"Hmm, are you planning to join forces to kill me? It seems victory is all you seek. Shallow though it may be, it is still a valid tactic. I have no objection."
Karna's expression remained as calm as ever, but his secretly mounting fighting spirit made it clear that he was prepared to fight them both.
From the blow he had just taken, Karna already knew that the swordsman before him was at least close to his level, if not his equal.
Without question, continuing to fight two against one under these circumstances could very well put him at a disadvantage.
And yet.
I wear the Armor of the Sun bestowed upon me by my father. If I retreat before even taking the field, how could I deserve to be his son? How could I deserve the name "Kshatriya"?
Indeed, Karna's words reflected not only his absolute confidence in his strength, but also the pride within his heart!
Yet his blunt manner infuriated Gordes.
Part of it was shock and anger at having their strategy disparaged as "shallow." The other part was that Karna could still show such casual "disdain" in the face of Siegfried, the great hero Gordes took such pride in.
Rage surged through Gordes, and he roared:
"Go, Saber! Show that ungrateful fool what you're made of!"
Receiving his Master's command, Siegfried took a firm step forward. Fighting spirit blazed in his eyes as he answered:
"Yes. I shall see your wish fulfilled."
"Your eyes remind me of someone else."
For some reason, Karna made this seemingly irrelevant remark. Siegfried asked casually, "Oh? What sort of person was he?"
"He was unquestionably a hero. If you have those same eyes, then my battle with you is no coincidence, but an inevitability."
Neither spoke again, even after Karna's