The chance encounter with Gilgamesh did not spoil Arthur's mood.
This was a time to enjoy life—eat well, live freely.
And life remained as joyful as ever.
If there was one thing that annoyed Arthur, it was the slow delivery of food at restaurants. The Matou family, in particular, never once let him eat his fill.
In such a carefree atmosphere, the day finally arrived when fate began to shift.
"Hmm, I see. The Church has already sent out the signal. All seven Servants have been summoned, and the Holy Grail War has officially begun."
Arthur pinched his chin thoughtfully.
"Yes, Your Majesty. The last participant—the Einzbern—has arrived in Fuyuki City. So, starting tonight, please try to restrain yourself a little," Matou Zouken said with a dry laugh.
"Restrain myself? Are you giving me orders?"
"No, no, of course not! I merely wish to know your next course of action. Shall we strike directly... or lay low? After all, Your Majesty is a Caster. Not ideally suited for direct combat. But if we proceed step by step, carefully... there's still a chance of victory," Zouken replied with an innocent smile.
If possible, he didn't want Arthur to participate in the Holy Grail War at all.
Although the legend of King Arthur was widely known—and Arthur's stats and skill panels were far from weak—he was, after all, weilding two EX-rank Noble Phantasms.
But no matter how dazzling those stats were, they couldn't make up for the fundamental weaknesses of the Caster class.
From the very beginning, Zouken had never intended to win. He simply wanted His Majesty to enjoy himself.
That was the Matou family's most humble wish across every Holy Grail War.
"How little you think of me, you old bastard," Arthur frowned. "I said I would reclaim the Holy Grail. All you need to do is wait and watch."
After all—
[Task Triggered]
Mission: Magical Holy Grail
Objective: The Holy Grail has reappeared in the world, a marvel of fate. Destroy it—or claim it as a talismanic offering.
Reward: Special – Magical Trait
He had to take it seriously.
Even if this was all a joke, he would see the game through to victory.
"While I'm not opposed to strategy, I don't think this game requires much of it," Arthur chuckled. His skills and Noble Phantasm already surpassed the Holy Grail in absurdity. If he couldn't win with all that, he might as well commit suicide.
"Zouken, relax. I gave you and Kariya my word. I won't lose."
Zouken looked at Arthur silently and nodded.
Elsewhere—in the cargo unloading area of Fuyuki Port—
A knight stood quietly, holding two spears, waiting for his opponent.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes, gaze locking on a figure slowly emerging from the shadows. The corners of his mouth lifted in anticipation.
"I've been waiting for a long time. Most are cowards. You're the only one who accepted my invitation… even if you're just a magician."
Diarmuid, the Lancer, raised his spear toward the cloaked figure—Arthur, whose face was hidden beneath a hood.
There was no need to speak or confirm anything. A warrior of his caliber could sense the enemy's class simply by aura.
Arthur's aura was fierce—yet unclear.
More than ferocity, it carried an air of nobility… mingled with arrogance and a strange fragility.
"Hmph. Before I came, I thought you might be a respectable warrior—bold enough to act on the first night. But now I see you're just a Caster. I suppose this fight won't suit you."
"I didn't mean to belittle Casters," Diarmuid smiled. "I was merely surprised."
Regardless of class, anyone summoned as a Servant was a hero. That alone deserved respect.
"Heh. I don't think it's necessary, but I'll ask anyway. You're a Lancer-class Servant, right?"
"Exactly! Though it's frustrating we can't even exchange names before a fight to the death," Diarmuid said with a note of regret.
Clearly, he desired an honorable duel.
As a Servant, Arthur was a bit unorthodox.
But as a warrior, that passion stirred something in his heart.
"Ah, don't worry about that. I already know your true name. The Radiant… no, I'll respect your Master and keep it quiet," Arthur said, glancing somewhere distant. "But I don't mind revealing mine. Listen closely—
I am a Caster. King Arthur. Arthur Pendragon!"
King Arthur?!
Diarmuid—and the other Masters and Servants hidden in the shadows—were stunned.
To most, the idea of King Arthur being summoned as a Caster was as absurd as King Arthur being a woman.
"Hmph! That stunned expression is disrespectful, Lancer. Is this your so-called knightly pride?"
"If your declaration was genuine… I sincerely apologize," Diarmuid said.
"It doesn't matter. No matter who we are, every encounter in the Holy Grail War is a fight to the death. So be more careful next time."
As he finished speaking, magic exploded from Arthur's body. It surged like a storm, condensing into chains that whipped forward, tearing through the earth toward Diarmuid.
The battle began with no warning.
Faced with the sudden and invisible assault—an ambush, really—Diarmuid frowned. Dodging swiftly, he moved with precision. Holding both spears—one long, one short—he struck at cunning angles, breaking the stormlike chains that lashed toward him.
The attacks moved like living creatures. Still, Diarmuid was overpowered in the first exchange.
How is this possible?
Standard Servants were divided into seven classes: Saber, Archer, and Lancer formed the "Three Knight" classes—considered the upper ranks.
They usually possessed Magic Resistance, which significantly weakened Caster-class attacks.
By that logic, Caster was naturally at a disadvantage when fighting any of the three knight classes.
And yet—
Even in this brief exchange, the intensity of Arthur's magic had broken through Diarmuid's maximum resistance. That alone was astonishing.
The Master watching from afar suddenly became nervous.
"Lancer, what are you doing?! Fight back!"
The frustrated command rang through their magical link.
But such senseless urging only made things worse for Diarmuid.
They couldn't even grasp the situation. Overestimating their Servant… or perhaps blindly pushing him to his limits.
"It seems you drew the short straw when it came to your Master."
"—!"
-End Chapter-
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