"Not good!"
Watching the high-pressure torrent blast toward him—looking as if it would swallow him whole in the next heartbeat—the ahoge atop Arthur's head began to twitch frantically. A surge of intense danger spread from his nerves to his entire body.
"...Damn it, too late!"
Fionn's sudden release of his Noble Phantasm had caught Arthur completely off guard. At this range, he couldn't dodge the torrential assault, nor could he afford to.
"Invisible Air!"
Without a second of hesitation, Saber released the barrier of wind surrounding his holy sword. The resplendent golden blade was exposed to the air for the first time, and the high-speed rotating wind pressure burst forward, clashing head-on with the enemy's Noble Phantasm.
As Noble Phantasm met Noble Phantasm, the terrifying magical energy caused the already broken road to cave in deeply, looking as if a massive gas explosion had occurred. However, against a pre-meditated attack, the hastily released Invisible Air only held for a moment before dissolving into the fierce water.
"Still not enough..." Saber gritted his teeth, a more powerful surge of prana erupting from his core. He swung Excalibur forward with all his might, letting out a battle cry filled with unyielding will.
"EX—CALIBURN!!"
He didn't have the time to fully release the True Name of the Holy Sword of the Planet; he could only unleash it in its minimum state as a "Golden Caliburn."
Fortunately, thanks to the prior exhaustion caused by Invisible Air, the power of the enemy's Noble Phantasm had waned. The two terrifying forces canceled each other out in mid-air, and a gale strong enough to send a man flying outward swept through the area.
Meanwhile, Kamitani Yuu had completed the Grand Magecraft known as "Death Lightning." Thunder rumbled across the earth like a shifting dragon, ravaging the ground. The entire warehouse street was bathed in a blinding, scorching light, turning the night as bright as day.
Simultaneously, within the Great Underground Cavern.
"That aura... the Holy Sword of the Planet?"
Sensing something unexpected, Odin—who was in the middle of modifying the Divine Body—stopped his work. He looked up toward the direction of the warehouse district.
"Is it possible that He has arrived as well?" He narrowed his blood-red eyes, an unreadable expression crossing his face as he whispered, "Dear me... if it really is him, I might have to consider surrendering this Holy Grail War."
"But first, I should go confirm it. It would be embarrassing to mistake him for someone else..."
Odin raised his hand, and two pitch-black ravens materialized on his shoulders. Receiving a silent command, the ravens let out a shrill cry and flapped their wings, flying toward the surface.
Once the dust and light settled, the state of the battlefield became clear.
Exhausted of prana, Arthur was half-kneeling on the ground, his face pale. He thrust Excalibur into the soil to use as a makeshift crutch.
Fionn, who had launched the sneak attack, wasn't in great shape either. His body bore charred scars, and residual sparks of electricity flickered around him—the direct result of being hit by Yuu's lightning.
In contrast, Yuu—who had retreated from the center of the blast in time—was completely unharmed, save for a bit of dust on his clothes.
"Saber!" Irisviel, who had been dazed by the clash of Noble Phantasms, rushed forward to apply healing magecraft.
"Thank you, Irisviel. I'm alright. The healing is working," Arthur said, struggling to his feet. Despite his words, he remained pale and far from full strength.
"To think I took the advantage of a surprise attack only to end up the most wounded." Fionn looked at the recovering Saber and the unharmed Yuu, a self-deprecating smile on his face. "It seems the gods are punishing me for violating the spirit of knighthood."
Hiding in the shadows, Kayneth snorted in dissatisfaction before beginning to assist Fionn with additional healing. Moments later, aided by the natural recovery of Servants and their Masters' support, both Arthur and Fionn were restored.
"I didn't expect you two to be in league," Arthur Pendragon said, shielding Irisviel. He raised his golden sword, watching Yuu and Fionn warily. "A two-on-one to eliminate me first? I won't make it easy for you."
Though he felt contempt for Fionn's sneak attack, Saber said nothing more. This was war; schemes and traps were par for the course.
Hearing Saber's words, Yuu and Fionn glanced at each other. Neither explained that it was a misunderstanding. Instead, they silently assumed combat stances. Since he thinks so, I might as well roll with it, both "old foxes" thought simultaneously.
Tension filled the air, the fight ready to resume at a moment's notice. But then, the cold, tense atmosphere was shattered by a sound like rolling thunder.
"—?!"
Saber and Lancer froze. Yuu, however, looked calmly toward the southeastern sky. A flying object streaked across the heavens, trailing purple lightning. With a deafening THUD, an ox-drawn chariot slammed into the ground, sparks scattering everywhere.
As the dust settled, a majestic voice boomed from the chariot.
"All of you, lower your weapons in the presence of the King!"
"My name is Iskandar, the King of Conquerors! I have joined this Holy Grail War as Rider!"
Except for Yuu, everyone was flabbergasted. In a war for the Grail, no Servant would ever announce their True Name—the key to their strategy—so openly.
Waver, sitting beside Rider, was the most agitated. Forgetting his fear, he grabbed Iskandar's cloak and screamed, "What are you thinking, you idiot?!"
FLICK!
A sharp flick to the forehead sent Waver back down, clutching his reddened brow and groaning. Iskandar ignored his Master's complaints and turned an appreciative gaze toward Yuu.
"I didn't expect you to not only reach the domain of the gods in martial arts but to be so proficient in magecraft as well. Even in my ranks, I have no such talent." Iskandar was generous with his praise. "What do you say? Will you serve me? I shall name you my Grand General, and we shall share the joy of conquering the world!"
"I refuse," Yuu replied, glancing at Iskandar as if he were looking at an idiot. "The thing I, Kamitani Yuu, love most is saying 'NO' to those who think they're in charge!"
___
There's a few advance chapters on my P@treon
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