Chapter 7: Anchors of Corruption
Dawn broke over the resistance stronghold in muted crimson—the sun struggling to penetrate the unnatural cloud cover that had become a constant feature of this distorted timeline. Xian stood atop the settlement's eastern watchtower, his eyes closed in deep meditation as he refined his understanding of the Singularity's structure.
Within his mind's eye, France's corrupted landscape appeared as a complex web of intertwining threads—historical reality warping around points of anchor where corruption had been most deeply embedded. Each anchor pulsed with malevolent energy, feeding power back to the central nexus where the Dragon Witch held court.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Singularity Structural Analysis: 87% Complete ✦ Anchor Points Identified: 7 Major, 13 Minor ✦ Weakest Point Located: Lyon Region (Southeastern Quadrant) ✦ Recommended Approach: Targeted Conceptual Decoupling ✦ Warning: Anchor Disruption Will Alert Controlling Entity
Xian opened his eyes as Scáthach approached, her crimson gaze taking in the bleak landscape with clinical detachment. Months of partnership had bred an efficient understanding between them—she didn't interrupt his meditation, simply waiting until he acknowledged her presence.
"The closest viable target is southeast of here," Xian informed her, gesturing toward a distant mountain range barely visible through the haze. "A minor anchor point, but disrupting it will create a cascade effect that weakens the entire southeastern quadrant of the Singularity."
Scáthach nodded, her white hair catching the muted sunlight as she moved. "And our allies?"
"Fujimaru and Mash will coordinate with Jeanne and the other Servants to create a diversion near Orleans itself," Xian replied. "Drawing the Dragon Witch's attention north while we strike from the south."
"A sound strategy," came a new voice, deep and measured.
They turned to find EMIYA ascending the watchtower steps, his white hair and tanned skin contrasting sharply with his red mantle. The Archer's steel-gray eyes held the weary wisdom of a Counter Guardian who had seen countless iterations of human folly, yet still fought to preserve humanity's future.
"You have doubts," Xian observed, noting the subtle tension in the Archer's stance.
EMIYA's lips quirked in what might have been a smile on a less burdened man. "Prudent caution. These anchor points—you expect significant resistance."
It wasn't a question, but Xian nodded anyway. "Each anchor is not merely a location but a conceptual foothold—a point where corrupted history has been most firmly established. They'll be guarded accordingly."
"Which is why I'm proposing a modification to your plan," EMIYA stated, his tactical mind evident in his precise speech. "I should accompany you. My experience with conceptual weapons may prove useful, and three can move as quietly as two."
Xian exchanged a brief glance with Scáthach, reading her subtle approval in the slight incline of her head. "Your assistance would be welcome," he agreed. "Though I'm curious why you'd separate from the main group."
EMIYA's expression remained carefully neutral, but something flickered in his eyes—a calculation, an assessment. "Let's say I prefer to address problems at their source. Diversions and frontal assaults have their place, but severing the roots..." He left the thought unfinished.
"A pragmatic approach," Scáthach remarked, her own countless years of combat experience recognizing a kindred strategic mind. "Though one questions whether the Counter Force has taken a particular interest in these events."
The question hung in the air, loaded with implications. EMIYA's status as a Counter Guardian—an agent of humanity's collective survival instinct—made his interventions significant beyond the actions themselves.
"The Counter Force doesn't direct me with such... specificity," EMIYA replied carefully. "But when human history itself faces incineration, certain alignments of purpose become inevitable."
Satisfied with this explanation, they turned to practical matters. EMIYA produced a detailed map of the region, surprisingly accurate despite the distorted geography of the Singularity.
"The southeastern anchor appears to be centered here," he indicated a location in the mountains. "A former monastery, now transformed into something... different. Reconnaissance reports describe it as 'bleeding into the mountain itself'."
Xian studied the location, extending his perception through his cultivation system to analyze the conceptual significance. "The Monastery of Saint Honoratus," he identified. "Historically, a center of religious learning that preserved knowledge through the Dark Ages. In this distorted timeline, it's been corrupted into an anti-thesis of its original purpose—a site where knowledge is perverted rather than preserved."
"Symbolic inversion," Scáthach noted. "Consistent with the pattern we observed in Fuyuki. The corruption targets places and people of pivotal historical or conceptual significance, then inverts their fundamental nature."
"Creating maximum damage to the timeline's stability," EMIYA concluded grimly. "Efficient, if nothing else."
Their discussion was interrupted by approaching footsteps—lighter, less measured than EMIYA's. Mash Kyrielight appeared at the top of the stairs, her lavender hair framing earnest eyes that carried both determination and concern. Behind her followed Fujimaru, his orange hair tousled from sleep, but his expression already focused on the tasks ahead.
"Senpai and I wanted to confirm the coordination plan before you depart," Mash explained, clipboard in hand with detailed notes. Her shield—the manifestation of her mysterious Servant powers—was strapped securely to her back, ready for deployment at a moment's notice.
Fujimaru stepped forward, his initial nervousness now tempered by the experiences of Fuyuki and his first day in this new Singularity. "Jeanne suggested we time our diversionary attack to coincide with noon," he explained. "The dragons are apparently least active during the peak of daylight—something about their corrupted nature making them sensitive to direct sunlight."
"A vulnerability we should exploit," EMIYA agreed. "We'll time our approach to the anchor point accordingly. If the Dragon Witch commits her forces to countering your diversion, the southeastern quadrant should be temporarily undermanned."
As they finalized tactical details, Xian felt a familiar stirring within his cultivation system—a response to the prolonged exposure to the Singularity's corrupted conceptual framework. His body was adapting, analyzing the corruption's structure and developing countermeasures at a cellular level.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Adaptation Progress: Corruption Resistance Developing ✦ Analyzing Corruption Signature for Integration Potential ✦ Warning: Direct Assimilation of Corruption Not Recommended ✦ Alternative Path: Develop Corruption Purification Aspect Through Exposure ✦ Current Progress: 32% toward new Aspect Formation
Interesting, Xian thought. His system was evolving not to embrace the corruption but to counteract it—developing a purification aspect that could prove invaluable in the battles ahead.
"—and that's when we'll fall back to position Delta," Fujimaru was saying, completing the outline of their diversion plan. "Marie's group will provide secondary support from the western approach, while Jeanne leads the frontal engagement."
"A sound approach," Scáthach approved. "Just ensure you maintain a viable retreat path. The Dragon Witch may recognize the diversion for what it is."
"Which is why we're making it a real attack," Fujimaru explained with unexpected strategic insight. "Limited objectives, but genuine damage to her forward positions. A feint that draws blood is harder to dismiss."
EMIYA raised an eyebrow, a flicker of something—recognition? approval?—crossing his normally guarded features. "A valid principle of engagement."
With the coordination complete, they separated to make final preparations. As Fujimaru and Mash descended the watchtower, Xian noticed the young Master pause to speak quietly with a soldier—not giving orders, but inquiring about the man's family, offering a word of encouragement. A small gesture, but revealing of the quality that had prompted the FATE system to select him despite his apparent ordinariness.
"He grows into his role quickly," Scáthach observed, following Xian's gaze.
"Necessity is a ruthless teacher," EMIYA commented, a shadow of personal experience darkening his tone.
"As is compassion," Xian countered. "Fujimaru's strength lies not in magical prowess or tactical genius, but in his fundamental humanity—his ability to connect with others, to inspire loyalty through genuine concern."
EMIYA's expression revealed nothing, but his silence spoke volumes.
As the morning advanced, they made their final preparations. Xian spent time in seated meditation, cycling his cultivation energy through meridians that had evolved significantly since his near-death experience in Chaldea's reactor. The radiation damage, rather than destroying his physical form, had catalyzed a transformation—his cells now operated with enhanced efficiency, processing mana and converting it to usable power with minimal loss.
[Advanced Meridian Cycling Complete] ✦ Energy Reserves at 98% Capacity ✦ Void Dao Circulation Enhanced by Recent Evolution ✦ Sword Dao Resonance at Peak Efficiency ✦ Recommended Combat Mode: [Void Sword Saint] configuration • Prioritizes precision strikes with maximum conceptual penetration • Optimized for target-specific purification rather than area effect
When they finally departed, the sun had risen to mid-morning position. They traveled south and east, moving swiftly across terrain that grew increasingly distorted as they approached the anchor point. Forests that should have been vibrant with summer growth stood twisted and gray, trees bent at impossible angles, their branches reaching toward the ground rather than the sky. Animals, when they appeared, moved with unnatural coordination, as if puppeted by an unseen consciousness.
"The corruption grows stronger," EMIYA noted, his keen eyes scanning the horizon for threats. "We're entering the anchor's influence zone."
Xian nodded, extending his perception outward. "The boundary between natural and corrupted reality becomes more pronounced as we approach the core. At the anchor itself, the distortion will be almost complete—a bubble of impossibility sustained by the Demon Pillar's power."
They proceeded with greater caution, Scáthach taking point with her crimson spear at the ready, EMIYA covering their flank with bow materialized, and Xian at the center, his senses extended to monitor the conceptual currents around them.
By midday, they reached the foothills leading to the corrupted monastery. From their elevated position, they could see the true extent of the distortion—the once-sacred building had indeed "bled" into the mountain, its stone walls fused with living rock in ways that defied natural architecture. Spires that should have pointed heavenward instead curved downward like claws. The entire structure pulsed with subtle rhythm, as if breathing.
"It's alive," EMIYA observed with grim distaste. "The anchor isn't just a location—it's been transformed into a living conduit."
"A conceptual organism," Xian agreed, analyzing the pattern. "The Demon Pillar has rewritten the very nature of the monastery, turning sacred stone into corrupted flesh."
Scáthach's crimson eyes narrowed as she studied the approach. "Guards," she indicated with a slight gesture. "Not human. Not even wyvern."
Surrounding the monastery were figures that defied easy classification—neither fully human nor fully bestial, but twisted combinations of both. They moved with military precision, patrolling established routes with weapons that pulsed with the same corrupt energy as the structure they protected.
"Chimeras," EMIYA identified. "Magical constructs created by fusing different organisms. Another perversion of natural order."
Xian's analysis went deeper, his cultivation system processing the conceptual signatures of the guard creatures.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Entity Analysis: Corrupted Chimeras ✦ Composition: Human Base + Dragon Essence + Conceptual Binding ✦ Classification: Third-Order Magical Constructs with Limited Autonomy ✦ Weakness Identified: Conceptual Binding Matrix Vulnerable to Void Dao Disruption ✦ Recommended Approach: Target Binding Matrix Rather Than Physical Form
"They're bound servants," Xian explained. "Former humans transformed and enslaved through dragon essence infusion. Their physical forms are merely vessels—the controlling force exists at the conceptual level."
EMIYA's expression darkened with controlled anger. "Then we liberate them."
"We can try," Xian agreed. "But the transformation may be irreversible. Freedom might mean only release from their current torment."
"Sometimes," Scáthach stated with ancient certainty, "that is the only freedom possible."
They studied the patrol patterns, identifying the optimal approach—a narrow ravine leading to the monastery's eastern side, currently guarded by only two chimeras.
"The diversion should begin soon," EMIYA noted, checking the sun's position. "We should move immediately afterward, while the anchor's defenders are distracted by reports from Orleans."
Right on cue, a distant rumble echoed across the landscape—the sound of battle erupting far to the north. Moments later, the corrupted sky above Orleans lit with flashes of magical combat and the unmistakable roars of dragons engaging enemies.
The chimera guards reacted immediately, several breaking from their patrol routes to listen to communication they alone could hear. A ripple of alertness passed through their ranks, followed by visible tension as they awaited orders.
"Now," Scáthach whispered, already moving.
They descended toward the ravine with practiced stealth, EMIYA covering their advance with an arrow nocked but not yet drawn. The two chimera guards stood at attention, their draconic features more pronounced than their distant companions—scaled skin covering half-human faces, clawed hands gripping weapons that appeared fused to their flesh.
Xian moved first, channeling Void Dao through his meridians in a technique he had refined since the confrontation with Jeanne Alter.
"[Void Whisper – Conceptual Severance]," he intoned barely above a breath.
The air between him and the chimeras rippled slightly—not a direct attack, but a targeted conceptual intrusion that sought the binding matrix EMIYA had identified. For a moment, nothing appeared to happen. Then, simultaneously, both creatures stiffened, their weapons dropping from suddenly nerveless fingers as the controlling influence was temporarily disrupted.
Scáthach moved with immortal grace, her crimson spear finding the precise points that would ensure instant, painless death. The chimeras collapsed without a sound, their forms already beginning to disintegrate as the corrupt energy animating them dispersed.
"Clean," EMIYA acknowledged with professional respect. "And we remain undetected."
They entered the ravine, keeping close to the shadow-draped walls as they approached the monastery. The corruption grew more intense with each step—the stone beneath their feet occasionally pulsing with vein-like structures, the air itself growing thick with a miasma of wrongness that pressed against the senses.
For ordinary humans, prolonged exposure to such corruption would have been debilitating, perhaps fatal. Even Servants felt its effects, though their spiritual nature provided significant resistance. EMIYA's face had grown more taut, lines of tension appearing around his eyes as he battled the subtle influence.
Scáthach fared better, her nature as Queen of the Land of Shadows granting her innate resistance to corrupting forces. Still, even she moved with increased caution, her crimson eyes constantly scanning for threats both physical and conceptual.
Xian's cultivation system worked actively to counteract the miasma, his evolving purification aspect processing and neutralizing the corruption before it could affect his core functions.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Corruption Purification Aspect: 47% Formed (Accelerated by Direct Exposure) ✦ Generating Protective Field: 3-Meter Radius ✦ Field Effect: Corruption Reduction (42% Efficiency) ✦ Note: Allies Within Field Receive Partial Protection
"Stay close," Xian advised, noticing EMIYA's growing discomfort. "My cultivation is generating a purification field that offers some protection."
The Archer nodded gratefully, moving within the suggested radius. Almost immediately, his expression eased slightly as the protective influence counteracted the worst of the corruption's effects.
"Useful trick," he commented. "Though I'd be interested to know how your 'cultivation' differs from conventional magecraft. The principles seem similar, yet distinctly foreign."
"An explanation for another time," Xian replied, his attention focused on their approach. "We're nearing the anchor's core."
The ravine opened into a small clearing directly beneath the monastery's eastern wall—except the wall no longer existed as separate from the mountain. Stone and rock had fused together, creating a seamless transition from natural formation to corrupted architecture. What had once been windows now resembled organic apertures, pulsing slowly like dilating pupils.
"The entry point should be nearby," EMIYA observed, studying the transformed structure with critical precision. "If the original layout maintains any consistency, there should be a side entrance just ahead."
Scáthach pointed with her spear toward a particularly large aperture near ground level. "There. That opening corresponds to the monastery's storage cellars in the original design."
They approached cautiously, the corruption growing so thick it became visible—a reddish haze that swirled and parted before Xian's purification field. The opening Scáthach had identified was indeed large enough to enter, though it pulsed with unsettling rhythm, occasionally contracting in a manner disturbingly reminiscent of breathing.
"Charming," EMIYA remarked dryly. "We're quite literally entering the belly of the beast."
Inside, the corruption had completely transformed what had once been orderly stone cellars. Walls curved in organic patterns, the floor occasionally rippling as if liquid despite supporting their weight. Light came from fungal growths that emitted a sickly yellow glow, illuminating corridors that seemed to rearrange themselves when not directly observed.
"This place defies conventional architecture," Scáthach noted, her spear ready as they navigated the shifting passages. "It's responding to our presence."
"The anchor point is sentient in a limited way," Xian explained, his perception extending through the corrupted structure. "It's an extension of the Demon Pillar's consciousness, designed to maintain the corruption and adapt to threats."
They moved deeper, following Xian's lead as he tracked the strongest concentration of corrupting energy. The monastery's interior grew increasingly organic—stone giving way completely to tissue-like surfaces, doorways becoming sphincter-like openings that dilated at their approach.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Anchor Core Located: Central Chapel (Former Sanctuary) ✦ Corruption Concentration: Critical Mass ✦ Warning: Servant-class Entity Detected Guarding Core ✦ Analysis: Corrupted Heroic Spirit + Direct Demon Pillar Connection ✦ Recommendation: Prepare for Significant Resistance
"We're not alone," Xian warned as they approached what had once been the monastery's central chapel. "There's a corrupted Servant guarding the anchor's core—someone powerful, directly connected to the controlling Demon Pillar."
EMIYA's bow materialized fully in his hands, a twisted sword transforming into an arrow as he prepared for combat. "Any identification?"
Xian focused his perception, analyzing the conceptual signature. "A dragon-slayer," he determined after a moment. "The corruption has inverted their nature—making a protector of dragons from one who once hunted them."
"Saint George," Scáthach identified immediately. "His legend is inextricably tied to dragon-slaying. A perfect candidate for symbolic inversion."
They paused before the final passage—a pulsating tunnel that led to the former chapel, now transformed into the anchor's core chamber. The corruption here was so dense it formed visible patterns in the air, swirling sigils that burned the eye to look upon directly.
"The plan remains unchanged," Xian stated. "I'll target the anchor's conceptual foundation directly. You two engage the guardian, keep him occupied while I work."
EMIYA nodded sharply. "How long will you need?"
"Minutes at most," Xian replied. "But those minutes will be... eventful. Once I begin, the entire structure will react defensively."
Scáthach's lips curved in a rare, cold smile. "Then we'll ensure you have those minutes, however eventful they may be."
With no further discussion needed, they entered the final passage. The tunnel contracted behind them as they proceeded, the corruption responding to their intrusion with increasing hostility. The walls themselves began to form protrusions—spike-like growths that lashed out with surprising speed.
EMIYA dispatched several with precise arrow shots, while Scáthach's spear became a blur of crimson motion, severing any that came too close. Xian moved between them, his Void Horizon Blade materializing in his hand as he cut through particularly dense corruption with conceptual precision.
The passage finally opened into what had once been the chapel sanctuary. The transformation here was complete and horrifying—a vast chamber of living tissue, pulsing with malevolent purpose. The former altar had become a towering column of crystallized corruption, radiating power in visible waves that distorted the air around it.
Before this corrupted heart stood a knight in blackened armor, a once-holy spear now twisted into a weapon of corruption clutched in gauntleted hands. Though his helmet concealed his features, the conceptual weight of his presence confirmed their suspicions—a Servant of tremendous power, his Saint Graph inverted from its original purpose.
"Saint George," EMIYA confirmed quietly.
The corrupted knight turned at their entrance, his movements unnaturally fluid despite his heavy armor. When he spoke, his voice emerged distorted, overlaid with something older and far less human.
"INTRUDERS APPROACH THE SACRED ANCHOR," he intoned, the dual nature of his voice revealing the Demon Pillar's direct influence. "THE DRAGON WITCH FORESAW YOUR COMING, ARCHITECT. YOUR INTERFERENCE ENDS HERE."
Xian stepped forward, the Void Horizon Blade gleaming with opalescent light in his hand. "You know who I am, which means your master has taken a personal interest in our activities."
"THE KING OF MAGES SEES ALL THREADS OF FATE," the corrupted Saint George replied. "YOUR PRESENCE WAS... UNEXPECTED. AN ANOMALY TO BE STUDIED, THEN REMOVED."
"I've heard similar sentiments before," Xian remarked calmly. "From Flauros, before I removed him."
The name sent a visible shudder through the corrupted Servant, the Demon Pillar's influence reacting to the reminder of its defeated brethren. The moment of distraction was all EMIYA needed—his arrow flew with perfect precision, aimed at a joint in the blackened armor.
Saint George moved with supernatural speed, his corrupted spear batting the arrow aside with contemptuous ease. "PITIFUL. THE COUNTER GUARDIAN THINKS TO CHALLENGE A VESSEL OF THE KING'S WILL?"
Scáthach was already in motion, her crimson spear leaving afterimages as she engaged the knight directly. "The Queen of Shadows thinks to remind you of your place, puppet," she countered, her attacks testing his defenses with immortal skill.
As the battle erupted between the Servants, Xian circled toward the corruption column, his true target. The anchor's core pulsed with increased frequency as he approached, sensing the threat he represented.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Anchor Core Analysis Complete ✦ Structure: Crystallized Corruption Around Historical Artifact ✦ Central Element Identified: Original Monastery Founding Stone ✦ Method of Corruption: Conceptual Inversion (Sacred → Profane) ✦ Vulnerability: Original Artifact Retains Echo of True Purpose ✦ Recommended Approach: Amplify Original Conceptual Resonance to Disrupt Corruption
The core's structure now clear, Xian prepared his approach. This wasn't a task for brute force—the anchor couldn't be destroyed conventionally without potentially damaging the timeline further. Instead, he needed to restore the original conceptual purpose of the founding stone at the heart of the corruption.
Around him, the battle intensified. Saint George proved formidable even against two exceptional opponents—his corrupted nature granting him strength beyond his original legend. EMIYA had switched to close combat, dual blades materializing in his hands as he employed sword techniques that seemed strangely familiar to Xian's Sword Dao perception.
Scáthach fought with the deadly precision of one who had trained heroes for millennia, her crimson spear finding the few vulnerabilities in the knight's defense. Yet even wounded, Saint George pressed forward with zealot's determination, the Demon Pillar's influence driving him beyond normal limits.
"YOUR DIVERSION AT ORLEANS HAS FAILED," the knight announced with malicious satisfaction. "EVEN NOW, THE DRAGON WITCH CRUSHES YOUR ALLIES. THE YOUNG MASTER YOU PIN YOUR HOPES ON WILL NOT SURVIVE THIS DAY."
EMIYA didn't waste breath responding to the psychological warfare, but Xian caught the momentary tightening of his expression—concern for Fujimaru briefly overriding his tactical focus.
"Focus on our task," Scáthach reminded sharply. "They have their role; we have ours."
Reaching the corruption column, Xian raised the Void Horizon Blade, channeling his evolving purification aspect through the conceptual weapon. The blade's edge began to emit golden light—similar to the purification technique he had used on Berserker in Fuyuki, but refined through his recent evolution.
"[Sacred Restoration – Conceptual Reversion]," he intoned, driving the blade directly into the corruption column.
The effect was immediate and violent. The entire chamber shuddered as if in pain, the walls contracting and the floor heaving. The corruption column emitted a high-pitched keening sound as golden light spread from the point of contact, racing through veins of darkness like wildfire.
Saint George roared in sympathetic agony, the direct connection to the anchor transmitting its disruption through his corrupted form. He redoubled his attacks, driven by desperation as much as purpose now.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" he demanded, voice fluctuating between his own and the Demon Pillar's as the connection destabilized.
"Reminded the stone of what it once was," Xian replied, maintaining his focus on the technique as the purification spread deeper into the anchor's core. "Sacred ground doesn't easily forget its purpose, no matter how thoroughly you corrupt it."
The golden light reached the center of the column, where the monastery's founding stone lay entombed in crystallized corruption. As the purification touched this original artifact, a resonance began—the stone responding to the restoration of its conceptual purpose, its own latent holiness awakening after centuries of dormancy.
Saint George staggered, his movements becoming erratic as the anchor's disruption affected his corrupted form. EMIYA seized the opportunity, his twin blades finding purchase in a gap between armor plates. Scáthach followed immediately, her crimson spear driving through the opening EMIYA had created, piercing the knight's core.
"Remember who you truly are," she commanded, her voice carrying immortal authority. "A protector, not a destroyer."
For a brief moment, clarity seemed to return to the corrupted Servant. His helmeted head turned toward the disintegrating corruption column, then back to Scáthach.
"The... stone..." he managed in his own voice, the Demon Pillar's influence temporarily suppressed. "It was... the key. Always... the key."
Then he dissolved into particles of golden light—not destroyed, but released from the corruption's hold as the anchor that sustained his inverted form collapsed.
The chamber itself began to disintegrate, the organic growths withering and the pulsing walls hardening back into stone. The corruption column imploded with a final surge of golden light, leaving only the original founding stone hovering briefly before settling gently to the floor.
"We need to move," EMIYA warned, already heading toward the exit as the structure around them continued to transform. "This entire place is reverting to its original state—rather violently."
They retreated through passages that straightened and solidified as they ran, the monastery shedding its corrupted form like a nightmare upon waking. Behind them, waves of golden purification energy spread outward from the former chapel, cleansing corruption wherever it touched.
They emerged into daylight just as the transformation reached the exterior walls. The mountain itself seemed to shudder as the unnatural fusion between rock and architecture separated, stone flowing like water before resolidifying in its original form.
From their position on a nearby ridge, they watched as the monastery returned to its historical appearance—a simple stone structure of sacred purpose, nestled against the mountainside rather than merged with it. The corrupted miasma that had surrounded it dispersed like morning fog, revealing clear skies above for the first time since they'd entered the region.
"Impressive," EMIYA acknowledged, studying the transformation with analytical precision. "The anchor didn't just collapse—it reverted. The original timeline is reasserting itself in this region."
Xian nodded, monitoring the process through his cultivation system. "The corruption has been purged from this quadrant of the Singularity. The effect will spread, weakening the Dragon Witch's hold over the southeastern territories."
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Anchor Disruption Successful ✦ Regional Timeline Stability: 73% Restored ✦ Corruption Purification Aspect: 78% Formed (Significant Acceleration from Direct Interaction) ✦ New Ability Unlocked: [Sacred Restoration Technique] ✦ Effect: Can Purify Corruption by Amplifying Original Conceptual Purpose of Affected Objects/Locations
"The technique you used," Scáthach observed. "It's evolved beyond what you employed in Fuyuki."
"My near-death in the reactor accelerated certain aspects of my cultivation," Xian explained. "The purification capability was always latent, but recent experiences have catalyzed its development."
A distant rumble drew their attention northward, where the battle at Orleans continued. Even from this distance, they could see flashes of combat—magical energy and dragon fire illuminating the clouds above the city.
"We should return to our allies," EMIYA stated, concern briefly visible before his professional mask reasserted itself. "If the Dragon Witch realized what we've accomplished here, she may take out her frustration on the diversion force."
They began their journey back, moving swiftly through countryside already showing signs of recovery. The twisted forests had straightened, natural colors returning to vegetation that had been leached gray by corruption. Wildlife had begun to emerge, no longer moving with hive-mind coordination but returning to natural patterns.
As they traveled, Xian sensed a familiar observational presence—the unknown watcher who had taken interest in their activities earlier. Unlike Goetia's heavy, malevolent surveillance, this observation felt lighter, more analytical.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Observer Analysis: Further Data Acquired ✦ Classification: Human(?) Entity with Advanced Technological/Magical Capacity ✦ Precision of Observation Suggests Familiarity with Chaldean Operations ✦ Hypothesis: Independent Actor with Timeline Preservation Interest ✦ Threat Assessment: Indeterminate (Insufficient Data)
"Our mystery observer has returned," Xian noted quietly to his companions.
EMIYA's expression sharpened with interest. "You can sense surveillance at that level? Impressive."
"A side effect of my cultivation system's evolution," Xian explained. "Conceptual weight creates ripples in reality—I've become attuned to detecting them."
"Any identification?" Scáthach asked practically.
"Nothing definitive," Xian replied. "But the signature feels... familiar somehow. As if I've encountered it before, perhaps indirectly."
"A concern for another time," EMIYA decided as they crested a hill that provided a clear view northward. "We have more immediate problems."
The scene revealed before them confirmed his assessment. The battle at Orleans had escalated dramatically—the sky above the city now dark with circling dragons, larger and more numerous than they had anticipated. Even from this distance, they could see sections of the defensive force being overwhelmed, forced to retreat under the withering assault.
"The Dragon Witch has committed her full aerial forces," Scáthach observed grimly. "She must have realized our true purpose and decided to eliminate the diversion entirely."
Xian's eyes narrowed as he extended his perception, analyzing the battle's flow. "Fujimaru and the others are withdrawing to the eastern forest," he determined. "Controlled retreat, not rout."
"Still, they're outnumbered and outmatched," EMIYA noted. "Even with multiple Servants, those dragons represent overwhelming force."
Decision made instantly, Xian channeled power through his meridians, preparing a technique he had been developing since their first encounter with the Dragon Witch. His cultivation system responded immediately, energy flowing through pathways that pulsed with golden light visible beneath his skin.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Combat Configuration: [Dragon Suppression Matrix] ✦ Elemental Fusion: Fire + Wind + Void ✦ Range: Extended (10 km effective radius) ✦ Energy Consumption: Significant (42% reserves required) ✦ Warning: Technique Will Alert Controlling Entity to Your Direct Interference
"I can provide our allies with an advantage," he stated. "But it will reveal our position and capabilities more directly than before. The Demon Pillar will know exactly what I've done."
"Do it," EMIYA decided without hesitation, steel-gray eyes fixed on the distant battle. "Fujimaru's survival takes priority over operational secrecy."
Scáthach nodded in agreement, her crimson eyes narrowing as she assessed the tactical situation. "Whatever consequences come, we'll face them together."
Xian stepped forward to the edge of the hill, raising both hands toward the distant battlefield. His form began to emit a subtle glow as multiple Dao energies synchronized within his cultivation system, power building like a gathering storm.
"[Dragon Suppression Field – Sky Binding Mandate]," he intoned, his voice resonating with conceptual authority.
The air between his outstretched hands shimmered, then condensed into a complex array of glowing sigils—not magecraft circles as a conventional mage might create, but manifestations of fundamental laws governing draconic entities. The array expanded rapidly, shooting skyward as a pillar of golden light before exploding outward in a dome that spread toward Orleans.
Where the expanding dome passed, dragons suddenly found their wings failing, their fire dampened, their movements sluggish. The effect wasn't uniform—the largest dragons maintained some mobility, while the smaller wyverns plummeted from the sky like stones—but the overall impact was immediate and dramatic. The overwhelmingly aerial assault transformed into disorganized chaos as the creatures struggled against the conceptual limitation suddenly imposed upon them.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Dragon Suppression Field Active ✦ Effect: Draconic Entities Within Range Experience 70% Reduction in Flight Capability ✦ Secondary Effect: Dragon-Fire Potency Reduced by 63% ✦ Duration: 18 Minutes at Current Power Expenditure ✦ Warning: Significant Conceptual Backlash Detected • The Dragon Witch has sensed your interference directly • Counter-measure deployment imminent
"It's working," EMIYA observed, his keen archer's vision tracking the battle's sudden shift. "Fujimaru's forces are rallying—using the dragons' confusion to mount a counterattack."
Through the distant haze, they could see the tide turning. Marie Antoinette's contingent, previously pinned down at the western flank, now advanced with renewed vigor. The true Jeanne's banner rose at the center of the formation, rallying scattered defenders as they pressed the advantage against grounded wyverns.
But most significantly, at the eastern edge where the forest provided cover, Fujimaru and Mash had halted their retreat. The Demi-Servant's massive shield now served as an offensive weapon as she charged forward, knocking aside disoriented dragons with surprising strength.
"They're fighting well," Scáthach acknowledged with the professional appreciation of one who had trained countless warriors. "The young Master has an instinct for maximizing his Servants' capabilities."
Xian maintained his focus on the technique, power flowing continuously through his meridians to sustain the suppression field. His expression remained composed, but beads of perspiration formed on his brow as the energy expenditure mounted.
"We should move closer," he suggested, voice steady despite the strain. "I can maintain the field while we advance, and our allies may need direct assistance before—"
His words cut off abruptly as a new presence entered his awareness—massive, ancient, and pulsing with concentrated malice. The sky above Orleans darkened further as a rift appeared in the clouds, tearing open to reveal a swirling vortex of corrupted energy.
"Counter-measure deployed," EMIYA identified grimly, his bow materializing in his hands as he nocked a twisted arrow. "And it's no minor response."
From the vortex emerged a dragon unlike any they had yet encountered—enormous beyond natural proportions, its wingspan blotting out the sun as it descended. Unlike the black scales of the Dragon Witch's mount, this creature gleamed with metallic brilliance, its body covered in scales that resembled polished silver. Seven heads extended from its massive torso, each crowned with horns of different configurations, eyes burning with intelligence and ancient hatred.
Atop the central head stood Jeanne Alter, her corrupted banner raised high, golden eyes blazing with fury even at this distance. But more disturbing was the presence behind her—a shadowy, indistinct form that seemed to exist partially outside conventional reality, tentacles of darkness extending from its amorphous mass to connect with the Dragon Witch like puppet strings.
"The Demon Pillar reveals itself," Scáthach observed, her crimson spear materializing in her grip. "Though still partially concealed."
Xian's eyes narrowed as he analyzed the new threat, his cultivation system automatically processing the conceptual signatures involved.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Threat Assessment: Critical ✦ Entity Identification: Fafnir (Corrupted Mythical Dragon) • Classification: Divine Beast-class Entity (Artificially Enhanced) • Special Properties: Multi-headed Configuration (Non-Historical Alteration) • Vulnerability: Conceptual Weak Point at Third Head Junction ✦ Secondary Entity: Demon Pillar Partial Manifestation • Identity: Unknown (Concealment Active) • Current Status: Directing Combat Through Dragon Witch Proxy ✦ Warning: Dragon Suppression Field Effectiveness Reduced Against Divine Beast-class Target • Estimated Impact: 30% Capacity Reduction for Fafnir
"Fafnir," Xian identified, recognizing the dragon's conceptual signature despite its altered appearance. "The dragon of Norse mythology—corrupted and enhanced beyond its historical parameters."
"A Divine Beast," EMIYA's expression tightened with concern. "And specifically summoned to counter your suppression field."
True to his assessment, Fafnir appeared largely unaffected by the technique that had grounded lesser dragons. It circled above Orleans with ponderous grace, each of its seven heads unleashing torrents of flame upon the defenders below. Where the fire touched, corruption spread—not merely burning but transforming, converting matter itself into extensions of the Singularity's distortion.
Worse, the Dragon Witch stood at the center of it all, directing the assault with precise malevolence. Her corrupted banner now pulsed with dark energy, seeming to draw power directly from the shadowy entity hovering behind her.
"We need to engage directly," Scáthach stated, the immortal warrior in her recognizing the critical moment when it appeared. "Fujimaru's forces cannot withstand this level of assault."
Xian nodded, decision made. "I'll maintain the suppression field on the lesser dragons while we advance. When we're close enough, I'll attempt to extend the purification aspect to Fafnir directly."
"A two-front battle," EMIYA noted, already moving forward. "The Dragon Witch and her mount above, and the chaos of the battlefield below."
They descended from their vantage point, moving with enhanced speed toward the battle. Xian maintained the Dragon Suppression Field with one hand, the complex array of sigils now following above them like a mobile constellation, while his other hand summoned the Void Horizon Blade in preparation for close combat.
As they approached the battlefield's edge, the full scope of the situation became clear. Fujimaru's forces had been making significant progress against the grounded wyverns, but Fafnir's arrival had changed everything. The massive dragon methodically targeted resistance strongpoints, each of its seven heads seeming to operate with independent tactical awareness.
Most concerning was the shadowy presence now fully visible behind Jeanne Alter—a partial manifestation of the controlling Demon Pillar. Though still mostly incorporeal, tentacles of darkness extended from its amorphous form, connecting to both the Dragon Witch and Fafnir in a complex network of control.
"The Pillar reveals itself," Xian observed as they paused at the battle's perimeter. "Not fully manifested, but directly involved now."
"Can you identify which one?" EMIYA asked, his tactical mind already calculating approaches.
Xian focused his perception, analyzing the conceptual signature despite the entity's active concealment.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Demon Pillar Identification Analysis ✦ Conceptual Signature Pattern: Matches Goetia's 15th Pillar ✦ Identity: Eligos, Demon of War and Military Strategy ✦ Specialization: Tactical Prescience, Future-sight in Combat Scenarios ✦ Vulnerability: Over-reliance on Predicted Outcomes • Can be countered through deliberately unpredictable action patterns • Vulnerable to true conceptual randomness (Void Dao application)
"Eligos," Xian identified. "The Pillar of War—specializing in combat strategy and tactical foresight. It's why the Dragon Witch's forces have maintained such effective coordination despite their corrupted nature."
Scáthach's eyes gleamed with the light of challenge. "Then we introduce chaos to order, randomness to prediction."
"Precisely," Xian agreed. "Eligos can foresee conventional tactical approaches, but has a fundamental weakness against true conceptual unpredictability."
EMIYA's expression shifted subtly—the ghost of a smile touching his usually stern features. "Fortunately, unpredictability is a specialty of mine."
They split up as they entered the battlefield proper—EMIYA taking an elevated position to provide covering fire with his bow, Scáthach moving to reinforce Jeanne's central position, and Xian advancing toward where Fujimaru and Mash fought at the eastern flank.
The young Master's face lit with relief when he spotted Xian approaching. Despite the chaos around them, Fujimaru had maintained remarkable composure, directing Mash's movements with growing tactical confidence while remaining alert to threats from multiple directions.
"The suppression field—that was you?" he called as Xian joined them, dispatching a grounded wyvern with a precise strike from the Void Horizon Blade.
"A temporary advantage," Xian confirmed. "Though the enemy has countered with Fafnir."
Mash blocked a blast of dragon fire with her massive shield, the noble phantasm's conceptual weight dispersing the corrupted flames harmlessly. "That creature is unlike anything we've encountered," she noted, her lavender eyes tracking the seven-headed dragon's movements overhead. "The historical Fafnir had only one head."
"Corruption enhances as well as distorts," Xian explained, already analyzing potential approaches. "The Demon Pillar has modified Fafnir beyond its original parameters to serve as a more effective weapon."
"The Demon Pillar?" Fujimaru's expression sharpened with interest and concern. "You've identified it?"
"Eligos, the Pillar of War," Xian confirmed. "It's manifesting through the Dragon Witch, using her as its primary anchor in this Singularity."
A massive shadow passed overhead as Fafnir circled closer, one of its seven heads dipping low to unleash a torrent of corrupted flame directly at their position. Mash moved instantly, her shield raised to intercept the attack. The flames struck the noble phantasm with concussive force, driving the Demi-Servant back several steps despite her enhanced strength.
"We cannot defeat it conventionally," Xian observed, watching as the dragon began another circuit. "Not while it maintains connection to the Demon Pillar."
Fujimaru's expression set with determination. "Then we sever that connection first."
The insight impressed Xian—the young Master had immediately grasped the strategic priority despite his limited experience with conceptual entities. "Precisely. The purification technique I used at the anchor point might work on the Dragon Witch herself, disrupting Eligos's control."
"But we'd need to get close enough first," Mash noted practically, readying her shield as Fafnir circled back for another pass.
Xian nodded, already channeling energy through his cultivation system, preparing to modify the Dragon Suppression Field for a more focused application.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Technique Modification: Dragon Suppression Field → Targeted Vector Lock ✦ Focus: Fafnir Central Head (Dragon Witch's Position) ✦ Effect: Creates 30-second movement restriction window ✦ Energy Cost: 57% of Remaining Reserves ✦ Warning: Technique Exposes User to Significant Counter-attack Risk
"I can create an opportunity," Xian informed them. "A brief window when Fafnir's central head—where the Dragon Witch stands—will be immobilized. But I'll need direct line of sight, and the technique will leave me temporarily vulnerable."
Fujimaru immediately understood the tactical implications. "Mash and I will provide cover. Just tell us when you're ready."
Across the battlefield, the situation had stabilized somewhat. EMIYA's precise arrow strikes had eliminated multiple wyvern threats, while Scáthach's arrival had revitalized the central defense around Jeanne. Marie Antoinette's contingent had executed a strategic withdrawal to more defensible positions, preventing the total collapse that had seemed imminent before their arrival.
But Fafnir remained the dominant threat—its multiple heads allowing it to engage several sectors simultaneously while remaining largely unaffected by the suppression field that had grounded lesser dragons.
Xian waited until the massive dragon began another approach, tracking its flight pattern with calculating precision. When Fafnir banked to align with their position, one head already opening its maw in preparation for another flame attack, he initiated the modified technique.
"[Vector Lock – Sovereign Stillness Mandate]," he intoned, both hands extending toward the dragon as he channeled concentrated energy through his meridians.
The air between him and Fafnir crystallized into visible lines of force—conceptual bindings that targeted not the entire creature but specifically its central head where Jeanne Alter stood. The Dragon Witch realized the threat too late—her golden eyes widening with fury as the bindings encircled her position, momentarily freezing both her and the dragon head beneath her feet in mid-air.
"Now!" Xian called to Fujimaru. "Have your forces target the other heads! Distract them while I approach the Witch directly!"
Fujimaru didn't hesitate, immediately relaying commands through the communication device Da Vinci had provided. Across the battlefield, the resistance forces responded with coordinated precision—EMIYA's arrows striking at the dragon's eyes, Scáthach and Jeanne launching simultaneous attacks against its vulnerable neck junctions, and Marie's Servants engaging its rear flanks.
Xian moved the instant his technique took hold, channeling Void Dao through his meridians in a technique he had refined since his evolution in the reactor.
"[Void Steps – Spatial Crossing]," he declared, and reality folded around him.
One moment he stood on the ground beside Fujimaru and Mash; the next, he materialized directly on Fafnir's frozen central head, mere meters from the immobilized Dragon Witch. The Void Horizon Blade gleamed in his hand, its edge now suffused with the golden light of his evolving purification aspect.
Jeanne Alter's face contorted with hatred and shock at his sudden appearance. "You!" she snarled, struggling against the conceptual bindings that held her in place. "How dare you—"
Behind her, the shadowy presence of Eligos pulsed with alarm, its amorphous form solidifying slightly as it attempted to reinforce its control over its primary puppet. Tentacles of darkness thickened around the Dragon Witch, corruption flowing visibly through the connection.
"I see you too, Eligos," Xian addressed the Demon Pillar directly. "Your strategy fails when unpredictability enters the equation."
The shadowy entity responded not with words but with a surge of power—malevolent energy flooding through its connection to the Dragon Witch, attempting to break the vector lock through sheer force. The bindings began to crack under the assault, the crystallized lines of force fracturing as Eligos channeled more of its presence into the material world.
Xian had seconds at most before the technique failed completely. He raised the Void Horizon Blade, channeling his most refined purification technique directly through the conceptual weapon.
"[Sacred Restoration – Corruption Severance]," he declared, bringing the blade down in a precise arc.
The target of his strike was not Jeanne Alter herself, but the corrupted connections binding her to Eligos—the black tendrils that transformed her from a manifestation of historical possibility into a puppet of malevolent design. The blade's edge, infused with purification energy, cut through the conceptual bindings with surgical precision.
Jeanne Alter screamed—a sound of equal parts rage and liberation as the control mechanisms embedded in her Saint Graph were severed. Behind her, Eligos's form contorted in what could only be described as pain, its manifestation destabilizing as its primary anchor in the Singularity was compromised.
The vector lock shattered entirely, the technique overwhelmed by the energy discharge from Xian's strike. Fafnir's central head lurched back into motion, roaring in confused fury as conflicting commands coursed through its enhanced nervous system. The Dragon Witch staggered, nearly falling from her perch as the direct connection to Eligos dissolved.
Xian maintained his balance through precise application of Space Dao, feet adhering to the dragon's scales despite its violent movements. He raised the Void Horizon Blade for a second strike—this one aimed at the core connection between Fafnir and the now-retreating Demon Pillar.
Before he could complete the motion, Jeanne Alter recovered enough to counter—her corrupted blade meeting his with surprising strength despite her disoriented state.
"You've freed me from direct control," she acknowledged, golden eyes burning with a different quality of anger now—more personal, less influenced. "But you're a fool if you think that changes anything. My hatred for France is my own!"
"Is it?" Xian challenged, maintaining pressure on their locked blades. "Or is it a constructed narrative—a corruption of the true Jeanne's acceptance and forgiveness?"
Doubt flickered briefly across her features—a moment of genuine uncertainty that revealed the complex nature of an Alter-class Servant. Not merely corrupted, but a manifestation of potential—what Jeanne d'Arc might have become had her experiences and choices led down a darker path.
The moment of philosophical conflict passed quickly as practical battle concerns reasserted themselves. Fafnir's other heads, momentarily distracted by the coordinated attacks from the ground forces, now turned inward—serpentine necks bending to address the threat on the central head.
"You've overextended, Architect," Jeanne Alter observed with malicious satisfaction. "Let's see how well you fare against six dragon heads at once."
Xian's cultivation system assessed the immediate threat, calculating options with inhuman speed.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Threat Assessment: Critical (Multiple Dragon Heads Targeting Current Position) ✦ Option Analysis: • Retreat via Void Steps: 92% Success Probability • Continue Offensive Against Eligos: 17% Success Probability • Implement Defensive Counter-measure: 63% Success Probability ✦ Recommendation: Tactical Withdrawal + Area Effect Defense to Cover Retreat ✦ New Technique Available: [Void Horizon Domain – Miniature Deployment]
"A tactically sound observation," Xian acknowledged to Jeanne Alter. "But underestimating me has proven unwise thus far."
He disengaged from their blade lock with a precise pivot, simultaneously channeling energy through new pathways opened by his recent evolution. The Void Horizon Blade transformed in his grip, its conceptual edge expanding outward to create a dome of opalescent energy surrounding him on Fafnir's head.
"[Void Horizon Domain – Rejection Field]," he intoned.
The dome pulsed once, then expanded rapidly. Where it contacted the approaching dragon heads, reality itself seemed to temporarily reject their existence—not damaging them, but pushing them back as if they had encountered an immovable conceptual barrier. Even Jeanne Alter found herself forced backward, her boots sliding on Fafnir's scales as the domain's expansion created distance between them.
"What is this?" she demanded, genuine confusion mingling with her anger. "What manner of magecraft—"
"Not magecraft," Xian corrected calmly. "Cultivation. Specifically, the manipulation of fundamental concepts rather than magical energy."
The domain continued to expand, creating a sphere of controlled space amid the chaos of battle. Within this temporary pocket of altered reality, Xian redirected his focus toward the retreating form of Eligos—the Demon Pillar now rapidly withdrawing its manifestation from the material world, tentacles of darkness retracting as it sought to escape the unexpected threat.
"You can run, Pillar of War," Xian addressed the entity directly, "but you cannot hide from what I've become. Your corruption has been marked by my system—a signature I can track across Singularities."
The shadowy presence pulsed with what could only be described as alarm before accelerating its retreat, dissolving into the fabric of the Singularity itself. Without its controlling influence, Fafnir's coordinated attacks began to degenerate into more bestial, instinctive patterns—still devastatingly powerful, but lacking the tactical precision that had made them so effective.
Jeanne Alter, now fully severed from Eligos's direct control, faced a critical decision point. The hatred and vengeance that defined her existence remained, but without the Pillar's guidance, her purpose had become less certain. Her golden eyes narrowed as she assessed Xian through the translucent barrier of the Void Horizon Domain.
"This changes nothing," she declared, though her tone lacked its former conviction. "I will burn France to ash with or without Eligos's assistance."
"Will you?" Xian questioned. "Or will you consider what it means to be Jeanne Alter—not merely a corruption of the original, but a being with your own choices, your own potential path?"
Before she could respond, Fafnir lurched violently beneath them. Without Eligos's stabilizing influence, the enhancements to the dragon's form had begun to destabilize—the unnatural seven-headed configuration showing signs of rejection as the creature's original nature fought to reassert itself.
Recognizing the imminent danger, Xian collapsed the Void Horizon Domain, simultaneously preparing for tactical withdrawal. "Consider carefully what you do next, Dragon Witch. Your strings have been cut—what you become now is yours to decide."
With that parting statement, he executed another Void Step, spatial reality folding around him as he translocated back to Fujimaru's position on the ground below. He materialized just as Fafnir began a chaotic, uncoordinated retreat—its multiple heads now fighting each other as much as the defenders, Jeanne Alter clinging to the central neck as she struggled to maintain control of the destabilizing mount.
"What happened up there?" Fujimaru asked, watching the dragon's erratic flight with bewildered relief.
"I severed the Dragon Witch's connection to Eligos," Xian explained, monitoring his cultivation system's energy reserves—now significantly depleted after the multiple high-level techniques. "Without the Demon Pillar's guidance, both she and Fafnir are operating independently—and discovering that their enhanced forms are inherently unstable."
Across the battlefield, the tide had turned decisively. With Fafnir in retreat and the lesser dragons still affected by the suppression field, the resistance forces pressed their advantage. EMIYA's arrows continued to find vulnerable targets with unerring precision, while Scáthach and Jeanne led a coordinated advance that pushed the remaining enemy forces back toward Orleans.
"Should we pursue?" Mash asked, her shield still ready despite the enemy's retreat.
Xian shook his head. "No. This victory, while significant, is tactical rather than strategic. Eligos has withdrawn but not been defeated, and the Dragon Witch, though freed from direct control, remains a formidable threat."
"But we've made progress," Fujimaru observed. "The southeastern anchor has been purified, and now we've disrupted the enemy's command structure."
"Indeed," Xian acknowledged. "The Singularity's stability has been significantly compromised. The corruption is retreating on multiple fronts."
As if to confirm his assessment, the sky overhead began to clear—the unnatural storm clouds dissipating to reveal patches of blue for the first time since their arrival. The corrupted miasma that had hung over the countryside thinned perceptibly, natural colors returning to the landscape as historical reality reasserted itself in the absence of active corruption.
[Heaven-Devouring Ascension Matrix: Cosmic Reforged] ✦ Singularity Status Update ✦ Corruption Level: Reduced to 64% of Initial Readings ✦ Timeline Stability: Improved to 47% of Historical Baseline ✦ Demon Pillar Influence: Significantly Reduced (Temporary Withdrawal) ✦ Recommendation: Consolidate Gains Before Pursuing Dragon Witch • Current Energy Reserves: 31% (Recovery Period Required) • Corruption Purification Aspect: 92% Formed (Nearly Complete) • Hidden Achievement Progress: "Pillar Hunter" 28% Complete
The resistance forces regrouped as the last of the enemy dragons disappeared over the horizon. The true Jeanne approached, her banner now standing proud against the clearing sky, Scáthach and EMIYA flanking her with professional vigilance despite the apparent victory.
"You've achieved what I thought impossible," Jeanne addressed Xian with genuine respect. "You actually freed her—my darker self—from whatever was controlling her."
"Freed but not redeemed," Xian cautioned. "Jeanne Alter exists as a manifestation of possibility—what you might have become under different circumstances. Her hatred, while manipulated and enhanced by Eligos, has authentic roots."
Jeanne nodded solemnly. "I understand. Freedom to choose means freedom to choose wrongly as well as rightly." Her expression softened slightly. "But perhaps, now that she can truly choose..."
"Time will tell," Scáthach interjected practically. "For now, we should secure our position and prepare for a potential counter-attack."
EMIYA agreed, his tactical mind already assessing their situation. "The Dragon Witch will regroup at Orleans. Without Eligos's direct guidance, she'll rely on more conventional strategies—likely consolidating her remaining forces around the city's defenses."
"Which gives us an opportunity," Fujimaru suggested. "To target another anchor point while she's distracted with reorganization."
The strategic discussion continued as they withdrew to the resistance stronghold, Xian using the time to initiate recovery techniques within his cultivation system. The battles had pushed his evolved capabilities to their limits, but also accelerated the development of his purification aspect—now nearly fully formed as a result of direct confrontation with the Singularity's corruption.
As night fell over the resistance camp, Xian seated himself in meditation, cycling energy through meridians that pulsed with golden light beneath his skin. The day's events had proven the effectiveness of his evolved techniques, but also highlighted the limitations still present in his cultivation. There remained room for growth, for refinement, for further integration of the conceptual frameworks he had only begun to master.
In the darkness behind his closed eyelids, patterns formed—the structure of the Singularity, the nature of Eligos's corruption, the potential of his own evolving system. And somewhere beyond perception, across the gulf of time and space, he sensed the watchful presence of Goetia himself—the King of Mages now aware of a variable his grand design had not accounted for.
The Heaven-Devouring Architect had made his presence known. The game had shifted irrevocably.
And in the quiet of meditation, Xian smiled.