Both of them disappeared leaving dust behind.
Clang*
This time Einar was in full offense with controlling Chastiefol with one hand and chanting spells and from other. Of course, he doesn't need to chant full spells and most of the spells were recorded in his book, he just has to call their names to cast.
"Einar! You better use your full strength because this time, I will not hold back!" Artoria charged at Einar who nodded and swung his spear.
Clang* clang*
Artoria tried to get close to Einar but he was able to block her by using his spear effectively.
There are three knight classes; saber/swordsman, lancer/spearman, and archer/bowman.
Saber will always have advantage ageist lancers if saber is close to lancer since defending with a long weapon against a short weapon like a sword is difficult. Lancer could only keep a certain distance against the saber and make a finishing blow before the saber could come close and hold a grip against the lancer.
Einar's strategy works similarly. His only option of defense is his guardian Mono who could block against almost any attack except ice-type attacks. Defending with spear and entering in close combat against Artoria at full power would be suicidal as she had a firm sword technique and as soon as she closes the distance, it will be game over.
"Ha!" Artoria was now composed and was reflecting the strikes of the levitating spear as well as closing the distance.
"Fire magic: Fire Ball!" five fireballs rose in the air from Einar's book and shot towards Artoria.
Boom* boom* boom*
Rapid explosions incurred where Artoria was and dust covered the entire field.
"Arg!"
'Did I hit her?' Einar thought when he heard Artoria's groan. She had greater endurance than Einar so lesser attacks like fireballs could severely injure a person but not Artoria.
Just when Einar was inspecting the situation, Artoria, with minor bruises, emerged from the cloud of dust in the air and strike down her sword in front of Einar to create a big lightening impact.
"Aaa!" She saw Einar blown away before rolling on the ground.
She smiled and walked closer to him then pointed her glowing sword to him.
"You lose this time." She said looking towards him.
"Oh did I?" Einar just smirked evilly like he never took damage at all and soon she realized that it was just a trick as Einar vanished.
"Illusion?" She thought she got Einar but she forgot that Einar was Merlin's disciple as he vanished from the spot.
"Got you!" She heard Einar but before she was able to move away, Einar's guardian Mono grabbed Artoria from behind.
"Haha, come on Artoria. Did you not learn anything from me? Charging naively to a mage who also uses a holy weapon is just plain stupid. Is that what you call a resolve of a rightful king? It's not even a joke. How can you be a king when you can't even win against your own subordinate?" Einar started to mock Artoria who was being held from Mono.
'Arg! Not good. Why do I keep repeating the same mistake? Why do I have to endure his nonsense?!...' Artoria was asking questions to herself. She kept repeating these mistakes over and over again. What if one mistake resulted very lethal that she won't get a second chance? She thought that she was still going the same strategy as an ordinary knight, charging directly against Einar.
"Oi, oi, is she the same Artoria that I fell in love with? Artoria you said that you love me but I could only assume that it was just a hollow confession with no meaning and resolve. Is that what king supposed to do?" Einar came a little closer and laughed at Artoria's pathetic figure.
Artoria widened her eyes. This time she glared furiously at Einar who was now mocking her pride. She gritted her teeth but then calmed down and glared at Einar.
"Einar, I know that it was a shallow confession that I am still not aware of. I was- am naïve to think that I could keep those words with that hollow resolve but know this Einar, my feelings for you and the people who I want to protect are true!" Artoria confessed and then the bluish aura started raging with the same blue sparks.
Einar also noticed the change and took some steps back with a smile on his face.
"Ha!" Artoria screamed and cut the hands of Mono and then kicking the stuffed bear away.
Momo flew away and before it could land on the ground it changed into a spear and flew towards Artoria to engage her in combat.
Clang* clang*
Artoria was now in full mana burst mode. She charged at Einar but had to focus on a flying spear that was easily able to halt her charge for seconds.
She soon came close to Einar but this time she first made sure to detect his presence and ensuing if there were traps before swinging her sword at him.
"Whoa!" Einar dodged her strike and blew sand on her eyes.
"Using dirty tricks, eh?" Artoria smirked as his trick was a little success because of sand blurring her vision.
"Everything is fair in love and war! And this is both, my beloved Artoria!" Einar cheerfully said and dodged some more of her moves. He was also surrounded with bluish ripples indicating that he was strengthening his physical aspects through mana. If not then he had no chance to dodge a single strike against Artoria who was both faster and stronger than him.
Clang* clang* clang*
Both of them entered in close combat with both of them in full mana burst and started exchanging strikes.
Artoria finally pushed put her power in a strike and pushed Einar away who blocked the direct attack with his spear but not the power behind the impact.
"It's over!" Artoria taking this chance of breaking Einar's guard shot towards him.
"Hehe, you are still underestimating my weapon, Artoria," Einar smirked and his spear got bright, dividing into multiple balls before taking shape of many small kunai-like spears. "Chastiefol Form Five: Increase." Einar pronounced the name and turned his hand down signaling the small spears to rain at Artoria.
[Form Five: Increase: An army of small kunai-like spears are multiplied from one, their individual trajectories are controlled by the host at will through simple motioning and gesturing of hands.]
"What?" Artoria widened her eyes and changed her trajectory to dodge small spears but not before taking some hits.
Clang* clang*
Artoria didn't mind small cuts and engaged in combat against this rain of small spears.
Einar was also focusing all his attention to control Increase. He unlocked this form after earning enough points when he witnessed Artoria drawing Caliburn. Although he had good control at levitating the spear, he had to divide all his focus on those small spears.
He didn't show them to anyone since he had to master them before showing it but thanks to Artoria asking for a duel, he has now a great trump card against a knight with a single sword to defend itself.
'Not good! Just how many tricks he has in his sleeves? I have to hurry and look for a time… but how..? Kuhh!' Artoria was thinking of a strategy to escape from this kind of attack at all costs. She could feel that those small spears were not moving like the regular spear but they were fast enough to hit her at a critical spot.
She was deflecting those attacks while also dodging some and taking some strikes. Although her mana burst was keeping taps on her focal points, she was still getting damage from those spears.
Caliburn had a unique property that healed her whenever she gets cuts and wounds but her ability to heal herself through that essence is slow and she was getting cuts and bruises faster than she could heal.
She was getting soaked in blood but she was too focused to get rid of small spears than worry about her injuries.
"Mah, mah, looks like I have to finish this game of cat and mouse." Suddenly Einar spoke with a lazy tone and small spears stopped moving.
Artoria didn't know what he was doing but it was bad news for her. She saw that all those small spears flew in the air and aimed at her.
"Fight Fire with Fire-Raining daggers!" Einar said with a monotone and turned down his finger. Those small spears started to rotate before falling on Artoria at incredible speed.
Artoria gritted her teeth and raised her sword in the air, "Caliburn!" Bright right emerged from the sword and clashed against small spears.
Booom*
A big explosion occurred in the field that echoed all around the town.
"Arg!" Kay was also trying his best to stand from the impact as a result of his two monster siblings' dueling and making havoc but he was also blown away.
Merlin was also watching with a serious face while protecting himself and the house through a barrier.
"Well, I think it's over…" Einar muttered when he can't sense the Artoria's mana burst anymore. He felt a little bad for using lethal moves against young knight but he can't go easy on the future king who will face fights of a much larger scale.
Just as he was about to look for his brother Kay, something emerged from the dust and shot towards him.
"What!?" Einar focused and controlled all those small spears on incoming Artoria.
Bang*
However, the thing was not Artoria but her chest armor.
"A diversion?" Einar widened his eyes and turned around to see Artoria bleeding all over the place and pointing her glowing sword at Einar's neck.
Einar closed his eyes and smiled. "I admit defeat." He raised his hands.
"Good." Artoria sheathed her sword after winning the second and final round.
"Then… winner is Artoria… Umm… fix this place before coming back." Kay said with deadpan eyes reminding them that they destroyed the area from their duel. He then went inside home.
"What a fascinating weapon Einar has. I should focus on teaching her some magic to empower herself against opponents like Einar. It will be good for the ideal king." Merlin praised Einar before vanishing with flower petals.
Einar looked at Artoria who was exhausted and bleeding. Her clothes were also torn and a little bit of her cleavage could be seen but she was just standing there like a doll.
"Come on, don't need to be shy," Einar said extending his arms.
Artoria smiled slightly before closing her eyes and falling on Einar's arms.
Einar then placed her head on his lap and started to heal the rightful king.
"I am sorry Artoria for saying mean things…" Einar said while caressing her hair.
"It's... alright. You said to remind me that I was weak. It was for my own good…" Artoria said with monotone but her ahoge was swinging saying that she was happy.
"Anything this first knight and sole lover of this king could do?" Einar asked with a chuckle.
"Hmm… I want chicken curry for dinner and ice-cream cake for the desert." She said with closed eyes and cuddled her head on his soft lap.
"Hai, hai~"
---
My first time writing this long battle. Please comment what do you think and if you have some suggestions. I may not consider everyone's suggestions but i will read them to make you happy :)
Don't even think about leaving without dropping Power Stones.
1k power stones/ 2 chapters in the end of week.
1.4k power stones/ 3 chapters in the end of week.
Is that called robing? Hell yeah!
Thank you~
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