When Ritsuka opened her eyes again, time seemed to have frozen.
Aside from her companions, who were also observing the scene with concern, everything on the battlefield had come to a standstill. Even the golden spear, which had seemed capable of causing immense destruction, was suspended in mid-air, just meters away from Altera and Jeanne.
Though it appeared to be close, the spear would have struck its target in less than half a second. But it didn't.
The light of the spear had dimmed, and Ritsuka could see a distinct scratch running through its center.
Jeanne and Altera looked on in confusion, remaining alert and defensive despite their bewilderment.
Then, almost simultaneously, blood burst forth, raining down in a storm of red and leaving corrosive white smoke on the ground.
To everyone's astonishment, the snake woman's tail split in two, and the spear shattered into pieces.
A sense of unease filled Ritsuka and the others as they watched the spear break.
The snake woman's agonized scream echoed across the north wall, its sound waves vibrating with a magical force that caused the wall to tremble. Ophis, however, remained unperturbed.
In a flash, Ophis appeared before Ritsuka and her team, holding a magic wand. Her movement was so swift it seemed almost instantaneous, defying the laws of physics.
Without a sonic boom, it was likely some form of space movement.
As Ritsuka tried to process this, Ophis constructed a transparent barrier that enveloped the entire north wall.
At the same time, the now uncontrollable spear trembled violently in the air, its power surging uncontrollably.
"What's happening?" Ritsuka and the others struggled to grasp the situation.
Ophis vanished again, reappearing above Jeanne and Altera. She reached out with her left hand as if to grasp the shattered spear. But just before she touched it, she shifted her movement, quickly descending to embrace Jeanne and shield Altera. The next moment, the golden light from the spear erupted, engulfing everything.
The blinding light forced Ritsuka and the others to shield their eyes, but despite its intensity, it didn't emit any heat.
"Are you okay?" Ophis's indifferent voice seemed almost casual.
"What is this!?" Ritsuka asked, frustration evident in her voice as she pointed at the golden light obscuring her vision.
"Enkidu couldn't handle such a force, so he detonated himself," Ophis explained.
Ritsuka could only twitch her lips, feeling a mix of confusion and disappointment. The other members of Chaldea were similarly affected by the chaotic events. Only Merlin, Altera, and Jeanne, who had been summoned by Ophis, seemed relatively composed.
Ophis's barrier, which had covered the north wall like a hemisphere, directed the golden light upwards, sparing Uruk behind them from damage.
Seeing this, Ritsuka felt a sense of relief.
"So, Enkidu and the goddess are both dead?" Ritsuka asked, though she couldn't gauge the exact power behind the barrier. The impact had likely been significant.
...From this perspective, Ophis's ability to withstand such an attack with just a barrier was indeed formidable.
Ritsuka had some understanding of Ophis's strength, but she felt that while Ophis was currently weaker in some ways, her pure attributes were astonishingly powerful.
This seemed to be a common phenomenon in the Age of Gods: Heroic Spirits appeared weaker as Servants compared to their original selves. Was this truly the extent of Ophis's strength?
Ritsuka wondered why Ophis had not taken more direct action despite her evident power. It seemed that Ophis had used an enhanced version of a trick they had seen before, easily neutralizing the snake's body. If that was the case, eliminating all threats should be feasible, right?
Ritsuka observed Ophis, who stood nearby, apparently unaffected by the recent events. If there was anything amiss, it was only that Ophis's robe had shifted slightly to cover her right arm.
...And it seemed that when Ophis saved Jeanne and the others, she hadn't used her right hand.
Before Ritsuka could dwell further, Ophis answered her question:
"It was merely a burst of energy. The goddess cannot possibly die from that. As for Enkidu…"
Ophis paused, then continued:
"Enkidu won't die from this explosion."
"Yeah…" Ritsuka sighed in resignation.
Even so, eliminating two powerful enemies was a significant victory.
"We should be grateful."
"Huh?"
Ritsuka was puzzled by Ophis's vague statement as the golden light began to fade. The battlefield now lay in ruins, with a large crater and charred remains, including the broken tail.
"Did they escape?" Ritsuka murmured, noting the absence of both Enkidu and the goddess.
It seemed they had dug a hole and fled, leaving behind a mess.
While Ritsuka had hoped to eradicate the threat completely, she had to acknowledge the outcome. The enemy was repelled and likely badly injured.
It felt like a victory.
"The rest of the work is up to you. Once you're finished here, head to the southern jungle. The previous mission remains in effect, so I leave it to you."
"Huh?"
Ignoring Ritsuka's confusion, Ophis turned and, after explaining the situation, transformed into particles and vanished.
"I have a bad feeling…"
Lily tilted her head, expressing her unease.
"Indeed, the king has her own difficulties. Instead of dwelling on it, you should prepare properly," Merlin said with a gentle smile.
"Just now, the goddess dealt with all the monsters that invaded the north wall and left. She wants us to meet her in the southern jungle. Can you handle the north wall, Miss Saint?"
Jeanne surveyed the devastated north wall and nodded resolutely.
"Don't worry. You all should be careful as well."
"Hehe, I'm confident in my survival skills. Shall we set off?" Merlin asked.
Ritsuka nodded firmly.
Though it felt like they were barely making progress in this singularity, they had to keep going.
With that, Ritsuka and her team headed towards the south.