The Shogun unfolded her legs from their meditative pose and slowly descended from the air to the ground.
Buzz~
Engulfing Lightning appeared in her hand.
"Think what you like. The only reason I brought you here was to keep others from interfering in our battle."
With each step she took, the naginata's blade scraped the gray ground, leaving behind trails of violet light.
"Others? Don't tell me—?!"
Mordred immediately understood, her heart sinking. She tried to call out through the link with her Master, Kairi, using the Command Spell connection.
But no matter how she called, there was no response. It was like trying to call on a phone with no service—only the endless beep— rang back. Panic began to creep in.
Just as Mordred feared, Plane of Euthymia was sealed from the world, an isolated realm with no entrance or exit except for its master, Ei, and the Shogun. Those who entered could make no contact with the outside. Electromagnetic signals, mana, any form of connection—severed. Even the bond between Master and Servant was forcibly cut. With the Servant's presence lost, the Master could not even use a Command Spell—commands required a target.
This was what made Plane of Euthymia completely unlike any Reality Marble. It was not a construct, but Ei's meditative realm, a place that truly existed, albeit abstractly. Mordred could misunderstand it as a Reality Marble if she wished—the Shogun had no intention of explaining.
"Master!! Master!! Damn it—!"
Mordred's voice grew desperate. But before she could attempt anything else, a violet flash crossed before her eyes!
The Shogun vanished into lightning, reappearing in front of Mordred. She swung her naginata with blinding speed, a flurry of quick strikes!
Zzzzt!
Crash! ×N
Every blow crackled with violet electricity and carried crushing force!
Mordred cursed herself. She should never have let her attention wander. Hastily, she raised her greatsword, staggering backward as she parried strike after strike—each swing of the Shogun's weapon slippery and elusive, like shadows.
After several cuts, the Shogun unleashed a wave of sword energy!
BOOM!
A massive arc of violet swordlight tore across the ground like the fin of a shark, racing toward her.
"You damn—!!"
Buzz!
Red mana surged along Mordred's sword. A blast of crimson energy erupted from its tip, colliding head-on with the Shogun's attack!
BOOM!
The violent explosion blossomed between them, flames and smoke obscuring their vision. But their movements did not falter!
In less than a second, the Shogun appeared behind Mordred, leaping and swinging a horizontal cut. Mordred's instincts saved her—she ducked low in a flash of red light, narrowly evading.
Zzzzt!
The arc carved into the ground, thunder splitting the sky above. The gouged earth radiated with lethal menace.
Mordred flashed behind the Shogun, gripping her sword in both hands. With crimson energy coiled around its edge, she swung down like a roaring red dragon, splitting the air itself.
The Shogun's eyes flicked aside. With graceful precision, she twisted her body, pulling back her right foot. Smooth and elegant, she slipped past the strike. Her naginata flowed seamlessly through her hands, gliding from backhand to forehand, spinning across her waist, coiling around her neck, and returning once more to her grip. With a spin, she slashed sideways toward Mordred's head!
Whoosh!
The metallic hum rang in Mordred's ears. Her body stiffened mid-swing, unable to react fully. At the last instant, she bent backward, narrowly ducking beneath the blade!
Slice…
The edge sheared clean through her hair, cutting off half her strands. Supporting herself with one hand braced against the ground, unable to use her arms, Mordred switched tactics—
She flipped over, launching a reverse kick straight at the Shogun's head!
The Shogun flowed seamlessly into her next motion, planting the naginata's blade into the ground. Using it as support, her light frame vaulted upward. Both legs pressed onto the weapon's shaft, her right foot braced against the guard above the blade, while her left leg snapped out, kicking Mordred's shin and knocking her balance away.
"Tch…"
Mordred clicked her tongue in frustration and shifted into a low stance, sweeping her leg. But the Shogun shifted her weight, twisting the naginata's shaft beneath her. The blade slid back just enough to evade the sweep, her body rising on the haft's pivot. In the same motion, she lashed out with a kick toward Mordred's chest!
Boom!
Her heel slammed into Mordred's sword, which was crossed defensively before her chest. A wave of force burst outward, sending Mordred skidding back several meters.
The next instant, the Shogun dropped lightly to the ground. With one fluid kick, she knocked her naginata back into her hand, spinning it in a dazzling flourish. The violet blade traced arcs across her arm, behind her back, along her waist, curling like a dragon of lightning at her side.
At last, she spun it down along her thigh and sent it slashing outward with crushing power!
Crash!
Mordred braced her greatsword, angling it upward to deflect the incoming naginata. The clash sent the weapon spinning high into the air—
—only to be caught by the Shogun as she flashed forward. The blade whirled through her grip and exploded into a barrage of rapid strikes, dozens of cuts every second!
Clash! ×N
Mordred just barely managed to keep up, her sword intercepting blow after blow. Yet her cheek split open under the edge of one cut, streaks of blood trailing.
Clang!
Their weapons locked together at last, pressing fiercely. The Shogun sought to twist their blades to the right, while Mordred forced to the left. The clash deadlocked, neither yielding.
Their eyes met for a single second—then both abruptly released, letting the force carry their weapons free. The naginata and greatsword spun skyward, tumbling out of reach.
Without pause, the Shogun charged barehanded, her palm striking straight toward Mordred's chest!
"Wha—?!"
Mordred's eyes widened in alarm—she hadn't expected her foe to fight unarmed!
Crash!
She threw up her fist to block the palm. The Shogun's eyes narrowed, seizing her fist in a crushing grip, intent on shattering her bones. Mordred snarled and lashed with her other hand, aiming for the Shogun's elbow!
Smack!
The Shogun intercepted with her free arm, then snapped a kick! Mordred met it with her knee, countering with a kick of her own. Their legs collided again and again, each clash detonating shockwaves and thunderous impacts.
Above them, their weapons reached the peak of their arc, beginning their fall.
Perhaps thanks to her longer reach, the Shogun's leg snapped out and drove into Mordred's chest, hurling her back and widening the distance between them.
Violet lightning coursed over the Shogun's body, her hair rising in its current. Her sleeves snapped in the air with a sharp whoosh. Raising one slender hand, her movements traced fluid arcs, like flowing water. Her legs crossed in front-and-back stance as she settled into the posture of Watatsumi-ryu, her personal close-combat style.