Chapter 634

Chapter 634: Sun, Moon, Star

If one were to describe the Knights of the Round Table with a single phrase, there’s a word that fits them perfectly—

A gathering of king enthusiasts.

Whether their devotion was fervent, subtle, or twisted, the one constant was their unwavering faith in King Arthur.

Because of this, provoking the Knights of the Round was simple. Any disrespect shown toward Artoria in their presence would inevitably draw a unified assault from holy swords, kingly blades, and sacred spears—no words needed. The crimson lightning of hatred would always charge ahead, reducing the offender to ashes.

If mere disrespect toward the king warranted such a response, then those who defiled King Arthur’s honor would face even worse.

Forcing the summoned Artoria into an Alter state... To any Knight of the Round, this was an unparalleled insult. "The disgrace of the lord is the death of the vassal"—in the age of King Arthur’s legend, this was no exaggeration.

Thus, the wrath of Gawain, Knight of the Sun, descended like the sun itself.

"I’ll kill you."

Deadly solar flames engulfed the entire corridor!

"Displacement."

A diamond-shaped space unfolded, and by the time their vision cleared, everyone had been transported to the Moon Cell Academy’s sports field. Before Kishinami Hakuno could process what had happened, she saw Gawain’s face tighten with fury as he raised his holy sword high.

Sunshine!

The eternal moon dimmed as the saintly sun hung in the sky, casting thousands of lethal heat rays that scattered in all directions.

"Displacement."

Sakatsuki, now outside the attack range, spread his arms as ripples formed behind him. From within the tempered gleam of steel, deadly killing intent erupted:

"Full Projection: Continuous Layer Tracing!"

Noble Phantasms, their quality and power vastly enhanced, shot forth—among them even a dragon-slaying demonic sword gleaming coldly. Yet Gawain stood proudly in place, merely swinging his blade to send a hundred-meter-high wave of dust crashing forth, the sheer force obliterating the assault. He stomped the ground, fissures racing toward Sakatsuki’s feet as scorching magma burst forth.

"Displacement!"

Appearing in another corner of the field, Sakatsuki nocked an arrow, but the corner of his vision was already alight with solar flames.

"Displacement!"

The sun’s fire devoured the previous spot as Sakatsuki materialized directly above Gawain, his robes fluttering with a grace even the inferno couldn’t obscure.

"My forged steel crumbles and twists—explode, Caladbolg!"

The arrow flashed past, triggering a massive explosion centered on Gawain, tearing apart everything in its wake. When the dust settled, the silver-white armor remained pristine. The Sun Knight roared, brandishing his sword to summon a terrifying storm of flames.

Displacement, displacement, displacement!

The first displacement dodged the scorching heatwave, the second evaded the destructive blaze, and the third—

Found him surrounded by spheres of condensed magical energy.

"Don’t underestimate me, Sakatsuki." Leo grinned, suddenly clenching his outstretched hand.

"Gawain."

"As you command, my lord!"

For the first time since the battle began, the towering Sun Knight moved. Nero and Hakuno barely saw him lift his left foot before he vanished from their sight—only to reappear in their retinas right beside Sakatsuki.

"Displacement!" Sakatsuki’s pupils constricted sharply as he attempted to shift space, but the mana sphere exploded, disrupting the displacement magecraft’s field. Immediately after, Gawain’s fist—amplified threefold—srashed heavily into Sakatsuki’s abdomen.

If Li Shuwen relied on technique, then Gawain in his Saint state possessed sheer, unadulterated power.

Sakatsuki had no doubt that if this punch landed, even his draconic-enhanced defenses would be obliterated like dry twigs.

So—

"Night falls silent, my shadow shrouds the world."

Imaginary Dive—activate!

Uncontrolled chaos descended upon the battlefield, freezing even time and space. Gawain’s full-powered punch tore through the young man’s abdomen, the ground ahead shattering layer by layer as earth and stone erupted, carving a trench hundreds of meters long.

Yet amidst the devastation, a streak of golden lightning flashed. Unscathed, the youth leaped off the Sun Knight’s arm, a crimson spear coalescing in his grip as he twisted midair and brought it crashing down!

Clang—CRACK!

The strike landed on Gawain’s head, yet the sound was that of metal clashing. Nero, watching from the sidelines, widened her eyes as she saw Gawain’s hair and beard bristle with fury. The knight swung his iron fist upward, shattering Sakatsuki’s defending spear in a single blow.

Gáe Dearg, the anti-magic spear—failed to penetrate his defenses!

Gawain’s physical resilience in his Saint state had reached such monstrous heights!

Rather than alarmed, Sakatsuki laughed. Under the pressure of the undying Gawain, his cooling battle spirit reignited. His crimson mystic code flared as he exhaled a long, white breath. Projection unfolded, and a dragon-slaying demonic sword materialized in his grasp. He stepped forward, the blades of saint and demon crossing, sparks erupting to illuminate the eyes of both knights.

"Finally done running and hiding, blasphemer?"

"Yeah, well, I got bored of playing magecraft games. Was worried I might accidentally kill you if I slipped up. So how about you step it up, you damn training dummy!"

The remnants of the old Round Table clashed with the modern era’s last knight of the same order. Nearby, Leo observed Sakatsuki’s performance, frowning—yet unable to suppress the excitement in his eyes.

"Displacement, projection, imaginary numbers... all beyond standard specifications. Really now... Brother—Julius’s intel was far too lacking. Or rather, the abilities Sakatsuki possesses have multiplied compared to the first and second rounds."

This excursion was meant only as a probe, yet to Leo’s surprise, even under Gawain’s storm of furious assaults, Sakatsuki remained composed. So far, he had only employed three types of magecraft.

What of the enigmatic giant he summoned in the first round? The Reality Marble he deployed in the second? And those slit-pupiled eyes—what were they? As an Archer, where was that blue-gold divine bow of his, and just how devastating was its power?

Too many skills unconfirmed. Too many abilities left unrevealed!

"Fascinating. Truly exhilarating, Sakatsuki." The ideal King of Saints chuckled. "Are you growing rapidly in battle, or are you gradually reclaiming the power you once wielded?"

"But no matter what!"

Leo raised his arm, his sleeve sliding back to reveal three Command Spells blazing crimson on his hand. "Since you’ve said as much, I’ll respond in kind with everything I’ve got, Sakatsuki!"

"Leonardo Bistario Harwey commands—Gawain!"

"Understood!"

The holy sword roared as Gawain withstood Sakatsuki’s strike and sent him flying. Just then, Leo’s command reached his ears.

"Maximum output of Galatine—utterly annihilate the enemy!"

"As you command!" Without hesitation, Gawain hurled his holy sword into the sky. "By the king’s decree, let all upon this earth be reduced to ashes!"

The sword pierced the heavens, coalescing into a scorching form indistinguishable from the sun itself. Amid the howling winds of heat, Gawain’s golden hair billowed as his gilded eyes fixed upon Sakatsuki in the distance.

The distance was over ten meters—more than enough for Sakatsuki to unleash his Noble Phantasm at the speed he had previously displayed.

Very well. With the radiance of the Sun’s holy sword, let the insolent fool who dared insult my king be purged of his sins!

"This sword is the incarnation of the sun, the other Star of the Holy Sword—"

"No, Leo!"

A frantic voice cut through the air. Chasing the sounds of battle, a man clad in dark robes arrived belatedly. "This isn’t a safe distance! Don’t let Gawain release his Noble Phantasm!"

Sakatsuki’s earlier maneuver to shift the battlefield had bought time, preventing Julius from delivering the new intel to Leo in time. And it was this hidden move that sealed the fate of Gawain, the Knight of the Sun.

Eight Extremities Fist—Living Step!

A supreme martial technique bridged the impossible distance. Sakatsuki’s figure flickered like a ghost, appearing before Gawain in the very instant he prepared to unleash his Noble Phantasm—then stomped forward with devastating force.

Stomp—rooting.

Raise the arm—strike.

The Tyrant Forcibly Breaks the Reins!

The full might of a dragon’s sinews erupted, amplified by the Eight Extremities Fist, reaching a realm of sheer terror. The onlookers heard only a dull, bell-like impact—yet Gawain, who had withstood Noble Phantasms unscathed, crumpled mid-air under a cascade of shattering sounds before being sent flying!

"This brat... did he not listen to a word I said?" Li Shuwen, now fully healed, appeared with a frown as he observed Sakatsuki. "Another two or three-tenths of the fist’s force wasted. What a shame."

Though Li Shuwen’s words were criticism, they drained the color from Leo and Julius’ faces. Their gazes snapped toward Gawain—bloodied, battered, and struggling to rise.

If this wasn’t even his full strength, and Gawain in his Saint state was already reduced to this... What kind of devastation would a truly all-out strike bring?

Would Gawain even survive it?

Sakatsuki hadn’t noticed Li Shuwen’s arrival, but as he watched Gawain retreat, the martial master’s words echoed in his mind, drawing a faint smirk.

Master Li... To you, who has devoted your life to martial arts, the space within three zhang is your absolute domain.

But for me... isn’t this distance you’ve actively created just as much my territory?

"Noble Phantasm—release!"

Raising the demonic sword Balmung high, the legend of the Dragonslayer manifested.

"The evil dragon falls, and the world approaches twilight... You—!"

The chant abruptly ceased. Sakatsuki finally noticed Julius—and realized Li Shuwen had vanished.

The assassin hadn’t chosen to aid Gawain. Instead, under the concealment of Presence Concealment, he had appeared behind Hakuno!

"Gawain." Leo calmly raised his arm. "We’re withdrawing."

Without wasting a moment, as Gawain struggled to his feet, Li Shuwen thrust both palms forward.

The diamond-shaped displacement space blocked his fierce palm strike. Sakatsuki halted his Noble Phantasm chant and caught Hakuno, who had fallen into his arms with a startled cry. Nero, only now reacting, launched an angry attack at Li Shuwen, but the latter had already dodged in advance.

"Let’s call it a day for now, Sakatsuki." A magical circle appeared, enveloping Leo and his group of four. Even at a disadvantage, the young King of Mages remained composed. "Let us both look forward to the moment we meet again."

After the polite farewell, Leo and the others vanished from the Moon Cell’s schoolyard. Sakatsuki set Hakuno down and stretched with a big yawn.

"Ahh, this is bad... quite a bit of intel got leaked..."

"But you’re clearly smiling, Governor." Nero swung her sword angrily in the direction where Li Shuwen had disappeared, then turned to see the smirk on Sakatsuki’s face. "Thou seemest quite excited."

"Indeed. After all, that was Leo." Sakatsuki glanced meaningfully at Hakuno. "One of the only two Masters in this Holy Grail War whom I consider capable of delivering a miraculous performance."

Having deliberately revealed so much information, they would surely devise careful countermeasures upon returning.

"What kind of spectacular performance will you present at the very end? I’m looking forward to it, Leo..."