With a thunderous clash, the silver greatsword shot toward Mordred's abdomen. But before it could strike, the radiant King's Sword intercepted, deflecting the blow. Despite her defense, Mordred was sent flying by Siegfried's attack.
"You're tough, I'll give you that. And your skin—it's like armor," Mordred panted, her own armor mostly shattered.
Siegfried remained silent, merely assuming his stance again as the few wounds on his body rapidly healed.
"[Saber, can you win this?]" Kairi's voice crackled through their connection, sensing something off about Mordred's condition.
"Of course!" Mordred grinned, dismissing her remaining armor. Against Siegfried's sword, the magic-infused armor was as fragile as paper. She'd rather fight unrestrained.
"I'm going to be king, you know. This kind of challenge? I'll break through it easily."
"[Can you win?]" Gordes asked Siegfried, his voice tense.
"[Yes,]" Siegfried replied without hesitation.
Compared to Achilles, Mordred's threat was minimal. His Dragon-Blood Armor negated any attack below B-rank and reduced damage from higher-ranked attacks. Mordred's swordsmanship was fierce, but it barely scratched him. Plus, she seemed to have some dragon attribute, giving him, a dragon slayer, the upper hand.
If the battle continued like this, his victory was assured.
"Take this!" Mordred roared as crimson lightning crackled around her. With a deafening boom, she launched herself at Siegfried like a cannonball.
"Hm?" Siegfried was surprised. Mordred should have recognized his defensive strength by now. A retreat to find his weakness would have been the smarter move. Such reckless attacks would only hasten her defeat, especially something this wild.
But Siegfried wasn't one to show mercy. He raised his sword, ready to finish Mordred off.
"Catch this!" Mordred yelled, unexpectedly hurling her sword at him.
"!?" Siegfried's eyes widened as he instinctively deflected the sword with an upward swing, leaving his guard wide open.
" Here's a Lesson for ya!" With the momentum of her red lightning, Mordred spun and landed a powerful kick to Siegfried's gut, sending him flying.
Catching her sword mid-air, Mordred smirked, "There are no rules in a fight."
"[Is that even allowed? A knight just threw her weapon away,]" Kairi's voice echoed in disbelief through their connection.
"Winning is all that matters, isn't it?" Mordred replied with a shrug, though her focus remained on Siegfried, who was pulling himself out of a crater. "Ordinary attacks won't cut it, Master. I'm going to use my Noble Phantasm."
"[Do it. If necessary, I'll use a Command Seal to pull you back.]"
"Trust me a little, would you?" Mordred grinned, her sword transforming, its silver blade bathed in blood-red light, crackling with the same crimson lightning.
"Master!" Siegfried's expression grew serious. His Dragon-Blood Armor wasn't invincible, and using his Noble Phantasm would reveal his true name and the weaknesses that came with it.
"[Go for it!]" Gordes urged, unwavering.
"I understand, Master. I'll bring you victory," Siegfried exhaled, turning his sword's hilt. The ancient power surged forth, a Green light engulfing his blade, casting a twilight glow over the battlefield.
"Sword, fill with my will!"
"Clarent Blood Arthur!"
"Balmung!"
Red lightning clashed with the twilight glow, their power colliding like a storm, obliterating everything in its path—dragon tooth soldiers, homunculus remnants, automaton shards—all were pulverized.
"Wow, that's... over the top," Cyd muttered, as dragon scales whirled around him like a shield. The A+ rank anti-army Noble Phantasm's shockwave brushed past him like a breeze, his scales absorbing the brunt.
"This might end in mutual destruction," Jeanne speculated as the light began to fade.
"The Black Saber has the upper hand in this fight, but in a pure Noble Phantasm clash, Black Saber's got a disadvantage," Cyd remarked, his scales reattaching to his right shoulder cloak. "But it's no big deal. Black Saber's advantage remains intact, and it doesn't concern us."
Cyd pointed toward the floating garden. "We still need to have a friendly chat with them."
"No way!" Mordred gasped, kneeling and panting heavily, her gaze locked onto Siegfried, who was also on one knee.
To her, the King's Sword was a cursed weapon, yet also a source of pride. This sword had dealt the fatal blow to the King! She wouldn't allow anyone to survive it.
"Just wait, I'll finish you off soon!"
Mordred gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand.
"[Don't push it, Saber! You need to retreat!]" Kairi's voice commanded in her mind.
"No! If I back down now, I won't have another chance to beat him!" Mordred growled.
Even she had to admit it—she wasn't Siegfried's match. If it hadn't been for his confidence in his Noble Phantasm and ignorance of hers, she wouldn't have landed a single hit. Next time, she wouldn't be so lucky.
"[Remember, he has Command Seals too!]"
Mordred's expression froze as Siegfried rose to his feet. His armor was nearly destroyed, but his spirit was unbroken. With that stubborn defense of his, she had no way to take him down.
"Damn it!"
Siegfried was confused as he watched the once-fierce Mordred stomp her feet in frustration like a child throwing a tantrum.
Under the force of her B+ strength, the poor ground was left pitted and scarred.
"Hey! Black Saber! Next time, I'll beat you! Don't you dare die before then! Got it?"
With a final glare, Mordred vanished, not by spirit form, but pulled back by a Command Seal.
She… ran away?
Siegfried blinked in surprise.
The surrounding dragontooth soldiers had been wiped out by his wide-area Noble Phantasm, leaving nothing else to do.
Siegfried glanced around, then focused on Vlad III's position.
Time to assist him!