Fairy Round Table Realm, Poem of Eternal Mist

In the royal city of Camelot, on a vast open square separated from the fateful showdown atop the Queen's Tower by only a wall, the atmosphere was completely different, filled with chilling hatred and imminent bloodshed.

The fairy knight Lancelot—Melusin—was cornered by Sylph and Kalia, one in front and one behind. Facing the encirclement of her two comrades, this "strongest" showed no sign of tension or danger; instead, her brown eyes gleamed with an almost bored contempt and a hint of savagery. Her absolute confidence in her strength and power made her fearless. In her eyes, these two weren't even worthy of being called "opponents," at most... two slightly obstructive obstacles that needed to be eliminated.

Sylph's emerald eyes, sharp as a hawk's, immediately caught sight of the wound on Melusin's left cheek—a wound that hadn't fully healed, its edges still bearing faint traces of magical burns and signs of torn flesh—a "souvenir" left by Fujimaru Ritsuka's close-range shotgun blast. Thinking of the other's almost obsessive concern for her appearance, Sylph's lips curled into an undisguised, malicious sneer.

“Oh?” She drew out her words, her voice light as if discussing the weather. “What’s that? Our most beautiful, most meticulously groomed fairy knight, Lord Lancelot?” She leaned closer deliberately, as if to get a better look. “How could such a… crude scar appear on your noble, flawless face? Tsk tsk, it’s truly heartbreaking—no, it’s more intriguing. Hmm? Tell me, who was so bold as to leave a mark on your face?”

"you--!!!"

Melusine reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly bristling with fur! She instinctively raised her hand to touch her cheek, her fingertips brushing against the uneven, throbbing wound. At that moment, the string of reason seemed to snap completely! Never hit someone in the face, especially not with such a vicious, almost disfiguring blow! This wasn't just an injury; it was a direct trampling and insult to her pride and dignity! And Sylph's flippant mockery was like rubbing salt into that bloody wound!

"court death!"

A furious shriek tore through the air! Melusine's petite body suddenly transformed into a blurry silver shadow, moving with superhuman speed and radiating chilling killing intent, hurtling straight for Sylph's face! The cold glint of a blade hidden in her sleeve flashed by!

However, in Sylph's emerald eyes, which seemed to capture the most subtle changes in the airflow, the trajectory of this furious, all-out attack was as clear as if it were in slow motion.

too slow.

Just as the hidden blades were about to be thrust out, Sylph moved. She didn't even move much; she simply raised her hand with extreme precision, her five fingers like iron clamps, instantly gripping Melusin's wrist holding the blade. The powerful wind pressure formed an invisible restraint, causing the swift thrust to halt abruptly in mid-air!

"boom!"

Immediately afterwards, Sylph's other fist, accompanied by a howling gale and countless sharp, knife-like grains of sand wrapped in magic, slammed solidly into Melusin's proud cheek!

"Pfft!"

The fine sand, like miniature blades, instantly sliced ​​countless tiny cuts into her fair skin! Meluxin's cheeks were visibly swollen and deformed, and a faint cracking sound seemed to come from her nose!

Having landed a successful blow, Sylph did not linger. Her figure seemed to merge with the wind, vanishing from Melusin's sight in an instant. The next moment, she appeared like a ghost behind Melusin, whose movements were slightly hampered by her injuries. She leaned down slightly, her lips almost touching Melusin's bloodied earlobe, her voice low yet sharp as a poisoned ice pick, each word piercing Melusin's ear:

"Melusin...do you really think we're just here to play house with you?"

The hatred and coldness in that voice made even the furious Melusin feel a chill.

"This time... we're going to let you really taste what a truly unforgettable 'return gift' is!"

Before she could finish speaking, Sylph shoved her hands forward with all her might! A violent tornado that had been brewing behind her suddenly erupted, whipping up countless pieces of rock and broken wood, and slammed into Melusin's back like the hand of a giant!

"Ugh—!"

Caught off guard, Melusin was thrown into the air by the immense force like a kite with a broken string. The direction was perfect, and she was heading straight for Kalia, who had been silently waiting on the flank!

Kalia's icy blue eyes remained calm, as if she had anticipated this scene. In her slowly raised right hand, icy energy gathered and solidified wildly, instantly transforming into a translucent ice crystal dagger with deadly glints flowing around its edges.

The timing was perfect.

Just as Melusin's out-of-control body flew to the optimal attack range in front of her—

"laugh!"

The icy dagger, carrying a chilling aura, pierced Melusin's chest with precision and ruthlessness! It didn't strike her heart directly (which might not be fatal to a dragon fairy), but instead swiftly sliced ​​upwards along the gaps in her ribs, creating a long, deep wound that exposed the bone!

"puff--!"

Warm blood gushed from the torn blood vessels like a fountain! However, the moment the blood touched the extreme cold emanating from the dagger, it hissed and froze, quickly solidifying and taking shape! In the blink of an eye, the gushing blood condensed, froze, and expanded in Kalia's hand, transforming into a gigantic, dark red, blood-red scythe!

A cold glint flashed in Kalia's eyes. He gripped the weapon forged from the blood of his enemies with both hands, twisted his waist, and the giant scythe drew a shrill, bloody arc as it hooked upwards toward Melusin's jaw!

"Pfft—!"

A tooth-grinding tearing sound! The sharp scythe pierced Melusin's jawbone without any resistance, and the bloodied tip even pierced through her mouth, which was wide open in agony!

"Ugh... Ahhh!!!" The unimaginable pain caused Melusin to let out a muffled and shrill scream!

Kalia remained expressionless, forcefully pulling out the scythe, drawing out a clump of flesh and blood mixed with bone fragments. At the same time, she flicked her left hand, sending another ice crystal dagger, already formed, flying out like a deadly star, aimed straight at Melusin's brow!

"accelerate."

Sylph's icy voice rang out. A violent whirlwind appeared out of nowhere, precisely engulfing the flying dagger and giving it terrifying kinetic energy that exceeded the speed of sound!

"Whoosh—Pfft!"

The dagger transformed into a streak of blue and white light that was almost invisible to the naked eye, instantly piercing through Melusin's forehead and exiting from the back of her head, leaving a trail of red and white liquid!

Suffering such a series of devastating blows, Melusin's body was thrown backward like a tattered sack, scattering a shower of blood in the air.

However, Sylph and Kalia's attacks did not cease or weaken. They knew all too well how tenacious the dragon fairy's vitality was; without destroying its core, the "hearth," these attacks were merely provoking a true beast.

Sylph pressed her hands down sharply!

"Boom—!"

The pitch-black tornado, which had been brewing above Melusin's crash site and crackling with lightning, crashed down like the gaping maw of a gluttonous beast, completely engulfing Melusin's mangled body! Inside the tornado, there was a terrifying tearing force and high pressure capable of twisting steel and crushing rocks into dust, as well as violently leaping lightning capable of instantly vaporizing living beings!

The roar lasted for several seconds.

Then--

"Sizzle—!"

A perfectly condensed, dark golden arc of light sliced ​​through the raging tornado from the inside, as easily as a hot knife through butter! The raging storm, like a giant beast being choked, let out a defiant roar before suddenly collapsing and dissipating into chaotic air currents.

Smoke and electrical debris slowly settled.

What appeared before the two was no longer the petite humanoid knight.

Instead, there was a dragon hovering in mid-air, its body covered in magnificent silver-white scales, its huge membranous wings outstretched, its head rugged, and its whole body exuding an ancient and ferocious aura...

Arubion's remains, in their true form.

Aside from the still-wet bloodstains on his scales and wings, the horrific wounds that would have killed any Servant were completely gone. His terrifying self-healing abilities in dragon form had fully restored his body. Only his enormous, vertical dragon eyes burned with a cold, furious flame a hundred times more intense than before, fixed intently on Sylph and Kalia below.

“Good… very good.” The dragon’s mouth uttered Melusin’s voice, which had become deep and resonant, each syllable echoing like the tremors of an earthquake. “In all this time… no one has ever dared to do this to me.”

The dragon's wings flapped slowly, stirring up a terrifying hurricane.

"It seems you really are... tired of living."

The sound suddenly rose in pitch, transforming into a deafening roar:

"You must learn a lesson—in the most painful way!!!"

"Not good!" Sylph's expression changed drastically, and she warned sharply, "Scatter!"

As the warning was issued, the dragon Melusin's claws swung down into the void in their direction!

"Shh! Shh! Shh!"

Three enormous light blades, each over twenty meters long, solid as crystal, and with edges wreathed in destructive energy, tore through the air in a fan shape, sweeping down with overwhelming force towards the spot where Sylph and Kalia had been standing, and all their possible escape routes!

"BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—!!!"

Wherever the light blade passed, Camelot's sturdy buildings were neatly sliced ​​and cleaved as if made of paper! Towers collapsed, city walls crumbled, and the ground was plowed with bottomless trenches! The shockwaves of the explosions came one after another, like continuous thunderclaps in our ears! The entire area shook violently, as if the earth itself was about to be completely torn apart by this terrifying power!

The billowing smoke and the thick haze stirred up by the collapsed buildings spread rapidly like a curtain of death, temporarily obscuring the dragon's enormous figure and ferocious gaze.

Amidst the smoke and dust, Sylph and Kalia had long since vanished from their original positions, leaving only the clatter of rubble hitting the ground and the still-lingering hum of energy echoing in the deathly silence and devastation.

Smoke and dust filled the air, and rubble rained down. Amidst the ruins ravaged by Melusin's furious attack, Sylph and Kalia moved like phantoms among the broken walls and rubble, using the swirling dust and the shadows of the collapsed buildings as cover.

The next wave of attacks will be launched suddenly when the smoke and dust are at their thickest!

Sylph clenched her fists, stirring the air, and a biting wind mixed with countless sharp ice shards was generated out of thin air, howling towards Melusin, who was hovering in mid-air and flapping her dragon wings! The ice shards were not naturally formed, but were pre-enhanced by Kalia's magic, their edges gleaming with a cold light, and each piece was comparable to a high-speed spinning throwing knife under the acceleration of the gale!

However, faced with this ice storm powerful enough to carve deep scratches into steel, Melusin in her dragon form merely let out a disdainful snort. She didn't move her massive body; instead, she crossed the two menacingly shaped silver spears extending from her dragon horns in front of her and began to spin them rapidly!

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!!!"

The spear danced, forming an impenetrable silver halo barrier in front of her! Dense shards of ice struck the halo, producing a continuous series of crisp "clanging" sounds, all of which were deflected and shattered, turning into a sky full of ice crystals and snow mist, failing to harm her in the slightest.

Kalia's icy blue eyes narrowed slightly. Melusin, in her full dragon form and possessing aerial superiority, had reached a level of defense and mobility that was utterly hopeless. Conventional attacks would likely be ineffective.

But Sylph's face showed no sign of anxiety; her emerald eyes calmly watched the enormous figure in the air, as if waiting for a pre-calculated, perfectly timed moment.

"What's wrong?" Melusin's deep voice came from the air, carrying undisguised mockery. "Where did that momentum of settling old scores go? Are you only daring to hide down here and resort to these insignificant little tricks?"

Upon hearing this, Sylph's lips slowly curled into a cold smile.

“Yes…” she responded softly, her voice not loud, but unusually clear, “Shouldn’t you also find out… what exactly I ‘control’?”

The moment she finished speaking, she suddenly spread her arms wide to the sides!

"[Summer Heat] - Unfold!"

Om-! ! !

Centered on her, a visible, ominous orange-red magical ripple suddenly spread out! Wherever the ripple passed, space seemed to be instantly heated and distorted! The air, which had been chilly due to the battle, instantly became incredibly murky and heavy, as if it had turned into a scalding, viscous liquid!

Temperatures are soaring at an alarming rate!

The ground crackled and popped, quickly drying and splitting, with wisps of smoke even rising from the fissures. The few remaining green plants that managed to survive in the ruins, upon contact with the scorching air, were instantly reduced to dust, as if thrown into a steel furnace, their leaves curling, charring, and carbonizing. The air was so hot that inhaling it brought a burning stinging pain to the nose and mouth, as if even the lungs were about to be ignited!

This is one of Sylph's true killer moves as the master of wind and weather—forcibly transforming the environment within a certain area into a furnace where life is extinct!

"Uh……!"

Melusin, suspended in mid-air, was the first to be hit! The scorching air, hot enough to heat steel, instantly enveloped her massive dragon body! Her silvery-white scales hissed and rapidly became scalding hot! Even more deadly, the extreme heat caused a sudden change in air density, completely disrupting and flattening the updrafts, even creating downward thermal pressure! Melusin struggled to flap her wings, but it felt like struggling in viscous asphalt; not only could she not gain lift, but she also felt a heavy downward force pulling her down!

"Why...why..." She was filled with shock and anger, and for the first time, disbelief appeared in her dragon eyes. Her prized ability to fly had failed her in this strangely high-temperature domain!

“Surprised?” Sylph’s voice sounded somewhat ethereal in the heatwave, yet carried an icy chill of absolute control. “I not only raised the temperature, but I also precisely manipulated all the air currents in this area. Here, the air can’t provide you with any effective friction or lift. Your prized air combat advantage… is gone!”

"Damn it... even on the ground..." Melusin gritted her dragon teeth, her massive body, under the influence of gravity and turbulent air currents, irreversibly plummeting towards the scorching, cracked ground below. Upon landing, the burning ground turned her scales red, and she let out a painful hiss, momentarily unable to maintain her balance.

Even with her vision distorted by the heat, her breathing labored, and her body feeling as if it were being roasted on fire, Melusin's ferocity remained undiminished. Suppressing her discomfort, she grabbed her still-scorching spear and launched a fierce ground thrust towards Sylph and Kalia! The spear tip tore through the sweltering air, carrying an unstoppable momentum!

Not far away, atop a still-intact, towering stone pillar, the fairy knight Gawain Bagst sat silently. Her massive frame stood like a silent statue, her crimson eyes fixed on the battlefield below, shrouded in an orange-red domain, a scene resembling a hellish scroll. She might have had reasons or impulses to intervene, but witnessing Sylph unleash the terrifying, almost world-altering power of [Summer Heat], a long-forgotten, instinctive chill crept up her spine. Even as a "Sun" knight, she knew that if she were in the center of that domain, she would likely be rapidly dehydrated and scorched until she lost all fighting ability.

Within the area, the battle did not cease due to the extreme harshness of the environment; instead, it became even more brutal and primal.

The intense dehydration and persistent high temperatures visibly slowed and distorted Melusin's movements. Every fierce punch and powerful kick she unleashed was met with a coordinated block, parry, or evasion from the prepared Sylph and Kalia. Her overwhelming advantage in strength, once deprived of mobility and environmental advantages, was constantly neutralized and neutralized by their exquisite teamwork and masterful use of the weather and frost.

"That's enough, Melusin!" Kalia's voice was like a cold wind sweeping across scorching sand, her icy blue eyes gleaming with killing intent. "Silf!"

"Understood!" Sylph replied sharply.

Just as Melusin's attack missed and revealed a tiny opening, Sylph suddenly pressed her hands down!

The orange-red domain that enveloped the battlefield—[Summer Heat]—vanished abruptly like a burst bubble! The suffocating feeling brought on by the extreme heat instantly subsided, but the pace of the battle did not slow down; instead, it entered an even more deadly next phase!

Almost at the same instant the domain dissipated, a surge of icy air erupted from beneath Kalia's feet, and a smooth, mirror-like ice path instantly extended forward! She glided along the ice path at breakneck speed, leaving afterimages in her wake, and in the blink of an eye, she was close to Melusin, who was slightly stunned by the sudden change in environment!

"Congeal!"

Kalia gave a low shout and pressed his hands forward! The ground in front of Melusin suddenly rose up, and countless giant ice spikes, sharp as thorns and as thick as a child's arm, burst from the ground, standing tall and forming a deadly thicket of thorns!