What could they possibly do to defeat that thing?
Controlling the mechanical body forged by Babbage, Gawain forced it upright once more, his mind clouded with confusion.
He had figured out a workaround for the shadow's absurd "Anti-Hope" ability—using a lifeless machine to bypass its effect radius. But what he hadn't expected was that even in pure hand-to-hand combat, that shadow could completely overpower the machine Babbage had painstakingly designed—a masterpiece of science and magecraft.
To fight that thing properly, one might need raw physical strength on par with Heracles himself... Though even putting aside whether a Berserker could pass the "anti-hope" check... could Heracles actually win?
Gawain wasn't so sure.
"Gawain, what should we do?"
Even Artoria was starting to lose her composure. She looked to Gawain, hoping for a plan.
"...We run."
After a few seconds of hesitation, Gawain replied plainly.
"If we can't beat it, we bail. No shame in that."
"Wha—?" Artoria blinked in disbelief, but Gawain had already maneuvered the iron body to stand in front of her.
"Our compatibility with this thing is terrible. The only ones who can even harm it are those who have completely given up hope in their own fate... but both you and I—holders and guardians of the Holy Sword—are symbols of hope. Fighting it head-on is nothing but suicide."
"I'll buy some time here. You three go regroup with Frankenstein and Jack, then retreat through the passage that leads back to reality."
"But—"
Artoria started to protest, but Gawain cut her off.
"Your attacks are useless against it. Staying here just makes you liabilities. Retreating now is the best move."
"Go. While I can still hold it back."
He spoke calmly.
"You know what I'm capable of. If it really comes down to it, I can still escape. Once you're all safe, I'll follow."
"...Alright."
Artoria sighed. She hated it, but she knew it was the best plan right now.
"Then be careful. I'll signal you once I'm out... make sure you come."
"I don't want to be separated from you again."
Gawain blinked, something in his gut twisting—but before he could say anything, Artoria had already turned away, dragging Bavanzi and Mordred with her. Both clearly wanted to say something to him—especially Mordred, who wore a particularly complicated expression.
But Artoria didn't give them the chance. She accelerated, and the three of them vanished into the void, flying toward the massive exit of the chasm.
"Well, then..."
Gawain turned his gaze back to the shadow now slowly advancing toward him.
"Looks like it's just the two of us now."
He was fully prepared to intercept it if it tried to chase after the others—but from start to finish, the shadow's eyes never left him.
"Figures. This thing really is only after me."
"Battle of wind and water, huh..."
"I wonder where the 'swordsmen of sun and moon' from the prophecy are hiding?"
Muttering to himself, Gawain activated the machine's steam vents. A roar of pressure launched the automaton toward the shadow. The massive hammer spun in its grip, whipping up a storm as it came crashing down once more.
And when the shadow deflected the hammer again, Gawain allowed the force to flow past him, using the momentum to spin the hammer full-circle and strike back even harder—faster, more violently.
Still a little clumsy, but for the first time, he began incorporating his "windmill sword style" into the automaton's movements. The hammer spun like a cyclone, dragging with it wild turbulence and whirlwinds.
At the same time, a great tide rose around the shadow, swept up by the raging wind, forming a maelstrom of wind and water.
Gales howled, shredding the mist and skies. Tidal waves crashed, pulverizing earth and stone.
The endless winds and boundless waters merged into destructive vortexes, threatening to swallow the entire battlefield.
As their battle raged on without restraint, the tower beneath them began to tremble—and soon reached its limit.
The foundation crumbled. The tower collapsed.
Gawain's heart jumped. Were Artoria and the others still inside?
Focusing his senses, he tapped into the contract he shared with Mordred—and felt her presence steadily retreating, nearing the exit that led toward the black star in the sky.
If Mordred had made it that far, then surely the others had too.
Reassured, Gawain ignored the water blast the shadow had launched at him, turning the automaton's side to take the hit. The massive frame was knocked back by the force and sent flying.
But Gawain merely smirked.
"Strong as hell, sure... but no brains. Still only thinking about killing me at a time like this."
He slammed a control lever forward.
Mid-flight, compressed air burst from the automaton's side, flipping it upright. It fired all remaining boosters in a single blast—riding the water's momentum straight toward the hole that had been blasted in the tower wall by the Holy Sword.
The tower might be collapsing, but only the clock tower base was falling apart. The body of Albion the Boundary Dragon remained intact—just plummeting slowly now, dragged by gravity.
The only way out before total collapse was through that hole.
And so, after confirming the others had escaped, Gawain decided there was no point continuing this grudge match.
He burst out of the tower—and glanced back just in time to see the shadow about to pursue him... only for the collapsing ceiling to smash down on it, burying it as it fell to the ground below.
"Later, sucker."
He jammed the throttle. Steam exploded from the boosters as the machine raced toward the entrance of Carcosa's reality portal.
There, a spiral mist passage stretched skyward—its base on the ground, its peak buried within the black star in the sky.
At the base, Artoria and the others were waiting anxiously—until they saw the massive machine approaching and waved frantically.
"Gawain! Over here!"
But the automaton didn't make it.
Its power failed mid-air, and it began to plummet.
"Master!" Mordred cried out and rushed to catch him—but before she could move, the armor over the machine's chest split from within, glowing with searing sword light.
Gawain leapt out, soaring over thirty meters before landing gracefully before them.
"Ah..."
Seeing him glowing with the Holy Sword in hand, Mordred scratched her head and awkwardly backed off. "Right. I forgot you're a badass knight now too."
"What about the shadow?" Artoria asked.
"I bought us some time. He'll be delayed a bit."
Without wasting a second, Gawain scooped up Jack and dashed toward the fog tunnel.
"Let's move!"
Artoria and Bavanzi finally relaxed. They followed close behind.
The spiral passage was impossibly tall, its other end embedded in the black star nearly 3,000 meters above ground—but everyone here was either a Servant or had similar physical prowess. Before long, they were halfway up.
That's when the water below began surging again.
Gawain looked down—only to see the shadow burst forth from Albion's wreckage, charging toward them once more.
The lake water followed, sweeping upward along the tunnel's exterior, speeding its approach.
It would catch them soon.
Thinking quickly, Gawain shoved Jack into Artoria's arms.
"You're the only one of us who can fly! Take her up—now!"
"Got it!"
No time to argue—Artoria flew upward, hurling Jack toward the black star at the last moment. Jack vanished inside.
Then Artoria turned and raced back down the tunnel.
"Fran and Bavanzi are slower—get them next!"
"Right!"
In rapid trips, Artoria flew down and carried both Frankenstein and Bavanzi into the black star one after another.
On her final return trip, only Gawain and Mordred remained—less than a few hundred meters from the top.
"I'm faster. I'll take Mordred next," Gawain said.
"Okay!"
But this time, just as Artoria grabbed Mordred and began to fly—
Mordred spoke.
"Father, don't you think... Gawain never intended to come with us?"
"Huh?"
Artoria froze, glancing back—
And in that instant, Mordred let go of her hand.
Grabbing her glowing Clarent with both hands, she swung it, slapping Artoria in the waist with the flat of the blade.
Artoria stared at her in shock.
"Mordred, you—"
"Sorry, Father."
Mordred said softly.
"But I'm the Rebel Knight."
"So doing something rebellious like this... is only natural, right?"
And with that, she kicked off from the black star's edge and dove back down—
Landing right beside a stunned Gawain.
"You... what's the meaning of this?" he blinked.
"What do you think?" Mordred rolled her eyes. "I just did what you were about to do anyway. Surprised?"