Akashic Arcana The Heart of a Sword

Katie

Katie

Active Member
The Kendo Club's practices ended at 16:30. Greg smiled as boastfully as humanly possible as he was patting a poor student's back that almost sent him coughing up his lungs. Today's practice had been rough, but also a learning experience. As most students were heading home, Greg interrupted Artoria Pendragon just as she was about to leave the gate.

Greg: "Hey there! Artoria. Thanks again for putting up with my hot-headed brother. I have a little reward that only true warriors can appreciate." Greg winked slyly towards Artoria before pointing behind the Dojo's large building.

"There is a huge garden at the back. You haven't met her yet, but the freshman is perhaps even better than me when it comes to technicalities and technique. Her name is Sakuya Kyoya. You haven't seen her train with us due to her physical limitations. But I always find a way so everyone gets a challenge! In any case. Go ask her nicely, and she may show you Japan's strongest sword form." He grinned at her, expecting the girl to brighten up at the prospect of sparring against a foreign sword-art. And the best this nation had to offer nonetheless.

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Kendo Club Sakura Garden
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The Kendo Club's Sakura Garden was magical, to say the least. A pathway went around the garden that stretched for several miles, and the bridge's pathway itself was made of some kind of oily black mirror, that reflected the violet shades of the garden. April's weather certainly made the bloom seem so beautiful, and as Artoria set upon the path, she had all the time in the world to admire it.

At some point, she would be able to spot a person standing on the path she was walking on. As she came closer, it was clearly a girl. Sakuya wore her Kendo Club Hakama, and by her appearance, she looked like someone taken straight out of a manga or anime, if Artoria had an interest in those.

In her hand, she held on to a katana. Its scabbard blue with beautiful inscriptions and several talismans hung from the base of the scabbard that resembled a cross, followed by a circular shape.
 
One. Clack. Two. Thwack. Artoria's sparring opponent this day wasn't anything special, but she was respectful enough to not comment as such. Although, he may have already felt embarrassment from being bested so easily by a girl so much younger than him. Once the practices ended, she gave him a respectful bow and farewell.

Her expression remained neutral at the mention of Jayden. Artoria wondered if Greg had yet to find out about the thrashing she had given him the other day, then pushed such thoughts aside. "He's.. something else, I'll say that much." She perked up at the mention of a reward. "Oh? That's not really nec-" She quickly shut up as she was shown what the Captain was referring to. Her jaw dropped upon seeing such beauty, and she couldn't even get out the words to thank him. She gave him multiple bows of appreciation and rushed out to the gardens.

It was as though she had stepped into a Fae forest of the Old World. Artoria is complete awe, completely lost in the magical scene. She had no idea much time she spent, or how long she walked, before she found someone. Was it the 1st year that Greg had mentioned? She started to dash towards the girl, then halted, and walked calmly, not wanting to startle her. The Princess, once face-to-face, bowed in greetings. "Um, hello."

Awkward silence.

"M-my name is Artoria Pendragon. Pleased to meet you." She bowed again. The Princess' eyes fell upon the beautiful sword resting at the girl's hips, and she found herself full of lust for battle. The way Greg spoke about her, she has to be really good.
 
Sakuya looked up into the air as she watched a single petal of sakura slowly swaying towards her. She held a single hand towards it as it slowly rests against her palm. When she turned around towards the incoming presence, she was met with the vision of a blonde girl, she looked rather young, but one good look and Sakuya knew immediately who she was. The battle against the Student Council Pair during the Entrance Exam had been uploaded to several social media hubs and is still going up in views every day. Artoria Pendragon.

"Konbanwa..." She replied in a soft-spoken tone before returning Artoria's bow. Since Artoria couldn't read Japanese, she missed that Sakuya had the Imperial Seal on her katana's scabbard, marking it as a member of the royal families. After all, she is by title the Princess of the Kyoya Clan.

"Can I help you, Miss Pendragon?" She smiled ever so radiantly towards Artoria. Her breathing, composure, stance, and the very way she moved was in perfect control. Even when she was in a relaxed state, it was as if an attack against her very being would be retaliated with a counter.

...

The longer the silence, the more the tension bloom. It was like a Western Stand-Off, wondering who would make the first move. A single sakura petal was falling from above, slowly about to touch the ground, marking the beginning of a RECORD SCRATCH

Suddenly, Sakuya expelled a large quantity of blood in an almost comically fashion as her eyes become completely shut while mouthing agape as her own blood strikes the floor. Sakuya seems immobile just for a moment before she holds up her hand and one finger in the air to signal a pause. She reached into her inner-pocket, grabbing a black handkerchief, due to it being used to wipe up her vitality. She starts to cough into the cloth, emptying the last bit of blood in her lungs as she turned her back against Artoria to hide the sight.

Almost instantly, Sakuya stands up straight and hides the bloodied handkerchief behind her back, and it was as if she acted like nothing happened at all. "So... where were we?" She started to laugh nervously. Hoping that it didn't throw Artoria off.
 
The anticipation was killing her. Artoria just needed to get the words out. But she had to be respectful. "U-um, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to-" She immediately stopped the moment Sakuya vomited up at least a pint of blood. Her face was frozen in horror, scared that this young girl was on the brink of death, or something just as extreme. She couldn't even scream out of terror, her voice was caught in her throat.

Though Artoria would relax slightly when the Japanese girl seemed completely unfazed by her sudden.. expulsion. Then she remembered an offhand remark Greg had mentioned. Physical limitations.. is this what he meant? He could have at least warned me about this, instead of being scared to death by her looking like she was at death's door. After she wiped her lips clean, Sakuya acted as though it were just another common incident. "Uh..."

It took Artoria a moment to recompose herself, and it took an extra push from her fighting spirit to get the ball rolling. "Greg, the Club Captain, said that you were a very skilled swordswoman. If I may, I would like to spar with you. To your.. fullest extent. If you can..." She felt absolutely terrible for asking such a sickly girl to a fight. Neither outcome would say much about the Princess.
 
She slowly tilted her head at the girl's request, but she smiled nonetheless. Finally, someone to ask her for a proper spar, since most people chicken out after realizing how severe her condition is. Yet, it wasn't as bad as it looked. Her lungs just suck at filtrating the blood and it gathers up inside her lungs. She just needs to expel it once a while, but it really puts a strain on her when it comes to physical training like running several miles with the rest of the club.

"I would be honored. I take you would like me to use Mikazuki?..." She gently patted her katana. If one name's their sword, it meant that it was their companion, and in the world of mages, a name bears great weight. Mikazuki means Crescent Moon, and in Japanese folklore, the famed Mikazuki Sword was the most beautiful and elegant blade ever crafted by Sanjō Kokaji Munechika. A replica of the sword is shown at the National Museum, which means, that Sakuya held on to the real thing.

As Sakuya slowly drew her blade from the scabbard, Artoria could listen and hear the sharp edges resonate in the air as it was being pulled out of the scabbard. It was like tiny vibrations that were so sharp it could cut her skin from the sound alone. Sakuya held the sword horizontally in front of herself, and as she turned the sword to its side, Artoria could see that the katana's Hamon (edge) resembled the pattern of a silver crescent moon. It was perhaps the most beautiful katana ever created. By a man at least.
 
Artoria couldn't help but stare at the awe-inspiring katana that Sakuya wielded. She didn't expect for them to use real weapons, and was hesitant to do so. Her mind flashed back to a dark day during her training, but she quickly shook the memory away, and fixed her eyes upon the girl in front of her.

Setting her practice sword off to the side, the Princess extended her right hand out to the side. Golden particles formed in the air, gradually forming a longsword. Once the weapon was fully summoned, Artoria flourished it, then displayed Caliburn in its golden glory. As it was a precursor to Excalibur, it was far more decorated and visually appealing, but exponentially weaker. Its beauty was not manmade, but it was still a sight to behold, gleaming brilliantly alongside Mikazuki. Two beautiful swords destined to clash.

Artoria took her ready stance, and nodded to Sakuya. "Whenever you're ready." Anyone with knowledge in swordsmanship would be able to tell Artoria's stance was a defensive one. She sought for her opponent to make the first move, readying to block and counter.
 
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Sakuya nodded once, she acknowledged Artoria's abilities as a swordswoman from the footage of her debut fight. Sakuya took a deep breathing before she exhaled ever so slowly. She felt her heart slowing down, resting in a soft beat as she focused her attention to Artoria. She moved her left hand across the edge of her katana before a soft blue flame emerged from the tips of her fingers. She coated her sword in Soul Fire, as it glowed with a bright blue color.

She performed the 1st offensive form Shajiku no Hikari, of the Kyoya-Ryu, in which she also combined with the 11th form, the Flash Step. Mana burst from her feet as an afterimage of Sakuya was left behind in her wake. The only indication that Artoria had of her moving was the sudden spread of Sakura petals around her form. The moment Sakuya appeared in-front of her Artoria, the after-image of her previous location disappeared, and with the first offensive form, she was thrusting her sword forwards in an attempt to impale the princess.

If Artoria parries the impaling attempt, the metal of Mikazuki and Caliburn would resonate with the sound of ice imploding with a nasty crunch. Only followed by a shower of blue fire emitting from Sakuya's side.
 
Like Sakuya, Artoria took a deep breath to steady herself. Her eyes closed for just a moment, though it would feel like several minutes passed as she felt her heartbeat reach a slow pace. When she opened her eyes, the sapphire-blue would be replaced by a sun-like golden glow. She was in full combat mode, and the usually excitable little girl was replaced by a calm and collected warrior.

Her hands gripped Caliburn's handle firmly, the blade shining with power and framing her young face with a magic glow. She was ready for anything. That is, until Sakuya light her blade on fire then seemed to vanish, and re-appear right in front of her, closing the gap in the blink of an eye. She's fast! Luckily, Artoria's movements could be just as fast, coupled with her incredible reflexes. Caliburn swiped to the Princess' left, swatting aside the katana with incredible force, sending blue embers scattering everywhere from the shockwave.

Stepping in with her parry, Artoria tried to slam Sakuya with her right shoulder. With their height difference, this would place her strike roughly at the samurai's ribcage. If this counter landed, then Artoria's right foot would step back, and Caliburn would slice diagonally from Sakuya's right hip to left shoulder. She was careful to control the arc to leave only a shallow cut.

If Sakuya avoided the attack, Artoria would retreat back to her original stance, watching her movements closely. It was apparent that this girl had seen her fight in the combat exam, but the Princess hadn't watched any of the recordings of the exams, so she didn't know anything about Sakuya's fighting style. The little knight was at a disadvantage here.
 
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The moment that Sakuya's attack was parried as predicted, she found herself within Artoria's engagement zone. The 12 forms were designed for virtually any situation and she swiftly switched to the 4th Defensive Form Saigo no Kokyū. She instantly synchronized her breathing pattern to Artoria, as she mirrored the Knight's movements. As Artoria moved in to slam her right shoulder into her rib-cage, she finds herself missing the mark by just touching the cloth of her Hakama. When Clarent moved to slash diagonally to Sakuya's right hip and left shoulder, the girl softly performed an elegant twist at the same speed as Artoria's swing. The blade, once again, narrowly misses Sakuya as she moved in a counter direction to the blade's intended trajectory. If Artoria's didn't notice it, she was moving in the same pattern of Artoria, if not, at the same pace to predict her every melee move, and she had the technique to back up her defenses. However, she lacked the ability to counter-attack as if she did, she would break the 4th Form and lose the ability to predict Artoria's move through her breathing pattern and muscle memory.

If Artoria continued to attack, it would be answered by the continuously narrow dodges. It was as if she was a fish in a pond, and Artoria attempting to catch her with her two small hands.

As Artoria eventually stops her attack to watch Sakuya's movements, she swiftly seized the moment to switch into the 5th Offensive Form Rakurai. This may trigger Artoria's Battle-Instinct, as a vision of herself having her throat slit by the sword, even though Sakuya was measuring the cut to only be a minor skin cut. The Battle-Instinct would nonetheless show it as her throat being cut open into a fatal wound.

Sakuya entered the maximum range of her katana, each step calculated as she swung her sword towards Artoria's lower right calves. It was to force her attacker to attempt to block it with a low guard. In reality, however, Sakuya created an illusion of herself swinging the weapon, in which the sword would merely pass through her without harm. In truth, Sakuya had dropped her sword by the hilt, where her left hand caught the blade in a reverse grip, and she swung the sword in a lightning fast movement to cut towards Artoria's throat. The Soul Fire creating a flash of blue that resembled a crescent lightning. Hence its name Rakurai, which means Lightning Strike.
 
Sakuya's strange movements continued to baffle Artoria. This was a style quite unlike she had ever faced, and losing her morale was not helping matters in the least. Am I completely outclassed in this fight? No.. she has to have some kind of opening. I just need to be careful and watch for it. Taking her defensive stance again, the Princess kept watch over all of the Japanese girl's bodily movements. The weapon itself is an extension. It can't go where the arm does not.

Then her Battle Instinct kicked in, and Artoria saw a vision of her neck being sliced open. Tensing up immensely, she watched for any such attacks. The swipe to her calf was parried, then a glint caught her eyes. It was a feint. In a move purely out of instinct, Artoria summoned forth a gauntlet from her Armor of Avalon, protecting her right forearm. Said arm shot up to block the incoming slash, preventing her 'future vision' from coming true. Even still, the force of the attack while off balance sent her tumbling to the side.

With Caliburn in her left unprotected hand, the knight quickly recovered and got back to her feet. She was clearly unsettled by Sakuya's incredible power, though tried to hide it.. rather poorly. Artoria desummoned her gauntlet and took up her defensive stance yet again. Super speed and illusions.. what else does she have? I clearly picked a fight I was not ready for..
 
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Sakuya was impressed by the audacity of Artoria. Quite a few people could get out of her the 5th form unscratched if they never saw it before, did she possess some kind of premeditation? The girl had a great instinct for sure. She was preparing to unleash more of the forms until she felt an all too familiar itch forming in her throat. She started to muffle a cough, blood dripping from her lower lip. The sudden effect of her illness caused her breathing to fluctuate. For a swordswoman, it could mean death in a battle as her form was off and breathing too unsteady to execute a good attack or defense pattern.

Whether or not Artoria took advantage of this was up to her. In any regards, Sakuya remained where she was in this situation.
 
Artoria let out a frustrated sigh. Sakuya wasn't pressing the offensive, which meant they were either going to stare at each other for who knows how long, or she would need to go on the attack. She couldn't flash step like the samurai could. but the knight was still plenty fast, closing the gap in a single bound. Her feet left an indentation in the ground where she launched, and she flew into a flurry of attacks, testing Sakuya's defenses. Often, fighters with such powerful offensive capabilities weren't as efficient in defense, and vice versa. Especially when they were younger like Sakuya was.

The Princess' attacks weren't full force, but rather half-strength attacks meant for bashing against her opponent's blade with faster speeds. The objective was to press them onto their toes, breaking their morale while also hopefully tiring them out. Artoria's endurance was strong enough to withstand such a feat, usually able to outlast her foe.
 
Sakuya's illness was her handicap, the strikes against the princess were more or less half-assed as she pushed back with each swing, sending a painful cry of steel out across the garden. Her arms were shaking as she blocked another blow from Clarent, she felt each parry to the bone. This girl was inhumanly strong for someone her age. She felt it again, her disease flaring up as she coughed up a soft amount of blood that stained her hakama. Another blow from Artoria sent her Katana flying into the air as she was disarmed.

3rd Form Yarazu no Hikari (Last Minute Light) was the only option to break the tie. The katana was sent flying behind Sakuya, and as such, she swiftly overcame her disease's brief effect as she disengaged backward. As the sword was slowly falling down towards the hip level, Sakuya performed a surgical kick with all of her might to hit the butt of the Katana's hilt was it was a spin. The kick against the iron hilt sounded like the hammer of a gun igniting the gunpowder of a bullet. The Katana was sent flying towards Artoria with the speed of a bullet. Sakuya had aimed the sword to hit Artoria's sword, Clarent, by its guard, thus sending the katana bouncing back towards her.

Sakuya advanced forward as she seized her weapon in mid-air and attempted to swing her sword vertically down towards Artoria, in order to bring them in a sword-lock.

"Your form is fluid and free. I take you were not taught to follow a specific style? Very unpredictable..." She grinned towards Artoria, her lower lip crimson still from the blood.
 
Artoria hesitated slightly when Sakuya yet again coughed up blood, yet her swing still followed through, batting Mikazuki out of the samurai's hands. Thinking the fight over at that point, she lowered her guard and slowly moved to see if the sickly girl was alright. But Sakuya was never short on tricks or tenacity. In an astounding display of acrobatics, she tumbled backwards, then kicked the katana with great force.

Surprised by the sudden act, Caliburn quickly raised up to block the incoming projectile, only to bounce it back to its owner in error. Artoria caught the subsequent attack in a high guard, clashing the two swords yet again in a dazzling display of golden sparks and sapphire flames.

Returning the grin, Artoria's golden eyes flashed with pride. "I was merely taught to adapt to the situation. One style does not win every battle." Punctuating this, Artoria shoved the blades upward with such incredible force that the air itself seemed to ripple in response. Bringing Caliburn down to her right hip, she rotated the blade the aimed to strike Sakuya with the flat of the sword.. right at her left rib cage.
 
"I see why Greg wanted me to meet you."

Artoria's strength was monstrous, to say the least. The blade-deflection caused sparks to fly and steel resonated with the air. She staggered backward and at the moment Artoria moved to swiftly counter-attack, Sakuya had little room to switch form. She swiftly turned her sword upside down and over her head to block the sword. However, it only did little, as she felt the flat side of her own blade smash into her ribs with the added force of Artoria. Blood was expelled from her lungs at impact as it sent her flying over the bridge.

Sakuya was nimble and possessed full control of her body, even in flight as she turned position and landed at the side of a sakura tree with her feet. She launched herself back towards the bridge as she flipped over the ledge before landing on the black mirrored floor. She glided back several meters afterward.

"Five minutes, Artoria-san. I'll give you my all. You best prepare as well. Show me the pinnacle of your form."

The Japanese girl stood up in a more relaxed form. She took a deep breathing as she closed her eyes. In her mind, Sakuya stood completely bare in her natural grace. Within a dark ocean that stretched infinitely. She felt a certain cold, the grasp of death at her back. Fear. And then, in the middle of the ocean, she reached out towards a burning blue flame. Her soul.

Once Sakuya opened her eyes, they had turned completely blue. Her left eye in a blaze of furious flames that glared right back towards Artoria. Her soul was on fire. Her abilities and strength had been raised tremendously, and it seems like she was about to show Artoria her clan's abilities. By igniting her soul, she can attain a form surpassing humans for a moment. This secret harnesses the sensation a person's feeling just before their death, pushing their bodies beyond human capabilities, pumping them with adrenaline and almost divine power. However, very few people can maintain the Soul Ignite for more than five minutes, as it can seriously injure one’s body.
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A soft strain of blood appeared at the corner of her lips, yet, in her soul ignite state, she could no longer feel her illness, or rather, it strengthened her resolve and fire. Her fears and feelings towards her own mortality were showing in the fires.

"Soul Ignite, by igniting your soul... we can surpass and shatter our mortal bonds for five minutes. Give me your all, Artoria... I want to remember this."
 
"Likewise."

Artoria finally managed to tag her opponent, more or less. Her eyes widened when seeing the effect her attack had on Sakuya, the blood drenching the garden below. Oh no, did I go too far? Her worries were somewhat quelled when the Japanese girl seemed to easily recover. The Princess let out a sigh of relief.

"Are you sure?" Artoria was both pleased and concerned about Sakuya's determination. Caliburn raised back up at the ready. "I don't want you to go overboard if it.. might.." She trailed off as she was able to feel an incredible surge of magic bloom within the samurai. Again, her eyes widened, though this time in surprise. Full of surprises, this one. Against her better judgment, Artoria gave into her excitement for a good fight and readied herself.

In respect for Sakuya's drive to fight at her best, Artoria called upon the most of her Divine Blessing. A golden shimmer appeared around her momentarily, small particles of light emanating off of her. It would be an insult to both of their honor if she did not fight to her strongest in answer. "It's nothing quite so fancy as yours, but I hope this will suffice."

"Ready yourself. Here I come." The very air around Artoria gusted from the force of her stepping off. Again, she charged at Sakuya, this time matching the speed of the latter's Flash Step. Caliburn slammed against Mikazuki, resulting in another shower of gold and blue magical effects. The strength behind the attack was unbelievable, enough to threaten sending the samurai flying from the impact.
 
Sakuya's right eye was closed, but her left eye burned with intensity as she watched Artoria charge towards her. In her Soul Ignite states, it was as if she perceived the world in a much slower state. She could see Artoria, despite her impressive speed. Their swords clashed together, the impact blasting off ever single sakura petal on the bridge before the Samurai was promptly knocked back in the air. Artoria's strength was nothing to joke about. She coughed up more blood in mid-air, the Soul Ignite was tearing on her body, but she still had a good 4 minutes left. Better make the most of it.

When Sakuya landed, she knew she had little time to act, and thus drew upon the 2nd Defensive Form Sakamaku Hikari (Rolling Light). Sakuya's Mikazuki was ablaze as her soul was burning brightly. She performed 4 cuts in a perfect box-like pattern around herself, and instantly after she finished, a massive burst of blue fire exploded into the air. It looked dangerous and hot to the touch. But if Artoria paid close attention, the Sakura trees above weren't affected by the fire. While it looked impressive, the soul firewalls were just meant to obscure Sakuya.

If Artoria was startled to remain still or entered the fire, Sakuya was gone. Disappeared immediately after she had performed her technique.
 
A chorus of singing steel rang out among the gardens as the two beautiful blades battled in a clash of strength. Leaves scattered, petals danced, the grass rustled against the wind. Artoria's superior strength proved to be more than a match for the sickly Sakuya, however the samurai was not one to be trifled with. The young knight dashed forward, pressing the attack to keep her opponent from getting any further magical attacks off. Though blood was dripping from her lips, Artoria had to urge herself not to falter. Sakuya asked for her best, and she was going to get it.

Already in a mid-air dash, Artoria blanched at seeing the explosion of sapphire-blue flames rush at her. She quickly raised her Barrier to protect herself, but lost her momentum at the confusion of no damage brushing into her bubble. She landed on the other side, only to find that Sakuya had slipped away into the shadows. Focus, you fool. You need to maintain focus. Recomposing herself, Artoria scanned around for any sign of her foe. Above, behind, then to the sides. Caliburn was at the ready, and she was also prepared to activate her Barrier again if needed. This had escalated into more than just a swordfight. And the idea of that excited her.
 
Sakuya retreated far behind Artoria. She made sure to create enough distance to focus the remaining of her Soul Ignite. Only two minutes remained. More blood rushed from her lips as she coughed up another mouthful. Her eyes fully awake, now the blue fire was sparking from both of her eyeballs. As she got into an offensive position, she unleashed all of the stored soul-fire within her body. An ocean of blue fire washed out of her form, consuming her surroundings as her blade began to slowly absorb and charge up the fire. This time, however, the flames were real. They were hot, torching the air as well as the surrounding sakura trees. Sakuya could barely breathe, her lungs eventually being filled with blood as she focused everything she had to into the 9th Form Hikari no Shōtotsu. Sakuya surrounded herself with a tidal wave of blue Soul Fire, as she charges up for a powerful attack. The longer she charges up, the more powerful and costly the attack becomes. The tidal wave of flame eventually becomes absorbed into her blade's edge, which can deliver one strike to end a fight.
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The air unleashed ripples of blue fire towards Artoria, if not for her bubble, she would have been able to feel the full extent of it. Sakuya remained her ground as she continued to charge up. The longer she was allowed to charge, the stronger the sword technique became. It started out as a C-level spell, but now, even Artoria could sense that the levels were close to breaking into an A-level ability. And with all of the flames condensed into the tip of Sakuya's sword, it was going to be a powerful piercer move.
 
Upon spotting Sakuya, Artoria's eyes widened in surprise. Both from how much distance she was able to retreat and the immense amount of magic she was feeling. The princess was very impressed at the display, but quickly became aware of the dangerous situation she was in. This might hurt..

In answer to the powerful build-up that was occuring, Artoria would need to summon up the best defense she could. Calling upon Avalon's magic, her armor formed around her body, protecting her in a solid case of magic-resistant metal. On top of that, she erected her Barrier, with her sword held forward in a defensive posture, and her feet spread out, her back leg turned to the side and her front bent slightly. There were effectively 2 layers of protection for Sakuya's attack to go through to net her the win, and it was a matter of time before Artoria's mettle was tested.
 
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