If you are curious about the Light Messenger's abilities.
---
"The road ahead is blocked."
As Iskandar and Artoria charged toward the throne room with Diarmuid, a figure descended from the sky to intercept them. It was Karna, summoned by Kotomine Shirou.
"Let's go together!"
The King of Conquerors and the King of Knights exchanged a glance before launching their attack on Karna simultaneously.
Iskandar activated his King's Army, enveloping Karna in a barrage of soldiers, while Diarmuid took the opportunity to continue advancing.
However, just as Diarmuid approached the throne room, another figure emerged from the shadows and repelled him with a swift, precise strike.
The one standing before him was Kotomine Shirou himself.
Diarmuid paused, surprised by the strength of the attack. The speed and power displayed by Kotomine Shirou were far beyond what an ordinary human could achieve.
"Are all Masters this strong nowadays?"
Given his experience with Chihiro, Diarmuid didn't doubt Kotomine Shirou's abilities for a moment. Without hesitation, he raised his twin weapons—a spear and a sword—and charged at him.
Kotomine Shirou, however, turned and fled, using the labyrinthine layout of the surrounding structures to wage a guerrilla-style battle against Diarmuid. Armed with his Black Keys, Shirou kept the fight at a distance, frustrating his opponent with precise, calculated movements.
---
Meanwhile, on the battlefield below, the battle between the Light Messenger and the two monstrous creatures continued.
The Purgatory Sea of Flames had long since dissipated.
After the flames subsided, the Beast of Billows lay severely burned, while the Sea Demon, though charred, rapidly regenerated under the influence of the Holy Grail's immense magic.
Chihiro initially planned to use the Light Messenger to tear the Sea Demon apart and drag Bluebeard out of its body before it could fully recover. However, Bluebeard ordered the Beast of Billows to retreat and assist, buying himself just enough time to avoid capture.
Left with no other choice, Chihiro focused his efforts on eliminating the Beast of Billows.
The Light Messenger flipped the Beast of Billows onto its back once more. This time, Chihiro had the mecha lock its massive hands around the creature's neck in a crushing cross-lock.
With a surge of strength, the Light Messenger twisted sharply, snapping the Beast of Billows' neck with a sickening crack.
The colossal beast collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Moments later, its body dissolved into points of light, scattering into the air. It seemed that creatures summoned through ritual dresses didn't leave corpses behind.
Bluebeard gritted his teeth in frustration and immediately attempted to summon the Beast of Billows again. However, the ceremonial artifact used to summon it had clear limitations and could not be used repeatedly.
"Useless trash!"
In a fit of rage, Bluebeard hurled the now-useless artifact aside and turned his attention back to the Sea Demon.
The Sea Demon, having nearly completed its regeneration, surged forward under Bluebeard's control, launching a relentless assault on the Light Messenger.
"We can't keep wasting time on this guy."
Chihiro knew this battle couldn't drag on any longer. He immediately controlled the Light Messenger to distance itself from the Sea Demon instead of engaging it head-on.
Realizing he needed to end this in one decisive move, Chihiro made his choice.
"Come forth, Erdy Kaiser!"
As Chihiro shouted, the Light Messenger gathered energy in its hands before slamming them into the ground. A red glow flashed beneath the earth, and moments later, a golden sword with a red hilt slowly rose from below.
This was the exclusive weapon of the Light Messenger: Erdy Kaiser.
The Light Messenger grasped the sword, and flames immediately enveloped the blade, blazing fiercely.
At the same time, a smaller version of the sword appeared in Chihiro's hand—a projection of the Erdy Kaiser.
Chihiro raised the lightsaber and brought it down with immense force. Simultaneously, the Light Messenger mirrored his movement, slashing the Sea Demon with its blazing sword.
The scorching blade cut cleanly through the massive Sea Demon, splitting it in two.
"Got you!"
Chihiro's sharp eyes scanned the creature's remains and spotted Bluebeard, who had been hiding within.
The Light Messenger leapt forward and snatched Bluebeard in its massive hand.
"Ah! Chihiro! Why won't you just die? Why must you always interfere with me?"
Bluebeard, seemingly oblivious to the pain, roared madly, his eyes rolling in frenzied desperation.
Chihiro, uninterested in Bluebeard's ranting, commanded the Light Messenger to incinerate him with fire magic.
"Ars Ignis: Samadhi True Fire!"
The Light Messenger unleashed an intense blaze, reducing Bluebeard to ashes. For a man who had been burned at the stake in life, this seemed like a fitting end.
With Bluebeard's death, the remains of the Sea Demon vanished completely. A golden light illuminated the night sky, it was the Holy Grail, now free of its captor.
Achilles, spotting the Holy Grail, immediately urged his chariot forward in an attempt to seize it. However, the Grail flew toward the Light Messenger instead.
At some point, Chihiro had exited the Light Messenger and now stood nearby. He summoned the Diamond Cutter and used it to retrieve the Holy Grail before Achilles could reach it.
In addition to the Holy Grail, Chihiro also collected the Beast of Billows card, which Bluebeard had discarded in his rage.
"Bluebeard really lost everything this time," Chihiro muttered to himself.
As soon as he secured the Holy Grail, Chihiro quickly returned to the cockpit of the Light Messenger, preparing for a potential clash with the pursuing Achilles.
But before Achilles could make his move, an attack came from above.
The Hanging Garden of Babylon launched its assault. Eleven black plates surrounded the aerial fortress, each gathering energy to form devastating light bullets.
This was the Hanging Garden of Babylon's ultimate counterattack mechanism. Each light bullet carried the destructive power of a meteorite, equivalent to an anti-army Noble Phantasm.
The first light bullet fired, its target unmistakably the Light Messenger.
"Danger, Chihiro!"
The Light Messenger's warning came just in time. Chihiro raised the Erdy Kaiser to block the attack, but the force of the explosion sent the mecha flying.
"They can still attack!"
Darnic and the other members of the Black Faction looked on grimly as the Hanging Garden of Babylon unleashed its power.
"This aerial fortress… how are we supposed to fight against something like that?"
"Chihiro, our magic reserves are nearly depleted. The Light Messenger's systems can't sustain further damage," the mecha's voice said, now weaker than before.
"It's fine," Chihiro reassured it. "Don't forget—we have the Holy Grail now."
Raising the Grail high, he commanded, "Quick, draw magic power directly from this thing!"
"Understood," the Light Messenger replied mechanically. "A massive source of magical energy has been detected. Beginning replenishment…"
In an instant, the Light Messenger's eyes lit up again. Its damaged body rapidly regenerated, and it rose from the crater it had been thrown into, fully restored.
"Hmm? You're still standing after taking a direct hit from the Hanging Garden of Babylon?"
Inside the throne room, Semiramis frowned at the sight. Taking control of the fortress herself, she prepared for another strike.
The Hanging Garden of Babylon shifted slightly, repositioning itself to launch a second light bullet.
The next attack came swiftly, but Chihiro was ready.
This time, Chihiro swung the Erdy Kaiser upward, meeting the light bullet head-on. After a brief struggle, the blazing blade split the incoming projectile in two.
Semiramis wasted no time. Switching the fortress' systems, she launched a third light bullet.
This time, Chihiro chose a defensive approach.
"Earth Shield!"
The Light Messenger summoned a massive wall of earth to block the attack. The light bullet struck the barrier, shattering it into pieces, but Chihiro had already prepared his next move.
"Light Energy: Flame Bomber!"
A massive fireball condensed on the Light Messenger's chest before transforming into an energy cannon. The beam shot upward, directly targeting the Sky Courtyard.
"Not good!" Semiramis exclaimed.
Although the Hanging Garden of Babylon boasted incredible offensive capabilities, its defenses were far weaker.
"The Miniature World Enclosed by the Azure Sky!"
Before the attack could hit, Achilles appeared in front of the Hanging Garden of Babylon, raising his shield to intercept the beam.
The Miniature World Enclosed by the Azure Sky—a Noble Phantasm forged by Hephaestus himself—was a Bounded Field comparable to the Seven Rings that Cover the Burning Heavens(Rho Aias).
Radiating seven-colored light, the shield created a shining barrier that deflected the Light Messenger's attack.
Atalanta joined the fight, unleashing her own Noble Phantasm.
"With my bow and arrows, I pray for the protection of the God Apollo and Goddess Artemis."
"I offer thee this Calamity —"
"Phoebus Catastrophe!!"
A storm of arrows rained down on the Light Messenger like a cascading waterfall.
"Light Energy: Salamanders!"
Two fire dragons emerged from a hexagram beneath the Light Messenger, spiraling upward to intercept the arrows and neutralize them.
Meanwhile, the Hanging Garden of Babylon fired its fourth light bullet.
"Light Energy: Magic Shield!"
The Light Messenger activated a protective barrier, the glowing magic circle beneath it rising to form a shield that absorbed the impact.
"Meteor Shower!"
Chihiro unleashed another fire spell using Ars Ignis, summoning a barrage of meteors that fell toward the Hanging Garden of Babylon.
Achilles attempted to block the meteors, but the fire dragons held him at bay.
"Boom!!!"
The meteors struck the edge of the Hanging Garden of Babylon, causing it to tilt dangerously to one side. For a moment, it seemed as though the fortress might fall.
However, Semiramis quickly regained control, stabilizing the structure.
---
Elsewhere, Diarmuid was still engaged in battle with Kotomine Shirou.
"Who… are you?" Diarmuid finally asked, realization dawning on him.
Even Chihiro needed Noble Phantasms, Class Cards, or other tools to fight Heroic Spirits. Yet Kotomine Shirou had been holding his own against him barehanded. Something was clearly amiss.
***
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