"Awooo—!"
The snow-white fat man went tumbling through the air, somehow "effortlessly" dodging Karna's divine spear.
Even a Noble Phantasm bestowed by the heavenly king Indra failed to strike the massive target that was Gordes. Even so, the agile fat man curled into a ball, clutching his groin and howling in agony.
His full-throated scream echoed across the night like a blaring horn, announcing the opening act of the Romanian Holy Grail War.
—Though one doubted Mr. Gordes had ever wanted the honor of pulling the curtain.
"How could that happen?" Karna froze for an instant, baffled, but a warrior's instinct drove him forward all the same, pressing the attack on Gordes.
The spear granted by Indra answered his call, condensing into a crimson streak that reappeared in his hand. Yet again, his advance was stopped.
Clad in silver armor and gripping a dragon-slaying greatsword, Siegfried planted himself in Karna's path like a loyal hound, shielding his Master without hesitation.
Karna bypassed him outright.
Ignoring Siegfried, he surged forward with relentless intent, bearing down on Gordes.
With Agility ranked A, Karna's speed far exceeded Siegfried's. Under the protection of "O Sun, Become My Armor," he could withstand Siegfried's counterblow head-on. As long as the enemy's Master died, it would not matter how powerful Siegfried was. Without a Master, and not being an Archer, he could not continue fighting.
In other words, killing Gordes meant victory for the Red faction.
A veteran hero who had survived countless battlefields unbroken, Karna would never ignore such a clear opportunity.
At that moment, a slender figure stepped between him and Gordes.
"Hey now. This road's closed."
Tamamo-no-Mae laughed lightly, teasing in tone as she held a stack of talismans. Countless enchantment runes flowed across her purple, ultra-short shrine maiden outfit—clearly Rhodes' handiwork.
Her wooden clogs were wrapped in dense magical light. Even a technique as lethally male-targeted as "Polygamy Castration Fist"—delivered by kick—had been modified. Out of Rhodes' possessiveness, a magic barrier coated her footwear, preventing direct contact with sensitive areas. What should have been a devastating kick had been transformed into a heartbreakingly brutal blunt impact instead.
Gordes finally stopped screaming.
His body twitched uncontrollably from the pain, curled up like an overboiled prawn. A magus' pride lay trampled in the mud alongside his once-pristine white formalwear.
"How pathetic, Mr. Gordes," a voice mocked. "Is this what passes for a magus' honor—wailing in the dirt?"
Dressed in a snow-white suit, Rhodes emerged from the pitch-black shadows. With him came two towering constructs of steel.
Bodies of refined steel. Veins of Mithral Alloy. Concealment plating mixed with shadowsteel. Each carried a massive greatsword forged with Adamantine.
Absolute engines of war.
Each stood six meters tall, making Rhodes look diminutive by comparison.
At a glance, they resembled monumental statues—grand, imposing—yet something felt off. Given Rhodes' bizarre aesthetic, his golems were usually festooned with magically enhanced modern weapons: aircraft cannons, semi-automatic grenade launchers, even shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles.
This time, there was nothing of the sort.
Only gleaming silver armor plates, shining with pure magical radiance.
Of course, Rhodes had not changed his tastes.
He was merely hiding his hand.
"Red Lancer, Karna," Rhodes said lightly from behind Tamamo-no-Mae, his tone mocking. "Sorry, but you can't kill this idiot yet. Even livestock that can't be slaughtered still has value. A Master in the Holy Grail War all the more so. This fool isn't ready to be sacrificed."
"Oh?" Karna paused, lifting his spear again. "And what if I insist?"
"Then I'll have no choice but to leave you dead," Rhodes replied calmly, cold seeping into his voice.
With a sharp metallic whine, the two ninety-six-ton golems drew their greatswords.
A six-meter blade alloyed with Adamantine was not something even a Heroic Spirit could block without consequence. Even with a miniature sun for armor, Karna had no desire to clash head-on with such monstrosities.
Especially with Tamamo-no-Mae watching keenly, and Siegfried standing tall nearby.
"Both of you. Wait."
The stiff voice came from behind.
Karna stiffened and turned, meeting the icy gaze of Jeanne d'Arc.
She gripped the Holy Banner tightly. Her expressionless face radiated a pressure that even a hero like Karna found unsettling.
It felt like standing before a natural predator—an instinctive fear.
"Oh?" Rhodes spoke pleasantly, gently nudging Tamamo-no-Mae aside as he walked toward Jeanne d'Arc with a smile. He showed no sign of guarding himself. "Miss Jeanne d'Arc, what brings you here?"
"Primary directive loading. Target confirmed: Rhodes Frain Yggdmillennia. Commencing decapitation operation."
The cold chant rang out.
Jeanne d'Arc exploded forward like a golden hurricane. In a blink, she crossed past Karna and appeared before Rhodes. Tamamo-no-Mae's face went pale—she clearly hadn't expected the rigid adjudicator to strike without a word.
The tip of the Holy Banner pierced Rhodes' flesh, passing straight through his body.
Blood spilled.
Yet Rhodes continued to smile, as if the wound did not exist.
"So the Counter Force… or perhaps the will of the world itself has its eye on me," he said with open mockery. Thick blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, but his grin remained playful. "And in this strange state of yours, you can't use Revelation anymore, can you?"
"What do you mean?" Jeanne d'Arc twisted the blood-soaked Holy Banner, grinding it through his body, her voice rigid and cold.
At that moment, behind her, a sinister laugh echoed like a night owl's cry, reverberating across the blood-stained ground.
"It means I think you're an idiot, Miss Laeticia—"
"And you too, unknown guardian."