And what greeted Fiore and the others outside was a giant golem so massive they had to crane their necks to see it. On its shoulder stood "Black" Caster.
"Caster. So it's true you betrayed us."
"Ugh, betrayed!?"
Hearing Fiore's murmur, Caules, still being carried by Berserker, turned a surprised gaze towards her.
"You bastard, have you no shame, Caster!? What reason did you have to betray us!?"
Gord roared, veins bulging on his forehead.
He seemed almost despairing, but to that question, Caster replied:
"A reason, you ask? If I had to give one, it would be that I wanted to use this Noble Phantasm. Seeing the world saved by this 'Adam' is my dream, and I participated in this Great Holy Grail War for that purpose."
"What?"
"This Noble Phantasm requires a living mage as its core. I had let the homunculi escape and was wondering what to do when, conveniently, I received an offer from the 'Red' faction. So, I transferred. Satisfied?"
Fiore and the others were rendered speechless by Caster's words.
They had been told that "Black" Caster, Avicebron's Noble Phantasm, was a giant golem.
As a characteristic, they had also heard that since it was a Noble Phantasm never completed in history, it had to be constructed from scratch using materials from this world.
The materials were natural, unprocessed wood, earth, and stone, and to gather them, Darnic had poured a full thirty percent of his assets
All Fiore knew was this and that it required a core.
She didn't know the golem's abilities, nor had she been told what the core used was. Hearing that the core was a mage left her aghast.
It probably couldn't be just any mage.
Caster must have wanted to maximize his Noble Phantasm's perfection, which required sacrificing a high-quality mage. However, within the "Black" faction, such mages were unavailable. Even among the participating Masters, only Darnic and Fiore could be called first-rate, with Gord and Roche being the next best. Yggdmillennia, a gathering of overall declining families, couldn't provide a mage that met Caster's hopes.
In short, for Caster, as long as the materials and environment to activate his Noble Phantasm were prepared, which faction he belonged to was irrelevant.
However, questions remained.
What Darnic could prepare were materials treated as mere "things." A first-rate mage was a precious commodity money couldn't buy, and if such talent existed, Yggdmillennia, short on personnel, would have them participate as a Master rather than consume them as a sacrifice.
But since that golem was moving, it was strange if some mage hadn't been sacrificed.
"Don't tell me you used Roche as the core!?"
The only one who met all the conditions was Roche, Caster's former Master.
Since he was no longer a Master, discarding him caused no real damage, and being utterly devoted to Caster, he would likely do as told. It was impossible to guess when Roche realized the betrayal, but by then, it must have been too late.
"The feelings he directed towards me were truly pleasant. But this is the wish I must fulfill, the fervent desire of my people. You may condemn me if you wish. You have that right. But that won't stop Adam..."
The A+-rank Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, 'Golem Keter Malkuth - The Radiant Crown of Wisdom,' was a giant humanoid golem, an artificial construct made from wood, earth, and a human body existing in nature. But, for some reason, it was impossible to fully take in with one's eyes. Not due to magical interference, but likely due to a pure divinity evoking feelings akin to awe.
The trodden earth became active, with trees sprouting one after another, bearing fruit. The ripened fruit fell to the ground, growing as new trees. The air was filled with a sweet fragrance, and a single breath brought a strange sense of intoxication.
What the golem created was the paradise Eden.
The blessed land from which humanity was exiled, according to the religion he followed. The golem formed a paradise just by being there.
An autonomous Reality Marble with the ability to turn its surroundings into a different world.
That was the true nature of "Black" Caster's Noble Phantasm and treasure, 'Golem Keter Malkuth.'
At Caster's signal, the golem raised a stone sword gleaming like obsidian.
The fragile "Black" Berserker stood no chance. Nor could they possibly escape the blow from the golem's massive body.
Just as everyone resigned themselves to death, a streak of magical bullets tore through the night darkness, assailing Caster.
Scattering shockwaves, the speeding magical bullet aimed at the defenseless "Black" Caster. Raising a barrier would be too slow. Impromptu magecraft couldn't evade this arrow; he would only be turned to mincemeat and vanish.
Just as the unleashed hound was about to shatter Caster's skull and shred his body, the golem, which should have been in attack mode, instantly switched priorities and intercepted with its stone sword. Even against the unexpected counterattack, the magical bullet didn't lose, struggling against the stone sword before piercing the defense and continuing straight. However, the slight delay cost it the killing opportunity. The golem seemed to have intended to sacrifice the stone sword from the start, using the broad blade as a shield while leaning back drastically to move its master from the bullet's path. As a result, the missed magical bullet disappeared into the night.
"Archer. Your attacks are the highest priority to be wary of. At this moment, no one else would be attacking, right?"
Since long-range sniping was the only way to protect the Masters, "Black" Archer attacking at this timing was within expectations. If anticipated, defending was easy. Buying even a little time allowed escape beyond its attack range.
But Archer also wanted time.
Flying low over the Idearl forest, half turned into a plain by "Red" Berserker's strike that felled many trees, "Black" Rider whipped his Hippogriff, hastening to reach Fiore and the others.
Though the Hippogriff, exhausted from the battle with "Red" Assassin, seemed to be struggling, it flapped its wings hard at its master's will.
"That was close! But we made it!"
"Black" Saber was also riding on the Hippogriff's back.
"Saber! You're late! What were you doing!?"
"Forgive me, Master. I shall atone for this failure by defeating that golem."
Saber, jumping off the Hippogriff, drew his holy sword and spoke while eyeing the golem. His majestic stance, as if shielding his Master and comrades, made Gord stop further reprimands.
"If you say so, then do it, Saber."
"Understood."
Thud. Kicking off the ground, the dragon-slaying hero challenged the giant.
Rider, flying in the sky, didn't think it reckless for Saber to challenge the giant head-on. From his vantage point, he understood the giant's danger well. It wasn't an opponent one could defeat with a solo charge. Yet, Rider simply couldn't picture a future where that "Black" Saber was defeated.
It was unthinkable for the great dragon-slaying hero to be bested by a pile of rocks.
'Master, can you hear me?'
'Yes, I can hear you.'
'Looks like you're completely fine from over there.'
'My workshop hasn't been hit by Caster's attack, so it's functioning without any problems.'
While wondering why Rider's Master, Celenike, wasn't present, he reconsidered that it wouldn't be strange for her to be holed up in her workshop. It seemed she had been watching the battle from the same room since he headed for the aerial fortress.
'So, no problems there?'
'That's right. No need to worry about us. For now, just focus on dealing with the traitor.'
'Right. I'll do that, of course.'
'Ah, and Rider. Just don't get hurt.'
With those final words, Celenike cut the telepathy.
"Haah, what a hassle."
Rider scratched his head. Though his Master worried about him, his face showed no hint of joy. That was natural. While Celenike was indeed worried about Rider, it wasn't for Rider's sake. It was merely an expression of her twisted possessive desire that she must be the one to hurt, defile, and violate him.
Even without her orders, he would defeat "Black" Caster, but facing Celenike afterward was daunting.
"For now, safety first."
This didn't mean avoiding injury himself, but ensuring the Masters who escaped outside reached a safe distance.
While at it, Rider decided to descend on his Hippogriff to inform Fiore and the others of the current situation to the best of his knowledge.
The giant obsidian sword and the greatsword emitting twilight-colored magical energy clashed violently.
The impact wiped away trees, and an explosive roar like gunpowder showered like rain, shaking the forest.
"Gu...!"
Grimacing, "Black" Saber stepped back.
"Black" Saber, undoubtedly the strongest in close combat within the "Black" faction, was slightly pushed back.
Every attack from the giant body rivaled the might of a single Noble Phantasm strike. Even Saber, with his defensive Noble Phantasm and A-rank 'Endurance,' leaving no gaps in defense, couldn't take many such hits unscathed.
But if that were all, it would still be within the range Saber's innate skill and strength could handle.
The truly troublesome thing was.
"Hmm, as expected, it's not easy, Saber."
"Black" Caster murmured on the golem's shoulder.
Saber's holy sword didn't shatter when clashing with the golem's obsidian sword; on the contrary, it was sturdy enough to shatter it in return.
But no matter how much it shattered, it wasn't a problem.
In fact, the sword the golem now held was the same one that should have been destroyed by Archer's snipe earlier.
Yes, this golem the giant Caster called the 'Primordial Human Adam' possessed powerful restorative abilities. That recovery power extended even to its weapons, rendering Saber's attacks futile.
"Staying on your shoulder forever makes fighting difficult, doesn't it? Then, I shall observe from within."
The one fighting was ultimately the golem. And this autonomous golem didn't even need Caster to issue instructions. Even if Caster were defeated, it would likely gather the necessary energy itself and continue transforming the world.
The stone melted as if swallowing Caster, swelling up and drawing him inside.
The golem was like a Servant, and Caster was its Master. To protect Caster, the golem stored him inside its own body.
"A Noble Phantasm that paints over the world... You've brought out something quite substantial before Amakusa Shirou."
Ruler, who arrived belatedly, grimaced before the extraordinary Noble Phantasm. But thinking wouldn't help. Ruler raised her flag to assist Saber. They had achieved numerical superiority: two against one. But even that wasn't enough.
It was as if a life-sized human was challenging a storm.
Saber received, parried, and counterattacked the overwhelmingly heavy golem attacks head-on. Adding Ruler's thrusts, the golem lost its balance.
As if precisely timing that moment, the vanished magical bullet returned.
Hrunting, the crimson hound baring its fangs at over six times the speed of sound, carved a red trajectory, piercing the golem's abdomen from behind and scattering a massive amount of earth and sand.
The giant body swayed, and for a moment, both Ruler and Saber envisioned victory.
"Gh!"
But reality wasn't so kind.
Though it was questionable whether this could even be called reality, the giant before them certainly existed. Even with its abdomen pierced, its upper and lower halves barely connected, it swung its sword down at the closest Saber. Saber leaped back, dodging the sword, and saw it: the hole in the golem's abdomen closing in an instant.
"Such a powerful regenerative ability!?"
"No, it's different. That's a blessing from the earth!"
Ruler said with a grave expression, having sensed magical energy being supplied to the golem from the earth through its feet.
Nothing in paradise can be harmed. Therefore, as long as it is in paradise, that golem possesses an extremely high degree of immortality.
The paradise was still only eroding the area around the Millennia Fortress, but its range would expand over time. The larger the paradise's area, the more powerful the golem would become, eventually strengthening to a point where even all the Servants gathered here, fighting with all their might, would be powerless.
"How can we defeat it?"
"That golem, like a Servant, relies on a spiritual core to operate. That means its heart and head can be considered its weak points."
The golem's heart part contained the core—once the boy Roche Fraga Yggdmillennia. From the flow of magical energy, it was clear the core was the base point. Simultaneously, there was also a spiritual core in its head. Destroying either wouldn't lead to instant death.
And without instant death, the powerful regenerative ability from the earth's blessing would activate, nullifying any damage dealt. Moreover, that regenerative ability increased over time. To defeat the golem, they had to finish it quickly—there was also a time constraint.
"In short, to defeat that golem, we must sever the blessing from the earth and destroy both its heart and head simultaneously."
Ruler felt her spirit breaking just saying it out loud.
The giant golem was an A+-rank Anti-Army Noble Phantasm and also a warrior that quickly learned from their attacks, accumulating combat experience. Forcing such an opponent to be attacked in three places simultaneously was an extremely difficult feat.
Mere slashes wouldn't work.
A powerful offensive Noble Phantasm release was necessary.
"I see. I can see the path now."
"The path? It's extremely difficult! First, even your Noble Phantasm can only destroy one part, can't it?"
"Perhaps. Archer's Noble Phantasm is also being guarded against, so we can't be sure it will hit. As Ruler says, it's a difficult fight."
Caster's Noble Phantasm, akin to a calibrated natural disaster, was steadily cornering the "Black" Servants. Their chance of victory decreased over time, and soon they would be powerless.
"I'll buy time. Quickly, think of a solution."
"Wh-... Are you insane, Saber!?"
He intended to face that golem alone and focus entirely on buying time. That was reckless, even for a great hero.
But "Black" Saber gripped his greatsword's hilt and stood before the golem.
"Compared to Fafnir, this is nothing much."
"Saber... Understood. I won't take long, so please hold out somehow."
Ruler leaped backward once, while Saber conversely faced the golem.
Saber skillfully deflected the stone sword the golem swung down with masterful swordsmanship. The stone sword, missing Saber, struck the ground about two meters away, sending up earth and sand.
Of course, it wouldn't stop after missing a single strike. The furious continuous attacks were no longer aimed precisely at Saber but rather seemed to plow the entire area where Saber stood, swinging the stone sword down. The earth tremors didn't cease, trees were torn apart, and the ground crumbled into sand.
The golem stopped its attacks to check what happened to Saber, peering at the ground from a stance ready to swing its sword at any moment.
Dust flowed with the wind. As visibility improved, it noticed Saber was gone.
Was he buried in the upturned earth, or had he already vanished?
The answer was neither.
The dragon-slaying hero didn't flinch at this level of attack. In fact, he hadn't even taken the attack itself.
Amid the raging destruction, Saber had driven his sword into the belly of the golem's stone sword, using it as a handle to hang from the sword's belly.
The moment the golem's movement stopped, Saber kicked off the stone sword, pulled out his blade, and leaped toward the golem's head.
"'Phantasmal Greatsword, Demonic Downfall — Balmung'!"
Twilight sword energy overflowed from the blade, turning the golem's head into a clod of earth at point-blank range.
The wave of magical energy, undeterred even after crushing the golem's head, gouged the forest trees and carved a fan-shaped scar into the ground.
With its head crushed, the golem staggered but didn't fall, instead swinging its arm without the sword to swat the airborne Saber away. By then, its head was already half-regenerated.
Saber, slammed into the ground, brushed off the dust on his body and readied his sword to deal with the follow-up attack.
"As expected, crushing the head alone has no effect."
The golem's head regenerated.
For now, both Saber's swordsmanship and Noble Phantasm release were effective. If anything, Saber still held the overall advantage. That was likely due to the experience of overcoming countless battles.
'As I thought, even my Adam takes time against a great hero.'
Caster's voice came from somewhere.
'I can't ask you not to think ill of me, but allow me to make a rational judgment.'
The golem, which had been fighting by simply brawling, changed its fighting style here. Whether it changed its target from Saber to something else, it kicked the ground, leaped, and jumped over Saber.
"What?"
The giant's leg strength was considerable. Its strides were large, making it hard to catch up. For a moment, Saber thought it was fleeing, but that wasn't the case. The golem clung to the Millennia Fortress, pointed the tip of its stone sword straight down, and thrust it in with all its might.
The action "Black" Caster took was strange to Ruler, a puzzling act, but for the "Black" faction, it held significant meaning.
What Caster smashed wasn't the outer wall of the Millennia Fortress. His target was the room behind it, lined with water tanks.
'Archer! Immediately draw Caster away!'
Fiore's order came far too late.
Caster had already achieved his purpose and no longer needed to cling to the fortress.
An arrow fired from Archer assaulted the golem with cannon-like force, but the golem swatted it away with its stone sword, dodged the second arrow by jumping off the fortress wall, and blocked the third with the back of its hand while backstepping. Then, a Noble Phantasm arrow flying from the sky pierced its right shoulder.
The crumbling right arm instantly regenerated. Saber, trying to press the attack, seemed somewhat sluggish in his movements.
"Having trouble with magical energy supply? Impressive."
The secret plan the "Black" faction prepared to win the Great Holy Grail War. Through ample magical energy supply using homunculi, Servants could fight at full strength regardless of their Masters' capabilities. However, Caster destroying the water tanks reduced the magical energy supply. Effectively, Servant maintenance and Noble Phantasm releases now had to rely solely on supply from their Masters.
'Archer!?'
'I'm fine. But Saber won't last long like this.'
Archer's magical energy consumption was lighter compared to Saber's. The burden on Fiore was also smaller, but Saber had fuel efficiency worthy of a great hero. Having a dragon's heart made it somewhat better, but considering the burden on Gord, continuous Noble Phantasm use had to be sealed, or they risked self-destruction.
"Archer. To stop that golem, we must destroy its head and heart simultaneously. Can you and Saber cooperate to achieve that?"
"If you ask me to, I'll try. But we can't be optimistic. And what about the regeneration?"
"That's..."
Archer's arrows could possess enough power to pierce the golem, but whether they'd hit was another matter. Since the possibility of them being defended couldn't be ruled out, it was an extremely dangerous gamble. Besides, even if pierced, regeneration would render it meaningless.
"Ruler. The golem's regenerative ability comes from those trees at its feet, correct?"
"More than the trees, it seems to be drawing power from the very earth its feet tread upon. The wider that area expands, the more powerful the golem becomes."
"I see. So if we can do something about the area itself, the golem would be essentially stripped bare."
"That's true, but such a thing..."
The paradise was still expanding.
To burn everything away would likely require repeatedly unleashing Anti-Fortress class large-scale attacks. Destroying the paradise wasn't a realistic plan.
"No, it's possible. I'll use my trump card."
"Eh..."
Ruler looked up, surprised.
Ignoring her, Archer sent telepathy to Fiore.
'Master, I'll need to draw a bit more magical energy than usual. Do you have the leeway?'
'Yes, I'm fine. But Archer. Considering the enemy's ability, isn't there a possibility it could be overwritten?'
'We'll defeat it before that happens.'
'Then I have nothing more to say. Give it your all.'
Ending the telepathy, he obtained his Master's permission.
With the homunculus-based magical energy supply problematic, the burden on the Masters increased. Fiore wasn't a weak mage who couldn't withstand one or two Noble Phantasm activations, but he judged it best to confirm just in case.
"Ruler. I'll handle the golem's terrain effect. However, it's unclear if I'll have the leeway to attack the golem myself. Can you secure a means of attack?"
"Even if you ask for a Servant with a strike powerful enough to affect that golem..."
Ruler couldn't use her trump card here either. Within the "Black" faction, besides Saber and Archer, there were no Servants with Anti-Army Noble Phantasms.
If not within "Black," they could utilize the "Red" faction.
An idea flashed.
Ruler thrust her flag into the sky and shouted loudly.
"'Red' Saber! In the name of my true name, Jeanne d'Arc, I demand your participation! You're not somewhere you can't hear this, are you? Come forth!"
Ruler's perception had already discerned that "Red" Saber was nearby.
With no reason to hide, "Red" Saber appeared nonchalantly, removing his helmet with an insolent smile.
"I came, Ruler. So, what do you want me to do?"
"Please assist in defeating that giant. Can your Noble Phantasm destroy either its head or its heart?"
"Huh?"
"Red" Saber looked at the golem, then nodded.
"Blasting away that puppet? Piece of cake."
"Then I request your assistance. Coordinate with 'Black' Saber and attack simultaneously! 'Black' Archer will handle the paradise, so strike during that opening!"
Hearing "Black" Archer, "Red" Saber glared at Archer standing beside Ruler as if threatening him.
"It's you, huh."
"Long time no see, Saber. I'm sure you have many things to say, but can we leave that for later?"
"Yeah, yeah, right."
Surprisingly, "Red" Saber averted his gaze from "Black" Archer and readily sheathed his hostility.
'"Black" Saber. Are you alright with this?'
'Yeah, I'm ready anytime.'
Asked by Ruler, "Black" Saber answered while clashing with the golem.
Now the preparations were complete.
We can do this, Ruler intuited.
"Hey, Ruler."
"What is it?"
Called by "Red" Saber, Ruler frowned.
"Ruler has Command Spells usable on each Servant, right?"
"Eh, yes. That's true, but..."
"Then, give 'em here. All of mine."
"Wha—!?"
Ruler was dumbfounded by "Red" Saber's brazen demand.
"That's obviously impossible. Transferring these Command Spells..."
"You wouldn't make a collaborator work for free, would you? Oh Saint."
"Guh... But two is no good. At most one."
"Alright, decided then. Archer, hurry up and deal with that annoying paradise."
"Black" Archer sighed and said,
"Buy me one minute. I'll prepare immediately."
"Don't screw up!"
"Red" Saber twisted 'Clarent - The Radiant Sword of the King' with hatred and charged at the golem.
"Archer, I'm counting on you."
Ruler followed "Red" Saber.
With two more Servants joining "Black" Saber, the battle with the golem reached its climax.
The two Sabers brilliantly deflected the golem's fierce attacks with holy sword and cursed sword, while Ruler powerfully struck its fully extended elbow.
The difference in size was like that between a human and a winged insect, but the heroes' attacks couldn't be dismissed as mere mosquito bites.
While the three frontliners held off the golem with all their might, "Black" Archer closed his eyes and activated his Magic Circuits.
The single magecraft and trump card "Black" Archer possessed.
Clearly uttering the final line, paying no heed to the golem's movements, solemnly fulfilling his role.
I am the bone of my sword
Steel is my body, and fire is my blood.
I have created over a thousand blades.
Unknown to Death. Nor known to Life.
Have withstood pain to create many weapons.
Yet, those hands will never hold anything.
So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works.
"Black" Archer chanted quietly.
Without a single distracting thought, feeling as if sinking into his own interior, he completed the crystallization of his life.
And along with the spreading flames and walls, the world changed.
'Impossible...'
For "Black" Caster, and for the three Servants facing the golem, it was an unexpected sight.
The night darkness was swept away.
The world brimming with life transformed in an instant, replaced by barren earth stretching to the horizon beneath their feet.
Giant gears floated in the sky instead of clouds, trees that had nearly obscured the view vanished, and in their place, countless swords thrust into the ground emitted a sorrowful, dull light.
"A Reality Marble... That is 'Black' Archer's ability."
Ruler gasped at the mountains of demonic and holy swords emitting horrifying magical energy. There were famous weapons and nameless ones alike. Whatever this ability was, this world was filled with swords from all ages and places.
"What the hell is this..."
"Red" Saber looked around in a daze. Some swords seemed vaguely familiar. The Servant who manipulated countless swords truly possessed a seemingly infinite arsenal. It was precisely because he owned so many Noble Phantasms that he could fight in such a disposable manner.
'I suspected as much, but you were a mage?'
"Not enough to call myself Caster."
'A Reality Marble is one of the pinnacles even Grand Magi rarely reach.'
Creak, the golem's body swayed.
The grand magecraft that repainted the world itself and dragged it into a different phase severed the golem's connection to the earth, halving its power. Now, it was merely a lump of stone and earth. Naturally, the regenerative ability gained through contact with the earth was also completely gone.
'Don't underestimate Adam, Archer!'
"Black" Caster would never give up.
He felt no fear at challenging countless Noble Phantasms with the ultimate golem he pursued his entire life. Heroes and great men meant nothing; Caster himself might be frail, but this golem surpassed great heroes. The savior destined to save the world and guide a suffering people couldn't possibly acknowledge such barren earth.
He tried to gradually re-establish a path from the severed earth.
The golem's and Archer's clashed at the golem's feet as the base. Slowly, buds began to sprout from the golem's feet.
The growth rate was clearly slower than before. Still, just as Archer feared, it had begun侵蚀 the Reality Marble.
"Sabers, hurry!"
Ruler shouted, urging the two Sabers to release their Noble Phantasms.
"O sword of the king!"
Crimson lightning burst, and the sword of hatred whipped up magical energy.
Simultaneously, "Black" Saber raised his holy sword.
The twilight curtain fell, and the crimson aurora illuminated the dazzling sword graveyard.
As if for the final touch, Archer simultaneously detonated the swords thrust into the ground at the golem's feet. Both ankles shattered, and the golem fell forward onto its knees.
Stretching out its hand, struggling to regain its posture, the two Sabers mercilessly hurled their radiance at the golem.
"'Phantasmal Greatsword, Demonic Downfall — Balmung'!"
"'Beautiful Rebellion Against My Father — Clarent Blood Arthur'!"
The crimson lightning scattered the golem's head in a straight line, while simultaneously the twilight sword energy shattered the core. Deprived of regenerative power and with its spiritual core completely destroyed, the golem returned to being a mere lump of earth and stone, crumbling away.
The golem, falling in its forward-leaning posture, couldn't even retain a human shape, disintegrating in mid-air into earth and sand.
Ruler dashed through the falling earth and sand. Burrowing through the earthen wave, at the end of her leap was "Black" Caster, his face emerging from the earth.
Ruler thrust out her flag, piercing Caster's chest.
"Gu, ga...!"
Caster was sent flying, ejected from the earth along with Ruler.
Ruler landed easily on the ground, while Caster, with his chest pierced, spun helplessly and fell.
Archer's Reality Marble vanished, and the world was enveloped in night darkness once more.
With the golem gone, the paradise also withered away.
They had returned to the world before the golem appeared.
Lying on his back, feeling the texture of the earth churned up by his own golem, Caster lay supine.
With his heart crushed, Caster could no longer fight. Once his remaining magical energy was depleted, he would be unable to maintain his manifestation and have his soul collected by the Grail.
"My loss, then."
Four Servants surrounded the murmuring Caster. He was prepared to be showered with anger and resentment, but he couldn't discern such emotions from their expressions.
Perhaps it was just Caster, with his limited human interaction, being unable to grasp emotional subtleties.
"Do you have any last words?"
At "Black" Archer's words, Caster shook his head slightly.
"Nothing to say now. I fulfilled my wish, and you disposed of a traitor. Nothing more to say, I suppose."
Without any remorse, Caster said this as his body turned into motes of magical energy dust.
Seeing Caster off, Ruler clasped her hands.
He was an enemy and a traitor, but his convictions were genuine. In his own way, he thought of saving the world and risked his life for an irreplaceable wish.
She didn't know about the other Servants.
The "Black" faction probably had much they wanted to say. But no one hurled abuse at Caster, and Ruler quietly offered a prayer