C82

With a swift "shua!" Artoria swung her black sword towards the sky. The sound of eight continuous cracks echoed as the black beam hacks down all eight black hands.

"Ba ta ba ta" The hands and the giant sword hit the ground, creating a series of vibrating sounds.

Shirou frowned and used his Projection to unleash 128 sharp swords toward Artoria. She responded by swinging her sword, summoning a dark and powerful storm of energy.

-- Tyrant Clap!

But before she could unleash it, Shirou grabbed hold and activated his "Broken Phantasm."

"Boom, boom, boom!"

The 128 sharp swords exploded, creating a dense and explosive rain. Yet, Artoria emerged unscathed, walking out of the explosion with ease.

The flame in his eyes flickered slightly as he gazed upon Saber's impressive [Magic Resistance] and the increased power granted to her by the black mud. It was a formidable sight, and Shirou knew that he was facing a much stronger opponent than before.

But then, without warning, Saber's jet-black sword began to glow with a faint light before blooming into a massive black beam. Artoria swung the sword towards Shirou, shouting, "Excalibur!"

His reflexes were lightning-fast. He summoned the black mud to crash down with formidable power, propelling himself into the sky and narrowly avoiding the attack.

The mud transformed into powerful wings, lifting him higher and higher as he hovered in the sky, observing the tremendous dark explosion slowly dissipate into nothingness.

"Did you resort to using your Noble Phantasm because you realized that I was proving to be a difficult opponent?" Shirou asked, wearing a relaxed smile.

But his question was met with another intense black beam.

Despite Shirou's efforts to dodge the attack with the power from his wings, the black beam was too much for him. He summoned the mud, transforming it into an energy propulsion system, and quickly increased his speed, flying around Artoria.

After the black beam dissipated, Shirou slowly descended to the ground.

"Your sword is incredibly powerful. If I had been hit by it, I would have lost," Shirou praised, without any hint of mockery or condescension in his voice.

However, his words were met with Artoria's impact.

The Grail's magical energy allowed Artoria to unleash her Noble Phantasms without limitations. However, each Noble Phantasm required sufficient accumulation of magical energy before it could be activated. Artoria's black sword, in particular, required a brief three-second charge before it could be utilized.

This meant that every three seconds, Artoria's barrage of beam attacks would rain down upon him. Despite his calm facade, Shirou couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety as he prepared to face this seemingly endless barrage.

But he had come too far to let fear get the better of him. His courage had been tempered, and even though anxiety still gnawed at him, it no longer held any power over him. It was like giving a speech or performing on stage - the first time he was nervous and scared, but with each subsequent performance, he learned to control those emotions and channel them into something useful.

Moreover, his heart had already been liberated by his hero. He could not stop now. The power within him swelled, and he commanded the two massive black hands to attack Artoria. And with a determined gaze, Shirou began to recite the incantation for Unlimited Blade Works.

Artoria, now known as Artoria Alter due to the tainting effects of the mud, was still the same person, sharing the same memories as before, but with vastly different personalities and dispositions. Despite her current state, Artoria was familiar with Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works and remembered the awe-inspiring strike that had shattered the mud barrier.

Shirou, who wielded the powerful EX Noble Phantasm, was a formidable opponent in his own right. Coupled with his immense reserves of magical energy, Artoria was at a disadvantage. Her only chance of victory was to unleash a barrage of beams without end. But once Shirou activated Unlimited Blade Works, she knew that her chances of victory would be even slimmer. So she redoubled her efforts and attacked Shirou with even greater ferocity.

The mud hands were incredibly powerful, but their slow speed made them comparable to Artoria, who was in a weakened state due to [Counter Hero C-].

With a swift slice, Artoria shattered both of the mud hands, sending them flying. The black sword then whistled towards Shirou with a fearsome force. He faced the incoming sword, his hand tracing through the air as he recited his incantation.

In an instant, seventy-two shimmering shields appeared, blocking the black sword's path, while a ball of mud formed around Shirou, creating a barrier to protect him. The rustling of wind filled his ears as he stood, unwavering, behind his defenses.

"Crack, crack, crack, crack..."

The black sword, its power unrelenting, broke through the 72 shields, but when it came into contact with the mud's protective shield, a metallic shock echoed through the air, unable to penetrate the mud's barrier.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

At that moment, two additional black hands emerged from each side and lunged toward Artoria. She swiftly shifted her sword to fend off their assault, and the black hands alternated between attacking and defending with fluid ease. The display of their lightning-fast offense and defense was both thrilling and awe-inspiring.

Shirou was like a fortress, wielding magical energy akin to that of a leyline. He used the [Evil Flower A+] skill to continuously absorb the malevolent energy surrounding him, increasing his magical energy. The mud around him formed a sphere that offered 360-degree defense with no blind spot, and it could also split into evil hands for an offensive strike.

The mud acted like a fortified army, safeguarding Shirou with coordinated discipline in its offense and defense. Guided by Shirou's consciousness and paired with [Projection] shooting, the mud was like a personal war machine, amplified by Shirou's magical energy similar to a leyline and the [Evil Flower] skill to absorb evil power.

He was unstoppable!

The only disappointment was that Artoria's black sword was too high in rank for the mud to corrode and disintegrate it as easily as it did with Diarmuid's spears. However, this didn't pose a problem. With her weakened state from Shirou's [Counter Hero C-], Artoria was powerless to break through Shirou's defense. She could only watch helplessly as Shirou, guarded by the mud, began to chant Unlimited Blade Works.

"Kacha kacha kacha--"

The mental image of the world in Unlimited Blade Works began to corrode reality, trapping both Shirou and Artoria within. The sky was obscured by darkness, overshadowed by towering gears that loomed ominously overhead. A vast plain, reminiscent of a sword graveyard, stretched out before them, extending into the distance as far as the eye could see.

Shirou sighed, "This is probably the last time you'll see the world of Emiya. I wish I could see him and express my gratitude in person."

He felt a pang of pity, but Artoria's black sword had stored enough magical energy. Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in concentration, she mercilessly unleashed a Mana Burst straight at him.

"Now, you should be in the state of being 'the ideal king' that you've been striving for."

Shirou raised his hand and with a dismissive wave of his hand, the sword beside him instantly lunged forward and struck Artoria's sword, deflecting its course.

"Boom--!"

The sword plain was bombarded, leaving behind a trail of flame. The swords in its path were all destroyed by the beam cannon, leaving behind only charred earth that gave off a faint, scorching white smoke.

"Are you even going to deny me the right to dream, Guinevere?" Artoria Alter's voice was cold and carried a wintery chill as she spoke.

"I'm not Guinevere. My name is Fujimaru Shirou," Shirou corrected her. "I'm not trying to take away your right to dream. I love dreaming too, about having a beautiful dream of wealth. I just don't want you to lose sight of your emotions."

"What...?" Artoria frowned.

"That compassionate heart, that gentle heart of Artoria's,"

"I don't need something like that."

"Yes, you do. And you can't forget it, because those emotions are what make you kind,"

"Shut up!" Artoria charged at Shirou, brandishing her black sword that shone with a cold light. "You've been talking too much since the very first night!"

"Even though we're physically close, our hearts are separated by our bodies and the world around us. The only means of communication we have is through language, so I want to express what I feel and share my heart with you."

Shirou summoned two black hands that drew two swords from the plain, blocking Artoria's attack.

"Silence!" Artoria Alter bellowed. "Say another word and I'll rip your mouth off!" Despite her frantic attacks, she was unable to break through Shirou's mud defense. With the magical energy of her black sword now fully charged, she took a step back and raised the sword high.

At that moment, the only danger to Shirou was the beam cannon unleashed by her Noble Phantasm. However, this time, Shirou didn't shy away from it.

With a single thought, the golden sword that stood on the sword hill materialized before him. It was the fabled Sword in the Stone, said to have been pulled from the stone by King Arthur himself, and replicated by the Heroic Spirit Emiya.

Thanks to Emiya's Saint Graph, he was able to swiftly analyze the composition of the Sword in the Stone and pour in EX-level magical energy. This allowed him to project not just one, but seven Swords in the Stones in a single moment.

"Kacha Kacha Kacha Kacha Kacha Kacha Kacha",

The seven Caliburn shone with a brilliant light, their breath of magic brewing within them. The sheer volume of magical energy was so terrifying that it caused the space around them to ripple slightly.

The next moment--

"Boom!!!"

The seven Swords in the Stone shot forth like seven beams of starlight, converging and charging toward Artoria Alter's Excalibur.

"Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom!!!"

With a deafening boom, the two beams of light clashed in a head-on collision, causing a momentary stillness in space before a thunderous explosion echoed out.

At the center of the impact, an energy singularity produced a massive storm, lifting the surrounding soil dozens of meters high and reducing any swords in the area to rubble.

The barrage from the seven legendary swords broke through Excalibur beam and struck Artoria, causing cracks to span across the ground and tearing apart space itself with the intense light and violent wind.

"Bang!!!"

With a final, massive explosion, the area was rocked.

Artoria emerged from the smoke, her once-proud black armor now in ruins. Fury now contorted her previously cold face as she glared at Shirou, who had just taken away her last chance of victory.

Shirou stared at her as the seven Caliburn vanished like snowflakes. However, he projected two more swords and held them firmly in his hands, his eyes blazing as he gazed at her.

"You won't be the one to shatter my dream! No, you won't!" Artoria gripped the black sword tightly and shouted in rage, her face twisted in anger.

"I'm not a sadistic person," Shirou stated, "Crushing someone's cherished dream is not something I would ever consider doing. Force is merely a means to an end. I want to hear your sincere thoughts. If you are willing to express them, I will give you my full and undivided attention."

Artoria Alter ground her teeth and gazed at Shirou and her blazing eyes. This listener's demeanor was slowly matching that of the listener in her memory, and her anger consumed her completely. She charged toward Shirou.

"No? Then when you're ready to share the story in your heart, remember to call me. I'll listen with all my attention. But before that, I must awaken the gentle heart within you. With this sword, the sword you once held aloft."

Shirou lifted Caliburn and a vortex of black mud swirled behind him, molding into a menacing black armor that encased his body. His intention was to awaken the frozen heart concealed beneath the young girl's cold sword and armor.

...

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