Instantly, two figures—one red, one blue—blurred into streaks of color. One was sent flying backward as though struck by a truck, while the other slammed into the earth like a loosed arrow.
Boom—!
The ground fractured, sending clouds of dust swirling into the air.
Skreee—!
Arthur swiftly stabbed his sword into the ground, carving a deep trench through sheer friction, halting his momentum.
In that brief clash, the disparity in pure strength had become evident.
"Arthur—!!"
The dust had barely settled before the two combatants launched themselves at each other again. One moved elegantly, wrapped in a swirling storm of blue mana, charging forward like an unstoppable chariot.
The other roared ferociously, crimson lightning crackling madly around her as she charged wildly, abandoning all restraint. They collided fiercely once more.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang—!
Golden and scarlet blades crashed repeatedly, each collision echoing like thunder through the air.
"Just fall already—!"
Mordred's furious roar rang out without pause.
Arthur, however, faced her attacks with remarkable calm, his footing unwavering even under the relentless assault.
The pair—crimson and azure—traded blows like a furious storm, the earth shattering inch by inch beneath them, the air screaming with the intensity of their battle.
Clang—!
Suddenly, Mordred's scarlet sword flew from her grasp, spiraling skyward like an arrow loosed into the heavens.
"Tch!"
Disarmed, Mordred clicked her tongue irritably and quickly sprang backward, narrowly dodging Arthur's golden blade.
Arthur followed instantly, reversing his sword in one fluid motion and slashing upward toward Mordred's chin. A dazzling golden arc flashed brightly.
—!
Violent sparks erupted from Mordred's helmet as the blow connected.
Without hesitation, Mordred swiftly retreated, eyes blazing fiercely at Arthur as the split halves of her helmet clattered to the ground.
The sword wielded by this otherworldly Arthur is sharper than I imagined…
Had it been Artoria wielding [Excalibur], her armor wouldn't have cracked this easily.
But Arthur's sword wasn't merely shielded by the [Invisible Air—the Wind King's Barrier]. It also carried [Avalon—the Everdistant Utopia]—the scabbard Artoria had relinquished.
With [Avalon], even a casual swing became magnified in power, easily penetrating armor as durable as Mordred's.
Arthur advanced decisively, refusing Mordred any chance to regain her footing.
Clang!
Once again, metal clashed fiercely within the darkened woods.
The scarlet sword Mordred had lost to the sky moments before had already returned to her grip.
"If you can't even hold your sword properly, you'll never defeat me," Arthur cautioned sternly, voice tinged with the gentle rebuke of a disappointed father.
"I don't need lectures from YOU!!"
Mordred saw Arthur's advice as pure provocation, igniting her anger further.
She'd always known that defeating King Arthur at full strength was nearly impossible. Even historically, she'd only bested Artoria after the King had been utterly drained and exhausted.
Facing Arthur now, fully recovered and at peak power, Mordred understood her odds clearly. Her parameters, after all, were undeniably lower in every aspect.
Yet she refused to accept it. She couldn't bear the thought of fighting so desperately without even scratching him. She was determined to prove herself—not only worthy of being King, but strong enough to stand as Arthur's equal.
Boom!
Crimson lightning surged once more from Mordred's body, heedless of mana consumption. Her mind focused solely on one goal—striking Arthur down.
If she'd already committed to injuring him, why not aim even higher? At least, that's what Mordred thought.
Nearby, Kairi Sisigou rapidly drew gemstones from his pockets, one after another, desperately sustaining the immense mana Mordred required. Such reckless mana consumption would've overwhelmed a normal Master—only Kairi's diligent preparation allowed her to maintain this brutal pace.
Suddenly, Arthur felt an intense wave of weakness grip him—a clear sign that his mana supply had abruptly diminished.
Even for a Servant, this sudden loss was disorienting.
Mordred's eyes flashed sharply, sensing the opportunity.
"Now!"
Summoning all her remaining strength, Mordred kicked fiercely off the ground like a bullet, breaking the sound barrier with explosive force. Shockwaves echoed around her, the violent wind stripping leaves from surrounding trees.
Clang—!
Now the tables had turned.
With his mana suddenly cut, Arthur's parameters had dropped dramatically—now even below Mordred's own. In terms of raw strength alone, Mordred now held a crushing advantage.
Had it not been for Arthur's extraordinary swordsmanship, he'd have already fallen beneath her ferocious assault. Mordred abandoned all defense, slashing savagely, determined to exploit this fleeting opportunity to finally defeat Arthur.
Arthur swiftly adjusted his stance, golden sword thrusting decisively toward Mordred's chest.
Though Arthur's armor didn't match Mordred's in terms of being a Noble Phantasm, its defensive capability wasn't far behind. It would be absurd, after all, if the King of Knights wore armor that provided no actual protection.
Yet, at that decisive moment, Mordred ignored the blade aimed squarely at her chest. Crimson lightning crackled fiercely around her as she lunged forward, her sword plunging directly toward Arthur's heart.
Psshk—!
Fresh blood splashed vividly into the night sky.
---
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