"It's over?"
A few seconds after Arthur vanished, a voice came from behind Naoki.
Turning around, Naoki saw Morgan's slightly disheveled figure. She had reverted to her Caster appearance, but her body bore quite a few wounds.
"Yes, it's over. You're too late, Morgan."
"Arthur is gone."
Naoki didn't need to say it—Morgan already understood the situation. Arthur's figure was nowhere to be seen, and something useless was still embedded in the pillar nearby. Anyone could tell the outcome.
Morgan let out a small sigh. "I didn't expect you, in that condition, could defeat an Arthur enhanced by me and Merry. It's truly surprising. Even without a Servant, you possess such power."
"You're completely different from ten years ago."
"So, this time, you conspired with Merry to cause this massive mess just to test my strength?"
"Part of it, yes. Of course, Merry's motives were different." Morgan said as she walked toward Naoki, casually striking Merry, still stuck in the pillar, with her staff, making her flinch slightly.
"Her main reason for deceiving you was to see your pathetic state after fighting Arthur to the death and to see how far you could go in such a situation. She's quite fond of witnessing what she calls 'the Light of Humanity.'"
In the end, she did see it, didn't she? Defeating Arthur in that state, purely with human ability.
"From your appearance, your victory seems easy."
"If walking a tightrope counts as easy."
The fight with Arthur was anything but easy. One mistake could have meant total defeat and death. Even with Arthur's will resisting and interfering, Naoki had been on the brink multiple times, narrowly escaping death who knows how many times.
Naoki raised the Holy Sword and pointed it at Morgan.
"Alright, time to settle the score. Morgan, this time you made me suffer this much, and you turned Arthur into that monstrous form. He may not mind, but I do. By my count… it's time for some cleanup."
"You can't escape."
"Such confidence." Morgan sneered. "You think you, in your current state, can still stop—"
*BANG!*
Before she could finish, a heavy punch to her jaw cut her off, sending her crashing into the ceiling.
The newly repaired ceiling shattered again!
Flames burst from his palm as Naoki flew to the second floor, standing before Morgan, who was embedded in the wall.
"Whether I can stop you or not, I'm the one who decides now."
"I told you, you can't escape, Morgan."
A blazing fiery fist descended. Just before it hit Morgan, a barrier suddenly appeared, blocking the punch.
Staggering to her feet, Morgan clutched her jaw. "A powerful punch. Hard to believe you just finished a fierce battle. And also…"
Her gaze swept over the Holy Sword in Naoki's hand, and she sneered with a hint of disappointment. "The Holy Sword… and not in a possessed state… Hard to believe, but that seems to be the only explanation."
"You've become the third wielder of the Holy Sword, Naoki."
*KRAK!*
The barrier shattered, and the fiery fist landed on Morgan's chest. Her entire body was sent flying again, completely destroying half the guest rooms along the corridor!
As a Magus, Morgan's close-combat skills weren't exceptional. Unlike Merlin, Solomon, or Gilgamesh, who seemed like Magus but had maxed-out close-combat abilities, once Naoki closed the distance, all she could do was defend desperately.
Unfortunately, the current Naoki wasn't someone she could fend off in a hurry.
Lying on a bed in one of the rooms, Morgan struggled to rise, glanced at Naoki approaching, then suddenly lay back down.
"Giving up the fight?"
"No need to keep fighting. My defeat is certain. Besides, I was already chased by Mordred and that unknown Archer earlier…" There was a hint of exhaustion in Morgan's voice. "I don't have the unyielding resolve of warriors—ugh!"
Several chains suddenly wrapped around Morgan's arms and legs, hoisting her up to the chandelier on the ceiling.
Seeing the chains on her body, Morgan gave Naoki a meaningful smile. "You're quite skilled at binding. I didn't expect you had such interests."
"Don't make things up."
Naoki said as he continued activating Imaginary Manifestation. The chandelier Morgan was hung from suddenly turned into an electric ceiling fan, and a mysterious button appeared in his hand.
Morgan seemed to realize something.
*SWISH!*
Brandishing a leather whip that appeared from nowhere, Naoki smiled. "Consider this a test run before using it on Merry. It might hurt a bit, but I assume you're ready, Morgan?"
"You—"
*PA!* *PA!* *PA!* *PA!* *PA!* *PA!*
On the hotel's first floor, hearing the continuous sounds from above, Mordred and Atalanta paused, then both abandoned their plan to pursue Morgan upstairs.
That place was no longer suitable to approach.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"So, I see. Thank you for your hard work."
After hearing Atalanta's report, Rei felt a bit relieved. "It seems Master is fine, Ryougi-sama."
"Mm, I know." [Ryougi Shiki] smiled. "Not only fine, but quite spirited. Seems we worried for nothing."
Unlike Sajyou Rei and Sajyou Manaka, [Ryougi Shiki]'s omniscience had no limitations, so she could easily discern the situation there. She was slightly surprised that an angry Naoki would do something like that.
That boy could be unexpectedly rough at times.
Seeing the softened expressions of the two "bosses" in front of her, Majin Souji, who had been trembling, relaxed. "Um… Since His Majesty is fine, could you two please stop making things difficult for me?"
She was just a worker and had no control over her superiors' actions.
[Ryougi Shiki] didn't speak, merely sheathing her dagger and turning to leave. She had appeared due to the Counter Force's interference with Naoki. Now, assured there was no issue, she had no reason to stay.
But Rei didn't feel the same.
Her Master had nearly died, and though he was safe now, that didn't erase the earlier danger with a single sentence.
Merry, Morgan, the Counter Force… they all had to be held accountable.
"Miss Arcueid, could I borrow your Servant for a day or two?" Rei said to Arcueid. "There are some things I'd like to ask her about the Counter Force."
"Eh?"
Majin Souji instinctively sensed a hint of danger.
The next moment, Arcueid's response made her feel like she'd fallen into an icy well. "Mm, sure. It'll have a slight impact on the Holy Grail War, but I don't care about that, so it's fine. Just don't be too rough—Souji's not in great health."
"I understand, thank you very much. Let's go, then, time to settle the score, Miss Guardian."
(Masterrrrrrr!!)