Grand Foreigner (Chapters 1- 200)

Chapter 12

Sounds of clashing swords resounded in the room.

Strike. Strike. Another strike.

Arthuria's blade rushed forward towards Mashu but she nevertheless , managed at the last second, twisting her body to the limit to get her shield before the attack.

From a collision of the narrow strip of steel of a blade with a monolithic shield, Mashu swayed, feeling her hands flinch from the force of the blow. Although Arthuria did not even try to hit with her full force. Unlike the Arthuria's sword, Mashu's shield was not an offensive weapon. She also had little battle experience and there was no opening for her to attack. But she still tried.

With her huge shield blocking Arthuria's blade, Mashu rushed forward unarmed, with her bare fists. Unfortunately she no longer had the opportunity to attack Saber. Her huge shield was completely unsuitable in the close ranged fight between two Servants. It was more of a nuisance now, like a huge sword in an ordinary bar-fight. Yes it was possible that the huge sword could have been much stronger than any knife brought by the fighter - but it still remained completely useless if the fighter simply could not swing it for a strike. Therefore Mashu tried to attack Arthuria with her bare hands.

But as expected the swordswoman easily grabs Mashu's hand in the middle of the blow, after which the hilt of her sword slammed into the solar plexus of the Shielder, knocking the breath out of her.

"You are not defending at all." Arthuria shook her head, easily grabbing her blade with her other hand. "An unforgivable folly and negligence for a Servant of the Shield.

Mashu took a step back, then frowned. 'How do you think I should fight then?'

Having accepted the impossibility of trying to defeat Arthuria in battle using her fists she held her shield with both hands in a manner of a two-handed claymore. However, at the moment when she strained her muscles for a back-swing pain shot through Mashu's hands, making her grimace from the unpleasant sensation.

"Just holding your shield hurts you." Arthuria remarked. "You cannot continue training."

"I can." Sighing Mashu, overcoming the pain caused by tired muscles still held her shield up for a strike. "I must."

Swinging her weapon in the manner of a simple club she rushed forward. But Arthuria dodged the blow with some sort of dishonest ease.

"Why are you trying to hit me with your shield?" As if completely unaware of the meaning of the girl's actions Arthuria took another step backward, evading the blow that followed and then from another blow. "That is not a sword. You won't hit me with it."

'But I have no other choice!' This was the thought that Mashu was spinning in her head. Continuing to force out blow after blow only to miss Arthuria's body entirely. 'I have nothing more to attack you with!'

"Your body is at its limit and you are exhausted." Evading a few more blows from Mashu with some inhuman ease, Arthuria took a half step back. "Training should end here."

'She was not this strong back at Fuyuki!' The thought slipped in the girl's head for a second. The Arthuria now and the Arthuria then were like two different Sabers in completely different power tiers. 'Is this the influence of a Master?'

"No." Nevertheless, after another blow of Mashu hit the floor, knocking out dust into the air and yet missing its target, the girl, despite the pain from her strained muscles replied. "I can still fight."

Arthuria, having easily walked away from the blow, only looked at the girl in front of herself with a condemning glance.

"Well then, have it your way." Having come to some personal conclusion in the end, the swordswoman nodded.