Can we really defeat Heracles?
As the battle progressed, Takumi couldn't help asking himself in his heart.
Before the battle started, Takumi actually didn't have confidence in defeating Heracles, even though he spoke with great spirit and hero vibes earlier.
But having no confidence was having no confidence.
With such doubts, Takumi kept being active on the battlefield.
In this battle, everyone on both sides was mobilized.
Heracles was the main attacker on the opposite side, showing terrifying suppressive power.
Head-on containment even required Asterios and Takumi to go up together to give the ranged partners in the rear a safe space to output damage.
Medea (Lily) constantly summoned a large number of Dragon Tooth Warriors, trying to use the number of minions to cause trouble for Takumi's side, while also casting a few spells from time to time to attack Takumi's side.
Takumi had B-rank Magic Resistance, so he didn't even need to look at conventional magecraft; he could completely ignore it.
Even if it reached the level of Great Magecraft, he could still use his Noble Phantasm to block it a bit, so Medea was surprisingly non-threatening to Takumi.
Needless to say for the others, as ranged units, they were very agile. While maintaining attack frequency, they could also dodge magical attacks. Even if they couldn't dodge, Takumi would find time to use his Noble Phantasm to provide protection.
In this crucial battle, Jason wasn't idle either, constantly using the Holy Grail to create inferior Shadow Servants to attack Takumi and the others.
Jason's actions were dealt with by Atalanta and David.
Their attacks were no longer effective against Heracles, but they were just right for dealing with these Shadow Servants and Dragon Tooth Warriors.
As time went by.
Euryale and Artemis's combined Noble Phantasm attack took out one of Heracles' lives.
Asterios relied on his A++ rank Strength, slashing with full force, taking out one of Heracles' lives.
Drake, relying on the Holy Grail's enhancement, took out one of Heracles' lives with a full-power cannon shot.
So far, Heracles still had seven lives...
And the attacks of everyone on Takumi's side could no longer affect Heracles.
"Yes! Just like that! Don't approach the [Ark of the Covenant]. Keep this rhythm and finish them off, bring back Euryale!"
Jason waved his fist at Takumi and the others triumphantly, feeling that victory seemed likely to fall into his hands at any moment.
Heracles also kept Jason's reminder in mind, always maintaining a considerable distance from the Ark.
Even if Takumi and the others wanted to force Heracles over by forceful means, they couldn't do it at all. They could only try their best to stall Heracles, preventing him from making other moves.
The battle was temporarily deadlocked like this.
After all, in the original story, Chaldea also lured Heracles into the underground catacombs and used the impact of a Noble Phantasm to paste Heracles onto the Ark, thus causing Heracles' defeat.
Now that the battlefield was so open, how could Takumi and the others force Heracles, who was on full alert, onto the Ark?
Moreover...
Clang!
Flagstaff and spear crossed. The flying sparks illuminated the solemn expression on Takumi's face, as well as Hector's slightly troubled and smiling eyes.
—There's still this guy.
Takumi arrived in time again, blocking Hector who tried to kidnap Euryale.
"You really carry your vigilance against me all the time. I thought I could find a flaw after waiting for so long."
Hector exerted force with the spear in his hand, pressing firmly against Takumi's flag, with a fake smile on his face.
"Heh."
Takumi sneered while wrestling with Hector.
For Takumi, as long as Hector wasn't in his line of sight, he had to spare a part of his mind to pay attention to his possible actions.
"But, what's the point of you blocking me? You should also know that your companions can't last long."
Hector looked up at the battlefield ahead, where the situation was gradually becoming clear because Takumi came over to block him.
Takumi was very skilled in defense. If he had a shield in his hand, he might have the aptitude to become a Shielder Heroic Spirit.
So as soon as Takumi left the frontal battlefield, only Asterios was left alone to deal with Heracles' continuous fierce attacks.
Even though Asterios's Strength even exceeded Heracles by a notch, he could only retreat steadily under those exquisite combat skills.
Medea and Jason, seeing Hector joining the battlefield, also increased their output coincidentally.
For a moment, everyone on Takumi's side was in a flurry.
Drake dodged Medea's magic cannon attack and fired a few shots at Heracles in passing.
The bullets hit Heracles without leaving a mark, bouncing off directly.
"Tch, really troublesome!"
Seeing this, Drake also had a headache.
If this were at sea...
No, presumably I couldn't do anything to this guy even at sea, right?
After all, compared to that "Europe-seal" (Poseidon's) big flaw, this guy was truly a bit impeccable.
Having killed him with great difficulty, he came back to life in the blink of an eye, and could ignore the attacks that killed him last time.
Takumi even said this guy currently still had seven lives...
Even trading all our lives for his one by one, it would barely be enough!
If this were at sea, Drake would definitely run away again, then plan for the long term and think of other ways.
"Offering prayers to the Sun God and Moon Goddess—[Phoebus Catastrophe]!"
Atalanta gritted her teeth, using the last of the magical energy in her body to cast her Noble Phantasm, dropping a rain of arrows on Jason and Medea's heads.
Medea waved her staff with an unchanged expression. A defensive barrier prepared long ago propped up over her and Jason's heads.
Easily blocking Atalanta's attack.
"Seems you are very tired, Lord Atalanta. The Noble Phantasm used is actually weak to this extent."
Seeing this, Medea couldn't help shaking her head with emotion.
"Eh? Is it dedicated to me? But looking like this now, I seem unable to give you blessings..."
Artemis beside her heard the chant and looked at Atalanta with slight surprise, saying somewhat regretfully.
Atalanta kept a straight face, both too tired to speak and breaking down over the fact that the deity she believed in was actually a love-brain.
Takumi, seeing all this, felt his heart sink.
This was the part he was worried about, and also exactly the flaw Hector pointed out.
—Their side was already very tired.
Not only was there a gap in frontal combat power, but also a gap in endurance.
Jason's side, with Heracles, a Berserker capable of going without sleep or rest, as the main force, could fight while recharging their energy.
But looking back at Takumi's side.
Asterios was okay; his endurance was much stronger than conventional Servants, even stronger than Heracles.
But Atalanta and David were different. Before Takumi and the others arrived, they had already dragged on for a long time, and their stamina had long bottomed out.
Others also had varying degrees of stamina consumption.