Chapter 25: The Final Match
"AND FROM THE RIGHT SIDE, WE HAVE OUR CHALLENGER, THE LEGENDARY SWORD HERO, EMIYA SHIROU! HE ARRIVED SO SUDDENLY LIKE THE NORTH WIND, AND TOOK THE WHOLE TOURNAMENT BY STORM! IT'S NOT FARFETCHED TO CALL HIM THE RED TORNADO OF ZELTOBLE!"
From the gate on the right side of the stadium, EMIYA walked out, sword in hand. Cheers erupted from every corner of the colosseum when he came into view.
He hated this, though. He loathed these kinds of fighting for carnal pleasure, and hearing those bloodthirsty people cheering for him like this made him feel uncomfortable. It made him feel as if he were colluding with them.
And the nickname "Red Tornado of Zeltoble"… He shivered in disgust when thinking about it. He never had any intention to become a legend of the colosseum or anything like that. Hearing things like that around him scared him more than any enemies he might have to face.
On the other side of the arena, Captain Fargus, the Axe Hero was walking into view from the opposing tunnel.
"AND NOW, FROM THE LEFT SIDE, WE HAVE OUR UNDEFEATED CHAMPION, THE SEVEN STAR AXE HERO, THE HONORABLE CAPTAIN OF THE ARK, CAPTAIN FARGUS! FOR A WHOLE DECADE, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY BEING IN THIS WORLD WHO COULD THREATEN HIS THRONE AS THE CHAMPION OF THE ZELTOBLE GRAND TOURNAMENT, BUT THIS YEAR, THE MOST PROMISING CHALLENGER HAS APPEARED! IS HE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND HIS POSITION AS THE UNBEATABLE HERO, OR ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A NEW PERSON TO WEAR THE BELT OF GRAND CHAMPION?"
Today Fargus dressed differently from what he had been doing the previous days. Instead of just a normal tank top and a pair of trousers, today he was wearing a suit of armor with steel breastplate and pauldrons. The Seven Star Axe on his shoulder was taking the form of a two-handed battle axe with two curved blades decorated with a lion's head biting the signature green jewel of the legendary weapon. He looked like someone who had been preparing to fight a war.
The two fighters faced each other at the center of the arena. EMIYA's gray eyes stared into the Captain's amber eyes.
"You seem way too prepared for someone who's looking for a good fight," the Sword Hero noted. The Axe Hero answered him with a grin.
"Larsazusa is one of the most powerful fighters that this land has ever gotten. Seeing how you fought and defeated her so thoroughly yesterday, only a fool would come to this fight unprepared."
The two Heroes kept staring at each other for a while. Then, it was Fargus himself who raised his voice next.
"How are the kids?"
"Safe," answered EMIYA curtly. The Axe Hero chuckled.
"I see. Good to hear that they're in good hands. That hakuko boy is a good boy."
The mayor and commentator, Damian Kaur, walked into the arena. He stopped where the two fighters were standing.
"Are the two fighters ready?"
EMIYA nodded. "I'm ready."
Fargus also grinned. "I'm always more than ready. However…"
Kaur glanced at the Axe Hero. "Is there anything wrong, Captain?"
The grin on Fargus' face spread wider. "Ah, nothing. I'm just warning you, better prepare the barriers. Today I'm going all out."
Suddenly Kaur tensed up. "Wait, going all out… you mean…!"
Fargus only answered him with a big grin. Colors drained from the mayor's face in an instant, and he hastily retreated to his commentator booth while screaming at someone EMIYA didn't know. "Raise the barriers!"
Immediately upon the command, the walls of the audience stand started glowing. And with a flash, walls made of purple energy burst into life and surrounded the arena, transparent enough for the crowd to see what was happening on the battlefield but strong enough to withstand even an explosion that could take down a building.
If they have to go through all of these protection methods, Fargus must be terrifying when he goes full power, EMIYA thought. Larsazusa wasn't wrong after all, huh…
The previous night…
"So, have you had any plan against Fargus yet?"
Larsazusa suddenly gave him that question right before she left the inn. The apprentices as well as the children had already gone to bed, and thus, right now there were only EMIYA and the panda girl sitting at a table near the entrance of the inn.
"Actually, no," the ex-Counter Guardian admitted. Larsazusa had proven herself to be trustworthy enough for him to open up. "Other than what I've heard about from people around here, the only time I've seen him fight for real was that time when he rescued my companion from some kidnappers. That wasn't even a fight, though. Everything happened too fast, and he didn't even show a tenth of what he could do."
"I see," the panda girl nodded. "Then there's something I have to tell you. Fargus is powerful not only because he is the chosen wielder of the Seven Star Axe. The most dangerous thing about him is that he is not only very physically strong, but also incredibly skilled. In a battle with him, do not ever dream of overpowering him with brute strength, because he will just overpower you back with his own strength. Petty tricks are not going to work, either. He's going to see through them and counter with his own skills."
EMIYA winced. If what Larsazusa said was true, Fargus was going to be a very big problem for him to deal with.
"Have you ever fought him before?"
Larsazusa sighed. "Only once. Got stomped to the ground, of course. Never got a more humiliating defeat in my life. Since then, I have sworn to train myself to be the first person who could defeat him the next time we face each other, but eh, you robbed me of my chance to face him in the final, so… But even so, I don't think I can beat him anyway, in this case…"
Suddenly she smiled. "But if anything, I think you are the only person I've ever met who could ever have a chance of defeating him."
His finger squeezed around the hilt of the Legendary Sword, which was in the form of Kiku-ichimonji Norimune right now. He still hadn't had a grasp of the Axe Hero's full capabilities, but he had faced a lot of powerful opponents before, and there was nothing he could do but fight with everything he had.
"For the final time, are the two fighters ready?"
Kaur's voice boomed again, now from the commentator booth. The two fighters tensed up, ready to spring into action…
"Then let the final match of the 11th Zeltoble Grand Tournament, between the Hero of the Sword and the Hero of the Axe… BEGIN!"
"Yo, kids! Can I sit here?"
EMIYA's disciples turned around, and their eyes brightened when they saw who had just called them.
"Larsazusa-san!"
Today, the panda woman was in her human form instead of her usual therianthrope form. She was looking at the group of teenagers with a bright smile on her face. Farrie shuffled around a bit, making a space enough for her to sit down. The older woman took the seat and looked around curiously.
"Where is Fohl?"
"He's back at the inn," answered Tersia. "He can't leave Atla-chan alone there, and she can't go around without help, so…"
"I see," Larsazusa nodded. She turned her attention back to the arena below. "Too bad he has to miss the important fight of his Master…"
"Do you think sensei can win, Larsazusa-san?" Welt looked at the woman curiously. She shrugged.
"Who knows? Watching is the only way to know about that. Ah, they already started."
Silence covered the whole arena in one single second. Then all of a sudden, the Axe Hero opened combat. In a single bound, he crossed the arena with incredible speed; the axe in his hands came down on EMIYA's head with enough power to bring down a building. The enhanced reflex bestowed to him by Kiku-ichimonji Norimune screamed at him to dodge if he still wanted to live. Cursing in his breath, the ex-Counter Guardian jumped back, and the blade of the axe, instead of splitting him in half, smashed itself on the ground.
And the surface shattered. The power of the strike was so immense it created cracks all over the ground and sent a massive shockwave across the arena. EMIYA was blown across the battlefield by the sheer force of the shockwave; he skidded on the ground, and could only stop by stabbing the blade of his sword into the earth below.
What the hell is that monstrous strength…?!
But that explosion of strength did have a drawback. The blade of the axe was now buried too deep in the ground to retrieve easily, and EMIYA quickly closed the distance and landed on the handle of the axe. With the weapon locked in place, Fargus wouldn't be able to counter the horizontal slash he was sending at his waist…
And the Axe Hero did something EMIYA never expected someone like him could have done. Releasing his grip on the Seven Star Axe, he bent backward like a circus acrobat, and the blade of the Legendary Sword only cut the thin air in front of his face harmlessly. At the same time, his right foot shot up and kicked EMIYA in the chin. Startled by the sudden retaliation, the Sword Hero could only lean his head aside to avoid it, but the Axe Hero didn't even stop there. Using his arms as support, he spun like a break dancer and delivered a spinning kick at EMIYA's chest, and this time the ex-Counter Guardian couldn't dodge anymore. He could only cross his arms in front of his chest to block the kick, and was sent flying backward.
EMIYA winced in pain. That kick was so powerful it felt like the bones in his arms were already cracked under the force even with the Reinforcement he had applied to his body. Larsazusa didn't lie at all; not only was Captain Fargus incredibly strong, but he was also very skilled in battle.
His spine went cold when the thought popped up in his head. It was just like fighting a sane Herakles who could utilize all of his skills.
This opponent… was definitely the most powerful foe he had ever faced since he was summoned to this world.
Fargus plucked the Axe up from where it was on the ground. He didn't go after EMIYA immediately, however; he just stood there and grinned at the Sword Hero.
"What's wrong? I thought you were going to give me a satisfying battle. If that's everything you can offer, there's no way I'm going to be impressed."
And the man was completely right. Normal tricks wouldn't work against Fargus. He needed to take it up a notch if he wanted to win.
Pushing himself up from the ground, he muttered. "Change Sword. Synch Blade."
The Legendary Sword glowed brightly. It split into two, and started morphing into the shape of two short, curved swords that looked like fangs. When the light faded, the pair of short swords he received from the Dragon Emperor, Gaelion's Wrath, was lying in his hands.
"Now this is what I'm talking about," the captain grinned when he saw the new weapon. Even with just a glance, he could see that the new swords were incredibly powerful. It seemed that the Sword Hero was finally getting serious. Even the look in his eyes had changed, too.
EMIYA disappeared from view with a "whoosh". Fargus' eyes hardened, Here he comes!
He swung the Seven Star Axe to the right, intercepting a horizontal slash from Gaelion's Wrath which the Sword Hero was delivering at his waist. The short sword clashed against the handle of the axe with a nasty "clang".
That attack was much faster than the one the Sword Hero sent at him before. Gaelion's Wrath was shorter and lighter than Kiku-ichimonji Norimune, and it was designed to be used in a dual-wielding style, unlike the katana. And right now, that was exactly what the ex-Counter Guardian needed.
Fargus was much, much stronger than him physically; that was something he couldn't deny. However, one of the drawbacks of using that heavy axe was that he couldn't move as nimbly and quickly without letting go of his weapon, just like before. Therefore, the only way for EMIYA to have a chance to win was to overcome him with his superiority in speed and agility.
Slashes after slashes were sent at the Axe Hero with blinding speed. The air between the two Heroes was filled with flashes of light coming from both the gleams of the two swords in EMIYA's hands under the bright sunlight, as well as the sparks from the collisions of the blades with the handles of the axe. It's hard to believe that even under that relentless assault, Fargus was still able to block every strike coming from the ex-Counter Guardian.
He needed even more than that.
"Flash Step," the ex-Counter Guardian muttered, and as the blade of the right Gaelion's Wrath hit the Axe again, he disappeared from Fargus' view and reappeared behind the pirate captain. He swung again, and this time, the Axe Hero couldn't block the strike anymore. Turning on his heels, he accepted the slash with the breastplate of his armor. The slash connected with the steel plate, and a deep gash was carved on the surface of the armor piece. Quickly, Fargus swung his axe in a horizontal sweep, forcing EMIYA to back away, only to bounce back with an even more vigorous assault. He kept flashing around Fargus with Flash Steps, with the intention to confuse him to make him reveal an opening, while delivering slashes after slashes at the Axe Hero, forcing him to frantically spin around to block.
But even that wasn't enough. Those strikes were fast, but they didn't contain enough power. And Fargus was gradually picking up on the pace of the attacks, anyway. If he wanted to completely break through, he needed to do it right now, or…
"As the source of your power, I, the Sword Hero, command you…"
The other day, during the chase to rescue Wyndia from her kidnappers, Akari used her Boost spell to ramp up his speed for him to catch up with the enemy Shadows. However, at that time, he had already amped up his body with Reinforcement, and at that time, he had been surprised that the Boost spell actually worked. It confirmed his theory that two magic spells with the same function but from different schools of magic could be stacked together to enhance their effects. And that was what he planned to use as a trump card against Fargus today.
But right as the magical chant left his mouth, he saw Fargus starting to speak, too. And his spine went cold when he realized what the Axe Hero was saying.
"As the source of your power, I, the Axe Hero, command you…"
Oh shit…
"…decipher the law of nature…"
His arms swung the swords in his hands even faster, and the words left his mouth even hastier than before. However, as he increased his pace, Fargus himself also chanted faster.
"…decipher the law of nature…"
He needed to finish his spell before Fargus could finish his.
"…and give me strength to defeat my enemies!"
"…and give me strength to defeat my enemies!"
"ERSTE MIGHT!"
The two spells were finished at exactly the same time. And the final clash of the weapons suddenly became stronger than any other before; a nasty grinding noise echoed through the air as the two blades of Gaelion's Wrath came down with the force of a hammer blow on the handle of the big axe. A shockwave spread across the arena.
And Fargus' eyes gleamed dangerously. His arms moved in a motion so sudden that EMIYA couldn't retract his attack.
Shit…
"Power Break."
And EMIYA felt a brutal force striking him in the gut. He couldn't see it coming at all, but the force of the strike was so huge it took the breath out of his lungs. It felt as if that blow contained the power of both Fargus' retaliation and his own strike. The ex-Counter Guardian was sent flying backward across the arena. His back slammed into the wall of the audience's stand painfully, making a crater of cracks on it.
What the hell…?!
He winced. That attack seemed to have broken a few of his ribs. How in the world did the pirate captain manage to do that?
Fargus just looked at him from the other side of the arena silently. Then, he suddenly asked.
"What do you fight for, Emiya Shirou?"
EMIYA snorted while pushing himself up. "Is there anything important about that? At least I don't fight to entertain bloodthirsty people like you," he sneered.
"There! That's exactly what I really hate about you!"
That sudden outburst of the Axe Hero made EMIYA blink. "What…?"
Captain Fargus wasn't smiling anymore. He was looking at the Sword Hero with eyes full of annoyance and disappointment.
"You always make it as if fighting is a horrid crime and everything. Do you really think that you're oh so noble and honorable acting like that?"
EMIYA's eyes narrowed. "I never…"
"Don't you DARE say that you never thought so," Fargus brushed him off flatly. "That kind of look, I've seen a lot. I know you have been through wars and seen a lot of people dying. You must have hated the idea of fighting itself. But that doesn't mean you can look down on people who fight for the sake of a fight."
He waved his hand at the audience stand. "This world is in need of strong people in order to combat what is waiting for us ahead. And one of the fastest and most effective ways to become strong is through real battles. This place is built to honor the hopes and dreams of those who fight. People come here, expecting to get stronger by fighting other strong people. Whether they win or lose, they still grow by observing and experiencing the real atmosphere of the battle, seeing the fighting style of their opponents, and using those experiences to improve their fighting prowess. Whatever their purposes are is irrelevant; their ultimate goal is to win. They are here because they CHOSE to be here to fight, not because someone forced them to come. And if you show pity on them, it is going to be a big insult to all of their effort."
EMIYA was taken aback by the reasoning of the Axe Hero.
It's not like he had never met anyone with this kind of mindset before. One of the most famous heroes he had met, Cú Chulainn of Ulster, basically lived to enjoy a good fight. He was also one of the people whom EMIYA couldn't stand, even though in Chaldea, they were comrades and were required to fight together all the time. His ideal of a warrior's pride, and the joy of battles was something the ex-Counter Guardian could never accept.
However…
Wasn't that exactly what he was teaching his disciples?
He had taught the three youngsters that power did not come from just studying techniques and normal training alone. The best way to improve themselves, to prepare for whatever was waiting for them was to experience true battles, where enemies would not hold back and would do anything to kill them.
And that was what pissed EMIYA off.
"That kind of one-way thinking is going to spell your end someday," he looked at the Axe Hero coldly. "How do you even know that everyone coming here is looking for a fight as you do? How do you know that they also fight just to get stronger? Look at Fohl. He doesn't fight for glory or thrill; he fights for the sake of his sister. He doesn't care about honor or anything; it is the exposure to this environment that turned him into what he is at the moment."
"And what about it?" Fargus snorted. "Didn't you hear what I said before? Whatever reason they have behind it, it's not important. Outside of the arena, it might be something noteworthy, but when they come here, walking into this stadium, with their decision to join this tournament, they also come to me, looking for a fight. They have the will to fight. And if they want that, it's my duty to fulfill that request. No matter what kind of opponent I might have to face, I am not going to hold back."
EMIYA gripped the hilts of Gaelion's Wrath so tight veins started to bulge up at the back of his hands. The twin blades he unlocked with the help of Gaelion, symbolizing the bond between him and the dragon, also seemed to heat up in his hands.
Captain Fargus wasn't an evil person; in fact, he was an honorable hero who would fight to the end for the sake of his people. Fargus' ideal was actually not that different from his own way of thinking. However, it's just that the ways they approached that ideal were different, that's all.
Fargus walked alone on his way as a warrior, trampling on the people he fought on his route to reaching absolute strength. And he would continue fighting as long as there are people for him to fight. He immersed himself in fights, and used them as a way to grow himself up. EMIYA also walked alone, but his aim was to find a way to stop all fights. He fought to save, to protect, not to enjoy and thrive. And even though the regret of having to kill people haunted him until he died and even after that, during the time he spent in Chaldea, he already found an answer to his life dilemma.
This wasn't a fight for the championship anymore; this was a battle between two clashing ideals. And what he needed to do right now was to prove that his way of thinking was stronger than Fargus'.
Winning this match alone wasn't enough. What he needed was to make Fargus admit defeat.
Words were not necessary now anymore. The only thing he must do now… was to come at the Axe Hero with everything that he had.
Energy started surging from inside the two blades of Gaelion's Wrath. And with a loud "whoosh" that could be heard across the arena, one of the blades burst into flame, while the other one was covered in a small typhoon. That was the effect of the Spellblade skills of these swords, which gave him the ability to imbue his weapons with the wind and fire elements. The two strongest elements in combat, with the power to cut through anything and burn them to ash.
At the other end of the arena, Fargus' axe was also starting to crackle. Sparks of blue electricity appeared on the surface of the axe's head.
The two fighters glared at each other for exactly four seconds. And at the fifth, all hell broke loose.
It's not a fight where one side attacks, and the other side blocks anymore. Now, the weapons were meeting each other in midair blade to blade. Whenever the fire-covered blade clashed against the electricity-covered axe, a burst of fire and electricity blasted out and knocked both fighters backward, and when the wind-covered blade met the axe, a burst of wind infused with electricity did. The air was filled with deafening explosions; even the protective barrier around the arena was starting to shake violently under shockwave after shockwave coming from the clash of the two Heroes.
"This… THIS IS INCREDIBLE! IS THIS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN TWO HEROES GO ALL OUT AGAINST EACH OTHER?!" From the commentator's booth, Kaur's voice rose, but no one even bothered listening anyway. People were too busy screaming their heads out as the barrier started groaning under the strain it was suffering from. If that barrier goes down, it's NOT going to be good.
But even the Heroes didn't have infinite stamina and strength to keep up with such a fierce clash of power. The energy explosions created by their attacks weren't just shiny shows of light; each of them was the equivalent of a grenade blast. And if even the battlefield was being destroyed by the impact of those blasts, there was no way the two human beings fighting there could come out of it unharmed.
After a particularly nasty clash, the two fighters were thrown backward to the opposite sides of the arena. And EMIYA knew that he had to finish the battle soon, or his body wouldn't be able to withstand it much longer.
On the other side, Fargus wasn't faring any better, either; he was also breathing heavily, and his body was riddled with scratches. Cracks could be seen all over his breastplate, to the point that the whole thing might shatter at the lightest touch.
"Heheheheh…"
The laughter coming from the pirate captain sent chills down the spines of everyone in the stadium at the moment. Even though his body was riddled with wounds, on his face was the biggest grin anyone had ever seen since the beginning of the fight.
"This… is IT!" he howled in utter glee. "THIS IS THE FIGHT I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR! THE BEST FIGHT OF MY LIFE! IT'S THE PERFECT PLACE FOR ME TO UNLEASH ALL OF MY POWER!"
The head of the Seven Star Axe started crackling with electricity again, but this time, instead of the blue sparks like before, the blade was glowing with purple sparks. Then, holding the handle of the Axe in both of his hands, he started spinning on his feet. Faster and faster, the Axe Hero kept spinning, until somehow, a tornado of wind and electricity formed around his body and started advancing toward the ex-Counter Guardian.
What the hell is that?! That defies any kind of physics logic I have ever known in my life! No, scratch that; if it manages to hit, it will be the end of me!
And he knew what he needed to do right now.
"Thousand Blades!" he yelled, and thousands of swords appeared from thin air behind him and started launching themselves toward the incoming tornado, just like missiles. The storm of swords clashed against the tornado of lightning, hitting it with full force, but at the same time, the tornado also tripled in intensity, and the two forces ground at each other, none of which ever budged an inch. Most of the blades were deflected and destroyed by the electrified tempest, but some of them managed to slip by and (hopefully) deal some more damage to the Axe Hero inside the tornado.
The raging tempest rose to the sky, reaching the cloud above them. When it finally faded completely, the Axe Hero emerged from inside it, seemingly exhausted from the effort he had been spending on that extravagant move. Some of the swords from the Sword Hero's attack were sticking out of his arms and thighs, and blood was dripping onto the ground. On the opposite side, EMIYA was also down on one knee; he was also drained from his trump card which he could only use once per day.
"But this… is the end…" he muttered. Fargus looked like he was struggling to stay on his feet, and it didn't seem he could pull techniques like before anymore.
"Yes… this is… the end…"
Suddenly EMIYA felt a strange feeling of fear churn up in his stomach. What the hell is this premonition?
"…for YOU!"
And with that declaration, Fargus pointed his axe at the sky. A lightning bolt shot upward from the head of the axe into the darkening clouds above, and EMIYA's spine went deathly cold when he realized what was going to happen.
"I will admit, you are the strongest opponent I've ever faced in my life!" the Axe Hero declared as a sphere of electricity started forming within the dark cloud above them. "You have withstood everything so far, so let's see if you have the guts and strength to hold yourself against my ultimate skill! RAGNAROK..."
And EMIYA knew what he needed to do now. There's no other choice; it's now or never.
His 27 Magic Circuits were all flooded with his magical energy in an instant.
"I am the bone of my sword."
Immediately, his body was assaulted by electricity. Hundreds of volts of fury coming from the Legendary Sword rushed into his chest, threatening to stop his heart. But he bit his lip to the point it started bleeding to keep himself stable. If he doesn't do this, he's going to die anyway.
"…BREAKER!"
With the command, the pirate captain brought his weapon down with a slashing motion. A humongous purple lightning bolt shot out from inside the cloud and struck the arena right at the center. An explosion dwarfing any the audience had seen before shook the whole Stadium. The whole arena was obliterated in an instant, and the barriers around it all let out a collective strained groan when the shockwave of the explosion hit them with the force of a warhead.
"Take cover!" Realizing the incoming danger, Larsazusa yelled and pulled every member of Team EMIYA into her arms before hiding them behind her larger therianthrope form which she had just transformed into as the barriers finally gave up withstanding the force of the explosion and shattered into trillions of violet energy shards. The shockwave, even though already considerably weakened thanks to the barriers, still swept through the audience stand and blew some of the unprepared people off their seats.
"Wh-what the hell is that!?" Tersia stuttered; even the usually brave girl was completely struck aghast by the horror that had just been unfolded in front of her.
"Yuki is scared!" the youngest member of the team cried out in fear while burrowing herself into the panda girl's fur.
"But where is sensei?!" Farrie also yelled. The smoke and dust coming from the explosion were covering the whole arena; it was impossible to see whether EMIYA was still alive or not.
Everyone's stomach churned up in horror. Did the Sword Hero, one of the most powerful people in this whole world, get obliterated just like that?!
"Up there!"
Everyone snapped their heads up toward the direction Welt was pointing with his excited finger. And cheers erupted from the crowd when they realized what they were looking at.
The Sword Hero was flying in the air. In front of him, there was a barrier made of translucent pink energy with the shape of a flower petal. He had used it to shield himself from the worst of the explosion's force and took advantage of it to throw himself into the air, avoiding the total annihilation that he would have suffered had he taken it head-on.
Had anyone paid attention, though, they would have seen that he was wincing in pain. There was nothing in the Legendary Sword's arsenal which could withstand such a powerful force, and he had to resolve to the strongest protective equipment in his own arsenal.
And obviously, the Legendary Sword didn't like that a little bit. Right now, it was sending arcs of lightning into his body as punishment for trying to go against its will, even though it wasn't in his hand. The damage his body had accumulated during the battle, as well as from the destruction of Rho Aias' petals and the punishment of the Sword was threatening to shut him down for good, but he concentrated every last particle of his mind to force himself to stay awake as he dismissed the last petal of the conceptual shield. This is going to be the last strike.
And it would be stupid to expect that someone like Fargus didn't notice that. He hastily lifted his axe, ready to defend himself from the man who was descending down his head…
…only to see that he couldn't. The axe was locked to the ground by iron chains and vines emerging from under the surface. Not only that, even his legs and feet were locked in place by the same chains and vines, too. He glanced at where EMIYA used to be before, and his eyes widened in realization.
The Legendary Sword was buried to the hilt into the ground.
Usually, the Legendary Weapons would stubbornly stay in the hand of their wielders, no matter what happens. However, there are some special cases that the wielders might separate themselves from the Weapons, even in just a brief moment. And one of those cases is when the Weapons are used as a part of a skill, aiming specifically at a target.
That cunning bastard…! He didn't just use that explosion to evade; he also took advantage of it to prepare a counterstrike…!
The Sword Hero had calculated everything. With his weapon locked in place, he couldn't use the counterattack Power Break to deflect physical attacks as he did before. He also couldn't move away to dodge, thanks to his legs being locked in place.
Unable to move, unable to do anything to strike back, the Axe Hero couldn't do anything when the fist containing everything the Sword Hero had left in his body landed on his face. The power of the punch was so immense that it ripped the Axe Hero off the ground and threw him backward like a ragdoll. He crashed to the ground with a sickening "thud", and lay there, not getting up again.
EMIYA slowly walked toward the fallen captain. He was on the verge of collapsing, too, but he refused to let himself fall. As the ex-Counter Guardian towered over him, Fargus let out a painful groan.
"How did you get so strong? You didn't seem to be that strong before…"
EMIYA looked at the Axe Hero lying on the ground. He closed his eyes and sighed.
"I don't think I'm any different from you. After all, I'm just like you; someone who seeks strength. However, I don't strive to become stronger than anyone. What I think about myself is whether I am strong enough. Enough to protect the people I want to protect. And maybe that's what makes us different."
The image of the girl with red hair once again popped into his mind.
"Hey, I've always wondered... how did you become so strong, Archer? You are basically just a normal magus, just like me, and yet you are one of the strongest people I've ever met."
He looked at the shorter girl who was walking next to him with solemn eyes.
"Is it something that important, Master?" he snorted. "After all, no matter how strong I might be, I'm just a murderer, killing in the name of protecting the world. There's nothing good about it."
"Eh? I don't think so though."
He stopped walking and turned to her. "Then what do you think?"
The red-haired girl stretched her back like a cat and smiled back at him. "I don't know... It's just, I don't think there's anything wrong with striving to become stronger. After all, it's the reason why you want to be stronger that makes it good or bad, isn't it?"
She looked up at the ceiling of the building and chuckled. "I know that it's impossible to protect everyone. There would be times when I have to kill. But I'm not going to be someone who would kill without a good reason. And I'm going to become stronger so that I won't have to resort to killing people who don't deserve to die. I guess the only thing I'm worried about is whether I'm strong enough to do that or not."
EMIYA stared at his Master.
Had he still been the cynical and bitter Counter Guardian he had been before, he wouldn't have hesitated to give the girl in front of him a verbal beating. That ideal of his Master wasn't only naïve and overly optimistic, it also went against the foolish ideal of the young Emiya Shirou who dreamed of becoming a hero to protect everyone. But at the same time, he couldn't find anything wrong with it.
Heh… I have been summoned by a very interesting Master, indeed…
In a few moments, there was only a solemn silence filling the arena. No one made even a sound, not even the audience. They seemed to have forgotten everything, and just stared at the two fighters in the arena with eyes full of awe.
Then...
"Heheheh... AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
That wholehearted laughter came from no one else but Captain Fargus, who was still lying on the ground.
"I lost! I fuckin' lost, for real! Not only in fighting, but you also defeated me in a fight between ideals! I acknowledge it, Sword Hero! You are the stronger one between us!"
And with that, the Stadium exploded. Damian Kaur's voice boomed from the commentator's booth with clear shock and surprise, but also genuine glee within it.
"WHAT AN ENDING! FINALLY, AFTER TEN YEARS, THE ZELTOBLE GRAND TOURNAMENT HAS A NEW CHAMPION! THE UNBEATABLE WARRIOR, THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD, HAS FINALLY BEEN BEATEN! THE NEW CHAMPION IS... THE MIGHTY LEGENDARY SWORD HERO, EMIYA SHIROUUUUUUUU!"
Cheers erupted from every corner of the Stadium. There was no other sound that could be heard except for the endless chant of everyone that was standing in the place.
"LONG LIVE SWORD HERO!"
"SWORD HERO!"
"SWORD HERO!"
EMIYA let out a light chuckle. His purpose for coming here, and participating in this tournament, had finally been fulfilled.
Only now did he allow his body to fall into unconsciousness.
"There you go!" Fargus lifted his own mug of beer up with a hearty laugh. "To the new friendship between the Sword and the Axe!"
Right now, EMIYA and his team were sitting in the dining room of the Ark. After the battle, Captain Fargus had invited all of them on board his ship, "to have a drink to celebrate the new friendship", as in his words.
EMIYA knew from his experience that pirates are famous for their ability to drink alcohol like water. But he still had to sweatdrop at the size of the mug the pirate captain had just placed in front of him. Seriously, that beer was of very good quality, but it's… kinda hard to drink at once a whole liter of beer at once like this.
EMIYA suddenly stood up from his seat.
"Chickening out already?" the Axe Hero eyed him with a curious look. The ex-Counter Guardian smirked back at him.
"Good beer is nothing without anything good to eat together with it. Can I borrow the ship's kitchen for a while?"
When the back of the Sword Hero disappeared behind the door, Fargus glanced at Tersia in confusion. "Can he really cook, though?"
The sword maiden only grinned at him. "Oh, you'll see."
After twenty minutes, the Sword Hero emerged from the kitchen again. He placed a huge plate filled with some crispy round golden things in front of everyone.
"Here you go. This should be something good to eat together with beer."
Curious, the captain took a piece with his fingers and popped it into his mouth. His eyes immediately widened.
"Hey, hey, what the hell is this?! This is incredibly good!"
EMIYA smirked. The dish he had just made was just karaage, albeit made from the meat of a bird he had hunted the other day instead of chicken as usual. This type of bird had firmer and sweeter meat than normal chicken breast, which made it the perfect type of meat to deep fry. He had marinated it the other night, having thought of making it tonight's dinner, but he figured it would be fine if he made it here, since they were going to have dinner here anyway.
After all, the best way to make friends is through their stomachs.
The plate of karaage was devoured by everyone in the room as quickly as it was brought out. Captain Fargus slammed his mug on the table after swallowing the last drop of beer inside it, and laughed heartily.
"Damn, this is the first time in my life I've had such good food to eat with my beer! Shame you kids didn't want to have a drink…"
"They are all minors," EMIYA glared at the captain. He pulled Atla, the person who was sitting right next to him, into his protective grasp. "If you dare give them just a drop of alcohol, I swear to whatever god you have in this world that I'm going to castrate you with the rustiest knife I have in stock, weapon restriction be damned. And don't you dare pull that 'old enough to kill, old enough to drink' argument against me," he added when the captain started opening his mouth again.
Fargus pouted. "You're no fun at all."
Right at that time, a sailor entered the room. "Cap', Lord Bentley is here."
Fargus groaned. "Again?! This guy really doesn't know when to give up, does he?"
"Who is Lord Bentley?" EMIYA asked in curiosity. The Axe Hero sighed.
"The head of the Zeltoble Merchant Guild. Pretty big shot over here, I say. Basically the king of this land, with this country being a country of merchants and mercenaries. Since the day you showed up, he has been nagging me to arrange a meeting with you."
Now EMIYA started understanding what was going on. "So you're going to sell me to him?"
Fargus rolled his eyes. "Like I give a shit about him. That dude is power-hungry, and not in a good way. I'd rather not associate with him in any way, but when can we even choose what we do? Anyway, just ignore him. We have better things to do…"
"Now that's a cruel way to talk about your old friend, Captain."
Everyone turned toward the entrance of the room, where a man whom EMIYA hadn't met before was standing.
The newcomer was pretty impressive compared to what the ex-Counter Guardian had imagined from the description of Fargus. He was a burly middle-aged man, maybe not as much of a muscle freak as Fargus himself, but still way more muscular than what EMIYA imagined about a merchant. His face bore a moustache that would put even Director Goredorf Musik's to shame, and behind the pair of round glasses he was wearing, his eyes were full of seriousness. He looked like a very competent politician to EMIYA, and definitely NOT in a good way.
Fargus glared at the man in annoyance. "I don't remember inviting you in."
The newcomer just pulled a chair nearby and sat down nonchalantly, as if this ship were his own home. He smirked at the Axe Hero. "Come on, brother, aren't you being a little too cold? Just like I told you, the only thing that I want is a talk. I'm not going to do anything… out of line."
Then, without waiting for Fargus to say anything, he turned toward EMIYA. He bowed deeply above the table they were sitting in.
"Sir Sword Hero, Emiya Shirou. It's such an honor for us to finally be able to have you here, in Zeltoble. I wholeheartedly apologize for not being able to be here to greet you sooner."
"No need for cliché words," EMIYA cut in with a glare. "If you want something from me, just speak it out."
The man's eyes twinkled behind his spectacles. "You really don't like to talk much, Sir Sword Hero. Then, before we start anything, let me introduce myself first. My name is Arthur Bentley, and I am the Head of Zeltoble Merchant Guild."
There was something in the man's eyes that EMIYA really didn't like. But he felt that he still needed to respond properly. He reached out his hand, and Lord Bentley grabbed it for a handshake.
"So what do you need of me, Lord Bentley?" he asked when the man finally released his hand.
Lord Bentley's eyes twinkled again behind his spectacles. "I believe that you're returning to Melromarc after this, aren't you, Sir Sword Hero?"
"Well, yes; the next Wave of Melromarc is going to be in about a week and a half," the Sword Hero nodded. "What about it?"
"What do you think if I offer you a place in Zeltoble instead?"
So that's his intention…
"If you want me to become your hunting dog, you could have just said so in the first place," he raised an eyebrow. For some reason, the governor of Zeltoble still had the nerve to look offended.
"That is a very… cruel way to say it, Sir Sword Hero. I'm only offering you a… solution for the problems we are having at the moment. From what I heard, Melromarc is not doing pretty well in giving the four summoned Heroes proper treatment. Their leaders seem to be focusing their attention on their favorite Heroes only, while neglecting the welfare of the others."
He must have heard about what happened to Naofumi.
"That is basically why it's wiser for the Heroes to split up and move to different countries, you see," the Head Merchant continued. "Leaving it to one country to take care of all the Heroes has proven to be pretty… unwise until now. I'm sure that if you move to Zeltoble, we can offer you much better than what Melromarc has provided you so far. Money, property, fame, weapons, or even women for you to choose if you want to pursue a relationship."
Then he flinched when the Sword Hero shot him a cold, terrifying glare.
"Have to say that I feel offended by that last statement," the ex-Guardian said in a tone that made almost everyone in the room jump in fright. But surprisingly, Lord Bentley didn't even seem to faze. He just waved his hand, looking more amused than fearful.
"My deepest apology for misunderstanding you, Sir Sword Hero. You see, you are not the only Sword Hero that has ever been summoned in the history of this world. And I'm not saying that they are incompetent or anything, but even they had their own worldly needs. Please forgive me for thinking that I can offer you the same thing that the previous Sword Heroes wanted. I didn't know that you are such an honorable person. But still, that doesn't change the fact that Zeltoble is able to provide you with whatever you would need… well, except for sending you back to your home world, of course. We unfortunately haven't had that kind of technology available yet."
EMIYA's eyes narrowed. This person had a really crafty mouth. He obviously had done a lot of research, and he was adept at manipulating people. If EMIYA were Motoyasu or Itsuki, he would have agreed with the Head Merchant immediately.
However, he wasn't those naïve, pathetic excuses of a person who liked to call themselves Heroes. He had a lot of experience dealing with politicians, merchants and all kinds of sleazy people. He knew that these people, no matter how sweet their words were, only aimed for their own benefit. And he's not going to let himself become a toy for that man to play with.
"Sure, that's not difficult. I can stay in Zeltoble…"
The Head Merchant's mouth curled up into a smirk. "So you agreed…"
"With some conditions, of course."
The smirk froze on Bentley's face. "Conditions?"
EMIYA raised his hand. "First, I'm not going to take part in any kind of activity related to this country except for battling the Waves. Second, I'm not going to listen to any command of any person in Zeltoble, no matter who he or she is. Third, I'm allowed to leave the country whenever I want, and no one is going to stop me. Fourth, I'm allowed to recruit people to build my own army within the country. If you can fulfill those conditions, I will stay in Zeltoble."
Silence covered the room for exactly five seconds. Then at the sixth, Captain Fargus broke into a laughing fit, while Bentley's mouth hanged open in shock.
Finally, after a few more seconds sitting there gaping like a fish, Lord Bentley shook his head.
"You know, if you don't want to stay in Zeltoble, you could have just said so in the first place."
EMIYA looked straight into the man's eyes. "Not only Zeltoble. That is going to be my answer to any emissary from any country, no matter whether it was Zeltoble, Melromarc or Siltvelt. I'm not summoned here to become the political tool of anyone. My duty is to assist this world in fighting the Waves of Calamity, no more, no less. Whether I would choose to settle down somewhere or not is my own choice, and when it comes, it comes. Do not try to force me into a deal that I know that both of us are not going to like."
Lord Bentley just stared at EMIYA for a while. Then, after a few seconds, he shook his head in defeat.
"You really are a mysterious person, aren't you, Sir Sword Hero? No one in this land has ever been able to shut me up like that. You left no opening for me to exploit at all."
The Sword Hero just shrugged. "Well, have to say that I'm lucky enough to have had experience in this before."
"Well, guess that's that," the Head Merchant of Zeltoble sighed. "However, since we're already here, I guess I still need to do one last thing. Would you mind listening to my request, Sir Sword Hero?"
"As long as it's related to fighting the Waves, I'm listening," EMIYA nodded.
"Then I guess it's safe for me to say this. Would you mind helping Zeltoble in combating the Wave that is coming soon?"
EMIYA looked at Captain Fargus. The man looked surprised.
"Wait, you don't know? You would receive a notice when you register yourself at the Hourglass, wouldn't you?"
"I haven't registered myself at Zeltoble's Hourglass yet," the Sword Hero admitted. The previous days were so hectic he completely forgot about that. "But I can always go register myself; never too late right?"
"Then let's go there now," the pirate captain stood up from his seat. He raised the Seven Star Axe in his hand and cast his Portal Axe skill, and in a blink of an eye, everyone in the room was standing in front of a gigantic hourglass similar to what EMIYA was familiar with in Melromarc, with the only difference being the huge emerald engraving on the object instead of a ruby like the Melromarc hourglass. The Sword Hero raised his sword, and a beam shot out from the jewel of his sword and lit up the emerald.
The green notice popped up at the right corner of EMIYA's vision, below the red timer signaling the time the next Melromarc Wave was going to start, which was in about a week and a half. And EMIYA blanched when he saw what was written.
What the hell?!
The number on the timer was 40:37:26.