Chapter 10 — A Knight's Oath, A Magician's Trick
The air inside Oshibana Station hung thick with smoke, dust, and the faint metallic tang of fear. Civilians had been evacuated—or at least guided to safer corners by frantic staff—but the main hall was still a battlefield, littered with overturned tables, shattered windows, and magical wards sparking erratically.
I took a deep breath, letting my eyes sweep the room. Twenty, maybe thirty Eisenwald mages, all armed, all waiting. They hadn't noticed us yet—or perhaps they were too arrogant to care.
I flexed my fingers. My left hand clutched the golden glow of Artoria Pendragon, Saber class hero. Her figure shimmered into existence beside me, sword in hand, radiating authority and calm like a lighthouse in the storm. My right hand wrapped around Kyōka Suigetsu, the weapon that would turn battlefield perception into our playground.
Perfect.
I let a small smirk tug at my lips. Let's see how they deal with this.
The first Eisenwald mage lunged forward, a spear crackling with dark magic aimed at Lucy. My eyes narrowed. With a flick of my wrist, Kyōka Suigetsu hummed to life, projecting a ripple of illusory energy.
The spear's trajectory split into three in the enemy's mind. He hesitated, struck by confusion. On instinct, Artoria dashed in, blade swinging in a flawless arc, disarming him without spilling a drop of civilian blood.
Nice. Good start.
Another mage screamed and hurled a fireball. Two illusions of me sprang forward, mirroring my movements exactly, weaving across the hall. One illusion drew the fireball, which harmlessly exploded against a pillar. The other flicked forward and knocked the mage off his feet.
I felt a thrill run through me. This is more fun than a S-rank solo mission.
I spun around, keeping an eye on Lucy and Happy, who were dodging shrapnel and minor magical attacks like seasoned acrobats.
"Lucy, over there!" I shouted, pointing at a mage about to cast a paralyzing spell. She jumped, twirling her keys, the spell harmlessly dissipating against one of my illusions.
Happy squeaked, spinning in midair. "Aye! Got it, boss!"
I didn't have time to smile. Not really. Not yet. My focus was on the real problem: keeping this many mages off our backs while maximizing Artoria's lethal efficiency.
Artoria leapt forward like a living blade, slashing through two mages before they even realized she was there. Their expressions froze in disbelief, eyes wide at the golden warrior who moved faster than their perception could track.
Kyōka Suigetsu followed my mental commands. Each mage thought they were surrounded by dozens of me, some moving in directions I wasn't. Their attacks faltered, some striking each other by accident. A few literally spun around, dizzy and panicked.
I could get used to this, I thought.
I scanned the battlefield again. Two Eisenwald mages had coordinated a combined strike against Lucy. Their magic was synchronized, precise, and deadly.
Perfect target.
With a flick of my wrist, Artoria vanished, only to reappear behind them, swords drawn in an impossible pose. Kyōka Suigetsu cast a subtle ripple across the room, making dozens of phantom Artorias appear simultaneously. The two mages' confidence crumbled instantly; their synchronized strike shattered into confusion.
Artoria struck with precision, knocking both unconscious without touching Lucy.
Lucy's eyes went wide. "Y-Yuta… that… that was amazing!"
I nodded, smirking. "Stay behind me, and you might survive the day."
Happy flapped nervously, his tiny wings vibrating. "Uh… survive? More like watch a legend in action!"
I shot him a glare, half amused. Focus.
The hall erupted into chaos. One mage, realizing the illusions, tried to flank me. Another hurled a magic spear at Artoria. The illusions distorted reality perfectly, making them hesitate for microseconds. Microseconds were all we needed.
I moved. Artoria swung her sword with lethal grace, knocking mages aside, cutting through the enemy like a golden blade of justice. The illusions multiplied—me, ten copies—or maybe fifty. Hard to say. The mages didn't know what was real, and by the time they realized, they were already disarmed, tripping, or unconscious.
I ducked a fireball, sending a Kyōka illusion in its path. The mage reacted too late, and the fireball hit the illusion. Pyrotechnics and confusion—perfect.
I really need to thank Aizen for this little trick.
Through the smoke, I caught Erza's movements. She was calm, deadly, but pacing herself. Her armor shimmered with energy, her sword swings precise and devastating. Even tired from the Magic Four-Wheeler drive, she moved like a general surveying her troops.
I allowed myself a small, quiet thought: She doesn't need my help, but it's nice to know Saber's here just in case.
I needed a new plan. The mages were regrouping—five forming a cluster to overwhelm Artoria.
"Time for a little fun," I muttered.
Kyōka Suigetsu's illusions spread strategically. Two phantom Artorias appeared at the far corners, five copies of me at angles that didn't exist in reality. The mages flinched, attacked, and collided with each other.
Artoria dashed in the real gap, slicing each mage with a precision that would make Saber herself proud.
A fireball nearly grazed Lucy, but one of my illusions absorbed the magic. I let a tiny smirk escape. She owes me later.
This was what I lived for. Chaos. Strategy. The thrill of seeing a perfectly timed illusion save someone at the last second.
I could feel the adrenaline in my veins. Every movement Artoria made, every phantom I projected—it all had to be perfect. One mistake, and we could be overwhelmed.
But for now, we weren't just surviving. We were dominating.
I let Kyōka Suigetsu shine. I created five illusions of me at different points in the hall, each Artoria doppelganger swinging in impossible trajectories. The mages couldn't track anything. Some were swinging wildly at shadows. Others tripped over debris, screaming in frustration.
I almost felt sorry for them. Almost.
Artoria parried another spear and sent the mage sliding into a wall. I whispered to the illusion: Now, switch angle. In an instant, she appeared behind another group, her sword cutting arcs of light that mesmerized even my own vision.
One mage, panicked, raised a wall of dark magic—right into another illusion. Explosion. Chaos. Perfect.
After several tense minutes, the hall was cleared—or at least the Eisenwald mages were downed, confused, and incapacitated. The illusions dissipated gradually, leaving the real Artoria standing tall, chest heaving, golden sword gleaming.
Lucy stared at me, awe and terror mixed. "I… I can't believe that…"
I patted my card pouch. "Don't believe it. Survive it. That's all that matters today."
Happy squeaked, "That was… wow!"
Erza's gaze swept over the room. For once, she didn't say a word. She simply nodded at me—a brief acknowledgment of strategy and skill.
I looked at the exhausted team, Artoria standing by my side, and whispered internally:
Next time, they won't see me coming. But for today… that's enough.
Chapter End.