Warning: Warning: This fanfic dealt with probably controversial themes and you may find it not suitable for you. If you still decide to read, then stay strong and brace yourself for what you are about to read. This story here happens in Arc 2 and thus may contain some spoilers.
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Chapter 6: Flame of War
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Beginning of the raid.
The moment before Gudao commands to initiate the plan. The machine gun bunkers will let loose upon Gudao's command against the enemies. The Wehrmacht soldiers wearing gas masks come charging in toward the refuge. Base from 'the Finnish's' intelligence. The first vanguard would mainly consist of Infantry and some 2nd Class in the mix, the defenders of the refuge know this is just a beginning of a heated fight.
The battlefield is separated by many phalanx lines that consist of multiple spears that were rooted in the ground as a countermeasure against the first waves. Shirou and Kiritsugu have built as many of those things as they can with limited time.
Before any of them managed to reach the first phalanx line, a flare from deep inside the forest flew up toward the sky as it shines the battleground temporarily but what comes after is what actually dangerous. A volley of who knows how many artillery shells raining down upon the entire refuge itself.
When the shells impact on the refuge and the phalanx line itself. The atmosphere was shaken with an extreme intensity that could make Servant unbalanced, but that isn't what mattered. The father and son's trump card has been used and this will be where the fight will start. The artilleries volley actually didn't manage to dent let alone destroy most of the defense infrastructures that were built by them.
Most... Because the phalanx lines were broken while some of them still stand strong unchanged. This is actually because of Shirou and Kiritsugu didn't intend to build the phalanx lines with the purpose to halt the personnel but to redirect their movements in order to line them up together in order to reach maximum efficiency for machine guns, it also doubles as tank stoppers, this is actually the first step of the plan. Secure the Path. Control the flows of the battle and you will win the fight entirely.
In a considerable distance away from the battleground, the SS Archer looking through the scope of his Kar98k trying to see if there are any stragglers left after the artillery volley but what greets him in his sight wasn't large craters on the ground but the shadow of the same infrastructure behind the smokes.
"What? How did..." The SS Archer tried to figure out how did the artillery done nothing against them despite the shells were broken charged.
After the smokes were dissipated, his eyes went wide, the artillery's attack has only revealed the inner and most important part of the defense. They were... blades... Blades that knit tightly with each other, not letting a single chink within their defenses. But that begs the question, how on earth did some blades manage to easily shrug off such an attack like that. His mind started to confuse but he quickly gathers his mind and started to search for any possible answer. By eliminating the impossibles, no matter how improbable it is, there will only be the truth. But what that truth is? Only actions would speak any measurements.
"Prepare the artillery-" Before he completely said his sentences through the telecom did a flash caught his attention as he tried to determine the source of the flash that he is seeing. It was a flare but what kind of flare?. Before he realized it, the flare flashes with such brightness as if it was the second Sun. It shines brightly as it illuminates the grim and dark battleground with the color of daybreak.
Back at the refuge, Gudao has started to designate his command towards the machine gun bunkers and his Servants. Pierce's squad equipped with their armors together rushing into the battleground. Blades that revealed themselves after the artillery volley will be the squad's foxholes to take down the invading soldiers.
"You gotta thank the Chaldean Casters for their ingenuity for creating this flare with such little time. I have to refine the plan a little further if I want to get my desired result but nonetheless. Step 2! Ascends from Darkness!" Gudao's gives his encourage roar as he let the machine gun bunkers take out the enemy away.
His Servants have come out of the defense line themselves and come charging in toward the oncoming army. Of course, those invading soldiers aren't stupid enough to just charge in and die. They fire their weapons at the Chaldean Servants, confidently that it would harm them. But they should have known that a Servant won't be stupid to just take a hit without a good reason when they were in a full-scale war.
Shirou and Kuro deflect bullets that were fired at them as Kiritsugu suppressing fires back with his Calico M950, a full-auto pistol with a 100-round cylinder magazine. Iri held him tightly, healing any injuries that Kiritsugu might sustain in combat. Kiritsugu doesn't feel any weight from her as if she is as light as feather. Both of them combined their strength, an image that makes Kiritsugu like a white-cloaked angel, even when he is far from one.
Bullets and blades clashed with each other, sparks fly through the air as both the siblings getting closer to the first soldiers in their paths that they'll kill. Shirou would have easily decapitated that man haven't it been for the SS Archer firing what would have been a crippling shot if Shirou keeps that same stance at that moment but Shirou's Mind's Eyes allowed him to instinctively swerve his body to avoid that shot while still managed to strike his target.
Unfortunately, that wasn't a killing blow that Emiya managed to do so but he only managed to knock away the helmet and gas mask of the soldier. But what he sees afterward would eventually reveal the true nature of the army that they were up against.
When Emiya finally managed to see what the soldier's face is, he horrified at what he just saw. There is nothing that you can call human with that face, only what resembles a face and that is stretching it. A type of azure liquid is dripping from that face as it glows with the same color, Emiya decided he doesn't need to have that dreaded image burned into his mind as he quickly follows it up with a slash that bisects the soldier through the torso. After that, monstrosity finally fell to the ground as the corpse dissipated into azure ashes. Emiya still looks pale after seeing its true face.
"Everyone! Those things ain't human! Firing at will and not letting a single one alive!" Emiya's words echo through the battlefield. Letting every single person know about the monstrosity he has seen.
Both Shirou and Kuro now started to slaughter any enemies on their path knowing they aren't human in the slightest, only monsters that seek destruction in everything they see. Sounds of bullet clashing against blades echoes in the air. Artilleries shells razing the land further, in an unfruitful attempt to take down the Chaldean Servants because the shells' speed can't match up with the Servant's agility while the SS Archer still sniping with his rifle at the Servants in the battlefield.
Back at the foxholes in front of the fort
Soldiers after soldiers charging in towards the bunker, Infantry soldiers died from machine-gun barrages before reaching anywhere close to the foxholes, Pierce and his squad' enhanced weaponry managed to kill those bastards, everyone in Pierce's squad utilize anything they still remembered. Having limited manpower until the 4th Step in Gudao's Plan, they'll have to fight carefully and decisively if they want to see tomorrow.
"Left flank! 2nd Class incoming! Take them out!" A soldier of Pierce's squad shouted.
"Expressor and Punisher, scout the battlefield to see if the 1st Class appeared!" Pierce commands the sniper in his squads by using nicknames in order to cut short the commanding time.
The wooden shacks that were in front of the fort were already razed to the ground in the initial attack. Because of that, the fight has turned entirely into open warfare, easy for sniping for them but also for the enemies. Each soldier only has one weapon and they will have to be decisive or they will be dead, there is no other choice. Distinguish each oncoming enemies by their weapon, Infantry only has bolt-action rifle, 2nd Class on battlefield armed with SMG, 1st Class with Assault Rifle, can be accompanied by their beasts.
"Pierce, I think we don't need to find that said thing to know it is here..." One of the soldiers that Pierce assigned reported.
After receiving his words, Pierce checked through the scope of his Widow Maker and it confirmed what he has forethought.
Before giving his commands again, Pierce notices a fleeting shadow of someone who jumped out of the defense line. That white-cloaked man with a stern look in his eyes. There isn't anyone else here fit the bill of who he thought. It was 'the Finn'.
The Finn fires his Suomi SMG, where ever the bullets landed, a patch of snow appeared, and he is drawing a line towards the inside of the forest. After that being done, he leaps onto the snow patch and quickly materializes his skiing gear. The next moment afterward, only a hazy image of him is left, he has already initiated his role to take out the artilleries. Despite going up against an entire army, he managed to make through without being hindered thanks to the Emiya Family completely take the attention of the SS Archer. His duty won't be simple to do but it will be a requiring step for the plan.
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Backline Sabotage
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One hand wielding ski stick, the other hand wield the Suomi SMG firing at where he wanted to go in order to create snow patches for skiing, he quickly evades the enemy detection and if there is anyone who managed to detect him, he'll fire at them without hesitation. Always one step ahead of his enemy, he already calculated the distances between the artilleries and the refuge the moment the volley was fired. He's only needed to make it there as soon as he can so that the plan can proceed to its next step.
"If only the terrain weren't so uphill and rough, I would have been there by now." The Finnish said under his lips.
Moving through the jungle with only a snowy path formed from his SMG, switching constantly between skiing and guerilla combat. He started to notice that there is a lot more activity in the direction he is going. He knew the artilleries' position has to be there if there are so many patrols in this path alone.
"Unfoundable my ass with that, but again, artilleries and subtle never goes along." The Finn said under his lips again.
He decided to remove his cover and burst into the path that leads to the artilleries position, the Wehrmacht 'soldiers' who were taken by surprise got shot down before they managed to fire back at the Finn. Azure ashes fly through the air, the Finn still stays vigilant as he has already known about the fact that those 'soldiers' dissipate to ashes upon death. Focus all of his senses, he tries to pick up any movements he can feel from the ground.
Except for the fact that the ground started to shake with greater intensity with each second pass. The next moment, the Finn leaped back from what would have turned him into splatter on the ground. He looks at the humanoid monsters wearing a soldier helmet which has just smashed where he stood before with such a power that where he is standing now is also cracked.
That beast roared when it sees him, he quickly evades the next strike as it leaps toward him again while firing his Suomi at it. The beast is definitely being injured from his SMG but it doesn't show itself being in pain. In fact, the beast started to getting more enraged as he continuously fires his weapon at it. The beast consumed by madness tried to swing its monstrous arms at him to kill him. He countered this by keeping his distance away from it and evading its smash whenever he can. The fight stretches on, wasting every valuable second he has.
"Tsk, I can't keep wasting my time with this mad gorilla, I need to take it down right now!." The Finn said in his mind.
The beast now is fed with so many bullets it just holey like Swiss cheese but it won't slow down in the slightest, the thing wants whatever it is fighting to be dead right now. When the beast sensed him again, it leaped at him to smash him again. Instead of sidestepping, he decided to charge toward it while firing his Suomi right to the center of its chest, it roared loudly to the point it would burst the air-drum of a normal person. When it leaped toward him, he slides beneath it. When that monster finally landed, he has already gotten back to his feet but not standing yet.
In the midst of its confusion, he threw a bottle, a bottle with a rag that was set aflame at it. It was a Molotov Cocktail, the moment it impacts on the beast, it set the beast aflame. Roaring in the burning pain, it panically swung its fist anywhere it sees.
"The Molotov is just a C+ rank Noble Phantasm, dispensable is the only thing it worth for but at least it does its job well." The Finn thinks.
Knowing the beast isn't dead yet when he sees it. Suddenly, he saw a gaping hole in its chest showing its beating heart that was created from his previous attack but that is also the moment it sees him. The fiery beast roared again as it charges toward him with all of its might, it was an image of a hellspawn but to him, there is something far more hellish than it to him that he has faced and he has already taken it out. He only sees this as an obstacle, no more no less and that gaping hole will be where he uses his finishing move to take down these pathetic excuses of an existence.
A large gun started to materialize in his hand, a really large gun that will fit to take down this monstrosity, the only reason he hadn't use it in the first place because it would slow him down and getting him killed before he took it down. And when it has leaped toward him, the fiery monstrosity revealed its weak-point for all to see and that is when he one-handed the large caliber weapon in his other arm at it. He pulled the trigger and...
BANG! An extremely loud gunshot went out, he'll be surprised if no one managed to hear it. He has been knocked back a considerable distance from the sheer recoil of the gun from where he was before but that is trivial compared to the target who was in the receiving end of his gun, the Lahti L-39. That monster has been knocked back away by a larger distance compared to him and an extremely large hole replaced its entire torso. There is no surviving with that shot, the monster started to combust in an azure flame which soon engulfs the flame of his Molotov. Azure ashes fly from the burning corpse of the monster.
"A tenacious flame, like its resilience. While I appreciated a sort level of resilience, this kind of thing like this needs to die." The Finn said under his lips.
Now it is just him who is standing, after taking down this beast, the defending soldiers have come to take out whatever threat they perceived. Most likely the noise the fight has made.
"Hmph, guess I shouldn't be surprised. Compare to this monster, all of you would just be child-play." The Finn said after he dematerialized his Lahti away.
And the firefight continues.
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Everlasting Persistence
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Back at the frontline
"It is clear that Archer deep inside that forest is trying to kill us," Shirou said after he deflected the bullet which was clearly aimed at him for who knows how many times.
"And these goddamn beasts doesn't make it any easier!" Kuro followed up after she beheaded another beast with her pair of Kanshou and Byakuya.
When the 1st Class joined the fray, the beasts started to appear along with the Assault Rifle equipped soldiers, not only it creates the situation have to strike two different targets with one slash, but these two targets were also completely different. The 1st Class is evasive and unless caught under heavy fire or unavoidable attack, they will most likely dodge them all. The Beasts are tough and can take many punishments before fallen.
Another gunshot blasted the head of a 1st Class, it was from Kiritsugu's Origin Contender.
"Bastard... Just how many of those things are here, not even Camelot or Babylon was this ridiculous." Kiritsugu said after he killed another beast after he reloaded his Contender again.
Back at the machine gun bunkers in the fort.
The machine gun bunkers still fire at the oncoming enemy, but most of the operators can't fire properly or hide beneath and just spray and pray or got blown apart from unlucky gunshot and have to be replaced. You can't blame them though, they were humans who were thrown in the war between the supernaturals. Even if you gave them the means to fight, you can't expect them to just take it to fight like normal warfare. But there is one person who is doing his duty to utmost efficiency, and that person is Arnold.
Holding the trigger of the MG5 that was set up for the defensive purpose, a 120-round box connected to the gun. This is what the Assassin come up with and he'll do it with all of his best. Decisive, efficient, every single bullet strike its target, he focuses entirely on his enemies. Perhaps because he is a Heroic Spirit, he is able to combat in far greater power compared to normal humans. Taking the old Archer's advice, he put with all of his soul into it in order to reawaken his old memories, even if it isn't the best way to do so.
Every soldier he takes down, he felt that he is breaking through the sealed door of his memory. Azure ashes fly through the air as he continues to fire relentlessly. The shout of command let out by the foxholes' soldiers, the sound of eternal firing of his machine gun, the drizzling rain that never stops, even the scream of agony, fear heard let out by his allies, the thuds of lifeless corpses soon dissipate into ashes.
Every second passed, his enemies are still plentiful as they charging in mindlessly like a mad man. He started to ponder how many bullets have he fired, and when he too caught up in his own fight, he unknowingly said the words of his own memory.
"Smell the fear and feeling of dread
Rapid fire to end them all..."
A memory flashes, he sees himself, firing what looks like an old model machine gun at the oncoming enemies, but it isn't the abomination he facing right now, they were... humans. He heard their screams, their cry of anguish, he felt them all. He stationed with his machine gun and he is using the corpses to build a makeshift foxhole to fight back.
A sound of a large explosion snapped him back to reality, it was at the distant mountains in front of him.
"Good, I'll tell my Master and his allies that we can now proceed to the next step of your plan." The old Archer said behind him.
"Good to know, there are way too many enemies on the battleground right now and we need to take the plan to its next step. Step 3! Rain fire!" Gudao commanded
"Haha, I'll show them the judgments of the heaven after all..." The old Archer said.
Back at the foxholes.
"They weren't lying when these blades won't break at all." "How much ammo did we expense already?" "Right flank! 1st Class! All MGs! Focus fire!" "I swear that I'll swim in casings before we even reach midnight if we still know what time it is!"
It was pure chaos, they already lost their kill count long ago and they have already lost their perception of time, azure ashes fly everywhere. "Azure Soldier" is what they decided to call those things due to the fact that they turn into azure ashes upon death. If they were killed in the close proximity, Pierce and his squad will loot their ammo before they dissipate to ashes like their dead carriers and they have to say that the Azure Soldiers' ammo surprisingly fit their weapons despite having different caliber.
Their weapons' ammo reserve in actuality has an extremely deceptive capacity due to the fact that they ran on mana instead of the usual casing which probably explains why they can just insert different calibers ammo and it would still work. They don't know why it still ejects casing though.
"Pierce! I think I saw-" Before he said his words completely, he got headshoted. If it weren't for the armor he wore, there wouldn't be a head left and instead, he just got knocked to the ground.
"Punisher! Are you alright?" Pierce frantically trying to check up on him.
"I'm... alright. Pierce! Snipers... inbound!" The soldier said while being dizzy yet still lucid enough.
Pierce quickly telepathically speaking to his Servant in order to tell him to find a way to deal with the Snipers as soon as he can.
"Hmph, understood. Gudao! Tell your Servants that we being aimed at by Snipers." The old Archer transferred his words to Gudao after he heard what Pierce has to say.
"Don't worry, they are in the frontline and most likely being attacked by Snipers too, I trusted that they will deal with them soon enough when they realized their targets," Gudao said.
Back at the frontline
Shirou and Kuro have used their bows more frequently compared to the beginning, mainly using Hrunting, one of Beowulf's magical swords, in order to take out both of the beasts and 1st Class effectively thanks to its ability to pursue its user's target. Kiritsugu has already fired completely his tenth Calico magazine and reloading the eleventh. He got shot many times but Iri used her healing power in order to restore him back to normal or at least not in too bad condition for combat.
"Hrunting..." Shirou said the true name of the weapon before reinforcing it and charge it up.
The blade changed its form into a pitch-black arrow with a few edges around its thin core, spiraling around it and somewhat curving forward. Red sparks started to spark around the tip of the arrow and soon Emiya releases the arrow.
The arrow turned into a red magical bullet as soon as Emiya released it as it moves with an unimaginable speed as it pierces a line of enemies unstopped. It would have moved faster if he spends more time to charge but right now he doesn't have that luxury thanks to a certain someone deep inside the forest that even outrange his Hawkeye and because of that, he put his Mind's Eye on all the time, he can't afford to go inside the forest and abandon the frontline alone to its own.
Another bullet deflected with his Kanshou when he projected it immediately but he realized something is wrong. The bullet he deflected isn't having much force unlike before where it would strike like a bombing raid, Shirou quickly uses his Hawkeye again back at the direction of the forest and he started to notice that there are 50 Snipers inside the forest and located in separate locations. Even worse that they are aiming at his sister who was busy aiming her Hrunting at another beast. He doesn't have enough time to aim at them all or will his sister notice them until it is too late.
"Kuro!" Emiya screamed as he made a mad dash toward her
"Onii-chan?" Kuro confused at why he is dashing toward her.
In that very moment, a second stretched to infinity as even a grain of time is beyond precious to him, this is a do or die situation and he can't afford it to happen. After losing Chaldea, any Chaldean Servants' death is permanent and those memories can't be recovered and he dreaded that very thing the most. He doesn't want to lose anything anymore, especially his family. He dashes with all of the might he could muster as if he thinks that he has to make his shadow eats his own dust to save her.
In split second, he managed to grab her arm and took her out of the harm's way. But, it was bold of him to believe that was the last to worry. The SS Archer was an opportunist and at that moment, a sharp pain ran through from Shirou's waist toward every fiber of his being. He was shot at the waist and the Archer falls face flat on the ground, Kuro gets up as soon as she can and quickly assess the situation and act accordingly.
"Trace on!" Kuro said as she deflects more bullet, many blades appeared behind her and quickly impaled themselves to the ground which acts as a parameter to protect her brother. This is a battlefield, not one on one combat. Shirou tried to gather himself up despite the agonizing pain that spread throughout his body.
"Mother! Father! Onii-chan got injured! Please help him!" Kuro cried.
The moment her words reached their ears. Both Kiritsugu and Iri's parental instinct flares up into an inferno that would burn with such intensity that not even ashes remain. They ran towards the siblings with an inhuman speed even for Servants' standard to save their children.
"Don't worry, I'll patch him up as fast as I can!" The mother said when she uses her healing power to quickly fix up her son's wound.
Both Kuro and Kiritsugu quickly gather their vigilance and try their best to protect them with all they had. Kuro deflects any gunshot that was fired at them, especially that Archer's attack which wounded her brother. Kiritsugu fired the Calico with one hand while the other fire the Contender, he can deflect attack but he much prefers attacking than deflecting hails of bullets with his knife.
"Jii-san..." Shirou whispered.
Kuro was too focused on deflecting attacks right now and thus she didn't hear it but Kiri decided he should at least lend an ear for him.
"Jii-san... There are Snipers, please take them out in my stead... They are focus firing on Servants." Shirou said weakly, the shot was probably near fatal.
Immediately after Shirou said it. Kiritsugu realized what he has to do. But how would he do it? He doesn't have any Clairvoyance skill in order to partake in long-ranged combat. But a spark in his mind gives him a hint and he decided that he would try it to see if it works or not. Kiritsugu whips out a peculiar sniper rifle. A WA2000 to be exact, a sniper rifle that was made with precision and accuracy put at top priorities and thus very rare. He has personally modified it in order to detect magus back when he was alive and perhaps it might work against them.
Looking through his modified heat detection scope, he sees many small azure blots that spread throughout the forest through the scope. It is small but it has proven that it is indeed worked.
"Hmph, guess those things won't believe what hit them," Kiritsugu smirked.
Time alter - square accel
Back at the fort
Pierce and his squad have emptied so many bullets that they started to think the Assassin's estimation was completely off the mark. The endless firing of their weapons, they already got so used to it, they felt they would sick after all of this is over. The tension keeps rising, the air is stiff. They felt like there is no end to this fight. Pierce with his eye looks through the scope already full of bloodshot from all of the tension
Suddenly, a can fall on top of him, Pierce broke out of his focus and he looks back at his Servant.
"Master! Use the smoke grenade that I have given to you right now!" Pierce heard what his Servant is shouting at him.
Within the heat of moments, Pierce quickly grabbed the cylinder can he got on and throw it as far as he humanly can towards where he believes would have most enemies. When the can hit on the ground, a pillar of red smoke started to rise from where it landed.
"Firing the mortars at the smoke pillar, now!" His Servant shouted back at the rag-tag mortar teams.
Since the threat of Artilleries was eliminated, the mortars can fire without fear of being countered. Each one of them loaded the shells into the mortars as they adjust the firing coordinate.
"Fire!" a shout was heard, a mortar has fired its shell. The flaming shell flies above the defense line as it comes for the designated area that Pierce has marked with his smoke grenade. As soon as the shell impacts on the ground, a pillar flame replaced where the smoke was. The azure soldiers that charging through it ended up set ablaze and eventually burned until they became charred lifeless corpses and the rest is already known.
"You see the power of my self-designed incendiary shells, did you? Because tonight, we will scorch this earth into hell." Pierce heard what his Servant said telepathically
Back at the frontline, the Emiya family are still fighting bitterly with everything they have, if it weren't for the corpses turning into ashes, they would have stacked them all into mountains.
"It seems like you started to think smarter about the use of Chronomaturgy after all, you use it on rifle bullets instead of applying to yourself," Iri said to her husband
"After receiving that Memorial Essence, I punched myself for not thinking about that way of using Time alter but that is in the past and now I have the knowledge to use it to the best of its ability," Kiri said with an exhaust tone due to the fact that he has to apply each bullet individually.
"Well, it is better than you rip yourself apart from time dislocation re-correction," Emiya said while he is deflecting attacks after he managed to get back on his feet.
"Everyone? Our Master said we should retreat right now!" Kuro said after she received her Master's telepathic warning.
The Emiya family's member now looking at each other, if their Master has told them to retreat then their Master must be having a very good reason to do so. Quickly on their feet, Shirou projects blade to take out the trashes while running toward the defense line, his sister returns fires with Hrunting in order to sweep out the beasts that still trying to pursue them. Iri still held on tight to Kiritsugu as he runs back at the defense line
Suddenly, Irisviel felt a horrible premonition, she doesn't know what is going to happen but her mind is screaming at her in danger.
"Shirou! Do you see anything dangerous?" Iri asked her son.
Shirou quickly uses Hawkeye again after his mother asked him. But that action has become his saving grace as he started to notice a large caliber bullet that moves with extremely fast speed and shredding the wind around it. To make the matter worse, it was moving toward him.
Shirou sidestepped and managed to evade it in a split second. Blocking that attack is near impossible without using Rho Aias and doing so is basically revealing his trump card. That round burrowed into the ground and raze the earth around it. It is clear that there is no survival if anyone got struck by that thing.
"Thanks for telling me, Okaa-san!" Shirou thanks his mom.
"Did that Archer used his Noble Phantasm? To be fair, that is actually disappointing that it is really weak compared to other heroes but it probably a disposable one." Kuro said.
"Be careful! We can't guarantee that Archer won't use his Noble Phantasm again!" Kiritsugu told his son.
They are getting closer to the defense line, but that Archer still firing those whirling hurricanes as it razes the ground as it went nearby pass them. When they getting closes to the foxholes and leaped to the top of the defense line. Pierce and his squad ceased fire for a moment in order to make way for the Chaldean Servants.
"They are retreating? Those attacks must have been very dangerous..." Pierce thought"
"By the way, I recommend you to stay there a little bit for now and not taking a peek no matter what," Kiritsugu said to Pierce as he evades another whirling shot towards him. Thankfully, no one was near him for that moment.
Heeding his words, Pierce commanded his squad to not peek no matter what. Pierce's attention suddenly turned back at the defense line as he's looking at his Servant. The old man stands proudly as he begins his speech.
"Brave fighters of this last stand, this will be our answers to the evil of the Nazi regimes...
Tonight, we'll show the valiant hearts of the prisoners of our own fate
We have shed blood for our own freedom, for our last chance for peace...
Another razing shot was fired and it was aimed at the old Archer but that isn't going to stop him, because a certain someone has decided to withhold his card for this very exact moment.
RHO AIAS!
The seven-petal barrier which blocks any thrown attack, blocking the destructive bullet in its path without even got one petal broken. Emiya has already recognized that bullet and gotten tired of seeing such a thing like that. The worst kind of Noble Phantasm isn't the most destructive one but the one that can be spam many times in the row.
We have given our lives, souls, wills to realize the dream of escaping this hellish nightmare
As soldiers, bounded by our will to fight together to make it to our tomorrow
We'll crawl through mud and blood to reach for that dream, the victory against this very evil we face
Not for honor or glory, not even for fame or medals
But this will be our very fight for what is right
Another shot, another one, tried as he might but he can't even scratch the first petal let alone broke one, that very speech was a symbol of defiance and the SS Archer felt he couldn't let it go on but how much ones might have against the mystic Noble Phantasm dated back at the Trojan War. Shirou still giving his determined glare back at his assailant.
Torn from the arms of beloved ones, friends, families, we ended up here in this hell
Here we languished with no hope to escape, living with the horrors of death and injustices
We might be beaten, we might be slaughtered, but we will not be broken...
Tonight, all of you abominations will hear our messages against your corrupted and arrogant leader
Tonight, all of you who bows to evil...
WILL BURN IN THIS DEPTHS OF HELL!"
And the very next moment, the fearsome cries and a rain of fire come burst through the sky, the rain can't extinguish the flame of valiance that will soon set the horizon ablaze. All of those flaming shots race with each other one to see which will fulfill their duty first. Soon all of them slammed onto the battleground as they created a wall of infernal flame stretching across the refuge, the blazing wall will withstand until daybreak and the smoke pillars that stretch toward heaven will prevent any long-ranged warfare. It is just the cleaning up remain.
"Thank god! We finally going to get some breather." "I'm exhausted, never in my life have I went through such a large scale siege like this." "This isn't over, isn't it? There is no way it would end now, isn't it?"
"Guess we can finally let out a breath of relief, isn't it? All units, clear up any remaining enemy. The enemy wanted us dead and they won't stop with this feeble amount of soldiers." Pierce command his squad.
Of course, this is still only the beginning of the longest night.
The rose that blooms beautifully in the lunar light, shall wither upon daybreak.
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Flame-scarred Sin
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Inside the forest after the blazing barrage that clouded entire refuge
"Those refugees that you put your utmost to protect sure put up a good fight, isn't it? My old friend..." The SS Archer said.
If it weren't for the sound of the raging infernal wall, it would have been dead silence. But the SS Archer knows for sure of who he is talking about and he intended to call him out.
"Don't play silence with me you know. You think I wouldn't notice the patches of snow you left over?" The SS Archer said.
After what he said, the Finnish steps out of the shadow, carrying a wave of anger that is clearly felt from him even if it not shown in his face.
"It is good to see you, my old friend. Did you enjoy playing protector for those drifters?" The SS Archer sarcastically said to the Finn.
If 'the Finn's' anger can be described as a flame then the SS Archer has just made it more intense. His expression became more furrow as he listens to what his 'friend' got to say.
"Haha, I see what you are trying to say here... You saying that why in the flying fuck am I here? Right?" The SS Archer read what the Finn is thinking.
Every word that the SS Archer said so far only irritates the Finn much further as if the Archer intentionally picking his words carefully just to spite the Finn even more.
"Remember when you still in the SS Waffen, my bud? In the campaign for our reinvasion of Soviets. Your intense thirst for communists' blood was so much that you make the rest of your supposed to lead team and me eating your dust while you make large-scale bloodbaths in every town you find." At this point the SS Archer intentionally trying to add fuel for 'the Finn's' flame of wrath.
"What are you trying to do here?" The Finn's rage started to seep into 'the Finn's' word.
"Remember when you push the Russian civilians into a tight shed and there you barricade the door to prevent them from escaping. What you did next is that you scorch the shed aflame while you laughing ecstatically when you listen to their screams in anguish and terror." The SS Archer said of what he has seen that day while still held that shit-eating grin of his.
The Finn's flame of anger can't be called a fire anymore but more of a large-scale conflagration.
"Why do you know about this..." The Finnish's said with an angry tone but not being loud.
"You already forgot that I was the SS Waffen's most powerful designate marksman? Shame on you, buddy. Even if I were gonna eat your dust, I'm still going to see what you were doing. Like how you waltz into the Moscow killing the Red Army personnel by ripping their heads by their jaw, one by one. That time you lining them up to prepare to butcher them with slaughterhouse's equipment?" The SS Archer still held that shit-eating grin of his.
Now 'the Finn's' anger becomes an inferno as it started to reach his limit of temperance. His anger started to become more visible in his expression.
"And should I add that moment when you also rip out the fetus of a pregnant woman and rip that fetus's head and kick it with a power that breaks the sound barrier and completely blown torso of a father who is running in terror from you? There are a lot more horrible shits you did and as much of a friend I am. That is still going to be a yike from me, bud." The SS Archer finally stopped grinning and his expression started to become serious.
The Finn's anger started to reach the point that it would turn metal white-hot. His anger has become obvious. If looks could kill, the SS Archer would be dead by now.
"To top it off. You decided to use the top-secret WMDs without the Furher's permission to go complete extinction on Russia. If what the Furher did to the Jew is called a bloodbath then what you did is a Holocaust, you genocide an entire nation just because you were salty about your house being taken away. You should be glad that the Furher overlooked the entire thing and not execute you for doing so." The SS Archer this time is calling out on his friend's bullshit.
Unable to hold his anger any further. What the SS Archer said was unforgivable to him. He materializes his bayoneted Mosin Nagant to quickly silence him as he dashes with a speed that makes him nothing more than a hazy image. Unfortunately for the Finn, the SS Archer has also quickly materialized his bayoneted Kar98k to block his friend's attacks. He deflects 'the Finn's' attacks with ease as he drives away the bayoneted rifle of the Finn.
"You committed treason against your homeland just to fulfill that burning hatred of yours. Dishonor them right after they gave you the Mannerheim Cross." The SS Archer calls out on the Finn for being irrational to the point that he commits genocides in the name of his hatred.
"SHUT UP!" The Finn shouted angrily at The SS Archer as he continues to slash at the Archer.
Sparks fly from each clash of the bayonets, even if they weren't Knights of Middle Age' level of close combat power, it is still beyond the realm of men. Lashing each other with their rifles, they don't even bother to fire the gun. Both of them move with an unreal speed as they continue to clash with each other. The Finn seems to be in the hapless as his attacks were easily deflected, the Finn started to whip out his Suomi and fire it toward at the Archer that he wanted to get him out of his face as soon as possible. The Archer did the same by using his MP40 and fire it back at him.
Sparks burst as each of their bullets clashes with each other as it deflects each of them from harming their users. It was almost uncontested as both of them still held their triggers until the Finn leaped sideways to flank his opponent. The SS Archer realized what the Finn intended to do in the last few seconds and he jumped back in order to avoid being slashed.
The Finn is obviously being controlled by his rage more than his own mind is. The SS Archer still held his stances while aiming his MP40 at his opponent.
"I know how you work, my man. That Finnish side of your is only useful for traversing areas and escape routes securement. If you want to kill me then show me the man I know. The ruthless monster that Stalin has placed a massive bounty on!" The SS Archer said as if he is willing to unleash the monster within the madman.
The Finn doesn't care anymore, he wanted the SS Archer dead and he'll do it no matter what. White dust flows out of the Finnish's white-cloak as it turns into the SS Waffen's officer uniform. Only madness is in his eyes and he'll stop at nothing but turning the SS Archer into a gory mess.
"Tsk, I'm just about to get bored anyway. Showtime!" The SS Archer said as he prepares for the fight of his lifetime.
Your intention won't excuse the bloodbath you made...
"._.""._.""._."
Rose at Midnight
"._.""._.""._."
Back at the fort.
"Everyone! Step 4! Unleash the Horde" Gudao commanded the ragtag band of soldiers which consists of 70-80 man who each all of them wore hastily made armor and armed with muskets and dynamites.
Their armor which if you look at it, calling it armor is a long stretch as it only consists of a dense metal mask that has a small peek for eyes and their body armor is just two sheets of thick steel banded with each other with rope to look like armor. Compare it to Pierce's squad' armors, it is like comparing a wrecked car to a factory new tank. Even so, it managed to reduce enough damage so that the wearer doesn't die from shock or the sheer power of the enemy's bullet, it doesn't save you from being knocked away from the sheer bullet impact when hit, though.
Shirou and Kiritsugu have built more of their 'exclusive' blades and built multiples covers so that all militia will be able to take cover and fire back. Which is now where the frontline is taken place.
"Target Acquired!" Before a militia takes down a "1st Class" with his musket.
It still doesn't completely save the militia squad from casualty though.
"Medic! My hand!" A militia said as his hand is blown from his arm during the crossfire. But despite under heavy fire, the man's savior has come. The US soldier wearing his satchel that has a red cross printed on it. He quickly checks the man's arm and his severed hand, he quickly grabs his anti-biotic and painkiller...
"I hope you will be able to withstand this." The US said as he injects the man with the painkiller and pours anti-biotic over the arm, and then he proceeds to sew with a speed that is hard to perceive by humans' eye the hand back to the arm. Afterward, he bandaged them together and said.
"I'm going to bring you out soon since you can't use your arm anymore in the time being, the reason I'm binding your hand back in the first place so that it would at least become operable in the future, but now? You gotta get out of here and stay alive." The US Soldier said.
"But I have to fight-" The soldier replied before he got cut off again.
"No! You fight to live another day, not fight to your death! That is what every soldier I know fought for and do you know how many of my friends die when they wanted to just wrap their entire war up?! I stepped into a hell where you would walk three steps then die to save any soul that stuck there. Don't die for others! Live for them! You understand?" The US said.
Only silence from him is left, the US proceeds to carry him out. Running with a fast speed that easily overtakes the bullet train as he leaped over the fort. His destination right now is the ridge itself. He set the man out in the stretcher and he quickly binds rope at each of the stretcher's ends. He slowly let the man down to the bottom of the ridge with the said stretcher. After that man got out of the stretcher, the US soldier quickly pull it back up and return to where the fight is taken place. He heard the yells and screams of the fight as it urges him to do his best, even when he can't hold a weapon in his hand.
Back at the frontline
"Reloading!" A militia said as he quickly loading his gun.
"Dynamite!" Another militia said as he ignited his dynamite and thrown it as far as he humanly can.
The fight has gone on for how long who knows. But at least, the battlefield started to clear up and the amount of roaming Azure soldiers has been pushed down greatly thanks to the wall of infernal flame that was erected by the barrage of incendiary shells which prevents further personnel invasion.
Finally, the last Azure soldier fell as a sniper round cleanly burst through its head. Its lifeless body fell on the ground and soon all is lefts is the azure ashes from the last corpses.
"Is it over? We... We won!... We actually made it." A militia exclaimed as he finally is able to stop fighting.
Every of the militia celebrated in happiness, tears shed because they were so emotional that they can't put it all into happiness. But it was a short-lived victory as Emiya quickly tell everyone to hide in their cover.
"Everyone! HIDE!" Emiya screamed as he started to notice what was wrong.
A shell moving so fast it breaks the sound barrier, Pierce's squad felt something is actually wrong by themselves and their bodies have instinctively run for their safety even before it managed to be fire, but the same can't be told for the 2 militias who were in its way.
"BOOM!" A deafening explosion replaced where the two militias stood, there was nobody left for it was too powerful for even human's recognition.
"Shit! Everyone! Get back to your position!" A militia said as he dives for the cover.
From deep inside that infernal wall, they can see a silhouette. Wait, no. There were many shadowy figures deep inside the flame but there is no mistaking those large mechanical monstrosities. They were Panzersoldats and they came to eradicate the last of Polish.
"Expressor! You know what to do!" Pierce said to one of his squadmates who he designated that nickname.
"Got it! " The soldier said as he grabbed his rifle grenades and prepared to load his Grandeur Express.
Those large mechs walk out of the flame, unhindered by the wall of infernal flame. They aimed both of their cannons and machine guns in order to cause as much destruction as they can.
The machine guns from those Panzers were let loose as they suppressing anything from daring to peek up, it clears that the militia got their hands tied as there is no way in hell would they manage to retaliate without getting killed by the machine guns' fire.
"Caladbolg!" Both Shirou and Kuro chanted one same word as they let their arrow flies. The two arrows broke the sound barrier simultaneously as they twist the space around them. It is just not the air but the conceptual 'space' around it being twisted. The first arrow impacts on a Panzer blowing it apart, slinging its broken pieces everywhere, the second arrow did the same. The Panzers' attention changed to the siblings who were running around, aiming with their bow with unusual arrows loaded. They see the siblings as a more dangerous threat than the entire fortress and its defender.
The siblings have drawn the Panzers' aggro. The mechs now focus fire on the siblings because they have taken out 2 Panzers right in front of the others. No longer under fire, the militias pick their moments to throw out any dynamites they have in their possession since their muskets and rifle will do little to no damage. The explosions from the enchanted dynamites dealt visible damage to the leg of the nearby Panzers.
"Take this!" A militia screamed at the top of his throat as he flings his stick of dynamite at a Panzer.
The dynamite exploded as it blew up the leg of a Panzer, making it fall face flat to the ground. Shirou leaped and aim his bow at the crippled Panzer.
"Caladbolg!" Shirou chanted as he let his altered Caladbolg arrow fly.
The arrow flies with a speed that cut the distances between him and the crippled Panzer almost instantly. An explosion shook the ground as it blew Panzer apart. Soon, the wrecked parts of the Panzer dissipate into ashes.
The speed of the Archer duos let them evade the barrage of machine guns fire and tank shells while the Panzers still attempt to fire at them with their machine guns. Those things don't care if the fort's defenders are damaging them bit by bit.
The battle raging on but Shirou heard something, it sounds like engine of something but it is distinct enough to not sound like the Panzers'. Felt something is wrong, Shirou telepathically communicated with his Master.
"Master, I think we have some uninvited guests coming here," Shirou reports his Master.
"Then you know what to do," Gudao replied.
After receiving his Master's word. Gudao told his sister that the enemy's air forces will be inbound. And that moment, they will have to fight both the fighters and Panzers.
"No need for that, my friends! Leave those hunks of junk for me!" A voice was heard on the battlefield, it was from the old Archer.
Suddenly, a Panzer blew up and everything halts for a moment. Back at the fort, the old Archer is standing next to a cannon that has smoke went up from its bore.
"And this isn't a one-shot pony!" The old Archer laughed.
The cannon fired again, this time the Panzers evaded it. The thing was enchanted and run on mana, it is obvious that it is capable of being operated by one man and having enough power to penetrate the Panzer's armor
Realizing the potential threat, they turn around and aim at the fort but the next moment, a Panzer got blew up.
"Forget about me already?" Kuro smirked at those Panzers.
Now that they realized they were stuck between a rock and a hard place. The Panzers started to fire whatever they had anywhere. Bullets and shells fly everywhere. The smell of burnt gunpowder fills the air. Thankfully that they still consider the Servants as a much more dangerous threat than cannons and the militia combined or otherwise the cannon crews can't fire at them.
The roaring engines of the aviating machines keep getting louder over time, signaling their approach. The Panzers aren't still dealt with yet they already have more enemies joining the fray in a "soon to be" more chaotic battle.
"Master! The fighters are coming!" Shirou warned his Master.
"Then you already know what to do, Step 5! Skewer the winged beasts!" Gudao said.
The loud engine of planes become more and more loud with each second pass, warning of its imminent oncoming. Under the drizzling rain that went on eternally, the squadrons of who knows how much penetrate through the smoke pillars as they prepare to rain death upon the mortal below. But no one underneath them will accept to die from them.
Emiya traced a weapon out of his hand, he soon reinforces and alters it to fit what he needs to do. Why did Shirou trace that one weapon specifically? There is only one reason for that, the weapon he traced is the Nameless Dagger that belongs to Medusa which is more of a "nail" than "dagger". It has the power to restrain and immobilize any targets it managed to strike. A bonus is that it will not release from its target as long as its user still wants it to do so.
The arrow lights up with blue tint from the mana Shirou charged, his eyes turned silver as he can see everything in perfect detail in the sky, the reflecting raindrops, the fighters unleashing its barrage, even the mana-charged bullets that are raining down upon and the flare that shines like a moon in dark night.
His determinating gaze pierces through everything as he let the altered dagger flies through the air. The arrow became a crimson bullet that moves with a speed that breaks the sound barrier instantaneously from the moment it is fired. Not even in a split second, it has claimed its first blood. A fighter got pierced and immobilized, Shirou took his chance and grabbed the chain.
Being a modern Servant ain't help that he only got D for Strength but that has never stopped him from achieving his goal before. Gather all of his strength, he whipped the fighter jet down straight to the ground. If Heracles was here, he could have used this pierced fighter as his personal wrecking ball but again, 'beggar can't be chooser'.
The fighter crashed into the ground, he could have just used Hrunting to get the job done faster than doing this but he has a good reason to do so. Shirou dashed to the crash site and use his Hawkeye to analyze what he can still use.
"An enchanted Fw 190, the MG131 machine guns were destroyed upon impact, the MG151/20 is still intact and can be used as cover autocannon." Shirou thinks when he analyzes the crashed fighter.
His Servant strength easily ripped through the crashed fighter and revealed the autocannon still intact. he takes the entire thing and retreats back to the fort while holding the autocannon in his arm.
"Fire in the hole!" A soldier in Pierce's squad said as he fired his rifle grenade.
The rifle grenade impacts on the Panzer and destroyed its main cannon. Shirou decided to ignore because he'll need a certain someone who could turn this scrap into a weapon that could penetrate the Panzer without relying on dwindling explosives supply. This is a part in step 5, the Panzers are most likely to be destroyed to the point there isn't anything that could be salvaged so they will resort to taking down the fighters. It was basically, take down the fighter with the least amount of damage done to the fighter so that they can salvage the weapon.
And what he just did is the least damage he can do, Hrunting will most likely twist the entire fighter, thus making the whole thing unsalvagable and Caladbolg will vaporize it. He jumped on top and enter the fort through its back entrance.
"Archer! Can you give this thing a pistol grip so that the militia can have a fighting chance?" Shirou said.
"Good, I didn't wish for them to fight, but fate has said otherwise. If this can help them to fight back then I'll do what I can." The old archer said.
The sounds of scream and pain echo in the frontline, the old Archer's gut wrenched for every moment he has to hear it. Sweats form on his forehead as he tried to turn the thing into a weapon with the least amount of time spent. Within a few seconds, he managed to turn it into a stationary deployable autocannon.
"Quick! Bring it to the front, they will need it!" The old Archer said to Shirou.
"Got it!" Shirou said as he brings out the autocannon which is now trigger fired and having a tripod mount.
Lifting the autocannon easily in his hand. He dashed through a machine guns bunker's window to cut down his time to return to the frontline. The next moment he got out, the Panzers started aiming at him in the next instance.
"So they focus firing on Servants like many others. They sure have a screwed up priority to the point they would ignore things that aren't Servants but still capable of harming them." Emiya thought as he quickly threw the autocannon in the other direction.
By the other direction, he means Pierce, the only person who is most likely to know how to operate a weapon like this.
"We being slaughtered right here!" A militia screams as he can't handle the escalating chaos and the rising casualty. No one can blame him since this is a war between the supernaturals.
"Take this!" Emiya threw the autocannon as carefully as he can since he doesn't want to destroy it by accident.
The autocannon landed near Pierce, struck deep into the ground but thankfully, it is still in one piece. Pierce noticed the gun and tried to pick the thing up. Shirou is a Servant, thus he can lift anything with ease. Pierce, however, is a human and thus struggling to just lift it up from the ground. The armor he wore is his only lifesaver and it has already taken most of his carrying weight. But thankfully, if one can't do it then two can.
"Pierce! I'll give you a hand." A soldier in Pierce's squad has come to his aid.
Ignoring the machine guns' bullet literally clashing on their armor and cover like a tempest against a rooftop, the knockback from impacts should have knocked them back to the fort and continuously eating bullets as they got pinned to the fort's wall. They stood their ground and set up the autocannon.
"Look out!" His soldier said to him as a fighter approach.
Time alter - square accel
The next moment, the fighter was blown to smithereens. Pierce instinctively gazed back at the Assassin that is holding his Stinger Anti-air launcher.
"Focus on what you need to do, this fight isn't going to end anytime soon." The assassin said before he heads back toward the front again.
Pierce still seeing more and more of those Panzers are still coming, the fighters ain't making any of this easier. Together with his squadmate, he managed to set up the autocannon and he decided to test-fire the weapon. Holding the grips with his hands, he aimed the cannon toward the oncoming Panzers, seeing the little Archer who is holding the same gun and running toward the fort, he decided to give her fire support with the cannon.
Pierce let out a heavy sigh before he truly fires the gun. In his next moment, he holds the trigger, let out the stream of empowered lead against the Panzer, it isn't as powerful as the cannons that are firing from the fort but it has enough power to break through the Panzers' armor. He aimed at them with his autocannon and focus on destroying their armaments to render them harmless. The sounds of the high-caliber bullet clashing echos clearly through the battlefield despite the Servants are causing much more destruction than how he ever could in any possible ways.
Kuro dashed by him and it was just in a moment but he swore that he heard that she said.
"Thank you"
Now is not the time to think about what she just said, he focused back at the raging front, some unfortunate militias were shot by tank shells and died without a single trace remains, some received horrible injuries that would have sickened even the most hardened soldiers. Thankfully, the US soldier is dashing around in the front, giving first aid, fixing injuries and evacuating them from the chaos. If it weren't for him, a single injury would have been as good as dead.
"How many are still standing?" Pierce asked his nearby squadmate who is loading their rifle grenade.
"We have 200 able-man who can fight in the beginning, including 85 frontline militias which joined combat recently. By this point, the US has reported the casualty of 58 dead, 105 injured so far. 86 injured were evacuated by the Ruler, fortunately." His squadmate responded.
"Goddamn it... We don't know if we can keep anyone alive by this point considering there are only Panzers..." Pierce said lowly.
"Uhm, Pierce? I think we have something coming..." Pierce's squadmate said
Both of them look up toward the sky and seeing a large plane, one that is far up in the sky but when they look at it. The sense of dread flows through their body, they felt like that thing is carrying the bane of their existence.
And they weren't wrong about it either
"._.""._.""._."
Roar of Steel
"._.""._.""._."
Back in the forest a few minutes before cargo plane arrival
The fight between the SS Archer and the Finn still going on as neither side will yield anytime soon. From an outside perspective, it looks like two SS officers duking it out but the destruction they inflicted on the area around them proves otherwise. The hillside and the forest around them were destroyed to the point it became a rocky and barren wasteland and it still not going to stop them from causing more damage. In fact, they caused more destruction to the terrain than each other.
More sparks fly from each other clash with their bayoneted rifle. A legend of olds would have laughed at the feeble attempt of dueling between them, but this is the fight meant only for two of them and it is much different compares to how old historical figures would. No swords and lances, just guns and bayonets and any trinkets that would help them.
The SS Archer dashes as the trails of bullets line up behind him as the Finn firing the machine guns at him. He sidestepped away from the machine gun fires briefly and aim his Kar98k back. He only got a brief chance as the Finn quickly focus back at him. Within the next instance, he fired his rifle and it strikes the machine gun and knocks it away from 'the Finn's' arms.
Not that the Finn will give up easily, the moment that the machine gun was knocked from his arm, he materializes two Mauser C96 in his hand and quickly firing back at his opponent. The SS Archer realized what the Finn is doing, he switches his stance and deflects the bullets with his bayoneted rifle.
"Why are you doing this? Why do you still follow their orders!?" The Finn screams at the top of his throat.
"Sorry, bud. But orders are orders and I prefer not to die, especially right now." The SS Archer said calmly which irritates the Finn more.
"THEN DIE!" The Finn somehow managed to screams louder.
If it weren't for the smokescreen created by the incendiary shells that were fired. The fort would have a sight to behold at the hillside. The clash between those two creating more destruction than two armies waging war against each other. The sheer strength of the Servants can easily supplant armies entirely.
Within each clash, they hit with such amount of forces that the shockwaves they created shook the ground. The Finn started to become more impatient with the SS Archer and he wanted to finish this, right here, right now. Even if it is going to reveal his true nature and identity, he is going to do it regardless.
When his opponent is about to land his next attack, the Finn switched his weapon and instead of deflecting the oncoming attack, he evaded it. Before the SS Archer realized it, a deafening sound and a sharp pain ran through his senses.
The Finn was holding a shotgun, a trench shotgun, charged straight to him and fire it at point-blank range. Neither Finland nor German has used this weapon at all. The SS Archer coughed blood as he realized the left side of his stomach has been gone, replaced with a gaping hole with intestine shown and blood dripping out of it.
"Damn you, you cheap shot..." The SS Archer cursed his opponent but he refused to show that he is dying.
The Finn fires another shot to finish him off but the SS Archer is still acrobatic like before. He dodges the next shot while still having the strength to fire his gun in retaliation. Decided that close-range combat is a stupid idea, he focuses on firing his rifle and keeping the distance between the Finn and him.
"Why aren't you dying!?" The Finn started to rage again despite he is already raging.
"I refuse to answer you after you played me like a fiddle like that." The SS Archer said while ignoring the wound and pain he is having.
The fight devolved into the SS Archer being defensive as he focuses on distance combat and evading oncoming fires. The Finn started to resort to more unsavory methods as the fight went on. The SS Archer still going on strong despite having such a horrible injury.
The SS Archer tried to increase the distances between the Finn and him. There are two reasons for doing so. First, the Finn has a really powerful close-ranged anti-infantry weapon. Second, he'll need a good distance so that he can use his other non-primary Noble Phantasm.
Taking a deep breath, the SS Archer looks at his opponent, who is come charging with a flame of hatred in his eyes. He focuses, cutting a second into many parts as possible, cutting that parts into more and so. The distance between him and the Finn will be cut in just a few seconds and he will most likely get killed if the Finn got too close. Make up his decision, he materializes a different sniper rifle in his hand, different from his Kar98k. Larger and having a grip and padding stock, it is clear that it is most likely stronger than his Kar98k.
A second has passed and the Finn has cut the distance considerably. The SS Archer opened his eyes and quickly aimed that rifle while holding it one-handed. The Finn lunges toward him and the next second, he leaped back and pulled the trigger.
"Panzer Burst!" The SS Archer screamed as he fired the gun while in the air. The muzzle velocity was so high that it has already broken the sound barrier the moment it leaves the barrel. At this point, breaking the sound barrier doesn't sound like anything special anymore. He was knocked back a considerable distance, but the receiving end will have a taste of its pure unadulterated destruction. The bullet twists the space around it like a mini-Caladbolg, razing the ground nearby the bullet.
The Finn realized the imminent danger and thus leaped away from its direction. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to avoid the attack completely and thus receiving his consequence. The bullet tore through its obstacle easily and went on indefinitely. Meanwhile, the Finn kneels in pain, with his left side now has a hole, but not a single drop of blood was shed from him,
He doesn't have any blood...
"Ha, well, it seems like I learn something thing new every day. You don't even bleed any red blood. Tit for tat for what you have done to me." The SS Archer said as he held himself standing up.
Both of them can't fight any longer, they have inflicted each other crippling wounds and thus can't continue their duels. Suddenly, the sound of a large plane was heard and soon enough. It flies over their heads. Wait, it isn't one large plane. It was five.
"Impossible, the intelligence didn't have any of those..." The Finn cursed.
"Hehe, no plan survives the first contact you know and thus I decided to tweak it a little. And by a little, I mean a huge scale... Heh... heh" The SS Archer laughed wryly while his wound still oozing blood.
"You bastard..." The Finn cursed at him.
"There isn't anything I can do anymore, good luck dealing with the surprise I brought." The SS Archer said before he disengaged and begone from 'the Finn's' sight.
"Damn it... I failed them..." The Finn cursed again, he can't fight in his condition and he isn't any medieval hero that can fight with their gut dripping out. The Finn looking back at the wall of infernal flame and fearing for the worst
And so the worst nightmare has just begun.
"._.""._.""._."
Verge of Death
"._.""._.""._."
Back at the frontline
Words of God: For any sections below, search "Ao no Kiseki- Steel Roar" for the BGM of this part. Any variations work.
"Everyone! Cargo planes incoming!" Pierce yelled as loud as he can.
Suddenly, the flare in the sky disappeared. The illuminating light of daybreak is gone, as the atmosphere turns almost pitch black. The drizzling rain and dark cloud don't make the situation any better. In the fort's area, it was as dark as a moonless night. The relentless assault of the enemy still haven't ended. Confusion and chaos ensue as the militia has no idea of what is happening except for the vicinity nearby the wall of infernal flames and that place has almost no enemy.
"Damn it! This isn't what supposed to happen, Emiya! Use your Hawkeyes" Gudao commanded his Servant.
Soon, Shirou uses his Hawkeye, the eyes of his turned silver-gray with the glint of cold steel. He looked up everything on the battlefield and sees nothing special there until he turns up to the sky.
"Impossible..." Emiya cursed himself slightly.
Even if he was in the dark, he could easily tell by the figures. They were paratroopers and not just any normal infantry they fight so far. They were armed with heavily enchanted flamethrowers which can possibly scorch Demonic Beasts into ashes but what makes him truly feared was the large mechanical humanoid being like the Panzer with a metallic tiger head, significantly heavily armed compared to the Panzer, that is what he can tell for now.
Shirou quickly charged his Caladbolg to fire it. His surroundings illuminated in azure light of mana he extrudes. As soon as the moment comes, he released the arrow and let it fly towards the mech. The arrow explodes with the forces of a thousand bombing run as if it wants to destroy whatever it lands on.
But, it didn't. The arrow barely makes a dent on the target and he only managed to destroy the parachute it was attached to. The figure lands on the ground as it shook the earth around it.
"Impossible..." Shirou shocked when the powerful shot was easily shrugged off like that.
"Focus on illuminating the fort first so we know what we are doing, the enemy has already know where we are and will utilize our blindness to their advantage" Pierce advised
"You said that you'll need light, right? Not that our situation can get any worse by using this. After all, this is all or nothing." Kiritsugu said as he aimed his flare gun up in the sky while in his other hand is holding many emergency flares.
"They'll last for a few hours but hopefully until then, the help will hopefully come in time" Kiritsugu added.
The flare flies up in the sky as if it carrying the last hope of the resistance, so many have shed their blood just to make it this far and they can't give up now. They either made it toward the daybreak or die trying, there is no other choice.
The crimson light illuminates the fort, for those who are still standing. They together will endure anything the enemy has to throw at them.
Everyone now preparing for the oncoming enemy, Gudao has commanded his Servant to not facing the flamethrower in close-quarter combat. Should even one flamethrower even getting close to the fort, it will be the end of anyone who was in it.
"Take out the paratroopers! Now!" Pierce commanded any able-fighter to start the battle.
But the situation has turned for the worse, the tiger-head mech started to move and its eyes are glowing red. It glares at the fort as if it is thirsting for blood.
"What in-" A militia said before he got turned into mincemeat within not even a second. Everyone was dumbfounded at what has just happened.
"Everyone! Dodge!" Pierce screamed.
Before they realized, their bodies have already instinctively dodge to the ground. Some poor souls were unable to avoid suffering the same fate as the first victim of that mech. Their bodies were mutilated to the point comparing a mincer to it is a severe understatement.
"What the hell! This wasn't in our plan before!" A soldier of Pierce's squad said.
"That thing isn't a Panzer, it's a fricking Tiger!" Another soldier of his said.
As if they were literally caught in a storm of bullets, so many bullets were fired at them that they can't fathom how much ammo that monstrosity is carrying. A single bullet inflicts more force than an army worth of bullets all fired on a single target.
"Enough of this, I'll draw that damn thing's fire away," Shirou said before he leaped back to the front.
The Tiger noticed him and quickly fire at him. Shirou dashes with a speed that is multiple times of the fastest human speed. He easily evades the machine gun barrage from the Panzer.
"To think that we are going to face something even worse- Pierce? What are you do-" A soldier of Pierce's squad said before he realized what Pierce is looking at.
He was looking at the cover that Shirou and Kiritsugu have built, the blades were showing signs of being cracked from being continuously fired at. It was never here before until the Tiger attacked.
"Dear God, no..." The soldier realized what is about going to happen.
"All militia! Retreat! You can't stand a chance against that thing!" The old Archer from the fort commanded any still surviving militia to retreat.
"And you too, Master. We can't be sure that your armor can withstand against the Tiger's onslaught. Fall back while you still have the chance!" The old Archer said to his Master.
Pierce looking back at the front where the tanned Archer is duking out against the Tiger, the infantry and Panzers alone have already destroyed the front badly enough and the Tiger would most likely go to add tectonic destruction on the already barren wasteland. Deciding that there is nothing he can do anymore, he quickly rushes back to the fort.
"Get in! Quick! I ain't want to die right now!" "Hurry up!" The remaining militia and Pierce's squad quickly tried to climb into the fort through the machine gun bunkers' windows.
The moment Pierce climbed in, a large deafening sound shaken almost everything in entirety, he felt as if he got shellshocked despite not even anywhere near it. He managed to break through his own blinded senses and quickly got back on his feet. Bullet casings were engraved straight into his mask but compare it to being out there, it is like comparing being bitten by an ant to being mauled by a jaguar. It seems like all of the machine gun bunkers have run out of ammo at certain points. This is actually bad because they don't have any anti-infantry measures anymore. Especially when there are flamethrowers that will come charging here.
He felt the air is much more ominous, even the brink of defeat has never been this tense to him before. He quickly tried to get to the top and contact his Servant.
He finally got up there and seeing many of the cannon crews have already gone out of combat but that isn't what he bothers about. There is still one particular person is standing out. Arnold and his Servant. Arnold is completely different from before, from a "silence and timid" man, he has changed completely into a hardened soldier who is fighting to his bitter end. Operating the cannon one manned, he fired it towards the soon-to-land flamethrowers.
"Arnold! Did you find your memory?" Pierce asked.
"No, I didn't find anything that said who I am, but my heart is telling me to do this no matter what," Arnold said
Pierce looking at the front, seeing a massive crater at where the forest was. It must have been there as proof of what managed to cause such a massive explosion like that. There is no doubt of the power of the Tiger, the thing barely changed at all ever since Shirou jumped in and it seems like the rest of Gudao's Servants has joined in combat to fight back against the Tiger. He doesn't know how they would manage to take down that monstrosity but they have to find any way to attack.
Realized what he needs to do next, he turned to his Servant
"Archer! Can you make a machine gun? Cannons aren't anywhere suitable to combat against large amounts of troops" Pierce told his Servant.
"I... I can't..." The Archer became dead silent. It was as if Pierce has just triggered his trauma, something that Pierce finds it hard to figure out what it is.
"Archer? What's wrong?" Pierce asked.
"I... It just my personal problem, about the machine guns, I, unfortunately, can't help with that." The old Archer replied sadly.
"But how!? You managed to improve our machine guns and armaments, even stuff you don't even know existed in your time!" Pierce said.
"That is either because you have said weapon on hand or know its parts like reading a blueprint" The old Archer argued back
"Damn it old man...This is not the time for your personal problem! This fort is our last shelter and if they come here, this place will be our mass cremation! Think about the people you promised to protect!" Pierce screamed at his Servant.
The old Archer flinched as if Pierce has struck at his weakest point, the Archer felt that he is really pathetic for having his Master calling out on his flaw impeding them at the most critical time.
While the conversation between the old Archer and Pierce keeps getting more discord over time, the Tiger started to take notice of the Servant a top of the fort. Aiming its cannon, before it managed to charge any meaningful amount that could cause fatality, Kuro tried to slash the cannon of the hand of the Tiger. It fired earlier than how it expected and the energy infused shell soon came charging towards the two Servants on the fort.
"What in the..." The old Archer thought when he sees the Tiger aims at him before it fired.
Realized what the Tiger is trying to do. He grabbed his Master and leaped as far as he can. Arnold realized that he is also being aimed at but was unable to act soon enough.
"BOOM!" The explosion is still ridiculous large for any military standard even when it is improperly charged. The shell struck the blades with an extreme force that not even any Servant's power could match. Hit with such huge force, he knocked from where he stood toward nearby the ridge toward the small shack that was old Archer's workshop. He struck it with great forces, parts of the workshop collapses on him and he got knocked out unconscious from there onward. The blades that have taken hit are gone, not a trace left.
"Dear Lord, if that Tiger thing can do this then how can we even stop it at all..." The old Archer dumbfounded at the fact that the blades that they were told to be indestructible no matter what is now gone.
"Screw this! I'm going to stand my ground no matter what, you better get over your own problem or else, everyone you know will be ashes and that is being optimistic," Pierce said to him before he climbs down to fight.
It this the end for them? Are they truly outclassed with no hope of reprisal?
Back at the front, the Emiya family are struggling to fend off the Tiger and the flamethrowers, Kiritsugu has almost got himself on the end of many flamethrowers but he still fights as hard as he can even with limited stamina.
"Caladbolg!" Kuro screamed as she let her arrow loose against her target.
A large explosion soon follows up, but the Tiger still easily shrugs it off like how many times they used that attack.
"Damn it! How do we suppose to destroy this piece of annoyance!" Kuro said before evaded another shell.
The paratroopers have already landed and started to wreak havoc on everything they see, Kiritsugu takes the task to eliminate them from getting near the fort, he has already swapped his Calico for something that has more firepower than an automatic pistol and not his Contender. He resorted to many armaments ranging from M249 SAW, M32 Milkor, even M202 Flash but many flamethrowers managed to flank him thanks for the Tiger's collateral destruction that Kiritsugu has to dodge, they went straight for the fort. For every flamethrower he takes down, they explode into phantasmal blazes, an undying wildfire that its heat hurts even the Servant. To make it even worse, there is no extinguishing them. The flame that they breath ain't any cooler at all.
The flanked flamethrowers still charging toward the forts, thinking that the Tiger will halt the Servants from targetting them. KABOOM! A flamethrower exploded into a phantasmal blaze, a flame, it was bold of them to assume all of the fort defenders are truly out of combat.
"Not out of the fight yet, morons... But I would have appreciated more if you didn't explode" Pierce said.
He and his 9-man squad including him, split into 3-soldier groups, each come to each of the bunkers in order to lay down fire against the oncoming enemy. They have to be selective in their firing so that they avoid exploding the flamethrowers while killing their users in the process. Not to mention should one even come very close, it will be the end for all of them.
"Keep firing, stop at nothing!" Pierce commanded his squad which somehow still has all of its crews alive.
The squad keeps fires at the enemy, carefully taking down the flamethrowers. If even one explodes, the fire left in the aftermath will incinerate any projectile went through it while the flamethrower can waltz through like nothing. That is why Pierce's squad was so adamant about how they must be careful about picking their target.
Another flamethrower's head got blown off. Its power was definitely not from any of his squad until he got a pat from behind. It was the old Archer who is holding a revolver rifle in his hand.
"I know that you're right but I can't simply just tear through my wound to do this. My Noble Phantasm is my greatest blasphemy upon what I swore myself to and I won't pull it out at least until the situation has reached its true breaking point. But at least let me lend you a hand to fend those heretics away, shall we?"
"I thankful for that at least," Pierce replied.
All of them together fight with all of their best. They have faced much more peril threat than this before and they won't let any of them come to burning this place down.
Suddenly, the Tiger's eyes started to turn their attention at them. It started to take its steps towards the fort, ignoring the siblings that were trying to take it down.
Back in the front where Shirou and Kuro were trying to take down the Tiger.
"Kuro! Is that thing walking toward the fort!?" Shirou said to his sister.
"Looks like it to me!" Kuro said back.
Both of them realized that the Tiger doesn't follow the same pattern as the Panzers. It decides what it wants to do, not by any task that has programmed on its mind.
"Jii-san! Okaa-san! Fall back to the fort! The Tiger sets its eyes on it!" Shirou said to his parents.
"What! I thought-" Kiritsugu and Iri who is holding to her husband's back said.
"No time to explain, we have to return in order to-" Shirou said while taking down the flamethrowers near their vicinities before he got cut off by a large crashing sound.
It was the Tiger trying to destroying the fort. And it is making progress in destroying it!
"Impossible... I thought there is no possible way to destroy the timeless blade in this current era!" Shirou said.
"That doesn't matter right now! We need to go back to save anyone who might still stuck in that fort." Kiritsugu replied.
The fort itself is rather small for any sort of scale in fortress building, it is actually the phalanx line along with the fort which funnels all the enemy towards it. It was the basis of step 1 but since the fort is in danger now, the plan might not work any longer for the situation has turned completely upside down.
The Emiya Family rushing back for there is much more concerning danger right now, the fort ain't lasting any longer within this peril.
"I have enough of you!" The voice of a certain old man was heard. The next moment, he is stabbing the eye of the Tiger with what looks like a bayonet rifle. The Tiger roared in "pain" and it tries to grab the old Archer but he has already evaded its grasp multiple times.
"Get out while you still can! Don't stay here!" The old Archer said out loud for everyone to hear.
Back at the fort, everyone was panicking, the fort that withstood everything so easily now crumbling in front of their eyes. Pierce's squad heeds the old Archer and thus got out of here soon as they can. But there are still people inside it and it was pure chaos, some militias managed to get out but it wasn't all of them. The back of the fort was still fine enough but they doubt this place won't end up like how the front is.
"Is everyone alright?" Did all of the militias managed to escape?" Pierce asked his allies.
"Us? Yes. The militia? Not so sure..." A soldier in Pierce's squad said.
Looking back at the fort, there are some militias who managed to escape and lying tiredly on the ground but that is definitely not all of them. The next second, the fort scorching up in flame, they heard it, the cries of anguish and despair. No matter how many times they heard it, it is still a haunting moment no matter what. And all of it was soon gone into the flame before a clock could tick.
And then he sees it, the old Archer got caught in the hand of the Tiger, the Tiger roared as it throws the old man in its hand. The next second, a large impact shook the ground and where the impact happened was where the old Archer was thrown. Judging by the terrain which was heavily cracked and caved in, the force that thrown the Archer judging even by Servant standard is definitely painful no matter how one would say.
"Archer! Are you alright?" Pierce tried to wake his Servant up.
He doesn't seem to be conscious anymore. Not right now, at least.
"Damn it! Someone get him to safety!" Pierce tried to call for help.
"You call me, bud?" The Ruler appeared behind his back.
"You! Please save Archer from-" Pierce begging for the man's help before the Ruler cut him off from saying it all.
"Yeah... yeah... I know, I'll treat his injury and get him prepared for combat as soon as I can." The Ruler said.
"Pierce! The Tiger! It broke through the fort!" Pierce's squadmate screamed when he sees the imminent danger.
The Tiger was aiming its cannon in its hand at Pierce and Ruler when they turn to look at it. An eye in the Tiger head was punctured. No doubt it is really mad right now because Archer has just penetrated its eye. The moment the Tiger noticed them, it charges its cannon, wanting to wipe both the Archer and Pierce from the face of this planet.
But that thing shouldn't have ignored its opponents before.
Rho Aias!
A seven-petal flower bloomed, protecting its user and anyone behind it. This time around, Kuro channel her mana into it. The mana-charged shell came crash upon the layered Bounded Field. The power behinds it was beyond words.
The shell strikes hard into the shield and breaks some petals, a petal of this shield has defensive capabilities akin to a heavily fortified fortress and the Tiger managed to destroy 3 petals with just a shell, just one. Kuro winced in pain as the shield being damaged, the broken fragments of the shield fly through the air as she tried to stand her ground.
The Shirou, Kiritsugu, and Iri managed to make it to the back of the fort and getting behind the barrier that Kuro traced. It is clear that the shield of Aias wouldn't last any longer if that Tiger is still around.
"Why am I still here waiting to get killed?! I got a much more critical task right now." The Ruler said before he grabs the old Archer moves him to the ridge.
"Retreat back to the ridge! Now!" Pierce told everyone who is still alive right now.
Pierce and his squad soon retreat back to the ridge, some militias tag along with them. It seems that the Tiger is more focused on the flower barrier than the retreating force right now.
"Kuro, let me help you!" Shirou said to his sister.
"No! If I let down my guard for even one second, that Tiger will kill us all!" Kuro said back.
Just when she let out her words, the Tiger fired another shell breaking 3 more petals. Kuro screams in agonizing pain that courses through every fiber of her being. The hand that is channeling mana towards the shield is bleeding profusely due to the fact that the shield's condition also represents the user's. The land in front of the barrier was devastated to the point it is impossible to ever rebuilt or terraform on this land ever again.
"Kuro! Let me patch you up!" Iri rushed in, trying to heal her bleeding arm due to receiving damage from eating two broken-charged Tiger shells.
"Mother! I can't block another attack at this point, that thing will breakthrough!" Kuro said back to her mother with tears dripping on her cheeks.
"Kiri! Do something!" Iri looks back at her husband, seeking for an answer.
"I can't! The flamethrowers are still oncoming! I can't let them get close to us either!" Kiri said while firing his M249 SAW at the enemies.
"Shirou!" Iri said back to her son.
"If you count how much Caladbolg II that I use against it, you would know that I am as tied up as you right now!" Shirou said back
Their destruction has become imminent and closer, stuck in a deadlock with no hope of breaking out. They can only hope that there is still someone who would be able to save them from this predicament.
For as nothing is truly indestructible... For nothing can't ever exist without a breaking point...
"._.""._.""._."
Breaking Point
"._.""._.""._."
Back at the collapsed Archer's workshop
Every person who has existed in this world has only lived once. That is how human works. When a single person who has a moment of scraping against death, the person's body senses were enhanced in everything, including in memory. That is what is called 'near-death experience' when life flashes over you. And just in that moment of near-death against the Tiger, Arnold's memories suddenly came back to him even if he didn't completely get every memory of his. It is more than enough for him.
Reminiscence
Another artillery barrages, how much shells have landed on this land? If you ask him, he has already lost count long ago.
The weather so far has only gotten worse over time, it is like a cloudburst but stretched till eternity, corroding the already ruined landscape. The mud makes traversing this battlefield extremely tiring as it held you back over time. The echoes of machine guns that went tirelessly onto the night. He has only one purpose, sending messages and intelligence. In other words, a runner. He constantly has to leave the safety in order to carry out his duty, it is never a good thing. Especially on the frontline right now.
"Help me!" A soldier screamed before being silenced by machine guns.
Running on the path of perils, he isn't allowed to do anything but to do what his job told. But should push came to shove, he'll tag along with a squad and fight in the front. Not that it is a good idea in the first place.
"A large number of enemies incoming!" Another soldier said before he got silenced by a bullet.
Now he realized he can't let things flow on its own right now. Running away at a time like this is asking for death and thus he has to fight or die. He prepares his pistol, a P08 Luger. He noticed that soldiers are panicking and the machine gunners who are firing back are being the same. But something is wrong, his allies are falling one by one while the enemy charges seem to be no stopping at all. He runs through the trench while the enemy is getting closer. He counts every second he could use before he has to encounter combat. Any seconds not having to spend on combat is valuable for him.
And that moment comes and all hell breaks loose. The enemy's soldiers flood into the trench and begin the slaughter. The screams and cries rang out through the air, as everything turned into madness. Arnold who is running can't escape the fight and thus got pulled into it. But, he won't let himself die here yet.
He hides on the blind corner of the trench, waiting for the enemy soldiers to coming in. Trenches are built on zigzag to reduce artillery and mortar damage and he'll take advantage of that. He heard footsteps incoming and taking his chance when a British soldier came.
He aimed his pistol and fired it the next moment a Brit turned around. Arnold put a bullet squarely on the Brit's head before he realized it and Arnold soon grabs the corpse and holding it like a shield, another soldier comes and fired at Arnold before he realized his bullets were striking the corpse, not his intended target. Arnold takes advantage of the confusion and fires his Luger repeatedly at his opponent. The next moment, the Brit he fought against is dead.
Let out a sigh of relief but the fight isn't ended yet. He decided to loot their gears while watching out for footsteps. Taking the revolver and its ammo from the corpses and reloading his Luger. He doesn't need the rifle as he is a runner, not a soldier who charges toward the machine guns' fire. Decided to continue on his duty, he continues to run.
The artillery strikes still go on, there would be a moment soon enough that he'll encounter someone, friends or foes. He continues to run while everything is falling into madness. Finally, he managed to finally see one of his allies.
"Hey! Can I tag along? I need to reach to the officer-" Arnold said.
"Oh! It is you! The runner from before. Surprised to see you being alive for so long." The German soldier said to him.
Arnold can understand why he said that. Runners have the highest mortality rate due to the danger of their own job. You have to leave the safety of the trench and risk being turned into cheese by enemies' fire. But now isn't the time to ponder, it is fights or dies.
"Now isn't the time for idle chatting, the British will overrun us soon if we don't do anything right now! And what's everyone doing right now to lead to this situation!" Arnold asked.
"Don't ask me! We have to retreat right now! There's too many of them and we can't fight them off on our own!" The allied soldier responded.
"Wait! I need to get to the officer to get his letter!" Arnold asked his allies.
"Now isn't the time! He is most likely either escaped from this trench or died already." One of the allied soldiers said.
"British!" A soldier said before he got pierced by a rifle bullet.
The squad returned fire at the enemy soldiers but they realized they got surrounded when there are enemies coming from the back too.
"Move! Move!" One of the leading soldiers said.
Arnold got no choice but to tag along, he decided to grab the corpse of one of his dead allies and use it as a shield. As disgusting as it is, it's the only reason he managed to make it this far.
Arnold watches the back of the squad while the squad moves forward, British soldiers are flooding in the trench and killing anything inside, it was as if the squad that Arnold tags along is the last one alive right now.
He kept firing his Luger while holding the corpse, sometimes switches to the Mk V revolver when he got stuck on a continuous firefight when he doesn't have any time to reload. The corpse soaks up most of the damage but Arnold can almost feel the impact of the bullet even if he isn't directly hit by it.
Suddenly a scream nearby him got his attention, Arnold realized that the squad leader got shanked by a soldier with a bayonet and was bleeding to his death. The enemies in the front used the confusion and killed most of the squad the moment the leader's demise was sealed.
"Get behind me and giving fire support!" Arnold said to the remnants of the squad who are still alive.
The remaining allied soldiers quickly get behind him and return fires while they still have the chance, the enemies fire at Arnold who is holding the tattered corpse that has received many punishments throughout their moving out.
Of course, the corpse can't protect him much more, as bullets penetrating through it. He felt a sharp pain when a bullet grazes through his cheeks. But he can't spare his thought about his pain and focus on aiming his pistol against the charging infantry. The backline soldiers which are two of the surviving soldiers of the squad return their fires with their pistols and rifles.
"I can't keep this up any longer! Prepare to dodge to cover!" Arnold said before he let the corpse go and pulled the two of the soldiers to a blind corner
Well, conveniently enough, a grenade was thrown at them and when Arnold let go of the corpse, it landed on it. The grenade exploded blocking the views away for a second momentarily. It was more than enough for them to escape.
All three of them breathe shallowly, they just lost so many allies and they neither manage to get to anywhere remotely safe nor even make it to the communication quarter.
"What to do now, they'll surround us sooner or later." A soldier said.
They see many British soldiers running past them, it seems like they didn't notice them at all. Finally managed to let out a breath of relief but they know that they'll have to get out of here sooner or less. Otherwise, it will be dead for them all. Arnold takes a deep breath and thinks about what course of action should he took. He takes a good look around where they are right now.
"What's your name by the way?" Arnold asked his two allied soldiers.
"Well, my name is Hans, the other guy is Fritz." One of the soldiers answered.
"Well, good to know you, Hans. Anyway, we're about 150 meters away from the communication quarter that I supposed to be here and I need to get there to deliver messages" Arnold said back.
"Forget about that dude! There is no way you can reach there when there are those Brits everywhere!" Hans whispered.
Arnold understands the risk of getting out of here, he'll paint a giant target on his back and alerts every single Brit who is in here. But, that is what he is going to do.
"Listen, I'll draw all of their attention and all of you will focus on getting out of here while you all still can," Arnold said to his allies.
"What! Are you insane!? There is no way you will survive that!" Fritz said when he heard what Arnold said.
"Listen, I know this is as stupid as a terminally-ill mental patient. But please, for the sake of yours, get out when I making a fuss out there." Arnold said to his allies.
He crawls out of the blind corner and loots the corpses for anything he can use, he grabs 4-5 revolvers and taking its ammo with him, some smoke grenade. Before Fritz or Hans got to say anything. Arnold jumped out of his trenches and the battle has begun.
"A German unit is here! Take him out!" The British soldiers begin heading for where Arnold is, or to be exact, to shoot him down.
"Hans, what should we do now!?" Fritz started to panic.
"We have to help him of course!" Hans said to his panicking friend.
Hans quickly tried to take a look around for anything, they thankful that the British soldiers didn't retake the equipment from the corpse yet. And there is no one here for Arnold has drawn all of their attention.
"Find anything that can help him! Grab a machine gun if you find one!" Hans said to his friend, Fritz.
Meanwhile, above the trenches, Arnold is running with his life on the line, The British tried to fire at him but most of the time, Arnold has evaded them. When there are machine gunners who are aiming their Lewis guns at him, Arnold whips out the two revolvers with one of them in each of his hands. He fired at the head of the machine gunners before they can fire at him. He kept firing at the British soldiers while making his way to the communication quarter, the unending rain with the smell of burnt gunpowder filled the air, his senses were pushed to their limit. Within his own soul and heat of moments, he whispered.
Dodging shrapnel and barbed wire
Running straight into enemy's fire
Running blindly as I hold my breath
Let out a prayer in the symphony of death...
He discards the empty revolver from his hand and takes out another one, his other hand still continuously fire the revolver at the threat that could possibly kill him. 150m, to him, it was as long as running across the world. Anything, anyone could kill him while he runs blindly while desperately looking for his destination. He emptied another revolver and discard it away for a different one.
Suddenly, his body is screaming as if he is facing an unknown danger, he doesn't know what to do as he can't see anything at all. Decided to let his instinct do the job, he put his blind faith in it. He switches his stance and slides on the mud while ignoring the possible danger that he could be fired at. During his stance switching, he felt something grazing his hairs, it was a sniper shot. Having no time to ponder, he pulls himself up after his sliding became slow. Making the last stretch towards the trench leading to the communication quarter.
After landing in the trench, he made his final dash to the communication quarter and there is another British soldier who is aiming his rifle at Arnold, having no time left to reload the revolver nor having any spare one, he grabbed anything that could be used as a weapon and in the heat of the moment, he smashed the opposing soldier's head apart with a pickaxe that he picked from the ground. Seeing the horror of what he has done but he has no time to mourn the enemy, that will be waited until after the war and only if he managed to survive until then.
What greets him in there was the corpse of the man whom he supposes to meet. He was shanked with a bayonet and fired at with a revolver until his body bleeds to death. He sighed, no matter high-ranked you are, you aren't any stronger than a new recruit physically. He examined the corpse and sees a mail that was underneath it. It was tainted with the blood of its supposed sender but it is still readable.
He notices that the officer has a Luger but it is different than his. The dead can't use anything so he decided to take it and examine it to see what is different. It has a longer barrel which allows higher accuracy and muzzle velocity, that is what he knows. He realized this is the rumored Artillery Luger he heard much about which is usually issued for officer and artillery crew. He decided to bring it with him since no one left would ever come here. While searching the corpse, he heard the sound of a bird, he looks around and sees that there is a pigeon cage here.
"Guess the Brits haven't check this place at all," Arnold said before he takes the pigeon cage with him.
He realized that the British soldiers will be coming in here soon. After the chaos he made up there, there is no way he would get away unnoticed. He flips the table and prepares for any incoming enemies. He searches for anything that could help him fend them off. His judgment was half-right, there is indeed a soldier who is running into the quarter but he isn't searching for him. It was as if he is running from someone. Before he got inside the quarter, blood spurts out of him signifying that he is being shot at by a machine gun, but who?
The next moment, he saw two familiar faces rushing into the quarter. It was Hans and Fritz, Hans was wielding a Lewis gun while Fritz has a scoped rifle.
"Dear lord! I would never think I would see you again!" Hans said to his newfound friend.
"Thank the lord that you two are still alive. But why aren't you guys escaping from this place?" Arnold asks his friends.
"Because friends don't abandon each other in the hard times, idiot!" Fritz scolding Arnold for being rash like that.
"Ok... I'm sorry that I made you two have to do this, but what do we do now?" Arnold asked.
"Then we will get out of here, I noticed that there is reinforcement coming soon to retake the trenches, what we have to do is to get in contact with them!" Hans said.
"Oh, and there is a flamethrower kit outside the quarter, it was buried under rubble so no one managed to notice it until I decided to inspect them. Thankfully that they aren't damaged at all." Fritz said to Arnold about what he found.
"Then hold this pigeon cage for me, there might be a time when our fate will lie entirely on it..." Arnold said to Fritz before he hands out the cage to his friend.
"Okay, roll out. Watch my guard for me!" Arnold said before he heads out.
The trio steps out of the quarter and begins their plan, Arnold don on the body armor and the flamethrower, it may limit his mobility but just how long can his fellow friends manage to keep up dodging bullets? It was a gamble on Arnold's part but he has taken his role and there is no turn back from it anymore. He stares emptily onto his front, seeing British soldiers came running in to take the trio down. Arnold takes a deep breath before he does anything and soon he holds the trigger, and his vision from that point turns white as he wakes up from his own memory lane.
Back in reality
Arnold wakes up in the shambling ruin of the old Archer's workshop, he felt immense pain from being strike so hard into a building that was built by a Servant but compares to the pain he experienced in his memory, it is mild compared to it.
"Ugh, what happened? What's going on here?" Arnold mumbles painfully but he still tries to get on his feet.
He sees it, the very indestructible fort is now a burning ruin, a shield that only has one petal left in a distance. A mechanical monster that is destroying everything in its path, it has only one desire and that is to see the world burn. An unending invasion of many flamethrowers and apparently there are a few that are coming his way. Arnold sighed tiredly, he broke something in his body and he himself doesn't sure what exactly has he broke but he can't complain right now. He'll have to stand his ground or he will be ashes that fly through the air.
"Goddamn it, I don't have anything to fight..." He thought when he sees those flamethrowers.
The first one is a considerable distance away from others but that doesn't mean he should be confident when he doesn't even have a weapon. Before he realized it, the flamethrower has already got close enough to him and within that moment. His body reacts almost as if instinct has completely control him, the next second, he has impaled the flamethrower through the chest with a pickaxe and lifting it up as it guzzling blood like a fountain. The blood drips all over the pickaxe that he wields and the guzzling blood spews all over him. At that moment, he whispered.
As the rain of blood unveils my crimson cloaks...
Soon, he throws the impaled corpse away from the pickaxe and it dissipates to azure ashes soon as it lands on the ground. He grips the pickaxe tighter as if he has turned into a completely different being. He searches within his memory to see if he can have any weapons at all.
"...try to remember anything you could probably recall" the words of wisdom from a man who tried to help him.
Arnold takes a deep breath and calmly search within his memory, Servants can't fight without their weapon and they have to get them in some way. He believes that all Servants have this ability and he shouldn't be the exception. Time froze in his own mind, he was like a phantom in his own memories, a wide array of weapons carefully lined up with every weapon he has used or got his hand on so far in his memory, the Artillery Luger and normal variants, Kar98k, Mk VI revolver, even the smoke grenades and stick grenades that he used sometimes. But what truly got his attention was the flamethrower that he got at the end of the memory or at least a part of it. He grabbed the pair of them and decide that the flamethrower will be used at the most needed, there is no need to play all of his hands yet.
He snaps back to reality while holding the pair of Artillery Luger in his hand. Realized how he would be able to fight back, he realized what he is truly capable of. He doesn't know who he is yet but he'll use this refounded power to hold back the infernal horde and the Tiger. He decided to bring the pickaxe along should he get caught on close combat situations. He focuses his strength on his feet and dashes with a speed beyond how one would expect from a modern Servant, he ran while firing the pair of pistols in his hands at the oncoming flamethrower.
With truly unexpected power boost, the pistol rounds easily burst through the flamethrower but there are still too many of them for him to handle alone. He decided to switch his tactic and that he'll skip through all of them. For the virtues of being a runner, he leaped on the head of a flamethrower and his action completely throw the others off guard. The sound of metal rang with each flamethrower he stepped on and with a speed which completely outspeeds flamethrowers. He ran on their heads and make a large jump off the last one.
The next moment he landed, he straight up shook the ground of where he landed. Having nothing left to stop him and still by a considerable distance from where he needed to be, he pushes his legs to its limit and his own feet literally digging the ground up from the speed it moved. Another group of flamethrowers is in front of him and they started to fire first and create a wall of flame before he getting anywhere close to them as if they decided to use suppression instead of using brute force.
Seeing what they intended to do, Arnold returns back to his mind, back to an armory that was locked in time and space from anything else. There is only one person there and that was Arnold himself, he grabbed a grenade and quickly returns to reality. Holding a grenade in his hand, he throws it with a slight distance in front of him. He didn't use it with the purpose to take down the flamethrowers but to give him leverage against them to jump over that wall of flame.
The grenade landed on the ground and Arnold uses the pistol in his other hands and fired at it when he jumps right above it. The grenade exploded as it pushes him high up. The height he jumped will let him land right at the group of flamethrowers and over the wall of flame they created. He takes a deep breath and swapped his weapon for his strongest known weapon so far. The flamethrower of a bygone time materialized in his hand as he holds it like a sword. The flame erupted from the nozzle of the gun as he holds the trigger and Arnold starts to charge it with as much power as he can, soon the flamethrower itself turns into what can be compared as a blazing sword from afar.
"Crimson Gale!" Arnold screams to the top of his lunge as he spins himself while holding it.
At that moment, the flamethrower he held created a whirlwind of flame that spread around him, the unwitting flamethrowers who were caught in it soon were scorched by its phantasmal heat. Soon, all that left are burnt corpses that will soon dissipate into azure ashes and a large fire created from the aftermath of that attack.
Arnold sprints out from the fire unhindered, holding the flamethrower that caused the destruction that was left behind. His target is now the Tiger with nothing stopping him in his way. He made his leap and puncture into the eye of the Tiger with his flamethrower, the Tiger roared when he did that but he refuses to stop. He starts to hold the trigger of the flamethrower and flame erupts out of its metal frame.
"Boil in your steel coffin!" Arnold said with a burning rage like the fiery destruction he left behind.
It is clear that the Tiger may resist a lot of punishment but facing an attack like that has turned it into a "brazen bull" which will most likely boil the Tiger's operator if he does nothing about Arnold. The Tiger roared from the damage it is receiving and it tried to grab Arnold but unfortunately for the Tiger that when it tried to grab him, he struck its claw with the pickaxe that he found back at the old Archer's workshop and the next second, its hand is gone. The pickaxe that he struck was "Herculean Task" which brought forth the power of Heracles. It was supposed to be used for effortless mining, but such power is fortunately indiscriminating when it comes to its striking target. The Tiger became confused when it can't grab him, the perpetrator of its damage.
"This is your chance! Do something!" Arnold said while still holding the flamethrower's trigger.
Seeing what is going on, Kuro safely dispels the shields away and breathing tiredly, the Tiger obviously can't fight when it is constantly being damaged by Arnold's flamethrower. Now that when one thinks about it, Tiger is known for extremely durable but that doesn't mean it was invincible, any WW2 armored weapons still haven't reached the airtight level of modern armor thus leaving it being weak to extreme heat and fire and it most likely still apply to the Tiger despite it is a mech, not a tank.
"Shirou! Find something that can destroy it!" Kiritsugu said to his son.
"I don't know! We have already used hundreds of Caladbolg II and it has barely managed to do any real damage at the Tiger!" Shirou said.
"Then use something that you know is the strongest! One that is in the realm of your capabilities. The strongest one that you can trace!" Kiritsugu said back to his son.
"Jii-san! You know that if I have done so, I'll die from mana exhaustion!" Shirou said back to his father.
"Then I'll expend a Command Seal if it is to do so!" Then Shirou received words telepathically from his Master who he hadn't seen ever since he left for the frontline to fight the Tiger.
"Master! Where are you!" Shirou replied telepathically back to Gudao.
"Don't worry about me! I'm at the most back which is the ridge, I can see the situation right now, Emiya! You have to be decisive right now! Your family's livelihood is resting squarely on your hand!" Gudao said to his Archer.
Shirou stood there realized what he has to do, looking at his hand, looking at his sister and his family, looking at the menace that was called 'Tiger'. He reaches out to his inner world. "Unlimited Blade Works".
He sees it, a large wasteland that stretches till the horizon with large gears floating in the sky. The only landmarks this place has is a large hill. No, at this point, it is a small mountain. He has changed so much ever since he was first summoned which is back when Chaldea was first formed. With more allies coming and join Chaldea. The time he fought side by side in the fight to protect humanity has forever changed the way he was and he thanks Chaldea for it.
He walks up on the mountain seeing blades and weapons of his allies anchored to the ground like grave markers but they were always at their best quality and well-preserved. The height of the placement of the weapons on this mountain represents their rightful wielders' importance to Archer. If it is placed at the bottom, either it is a nameless weapon or someone who Archer is indifferent to. The higher Archer walked, he sees more weapons of each represented their wielders. Gae Bolg of Cu Chulainn, Caladbolg of Fergus, Hrunting of Beowulf, Durandal of Hector, and much more.
When he has climbed up half of the mountain of his own inner world which is meant for the people whom he has good relationships with. The most out of ordinary to him is, the chain of Enkidu belongs to Gilgamesh, he admitted it that his relationship between Gil and himself wasn't anything of what one would call a good one and he can say the same. But he simply can't tell why it would place particularly really high up here but that isn't what matters to him now.
He climbs up to the top of the mountain, where there are the weapons that belong to the people who have really great importance to Archer. Like his father's Origin knife, his mother's steel wire edge which is more of a cost-effective tracing than a weapon uses on hand. Kanshou and Byakuya which is like how he and his sister is like with each other, inseparable. And Sitonai's sword which is there as an anti-dragon blade but it is useless right now in this scenario. All of the aforementioned weapons are placed at the highest point of the mountain which represents how important they were to him.
But right now, what he truly needed is not the said aforementioned weapons but the one that is at a slightly lower place than his family. It was a sword shines with a color of gold. With ornaments decorated in with beautifully crafted craftsmanship, this was the blade belong to a certain someone who is also very important to him even back before he being a Servant. Artoria Pendragon. He grabbed the blade by its handle and lift it out of the ground. The sword shines with a gracing light of nobility of a king which is what it supposed to be.
"Artoria, you'll always my light of promised victory..." Shirou whispered as he saw the hazy image of the blond-haired girl.
Soon, he snapped back to reality, seeing that Tiger struggling against Arnold. Shirou quickly traces the blade in his hand.
"I'll make you paid for doing this! Dead be damned! I'll take you down even with the last of my strength!" Shirou's voice was heard across the landscape.
"By the power of my Command Seal, Emiya! DESTROY THE TIGER WITH THE EXCALIBUR!" Gudao said as he uses his Command Seal, Chaldea's Command Seal is more of separated mana batteries than enforcing rules. That just to show how loyal Chaldean Servants are to their Master that they have no need to be enforced.
The sword of promised victory begins to take shape and materialize in Shirou's hand. Its light outshines the flare that has been illuminating the battleground before it was razed multiple times. Shirou holding his breath and prepare to unleash the Noble Phantasm. This isn't an imperfect copy like how most his tracing work. This is Excalibur, almost true to its form. Thanks to his unbreakable bond with Artoria, he managed to understand her to the point he can trace her Excalibur perfectly. The only reason he doesn't do this because his Mana level isn't as high as Artoria thus risking himself to get killed should he uses the Excalibur NP. It is also said that Divine Construct like her blade is supposed to be impossible to be comprehended detailedly but Shirou's ability granted him to bypass that as long as he can handle the cost of tracing the blade.
But right now, with newfound strength from the Command Seal, he grips the blade tighter. With a determined glare and the blade started to shine brighter.
"By the light of this sword and the people here, monstrosity like you shall be purged from the face of this planet!" Emiya screamed before he swung the blade down.
Arnold sees that Shirou is about to use what he would assume to be the strongest blade he has, he quickly jumped off from the Tiger while the flamethrower is still plunged into it.
"Excalibur!" Emiya said with all he has as he swung the blade down.
The light soon ruptured through the cloudy sky and the next moment, it slammed down upon the Tiger, Excalibur was the most known strongest holy sword in all of mythology and history. It might not be the most powerful weapon but it is the most powerful that Shirou can lay his hands on. The beam of light soon slammed onto the Tiger as its part started to being ripped out from the sheer power of the blade. Its hand, head, everything, all gone with the light of the blade itself. Afterward, a pillar of light burst onto the sky, letting everyone see the power behind that attack.
Shirou breaths heavily, even with a Command Seal, it is extremely exhausting to broken-charge Excalibur so that he can finally destroy the Tiger. Excalibur is ranked as A++ NP when traced and a + was added when he broken-charge the weapon. A powerful attack like that would render most opponents' death unless fighting against Beast class.
"The Tiger, it's finally gone, we did it..." Shirou said with a smile in his tired face.
Now, it is only the flamethrowers that they had to deal with, the battle has finally turned to their favor. But, perhaps nothing in this world was ever simple to resolve. For the Tiger wasn't the only thing they have to concern.
"._.""._.""._."
Sparks Liner High
"._.""._.""._."
A sudden slash came suddenly and its target was Kiritsugu, he quickly dodges and blocks the incoming attacks, but something is wrong. The enemy's attack and speed were far too powerful for Servants' standard. Soon, Kiritsugu was unable to keep the pace and-
"Gah!" Kiritsugu instinctively screams when his knife was struck right out of his hand.
And just in the next moment, a slash cut through Kiritsugu's stomach and he fell to his knee from the pain and the wound, his gut is bleeding from a cut that he barely managed to evade that should he fail will bisect him in half.
Just when the unseen enemy is about to behead Kiritsugu, his son joined the fray and blocked that attack.
"Tsk, when that Tiger suddenly came for the fort and then only focus on the shield, I know something is wrong. Nothing can be smart and stupid simultaneously at the same time. That Tiger was first manually controlled when you head for the fort and then let that thing on auto and getting out of it after you destroy the fort and use it as a diversion." Shirou said while blocking his enemy's attack which just destroys his blades, however, he can trace them back instantaneously.
"Outstanding move you have right there, but you ain't killing any of our family members while we are still here!" Kuro jumped on the fight.
Sparks flying everywhere. A blazing field where they are fighting reminds him of that horrible memory or to be more exact, the memory he learned of. Shirou's and Kuro's blades were constantly broken by the sheer strength of the enemy they fight against. Base on the enemy's strength and proficiency with the weapon they use, they safely assume it is a Grand Cross. The most powerful enemy they fight so far in this Singularity and of course, the Tiger is definitely on the top of the list.
The sounds of broken blades echo through the landscapes, they now understand why the Finn said that they'll need 3 Servants just to fight this one certain threat properly. This thing is way beyond the Servants' scale and has to be swiftly finished off before it can do anything. Unfortunately for them that they only have 2 Servants which is Shirou and Kuro who can fight close combat against Grand Cross without putting themselves at risk. Iri is a Caster which is more for Support than direct combat and Kiritsugu is out of the picture, Arnold may be able to block a few attacks before receiving the fatal blow.
Stuck in a deadlock against the Grand Cross, unable to break out against the barrage of constant attack. Shirou and Kuro started to run out of time, if the Grand Cross isn't dealt with properly, it will most likely cause destruction to the coming rescue team.
Shirou got his pair of 56th Kanshou and Bakuya destroyed by the Grand Cross already, just how powerful that thing is when it can destroy blades with almost one hit like that.
The Grand Cross evaded another ambush attack from Kuro and retaliate almost immediately, Kuro blocked that oncoming strike as it breaks her pair of Kanshou and Bakuya... again.
"That thing just dodges like almost as if it has an extreme level Instinct that is beyond even your wife, Shirou-san", Kuro said while blocking another attack from Grand Cross
"Sis, we have to do something about this already, we need to pull an attack that can best even its evasion," Shirou said when he lunged at the back of the Grand Cross with his blade only to be pushed back by sheer strength of the Grand Cross.
Both of the siblings got into the position, one is behind the Grand Cross and one at the front. This will be their decisive attack and will end in a matter of seconds, this technique is not only hard to corporate but also have the possibility that it might backfire. But that isn't what matters to them for they have to end it right now."
The enemy readies itself and both of the siblings are about to pull the technique using the true meaning of Kanshou and Bakuya.
Word of God: For this part, use Fate/Stay Night - Mighty Wind ost for this battle.
Spirit and technique, flawless and firm.
"I have to surpass my enemy to exchange blows..." Shirou thought while holding Kanshou and Byakuya.
Both of the siblings throw their pair of Kanshou and Bakuya, Emiya throws one pair while his sister throws two pairs, they have charged their blades with as much of magical energy as they can in the least amount of time and throw at both sides.
The three pairs of blades will draw an arc and intersects right on the enemy. As the blades traveled, they draw into beautiful crosses that will all intersect at the Grand Cross. No Heroic Spirit would ever able to get out unscathed from this Noble Phantasm, especially when there is two Servant of the same who is using it at the same time on one target.
However, followed by the sound of blades clashing, the Grand Cross has easily deflected all 3 pairs of Kanshou and Byakuya with ease, that thing has escaped the attack.
Both of the siblings are unarmed now, their twin swords were supposed to come back to them even when deflected, but that thing somehow managed to redirect all of the 3 pairs to behind its. Taking advantage, the Grand Cross closes in Shirou's location. Both of the siblings charged to the Grand Cross.
"Freeze, out." Both of the siblings chanted
The same twin swords block its attack as the moment when Shirou's projection was completed. Using the image that he prepared, he recreated Kanshou and Byakuya anew.
The thing tried to smash his sword away with his strength, but before that happened. Both of the siblings chanted.
Our strength rips the mountains.
Another surprise attack from behind, the things deflect the Kanshou back with its godlike instinct. Taking advantage of that moment, Shirou swung his Bakuya right at its flank. And the thing blocks it back with its saber...
"This damn thing is a monster..." Shirou thought when his blade got knocked back.
However...
Our swords cut the water.
"If I didn't need to fight this monster, I wouldn't need to chant this poem in the first place..." Shirou thought before waiting for the next attack.
The Bakuya attacks it from behind again. It's needless to say that it is the same blade that was thrown and deflected. He swung the Kanshou in his other hand when he caught his chance
*CLASH!*
That damned thing blocked another attack from behind again, even Shirou's frontal assault.
Time stopped.
Shirou takes an instant to assess each others' condition. He knows that his attack has ended, his two pairs of Bakuya and Kanshou were already deflected but that thing is also most likely at its limit from focusing at him alone. No matter how tough it is, its fate was sealed from the moment it deflected the first three-thrown pairs of Kanshou and Bakuya.
This battle that appeared to look like a stalemate and it will be resolved in a few next seconds.
*CLANG!*
That thing turned its back to prevent being backslashed by Kuro who leaped in, but it forgot that Shirou is now at its back. When he knows that his sister would get its attention, he turned his back around and trace another pair of twin swords except for this time, he broken-charge the pair of twin swords.
Our names reached the Imperial Villa
Shirou screamed at the top of his lung as if his voice would pierce the heaven, he swung the pair of broken-charge swords with all of his might as they penetrate through the back of the Grand Cross. And just before the Grand Cross got penetrated, the thing's strength knocked Kuro back by a considerable distance into the air before it realized it has completely played in and falls completely into the siblings' plan.
That moment when it has been penetrated in the back by the pair of broken charged swords, its combat ability drops rapidly. Kuro who has been knocked back into the air quickly traced a wall of heavy blades right at where she was being knocked back at.
The moment she landed her feet on the blades, Kuro pushed herself right at the crippled Grand Cross. Traced another pair of Kanshou and Bakuya. For the siblings managed to turn the tide against the Grand Cross, they will finish it off at the next second. For once and for all.
The three pairs of Kanshou and Bakuya which were deflected soon will intersect right at the Grand Cross, the siblings with each holding the pair of Kanshou and Bakuya now came charge towards it. Intending to finish it off all at once.
This is the technique utilizing the sword's attraction to one another, consecutive projections, keeping the basic technique in which was symbolized by the chanted poem. The user projects three sets of Kanshou and Bakuya, executing an unavoidable combination through throwing and slashing maneuvers. Each blade is lethal and its a multiple direction attack which prohibits all measure of escapes and defense. The only way to escape is through omnidirectional defense or suicidal charge on the user. And the power only amplified because in this case there are two people of the same using one same technique.
Both of the siblings flood their swords with all of the mana they had, elongating and wrapping them into a twisted imitation of a Demon's and Angel's wings with feathers on the backside and edges of dawn and dusk on other. They came charge at the Grand Cross...
Three pairs of Kanshou and Bakuya that will intersect right at the Grand Cross, one broken-charged pair that is sticking out of its back, waiting to be detonated. And the two wings of heaven and hell that will soon seal its fate for all eternity. There is no escape anymore, its rampage will stop right here and at this place.
Two of us cannot hold the heavens together
In just not even a second, what was once of a Grand Cross is now nothing left but a butchered corpse that has been cut into many small pieces that is almost unidentifiable. The siblings have now passed each other, somehow unscathed from the potential friendly fire and their winged blades shatter into glass pieces that disappear with the wind and rain. They did it, they finally take down the Grand Cross. The corpse soon set ablaze and as if the Beast's fire is a spark then this one is an inferno. The flame that so hot it could burn this earth apart.
*sigh*" An inferno that is as undying like how that Grand Cross is, but unfortunately, it can only bring destruction and that is the only thing it can capable of." Kuro said when she looks at the blazing corpse.
"Well, we have done what we have to do. We need to find Jii-san before he got into more trouble." Shirou said to his sister.
They head back to where they were, but the situation that was chaotic now has spiraled out into uncontrollable.
For when everything falls into chaos, even the most patience will snap upon this blasphemy
"._.""._.""._."
Blasphemy Upon Heavens
"._.""._.""._."
Back at where Kiritsugu got injured
Here he lies on a blazing battlefield, as hot as the depth of hell, as dark as moonless nights. This haunting image reminds him of that time, the time back when he was at the Fifth Holy Grail War. He stares at the fire, remembering the fire that he caused during his lifetime, the Fuyuki fire that forever burned into his memory.
The difference was the gunfire that went on the edge of the ridge, the oncoming and rushing flamethrowers that ran across him, ignore him for as there is only one objective left to them. When the heat kissed his face, he already found himself crawling through the flame despite his grievous injuries. Eventually, he gave up. He laid himself on the ground, looking up at the dark sky as the raindrops fall on his tired face. He felt the heat of the flame and cold of the rain falling from the sky. He looks up to it as if he wonders why did he fight for so long.
He felt tired, he just wanted to rest. Yet he felt he has failed his duty, and he can't be forgiven for his own incompetence. Slowly, he shut his eyes. In the next moment, he saw a familiar face. It was his wife, whose cheeks are dripping in tears that are dropping on his forehead. The flame illuminates her face as she looks into him. He realized that his head is now lying on his wife's thighs who is healing his wounds. The tears that dropped on his face weren't the tear of sorrow but the one of happiness that she has found him.
"Honey, I glad that I found you," Iri said as she looks at Kiritsugu who is lying on her thighs.
"Iri... Glad to see you too... Wait, where are Shirou and Kuro?" Kiritsugu asked his wife.
"They were fighting the Grand Cross which severely injured you. Don't worry about them, they'll find a way to break through it." Iri reassures her husband.
"Well, sorry to break in your romantic conversation with each other but this isn't the time to sit here and be lovey-dovey! The final defense line is in desperate need of help and we need all of the help we can get." The Ruler said to the couple in front of him.
"Guh... I'll see what I can do but there is no way I can get here on foot." Kiri said to the Ruler.
"Then I'll bring you there myself!" The Ruler said to Kiri as he lifts him up and moves with breakneck speed in a matter of seconds.
The Ruler and Iri move as fast as their feet can carry, seeing the wall of flame in front of them, they leaped as high as they can and jumped over it. On the other side of the wall is 12 people who are fighting with all they had, firing their weapon onto the endless horde of flamethrower that will scorch everything on this ridge if letting anywhere close. It was a desperate situation that almost as if there is no solution to this dilemma.
Iri quickly uses her magecraft and created multiple steel-thread swords and firing it at the enemy. Those things burst through the enemy almost effortlessly but there are still too many of them coming for her to fend off.
"Ruler! Is there anyone Servant who can fight?" Iri quickly asks him.
"If you ask the old Archer then he can probably rejoin the fight, but his condition is too unstable for anything at all." The Ruler said.
A loud noise burst through the battlefield, everyone looks at each other but not taking their eyes off the frontline for long as they know the answer by now. Kiritsugu has used his M82 Barrett and firing it at any invader that is coming.
"If I can fight then I won't let any of those damn things get close, I'll defend the entrance to the shoreline with anything I have," Kiritsugu said
"Yeah yeah, no need for being so dramatic, I'll tend your wound while you firing that large caliber rifle of yours. Just don't make your wound reopen itself when you are fighting." The Ruler said.
"I have to do this, I can't die right now. Not when I have found a clue to my identity!" Arnold said while he dual wields the pair of Artillery Lugers.
There are too many of them for this fight, limited manpower, oblivious about time for as there is no moment to spare doing it. A race against time as they fending off all of this by themselves. Even when having the support of 3 Servants, they are still undermanned for this final stretch.
"I have to do this, even if I am going to hurt myself, then so be it," Pierce said before he drops his Widow Maker and taking out the pair of modified M1911, "Death and Taxes"
He fires it at the frontline, the moment the bullet landed on the ground, it explodes with the force of a thousand artillery shells. He fired another shot and it explodes again with the same strength. He knows that if that thing was fired at any close range, he would kill himself by the sheer power it has. But that has little meaning for this is a do or die situation.
Behind the flaming wall, he sees it, the Archer siblings have made it and begins to take out any oncoming soldiers beneath them with a volley of arrows from their bow.
"Is everyone alright? Hope we weren't too late." The siblings asked everyone who is there.
"We're fine! But we can't hold this for long!" Pierce said.
Words of God: For this part, use Persona 3 - Battle for Everyone's Souls.
The siblings land in the fortification which was only 3 meters in radius and at the center is the cargo net that substitutes as a ladder to the shoreline. The siblings traced hundreds of swords which all float in the air. Within the next second, the siblings let the barrage of swords to rain down on their enemy. Blades after blades impale on enemy soldiers like rats against a hailstorm. But after that fight against Grand Cross, their dwindling mana reserves won't let them repel against the flamethrowers for long.
Gudao who is also in the fortification tried to find any way to help but can't find anything that he can help in. Suddenly, he received a call from Shadow Border and the caller was Sherlock Holmes.
"Hello, my Master. The reason I'm calling you here is because of the fact that I managed to crackdown the identity of the two Servants. The Archer of Pierce and the Ruler. First off, the Ruler. If you were actually good at Geography then you would have already known that Poland has no ridge at all. No, let me take that back. Even an average person knows that there is no ridge in Poland at all. I find that to be a glaring error that I found myself hard to believe and thus I suspected that this ridge was a creation of a Noble Phantasm. You know that there is a saying said.
"If you eliminate the impossible, no matter how improbable it is. It has to be the only truth."
"I suspected that this was a Noble Phantasm belongs to either the Finn or the Ruler but this fight has also given me a valuable clue. Because the Finn has gotten out into the mountainous forest, I doubt any modern Servant has an extreme Noble Phantasm range when it comes to a tectonic altering one. So the Finn got off this one. The second is that I look deep into that Ruler's profile by reading the entirety of WW2 books. Trust me, it is exhausting because I have to look at both the Eastern Front. And there is one story that stood out to me when I look at any clue of the ridge and that is the battle of Okinawa during Pacific Theater. A story about a medic who saved more than a hundred people without a weapon, right inside of the enemy's territory. That man was like a saint in a land that has been consumed by madness and bloodthirst. His endurance, bravery and caring for allies make him a recipient for Medal of Honor. If you take a look at the battle we have before. He never has any weapon in the first place. Because of that, I am certain that man is Desmond Doss. The best-known medic of WW2." Sherlock Holmes explained who the Ruler is.
"I see, that explains why he can't harm anybody. It isn't because he doesn't want to but he can't. At least he is doing a really good job of what he supposed to do." Gudao said through the telecom.
"About the old Archer, basing from his attires, I suspect him to be a Servant from the Wild West era like how Billy the Kid is. From and throughout combat that I saw so far, he has no true weapon that can possibly represent his Noble Phantasm. Also, his making of weapons seems to be his virtue like how Shirou is. Excel at making and inventing weapons, even stuff that I hardly believe to be in his era in the first place. So I believe he has been an inventor of sorts in his era. The problem here is, what did he invent?" Sherlock Holmes explained about the old Archer.
"What he invented..." Gudao thought about it.
"Master! Help! Shirou and Kuro collapsed!" A helpless voice changed his attention. A certain white-haired Caster tried to get his attention.
"What! What happened!?" Gudao asks frantically.
"Don't worry! They just exhausted, they just need some rest. But how can we fend off those flamethrowers with limited manpower?!" Doss asked frantically.
Everyone became silent, is this the end for them? Gudao stared silently at the current situation. Pierce just holds the trigger of his pistols, silently looking at the razed ground. All is just the same, Arnold who is the least tired knows that he can't fend off this horde by himself. They fight for so long, they have lost count of everything. Time, kills, bullets, fatalities, all of everything has gone out of the window. Yet, despite the looming despair that was hanging over their heads. They decided to bet it all on one glimmering hope, for one final bet on that dying light
"._.""._.""._."
Dying Light
"._.""._.""._."
"Ugh, where am I? Is this?" The old Archer opened his eyes only to see him floating with pitch darkness surrounding him. It seems like only his 'consciousness' was awake, not his body.
"I'm in this place, guess I'm still alive but as good as dead. Hope they somehow can avert this situation..." The old Archer thought but knowing it is impossible.
"No, I'm ...t alone! I w...'t let a..ne die!"
"I'm wil... to risk my life sho..d it help e...one surv..."
"Give us str...th! I'll t...ke my life if it m...t be n...ded!"
"Don't g...ve up! We h...e to beli...e in each ...er!"
"I w...'t allow t...se p...ple to be k...ed!
"Is t...re any...ng we c... do?"
And here he is, unable to do anything. Yet his heart aching from seeing how useless he was right now. In the end, even his Master was far more valiant than how he ever could.
"Alright, let's do this..."
And he heard it, his Master's voice that he heard clearly while others are just like a lost fragment of a bygone memory. A tear dropped from his eye, he hates himself for being too weak. When everything boils down to him, he lets his own past decided his decision. In the end, his past was his own weakness. His past...
"Damn all of this, I have to help him. If I fail to protect even my own Master, then how can I ever be worthy of being a Heroic Spirit. Damn it all!" The old Archer screamed in his realization of his own weakness.
"Wake up now you old ass! I refuse to die now! Not right now!" The old Archer screamed in the surrounding darkness.
And then he sees it, a light that shone upon him. Slowly, that light became so bright that the old Archer's vision soon turns white...
But he doesn't return to that familiar shoreline but instead an old shack, he confused as he can't understand why he returned to a place like this. He checked the surrounding and seeing some 'blueprints' pinned on a board of sorts. He reads the content and then he realized what it is, he quickly averts his eyes from it and tried to push the thought away.
He then looked at the door and opened it which led him into a hallway with windows on each side. He takes a look then he quickly falls off his balance from shock. He then looked at the other windows and the sight is still the same. Corpses, Blood, Death... All of them... everywhere.
Denying that thought, he quickly sprints down the hallway as fast as he could to run away from it. It is like... he is being haunted... But from what?
He then meets a dead end after running for who knows how long. He quickly tried to look for anything, a way out or even a path, he can't accept himself from being standstill.
"Maybe I should turn back and-. No! I swore myself to never use that accursed thing again, it caused all of this. This senseless slaughter, killing. That naiveness of mine is my own worst enemy. Never shall I-" The old Archer said in his head, arguing with himself
He turned around to look for an alternative but then, a presence appeared and he felt his spine shivered in true unadulterated fear. He felt something dripping into his feet, he doesn't want to turn around but his soon curiosity got his best.
He turned around and witness the sight of the worst possible thing that he could see. A skeleton wearing a red cloak that is dripping with blood. The horse that he rides on is stuck simultaneously between life and death. Its body is rotting and dripping blood everywhere, chunks of flesh were ripped from it revealing the majority of its skeletal structure yet with flesh still stuck onto it. There is no doubt about it anymore, he is facing... the Red Rider of the Four Horseman of Apocalypse. He who is dubbed, War. It was as if he is stuck here so that he will face his punishment at the hand of the Red Rider personally.
The old Archer can't help but flinch back against such a sight like this. He steps back one and the Red Rider in front of him steps another one. And then suddenly, the Red Rider said.
thou seem to continue to avert thy eyes from sooth, maugre the clear fact that thou hast become one of us
"No, I refused to believe that-" Richard said before he got cut off by the Red Rider once again.
thou still chose to forswear thy sins. For thou dear to hinder pestilence and letting thy naive thoughts cloud thy judgment. 'i the end, thy hope hath become the damnation that forever stains the scroll of history and laid the foundation that led to e'en ranker bloodbaths. Such a befitting end for thou at the end of thy journey
The old Archer tried to plug his ears and not listening to whatever the Red Rider is trying to say. He doesn't want to hear of it anymore, he doesn't want to remember the tragedy and the damage that his own naive invention caused.
Humans are a creature of wrath, yet the like can be spoken to every other else. 'tis only thy kind that thou bring inventions that would marshal't to ranker desires for ranker destruction. Humans shall only reach peace when they erase their own existence with a single nudge.
"Shut up!" He yelled at the Red Rider to stop, he doesn't want any part of it anymore.
Yet. humans are also a creature of holy, as long as they are content to protect whoever dears to 'em. Nay sacrifice is too great for 'em to try so once they put their minds into it.
And within that moment, he understood. He realized why he made that weapon in the first place. To downsize army so that he could prevent the possibility of an outbreak from occurring. But in hindsight, he ended up also causing greater deads for everyone else. From the pan into the fire, he could say. But did he ever regret his whole life as an inventor? Can he said for sure that only he will discover whatever he invented?
He stood up and then run away from the Red Rider back to where he started, the shed that he has the blueprints pinned onto the board. This is his only chance to repent for what he did and what he failed to do so. Oddly enough, the Red Rider didn't chase him but in fact, actually bidding him farewell
So thou hast finally accepted thy sin, the first step of changes is aye acceptance. may thou find good luck 'i thy path
Quickly returned to the shed, he quickly skims through the blueprints that he considered blasphemy. Knowing this is the last chance he ever gets, he tried to cram as much knowledge as possible. When he finally felt confident that he can recreate the invention again, a light shined through the gaps of the shed door, something has changed and now it is calling for him to go.
He steps forward and opened it. The blinding light shone on him as it takes him back to the reality he wanted
And so... he has finally awakened.
Opening his eyes, the sounds of gunfire is what greeted him first. So many flamethrowers have gotten closes tp their location yet they somehow not firing it already. From what he could see from the closest corpse that is dissipating, there are only 20 meters left before they got close enough and burn everyone into ashes.
"I should have done this from the beginning... I let my own past control my own decision. I let the thought of being a naive fool again blinds me from making the right decision. No more of this anymore. I'll face it with all I have." The old Archer said with determination.
O' wheel of fate forever turning
From a simple wish that turned damnation
Forever changing how warfare molded itself
Bodies pile up to mountains,
Floods of blood turn rivers scarlet,
Stenches of death override the horizon
Learned that only when extinctions is within a button to press
That is only when peace can ever be attained
Even when I'm no longer in this world
Forced to witness, my own blasphemy upon the heavens
After chanting the poem, a weapon started to materialize itself in his hands. The brass handlebar appears in his left hand and a grip of sorts appeared in his right hand. Soon the entire gun begins to materialize in his hand. Six barrels made of steel revolve around a shaft, a frame that made entirely in brass. Many cartridges magazines bind to each other like a cylinder that feeds the gun with ammunition. It doesn't take a genius to know what the weapon the old Archer is wielding, it was the Gatling gun. The world's first machine gun and also the weapon that has caused untold destruction in its hay day and became a base to expand for all later machine guns. A weapon born from a naive belief that it hopefully shrink down the sizes of the army only to have it become a catalyst of destruction later.
Base on who the old Archer is, it is no wonder that this weapon became what went against his belief very deeply. He has only invented things that would relieve the burden of everyone's life and make everyone happy. And the Gatling gun inadvertently turned him into a man that forever changed warfare for better or worse. Even back at his era when firearms were present. Strength still plays an important part in the army at the time and firearms make everyone stronger but the Gatling gun makes everyone equal for no man would ever survive getting hit by barrages of unending bullets from it.
There is no doubt about it anymore, the old Archer can only be one person. Richard Gatling Jordan. The inventor of the world's first machine gun. The Noble Phantasm he has in his hands is the first Gatling Gun, the weapon that was like a curse on his life. Because he is the man who changed warfare, any Servants of belonging to the era before him will only be considered as "equal" to him as their parameters will be limited to his like how the Gatling Gun makes every soldier equal, anyone after him will take a full rank increased damage from his Noble Phantasm for he is the unwitted progenitor of modern warfare.
"I have enough of this!" Richard screams to the top of his lung before unleashing the wrath of his Noble Phantasm.
The gun started to fire the moment it winds up. A single shot blew the ground like an artillery shell, and it isn't one that is being fired. It was a barrage of unending furies, like how the weapon was seen when first introduced. When muskets barely reload themselves, the Gatling Gun has already mowed the entire vanguard and it was a premonition for what WW1 would have become, one of humanity's deadliest conflicts in the history of mankind.
The Gatling gun has reached its maximum fire rate and now it is a storm of artillery shells like how the battle of Verdun of WW1 is, a million shells were fired and this thing will reach beyond that number soon enough. The tide of the battle has turned completely as anyone who tried to walk in will eat a few artillery shells when the defenders before was struggling to keep up.
Soon, Shirou and Kuro managed to wake up from the exhaustion and see that the old Archer has used his Noble Phantasm to fend them all off. They started to pick themselves up and checking the situation by themselves.
"The Gatling gun, then he has to be..." Shirou said when he sees the weapon that is unleashing leads.
"Richard Gatling isn't it? Can't believe that he actually here..." Kuro said when he realized who he is.
The might of the Gatling Gun simply overpower even Kiritsugu's anti-material rifle, even Pierce's squad's firepower. Brass cartridges fall out of the Gatling gun like the raging bombardment that went on the front. The rest of the fighters realized what they are doing is most likely like a broom to a heavy-duty cleaner that is called Richard, they decided to leave the rest to him and getting their chance to take a breath.
"We somehow managed to get back on our feet from such a devastating strike like that, no one would ever foresee that we will ever be attacked by something like that. I'm just glad that we at least got the solution against them at least." Kiritsugu said after he let go of his M82.
"It is just me or the sky is actually less dark than before?" Kuro said when she looks up at the sky.
"It is! Daybreak is going to come soon! Shirou! Checks if the rescue team is here yet!" Iri said to her son when she checked the sky.
"Okay, I'll look around and see if they are close!" Shirou looks at the distant sea on the horizon.
On the horizon, he finally saw it. Decided to use Hawkeye to check for more details, the large ship with an extremely tall mast in the middle and there is a man with a large build who is controlling the ship, about 50 US soldiers whose gears are enchanted are on the boat. They had some destroyer cannons, many enchanted 40 mm anti-air guns installed to the mystical ship to combat against any German ships and planes that trying to hunt them down. The ship itself is way too large for any harbor to take it in. It is also surprising that it also hasn't been found in the first place in its voyage to get here.
"It is the rescue team! Jii-san! Send morse code to them, use anything you had!" Shirou told his dad.
"But we don't have any morse sender nor do they or... Perhaps this could work." Kiritsugu said when he realized he might have something that would work.
Kiri takes out his military signal lamp and aims it at where Shirou said is where the rescue team is. Quickly turning it on and off constantly to send the morse code.
At the rescue ship
"Captain Stormalong! I see some light flashing on the ridge over there!" A US soldier told the captain of the ship.
He saw the flashing light that seems to be a pattern of sorts. But the platoon that he brought along seems to know what it is.
"It's Morse code! Somebody translate it, quick!" A US soldier said when he realized what it is
It is a struggling attempt to just getting it right when they miss the first word but they somehow managed to translate it.
'We're under attack, send fire support'
"Shit! We're too late! Half of you get into the ATCs and get over there, the remainder will control the destroyer cannons" Stormalong said to his platoon.
The armored troop carriers hanged to the flank of the ship were lowered to the sea surface with soldiers in it. They set out as soon as they land on the water surface.
"Move out!" The carriers move as fast as they can toward the mainland. Seeing many refugees are right below the ridge, they set out their course of action.
The next moment the armored carrier reached the mainland, soldiers came pouring out of it and inquire about what is happening right now and why they are here.
"Please excuse me, sir? Why are all of you here?" A US soldier asked.
"First off, get up there! They need all the help they can get! Second, we're Polish refugees who ran away when Warsaw was fallen when the 'lay-line?' was destroyed thus unable to resupply the Winged Hussars. We only know English because our leader told us to learn it in case we finally can tag along with each other to finally getting the chance to fight the Nazi." The old Polish man said when asked.
"Got it. We'll get up there" The US soldier replied back when he got what to say.
Soldiers began to climb the cargo net that was connecting the top and shoreline, while they were climbing, they see the shells of the destroyer cannons flying toward what is up there. But based on the trajectory, it is definitely not landing anywhere near the edge of the ridge itself. After a while, the soldiers managed to reach the top and finally see everything up there.
A barren wasteland, much like how one would expect from a large scale fight like this, 16 people that they can tell has seen all hardship for more than all their life. And the dying remnants of the last Nazi reinforcement for this raid. Wasting no time, the US soldiers decided to exterminate the last Nazi remnants of this fight. Annihilating those who are trying to kill them.
The 16 remaining fighters who have managed to make it this far, crying from overflowing emotions that they have made it through this hell. Father and son held each other, brother in arms let out all their pended up emotion with unison.
They did it... They made it to tomorrow. All of this happened at the dawn of their new day.
Servants Profile
Wise up!
Class: Archer
True Name: Kuro Emiya, Chloe von Einzbern |Wise up!|
Parameter: Wise up!
Str: D | Agi: B | End: C | Mana: C | Luck: C | NP: C |
Passive Skills:
-Magic Resistance C: Cancel spells with a chant below two verses. Cannot defend against magecraft on the level of High-Thaumaturgy and Greater Rituals.
-Independent Action B: It is possible for a Servant to stay in the world for two days without a Master. However, this is the ideal value achieved by maximally conserving mana and avoiding battle and Noble Phantasm usage.
-Personal Skills:
-Eye of the Mind B:
Like her brother, insight cultivated from training and learning.
The "logic of battle" to calmly grasp one's situation and the abilities of the enemy, and find out a mean of escape when in
dilemma.
If the possibility of a reversal is 1%, a chance can be pulled out by putting this strategy to practice.
Something falsely similar to the skill Instinct. Just like her brother.
=}(Strengthened) Seven Rings of Heaven (Pre-emptive) A+
Due to her power being the same as her brother, the only difference is her magic circuit being higher quality than her brother in order to make up for her lack of experience when comparing to him. Because of that, she can deploy her with much faster speed than Shirou thus giving everyone chances to assess the situation and making the next move. Used to buy more time for her allies should the enemy using an extremely powerful attack.
-Projection B:
Despite having the same power as her brother, her lack of experience with projection when compared to him is glaring and thus is considered weaker than his. Her proficiency with it is not lacking though
-Kiss Demon B++:
Chloe, a Servant who unexpectedly manifested without a Master, constantly desires prana.
As a simple and easy method that does not involve a contract, she favors prana supply by means of contact of the mucous membrane.
She ends up becoming a tanned imp who pushes in a kiss scene at any given opportunity, causing the entire living room to freeze. Such thing, however, is unneeded when deployed in combat and having a Master but by using this with a Servant with high mana capacities like her mother or sister in combat situations. She would be able to get back into combat instantly. It still isn't a pleasant thing to do no matter how one can try to justify it.
Noble Phantasm
|Sparks Liner High|
Rank C - A+++ | Classification: Anti-Unit
A special move that a certain heroic spirit used.
An unavoidable, sure-hit combination that projects three sets of the married swords, which possess the property of mutually pulling against each other, and hits with piled-up throws and slashes.
Furthermore, since Chloe combines this with teleportation towards the enemy's back, one would have trouble seeing through this even with Eye of the Mind. This Noble Phantasm is ranked as C should she uses this alone by herself
In special conditions to acquire A+++ rank, she has to combine her with her brother's Triple Crane Wings so that the Noble Phantasm would become impossible to survive against no matter what even with a suicide charge. This can only be negated with omnidirectional defenses and most don't even able to protect against this.
"""":...:""""
Pierce's Servant
Wise up!
Class: Archer
True Name: Jordan Richard Gatling
Parameter:
Str: D | Agi: C | End: C | Mana: B | Luck: D | NP: A+++ (Wise up!)
Wise up!
Passive Skills:
-Territory Creation B: Creation of a 'Workshop' that specializes in firearm weaponry becomes possible.
-Item Construction C: Able to create enchanted firearms that could harm a Servant, its power becomes higher if they were made within his workshop.
-Independent Action B+: This Servant can stay in this world without a Master for four to five days. That's if they conserve their mana and avoid combat.
-Double Summon C: This Servant possesses both skills from both classes Archer and Caster |Wise up!|
Personal Skills:
-Dauntless Will B: Even in a situation where there's no escape, this Servant will found an escape path of said situations regardless of conditions.
-Inherent Wisdom B: His knowledge of crafting many various things he invented in his life. Unfortunately, most of them are useless in combat.
-Progenitor of Modern Warfare A+++: Any Servants before his era will have their parameters limited to 'his' and his attack became unblockable in every sense, any Servants from after his era will receive a full rank damage increase from his Noble Phantasm and attack even when his Noble Phantasm already considered max. |Wise up!|
Noble Phantasm
|Wheel of Fate| Wise up!
The Changing Moment of Warfare
Rank A+++ | Classification: Anti-Army
The weapon that has changed warfare, for better or worse. This weapon has marked the moment that warfare will be changed and follow its will, even if other weapons can surpass it sooner or not. This thing will always be the king of battlefields once it has made its appearance, even if mythical weapons appeared or not.
|Pack a Punch| Wise up!
Armaments Reimagined
Rank A+| Classification: Conceptual Improvement|
The act of improving on existing weaponry by enchanting and heavy modifications until the weapon itself reaches beyond true potential, this NP suffers a modifier rank down on anything that isn't firearm or considered as one in the first place. Also, he can improve and craft anything that can be used as a weapon of warfare even if it isn't a firearm. Despite the fact that Gatling gun was the only weapon he ever made, its destruction has forever imprinted on the mind of people which let him forge any firearms to his liking like how Semiramis can summon the Hanging Garden of Babylon despite never see it built herself.
"""":...:""""
The Messenger
Class: Archer
True Name: "Arnold?"
Parameter:
Str: C+| Agi: B++| End: B| Mana: D| Luck: E| NP: Unk
Passive Skills:
-Independent Action C++: It is possible for a Servant to stay in the world for one day without a Master. In Arnold's case, as long as he has a duty to carry out, he won't disappear until after his duty is fulfilled for two days.
-Magic Resistance E: Due to being a Modern Servant, he basically can't resist magical based attacks without fatally crippled if what hit him isn't a Master's attack.
Personal Skills:
-Valor C+: A valiant surviving soldier of what would be called one of the deadliest conflicts in human history should speak some volume of his bravery. Considering that he is a Servant which mean he is a famous soldier in modern time.
"Unknown"
Noble Phantasm
"Unknown"
"""":...:""""
The Saint of Distant Wartime.
Class: Ruler
True Name: Desmond Doss
Parameter:
Str: - | Agi: B+ | End: A+ | Mana: E | Luck: B| NP: B+
+Passive Skills:
-Magic Resistance B: Having a Ruler class container, Desmond has a high magic resistance innately. Due to being a Modern Servant, his magic resistance was limited to B
-True Name Discernment C: If summoned as a Ruler, during a direct encounter, a Servant's true name and entire status information will be automatically revealed. In regards to Servants with concealment abilities, a Luck Check is required to bypass those abilities.
-God's Resolution A: A Class Skill of the Ruler class and is the privilege of the Ruler presiding over the Holy Grail War; the right to use Command Spells against Servants, only given to Rulers. Each Ruler is normally granted two Command Spells for each Servant that participates in the Holy Grail War. In the situation Desmond was in right now, this skill is useless.
+Personal Skills:
-Backline Extractor A: A skill that allows Desmond to extract someone from danger successfully even if enemy Servants are pursuing him and his patients.
-Protection of Faith B: A skill possessed only by those who have made sacrifices for a religious view. Despite being a form of divine protection, it is not a blessing from a higher existence. It is the absoluteness of one's body and mind that was born from their beliefs.
-Undying Will A+: A skill that is similar to Battle Continuation, except that this skill is unique to him for it boosts his Endurance to EX temporarily for when he is saving someone or under attack from a hostile enemy or received grievous injuries.
Noble Phantasm
|Hacksaw Ridge|
Where All Reach Breaking Point.
Rank B+| Classification: Anti-Pursuit
A Noble Phantasm that allows Desmond to alter the land through the power of reminiscence to where his name is made. The battle of Okinawa where the most bloody battle in the Pacific Theater taken place. The barren land of Okinawa boosts all of Desmond's parameter except Strength and hindering the enemy should they aim for heavily injured allies or him by an artillery strike that has the power of B+ NP that was aimed at them. This Noble Phantasm actually not kept by Desmond's mana but by the power of God at his side as ridiculous as it sounds. It is made for one purpose and that is to extract everyone out of danger alive should they all failed somehow.
|Healing Hand|
Curing What Is Thought Impossible
Rank C| Classification: Anti-Fatality.
A Noble Phantasm that allows Desmond to treat and surgery on his patients with a speed that is even beyond the eyes of Servants. It is thought that those of the descendants of Asclepius is capable of doing this and this power also brings the ability to cure even incurable disease, curse, and even near-fatal wounds.
Author's Note: After such brutally long time and efforts, I managed to finally bring this chapter to you... 31 readers so far. About the future of this fanfic, Gilgamesh did say that the crappiest story is still better than an unfinished epic and so I'll going to bring this story to its conclusion. No worry, there is a lot of historical figure of WW2 to go over and it will not be ending any time soon.
Talking about the future, it is unfortunate that summertime is going to end soon and I'll be suffering for the whole year just to get over that university's entrance exam. I just don't like to deal with something like it. I wish that I didn't get depression before finishing high school and not being disillusioned by the reality of life.