On the rooftop.
Naoki glanced at the constantly updating news on his phone, noting the shrinking time window for the meteorite's impact. He pocketed the phone and looked up at the sky.
"Heading out, Master?"
Behind him, Artoria, pushing open the door, asked, "This is sudden. Didn't you say you'd strike after the meteorite entered the atmosphere? It's still outside the atmosphere now—can you handle it?"
"With all my strength, it should be possible, but I might only get one shot." As he spoke, a powerful vortex of air began to swirl around Naoki. "By relying on wind spirits, I can control the atmosphere over a vast range, sending myself into space. That way, reaching outer space is feasible, but I can only get there—I can't keep moving in the vacuum of space."
"What about a counterattack?"
"Imaginary Manifestation, dropping the moon on it. I don't know if it'll actually destroy it, but I have to try."
"Is it urgent?" Artoria pressed. "The meteorite still has plenty of time before entering the atmosphere. During that time, we could prepare, like setting up some Magecraft. There's no need to rush now, right?"
As Artoria said, dealing with the meteorite wasn't that urgent. Thoroughly preparing before it fell, then destroying it the moment it entered range, would actually be better.
There was no need to rush like Naoki was.
Naoki smiled and nodded. "Yeah, no need to rush, but I want to do it—Taiga said it, didn't she? We have to make the most of our remaining time meaningful."
"I'm the Holy Sword Wielder, right? If saving the world is my duty, I shouldn't just sit around waiting for a crisis to come. I should proactively strangle it before it arrives—that's the mindset, right? Of course, more often it's just a whim."
"I understand."
As if making a decision, Artoria calmed herself, stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around Naoki's waist. "Then let me come with you, Master. I'm your Servant, and fighting alongside you is my duty. Besides, as a fellow Holy Sword Wielder, don't think saving the world is your responsibility alone."
The words felt familiar, stirring a memory.
Naoki smiled. "Those words… Aoko said something like that to me too. Don't keep thinking you have to bear everything alone. She told me more than once that if I wanted to act recklessly, she'd be reckless with me as many times as needed."
"Then you've got one more person to be reckless with now. Though it wasn't my original intention, I can't leave the real world anymore. So, as your Servant, I'm happy to be your sword, your shield, Master."
"If that's the case, just call me Natsukawa or Naoki. By the way, sometimes Mordred calls me Father King or whatever… Ah, we'll deal with that later. For now, let's smash that meteorite."
Embracing Artoria and fully summoning wind spirits into his body, countless streams of air swirled and gathered around Naoki, forming a massive storm vortex in an instant. Outside the vortex, it was as if two invisible giant hands were compressing it, visibly shrinking the storm bit by bit.
Just as the fierce winds were compressed to their limit—
"Hold on tight, Lia, we're going up!"
"Ready!"
*BOOM!*
The compressed storm exploded beneath them. A deafening sound, like a rocket launch, echoed through the space. With a tornado shooting straight into the sky, Naoki and Artoria's silhouettes formed a meteor streaking across the heavens!
Watching the light splitting the sky, Manaka, standing among the crowd looking up, sighed with slight irritation. "You moved fast, Lia… This time, I'll let you have the stage."
"This will be the last. Fight on, my Prince."
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Outer Space.
Since ancient times, no one had reached this realm using their own power. Though some had the ability, none had ever realized it and flown here like Naoki.
"———"
In the vacuum, no sound existed. Thus, even as the fierce winds subsided, Naoki and Artoria heard nothing around them.
Covering her mouth, Artoria and Naoki observed the space around them.
(A dark expanse filled with twinkling stars, beautiful yet silent… The temperature is extremely low, making prolonged activity impossible. Breathing is also an issue.)
Looking at Artoria beside him, Naoki grasped her hand, and they exchanged a glance.
—Leave the rest to me.
His eyes conveyed that intent.
Nodding, Artoria released his hand and retreated forcefully. Stepping forward, Naoki extended his perception as far as possible. The meteorite wasn't yet visible to the naked eye—if it became visible, it'd be too late. It had to be destroyed before it arrived!
"——————"
In the silent expanse of space, a faint vibration rippled, spreading through the void and entering Naoki's perception range.
(There?)
His perception traced the source of the vibration, and suddenly, in his sensory range, where there had been nothing, an entity of immeasurable mass appeared without warning!
No forewarning, no signs—it was as if it had teleported directly into Naoki's perception range!
(A meteorite that can move through space… No wonder its speed was abnormal.)
That morning, the meteorite's estimated arrival was two days away. Now, just over half a day later, it was confirmed to arrive within twenty-four hours. Such abnormal speed could only be explained by spatial teleportation.
(If I followed the original plan, I might've been sipping tea when it suddenly teleported into the atmosphere. By then, it'd be too late to deal with—I'll take it down here!)
Imaginary Manifestation!
Maximum scale!
"——————!"
A powerful tremor spread through space. In the darkness, a dim red glow suddenly appeared before Naoki, then, like a fire fanned by wind, it filled Artoria's entire field of vision in an instant!
It was the moon.
A crimson moon.
The ultimate technique of the True Ancestor Princess, Arcueid Brunestud. Having borrowed her power several times before, Naoki could easily envision and manifest it.
Aiming at the meteorite's approach, his body erupted with intense lightning. Like a thunder giant, Naoki swung his fist with all his might, striking the moon!
*BOOM!*
There should've been no sound, but Artoria's ears seemed to hallucinate, hearing a deafening tremor!
A moment later.
The Crimson Moon shot forward!