The moon hung quietly in the sky, casting a silvery-white glow that draped the war-torn earth in a cold, ethereal veil.
Two men and two wyverns flew a solitary path through the night sky, looking incredibly insignificant against the vastness of the heavens above.
Laying flat against the wyvern's back, Takumi felt the freezing wind whipping relentlessly against his body and face, prompting him to pull his clothes a little tighter around himself.
Riding a dragon through the sky sounded incredibly cool in theory, but with gale-force winds battering you from all directions and absolutely zero safety harnesses, the actual experience was far from comfortable.
Furthermore, due to the ceaseless battles in the Sixth Singularity, the Lion King's trigger-happy deployment of "Holy Judgments," and Ozymandias turning a massive chunk of the land into a desert, the environment was exceptionally harsh. Not only were there barely any clouds in the sky, but looking down from above, it was hard to spot even a single patch of normal green vegetation. You didn't even need to feel it to know the temperature difference between day and night was extreme.
It was exactly because of this that the humans living on this land were struggling to survive, to the point where those under the protection of the "Old Men of the Mountain" couldn't even afford to eat.
Quietly observing the massive "basin" carved out by the recent "Holy Judgment" below, Takumi took the time to assess his own condition.
The [Mystic Eyes of Death Perception] were a bit weird, but the effect was undeniably real. It was just that Takumi hadn't mastered them yet, and he estimated the mana consumption was going to be pretty steep.
Plus, he still wasn't entirely sure how to use them practically in a fight, or what the exact effects would look like.
Fortunately, Takumi's version could be toggled on and off at will. With a mere thought, the bizarre lines crisscrossing his vision would vanish, returning his sight to normal. At the very least, he wouldn't be stuck with an ability he couldn't control.
I'll just have to find some time to practice and get used to it later...
The [Heart of Fire] had perfectly recorded the sensation and state of being "hacked to death." If he took some time later to mentally replay and savor that feeling a few dozen or hundred times, he figured he could probably comprehend a bit more of it.
Thinking this, Takumi slowly closed his eyes and steadied his breathing.
He hadn't had a proper rest in a long time, hadn't rested after consecutive high-intensity battles, and had just been "killed" by King Hassan. His current condition was far from optimal; he needed to seize every possible second to recuperate.
On the other wyvern, Bedivere, who had been about to say something, saw this and swallowed his words, ultimately keeping his mouth shut.
Seeing Takumi this exhausted, he couldn't bring himself to wake him up.
I'll just wait until we're closer before saying anything...
Bedivere gazed mournfully toward the Holy City, his soft sigh scattering into the wind.
***
"They're coming..."
They actually came! And so fast, too!
Standing atop the highest tower, Agravain accurately spotted the two wyverns flying toward the Holy City in the distance, as well as the two blurry silhouettes riding them.
Agravain's expression turned incredibly grim.
Although he had only come up here to keep watch just in case, he never expected the enemy to actually detect the "King's" decisions and movements from whatever obscure corner of the map they were in.
They absolutely must have some special channel of information!
Why was he so certain?
What a joke! In the entire Holy City, only he and the Lion King knew what was going to happen tonight! To ensure absolute secrecy, he had only instructed Gawain and Lancelot to increase their patrols tonight—he hadn't breathed a single word about activating the Tower at the Ends of the World!
It was impossible for the secret to have leaked. Yet, under these circumstances, the enemy had still arrived perfectly on time. If they didn't have a special information channel, what, was the Master of Chaldea some kind of combat maniac who literally never rested?
Agravain was already heavily suspecting that a certain Incubus was secretly feeding them intel.
Running through the possibilities in his mind, Agravain didn't hesitate any longer. He immediately began contacting the remaining Knights of the Round Table in the Holy City.
"...Mobilize all your available forces and proceed to the southeast sector of the Holy City immediately! The Master of Chaldea is about to launch an assault!"
"Also, remember this: if you encounter the Master wielding a flag, you must remain on absolute high alert! Your primary objective is to preserve your own lives and stall him! As long as we can hold out for a little longer until Our King frees up her hands, it will all be over."
After making the "call," Agravain had no intention of sitting back and watching the tigers fight. He hurriedly went to gather his own forces and rushed toward the city walls without a moment's pause.
After all, the Lion King had explicitly stated that it would take at least two Knights of the Round Table just to stall Takumi. Furthermore, Takumi clearly hadn't come alone. Relying solely on Gawain and Lancelot was highly likely to end in failure; he had to enter the battlefield himself.
Meanwhile, Gawain and Lancelot, having received Agravain's orders, were completely baffled.
At dusk, they were ordered to increase patrols. Now, they were suddenly being told to intercept the Master of Chaldea, and something about "stalling until Our King makes her move"?
Having been thoroughly stuffed into an information silo by Agravain, the two knights couldn't make heads or tails of the situation.
However, Agravain hadn't kept everything from them. At the very least, they were both aware that Tristan and Mordred had been defeated by Takumi.
Therefore, despite not understanding the full context, knowing the severity of the threat, the two knights obeyed Agravain's orders without hesitation.
***
"We're almost there."
Upon realizing he could clearly see the familiar yet foreign Holy City of Camelot, Bedivere called out to Takumi.
"...Yeah, I know."
Hearing this, Takumi opened his eyes and rubbed his face to wake himself up.
"How was your rest?"
"Not great. And it's a bit cold..."
Takumi had slept very lightly. Or rather, how could anyone possibly sleep soundly at a critical moment like this? Let alone on the back of a wyvern.
It was nothing more than stealing a few hurried moments of rest on the go.
The "bit cold" comment was also Takumi's genuine feeling.
After taking that sword strike, his body was still feeling the lingering effects even now. Coupled with sleeping while being blasted by freezing winds the whole way, it felt a lot like taking a nap on a park bench without a blanket.
—Not that he had ever actually done that.
"Do you want to wait until we land to recover a bit more?"
Bedivere asked with concern.
"No need, I'm just a little cold. I usually run pretty hot when I fight, so I'll probably warm right up once we start."
Takumi smiled. He even had the energy to crack a small joke.
A short while later.
Behind a small hill roughly a kilometer away from the Holy City, the two of them guided the wyverns to land.
Just as Cursed Arm had mentioned, the walls of the Holy City were bristling with anti-air artillery. Attempting an aerial assault practically guaranteed they'd be shot out of the sky.
Neither of them had any desire to test their luck, so landing early was the smartest choice.
Ignoring a certain wyvern's "reluctance to part," Takumi dismissed them both.
After doing some quick stretches on the spot, he looked at Bedivere and said:
"Let's go. The Holy City and the Lion King are right ahead."
With that, Takumi prepared to break into a run.
"Wait!"
However, right at that moment, Bedivere suddenly called out to stop Takumi, looking as if he had made a grave decision.
"What's wrong?"
Takumi turned around, asking in confusion.
"...I just wanted to ask... If, in the end, I am unable to make it to Our King, could I ask you, Takumi, to return the Holy Sword to her in my stead?"
Clutching his "Silver Arm," Bedivere looked Takumi in the eyes and asked with absolute earnestness.
Much like Takumi, Bedivere's condition had been terrible ever since arriving in this Singularity.
But the difference was that Takumi's condition wouldn't severely cripple his combat ability, nor was his life in immediate danger.
Every single time Bedivere used the "Silver Arm," it inflicted further, nearly irreparable damage to his already fractured soul. Since arriving in the Singularity, he had been using it intermittently, and his intense battle against Mordred earlier today had caused a massive overdraft.
At this point, never mind the fact that Bedivere's life was flickering like a candle in the wind; the sheer power output of the "Silver Arm" had dropped drastically due to his deteriorating state.
When he first arrived in the Singularity, he could blast that gorilla Gawain away with a single strike from the "Silver Arm." But now? Even if he threw caution to the wind and went all-out, the best he could hope for was barely surviving against Gawain.
Not to mention, Bedivere, like Takumi, hadn't rested properly either.
And now, the Lion King could initiate the true Holy Selection at any moment. It could be in a little while, or it could be happening right now.
Yet, at this critical juncture, three Knights of the Round Table, an army of Enforcement Knights, and the Holy City's defense systems were waiting for them—just the two of them!
Bedivere, who had spent so long searching for allies precisely to avoid this, had always envisioned a worst-case scenario where at least a decent number of soldiers and a few Hassans would be fighting by his side...
He had never, ever imagined it would be just the two of them!
The massive disparity in numbers, coupled with the myriad of debuffs stacking on his body, made it impossible for Bedivere to imagine how he could possibly reach the Lion King...
—But Takumi was different!
If there was anyone left who could accomplish this, Bedivere couldn't think of anyone but Takumi.
Recalling the image of Takumi blocking the "Holy Judgment" and rapidly dispatching Mordred, Bedivere's gaze grew even more resolute.
Hearing Bedivere's words, Takumi's expression turned serious.
Through the Heart of Fire, he seemed to look past Bedivere's normal exterior and saw the utterly exhausted, battered soul beneath.
That's right. He's walked for fifteen hundred years. He's endured the agony of Excalibur burning away his soul. By now, he must be completely at his limit, right?
Since that's the case...
Takumi spoke solemnly: "I understand what you mean."
Hearing this, Bedivere breathed a sigh of relief, a hint of joy touching his eyes.
Although he still felt a trace of regret in his heart, he was already overjoyed just knowing his long-held wish could finally be fulfilled...
Thinking this, the light in Bedivere's eyes involuntarily dimmed slightly.
"Then let's hurry and..."
Forcing a strained smile, Bedivere didn't dare look at Takumi again. He turned, ready to start moving.
But a voice suddenly cut him off.
"However, I refuse."
Takumi looked at the startled Bedivere, who had whipped his head back around, and repeated himself:
"I understand what you mean. However, I refuse."
"Bedivere, handle your own business yourself. I think I made myself perfectly clear earlier. And besides..."
A sudden flash of anger crossed Takumi's eyes, and he stepped forward, punching Bedivere squarely in the chest.
"Who the hell are you showing off that regret in your heart to?! Or what, are you trying to play the whole 'saying one thing but meaning another' game right in front of me?"
"You're clearly hoping for it yourself! Who exactly are you underestimating here?!"
Wincing in pain and clutching his chest, Bedivere stared in disbelief at the genuinely angry Takumi.
Ignoring Bedivere's shock, Takumi, fired up, started machine-gunning his words:
"Yes, I know you're exhausted. I know you're practically just running on fumes right now. Regardless of whether you return the Holy Sword or not, the only thing waiting for you at the end of this is death."
"Having walked for over a thousand years, having endured a millennium of loneliness and regret just to make it here... Of course I don't deny that you have the courage to face death—"
"But do you truly understand what 'Resolve' means?"
"Resolve that uses sacrifice as a prerequisite is absolutely not Resolve! Resolve is not the will to throw your life away! True Resolve is the ability to carve out a path forward through a pitch-black wasteland!"
Once upon a time, that phrase had just been an anime quote to Takumi. But now, he truly, deeply understood its meaning.
"I have things I look forward to as well! I have my own nearly impossible wish! But I will absolutely never use sacrifice as a prerequisite to achieve it! I will fight with everything I have, to stand before them alive, in my absolute best condition!"
"—I have already solidified my own Resolve!"
"This will not be my end. The near future will not be my end either! I will keep walking forward just like this!"
Takumi clenched his fist and pressed it against his heart. His unwavering gaze locked onto the silver knight, and his fiery pupils bloomed with an unprecedented, dazzling brilliance.
[Almost... just a little bit more...]
The [Heart of Fire] blazed fiercely, as if something within it was violently screaming to break free.
Reflecting the scorching, blindingly bright flame in his eyes, and feeling the sheer, crushing weight within it, Bedivere stood rooted to the spot.
Re...solve?
Bathed in the light of that passionate, surging flame, Bedivere's heart—which had lain dormant for over a thousand years—began to beat violently for the first time in an age.
"Listen well. I don't want your arm! I don't want the Holy Sword inside your arm! And I sure as hell won't return it for you—if you can't return the Holy Sword yourself, then let that sword rot in the dirt! I'll just beat the Lion King down with my own two hands!"
Hearing Takumi's wild, arrogant declaration, Bedivere laughed. He laughed, feeling both incredibly happy and completely helpless.
"Aren't you exaggerating just a bit? You clearly don't have a solid plan for that either."
Bedivere said helplessly, but his eyes were no longer dull; they were practically sparkling.
"Hehe. That's why I have you, don't I?"
Sensing the shift in Bedivere's heart, the expression on Takumi's face instantly reverted to his usual, cheerful smile.
"I know. You said it yourself: there are always things in this world a person can't accomplish alone, right?"
Bedivere smiled, quoting Takumi's own words back to him.
"And it just so happens there are two of us here. Then allow me to help you carve out that path to the future! It might be a bit selfish of me, but—"
"I will absolutely see Our King, and I will return the Holy Sword to her with my own two hands!"
Bedivere looked at Takumi and declared with absolute solemnity.
"Now you're talking!"
Takumi flashed the knight a thumbs-up.
"Since you trust me enough to entrust the Holy Sword to me, then why not trust me a little bit more?!"
"I will give it absolutely everything I have to drag you all the way to her! So until I do, don't you dare die on me!"
Speaking with absolute seriousness, Takumi extended his right hand, forming a fist, and held it out in front of Bedivere.
"Of course!"
Bedivere matched his seriousness and extended his own right fist.
Beneath the night sky, the two fists bumped solidly together.