IBHJ Chapter 905

"Whatever. After dealing with you, I only have 497 more adventurers to go before I'm free. For the sake of my freedom, just obediently wait for death!"

Rin lowered her hand, signaling the Angels of Destruction swarming the sky to attack Shirou and the others.

"Well then, it looks like I have no choice. It would be disrespectful to hold back against you, Lady Ishtar. And King of Knights, you might want to take cover. I'm going all out."

Chain smiled at him, then balled her hands into fists.

"Haaaaaaah——!!" With a fierce yell, her delicate face contorted, veins bulging. Her muscles tensed and swelled, and an immense power erupted from her body.

Even the descending Angels were intimidated by this overwhelming force, hesitating for a moment.

"Whoa, Auntie's hair is standing up!" Mordred pointed at Chain in surprise.

Indeed, as Chain yelled, her hair stood on end. But not only that, it also turned from green to gold. And her entire body was engulfed in golden flames.

It was just like... just like...

"A Super...Super Saiyan? You're the legendary warrior, the one who led the resistance against Emperor Frieza with that accursed Goddess?" Rin's eyes darted to the empty space in front of her as if reading something, then back to Chain with a stiff expression.

Shirou really wanted to sigh. 'I understand you might be playing a role assigned by the system, like Merem Solomon, but please, Rin, try to read your lines more seriously. It's really breaking the immersion.'

"That's right, I am the Saiyan warrior who came to this planet after Planet Vegeta was destroyed by Frieza. I joined the Goddess to fight against him. Born from love and anger, I am the super warrior, Super Saiyan Chain!"

Chain's eyes also occasionally flicked to the empty space in front of her. Her tone was forceful, but it was clear she hadn't memorized her lines, and her delivery lacked emotion.

"..."

Watching Rin and Chain recite their lines to each other, Shirou clutched his stomach and doubled over in pain.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Mordred asked worriedly.

"It's nothing..." he groaned.

"Finally done," Rin sighed, then complained, "Honestly, we get struck by lightning if we don't finish the script. I have no idea what this is all about."

"I know, right? Every time I use this skill, I have to say that opening line. It's completely pointless," Chain nodded in agreement.

"That's right. But don't think I'll go easy on you just because we have a common ground. Even a mountain of jewels wouldn't change that! I'm settling the score for you killing my Bull of Heaven thousands of years ago, Enkidu!"

Rin drew Maanna and fired magical arrows at Chain.

Chain's golden chains shot out from her body, instantly forming a shield in front of the arrows. With a boom, the shield shook but held against Maanna's attack.

At that moment, the Angels of Destruction recovered and charged toward Shirou and the others.

Transformed into a Super Saiyan, Chain's chains were even stronger. With a single shake, they vibrated, unleashing a wide-ranging attack that shredded most of the nearby Angels, turning them into a bloody mess. But the remaining angels, unfazed, continued their suicidal charge. And then...

There was no "and then".

Chain was dead, overwhelmed by the sheer number of angels. But then, with a flash, she revived on the spot, only to be beaten to death again by the surrounding angels.

Shirou had no time to worry about her, as two angels were already bearing down on him and Mordred.

He drew two Holy Swords that shimmered with starlight.

[System: Sword of Promised Victory's effect activated, destructive power increased by 10,000%!]

[System: Sword of Promised Victory's effect activated, destructive power increased by 10,000%!]

He swung both Holy Swords, slashing at one of the angels. It seemed to have some intelligence, twisting to avoid the blades. But before it could counter, Shirou landed a well-placed kick to its midsection, sending it sprawling. He then flipped one of the swords, delivering a finishing blow to the downed angel.

In RPGs, level isn't always the most important factor; items and equipment play a huge role. Of course, if both sides have similar gear, then level becomes crucial.

The same principle applied to Shirou. Leveling up and advancing his class increased his basic stats and allowed him to use more powerful equipment. Even though his current body was weakened by the game's rules, his base stats were still strong, and he wielded two Holy Swords classified as divine artifacts. So, defeating higher-level opponents wasn't out of the question.

Of course, this was only true for single enemies. If he had charged into a horde of monsters like Chain, while being targeted by a boss like Rin, that would have been a recipe for disaster.

At that moment, another Angel of Destruction lunged toward Mordred.

Compared to Shirou's calm, Mordred was in a panic. As a Succubus, most of her control skills couldn't bridge the 9-level gap to affect the Angel. So she relied on her nimble legs, using erratic movements to confuse her pursuer.

But that was all she could do. The level difference was too great, and the Angel's stats were exceptional even among level 9 monsters. Mordred was cornered against a cliff wall by the relentless Angel.

"The Grail, the Grail... where is it...?"

Watching the Angel closing in fast, Mordred frantically pulled the Grail from her backpack, fumbling to activate it.

But it was too late.

The moment she retrieved the Grail, the Angel was right on her, its mouth open. Sunlight glinted off its face, making it appear holy, yet also illuminating its sharp fangs, which gleamed like a demon's from hell.

The angel reached out, trying to grab Mordred's neck and pin her down before feeding.

At first, Mordred was terrified, but the Angel's action triggered the dragon's ferocity in her blood. She reacted unexpectedly, opening her mouth and biting down on the hand reaching for her.

Crunch!

She bit hard, drawing blood.

The intense pain caused even the emotionless Angel of Destruction to react.

The angel instinctively shook its hand, trying to dislodge Mordred, but she wouldn't let go. Instead, she wrapped her entire body around its arm, biting down even harder.

She wasn't one to be bullied.

Although she acted like a well-behaved child in front of Shirou, she was actually the type who, as a baby, had bitten Merlin when he teased her, making him wail. And during the Romania incident, she had also used this almost instinctive move, biting Shirou so hard he couldn't stand it and successfully escaping his pursuit.

Though she looked adorable, Mordred was actually fierce and tough. This might explain how she could endure being blamed for her kingdom's downfall when she was the one who saved it. This child had a natural wildness and resilience in her blood.

The angel used all its strength and finally managed to shake her off. Before it could even examine its wound, Mordred had already fled.

When it came to escaping, she was a natural.

The angel looked down at its hand. On the white palm, there was a clear, indelible set of teeth marks. It licked its wound, its clear blue eyes trained on the fleeing Mordred, then gave chase.

This wouldn't do. Shirou knew this situation was unsustainable. He could handle one angel easily, but only because Rin and most of the angels were distracted by Chain. Once her revivals ran out and she was reduced to a baby, they would be next.

They had to escape before Chain's revival chances were used up. And the key to that escape was her!

He turned his head slightly, his gaze falling on Tohsaka Rin.

Whether she was Rin, Ishtar, or the dungeon's guardian, Shirou knew she had no reason to let them go. She had a quota to fill – capturing adventurers meant freedom for her. Coupled with her grudge against Enkidu, even a mountain of gold wouldn't sway her.

But, you can't change a person that easily.

"Look! This is the legendary Eternal Star, the jewel from Eternal King's crown!"

What?

The Eternal Star?

The jewel worth tens of billions of dollars?

Though she knew freedom was more important than money, Rin couldn't help but look back. She saw Shirou holding a sparkling jewel, which he then hurled into the distance.

"No! My Eternal Star!"

Rin cried out in horror, instinctively leaping onto her boat and chasing after the jewel.

Watching Rin's retreating figure, Shirou quickly channeled magical energy into his Holy Swords. Both swords erupted in golden flames, the immense power distorting the surrounding space.

He slashed. With a boom, two blinding beams, like dawn piercing the darkness, engulfed the angels surrounding Chain.

The sudden change stunned Chain.

"What are you waiting for? Run!" Shirou yelled.

"I want to, but..."

Chain pointed at the angels caught in the magical blast. Shirou looked up, his mouth twitching. The angels had opened their mouths and were sucking in the mana like someone enjoying bubble tea, showing satisfied and comfortable expressions.

Shirou: "..."

They can absorb magical energy? What in the world are these things?