The Holy Lance, Rhongomyniad.
The weapon used by Artoria in Proper Human History, which serves as an anchor supporting the outer world, is now displayed in magical form before everyone's eyes.
A spear of golden-white light, as if piercing space itself, fell from the sky. As if intending to penetrate and destroy the earth, the spear struck straight into the Great Hole in front of the main gate of the royal city!
Besides Morgan and Naoki, everyone was stunned.
"That's... the Holy Lance?"
Gray touched the cage she always carried. She had also performed the release of the Holy Lance, but compared to when she released it, the Holy Lance now presented before her eyes, both in terms of power and scale, far surpassed hers!
Even though it was supposed to be just a replica reproduced through Magecraft.
And again...
"Why did he suddenly use the Holy Lance?"
Aoko looked at the golden-white light outside that shone and did not disappear for a long time.
Why did Morgan and Naoki use the Holy Lance now? Could Cernunnos, sleeping within the Great Hole, be showing signs of awakening? But that monster had been asleep for twelve thousand years, it couldn't possibly suddenly awaken now?
And Morgan's words just now...
"Invasion? Barrier?"
Ritsuka thought of these two words: "The barrier set up by the Department Head and Lady Morgan around the Great Hole was destroyed by someone, causing Cernunnos to awaken... That must be it."
"That's the only possibility. The problem is, who did it?"
Sitting on the throne and listening to the people below talk, Morgan and Naoki exchanged glances, then Morgan asked coldly: "You... do you truly know nothing? About the insect that destroyed the Great Hole's barrier."
"Why do you think we know?" Aoko retorted, "And you said we came to stall for time... Don't tell me you think we're colluding with someone outside?"
"Is there any other possibility besides that?"
Morgan said coldly.
Indeed, looking at the current situation, that was the only possibility. Otherwise, there wouldn't be such a coincidence. Daring to interfere with the barrier from outside precisely when Aoko and the others came to interfere with their wedding dresses, this was not something that could be resolved with the word coincidence.
But...
"They genuinely don't know."
Naoki explained for them before Aoko could defend herself: "I have confirmed it by reading their minds. Not a single one of them knew that someone would attack the barrier from outside just now—perhaps they themselves were also kept in the dark, or perhaps it truly has nothing to do with them. In short, at least currently, they have no connection to the situation outside."
"Since you said it, I'll take it as such."
After a moment of silence, Morgan sighed slightly.
"More importantly, how is Cernunnos? That attack should have caused him great damage. It should be enough to make him fall back asleep."
"From the analysis results, the Holy Lance attack damaged 20% of the divine body. And as usual, regeneration is complete. The concentration of the curse is decreasing normally. In another ten minutes, it should return to its original level."
Naoki repeated the analysis results.
The results were not much different from usual. The analysis obtained after gathering fairies every year and using squeezed Mana to bombard Cernunnos was almost the same as now. The only difference was that the bombardment time was earlier this time, wasting some of the Mana stored in the throne.
"So, it has been suppressed normally."
"Yes, so far everything is normal. Rest assured."
Naoki's words slightly eased Morgan's serious expression.
The Three Calamities prophesied to destroy Britain. The Calamity of Beasts and the Calamity of Fire were always well-controlled by the two of them, but only the Calamity of Curses, represented by Cernunnos, was always Morgan's concern.
She needed Cernunnos's divine body to continuously suppress the Cursed Worm, but she also couldn't let him awaken and spread curses across Britain. To be honest, handling him was very troublesome. Bombarding him once a year like this was merely a temporary solution.
However, just as Morgan let out a sigh of relief...
"Eh?"
Naoki's sudden voice made her forehead furrow.
"What's wrong, Naoki?"
"No... This value..."
Naoki's eyes were fixed on the analysis results. Although the values were normal before, now, the analysis results made him unconsciously fall silent and surprised, eventually becoming shocked and serious.
The reason was simple.
Because in the analysis results, the value representing Cernunnos's physical activity level continuously surged, and along with this surge, the curse concentration also rapidly increased!
At the same time—
*RUMBLE!*
Like the earth beginning to tremble, or like space constantly rubbing and pressing.
A muffled, ear-piercing, and oppressive tremor sound suddenly came from outside the city!
Aoko and the others unconsciously covered their ears.
"What is that sound?"
"So piercing... and it sounds sickening..."
"And it also carries Mana pressure and pollution... Ugh!"
Touko, Ciel, and Ayaka, who were pure mages, were the first to feel the anomaly caused by this tremor. Their magic circuits now felt like they were burning with fire. The sharp pain made all three of their foreheads crease!
This was a rejection reaction.
Mana in the air was polluted and rejected because it didn't match their personal magic circuits.
*CRACK!*
After glancing at the three, Naoki immediately locked them back into crystal cages, shrinking them to palm size, then handed them to Aoko: "Take them away, Aoko. And you too, everyone leave this place. Put up barriers to protect yourselves from the curse."
"Then, Morgan, find Artoria Caster, Baobhan Sith, Barghest, and Melusine. All of you go into the garden to protect yourselves. Do not come out without my command. Let only me remain in the royal city. I will handle everything that is about to happen."
"...."
There was no answer.
Morgan merely looked at the side of Naoki's face, then instantly disappeared from the throne with spatial displacement.
Meanwhile, below, after putting away the crystals protecting Touko and the others, Aoko asked: "So... did something big happen, Naoki?"
"That's none of your business. You just need to return to the room I prepared for you, and use all your means to protect yourselves. There's a Magician and a True Ancestor there; it's not a difficult thing."
"Are you planning to handle everything alone again?" Aoko frowned, handing the crystal in her hand to Ritsuka: "Ritsuka, you take Touko and the others away. I will stay—"
Aoko hadn't finished speaking, but she suddenly disappeared from her spot. Immediately after, before the others could say anything, they one by one disappeared from the Throne Room.
Within seconds, only Naoki remained in the Throne Room.
"Using Displacement Magecraft to move everyone?"
But, strangely, in the space that should have contained only himself, another voice suddenly sounded.
A voice almost exactly like his own.
Naoki looked at the space in front of him: "Come out. Don't play riddles, Me."
"Two thousand four hundred years without meeting."
Walking out of the empty space, Naoki Number Two smiled and looked at his other self sitting on the throne.
"I have come to return something to you, the original."