Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

The Holy Sword of Stars, paving the way to twilight.

The bells tolled, echoing across the land of hope.

The girl's pilgrimage marks the boy's footsteps.

A boy's journey, a girl's cherished memories.

—To Gloucester, the eleventh day that will never be forgotten.

To you, who once walked alongside me on that sunlit street...

***

Like a flying insect breaking free of amber, the Nautilus burst out of the "calm and tranquil" yet nearly vanished illusion of Avalon and plunged back into reality.

In an instant, a suffocating pressure, scorching heat, a putrid and maddening atmosphere, like viscous venom, enveloped the entire ship, corroding everyone's senses. Looking through the observation windows, the terrifying, mountain-like body of the priest god Cornunos was ravaging the remaining land of Britain with a far more ferocious and utterly destructive force than ever before. Every limb's movement caused the earth to tremble; every "breath" spewed forth a thick, purplish-black miasma of calamity.

The three children of Paradise—Morgan, Liliana, and Castor—all gasped in unison.

Compared to its initial state when it was barely suppressed, Kornunos now exudes a more powerful and chilling presence. Beneath its pale white fur covering its entire body, an ominous dark red light faintly shines through, as if molten lava flows within its body. The previously empty, symbolic cracks in its "facial features" now seem to have been imbued with some kind of evil activity, flickering with a red light of greed and destruction.

"It...swallowed that thing!" Caster's face turned pale, his voice filled with fear. "That feeling...it was exactly the same as the aura that Lady Diana exuded when she fused with the data of the 'Extremely Evil Beast' and transformed into a 'Demon'!"

Morgan's eyes instantly turned icy cold: "It's Belial Gath... that scum's 'demon' crystallization! He's been dedicated to finding a way to fully revive, or even make stronger, Kornunos without traditional sacrifices... I never expected that he would actually outsmart us!"

Looking at the God of Calamity, whose "emotions" seemed unusually "high" and whose destructive power was increasing exponentially, and then looking down at the once prosperous land below, now only ruins, desolation, and being constantly eroded by purplish-black, Morgan and Liliana felt as if their hearts were being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, and sharp pains surged through them.

This is the kingdom they painstakingly built and maintained to this day, pouring countless efforts, wisdom, and even sacrificing parts of themselves into it. It is the "future" they tried to find for the fairies, a future that may be distorted but is undeniably real. However, what ultimately destroyed all of this was precisely the unbridled selfishness, greed, and hatred stirred up within the fairies. Isn't this a tremendous irony and tragedy? Rather than saying the fairies brought it upon themselves, it's more accurate to say that they exhausted their efforts, only to raise a pack of... ungrateful wretches that turned on them.

"There's no turning back, Captain Nemo!" Ritsuka's voice was resolute, breaking the heavy atmosphere. "Get closer to it! We must defeat it completely here! Otherwise, all the sacrifices we've made and all the hardships we've endured will have been for nothing!"

"Understood!" Nemo's youthful yet incredibly firm voice responded immediately. "Full power to the ship, maximum magic barrier output! Everything is ready—now, it's up to you all!"

The Nautilus's tail thrusters emitted a dazzling blue light, and under the cover of multiple magical barriers, it was like a silver arrow going against the current, struggling against the violent energy turbulence and the constant onslaught of calamity tentacles, as it made its difficult but tenacious approach to Kornunos's body, which was like a moving mountain.

Finally, the ship hovered below the side of this "hairy" behemoth. Looking up from this angle, the overwhelming, despairing difference in size and presence was even more palpable. Cornunos seemed unconcerned about this "little insect," still focused on using its enormous antlers and limbs to wantonly destroy and devour everything on the earth. The red markings on its body (those terrifying "facial features") flickered like breath, radiating pure rage and a destructive will.

The warriors, about to embark on their campaign, silently conducted a final check of their weapons and condition. Morgan gripped the newly forged holy sword tightly, Liliana was enveloped in an ancient magical glow, and Caster clutched the Staff of Choice. Ritsuka and Mash stood side by side, one with a resolute gaze, the other with a steady shield. Although Senji Muramasa's spirit was weakened by the previous forging, his eyes remained sharp as a knife as he quietly wiped the invisible blade in his hand, which, though not yet manifested, seemed ready to strike at any moment.

This time, the expeditionary force assembled its strongest remaining forces. Only Kalia was left on board by Morgan with an inviolable order—her constitution was far too sensitive to the calamity's corruption; her survival was already a miracle, and she could not be allowed to face further danger.

“Are you ready, Vivian?” Liliana looked at Morgan beside her, her voice calm yet clear enough to cut through all the noise. “Once you take this step, there is no turning back. If you have even the slightest hesitation, leave it to me.”

Morgan looked back at her, a cold flame burning in his purple eyes, but a near-mad smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "Even now, you still say such things? This monster... is a 'legacy problem' that neither you nor I have been able to completely solve. Now that I have the opportunity to personally and thoroughly erase it... I couldn't ask for more."

“Really…not changed at all, still so stubborn.” Liliana shook her head helplessly, but a hint of approval flashed in her eyes. She then turned to Caster, her tone turning serious and authoritative, “Caster, your mission is different. Go immediately to the area beneath the Throne Hall—the twelve ‘Holy Lances’ I left behind are all sealed in the secret sanctuary at the base of the throne. Your mission is to seize the opportunity.”

Her gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, as if it could pierce through the ship's hull and space, locking onto the rampaging behemoth.

"The moment Kornunos shows signs of collapse—the moment when its core power is most unstable and its defenses are weakest—use all your strength to activate the Holy Lance Array and launch a final, piercing attack!"

She looked at Castor, her tone filled with absolute trust: "The Holy Lance itself is imbued with powerful magical protection and automatic guidance, so you don't need to worry about backlash or aiming issues. Just, at the most opportune moment, press the trigger."

Caster took a deep breath and nodded vigorously, his eyes gleaming with determination: "Yes! Leave it to me, Your Majesty!"

As the order was given, the Nautilus opened fire from its portholes, providing valuable cover fire and clearing a path for the agile golden figure. Caster, like a nimble antelope, darted and leaped through the ruins of Camelot, a city scarred with purplish-black erosion, rubble, and remnants of calamity. Seizing her opportunity, she gathered magic beneath her feet, pushed off with a powerful leap, and, using a strong spring magic spell, traced an arc, precisely passing through the broken dome of the royal city and landing in the hall that once symbolized supreme power.

The hall was a mess, clearly looted and destroyed during the previous rebellion and invasion of calamity, but none of that mattered now. Caster's gaze fell directly on the overturned throne. She strode forward, gathered magic in her hands, and with a low shout, forcefully pushed aside the several massive stone slabs pressing against the throne's base!

The instant the stone slab was moved, the long-sealed sanctuary beneath suddenly lit up! Twelve dazzling pillars of light, each a different color yet all imbued with ancient and immense power, shot into the sky! Twelve uniquely shaped "holy spears," flowing with sacred runes and an aura of destruction, appeared one after another within the pillars of light, like slumbering dragons awakened! They were not physical spears to be wielded, but rather strategic weapons fixed to their bases, resembling giant artillery platforms. At this moment, the "spear tips" of all the holy spears—the firing ports brimming with terrifying energy—rotated in unison, emitting a deep, dragon-like hum, precisely locking onto the colossal creature ravaging the distance—the terrifying area of ​​Kornunus's body, barely describable "face," covered in red cracks and writhing tentacles!

Almost at the same instant the Holy Lance was activated and its energy began to gather, Kornunos's massive body shuddered violently! It seemed to sense a terrifying power that could truly threaten its existence gathering! Without the slightest hesitation, several cracks on its "face" suddenly opened, spewing out dozens of thick, pillar-like beams of purplish-black destructive light, containing extreme corrosive and annihilating power, which rained down on the Throne Hall, on Castor, and on the Holy Lance array!

however--

"Buzz—!!!"

Just as the beam of light was about to touch the range of the Holy Lance array, a semi-transparent, invisible barrier, flowing with complex geometric patterns and Liliana's exclusive magic runes, instantly unfolded like the most solid absolute defense! The purplish-black beam of destruction slammed into the barrier, erupting with dazzling energy sparks and deafening roars, but like waves crashing against reefs, it was forcefully deflected, veered, and dissipated! Ripples spread across the surface of the barrier, yet it remained unmoved.

"Hmph!" Caster stood in the center of the Holy Lance array, feeling the surging magical power resonating with the Holy Lance beneath his feet. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "Next... it's time to properly 'fix' your ugly face! Your Majesty—!"

"Received!" Morgan's icy voice came through the communicator, carrying a resolute killing intent.

"Take this, Cornunos! [Sixteen Pillars - Heavenly Prison Binding]!"

As Morgan chanted, magic surged violently in the sky! Sixteen enormous, dark purple spikes, each over ten meters in diameter and wreathed in azure lightning and Paradise runes, tore through the air at astonishing speed like spears of judgment falling from the void, slamming down around Kornunos's massive body! The spikes plunged deep into the earth, instantly forming a sixteen-sided "cage" that enveloped most of the behemoth's body, radiating a powerful binding force!

"Crackling and popping—!!!"

The moment the cage took shape, countless thick blue-white lightning bolts erupted from between the sixteen lightning spikes, weaving into a destructive electric net that tightly bound and paralyzed Kornunos! The intense electric shock caused it to let out a silent roar of pain, its massive body convulsing violently as it tried to break free, but the power of the lightning not only brought excruciating pain but also severely interfered with its efficiency in mobilizing calamity energy!

This is precisely the top-tier binding technique developed by the first Queen, Liliana—the [Sixteen Pillars Binding]. It utilizes the magical spikes unique to the fairies of Paradise to construct the cage's base, instantly infusing it with powerful lightning magic to form a composite binding force field, sufficient to lock down most powerful beings lacking special "boundary-breaking" or "defense-penetrating" abilities. Its only weakness lies in its relatively low resistance to the aforementioned two targeted attacks.

"Now!" Senji Muramasa's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He had been waiting for the right moment. His figure was like lightning as he rushed to the side of Cornunos, who was temporarily trapped in the cage of thunder!

He made a grasping motion with both hands, and a crimson katana, seemingly forged from lava and the fire of forging, appeared out of thin air in his palms! The blade hummed, radiating an intense will to sever all things and incinerate evil!

"Take this blow from me—[Muramasa]!"

Before the shout had even finished, the crimson blade light had already transformed into a raging torrent of flames that could scorch the heavens and boil the seas, slashing fiercely down towards Kornunos's body covered in pale white hair!

"BOOM—!!!"

The flames struck the beast's fur, unleashing a deafening roar and a towering pillar of fire! The eerie white fur on Kornunus's body rapidly carbonized and burned under the extreme heat, revealing the purplish-black, writhing flesh beneath, filling the air with the stench of burning and protein!

The excruciating pain made Kornunos even more ferocious! It twisted its body, paralyzed by lightning, and tried to spew deadly calamity mist or corrosive energy at the nearby Thousand Sons Village!

however--

"Don't think about it!"

Liliana's authoritative shout rang out! She had somehow already hovered above Kornunos's head, her hands pressing down! A massive magic circle, shimmering with golden patterns, instantly unfolded beneath her feet. Immediately afterward, an unimaginably heavy force, seemingly emanating from the earth itself, crashed down on Kornunos like an invisible mountain!

"Well--!!!"

The behemoth's movements suddenly froze, as if it were completely locked in by invisible shackles, making even "breathing" (energy inhalation and exhalation) extremely difficult! This was pure power suppression, stemming from Liliana's absolute control over the British ley lines and the manifestation of her vast magical power!

"Fujimaru Ritsuka! Mashu! Now!" Liliana's voice was urgent and clear, "The next spell is about to be activated! You must get out of its attack range immediately! Understand?"

"Understood!" Ritsuka replied without hesitation, exchanging a glance with Mash before the two quickly retreated.

“Now, Mashu! Get ready for 'that'!” Ritsuka shouted.

“Understood!” Mash nodded, and the shape of the giant shield in her hand began to change subtly. At the center of the shield, dark, ominous yet pure energy began to gather and compress.

Just as Ritsuka and Mashu were retreating, they were surprised to find that, without them noticing, countless talismans emitting a faint golden light and inscribed with ancient "explosion" characters had been quietly pasted onto the surface of Kornunos's enormous body! These talismans clung tightly to its fur, whiskers, and even antlers like a malignant tumor!

Liliana lifted Senji Muramasa, who was slightly exhausted from the explosive slash, and retreated quickly, while giving Morgan a "ready" look.

“Savor this… the feeling of being ‘focused on’ so-called ‘Deer Antler God’!” Liliana’s voice was filled with cold mockery as she looked at Mash, who was already in position. “Mash! Hear my command—the moment I detonate, use your ‘black spear’ to pierce it through!”

"Yes!" Mash steadied herself, and the dark energy at the center of the shield had condensed into a phantom spear that exuded a destructive aura and seemed capable of piercing through the world.

Kornunos seemed to realize the immense danger, struggling desperately under the force field's suppression, a furious roar erupting from his mind: "Damn it! Let me go! If you dare... face me head-on!"

“Too late.” Liliana’s eyes sharpened, and she raised her right hand, snapping her fingers crisply.

"Snapped!"

The moment the sound fell—

Boom boom boom boom boom boom—!!!

All the "explosion" runes affixed to Kornunos were detonated simultaneously, like a powder keg ignited! Moreover, this explosion wasn't a one-time event! After each rune exploded, its fragments immediately absorbed the surrounding calamity energy, regenerating and splitting into more smaller runes that attached themselves nearby, then detonated again! The chain reaction was endless!

In an instant, Kornunos's massive body was completely engulfed by a series of terrifying explosions! A gigantic mushroom cloud, mixed with purplish-black calamity energy and golden purifying flames, rose into the sky! The light and heat of the explosions even temporarily dispelled the gloom in the sky, and the shockwaves leveled the distant ruins once again!

Just as the explosion reached its climax, and Kornunos's defenses were riddled with holes, a huge, bloody hole was blasted into the area that could barely be considered his "face"—

"Now! Mash!"

"BlackBarrel—Fire!"

With a shout, Mashu Qing instantly materialized the jet-black energy spear at the center of the shield, transforming it into a black meteor that devoured all light. With a speed beyond visual perception, it shot into the center of the explosion with unparalleled precision, into the depths of the huge, bone-revealing wound that had just been blasted open!

"Pfft—!!!"

This time, the piercing sound was dull and penetrating to the bone! The black spear, carrying the concepts of "denying mystery" and "ending immortality," pierced the deepest part of Kornunos's body!

Filthy, purplish-black blood gushed from the wound like a river bursting its banks! The double blow of the explosion and the black gun finally tore through the outermost layer of Kornunos's defenses, exposing its true weakness—deep within its blasted "face," a spherical "core" that pulsated like a miniature sun, its surface wrapped with countless chains of sin!

That is the very basis of its existence as a "sacrificial god," as the source of Britain's calamities, and also the source of all its power!

[Completely connect your consciousness with the spiritual veins of the jade throne beneath your feet, achieving 'dual-in-one' synchronization with the twelve holy spears poised to fire directly in front of you.]

Caster closed his eyes, then slowly opened them again, his eyes reflecting the dazzling light of the Holy Lance array and the distant behemoth struggling in the explosion, trying to climb out of the crater, its mind echoing with the unwilling roar, "Don't even think about it!"

This time... you have no chance.

"Vanish forever, Cornunos—!!!"

Castor's cry was like the tolling of a bell announcing the final judgment!

"Spirit Vein Blockage Weapon, Mana Filling Complete!"

"The Round Table Holy Lance Array, twelve lances, side by side—anchor!"

"Specialized Calamity Ritual, Limited Implementation - Open the Gates!"

"O savior's spear! Gather here, and become... the endless rain that cleanses all sins and ends all suffering!!!"

Buzz—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An indescribable torrent of magical power erupted from the ley lines of Camelot, from the Holy Lance array, and from the point where Castor and the Holy Lance connected! Twelve dazzling streams of light, each a different color, shot out from the muzzle of the Holy Lance, not attacking separately, but rapidly converging and merging in mid-air, ultimately transforming into a pure, blazing white aurora, seemingly capable of cleaving through chaos and reshaping order! Wherever the beam of light passed, space itself distorted and groaned!

This "Rain of Ending Light," which combined the full power of the twelve holy spears and was blessed by the spiritual veins of Britain and the prayers of all the fairies of the contemporary Paradise, ignored distance, pierced through the still raging smoke and calamity, and shot towards the exposed, dark golden spherical core of Kornunos with unstoppable and unavoidable absolute precision!

"Pfft—!!!!!"

This time, the sound of flesh being torn apart is no longer the sound of blood and flesh being torn apart, but more like a soul-chilling lament of something being forcibly shattered and completely negated at the level of "concept"!

The blazing white aurora engulfed the dark golden core without any hindrance, and then, with its remaining momentum, continued forward, completely piercing through Kornunos's already broken and massive body!

Wherever the light reached, the giant antlers that once symbolized antiquity and calamity instantly vaporized and evaporated on the left like rotten wood; the right antler, along with large chunks of flesh and bones, was blasted away and scattered! The mountain-like upper body of the behemoth collapsed and disintegrated rapidly like a sandcastle under the aurora's sweep, turning into the finest dust and scattered embers of energy.

The dark golden core lasted less than half a second in the aurora before cracking like a fragile glass ball, then shattered completely with a "crack," turning into countless dim points of light that vanished without a trace.

Without its core, the last vestige of life in Kornunus's remaining body vanished instantly. The massive, still slightly twitching wreckage, after a brief moment of stiffness, seemed to lose all support and began to slowly, irreversibly... tilt backward.

Finally, with a deafening roar that shook the entire island of Britain, the broken body of this "priest god," who had ruled Britain for countless years and symbolized the source of all demonic sins and calamities, along with its remaining half of an antler, plummeted into the bottomless abyss from which it had first emerged. The antler struck the pit wall on its descent, emitting a final, resounding cracking sound.

No further signs of life or calamity emanated from the deep pit.

With its core destroyed, and its existence conceptually penetrated and negated by the "Endless Rain," this time... it has no chance of being resurrected.

【Curse of the Curse - Kornunos - Confirmed, utterly dead.】