"Alexander's Noble Phantasm is rather special; it is executed through his mount, capable of displaying destructive power that crushes everything in its path."
"He is currently mounted, and it's hard to say if he might use his Noble Phantasm at any moment."
Lin Qi quietly explained the effects of Alexander's Noble Phantasm to Nero.
Nero gave an almost imperceptible nod, looking towards the Alexander ahead of them, around whose body electric arcs continuously flickered.
"Oh? So you intend to activate your Noble Phantasm directly?"
Seeing that his intention had been guessed, Alexander made no attempt to hide it:
"Of course. I am not a hero renowned for my martial arts. If I have a Noble Phantasm, naturally I will use it."
Looking at the smiling Alexander, Nero suddenly had a bold idea.
Then, grinning widely, she said with a burning gaze:
"In that case—I shall block your Noble Phantasm head-on and show you!!"
Hearing these shocking words from Nero, Lin Qi was utterly dumbfounded.
Huh?
Are you sure?
Alexander was also stunned. Only after processing her words did he reveal a somewhat dangerous smile.
"How interesting. You actually wish to block my conquest head-on?"
"Then let me see if you will be crushed beneath the trampling of my hegemony!"
Alexander stirred his magical energy, his red strands of hair flying wildly. Divine lightning, derived from the great Greek god Zeus, transformed into electric serpents that continuously pierced the ground.
Sending chunks of rubble flying and scattering.
"Mmm! It seems what comes next will be a tough battle where trickery is of no use!"
Nero, her expression serious, nodded repeatedly.
And just whose fault do you think that is?!
I felt he was about to go easy on us, and then you provoke him like this—how could he possibly still hold back?
"My retainer! We are about to witness a Noble Phantasm!"
"You shall block it head-on with your own Noble Phantasm!"
Lin Qi couldn't hold back anymore.
"Your Majesty, are you in your right mind?"
"Are you certain my Noble Phantasm is capable of blocking that?"
This time, Lin Qi wasn't making a meme reference; he genuinely felt Nero must have some serious screws loose.
My Noble Phantasm is just an incomplete product inherited from a half-crippled Jeanne, it's not Mash's Round Table shield! Blocking an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm head-on, is that something a normal person could do?
Anyway, Lin Qi felt he absolutely couldn't block it; using [Dodge] to dodge would be far more convenient.
"Of course! I have never been more clear-headed."
"You underestimate your own Noble Phantasm too much. You have yet to discover the true power of this Noble Phantasm!"
Nero said earnestly.
'I have hidden power too?'
Lin Qi did know that his Noble Phantasm was probably similar to Mash's shield, somewhat related to willpower.
But perhaps precisely because Lin Qi knew this, he couldn't use the Noble Phantasm well.
Just because I know my willpower affects the Noble Phantasm's strength, does that mean my willpower will suddenly become stronger out of thin air?
That can't be right, can it?
Lin Qi had even tried his old method of self-suggestion, attempting to strengthen his will.
But this Noble Phantasm just remained the same old story—at its normal state, it could at most completely defend against C-rank attacks.
Depending on the state when activating the Noble Phantasm, it could rise to B-rank or fall to D-rank.
That was roughly its strength.
Lin Qi even thought it would be better to have an offensive Noble Phantasm of the same rank and let him use the power of [Dodge] to ambush others instead.
That would give them a better chance of winning.
Seeing Lin Qi's complete lack of confidence, Nero could only shake her head, place her hands on her hips, and say with a spirited smile:
"If you cannot believe in yourself, then believe in me! Believe in me with all your heart!"
Unlike Lin Qi's gloom, Nero's voice alone radiated confidence.
"Believe, huh..."
Lin Qi murmured to himself.
Compared to believing in himself, Lin Qi was more willing, and more adept, at believing in others.
Giving a sself-mocking smile, Lin Qi unfurled the flag and thrust it firmly into the ground before him.
"I'm counting on you, my Emperor."
Then he turned to look at Nero beside him.
"Umu!"
Nero nodded with satisfaction and grasped the flagpole together with Lin Qi.
"Finally ready?"
Alexander, who had been waiting patiently directly ahead for some time, adjusted the reins in his hands slightly.
His mount, Bucephalus, gathered strength in its hooves, adopting a charging posture.
"Don't say I didn't warn you. This Noble Phantasm will be at full power; I won't hold back in the slightest."
Having said that, Alexander urged Bucephalus forward into a charge.
With each fall of the warhorse's hooves, the ground seemed to tremble. The leaping blue electric arcs surrounding them continuously flickered and danced, releasing a dazzling light.
Each leap of the electric arcs was accompanied by a faint crackling sound.
The hair of the two standing in its path of attack stood on end slightly due to the static electricity.
[Thus Is My Heart]
Just like when they jointly resisted Caligula's Noble Phantasm before, the light emanating from the flag turned golden-red.
A far denser wall of light than when Lin Qi used it alone materialized, blocking the path ahead of the two.
The two forces collided in an instant.
BOOM!
A deafening roar split the sky, as if the very air had been torn apart by this strike. A massive shockwave spread out in all directions, whipping up dust and rubble, forming rolling waves of debris.
The scene could hardly be described as anything less than grand, but—
They blocked it!
Lin Qi's Noble Phantasm, the Noble Phantasm used by the two together, had blocked this Anti-Army ranked Noble Phantasm!
The two were forced back over a dozen steps by the tremendous impact, fresh tracks of upturned earth marking their path.
"Uu... See! I told you we could block it!"
"As long as you believe in me!"
Even while using all her strength to hold on, Nero didn't forget to boast to Lin Qi.
Lin Qi was gritting his teeth, holding on. Hearing her words, he couldn't help but give a wry smile.
"Indeed..."
He never thought his Noble Phantasm could really block such a terrifying strike...
Perhaps Heroic Spirits are just beings capable of creating miracles?
Lin Qi, who already believed deeply in Nero, now trusted her completely.
"As expected of the Emperor!"
Hearing Lin Qi's heartfelt admiration, Nero's smile grew even brighter.
"Hey now, aren't you celebrating a bit too early? This was just one Noble Phantasm from me. Even if you blocked it, what do you plan to do next?"
A sheet of lightning illuminated Alexander's face, which bore a somewhat exasperated expression.
"Of course I anticipated that! Or rather, I was waiting for you to crash into my retainer's Noble Phantasm!"
Nero revealed her white, perfectly lovely teeth.
Her other hand drove the Aestus Estus into the ground.
"Rise up, my soaring sky, display here the supreme radiance!"
Oh no! A Noble Phantasm!
Alexander finally understood what Nero intended to do.
He tried to drive Bucephalus away, but found this was the precise moment when the old force had not yet receded and new force had not yet been generated.
He couldn't quickly escape the range of Nero's Noble Phantasm.
Alexander finally realized why Nero had provoked him earlier—it was to prevent him from using the Rider class's mobility to escape.
'It seems I've been outmaneuvered by you...'
[Therefore, sing praises! Aestus Domus Aurea!]
The Noble Phantasm incantation completed. Golden and red light blazed brilliantly.
In the blink of an eye, the previously ruined battlefield transformed into a resplendent Golden Theatre.
This was the Noble Phantasm sublimated from the Golden Theatre, designed and built by Nero herself during her lifetime!
Similar to a Reality Marble, it could create a battlefield advantageous to her.
Underfoot was a red carpet; overhead was enveloped by a golden glow; red petals drifted down continuously in the air; the entire space was a fusion of extravagant gold and red.
"Let the curtain fall!"
The terrifying suppressive force exerted through the Noble Phantasm instantly pressed down upon Alexander and his mount Bucephalus.
Their bodies bent unnaturally.
Completely eliminating any possibility of struggle for the two.
"—Truly a beautiful and magnificent Noble Phantasm."
Alexander, pinned and unable to move, couldn't help but praise it.
Nero did not respond further, gripping her longsword with both hands.
[Imperium of the Maiden's Flowery Words!]
Amidst a shower of red petals, Nero closed the distance, her path transforming into a sea of rose blossoms, and then she swung her sword down.
Alexander—Retired!
...
...
Nero's Noble Phantasm dissipated, and the two returned to the ruined battlefield.
Lin Qi was excited, but also confused.
—Why could Nero use a Noble Phantasm?
She here was truly alive, that was certain.
He could understand her having physical abilities comparable to a Servant due to some special reasons.
But why could she summon the Golden Theatre?
If Lin Qi remembered correctly, Nero hadn't built that famous Golden Theatre yet...
...