Although he initially had the idea of recruiting Arton, after battling for this long and seeing Arton destroy the two swords that had accompanied him for decades, Shiki no longer harbored any thoughts of bringing Arton under his command.
At this moment, he was filled with a desire to chop Arton into pieces.
"This [Excalibur] is a chosen king's sword."
"In that legendary land, only the recognized king could pull it from the stone."
"That's why it's also called the Sword in the Stone."
Arton looked at the increasingly ethereal Sword in the Stone in his hand and spoke softly.
"Hmm? That's not what I was asking, Arton."
Shiki frowned.
"Shiki, what I'm saying is that only the King of Knights can fully unleash the power of this sword."
"If I had been able to fully unleash its original power earlier."
"You would have already turned to ashes."
Arton chuckled softly.
Rebecca: "The chosen king's sword? That sword can only be pulled out by a true king?"
Vivi: "My feelings weren't wrong; that sword truly is a king's sword?"
Gion: "The King of Knights, only he can fully wield the power of this sword?"
Tashigi: "I really want to see what kind of king can wield this sword, and the power he possesses when holding it!"
***
"Arton, you truly have a knack for making people angry!"
"I want to see just how hard you can keep that mouth of yours."
Shiki laughed in anger and waved his hand towards Arton.
In the next moment, the massive floating water spheres transformed into a giant water lion pouncing towards Arton.
"To develop your ability to control seawater."
"You really do have some skills, Shiki."
Arton's mouth curled into a slight smile. As he watched the water lion rushing towards him, he raised the Sword in the Stone to defend himself.
Even so, the impact force of the water lion pushed him back rapidly for over ten meters.
Then, the water lion transformed into a massive water sphere, trapping Arton inside.
"How does it feel to be trapped by seawater?"
"Although your abilities are special."
"They ultimately come from a Devil Fruit."
"And don't forget."
"Up here, ten thousand meters in the air, this is my domain!"
"Now, can you still use your projection magic to create a sword?"
Shiki floated near Arton, glancing at the Sword in the Stone disintegrating into golden particles in Arton's hand, before sneering at him.
Inside the water sphere, Arton closed his eyes as if giving up resistance.
Seeing this, Shiki shook his head and turned to fly towards Tashigi and Hina.
He had already noticed Tashigi and Hina recording his battle with Arton using a Den Den Mushi.
However, at that time, his attention was solely on Arton.
He didn't deal with Tashigi and Hina.
Now, in his eyes, the ability user Arton was already trapped by seawater.
Death was a certainty for Arton.
Finally, Shiki had the leisure to deal with Hina and Tashigi.
Shiki moved quickly, aided by the Float Float Fruit's power.
With a wave of his hand, the hot air balloon carrying Hina and Tashigi lost control and drifted towards Shiki.
"Oh no!"
Hina and Tashigi were shocked and immediately panicked.
"Recording my battle with Arton using a Den Den Mushi?"
"Unfortunately, I have no intention of revealing my existence to the outside world right now."
"So, you both will have to die."
Shiki sneered, ready to use his ability to crush Hina and Tashigi.
However, at that moment, a voice from the seemingly doomed Arton echoed over.
"I am the bone of my sword!"
"Hmm?" Shiki frowned slightly and looked behind him.
There, Arton was still trapped in the water.
But at this moment, although Arton's appearance and clothes had not changed, Shiki felt that something was different about him.
"Steel is my body and fire is my blood!"
"I have created over a thousand blades!"
"Unknown to death, nor known to life."
Shiki listened to Arton's voice emanating from the water, his frown deepening:
"How surprising, you can still speak underwater?!"
Arton ignored Shiki and raised his right hand, palm facing Shiki.
"Have withstood pain to create many weapons!"
"Yet, those hands will never hold anything!"
Shiki's eyes gleamed red, the characteristic glow of using Kenbunshoku Haki.
At this moment, he keenly sensed something wrong with Arton.
It felt as if a mysterious power was brewing within Arton.
That faintly dangerous premonition made Shiki instantly activate his ability, controlling the water around Arton to surge into his body.
He intended to use the water to make Arton explode from within.
However, unfortunately for Shiki, the power brewing within Arton reached its peak.
"I am made of 'Unlimited Blade Works'!"
Arton chanted, suddenly opening his eyes wide.
Then, a vast amount of magical energy exploded from his body.
In an instant, Shiki felt his vision being overwhelmed by a blinding white light.
"What's going on?!"
Shiki frowned, instantly on high alert.
Fortunately, the intense light appeared quickly and dissipated just as fast.
Soon, Shiki regained his sight.
But when he saw the scene before him, he was completely stunned.
The once blue skies, floating islands, and hovering sea currents were all gone.
In their place was a crimson sky near sunset, filled with countless swords stuck in the ground, over a barren red wasteland.
And there stood Arton among the swords, as if he were their master.
White bay: "The environment has changed?"
Monet: "What kind of power is this? Those countless swords... is it like the young master's power, an awakened Devil Fruit?"
Sugar: "No, Arton isn't a Devil Fruit user, so it can't be an awakening."
Charlotte Smoothie: "Countless swords, could this be an advanced power of Emiya Shirou?"
Charlotte Galette: "That must be it! Arton's appearance and clothing haven't changed, but the wounds he suffered earlier in the fight with Shiki are gone."
"The current Arton must have entered another stage of Emiya Shirou's template mode."
Gion: "Another stage of Emiya Shirou... so the previous Emiya Shirou could project the Sword of Promised Victory, and now this Emiya Shirou can project this Unlimited Blade Works?"
Rebecca: "But how is it possible? Why have the sky and earth changed as well?"
Black Maria: "The floating islands Shiki controlled have vanished, it's like we've entered another world."
At that moment, the diary replica holders, watching the scene through their copies, were filled with shock and awe.
Of course, the most shocked were those on the scene: Shiki, Tashigi, Hina, Nami, and Carina.
"What is going on?"
"Arton, what have you done?"
Shiki frowned, shouting angrily at Arton.
Arton's lips curled into a slight smile as he drew a sword from the ground and pointed it at Shiki:
"This is 'Unlimited Blade Works'!"
***
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