"Oh, is it that mad dog again? Interesting."
Archer, who was furious because Tokiomi wanted to use his Command Spell to restrain him, saw Berserker roaring provocatively in the sky, and his eyes flashed with anger.
Then, Archer, standing on the ship Vimana, looked at Berserker as he approached him, his eyes lighting up with murderous flames.
"A lowly dog who is only worthy of crawling on the ground wants to rush into the sky where the King soars... You are overconfident, mongrel!"
He unleashed the Gate of Babylon and projected a six-hit combo of Noble Phantasms. Spears and blades that shimmered with dazzling light like meteors dragged light and shadow toward Berserker.
The black F-15, fueled by the magic of the twin-turbo engine and letting out a strange bird-like roar, doubled its relative velocity with a jet force and rushed through the barrage formed by the treasures. However, Archer's Noble Phantasms are not the kind of thing that lose their effectiveness once avoided. Three of the six pieces—axes, sickles, and scimitars—immediately spun and changed direction, homing in on the tail of the F-15.
As they were about to hit, the black F-15 fanned its ailerons and tail like a living creature, dodging the Noble Phantasms with an aerodynamically impossible evasion move. It repeated violent horizontal rotations, causing all the Noble Phantasms to scatter in the air.
While dodging all attacks, the F-15 forced its nose to aim at Archer in an Immelmann maneuver, spewing tongues of fire from the rocket launchers on the wings. Two Sparrow missiles were fired in return at Archer's Vimana. Even in battles where normal weapons are ineffective, as long as the weapon has been eroded by Berserker's "Knight of Owner," it is a different matter. Twenty-six pounds of explosives infused with the magic of hatred made each shot devastating.
"Misbegotten hybrid..."
Archer smiled contemptuously and put his hand on Vimana's rudder. The ship of light suddenly accelerated, avoiding the missile attack with an elegant maneuver that was incomparable to the fighter force controlled by Berserker. The Flying Noble Phantasm, soaring through the sky at the speed described in ancient narrative poems, moved beyond the laws of physics.
"——————————!!"
The mad black knight roared. As if in response to his ferocious roar, the canard wings of the second Sparrow missile suddenly twisted and flipped, swooping down on Vimana, which had once again avoided an attack. What was once nothing more than an electronically guided missile had now become a magic-guided hound that tracked the object Berserker hated.
However, Archer scoffed at the threat. He unfurled the Gate of Babylon, took out two shields to stand in the air, and shot down the enchanted missile. Inside the ship shaken by the explosive air current, the red eyes of the Hero King gradually became fanatical.
"Interesting... It's been a long time since I've played like this! A beast has actually made me happy!"
Archer laughed loudly, sending Vimana soaring. Berserker's F-15 latched onto it. The two broke the sound barrier and rushed into the sea of clouds at night, starting a fierce battle of life and death.
...
Shirou came to a tall building a little distance from the Mion River and quietly felt the night breeze blowing on his face.
"Whew... Let's just test your strength..."
For some reason, when Shirou saw the figures of the Heroic Spirits fighting separately, his heart surged. If it were before he had gained strength, he would not have had such a peculiar state of mind. But after possessing the power of Unlimited Blade Works, a desire to compete uncontrollably welled up in his heart.
If he were to hide now, it would be like seeing an opportunity in a game and not taking the ultimate move—it was a feeling of regret. You might fail if you try, but you can't sleep all night if you don't!
Shirou took a deep breath. His body was covered in blue magic, and in an instant, he transformed into his teenage form. His red hair fluttered in the wind, and a red coat woven of magic was draped over his body.
"Trace... on!"
Shirou raised his hand, and the pale blue magic immediately surged, turning into a black longbow, decorated with a dull, simple design.
"Projection... Caladbolg II!"
A spiral-shaped sword appeared in Shirou's hand.
Caladbolg II
Noble Phantasm Level: A+
Category: Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm
Caladbolg is the famous sword of the legendary hero Fergus mac Róich in the Celtic myth of Ulster. Legend has it that in the battle between Connacht and Ulster, Fergus spared the king and instead used Caladbolg to sweep the tops off three hills. Additionally, when used against those related to Ulster, Cu Chulainn was destined to be defeated by this sword. Although it is an Anti-Unit weapon, if used as a Broken Phantasm, its power is comparable to an Anti-Army weapon.
Shirou pressed the spiral-shaped sword against the bowstring and pulled hard. The magic in the surrounding atmosphere seemed to be frantically squeezed into the blade. The wind of magic ruffled the corners of Shirou's clothes and his red hair. Then, the moment the accumulation of mana reached its peak, the spiral sword burst from the string!
Whoosh————!
The Caladbolg II began to spin the moment it was fired, breaking the air with a sonic boom, dragging a blue light as it flew between the buildings.
...
The infinitely regenerating undead monsters were already about to advance to the shallows of the riverbank. Although Saber gritted her teeth with a sense of despair, she continued to wield her sword without fear. No matter how deep the blow, the wound would heal intact in an instant. All efforts were in vain—no, at least they slightly slowed the sea devil's advance. But when thinking about the coming end, it felt like a death throe.
'If I could only use my left hand...'
Although she knew it was useless to think about, Saber couldn't help it. Despite the powerful Noble Phantasms used by Rider and Lancer, they were unable to defeat the monster. No matter how they ravaged it, it didn't make any sense if the wounds regenerated instantly. To defeat the monster, they had to beat it to the ground with a single blow until not a single piece of meat remained—what was needed was not an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, but an Anti-Fortress one.