Even while flying through the air, another warning screamed through Artoria Alter's Instinct. Yet the lingering effects of Medusa's Mystic Eyes had already left her body sluggish and unresponsive.
The trajectory Medusa had chosen sent her hurtling straight toward Heracles.
Seeing the black-clad king closing in, Heracles let out a thunderous roar.
"ROOOAR!"
He gripped his enormous weapon with both hands and brought it crashing down with every ounce of his strength.
Artoria Alter took the blow head-on and was blasted away in the opposite direction.
She twisted mid-air, landing with surprising stability. A vertical gash now ran across her dark armor, blood slowly seeping from the wound.
Olga Marie's eyes lit up with hope at the sight.
"Does this mean… we actually have a chance?!"
Ritsuka whipped their head toward her in horror.
"Director! You're raising a massive death flag right now!"
"You can't just say stuff like that!"
Sure enough.
The look in Artoria Alter's eyes toward Medusa and Heracles changed instantly. The faint irritation vanished, replaced by a cold, lifeless stare—the kind reserved for the already dead.
Just as the two Servants moved to press their advantage—
Black-and-crimson magical energy erupted around Artoria Alter like a bursting inferno.
In a single heartbeat, the petrification was completely purged from her body, and the damage to her armor repaired itself.
Medusa sensed the terrifying shift and retreated at full speed.
Heracles, true to form, charged straight in. He swung his weapon in a wild one-handed arc.
In that instant, Artoria Alter raised her blackened sword high. A towering pillar of black-red mana dozens of meters wide surged skyward before slamming down with devastating force.
Excalibur Morgan
Heracles' weapon never reached her. The overwhelming torrent of magical energy blasted both him and his axe-sword into the distance.
Artoria Alter then turned her icy gaze onto Medusa.
Feeling that crushing pressure, Medusa's brows furrowed tightly. A single bead of cold sweat traced down her cheek.
Without hesitation, Artoria Alter raised her corrupted Excalibur Morgan once more. In a flash, she charged and unleashed another colossal beam straight at the Rider.
Excalibur Morgan
Medusa twisted and spun desperately through the air.
This time the beam didn't fade after a second. It kept firing at full power, relentlessly chasing her across the sky.
Olga Marie watched the unending barrage in utter disbelief.
"What the hell is wrong with this Servant?!"
"Normally, repeatedly firing a Noble Phantasm at that level should have drained any Servant dry!"
"How does she look like she has an infinite supply?!"
Ritsuka nodded beside her.
"Yeah… it really is like she has unlimited mana."
After sustaining the beam for a long stretch, Artoria Alter finally stopped.
Medusa, exhausted from the constant evasion, dropped behind Mash's shield the moment the attack ended.
Everyone turned to look at her.
Though her body was unharmed, part of her long hair had been scorched black.
Breathing hard, Medusa stared at Artoria Alter and spoke in a grave tone.
"Ordinary attacks have almost no effect on her."
"We need a decisive blow—one powerful enough to kill her in a single strike."
"I'm going to release my Noble Phantasm and see if it can finish the job."
"While I'm preparing it, she'll almost certainly attack me."
"I need time."
Medusa looked straight at Mash.
"Can you protect me?"
The meaning was clear: she wanted Mash to guard her while she charged her Noble Phantasm.
Mash glanced at Artoria Alter, who had already engaged the regenerating Heracles again and just fired off another enormous beam.
The mere thought of trying to block something like that made Mash's stomach drop.
Olga Marie immediately objected.
"You want this girl to stand against an attack of that scale?!"
"She only just started being able to use her Noble Phantasm today!"
"That's asking way too much!"
Medusa said nothing. She simply kept her eyes on Mash.
Mash tightened her grip on the shield. Doubt began to creep into her heart.
Olga Marie's voice softened with guilt.
"If it's too dangerous, we can try to stall her instead—"
"Once Adam arrives, we'll—"
Medusa cut her off.
"I trust that Adam will come."
"But whether we'll still be in one piece when he gets here… that, I'm not so sure about."
Olga Marie pictured the grim scene and fell silent.
Ritsuka watched Mash with deep worry etched across their face.
Artoria Alter killed Heracles once more and hurled his body into the distance.
She looked down at the group of four, her gaze lingering on the shield in Mash's hands.
"Interesting. Where did you obtain that Noble Phantasm?"
Before Mash could answer, Artoria Alter continued almost to herself.
"Never mind. It must be his decision."
"Prepare yourself, nameless girl."
"We'll see if your defense is truly unbreakable… tested by this sword of mine!"
With those words, Artoria Alter raised her corrupted Excalibur Morgan high and began gathering magical energy.
Strangely, this time the charge was much slower than before. It felt almost deliberate—like she was giving them time to prepare.
Seizing the moment, Medusa crouched low. A blood-red magic circle bloomed in front of her as she began charging her own Noble Phantasm.
Mash realized she had no choice. Her hands gripping the shield started trembling uncontrollably.
Can I really do this…? Can I actually block a Noble Phantasm of that power?
Just as doubt threatened to overwhelm her, Ritsuka reached out and gently took her shaking hand.
"I believe in you, Mash."
Looking into Ritsuka's determined eyes, Mash remembered the teachings of her predecessor.
A surge of courage filled her chest.
As long as she refused to yield in her heart, her shield could stop anything in this world.
I reckon I can block it.
***
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