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Chapter 230 - Gilgamesh: Damn It!

Logos React.

This weapon, created by the Atlas Institute, aimed to find a way to avoid the inevitable end. Therefore, it was itself a constantly evolving computational device. Given enough time, it could replicate almost anything. The people at the Atlas Institute believed that one day it could replicate world-destroying scenarios, hoping to find a way to avoid such destruction.

Naoki did not have ambitions as grand as the people at the Atlas Institute. Furthermore, what he held was just a copy whose computational functions were limited by Zepia; its performance was far from that level, so there wasn't much it could do.

Nevertheless, replicating the Spatial Transfer Magecraft that Ruby once used was more than enough.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

After putting away the Logos React, Naoki, now on high alert, stared at the fake Gilgamesh in front of him. For a moment, a memory from five years ago flashed through his mind.

It wasn't that he had a deep impression of Gilgamesh, it was just that upon seeing him, he instinctively remembered that.

'Can sense very strong Mana, stronger than my current self?'

After all, it had been absorbing Mana for over a month. The amount of Mana accumulated was definitely not comparable to that of a single human individual.

*SHUA!*

Ripples appeared around the fake Gilgamesh's body.

Was it the Gate of Babylon?

'No...'

As Naoki realized it, the thick, swirling Mana mist around the fake Gilgamesh, on the scale of a storm, suddenly condensed and formed, sweeping out at lightning speed like a long whip.

Was this an initial test? The unworthy didn't even need the Gate of Babylon to be opened.

'As arrogant as I expected.'

*CHI—!*

Flames surged and burned, a blazing red inferno suddenly wrapped around his entire body like a volcanic eruption just before the black mist touched Naoki. Then it spread in all directions like an overflowing flood!

The long whip that swept along with the spreading, corrosive black mist was instantly burned to ashes upon contact with these flames!

"GA...HHHHHAAAArrrrr—!"

Paused for a moment, then as if pulled, the fake Gilgamesh roared as if enraged and laughed wildly, the Mana mist once again surged and created a wave.

Hundreds of long whips extended—no, they couldn't be called long whips. The Mana mist extending now had no form at all, it was just shot out!

Just like the Gate of Babylon.

"HAAAAAArrrrr—!"

Amidst an unclear, crazy laugh, a heavy rain of black mist poured down from the sky.

Naoki had previously faced a barrage of Pseudo-Medea's Mana cannons, but compared to the situation in front of him, the difference was probably like drizzle and a hailstorm. This was a hailstorm now. If anyone else stood here, for example Rin, or Luvia, or Bazett, they would probably be exhausted from dodging by now.

But the one standing here now was Naoki.

Even without moving his hands at all, Naoki kept his hands in his pockets, walking step by step as if taking a stroll. Meanwhile, the flames swirling around him like loyal guardians burned away all the scattered black mist that rushed towards him. In this Mirror World filled with black mist, only the area around Naoki, less than a meter in diameter, became a black mist insulation zone.

"Aren't you going to use your treasures yet?"

Ten meters—upon reaching this distance in front of the fake Gilgamesh, Naoki suddenly smiled, and took his hands out of his pockets. The flames that had been swirling like a vortex around him instantly gathered in his palm.

"If not, I won't hesitate to kill you right now."

*BANG!*

The gathered flames were compressed by an invisible hand, stretched, like an arrow that shot directly towards the fake Gilgamesh's heart.

The black mist instantly surged, as if to protect its master, gathering at lightning speed in the path of the flame arrow, transforming into a sturdy shield.

*BANG!*

Without holding for a second, the shield made of Mana mist was instantly pierced and shattered into pieces by the flame arrow. The world of black mist was even forcibly torn apart by the light of these flames!

But, the flame arrow did not hit its target.

*BANG!*

The explosive wave of fire and strong wind swept away all the Mana mist, and within the dazzling firelight, a wall of dozens of shields had appeared there, no one knew when.

With just one casual attack, he brought out so many Noble Phantasms.

'Is he underestimating me? Or because he lost his mind, so he's just throwing everything out at once?'

Naoki smiled.

'Whatever, for me, it makes no difference.'

Mana was channeled to the Red Moon tattoo on the back of his hand. The red moonlight instantly enveloped Naoki's entire body, his beautiful golden hair flowing like a waterfall—Summoning Magic: Tsukihime Armament!

A small place like the Mirror World wouldn't withstand Gilgamesh's full bombardment for too long. Even if he was forced to use EA, the Mirror World would instantly collapse, affecting the real world.

Moreover, Caren had just said that he should try not to work overtime in the middle of the night again.

So—

"Ten meters, if limited to this distance, the impact won't be too great, right?"

Uttering unclear words, Naoki gently snapped his fingers, and precisely at the sound, the fake Gilgamesh's body instantly froze in place, then as if decaying, rapidly disappeared, leaving only one Class Card floating in the air.

Marble Phantasm.

Arcueid's strongest power. Changing the world at will, a privilege only possessed by naturally born elementals.

Originally, this was a power that could not be used on humans. Marble Phantasm could intervene in the world, but it could not intervene with living beings; only nature could be changed.

But the fake Gilgamesh was different; he was not a living being. Simply put, he was a collection of Mana given a certain level of personality, just a lump of Mana. So, as long as the Mana conditions in this area were returned to their original state, the fake Gilgamesh would naturally disappear.

Just like pressing a delete button.

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"Retrieval complete."

Catching the falling Class Card, Naoki sighed slightly: "Normally, Gilgamesh should be a formidable enemy. But this ended so easily... Arcueid, is your power too strong?"

[Hmph hmph~~~ I told you, I'm the strongest! No matter who the enemy is, they can't be my match!]

Arcueid's proud laughter echoed in his mind.

[Oh yeah, Naoki, this time can you not immediately release my possession after using my power? Spend more time talking with me. Even though I can see things in your place, not being able to talk to you is boring.]

Since going out once and making friends, Arcueid felt even more how uncomfortable it was to shut herself in Millennium Castle; there was no one she could talk to.

"Umm... maintaining your possession requires quite a bit of Mana."

[Then talk to me until your Mana runs out!]

"You want to drain me dry..."

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