(Heartfelt thanks to Seven Sins Shattered, Wei Zhi De Yue Ding, Xiongxiong no Baobao, Erciyuan de Shuangxiezuo, and Xingye Tianmeng for their tips!)
"Cough, cough... That damned nouveau riche..."
From within the dense flames blasted up by the Noble Phantasms, a cursing voice rose alongside a whirlwind of magical power. It reached everyone's ears and swept away the firelight shrouding them all.
Inside, Wu Yan, Hinagiku, Mikoto, and Bazett coughed rather miserably. Around each of them stood a wall of black swords, riddled with pits of varying sizes.
At the critical moment when they had been bombarded by Noble Phantasms, Wu Yan had erected walls of Noble Phantasms formed from greatswords to block the incoming attacks, while using his spatial transfer magecraft to move the other sword walls to the three girls' sides, saving them as well.
Without Wu Yan's timely reaction and actions, Hinagiku and Mikoto, protected by the Mobile Church, should have been fine. But Bazett would definitely have died.
After all, Bazett had only recently used resurrection rune magecraft. At the moment, she was very likely still unable to resurrect...
Of course, Wu Yan had not consciously saved Bazett, who had once tried to kill Hinagiku and Mikoto. He might even have left her alone, but there had been no time to think during that situation, so he had instinctively saved her as well.
"Gyaaaaaah—"
The black Archer let out a dissatisfied shriek, making Wu Yan, who was still coughing, smile bitterly.
"Even without reason, with only instinct remaining, you still won't allow anyone to get in your way right before your eyes? That arrogant nature has completely become your instinct, hasn't it?..."
"Gyaaaaaah—"
Archer, the King of Heroes, roared again. Around him, streams of black sludge began to churn once more.
"Damn it..." Even Bazett cursed