Fate/Ultimate Antagonist

[16] You and Your Sword Make Me Laugh

...The tip of the sword trembled.

Alvin could no longer contain himself.

At this moment, he was quite literally experiencing the awakening of his DNA.

It was as if a blond vampire had spotted a deliciously tender little pastry and couldn't wait to indulge.

The bloodline from the White Dragon made it difficult for Alvin to restrain the urge to humiliate the Red Dragon.

Even if it was just sparring, just training.

The pleasure that victory brought, the ultimate ecstasy that made his entire being tremble, was something he wanted to savor.

In short, tormenting someone like Artoria was incredibly exhilarating, aside from such base intentions.

Alvin also aimed to use this battle to crush the girl's confidence.

Abandoned by the Round Table, betrayed by her lineage, close friends going their separate ways, and the nation she valued inching towards collapse...

As someone who had witnessed the entire Holy Grail War, Alvin was well aware of the fate that awaited the girl.

Born from the distorted desire to be chosen as a king, this pure and innocent girl named Artoria, did she not commit grave sins that warranted enduring such tragic outcomes?

Although in one of the alternate endings, she might have eventually found peace.

But pain is pain, no matter how you dress it up, it's genuine suffering. Some people go through life without experiencing hardship, while others spend a lifetime trying to heal pain.

... Why?

Yes, why should he bear a terminal illness, why should he rush against time after crossing dimensions, and who would care about so-called cheat abilities if one could lead a happy and stable life?

All the comforting words about enduring hardships and being given great responsibilities are lies. They are sweet-talking phrases that numb the heart like bitter medicine.

If you feel burdened on your journey, undoubtedly, someone else is ensuring that your years pass peacefully.

Whether burdened by the weight of survival or driven by the expectations of many, people struggle on the thorny path.

In a sense, he and she shared a common plight.

Therefore, with this opportunity for a heart-to-heart confrontation, Alvin didn't want her to fall into the same pitfalls.

If she were to waver in her conviction to become a king, lost in this decay...

For the girl, perhaps it would be a fortunate turn of events.

Clang~

The blades clashed, producing a resounding impact.

Although bearing the bloodline of the Red Dragon, Alvin was acutely aware that Artoria was not his match at this moment.

This wasn't due to differences in aptitude, talent, or attributes.

As the artificially created King with Dragon's blood, Artoria's stats were monstrous as well, especially with the Dragon factor, allowing her to continuously generate magical power just by breathing in this age of gods.

She was strong, very strong, stronger than most of the reputed figures in Britannia.

Her exaggerated physical strength was similar to his, even if she were fully developed, she could be considered a genuine humanoid dragon.