[3rd Person]
"Back to the matter at hand: it's time we went on the offensive."
Cú Chulainn tapped his finger on the table, drawing everyone's attention to himself.
"As much as I hate to admit it, with what we have right now..." A serious expression formed on Cú Chulainn's face. "If I had been summoned as Lancer, we wouldn't have this problem."
The Hound of Ulster still seemed quite upset about not having his cursed spear at his side.
"Thank Odin for that."
Altair shrugged. Meanwhile, Raikou moved her delicate fingers, playing with a stray lock of her son's hair. She lazily twirled it around her index finger, making the strand of hair slide between her fingers like living silk.
"Don't even talk to me about it, boy." Cú Chulainn let out a sigh, letting his shoulders drop in frustration.
[Al, you're leaving aside an important matter.] Nahida's voice echoed in Altair's mind.
*Really?*
Altair tilted his head slightly, pressing a fingertip thoughtfully against his lip.
[Saber's true identity.]
"Ah! I forgot to mention, but..." He raised his fist, striking it against the palm of his other hand. "Most likely, Saber is King Arthur."
Altair's words brought absolute silence to the group.
"Altair-senpai, that was important." Mash raised her arm, scratching her cheek.
"Why did you wait so long to say that?" Cú Chulainn slapped his hand against his forehead.
"Wait... Al-kun, you mean King Arthur? From Arthurian legend?" Ritsuka narrowed her eyes at the boy with long black hair.
"Exactly, petite rousse." Altair let out a yawn.
"I see... But why do you think that, Brando?" Olga, staring at the boy with red pupils more than she should, raised her arm, crossing it over her chest.
"I have my reasons, but the main one is something Medusa said."
"It's just a hunch, but it's the only one we have, so let's go with it." Cú Chulainn raised a finger, pressing it to his chin, displaying a smile. "Still, we need to split up..."
"Let's organize into two teams." Raikou, who had been playing with Altair's strand of hair, cut off the Caster's words. "Obviously, I'll be at my son's side." Raikou leaned toward Altair.
For her, it was easier for the world to explode in instant flames than for her, as a loving mother, to leave her son alone... every second away from him was an unforgivable negligence.
Staying by her son's side every second wasn't just every mother's duty, right?
"What will the teams be?" Olga stared at the two, clearly uncomfortable with the proximity between Raikou and Altair. They were practically shoulder to shoulder.
"Honestly, I don't think we need to split up, but since I'm in the minority, let's do this."
Altair raised two fingers, while a smile formed on his lips.
"One team will be the bait to draw Archer's attention, while the other advances to the cavern of the Holy Grail."
After presenting his plan to the group, the young monkey king raised his arm, stretching it out.
He wasn't too worried about Archer. After all, in his mind, he possessed a high-level radar.
Mash raised her hand as if she were in a classroom.
"But who will be the bait team, Altair-senpai?"
"Again, simple..." An identical smile appeared on Raikou's and Altair's lips at the same time. "My Servant and I are more than enough. We'll destroy everything in our path." He waved his arm theatrically.
Cú Chulainn blinked at Altair's words.
"Haha! You're interesting, boy." Cú Chulainn couldn't help but let out a laugh at the black-haired boy.
Like it or not, this boy reminded him a bit of himself in his adolescence. The fact that he seemed to quite like thick thighs was just a bonus in the similarity.
"What!?" Olga slammed her hand on the table, staring at Brando. "You can't be the bait—"
"Rrrauuughhh!"
A guttural roar echoed through the city, interrupting Olga's words. Everyone turned toward the church entrance.
"What was that?" Ritsuka couldn't help but widen her eyes.
"No... it can't be." Cú Chulainn stood up abruptly. "He shouldn't be here."
Without saying another word, he ran outside. The remaining five exchanged glances and soon followed him.
Outside the church, their eyes fixed on a bronze-skinned man with white hair atop a building.
"Archer! You fool... what have you done?!" shouted Cú Chulainn, raising his staff and pointing it in his direction.
Archer displayed a mocking smile. "It wasn't easy, but I brought a little present for all of you."
With those words, he instantly disappeared. At the same moment, another roar echoed through Fuyuki.
"Grraauuuughhh!"
Moments later, a colossal figure fell upon the building where Archer had been. On top, an immense man with disheveled black hair and terrifying golden eyes wielded a stone axe-sword.
The creature lowered its head, letting out a guttural growl.
Ritsuka and Olga instinctively stepped back, their bodies trembling with fear. Cú Chulainn frowned, while Altair showed a slight dry smile.
"Berserker." Altair furrowed his brow, looking at the giant atop the building.
"B-Berserker..." Olga repeated, trembling.
Even she could sense that the creature was something far beyond human.
"Yes." Cú Chulainn nodded grimly. "But he shouldn't be here. He always stayed hidden in the forest."
"The enemy probably lured him out." Raikou shrugged, somewhat irritated at having her moment with her son interrupted... not to mention that this fellow was tarnishing the image of a Berserker, acting irrationally and screaming as if he were a creature.
*Why couldn't all Berserkers be calm and mentally sound like her and her son?*
Meanwhile, the young monkey king's eyes fell upon his own trembling hand.
Although he didn't like to admit it, he was a bit scared — and excited... that was a beautiful paradox.
It was a contradictory feeling, but as an artist, he loved it when a new supporting character entered the scene.
This time it will be a Greek-style piece, huh?
"I expected nothing less from the Demigod Heracles." Altair smiled slightly.
"That creature is Heracles?!" Ritsuka pointed at the Berserker, who was now roaring from atop the building, his eyes fixed on them.
"Yes. The greatest hero of Greek mythology, who was the son of none other than Zeus." Clenching his fists, he took a deep breath. "Change of plans." He raised his hand, massaging his neck.
"Archer probably brought Berserker to wear us down or simply to kill us. Either way, it only gives him an advantage. Unfortunately, we can't run away. But I suggest another path..."
Altair narrowed his eyes at the giant atop the building.
"One group will face Berserker. The other will advance to end this war."
"I see... but who's going to face Berserker?" Before Cú Chulainn could finish, Raikou interrupted him.
"Isn't it obvious?" Raikou stepped forward, perfectly understanding her son's thoughts.
"It will be us." Altair took a few steps forward, his smile widening.
"Altair-senpai!"
"Al-kun!"
"Brando!"
The three girls shouted simultaneously, worried.
"I understand." Cú Chulainn, without the slightest hesitation, stepped aside. "Be careful, boy."
"You can't be serious." Olga turned to him, shocked.
"Out of all of us, they're the only ones who actually stand a chance." In Cú Chulainn's mind, someone chosen by Odin himself, of confusing gender, wouldn't lose to a simple Berserker, right?
"Brando..."
"Ma chérie, I'll be fine." He raised his arm, giving a light touch, so gentle it seemed almost like a disguised caress, before passing by her.
Olga placed her finger on her lips, biting her nail, staring at Altair's back. It seemed broad and welcoming... she didn't want to leave him, but she possessed the poisonous certainty that she herself would only be a hindrance, dead weight that would drag him down.
"You'd better go. Our friend doesn't like to wait." Altair raised his hand, summoning the Ruyi Jingu in his palm.
"He's right. Let's go." Cú Chulainn, without protest, turned around. "Good luck, boy."
"Thanks."
Ritsuka hesitated, biting her lip, but also turned around.
"We'll meet at the cavern, right, Al-kun?"
"Definitely."
"Be careful, Altair-senpai."
"Good luck, Brando. Just remember... you don't have my permission to die." Olga reluctantly turned around, following Caster.
"I wouldn't dare." He spun the Ruyi Jingu in his hand, striking the tip of the staff on the ground.
"Rrragh!"
Berserker roared, flexing his legs to leap toward them.
"A beast… he'll give us real trouble."
Raikou, with an expression of disdain, unsheathed her Doujigiri Yasutsuna, with purple lightning crackling over its blade.
"Definitely." Altair wore a smile, spinning the stone staff between his hands. "For the start of the third act, let us begin with something spectacular." Altair raised his arm, pushing his staff forward.
"Grow!"
The Ruyi Jingu in his hands expanded violently, shooting like a ballistic missile toward Berserker as he fell in their direction at high speed.
The curtain opened, initiating the confrontation between the greatest Greek hero, symbol of Western heroism, against the most indomitable rebel in Eastern history, who defied the heavens, being the meaning of transcendence through strength.
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[Heracles – Character Image]