THUD.
Siegfried pushed himself up from the ground. Aside from being covered in a layer of dust, he looked remarkably steady. He stood up with his usual calm, disciplined demeanor.
'Even a direct hit to the head didn't work?'
Minato watched him, his heart sinking. The head was one of the most vulnerable points of the human body. To take a [Rasengan] there and remain standing... it was an incredible display of durability.
Usually, a [Rasengan] to the torso was more than enough to incapacitate or kill an opponent. But today, he had encountered a Servant who could take a spiraling sphere to the skull and treat it likes a stiff breeze. It was utterly absurd.
Minato had to rethink his entire strategy. He held a clear advantage in speed, but if he couldn't actually damage the enemy, the fight would devolve into a war of attrition. While his mana supply was stable, his physical stamina wasn't infinite.
If this became a marathon, the resulting mental and physical fatigue would eventually cloud his judgment, giving his opponent the opening they needed to end the fight in a single stroke.
"..."
Siegfried was also studying Minato. Facing an opponent with such god-tier mobility was a new experience. Even knowing that the man relied on markers to move, Siegfried couldn't guarantee he'd be able to react every time the "Yellow Flash" transitioned.
The initiative remained firmly with Minato. This was a critical problem. It meant Minato could dictate the pace of the battle and would always have more opportunities to strike first.
Even releasing a large-scale Noble Phantasm like a "beam" was pointless. A beam that didn't hit was just a waste of mana, and it would likely reveal Siegfried's True Name, exposing his weaknesses to the enemy.
As a hero who had bathed in dragon blood, Siegfried's legend was widespread.
[Armor of Fafnir] (B+).
That was the core of his defensive Noble Phantasm.
It completely negated physical and magical attacks equivalent to B-rank and below. For A-rank attacks and above, it subtracted a B-rank defensive value from the final damage. In certain conditions, it could even reach a B+ level of defense.
To put it simply, even an A-rank attack, after being filtered by the armor, might only land with the force of an E-rank scratch.
This was why Minato's [Rasengan] to the head hadn't caused any lasting harm. To truly wound someone with this level of protection, one would need the kind of earth-shaking, world-shattering destructive power displayed by the likes of Madara and Karna earlier.
However, Siegfried possessed one glaring vulnerability: the single spot on his back where the dragon blood hadn't touched him.
That was the one place where his [Armor of Fafnir] provided zero protection. The most fragile part of his entire being.
His back.
If an opponent learned his True Name, they would immediately know where to strike. Siegfried's refusal to identify himself wasn't just about his Master's orders; it was a survival necessity. Even as a "mobile fortress," a single strike to his back could bring him to his knees.
When Minato had appeared behind him just now, Siegfried had felt a cold shiver of dread. Fortunately, the man hadn't known his secret, and the crisis had passed.
'Don't go regretting it later...'
Recalling Natsu's earlier comment, Siegfried realized the boy's warning had been prophetic. Dealing with a "teleporting" opponent was a high-stakes gamble with no margin for error.
***
BOOM!!
UUGH!!!
A flaming fist slammed into the silver-and-red armor, the sheer force of the impact sending Mordred flying backward. Her body tumbled through the air, spinning several times before crashing violently into the earth.
COUGH!!
Mordred spat out a mouthful of blood, her insides feeling like they had been put through a meat grinder. She struggled to push herself up, her vision blurring.
Caster...
Etherious Natsu Dragneel!
When she had first heard his name and class, she had thought this would be an easy fight. No matter how powerful a Caster's magecraft was, their base statistics were usually inferior to a Saber's. In a close-quarters brawl, she should have had the advantage.
The "Dragon Slayer Magic" he mentioned sounded dangerous, but she had assumed that as long as she stayed mobile and avoided his spells, she would be fine.
And then, she had been systematically beaten within an inch of her life.
It was infuriating. This guy didn't feel like a "Caster" at all,he felt like a "Berserker" with a brain.
'I mean... what kind of Magus uses their fists to cast spells?!'
'Why does your "Dragon Slayer Magic" have so much physical weight?!'
Using her greatsword as a crutch, she forced herself to stand. Her heart was pounding, and she felt a sense of vertigo.
This was bad.
After taking only a few hits, she felt more damaged than she should have. Usually, her armor and her own mana reinforcement would allow her to shrug off a few punches.
But this pain was different. It felt like every hit was bypassing her defenses and striking her soul. There was only one explanation...
She was being "Counter-Targeted."
She had inherited the blood of King Arthur, and with it, the "Dragon" attribute. It had always been her greatest source of pride, the symbol of her royalty. She never imagined it would one day become her fatal flaw.
"It looks like it's working even better than I thought."
Natsu watched Mordred's unsteady movements, confirming that his Dragon Slayer Magic was indeed dealing effective damage.
CRACKLE!
"Hmm?"
Natsu blinked as Mordred's helmet retracted, revealing her face for the first time. He was struck by the sight of her bloodied but determined expression.
Crimson lightning began to arc around her body.
Without any warning to her Master, Mordred decided to put everything she had into a final, decisive strike. She began drawing in massive amounts of magical energy, the intensity of the light illuminating the dark battlefield.
If she continued this fight normally, her chances of winning were zero. This "Caster" was physically stronger than her, a Saber,it was preposterous.
"OOOHHHHHH!!!"
She raised her greatsword high above her head. The weapon flared with a terrifying red light, looking like a blade fashioned from lightning itself.
"Clarent Blood Arthur!!!"
She unleashed her ultimate Noble Phantasm, a massive pillar of crimson lightning surging toward the fire-wielder.
"Heh!"
"Interesting..."
Natsu didn't back down. He grinned, his excitement reaching a fever pitch. He shifted his stance, lowering his center of gravity and pulling his arm back, gathering every ounce of fire he could muster.
As the crimson lightning closed in, he threw his punch with a roar.
"Fire Dragon King's... Demolition Fist!!!"
A faint image of a roaring dragon manifested behind him, its phantom voice echoing across the wasteland.
The crimson flames collided with the red lightning, the fire physically swallowing the electricity and forcing it back. The sheer power of the blow caused the earth beneath them to groan and buckle.
"!"
"Dammit!!"
Mordred watched in horror as her "beam" was overpowered and reflected back at her. She had no strength left to resist. She sank to one knee, her body exhausted.
'This is bad... my consciousness...'
Between the massive mana drain and the prior damage, she was on the verge of total collapse. If she didn't move now, Natsu's "Dragon Slayer" properties would likely kill her outright.
She reached out mentally to contact Kairi, but her strength failed her. She found herself falling forward into the dirt.
She couldn't fall here. She had sworn to return to the moment of the selection and pull the sword from the stone!
But as her world began to fade into black, she saw a familiar silhouette through her flickering vision,a blue cloak, golden hair, and a shining silver blade.
"Father...?"
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]