A Person in Type-Moon, Possessing a Hero Simulator Chapter 7

Beneath the Holy Tree, the blade was invincible.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Lloyd. Remember, our victory or defeat is irrelevant. What matters is that the Holy Tree takes root and the Divine Era endures."

"I understand."

That was where Fallen Leaf's message ended. Fujimaru Kyoya sensed a trace of sorrow within it—the sorrow of abandoning everything else for the sole sake of preserving an era.

This was not merely the final embodiment of the Divine Era's personality; it was also Vortigern's feelings as a human.

Vortigern had spent his entire life striving to preserve the Divine Era. He had turned against the people he had protected all his life, against the brothers who had fought at his side, and against the entire world. In the end, the one who could speak with him was Fujimaru Kyoya, someone with no connection to him whatsoever.

What bitter irony.

Vortigern had given up far too much along the way, so he absolutely could not fail. Even if he had to relinquish the advantage in battle, he had to ensure the Divine Era's continuation.

"Then I'll leave everything to you. I'll stop every enemy except King Arthur, and you will go kill Artorius."

To Fujimaru Kyoya, Artorius was both an Arch-Nemesis and a friend. But now that their positions stood opposed, and the debts of gratitude between them had been settled, there was no need to speak of sentiment when blades were drawn.

"Artorius, have you found your answer?"

Fujimaru Kyoya leaned beneath the Holy Tree as golden Fallen Leaves drifted down around him. No matter whether Artorius ultimately won or lost, he at least hoped that the one born to be regarded as the Perfect King could truly live as a human for once.

[You issued an order for passive defense. No matter how King Arthur's army attacked cities and seized territory, you remained as immovable as a mountain.]

[Unfavorable rumors began spreading through London City, lowering morale. Yet you paid them no heed. As long as the Holy Tree grew, victory would be yours.]

[Battle reports came flying in like snowflakes. Rumor had it that King Arthur wielded a Holy Sword of certain victory, and morale plummeted once more.]

[The territory that had once occupied two-thirds of Britain began to shrink drastically. As one side waned and the other waxed, defeat seemed close at hand.]

[You asked about Vortigern's progress. It seemed that only three more days were needed to complete the anchoring of the Divine Era. You needed to stall for that time.]

"Merlin, how much time do we have left?"

"Artorius" looked at the towering tree that blanketed all of London. If it continued to grow, its roots would likely reach the Inner Sea of Stars and begin drawing nourishment from it.

"Three days. We must destroy that Holy Tree within three days."

Merlin could not help but find the Holy Tree before him troublesome.

If the tree used the Inner Sea of Stars as nourishment and brought True Aether back into the human world, it would rapidly accelerate the depletion of the Great Source and might even trigger a Singularity Event.

"Taking London and burning down that tree in three days? That'll be difficult. But if we do it together with everyone, we should be able to manage it."

"Artorius" thought of Fujimaru Kyoya guarding beneath the Holy Tree, then glanced at the knights beside him, each with their own extraordinary skills.

"Lloyd, I'm here to save you."

"Artorius" mounted his horse with sword in hand and looked toward London City. Behind him stood Gawain, Tristan, Lancelot, Agravain... one renowned knight after another had gathered at his back.

Now, "Artorius" had come to "save" someone.

[London City gradually fell into ruin beneath the enemy army's assault. As King Arthur's renown spread, panic began to rise within the city.]

[The Anglo-Saxons who had come for profit scattered in a rush. People gathered by profit alone could not be counted on in times of danger.]

[You sensed more and more people approaching the Holy Tree. Only three hours remained until the Holy Tree bloomed.]

"Only three hours left?"

Fujimaru Kyoya sensed the people drawing ever nearer. Beneath the Holy Tree, everything had become his domain. He could sense that the enemy numbered roughly... fifty thousand.

"Hold off fifty thousand people for three hours? That won't be difficult."

This was not merely Fujimaru Kyoya's confidence, but the consensus of both sides. "Artorius" had brought only a few knights beneath the Holy Tree. Sending more people would only increase casualties and get in the way.

Beneath the Holy Tree, he was invincible.

"Gawain, Agravain, Lancelot, Tristan... only these few? Artorius, have you run out of capable men?"

"Trying to stir our emotions with words from the very start, Lloyd? That only shows your lack of confidence."

"Artorius" would not be disturbed by such clumsy provocation. It was trust in his companions.

"If I could, I would end you myself. But he has already claimed your life."

Fallen Leaf brought a message—the will of Vortigern. He wanted to meet the Puppet called "King Arthur" and see what gave Merlin the confidence to make such wild claims.

"I'll handle Vortigern. I'll leave delaying Lloyd to you."

"Artorius" did not expect anyone to defeat Fujimaru Kyoya beneath the Holy Tree. Besides, the key to whether the Divine Era declined or not did not lie here.

The fate of the Divine Era rested solely upon the struggle between the Red Dragon and the White Dragon.

"Lloyd, I'll come save you."

"No need."

They merely passed by each other, but for these two Arch-Nemeses, a thousand words had already been spoken.

"Artorius" understood that Fujimaru Kyoya was helping Vortigern only so that the people he cared about could live out the rest of their lives in peace. Fujimaru Kyoya himself had no reason to insist on helping Vortigern.

Then all they had to do was ensure that the Divine Era's decline proceeded more slowly and smoothly. The current "Artorius" had no way to achieve that, but as long as he did not give up, anything was possible.

This was humanity's "greed." At this moment, "Artorius" had begun to understand.

"Come at me together. I'm in a hurry."

Fujimaru Kyoya drew the Holy Sword. After only a brief exchange, he sensed that "Artorius" had undergone some sort of change, and it made him uneasy.

Could Vortigern really win?

Though Fujimaru Kyoya was not truly one of Vortigern's subordinates, as an ally, he still respected the other man's choice. He had no intention of interfering in the fated battle between the Red Dragon and the White Dragon, but that did not mean he would sit by and watch the Divine Era Decline.

Even if "Artorius" won, he would stab him in the back and ensure the Divine Era continued.

"Lloyd, aren't you underestimating us a little too much?"

Gawain stepped forward. It was exactly three in the afternoon, and the next three hours were his strongest hours.

Naturally, he would not yield the role to anyone else.

"My apologies. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. I'm not underestimating you. It's just that every last one of you is trash."

The Holy Tree swayed in the wind, ripples spreading through its branches. The brilliant sunlight immediately dimmed, and the blessing that had manifested upon Gawain weakened as well.

Just as Gawain froze in surprise, Fujimaru Kyoya moved.

Whether it was his verbal provocation earlier or the suppression of his domain now, Fujimaru Kyoya appeared not to care about these people at all. Yet everything he had done was for this instant of hesitation, for this strike that was certain to land.

Who would have expected Fujimaru Kyoya to attack the moment Gawain suddenly weakened?

"Clang—"

A dark figure rushed forward at high speed, blocking that inevitable sword strike for a moment. Though he could not stop Fujimaru Kyoya, it was enough to give Gawain time to react.

"Gawain, you're letting yourself get distracted on the battlefield."

Among the knights, Agravain was the first to see through Fujimaru Kyoya's scheme. Though his strength was limited, he had still served his purpose.

"To think that a Holy Sword as clear as water has fallen into the hands of a petty villain. How tragic."

Mournful music accompanied the arrows. Tristan had long since drawn his bow and nocked an arrow. Having ventured deep into this Holy Tree before, he understood even better that Fujimaru Kyoya's strength was far from limited to this.

They had to give it everything they had from the very start. Otherwise, they would be the only ones to lose.

"What a troublesome bunch. I wanted to take care of that Muscle Ape first, but since that failed, I suppose I'll have to go all out."

Belittling one's enemies as trash was merely basic procedure, but actually believing one's own words was the beginning of failure.

Fujimaru Kyoya released his mana, which drew in the moisture from the air. Droplets of water floated in midair.

"Then let me show you what the Blade of Vortigern truly is."

Azure sword light flashed. Guided by Fujimaru Kyoya's swordsmanship, the water droplets in the air transformed into blades one after another. Beneath this Holy Tree was his absolute home ground. Here, he had no reason to lose.

"I told you before. Beneath the Holy Tree, I am invincible."

"You've come, Child of the Red Dragon."

Vortigern opened his eyes. At that moment, most of his body was connected to the Holy Tree, and he looked upon the "nephew" before him with utter disdain.

This was not his younger brother's child at all. She was merely a tool created by Merlin.

"I have come, Vortigern."

Artoria did not dare let down her guard in the slightest before the old man.

Vortigern was connected to the Holy Tree. He was the Holy Tree itself, the Divine Era itself, and... the White Dragon.

His bulging muscles leapt excitedly. His once weathered white hair had lost its withered look and gained a new luster, while his eyes had turned into dragon-like vertical pupils.

As if influenced by that fighting spirit, Artoria's eyes also shifted into vertical pupils. The blood of the Red Dragon was boiling within her body.

"Heh. Merlin, the instigator of all this, did not dare face me himself and instead sent a puppet. So be it."

Vortigern rose to his feet, and the vines connected to his body exploded one by one. Yet his presence did not weaken in the slightest. Instead, it grew ever stronger.

"Let me see what qualifications a puppet like you has to stand before me."

"A puppet? Then savor this well. Losing to the puppet you speak of should be quite an interesting experience."

Artoria drew the Holy Sword. Its golden radiance complemented the golden light of the Holy Tree, merging as one.

They were both people who fought to protect others. Only their differing paths had doomed them to be enemies.

Neither side dared lower their guard, and neither made the first move. If not for the leaves still falling from the Holy Tree, proving that time was passing, anyone who witnessed this scene would have thought it was a painting.

Then... they moved.

The So-Called Resolve...

Strong—very strong. This was the strongest enemy Artoria had ever encountered. If not for Avalon's protection, she would likely have already been defeated.

"An interesting Turtle Shell. It has brought you to a higher dimension, granting you defense without a single blind spot. I admit that I cannot break through your defenses."

Vortigern's body stood as imposing as a mountain. Even though he could not break through his enemy's defense, he showed no trace of discouragement. The reason was simple—time was on his side.

"Even if you cannot lose, neither can you win. The roots of the Holy Tree have already begun to reach the Inner Sea of Stars. You have lost."

You have lost.

Those piercing words entered Artoria's mind. Was she going to lose here?

"No. We both know that until the final strike, neither of us can determine victory or defeat. Before you reach the Inner Sea of Stars, you have not succeeded."

Even if he came infinitely close to success, as long as he failed to reach the reality known as "victory," then he had "failed."

"The final strike? Can you do it?"

Vortigern naturally understood what this so-called "final strike" was. It was the holy sword in her hand—the Holy Sword of Stars that, according to legend, had saved the Earth. Once the thirteen seals upon it were lifted, it could indeed turn the tide of battle.

But could a mere puppet truly lift the holy sword's seals?

"What right do you have to wield the holy sword? A hollow puppet, a borrowed ideal..."

"Even if it is a borrowed ideal, as long as I carry it through to the end, then it is... my ideal."

A sacred light shone from Artoria's hand, drawing Vortigern's gaze.

"The moment Lloyd defeated you, you should have gained the ability to think for yourself. Even if the future you chose is destined to be a tragedy, will you still walk that path without wavering?"

Vortigern sensed it. That was not the will a puppet ought to possess. But why would someone capable of independent thought choose a tragedy?

"I want both the 'present' and the 'future.' I will guide this era smoothly into the future. I will minimize the losses."

"You have a solution?"

Vortigern could not believe it. He had thought for so long, yet never found an answer.

"No."

Artoria answered with perfect confidence. Even Vortigern was stunned by her ability to spout such nonsense with a straight face.

That shamelessness... was this what they meant by bad company corrupting good character?