With a flick of his claw, Altair tossed Mordred from the sky. She spun mid-air, landing with a crash that carved a crater into the ruins below.
"Hey!" Mordred called out, raising her sword toward Karna in greeting. "This must be our first meeting, great hero Karna."
"Indeed, it is." Karna replied.
Mordred had crossed paths with Achilles in the forests outside Trifas, but this was her first encounter with Karna.
"I'd love to test your strength myself, but no luck for me, Father's got his sights on you. So I'll have to settle for those two." Mordred said, pointing at the barely breathing Semiramis, struggling to draw air, and Achilles, bloodied and half-crouched on the ground.
"Be my guest." Karna said, unfazed by his allies' fates. His focus remained locked on the massive black dragon behind Mordred.
That was his true concern, a colossal dragon, the likes of which even the Age of Gods might not have seen. Could such a creature truly exist in a Holy Grail War?
Mordred, noting Karna's indifference, shrugged and leaped toward Achilles. "Let's see if you're really untouchable without divinity."
"In theory, I'd say yes." Achilles replied, standing with a bitter smile. "But unfortunately, my Noble Phantasm is gone."
"Andreas Amarantos, my Noble Phantasm, grants immunity to all attacks from those without divinity. But it's broken now." Achilles explained, showing his ankle. In myth, his body was invincible, save for his heel, earning him the nickname "Achilles' Heel."
To break his Noble Phantasm, one needed to strike his heel with precision. But his comet-like speed, faster even than his Rider form, made that nearly impossible.
Yet, in his earlier duel with Chiron, spurred by Mordred's Noble Phantasm, Achilles had unleashed his own. In a fierce wrestling match, he'd bested his mentor, landing a fatal blow. But Chiron, with his dying breath, activated his Noble Phantasm, Antares Snipe, striking Achilles' heel and shattering his invulnerability.
Chiron's intent was to strip Achilles of his divine immunity, giving his allies a chance to finish him. Unbeknownst to him, he was the Black Faction's last servant. With his death, the Black Faction was eliminated, turning the Holy Grail War into a Red Faction internal conflict, complicated by the meddling Ruler, Jeanne.
Talk about awkward.
Chiron's final act left Achilles frustrated. His Noble Phantasm could have been useful in this Red Faction infighting, but now, facing Mordred, he had no such defense.
"Oh, is that so?" Mordred's face fell, disappointed.
Seeing her reaction, Achilles chuckled. "You're quite the honorable warrior, aren't you? But, "
"Honorable? That's perfect!" Mordred's disappointment twisted into a wicked grin, her demeanor turning villainous. "You think you're in a position to praise me? Who do you think you are? If you've lost your divine invulnerability, then stand there and let me cut you down. Save us both the trouble."
Her ruthless attitude stunned Achilles. Was she serious?
"No way!" Seizing the moment, Mordred swung her sword at him.
"Jerk!" Achilles countered, thrusting his short spear as they clashed.
On the other side, Altair, now out of his dragon form, stood before Karna, gripping his giant sword.
"Surprising." Karna said, eyeing him. "I never imagined a Saber-class Knight King would be a black dragon. From what I know, Britannia's king should be a red dragon."
"No rule says the Knight King must be a red dragon." Altair retorted. "In this world, you're an unsung hero, Karna. In a parallel world, you might be Super Karna."
"Super Karna? An amusing title." Karna said, his tone calm. He understood from Altair's words that this Knight King hailed from a parallel world, different from this one's.
"A servant from a parallel world being summoned? That's a first for me." Karna remarked.
"Not for me." Altair replied. "In my world, there's an Arjuna known as the God of Destruction, capable of wiping out humanity with a single swing. And the Super Karna who opposes him is just as formidable."
"Is that so? Your world sounds fraught with calamity." Karna said, intrigued by this parallel Arjuna, though time for chatter was short.
"You must have sensed it." Altair continued. "Your Master is fading fast. He's dying."
"Indeed." Karna confirmed with a nod.
"Your Master was poisoned by Assassin after summoning you. All your orders came from that priest, a Ruler and survivor of the previous Holy Grail War. He used Assassin to control your Masters, pulling the strings. I figured this out the first day I entered the church."
Altair dropped the revelation casually.
"I see. That explains why we never saw our Masters." Karna said.
"They've been kept alive with minimal magical energy, poisoned and controlled. With Assassin in that state after my attack, death is imminent. Your Master will soon perish from lack of support. This is your final moment."
Altair laid his cards on the table. His earlier attack was his strongest, yet Karna survived, proving the solar armor's might. Now, he needed to bait Karna into using his ultimate Noble Phantasm.
"Come, son of the sun! Show me your greatest power. If you don't, you'll never defeat me!"
If Karna unleashed his god-slaying spear, Vasavi Shakti, it could indeed kill Altair instantly. But Altair was unfazed, he had countermeasures ready.
Karna closed his eyes, assessing his magical energy and the situation. As Altair said, his Master's supply was nearly gone. To defeat Altair and win, he had to channel his remaining energy into his strongest attack. Every other move was futile. It all hinged on this final strike.
"So be it." Karna said, opening his eyes. His magical energy flared, his body igniting like a blazing sun.
"As you wish, I'll deliver my ultimate strike!"
***
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