Did I actually pull this on the first try?
A faint smile played across Kawashima Toya's face as he watched the frantic expression on Ashiya Douman's face.
The Star-Holy Sword of the Prototype Arthur... I couldn't have asked for a better weapon to deal with a creature like you.
The magnificent, dreamlike blade of Excalibur shimmered with the radiance of distant stars, pulsing in rhythm with Toya's own heartbeat.
Though he wasn't technically the destined wielder of the Star-Holy Sword, their roles were fundamentally the same. The wielder existed to repel evil and safeguard the world.
As the current—and final—Savior of this era, Toya lived for that exact purpose. His soul, a composite of brilliance, nobility, and tempered will, resonated perfectly with the blade.
Excalibur seemed entirely content with its choice of master.
Toya stepped forward, closing the distance toward the back mountain summit. Douman, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, whipped around, his eyes wide.
"Oh? Has the Savior-dono returned with a little reinforcement?"
Douman's obsidian gaze contracted sharply as it landed on the holy sword. "That... that object should not be in your hands!"
"You shouldn't even be able to manifest it! Why is the Star-Holy Sword responding to you?!"
Toya shook his head slowly. "As you said yourself, it's because I'm the Savior. Now, will you return to the Throne of Heroes on your own, or do I have to send you back?"
"A sword meant to save the world?"
"The Savior..." Douman let out a maniacal, jagged laugh. "Don't be delusional!"
"This world is a paradise for me! No Counter Force, no Throne of Heroes—only a withered world with its foundations spent. I can achieve the state of an Alien God here! I can become the ultimate Calamity!"
"Savior-dono, do you really think I would ever walk away from this?"
"Then I'll just have to force you." Toya's expression turned cold. He raised the holy sword before him, his voice steady but carrying an undeniable weight.
"Thirteen Restraints, released. Round Table Decision, start!"
"This is a battle to save the world!"
Against a threat of this magnitude, there was no room for half-measures. He immediately moved to release the seals.
Without the full power of the Star-Holy Sword, he wasn't sure if he could permanently erase a being of Douman's caliber.
As Toya's voice echoed, the ethereal voices of the Knights of the Round Table began to resonate from the void.
A sharp, clear feminine voice spoke first.
"Approved."
"Bedivere, Gareth, Lancelot, Mordred, Galahad..."
"Approved!"
One by one, the distinct voices of the legendary knights resounded. As each knight gave their consent to Toya's resolve, the gemstones embedded in the sword's hilt ignited with brilliant light.
The restraints binding the blade shattered in succession, releasing the true, blinding radiance of the planet. Golden starlight poured into the blade, concentrating into a holy beacon meant to purge all malice.
Douman's face paled as the realization hit him.
"Impossible! How can a Savior from a parallel universe release those seals?! How can you wield the Holy Sword of King Arthur?!"
"His deeds, his legend—you have no claim to them!"
"As a mere 'Savior,' how is this possible?!"
"All you need to know is that this is a battle for the world's survival," Toya replied flatly. "The King would never refuse a request like that!"
He raised the sword high, the golden brilliance drowning out the shadows of the night.
"Excalibur!"
A pillar of golden starlight erupted from the blade, a concentrated force of planetary judgment. Toya swung the sword down.
BOOM!
The golden light surged across the sky, eclipsing the bizarre black sun. Both the dark orb and the entity supporting it shrieked as they were consumed by the imminent threat of annihilation.
Even before the attack fully connected, the sheer pressure of the light caused the mountain to groan.
The ground split open, and the shockwaves radiated across the city. The holy radiance collided with the dark, sinister energy of the curse, the two forces clashing in a momentary, violent stalemate.
However, the struggle lasted only seconds.
The sacred light sliced through the darkness like a hot knife through wax. With unstoppable force, it bore down directly on Ashiya Douman.
"This can't be... Why?!"
Douman tried to flee, but he was already pinned by the weight of the starlight. This was the divine light of the planet itself, aiding the Savior in the extermination of evil. He was utterly paralyzed.
As the brilliance of Excalibur finally faded, a massive, jagged trench was left carved into the back mountain of Sakano Academy.
Ashiya Douman was gone, completely erased. Beneath that sacred light, all evil was destined to vanish.
.....
Trash Fox Detective Agency
Nyaruko, the avatar of Chaos, looked toward the distant school with a proud smile.
My Darling is always the best!
"The aura of the Master and the power of the planet?" Tohru, the dragon, tilted her head in confusion.
…..
[System Notice: Congratulations, Host. You have investigated the cause of Ito Makoto's death and defeated the mastermind, Ashiya Douman.]
[Reward: 100,000 Origin Points.]
Toya's hands trembled slightly as the system message appeared, his grip on the sword weakening.
"I need to leave." He forced himself to move, disappearing before the authorities could arrive. An event of this scale would bring every officer in the city to the mountain.
.....
Faculty Dormitory
Toya placed Excalibur on his desk and collapsed onto his bed, his energy completely spent. It took nearly half an hour for his breathing to stabilize.
I almost didn't make it back, he thought, wheezing.
The Star-Holy Sword was undeniably effective, but the cost was staggering. A single release of the True Name had almost entirely drained his magical reserves.
If he hadn't forged a strong will during his previous battles, he might have passed out on the mountain.
He looked at Excalibur resting on the table, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction.
Spending three hundred thousand points for a Star-Holy Sword was a steal.
Although it required the release of the thirteen restraints to reach its EX-rank potential, that wouldn't be a problem in this world.
In the Type-Moon universe, meeting those specific criteria was a chore. But here?
In a world where magic was dying and the mysteries were crumbling; the planet was a target for all sorts of supernatural threats.
The criteria for "a battle to save the world" would be met almost every time. In the future, when the fire deity Cthugha eventually arrived, this sword would be his trump card.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Kawashima-sensei? Are you in there?"
Saionji-san? Toya sat up and opened the door, finding both Saionji Sekai and Katsura Kotonoha standing in the hallway.
"What are you two doing here?" Toya asked, blinking in confusion. "Isn't today a day off?"
"It's about the school," Sekai grumbled, looking annoyed. "The news just released an emergency news."