Chapter 672: 521 "Beast (Beast)"_2
That is to say, the adversary’s gaze was not fixed on themself, but on all of humanity in this world.
And in their eyes, he was merely a tiny part of that insignificant existence.
"Pity, protection, compassion, scorn, slaughter, tenderness."
"Sometimes they would annihilate with fire, and at other times, they would reach out and play at will."
"Such is your kind, your human species."
"It is precisely because of this that the Beast of Play could be born and sit upon the end of your kind."
In the darkness, the stunningly beautiful fox woman seemed to disintegrate with the storm, vanishing on the spot.
In her place, a gigantic beast hidden within the darkness, concealed beneath the storm, its full form unseen, with only its tails swaying, appeared.
"This is the beast’s roar."
"This is the beast’s lament."
"The fourth beast, the Beast of Play, Tamamo no Mae·Goryan"Skaia has descended."
"Humans, despair."
Along with a voice that seemed to emanate from the entire world, the beast hidden in the darkness disappeared.
————!
Including Reiger, a shiver-inducing chill emerged in everyone’s heart present.
"This is bad!"
Da Vinci and Tristan had already sensed the danger and shouted out with pale faces.
"Uh...!"
Altoria reflexively raised her chosen staff, sensing that she must do something.
Reiger was even quicker, raising his hand before anyone else.
However, someone had acted even faster than Reiger.
"Appear!"
Matthew, seemingly out of nowhere, stepped in front of everyone and raised his shield.
"The once-distant ideal city (Lord Camelot)!"
That was a Noble Phantasm.
A Noble Phantasm refers to a Servant’s ultimate weapon, a materialized miracle.
It is a weapon extolled in various legends, held by heroes and celebrated by later generations, a symbol or a special move that could either be a weapon or a skill, and possesses a mighty force beyond the reach of modern magicians, showing effects just as they are recorded in legends once used.
For example, King Arthur’s widely known sword in modern times is her Noble Phantasm.
A Noble Phantasm is a Servant’s trump card.
A Noble Phantasm is a Servant’s ultimate means.
Initially, during the time in Salisbury, the Elf Knight Lancelot was preparing to decide his duel with Reiger using a Noble Phantasm that combined his power with that of the Knight of the Round Table, Lancelot.
Elf Knight Gawain, during the bloody battle with Reiger in Camelot’s Royal Palace, manifested a gigantic form after breaking off her horn, a reversal stemming from a fusion of Knight Gawain’s power and her own—this, too, was her Noble Phantasm.
Now, Matthew triggered his Noble Phantasm, making the shield in his hand unleash its true power.
"Bang!"
With Matthew striking down forcefully with the shield, the castle engraved on it lit up.
A chalk castle emerged gradually around Matthew as its center.
This was the Chalk Castle from the legends of King Arthur—Camelot.
This Chalk Castle in the Pan-Human History was also the capital of Britannia, home to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
Matthew’s Noble Phantasm is an ultimate defense using the Round Table the knights sat around as a shield, capable of summoning the center of Camelot to ward off all attacks once activated.
Its strength resonates with the user’s spiritual power, and as long as the user’s heart does not yield, the walls of the Chalk Castle will never crumble, and could even reflect the enemy’s attacks.
Thus, Matthew’s Noble Phantasm protected everyone present within the walls of the city.
"Boom!!!"
At almost the same moment, a terrifying attack hit the walls of the Chalk Castle.
It was an unidentified assault, like a rampaging storm, like dark flames, like the pounce of a gigantic beast, and also like slashes emitted by tails as sharp as giant blades.
When it struck the walls of the Chalk Castle, not only did the castle shake, but even the world swallowed by the dark storm trembled violently.
"Uh...!"
Matthew let out a muffled groan, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"Matthew!"
Seeing this, Da Vinci couldn’t help but shout.
"I’m, I’m fine...!"
Without looking back, Matthew cried out, but then immediately knelt down.
"Boom!!!"
The unidentified attack once again bombarded the chalk-white city walls, causing a roaring sound that shook the entire Dark World.
"Cough...!"
Matthew violently coughed up blood, her pretty face turned pale at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"’O Starlight’!"
Altoria, unable to watch any longer, hurriedly used magic, enchanting Matthew.
"[Diya Flatel]!"
Reiger also launched a no-chant Magic, allowing green light particles to fuse into Matthew’s body.
"Boom!!!"
"Boom!!!"
"Boom!!!"
The unidentified attacks, however, did not cease; they continually assaulted the chalk-white walls, intent on destroying, shattering, tearing them apart.
From the ferocity of the attacks, Reiger could tell everyone with certainty that even he, if hit just once without any protection or defensive magic, would fall severely injured on the spot.
Matthew was a shielder, a Servant specialized in defense; if it was just about defense, no one present could match her.
What’s more, in Reiger’s memory, he had never encountered anyone who could rival Matthew in defense at this moment.
Yet, even such a Matthew, while using her Noble Phantasm, was easily injured.
No, that’s not right.
It was precisely because she had used her Noble Phantasm that only Matthew was injured.
Reiger remembered that although Matthew’s Noble Phantasm was strong, as long as she did not give up, it could block any attack capable of evaporating the Earth’s surface, but this Noble Phantasm uniquely did not protect Matthew herself.
That is to say, Matthew could protect anyone except herself, currently suffering the attacks of Beast’s offspring.
"’Gather, breath of the earth—My name is Alf’."
"’Spirits of the woods—Grant my wish’."
"’Garment of the forest—My name is Alf’."
Without a second thought, Reiger immediately applied two defensive magics to Matthew: [Life-bound Illusion] and [Thin Veil Breath].
"[Holy Sanctuary’s Blessing]."
"[Field of Strength]."
"[Armor Reinforcement]."
"[Advanced Persistence Enhancement]."
"[Steadfast]."
"[Infinite Barrier]."
"[Advanced Hardening]."
"[Chaos Cloak]."
"[Defense Against Evil]."
"[Elemental Form·Sacred]."
Reiger then launched one defensive Magic after another at Matthew, causing her defensive power to rapidly climb at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Boom—Boom—Boom—Boom—"
The terrifying attacks continued to bombard the chalk-white city walls, causing frequent tremors in both the White Chalk City and the Dark World.
But as Reiger’s defensive magics were launched one after another, Matthew, her body flickering with light of Magic Power, gradually found that she could withstand the enemy’s attacks.
"How are you holding up? Can you persist?"
Reiger placed his hand on Matthew’s shoulder, gazing directly at the girl who raised her shield, creating a safe haven for her allies.
"Yes!"
Feeling the pressure gradually easing and her injuries slowly healing, Matthew turned her head, her gaze meeting Reiger’s, and she nodded firmly.
Reiger smiled subtly.
Then, the smile on his face disappeared.
"Pound!"
The next second, Reiger abruptly vanished from the spot, transformed into a fiery streak, shooting up into the sky.
The fiery light illuminated the darkness, dispelled the storm, like a star of hope rising from within the White Chalk City, launching towards the colossal beast hidden in the darkness.
"Boom!"
The black blade descended, and the purifying Red Lotus Fire instantly fell from the sky, bombarding the beast.
"■■■■■■■■■■■■——!"
The world-shaking roar echoed throughout the heavens.