While Rin and Diarmuid were locked in a life-and-death struggle, on the surface of the Weiyuan River—
"Welcome, Saint. It is my utmost honor to see you again."
Caster stood in the center of the river, bowing diligently to Saber, who had been drawn by the eerie magical fluctuations. However, Saber's mood did not improve; her pupils burned with rage.
"Unrepentant demon! What new tricks are you planning tonight?!"
"I apologize, Jalter, but the guest of honor tonight is not you."
Caster replied with a crazed, evil smile on his face.
"However, if you would grace us with your presence, I would naturally be overjoyed. Tonight, I have meticulously prepared the most luxurious feast of death and depravity for God. Please enjoy it to your heart's content!"
Caster burst into laughter. The summoning ritual had already been completed by the time Saber arrived, making it impossible to stop. The dark water beneath his feet began to boil with commotion. Countless Sea Monsters gathered beneath Caster's feet simultaneously shot out innumerable tentacles, coiling around and engulfing Caster above them.
Caster, seemingly attacked by his rebellious familiars, was covered in tentacles but instead raised his voice and laughed wildly, a crazed, almost screaming laugh.
"Now I shall once again raise the banner of salvation!
Let the abandoned gather around me!
Let the despised gather around me!
Gather beneath this banner, and I shall command you! I shall lead you!
The resentment of us, the oppressed, shall reach the divine court!
Oh Lord in Heaven, I shall praise your name with words of condemnation!"
The frothing water swelled, pushing up Caster, who was swallowed by tentacles. The number of Sea Monsters that had served as his foothold suddenly increased dramatically. From the depth of the river, their numbers were unimaginably terrifying. Innumerable tentacles intertwined and merged, forming an unimaginable behemoth.
Caster's figure was completely out of sight, only his arrogant voice still echoed.
"Arrogant God!
Cruel God!
We shall drag you from your divine throne to the ground!
God's beloved lambs!
People with bodies similar to God's!
Shall be wantonly humiliated and torn to shreds by us!
The mockery of us rebels shall, with the wailing of the child of god, open the gates of Heaven!"
In the turbulent, roaring river water, a bizarre and terrifying demonic shadow, nearly a hundred meters tall, loomed in the dark river. Countless huge tentacles, over ten meters long, were hideously ugly and exuded immense pressure.
This form was the true body of a Cthulhu Mythos monster. All the monstrosities Caster had commanded until now were merely fragments of it... "Berserker, please go to the riverbank and delay Gil's actions. I will go support Master. Please don't kill Gil before I arrive; I will bury him with my own hands."
Receiving an urgent notification from Lancelot in the Twin Mansion, the words carved on the ground with the Avalon made Jalter uneasy. However, having a body, she could no longer move at super-speed as a spirit like Lancelot. Thus, she could only rely on running at full speed towards Shinto (New City).
Just as Jalter witnessed Gilles de Rais's summoning on Fuyuki Bridge and heard his furious child of god speech, her gaze and emotions became incredibly complex.
After asking Lancelot to delay the Sea Monster, she resolutely lowered her head and ran towards Fuyuki City's tallest building.
"Cough, cough, I was still too careless."
Pushing aside the architectural debris that had fallen from above, Rin's figure climbed up from below, looking disheveled, stained with the blood of innocent victims, and covered in dust and rubble.
However, Rin was certainly not concerned with these things. Her hands and arms were now split with several deep, bone-visible wounds. The bright red blood, shining with a faint magical glow, appeared exceptionally unique as it dripped onto the dusty, muddy ruins.
The power of Gae Bolg Alternative exceeded Rin's expectations; this magic sword truly lived up to its legend as Diarmuid's strongest weapon. During the recent clash, the continuous, tsunami-like air blades, like waves on the ocean, crashed down, forcefully breaking through Rin's Thousand Projections, ultimately shattering Rin's secondary self-made defensive barrier, and the Dragon Scales, unable to resist, finally broke, leaving bloody wounds on her arms.
If Diarmuid had seized that moment to attack Rin, Rin would have been severely injured, if not dead. If Jalter couldn't arrive in time, Rin would most likely have fallen into Kayneth's hands. However, unfortunately, that loyal and peerless knight had something more important to do at that moment than defeat Rin.
Projection: Inevitable Repair.
The light of life, which heals all injuries, passed over Rin's arms. After the light subsided, both the gaping wounds and the shattered scales had returned to normal. Only her torn clothes could prove how intense the battle had been.
After completing the healing, Rin's gaze returned to the battlefield. Diarmuid was now prying open a slab of stone, rescuing the fallen Kayneth.
"Cough cough!! I told you not to mind me, go kill that bastard child of god, go kill her! Cough cough."
Kayneth, rescued by Diarmuid, coughed violently several times, expelling some of the foul air he had inadvertently inhaled. But even so, he still passionately insisted on killing Rin, cursing Diarmuid.
It shouldn't be like this, it shouldn't be!
Although he didn't speak, Kayneth's rich and varied expressions completely revealed all his thoughts. Originally, in Kayneth's script, he should have been presiding over his workshop on the rooftop, eagerly watching that hateful woman battle his Servant.
Even if the opponent miraculously defeated Diarmuid, he could still use the last command spell to save his Servant, and then, with his proud magical techniques, combined with the magical workshop set up throughout the entire building, he would completely slay the hateful child of god, washing away his shame with her blood.
But now, Kayneth looked at the red-clad girl not far away, who, despite her disheveled appearance, showed no diminishing in her spirit. Her familiar demeanor, calm and radiant posture, had tormented every nerve of Kayneth ever since he saw her in Caster's crystal ball—no, ever since he saw her on the first night at Fuyuki Port—
Now, all the sacrifices Kayneth had prepared were destroyed. To set up a barrier, one's magic circuit must be connected to it. At this moment, even Kayneth's own magic power was exhausted, the barrier had broken, and the Shinto (New City) central building was left with less than ten meters of crumbling ruins. The upper part had been explosively shattered and scattered throughout the entire Shinto (New City) when the barrier broke.
"Diarmuid, kill her, at all costs, kill her!!!"
The genius of the Mages Association's eyes had turned completely red. Even though his magic supply was failing, he still issued such a command. Sensing his master's incredibly strong will, Diarmuid stepped forward, blocking Kayneth, and pointed Gae Bolg Alternative at the red-clad girl in the distance.
"To kill her, have you asked me first?!"
A sharp, angry shout indeed rang out. A dark, sinister figure leaped from behind Rin. The Dragon Witch, in her black battle attire, holding her battle flag, instantly blocked Rin's path.
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