"A wish, you say?"
Artoria paused, momentarily caught off guard by the sheer amount of courage it must have taken for Mordred to ask that question.
"If I were to speak honestly... I suppose I would like to see the sights."
Her tone was light, almost hopeful, but the answer left Mordred completely stunned.
'See the sights?'
'Father has such a... "personal" desire?'
For a moment, Mordred felt as if she were in a dream. In her eyes, Artoria had always been the "Perfect King",a sovereign devoid of personal greed or human longing. Every citizen and soldier in Britain had known that their King lived only for the sake of the people. To hear such a simple, mundane wish from those lips was almost inconceivable.
But Artoria was telling the truth.
Her only real wish at this moment was to see the "Great Britain" that Rider,Lelouch,had described. He had spoken of a version of her homeland that had thrived for an incredible one hundred generations under a long line of emperors. What kind of magnificent nation could it be?
She wanted to witness it for herself, even if it was as a mere traveler. Calling it "seeing the sights" was accurate, even if the sights in question didn't exist in her own era.
"And what about... saving Britain?" Mordred's voice trembled.
"Ah. There is no longer any need for that."
Mordred could hardly believe what she was hearing. She had to be dreaming.
"Did I not tell you? I am no longer a King."
Artoria repeated the words she had spoken earlier, her expression relaxed as if a massive weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders.
"I see... Not a King, then..."
Mordred lowered her head, her mind a chaotic swirl of conflicting emotions. Should she be angry? Should she scream at her father for "abandoning" her post?
No.
Instead, a strange sense of relief began to wash over her.
Was her father finally... "free"?
"Then, Mordred... what is the wish that brought you here?"
"Do you still desire to be King?"
"Heh..."
Artoria's question forced Mordred into a moment of deep reflection. Her initial impulse had been to return to the day she pulled the sword from the stone,to take the placement of her father and prevent the tragic end of their kingdom. She had truly believed that if she were the King, her father would no longer have to suffer the burden of responsibility.
But when she looked deeper into her own heart, she realized that being "King" wasn't what she truly wanted.
She wanted to be by her father's side. She wanted to see her smile, to be the one who finally eased that profound loneliness. If she could help her father reclaim the humanity she had discarded... that would be enough for her.
Mordred knelt in the street, looking up at the woman before her. Artoria stood tall in her armor, the holy sword in her hand shimmering with a divine light. But unlike the stiff, untouchable figure of the past, she looked more... expressive. More human.
Yes. This was the father she had always wanted to see.
'It's wonderful... if I could, I'd like to stay with you like this...'
The thought was as pure as a child's prayer, her eyes filled with an uncharacteristic innocence.
"Is that so?"
"So that is your answer."
Artoria leveled the holy sword at her, her voice ringing with a newfound resolve.
"To achieve your wish, you must be willing to give everything you have."
"You are a knight of the Round Table, Mordred! Act like it!"
The declaration hit Mordred with the force of a blow, and she scrambled to her feet.
"Hah! If Father tells me to do something, I suppose I'd look like a fool if I gave up now!"
She flourished her claymore, her fighting spirit reignited by Artoria's direct challenge. To be acknowledged so clearly by King Arthur was the greatest validation she could have ever hoped for.
"And as a knight, I have no intention of kneeling to two masters at once!"
"Even if the one standing before me is you, Father!"
Red lightning crackled across the street as Mordred re-established the connection with her Master.
'Forgive me, Master. Could you let me be selfish just one more time?'
The sudden surge of mana through the link told her that Sisigou had already anticipated her request. A wild grin spread across Mordred's face.
"Yeah... even if it's just to repay a Master like him..."
"I'm going to give it everything I've got!"
Artoria took her stance in response, the holy sword beginning to gather a blinding radiant energy. Emiya had long since retreated from the immediate area, recognizing that this duel between "father and son" was not something he should interfere with. They would reach their own conclusion.
"[Clarent Blood Arthur]!!!"
"[Excalibur]!!"
Gold and red light collided in the center of the town, an incredible burst of power that lit up the entire skyline.
***
"The magical impact is reaching A++ parameters."
Genos turned his gaze toward the center of the town, his optical sensors flickering with data streams as he processed the energy readings.
"Based on the data provided by the Doctor, one of the signatures matches the Red Faction's Saber. The output is... consistent with a top-tier Heroic Spirit."
Red Archer, standing nearby, watched the cyborg with a wary expression. He gripped [Kanshou] and [Bakuya] tightly.
"Can you really judge their strength and identity that easily?"
"For a cyborg... aren't you a bit too convenient?"
"The rumors of a 'dragon' appearing here were likely just a cover for this engagement," Genos continued, ignoring the Archer's skepticism. "Even if you weren't the ones who summoned it, you were clearly the targets."
Swoosh!
Genos blurred into motion, his speed catching Red Archer off guard. The Emiya of the main timeline barely had time to cross his blades in front of his chest before the first strike landed.
KABOOM!
The force of the punch was astronomical. Red Archer was launched backward as if hit by a freight train. Genos had calculated the trajectory meticulously; he had ensured the Archer would be thrown approximately two kilometers away, landing safely on a bridge where no civilians or structures would be harmed.
It was a pity. If he hadn't been so concerned about collateral damage, he could have used his localized "Incineration Cannon" to end the fight then and there.
"He does not have a Dragon Ball on his person."
"The resonance is coming from this direction..."
To investigate the dragon rumors, he was also tasked with identifying the enemies lurking in the town. It seemed the situation was going to be much more complicated than he had initially thought.
'*'
The blinding light of the clash slowly began to dissipate. Artoria stood amidst the wreckage of the street, her holy sword held low as the smoke cleared.
"It's a pity."
Emiya walked up beside her, surveying the scorched earth.
"She has a very capable Master," Artoria said, a faint smile on her lips as she retracted her armor.
The previous exchange had represented everything Mordred possessed. The power behind the strike had even surprised the King of Knights. But unfortunately for Mordred, she was facing an Artoria who was no longer restricted by mana concerns. Being both a Master and a Servant, Artoria's reserves were massive. Mordred, on the other hand, had already exhausted a significant portion of her energy in her fight with the other Archer.
Even with her "Effective Damage" boost against Arthur, she simply didn't have the stamina to sustain the output. Mordred had known it was a reckless gamble from the start, and she had taken it anyway.
And Sisigou, in his own brand of loyalty, had allowed her to take that risk. An ordinary Master would have used a Command Spell to force her to retreat the moment things looked grim.
"It seems Shirou and the others are safe as well."
"Now then..."
Artoria didn't bother searching for where Mordred had gone. She knew the child would return sooner or later. And when she did, Artoria would be ready to accept her challenge again. It was a small, subtle way of showing she cared.
'*'
"Good grief... why am I the one carrying my own Servant while I'm bleeding out?"
Sisigou sighed as he trudged through the shadows, the unconscious Mordred slung over his shoulder. He had already taken measures to mask their trail, but he couldn't help but feel a bit ridiculous. Usually, it was the Servant's job to carry the Master to safety, not the other way around.
He looked back at Mordred, who was out cold from mana exhaustion. Even in her sleep, she wore a look of absolute satisfaction.
"Well... I guess that disaster of a relationship got patched up a little, at least?"
He glanced at the back of his hand. Only a single Command Spell remained.
But he didn't care. They were resources meant to be used for victory. He had used one to teleport Mordred back to him the moment the Noble Phantasm clash reached its climax. He wasn't about to stand by and watch his Servant be eliminated, even if it meant interrupting her grand duel.
"I might not have another chance at this..."
"But you're different."
He spoke the words into the quiet night, his voice filled with a rare sincerity. Mordred remained asleep, lost in a dream of riding into battle alongside her father. In her dream, the King was smiling at her, a genuine expression of pride and warmth.
She caught a faint scent of exhaust and heard the car engine rumble as she briefly opened her eyes. She was lying in the backseat of the rented car, looking up at the cramped ceiling.
'Father... if I can... I want to fight with you again...'
With that thought, she drifted back into a deeper, more peaceful sleep.
'*'
"So that is the 'salvation' you wish to implement in this world?"
Muramasa's voice was heavy with skepticism as he listened to Amakusa's description of the future.
"I had initially intended to use the Greater Grail to achieve the Third Magic and save humanity," Amakusa replied, his tone firm. "But with the Dragon Balls, I can achieve something even more direct."
"You seem incredibly certain for someone who has never seen these objects before. Where does this confidence come from?"
The two men stood only a few feet apart, their weapons locked. Amakusa looked into Muramasa's eyes and saw the same lack of understanding he had encountered so often.
"Do you not believe me?"
"No. I can sense that you are telling the truth."
Unlike the "Sorcerer" he remembered, this Amakusa seemed perfectly sane. Muramasa could tell that he genuinely wanted to do something beneficial for mankind. The only question was whether his methods were actually safe or effective.
"I just want to know how you can be so sure that these 'balls' can do what you're asking."
"To save all of humanity and end their suffering... it's a noble goal, certainly. But is it realistic?"
"I am sure because I have seen it," Amakusa said, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"What?"
"The visions from [Revelation] are always based on a fragment of reality. No matter how incredible it sounds, I am certain the Dragon Balls possess the power to fulfill my wish."
"So... Saber Sengo Muramasa. Will you join me?"
Muramasa gave his answer in an instant. He parried the blade and delivered a horizontal slash that tore through Amakusa's vestments.
CLANG!
Amakusa leaped back, checking the shallow cut on his chest.
"I apologize, but I have no interest in the world you're describing."
"My own desires are far less lofty."
"After all... I'm just a swordsmith."
Muramasa's response was direct and honest, his mana surging as he prepared to continue the fight.
"You refuse?"
Amakusa closed his eyes for a moment, looking disappointed. He had hoped to recruit the legendary smith to stabilize his own ranks. With Berserker gone, Muramasa would have been a massive upgrade for his team.
"But this encounter wasn't entirely without meaning."
"At least I know one thing for certain now."
"You weren't the one who swung that blade."
Amakusa ignored the damage to his clothes and lowered his weapon. Muramasa frowned, failing to understand the cryptic remark.
"The strike that shimmered between the stars... it belongs to someone else."
Amakusa's words were as frustratingly vague as ever.
"I have no desire to be your enemy, if it can be avoided. That blade of yours is far too dangerous."
"If I were to take a direct hit, I'm fairly certain I would die."
He didn't underestimate Muramasa's ultimate Noble Phantasm. He had come here to investigate the hints given by his [Revelation], and he had found what he was looking for.
BOOM!
A distant explosion caught his attention, and Amakusa looked toward the center of the town.
"It seems the Black Faction's Servants have arrived as well."
"They're doing a good job of holding back, but it would be best if we didn't draw any more attention to ourselves."
He wanted to stay and identify the new arrival, but he knew better than to push his luck.
"Let us end our conflict here for now."
"I'm afraid that's not up to you," Muramasa replied, refusing to lower his guard.
POOF!
Before he could strike, Amakusa pulled a small black sphere from his vestments and smashed it into the ground. A thick cloud of grey smoke filled the street.
"A magic tool?"
Muramasa covered his nose and mouth, coughing as the smoke billowed around him. By the time it cleared, Amakusa was gone.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]