Chapter 664 - Truly Beating Him to Death

Just as Naoki and Arthur began their duel.

Chaldea, control room.

*🚨🚨🚨*

The control room, usually filled only with the sound of keyboards clacking, was now overwhelmed by the incessant blaring of alarms.

Rushing in hurriedly from outside, Ritsuka asked Roman without even catching her breath, "Doctor! What's going on?"

"It's an abnormal situation originating from the sixth Singularity."

Without turning his head, Roman swiftly operated the control panel.

"The sixth Singularity, which we couldn't observe until now, has finally become visible. It's as if the barrier blocking our observation has been lifted. After that, we detected two massive Mana reactions from the sixth Singularity!"

"One of them is Natsukawa, already identified."

Naoki's Mana reaction.

Ritsuka and Mash had returned this morning and learned that their Department Head had gone to the sixth Singularity for a mission. At the same time, they also learned of the message Naoki left behind. Both had been preparing for a mission to the seventh Singularity in their rooms.

Since their Department Head was handling the sixth Singularity, it surely wouldn't be an issue—not only Ritsuka and Mash but most of Chaldea's members thought the same.

But now…

"The intensity of the Department Head's Mana—hasn't it reached the Divine Spirit level again?"

After five and a half months, Ritsuka could somewhat understand the situation on the screen.

Roman nodded. "Correct, Natsukawa's current state has indeed reached that realm again, but within the Singularity, there's not just one Divine Spirit-level Mana reaction."

"There are two others… no, one of their Mana indices keeps rising."

As Roman said, the analysis of the sixth Singularity observed through Sheba showed two red dots of nearly equal size, and beyond those, a larger red dot faintly encompassing both.

(Inside the sixth Singularity, there's an enemy stronger than the Department Head at full power?)

Ritsuka vaguely realized this fact.

"This is truly a massive crisis."

At the control room's entrance, Da Vinci strode in quickly. "We've struggled through the first five Singularities, and now that we've reached the sixth, the difficulty has suddenly jumped to another dimension."

"With this Mana intensity, even Natsukawa would struggle… no, it'd be extremely difficult for him to resolve. Though I doubt he's alone there, this hidden Mana intensity isn't something that can be overcome with numbers alone."

Ritsuka frowned tightly. "Does that mean the Department Head is in trouble?"

"Possibly. After all, it's Natsukawa. Even if he dies, he'd probably show up perfectly fine the next day, but if that happens—"

"The mission in the sixth Singularity would become impossible."

Roman finished Da Vinci's sentence.

This wasn't the sixth Singularity situation Naoki had described to him. The enemy they faced wasn't the Goddess Rhongomyniad and her Knights of the Round Table but an entity whose information was completely unknown.

(All this time, relying on the information Natsukawa gave me, we've had some advantage in operating within Singularities, but this time… no, should I say this is the difficulty we were supposed to face from the start?)

(With this situation, even if we send Fujimaru and the others via Spiritron Transfer—)

"Doctor! Please allow us to perform a Spiritron Transfer!"

Ritsuka's sudden words stunned Roman and Da Vinci.

Roman frowned. "Fujimaru, that's too dangerous—"

"But we have to go, don't we, Doctor?" Ritsuka interrupted. "A strong enemy isn't a reason for us to avoid facing it."

"…"

"Please allow us to go, Doctor Roman." Mash added, her hands clenched tightly at her chest. "The Servant within me… Sir Galahad, is also urging me to go there."

Even Mash…

"What are you doing, Roman? Hurry and prepare the Spiritron Transfer!"

At that moment, Marie's voice came from the door.

Standing in front of Ritsuka and Mash with her arms crossed, she said, "Akuta is on her way here too. You two go first. But there's one thing to note: if we here determine your lives are in danger, we'll forcibly bring you back, regardless of your wishes."

"Director… Understood!"

"We understand, Director."

Seeing Ritsuka and Mash respond, Da Vinci nudged Roman's side, and Roman let out a helpless sigh. Indeed, no matter how much he trusted Naoki, the situation observed here wasn't something Naoki could handle alone, so he had to send help.

Whether they could actually help in the end didn't matter.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Five minutes after Naoki and Arthur's battle began.

Inside the throne room, now mostly in ruins.

*CRASH!*

The sound of destruction never ceased.

*CLANG!*

The light from the two Holy Swords slashing tore through the ground, obliterating everything. The explosions and impacts destroyed all that was contained within the spatial barrier.

Heavy and hard to counter.

This was Naoki's most visceral feeling right now.

His pseudo-foresight and the advantage granted by his fairy senses allowed him to take the initiative, but only temporarily. Facing Arthur with four seals permanently released, Naoki had to focus entirely to survive and dodge each attack.

If that were all, it wouldn't be an issue, but the problem was—

*SWOOSH!*

A sword flash split the air. A beam of light slashing from two hundred meters high reached Naoki in an instant!

As usual, the moment Arthur moved, Naoki swung his Holy Sword at the same time.

*BANG!*

The sword flashes nearly canceled each other out in front of Naoki.

But at that moment, a figure suddenly tore through the blinding light. Arthur, charging at high speed, slashed without hesitation!

This was an attack launched almost simultaneously with the sword flash.

With his inexhaustible Mana flooding his body, Arthur's Mana Burst had reached its limit. The enhancement effect on his body was incomparable to Naoki's. At least to Naoki, Arthur's movements seemed accelerated by one and a half times!

To fight the current Arthur, even as a fairy, Naoki had to concentrate to his absolute limit at every moment.

*CLANG!*

Blocking Arthur's heavy slash just in time, then twisting his wrist to lock Arthur's arm, Naoki slammed his head into Arthur's face!

But the next moment, Arthur's knee struck Naoki's chin!

*BAM!*

Both were knocked back by each other's attacks, crashing into the spatial barrier's edge, making the barrier itself tremble!

And the instant after hitting the barrier, both figures crossed a hundred-meter distance again, clashing at near-zero range!

Staring into Arthur's face and eyes through the two Holy Swords, just like at the start, he still looked blank and emotionless.

(Arthur…)

*CLANG!*

With a sudden burst of strength, Naoki pushed Arthur back. While creating distance, Naoki instantly manifested countless chains piercing toward Arthur.

*TRING!*

The Holy Sword radiated blinding light. A blade of light extending tens of meters swept swiftly. The countless chains were sliced and shattered, and then, without a shred of hesitation, Arthur thrust straight at Naoki!

(A half-hearted Imaginary Manifestation can't even slow him down! I need to imagine something more specific—but there's no time!)

*BANG!*

Smashing Arthur's light blade with full force, Naoki opened his left hand's five fingers, but before he could close them for the next attack, Arthur was already in front of him!

(Damn—)

The Holy Sword swung down like a golf club strike—

*BAM!*

Naoki was sent flying toward the barrier's dome!

(Damn it, if I want a stronger Imaginary Manifestation, he doesn't give me time to prepare, and close combat is a fifty-fifty… This will never end.)

Indeed, in terms of comprehensive strength, Naoki was clearly above Arthur. As a fairy, he had the power to suppress anyone. If Arthur's strength was a hundred, Naoki's was a hundred and ten.

In close combat, neither could decisively defeat the other. With Imaginary Manifestation, Naoki was undoubtedly stronger, but the issue was that a hastily executed Imaginary Manifestation wasn't enough to disrupt Arthur's actions. And if Naoki wanted a more refined Imaginary Manifestation, Arthur would never give him the time.

Not even a single second!

If the Imaginary Manifestation process was interrupted, Naoki would take a heavy hit from Arthur due to his exposed weakness!

*BAM!*

A tremor came from below. Arthur stepped forward, shattering the ground, and charged at Naoki, who was leaning against the dome!

*PU-CHI!*

The Holy Sword pierced straight through Naoki's chest!

A fatal wound!

Staring into Arthur's blank eyes, Naoki gritted his teeth, reached out, and locked Arthur's body from behind his head. In Arthur's slightly widening eyes, Naoki hugged him tightly—

"You handed it to me yourself. Let's trade heads, you bastard…"

*BOOOMMMMM!*

A heaven-shaking explosion echoed within the barrier.