Prydwen, which had been furiously cleaving through the waves, finally reached the shores of the Kingdom of Eden.
The moment we set foot on land, the enormous golden ship Prydwen smoothly dissolved into light at a single gesture from Merlin and returned to its original form as a shield.
"Here, Arthur. Since I opened the sea route for you, it would be better for you to use this shield, wouldn't it?"
Merlin held out the shield with a playful smile, but I lightly shook my head.
"I don't use shields."
I tapped the hilt of the newly belted golden sword at my waist, Chrysaor, and jerked my chin.
"Give it to Morgan."
Taking the shield, Morgan faintly furrowed her brow as she sensed the ominous magical energy pouring out from the Kingdom of Eden.
"Arthur. Our opponents this time are by no means easy. Grandot is one thing, but that giant boar is an enemy ordinary Magecraft or sword strikes will barely affect. In terms of affinity, we may be at a disadvantage."
At my sister's worried words, I seized the hilt of Caliburn and laughed loudly.
"Affinity? I couldn't care less about that. We never imagined defeat in the first place. If the affinity doesn't match, then we crush it with force until it does."
At my confident declaration, Morgan let out a helpless little laugh, and with Britomart at the front, we began our full advance toward the Kingdom of Eden.
Before long, the majestic walls of the Kingdom of Eden appeared before our eyes.
But the walls, which should once have shone brilliantly, had already been stained dark red by vicious magical energy, and around them were camped countless demonic beasts in the shapes of snakes and wolves.
As poison and bloodlust tangled in the air, Britomart hurried to my side.
"King Arthur! There are too many enemies at the front, and their defenses are solid. We should avoid provoking them, circle around, and infiltrate the castle instead!"
"Circle around?"
I snorted and immediately swung myself into Llamrei's saddle.
"Why bother with something so troublesome? If we do that and only kill Grandot, then if these stragglers scatter in every direction, hunting them down one by one later will be even more annoying. If the enemy is gathered in one place, smashing them all at once is the cleanest way."
"B-but...!"
"Open the way!"
Ignoring Britomart's attempt to stop me, I yanked hard on Llamrei's reins.
Neighhh~!
Llamrei reared up high with a roar, and the swirling winds of [Invisible Air] began to wrap around both me and Llamrei from head to toe.
Turned into a massive lance of storm, I charged ferociously toward the walls.
"Hahahahat! That's my Master for you, I love how bold you are! I can't let myself be outdone either!"
On my right, Nobunaga came flying after me, standing directly atop a matchlock gun.
"Anything that blocks my lord's path, I, Ushiwakamaru, shall cut down to the last!"
On my left, Ushiwakamaru joined in, kicking off the ground with a body as light as a feather.
Hundreds of wolf and snake demonic beasts lunged at us, opening their hideous jaws. As I cut through the wind, I drew the golden sword at my waist, Chrysaor, in one swift motion.
"Disappear."
KWA-BOOM!!
As the famed adamas-forged blade imbued with the power of lightning slashed through the air, dazzling golden flashes poured forth like a storm and vaporized the demonic beasts blocking our path.
Then the destructive slash erupting from the tip of Chrysaor crashed head-on into Eden's massive wall.
RUMBLEEE! CRACK!!
The heavy wall, layered over with barriers and magical energy, tore apart like paper, leaving a huge hole blasted straight through it.
"Now then, taste my Three Thousand Worlds!"
Through the collapsing debris of the wall, Nobunaga laughed boldly and deployed no fewer than three thousand matchlocks in midair.
Ratatatatatat!!
Flaming bullets with a powerful special effect against Mystery poured down like a shower. Even demonic beasts of the Age of Gods could do nothing before Nobu's barrage but scream as their flesh burst apart.
At the same time, drawing Usumidori, the sword that drives off evil, Ushiwakamaru danced through the gunfire and sliced through the necks of the surviving demonic beasts with a grace so elegant it was almost cruel.
A perfectly opened path. Driving Llamrei onward, I raced in a single burst toward the center of the Kingdom of Eden.
The inside of the kingdom was a ruin. The streets were empty, with not a single citizen in sight, and only the underlings of the usurper Grandot stood in my way with weapons in hand.
"S-stop, stop! Beyond this point is Lord Grandot's... Gaaah!"
There was no need even to swing my sword. The pressure of the wind alone from my charge atop Llamrei sent the rabble flying into the air like dead leaves.
The only thing I wanted was the usurper's head.
Reaching the broad central plaza of the royal castle without slowing, I pulled the reins to halt Llamrei and shouted at the top of my lungs toward the sky.
"Grandot!! Stop hiding and get out here! The King of Britain has come to take your head!"
It was right after my ringing shout echoed across the plaza.
"Grrrrrrrr...."
From the plaza's deep shadows came a massive snort, along with heavy footsteps that shook the earth.
What appeared before my eyes was a giant boar nearly the size of a building, something no one could possibly mistake for an ordinary beast. Ferocious killing intent rose from its entire body, along with suffocating magical energy.
It was Twrch Trwyth, Ireland's worst monster, the beast that had driven Artegall to his death.
The monster fixed me with blood-red eyes, then opened its maw wide and spoke in a chilling voice.
The voice of an intelligent being, with the ego of the human who had once been a pagan king still fully intact.
"So, you are Arthur Pendragon.... That golden sword you wear is a very familiar sight. Since its original master is dead and yet the blade remains intact, has another insect come to die on my tusks?"
Twrch Trwyth flashed its bloodstained giant tusks and mocked me.
I rested a hand on Chrysaor's hilt and twisted up the corner of my mouth.
"Don't misunderstand, monster. You are not my opponent."
"You arrogant little brat...!!"
Enraged by my haughty attitude, Twrch Trwyth snorted furiously and charged at explosive speed. The ground shook as if in an earthquake, and just as the giant boar's tusks came hurtling toward me—
KWA-BOOM!!
Two huge figures brushed past my sides and blocked the boar's path.
"How dare you block my king's path!"
Barghest, and Talos, whose bronze giant fist shot forward with a heavy mechanical roar.
The two guardians met Twrch Trwyth's attack head-on with their fists, as it came charging with overwhelming mass.
A terrifying shockwave swept across the plaza, but Barghest and Talos endured it without being pushed back even a single step.
"Go, Master! We'll handle this beast!"
Barghest shouted, and Talos also nodded, forming an unshakable wall of defense.
"I leave it to you!"
Without hesitation, I kicked Llamrei's flank. With astonishing leaping power, Llamrei sprang clean over Twrch Trwyth's gigantic body.
"Where do you think you're running, you worm!!"
Twrch Trwyth roared in fury and tried to lift its head, but—
"We told you we were your opponents!"
BAM!!
A blazing fist erupted from Talos's power furnace and smashed into the boar's jaw, and immediately after, Barghest's greatsword, wreathed in pitch-black flames, came crashing down explosively toward the bridge of the monster's snout.
"Kraaaagh!"
The tremendous blow sent Twrch Trwyth's massive body reeling far backward. As if in pain, the monster shook its head violently and clawed at the ground with its forelegs.
Barghest raised her greatsword and checked the blade. Even though that slash had carried the full force of her strength, it had failed to cut through the boar's hide.
But instead of panic, the joy unique to a predator rose on her face.
"Heh... You really are tough. To think my sword couldn't even bite into you. There wasn't anything this hard even in Britain."
Barghest tightened her grip on her sword with a savage smile.
"At last, I've found an opponent worth fighting with everything I have."
Just then, the heavy scrape of metal came from behind us.
"Lord Artegall's vengeance... I will repay it with my own hands."
It was Britomart, who had caught up before we noticed. Covering her was a massive suit of heavy armor, black as pitch yet tinged with deep indigo and violet.
[Fortress Angela] (Queen Fortress: Wave Armor).
The invincible armor once worn by Angela, queen of the Saxons, who had been defeated by Uther. And the mightiest armor of this age, belonging to the very Angela who had created the battle that spread Uther's fame across all of Britain.
Barghest, the predator clad in a black sun.
Talos, the steel giant spewing flames.
And Britomart, the knight of vengeance who had become a moving fortress.
"Let's go."
With Britomart's short signal, the three guardians moved at once, beginning their battle to take the life of the giant boar, Twrch Trwyth.
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