Incredible.
This was the shared thought between Naoki and Karna at that moment.
About half a minute ago, the clash between the God-Slaying Spear and Moon Fall had concluded. After obliterating nearly a third of the Hanging Gardens, their collision ended in mutual annihilation.
Karna and Naoki shared the same realization: without the invincible Golden Armor, all that remained was the god-slaying spear and combat skill. The Mystic Eyes' effect could be 100% effective on him—just as expected.
Next, Naoki only needed to stall until Karna was eroded to the point of being unable to fight. Then, victory would be his.
But…
'You're too strong, Karna!'
Though half-eroded, with his spiritual foundation on the verge of collapse at any moment, Karna showed no signs of weakening—his strength even grew bit by bit.
He was surpassing his current self!
'This is… the Hero of Charity, Karna…'
Each clash with Karna's divine spear, each meeting of their gazes, made Naoki's body heat up unconsciously, his spirit soaring, as if fighting Karna brought him joy from the depths of his heart.
Naoki knew why.
'Are you also thrilled to fight him, Arthur?'
Arthur, too, was a warrior, a knight. Facing a noble and powerful hero like Karna, he couldn't help but be excited, couldn't resist wanting to test himself.
Karna felt the same.
Ignoring Moon Fall, Naoki gave Karna an oddly unique impression. His fighting style was rough and wild, his hand and foot strikes like a beast born solely to kill. Yet behind that roughness lay an honest, unwavering resolve!
It could almost be called knightly.
Karna felt as if he were fighting a kindred spirit.
He felt no dissatisfaction—rather, this was the best. Battling a strong opponent was an honor for any warrior. Though his body was eroded by the Mystic Eyes and his time was short, he would face it with all his might!
Just as Naoki fought him with full strength.
The original reason for this battle no longer mattered. Even if they were ordered, both had to thank the one who gave the command—thank them for enabling this fight with the person before them.
And—
*BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!* *BAM!*
Explosions, roars, destruction, ruin.
Everything in their path, without exception, turned to dust.
The divine spear and the pseudo-Holy Sword tore through space repeatedly. Each clash of spear and sword unleashed shockwaves that swept the surroundings. The ground was scoured over and over, from being upturned and scattered to shattered and dispersed. The more the sword and spear flashed in the air, the worse the earth's devastation became.
This was a battle no fourth party could interfere in. Anyone daring to enter—or even approach—would be cowed by the shockwaves alone.
—Magnificent.
All spectators thought so, some even feeling this mythical battle shouldn't end.
A fight like this should last forever. Any method to conclude it would feel too abrupt. "Ending" in this context was an utter failure.
But that was impossible.
The ceaseless roar of explosions finally reached a point where it had to pause temporarily. Both sides, having fought at speeds and strengths far beyond human limits, stood apart on opposite sides.
Around them, the prayer hall where Amakusa and Gray had fought, along with hundreds of meters of the surrounding area, had turned into a vast scorched wasteland.
Looking further out, one could see collapsed rifts from the fighters' deadly attacks and rubble-strewn paths connecting the two areas, as if bombarded.
The divine spear in Karna's hand was cracked, his body riddled with wounds.
Without the Golden Armor, he was no longer invincible.
And before the True Ancestor's power, no matter how strong the weapon, it wouldn't remain intact.
"It's been over a minute."
Naoki, in tattered clothes but unharmed, spoke.
"I'm starting to doubt if these Mystic Eyes have any effect at all. In my eyes, you should've been eroded until nothing of you remained, yet you still maintain your consciousness, your strength undiminished."
By classification, Karna was no longer a Servant but an existence eroded into an evil spirit from within and without. Logically, his spirit and will should have vanished.
Yet he remained unchanged.
"If I couldn't even maintain my consciousness and let my spirit falter, I wouldn't deserve to be called a hero."
Though his body was wounded, a satisfied smile still shone on Karna's face.
"This has been a truly fulfilling battle. One I never experienced in life, never imagined I'd find after death. I want to thank you, Natsukawa Naoki, for fighting me."
"I… no, we want to thank you too."
In Karna's eyes, a silver-armored knight suddenly appeared behind Naoki, nodding in greeting.
'So, you're not fighting alone—a single soul with a Heroic Spirit… such a unique existence.'
Seeing this, even if he lost this battle, Karna would have no regrets.
But—
"I haven't fallen yet. The order my Master gave me, I must carry out until the very end."
Karna raised his divine spear.
Kill Naoki. This was the order Karna's Master gave him. Even if it wasn't from his true Master but from Amakusa, Karna would remain loyal to the end.
*JING!*
A dazzling starlight shone on Naoki's chest.
Mana wove into silver armor, the Holy Sword of Salvation materializing amid a fierce gale.
In terms of power, Tsukihime mode was superior, but Naoki now wanted to use Arthur's strength. As long as Arthur actively showed a desire to fight, Naoki would honor that wish in any situation.
"Come, Karna, this is the final round—Servant, Saber, true name, Arthur Pendragon, forward!"
"The King of Knights from Britannia? Excellent. The King of Knights and his successor of light—for this singular battle in the Holy Grail War, I have no regrets—Servant, Lancer, true name, Karna. Face me."
Blazing heat ignited Karna's divine spear—it was a Noble Phantasm.
With the God-Slaying Spear gone, Karna had only one remaining Noble Phantasm, his strongest. Using it now signified this was the final attack he could unleash with full power!
'Arthur, let's go!'
*JING!*
Holy Sword, Release!
"Brahmastra Kundala!"
"Excalibur!"