Altrouge looked at this human girl with an incredibly complex gaze. Born with the power to stand at the pinnacle of the world, she did not understand what it felt like to strive and struggle, because before she even tried, results would simply appear before her. All she had to face daily were conflicts, conspiracies, and schemes with other Ancestors and human factions, and these problems were usually resolved by her guards: the black and white knights.
Altrouge, who had never known the taste of effort, felt an indescribable emotion as she looked at Rin: jealousy? envy? admiration? curiosity? It seemed like all of them, yet none of them.
Humans are, after all, humans. They are born as a blank slate. No matter how gifted they are, they will not gain power without stepping into the mysterious. The human girl currently carrying her, to possess such strength, must have paid an incomprehensible price in effort and sacrifice.
Breaking bones, shedding blood and sweat, enduring hardship and torment, stumbling forward towards a goal without regret until death, the fruit eventually watered by all the blood, sweat, and tears shed along the way—how sweet it must be.
At this moment, Rin could not see Altrouge's complex expression. She was only thinking about how to use every possible means to defeat the formidable enemy before her. The last time, the previous Fifth Magus, Rin only knew that she was dealt with by her future self summoned by Aoko. She knew nothing else, only leaving behind three 973 marks and a formation. At this moment, neither of these could be used. And now, Rin could only rely on herself and Altrouge, who was assisting her from behind.
Rin deeply inhaled the cool air of the forest, hoping to cool down and calm her overheated body and mind, because she was about to make an even crazier move.
"Projection: Avalon!"
Black magical energy particles, like dust on a dulled sword, flew up from the black greatsword in Rin's hand, as if wiping away the dust. The black greatsword's sharpness instantly changed; even on its pitch-black blade, a shimmering light, like the rippling surface of a lake, pulsed. Along the narrow spine of the sword, a line of mysterious and difficult-to-understand Elvish script was inscribed, meaning: This lake surface shall never shatter.
Avalon: Paired with the king of knights' Excalibur, it is a divine construct of the same origin. Both are treasured swords entrusted to humanity by the Lake Spirits. Because they share the same origin, its toughness can rival Excalibur. Both have similar designs, with Elvish script inscribed on their blades. The greatest feature of this sword is its radiance, which shines like moonlight on a lake, and its indestructible blade. It is a sword of honor, only allowed to be wielded by the strongest knight of its era.
However, because Lancelot once used this sword to slay fellow Knights of the Round Table, it lost its status as a Holy Sword and gained the attributes of a Demonic Sword.
This sword is also Lancelot's true noble phantasm in the Holy Grail War. When this sword is drawn, all of Lancelot's ability parameters increase by one rank. Because Lancelot used this sword to slay a fire dragon, it gained the characteristic of "Dragon Slaying."
Gripping the hilt with both hands, a mysterious and vital power flowed into Rin's body. Strength, stamina, endurance, speed... all combat-related abilities were greatly enhanced across the board! Even with only four-tenths of the original's effect, this Holy Sword, forged by Star Spirits, paired with the Excalibur, and having fallen to demonhood, still granted Rin an immense boost.
However, Rin's primary purpose for materializing it was not ability enhancement, but rather... the life-and-death struggle of clashing blades... the near-fatal feat of dragon slaying... the charge through a battlefield of corpses and blood... the knightly duel staked on life itself... Lancelot's combat techniques, who in a certain era was revered as the "strongest human martial artist," even more valorous than the legendary King Arthur, having never suffered a single defeat in his life!
As an A++ rank noble phantasm, Avalon accompanied Lancelot from adulthood, emerging from the realm of spirits, until his natural death. This Holy Sword, which accompanied him throughout his life, recorded all of Lancelot's battles. Life and death, sword and blood, bandits, giant dragons, invaders, Knights of the Round Table—all met their demise beneath this sword. The memories of battle instantly replayed rapidly in Rin's mind, until... "Ugh!..."
A pitch-black knightly figure, like a human curse, was reflected in Rin's mind!
Altrouge, on Rin's back, noticed that after Rin brought out that ominous knight's sword, her entire aura suddenly changed. It was as if her boiling blood instantly cooled, and she began to exude a gloomy and violent presence!
The hilt, originally gripped with both hands, was now held with only her right hand. A sense of crisis, like a sharp sword at her throat, enveloped the Black Princess.
"Hey, Rin, you, argh!..."
Before Altrouge's greeting could fully escape, Rin, holding the projected demonic Holy Sword, suddenly moved! If her previous movements were fast but still within the bounds of human action, Rin's charging posture now carried a wild ferocity, unconsciously running and leaping, seeking the shortest path and the swiftest stride... Slash!
Even Anhalt, the Ancestor of the Dead Apostles, whose perception was incredibly keen, had his rhythm disrupted by Rin's sudden outburst. In his haste, he raised his sword to block, and was utterly suppressed by Rin's single-handed, mountain-splitting strike! The Ancestor of the Dead Apostles, unable to exert full force, was directly forced to one knee by Rin's immense power. He looked up, regaining his composure, and met Rin's eyes, which had turned into a chaotic red glow.
Is this... madness?
Before the momentary doubt faded, Rin, who had transformed into a Berserker, delivered a heavy kick directly to Anhalt's head, sending the Ancestor of the Dead Apostles flying hundreds of meters away.
"Boom!!!"
Rin, having kicked Anhalt away, almost simultaneously took a flying leap. Anhalt, still in mid-air, forcibly adjusted his posture and clashed with Rin in the air, changing his flight direction, causing Rin's subsequent pursuit to miss.
At this moment, a crack suddenly appeared on Rin's arm, a trace of blood sprayed into the air, and then instantly healed. Seeing this, Altrouge almost bit Rin's ear as she whispered urgently, "Don't leave both feet off the ground at the same time!"
It's unclear if she retained a shred of sanity amidst her frenzy, but Rin did not leave both feet off the ground again in the subsequent battle. And the ensuing fight left both Anhalt and Altrouge utterly astonished!
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