Caster chanted an incantation, and the ominous magic from the Prelati's Spellbook poured downward. From afar, it resembled a black and purple waterfall cascading into the river.
Despite this, the river's surface remained calm, and schools of fish could still be seen swimming through the clear water.
Up on the bridge, the night wind howled. Magic power surged into Dusk Star, the black spear's engraved runes glowing fiercely. Kurumi preferred to end the battle quickly rather than engage in a prolonged fight with the sea demon.
This was merely a test. Her wine-red eyes narrowed, and she pulled the trigger with her slender finger. The magic array at the gun's muzzle existed for only a fraction of a second before the anti-magic bullet absorbed it and unleashed a powerful spiral force.
"Boom!—"
Caster's sense of danger was heightened to the maximum. His chant was interrupted, and the dark magic instantly enveloped him, moving away rapidly. He barely had time to look up before the anti-magic bullet pierced through all his defenses.
His bulging eyes reflected the bullet trailing fire, and the dark magic shattered like a hot knife through butter, offering no resistance. The force split the river's surface, and the scattered dark magic shrouded the water, obscuring visibility.
On the riverbank, Iskandar and his party arrived, stunned.
Weber clung to the chariot's edge, staring at the black and purple mist. "What... what is that?!"
Everyone wanted to know.
"Is Caster dead just like that?"
"Not necessarily," Iskandar said calmly. "Though the magic in the mist is chaotic, Caster's life force is still present."
"Really?" Weber's mouth hung open. "Such a powerful attack didn't kill an unguarded Caster?"
Saber narrowed her eyes as the mist began to disperse. Caster still stood, but a thin blood line marked his face. She turned her gaze to the bridge and saw a shadow waving at her.
"Is that the witch?"
Iskandar followed Saber's gaze. "It must be. Such a sharp attack could only come from Lancer, the Golden King, or the witch."
"Lancer wouldn't stoop to an ambush, and the Golden King would disdain such tactics. Only the witch, who swore to return us to the Throne of Heroes, would do this."
"But," Iskandar's tone shifted, "it seems she failed."
Saber's heart sank as she looked at Caster in the river. "I think she has more tricks up her sleeve."
"Using her stealthy assassination techniques?" Iskandar laughed heartily. "That might be..."
"Boom!—"
A black spear plummeted from the sky, piercing the water's surface with a thunderous boom. The sonic blast echoed in everyone's ears.
Weber clutched his ears in pain, but the roaring sound persisted. Irisviel broke into a cold sweat. "Now... now Caster must be dead, right?"
Kurumi asked Red Queen, who was piloting Nightmare in the air, the same question, analyzing the data with her electronic eye.
"Tsk tsk, unfortunately, Master, only pierced Caster's right arm."
Kurumi frowned. The black and purple mist obscured her mental perception, and her sniper scope was clouded. "It shouldn't be. With such force, Caster should have been shredded to pieces."
"Caster is a magician. The magic he can mobilize with his Noble Phantasm likely exceeds yours. Deflecting a physical attack like that is relatively easy."
Kurumi remained silent, aiming Dusk Star at the river's center.
But was it as easy as Red Queen said?
Caster's face twisted with a fierce expression, his emotions unstable. The magic was complete, and he could feel the giant creature hidden beneath the water. With a whisper...
Like the anti-magic bullet, quthe black spear ickly tore through his defenses. Despite losing an arm, the pain only fueled Caster's madness.
"Gods! Dirty gods! Noble gods! No matter my suffering, I will never give up my revenge."
"Come! You arrogant gods, let me trample you with this monster, with this power! Feel what it's like to be toyed with!"
"Boom!—"
To everyone's shock, the sea demon burst from the water, swallowing Caster whole.
Saber gritted her teeth. "Caster is insane! We must stop him!"
Iskandar looked up at the giant beast. "Agreed. Otherwise, the Holy Grail War may not continue."
He glanced at the far shore, his thick red eyebrows furrowing. "Why aren't those people fleeing? They're courting trouble."
Saber tightened her grip on her sword. "They must be deceived by the purple mist, unable to see the monster in the river."
"What should we do?"
"Wait for local forces to handle it. We must first deal with this sea demon! Caster's magic is limited; he can't sustain a creature of this size for long."
"We just need to keep it from reaching the shore, and we'll find an opportunity to take it down."
"Boom!—"
A massive black and purple tentacle lashed out from the riverbank, whipping toward the group. Saber prepared to cut it down, but blood sprayed into the air.
"Lancer!"
Diarmuid scanned the group. "Sorry I'm la,te. Can't fight evil without me!"
"By the way, those first two strikes... both missed?"
"Not sure," Saber shook her head. "Only the witch knows."
"Where is she?"
Saber nodded toward the bridge. "That shadow with the modern weapon should be the witch."
"Alright." Diarmuid glanced and then refocused on the sea demon. "To take down Caster, we must pull him out of the monster."
"This thing doesn't look easy to handle."
Iskandar drew his sword. "Do you have a detailed plan?"
Saber looked at Irisviel, then around, finally locking eyes with Lancer. "Can you accurately hit Caster's Noble Phantasm from the riverbank?"
"If I can see it, I can hit it!"
"Good!" Saber nodded. "Then Iskandar and I will clear a path for you. Then..."
"I understand!"
Saber nodded at Iskandar. "Please open the way."
"Let's go!"
The two bulls roared, charging into the sky with thunder. Saber told Irisviel to stay safe, nodded at Lancer, and burst forward with superhuman speed.
Iron boots struck the water, and she moved as if on solid ground, even faster than usual.
"Shh!—"
The wind-king barrier around Excalibur sliced through the tentacles effortlessly. Saber leaped from one to the next, never relaxing her guard.
These thick tentacles seemed endless, stretching as far as the eye could see.
The purple mist hindered her slightly, but it wasn't insurmountable. She swung her sword frequently, but her pace slowed.
Without Iskandar's help from above, she might not have made it halfway. The tentacles were simply too numerous.
Unless... Saber felt a painful twinge in her left arm. Though the pain was bearable, it hindered her from using her Noble Phantasm.
"Damn!"
She swung again, slicing a tentacle in half, but the severed part quickly regrew and lashed at her again.
"Shh!—"
Saber gritted her teeth. The regenerated tentacle was tougher. Without added strength, she wouldn't have severed it.
She saw the other tentacles she'd cut also regrowing, some even thicker than before. The remaining stumps floated in the blood-red water, with no fish in sight.
"Damn it!"
Saber glared at the sea demon, its massive tentacles flaunting their strength.
This was a silent mockery.
"Saber!"
She saw Iskandar's chariot wrapped in tentacles. Not even the lightning could free it.
"I'm coming!"
Saber used the severed tentacles to reach the chariot. Flashes of white light marked her path, cutting the tentacles to pieces.
"Thanks!"
The bulls roared, breaking free and charging into the sky. Saber landed on the blood-red water, now more of a battlefield than a river.
They had slaughtered so many tentacles that the clear water turned crimson.
In the purple mist, the lake appeared pink, attracting curious onlookers.
If this were the 90s, people would have filmed and uploaded it, only for experts to debunk it as a natural phenomenon.
While Saber and Iskandar fought the tentacles, those on the shore were equally worried.
Diarmuid and Irisviel's brows never unfurrowed.
"This won't work!" Diarmuid said calmly. "The sea demon can regenerate infinitely. Caster's magic comes from his Noble Phantasm."
"And he's inside the sea demon. Even if we exhaust ourselves, we might not reach him."
"What should we do?"
Irisviel panicked. She had a better solution, but exploiting Lancer's chivalry felt too shameful.
"We need the witch's help!"
Diarmuid looked up. "Archer and Berserker are fighting. What are their Masters thinking? At a time like this..."
"Boom!—"
Another sonic boom echoed. Like the first strike, the anti-magic bullet created a pink water curtain and lodged into the sea demon's core.
The tentacles stopped and then began to fall.
"Is it over?"
"Not yet."
Iskandar drove his chariot to Saber's side. "The witch's skill is amazing!"
"Her shot hit Caster inside the monster."
Before the King of Conquerors could finish his exclamation, the sea demon let out a mournful wail!
The sound was so loud that even Gilgamesh, who was fighting Berserker in the sky, furrowed his brows.
The tentacles falling into the water thrashed wildly, attacking indiscriminately andsignificantly reducing Saber and Iskandar's maneuvering spacy.
Hundreds of tentacles shot up from the water, forming a massive cage as if trying to trap them both!
"Hyah!—"
Iskandar snapped the reins, and his chariot, Gordius Wheel, thundered forward, trying to force its way through.
Saber stood on the blood-red water, her emerald eyes darting around, assessing the situation.
Her sword swung to the left!
A purple tentacle was sliced in half from top to bottom, splattering blood all over Saber, even staining her golden hair.
"Ka~"
Saber held Excalibur before her chest and swept it out in a rapid arc as the tentacles attacked!
"Shhh!—"
Bright red blood splashed everywhere. Just as Saber was about to catch her breath, a tentacle from beneath the water launched a sneak attack!
A small, coiling tentacle wrapped around Saber's waist from behind.
More thick tentacles seemed to have eyes, quickly winding around Saber!
These tentacles were much stronger than the monsters Caster had previously summoned. Their sheer number put Saber in immediate peril!
Lancer gritted his teeth on the shore, spun his crimson spear, and prepared to throw it to save Saber.
"Ara, ara~ you are useless."