"It's not an earthquake."
Yuuka Kazami gazed at the swaying cherry blossom forest, a phantom image reflected in her crimson eyes. But she seemed to have seen through the illusion and grasped the reality beyond the barrier, her words firm.
"Someone's outside, and they're fighting fiercely."
After briefly describing the situation outside the barrier, she slowly rose. Holding her pure white parasol, she strolled into the cherry blossom forest with leisurely steps. After only a few steps, she was hidden from view by the dense, flourishing cherry trees, disappearing without a trace.
Upon detecting the keywords, the Four Oni, who had been drunk from drinking, immediately perked up. Their drunkenness dissipated slightly, and they abruptly raised their heads, their eyes shining.
"Fighting!"
The shared hobbies of all members of the Oni Race were drinking and fighting.
After a satisfying battle, the Oni Race would drink to celebrate.
Similarly, after a satisfying meal, the Oni Race would also want to have a thrilling battle.
Therefore, the Four Oni immediately chased after Yuuka Kazami, also disappearing into the forest.
"Big sister's going too!"
Quetzalcoatl laughed and ran into the forest.
"..."
Watching the six figures leave, Mu Yang silently made the sign of the cross on his chest, silently wishing.
Amen, I hope they're okay!
Jeanne d'Arc didn't think of anything from Yuuka Kazami's words. Instead, she was drawn to Mu Yang's action. She looked curious and asked, "Mr. Mu, do you also believe in the Lord?"
"I don't believe it," Mu Yang said, shaking his head slowly.
Mu Yang's answer was different from what Jeanne d'Arc had imagined. Her expression immediately froze, and the words that had come to her lips were stuck, as if she had choked.
Outside?
Shirou Emiya silently chewed on those two words, looking at the cherry blossom forest with a thoughtful expression.
Although he had made some guesses, he didn't have the urge to verify their truth. He skillfully picked up a fried shrimp with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, chewing a few times before picking up his wine glass and drinking the sake in it in one gulp.
Comforting!
Exhaling a breath of alcohol, Shirou Emiya ate and drank leisurely.
Touma Kamijou lay on his back on the wooden floor, his eyes slightly closed, and he happily rubbed his bulging belly.
Zhang Zhiwei and Li Shuwen were playing the drinking game and eating, while the Jewelcraft Sorcerer was drinking alone, gazing at the Ugly Fish on the other side of the lake.
That fish was of an unknown species, with particularly tough skin. He and Zhang Zhiwei had joined forces to hunt it down, and it took quite a bit of effort to kill it.
The fish skin... could be used to craft defensive Magic Crests, or perhaps even spatial storage Magic Crests.
The fish bones... could also be used to craft Magic Crests. There were quite a few of them, maybe he should give some to the youngsters!
The fish meat... what could it be used for? Making potions?
The Jewelcraft Sorcerer took small sips of his drink, deep in thought.
Arash, having eaten his fill, leaned back slightly, palms pressed against the wooden floor, gazing up at the sky, lost in thought.
Medusa ate her food in small bites, not drinking any alcohol.
A gentle breeze swept across the landscape, causing waves of green grass to roll towards the horizon. The cherry trees swayed gracefully, their leaves rustling as petals danced in the air.
The atmosphere was tranquil and serene, incredibly relaxing.
Outside the barrier.
However, the scene was far from tranquil and serene, instead radiating an aura of intense battle.
Artoria, her magical energy nearly depleted, leaned on her holy sword, gazing at the battlefield in the distance.
Six figures had appeared from nowhere, and despite being outnumbered, they were dominating the fight.
The Clock Tower's side had summoned Servants who were all famous heroes from history. Perhaps one or two of them possessed unique bloodlines or special skills.
However, their individual combat strength was still within a reasonable range, not reaching an overly exaggerated level.
Then, looking at the Gensokyo side…
Yuuka Kazami was a great youkai whose strength was not inferior to that of a god. The gods in this statement weren't those common, minor deities from the island nation's mythology, but rather the famous, powerful gods who dominated a territory and led many local deities.
Suika Ibuki and Yuugi Hoshiguma were two of the Four Oni, embodying the "weird" and "strength" in "weird power and chaos". Their strength was not inferior to Yuuka Kazami. By the way, both Oni's strength increased the more drunk they became, perhaps a special talent of the Oni Race.
And the combat strength of Shuten-dōji and Ibaraki-dōji was also extraordinary. Quetzalcoatl's true form was at the level of a main god. Although she descended as a Servant, her strength was suppressed, unable to exert her full power, but even so, she was still a very powerful Servant.
The disparity in strength between the two teams was very obvious. Not to mention, the Clock Tower group had just experienced a great battle, and their condition was not at its peak. Defeat was only a matter of time.
At the same time…
The Red Faction's base, a church.
At this moment, more than half of Semiramis's Noble Phantasm's activation progress had been completed. It was estimated that the remaining progress would be finished in a day, successfully activating the Noble Phantasm.
The current number of Servants in the base was three. Lancer and Rider were out on a mission and hadn't returned yet. Archer had already perished, and Saber was about to be defeated. Therefore, the three Servants stationed at the base were Berserker, Caster, and Assassin.
On a small hill about two hundred meters from the church, three people in black were lying prone: Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, and Nobara Kugisaki.
"According to the information I have, the weakest Servant in this Holy Grail War is the Red Faction's Caster, and that Caster is currently inside that church."
Megumi Fushiguro pointed at the church and explained to his companions, "That's the Servant we're most likely to defeat, and it's also the only hope of completing the task that Teacher Gojo assigned."
Hearing this, Nobara Kugisaki was very puzzled. "Where did you get your information?"
Megumi Fushiguro glanced at her and said, "I bought it."
As for who he bought it from, Megumi Fushiguro didn't say. Those in the know understood; no explanation was needed.
"What should we do?" Yuji Itadori turned his gaze towards Megumi, his expression earnest.
He desperately wanted to complete the mission; he didn't want to be punished if it failed.
From the expression Satoru Gojo had when he assigned the mission, he knew the punishment for failure would be awful.
It would be the kind of punishment that, even if it didn't cause psychological trauma, would still be a black mark on his history.
"There are three Servants and several Masters in the church…" Megumi's face was calm as he explained the simple plan. "The first step is to divide the battlefield, separating Caster from the others. One of us will fight Caster, while the rest of us intercept the other enemies along with the Servants."
"Simple enough! I understand," Yuji nodded, indicating his comprehension.
"So, who goes first?" Nobara Kugisaki looked at Yuji, then at Megumi.
"Yuji." Megumi Fushiguro said, barely hesitating.
"He's tough. Let him test the enemy's strength first, so we can plan our strategy."
"Makes sense." Nobara Kugisaki agreed, her face stern.
"...Heartbroken!" Yuji Itadori said, lying on his side and clutching his chest, looking pitifully at Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki.
"Stop messing around!" Nobara Kugisaki bypassed Megumi Fushiguro and slapped Yuji Itadori on the back of the head, making his head dip forward a bit. Then, after Yuji Itadori said, "Ouch," he lay back down and asked Megumi Fushiguro, "Tell me the detailed plan."
"...Alright." Megumi Fushiguro began to explain the detailed plan, which was very simple.
At the same time, inside the church.
As a base for mages, even a temporary one, the surroundings were filled with all kinds of barriers: defense, alert, attack...
Among them, the alert barrier had the widest coverage, and the small hill where Megumi Fushiguro and the others were located was also within its range, already exposed to Shirou Amakusa's view.
Not far from the three people, there was a tree. A bird stood on a branch of the tree, its pupils reflecting Megumi Fushiguro and the others.
With the help of a familiar, Shirou Amakusa observed the three for a long time and discovered the Command Seals on their hands.
"It's a pity the angle is wrong; I can't see their mouths. I don't know what they're saying."
Shirou Amakusa's right-hand fingers stroked the back of his left hand, a thoughtful expression flashing in his eyes.
"What else could it be? They're probably discussing how to attack this place."
Semiramis casually guessed, then asked, "Should we strike first?"
As an Assassin, although her close combat was weak, if she used her Noble Phantasm, she could still entangle with a powerful Servant for a while.
Of course, this is only for a moment of obstruction, and even against some Servants who are more restrained, she can't even manage that.
The Caster in the team has basically zero conventional combat strength. The Noble Phantasm is quite powerful, but it takes some time to prepare for activation, the exact duration depending on inspiration...
A script-type Noble Phantasm requires the author to write it, and the speed of writing depends on the author's inspiration. If the author suffers from writer's block...
GG!
This Noble Phantasm is basically useless!
Aside from the Noble Phantasm, Caster can also strengthen her Master, urging him to hurry up and fight. She herself acts as a spectator, watching the battle. Not only does she not help, but she also asks questions during her Master's fight, disrupting his state of mind.
She's someone who, aside from her self-preservation ability, has nothing to praise.
Maybe she can use Caster to hold back an enemy Servant.
Semiramis pondered. Caster, relying on self-preservation skills and escape techniques, couldn't hold off a Servant for long, but at least could stall for a while.
Therefore, neither Caster nor she were suitable for a surprise attack. Berserker, due to the effects of Mad Enhancement, was essentially an idiot, and also not suited for a surprise attack. But, among the three, he was the most suitable.
"Strike first..." Shirou Amakusa murmured for a moment, then smiled, "Let's make our move!"
Rather than waiting for the enemy to attack, it was better to strike first and disrupt their plans.
"As you wish, Master."
Semiramis blinked, turned, and headed towards the other rooms. She first released Berserker, watching him run towards the hillside, then went to other rooms to find Caster.
Berserker's true name was Spartacus. As a Berserker, his Mad Enhancement level was EX, making normal communication impossible.
His actions were simple and singular: to rebel against oppressors and to save the oppressed. In battle, this meant he would not attack enemies at a disadvantage, only those with an advantage over him. Moreover, he wouldn't attack first; he would only counterattack after being attacked.
Although there were many restrictions, there weren't many in actual combat. The enemy couldn't possibly know much about Spartacus. When they saw him, they would, without a doubt, attack first.
After all, Spartacus's appearance... was very distinctive. When he charged towards someone with such a menacing aura, they would likely act instinctively.
Just like right now...
With a "naive and innocent" smile, Spartacus waved his arms and ran towards Megumi Fushiguro and the others. The pressure... was off the charts!
"I... you... he..."
Nobara Kugisaki was so frightened by Spartacus's "friendly" smile that she was flailing her arms, unable to speak a complete sentence.
"Don't be nervous!" Yuji Itadori patted Nobara Kugisaki's shoulder to comfort her, then stood up and stepped forward.
"Berserker!"
A gray and black Servant emerged, their towering figure looming over Yuji Itadori, the contrast in their sizes striking.
"Stop him!"
Pointing at the approaching Spartacus, Heracles roared in anger, gripping his axe-sword and charging towards his opponent.
"Oppressor!"
Spartacus's eyes widened, his smile becoming more radiant as he accelerated towards Heracles.
The gray giant and the black giant charged at each other. When they were only two or three meters apart, they abruptly stopped. Simultaneously twisting their waists, they raised their weapons and swung them at each other.
Clang——!
The axe-sword and the short sword clashed.
Whether it was strength or weapons, Heracles held the advantage. Therefore, Heracles was the one who gained the upper hand in the initial clash.
Spartacus's short sword was knocked away, leaving his midsection wide open. The battle-hardened martial skills allowed Heracles to accurately seize the opportunity to attack, even while in a state of madness.
Relying on his formidable strength, he forcibly twisted the falling axe-sword, angling it upwards and stepping forward at the same time.
The blade sliced across Spartacus's chest, and blood splattered from the wound.
The injury did not weaken Spartacus; his momentum became even fiercer. Spartacus's arms seemed to have become a bit thicker, and he clutched the short sword, which seemed small compared to his robust physique. He charged at Heracles like a wounded and enraged beast.
Servants of the Berserker class were different from those of other classes. They didn't have any thoughts of probing during battle; they went all out from the very beginning.
The strong wind from the swinging blades left streaks on the ground around the two men. The blood from the wounds also splashed onto the nearby ground, and due to the considerable amount of blood loss, the soil within a certain area quickly turned red.
"How brutal!"
Nobara Kugisaki muttered something and charged towards the church with her two companions, followed by two Servants.
The three people standing at the church entrance didn't seem worried in the slightest, even though they could see that Spartacus was at a slight disadvantage. They seemed confident?
"Nobara, you and I will take on the white-haired man," Megumi Fushiguro called out to Nobara Kugisaki, then instructed the two Servants, "You two go deal with the female Servant."
"Understood, Master," one of the Servants replied.
The five people split into three groups. Two ran towards Shirou Amakusa, two ran towards Semiramis, and one ran towards William Shakespeare.
That was the plan, but the three on the other side were standing together, so even though they split up, the five of them stayed close.
As a temporary workshop for a mage, of course, there were many magic arrays set up near the building.
At this moment, they were activated by Shirou Amakusa and Semiramis...