RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
The main gate of the Holy Capital exploded into powder under the immense light of molten lava.
The Sword of Revolving Victory flew toward the sky, drawing a dazzling arc, its blade flickering like the sun itself.
When the holy sword came crashing into the inner city, shattering the ground and buildings along the way, slamming into Gawain upon the heavy city walls—
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
At this moment, the sun revealed its own roaring thunder.
He lifted his will high, unleashing an unrestrained roar, "Before this brilliance that sets aside the night, Pay your ostentation to the holy sword of the stars! EXCALIBUR GALATINE!"
A swordlight that could cleave mountains burst forth.
The Sun Knight raised the holy sword high, and at the instant he swung down with all his might, the air extending from the blade was ignited again and again, bursting apart.
A blazing pillar of light condensed.
Where it passed, all turned into a sea of fire.
Charging through the city like golden lightning, Shirou dived down, his three fists smashing apart boulders as large as hills that blocked his path.
Vast magical energy poured out, becoming a raging dragon that split the seas, roaring in fury.
"ROAR! ROAR"
The pillar of light was torn in half, and the sword aura flowing past swept behind him. Wherever it passed, the thousand-year-old pure kingdom, the grand and magnificent buildings, sand was scorched into ash, boulders burned into magma.
Shirou stood at the center of the pillar of light, his armor clashing with the energy, sending out an ear-splitting hum that struck straight at Gawain's soul.
His eyes widened, unable to even voice any lament, before he was once again violently blasted away.
A falling star streaked across the earth.
Chased relentlessly by golden lightning.
Gawain roared, driving his sword into the ground, carving a trench dozens of feet deep before he could halt his steps.
He swung the holy sword without pause, the flashing swordlight weaving a net of flames before him. Every strike was as scorching as molten lava, every strike a surging sun.
All around was dyed into a golden sea of fire.
The flames of purification crashed toward Shirou like raindrops.
"I am the Lion King's knight, GAWAIN!!"
Facing the blood-red heavens and the seething sea of fire, Gawain declared, "Emiya Shirou, that which you wish to protect, and that which I wish to protect, cannot coexist!"
CRASH!
He tore away his cape completely, leaving only his armor, and raised his blade, "This is the final question, why do you fight?"
RIP!
Shirou tore through the sea of fire, advancing step by step, his cold expression hidden beneath his armor.
"Fine then, I'll answer you!"
His fists clenched tight, stretched forward. The air trembled, forced apart by dense magical energy.
"Though I've only fought for less than three months, this body has already been tempered a thousand times over, has endured countless wounds, there have been battles for battle's sake, and battles not for battle's sake!"
All his power erupted, dazzling radiance carrying the force to topple mountains, slamming Gawain, man and sword, into the earth.
The surroundings shattered, like porcelain struck by a heavy hammer, breaking into fragments.
What followed was an endless flurry of heavy punches.
Fiercer than raindrops, more numerous than shooting stars.
Heavy rumbling, dirt flying.
"The reason I do this, it isn't because of regret, or wanting to make amends. It isn't to save something that's already gone. It's because I absolutely, absolutely must do it, to change the ending I hate!"
"Sir Gawain!"
Shirou roared, swinging his fists, "You say what I want to protect and what you want to protect cannot coexist?"
"Don't joke with me! I fight to protect her, to save her, to save everyone, to become a partner of justice!"
Whether it was the pain that made him want to give up training, or running under the setting sun, or anyone pleading with him to treasure his body.
It didn't matter.
If all that was needed was this body to accomplish what must be done, to defeat what must be defeated, to find the one who must be found, then even if it burned away completely, there was only one thing to do.
Keep throwing punches until death.
"SIR GAWAIN!"
"EMIYA SHIROU!"
The sunlight grew even brighter.
From the collapsed crater, Gawain once again stood up.
He swung the holy sword.
"That kingly figure that exists only in dreams, who chose to bear all alone for the sake of saving mankind—"
"I stand here for her!"
That resolute thrust at dusk, when he drove his sword into his companion's body with his own hands.
"Even if it be a thousand knights, ten thousand knights, I will cut them all down for her!"
Gawain roared, "Emiya Shirou, I will shatter you together with that armor!"
The Sun's holy sword welcomed the sun.
"Lion King!"
"Your will. My holy sword is the embodiment of the sun. Under the king's command, I will burn all on the surface to the ground. The blade of this holy sword is a copy of the sun itself."
"Holy sword of the stars, swing once again!"
"EXCALIBUR GALATINE!!"
This strike seemed as if it would pierce through clouds, sky, and earth itself.
Bathed in that pillar of light, Shirou's gaze turned calm. He raised his hand.
"Is that so. One of the oldest Knights of the Round, who fought beside King Arthur, a loyal knight who served Arthur to the very end, Sir Gawain!"
"Even if it's only a fake, then take a good look once more! At the true radiance that belongs to King Arthur!"
With those words, the ideal back appeared before him.
The great feats of always turning the tide in times of crisis, of never losing a battle, filled Shirou's mind.
The magical energy connecting through his circuits lit up his hand with an unmatched brilliance.
This was the holy sword that symbolized King Arthur's greatest strength and noblest power.
A sword that stood at the pinnacle even among holy swords, forged by the planet, born from humanity's faith, one of the ultimate divine armaments of the "Last Phantasm."
Its name was: "EXCALIBURRRR!"
Light surged, roaring.
When the two powers, like sisters, collided, the sky went blinding white.
The clouds were torn apart.
A blazing, dazzling pillar of light shot into the heavens.
Above the Holy Capital, the two merged and canceled out.
In that instant, all were drawn to the radiance that even outshone the heavens.
"This is!"
Bedivere clenched his silver arm, the pressure increasing, his face pale, his body trembling, "My king, have you returned?"
"Emiya Senpai…"
Having run far from the Holy Capital, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash stopped in their tracks, worry on their faces.
———
Witnessing with his own eyes that miracle-bringing radiance, Gawain gradually lost his voice, "Even that sword, you can wield it… who… are you really?"
"I am me, just a partner of justice, doing it for fun!"
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.