Illya's Multiverse Odyssey

"Let's treat the wounds first... Red... Archer should have succeeded by now, right?"

Illya first used the Dress of Heaven to collect Sasaki Kojiro's Heroic Spirit Soul, then walked over to Heracles' side to help heal his injuries.

"Let me ask--"

Rin Tohsaka snapped back to focus and contacted Red A through their contract. But the moment she opened her mouth to inquire, another massive surge of magical energy and an explosion echoed from the mountaintop. Even at the hillside, they could clearly feel the mountain trembling violently.

"What's going on? Does Medea still have that kind of combat power? She's not planning to blow up the entire Mount Enzou in a last-ditch effort, is she?" Illya's expression shifted.

Given Medea's level of magecraft, setting up a Grand Magic capable of destroying Mount Enzou ahead of time wasn't difficult. But Mount Enzou was where the core of the Greater Holy Grail was located. If Medea really did blow up the mountain in a desperate gamble, she'd destroy the Greater Holy Grail along with it—and that would dash her hopes of extending her life through a wish.

Chapter 22: That Flowing Mane of Hair

"Get up there now—"

Without a second word, Illya leaped onto Heracles' shoulder and, together with Artoria, charged at top speed into Ryuudou Temple at the mountaintop.

But the moment they stepped through the temple gate, dozens of black shadows shot toward them from all directions like venomous snakes.

"Black Shadows?!"

"It's Sakura Matou!"

Though startled, Illya kept her composure. She swept her gaze over the shadows and looked toward where Red A was fighting Medea. Heracles was no longer the mindless Berserker he once was; she trusted that his skill, combined with Artoria's, would be enough to dodge the shadows' attacks.

"Good—Medea didn't blow up the mountain. It's just a normal fight. But..." Illya shook her head inwardly as she watched Medea, whose entire body had been dyed black. Clearly, the severely wounded Medea had been taken advantage of by that old man Zouken Matou and devoured by the corrupted Sakura Matou.

"We can't let Medea and Rule Breaker fall into that old worm's hands. We have to stop her here... Berserker! Activate your Noble Phantasm and completely destroy Medea's corpse!"

"Got it!"

Heracles nimbly dodged the relentless pursuit of the black shadows while transforming the axe-sword in his hands into a massive bow. The next moment, nine enormous arrows shot toward Medea like nine missiles.

But Sakura Matou hadn't lost control yet—her actions were still under Zouken Matou's command. With Zouken's intellect, having witnessed Heracles' Hyakume before, how could he not prepare a countermeasure?

The black shadows near Medea converged into a wall of darkness, blocking the nine arrows. Relying on their unique absorption effect, they intercepted this lethal strike, which was comparable to a Rank A Anti-Person Noble Phantasm.

"Damn it!"

Illya couldn't help but curse.

She wished she could kill that old worm Zouken Matou right here and now. But the old worm was notoriously hard to kill—as long as even one insect clone survived, he wouldn't die. If it weren't for that, she'd have taken him out long ago.

"Leave it to me—"

Mordred charged up as well. Taking one look at the situation on the battlefield, she activated her Noble Phantasm without hesitation.

But her presence had already been factored into Zouken Matou's calculations.

Before she could finish charging, a winged horse radiating blinding white light descended from the sky, crashing toward her like a white meteor.

"It's Medusa's Bellerophon! That old worm really planned this well..."

Clarente against the Father King and Bellerophon clashed once more. The red and white light split the entire night sky in two, startling countless ordinary people from their sleep.

After only a moment of stalemate, the white light overwhelmed the Red Lightning. Clearly, Medusa, who had prepared long in advance, had the upper hand this time.