Chapter 214: The Duel for the Future!
From Excalibur Galatine burst forth a brilliant golden radiance, slashing across the surrounding giants, cleaving them cleanly in half!
The black worm virus hadn't even had time to react before their entire bodies were enveloped by that light—and then instantly erupted into violent flames!
In just a brief moment, the enemies who had charged in so fiercely were rendered completely motionless.
"————————?!"
Ethan and Tohsaka Rin widened their eyes in shock at the scene before them.
Gawain?!
Why was he helping them???
"Everyone, use this chance to get out of here!"
A blond-haired young man suddenly appeared at a distant passageway.
"Leo——nardo?!"
Tohsaka Rin immediately shouted out his name.
Ethan simply stared silently at the figure before him.
Leonardo Bistario Harwey.
Master of Gawain. Also heir to the Western European conglomerate. The strongest among all Masters appearing in MoonCell — the key figure in "CCC."
For some reason, the moment he laid eyes on Ethan, Leo's gaze sharpened.
The two of them, seemingly at the same time, sensed something about one another.
"Why should I trust you?! You're the one who killed the others!!"
Tohsaka Rin immediately snapped at him harshly.
Because during BB's broadcast, she had clearly seen——both Jekyll and Tesla were struck by Gawain's sword.
"Those giants will reappear soon, and those black viruses will resurrect as well. Do you still intend to hold out here?"
With those words, Leonardo turned and began walking away.
"You have… no other choice."
As he departed, Gawain, holding Excalibur Galatine, also nodded slightly to the group, then leapt off the corpse of the giant and withdrew from the scene.
"Senpai… what should we do?"
Mash, watching Leo's retreating figure, hesitantly asked Ethan.
"Just follow him for now, this place isn't safe to stay."
Let's see what he has to say.
"Understood."
Mash nodded and then went ahead to lead the way.
"Hey, are you seriously planning to listen to that guy?!"
Tohsaka Rin immediately called Ethan back.
"Just the fact that Gawain didn't attack us means, at least for now, he has no hostile intent."
"You don't even know what kind of person he is!!!"
Tohsaka Rin folded her arms and began criticizing.
"That guy's a self-important spoiled brat, always acting like he has some ulterior motive back at the academy."
Tohsaka Rin seemed naturally incompatible with overly calculating types like him.
Just as she was about to continue her rant, she noticed Elizabeth standing in front of her.
Elizabeth pointed off into the distance.
"Rin, that brat's already far ahead."
"Ugh, why is he always like this! Mou!!!"
Tohsaka Rin had no other choice but to shamelessly chase after him.
After everyone had left, the once-dead giants suddenly seemed to resurrect, rising to their feet one after another.
The wounds on their bodies also began to slowly regenerate, as if they had never been injured.
The giants picked up the weapons they had dropped on the ground, and began to wander about aimlessly once more.
...
Following the trail of Leonardo and Gawain, Ethan's group arrived at a ruined building.
In a Labyrinth made from the corpses of sea creatures scattered everywhere, the man-made structure stood out sharply.
The church's roof was decayed, even the walls were mottled and peeling.
The large door hung slightly ajar—more accurately, it could no longer be fully shut.
"Senpai, let me go in first and check?"
Mash spoke as she raised her shield, preparing to enter.
"No need, they have no reason to bother with tricks like that."
Without hesitation, Ethan pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Inside the church sat Leonardo on a long bench, with Gawain standing behind him.
Seeing that the first to enter was Ethan, Leonardo looked slightly surprised.
But he quickly regained his smile, raising a hand to gesture for Ethan to sit.
Ethan gave a slight nod and followed Leonardo's lead, sitting across from him.
Mash and the other Servants stood beside Ethan.
"Hey, you're Leonardo Bistario Harwey, aren't you?"
Tohsaka Rin entered with clear displeasure, immediately calling out Leonardo's full name.
"It's quite impressive that you remembered my full name, Tohsaka Rin."
"After all, you're the only child of the Western European Conglomerate—how could I possibly forget?"
Tohsaka Rin directly questioned Leonardo.
"What the hell is with you killing all the other survivors?! What exactly is your goal?!"
"My goal?"
Leonardo gave a light smile.
"My goal is to save humanity. That's all."
"Save humanity?"
Tohsaka Rin's eyes widened.
"Do you even know what the hell you're saying?"
She then turned to look at Ethan.
As if to say: why is there another guy trying to save the world just like you?
"Of course I do, Tohsaka."
Leonardo's expression remained perfectly calm.
"What kind of bullshit are you spewing? If you're still not awake, just keep on living your pampered rich-boy life. Have you forgotten? The reason we came to MoonCell in the first place was to obtain the legendary Holy Grail—meaning, the right to use MoonCell!"
"That may have been true at first, but now I believe that right should never be entrusted to mankind."
Leonardo said something that left everyone stunned.
"Humanity is a complex species—once it obtains the right to use MoonCell, who knows what it'll end up doing."
"Oh please, aren't you human too?"
Tohsaka Rin retorted without a shred of mercy.
"Yes, that's exactly why I've decided to remain on this floor until this Labyrinth collapses."
Leonardo said this calmly as he sat on the bench.
"You… you're serious?!"
Tohsaka Rin clearly couldn't accept his decision.
"Have you met BB?"
Ethan asked Leonardo directly.
"I have. But she doesn't seem particularly fond of chatting with humans."
"So BB stuffed some kind of knowledge into your head, didn't she?"
BB was a master manipulator with a silver tongue, but Leonardo wasn't supposed to be the type to fall for that so easily.
"No, it's just that I've seen the true threat — something that humanity absolutely cannot overcome."
As he said this, Leonardo's expression didn't waver in the slightest, as though he'd already thought this through long ago.
Ethan frowned slightly.
Could it be that he's encountered the Awakener?
If he really had faced the Awakener… then this was going to be troublesome...
"Rather than blindly pursuing knowledge and accelerating this world's destruction, accepting the status quo — that is the only salvation humanity can achieve."
Leonardo had used the word "salvation."
"Sorry, I don't know exactly what you've learned, but I must go to the upper levels and confront BB directly."
Ethan stared Leonardo straight in the eyes, without hesitation.
His determination was absolute.
"I see… in that case, it seems there's not much left for us to discuss."
Seeing Ethan's resolve, Leonardo gave a slight nod.
"If that's how it is, then like with the others, there's only one thing left between us — a battle. Gawain!"
"At your service, my Master!"
Gawain, who had been standing behind him, immediately answered.
"Apologies, but I must trouble you to act again."
"No need for apologies. This is my duty as a knight."
Gawain looked toward Ethan.
"Young man, if you wish to duel, step forward. This is one of the few safe places left."
Ethan gave a slight nod.
"Hey, are you seriously going to fight that Saber?!"
Seeing Ethan stand, Tohsaka Rin asked anxiously.
"If we want to move upward, isn't this the only way left???"
Ethan, however, remained completely unfazed.
"Even though I hate to admit it, Leonardo as a Master… really is strong."
Of course he was — he had commanded Gawain alone, slashing through the Labyrinth all the way to the fourth layer, and even defeated both Jekyll and Tesla. That alone proved his capabilities.
"Being praised by a skilled Spiritron Hacker like you is an honor far too great."
Leonardo gave a smile.
"Eavesdropping on other people's conversations—having fun with that, you Western Conglomerate brat?"
Tohsaka Rin was now like a powder keg—touch her and she'd explode.
"If you've got any grudge against the Western European Conglomerate, isn't now the perfect time to strike back?"
"Great idea!!!"
Tohsaka Rin kept a wary eye on Leonardo, then also stepped out of the church.
"You all don't seem like the type to fight one-on-one, so I suppose it's fine if I join the battle too?"
On the wide open ground, Leonardo calmly adjusted his gloves.
"That guy's not an ordinary Master. His support abilities are absolutely not to be underestimated."
"Understood."
Ethan nodded.
If doing this was the only way to move forward, then he would not hesitate.
Even if it meant ganging up for the sake of justice!
"Whoosh————————!!!"
The first to launch an attack was Draco.
She swung her arm directly, a red beam of light shooting straight toward Gawain!!!
"Bang——————!!!"
Gawain swung his sword to counter, instantly unleashing a violent explosion!
"Haa!!"
From within the smoke, the figure of silver-haired Little Jack emerged clearly, and two sharp slashes cut toward Gawain's arm.
"Clang————————!!!"
The sound of impact rang out crisply—Gawain had already blocked the attack.
"Sorry, Sir Knight!!"
Berserker Jack, having transformed into a hulking butcher, swung her meat-cleaving axe down — aiming to pierce through Gawain's armor.
Gawain twisted to dodge, then struck Berserker Jack with the flat of his sword!
"Watch out!!"
Mash's shield appeared just in time, blocking Gawain's frontal attack!
"This shield…?!"
Gawain had intended to overpower it with brute strength, but the moment he laid eyes on it, he froze in place.
"Haa!!!"
Seizing the moment, Mash immediately shoved Gawain back a dozen steps.
"Gawain!"
Seeing Gawain's condition falter, Leonardo immediately called out to him.
"Apologies, Master."
Gawain resumed a combat stance once more, staring directly at the opposing Servants.
"I was momentarily distracted by the past… However, it seems the young lady there has yet to realize it."
Gawain's words caused some confusion in Mash.
However, since there were quite a few females present who could be called "young lady," Mash didn't dwell on it.
"Don't blame me for this, okay~~~"
Elizabeth lunged straight in from the front with her spear!
"It's your fault for angering my Master. She's my precious little fawn, you know."
Gawain was just about to counter—when he suddenly sensed an attack coming from below!!!
"Whoosh————————!!!"
From Draco's dragonified arm extended razor-sharp claws, instantly locking around Gawain's body and limbs, aiming to pierce through his armor!!!
"Boom——————!!!"
Suddenly, the ground began to shift?!
The earth beneath Draco and Berserker Jack began to collapse rapidly, while the area beneath Gawain rose higher and higher?!
Ethan glanced warily in that direction and saw that Leonardo was now providing support.
The stone under Leonardo's feet began to rise steadily, until it was high enough for him to look down at everyone from above.
"Leonardo Bistario Harwey commands — Gawain, Galatine output, full power!!!"
With Leonardo's loud command, Excalibur Galatine in Gawain's hand erupted in radiant golden light!
"No way!!!"
Draco immediately poured in all her mana reserves, and in just a moment, a red beam of light shot straight toward Gawain!!!
"Bang——————!!!"
A wall suddenly materialized in front of Gawain, completely blocking the incoming attack?!
Not only that — the wall also separated all the other Servants — leaving only Ethan and Mash on the inside.
"————————?!"
Everyone else was stunned, completely caught off guard by this development.
"Sword Camelot: Castle of the assembled brilliant Holy Sword."
Hovering in midair, Leonardo raised his left hand as he spoke.
"This is a secret spell that allows two Masters and their Servants to duel — even BB can't break it."
Then, Gawain raised his Holy Sword high.
"This sword is a reflection of the sun. It is the other Holy Sword of the stars!!!"
"This is bad!!!"
Realizing she couldn't block Gawain's Noble Phantasm with conventional means, Mash immediately activated her own Noble Phantasm.
"Excalibur Galatine!!!"
A golden light swept across the battlefield — Mash didn't hesitate for a second and braced herself to take the blow head-on!!!
"BOOMMMMM————————————!!!"
The blazing sword came crashing down on Mash's shield.
"Ugh…!!!"
The impact was so great that Mash's hands nearly slipped from the shield as she was sent flying backward!
"Mash!!!"
Ethan grabbed Mash's hand tightly, standing together behind the shield.
"Let me see if you truly possess the strength to save humanity—Master from another world!!!"
Leonardo's eyes gazed directly down at the two below.