Duel of the Heroic Spirit Swordmasters

As the space twisted and the magic surged, the six figures disappeared into the forest of Fuyuki City, and were transported to another ancient battlefield with endless yellow sand and thousands of troops galloping across it.

Meanwhile, in the dead of night, Tokiomi Tohsaka injured due to excessive blood loss, suddenly opened his eyes and got up from the pet hospital.

Feeling the excruciating pain in his body, he glanced at the bandage on his chest and recalled his experience a few days ago. Tokiomi Tohsaka's feelings were extremely complicated at this moment.

First, he was abandoned by Gilgamesh, the Servant he summoned, then he was betrayed by his most trusted disciple, and even... the person who saved him in the end was none other than Matou Kariya, whom he despised the most.

For Tokiomi Tohsaka, this blow was worse than killing him.

Not only did he lose his qualification for the Holy Grail War, but he was also betrayed by the person he trusted, and finally saved by the person he despised... Even on his deathbed, he entrusted his wife and daughter to the other person's care.

This experience left him with extremely complex feelings. His once proud and elegant heart seemed to have suffered some kind of ultimate insult, and for a moment he didn't know how to face himself Matou Kariya again.

"..."

He woke up early in the morning and gradually recalled that vague memory, but because he was unwilling to face the cruel reality, he kept his eyes closed and pretended to be asleep until Matou Kariya left, at which point he got out of bed.

He recalled that night Matou Kariya carried him and ran wildly through the streets to find a doctor for him, and he also thought of the words the other person had said to him before he died.

So it was because of Aoi...

I promised to give Aoi happiness...

Tokiomi Tohsaka closed his eyes, and then memories of the past flooded his mind.

He vaguely remembered that when he was competing with Matou Kariya, one night, Kariya, dressed in a disheveled state, ran into his house and punched him hard, saying some inexplicable things.

And after that day, Matou Kariya completely disappeared.

He had completely forgotten about it and had always considered him a coward and a weakling. But after experiencing a life-or-death ordeal, that experience, deeply buried in his heart, couldn't help but resurface.

That night, he roared at himself, "Tokiomi Tohsaka, I'm willing to withdraw from this battle. If you truly love Aoi, then go and make her happy! If you fail to do so and cause her to shed tears in the future, I will return anytime, anywhere to teach you a lesson and beat you to a pulp!!"

Matou Kariya's roar echoed incessantly in my ears.

I see...

Oh, I see...

Suddenly, Tokiomi Tohsaka understood everything. He finally knew why Matou Kariya had returned; it was because of this.

He stared blankly at the sunflower blooming in the sunlight by the window, then fell silent, lost in thought.

If it were at the beginning, facing Matou Kariya's questioning, he could certainly have nonchalantly said that he had done nothing wrong, but now...

Was I wrong?

Was I really wrong?

Perhaps... it really was a mistake...

Perhaps he shouldn't have asked for help; dying in betrayal and flames would have been the best end for him.

'Should I... die now?'

Tokiomi Tohsaka murmured softly, questioning himself. But he quickly dismissed the sudden thought.

Perhaps he truly deserved to die. Having gone through such a thing, he should have no face to live on and no idea how to face Matou Kariya.

But he absolutely shouldn't die now. He hasn't given his wife and daughter happiness yet. He has more important things to do!

Tokiomi Tohsaka turned his head and grabbed the mercury sword placed in front of the bed. It was the murder weapon that had been stuck in his chest until recently, when Matou Kariya removed it, and nearly killed him.

This is a gift from my father, and also a gift from me to Kirei Kotomine...

Upon seeing this, the gloomy feeling of confusion vanished, Tokiomi Tohsaka now knew what he should do.

"Kirei, Gilgamesh... you just wait and see."

He gripped the short sword tightly in his hand, and then his expression unconsciously turned somewhat ferocious.

Not long after...

Matou Kariya, carrying fruit back, stared blankly at the empty hospital bed in front of him.

"... Tokiomi Tohsaka?"

Chapter 71: Clash of Heroic Spirit Swordmaster (5k words)

—You're just learning how to say goodbye to the past.

The scene then returns to the Einzbern Family's residence.

The sword shimmered with layers of magic, its blade, enchanted by azure wind blades, dragged along the muddy road, producing a clanging sound that sent dazzling sparks flying. The blade left a deep gash on the rough stone pavement where it had passed.

A black-haired man, holding Golden Sword in one hand and a white magic wand in the other, slowly emerged from the shadows cast by the castle and appeared alone in the Serenity, bright moonlight of the courtyard.

At this moment, a faint light flickered in his pupils, and as his magical power rippled around him, different colored lights continuously emanated from him.

"What exactly is this...?"

Clearly noticing the change in Rovey, Artoria, standing opposite him, couldn't help but frown slightly.

Before she could say anything more, the young man in front of her took steady steps and, with the help of Magecraft, swung his first sword at the invincible King of Knights in front of him at top speed.

—Clang!

Amidst a shower of sparks and deafening roars, the battle between knights erupted completely.

Although one of the duelists wasn't a knight at all.

"Um?"

After a brief exchange, the humanoid red dragon in front of them gained an absolute advantage.

At this moment, Artoria gripped the Sword of Promised Victory tightly in her hand, steadily blocking the attack of the Sword in the Stone in mid-air. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her emerald eyes were fixed on the young man who was now close at hand. She then looked at the Golden Sword that was so familiar and so close at hand, and asked a question.

"... So it really is the Sword in the Stone?"

"Otherwise what? Surely the King of Knights of Britannia couldn't possibly not even remember what his first holy sword looked like?" Rovey raised an eyebrow at her and asked in return.

"Do you still remember yourself in your earliest days, King Arthur?"

Seeing the golden sword firmly held in mid-air, Rovey wasn't particularly surprised by this situation.

After all, the opponent was Heroic Spirit, while he was just a human. It was wrong to engage in close combat with him. Even with the enhancement of Rune, he only gained some ability to resist. In all aspects, he was still crushed by the humanoid red dragon. Not to mention that he was facing the knight among knights, standing at the very top, the King of Knights.

To think that one could contend with or even defeat such a person with the meager sword skills forcibly instilled in him was nothing short of a pipe dream.

"Mr. Rovey ..."

A hint of helplessness flickered in her emerald eyes. Artoria gripped the hilt of her sword tightly with both hands, using her holy sword to suppress the Golden Sword in his hand. She spoke softly, "Let's stop here. Although we are enemies now, I don't know where the Sword in the Stone in your hand came from."

Although their positions were diametrically opposed during the battle, Artoria still didn't deliver the fatal blow. Instead, her words carried a hint of admonition, "But I can guess that you must have a very close connection with the Knights of the Round Table, or rather, with someone from the past Britannia. Although I don't know what Merlin wants you for, I still advise you to give up, considering the letter. You are no match for me, and this is my choice. You don't need to risk your life for such a thing. Step back and let Queen Scáthach fight me."

"What if I refuse?"

Rovey did not heed Artoria's advice. Instead, he answered the question with a smile and increased the magic power he had infused into the golden sword, making the golden light shine even brighter.

Sensing the indomitable will conveyed by Rovey's sword, a hint of helplessness flashed in her emerald green eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

"Since you've come to advise me, you should understand that I will not show mercy just because you have any connection with Merlin or one of my knights."

As soon as she finished speaking, she stopped arguing with Rovey and suddenly increased the force and magic of her sword, sending him flying back more than ten meters.

Then, Artoria glanced at Scáthach, who was sitting leisurely on the castle steps watching the show, frowned slightly, and said nothing.

"Oh, so you still don't consider me a real opponent? Am I being underestimated?"

Hearing this, and realizing that Artoria never took him seriously and treated him as an enemy, Rovey scratched his head in slight distress.

"This is not underestimating them, but rather..."

"Instead, I'm offering advice, aren't I? Just like the advice I'm about to offer you. Heh, you're so arrogant, and so clueless about romance, Saber."

Rovey deflected his sword, mimicking the way he remembered it, and performed a sword flourish in mid-air, resuming his fighting stance.

"Since I've come all this way specifically to find you, and since I've already promised that scumbag I'd help you, then I should naturally do my best to fulfill our promise. If I back down without even trying, that would be too shameful. Besides..."

Rovey gazed into Artoria's emerald-like eyes and said calmly,

"It's not just because of that inhuman agreement, nor is it just for you, you foolish Sleeping Beauty; it's simply from the bottom of my heart. Saber, at this moment, my heart also longs to fight a Heroic Spirit like you, to personally experience the power of a hero of the Age of Gods, to understand my own weakness and position, so that I can rehearse what I'm about to do."

"For this, you're even willing to risk your life to do this rehearsal?!"

Upon hearing Rovey's answer, Artoria's eyes widened, clearly unable to comprehend his thought process in choosing to risk his life.

"What do you think? Think about it. In a quiet, deserted ancient castle, two swordsmen meet at the same time. Although it lacks the atmosphere of a duel, wouldn't it be a shame not to have a proper duel between swordsmen? What's that phrase again..."

"Oh, right, Heroic Spirit Swordmaster, now you are the Heroic Spirit Swordmaster, Saber Artoria, and I am your challenger. Just remember that, and seriously consider me your enemy. So..."

"Challenger Rovey Crowley hereby reports!!"

As Rovey half-jokingly spoke to her, the golden sword in his hand suddenly shimmered with a dazzling golden light as he continuously infused it with magic. In an instant, the golden radiance intertwined with the bright moonlight, reflecting a chilling glint in the night sky.

"If I could, I would prefer to fight at Ryūdō Temple rather than at Einzbern Castle. It would feel more like a duel there."

Even at this moment, Rovey still had the mood to make another joke with her.

"...I see."

"Artoria Pendragon, Queen of Britannia, is here to meet you."

So...

Challenger: Rovey Crowley, an ordinary Magus.

Challenger: King Arthur, King of Britannia, the King of Knights, Artoria Pendragon.

——Normal ではない!

The outcome is determined by the decision——!!

The final advice had been given, but seeing that the other party remained unmoved, Artoria closed her eyes, exhaled, and after a moment opened them again, speaking slowly.

"Then... Mr. Rovey, show me your resolve with your swordsmanship."

This time, Artoria's tone gradually turned cold, and then she made one last confirmation to Rovey in front of her.

"Of course, isn't this something that's already been made clear? Although I prefer to strategize from the rear and use various methods to defeat or eliminate you rather than personally fight against Heroic Spirit like you, but..."

Rovey gently shook his head and slowly said, "Since you've promised someone something, you should fulfill it properly, shouldn't you? Just like the purest principle in Alchemy..."

"There is no such thing as creation out of thin air or the power to turn stone into gold in this world. The principle of everything is ultimately just equivalent exchange."

Rovey remained calm and composed as he gazed at Artoria before speaking.

"So, Saber, so much time has passed now. Have you opened the envelope I gave you last time? And have you found the answers in your heart to the three questions I asked you?"

The envelope, the answer...

As Rovey's words fell softly, they pierced Artoria's heart like a sharp sword, causing her to drift off into thought. She couldn't help but recall the questions Rovey had asked her at the Banquet of Kings that night, and then subconsciously began to ponder their answers.

"..."

"Honestly, you're completely ignoring what I said."

Seeing Artoria's performance, Rovey sighed.

"But that's understandable. If you could figure it out yourself, you wouldn't have been stuck in this situation for so long. In that case, let me help you recall and find the answer."

"So Saber, my first question tonight is: are you still stuck in the quagmire of the past, unable to look to the future?"

"That kind of thing, I..."

Rovey's words startled Saber. Just as Artoria hesitated for a moment and had not yet had a chance to answer, a dazzling golden light accompanied by a sharp whooshing sound suddenly flashed past her eyes, heading straight for her head.

"Incorrect answer, please answer again."

--Bang!!

A dazzling golden light flashed before her eyes, and Artoria's gaze sharpened. Then, relying on her excellent Instinct, she predicted Rovey's sudden sword strike and swung her Sword of Promised Victory to meet it.