"This is getting out of hand…"
Seeing Scáthach barge into the battlefield, Fionn, who had been brimming with confidence to take down Saber and her Master alongside his own lord, paused, his expression faltering. He sighed inwardly.
Positioned by the coast with the ocean at his back, he had an endless supply of water to wield. In this port, he held an absolute advantage—even against King Arthur, she stood no chance.
Had they clashed with Noble Phantasms, her holy sword's restrained power could never withstand his towering waves.
In truth, he'd been holding back since the fight began, using tactics of attrition and containment to lure other Servants. Artoria hadn't noticed, falling into his rhythm. Though he knew the homunculus wasn't her Master, her importance to Artoria was clear. Attacking Irisviel would distract Saber, exposing greater flaws.
Reborn not as the aged, faltering self but as the youthful knight and hero he cherished, Fionn longed for those days. He didn't want the fight to end too soon, unconsciously going easy… no, flooding the field with mercy.
He felt a hero like King Arthur, not famed for martial prowess, shouldn't exit in disgrace. She deserved to shine in her final moment, so he gave her a chance for one last stand.
Unlike a certain knight who defied their lord for chivalric honor, Fionn acted knowing victory was assured. He'd fulfill his lord's orders while indulging his own desires.
But, caught up in the thrill of battle after so long, and with no other Servants appearing, he thought none would come, delaying his chance…
A mistake, a missed opportunity he'd note and never repeat.
Now, with Scáthach's arrival, Fionn, aware of the Queen of the Land of Shadows' prowess and reputation, dared not underestimate her.
He eyed her twin crimson spears—one long, one short—his gaze narrowing with caution.
Truthfully, he feared her god-slaying spears more than Artoria.
The balance between them shattered with this new force.
He could still use his Noble Phantasm to crush Artoria with the ocean's might, but that would leave him vulnerable post-release. Scáthach, as a third party, could strike, likely ending him.
His goal was victory, not being upstaged. So, he held back his Noble Phantasm, facing both heroes.
Artoria, grasping the situation, also refrained from her Noble Phantasm. She warily eyed the two spear-wielding Servants, confusion in her gaze.
Fionn's weapon and unmatched martial skill confirmed him as Lancer.
This made her question the purple-haired woman she saw earlier—perhaps an Archer or Assassin?
But with Scáthach's crimson spears, spinning with ferocity rivaling Fionn's, Artoria's doubts resurfaced.
Two Lancers in one Grail War?
Was this not a seven-Servant battle but a larger melee?
As she puzzled over the chaos, a sudden shift—
Boom!!
A piercing roar like shattering thunder.
A blue lightning bolt tore through the night, invading the battlefield. Scáthach and Fionn, eager to fight, froze, staring uncertainly at the thunder's source…
As the lightning faded, a wave of heat revealed a majestic chariot.
A skyborne chariot.
"A chariot…"
Fionn bit his finger, first to discern its nature. Carved with bull motifs, it wasn't drawn by horses but two azure divine bulls, treading thunder, pulling the ornate chariot.
"Both sides, lower your weapons! You stand before this king!!"
A red-haired Servant, Rider, boldly announced his arrival, crashing into the battlefield with his living chariot.
"…"
"…"
The three present froze at the absurd scene, staring at the red-haired giant as if he were a fool.
Beside him, a black-haired boy, dazed by the chariot's speed and chilling height, was none other than Waver Velvet, one of Kayneth's sought-after traitorous disciples.
"This is my lord's student?"
Having seen photos of Waver and Roy, Fionn recognized him instantly.
"Haha, everyone's paused? Good. Listen up! I am Iskandar, the Conqueror, Rider of this Grail War. Any like-minded heroes wish to serve under my banner?!"
Iskandar proclaimed, boldly revealing his true name.
"…"
Silence fell, deafening.
"…So, the world was conquered by this idiot once?"
The thought crossed their minds.
How tragic…
"How do I even judge this?"
Fionn was at a loss.
"What's he trying to do?"
Scáthach was visibly annoyed.
"Where did he come from?"
Artoria was baffled.
"Waver Velvet's here?!"
Kayneth, relentlessly pursuing Kiritsugu, was shocked.
Roy clapped, playing along: "Impressive, truly a Conqueror's flair."
Inwardly, he thought, Crashing in like that, unafraid of being ganged up on…
Matou Zouken looked puzzled.
"Part of the plan?"
Roy shook his head, feigning innocence: "Clearly… not."
"So, Lancer, Saber, Caster, and now Rider have revealed their true names. With Berserker Lancelot, that's five known. Plus Assassin, who exited after attacking the Tohsaka manor, only Tohsaka Tokiomi's Servant remains unidentified."
Zouken, trusting Roy, stroked his chin, analyzing the situation.
"Oh? Matou, you think Assassin would exit so easily on the first night?"
Roy shook his head, prompting Zouken.
"You mean…"
Zouken frowned, but living over five centuries, he was no fool, catching Roy's implication.
"Every Heroic Spirit is a true champion, leaving their mark on history. Even a weaker Assassin wouldn't exit so carelessly."
"Using Assassin's stealth for assassination wouldn't happen on the tense first night. The third or fourth, when chaos reveals openings, would be ideal. Choosing the first night, a clear death wish, means…"
Roy left the conclusion to Zouken.
"Assassin did it deliberately?! Faking their exit to lurk in the shadows."
"Assassin excels at stealth, heavily targeted by Masters. By 'exiting,' they vanish into darkness, striking when guards are down, securing an edge."
In minutes, Zouken's eyes lit up, grasping the truth.
"Exactly."
Roy nodded. "So, Matou, why would Tokiomi help stage this?"
Why stage it…
Considering Roy and himself, Zouken understood.
"Hahaha, I see! Not just us forming alliances before the war—Tohsaka's kid thought of it too."
"Summoning a strong Archer to fight openly, while allying with Assassin in secret, attacking from both Master and Servant fronts. Brilliant."
Zouken admired Tokiomi's meticulous plan.
Even he admitted Archer and Assassin's light-and-shadow combo outshone their Berserker-Caster pair.
Like now…
Realizing Assassin lived, possibly with high-level Presence Concealment or substitution skills, Zouken grew vigilant.
He scanned the surroundings, releasing worms for alerts, fearing an Assassin's sudden strike.
Lowering his voice, he asked Roy, "Lord Crowley, what now? Tonight's probe involves too many Servants. Continuing risks losing control. Should we send Kariya with Berserker?"
Zouken preferred keeping Berserker close, facing a hidden Assassin. He hadn't expected King Arthur's presence, and his Berserker, tied to her tragic history, wasn't anonymous.
Lancelot, a key figure in Camelot's fall, would push Saber to oppose them and likely be recognized.
As the Knight of the Lake, who fought alongside and betrayed Arthur, even Berserker's disguise might not fool her. Zouken hesitated to deploy him.
"Of course he must join. We're here—why leave empty-handed?"
Roy countered Zouken's concerns.
"With four Servants gathered, excluding the hidden Assassin, only Lancelot and Tokiomi's Servant remain. At this grand gathering, Tokiomi's Servant will likely appear. Then, send Lancelot to probe their strength. If overwhelmed, Scáthach will intervene."
"Use Berserker to test them…"
Zouken nodded, agreeing. "A mad warrior's lack of reason is perfect cover. As for Assassin… no hero wants a sneak watching their fight. Expose their fake exit, and they'll become a target."
"Good. I leave this to you, Matou."
"You're not staying, Lord Crowley?"
Zouken was surprised by Roy's intent to leave.
Roy didn't hide it, answering directly.
"Pardon me, Matou. My professor's in this war, currently clashing with the Einzbern's son-in-law Master. Concerned for his safety, I must check."
"Your professor? The Lord of Mineralogy, Kayneth?"
Zouken was taken aback.
Why worry? A Lord, without Servants, would make even Zouken flee. Kiritsugu stood no chance…
Despite doubts, seeing Roy's earnest gaze, he nodded without pressing, cautioning, "I'll handle this. Watch for the one in the dark."
"Thank you."
Roy's departure wasn't just for Kayneth's safety.
Touko had messaged him about an unexpected gain. For whatever reason, he had to see for himself.
With his Servant fighting, he, as Master, couldn't slack. He had to act.
If he didn't complete his magecraft vision and meet the Queen of the Land of Shadows' demands by the end, his fate wouldn't be kind.
She wouldn't spare him for their brief camaraderie.
This was a race against time, a ritual betting his life.
Sighing, Roy stepped into the darkness.
***
If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to drop 5 stars and your power stone. And if you want to read more than 70 chapters in advance, feel free to visit: pat reon . com / KangTL