A/N: A dude called Dog_Hanma got yall this chap a lil early, mostly cause I was impressed by the sub 24 hour binge from chapter 1 to 82 and the fact that he thanked me on maybe 80% of them chaps? 😭
Artorius POV:
I had just been instructed to fight a guy in my class called Valier. I didn't know why, but Arthur, the legendary King Of Knights and a proud member of the round table, seemed to be... agitated. Normally, he'd talk during battles, for example in the last battle when I fought against a guy called Leon he told me to unleash Excalibur. Arthur somehow knew that my opponent had a Rune and he forced the Rune to emerge by creating a situation where my opponent's life was in danger.
I readied my blade, and when I was finally given the instruction to fight, I took a step forward. But before I could even take a step forward, I stumbled and stopped.
My hand gravitated towards my neck and beads of sweat slowly dropped from my forehead.
'Artorius, if you took a step forward there... well, I shouldn't need to tell you what would have happened.'
Arthur was a master swordsman, he could often see what I couldn't see. But, this time, even I knew what would've happened if I had taken a step forward.
'Arthur... my neck... his blade would've reached my neck if I stepped forward.'
I then began to circle around him, but every time I even considered taking a step forward, I felt like death was gripping my soul. I wasn't a smart combatant, all I had ever relied on was instinct and innate talent. I had almost no combat experience. But, even I could tell that this guy was immensely skilled.
The entire class had their eyes on us, they were probably wondering why I hadn't taken a step forward yet.
'Be grateful that you're as talented as you are, any other person who had as little experience as you would've been killed by now.'
'So this is why you were so agitated? I get it, this guy's an absolute freak of nature.'
Then, I could almost swear that I heard Arthur laugh, it wasn't a laugh that was formed from a humorous situation, instead it was a laugh of disbelief. It was a laugh that mocked the words I had just uttered and it seemed as if he had deemed what I had said to be wrong.
'Agitated? If only it were that simple...'
I stopped moving, I had grown tired of circling him, and seeing the image of myself being cut so many times wasn't good for my mental strength. So, I decided that I would simply charge in.
Valier changed his stance once more, he was slightly crouched down and his sword's tip was pointing directly at me. However, now, I no longer felt that ridiculous feeling I had before.
'Was I... were me and Arthur... imagining it?'
Then, just as I blinked he dashed forward, his sword was thrust into my throat. To counter, I placed my blade between his sword and my throat and I tilted it at such an angle that his blade was redirected away from me. Then, I took the opening I had created to swing down at him with all my might.
But then, he merely spun on his heel and my sword connected with the ground resulting in a loud 'klang' noise. Sparks flew from the ground, and when I blinked again, his sword was already being swung horizontally at my throat.
'Artorius... you don't realize what he's doing do you..? He's toying with you, he's showing that he has the luxury of being able to attack whenever and however he wants.'
I couldn't respond to Arthur's question as I was busy trying not to die. As his blade rushed towards my body, I then aimed my sword at his stomach and began to drive it into him.
This was what I felt was the 'best' course of action, I honestly didn't know why. Ever since I picked up a sword, I just knew what to do. Or rather, my body knew the best way to move and all I had to do was listen.
Valier noticed the danger and then, he jumped. His jump height was pretty ridiculous, although he had bent his knees to achieve this, his feet were now above where my sword was, in fact his knees were close to my face's height.
I quickly raised my sword, and then whilst in the air he swung down with all his might. Sparks flew and soon, his legs made contact with the ground. As I wasn't using Mana or anything to strengthen myself I was at a ridiculous disadvantage.
This guy's body was on an entirely different level, it was like trying to push back an advancing mountain. I then disengaged and he took a step back, he felt the change in pressure. But I could've sworn that he started to smile, but his face quickly returned to that deadpan and bored look.
"Haa..."
I took a deep breath and focused, I was going to have to face this man with everything I had. I focused my mind and body on nothing but this fight. I didn't know any theory when it came to swordsmanship, I just simply didn't need it. While others used fancy techniques and tried their hardest to master their styles, I just knew what to do and what the best way to move was in any situation that I had a sword in hand.
Unfortunately, my talent was limited to the sword and my body was useless whilst using every other weapon. But, I had a Rune, so I could summon Excalibur as needed.
I then walked towards him, Valier didn't attack, he was wary. He was skilled enough to notice the change in situation instantly. He was good, ridiculously good.
He swung first, I took a step back, leaving only a mere inch between me and his blade. His sword was low, and I took advantage of that. I raised my leg and stepped on his sword, pinning his blade to the ground with my body weight. No matter how strong he was, he wouldn't be able to force me off his sword without any leverage.
Then, he let go of his sword, he lunged towards me and jumped. While he was still in the air, he spun, and then drove his knee into my face. I quickly raised my left arm to block and his knee made contact with my forearm, but with the overwhelming force behind his attack, my forearm made contact with my face and I could've sworn that I felt a crack in my forearm.
I took a few slurred steps trying to get away, unfortunately, this meant my body was no longer able to pin his sword down. He bent down to grab his sword, and then, he assumed a new stance.
'Artorius, run, you won't be able to block his quick draw!'
Then, it happened. He drew his blade at a speed at which I could barely register, as his blade slowly inched towards me. His attack was coming from the right hand side, he had purposely attacked my stronger side. If he wanted to win, he would've just gone for my left side. As his blade began to approach my neck, I felt fear, the sort of fear an animal feels when they face a predator that they have no hope of escaping.
The icy grip of death clutched my heart as my body froze over in fear. I wasn't facing a regular man. When I looked at him, I felt nothing, not an ounce of malice or an ounce of compassion. What I was fighting surely couldn't have been human, after all, could a human truly have that look? Valier's expression was hollow, emotions are what make people human, what would you call a being who possessed neither hatred nor love? Neither compassion nor cruelty. Neither an attachment to life nor a want for death.
'I'm... going to die.'
I felt the Grim Reaper's scythe pierce my heart as I finally realized that this was a fight that I could not win.
And so, I did the only thing I could think to do. Fight to survive.
Holy Magic coalesced in my fist as I concentrated everything into my fist, my body was telling me to simply use Mana to block. But, fear took over and made it impossible for me to do that.
It was as his blade was about to make contact with my skin that I realized that throughout this fight, I had been scared. And that feeling that Arthur had, it was none other than fear.
Fear was the oldest of all emotions, man was born with many fears, however a fear that all creatures shared in common was the fear of death. And, at the time, it felt as if killing Valier was the only way to alleviate that fear.
Edited By: WorthyAdversary