Chapter 147
As soon as Tamamo was teleported away from Artoria, a massive wooden hand grew out of the ground and Artoria in her rage at being denied at killing her target almost invoked her Noble Phantasm with the massive beam of magic that shot through the mountain and into the sky with her swipe that destroyed Cu's attempt to catch Artoria with his own Noble Phantasm.
"Enough with the tricks and fight me honorably!" Artoria snarled panting at the barrage of blows she took from Tamamo and overusing her sword beams without actually invoking her Noble Phantasm.
It's likely that sending such a powerful beam of magic was the equivalent of forcing high pressure water through a valve that wasn't rated for that pressure and if she were in to invoke the Noble Phantasm the valve would open, letting the power out freely.
"Fight without a grail providing infinite magical power and we can call it fair fight then." I snorted as not only did she had the grail that Lev Lainur dropped in to start the singularity fueling her, but she was also feeding off the corrupted grail that was directly behind her and acted as the base of the Fuyuki Grail wars.
So, this bitch was complaining about fairness when she had two perpetual motion machines providing her basically infinite energy...
Artoria's face twitched at my reminder about her own conduct not being all that fair to begin with. But my next words made her irritation at my rebuttal bloom into fury with an actual vein appearing on the side of her head. "Honestly I have to ask if you are actually Morgan with how you are constantly sending waves of magical energy at us... I mean the only times your sword was of any use other than throwing sword beams was when our Berserker used her Noble Phantasm."
Artoria face went cold but I knew I got to her when she used a mana burst to launch herself at me and she didnt even ignite Excalibur Morgan in its cursed energies when she smashed her sword into mine, causing a large crater to form underneath us.
I definitely got to her mentally as she no longer used her sword beams, and I back stepped a few meters and shouted out seeing Cu and Nero about to attack Artoria from a distance. "Let me fight her in an honest duel!" I wasn't just saying this for my own sense of pride or whatever. No I was doing this for one to soften the blow of me putting her in a contract and I was honestly confident about my chances as only her mana burst, boosted blows could break my guard.
Plus... She was five feet tall in her heels, coupled with my sword having a length advantage, I had a number of advantages.
I began using my sun breathing style techniques and my sword was lightly wreathed in golden flames but Artoria didnt care with her own magic resistance and I didnt boost the weaker sun flames with my own swords flames in order to keep this relatively mundane like she was only using Mana Burst to break my guard.
Finally, Artoria tried to upper cut me straight int the jaw with her armored glove and with only a split instant of thought I allowed her fist to hit in order for me to make my sword disappear within my space ring and I grabbed her other arm still holding her sword.
I used her motion in punching me to flip her over my shoulder and spat out a tooth she knocked out as I smashed her into the ground still using both my hands to cover the hand she was using to wield Excalibur and fell to the ground with a sharp motion taught to me by Ryuu.
A loud snap rang out as Artoria couldn't help cry out when my motion snapped both bones in her forearm and then I rolled and with the motion her wrist was pulled out of its socket with a rough grinding motion.
The moment Artoria's hands slackened I threw Excalibur Morgan into my space ring...
I gagged as Artoria used her free arm to lay a mana burst enhanced brutal punch straight into my liver and I rolled over to the side away from and tried to stand but my legs shook under her liver punch that robbed my strength.
"Give me back Excalibur!" She hissed as her free hand helplessly grasped the air and I felt a small tinge mentally as she attempted to obviously call back her sword.
"I Jake Barris have won this duel in disarming you." I said breathlessly as I stood up firmly and stared straight at Artoria.
Artoria's face turned red with anger, and I honestly thought she may stomp away with how bullshit we have treated her, but she squared up with her fists in front of her in a boxing stance showing she was going to fight to the end...
"Cu' you're up." I said aloud and a series of vines broke through the ground with a single tap of the druid's staff on the ground, wrapping up Artoria who had lost much of her armor from the battle.
"You craven coward! Unhand me and kill me in battle!" Artoria roared as and the vines stretched as Artoria obviously used her mana burst ability to attempt to break through the vines. But sadly, the vines just stretched with her motions.
I brushed my hand through my hair as I walked up and just sat down beside the trussed-up burrito shaped Artoria and sighed in relaxation before I spoke cutting through Artoria's grunts at attempting to break through the vines.
"I spoke to Merlin before we came here to fight you..." Artoria alter stilled and her normally pale face which was red at the effort of breaking the vines lost all her color and she slumped into the vines.
"And what has he said..." She sighed out already knowing has lost with how she lost her sword and was trussed up.
"Hmm... Actually 'she' said that you need to get back on the right track and that she is leaving you in my hands... Also, I apologize for this." I then moved the green burrito form of Artoria off the ground into my lap, bent over and began kissing Artoria with dominating motions.
I felt the magic Merlin pushed into my body leave and just like with Nero I felt a form of connection between us but... Much closer like with Nero I could send a sort of intent about what I wanted but with Artoria alter, I could push worded thoughts to her with effort.
Our kiss was broken when Artoria awoke from her stupor and lightly bite my tongue warning me to stop lest I lose said tongue.
"Why force a contract on me... I am sullied by the grail." She said embarrassed by the kiss, but I could tell she was having more issues with the grail corrupting her body that my putting her into a contract.
Artoria had little body shame as even in cannon she had no problem walking past Shirou butt naked as she saw herself as more of a King and Weapon than a person. Her Alter versions were even less body shy as shown by the black backless dress Artoria was in that came down to her thighs as she had lost her armor in the fight.
"I have a great number of reasons... Plus I can help incarnate you so the grails spiritual damage will become negligible." I spoke as I shrugged making her slump into my lap as Cu's vines pulled back away from her.
"Fine... But if you lower your head in defeat, I will take it with my own sword rather than serving a coward." She said her eyes glowing ominously as she said with all the gravitas a woman could have with her head on a man's lap.
I raised an eyebrow with a light smile as I teased Artoria. "Yeah, and with what sword?"