"So they've managed to survive, barely clinging to life?"
The sound of Kotori drifted from afar.
Her cannons were once again aimed at Gorgon.
The crimson flames in the cannon barrel began to accumulate energy once more.
"Let's see if you can withstand the second shot."
Gorgon's pupils contracted sharply.
She wanted to run away.
But her lower body was gone.
She couldn't even run away.
Kingu's face had lost all color.
He knew he couldn't withstand that shot.
That chain only lasted for a second.
If it's a second shot, it probably won't even last half a second.
But he still stood in front of Gorgon.
Just as Kotori's cannon was about to fire.
"Ara ara~"
A voice came from Kotori's ear.
The sound was light and airy, like a breeze.
"Now is not the time for the Goddess of Demonic Beasts to die."
Merlin's voice.
Kotori paused for a moment.
Then.
The world has changed in her eyes.
The surrounding land has been transformed into a sea of flowers.
Blue-purple, white, and pink flowers filled the entire field of vision, stretching all the way to the horizon.
A faint floral fragrance filled the air.
In the distance, there stands a tall white tower.
The tower stood alone on the ground, its spire disappearing into the clouds.
Apart from that, all that's left is a sea of flowers.
This place feels like the end of the world.
Kotori stood amidst a sea of flowers.
The cannon muzzle remained pointed forward.
But there were no more Gorgon ahead of her.
There was only an endless sea of flowers.
"This is..."
Her brow furrowed.
This is an illusion.
Her intuition told her that nothing around her was real.
But she is temporarily unable to break free from this illusion.
Because this is not an illusion that works on her mind.
This illusion deceives the world itself.
Merlin temporarily replaced the space where Kotori was located with another place.
Avalon.
The Inner Sea of the Planet.
The Tower of the End.
He had no way to exert mental influence on Kotori.
But he can deceive the world.
This battlefield will be temporarily transformed into a scene reminiscent of Avalon.
Even if it's only for a few seconds.
That's enough.
Outside the battlefield.
Kingu seized the moment when Kotori was stunned in place.
He waved his hand toward Gorgon.
Numerous silver chains emerged from the void and bound Gorgon's upper body.
Then he transformed into a green streak of light and shot into the sky.
He held the other end of the chain in his hand.
He used the force of flight to drag Gorgon's body, speeding away from the battlefield.
The speed was at its limit.
He didn't dare turn around.
He was afraid that if he turned around, he would see that crimson beam of light chasing after him.
"The remaining monsters, stay behind to buy time!"
Kingu gave the final command to the large magical beasts that remained in place.
But all those magical beasts were now terrified by Kotori's attack.
The power of that shot had completely shattered their fighting spirit as magical beasts.
They dared not attack.
They didn't dare to run away.
They could only stand there dumbfounded.
Pairs of eyes stared blankly in the direction where Kotori was.
My body is shaking uncontrollably.
Amidst a sea of flowers.
Kotori's cannon was still pointed forward.
But she stopped moving.
Because a silver-haired figure appeared in front of her.
Tomoe Gozen.
The silver-haired figure was smiling, facing Kotori.
" Kotori, are you alright?"
That Tomoe Gozen is smiling.
His smile was warm and friendly.
Exactly the same as usual.
But Kotori's intuition told her...
The person in front of me is fake.
She wasn't the real Tomoe Gozen.
Kotori had no idea what this fake Tomoe Gozen was.
But even if it's fake.
Kotori did not attack.
She stopped her attack.
The charging state of the Camael Cannon has been deactivated.
The cannon barrel began to retract, gradually transforming back into the shape of a tomahawk.
Then a voice came from behind Kotori.
" Kotori."
That was the familiar voice of Tomoe Gozen to Kotori.
Kotori's intuition told her that the voice coming from behind was the real Tomoe Gozen.
She hadn't even had a chance to turn around.
I felt myself being hugged from behind.
Two arms wrapped around her waist.
A soft body pressed against her back.
Her long silver hair cascaded down her shoulders, intertwining with her red hair.
Tomoe Gozen hugged Kotori from behind.
"Stop, Kotori."
Her voice came from Kotori's ear.
The battle is over.
Kotori's body stiffened for a moment.
The figure of the fake Tomoe Gozen in the sea of flowers slowly became transparent and then disappeared.
The surrounding sea of flowers began to sway and twist.
Cracks appeared in the blue sky.
The white tower began to crack from its edges.
The entire illusion shattered like glass.
Merlin's illusion has been dispelled.
The real battlefield reappeared before Kotori's eyes.
wilderness.
City wall.
And there were those large, dazed monsters on the ground.
And in the distance, a green dot of light was rapidly receding into the sky; Kingu, dragging Gorgon's body, was almost disappearing below the horizon.
Kotori watched the green dot of light disappear into the distance.
She raised her hand again.
But Tomoe Gozen hugged even tighter from behind.
"Stop chasing."
Tomoe Gozen's voice carried a hint of pleading.
"That's enough, Kotori."
"You've already won."
Kotori shook her head violently.
The body, which had just been stretched to its limit, relaxed again.
His fingers loosened their grip on the Camael handle.
The giant axe flashed in the air for a moment, then disappeared.
The black ribbon above their heads began to change.
The black faded and turned white.
As the color of the ribbon above her head changed, the crimson Astral Dress on her body also disappeared, and she returned to her middle school uniform.
Kotori blinked.
The lingering crimson light in my vision slowly dissipated, and reason returned to my mind like a tide.
What just happened?
She remembered cutting off the woman's wings, then transforming into a cannon and blasting her in half.
And then... it sounded like someone was calling her from the sea of flowers?
Tomoe Gozen?
Kotori looked down at the hands wrapped around her waist.
Then she felt the warmth of his body behind her.
A soft body pressed against her back, long silver hair brushing against her neck, causing a slight tickle.
Tomoe Gozen hugged her from behind.
The soldiers on the city wall are watching.
The other Servant are watching too.
All eyes were on the two of them.
Kotori's face flushed instantly.
"Tomie- Tomoe Gozen! Let go!"
She reached out to pry open the Tomoe Gozen's fingers.
"Lots of people are watching!"
Tomoe Gozen did not let go.
Instead, they hugged each other even tighter.
"Don't want."
"Huh?"
I said no.
Tomoe Gozen's voice came muffledly from the back of Kotori's head.
" Kotori was terrifying just now. What if I let go and Kotori turns back to that state?"
"I've turned back! The ribbons are all white now!"
"Uncertain."
Tomoe Gozen's arm remained completely still.
Kotori tried to break free with all her might.
They couldn't break free at all.
Let go!
"I won't let go."
" Tomoe Gozen--!"
Kotori felt her cheeks burning.
The level of shame I felt was off the charts.
That's so embarrassing.
Ushiwakamaru, perched on the city wall, tilted his head and asked Benkei in a low voice.
What... are they doing?
"They're probably... having a tiff?"
"It sounds more like the older sister is comforting the younger sister."
" Yoshitsune is right."
Leonidas let out a low laugh.
"It's fine."
Amakusa Shirou Shiro smiled but remained silent.
Kotori gave up struggling.
She sighed and let Tomoe Gozen hug her from behind.
"... Tomoe Gozen, aren't you afraid of me?"
"Aren't you afraid that I'll have gone mad by then and end up cutting you down too?"
Tomoe Gozen remained silent for a few more seconds.
Then she gently rested her chin on Kotori's shoulder.
"I'm scared."
"Then why are you coming down?"
"Because Merlin told me that Gorgon cannot die now."
Kotori's eyebrows twitched.
Merlin?
"Um."
He suddenly appeared beside me and said that if Gorgon were dead now, Uruk would face a stronger enemy unprepared.
That will be the real dead end. So Gorgon will have to live for a while longer.
Kotori was silent for a moment.
She knew Merlin.
Based on her memories from her past life, she knew that this Magus of Flowers had been secretly sealing away the real Tiamat.
If Gorgon dies, through the power of the Womb of All Beasts, the sleeping Tiamat will experience the feeling of death and then awaken prematurely.
Uruk is certainly not ready to face that thing yet.
"... So you believed it?"
I believe Merlin didn't lie to me.
Tomoe Gozen's voice was very soft.
"And Kotori isn't crazy."
"What's the meaning?"
"You didn't resist when I hugged you."
That's because--
Kotori opened her mouth, then closed it again.
Because she truly did not resist.
"You see."
Tomoe Gozen's tone carried a hint of smugness.
Kotori's body is more honest than Kotori mind.
"You--!"
Kotori turned her head and glared at Tomoe Gozen.
But that glance had no power whatsoever.
Because her face was still red.
Tomoe Gozen looked at Kotori's face and finally smiled.
She let go of her hand.
Her arm slid away from Kotori's waist, and she took a step back.
"Okay, let go. Kotori is back to normal now."
Kotori rubbed her lower back.
It hurts a little from Tomoe Gozen's tight grip.
Don't do that again next time.