Rubbing her face, Merry got up from the ground and looked at the two figures facing off in front of her.
(Truly unexpected. Though I knew Naoki was capable, I didn't expect him to be this capable. He even froze Arthur's attack.)
It was undoubtedly the fairy ability brought by Summoning Magecraft. In the brief moment he paused in midair, Naoki had completed the shift from fire fairy to ice fairy, though the speed was nowhere near his peak.
And that freezing attack, thinking about it now, must have been the exertion of all the power he could muster in a single breath, enabling the freeze.
But in exchange, having used too much power, Naoki's active time was further reduced. The clearest sign was the flames in his hands, now far weaker than before.
It would only get harder from here.
"Can you win, Naoki?"
"Do you even have the right to ask me that?"
The slightly cold response left Merry speechless for a moment. She was the one who made him this weak, so by all accounts, she indeed had no right to ask Naoki if he could win.
"But if I had to say, he and I will definitely win."
*SHUA!*
Flames burst from his palm, and Naoki charged straight at Arthur. His speed wasn't great—lacking power, Naoki could now only barely maintain his initial speed.
Like this, dodging Arthur's attacks would be impossible.
*CRETTTTTTT!*
Several sword auras unleashed from the magic sword tore through the ground. From their speed and power, they were even stronger than before!
Yet, just before the sword auras hit Naoki, he seemed to know in advance. With minimal movements, he dodged every single one. Then, without slowing, he flew toward Arthur!
(He's used to it. Even at his current speed, he can dodge them.)
The distance between them closed rapidly—from the entrance to the stairs, dozens of meters shrank to zero in an instant.
*BANG!*
Fist and sword clashed fiercely, the impact's explosion and gusts sweeping through the entire lobby.
After a brief pause, a flash of light suddenly expanded rapidly at the tip of Naoki's fist. In the blink of an eye, it swelled into a massive fireball, hurling Arthur backward!
(Gathering all his power at the fist's tip before striking, forming an unstable bomb that explodes on contact? Using the accumulated force to throw Arthur back?)
Accustomed to seeing Naoki crush everything with raw power, Merry never expected him to suddenly come up with such a bizarre combat tactic.
Seeing his earlier dodging and freezing, she couldn't help but admire his quick adaptability. It was hard to imagine that Naoki used to be someone who recklessly charged at everything!
(But a tactic like this shouldn't be effective against Arthur. Compared to Naoki, Arthur, who's seen more battles, should adapt to any unexpected situation. Even if he's lost his rationality to Mad Enhancement, his body's memory should…)
*BOOM!*
Another explosion roared, and Arthur's figure was thrown back again in the blast!
(Hit a second time?)
(Is Arthur's adaptability that poor?)
(But if I had to say, he and I will definitely win.)
Naoki's earlier words suddenly flashed in her mind. Merry had asked if he could win, but Naoki answered not just for himself, but for himself and… Arthur.
"You're still fighting the Mad Enhancement, aren't you, Arthur?"
The fist clashed with the sword a third time. Though unable to speak, Naoki could sense Arthur's will through the strike. Having shared a body for ten years, Naoki's consciousness could, to some extent, perceive Arthur's will.
He was always resisting—resisting the hopeless situation Morgan had orchestrated, trying to create a chance for Naoki to live.
Getting hit repeatedly, standing still while attacking—that was the result of his resistance. Though his body wanted to move, Arthur's will fought desperately to halt it.
*BRUUUMMMMM!*
The battlefield had shifted to the third floor. Continuous explosions had shattered most of the floors into pieces. The pitch-black aura enveloping Arthur had been largely destroyed under Naoki's attacks.
With Naoki's interference from the outside and Arthur's resistance from within.
Arthur's body couldn't mount an effective counterattack!
"AAAAARRRRRR—!!"
Mixed with clear anger and pain, the roar reflected his body's frustration at being unable to move freely. The magic sword's swings even lagged, like frame drops, each swing marked by a noticeable pause!
And every opportunity Arthur created, Naoki fully exploited.
*BANG!*
A heavy punch landed on Arthur's face, sending him crashing from the fourth floor back to the first. Three floors collapsed in an instant!
Seeing this, Merry gave a wry smile. "This situation… neither I nor Morgan expected it. Truly too perfect."
"Your synergy, you two."
*BAM!*
Crashing heavily back to the ground, Naoki panted and looked at Arthur in the crater ahead. His armor had been completely shattered earlier, and his magic sword had fallen not far away.
"AAAARRRR… AAAAA…"
Rising in an unprecedentedly weak state, Arthur staggered to retrieve his sword. Mana gradually filled the magic sword, and a pitch-black pillar of light slowly shot upward.
Releasing a Noble Phantasm? But without the Round Table, was this Artoria's version?
"This'll be tough for the current me… I should still hold on. Scathach's runes are for the final strike. Unleash all your power, fairy. If you hold back, you'll see what happens at the next summoning."
(!!)
A protest-like reaction stirred within him, but then Naoki felt a bit more power rise in his body, like the last drops squeezed from a sponge.
Gathering all his remaining power in his hand, like drawing a bowstring, Naoki spread his arms. A fiery bow formed in his hands, and a disproportionately massive fire arrow appeared as he drew the string to a full moon.
Continuous attacks were impossible; he had no strength left for that. All he could do was pour everything into this final strike! Break through the holy sword's attack with full power!
"Excalibur Morgan!"
*ZIIINGGGGG!*
The black aurora and the fire arrow were unleashed simultaneously.
*BRUUUMMMMMMMMM!*
A earth-shattering tremor swept through everything in the next moment.