"Clang!"
The clash between spear and sword rang out like a metallic thunder, reverberating across the battlefield and echoing through the devastated plains. The force of the collision sent sparks flying, each one briefly illuminating the faces of the warriors locked in combat.
"Hahaha! Looks like our plan worked!"
Achilles exclaimed with a booming laugh, spinning his spear with supernatural speed, as though it were nothing more than an extension of his arm. His eyes gleamed with the thrill of a true Greek hero, hungry for battle.
Mordred only answered with a mocking laugh, dripping with arrogance.
"So what? My Master and I are still standing! You'll never claim victory!"
The Rebel Knight roared, pressing her sword, Clarent, against the shaft of Achilles' spear. The sharp grind of steel against steel filled the air, each strike shaking the ground as if the very earth couldn't withstand the fury of the two warriors.
---
Meanwhile, a new presence manifested at the edge of the battlefield. A solemn figure of beauty, shrouded in an aura of dignity and resolve, appeared.
It was Jeanne d'Arc — the Ruler of this Holy Grail War.
She paused for a moment, gripping her banner firmly as her eyes scanned the chaos unfolding before her.
"There…?" she murmured, recognizing the heart of the storm.
The weight of revelation pressed upon her. From the very moment she had emerged into this world, Jeanne had felt that something was wrong. Now, that feeling only grew stronger. A dark premonition told her that an irreversible event was already in motion.
When her gaze settled on the massive floating fortress looming on the horizon, her anxiety reached its peak. Her heart pounded in her chest — perhaps the final clash between the two factions was about to begin.
Yet Jeanne clung to her mission for comfort.
To her, it mattered little which side won, so long as the wish upon the Holy Grail was just, pure, or at least not a threat to humanity.
At first, she had felt a naïve calm: after all, the Masters of this war were magi. And magi, while often indifferent to common morality, usually sought only the Root or desires related to their magecraft. Reasonable wishes… or, at least, understandable ones.
But Jeanne's tranquility hadn't lasted. The hostility of the Red Faction toward her remained utterly inexplicable.
The Black Faction's attempt to capture her made sense — it was a natural strategy for victory. But the Red Faction? To want her dead outright? That was irrational. The disadvantages far outweighed any possible benefit.
And now, before her very eyes, the Red Faction charged with fury against the Black Faction's headquarters.
The vast fields before the Fortress had turned into hell itself. Homunculi, Golems, and Dragon Tooth Warriors clashed in brutal combat, their war cries mixing with the metallic roar of weapons and the snapping of bones.
Jeanne narrowed her eyes, her resolve hardening.
"I must get there as quickly as possible… and uncover my true purpose in this war."
For a moment, she thought of someone. Her new ally.
"If only he had told me everything, I wouldn't be so torn right now…"
She shook her head, pushing the thought aside. There was no longer time for hesitation. She was certain he knew the answers to all her questions, but she also knew he must have had his reasons for keeping them hidden.
"Then it's time to move!"
With a powerful stride, Jeanne rushed toward the battlefield. But almost immediately, dozens — no, hundreds — of Dragon Tooth Warriors shifted course, abandoning Homunculi and Golems alike to surround her.
Jeanne gripped her banner tightly and spun it with devastating force, shattering the monsters one after another. Even so, the horde pressed on relentlessly.
As Ruler, she was supposed to act with neutrality, refraining from interfering directly with the outcome of the war. But against such an openly hostile assault, Jeanne had no choice.
With a roar that fused anger and determination, she surged forward, tearing through the enemy line as though her banner were a blade.
---
Not far away, Shirou Kotomine, who had been facing Frankenstein, suddenly halted. He stepped back a few paces, clicking his tongue in irritation.
"Caster, we need to retreat. She realized it faster than expected. Perhaps she received a revelation."
Frankenstein, baffled by her opponent's sudden withdrawal, held her weapon steady, silently observing.
Shakespeare, ever the sarcastic observer, shrugged.
"I've heard most Rulers are saints chosen to impose impartial judgment. Could it be that she's truly one of those saints?"
Shirou replied flatly:
"It seems so. And that complicates things. If she finds me now, everything will spiral out of control."
He then shouted:
"Retreat! Things will soon escalate to the point where even the Ruler will be left without options."
Driving a Black Key into the ground before Frankenstein to halt her pursuit, Shirou spun on his heel and fled at full speed.
---
The voice of Semiramis echoed in his mind:
{"Master, the Ruler is heading straight for you."}
"I know!" he snapped, running even faster. Now was not the time to measure strength against the Ruler.
{"She has already reached the battlefield. I fear she won't give up so easily on hunting you down."}
"In that case… Atalanta! Take Spartacus to the Ruler!" Shirou commanded.
As he gave the order, his mind raced. A smile tugged at his lips.
"Let's see if you can survive Spartacus' self-detonation, Ruler…" Shirou muttered under his breath.
---
(End of Chapter)
---
I want to make something very clear: the rewrite will, in practice, be a brand-new fanfic, since I intend to — and have already started preparing everything for it.
MLS will receive a proper ending at the conclusion of the Fate arc, but the next version will only resemble it in essence — it will be quite different.
I'm not doing this because of a lack of motivation to write, but because I see it as necessary. After all, all of my future plans are still intact. The beginning has a lot of issues (a lot, really), and I feel that only a complete restructuring can raise the story to the level it deserves. Unlike the first time, when I merely changed the protagonist's power and added a few things, this time the transformation will be far greater.
As I've said before, many things should — and will — be changed.
Only the Fate arc will remain the same. All the other arcs will be modified and improved.
I'm not following some rewriting trend or anything silly like that. From the bottom of my heart, I hope you understand this decision. I truly appreciate you, my readers, for always supporting me by reading this fic.
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"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."