Chapter 51: Electrocuting the Saint until Her Eyes Roll Back
Because Saber's "Luck" was very high, Jeanne was unable to immediately see the prototype of Saber's Noble Phantasm, leading her to stick to her assumption that King Arthur must be using "The Sword in the Stone" (Caliburn).
But now that the Noble Phantasm had been exposed, its rank and True Name were naturally visible.
"An A++ rank Noble Phantasm..."
Jeanne's Noble Phantasm, Luminosité Eternelle, was only Rank A. Although she possessed the strongest Noble Phantasm, La Pucelle, which was Rank C before activation and reached Rank EX after, once La Pucelle was used—despite its unparalleled destructive power—she herself would vanish.
La Pucelle is a subspecies of Reality Marble, a sword formed by crystallizing her mental landscape. Since this sword is the Heroic Spirit Jeanne d'Arc herself, once the Noble Phantasm is manifested, Jeanne disappears from the world after the battle ends.
This Noble Phantasm is a suicide-type attack used by Ruler Jeanne, a Conceptual Weapon crystallizing her internal scenery. Using the Sword of St. Catherine, which Jeanne never used in life, as a catalyst, it manifests the flames that once burned her body. Using this weapon costs Jeanne her life, annihilating all existence at the cost of her soul. The rank is C before activation because the sword is still in its scabbard—the state before use. After use, it is EX because the destructive power cannot be measured. These flames only harm targets she deems must be crushed; they cannot be used against simple strong enemies or driven by emotions like hatred.
Jeanne knew well that her true enemy was not the Saber before her, but the red-haired man beside her. Consequently, she naturally could not activate this ultimate Noble Phantasm.
"In that case..." Jeanne murmured. She lowered her spear and, under Saber's confused gaze, raised her right hand.
Crimson Command Spells manifested on her fair skin.
"By the power of a Command Spell, I order you: Saber, you shall not attack me!"
"What—!?" Saber exclaimed upon hearing Jeanne's command.
Each Command Spell contains a massive amount of magical energy, and the power of a Command Spell exerts a strong compelling force over a Servant. Saber found that the moment she tried to launch an attack against Jeanne, her body became imprisoned by a certain force, making it difficult to move.
"Now, at last, I can focus on 'Judgment,' Shirou Orihara!"
The blonde girl with the braided hair turned a freezing gaze toward Shirou.
"Ruler!" At that moment, another voice suddenly called out.
A girl dressed in a long black dress appeared behind Jeanne, her silver hair radiating a brilliant luminescence under the moonlight.
"Caren?" Seeing the girl, Shirou recognized her immediately.
"Um... sorry, Mr. Orihara... I am Ruler's Master..."
Caren's face wore a somewhat awkward expression.
"I see. So Ruler manifested in this way."
Shirou understood instantly. He remembered that in Fate/Apocrypha, when Jeanne appeared as Ruler, she wasn't summoned normally but manifested by possessing a girl who looked exactly like her. Looking at this current timeline, that girl probably hadn't even been born yet. Naturally, it was unlikely for Jeanne to find a similar existence again.
Don't assume that because there are billions of people, there are many who look almost identical; in reality, for a girl like Jeanne—whose facial features and physique are quite distinct—to have even one lookalike appear is incredible.
"Master, do not come closer, or you will be caught in the crossfire!"
Jeanne interrupted the dialogue between Caren and Shirou. The holy spear gripped tightly in her hand glowed slightly; her continuously active Noble Phantasm, Luminosité Eternelle, was taking effect, converting her EX-rank Magic Resistance into a defense capable of repelling physical attacks.
"Even if it's unintentional, acting fearless just because you think you have special privileges... that attitude is a bit annoying."
Shirou frowned slightly, his tone displeased. As if mirroring his mood, dark clouds gathered in the sky above, and thick bolts of lightning constantly streaked through the pitch-black layers.
"Honestly, can't they send a more capable opponent..."
Hearing Shirou's somewhat grumbling words, Jeanne felt a sense of humiliation at being underestimated. She grit her teeth.
"Stop boasting! Try to defeat me first!"
Instantly, thunder roared, and a bolt of golden lightning came crashing down! Jeanne hurriedly gripped her Noble Phantasm, Luminosité Eternelle. Lightning blanketed her, making her braided blonde hair stand on end like a startled kitten.
However, it didn't cause much damage; the lightning turned into electric snakes that spread through the air and quickly dissipated.
"At the output level of 'Manifold Lightning,' is it still not quite enough..."
Shirou narrowed his eyes at the silently resisting Jeanne. "Even if you aren't injured, do you still feel the paralysis and pain?"
Then, dozens of lightning bolts descended in rapid succession!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Even Jeanne couldn't help but feel terrified by this. Her "Magic Resistance" was very strong, allowing her to evade damage from any 'Magecraft' or even 'High Thaumaturgy,' and lightning alone should have been no problem. But a person who could effortlessly change the weather and drive wind, rain, and thunder—this power to freely control the domain of the gods—left her shaken.
"It's useless. I am a Ruler. My Noble Phantasm, Luminosité Eternelle, will protect me from any harm."
"Is that so...?" A hint of a smile played on the corners of Shirou's mouth.
The moment she noticed that expression, a bad premonition welled up in Jeanne's heart. Right then, the lightning converged. The sky, which had originally just been thick with dark clouds, turned into a black vortex.
Light erupted, illuminating the world. In an instant, thousands of electrical currents traveled and gathered, transforming into an ultra-wide-range lightning strike that came crashing down!
Flash—!
The furious thunder fell unerringly from above the girl's head, striking her body. The intense glare of the lightning stung Jeanne's eyes, and the overwhelming paralysis spreading through her entire body caused her to twitch uncontrollably. Her expression collapsed, her eyes nearly rolled back into her head, and she let out an irrepressible cry of pain.
"Uwaaah...!"
Read ahead (100 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting