Shinji Matou at Your Service

The Calydonian Boar is a Phantasmal Species.

A Phantasmal Species refers to any creature not belonging to this world's ecosystem. Their very existence is a mystery, transcending magic itself.

Moreover, this was a Phantasmal Species that had existed since the Age of Gods, serving as the servant of the moon goddess Artemis. Its spiritual rank, while not matching that of a divine beast, was enough to rival a phantom beast.

Of course, if it were only this powerful, it wouldn't have caused such great difficulty for the Greek warriors. The most distinctive feature of the Calydonian Boar was its unique mode of existence. Although it appeared to be a living creature, it lacked the skeletal, nervous system, and flesh structures typical of living beings, as its essence was a conglomeration of hatred and desire, merely coincidentally manifesting through the boar.

As a result, conventional methods of assessment did not apply to it. This remained true even when it possessed Shinji, even after its hatred and desire were purified.

With layers of white halos entwined around his body, Shinji's abilities as a living being experienced a significant leap, simultaneously altering his spiritual foundation.

Thus, Shinji was able to perform such abrupt attacks without any starting motions.

So, the moment Shirou was struck by the fist and sent flying, Shinji ignored the usual pause and pursued with ghost-like speed.

His pursuit speed surpassed even the full sprint of Atalanta, approaching the level of Achilles, who was known as the fastest human.

However, while Shinji was fast, Shirou was not slow either. His Reduced Earth technique could rival the swiftness of Achilles' divine feet. He had only been caught off guard by Shinji's bizarre actions. Now, having regained his composure, his body movements and katana flowed seamlessly as he directly moved behind Shinji.

Shinji, whose body structure had been completely altered, twisted around, defying physical laws, grabbing the katana with one hand while continuing to punch at Shirou's head with the other.

The palm and the sharp blade collided, but no blood was drawn; only white mist continually dispersed outward.

A strange red light flashed in Shirou's eyes. The moment the fist struck his cheek, his figure blurred and then reappeared behind Shinji in the next instant—a dimensional leap.

Shirou held his katana horizontally across his shoulder, his demeanor changing instantly.

Chūdan-no-kamae?

An instinctive thought flashed in Shinji's mind as he hastily turned around, only to immediately dismiss it.

No, it's not Chūdan-no-kamae. Chūdan-no-kamae is single-handed, but he's using both hands.

Could it be—!!!

Realizing the danger, Shinji tried to retreat, but it was already too late.

Although his movements required no preliminary motion, the process of moving still adhered to physical laws. The moment Shinji leaped back, Shirou's blade was already upon him.

In that instant, the dimension twisted, and three blades appeared simultaneously.

Space fractured at that moment, and three slashes overlapped on the three blades.

Three streaks of crimson shot outward, quickly staining the surrounding pure white.

"An overlay of Tsubame Gaeshi and Lightless, Three-Stage Thrust?"

Shinji pressed his hand against the wound on his neck, his face still showing lingering fear.

Tsubame Gaeshi is an unavoidable magical sword technique within its range, and Three-Stage Thrust is an undefendable magical sword technique. Overlaying them meant a true, inescapable kill. If not for the Blessed Boar significantly weakening the concept of vital points, Shinji might have been severely injured or even killed by that strike.

"Can it be done?"

"It can."

"But if I remember correctly, Okita Souji and Sasaki Kojirou's swordsmanship are not the same. How did you—?"

"The way of the martial arts leads to the same destination by different paths. Whether it's Okita Souji's Swift Thrust, Sasaki Kojirou's Infinity, or Miyamoto Musashi's Zero, the endpoint is essentially the same. The differences arise because none of them reached the true end."

Having executed such a strike, Shirou seemed to have expended considerable energy. Instead of pressing his advantage, he focused on regulating his breathing while explaining.

"It sounds like you've already reached the end?"

"In a way, yes," Shirou nodded.

"Although this endpoint is also a new beginning."

"So you've never been fighting at full strength?"

Shinji frowned. Although he had considered this possibility, the stark disparity was still very frustrating.

"No, I have always been giving my all, the best I can at this stage—don't understand? It's a simple concept: the strength of a warrior is never one-sided; mind, technique, and body are all indispensable. Amakusa Shirou Tokisada's attributes are too poor, even using dimensional leap is so strenuous, let alone reaching the true pinnacle of swordsmanship."

"I see, so that's why you used the Command Spells."

Of course, Shinji understood the logic; it's a fundamental lesson for any warrior. The impossible sword technique just now, and at previous critical moments, Shirou would use the Command Spells—presumably to strengthen his body and support a higher state of being.

"That's right. Now, I'm going to use up the remaining Command Spells all at once. Are you ready?"

Without waiting for Shinji's response, an immensely powerful magic erupted from within Shirou.

"Complete Command Spell release, unity of god and man!"

The four Command Spells just used, along with the five still unused, a total of nine high-class magical crystal miracles, intermingled and fused. The quantitative change produced a qualitative change, finally converging into a crimson pillar of light shooting into the sky.

Rising with the light pillar was Shirou's body and aura. The intense magic fluctuations were palpable even outside the garden.

If Shirou were a sword, then previously it was sheathed, occasionally revealing a hint of its sharpness. Now, this treasured blade was fully unsheathed, its edge apparent.

"Using the formless as form, making the infinite finite—this is my complete form."

Propelled into the air by the vast magic, Shirou held his sword with one hand and swung it lightly downward.

Crimson spread from the sword tip, transforming into a crescent-shaped slash that roared outward.

Where the slash passed, everything twisted.

Shinji's heart surged with a warning, and he retreated swiftly.

The moment he moved, the crimson slash struck the ground, causing the area where Shinji had been, along with a large surrounding section, to collapse instantly, leaving a massive crater.

"Is this... an upgraded version of Lightless, Three-Stage Thrust? A space collapse?"

"Good eye. You can call it Void Slash."

Shirou slowly sheathed his sword, standing with a confident smile, exuding a formidable aura.

However, this aura might intimidate the world, but it didn't intimidate Shinji.

"Void Slash, huh! You must be addicted to cosplaying Sephiroth. Why don't you call it Octaslash?"

Shirou, holding his sword with both hands, explained with a smile, "Because Octaslash is an upgraded version of Swallow Reversal, striking eight times simultaneously. Want to give it a try?"

"Let's give it a try."

Facing the overwhelmingly powerful Shirou, Shinji showed not a trace of fear, because he wasn't fighting alone.

"Thoughts are power. Everyone, please lend me your strength! Origin—Transformation!"