Sea Monster, King, and Awakening

The true power of a Heroic Spirit is far beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

Rider's chariot, accompanied by thunder and the roar of divine oxen, tore through the battlefield. With each lightning-fast charge, the emitted currents and sharp slashes effortlessly severed the tentacles of seven or eight-meter-thick monsters, as if they were mere brittle straw.

Saber's Holy Sword and Lancelot's Demon Sword possessed cutting power even greater than the thunder. With a single blow, the Sea Monster's thick tentacles were cleanly split in two, leaving smooth, even cuts.

The Sea Monster, naturally, was not to be outdone and launched a frantic counterattack.

However, for the agile Heroic Spirits, the Sea Monster's seemingly powerful, battering-ram-like attacks appeared in slow motion, riddled with openings and posing no threat.

The Heroic Spirits skillfully exploited the gaps in the Sea Monster's attacks, using sword winds to easily sever its tentacles and leaving shocking wounds across its massive body.

What was troublesome, however, was the Sea Monster's near-divine regenerative ability. The wounds inflicted by the Heroic Spirits healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if the previous attacks had never occurred.

"My King, be careful!"

After unleashing a magical slash, Lancelot keenly noticed Saber had been inadvertently ensnared by a Sea Monster tentacle. Without hesitation, he flew forward, swung his sword in reverse, and precisely severed the other tentacles that immediately struck, successfully rescuing Saber.

He then quickly retreated a distance with Saber.

Lancelot looked at Saber's left hand with concern, asking, "My King, your hand?"

Saber instinctively tightened her grip on her sword with both hands, only to feel a sense of powerlessness. She realized then that her current condition was not ideal, but the injury had not diminished her fighting spirit. "It's fine. I was injured by the Spear of Curse earlier, and the wound hasn't healed."

"I see, it must have been Lancer," Lancelot said, understanding dawning on him.

By the time he had appeared, Saber and Lancer's battle had temporarily concluded, and he was unaware of the specific details of what had transpired.

Furthermore, he had been in a state of maddened irrationality at the time, so even if he had relevant memories, they would likely have been consumed by his frenzied emotions.

Since Saber's right hand was incapacitated, it was easy to understand why she had been caught by the tentacles earlier.

"My King, please stand behind me. Now, your knight charges forth, ha!!"

Lancelot roared, and dark magic rapidly gathered on his Demon Sword. He swung his hand violently, unleashing a magical slash of astonishing power. The sheer force even split the river below in two, and a shocking, massive wound appeared on the enormous Sea Monster's body.

Lancelot engaged the Sea Monster in a fierce battle with unparalleled bravery and ferocity. His deafening roars, like rolling thunder, struck deep into Saber's heart.

"Lord Lancelot!"

Distant memories surged through Saber like a tide.

It was this same bravery, the way Lancelot had resolutely stood before her, fighting valiantly, time and again, always by her side.

A feeling beyond words slowly welled up from the deepest part of Saber's heart, as if emotions long forgotten in the corners of time had returned, stirring ripples within her.

Even with her injured left hand, Saber's passion to fight alongside Lancelot could not be contained.

"My knight, my friend! As your liege, how can I stand behind my vassal!"

Saber cried out.

Without a steadfast heart for battle, without the fearless courage to charge forward, without sincerity towards her vassals, how could she have forged the legend of the King of Knights, who fought for over a decade without defeat?

Saber's Holy Sword seemed to sense her surging passion. Amidst the howling wind, Saber resolutely deactivated the Noble Phantasm, Wind King Barrier. Instantly, the radiant, golden true form of the Holy Sword was revealed to all.

While the power of the Noble Phantasm, Wind King Barrier, was formidable, Saber felt she no longer needed to rely on such hidden strength.

With Lancelot fighting desperately before her, to continue hiding the true form of her Holy Sword would be a sacrilege to her vassal.

The petite King of Knights raised her Holy Sword high, a brilliant smile gracing her face, a rare sight in this Holy Grail War.

"My sword, my shield, my steed, my steadfast walls. Come forth, glorious King of Knights, Altria Pendragon, and raise aloft once more the sword that saves the world, shining upon all! Acknowledge me, my loyal knights, acknowledge me, my comrades in arms, acknowledge me, my guiding mentor, acknowledge me, my unwavering will, acknowledge me, the knightly path I sing of and defend!!!"

The Holy Sword radiated an unprecedented, dazzling light. Bathed in this radiance, Saber seemed to have rediscovered her past emotions and convictions.

She was no longer the young girl who had been utterly criticized by the King of Conquerors at the Three King's Banquet, nor the lost soul swayed by the King of Conquerors' Reality Marble, who had even lost her mind.

At this moment, Saber remembered moments when she had commanded the unwavering loyalty of her people.

What was failure, after all? Did her firm resolve to save her homeland require the acknowledgment of other kings?

The people were the foundation of her kingship, the embodiment of her will.

Now, the loneliness that had resided in her heart dissipated. Even if this feeling of fighting alongside an old friend could only last for a while, it was enough for Saber to regain her former passion and fighting spirit.

The dejection she had felt earlier, influenced by external factors, vanished without a trace. A revitalizing power echoed within her, much like the radiant Holy Sword in her hand.

However, reality was often cruel.

Even with Saber's noble ideals and firm convictions, the injury to her left hand still affected her, preventing the Holy Sword's radiance from fully blooming.

Yet, this dazzling light successfully caught the Sea Monster's attention. The colossal Sea Monster ceased its advance towards the city and slowly turned, approaching Saber's direction.

A massive tentacle lashed out from the side like lightning, creating a powerful gust of wind that distorted the surrounding air.

This sudden development shocked Rider, who quickly shouted, "Saber, dodge!!!"

Saber reacted swiftly, leaping sideways and soaring effortlessly over twenty meters into the air, narrowly evading the colossal tentacle, which was as tall as a building.

As she landed on the water's surface, Rider's chariot sped in from the side. Where the chariot passed, currents raged, electrocuting the tentacle until it was charred black, instantly rendering it immobile.

But before Rider could follow up, the Sea Monster's incredible regenerative ability kicked in once more. In the blink of an eye, the tentacle was as good as new.

Just then, a slash of dark magic whistled through the air, precisely cutting the massive tentacle in two. The severed tentacle splashed into the river with a "plop."

Rider's chariot pulled up beside Saber, his expression serious. "Saber, even more attacks like that won't do anything to the Sea Monster. We need to use a wider-ranging, more powerful attack. A single, decisive blow is the only way to destroy it."

Saber smiled confidently and replied, "King of Conquerors, I am well aware. Only my Noble Phantasm can completely destroy the Sea Monster."

Saber's confident, unusual aura caused Rider to pause for a moment, then he burst into laughter, clapping a hand down on Waver next to him, making Waver wince in pain.

Rider called out loudly, "Saber, oh no, King of Knights, you've changed! The you who has regained your confidence is the true king! The previous you was just a little girl; now, you are the renowned King of Knights."

"There's no need for such words, King of Conquerors. Let's first figure out how to deal with this monster. You're the fastest, go back to shore and tell Lancer about our current predicament, have him break the curse on me. As long as the Holy Sword's radiance can be fully unleashed, such an enemy will surely be turned to ash."

Saber's expression was resolute, her words filled with kingly dignity.

Rider, infected by Saber's confidence and presence, burst into laughter once more.

"Well said, King of Knights! This time, I admit, dealing with a monster like this truly requires your strength. Then I'll head back first, ha!!"

With that, Rider urged his divine bull forward, his chariot charging like an arrow loosed from a bow, leaving Saber standing quietly in place, awaiting good news.

"Sir Lancelot, I remember now. In the past, you were always like this, always buying us time, giving us the chance to achieve final victory," Saber said softly. Deep within her blue eyes, a fervent flame burned, and a powerful aura slowly rose from her.

Facing the giant tentacles that attacked again, Saber was not flustered at all, for deep in her heart, she knew that a certain figure would appear before her in time to shield her from danger.

As expected, Lancelot, clad in black armor, charged forward like a black lightning bolt, incredibly brave. He swung his Demon Sword, carrying an immense power that could overturn mountains and seas, fiercely repelling that tentacle.

"Bang!" The powerful force made the very air tremble, and the violent airflow swept around like surging ocean waves, even pressing down the water surface below, causing it to indent.

Then, using that momentum, Lancelot quickly arrived beside Saber. He lowered his head slightly and whispered an apology, "My apologies, my King, your knight has failed, allowing the enemy's attack to slip through."

"It's alright, Sir Lancelot."

Saber's voice was filled with confidence and resolve.

Hearing such a confident voice, Lancelot's body trembled slightly.

He looked at Saber's face; her familiar expression, unwavering determination, and confident demeanor made him feel as if he were seeing the radiant King of Knights of the past.

His heart was both excited and melancholic. "My King, you have finally returned. Your dream should continue to move forward. No matter who stands behind you, you should stride forward with conviction. Perhaps, pausing occasionally is a choice, but as long as you don't give up, there's still room for recovery. Perhaps, this Holy Grail War is the turning point of your destiny."

"My King, the Knights of the Round Table, Lancelot, will always stand firmly before you, cutting down all enemies that block your path!"

Lancelot silently vowed in his heart.

This was both his oath to Saber and his long-held wish and ideal.

However, he would fulfill this oath and ideal in a unique way, after defeating all other enemies.