Chapter 55: This is a World of Swords!
"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood."
The Magic Circuits burst forth with dazzling luster at this moment.
"I have created over a thousand blades."
Seeing the abnormal phenomena occurring as Shirou recited these incantations, Gilgamesh suddenly sensed something was wrong.
"Unaware of loss..."
The length of such an incantation chant caused Gilgamesh's spirit to jolt. Looking at Shirou's posture, there was no doubt he was about to execute a Great Magecraft of massive proportions. Although Gilgamesh was arrogant, he was not a fool; he had no intention of staying still and waiting for Shirou to finish his chant.
"Nor aware of gain."
Gilgamesh's brow furrowed slightly. From the golden ripples reaching into the sky behind him, several hundred Noble Phantasms rapidly fired out, streaking across the air like golden bolts of light, hurtling toward Shirou's body!
"Withstood pain to create many weapons, waiting for one's arrival."
While chanting the incantation, Shirou "projected" a cherry blossom petal in front of his arm, large enough to shield his entire body.
That was The Seven Rings that Cover the Fiery Heavens- Rho Aias!
It was the only defensive "Bounded Field Noble Phantasm" Shirou was currently proficient in. Shaped like a flower, it had seven petals; the seventh petal possessed the highest defensive power. Its range could expand into a "Conceptual Armament" that possessed absolute defense against projectile weapons.
The scattered Noble Phantasms struck the deployed Rho Aias, merely causing a series of ripples. Immediately afterward, they lost their kinetic force and automatically dissipated, being reclaimed by Gilgamesh into the Gate of Babylon.
"I have no regrets. This is the only path."
Both Saber and Gilgamesh, who was continuously releasing weapons from the Gate of Babylon, could feel a violent tremor in the surrounding scenery and space itself.
"My whole life was
Unlimited Blade Works!"
As the final line of the incantation was completed, Shirou's raised right hand suddenly jerked upward.
An immense surge of magical energy erupted, destroying everything in the vicinity, tearing the sky, and shattering the earth!
Boom!
With a deafening roar, in the blink of an eye, the field of vision for everyone present shifted instantly. The world they inhabited had suddenly transformed into an endless wasteland.
Across this barren wasteland, countless swords were plunged into the earth. The world seemed eternally frozen in the moment of twilight; the crimson clouds of a setting sun flowed slowly across the sky.
At this moment, Gilgamesh and Shirou found themselves standing within this domain of swords. Irisviel and Saber, who were not far away, were naturally and inevitably pulled into this world as well.
"This is... a Reality Marble!?"
Irisviel observed her surroundings in shock. The sight of the wasteland and swords extending infinitely toward the horizon left her deeply shaken.
"That Orihara... actually possesses a Reality Marble!? Who on earth is he!?"
At this stage, Irisviel truly could not believe that Shirou was just a child; this was simply too far beyond expectation. Even if magi were detached from the mundane world, could they really be as absurdly powerful as this child?
A Reality Marble was originally an ability that only elementals or demons could wield. However, through years of study into magecraft that could create a personal mental landscape, a fraction of top-tier magi made the construction of a Reality Marble possible.
Most of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors can use Reality Marbles, but generally speaking, the number of magi capable of exercising this world-altering Great Magecraft is very small.
A Reality Marble differs from "Marble Phantasm" (Fantasy Realization) in that its form cannot be freely decided. This magecraft is a subspecies of Marble Phantasm—a bounded field that shapes the caster's inner world to erode the real world. Because it is formed from the caster's unique inner self, the caster cannot exert their will to change the composition of the field.
However, a Reality Marble can influence non-natural things, which makes it superior to Marble Phantasm in that regard.
Of course, the "Projection" Shirou possessed had long since transcended basic projection; to some extent, it could already be considered an ability of "Material Realization."
"A Reality Marble... you've actually made this King look at you in a slightly different light. But so what? You surely don't think you can defeat this King with just this?"
Gilgamesh stood with one hand on his hip, scanning the surroundings with disdain. He didn't care about the swords stuck in the wasteland at all, assuming they were merely decorations.
"Heh, what can such a desolate mental landscape possibly achieve?"
Gilgamesh looked contemptuously at the red-haired youth confronting him. Simultaneously, several ripples undulated behind Gilgamesh, and various Noble Phantasms thrust out their sharp points.
At that instant, Shirou's gaze suddenly sharpened.
One of the swords planted in the wasteland let out a "humming" vibration, then suddenly ripped out of the ground. With a speed that left Gilgamesh stunned, it shot toward the Noble Phantasm extending from the golden ripple.
Clang, clang, clang—!
The continuous sounds of weapons clashing rang out. With just a single sword, Shirou destroyed all the Noble Phantasms manifesting behind Gilgamesh.
"How can this be—!?"
Even the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, could not help but show a look of astonishment. The opponent had crushed his weapons before they had even fully left the golden ripples; this lightning-fast speed made Gilgamesh's heart jump.
"You need not be surprised. Everything here is a fake copied from your Gate of Babylon."
As Shirou spoke, he looked into Gilgamesh's crimson eyes, which were filled with shock and rage.
"However, there is no rule that says a fake can never defeat the original. If those are what you call the originals, then let them reign above all else and try to defeat these."
Saying this, Shirou used his toe to kick up a sword, caught the hilt in his hand, and pointed the tip directly at Gilgamesh. He spoke in a calm tone:
"Here I come, King of Heroes. Do you have enough weapons in stock?"
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