Although this was a battle within the camp, Sakatsuki had long since prepared a ritual field in advance. With the Holy Grail's enhancement, even if two Artorias clashed with their Noble Phantasms, no destruction would occur.
Since safety was guaranteed, the Servants of Chaldea naturally wouldn't miss their Master's battle and hurried over. Even Illya, who had just arrived and was hugging Miyu like a beloved toy, couldn't help but be drawn in, watching the confrontation alongside her two companions.
Overlapping like dragon scales, each piece of armor was forged from noble fantasies transformed into steel, crystallized by melting countless wishes in the furnace.
Now, the embodiment of hope covered the golden-haired knight's body, and together with the Holy Sword—the very essence of that "hope"—it compelled all onlookers to look up in awe!
Even wounded, her radiance remained undiminished. The glorious King of Knights took a step forward, her fully armored body tense, her entire being focused on meeting her opponent with unwavering vigilance and resolve.
Amidst the thunderous footsteps reminiscent of a red dragon's charge, the surrounding clamor faded away, leaving only the drum-like rhythm of her sprint, igniting the fighting spirit of all who heard it.
Facing Saber's full-speed charge, the young man in white robes and red attire remained unfazed. Smiling, he stood his ground, watching as the Holy Sword howled, slicing through space and leaving behind a straight golden light that stretched forward.
Then, it descended upon the young man, who was roughly the same size as the blade itself!
A high-pitched, sharp clash erupted. The twin blades shattered upon contact, yet the full-force slash came to an abrupt halt!
The impact arc, capable of breaching a fortress in an instant, was completely stopped by the thrust of a spear.
Only sparks flew past the young man's faintly smiling face.
The crimson demonic spear, locked in a stalemate with the golden arc, bore the runes of ancient gods and pulsed with ominous cursed energy. With a casual flick of his wrist, the golden arc was deflected into the sky, vanishing in an instant.
"W-What is this?" Diarmuid, who had just awakened, instinctively turned his head upon seeing the demonic spear in Sakatsuki's hand, confirming his own beloved spear was still in his grip.
Yet the weapon Sakatsuki wielded was unmistakably the same as his—the demonic spear known as "Gáe Dearg"!
"There are traces of projection magecraft, but this power… it rivals the original…" Tamamo-no-Mae murmured, her face filled with disbelief and solemnity.
"This… this is already the realm of creation."
As they whispered among themselves, the young man finally took a step forward—just one!
Artoria saw only this movement, and in the next instant, a chilling presence loomed behind her, terrifyingly close.
Lightning surged.
Saber barely had time to raise her sword before she was sent flying by a devastating blow.
Crash!
Her sturdy armor collided with the unyielding earth, forcing a pained groan from Artoria. Her unhealed wounds split open, and her strength drained away with the gushing blood.
Yet amidst the howling winds, she swiftly adjusted her stance, swinging the Holy Sword with silent, deadly precision—as if she had never been injured at all!
Just as the relentless training that had begun in childhood and never ceased for a single day had ingrained into instinct, the intricate techniques had long been simplified into pure reflex. Each move flowed effortlessly, surpassing thought itself—swifter than lightning.
After countless refinements, only the most fluid and distilled essence remained.
Yet within those straightforward, unadorned techniques lay an indescribable ferocity and brutality.
A direct clash!
No fancy maneuvers, just raw weapons colliding. The resulting shockwave, searing hot and blindingly bright, swept outward.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the ground. Before the thunderous impact could even register, both combatants were already launching their next attacks.
Holding nothing back, they poured their entire being into each devastating strike.
Again—force meeting force!
As the deafening impacts merged into one continuous roar, the hurricane-force winds obscured both figures, leaving only fleeting glimpses of their silhouettes.
Amid eardrum-shattering booms, after countless head-on collisions, the white-robed, crimson-clad youth was finally forced back. His numb arms involuntarily recoiled, leaving his defenses wide open!
Martial prowess had always been his weakness. Once Artoria's Instinct steered the battle to this point, Sakatsuki's defeat was inevitable.
Saber's eyes blazed as her holy sword traced a dazzling arc, its trajectory aimed squarely at her opponent's neck—then, light erupted!
Was this the end? A panting Ritsuka looked up anxiously.
Had the match been decided? Diarmuid and Cú Chulainn exchanged tense glances.
Brother's in danger! Illya barely restrained a scream, only to see the white-haired, golden-eyed youth suddenly turn and smile at her mid-battle!
"Watch closely, Illya," the young man said.
"Your brother... is actually quite impressive."
In that instant, they heard distant harmonies.
Sakatsuki's voice.
Indistinguishable whether as a mage's incantation or a singer's aria, the ethereal tones somehow gained physical form.
Enveloping everything, freezing the entire battlefield!
Projection magic created, Replacement magic anchored. Shadows from the void howled as a seven-headed, ten-horned beast rode the floodwaters—tearing through reality, annihilating all in its sovereign path...
Before everyone's eyes, the gleaming holy sword suddenly shrieked in protest, its wielder's slender arm bursting with blood blossoms!
Raising his left arm, his irises shifting to prismatic blue, wherever Sakatsuki's gaze fell, all living things stiffened—cowed, unable to stand, even forgetting to breathe...
And in the unseen sea of imaginary numbers, a scarlet dragon roared, rending and defiling that noble knight's effigy!
Pshhk!
Bloodseeds sown throughout the battle now rapidly germinated. Nourished by the King of Knights' blood and spiritual energy, they bloomed into breathtaking, ephemeral crimson flowers!
As the dimmed holy sword spiraled through the air before embedding itself in the earth, absolute silence gripped the battlefield.
Every witness stood frozen, staring at the two figures who had crossed paths.
In the stillness, Sakatsuki turned with a smile, steadying the bloodied blonde knight as his frost-white locks fluttered in the wind.
The match was decided!
In Sakatsuki's embrace, the once noble and untouchable King of Knights now leaned weakly against him, as if she might be blown away by the wind otherwise. Her golden hair, radiant like midsummer sunlight, cascaded around her, a breathtaking beauty in her fragility.
"Cough... What a splendid battle."
"An unfair victory, though. You didn't have enough mana left for a second Noble Phantasm, did you?" Sakatsuki's words still carried that peculiar rhythm, but this time it wasn't for destruction—it was for rebirth.
A vast amount of magical energy poured into Saber's body through imaginary threads, rapidly repairing her damaged form with the miracle of the Third Magic.
Compound Magecraft: Tuning.
After much research during his leisure time, Sakatsuki had developed a new mode of incantation that could exert long-term effects, in addition to his field mode played on the piano and his instant control mode activated with finger movements.
Whether speaking or singing, both produced resonant 'waves.' With his deepening mastery of magecraft, these 'waves' could now be harnessed by Sakatsuki. Through the wounds left by Diarmuid, 'seeds' of foreign magical energy spread swiftly throughout Saber's body—these were the traces of Sakatsuki's resonance left behind with each pulse.
All it would take was for Sakatsuki to play the final note, and the countless bombs embedded within Saber would detonate. No matter how sturdy the King of Knights' armor might be, how could it withstand destruction from within?
Ensuring that Artoria's injuries were no longer life-threatening, Sakatsuki gently laid her down before turning to Ritsuka.
"I believe it's over now?"
Ritsuka pressed her lips together and stepped forward unwillingly. "No, not yet..."
Amidst gasps of surprise, the young man appeared before Ritsuka like a phantom, tapping her forehead with an amused expression.
"That's enough. You've already done more than enough."
Hearing this, warmth blossomed in Ritsuka's heart, but soon she looked up at Sakatsuki with a complicated expression.
"Are you saying... all my efforts can only go this far?"
"No. I simply mean you don't need to push yourself so hard, Ritsuka." Sakatsuki patted the girl's slender shoulder and smiled. "Heroes have their way of living, magi have theirs. And you, Chaldea's Master, have your own path of growth."
"Blindly comparing yourself to others isn't the way, Ritsuka. You only need to surpass who you were yesterday."
Bending slightly, Sakatsuki met Ritsuka's gaze:
"Tell me, Master who once had nothing yet devoted her youth to saving humanity—are you satisfied with the life you've lived so far?"
Under those golden eyes that seemed to pierce through her soul, Ritsuka abandoned the deceit born of anxiety and the concealment wrought by unease. Closing her eyes, she couldn't help but recall her journey.
From an ordinary girl who panicked at the sight of skeleton warriors and couldn't even save the director, to someone who now formed bonds with Servants one after another, fought alongside them, and even directed the course of battles as a Master to win Holy Grail Wars.
Have I grown?
Ritsuka silently asked herself, finally hearing the answer from deep within.
Under everyone's gaze, the orange-haired girl opened her eyes and flashed her usual bright smile.
"Yes, I'm happy!"
***
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