Magical User Aozaki Aoko Case Files Chapter 150

As the three entered a magnificent building that looked like a temple, the Ten-and-One Black Coffin, which had been relentlessly pursuing and bombarding them outside, ceased its attack.

Or rather, the anti-enemy術式 (Jutsu-shiki) amplified by the Hanging Gardens themselves was too massive to enter the building’s interior.

Kenneth and Waver both breathed a sigh of relief. Although Waver was now a pseudo-Servant with considerable combat power, facing Semiramis, who had fully activated the Hanging Gardens, he was struggling quite a bit.

“Professor Kenneth, you must be careful of Kiritsugu Emiya’s sneak attacks,” Waver said solemnly. “Although he’s slightly different from the Kiritsugu Emiya in my memories, his methods are the same. He’s very good at using modern weapons to ambush mages.”

“I saw it yesterday,” Kenneth said, frowning. “The bullets that rat used were quite malicious. If a mage gets hit, it’s completely over.”

“So, it’s best if we don’t split up,” Waver said, cautiously looking around. “Then Karna and I will defeat that Assassin as quickly as possible. Professor Kenneth, you must protect yourself.”

Kenneth, usually arrogant and sharp-tongued, readily accepted Waver’s suggestion this time, raising the priority of his Moonlit World Fluid’s automatic defense mode to the highest level. This way, mere bullets wouldn’t be able to penetrate his defenses.

While Kenneth and his companions were eagerly searching for Semiramis’s location, Aoko and Artoria easily breached the Hanging Gardens’ outer defensive barrier with the help of the Anywhere Door, arriving inside the floating city.

Due to the vastly different levels of fundamental combat power, Aoko didn’t feel the same urgency as Waver and his master. She and Artoria strolled through the garden, which was filled with artworks and various exotic plants, as if they were visiting an ordinary park.

“It’s quite ironic, actually,” Aoko chatted with Artoria as they walked. “The actual builder of the Hanging Gardens wasn’t Semiramis, but Nebuchadnezzar II.”

“Oh?” Artoria asked curiously. “Then why can she use this Noble Phantasm?”

“That’s the interesting part about the Throne of Heroes,” Aoko spread her hands. “There was once a legend in history that the Assyrian empress built the Hanging Gardens, and this claim had some circulation among the populace, so Semiramis gained this Noble Phantasm.”

“Speaking of which, Artoria, don’t you know about this rule?” Aoko asked curiously. “You know, there are quite a few legends about King Arthur too.”

“I don’t know either,” Artoria said. “If it’s about legends, then King Arthur was male. And my current strength hasn’t reached its peak from when I was alive.”

“All I can say is that the rules of something like the Throne of Heroes are truly too ambiguous,” Aoko spread her hands. “Who knows, in some parallel world, there might really be a male King Arthur?”

Artoria frowned, contemplating the possibility of herself being male. If that were the case, Guinevere would surely not betray her, and Lancelot would be a loyal and perfect knight, right?

Kenneth and his companions moved through the vast complex of buildings within the Hanging Gardens. Although they had escaped the pursuit of the Ten-and-One Black Coffin earlier, within this sky city, there were also numerous defensive mechanisms.

Waver channeled his magic and snapped his fingers forward. A huge flame burst open on a certain golem that was attacking them, blasting it into pieces.

However, before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, more and more golems and Dragon Tooth Warriors surged in from all directions, which reminded Waver of a certain Greek Caster he knew in Chaldea.

Karna held his palm upwards and gently blew a breath forward. An astonishing number of fireballs flew out like raindrops from the ball of flame magic in his hand, sweeping away the surging miscellaneous enemies.

“Master,” Karna didn’t even bother to look at these miscellaneous enemies, which made Waver beside him gasp. “Assassin is very likely inside that tall tower ahead. The powerful attack from before was launched from that tower.”

“Then let’s finish this quickly!” Kenneth took a deep breath, his face serious. “After we deal with Assassin, we’ll make that despicable rat understand that some things shouldn’t be done casually!”

On the other side, Aoko and Artoria arrived at a corridor-like area. Moonlight streamed through the arched windows onto the marble floor, completely silent.

“Hm?”

Aoko looked at a metallic wire that touched her lower leg and fell into thought.

A “click” sound of a mechanism being triggered rang out, followed by a series of massive explosions. Fire, smoke, accompanied by a huge amount of steel pellets, enveloped Aoko and Artoria from all directions.

If it were an ordinary mage, even if they survived this round of trap attacks, they would probably suffer some injuries.

However, for Aoko and Artoria, a few Claymore mines were simply not enough.

A sudden gust of wind dispersed the smoke generated by the burning gunpowder. Artoria looked ahead with sharp eyes, her Holy Sword enveloped in a swirling wind.

Aoko’s right palm remained in a casual forward pushing posture. A thin, translucent shield enveloped her, effortlessly blocking all explosions and steel pellet damage.

This was Shield (Force Field Spell, duration one minute).

“Oh my, what a warm welcome ceremony,” Aoko waved her hand, dissipating the Shield spell. “Artoria, you go deal with that Assyrian empress. Don’t worry about me.”

Artoria, who had taken the Claymore mine damage head-on without a scratch, nodded. She jumped out of the blasted opening in the corridor, while Aoko boldly continued forward along the corridor, which was clearly set with countless traps.

When Aoko reached the end of the corridor and entered a room that looked like a church with numerous statues, a series of gunshots rang out in her ears.

“Reverse Arrows.”

The spell, which had already been prepared before entering the room, was cast the instant Aoko sensed someone shooting at her. Her reaction speed had been elevated to a superhuman level, almost akin to predicting the future.

The submachine gun bullets were stopped at a distance of about thirty centimeters from Aoko, then turned around and flew back in the direction of the shooter.

Hearing a man’s muffled grunt, Aoko looked towards the place that had previously appeared empty. A streak of blood flowed from the air, dripping onto the ground.

“I hate traitors, Kiritsugu Emiya,” Aoko said. “And for me, there’s no betrayal that can be easily forgiven.”