As soon as Marika returned to Stormveil city, she immediately found Morgott who was waiting for her at the city gate.
"Morgott, where are the enemy forces right now?"
As soon as Marika met her son, she asked about the location of the enemy without even saying hello. Morgott knew that the situation was urgent, and immediately reported concisely:
"Those insidious rogues are currently located six kilometers away from the south city gate. According to the report of the scouts, they have already camped in a sparsely wooded area. If Your Majesty travels south, they should be seen soon. They have at least ten thousand men, it's a sizable army."
"I understand, let the remaining two Tree sentinels join the ranks, and I will deal with them personally."
"My king! Are you only planning to bring your royal guards? That is too risky!"
Morgott exhorted anxiously.
"The sooner we expel them, the better, and the Godrick soldiers must stay in the rear to protect the city in case they have more reinforcements coming to attack."
"But the number of guards...!"
"Don't worry, this king is not so easy to kill. And I have to personally find out that bastard who gave the order to massacre the people!"
Marika resolutely insisted. Although Morgott was very worried about her, he did not dare to disobey his mother, so he could only follow her will. He hoped that Marika's power as an Empyrean would protect her from harm in the battle with this unknown army.
So as soon as the two Tree Sentinels arrived, Marika took Bedivere, Einar, and the royal guards to negotiate with the enemy at top speed.
That's right, negotiate. Marika believed that those unlucky soldiers and low-ranking officers were probably just following the orders of their superiors, so they should not be guilty of death. Marika planned to kill the commander-in-chief who gave the vicious order and persuade the rest of the army to surrender. If the negotiation fails, Marika can also use her newly acquired noble phantasms to drive them away.
The sky was cloudy as Marika rode to the enemy's camp with her personal guards. From a distance, Einar recognized from the banner that they were facing the Judgmentor Legion. He immediately rode up to Marika who was still galloping and said nervously:
"Your Majesty! The army camping ahead should be the Inrudian Kingdom's Judgmentor Legion. I'm afraid they have received orders from the Pope and the Kingdom's court to attack us. The brutality of the Judgment Legion is very notorious. Please be careful, Your Majesty!"
"I see."
Marika gave a curt response. Her eyes scoured the Inquisition camp, trying to find their commander. The system also sounded in her mind at the right time:
"Mission triggered: Th Judgmentor legion has committed great evil and harmed the people in the name of religion. The host is asked to defeat the Judgmentor legion and Osiris, the Lord Judgmentor. Let them see who is the real god. Mission difficulty: medium. Reward: Multiverse lottery x1, Unlock Lord of Castle Morne Edgar, Irena."
The Judgment Army soon noticed that Marika's personal guards as their galloping steeds billow up clouds of dust. They put on their armor in an efficient and orderly manner that impressed Marika, and lined up in formation.
About one kilometer away from the camp, Marika stopped Torrent who was galloping. When Artorius saw her stop, he also reined in his horse and ordered the guards to stop at the same time.
The two parties looked at each other, the air burning with their heated gaze.
At this moment, Marika saw a knight riding out of the Judgmentor Legion's camp. From his obviously more expensive and heavy crimson armor, as well as his obviously custom-made face mask and helmet, Marika presumed that he was probably the leader or general of this army.
The masked knight took the lead and rode to the middle of the place between the two armies and stopped. But he didn't start shouting or drawing out the big sword he was carrying, it was as if he was waiting for someone. Marika's New Type senses intuitively told her that the knight harbored a strong killing intent towards her.
"I will go and see what he wants."
Marika said, and then drove Torrent towards the waiting knight without waiting for her men to say anything.
"Master, wait for me!"
As Marika's personal bodyguard, Bedivere followed up worriedly. Einar watched the two leaving very nervously. Einar recognized at a glance that the masked knight was the vicious Osiris. Einar knew that Marika was by no means weak, but facing the number one warrior under the Pope, even he was not sure of Marika's victory.
Marika and Bedivere, who was following her, stopped ten meters in front of the masked knight.
"We meet at last, King of the Heretics."
The man said as soon as he opened his mouth, his deep voice and the powerful aura he exuded made Marika realize that the knight in front of her was very dangerous.
"It seems that you know me. Though that is quite the rude introduction."
"Hmph. What courtesy is there to be had for a dead heathen?"
Osiris sneered.
"Quite the foul mouth for a knight. So you're here to attack my kingdom, right?"
"That's right, King of the heretics. I, Lord Judmentor, Osiris, am ordered by the Pope to destroy the kingdom of the heretics!"
Osiris paused for a moment, then let out a cold laugh and said:
"Hehehe... But before that, there is one more important thing. Before setting off, I swear to His Highness the Pope, His Majesty the King, and the Supreme Creator that I will utterly destroy you in a sacred duel to the death! You shall watch in hell as your heresy and cult be wiped out by the righteous wrath of the Creator!"
Osiris said with hysterical madness in his voice. The soldiers behind him heard his proclamation and uttered all kinds of curses on Marika and the Golden Dynasty as if they were in a frenzy.
"Hmph, you are not the first person to try."
Marika also responded undaunted.
'Looks like they are a group of religious fanatics. Now things will be difficult. '
Marika thought. Judging by their morale, the Judgmentor Legion is not likely to give up easy. Unless she can defeat their leader, Osiris, their morale will be hard to break.
"If you want a duel, then come get it!"
Marika said resolutely.
"Master! This is too dangerous! We don't know his strength at all, let me deal with him! Protecting the safety of one's Master is the most important responsibility of a servant!"
Seeing Marika accepting Osiris' request for a duel, Bedivere immediately anxiously tries to persuade her to quit. Marika looked at Bedivere's nervous expression and hesitated for a moment whether to let Bedivere, who is a knight of the round table, deal with Osiris. Her usual enemies are much weaker than her, but her New Type intuition faintly tells her that Osiris may be the first person to threaten her in terms of power. Marika herself has never faced a comparable opponent, so she is worried that she, who was not a fighter, could win or not.
"Heh heh heh~ What's the matter, king of heretics? Are you afraid? That's right, you have turned your back on the grace of the Creator, then you can only prostrate in the shadows like disgusting rats while worshiping with your dirty rituals to your false gods, trembling in fear of the divine punishment of the true god!"
"You-!"
Hearing Osiris's vicious provocation, even Bedivere, who has always been elegant and easy-going, couldn't wait to teach this person a lesson for speaking so rudely to his Master. Bedivere looked at Marika with pleading eyes, but she asked Osiris:
"Before we start the fight, I want to ask you one thing. I can't figure it out no matter how much I think about it. Why did you let your subordinates slaughter and loot those villagers along the way? Even if it is for resources, you can legally levy them from the villagers."
Hearing Marika's question, Osiris laughed in a low voice, and then his laughter became louder and louder until he straight bent his waist and laughed hysterically. Marika sensed a maniacal malice in his crazed laughter, the emotions in it were chaotic, all dark and negative.
Osiris laughed for a long time before he stopped, and then he spoke slowly:
"Do you know why I joined the Judgmentor Legion?"
"Huh?"
"I have always maintained the most sincere devotion to the holy Creator. But no matter where I look, the world is full of fools who don't understand and cherish the infinite grace of the Creator. Whether they are cowardly and ignorant peasants, or nobles tempted by greed, they have all ignored His gifts and wasted their prayers. No... these ungrateful fools do not deserve His favor! But how to fix these stupid people is so distressing to me that it keeps me up at night. But when I met His Highness the Pope, his guidance made me suddenly enlightened! These shameless people, the only thing I have to do is to send them to hell one by one to repent! As long as I continue to hunt heretics in this holy crusade, I can prove my piety to the Creator!"
"You are insane..."
Bedivere murmured in shock.
Osiris goes on to say:
"Do you understand now? King of the heretics. Those ignorant farmers, when faced with my crusade of hunting down the heretics, the only thing they will do is hide their food greedily, instead of dedicating everything they own to the great crusade! Then it is only right that I send them to hell to repent!"
Osiris bulged his mad eyes, expounding his twisted beliefs. Bedivere's left hand was already on the hilt of his sword, ready to cut down this madman. But Marika's hand stopped him from drawing the sword, and shook her head at him. Then Marika turned to Osiris, accusing with anger in her eyes:
"Yeah, thanks to your wonderful speech, I finally figured it out. You are nothing but a lunatic! Your piety is just an excuse to kill people to satisfy your bloodthirsty desire!"
"Hmph, say what you want, King of the Heathens. My firm belief in the Creator will never change!"
Osiris said disdainfully.
Seeing that her words had no effect on this lunatic at all, Marika made up her mind to kill him herself. Keeping this person alive is only a disaster to the common people. Marika must kill him here to prevent him from continuing to harm others.
"Sir Bedivere, leave him to me!"
"But Master—!"
Bedivere still wanted to dissuade Marika, but she interrupted him.
"Please, Sir Bedivere. This person is too dangerous for the common people, I must personally eliminate him!"
Marika said firmly.
"I...Okay. Then I wish you good fortune, Master."
Bedivere sighed in defeat. He could see that she was really intent on killing this crazed murderer. Then all he can do is to let his king carry out her just judgment.
Bedivere returned to the ranks of the royal guards.
Marika and Osiris also dismounted at this time to prepare for their confrontation. Osiris' warhorse spontaneously ran back to the Judgmentor Legions's formation, while Torrent returned to the Spectral steed whistle in his spirit form. The two took off the cloaks that would have hindered the battle, and stared into each other's eyes full of fighting spirit, as if their eyes could spark sparks.
Marika said at this moment:
"Osiris, although I accepted the duel with you. But I want to be clear about one thing. I hate killing. Killing brings only the guilt and grief to the living, and the loss of precious lives. I think that except you, no one in this world likes to kill for no reason. Not wanting to take the life of another person is a natural thing for most people, and I think so too. But... if it is to eliminate demons like you. If it means killing you right here can protect my people, then... I don't mind getting my hands dirty."
"HEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What nonsense! Sure enough, only nonsense can come out of the mouths of heretics! "
[Recommended BGM: Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans Urdr Hunt-Red vs Blue]
Seeing no point in arguing with a lunatic, Marika pulled out Excalibur, the blade radiating a soft and powerful light alongside her boiling fighting spirit and determination to protect her people. Holding the hilt of the sword with both hands, with the tip of the sword pointing right side up, she said firmly:
"In order to protect my people, I shall eliminate you right here!"
Seeing this, Osiris also laughed and pulled out the great sword he was carrying. His greatsword has a copper-colored classical two-hand grip, the blade is wide and long, and its whole body is sky blue, shining like a diamond. Osiris pointed at Malika with his sword in one hand and said with a laugh:
"Hahahahaha! King of the heretics! I shall obliterate you!"
Marika took a low horse stance, her body was like a taut slingshot ready to go. Her posture of holding the sword has also been changed to a side standing position with the tip of the sword slanting down to the right. The runes in Marika's body began to boil like oil in an engine along with her fighting spirit. The intensely seething rune emerged on her skin in the form of fissure-like luminescent lines, and made a rumbling sound like a reactor.
Then…
"Bam-!"
Marika rushed towards Osiris like a cannonball, a large number of stones and dust were stirred up by the powerful force of her ejection.
Marika's lower body and back were propelled by a group of wind that was condensed into sharp points, as if she was wearing a set of wings and skirt made of wind. The huge G force brought by the high-speed propulsion squished her internal organs, making her grit her teeth in pain, but also sent her charging towards Osiris at the fastest speed.
The reason why Marika can achieve this is thanks to Excalibur. Excalibur comes with a special skill, Strike Air. The most basic principle of the Strike Air is to use mana to restrain the strong wind formed by mana, and let it attack the target in the way the user wants. It is a very direct mana release skill. In the anime, King Arthur binds Strike Air into the shape of a sword to attack her enemy. But what impressed Marika even more was that King Arthur used the Hammer of the Wind King to make some crude and fast propulsions. But it was just that, crude. Artoria simply pointed the tip of the sword behind her and then released Strike Air to achieve a momentary quick boost. And its effect is also very limited, because the user cannot change the direction midway, and can only attack in a single direction.
But this seemingly improvised method gave Marika an idea. Strictly speaking, mana can be released from all over the body, so if she attaches Strike Air to her lower body then uses mana and bio-telekinesis to restrain the direction of its eruption, then she can glide on the ground at high speed, even achieving flight. Marika can even change the direction of the mana wind erupts as long as she moves her thoughts, which increases her flexibility. Moreover, in terms of acceleration, it is also faster than the bio-telekinesis because it requires less mental power, making it a faster method of propulsion. A second of slowness on an ever-changing battlefield can cost lives.
This idea was inspired by the mobile suits in Mobile Suit Iron-Blooded Orphans. In the anime, those huge mechs glided lightly on the ground, using heavy melee weapons to directly smash their opponents. Their fighting style impressed her deeply. What would happen if humans could move and fight like a mobile suit? Now this battle is the moment to test her theory.
Marika slashed at Osiris with a powerful momentum, and Osiris confidently swung his sword with his right hand to block. But the moment the blades hit, Osiris' eyes widened in disbelief.
"What's going on?! This strength!"
Osiris couldn't believe his eyes, a woman was stronger than him! The shock from the impact of the blade made his palm ache. He quickly used his left hand to resist Marika's brute force by holding the hilt with both hands. Marika's enormous power pushed him abruptly, and his feet drew two deep marks on the ground.
"Haaaah!"
Osiris pushed back furiously, and was finally able to push away her sword. Osiris immediately took advantage of the gap and swung his sword down fiercely. An electric current flashed across Marika's forehead, and she immediately moved Strike Air backwards, following her intuition. The sharp tip of the wind-formed long skirt pointed forward, immediately a strong propulsion brought Marika out of Osiris' attack range, causing him to miss the slash.
Osiris was not discouraged, he continued to push his advantage, cutting from bottom to top. Marika immediately stopped the propulsion and moved forward on foot, swinging her sword to meet Osiris', trying to block his sword to create an opportunity to attack.
The swords of the two sides clashed back and forth, and their footsteps kept moving. It seemed that the sword skills of the two were evenly matched. But only Osiris knew that he was at a disadvantage now, Marika's strength was too great. Every time he fenced with her, his palm was hurt by Marika's huge strength. After several confrontations, Osiris felt that his hands were going to be numb from the pain. He realized that at this rate he was going to lose the battle.
Osiris struggled to parry Marika's attack again. Then he suddenly pointed the tip of his sword pointed at Marika and shouted:
"Take this, heretic!"
A ball of light formed on the tip of Osiris' sword, the color of the light was sky blue like the blade. Another electric current flashed across Marika's forehead, and she quickly activated strike air, dodging to the left. A blue beam of light was fired front the sword immediately, drawing out a long and thin line of light and then dissipating. Seeing that the blow missed, Osiris immediately turned the tip of his sword, aimed at Marika, and then fired another powerful beam of light. Marika skillfully manuever out of its trajectory.
"Tch, this sword is also a beam cannon?"
Marika gasped angrily while avoiding Osiris' shooting.
"Hahaha, how do you feel now! How do you feel! This is the Holy Sword given to me by the Pope, the holy sword that once killed the Evil dragon of betrayal! Surrender to the power of the Creator! Hahahahaha!"
Osiris kept shooting at Marika with his great sword. In order to avoid his attack, Marika could only look for an opportunity to counterattack while maneuvering and dodging.
Seeing that Marika seemed to be at a disadvantage, Bedivere and Artorius, who were watching from a distance, unconsciously clenched the handles of their swords.
"Damn it, I can't get close to him like this!"
Every time Marika approached him, she would be forced away by the beam cannon fired by the sword, making it completely impossible for her to attack Osiris in close quarters. Osiris' attacks are becoming more and more precise, and he also added some kind of magical shooting attack that condenses mana into crystals that float around him, shooting at her rapidly. The relentless barrage continuously compresses Marika's movement space. Several times, Marika had to rely on her New Type intuition to barely avoid his attacks.
"Okay, you want to play with ranged attacks? I can do that too!"
Marika approached Osiris again, and Osiris aimed his beam cannon sword at her. Seeing the luminous cannon, Marika did not dodge, but took a deep breath, and her chest bulged slightly. Then sing out loud:
"Ahhhhh~"
Her sonic attack contained the magic of Intoner, which abruptly disintegrated Osiris' beam cannon attack. Marika took the opportunity to swing her sword and rushed towards Osiris.
"The Light of the Creator has been disintegrated!?"
Osiris was shocked, but Marika's attack soon followed, forcing him to quickly block Malika's two left and right slashes with his sword.
"Curse you, that's impossible! You heretical witch! What kind of foul tricks did you use to disrupt the Creator's majesty!"
Osiris asked angrily while blocking Marika's attack. His beam cannon attack is formed by the purest magical power, it should be impossible to be disintegrated.
"Hmph! Why should I tell you! Dumbass!"
Marika taunted while wielding her sword intently. She wouldn't be so stupid as to suddenly explain her skills in the middle of a fight! If she wants to boast, that can wait after the battle!
Osiris didn't expect her to say such a thing. So he seized the gap between Marlika's sword swing, raised his sword with his anger and fired a beam shot. Marika evaded again with her New Type senses, but Osiris also took the opportunity to distance himself from her again.
But Marika won't dodge his shots passively this time. With a wave of Marika's hand, two portals of the Gate of Babylon opened on her left and right.
"Try this!"
Following her words, the two portals shot out two nameless spears. Osiris quickly swung his sword to block him. But it was followed by more weapons shot at him. He took a closer look and saw that the two portals were constantly shooting treasured weapons at him like machine guns. Even when Osiris swung his sword as fast as he could, he couldn't block all the weapons shooting at him. He could only keep moving and twisting his body to avoid the bombardment of Noble Phantasms.
Marika approached him again while he was tired of dealing with the Gate of Babylon's barrage of fire. But this time it was no ordinary slash. Marika continued to suppress Osiris with firepower, gliding forwards him while posing in a ribbed posture, and the wind formed by mana condensed on the sword. When Marika was ten meters away from Osiris, she swung the holy sword forward vigorously and shouted:
"Strike Air!"
The Sword of Promised Victory slashed out a powerful and huge wind blade, dragging Osiris into the air. Many of the smaller wind blades within it scraped sharply on his armor continuously. If it weren't for his expensive magic armor, Osiris would have been cut into pieces by the wind blades.
"It's not over yet!"
Marika shouted loudly. Holding the sword in her right hand instead, and extending her left hand to the left. A jagged aura composed entirely of light condensed in her palm. This is the Ultramen's skill, the eight-point light wheel!
Marika aimed at Osiris and threw the halo vigorously, the halo attacked Osiris in a circular orbit while spinning. Osiris's survival instincts were ringing loudly in his head, and he felt that if he was hit in the gut by the halo, he would certainly die! Osiris struggled to twist his body in the strong wind, barely avoiding the halo at the very last moment, but his right waist was still scratched by the halo, leaving a gash that wasn't fatal but still not shallow.
The storm gradually disappeared, and Osiris fell to the ground. Osiris quickly released a gust of wind magic to cushion his landing.
Landing on the ground safely with both feet, Osiris tried to straighten his body, but the wound affected him, causing him to kneel down on one knee in pain.
"Damn it! Damn it! WHY won't you die!"
Osiris roared angrily and at the same time used his magical power to continuously condense crystalline spears to shoot at Marika. Marika easily avoided those crystals while maneuvering, rushing to Osiris and slashed at him with her sword.
Regardless of the tearing pain of his wound, Osiris stood up and swung his sword to block. The blades of the two were in a stalemate for a moment, the struggle creating sparks.
"You damn witch! You have no righteousness in your heart! You betray the great creator for the sake of mere peasants!"
Osiris yelled at Marika hysterically. He stared fiercely at the woman facing him with his bloodshot eyes.
"Leading my people to live happily is my righteousness!"
Marika responded loudly, not to be outdone.
"Uahhhhhhhhh-!"
Osiris roared, trying to hold Marika down with brute strength. But Marika's hand remained motionless like a rock. At this time, there was suddenly a crisp cracking sound. Osiris looked in the direction of the sound, and suddenly found that the sound came from his holy sword! The holy sword bestowed on him by the Pope actually cracked! On the other hand, Marika's holy sword was still pristine!
"That's impossible! The holy sword for slaying evil bested by a copy from a heretic—!"
Before he could even finish his sentence, Osiris' sword finally couldn't bear the pressure and shattered!
Osiris opened his mouth wide, his pupils trembling. The Dragon Slaying Holy Sword in his hand was a well-known divine artifact from the Church of Angels, but it was shattered by this unknown sword!
Marika seized the opportunity and immediately activated the magic of the Intoners opening her mouth and sang:
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh~!"
The effect of the magical sound wave attack at such close range is naturally extraordinary, its shock wave directly blasts Osiris into the air. Osiris didn't have the strength to cast magic to cushion the landing this time. His body fell to the ground in front of the Judgmentor Legion with a toothsome crash, stirring up a cloud of dust. The Judgmentor Legion couldn't believe that their invincible leader would be defeated, but still several men rushed forward to help Osiris.
The smoke dissipated, and Osiris was seen lying on the ground in a spread eagle pose. Where he fell, a great crater was smashed out.
"My Lord!" The subordinates said in horror upon seeing Osiris' wounds.
Osiris was in a bad shape, his breastplate had been completely torn apart by the sonic magic attack, exposing his bloody chest.
"OUT OF MY WAY!"
Osiris pushed away the soldiers who were trying to support him, and stood up unsteadily.
"It's not over...it's not over yet!"
Osiris suddenly exploded with renewed strength, raised his hands high, and shouted loudly with blood foam in his mouth:
"Hyper accelerated Casting! Legendary Holy magic! Divine Smiting!"
"SHIT!"
Marika realized that Osiris was going to make a big move, but it was too late. Six huge overlapping magic circles suddenly appeared above her head, exuding cyan blue glow, and descended a powerful beam of light with overwhelming magic power at a lightning speed. Marika was enveloped in it before she could escape in time.
"Master!"
"Your Majesty!"
The Royal Guards shouted in horror, that attack looks very dangerous no matter how one looks at it!
The beam of light continued to bombard for a full ten seconds. After the magic circle and beam of light dissipated, a lot of dust was flying around the scene, making it hard to see clearly.
"D-did I get her?"
Osiris muttered to himself, the Legendary-level magic with Hyper acceleration magic he just casted has drained all the mana in his body. He kept praying to his god in his heart that the attack just now would work.
Unfortunately for him, a strong gust of wind blew in the center of the dust. The strong wind blew away the sand and dust completely, revealing the figures in the midst. Marika was standing in the center, except for some dust on her body, there was no damage done to her. There are only black burn marks with high temperature on the ground.
"Cough, cough, cough! Fuck! This sand is so uncomfortable, it's all stuck in my hair."
Maeika coughed while fanning away the dust in front of her.
"Master!" Bedivere shouted happily, he was relieved to see Marika safe and sound.
"As expected of Her Majesty, such a terrible attack can't do anything to her!"
One of the Tree Sentinels sighed in relief.
"That's impossible! That's Legendary level magic! Even the Demon King can not come out unscathed! It's Lord Judgmentor's ultimate move!"
An officer of the Judgment Legion shouted in horror.
"Are you sure about that? That attack just now did surprise me, but it turned out to be all for show."
Marika said disdainfully while casting the dust off her body with her mana.
"Just what in the Creator's name are you, king of the heretics!"
Osiris asked loudly with the little strength he had left.
"Me? I am just a god done with your crap!"
Maeika said with firm confidence.
"What!? A god!"
Osiris could not believe what he had just heard.
"You said your beam cannon sword is a holy sword, right? Then I will show you what a real holy sword is!"
Marika said as she raised Excalibur above her head.
[The author recommends BGM: Fate/Prototypes OST-Knight of Sky silver]
Countless golden light clusters gradually emerged around Marika, containing holy warmth, as if the earth was cheering for the owner of the holy sword. All the light clusters gathered on the blade of the holy sword, making the light of the holy sword brighter and brighter, like a second sun in the cloudy sky. At this moment, all the mystics, all the light, and all the hopes in the world are gathered on that shining holy sword.
Marika closed her eyes and began to recite the incantation to release the full power of Excalibur: "Gather the breath of the stars in the sky—"
"What's with that light?"
Einar looked at the light and asked a little nervously.
"Such a magnificent glow! Is this Her Majesty's Golden Order? What a noble beauty this is!"
A Tree Sentinels praised with reverent eyes.
The rest of the knights also believed that the bright star light emitting from Excalibur was the embodiment of the Golden Order, and they knelt down on one knee devoutly to worship.
"Such a soft and shining light, surely even the Abyss can be dispelled in one fell swoop?"
Artorius whispered thoughtfully.
Bedivere's eyes were completely attracted by the light. Reflected in his eyes, only the golden queen holding the holy sword was left. The queen's figure gradually overlapped with the king of knights holding the holy sword high. Tears flowed from the corners of his eyes unconsciously.
"King Arthur..."
"Sir Bedivere! What is going on with that sword?"
Einar eagerly grabbed Bedivere's shoulder and shook him while asking. People are always afraid of the unknown, and Bedivere's entranced state made Einar feel a little scared. It was as if Bedivere was under a spell. But Bedivere just stared at the holy sword, and said in an even more excited tone:
"That sword is the sad but noble dream of all the warriors who have perished on the battlefield from the past to the future. Such a will is worth boasting, and such faith must be carried out..."
At this time, the radiance of the holy sword reached its peak, and Marika's spell also came to an end.
"The torrent of brilliant life, take it!"
With a pious heart, Bedivere said loudly at the same moment:
"The King of Eternal Victory loudly announces the true name of the miracle in her hand, and that is—!"
"EX—CALIBUR!"
Marika shouted out the holy sword's true name, and slashed downward with all her strength. By transmuting the owner's mana into light, the beam from the tip of the downward-swinging sword rushed towards the Judgmentor Legion like an unstoppable torrent.
They should have fled because of their will to survive, but the moment the Judgmentor Legion saw the Holy Sword of the Star fully release its true light, their faith had already collapsed. The deep-rooted teachings of the Church of Angels told them that it is impossible for heathens to use holy magic, and the magic of heathens is dirty and dark. But whether it is the soft mana in the air or the dazzling, star-like light, it was a constant slap in the face to their beliefs. Why can the heretics they hunted and hated use such pure light? The Legion of Judgmentors had no answer until the beams of the holy sword overwhelmed them.
"O Creator—why must you favor that heretic...?"
These are the last words of Osiris in his wicked life.
A few hours after the fight...
Marika's Noble Phantasm wiped out half of the Judgmentor legion's in one blow. All of them disintegrated under the brilliance of the Excalibur. The number of remaining defeated troops were further reduced by Marika's royal bodyguards.
Except for Bedivere who stayed to take care of Marika, the rest of the Royal Guards went to clean up the battlefield.
Marika lowered her head and sighed as she looked at the charred marks and corpses all over the battlefield. Although killing Osiris relieved her anger, Marika was not happy. She only felt that she was a hypocritical half-ass who said that she hated killing people, but in the end she still swung her sword and killed so many people. She swung her sword in order to protect her people, but she felt more and more resentment wrapped around her. Mountains and seas of the dead seem to reach out from hell to entangle her, choking her that she couldn't breathe.
[The author recommends BGM: Nier series OST-Kaine Salvation]
"Master..."
Bediverel's gentle voice immediately pulled Marika back to reality when she fell into a hallucination.
"Bedivere..."
Marika said to Bedivere in low spirit, and at the moment she was not even in the mood to use honorifics.
Bedivere gently put on the cloak she had taken off, quietly looked at Marika and Excalibur, and said:
"It seems that King Arthur's holy sword has found a worthy owner."
"Bedivere, according to your judgment as the original knight of the round table, are… are you sure I am worthy?"
"Why did Master say that? You should know that only those who are approved by the holy sword can release its true power. The light that the master just showed is direct proof! Master, why do you doubt yourself? ?"
"But... I can still hear the ghosts of those I killed. Even if the light of Excalibur is warm and shining, it is still a weapon of war, meant for killing. And I am the one who swung. Besides, I obtained this sword through the system, I never gained the approval of the Lady of the lake. Even if I can drive the power of the holy sword, but I slaughter so many people, am I, who is so sinful, still qualified to own this weapon?"
Marika said in a daze, and a tear slowly fell.
"Master..."
"Master, you really are a kind person."
"Me?"
"That's right, only a truly kind person like Master can shed tears for slain enemies. Even in the face of brutal villains, you can still feel compassion for their misfortunes. Only someone with a truly pure and kind heart can do that. Under your rule, the people must be able to smile from the bottom of their hearts, just as King Arthur said. If my king knows that the successor of Excalibur is such a gentle person, her spirit in heaven must be gratified."
After finishing speaking, Bedivere showed a smile from the bottom of his heart.
Bedivere's words and smile melted the confusion in Marika's heart. The voice of the dead seemed to have never existed. No, it should be said that Malika already had the courage to bear their weight. If the lives of the people can gain stability and peace under her hard work, if it can be done...then the weight of those dead will become less terrible.
At this moment, Bedivere gently knelt down on one knee in front of Marika.
"Therefore, Master, no.. My king, I, Knight of the Round Table, Bedivere, hereby swear to my king. I am willing to be your sword, your shield, and your knight; for the rest of my life, I shall wield my silver arm and sword to protect your smile. Do you, my king, take me as your sworn knight?"
Bedivere looked at Marika with his clear eyes after swearing allegiance to her.
"Bedivere, l...I..."
Malika blushed slightly. Listening to Bedivere's love confession like oath made her heart beat thump because of his sincerity and approval. At the same time, she held out her right hand to him with a shy smile like a bride.
"I do."
Bedivere's emerald green eyes met Marika's golden eyes, and they smiled knowingly. Bedivere slowly held Marika's delicate hand, and kissed the back of her hand lightly, completely binding the fate of the two together.