Chapter 13: The Third Holy Grail War (Part 7)
"Are you all right, Master? You suddenly went silent."
"Change of plans, Archer. We'll now go on the offensive."
"But- ...I understand." Arash wanted to object. However, he discovered that Fenric seemed to be different from the usual.
"Please assault these three coordinates and draw out the Servants and their Masters. We will end the Holy Grail War tonight." As Fenric finished his sentence, the images of three locations appeared in Archer's mind. Two western mansion, where Eineline and Liliyasviel stayed, and a civilian one-story household, where Darnic hid.
"All three...?" Arash furrowed his brows and spoke though their mental link.
"Yes. Please trust me, Archer. You just have to create enough chaos to draw them all out and let them fight against each other."
"..." The great hero of Ancient Persia went silent for a few seconds. It was too risky. It's not what they were supposed to be doing because he knew that his Master was an extremely cautious and meticulous person... So why now?
"...Affirmative, Master." Nevertheless, he has known the man for a year and they strove for the same goal. The trust they have built was not so frail that it will crumple down in a single night.
"Thanks for believing in me, Arash."
"Heh, what are you saying now, Master? Aren't we comrades in arms?"
"...I am glad to have summoned someone as affable as you."
"Hahaha! Then, let's do our best, Master!"
"Godspeed."
-x-X-x-
Whoosh!
As if the gods have announced their wrath, tens of arrows fell down from the sky and bombarded three separate buildings throughout the City of Fuyuki. The defensive barriers sprang up into existence and surrounded the structures.
However, they were all completely destroyed within mere moments while the additional arrows blasted the buildings into smithereens. Lancer, Saber, and Ruler who were all in spiritual form passed through the walls and came out of their bases.
They deflected the incoming projectiles and shielded their Masters from the storm of endless arrows. The barrage only stopped after a few minutes as the Servants picked up their Masters and leaped away.
Following after the bombardment were accurately-aimed shots that have more force behind them. They targeted the Servants in mid-air and managed to injure all three of them since they couldn't dodge the attacks while protecting their Masters.
The projectiles assaulted the Servants continuously, until they arrived at a park near the center of the city. "You-" Eineline widened her eyes. In front of her were four individuals. Darnic, Fionn, Liliyasviel, and Amakusa Shirou... They were all participants of the Holy Grail War.
'Did the arrows purposely guide us here?' The Edelfelt heiress frowned. She has lost contact with her sister earlier, and her mansion was destroyed by a hail of arrows soon after.
"Master, do I...?" Lancelot asked and stood in front of his Master.
Eineline narrowed her eyes and surveyed Darnic. Moving her sight to the side, her eyes shined when she saw Liliyasviel. 'Einzbern homunculus... the Lesser Grail must be with her.' She smiled inwardly at the unexpected chance.
Sure, she knew that she was probably playing into the hands of the Master of Archer, but how could she just let this chance go? The one who holds the key to the Holy Grail War is in front of her right now!
Her gaze returned to Darnic once again and she saw him nodding at her. 'Yes, at least this second-rate Magus understands the basics.' She smiled and spoke out. "Saber, defeat that Asian Servant and return with his head!"
"Cooperate with Saber and take him down, Lancer." At the same time, Darnic tapped his Servant's shoulder and told him the same thing through telepathy. "However, be careful of Archer. With your Clairvoyance, he won't be able to ambush us unlike the previous Servants who were fell by his hands."
Seeing the sudden change, Amakusa Shirou expression turned grave. "We're getting out of here, Master." He hugged the homunculus and leaped off. However, his escape attempt was cut off when a wall of water came into being before him.
The wall expanded and hundreds of needles rained down on him. "It seems like they don't want us to leave." The Asian saint smiled wryly and created a barrier of wind to block off the needles. His A-Rank Magic Resistance could shrug the needles off, but his Master will surely die if even one were to make it through his defenses.
Below him, Fionn and Lancelot were already preparing to finish him with their weapons. Amakusa Shirou gritted by teeth and used four Command Seals all at once. The first three went to increasing his parameters, and the last one massively boosted the next spell was he going to cast.
A dome of sand rise up from the ground and encompassed Fionn and Lancelot. The next moment, it tightened down on the two and proceeded to crush them to a pulp. However, instead of crushing the two Heroic Spirits with billions of sands, the dome exploded and shattered into countless pieces.
'This is...' Ruler created a wind field to shield him and Liliyasviel. He picked up one of the fallen bits and exclaimed in surprise. '...glass?' The transparent crystal in his hand broke down into pieces the moment he lifted it up.
'The Fire Elements gathered... Can one of the Servants use Elemental Magecraft?' The sands were melted at thousands of degrees, and were transformed into glass in only a few seconds. 'Just my luck... To run into two knight classes who can also cast spells.'
Amakusa Shirou didn't have any more time to contemplate because Fionn bolted towards him the moment he was out of the glass dome. Lancelot was following behind the speedy Lancer and the three soon clashed in melee combat.
"Watch out, Saber! That Servant isn't Caster! I saw him used Command Seals earlier!" Eineline shouted out from behind while Darnic's face turned ugly. Yes, he was clearly not the only one who has broken the rules of the Holy Grail War.
The army of men he called in are certainly not related to the magical side, and the Ruler-class Servant possesses 2 Command Seals per Servant summoned. Whether it's summoning a Servant who is supposed to act as the war's supervisor or to calling in an army of Nazis, they are surely breaking the rules like there's no tomorrow.
Just as Eineline yelled out, The Asian saint's chest shined in red twice and the two Servants found themselves immobile. "Master, use a Command Seal to counter it!" Fionn quickly shouted and the two Master abided.
Red lights glowed once again and both Eineline and Darnic used up one of their precious crystallization of great magic. However, Shirou simply smiled and the two Heroic Spirits found themselves frozen in place for the second time.
'That's 5 Command Seals left...' Amakusa Shirou sighed inwardly and got close to Fionn. He has already activated True Name Discernment and found out the identity of his opponents. 'Knight of the Lake and Leader of the Knights of Fianna, Saber and Lancer...'
'...I can't hold back or I'll be killed immediately!' He swung Miike Tenta Mitsuyo. The katana traveled at an incredible speed and headed for the blonde man's neck. Fionn expression turned solemn and a flood burst out of Mac an Luin. The massive tide knocked the Asian saint backwards and the Water Elements gathered.
'He's using his Noble Phantasm already?!' Amakusa Shirou widened his eyes. At the same time, the magical energy overflowed from his left. '...and Saber too?' Lancelot has also raised his holy sword and prepared to strike the Asian saint down.
'There's no time to waste!' 2 more Command Spells were utilized and the Noble Phantasms were stopped. Unfortunately, his orders were overwritten once more by Darnic and Eineline.
The exchanges between the three legends occurred in tens of seconds, and the two Master have finally realized that Ruler must fall here today or else they are going to have massive problems with a Servant that is in the possession of over ten Command Seals.
'Such a waste.' The activation of the Noble Phantasms were stopped one more time. 'I have used 12 Command Seals this quickly, and moreover, I have no access to my third Noble Phantasm...' His strongest trump card Twin Arm - Big Crunch: Dual Arm Zero-Order Convergence is an A+ rank Anti-Army.
However, in order to completely impel it as a Noble Phantasm, he must first somehow establish a Magical Energy supply route different from his Master, and he didn't have enough time to do that since it's currently only the second night of the war.
His parameter-boost was still in effect and he could hold his own against the two famous Heroic Spirits, but he didn't have the ability to defend his Master. On the bright side, Liliyasviel has not expended a single Command Seal.
"This is troublesome." Darnic frowned. He has also noticed that the Einzbern Master has not used a Command Seal yet. "If only-"
Whoosh!
A barrage of arrows rained down from the sky and assaulted Liliyasviel. Amakusa Shirou was already in front of her and deflecting the projectiles since he was warned by his A-Rank Revelation the moment the arrows were fired.
Taking this chance, Fionn and Lancelot readied their Anti-Army Noble Phantasms for the third time.
Knowing that they stood no chance, the Asian saint cried out while still blocking the storm of arrows. "Master, use a Command Seal and get us out of here!"
"Y-Yes. I will now..." Liliyasviel finally recovered from her stupor and lifted her arm. "By the power of these Command Spells, Ruler, get us-"
-x-X-x-
You know...
Elemental Magecraft is powerful and one of the best offensive Magecraft, but there's a big problem with it. It's too easy to detect, and anyone with some knowledge of the Thaumaturgy branch can effortlessly counter it.
You should not use Elemental Magecraft in a one versus one battle against another Mage unless you're absolutely confident of it. And I am not confident in killing Tohsaka Hisahito in one single blow, that's why the best way I can think of is to ambush him.
"I am, You. You are, Me. I am, They. They are, Me. I am, You. You are-"
I can't rely on Desperate. The old man might just move away when I reach an ideal sniping position. Time is against me, and I'll have to do this silent and fast.
"W-What?" The first shot was fired, a gemstone shield protected the man as he cried out in alarm.
"Find him, Caster!" By the time the second one hit, he has stopped panicking and was screaming for his Servant to find me. However, Circe did not come out of spiritual form and merely watched her Master being targeted by an assassin.
As expected.
"What are you doing, Caster?!" When the third round hit, the shield was barely standing and Hisahito has decided to use a Command Spell to force his Servant to comply.
When the fourth round was fired, the barrier was broken into pieces and Circe materialized.
"Cas-" When the fifth round traveled through the gun barrel, the bullet landed on the old man's forehead and embedded itself deep within his brain.
"You fool!" When the gun was reloaded and the sixth round was fired, the wound on Hisahito's head have completely healed and the giant ruby atop his cane turned dim.
"Find him, and kill him!" When the seventh shot was fired, the previous Tohsaka head yelled out his second order and Circe reached the sniper's location in a flash of red.
When the trigger was about to be pulled again, the hideout was bombarded by a volley of rapidly-fired beams of light.
"What was that, Caster?!" As the dust settled, Hisahito arrived at the young man's corpse and mutilated it while rebuking his Servant. "You whor-"
As the words ended, the world shifted and the old man crumbled down to his death before the shocking look of Circe.
"-Distorted World."
The young man who was supposed to be dead was without a single scratch. He bowed towards the pink-haired demigoddess and offered his hand.
"Would you like to join me, daughter of Helios?"
-x-X-x-
Back at the park, a scream came from a building far away and the six people in the park all turned their eyes towards the source. However, all they saw was a massive sky of fire, a world which burned to its end, the wrath of the gods in the heaven, and the hopes of an ancient hero who wished for peace.
"Wha, what are you, doing, Master?! N-No, argh- Fenric...! You trai-"
"-O' My Good Willed Sacred Master. O' Lord of Brightness who bestows all of his power, sanctity, and wisdom to me. See clearly my heart, my thoughts, and my skill. Now, O' being who created the moon and stars... Behold my deeds, my death, my spenta armaiti which I must carry out."
"Stella: Lone Meteor!"
The ultimate shot which divided the earth which brought an end to all kinds of strife was fired. It aggregated amount of pure energy was comparable to even an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm and it was then boosted by an additional Command Spell.
The arrow of death traveled through the skies and reached the six individuals instantaneously.
It was an avoidable attack.
The Masters didn't even get a chance to use their Command Seals- No, even if they were to teleport away, they'd still die. Stella was raised to the level of an Anti-Country Noble Phantasm and the destruction behind such a strike could clearly be seen in the next second.
Half of Fuyuki City was wiped off the surface of the world.
The land cried as the earth was obliterated, the blackened sky howled seeing the city engulfed in an inescapable inferno, and the city inhabitants wailed while they watched their loved ones burned to their deaths.
This was a living hell.
"-Hmhmhm~ That's impressive, Master." At the forest that borders Fuyuki City were the last two survivors of the Holy Grail War. Caster peeked her head from Fenric's shoulder and giggled. "I didn't think Archer had something like that up his sleeve... and I have not met a man as interesting as you since- No, nevermind."
"Yes, and I find you very attractive as well." The young man smiled. He has made a contract with the young woman after killing her Master. You must know how surprised he was when she simply greeted him and agreed to become his Servant... not before calling him a piglet of course. 'Well, everyone she first meet is probably a piglet in her eyes...'
"However, it does not matter anymore."
"Hm? What do you mean, Master?" Caster pouted and poked Fenric in the face. She then moved in front of him and gave him a radiant smile... It was oh so innocent and mesmerizing.
"Truly, you are the witch of temptation and depravity." He laughed and put his finger on the young woman's lips. "Kill yourself, Circe." The last red tattoo at the back of his left hand flashed and disappeared.
How ironic, that Command Seal was from Hisahito himself.
"Y-You-" The pink-haired demigoddess widened her eyes and tried to resist. Unfortunately, she was of the Caster-class. She did not have Magic Resistance or was she prepared for the sudden suicidal command.
She bit her tongue and blood leaked out of the young woman's mouth as she simply stared at the opposite man in disbelief. "W-Why...?" She barely muttered out while she drowned in her own blood and slowly bled to death.
"For eternity, Circe." Fenric clenched his fists and lowered his head. "You can hate me, you can loathe me, you can curse me, Circe... So at the very least, please accept this apology." He stated and looked into the young woman's eyes with unmatched desire. "Farewell, daughter of Helios."
"...That's a sad fate you have chosen, Fenric." Circe's gaze softened slightly before her head was cut off by a familiar sword. Fenric quickly caught the head and did not allow it to be stained by the ground.
...Ah. I've done it. I've done it. I've done it, I've done it. I've done it. He had to do it, he had to do it because he can't be sure of her death unless he receives the notice from System.
If you do not take any risk, you can't receive any rewards either. I have to do it. What if the future were to go wrong? What if the other Masters and Servants decide to team up against me? What if they destroy the Lesser Grail and end the war prematurely?
I have not forgotten that the Lesser Grail was destroyed by the others early in the war.
It was honestly a bet with minor risks. The only Servant I knew remaining was Caster, and the gaze I felt yesterday must have been hers. I simply bet, bet that Caster was not loyal to her Master like every Casters out there and it worked.
"But even though you're merely a fragment of the real Heroic Spirit... why does my heart ache so much?"
Circe is not wrong. She is not wrong. I am the one who has made so many mistakes because I cannot accept my frail mortality.
"Let's travel together. Let's lay down on a meadow and see the same dream," she says. Isn't that a dialogue directly from that game? You just have to remind me of your gentle self, don't you, Circe?
...You know, she could have been the first and main heroine in a harem novel. But this isn't a heroic movie, this isn't a romance drama, or a happy story.
This is reality.
Ah. I wish I have tried the kykeon you've mentioned...
Circe.
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