The King of the Grail's Fate (Fate/Nasuverse)

Chapter LXXXII: Draw

"J-Jalter," Harrison stuttered as he looked on at the woman with long flowing golden hair blue curious eyes, and cloth as white as snow complemented by the silver armor that hugged her waist, legs, and arms. Joan (Jeanne I am just going to use more English spelling from now on) nodded as she planted her flag into the ground next to her. "I am the same person you know Sir Righter, just different," she said as she unsheathed her rapier. "One more thing, I am pretty sure I won't be able to beat him by myself, so Sir Righter, please be careful," she said interesting was that she said to be careful instead of asking for help. Harrison's mind was doing flips at the moment as it struggled to make true heads or tails of anything. That is until he heard, "Ku no kata: Kudaridzuki - Renmen," from Michikatsu. 

Suddenly multiple slashes both horizontal and vertical came spiraling towards them, Joan only held her rapier outstretched a severe lack of panic on her face. "Jū Ichi no kata: Nagi," she spoke simply and in an instant, the crest moon slashes exploded violently as Joan took a simple step forward. "You are interesting, to say the least, changing form and breathing what a swordsman, maybe I shall try and remember your face," Michikatsu taunted his eyes flicking around absorbing information from all around him. In fact, Michikatsu moved his blade upwards towards his neck before Joan even made her next move. "Ichi no kata: Shiranui," she called out with rage in her heart this time as her stance and grip changed momentarily. Harrison had seen this technique before, and this time he caught it when Joan dashed with inhumane speed as a blaze of fire slashed at Michikatsu's neck. 

Of course, he blocked it however what was interesting was despite the fact he blocked the strike seemed to burn the flesh of his neck. Joan's momentum carried her behind the enemy servant as she spun to face him again her eyes lit a flame with purpose. As Michikatsu raised his blade again Harrison saw it, his mystic eyes were able to see it the moment his moon breathing started. If I can get close enough I can kill his breathing before he starts it we might have a chance. Harrison dropped into his most agile pose ready to pounce at any moment his knife held forward and ready to strike. 

Michikatsu lunged at Joan striking downward on her blade creating a small crater under her because of the impact force. Grimacing flames spread from Joan's gritted teeth as she held the blade strong. With a strong turn of the hips, she whipped around and struck Michikatsu in the ribs with enough force to send him flying backward slightly. "YES THAT IS IT, STRUGGLE LIKE THE PATHETIC SWORDSMAN YOU ARE," he taunted egging Joan on further. Yet her rage was controlled and managed as a fire burned brightly inside her. 

The two of them met blades again the speed and strength that they clashed with were unreal to Harrison, it was completely different than any sword fighting he had seen previously. While Michikatsu used wide arching moon breathing techniques, Joan was able to switch between different forms, from flame, to water, and thunder allowing her to narrowly stay ahead of Michikatsu's wild strikes. The area around them slowly crumbled under the weight of their ferocious slashes.

However, whenever Harrison went to move with the intent to harm Michikatsu he always managed to glare at him as if letting him know he had not forgotten about him, no matter how preoccupied he seemed. "Ichi no kata: Hekireki Issen Shinsoku," Joan calls out dropping into a very familiar stance to even Harrison, as lighting erupts all around her. With a loud boom, she struck Michikatsu knocking him off balance with the ferocity of the attack as she seemingly moved faster than the speed of sound itself. However, as she pressed her blade against Michikatsu, the lighting sputtered out before being consumed by flames, "San no kata: Kien Banshō," she called out as she dragged her sword down causing an arching chasm of flames to rip their way through Michikatsu.

Harrison looked around him for anything and found the flag Joan had stabbed into the ground near him. His circuits flared to life as he pumped all the mana he could into his strengthening magecraft. Grabbing the flag he did something he himself could explain. Like the famous hero from Ulster, he leaped into the air before throwing the make-shift spear with all his might, Michikatsu looked to where the strike was coming from but there would be no way for him to defend against Joan's blade and the flag coming towards him at incredible speed. So he extended his free hand as the flag impacted it pinning his body to the floor.

Harrison landed and ran forward with a burst of speed holding his knife ready. "Jū Roku no kata: Gekkō - Katawaredzuki," Michikatsu called out, but it was too late Harrison already knew what he was looking for. Despite this Joan still moved to defend not knowing Harrison's plan causing her to step off balance slightly and stumble backward. Harrison cut across Michikatsu's chest and the growing crescent moons from his blades stopped. However, Michikatsu was still a swordsman even without breathing, and managed to trip Harrison before slamming his sword through Harrison's back instantly making Harrison's world go dark.

Joan recovered seemingly instantly after the shock of the strike her face laden with a lack of emotion or thought. For the first time, Michikatsu saw something he thought he'd never see again, his brother. In the brief moment of fear, Jeanne D'arc took on the appearance of someone greater, and she struck with everything she could. "Heki-ra no Ten," she mouthed the words as the very sky above became clear. The whirling air of the day halted. The very Earth itself seemed to halt. Flames erupted from all sides around Michikatsu's neck, not the flames that burned, but flames that ragged with the ferocity of the very Sun. Yet he still smiled, "Holy Maiden I believe this makes it a draw," he said as he slid into unconsciousness.

Joan looked up to the sun that was burning brightly in the now clear sky. As her form returned to normal shifting back to Jalter she reached down to pull Michikatsu's blade from her gut. "I guess it does," she said as she herself slipped into unconsciousness.