Magic, Baby! Magic! (NasuFate - Artoria Pendragon SI Chapter 5)
The clashes of swords rang out in the dreams of a young would-be king.
Over and over again a common blade that had been reinforced and enchanted over and over again, smashed against the near seemingly unfaltering might of the Phantasmal Greatsword.
It had been a long time now-close to two years last he asked Arty-since Siegfried took up the task of being a combat mentor.
The girl certainly had unending will and stamina due to the nature of the dream world. Or rather, the dream realm allowed her to utilize her determination, as well as doubly use it as stamina, to keep going and fight over and over again, even after dying repeatedly without pausing for a break.
"Dying is annoying, yeah. Some of my sickest moves get cut off before I can make them. Heh, 'cut off', get it?" Was her reply once when Saber asked her about it.
However, even while marred and injured by Balmung, the girl with the dragon blood simply drew more on her latent power, and pushed forward. Which only ensured her demise.
It was a pitiful cycle in Siegfried's eyes.
Balmung, with it's Anti-Dragon characteristics would cause more harm to young Arty, backed up by Siegfried's greater strength before a dragonic foe, all but ensures each hit that lands would be a critical one. Thus upon her building injuries, Arty would draw on more power from her Magic Core to keep fighting, to be stronger, faster, but in turn increasing her dragonic aura, thus making her more vulnerable to Saber and his sword.
It was a cycle that inevitably brought his victory.
While Arty's sword skill had definitely improved, Siegfried's Noble Phantasm was just too much of an advantage for her to over-
The nameless lightning covered blade was thrust, with precision point first into the gap of Saber's grip on his sword. Rather, the violent concentrated magical energy, was at such potency and condensed to such a small area, that for the first time Siegfried's natural armor, his dragon blood coated bronze skin was pierced.
It was such a shock to feel vivid pain, and in his hands at the thenar eminence, the fleshy muscle at the bottom of his thumb, that he loosened his grip on his sword for a moment.
A moment Arty was waiting for as with a shout, she bumped her Od at full force through all her body and limb, using her skill, Mana Burst, of infusing her body and weapon with large amount of magical energy and instantly expelling it, to achieve much greater power temporarily, she slammed her sword into Balmung, making it beginning to fly from Saber's hands.
Siegfried's instinct and long-earned skill instantly kicked in, making him quickly right himself and grab the blade once again.
However Arty hadn't been stopping at her first attack, as she had simply taken the momentum of that first swing, to spin on the balls of her feet, channel a ready made fire spell, that exploded out of the pommel of her blade engulfing it in flames, like it was coated in a dragon's fire breath. Adding to that, sparking arcs of electricity covered Arty's form in an aura of lightning, Thunder Mode, she called it, which increased her speed by a huge degree and thus power.
Why it was called "Thunder Mode", Saber didn't know, given that thunder was the sound, not the visible effect. Arty said it was tradition in Arrbeegee Magic System. Siegfried shrugged and accepted it.
"Dragon Bite!" Arty swing the condense superheated column of magical flames at Siegfried before he fully righted himself. He smiled at the brilliance of her tactic, planning and executing her attack, after creating a weakness where there was none. The magic powered attack, even reminded him of the one time he ended up using his Noble Phantasm against the girl when she demanded he used his strongest attack on her, in a fit of childish anger.
It was almost a shame that he would have to take this victory from her, but he wouldn't insult Arty by handing her a "fake" victory.
She wouldn't stop complaining for a month, the last time he made that mistake, in his attempt to be encouraging.
"O' sword, Let thee be filled." Instantly, magical energy burst in an explosive aura out of jewel in the sword's hilt, and covered Balmung in a flash of light, that solidified in twilight aura.
It might seem like an over-reaction, but Siegfried felt the only respectful response to Arty's hard work, was to meet her current strongest attack with his own.
Yet the moment he swung his sword down, releasing the giant energy it contained, he realized something was wrong.
No one was holding Arty's sword. It was simply floating in place, releasing it's power in his direction, thus easily overwhelmed by his Noble Phantams.
Pain erupted from his back.
Siegfried smile. Clever girl.
A fire covered hand burst out of his scar-glowing chest, with his blood burning up and evaporated. A fiery hand holding his heart.
"KALI MA!"
A dragon heart that was filled up with magical energy, exploded in his face, taking out his vulnerable body with it.
While his body was being destroyed, breaking down to magical motes of energy, his last thoughts were:
I get wanting to definitively beat me and have a clear victory, but isn't this going a bit overboard, Arty?!
Siegfried hadn't expected to open his eyes to the fields of the dream realm once more.
He was sitting down on a flower field, so this wasn't a new summon, but the dream world reset. He looked to the side, to see Arty smugly grinning at him.
He smiled back with a chuckle.
"I suppose it is your victory." He admitted, to the preening teenage. "Your first-"
"Yep! I am the undefeated champion hero, all battles before were just practice, so in reality I am one for zero for me against Heroic Spirits. Now I retire with my fame and glory. Long live, King Arthur! No one has ever beaten him!" She shouted with a wide smirk.
That last thing she said had slammed into Saber's mind, as it made him realize something that he really should have caught onto from the first time they met. Yet, that revelation was put aside as he saw Arty lose her grin, and just sit next to him, looking down and frowning.
"What's wrong?" Siegfried asked. "Shouldn't you be happy with your win a bit longer?"
"...count." She muttered something.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" He asked.
"I said 'it doesn't count'." Arty turned to him, with so much frustration in her voice, that her eyes watered a bit from it. "Dammit, what the hell is the point of winning by exploiting my opponent's literal weak point, that might as well have arrows pointing to it saying 'hit for maximum damage'." She growled out, as she grabbed some of the grass next to her, and ripped it out in anger, throwing it away.
Saber blinked in confusion. "But that's how you're suppose to fight." He said. "In a real fight, in a real war, you should use everything to your advantage to gain victory. Knowing the opponent's weakness and using it, isn't dishonorable or such silly notion, but wise and tactful."
"But it means you weren't strong enough to just overcome their powers without cheating!" She shouted, and once more Siegfried was reminded of how young Arty was. "I get it!" She said the moment she saw the look on his face. "Really, I do! I get that I should be smart, and that beating the enemy quickly ensures that my allies aren't harmed, but it doesn't feel like a real victory. It's as if I had to lower myself just to win." She frowned, glaring at something unseen, before shaking her head. "No, I am the future king. The one who will be better than all before, and any after. Which means I need to be so strong that whatever special power, defense or whatever enemy I face have, I would just overcome it." She looked up, meeting Seigfried's eyes, hers emerald glowing with determination. "Next time I win, I will outright beat your NP armor. It will be such a clear victory, that there will be absolutely no excuse, or possibility that you could have won!"
While such a declaration might have been insulting to other heroes, it was heartening for Siegfried.
"Well, yeah, the best gift you can give your mentors is to show your devotion by surpassing them. Otherwise they wasted their time teaching you for nothing."
Saber smiled as he remembered her words. For such devotion, how can he do anything but meet her challenge in earnest.
"Very well, then I look forward to your true victory, and I will make it as difficult as possible for you to achieve."
"Damn straight!"
"Merlin!"
The Magus of Flowers sighed. It was the beginning of the day, and the moment Arty woke up she was shouting for him.
Cath Palug, the creature once caused Arty and him to chase far and wide, and burn down half a forest while they were at it, sat in it's pillow bed in the corner, yawn and stretching as it's master woke up, and prepared for this new day.
"Yes, Arty?" He asked while cutting fruits for breakfast. Arty might pout but he needed to add variety to her diet. Of course, he had steaks left behind as back up. He was a magus, not a mad man.
"Do you know any technique to empower my body? Something to give me more of an oomph." She said as she entered the living area. "Mana Burst is great, but I need something more permanent, or more sustaining." She stopped and thought for a moment. "Like using Reinforcement on myself but more. Or be able to unleash my aura, then pull it back and condense it in myself. You know, power-up techniques like 'Kaio-ken' or something."
"I have no idea what that is." He said back, then thought for a moment. "I suppose there are eastern practices, where one tries to use their whole body and self as a singular circuit, by becoming one with the world, allowing them far greater feats than humanly possible. I'll use my Clairvoyance to look into it, and get back to you."
"Awesome!" She grinned, before immediately frowning as a thought came to her. "This is gonna involve a lot of meditating isn't it."
"Don't worry," Merlin smiled. "I'll make it fun for you."
"I should be worried...but nah I think it will be fine." Arty smiled.
"Kyuu." Cath Palug called out from where it was sitting, as if to say that 'she should be worried'.
"Even Fou thinks so." She said, having decided to give the potential beast, a cute nickname.
"Fou," Cath Palug shook its head in disagreement to her active misrepresenting of his words.
"Also," Arty continued without missing a beat. "I need a magic sword." Her eyes alight with excitement. "Something super durable. Something that can take a hit, and take my magic energy without breaking or deteriorate from being overworked."
Merlin smiled as he did have something in mind, but before he could say anything a voice shouted from outside.
"Foul dragon! I do not know why you're next to my ward's home, but you will not bring harm upon her, or any innocent after today!" Came the shouting voice of Uncle Ector.
"Prepare yourself, beast! For you face a knight that matches your might today!" Came the shout of Kay, sounding louder and louder as it seemed like he was drawing on his inherit ability to be as tall as the tallest tree, should he wish it.
"Let's go stop that before Horsy kills them, or worse, they kill my dragon." Arty moved to the door.
The dragon growls could be heard all the way into the house.
"Seriously, give her another name. That poor dragon's self-esteem can only take so many attacks."
Leaving the house Arty quickly stopped the fight, explaining the situation to her uncle and cousin.
"Oh," Arty turned to the dragon. "I've decided on giving you an actual name, rather than just calling you 'Horsy'."
The dragon perked up in interest and joy.
"You've been calling a giant dragon-No, wait. You tamed a giant dragon and have been calling it Horsy?" Kay asked in disbelief.
The dragon whined in sympathy.
"Yep, but that's fixed today, from now on," she paused for dramatic effect. "You're Llamrei."
The dragon looked happy for a moment, then blinked and lowered it's head down in despair.
"What's wrong, Llamrei?" Arty when to rub the sad dragon's snout.
"I think she's depressed that you went from calling her 'Horsy' to 'Arthur's horse'." Merlin explained.
"Is it wrong that I'm starting to worry more for this kingdom, than the trials Arthur will face?" Sir Ector asked.