Chapter 60: Compatibility

[🎉 Shoutout to Muhammad_Jamaluddin & Ruben_Gene_Dangpilen joining patreon. Thank you very much.🤗]

"Just from a brief exchange, you've managed to deduce that my Mystic Eyes are linked to magecraft? Impressive."

Roy withdrew his gaze from the two Servants, focusing instead on Bazett standing before him.

The battle between the Servants had reached a stalemate. It seemed likely that the outcome would ultimately rest on the two Masters themselves.

"So, your strategy is to avoid using magecraft in the face of my Mystic Eyes?"

"But if you won't use magecraft, how do you plan to defeat me?"

Bazett's expression was solemn.

Her martial arts skills were indeed formidable, and when combined with her Rune magic, she even stood a chance against a Servant. However, if she couldn't use magecraft to enhance her abilities, her physical prowess alone wouldn't be enough to break through Roy's Rune barrier.

In fact, just moments ago, one of her punches had indeed been blocked by Roy's barrier.

"From what I've observed, he doesn't even have to activate the barrier manually. It's an automated defensive Rune he set up in advance."

Bazett carefully analyzed the situation in her mind.

"An auto-defense Rune prepared in advance… He must have inscribed it on paper or stone beforehand. If that's the case, no matter how much I attack, I won't be able to drain much of his mana."

"Which means… there's only one option!"

Having steeled her resolve, Bazett took a step, lowering her stance and swiftly maneuvered around Roy, positioning herself behind him.

In an instant, her right fist struck repeatedly at the barrier from behind, each punch raining down in rapid succession. Meanwhile, the Rune-engraved glove on her left hand began to glow subtly as she channeled magic into it, preparing to deliver a powerful blow to Roy's back.

The only condition required for Roy's Mystic Eyes to activate was for him to have his target within sight.

If she could blind him with a flashbang or obscure his vision with smoke, his Mystic Eyes would be rendered useless.

Bazett didn't carry flashbangs or smoke grenades with her. She didn't have the skill to create a dimensional pocket, and carrying something like that openly would've only made Roy suspicious. Attempting to generate smoke or a flash with Runes would require a considerable amount, which would be both impractical and ineffective—especially if Roy's Mystic Eyes were indeed linked to magecraft. Preparing a large number of Runes right in front of him would be nothing short of courting death.

So, she opted for the most straightforward approach—attacking from behind.

Even without Rune assistance, her movements were swift, and her footwork, agile.

In contrast, Roy was a homunculus with a frail physique. Running even a mere 500 meters would leave him winded. He was nowhere near as nimble as she was, and Bazett was confident that she could eventually land a Rune-empowered blow by continuously maneuvering around him.

"Boom!"

With her left fist infused with Rune energy, Bazett struck the barrier.

The barrier held for barely a second before shattering under the sheer force of her assault.

The protective layer that Roy had inscribed on paper hidden under his clothes contained only a small amount of mana. Without any reinforcement, it was nothing more than a floating defense that couldn't withstand a powerful strike.

Seeing her success, a fierce gleam flashed in Bazett's eyes. Her left fist was already on its way, aiming straight for Roy's spine.

"Thud!"

But at that moment, another Rune barrier materialized in front of her fist.

In that brief second, her punch lost its momentum. She only managed to create a few cracks on the barrier, unable to break through it completely.

Bazett sighed internally, realizing that Roy had indeed prepared multiple Rune papers.

She immediately cut off the flow of magic to her Rune glove, staying alert for any sign that Roy might turn around to face her. She couldn't afford to give him any opportunity, intending instead to rely on agile movement and direct strikes to chip away at his defenses.

"No problem. Go on; keep attacking."

Unexpectedly, Roy stood perfectly still, making no move to turn around.

"I won't turn to face you. Attack me all you want. I won't even defend myself."

His arrogant words drifted into Bazett's ears.

She frowned.

Did he really have so much confidence in his Mystic Eyes that he believed she wouldn't be able to defeat him, even if he stood motionless?

But what happened next left her stunned.

Dozens of Runes began appearing around Roy, forming chains that coiled around his entire body. Upon closer inspection, she realized there were hundreds of Runes, creating an unbreakable diamond-like barrier around him, offering complete protection from every angle.

"Go ahead, unleash everything you have!"

Roy's voice was calm and unruffled, carrying no trace of anxiety, as if he was entirely certain that Bazett could do nothing to him.

And indeed…

Looking at the hundreds of Runes forming his barrier, Bazett felt an unusual sense of helplessness creeping into her heart.

How could anyone draw so many Runes in such a short amount of time?

No, it wasn't done by hand; she hadn't seen Roy make a single move.

Could it be that his Mystic Eyes did more than disrupt his opponent's spells? Could they also strengthen his own?

What kind of Mystic Eyes could do such a thing?

In all of human history, there had never been such Mystic Eyes.

With a barrier formed of hundreds of Runes, Bazett had no way to break through.

Not even Cú Chulainn could break through something like this.

Without a Noble Phantasm-level attack, there was simply no way to breach this defense.

Roy was indeed a bad match for Bazett.

Against a mage who relied purely on magecraft, he could decide the outcome with a single glance.

But against someone like Bazett, who used a combination of martial arts and magecraft, he had to put in considerably more effort to secure victory.

"What's wrong? Not attacking anymore?"

Roy's voice rang out again, his tone almost teasing.

"If you don't hurry, your Servant might be in trouble."

Bazett's face tightened.

Could it be?

She quickly turned her gaze toward the other battle.

Okita Souji had altered her tactics, using her speed and agility to her advantage. She moved like a bullet, darting around Cú Chulainn with astonishing speed and dexterity, her blade flashing from all directions.

In comparison to Okita's graceful and relentless assault, Cú Chulainn looked visibly frustrated.

In his Caster class, his spear skills remained sharp, but his base stats were painfully lacking. He was completely outpaced, relying solely on his intuition and extensive experience to dodge and parry Okita's strikes.

He didn't dare take his attention off the fight for even a second. One lapse in focus could be fatal.

Fortunately, he had some Rune stones prepared, allowing him to keep himself afloat, but, much like Roy's Rune papers, they could only block a single attack from Okita. They wouldn't hold against a second strike, and with each stone used, his defenses were wearing thin. If a conclusion wasn't reached soon, things would look bleak.

Okita's gaze turned sharp, locking onto Cú Chulainn with unrelenting focus.

Suddenly, she shifted directions, launching an attack from his right flank. As Cú Chulainn sidestepped backward while drawing another Rune, he suddenly felt an intense heat from behind him.

His heart skipped a beat.

"Damn it!"

═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═

patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator

🥰 Support the translation and help me grow.🤓

Read upto 20 Extra chapter in Patreon