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IBHJ Chapter 453
🕑 Added 2023-09-04 04:48:44 +0000 UTCThe sky was filled with a vivid aurora, resembling chains that seemed to wrap around a dragon's head and enormous arms. It was as if the entire world had transformed into a landscape of rainbow light.
Okita Souji looked up, remarking, "It seems that the planet is going to completely erase this thing."
"Hmph. Ignorant mongrels," Gilgamesh scoffed. "If it were that simple, wouldn't we hear more thunder and see less rain? The very fact that even Alaya saw fit to bring you here indicates that the situation is more complex than it appears."
Okita briefly eyed Gilgamesh, her hand instinctively touching the hilt of her sword before releasing it.
Shirou turned to Solomon, questioning, "Your being here means the Temple of Time is ready, correct?"
With a nod, Solomon replied, "Merlin made sure I was prepared before coming here."
Shirou shot a quick glance at Merlin, then locked eyes with Solomon again. "Once we've evacuated all the civilians to safety, we'll move everything here to the Temple of Time."
"I never planned on helping anyone. But Marisbury, my summoner, has asked me to assist you. So I will."
Gilgamesh chuckled disdainfully. "Such a fitting act for someone so empty."
Meanwhile, the sky persisted in showering down inky-black rain. One menacing, black humanoid creature after another descended to the earth, only to be disintegrated midway by the radiant web emanating from the Tower of Light.
Even if a few strays managed to slip through the web, they would be surrounded and eradicated by Camelot's soldiers.
Shirou laid out his strategy for the others. When Merlin first appeared, he had gleaned information about Morgan and Solomon's situation. From then on, he'd been pondering how best to address the situation.
He had a clear-cut plan in mind: as soon as the planet put Fuyuki City under quarantine, his next step would be to ask Solomon to use his Noble Phantasm. This would enable them to shift the entity straight to the Temple of Time—a place disconnected from the usual constraints of time and space. He was ready to take these extensive measures because both he and Gilgamesh were on the same page—they both saw the creature as a significant threat, not something to be taken lightly.
Transferring this entity to the Time Temple marked the opening move in their strategy. By doing this, even in the event of their defeat, they'd manage to seal away the entity within the Time Temple, effectively isolating it from the outside world.
Gilgamesh's expression turned into a frown.
"What's the matter? Is there something you'd like to add?" Shirou asked.
"Nothing in particular. It's just that, considering it's your plan, this king has a bad feeling that there might be unforeseen events even my Sha Naqba Imuru can't predict."
"Heh," Shirou chuckled, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "It's honestly quite amusing to hear someone of your status saying such ridiculous things. I'm just doing what needs to be done. Do you really think some earth-shattering change is going to happen out of nowhere? Should that ever happen, one could wage war without so much as a brainless thought."
Shirou's demeanor radiated confidence and unwavering resolve. And it made perfect sense. At this point, what more could even happen?
An unforeseen event that the Sha Naqba Imuru couldn't possibly predict? What a joke!
This statement was honestly a source of amusement, and the irony was delicious considering it was Gilgamesh who said it. Even in the midst of their dire circumstances, he couldn't help but be tickled by Gilgamesh's words.
And then—
"Boom, boom—!!!"
The thunderous sound reverberated across the sky. All heads turned upward, startled by the unexpected noise.
High up on the neck of the colossal dragon head, the awakened humanoids were struggling one by one, letting out sorrowful roars.
"Ah, ah, ah, ah—"
A shroud of pitch-black thunder wrapped itself around the massive dragon head, snaking its way around the colossal arms.
The sky transformed into a network of deep black thunder, exuding a majestic power that felt like it held the authority of the heavens!
Brows furrowed as the observers pondered what was about to happen.
Amidst the scene, Gilgamesh's face twisted into a wicked expression. A smirk formed on his lips as he glanced at Shirou. It was as if he were watching an amusing play on stage.
Shirou: "..."
Gilgamesh sneered, "Ah, the dawn of brainless warfare. I've been waiting for this moment."
"Hmph!" Shirou scoffed in response, "What utter nonsense. Do you seriously believe that thing will obediently stay silent while the planet tries to destroy it? If that's truly your belief, then I've got nothing more to say."
"Vessel... vessel... my vessels...!!!"
On the dragon's right neck, a swarm of eerie human-like figures started writhing. They resembled struggling swimmers, their hands flailing in desperation. From afar, the sight resembled a squirming mass of flesh, creating a rather unsettling image.
Seconds ticked away steadily, marking the passage of time. The six-hour timeframe was slowly drawing to a close. The aurora in the sky intensified, casting a more vibrant and captivating glow.
Vivid rainbow hues illuminated the city, resembling a mythical rainbow bridge with their dazzling brilliance. The barrier of rainbows surrounding the area gained an added solidity, and the exit on Mount Enzou started to shrink.
With urgency, the soldiers hastened their evacuation efforts.
"We should join them. Once we reach the exit, we'll bring Fuyuki City along with us, straight to the Temple of Time," Shirou suggested.
Merlin and the others all nodded in agreement, and Solomon had no objections either. However, Gilgamesh sported a smirk on his lips. As he observed Shirou, it was almost like watching a play unfold, with him draped in red flags from head to toe.
This situation left Shirou feeling rather uneasy. Yet, when it came down to it, human matters could only stretch so far, and all that remained was to move ahead. Taking a few steps toward the exit, he braced himself.
And then, in the next moment—
Boom, boom!!
The black thunder in the sky grew denser, as though on the verge of shattering through the encirclement of the aurora at any given moment.
"Vessel!! Vessel... my vessel... my vessel...!!"
The eerie humanoids on the dragon's neck let out roars, flailing their arms and causing the flesh beneath them to writhe violently. It appeared as though they might burst out at any moment. Their wriggling resembled worms tunneling through flesh, evoking a sense of nausea.
Despite their efforts, they remained unable to breach the layers of flesh on the dragon's neck, just as the pitch-black thunder couldn't pierce through the encirclement of the aurora.
In this crucial moment, the planet's aurora acted as the most effective form of defense!
However, precisely at this moment, the enormous dragon's mouth suddenly split wide open. Emerging from its tongue was another eerie humanoid figure.
The creepy humanoid let out a mournful sound.
"Ah—!!"
A bone-chilling cry reverberated through the air, making the sky quiver slightly.
Shirou instinctively covered his ears.
Gilgamesh mirrored the gesture, his eyes ablaze with anger. He growled, "Forcing me to endure this noise—it's an insult to this king!"
The hilt of Ea gradually emerged from the Gate of Babylon beside him. Gilgamesh was on the verge of reaching for the sword Ea, when a hand quicker than his intercepted his wrist.
Anger flashed across Gilgamesh's eyes as he glanced sideways to find Shirou looking at him with a solemn gaze.
"Hmph." Gilgamesh let out a chilly snort, loosened his grip, and returned Ea to its place in his treasury.
Emiya's expression was one of astonishment as he watched this happen before him.
Gilgamesh's arrogance knew no bounds. He saw himself as the ultimate ruler, reigning over both heaven and earth, with no regard for anyone else. The mere sound of others grated on his nerves, an attitude he was all too familiar with.
This guy was the epitome of self-centeredness, listening only to the sound of his own voice. A true egotist through and through. Yet, somehow, he found himself held back, reined in by what could only be described as an alternate version of Emiya.
Emiya's expression morphed into a mixture of emotions. What in the world was happening? How had this version of himself managed to deviate from the path of 'Emiya'? These questions tugged at his curiosity, leaving him eager to find out the answers.
Right then, a look of sheer astonishment etched itself onto Okita's typically calm face. She extended her hand and directed her finger towards the colossal dragon head suspended in the sky. Her voice trembled with curiosity as she questioned, "What in the world is that?"
Shirou followed her gaze, his brows knitting together instinctively.
Comments
Melegant
Emiya hyping his other self
JeanMartin Freites
Looks like we have a plan. All that's left is to executed.
