Crazy Britain:They’re All Raising Me

It was clear now—he was losing.

In the moment when their spears clashed, Cú Chulainn suddenly realized the truth.

Was there a sense of unwillingness?

He had thought that after surpassing his teacher, there would be no warrior in the world he couldn't defeat... but now, the person standing before him felt like an insurmountable mountain.

Even after receiving the blessings of the Holy Grail and the Celtic warriors filling an entire city, giving him another qualitative leap in strength, he still could not cross that mountain.

Too strong.

However, that sense of unwillingness was only theoretical. From a rational perspective, he should have felt that way. But now, Cú Chulainn no longer felt such emotions.

Not only unwillingness, but pain, regret, anger, joy... and the thrill of battle. He felt none of these things.

Now, he was merely a machine obeying Maeve's orders. She had wished upon the Holy Grail for him to become someone who could accept her, and thus, he had become like this... nothing more than that.

As a machine, he had given everything he had. If he still couldn't defeat his opponent, there was nothing he could do about it.

Perhaps dying by his opponent's spear wouldn't be such a bad thing. If it meant no longer being controlled by that vicious woman Maeve, it might be for the best.

—But even so, the mission assigned to this body had to be fulfilled.

In the heat of battle, Cú Chulainn made an effort to shift his attention to Maeve's situation. He saw that she had started fighting with Nocnare—but she was quickly losing ground.

—What a disgrace. This foolish woman, in terms of both military strategy as a queen and her approach to relationships, was being crushed by the opponent... she couldn't even handle herself in battle, she was like a pitiful clown.

With a sigh in his heart, Cú Chulainn moved, deliberately taking a hit from Guinevere's spear in order to create some distance between them. He rushed straight toward the battle between Nocnare and Maeve. Upon arriving, he swung his spear, forcibly pulling Nocnare into his own fight.

However, when he saw Maeve attempt to launch a vicious attack on Nocnare, Cú Chulainn grabbed her shoulder and threw her backward.

"Stop attacking! Foolish woman! Turn around and run now! Run as far as you can! I'll buy you time!"

At this moment, Guinevere quickly arrived at the battlefield. He swung his spear, once again smashing toward Cú Chulainn. Cú Chulainn raised his spear to block, but the wound from his previous confrontation with Guinevere slowed his movements, making him a fraction slower.

The spear infused with crimson lightning once again pierced his abdomen, the violent dragon thunder wreaking havoc inside his body, causing immense destruction.

There was no helping it. He had already been at a disadvantage in the fight against Guinevere. Even at his best, he could only maintain a stalemate. After he exposed his weakness earlier, Guinevere naturally seized the opportunity.

"Move!"

Cú Chulainn roared, abandoning defense. He launched a fierce attack toward Nocnare, forcing Guinevere to rush forward and intercept every strike.

—Maeve was certainly not going to escape. Cú Chulainn understood this.

After the main battlefield on his side fell, Maeve had lost any hope of competing for this land. No matter where she fled, she would eventually be found and killed by the enemy Servants. His actions were, at best, a futile struggle, just buying her some time to survive a little longer.

But since she had summoned him once more, and even wasted a precious wish on the Holy Grail to make him her man—though he wasn't too happy about it—Cú Chulainn would still do everything in his power for her.

However, Cú Chulainn had still underestimated Nocnare's strength. Though she was not a professional warrior, with Guinevere drawing the enemy's fire ahead, her support in the fight was still formidable.

Soon, under the combined onslaught of Guinevere and Nocnare, Cú Chulainn was quickly overwhelmed. After a misstep, Guinevere knocked away his Piercing Death Spear and aimed straight at his spiritual core.

—Tch. Is this the end?

Realizing that his struggle was in vain, Cú Chulainn clicked his tongue and closed his eyes, awaiting the fate of his shattered core.

Just then, the sound of rapid wheels and hooves echoed from behind him. Before Cú Chulainn could react, a chariot slammed into him. Maeve leaned out from the chariot, grabbed Cú Chulainn, and threw him behind her.

—Just as Cú Chulainn was about to be killed by Guinevere's spear, Maeve decisively summoned her Noble Phantasm, "Chariot My Love", and crashed back into the battlefield to save him.

However, as a result, it was Maeve who had to take the brunt of Guinevere's attack.

With a thunderous roar, the steel chariot was instantly shattered by the lightning, and Maeve's body was sent flying like a ragdoll. As she was about to hit the ground, Cú Chulainn rushed to catch her in his arms.

"Little Cú... I feel like I'm going to die... But... I'm happy I could save you..."

Maeve whispered faintly:

"Little Cú... Could you... compliment me?"

"...Are you an idiot? I told you I would cover for you. You just need to run." Looking at Maeve, who was fading and dissipating, Cú Chulainn sighed.

"Well, for you, doing this much is already good. As a queen, protecting your country and your warriors... If you really want to do something, you can do it."

"...I'm so happy. I've always wanted to hear your praise. As long as I hear this, I'm satisfied."

Although her life was quickly nearing its end, Maeve's eyes shone with a light she had never known before. She gently extended her hand and brushed Cú Chulainn's face.

"You... finally became—mine."

"The Holy Grail... it's yours now. With the Holy Grail, you should be able to win, right?"

With those final words, Maeve's hand fell limp, and her spiritual core finally shattered, turning into a shower of golden light, leaving only the Holy Grail glowing faintly in Cú Chulainn's hand.

He stood there for a few seconds, staring at the Holy Grail, before carefully placing it into his possession. He then stood up, gripping his spear once more and turning to face Guinevere.

"Not going to take the opportunity to strike?"

"No need," Guinevere shook his head. "I'll let you say a proper goodbye to her."

"Heh, you've got a good heart. If it weren't for this situation, I might've been interested in being friends with you." Cú Chulainn shook his head.

"Honestly, I never seem to have luck with good women. They always leave so quickly... On the other hand, bad women just keep coming my way. Take Maeve, for instance. She's more tangled than thorns."

Muttering under his breath, Cú Chulainn tightened his grip on the Holy Grail.

"Honestly... just when this woman finally became a good one, she just disappears with a satisfied smile."

With that, he clenched the Holy Grail tightly. At the same time, he activated his other Noble Phantasm—Curruid Coinchenn.

A thick crimson mist enveloped his body, and when it dissipated, his appearance had dramatically changed—his arms and head were covered in sinister black-red armor, sharp blood-red horns protruding from his helmet. He resembled a demonic form, and his spear had vanished, replaced by massive blood-red claws.

—Curruid Coinchenn.

This was the furious rage of Cú Chulainn, where the exoskeleton of the Red Sea Beast, Curruid, temporarily materialized as armor to cover his body. While wearing this equipment, his durability and strength increased, with his strength rising to EX level.

"Even in this state, I probably still can't beat you... but since that foolish woman Maeve is dead, you'll have to let me vent my anger."

Cú Chulainn raised his claws.

"You'd better not give me the chance to completely tear you apart!"

In the next instant, the crimson shadow lunged at Guinevere, its claws tearing through the air, heading straight for his face. Guinevere reacted in time, blocking with his spear, but the immense force behind the strike sent him stumbling back.

"Stronger again, huh... Fine, Nocnare, step back!"

Watching the maddened Cú Chulainn charging toward him, Guinevere's battle intent soared.

"Let me give him a proper fight!"

"Noble Phantasm, all out! —Invincible Dragon Slayer Hero!"

And then, his ultimate strength unlocked, his skills maxed out.

Class chosen: Lancer, Saber, Berserker, gaining skills Sixfold Spear, Supreme Art, and Endless Frenzy.

After that, words were unnecessary.

Only battle remained!

.......................

—The remaining Servants on the battlefield watched as the two fought an unprecedented duel.

While their battle wasn't filled with massive magical explosions like the mythic battle between Karna and Arjuna, it was far more shocking.

Because in this fight, these two warriors relied entirely on physical combat, achieving results akin to those of magic.

With Maeve's infusion of the power of the Celtic warriors, Cú Chulainn's strength now surpassed that of the original mythic version, even surpassing the Mad King who defeated Karna and outmatched Scathach. Now, the only one who could face him one-on-one was Guinevere.

The two figures tore through Washington's streets at supersonic speeds, creating a tornado of destruction that shattered buildings along the way. They didn't pick their battlegrounds. Any unfortunate building caught in the battle's wake was reduced to rubble in an instant.

As their battle continued, from city to desert, then to a battlefield with Demon God Pillars and Servants, and then down to the earth's crust itself... Their fight left nothing but destruction in its wake.

Finally, after battling from noon to sunset, and then through the night, one of them exhausted every ounce of strength and was pierced by the spear, pinned to the ground.

"...Looks like I've won," Guinevere said, looking down at the completely spent Cú Chulainn.