AN: Here's CH19 folks. Enjoy, and note that fights are never my strong point. Please review :D
Chapter 19:
The Two Kings
'Why is it always me...?'
Caules could only sigh to himself as he followed both Rider and Berserker through the city of Tokyo. Accompanying him were Sieg and the mercenary known as Kairi Shishigou, but since the former didn't really talk much unless spoken to, and the latter was someone he still had trouble trusting, he still felt as though he was the only there to look out for the two Servants.
As for the others, Archer of Red wanted to explore another part of the city. In particular, the red-eyed blonde was interested in going to Akihabara of all places. Given what he had seen of him, Caules actually expected the Golden King to avoid such a place. He wondered why he would go there himself. Lancer of Red decided to follow him, just to keep track of Archer. Joining him were Reines and Gray, the Masters of the two heroes respectively.
'Well, I'd guess I might as well enjoy myself too...'
Truth be told, he had been wanting to visit Japan for quite some time now. Now that he was here, the city was much like how he imagined it to be.
A modernized urban setting, the streets filled with people going about their daily routine, shops and stores of differing services open to the public, and an overall lively atmosphere it was far different compared to Trifas. If it wasn't for the fact that he was part of a secret war, he probably would've been more enthusiastic to be part of their little exploration party.
Speaking of which...
"Whoa, look at those guys...!"
People, two boys in particular, began observing their group. Caules even clearly hear what they were saying.
"You think they're foreigners Matsuda?" One of them, a boy with glasses, asked.
"Probably Motohama." The other, a bald boy, replied. "Look at that girl with the horns and the tail. Is that cosplay? That's best one of I've ever seen! Dammit, if I only had my camera with me!"
"Yeah, not to mention she's really cute. You think she's single?"
Elizabeth smirked to herself, finding it natural that the common folk would be enamored by her appearance, happy that her beauty was getting the attention it deserved. It was the first step to achieving her dream after all.
With that said...
"What about the one with the braid? Now she's a real keeper!"
"Yeah, she's breaking the rules alright. She's too cute!"
Frowning, the Servant of Madness began to silently glare at the young paladin walking beside her. Placing a hand behind his head, said pink-haired warrior stuck his tongue out cutely in an apologetic manner as he waved at his companion.
As for Caules, he felt sorry for Berserker. Her moment of glory had just been shattered by a skirt-wearing guy. Now that would've been a sick burn for any woman.
"What about the blonde one?"
Mordred's ears perked up at this. Her Master felt a sense of dread coming on, and as such laid a hand on his Servant's shoulder.
"Keep your cool, we don't want to cause any trouble."
She nodded in understanding, but, once they began speaking...
"She's a babe too, especially with that outfit of hers." Motohama's glasses shined for a moment. "A small bust of seventy-three, but damn does she have a pretty face."
"You think she'd try us out? I mean are we that lucky?"
One could practically feel the lust coming from guys who said that. Caules couldn't blame them really, not when Saber of Red's civilian outfit consisted of a tube top and daisy dukes along with an open red jacket that showed off said ensemble. Even the young teen had moments when he couldn't help but stare, and thankfully the blonde-haired Servant hadn't caught him doing it...
"You people...!"
...Unlike with the ones who were staring at her right now.
"GAAAAARGH!"
At this, Kairi could only shake his head as he watched Saber going to town on the two guys who were ogling her, Rider, and Berserker.
"So much for keeping cool..." He sighed.
And as much as he wanted to reprimand Saber, those two were simply asking for it. As such, he allowed her to do as she pleased. He found that both were lucky that she was restraining herself, otherwise they both would have been bloodstains on the ground by now.
"Is it alright for you to be following us?"
Walking up to the mercenary, Caules decided to ask him the question that's been on his mind since earlier.
"What, you got a problem with it?"
"It's not that, I mean you shouldn't you be together with your own people?" The young teen asked. "After all, even if we are in an alliance, we're still your enemies aren't we? So if anything happens to us, you wouldn't be bothered by it."
"Those two can take care of themselves, especially with Archer and Lancer. You on the other hand I'm not so sure about." Kairi replied pointed out. "Besides, I'm having doubts your group can beat us with your current strength. And given how everything has turned to shit recently, I'd say the time for our groups to be fighting is already done."
Though a part of him wanted to disagree on the second part, Caules knew that the older man had a point. The deciding factor at the moment was Lancer of Red. Knowing his identity, he knew that without Archer of Black, unless they went after Lancer's Master they had already lost the war to the Red Faction. Lancer's protection against non-divines made him one of the biggest obstacles to face, perhaps even more so than Archer who he felt was actually more dangerous.
Not that he was really troubled by it. The idea of surrendering... it was something that he would've welcomed so long as he and his sister could make it out alright, Roche too even if he didn't get along with him that well. From the beginning, he only took part in the war because he wanted to protect his sister, and Fiore only really took part not because she wanted to heal her legs, but because she was afraid of defying their grandfather.
With him now dead and her in charge of the family, there was no longer any real reason for them to keep fighting aside from helping their Servants fulfill their wishes. Which to his knowledge only Caster and Berserker still had wishes they wanted fulfilled as both Saber and Rider lacked one.
Sighing to himself, he should wonder more about that later Right now, there were other matters to deal with it.
Such as the ongoing beat down that was occurring right in front of them...
"WHAT COLOR DO YOU BLEED?!"
"WE'RE SORRY!"
Both had to note that none of the people watching were actually reporting what was going on. It was either due to apathy or because they were enjoying the sight and felt that the two boys deserved it. Or perhaps even a combination of both. That said, it would only be matter of time before they were caught by local law enforcement.
"Say, shouldn't you stop Saber right about now?" Caules asked, though he wasn't really interested. "I mean anymore and we may end facing charges of assault from the police."
"Nah, we can always use hypnosis to make them forget." Kairi replied with a smirk.
"They're doing what...!?"
Inside a room within the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Julian Ainsworth sat at a desk when Beatrice came in dropped an unexpected piece of new. Once she did so, the young teen quickly stood up in anger.
"Are those two idiots even thinking...!? What makes them think they can just disobey orders like that!?"
He should've expected as much from Archer, but to think that a Knight like Saber would so casually break ranks just so he could meet with the King of Knights himself. If the two had any common sense, then they should know that
"Ahaha...! Please don't get mad Lord Julian~!" Beatrice begged, both hands in front of her trying to calm the young teen down. "Once they get back, I'll make sure that Archer is properly punished~!"
"It's your fault to begin with, you should've kept a closer eye on them you fool!" The black-haired youth exclaimed, frightening the girl. "I knew I should have had Angelica be the ones to keep an eye on them. She at least commands respect from the Servants."
"Y-Yes...! It's all my fault...!"
Beatrice nodded in shame, turning her head around to make sure that her face was hidden. Once she felt secure, her eyes snapped open in fury as she gritted her teeth, her hands clenching into fists as her thoughts went to the rogue archer.
'I'M GOING TO CASTRATE THAT SON OF A BITCH!'
For causing Lord Julian to become angered like this, for making him angry at her... it was unacceptable! Archer needed to learn his place, and thankfully his nature as a Class-Card Servant allowed her to do just that. While she wasn't confident in her ability to inflict pain upon a Servant, she was looking forward to seeing how much damage he could take while being slammed repeatedly in the family jewels with her favorite mallet.
Beatrice also pondered if she should involve Angelica as their Lord clearly favored her for being the "reliable one" among the duo. She would show her a thing or two, no one could have their Lord's favor but her... No one!
"Why so serious Julian-kun?"
Stepping into the room with a smile on his face, Kotomine Shirou greeted his ally much to the latter's displeasure.
"Kotomine..." Julian began as he frowned. "Don't refer to me so casually like that."
"Now that's just cold." The white-haired hero smirked. "At any rate, I overheard you shouting. What exactly is happening?"
Sighing, Julian sat back into his chair. "Saber, Archer, and Assassin have found out where the alliance is currently making base. Like you expected them to, they've made camp at Sajyou Ayaka's estate. According to their observations, they've already turned it into a proper foothold."
"I see." The young hero nodded.
To him, it was natural that their group would seek out Ayaka's same-named grandmother for aid. As someone whose family history is heavily involved with the Holy Grail War, it was a natural course of action. And with the estate itself being fairly defensible, they were now harder to target. Perhaps he should've laid a trap there the moment they arrived in the city. Alas, his mind had other priorities then.
Shaking his head, that was a matter he would have to deal with later. For now, he continued to listen to his associate's story.
"After Assassin decided to continue on with their patrol, both Saber and Archer remained to continue observation." The black haired youth's frown grew. "Which they then decided to forgo with after Saber decided he wants to meet with the King of Knights. As we speak, the two of them are giving chase after both him and Ruler. By the time we found out, they've already went past the city limits."
"Now I see, he wants have a duel with his predecessor does he?" Shirou smiled, understanding the feeling.
"What's this...!?"
Entering the room with a rather deafening cry was Shakespeare. The English Writer currently had a large grin on his face, perhaps the largest one he had to date.
"Our friend the Lionheart aims to take on the King of Knights? Glorious! Simply glorious!" He cheered in delight. "Tell me good Sir Julian, where might I find these two Kings!? I must record this event for the sake of future generations!"
"Go find them yourself." The black haired youth muttered in distaste.
"Very well then, I'll shall ask the Queen of Assyria!"
With that, the Servant of Magic left the room in posthaste. Shirou couldn't help but smile as a result of Caster's reaction. Not that he could blame him that is, considering that both knights were rather famous individuals of his home country, and idea of them fighting... As a fellow Englishman, perhaps it was only natural for him to react like that.
Then again, Caster wasn't exactly a normal person by common standards, so that statement was perhaps invalid.
"I don't see why your smiling the way you are right now." Julian replied, glaring at the white-haired priest. "As I see it, we may end up losing our latest addition soon after having just summoned him. It's not exactly something to look forward to."
"I never said it was." The former stated in response as they got back their current topic. "And don't worry, the situation is still salvageable."
"Are you going to use a command spell to force them back?" He asked. "This your fault as well to begin with after all."
"No, that would be a waste of resources." Shirou replied once more. "And besides, I believed that getting into Saber's good graces would be more beneficial wouldn't you agree? He'll be more likely to do right by us if we allow him free reign time and again."
"How do we even know we can trust Saber? He's a knight after all."
"It's because he's a knight that he's trustworthy." The young priest smiled in response. "I've already spoken to him about our goals, and he seems to be supportive of it for the most part. If anything, I don't believe that he'll betray us anytime soon. Especially since he has already sworn fealty to our cause, and Knights tend to take their oaths rather seriously after all."
"Believe what you must." Julian shook his head. "At any rate, what about our current situation?"
"I'm keeping Lancer on standby, Rider is still in recovery, and Berserker lost his aircraft." Shirou muttered to himself before realization struck him. "I'll have our friend the Chaste Huntress back them up if needed. With her speed, she should be able to catch up with them in no time. Where exactly are they headed in the first place?"
"The last site of the original grail."
"Oh, well now that's rather ironic..." Shirou noted, having just come back from said location himself earlier.
"So this is it..."
Saying that, Jeanne stood in the middle of the cavern where the original grail was last located at.
Perhaps she should've expected it, but there was nothing there. Aside from the huge gaping hole right above them, which she noted must've caused by Arthur in his attempt to destroy the grail, there wasn't much there. Using her abilities, she couldn't find anything out of the ordinary aside from the larger quantities of mana lingering in the air in comparison to anywhere else near their location.
"Did you find what you were seeking?"
"No, there's nothing here." The young saint replied. "It was wishful thinking to believe that we would find something here after so long."
"Perhaps, but it was something to go on." Arthur stated as he laid a hand upon her shoulder. "Don't let yourself be dismayed by this. As far as I remember, there are still two more locations where the original grail used to appear in past Holy Grail Wars. We could always go there in hopes of finding something."
Jeanne nodded at this, knowing that her friend was right. As the two turned to leave, a question popped up in the young saint's mind.
Thinking about it now, perhaps it really was a mistake to come to this place. Considering her friend's history with it, coming along may have ended up bringing up bad memories for the young man. As such, she couldn't help but ask.
"What's it like...? Being here again?"
Stopping, Arthur allowed his eyes to fall back upon his Master, who currently had a neutral look on her face as she gazed at him.
"This is the place where that girl Manaka was... where she was sacrificing children to the grail back then, wasn't she?" She asked before her lips curved into a frown. "And this where you decided to betray her didn't you? And where you left her for dead..."
Shaking his head with a smile, the young man expected this from his Master. Truly, she was a kind person to be worrying after him like this.
"I'll admit, it's strange being back here after all this time." The white knight began, smile turning crooked as he gazed at their surroundings. "Coming here, it makes me wonder if my actions back then meant anything at all. Did my destroying the grail prove to be for the better or for the worse? With the knowledge that there have been countless other grail wars in the past half century, and with what Manaka told us the other night, I feel that I no longer know the answer to that anymore."
"Arthur-" Jeanne began.
"It's alright, I'm just having thoughts." He immediately said, raising his hand to stop the young saint, surprising her. "You needn't worry yourself about how I feel, and you've been too kind to me already. Anymore and I'm being selfish beyond what I can accept."
Taking a moment to sigh and relax, he smiled at her and continued.
"Right now, what I do know is that we have two enemies we must stop. Manaka and Shirou. Neither of them can be allowed to utilize the grail for their own purposes. For that reason, I shall devote whatever I have to aid you, the mediator of this war, in that quest. For I find a no worthier cause."
...!
Ah, there it was again.
The young saint noticed it since yesterday, earlier at the house, and right now she was able to take note of it once more.
"Arthur... there's something different about you now." She decided to outright say it.
"Hmm? What makes you say that?" Arthur asked in surprise.
"Well, how do I say this...?" She began, trying to find the right words.
It was most apparent to her whenever he smiled. Given their earlier talk from before at the house, he was still prone to keeping issues to himself unless prodded. But despite that, he just seemed so much... more brighter for some reason. From the way he carried himself, it was as though a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
"Something good happened to you didn't it?" Jeanne asked, remembering the probably cause of it. "What happened between you and Lancer's Master?"
"Ah, I did promise to tell you about that didn't I?"
While he didn't really think much of sharing what happened then, his Master was curious. As such, Arthur felt that he should answer her questions nonetheless.
"Well, how do I-"
...!
He stopped as both felt a two powerful presences headed towards them, one of which was a familiar to the duo.
"This feeling... is it Archer?" The former said.
"It is, and the one accompanying him is..."
Jeanne began, searching her memory for similar sensations but failed to come up with anything. Realizing what that meant, she spoke.
"It looks as though the Rogue Faction have summoned up a new Servant. And whoever they are, I feel they're not to be trifled with so easily."
When she compared it to the feeling she got when she first met Karna, the feeling she was having now wasn't as dreadful. Still, there was a certain amount of danger that could be felt by the young saint, and that was enough for her to react the way she did.
"Perhaps it would be best to continue our topic later." Arthur suggested before smiling at the young saint. "Shall we go greet them then?"
"Indeed, let's do so." Jeanne smiled back.
"You really think they would come?"
Sitting atop a boulder in the middle of a forest clearing, Robin posed his question to the blonde-haired knight.
"They should. After all, we did flare up our presences earlier. So they should be coming at us as we speak." Saber replied with a smile.
"Remind me again just how you managed to convince me to do that."
He stated with sour look as the blonde merely chuckled in response. So much for not doing anything stupid. Right now, what they were doing was the definition of the word since there was a high probability of them being killed as a result of their actions.
Still, with only Saber and Ruler, perhaps they still had a chance of getting through alright.
'Maybe I should've set some traps though...'
While he had suggested the idea, his companion quickly rebuked him, saying that such an act shamed them as warriors and Servants. He said that the proper course was to face the enemy head on, no need for petty tricks. The rogue had to wonder to himself just how in the hell the person beside him managed to live the way he did when he clearly disliked setting traps and ambushes.
He concluded that it was most likely due to his desire to fight equally with the King of Knights. Damn battle maniac, why did he have to get paired with him of all people? He would preferred Kitty. Though they didn't really get along, she was more understanding of his way of fighting as his fellow Archer.
Robin's thoughts came to an end when two people landed in the space right in front of him and Saber, both of whom were in their full battle regalia.
"Ah! It's about time you two arrived." Saber said, stepping forward with the intent of introducing himself. "Pleased to meet the both of you, I am-"
"Servant Saber." Jeanne stated before the former could finish. "That's who you are, aren't you?"
"Indeed I am, and you are none other than Ruler." He confirmed as a grin grew on his face. "What a lovely maiden you are. If not for the fact that we're enemies, then I would enjoy spending some time with you if you would accept."
"I decline that offer." The young saint quickly replied without missing a beat while Arthur narrowed his eyes a result.
"Ah, well that's not surprising." The blonde knight chuckled in response.
Having laid her eyes upon him, Jeanne was able to confirm Saber's identity through the use of her abilities.
King Richard I, otherwise known as Richard the Lionheart. A King of England well known for his participation in the Third Crusade, most notably in his conflict with the Muslim leader Saladin. Well regarded by some, demonized by others, one thing that was constant was how he was described as a fearsome warrior.
What surprised her the most about him though was the fact that Richard bore a resemblance to Arthur. With the exception of the short braid, red eyes, and red streaks of hair, one could mistake them for the other from a distance.
"So I guess the same goes for me too? Servant Archer at your service."
Robin greeted with a mock bow, and through his words and the way he looked at them, Jeanne noted that he indeed lacked any sort of memories from their last encounter.
While she thought this, Richard was staring at the white knight beside her with a smile.
"It's an honor to finally meet you, King of Knights."
"You know of me?"
"Of course, you are my predecessor after all." Richard revealed much to Arthur's surprise. "Like you, I am a King born and raised on the island of Britain. If my words do not convince you, then I believe Ruler can confirm it instead."
Looking towards the young saint, the white knight saw her nodding in response to his gaze, confirming the words of the other blonde knight. At this, the young man blinked in surprise once more as he stared at the other blonde as the latter continued to speak.
"Now with that out of the way, allow me to formally introduce myself." He paused for a moment. "I am King Richard, and I humbly request a duel with you, King Arthur."
Blinking in surprise at how he so casually revealed his identity and asked for a fight, Arthur spoke.
"Wait, did you come out all this way just so you could duel with me?"
"Indeed I did. Is there something wrong with that?"
Sensing the honesty in his words, Arthur quickly knew that he was being sincere. For whatever reason, this King Richard truly was interested in fighting him.
For Jeanne, she was able to understand why. King Richard was sometimes known for his battle lust, and the idea of being able to take on a legendary figure such as Arthur... the idea must've been too great for him to resist in spite of the possible repercussions of such a thing, one of which ending in his death.
"If that's the case, then why is Archer here?" The white knight said, gazing at the orange-haired rogue who perked up his head at his class title being mention.
"Oh don't mind me, I'm just here to make sure that neither you or Ruler take this idiot out." The rogue archer quickly replied.
"Now that's rather rude, who are you calling an idiot?" Richard demanded.
"Who do you think?" The former deadpanned with a dry look on his face. "If it wasn't for the fact that you were going to after these two, I wouldn't even be here. In fact, if we make it through this, I blaming you for everything."
"And here I thought you'd be willing to prove your mettle."
The blonde knight shook his head. He had at least expected someone who carried the name of old friend to be willing in having a duel against the King of Knights himself as well. Clearly though he was mistaken. He really should have a talk with Archer later on, if only to rectify his attitude so that he doesn't shame his old friend's name.
"So then, I take it you and I are to fight?"
Arthur began, stepping forward and extending his right hand outward to the side. A strong gust of wind wrapped itself around it, covering his arm before bursting forth to reveal a sword of intricate design now held by the white knight.
Richard's eyes glistened in wonder as he saw the blade, immediately recognizing it as the one true holy sword that belonged to his predecessor, that which signified him as the King of Knights.
"Excalibur...!" He mouthed with a grin. "How magnificent~! To think that I would be able to lay my eyes upon such a sacred treasure~!"
"I-Is that so...?"
The white knight replied, somewhat taken aback by how clearly enamored the other blonde was with his weapon, especially when Richard suddenly stepped closer and gazed upon it with a childlike gaze. Even Jeanne and Robin had their mouths open, having no words to describe what they were seeing.
"Ah! My apologies..."
Richard said, snapping out of it and realizing what he was doing. He then quickly leaped back a distance away from his predecessor.
"Now that was rather unbecoming of me." He began. "Now then, how about we make some terms for this duel?"
"How do I even know that you people aren't even trying something?"
"I swear on my name that I am not." Richard replied with all seriousness as he crossed his arms. "I challenge you on the basis of honor and pride, not only as both a king and as a warrior, but also as a fellow native of Britain."
"I sense that your words are sincere." Arthur began. "I take it that this duel to the death then?"
"Given that we are enemies, then that would be a yes." Richard replied with a smirk. "Ruler is more than welcome to take part in the battle herself, but I would prefer it if she and Archer remain as they are on the sidelines. That way, you and I can have a most joyous battle don't you agree?"
"Perhaps, but I doubt Archer would remain quiet when my Master is right here." Arthur stated, narrowing his eyes at the orange-haired rogue. "It would be too wasteful an opportunity to not try and take her out here and now."
"True, I'm thinking of seventeen different ways to kill Ruler from where I am." Robin smirked as the young saint frowned at him.
"You will do nothing of the sort." Richard glared.
Said act caused the rogue archer to freeze up slightly, as well as surprising the other two due to how intense he was. It was clear, he really was intending on fighting Arthur. And knowing that, it caused Robin to grumble in annoyance.
"Alright fine, I'll behave..."
With that, the red knight turned back to face his predecessor with a grin.
"Then that settles it. Do you accept my challenge?"
Thinking about it for a moment, Arthur smiled in response.
"Very well then, I accept."
"Most excellent~!"
Richard drew his sword, a simple yet ornate longsword with a golden hilt and pommel, holding it with both hands and pointed it at his fellow King. Arthur responded in kind by getting into stance himself. Seeing this, Jeanne called out to her companion.
"Wait, Arthur...!? What do you think you're-!?"
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Arthur quickly replied.
"I know, but still-"
"As a knight and king, I'm honor bound to respond to his challenge." The young man continued before smiling at the young saint. "You don't have to fear though, for I have no intention of losing this bout. I will walk out of it as the winner."
"Hah! We shall see about that...!" Richard exclaimed as he quickly charged straight at the King of Knights.
...!
The sound of clashing metal echoed throughout the area.
Arthur parried Richard's strike, their blades now pushing against one another as the two kings separated and began trading blows.
...!
The sound of metal echoed once more as the two broke off from one another.
A downward thrust aimed at his midsection, the former quickly countered by evading slightly and thrusting forward with Excalibur.
Reacting quickly, the red knight raised his sword and deflected the incoming strike, causing the white knight to flinch.
Above you...
Recovering, Arthur gripped Excalibur as he swung it down, only for Richard to parry the swing with his own.
Watch your footing...
The Crusader King quickly leaped as he dodged another incoming swing.
To your right...
Using his sheath, Richard deflected Excalibur as swung his blade down upon his predecessor...
Don't forget your left...
...Only for him to retract that action as he spun around and avoided being kicked in the head. As soon as the two faced each other again, they swung their swords.
...!
Metal echoed throughout the clearing as their swords traded blows with each other once more. As one might expect from two master swordsman, both were equally matched in swordplay. Arthur himself was rather impressed, for the red knight was a very skilled warrior.
And somehow, his foe was able to anticipate his movements. It clearly went beyond simple instinct or prediction of one's movements. If it really was the case, then with the fact that he was able to keep up with him, the knowledge that he could see his movements meant that they were going to find themselves at a stalemate.
Not that would allow that of course...
"Hah...!"
"...!?"
...!
As soon as his sword made contact with Excalibur, Richard suddenly found himself being blown back by a strong gust of wind. As soon as he regained his footing, the found himself wondering for a moment what in the world just happened.
Was it one of the King of Knight's abilities? So his predecessor had control over the wind itself... glorious!
While he thought this, Arthur quickly closed the distance between the two of them.
...!
Unleashing hard swings upon the red knight, who was parrying as best he could as he cursed himself for allowing himself to be distracted. It was soon apparent that Arthur had the upper hand now as Richard was forced back.
'What's this...!? His attacks are getting heavier with each swing!'
Indeed, each time the white knight swung Excalibur, his blows felt as though he was being repeatedly with a heavy object. Each time the King of Knight's attacks connected, it caused the dirt, grass, and leaves around them to kick up. Together with this, his movements were now faster. Whatever it was he was doing, Richard would need to find a way to counter it soon. Otherwise, he was at a disadvantage.
A thought then came to the red knight as he smiled.
Perhaps it's a bit early to reveal it, but what the hell! His opponent was the King of Knights! If he held back, then it was nothing more than a grand insult, to both him and his predecessor, and that was something he couldn't allow.
That, and he was curious as to how the King of Knights would react to what he was about to do.
...!
As soon as they both broke off from each other once more, Richard momentarily broke stance as he stood still much to the confusion of his opponent and the other two onlookers. They all wondered what he was doing, when suddenly the red knight raised his head with a grin on his face.
"Come Saber!"
He then leaped straight at the white knight, with Arthur following suite.
As soon as they were both within striking range, Arthur felt a sudden surge of mana being gathered, looking to see the red knight's sword suddenly glowing brightly. He quickly realized that his opponent was about to use his Noble Phantasm.
'Wait, it couldn't be...!'
He and the other two quickly realized that his opponent was about to use his Noble Phantasm. But what they didn't expect was the name that was about to be called out.
"EX-!"
Richard quickly stopped himself from going any further as he readied his blade, with Arthur still in motion as his widened his eyes in shock.
"-CALIBUR!"
...!
As soon as Atalanta landed upon another tree, she saw a blinding flash of light in the distance and felt explosion take place at the same time. From what she could tell, it was the result of Saber's Noble Phantasm. Her new ally had just unleashed it... just what exactly was happening right now?
Thinking for a moment, she realized that the quickest way to find the answer to that was to go there herself.
"Hmm? They're not here..."
After having finished his meeting, Waver had expected to see the duo of Ruler and Saber inside the living room.
But to his dismay as he entered, they weren't there. He was hoping to have a discussion with the two about their group's future plans, but it looks like he missed his opportunity. He wondered to himself where they could have gone.
And just as he thought that, Rider entered the room wearing his casual clothes.
"Rider, have you seen Ruler and Saber?" He asked, knowing that Rider had been on lookout duty together with Saber of Black that day.
"I did. They went somewhere about an hour or so ago, they said they had to check someplace out." He replied.
"They could've at least told me what they're were planning." Waver sighed. "Where did the say they were going?"
"Now let me see here..." The red-haired Servant placed a hand under his chin as began thinking. "I believe it was... the last location of the original grail or something, which was north of here. Ruler mentioned to me that there was something she wanted to try and confirm. Most likely, she's trying to figure out where Saber's former Master is residing at."
"I see. I suppose it makes sense to try and start looking there."
From what he knew, the location Rider was talking about was where the original grail was last situated in. It was inside a cavern a north from the city, within the Saitama Prefecture to be exact.
Sixty years ago however, an explosion took place there. Whatever it was, it left a gaping hole that lead directly into the cavern. Since it was too deep to fill in, city officials decided to close off the surrounding area as a result, which itself was actually due to people from the association not wanting civilians to get caught up in their interests there at the time.
Thinking about it now, the hole must've been the result of Saber's attempt at destroying the grail. Given the size of it from what he had seen in pictures, it was most likely his Noble Phantasm that resulted in it. It was either that, or the grail exploding was just that powerful. And with that said, he was surprised that Darnic was able to salvage something from the site enough to recreate the grail.
He didn't know if former head of Yggdmillennia was unaffected by the supposed evil of the grail. Considering their current situation, there was always a chance it was the result of some demon god wanting to entertain himself by watching people kill each other. Now that was a rather pleasant thought, if somewhat morbid.
"Gentlemen."
Entering the room through the use of magic, Caster of Black appeared before the Master and Servant duo.
"Caster, is there something the matter?"
Conjuring up her crystal ball, it showed a distant view of the forest.
"I sent out familiars earlier to scout out our surroundings, when one of them caught this happening."
...!
Before either of them knew it, a flash of light erupted and blinded their vision as an explosion could be heard taking place.
"Just to let you know, this explosion took place near where Ruler and Saber are currently located at."
"Wait, you knew that they went out and you didn't tell me?" Waver demanded as the Servant of Magic looked at him curiously.
"I thought you knew." Caster replied honestly. "At any rate, something's happening. And I intend to go there myself to find out."
"Can you even make that trip?" Rider asked as he crossed his arms. "Perhaps I should take you there with my chariot."
At this, the blue-haired woman smiled.
"Do not underestimate me. So long as it's only myself, I can get to any location with posthaste."
An explosion rang out and soon kicked up a dust cloud.
"Arthur...!"
Jeanne called out as she quickly began running towards the cloud that enveloped the two knights.
...!
She was stopped in her tracks by an arrow marking itself right in front of her right foot, barely missing it as it buried itself into the ground. Knowing the one responsible, the young saint glared at the rogue archer, who continued to sit atop his rock with a smirk on his face.
"Nope, you can't do that. Otherwise, you'll have to take me on little miss."
While he said that, the dust cloud began to clear up, and with it, Jeanne quickly focused her attention in trying to find her friend.
The young saint smiled in relief once she did, as she saw that the white knight was okay aside from a few minor wounds she could see on his body. When she allowed her gaze to fall upon the other knight, she saw a rather unexpected sight.
"Haha...! Now that was something...!"
A large gash was on his left shoulder, his cape now having been completely torn off together, as the red knight held his wound.
"Brilliant move, increasing your movement speed like that at the last second... I should've seen it coming."
'Shit...!'
Robin thought worriedly as he saw his comrades injury. He was ready to make his move then, only for the knight to decline his aid with a short gaze. The rogue archer merely cursed him for his idiocy in return. Damn it all, if this keeps up, Saber may end up getting killed!
"You..." Arthur began as he stared in amazement at the red-eyed blonde. "You... just how in the world did you do that?"
"I'm a pretender..." Richard replied as he gathered his bearings. "Ever since I was a child, I've always admired you. You were everything every little boy from Britain aspired to be. And for me, it got the point I pretended that whatever I held was Excalibur. Even as an adult, I kept the illusion that I owned it. Perhaps that's why I can use it like that."
"I see..."
Arthur nodded in understanding, though he wasn't exactly convinced of being the ideal that children from Britain would aspire to. Still, for someone to have an Excalibur that wasn't his own nor Galatine... He really just didn't see it coming.
"At any rate, shall we continue?" Richard began as he stretched his neck.
"You plan on fighting with that wound?"
"I wouldn't be much of a Heroic Spirit if I allowed this to hinder me!"
...!
Words died out between the two they once more traded blows. Despite his injury, Richard wasn't showing any signs of slowing down. For that, Arthur couldn't help but respect his fellow British King. It took great focus to be able to do something like that.
"Tell me something, why do you work with that man?" Arthur began as he swung his sword. "Is it by choice or by your oath as a Servant?"
"You mean my Master?" Richard questioned as he parried the incoming strike.
...!
Their blades clashed against each other. Breaking off, Arthur swung his Excalibur to take Richard's head, the latter countered by ducking, swinging his blade at his predecessor's midsection. Seeing this, Arthur turned Excalibur and quickly deflected the blow.
It was quite clear to both Jeanne and Robin that both were enjoying their battle.
"Well if I had to say something, then both actually." Richard replied. "Perhaps it's because I see the value of what my Master is working towards."
"Do you sincerely believe it, that he can save the world?" The white knight then asked. "Tell me, has he even told you about the true nature of the grail?"
...!
As metal impacted upon metal, Arthur took advantage of how close his foe was and threw a punch at him, landing a direct blow on the other knight's face. Taken aback by such an action, the Crusader King merely smirked in delight as he fell back, dropping his sword as he did a handstand, spun around, and kicked Arthur clean on the torso.
"He has, and while I'll admit that the nature of the legendary artifact is suspect, I believe it is still a goal worthy of pursuit."
"Even if it means possible ruin for the world...!?"
"All my Master needs is a proper hand to guide him and the grail into a proper future. Besides..."
Richard paused in his words to his fellow knight as his sword began glowing.
"There's no harm in trying now is there...!?"
"Tch!"
...!
Reacting as quickly as he could, Arthur avoided the sudden blast of light that came from the blade. Said blast of light was smaller compared to his foe's earlier attack, and it shot itself clean through several trees.
However, the white knight wasn't fast enough as the attack singed his right arm. It wasn't really so bad that he couldn't use it anymore, but it would affect his way fighting until it was healed.
"I see, so you can even control the output as well."
"Impressive no? Will you not show me yours in turn?"
The Crusader King asked, for in truth, he was quite curious to see how powerful the original Excalibur was in comparison to the cheap impression he had. From its appearance and the strange letters inscribed upon its hilt, Richard could tell that it was no ordinary blade indeed.
"Unfortunately, it's not that simple." Arthur replied as he smiled. "And I don't need it right now to defeat you."
...!
Arthur once more used his Mana Burst, increasing the speed and weight of his movements and attacks.
"That again eh? Very well...!"
Through a combination of his swordplay and creative use of his Noble Phantasm, Richard began parrying Arthur's now reinforced sword swings with greater ease than earlier. He did this by using his Excalibur as pseudo booster and barrier using the light to deflect oncoming strikes.
"Not yet!"
Taking hold of his sheath, the red-eyed blonde began swinging it around as well, the makeshift weapon in question now glowing a similar light to the former's sword.
...!
Arthur had to be careful now, for one slip up equated to getting blasted from two different spots. As they once more traded blows, Richard's missed swings shot out blasts of light all over the clearing. Some of which headed straight for Jeanne and Robin.
Jeanne materialized her flag and blocked the blasts with ease, while the orange-haired rogue on the other hand to move out of the way each time as his ally continually and haphazardly used his noble phantasm.
"Shit..!" Robin cursed as he dodged another blast.
The duel of the two knights continued, with neither one showing any signs of giving in.
"If that's the case...!" Arthur began.
Winds began spiraling around Excalibur's blade as the white knight charged. Raising it over his head, the white knight swung it down.
Move...
...!
Richard dodged to the side as a blast of air released itself, so strong that it sliced down several trees in one go.
While he did said act, Arthur quickly closed the distance between the two of them once more as he was poised to strike at the red-eyed blonde, with the latter retaliating with his own swing, his blade glowing brightly once more.
...!
Another explosion rang out as strong winds were felt by the two onlookers.
Smoke and dust covered the two, but after a while the smoke cleared to reveal the two knights standing across from each other with both their blades pointed at the other's neck, both staring intensely at one another with smiles on their faces.
"Shielding yourself with the wind... not bad." Richard complimented.
"Tell me something, do the other Servants who work for that man feel the same?" Arthur then asked.
"I believe so, otherwise they wouldn't agree to work with my Master." Richard replied before pausing for a moment as he realized something. "Ah, but with that said, I cannot speak for Berserker since I do not know what he's thinking since he's insane."
"I see..."
The white knight nodded at this, feeling himself twitch at the mention of Berserker. He had his suspicions, but he still needed to confirm his thoughts with Jeanne later. Shaking his head, he refocused on the matter at hand.
"So then, shall we continue? I can tell, you've been wasting your mana with those attacks. By now, it should be obvious that this duel you began is now in my favor."
"Indeed, perhaps I was so overjoyed by the idea of facing you that I forgot to pace myself." The Crusader King replied, panting slightly to himself. He really should've know better, to allow such a simple mistake to happen to him. Like his old friend Robin had always said, he was a hearty fool.
"Will you yield?" Arthur asked.
"Heh, I-"
...!
Reacting quickly, Arthur struck down a bow aimed at his head. Several more were shot, forcing the white knight back as he retreated to a farther distance.
"Hmph! I suspected as much!"
Landing right beside her ally bow at the ready was Atalanta, the Chaste Huntress staring intensely at both Saber and Ruler, as well as her two allies who both looked on in surprise as they hadn't expected to see her here.
"Archer, what do you think you're-"
"Silence, I've been tasked with aiding you two fools." Atalanta replied before scoffing. "Honestly, I expected something like this from the idiot, but I didn't think a Knight such as yourself would be so reckless."
"Haha...!"
Richard merely laughed in response. As much as he wanted to reprimand her for interfering, thanks to his wasteful spending of energy, he knew that the duel he was having with his predecessor was leaning heavily into the latter's favor. If not for the Chaste Huntresses' appearance, he would've probably be dead by now.
"About time someone got here."
Robin stated as he leaped over to his two comrades.
"Let me guess, my Masters is pissed off with me isn't she?"
"Given her nature, I highly suspect that she wants to castrate you." The golden-haired archer replied, smiling somewhat at the last bit.
"Christ, someone just hang me already." The orange-haired rogue sighed heavily.
"Perhaps you could do that later. Right now, we have other matters to deal with."
Atalanta stated as she continued to aim her bow at the other duo staring right at them. With their numbers, even with Saber having exhausted some of his reserves, they should still be able to take on both Ruler and the King of Knights together.
All they needed was-
...!
The trio quickly got out of the way once they looked up to see a blast of concentrated mana aimed directly at their location. Said blast made impact, causing an explosion that formed a small crater where they had stood.
'That attack just now, could it be...?'
"It's been too long... Atalanta."
Floating right above the clearing was Caster of Black, the Servant of Magic removing her hood as she gazed intently upon the Chaste Huntress.
Her old acquaintance from the time of the Argo Expedition, one of the few she remembered getting along with to an extent. She knew since that first night when Saber and Ruler appeared in Trifas, they would meet like this. And from the way her old comrade was gazing at her, she knew that she also felt the same.
"Medea..."
The former Princess of Colchis looked older than when she last saw her, her robes of choice being opposite of the light-colored dress she styled herself in. Her expression somewhat colder, gone was the innocence of the princess she had befriended back then. Considering what she heard about her life, it wasn't surprising.
"Hehe, as always, your clothes compliment your beauty well."
"Thank you, and you've grown since we last saw each other."
"Indeed..."
Medea suddenly whispered to herself, memories of her past life filling her mind. She then shook her head before speaking up once more.
"Have you heard about Heracles?" The former asked.
"I have."
"If he was here, then perhaps we could have a reunion." The Witch of Betrayal smiled somewhat before frowning slightly. "Though I would prefer it if he wasn't, as I cannot stand overly muscular men such as himself."
"Have you come here to fight?" The Chaste Huntress asked, noting that with her presence, a possible three-on-three match would happen between them.
"Only if you continue to raise your bow at my allies." Medea replied. "Though I doubt the three of you wound want to linger here for much longer considering that Rider of Red and Saber of Black are heading here as we speak. By now, they should be nearing soon."
"Damn it..."
The golden-haired archer frowned, realizing that they were outmatched. She then gazed at her two companions, placing her two hands onto their backs.
"We're leaving!"
"Wait, what-!?"
With that, the Chaste Huntress vanished into a beam of light, soon followed by the rogue archer. And before he did, the Crusader King simply smiled and nodded at this predecessor, signifying his desire to continue their battle at a later date, one that Arthur returned in kind.
Once he disappeared, Medea noted that the phenomena they had just witnessed was teleportation. She didn't even see nor sense a spell being formed. The blue-haired woman wondered who could be behind such a feat. Perhaps it was the one they called Assassin of Red, who was apparently behind the flying fortress that assaulted the castle the other night.
Turning her attention towards Jeanne, the Servant of Magic spoke.
"Do you wish for us to pursue them Ruler?"
"That's quite alright, I'll allow them this chance."
The young saint replied. Though in truth she did want to go after them, from the moment they vanished, she could no longer sense where the trio were. Most likely, outside of her range. Knowing that, there wasn't really any point in trying to find them at this rate, especially with Arthur's condition.
"My apologies, I should've finished the battle then and there." Arthur began.
"No, it's fine." Jeanne shook her head. "Right now, we should be more worried about that injury on your arm."
This was the first time the white knight had been injured like this. From the look of things, it was going to take a few days to heal for him to heal on his own completely.
"Allow me to take a look at it later." Medea suggested. "It should be a simple task for one such as me."
"Thank you, we would be most grateful Caster." Jeanne replied with a smile.
"Think nothing of it, for we will need Saber's full strength in the coming days."
The blue-haired woman said, though she was somewhat taken aback by the gesture. Ruler really was rather beautiful. She wondered to herself how the young saint would look in a dress. Aah, that's no good. Her habits were starting to appear at the forefront of her mind.
"Now then, shall we take our leave?"
"..."
Inside a dark cavern which she currently made out to be her home, a certain blonde-haired girl sat by herself with a crystal ball in her hands.
Having observed the battle herself, Manaka was currently pouting as she allowed the image of Saber to vanish. Really now, it was just getting good. Why did that lion woman have to interfere? Saber was going to beat that other Saber who looked like him!
"Is everything alright Master?"
Appearing by her side was a rather beautiful young woman with amber eyes and long flowing pink hair. She wore a lose fitting blue kimono that showed off her rather generous cleavage, golden headdress that had bells hanging off it, and a blue ribbon tied at the back of head. What was most strange about her was the fact that she had two fox like ears and three large tails sticking out from behind her.
Manaka stared at her, at Caster, whose identity was Tamamo-no-Mae. A well known figure in Japanese mythology, if one knew about the topic and its related matters, then Caster's identity would have been all too obvious.
But there was more to it as well. From the moment she first laid eyes on Caster, Manaka was able to tell that she was no ordinary Servant, nor a proper Heroic Spirit for that matter. She was eventually able to discover why that was, and to say that she was surprised was an understatement.
Knowing what she knew, it was easy to assume that Caster the most powerful Servant there was right now. If not for the fact she held control over her, Manaka couldn't help but wonder what kind of opponent she would be if she ever allowed to reach her full potential.
"Come now child, do not frown like that." Tamamo spoke as she sat on beside her Master. "It's quite obvious that Saber would have won that bout."
"I know that, I just didn't like how that lion woman interfered."
Manaka replied as she stood up and casually allowed her head rest on former's lap at the pink-haired woman's prompt.
"Well then, shall we go punish her then?"
The pink-haired woman suggested with a smile as she took out something from her sleeve and suddenly began cleaning out the former's ear. It was quite obvious to the young blonde what she was referring to.
"No, that's fine. After what I said to Shirou-kun earlier, trying to pick a fight with him so soon would be a little too mean." She smiled to herself a little. "I'll let him off for now and let Jeanne-chan and Saber have their go at him. Saber is mad that Shirou-kun tried to kill Jeanne-chan, so he'll want to settle it himself too."
"Speaking of which," Tamamo smiled slyly. "Are you jealous that Saber's new Master now~?"
"W-What does that have to do with anything...?" The young blonde pouted in annoyance.
"Well from what I've heard from Lancer, she's quite attractive." The former stated. "And as a man, it's only natural for Saber to be attracted to her with beauty alone. If her personality's nice, then he's a goner."
"That doesn't mean anything, Saber's different. He only has eyes for me, and me only!" Manaka replied, in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.
"Yes, yes." Tamamo nodded in response. "Now turn your head so that I can clean your other ear."
"Is this really necessary...?"
"Of course it is. Children should take proper care of their own hygiene after all~" The pink-haired woman smiled. "And Master is no exception to this, so allow me to care for you since you won't do it yourself."
"Oh alright..." Manaka relented, knowing that Caster would probably force the matter.
"We should also get your a new set of clothes." Tamamo stated as she pulled on the fabric of Manaka's dress. "This dress simply won't do. Don't you want to impress Saber? Then you'll have to get yourself something nicer~"
For a few moments, Manaka remained silent, Caster's words echoing throughout her mind.
Her eyes then snapped open, her mouth opening to speak.
"Can we get something cute?"
"You're lucky that you haven't been killed yet."
Sometime later back at the gardens, Julian was in the process of reprimanding Saber, the knight of which merely stood still with both hands behind his back. Others that were present were Shirou, Semiramis, Angelica, and Shakespeare.
"My humblest apologies, I know that I was mistaken."
"If you knew, then why did you pursue the King of Knights?"
"Did you already forget? It was to challenge him." The Crusader King simply stated in response. "After all, I am a Servant. Is it not natural for one such as myself to challenge another to a battle? Is that not the purpose of beings such as myself?"
"There's a time and place for everything, and that wasn't one of them!"
"Now calm down Julian," Shirou intervened with a placating gesture. "And it isn't as though we didn't get something good from all of this."
"And that would be?" Julian demanded.
"Proof that we obtained ourselves a strong Servant." The white-haired hero replied. "You've seen it yourself, Assassin showed us. Saber here has proven his mettle and worth by taking on the King of Knights. While that battle eventually turned to his favor, Saber was able to keep up with him regardless."
"Yet in the end he nearly lost." The black-haired youth pointed out.
"That was my first time fighting the Great King." Richard spoke up. "Along with my own enthusiasm, I'll admit that I was more focused on having a joyful bout than I was concentrating on defeating him. Next time, that will not be the case. This I swear to you on my honor as a Knight and King."
"Hmph, empty words. Let your actions speak for you instead."
With that, Julian left the area as he headed back towards his room. Sighing at the young teen, Shirou merely shook his head at him.
"My apologies about him. I only allowed him this chance so that he may vent his anger at you." The latter stated as he gazed at Richard. "At any rate, I am impressed that you were able to stand against the King of Knights. I couldn't really match even when he lost his Master."
"Indeed it was~!" Shakespeare exclaimed, finally getting the chance to speak with red-eyed blonde. "O King Richard, that was a most splendid battle! For your convenience, I was able to record everything what happened thanks to the Queen of Assyria. If you may, might I ask for more personal details."
"I don't see why not." The red-eyed blonde replied before gazing at his Master. "At any rate, what was that earlier? Where me, Archer, and Robin all vanished so suddenly."
"Do you mean the teleportation?" Semiramis spoke up as all gazed at her. "That was my handiwork. Though I'm quite powerful within the boundaries of my gardens, my abilities still have their limits. As such, I decided to craft an item that can extend my range and allow you lot to teleport here to anywhere that my eyes can see. I gave a sample to Archer earlier, and it seems to be quite the success."
"Ah, as one might expect from such a beautiful and talented woman." Richard said, gazing at Shirou for a moment as he suddenly began grinning. "If not for the fact that your heart belonged to another, I would take this chance to court such a fair lady."
"Hoh? Such an insinuation. Might I cut off your tongue then in recompense?" The raven-haired beauty said as her eyes sharpened, a smirk growing on her face.
"Ahaha! I think I'll pass on that."
While the two spoke to each other, Angelic approached Shirou with the intent to speak.
"Is something the matter?"
"Yes. What shall we do about the alliance?" The twin-tailed beauty asked. "Thanks to Saber, Archer, and Assassin, we now know of their location. We can strike anytime you desire it. All you would need is to give us the word."
"Indeed, that is the case isn't it?" Shirou began as he crossed his arms. "Unfortunately, unlike in Trifas, we cannot use this fortress to strike considering how close to the urban and rural areas the estate is."
"We could always use hypnosis to move the populace away if need be." Angelica suggested.
Truthfully, it didn't matter to her if there were civilian casualties, seeing the masses merely as collateral damage for the sake of their goal, a sentiment shared by her Lord Julian and Beatrice. However, it wasn't shared by their leader, as well as most of the Servants under their control. As such, they would need to work around it instead of just going on an all-out assault.
"Perhaps, but let allow me to think on the matter for now." The white-haired hero replied. "Since we are outside of Ruler's ten kilometer detection radius, she and the alliance cannot track our location. That gives us the advantage and time."
"You want us to remain on standby for now is it?" Angelica asked.
"For now, yes." Shirou confirmed for the young woman. "When the opportunity shows itself, we will strike Angelica. Be sure of that. For now, though we take it easy. Rider's still in recover after the last battle, and I don't even need to tell you about Saber's condition. He'll need time to recover the mana he lost today."
"Very well." The former nodded in understanding. The young man smiled at this, satisfied that she was being compliant.
It was then that he noted that there was something off, and he realized what that was as he spoke up.
"Speaking of which, where are Archer and Beatrice?"
"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GO YOU LITTLE BASTARD!?"
A loud cry caused those in the room to flinch, all could tell who it belonged to.
As they looked towards the hallway where it came from, Robin appeared out of nowhere with one finger against his mouth in a shushing manner.
"Don't go telling her where I am, alright~?"
With that, the orange-haired rogue disappeared once more, nevermore grateful to his Noble Phantasm, No Face May King.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are... DON'T MAKE ME USE A COMMAND SPELL TO FIND YOU!"
END
Author's Note:
And with that, CH19 is finished. Was the fight good enough? I can never tell. Probably not XP Anyway, onto the chapter itself.
Richard's character is based on what I've heard about him as Fate/Strange Fake hasn't been completely translated yet. So if he's different compared to the original, then sorry about that to his fans since I wanted to write him as a sort of rival character to Arthur thanks to his similar yet different abilities and personality. While writing his and Arthur's fight, I was operating somewhat on Rule of Cool while trying to maintain a sense of balance with canon. Speaking of which, Richard's second NP is limited to a basic spider sense in the fight because he wanted to fight fairly against Arthur as much as possible. Don't worry, I'll show a more proper use of it later using what info has been released about it.
As for Tamamo, her appearance is based off on her Third Ascension Form in FGO. And her personality is based off from the time she served as Twice's Servant, along with me imagining what would she be like if she were somewhat more motherly. Because honestly speaking, Manaka is a child in both body and mentality. It would be a really weird relationship overall if it were more... intimate. Enough on this topic, moving on XP
Thanks to recent translations, I found out that I actually managed to get Arthur and Manaka close to their canon selves in what their desires are, with only a few details missing actually. Does that make me psychic? :D Anyway, Fate Magnus Bellum just got itself a Tv Tropes page! XD Thank you ForteOfTheBallad98 and all those who supported me! Now all I need are people willing to fill it out. I've decided to add some parts to it on my own as a start, but I rather have others add some as well.
As for those who have questions:
Code Zero: First of all, rule of funny XP Second of all, Gilgamesh is prideful by nature. Even if he foresaw his own death with that NP, he would laugh it off as an impossibility and still go through with the events, resulting in his death XP The thing with Achilles was also just that. If it were Child-Gilgamesh, then he would be more pragmatic and use the information to his advantage.
Orphee: That depends on the reader as I wasn't exactly specifying which beast he was referring to.
Cain: Considering the nature of their profession, then I would say yes to both. And it's Gilgamesh, asking me whether or not he'll say that is kinda redundant actually XP
No need be weak: It's Iskander, try imagining it XP And Arthur doesn't really tell them because the Reality Marble is the one true threat as far as he's concerned. Arthur by himself is able to take on the Sphinx and kill it, while the Mesektet is something best described by actually seeing it.
Black 13: It's Rin and Luvia, asking me that is also redundant XP And the strongest without a doubt is Gilgamesh by virtue of combination between his fighting skills and abilities. Pure fighting wise, it's Karna. Pure ability wise, I actually lean on Ramesses rather than Gil, mostly because of how OP each of NPs are.
ilover145: I forgot to answer your question on CH16 a while back. Embarrassing on my part XP Anyway, Mordred's choice regarding her wish will be dealt with. I just haven't had time to show it properly thanks to me wanting to introduce Richard into the story. That and given that's she's actually a decent person underneath her angry exterior along with what her true desires are, I think it should be obvious what she's going to do.
That's it for now. Again, please review :D
