"Tell me honestly, how bad is your situation now?"
"..."
After locking eyes with Oberon for a few seconds and sensing his certainty, Guiniweil sighed and shook his head:
"Guess I can't hide it from you, huh? But it's not like you were even part of the fight earlier."
"You think I'm as easily fooled as those two?" Oberon snorted, then added in a less than pleased tone, "The way you spoke earlier... it sounded like you were giving your last words. And about that duel, it felt like you were making sure to drag the other side to hell with you before dying. But why three days?"
He paused for a moment, his brow furrowed:
"—You're not really down to just three days to live, are you?"
"...If only Artoria and Bavanzi were as smart as you, I wouldn't have to have these headaches every day."
With a bitter chuckle, Guiniweil glanced at his system interface. Since earlier, new messages had been popping up incessantly.
[Due to your victory over Lancelot and your success in rescuing your companions, "Onward" has accumulated +1 for defeating stronger enemies with weaker strength. Your total victories have reached 100, and "Onward" has successfully evolved into "Unstoppable Momentum."]
[Unstoppable Momentum: Your combat attributes will no longer be reduced due to negative status effects, your resilience is greatly enhanced, and any type of attack control effects on you will be weakened. Your mood will remain at 100, and you will be immune to most mental-type skills. You are very likely to trigger critical moments or breakthroughs during battle.]
[When facing enemies clearly stronger than you, your attributes will increase, and the gap between your attributes and the enemy's will not exceed one level.]
[When needed, your skills have a chance to evolve in the direction you most require or obtain corresponding effects.]
[Your companions fighting alongside you will also share part of the "Onward" effects.]
[This state will last until you are defeated. After defeat, this buff will disappear, but no negative effects will follow.]
["I looked, and there before me was a white horse! The rider held a bow, and a crown was given to him. He rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest." — The Bible, Revelations]
[Due to the fatal wound you sustained, your skill "Warrior's Will A" has been triggered, allowing you to continue acting for a period of time despite the fatal injury.]
[Due to "Unstoppable Momentum," you also gain the skill "Revival A."]
[Skill: Revival A]
[For whatever reason, your will to continue fighting has become so intense that it distorts reality. Even death cannot halt your actions. For some reason, though you should already be dead, you've been granted the opportunity to continue for a short period of time.]
[Even after suffering fatal wounds, you can continue fighting for three more days. During Revival, no injuries will affect your combat state, and you will always be in your best fighting condition. However, this state cannot be ended through healing, and once Revival ends, you will immediately die. If you receive another fatal wound during this period, you will die instantly.]
[During this state, you will also trigger all effects of "Warrior's Will A."]
"...Anyway, just as you guessed, I really do only have three days to live."
When talking about his impending death, Guiniweil was more open about it than he had imagined. He looked at Oberon, slightly tilted his head, and said flatly:
"But because of that... you could say it's a last burst of energy. Right now, I'm actually in the best combat state I've ever been in."
"So, whether it's for Artoria, Bavanzi, or for my lord Nocknare, or even just to get back at Lancelot for hunting me down since the beginning of this journey... before I die, I'll drag her down to hell with me."
Sigh... "You make it sound so easy, but you're not considering how the others feel... Oh, so you avoided Artoria and Bavanzi, huh?" Oberon shook his head and sighed. "So, I guess that means I'm the one stuck with all the trouble."
"What else can I do? You guessed it anyway," Guiniweil shook his head. "You were the one who asked me to be honest."
After a brief pause, Guiniweil continued:
"So, you're going to help me, right? You're going to get me to the place where I'll have my final battle with her, and you'll make sure she finds me before I die... It's all on you."
"I got it," Oberon sighed softly. "I'll take you there... but how are you so sure Lancelot's going to come for you? She must have sustained some serious injuries too, right?"
"She will," Guiniweil replied with confidence. "Don't even mention that with the power of Thunderclaw Strike, her wounds will heal in a day... Even if she's still in bad condition, she'll come."
"I don't know why, but she seems to see me as a huge threat and is fixated on killing me with her own hands... She won't rest until she sees me take my last breath."
"So, she gave me three days, and I've given her three days."
Guiniweil said coldly:
"If she wants a fight, then she'll get one."
"I understand," Oberon nodded lightly. "In that case, let's go."
"Let me send you on your final journey."
.........................................
[You convinced Oberon to fulfill your wish and take you to Orkney.]
[After shrinking and storing you in a Palu Ball, Oberon mounted Blanka and quickly set off for Orkney.]
[In less than half a day, you arrive at the coastline of the far north.]
"Not sure why you'd want the battlefield here, but this is as far as I can take you," Oberon casually remarked after releasing you from the Palu Ball. "You're on your own now."
"Really? You brought me here, why not just take me all the way to Orkney?" Guiniweil asked with a faint smile as he caught a snowflake that drifted from the gray sky.
"Well, there's a barrier ahead," Oberon replied casually. "There might be guardians or tomb keepers. I'm not in the mood to deal with that. Since this is your destination, you handle it. I'll go spread the word to Lancelot... Do you really think you can beat her?"
"Honestly, I don't even know," Guiniweil said with a wry grin. "Before, when I said I was 100% sure, I was just trying to get Artoria and Bavanzi to go back quietly... But now, it's not about whether I can win."
"It's that I must win."
"I see," Oberon said, falling silent for a second, then suddenly transformed into a chibi version of himself, leaping back onto Blanka. "In that case, good luck with your battle."
"Ah," Guiniweil nodded, "Thanks, Prince of the White Moths."
"If you really want to thank me, don't call me that awful nickname again, okay?" Oberon muttered before disappearing with Blanka in a flash.
[Afterward, you searched the area and soon found the small boat anchored at the far edge of the coastline.]
[After rowing for half an hour, you reach a city ruin covered in white snow.]
[Here, you encounter Cú Chulainn, who guards the area.]
"Huh? You didn't need me to guide you, and you came on your own? Looks like this new Prophecy Child is nothing like the last one, just charging forward blindly... Let me introduce myself—Prophecy Child and foreign sorcerer, I'm Sage Grim, and I've been waiting here for quite some time. Wait... it's you? Where's Ritsuka Fujimaru... Hold on, the Prophecy Child didn't come!?"
After rambling through a long introduction, Grim finally noticed that Artoria, the actual Prophecy Child, wasn't with Guiniweil, and his eyes widened in confusion and disbelief.
"Well, disappointed to see me? If so, I'm sorry about that."
Guiniweil shrugged:
"Unfortunately, I came here without any extra people—I'm here seeking help."
"Huh? Help? You're looking for me?" Grim stared at him, puzzled. "What can I do for you? My duty is to help the Prophecy Child. Sure, we've fought together before, but that doesn't mean I have to help you..."
—But knowing Grim, he'll probably help anyway. He's the kind of guy who's stubborn but will help if it's something he can do.
However, Guiniweil waved his hand, interrupting him:
"No, you misunderstood, I'm not here to seek your help."
"Huh?"
Ignoring the confused Grim, Guiniweil walked past him, heading toward the location of the Prophecy Bell.
"Hey, hey, hey! What's the meaning of this?" Grim asked in surprise, but Guiniweil just gave him a mysterious wave:
"You'll understand when the time comes."
"No way, are you messing with me? First time meeting and you're already pulling the riddle act? What the hell?!"
Hearing this, Grim groaned.
[Without Grim's guidance, you confidently walked toward the Bell Tower. After a while, thick mist surrounded you, but you remained unfazed.]
[As you walked, shadows resembling the undead appeared, seemingly trying to attack you and present a challenge.]
At that moment, Guiniweil suddenly stopped:
"Don't you even recognize me?"
He said this plainly.
Then, all the approaching shadows paused for a few seconds, before each of them solemnly bowed to him and disappeared.
Soon, he reached the top of the stairs, and beyond the mist, the Bell Tower awaited him.
[You didn't continue forward but instead sat down in front of the mist gate, cross-legged, resting with your sword placed on your lap, preparing for the coming battle.]
[You didn't explain what had happened to Grim, simply adjusting your state of mind for the upcoming fight, waiting for your enemy's arrival.]
And with only half a day left in Guiniweil's life, a bolt of lightning suddenly flashed across the sky of Orkney.
And that lightning symbolized the arrival of the Fairy Knight, Lancelot.