Shinji Matou At Your Service - Chapter 484: Red and Black Showdown · Surpassing Previous Strength

After such a prolonged and grueling battle, Karna had discerned Vlad III’s weakness—martial skills.

Strictly speaking, Vlad III was not a combat-oriented servant. Compared to one-on-one duels, he excelled more in leading troops into battle. Though his combat prowess as a general, commander was competent, it was worlds apart from the apex of numerous heroes like the grand hero Karna, who possessed Uncrowned Martial Arts.

In a face-to-face sword fight under equal conditions, Vlad III would likely be killed by Karna in just a few rounds—just like how Shinji was thrashed by Karna in their initial spear fight.

Having watched the live battles between Shinji and Karna, as well as Siegfried and Karna, Vlad III was aware of the disparity in their martial prowess. Therefore, he adopted a strategy similar to Shinji’s: maintaining a distance and launching relentless attacks with his overwhelming number of stakes, aiming to exhaust Karna.

Karna’s approach mirrored his initial battle strategy: constantly finding ways to close the distance. Once the gap was bridged, the outcome was inevitable.

Now, the opportunity had finally arrived.

Still enveloped in flames, Karna suddenly lunged forward—paying no heed to the damage from the stakes and fire—delivering a fierce thrust towards his opponent’s shoulder.

This spear strike, like a flash of golden light, was executed with such speed that it was almost imperceptible.

This strike encapsulated the essence of Karna’s martial prowess, a move that even gods would not underestimate.

Karna was confident that if this strike hit its mark, it would alter the battle and potentially the entire red-black showdown.

Yes, if it hit.

However—this strike did not hit.

Karna’s fiercely determined thrust, an attack exchanged for significant injuries, was blocked at the last moment by an unremarkable spear.

“Do not underestimate me, invader!”

Vlad III’s face was twisted with bulging veins, appearing incredibly menacing, like a demon from hell.

An exaggeratedly immense power surged down his arm, through the spear, and the clashing spearheads, crashing towards Karna like an avalanche.

An unmistakable look of astonishment crossed Karna’s normally serene face as he was forced to retreat.

Yes, one of the apex combat heroes, Karna, was repelled by Vlad III, who was not known for his martial prowess.

With just one spear strike.

Using no special techniques.

Using no abilities or Noble Phantasms.

With no aid from others.

Simply through sheer physical strength, he overwhelmed Karna, who wielded a divine spear with Mana Burst · Flame fully activated. Even the metallic warhorse beneath Karna was deformed by this immense power, losing its mobility.

This is not something difficult to comprehend once you look at the attribute panel of this black Berserker.

Class: Berserker

Faction: Black

Master: Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia

True Name: Vlad III

Gender: Male

Height/Weight: 191 cm / 86 kg

Attribute: Lawful Neutral

Parameters:

Strength: EX

Endurance: EX

Agility: A

Mana: A

Luck: D

Noble Phantasm: A

Class Skills:

Mad Enhancement: EX

Normally, Mad Enhancement causes a loss of most rationality in exchange for enhanced parameters. However, Vlad III is an exception; despite being a Berserker, he can still think normally, and converse, and his wish for the Holy Grail remains unchanged. That said, a significantly skilled Master is required to handle this extraordinarily powerful Servant.

Personal Skills:

Demonic Defender of the State: EX

By securing the ley lines in advance, he can turn a specific area into his “territory.” Within this territory, Vlad III, as a king, receives combat support equivalent to an A-rank “Mad Enhancement” in the Berserker class. His Noble Phantasm, Kazikli Bey, can only be used within the territory established by this skill.

Battle Continuation: A

The ability to survive and retreat from battle, or to reach one’s camp even in the face of defeat. During the defense against the Turkish invasion, Vlad III never gave up, no matter how dire the situation.

Protection of the Faith: A+++

A skill possessed only by those who have sacrificed themselves for their religious beliefs. Though called protection, it does not grant blessings from a supreme being. Instead, it represents absolute confidence in one’s spirit and body. At excessively high levels, it can cause personality abnormalities.

The last two skills are not relevant for now, as Vlad III has not been defeated, and Karna does not possess mind-affecting abilities. The key points are the EX-ranked “Demonic Defender of the State” and the EX-ranked “Mad Enhancement.”

Vlad III was summoned two months in advance. During this time, he traversed the entire area, ensuring all ley lines were under his control, turning the entire Trifas region into his territory. In this territory, he receives a boost comparable to an A-rank “Mad Enhancement.”

You should know that Lancelot’s D-rank “Mad Enhancement” increases all parameters except Luck and Mana by one rank. So what about A-rank? Not to mention that Vlad III’s class is Berserker, and he possesses an EX-rank “Mad Enhancement” that surpasses the A-rank.

With all these enhancements, Vlad III’s parameters have been elevated to a terrifying level, far beyond the reach of top-tier martial Servants from the Age of Myth like Karna and Achilles. (Karna: Strength B, Endurance C, Agility A; Achilles: Strength B+, Endurance A, Agility A+).

Every martial artist knows that all techniques are meaningless in the face of absolute power. Though Vlad III’s physical abilities are enough to overwhelm Karna’s supreme martial arts, defeating him won’t be easy for Karna.

“My name is Vlad the Impaler, the lord of this land. I will not spare any invader!”

Successfully repelling and neutralizing the crisis posed by Karna, Vlad III tapped the ground with his spear. This simple action created a large pit in the ground, comparable to the impact of a punch from the monstrous Spartacus, causing Karna to frown.

What’s even more troublesome is that the stakes he had painstakingly burned down began to emerge again continuously from the ground, as if inexhaustible. This meant that the hard-won advantage Karna had gained was completely negated, and he was now carrying injuries that couldn’t be healed quickly.

“Die, Red Lancer!”

As he spoke, Vlad III’s body was already enveloped by layers of stakes, and more stakes surged toward Karna like a raging torrent.

Realizing the unfavorable turn of events, Karna’s expression instead returned to calm.

He had led a legendary life, overcoming countless challenges, especially in his final battle. Deceived by Indra for giving up the golden armor that granted him immortality, cursed in various ways, and losing all his comrades, Karna never wavered even when fighting alone.

That spirit, that valor, that nobility shocked Indra, the god of thunder who orchestrated it all and filled Karna’s arch-rival, his half-brother Arjuna, with an inexplicable dread and admiration. Ultimately, driven by various factors, Arjuna shot Karna from behind while he was lifting his chariot wheel stuck in the ground.

Compared to that, what did this current predicament amount to?

This level of power disparity, this degree of despair—if he couldn’t endure it, what right did he have to call himself a hero?

The flames of the sun swirled, entwining around the Immortal blade, shattering and burning the approaching stakes.

Come, lord of Romania, only one of us will leave this place alive!