Chapter 138
The third day of the Star Plasma Guard mission, 3:00 p.m. - everyone has ended their short vacation in Okinawa, passed through the torii on the mountain path, and returned to the barrier of the high school; at the same time, Chaldea has already found the spirit vein node in the barrier of the high school in advance and set up a temporary summoning array.
"Everyone, thank you for your hard work." Kayuki Kaoru, who was walking in the front, turned around and explained to Amanouchi Riko and Kuroi Misato, "We have entered the barrier of the high school."
"I think you can rest assured now." Tenuchi Riko also smiled and took the handkerchief from Kuroi Misato's hand to wipe the sweat off her face.
"yes."
"Kirshtalia: How are you preparing?"
"Fujimaru Ritsuka: All Green is ready."
"Thank you for your hard work, Wu."
"I don't want to babysit for a brat like that anymore."
"Kirshtalia: 3, 2, 1."
"Fujimaru Ritsuka: 3, 2, 1. 』
"Kirshtalia & Fujimaru Ritsuka: 0."
As Tenuchi Riko responded to Gojo Satoru's complaints, the sound of a sharp blade cutting through flesh and blood came from the center of Gojo Satoru's chest. A silver-white long knife pierced through Gojo Satoru's chest, and warm blood was dripping down the blade onto the ground.
"Fujimaru Ritsuka: Let's begin."
Fujimaru Ritsuka raised his hand, pointed his index finger at Fushiguro, and shot out a "Gandr" that could paralyze the enemy's body. At the same time, the curse spirit summoned subconsciously by Natsu Yujie had swallowed the assassin, and Ieiri Glass used a reversal technique to heal Gojo Satoru's wounds the moment the blade left Gojo Satoru's body.
"This is the interior of the high school barrier—"
"That means the assassin is a non-magician without magical powers." Kirshtalia spoke, scanning the people around her. "So, our top priority now should be to send the Star Plasma Body to the Hongxing Palace where Master Tianyuan is. Only when it is with Master Tianyuan will the Star Plasma Body be safest."
"but……"
"Leave this gang to me." Gojo Satoru broke free from Ieiri Naoko's hand and looked at the cursed spirit that had swallowed the assassin not far away, "You guys prioritize ensuring Tennai's safety - you guys go to Lord Tengen first!!!"
“…Satoru.”
"Don't worry, I just happened to have a project that I need to practice." Gojo Satoru flexed his wrist and stared closely at the white worm-like cursed spirit lying on the ground, "Don't worry."
"You want to practice at this time!?" Ieiri Shoko looked at Gojo Satoru's back and screamed, "This——"
"Don't be careless, Wu." Xia Yujie took a deep breath, dragged Amanouchi Riko who was shocked by the sudden change at this moment, and ran inside first, "Noseko, Miss Kuroi, Fujimaru-senpai, and Wodem-senpai - let's go first. Let Wu take care of this. Since he wants to do that, there is only one way."
"Ritsuka?" Kirshtalia turned her head and looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka who was still paying attention to Gojo Satoru. "What are you thinking about?"
Fujimaru Ritsuka shook the shield-shaped scarlet Command Seal on the back of his hand at Kirshtalia, and then motioned Kirshtalia to look at the feet of the two people - then a burst of floral fragrance invaded Kirshtalia's nostrils. In his field of vision, within the barrier of the high school, except for the area where Gojo Satoru and the assassin were, the rest was covered with pink and white flowers.
——『Garden of Avalon, an utopia surrounded by blessings and hopes.』
——『Encircling your star of hope "Around Caliburn."』
——『The eternally isolated utopia "Garden of Avalon".』
——『The utopia "Winds of Avalon" beckons.』
The four Noble Phantasms unfolded one after another, dragging the scenery of the "Paradise" in the Inland Sea of Stars into reality - and at the same time, two of the half-dream demons were following the instructions of Fujimaru Ritsuka and covering the illusion beside the few people to ensure that at the last moment, they could control the real situation in their own hands.
"Not only did you use illusions, you also cast 'Anti-Defense' on everyone except Gojo Satoru..." Kirshtalia used the illusion to confirm the next action plan with Fujimaru Ritsuka, "Is the body that will replace Tenuchi Riko ready? The Bandei Cult must have a way to confirm the authenticity of the body, so I don't think you will use illusions to disguise an ordinary body."
"The corpse was provided by Einzbern." Fujimaru Ritsuka paused for a moment and looked at Amauchi Riko who was running in the front with Geto Kagome. "You should still remember that I said Amauchi Riko was like the Little Holy Grail, Kirshtalia-senpai. So, to be precise, what we prepared was an android of Einzbern without the soul injected into it."
"No soul?"
"In short, those defective products that were discarded by Einzbern in the past were because the alchemy technology used to make them was incomplete."
Although they didn't know what the situation was with Gojo Satoru, the group finally arrived at the gate of the Kuribohiro Shrine deep underground - and Kuroi Misato and Amauchi Riko also said goodbye here; at the same time, unlike the illusion seen by Geto Suguru and others, at the moment of farewell, Kuroi Misato did not stand there waiting for them to go away, but was hypnotized by magic and fell asleep underground.
"...Okay, we can just leave it here, right?" Kirshtalia moved Kuroi Misato to the wall and cast several concealing magic spells on her. She tilted her head and asked Fujimaru Ritsuka, "The flowers of Avalon are blooming all over the underground. Will Merlin and the others' illusion continue to work until everything is over?"
"Strictly speaking, as long as Fushiguro leaves the Hoshigami Shrine, the illusion here will be lifted." Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at the underground passage that had completely turned into a sea of flowers in the Inland Sea of Stars, and pulled Kirshtalia forward to chase after him. "Although I trust Merlin's illusions, if Geto-kun and Nazori really see something wrong, our actions will be in vain."
"Gojo Satoru has been stabbed through the neck by Fushiguro Shiji with the Tensaihoko, and stabbed in the brain with an ordinary knife." Roman calmly reported the situation to everyone in the office, ticked the corresponding node on the tree diagram, and the members issued new arrangements, "Mash can prepare to leave, Galahad will stay for the time being and act according to the plan after Fushiguro Shiji leaves."
The underground passage leading to the main hall of Niboshigu Shrine was dark and quiet, with only the footsteps of five people echoing in the passage. At the same time that Amanouchi Riko stepped out of the passage between Kagome Gaku and Ieiri Shoko, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Kirshtalia stopped at the exit of the passage and stayed inside.
"This is ..."
"Yes, this is where Master Tengen is." Looking at the huge tree in the center, Kagome introduced this place to Tenuchi Riko, "The foundation of the country's main barrier - the main hall of the Hoshiboshi Shrine. Go down the stairs, pass through the gate, and reach the root of the tree. You will enter a special barrier that is different from the barrier around the high school - only invited people can enter."
"There, Master Tianyuan will protect you until the assimilation is complete."
"Or, you can go back home with Miss Kuroi."
“Eh…?”
No one noticed that Fujimaru Ritsuka and Kirshtalia, who had been advocating to treat Amanouchi Riko as material rather than a human being, fell silent at this moment - Kagome Geto's voice echoed underground, and even because the underground area where the Kuseigu Shrine was located was too empty, it even brought out an echo.
"Although the seniors always say that, from the beginning, when Mr. Yega told us that Tengen-sama nominated me, Satoru, and Nozomi - from the moment he said 'assimilation' as 'erasure'..." Geto Xia Yu turned his head and smiled at Tenuchi Riko, "Satoru and I have already agreed that if you don't want to assimilate -"
"Then let's not assimilate."
"We've been trying so hard to brainwash them all the way to just use Riko as material." Fujimaru Ritsuka leaned against the wall, looked at Kirshtalia standing opposite him, and complained with a pout.
"If it were so easy to change their minds, they wouldn't be noticed by the world consciousness of this world." Kirshtalia smiled helplessly and turned to look in the direction of the entrance of the passage. "Are you ready, Ritsuka? The magic that is enough to deceive the world is about to begin--"
"Senior Kirshtalia..." Fujimaru Ritsuka simply moved his arms and watched Kirshtalia put his glasses back into his pocket, revealing his demonic eyes that were emitting a glowing light. "Are your eyes ready? Have you found the line that can split the world?"
"Yes, I have seen it."
At the same time, outside the passage, Geto Kagome was making a promise to Amanouchi Riko -
"We are the strongest. No matter what choice you make, we will guarantee your future."
"I...I still want to be with you all again!!!"
Hidden by the illusion, Kirshtalia had already left the passage and stood at the edge of the barrier where Tengen was, projecting a knife aimed at the death line he saw - while Fujimaru Ritsuka, who was standing in the dark passage, tapped his heels lightly and started the countdown for the execution of the plan.
"3."
“I want to go to various places with you all again!!!”
"2."
"Look at all kinds of things...want to..."
"1."
"Go back, Sister Riko."
"0."
Gunshots rang out, and Tenuchi Riko was shot through the head in front of Geto Suguru, and the warm blood even splashed directly on his face - at the same time, Kirshtalia cut off the connection between this world and the main world along the death line; the two Merlins who had been on standby also replaced Tenuchi Riko with Einzbern's android.
"Okay, thank you for your hard work." Fushiguro Shigeu leisurely walked out of the dark passage with a gun in hand, but Kagome saw Fujimaru Ritsuka and Kirshtalia lying at the exit at his feet, "Disband, disband--"
"Why... are you here?"
"Ah? Why why...ah, that's what you mean."
Fushiguro Shigeu touched his head, put down his hands and smiled at Geto Suguru.
"I killed Gojo Satoru."