Since Helios was going to a battlefield after a very long time, he prepared every countermeasure—from enchantments such as [Physical Resistance] and [Magic Resistance] for damage reduction, and [Spiritual point] for increasing MP regeneration.

As he finished tracing the enchantments, a figure with blonde hair emerged in his head, filling his chest with strange emotions. It barely took him a moment to realize.

“Why did my perfect reincarnation fall in love with someone so stoic?!”

The clothes of the said figure disappeared, revealing her gorgeous body.

“I know she has assets that could leave Vivienne speechless…”

Her features became clear, showing her expression neutral to the extreme. In the eight years he spent with her, she never truly smiled. From the moment he awakened his memories, his soul had perfectly assimilated with the past experience of his memory-less self along with the feelings.

From the moment she saved him from a group of soldiers for stealing food, he had fallen for her since her illusion trick didn't work on him. He only saw a woman smiling coolly. Even though he was six, his heart pounded crazily in his chest.

He still remembered how she froze when he called her big sister. Fortunately, it happened in the room she gave him, or her secret might have been revealed.

Artoria then explained her reason—the fact that she had to crossdress as a man to inherit the throne. She had been doing this for the past 35 years, leaving Helios amazed.

Helios, without his memories, had the same thought process as a normal human. At that age, steered by kindness, he decided to ease her burden by becoming a knight.

He asked for Artoria’s help in learning swordsmanship. Even without memories, fighting battles was instinctual for him.

After years of training under Artoria, he joined the Round Table as an honored knight. During that time, never once he saw a genuine smile on her face.

“Fuck, what do I now?”

Sure, he could suppress those feelings with Gaia’s blessing. However, was that necessary?

For the first time in his life, Helios panicked over such a trivial matter. His fellow Angels would have laughed at his current behavior.

“Damn it! Didn’t I say I will live up to my own desires?” His eyes took on a serious glint. “Then having Artoria as my partner is what I desire.”

The woman had suppressed her human nature for so long. There was no way for him to break through her walls unless…

“My precious XP…”

Some things are more important than XP—the former God learned a new lesson today.

“I will spank Vivienne to relieve my stress.”

All set and done, he set out with his ‘small’ army to face the ‘big’ army of Mordred, the troublesome brat.

***

Mordred buried her sword into the hill and took in the surrounding desolate plains. It only served to elevate her impatience.

“Now when will my beloved father come back?”

She raised Clarent, her stolen sword, and clanked it against her shoulder clad in armor.

“Man, I wonder if that hag got her info wrong.”

Although her whore of a mother disgusted her, Morgan was an important piece to prove her ‘qualification’ for the throne—even if it meant overthrowing her father.

Mordred turned around and gazed at the ‘worthless livestock’ donning armors more expensive than their life.

‘They think my hateful father, who devoted his whole life to this kingdom, is cold and ruthless.’

The two-horned helmet did a job, or, the sneer on her face would be revealed.

“Boring.”

Suddenly, her eyes narrowed, gazing at the silhouettes approaching from the distance.

The soldiers around her also saw it and mumbled.

“Silence!” She shouted in a husky voice. The helmet was loaded with enchantments to hide her gender—even changing her voice. 

It only took one order from her to silence them, such was the charisma of the former Knight of the Round Table.

The figure leading the group had fiery crimson and sharp golden eyes.

“Isn’t he a former comrade, Helios? Is he going to call for reinforcements?”

A smirk spread across her face. “If he is here to play with that little army, then who am I to deny him?” She raised her sword high in one hand. “Soldiers, prepare to intercept the cavalry!”

“Yes!” The army roared in unison.

“Two of the weakest Knights want to take me on?” Mordred pointed Clarent at them, her face twisted in a cruel grin. “What a pain.”

What happened next exceeded her expectations. Helios sped up his charge and advanced alone. He looked straight at her and made a provoking gesture.

Mordred’s blood boiled.

“Is that a confrontation? So you wish to challenge me alone? Very well, I will accept and show you the difference between us. Chaos!”

“My King,” a husky voice replied back.

Mordred turned to a man clad in heavy armor, towering over every man among the rebels.

“Take care of the pests. I don't want anyone interrupting my duel with him.”

“It shall be done,” Chaos answered in a voice full of ecstasy and swung his axe.

Chaos cared nothing about this king, none for the kingdom. This man lived and died for his extreme bloodthirst. He lived to slaughter for he was the executioner.

Mordred didn’t mount a horse and leapt forth on her feet. She gathered a part of her mana in her body and expelled it in an instant—Mana burst, the skill she gained from her lineage.

Crimson lightning burst out and Mordred’s speed broke the sound barrier.

“That idiot took the bait… It’s time to test your radiance.”

Helios jumped from the horse while holding the strongest holy sword, Excalibur.

Mordred’s charge blew away the dust. Helios boosted his stats with the light element and simultaneously activated Mana burst. His passive skill charge gave him speed not inferior to Mordred.

Both sides collided—Steel clashed with steel, sparks flew, and the impact brought surreal destruction to the land.

The two infamous swords locked with each other in equilibrium.

“What is this sword?!” Mordred’s voice was that of surprise and shock. Excalibur shut down her momentum without so much of a scratch.

Helios squinted at the text above her.

Her parameters were way higher than his. But in a frontal clash, he had the confidence to not lose.

Her gender (female) baffled him. It turned out both mother and daughter shared the hobby of cross-dressing.

She is a homunculus? A genetically designed human...?

Hephaestus could create something similar...