"According to our previous plan, everything is entrusted to you, Lancer!"
"Ah! Rest assured, I will surely grant that warrior the most magnificent end." Gripping his spear tightly, Karna's fighting spirit surged. He understood how important his responsibility was. Black Saber, our victory or defeat is about to be decided.
"That's good. I'll have your Master support you at any time!" After expressing his trust, Shirou Kotomine's gaze turned towards Millennia Fortress, which was gradually appearing beyond the night. Shirou Kotomine could clearly feel his heart slowly beating faster. Ah, I know, I can feel it. Indeed, there, in that fortress, in that place, was truly what he had longed for for many years. A surge of excitement immediately filled his chest, and he couldn't help but desperately suppress the desire to smile.
"Even a man like you can't conceal your inner excitement in such a situation. In that regard, you're truly still a child." The trembling and smile stopped simultaneously.
Shirou Kotomine cast a slightly displeased glance at Semiramis beside him.
"Nothing. It's good enough that you can suppress the urge to be overjoyed. More importantly, Master. If you die, I die, and if I die, all plans will come to naught. You should know this well, right?"
"Hmm, of course." Facing her Master's nonchalant response, Semiramis sighed deeply, "Despite that, you still insist on going to the battlefield. I truly cannot understand."
"You are now a Master who controls Servants. You are an existence who should absolutely not step onto the battlefield no matter what. Despite that, why are you risking your life to go to the battlefield?" Semiramis, after all, was a Servant, and she was very clear about Shirou Kotomine's strength. He should have no problem dealing with homunculi and golems. But what the outcome would be in a fight with Servants was truly hard to predict.
Although there would be no problem as long as he was careful, there was still a slight chance of something going wrong. For Semiramis, letting Shirou Kotomine go to the battlefield was something she wanted to avoid at all costs. However, no matter how many times she told him, he still refused to give up the idea.
Semiramis had no interest in his motives and thought he might change his mind eventually. However, since he still refused to change his mind, Semiramis genuinely wanted to ask him what compelled him to take such a reckless action. Shirou Kotomine hesitated for a moment, then finally seemed to make up his mind and replied in a calm voice, "If my plan goes against the will of God, then I will surely be annihilated on this battlefield."
"Perhaps I'll unfortunately die in battle against a Servant, or perhaps I'll be killed by a golem or homunculus due to a moment of carelessness. I might even lose my life by being caught in the range of our own Noble Phantasm." People die, and Servants die. It was also a perfectly normal everyday occurrence for some kind person to be caught up in some irrational matter and meet a bleak end. If he himself was an incorrect existence, he would surely suffer such a fate.
"If that were truly the case, I would honestly accept death. If God did not forgive me, then that too cannot be changed. However, if, if everything goes well!" Semiramis was slightly overwhelmed by his aura. It wasn't that Shirou Kotomine did anything; he merely erased his usual smile and looked directly at Semiramis. In his eyes, there was no ferocity, madness, anger, or hatred, but rather a serene calm, like perfectly clear lake water. It truly didn't look like the gaze of someone about to go to battle;
it was extremely calm.
"That would mean God has forgiven my actions and shows mercy to all people. My wish to obtain that Great Holy Grail is correct."
"Once I understand that, I will no longer waver.
Betraying something that absolutely should not be betrayed will also be rewarded." Shirou Kotomine declared with a resolute attitude. According to him, he was going to the battlefield to confirm whether his own objective was correct. But from Semiramis' perspective, it was simply an act of reckless foolishness. However, Shirou Kotomine probably had to do it. It was an unusual, obsessive compulsion that others could not understand. To solidify his unwavering will, this was an essential ritual.
"Hmm, honestly, I really can't understand."
"I guess not." Shirou Kotomine said with a wry smile. As she said, his way of thinking was incomprehensible to others. After all, he was now going to a battlefield where he might face death at any moment, just to ascertain whether his own goal was correct. He had expected opposition, but Semiramis declared with the demeanor of commanding a subordinate:
"But if this is the only way you can move forward! Then there's no help for it. I permit your actions. Fight to your heart's content, and survive well."
"Thank you!" Shirou Kotomine thanked her.
Suddenly, the Hanging Gardens slowly stopped moving.
Millennia Fortress was still ahead. On both sides between the Hanging Gardens and the fortress were forests, with a wide-open grassland in the center. In other words, this was the battleground. The Red Faction Servants and their Master, Shirou Kotomine, were all gathered at the bow of the Hanging Gardens.
"They must be in a state of panic over there right now."
Hearing Shakespeare's remark, Atalanta nodded in agreement. With her bowman's well-trained eyesight, she could somewhat grasp the situation of the fortress, shrouded in darkness, several kilometers away.
"The Servants haven't come out to meet us yet. It seems
they're in chaos due to our sudden appearance; I feel such a presence." Perhaps it was her beastly instinct. Even though it was a fortress, Atalanta could sense the presence of the people inside.
"In that case, I'll have the cannon fodder line up now."
Semiramis raised her hand high, and a huge cauldron, three meters in diameter, appeared suspended in the air before everyone's eyes. The large cauldron moved over the bow of the garden and immediately turned back.
Instantly, the slightly yellowed bone fragments contained within fell like rain onto the ground. As they landed, the bone fragments grew like plants, eventually forming skeleton soldiers with lizard-like heads.
"These things seem very fragile." Atalanta murmured, looking down.
"Heh, that's right. These Dragon Tooth Warriors are indeed very fragile, extremely so. But there are many of them. It goes without saying that they're no match for Servants, but they should be enough to face homunculi."
"If the enemy's Caster is also a weakling like ours, perhaps he could even be defeated."
"Hahaha, those words are quite harsh. But I daresay there's no Caster in this world who is a talented literary man like me!" Shakespeare retorted nonchalantly.
Semiramis decided to say nothing in response.
"Hmm, the Black Faction guys are finally coming out." In front, where only Atalanta could see in the pitch black, the Yggdmillennia family and their Servants finally seemed to be taking action. This was completely different from the small-scale battles until now. There was a battlefield, soldiers, weapons, and generals.
There was territory to contend for, and more importantly, a king that had to be defeated. Now, only a brief moment remained until the final battle, with the ultimate goal of completely annihilating the opponent.
In the next moment, or perhaps, this war would break out. And the Red Faction Servants were now silently waiting for that moment to arrive.
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