Cursed Energy gathered at Ryu Ishigori's head.
His hair, styled like a cannon muzzle, shot out Cursed Energy blasts like a real cannon.
Artoria raised her sword to parry.
Under the dual weakening effects of Magic Resistance and Mana Burst, Ryu Ishigori's cannon fire greatly reduced in power.
Artoria exerted force with her hand, directly deflecting Ryu Ishigori's cannon fire.
Explosions erupted around Artoria again and again.
'Is this guy attacking the Cursed Spirits along with me?'
Artoria noticed that Ryu Ishigori was different from Uro Takako, who had been ruthless just now.
Ryu Ishigori still had a bit of chivalry.
"Let me eat my fill, Saber!" Ryu Ishigori shouted excitedly.
A powerful blast of cannon fire shot towards Artoria.
Mana Burst.
Because Ryu Ishigori's indiscriminate cannon fire had cleared out many of the Cursed Spirits around Artoria.
Artoria could now engage him in a cannon battle, just as Ryu Ishigori desired.
The cannon fire from both sides collided in mid-air.
'This guy's charge-up time is even shorter than mine, yet he can suppress my cannon fire?'
Ryu Ishigori was surprised by Artoria's strength, and an even more excited smile appeared on his face.
Both simultaneously poured power into their cannon fire.
The golden cannon fire quickly overwhelmed Ryu Ishigori's Cursed Energy blast.
The two stood facing each other.
"Did you... often go hungry during your lifetime?"
Although she felt it was a strange question to ask on a battlefield, Artoria still asked it.
"Huh?" Ryu Ishigori clearly hadn't expected Artoria to ask this question.
But he still seriously answered Artoria's question.
"I can't say often, just that I've never truly eaten my fill even once."
Ryu Ishigori pulled out a lighter and lit a cigarette for himself.
"My first life was actually pretty good. I met a good woman, had a decent family, and fought against spirited opponents..."
"That kind of life was good, but if I had to say, there was one regret..."
Ryu Ishigori exhaled a smoke ring.
"The fullest I ever ate in my first life only reached 'eight-tenths full,' you see."
A flicker of memory crossed Ryu Ishigori's eyes.
"Although everyone around me said, 'You're like this, what more could you be unsatisfied with?' But that feeling of being neither here nor there is the most uncomfortable, Saber."
Ryu Ishigori held up the cigarette, showing it to Artoria.
"Just like this thing called a cigarette, there's a hint of sweetness at the end, but there was no such sweetness in my life."
Ryu Ishigori stared intently at Artoria.
"I see, I understand you."
Artoria nodded earnestly at Ryu Ishigori.
"Eh? You too?"
Ryu Ishigori was a bit surprised. In his first life, everyone always looked at him with an expression of "What could you possibly be troubled by, being like this?"
This was the first time he had met someone who said they understood him.
"It was also very difficult for me to eat my fill even once during my lifetime, so I understand you."
Artoria nodded solemnly.
Artoria's lifetime was an era filled with war and famine.
In that era, it was not easy for Artoria to completely satisfy her royal appetite even once.
Coupled with the fact that Britain was truly not skilled in cuisine, many things were truly difficult to swallow.
This is also why Artoria became so passionate about food after being summoned, as if she could never eat her fill.
Ryu Ishigori looked at Artoria's serious expression in surprise, then showed an excited look.
'Yes, such a strong person must have been even lonelier than me in her lifetime. I never found an opponent who could make me eat my fill in my entire life, let alone her.'
At this moment, Ryu Ishigori felt as if he had found a kindred spirit.
Two people, whose wavelengths were slightly off, unexpectedly connected on the topic of "not eating their fill."
"Now, let us fight with all our might!" Ryu Ishigori looked at Artoria with an incredibly eager gaze.
'Here it comes!'
Artoria's eyes sharpened, and she held her Holy Sword horizontally in front of her.
Bang.
Ryu Ishigori's fist landed on the Holy Sword.
Traces of blood flowed from Ryu Ishigori's fist.
Ryu Ishigori shifted his stance, using his height advantage to turn and deliver an elbow strike towards Artoria's head.
Artoria raised her right arm and blocked it.
'So solid, it's hard to imagine such power coming from a young girl. It feels like hitting a Dragon.'
Ryu Ishigori was incredibly shocked.
Artoria swung her sword with her left hand, and Ryu Ishigori immediately jumped back to create distance.
Ryu Ishigori had already experienced the sharpness of the Holy Sword just now.
Ryu Ishigori's fists were large; it was no exaggeration to say they were the size of stew pots.
In that punch that just hit the sword, his index and pinky fingers were only slightly touched by the blade and suffered considerable damage.
So Ryu Ishigori knew that he absolutely could not be cut by the Holy Sword.
Artoria raised her Holy Sword and fiercely attacked Ryu Ishigori.
Ryu Ishigori, on the other hand, constantly looked for opportunities to counterattack, relying on the arm length advantage provided by his height.
From time to time, he would also intersperse a spontaneously fired Cursed Energy blast.
The aftermath of their battle obliterated all the Cursed Spirits that came near them.
In the sky.
Uro Takako, who had struggled for a long time but still couldn't shake off Louis's entanglement, finally chose to confront her head-on.
Uro Takako pulled her legs towards her abdomen to reduce her exposed surface area.
Her hands, one in front and one behind, pulled and twisted the space around her.
By reducing her exposed surface area, she could fully protect herself with her Technique and also slightly reduce the consumption of Cursed Spirits.
The storm was thrown back by Uro Takako in Louis's direction.
Louis immediately spat out wind bullets to disperse the storm.
Uro Takako took the opportunity to get above Louis, grabbing with both hands, attempting to control Louis.
Suddenly, a high-pressure water jet flew from the ground, forcing Uro Takako to abandon the idea of severely injuring Louis with Ugyo Rodan.
Uro Takako glared resentfully at Eichi, who stood on the ground with his hands clasped together.
'Indeed, the best way to deal with a Shikigami user is to directly attack the Shikigami user himself, but...'
She glanced at Louis, who was still tangling with her.
Then she looked at the shadows behind Eichi, from which Rabbit Escape continuously emerged.
Uro Takako was truly afraid that if she rushed over, a Mahoraga might suddenly jump out of the shadows and strike her with a sword.
As Uro Takako, who had 'communicated' with Mahoraga through a beating and ended up with dozens of broken bones throughout her body, Mahoraga had left her with some psychological trauma.
'No, I can't shake it off.'
Uro Takako was caught by Louis again.
'This Shikigami's speed in the air is greater than mine. This won't do; I have to take a gamble.'
Thinking this, Uro Takako's Cursed Energy suddenly spread outwards.
Then Uro Takako rapidly descended.
All the Cursed Spirits commanded by Tamamo-no-Mae to obey Uro Takako converged towards Uro Takako's direction.
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