U.S. Military Base, Japan
Headquarters, Command Center
The operators in the command center worked calmly and methodically, issuing orders with precision. Standing at the back of the room, General Tom Patrick, a high-ranking officer in the U.S. military, watched the large screen displaying the battle between Kaito and the soldiers.
The footage, captured from above, showed Kaito effortlessly cutting through the soldiers, sending them flying dozens of meters with his strikes, and even detonating explosives. Yet, Tom's expression remained unflinching.
When the dust settled, and Kaito's surprised face appeared on the screen as he saw the soldiers standing unharmed, Tom finally allowed himself a small smile.
As a high-ranking military officer, he had overseen countless operations to capture or kill magicians and other supernatural beings from the "hidden world." But no matter how many times he saw it, the look of shock on their faces never failed to amuse him.
"This is the wisdom of modern man," Tom muttered to himself. "This is the power of modern technology, you old fossil!"
These soldiers weren't just ordinary humans. They had undergone genetic modifications through advanced biotechnology, enhancing their physical abilities to three to five times that of a normal person.
The armor they wore was the culmination of over a century of research and development, a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance. It was designed to withstand extreme impacts, absorb shocks, and resist heat, cold, radiation, and even magical and mental attacks.
In short, it was a suit of armor capable of handling any combat scenario. Even if they were caught in the center of an explosion, they could survive.
The cost of producing just one of these suits was astronomical, reaching hundreds of millions of dollars, not to mention the rare materials required. But it was worth it.
With this technology, the United States, already a dominant force in the "surface world," now had the means to challenge the "hidden world"—the magicians, the Holy Church, the True Ancestors, and all the other supernatural entities that had long operated beyond the reach of ordinary humans.
And there was more.
"Current situation: Hunter Team is unable to complete the mission. Requesting permission to deploy the Spartan Warriors."
The Spartan Warriors were the pinnacle of human technological achievement, a fusion of biotechnology and mechanical engineering. They were selected from the genetically enhanced soldiers and subjected to even more rigorous and brutal training.
Their strength far surpassed that of ordinary soldiers.
Of course, creating a single Spartan Warrior came at an enormous cost. The genetic modifications and armor alone cost tens of billions of dollars, and the mortality rate during the training process was staggering. Out of a hundred elite candidates, only one might survive to become a Spartan Warrior.
But the results spoke for themselves.
A single Spartan Warrior could easily wipe out an entire squad of genetically enhanced soldiers. Equipped with the latest armor, they were essentially walking natural disasters.
In the past, during smaller-scale Holy Grail Wars around the world, a single Spartan Warrior, supported by a special operations team, had been enough to eliminate all seven Servants and their Masters.
This time, to ensure success, the military had dispatched three Spartan Warriors.
"Permission granted. Deploy the Spartan Warriors."
"Understood. Launching Spartan Warriors."
Soon, three pods were launched from the base, landing precisely hundreds of kilometers away, between the Hunter Team and Kaito.
The three Spartan Warriors stepped out, ready for battle.
After a brief skirmish, Kaito managed to suppress one of the Spartans. Tom's expression remained calm.
"Administer the enhancement serum."
"Understood. Administering enhancement serum to Spartan Warriors."
As the serum took effect, the physical abilities of the Spartan Warriors increased yet again.
Kaito, however, continued to hold his ground, even against three enhanced Spartans. Tom frowned slightly but then relaxed.
"As expected," he murmured. "A minor Holy Grail War is nothing compared to the real thing. But still..."
Suddenly, the situation on the screen changed.
While Kaito was busy suppressing the first Spartan, the other two rushed forward and grabbed his arms. The first Spartan dodged, revealing a massive energy cannon that had been set up behind him.
Boom!
The cannon fired a blinding beam of energy, striking Kaito directly in the chest and sending him flying. The two Spartans holding him were also thrown back by the shockwave.
The ground was scorched, leaving a trail of destruction over a kilometer long. Trees and mountains in the path of the beam were obliterated.
"Energy cannon hit confirmed."
"Target's life energy is rapidly decreasing."
"Hunter Team, Spartan Warriors, excellent work. Commence target containment."
Tom couldn't contain his smile any longer. The command center erupted in cheers.
What were Noble Phantasms? What were city-destroying beams of light? They could do the same—no, even better!
"Heroic Spirits? Magicians? The Church?" Tom scoffed. "They're nothing but relics of the past, destined to be swept into the dustbin of history. The United States—humanity—will be the true rulers of this planet!"
Tokyo, Minato Ward
In one of Tokyo's most bustling districts, even late at night, the streets were alive with activity.
On the second floor of a café, a strikingly handsome young man with a braid sat across from a fair-skinned, brown-haired man. The two were sipping tea when a slight tremor shook the ground, causing ripples in their cups.
In earthquake-prone Japan, this went unnoticed by most. But the fair-skinned man glanced toward the south, where Kaito and the military were battling.
"It seems they've grown impatient. How amusing," he said.
"But we must wait," the braided man replied.
"Yes, wait. The numbers are still far from sufficient."
The fair-skinned man suddenly turned to his companion.
"Who do you think will win, Caster?"
The man known as Caster looked toward the battlefield, his eyes seemingly piercing through space and time. After a few seconds, he lowered his gaze and picked up his coffee.
"You already know the answer, Marisbury."
Holy Church, Tokyo Branch
The church was empty at this late hour—or so it seemed.
Gilgamesh lounged on a sofa, lazily swirling a glass of red wine. Suddenly, he paused, a few drops of wine splashing onto the floor as he looked toward the east.
"Oh?" he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "This is rather interesting."
"Humans," Kirei Kotomine said, walking to the window and gazing at the distant flames lighting up the mountains. "They always believe they are the masters of this planet. They think their technology can conquer everything. The clash of modern and ancient, science and magic, humanity and the planet itself... How delightful!"
Back at the Battlefield
Under the watchful eyes of countless humans, magicians, and Servants, the Hunter Team and the three Spartan Warriors approached the ruins of the battlefield.
A massive hole had been blasted through the mountain, the result of the energy cannon's devastating power. Smoke still billowed from the entrance.
As the team reached the mouth of the cave, a voice crackled over their comms.
"Wait."
The Spartans halted.
"Life energy in the cave is spiking again. Prepare for combat!"
The Hunter Team quickly retreated to a safe distance, while the three Spartans formed a semicircle around the cave entrance.
Moments later, the sound of footsteps echoed from within the smoke-filled cave.
Step. Step. Step.
A figure emerged, bathed in moonlight.
Kaito looked up at the sky, then at the three Spartans blocking his path. He glanced down at his chest, where his clothes had been burned away by the energy cannon.
Fortunately, he had used his imaginary number abilities to absorb most of the blast at the last moment. But still...
"How boring," Kaito muttered.
He raised his hand, and the Wind Sword and Azakana Sword materialized in his grasp.
Transparent World.
Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
In an instant, the seemingly indestructible armor of the Spartans and the Hunter Team's combat suits were covered in faint, almost imperceptible lines.
"If you won't fight me fairly," Kaito said, his voice cold, "then you can all die."