Salter had showed her fangs, even when beaten and battered, she had proven, that an injured Lion, is still a Lion.
An unstoppable force and an immovable wall clashed together, the torrent of pure power razed through the surrounding area where Kenji and the rest were standing on.
The petals of Rho Aias broke one by one as Shirou grunted in pain, the recoil of projecting Rho Aias and using Archer's Arm had hit him mid clash.
Seeing this, Frieren, ever the wiser thought fast and erected a barrier as hexagonal barriers started surrounding them.
Ainz followed as he also started using defensive magic, while it couldn't do much against something as monstrous as Salter's Noble Phantasm, it had done it's job by lessening the burden on Rho Aias.
As the the torrent of chaotic energy lost it's initial power, the attack slowly weakened until it fully stopped.
Shirou heaved a huff of relief, Kenji put a hand on his shoulder.
"How many projections do you still have?" Kenji asked, his tone serious.
"...Two." Shirou answered after an initial pause.
"Alright. I'll open the path. And you.." Kenji gave him a look before continuing. "You deliver the killing blow."
Shirou's face turned solemn, the thought of killing Saber never sat right with him.
'But I have to do it.' The young hero thought, as he steeled his will. The gloominess vanished from his face as he adopted a new face.
A face of determination.
Seeing that look on his face, a small smile formed on Kenji's face.
"I like that look on your face, Hero." After saying that he faced Salter, the Tyrant stood strong even after firing off a Noble Phantasm she didn't even look tired.
"Honestly, infinite Mana is a fucking cheat." Kenji stomped his foot.
With a burst of speed, he dashed from his position to being directly Infront of Salter.
He charged with fist with cursed energy as it shot out, Salter had already anticipated that he would attack so she stood ready, her blade already in the trajectory of Kenji's fist.
As the attack connected with her blade, the clash caused a massive shockwave, churning the air and kicking up both dust and molten rock.
The two monsters continued their clash, trading blow for blow, they matched each other's strength so much that they were stuck in a repetitive pattern of attack, block, counterattack.
Kenji started getting frustrated as he realized that it was going nowhere.
Every time he attacked, Salter would always be able to barely parry or block his attack. Granted it was the same for him too, he was able to brush off Salter's every attack although barely. Hence the stalemate they were in.
'I need to try something different.' Kenji realized that direct confrontation just wouldn't work, a slugfest with Salter wasn't doing him any good.
"This is the second time I'm gonna be using a technique on an opponent." Kenji's smile widened as he delivered a powerful roundhouse kick towards Salter, it connected with her blade so he put in even more force, sending Salter skidding through the cave.
Kenji generated force on his legs as he shot up, breaking through the roof of the cave.
"[KJ's 20 Series...
The letters K and J flashed from his eyes as he controlled his strength, enough to hurt saber, but not enough as to cause Friendly Fire.
He outstretched his fist, as a flow of reddish aura covered his fist.
"Five Seasons]." Five gigantic fists rapidly shot out, covering the skies that shone as it smashed through the cave's roof.
Salter's didn't even have the time to react as the attack had already impacted the ground along with her.
She exclaimed a gasp of pain as the impact from the attack was stronger than she thought, each one had the power to be a Noble Phantasm in its self, and she was hit with 5 of them at once.
The fists marked the cave as they created massive crater's where they landed.
Kenji kicked the air as he shot down like a supersonic bullet, he didn't waste any time, as soon as he hit the ground he dashed through the cave as a powerful strike sent Salter flying across the cave.
He didn't let up as he intercepted her mid-air, delivering a multitude of attacks in a fraction of a second, essentially overwhelming Salter.
Kenji pummeled the Tyrant, as he dealt a relentless combo of attacks that left even Shirou and Rider speechless, each one of his strikes was powered by cold efficiency,
Salter was freed from the onslaught of attacks as she she spun her body around and landed on her feet, her grip on the sword returned as she was about to release her Noble Phantasm again until she realized.
'He's gone?!' She scanned the battlefield around her with caution.
'Above? No, Behind? No.' She kept looking around, but she failed to locate just where he had gone.
"Front!" Her blade flared as she delivered an arc of destruction, upon realizing she had hit nothing she panicked.
Her instinct told her, that he was here.
"Nothing personal." Kenji's cold voice rang out from behind, she wasn't fast enough to parry, to block. So she was in the complete mercy, of Kenji Joule.
A red glint flashed from Kenji's eyes as his fist snapped for Salter's back. His fist, covered in his signature red cursed energy, started deforming space. And as the fist connect...
"Koukusen!" A flash of black exploded from the impact. But Kenji didn't stop as just one Black Flash.
He hit another, and another, and another, and another.
Every strike carried his will, and that will, amplified his strength.
5
6
7
10
12
15
Kenji was relentless, with each punch triggering a Black Flash, he had already broken the record of the most Black Flashes triggered in a single fight.
With a staggering 15 Black Flashes, Kenji had revealed his fangs, his talent, and his strength. But he wouldn't stop at just that.
'With this, it's over.' Time seemed to still for Kenji, his hyperfocus directed at the visage at the once glorious King of Knights.
In his perspective, his fist seemed to be reaching her in slow motion, the world around him had slowed to a near stop.
He decided, he would create a new technique, one created by him, and one that belongs to him.
Taking advantage of his now autonomous Black Flashes, he imbued another technique into his attack.
Yes, it was a merged skill.
And he shall call it...
Black Flash + Cleave
"[Koukusen Rekkō]!"
(A/N: It basically means Black Rift, the more direct translation is Black Flash Rift tho but I prefer Black Rift more so..)
Time resumed, as black lightning crackled and space deformed, Salter released a scream of extreme pain, the powerful shock and force of the Black Flash felt like an entire planet had just crashed into her, and now the adaptive Cleave was added into the mix, her defenses were dismantled, she was already a glass Cannon before, but now, all she could feel was the feeling of getting her body crushed and torn up, it was excruciating.
While she didn't get reduced to a pile of meat cubes, massive slashes still formed on her body, and with the impact of Kenji's Black Flash she was went sent tumbling throughout the cave, but it wouldn't stop there, as Rider made her presence known.
"[Noble Phantasm: Bellerophon]!"
The Bridle of Chivalry, a pure white pegasus that was true to it's name.
It's wings flapped freely, and with a stomp of it's hooves, it burst out. With Supersonic speeds, the Bridle of Chivalry intercepted the injured Tyrant as it turned into a white blur.
Salter's armor had completely broken, and now she was extremely vulnerable to Rider's Noble Phantasm, the defenseless tyrant couldn't do a thing as the Bridle of Chivalry drove her through the cave's infrastructure, ruthlessly tearing her apart.
As the Noble Phantasm subsided, Salter had been laid out unto the cave's cold floor, the night sky shone bright, courtesy to Kenji.
Kenji returned back to join his squad as he sat down on the ground, he felt tired from all the fighting, so as he sat down he watched as the young hero marched his way towards the Tyrant.
With each step, Shirou's heart grew heavier, he started remembering, all the time he had spent being together with Rin, with Sakura, and with Saber.
He stopped in front of Saber, Mystic Code in hand he slowly thrust his hand.
"...S..hirou..?" Saber's raspy voice made his hand stop just above her chest.
He opened his eyes as he looked at Saber's eyes. Those once bright eyes had lost their brilliance, replaced by a cold, ruthless glare.
But now, he couldn't even call it a glare, he felt it. Saber was still there, somewhere inside. Her eyes looked at him with... Longing.
He grit his teeth, as he plunged the blade into the Tyrant's heart. A green aura formed when he plunged his blade into her.
"Thank you, Saber. For all the times you've saved me." Shirou muttered out.
The Hero, has slain the Tyrant.
"You know, it takes a lot of guts." Kenji started talking, his gaze still watching the fleeting moment of Salter's death.
"What does?" Frieren asked.
"Being able to kill a friend, I mean. Hell even I don't have the guts to do that, the world be damned because I value people close to me too much. But that guy, he didn't hesitate to do it. Because he's a true Hero. It's quite admirable." Kenji had thought, Shirou suffers more than most would think, he's been through a lot, but he always managed to power through, even now.
Even after killing one of the most important friends in his life, he was still able to stand strong, he was able to move forward.
"Ah, seems like we need to go." Kim Gongja's voice reached his ear as he looked at his hand.
They were starting to disappear, as motes of light drifted from their body.
"You're right..." Kenji stood up before giving Shirou a look.
"Hey, Shirou."
"Hm?" Shirou looked at him, his eyes still unwavering.
"Go save her."
Shirou paused, before he opened his mouth.
"You finally stopped calling me that." A small smile formed on the Hero's face.
"Calling you what?" Kenji asked.
"You finally stopped calling me Hero." He wasn't a hero, he was just trying his best.
"And to what you said earlier... You bet I will." Kenji's eyes slightly widened, before he released a low chuckle.
"Good Luck." With that, the strange group of people, departed from this world.
"I'll be going forward." Shirou's will was further affirmed, he wouldn't stop until he saved her, until he fulfilled his part.
As Her Hero.
————[Chapter End]————
A/N: RAAHHHHHHH FINALLY BACK AND MAKING CHAPTERS AGAINNNN!!
Anyway my fourth quarter exams are tomorrow, so after that I want to start uploading regularly again. But that's only the plan, I can't really make promises.
But yeah, Enjoy the chapter, see you all in the next chapter.