Blades clashed, lighting up the battlefield.
The sound was deafening, like two colossal dragons locked in a ferocious struggle.
Yet, the combatants were not mythical beasts, but Artoria and Siegfried.
Every time [Balmung] met [Excalibur Morgan], the earth beneath them tore apart, and mountains shattered into rubble.
The contrast in their statures was striking—Artoria, standing at barely over 150 cm, faced Siegfried, who loomed at a towering 230 to 240 cm. Even his steel greatsword exceeded two meters in length.
Despite her smaller frame, Artoria unleashed a strength that rivaled the terrifying power of her opponent.
The two exhibited martial skill at the divine level, their attacks and counters so fast they appeared as flashes of lightning.
Blocking another of Siegfried's mighty swings, the residual force of the collision caused the ground behind Artoria to erupt, the debris swept up and carried away by the howling winds.
Narrowing her golden eyes, Artoria swung her sword. The energy pressure surged with the storm, forcing Siegfried—who had raised [Balmung] defensively—to be driven back several meters.
In the next moment, even though her movements were too fast to follow, Siegfried's warrior instincts kicked in, allowing him to react in time.
The tip of [Excalibur Morgan] pierced his shoulder armor, but his eyes widened in astonishment.
Artoria had already closed the distance, her armored fist striking him squarely in the face with terrifying force.
A massive shockwave erupted, sending Siegfried flying into a rocky mountain and leaving a gargantuan crater upon impact.
As her sword descended from the air, Artoria caught it effortlessly in one hand. A sinister black radiance began to surge from the blade, encasing [Excalibur Morgan] in a dark glow that resembled a fallen cross.
With a casual flick of her wrist, she sent three arcs of black energy slashing toward the mountain that entombed Siegfried. The flames of cursed mana gathered violently along the sword, and black light particles flowed toward her like a tidal wave.
"Perish here and rot in the wilderness!"
As the pillar of black light descended, a torrent of destructive energy surged forward, annihilating everything in its path. Anything caught within its reach was obliterated and burned to ash.
Even after the light dissipated, the searing scars left behind on the ground resembled deep, unhealing wounds.
Above, the thunderclouds had been gathering lightning since the start of the battle. Only after Siegfried was sent flying did the accumulated storm finally descend upon Artoria in a sea of lightning.
Gripping her sword, now glowing with black light, Artoria swung again. A massive crescent-shaped energy slash cut through the lightning storm, severing the thunderclouds in two.
Encircled by black flames, Artoria muttered with indifference, "Is this the best you can do? Such feeble attacks couldn't even kill an ant."
Her lips curled into a faint smirk as her gaze pierced through the clouds, locking onto the Marquis Voban above.
"What's wrong? Don't tell me that's all you've got. Or perhaps… you're just too old to keep up?"
Her taunting voice carried through the winds, reaching Voban's ears and causing him to break into a bloodthirsty grin.
"Too old? We'll see about that—why don't I let you experience it for yourself!"
With that, Voban abandoned his aerial bombardment and flew directly toward Artoria, chanting an incantation imbued with tremendous power.
"I am the light born of darkness! Beautiful as the radiant Lykeios, grant me strength unmatched!"
As the words echoed across the battlefield, Voban's body began to transform. His frame expanded rapidly, his body sprouting dense, coarse fur. His limbs grew longer, his back hunched, and his face elongated into a beastly snout.
By the end, Voban had fully transformed into a four-meter-tall werewolf.
The name "Lykeios," often translated as "Wolf," is one of Apollo's epithets in Greek mythology. This authority of Voban's, derived from slaying Apollo Lykeios, was his first authority—granting him the ability to summon giant wolves or transform into a werewolf himself.
While Apollo is traditionally known as the god of light, prophecy, music, and medicine, he originally represented Earth's divinity. Symbols such as mice, wolves, snakes, and dolphins were associated with him.
The massive werewolf landed heavily in front of Artoria, its glowing green eyes fixed on her intently.
With a burst of power, its muscular legs propelled it forward at blinding speed. Voban, in his werewolf form, lunged at Artoria, his razor-sharp claws tearing through the air with a shrill whistle. His swipes moved so fast that their afterimages blurred together.
Artoria's response was icy and succinct.
"Annoying."
With a graceful arc, her sword slashed forward.
Voban's beastly instincts screamed danger, forcing him to retreat mid-attack. Yet, even so, shallow cuts appeared on his neck and both wrists.
"What's wrong?" Artoria taunted, standing tall with her sword. For a brief moment, her radiant golden eyes shifted into slit-like pupils, gleaming with an almost draconic menace.
"You wanted me to experience your strength firsthand, didn't you? Why retreat now?"
Her voice sent a chill through Voban's heart.
"If you won't come to me, then I'll come to you."
A suffocating aura of cold dread enveloped Voban.
"I command the winds and rains, summon lightning, and wield the powers of scorching and freezing gales! Let the chaos of tempest and storm descend upon this land!"
Voban invoked the [Authority of Tempestuous Wrath], not to manipulate the weather this time, but to enhance himself.
Condensed winds formed an impenetrable armor around his body, while dazzling lightning extended the length of his claws.
But even before his transformation could take full effect, Artoria's black-flamed slash struck him.
The gale-forged armor was shattered instantly, and his fur and muscle were scorched black under the cursed flames. The impact force shook Voban to his core, leaving him coughing up blood as his organs felt the brunt of the blow.
Enduring the pain, Voban grabbed Artoria's sword with both hands and lunged forward, opening his massive jaws to bite at her head.
The rancid stench of his breath filled the air, igniting a spark of rage in Artoria's eyes.
"You're courting death!"
The black flames erupted with unparalleled ferocity.
Both of Voban's arms were severed in an instant, sent flying as the black flames engulfed the stumps, refusing to extinguish.
The now-maimed werewolf howled in agony, a sound that only deepened Artoria's irritation.
"Shut up."
A flash of her blade later, and Voban's wolf head was cleaved from his body, its jaws still agape.
The massive werewolf's headless body knelt briefly before collapsing entirely in front of Artoria.
Yet, just as she thought it was over, a wide blade emerged from the werewolf's chest, thrust straight toward Artoria's eye.
---
...
Huh. You really stuck it out all the way to the end.
Didn't think you had the patience. Guess I was wrong.
WiseTL's the one who actually made all this come together. I'm just here putting a bow on it… or, well, shoving it in a backpack and calling it a day. Same thing.
If you had fun, you know what to do:
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Heads up—Patreon's 50% off for all tiers during May. So if you were on the fence? Now's the time.
And if you're the social type, there's a Discord too. Pretty decent spot to hang out—no battles required.
👉 [discord.gg/wisetl]
Alright. That's enough standing around. Go on—before you make it weird.
—Leaf