BAMN: Chapter 120/121

Chapter 120: Defeat

"Ah!!!"

"I died!"

In the Cardinal World, at the village's central square, one Hobgoblin after another awoke from their immersive experience.

"This was too fast, wasn't it?"

"Damn it!"

"Those Heroic Spirit warriors were too despicable, several of them ganged up on me!"

For a time, the village was noisy and lively.

The reason for this was that the army personally led by Iskandar had clashed with the Goblins.

As for the result…

The Hobgoblins were not weak. Their strength was comparable to the ordinary Heroic Spirits under Iskandar's command.

However, the opposing side had over 20,000 soldiers, four times the Goblins' number.

Coupled with the Heroic Spirits' excellent coordination, the Goblins struggled for only a moment before quickly showing signs of collapse.

While it wasn't a complete rout, it came very close.

"Well, it doesn't matter."

Fortunately, Rin hadn't placed much expectation on the Goblins. "At least they didn't abandon their armor, so our side's dignity was preserved."

Goblins were originally the lowest-tier monsters in the Cardinal World.

Even with Rin's blessing and boosted racial stats, it was still difficult for them to become elite soldiers.

Moreover, Rin's purpose in subjugating the Goblins was simply to make them citizens of the Monster Nation.

His only expectation for them was that they not be cowards.

On that point, Rin was very confident.

Looking at the original novel, it was clear that the Goblins were loyal to Rimuru.

They were not the lewd and despicable Goblins found in other fantasy novels from other worlds. Rather, they were monsters with wisdom and integrity, possessing a strong sense of belonging.

"However…"

Rin looked at the Hobgoblins and Goblinas who were still meditating. "No matter the race, even a weak Goblin can produce excellent warriors."

"Eh?"

"Look, Gobwa is still fighting!"

"As expected of Gobwa!"

Gobwa was a very outstanding Goblina with the potential to evolve even further.

"Huh?"

"What's going on with Gobta?"

"Hey, Gobta, what are you still sitting there for?"

"Wake up quickly and watch Gobwa's battle with us."

To facilitate the Goblins' participation in the war, those who were fighting were gathered in the square.

They sat cross-legged on the ground, controlling their other bodies more effectively through meditation.

"Don't touch him!"

Just as someone was about to push Gobta, a clear, cold voice sounded beside him.

"Ah! It's Snow Empress-sama!"

"Snow Empress-sama, what did you say?"

"Don't move him. He's still fighting the enemy."

Snow Empress told everyone to step back, then looked at the short figure still sitting cross-legged.

As the chief steward responsible for managing the monsters in the village,

Snow Empress, abandoning her aloof and cold demeanor from the Northern Icefield, began to unearth the potential and talents of the monsters.

This battle was originally a training exercise for them.

Since it was a training exercise, some would certainly stand out.

"Let me see which Goblins can still hold their ground against the Heroic Spirit warriors' assault."

As the crowd dispersed, Snow Empress looked around, seeing many individuals she had previously favored.

Snow Empress did not underestimate the Goblins.

Monsters in the Cardinal World had a mechanism called evolution.

Even weak Goblins, if they had enough aptitude, could potentially grow to the level of a Demon Lord in the future.

Snow Empress had few interests.

One of them was helping Rin discover talent.

It was just like carving and polishing an ice sculpture, ultimately revealing its brilliant light.

This was a pastime Snow Empress had found with great difficulty.

"Uh…"

However, upon seeing Gobta, even the usually aloof Snow Empress couldn't help but freeze.

"This one…"

Snow Empress scrutinized Gobta. "Are you sure he's a Hobgoblin?"

There was a significant difference between Hobgoblins and Goblins.

The latter were completely deformed little monsters.

Hobgoblins, however, differed very little from humans.

Among them, the females were almost identical to humans, except for their greenish skin.

But the one before her…

How should she evaluate him?

Snow Empress could only say that he truly looked like a Goblin, with a foolish expression on his face.

'This…'

Snow Empress felt that the threshold for her talent cultivation might need to be raised slightly.

She did not want such a "unique talent" to one day appear among her creations.

"Alright, everyone, don't disturb the Goblins who are still on the battlefield. Let them continue fighting."

"Yes!"

"Okay, Snow Empress-sama."

Upon receiving her command, the Goblins spontaneously protected their undefeated kin behind them.

At the same time, those who had withdrawn from the battlefield all looked up.

They watched the battle, now entering its final stage, projected before them.

Shattered earth, desert crystallized by high temperatures, and countless elite Heroic Spirit warriors cut and bound by spatial threads.

An army of 20,000 had defeated 5,000 Goblins.

But without sparing even a moment to mourn the Goblin dead, nearly a hundred Ogre elites immediately rushed to the battlefield.

At first, Iskandar thought the Ogres were merely B+ rank Servants like the Starfang Wolves.

Only a handful, such as Shion, reached or even surpassed A rank.

However, reality was far crueler than the King of Conquerors had imagined.

A hundred Ogres, each equivalent to an A-rank Servant.

Among them were even powerful beings comparable to Shion and Souei.

For example, Souren, his strength was on par with Souei's.

It was only due to Rin's appointment that he acted discreetly as a member of the Shadow Squad.

If you singled them out, among the 200 Ogres you could find at least 50 top-tier powerhouses.

And so…

Without a doubt, the 20,000-strong Heroic Spirit army was slaughtered by a mere hundred individuals.

"Monsters…"

Iskandar and Waver were unharmed.

Due to Rin's command, the Ogres deliberately avoided them, allowing them to pass through.

Waver stared blankly at the Ogres.

In that instant, the power displayed by them completely shattered his understanding of Heroic Spirits.

Strong. They were simply too strong.

It was hard to imagine that there were still 100 such terrifying warriors.

And Rin, who commanded such a force, seemed to Waver like an insurmountable chasm blocking the path between the Masters and the Holy Grail.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 121: Saber's Dissatisfaction

It's impossible to win.

How could such a man ever be defeated?

Only by personally witnessing the Ogres' might could one truly understand how extraordinary Rin was as a Heroic Spirit.

Hoofbeats echoed across the scorched earth. Under the wary gaze of the Ogres, Iskandar and Waver arrived before Rin.

The closer they drew, the heavier the pressure pressing down from the Ogres became.

When they were only ten meters away, Iskandar's beloved horse could no longer endure the weight of the magical pressure and collapsed to the ground.

"Are you satisfied with this battle, Iskandar?"

Rin walked forward calmly, unconcerned that Iskandar might suddenly attack.

Not only were the Ogres surrounding them, ready to strike at a moment's notice, but with the strength of Snow Empress and Ogerpon nearby, Iskandar would be killed instantly if he made a move.

"Exhilarating!"

Iskandar straightened his body with sheer willpower, forcing himself to endure the crushing pressure.

He did not regret going to war with Rin.

He had given his all, yet still suffered a crushing defeat.

But losing to a strong opponent was no shame. For Iskandar, it was another honor in his long history of conquest.

"Iskandar…"

"Can you give me some time?"

"No problem."

Rin raised his hand, and the Ogres immediately withdrew the pressure bearing down on him.

"Phew…"

"What a terrifying group of men."

"Haha, it seems this is my end."

Iskandar gently set Waver down, then looked at the young man with solemn eyes and began his final instructions.

Waver, as in the original story, swore allegiance to Iskandar, vowing to be his vassal.

Rin did not interrupt. He stood silently, waiting until Iskandar had finished all of his arrangements.

Then Rin gave the final command.

"Kill."

Almost the instant Rin's voice fell, countless blades pierced Iskandar's body from every direction.

"Rider!!!"

Waver tried to rush forward, but Souei seized him from behind. All he could do was cry softly, tears welling in his eyes.

"Your journey ends here."

"Ah…"

Iskandar swallowed the blood filling his mouth and smiled. "What a truly exhilarating battle."

The blades withdrew with a wet sound, spraying blood into the air. Iskandar's body began to dissolve into golden particles of light.

"It was for me too."

Rin had no intention of subjugating Iskandar.

"Thank you for your gift."

He admired Iskandar's character and personality.

But Iskandar was a king.

A king could die, yet he would never submit to another.

Even if Rin had offered him the chance to conquer all realms together, Iskandar would likely have laughed it off.

For him, the point was never the scenery at the end of the road, but the joy of discovering new scenery along the way.

A faint hum filled the air as Rin slew Iskandar, and the Bounded Field began to collapse.

The remaining Heroic Spirits, along with Rin's Starfang Wolves and Ogres, vanished like fading illusions.

"Your Holy Grail War is over. Return to where you belong."

Rin patted Waver on the shoulder, then turned and walked toward the three remaining Heroic Spirits.

"Demon King…"

Seeing Rin approach, Diarmuid's expression grew tense.

Artoria and Gilgamesh, however, remained calm.

"The oldest King of Heroes."

Rin ignored the others and fixed his eyes on Gilgamesh. "Shall we find a place to fight to the death?"

"Arrogant."

Gilgamesh did not shy away. He accepted Rin's challenge with a confident smile. "But you do have the qualifications to stand before this King."

"Go back and prepare yourself well."

"Tomorrow, this King will personally pay you a visit."

Unlike Iskandar, Gilgamesh wanted to fight Rin at his full strength.

Though Rin's forces had suffered considerable losses in the battle, Gilgamesh's pride would not allow him to face a weakened opponent.

If Rin was weaker than Iskandar, Gilgamesh would not be satisfied.

And so, the battlefield was chosen: Ryuudou Temple.

Gilgamesh deliberately selected Rin's own territory, intending to balance the scales against the losses Rin had already suffered.

"Good."

Rin accepted calmly. Since Gilgamesh had this confidence, he would naturally give him the satisfaction of the duel.

"Hey!"

"You challenged them both, what about me?"

Ignored yet again, Artoria's anger flared.

She did not believe herself weaker than the other Heroic Spirits.

Ionioi Hetairoi was indeed powerful.

But with Excalibur and Avalon together, she could carve open a path, cut her way to Iskandar, and defeat him.

Leaving aside whether her magical energy would last long enough, this strategy could very well have succeeded.

Of course, such an approach would be useless against Rin.

His Ogres were too powerful.

Even if Excalibur destroyed dozens at once, the rest would overwhelm her eventually.

The result would be inevitable: she would be dragged down by sheer numbers.

"Defeat him first, then come and ask me that question."

Rin glanced briefly at Lancer, then turned to leave.

He needed time to consolidate the Bounded Field he had just acquired, not waste words with Saber.

"Hey!"

The Invisible Air surrounding Artoria's blade surged violently. "You bastard! There is a limit to arrogance!"

But before she could make a move, two figures appeared at Rin's back.

"What are you planning to do?"

"Ponooo!"

Snow Empress and Ogerpon glared at Artoria, their presence weighing on her like a mountain.

"No, I wasn't… I just…"

Artoria's breath caught. She had not truly intended to attack Rin.

What she wanted was recognition.

Just as he had challenged Iskandar and Gilgamesh, Saber wanted Rin to acknowledge her as a worthy opponent.

Even if the battlefield he chose became her grave, she would not regret it.

But Rin did not even grant her that much.

"Our war already ended at the banquet."

Rin's back was to her as his voice cut coldly through the air. "Someone who cannot even see themselves clearly is not qualified to be defeated by me."

"You…"

Humiliation, sharper than any blade, pierced Artoria's chest.

Yet no rebuttal came to her lips.

Without Rin's words, she might never have realized how lost she truly was.

She had been swinging her sword without even knowing what she was fighting for.

And now, she finally saw that perhaps it was she, not Rin, who had been unreasonable.

(To be continued.)