Credits: Snackson
"Damn old humans, you've given me quite the surprise, haven't you?" Kingu's sharp gaze swept across the battlefield as the Chains of Heaven surrounding him shattered completely, dissolving into specks of magical light.
Even Kingu, under Alaric's full-force attack, felt threatened. Hundreds of Chains of Heaven transformed into a barrier, intercepting the black star entirely.
To achieve this, Kingu was even forced to draw on the Holy Grail's power!
Yet, even so, the absolute defense woven by the Chains of Heaven was still breached.
Caught in a cycle of destruction and regeneration, the Chains were reduced to vapor, leaving only a handful of remnants hovering around Kingu.
One must understand—these hundreds of Chains, enhanced by the Holy Grail's power, were strong enough to block anti-army Noble Phantasms and even some anti-city Noble Phantasms. And yet, they had been overwhelmed by Alaric's pure magical output and the penetrating force of his Holy Lance.
Kingu wasn't even at the epicenter of the attack. By the time the black star reached him, he had already retreated halfway out of its range.
But only by facing the black star directly could Kingu truly comprehend how ominous its magical force was. Its ever-expanding magic eroded the world, devouring every essential element of life in its path.
Even the ether in the atmosphere became fuel, feeding the black star and making it stronger.
For a brief moment, Kingu felt as if he was facing the crushing weight of the entire world!
In just a few seconds, the magical energy Kingu expended far surpassed what Alaric had poured into his attack, several times over! Though he emerged with only minor injuries, Kingu still felt humiliated.
"How dare a defeated enemy resist like this?"
Kingu's fury extended not just to Alaric, but also to Merlin and Ana. As Alaric's allies, none of them could be spared. He would slaughter them all and throw their remains into Gorgon's lair to serve as nourishment!
As Kingu's unrestrained killing intent erupted, Merlin's smile only grew brighter.
Alaric had already managed to escape his predicament. While his actions had been bold and shocking, they still fell within Merlin's expectations.
"It's useless. No matter what you try to do, whether it's you or that old human, the outcome will be the same—"
Kingu didn't understand the source of Merlin's unwavering confidence. He only believed in the absolute power he wielded.
Before his words were fully spoken, golden patterns emerged from the void, spreading across the sky.
Thousands of Chains of Heaven materialized like silver serpents, filling the heavens and earth in an instant. There was no escape, no refuge.
Neither Merlin nor Ana, who were nearby, nor Alaric, high in the sky, could escape the reach of these thousands of Chains of Heaven. Each link moved with such force that the air within a hundred meters roared and exploded, sending shockwaves into the sky.
Merlin and Ana were completely engulfed.
Just as Ana moved to grab Merlin and retreat, half of the Chains sealed the heavens and earth, cutting off every possible escape route.
Even with her inhuman speed, Ana found herself trapped with no way out!
As for Merlin, that so-called Grand Caster, who usually just stood around waving his staff and causing trouble, his smile vanished. For the first time, he seemed to realize the danger he was in.
Seeing this, Kingu couldn't help but laugh as he raised his hand.
Clink!
The Chains of Heaven tightened with a melodic rhythm, effortlessly ensnaring the struggling Merlin and Ana. The Chains wove through the battlefield like an intricate spiderweb, with Merlin and Ana reduced to insignificant prey caught within its threads.
"Now, it's your turn—"
After swiftly dealing with Merlin and Ana, Kingu looked up once again, turning his gaze to Alaric, who had remained motionless since firing his Holy Lance.
At this moment, Alaric seemed to snap out of his daze, his face filled with terror as Kingu rapidly approached.
Under Alaric's frightened gaze, Kingu soared into the air, defying gravity as he closed the distance. Around him, hundreds of Chains of Heaven transformed into streams of light, enveloping the sky.
With the Chains spread across the heavens, the sky itself seemed to fall into Jingu's grasp.
For Alaric, the outcome would be no different from Ana's!
Alaric appeared paralyzed with fear, abandoning resistance entirely as the Chains of Heaven pierced his limbs once more.
As Kingu had predicted, after unleashing that devastating arrow, Alaric's magical reserves were depleted. He was utterly incapable of fighting back and could only surrender to Kingu's mercy.
This time, Kingu didn't hold back—he pierced through Alaric's shoulder blades, severing his ability to move, and hoisted him high into the air.
"Hahaha! What tricks do you have left to use now?"
Seeing Alaric defeated once more, too afraid to even resist, Kingu burst into laughter. "This time, no one can save you. I'll sever your limbs first, dig out your magical heart, and then kill those two worthless companions of yours!"
But the next moment, Kingu's laughter stopped.
In his grasp, Alaric gave him a meaningful smile and began to fade away.
"!"
Kingu's expression froze. He quickly looked down.
To his shock, Merlin and Ana, who had been bound by the Chains of Heaven, had also disappeared, as if they had never been caught at all.
"An illusion from that damned magician—"
Extending his senses to his limit, Kingu surveyed the entire battlefield, searching for any trace of life. Soon, he located the three of them far in the distance. They had already escaped beyond the black cedar forest, outside of Kingu's effective range.
"Damn it—"
Kingu bit his lip in frustration as he reluctantly turned back toward the forest.
At this stage, Gorgon still required his care. Kingu had no choice but to abandon the pursuit, letting Alaric, Merlin, and Ana go.
...
Meanwhile, things were far more relaxed on Alaric's side.
With casual ease, he hung Merlin on the side of the Heavenly Vessel, while he held the petite Ana in his arms as they sped through the air.
Ignoring Merlin's resentful glare, Alaric glanced at the girl in his arms.
Ana also lifted her gaze, her eyes meeting Alaric's pale golden, dragon-like irises.
Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, Alaric averted his gaze and turned toward Merlin.
"Merlin, your illusions are pretty advanced. No wonder even a goddess of creation could fall for them—"
For the first time, Alaric truly recognized the capabilities of a Grand Caster. The illusion Merlin had cast had been so flawless that even he hadn't noticed it, trapping Kingu in a complete delusion.
What Kingu had believed to be an epic battle was nothing more than a one-man performance in front of Alaric, Merlin, and Ana.
The thousands of Chains of Heaven had been nothing but props, and Kingu was the sole actor laughing maniacally in the sky.
Watching Kingu take to the skies and demonstrate his ability to fly left Alaric feeling uneasy.
This meant that future battles with Kingu would require aerial combat as well.
But the endless Chains of Heaven were overwhelming. Combined with Kingu's ability to summon the Age of Babylon, there was no risk of resource depletion like Ishtar's gems. With the Holy Grail powering him, Kingu effectively had infinite stamina.
At this moment, Alaric knew he stood no chance against Kingu in a confrontation.
Hearing Alaric's words of admiration, Merlin raised a fist to his lips and coughed lightly. "Ahem, well, of course—this is Big Brother Merlin you're talking about! I am amazing, after all!"
With a surge of magical energy, the Heavenly Vessel accelerated, covering an astonishing distance in mere seconds. Soon, the shadow of the Northern Wall appeared on the horizon.