Campione: Strongest# 489: Final Preparations

The howling wind whistled softly past his ears.

Haru stood expressionless at the rooftop's edge. The flowing night wind passed through his thin white shirt, attempting to bring the night's chill.

His lips parted slightly, whispering an incantation: "Trascurando..."

His deep gray eyes glowed with faint luminescence, eerie as an owl's gaze in the dark night sky.

'Watching' the distant city gradually growing hazy, transforming into a mirage-like steel forest—Tokyo—Haru's brow furrowed slightly.

"A Reality Marble??" Haru looked at the blurred metropolis with surprise.

While Reality Marbles as the highest magecraft seemed commonplace among Dead Apostle Ancestors—even some high-ranking magi possessed this secret art—it didn't diminish the technique's power.

Replacing the existing world with one's imagined landscape was already performing a simplified version of creation.

That's why this magecraft faced resistance from the Counter Force that maintained order.

If everyone replaced reality with their inner worlds, acting as mini-creators, how could the world function normally?

Hence this magecraft required massive magical energy to offset the Counter Force's corrections.

"A super-massive Reality Marble spanning 600 square kilometers—what exactly is that guy planning?" Haru narrowed his eyes, confusion etched on his face.

Normal Reality Marbles covered at most a thousand meters. Even maintaining such a bounded field for minutes would completely drain a Dead Apostle Ancestor's magical energy.

Yet now, the Dark Six' 600-kilometer bounded field would require at least 600 times more magical energy just to offset the Counter Force.

However, even such a bounded field could only obstruct Haru's vision for twenty seconds at most, given his mastery of the Four True Magics.

It was practically worthless—tasteless to consume, regrettable to discard.

"Something's wrong. Very wrong." Haru's expression grew increasingly grave.

He couldn't believe the Dark Six would expend such massive magical energy just to block his vision for twenty seconds without purpose.

Especially after their initial clash—both were now probing each other. Twenty seconds was enough for the Dark Six to arrange some trump cards.

"Information on the Dark Six is still too scarce..." Haru rubbed his chin, muttering softly.

Even with the Church's research reports, those focused on controlling the Dark Six to control Dead Apostles. Reports on his core abilities were scarce.

"Speaking of which, she should have information there, right?" As Haru narrowed his eyes, pondering countermeasures—

A clear, melodious cry approached from above, trailing a long echo:

"In~coming~!"

Though distorted, that 'familiar' voice made Haru immediately look up at the endless night sky.

A figure continuously enlarged in his gray pupils. Suddenly, Haru extended his arms.

THUD—!

The instant after Haru extended his arms, something crashed into his bent elbows. The terrifying impact from gravitational acceleration made Haru's straight back bend, his body lurching forward, knocking him off the rooftop's edge.

"Who said standing at the rooftop's edge was coolest—??" Watching the rapidly approaching ground, Haru's mouth twitched as he hugged the petite figure tightly.

"Wind—!"

With Haru's whisper, gentle breezes surrounded them. The plummeting pair gradually decelerated, reaching critical velocity before rapidly ascending, reaching a thousand meters in moments.

Wearing flowing kimono sleeves, pale delicate hands wrapped around Haru's neck. The next second, a moist sensation touched Haru's lips—their lips meeting briefly before parting.

Light cyan hair like clear spring water brushed Haru's face in the breeze.

"Hehe, I knew my lord husband would definitely catch me~" The syrupy voice entered Haru's ears.

Haru looked helplessly at the amber eyes full of attachment in his arms. "That was too reckless, Kiyohime. You jumped from a thousand meters up?"

"Teehee, seeing my lord, I couldn't help but pounce~" Kiyohime pouted, burying her face in Haru's chest, nuzzling while speaking joyfully.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Thunder continuously erupted through the quiet night.

"MOO!!!" With a loud bovine cry—

Two muscular bulls wreathed in explosive muscle, treading purple lightning, pulled a chariot toward Haru.

"Hahaha! I wondered why Lady Kiyohime suddenly jumped—so you were here!" Iskandar drove the Gordius Wheel, one hand on the reins, the other scratching his head, laughing boisterously.

Though loud, his voice carried an indescribable heroic quality.

Beside Iskandar, Waver wrapped in thick white blankets sneezed, snot spraying from his nose. He glanced helplessly at Iskandar before addressing Haru:

"Long time no see, Your Excellen—achoo!"

Waver sneezed again, huddling in the Gordius Wheel's chariot, shivering under his blankets.

Though trembling constantly, Waver didn't complain loudly about leaving the battlefield like before.

After just four years under Iskandar's tutelage, he'd become a qualified 'warrior.'

Floating in midair, Haru looked at Iskandar with surprise. "Not building your nation in the Middle East, but coming to the Far East? What price did those two offer to lure you out?"

"Hahaha! The Counter Force offered thirty years of favorable weather and increased talent attraction—too tempting! My fledgling nation needs exactly that!" Iskandar scratched his head, speaking cheerfully.

Hum—

A golden ark flew to Haru's other side with a low hum.

Gilgamesh, clad in golden armor, sat upon a throne of pure gold decorated with various gems, swirling her wine glass while scanning Kiyohime in Haru's arms with displeasure. "Snake woman, did you jump from this king's ark out of dissatisfaction?"

Hearing this, Kiyohime raised her head, stuck out her tongue at Gilgamesh, made a face, then buried her face back in Haru's chest.

Already familiar with Gilgamesh's sharp tongue but soft heart, Kiyohime wasn't intimidated at all. Of course, without Haru present would be different.

Gilgamesh's eyebrow twitched. She turned slightly, her razor-sharp gaze falling on Haru's face. "Had enough playing around outside?"

Hearing Gilgamesh's elder-like tone, Haru chuckled. "Not yet!"

Gilgamesh narrowed her eyes, growing increasingly displeased, seemingly dissatisfied Haru hadn't given her desired answer.

"Save the bickering. Business first!" The cold voice carried slight exasperation.

Hearing that cold voice, Haru and Gilgamesh's staring contest ended.

Haru turned to look at Artoria—wearing azure knight's armor dress, standing at the ark's prow, gravely watching the illusory Tokyo in the distance.

Sensing Haru's gaze, Artoria turned, speaking seriously: "Haru, can you get us into that Reality Marble?"

Haru narrowed his eyes slightly. After years together, he understood Artoria's seriousness about business. Scanning the bounded field, he spoke with certainty:

"Give me twenty seconds!"

"Then we'll attack Tokyo directly after twenty seconds!" Artoria turned back, speaking gravely.

"My my, you're really anxious, King of Knights. Though I understand your urgency to save people..." Iskandar scratched his head, looking at distant Tokyo, his expression growing serious. "But there—probably aren't many survivors left?"

Artoria didn't argue, only silently gripping her invisible knight's sword tighter.

"A city full of corpses?" Hearing this, Gilgamesh sneered. "How utterly vulgar."

Watching the four disappear before her, Kiyohime blinked her captivating amber eyes, raising her little head to look at Haru with confusion.

"Aren't we going together?"

"Just remembered something I need to do first." Haru slowly narrowed his eyes, his arms holding Kiyohime tightening slightly as space around them began distorting.

Inside an ancient, solemn castle, long white stone stairs appeared before Haru's eyes. The stairs were exceptionally clean and bright, without a speck of dust—crystalline like white jade.

Haru raised his head, gazing toward the stairs' end.

Upon the pale throne, golden hair more dazzling than the sun fluttered gently in the breeze.