[3rd POV]
Artoria knelt on the ground, clearly shaken by my blow. To say she looked surprised would be a massive understatement.
Leaning on Excalibur, she slowly stood up, staring at me with an icy gaze.
"Why didn't you show this potential when fighting Medusa?" she said, glancing at her right hand, which was trembling from the impact.
I simply smiled—my power was leagues beyond what I had shown in that battle. It was almost nostalgic to think back on it.
Keeping the smile on my lips, I opened my mouth and said, "So, Archer really was your eyes."
"Isn't that obvious? A king always stays informed about their enemies." Her golden eyes gleamed coldly as she stared at me.
I placed a hand on my chin, pondering. "I suppose I agree. After all, technically, I'm a king too."
She gave a faint smirk. "Monkey King, huh? Technically, you're my senpai~!" she said mockingly.
"Sorry…" I muttered, leaping off the pillar as Nobunaga landed beside my comrade. "But only that pink-haired beauty has the right to call me senpai." I pointed my thumb at Mash, who was getting up with the help of her shield.
"Senpai…" she murmured, her face slightly flushed, while Nobunaga rolled her eyes at me.
"Hehehe." Artoria let out a cold laugh. "She reminds me of a certain friend of my former Master."
Emiya Shirou!
With those words, that name echoed in my mind.
Interesting. So, in this distorted timeline, she had also been a Servant of Emiya.
"What happened to your Master?" I asked curiously, though I already had a guess, as I raised my hand, shrinking Ruyi Jingu Bang and letting it return to my palm.
"Isn't it obvious?" Artoria raised Excalibur with one hand, giving a tyrannical smile. "I killed him." She watched my expression but saw no change. "My words don't seem to have surprised you."
"Of course not. I already expected that from you." I spun Ruyi Jingu between my fingers, feeling its familiar weight.
"Really? You talk as if you know me." There was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes.
"Something like that. I've seen your uncorrupted version."
"Hahaha! So you've seen that foolish version of me. Then surely, the one standing before you must seem like a failure." Even as she said that she didn't sound self-deprecating.
"No, not at all. Honestly, I like you better this way." A smile spread across my lips, catching her off guard.
Instinctively, she raised her sword—a wise decision, as in a burst of speed, I was right in front of her, swinging the staff toward her head. She dodged, tilting her neck to the side, letting Ruyi Jingu graze past her cheek.
With a smile on my lips, I stomped the ground, spinning my body and swinging Ruyi Jingu toward her flank. Without hesitation, she raised Excalibur to block.
Boom!
The clash of our weapons echoed through the cave. Even though she blocked the attack, her body was thrown back. Her feet slid across the ground as she stabbed Excalibur into the earth to stabilize herself, tearing a gash in the stone.
"Worthy of a Berserker," she said, pulling the sword from the ground and gazing at me with her icy eyes.
I only smiled while Olga and Fujimaru ran toward Mash, Caster, and Nobunaga, who remained with her arms crossed.
"You're not going to fight alongside your allies?" She raised Excalibur, pointing it at my companions.
"Nah. I'm too selfish and possessive to share you with anyone else." Surprising her again, I charged forward, swinging the staff in multiple directions, creating a whirlwind of strikes she blocked with pinpoint precision.
The sound of the staff and sword clashing grew louder in the cave. Although the area wasn't dark, each blow produced sparks that lit up the space.
"So you want me all to yourself, monkey." She smiled, lifting Excalibur vertically to deflect the staff.
"Of course. When I see something of immense value, it's only natural to want it for myself. And as I said, I prefer you this way." I pulled Ruyi Jingu back and kicked at her stomach. Trusting her instincts, she blocked with her gauntlet, but the impact launched her into the air.
Spinning mid-air, she landed flawlessly on the ground.
The moment her feet touched the ground, I was already rushing toward her. I plucked two hairs and threw them into the air, invoking [Hair Clones].
Perfect copies of me materialized in the air, each wearing the same smile.
"Hahaha! A beauty."
"King of Knights, I'm your fan."
The clones charged forward, striking with their Ruyi Jingu.
""Grow!""
They shouted, and Artoria agilely evaded, avoiding the blows that cracked the ground and raised a cloud of dust. Before the dust settled, she dove into it, Excalibur cloaked in violent energy.
The clones tried to defend, but Artoria swung her sword, unleashing an explosion of energy that obliterated them, turning them into white smoke.
Excalibur not only eliminated the clones but came crashing down toward me in a powerful, straight slash. I raised Ruyi Jingu just in time to block it. The blade collided with the staff, and the ground beneath my feet cracked like a spider web, a pained expression briefly crossing my face from the impact.
"Sorry, but as a king, I can't have more than one spouse. I'd rather you leave your clones out of our date." A cold, mocking smile spread across her lips.
Feeling my bones tingle from the blow, I tilted the staff to the side. "And what about Guinevere?" As Excalibur slid down Ruyi Jingu, I launched a quick strike.
She raised her blade, blocking with precision. "Just a political marriage." She pushed the staff aside and raised Excalibur, which exploded with magical energy. With a charming smile, she brandished the sword.
«Vortigern, Hammer of the Vile King, reverse the rising sun. Swallow the light, Excalibur Morgan!!»"
She unleashed her Noble Phantasm almost point-blank, giving me little time to dodge. All I managed to do was leap back and raise my arm to shield myself from the blast—but the force hurled me into the air.
My body rolled across the ground until I hit a wall, which finally stopped my momentum. With the impact, boulders fell on top of me.
Even with the Monkey King's Mantle, I took significant damage—even though most of it had been absorbed by the Robe.
I waved my arm, brushing off the rubble from on top of me.
"Ugghhhh… That hurt." I stood up, blood dripping from my lips. My organs had shifted from the impact, but my [Pseudo-Perfect Immortality] was already healing them. If it weren't for this damn circlet on my head, my regeneration would be even stronger.
Though I wasn't in great shape and my mana was low, Artoria wasn't at her best either. Her breathing was heavy, and much of her skin was burned. In terms of mana, she was probably in better condition, but physically, I had the upper hand—mostly thanks to my regeneration ability.
Still, that power only healed my wounds—the pain from her blows remained rooted in my mind.
Despite the pain, I couldn't stop smiling.
Biting my lip, I resisted the urge to charge at her again for a moment, I stood still, watching her as my gaze fell on the staff in my hands.
I looked at Ruyi Jingu Bang, a strange connection pulsing through me as if the weapon was finally responding to my will.
At that moment, I could feel it—I could now use it at 100%. It was as if Ruyi Jingu Bang responded to my will.
Feeling this, I gripped the staff firmly, while a chant took root in my mind. I instinctively knew this battle would end in the next exchange.
With that thought, I returned my gaze to her.
"Shall we end this, once and for all?" I asked, walking toward her.
"That would be perfect." She swiped the sweat from her brow.
"For the final dance of the night, let's go all out." I slid my foot back, holding the base of the staff with just the tips of my fingers as I released all of my mana at once.
Artoria smiled, raising Excalibur above her head. She wasn't holding back either, and her overwhelming mana filled the cave.
"You're strong. I approve of your strength." She smiled coldly. "What's your name?"
"Altair Miller." I smiled at her.
"A good name. I promise I won't forget it—no matter the outcome." Her blade erupted with magical energy, far more intense than before. The pressure forced my companions to retreat, and the cave, spacious and sturdy as it was, seemed ready to collapse.
Facing that, I could only smile as Ruyi Jingu began to crack, revealing a golden glow beneath the fractures.
••• ••• •••
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