A Person in Type-Moon, Possessing a Hero Simulator Chapter 8

Lloyd, you really were a walking disaster.

"I had already made my resolve, and resolve..."

Artoria raised the Holy Sword. There was no hesitation in her eyes; she would use the sword in her hand to illuminate the road ahead.

"...means carving a path forward through the pitch-black wilderness!"

The Round Table Vote began.

These were seals Avalon had placed upon the Holy Sword, and the glory that could only manifest beneath the gaze of righteous Knights.

This was a battle for survival;

This was a one-on-one battle;

This was a battle in pursuit of truth;

This was a battle against evil;

This was a battle for glory;

This was a battle against those stronger than oneself;

Half of the Thirteen Seals were released, and the Holy Sword's radiance descended upon the world once more. This was the Holy Sword's acknowledgment that the one wielding it was not a puppet, but a qualified king.

"This is... a battle to save the world."

A golden pillar of light rose from the ground into the sky, sweeping through the clouds and shattering the Holy Tree's majestic radiance.

"Save the world? Had I not also been saving the world all along?"

Vortigern watched the Holy Sword's radiance. It was no longer a power his flesh could withstand. A Lance burst from the earth beneath his feet.

Holy Lance Rhongomyniad.

"Let me see your resolve."

Vortigern lifted the Holy Lance and walked toward Artoria. Victory was within reach; he absolutely could not fall here.

[You bathed in the Holy Tree's radiance. As its roots drew ever closer to the Inner Sea of Stars, your strength grew ever greater.]

Fujimaru Kyoya could feel it without anyone needing to say a word. The famed Knights before him were each struggling beneath his blade, and that was proof enough.

Among them were warriors as powerful as Gawain and Lancelot, men of character like Bedivere, and even Kay, with whom he was on fairly good terms.

Yet Fujimaru Kyoya had no intention of showing mercy.

If there had not been so many of them—if someone had not always come to aid another in trouble—then without that mutual support, someone would already have died here with bitter resentment.

"Can one person really become this strong?"

Kay could not believe that Lloyd had become so powerful. He had clearly been someone who had lost to Artoria countless times before. Even if he had surpassed them, there should have been limits to it.

"It is a blessing. Beneath this Holy Tree, he possesses the Holy Tree's protection."

As a warrior blessed with protection himself, Gawain naturally understood that Fujimaru Kyoya was not in a normal state. Against an enemy under such protection, victory would be exceedingly difficult unless that protection could be removed.

He himself was an example of that. Triple Gawain had never been defeated while his protection remained.

"As long as he remains beneath the Holy Tree, he has its protection? What a troublesome blessing."

At any other time, Agravain would have dismissed this sort of location-bound protection with contempt. At worst, they could simply go around it. But now, they had no choice but to fight.

Vortigern alone was already immensely powerful. If Fujimaru Kyoya were allowed to aid Vortigern now, then King Arthur would undoubtedly lose.

That was absolutely unacceptable.

"Fight even in a battle you are destined to lose? But who in this era was not like that? Your qualities are hardly rare."

If it had been a later era, Fujimaru Kyoya might have admired such courage. But in this era, like Vortigern, he too fought with the resolve to be utterly defeated.

"Destined to lose? If Vortigern falls and the Holy Tree's protection disappears, how much of your fighting strength will remain?"

"Enough to defeat all of you."

Just as Fujimaru Kyoya launched another attack, a pillar of light shot into the heavens. An immense pressure descended, carrying with it a sense of unease.

[A golden radiance came from the direction of the Holy Tree. It was not the Holy Tree's light, but another feeling you recognized.]

[You could sense the immense power within the Holy Sword. It was even stronger than the Vortigern in your memories. You understood that this was King Arthur's trump card.]

[At the same time, a dragon's roar came from the direction of the Holy Tree. A massive White Dragon Shadow soared into the sky, then crashed toward the golden pillar of light.]

It was time for everything to be decided.

For a moment, everyone present stopped and looked toward the towering pillar of light and the defiant dragon shadow. Once victory or defeat had been decided over there, the battle here would also be settled.

The white dragon shadow slammed against the golden pillar of light, while the golden pillar collapsed in turn and crashed down upon the dragon shadow. After the heavens and earth seemed to collapse, everything... came to an end.

Remnants at the End of the Road, an Army's Defeat Like a Landslide

It was over—but who had won, and who had lost?

Everyone wanted to know the answer, but both the dragon shadow and the pillar of light had vanished from the sky. And with Fujimaru Kyoya standing alone beneath the Holy Tree, who could step forward to see what had happened?

[The Holy Tree began to wither, announcing the outcome of the war. The protection upon you gradually faded.]

"Sorry. I let you down."

Fallen Leaf brought word. It was Vortigern's final message.

"I thought you were going to blame me for not killing him back then."

"You couldn't have killed him."

Naturally, Vortigern did not believe Fujimaru Kyoya had ever had a chance to kill King Arthur. After all, that bitch Merlin was not only a bitch, but a sword as well. If he truly could not win, he could always use illusions to flee.

"All responsibility for the failure lies with me. It's just that Lloyd..."

Vortigern's voice grew weaker and weaker. He had been brimming with confidence, yet he had still lost. That "puppet" had actually found his own conviction and shone with such dazzling light.

"I hope you can continue buying time. Though the Holy Tree has been destroyed, it has still opened a path to the Inner Sea of Stars. Even if our family cannot bask in the radiance of the Age of Gods, let some Fantasy Species gain a sliver of hope for survival."

Vortigern's voice faded away, and the blessing upon Fujimaru Kyoya vanished without a trace.

The massive hole left behind by the Holy Tree led directly to the Inner Sea of Stars. Repairing it would take quite some time. That would be enough time for Fantasy Species unable to enter the Inner Sea of Stars to get inside and gain a faint hope of survival.

But what did Fantasy Species have to do with Fujimaru Kyoya?

Without the blessing, he had to fight these people—and one of them was even Triple Gawain?

"Consider it repayment for the trust you placed in me."

Fujimaru Kyoya raised his sword. Even though the situation was already beyond saving, it still could not shake him. Even if he could not turn the tide, grievously wounding those before him and leaving them unable to repair the massive hole anytime soon would fulfill Vortigern's final wish.

[What remains is still a dead end. When an army is defeated, it collapses like a mountain. Yet faced with such a situation, you still refuse to retreat or surrender, because you understand that you have nowhere left to go and no road left to retreat upon.]

"The situation is hopeless, yet you still refuse to surrender? Lloyd."

The Holy Tree's domain dissipated. Not only did that mean the blessing on Fujimaru Kyoya had vanished, but under the blazing sun, Gawain's power had also reached its peak.

"Since when has the Sun Knight become so long-winded? Right and wrong, merit and fault—let our swords decide."

Fujimaru Kyoya continued his assault, though its force was far inferior to before. Even so, he kept attacking. The sword in his hand did not tremble in the slightest, nor did he hesitate.

The Knights' expressions grew even more solemn.

They would not have been surprised if Fujimaru Kyoya had fled or fallen to his knees begging for mercy. After all, in their minds, Fujimaru Kyoya was someone with even fewer scruples than Agravain.

Yet the situation had exceeded their expectations. His strength had weakened, but the will within his sword had only grown stronger.

It was the resolve to die. The determination never to retreat. Pure courage...

No one dared underestimate Fujimaru Kyoya now. The Knights understood that even weakened, the strong remained strong.

[Your Flowing Water Sword was blocked by Lancelot.]

[Your Flying Dagger was knocked down by Agravain.]

[Your movements were delayed by Kay and Bedivere.]

[Your armor was torn apart by Gawain.]

[Your body was pierced through by Tristan.]

Fujimaru Kyoya had no interest in looking at the simulator's words. At this moment, he could not afford to be distracted at all. Facing so many powerful opponents alone was proving somewhat difficult even for him.

He was like a man walking along the edge of a cliff. A single misjudgment would cost him his life on the spot.

Troublesome. Far too troublesome.

That was the Knights' most honest thought. Though they held the advantage, the water droplets that appeared from time to time always gave them fresh wounds. They had to admit that even without the Holy Tree's blessing, the man before them was a powerful opponent who could not be ignored.

"What a pity. It's all over. How tragic."

Tristan had been moving along the outskirts of the battle, waiting for an opportunity to draw his bow and loose an arrow that would grievously wound Fujimaru Kyoya.

There was no longer any talk of Knightly spirit. At this moment, they understood only one thing.

Sending the enemy to Hell with everything they had was the greatest respect they could show an enemy like Fujimaru Kyoya.

"Painful Timbre, Wistful Melody—the one who rends your flesh and blood is my sorrow. Wailing Phantom Sonata... farewell."

An arrow formed from threads shot forth, arriving beside Fujimaru Kyoya at the very instant when he had absolutely no way to evade it.

"Boom—"

A tremendous roar rang out. Fujimaru Kyoya had no time to block the arrow, and it blew a massive hole through his chest. He could only barely remain standing by leaning on his sword.

They had won.

Even though it had been an assured victory through encirclement, when they finally claimed it, the Knights could not help but let out long breaths. That troublesome enemy was finally dead.

Just then, "Artorius" returned as well.

"Lloyd."

Looking at Fujimaru Kyoya, whose chest had been pierced through by a massive hole, there was basically no saving him. Unfortunately, they had still arrived one step too late.

Am I going to die?

[You were struck by Tristan's arrow. Faced with this fatal wound, your remaining life can only be measured in seconds.]

But I still don't want to die. The promise has not yet been fulfilled.

[You have erupted with an intense will to survive, but will that be of any use?]

This is not a question of whether it is useful. It is something I must do.

Fujimaru Kyoya felt his blood leaving his body, and he gradually weakened. But his ally's request had yet to be fulfilled. Without the Holy Tree's blessing, he stood no chance against those people.

Blessing...

"Rumble—"

Dark clouds gathered, blotting out the sun as though night had fallen. Fine rain descended from the sky alongside the thunder, as if the entire age itself were weeping.

"Rain? No, be careful. There's something wrong with this rain."

Gawain was the first to notice the problem. His blessing activated during a specific period of time. Unless he was in another world, it would activate once the time came—but now, even though the time had not arrived, his blessing was beginning to fade again.

Almost the instant Gawain spoke, several raindrops fell like sharp swords, leaving wounds on the knights.

"The Holy Tree... How is this possible?"

Lancelot stared at the withered Holy Tree in disbelief. The Holy Tree, which had clearly dried up and decayed, was once again giving off golden light, brimming with vitality as though in a final flash of life.

"No. This isn't the original Holy Tree."

"Artorius" immediately sensed that something was wrong. The Rhongomyniad at the core of the Holy Tree had already fallen into his hands. This tree was merely an empty shell with a convincing appearance.

It should not have been able to regain its vitality.

Everyone turned their gazes toward Fujimaru Kyoya, the enemy who was about to die.

[Your resolve, conviction, and perseverance still endure. Though your body can no longer bear the burden, your heart remains unyielding. Innate Barrier "Rhongomyniad's Rainy Night" deployed.]

"I told you..."