Behold, a gift from the Hydro Archon herself—bonus chapters, born of your devotion and my boundless generosity! Bask in this rare blessing!
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Hey! Are we still fighting or not?"The interruption in the battle left Achilles deeply dissatisfied.
Especially now, with that Ruler and the dark-skinned priest engaging in conversation—was the fight really about to end so anticlimactically?
He wouldn't allow it.
"Of course, the battle continues," Artoria said coolly. "While the Red faction hasn't technically broken any rules, you've attacked me repeatedly. Don't think I'll let this slide so easily."
She added, "I said before I'd ensure you all perish here... but doing so would completely disrupt the balance of this war. Losing both your Rider and Lancer would make it impossible for the Red faction to win."
"I need to leave you with a chance, but I also can't let this go unpunished. So, I'll eliminate one of your strongest fighters—either your Rider or Lancer."
This was the decision Artoria reached after careful deliberation.
Who says a referee can't intervene in a battle?
If someone dared to strike the referee, why shouldn't the referee strike back harder?
In the original stories, Rulers like Jeanne d'Arc often struggled to impose authority—barely anyone respected her role.
What's the point of being a referee if no one takes you seriously? How could you maintain order that way?
Artoria intended to show them the consequences of angering a Ruler. She would strike hard enough to instill fear, to make them understand the cost of defiance. Only then could she effectively uphold her duties.
At that moment, Achilles stepped forward.
To die honorably in a fair fight against a stronger opponent, rather than fall victim to some cowardly ambush, was something he would face without regret.
Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, though pained by this development, recognized that Achilles' departure was inevitable. Reluctantly, he could only accept the outcome.
Even commanding Achilles to flee using a Command Seal would be futile—Achilles himself would be the first to reject such an order.
Despite his depleted state after intense combat, Achilles refused to accept a fate like a lamb awaiting slaughter. He charged at Artoria with all his might, courage undiminished.
As the battle intensified, Achilles, with little magical energy remaining, made his decision—to end it with his Noble Phantasm.
He summoned his war chariot.
Before mounting, he gently stroked his three steeds.
"Xanthos, Balius, Pedasos... run with me one last time."
Though his lance had shattered earlier and his armor lay in tatters, Achilles radiated an unyielding aura as he gripped the reins and stepped onto the chariot.
Riding the chariot, Achilles became a streaking comet hurtling across the battlefield toward Artoria.
"My life burns as brightly as a shooting star! Go forth! [Troias Tragōidia: Immortal Chariot of Storms and Fury]!"
Artoria raised her hand, exuding an air of regal authority and divinity.
"In honor of your resolve, I'll use this strike as your farewell gift."
"Sacred Lance, Anchor Removed."
"Vanish beneath the light at the end of the world."
Achilles, atop his war chariot, met the radiant brilliance of Rhongomyniad head-on.
The result was inevitable. Achilles was consumed entirely by the pillar of light—his Noble Phantasm, body, and Saint Graph utterly annihilated.
Red Faction's Rider, Achilles, has exited the stage.
Beyond Artoria's overwhelming strength, Achilles had been one of the most formidable contenders in this Holy Grail War. Yet, here he was, eliminated in its early stages.
Such was war—power alone didn't guarantee survival.
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After the battle, Artoria departed, Mordred trailing close behind.
Amakusa Shirou Tokisada didn't try to stop her or curry favor.
Had Artoria's strength been her only notable trait, Amakusa might have tried to repair their relationship. He might even have shared his ideals and goals, hoping to win her acknowledgment and support.
After all, Artoria's demonstrated power far exceeded the combined might of Achilles and Karna. Her help could have greatly increased Amakusa's chances of achieving his wish, even without Achilles.
However, Artoria's insight into Amakusa's plans unnerved him. Her understanding ran so deep that it left him shaken to his core.
He feared speaking with her, meeting her, and, most of all, opposing her.
Thankfully, while she seemed aware of his goals, she didn't appear interested in interfering.
Amakusa could only pray that she wasn't deceiving him and truly had no intention of obstructing his plans.
Amakusa's mood was bleak.
He had lost a powerful ally in Achilles and now faced the unsettling reality of an immensely strong and enigmatic figure whose alignment remained uncertain.
For the sake of his lofty goal—saving all of humanity—Amakusa had schemed and bided his time for sixty years. Yet now, it felt as if his entire strategy was on the verge of collapse.
"King Arthur... Artoria Pendragon, is it?"
As the Ruler of the previous Holy Grail War, Amakusa also possessed the True Name Revelation skill, allowing him to discern Artoria's true identity.
Yet, upon discovering her name, his first reaction was doubt.
Like the Black faction, Amakusa found it hard to reconcile the discrepancy. Arthur Pendragon, though the final king of the Age of Gods, was a mortal king—a ruler of humanity. Now, however, this Artoria radiated divinity on par with some of the chief gods of myth.
Still, her true name was indeed "Artoria Pendragon," and Saber of the Red had referred to her as "Father" while being addressed as Mordred in turn.
But then another question arose—why was Mordred so obedient? Weren't they mortal enemies?
The Holy Grail War was becoming increasingly chaotic.
On top of that, there was the hostility from the other Red faction Servants.
By imprisoning the Red Masters, Amakusa had prevented the Servants from ever meeting their respective Masters. Instead, he used his control over the Masters to issue orders.
Now, however, his imprisonment of the Masters was no longer a secret. While Ruler's comment on the matter seemed offhanded, sharp-minded Servants would have already begun to suspect the truth.
Compared to this, his identity as the previous Ruler of the Holy Grail War seemed far less consequential.
Still, Amakusa wasn't overly concerned.
Achilles had exited the stage, but as long as he held Lancer Karna's Master's life in his hands, Karna wouldn't dare act against him. Caster, for his part, had no interest in his Master.
The only potential issue was Archer, Atalanta.
Based on what Amakusa knew of her, he believed she could be appeased with the promise of using the Holy Grail to grant her wish.
Of course, he had also considered the possibility of her refusing.
If it came to that... no matter how reluctant he might be, he would sacrifice her.
Hopefully, Atalanta wouldn't make the wrong choice. The Red faction couldn't afford to lose another Servant.
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Ah-ha! So you mortals truly have outdone yourselves this time, haven't you? To think your offerings could summon forth these bonus chapters—what a feat worthy of my recognition! You've brought glory to Fontaine, and naturally, to me.
But do not think for a moment that your work is complete! This is but a single step on the journey to greatness, and there are still many more chapters, many more stages, and of course, many more opportunities to bask in my brilliance.
So, continue your efforts, loyal followers! Shower this endeavor with your support, and who knows? Perhaps I shall reward your dedication with even grander displays of my magnificence.
For now, savor these bonus chapters. And remember, this is your moment to shine... because I allowed it.
With admiration and just a dash of benevolence,
Furina ✨