Anime: Fight Sukuna at the beginning?.

Chapter 400 Projection Loading: The Strongest Sword I've Ever Seen
The Holy Grail War is on its third day, with six minutes and forty-three seconds remaining until sunset.

Fuyuki City, church.

After the Servant who was piloting the cannon unleashed a torrent of blazing magical energy, launching a meticulously planned bombardment, the Servant, who appeared to be Archer, fired the cannon.

Despite Rider Zhao Yun, the guardian of the church, issuing an early warning to Etotsu Yuta.

The two took some measures to deal with the situation.

But just seconds before, a solemn and majestic church, constructed of the finest marble, stood there, a place for worshippers of all kinds.

It was already 'crushed' by Archer Napoleon's cannons, like tender tofu that had been gnawed by a dog.

And in the ruins of the church, which has been reduced to ruins and is now almost entirely just the foundation.

Father Kotomine Risei, an old priest belonging to the [Holy Church], was 'bravely' observing the development of the battle amidst the deafening roar.

Of course, rather than saying that this old man, who wields more than a dozen Command Seals, is the supervisor of this Holy Grail War and the one who distributes Command Seals rewards, is more accurate to say that he is more capable of doing so.

They chose to fight on despite minor injuries, demonstrating the brave and fearless spirit of the [Holy Church] warriors.

Bravely, the cat lurked behind the ruins, spying on the battle and gathering intelligence.

Rather, it would be more accurate to say that this elderly man, who was injured in the leg and unable to move, could only lie in the ruins and passively gather some information.

It would be more appropriate to wait until the battle between the Servants is over before sentencing him.

Upon seeing the gleaming armor and silver spear, the unaffiliated follower named Zhao Yun, standing before the church ruins, did not immediately draw his spear.

Instead, they quietly watched as the red archer, draped in the shroud of the dead, who stood at the church entrance, threw down the Gan Jiang and Mo Xie swords.

Kotomine Risuke, eager to escape the danger as quickly as possible, couldn't help but feel anxious.

He cleared his throat and summoned this unknown person, but there was no Master present.

The Servant, who relies solely on the [Independent Action C++] skill, offered a 'friendly' suggestion.

"General, according to our cooperation terms..."

Before Kotomine Risei could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a deafening roar.

boom--

On a rooftop not far away, Archer Napoleon, dressed as a tall, muscular man wearing a feathered hat, waved one hand.

The cannon barrel of the "Magic Furnace," which is almost a "perpetual motion machine of magic," connected to it, glowed once again.

In an instant, as the cannon muzzle trembled slightly, a torrent of magical power that nearly pierced the sky surged out from the muzzle once again.

Carrying the intense heat that evaporated all moisture in its path, it crashed into the church like a shooting star.

But before this torrent of magic, which caused the air temperature to rise several degrees, could approach the church.

Yi Gu You Tai casually raised the finger adorned with the ring.

A torrent of black energy, equally impressive, flowed from the boy's fingertips.

It transformed into a long black arrow and headed straight towards the torrent of magic.

The two distinct torrents collided.

Uncontrolled, violent magical power, filled with negative emotions, was like a ravenous demon encountering the finest flesh, greedily opening its maw to 'tear apart' the torrent of magic.

In a short while, the two energies dissipated into the air, just like a row of Tetris blocks being eliminated.

It was seen that the enemy's attack was neutralized by Eku Uta.

The [Spell Name: Rika] beside her opened her mouth wide in excitement.

He roared maniacally at Napoleon, who was standing on a rooftop not far away, sending chills down his spine.

"Yuta. The strongest."

"Killed by the enemy."

However, Otsuko Yuta, who had neutralized the enemy's attack, did not press his advantage.

This boy has already put on the ring and linked with [Spell: Rika].

With the activation of the external spell, there was an almost inexhaustible supply of magical power.

After activating a five-minute mode that is almost equivalent to [Infinite Spell Power],...

Instead of dealing with Napoleon who was not far away, he glanced warily at the "Sea Demon" in the distance and chose to stay put.

The appearance of this "Sea Demon" and the shelling were too coincidental; it almost seemed like part of a plan.

Leaving this place would likely be exactly what the enemy wants; I must stay here.

After such a thought flashed through my mind.

Egoku Yuta then asked the red archer standing in front of the iron gate outside the church, who had not launched an attack immediately, with a puzzled look.

They tried their best to smooth things over and avoid a fight.

“Mr. Caster, coming to the church at this sensitive time could lead to misunderstandings.”

The only response came from the unusually indifferent red archer, whose words were resolute.

"I regret to inform you, Mr. Yigu Youtai."

"There is no misunderstanding in my coming here."

The red archer glanced discreetly at the two Gan Jiang and Mo Xie swords stuck at his feet.

With a flick of his wrists, a longbow appeared in his hands.

"I only participated in a joint operation to obtain the Command Seals from the Overseer and the pre-arranged reward."

"Therefore, the following battle is just one of the battles in the Holy Grail War caused by different factions."

"And just the usual infighting caused by the lure of profit."

Then, he glanced at Zhao Yun, who was wearing silver armor, holding a long spear, and with the Qinggang Sword hanging at his waist.

He then uttered a somewhat regretful remark.

"However, it seems that the planning of this battle was somewhat flawed from the very beginning."

"After all, who would have thought that you, an 'Agent' whose combat power rivals that of a Servant, would choose not to leave this place?"

"I initially thought it was an unfair two-on-one fight, but it turned into a one-on-one battle?"

He then deliberately reread the word 'death'.

"I might get crushed by a pile of rubble and die here."

I am unable to keep my promise to you.

These words, spoken by the red archer, were clearly loaded with hidden meaning.

Yigu Youtai, who seemed to understand the sentence but not quite, and vaguely grasped something from it, couldn't help but frown.

[As expected, someone deliberately instigated this battle; staying here was the right thing to do.]

He doesn't genuinely want those Command Seals and to fight me; rather, he comes with a specific purpose, hoping to achieve it through this battle.

But what exactly is his purpose?

Yi Guyou quickly started thinking.

Until Napoleon, not far away, finished warming up the cannons and unleashed another astonishing torrent of magical power.

When he had to respond again, he still hadn't found an answer.

Rider Zhao Yun, who was sparing with words, squinted and sized up the red archer in front of him.

After seemingly confirming something, he spoke for the first time.

“I have no intention of competing with someone like you who shares the same ‘mission’.”

"If we choose to retreat now, we can save our lives."

Upon hearing these words, the red archer merely tilted his head, narrowly avoiding the silvery-white energy that grazed his cheek.

He uttered some very offensive and provocative words to Zhao Yun, who was improvising a 'warning' by brandishing his spear.

"Although it was an exchange that resembled a negotiation, it was in a tense and extremely arrogant manner."

"Doesn't seem like a Servant you can communicate with properly?"

"Besides, I am not a coward who flinches from battle."

"Let's settle this here."

As he spoke, the red archer pulled back a single hand, and an arrow with the [Auto-Pursuit] ability shot out.

Like an endless meteor shower appearing in the sky, it shot towards Zhao Yun in all sorts of strange arcs.

It is indeed the Red Plains Hound.

Looking at the dense barrage of arrows shooting in from all sorts of tricky directions.

Zhao Yun snorted coldly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

He slung the spear behind his back with one hand, and thrust it forward like a dragon emerging from the sea.

Then, as if a calligrapher were freely wielding ink, he made a downward stroke, and finally swept it forward with great flourish.

Three streams of energy erupted, weaving into a giant white dragon that tore through the barrage of arrows. In an instant, it engulfed countless arrows and continued its assault on the red archers.

It is precisely the [Resonance Technique] [Dragon Subduing Strike]

He then glanced at the arrows shooting from behind him from a blind spot.

Zhao Yun used the momentum of his spear thrust to throw it backward.

The rapidly spinning spear then transformed into a perfectly round, transparent, and airtight shield.

Several crisp, crackling sounds filled the air as the arrows were deflected.

Zhao Yun grabbed the spear with one hand and held it in his grasp once more.

He raised his free right hand and blew a whistle.

A pure white horse, quite mystical, named "Night-Shining Jade Lion," appeared out of thin air beneath him.

Zhao Yun spurred his horse without pulling on the reins.

In the blink of an eye, the white horse beneath him leaped up, and the spear in his hand thrust forward.

Transforming into a bolt of lightning, carrying unparalleled momentum, it charged towards the red archers who were in a straight line with Zhao Yun.

[Resonance Technique] [Cliff Edge Spear]

The shot was fired.

The neat, uniform brickwork of the path between the church's main entrance and the iron gate on the outer wall seemed to float in mid-air as if it had escaped Earth's gravity.

Then, it was repelled by the fierce wind brought by Zhao Yun's sudden thrust, and flew out with astonishing force like a cannonball flying out of a cannon barrel.

It can be said that the horse borrowed the man's power, and the gun helped the man gain prestige.

With the combined boosts of Strength (A), Agility (A), and Riding (A), this attack is comparable to an A-rank Noble Phantasm.

Only when he was close to the enemy did Zhao Yun respond sharply to the red archers' provocation.

"To determine a winner?"

"Then so be it!"
-
The red archer watched as Zhao Yun charged towards him.

Despite activating [Eagle Eye], the system still couldn't clearly capture the figure's form.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Is this the Servant who, during that battle, Kiritsugu mentioned activating his Noble Phantasm and ultimately killing the oldest human king?

Despite currently being without a Master, not at her peak, and suffering from a mana shortage that prevents her from using her Noble Phantasm, she is still incredibly brave.

He glanced at the darkening sky and sensed his body's gradual collapse of its [Spiritual Foundation].

After sensing that his time was running out.

The red archer's eyes instantly hardened.

It seems the wish is unlikely to come true, and the plot is a complete mess.

Therefore, we need to use the strategy that best lowers the enemy's guard, as a last line of defense.

[At the same time, to avoid the worst-case scenario, we must accelerate the process of the Holy Grail War according to my plan and advance the 'mission' ahead of schedule.]

He began to chant the incantation he knew best in a low voice.

"I'm bone of my sword."

The longbow in his hand then disappeared.

Some flamboyant, petal-shaped shields unfolded in front of the red archers and began to 'grow' forward in layers.

They formed seven indestructible shields in front of the red archers.

It is a mythical "Noble Phantasm" known as "Absolute Defense," said to be able to withstand all thrown weapons.

[Seven-fold Ring of Blazing Sky]

However, this seemingly indestructible shield was shattered after it touched the tip of Zhao Yun's spear.

It shattered with an incredibly clear sound, like glass falling to the ground and crumbling at the slightest touch.

In an instant, the seven-layered [Sevenfold Blazing Heaven Ring] shattered, turning into countless tiny fragments that flew out in all directions.

They then all turned into particles and dissipated into the air.

After witnessing the scene where the Noble Phantasm, which nearly drained Kiritsugu Emiya's mana, only bought him less than a second of time.

The red archer's pupils contracted slightly.

The heroic spirits who have become legends inevitably carry the ideals and hopes of the people in their [skills] and [noble stats], as their past deeds have been transformed into.

[As expected of Zhao Yun, who single-handedly charged through enemy lines seven times! This move is probably at the level of an A+ Noble Phantasm.]

The red archer smiled as he watched Zhao Yun about to crush him.

However, to make the subsequent 'exit' more realistic and to deceive the enemy...

I can't just leave so easily.

Trace On.
"────Projection, begin."

Gazing at Zhao Yun before him, the red archer's eyes seemed to transcend his opponent and pierce through time.

Without hesitation or a single mistake, she recalled the long sword called "Kashuu Kiyomitsu," which was said to be of "legendary" quality, that the man she had seen wielded.

He opened his left hand and gripped the imaginary hilt of the knife, which had not yet materialized.

The knife seemed unusually heavy.

Even if what he holds is a fake, a projection of his own origin, which is called "Sword".

Clearly, both then and now, I have never met the conditions for using this long sword.

But this time, the [projection] can even copy the opponent's energy for a moment.

Snapped!
A strange cracking sound was heard in my brain.

It's obvious that part of it is already broken.

However, the healing technique called "Fuse Fracture" that the man mentioned should be able to fix it later.

The muscles could no longer withstand the flowing magic and disintegrated.

The left arm that was holding the knife was so long and unbroken that it could be severed at the slightest touch, like an unusually long apple peel that had been peeled for a long time.

If they wanted to stop Zhao Yun, who was coming as a unit of men and horses, and buy some time to carry out their plan, ordinary projections would be useless.

The projection magic trick is impossible.

If the projection limit is not exceeded, it will be impossible to block the view of the crowd.

Then the opportunity to 'escape'.

Trigger Off
"────Projection, loading."

In an instant, the image of the man wielding this knife and displaying his proud swordsmanship flashed into his mind.

And from that, they found a way to kill the Servant.

[We need to reduce the power.]

The red archer, seeing Zhao Yun as one with his horse, channeled a tiny amount of magic into a single swing of his longsword.

A faint glint of light, named "Moon in the Mirror," appeared in response.

With unparalleled momentum, he swung his sword at Zhao Yun.

The red archer, deliberately slowing down to expose his weakness, uttered some very arrogant words.

"Then let me show you [the strongest sword I've ever seen] and his swordsmanship."

At the same time, the red archer silently dropped a [Gan Jiang Mo Xie] with his free right hand.

It flies towards the Gan Jiang and Mo Xie swords that were placed beforehand and have the effect of attracting swords.

The explosion triggers a [Spell Reversal] that generates a massive cloud of smoke and dust.

After doing all this, he saw Zhao Yun approaching and seized the opportunity to exploit the opening.

He paid the price as planned, bypassing the longsword he had deliberately slowed down, and the spear that was about to pierce his heart.

The red archers, covered in smoke and dust, smiled with satisfaction.

He silently projected the golden particles that the Heroic Spirits transformed into spiritual matter when they returned to the Throne of Heroes, using them as his own 'ashes'.

Finally, he handed over the order to Kiritsugu Emiya.

"Master, I have truly 'died'."

"Now you can use a Command Spell to transfer me and turn me into a 'hidden piece'."
-
At the same time, Fang Yi heard two strange and nonsensical notification sounds.

Your "Moon in the Mirror" skill has been fully optimized.

Your understanding of 'meaning' has deepened.

(End of this chapter)