Chapter 195: Nature Of Rulers And Motivation
Entry 169:
Linus Ozias POV:
Why is he so short? Iskandar from Fate Zero is over six foot seven. This young Alexander is four foot nine, but as if sensing my thought process, Alexander looks towards me and says, "My name is Alexander. To be precise, that's Alexander III. So, he's—."
Before he could finish, Waver Velvet or Zhuge Liang says, "Lord El-Melloi II. Due to certain reasons, or should I say fate, I am his strategist. I am not a true Heroic Spirit. I'd probably have another name as a Heroic Spirit. Therefore, it's okay to forget my name."
Alexander just sighs as he sits atop his horse and says, "My friend, where is your fire? We stand against Emperors and conquerors. Show some excitement!" Waver replies flatly with a look towards Nero and asks, "So you are Nero Claudius. I was expecting someone more intimidating."
Nero takes offense at that and yells, "You speak of intimidation, yet you look as if a small breeze could knock you over cretin! I am the incarnation of Venus and the Empress of Rome! I will be shown the proper respect foreign servants." Waver simply stares at her as Alexander smiles and says, "You should take some advice from the empress, my friend, but we are here to fight and see who is the greater conqueror."
As he speaks, an army forms behind him as Nero forms ranks behind herself, yet what the others do not know is that another army has flanked us. I smile and say, "Tell me, Alexander, do you believe us to be fools?" The conqueror narrows his gaze at me and says, "I believe no one that goes against me is a fool as it shows their spark and desire to remain autonomous."
I smirk as Nero looks at me and says, "If you wish to say something, Viceroy, please enlighten us." I turn towards her and say, "The young conqueror believes we do not know about his pincer attack." This information causes momentary shock as Alexander says, "Well, I did not expect my plan to be revealed so easily, but do tell me how you are going to fight against my armies."
All I do is snap my fingers, and behind the camp, my Blood Angels form in the thousands. As they form, Alexander's eyes widen as the space marines take out their chainsaw swords and form ranks around the camp with the heavy bowmen notching their arrows as the enemy army rushes the camp, the arrows fly, and for a moment, the sun's light is blocked out due to the number and size of the arrows.
(Remember, each Space Marine is around 8 to 7 ft tall, and there are thousands of them with arrows being half their size.)
The army that approaches the camp is then mowed down after the arrows land and slay hundreds of them. The swordsmen rush the army, yelling various war cries.
"For the Emperor!"
"For the Never Ending Light!"
"Let the Enemies Of The Light Fall!"
The slaughter excites Nobu as she gives me a very aroused and terrifying look as she licks the blood off her katana and rushes in to aid the space marines As Artoria, Karna, Nero, and myself fight Alexander and Zhuge Liang. The last two look at me in complete shock as I say, "What? Never seen a pocket army of near-invincible demigods before?"
Alexander simply laughs as Zhuge Liang sighs and says, "It seems we are outmatched in this fight. I would advise retreat, Alexander." Alexander then says, "Don't you see it, my friend? We were already in a kill zone before we even arrived. Viceroy Ozias knew we were coming, but before we fight, I must ask why you deny the United Empire, Nero? Why must this unnecessary conflict continue?"
Nero shows a serious look and says, "Unnecessary… Did you call this fight unnecessary? How dare you. I won't forgive you. It doesn't matter if you're my resurrected kin. Or a wise ruler from the past. Or a brave general from an ancient era. Or even if you're a legendary king yourself. The only one suitable to be emperor is none other than Nero Claudius! Loved by the people, allowed to love them, wanted by them. " Nero then takes her sword and points it towards the red-haired young man.
"There is only one! The one and only ruler! A shining star like so! Arrogant to carry all the burden like so! Even if all the Gods of Rome descend and tell her to surrender to the United Empire, she'll never back down! How can I back down? It is my life to believe in this philosophy. Such is my fate! I won't back down, I will rule, and I will prosper gloriously. I am, without a doubt, Rome itself!"
The speech causes the soldiers to gain morale and rush Alexander's army as we run across the field with Nero leading the charge. As the armies clashed, Alexander and Waver stayed in the back, awaiting Nero.
The fighting is fast yet visceral, with men falling by the second. Artoria cut her way through the men with a stoic expression that held no emotion, with Karna being the same and Nobu reveling in the carnage as she sliced and diced her way through the regular soldiers.
Ritsuka and Mash fought in the melee as Mash used her shield to bash the soldiers away, with Ritsuka switching to the shocker gloves.
One attempted to strike Ritsuka, to which I grabbed him by the neck and threw him into space. Ritsuka looked on with amazement, asking, "Oz, can you send me into space one day?" I chuckle as I parry another soldier's strike, stab him through the heart, and say, "I apologize, my friend, but I do not believe space is ready for your chaos just yet."
Ritsuka pouted as she said, "I am not that bad, right?" I remain silent, to which she sighs and says, "You owe me food for that when we back to Chaldea." I nod and say, "We shall hold a grand Feast when we get back." Ritsuka's eyes then began to glow as she said, "I feel motivated."
Ritsuka then takes her gloves and uses them to jump into the air and slam into a group of soldiers as Mash looks on and says, "It seems delusional master can be motivated by gacha and food." I nod as the battle continues, with the enemy armies thinning quickly as Nero rushes Alexander and Zhuge Liang.
I teleported to her side, and as Alexander looked at us, he said, "You know I am currently not in the form that has fought multiple Wars, yet as I see the two of you and the things you have both done, I cannot help but feel amazed. Show me more!"
Alexander then smiled and rode his horse towards us, and with one swift strike, I cut the horse's head off as Nero grabbed the small man and slammed him into the ground with Waver yelling, "Iskandar! Stand up!" I stopped in front of him and pushed him backward, and as he looked at me, I simply said, "You fight me, clock tower mage. Show me your magic."
The mage, combined with a Chinese servant, takes out two fans and forms basic elements around him with water, fire, earth, and air, creating a barrier around him with his fans summoning ambient mana. After forming the barrier, he looks at me with utter emptiness in his eyes. I take out my crucible, and its light runes on the blade glow under the light of the setting sun.
Within seconds, I dash towards the man as he attempts to create distance, to which I chuckle and force him towards me to fully emanate a certain orange-haired shinobi. I utter, "Almighty Push."
The blast sends the man flying as he is forced into a cliffside and is then sent through it. Before he can reorient himself, I appear before him and send him into the air. The barrier he had is destroyed as he lands on the ground quite violently, and as he looks at me, he asks, "What are you? A normal magus cannot do what you can do."
My eyes look at the man, yet my words remain the same: "I am an inventor and creator or, in this case, a viceroy. I am whatever is needed to save humanity."
Waver almost laughs as he stands and says, "And you are doing a killer job then." I snort as I look towards the fighting. "I could end this fighting right now, yet it would mean nothing as I was not the one making the decision nor their lives being improved to the point that they do not see the point in fighting anymore."
The statement gives the strategist pause as he looks at me and asks, "Then why are you here?" I look to the sky and say, "I would say a myriad of reasons, but the simplest reason is that I am but a man on a mission."
Seeing that as my answer, he looks at me and hefts his fans and says, "Then let this parody end then. At least I die with my friend."
I give the man a respectful nod, and I heft my crucible as he tries to blast me with his fan's elemental power. He finds me behind him, and his neck is cut open, and the blood is sprayed from the wound. He falls, and as he fades away. He says, "I will see you on the other side, my friend."
After he fades away, I look to Nero and her battle with Alexander and watch as their swords clash over and over again as Nero's strength is only off-put by Alexander's skills with a sword with Alexander's small size actually helping him to avoid Nero's large and powerful slashes. Eventually, Alexander attempts to block one of Nero's strikes, which sends him flying.
Before he can stand up, Nero already has a blade to his neck, and as he stares up at her before the blade falls, he says, "I have one more thing to say to you, my adorable emperor. That pride of yours. Its blossom and its radiance are sure to be revered, but I'm sure it can also be dangerous. Please do not fall to its embrace."
*Slash* The head falls, and he disappears smiling, and the remaining army, seeing their commanders dead, surrenders immediately, and the blood angels fade away back into my reality marble with the men on our side saluting them as they fade away. Nero then looks almost lost as she raises her sword and announces, "The battle is over. The true Rome triumphs!"
The men cheer in jubilation as the servants clean off their weapons, and the sun sets, welcoming the bright eminence of the moon and shadows, and the men walk back to the camp. Nero follows yet seems slow and unenthused. I narrow my eyes as we enter the camp, and Nero heads to her tent.
Following her, I ask, "Are you well, Empress?" I hear nothing, and as I enter, I see her staring in the mirror. As she notices me and says, "I am alright, viceroy. I am simply ruminating over our strategy for tomorrow's battle."
I give her a questioning look and ask, "Is that really all? You lie as well as you cook, Empress." Nero takes offense at that and says, "I am an amazing cook!" I shake my head and say, "Empress, the last time you tried to cook something, it nearly killed the man you fed it to." Nero goes to say something but stops as I ask again, "Are you well, Nero?"
She shakes her head as she says, "In truth, I am doubtful as I have had some of my men scout out to the enemy capital, and from the reports, it shows utter and complete efficiency but at the cost of laughter and joy. When Alexander looked me in the eye, I saw that he believed in me, yet am I worthy of such belief even if I know deep in my soul that one cannot be an emperor without their people living in as much luxury as you do yourself."
I smile and say, "Nero, no ruler is perfect, and no king's reign will last forever, but I know, seeing the people and how they look at you, I see the truth of Rome both in its glory and in its success. It is not just because of the actions of the past but the effectiveness of the rulers of the future. Stay the course no matter whoever tells you differently."
"But what if I fail? What if I truly do not embody Rome?" I place a hand on her head and say, "Then you take those doubts and place them in a part of your mind that shall remind you of your own faults as our doubts keep us grounded but also allow us to go beyond ourselves and to see the beauty of our successes, and it's the fear of failure that keeps us motivated. Never fall to doubt but understand that it exists for a reason."
Nero falls silent as I continue, "Keep being yourself. That is all anyone can ask. Be the sun you believe yourself to be, and thy radiance shall never falter."
Nero then looks me in the eyes and says, "If coming from anyone else, I would call you a liar or a flatterer, but I cannot help but feel joyful that you believe in me so much! I shall endeavor to keep that faith!"
I nod as her ahoge moves side to side, and before I stop, she asks me, "Are you sure you do not wish to stay? I could use an emperor by my side."
I shake my head and say, "While the offer is tempting, I do not require more, but I will always remain by your side until the end of this conflict."
Nero then sighs and says, "Your commitment to your duty and to your friends is commendable, and I wish I could take you for myself, but from your level of power, I could not even hope to scratch you. So I shall endeavor to surpass your radiance!"
I give my best kingly laugh and say, "Then work hard, study well, and eat and sleep plenty! Show all your enemies the radiance of Rome!"
Nero then takes her sword and places it on my shoulder, and I take a knee as she says, "By the power vested in me, I bless your journey, and may you meet success and endless glory as my advisor and as my friend and as a friend of Rome itself."
I nod and stand, and as we exit the tent, Ritsuka asks from behind us, "So when is the wedding?" Nero almost beheaded the girl as Ritsuka ran away with the Empress with a blush on her face.
Never change Ritsuka, never change.
Weekly Power Status
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