章 24: Surpassing Time
Bluntly put, Sasaki Kojirou as a combatant was in a realm beyond the Knight of Atrocity as far as skill with their weapons were concerned, perhaps on equal grounds, the Lancer would overpower the Assassin through sheer difference in raw power but, it seemed the world would not have it that way.
Any difference in parameters was more than made up for by the boost provided by being in his homeland coupled with the honestly insane quantities of mana Sasaki's master could supply him with.
Servants were quite the cost-efficient entities after all.
Despite all this however, the Assassin couldn't help the excitement building up in his heart as he took an actual stance, preparing himself for the increasingly rapid wave of blows his opponent was about to rain down on him, all with a tailored smile practically plastered across his face.
It should have been an easy win, it could have been one had he gone all out right from the start but why would he do that? What thrill would a man like Sasaki Kojirou feel from a battle that ended in but an instant?
Nay, he desired a clash with a worthy foe that would be burnt into the minds of all those that witnessed it.
He found that foe in the Lancer Class Knight of Atrocity, Aston, who commanded thunder and moved faster than a man could blink.
The moonlight seemed to take on a stronger form to illuminate the coming exchange, lighting up the surroundings and giving an ethereal feel to the two servants staring one another down, exchanging strange smirks that oddly fit them completely, even if the Enforcer bearing witness to this had a few things to say about men fighting to the death joking around like they were old friends.
"I will answer your splendid display with one of my own, even if you might find it lacking." Sasaki spoke coyly, raising his blade to eye-level.
He'd not expected to find such an opponent when his summoner was someone leeching off the innocent, in a war fought between the loathsome fools with twisted hearts that sought only to further themselves and would discard flesh and blood in that foul yet admirable ambition.
BUT, he would relish this sudden fortune all the same, irrespective of consequences, irrespective of orders.
How could he not?
Their clashes just then told him all he needed to know.
It wasn't just some ordinary spearmanship learned by some upstart noble, it was far beyond that.
Skill honed on battlefields, skill honed by felling man, skill honed upholding his own sense of justice, skill honed fighting for one he had offered his heart to.
It WAS in a realm of it's own, even Sasaki Kojirou accepted that.
No doubt his current advantages were born only of a series of coincidences that would have him the victor.
"Of course not, even if I do find the thinness of your blade somewhat questionable." Aston maintained his cordial demeanour, shaking his head with a small smile, "Is the length meant to compensate? I had heard the East was not quite.." He put a hand to his chin, pausing for a moment before, "Gifted."
Sasaki's smirk froze for a fraction of a second before widening further, "I find mine more than adequate, however I will again call into question your disposition, have you no other interests, Aston?" He would show this opponent the technique that made him a legend.
Aston found himself in a conundrum, he wanted to share a drink with this man not murder him, "Are you certain you refuse to move?" But then again, he knew his request was unreasonable. He would scorch the temple behind the man if he did and in doing so, probably kill his Master.
"Such arrogant confidence is unbecoming of a man." Sasaki moved, swinging his blade in a horizontal arc. This alarmed Aston who, feeling extreme danger, tried to utilise his monstrous speed to move away, releasing blue lightning from his figure and cracking the concrete under his feet.
Only, it was mostly futile.
No matter how fast the Knight of Atrocity could naturally go, so long as the speed could be quantified, so long as he took time to move, no matter how little, he could not avoid the technique Sasaki Kojirou had developed.
Three skillful strokes of his blade, in a realm where speed became irrelevant, as did time and it's constant flow.
If Aston could move so fast it seemed he took but an instant, then Sasaki's blade was even faster.
He couldn't hope to be faster than strokes that transcended the very concept of time, not without access to his complete power.
And so, as Bazett Fraga McRemitz watched with widened eyes, unable to understand what had transpired. Aston's arms fell limp, his shoulders slashed apart. A gash appeared right beside his neck, going down to his chest and fresh, warm red blood sprayed out, reaching volumes not humanly possible, "Damn."
She noticed Aston actually curse, but something irked her, "Why are you still smiling?!" Bazett wanted to rush over to her servant but noted that it would be counterproductive and raised her arm, intending to use a command seal to heal him.
Sasaki Kojirou seemed somewhat surprised too, "You.. moved." At the last possible moment, Aston had positioned himself in a way that let the wounds inflicted not be fatal, preventing death or worse.
This opponent simply DEMANDED respect.
"If this was all it took to do me in, I would be too ashamed to continue living." Aston was completely calm about the situation, regaining strength in his arms mere seconds later and rose to his full height, "I must say however, that was amazing." He praised honestly, staring at the Assassin with dull blue eyes all the while completely ignoring the deep, possibly mortal wound beside his neck, as if he didn't even register it.
"Right.." Bazett lowered her arm, returning to her calm self.
She'd read his legend hadn't she?
This was the man who slaughtered the Roman invaders and fought his way to the frontlines from the rebel forces' rearguard. It was in his very legend to forge through pain and injury that would have one screaming in pain.
It made sense then that wounds fatal for the common folk were barely hindrances to him.
"It remains that I could not react and as such, I will refrain from commenting about your incompetence out of respect." Aston smiled smugly, as if he'd done something to be truly proud of.
Sasaki chuckled at his words but soon that turned to laughter, "Normally you'd hold a grudge over such a grave injury you know?" He asked rhetorically, wiping a fake tear from his eye.
"I must say whoever made you think that must've had shallow patience." Aston denied the possibility, unnaturally calm about the slowly healing wound Assassin had tore open in him.
But then he appeared right behind the man, driving his right leg into Sasaki's ribs only to be blocked but once again, scorched his opponent's flesh with the blue lightning dancing about his unarmoured figure.
Unfortunately, there was no stupidly broken technique to stop damage dealt by actual lightning.
This time however, it was far more intense than before and blew Sasaki into the dense forest around them. He crashed through several trees, tearing them down before finally stopping, with his face completely buried in dirt and soil.
"That should be enough." Aston remarked blandly, nodding to himself, "My honourable foe! You were commanded to hinder! Not kill or defeat! So stay down!" He was truly a genius for finding a loophole in his opponent's task.
Sasaki shuddered, feeling his charred flesh as he winced from the waves of pain coursing through his nervous system, "M..Maybe say that before.. I don't know, almost burning someone to death!"
Aston deadpanned and gestured to his own wounds, wondering if the Assassin realised the sheer irony in his words. He looked at the stoic Bazett who seemed dead inside with a gentle smile, "Onwards my Master, to Caster." The Lancer felt strangely irked by how someone could actually outspeed him but then realised he couldn't utilise even a fraction of his top speed so it made sense.
"If you don't mind me asking, what's with all the lightning and speed?" Bazett just didn't care anymore and tended to her idle curiosity lest she smack her servant and injure herself again. The speed made sense considering his legend but the coloured lightning didn't, so she asked, expecting him to insult her again, "I can't see it being born of a legend."
Aston stopped for a moment, "You wish to spend decades in a hellhole that makes no sense and almost makes you forget yourself my Master?" He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, "Even if you are a closeted ruffian, I suggest not putting yourself through that."
"I.. What? What?" The Enforcer rushed to catch up to her servant, blushing profusely, embarrassed by her servant's tendency to say such extreme things so casually, "Why would you say that?"
"I speak the truth only."
Saying his piece, Aston silently climbed the steps leading to the temple built upon Mount Ryuudou, preparing to meet Caster.
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