Chapter 235
"No. Ruler’s duty is to remain neutral and ensure that this Holy Grail War proceeds properly."
Jeanne shook her head.
"Heh. Sounds nice when you say it like that."
Mordred sneered and pointed toward Kiriya.
"Then who’s this guy? Don’t tell me he’s just some random civilian."
"He is indeed a Master of the Black faction."
Jeanne made no attempt to deny it.
"We were previously investigating Assassin of Black’s indiscriminate killings. That investigation has only just concluded."
"Oh, sure."
Mordred glanced at the mountain of shopping bags Kiriya was carrying.
"First time I’ve ever seen an investigation that involves shopping at the mall."
"That’s because—"
Jeanne tried to explain, but Kiriya casually cut in.
"Relax. Ruler doesn’t need to pull anything shady for me to beat you."
He looked over the boldly dressed Knight of Treachery with a faint smile.
"I’m enough on my own."
"You’ve got guts saying that."
Mordred smiled too.
But hers was far more dangerous.
In an instant, her casual clothes vanished beneath a suit of white armor streaked with crimson.
Her helmet closed around her head with a mechanical snap, and her muffled voice came from within.
"Kid, don’t say I never gave you a chance."
"Call your Servant now."
"Otherwise, once we start, you won’t get another opportunity."
Then she turned slightly toward Jeanne.
"Unless Ruler plans to help you."
Mordred raised her sword, its edge radiating a murderous chill.
"I don’t mind cutting both of you down."
"I already told you."
Kiriya rolled his neck, twisted his waist, stretched his legs, then bounced lightly on his feet like someone warming up before exercise.
"I don’t need anyone else to deal with one bratty little knight like you."
"If you’re that determined to die, then fine."
Crimson lightning erupted around Mordred.
She stamped down hard enough to crater the earth beneath her feet and launched herself forward like a cannonball.
CLANG!
Kiriya raised his sword and blocked her overhead strike.
The force drove him backward several steps, his feet carving a deep trench through the ground.
"Damn, you really are strong."
The impact left both of Kiriya’s arms numb.
He grunted.
’So fighting top-tier Servants in base strength really is pushing it.’
Bang!
Kiriya kicked Mordred squarely in the abdomen and sent her flying backward, buying himself a moment to breathe.
"You’re not bad yourself."
Mordred’s surprised voice came from beneath the helmet.
"So this is where all that confidence comes from?"
"That already impressed you?"
Kiriya casually teased her.
"You really haven’t seen much, have you?"
Then he paused.
The aura coming from Mordred had changed.
What had previously resembled restless magma was now becoming a volcano on the verge of eruption.
"You bastard..."
Crimson lightning wrapped around her body again.
"DIE!"
Magical energy exploded from Mordred as she shot toward Kiriya like a red meteor.
Yet the instant she entered within a meter of him, her Instinct screamed a warning.
Mordred reflexively slowed herself for an instant and pushed Mana Burst to its limit, forcing her speed even higher.
"Blade Storm."
Kiriya murmured the name of his magic.
His sword immediately transformed into a blur.
Blade Storm had no complicated effect.
It did one thing—Made him fast.
It allowed Kiriya to swing his sword several times, even more than ten times, faster than he normally could.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
In the space of a blink, the two exchanged dozens—perhaps hundreds—of strikes.
Sword winds ripped through the air.
The ground split beneath the pressure, trenches appearing everywhere around them.
Even Jeanne had to retreat several dozen meters before stopping to watch in astonishment.
"No matter how many times I see it..."
She stared at Kiriya’s movements.
"Can a normal human body really function like that?"
"RAAAAGH!"
Mordred roared.
Her sword produced countless afterimages until, from a distance, she appeared to be surrounded by a deadly lotus made entirely of blades.
She had already pushed her speed as far as she could.
Yet Kiriya remained slightly faster.
Cuts began appearing across Mordred’s arms, shoulders, chest, and abdomen.
If her armor had not absorbed part of the impact, she would already have been covered in wounds.
"You bastard!"
Mordred was furious.
Who was she?
The Knight of Treachery!
Even among the Knights of the Round Table, she had stood near the very top in combat ability.
She was the warrior who had rebelled against King Arthur and ultimately brought an end to the king’s undefeated legend.
And now, even after getting serious, her sword was still slower than a human’s?
How could someone as proud as Mordred accept that?
CLANG!
Driven by anger, Mordred made a reckless decision.
She deliberately left an opening.
Kiriya immediately took it, bringing his sword down toward her.
Mordred twisted and deliberately received the blow with her shoulder.
Slash!
Blood sprayed across Kiriya’s surprised face and splattered against Mordred’s helmet.
"Got you!"
The knight roared.
Ignoring the blood pouring from her hand, Mordred clamped down on Kiriya’s sword and trapped it firmly in place.
Then she thrust her own blade straight toward his heart.
At the final instant, Kiriya abandoned his sword and tried to retreat.
Mordred’s Instinct had already warned her.
She stepped forward and kicked him violently in the abdomen.
"Right back at you!"
BOOM!
The kick launched Kiriya like a cannonball.
He smashed through more than a dozen towering trees before finally crashing into a boulder.
"Ugh!"
Kiriya spat out a large mouthful of blood.
There were even fragments of damaged tissue mixed into it.
Crack...
Mordred pulled Kiriya’s sword from her shoulder.
The blade had bitten slightly into the bone, and every inch she dragged free brought tremendous pain.
The Knight of Treachery did not so much as flinch.
She simply looked toward Kiriya with an exhilarated grin.
"Kid."
Her helmet opened, revealing the wild smile underneath.
"Out of every human I’ve ever seen, your sword is the fastest."
"But unfortunately for you..."
Her grin widened.
"Speed isn’t the only thing that decides a fight."
That kick had been delivered in fury with nearly all the strength Mordred could muster.
Even she would have suffered badly from taking it directly.
And her opponent was merely human.
So she was extremely confident in the result.
"Kiriya-kun!"
Jeanne’s expression changed and she immediately stepped forward.
Kiriya raised one hand to stop her.
"Don’t worry."
He smiled as though nothing serious had happened.
"It’s nothing."
"Hmph."
Mordred snorted.
"Still pretending you’re fine?"
"Heh."
Kiriya wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"You did get one thing right."
"The result of a fight isn’t decided by any single advantage."
Then he activated a spell on himself.
"Yang Power: Everflowing Vitality."
Warm life energy surged through his body.
His internal injuries rapidly repaired themselves, shattered tissues restored, and his complexion returned to normal almost immediately.
Within moments, Kiriya was standing there as lively as ever.
"Huh?"
Mordred’s eyes widened.
"You can do that too?!"
"When you travel as much as I do, you learn to keep a few extra tricks in reserve."
Kiriya straightened and smiled calmly.
"Otherwise, how are you supposed to give your opponent a satisfying fight?"
His eyes settled on Mordred.
"Wouldn’t you agree, Knight of Treachery?"