed into the massive vessel's hull again and again, searching for the location of its core.
"Why… why seek your own death?"
Demeter's sorrowful voice echoed, revealing a nature that had never truly changed.
"Death?" Shiomi shouted after piercing Demeter's outer shell once more and planting his foot atop it. "No. What I'm looking for is a way to live!"
"Then—"
The Machine God's true body trembled once more.
"You think the same trick will work a second time?" Shiomi raised his hand.
Countless duplicates appeared in the sky, turning into an unending cascade of meteors that slammed into Demeter's defenses, tearing apart her outer shell and armor.
Just as Shiomi had said before, when it came purely to Authority, he actually held the advantage over Demeter.
Demeter governed the Authority known as Fertility, specializing in production and regeneration, even capable of restoring lost life.
Shiomi could do that as well, but only as one facet of his power.
What he possessed was not the Authority of life, but creation itself.
Identical powers clashed, interfering with and canceling each other out.
The Chosen Spear carved dense, overlapping wounds across Demeter's true body, yet she was unable to repair them in a short time, her recovery slowed as if by a curse.
Using this opening, Shiomi relentlessly stripped away her outer shell.
With her logic thrown into disarray, Demeter could no longer distinguish the real Shiomi from the multitude of duplicates. Forced to adapt, she shrank the range of her wide-area attacks, concentrating them around herself to increase their power and precision.
After the barrage ended, the city below and its inhabitants were reduced to ash. One by one, Shiomi's duplicates failed to hold out under the onslaught, their defenses shattered as they dispersed.
All of them vanished.
In that instant, Demeter realized where the true danger lay.
The real Shiomi had already withdrawn far from her true body, stopping at a perfectly calculated distance.
Her divine core was exposed. Even if she committed everything to repairs now, it was already too late.
Only one answer remained.
"Continental-class Fracture Mechanism, activate. Divine Core connection. Divine Core ignition. My cry, my lament. Ah—『Thou, Star Plowing Harvest』 (Scream Eleusis)!"
"Ancient God King, War God Marduk, hear my voice! Thy divine might rests in my hands at this very moment! Dispel destruction and give birth to the future—『The Epic That Brings Forth Heaven and Earth』 (Enuma Elish)!"
...
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