Atalanta VS Naoki

Somewhere in the Hanging Gardens, perhaps what could be called a garden.

At Amakusa's urging, and given that he didn't need to personally deal with the Black Faction, Naoki stayed behind and wandered to this place.

Though the Hanging Gardens was a fortress packed with deadly weapons, as its legend suggested, it also had a garden aspect. Even at night, the garden displayed a beautiful scene.

However, for Naoki, who had witnessed the sea of flowers manifested by Merry, the floral expanse before him, while lovely, couldn't compare to her dreamlike vision.

Moreover, right now, something far more captivating than the garden stood before him.

"Didn't you go to face the Black Faction? Why are you here?"

Seeing the huntress standing amidst the flowers, Naoki asked with a smile.

"It looks like you were waiting here? Planning a nighttime date with me?"

"If I said yes, would you accept my invitation?"

Rarely, Atalanta responded directly to such flirtation. Naoki was slightly taken aback, his eyes widening, then laughed. "An invitation from a beautiful woman is certainly an honor, but if possible, I'd prefer not to suddenly get an arrow through my head mid-date."

As he spoke, Naoki tilted his head, and an arrow whizzed past his ear.

He caught the arrow and glanced at Atalanta, now standing on a nearby rooftop.

"So this sea of flowers has a hallucinatory effect… no, it must be a mirage."

"I thought that arrow would pierce your skull."

"My instincts are pretty sharp."

Tossing the arrow back to Atalanta, Naoki summoned a whirlwind in his palm. "So, can you explain why you want to start an internal fight with me? Is it because of the Jack the Ripper incident?"

"More or less."

Atalanta brushed her emerald-green hair. "But don't misunderstand—I'm not here to avenge those children. I have to admit, your actions weren't wrong. Sending them to the afterlife, freeing them from hatred—that's the outcome they deserved. Before, I was just being selfish."

Overly so, like an "environmental activist" who talks about protecting nature but never takes real action.

"So, you've come to terms with it?"

"Yes."

"Then why seek me out? By the way, don't you need to deal with the Black Faction?"

"Achilles alone is enough out there. If Chiron is held back, the remaining Rider and Berserker won't accomplish much without me." Atalanta said. "I came to thank you—and to settle a little score."

Settle a score?

Naoki frowned. "Did I do something to make you hold a grudge?"

Instead of answering, Atalanta pointed to her face. Only then did Naoki recall—he had slapped her hard to snap her out of it.

"Oh, that… so you want to slap me back?"

"What else? Of course, I'm not going to ask you to stand there so I can slap you."

Drawing her bow, Atalanta laughed. "Don't forget, I'm a huntress. After I catch you with my own hands, I won't hold back from slapping both sides of your face."

'So, she wants to express gratitude, apologize for her earlier anger, and get revenge for the slap…'

No excuses, just laying her thoughts bare—Naoki rather liked women like Atalanta who weren't tsundere. Honestly, isn't it exhausting to act tsundere every day, saying the opposite of what you mean? Better to be straightforward like her.

No wonder most tsunderes end up as the losing dog.

*HUUUUSHHHHHH—*

A gentle breeze swirled around Naoki, like a cool wind rustling through a forest, instinctively making Atalanta's ears and tail twitch comfortably.

She raised her bow, nocking an arrow.

Aiming at the sky.

"With my bow and arrow, I beseech the protection of Apollo and Artemis, and offer this calamity—"

"—!"

Naoki, who had assumed Atalanta would shoot at him, was instantly shocked.

Unleashing a Noble Phantasm right to his face?!

"Phoibos Catastrophe!"

Two arrows shot skyward, and the moment their True Name was released, the night sky blazed with blinding light.

Then—

Thousands of light arrows became a cascading disaster!

The arrows rained down like a torrential storm, instantly enveloping one corner of the Hanging Gardens.

Though Phoibos Catastrophe was a B+-rank Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, its attack range could be adjusted. When focused on a narrow area like this, while each arrow's damage wasn't high, their cumulative force was immense.

And now, Atalanta had targeted only the garden before her!

*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*

Explosions erupted continuously.

The garden, bathed in the rain of light arrows, transformed into a battlefield swept by artillery fire. Each arrow was like a cannon shell, visibly tearing through the Hanging Gardens' soil and ravaging the beautiful garden, dragging the sea of flowers mercilessly into hell.

Even Naoki, if hit directly by her Noble Phantasm, wouldn't feel good.

Or so Atalanta thought.

But—

*BOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM—!*

A roar and tremor like an earthquake erupted.

Amid the rain of light arrows, a black light suddenly appeared, then rapidly expanded. In the blink of an eye, the deluge of arrows that had filled Atalanta's vision vanished without a trace.

In their place was a translucent, aqua-blue barrier!

And within it, Atalanta could clearly see wing-like shapes.

"As a way to settle things, unleashing a Noble Phantasm like that—isn't that a bit too harsh?"

Naoki's slightly resigned voice came from within the aqua-blue barrier.

The barrier dissipated, revealing Naoki, his wings unfurled around him and his eyes covered by a red cloth, staring at Atalanta. "What if I'd died?"

"Looking at you, do you seem like you're about to die?"

Unbeknownst to her, Atalanta's voice trembled slightly.

"You… are you of the Dragon race?"

Yes, the Dragon race.

Only when fully revealed did Atalanta see the true form of those wings—undoubtedly, a pair of dragon wings.

Aqua-blue dragon wings, white crystal scales covering his body, sharp claws, and a thick dragon tail sweeping the ground… At some point, Naoki's body had taken on these traits, resembling a colossal humanoid dragon!

"You… what kind of creature are you?"