Astra Yao watched the battle between Andrew and the Diablos from above, her heart filled only with worry amid everyone else's excitement.
But with her own power, she couldn't do anything at all.
Her previous attempt to attack with Ether energy after escaping danger had been utterly ineffective—the monster hadn't even reacted.
As anxiety gripped her, the large Ether devices around the venue suddenly gave Astra Yao an idea of what she could do now.
Direct combat wasn't her strength.
But music absolutely was!
If she couldn't help in battle, she'd assist from another angle!
She immediately took the sheet music handed over by the musicians and used Ether energy to draw a new score on the staff.
The musicians around her, though initially panicked by the sudden ascent, had known since the monster appeared that Astra Yao had saved their lives. They began to cooperate with full focus.
The next moment, uplifting music blared from the venue's equipment, perfectly harmonizing with "Scorching Blade" playing on Andrew's Ether Engine.
Accompanied by thunderous war-drum beats and soaring violin, the notes transformed into a scorching melody under the musicians' collaboration.
As the music rang out, a massive surge of Ether energy shone as golden light, gently wrapping around Andrew.
The large Ether devices around the venue, still operational, spun rapidly under Astra Yao's control.
The Ether Engine, already straining, rotated swiftly under her guidance of the Ether energy. Vast power that shouldn't have been possible poured into Andrew's body as pure enhancement.
Then, Astra Yao began urging it recklessly.
The venue's Ether devices overloaded at 300% efficiency, stacking energy and skyrocketing the music's buffs.
Besides the original Affinity Up, Attack Boost (L) and Defense Boost (M) all jumped a full tier.
Attack Boost became Extreme, Defense Boost Large.
But this forced leap came with a side effect: extremely short duration.
Ten seconds.
Only ten seconds.
That was the limit for these large Ether resonance devices under overload.
The countdown began the instant it activated.
Andrew couldn't help gripping his weapon tighter. Massive power flowed through him. Looking at the Diablos opposite, his confidence surged.
If before he'd been passively defending to protect the audience with no better option,
now, feeling the upgraded power in his body, Andrew changed strategy.
Dropping the power defense stance, Andrew assumed a pose no one expected.
He held his right-arm tower shield upright before him, left-hand lance pointed straight ahead—like a solid ram.
Together, they formed an invincible war chariot.
As the music swelled, the audience behind realized what Andrew intended. Emotions surged under the melody's lead, erupting in cheers:
"Go for it! Big bro with the lance!"
"You got this!"
The calls spread from scattered shouts to a unified roar.
With everyone's voices, Andrew charged.
The next moment, like an unstoppable spear, Andrew strode heavily toward the Diablos' dragon chariot head-on.
Each step shattered the ground.
And he wasn't doing this on a whim.
After all, the best defense is a good offense.
Since passive defense risked bystanders, the best way was to blast it back with stronger attacks!
The already enraged Diablos, seeing Andrew not flee but charge straight at it, had its burning fury explode. It flew into utter rage.
"ROAR!!!!!!"
The savage roar instantly evaporated hot steam into a tangible barrier via shockwave.
Driven by fury, the Diablos' dragon chariot charged even more relentlessly, speed ramping up in its all-out sprint.
In onlookers' eyes,
if the Diablos' charge was a destructive storm, a natural disaster like a flood,
Andrew was the unyielding rock blocking the disaster's path.
Carrying invincible momentum, as if to cleave everything in two, Andrew's charge showed no deformation or hesitation.
Feeling provoked, the Diablos poured even more into its charge.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
Though rhythms mismatched, full sprints created subtle harmony.
As they neared, each saw their reflection in the other's battle-fierce pupils.
The short hundreds of meters shrank rapidly in their mutual rush.
Under disbelieving gazes, without hesitation, they collided with world-shattering force.
No dodging.
No slowing.
Silence seemed to blanket the air, but next instant, unparalleled clash made everyone clutch their ears instinctively.
"BOOM!!!!!!"
A massive spiderweb crater scarred the ground instantly, shockwave shattering all venue glass.
"Ah!"
Shards rained like confetti, startling nearby people.
But all eyes stayed glued to the smoke, undistracted.
Deafening blast hurled everything nearby; dust engulfed man and beast.
No one could see the outcome.
"He... should be okay, right?"
A Thiren girl asked worriedly at the shrouded smoke, but those around were shocked speechless.
No one could answer, no one dared.
But as those protected by him in the stands, all hoped this man emerged unscathed.
Seconds felt like years, but soon the result revealed itself.
"ROAR!"
The dragon's terrifying roar pierced the smoke across the venue, sinking hearts.
But pain in its bellow kept hope alive.
Until the Diablos' pained flailing arms blew the dust away, revealing all.
Simultaneously, a yellow horn—black-speckled at the base—flew out, answering the head-on clash.
Smoke cleared: the one-horned Diablos collapsed unwillingly, roaring its final rage.
Heavily wounded, it couldn't hold; it fell.
The broken horn wasn't fatal. The true killer wound wasn't there.
Its once-intact skull now bore a deep blood-hole piercing bone into brain.
Brain damage fatal for most beasts.
Rage state crumbled; red war patterns faded into skin. Wounds, staunched by muscle contraction, bled anew.
Prior violent moves worsened them, blood flowing faster.
This moment, the curtain fell on Andrew vs. Diablos.
But the Diablos refused defeat.
Rage not fully gone, feeling gushing blood, frenzy drowned it like a tsunami.
Again, this human—using other dragons' corpses for weapons!
Before, such humans left it near-death, horn and half-tail lost. Now life too?!
Survival instinct surged, urging flight.
But no.
It forced back fleeing legs, eyeing trembling crowd-grouped stands.
It had noticed: this human protected them throughout.
Cunning turned savage in rage-warped brain.
If can't kill the man who crushed it head-on, destroy what he protects!
Hunter hatred became human hatred.
Under horrified gazes, Diablos wheeled, charging stands suicidally.
"No! Don't! Stay back!!!!"
Stands, nearly calm, chaotic again.
All fled desperately from the area.
Terror descended anew.
Two seconds.
That short distance, crossed in two.
Last ten meters, one more step—disaster Diablos would annihilate them.
But as purpose neared, the hunter-rock blocked again.
"BOOM!!!"
Dragon chariot hit dazzling-white shield, immense recoil halting it instantly.
"ROAR!!!"
No! Even final goal fails?!!
Andrew peered past shield at Diablos' unwilling eyes—no sympathy.
Its fate sealed invading, harming civilians.
"You shan't advance further."
Next instant, lance hurled—from weak underjaw up, piercing layers into brain.
"This is your end."
Lance pierced; end for spent Diablos. No unwilling thoughts, no grand future mattered.
Breath stopped.
"Shink!"
Lance withdrawn, blood arced ground. Andrew raised it high silently.
Roaring at chaotic stands:
"The monster is slain!"
Overwhelming aura mixed battle-residual killing intent stunned all.
Feet halted panic; stares fixed center.
Moonlight pierced open roof onto Andrew raising lance; snarling wolf-face over monster like solemn guardian king.
Moments passed; arm lowered—stands confirmed demon-beast truly dead.
Stunned, unresponsive.
Feet back ground: otherworldly feeling.
Today's events unimaginable even for Hollow-accustomed New Eridu.
None dreamed Hollow-outside terror-monster; yet one man crushed it.
Illogical progression made them doubt dream.
But ten-meters-distant corpse, nauseating blood-reek etched reality.
Surroundings screamed authenticity.
Final Diablos counter—bone-crushing death-aura lingered noses.
Cliff-edge half-step-out, foot dangling—recall agonizing.
Thus, Andrew's deeds etched deep.
Glancing busy Andrew at corpse, eyes held reverence.
For this stranger, they inquired identity mutually.
Full circle: no one knew.
Just Proxy Net commissions confirmed:
He, legendary Proxy Phaethon's agent.
Soon New Eridu gains legendary Proxy.
Masked publicly, curiosity held—no approach.
Just etched hearts.
The filming hand never lowered.
___
New Story: FGO: Building a Lostbelt from Scratch, the Winner is Canon
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