"Ugh…"
It felt like needles were stabbing into his brain—Lin Qi suddenly felt a sharp pain and instinctively clutched his head.
Caesar's words repeated like a recorder jammed inside Lin Qi's skull, playing the same lines over and over.
And they carried an unusual magical power that forced Lin Qi to imagine—what if he really did join Caesar's… no, Romulus's side?
Romulus was one of Rome's supreme gods. If he descended in his Grand-class form, and this was Rome—his home ground—
Would he not be someone capable of contending against Goetia?
Even if he couldn't defeat that giant halo, defending Rome shouldn't be a problem…
So if I join them, and just stay inside Rome obediently… would I finally be able to rest? Would I no longer have to push forward with everything I have…?
Lin Qi asked himself numbly. A tempting longing stirred in him, shaking his conviction again and again.
Caesar's voice continued to echo in his mind, making it impossible for Lin Qi to think deeply.
He couldn't pull apart the flaws in those words.
Sounds nice… never having to think about anything troublesome again…
He imagined Romulus clad in golden armor, clashing with Goetia like when he fought Zeus.
Hundreds of exchanges later, both silently withdrew.
And himself? He would just be lying in a chair watching the battle unfold before him.
A yearning feeling took hold of Lin Qi.
"—Silence!!"
Just as Lin Qi was about to fall under the incitement, Nero yanked him backward, shielding him behind her like a mother hen protecting her chick.
She glared at Caesar with blazing fury.
The echo in Lin Qi's head suddenly stopped.
Nero raised the Aestus Estus, its blazing edge pointed straight at Caesar's face.
"How dare you! To think you would lay hands upon my guard right in front of me!"
"Facing opposing armies, I expected you to have something worthy to say—yet instead you resort to such vile, filthy tricks!"
"I am right here, and yet you ignore me? You go around me to attack someone else with such absurd methods?"
"And even attempt to steal away my guard?!"
"Such disgraceful conduct—and you haven't even declared your own name! You are not worthy to impersonate Caesar!"
"If you have so much as a shred of Heroic Spirit honor, then present your neck for the blade and hand over Rome's lands to me!"
Words poured from Nero like a storm of cannon fire—so rapid that when she finally finished, her chest was heaving, clearly enraged beyond measure.
A stunned silence fell over the field.
Lin Qi and Caesar both stared at Nero, speechless.
"Rebellion… betrayal of teacher and ancestor?!"
Those were the first words that instinctively flashed through Caesar's mind.
But then he recovered—and instead of anger, his smile grew even brighter.
The process was strange, yes—but this was exactly what he wanted to see.
A unique brilliance, a beauty worthy of being called Rome's blooming flower!
Everything he had said—was just to test Nero's will.
And the result was far beyond his expectations.
She had no need of his test at all!
As long as that little Master was beside her—even if faced with Romulus—she likely wouldn't falter.
Seems I was overthinking.
Caesar shook his head.
"Since talking further is pointless—then taste the might of my golden blade, [Yellow Death!]"
Drawing his golden sword, Caesar lightly pushed off the ground and leaped from the hilltop.
He had wanted to hold back a bit longer—but he was no Romulus. He didn't have the resistance to such high-level summoning restraints.
It was easy enough during normal combat, but he couldn't hold back once he got serious.
"Exactly what I wanted!"
Still seething with righteous fury, Nero charged forward with Lin Qi without another word.
Though Caesar was only a 3-star Servant in the game, his Noble Phantasm had excellent damage multipliers—many players had once used him to clear high-difficulty stages, even if he wasn't as good as 5-stars.
In true story combat, [Yellow Death] was Caesar's sure-kill Noble Phantasm—a blow guaranteed to hit its target, followed by an unending flurry of attacks.
It didn't even need conscious thought from the user—the sword would simply guide its wielder to victory.
Especially in close combat, it was an extremely handy Noble Phantasm.
Lin Qi and Nero rushed in.
Lin Qi and Nero were thrown back.
Nero's sleeve had been sliced open, a bloody line forming across her pale arm.
Lin Qi was uninjured, but in that short exchange he had already triggered [Dodge] more than once.
Both of them stared at the fat man before them with grave expressions.
With [Yellow Death] at work, Caesar moved with agility impossible for someone of his physique.
Up, down, left, right—
The golden sword spun like a blazing fan, slashing and thrusting from impossible angles.
Golden afterimages streaked through the air.
Lin Qi and Nero were caught off guard—barely hanging on.
"Well? You've now seen the power of this sword, haven't you? It is the sword of certain victory—Veni, vidi, vici!"
Caesar looked smugly at them, pausing his assault for the moment.
Despite its power, this Noble Phantasm relied on luck. Caesar himself wasn't fond of using it much.
"It's just a slight advantage and you're already celebrating? Too early for that. Now watch how I break your swordplay!"
Nero shot Lin Qi a look.
Lin Qi understood instantly and quickly cast a buff on both of them.
They charged once more.
With the buffs applied, they were barely able to keep up with [Yellow Death] tempo and avoid being blown away instantly.
Amid ringing clashes of metal, the golden sword, the Aestus Estus, and Lin Qi's flag struck each other again and again.
Nero's swordsmanship was sharper—she carried the offense.
Lin Qi, relying on [Dodge], intercepted the stray blows that broke through Nero's guard.
The fight fell into a deadlock.
"Heh. If this is all you've got—you will never defeat my golden blade! Remember—I still haven't used my full strength!"
Compared to Lin Qi and Nero's effort, Caesar—fighting solely with [Yellow Death]—was completely relaxed.
He even had time to talk.
"Oh? You haven't used your full strength yet?"
Nero asked the question—but she was already smiling, an innocent yet mischievous grin.
Lin Qi beside her fought the urge to laugh as well.
Caesar instantly sensed danger.
A white figure appeared behind him.
"Holding back, were you? What a shame—"
Before anyone noticed, Jing Ke had slipped silently behind Caesar—her dagger struck mercilessly.
[Only For Killing]!
The cursed blade, laden with strange magical energy, pierced straight toward Caesar's back and plunged deep.
With a wet sound, Caesar froze from the mortal wound.
Nero did not waste the opening—she slashed him hard, sending him flying.
Caesar's round body rolled several times before collapsing weakly against the dusty ground.
"Hahahaha! So long as my guard and I held your attention—this was always how it was going to end!"
Nero crossed her arms, laughing proudly.
Jing Ke's kill efficiency was even lower than Lin Qi's, and they hadn't needed her for scouting—so why not hide her and wait for the perfect killing strike?
Who in their right mind would make an Assassin lead troops and hack away in the frontlines?
An Assassin should act like an Assassin!
And as far as Nero was concerned—why spread out their strength at all? Better to group together and form a spearhead—cut down whatever's in the way.
Much more effective than dividing up, wasn't it?
...