🎊🎊🎊BAMN: Chapter 95/103

Chapter 95: King Solomon?
"Rumble~"

"Sizzle sizzle!"

The sudden thunder and lightning drew everyone's attention.

With a bolt of lightning splitting the sky, Artoria and Diarmuid were forcibly interrupted, their expressions serious as they turned toward the red-haired man who descended before them, riding a chariot wreathed in thunder.

His arrival gave the injured Artoria a much-needed moment to breathe.

"My name is the King of Conquerors, Iskandar!"

Iskandar spread his arms wide and loudly proclaimed his presence to the two Servants. "I have descended into this Holy Grail War as the Rider-class Servant!"

"Another one appeared."

Ice Empress narrowed her eyes. She recognized this man as one of the two main targets Rin had been looking forward to facing in this Holy Grail War.

"Saber's hand is injured. She can no longer wield her Holy Sword."

Having watched the duel between Artoria and Diarmuid, Ice Empress had a clear understanding of her own capabilities.

Even without using specialized magic, her A++ rated physical body was already superior to Diarmuid, even when he was using his Noble Phantasms.

As for Saber's light beam attack—she could probably withstand it, but it would likely drain her internal magical energy completely.

"If we move now, we could take all three of them down."

"Not the time."

Rin dismissed the suggestion. "There are still other Servants lurking in the shadows. If Gilgamesh launched a sneak attack during our assault, it would be a hassle."

"Alright."

Ice Empress wanted to ask why Snow Empress hadn't been sent to intercept Gilgamesh, but seeing that Rin didn't intend to end the Holy Grail War tonight, she stayed silent.

As a dependent, she had the right to give her opinion.

But the final decision rested with Rin alone.

Meanwhile, Kiritsugu stood off to the side, silently observing Ice Empress.

The girl radiated a terrifying coldness and an overwhelming amount of magical energy. She didn't look human in the slightest.

The only reasonable conclusion was that she was a Servant.

But...

Something about this whole situation was off.

The one who had captured Maiya was a Servant, and although Rin had Command Spells, he also seemed like a Servant.

Then there was the one who had just arrived.

In such a short span, three Servants had already appeared.

What baffled Kiritsugu even more was how the others clearly regarded Rin as their superior.

'An alliance?'

'No... there's no way an alliance works like this.'

For some reason, a certain image surfaced in Kiritsugu's mind—a legendary figure who commanded powerful, Servant-like beings.

'Don't tell me...'

Kiritsugu was shaken by his own conclusion.

'If it really is that person... just how chaotic will this Holy Grail War become?'

"Hmm?"

Rin noticed Kiritsugu's spiraling thoughts.

But he didn't care.

No matter what Kiritsugu imagined, he could never guess that Rin and the others weren't from this world at all.

It wasn't a matter of plausibility—no one would assume that the Holy Grail could summon Servants from other worlds.

"Though fate has made us contenders for the Holy Grail, I would like to ask you one thing first!"

"Will you join me, and yield the Holy Grail?"

The King of Conquerors declared boldly, "If so, I shall treat you as comrades and share with you the joy of conquering the world!"

"...Huh?"

"What kind of joke is that?"

His words left everyone speechless.

Anyone here, whether Master or Servant had their own desires. How could they hand over the Holy Grail so easily?

Let alone submit to another Servant.

That was an insult to their very pride.

"This guy..."

"Did the world nearly get conquered by someone like him?"

Kiritsugu was at a loss. The legendary Alexander the Great—was this what he was really like?

"Isn't it fun?"

Rin rested his chin on his hand. "To be honest, if I could, I'd like to live like that guy."

"What?"

"I'm not interested in the Holy Grail."

Rin said plainly, "Compared to the Grail, I'd rather win the loyalty of all the summoned Servants."

At that moment, Kayneth finally noticed Waver standing beside the Conqueror.

Just one look was enough for Kayneth to realize the truth behind the theft of his Holy Relic.

And so, a barrage of biting sarcasm and threats poured from him, reducing Waver to a trembling mess.

Fortunately, the King of Conquerors lived up to his name.

He comforted his young Master with ease, then fired back without mercy.

"Hey! Magus!"

"From what I'm hearing, you planned to take this kid's place as my Master?"

"If that's true, then that's absolutely ridiculous."

"My Master must be a warrior who can ride with me across the battlefield!" Iskandar's boomed. "A coward who won't even show his face isn't worthy to be my Master!!"

When it came to trash talk, the King of Conquerors was a seasoned expert.

Kayneth clenched his fists in silent fury, enraged at being publicly deemed inferior to Waver.

Kiritsugu, however, remained indifferent.

He was an assassin.

Assassins didn't need pride or honor.

'It's just...'

Kiritsugu turned his head and instantly noticed the dark expression on the Ice Empress's face.

Apparently, such mockery wasn't entirely without effect.

To someone as proud as Ice Empress, being described as a rat hiding in the shadows was absolutely unacceptable.

"Frankenstein."

Rin called her name, stopping the Ice Empress before she acted. Then he casually summoned another.

"Go. Let them see you."

"Ah ah ah!"

Frankenstein appeared from the void, wielding her massive thunder hammer.

"Bang!!"

The girl leapt forward, bouncing between several containers, then landed like a meteor in the middle of the three Servants' battlefield.

Rin had no specific plan in sending Frankenstein into the field.

He just wanted the Servants present to get familiar with his real Berserker.

"Another one?!"

"A new Servant?!"

Unlike the others, who were just surprised, Kiritsugu was completely stunned by Rin's actions.

'This is the third one.'

'Frankenstein?'

'Is that the Servant's True Name?'

Kiritsugu couldn't recall any Servant by that name, but his thoughts only solidified his theory.

"A Caster... capable of summoning powerful Servant-class entities..."

"The King of Magecraft who, according to the Tanakh, could command seventy-two demon gods—Solomon!"

"...Hmm?"

Kiritsugu's sudden words caused Rin to pause.

"Ah, are you talking about my identity?"

Rin responded, neither confirming nor denying it.

That said...

The more he thought about it, the more it really did seem like he fit the profile of King Solomon.

Especially that line about commanding seventy-two demon gods.

His own skill, [Monster Nation from Another World], functioned similarly in effect.

Even the command structure of those summoned legions had eerie parallels to the demon god armies.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Dragedogg for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 96: Mongrel

Rin suddenly realized that if he really claimed to be "King Solomon" in this Holy Grail War...

Good grief.

"It seems I guessed right."

Kiritsugu saw Rin's silence and took it as confirmation. "Hard to believe... this Holy Grail War has both a King of Conquerors and a King of Magecraft."

Adding his own King of Knights, Artoria, the amount of "king" energy in this Grail War was getting a bit excessive.

Zzzzzzz~

"The little girl with the sparking body."

The King of Conquerors rubbed his chin thoughtfully, still unable to identify Frankenstein's origin. "Mind introducing yourself first?"

"Ah~"

But Frankenstein clearly didn't understand him. Her entire body crackled with lightning, and she looked ready to charge forward at any moment.

"Careful, Irisviel!"

Artoria instinctively stepped in front of Irisviel, raising her Holy Sword.

Diarmuid's expression also turned serious, ready for a fight.

"Hey, hey, hold on, hold on."

"What a short-tempered little girl. Can't you at least let me finish?"

Iskandar's voice was as loud and boisterous as ever, but his words had little effect.

It was Rin's calm command that halted Frankenstein.

The arcs of lightning dissipated, and Frankenstein leaned her giant hammer, Maiden's Chastity, to the side, quietly waiting for the next move.

"I thought you were one of those wild types who couldn't communicate."

Iskandar squinted. He could now sense her alignment. If nothing went wrong, this girl was likely the Berserker of this Holy Grail War.

"Rider?"

Artoria turned toward him. "What exactly are you trying to do? What is your goal?"

"My goal?"

Instead of answering, Iskandar suddenly raised his head and shouted into the night.

"Hey!"

"I know you're out there!"

"You guys hiding in the dark, peeking from the shadows!"

His voice thundered through the air.

"The clash between Saber and Lancer must've drawn more than just me and this little girl."

"Come out!"

"Heroic Spirits summoned by the Holy Grail! If you don't want to be looked down on by me, Iskandar the King of Conquerors, then gather here now!"

All Heroic Spirits were figures of legend, people of great deeds and greater pride.

Naturally, after such a public challenge from Iskandar—

Aside from Assassin, nearly no one would tolerate the insult.

"Trouble..."

Tokiomi, watching from a hidden vantage point, grimaced.

If there was any Heroic Spirit summoned this time who would not tolerate provocation, it was him—Gilgamesh.

Rin watched as Gilgamesh appeared atop a streetlamp, immediately cursing everyone in sight, branding them as "filthy mongrels."

With no Lancelot to be his rival, his Noble Phantasm had already locked onto the King of Conquerors, who had offended him.

But then...

"Ahhhhhh!!"

As if naturally incompatible, Frankenstein glared at Gilgamesh, her entire body sparking with volatile magical energy, clearly on the verge of exploding.

"Hmm?"

Rin raised an eyebrow, but he quickly realized the cause.

The term "mongrel".

Even Frankenstein perceived it as an unforgivably cruel insult.

"Who allowed you to gaze upon me, mongrel?"

Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes at Frankenstein's glare and instantly fired two Noble Phantasms from Gate of Babylon.

Boom!
Boom!

Two beams of golden light surged toward Frankenstein like streaks of lightning.

She gripped her hammer tightly, spinning to smash away the faster weapon—Durandal.

But the sheer force behind it caused her timing to slip. She was half a beat too slow for the second.

Frankenstein's strength, compared to this generation's Heroic Spirits, was just a bit stronger than Hassan of the Hundred Faces.

Against a broken existence like Gilgamesh, she had no chance of victory. Even lasting a few minutes was questionable.

But Rin never intended for Frankenstein to carry this Holy Grail War.

She had already given him something more valuable, experience in Heroic Spirit summoning and a magical energy regen buff.

"It's your turn."

Rin was perfectly calm, simply calling out a name. "Shion."

"As you command."

There was no need for extra orders. A tall, beautiful figure crossed space in a flash, placing herself between Frankenstein and the incoming Noble Phantasm.

Boom~

With a faint hum, a slender, pale hand reached out and, to the astonishment of every Heroic Spirit present, caught the golden spear midair.

Buzz buzz buzz~

The spear trembled wildly in Shion's grasp, buzzing with violent magical energy.

It tried to escape her grip.

But Shion's hand didn't budge. Her fingers were like cold iron, and even a Noble Phantasm forged from legend couldn't move her.

"A fine weapon, but..."

Shion raised her eyes to Gilgamesh, who remained perched arrogantly atop the lamppost, and squeezed.

Crack crack crack! Snap! Bang!

"Impossible!!"

Everyone's gaze locked onto the golden spear in her hand. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.

The originally brilliant, polished weapon was now covered in cracks, Shion had crushed it barehanded.

"That spear..."

"That's definitely a Noble Phantasm!"

And not a low-tier one either—it was at least B-rank or higher.

But it was effortlessly broken by a girl with her bare hands.

"Keep going, Shion."

Rin's voice rang in her ear. "Make that flashy guy throw more out of Gate of Babylon."

Getting close to Gilgamesh was not easy.

So force him to fight. Force him to keep throwing out weapons.

And in the process...

[Detected Noble Phantasm: Gate of Babylon]

[Analysis commencing]

[Analyzing...]

Violet didn't need to analyze them one by one.

As long as they appeared before Rin, the more Gilgamesh threw, the more Violet would gather. The more she observed, the faster she could break down the mechanisms behind his strength.

"To think you'd defile my treasures with those filthy hands."

Gilgamesh's fury boiled over, not at the spear's destruction, but at the fact it had been touched by Shion.

"You truly wish for death, mongrel!"

His handsome face twisted with cold, killing intent, completely devoid of any remaining grace.

The space around Gilgamesh shimmered like a mirage.

From within, a radiant golden glow bloomed like the light of heaven.

The next moment, a new array of Noble Phantasms unfolded behind him like a divine halo.

There were sixteen in total.

Not just swords and spears, but axes, hammers, lances and even weapons so bizarre their origins were unidentifiable.

Each was mirror-polished and brimming with magical energy.

Every single one was a legendary armament. Each carried its own deep-rooted mystery.

There was no doubt.

They were all true Noble Phantasms.

Without exception.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Dragedogg for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 97: Enraged Gilgamesh

"Dáinsleif, the cursed sword wielded by King Högni of Denmark in Norse mythology."

"Harpe, the blade that nullifies immortality. The hero Perseus used it to decapitate Medusa."

"Gram, the demonic sword of the sun, symbolizing both 'glory and destruction,' wielded by the Norse hero Sigurd."

"Vajra, the thunderbolt of Indra, the thunder and rain god of ancient Indian mythology. It is said to be a divine thunder weapon forged by the craftsman god Tvashtr."

As Rin calmly listed each of the Noble Phantasms materializing before Gilgamesh, Emiya Kiritsugu stood beside him in stunned silence.

'Is this… the wisdom of King Solomon?'

Kiritsugu's belief in Rin's identity grew even stronger.

After all, other than the King of Magecraft himself, who else could recognize all of Gilgamesh's treasures at a glance?

He didn't even consider the possibility Rin was bluffing. A being of such overwhelming strength wouldn't need to lie about something so trivial.

Of course, all of that was just Kiritsugu's own fantasy and had nothing to do with Rin.

Rin didn't have Solomon's wisdom.

But he did have the World Spirit, Violet.

With Violet's help, Rin's Appraisal skill had ascended to the level of a divine authority.

Any object that appeared before him, no matter how obscure, would be analyzed and its entire history revealed.

"This… how is this even possible?!"

Below, Waver trembled.

It wasn't just him—every Heroic Spirit and Master present was shaken to their core.

Heroic Spirits didn't necessarily have only one Noble Phantasm.

Some might possess two, maybe even three or four.

But even then, that was the limit.

Yet the golden Archer before them showed no such restriction, summoning weapon after weapon, each one legendary, each discarded after a single use.

And this wasn't even the first time.

In the previous battle with Assassin, Gilgamesh hadn't repeated a single Noble Phantasm.

"Can that Heroic Spirit… the one who suddenly appeared… can she hold out?"

Gilgamesh's display of force was so overwhelming that, for a moment, everyone forgot about Shion's identity.

Where did she come from?

Why was she protecting Frankenstein?

"Let's go!"

Gilgamesh clearly had no intention of waiting.

"Let this King see how long you can last with those filthy, unworthy hands!"

At his command, dozens of floating Noble Phantasms launched through the air toward Shion.

Boom!

The roar of explosions thundered through the city.

The glow of clashing Noble Phantasms illuminated the night like firecrackers tearing apart the darkness.

Just throwing weapons was creating this kind of destructive power.

Was that even possible?

The barrage of Noble Phantasms fell like rain, slamming into the streets of the warehouse district, transforming everything into a burning ruin.

And yet… the assault showed no sign of stopping.

Gilgamesh wasn't just sustaining the onslaught, he was intensifying it.

There was a simple reason.

Shion wasn't just surviving, she was fighting back harder.

She wielded a massive greatsword over two meters long, unleashing immense power with each swing.

She slashed, swept, blocked.

The movements were simple, yet every motion dismantled Gilgamesh's Noble Phantasms with shocking ease.

From six… to twelve… to twenty-four.

Shion danced across the battlefield as if walking through a garden, weaving between blades like a butterfly among flowers, slowly closing the distance between her and Gilgamesh.

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

The girl vaulted forward, arms raised high.

With both hands gripping her blade, she brought it crashing down. "GET OUT OF HERE!!"

"Damn it…"

Gilgamesh's expression darkened.

The greatsword split the ground with monstrous force, forcing him to retreat midair to avoid the strike.

Rumble~

The sword crashed into the earth.

The blow shook the entire district, fracturing streets and collapsing warehouses.

But it didn't end there.

Crack… crack… splash!

"Oh no!"

"Everyone up, now!"

"Irisviel!"

The already fragile warehouse district couldn't handle the strain. The entire area began to collapse.

Everyone quickly leapt to higher ground, jumping onto containers.

Only Shion and Gilgamesh remained on the ruined battlefield, still locked in a standoff.

"What an amusing toy. Fighting with you is actually kind of fun."

"Hey, shiny golden guy."

Shion grinned, a rare spark of excitement lighting her eyes.

"Got more toys? Come on, give me more!"

"You… insolent fool!!"

Gilgamesh's rage exploded.

"To think that I, who am to be revered, have been dragged down to stand on equal footing with you!"

His expression twisted with venomous fury.

"To show such disrespect… even ten thousand deaths wouldn't be enough to atone."

"You mongrel. I will erase your existence completely."

Buzz buzz buzz…

Golden light erupted like wildfire.

Space around Gilgamesh distorted, warping as if under divine pressure.

From within, a vast new arsenal emerged.

Spears, swords, axes, hammers, lances—some of which defied logic in their design.

The next wave consisted of one hundred and eight Noble Phantasms.

A divine spectacle.

Even Heroic Spirits like the King of Conquerors, Artoria, and Diarmuid could only fall silent.

"Oi… what kind of sick joke is this?"

"Counting the ones he's already thrown, how many does this Heroic Spirit even have?"

"Does he have an infinite stock of Noble Phantasms?!"

For the first time, the watching Masters felt the unfairness of the Holy Grail War.

Especially Diarmuid.

He had two spears and two swords but only got to bring two of them to this battle.

Yet this golden showoff was throwing around legendary artifacts like spare change.

Where was the justice in that?

Diarmuid clenched his fists, suppressing his envy. 'Is the gap between Heroic Spirits really this wide?'

Above it all, Rin watched the unfolding chaos with a pleased smile.

"Well done, Shion."

"Keep provoking him."

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Kds89 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 98: Chosen Death

Kiritsugu heard Rin's comment and found his frown deepening once again.

Both were Heroic Spirits.

Some could send out a subordinate and simply watch from the sidelines.

Others, like Gilgamesh, were treated like clowns—put on stage, mocked, and toyed with at will.

'This guy is definitely the most dangerous Heroic Spirit in this Holy Grail War…'

Kiritsugu desperately wanted to stay away from Rin, but Ice Empress behind him was still staring daggers at him.

He could feel it.

If Rin weren't holding her back, Ice Empress would've already launched an attack.

'Demon Gods?'

Kiritsugu began to speculate which two of the Seventy-Two Demon God Pillars these women corresponded to.

That overwhelming killing intent. That indestructible physique.

Unfortunately, the details of the Seventy-Two Demon God Pillars were too vast and convoluted.

In the moment, Kiritsugu couldn't figure out which Demon Gods they resembled.

"Gilgamesh is serious."

"He plans to continue deploying Gate of Babylon."

On the other end, Kotomine Kirei, observing the battlefield through Assassin's vision, was reporting the situation via a gem communicator to Tokiomi, causing the latter a massive headache.

"Sigh…"

Tokiomi had never intended for Gilgamesh to be exposed so early.

But now, if he didn't recall him, Gilgamesh would surely fight Shion to the death.

The problem was…

"What's the origin of that female Heroic Spirit?"

With horns on her forehead, somewhat elf-like in appearance, yet her combat was agile beyond belief.

Whether it was her battlefield instincts, combat experience, brute strength, or unbreakable body—everything screamed danger.

And the feeling was not wrong.

Among Rin's six main Dependents brought into this war, Shion, Shuna, and Souei all had A+ stat panels.

More importantly, unlike typical Heroic Spirits from the Monster Nation, the three of them possessed powerful Special Abilities.

[Shion]

Noble Phantasms: Tyrant (A+), Oni Transformation (A)

[Shuna]

Noble Phantasms: Analyst (A+), Manufacturer (A+), Oni Transformation (A)

[Souei]

Noble Phantasms: Shadow Striker (A+), Oni Transformation (A)

Aside from the universally shared Oni Transformation—a full attribute-boosting ability—their Unique Skills had been converted into Noble Phantasms.

And none of them were weak. Each one of the four Noble Phantasms reached A+ rank.

In other words, if evaluated like actual Heroic Spirits.

Shion would be classified as a top-tier Saber-class. A+ Noble Phantasm, A-rank support Noble Phantasm, and enhanced physical stats across the board.

So unless Gilgamesh unleashed his truly top-tier Noble Phantasms, ones that exceeded standard specifications.

Let alone defeating Shion, even damaging her would be a stretch.

[Tyrant]

The ability of this Noble Phantasm is similar to Heracles' Twelve Labors.

Except it doesn't provide resurrection.

To break through Shion's defense, the minimum requirement was an A-rank Noble Phantasm.

Yes. A-rank.

Anything below A-rank couldn't leave a scratch on her.

Of course, this only applied to the destructive force of the weapon itself.

If it was a Noble Phantasm with unique properties, like Crimson Rose of Exorcism (Gáe Dearg) Shion wouldn't be immune to it.

"I've figured you out, mongrel!!"

Though arrogant, Gilgamesh's insight was unmatched.

After the earlier barrage, he noticed a clear pattern.

Shion wasn't simply tanking everything.

Some Noble Phantasms, she would block with her weapon.

Others, she would dodge.

"The ones you avoided… they were all A+ and above!"

"So what?"

"Hahaha…"

Gilgamesh laughed, waving to recall the Noble Phantasms he had just fired, then summoned a new batch from Gate of Babylon—swords, spears, halberds—countless armaments appearing.

"As many as are needed to deal with you… this King has them all!!"

This time, he summoned 108 Noble Phantasms.

Without exception, all were A+ rank or higher.

Every one uniquely crafted, overwhelmingly refined, their magical energy alone causing the space around them to tremble.

Even Shion's expression turned serious.

"…"

She didn't say a word.

But her entire posture shifted.

She had to focus now.

Otherwise, she might actually get injured.

"He's serious?!"

Gilgamesh's full release stunned everyone watching.

If Shion being immune to A-rank Noble Phantasms was already horrifying…

Then this?

This was just insanity.

A Heroic Spirit capable of manifesting over a hundred A+ Noble Phantasms.

What the hell were they even fighting for anymore?!

"This is bad…"

Tokiomi could no longer sit still. He hadn't expected Gilgamesh to reveal so much.

Now, every faction would be wary of him.

Unless Gilgamesh was taken down first, it would be impossible for anyone to win the Holy Grail War.

"We can't let Gilgamesh keep playing around."

Resolute, Tokiomi burned a Command Spell.

"By my Command Spell—Hero King, restrain your wrath and retreat."

"Hm?"

Gilgamesh, who had been about to reduce Shion to atoms for daring to insult him, abruptly halted.

He looked up, scowling.

"You think your words are enough to make me stop?"

...

"You've got guts, Tokiomi."

Right then, Gilgamesh felt a murderous urge toward Tohsaka Tokiomi.

The man who always fawned over him…

Had never truly placed him above himself.

'Very well.'

'Tokiomi, you've found your path to death.'

Unfortunately, the Command Spell's power was absolute.

Even Gilgamesh couldn't resist its pull.

He merely waved a hand, recalling all the Noble Phantasms into Gate of Babylon.

"You've saved your life."

Glaring coldly at Shion one last time, Gilgamesh threw out a parting threat before turning and walking off into the distance.

"Mongrels. Until we meet again, keep squabbling in your pitiful little wars."

"Only heroes worthy of meeting me may stand before me again!"

"Hey!"

"Running away already?"

Shion continued mocking him without mercy.

"Tch. I thought he was something special. What a letdown."

"Hmph!"

Gilgamesh gritted his teeth, his rage now boiling over.

Directly aimed at Tokiomi Tohsaka.

"It's over…"

From atop the container stack, Rin sat casually at the edge, gazing down at the screen floating before him.

---

[Innate Time Control]

[Analysis: 100%]

[Unlocked: 20% of Bounded Field blueprint completed]

[Gate of Babylon]

[Analysis: 15%]

---

The massive number of A+ Noble Phantasms had given Violet a huge boost in analysis progress.

As for Innate Time Control, it granted Rin time-based Rule Authority.

It also completed Violet's framework research on Bounded Fields.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Kds89 for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 99: Same As Mine

"However, it's still not enough."

Innate Time Control was only part of a Bounded Field. Even when converted into a complete one, it only reached 20%.

As for the fight between Gilgamesh and Shion.

His usage of Gate of Babylon was still not extensive enough, resulting in just 15% analysis.

Moreover, the deeper the analysis went, the more data was required to continue.

For someone like Gilgamesh, unless he was forced to use Chains of Heaven or Ea, the analysis of Gate of Babylon could never reach 100%.

"Still need to plan for the long term."

"Alright."

Rin said, "Tonight's goal is achieved. Let's go back too."

"Oh, right."

Rin stood up and patted Kiritsugu on the shoulder.

"Thanks for the gift. See you next time, Emiya Kiritsugu."

Ice Empress silently followed behind Rin.

Before leaving, she gave Kiritsugu a final glance.

That cold gaze was like a blade, ready to pierce Kiritsugu's heart at any moment.

Rin wasn't surprised by her reaction.

Emiya Kiritsugu was dangerous.

Even Ice Empress, as a Soul Beast, instinctively sensed his abnormality and had the urge to eliminate him.

'Beast's intuition…?'

Kiritsugu understood this and grew even more uneasy.

'It's the same pressure as facing an ancient monster…'

Luckily, the one leading these "Demon Gods" was King Solomon.

And for now, he could still be reasoned with.

"Haa~"

Realizing Rin had truly left and that he'd survived, Kiritsugu finally let out a long breath.

"Maiya."

Relaxing after the tension broke, Kiritsugu immediately contacted Maiya.

"I'm fine. He's gone."

"Is that so?"

Kiritsugu said, "It seems... we're not worth his attention."

Even if they'd been looked down on, Kiritsugu felt no resentment, only immense relief.

"So... who exactly is that Heroic Spirit?"

"If I'm not wrong, that man should be the king who commands the seventy-two Demon Gods."

!!!

Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the occult would immediately recognize what that meant.

"King Solomon?"

After Kiritsugu's reminder, Maiya began recalling the earlier events.

The girl who wielded a strange giant hammer.

The tall, purple-haired one-horned warrior woman.

The silent assassin who almost slit her throat.

And that incident not long ago, where the entire Matou household had been frozen into shards.

If nothing else, that was likely Rin's handiwork.

"With power like that… if it comes from Solomon's Demon Gods, then it's not surprising."

Maiya fully agreed with Kiritsugu's deduction.

Only this identity could explain why Rin had so many overwhelming "Heroic Spirits" at his side.

"Those guys aren't Heroic Spirits. They're Demon Gods—more like Magical Beasts or familiars."

Due to restrictions of the Holy Grail War, they couldn't release their full power, so they manifested in humanoid form.

Kiritsugu's well-constructed theory didn't just convince himself, it fully persuaded Maiya.

There was no helping it.

The pressure Ice Empress left him with was simply too strong.

He was certain.

She wasn't any Heroic Spirit recorded in human history.

She had no human attributes at all.

Her judgment was pure instinct—like a predator.

She hunted based solely on threat.

Nothing more.

----

"Time to go."

Shion walked over to Frankenstein, who stood in a daze.

Then the two of them dissolved into golden particles and vanished.

"Mm."

Frankenstein sounded a little disappointed.

She had really wanted to fight Gilgamesh.

But she also knew her limits.

She wasn't a match for someone like that.

"Ah, ah ah~"

"You're welcome."

Shion clearly understood her intent and smiled.

"We're companions. Of course we help each other!"

"Mm."

Frankenstein obediently followed behind Shion.

Just now, the girl who had leapt in front of the Noble Phantasms to protect her had truly struck Frankenstein's heart.

Her new master.

And her first friend.

"Com-panion… Fran likes…"

"Oh oh oh!"

Shion laughed, swinging an arm around the girl's shoulder.

"You can talk now? Haha, that's great!"

Just like that, the two women chatted as they walked, their figures dissolving into golden light in the distance.

But their departure didn't bring relief to the Heroic Spirits watching.

On the contrary, it deepened their curiosity and caution.

First of all, the two were definitely Heroic Spirits.

That much, anyone present could confirm without doubt.

So, here was the question:

If Frankenstein was a Berserker, then what was Shion?

A Caster?

By process of elimination, the currently summoned classes included Saber Artoria, Rider Iskandar, Archer Gilgamesh, Lancer Diarmuid, Berserker Frankenstein, and the Assassin seen earlier.

That left only the Caster class.

But…

A Caster that strong? Are you kidding?

From her combat power, durability, and speed, when Shion fought Gilgamesh, even Saber, said to be the strongest of the seven classes, wouldn't dare claim to beat her.

"Strength, Endurance, Agility—all above A."

"That doesn't fit a Caster's statline."

Then, was it a trick?

Was Frankenstein not the Berserker?

And Shion was?

"Kid, figure anything out?"

Iskandar looked to Waver, hoping for insight.

"The first Heroic Spirit to appear, the girl with the giant hammer, was definitely a Berserker."

That was Waver's evaluation of Frankenstein.

"But the one who came later… I can see her stats, but I can't determine her class."

Masters could use magecraft to glimpse some of a Heroic Spirit's basic info.

Of course, things like True Name, Noble Phantasm, and abilities were out of reach.

"What do you mean?"

Iskandar was confused. "You can see the stats, but not the class?"

"Uh…"

Waver, being a half-baked magus, could only describe what he saw.

"!!!"

Other Heroic Spirits might not have grasped the meaning behind what Waver said.

But Iskandar did.

Because—

'Is it the same as mine?'

He immediately thought of a possibility.
'Subordinate Servants. They have no class, only stats, but are still able to rival full-fledged Heroic Spirits.'

It was exactly like the warriors in his Ionioi Hetairoi.

The only difference.

Shion was stronger.

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Talal Baqren for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 100: Seventy-Two Demon Gods

"Irisviel?"

"Let's retreat for now, Saber."

"Alright."

Artoria kept a close watch on Diarmuid, worried he might strike again.

"You come back too, Lancer."

Fortunately, Kayneth chose to recall his Servant.

What Waver could understand, Kayneth naturally could too perhaps even more.

"Berserker… and that unicorn girl, most likely a Caster's familiar."

Kayneth faintly realized the greatest variable in this Holy Grail War was the Caster lurking behind the scenes.

The proud Lord of the Clock Tower, for the sake of victory, began to consider forming an alliance.

But unfortunately, Kayneth's identity and position were too awkward.

Gilgamesh's arrogant attitude made any alliance with him impossible.

Artoria's Master was Emiya Kiritsugu, a Magus Killer.

Kayneth despised these kinds of magi who strayed from orthodox Magecraft.

As for Waver—

He was his own student, a thief who stole his Holy Relic.

Kayneth would rather lose the Holy Grail War than ally with such a disgrace.

"Tch."

Kayneth exited the warehouse district, sighing internally.

"Are Caster and Berserker my only remaining options?"

Caster and Berserker had clearly formed an alliance—this was plain to see.

He was considering whether he should join them as well to counter the other Masters and Servants more effectively.

"Kiritsugu."

Elsewhere, Artoria and Irisviel had regrouped with Emiya Kiritsugu.

"You've worked hard, Irisviel."

Kiritsugu shifted his gaze from Saber's injured wrist, then told them everything that had just occurred, including his conjecture about Rin's identity.

"A Heroic Spirit who can summon Heroic Spirits?"

That alone was shocking enough.

But what stunned them more was Rin's suspected true identity.

"King Solomon?!"

Artoria and Irisviel exchanged a look.

The two women increasingly felt that this Holy Grail War was straying into the absurd.

First there was an Archer with unlimited Noble Phantasms, and now a Caster capable of summoning Demon Gods?

Compared to Gilgamesh and Rin, Artoria felt like she was... just too normal.

"King Solomon has seventy-two Demon Gods."

"How many can he summon?"

Irisviel frowned. "If it's all of them, that's a total cheat."

After all, the top-ranking Demon Gods, such as Bael or Aamon, had already surpassed the category of Heroic Spirit. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them deities.

"There must be some kind of restriction."

Kiritsugu, who aimed to seize the Holy Grail, saw Rin as an obstacle he had to overcome.

"Then Kiritsugu, you and I—"

"No."

Kiritsugu shook his head. "We stick to the original plan. I'll stay hidden. You'll continue posing as Saber's Master."

"But if we do that, your situation will be very dangerous..."

Rin had already sent an Assassin after him once. There would be a second, and a third.

If Rin truly wanted to eliminate the Saber team, he could simply have his Servants assassinate Kiritsugu and win the war without a fight.

However, Kiritsugu wasn't too concerned about that.

Though their encounter was brief, he felt that Rin wasn't the kind of person to use such underhanded tactics.

"King Solomon could have killed me at any time."

"If he didn't act then, there's no need to worry about him acting later."

Additionally, Kiritsugu had considered the possibility of uniting with other Masters to resist Rin together.

"If it really comes to that..."

Kiritsugu looked at Irisviel. "Then Saber's only job is to protect you until the very end of the Holy Grail War."

Rather than letting his wife die in vain, it was better to withdraw.

---

"Rin-sama."

At Ryuudou Temple, Shuna led the Miko Hime to welcome Rin and the others home.

"Hm. How's Sakura?"

"She's been waiting all night for you to return."

Shuna showed a slightly helpless look.
"But she's still just a child. She couldn't hold out past ten and fell asleep in the living room."

They had been gone all night. It was nearly 4 a.m.

Rin and his followers were Heroic Spirits. They didn't need sleep or food.

In the entire Ryuudou Temple, only Sakura still had human needs.

"That girl..."

Perhaps out of fear of being abandoned again, she was heartbreakingly sensible.

"For the next two days, let's stay in Ryuudou Temple."

Rin recalled the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War.

'Although some things have changed due to my presence, the major developments should remain the same.'

This wasn't just a guess.

With Violet's real-time surveillance, he had a firm grasp on the Holy Grail War's direction.

Barring a few unpredictable minor events.

"Souei."

"Here."

Souei appeared behind Rin, accompanied by Souren and several other Shadow Squad members.

"Have you located that killer I had you track?"

Due to the Holy Grail War starting early, Rin wasn't sure if the serial killer Ryunosuke Uryuu from the original timeline would still appear.

"Found him."

"Hoo~"

Rin sighed in amusement. "Is the inertia of the world really this strong?"

Even with the timeline moved up by a year, under the push of the world's will, Ryunosuke Uryuu still began his killing spree.

"Should I kill him the moment he gets his Command Spells?"

Killing him now wouldn't benefit Rin in any way.

According to Souei's analysis, the best time to eliminate Ryunosuke Uryuu would be right after he successfully summoned a Heroic Spirit.

That way, with the Master dead, the true Caster would vanish too.

"Yeah."

Rin had no interest in the sea monster or that so-called Demon Marshal.

"I'll leave this to the Shadow Squad. Make sure it's handled cleanly."

"Understood."

As Souei's figure disappeared into the courtyard, Rin recalled Kiritsugu's earlier speculation.

"King Solomon, huh..."

"I wonder how you'll react when my true identity is revealed?"

A Demon Lord from another world. A walking calamity commanding endless monsters. The natural enemy of humanity.

Borrowing someone else's name was not something Rin liked to do.

"Then, at the upcoming Banquet of Kings," Rin said, "let my arrival be proclaimed."

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Talal Baqren for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 101: Reversal

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was already the third day of the Holy Grail War.

On the first night, Artoria and Diarmuid clashed, attracting the attention of all Heroic Spirits except Caster.

Then, due to Rin's intervention, the moment Ryunosuke summoned Gilles de Rais, he was immediately taken away by the Shadow Squad led by Souei.

However, without Gilles, the original plot had completely lost its referential value.

Starting from the second night, the Heroic Spirits began their respective actions.

The most intense clash was between Kayneth and Kiritsugu, the two were like fire and water, and Saber and Lancer also fought many times.

Perhaps Saber's disadvantage was too severe, so Kiritsugu had no choice but to return Avalon.

Saber, who recovered in an unknown way, successfully repelled Lancer.

Kayneth was attacked by an Origin Bullet and was severely wounded.

However, even if he saved his life, Kayneth was completely paralyzed due to the collapse of his magic circuits caused by the Origin Bullet.

"That Heroic Spirit with two lances is truly unqualified," Snow Empress commented.

"He actually got carried away fighting Saber and forgot about the Master he needed to protect."

"Most importantly, he also seduced his Lord's fiancée."

Kayneth was arguably the most miserable Master in this Holy Grail War.

He was crippled, and his wife was stolen by his own Servant.

Although Diarmuid had no such intentions, the curse on him was destined to have a great attraction to married women.

One could only say that Kayneth was too careless to summon Diarmuid. He truly wasn't afraid of being cuckolded.

"Anything else?"

Seated in the main hall, Rin listened to Souei's report: "Have our movements not been discovered by other Heroic Spirits?"

"The Rider team is investigating us."

"Oh?"

Rin was a little surprised. Souei saying this meant that Waver and the Iskandar had already found some clues.

Iskandar was boisterous and didn't seem like someone who would use such methods.

"So, it's Waver, then?"

It must be said that Waver indeed possessed extraordinary talent.

Through some means, Waver discovered the simultaneous appearance of multiple Heroic Spirits.

Not only Rin's Shadow Squad, but also the Assassin who should have died.

"My apologies, Master."

Souei lowered his head. "I should have been more careful."

"It's fine."

Rin shook his head. "Being found at Ryuudou Temple is only a matter of time."

After three days of accumulation, Rin's magical energy had almost reached the required amount.

24x3x150, at least 10,800 units of magical energy.

Following Snow Empress, Ogerpon, Ice Empress, Shion, Shuna, Souei, and others, Rin successfully summoned all the Ogres.

And after tonight, even Hoshiga and the Eighteen Wolf Guards would descend upon this world.

As for the remaining wolf tribe and Goblins, that was just to give them some sense of participation and did not affect the outcome of the Holy Grail War.

"Continue to wait."

"As long as they don't come knocking on our door, there's no need to interfere in their struggles."

Rin remained calm, with no intention of showing his prowess.

Just like today, Rin took Shuna and the others to stroll around Fuyuki City, without any sense of wartime tension.

As for being exposed…

With the Shadow Squad secretly monitoring the entire situation, there was no need to worry at all.

And that night, Souei brought Rin a new piece of information.

"Tokiomi is dead?"

"So fast?"

Rin was indeed a little surprised.

If he remembered correctly, Kirei killing Tokiomi should have happened after Assassin's departure.

"How did he die?"

"He was backstabbed by his disciple, Kotomine Kirei."

"Still the same, huh?"

Rin thought to himself, "It seems Gilgamesh was completely fed up with Tokiomi, which is why he acted early?"

Kirei acted early.

This meant that he not only possessed Assassin but also had Gilgamesh as his Heroic Spirit.

"Can he bear the burden of two Heroic Spirits at once?"

Snow Empress frowned slightly. "Or is he planning to abandon the original Assassin?"

"There's no need for that."

Rin said, "Gilgamesh can act independently, and as long as he doesn't fight, he won't consume much magical energy at all."

"Tokiomi, isn't that Sakura's father?"

Ogerpon, who had been listening to their conversation, noticed this blind spot. "Should we tell Sakura?"

…

For a moment, the hall fell silent.

"Shuna, bring Sakura over."

"Rin-sama?"

"It's alright, I trust Sakura."

Rin did not intend to hide this matter from Sakura.

If it were anyone else, Rin might have concocted some kind of well-intentioned lie.

But for Sakura, there was no need.

She was not as fragile as she appeared on the surface.

Her resilience was unquestionable, as she was able to endure the corruption of the Crest Worms until adulthood.

She still had feelings for the Tohsaka family.

"Brother Rin?"

Soon, Sakura appeared before everyone.

The girl saw Rin, immediately scurried over, and just like that, in front of everyone, she threw herself into Rin's arms.

"Sakura."

Rin stroked the girl's hair. He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately told her the bad news.

"Father…"

Upon hearing the news of Tokiomi Tohsaka's death, Sakura was momentarily unable to react.

"How could this be?"

Sakura's voice trembled slightly. She couldn't believe that her dignified, imposing father had just died like that.

Although in Sakura's heart, there was still resentment towards the father who had given her away.

But Sakura here was ultimately not the original Sakura Matou whose heart had been devoured by worms.

She still had feelings for the Tohsaka family.

"What about my sister and mother? How are they?!"

After the shock and sadness came worry for Rin and Aoi.

Sakura had learned a lot about the dangers of the Holy Grail War from Rin and Shuna these past few days.

If her father chose to participate in the Holy Grail War, he had to be mentally prepared for death.

Sakura would resent her father's killer, but she wouldn't be unreasonable and ask Rin to avenge Tokiomi.

The girl had never forgotten who saved her and brought her out of suffering.

"Don't worry, Sakura, they will be fine."

Rin comforted Sakura and assured her that her mother and sister would not be harmed by the Holy Grail War.

"En, I trust you."

Tears still stained Sakura's face. Rin continued, "Also, regarding Kotomine Kirei, who killed your father, I will make him withdraw from this Holy Grail War."

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Talal Baqren for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 102: The Visit

Since he chose to take in Sakura, helping her get revenge was naturally Rin's responsibility.

Therefore, for his Sakura, he could only ask the Mapo priest and Gilgamesh to die.

"Just leave it to me, Sakura."

The girl cried in Rin's arms for a long time until she was tired and fell asleep with tear stains on her face.

In the early morning, sunlight spilled onto the summit of Mount Enzou.

In front of Ryuudou Temple, the stone steps leading downwards were still damp with morning dew.

At this moment, two figures, one tall and one short, stepped on the fallen leaves blown by the wind last night, ascending the steps. They were none other than the Rider team, Iskandar and Waver.

"Rider~"

Waver timidly followed beside Iskandar, looking like a frightened little rabbit. "If this is truly Caster's territory, isn't it very dangerous for us to rush over?"

"Ah, indeed."

Iskandar showed no signs of nervousness. He looked at his little Master. "But didn't you say that this Caster might be the legendary King Solomon?"

The time separating him and King Solomon was approximately 600 years.

But the Conqueror King Iskandar still knew about King Solomon.

After all, in history, there was once the anecdote of Alexander the Great cleaving King Solomon's knot with his sword.

"How exciting it is to be able to face three legendary kings at once!"

The other two kings Iskandar mentioned were Gilgamesh and Arthur.

Several of the most famous Western kings were gathered in one place.

"Are you even listening to me?"

Waver: "Are you going to face King Solomon by yourself? He's an extra-standard Heroic Spirit who can control Demon Gods!"

"I already said, I'm just going to deliver an invitation."

Iskandar stopped, and unconsciously, they had already arrived at the mountain gate of Ryuudou Temple.

"Creak~"

Before the two could knock, the mountain gate opened by itself.

"Eek!!"

Waver was startled by the noise, and he instantly darted behind Iskandar, trembling.

"Oh, an unfamiliar face."

Appearing before Iskandar was a burly middle-aged man with beast ears, who was none other than the Direwolves leader, Hoshiga.

Iskandar observed the other party with interest, while also assessing Hoshiga's strength.

"By my lord's command, I have been waiting here for a long time, King of Conquerors."

Hoshiga stepped aside, inviting Iskandar into Ryuudou Temple.

"Hahaha."

"Did he foresee my arrival?"

"Hmm, then I'll intrude!"

Iskandar laughed heartily as he stepped over the threshold, his imposing aura truly worthy of the name Alexander the Great.

"Kid, keep up!"

Patting Waver's back, Iskandar strode forward while observing the situation inside.

"Beastman?"

Hoshiga's appearance made Iskandar think of many things.

Among the Seventy-Two Demon Gods, there were indeed beings with similar appearances, which once again provided corroboration for Waver's conjecture.

However, Iskandar would not make a hasty judgment before seeing Rin, the true master.

Soon, the two, led by Hoshiga, walked into the main hall of Ryuudou Temple.

And there, Iskandar and Waver officially met that incredibly mysterious Caster, whom they believed to be the Demon King.

"The Berserker who appeared that night!"

"And the woman who fought Gilgamesh!"

Frankenstein and Shion, who were beside Rin, immediately attracted the gazes of Iskandar and Waver.

Fortunately, they had already guessed.

Therefore, apart from surprise, they had no other thoughts.

"However..."

Waver cautiously looked around and found that on both sides of the main hall, many men and women dressed as warriors stood guard.

Judging from the aura emanating from them.

These people, without exception, were all servants similar to Shion.

"Nice to meet you, Conqueror King Iskandar."

Rin sat at the head seat, and he raised his hand, gesturing for Iskandar to take a seat.

"Oh! Thank you!"

Iskandar unceremoniously plopped down, and Waver, seeing this, anxiously sat beside his own Servant.

It was only then that the two had the leisure to carefully examine Rin.

Rin's appearance was very different from before his reincarnation.

He also had no intention of changing back.

Since he had already started anew, Rin did not intend to cling to the past.

"Please enjoy."

Shuna, accompanied by several Miko Hime, served tea and pastries to the two, and then returned to attend to Rin.

"Every single one of them is like an elf."

From the moment they entered, every servant-like being they saw, regardless of gender, was unbelievably beautiful.

It was as if they had walked out of a fairy tale, too dreamlike.

"No need to be so nervous."

Rin conveyed his thoughts to Iskandar. "I would not do something as despicable as attacking guests upon their entry."

"Haha, indeed, Caster."

"It seems we'll get along very well."

Iskandar took a sip of tea, then got straight to the point. "I came here this time mainly to ask you something."

"Speak."

"Are you a King?"

Changing from his previous casualness, Iskandar' tone was quite solemn.

"King..."

Rin scanned the Miko Hime standing guard in the hall, as well as the people accompanying him, and he smiled. "It's obvious, isn't it?"

"Whoosh!"

As his voice fell, all the Ogre and Direwolves members, including Shuna and Shion, bowed down, offering their heartfelt loyalty to their Demon Lord.

No words were needed, Rin's will was their direction forward.

"This really is..."

Iskandar' pupils trembled slightly.

He could feel that the way these people looked at Rin was with a fervent gaze that only the most loyal subjects would possess.

There was no doubt, as long as Rin gave the command, they would offer their hearts to their King immediately.

"Are you that legendary King Solomon?"

"Hey, kid!"

Waver's sudden remark startled Iskandar.

But the next moment!

Killing intent!

An intensely chilling, almost tangible killing intent instantly enveloped the two of them

(To be continued.)

Special thanks to Talal Baqren for sponsoring this extra chapter 🎉🎉🎉

Chapter 103: War Invitation

"Eek~"

Intimidated by this killing intent, Waver stumbled and fell onto his backside.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch..."

"I apologize for my kid's rudeness."

Iskandar pretty much had an idea of Rin's identity.

He didn't know who Rin was.

But one thing he could be sure of.

That was that Rin was definitely not King Solomon.

"Are you disappointed?"

Rin did not directly state his origin, but his denial of being King Solomon had already been clearly conveyed to Iskandar.

"No!"

Iskandar lowered his head, a hearty smile appearing on his face. "Rather, that kind of thing doesn't matter at all!"

Whether he was King Solomon or not did not affect his judgment of Rin.

The other party was a King.

This was beyond doubt.

Subjects loyal unto death, soldiers willing to shed their blood and sacrifice their lives for him.

A person who possesses these, as long as he claims to be a King, then he is a true King.

"Tonight, I plan to hold a banquet of kings for a Holy Grail discussion!"

Iskandar: "Here, in the name of Conqueror King Iskandar, I officially invite you, unknown King, please be sure to attend!"

"Alright."

Rin nodded. "Since it is an invitation from a King, I naturally will not refuse."

"Then, where will the banquet be held?"

"Oh, about that..."

Iskandar scratched his head and laughed heartily. "My kid's small place is a bit too humble for kings like you."

As for holding the banquet directly at Ryuudou Temple.

Iskandar wasn't foolish enough to run to someone else's territory for that.

"Let's set it there!"

"Saber's Master!"

Iskandar: "I remember her house seems quite large, enough to accommodate everyone!"

"Of course, as the host, I will prepare the drinks."

This way, Artoria provides the venue, he brings the alcohol, and the remaining two just need to show up.

"Good."

Rin quite liked Iskandar' straightforward personality.

The other side felt the same.

Rin wasn't as foul-mouthed as Gilgamesh, nor as rigid as Saber.

Although he was a Heroic Spirit just like them, he had a good understanding of modern society.

"Truly, I wish I had met you sooner!"

"Unfortunately, there isn't enough time," Iskandar said, standing up and bidding farewell to Rin. "I still have some things to prepare. See you tonight, Rin!"

During their conversation, Rin had told Iskandar his name.

And just as Iskandar had said, he didn't care what Rin's true identity was.

At least here, in this Holy Grail War, Rin was a king with whom he could drink and be merry.

The kings of history belonged to the whole world.

Only those who were raising their cups and drinking with him were worthy opponents.

"Are we just letting him leave?"

Finally, this time, it wasn't Ice Empress who spoke.

Since being taught by Rin last time, Ice Empress had indeed matured a lot.

"This is the most basic guest etiquette," Rin said, looking at the Starfang Wolves generals waiting below. "He and I will have a battle sooner or later, but not now."

During their conversation just now, Rin had actually extended a war invitation to Conqueror King Iskandar.

And the other party agreed.

No schemes or tricks, only a straightforward confrontation between two armies.

"We obey your will."

"We will surely present you with victory in this king's duel!"

——

About thirty kilometers west of Fuyuki City's urban area, a national highway runs east-west, cutting through a mountainous area far from human habitation.

Along this road is a dense, emerald-green forest, seemingly forgotten by the overwhelming rush of residential development.

This area holds many mysterious secrets.

At first glance, it appears to be state-owned land, but in reality, it is privately owned, belonging to a foreign enterprise that exists only in name, its actual existence uncertain.

If one were to truly gather information about this land, the first things heard would be strange urban legends.

It is rumored that deep within this profound forest, there is a City of Dreams.

Before children who ventured into the forest with a bit of playful curiosity or lost picnickers, a magnificent ancient stone castle would suddenly appear in the thick fog.

Legend has it that the castle is an incredibly mysterious mansion.

Despite appearing like an empty ruin, it is meticulously clean and spotless, completely unlike an uninhabited place.

Of course, no one takes this rumor seriously, at most, some third-rate magazines with no material to write about would use it for seasonal interest in the summer, publishing it on a page in a supernatural special.

Only a very small number of mages know that this castle truly exists.

This is an eerie city that welcomes its master every sixty years, becoming a wartime base.

This castle is an alternate dimension protected by layers of illusions and Magecraft barriers, and it is absolutely impossible for the outside world to discover it, except in extremely rare circumstances.

Those who know the true origin of this castle refer to this deep forest as Einzbern Forest.

And just one day ago, a magical conflict erupted here.

Kayneth visited Einzbern, clashed with Emiya Kiritsugu, and was ultimately tricked and defeated by the Origin Bullet.

....

One day later, many facilities within the castle had not yet been repaired.

Under the silent dark night, the scars of fierce battles left everywhere were still shocking to behold.

Irisviel sighed, trying hard not to mind, as she walked through this dilapidated corridor, almost a ruin.

"Kiritsugu..."

And just as Irisviel was worrying about her husband's future, a deafening rumble shattered the night's silence.

"Ah!!"

Not only that, Irisviel's magic circuits were subjected to intense pressure, almost causing her to faint in the corridor.

The rumbling sound came from thunder not far away.

The feedback that accompanied the thunder indicated that the barrier in the forest outside the castle had been broken.

And it wasn't just a matter of breaking through the barrier, this feedback, as literally described, was caused by the complete dismantling of the barrier spell itself.

"They actually intend to break through head-on?"

Irisviel felt incredibly frustrated, as if anyone could freely enter and exit Einzbern's castle at will, time and time again.

"Are you alright, Irisviel?"

Suddenly, a slender yet strong hand supported the swaying Irisviel.

Artoria, upon sensing the anomaly, immediately transformed into a gust of wind and rushed to her side at the first instant.

"I'm fine, it's just a bit unexpected."

Irisviel had recovered her breath, but she was still filled with vigilance and anger towards the intruder's recklessness. "I didn't expect to welcome such a rude guest."

(To be continued.)