Bedivere attempted to stand, but his rapidly crumbling body lacked even the strength to support him upright. He could only barely manage to shift his posture so he was kneeling on one knee.
Left with no other choice, Bedivere maintained this agonizing stance and forced the words through his throat:
"Because... this is my atonement..."
His voice was bone-dry, sounding as if he hadn't had a drop of water in days.
Who the hell... understands what you're talking about?!
Having essentially been dragged here solely to fight, Gawain—who was currently completely in the dark about the true context of the situation—wanted nothing more than to grab Bedivere by the collar and demand he explain himself.
However, for Gawain, fully understanding the situation wasn't necessary. The Light of Judgment continuously crashing down from the high tower clearly conveyed the "King's" will. His only duty was to execute that will without hesitation.
Blistering solar magical energy gathered along the blade of Galatine, held high in the air. A miniature sun manifested directly above Bedivere's head.
"Why? As the sole knight who witnessed the 'King's' final moments, why do you stand against her?"
Right before swinging his sword, Gawain couldn't stop himself from asking one last question.
Hearing this, a violent pang of agony gripped Bedivere's heart as the memory of failing to return the Holy Sword for the third time resurfaced in his mind.
His dry voice carried an imperceptible trace of torment.
"...Our 'King's' decision is wrong... I must... correct her mistake... This is my responsibility..."
A flicker of profound disappointment crossed Gawain's eyes.
"You're too late, Bedivere. You arrived far too late..."
If you had arrived earlier, perhaps you truly could have persuaded the King to stop. But unfortunately...
Gawain's gaze hardened with absolute resolve, and he swung the Sun Sword down.
"Let this end here, Bedivere—!"
The "sun" plummeted toward the silver knight.
A wave of blistering heat washed over Bedivere's face. The descending "sun" completely monopolized his vision, the sheer intensity threatening to instantly evaporate the moisture from his eyes.
How can I stop here?! I absolutely must see Our King!
Facing a strike guaranteed to sever his life, Bedivere's expression twisted into a feral grimace. He desperately rallied every last drop of power left in his body, attempting to swing his "Silver Arm" one more time.
Fragments of stone crumbled from his trembling body.
In that fleeting instant, a brilliant flash of silver, intertwined with a blinding gold, cut across his vision.
It was the radiance of the "Silver Arm"!
—Wait, why does it look a bit different?
Bedivere thought in a daze.
CLANG!
Before he could process the thought, an earth-shattering collision rang out. The plummeting "sun" had been caught.
It had been caught firmly by an arm that was shedding its fragmented outer shell, revealing a core that radiated a pure, unadulterated silver light!
"—The one who should be ending here is you!"
Takumi raised his eyes. The eerie, abyssal blue flame burning within his pupils stared coldly into Gawain's eyes.
Having materialized between the two knights like a bolt of lightning, Takumi held his flag with his left hand and caught Galatine barehanded with his right. The superheated torrent of solar energy cascading from the Sun Sword was split like water breaking against a boulder, failing to leave even a single scorch mark on Takumi or Bedivere behind him.
CRACK! CRACK...
Simultaneously, under the relentless wash of the scorching light, the black alloy casing of Takumi's right prosthetic arm shattered and peeled away layer by layer like a broken shell, revealing an inner texture that was neither metal nor jade—
[Silver Arm (—)]!
This was the very first Noble Phantasm that truly belonged exclusively to Takumi: the "Silver Arm"!
Witnessing this utterly incomprehensible scene, Gawain's eyes practically bulged out of his skull.
He had barely even registered Takumi moving before the Master was suddenly standing right in front of him!
He actually caught Galatine barehanded with a single arm?! —Wait, wait, wait! If he's here right now, doesn't that mean Lancelot and Agravain are...
The realization struck Gawain like a physical blow, filling his heart with sheer terror.
At that exact moment, on the other side of the Holy City within the still-burning sea of fire, two men lay paralyzed on the ground. Each bore a massive, gaping hole cleanly punched through their chests. They stared blankly up at the sky, numbly replaying what had just happened.
A single strike. That was all it took for that flag-spear to skewer them both simultaneously.
Realizing that Takumi's speed had undergone a catastrophic evolutionary leap within those few short seconds, the two Knights could only laugh bitterly. A single word echoed simultaneously in both their minds.
Monster!
***
BUM-BUM-BUM—!DONG——! ...
The ensemble of the bell and drum continued to echo. The world itself seemed to warp in response to the sound. Golden flames violently expanded before vanishing, the sky abruptly darkened, and the illusory silhouettes of humanity manifested amidst a sprawling wasteland—appearing as if they were screaming, as if they were fiercely struggling.
Sensing something was horribly wrong, Gawain yanked violently on Galatine, desperately trying to free it from Takumi's grasp. But no matter how much force he applied, Galatine remained completely immovable, as if it had become the Sword in the Stone once more.
Takumi maintained his posture, quietly listening to the ensemble of the bell and drum without showing the slightest hint of strain.
Golden light steadily gathered around his [Silver Arm]. With every simultaneous chime of the bell and drum, the light grew denser and the raw power thrumming within the arm multiplied.
Three times his normal strength? It had already far surpassed that.
...Five cycles... Six cycles...
In the East, the morning sun carved into Takumi's heart rose from the distant horizon.
In the West, the setting sun of parting slowly sank beneath the skyline.
That is not my sun...
Under the "erosion" of this phenomenon—which felt identical to a Reality Marble—Gawain's high-noon sun was completely eclipsed. A sun that did not belong to him was rising and setting in its place.
DONG~!
—The Seventh Cycle!
In that precise instant, the light from the East and West intersected upon Takumi's arm. The final fragments of alloy armor shattered, completely peeling away.
"Bedivere. Your resolve shines brighter than the intersection of this dawn and dusk."
Takumi's voice drifted into Bedivere's ears.
But Bedivere didn't hear a word. His absolute focus was entirely captivated by Takumi's [Silver Arm], which looked vastly different from his own.
Piercing through the intertwined gold and silver radiance, he saw the concept "loaded" within it.
He "saw" a silver knight who had endured a millennium-long journey, staring unwaveringly forward.
Is that... [Me]?
Bedivere was completely stunned.
Load — [A Millennium of the Knight (A)]!
"Tell me, Sir Gawain. Do you see his resolve?"
Takumi looked at Gawain. In his vision, the black dot representing absolute "Death" had already surfaced directly over Gawain's heart.
"Excalibur Galatine!"
Facing Takumi's question, Gawain didn't bother answering. He roared, attempting to forcefully detonate his Noble Phantasm at point-blank range.
Words are so powerless—then use your 'heart' to remember the feeling of this exact moment!
Takumi locked onto the Point of Death on Gawain's chest.
His arm flexed, violently shoving Galatine aside.
—[Reflecting the Heart: Silver Arm (A)]!
Fingers held tightly together, striking before the wave of heat could even begin to erupt, a perfectly straight streak of silver light flashed like a falling star.
Pshhh!
The [Silver Arm] pierced clean through Gawain's chest, striking the Point of Death perfectly.
The sun within the Sun Sword was instantly extinguished. The towering knight lost all strength to support his massive frame. Yielding to gravity, he slumped forward against Takumi, crimson blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
His eyes, now devoid of light, locked onto Bedivere standing behind Takumi. Gawain opened his mouth, desperately trying to say something.
But before a single word could escape his lips, his body shattered, dissolving into a flurry of golden motes that drifted up into the night sky.
Feeling the weight leaning against him vanish, Takumi turned around. With a warm, encouraging smile, he extended his hand toward Bedivere:
"Come on. I'll take you to see your 'King'!"
Snapping out of his daze, Bedivere looked at Takumi—who now possessed a [Silver Arm] uniquely his own—and couldn't help but laugh softly.
Laughing with a profound sense of relief, he gave a heavy, determined nod.
"Right!"
He reached out and firmly grasped Takumi's [Silver Arm] extended before him.
The two "Silver Arms" clasped together. With a gentle pull, Takumi hoisted Bedivere's utterly ruined body back to his feet.
Once Bedivere had shifted most of his weight onto Takumi's shoulder, Takumi raised his free hand toward the Tower at the Ends of the World, which was currently enveloped in blinding light.
Load — [My Arm Shall Carve a Path Through All, Unto the Heavens (A+)]!
In an instant, the colossal Bronze-Silver Great Tree representing the principle of [Pioneering] erupted from the earth. Its branches, seemingly capable of tearing the world apart, violently pierced straight through the magical barrier protecting the Tower at the Ends of the World, blasting a massive, jagged hole through it.
[Earth-Shrinking]!
Activating his ultra-high-speed state, Takumi dragged Bedivere onto the massive tree. Running along its colossal branches like a streak of light, they plunged straight into the Tower at the Ends of the World.
***
It's over.
In every sense of the word.
Sensing the intensity of the Light of Judgment constantly bombarding the Pyramid Great Temple begin to wane, Ozymandias—who had been fully prepared to shatter his own Spirit Origin just to buy Takumi a few extra seconds—silently aborted his desperate preparations.
Beside him, Nitocris, who had been on edge and ready to activate her Noble Phantasm at a moment's notice, finally let out a long breath. She then excitedly peered through the magi-tech lens, watching the Tower at the Ends of the World being breached by the colossal Bronze-Silver Great Tree.
"We finally understand why the Lion King lost her patience..."
Sitting upon his throne, resisting the Light of Judgment while simultaneously monitoring the battle below, Ozymandias couldn't help but sigh in sheer marvel.
In less than half a day, Takumi had suddenly become this monstrously powerful! Not only was the speed of his evolution terrifying, but it was as if his absolute limits simply didn't exist! He completely defied all logic and common sense!
Two seconds later, the Light of Judgment bombarding the Pyramid finally dissipated completely, revealing the thoroughly battered and scorched Pyramid temple beneath.
Sigh. From here on, We just have to wait...
Although his heart ached seeing his glorious tomb beaten into such a sorry state, Ozymandias still silently offered a brief blessing for Takumi and Bedivere's success.
***
High atop the tower, standing at the summit of a grand, sweeping staircase.
Takumi had brought Bedivere all the way here. Directly ahead of them, seated regally upon her throne, was the Lion King.
"You have arrived..."
Halting the output of the Holy Lance, the Lion King stood up from her throne. Gripping the Lance, she stared down at the two men standing before her with absolute, emotionless eyes.
Takumi had grown stronger. Strong enough that she could no longer ignore his raw power.
But... who is this man?
The Lion King shifted her gaze to the silver knight leaning heavily against Takumi, who was currently looking at her with an indescribably complex expression.
He looks so familiar... and that strange arm... Ngh—!
The moment her eyes locked onto Bedivere's silver arm, the Lion King hallucinated for a fraction of a second, catching a glimpse of the object sealed within it.
And precisely because she saw that deeply familiar sword, a sudden, agonizing spasm of pain tore through her brain. It felt as if something was desperately trying to claw its way out from within her mind. Even she couldn't suppress the sheer agony of it.
The power of the Holy Lance flared uncontrollably, wild arcs of energy lashing out and violently bombarding the interior of the tower.
Seeing this, Bedivere turned his head, wanting to say something to Takumi.
But Takumi acted as if he already knew exactly what Bedivere needed. Smiling, he gently patted Bedivere on the shoulder.
"Go. I'm lending you my Miracle!"
Takumi, who had long since grown tired of constantly borrowing power from others, had finally discovered a way to lend his power to someone else! Furthermore, this was an ability that had manifested entirely naturally as the [Heart of Fire] neared its complete awakening!
Miracles would no longer be confined solely to Takumi's own body!
Following Takumi's pat, a transparent, vividly colorful flame flowed down his hand and seeped directly into Bedivere's body.
It settled perfectly where Bedivere's heart should be, and ignited.
Bedivere instantly felt a profound warmth flood his chest, as if something deep within him had truly caught fire.
His body, which had been on the absolute verge of crumbling to dust, was instantly stabilized. The excruciating agony tearing his soul apart due to repeatedly over-drafting the silver arm was instantly suppressed—downgraded from the sensation of being physically ripped in half to little more than a mild mosquito bite.
—Bedivere's "Heart of Fire" had been ignited by Takumi! (Albeit only temporarily.)
An inexplicable connection tethered the two men together. Bedivere felt his physical capabilities skyrocket, a seemingly endless torrent of power surging from within—he could even utilize a fraction of Takumi's own abilities!
"This..."
Feeling this miraculous change, Bedivere looked at Takumi in utter astonishment.
"Go on. It's time to do what you came here to do."
Takumi smiled and gave Bedivere a gentle push forward.
The origin of [Connection] was exactly that—the linking of hearts. It had successfully "connected" the two of them together.
Simultaneously, this was the physical manifestation of one of the truest, most earnest wishes Takumi had held throughout his entire journey.
"Thank you."
Pushed forward by Takumi, Bedivere offered a quiet, heartfelt thanks. Then, his gaze hardened with absolute resolve as he stared at the Lion King, who was currently lashing out erratically due to the unmitigable pain wracking her mind.
He raised his silver arm high into the air. Suddenly, a boundless, dazzling radiance erupted from it, shining as brightly as a newborn star.
A straight sword with a white-gold blade engraved with sacred runes, featuring a blue-and-gold hilt and crossguard, forcefully broke free from the confines of his arm and slowly descended into Bedivere's grasp.
Bedivere gripped the sword tightly. Keeping his eyes locked straight ahead, he took a step forward.
***
The Holy Sword, Excalibur, had finally been returned to the Lion King's hands. The silver knight knelt on one knee before her, holding his hands up in the posture of offering the sword, and spoke no more.
"...Excellent. My final, and most loyal knight. The Holy Sword has indeed been returned to my hands. Be proud, Bedivere. You have fulfilled the mission bestowed upon you by your King..."
The Lion King lowered her divine, yellow-green eyes. Staring down at this fiercely loyal and endlessly stubborn knight, she spoke to him in a soft, gentle whisper.
Within this brief span of time, Bedivere's body was rapidly crumbling into stone and dust, flaking away piece by piece.
Having returned the Holy Sword, he naturally lost its divine protection. Even with the miraculous support of the [Heart of Fire], there was no saving a body and soul that had already been thoroughly destroyed.
Standing near the entrance where they had first arrived, Takumi quietly took in this tragically beautiful scene bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, all contained within the boundaries of the Tower at the Ends of the World.
It wasn't until the drifting specks of dust that once comprised Bedivere's body floated past his face that Takumi finally reached out his right hand, gently catching a few motes.
"We will meet again, Sir Bedivere. In the very near future..."
Takumi opened his hand slightly, letting the dust scatter into the wind.
When that time comes, I hope you will still be the Bedivere I know.
"Phew... It's finally over..."
Letting out a soft breath, Takumi looked up at the sky, feeling a complex mix of deep gratification and lingering melancholy.
The [Silver Arm], his very first Noble Phantasm, had finally been obtained.
But his second Noble Phantasm—which was agonizingly close to completion—and the impending full awakening of the [Heart of Fire] were leaving Takumi feeling like a cat desperately scratching at a closed door.
He couldn't wait to see what those two things would look like when they finally manifested!
Forget it. I'll have plenty of time and opportunities when I get to the Seventh Singularity...
Suppressing his eager anticipation, Takumi tried to comfort himself.
But honestly... seeing it through a screen and standing right here in person are two completely different experiences. Wow... especially the way the Lion King just lowered her eyes. That perfect blend of divinity and humanity is just too stunning!
Takumi, who already harbored a deep fondness for Artoria's character to begin with, felt his heart skip a violent beat.
Just as Takumi was letting his thoughts wander aimlessly, a familiar voice cut through the silence.
"The final Master of Chaldea. Or perhaps I should call you Takumi. The battle... is not over yet..."
The Lion King retrieved her Holy Lance from the ground. As she looked at Takumi, an unreadable, profound light flickered within her eyes.
***
Newly Acquired Noble Phantasm:[Reflecting the Heart: Silver Arm (—)]The rank of the Noble Phantasm fluctuates depending on the concept "loaded" into it. While wielding the Silver Arm, all parameters (excluding Luck) are increased by one rank.
Available Loads:
[A Millennium of the Knight (A)]The Heart of Fire recorded and crystallized the knight's stubborn, millennium-long journey. Carrying the sheer weight of his conviction and regret, unleashing this strike is akin to a falling star flashing across the sky.
[My Arm Shall Carve a Path Through All, Unto the Heavens (A+)]A reproduction of the Noble Phantasm Takumi experienced while utilizing Romulus' Spirit Origin. It is also the physical manifestation of Takumi's personal understanding and execution of "Pioneering." The rank is slightly lower than the original Noble Phantasm.
[This is Our ??? (A+)]???