Blazing flames raged as the long day sun hung high above.
Violent mana surged, transforming into searing firelight that devoured the surrounding fortress.
Faced with such terrifying might, even Guinevere, despite having the ability to rewind and pause, was beaten into utter disarray, scrambling up and down, barely holding on.
The others fared no better—Cursed Arm too was forced to constantly evade, while Da Vinci exhausted all her means, turning her prosthetic arm and cane into a variety of tools, but at most she could barely offset Gawain's assaults.
Even Mash, who specialized in defense, found herself immobilized. She had to shield Ritsuka Fujimaru, ensuring she wouldn't be instantly killed by the AoE attached to every one of Gawain's basic strikes. That left her unable to do anything else.
"Seriously, how the hell are we supposed to fight this thing?"
Guinevere's head throbbed.
The last time he faced Gawain at the gates of the Holy City, Gawain had at least held back somewhat, wary of the surrounding enforcers. Back then, Guinevere could exchange a few blows, even using repeated pauses to study Gawain's movements, leaving the knight helpless to land a decisive strike. But now, things were completely different.
No wonder, when Cursed Arm Hassan scouted this fortress earlier, he found almost no guards. Guinevere had just noticed that once the sun rose, the remaining guards hurriedly abandoned the stronghold. Clearly, this was to allow Gawain to unleash his full strength here without restraint.
It was Guinevere's oversight.
Regret gnawed at him.
Earlier, when they escorted refugees into the village, they hadn't been attacked by Lancelot as in the original story. He should have realized then—the state of this Singularity had already diverged from the script. With him and Bavanzi, Gareth, and Bagest added into the mix, Chaldea's strength had increased considerably. But in response, the Round Table Knights would also take different measures against opponents of greater power.
If, in the original plot, the Round Table was defeated partly due to carelessness, now that was no longer the case. Just Bagest alone was enough to make them deadly serious.
—What Guinevere didn't know, however, was that due to their suspected ties with Morgan, Agravain no longer merely regarded them as serious enemies. He already saw them as a far graver threat than even the Sun King himself.
...So then, how were they supposed to beat that monster?
Staring at the towering knight bathed in blazing solar flames, divine in stature, Guinevere clenched his teeth.
After a moment of rapid thought, he dodged another of Gawain's slashes and rushed to Cursed Arm's side, whispering urgently:
"Cursed Arm! If you used your Noble Phantasm, could you take down Gawain directly?"
The Assassin paused in surprise.
"You know my Noble Phantasm's ability?"
"Please. You announced your True Name outright—how hard is it to figure out your Noble Phantasm's effect?" Guinevere snapped. "Forget that—just answer me. Can your Noble Phantasm kill Gawain?"
"In theory, yes... but I can't find an opening."
He thought for a moment, then said:
"My Noble Phantasm requires time to activate, and I must be within ten meters of him. But if I try to unleash it in that range, he'll cut me down before I can finish."
"How long do you need?" Guinevere pressed.
"Five seconds... no, three seconds. Three is enough."
"Okay. We'll buy you that time."
Guinevere nodded, then shouted to the others:
"Everyone, I've got a plan! From here on, follow my lead and give me command!"
"Understood! I trust you, Senpai!" Ritsuka Fujimaru responded immediately. "Mash, Da Vinci, and Senpai Kotomine, work with Guinevere Senpai's orders!"
"Ugh... even in this state you're making me work?" Kotomine groaned weakly from the ground.
"Stop whining and follow orders!" Guinevere barked. "Gareth, Kotomine, Hundred-Faced—can any of you still move? If so, cover the wounded and get Ritsuka Fujimaru out!"
"I... I understand."
Bloodied and battered, Gareth forced herself up, grabbed the unconscious Hundred-Faced Hassan, and began retreating. Kotomine snorted but quickly went to pull Fujimaru away.
"Am I invisible to you people?"
Gawain sneered, immediately redirecting his attack. A storm of flames surged toward Fujimaru—but at that instant, Mash raised her shield, slammed it into the ground, and barely held back the inferno.
Once Fujimaru and the wounded retreated, Guinevere called out again:
"Mash! Protect Cursed Arm!"
"Right!" With Fujimaru safe, Mash could finally focus elsewhere. Joining them, she shielded Cursed Arm, and together, the trio charged straight toward Gawain. As they closed within ten meters, Cursed Arm tore off the bandages around his right arm, revealing the sinister, glowing red limb. He began his Noble Phantasm's invocation:
"Fall, like a pomegranate bursting—bleed in agony—!"
"Damn you, don't even think about it!"
Though unsure of his intent, Gawain sensed danger and lunged to interrupt. But before he could, Guinevere twisted his wrist, leapt forward, and drove his spear into the ground before Gawain:
"Madfire, Assault!"
Golden flames exploded outward from the impact point. Seeing this, an ominous premonition struck Gawain, forcing him to halt and evade the fiery blast.
And in that instant, Cursed Arm's Noble Phantasm completed:
"Delusional Heartbeat—Zabaniya!"
His cursed arm shot out like an uncoiling bandage, elongating, twisting, and darting forward at an unnatural angle. Taking advantage of Gawain's evasive maneuver, it slipped past his guard.
But Gawain, even while dodging, kept his eyes sharp. He instantly swung his sword at the incoming arm.
"Da Vinci!" Guinevere shouted.
"I've been waiting for this!" With a playful voice, a mechanical arm flew in from the side, colliding against Gawain's sword. It didn't stop the strike, but nudged it just enough. Cursed Arm seized the opening—his hand snaking past Gawain's blade and lightly brushing against his chest.
Though Gawain immediately swung to sever the limb, the Assassin withdrew it like lightning.
"Damn it."
He didn't know exactly what had been done, but instinct from countless battles screamed at him—he had just brushed death.
Without hesitation, he lunged straight at Guinevere, ignoring the spear aimed at him, backhanding Guinevere aside, and charging toward Cursed Arm.
He brought his sword down—
—but Mash once again raised her shield. The impact drove her to her knees, but she held, buying just enough time.
"Looks like we've won!"
Before Gawain's horrified gaze, Cursed Arm raised his sinister hand. In his palm, a phantom heart slowly materialized.
—This was his Noble Phantasm, Delusional Heartbeat. Though restricted—it required short range, a distracted foe, direct contact with the chest—if successful, it projected a duplicate of the target's heart. Crushing it would shatter the real one.
But just as he prepared to squeeze, a black-armored hand suddenly shot in, gripping his wrist, halting the motion.
"Did you really think I wasn't here at all?"
Turning, Cursed Arm saw Agravain had circled behind him unnoticed.
With a brutal kick, Agravain sent him flying, the phantom heart vanishing instantly.
"Gawain, stop playing games with them."
Having dismantled their coordinated assault, Agravain spoke coldly:
"Unleash your Noble Phantasm. Even if it wipes out this fortress, so be it. End them quickly before anything else happens."
Gawain hesitated.
"But... Lancelot is still trapped below..."
"Why should you care? Have you forgotten we four siblings died because of him?"
Agravain's voice was icy.
"And if sacrificing him ruins that woman's scheme, it's a cheap price to pay. That man will only be swayed to her side if left alive."
He added sharply:
"Don't forget—you nearly died just now. Next time, I might not be able to save you."
"...Very well."
With a sigh, Gawain finally steeled himself.
"Forgive me, everyone. This game of hide and seek ends here."
He hurled his holy sword skyward. It spun rapidly, radiating blinding brilliance, merging with the sun above.
"Sacred Sword—Drawn!"
Seeing this, Agravain retreated behind him.
"This blade is the sun's reflection, the purging flame that burns all impurity—Solar Incineration!"
Chanting his Noble Phantasm, Gawain leapt up, seizing Galatine mid-air.
"—Excalibur Galatine!"
He landed, swinging the sunfire-wreathed blade at them.
"Shit."
Guinevere stared at the oncoming inferno. There was nothing he could do.
He considered unleashing Heavenly Fire to save Fujimaru—but it was too late.
All he could do was step forward, standing before everyone, and try to block even a fraction.
At least, if he triggered his revival, he could lock health and stall Gawain long enough for the others to escape...
As he wrestled with this, he faintly heard—a sigh. Was it an illusion? A woman's voice, distant, sorrowful.
"Father and son, turned against each other... what folly."
Meanwhile, atop the fortress tower, in the shadow of its highest spire, a white-haired woman sighed. She reached out and pressed a screen she had already prepared.
[Confirm use of Legendary Servant Card, Simulation No. 777.]
[Confirmed: Entity linked to this Servant is present. Initiating possession summon—Legendary Servant, 'Champion King' Lot.]