I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Even Karna, with his godlike endurance, showed signs of strain after unleashing such a powerful attack. It was a testament to the sheer force behind his blow.

Meanwhile, Achilles had retreated to a safe distance, his instincts warning him of the dangers posed by the blazing assault. Despite his near-invulnerability, he wasn't foolish enough to test his heel against Karna's flames.

"Tch, what a spectacle…" Achilles muttered, brushing dust off his shoulders with a disapproving click of his tongue. His gaze remained sharp, though, his grip firm on his spear. "But no way that's the end of her. Not a chance."

Even as he spoke, his muscles tensed. He was ready.

And then she appeared.

A figure surged through the inferno, her silhouette bathed in flickering flames.

"She's coming for me?!"

Achilles grinned, his battle hunger igniting. Swinging his spear like a club, he brought it down with full force.

Artoria met his strike without hesitation.

Clang!

Her hand shot up, catching the shaft of the spear with her bare palm. The force from Achilles' attack rippled outward, parting the fiery sea around them.

Achilles' grin faltered.

"What the—?! Impossible!"

He stared in disbelief as Artoria held his spear steady with a single hand.

Achilles wasn't just strong—his Strength parameter was B+, higher than Artoria's C. By all logic, he should have overpowered her.

But Artoria had a few advantages up her sleeve.

The Holy Grail supplied her with an endless reservoir of mana, bolstering her capabilities far beyond her base parameters. Moreover, her skill The Knight of the Lion B amplified her physical strength in critical moments, making her a force to be reckoned with.

With her radiant golden aura enhancing her durability and power, Artoria turned Achilles' own strength against him.

Achilles hesitated—a brief pause born of shock. For a veteran warrior like him, it lasted less than a second.

But that was all Artoria needed.

Her left hand clenched into a fist, joints audibly creaking from the sheer force she gathered.

Unlike her earlier restraint with Mordred, there was no reason to hold back against Achilles.

Slamming her foot into the ground, she channeled the momentum into her punch.

Her small, seemingly delicate fist hurtled toward Achilles' face with the power of a meteor.

Boom!

The impact reverberated through the battlefield.

Achilles was sent flying, his body breaking through trees and shattering boulders before vanishing into the horizon.

Artoria flexed her fingers, wincing slightly at the sting. "That'll teach you to be so reckless…"

Far away, Achilles groaned from within the wreckage of a fallen tree.

Before Artoria could relax, a surge of heat drew her attention.

Whoosh!

A column of crimson flames roared to life, engulfing the spot where she had stood moments earlier.

Artoria leaped back, her golden aura shimmering protectively around her as Karna emerged from the flames, his spear raised and ready.

"Impressive…"

Breathing deeply, Artoria steadied herself. Her magical core pulsed, her body brimming with vitality.

"Come," she said, her voice calm but resolute.

Karna didn't reply. He simply raised his spear, the golden flames dancing along its edge growing brighter.

The two clashed once more.

Karna's spear carved through the air in arcs of molten fire, each strike calculated to overwhelm and destroy. Artoria countered with her luminous blades, slashing through the blazing assaults with precision.

"Raaaah!"

Karna roared, driving his spear forward in a devastating thrust.

Artoria chose to meet the blow head-on, allowing the spear to pierce her shoulder while simultaneously plunging her sword into Karna's chest.

Both were thrown back by the force of their exchange. The earth beneath them cracked and split, leaving a deep fissure in its wake.

Artoria landed gracefully, her sharp eyes locking onto Karna's golden armor.

"That armor…" she muttered, narrowing her gaze. "It's more troublesome than your spear."

Karna's Kavacha and Kundala, his golden armor, could nullify 90% of all damage. Unlike Achilles' near-invulnerability, which had a glaring weakness, Karna's armor was flawless unless he willingly removed it.

In their current states, defeating him without his armor removed seemed nearly impossible.

Why would he ever take it off? Artoria wondered briefly.

In the original Holy Grail War, Karna had willingly shed his armor in his duel with Sieg—a decision that left many questioning his motives. Artoria had always suspected it was a calculated move to balance the scales of the fight.

Whatever the reason, she couldn't count on him making the same mistake here.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Karna charged again, abandoning all defense in favor of relentless offense.

He's trading his life for mine.

The realization came too late. Karna's sudden shift in tactics caught Artoria off guard, and his blazing spear struck her square in the chest, sending her flying.

Before she could regain her footing, Karna was upon her again, his spear cutting through the air with deadly precision.

---

Ahem! Esteemed audience, gather closer! You stand in the presence of brilliance, the likes of which Fontaine has never seen! Truly, you're witnessing a masterpiece in motion, a living legend in the making, an—

Oh! But wait! Where was I? Right, me! As you all know, such brilliance doesn't manifest from nothing! It takes effort, dedication, and a sprinkling of your… oh, how shall I put it? Generosity! If you desire to be immortalized alongside my unparalleled splendor, do step forward here: [patreon.com/WiseTL].

And yet, I must ask: why do mortals so often hesitate to seize an opportunity like this? I mean, really, supporting me is tantamount to—oh! Imagine if I personally rewrote every law in Fontaine! The brilliance! The upheaval! The dramatic courtroom soliloquies! And naturally, I'd—

"Furina, enough. The audience is here for the translations, not your Fontaine fantasy chronicles."

Wait, Wise! I wasn't done captivating them!

"You've captivated them plenty. Now, mortals, if you wish to contribute to something truly extraordinary, the link is there. Support and bask in the glory of my—"

—our—

"my hard work."

Hmph! Fine! But I'm still the true star of this end note. Obviously.

— Furina ✨ (reluctantly sharing the stage with Wise 👑)