The Shogun held her empty-handed stance—
Zzzzt!
In the blink of an eye, she turned into lightning, vanishing and reappearing at Mordred's flank with speed too fast for the eye to follow. Her kimono sleeves traced graceful arcs as she spun, fist wrapped within, striking hard toward Mordred's face!
Boom!
Her punch slammed solidly into Mordred's helmet, the force sending shockwaves outward. Even with the helmet's protection, Mordred nearly suffered a concussion, her body staggering. The Shogun stepped in, kicking the back of her knee to topple her balance, then pressed in with another palm strike.
Mordred raised a fist to block, but the Shogun immediately drove her elbow into Mordred's joint, forcing her arm aside. She spun, delivering a rapid series of strikes directly into Mordred's armored chest!
Thud! ×N
Metal clanged with each impact, the blows stirring clouds of dust and air pressure. At last, the Shogun gathered her strength into her shoulder and flashed with lightning, slamming forward in an iron-mountain-like body strike straight to Mordred's chest!
Crash!
The impact sent Mordred flying like a cannonball, smashing into the hard gray stone ground. The earth, too solid to crater, only erupted in clouds of dust.
Clang!
A second later, the naginata fell from the air back into the Shogun's hand. She gave it a spin, then casually batted Mordred's greatsword back toward her where it lay.
[Your skill grows sharper by the day…]
Ei's voice sighed within her. She could see that Mordred's swordsmanship was refined—but against the Shogun, it still fell short. Especially here, within Plane of Euthymia, where all conditions bent to her will. No disadvantages existed.
[Will there come a day even I cannot defeat you?]
Her tone was half-teasing.
'…Do not jest. I have no wish to cross blades with you.'
The Shogun's reply carried faint displeasure. She would never desire to fight Ei.
[Mm… forgive me. I misspoke. I too would never raise my blade against you.]
To harm the one she loved most—such a thought was unthinkable. To her, the Shogun was someone only to be cherished, never wounded.
'…'
The Shogun fell silent.
[Are you angry?]
Ei's worried voice pressed again.
'I am not angry… only reflecting on your words.'
[They mean nothing. Best ignore them.]
The matter closed, she turned her gaze back to Mordred, who emerged battered from the dust.
Her helmet was gone, revealing her bruised face, blood dripping from her lips. If not for that helmet, the Shogun's earlier punch might have ended it entirely. Her chest armor was dented deep, and each breath was ragged. Still, her eyes burned with defiance as she glared at the kimono-adorned woman before her. Weak-looking as she seemed, her strength was terrifying.
Now cut off from Kairi, Mordred could no longer heal, nor call for support. She was cornered, trapped with no retreat.
But she would not yield! She would not lose—not when her claim to her father's throne was at stake! How could she fall to a woman like this?
The final victory would be hers—hers alone!
"You bitch! Today, I, Mordred, will cut you down!!"
BOOM!!
Red mana surged wildly, engulfing her armored body. Raising her greatsword overhead, its blade began to split open like a mechanical device. Crimson lightning crackled across Plane of Euthymia, converging into the blade above her head!
Crash!
A searing crimson beam burst forth, piercing through the heavy red clouds above, twisting them into a whirling vortex.
"Rebellion Against My Beautiful Father—Clarent Blood Arthur!!"
Mordred's furious, twisted face glared at the Shogun as she roared the name of her Noble Phantasm!
The sword's raging beam swelled further, this time entwined with roaring winds and streaks of red lightning.
[Hm? This looks like her full-force strike… the range is vast. I'll have to stop her. Plane of Euthymia must not be damaged. I still need it.]
'…That last part is your true concern, isn't it?' the Shogun thought dryly.
[Shogun, use that technique.]
Though the realm itself would not be destroyed even if struck, its scenery and structures would be ruined—and rebuilding was troublesome. This was, after all, half her home. Better to prevent needless damage.
At Ei's words, the Shogun exhaled. She closed her eyes, letting her body float into the air. Engulfing Lightning hovered before her, suspended. Her shapely legs crossed elegantly, arms folded above her head. In an instant, mana equal to Mordred's own gathered around her.
The ground of Plane of Euthymia glimmered with violet particles, like drifting petals, swirling about her. Intense lightning converged into a single point as her hands moved. Behind her, the Chakra Desiderata appeared, absorbing the surrounding light until reaching its limit.
Zzzzt!
As her arms spread, lightning surged outward, covering the entire realm—swallowing Mordred's position as well.
Color drained from the world, fading into gray. Time froze for a heartbeat.
"This is the soil of eternity. It rejects all instability."
The gray shattered like glass—
Crack!
"Wh—!!"
Mordred's eyes widened in shock, her mouth agape.
Before her very eyes, her Noble Phantasm had vanished. Not dispelled—erased. The torrent of mana she had summoned collapsed into nothingness.
Looking down at her sword, now back to its ordinary form, she tried again, desperately forcing power into it—
"Damn it!! What's happening?! My Noble Phantasm… it won't activate?!"
Panic overtook her. It was as if a lock had sealed her weapon away, beyond her reach.
"…This is your doing, isn't it?!"
Her glare snapped to the Shogun, who had descended lightly to the ground.
"You know the answer. Why bother asking?"
The Shogun's cold tone carried a mocking edge.
She knew it seemed underhanded—but if it worked, it was fair game. To wield a skill the opponent did not possess was advantage, pure and simple.
"Our battle… it's time to end it."
The Shogun sheathed Engulfing Lightning and gathered her power anew. Lightning converged at her chest, a violet rift opening in the center. From it, she drew forth Musou Isshin—the blade of godhood, witness to time and eternity.
Raised high, its silver edge acted like a lightning rod, drawing torrents of thunder and current. Space itself twisted along its glowing edge. Overhead, the sky shifted—the red moon drowned in violet thunderclouds, the heavens trembling.
"…Gulp…"
Mordred stared, frozen, her throat tightening as she swallowed unconsciously. This divine spectacle pressed on her with godlike weight. No ordinary Servant could compare. Before her stood something far beyond.
"!!"
Shaking her head violently, she forced herself awake, refusing to yield. Not now—not ever. God or not, she would not bow! Even if it was madness, slaying a god was not impossible. If she held her focus, made no mistakes—then victory could still be hers!