I gazed at the dense forest ahead. A barrier enveloped the castle, designed to shield it from the eyes of ordinary people and deter them from delving deeper into the forest.
It didn't take me long to get here. With my speed, I crossed the entire city and ran over thirty kilometers before slowing down and walking to the edge of the Einzbern castle's forest.
I dashed, leaping swiftly over buildings, pushing off the ground with tremendous force, covering hundreds of meters in a second.
Every three seconds, I crossed more than a kilometer at full speed. It was a bit strange, as the air didn't seem to hinder or slow me down. There was no force of air resistance impeding my movement.
It was almost as if the wind and air themselves parted and made way for me to pass.
But now wasn't the time to think about that. Maybe it's just the silly logic of anime.
I could sense Caster not far away. Saber was also very close to him, and she seemed furious, judging by the waves of Magical Energy I felt from her.
And also…
A cold wind blew from where they were, carrying the scent of blood with it. It was a strong, nauseating smell, fresh—human blood… children's blood.
How many children were killed?
I couldn't tell how many children Caster had killed. But the scent of blood carried by the wind out of the forest suggested it was a significant number.
I'd like to save those children. But…
There was nothing I could do. I knew those children were being used to summon Lovecraftian monsters.
Even if I had arrived earlier and tried to save those children… it would've been futile since they had already been prepared as raw material for summoning cosmic horrors from Beyond the World.
Although, I could have gone after Caster in his workshop and prevented all these innocent deaths. But eliminating Caster wasn't something important to me.
I simply considered pursuing Caster a waste of time.
At that moment, I didn't think about the children Caster was kidnapping and killing with… that psychopath sidekick of his.
Why did I ignore it? What Caster and his Master were doing. I don't understand. Why?
"…"
I looked in another direction, toward the castle. Another… there was another… but an unnatural Vibration.
It was the Vibration I came to investigate.
For now, I can just ignore Caster. He's not important, and what he does isn't my concern. They're just humans. Those worms deserve to be exterminated, be it women or children… it doesn't matter.
With these thoughts I didn't even understand why I had, I entered the forest and crossed the barrier in front of me.
My goal is the cause of the Vibration, nothing more than that.
×××××
Saber transformed into a fierce gust of wind and galloped through the forest.
Now, Saber no longer cared about her differences with Kiritsugu. Her heart would become a sword once on the battlefield. A sharp, gleaming sword. A sword that harbored no doubts.
Saber knew very clearly that she was facing Caster's magical battle array. Her blood was boiling; the evils this demon committed left Saber furious. But what drove Saber at this moment wasn't her furious mood. Anger and hatred alone wouldn't be enough to turn Saber's heart into a sharp sword.
Those massacred children. It wasn't as if Saber hadn't seen such scenes before. As long as someone is on the battlefield, no matter how unbearable such a thing is, those small carcasses will still be seen.
For her, who was once King Arthur, it was a common sight seen all the time.
The so-called humans, once on the brink of life and death, would become incomparably ugly, despicable, and violent. Humans are bipedal beasts who raped women, massacred children, and robbed the poor. Nine out of ten times, the bloodstained battlefield would be filled with such demons.
Yet, precisely because of this, humans need to prove their worth, even if they've sunk into Hell. Prove that humans can still live with dignity, regardless of the difficulties surrounding them. Someone needs to prove and witness this.
The one who can witness this is the knight. The shining star on the battlefield.
A knight must proudly illuminate the entire battlefield, inspiring awe with their justice. They need to allow those fallen souls, reduced to demons, to regain honor and pride and become proper humans once again. Set aside their own anger, sorrow, and anguish and focus on the greater good.
That was the duty a knight should fulfill.
Therefore, Saber must defeat Caster. This isn't a desire born of anger, but her duty.
Saber had to admit that such actions lacked careful consideration. She couldn't avoid it if someone scolded her for acting rashly. However, Saber isn't someone with only muscles and no brain. Although she foresaw that Caster would be a difficult enemy, she didn't despair, because it's not as if she had no hope of victory. If it's a fight to the death, the last one standing would be her… that was Saber's Intuition.
Caster must be defeated. Unlike Kiritsugu, Saber had her reasons to defeat Caster with her own hands. She must subdue that demon even if she suffers severe injuries and weakens her strength. This is the duty of the King of Knights, an unavoidable obligation. A demon who tarnished the meaning of war, a scum who humiliated human pride—Saber would never let such a person go.
The stench of blood grew heavier. The mud clinging to the edge of her armor halted Saber's steps.
Behind Saber, the ground was clouded with raised dust, and the disturbed dust was soaked with moisture. That moisture wasn't caused by rain but by crimson blood.
It was a nauseating stench. A sea of blood surrounded her.
*What kind of cruel massacre did Caster carry out to create such an unbearable scene?*
Saber's heart shattered with pain as she thought of this.
And those massacred were all small, innocent children. Saber recalled those children, screaming in terror, that she saw in the crystal ball. That had been something that happened just moments ago. Just a few minutes earlier, before Saber galloped into the forest.
Back then, they were still lively children. Now, they had already turned into scattered carcasses.
"You're finally here, Jeanne. I've waited a long time."
Caster greeted the silver-white figure with a sincere smile.
Caster's face was filled with smug smiles, as if he were very satisfied with the lavish banquet he was hosting.
Caster stood in the middle of this sea of blood, his black cassock covered with the fresh blood of the hostages, making his smile even more terrifying and ghastly.
"What do you think of this tragic scene? Mortifying? Could you imagine the anguish those innocent, adorable children went through in the end? But Jeanne, this still isn't a true tragedy. Compared to after losing you, to be able to find you again…"
Saber had nothing to say and no intention of listening to Caster's long speech. She wanted to cleave Caster in half with one sword strike.
Without hesitation, Saber took a step toward Caster.
Caster also detected the killing intent in Saber's advancing step and stopped talking, suddenly pulling his hands from the edges of his cassock.
The thing hidden in front of Caster's chest made Saber halt her advance once again. It was a child. The only surviving hostage. He was still sobbing weakly while Caster's forearms held him close. Did Caster keep him alive just to use him as a shield in the battle against Saber?
"…Oh, Jeanne, your blazing, rage-filled eyes are so captivating."
Caster, feeling relaxed, smiled briefly at Saber.
"You hate me so much? Yes, you should hate me. I betrayed God's mercy and love, and you would never forgive me for that. You were truly more devoted to God than anyone else."
"Let that child go."
The tone Saber used to command Caster was as cold as a blade.
"This competition for the Holy Grail aims to select the Heroic Spirit most worthy of obtaining the Grail. If you use strategies that tarnish the Heroic Spirits, you will be abandoned by the Holy Grail."
"As you've already resurrected, the Holy Grail is useless to me… Jeanne, if you really want to save this child's life."
Caster couldn't help but laugh loudly. Then, with a face full of disappointment, he gently loosened his grip and placed the child on the ground.
"Don't cry, child. You should be happy. God's devoted disciple has come to save you. The almighty God has finally answered your wishes. None of your friends received God's salvation, except you."
It seemed the child also understood that the blonde girl who rushed here was his savior and immediately began crying loudly. At the same time, he ran straight toward Saber.
The child's small hands grabbed Saber's greave. Saber's fingertips gently brushed the child's hands. The only thing that could envelop the child and give him comfort were the mountains surrounding them. Currently, Saber was in a very desperate situation. She could no longer prepare for battle and ensure the child's safety at the same time.
"It's too dangerous here. Get away quickly. Run this way, and you'll see a large castle. There, people will help—"
*Crack!*
The child's spine made a sound. His sobs turned into painful wails.
Saber was shocked beyond words; the small figure before her eyes exploded. Moreover, what gushed from inside the child wasn't red blood. It was a dark horde of snakes, countless intertwined snakes—no, that thing was covered in suckers as large as fish gills, not something as simple as a group of snakes. Were they octopuses? Or the tentacles of some strange octopus-like creature? Those tentacles, as thick as Saber's arms, extended in the blink of an eye and wrapped around the silver armor, beginning to tightly restrict Saber's arms and legs.
The flesh and blood of the hostage still hung on the demonic monsters summoned from another world; there was more than one demonic monster surrounding Saber. Endless tentacles continued to emerge from the remains of the scattered hostages; about a dozen monsters surrounded Saber almost immediately after the summoning.
These monsters were roughly the same size. They had no limbs or lower body, making them impossible to describe with words.
There was a circular mouth at the end of each of these endless tentacles.
The mouths contained teeth as sharp as a shark's.
Although the origins of these creatures were unknown, they were definitely not living beings of nature.
They could be creatures from another world, and that world didn't obey natural laws.
"I should've told you beforehand; you should make all preparations the next time you see me."
Caster laughed loudly, as if celebrating his victory. As he spoke, a thick book appeared in his hands. The book's cover was wet and glossy, and unbelievably, a piece of human skin was placed over it. By its appearance, it was just an ordinary book, but with Saber's lightning-fast senses, she realized that enormous amounts of Magical Energy surged with the book as the center and expanded outward.
It was Caster's Noble Phantasm.
"This is the magic book my friend and ally left for me. I obtained the means to lead armies of demons using this book. What do you think? Can any other army face the majesty of my demonic army?"
Saber didn't respond. She was still firmly bound by the tentacles. The shapeless, rotten, and crushed carcass still remained in her hands.
These demonic monsters consumed the hostages' flesh as they emerged, so the remains of the carcass no longer had solid weight. That child, who was crying and clutching the edge of her clothing a minute ago, had now been reduced to this tragic state.
"…That's enough. I no longer wish to compete for the Grail with you."
The Sword Servant, Saber, said calmly. At the same time, she unleashed the rage roaring and steaming in her heart.
The demonic monsters began to retreat. Compared to sound waves, this shockwave brought more force to Caster's eardrums.
What erupted from the slender girl's body was a bloodthirsty cry of rage and an enormous burst of Magical Energy.
Those tentacles surrounding Saber's entire body didn't withstand even a second of her Mana Burst. They broke into pieces of flesh in the blink of an eye, scattered, and vanished. Not a trace of the slime that enveloped Saber remained on her, and thus the silver armor regained its gleaming shine. Amid the hordes of demonic monsters, the girl looked like a war god and glared at Caster with her blazing eyes.
"No longer do I seek anything in this battle, nor do I wish to gain anything. But now… this sword in my hands was made to eliminate you."
"Ah, Jeanne…"
Caster was awestruck by Saber's majesty and began to gasp weakly. His expression wasn't one of doubt or fear but rather a bit lost and confused.
"So noble, so just… Oh, holy maiden, even the gods are shamed before you!"
Caster's voice was extraordinarily joyful, but suddenly he fell silent. Taking this as a signal, the fragile tentacles attacked Saber like an avalanche.
"I've tainted my love! I've sunk into the swamp of love! Oh, holy maiden!"
The swinging sword and the mad laughter raised the curtains on this battle to the death.
×××××
Irisviel held her breath and stared unblinkingly at the course of the battle in the crystal ball.
The strange matter Saber had foreseen was already quite obvious.
Considering the special abilities of the Servant Classes.
Saber has an overwhelming advantage over Caster when they fight. When she achieved the Heroic Spirit class of the sword, her Magic Resistance ability increased by magnitudes.
If Caster uses Magic as his main weapon and resists Saber head-on, he wouldn't stand a chance.
But…
Caster is a mage who can summon evil demons.
Saber's Magic Resistance skill can only be activated when someone targets her with magic. This cannot prevent Caster from summoning monsters from other worlds. Moreover, once these monsters are summoned, they materialize and pose a threat different from magic. The monsters' teeth and curved claws have attack powers equal to swords. The only things Saber could use are her sword and body when facing these monsters.
But even so, Saber, the most powerful in armed combat, wouldn't fear any mere monsters summoned from another world. That's certain. However, that's something she could only do when her body was uninjured.
The battle in the forest reflected in the crystal ball was definitely not an optimistic situation.
Facing the monstrous tentacles that continuously attacked her, Saber didn't retreat a single step. She still maintained her swift and fierce attack posture. Each time Saber swung the sharp invisible sword in her hands, monsters were torn apart in the air. Those hordes of tentacles couldn't get a single step closer to the Servant.
Saber was fully capable of repelling the monsters' attacks, but these monsters attacked wave after wave… this meant Saber was in a bad situation where she had to defend with all her strength.
Although Saber could defeat the enemy army with her cruel swordsmanship, Caster was just standing far away with ease, observing her fight. Saber couldn't even get one step closer to the leader of the monsters, Caster.
Countless new monsters with their tentacles continued to grow in the places where they were cut down, and countless monsters also emerged from the blood-soaked pools on the ground. These monsters surrounded Saber in layers.
That invisible sword and the continuously summoned and materialized monsters were in a situation where their powers were completely equal. This meant that Caster held the reins of this battle. That mage wasn't trying to achieve a quick victory but moved step by step, maneuvering only the forces needed to combat Saber, and led the battle to a stalemate.
It seemed Caster planned to wage a prolonged battle. He wanted to tire Saber out, exhaust all her energy, and then finish her off with one blow.
Moreover, at this moment, Saber was completely trapped in Caster's scheme.
Perhaps the situation would've been different if Saber weren't injured. It would've been a breeze for Saber to deal with this group of weaklings. However, now Saber's left hand was troubled by that curse. Her expression, visible through the crystal ball, was evidently very anxious because she couldn't fight as she wished.
"Is there still no sign of other Masters entering the forest?"
Kiritsugu's question came from behind Irisviel. Obviously, Kiritsugu didn't care much about Saber's problematic situation.
Irisviel was extremely disappointed with Kiritsugu. However, Kiritsugu seemed not to have noticed his wife's disappointment and only silently prepared his weapons.
Kiritsugu placed several grenades and small submachine guns in the harness under his jacket. It was quite unbelievable, the preparation of a mage about to enter battle, yet Irisviel saw that the holster at Kiritsugu's waist contained the unique Magecraft cartridge that Kiritsugu only carried in critical moments. She understood that her husband had prepared to fight in the best way possible.
"Maiya, escape the castle with Iri. Go in the opposite direction of Saber."
Maiya nodded without doubt upon hearing Kiritsugu's command. But Irisviel couldn't hide the uncertainty in her heart.
"Can't I… stay here?"
"Saber is fighting far from here, which means this castle is no longer safe because others would think the same as me. So it's very dangerous here."
Someone might indeed want to take advantage of this and attack Saber's Master in the short time Saber is away from the castle. The best time to kill a Master is when the Master and Servant are acting separately.
Between a Master under their Servant's protection and a mage guarding their headquarters alone, which of these two enemies is easier to defeat?
Kiritsugu would definitely choose the latter. If another mage chose the same answer as Kiritsugu, they would surely attack Irisviel, who remained in the castle, once they knew Saber was fighting alone.
She had finally reunited with Kiritsugu, but they were about to part again.
This made Irisviel very uneasy. She grew even more uneasy when she detected the pain and conflict Kiritsugu hid in his heart. However, she would only be a burden if she stayed by Kiritsugu's side. After all, meeting Kiritsugu at the castle was already a violation of their previously agreed rules.
"…"
Irisviel finally felt the root of her anxiety when she coldly thought about things in her heart. It wasn't because she was separated from Kiritsugu, but because she had to move with Maiya.
Kiritsugu originally planned for Maiya to protect Irisviel, but Irisviel still couldn't shake off her resentment toward Maiya.
But Irisviel wouldn't go against Kiritsugu's battle plans due to her personal feelings.
"…I understand."
In the short time it took Irisviel to nod slightly…
"?!"
A new tingling pain appeared in Irisviel's Magic Circuits.
This was information transmitted to her through Vibrations from the forest's Bounded Field.
"…What's wrong, Iri?"
"Kiritsugu, it's exactly as you feared. It seems a new enemy has entered the forest…"
However, during that moment of speaking, Vibrations struck Irisviel's Magic Circuits more forcefully than before. It was abnormal compared to the previous Vibrations.
"Iri! What's the problem? What's happening?"
"A-another…"
Irisviel's voice was extremely pained.
"Two enemies… hm, that's good. If he heads toward Caster, we can kill two Masters at once. It's even better if they fight each other."
Knowing there were two enemies, Kiritsugu thought it was a good opportunity. Eliminating two Masters was a significant step toward winning the Holy Grail War. And if the two Masters and their Servants clashed in the forest, his chances of killing both Masters were even greater.
Irisviel focused on her Clairvoyance to see who the new intruder was that had disturbed her Magic Circuits with an alarm of that magnitude.
"Who is it, Iri?"
A tall, slender young man, 192 cm in height. Short, disheveled black hair and deep black eyes. A black shirt with a purple stripe on each shoulder, reaching down to his thighs, tied tightly with a black cord at the waist. Mid-calf black boots with laces.
The tall young man, approximately 37 cm taller than Saber. He looked very much like a church priest, dressed in fine, dark black robes.
Suddenly, he turned, looking straight into her eyes with his deep, blacker-than-hell-abyss eyes.
A smile appeared on the young man's face, and he whispered a word slowly.
*"Found you."*
Irisviel's body trembled with dread. There was something wrong with that Servant. He didn't seem like the gentle, polite young man from last night.
"B-Berserker…"
"Damn. Of all people, him."
Kiritsugu cursed. The mad Servant who was far too intelligent seemed like a headache based on his own experience.
"And his Master?"
"I don't see him. There's only a sign of Berserker in the forest."
"Our plan will remain the same. Instead… there'll only be one change: we'll send Familiars to search for Berserker's Master. He shouldn't be too far outside the Einzbern Forest."
Kiritsugu didn't change the plans; instead, there was just one more adjustment. Find Berserker's Master and kill him to eliminate one of the two most powerful Servants in the Holy Grail War.
×××××
Saber sensed the enemy's intentions after defeating three monsters.
She still didn't know the reason. However, the excessively fragile tentacle monsters and Caster's abnormal degree of confidence triggered Saber's instinctive alarm.
After defeating ten, Saber finally confirmed the reason for her unease.
The number of enemies didn't decrease. No matter how many she defeated, new enemies would arise. Caster's summoning magic continuously demanded reinforcements from other worlds.
Even so, it didn't matter. Saber silently strengthened herself. No matter how large the number of enemies, all she needed to do was defeat them twice as fast. Driven by her fervent morale, Saber's sword accelerated in the blink of an eye.
Thirty. As the enemies didn't decrease even slightly, a flash of anxiety passed through Saber's heart.
Fifty. Saber realized there was no point in counting anymore.
It wasn't just the flesh and blood of the hostage children that served as fertile ground for the demonic monsters; from her peripheral vision, Saber noticed that new demonic monsters were born from the defeated corpses of other monsters.
*So that's it… no wonder they didn't decrease. It's as if these defeated demonic monsters could be reborn indefinitely. If so, this is a contest about the amount of stored Magical Energy.*
Saber immediately slowed her sword when she realized this would be a long battle. She wouldn't last long if she swung her sword with all her might; she could only use the minimum amount of force needed to conduct her hunt.
Caster's Magical Energy must be finite. Repeatedly summoning and resurrecting familiars would eventually exhaust his Magical Energy. The question was whether Saber could last until then.
Saber was once again worried about not being able to use her left hand. She had to use Mana Bursts to compensate for her lack of strength when wielding the sword with only her right hand.
In this situation, any extra expenditure of Magical Energy was a heavier burden than anything else.
Originally, if she could grip the sword's hilt with both hands, using a strike from Excalibur, the Sword of Promised Victory, she should be able to completely vaporize Caster.
Saber continued fighting with her sword despite her bitter regret.
Although more than a hundred monsters had been defeated, Caster still smiled with ease while admiring Saber's fight.
Saber looked at her enemy, who showed no signs of exhaustion, with shock on her part, and once again realized the extraordinarily dense amount of Magical Energy the magic book in his hands was releasing.
*Could it be…*
Although it was a very pessimistic guess, it probably wasn't wrong.
It was the summoning magic that called forth these countless demonic monsters, resurrected them, and incited them to rush relentlessly toward Saber's sword. And the one reciting the spell was none other than that magic book.
It wasn't just a stack of paper recording spells.
That book was probably a furnace of Magical Energy with incredible capacity, a monster that could use magic solely with its own power. Caster wasn't reading the spells from the book's pages but merely manipulating the book that served as a source of Magical Energy.
Prelati's Spellbook • Text of the Submerged Spiral Citadel… it's indeed a terrifying Noble Phantasm. If Irisviel were Saber's true Master, she should've recognized its abilities the first time she met Caster and realized that the opponent was an extremely dangerous Servant with the ability to modify the power of his Noble Phantasm.
If she had known this, Saber definitely wouldn't have fallen so easily into his trap and engaged in a drawn-out battle with Caster. Even if she were scorned as a coward, she could've acted more cautiously.
*No! Regret is a display of weakness.*
Saber shouted to herself. A knight who fought for honor and glory cannot retreat before evils like Caster. If so, she would be abandoning the greatest strength and weapon at her disposal: the heart of justice that believes in her holy sword.
"It brings back memories, Jeanne. It's all like back then."
Caster, with a trance-like expression, as if gazing at a holy painting, looked at Saber's increasingly miserable battle.
"Even when you're in a dangerous situation, oppressed by enemies, you never feared, never succumbed, and your gaze never doubted your own victory. You're truly the same. That noble vigor, that worthy soul, is undoubtedly evidence of the holy maiden Joan of Arc. It's so obvious…"
Full of nonsense as always, but Saber subdued the rage filling her heart and focused on killing the various weaklings before her. Only encouraging her enemy if she rebuked him word for word.
"Why? Why haven't you awakened to the truth? Do you still believe in God's protection? Do you think miracles would arrive to save you in such a desperate situation? …How pitiful! Have you forgotten the battle of Compiègne? Forgotten God's trap that pushed you from the zenith of glory to infernal destruction? Do you still consent to being God's puppet even after so much humiliation?"
She really wanted to shut that mouth spewing nonsense. She really wanted him to know what judgment would be given for the sin he committed, stealing the lives of children due to his vain and dull hopes. But even as she thought this, her sword couldn't touch him. Saber was stopped by the wall of demonic monsters that overwhelmed her tenfold, twentyfold. The distance between her and Caster was too great.
Saber leaped into a small opening, but a tentacle behind her coiled toward her head. Although she reflexively reached out to grab it before it enveloped her, her left hand, with its thumb completely out of control, slid helplessly across the tentacle's skin.
"Uuuuu…"
And as soon as Saber stopped, her entire field of vision was completely covered by the wall of tentacles. She could only use a Mana Burst to destroy them.
But there were so many…
In the blink of an eye, a red-golden lightning bolt flashed and pushed back that alien horde.
Before Saber, who was panting after her bondage was lifted, a tall figure clad in teal-blue armor entered her vision.
"How unsightly, Saber. If your swordsmanship can't be more inspiring, the title of King of Knights would cry for help."
This handsome man, whose beauty was almost a sin, gave a dazzling glance at Saber, who stood to the side. Only because of her Magic Resistance skill could she withstand that captivating gaze. Unlike the blazing shine of his twin spears, Diarmuid ua Duibhne's smile seemed incomparably sweet and refreshing.
"Lancer, why…"
But Caster's surprise was far greater than Saber's.
"Who are you!? Who gave you permission to dare disturb me!"
"That's what I was going to say, heretic demon."
Lancer coldly glared at the provoked Caster and pointed the tip of the short spear in his left hand at him.
"It's because you're so insolent. Saber's head is destined to be the medal hanging beneath my spear. Your act of stealing my fruit of victory is a bold and despicable thing to do on the battlefield."
"Nonsense! Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish…!!"
Caster scratched his head, widened his eyes, and made strange sounds with his throat.
"My prayers! My Holy Grail! Everyone should let that woman awaken again! She's mine… every piece of flesh, every drop of blood, and even that soul are all mine!!"
But Lancer wasn't the least bit impressed by Caster. He shrugged his shoulders and gave a deep sigh.
"Are you listening? I'm the one who wounded Saber's left hand. Only I have the right to exploit her disadvantage alone."
Slowly, Lancer raised the tips of his twin spears beside his body and assumed his unique dual-spear stance. Standing in front of Saber, it was as if he were protecting the King of Knights from behind.
"Hey, Caster, I'm not meddling in your love affair. If you're ready to make Saber succumb to you and take her away, feel free to do so. Just this…"
A burning yet desolate resolve filled the handsome soldier's eyes as he proclaimed.
"Don't even think of leaving Diarmuid out. I'll never allow you to defeat Saber alone! If you don't retreat, from now on, my spears will function as Saber's left hand."
"Lancer, you…"
"Don't misunderstand me, Saber."
Lancer's piercing gaze stopped Saber from continuing.
"My Master's commands to me today are only about defeating Caster. There are no orders regarding you. Because of that, I deduced that the best thing to do would be to fight together. What do you think?"
Lancer's words weren't exactly an explanation of why he arrived to help in Saber's crisis.
This Lancer didn't need to do that. He could've chosen the moment when Caster was completely absorbed in dealing with Saber and turned to Caster's back to launch a surprise attack.
Saber didn't question why. She merely nodded to Lancer, who had a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth, and stood to his right.
Saber no longer paid attention to her left side but gripped her sword and looked to the right. At this moment, she had the most reliable left arm.
"I'll make this clear… Lancer, just my left hand would be capable of defeating a hundred of these small fries."
"Huh, that'd be easy. You can be left-handed today."
The two Heroic Spirits bantered with each other and leaped toward the gathered demonic monsters. The holy sword and twin demonic spears sliced through the mass of tentacles extending toward them from all directions.
"Unforgivable… enough of your flaunting, insignificant man!"
The magic book in Caster's hand pulsed strangely, as if reinforcing his roar, with pages turning on their own continuously.
Suddenly, the number of demonic monsters that emerged doubled. The mass of tentacles that seemed to smother the forest advanced toward Saber and Lancer.
The second, fiercer, and more tragic act of the battle began.
__________________
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