As the distance closed, Jeanne grew even more amazed by the floating Noble Phantasm. While there aren't many Heroic Spirits with Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasms capable of destroying castles, they do exist.
However, Heroic Spirits who possess a castle itself as a Noble Phantasm are quite rare. The only instance Jeanne could immediately recall of a castle existing as a Noble Phantasm was the Children of the Light of Ireland. And even that was limited to within his homeland.
Furthermore, a fortress floating in the sky was practically non-existent.
And the most troublesome problem now was that the owner of that floating fortress seemed to harbor malice towards her. Although it was a long way around, there were countless things she needed to clarify with the Red Faction. However, something fatal was underway, perhaps even close to ending. Jeanne always had this premonition.
"By the way, Jeanne, you still don't know the Red Faction Assassin's True Name, do you?" Although Jeanne, as a Ruler, had the privilege of discerning the True Names of Heroic Spirits, due to the Red Faction's deliberate evasion, Jeanne still didn't know the Red Faction Assassin's True Name until now.
"The opponent is Semiramis!"
"It's her?! The oldest Assassin!" At this moment, Jeanne instantly understood. Jeanne only knew two Heroic Spirits who possessed a Hanging Gardens as a Noble Phantasm. One was Nebuchadnezzar II, and the other was the legendary Empress, who was falsely spread to have "built the Hanging Gardens" due to old traditions being confused with historical facts.
"Indeed, it is I!" As Semiramis' voice appeared, Shirou and Jeanne had to stop their steps. And at this moment, the battle inside the Hanging Gardens was about to be decided.
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"Just as I thought."
"Ugh!" Karna spoke in a calm voice, steadily pushing Vlad III into a corner. His precise and merciless attacks truly possessed a cold-bloodedness worthy of a great hero's name. However, Vlad III, a hero who was evenly matched with him not long ago, was now at an overwhelming disadvantage. Vlad III himself also felt this abnormality.
His power had been greatly weakened. If he had exerted full power just now, he was now probably only at about sixty percent.
Iron stakes "swished" out from Vlad III's own body.
However, both their speed and sharpness were vastly different from before. Without even needing to ignite flames, Karna easily deflected them all with just his spear and armor.
"This Hanging Gardens is the domain dominated by our Assassin; it is not your territory. In other words, as long as you stand in this garden, you are no longer the hero who saved the country." Semiramis's Noble Phantasm, "Hanging Gardens of Babylon," was a fortress-type Noble Phantasm capable of dominating a certain area. In other words, this was not Romania, where Vlad III was worshipped as a hero.
Therefore, his fame here was equal to zero. Of course, Red Lancer Karna's fame here was also close to zero. However, Karna and Vlad III's baseline strengths were completely different. Even if his fame was zero, as long as there were still legends about him somewhere in the world, Karna was undoubtedly a great hero.
On the other hand, once he left Romania, Vlad III was just a bloodthirsty vampire. Vlad III, summoned for his heroic qualities, could not leverage that fame to strengthen his own power; instead, it became a significant hindrance to the effective use of his original abilities.
Vlad III, wielding his spear against Karna, had now lost the elegance, splendor, and ferocity he usually maintained. What was now sustaining him in battle was merely his dignity as a hero. Only this was giving him the strength to continue fighting. However, in this situation, taking Karna's head was an impossible task. If Vlad III's fighting spirit, stemming from his heroic dignity, weakened even slightly, he would then face an avalanche-like end.
Both Servants understood this very well. In fact, if the Black Faction simply retreated, if he just ran away with his back to the enemy, that would be enough. However, if he were capable of doing so, he would never have become a Heroic Spirit.
"Am I going to die here?" Vlad III thought to himself!
"No, you are not entirely without a chance to win, if you are willing to unleash that Noble Phantasm." Hearing the sudden voice, all the Servants present stopped their movements. The speaker was the only Master present, Darnic, the head of the Yggdmillennia family. Standing on a pillar akin to a temple, in an open area far from the Servants' battle, Darnic looked down on the Servants, irritating Vlad III for some inexplicable reason. But more serious than that was what he had just said.
After delivering a powerful attack, Vlad III distanced himself from the Red Faction Servants and stared at his Master, saying, "Darnic, what did you just say to me?" Looking at Darnic, Vlad III showed genuine killing intent.
However, Darnic nonchalantly endured his gaze and continued to speak disrespectful words: "My King, I'm telling you to unleash your Noble Phantasm. That is the
only option if you wish to win."
"What are you talking about?! I already said I wouldn't use that Noble Phantasm, have you forgotten?! I will die here! I will be buried here with regret! But that is the fate of the defeated! Darnic! I never intended to use that to become a despised existence! Absolutely! Absolutely not!"
"You're the one who forgot. We must obtain the Greater
Grail no matter what! To use it as a symbol and get revenge on the Magus Association. Or rather, to reach the Root. Even a King should have a concrete wish, right?
If so, then using that Noble Phantasm is the only way."
With that, Darnic raised one of his hands. On that hand, three glowing red Command Spells were engraved.
"You bastard?!" Darnic smiled at the wide-eyed Vlad III and declared in an utterly cold voice: "By the Command Spell, I command Heroic Spirit Vlad III, immediately activate your Noble Phantasm, 'Blood's Inheritance.'"
"Darnic, you scoundrel!" Even this roar, infused with intense hatred and despair, could not sway Darnic's resolve.
"I... I am absolutely not a vampire, I am not, I am not!"
This trembling monologue was probably the last shred of Heroic Spirit Vlad III's sanity. However, Darnic, as his Master, completely shattered it.
"No, you are a vampire. Dracula the vampire, a monster forced to bear a tragic infamy due to creation. By the second Command Spell, I command, 'Survive until the Greater Grail is obtained!'" Vlad III roared and lunged at his Master, Darnic. With a faint smile, Darnic willingly accepted the blow. With a whoosh, Darnic's chest was easily pierced, and his body gradually fell backward. Blood splattered, splashing onto Vlad III's face. Yet, it was Darnic who let out a mad laugh.
"Hahahahaha! How rude, my Servant! As compensation, please drink my blood! You are indeed a vampire, the King who rules the night!"
"You don't need any wishes. Just leave my dreams, my wishes, my existence! By the third Command Spell, I command, 'Engrave my existence upon your soul, Lancer!'"
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