Chapter 449: [449] The Gathering Storm in Sighișoara: The Sword of Rebellion
The fired arrow followed its intended trajectory perfectly, yet failed to achieve the desired result. Black Archer lowered his bow and began nocking another arrow.
"Did it work?"
Upon hearing his Master Fiore’s question, Chiron shook his head.
"No, unfortunately. Red Saber dodged that shot. Truly worthy of the finest class."
The clock tower, one of Sighișoara’s landmarks, stood at sixty-four meters—the tallest structure in the city. While it offered a commanding view of the entire town, it also made its occupants visible from anywhere below.
The central spire was surrounded by four smaller towers. The two stood atop the narrow walkway encircling it—a space so cramped it could hardly be called footing. An ordinary person wouldn’t last more than a few seconds there. But for Chiron, with his innate sense of balance, it was as steady as solid ground. Given his skill, this was hardly surprising.
The problem lay with his Master—Fiore. Due to her corrupted Magic Circuits, her legs were paralyzed. Normally unable to stand, she relied on a wheelchair. The walkway above wasn’t wide enough to accommodate it. Yet she had found her own footing—or rather, she wasn’t standing at all.
The girl’s feet dangled in the air as two long metallic arms extended from her back, propping her up against the ground.
The Black Faction’s Archer pair—Fiore and Chiron.
They were members of the Black faction whom Sakatsuki had located using his tuning magecraft. Aside from them and Reika, there was one more magi lying in wait. However, without a Servant, he was of little use at the moment.
"Master, Red Saber has noticed us."
"If the Ruler’s intel is correct, and she’s already engaged in battle, then we’ll proceed as planned. Chiron, you handle Saber. I’ll take care of her Master—Kairi Sisigou."
Though usually a gentle girl confined to a wheelchair, Fiore’s presence on the battlefield carried such authority that even Chiron readily submitted:
"Understood, Master. Please don’t push yourself too hard."
"Mm, I know."
The young magi manipulated her mechanical arms, descending toward the ground like a hunting spider. The centaur sage watched as his Master charged into battle.
In Chiron’s assessment, Kairi Sisigou and his Master Fiore were evenly matched in magecraft. Kairi had the edge in combat experience, while Fiore surpassed him in tactical instinct. The deciding factor would be who could remain calmer under pressure.
Before he could dwell further, the furious gaze of Red Saber locked onto him. Though she had deflected Chiron’s surprise arrow, it seemed to have damaged her helmet. The swordswoman discarded her visor, revealing a face of startling beauty. But the Archer, who had witnessed countless heroes, knew one thing for certain.
This young swordswoman undeniably bore the visage of a true legend.
The surge of exhilaration rising from the depths of his heart—Chiron let out a bitter smile. It seemed he was still too young. Perhaps being summoned in his prime had something to do with it. His current recklessness surprised even himself.
Yet whether it was the drastic difference in hairstyle or Mordred’s distorted expression that led to his misjudgment—Chiron failed to recognize the peculiarity of this swordsman.
But Jeanne d’Arc, standing beside Mordred, would never overlook such a detail.
"Your appearance...!"
Jeanne’s shock was not without reason. If Mordred were to tame her wild mane and soften her defiant features, her resemblance to Jeanne herself would be nearly uncanny.
So this is why she mistook me for King Arthur...
Understanding dawned in Jeanne’s heart. Meanwhile, Mordred, whose face had been exposed when Chiron’s arrow shattered her visor, snorted in anger. Seemingly losing interest in Jeanne, she redirected her hatred toward the archer atop the clock tower.
"Master, which one should we deal with first—this annoying Ruler or that Archer over there? Personally, I recommend the smug black Archer on the clock tower."
"You’re already itching to fight the Archer, aren’t you? Well, that’s a wise choice. I’ll handle his Master."
Still affected by his morning dream, Kairi naturally refrained from chastising Mordred too harshly. He too strode forward, heading toward where the Beautiful Spider had fallen, passing Mordred by.
"I leave it to you, Saber."
"Sorry, Master. Then I’ll go and turn him upside down."
Her anger and hatred had been purged during her Noble Phantasm’s release. Now, Mordred had no interest in the saint holding the holy banner, nor any intention to apologize. Her entire focus was fixed on the enemy atop the clock tower, a bloodthirsty grin spreading across her face.
Mordred saw clearly—the black Archer had already drawn his bow to its limit. Mere sprinting wouldn’t be enough. But she possessed the skill of "Mana Burst." With her helmet removed, she could summon even more mana to envelop herself, then expel it all at once for explosive acceleration.
As if by unspoken agreement, the moment the two Masters moved out of the battlefield, the distant archer released his bowstring. Simultaneously, Mordred ignited the mana within her body, launching herself like a human cannonball toward her faraway foe.
The arrow arrived. The red Saber swung her sword, cleaving it apart without hesitation, her grin never fading.
—Come at me, Archer. You’re the only one I want.
She left the black Archer’s Master to her own Master. He wouldn’t lose. The certainty of this realization surprised Mordred somewhat.
Until now, she had never placed such trust in a magus. She had assumed all magi were nothing but twisted shut-ins. No—in truth, every magus she had encountered thus far had been exactly that.
Yet, there existed a magi whose temperament aligned so perfectly with her own. This reckless, headlong charge—a magi who devoted ninety percent to offense and a mere ten to defense—or rather, a Master who would respect the Rebellious Knight and cater to her so meticulously.
This filled Mordred’s heart with joy, but as a knight, she swiftly redirected her focus to the battle. To reach the sixty-meter-high clock tower required twelve steps—not climbing with hands and feet, but sprinting up the sheer ninety-degree wall.
The arrows did not cease, yet every shot that could pierce countless soldiers was deftly dodged by Mordred’s exceptional instinct. And now that the distance had closed to this extent, Archer was powerless to turn the tide.
Nine steps—
As a means of long-range sniping, archery was unparalleled. Even compared to modern firearms, it held the immense advantage of near-silent attacks. At long range, the Archer class was virtually invincible.
Five steps—
But if there existed a Servant capable of instantly bridging the gap between long and close range, the battle would shift dramatically.
For example, the divine skill of warriors—Mana Burst!
Three steps—
Archery, of course, had its flaws. First, continuous firing was nearly impossible. Second, the trajectory of arrows easily revealed the shooter’s position. Third, an archer at close quarters was far too vulnerable.
One step!!!
It was only natural that Mordred was certain of her victory. At this proximity, the archer was helpless.
Chiron showed no panic at the enemy’s fierce advance, calmly nocking another arrow.
The arrow loosed from the fully drawn bow arrived before Saber, only to be deflected by the sword gripped in both her hands.
"Got you, archer!"
There was no time for another shot. As a battle-hardened Knight of the Round Table, Mordred was certain she could finish Archer in a single strike.
But Chiron was also a sage of vast experience. In that moment, he acted beyond what Saber’s instincts had anticipated—without hesitation, he leaped from his narrow perch into the air, drawing and firing as he fell.
The night sky ignited, the starlight of Sagittarius descending from distant realms to guide the arrow drawn upon the sage’s bow. Proudly aimed at the thickest armor over her chest, Chiron released the bowstring.
Shot—hit!
The arrow wreathed in starlight shattered Saber’s armor. The cold tip pierced her shoulder, sending dizzying pain coursing through her body. Had Mordred not twisted her body at the last moment, her spiritual core would have been pierced through the chest.
But this was no consolation to Saber, who had been so certain of victory.
"You bastard...!!"
Lightning surged in her emerald, lion-like eyes. Mordred drowned the searing pain radiating from her shoulder with sheer rage. Fixing her sights on the descending archer, she activated Mana Burst without hesitation, then seized her sword and charged downward!
The crimson lightning streaked across the sky, drawing a straight line down the sixty-meter-high clock tower. The violent arcs of thunder radiated outward, carrying Mordred’s fury as they fell, fell, fell—
Straight toward the already landed Black Archer, Chiron!
It was like a falling celestial body, Chiron thought to himself. Though not graceful, it was extremely intense, enough to dazzle anyone with its brilliance.
So this was it. Saber was truly an outstanding Servant. To immediately regroup and counterattack after suffering such an arrow strike required an indomitable will capable of enduring that pain and impact.
In a fraction of a second, Saber would slash him down with her sword. So, how should he defend against her attack?
Archery wouldn’t work. No matter how swift, it would be too difficult to counter a sword with just a single downward swing. He had no sword, no spear, his bow was useless, no mount, and he couldn’t go berserk. Neither magecraft nor daggers could halt the sword’s momentum.
—Then, he would have to fight with this final weapon.
Falling sixty meters, at the very instant before landing, one foot exerted just the right amount of force against the ground to pivot his body sideways.
Facing Saber, who wielded her kingly sword like a meteor in descent, Chiron took a deep breath. The longbow in his hands dissipated, replaced by those fists—symbols of martial prowess and strength.
With nothing but his bare hands, Chiron met the violent crimson lightning, met the mighty swordsman crashing down upon him!