"Uwahhh~!!"
Crack!
With a roar from Berserker… her war hammer became engulfed in golden lightning.
"Ahh!"
With a mighty swing, the lightning transformed into a beam of light, surging straight toward Achilles on the opposite side!
Zzzzt… The golden current churned up dust all around, like a great dragon, striking fiercely at the Red Faction's Rider.
"Heh…"
Achilles only sneered, slipping aside in a swift sidestep to dodge the incoming beam. Seizing the opening right after Berserker's attack, he stepped forward in an instant and flashed directly in front of her.
"!"
Berserker was clearly shocked to see him appear before her.
"Spacing out in battle is a bad habit!!"
Whoosh, whoosh!
With a sharp shout, Achilles swung his spear straight toward her face!
Bang!
"Ugh!"
Berserker hastily raised the shaft of her hammer just in time to block the thrust. Even so, the sheer force drove her body backward until she crashed into a wooden post behind her.
"Not bad… but still not enough!!"
Wham!
After knocking her away, Achilles instantly dashed to her side and kicked her hard in the ribs.
"Arghh!"
Berserker cried out in pain, her body sent flying—but she didn't crash to the ground. Twisting midair, she regained balance, then slid across the earth before standing again.
"Huff… huff…"
She panted, somewhat exhausted, but her eyes beneath her hair still glared viciously at the irritating man before her.
[Berserker… remember, another Archer is hiding nearby.]
Her Master, Caules, spoke into her mind. Immediately, she leapt back several steps, shifting her focus to the surrounding forest, gripping her hammer tightly.
The next second—
Whizz!!
An arrow, carried by crushing wind pressure, shot forth without warning from somewhere in the forest!
"!"
Shluk!
As expected, the arrow pierced her shoulder.
"Ughhh!!"
Berserker roared furiously, jumping back again.
Whizz! ×N
Several more arrows whistled toward her.
Bang! ×N
Berserker evaded a few, using the trees as cover, then yanked the arrow out of her shoulder. Now the fight had turned into two against one—and she was the "one."
At that moment… she caught sight of a sudden flash of light. A far more oppressive arrow than before shot past her face, streaking straight into the forest!
Perched hidden on a tree trunk, Atalanta was just about to nock another arrow when she suddenly felt a wave of killing intent!
Too late to dodge—
Shluk!!
A sniping arrow grazed her cheek with precision, blood splattering instantly!
"Tch! So the enemy Archer's here too!"
Clicking her tongue, she leapt to another tree, preparing to exchange fire with her foe.
"Missy, are you alright?!"
"Yeah… the enemy's Archer has found me. Leave him to me—you handle Berserker!"
Whizz!
Narrowly dodging Chiron's ranged attack, Atalanta shouted to her ally in passing, then leapt once again to another trunk, beginning her duel with him.
"Tch… how troublesome!"
Seeing Berserker charge at him again, Achilles muttered in annoyance before lunging forward with a rapid flurry of spear strikes!
Clang, clang, clang! ×N
Berserker struggled to fend off the blows, locked in fierce weapon clashes. Almost every strike grazed her body, cutting into her flesh. She was being completely suppressed.
The clashing of weapons rang out with sharp bursts of wind, and the surrounding trees were left marked with countless slashes.
Finally, Achilles pressed his foot against the shaft of her hammer, kicking her back once more.
Crash…
Berserker slammed into the ground, struggling to rise.
Achilles only shrugged, resting his spear casually on his shoulder.
"I'm getting bored. If you don't want another beating, then call Saber out! Tell him Rider wants a duel! Don't tell me you're trying to preserve Saber's strength? Do you think you alone can beat me—!!"
Just as Achilles was about to continue mocking, he suddenly sensed something unusual in the air around him! Alarmed, he leapt back several steps, tightening his grip on his spear as he scanned his surroundings.
"This aura…"
His leisure vanished instantly, replaced by deep wariness. His body tensed, bracing for danger.
The night sky above had changed without him realizing it. Lightning flickered faintly among thick, black clouds that now filled the heavens. A heavy, oppressive gloom spread across the entire space.
His body felt unbearably heavy, as though trapped in another dimension. Breathing grew difficult, his ears no longer caught the rustling of leaves—only the pounding of his quickening heartbeat. The suffocating pressure of a gaze bearing down on him spread through his whole being.
"Damn…"
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. To force such fear into a warrior like him… just who was the enemy?!
Before he could react, a violet mitsudomoe-shaped eye of lightning suddenly appeared behind him. The thunder eye opened wide—space shattered, and time itself slowed to a crawl!
From within stepped forth the Shogun, her form solidified, violet elemental energy surging into the blade of her naginata. Aiming at his back, she unleashed a strike like divine punishment itself!
Crack!!
With thunderous brilliance, the blade carved into Achilles' back, leaving a violet scar of light several meters long across the space.
Shluk!!
In an instant, a torrent of blood gushed from his back, spraying outward like a crimson fountain.
Following through with the slash, the Shogun's body flashed to his front. As time's flow returned to normal, Achilles' bloodshot eyes widened in shock at her silhouette. His expression twisted as agonizing pain surged from his back throughout his entire body.
"Arghhh!!"
Blood spurted violently as he collapsed to the ground, coughing out red as his spear fell from his grip.
"!"
Berserker, watching from the side, froze in shock. Just a moment ago it seemed as though nothing had happened—yet in an instant, Achilles was reduced to this state.
The ground beneath him was drenched in blood. But the Shogun knew he was not dead. At the moment she struck, she had felt his life remain intact. He must possess some kind of Noble Phantasm that revived him from death.
"Ughh! You… cough… are you the Saber?"
Achilles, struggling on the ground, forced himself up just enough to glare warily at the Shogun.
"To withstand this blade and remain alive… you are the first."
The Shogun slowly paced before him, naginata in hand, her cold and elegant voice echoing in his ears.
"Oi, oi… how's this 'alive and well'? I'm in agony here!"
Achilles roared angrily, forcing himself upright again. The massive wound across his back—enough to split him apart—began slowly to regenerate.
The Shogun narrowed her eyes slightly.
Resurrection?
But she had accounted for this. That strike was not her Musou no Hitotachi. If it had been, he would have perished without doubt.
"Heh… so it's just like your Lancer said. At first, I didn't believe it. But now… I've experienced it firsthand."
Before they set out, Karna had warned him that Black's Saber was not to be taken lightly, urging them to be prepared. And indeed, as he said—without his Andreias Amarantos: Amaranth of the Brave, that strike would have ended not only his life but his very essence!
However… Achilles had noticed something. The strike just now had not been full strength. The divine force behind it should have completely destroyed his immortality Noble Phantasm. And yet… it did not.
He glanced at the Shogun's naginata.
Was it the weapon?
In other words, that devastating technique wasn't meant for the weapon in her hands, but for another blade entirely!
Heh… how interesting…