"■■■■■——!!"
A beast-like roar seemed to shake the entire battlefield.
It was just a roar, but the surrounding soldiers could even see the dust kicked up by it from the ground.
The soldiers were terrified, scattering in an instant to get away from this behemoth.
Experience told them that when encountering such existences, it was best to leave them space to fight.
"Hiss! What a terrifying physique! The enemy actually has such a fierce general?"
Nero drew a sharp, cold breath.
The Servant before her had skin that was black, covered in strange patterns.
Of course, that wasn't the key point; the more critical point was his incredibly massive build.
Roughly estimated at three and a half meters tall.
Just standing there, he could block out a large swath of sunlight.
He was simply a height that even if Lin Qi and Nero were stacked together, they wouldn't match.
Not to mention the two large axes that matched his physique.
Lin Qi glanced at the flag in his hand.
He even began to doubt whether the flagpole would snap on the spot if he tried to block an axe head-on.
"Seems like a tough one. We must be careful dealing with him!"
Nero's expression was grave as she spoke, already about to pull Lin Qi along to fight him.
Lin Qi hurriedly pulled Nero back.
Even if our stamina is still sufficient, we don't have to fight everyone we meet!
"Hey, hey, hear me out first. This Servant isn't from the enemy side; he's Darius III, summoned in a chain reaction following Alexander. There's no need for us to fight him to the death."
Darius III was a figure from the same era as Alexander the Great, the ancient Persian King, who had stood against Alexander numerous times and was considered his "rival."
It was precisely because of this that he was summoned alongside Alexander in a chain reaction.
As for what a chain reaction summoning is, it's basically that figures with great connections in life have a high probability of being summoned simultaneously.
Just like Siegfried and Fafnir.
Nero suddenly understood.
"Oh! So it's that Darius III? I never imagined his physique would be so tall—so that means he's also combat power we can win over, right?"
"...Huh?"
Hearing Nero's words, Lin Qi had just breathed a sigh of relief, only to have Nero hit him with a major curveball.
I was just thinking of leaving him be, letting him run amok. When did I have any such intention!
"Your Majesty the Emperor, are you in your right mind?"
Are you sure this Berserker is someone we can win over?
Nero puffed out her chest, supremely confident.
"Hmph, as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend!"
"My guard! Just watch my performance!"
Having said that, Nero walked straight towards Darius III.
Lin Qi didn't have time to stop her, so he could only watch Darius III warily.
He gripped the flagpole tightly, ready to activate his Noble Phantasm at the slightest sign of trouble.
Nero stood before Darius III.
Who knows what exactly Nero said, but Darius III suddenly quieted down.
As quiet as a hibernating bear.
He even nodded from time to time.
And when Nero pointed in the direction of the allied army's capital, he let out a puff of white steam.
Seeming very excited.
[Incitement]!
Nero had forcibly used this skill belonging to Caesar by utilizing her own highest-rank [Imperial Privilege].
"Umu! See, this is the talent that even I must fear!"
Nero's nose was practically pointing to the sky.
"Truly, Your Majesty the Emperor, easily accomplishing what we cannot!"
Seeing this, Lin Qi clapped wildly.
This wasn't just playing along; it was genuine excitement and admiration.
As someone who had read the script, he knew all too well what monsters and demons lay ahead.
Pulling in a combatant now, even if it doesn't achieve major results, can save a lot of time and stamina.
Besides, Darius III is no weakling. As a figure who could compete on the same stage as Alexander.
He is unquestionably a first-rate Servant.
The younger Alexander summoned by the enemy most likely wouldn't be a match for this fully matured version.
"So he really was summoned in a chain reaction?"
Alexander rubbed his head in frustration.
He saw that Darius III, who had been "persuaded" by Nero, was charging straight towards him the moment he spotted him from afar.
Soldiers along the way were sent flying by him.
Clearly, he couldn't be led away like the other two Berserkers.
Because his target was simple: just Alexander.
"So, can I entrust this to you, Teacher?"
Alexander looked expectantly at El-Melloi II.
To be able to talk with Nero, to see what kind of emperor she is—sometimes, necessary sacrifices must be made!
"...Sigh, I understand. I will do my best to hold back Darius III."
Looking into Alexander's expectant eyes, El-Melloi II truly couldn't bring himself to refuse.
It was just that after turning to look at the Berserker whose fists were larger than his own head.
The corner of his eye twitched involuntarily.
Having a Caster like him face off alone against a deranged Berserker?
"—I am not a Servant skilled in combat. I'm afraid I won't be able to hold out against him for very long."
"It's fine. As long as you can hold him for a few minutes, Teacher, I'll handle the rest."
Alexander said with a smile.
He didn't think he would chat with Nero for too long. Once the conversation was over, whatever happened next didn't matter.
Did anyone really expect him to work for Lev?
Don't dream about it.
In the time it took to exchange these few sentences, Darius III had almost reached the city wall.
He roared furiously at Alexander on the wall.
"■■■■■——!!"
By the looks of it, he wanted to collapse the wall by charging into it.
Forcing those above to come down.
El-Melloi II, of course, wouldn't let him have his way. He drifted down lightly from the city wall, landing on Darius III's path.
"Sorry, but for now, you'll have to stay put right here."
Then, with a wave of his feather fan.
[Stone Sentinel Maze]!
Dozens of massive stone pillars descended from the sky, embedding themselves around Darius III, completely locking off his advance and retreat routes.
Thick clouds and mist dispersed, making everything within the stone formation impossible to see clearly.
Only Darius's deafening roar could be heard.
There's another expert?
Lin Qi and Nero followed far behind Darius III, using him to clear a path while avoiding being accidentally injured by him.
Seeing this scene, Nero couldn't help but feel puzzled:
"I feel like our Berserker general is always being held up for various reasons..."
That's just how Berserkers are.
This disappointed Lin Qi, who had originally wanted to see Darius III demonstrate his power.
He could only console himself:
"At least he's tying up an enemy for us. That's still pretty good."
Seeing Lin Qi, who usually looked burdened with deep hatred and suffering, actually learning to console himself, Nero couldn't help but praise him:
"Umu! That's the way it should be! Under my command, you can just believe in me!"
"Being all frowning and gloomy all day would be too detrimental to the mood!"
"Do I go around frowning and looking gloomy all day..."
Lin Qi, who was usually expressionless and didn't reveal his inner thoughts, couldn't help but retort.
"Of course! You just don't realize it yourself."
Nero stated affirmatively.
"Really..."
Hearing this, Lin Qi couldn't help but doubt himself.
'Could it be that I'm like that certain squirrel... my face is a display screen?'
Thinking this, Lin Qi even rubbed his face.
The corners of Nero's mouth turned up slightly, looking somewhat amused at Lin Qi, who seemed to be questioning his life.
Of course, she hadn't actually seen Lin Qi frowning and looking gloomy all day.
As Lin Qi himself had said, he really was expressionless most of the time. Even when worried in his heart, he never showed it.
As for why Nero felt Lin Qi was frowning and gloomy...
Well, she'll keep that to herself for now!
"We finally meet, Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, the Fifth Emperor of Rome."
Having spotted Nero and Lin Qi from afar, Alexander, thrilled by the prospect, rode his steed over to them.
"Not in vain did I go to great lengths to find an opportunity to chat with you on the battlefield."
Alexander said with a smile.
"Hah? You, as that Alexander the Great, created such a huge commotion just to chat with me?"
Nero couldn't help but frown.
Forgive her, but from her perspective, she completely failed to understand this line of thinking.
As someone who had seen the Fourth Holy Grail War, Lin Qi knew.
This was probably Alexander indulging his habit of asking other rulers about their Path of the King.
If Cao Cao could be manifested, he would probably find much common ground with him.
"Correct, because I am very interested in you."
"Although you are the only emperor here who is truly alive, your army is not in a superior position in this battle. So I want to ask—"
"—Why are you fighting?"
Alexander asked seriously.
That's right, just as he said, Nero's army wasn't actually at an advantage; otherwise, she wouldn't have to lead from the front herself.
The reason they had fought their way here so quickly was mainly because the various Servant-level combatants had tipped the balance of the war.
Coupled with the destructive power of the magical version of fragmentary grenades Lin Qi had made earlier.
"If you submit to the United Empire..."
Alexander tried to continue his questioning, but Nero interrupted him.
"You people are all so strange, one after another. Do you all see me as just some weak little girl?"
Nero was both baffled and angry.
"Why am I fighting? How can you even say such a thing!"
"This is my era! This is my empire! Anyone who wants to seize this land from me is my enemy!"
"There is only one way to make me give up—defeat me completely!"
"If you still intend to spout such boring nonsense, don't blame me for letting my Aestus Estus fall upon your head first!"
Hearing Nero's somewhat irritate words, Alexander was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and laughed.
"It seems I was being presumptuous."
Like Caesar, Alexander had also underestimated Nero's will.
How could someone like her need our testing?
Alexander, riding his steed, which was also his Noble Phantasm, [Bucephalus].
Drew the sword at his waist.
Crackling arcs of electricity shimmered around him.
"Then let's settle this through action."
...