On one side was a colossal greatsword woven from fire and Runes. It constantly whipped up a blistering storm, the sheer ambient heat warping the surrounding air into a blurry, distorted mirage.
On the other side was a surging, torrential beam of crimson lightning. It carried boundless rage and flickered with a lethal brilliance, instantly crossing the short distance between them to crash directly into the flaming greatsword.
The two forces collided abruptly. The fiery greatsword attempted to tear apart and incinerate the crimson beam, while the crimson beam continuously hammered against the flaming greatsword, seeking to punch through it and continue its path of destruction.
Countless fissures spider-webbed across the surrounding earth. Boulders shattered and crumbled under the extreme heat and pressure, and a massive cloud of dust was whipped up into the sky...
It's over.
Just as Mordred's eyes were practically glowing with excitement as she cranked up the output of her Noble Phantasm, a transparent silhouette flickered and materialized silently directly behind her.
[Sphere Boundary]
Takumi calmly stared at Mordred's back. The flag-spear in his hand was already drawn back into an offensive stance.
Does anyone actually like engaging in beam struggles?
Takumi hated beam struggles. Especially pointless ones like this, where the outcome relied entirely on raw output. Not only was it a massive waste of time, but it also invited unnecessary variables.
Therefore, right after applying a "Sure-Hit" effect to the [Era of the Profound Heavenly Sword], Takumi had immediately let go of the simulated weapon and activated [Sphere Boundary]. Shrouded by absolute Presence Concealment, he had sprinted in a wide arc at top speed, arriving perfectly positioned behind Mordred.
It was the exact same tactic he had used against Fionn earlier: bait the opponent into a beam struggle, then strike from their blind spot.
Her [Instinct] suddenly screamed a lethal warning. Mordred's pupils contracted sharply. Gritting her teeth, she desperately tried to twist her body and swing the beam of her Noble Phantasm behind her, but it was already too late.
[Sure-Hit, Mana Burst, Divine Spear: No Second Strike]!
Pshhh!
Tracing a perfectly straight line with a cold, unforgiving gleam, the flag-spear plunged into the center of Mordred's back and pierced clean through her chest.
Mordred's already strained Spiritual Core was shattered instantly by the spear thrust, and her internal organs were pulverized by the crushing Qi. Her entire body instantly froze in place.
The magical energy within her bled out in a matter of seconds, like a bucket with a massive hole blown through the bottom. Following her rapid demise, the torrent of crimson lightning vanished without a trace.
Only a massive, fan-shaped "gash" carved into the earth remained to prove it had ever been there.
"Beam struggles are bad civilization. Don't engage in beam struggles in the future, Mordred."
Looking at the deep unwillingness lingering in Mordred's eyes, Takumi spoke slowly as he withdrew the flag-spear.
After all, you never know if you're standing on the left side or the right side of the screen from someone else's perspective.
Mordred — Exit.
"Phew..."
Watching Mordred dissolve into motes of light and fade away, Takumi let out a long sigh of relief.
Finally, I can rest for a bit...
Patting his dizzy head, Takumi couldn't help but stand there and stretch lazily.
Then, as if noticing something, his eyes instantly brightened. He quickly spun around.
"Hello there. My name is Takumi, a Master currently fighting with everything I've got."
Takumi extended a hand toward the silver-clad figure standing not far away, a hint of genuine joy lacing his tone.
"Ah? Oh!"
Seeing Takumi abruptly shift from an icy, emotionless killing machine to someone with eyes full of warmth and a bright smile, Bedivere—who had rushed back because he was worried about Takumi's safety—was momentary stunned before snapping back to reality.
Noticing the deep exhaustion hidden beneath Takumi's gentle gaze, Bedivere hesitated for a second before jogging over. He extended his own hand to meet Takumi's.
"Um, hello. My name is Bedivere, a knight... currently seeking atonement..."
Bedivere stumbled slightly over his introduction, his tone turning somewhat melancholic toward the end.
Operating purely on muscle memory, he reached out to shake Takumi's hand—only to grasp cold, hard steel.
"You're using the wrong hand."
Looking down at their "handshake," Takumi couldn't help but chuckle.
"Eh?"
Bedivere finally realized what he had done. Flustered, he quickly swapped hands, using his "Silver Arm" to grasp Takumi's prosthetic hand, which was still suspended in the air.
He breathed a small sigh of relief, but a flicker of confusion crossed Bedivere's mind.
Why do we both have to use our prosthetic arms to shake hands...?
"Because shaking hands with prosthetics is fun. Besides, we're both missing our right arms anyway."
Takumi grinned sheepishly. He pumped Bedivere's hand up and down a couple of times before letting go.
"...Ah?"
Bedivere was completely dumbfounded.
...Is this Master slightly different from my initial impression of him?
Based on Takumi's performance earlier, Bedivere had gotten the impression of a cold, aloof, exhausted, and lonely powerhouse carrying the weight of a thousand untold stories.
But right now... he seemed more like a goofy, next-door neighbor kind of guy who loved making pointless jokes?
"Oh, this? When I'm actually fighting, I don't like talking much, and keeping a straight face is just the default. Plus, earlier I was genuinely exhausted to the bone and didn't have the energy to talk. It's perfectly normal that I looked a bit grim."
"But as for right now—well, the fighting is temporarily over and we can finally rest, right?"
Takumi smiled easily as he explained.
The reason he normally looked so cold and distant was primarily because he never had anyone to talk to. Now that he finally had someone he could exchange a few words with, Takumi naturally "revealed his true nature."
Experiencing firsthand what it was like to have his mind "read" by Takumi, Bedivere couldn't help but feel a bit awkward.
However, this connection went both ways. At the exact same time, Bedivere could vividly feel the sheer joy Takumi felt upon meeting him.
"Takumi, you seem... incredibly happy to meet me?"
Thinking out loud, Bedivere ended up just asking the question.
He honestly couldn't understand why Takumi was this happy.
"Because we're destined to travel as companions! Right?"
Takumi looked at Bedivere and blurted out with a laugh.
Bedivere was rendered speechless.
Under the influence of the [Heart of Fire], he obviously knew Takumi's ultimate goal aligned perfectly with his own. But he truly never expected that Takumi would be this elated simply because the two of them would be traveling together.
"Of course it makes me happy! There are always things in this world a person can't accomplish alone. Finding a comrade who can fight by my side—how could I not be thrilled?!"
Takumi stated it as if it were the most obvious truth in the world.
"Besides, you're the absolute trump card here! If you weren't around or if something happened to you, I'd probably fall into total despair~"
Finished speaking, Takumi flashed Bedivere a thumbs-up, then put his hands on his hips and let out a dramatic, exaggerated sigh.
Amused by Takumi's theatrical antics, Bedivere couldn't help but want to laugh. Shaking his head, he smiled and replied:
"Even though you say that, if something really did happen to me, you wouldn't actually fall into despair, would you?"
—After all, this flame makes it undeniably clear.
Reflected in Bedivere's pupils was a cluster of warm, fiercely burning fire. Able to feel the sheer weight and unyielding resolve within it, Bedivere couldn't help but marvel internally.
Takumi scratched his head, feeling a bit bashful from Bedivere's unintentional praise.
To quickly change the subject, he thumped his chest loudly:
"Hehe. Anyway, you don't need to worry! Whether it's for your sake or mine, I will absolutely give it everything I have to escort you safely right to the Lion King's doorstep!"
"As for the rest... let's talk while we walk. There are still people down there who need our help!"
With that, Takumi took the lead and began heading down the mountain toward the village.
Seeing this, Bedivere smiled warmly and followed closely behind Takumi.