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IBHJ Chapter 194
🕑 Added 2023-04-06 21:31:10 +0000 UTCAs Scathach entered the palace, she laid eyes on the loathsome king. He was perched atop his throne, poring over documents, while the courtiers and attendants scurried around, engrossed in their own affairs, ignoring her presence.
Upon gazing at the king's scornful expression, memories of the 28 times she was insulted in the Shadow Land flooded her mind, leaving her momentarily stunned.
Fueled by rage, Scathach lifted her spear with a murderous aura and aimed it at the king, declaring, "I have come to kill you, King Arthur!"
Such a menacing proclamation would have typically stirred up a commotion, but to her surprise, nobody batted an eye. The king remained engrossed in his paperwork, and the courtiers carried on with their tasks, paying her no heed. The lack of response left the atmosphere tense and awkward.
At this moment--
"You actually want to kill my king!?" exclaimed Artoria, rising to her feet with Caliburn and Gae Bolg at the ready, her fury palpable.
Despite being forewarned by the king and expecting the arrival of this warrior as a potential ally, Artoria's composure shattered upon hearing the declaration. She stood up with a wrathful expression, and the knights who had been brought to the palace couldn't hide their fury. Even Lancelot, who had not yet pledged his loyalty, and Tristan, who was perpetually melancholic, were now consumed by anger.
The knights had an unwavering love for their king. It was impossible not to love a ruler like him who bore the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders, shouldered all despair, and offered hope to his people. From humble beginnings, he had built his kingdom from scratch, overseeing every aspect with diligence and care, while also tending to the needs of his subjects.
His wisdom was as boundless as the ocean, guiding his people through difficult times. He bestowed upon them honor, imbued them with faith, and through sheer perseverance, established his kingdom from nothing. He lifted crumbling buildings from the ground and breathed hope into the depths of despair.
It was impossible not to love a king like him. And yet, at this very moment, someone had declared their intention to kill him!
Despite being informed that this person could be a potential ally in the future, the knights could not contain their outrage. They lost their composure one after the other and launched an attack on her.
Scathach furrowed her brows, realizing that the situation was not as straightforward as she initially thought. Nevertheless, it did not faze her. Having infiltrated kingdoms and single-handedly beheaded their kings centuries ago, she saw no reason why she couldn't accomplish the same here.
Brandishing her twin spears, she charged towards the knights as they launched a combined assault. Artoria, Lancelot, Lamorak, Gaheris, Bedivere, Geraint, and Tristan unleashed a barrage of attacks in unison.
Over the past year, Shirou had asked Merlin to teach the knights swordsmanship. Despite being a mere magus, his proficiency with the blade had left them speechless. However, after humbly learning from him, their swordsmanship had improved significantly compared to a year ago.
But Scathach was truly deserving of her title as the Queen of the Shadow Land. Her mastery of spear combat had propelled her to the divine realm, surpassing even Lamorak, who was hailed as the best of his era. Her twin spears flickered like crimson shadows as she expertly parried Lancelot's holy sword with her left and deflected Lamorak's spear with her right. With a swift kick to the stomach, she left Gaheris writhing in pain.
Scathach was like a fleeting shadow, effortlessly neutralizing the knights' attacks on her own. It appeared as though their combined efforts were no match for her. However, Artoria's strikes were too powerful for Scathach to withstand, leaving her with no option but to use her skills to fend them off while attempting to take her down first. But as soon as she formulated this strategy, the other knights doggedly pursued her, forcing her to remain on the defensive.
Undeterred, Scathach's twin spears transformed into blazing wheels of fire, and with her unparalleled skills, she triumphed over the seven knights alone, gaining the upper hand.
Shirou covertly observed the altercation and realized that the situation was rapidly spiraling out of control. He signaled Merlin, indicating that it was time for him to intervene.
Merlin appeared gloomy as he cast over a dozen amplification spells on himself before extracting the sword from his staff and making his way to the battlefield. Under Shirou's oppression, he had become accustomed to using the sword in his daily life, and so he had attached it to his staff for convenience.
Joining the fray, Merlin's swordsmanship was like a blooming flower, breathtakingly beautiful yet harboring a deadly intent.
Scathach was taken aback by Merlin's sudden appearance, but more significantly, she found his swordsmanship capable of thwarting her spear skills to some extent. The combined pressure from Merlin and the seven knights left her at a disadvantage.
Realizing that her twin spears were more suited for defense than offense, Scathach knew that she had to change her tactics to avoid danger. She summoned all her strength and made a break for it, evading the knights' pursuit while tracing rune symbols in the air.
But just as her runes were about to take shape, an opposing symbol disrupted her efforts, shattering her rune.
Startled, Scathach turned her head and came face-to-face with Morgan, who was glowering at her with fury. "Do you truly believe you can kill my brother? Dream on! You are not the only one who possesses knowledge of the Primordial Rune!"
Morgan had long been aware of the infamous reputation of the Queen of Death, and even when she went to retrieve Dun Stallion, the female warrior Aife had intimidated her with the queen's name. At the time, Morgan had felt a twinge of fear. After all, the queen's reputation was legendary; even gods were said to have fallen to her spear. And yet, with so many skilled warriors attacking her, why couldn't they bring her down? Each person attacking her was a formidable warrior in their own right.
Although Scathach may be stronger than each of them individually, Morgan realized that together, they might stand a chance against her. And most crucially, if Merlin were to use his magecraft seriously, he alone would pose a formidable challenge to the Queen of Death.
Scathach's frown deepened, her realization dawning that the situation was far worse than she had initially anticipated. She had gravely underestimated the strength of her opponents. Gathering her thoughts, she began to prepare herself to open the Gate of Skye, relying on the power of the dead to turn the tide of battle.
But before she could execute her plan, the palace magi encircling them started chanting in unison, performing a massive suppression that effectively nullified Scathach's preparation
Merlin gripped his sword and began to recite an incantation, causing Scathach to weaken under its effect. As if that weren't enough, Morgan joined the palace magi in reciting an incantation, further amplifying the effects of the large-scale suppression.
The sheer power of the suppression field was overwhelming, bearing down on Scathach with a crushing weight that left her gasping for air, as if an entire mountain were pressing down upon her shoulders.
Artoria and the others charged forward with fury, leaving Scathach with no other option but to engage them in combat. However, the powerful suppression field surrounding her left her unable to summon her full strength, and she found herself being pushed back with each exchange.
It was then that Scathach realized she had been deceived. That treacherous man had anticipated her arrival and had laid a trap in advance, knowing full well that she would come to end him!
Damn it!
Scathach clenched her teeth and readied herself to make a hasty retreat, but just then, two black hands burst forth from the ground and ensnared her legs. Caught off guard, she stumbled and fell to the ground with a resounding thud. Before she could rise, Artoria was already on top of her, pinning her down with a forceful grip.
Furious, Scathach struggled against her captors, but it was all for naught.
At this point, according to the pre-planned plan, Merlin brought a handful of black mud and plastered it on Scathach's face.
"Ugh--!!! Ugh--!!!" She struggled, but it was useless.
Scathach's strength was already inferior to that of Artoria's, and with the added effects of the suppression field, she was left completely helpless and unable to resist.
Shirou observed this outcome with a sense of satisfaction, then resumed his relaxed position and continued reading the paperwork.
Despite her persistent struggles, she was unable to break free from Artoria's hold. Gritting her teeth in frustration, she managed to gasp out a challenge through gritted teeth, "You cowardly bastard, fight me one on one!"
However, Shirou simply ignored her and remained fixated on the paperwork he was reading, paying her no heed.
Artoria felt a surge of anger at Scathach's continued accusations and insults towards the king. Fueled by this emotion, she increased the pressure on Scathach's shoulder, making it even more difficult for her to move.
Pinned to the ground, she was completely powerless, her struggles as futile as a fish flapping on a chopping board.
The cold floor pressed uncomfortably against Scathach's face, but it did little to quell the raging fury within her. Even with her eyes obstructed by the black mud, she was certain of Shirou's location and glared at him with a seething expression.
That despicable guy!!!
