Morgan, like Caster Artoria, was a Fairy of Paradise dispatched by the Inner Sea of the Stars. She bore two missions.
One was to make the fairies—descendants of the six clans—realize their sins and urge repentance.
The other was to reforge the Holy Sword that the six clans should have forged.
Due to her childhood with the Rain Clan, Aesc abandoned the first mission. The second she never touched. After all, forging the Holy Sword meant burning all her memories and entering the Star Forge for self-sacrifice.
Such an end wasn't what Morgan wanted, so until now, she never considered forging it.
But making Holy Sword replicas—not forging the real one—was another story.
*CRACK!*
Cracks appeared on the black Holy Sword in Morgan's hand, then it shattered like glass.
Artoria frowned: "The Holy Sword… shattered?"
"Is that so surprising to you?"
Morgan said while gripping another hilt on her staff, drawing a second black Holy Sword: "I'm no sword expert, so these Holy Swords are one-use items to me. Designed as disposables from forging—thanks to this, though single-use, their power exceeds a normal true Holy Sword release."
In other words, the Holy Sword in Morgan's hand wasn't a weapon, but a bomb.
More precisely, a one-use Mystic Code—Mystic Code to activate this Excalibur.
"I'll tell you how many remain." Morgan raised her staff for Artoria to see. "Eight Holy Swords left, nine including this one. Try surviving nine Holy Sword releases, Artoria."
"Excalibur."
As the words fell, Morgan released the Holy Sword. Thick black aurora surged like a raging giant wave! The black light wave instantly filled Artoria's vision!
Artoria didn't hesitate, releasing her own Holy Sword—
"Excalibur!"
Golden aurora soared skyward!
Pitch black and gold—two shining auroras pierced space in an instant, colliding with earth-shaking force! Light and darkness shockwaves and storms instantly swept Camelot's skies!
Everyone fighting below had their attention partially diverted by the commotion.
(Her Majesty is using the Holy Sword?)
(Beautiful fireworks. Should I try making some later?)
Barghest and Melusine showed no surprise. One had followed over a thousand years, the other two thousand four hundred. They'd seen Morgan's ways.
Quickly, after brief resistance, the golden aurora was swallowed and crushed bit by bit by the thick black aurora. Then Artoria took Morgan's Holy Sword attack head-on!
*BAM!*
Like Mordred before, Artoria—hit directly—plummeted from the sky. But thanks to Avalon's rapid healing inside her, the next moment after falling, she stabilized and halted mid-air.
"Excalibur."
Morgan's voice rang from the air again. Thick black aurora descended instantly. Artoria—just stabilized—was swallowed and submerged by the falling darkness!
"Lady Artoria!"
Seeing this from afar, Mash immediately wanted to pursue, but the moment her attention shifted, Melusine's attack landed hard on her back, kicking her into distant rubble!
Meanwhile on the other side—
*BOOM!*
Swinging her giant sword and spewing blazing explosions, Barghest mercilessly shattered Jeanne Alter's opposing flames. The massive sword slashed full-force at her dragon banner!
Overwhelming power—as if to cleave her in two—left Jeanne Alter no intent to block further. After one parry, she retreated! Waving the banner to ignite hellfire beneath Barghest's feet!
*BAM!*
With a pure slash, Barghest cleaved the flames. She looked down on her foe: "Weak attacks. Is this Proper Human History's power? Truly nothing to fear."
*TWANG!*
A bowstring vibration echoed from afar. In a spot Barghest couldn't see directly, a thick light arrow suddenly struck! Simultaneously, dozens of light ripples appeared overhead. Numerous average B-rank Noble Phantasms rained down!
Atalanta's precision shot and Angelica's Noble Phantasm salvo.
"Hmph!"
Barghest snorted coldly. She turned and shattered Atalanta's shot with one slash. Then swung full-force at the falling Noble Phantasms. Exploding fire waves blasted them away or detonated mid-air.
(Tch, my serious arrow broken so easily… She rivals Heracles.)
Atalanta—continuously seeking firing angles from afar—grimaced. Angelica's expression aboard airborne Vimana wasn't good either.
(She's getting better at countering treasures. Not technical improvement, but pure power growth in this aspect… What's going on?)
Angelica didn't know—this was the Fairy Protection Naoki directly granted Barghest and Baobhan Sith.
Protection that gave abilities matching their shifting consciousness, beliefs, spirit, and desires.
Barghest's current state: gradually gaining specialized adaptation to counter Gate of Babylon through continuous combat. A variant of Arrow Protection.
"Alright, game over."
Barghest eyed Jeanne Alter and the others: "Since Her Majesty used the Holy Sword, I must finish quickly. I won't hinder her—Flames, pierce the heavens."
With Barghest's voice, the sky-piercing flames Ritsuka and Mash faced on Boundary Isle reappeared in Camelot. Ambient temperature skyrocketed, air severely distorting from rising heat!
Then—
*CRASH!*
Barghest swung her sky-soaring fire sword. The flame blade—as if to bisect Camelot—instantly incinerated and melted everything ahead! Cleaving the city in two!
Without doubt, under this truly extraordinary attack in both power and range, Jeanne Alter, Atalanta, Touko, and Ciel had no room to resist.
Though Barghest held back from direct hits, the exploding fire waves and shock were enough to fell them all!
Even airborne Angelica was affected by the heat wave, forcing Vimana higher.
In pure combat power and fire output, Barghest surpassed Melusine.
"Alright, four down." Barghest looked up at Angelica. "Only you left, doll using Heroic Spirit power—Let me see the weight of Proper Human History's oldest King of Heroes."