If possible, the prince really did not want to ask Mephistopheles for help.
Faust had no choice.
While preparing to intercept the dragon's eye, Faust had discussed the possibility of victory with Mephistopheles.
With the resources currently on hand, it was hard to say they could steadily defeat the dragon's eye; this was a curse from the 【witches' feast】, after all—how could it be so easily resolved?
No... to be precise, it would actually be quite easy, provided they followed the script of destiny perfectly and sacrificed Lola.
That was naturally out of the question, so Faust and Mephistopheles had come up with another backup plan.
【Great Thunder】—only the divine authority of 【Great Thunder】 possessed enough potential to crush the dragon's curse head-on.
In fact, Mephistopheles could already go to the Azure Maiden to claim a portion of 【Great Thunder】.
However, since the 【witches' feast】 had not yet fully concluded, seizing the authority too early would result in it being significantly incomplete. Therefore, this could only be viewed as a final option, to be avoided if possible.
Mephistopheles said with composed ease,
【It seems we can wait no longer. So be it, Faust. Wait a moment while I bring back the chance for victory.】
"Make it fast..."
Faust forced his body up, controlling 【Zilliax】 to stand and continue resisting the dragon projection.
............
On the distant lake, the Azure Maiden was also watching the battle intently.
When another dragon-speech spell wiped out the grail knights, her expression turned exceedingly grim.
The Lady of the Lake bit her silver teeth in frustration, lowering her head in deep thought.
Just as she was considering how many more grail knights she would need to summon and how many resources and connections to mobilize to suppress this dragon disaster, her beautiful eyes suddenly widened.
It was a feeling that had become utterly foreign, yet even after such a long time, she realized what was happening instantly.
It was a fairy's whisper.
【Azure Maiden, it has been a long time.】
The Lady of the Lake felt as if struck by lightning. She clutched her head and stood dazed in place, finding the corresponding fairy in her memories within a few short breaths.
Then, the Azure Maiden's expression shifted from bewilderment to a loud, ringing laugh.
"Hahaha! I was wondering who was plotting against me, but I never expected it to be you... Mephistopheles... No, no, no, addressing you by name is such a transgression. Perhaps I should call you the Supreme Unifier, the Most Holy One, the Star of Mercy, the Lord of Hosts?"
The Lady of the Lake dropped to one knee and bowed toward the void before her, performing a respectful salute.
Yet there was no respect on her lovely face; it was nothing but mocking derision.
【Why mock me so, Azure Maiden? You know that under supreme fate, all living beings are the same, and even I am no exception.】
Mephistopheles's reply was very calm.
【You know the rules. You lost. I am here to collect the spoils. Give me "Great Thunder."】
The Azure Maiden knit her elegant brows upon hearing this.
"【Great Thunder】... What do you want that for? If you truly needed divine authority, why wait until now? You could have taken it when Zeus died..."
Suddenly, a thought struck her. Her pupils shrank as she looked into the distance.
"Hahahaha!!! That human! That prince? He is your contractor? You are demanding divine authority for a contractor?"
"This is truly rare! Does that fellow have anything special about him besides his handsome face? Is he worth you entering the fray personally? Worth such an unprecedented gamble?!"
【Because he is worth it. Faust... I love him.】
Mephistopheles seemed unwilling to say more to the Azure Maiden and acted directly.
"Agh—"
The Lady of the Lake collapsed painfully onto the lake's surface. The enchanting beauty's body convulsed as orange-yellow lightning overflowed from her, being drawn into the void.
This process lasted for dozens of seconds until the Lady of the Lake was completely limp and unable to move.
【This is all I can take for now. Keep the remaining "Great Thunder" safe; Faust will need it later.】
.........
On the other side, while Mephistopheles was extracting 【Great Thunder】, Faust was also suffering.
The grail knights had all been defeated, losing their ability to resist.
The high warlock's workshop was destroyed, though Lola, Selena, and Viviana were unharmed.
However, without the protection of the spell barrier, even a high warlock found it difficult to participate in the battle.
Thus, what was once a group effort had turned into a solo duel for Faust.
In truth, Selena and Viviana wanted to help Faust, but they were met with the prince's fierce opposition.
"Stay back! Just protect Lola!"
What do you mean, let us protect a high warlock? Are you sure you didn't misspeak?
Selena and Viviana looked at each other, but under Faust's repeated insistence, they did not step forward.
It wasn't that they didn't care about Faust's safety, but rather that they had already made peace with life and death. Snow White even stated bluntly, "At worst, I'll just die with him."
Lola nodded, sharing her daughter's view. "At worst, I'll just die with him."
Viviana's eyes lit up at the words. "Die together? That sounds nice."
It was lucky Faust wasn't paying attention to them, or he truly would have been driven to laughter by the anger these witches caused.
Can you not jump to dying together at the drop of a hat? I still want to struggle a bit!
Thud—
Just as Faust blocked another claw strike from the dragon projection and retreated repeatedly, Mephistopheles's voice finally surfaced in his mind again.
【I have returned.】
Faust asked hurriedly, "Did you get the divine authority?!"
【Of course. However, integrating the authority of Great Thunder into your mystery trait requires my filtering. Faust, you need to achieve resonance with me.】
"Resonance? How do we do that?"
【To explain it fully would take a long time, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Let's take a shortcut.】
Mephistopheles also knew the situation was urgent, so he told Faust the simple method directly.
"Selena! Sing a battle song for me!"
After hearing Mephistopheles's method, Faust immediately shouted to Snow White.
"《Hymn of the Sacred Deity - Chapter Three》!"
"That part?"
Selena was practically able to recite the songs that soothed machine spirits from the Golden Age backward; she found it quickly.
Without asking Faust why he wanted to hear it, the princess trusted Faust's judgment completely. She cleared her throat and began to chant the hymn in a stirring tone, her voice alone creating the effect of a full choir.
"Great is the Sacred Deity! Blessing the people, building our tower!"
"Great is the Sacred Deity! Immortal will, decree for all life!"
"Great is the Sacred Deity! At the dawn of silence, embracing the astral frontier!"
"Great is the Sacred Deity! At the end of destiny, we praise your name once more!"
"Crowned One! Merciful One! Great One who cradles the cocoon of the world..."
.............
Faust had long been aware of the intense piercing power of Snow White's singing.
But no matter how many times he had heard it before, at this moment, Faust's sense of immersion far surpassed anything previous. Along with the listening of the hymn, a majestic power, so vast it was hard to believe, exploded within his body out of nowhere.
Clear lightning surged through his limbs and bones, bringing both heart-wrenching pain and filling Faust with an unprecedented strength.
How should this power be described?
It was not simple magic! Nor was it merely the manifestation of a mystery trait!
It was a completely indescribable... greatness. As the lightning scoured his veins and marrow, the arrogance and overlord's will in Faust's heart surged! Soared! Exploded!
He couldn't take it anymore! He truly felt like he could destroy the world with a single punch!
The titan's core emitted a shrill sound.
"Warning! Warning! Unit overloaded. All modules damaged. Energy reserves abnormal! Unit approaching disintegration!"
"Then I'll just discard it!"
Faust laughed aloud, smashing the 【Neural Link Pod】 with a single punch.
"I don't need this anymore! I will strike in person!"
Rate on N.U.
