"That is!" Looking at the dagger in Shirou's hand, Atalanta couldn't help but struggle. "Why do you have that!"
"That? Are you talking about this?" Waving the dagger in his hand at Atalanta, Shirou smiled and said, "Of course, it's a projection!" "Haven't you already seen my Projection Magecraft in Unlimited Blade Works?"
Looking at the dagger, Atalanta's eyes couldn't help but waver. How could she not recognize this dagger?! It was the weapon of her former friend, a scene from an epic where they were praised as heroes together on the Argo.
It was the Noble Phantasm of Medea, the princess of Colchis, known as the 'Witch'.
"Rule Breaker!"
As a weapon, the performance of Rule Breaker is equivalent to nothing, but it can "break" all magecraft of the object pierced by its blade. The objects it can break are those reinforced by magical energy, contracts based on magical energy, or life forms born from magical energy.
It can reset them to the state before magical energy was used. In other words, contracts based on magical energy turn into blank slates, and life forms born from magical energy are instantly annihilated. For this reason, although its use is quite limited, its effect is immense in the Holy Grail War with its Servant system. It is the ultimate anti-magecraft Noble Phantasm. In the Fifth Holy Grail War of the UBW route, Medea used it to become the Master of Saber and then Archer, at one point coming extremely close to winning the Holy Grail War. But in the end, she died due to Archer's ambush.
With it, in the entire Holy Grail War, any Servant except the Ruler could be turned from enemy to friend. However, among the Black Faction's ranks, it would be difficult to turn others against their Master, even if he could become their Master.
After all, in the Holy Grail War, the Servant's own will absolutely cannot be ignored. The reason for so much betrayal in this Holy Grail War is precisely because of the will of these heroes, isn't it?
Although these heroes more or less have some wishes they want to fulfill, most heroes are indifferent to these wishes. Sometimes, all they want is simply a battle to their heart's content. Heroes are willful beings, which is why Command Spells exist. But even without Command Spells, many virtuous heroes can be influenced by words, and repaying the Master for summoning them is also one of the conditions that restrain these heroes' willfulness.
But in the Red Faction, once Shirou Kotomine seized ownership of them, this gratitude no longer existed. So they became extremely willful.
Karna wanted to duel Siegfried.
Achilles, at his teacher's request, gifted his Noble Phantasm to Astolfo, and eventually hunted down the crazed Atalanta. These were all acts of willfulness belonging to heroes. This was also one of the reasons for Shirou Kotomine's defeat.
As beings who had passively betrayed their Masters, they would no longer consider the current Master's thoughts, only acting on their whims. Therefore, in the Black Faction's lineup, only Atalanta, who lacked a sense of honor, could be brought under his control. As for Shakespeare, what use would he be?
As the Noble Phantasm, Rule Breaker, in Shirou's hand, pierced down, amid Atalanta's wails, her contract with Shirou Kotomine was instantly severed. Looking at Atalanta, who appeared somewhat fatigued due to the interruption of magical energy supply, Shirou smiled and extended his right hand.
"Then, let us begin our contract, Atalanta!"
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...
In the Hanging Gardens. Shirou Kotomine, awaiting Atalanta's reply in the King's Chamber, suddenly revealed a bitter smile. "It seems I have indeed lost a round!"
Hearing Shirou Kotomine's lament, everyone around him couldn't help but cast him confused glances.
"What's wrong, Master!" Hearing Semiramis's question, Shirou Kotomine said helplessly, "My connection with Atalanta has vanished!"
"What!?" Hearing this, Achilles roared, "Big Sis was killed?"
"How is that possible? Big Sis is Greece's most famous female hunter; how could she suddenly die?"
"It must be that person, Shirou!" Regarding who among the Black Faction could defeat Atalanta so easily, everyone present had their own judgment.
"That guy!" Clenching his fists tightly, Achilles roared in anger.
"However, rather than Atalanta dying, I feel it's more like our contract was severed!"
"Severed?" Semiramis narrowed her eyes, her entire expression darkening. "That Black Assassin seems capable of projecting others' Noble Phantasms, meaning the number of Noble Phantasms he can use will be incredibly terrifying. It's highly likely that he has some Noble Phantasms that counter us."
"Just like this incident, if it's truly as Master says and the opponent used a contract-severing Noble Phantasm, then our situation seems to have been reversed!"
"You mean, Big Sis has sided with the Black Faction?"
"I hope that's not the case!" Gazing at the darkness outside the Hanging Gardens, Shirou Kotomine said seriously, "Before the decisive battle, none of you should leave here anymore, otherwise you might very well fall into an ambush!"
"Understood!"
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Meanwhile, outside Millennia Fortress. Facing the giant's attack, Jeanne was truly in a difficult situation.
Although she could always receive the opponent's attacks, she had no chance to counterattack. While she endured the giant's attacks, Astolfo, Frankenstein, and Chiron's attacks never ceased, but these attacks caused no effective damage to the giant. As time passed, the nearby area had already been transformed into paradise by the giant. Here, any wounds the giant sustained would instantly heal.
"What do we do now?! That guy is almost invincible!"
"Chiron, do you have a plan?"
"No, without Shirou, we simply cannot defeat it!"
"Whoa, I'm almost done for!" Facing the giant's attacks, even Astolfo couldn't dodge everything. Having been knocked flying twice, he was now exhausted! Just as everyone was hoping for Shirou's return, the giant before them suddenly shuddered! Then, to everyone's horror, it rapidly grew, finally transforming into a super-large giant towering sixty meters high.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, this is no joke!" Astolfo roared, looking at the mountain-like greatsword in the opponent's hand. Just as the giant before them raised its greatsword, preparing to cleave down, a delicate cry suddenly echoed in everyone's ears: "Phoebus Catastrophe (Complaint Message to the Gods)!"
As the curtain of light in the sky dispersed, countless arrows of light continuously showered down onto the ground. Under Atalanta's control, this time the Noble Phantasm was concentrated above the giant's head. All the arrows of light fell onto the giant's body.
"This is Red Archer's Noble Phantasm?" Looking at the suddenly appearing Noble Phantasm, the Black Faction members exchanged confused glances. Only Fiore and Chiron, who knew Shirou's specific plan, smiled.
"Yo, Atalanta, why are you helping us?" Astolfo curiously asked Atalanta, who appeared on the city wall of Millennia Fortress.
"Hmph!" Atalanta irritably turned her face away.
"That's because Atalanta has already become our ally!"
Shirou slowly emerged from the forest on the side, a smile playing on his lips as he spoke.
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