"Arrive at the designated coordinates, interstellar route auxiliary position, begin construction!" Everyone arrived at the divine temple, which was the best place for shooting. Mash used her shield to connect with Chaldea and constructed a massive magic circle on the ground. Da Vinci, with a lethal spell, strengthened Orion's body, as his Spirit Origin would collapse after firing just two shots.
Orion, after his body was strengthened, took a deep breath, fitted the golden bow and golden arrow, and pulled the bowstring with all his might, drawing it to a full moon. Simultaneously, Orion's body endured immense pain, veins exposed, and pores bleeding.
"My arrows shall reach all things!"
The first arrow shot towards the starry sky, accurately hitting Artemis's head, destroying her defense system and exposing her Divine Core.
Orion collapsed on the ground from the pain. Fujimaru Ritsuka was about to use a Noble Phantasm to heal Orion, but Orion refused, stating there was no time.
Indeed, Artemis in the starry sky had begun to concentrate her magic, and a red beam of light descended from the heavens.
With no time for further thought, Orion nocked and shot the second arrow.
One flew from the ground, one descended from the sky. The two flashes of light that tore through the heavens collided fiercely, the roar echoing across all of Atlantis, like the scream of a dragon, leaving everyone stunned. The golden light tore through Artemis's main cannon; the arrow shot by Orion himself was indeed superior to Artemis's main cannon.
However, Artemis seemed to sense something, her machine began to operate at extreme speed, refueling in just one second.
The next second, the golden arrow that pierced the stars attacked again. Orion's golden arrow collided with it, causing a violent explosion in the starry sky before disappearing.
"How can this be? It didn't hit the Divine Core, but... there are no more arrows!" Mash was stunned, unable to think of any way to defeat Artemis at this moment.
Not just Mash, everyone was stunned. Was Artemis burning her Spirit Origin to fire arrows? Why was the second arrow reloaded so quickly?
However, Lixing already knew this outcome. But if he were to act, he might perish here. Lixing's current power was insufficient to withstand Artemis's arrows unless he broke through the limits of his own Spirit Origin and recovered his full strength. But doing so would prevent him from remaining in the Type-Moon world and could easily lead to reincarnation, missing this chance might mean a long wait to find it again.
"Not good! It's a triple shot! Quickly escape from there!" Da Vinci observed the magic in the starry sky and immediately shouted a warning.
Lixing sighed, his hand flashed with light, and a sword appeared in his hand. Paris and Mandricardo recognized this sword: the Undestroyable Ultimate Sword.
"This is for you. As a friend, I need your help," Lixing said, throwing the sword to Mandricardo with solemnity.
Mandricardo was stunned for a moment, then smiled happily. "Although it's a bit earlier than promised, I must bid farewell to you here, my friend. Don't wear that expression. We were summoned to save the world, and this is what I should do."
Mandricardo gripped the Undestroyable Ultimate Sword. "Second Noble Phantasm! Peerless Illusory Sword!"
His oath in life was fulfilled here. The wooden sword in Mandricardo's hand was no longer a wooden sword but a true blade. It shone with light, making it impossible to see clearly. His body was collapsing, but he did not retreat a single step. This was not the action of a Servant but a decision made for his friend.
After the dazzling light faded, Mandricardo's figure had vanished. The Undestroyable Ultimate Sword had also dissipated. This was merely a Noble Phantasm created by Lixing using data, which disappeared after use.
But Artemis still had one arrow left. It seemed only Lixing could withstand it among the remaining people.
"Since that's the case, I'll give it a try! I seem to have understood the existence of you Heroes. Self-sacrifice to save others. I believe I don't possess such selfless behavior. Charlotte, Chiyome, Achilles, Mandricardo, Orion, even she... it's truly strange!"
"Lixing..."
Lixing smiled slightly and then flew into the sky. Susanoo reappeared, a giant vortex forming in the sky, and the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi began to glow again.
"A mere moon goddess is nothing more than a slightly larger ant before me! Ice Age!"
The white Susanoo swung its sword with force, and streaks of ice condensed in the starry sky, but they could not stop the arrow that pierced the stars. Next, Lixing took out Avalon, pouring all his magic into it, maximizing his defense.
"Use a Command Seal! Let Lixing bring victory!" Fujimaru Ritsuka, without hesitation, clenched her fist, and the Command Seals on the back of her hand lit up. Lixing immediately felt a surge of powerful magic.
"That's right, how could I forget that Fujimaru Ritsuka has Command Seals? Honestly, what a waste of sentiment!" Lixing embarrassedly patted his head, having been so emotional just moments ago. Now he felt awkward.
Empowered by the Command Seal, Lixing successfully blocked Artemis's arrow and did not die, landing steadily on the ground.
"Mr. Lixing! You're amazing!" Mash was once again amazed by Lixing's strength, even though she had seen it before.
"Alas, this is only a fraction of my strength, hardly worth mentioning," Lixing said humbly, waving his hand.
Although Lixing was telling the truth, everyone felt he was being modest. After all, Lixing was not only a divine being but also a Grand Servant. However, Lixing's matters were his alone to know. The stronger his power, the greater the limitations. Moreover, being summoned, what he had achieved was already quite remarkable.
"Lord Apollo, sacrifice me. Let me be the third arrow." Paris, having witnessed the sacrifices of the others, felt he should do something as well. The only thing he could do was to become Orion's arrow.
"Have you thought it through? You will die this way."
"Yes, I have made up my mind. Lord Apollo, begin!"
Paris was resolute, and Apollo did not try to dissuade him further. Thus, Apollo began the sacrifice of Paris, who, in a flash of light, transformed into a golden arrow. Apollo, as a mere sheep, also vanished into thin air after exerting all his effort to craft this arrow.
Although Orion did not vanish, he was already close to collapse. Fujimaru Ritsuka made up her mind and used a Command Seal to order Orion to shoot down the moon, using two seals at once.
Orion then forced himself to stand up, nocked the bow again, and held the golden arrow in his hand, his heart heavy.
"In order to truly strike down the Moon Goddess Artemis, I shall here return my own Grand Servant status!"
A flash of spiritual light streaked across, and Orion revealed his Grand Servant Spirit Origin. Summoned by his own will, he would now strike down his beloved, Artemis. This was a responsibility.
A third Noble Phantasm that should not exist, a divinely crafted bow, a Heroic Spirit's arrow, a Servant who abandoned his Grand Servant status, neither hatred nor fighting spirit, neither hostility nor killing intent, fired purely out of love and pity. This was the Hunter who pierced the Goddess.
The golden arrow shot out once more. Artemis retaliated as well, but this time the golden arrow directly annihilated Artemis's arrow and struck Artemis's Divine Core. Artemis's machine began to crumble and shatter. The Moon Goddess was defeated!
However, Orion paid the price of his life for this arrow. In the end, Orion bid farewell to everyone, stating he could not accompany them on the rest of their journey and warning Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others to be careful.
On the other side, Lixing stood beside Jason, who was now heavily wounded and almost powerless.
"Captain, you rest. I'll handle the rest," Lixing said, tossing Jason a bottle of wine.
Jason opened the wine and gulped it down. "Good, good. To be able to drink wine at the end. Although I can't see which Heroic Spirit you are, the Poseidon ahead will be your responsibility. The Argo should also cease its voyage."
Lixing smiled and didn't say anything further. He turned and left, returning to Fujimaru Ritsuka's side. Where Jason lay, only a bottle of wine remained.
(That's all for now. A lot has been deleted, and more will likely be deleted later.)