The Return of the King of Knights

Naoki stared at the figure before him with mixed emotions.

"Ah... that's..."

The figure was enveloped in brilliant light, obscuring their face and body, but it didn't stop Naoki from recognizing who it was.

"It's been... three or four years since we last met? I mean, met like this, not just your consciousness transferring to me... It's kind of embarrassing, meeting you after getting beaten up so badly... I've got no pride left."

The figure in the light seemed to smile, and a voice replied, "No way. If that's the case, I've also been beaten down to the point of not getting up, Master. Losing once is nothing to be ashamed of."

"Is that so... Still, it stings a bit in my heart. Losing to myself..."

Deep down, Naoki didn't want to lose. Yet, not only did he lose, he was utterly crushed. Even though the opponent suddenly used a cheat, he was defeated without putting up any fight... He could already imagine Manaka mocking him when he woke up.

(By the way, Arcueid's using my body now... I hope she can shut her up before leaving.)

"It seems you and Manaka get along quite well." The figure in the light said with a laugh.

Naoki's face soured instantly. "Which eye of yours sees us getting along? Even if things have slightly improved recently, overall, she'd still hurt me if she could. If it weren't for her this time, I wouldn't be involved. She's always insulting me for no reason—you call that getting along?"

"Isn't it? At least to me, at Manaka's age, she should be a cheerful girl like that. Besides, I feel that when she's with you, Master, Manaka expresses herself more freely, her emotions are richer, and she's starting to think about other things."

"R-really?"

Naoki thought back on his relationship with Manaka over the past few years. Why hadn't he noticed these changes?

"Well then, enough nostalgia, Master—something's seriously wrong out there. You must know about the beast Manaka once tried to summon."

"Uh, what about it?"

"The other Manaka has summoned part of it, as a guarantee for the perfect birth of the new world. If it's not stopped, the world you're in will face inevitable destruction, and the new world will also be buried in the danger of collapse."

The beast Manaka summoned—Beast VI/S?

Naoki looked at the figure before him. "So, because that beast has been awakened, you..."

"Yes, that's why I appeared here to meet you, Master. The current situation can't be interfered with from the outside, but that doesn't mean there's no way—Master, can I ask you to fight alongside me again?"

Fight together.

The enemy was the evil of humanity that could destroy the world. It was indeed time to use that power.

Placing a hand on his chest, Naoki felt his heartbeat. "Can you stop asking unnecessary questions every time? Trash questions like 'can we fight together'—you really love asking those."

"Anytime, in any situation, as long as you, you jerk, ask, I'll respond. So..."

Reaching out to the figure in the light, Naoki smiled. "Welcome back, Saber—Arthur."

"Thank you, Master."

"Servant Saber, true name Arthur Pendragon, answering your call."

Amid the radiant light, the King of Knights from another world grasped Naoki's hand.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

In the vast underground chamber.

If there truly was a hell in this world, it would surely look like this.

Blazing karmic flames, raging tidal waves, giant thorns spreading in every corner... Centered on the seven-headed, ten-crowned beast, the entire chamber's environment was visibly transforming.

"You're trying to turn this space into the hell from the Bible?"

"No, this is merely a manifestation of its power." [Manaka] refuted Aoko's guess. "Besides, do you think you have the energy to make guesses now? If you don't use all your strength, death will come for you soon."

As if responding to [Manaka], the ten crowns floating above Beast VI/S's head suddenly glowed brightly. The spreading thorns surged simultaneously, causing the entire underground to tremble and crumble, while a raging tsunami surged toward Aoko!

(This isn't an attack I can withstand!)

No special ability was needed—just the sheer mass was enough to overpower Aoko. Any form of protection would be as fragile as paper against this pure mass suppression!

Only an equivalent mass or a monster with matching specifications could counter it.

Indeed.

For example—

*BOOM!*

A white figure suddenly descended from the sky! An impact equivalent to a meteor strike exploded in the chamber. The thorns and tsunami rushing toward Aoko shattered instantly from the impact. Not even a fragment remained; everything was eradicated along with its roots in that blast!

Blocking the shockwave and fierce winds, amidst the scattered dust and rocks, Aoko looked at the fallen figure with shock but mostly joy.

"Kouhai—"

"Nope, it's Arcueid!"

Waving a hand to clear the obstructions, Arcueid, borrowing Naoki's body, turned and smiled at Aoko. "Long no time see, Aoko! Great to see you're okay and still full of energy!"

"Eh... Huh?"

The unexpected arrival left Aoko stunned for a moment. How could her junior change appearance in such a short time? Speaking of which, this appearance...

"You... Huh? Arcueid?"

"Yup! It's me! Since Naoki got beaten up pretty badly earlier, I'm using his body now!"

After a very brief explanation, Arcueid's gaze shifted to the Sixth Beast and [Manaka] nearby. On her back, Ayaka, whom she was carrying, locked eyes with her sister.

"You... Sister?"

The sister, so beautiful she surpassed Ayaka's imagination, felt a bit unfamiliar, yet somehow the connection from within her body convinced Ayaka it was indeed her sister.

"Ayaka..."

[Manaka] looked at her sister with a complex expression. As the omniscient one, she already knew her sister would come. She understood the cause and effect and wasn't surprised Ayaka was here.

Yet, despite that, the emotional shift in her heart still made her sigh.

"You shouldn't have come here, Ayaka."

"Just wait at home until it's all over."