Ruler, the arbiter, held a unique role in the Holy Grail War. She didn't fight for the Grail but oversaw the conflict, judging its outcome and ensuring neither side violated the rules or harmed civilians.
Ruler was the war's referee.
Unfortunately, this war's Ruler was Jeanne d'Arc, and unlike her game counterpart, this Jeanne was a notorious biased judge.
Thus, Altair's team had to guard not only against their Red Faction allies but also against this wildcard referee.
Altair explained Jeanne's unreliability to Kairi Sisigou, and the trio relocated to avoid detection. The first day of the Holy Grail War ended with Altair securing both factions' Servant identities at minimal cost, already planning for day two.
Day one was uneventful, but from day two, the war would spiral into chaos.
First, the Red Faction's Berserker, Spartacus, was captured by the Black Faction. No surprise, he was the type to attack indiscriminately. Then, the Black Faction's Saber, Siegfried, met his end.
He carved out his own heart, dying instantly, giving rise to a new homunculus, Sieg.
From there, the war took a bizarre turn. Jeanne began meddling, blatantly favoring one side.
Her interference was arguably necessary, as the Red Faction hid a mastermind: Amakusa Shirou Tokisada. Jeanne's role was to counter him.
The Red Faction's roster was overwhelmingly strong, especially Achilles and Karna. These divine-era Servants were cheat-tier. Karna's defense was impenetrable, his attacks potent enough to kill Altair. Achilles, if he chose to flee, was uncatchable with Altair's current speed.
These two needed to be neutralized. Achilles had Chiron to deal with him, and in the original plot, Sieg defeated Karna through absurd plot-armor buffs. But Altair had no intention of letting Sieg hog the spotlight. He found Sieg's arc ridiculous, everyone handed him power-ups: Siegfried's heart, Astolfo's sword, Frankenstein's mana, even Achilles' world-shield, turning a homunculus into a superhuman warrior.
Amakusa must've been fuming. The Red Faction's lineup was a guaranteed win, yet his decision to reveal himself flipped the script, letting Sieg claim victory. Utterly absurd.
All night, Altair and Kairi strategized, plotting how to fish in troubled waters, eliminate Red Faction threats, and seize the final victory.
Achilles was nearly untouchable unless Altair ambushed him personally. Karna was even tougher.
To weaken the Red Faction, Altair and Kairi decided to target their own allies' Servants the next day.
The war hadn't fully erupted, yet infighting was already brewing. Kairi eagerly embraced the role of double agent.
Unbeknownst to him, the Black Faction's internal drama would steal the show tomorrow.
As Red Faction members, Kairi and Amakusa maintained magical communication channels.
Early the next morning, Kairi received word: the Red Faction's Berserker had gone rogue, entering the forest outside Tulifas, Black Faction territory. Battle was imminent.
Altair and Mordred set out immediately for the forest, Mordred dematerialized and tethered to Altair. He'd already planned her grand reveal.
Riding his Somersault Cloud, Altair sped through the sky, soon spotting Berserker, Spartacus, the Smiling Boy, below, with Atalanta and Achilles trailing him.
"We found them! Father, this Noble Phantasm is incredible. How'd you make a cloud that flies?" Mordred, though dematerialized, could still speak, marveling at the cloud.
"It's a phantasmal beast I tamed in Avalon, manifesting here as my mount. As King Arthur, I've got some Rider aptitude. You do too, don't you?" Altair said.
"Avalon has phantasmal beasts like that?" Mordred asked, awestruck. Unfamiliar with Avalon, she didn't question it, simply envying him.
"Yup, though this world's Avalon probably doesn't." Altair lied smoothly, stepping to the cloud's edge.
"Alright, Mordred, stick close. We're going down."
"Got it, Father."
Targeting the advancing Berserker, Altair leapt from the cloud.
The height was considerable, so when he landed, he crashed like a meteor, carving a crater into the ground.
His Campione physique, enhanced to be both pliable like Tom Cat and durable as steel, absorbed the impact effortlessly.
Altair landed behind Berserker, who didn't glance back, charging toward the Black Faction. But Atalanta and Achilles, following him, halted, eyeing the dust-filled crater warily.
"Yo!" Altair vaulted out, waving with a smile.
"You're… Saber?" Achilles relaxed, recognizing Altair from shared Red Faction intel.
Altair nodded. "Yup. My Master got word Berserker went rogue, so I'm here to back you up."
"Perfect timing. We're about to check on the Black Faction." Achilles said.
"Then let's move together." Altair suggested, raising his right hand. "But first, I'll call in some help."
"Oh? Lancer's not here, Caster's in the rear, and Assassin's lying low. Who're you calling?" Achilles asked, curious. With all seven Red Faction Servants accounted for, was he summoning his Master?
"You probably know my true name." Altair said.
"King Arthur Pendragon, right?" Atalanta replied, introducing herself. "I'm Archer, Atalanta. He's Rider, Achilles."
"Greek legends, huh? Our firepower's stacked." Altair said, nodding, his raised hand clenching slightly as magical energy gathered. He looked at Achilles. "As a Rider, you can summon your chariot, right? That legendary war machine."
"You bet!" Achilles grinned, arms crossed, basking in the praise.
"Then as King Arthur, a king, summoning one of my Knight of the Round Tables to fight alongside me should be fair game." Altair said.
"Sure, wait, what?" Achilles froze mid-reply.
"That's allowed?" Atalanta asked, stunned.
"Of course. My Knight of the Round Tables are my comrades. Summoning a partner is no issue." Altair said, slamming his clenched fist into the ground. Magical energy erupted, a pillar of light shooting skyward, forcing Achilles and Atalanta to shield their eyes.
"Come forth, my knight!" Altair called.
Amid the light, Mordred materialized, stepping beside him. "Knight of the Round Table, Mordred, reporting for duty!"
"She's really here, and a Heroic Spirit? You're kidding!" Achilles gaped at Mordred's armored form, unable to process it. A full-fledged Heroic Spirit, brimming with potent magical energy. A Knight of the Round Table, each one legendary, summoned just like that? For free?
"It's Mordred, huh? Perfect. Fight with me." Altair said, following their rehearsed script.
"Yes, Father!" Mordred replied eagerly, thrilled to appear openly and join the fray.
"This is King Arthur? A king who can summon his former vassals? Doesn't that make him a one-man army?" Atalanta muttered, eyeing Mordred behind Altair.
Altair clarified quickly. "I can summon my comrades, but there's a limit. I can only call one at a time, not the entire Round Table."
"That's a fair restriction. Without it, you'd summon an army and dominate the war single-handedly." Achilles quipped. As an immortal hero, he was surprised but unfazed. Knight of the Round Tables were formidable, but none wielded god-slaying power, so he felt no threat.
"With our backup here, we've got four Servants. Time to clash with the Black Faction." Altair said, ready to heat up the war on day two.
Achilles gripped his spear, grinning. "Hell yeah, I'm pumped!"
***
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