Even without deliberately looking into it, Fujimaru Kyoya had heard of King Arthur's story: the conflict between the Red Dragon and the White Dragon, the collapse of the Knights of the Round Table, the choice of Sword and Sheath...
He truly wondered what kind of hero King Arthur had been.
"Hm? That ahoge?"
As Fujimaru Kyoya pondered, an ahoge swaying in the wind caught his attention. It reminded him of someone small and slight, yet remarkably strong, someone who had defeated him.
"Artorius?"
"Lloyd? Have you seen my brother? He forgot to bring his sword."
The "boy" named Artorius heard someone call his name and quickly spotted Fujimaru Kyoya amid the crowd.
"Kay? I haven't seen him, but just look for the messiest place. That guy's got a filthy mouth. He's bound to stir up plenty of trouble."
The mere thought of Kay made Fujimaru Kyoya feel vaguely sick. When he had first learned just how foul Kay's mouth was, he had even wondered whether this was Britain or Zaun.
"Thank you, Lloyd. Then I..."
"Artorius, are you only here to deliver the sword?"
Fujimaru Kyoya looked at the "boy" before him. She clearly looked like a woman, yet for some reason, he always regarded her as a man.
Beyond that inexplicable feeling, Fujimaru Kyoya understood even more clearly what kind of power lay within this "boy."
This "boy" was practically a humanoid Dragon.
Artorius said nothing. Her emerald-like eyes merely gazed toward the Sword in the Stone, and her meaning could not have been clearer.
"So it was you after all."
Leaving behind those words, Fujimaru Kyoya returned.
[You noticed Artorius's identity, but it did not dampen your fighting spirit. Instead, it made you crave strength even more.] [You sensed a power calling to you. It seemed to have always been a part of you, and now, stirred by your fighting spirit, it began to summon you.] [You entered the forest and waded through a stream. You felt it drawing ever closer.] [You reached your hand into the flowing water.]
On his way back, Fujimaru Kyoya had clearly felt a force pulling him along. As he drew nearer, he became increasingly certain that it was his own Holy Sword calling to him.
"Found it."
Fujimaru Kyoya grasped something and pulled it from the stream. A sword buried in the silt finally saw daylight again.
"Flowing water never stagnates; a door hinge never rots?"
Fujimaru Kyoya looked at the Celtic script on the blade. It was a long, narrow sword, and when he held it, it felt almost like an extension of his body.
[You obtained the "Sword of Perpetual Purity." You have grasped the true meaning of flowing water. Noble Phantasm unlocked.] [Noble Phantasm "Flowing Water Never Stagnates; a Door Hinge Never Rots" unlocked: Anti-Personnel Noble Phantasm. Your sword moves flow endlessly like water. Until either you or your enemy is defeated, the sword shall never stop.]
Just as Fujimaru Kyoya found his Holy Sword, a "boy" gripped the hilt of the Sword of Selection and pulled it free. King Arthur stepped onto Britain's stage.
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[The Sword in the Stone was drawn. You sensed the changing of the times and set out upon the path of training.] [You dealt with a band of bandits and gained a small amount of money.] [You punished a noble who preyed on men and bullied women. You gradually gained a little fame.] [You encountered a force of Vortigern's army. You wiped them out alone, gaining a large sum of money and gradually earning some fame.]
"One mug of ale."
Fujimaru Kyoya entered a tavern. Though it was not his first time, killing still made him uncomfortable. He needed some alcohol to numb himself.
But before he could take a sip, a burst of commotion rang out. Someone appeared to be causing trouble in the tavern.
[The noise in the tavern disrupted your thoughts. Some harsh and unpleasant words reached your ears, sounding strangely familiar.] [Following the sound, you saw three people surrounded: a somewhat familiar Maiden Knight in a white dress, a white robed mage with an irritating grin and flowers practically blooming around him, and finally, your acquaintance Kay.] [You found that girl very familiar, but could not remember where you had seen her before.]
A girl?
Fujimaru Kyoya looked at the ahoge swaying atop the Maiden Knight's head. Why did this feeling of familiarity seem so strong?
Artorius!
Fujimaru Kyoya remembered Artorius, whom he regarded as his Arch-Nemesis—the King Arthur who had drawn the Sword in the Stone.
This girl had the same golden hair, the same green eyes, even the exact same ahoge. Could she be... Artorius's younger sister?
For some reason, Fujimaru Kyoya's thoughts took a sharp turn. He had Merlin's illusion to thank for that, as it separated the "concepts" of Artoria and Artorius.
Even if Artoria appeared as a girl, no one would recognize her as King Arthur.
Likewise, when Artoria appeared as King Arthur, no one would think she was a girl.
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This was Merlin's greatest trick as the foremost illusionist of the age—an illusion capable of deceiving even the world itself.
Since she was his Arch-Nemesis's sister, there was no reason not to help her.
Fujimaru Kyoya had never been a hero. His principle in life was to side with those close to him rather than with reason, regardless of why they had clashed with these people.
But this was Vortigern's territory. Once her identity was exposed, she would become a trump card to restrain Artorius.
For that reason, Fujimaru Kyoya had to save her.
"You little bastard, I'm going to make you regret being born with a mouth."
Scarface, his face fierce, held a sharp longsword.
He had been in a great mood today, and his luck had been excellent too. In a shabby tavern like this, he had actually found such a lovely little girl.
She was fucking perfect.
Scarface was already "in tenpai," just waiting for an "ippatsu." Unfortunately, that brat had completely ruined his refined mood.
"In a moment, right in front of you, I'll definitely..."
Bang!
A loud crash came from the back of Scarface's head. The immense impact knocked his eyes white, and he collapsed to the floor.
Only then did everyone see the Black-Haired Knight standing behind Scarface. The thick wooden stick in his hand was stained with fresh blood.
"I'm about to sneak attack."
You already did, damn it.
Even Merlin, scum that he was, could not help silently mocking him. He had no idea why this handsome young Knight could use such underhanded tactics with such a calm expression.
This guy was clearly stronger than Scarface.
"Lloyd?"
"Let's go. We shouldn't stay here."
Fujimaru Kyoya looked around at the crowd. Before long, they would call the city guard, and then they would face a manhunt across the entire city.
That alone was not a threat, but if it drew the White Dragon's attention, escaping would become difficult.
"Where's Artorius? He isn't with you?"
Fujimaru Kyoya had no idea where King Arthur had gone. But Kay was Artorius's brother, and this Maiden Knight clearly had deep ties to Artorius as well.
Kay glanced at Artoria. Other than silently marveling at Merlin's exceptional illusion, he did not know what else to say.
"Forget it. Let's leave quickly."
Kay did not answer, and Fujimaru Kyoya did not press the issue. After all, plenty of people wanted to know King Arthur's whereabouts right now. If they did not trust him, so be it.
But leaving this place was the priority.
"This one's tough. Brothers, get him together!"
Only then did the people around them realize what had happened. Seeing their boss knocked down, they prepared to swarm him.
After all, how strong could a Knight who fought by clubbing people from behind really be?
A reasonable thought, but it had two flaws.
First, Fujimaru Kyoya's strength was beyond question. Not just anyone could cross blades with King Arthur.
Second, they seemed to have overestimated Fujimaru Kyoya's lower limits.
Fujimaru Kyoya coldly swept his gaze over those fools rushing to their deaths. With a wave of his hand, a cloud of white powder struck their faces, instantly robbing them of their vision.
"Lime powder? A dignified Knight actually..."
Artoria stared at Fujimaru Kyoya in shock. She had sparred with him more than once. His swordsmanship had always been upright and forceful, impossible to associate with someone who clubbed people from behind and threw lime powder.
"Why bother with Knightly honor when dealing with heretics and evildoers?"
Fujimaru Kyoya had never possessed much Knightly honor. He simply came from a Knightly family, so people treated him as a Knight.
But that was good. Who would expect a Knight to club people from behind and throw lime powder?
It gave Fujimaru Kyoya the best cover for dirty tricks. And for those who believed he only knew how to club people from behind and throw lime powder, the Sword of Perpetual Purity at his waist would leave its sheath.
"Then before, you...?"
"Combat and training are different. The purpose of combat is to survive; the purpose of training is to make yourself stronger. If you rely on cheap tricks in training, you'll only harm yourself in the end."
This Blonde Girl seemed to know about Fujimaru Kyoya's training with Artorius, but that did not particularly surprise him.
At this moment, he could already imagine Artorius boasting to his sister about his victories after winning.
I'll remember this grudge for now.
"What happened?"
"What happened?"
"What happened?"
"What happened?"
Humanity's true nature revealed itself at that moment. Everyone seemed to turn into a repeating machine. The gathering crowd inevitably caught the attention of the city's soldiers.
[Your actions alerted the soldiers.] [You led your companions through the encirclement. An army of hundreds could not stop your advance, and your fame spread far and wide.] [Your name became known to Vortigern.]
Kamen Rider Is Also a Knight
Out in the wilderness, Kay and Merlin prepared a fire and cooked, while Fujimaru Kyoya and Artoria sparred nearby.
It was truly unbelievable.
Fujimaru Kyoya had thought so more than once. Even if this girl was Artorius's sister, her strength was already nearly on par with Artorius's.
If his "Arch-Nemesis" state had not failed to activate, he would have almost believed that the person before him was Artorius dressed as a woman.
After all, that guy already looked... somewhat feminine.
"Lily, we should go."
Just as the two were locked in fierce combat, Merlin suddenly approached and stopped their sparring. His expression was unusually serious.
Clearly, something major had happened.
"Vortigern's army has started moving toward us. Their target is extremely clear. There must be a Mage's Familiar nearby."
"An army? Are there a lot of them?"
Artoria did not think a small number of enemies could do anything to them.
"It isn't a matter of numbers. Vortigern himself is leading them."
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