A battle between giants.
What immediately comes to mind might be the Titans of Greek mythology or the giants of Norse mythology—that's what Odysseus was thinking now.
In the distant age of myths, countless giants may have lain on the ground, staring at the sky after being defeated.
The clash of light cannons unleashed at full power by both sides ended with Odysseus's defeat.
In terms of pure firepower output, the Trojan Horse's main cannon was far outmatched by Excalibur.
The left half of the giant Trojan Horse's body was completely destroyed, its cockpit collapsed, and the entire mecha could no longer be sustained. Now, it could only lie helplessly on the ground like a broken figure.
Fortunately, the large cargo bay where Touko and the others were located was unharmed. This was the first thing Odysseus confirmed, feeling relieved after realizing he had lost the shootout.
*TAP!* *TAP!* *TAP!*
The sound of heavy earth-shaking footsteps echoed. The blazing red dragon giant appeared before Odysseus and crouched down. Two light-like projections shot from its eyes to stand before him.
It was Naoki and Artoria.
"You've lost, Rider."
"Yes, a very clear result… I initially thought attacking you when you were weakened after your fight would give me a better chance of winning, but I didn't expect to lose anyway."
Weakened state?
Naoki shrugged. "Then you really picked the wrong opponent. Neither Lia nor I have anything like a weakened state. At least in terms of Mana, there's no issue whatsoever. The only thing that could prevent us from fighting at full strength is physical and mental exhaustion."
"But one or two battles aren't enough to tire us out to the point of being unable to fight."
Artoria was a seasoned warrior, accustomed to prolonged battles, let alone short ones. Naoki himself had only exerted minimal effort. Though his fight with Solomon was intense, it was merely like a 400-meter sprint—not enough to call it exhaustion.
Looking up at the giant before him, Odysseus smiled. "What an incredible mecha, as if you two became one."
"It's pretty much like that, though I wish Master had explained it first when you and I fused," Artoria said.
"There wasn't time to explain! Besides, there might not be a next time, right?" Naoki replied, turning to Odysseus. "Berserker, Archer, Lancer, Rider—with this, four Servants have withdrawn. If it's just about granting wishes, the Holy Grail War doesn't need to continue."
"Huh? What does that mean?" Artoria frowned, confused.
"Literally, to use the Holy Grail, you don't need to eliminate all six Servants. The reason so much Mana is required is only to stabilize the hole." Naoki pointed to the sky. "The Throne of Heroes exists outside this world, in a dimension aligned with the Root. When a Servant is defeated and returns from manifestation to the Throne, a hole to the outer world opens."
"Using the Mana from the six defeated Servants stabilizes that hole, allowing the final victor to pass through it to the outer world and reach the Root—that's what the Holy Grail War is fundamentally about."
"But now, that's unnecessary. After all, none of the three remaining groups want to use the Holy Grail to reach the Root."
Naoki explained, shrugging.
Marisbury hoped to gain vast wealth through the Holy Grail, Arcueid had no interest in the Grail or the Root, and Naoki was the same—if it was just about granting wishes, the Mana from four Servants was enough.
"Are you sure Assassin won't compete with you?" Odysseus asked.
Raising his Command Spell, Naoki smiled and replied, "I know Assassin's Master. That girl and her Servant have always been on my side, and our contract was agreed upon long ago."
Even if the Holy Grail War ended, Okita Souji wouldn't return to the Throne of Heroes but would remain in the real world due to her contract with Naoki. This was Rei's response to the Counter Force's calculations against Naoki. Though the outcome was beneficial and harmless, the act of calculation itself still deeply displeased her.
(So, this Holy Grail War, from the start, was just like a reunion of old friends.)
Odysseus couldn't help but give a wry smile. The prize was clearly the Holy Grail, capable of granting any wish, yet only one group genuinely wanted it. The rest had no interest in the Grail at all.
This might be the most peaceful Holy Grail War in history.
Specks of light began to spread across Odysseus's body, and the giant Trojan Horse mecha gradually dissolved into light.
"Leaving already?"
"The mecha's destroyed, and I'm heavily injured… Taking your attack head-on, withdrawal is inevitable. Lord Natsukawa, about my Master, please have a good talk with her later. I think she has some things to say to you."
"Sensei? I'll do that."
Crouching down, Naoki extended a hand to Odysseus. "By the way, about letting me ride your mecha as we discussed before—if it doesn't happen this time, please make it happen next time."
"Uh… if there's a next time, I might not retain these memories. But I'll keep it in mind, and I hope one day we can fight side by side in forms like these."
"I'm really looking forward to that."
Fighting side by side as Gundams—the thought alone reignited Naoki's excitement. But at the time, he didn't know if he'd still have a pilot and fusion partner as exceptional as Artoria by his side.
"Then, until we meet again, Lord Natsukawa, Saber."
As his words ended, Odysseus and his mecha transformed into blinding light and floated into the sky.
Rider Odysseus, eliminated from the battlefield.
As the mecha vanished, Mordred and the others, previously in the mecha's cargo bay, descended to the ground in a glow of light.
Seeing the group on the ground, Naoki shifted his thoughts. The Summoning Magecraft maintaining the connection between the giant entity and the two of them ceased. The blazing red giant standing tall on the ground dissolved back into two figures in a dazzling light.
"Master! Father!"
The moment their feet touched the ground, before they could even stand steady, Mordred, running at full speed, leaped and wrapped her arms around Naoki's neck. "That was so cool! Master! Father! You fused into that giant! So awesome! Can I have one too?!"
"Sir Mordred! Get off Master, that's improper!"
"What's wrong with it—Master, can I have one too?"
"If there's a chance, sure, but get off me first!"
Forcibly prying Mordred off him and handing her to Artoria to restrain, Naoki turned to face Touko and Aoko.