In that instant, a golden pillar of light, possessing an all-consuming power, illuminated the quiet, pitch-black night.
The immense shockwave blew away the poisonous mist surrounding Emiya Shirou.
Within that golden brilliance, only the roaring Hydra remained visible, along with a face hardened by indomitable resolve.
Under a Noble Phantasm unleashed at point-blank range, even Heracles would have no chance of survival, much less the Hydra slain by Heracles himself.
Even its infinitely regenerating nine heads vanished into nothingness beneath the torrent of golden radiance.
Drip—! Drip—! Drip—!
Drops of blood splattered one after another onto the steps leading up to the Holy Church.
After the golden light faded, everything returned to silence. This time, nothing stood before Emiya Shirou.
No Dragon Tooth Warriors, no magical barriers, no terrifying monsters like the Hydra—nothing.
Wrapped in a crimson cloak and gripping a knightly sword, Emiya Shirou staggered forward, ascending the steps one arduous step at a time.
His eyes held no fear, only unprecedented determination.
His armor had long since shattered. His entire body, from head to toe, bore terrible wounds, his clothing ripped and bloodied beyond recognition.
Yet the only thing still intact on Shirou was the crimson cloak he wore—no ordinary cloak, but the a [Holy Shroud].
The [Holy Shroud]—commonly known as burial cloth—had been recorded in the Bible. When Christ the Savior died, his body was wrapped in linen. Upon his resurrection, only these linens remained within the empty tomb.
Hence, cloths once used to wrap saints' remains became rare and precious holy relics.
Each [Holy Shroud] possessed distinct effects—some increased defense, while others invoked miracles.
Jeanne possessed the skill to craft such sacred shrouds:
[Saint]
Rank: B
A skill granted to those recognized as saints. When summoned as a Servant, the ability of this Skill is selected from one out of the following: raising the effectiveness of sacraments, automatic HP recovery, 1Rank-Up to Charisma and production of a holy shroud is possible.
When Jeanne manifested within Laeticia, she chose the ability to craft these shrouds.
Before Shirou departed, Jeanne prepared this crimson [Holy Shroud], entrusting it solemnly to him.
Knowing Red Assassin's true name—Semiramis—Jeanne had prepared accordingly, crafting this protective shroud. Yet, given the urgency, only one could be made in time.
Though it couldn't completely negate Semiramis's poison, it would still grant considerable protection.
While function mattered more than appearance, Jeanne, for reasons unknown, crafted this crimson shroud to resemble a cloak, specifically designed for Emiya Shirou.
Perhaps this was precisely why Jeanne could only finish one.
Shirou hadn't overthought it; he simply accepted the cloak and carefully carried it along.
He hadn't worn it immediately.
Firstly, the shroud's defensive capabilities paled compared to his projected [Incursio], making it easily destructible.
Secondly, Sighișoara was under thorough surveillance, and Shirou knew Semiramis would instantly recognize the Holy Shroud if he wore it openly.
Thus, Shirou chose to don it at the critical moment—and now was precisely that time.
He felt as though he might collapse from pain and blood loss at any second. Summoning his final ounce of strength amidst the poisonous fog, Shirou finally pulled out the shroud and wrapped it around himself.
His body, previously wracked with pain, felt a gentle warmth flow through it, significantly reducing his agony and steadily healing his wounds.
Though inferior to [Avalon], the shroud continuously provided healing and limited magical resistance, as long as it remained intact.
Creeeak——!
Shirou pushed open the doors of the Holy Church effortlessly.
"Shirou—!"
But what greeted him wasn't the ever-looming presence of Semiramis, nor the smiling visage of Amakusa Shirou Tokisada.
Instead, he saw Rider—Astolfo—bound alongside his Hippogriff by chains that appeared from nowhere.
"Rider—!"
Ignoring his body's weakness, Shirou raised his knightly sword, pointing it directly toward the figure standing at the far end—an exceedingly alluring woman.
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
The crisp sound of applause echoed clearly through the silent church.
The seductive woman slowly clapped, walking calmly toward Shirou.
"I never imagined," Semiramis spoke with fascinated curiosity, her gaze as though beholding a rare and precious treasure, "that someone who could create miracles like you still existed in this world."
She had believed that only someone as singularly driven as Amakusa Shirou Tokisada could intrigue her.
But in this Holy Grail War, she had discovered another—a man who, like Amakusa, single-mindedly marched forward, heedless of everything.
Now she understood why Amakusa had privately sought to meet Emiya Shirou himself; both of them were creators of miracles.
In this era, could a mere human truly slay the legendary nine-headed Hydra once again?
Without clever stratagems, without hidden techniques—Emiya Shirou had simply confronted the Hydra directly, crushing it head-on.
Though it wasn't the true Hydra, merely a summoned projection or replica of the legendary beast, it was still something no modern magus should be able to defeat.
Had they not been enemies, Semiramis would have eagerly taken Shirou into her service. No—even as enemies, Semiramis still found herself strongly desiring to claim this miraculous human as her own.
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T/N: i see his eroge protagonist aura only works in the type mooon verse sasuga author also uihhh emiyas gonna have a heart attack if he sees shirou with a holy shroud already :sob: and since its a cloak i think its more like muramasas white cloak thing, also astolfo is the princess the hero needs to rescue