Before Nina could accidentally reveal Lancelot's hideout, Alaric decisively sent her away.
Gawain, still smiling, remarked, "Sir Alaric, you haven't been harboring any of the unselected, have you?"
Initially, Alaric had planned to keep it a secret, but upon seeing Gawain's smile, he changed his mind and nodded.
"Indeed, I have kept some of the unselected. It doesn't matter—they cannot enter the tower and will simply perish when everything ends. These final moments are my act of mercy."
Hearing this, Gawain's smile didn't falter. Instead of reprimanding Alaric, he calmly asked, "Sir Alaric, is this how you express your loyalty to the king?"
"That's right. This is my way of showing loyalty. I am not like you, Sir Gawain, a Heroic Spirit from a distant past. As someone living in the present, my actions and sense of loyalty differ from yours. Or, Sir Gawain, are you questioning my loyalty to the king?"
Alaric met Gawain's gaze, completely unflinching. The man before him, though shorter than Alaric, shone like the sun and was as fierce as a lion.
The aura surrounding Gawain overwhelmed Alaric. Yet even so, Alaric stood his ground, like a stubborn pig unafraid of boiling water, staring back at Gawain.
"Sir Gawain, would you care to test my strength?"
Alaric, holding the Sword of the End (Ex Rhongomyniad), spoke abruptly.
Since he had obtained such a divine weapon, how could he not test it?
Hearing this, Gawain chuckled lightly.
"With pleasure. Where do you suggest we test it, Sir Alaric?"
Not only was Alaric curious about the sword but Gawain was also intrigued by the Sword of the End (Ex Rhongomyniad), blessed by the Lion King.
The power of the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad was something Gawain had heard much about. And now, a sword empowered by the Holy Lance? What kind of power would that hold?
More than his curiosity about the sword, Gawain was intrigued by Alaric's strength. During this meeting, the Lion King showed significant interest in Alaric, and Alaric displayed extraordinary qualities. This piqued Gawain's curiosity about the newly appointed knight of the Round Table.
After thinking for a moment, Alaric suggested, "Let's head to the outskirts of Camelot. It'd be difficult to move freely within the city, wouldn't it?"
"You've got a point, Sir Alaric."
After a brief exchange, Alaric and Gawain made their way out of the city.
Meanwhile, Alaika II, who had been left behind, stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
...
A few minutes later.
Alaric led Gawain to the area where he had previously trained with Lancelot.
Gawain glanced around, noting the numerous signs of battle. He smiled, saying, "This must be where Sir Lancelot trained you."
Alaric, holding the Sword of the End, distanced himself from Gawain and replied, "Indeed. Thanks to Sir Lancelot's help, I've made significant improvements. Without his assistance, it would've been much harder for me to grow so much."
Those three days of intense training had benefited Alaric in many ways, even though it still wasn't enough. But it had undoubtedly laid a crucial foundation.
Seeing Alaric ready for battle, Gawain didn't waste time and decisively drew his sword.
Zing!
The sound of steel echoed in the air. Alaric's eyes fell upon the broad sword in Gawain's hand, and memories surfaced.
"Excalibur Galatine: The Sword of Revolving Victory"
A sister sword to King Arthur's "Excalibur," both bestowed by the Lady of the Lake. A genuine Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, rated A+.
Its overwhelming power was beyond anything Alaric could withstand. But holding the Sword of the End and with the Holy Grail's blessing, Alaric felt that he might stand a chance.
'To release it—do I chant, like with the Holy Lance?'
Alaric gripped the hilt of the Sword of the End tightly, lowering his stance. The Lion King had mentioned that the sword could be released but hadn't explained how.
Completely unclear on how to proceed, Alaric could only draw inspiration from the Noble Phantasm True Name chant used for the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad, hoping it might work similarly.
"Are you coming, Sir Sir Alaric?"
From a short distance away, Gawain stood with his sword in one hand, calling out loudly.
Crackle—!
Under Gawain's watchful gaze, Alaric unleashed his full power!
As his magical energy surged, crimson arcs of lightning flickered around him, and Alaric could feel the inhuman part of him—the dragon's blood—rising to the surface.
For a brief moment, the future the Lion King had foretold flashed before Alaric's eyes.
'Will I become a dragon, or remain human?'
Bang!
Alaric didn't answer that question as he shot forward like a bullet.
The distance of several dozen meters vanished in an instant. Gawain felt a fierce gust of wind as Alaric, now upon him, swung his sword!
Clang!
Gawain calmly raised his sword to parry the strike. The clash of their blades generated wind so fierce it tore into the ground, leaving visible cracks spreading from beneath Gawain's feet.