Chapter 199: Die Quickly and Become a Sage!!
It had to be admitted that Hanami's judgment was indeed without error.
[Noble Phantasms], as crystallized embodiments of human miracles, mostly possess quite unique methods of activation. Fundamentally, they require specific conditions to be met to function. While Noble Phantasms without any prerequisites do exist, their effects are, more likely than not, underwhelming.
Take the simplest example, Hrunting: its effect is merely to optimize the most ordinary slash into the most "correct" path, but isn't the act of swinging still a necessary prerequisite?
When it comes to Mana-Burst type Noble Phantasms like Caliburn or Excalibur, their essence is that of an amplification converter, used to transform the master's magical energy into a highly destructive state. While they can forgo the incantation step during use, their power inevitably diminishes, and the condition of True Name Release remains mandatory.
In a normal [Holy Grail War], Heroic Spirits often hide their identities from one another to avoid targeted strikes based on their myths and legends. Thus, when a scenario arises where a True Name must be released, it usually means the battle has entered an unavoidable climax where a winner must be decided.
For Noble Phantasms like Fragarach or Gae Bolg, which require active triggering by the user, they must not only release the True Name but also fulfill specific conditions—such as the enemy being within a certain range or the enemy currently using their "trump card."
Naturally, basic physical requirements are still necessary—you must perform an action like swinging or thrusting for the effect of causality reversal to take place. Otherwise, if there is no "cause" of the blade being thrust, how can the Noble Phantasm reverse the "effect" of the enemy being pierced?
Noble Phantasms must still follow basic physical laws.
If they didn't, Emiya would only need to keep Fragarach tucked in his belt at all times, and enemies would effectively have their winning trump cards banned by default. Then, on top of that, he could carry Gae Bolg on his back, so that any enemy stepping within a certain radius would automatically have their heart pierced...
That would be more impossible to counter than a mechanism-monster in a Creepypasta.
In short, all these factors meant that Emiya currently had no effective way to block Hanami's [Domain Expansion].
Quite possibly, this very moment was a condition finally achieved after the enemy had meticulously planned for a long time, specifically to diminish his combat power and stall for as long as possible. To find a way to counter Emiya, this group had truly exhausted their wits.
Once the incantation for [Domain Expansion] was completed, countless plants instantly began to spread frantically from Hanami's palm. Within moments, they reached Emiya's feet, swallowing up all the frenzied cursed spirits in the process.
In the next second, the surrounding environment was replaced—shifting from a desolate, ruined city to a vast landscape of blue sky and white clouds, with a field of flowers so brilliantly vibrant it formed a stark contrast with the filthy, ugly cursed spirits.
It was actually quite difficult for Emiya to guess the specific effect of the opponent's Domain. After all, Hanami's innate technique was plant manipulation; surely the Domain wouldn't just be "manipulating even more plants"?
Unlike Jogo, whose technique is fire and whose Domain is a volcano—which is easy to guess—who could have predicted that for Gojo Satoru's straightforward [Limitless], the Domain's effect would target the realm of consciousness? It's not as if the physical damage was already maxed out, so the Domain "intelligently" changed its own effect.
"Roar—!"
Emiya was still cautiously observing the Domain's environment to judge its effect and prepare a countermeasure, but the mindless cursed spirits had already lost their patience. Even if Hanami could initially hide from their senses by blending into nature, the environment had now been completely altered by the Domain; to remain indifferent now would be an insult to their instincts.
However, before these massive cursed spirits could begin to violently destroy the surroundings, hundreds of vines suddenly erupted from the deceptive sea of flowers, piercing directly toward them.
Rip!
With the "sure-hit" buff of the Domain, it was impossible for these spirits to dodge or defend. As for using barrier techniques to counter a Domain? One shouldn't have such high expectations for mindless spirits.
Nearly every spirit was impaled and locked down by dozens of thorn-covered vines. The largest one was snared by hundreds, its body riddled with bleeding punctures. Most terrifyingly, the more these mindless beasts struggled, the deeper the thorns sank. The vines constantly siphoned their cursed energy, growing thicker and stronger.
As blood sprayed, buds began to grow on the vines, blooming into vivid, crimson flowers...
"In the broken world of [Magano], fragile flowers have no space to survive, and my [Sacrificial Flowers] lose all utility,"
Hanami explained.
"But for resilient plants, a harsh environment is merely tempering. Everything becomes their nourishment... The more these spirits use cursed energy to struggle, the deeper the roots grow, siphoning even more energy.
I cannot use this power myself, but the [Sacrificial Flowers], and even this Domain, can store the energy within them..."
In the dozen seconds of Hanami's explanation, the spirits' struggles weakened until they collapsed into the sea of flowers, their remains consumed by the lethal ocean.
After this was complete, not only had the "eye" on Hanami's right shoulder fully opened, but the flower field had also grown several inches higher, blooming with tall, gorgeous, yet slightly grotesque flowers. Emiya wouldn't be surprised if they grew eyes or mouths full of fangs in the next moment.
"So devouring your own kind was your plan from the start. How cruel." Even wild beasts rarely exterminate their own kind, let alone cannibalize them. Very few species engage in cannibalism, and almost all of them are infamous.
"Cruel? Compared to that, I find the human behavior of slowly devouring their own kind even more so,"
Hanami replied.
"Their sacrifice will not be meaningless. When the human species is extinct, nature will find peace, and cursed spirits will become the true 'humans.'
We are different from hypocritical humans; we would never slaughter our own kind under hollow pretenses... It is simply that the strong devour the weak; this is the eternal law of nature."
Hanami stood up slowly, the pupil on its right shoulder staring directly at Emiya.
"Within my Domain, you absolutely cannot dodge this strike. But to maximize the results, I have prepared other gifts for you."
As Hanami spoke, the massive flower buds nearby bloomed, releasing clouds of pollen that quickly formed a miasma-like mist within the Domain.
Emiya knew he couldn't inhale this unknown mist, but even if he held his breath, how long could he last without contact?
"It is useless. Even if this pollen only touches your skin or cursed energy, it will gradually paralyze and interfere with you. At the same time, you can no longer use cursed energy within this mist..."
As Hanami continued to speak, the [Sacrificial Flower] on its shoulder finished condensing the cursed energy, waiting for the final moment to launch the ultimate blast.
However, Hanami, focused entirely on the attack, failed to notice that Emiya's expression had begun to turn subtly strange.
"Trace on."
The Noble Phantasm Emiya projected in his hand to counter Hanami's all-out strike was not a noble or grand sword, but four seemingly unremarkable short knives that appeared to have dried bloodstains on them.
At that moment, Hanami's attack finally finished its charging process—
"Die quickly, and become a sage!!!"
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