Though it felt a bit disloyal to Luminous, Hinata couldn't deny her instincts.
She had a premonition.
If the Queen of Nightmare faced this female knight, the outcome...
Luminous would likely lose.
Whoosh!
"Captain?!"
Leonard was momentarily distracted, only to see Hinata charge forward.
Logically, facing such a formidable opponent, Hinata shouldn't advance but order a retreat.
Yet she understood the situation.
Artoria's blatant aura was a clear message: there was no escape.
The only option was to charge and face the enemy in a desperate battle!
"Quick, follow her!"
"We can't let the Captain fight alone!"
The four trailed Hinata's steps, lagging behind but landing by her side soon after she stopped.
They surrounded Artoria, eyeing her warily.
"Who are you?"
"Why are you in this monster-infested forest?"
"And why..." Hinata's voice was low, "did you lure me here?"
"Commendable courage."
Artoria didn't answer directly, instead offering this assessment: "I thought you'd flee at the first chance."
"What?"
Before Hinata could press further, a terrifying surge of magical power erupted from Artoria.
Boom!
The next moment, Leonard and the others felt as if a mountain had crashed onto their shoulders.
"This!"
"Such oppressive force!!"
"A monster... she's definitely not human!!"
The four reacted differently, but their judgment of Artoria was unanimous.
She wasn't human but some terrifying non-human entity!
'This one…'
Hinata's perception was even sharper than the four Saints'.
Artoria's Demon Lord aura wasn't just raw magical power... it carried her sword intent and will.
'In this world, aside from Demon Lords…'
Hinata felt no fear, only excitement and anticipation for the battle ahead. 'There's a powerhouse like this!!'
Speculation was one thing, but seeing Artoria in person still shocked her.
"Quite rude, knight from another world."
Artoria glanced at Fritz, who had called her a monster.
Boom!
Armor shattered, blood sprayed from Fritz's mouth, and he was sent flying across the plains.
"Fritz!!"
Leonard watched Fritz soar backward, clueless about what had happened.
Artoria hadn't moved.
So what was that attack?
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Artoria raised the Sword of Promised Victory, planted before her.
Zzzzt!
A longsword wreathed in prismatic light clashed against the blue-gold scabbard, unleashing a torrent of magical energy.
"Litus!"
"I-I know!"
Thanks to Hinata's strike, the Demon Lord's oppressive aura on the three dissipated.
Litus seized the moment to check on Fritz's injuries.
"One hit, and Fritz is wounded."
Hinata locked eyes with Artoria, who returned her gaze. "I'll ask again: who are you, what's your origin, and why are you blocking my army?"
"Artoria."
"Artoria Pendragon."
Feeling the force of Hinata's strike, Artoria praised, "Fine swordsmanship. I heard you're the strongest human in the Western Nations, is that so?"
"Pendragon?"
Hinata thought she'd misheard.
If memory served, that surname belonged to the legendary King Arthur of Britannia.
"Perhaps you've heard my other title."
"King Arthur!"
"Are you kidding me?!"
Feeling mocked, Hinata swung her Phantom Pain repeatedly, aiming for Artoria, only for each strike to be blocked by the scabbard of Avalon.
Since awakening as a True Demon Lord, Artoria's swordsmanship had grown unfathomably profound.
She wasn't one to bully the weak.
Unless an opponent was worthy, Artoria wouldn't draw her blade.
As for Hinata...
For now, Artoria had no intention of unsheathing her sword.
"So strong…"
Hinata attacked multiple times, yet Artoria parried each with minimal effort.
"She's seen through all my moves…"
Hinata increasingly felt Artoria was on par with Luminous... an Awakened Demon Lord.
Her own strength wasn't weak.
Among Awakened Demon Lords, she'd rank mid-tier.
But compared to this female knight, the gap was glaringly obvious.
Forget the terrifying magical power from earlier.
By rough estimate, Hinata gauged Artoria's magicule count at over 5 million!
Her own was around 1 million at best.
Five times the difference!
'And that sword…'
Hinata stared at the scabbard blocking her sword, finding it absurd.
Her Dead End Rainbow could directly strike an enemy's spirit and soul.
Seven hits would shatter their soul entirely... a terrifying technique.
Yet this divine weapon couldn't even scratch the scabbard.
This was…
"You're wondering why my scabbard can block your sword?"
Artoria stood firm, raising the Sword of Promised Victory. "I heard from that lord that you, like Rimuru, come from Earth."
"If so, you must know of my legend, right?"
"..."
Hinata didn't know where to begin.
That lord?
Who?
Someone this monster called 'lord'... Hinata couldn't imagine how terrifying they must be.
And Rimuru, like her, from Earth.
A reincarnator?
Another worlder?
Lastly, the most critical piece of information... the legend of King Arthur!
"The scabbard of Avalon?"
In an instant, Hinata recalled the legend of King Arthur's scabbard, said to be enchanted by Merlin to grant immunity to all harm when worn.
If this exquisite blue-gold scabbard was indeed Arthur's...
Then blocking her attacks wasn't so surprising after all.
***
If you want to read up to 50 chapters ahead, don't hesitate to visit our patron: pat reon . com / XElenea (remove space)