Journey to Find Heroic Spirits

Atalanta's figure suddenly vanished from his front, darting forward at high speed.

"Atalanta!"

Yuxian's formation was disrupted by her. Atalanta had acted on her own, and he had no idea what she intended to do.

"I'm going to take down Pleiades!" Atalanta's voice echoed from afar. She was incredibly fast, and had already covered a significant distance in the time it took to speak.

[Aesthetics of Pursuit]—Atalanta always managed to catch up in races. Her speed was like a gale, and few could match it.

She weaved through the battlefield, the dense Gastrea posing no obstacle to her.

Her homeland, Arcadia, was a land of rolling mountains. Atalanta had grown up leaping and playing among the rocky terrain, a skill honed in the wilderness and solidified into a skill—[Crossing Arcadia].

With this skill, she could move through all obstacles, even enemies.

Atalanta's figure quickly disappeared from Yuxian's sight. He shook his head with a hint of helplessness at her unilateral action.

"Don't worry, Master. Atalanta will surely handle that Pleiades," Chiron said calmly.

Yuxian naturally believed Atalanta was capable of defeating Pleiades. He had originally planned to deal with Aldebaran first before taking care of Pleiades.

Now that Atalanta was proactively seeking out Pleiades, it wasn't a bad thing. This way, they wouldn't have to worry about the second wave of 'Light Spears,' and they would have more time, allowing Yuxian to plan more leisurely.

"Senpai, Aldebaran is retreating!" Mash, who had been closely observing the entire battlefield, immediately alerted Yuxian upon seeing Aldebaran's intention to withdraw.

Yuxian's heart leaped. Atalanta had just ventured deep into enemy territory alone to deal with Pleiades. If Aldebaran and the Gastrea army were allowed to retreat, it would create an encirclement for Atalanta, which would not do.

No matter how strong Atalanta was, she would be extremely strained facing so many enemies at once.

Yuxian made a decision immediately and shouted to everyone, "Hold it back! We absolutely cannot let it leave at this moment!"

As the saying goes, when the enemy retreats, we advance. Seeing Aldebaran's intention to withdraw, the Civilian Guard seized the opportunity to push forward, advancing the firing line and preventing them from leaving so easily.

Yuxian said to Chiron beside him, "Teacher Chiron, Aldebaran is yours!"

Chiron nodded in agreement. This behemoth was difficult for others to handle, making him the most suitable person for the task. Yuxian would not let Aldebaran leave here alive under any circumstances.

As Chiron accepted Yuxian's assignment and prepared to act, Gretel's voice came from beside him.

"Come on, let's play together!"

A colorful fairy tale book appeared in Gretel's hand. This was her true form. Her current appearance as a little girl was actually a transformation based on Alice, and she was a Heroic Spirit who had manifested due to Alice's wish.

The fairy tale book floated in front of her, its pages turning on their own. Powerful magic emanated from her, immediately drawing everyone's attention.

"Pages whisper, leaves mark the words. All fairy tales are good friends!"

[Nursery Rhyme]

Gretel self-initiated her Noble Phantasm at this moment. Her actions puzzled Yuxian. Atalanta was one thing, but Gretel had always been very obedient, acting like a lady, and rarely made decisions without consulting Yuxian.

"Jabberwocky, go play with that ugly big guy!"

Gretel activated her Noble Phantasm and summoned the Jabberwocky from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It was a ferocious dragon, as tall as a dinosaur, with reptilian wings and covered in scales. Its claws were long and sharp, and it had two tails, one pointing up and the other down.

"Master, it seems I won't need to intervene," Chiron said, shaking his head. The moment he saw the Jabberwocky, he stopped preparing to act and began to observe.

In terms of combat power alone, everyone here combined couldn't defeat the Jabberwocky. There was only one way to defeat it: defeat its master, Gretel.

However, Gretel's other Noble Phantasm—[Perpetual Mechanism: Maiden Empire](Queen's Glass Game)—was a Noble Phantasm that affected herself and her bounded field, capable of rewinding time for herself and her summoned entities. If she couldn't be defeated in an extremely short period, their game would continue forever.

Of course, as a Heroic Spirit manifested from a book, Gretel had a natural nemesis: writers.

This was why Gretel always disliked Hans Christian Andersen, especially because the endings of the fairy tales he wrote were often too harsh. Hating tragedy, she would often go to Andersen to harass and protest.

"Jabberwocky hasn't come out to play in a long time. Master, you won't be angry, will you?" Gretel blinked and looked at Yuxian pitifully.

How could Yuxian be angry? However, he put on a stern, serious face, pretending to be angry, and raised his hand.

Seeing Yuxian raise his hand as if to hit her, Gretel's face showed disbelief. Based on her understanding of Yuxian, a little cuteness and feigned pitifulness would surely get her off the hook.

Her gaze fixed on Yuxian's hand, following its movement. She saw Yuxian bring his hand down heavily, only to gently place it on her head, ruffling her hair and messing up her neatly combed locks.

"Master, you're bullying a child!" Gretel protested indignantly at Yuxian's attempt to scare her. "I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Gretel turned her back to Yuxian and re-combed her hair, which he had messed up.

Little Jeanne looked at Gretel with envy. Her Noble Phantasm was for distributing gifts to children on Christmas and was not suitable for use on the battlefield. Unwillingly, she whispered, "I must learn from my future self and my original self..."

The Jabberwocky went straight for Aldebaran and began to play with it. It was truly playing, as if it had found a fun toy, constantly teasing Aldebaran.

Entangled by the Jabberwocky, Aldebaran's desire to retreat became a mere wish. It let out a roar of unwillingness and fought the Jabberwocky with all its might.

Aldebaran could not retreat from the battlefield, and the entire Gastrea army no longer withdrew. They surged forward again.

The two sides plunged back into intense combat.

Section 53 Chapter 33: Big Dipper Seven Arrows

The appearance of the Jabberwocky also caused an uproar among everyone watching the war. It was completely unexpected that a fairy-tale-like little girl could summon such a ferocious dragon.

They couldn't help but wonder what other incredible events would unfold in this war. What was being broadcast on television now seemed less like a war for survival and more like a spectacular movie.

Everyone eagerly anticipated the next exciting scenes, the tension of the war completely dispelled.

"Report! We've identified the origin of this little girl named Alice." A staff member reported, "After comparison, it's highly likely she's Alice, the protagonist from the fairy tale Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and the one she summoned should be the Jabberwocky she killed."

Unlike the general public who watched a blockbuster movie, the rulers in high positions used the presented information to investigate the identities of Yuxian and the others. It wasn't difficult to find information related to Gretel's identity through the Jabberwocky.

However, the more they learned, the more they felt lost in a fog. Mythological heroes, legendary castles, and now characters from fairy tales – everything seemed so incredible, as if there was nothing Yuxian couldn't do.

What about the others? Time and again, facts proved that everyone around Yuxian was extraordinary. At this point, no one would consider the other children to be ordinary.

And Yuxian himself was even more intriguing. What kind of identity did he possess to be able to gather so many legendary figures?

They were extremely curious about Yuxian's identity, and at the same time, they became more cautious, raising their level of vigilance to the highest.

Fear stemmed from the unknown.

Yuxian's existence made them feel fear. Such power would undoubtedly shake the existing system. They didn't yet know Yuxian's intentions or what unexpected actions he might take.

Yuxian, however, was unconcerned. When he requested Seitenshi to broadcast the war live, he had already prepared to expose some information. After resolving this Aldebaran incident, it was time for him to leave this world.

As for what people might speculate, that wasn't his concern. Leaving behind a legendary tale sounded like an interesting prospect.

The war continued. Compared to the viewers far away watching on television, the combat personnel on the front lines felt no sense of relaxation.

Even with the Jabberwocky tying down Aldebaran, it only boosted everyone's confidence. The tension of the battle remained unchanged, and the tide-like swarm of Gastrea showed no visible decrease, as if they were endless and inexhaustible.

Atalanta leaped through the forest like an elf, searching for the specific location of Pleiades.

She was deeply moved by Yuxian's constant consideration for her wishes and wanted to contribute her own strength. Therefore, this time, she came alone to eliminate Pleiades and remove this threat.

As a legendary hero, she naturally possessed her own pride. She also wanted to demonstrate her own value, rather than constantly relying on Yuxian for help.

This had nothing to do with trust; it was just a small personal desire.

Pleiades, the 'Seven Sisters' star cluster in Taurus. Mere Gastrea, Atalanta didn't take them seriously.

In the entire starry sky, the more famous seven stars were the Big Dipper in Ursa Major.

Ursa Major had a close relationship with the moon goddess Artemis. Callisto was originally one of the nymphs who served Artemis. Because she broke her vow of chastity, she was punished by the gods and transformed into a bear, then elevated to a constellation.

Atalanta was breastfed by a mother bear as a child. Callisto was a very special existence to her. Coupled with the connection to the moon goddess Artemis, Callisto had always taken great care of her.

This was also the origin of Atalanta's Noble Phantasm, Big Dipper Seven Arrows. As long as she made a request to Callisto, the Big Dipper stars in Ursa Major would shoot arrows of light at her designated target.

Compared to her other Noble Phantasm, Petition Arrow Letter, which invoked the moon goddess Artemis and the sun god Apollo, Big Dipper Seven Arrows was more powerful.

This was because, compared to the powerful moon goddess and sun god, Callisto of Ursa Major favored her more.

Atalanta was well aware of this, so she rarely used this Noble Phantasm. She didn't want to disturb Callisto, a goddess who had suffered unfair treatment from fate, too much.

The sky gradually darkened, and it was unknowingly approaching dusk. Stars slowly began to appear in the sky.

Atalanta finally found Pleiades in a valley. Its body was enormous, with all its limbs degenerated, making even movement and foraging extremely difficult. It was precisely this extreme specialization that allowed it to emit a powerful 'spear of light'.

A large swarm of Gastrea gathered around it, densely packed without a single gap, forming a tight protective circle that shielded Pleiades in the center.

Atalanta looked down from a height into the valley. She could charge down and shoot all the Gastrea below; this was well within her capabilities.

However, dusk was approaching, and she had wasted too much time searching for Pleiades. She didn't want to linger here any longer and hoped to return quickly to avoid worrying everyone.

Atalanta looked up in the direction of the Big Dipper, no longer hesitating. She designated the Pleiades in the valley as her target and solemnly unleashed her Noble Phantasm.

"Shining in the northern sky, Ursa Major, beautiful and kind nymph of the moon goddess, Atalanta begs your aid!"

Big Dipper Seven Arrows

As soon as Atalanta finished speaking, seven stars lit up in the northern sky. The Big Dipper, shaped like a ladle, suddenly emitted an extremely dazzling light in the dim, yellowing sky, becoming exceptionally clear.

The seven shining stars glittered, emitting arrows of light like shooting stars. Seven beams of light formed a line, piercing the sky and descending one after another.

The light arrows struck Pleiades with incredible precision. A single arrow pierced the entire Pleiades, and the remaining light arrows adjusted their direction, shooting towards the surrounding Gastrea.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

After seven loud explosions, the entire valley shook. The surrounding rocks vibrated and collapsed, and huge stones and soil tumbled down. The Gastrea in the valley scattered everywhere. The narrow space left them nowhere to escape, and they were ultimately buried.

Atalanta had already distanced herself. After releasing her Noble Phantasm, she turned and left without hesitation, quickly heading back.

No one understood the power of Big Dipper Seven Arrows better than she did. She didn't need to stop and watch the final outcome; the death of Pleiades was sealed the moment the Big Dipper shot its light arrows.

Chapter 54: Chapter Thirty-Four: It's All Emiya's Fault for Feeding You Too Well

"Report! We just observed abnormal brightness in Ursa Major. The Big Dipper emitted a powerful energy beam, and the target direction is... the Tokyo Area."

In a certain country's leader's office, an intelligence officer earnestly reported the intelligence.

"The Big Dipper?" Ever since Chiron fired Scorpio Shot from Sagittarius, the high-level officials in all regions of the world had been paying close attention to the constellations in the sky. The ability to harness the power of the stars was something worth observing and studying, regardless.

In legends, several of Chiron's disciples eventually became heroes who transformed into constellations. These constellations might not be inactive.

"It should be that heroine, right? After all, she and Ursa Major have a close connection with the moon goddess Artemis."

"Yes, according to the reports from personnel in the Tokyo Area, Atalanta went alone to find the location of Pleiades. The target of the Big Dipper's beam should be Pleiades."

The intelligence officer truthfully reported the compiled information in detail. The Tokyo Area was currently the most watched place in the world, so it was natural for intelligence personnel from various countries and regions to be hidden there.

"Continue to observe!"

"Yes!"

The same situation was unfolding everywhere; no one could ignore the power of the stars. Whether in legend or reality, stars were profoundly mysterious entities.

The ability to harness the power of stars, to have beams of light shot from distant stars measured in light-years arrive on the ground in an instant, was itself an event that surpassed the scope of current scientific understanding.

They had conducted a thorough secret investigation into Yuxian's identity, but found nothing. It was as if he had materialized out of thin air in the Tokyo Area, with no prior records of his existence.

Mysterious, unknown, powerful.

These words had all become labels for Yuxian.

Atalanta returned swiftly. Compared to the considerable time spent searching for Pleiades, her return journey took only a moment.

Just a moment before, Yuxian had seen the light arrow shot from the Big Dipper, and in the blink of an eye, Atalanta was standing beside him again.

"Master, Pleiades has been eliminated," Atalanta reported her success to Yuxian immediately upon her return.

"You've worked hard."

Yuxian nodded. With Atalanta's return, the demise of Pleiades was as expected; it was impossible for her to fail given her strength.

The sky had already dimmed, and night was fast approaching. Yuxian didn't want to linger here any longer. He looked up at Gretel and said, "Alice, hurry up and have Jabberwocky deal with Aldebaran. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go home."

Gretel turned her head away, ignoring Yuxian. She was still angry about what had happened earlier and was having a childish tantrum.

Yuxian shook his head helplessly. He had no way to deal with a child throwing a tantrum. Yuxian would never issue a forced command.

After all, what child didn't throw tantrums? Gretel's behavior seemed normal, more like an ordinary little girl.

Atalanta had just returned and was unaware of what had transpired. She was somewhat confused, but after inquiring carefully, she learned of the events. She offered no judgment on the matter.