Fate: I Will Eventually Become the Hero of Justice

Chapter 82

With a swift "shua!" Artoria swung her black sword towards the sky. The sound of eight continuous cracks echoed as the black beam hacks down all eight black hands.

"Ba ta ba ta" The hands and the giant sword hit the ground, creating a series of vibrating sounds.

Shirou frowned and used his Projection to unleash 128 sharp swords toward Artoria. She responded by swinging her sword, summoning a dark and powerful storm of energy.

-- Tyrant Clap!

But before she could unleash it, Shirou grabbed hold and activated his "Broken Phantasm."

"Boom, boom, boom!"

The 128 sharp swords exploded, creating a dense and explosive rain. Yet, Artoria emerged unscathed, walking out of the explosion with ease.

The flame in his eyes flickered slightly as he gazed upon Saber's impressive [Magic Resistance] and the increased power granted to her by the black mud. It was a formidable sight, and Shirou knew that he was facing a much stronger opponent than before.

But then, without warning, Saber's jet-black sword began to glow with a faint light before blooming into a massive black beam. Artoria swung the sword towards Shirou, shouting, "Excalibur!"

His reflexes were lightning-fast. He summoned the black mud to crash down with formidable power, propelling himself into the sky and narrowly avoiding the attack.

The mud transformed into powerful wings, lifting him higher and higher as he hovered in the sky, observing the tremendous dark explosion slowly dissipate into nothingness.

"Did you resort to using your Noble Phantasm because you realized that I was proving to be a difficult opponent?" Shirou asked, wearing a relaxed smile.

But his question was met with another intense black beam.

Despite Shirou's efforts to dodge the attack with the power from his wings, the black beam was too much for him. He summoned the mud, transforming it into an energy propulsion system, and quickly increased his speed, flying around Artoria.

After the black beam dissipated, Shirou slowly descended to the ground.

"Your sword is incredibly powerful. If I had been hit by it, I would have lost," Shirou praised, without any hint of mockery or condescension in his voice.

However, his words were met with Artoria's impact.

The Grail's magical energy allowed Artoria to unleash her Noble Phantasms without limitations. However, each Noble Phantasm required sufficient accumulation of magical energy before it could be activated. Artoria's black sword, in particular, required a brief three-second charge before it could be utilized.

This meant that every three seconds, Artoria's barrage of beam attacks would rain down upon him. Despite his calm facade, Shirou couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety as he prepared to face this seemingly endless barrage.

But he had come too far to let fear get the better of him. His courage had been tempered, and even though anxiety still gnawed at him, it no longer held any power over him. It was like giving a speech or performing on stage - the first time he was nervous and scared, but with each subsequent performance, he learned to control those emotions and channel them into something useful.

Moreover, his heart had already been liberated by his hero. He could not stop now. The power within him swelled, and he commanded the two massive black hands to attack Artoria. And with a determined gaze, Shirou began to recite the incantation for Unlimited Blade Works.

Artoria, now known as Artoria Alter due to the tainting effects of the mud, was still the same person, sharing the same memories as before, but with vastly different personalities and dispositions. Despite her current state, Artoria was familiar with Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works and remembered the awe-inspiring strike that had shattered the mud barrier.