Shirou's battle with Karna continued. Under Karna's nearly overwhelming martial prowess, every trick Shirou had became useless.
At close range, he was crushed by his opponent's peerless martial skill. Even if he used Resonance Turn to open the distance, Karna would catch up to him in an instant.
Black Cero, weakened by the Golden Armor, could not deal effective damage to Karna after he had been strengthened by the Grail. The Moonlight Sword would be knocked aside before it could even get close.
In this nearly fatal battle, the only thing Shirou could do was cling to life with his high-speed regeneration. But even that would not last much longer.
Shirou knew it himself. Once the Greater Grail had filled in Karna's stats to match his own, he had lost the foundation needed to fight him.
But he knew even more clearly that fear only made people grow old, while retreat would inevitably bring destruction. If he did not fight, he was finished.
In another clash, Karna caught a momentary lapse from Shirou and sent him flying with a sweep of his spear.
"That's enough!" Karna pointed his spear directly at Shirou's brow and spoke calmly.
"..."
Shirou did not answer. Or rather, he could no longer answer Karna, because that last strike had pierced his tonsils.
This time, however, his high-speed regeneration did not swiftly restore him. He simply lay there in silence, like a corpse.
Karna was not the talkative sort either. Spear in hand, he walked toward Shirou step by step, intending to give him a quick death.
A greatsword blocked the spear. Karna looked toward the owner of the blade that had stopped his attack. Though his expression did not change, a faint joy appeared in his eyes.
"So you've finally come, Saber of Black, Siegfried."