MP 214: O Sun, Abide by Death!!

"Demon God Pillars… and demon beast…"

Karna gazed at the pillars and Humbaba through the dust, speaking solemnly, "Enemies threatening humanity's order, behold the mercy of the King of All Gods…"

As the Hero of Charity intoned the true name of his Noble Phantasm, the crimson gem embedded in his chest began to glow.

A fiercer solar flame ignited around him, his golden armor peeling and shattering. He floated into the air, transforming into a blazing miniature sun.

Karna's mana reached its peak, the erupting force radiating a lethal threat to all Demon God Pillars present.

"What is this power?!"

"ROAR!!!"

Under the scorching solar flames, even Humbaba let out an uneasy roar.

Blinding crimson light bloomed in the night sky.

His golden armor shed, the god-slaying lance unleashed, this was Karna's most destructive moment, but also his most vulnerable, his life at its most perilous.

In life, Karna's loss of his solar armor to Indra's deception led to his death at Arjuna's hands.

The golden lance in his hand dulled, replaced by a dark red thunder-lance that struck fear into the gods.

As the crimson thunder-lance materialized, the world turned red, golden lightning dancing in the night, banishing the darkness.

The Demon God Pillars, surrounded by endless flames, stared in shock, sensing an irrepressible threat from the lance. Their flesh and skin seemed to burn under its presence.

This deadly oppression, this unease, what was it?!

"What is this? Why?! How can you wield such power?!!"

"A mere Servant, yet you make us tremble?!!"

Wrapped in crimson flames, the pillars roared in agony, the terrifying heat nearly melting them.

This looming sense of death made it impossible to control their emotions.

"The god-slaying lance… such terrifying power… Even as a chief goddess, I can't help but feel wary, even afraid…"

"Karna, the son of another pantheon's sun god."

Quetzalcoatl gazed at the lance in Karna's hands, her eyes tinged with awe. "No wonder he placed such high hopes in you. No Servant he trusts is ever simple. I owe you a huge debt this time."

She spoke while hurling the charging Humbaba away, raising her shield to block the pillars' fierce attacks, aiding Karna's Noble Phantasm activation.

When the moment ripened, she nodded to Karna and, without hesitation, escaped through the gap he'd torn open.

She understood Karna's resolve and the irreversible nature of his Noble Phantasm.

Lingering to dissuade him would only insult his pure will. She wasn't an indecisive goddess and wouldn't waste the precious opportunity Karna was sacrificing for.

After fending off enemies trying to interrupt his Noble Phantasm, Quetzalcoatl leaped, swiftly exiting its range.

The god-slaying lance, as its name implied, was a weapon capable of killing gods, the supreme artifact granted to Karna by Indra, his strongest weapon.

Its legend elevated it as a Servant's weapon, imbued with terrifying anti-divine properties.

As a Servant with high divinity, being targeted by this Noble Phantasm would mean more than mere injury.

Even if she wanted to stay and help, their incompatible natures would only hinder each other.

So, Quetzalcoatl decisively withdrew, escaping Karna's Noble Phantasm range at top speed.

"Thank you…"

Seeing Quetzalcoatl block Humbaba's attack and leave, Karna, floating in midair, nodded, a faint smile on his lips.

No intricate assistance or side-by-side combat was needed. Coordinating on the battlefield without hindering each other was the mark of ideal comrades.

Master, I'm sorry… I may not be able to continue this journey with you.

But I believe you're a truly noble soul, a powerful and destined one…

With you, I'm certain you'll overcome all obstacles and save this era.

Arjuna, I'm sorry… I might have to leave the stage first.

I'm breaking our promise…

But don't worry, our battle will never fade. Even if we miss this chance, I believe we'll settle our fated duel in the near future.

I know your strength, so I hope you'll take my place and help our Master save this crumbling era…

Now, here I go…!!

The crimson world engulfed the night sky.

A ferocious thunderbolt was firmly gripped in his hand.

Karna, now a sun, hung in the endless night, like his father Surya or Mesopotamia's Shamash, becoming a radiant sun illuminating the land.

Clutching the god-slaying lance, manifested at the cost of his golden armor, he held a single, divine strike capable of slaying gods.

"O Surya...bear witness!"

"There is no room for hesitation on the battlefield."

"O Father, forgive me."

"This will be my first and likely last strike!"

Buzz!!

As his Noble Phantasm fully activated, crimson light-wings unfurled behind Karna, enveloping him. The thunder-lance, blazing with solar flames, aimed at the cornered Demon God Pillars below.

His spiraled right eye, imbued with Brahma's divine might, shone brilliantly.

Then…

"Demon God Pillars, face this!"

"Vasavi Shakti!!"

"!!"

"Damn it! This cursed fool is going all out!"

"Karna! You again, disrupting our plans!!"

Seeing Karna fully unleash his Noble Phantasm, the pillars lost their composure. Under the solar flames and thunder's pressure, their panicked voices betrayed disbelief.

They hadn't considered fleeing to dodge Karna's lethal strike.

But how could a strike bearing Indra's divine power be easily evaded? No matter how they tried, the looming sense of doom persisted.

This meant Karna's obliterating strike was inescapable!!

Left with no choice, they steeled themselves to face it.

The lead pillar, Morax, raised its head, a golden energy mass rising from its massive body.

It swiftly formed a barrier over the pillars.

The Holy Grail…

This was the core Goetia had given them to fuel their magic.

Originally held by Barbatos, the leader, it was entrusted to them for this mission to ensure Quetzalcoatl's elimination.

Though their target wasn't her, this was the moment to use it!!

Morax locked its gaze, channeling the Grail's power.

Rallying the other pillars to supply mana, they countered Karna's obliterating strike with their own ultimate move.

"Incineration Ritual!!"

"Incineration Ritual!!!"

Countless purple beams shot from the pillars' eyes, converging into a massive purple column aimed at Karna.

"ROAR!!!"

Even Humbaba, sensing the obliterating strike, roared deafeningly, channeling mana to unleash countless sharp weapons from the Golden City to halt Karna's Noble Phantasm.

But it was too late…

The obliterating strike descended.

A searing beam from the massive dark red lance, wrapped in thunder, fell like divine judgment, unstoppable.

Its world-shattering force seemed poised to pierce the pillars and the earth itself!!

On the now hellish, molten ground, the Holy Grail, under Morax's control, emitted a dazzling torrent, joining the pillars' full force to resist the divine strike.

Purple light, golden weapons, and radiant mana clashed against the incinerating thunder-lance.

Flames, mana, thunder, and Golden City artifacts, multiple forces collided in the night, trembling. Even the leaked energy from their clash made the sky roar and the earth crack.

"This is Karna's power?!!"

Far at the Demonic Front, battling the demon beast army, Arjuna felt the god-slaying strike's incinerating power, his eyes wide with shock.

He looked toward Karna's direction, using Clairvoyance to take in the scene, a landscape turned into a crimson inferno.

Thunder and flames,

He'd never mistake that power.

It was Karna's, and their father Indra's.

Karna had unleashed his Noble Phantasm, the god-slaying lance, again.

This meant he was fighting with his life on the line.

No, Karna!! You can't… Our battle isn't settled! How can you exit like this?!

Realizing this, Arjuna's eyes trembled. Like a madman, he frantically drew his bow, firing mana arrows to slaughter the beasts below.

"What's wrong, Archer?"

Leonidas, his comrade, noticed Arjuna's loss of control and asked with concern.

"No, no… Karna, you can't leave…"

Arjuna's voice shook as he leaped, ready to rush toward Karna.

But Leonidas grabbed his arm tightly.

"What are you doing, Archer?! The Demonic Front is already critical. Where are you going?!"

"Don't stop me, Lancer!! I need to find Karna. That man can only fall by my hand, I won't let him escape like this!"

"What?!"

"No, I understand your feelings, but calm down, Archer!! This isn't the time for personal desires! Look at these soldiers fighting bravely!! If you leave, they'll become beast fodder. Is that acceptable?!"

"I…"

Arjuna's eyes wavered, torn between struggle and despair.

Bang!!

Seeing this, Leonidas roared and struck the dazed Arjuna with a heavy fist, snapping him back to clarity.

Then, Leonidas released his grip.

"If you'd abandon these men for your own desires, letting them die, go now, Archer… I have no right to stop you…"

"I…"

Arjuna looked at Leonidas, donning his armor and leaping into battle, and at Spartacus, now a giant bearing countless wounds. His eyes filled with conflict.

No one stopped him, yet he couldn't move.

His inner turmoil intensified, but he made his choice.

He glanced deeply at the crimson sky of Karna's battle, then lowered his head, drawing his bow to target the endless ferocious beasts below.

"Die, all of you!!!"

…

On the night sea, Roy, battling demon beasts, seemed to sense something, like Arjuna.

He looked toward Karna's direction, his expression falling silent.

After a long pause, as if foreseeing something, he murmured, "…Is that your choice? It's alright. Thank you… Karna…"

Without further words, Roy raised his left hand, sensing the moment, and issued a command: "By the name of the Command Spell, Karna, have no regrets, unleash your full power."

As his words fell, Karna, far in Mesopotamia, surged with renewed strength.

"Master…"

Feeling the sudden surge of terrifying power, Karna's expression shifted, understanding everything.

"Thank you…"

A faint smile curved his lips.

The obliterating strike, locked in a stalemate with the pillars, trembled, then erupted with fiercer flames, surpassing any past power, sweeping downward.

"The power's grown stronger!!"

"What's happening?!"

"This terrifying force… a Command Spell?! Damn you, Karna!!!"

The pillars below stared in shock at the enhanced strike. Even the Grail's barrier could no longer hold.

Everything before them turned to oblivion.

Crimson flames descended, engulfing all in their sight.

The terrain transformed, life eradicated, the plains reduced to a molten desert.

The blooming crimson light enveloped Karna in the sky and the pillars on the ground.

Under this strike, all fell silent.

Everything turned to dust, returning to stillness.

___

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