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Fate/Dragon Ball Wars 14
🕑 Added 2024-06-19 15:31:17 +0000 UTCChapter 14: Berserker’s Rampage
"Berserker?!"
Saber's emerald eyes narrowed as Assassin's startled cry pierced the tense atmosphere. Her gaze snapped towards the newcomer, who had materialized with a thundering thud moments ago.
The figure before her was an imposing sight. He was clad in an armor of unknown material, its dark surface glinting ominously under the dying sunlight.
A massive, double-edged sword, easily dwarfing Saber's own holy blade in size, was planted firmly in the earth beside him. The very air around him seemed to crackle with a gloomy aura, and the ground still vibrated faintly from the tremor his arrival caused.
This, undoubtedly, was the source of the earlier disturbance.
Even from a distance, Saber could feel a raw, untamed power radiating from the Berserker. His very presence instilled a sense of foreboding, a primal fear that sent shivers down her spine. This Servant promised a formidable challenge just by his imposing stature and aura he exuded.
A tense silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the ragged gasps of Assassin, who was slowly regaining his composure after the Berserker's sudden appearance. The newcomer remained impassive, his face obscured by the shadows cast by his helmet.
Without a word of warning, the Berserker lunged towards his massive sword. His movements, despite the immense size of the weapon, displayed an unexpected agility. With a single, powerful heave, he ripped the sword from the ground.
Whoosh!
A fierce gust of wind erupted from the sudden movement, whipping Saber's golden hair around her face and momentarily obscuring her vision. Assassin, caught off guard by the Berserker's swift action, instinctively ducked behind a nearby boulder for cover.
Saber, regaining her composure, raised her holy sword, Excalibur, in a defensive stance.
"Do you really intend to interfere in my duel with Assassin? Do you intend to fight us both?"
She boomed, her voice laced with a mixture of anger and cautious curiosity.
The Berserker made no reply.
Instead, he swung the colossal sword in a wide arc, the movement generating a deafening whoosh that sent shivers down Saber's spine.
Despite the weapon's immense size, his attack was surprisingly swift, a testament to his raw power and surprising dexterity.
Clang!
With a resounding clash, the Berserker's dark blade met Saber's holy Excalibur. A dazzling shower of sparks erupted from the point of contact, momentarily illuminating the clearing in a blinding flash. The force of the impact was phenomenal. The ground beneath Saber's feet cracked and buckled, threatening to swallow her whole.
'What tremendous strength!'
A startled thought echoed in Saber's mind. Never before had she encountered an opponent who could easily overpower her.
For the first time in her illustrious career as a knight, a flicker of doubt ignited within her. Could she even hold her ground against this monstrous adversary?
Suddenly, a sharp cry pierced the din of battle.
"Saber! Don't look at his sword!"
Assassin, having recovered from the Berserker's initial onslaught, scrambled to his feet and bellowed the warning at the top of his lungs.
"What?"
Saber's emerald eyes flickered towards Assassin for a fleeting moment, momentarily distracted by his urgent cry. But in that split second, she caught a glimpse of the Berserker's weapon.
A swirling vortex of purple-black aura enveloped the blade, coalescing into a menacing crimson eye that pulsed with an otherworldly malevolence.
'Is this... the resentment and anger of a dragon?' A jolt of primal fear coursed through Saber's veins as she recognized the malevolent energy emanating from the "Dragon Eye."
The sheer power and malice contained within it momentarily froze her body, rendering her temporarily defenceless.
At the same time, the massive sword descended upon Saber with terrifying momentum.
"Crap!"
The strangled curse echoed on her lips as the weight of the impending blow settled on her shoulders. If she took this hit head-on, even her formidable armor wouldn't be enough to prevent serious injuries.
Clang!
Just as the Berserker's blade seemed poised to cleave through her defenses, a resounding clang erupted in the air. With a desperate lunge, Kenshin, the enigmatic figure known as Assassin, had interposed himself between Saber and the monstrous weapon. In his hands, though, were not the twin blades Saber had seen him wield earlier, but a single, jagged sword, its companion reduced to a makeshift scabbard.
"Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu! Double Dragon Flash!"
Kenshin roared, his voice a powerful counterpoint to the screech of metal on metal. The broken blade in his hand, imbued with the legacy of his deadly swordsmanship style, lashed out in a ferocious double strike, connecting squarely with the Berserker's helmet.
The impact, though unable to pierce the Berserker's impenetrable armor, was enough to achieve the impossible. The sheer force of the blows, delivered with Kenshin's superhuman agility, momentarily staggered the hulking figure, forcing him to retract the massive sword just inches from Saber's head.
"Thank you, Assassin!"
Saber exclaimed, her voice laced with relief and a touch of surprise. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat echoing the near-death experience she'd just narrowly escaped.
Without Kenshin's timely intervention, the blow she'd braced for would have undoubtedly left her grievously wounded. That monstrous sword imbued with an otherworldly power, would have torn through her defenses with horrifying ease.
As the adrenaline subsided, Saber noticed a new detail. The broken sword clutched tightly in Kenshin's hand, already a testament to a previous battle, now sported a network of fresh cracks and spider webbing across its surface.
"Were you also fighting Berserker earlier?"
Saber blurted out, instantly comprehending the reason behind the state of Kenshin's weapon.
"Though it wasn't my intention, yeah. He was my opponent before our battle. And since the brute seems to have a particular interest in both of us, I have no choice but to cooperate for now."
Saber nodded curtly, her emerald eyes gleaming with newfound respect. Kenshin, despite their initial clash, had proven himself to be a formidable ally.
He could have chosen to watch her fall, leaving him to face the Berserker alone, but instead, he'd risked his own life to intervene. It was a decision that spoke volumes about his character.
He wasn't just a ruthless assassin; there was a sliver of honor that shone beneath the surface.
"We'll settle our match after we take down Berserker."
Saber declared, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. This turn of events, while unexpected, wasn't entirely unwelcome.
She admired those with integrity, and Kenshin's actions undeniably earned her respect.
From his earlier rescue to his current willingness to cooperate, it was clear that Assassin wasn't a mindless killer. His attempt on his Master's life, she reasoned, was likely a consequence of his duty, a twisted loyalty to a hidden agenda.
Perhaps, there was more to him than met the eye.
"Be careful, he's coming!" Kenshin hissed, his voice barely audible above the pounding of his heart. His nerves were stretched taut, every muscle coiled like a viper ready to strike.
Woosh!
A blur of black and metal filled their vision as the Berserker launched himself forward with a guttural roar.
With a single, earth-shaking leg push-off, he propelled himself towards Saber and Kenshin like a human battering ram. His massive sword, held aloft in a two-handed grip, arced through the air in a devastating horizontal swing.
Saber's eyes narrowed. This wasn't just a reckless brute force attack; the Berserker seemed to be aiming to cleave them both down in one fell swoop.
With a warrior's instincts kicking in, she surged forward, her holy blade Excalibur held high in a defensive stance. Her feet dug into the earth, anchoring her body against the impending impact.
Screech!
The deafening clash of metal on metal tore through the air as Excalibur met the Berserker's monstrous sword.
The sheer force of the blow sent a shockwave through Saber's body, propelling her several meters sideways despite her braced stance.
The ground beneath her feet protested with a shower of loose earth, barely holding firm against the Berserker's raw power.
'For a Berserker, this strength is abnormal!'
A startled thought echoed in her mind. Even with her unmatched skill and the legendary Excalibur, she was being pushed back by the sheer brutality of the Berserker's attack.
This wasn't just a warrior fueled by rage but a force of nature unleashed, a weapon of destruction given human form.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Berserker's assault, Kenshin executed a well-practiced dodge. He rolled beneath the sweeping sword, narrowly avoiding its deadly edge. As the Berserker continued his momentum, Kenshin seized the opportunity. With a swift movement, he lunged forward, the broken sword in his hand replaced by the makeshift scabbard.
As an assassin, Kenshin knew precisely where to inflict the most damage. While his broken blade wouldn't be able to pierce the Berserker's thick armor, a well-placed strike to a vulnerable joint could disrupt his attack. He targeted the Berserker's knee joint, aiming to cripple his movement and buy them some precious time.
"Sh!"
But just as Kenshin's makeshift weapon was about to connect, a sudden change in the Berserker's actions caught him off guard.
In a lightning-fast motion, the Berserker released his hold on the massive sword.
With a roar that echoed like thunder, he reached into the unseen and produced a gleaming golden spear.
The spear, imbued with an otherworldly energy, pulsed with a faint golden light as he thrust it forward with deadly intent, aiming it straight at Kenshin's forehead.
'No way!'
A panicked thought flashed through Kenshin's mind. Reacting with the honed reflexes of a seasoned assassin, he twisted his body sideways in a desperate last-ditch effort to evade the spear.
The maneuver saved him from a potentially fatal blow, but it also forced him to abandon his own attack. He had dodged a spear to the head, but the close call sent a jolt of adrenaline through his system.
Had he hesitated for even a moment, or been a hair's breadth slower, the spear would have found its mark.
Unlike the scabbard, which would have likely done little more than annoy the Berserker, a direct hit from the spear could have easily spelled his demise.
"Such quick reflexes!"
Saber remarked, a hint of grudging respect lacing her voice.
Even as she battled the Berserker herself, she couldn't help but be impressed by his ability to counterattack so quickly, especially against the formidable agility of an Assassin.
For a creature seemingly driven by pure rage, the Berserker displayed a surprising level of tactical awareness.
'A sword filled with the dragon's resentment. A golden spear. Does he possess multiple Noble Phantasms?'
A question mark formed above Saber's head as she watched the Berserker with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation.
While it wasn't unheard of for Servants to possess multiple Noble Phantasms, powerful weapons tied to their legends, such abilities were usually restricted to their class.
Simply put, a Saber primarily wielded swords, an Archer used bows, a Lancer wielded spears, and a Rider typically possessed some form of mount.
A Servant capable of wielding both a massive sword and a golden spear with such ease was something she'd never encountered before.
"Discarding the great sword to fight us with a spear, do you consider yourself a Lancer?"
Saber called out, more to herself than to the Berserker. The lack of response from the hulking figure only fueled her.
And soon, Saber would have a chilling testament to the Berserker's terrifying prowess.
Swish!
Clang!
With a battle cry that echoed through the clearing, the Berserker launched into a relentless assault. The golden spear, transformed from his massive sword with an unnatural fluidity, was a blur of deadly intent in his grip. He wielded it with a ferocity that belied his hulking stature, unleashing a relentless barrage of attacks with a speed and precision that left Saber reeling.
'This spear technique?'
A bewildered thought echoed in her mind. The Berserker's movements, though brutal, were far from chaotic. He fought with a practiced grace that defied his monstrous appearance, his every thrust, jab, sweep, and strike executed with the deadly efficiency of a seasoned spear master. Saber, forced on the defensive, struggled to keep pace with his relentless onslaught. Her movements, honed through countless battles, felt sluggish and inadequate against the Berserker's whirlwind of attacks.
A searing pain erupted on her cheek, drawing a sharp gasp from her lips. One of the Berserker's lightning-fast thrusts had found its mark, carving a shallow cut across her face. Blood welled up, staining her lips with a metallic tang.
Just as Saber felt the tide turning against her, a welcome distraction materialized. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Kenshin launching a desperate counterattack.
“Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu! Earth Dragon Flash!”
With a mighty shout, he slammed his makeshift scabbard into the ground, unleashing a powerful technique from his Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu style. A fierce blast of compressed air and earth erupted from the point of impact, rolling towards the Berserker in a churning wave.
The sudden attack caught the Berserker off guard, momentarily disrupting his relentless assault. The force of the attack slammed into his back, sending a tremor through his massive frame and forcing him to stumble forward a few steps.
This unexpected intervention bought Saber a precious window of opportunity.
Seizing the reprieve, Saber retreated, putting some much-needed distance between herself and the Berserker. As she caught her breath, wiping the blood from her injured cheek, a new wave of astonishment washed over her.
She had anticipated facing a rampaging brute, a Berserker fueled by mindless rage. Instead, she found herself staring down a dual threat: a terrifying warrior wielding a massive sword with devastating strength, and a master of the spear with an uncanny skill that rivaled even her own mastery of swordsmanship.
But even as she grappled with this unexpected revelation, both she and Kenshin froze, their eyes widening in disbelief. The Berserker, seemingly unfazed by Kenshin's attack, had raised his weapon once more.
Yet, in his hand wasn't the golden spear. In its place was an ancient, ornate grimoire, its weathered leather cover adorned with strange, glowing runes that pulsed with an otherworldly light.
"His weapon changed again?!"
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Explanation:
The protagonist of Final Fantasy XIV, known as the “Warrior of Light” or “Light-kun,” is often affectionately nicknamed “Light Dumb” due to his early, somewhat vacant expressions. Initially, he could only convey emotions by nodding or shaking their head. However, after journeying through the epic storyline, the Warrior of Light's combat prowess became undeniably apparent.
He has accomplished extraordinary feats: slaying an evil dragon, aiding in the restoration of a kingdom, conquering a powerful empire, and vanquishing threats on a cosmic scale—achievements so numerous that detailing them all briefly would be impossible.
A defining trait of the Warrior of Light is their unparalleled mastery of various weapons. They wield greatswords, katanas, spears, guns, cannons, grimoires, staves, cards, scythes, fist weapons, axes, and even fishing rods with exceptional skill. Among these, when he brandishes a spear, he is revered as the “Azure Dragoon.” Conversely, when he grips a greatsword, they are known as the formidable “Dark Knight.”
