Consciousness falls into a deeper realm.
Perhaps because his entire existence had been absorbed by Vortigern, Naoki could clearly feel that he now had no connection to his original body.
This sensation was somewhat similar to an out-of-body experience.
The body that continued to fall inside Naraku was now merely an empty shell. Everything that was inside it was now by his side.
Then...
"She didn't digest me?"
Stepping on what could be called ground, Naoki gazed at the pitch-black space surrounding him.
This place was likely the interior of Vortigern's body. Although it could be said that the inside of the Cursed Worm was also the inside of Vortigern's body, after all, the Cursed Worm and Vortigern were two separate individuals. Though they were the same existence, their bodies were truly two.
Naoki should be inside Vortigern's body right now.
Everything swallowed by her would eventually gather here, be digested and absorbed, and transformed into her power.
However, this might not apply to Naoki. The reason was simple: the Holy Sword.
The light of the Holy Sword, for Vortigern, was food that she swallowed, but also a poison that would cause her great damage. If she only swallowed it as now, it was fine, but if she wanted to take the Holy Sword's light as her own, she certainly wouldn't be able to endure it.
And as the Holy Sword Bearer, Naoki was also under the protection of the Holy Sword. Digesting him would surely involve digesting the Holy Sword as well.
That was why he could still exist here.
However—
"My current situation might be beyond Vortigern's expectations."
Naoki was certain that Vortigern did not expect him to regain his consciousness inside her body. It was something he himself had never thought of. Although he had indeed left some backup plans, this was not included.
And because Vortigern did not anticipate this situation, Naoki had a chance to turn the tables—a chance to completely turn the tables.
(If my guess is correct, that should be in a deeper place here...)
Relaxing his body, Naoki allowed his consciousness to sink into a deeper and darker place.
Like diving.
Being in the shallow layer could only see things floating on the surface. To see more real, more mysterious existences, he could only continue to explore the depths.
Sinking, sinking, sinking, sinking... Completely unconcerned whether continuing to sink would face something else, completely unthinking whether his actions would trigger resistance inside Vortigern's body, Naoki continued to sink.
And as he sank, in the endless and infinite world of darkness—
*BZZZZT!*
A faint light flickered silently.
Without the slightest hesitation, Naoki immediately approached that light. The light's intensity appeared to grow stronger as the distance decreased, until it finally truly appeared in his eyes.
"It's really that... Although I only had an unrealistic hope, I didn't expect to actually find it."
Naoki stared at the object emitting the light.
It was a golden chalice.
The chalice once created by Goetia, thrown into Proper Human History in the past, and after being obtained by Morgan, used to summon and strengthen Vortigern.
"Holy Grail."
The source within Vortigern's body that allowed her to gain the power to defeat Naoki in a normal state—the Holy Grail from the Sixth Singularity.
Because objects swallowed would enter Vortigern's body, as long as Naoki searched inside her body, he might be able to find the Holy Grail that was also inside her body.
Naoki thought so. Although at that time he couldn't be completely sure, the result turned out well.
Then the next step was...
*BZZZZT!*
Light gathered in Naoki's hand. Not a physical entity, the Holy Sword, which was merely the manifestation of his power and light, formed in his hand.
Aiming at the Holy Grail, Naoki suddenly swung the Holy Sword with all his might! A golden crescent moon shot into the air in an instant!
*BANG!*
The impact and vibrations exploded and echoed in the darkness. The emitted light only shone for a moment before being swallowed back by the darkness. And the Holy Grail that was directly hit by the slash—
"Tch, not even a scratch?"
Seeing the Holy Grail completely undamaged, Naoki clicked his tongue.
The Holy Grail, along with Vortigern, had been suppressed in the deepest part of Britain for six thousand years. It could also be said that it had accumulated Mana for a full six thousand years. Perhaps now the Holy Grail had formed a complete self-protection mechanism. Half-hearted attacks could not possibly destroy it.
"But if I want to win, this is the only thing I can do."
Naoki raised the Holy Sword again.
Vortigern's power source was the Holy Grail. So, as long as the Holy Grail was destroyed, all the wonders triggered by the Holy Grail would disappear, such as Vortigern's out-of-limits swallowing ability. And after that, Naoki would also be freed from this darkness.
"With the power remaining in me now... Life or death, it all depends on this moment!"
The Holy Sword emitted light again. A golden stream flowed out from the sword blade, striking straight at the Holy Grail!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Ugh!"
At the same time, inside Naraku.
Vortigern felt an inexplicable vibration inside her body, a feeling like her stomach cramping from indigestion.
"What happened?"
Holding her stomach, Vortigern was slightly confused about what was happening to her.
Could she really have eaten something wrong?
(This is the first time I swallowed the Holy Sword's light along with the entire power of the Holy Sword Bearer. Even my predecessor never did something like this. Is my body adapting to the Holy Sword's power? Or is it digesting and breaking it down?)
As Naoki thought, Vortigern had no idea at all that Naoki would regain his consciousness inside her body. To her, Naoki, whose Holy Sword and power had been completely swallowed, was now essentially a dead man. There was absolutely no possibility of revival.
In fact, who would think that someone's consciousness could revive relying only on power? Only an exception like Naoki, who had once split himself into two, could still maintain his consciousness even though his power and body were separated.
And again—
*ZING!*
In the depths of Naraku, a beam of light suddenly shone!
Vortigern immediately froze, then her eyes widened in disbelief, because in her eyes...
*BANG!*
Naoki, who should have died completely because his power had been swallowed by her, now emitted strong Mana and light throughout his body, shooting towards him from the depths of Naraku at lightning speed, like a launched rocket!
(He's not dead?)
(No, impossible. Everything from him has been swallowed by me! The Holy Sword, Mana, his contents, his existence—how could he still be alive after all that I swallowed?)
"Ghost!?"
"I'm alive!!"
Traversing infinite space in an impossible condition, Naoki, who returned before Vortigern, shouted that while swinging the dim Holy Sword in his hand with all his might!
*CLANG!*
Naraku, which had only been calm for one or two minutes, was now once again filled with the sound of clashing sword blades.