What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?
Normally, the Phantasmal Greatsword's Noble Phantasm rank was merely A+. In the Fate/Apocrypha storyline, it had been slightly outmatched by Mordred's Demonic Sword Release until a Command Spell came into play.
This meant that if Guinevere simply abandoned her current sword technique and unleashed her Holy Sword normally, she would most likely win.
But the sword technique she had been preparing was already nearing completion, and Siegfried wasn't giving her time to switch to a beam attack.
Then... I'll unleash it like this!
"This sword is sworn to the King, this sword carries my heart, and this battle paves the way to our future together."
"Thus, answer me! Reveal the brilliance that stands shoulder to shoulder with the Holy Sword of the Planet!"
The activation chant flowed swiftly through Guinevere's mind. This time, it was merely a mental suggestion, a way to focus her thoughts with greater intensity.
In the tangible reality visible to all, Guinevere took a deep breath and forcibly compressed the mana she had gathered. She poured her life force, spirit, and the very essence of the world that seemed to follow her into her sword.
Then, she swung her blade at the incoming fan-shaped beam, cleaving it cleanly in two.
This sword technique was Guinevere's imitation of Lancelot's All Restraints Released - Overload Arondight.
Both Guinevere's sword and Lancelot's were forged by the faeries of Avalon. From a weapon standpoint, Guinevere had the foundation to mimic the technique.
Lancelot's Overload Arondight was a technique of mana compression and explosive release—the culmination of his swordsmanship.
Given Guinevere's current level of swordsmanship and her familiarity with Lancelot's techniques, her first attempt achieved seventy percent of the original's effectiveness.
"This..."
Astonishment spread across the faces of everyone present, except for the hidden Assassin, who remained unimpressed.
"Contractor, why are you surprised? Her understanding of swordsmanship already surpasses this technique. When a master employs a lower-tier skill, the only drawback is a lack of practice."
"Assassin, I'm just thinking... Caster is much stronger than she was five years ago."
While Assassin and his Contractor chatted telepathically through their contract, Guinevere never stopped moving.
After briefly confirming her swordsmanship had reached a proficient level, Guinevere immediately understood the technique's greatest weakness: its long wind-up. She was on the right path, but the skill was not yet ready for practical combat.
With this thought, she plunged into the expanding beam of Siegfried's light cannon. Seeing her charge, Siegfried momentarily cut his output, then unleashed another cannon blast directly at her.
But this time, Guinevere was prepared. Siegfried's wind-up was obvious, and she easily dodged, letting the attack strike empty air.
The next instant, their two Holy Swords clashed—Guinevere, the familiar Caster, now fighting Siegfried on equal footing.
In terms of base stats, both Mordred and the King of Knights, fellow Saber-class Servants, were slightly stronger than Guinevere.
But...
"Siegfried, you cannot win! Your swordsmanship is designed to slay dragons, while mine is meant for fighting humans!"
After their Holy Swords clashed three times, Guinevere found Siegfried's first opening and struck his Armor of Fafnir, sending sparks flying.
As a B+ Rank Armor-type Noble Phantasm, the Armor of Fafnir boasted formidable defense. Guinevere's Replica Holy Sword lacked the genuine Excalibur's steel-cleaving property; otherwise, she could have made Siegfried bleed with a single strike and witnessed firsthand the Phantasm-level, eraser-like regenerative ability granted by his "invincibility."
Decapitation, a pierced heart—no fatal wound could kill him, except for a strike to the leaf-shaped spot on his back that had never been bathed in dragon's blood.
"As a sparring partner, you truly are the best."
Siegfried wasn't entirely without a counterattack. After identifying the problem, his swordsmanship shed its wide, sweeping motions and became more refined and agile.
And facing an opponent who could fight back but couldn't be killed no matter how many times she struck him... Guinevere was getting genuinely excited.
Against the King of Knights and Mordred, she could never bring herself to fight seriously.
As for anyone else?
In this world, in all the years she had been here, who besides the King of Knights and Mordred could match her in an all-out sword fight?
"Hey! Gordes, right? Use your Command Spells to strengthen Siegfried! I'll ask Irisviel von Einzbern for the Homunculus technology you want!"
"And you, Siegfried! Get serious! As a warrior, am I really not enough to ignite your will to fight to the death?"
Sheathing her sword and retreating three steps, Guinevere unleashed the words in a single breath.
Intimidated by her presence yet enticed by her promise, the short, stout Gordes actually used his Command Spells—and expended all three at once.
"Saber, by this Command Spell, I order you: fight with all your might!"
"Saber, by this Command Spell, I order you: attain even greater strength!"
"Saber, by this Command Spell, I order you: ensure Lady Guinevere is thoroughly entertained!"
The three Command Spells deepened their mark. Combined with Guinevere's words, Siegfried had no choice but to take a deep breath, focus on the battle before him, and treat it as the final fight of his current summoning.
In life, he had slain a dragon for the people and arranged a marriage for his foster brother and liege lord. But these actions had also sown discord between his wife and his foster brother's wife, ultimately leading to his own death.
As he saw it, his entire life had been lived for others. Upon being summoned, his only wish was to become a hero of justice by his own will.
"Siegfried, you can at least fight me with all your strength, by your own will!"
His stats surged once more, allowing him to gradually adapt to Guinevere's swordsmanship. He also noticed that while Guinevere was slowly discovering his weakness, she was deliberately avoiding it.
Gradually, Siegfried understood. What Guinevere truly sought was nothing more than a thrilling, unrestrained battle.
For this, he finally committed himself wholeheartedly to the fight, his swordsmanship increasingly taking on the flair of the Dragon-Slayer.
"My apologies. From this moment on, I will truly fight with all my might."
Gradually, Guinevere began to understand why, in Fate/Apocrypha, Siegfried had been able to fight Karna to a standstill, even when Karna wasn't going all out.
After all, Karna was one of the "Golden Three"—a trio comparable to Gilgamesh and Ramesses II.
To be able to match such a Heroic Spirit, Siegfried should possess power far beyond what he had shown against her family.
Clang! Clang!
Sword met sword again, but Siegfried's swordsmanship had completely transformed. His Dragon-Slaying techniques had shifted entirely to anti-personnel combat.
His Golden Rule Skill activated, and his inherent Dragon-Slaying Skill granted him a special advantage against dragons.
He even began to hypnotize himself, reinforcing the belief that the Pendragons possessed dragon blood.
It was a combination of overwhelming power and Siegfried's sudden change in tactics that caught Guinevere off guard. A mere shallow cut appeared on the back of her hand, yet it bled ceaselessly as if cursed, stinging with the intensity of alcohol poured on an open wound.
But this pain only fueled Guinevere's excitement. A crimson mist of magical energy finally began to swirl around her.
Embracing the pain, Guinevere chose not to heal the wound with her Second Noble Phantasm, Falsification. Instead, she went even further, truly adding the Dragon attribute to herself.
"Yes, I am a dragon! Come and strike me down!"
As her Second Noble Phantasm activated, dragon scales materialized across Guinevere's body. A thick, long tail and a pair of red wings erupted from her tailbone and shoulder blades.
"My apologies... but it's wonderful that you are a dragon."
With Guinevere's transformation, Siegfried's swordsmanship took on an even greater flair, truly embodying the heroic style of a Dragon-Slayer.
Meanwhile, the King of Knights was pinching the bridge of her nose. She had known from the start that Guinevere had been itching for a real fight for far too long.
As she continued to watch, she pulled out her phone and called Waver, asking if Mordred and Sakura had encountered any new Servants.
Nearby, Cú Chulainn flashed the King of Knights a wry smile and adopted an offensive stance.
Caren had told him that rather than surrender, he might as well die like a stray dog.