Chapter 112: Devouring the World's Filth! The Holy Sword made an invincible sound!
Brilliant golden light, like ripples on water, spread across the entire sky in an instant!
Countless ancient treasures, exquisitely luxurious, tore through the sky and descended abruptly, with booming sounds and dazzling firelight rising and falling in succession, forming a continuous spectacle!
Gilgamesh's once defiant hair now hung limply, his upper body armor gone, leaving only a golden necklace around his neck, creating a stark contrast with the crimson tattoos covering his torso.
Even as blood flowed profusely from the grotesque wound on his chest, the King, perched atop his Chariot of Light, still wore that untamed, almost frenzied, joyful smile.
Arthur looked up, his gaze sweeping over the wildly laughing Gilgamesh, his expression calm.
He was not at all surprised that the King of Heroes had not truly perished.
After all, Angra Mainyu, who had previously claimed to be the "Evil of the World," had tried to reshape him with the black mud of evil, but ultimately failed.
At that time, Arthur already harbored doubts about Gilgamesh's true state; now, seeing him still arrogant despite his severe injuries, merely confirmed his earlier conjecture.
Arthur turned his head, looking at Merlin, who stood beside him, always composed and unflappable, and asked with a hint of inquiry.
"When did you get in touch with Gilgamesh?"
Merlin gave a carefree laugh and quickly waved his hand.
"It wasn't me; King Gilgamesh contacted me proactively. He has finally gotten serious."
Upon hearing this, Arthur's lips curved into a surprised, light smile, and he looked up, shouting loudly at the figure in the sky.
"Hey, Gilgamesh! You and Merlin handle delaying the Shadow Servants army outside, no problem, right?"
Gilgamesh was in the midst of furiously venting the anger churning within him. Hearing the question, his brow twitched, and he slammed the armrest of Vimana, causing the Chariot of Light to descend rapidly from the sky.
"I said, no one can command me!"
He slowly rose from his Throne of Heaven, blood gushing from the wound on his chest, like several grotesque blood pythons writhing on his body.
Seeing this tragic sight, Arthur knew full well that the other party was purely putting on a brave face, and he spoke with a teasing tone.
"Compared to before, you truly look wretched now."
Gilgamesh strode over to their side, crossed his arms, and snorted disdainfully.
"A mere fatal wound, that it failed to eliminate me on the spot, is that mongrel's greatest failure in this life!"
Arthur and Merlin exchanged glances, both nodding. At this moment, neither wished to provoke this injured beast.
"As expected of Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, not comparable to ordinary Servants."
"Indeed, he possesses countless treasures, making him most suitable for dealing with the Shadow Servants army. Next..."
Merlin understood, a hint of playfulness in his smile, and stepped forward.
Pink and white petals silently bloomed with his steps, extending endlessly towards the New Metropolitan Hall.
「Star of the Inner Sea, Watchtower.」
「From a corner of Paradise, I inform you, this is the primordial sky, without walls, without cities, and without nations, where only the innocent may tread.」
「Garden of Avalon!」
In an instant, the battlefield, which should have been filled with explosive flames and destructive demonic winds, transformed into an boundless sea of flowers, emanating a serene atmosphere completely at odds with the surrounding carnage.
Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed slightly: "Using the leyline's magical energy to amplify himself, and then using illusion to lure the enemy? A trifling little trick."
Arthur calmly agreed: "You're right, it's because my Servant isn't good at direct combat."
Gilgamesh's lips held a hint of cold disdain: "Not good at direct combat? Hmph, a cunning incubus."
Merlin, maintaining his Noble Phantasm, listened to their mutual teasing and could only offer a wry smile.
"Master, King Gilgamesh, now isn't the time to discuss such trivial matters, is it?"
"Trivial matters? As you wish, I should also be moving."
Before his words finished, Arthur had already strode into the endless sea of flowers, heading directly towards the New Metropolitan Hall at its deepest point.
"Arthur pendragon!"
Gilgamesh, who was bringing up the rear, suddenly shouted, his tone shedding its previous arrogance and becoming as profound and solemn as a sage's.
"The time for unsheathing has come; show me your resolve to save the world!"
"You don't need to remind me; I have already made my resolve."
Arthur didn't look back, casually waved his hand, and his tall figure was gradually obscured by the swirling petals, eventually disappearing from sight.
...
With Merlin and Gilgamesh's cover, Arthur proceeded unhindered, successfully reaching the interior of the New Metropolitan Hall.
Thick, inky mud was continuously eroding the magnificent complex, and the surfaces of the roads and walls were covered in nauseating filth.
Such malevolence, a common person would fall into incurable madness with just one glance.
Arthur faced this purest, most lethal malice for humanity, raised his hand to gently caress his chest, and chanted softly.
「Manifest, Avalon!」
A dazzling golden aura erupted from his palm, instantly breaking into countless translucent, sparkling golden crystals, which rapidly condensed into a honeycomb-like, rhomboid barrier, completely enveloping him.
The surrounding black mud sensed this distinct energy fluctuation, as if struck by divine punishment, and violently twisted and deformed, transforming into thousands of grotesque tentacles that shot through the air!
Arthur calmly watched the countless inky black tentacles, tearing through the air with power comparable to a continuous Noble Phantasm bombardment, a cold sneer on his lips. Instead of retreating, he charged forward fiercely!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Avalon, radiating immortal golden light, was the absolute bane of this black mud for all eternity!
In just an instant, it shattered and dissolved all incoming tentacles within his sight!
Arthur had complete faith in Avalon's absolute defense. He ignored the frantically intercepting black mud, his figure streaking through the whistling wind, already nearing the location of the Spirit Vein node.
There, the 'culprit,' Angra Mainyu, sat cross-legged on the ground like the most devout martyr.
His breath had already ceased, and his body was decaying in chunks, with only a golden urn, overflowing with magical energy, quietly suspended above his head.
In mid-air, an even thicker black liquid, using the Holy Grail as an anchor, appeared drop by drop out of thin air.
It was like a hungry beast trapped in an invisible cage, greedily gnawing at the bizarre and fragile World Crystal Wall!
Under this persistent, parasitic erosion, the World Crystal Wall emitted a grating "sizzling" sound, and countless tiny cracks spread like a spiderweb!
Arthur clearly heard that eerie sound, as if countless sharp teeth were desperately scraping glass.
For a moment, a chilling sensation crept up his spine, and his skin uncontrollably broke out in goosebumps.
At the same time, the starlight mark, usually quietly accumulating in his palm, now felt slightly warm.
A warm current surged forth, dispelling this inexplicable chill.
Arthur breathed in the decaying and despairing aura permeating the New Metropolitan Hall, his eyes revealing an unprecedented solemnity and deep dread.
"An existence even more defiled than the 'Evil of the World'... It's almost like a conglomeration of those unknown entities, truly nauseating!"
「Do not overthink it; continue what you must do.」
The mysterious voice, still calm, echoed abruptly in his mind, urging him to quickly complete his current mission.
Arthur disliked being manipulated, but he also knew in his heart—
If the true form of the unknown entity were allowed to invade the inner side of the world, the consequences would be truly irredeemable!
Clang!
Dazzling golden flecks overflowed from his palm, and the Holy Sword was tightly gripped before him!
Crimson magical energy, like blood, surged within him, and a fiery veil of light swirled around him, exuding an indescribable majesty.
Arthur felt the Holy Sword intensely trembling, eager for release, and a slight smile, one he had never shown before, appeared on his lips, full of stern resolve!
A sword capable of cleaving stars and destroying foreign enemies.
A sword meant only to be wielded for the salvation of the world.
The power it contained was simply too great, too dangerous, to be used as a personal weapon.
Therefore, King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table had imposed numerous strict restrictions on the Holy Sword, and then Merlin personally cast a spell, finally—
Forming a sheath to conceal the Holy Sword's supreme sharpness, named [Thirteen Restraints].
Even now, though King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table had long vanished into the river of time, when a Holy Sword User faced a catastrophe great enough to overturn the entire world.
The Round Table Council, automatically convened!
Ding—!
At this moment, the Holy Sword let out a truly invincible, clear, ringing sound!