Let's rewind time a bit, to the moment when Artoria decided to launch her expedition against Rome.
Inside the construction base carved out of the mountain, Aslan looked at all the data displayed on the instruments before him, a smile gracing his face. For a long time, he had been doing only one thing: fusing all the Machine God fragments with his other materials and forging them. The design blueprints had been completed back in Great Britain, and now, he had finally manufactured the finished products. The next step was the assembly of the final product.
Just as Aslan was preparing to assemble his greatest masterpiece, the ground began to shake. The equipment monitoring the underground lava data began to issue warnings, and dust trickled down from the ceiling. This forced Aslan to halt his work and once again bury the disposable cooling weapons he had specifically made.
The ground had been shaking frequently during this period. Because all the data was in the final experimental phase, Aslan hadn't been in the mood to pay attention to the outside world. But now, it seemed he had no choice. The suppressed lava underground was becoming active again. He couldn't possibly be laying down suppression measures while also conducting final assembly and testing.
"What the hell is going on outside?! Can't a guy get some peace and quiet to do his research!"
Aslan put down his work and walked directly to the mountaintop. There, Melusine was holding a pair of binoculars, watching something with great interest. Next to her was a plate of grilled meat. She looked exactly like a modern person relaxing at home on a weekend, eating snacks while binge-watching a drama. From time to time, Melusine would even pump her fist and whisper, "Nice shot!"
Aslan raised an eyebrow, then picked up his own binoculars and looked in the direction Melusine was watching. There, the Roman army was engaged in battle with the Hunnic army. Most critically, there was a large, empty space in the middle of the battlefield. The two individuals fighting in that empty space were none other than Lucius and Attila.
The Sword of the War God lashed out continuously like a long whip, while the demonic sword in Lucius's hand precisely blocked its every attack. Each clash between the two brought a magical explosion, and every swing left a scar on the ground. The other soldiers and generals couldn't get near them at all. It was precisely because of these two's daily bombardment-like attacks that the ley lines under his research lab were showing signs of reigniting. Attila didn't seem to feel it, but Lucius, that battle maniac, was getting more and more excited the stronger his opponent was, and his strikes were getting more powerful each day.
No sooner had he thought this than Lucius's demonic sword clashed with Attila's Sword of the War God once again. The ground trembled with another tremor. Aslan's expression changed instantly. He picked up his holy spear. He couldn't let these two continue fighting. If they kept at it, the volcano beneath his feet would definitely become active again, and his ultimate weapon wasn't even assembled yet!
"Melusine! Unleash your original form! Join me in your dragon shape! If they keep fighting, all my efforts will be wasted!"
Upon hearing Aslan's words, Melusine immediately put down her grilled meat. Aslan was her number one priority. Her wings beat only for Aslan, so his long-cherished wish was her long-cherished wish! Besides, she hadn't had a real fight in over a year. She couldn't wait to pin that damn Roman Emperor to the ground and give him a good thrashing!
A resounding dragon's roar echoed throughout the area. A pair of black wings unfurled, carrying Aslan towards the center of the battlefield. Upon reaching the space directly above the two combatants, Aslan, cloaked in magic and holding his holy spear, leaped down. The two warriors fighting on the ground suddenly felt a wave of danger. After all, they were both seasoned warriors. To be taken out by an attack like this would be a joke for the ages.
The demonic sword and the Sword of the War God clashed and then quickly retreated, creating distance. The silver holy spear, carrying immense power, slammed into the ground, directly cracking the earth. It was a good thing Aslan had already reinforced the lava chamber at the base of his laboratory before the operation. Otherwise, that last strike would have been even more forceful than the battle between Lucius and Attila just now. If that spear had pierced through and the volcano had then erupted, that would have been far more interesting. Of course, it would just mean the cleanup would be more troublesome. The ultimate weapon he had created by combining Machine God wreckage with other precious materials was not something that could be destroyed by mere lava.
After taking a step back, Lucius looked up, simultaneously using his other hand to rub and twist his neck. "Who are you? Don't you know that interrupting my fun can bring you misfortune?"
Aslan swung the holy spear in his hand. The dust kicked up was torn in half by the powerful wind pressure. "While I have no desire to intervene in your battle, your location is simply too close to my research site. Could you please trouble yourselves to fight a little further away? Otherwise, I'll have to persuade you to leave this place by force!"
Melusine, circling in the sky above, let out a roar at the same time. This brought a serious look to the eyes of both Lucius and Attila. Firstly, the silver spear in Aslan's hand was clearly no ordinary item. Furthermore, there was a dragon roaring in the sky. It had been a long time since a dragon had appeared on this continent. A hero recognized by a dragon...
Lucius stared intently at Aslan's face, and then his eyes widened slightly. "Your appearance... I see..."
Aslan shifted his body slightly, preparing to face Lucius. If Lucius discovered that his "white moonlight" Estée Lauder was a man, a battle between them would likely be unavoidable, whether it was due to Lucius's anger or his desire to conquer him.
"I see. You must be Estée Lauder's brother, right? I investigated that lady's daughters later; none were named Estée Lauder. You people are good at hiding. But even if you're her brother, that's no reason for me to just withdraw. If you want us to leave, speak with your strength!"
...Phew—
Aslan looked at Lucius. For the first time, he found this one-track-minded straight man to be so agreeable. At the same time, he silently celebrated the fact that he should now be able to draw a clear line between himself and "Estée Lauder."
After receiving Lucius's answer, Aslan turned his gaze to Attila. The white-haired spirit simply raised the seven-colored sword in her hand. "Bad civilization must be destroyed."
Aslan sighed, and the magical energy around him began to surge. "I understand... It looks like we'll have to fight after all!"