"Hm? Are you the King of Ur that Lady Siduri mentioned?"
Beneath Uruk's northern walls, a robust old man dressed in red leapt from a platform and stood before Roy.
"Assassin… Li Shuwen?"
Roy was quite surprised to see the old man in red before him.
With Archer now being Arjuna and Berserker replaced by Spartacus, Roy no longer trusted his memories of the Seventh Singularity's roster.
But he hadn't expected Fuuma Kotarou to be replaced by this man.
Li Shuwen.
Roy was quite familiar with this man, whom he had once faced in a Lostbelt volume of Fate/Grand Order.
If this was their Assassin, it explained why he didn't perish alongside Saber when facing Taiga.
Compared to the original Saber and Assassin, this Servant possessed considerable raw strength.
His mastery in combat was quite impressive, as described in his lore, earning him the title of No Second Strike.
Roy knew Taiga's mindset in that state…
Slacking off whenever possible, avoiding work if she could. If she thought fighting this man would take too much of her time, she wouldn't go all out. Facing this man, with his considerable experience and exceptional combat skills, would surely make her retreat, as defeating him would require a lot of energy and time.
This clarified many things.
Taiga had mentioned that two red-clad Servants had recently sneaked into Ur. She caught them, finding one of the red-clad Servants wielding a red sword, whom she easily defeated by leveraging the terrain. She let the other red Servant escape rather than fight him because she didn't want to waste her time.
That day, Quetzalcoatl punished her for letting the red Servant go, hanging her in the Sun Temple for two full days.
So, the red Servant wasn't Fuuma Kotarou but Li Shuwen in red…
Roy looked at the robust man before him.
Compared to Fuuma Kotarou, his prowess in direct combat was far more reliable, especially for their upcoming escort mission.
For escorts, frontal combat and breakthrough capabilities trumped stealth.
"Hm? Why are you staring at me? Have we met before?"
"You could say that, just like the other Servants here, I've indeed had dealings with all of you."
"Judging by your attire and demeanor, you're clearly not from around here, so was it a Holy Grail War in another timeline or a parallel world?" Li Shuwen stroked his chin as he looked at the young man before him, familiar with both terms. As a Servant in the Throne of Heroes, he had been given some information regarding such matters.
"You could draw that conclusion. Through certain events, we've fought against each other and alongside each other."
"Oh, that makes things more interesting. If it weren't for our limited time, I'd love to hear your story about how I ended up fighting against you and then becoming an ally to fight together."
"Though you might already know who I am, I'll introduce myself again. I'm Li Shuwen. This time, summoned without a spear, so you'll have to make do with this old body to protect you."
Roy followed with an introduction.
"I'm Roy, a traveler from another timeline, an ally of Gilgamesh. I'll be your companion this time. This is Karna, my Servant and our ally for this mission."
"Assassin."
Karna nodded slightly.
"Hm, you're the one who caused that commotion earlier with Archer at the Demonic Front, right?"
"Yes… I was fighting someone." Karna admitted, nodding without concealment.
Their battle was impossible to hide from other Servants.
"As expected, your striking presence is hard to ignore."
"And… Roy, our destination is Ur, right?"
Li Shuwen tilted his head, asking Roy earnestly.
"Yes, my two friends are waiting there."
"Alright. Let's move. Rider is waiting outside the walls. With his help, we'll reach our destination quickly."
Li Shuwen led Roy to a hidden door at the edge of the wall, bypassing the raging Demonic Front to reach a main road.
There, a tall figure awaited them.
Mounted on a steed, its silhouette was striking.
"Hey, Rider, time to go. I've brought them."
Li Shuwen called to the figure ahead.
"Oh? Finally here?"
At his call, the figure turned, smiling at the group, then spurred its horse, galloping toward them.
"You…?"
Roy's eyes widened at the unexpected figure, and even the stoic Karna was surprised by the approaching Rider.
"Master, is that Chiron?"
"No mistake, it's definitely…"
"Greetings, comrades! I am Lü Bu, the world-renowned general!!"
"Tell me, are you my Mas… I mean, my comrade?"
"A human? And Lancer…"
"You're a summoned Servant too, with a magus bearing a Command Seal at your side. Quite enviable, neigh!!"
"…"
Faced with the bizarre creature claiming to be Lü Bu, Karna and Roy fell silent, staring at the stern equine face galloping toward them. Roy couldn't help but remark, "A horse face."
"Indeed, a horse face."
A horse face, not a vague metaphor, but a literal equine visage.
Muscular, clad in armor, with a crimson mane and piercing, vibrant eyes.
Even Karna, a great hero from the Age of Gods with vast experience, was taken aback by the sight.
"What a peculiar creature. It resembles a centaur but is very different from the centaurs I know. A complete man-horse? No, that doesn't seem quite right."
He asked earnestly, "Could you truly be Chiron?"
Though reluctant to equate the noble sage with this creature, the only centaur-like hero in his memory was the renowned wise man of Greece.
"Nope! I'm Lü Bu."
"…"
Rider's confident reply plunged the air into silence. Karna rubbed his eyes, scrutinizing the man-horse Servant again, his mind spiraling into self-doubt.
No matter how he looked, this couldn't be the human general.
"What's wrong? Overwhelmed by my gallant aura? Neigh!! No worries, leave the coming battles to me."
"What are you doing, Assassin? I'm Lü Bu. How could I possibly…"
As Rider rambled on, Li Shuwen sighed, accustomed to the antics, and pulled a carrot from his pocket, stuffing it into the creature's mouth.
Having worked with this eccentric Rider for so long, he knew its habits well.
"Neigh!! Sweet carrot, Assassin! Got any more?"
"A few, but King Gilgamesh said you get them only after you take us to Ur."
"Neigh! King Gilgamesh, you say? What are we waiting for? Let's go, Assassin!!"
"…"
Karna was utterly speechless.
He was certain now, though he couldn't discern Rider's True Name, this oddity was definitely not Chiron.
The renowned Chiron, famed for his wisdom, could never act like this.
Unlike Karna's confusion, Roy knew the creature's identity.
"Red Hare?"
Roy eyed the man-horse munching a carrot and clowning around, frowning but calling its True Name.
"Eh?"
Startled that Roy named it correctly, Red Hare paused, then retorted naturally, "Who the fuck is Red Hare?! I'm Lü Bu!!"
"…No, you're Red Hare."
Unlike Karna, Roy, having cleared the Lostbelt volume, had seen this creature.
He recalled that Red Hare manifested due to its intense bond with his master, Lü Bu. Overwhelmed by emotion, his behavior… unconsciously mimicked his master's. A Servant imitating Lü Bu in every way.
Even its Noble Phantasm, Imitation God Force, was a unique imitation of its master's arsenal.
Though Red Hare's appearance and antics were bizarre, his strength was undeniable.
Beyond his potent Noble Phantasm, his attributes were exceptional.
In raw power, this creature might surpass Li Shuwen beside it.
In Mesopotamia's vast plains, Red Hare's agility and endurance shone, making it highly effective in fast-paced battles.
The changes to the Seventh Singularity exceeded Roy's expectations.
An overpowered Archer, an Assassin with a formidable physical body, a powerful and loyal Berserker, and now a swift Rider.
Compared to the original odd lineup, Gilgamesh had drawn a stellar hand, tripling their combat strength. With their aid, defeating Gorgon seemed assured, assuming no changes on her side.
But with the Seventh Singularity so drastically altered, Roy wasn't naive enough to believe the storyline would follow his memories.
Kingu was dead, leaving Gorgon alone and weakened. Would Goetia simply stand by?
Tiamat's revival was inevitable, necessitating the counterforce of a Grand Assassin, King Hassan, the Old Man of the Mountain.
But what of the other Grand Servant under his contract?
Berserker, Tezcatlipoca, descending with a Grand Saint Graph.
Two Grand Servants in one Singularity meant one of two things: either Goetia himself had arrived, or Tiamat's situation had escalated beyond a single Grand Servant's ability to handle, prompting a second.
Neither was it good news.
Despite their favorable position, they couldn't afford complacency.
Gilgamesh had warned him repeatedly to be cautious. His Clairvoyance couldn't see the future clearly, and Merlin's had blind spots. No one knew what changes had swept Mesopotamia.
Their plans had to accelerate to avoid unforeseen complications.
Splitting up maximized efficiency, so he hadn't joined Ritsuka and Merlin.
After completing Ur's soldier evacuation, he would head to the Underworld to negotiate with Ereshkigal about relocating the Underworld beneath or before Uruk, preparing for Tiamat with minimal casualties.
Resolved, Roy nodded to Red Hare, signaling departure.
Time was short; they had to move quickly.
"Alright, since we don't have much time to chat further, let's quickly reach our destination."
As he spoke, Li Shuwen led the carriage to Red Hare and attached the reins to it.
"Now it's your time to shine, Rider."
"No problem, everyone, get on! Before we reach our destination and have a big fight, leave the traveling to me!"
At that moment, Red Hare allowed Li Shuwen to attach the carriage to it, letting Roy and Li Shuwen enter the carriage, ready to depart at any time.
"Passengers inside, hold on tight; this is my first time pulling a carriage too. Thinking about it, I'm a bit excited, neigh!"
As for Karna, Red Hare initially intended for him to enter the carriage as well.
But he shook his head and declined the proposal.
Rather than staying in the cramped carriage, Karna preferred to stay outside. After all, the situation on the Mesopotamian plain was extremely dangerous, and this road was not smooth sailing. He stayed outside to coordinate with Red Hare.
With Red Hare's consent, Karna sat at the front of the carriage, holding Red Hare's reins, and took on the role of the group's driver.
As the great hero of charity in the Mahabharata, Karna was proficient in all mortal combat skills, so driving a chariot was naturally no issue for him.
Though his current Class was not Rider, Karna's combat skills remained intact. At this moment, his Riding skill was indeed A-rank.
Thus, when Karna grasped the reins and drove the chariot, Red Hare could sense that this man was no ignorant fool, and it felt an indescribable exhilaration. This surging feeling was as if it had returned to the days when it fought alongside his master in life.
"Are you ready, Rider?"
As a fellow warrior, Karna could naturally sense Red Hare's emotions through the reins. To drive the chariot and fight alongside such a hero again, as in life, filled him with excitement as well.
"Of course! Let's go; I can't wait to start galloping!"
After a brief exchange, Red Hare hesitated no longer.
In the next moment, the steed neighed, swift as wind and lightning; the sensation of Red Hare's galloping was like soaring through the clouds, carrying the chariot and racing freely across the vast wilderness. Warrior and chariot became one, charging toward the distance.
In the blink of an eye, they vanished from the horizon.
…
Half a day later, in the rainforest of Ur.
"Oh? Welcome back, Master; have you already settled matters with Ereshkigal and Uruk so quickly?"
Sensing that Roy and the others had entered the rainforest, Quetzalcoatl, who was still training soldiers at the Sun Temple, removed the armor she wore like a human soldier and stepped out to greet Roy.
Her face still radiated a bright smile.
Seeing Roy return safely, she was overjoyed.
"Not yet; there were some changes in the plan, and I haven't had time to visit Ereshkigal, so I went to Uruk first."
Roy shook his head slightly, then briefly explained his activities over the past two days to the enthusiastic Quetzalcoatl, who approached to embrace him.
"In short, because I unexpectedly met Chaldea's Last Master of Humanity, I went to Uruk to visit the wise king who rules there, Gilgamesh. Then, we worked through the night to resolve the pile of large and small affairs in Uruk, and somehow we ended up discussing forming an alliance. After that, we witnessed a great battle between divine children at the Demonic Front. Now that we have some free time, we rushed back without stopping to handle the relocation of Ur's people."
Over these two days, his sleep hadn't even amounted to three hours.
If not for the Third Magic sustaining his bodily functions, he might have worked himself to death like Gilgamesh and gone to the Underworld to meet Ereshkigal ahead of schedule.
"What a rich experience. You went through so much in just two days? And as expected of the Master I chose, you managed to settle the alliance and the relocation of Ur's people in just two days."
Quetzalcoatl was slightly surprised by Roy's remarkable efficiency.
In two days, he had handled the alliance between Ur and Uruk, as well as the plan to relocate the soldiers. It seemed this man, whom she had forcibly placed on the throne, was actually quite dedicated to his responsibilities.
Truly worthy of being the king she had chosen; his strength, sense of responsibility, and abilities were all flawless.
Aside from summoning that accursed man, which greatly displeased her, everything Roy had done so far exceeded her expectations.
"It's not all my credit; mainly, Gilgamesh isn't a fool either. With his Clairvoyance, he sees the Demonic Front and the current situation more clearly than I do. So, after hearing about my background and the aid I could provide, he didn't hesitate much and agreed. After all, in this spacetime on the brink of destruction, if humans keep scheming against each other, that would be utterly foolish, right?"
"You're right; if, on the verge of extinction, humans still scheme against each other, that would indeed be foolish."
"However, Gilgamesh is truly a wise king; no wonder he can lead Uruk to survive on this fallen continent without the goddess alliance."
Hearing this, Quetzalcoatl nodded, pleased that the alliance had proceeded smoothly.
But when she turned and saw the red figure munching grass in the nearby rainforest, her expression grew slightly odd.
"What kind of strange creature is this? A centaur? I didn't know there were centaurs in Mesopotamia."
"Wow! Such a robust body, with a fiery red mane; its soft texture is completely different from dinosaurs. Did you bring it back as a gift for Onee-san?"
After greeting Roy, seeing Red Hare grazing in the rainforest, Quetzalcoatl's eyes lit up. As she spoke, she rushed to Red Hare's side, stroking its fur with her hands.
"Truly a unique and powerful creature; Onee-san is pleased with your gift…"
Though she had ridden dinosaurs for a long time, this was the first time she had seen such a distinctive mount. Unable to resist, she climbed up to try riding it.
"Neigh! Beautiful and strong lady, please don't touch me carelessly, okay? I am the great general, Lü Bu, and I have a family too!"
Though it seemed to enjoy Quetzalcoatl's caresses, it couldn't abandon its principles.
When Quetzalcoatl attempted to mount its back, Red Hare promptly raised its front hoof, explaining it was not a mount and trying to shake her off.
"Huh? This aura... so you're a Servant?"
Hearing Red Hare's voice and sensing the magical energy emanating up close, Quetzalcoatl was slightly surprised.
"Yes, I am Lü Bu, Class Rider, not a mount, so please don't-"
But before Red Hare could finish, it suddenly felt its back sink, its entire body restrained by a terrifying, strange force, unable to move.
Quetzalcoatl had leapt onto its back and pressed down on its spine with both hands.
This strength was even greater than its master's!
What kind of monster was this woman?!
"Since you're a Servant mount, that's even better! Onee-san likes you more and more. But please don't resist, okay? Otherwise, Onee-san might not be able to help but use force to tame you first."
"Understood?"
Quetzalcoatl leaned her head close to Red Hare's ear; her previously kind expression turned fierce, and with the terrifying oppressive force of a Divine Spirit, an extreme sense of danger froze Red Hare momentarily.
But…
He was Lü Bu, after all! The renowned general, a proud Servant; how could it switch sides so easily? What would his master and Gilgamesh think?
Yet, he quickly flashed a sycophantic smile.
"Neigh! I love being a mount the most! It's my honor to fight alongside a beautiful and powerful lady like you! Don't hold back; use me as you please!"
"…"
"…"
"…"
Roy and the others looked at the bizarre horse with disdainful gazes; this creature truly knew how to adapt.
After a brief exchange with the group, Quetzalcoatl jumped down from Red Hare's back, nodded to Roy and the others, and spoke formally.
"King of Ur, and envoys of Uruk, I welcome you here in the name of Ur's guardian goddess."
"And… you've worked hard, my king; I and all of Ur have been waiting for you."
"Yes, Quetzalcoatl, I have not failed my mission."
Roy smiled and nodded.
"Haha, I knew you could do it. After all, you're the king who brought life back to this city that was like a corpse. Whether you accept it sincerely or not, you are now the king recognized by me and Ur's soldiers."
Quetzalcoatl patted Roy's shoulder and said earnestly, "I can see you're a good person, perhaps even too gentle. For someone on their own, that's fine, but for you now, it's not necessarily a good thing."
"Why? I don't think gentleness is a bad trait." Roy shook his head.
"Yes, gentleness itself isn't wrong. But as a king, as a leader making decisions for the people, there's one thing you must choose. I've seen the plan you and Gilgamesh devised. It's very good; though there are still some risks, it's currently the best option. The longer we delay, the greater the subsequent changes, so we must hasten our actions."
"But… how will you allocate? Who will take the air transport, the water route, and who will cross the Mesopotamian plain? The safety of these three routes varies; there will inevitably be sacrifices along the way. How will you allocate them? My king, who will you decide to send on this venture?"
Quetzalcoatl tilted her head slightly and looked earnestly into Roy's eyes; she needed to know his answer.
"I…"
Hearing this, Roy fell into thought.
Yes, Quetzalcoatl was right; there is no absolute justice in the world, and even those who hold the scales cannot keep them perfectly balanced.
The risks of these three routes were indeed vastly different.
Air transport via dinosaurs was the safest, while the water route and crossing Mesopotamia would inevitably involve sacrifices.
The plain was teeming with demonic beasts, and even with Servants' protection, they couldn't safeguard everyone; blood and tears were unavoidable.
The question of who to assign to which route naturally fell to him, the so-called king, the decision-maker.
But how to arrange it without regret, how to make it fair?
If this question had been posed at the start, he would have been conflicted. But now, he had an answer in his heart.
So, he met Quetzalcoatl's gaze and gave his answer with conviction: "I will neither choose nor sacrifice. I will leave the choice to them."
"Leave it to… them?"
Quetzalcoatl was slightly puzzled.
"Yes, I won't hide the outcomes, nor will I leave it to so-called fate; I'll let people choose for themselves. I won't force anyone to make choices against their hearts. If they all choose the same path, then I'll do my utmost to lead them through it."
"Whatever the final outcome, this is the path they chose themselves, a path free of guilt and regret."
"Master…"
"You…"
Even Karna and the others were surprised by Roy's response.
"You want to leave the choice to humans, let them choose for themselves, and bear the responsibility for their own decisions?"
"Exactly; the path must be walked by oneself; even a king cannot twist their will. Let people choose for themselves and bear the consequences. The so-called king is merely a force on their chosen path; as long as they do their best to aid their people and live up to their role, that is enough."
"Hahaha, I see, I see. Rather than calling this your way of kingship, it's more like the way of benevolence. You might be well-suited to be a king, yet also the least suited to be one."
"However, since I've decided to be your supporting goddess, I'll do my utmost to aid you."
Quetzalcoatl set aside her usual carefree demeanor and gazed at Roy quietly.
"So… use me with confidence, my king; lead the people who trust you down the right path."
"Thank you, Quetzalcoatl. I will do my best."
Facing Quetzalcoatl's trust, Roy responded with firm resolve.
___
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