Shinji Matou at Your Service

"Unleash fury (Gush Out)!"

With those words, the electric charge transformed into a massive hand.

Tearing through the resistance of the air, it struck Svin's body at a speed faster than a blink.

In response, the phantom wolf let out a roar.

Both sides were using techniques infused with magical energy, with the carriers being some of the fastest forces in nature—lightning and sound waves.

Though the forms were different, once controlled by a magus, they could not escape the absolute principle of the mystical world—the mystery is overwhelmed by a stronger mystery.

But what happens when neither side's mystery can overwhelm the other? The result of the clash between Atrum and Svin made this clear.

Lightning collided with sound waves, and the flow of magical energy materialized into visible sparks. The shattered plasma and atmosphere scattered all the raindrops along the line, leaving devastation in the forest.

Judging by the marks left on the ground, it was clear that Atrum had the upper hand, but this advantage did not affect Svin. In his phantom wolf form, he remained standing in place, unharmed amidst the smoke and dust washed away by the wind and rain.

"Not bad at all."

The voice came from between his sharp teeth.

"As far as magecraft goes, it's second-rate. But in a magus' battle, it's certainly top-notch."

"Oh? You little mutt, did you call me second-rate?"

Atrum's mouth twisted into a cruel grin.

Facing that voice, tinged with killing intent, the phantom wolf boy did not retreat a step, responding with a cold smile.

"You know it yourself, don't you? If the professor were here, he'd see through it instantly. Your magecraft is indeed well-practiced. As a form of magecraft meant to hurt others and for fighting, it's a finished product beyond perfect. But that's not the essence of being a magus, is it? No—you're not a magus, you're a magician playing tricks."

This statement was the greatest denial of a magus, the most venomous insult.

"You're asking to die!!!"

Atrum's eyes widened with rage. He refined his magic power several times more than before, using his magic crest to inject it into the primitive battery's technique. The technique the Galliasta family purchased allowed them to convert their magical energy into lightning with maximum efficiency.

The lightning, controlled like a dragon, opened its jaws wide, sealing off Svin's escape route completely.

Just as the lightning dragon was about to devour Svin, his body vanished.

This was an even swifter move than his previous charge, moving at a speed far beyond ordinary human perception, reaching a level akin to that of a Servant. He leaped back onto a tree and then used the rebound to shoot through the gaps in the lightning dragon, hurtling towards Atrum like a meteor.

The enemy would have no time to react—this was an unstoppable strike—or so Svin thought. But just as he was about to swing his claws, he saw Atrum beneath him lift his head, a smug smile forming on his lips.

At the same time, his nose picked up the scent of danger.

Svin who had merged with the beast trusted his sense of smell above all else. Though he didn't possess Flat's nearly omnipotent analytical and learning abilities, his grasp of techniques through scent was almost on par.

A triangular, unsettling yellow.

Damn, it's a trap!

The first strike, which deviated from the magus' path, and the anger that followed were all feigned to make Svin careless and lead him step by step into a snare.

New lightning appeared, not as a powerful but easily dodged like the dragon lighting, but as a web of electricity that spread out, enveloping the area around Atrum.

The technique was still second-rate; any student in the El-Melloi Classroom could refine it further. However, in Atrum's hands, it exhibited a power that surpassed even the top-level secret techniques of Svin.

He demonstrated to Svin through his actions that the outcome of a battle does not rest solely on the completion of a magical technique. Despite straying from the path of a magus, magecraft users are often more dangerous than orthodox magus.

Danger! Danger! Danger!

Svin's nose sounded the alarm, and his fur bristled.

But he did not give in. So what if it was an electric net? He'd tear through it first, then tear through you. Even if it meant getting injured, he would still scratch you—when it comes to ferocity, wolves are more terrifying than tigers and lions, and the beastly nature within him granted him a stronger recovery ability than most magus. He wasn't afraid of exchanging injuries.

The phantom wolf roared, and his descending claws were infused with all his strength.

This desperate response was precisely what Atrum had anticipated. In terms of battle experience, Svin, Flat, and Gray combined couldn't match him.

The electric net was just the first step, meant to slow Svin's movements. The next strike was the truly fatal one.

The charges gathered, and new lightning brewed in his hands—enough to bring down the phantom wolf.

However, the strike that was supposed to be certain suddenly crumbled before it could form, as its caster was violently struck by a shadow.

Half of the hand-tailored suit was soaked in mud, and the carefully groomed hair was also stained with dirty water.

But at this moment, Atrum had no time to lament or even feel anger—he was only shocked.

"You, you—"

He hadn't been careless. Before revealing himself, he had been observing and analyzing the enemy thoroughly.

Choosing to target Svin was also a result of the analysis. Due to his beastly nature, Svin was impulsive and easy to provoke. His extreme speed granted him terrifying attack power and mobility, but it also made it difficult for his companions to support him. With a prepared trap and the right timing, Svin was the easiest to deal with.

Once he subdued one of them, the remaining two would naturally hesitate, making it easy for him to control the situation. Unfortunately, he didn't realize that he wasn't the only one holding back—so was Gray.

Just because most people couldn't keep up with Svin's movements didn't mean Gray couldn't. As a descendant of Artoria, and having undergone special training from Shinji, her physical abilities surpassed Svin's, allowing her to match his speed and strength even without relying on Add.

Previously, since Flat and Svin had already disrupted the enemy's formation, she hadn't needed to go all out, so she had held back. But now that her companion was in danger, how could she continue to hold back?

The moment Svin fell into the electric net, Gray threw her shield.

In terms of mystery, not even gods like Zeus or Indra, who command lightning, could surpass the planet's self-generated anchor to the mortal world, let alone a primitive battery.

Thus, Atrum was in trouble.

On the other side, Svin, having torn through the electric net, was overjoyed. He didn't even bother chasing after Atrum and instead sprinted straight towards Gray.

"Gray, darling! Awoo, awoo, awoo! My dear lady has saved me. I'm so moved, awoo, awoo, awoooooo!"

As he ran and howled, he looked less like a phantom wolf and more like a husky.