Prophecy Child, If You Choose to Fight, Then Fight!

Can't do anything, truly nothing can be done.

At this point, they still have no means to deal with the Norwich Calamity.

Staring at the warning about the calamity, Artoria pressed her lips tightly in unwillingness.

If only, if only Guinevere were still here...

"Thinking about that now is pointless... Artoria, even without him, you must pull yourself together!"

She raised her hands and slapped her cheeks, then turned to her companions:

"Let's go to Norwich."

"Even if we cannot stop the Calamity, at least we must try to warn as many people as possible to leave."

.................

The same warning also appeared on Banwen's vision screen:

[Queen's Calendar Year 2018, Month 9: Norwich's "Calamity Accumulation" has reached its limit.]

[Next month, the Calamity will descend on Norwich. All players should prepare accordingly.]

"Calamity... it's that thing from before."

Recalling the horrifying specter she had once witnessed, Banwen thought for two seconds and, finding no good way to respond, chose to seek external help directly:

"Guinevere, the Norwich Calamity is coming... I don't know how to explain, but I just know it—please think of a plan! What should we do?"

"I see... so the time has finally come?"

Guinevere, having just finished an all-night work session, massaged the area between his eyebrows and sighed:

"I understand. I will think of something."

"Eh? Guinevere, you're not going to ask where this intelligence came from?" Banwen said in surprise.

"You already said you just know it—what more can I ask?" Guinevere replied irritably.

He had been worrying how to explain to Banwen that he would need to shift his focus toward Norwich; now she provided the reason outright, so there was no need to question it further.

"You told me before not to trust others easily, right?" Banwen asked, but before Guinevere could formulate an answer, she realized:

"Oh! I get it! You said one can trust one's own people without doubt. So I am one of your own people, right?"

(...That strategy of "do not suspect those you use; fully trust those you employ" is for a leader, not for a subordinate deciding whether to trust the leader.)

Guinevere couldn't help but think inwardly. But seeing Banwen's excitement, he remained silent for two seconds and decided not to correct her for now.

"In any case... even for me, handling the Norwich Calamity is somewhat tricky."

"Eh? Even you have no way?" Banwen became anxious.

"...Not that I have no options, but it requires a bit of a 'flag,'"

After mentally wrestling with it, Guinevere sighed and asked:

"That is... if I return alive, could you... um, let me... touch your chest?"

"Touch... my chest?"

Banwen froze, blinked, then slowly said:

"I suppose that's possible... but why would that be necessary?"

"No special reason—tackling such a thorny matter could use a small reward," Guinevere covered his face, forcing himself to continue in embarrassment:

"In short, will you agree?"

"Eh? Having Guinevere touch my chest as a reward?" Banwen asked.

"I suppose... yes..." Guinevere cleared his throat, face red.

"In that case! Of course it's fine!" Banwen nodded, half-understanding.

[Ding! Because before the great battle you seriously promised a chest-touch as reward to a woman, this perfectly fits the Chainsaw Man image; your Chainsaw Man contract gauge rises by 50%, now fully charged at 100%. You have gained another opportunity to transform into Chainsaw Man.]

When Guinevere saw this message pop up, he clenched his fist in excitement:

"Yes! Now everything is fine!"

As long as he could transform into Chainsaw Man again, legendary sword "Siming" becomes optional; he can rely on "Heaven's Fire Judgment" to obliterate that unlucky Calamity.

After conquering Salisbury, Guinevere had taken a large sum from its treasury; after reserving enough to sustain Salisbury and to support Newdarlington, he unhesitatingly spent the rest on strengthening himself. Combined with recent physical training, his attributes rose to C overall, Strength to B; upon Chainsaw Man transformation, all attributes jump to B and Strength even to A, surpassing the final form in the Holy Sword Bearer scenario.

Thus, Heaven's Fire Judgment, whose power depends on user's attributes, will be terrifying—once fired, the Norwich Calamity may not die outright but would be scorched nearly naked, leaving the remainder to his elite troops. No problem!

However, his joyful demeanor would have very different meaning to others:

"Oh? Guinevere is so happy at the thought of touching my chest?" Banwen cheerfully said. "Then if you want, you could do it now, not only after you return."

"Oh?"

At this moment, Riko entered with a smile:

"It seems Lord Banwen and Lord Guinevere discuss an interesting topic. May I join?"

"Of course," Banwen replied innocently with a pure smile, "Riko, I tell you: it turns out Guinevere really wants to touch my chest, saying it's to reward him when he returns from Norwich. I said if he wants, he can do it now..."

"Okay! Stop, stop!"

Guinevere immediately crossed his arms and loudly interrupted:

"All I said was a joke—please pretend you heard nothing—"

But it was already too late. Riko smiled and turned to Guinevere:

"Wait a moment, Lord Guinevere. Before I handle Banwen's sex education later, discussing chest-touching directly with Banwen without consulting me, her guardian, seems inappropriate. I think we need to have a good, good talk."

Though her smile remained gentle, Guinevere felt as if plunged into wintry cold.

"This... I can explain..."

As Riko forcibly escorted him from the room, Guinevere attempted to reason, seeking a path to salvage the situation.

.................

[Queen's Calendar Year 2018, Month 10: After several days of convalescence, you lead Newdarlington's elite toward Norwich.]

[After four more months of development, your cavalry expands to 100, archers to 500, and ordinary fairy infantry to 1,200.]

[In the same month, Nocralae and Bogart's allied forces fail to take Oxford after prolonged siege and withdraw toward Newdarlington; Oxford's Lord Woodworth takes the opportunity to rest and regroup.]

[You and Banwen disguise yourselves as wealthy merchants, purchase a property in Norwich, move in, and use it as your base of operations.]

[You dispatch agents disguised as merchants to continue spreading messages in Norwich—similar "fairy-blood bread" tests from Salisbury—and secretly abduct those who pass.]

[Unable to abduct all test-passing residents quickly, you shift focus to the port area where the Calamity's specter will land.]

[After half a month of tests, your frequent abductions draw attention from concerned parties.]

["Do-gooder" vigilantes begin targeting your operatives, severely hindering your plans.]

[As the Calamity's landing date approaches, to rescue the last batch of relatively good residents, you dispatch Knights Kataly and Aster to lead operations; though they secure the mission, they are defeated by those vigilantes and only manage a disorderly retreat.]

Guinevere frowned:

"So formidable? Two Queen's Knights can't handle them? Who are these players?"

In the secret Norwich hideout, watching Kataly and Aster's battered return, Guinevere had to pause his lesson to Banwen and furrow his brows tightly. According to his prior intelligence, those meddlesome few were only an elite adventuring party of three or four; he had sent two Queen's Knights plus his own elite troops—unless they are top-tier spirit warriors, they should be manageable...

—No, wait. Guinevere suddenly realized who those meddlesome ones might be.

................

[You defeat the kidnappers of fairies but fail to capture them.]

"Damn! They still slipped away!"

After losing the trail in the alley and utterly exhausted, Gawain sat on the ground, fuming.

"Sorry, in such narrow terrain I couldn't use my speed; once they ducked into the alleys, I had no recourse," said Rudra from the alley entrance; its large size prevented entry.

Seeing this, Artoria sighed:

"It can't be helped... Everyone tried; the enemy was just too cunning. Losing them is unavoidable."

"No, you didn't lose them."

At that moment, Oberon appeared with a mysterious smile:

"I secretly marked them with phosphorescent powder; as they move, traces fall. If we follow the powder, we can find their hideout."

"I see! As expected of Oberon, reliable!"

Everyone was overjoyed.

[Following Oberon's marked powder, you quickly locate the hidden hideout.]

[Leave Rudra outside; you, Oberon, and Gawain sneak over the roof undetected.]

[You are exposed.]

"Who's there?!"

A sudden violent slash shattered the roof; unprepared, they fell through and recognized the identities of those inside.

"Banwen? Guinevere? It's really you?"

Artoria's eyes widened in shock. Though unwilling to believe it, seeing the two Queen's Knights defeated earlier standing respectfully behind Guinevere, she had to accept reality. But her heart's disappointment and confusion surged; stepping forward, she asked:

"But... why... Guinevere, why is it you?"

Suppressing a sigh, Guinevere stepped forward, coldly cutting her off in Banwen's sight:

"As expected, you are the ones obstructing my plan: the Prophecy Child and her helpers."

"...Guinevere!"

That title "Prophecy Child" snapped Artoria back to reality, and that icy designation made her realize that he standing beside Banwen was no longer the most important companion she remembered. Realizing this felt like something tearing at her heart, and tears welled in her eyes.

"Why are you doing this? Why kidnap those fairies?"

Suppressing all feelings, Artoria stepped forward and demanded loudly.

"How laughable—You attacked my people, broke into my domain, and now ask us for an explanation?! Who does that? Do you want to die?"

At her words, Banwen immediately leapt to attack. Seeing the magical arrow condensing in her palm, Guinevere flicked an eye, extended his hand to hold her back, and stepped forward, shielding her while also blocking the arrow's path. Then he turned to Artoria and the others:

"I've said: you trespassed into our territory. We owe you no explanation. However, since it's a special situation, I have no desire for needless bloodshed. If you withdraw now, I may show mercy and let you go; otherwise... don't blame me for not holding onto past friendship."

As he spoke, he cast a glance toward Oberon, hoping the usually rational one would make a wise choice.

"Wait—we don't have to fight—"

Seeing Guinevere did not wish to fight, Oberon immediately stepped forward as mediator:

"We are not enemies. I believe there's a misunderstanding between us—"

But at that moment, the main gate burst open, and Rudra charged in, brandishing its greatsword:

"Friends, don't worry! I'm here to rescue you!"

Saying so, it swung a heavy strike at Banwen.

"...Damn idiot."

Muttering, Guinevere drew his longsword and interposed himself before Banwen:

"If you insist on fighting... then fight!"