Chapter 168: Enkidu Binds the Sword of Judgment! Shirou vs. Goddess Astraea!
"Rumble!"
Enveloped by the Sword of Judgment and transformed into a vortex of divine power, the center of the execution grounds saw Shirou's figure appear like a hero from a story, or a fated brave warrior, at the most critical moment in front of Ryuu. With the quenched longsword in his hand, he blocked the attack of the Sword of Judgment.
Moreover, Shirou was now distinctly different from before.
His hair had completely returned to red; the streak of white hair that had resulted from the erosion of Archer EMIYA due to his forceful use of Unlimited Blade Works had vanished entirely.
This undoubtedly symbolized that he had now completely severed ties with Archer EMIYA and was no longer influenced by his Heroic Spirit self.
The longsword in Shirou's hand was [Agaris], a weapon specially forged temporarily to contain Alise's soul.
Undoubtedly, the rank of Agaris was not high; it was merely an ordinary weapon. Based purely on its quality, it couldn't even be considered a third-class weapon, let alone a Divine Instrument. Yet, with this mortal-level weapon, he had forcefully blocked the attack of the Goddess Astraea's Sword of Judgment, the strongest Authority in Genkai.
Faced with this astonishing sight, the gods on Babel all showed shocked expressions. No one had expected that a mortal could withstand Astraea's Sword of Judgment, and it was even harder to imagine what an exaggerated level of power would be required to save someone from that colossal greatsword.
"The Sword Demon... the Sword Demon actually showed up?!"
"Is that guy really human? The Sword of Judgment was blocked?"
"It's too unbelievable, simply too unbelievable."
Confronted with this completely unexpected turn of events, the gods were momentarily filled with disbelief.
In contrast, Freya and Loki had somewhat anticipated Shirou's arrival.
However, even they were surprised and shaken when they actually saw Shirou block the Sword of Judgment and save Ryuu from that unimaginably massive sword. They never expected he could truly accomplish such an extraordinary feat, something that even gods might not be able to do, let alone a mortal.
Upon seeing Ryuu successfully survive, Freya took a deep breath and then couldn't help but show a relieved expression.
However, as she looked at Ryuu, saved by Shirou, a complex emotion flashed through Freya's eyes, and a hint of an unclear shadow flickered in their depths.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the execution platform, Hermes watched the unfolding, story-perfect scene and excitedly curled his lips, saying, "As expected, it all comes down to you, Emiya Shirou. Let me witness the limit you can reach as a mortal!"
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After blocking the descending Sword of Judgment with one hand and declaring himself to the gods, Shirou spoke softly to Ryuu behind him: "How is it? Can you stand?"
"E... Emiya..."
Ryuu's expression was incredibly complicated upon Shirou's arrival.
After a long hesitation, she suddenly said, "Emiya, don't try to save me, leave this place! You should understand that it's impossible for a mortal's power to oppose the Goddess Astraea! Anyone targeted by this Sword of Judgment cannot escape the judgment of justice!"
"..."
"I've prepared myself. It's fine even if I die here. So, there's no need to save me. I don't want to see any more companions die!"
Ryuu spoke words of resolve.
Shirou fell silent upon hearing her words, and it was only after a long while that he slowly spoke: "If you say you've prepared yourself, then why are you crying right now?"
"...?"
It was then that Ryuu realized that in the instant she was about to face death, her heart was enveloped by extreme fear, and the instinct for survival had caused tears to flow uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes.
This undeniably proved that she hadn't truly resolved herself to die and still desperately desired to live, to survive until the very last moment.
However, Ryuu strongly refused to admit this; she couldn't accept that she was so fragile, unable even to silently accept death.
Shirou was about to say something in response to Ryuu's self-denial, but he noticed a fluctuation in the Sword of Judgment before him.
"Boom!"
Perhaps due to Shirou's sudden intervention, the Sword of Judgment detected the external influence, so it actively changed the target of judgment, shifting the one being judged from Ryuu directly to Shirou.
"Judgment commences, target change: Emiya Shirou."
The nameless voice echoed in the air.
Shirou distinctly felt a certain pressure spreading over him, followed by a giant scale appearing in the sky.
It was the same judgment Ryuu had received earlier.
The two ends of the scale represented the standard of justice represented by the Goddess of Justice and Shirou's actions up until this point, and the necessity of the judgment would be determined based on the final result.
"Whoosh—"
Ultimately, with almost no suspense, Shirou was undoubtedly deemed guilty in the face of the judgment carried out by the Sword of Judgment.
"Emiya Shirou, declared guilty."
"Execution of judgment commences!"
Suddenly, the massive Sword of Judgment executed a violent rotation in the sky, then rushed toward Shirou with an even more terrifying momentum than before.
"Emiya!"
Seeing this, Ryuu instinctively cried out, wanting Shirou to leave.
But Shirou merely turned his head, facing the terrifying weapon descending from the sky, which seemed poised to cleave the heavens and the earth, life and death, and all things in the world.
"So that is the Goddess of Justice's Sword of Judgment? It's just as exaggerated as I imagined." Shirou faced the Sword of Judgment. "If that's the case, let me fully experience it!"
"Don't do this, Emiya! Don't save me again! You won't be able to block the Sword of Judgment a second time; this time, you'll be completely shattered!"
Ryuu desperately pleaded, trying to make Shirou give up.
But Shirou didn't turn back.
However, while Shirou himself said nothing back, Alise's figure, the soul within Shirou's longsword, emerged for the first time.
She no longer concealed her presence, appearing before Ryuu, and slowly said:
"Trust him, Ryuu. Just like you once trusted me, trust the true hero."
"Alise..."
Ryuu was completely stunned upon seeing Alise's soul appear before her.
At the same time, Shirou and the descending Sword of Judgment had already resumed their confrontation.
"Boom!"
The Sword of Judgment descended with astonishing might. The massive divine power was like a volcanic eruption, suddenly surging toward the ground, piercing straight in Shirou's direction.
The distance between the two closed in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, Shirou and the Sword of Judgment were about to collide at a visible speed.
Most people present did not believe this mortal who dared to confront the Sword of Judgment head-on could defeat it directly.
This was not only because of the immense divine power contained within the Sword of Judgment but also because, as the physical manifestation of an Authority, it contained absolute law and power. If deemed guilty and a violation of justice by the Sword of Judgment, this weapon capable of ending everything could even kill gods of the same level.
As a mortal, Shirou could in no way oppose the Sword of Judgment and was destined to be completely torn apart by the giant sword of judgment!
Ryuu, especially, being so close, almost instinctively closed her eyes, unable to bear watching Shirou be destroyed and shattered by the Sword of Judgment.
However, just as everyone watched Shirou and the Sword of Judgment get closer, awaiting an astonishing collision, Shirou's movement suddenly stalled mid-process.
In the very instant he was about to collide with the Sword of Judgment, Shirou suddenly stopped moving.
Then, he pulled out a golden chain from his inner pocket and swung it toward the Sword of Judgment.
"Bind it, Enkidu!"
Under Shirou's command, the golden chain rushed out from him at high speed.
It rapidly extended, wrapping itself around the Sword of Judgment, which represented justice.
Finally, in the blink of an eye, the chain quickly bound the greatsword, trapping it in place.
"Clang!"
However, the Sword of Judgment did not immediately lose its ability to react because of the binding of Enkidu.
On the contrary, under the restraint of Enkidu, the Sword of Judgment struggled fiercely, and the immense turmoil it released seemed about to overturn the entire execution site.
Under normal circumstances, Enkidu would definitely be no match for the power of the Sword of Judgment.
This was because the power of Enkidu has limits; it works very well when binding demigods or gods unable to use their divine power, but it is impossible for Enkidu to completely seal a true god who can use genuine divine power.
Not to mention that its opponent was the Goddess of Justice's sword, which could be considered one of the most aggressive Authorities among all divine Authorities.
However, Shirou choosing to use Enkidu at this moment clearly indicated that he had made some preparations in advance.
He knew that ordinary Enkidu couldn't restrain the true Sword of Judgment, so before rushing to the execution grounds, he had soaked Enkidu in divine blood for a long time, integrating the divine power of true gods.
Yes, to enhance the performance of Enkidu, Shirou had sought out every god he could find beforehand, including Ishtar, Thanatos, Hestia, and others, asking them to offer a sufficient amount of divine blood.
Hestia, in particular, had already consumed a large amount of divine blood to ignite Shirou's Karma's Flames, and Shirou hadn't wanted to burden her further. However, Hestia insisted on providing her blood, so much so that after this second blood donation, she was now as weak as a dead fish, lying motionless on a Dian Cecht Familia infirmary bed.
Nevertheless, it was thanks to the nourishment of the many divine bloods that the current Enkidu briefly gained the ability to bind a true god.
"Rumble!"
The Sword of Judgment struggled violently.
But as Enkidu exerted its force, it was forcefully held in place, unable to break through the chain's restraint, and unable to attack Shirou. The Sword of Judgment was firmly sealed in mid-air.
Shirou himself decisively seized this opportunity.
He had feigned a direct confrontation with the Sword of Judgment, but the moment he threw out Enkidu, he immediately retreated to Ryuu's side.
He not only unlocked all the chains on Ryuu but also immediately picked her up and prepared to leave the execution grounds.
"Don't tell me you don't want to live now, Ryuu," Shirou said slowly while holding the elf girl. "This is not just a request from Alise; it is also my own will. I will definitely save you and let you live!"
"Emiya... Alise..."
Ryuu nodded blankly.
At this point, the turmoil and confusion in her heart were finally completely settled.
Seeing Alise appear before her in her soul form and Shirou forcefully sealing the Sword of Judgment to save her, she finally stopped feeling self-pity and self-abandonment. Instead, she chose to do everything she could to live alongside her current companions!
"Thank you... Thank you both." Ryuu took a deep breath. "Please save me. I want to live with all of you too!"
"Of course."
Shirou responded with a smile.
And by his side, Alise's soul also smiled.
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The gods looked on in stunned silence at the Sword of Judgment, bound and motionless by Enkidu. They seemed to have never expected such a result in the end.
That miraculous chain had actually sealed the Authority of the Goddess of Justice, suppressing a weapon capable of judging the gods.
This exaggerated reality made it difficult for any god to easily accept it.
Most importantly, while Shirou was stalling the Sword of Judgment, the allied forces who had come to rescue Ryuu had further defeated the Familias deployed here by the Guild.
With Ottar trapped by Kali's Authority in the fighting arena, the other adventurers could not possibly compete against the united Familias and were quickly subdued.
If things continued this way, there was a very high possibility that Ryuu would be successfully rescued.
"Tsk tsk, what a magnificent and exaggerated torrent of events," Loki's eyes couldn't help but widen at the sight. She spoke with excitement, "Just a year ago, I wouldn't have imagined such an interesting thing happening in Orario! It's simply like a dream!"
"Yes... that man is indeed very skilled at creating miracles."
Freya also nodded slightly, agreeing with Loki's words.
The gods of the two strongest Familias of the Order Faction were clearly very supportive of Shirou's actions right now. In fact, they were definitely on Shirou's side, providing considerable assistance to this execution.
If this continued, everything would likely proceed smoothly until Ryuu's rescue was successful.
However, a certain god would not idly stand by.
The turning point quickly occurred.
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As Shirou was fleeing with Ryuu from the execution platform, a female deity with long brown hair and a white long dress slowly appeared before him.
She blocked his path.
"Stop. I will not let you leave today, no matter what."
Astraea spoke slowly, her gentle words filled with a bone-chilling indifference.
Her voice radiated an absolute killing intent that an ordinary person would find unbearable.
"Lady Astraea..."
Faced with the appearance of the Goddess of Justice, Ryuu and Alise simultaneously displayed complex expressions.
The human and the soul seemed unable to comprehend and believe that the goddess who was once as gentle as "Justice" itself could become so utterly ruthless now.
"It seems I have to face you after all, Astraea." Shirou looked directly at the Goddess of Justice. "Very well. If that's the case, then come on!"
With that, Shirou gently set Ryuu down from his embrace and let her jump down the path from the execution platform.
Not far away, Anya and the other members of the Hostess of Fertility pub had been waiting for a long time and immediately received Ryuu.
"Anya... everyone..."
"Foolish Ryuu, you worried us so much, meow!"
The cat-girl Anya immediately rushed into Ryuu's embrace.
The other waitresses also showed gentle expressions.
!
But the crowd did not completely immerse themselves in the joy of the rescue; they all turned their attention to the two figures currently standing in opposition on the execution grounds.
Emiya Shirou the Sword Demon and Astraea the Goddess of Justice.
Although various complex developments and events had occurred, as if by fate, the two had finally reached this moment of confrontation and were about to engage in an inescapable duel.
"I have heard much about you, Emiya Shirou," Goddess Astraea spoke first. "I heard you once directly defeated the god Soma, saving many mortals poisoned by his divine wine. I also heard you defeated the Sun God Apollo, purging the gambling dens of Orario. I also heard you attacked the Evilus's headquarters to completely destroy them, but for some unknown reason, you ended up siding with the dark faction and even became their leader..."
"You certainly are well-informed."
"Because I am very concerned about you." Astraea did not conceal her attitude, her gaze fixed firmly on Shirou. "If the circumstances of our meeting had been different, if everything could have happened sooner, perhaps we wouldn't have become enemies, and it might even have been possible for you to join my Familia and walk the path of realizing justice with us."
"'Us'... are you referring to the Astraea Familia?"
"That is correct."
Faced with the Goddess Astraea's appearance, which clearly showed she had not forgotten the past, Shirou spoke with a complicated look: "If that's the case, why are you killing Ryuu? Why are you attacking your former Familia member?"
"Killing Ryuu is not my will, but the idea of the Celestial God Ouranos." Astraea quietly responded, just as in the council of the gods in Babel. "I merely followed the command of that Celestial God to accomplish everything he instructed."
"...Are you being coerced by Ouranos?"
"It is not exactly coercion. I am acting on my own will."
"I see."
Through this simple exchange, Shirou roughly guessed the reason for the Goddess Astraea's loyalty to Ouranos.
Although it wasn't hard to guess, it had actually been hinted at a long time ago.
The reason Astraea was loyal to Ouranos was most likely for the sake of her former Familia, the members of the Astraea Familia.
Although they died in the calamity five years ago, their souls were taken by the Celestial God Ouranos and became samples for the Juggernaut experiment.
The Goddess Astraea was probably willing to become Ouranos's pawn and serve him in order to save the souls of her former Familia members.
This demonstrated Astraea's goodness and kindness as a goddess, but it also meant that it would be difficult for Shirou to avoid a direct confrontation with Astraea now.
He and this goddess who symbolized justice were destined to fight!
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