Chapter 176 – Nine Lives: Shooting the Hundred Heads!!!
The Noah's Ark ship, covered in golden light, charged straight toward Molay, the one emitting black magic in midair!
The goat-headed demons in the sky kept falling as they attacked, and those who didn't manage to escape were crushed into ashes the moment Noah's Ark collided!!!
"Everyone pay attention, prepare to accelerate forward!!!"
Noah stood at the bow, commanding Noah's Ark to continue speeding up.
Ethan and Mash gripped the handrails tightly, their eyes fixed on Molay in the distant sky.
Facing the assault of Noah's Ark, Molay had no intention of dodging at all.
"Too late, you're all too late!!!"
On Molay's face was a crazed smile; she pointed up at the pitch-black sky.
"Open your eyes and look, 'Mother' has descended, Abyssal Mother will return!!!"
Immediately after, a black mist wrapped around Molay and then disappeared.
"————————?!"
Everyone on Noah's Ark, after hearing Molay's words, immediately raised their heads to look up.
They saw a massive flesh mass like a black cloud slowly descending from the sky, countless tentacles twisting madly, greedily reaching out to touch this world.
"Ugh——————!!!"
Mash suddenly let out a painful groan, clutching her eyes and collapsing down.
"Sorry… Senpai, I suddenly feel… really unwell…"
Ethan immediately reached out to catch Mash, who was about to fall.
His own head also began to ache violently, uncontrollably.
It was as if something was corroding his thoughts, something whispering unclear words inside his mind.
"Don't look directly at that thing!"
Noah immediately grabbed a stone emitting golden light and rushed over to the two of them.
Once they were enveloped by that light, Ethan and Mash's symptoms immediately eased significantly.
"Thank you so much, Noah!"
Ethan struggled to express his thanks to Noah.
"Looks like we really arrived one step too late; I didn't expect she could actually go this far."
Noah lifted his head, staring at the giant evil creature gradually invading this world.
"Everyone be careful! The remaining SHEBA lenses have detected an extremely strong impact about to hit!!!"
In the communication, Doctor Romani's warning voice rang out.
Right after, amidst that giant mass of flesh, faintly visible were countless large mouths opening up, with sticky black liquid constantly dripping downward!
As Noah's Ark approached, suddenly from the center of that flesh mass, a white flesh sphere burst out!
On its back grew three sharp, twisted bone spikes. Its entire body was covered with swollen eyes on the verge of bursting, and at its center was a giant bird beak full of sharp fangs.
Upon seeing Noah's Ark approaching, it seemed to become aware and rushed straight down toward the ship!!!
"Everyone, hold on tight!!!"
As the creature plunged down from the sky, Noah hurriedly adjusted Noah's Ark's trajectory, just barely avoiding a direct collision with that unknown evil entity!
Even so, the hull was still slashed with a large crack by the three bone spikes on its back!
"————————?!"
Noah's Ark shook violently; everyone on deck could only desperately cling to the raised parts of the ship to avoid being thrown off.
"BOOOOMMMMM——————————!!!"
Immediately after, an intense crashing sound echoed from the sea below, with massive waves blasted upward, sweeping across the surrounding waters!!!
Not only that, the white flesh creature that had just fallen into the sea instantly twisted its three spikes like paddles, propelling itself forward, while simultaneously opening its giant bird beak — a sharp, chaotic, ear-piercing sound rang out from it!!!
"Chii-chii————————!!!"
Countless Sea Demons, as if summoned by that call, began endlessly rising once more from the dark, deep sea!
They swung up their massive tentacles, smashing down onto the sea's surface, and in the blink of an eye, a gigantic storm had formed!!!
"Hey you lot, grab onto the mast, don't fall off — this sea isn't just full of sharks, you know!"
Drake personally steered the Golden Hind, skillfully weaving through the ferocious, howling storm!
"Big Sis!!! Being a pirate under you really is insane, but are you sure you haven't done anything to piss off some god?!"
An eyepatch-wearing pirate on the Golden Hind clung tightly to the ropes tied to the mast, struggling to adjust the sail's direction.
"Who knows!"
Drake gripped the helm tightly, making a sharp turn to dodge an attack from the massive Sea Demon ahead.
"How am I supposed to remember what I did to whom — but even if this is divine punishment, living like this is what you call life!!!"
Relying on Drake's extraordinary luck, the Golden Hind kept narrowly dodging the tentacles rising from beneath the waves.
In stark contrast, the situation aboard Xu Fu's ship was entirely grim.
Massive waves had already thrown quite a few archers off the deck — they were the last remaining combat force on the warship.
"Aaaaahhh, why am I always this damn unlucky!!!"
Xu Fu clung tightly to the mast, not daring to let go even for a second.
"All hands, hard left!!!"
In the lowest deck of the ship, the rowers worked together, keeping the already tottering vessel moving forward through the stormy seas.
Facing the ever-growing encirclement of Sea Demons, the ship was now in an extremely perilous situation.
"For the people of Yamatai — and even more so, to completely eradicate these evil beings that will bring conflict to this world!"
Himiko stood resolute at the bow, raising the mirror in her hand high.
"O sun, moon, stars..."
At her call, the mirror once again radiated a brilliant light.
"Guides of the stars who rule the sun, the moon, and the heavens...
Banish darkness from the world, and restore light to its true splendor!
Eternal Mirrors of the Stars!"
Amid the sky shrouded by that blackened mass of flesh, a small but dazzling beam of light suddenly shone down.
Though not as powerful as the authority of Noah, it still illuminated the battered, swaying ship caught in the storm.
"Chii—chiiii—chiii——————————!!!"
The Sea Demons struck by that light all let out painful wails, twisting their slippery limbs before sinking back into the deep sea.
The fierce battle below was all within view of Ethan and Mash, standing atop Noah's Ark.
Ethan knew well that things couldn't go on like this.
"Noah, can you quickly stop the enemy's invasion?!"
Ethan didn't dare stare too long; he simply pointed toward the mass of flesh covering the sky.
"As long as I use the power of the Methuselah Sword and the full extent of my authority as Grand Rider, I can do it — but I'll need to focus all my strength."
Noah clutched the brilliantly glowing stone in his hand, continuously releasing light to drive away the Goat-Head Demons attacking from all sides.
A piercing shriek echoed again from below. That white mass of flesh with the spiked back was using its massive beak to call something. From the sea depths and the sky above, new demons kept appearing nonstop!!!
"Looks like that evil creature below is somehow converting new minions — we need to find a way to stop it!"
Seeing the Goat-Head Demons surrounding them growing ever more numerous, Doctor Romani's expression turned grave.
"Master, leave that bastard below to me — let this Grand Rider focus entirely on the enemy above."
Heracles, carrying the axe-sword and giant bow on his back, stepped in front of Ethan and spoke.
"You mean… you're going to face that thing below by yourself?"
Facing Heracles' resolute gaze, Ethan fell into brief contemplation.
Indeed, given their current fighting power, Draco was already injured in that space — now only Heracles had the strength to handle this.
"I'm counting on you."
"We're counting on you, Heracles-san!"
At Ethan's and Mash's request, Heracles gave a slight nod, then immediately leapt straight down from Noah's Ark!!!
As his massive body plunged downward, Heracles drew the enormous axe-sword from his back!!!
His gaze locked onto the white mass of flesh still screeching shrilly with its massive beak, and like a falling star, he shot straight toward it from above.
"BOOM————————!!!"
A massive shockwave exploded beneath the sea!
"Chiii——————!!!"
With a piercing scream, the white mass was instantly slashed apart by the axe-sword, spraying out a huge volume of transparent, glue-like fluid!
As that clear fluid hit the sea, it rapidly transformed into bizarre Sea Demon–like creatures, growing at a terrifying speed and wrapping themselves around the plunging Heracles.
Bound up, Heracles' entire body erupted with overwhelming magical power, shattering all those transparent tentacles.
Immediately after, he grabbed onto the bony spike on the back of the massive white flesh and launched himself upward from under the sea!
His incredible strength completely snapped the bony spike!!!
"Chiii chiii————————!!!"
The white mass swelled, shuddering as it began to wriggle; its massive beak hammered up and down, letting out chaotic, frenzied noises.
Below the sea, the transparent tentacles surged up from the water's surface once again!
And all around Heracles, countless other Sea Demons appeared, extending their writhing tentacles and baring fangs as they lunged at him!!!
In midair, Heracles swung his spinning axe-sword, slashing all around.
The enormous axe-sword spun like a cyclone, tearing apart flesh and tentacles alike — then, gripping tightly, he once again dove straight down, stabbing into the swollen white mass below!!!
Suddenly, the mass aimed its last two sharp bone spikes directly at the plunging Heracles.
"CLANG————————!!!"
One was severed by Heracles' axe-sword, while the other he used as a stepping point.
Planting his foot on the final bone spike, Heracles vaulted himself high, adjusting his posture, preparing to unleash a critical strike!!!
But just at that moment — something black fell from the sky!
Heracles instantly sensed the danger and moved to defend — but his body was pierced through!
"——————?!"
Struck, Heracles plummeted into the sea; the thing that had pierced through him was a thick, viscous fluid dripping from the mouth of the black flesh mass in the sky!
"Heracles-san!!!"
Mash and Ethan, standing atop Noah's Ark, watched helplessly as Heracles fell into the sea and vanished without a trace.
"Noah!!!"
Ethan immediately turned toward Noah at the ship's prow.
"I'm sorry. We no longer have time to hesitate — no matter how many sacrifices it takes, we must defeat this external enemy, or humanity will have no future at all!"
Noah shook his head, then faced the black mass of flesh in the sky and gave his final command to the Ark.
"Ark, full speed ahead!!!"
As soon as the Ark of Noah surged at full speed toward the sky, Ethan's gaze flicked to the upper right corner of the livestream frame — where the livestream points were displayed.
103,000.
He had just gathered another hundred thousand points.
But now Heracles had fallen into the deep sea, his whereabouts unknown, life or death uncertain — after all, he had just taken a direct hit from that fleshy monster.
Strengthening his Saint Graph might well be nothing but a pure waste.
Because he had already used two Command Spells earlier to strengthen Noah, Ethan now had only one last chance.
Glancing at the final Command Spell glowing on the back of his hand, Ethan thought for just three seconds before making his decision.
"System, I use one Command Spell along with 100,000 points to strengthen the Saint Graph of Heracles!!!"
[Beep beep—Host's choice confirmed!]
[Proceeding to enhance the Saint Graph of Archer—Heracles.]
As the system's voice echoed, the last Command Spell on the back of Ethan's hand finally dimmed.
At that moment, an explosive roar suddenly burst from beneath the sea.
"BOOOOM——————————!!!"
A figure shot out from the ocean!
Across his entire massive body, every fiber of muscle was now filled with pure magical power, divine energy unleashed fully from the belt at his waist!!!
"We're detecting a magic response from Heracles below!!!"
Doctor Romani's joyful voice rang through the communicator.
"Chiii————————!!!"
A massive swarm of Sea Demons lashed out with their tentacles, aiming to tear him to pieces.
"RAAAAHHH————————!!!"
With a thunderous roar, he hurled the axe-sword in his hand straight forward!
In an instant, the sharp blade cleaved every surrounding Sea Demon in two!!!
Even the transparent tentacles trying to ensnare him were shattered into tiny fragments by the divine energy radiating from Heracles' entire body!
The white flesh mass, left with only a single bone spike, twisted its bloated body, and its bird-like beak began striking out sharp, piercing sounds that drilled into the mind!
Standing atop a massive, bisected Sea Demon corpse, Heracles pulled the giant bow from his back, aiming it straight at the writhing white mass.
An enormous surge of magical energy began gathering on the bow.
"This Noble Phantasm was forged from the mastery of my martial arts, reaching their ultimate limit.
This shot was born to annihilate evil — and today, I will once again use it to shatter the wicked!!!"
The giant bow in Heracles' hands gradually revealed its true form.
Elegant, intricate magical patterns were carved across its frame, and lavish, ornate decorations adorned both sides.
The moment it was grasped in his hands, it began unleashing terrifying magical power!
Then, Heracles' mighty voice echoed across the monster-filled sea!
"Nine Lives!!!"