I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

The air grew thick with mana.

A breathtaking phenomenon unfolded as the concentration of magical energy in the atmosphere climbed to levels beyond anyone's imagination.

Those closest to Artoria—Mordred, Jeanne, and Kairi Shishigou—could feel the extraordinary shift most acutely.

Kairi found himself gasping for breath, his vision swimming as if suffocating. It wasn't a lack of oxygen but a reaction to the overwhelming density of mana around Artoria—a form of mana poisoning.

Realizing his distress, Jeanne quickly dragged him away, guiding him to a safer distance. Only when they were far enough to breathe freely did she turn back, her wary gaze fixed on the golden pillar of light erupting into the heavens.

As that radiant beam pierced the sky, the world seemed to tremble. White clouds churned and rolled in massive waves, as if stirred by an unseen tempest.

Mordred, standing at Artoria's side, never looked away from her. Even as waves of mana radiated outwards, battering her like an unrelenting storm, she remained rooted in place.

For a fleeting moment, it felt as if the earth beneath their feet had softened, bending and rippling like fabric being pushed by the tide.

Golden light swirled around Artoria in graceful arcs, her form serene and regal as she stood beneath the luminous pillar. Her star-like eyes reflected the vast cosmos, while her words carried the weight of divine authority.

"As Ruler, I will deliver divine retribution upon you."

"Behold. Beneath my feet lies the world's end. This is the wave of finality, revealing the true visage of this star beyond its surface."

Artoria slowly raised her right hand, and the turbulent clouds stilled in an instant, replaced by a brilliant, boundless light.

Her crimson lips parted, and her voice, imbued with celestial power, resounded across the heavens and earth.

At the sound of her proclamation, every living being instinctively cowered in awe.

At the sound of her voice, all creatures bowed their heads, submitting to her majesty.

Those who had seen her, who had doubted her, finally understood in this moment what it meant to stand before the divine.

She was the sun, too radiant to behold without searing one's eyes.

She was the ocean, an unfathomable abyss yet the cradle of all life.

"Sacred Spear, unmoor yourself."

"It is the storm-anchor that rends the heavens and binds the earth."

Torrential waves of mana gathered in Artoria's hand, coalescing into the golden Sacred Spear—its tip aimed unerringly at the distant aerial garden.

"To those whose time has passed, to those long gone."

"To those who defy the storm, to those who disobey my decree."

"Know your limits here and now."

In the next moment, the spiraling spear of light tore through the heavens, its might bending space itself as Artoria called out its true name.

"Rhongomyniad! The Spear That Shines to the End!"

The concept of "distance" held no meaning before the storm-spear. In an instant, it traversed the expanse between Artoria and the aerial garden, erasing all notions of remoteness in the face of the Tower at the World's End.

Faced with the overwhelming brilliance of the spear, Semiramis's aerial garden swiftly deployed its ultimate defense, The Eleven Black Coffins. EX-rank mana surged to form an enormous magical cannon, firing directly into the path of the spear.

Yet, even an EX-ranked magical cannon was pitifully weak before the might of Rhongomyniad. It was as insignificant as fireflies before the full moon.

In the first second, the magical cannon shattered like glass.

In the second, the eleven black coffins were torn apart by the storm.

By the third second, Semiramis's proud aerial garden was pierced through by the now-diminished light spear. A third of the structure was obliterated outright, while the remaining two-thirds tilted precariously and began plummeting toward the earth.

As the destructive radiance faded, Artoria lowered her hand, spreading her fingers before pressing downward gently.

In an instant, the raging earth, turbulent clouds, and violent mana subsided, leaving behind a calm, awe-inspiring silence.

To command the storm. To command the sky. To command the earth. To command the light.

This was the majesty of a deity.

A single strike to declare divinity.

The golden light surrounding Artoria continued to spiral and dance but did not dissipate entirely.

The Tower at the World's End remained standing—both distant and ever-present—propping up the sky and anchoring the earth. Its overwhelming presence seemed capable of breaking the will of all who beheld it.

"This is your final warning, Red Assassin, and to all who seek to defy the rules of this war," Artoria declared, her voice echoing like thunder, like a tempest.

"I am the chosen Ruler, though I wield no Command Spells. I am the King of Storms, the Lord of the End, the Goddess Rhongomyniad. Should anyone dare commit such folly again, I will mete out judgment with my own hands."

"Let me make this clear: I have no interest in the Grail's ownership or in the desires you place upon it. Whether your wish is to save the world or indulge in selfish greed, whether it is noble and misunderstood or malevolent and destructive, I will not interfere."

"However, the Holy Grail War has rules. Both the Red and Black factions are expected to abide by them."

Artoria had held back. Her spear had grazed the aerial garden, sparing those within.

As Ruler, she could sense the presence of multiple Servants inside the garden. Anything more aggressive would have been unacceptable.

"Dawn is upon us. I hereby declare the Holy Grail War temporarily suspended. The final battle will resume at nightfall."

"With that, this discussion is over."

With those words, Artoria unilaterally declared an intermission. No one dared to object.

Of course not. She was still standing there, and her earlier display of power remained fresh in their minds. Despite unleashing such a world-shaking attack, Artoria showed no signs of exhaustion.

As unbelievable as it seemed, they couldn't help but wonder: could she unleash such an attack again?

Surely not.

Their rational minds rejected the notion, yet they couldn't entirely banish the "impossible" thought.

Meanwhile, Artoria was engaged in a quiet conversation with Kairi. The topic? Mordred.

"What's going on with her?" Artoria asked.

"No idea," Kairi replied. "Ever since she saw you bring down that thing in the sky with a single strike, she's been like that."

Both of them subtly glanced at Mordred, whose expression was an unreadable mix of emotions.

"So… it has to do with me?" Artoria asked uncertainly, pointing at herself with a finger.

"Who else?" Kairi muttered. "Try having some self-awareness for once. Who else but you could put Saber in a mood like that?"

He stopped short of adding, You're really hopeless, oh King who doesn't understand people.

After all, he wasn't keen on experiencing a father-daughter double-team beatdown.

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T/N: heh she can spam that shit since she has a holy grail inside her

heyyy was too late to ask someone to do end of chapter notes this week but I already have someone lined up for next week, also new translation! 'You Will Regret This Ichinose!' check it out or something :)