Yggdmillennia had, of course, prepared for multiple enemy advance routes when formulating their tactics.
Would they attack through the town, or traverse the forest like before? While modern magi had largely lost the ability to fly, they still considered the possibility of an aerial assault, given they were facing Servants.
However, they never expected to be attacked by an entire territory.
Archer, standing on the ramparts, saw it with his Clairvoyance, and Rider perceived it with her astounding eyesight.
"Well, it seems we've both become castle lords now," Archer murmured.
Rider put her hands on her hips and laughed. "Heheh. Makes it easy to understand, doesn't it? The fact that the enemy is bringing their territory with them means that's their entire force. It saves us the trouble of searching for them."
"Indeed. Moreover, clashing with full force is the natural conclusion in this Great Holy Grail War. There's no reason to fear it now."
Unlike a Holy Grail War where all Servants fight individually, this was a battle between clear-cut factions. Engaging in minor skirmishes only increased the risk of being surrounded and taken down. If they sought a decisive battle, they should force a total confrontation where one-on-one duels were guaranteed. Furthermore, they had the advantage of the Millennia Fortress. Attacking the "Red" faction individually would be futile.
"So, Archer. Can you shoot that down?"
"Don't be absurd. That mass... even an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm would be questionable."
"Yeah, figured~"
The sheer size of the mobile fortress was truly beyond the norm. It was as if the entire Millennia Fortress had been lifted into the sky.
"Archer. So, it's beginning?" Fiore's voice, standing beside Archer, held a slight tremble. Of course, it was minuscule, and to an observer, she would have appeared resolute. Only Archer, as a Servant standing by her side, could perceive her faint fear.
"Yeah, it seems the enemy is ready as well. The Castle of Perversion... Nebuchadnezzar II or Semiramis? Whichever, their Assassin or Caster has brought out quite a troublesome thing. ...Fiore, now that it's come to this, the fight will center around the Servants. The enemy Masters likely won't show themselves. You should go inside the fortress."
"Archer is right, Fiore. The enemy has made their move. We must leave this to them." Thud. Darnic landed on the rampart.
"It seems the enemy has summoned Dragon Tooth Warriors. Probably to counter our Golems and Homunculi." Darnic spoke as if he had seen it himself. Though the method was unclear, he must have scouted the enemy's situation. A bold move.
"Uncle..."
"There's nothing magi can do in a battle between Servants. All we should do now is avoid getting in their way." It would be a different story if the enemy Masters appeared, but since the enemy had brought their stronghold with them, it was unlikely individual Masters would show up. The enemy Masters were probably holed up in that fortress, the safest place with an overview of the battlefield.
"Darnic. You're right. The rest is our job as Servants. You should head inside promptly." Brilliant particles took human form. "Black" Lancer, Vlad III, appeared with a fierce smile. Lancer glared resentfully at the floating 'Hanging Gardens of Babylon'.
"To invade my territory with that hideous fortress, and then scatter such filthy skeleton soldiers..." A sense of duty to slaughter the enemy filled Lancer.
This was separate from his duty as a Servant. This was Romania, his territory. Anyone attacking it was unquestionably an 'enemy'. It was an act of barbarism equivalent to the Ottoman Turks, whom he detested most.
"Black" Lancer, who had fought invaders his entire life, remembered this situation with bitter nostalgia.
It was a fight with no chance of victory.
But, surrender was never an option.
And then, he had led a battle with not even one chance in ten thousand to victory and became a hero.
Therefore, he would never despair just because enemies had invaded his domain now. Even if they were heroes from the Age of Gods, Lancer, standing on this land of Romania, could not allow himself to be defeated.
"Then, Lord. We shall take shelter inside the fortress. Additionally, since the enemy has taken up position there, we can fight with the town at our backs. Please, wield your power to its fullest." Darnic bowed respectfully and disappeared into the fortress.
"Archer. Your opponent will be..."
"Rider, I assume. There's no one else but me who can handle that."
"Red" Rider——Achilles.
A great hero known worldwide. Just looking at his parameters, he far surpassed Archer.
"Don't worry. Even if my opponent is a great hero, my task remains unchanged. More importantly, the Servant you summoned couldn't possibly be anything less than the strongest, right?"
Archer declared it outright.
Fiore gasped at his words.
Because they were the exact same words Archer had said to Fiore that day.
In fact, he had demonstrated his strength in his two battles against "Red" Saber and his fight with "Red" Rider. He had shown them an example that a Servant's true power couldn't be measured by parameters or fame alone.
He claimed he could fight evenly with a great hero of myth, despite the handicap of being a future Heroic Spirit with no fame. To an outsider, it might seem reckless. But Fiore didn't think so.
"I understand, Archer. I... won't say anything more. ...I leave everything to you." Having said that, Fiore followed Darnic and took shelter inside the fortress.
Whoosh, the wind blew.
As if riding the wind, particles drifted on the rampart, acquiring real flesh.
"Black" Berserker——Frankenstein.
Carrying a mace as tall as herself, she expressionlessly looked at the distant castle.
"Black" Caster——Avicebron.
Accompanied by the captured "Red" Berserker, he stood a step behind everyone. His face beneath the mask was unseen, but he too was a Heroic Spirit; he showed no sign of fear as he faced the battle.
And, "Black" Saber——Siegfried.
He stood silently, the tip of his holy sword pointing downwards.
Total: seven.
This was the full military strength the "Black" faction boasted.
It was a force you could count on two hands. However, their presence, their brilliance, overshadowed even the armies of great nations.
"Everyone is assembled," Lancer said, taking a step forward.
"Rider. Take command of the organized Homunculi and Golems."
"Roger!" Rider gave a carefree smile and thumped her chest.
"Archer. You are to contain 'Red's' Rider. No one but you can handle him."
"I shall endeavor to meet your expectations."
"Red" Rider could only be harmed by Archer's Noble Phantasm. It was imperative to avoid Archer encountering any other Servant, so it was decided from the start that he would handle "Red" Rider from the outset.
"Caster, you wait here. I leave the timing of releasing 'Red's' Berserker to you."
Caster had to be more careful handling Berserker than operating his Golems. As this Berserker's proxy Master, he was technically restraining him with the chain of magical energy supply, but this mad warrior had become a Berserker because his thoughts were fixated on the single concept of "Revolt". This differed from typical Berserkers who lacked thought altogether, and consequently, if the Master acted against his will, he might revolt of his own accord.
In terms of being difficult to handle, he was a top-tier Servant.
Caster nodded, then said, "Ah, and Lancer. A king such as yourself can't possibly go to war on foot. I've had a horse prepared."
"Oh?" Lancer looked at Caster with interest.
"Of course, it's a construct."
"Most excellent. A mere horse would not suffice in this battle."
Caster was a magus specialized in Golem creation. Thus, what he provided was also a Golem in the shape of a horse. The horse Golem, as tall as a man, was a mottled pattern of bronze and iron, with sapphire and ruby eyes glowing eerily.
"Most excellent." Lancer seemed very satisfied. He nodded and then gracefully mounted its back.
"Saber. Your opponent shall be 'Red's' Lancer, I assume."
Saber nodded silently.
It was more than he could wish for. The only one who had ever managed to wound his dragon-scale armor, from his lifetime until now, was "Red" Lancer. And he had done so without even releasing his Noble Phantasm.
A rematch with him was, without exaggeration, Saber's desire.
"Berserker. You are to slaughter the enemies before you. Follow your instincts and rampage until the end."
"U... Uiiii..."
Berserker understood Lancer's words with the small amount of reason she had left.
She placed both hands on the edge of the rampart, looking as if she would leap out at any moment.
"Now, everyone. It seems the time to decide the outcome has finally come. I believe you are all mentally prepared, but let me ask you once more. Are you prepared to kill, and to be killed?"
No one bothered to voice an answer.
It went without saying. They understood what battle meant. Having been summoned for a Great Holy Grail War where they must annihilate the enemy, they understood it without needing to be resolved. They had answered the summons because they understood.
"The enemy consists of six Servants. While we hold their Berserker, he is ultimately nothing more than a disposable weapon. The effective numbers are balanced. 'Red's' Lancer can fight Saber evenly, and 'Red's' Rider cannot be harmed except by Archer's Noble Phantasm. The one operating that giant Noble Phantasm is likely Assassin or Caster, but either way, they are all formidable foes without a doubt."
Lancer paused there. He surveyed the battlefield, glared at the aerial fortress, and took in his reliable comrades within his view.
"Having heard this, is there anyone who is daunted?"
There couldn't be.
Everyone except for "Red's" Berserker denied it with their own words and gestures.
"That's the spirit of heroes. Each of you has overcome your own hardships. When you think of that————how can you call yourselves heroes if you cannot overcome a predicament of this level?!"
Lancer declared with increased intensity.
For Lancer, who had broken through being surrounded by the invading Ottoman Turks, this was not a desperate situation at all.
True, the enemy had entered their very midst.
They were probably right before the royal castle, sharpening their swords, seeking the king's head and his treasures.
Let them come.
What awaits you is 'Vlad III, The Impaler'. A king of unparalleled severity, the natural enemy of invaders.
"They are barbarians. Filthy barbarians who trample upon the lands of others, plunder wealth, and stain the earth with blood. Fools who think of nothing but washing blood with blood must be disciplined thoroughly from start to finish."
Lancer's words were very straightforward.
Do not let them return alive.
That was all there was to it.
"Then, I shall take the vanguard." Lancer, along with the horse Golem, leaped down from the fortress.
Even if not combat-oriented, Caster's Golems were sturdy. A height like this wouldn't damage it. Lancer, despite not having the 'Riding' skill, managed the horse with his innate horsemanship and landed successfully. Then, he began to walk slowly across the grassland.
The battlefield.
Feeling the aura of battle after so long, Lancer felt his fighting spirit ignite.
The king, who had miraculously obtained a temporary life once more upon the land of his homeland, Romania, where he had once faced an army of twenty thousand, had returned to the battlefield as if reflecting on his own life.
This time, the enemy was only six. However, they were six more powerful than the Ottoman Turks.
But even so, he was confident there would be no defeat.
In his previous life, what cornered Lancer was a severe lack of manpower. He did not have a general who could match a thousand men. If he had a 'hero' capable of facing an army, combined with Lancer's tactical eye, he could have repelled the enemy without resorting to impalement.
Thinking of those days, the current Lancer was truly fortunate.
At the very least, he had the military strength to repel the enemy at hand.
Behind Lancer, the Golems and Homunculi led by Rider appeared, lined up in an orderly formation. As expected of Rider, a high-ranking knight, her command was superb.
Next to that force, "Red's" Berserker was brought out. His robust body creaked the restraints. At this rate, if released, he would probably charge straight towards the enemy without needing orders.
Archer was already gone. He had likely concealed himself early to prepare for the enemy's assault.
And their own Berserker was positioned at a distance from the main group. For a Berserker, she was relatively rational, but if she went all out, she would involve those around her. Especially if she were to unleash her final blow, it was better if there were no allies nearby.
Their battle lines were set. Next was "Red's" turn, but...
"Now, how will they come?" Lancer looked up at the hovering 'Hanging Gardens of Babylon', which remained motionless, and muttered.
The "Red" faction was equally prepared for battle.
Seeing the imposing sight of the enemy forces deployed on the battlefield, they naturally heightened their fighting spirit.
"Red" Archer, Atalanta, nocked two arrows into her heavenly bow, "Tauropolos". That name was another name and an epithet for the goddess Artemis, meaning "Bull Slayer". It was a supreme masterpiece bestowed by the goddess of the hunt, Artemis.
"With my bow and arrows, I pray for the protection of the Sun God and the Moon Goddess."
The hazy moonlit night of late autumn, illuminated by the moon. Archer released two arrows towards the moon, which cast down a cold light.
Her Noble Phantasm was neither the bow nor the arrows. Drawing the bow and releasing the arrows—this series of actions itself was her Noble Phantasm.
"『Phoebus Catastrophe: Complaint Message on the Arrow』!"
Archer's Noble Phantasm was one where she prayed for the protection of the Sun God Apollo and the Moon Goddess Artemis, offering the lives of the enemy in return.
The arrows shot high into the sky eventually transformed into a rain of death.
Each drop of the mysterious moon shower was filled with clear killing intent.
Shoo-shoo, the sound of the wind being quietly cut by the shining arrows.
Innumerable lights scattered death upon the earth. Homunculi caught in it died instantly from a single arrow, and sturdy Golems were turned into pincushions and shattered. Because the attack range was set wide, it didn't have the density to wound Servants. The enemy Servants dodged, struck down, or withstood Archer's Noble Phantasm and endured.
The flowers after the rain were stained crimson.
Looking down at the gruesome scene her Noble Phantasm had brought with cold, stern eyes, Archer turned around.
"The opening act is over. Your turn, Rider."
"Right!"
Rider, looking genuinely delighted, began to run.
From the beginning, Archer's role was to seize the initiative with a preemptive attack. The honor of the first strike, albeit reluctantly, had been conceded to Rider.
Rider leaped down from the aerial fortress and whistled, Pyu~.
As if signaled, a majestic chariot pulled by three horses descended from the sky, picking up Rider.
"Now, let the battle commence! I, 'Red' Rider, shall take the vanguard!" Rider declared loudly from the charioteer's stand.
The chariot, drawn by brawny divine steeds and famous horses, dove down and raced across the battlefield.
Blocking their way were combat Homunculi and Golems. Facing this group, capable of easily crushing an average magus, Rider grinned, the corners of his mouth lifting.
"With mere mobs like these————can you stop me?!"
It was a gale of wind.
In its wake, only trampled corpses and shattered rubble remained.
A fearsome destructive power.
The specially adjusted Homunculi and the Golems weighing over a ton, created by the greatest Golem maker in history, could not withstand it even slightly and were shattered to pieces.
And for good reason. Two of the three horses pulling his chariot were immortal divine steeds given by the sea god Poseidon, and the remaining one, while not immortal, was a famous horse of renown.
Two divine beasts, each capable of slaying a Servant on their own. And one famous horse rivaling them. Who could possibly stop Rider charging forward with the overwhelming momentum of these three horses?
At the very least, it was impossible through direct confrontation.
Destroying it was impossible. Overpowering it was difficult. Then, they could only rely on cunning.
"Black" Caster hadn't been idly watching his Golems get scattered.
"It won't be that easy, 'Red' Rider." He moved his fingers with smooth motions.
Three Golems appeared before the charging "Red" Rider.
They weren't particularly strong or hard. Rider knew that, which was why he clicked his tongue and chose to crush them as a matter of course.
However, there was no way the Golems forged by "Black" Caster were all just oversized brutes that relied on their bulk to punch the enemy.
The moment they made contact with the chariot, the Golems melted sludge-like into viscous lumps, entangling the horses' legs and hardening.
They were special restraints that had even constrained that "Red" Berserker. However divine Achilles' horses were, they couldn't easily break free.
The chariot lost its acceleration and came to a stop.
Seizing the opportunity, the Homunculi swarmed in. With his mobility taken away, Rider should be significantly weakened. The 'Rider' class generally possessed powerful and versatile Noble Phantasms in exchange for the Servant's own abilities not being that high. But that common sense didn't apply to this Rider.
"Damn pests!" Roaring, Rider drew the sword at his waist, twisted his body, and with a single stroke, bisected the swarming Homunculi in a horizontal line.
He was a Rider, but he possessed an absurd physique and martial prowess that made the chariot unnecessary on the battlefield.
After effortlessly bisecting the Homunculi, Rider glimpsed a golden light among the trees.
————Between the eyebrows.
There was no basis, but he was certain.
He took out his spear and spun it with one hand. His warrior's intuition hit the mark splendidly; the spear's shaft deflected the flying divine sword.
"You came, Archer." Rider grinned ferociously.
Since Archer was the only one in the "Black" faction who could harm him, it was inevitable that Rider's opponent would be Archer.
"Where is 'Black' Archer!? I've come to reclaim the match I left unfinished!!" Rider called out to the unseen enemy. As if in response, a golden flash assailed him.
But Rider wasn't one to let a known enemy's attack hit him multiple times. He intercepted the Noble Phantasm arrow with his spear.
"Still full of Noble Phantasms, huh. Fine, let me see what you look like."
Conventionally, he should probably break the Golem's restraints and traverse the battlefield with his chariot. His role as the vanguard wasn't just about being the first to charge the enemy lines; it also included paving the way for those who followed.
However, that was only true for conventional warfare.
This plan had a fatal flaw—he would have to turn his back on the enemy hiding in the forest.
It wasn't about being shot in the back or anything like that, but a more fundamental issue——————turning one's back on the enemy went against the pride of a hero.
'Behaving heroically' was Rider's true desire. In his previous life and even now after death, he prioritized living in a way worthy of a hero. Even if death awaited, "Red" Rider would charge forward without fear.
For the honor of his great heroic father, his goddess mother, and the friend with whom he shared joys and sorrows, he absolutely could not ignore Archer.
Rider, having jumped down, spiritualized his chariot and stepped into the forest on his own two feet.
"Black" Lancer was summoned under the Lancer class, yet he was unarmed.
Fundamentally, he had no connection to swords, spears, bows, or horses. He wasn't a hero who established his legend through martial arts, but was invited to the 'Throne' based on his exceptional tactical insight and his achievement of repelling the Ottoman Turks. He was a different breed from the typical 'Lancer'.
So, why was he summoned as a Lancer?
Because, if one were to trace the historical facts associated with "Black" Lancer, the Lancer class was the most appropriate.
It was, absolutely, not a spear. Much less something to wield in hand. No, originally, it wasn't even a weapon to begin with.
Lancer raised both hands as if giving a command. Before him were countless Dragon Tooth Warriors. To Lancer, of course, they were just a motley crew of small fry.
"Now, you barbarians trampling upon my land, the time for punishment has come. Mercy and wrath become searing stakes to impale you. And know this—they are truly infinite!"
Roar! Magical energy erupted from Lancer's body.
"『Kazikli Bey: Lord of Execution』!"
The skeletons blocking Lancer's path probably didn't understand what happened.
The ground shook slightly. The next instant, they were impaled on long, thin stakes thrusting up from beneath their feet.
Like criminals cruelly exposed, the skeletons returned to being silent bones, only making dry, hollow sounds.
It took less than a second for all the Dragon Tooth Warriors around Lancer to be annihilated.
Without even checking the results of his attack, Lancer urged his horse forward.
As planned initially, Archer was engaging one of the enemy's main forces, Rider, on the flank. The next to attack would be Lancer or Archer.
No, it was both.
In Lancer's line of sight, two figures were dashing across the battlefield.
"Red" Lancer, clad in golden armor and holding an astonishingly divine spear, and "Red" Archer, who had launched the preemptive attack earlier.
Lancer simultaneously summoned stakes towards the two, unleashing a wave of stakes. The speed of "Red" Archer, who had been running across the earth like the wind, slowed.
"Red" Archer slipped through the gaps between the stakes and released an arrow with a flowing motion.
The released arrow was blocked by a stake that interposed itself before it could pierce Lancer.
A second and third arrow followed. But they too couldn't reach Lancer. It was like a barrier of stakes. Ordinary attacks couldn't even touch Lancer.
"Quite a troublesome fellow," "Red" Archer clicked her tongue and continued firing arrows in succession.
Ultimately, she had no choice but to defeat the enemy through her archery.
A Servant protected by stakes.
The world was vast and history deep, but there was only one hero who used stakes in this manner.
That Servant was definitely Vlad III.
Archer dodged the stakes with her innate agility while firing arrows. Following suit, "Red" Lancer also brandished his magnificent spear to support Archer.
"'Black' Lancer——I take it you are Vlad III."
"Oh? You who call me by my true name must be 'Red' Lancer."
A showdown between 'Lancers'.
A match-up that would never occur in a normal Holy Grail War. Feeling a strange pleasure at encountering an enemy of the same class, "Black" Lancer summoned stakes.
"Red" Lancer easily smashed the appearing stakes.
"So these stakes are your Noble Phantasm. But... this number is abnormal." "Red" Lancer muttered without stopping. Stopping would make him a perfect target. The stakes of "Black" Lancer had low destructive power and were somewhat fragile to be called a Noble Phantasm. They could be destroyed by "Red" Archer's ordinary arrows.
But, the true value of this Noble Phantasm wasn't there.
Individually, each stake was probably fragile. But what if they gathered in uncountable numbers?
Combined with the fact they suddenly thrust up from underfoot, and the sheer quantity appearing without limit—that was this Noble Phantasm, 『Kazikli Bey: Lord of Execution』.
Effective radius: one kilometer. Maximum number deployed: twenty thousand.
If war was decided by quantity, then "Black" Lancer was already as good as victorious.
『Kazikli Bey: Lord of Execution』. Bearing the same name as its owner, this was the symbolic Noble Phantasm of "Black" Lancer, the manifestation of the historical fact that he impaled twenty thousand Ottoman soldiers.
Unable to attack effectively, "Red" Lancer and "Red" Archer marked time, maintaining a certain distance from "Black" Lancer.
Even if you broke them or dodged them, new stakes appeared the next moment. If you weren't careful, you'd be pushed back, increasing the distance further.
"Now, the preliminaries are about over." "Black" Lancer snapped his fingers, and a row of stakes thrust out, separating "Red" Lancer and "Red" Archer.
From there, the stakes spread left and right, as if blooming like a flower.
Naturally, "Red" Lancer and "Red" Archer were forced apart.
Driven by the stakes, "Red" Lancer ran along a circular path centered on "Black" Lancer.
But, abruptly, he saw an end to the forest of stakes. The one place where the stakes, which had boasted of being infinite, were not deployed. A single young man stood there.
"You are..." A slight flicker of emotion appeared in the eyes of "Red" Lancer, who had remained expressionless throughout the stake attacks.
The one with long silver hair flowing in the wind, resting a holy sword on his shoulder, was "Red" Lancer's opponent from the initial stages——"Black" Saber.
"I see. So this was your plan from the start."
"Red" Lancer observed his enemy while holding his magnificent spear at the ready.
It seemed "Black" Lancer had intended from the beginning to pit "Black's" Saber against him. A robust body that had received his mighty spear and only suffered shallow wounds, and an indomitable spirit that never yielded no matter the hardship. In their previous fight, they had battled all night without either gaining a decisive advantage, ending in frustration. But——
"It seems we can fight to the death, just you and I, without anyone's interference."
Saber answered by smoothly raising his holy sword into a stance.
He didn't engage in idle talk. He only attended to his assigned role. "Red" Lancer didn't think poorly of his attitude. "Red" Lancer himself didn't desire a war of words either.
Right now, this Saber had come to kill him.
Knowing that was enough.
Killing intent filled the air, majestic fighting spirits clashed and shook the atmosphere.
The wall of stakes was no longer in their vision.
The frenzy of the other Servants, Homunculi, and Golems fighting somewhere couldn't even reach their ears; they focused solely on crossing blades with the warrior before them.
It began from neither side.
Before they knew it, vivid sparks were blooming wildly within the fierce gale.