"Is that the Servant summoned by Tohsaka Tokiomi?"
At the port, with Matou Zouken's approval, Matou Kariya arrived openly with Berserker.
Gazing at the golden figure atop the lamppost, Kariya's heart settled on an answer.
Rider belonged to the delicate black-haired youth, Saber to the Einzberns, and Scáthach to Roy. From intelligence, Lancer was unlikely, leaving the golden figure—Archer—as Tokiomi's likely Servant.
Clarity struck, and Kariya's hesitation vanished. He commanded his dark knight, Berserker, to charge into the fray.
"Arrrr…"
Receiving Kariya's order, the black knight glanced at him silently.
Zouken had planned to cast a double Mad Enhancement spell to boost Lancelot's destructive power, but Kariya's frail body couldn't handle a doubly maddened Berserker. It was a pipe dream.
Though Zouken cared little for his wayward descendant's life, Kariya had a role in this Grail War.
He could die, but not too soon. If Kariya's weakness let a doubly maddened Lancelot run amok, ruining Zouken's plans, the loss would outweigh the gain.
Thus, while this Lancelot bore Berserker's reason-evaporating madness, he wasn't entirely beyond communication.
But…
"What's going on?"
Kariya frowned as Berserker ignored the order to fight, standing frozen, staring at Artoria. Then, defying the command, he entangled with her.
The scene baffled Kariya.
"…"
Zouken, however, saw much.
"Lancelot and King Arthur… as expected, meeting triggers this."
"But Saber's limits have been probed. Now's the time to test that unfathomable Archer."
Unfazed, Zouken pondered deeply.
"If so, use a Command Spell. Burning one early can mask Berserker's fake retreat."
Zouken instructed Kariya through a familiar.
"Order Berserker to attack Tokiomi's Servant and probe their strength. It's what you want, isn't it?"
"You old wretch…"
Hearing the voice, Kariya clenched his fists, seething.
Yet, he couldn't deny Zouken spoke his desire. Nodding silently, he refocused on the battlefield.
"By the Command Spell, Berserker, ignore Saber and attack Archer."
…
…
"Hm? What's with this black knight?!"
Artoria, dragged into combat by Berserker, was startled. She swung her sword, laced with azure gales, slashing at the dark figure to halt its advance.
Though a reasonless mad warrior, the knight's martial prowess seemed etched into his body, dodging and countering her blade with instinct.
But that wasn't what shocked Artoria most.
The black knight knew her sword's reach and attack patterns.
Each counter was precise, leaving her powerless.
After several clashes, Artoria frowned, sensing a faintly familiar aura from the knight.
Though diluted by black mist and madness, she felt a unique connection.
An old enemy?
She pondered.
"Another formidable foe…"
Iskandar remarked.
"Gods' era martial skill. This dark knight must be a top-tier hero."
Fionn mused gravely.
"Hmph, just a mad dog!"
The golden hero's gaze dripped with disdain.
"…"
Scáthach, robbed of her opponent, showed little reaction.
Unlike the uninformed, she knew this black knight and understood the situation.
Berserker's true name: Lancelot, Knight of the Lake.
With peerless martial skill, he was the Round Table's mightiest warrior.
Knowing Saber was King Arthur, Scáthach foresaw this. Lancelot's harm to Arthur rivaled Mordred's.
A knight, yet entangled with Arthur's queen, Guinevere, he fell into dishonor, she into infidelity, splitting the Round Table and hastening Britain's fall.
To Scáthach, Lancelot's role in Britain's ruin matched Mordred's, both bearing heavy blame.
Beyond his prior feats, slaying Gawain's brother Agravain and the unarmed Gareth earned him eternal infamy.
Traitor, disloyal, brother-slayer…
Titles history gave the Knight of the Lake.
Had Lancelot taken responsibility, Scáthach might have seen him as a hero. But his self-pity, blaming Arthur for his unpunished contradictions, made her pity Artoria.
As allies, working with such a figure felt distasteful.
If he can't be rational, I'll make him.
Scáthach flicked her spear, aiming to calm Lancelot, but…
The raging black knight staggered, clutching his head, roaring furiously.
"—Arrrrrrrrrrr!!!"
His frenzied actions halted.
"A Command Spell."
Scáthach understood, relieved. But then, Berserker, abandoning Artoria, locked onto the golden hero above.
Hm?
The heroes' reactions varied.
Scáthach realized someone used a Command Spell to test the golden hero.
Reliable ally…
She praised inwardly.
The black knight's chilling gaze fixed on Archer.
The proud king noticed instantly.
To him, such blatant, malicious staring was an unparalleled affront, demanding severe punishment!!
"Mad dog, where are you looking?!"
In a flash of rage, the golden hero's eyes narrowed.
More golden portals opened, hundreds of varied swords and spears emerging, aimed at the black knight.
"Daring to gaze at this king with such vile eyes, you'll atone with death! Torn to shreds, mongrel!!"
With his cold declaration, the portals unleashed a storm of swords, spears, knives, and axes, bombarding relentlessly.
The terrifying barrage made the heroes wince.
"All Noble Phantasms… and genuine. Could that Archer be…"
Not just Fionn and Scáthach, but Zouken, witnessing the golden hero's assault, pieced together Tokiomi's Servant's identity.
He marveled inwardly.
He thought Scáthach and Lancelot's pair was strong, but Tokiomi summoned such an ancient being.
With Fionn, Arthur, and Iskandar, this Grail War had five exceptional Servants. Lancelot, his hope, had no clear edge.
This troubled him.
With such monsters gathered, variables multiplied.
But, unlike Zouken's hidden worries, the battlefield's heroes showed varied expressions.
"Is he really Berserker? Even with reason gone, his skill is top-tier… He must've been a martial hero."
Despite the golden hero's grand assault, the black knight emerged unscathed.
Iskandar watched, amazed, as Berserker, a shadow in the Noble Phantasm rain, remained untouched, and…
Seizing a moment, Lancelot accelerated, teleporting to the lamppost's edge, tearing it apart, forcing Archer to find another perch.
"What just happened?"
Waver, the only ordinary human, couldn't comprehend.
"Remarkable…"
Iskandar, like a hype man, praised the thrilling scene.
Facing hundreds of Noble Phantasms from all angles, the black knight didn't just dodge.
Like a beast, he crouched, evading the first two, grabbing two more mid-air, wielding them with masterful dual-sword skill to parry the onslaught. Then, with a flash step, he reached Archer's lamppost, slicing it in two.
And that wasn't all…
What shocked the heroes more was the black mana from his hands.
The golden weapons from the portals, touched and grabbed by the knight, turned black, as if painted, and were wielded against their owner.
"One with countless Noble Phantasms, another stealing them… These two are too much…"
Seeing the new heroes' strength, Artoria's grim expression deepened.
She studied the vaguely familiar black knight, pondering his identity.
Black knight… where had she seen him?
"Arrrrr—!!"
Even under the Command Spell, Berserker didn't forget Artoria.
Sensing her familiar gaze, the ultimate Arthur fan roared excitedly, fighting harder.
Without double Mad Enhancement, despite Berserker's occasional irrationality, he could regain some reason post-frenzy with supreme willpower. Feeling Arthur's gaze, he grew more fervent.
Roar!
The king's gaze!
She's watching me!!
I can't disappoint her!!!
Lancelot, as if juiced up, fought fiercer, undaunted by the barrage. His endless martial training wasn't so easily defeated.
Seeing Archer land, he pounced eagerly.
"…"
Scáthach, watching, inwardly praised Lancelot's skill.
The pinnacle of mortal prowess…
Artoria, still marveling at Berserker's agility, racked her brain for his identity.
"Seriously?"
That's your Round Table knight! Even with concealment, you should recognize his skill!
Scáthach glanced at Artoria, her disbelief at Saber's obliviousness reaching new heights.
Lancelot's performance didn't sway one person…
"You cur! Forcing this king to stand on the ground, at your level—you deserve death!!"
With the lamppost halved, Archer, forced to earth, seethed, especially seeing his own Noble Phantasms used against him. His kingly dignity was gravely insulted.
Lowering a king, stealing his treasures… these crimes went beyond offense. Utter disrespect! Execution was needed to uphold his majesty!!
Rage, absolute rage…
Already furious at three "kings" in one night, Archer's anger surged.
In his wrath, more golden portals opened, ripples like golden waves replacing the night sky.
Thousands of portals unleashed, shocking the heroes.
No one doubted Archer's strength, but seeing him command thousands of Noble Phantasms stunned them.
This volley far surpassed the last. Even top heroes couldn't fully withstand it.
Indeed, this golden Archer was terrifying!!
The question plaguing them—who was strongest?—was answered.
By Noble Phantasms, Arthur's holy sword?
With terrain, Fionn's sea mastery?
Perhaps Scáthach, the Queen of the Land of Shadows?
By fame, Iskandar?
Now…
Who was Archer?!!
His overwhelming Noble Phantasms cemented him as this Grail War's mightiest.
Berserker's in trouble.
As the heroes silently mourned Berserker, locked onto by thousands of Noble Phantasms…
Archer's body stiffened.
With disbelief, he looked skyward, hearing a voice.
"My king, by Command Spell, I advise: now isn't time for a decisive battle. Quell your thunderous rage and return to your domain."
The familiar voice, with binding force, halted Archer—the Command Spell!!
At the Tohsaka manor, Tokiomi, watching Gilgamesh's rampage, couldn't hold back.
His plan was to conserve strength, cooperate with his disciple, and secure victory with Gilgamesh's might.
But Gilgamesh's actions defied this.
The Grail War wasn't a duel but a melee.
Though Gilgamesh was strongest, Arthur, Iskandar, Scáthach, and Fionn were exceptional. If Gilgamesh, enraged, revealed too much fighting Berserker, he'd draw their fear and a united attack. No hero wanted to face him alone.
Even with Ea, Gilgamesh would fall to a multi-front assault, leaving Tokiomi with only Assassin—hopeless. Unacceptable.
In this crisis, Tokiomi used his wisdom, backed by a Command Spell, to recall the lawless ancient king, stabilize the situation, and plan anew.
But he didn't realize…
His "wisdom" fueled Gilgamesh's rage.
"Tokiomi Tohsaka! You insolent fool, daring to use a Command Spell to quell my wrath…"
Glaring at the black knight and surrounding Servants, he said darkly:
"You false kings and mongrels, keep fighting like rabid dogs. Remember, only true heroes may stand before me."
Under the Command Spell's force, his golden form flickered, vanishing in a golden flash.
Though Gilgamesh left haughtily, all saw it was the Command Spell's doing.
"A Command Spell…"
"Forcing a hero back mid-battle? Archer's Master is foolish…"
Iskandar stroked his chin, eyeing Gilgamesh's exit, musing.
To him, Archer's Master sealed their own fate…
Even a proud Archer—had his own Master recalled him then, Iskandar would've shown them a Conqueror's wrath.
The other heroes vaguely understood the Master's fear of exposing too much, prompting the retreat…
Tactically sound, but had he considered the consequences?
Treating a hero like a familiar to command would cost a magus dearly.
Scáthach narrowed her eyes, foreseeing a certain fool's fate.
***
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