Mako stood, his arm and leg wounded.
An energy sword was lodged in his left arm, another in his right thigh.
He gripped his rapier in his right hand. His pulse didn't waver.
"I'll give you some respect, lapdog," Arthur said, facing Mako. "It's impressive you're still standing."
Arthur snapped his fingers, and the two energy swords vanished.
"What are you doing?" Mako asked, puzzled.
"I control my light swords at will. I could've severed your arms and legs, but…" Arthur began, scratching his beard.
He basked in the sunlight for a moment before continuing:
"That would've fallen into your trap, wouldn't it?" he said shrewdly.
In the background, Mako and Arthur could hear the battle between Zork and Rebecca.
They seemed unaffected by Mako's time-rewind ability.
Rebecca fell from the sky, drove three light swords into Zork's copy, and was now poised to finish the original.
If things continued, the outcome would be the same… Rebecca would kill Zork.
"Now you're being soft," Mako said, assuming a guarded stance.
"Soft?" Arthur said, snapping his fingers again. "You're mistaken. I don't know what you did, but if a direct chest strike didn't kill you, then…"
Two blue light swords reappeared, floating in the air. Arthur began moving his arms…
Each sword moved in sync with one of his arms.
"I'll destroy you piece by piece," Arthur's voice rang with chilling coldness.
'This damned old man,' Mako thought. 'I don't know what those swords do…'
Mako glanced at his left arm. He tried to move it, but could barely control his fingers.
"See?" Arthur said. "I, Sir Arthur II, don't need to resort to the nobles' dirty tricks."
The energy swords began circling the old man, following his arm movements.
"Severing limbs? Decapitation? You noble witches have tainted what I hold dearest…"
Arthur's words echoed in Mako's mind.
'Of course, neither he nor his daughter are paying a physical price for their abilities…' Mako thought.
If fighting Catherine was a test of endurance, Mako realized this situation was entirely different.
This was a duel, one that had to end with the next strike.
If he rewound time again, his odds would be worse. Not only would he have the chest pain, but his arm and leg would be crippled.
Worse still, Mako had barely scratched Arthur—mostly superficial cuts. Catching him off guard a second time was unlikely.
'What do I do?' Mako pondered in those tense moments. 'I can't take my eyes off the swords, but I can't lower my guard with him either…'
Arthur quickened his movements.
The energy swords moved so fast they became thin blue streaks in the air.
Mako's eyes couldn't keep up with the blue trails.
Zork groaned in the background. His end was near.
Rebecca dodged Zork's desperate swings effortlessly, as the orc was crippled by the weight crushing him.
Mako heard Arthur's palms clap.
It was now or never.
"The verdict…" Arthur shouted, lunging forward, "…is clear!"
The two energy swords shot straight at Mako.
Mako felt his entire life flash before his eyes. The instant felt eternal, almost in slow motion to his brain.
First, Mako deflected the initial blue flash aimed at him with his right hand, striking the energy sword precisely with his rapier's blade.
His rapier's blade was thin, but a precise strike was enough to parry the attack.
Despite years studying fencing and training rigorously, it wasn't until looping back a year that Mako felt he'd improved.
Years under Ana's training, facing his brother Erick, and still, Mako always felt powerless. Now, all those years of theory could be put into practice.
After deflecting the first attack, the second energy sword streaked like lightning toward Mako's lower abdomen.
Mako didn't hesitate. He pushed his body and skills to their limits.
'The old Mako could never have done this,' he thought.
He wasn't referring to his now-superhuman physical abilities. Mako meant the deep determination that had forged his soul.
With graceful wrist movement, he swiftly redirected his blade. Mako executed two perfect parries against the fleeting attacks, but again…
A third attack surpassed his incredible reflexes.
Arthur closed the distance. Despite his age, he was well-built from years of training.
In other words, Arthur never relied solely on his energy swords to end this fight.
First, Arthur struck Mako's wounded leg—a direct kick to the right thigh.
"Sh—!" Mako howled in pain before a devastating combo followed.
Arthur struck Mako's abdomen with a closed fist. Without losing momentum, he unleashed a flurry of blows to Mako's abdomen and chest, targeting the initial wound.
Yes, each strike hit the scarred wound directly.
The internal pain and blows brought Mako down.
With that, Mako collapsed.
"That was risky, no doubt," Arthur said calmly.
Meanwhile, Rebecca was about to finish Zork. All she needed was to clap her palms, and it would be over.
But as she prepared the final step… Rebecca felt a chill. A premonition ran through her.
The short-haired girl turned toward the podium, and what she saw was heartbreaking.
Her father, the man she admired most, stood proud and victorious over the young Mako. All that remained was the coup de grâce.
Mako, on the ground, began to rise.
Arthur didn't move.
"F-Father!" Rebecca cried, utterly distraught.
She kept staring at her father's proud, victorious figure. But despite his raised head, Rebecca could see he'd lost.
Mako, standing, couldn't help spitting blood from the blows.
"That hurt," he said casually.
Arthur laughed at his words.
"I'd say this hurts more," Arthur replied.
Mako grimaced. The rapier, a slender blade more suited for fencing artistry, was lodged in one of Arthur's ribs.
"Oh, don't get me wrong," Arthur continued. "Being defeated by a mere Crown lapdog… That hurts even more."
Though he smiled, blood poured from Arthur's lips. His snow-white beard began to stain red.
Unable to stand any longer, Arthur collapsed.
"FATHER!!" Rebecca screamed from the depths of her lungs.
Mako saw the calm face of the former city hero twist into a scowl of pure rage.
"REBECCA!!" Arthur roared back, furious. "Get out of here, damn it! NOW!!"
Rebecca's eyes filled with tears. Without another word, she turned and ran as fast as she could.
"Run…" Arthur whispered. "Please…"