After lunch. Looking at Fiore, who was pushed back into Millennia Fortress by a servant, Chiron quietly asked, "Is the possibility you mentioned earlier still there?"
"Yes, and it's quite high now. The rest depends on whether time permits!" Shirou had some confidence in his idea.
But to truly accomplish it, he still needed time. Of course, for Shirou, in a sense, he had plenty of time.
After all, he didn't need to return to the Throne of
Heroes. However, he didn't intend to tell anyone about this. As for after the Holy Grail War, there would be no
need to conceal it anymore.
"Is that so? That's good then!" As a Servant, Chiron greatly hoped that Fiore could stand as a magus. After all, that child was his Master! "Then I'll rely on you,
Shirou!"
"Leave it to me!"
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Meanwhile. In a certain castle, the Red Faction's Master, Shirou Kotomine, had gathered all the Servants to announce a certain situation.
"Everyone, our Saber seems to have been defeated by the
enemy!"
"What?!" Hearing Shirou Kotomine's announcement, both Achilles and Atalanta looked shocked. Even the usually composed Karna couldn't help but frown at this moment.
"This is truly a bad situation!"
"Indeed, this is truly the worst situation!" Shirou Kotomine repeated Achilles' lament helplessly. He had already lamented this countless times when no one was around. But even so, though he was somewhat dejected, his fighting spirit remained undiminished.
"Now, our Red Faction Berserker has been captured by
the enemy, and Saber has been defeated. We only have five Servants left, while the enemy has eight. But I believe we can still achieve victory!"
"Because I have extreme faith in all of your abilities. I don't think any of you will falter!"
"Hmph, it's useless how many third-rate Servants they send!"
"Watch me defeat the Black Faction Servants one by one!" Hearing Shirou Kotomine's provocation, Achilles immediately stood up and roared loudly.
"That's good then!" After Shirou Kotomine finished
speaking, Semiramis, sitting on the throne, suddenly said with a smile, "Since everyone's fighting spirit is high, let's begin the attack! Don't you think the previous
skirmishes were too boring?"
Achilles and Atalanta reluctantly nodded in agreement with Semiramis' words. Indeed, as she said, small-scale battles were too dull.
"Since it's a war, let it be a grand one. What do you say?" Semiramis said with an alluring smile.
"That's easy for you to say. But you specifically built a castle and prepared defenses, so why are you saying such things now?" Achilles said with a helpless expression. Semiramis chuckled in response.
"Defense? Rider, you've got the premise wrong. My Noble Phantasm, 'Hanging Gardens of Babylon,' isn't for defense; it's a Noble Phantasm for offense." Achilles and Atalanta both looked puzzled. Shakespeare, who understood the characteristics of this Noble Phantasm, chuckled at their reactions, while only Karna maintained his composure. The sole Master present, Shirou Kotomine, gave a wry smile and said to Semiramis, "Assassin, don't keep us in suspense. Let us experience it ourselves."
"You seem quite passionate too, Master!"
"Because I am a man."
"I see." Semiramis understood, then placed her hand on a gem embedded in the armrest of the throne. Instantly, the ground began to tremble slightly. Was it an earthquake?
The Servants exchanged glances. However, this trembling gradually intensified, then suddenly stopped.
"Hehe, look outside, everyone." At Semiramis' words,
everyone except her rushed out of the Throne Room to the outside. The earthquake just now was clearly a phenomenon intentionally caused by Semiramis. But for what reason?
"What?!" Achilles and Atalanta, rendered speechless, both
looked shocked. Shakespeare was moved and showed a joyful expression. Even Shirou Kotomine, who usually maintained a calm expression, rarely had his eyes gleaming. Even Karna slightly widened his eyes, looking down. The stone floor they stood on now only opened up to a vast space below. In other words, they were floating in mid-air. This Garden of Vanity was literally floating
in the sky!
"Surprised? Of course, in terms of speed, it's definitely not fast." Semiramis infused a hint of pride into these words. The Empress of Assyria Semiramis. Her Noble Phantasm, "Hanging Gardens of Babylon," was truly like an aerial fortress. However, it was impossible to manifest it through magic alone. First, specific materials like stone and wood from a particular region had to be collected. After collecting the materials, Semiramis would perform a long ritual, and only then could the Noble Phantasm be fully formed.
This was because the historical Empress Semiramis had not actually built the Hanging Gardens. She had never actually seen the Hanging Gardens. However, she knew that it had been imprinted in her memory as an illusion, and she had such a sensation.
Although it was a later-stage mysterious phenomenon of a reconstructive nature, the impression of "the Hanging Gardens built by the world's oldest Assassin, the legendary Empress," must have been too strong. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon required the collection of materials. First, real substances based on this real world had to be collected.
That is, the wood, stone, minerals, plants, and water from the land where she lived in the past. These collected items would then be reassembled by her through a ritual to achieve a true illusion. It was a false reality, a Noble Phantasm that should absolutely not exist. Therefore, it was given the name "Vanity." To those who knew the truth, it would only be a subject of ridicule. Because she had never built the Hanging Gardens at all.
However, vanity does not necessarily mean fragility. No, at the moment the Noble Phantasm was completed by collecting materials, at least in this era, vanity had transformed into reality. Yet, this garden, cloaked in illusion, was far more exaggerated than reality, to the point of absurdity.
"So, everyone, prepare for battle. At this speed, it will take about an hour for us to reach a distance where those entrenched in Millennia Fortress can see us." The Red Faction Servants collectively fell silent. Of course, this wasn't out of fear. It was simply because hearing her mention a specific number like "one hour" ignited their fierce fighting spirit. They understood that the grand battle between Red and Black was about to begin.
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