Chapter 130 (Patreon)

“Arondight—overload...!”

The knightly sword in Ragnar Kagenou’s hand erupted with brilliant blue light.

Dagon had no idea what Ragnar was preparing, but retreat was no longer an option. Fighting him from a distance offered no chance of victory.

Close combat—

Perhaps there was still the slightest hope of turning this around.

“Shining upon the lake’s surface, burn fiercely—my holy sword!”

The azure blade tore through the fish-shaped shikigami and struck Dagon’s body.

Yet it did not cut through him immediately.

In the span of a single breath, Ragnar’s sword flashed again and again, leaving countless slashes across Dagon’s body.

“What is this?”

Dagon looked down at the places where the knightly sword had struck him. Thin azure lines now covered his body.

He had no idea what they were.

However—

I’m not injured.

I’ll kill him before anything happens!

Dagon swung his fist toward Ragnar’s forehead.

“Arondight Overload!”

Dagon’s body abruptly froze.

The azure lines covering him erupted with blinding light.

I’m going to die.

That was the final thought remaining in Dagon’s mind.

Plop.

His body split apart along every glowing line, breaking into countless pieces that scattered across the ground.

“The second one.”

【Special Grade Cursed Spirit Dagon exorcised. Cursed energy increased by 1,000 points.】

Cursed Energy: 13,110 / 15,540

【Third Seal: Second Release】

“It’s already beginning to collapse... What a waste. This was a rather pleasant place.”

With Dagon’s death, his Domain Expansion began to fall apart.

The tropical shoreline fractured. The sea, sky, and surrounding landscape dissolved as the barrier completely collapsed.

Ragnar emerged from the remains of the Domain.

“So, you’re still here.”

Hearing his voice, Jogo and Choso immediately turned toward him, their expressions tightening.

“Dagon was exorcised that quickly?”

Realizing that escape was no longer possible, Jogo resolved himself to fight to the death.

“Dagon? That cursed spirit was not weak.”

Ragnar calmly raised his gaze.

“But he was far too inexperienced.”

Golden ripples spread through the air behind him once again.

Jogo decided to attack before Ragnar could unleash whatever was hidden within them.

“Die!”

——————

Meiji-Jingumae Station, Basement Level Two.

After entering the Curtain, Yuji Itadori encountered a grasshopper cursed spirit.

The creature was crouched over a headless corpse, noisily tearing into its flesh.

“What are you staring at?”

The grasshopper’s words made Yuji frown.

“Why are you wasting time talking to an insect, Yuji?”

Without warning, thick tree roots burst from the ground and wrapped around the grasshopper cursed spirit, binding its arms and legs.

“Wh-What?!”

Riko Amanai thrust out her hand.

Several sharpened wooden spikes shot forward and pierced the cursed spirit’s body.

“Argh!”

Splurt!

The wooden spikes erupted from inside it, tearing through its flesh.

“Sorry. I’ll finish it now.”

Yuji raised his hand and aimed at the trapped cursed spirit.

“Dismantle.”

Rip.

Several invisible slashes appeared across the grasshopper’s body.

An instant later, it was neatly sliced into pieces.

Riko walked over to Yuji.

“Do not lose focus next time.”

“I know, Riko-nee-san. Let’s head farther down.”

Riko let out a quiet sigh.

“I hope you actually remember that.”

——————

Meiji-Jingumae Station, Basement Level Five.

“It seems fate has brought us together again.”

Mahito had just finished transfiguring all the humans on the platform when Rika Orimoto appeared before him.

“You... did this to everyone here?”

Mahito’s lips curled into a twisted smile.

“That’s right. They were making so much noise that it became irritating. Do you not agree?”

Rika took a slow breath.

“I do not care whether they were noisy.”

Her gaze hardened.

“The only thing I’m going to do now is exorcise you.”

Mahito spread his arms wide.

“Why do we have to be enemies over creatures as weak and insignificant as these? Why not join forces instead?”

His smile widened.

“I can feel it. Their deaths hardly stirred your emotions at all... did they?”

Rika stared at him without blinking.

“I simply do not care what happens to trash.”

The shikigami standing behind Rika suddenly moved forward and fused with her body.

It transformed into streamlined, lightweight biological armor that covered her entire form without restricting her movements.

Mahito studied the armor surrounding her.

“Perfect... Truly perfect.”

His eyes gleamed with fascination.

“To be honest, I really do not want to kill you anymore.”

“Kill me?”

Rika lowered her stance.

“You think far too highly of yourself, cursed spirit.”

Boom!

The ground beneath Rika shattered.

She instantly appeared directly in front of Mahito.

The air screamed past his ears as her fist rapidly filled his vision.

Too fast!

Clang!

Rika’s fist smashed into Mahito and sent him flying into the wall.

Blood burst from his body as the impact ruptured his internal organs.

Blood flowed from the corners of his mouth, his nose, and around his eyes.

“It isn’t over yet.”

The moment those words left her lips, Rika vanished from Mahito’s sight once again.

Where is she?

She disappeared?

Mahito’s head snapped from side to side.

Rika’s voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

“In front of you.”

What?!

Mahito turned his head forward.

A black afterimage flashed before his eyes.

“Ora!”

Rika unleashed both fists.

Her blows rained down upon Mahito like a violent storm.

Each punch was so fast that he could not evade it. Trapped beneath the relentless barrage, Mahito had no opportunity to fight back.

“Ryōgi Shō!”

Crack!

Mahito’s chest collapsed beneath the strike.

His blood-covered body crashed against the floor and rolled for dozens of metres.

The previously spotless white tiles were stained bright red with his blood.

“Amazing...”

Mahito slowly lifted his head.

“Every time I see you, your strength manages to surprise me.”

Fortunately for him, Mahito could restore the shape of his body through Idle Transfiguration. Within two seconds, his physical injuries had disappeared.

Rika clenched her fists, producing a crisp series of cracks.

“The warm-up is over.”

Mahito wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

“That was only a warm-up?”

Boom!

The ground beneath Rika’s feet shattered once again.

Mahito immediately scanned his surroundings.

Behind me!

He spun around while transforming the shape of his fist.

Bang!

“Oh?”

Rika looked at Mahito, who had managed to block her strike, and gave a faint sound of surprise.

He blocked it.

Before Mahito could feel relieved, Rika became an afterimage and vanished again.

Where?

To the left? In front of me?

No... She’s too fast!

Bang!

Rika’s whip-like kick slammed into Mahito and sent him crashing into a subway train.

The entire carriage nearly overturned, only remaining upright because it struck the concrete wall on the opposite side.

Several transfigured humans standing behind Mahito were crushed by the impact.

“This is far too violent.”

Beep! Beep!

The warning chime sounded, and the subway train began to move.

Rika said nothing.

Just before the doors closed, she stepped into the carriage.

Mahito stared at her from inside the train.

“You cannot be serious... This is not amusing.”

——————

Noble Phantasm: Arondight Overload

Rank: A

Type: Anti-Army Noble Phantasm

Description:

Arondight is the holy sword wielded by Lancelot, Knight of the Round Table, and is considered the sister sword of Excalibur.

By overloading Arondight, the cursed energy contained within the blade is forcibly released outward and converted into an offensive attack.

Rather than unleashing the energy as a conventional beam of light, the wielder pours it into each sword strike. The Noble Phantasm is only activated after the blade has cut its target, making it an attack that relies heavily upon the wielder’s swordsmanship.

An enormous amount of cursed energy then erupts from every cut left upon the target.

The resulting azure radiance is said to resemble the surface of a tranquil lake.