The decision not to return imdiately to the Wandering Sea, but instead remain on the surface of the Bleached Earth, had been Shiomi's proposal.
There were several reasons for it.
First, returning to the Wandering Sea would require temporarily lifting its inherited defenses and exposing its coordinates, which could easily draw danger to it.
Second, Storm Border had not suffered serious damage during the Atlantic Lostbelt campaign. The only true loss was the large number of automatons Touko had prepared, which were completely expended during several battles in the Atlantis sea region.
Supplies and energy reserves remained more than sufficient.
Additionally, Shiomi intended to assign the Lostbelts of China and India to the forr Team A Crypters, allowing them to demonstrate their stance in a clear and unmistakable way.
Third, this was also a test—of the 'Alien God' and the Alien Apostles. To see whether they would launch an attack under such conditions, and if so, to what extent.
Clearly, Shiomi's expectations had been correct.
Among the Alien Apostles, Naless had launched an assault on Storm Border.
After swiftly defeating Barghest, he had entered a one-on-one duel with lusine.
"A single Servant dares to attack Storm Border?" Olga Marie frowned, feeling that sothing about this attack seed off.
From the deck, the bleached expanse of the planet stretched endlessly below. On that white wasteland, Naless and lusine were locked in combat. It just so happened that lusine had been stationed on deck.
By sheer force alone, lusine was suppressing him.
But she couldn't finish him.
"It could be a feint," Shiomi said, resting a hand on Olga Marie's shoulder. "Return inside and order heightened alert throughout the ship. There are two possibilities. Either they're targeting you, or they're targeting Kirschtaria and the others."
Olga Marie nodded obediently and, under Scáthach's escort, returned inside to resu her duties.
The 'Alien God' had manifested in that form. Perhaps Olga Marie herself was a key factor.
But so far, there had been no direct confrontation, and the 'Alien God' had not ntioned her by na. It was only Shiomi's speculation.
For now, reinforcing Storm Border's barriers while swiftly resolving Naless was the correct course of action.
"At this rate, lusine can probably win," Morgan observed calmly as she watched the battlefield. "But it will cost her dearly."
"Hmm?" Shiomi glanced sideways at her.
"In short, she won't be able to take him alive," Morgan said. "An Alterego is a composite Saint Graph ford from multiple Divine Spirits. We already confird that through ltryllis and Passionlip."
"That's true." Shiomi nodded. "If we could capture him alive, we'd get valuable intelligence. So, what's your suggestion?"
"He's not in perfect condition. But he would make a suitable whetstone for that form."
Shiomi smiled faintly.
"As you wish."
…
lusine, unable to secure a decisive victory, was growing impatient. She hesitated over whether to enter her half-dragon form.
The Servant before her, expression hard as iron, was just as sturdy.
Close combat, ranged bombardnt, defense—he constantly projected various Noble Phantasms to counter her attacks. Among them were multiple holy and demonic swords specialized in anti-dragon effects.
That was the crux of the problem.
She could suppress him.
But she couldn't kill him.
Entering her half-dragon form would enhance her overall capabilities, but it would also amplify the effectiveness of anti-dragon Noble Phantasms against her.
"Good work. Fall back, lusine."
Shiomi's voice carried across the battlefield.
Having just disengaged from Naless, lusine looked up in surprise as Shiomi and Morgan descended beside her.
"My deepest apologies. I failed to defeat him, and I couldn't even avenge Barghest—"
"You've done more than enough," Shiomi said, giving her shoulder a light pat. "This is simply a matter of poor compatibility. Leave the rest to us. Fall back and watch the surroundings."
"Yes!"
lusine withdrew without hesitation.
"Well now," Naless said, raising his black and white twin blades, an amused smile on his face. "The commander of Chaldea makes a personal appearance? I thought I'd need more effort to carry out this assassination."
"Assassination?" Shiomi arched a brow. "Are you here for , for my wife, or for the Crypters?"
"You, of course." Naless smiled calmly. "I am the 'Atlas Killer' among the Alien Apostles. Originally, the 'Alien God' foresaw Kirschtaria's plan and prepared this Alterego specifically for it. But unfortunately, what this body was granted was not rely the ans to deal with the giant god Atlas."
"It was granted the power to slay gods."
"So you were sent to assassinate my husband before Storm Border could return?" Morgan's tone held mild surprise. "Even if you possess god-slaying power, coming alone is no different from suicide, Naless Guardian."
"Is it?" Naless pointed one blade at Shiomi. "My employer only told to eliminate this man. How I accomplish it is my choice."
"A Guardian, no matter how far he falls, still ends up doing the sa dirty work."
"True enough," Shiomi said evenly. "As comrades who once fought side by side—and now as enemies—allow my wife and to show you the proper respect."
The mont his words fell, Naless' eyes flared as he prepared to strike—
Only to see Shiomi and Morgan shift at the sa ti, stepping back-to-back against each other.
A violent gale erupted across the white expanse. An overwhelming surge of Mana blasted outward in all directions. Naless was forced to cross his twin swords in defense, bracing himself just to keep his Spirit Origin from being shattered by the storm alone.
The cost was imnse. His target stood before him.
Yet he had no intention of retreating.
If anything, everything was unfolding exactly as he had hoped.
With Shiomi and Morgan as his opponents, then—
The Mana storm raged on, the earth trembling beneath it.
It did not last long. Naless knew what was happening.
They had already displayed it once before, within the Outer Palace of the Grand Temple of Orbit—that forbidden form, a state that even surpassed the domain of gods.
The storm's breath faded.
The land returned to silence.
Shiomi and Morgan's figures vanished from where they had stood.
Naless did not relax. Instead, he spread both arms wide, extending them outward.
The projected blades of Kanshō and Bakuya rapidly expanded, their forms shifting into sothing sharper, heavier, more lethal.
He lifted his gaze.
Morgan hovered in the air.
Naless said nothing. He drew his body taut, like a bowstring pulled to its limit.
And then—
He lunged toward the overwhelming enemy before him.
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