Boom—!
A tremendous sound thundered from atop a distant hill as an enormous floating garden revealed itself from within the clouds.
Meanwhile, Arthur remained concealed in the nearby forest.
He'd intended to hurry back to Yggdmillennia Castle. Shirou Emiya, after all, wasn't truly aligned with the Black Faction, and Arthur was genuinely concerned for his Master's safety.
After finishing his conversation with Mordred earlier, the day was already approaching twilight. Arthur had sped toward the Yggdmillennia fortress at astonishing speed.
But just as he passed through the forest, an intense sense of foreboding overcame him, as though some massive weapon lay hidden nearby, waiting to strike.
Trusting his [Instincts] implicitly, Arthur immediately concealed his presence within the trees.
Although Shirou Kotomine could discern Servants' true identities, he lacked Ruler's omniscient capabilities, and thus couldn't pinpoint Servants at all times. Moreover, the [Hanging Gardens] had remained focused solely on the Yggdmillennia Castle, unaware of the Heroic Spirit hiding quietly below.
Currently cloaked by his aura-concealing skills, Arthur wouldn't easily be noticed, not even by an ordinary Servant—let alone a magus's familiars.
Consequently, Assassin of Red remained supremely confident. She never bothered scanning her surroundings, assuming it impossible for a Black Servant to detect her position.
Arthur couldn't clearly discern the presence looming in the sky above. Yet the oppressive force saturating the area, combined with the frantic wildlife fleeing the forest, left him no doubt:
Beneath that crimson-stained sky hovered a monstrous fortress poised to strike the Black Faction's stronghold.
If Arthur attempted to race directly back to Yggdmillennia Castle now, he'd easily be spotted.
Conversely, if he chose a longer detour, he risked arriving too late to deliver crucial intelligence.
Thus, Arthur chose to wait where he was. If something happened at Yggdmillennia Castle, he could swiftly intervene.
The moment night fell, the massive [Hanging Gardens] emerged fully beneath the moonlight.
"Fire—!"
Casually waving from her throne, Assassin of Red activated twelve enormous magical arrays, launching twelve devastating beams from the [Hanging Gardens].
At that exact instant, golden brilliance erupted from Arthur's sword.
"The King of Knights?!"
Assassin of Red clearly hadn't anticipated Arthur's proximity. Alarmed, she immediately ceased her bombardment on Yggdmillennia Castle, rapidly redirecting all firepower toward Arthur's incoming blast.
She had no desire to test whether the [Hanging Gardens'] defensive barrier could withstand an anti-fortress Noble Phantasm from a holy-sword wielder.
The collision of the two monumental energies created an explosive shockwave, instantly transforming the lush forest into a barren wasteland.
"Arthur—!!"
As darkness fully enveloped the forest beneath the pale moon, a fierce, thunderous roar reverberated, shaking every tree in the woods. A deafening engine howl shattered the night's silence.
Whoosh—!
Through the woods, a gust of wind carried a scarlet figure hurtling toward Arthur.
Mordred—dressed casually, atop a sleek crimson motorcycle—swung her massive sword straight at Arthur's neck, descending from above like a harbinger of death.
Facing Mordred, who rocketed toward him like a missile brandishing a crimson sword, Arthur unleashed a powerful burst of magical energy. Brilliant blue mana erupted violently, saturating the surrounding space.
Clang—!
[Excalibur] and Mordred's [Clarent] clashed ferociously once again, emitting a piercing ring.
Whoom—!
In the next instant, Arthur's sword became engulfed by a brilliant swirl of golden air currents.
BOOM—!
A violent tempest exploded forth from Arthur's blade, sending powerful gusts howling outward.
On her motorcycle, Mordred suddenly felt a monstrous force reverberate through her sword, jolting her entire body. She was hurled backward, the momentum sending her bike crashing violently onto the ground, reduced instantly to twisted scrap.
Crash—!
Midair, Mordred twisted several times before her armor instantly materialized around her body.
Landing heavily in a crouch, she rose steadily, raising her blade aggressively toward Arthur.
Her battlelust surged intensely, saturating her sword.
Silence.
For a brief, tense moment, only the whisper of falling leaves could be heard.
Bang—!
Mordred's exposed face broke into a vicious grin, her fighting spirit exploding outward. She stamped hard against the ground.
Like a missile, she launched straight toward Arthur once more.
Red lightning flashed toward him.
Her blade slashed violently, igniting a powerful shockwave as a fearsome gale descended heavily upon Arthur.
Yet Arthur calmly raised his golden blade to meet Mordred's assault.
BOOM—!
Their merciless attacks collided head-on, generating a devastating blast wave.
Scarlet lightning intertwined fiercely with cerulean mana, erupting in violent explosions.
Neither Arthur nor Mordred yielded an inch.
However, currently bolstered by abundant mana, Arthur's strength ranked at a monstrous A-rank—utterly overpowering.
Mordred's feet dug desperately into the ground, forced backward by Arthur's overwhelming strength.
Yet Mordred stubbornly refused defeat. Her eyes flashed sharply, and she pivoted instantly, her leg whipping out like a black shadow, cracking violently toward Arthur with lightning speed.
After all, Mordred's fighting style wasn't limited to just swordplay!
BANG—!
---
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
discord.gg/wisetl
patreon.com/wisetl