"Shirou, they still came, nya," Chloe narrowed her eyes, gazing ahead.
Before them stretched a vast battlefield, a stone sea made from collapsed ruins.
The area that once had buildings standing tall had now turned into wasteland called "history," with no cover whatsoever.
The troops of the [Freya Familia] were divided into three divisions, advancing across the barren land, while a suffocating tension spread.
At the very front were the fierce warriors who, day after day, honed their individual strength in the Dungeon. Over a hundred and thirty in total, with more than forty of them being Second-Class Adventurers. Second only to the Ganesha Familia. The number of healers was the highest of all Familia in Orario.
If the [Freya Familia] collapsed, their numbers were enough to split into twenty "middle-tier factions."
Aside from the Second-Class Adventurers, there were also First-Class Adventurers above them, led by the [King].
The First-Class Adventurers were the Freya Familia's second division, led by the Lv.7 [White Fairy's Magic Wand]: seven in total. One Lv.7, two Lv.6, four Lv.5.
Behind them, the third division of the Freya Familia consisted of only one person.
The city's sole Lv.8, [King] Ottar.
Even after facing the threat of the [Hephaistos Gandiva], the Freya Familia still came in full force.
For this, Emiya wasn't surprised at all.
The [Freya Familia] was not afraid of death. These men and women, wandering on the verge of the gates of hell day and night in the Dungeon, literally died and came back to life again and again.
That life was terrifying and painful, but this strong goddess's Familia overcame their inner weakness through unwavering loyalty and absolute fighting instinct.
Fearless warriors, they were worthy of that title.
"Should we fire another arrow over?", Lunoire asked.
Even if the fierce warriors weren't afraid of death, that didn't mean they were beyond death. They weren't transcendent beings.
A few more arrows would be enough to burn those adventurers and their healers into being unable to stand again.
Their courage was admirable, but Emiya's firepower ultimately stood above their unyielding will.
Emiya shook his head lightly, "Forget it."
Ending the battle purely with ranged attacks wasn't impossible, but Emiya wanted to respect these warriors' spirit and resolve.
He didn't see the Freya Familia as enemies. Fighting them didn't require valuing efficiency that much.
"Still, deliberately dividing their troops into three is meant to make us choose," Chloe spoke.
Emiya could fight Ottar while also restraining several First-Class Adventurers, but Hedin had intentionally placed Ottar alone at the very rear.
That was a blatant invitation to duel. Hedin's intent was obvious: to make the two strongest men in the city fight each other on a separate battlefield.
While the [King] tied down Emiya, Hedin and the others would finish off [Gale] and the rest, then join in the siege against the [Grand Saber]. That was the only winning scenario Hedin could imagine.
As for whether Emiya would ignore Ottar and start a full melee directly, Hedin wasn't sure. For now, the initiative lay in Emiya's hands.
However, [White Fairy's Magic Wand]'s premonition was that man would accept his invitation.
"Then let's fight. Since they've arranged their formation like this, as they wish, it's fine," Ryuu spoke softly.
"Just right, that [White Fairy's Magic Wand] still owes me a duel."
———
["They're here! The [Grand Saber] and his companions have entered the battlefield as well, also split into three groups. Soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals, kings against kings!"] the commentator shouted passionately.
But after seeing how Emiya's group was divided, he cried out in shock.
["Wait... how could it be, this kind of split?"]
Across the wide field, the first to collide with the fierce warriors was the Chariot's Fragment.
The catgirl, besides her crimson war lance, also had a pair of shining boots on her feet.
Pseudo-Noble Phantasm [Golden Drive Goodnight].
As the girl sprinted, dazzling golden light shone around her, forming into a real war chariot, rampaging across the battlefield.
"Anya, you traitor!", An adventurer who recognized the catgirl shouted, but Anya mercilessly sent him flying with a single thrust.
"Anya is Shirou's cat, is Syr's cat! Who cares about that stupid goddess, nya!"
"How dare you insult the goddess... guah!"
Without even touching Anya's body or weapon, just the gust from her charge sent a powerful Lv.2 warrior flying.
And it was the same elsewhere.
Facing the girls, the Freya Familia's warriors charged, brandishing bloodthirsty weapons, roaring like beasts, accelerating to frightening speeds through sheer ability values.
Disorganized, with no intention of cooperating, this wave of assault still rushed like a landslide.
That terrifying spectacle was the Freya Familia's fierce warriors. Bearing strength and will enough to crush any army in the world single-handedly.
Only one exception, the First-Class Adventurers.
The number "5" held special meaning in this world.
A girl standing unmoving like a boulder in a raging current sent burly figures flying with just her fists.
A girl dancing like a butterfly through the crowd dodged every desperate warrior's attack, untouched.
Anya, Lunoire, Chloe... these girls who once had mental scars from First-Class Adventurers were now Lv.5s themselves, among the city's proudest elites.
And they weren't the lowest of the seat.
Even the spectators in the city felt it, 'Aren't these newly upgraded Lv.5s a little too strong?'
The speed and impact of the [Chariot's Fragment]'s charge seemed little worse than the [Goddess's Chariot]; the storm-like fists of the [Black Fist], one punch per enemy, were stronger than the veteran Lv.5 [Red Batlle Leopard]; the figure of the [Black Cat] was so elusive the audience couldn't follow her.
———
"It's the weapons," Inside a sushi shop, someone sighed.
"That catgirl, spear, boots, bracers, together worth over 1.5 billion valis," A senior blacksmith of the Goibniu Familia said, "Enough to arm more than ten First-Class Adventurers."
"F-fifteen hundred million valis?", Bell's mouth dropped open.
'The fried potato balls I sell are 30 valis each. 1.5 billion is... 50 million of them?'
The girl swallowed.
"Spear, six hundred million; boots, seven hundred million; bracers, two hundred million," the blacksmith said, "From my view, that's at least the price."
"Of course, that's based on performance. In truth, since these weapons are made by the [Grand Saber], you won't get them without a billion."
"But for that catgirl, the [Grand Saber] might give her the friend price. Might even gift them..."
Bell was dumbstruck, "G-gift them?"
"Not for free. Once you take the [Grand Saber]'s weapon, you're his. And only cute female adventurers get that deal."
"Speaking of which, Miss Mikoto really was given a First-Class katana. That blade is worth two to three hundred million with markup now," Someone brought it up.
Lv.3 Mikoto sometimes used the First-Class katana [Izumo] against stronger monsters.
Mikoto blushed, "The [Izumo] was gifted to Takemikazuchi-sama by Lord Emiya, I-I'm just borrowing it for now!"
"Don't explain, we all know~"
———
"Speaking of which, the cats have been working hard since just now, but the number of opponents hasn't gone down at all, nya~", Chloe said with a smile, "As expected, it's because of you, nya."
"When did you!", At the sudden voice behind her, Heith broke out in a cold sweat.
The girl whipped around at lightning speed and swung the staff in her hand.
As one of the "two great healers," the decisive gap between Heith and Airmid was, basic combat ability.
Heith had originally continued to be baptized on the "battlefield" as one of the fierce warriors. But just like a certain "abandoned cat", she felt the limits of herself as a fighter and fell into despair.
However, with a heart only wishing to serve the Goddess of Beauty, she changed jobs to healer, and successfully let the golden talent hidden within her bloom and bear fruit.
Heith's current level was Lv.4. Her combat technique was in no way inferior to fierce warriors of the same level; she could solo and slaughter Second-Class Adventurers.
If it were the same level, in close combat Chloe would very likely not be Heith's match.
But Chloe's level was Lv.5, and even with the advantage in level, the catgirl had no intention of engaging Heith in melee.
If Anya was the dumb cat who charged forward without a care, then she was the bad cat who, even while holding a level advantage, would unhesitatingly use dirty tricks on a "junior."
Grabbing Heith's arm with one hand, Chloe suddenly leaned in close; her fingers lovingly stroked the girl's cheek.
Because of this action by the catgirl, Heith froze for a moment. Then she realized that her cheek, and along with it the most important tongue and throat for chanting magic, were completely paralyzed.
"Poison," Saliva spilled from a mouth she could no longer control; Heith used all her strength and still only managed to spit out a single word.
"Auto heal (Auto heal)", within a certain period, it produces a continuous regenerative effect that restores injuries.
Before being ambushed by Chloe, strictly speaking, before entering the battlefield, Heith had already cast this "magic" on all the Gray-Faced Comforters including herself.
But unfortunately, she was ultimately not the [Saintess of the Battlefield]. Heith's healing magic did not have the effect of dispelling toxins.
Moreover, the poison of the [Ring of Silence] was not something ordinary healing magic could resist.
The numbness rapidly invaded her whole body, especially her brain. Heith's body wobbled once, then she collapsed in a sorry heap.
"Your dark circles are way too heavy. Get a good sleep."
Chloe said considerately; around her, the Gray-Faced Comforters all fell one after another.
After confirming Chloe had succeeded, Anya stopped her steps.
"Gray sky, vanished home, the black rain of ruins falls from the heavens—"
A "song" rose.
"Headless eyeballs, the questioning bronze statue. Who are you? Who are you? You are a little cat, a straying wheel. I am tears, the gagging slave."
"Ask where home is, I cannot answer. I ask the crow, and get no reply. So I whisper and sob, alone and helpless, softly singing behind my family."
Seeing little cat Anya singing like a saint, so unlike her usual self, Lunoire and Chloe's faces changed drastically.
"Hurry and put on your earplugs—"
"A disaster-class tone-deaf is coming Nyaaaaaa!"
Lunoire and Chloe clutched their ears in a panic.
In the next instant—
"Please don't abandon me, Remiste Felis."
"NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
Heaven-shaking sound waves swept over everything. The surrounding fierce warriors were thus exposed to the "tone-deaf disaster," and collapsed on the spot with their hands over their ears, writhing on the ground in agony.
The most pitiful were the already-unconscious Gray-Faced Comforters including Heith. The girls lying on the ground all arched their bodies; their faces were unmistakably making expressions of nightmare.
Heith was already seeing the revolving lantern of her life replay in her dreams.
Ultra-wide-area magic [Remiste Felis].
Targets are affected regardless of friend or foe; everyone present is caught up in it.
Not only the adventurers participating in the War Game. At this moment the citizens of Orario watching the "Divine Mirror" broadcast all toppled over as well.
The effect of the magic was "inflict abnormal status." Contrary to Haruhime's level elevation, it could drastically reduce the target's ability values.
After Anya leveled up to Lv.5, this magic's effect further improved. Although unlike the [Uchide no Kozuchi], it couldn't perfectly affect people far higher level than herself, at least for adventurers and monsters lower level than the user, it could directly achieve a debuff equivalent to de-leveling.
Aside from Lunoire and Chloe, who had put on magic-item-grade earplugs in advance, no one was spared.
Even Lv.4 fierce warriors would find it hard to withstand the girls who were First-Class Adventurers; and now a large number of Lv.2 and below fighters had directly fainted dead away. Of those remaining, at most Lv.3 strength remained.
"Kekekeke, just with you lot, you still want to steal Syr from the cats, nya!"
"Hey, dumb cat, this is a live broadcast. Don't laugh so villainously."
The girls chatted as they began the final mopping-up operation.
———
"[Gale], just you alone?", Hedin raised an eyebrow and asked.
On one side of the battlefield were the Freya Familia's seven First-Class Adventurers; on the other side was [Gale].
By now, even Allen, the most arrogant in the Freya Familia, would no longer speak lightly to Ryuu with disrespect. Nothing more than respect for the strong.
Emiya, in less than two years, had gone from Lv.1 to Lv.6, shattering all common sense; and Ryuu, in the same period, had leapt from Lv.4 to Lv.7, equally shocking.
The first two level-ups were still traceable; then she suddenly and silently reached Lv.7. It really made one wonder just what exactly the [Grand Saber] was injecting her with every day.
However, even if Ryuu's speed of leveling was faster, and the skills and magic she possessed were stronger than Hedin's at the same level, that still didn't mean she could withstand so many attackers at once.
"Heith and the others are not those few Lv.5s' match. Especially with the dumb cat; once that wide-area debuff magic is sung, it's all over," Hedin calculated rapidly.
"That damned boaz over there probably isn't Shirou's match either. The only advantage lies with us."
"Take down [Gale] quickly, then deal with the dumb cats, then turn back to besiege Shirou, this is the only strategy that might win."
"Then let's begin," Among the [Four Warriors of Burning Gold], the eldest Alfrigg, who wielded a long spear, spoke.
"Though it's seven against one," the second brother Dvalinn, who used a great hammer, picked up his brother's words.
"Don't you call us despicable," the third brother Berling, lifting a giant axe, sneered.
"After all, you're Lv.7," the fourth brother Grer, bearing a greatsword, said solemnly.
Ryuu tilted her head slightly, then said, "I'm glad you can think that way."
The elf girl set the [Starry Sword Coffer] behind her on the ground. With a pleasant click of mechanisms, the sword coffer unfolded.
The [Starry Sword Coffer], one of the city's most famous armaments because of its price.
No one knew how the [Grand Saber] and the Astraea Familia priced it; anyway, third-party blacksmiths judged that each sword in it was worth over one billion valis.
The sword coffer's upper limit was ten swords. That is, a total price exceeding ten billion valis.
The last time [Gale] appeared in the city, the coffer was filled with seven swords.
And now, it was a complete set of ten.
At the instant the coffer opened, ten swords flew out, spreading behind Ryuu like wings.
"When a mission is faithfully fulfilled, the scales shall reach balance."
"Fortress of order, crown of purity, fire that breaks evil."
"In the name of the goddess, like carving through the sky, leaving the traces of bright stars upon the great earth,"
"—Justice flows unceasing!"
Ryuu spoke softly, "[Astrea Summon]."
When this magic completed, the entire city's clamor reached its peak.
"How can there be a magic like this!", Some adventurers who couldn't accept it howled.
"Hehe, this is a dream, I must be dreaming...", Someone couldn't accept reality.
"Cheating! This is cheating!", Someone even cursed outright.
Of course, there were also those who had lived through that [Dark Era] who shed tears.
"It's them, it's them..."
"The lofty and beautiful perfect maiden, Alise Lovell, reporting in!", The red-haired beautiful swordswoman gripped the deep-crimson longsword [Higanbana].
"Ara ara, in the end, the useless elf still needs our care, huh," The sharp-tongued Yamato nadeshiko, Gojouno Kaguya, picked up [Tsubame Gaeshi].
"This time the enemy is the Freya Familia... but they're weak. Roll over them," Lyra toyed with [Blood Shara] and spoke.
"Ryuu, in the days I wasn't around, did you practice your magic properly?", The mage Celty, holding [Thunder Flash], asked.
"Long time no see, Ryuu. You're so thin now, are you eating well?", The healer Maryuu hung [Glazed Tears] at her waist and smiled as she asked.
[Flame Demon's Wrath], [Mountain-Holder], [Water-Severing Style], [Song of Mirrors], [Woeful Moon]... these weapons were held respectively by the mage Ryana, the shield-guard Asta, the swordswoman Noin, the fist-fighter Iska, and the werewolf Neze.
[Astrea Summon]
Summoning magic. When in possession of [Inheritance of Justice] and the [Valkyrie Holy Ring], [Astrea Record] is elevated to [Astrea Summon].
Once the magic is activated, it will summon the heroic spirits within [Astrea Record] to aid in battle.
In essence it is a limited deployment of an inner mental world's [Innate Bounded Field].
Among the summoned heroic spirits, Alise, Kaguya, and Neze are at the user's level minus one (Lv.6);
Ryana, Iska, Maryuu, and Asta are the user's level minus two (Lv.5);
Lyra, Celty, and Noin are the user's level minus three (Lv.4).
"Heh, catfolk, want to compare wildness with me?", The werewolf Neze sneered, her white long hair growing continuously. With the blessing of [Woeful Moon], she could directly open "beastification" even when it wasn't a moonlit night.
"Chuunibyou, let me see your strength as a [Swordswoman]," The Yamato nadeshiko showed a vicious smile, "By the way, even if I die, Ryuu can summon me again, so I'll fight you trading wounds without any hesitation~ Be careful, don't die, okay?"
Even summoned as a heroic spirit, Gojou no Kaguya's personality was still atrocious beyond bearing.
"Hey hey, in that case, we can only fight these little pallum? I don't want to bully people," Alise said words that made the [Four Warriors of Burning Gold]' foreheads pop with the character "#".
"Sigh, why is it you lot, feels like fighting Finn would be more interesting," Lyra's muttering made the faces under the Gulliver brothers' helmets turn beet red.
Maryuu: "I'll heal everyone, so please fight at ease."
"It's fine. Even if we're hurt or shattered, it doesn't matter anyway."
"Since everyone's here, let's fight according to the lines. Asta holds the front, let Ryana bombard with magic..."
Listening to the girls' conversation, Hedin smiled in resignation.
Mm. One magic summoned ten people, seven First-Class, with three of them at Lv.6, and each brimming with special techniques. There's magic and there are skills.
The lineup was complete: dwarven shield-guard, front-line fighters, mid-line magic swordswoman, back-line mage. Everything was there, and there was even a healer.
Hedin: 'I don't even want to comment anymore. Why don't you bring out that Uchide no Kozuchi too, add the buffs, and send me off with one sword while you're at it.'
'This magic of yours, Hera Familia's [Silence] would cough herself angry if she saw it.'
'I'm tired. Let it all burn.'
Ryuu: "Don't call me despicable. You're the Freya Familia, after all." [T/N: Burn ❤️🔥]
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