Chapter 454

What appeared to be a slow-motion step instantly closed the distance by more than ten steps.

To outsiders, it must have been an incomprehensible sight.

The calm, red-haired boy dominated the battlefield, creating that visual illusion.

"!"

Nero and Frolov instinctively launched a counterattack.

More beasts and ice spears were summoned by the Dead Apostle.

The attack was so tight it was like a giant net surrounding Shirou.

But that's meaningless.

All attacks were easily annihilated before they could even get close to Shirou.

Whether it's the atmosphere at minus one white degree Celsius or the synthetic beasts that rival those of the Age of Gods, they're all the same.

Shirou wielded his twin blades, which were not imbued with magic, and annihilated all the attacks.

Nero Chaos realized something was wrong.

"What happened? Why... why didn't the beasts (we) return to Chaos!?"

Shirou lowered his head and let out a sneer.

In the end, you're the one who panics first in these situations.

Even if one transforms oneself into an immortal being, the inherent weakness remains.

"... I don't understand. What exactly did you just do to us!?"

The system tree within me should be something beyond human imagination!

Shirou was too lazy to answer his question.

How could someone who has lived as Dead Apostle for thousands of years, and who was once Magecraft who sought the Root, not even understand such a simple "phenomenon"?

This is what they call "killing"...!

"Very well, it seems you've become an obstacle for us... So, what are you going to do with this?"

Nero Chaos's coat swung violently.

A large number of creatures crawled out of that darkness.

If I had to describe it, I could only say it's a spider that looks like a crab.

It's probably even bigger than the mammoth summoned by Nero Chaos.

The quantity was also astonishing, shooting out continuously like fish roe being ejected from the bursting belly of a fish.

Because just looking at them was mentally polluting, Shirou sent them all flying into the sky before they even hit the ground.

"-impossible!"

"Hey! Calm down, Nero!" Frolov shouted.

Although he was also overwhelmed by the pressure emanating from Shirou, he managed to maintain his composure.

On the other side, the Black Robe Dead Apostle stared wide-eyed and staggered backward.

"How could they possibly kill all my Magical Beast? That's impossible! It doesn't make sense...!

We are immortal. As long as I exist, my clones are beasts and Phantasmal Beast that can be reborn in the chaos within my body, even after death.

Why... you only cut them down, yet all the clones, even the original "seed," died?!

Given Nero Chaos's knowledge of history, it's impossible that he hadn't heard of the "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception."

However, his blind faith in his own eternity led him to deliberately ignore his own "death."

The vampire's expression turned ferocious and twisted.

He spread his arms wide, as if to tear the darkness apart, and ripped open his chest.

"▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄--!!"

Emerging from that swirling chaos was a colossal serpent, a hundred times larger than the Dead Apostle and possessing nine heads.

The nine heads twisted and roared simultaneously, lunging at Shirou.

"..."

Shirou remained expressionless.

This must be the strongest monster Nero Chaos could ever imagine.

On each of the nine heads of the giant serpent that was dancing, there were nine glowing "dots".

Is it impossible to completely kill it without destroying all nine heads simultaneously?

Ah... I see, this guy is indeed a bit troublesome.

Unfortunately, it encountered Shirou.

He had already mentally prepared countless monsters like this!

A flash of double-edged swords.

In the blink of an eye, the nine-hit combo sliced the giant snake into pieces.

"How could this be... even this guy...!"

Nero Chaos's voice trembled; he was already in a state of confusion.

Frolov remained calm and continued firing ice spears.

But to be honest, Shirou is already used to it.

Whether it's the harsh environment or the harmless attack—

Shirou calmly dealt with the vampires' attacks, and then, through that narrow gap, he saw—

The death trap of crossing the line.

That point is precisely the "extreme point" from which the death of all "points" and "lines" originates.

Frolov's "point" is located below his throat, while Nero's "point" is located at the very center of his coat.

The "death" of the Twenty-Seven Ancestors was clearly reflected in Shirou's eyes.

It wouldn't matter if I had hundreds of lives.

Even possessing ancient times is meaningless.

Shirou wants to kill is their very existence.

"?"

The vampires didn't even see Shirou make a move.

They merely felt a gentle breeze brush against their faces.

Shirou was standing there, disappeared, and then...

Frolov's head flew off.

Nero's body was sliced open from the shoulders like a pudding, and his upper body fell to the ground.

"I can't believe such a thing could happen."

Frolov's headless body remained standing, motionless, enveloped in pale blue flames, as if gazing at the moonlight.

"Ah... I can't feel the pain or the cold anymore."

Although frightening, it's also nostalgic—it's almost as if I've become a dead person.

As he murmured, the Dead Apostle's head and body were consumed by flames.

"I see... This is the 'Mystic Eyes of Death Perception'."

As Nero fell to the ground, his upper and lower body began to disintegrate, rapidly decaying like a clod of earth.

"It actually exists... Our 'death'... I'm so unwilling to accept that I couldn't witness the end..."

With a tone of resentment mixed with calm, Nero perished along with the hundreds of beasts that remained within him.

"As expected of Shirou, I knew you would be able to defeat them."

The Rose Woman clapped her hands lightly, emerging from the Snowfield, and walked over with effortless ease.

Shirou turned to look at her. "Rita Roseanne, you tricked me."

Although it was done in self-defense, in the end, he became Rita Roseanne's tool to eliminate the White Wing Dead Apostle who were getting in his way.

"Please don't say that. I've always been on your side... Those Mystic Eyes are truly beautiful."

Rose's Dead Apostle said with a look of ecstasy, "Do you intend to give it to me? As an eye catcher at this auction."

"I refuse. If you don't want to end up like them, don't say it a second time, even if it's a joke."

"Hmph? You don't seem to be in a good mood. Didn't you experience happiness in my ' Mystic Eyes of Roses'— "

A sword flew past Rita Roseanne's cheek, silencing her.

The daughter of the Dead Apostle gave an awkward laugh, then looked to the side.

"Stop hiding, come out, you two from the church."

Not long after Rita Roseanne finished speaking, Ciel and Noel emerged from the snow.

"Are you alright, Shirou?!"

Noel asked nervously, and the red-haired boy nodded.

As for Ciel, he stared intently at Shirou.

She extended her hand. "Nice to meet you. My name is Ciel, and I come from the Burial Agency."

Considering what he was about to do, Ciel decided to be honest and revealed his affiliation without any concealment.

"Shirou Amamiya."

Shirou took her hand in return.

Ciel narrowed his eyes.

Steady breathing, a well-proportioned figure, long limbs, and an impeccable posture.

It's a bit late to say this now, but this person... is indeed stronger than I imagined.

Just how much effort must one have poured into Martial Arts to reach such a level?

Just now--

The Dead Apostle were instantly killed without even having a chance to react.

Only Ciel, who was watching from the sidelines, could barely make out Shirou's movements.

At the same time, a chill ran through her.

If I were the one there, I would probably be killed without any resistance... even though I'm not one to kill.

"You two! How long are you going to hold hands?!"

Noel rushed between the two and forcibly separated their hands.

"Honestly, Ciel always manages to seduce the boys I've got my eye on without me even noticing..."

She muttered something to herself in a low voice, then returned to stand next to the blonde rose woman.

Ciel said, "Noel, the one next to you is the fifteenth of the Twenty-Seven Ancestors, Rita Roseanne."

"Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey!?"

Rita Roseanne smiled at her, and Noel screamed, collapsing to the ground, her face ashen.

Ciel refocused his attention on Shirou.

"Mr. Shirou, if I may be so bold, could you please hand over Nero Chaos and Frolov's Principle Blood Ring 'Al to me?"

"The Principle Blood Ring" is the reason why the Twenty-Seven Ancestors are the pinnacle of the Dead Apostle.