Saber's chest was indeed rather, well, flat—flat enough to be compared to an airstrip, and by touch, it might barely fill a hand. But this didn't mean that her figure was unattractive. On the contrary, Saber's figure was quite exceptional, especially in terms of texture—smooth yet resilient.
This was Kaguya's fleeting impression, but she hadn't realized that her actions had just stirred a hornet's nest.
Saber stood with her head lowered, teeth clenched, her face turning increasingly red—not the bashful kind, but the kind of red that signaled an impending volcanic eruption. A powerful aura began to radiate from her, wrapping around her like a tangible force.
Kaguya immediately sensed the danger—she had pushed things too far.
Before she could retreat, Saber's power suddenly erupted. Her clothing fluttered in the violent wind, and a massive shockwave, like a tidal wave, blasted Kaguya away.
"Unforgivable!" Saber snapped her head up, her beautiful light green eyes burning with icy fury, her voice trembling with rage.
"Hey, wait—" Kaguya tried to speak, but before she could finish, the enraged Saber, now bursting with immense power, gripped her sword tightly and charged at Kaguya. A brilliant flash of light streaked through the air as Saber swung her sword down violently.
Boom, boom, boom!
Stones flew in all directions, and dust filled the air.
Kaguya glanced back, cold sweat trickling down her face. A distant ten-story building had been sliced cleanly in half by Saber's strike. Cracks ran through the steel and concrete walls, and with a groaning sound, the building tilted to both sides before collapsing with a tremendous crash, raising a cloud of dust.
Kaguya hadn't expected that Saber, in her rage, could unleash such power. That strike just now was nearly on par with Excalibur.
"I think I can explain—wait, don't attack me!"
Boom, boom, boom!
Saber, as if on a rampage, continued swinging her sword relentlessly. Blades of light shot toward Kaguya, forcing her to dodge frantically. The surrounding buildings weren't so lucky, as skyscrapers were sliced in half at the waist, bridges were severed, and even the cars parked along the roadside were reduced to scrap metal. Hopefully, the owners had insurance.
"Hey, don't push your luck! If you keep this up, I'll fight back!" Kaguya shouted as she ducked and weaved through the barrage.
But Saber paid no heed to Kaguya's words. She kept swinging her sword, her strikes filled with icy resolve, cutting through everything in her path. Her movements, swift as the wind, caused her cloak to flap wildly in the fierce gusts she generated.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
Kaguya raised her invisible sword and parried another one of Saber's strikes. But the force behind the blow was immense, causing Kaguya to sink slightly into the ground, leaving deep footprints beneath her. She was somewhat surprised—Saber's strength and speed had increased significantly in her anger.
Saber gritted her teeth, launching a relentless series of attacks, each strike heavier than the last. Kaguya was forced to retreat under the barrage of blows.
Finally, Saber's fierce onslaught cornered Kaguya against a wall. With no room to escape, Saber raised her sword high, ready to deliver the final blow.
"Hey, all I did was grab your butt—does it really warrant this kind of reaction?" Kaguya sighed in exasperation.
"Evil creature, perish!" Saber's exquisite face flushed with embarrassment as she shouted. She grasped her sword with both hands, golden light radiating from it, and swung it down with all her might.
In an instant, a blinding golden beam erupted, tearing through the night sky like a sun, illuminating the earth as if it were daytime. The following thunderous roar shook the city, and the golden light shot upwards, releasing a shockwave that obliterated everything in its path, reducing the surroundings to a wasteland.
Shattered debris was flung into the air, and clouds of dust filled the atmosphere, carrying the acrid smell of burnt rubble.
Breathing heavily, Saber knelt on the ground, leaning on her sword. The anger that had fueled her immense attack had drained much of her magic power, leaving her body fatigued. Sweat dripped down her forehead and soaked her back.
Even if that attack hadn't killed that vile creature, it must have at least severely injured her.
This was the first time she had ever been teased in such a manner. The fact that Kaguya hadn't just smacked her behind, but also squeezed it a few times, was the real reason for her fury. The sensation was strange, and she couldn't quite describe how she felt—she only knew she felt deeply humiliated. In retrospect, she wasn't sure if it was anger or embarrassment that overwhelmed her more, or perhaps a mix of both that drove her to such extreme actions.
The feelings that made her heart race—she hadn't even experienced them with Guinevere.
Saber shook her head, trying to banish such thoughts. This was no time for distractions. But then a troubling thought crossed her mind—what if she had seriously injured Kaguya to the point of unconsciousness? How would she find out where Irisviel was?
In a hurry, Saber rushed to where Kaguya had been standing moments before, using her hands to clear away the rubble and debris, searching for Kaguya's body. But there was no trace of her.
Suddenly, Saber spotted something. She reached into the pile of rubble and pulled out a piece of black fabric—soft, with intricate patterns woven into it, so fine that even someone like her, who normally didn't care much for clothes, found it captivating.
This is…
Saber's eyes widened. She recognized the fabric—it was a piece of Kaguya's clothing.
Had she been too harsh? Saber began to regret her actions. She had only meant to teach Kaguya a lesson, not to kill her.
At that moment, a low, yet magically charged voice suddenly echoed in Saber's ears.
"Are you wondering if I'm dead?"
Saber's pupils constricted in shock, as she was about to turn around, but suddenly, a delicate hand reached out from behind and gripped her neck.
She grabbed the hand that was constricting her throat, trying to break free, but found her body had gone limp, as if her strength had been completely drained. Was it because she had overexerted herself earlier?
But there was no time to dwell on such thoughts. Saber quickly realized something was wrong. This wasn't just exhaustion. She could feel her magical energy rapidly draining away, as if it were being siphoned from her. In just moments, most of the already diminished mana in her body had been sucked away.
Saber's beautiful eyes widened in shock as her air supply dwindled, her delicate face turning bright red from the lack of oxygen.
What on earth is happening?
Finally, her hands dropped helplessly to her sides.
At that moment, the hand gripping her neck loosened, and Saber collapsed to the ground, clutching her throat and gasping for air, coughing violently as her lungs desperately sought oxygen. She had been just moments away from being strangled to death.
"This is just a small punishment for you." A soft whisper echoed in her ear.
A snowy white hand reached out, caressing Saber's fair cheek and giving it a few playful squeezes. The voice carried a mysterious and alluring tone that made her feel uneasy.
"Such a lovely girl," the voice purred.
Saber's alarm skyrocketed. As soon as the hand touched her, she lost control of her body. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't move a muscle—not even a finger. Even her magical energy was cut off from her, making it impossible to activate her Invisible Air.
Yet when the hand withdrew, her control returned. Was the opponent capable of some kind of body control magic?
But there was no time to ponder this. The moment she regained her mobility, Saber sprang to her feet, jumping back as the Invisible Air enveloped her, and her armor reappeared, protecting her body.
"Impressive reaction. As expected from the King of Knights—you're enchanting even when panicked."
"It's you." Saber's expression hardened as she recognized the silver-haired girl standing before her—it was Kaguya, the same one who had just taken a direct hit from Excalibur.
While the voice had been the same, the tone and manner of speech had been different, which is why Saber hadn't recognized her at first. What shocked her even more was that Kaguya bore no signs of injury—not a single wound or scar, despite having taken such a powerful blow. Only her once-elegant clothes were now in tatters, with some parts hanging by threads.
For instance, one of her shoulder straps had completely snapped, leaving her smooth, round shoulder exposed, with a hint of her porcelain skin and cleavage peeking out provocatively below.
"Sigh, this was my favorite outfit," Kaguya remarked, glancing down at her torn clothing with a trace of regret.
"So, you've finally shown your true face?"
Saber's eyes narrowed as she extended her arm. Her fingers closed together, and a radiant golden sword appeared in the air, shining brilliantly. But unlike before, the light of the sword flickered a few times before dimming, and the sword itself vanished like stardust.
A wave of weakness swept over Saber, causing her legs to buckle, and she sank to her knees. Her heart sank along with her.
Was it because she had used up too much mana?
It wasn't just the energy she had expended during the earlier battle and in using Excalibur. She had also lost a portion of her mana when Kaguya had drained it. Now, Saber had almost no magic power left. With her Master, Kiritsugu Emiya, not nearby to provide support, her situation was dire.
Kaguya strolled gracefully over to Saber and, with a slight smirk, hooked her soft fingers under Saber's chin. "As expected of the King of Knights—such a steadfast spirit. It's enough to make one want to tease you relentlessly."
Saber let out a cold snort, turning her head away. "I will never submit to you."
"Is that so?" Kaguya's smile grew slyer as she replied, "I'm quite eager to see how the legendary King of Knights will respond when she's thoroughly humiliated."
"Never!" Saber wobbled to her feet, glaring at Kaguya in anger. "I won't lose to someone like you!"
"Determination is admirable, but if the outcome is already decided, persistence becomes meaningless." Kaguya's voice floated softly in the air.
Saber's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't even sensed Kaguya move, but suddenly, she was behind her again. Before Saber could react, her body froze in place once more.
"I have something to tell you," Kaguya whispered softly in Saber's ear, her breath tickling her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. Saber's ears, already flushed with color, now stood rigid, sensitive to the touch.
Saber glared back at her, but her face involuntarily turned a deep shade of red, almost as if she had applied rouge. Her beauty became even more striking in this moment of vulnerability.
"I really didn't abduct Irisviel."
Saber hesitated. Though the same words had been spoken before, somehow, in this moment, she found herself believing them a little more. After all, Kaguya had no reason to lie, given the current situation.
"But..." Kaguya's smile deepened, and her eyes glinted with a mischievous light. "Since you dared to offend me earlier, you'll have to compensate me. A king does not take offense lightly." She traced her fingers gently across Saber's cheek.
"What do you want?" Saber asked stiffly.
"What do I want?"
Kaguya gazed at her with a teasing smile, her eyes brazenly roaming over Saber's body. When Saber's expression grew even more uncomfortable, Kaguya leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "I want you."
Saber furrowed her brow, not fully understanding what Kaguya meant. However, due to her pride as a knight, she refused to show any weakness.
But before she could respond, Kaguya's hand slipped like a snake down the front of her collar, deftly unbuttoning her armor.
Saber's pupils shrank in shock, and for the first time, her beautiful eyes showed a rare flash of panic.
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