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IBHJ Chapter 210
🕑 Added 2023-04-15 22:09:25 +0000 UTCVortigern, the ruthless tyrant, seized control of Camelot and conquered a staggering 70% of Britain's territories, extending his dominion across Scotland, northern England, and Wales. In a bold move, he achieved naturalization and unleashed the formidable Holy Lance Rhongomyniad. As a result, the Tower of Light, which binds the world's surface, emerged in its entirety.
The Holy Lance Rhongomyniad serves as the planet's anchor, with its true form being a luminous tower. This structure stitches together the world's surface, forging a connection between the inner and outer realms.
The planet transitioned from the Age of Gods' laws to a set of rules more conducive to human survival. One of the most significant changes was the gradual disappearance of "true ether" from the atmosphere.
As a result, divine beasts, fairies, and primordial humans, all reliant on "true ether," faced two fates: either they perished on the world's surface, rejected by the planet, or they abandoned the surface to humans and sought refuge in the Reverse Side of the World.
However, not all beings were granted access to the Reverse Side. Creatures under the rule of the White Dragon, for instance, were deemed unworthy of entry.
Consequently, their destiny was to be shunned by the world and perish without even leaving a trace.
In a final act of defiance, these creatures rallied under the White Dragon's call, embarking on their ultimate resistance.
The Britons under Shirou's command were no exception; they too were denied entry to the Reverse Side of the World, and their inescapable fate was extinction.
This might have been a driving force behind Vortigern's betrayal of everything. If the heavens sought their destruction, then they had no choice but to raise a blade in resistance!
Nevertheless, Vortigern's perspective aligned not with that of humans, but rather with the Phantasmal Species.
Shirou gleaned insights into Vortigern's motives from Merlin. Vortigern sought to usher in a new Age of Gods, to reign supreme over the British Isles, fully transform Rhongomyniad into the planet's anchor, and trigger its disintegration, thereby liberating the Phantasmal Species trapped within the Reverse Side of the World.
Once Vortigern's ambitions were realized, the planet would gradually shed its skin, reverting to an Age of Gods ruled by rampaging monsters, fairies, returning gods, and the primordial humans.
Vortigern, the tyrant, aimed to revert everything to its primitive state – this was his ultimate goal and final act of defiance!
The Holy Lance Rhongomyniad, wielded by Vortigern, was none other than the Tower of Light.
In essence, the Tower of Light served as a gateway between the Age of Gods and the outer world or reality. If it were to disintegrate, the established physical laws would be torn asunder, leading to the world's collapse and the emergence of numerous phantasmal laws from days gone by. This too was Vortigern's ultimate objective.
Shirou could not let Vortigern gain complete control over Britain – this had been crystal clear to him from the outset.
The implications extended far beyond his path home, the survival of the British people, and Lostbelts. More crucially, should Vortigern succeed, would it not have repercussions on reality itself? This was the gravest concern of all.
Merlin once warned that should Vortigern succeed, this historical node would be severed. However, in this world, nothing is absolute. The so-called absolutes and inevitabilities are merely conclusions derived by later generations based on their own understanding of history.
What if this node were to be severed? Humanity would be yanked from reality and plunged back under nature's dominion.
This was the truly horrifying prospect!
It posed a grave threat to human history!
Even the slightest possibility was enough to strike fear into the hearts of people everywhere!
From the moment Shirou took the throne, he had been contemplating how to defeat Vortigern.
A year earlier, he had confided in Agravain that he no longer concerned himself with Vortigern. That was because he had long been devising plans to counter the tyrant.
Shirou used food to win over Kings Ban and Bors, not only to control them but also to establish a route through Gaul. In fact, under Lamorak's command, a special force had already set up an ambush in Gaul.
Bringing Scathach from the shadow land wasn't solely because Shirou felt comfortable around her or because she was a valuable asset, but also due to her influence in Ireland.
Indeed, as Fujimaru Shirou, he held Scathach in high esteem, but as "King Arthur," he focused on how each individual could be of use.
One of the tasks assigned to Scathach was to leverage her influence in Ireland and the food supplies to sway the kings near Scotland.
Simultaneously, Shirou provided food support to the northern kings, intending not only to secure future economic control but also to encourage them to enlist soldiers and expand their power in preparation for war.
Guinevere saw through the first objective, but the second eluded everyone else.
Two years prior, Shirou had rallied the citizens and territorial lords to construct roads, overcoming the most challenging times. People assumed the king's motivation for building these roads was to bolster commerce, but that was merely one of the reasons.
In reality, there were three other goals: to fortify territorial control in the future, to enhance connections among various regions, and to prepare for potential war!
For the past two years, Shirou had been meticulously weaving a large net. Upon its completion, he intended to strike both the north in Scotland and the south in Londinium, thus diminishing Vortigern's influence and weakening him.
Shirou planned to personally lead the army and join forces with the other kings to sever Vortigern's supply lines, stealthily making his way to Camelot for a direct assault on Vortigern!
Training Guinevere in governance and arranging for Agravain and Bedivere to collaborate and develop their skills were also crucial steps in preparing for his personal campaign.
However...
The plan failed!
It had taken too long!
They were behind schedule by about three months!
Had he been granted a mere three more months to complete the infrastructure and clandestine operations, his master plan would have been fully realized, and Vortigern would be as vulnerable as a fish on a chopping block, waiting to be slaughtered.
The kings who had established trade routes with him would also find themselves helpless.
Yet, at this crucial juncture, Camelot crumbled!
It was expected to endure for at least three years, but instead, it collapsed in just two years and seven months!
Shirou didn't feel frustrated or angry.
From humble beginnings to his rise to prominence, he possessed a heart as steadfast as stone, and such minor setbacks were trivial to him.
Rather than succumbing to fury, he concentrated on finding solutions and breaking the impasse.
At that moment, the Tower of Light materialized in Camelot, bridging the gap between heaven and earth. Frightening beams of light, akin to meteors, rained down in relentless succession.
Thankfully, Merlin and Morgan, supported by the court magi, managed to temporarily deflect the light beam onslaught using a large-scale bounded field.
Shirou asked, "How long can you hold out?"
Merlin offered a bitter smile and replied, "Our magical energy is being depleted rapidly. We can hold out until tomorrow morning at most."
In ancient times, there was no timetable, so Shirou judged the time by looking at the sky.
At this moment, it was pitch black, probably around midnight.
Considering that the sun in Britain typically rose between six and seven in the morning, they could endure the onslaught for a maximum of seven hours.
After a moment of contemplation, Shirou used "Leader of Mortal" to bestow the "Evil Flower" upon Merlin and the others. Though originally an A+ level Noble Phantasm, its power was diminished by two significant ranks through the use of "Leader of Mortal," bringing it down to a C+ level.
Nevertheless, the malevolent thoughts of the nearly 80,000 people in Cornwall still provided a substantial amount of magical energy to support them. But as time passed, endless negative emotions and wickedness began to ravage their minds.
"I'm so scared...I'm so scared..."
"It's terrifying...so terrifying..."
"Will I die? I don't want to die..."
These fearful and hopeless thoughts overwhelmed them, unlike Shirou, who was accustomed to dealing with evil. They were uncomfortable and almost had their souls shattered upon coming into contact with it.
Merlin also felt overwhelmed by the evil and negative emotions of nearly 80,000 people.
"How much longer can we keep this up?" Shirou asked, concerned.
"At most...three days. If it surpasses that limit, some of us will be consumed by the 'evil'," Merlin replied, his face slick with cold sweat. Out of everyone present, he was the most vulnerable to being consumed by the "evil" due to his status as an Incubus.
Shirou nodded gravely and addressed the court magi. "Gentlemen, the fate of Cornwall rests in your hands. You must hold on for three more days, no matter the cost. Can I count on you?"
The court magi, their faces slick with sweat as they struggled against the overwhelming influence of the "evil," responded resolutely. "Yes, Your Highness! We will hold the line for as long as it takes!"
Shirou turned away from the court magi and strode off, leaving behind a group of people whose faces were filled with a mix of emotions as they watched the king's departing figure.
Once upon a time, they could not comprehend the sheer magnitude of Shirou's magical energy, and many believed it to be a divine gift from the heavens.
But now, with the king's ability to bestow powers upon others, they had come to realize the immense burden that came with his magical energy.
In this moment, Shirou had bestowed upon them the ability to produce massive amounts of magical energy. It was only then that they truly comprehended the weight and burden that came with the king's gift.
Even the slightest exposure to the "Evil" from nearly 80,000 people was enough to shatter their souls, but the king had long been accustomed to it.
The court magi were in awe of the king's incredible power.
But it wasn't just amazement that they felt. They had already held a deep admiration for Shirou, recognizing him as a truly remarkable king.
He was stronger than a boulder, unbreakable and unwavering in the face of any challenge.
Despite Guinevere's striking resemblance to the king, there was no confusing the two, as throughout his reign, the king had never displayed any signs of weakness.
