Erza knew about Assassin's arrival, not just from the plot. Tokiomi had also revealed to Erza that he intended to squeeze the last bit of use out of the Gymnastics Squad. But she hadn't expected Assassin's interference to so miraculously ignite everyone's anger. It made people want to go up and slaughter all those dark figures! Interrupting the curiosity of people whose gossip fire had already been lit was a very terrifying thing.
"These are... Assassins?" Irisviel... Waver, affected by the murderous intent, looked at the black figures slowly appearing in the garden, his calves trembling, and said with some uncertainty.
White, grotesque objects emerged in the moonlit courtyard. One after another, pale visages bloomed like flowers in the courtyard. That paleness was the color of cold, dry bones.
Skull masks and black robes. The deserted courtyard was gradually surrounded by this strange group.
"...You did this, didn't you, Archer?"
Goldie shrugged innocently.
"Who knows? I don't need to understand the thoughts of those mongrels."
Though he said this, Goldie was actually very angry. To dare to interrupt his interest (gossip), Tokiomi, you just wait for this King.
"Could it be... we've been watched by these guys until today?"
Irisviel murmured painfully, and Saber couldn't help but shiver. Even if she was one of the Servants with the strongest combat power, this was a considerable threat. So both of them still felt a deep chill.
"Hmm... It's a mess."
Seeing the enemies gradually approaching, Waver let out a sigh that was almost a scream. He couldn't understand; this completely exceeded the rules and limitations of the Holy Grail War.
"What's going on?! Assassins, one after another... Aren't there only one Servant per class?!"
Seeing their prey's disheveled state, the Assassins couldn't help but smirk (courting death).
"...You're right. We are Servants as a collective, and each individual is merely a shadow of the whole."
Unlike Artoria, whose face had changed dramatically, the other participant of the King's banquet was still leisurely drinking wine.
Yes, Conqueror King showed no panic at this moment, but continued to drink wine naturally.
Although the wine was indeed a rare delicacy, it wasn't the time for that, was it? The Assassins' target wasn't clear when they first appeared, but now all their killing intent was directed at Waver. Clearly, the reason for the Assassins' appearance this time was to eliminate Conqueror King's Master, thereby completely depriving Conqueror King of the right to compete for the Holy Grail.
If the Master were killed, no matter how strong Conqueror King was, he would be powerless. It was precisely for this reason that the situation, with all the Assassins gathered, was extremely critical.
The giant, having learned of this situation, was still leisurely drinking, which made people feel surprised.
Waver, the target of the Assassins, couldn't help but shake his shoulders and call out anxiously:
"Rider, hey, hey..." Even though Waver called out anxiously, Goldie still made no move. He looked at the surrounding Assassins, his gaze still calm and composed.
"Hey, kid, don't be so flustered. It's just that guests have arrived at the banquet; we still drink as usual."
"They don't look like guests at all!" Conqueror King smiled bitterly and sighed, then faced the Assassins surrounding him, greeting them with a foolishly bland expression:
"I say, gentlemen, can you please rein in your ghostly aura? My friend is frightened by you."
Artoria thought she had misheard, and even Goldie frowned now.
"Do you intend to invite them to the table, Conqueror King?"
"Of course. A King's words should be heard by all people. Since someone has come specifically to listen, it doesn't matter whether they are enemies or friends."
Conqueror King said calmly, scooping out the red wine from the barrel with a ladle and extending it towards the Assassins.
"Come, don't be shy. If you wish to drink together, take a cup yourself. This wine is with your blood."
Whoosh—a sound piercing the air answered him.
The Conqueror King was left with only the spoon handle; the spoon part had fallen to the ground. This was done by one of the Assassin, and the wine from the spoon was scattered across the courtyard.
"..."
The giant man silently looked down at the wine scattered on the ground. The skull-masked figures seemed to mock him with their laughter.
"—Don't say I didn't warn you."
The Conqueror King's tone remained calm, but it was clear that the feeling behind it had changed. Only the two who had been drinking with him earlier noticed this change.
"I said, 'This wine' is 'your blood'—right? Since you carelessly spilled it on the ground, then I..."
Before he could finish, a whirlwind howled.
The wind was hot and dry, as if to burn everything. This was not the kind of wind one would expect in a forest at night, or in a castle courtyard—this wind came from the desert, roaring in their ears.
Feeling sand in his mouth, Waver quickly spat. It was indeed sand. Carried by the strange wind, it was truly hot sand that should not have appeared.
"Saber and Goldie, the last question of the banquet—is a King isolated?"
The Conqueror King, standing in the center of the hot wind, asked. Looking at his cape fluttering on his shoulders, he had, at some point, put back on the attire befitting the Conqueror King.
Goldie laughed out loud. There was no need to ask this question, so he answered with silence.
Artoria hesitated for a moment, recalling the exquisite figure in her mind. She answered without hesitation!
"A King... is not isolated!"
The Rider laughed loudly. As if in response to his laughter, the whirlwind intensified.
"Haha! Good, Saber, you now have a desire. Only then are you a qualified King, but today I will still teach you what true Conqueror King's Way is!"
The unknown hot wind eroded the present world, and then, overturned it.
In the bizarre phenomenon that appeared this night, distance and position lost their meaning. The dry gale, carrying hot sand, transformed everything in its path.
"H-how could this be..."
Waver and Irisviel exclaimed... This was a phenomenon that only those who could use magic could understand.
"It's actually—a Reality Marble?!"
The sun scorching the earth, the clear blue sky, stretching to the horizon blurred by sand. There was no obstruction as far as the eye could see.
The Einzbern castle at night instantly transformed, unequivocally indicating that it was merely an illusion eroding the present world. One could say this was the limit of magic, a true miracle.
"How is this possible... You can actually materialize a scene from your mind... You're not a Magus, are you?!"
"Of course not, how could I do it alone."
Iskandar, standing in the vast Reality Marble, denied it with a proud laugh.
"This is the land my army once traversed. This scenery is firmly imprinted in the hearts of the warriors who shared joys and sorrows with me."
As the world changed, the seven people who were originally surrounded also changed positions.
His intention was already obvious; the Assassin who had originally surrounded everyone were gathered to one side, while the red-haired one was in the middle, and on the other side were Goldie, Artoria, Lancelot, and the three Magi. Arranging the formation like this, it was clear that the Conqueror King intended to use his own power to individually defeat the group of Assassin.
Figures appeared like phantoms... one, two, four, the figures gradually increased, looking like an army. In a short time, all the figures became distinct, materializing into their individual forms as if dyed.
"This world can be recreated because it is imprinted in each of our hearts."
Amidst everyone's astonished gazes, materialized cavalrymen continuously appeared around Iskandar. Although their races and equipment varied, their strong physiques and brave demeanor all demonstrated the army's might.
Waver, stunned, uttered the decisive words.
"These people... are all Servants..."
Everyone showed surprise, only now confirming the trump card of the famous Conqueror King. Among them, only Erza remained calm. There were a lot of people, but with poor equipment, they still couldn't defeat the BOSS. Just like a certain game company's famous saying, how can you be strong if you don't spend money!
"Behold, my peerless army!"
Filled with pride and self-satisfaction, the Conqueror King stood before the cavalry formation, raising his arms and shouting.
"Even if their bodies are destroyed, their Heroic Spirits are still summoned. They are my loyal warriors from legends. My eternal friends who cross time and space to answer my call.
They are my treasure! They are my King's Way! Iskandar's strongest Noble Phantasm—'Ionioi Hetairoi'!!"
An EX-rank Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, continuous summoning of Servants.
There were War Gods, Maharajahs, and founders of past dynasties. Gathered before them were unique Heroic Spirits, only heard of in legends.
All of them possessed illustrious reputations—they were all warriors who had fought alongside the great Iskandar.
A riderless horse galloped towards the cavalry. It was a spirited and massive steed. If it were a person, its majesty would certainly not be inferior to other Heroic Spirits.
"Long time no see, partner."
The Conqueror King laughed like a child and hugged the horse's neck. It was clear that "she" was the legendary horse Bucephalus, later renowned. Even a horse became a Heroic Spirit by following the Conqueror King.
Everyone was speechless with amazement. Even Goldie, who also possessed an EX-rank super Noble Phantasm, no longer scoffed after seeing such a brilliant army.
Heroes who staked their dreams of kingship and rode into battle with their King. Such powerful faith required nothing more from a King than to cast a watchful eye upon them; no more words were needed.
Loyalty that never ended until death, the Conqueror King transformed this into an extraordinary Noble Phantasm.
Although he was Waver's Servant, seeing Waver's expression revealed that even Waver could not have anticipated that the Conqueror King had such a trump card. This meant that opposing the Conqueror King would require challenging an unknown number of multiple Servants alone. Fighting multiple Servants alone would already be overwhelming, let alone the Conqueror King's army.
It was no longer a question of strength. Without widespread attack capabilities, merely seeing such an army would lead to despair.
Then, the cavalry, gathered as such an army, shouted loudly:
"A King—must live more truly than anyone else—and be admired by all!"
As if in agreement, the army let out a deafening clang of shields. In ancient times, this method was used to boost morale, but this army was clearly different. They were a loyal army who would go through fire and water for the Conqueror King.
"The one who gathers the beliefs of all heroes and makes them his goal for an expedition, that is a King. Therefore—"
"A King is not isolated. Because his ambition is the wish of all his subjects!"
"Exactly! Exactly! Exactly!"
The Heroic Spirits' magnificent shouts soared through the sky. No matter what enemies or barriers, they seemed unthreatening before the Conqueror King and his friends. Their high morale could traverse the land and cut off the seas.
Therefore, the Assassin were but wisps of cloud before them.
"Alright, let's begin, Assassin."
The red-haired one's smiling eyes were filled with ferocity and cruelty. He was broad-minded, but for those who disregarded the King's words and rejected the wine bestowed by the King, he no longer wished to show any mercy.
"As you can see, the battlefield I materialized is a plain. I apologize, but if you want to win by numbers, I have the advantage."
At this moment, they forgot the Holy Grail, they forgot the mission of victory and Command Spells. They had lost themselves.
Some fled, some screamed in despair, and some stood frozen in place—the disoriented skull-masked figures were indeed just a rabble.
"Trample them!"
Conqueror King ordered without hesitation. Then— "Aaaalalalalalaie!!"
A tremendous roar answered him. The invincible army that once swept across Asia now shook the battlefield once more.
This could no longer be called a struggle; a purge was more fitting.
Even grinding a mustard seed with a millstone would produce a greater reaction than this.
Wherever the "Ionian Hetairoi" passed, no trace of the Assassins could be seen, only a faint smell of blood and stirred dust remained in the air.
"—Ohh!!"
Cheers of victory erupted. Offering their triumph to the King, praising his might, the Heroic Spirits who had completed their task reverted to their spirit forms and vanished into the distance.
Subsequently, the barrier maintained by the sum of their magical energy was also dispelled. Everything shattered like a bubble, and the scene reverted to the original night. The few people once again stood in the courtyard of the Einzbern Castle.
Conqueror King casually drank his wine, ignoring the astonished gazes of the group, and said, "Let's continue our previous topic, the King of Knights' little girl's courtship, right?"
"Do you have any opinions, Rider?" Artoria looked at the red-haired man, who still wanted to gossip, and said coldly.
"I'm so curious! It's hard to believe your Queen must be incredibly beautiful, even the pure King of Knights couldn't resist her!" The red-haired man scratched his head and said.
"This King is also curious! You already married her, so why do you still say 'I love her'?" Goldie's gossiping heart burned fiercely.
"Alas! Compared to being King, I actually wanted to be that person's Knight. But I could never express my feelings. It caused her to be framed, to be misunderstood! And even, to be forced away. This is all my fault!" Saying this, Artoria shed tears of regret.
The four gossiping individuals did not interrupt her outburst.
"I didn't understand my own feelings at the time and made a huge mistake. Now I just want to see that person again. To tell her, 'I'm sorry! And I love you.'" She expressed her thoughts without hesitation, showing that she, as King, had suppressed them for a considerable amount of time.
"Hmm! Regret comes too late when something is lost. Saber, you are an incompetent coward. However, since you have now admitted your mistake! But I will not give you the Holy Grail," the red-haired man said seriously to the young Knight girl. Yet, he also acknowledged her qualification as King; a King must be able to pick up and let go. Things one desires must be seized. Saber's current actions were about seizing her own happiness and her own treasure. Therefore, Conqueror King approved of her wish.
"Hmph! You two mongrels who covet this King's treasures! I will personally slaughter you!" Goldie haughtily declared his challenge. Then, he stood up, spiritualized, and departed.
"Hurry up, kid."
"Hey—kid?"
"Ah? Ah ah, mm mm."
Ever since he witnessed Assassin being easily defeated, a strange shadow had fallen over Waver's heart. After all, it was his first time seeing such an illogical Noble Phantasm, so such a reaction was quite normal. Moreover, it was the strength of his own Servant, which he had witnessed for the first time today.
"Well then! We'll take our leave as well." Erza glanced at Lancelot, who was standing there in a daze. She bid farewell to the mistress, while Lancelot muttered all the way. Impossible! My King, didn't you bestow Guinevere upon me! No, even if it's the King, I will not give up Guinevere! And so on... The more he spoke, the more uneasy Erza felt. Why? How could this happen! The entire plot has completely collapsed, and! Guinevere! Who exactly is she, making me feel such a familiar sense of sight?
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