"No doubt about it. This place reeks of demonic filth," Jeanne said, gripping her sword as she led the way into the forest Ritsuka hadn't managed to cross yesterday.
They followed the path to the small patch of woods Nero had obliterated with a single slash. The blood of the slain demons had dried, staining the earth black with oxidized iron.
But the bodies? Gone. Not even a scrap of bone remained.
Ritsuka could guess what happened—those demons Nero cut down probably ended up as chow for the others. Worse, it wouldn't be long before new ones spawned from the carnage, bolstering the Demon God Pillar's forces and maybe even launching another attack on the town.
That's why Ritsuka was out here today. Even if they couldn't storm the seaside cave yet, they could at least let Jeanne unleash her Noble Phantasm to thin the demons' ranks and buy some time.
But… the eerie silence of yesterday's forest? Yeah, that was gone today.
A cannon blast echoed from the coast. The trio looked up to see a massive wooden warship parked along the distant shore, its broadside pounding the forest with artillery fire.
Now that was weird. The coast near Ratvenchi was a jagged mess of cliffs and rough waves—no harbor in sight. So why the hell was a warship here?
"Mash," Ritsuka said, cool as ever, addressing her trusty sidekick, "can you figure out where that ship came from?"
"Detecting high magical energy signatures!" Mash replied after a quick scan. "There's a strong chance that ship's a Servant's summon!"
And just like that, Ritsuka knew she'd found the fourth Servant scattered across this Singularity.
Another cannon roared, followed by the dull thud of impact, the crash of falling trees, and the startled cries of birds. No question—the demons in the forest were being drawn to the bombardment.
Ritsuka didn't hesitate. "Let's move!" she ordered.
She needed to meet this Servant face-to-face and convince them to join the team.
Judging by the ship—a huge wooden warship, no less—this Servant was likely a navigator from the 15th or 16th century, a player in the Age of Exploration. Ritsuka's mind flashed to Columbus, who they'd met in the last Singularity…
Here's hoping this one's less of a pain to deal with.
Thanks to the warship acting as a big, shiny distraction, Ritsuka's group barely ran into any demons on the way. But that luck would only last until they hit the battlefield.
From a distance, Ritsuka could already see the demons swarming the coast. The warship, holding the high ground across the water, was hammering them with cannon fire, keeping them pinned down.
Only a few flying demons could even try harassing the ship, but every time they got close, a storm of gunfire forced them back.
This captain, holding back the entire demon horde single-handedly? That was impressive.
Jeanne halted, raising a hand to stop Ritsuka and Mephistopheles. "We can't go any further," she warned. Getting closer risked getting caught in the demons' claws—or worse, friendly fire from the cannons.
But that didn't sit right with Ritsuka. She came here to meet this mystery Servant, not to twiddle her thumbs. "Any way we can let them know we're here?" she asked.
The answer was obvious—a Noble Phantasm.
Jeanne scanned the battlefield, eyeing the demon numbers, the rhythm of the cannon fire, and the blood-soaked ground. "It's not as bad as last time, but it's enough for me to unleash my Noble Phantasm. Master, give the order."
"Stay safe!" Ritsuka said.
Jeanne entrusted Ritsuka to Mephistopheles' protection, then charged into the demon horde, sword drawn. Moments later, a fierce shout rang out, and a blinding holy light erupted from the forest.
"By the oath of the blood cross—Ascalon!"
The commotion caught the ship's attention immediately. The cannon fire stopped, and a golden star flared to life on the ship, accompanied by a bold declaration: "El Dorado!"
That had to be the Servant's Noble Phantasm. But after the shout, there was no massive beam, no storm, no blazing inferno.
Just the sun shining brightly, the sea breeze blowing… and a faint, chilling edge to the air.
That cold breeze swept through, and the flying crows plummeted into the sea. The snarling wolf packs collapsed in heaps. It was like… a wind of death.
"Master, did you see that?" Mephistopheles asked, his playful smirk fixed on Ritsuka as he watched the birds drop.
Ritsuka nodded, but before she could respond, Mash's voice cut in again. "Senpai, bad news! Nero just contacted us—there's a plague breaking out in the town!"
Talk about timing. Ritsuka paused, but she didn't think this Servant's Noble Phantasm could've affected Ratvenchi that fast. Keeping her cool, she told Mash, "Got it. Mash, can you dig into any navigators tied to large-scale plagues?"
There couldn't be many of those. If this Servant's Noble Phantasm really controlled plagues, they might have a way to deal with the Black Death looming over Ratvenchi.
"Y-Yes, on it!" Mash replied.
"Let's go," Ritsuka said.
The golden glow on the ship had faded, signaling the Noble Phantasm's effect was over. The ship was moving again, slowly inching toward the shore.
"Master," Jeanne said, rejoining Ritsuka's side.
No time for pleasantries. "Jeanne, that wind that killed the demons—was it carrying a plague?" Ritsuka asked.
"Definitely. This Servant's not gonna be easy to deal with," Jeanne confirmed.
That only made meeting them more critical. Ritsuka quickly filled Jeanne in on the town's situation. "We need to hurry."
The trio rushed toward the coast. The warship had stopped among the rocky reefs, unable to go further. A figure leapt from the ship, landing on a jutting rock.
"Senpai, I found something!" Mash's hologram popped up, clutching a thick stack of papers. "The Servant's true name is likely Hernán Cortés, a 16th-century Spanish navigator."
But the key was the plague connection. Mash continued, "He's known as the 'Conqueror of the Aztec Empire.' He brought a massive smallpox epidemic that swept through Mexico!"
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