Aside from Kiritsugu Emiya, Kirei Kotomine, and Tokiomi Tohsaka, Rider Iskandar and his Master, Waver Velvet, were also observing the battle—perched atop the crossbeam of the Mion River Bridge, watching from afar.
From that vantage point, they could see not only the fighting at the seaside park but also the warehouse district.
"This isn't good," Iskandar muttered, his expression grim.
"What's not good?" Waver asked, shivering as he clung to the beam in the cold night wind.
"That guy—most likely Berserker's Master—is about to win," Iskandar replied. "At this rate, Lancer will be taken out."
Waver was about to point out that such an outcome would benefit their side, but the next moment he was so stunned he forgot his fear of heights. "No way! How could a Master possibly beat a Servant one-on-one?!"
"Exactly why this is bad!" Iskandar's booming voice carried clearly on the night breeze. "Saber and Berserker, who were just fighting at sea, have stopped and headed over there. And Berserker even lent him a weapon."
"Huh?" Waver struggled to keep up with the rapidly changing situation.
"No weapon, just bare hands and Magecraft, and he still managed to overpower Lancer. Now that he has a weapon, he'll be unstoppable!" Iskandar laughed heartily. "To think such a mighty warrior exists in this era! I'd love to recruit him right now and make him my top general in my world conquest!"
Meeting other Servants in the Holy Grail War and conquering them to join his ranks—this was precisely Iskandar's ideal scenario.
But what thrilled him even more was that in this age, where mystery had long since faded, there was still a warrior who could rival those from the Age of Gods. If he truly intended to conquer this era, then such a warrior—be it enemy or ally—was someone he couldn't afford to overlook.
"But I thought your plan was to wait until they wore each other out before making a move!"
"At first, I thought fighting heroes from different eras, even taking on six at once, would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance. But if I can bring a capable warrior under my banner before that happens—well, that too is the way of commanding armies."
Iskandar let out a low, powerful growl, like a lion's rumble. Yet the corners of his mouth were curled in a grin.
"It'd be a waste if they all dove into a brawl and someone got killed now."
"Isn't that kind of the point? Master or Servant, the Holy Grail War is supposed to be kill or be killed—wait, ahhh!"
Waver's half-hysterical protest was abruptly cut off by a sharp flick to the forehead from Iskandar.
"Victory without death; conquest without disgrace. That is true conquest!"
Drawing the sword at his waist, Iskandar swung it through the air, cleaving open the space before him.
Mana surged violently, and with it, a radiant Noble Phantasm manifested—a gleaming ox-drawn chariot emerging from the torrent of magical energy. Flattened against the beam, Waver clung desperately to the steel frame, trying not to be blown away by the gusts.
"The show ends here. Let's go, kid!"
"Idiot, idiot, idiot! What you're doing makes no sense!"
"Hm? If you're not happy, just stay and watch then?"
"I'm coming! You idiot! Take me with you!"
"Now that's the spirit—my Master!"
Iskandar grabbed Waver by the collar and leapt onto his Noble Phantasm, the "Gordius Wheel," charging full speed toward the battlefield at the bay warehouse...
Meanwhile, elsewhere—
Shiomi held Morgan's weapon in his hand, silently admiring its balance. As far as weapons went, it was masterfully crafted.
He casually spun it with one hand, left hand forward, right hand pulling the weapon back behind him.
A bead of sweat slid down Lancer's cheek.
With a single glance, he could tell this young man was highly skilled with a spear—perhaps even a master of archery and mounted combat.
The thought of retreat was pushed aside. As a fellow spearman, Diarmuid couldn't resist the urge to test himself against a modern-day peer.
Wind whipped at their coats, making a sharp flapping sound.
"Magecraft or spearmanship—how do you want to die, Lancer?"
"A Master forced onto the front lines by his Servant won't even get a proper burial, nameless Magus."
Diarmuid returned the provocation with his own, narrowing the distance with caution, studying Shiomi's next move.
He could tell Shiomi was capable of rapidly deploying large-scale Magecraft, which must drain his Mana heavily—otherwise, he wouldn't have picked up the weapon Berserker tossed him.
So the best option was to close in, to the point where any spell would hit them both. That would force the enemy to favor close combat.
What an odd weapon... was it a spear, an axe—or a staff? Diarmuid couldn't tell.
Both men tensed, poised to strike.
Just then, a sudden, thunderous roar shattered the cold, taut tension.
"That's—!"
Artoria, watching the field, looked to the southeastern sky.
An object streaked through the night, crackling with arcs of purple lightning as it descended toward Shiomi and Lancer.
"A chariot?" Morgan narrowed her eyes slightly. Rider, no doubt.
Pulled by two bulls, the chariot galloped across the void, their hooves never touching the ground. Purple lightning webbed through the air, and deafening thunder split the skies. The Mana released with each boom rivaled the pressure Artoria had felt in her duel with Morgan.
A chariot that powerful could only be a Noble Phantasm.
And a chariot-wielding Servant almost certainly belonged to the Rider class.
"Vacuum Wave."
Diarmuid heard Shiomi utter the incantation, saw his fingers trace through the air—Rune script flashed and vanished. A massive tornado surged up, blocking the chariot's path.
"Whoa-oh-oh-oh!!"
Rider didn't slow down. He snapped the reins and charged headlong into the storm.
The clash of magical forces exploded with a thunderous impact. The shockwave that followed rocked the battlefield, forcing every Master and Servant nearby to brace themselves. Rows of metal containers along the sides were sent toppling.
After a brief standoff of power, the chariot tore through the vortex and skidded to a halt on the frozen ground between Shiomi and Diarmuid.
"Hah! To greet the king's arrival like that—such boldness is worthy of praise. Now I'm even more reluctant to let you slip away."
Iskandar wasn't angry. He saw through Shiomi's magic. It was a message.
If you want to join this battle, be prepared to pay the price.
"What superb Wind Magecraft. I've no one with such talent under my command." Iskandar grinned. "How about it? Come serve under me—I'll name you my court Magus, second only to myself!"
"No thanks. Sounds like way too much hassle..."
Completely at odds with his deadly fighting style, Shiomi's tone was laid-back, almost lazy.
Looks like it's going to be a long night, he thought to himself.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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