Fate/Grand Order: the Path of a Sword

Ch.5: Grand Order

Yuto versus Archer. 

Father versus Son.

It was like the repeat of the Battle of Cammlan.

Arthur's forehead contracted, his hands clasped in fists. It was frustrating because father and son should not try to kill each other. Honestly, Arthur was tempted to block his master and continue the duel, but all he could do was watch while father and son tried to kill each other.

Of course, Arthur noticed that Archer had an advantage over Yuto. Although he was not a regular Heroic Spirit as he lacked a legend, the experience gained on the battlefield allowed Archer to counter Yuto's actions.

"Is that all you can do?" Archer asked with contempt.

Yuto tightened his frustrated teeth. So far, he had not even managed to score a hit. Whatever he tried to do, Archer reacted promptly.

"Did you really think our projections were on the same level?" Archer was different from other heroic spirits. He preferred obsessively improving what he already knew rather than improving what he could not do. Although he was a third-rate magus when he was alive, Archer had made a basic magecraft his strength.

"You won't be able to protect anyone," Archer said contemptuously.

When Yuto was younger and his parents were alive, his father often told him that his dream was to become a kind of superhero, but he had put him aside, choosing him and Saber above his dream.

Yuto tightened his teeth and got up.

"You're like that man," Archer grunted as he involuntarily remembered the face of his younger self, "you never know when it's time to surrender."

He was right. Yuto would never surrender to defeat. He would rise again and again. Every time he was knocked down, Yuto would find the strength to get up.

"Just because that man is my father that I'll keep getting up and fighting," Yuto projected Kanshou and Bakuya, "I will reach you very soon, Archer."

"You want to reach me?" A grimace of disgust formed on Archer's face, while the image of his younger self invaded his mind. "As I thought you understood nothing," Archer said.

Did Yuto understand nothing about why that Holy Grail War had degenerated to that point? Maybe he didn't have the whole picture, but he understood enough. Fuyuki's destruction was linked to something much bigger because the Counter Force's rule was to kill a few to save many.

"I will show you what my life had been," Archer let Kanshou and Bakuya vanish, "I am the bone of my sword"

Yuto knew that that moment would come, almost hoping it would come; the moment when Archer would release his Noble Phantasm.

"Steel is my body and fire is my blood."

The magical energy exploded around Archer, the ground rippled and phantom flames came out of the cracks. Words of power that described Archer's life.

"I have created over a thousand blades"

Words of power describing Archer's life. His life had been saved by a sword, he had merged with it and lived as one.

"Unknown to Death,"

"Nor known to Life."

Archer no longer had any memory of the past, just some feeling. Yet, there was a memory that was still firmly in his mind, a memory that not even Archer could forget.

Flames as far as the eye can see and the smell of death everywhere. The desire to escape despair and the joy of seeing it fulfilled; finally, the expression of relief on Kiritsugo's face when he managed to save him. Gratitude for being rescued came later.