The sword and lance clashed after the Sun King's tombstone-like pyramids shattered the Holy Lance's outer shell.
As the battle began, the scene behind the Lion King transformed. The magnificent throne vanished, as did the massive window that had once overlooked the entire city.
The surface of the world peeled away, and Spiritrons surged like a raging tide. Only the ground where She and Guinevere stood remained—a divine path of white jade.
The Lion King... She had been guarding the End of the World from the very beginning, waiting only for the gate to open.
"Guinevere, declaring war on me... is that truly your final word?
"Your soul knows good yet still commits evil. Your alignment is Good, yet you permit wickedness—which is no different from being evil itself.
"Then let me declare this to you: in the ideal city I am about to create, there will be no place for a soul like yours.
"Die, Guinevere! At the end of your journey, you will witness the ripples at the End of the World—the true face of the planet beneath its surface!"
Can a god feel anger? After Guinevere saw through every one of Her techniques in close combat and forced Her back step by step, the Lion King was clearly enraged.
After unleashing her Mana Burst and temporarily repelling Guinevere with the raging tide of the world's inner layer, the Lion King's divine aura intensified. Her Mana level surged visibly, rising without pause.
At the same time, a storm gathered around the Holy Lance in her hand, beginning to dissolve the surface world—the crumbling New Camelot City.
The city was a manifestation of the Lance. Its disappearance meant she could now unleash the Lance's full power, but it also signified her abandonment of the hundreds of citizens who had survived the arduous Holy Selection. It meant...
"It seems that after seeing the Holy Sword, you didn't just remember Bedivere's name. Your words may be harsh, but you've already given up on your idea of creating a 'human museum,' haven't you?
Miss Artoria, who does not belong to me, you've finally seen your own defeat, haven't you?"
As she made her declaration, Guinevere, holding the Holy Sword and its Replica in her left and right hands respectively, immediately activated her Second Noble Phantasm. Three pairs of wings materialized behind her.
Then, wreathed in fiery light, she charged toward the Lion King at a speed that shattered the sound barrier.
She now understood. If the Lion King's intentions were truly as she claimed, then what the Lion King truly sought was to witness the power Guinevere had described—a power capable of correcting Her and supporting them in their mission to restore the Human Order.
Dun Stallion. Guinevere recognized the pure white steed that had long accompanied the King of Knights in battle.
It was this horse that had intercepted Guinevere's supersonic charge, now standing silently beside the Lion King.
In a fluid motion, the Lion King vaulted onto its back, her aura merging seamlessly with the steed's. This was the true stance of the Lion King when wielding her lance—a mounted warrior.
Fighting on foot with a cavalry lance had been one of the reasons she had been steadily pushed back during her recent deathmatch with Guinevere.
In the sky, the warhorse galloped at a speed rivaling Guinevere's. It carried the Lion King in a relentless series of charges and thrusts, forcing Guinevere to feel the immense pressure an infantry soldier faces against cavalry.
But Guinevere possessed the Holy Grail, granting her a virtually infinite supply of Mana. Furthermore, the Rainbow Gem she held could be used as a Noble Phantasm, not just a mere communication device.
When used as a Noble Phantasm, its original functions were bestowed upon Guinevere: a full seven types of Magecraft enhancements to her body.
Her body grew lighter, her strength surged, her vision sharpened, and her sensory range expanded. Even her physical coordination improved, allowing her to adapt more quickly to the three pairs of wings she was using for only the second time.
Before the Rainbow Gem's enhancement, the deified Guinevere could still be outmaneuvered by the agile combination of Dun Stallion and the Lion King. But after the enhancement, she could now discern the patterns of their aerial maneuvers. Time and again, she met them head-on, forcing brutal clashes of blades.
The searing pain in her hands... the rapid healing granted by the Holy Grail...
At the World's End, high above the planet's Reverse Side, two meteors traced brilliant arcs across the sky, their collisions echoing with thunderous roars.
Gradually, they forgot everything else, relentlessly pushing their own potential to its limits and pouring every newly unlocked ounce of power into the escalating, terrifying battle.
Meanwhile, on the World's Surface, Agravain and Bedivere remained locked in a standoff within the Throne Room.
According to the Lion King and Guinevere, their battle was no longer necessary; they needed only to await the outcome of the duel.
But Agravain thought differently. Having learned the truth behind the King's transformation, he understood the centuries of pain, regret, and loyalty Bedivere had endured.
Whether to forgive him was the Lion King's decision, but whether to punish him was a matter he, as the Chief Officer of the Round Table, had to consider.
"Bedivere," Agravain began, "I imagine you're also hoping for the King's punishment, aren't you? The King is gentle. Even in this state, she granted Mordred a reunion with her Queen Mother under the guise of exile. But you know as well as I do that playing the villain has always been my role."
"I know," Bedivere replied. "Without Sir Agravain, the Round Table would have collapsed long ago. Speaking of which, there's one more thing I wish to know. When the Queen defeated you in the citadel, did she truly let you go without saying a word?"
Agravain gripped his spear, his face contorted with murderous intent. Yet, seeing this, Bedivere smiled and let out a long, relieved sigh.
He would not resist Agravain's judgment. The Holy Sword had been returned, and the Lion King had Guinevere to guide her back. All he wanted now was to witness the final outcome of their battle.
But his smile, his question—they made Agravain pause. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Agravain spoke first:
"Guinevere knew my ideal was the prosperity of Camelot and the continuation of its kingdom.
"She asked me whether I wanted to preserve an empty City of the Undead or a City of Happiness where the people lived in peace and every member of the Round Table could smile freely.
"She shared some of her memories with me, proving that Mordred's story was true. She showed me what the Camelot I truly wished to preserve should look like.
"She demanded that I consider the nation now called Great Britain, which still carries Camelot's civilization, as the continuation of our kingdom.
"She said that the kingdom we once fought for, though it fell, has endured to this day.
"She also said that if I refused to accept this, it would only prove how narrow-minded I am."
At this, Agravain let out a wry laugh. He knew it was sophistry, a forced argument, and whether he accepted it was ultimately his own choice.
But he himself knew that no kingdom in this world could last forever. Pursuing the continuation of a civilization was far more achievable than preserving a nation.
"Sir Bedivere," Agravain's tone shifted, "enough of that. Do you accept the charge of betraying the King's command? Do you accept the sentence of thirty military floggings from the Chief Officer of the Round Table Knights?"
"Sir Agravain... only thirty floggings?"
"Are you suggesting you've committed other crimes besides disobeying orders? You were the cause, but you cannot bear all the blame for what the King has become. Sir Bedivere, do not argue. This is my judgment as Chief Officer of the Round Table. But your body, no longer sustained by the Holy Sword, is like a candle flickering in the wind. Can you truly endure these thirty lashes?"
Agravain inverted his spear, its shaft now serving as the flogging rod. Beneath the vanished New Camelot City, amidst the restored ruins of the Holy City of Jerusalem, Bedivere turned his back and began to remove his armor.
Meanwhile, with New Camelot City's abrupt disappearance, Mash and the others easily found many survivors of the Holy Selection.
The battle on the World's Surface was now reduced to mopping up the remaining hundreds of Enforcement Knights. However, the Servants showed little enthusiasm, allowing the knights to slaughter the bandits who had gathered on their own accord.
Soon after, on the Reverse Side of the World, after repeated clashes, Guinevere found herself slowly being overpowered by the Lion King, whose power had transcended the limits of a Servant's body. The Lion King stared at her with a look that screamed, Is that all you've got?
The outer shell of the Holy Lance had been shattered by the Sun King, hundreds of the Chosen of the Holy Selection had been abandoned, and the Holy Lance itself was resonating with every clash against the Holy Sword...
The Lion King seemed to be regaining a sliver of humanity, recalling more of her memories.