Why bother with the Holy Grail War? Let's play cards!

"This is... the battle of the Holy Grail War?" Shirou Emiya asked, bewildered but deeply shocked.

"Use your underdeveloped brain to think properly, that's not good!" Archer covered his forehead speechlessly. Shirou Emiya had absolutely no experience as a magician, let alone any knowledge of the Holy Grail War.

Only then did Shirou Emiya obtain the specific information about Jiang You's Noble Phantasm. "A Noble Phantasm that can transform deeds and connections into cards? Archer, now you can't hide your identity anymore!"

Shirou Emiya also wanted to know who this annoying Heroic Spirit was.

"I didn't think you wanted to know."

"Shirou Emiya, you're Archer's Master? How did you get involved in the Holy Grail War?" Rin Tohsaka saw the Command Seals in Shirou Emiya's hand. She never dreamed that this enthusiastic classmate would also join this battle.

"Actually, I don't know what's going on either. This guy just suddenly appeared and said I'm his master." Shirou Emiya was a little troubled. The knowledge Archer gave him was also fragmented. If he hadn't pressed him repeatedly, Archer probably wouldn't have said anything. "According to him, I can't fight with strangers."

"It seems necessary to find someone to explain the details of the Holy Grail War to you in detail." To protect Sakura's smile, Rin Tohsaka felt it necessary to take care of this naive, ordinary high school student. At least she couldn't let him die in front of her. "Without the resolve to kill the opponent, it's easy to get hurt. Fortunately, other Masters have already joined forces. Before you make up your mind, cooperate with me first."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Rin." Actually, Shirou also wanted to protect Rin Tohsaka. He was worried about a girl his age fighting with others.

Red A was also feeling distressed. If he had known about the existence of this Noble Phantasm, he would never have taken the initiative to attack. He had originally wanted to tease Shirou Emiya, but now he had no choice but to go ahead with it.

“I am but a nobody, so the opportunity to shine should naturally be given to the great hero of Greece.” Red A ceded the first move to Jason.

Jason looked at his hand, his face full of confidence. "Don't regret it, the heroes on the Argo are not unknown people! Hercules is invincible!"

Jason LP4000

Red A LP4000

"My turn! First, I normally summon Theseus! Come, my navigator, let us once again sail the seas together!"

A thread stretched out from the darkness of the duel space, and the hero who challenged the Great Labyrinth of Crete and defeated the Minotaur came to the battle area following the guidance of the thread.

Theseus (Saber) 4-star, Attack Power 1600

"It's not a proper summoning, nor is it the captain's Noble Phantasm. This method is truly amazing." Theseus was incredibly intrigued by Jiang You's Noble Phantasm. He looked at Jason and summoned him, "Jason, you still look as spirited as ever. It's wonderful to see you like this."

“I’m happy to see you too. It would be even better if all the crew members could be summoned together… Of course, forget about that guy.” Jason looked at the card in his hand, but he didn’t have the courage to play it. “Then, the Noble Phantasm of Theseus, ‘The Thread Leading to the Extreme’! This is the thread that guides him out of the inescapable labyrinth, showing everyone the way. Its specific effect is—when successfully summoned, it can be activated to add one ‘Argonaut’ Servant from the Deck to your hand.”

"I want to add [Hercules] to my hand!"

"It's Hercules?" Theseus looked nostalgic; he had always admired Hercules.

"Not only that, you'll be meeting soon! And with my own effect, I can Special Summon a Servant from my hand if there's an Argonaut on the field!" Jason jumped to the center of the battlefield.

Jason: Attack Power 1200

"Next, I will use my own effect to free myself and Special Summon [Hercules] from my hand!" Jason did want to show off, but he still knew what was important and what was secondary. He decisively summoned his strongest trump card.

A black giant fell from the sky and cracked the ground.

Hercules: Attack Power 3000

"So this is what he looks like, but he's still very strong!" Theseus had originally wanted to chat with Heracles, but seeing his appearance, he had no choice but to give up.

“Finally, I'll face down a card in my back row to end my turn.” Jason held his last card. “Unknown Archer, show us your glorious deeds!”

"I don't have any glorious deeds to speak of, just the experience of being a complete idiot." Red A glanced at Emiya Shirou. "Anyway, it's my turn, draw a card!"

“First, I activate the Spell Card [The Gallows Bearer of Guilt], sending one Level 4 or lower Servant from my Deck to the Graveyard. If the Servant sent to the Graveyard has the [Emiya] attribute, I add one [Emiya (Archer)] or [Emiya (Assassin)] to my hand.” Red Archer draws a card from his Deck. “The one I’m sending to the Graveyard is this [Emiya Shirou]!”

"What?!" Shirou Emiya knew the cards revealed the history of their Masters and Servants, so this card, which bore the name Emiya, had a strong connection to him. His father, Kiritsugu Emiya, died of illness, so this card…

"That's right, this is the tragic end of a boy named Shirou Emiya." Archer (Red A) tossed the card with Shirou Emiya's image into the graveyard with a disdainful look. "He shed blood to help others, only to be sent to the gallows as the culprit. It's laughable. So, it's best not to be a ally of justice."

"Next up is [Messenger of Justice], Special Summon [Shirou Emiya] from the Graveyard in Attack Position!" Shirou Emiya, who was watching the battle, was dragged directly into the battlefield. Before he could react, a pair of black and white swords appeared in his hands. He could sense that these swords were constructed by his projection magic, but he had never seen such a thing before.

【Emiya Shirou】 4-star, Attack Power 1600

"Then it's decided on you, Emiya Shirou, go ahead and kill Hercules!"

"what?"

Chapter 86 Red A: Shirou, I might not be you, but what if I'm your father?

"Emiya Shirou's effect: When he Normal or Special Summons, he adds one Equip Card from his Deck to his hand. The card I want to add is this one: [False Spiral Sword (Caladbolg II)]."

"A spiral sword? That's from Celtic mythology... Wait, what's with this II?" Jason almost thought Red A was some Bronze.

"That's because it's a fake, of course, but it's more convenient for me." Red A shrugged, placing another card on the field. "However, I'm a bit of a competitive person, so I'll still try to go all out in this battle. I'll Normal Summon [Emiya (Archer)]."

[Emiya] Archer 4-star, Attack 2000

"Your name is Emiya?" Emiya Shirou remembered what Fujimura Taiga had said that morning—that he looked somewhat similar to the Servant directly—and felt like he had grasped some key point. "Who exactly are you?"

"Who is it? Maybe it's your long-lost father!" Archer remained sharp-tongued, just like Shirou Emiya, completely at odds with his opponent. "I'll equip the [Pseudo-Spiral Sword] on myself!"

[Emiya] Attack power 2000 → 2500

"My own effect: Release the equipment card to myself and destroy one enemy Servant on the field! I release [Pseudo-Spiral Sword] and destroy [Hercules]! Fantasy Collapse!"

As everyone watched in astonishment, the pseudo-spiral sword was used as an arrow and launched towards Hercules. The explosion caused by the collapse of the Noble Phantasm was so devastating that even Hercules was unable to withstand it. When the smoke cleared, only half of his body remained.

"The effect of the spiral sword can cause 500 HP damage to the enemy when released!"

The aftermath of the explosion also injured Jason, causing him to cry out in pain.

Jason LP4000 → LP3500

"Don't get too cocky! Hercules isn't that easy to defeat. He'll be back on the field at the start of the next round!"

"The Twelve Trials, right? It's indeed a very powerful Noble Phantasm." Archer continued his actions unhurriedly, "But it's not your own strength after all. If I defeat you, there won't be a next turn!"

"Emiya's effect: Once per turn, discard a card and equip an equipment card from your deck to yourself. I want to equip the immortal holy sword Durandal!"

[Emiya] Attack power 2000 → 2500

"Although it's not the original and its effect is much weaker, the wearer of this card cannot be destroyed in battle!" Red A gripped the legendary Holy Sword. "Enter the battle phase!"

"Why not activate the effect?" Rin Tohsaka found Archer's behavior strange, since using the effect to destroy Theseus would have been more beneficial.

"First, [Emiya Shirou] attack like [Theseus]!"

Shirou Emiya was startled; it would have been more logical for Archer to launch the attack himself. "What are you trying to do!"

"Should you feel honored to fight against a legendary Greek hero?" Red A laughed. "Look at how you perform, you fool!"

"You can only activate this once per turn. When this card is destroyed by battle, Special Summon one [Emiya] from your hand or Graveyard!?" Shirou Emiya looked at Archer and finally realized the truth.

This Servant is my future self!

Driven by the rules, Shirou Emiya used an attack beyond his ability to kill himself and Theseus, and they entered the cemetery together.

Another [Emiya] was summoned into the battlefield from Red A's hand, but this one was clearly unconscious.

[Emiya] Attack Power 2000

"How could you possibly be me?" Shirou Emiya couldn't believe his eyes, but all the signs pointed to a fact he didn't want to believe. For the past two days, he'd dreamt of Archer's life—a relentless slaughter, a blood-soaked hellish path. He collapsed to the ground. "How could I possibly become someone like you!"

"People will eventually become the very thing they hate." Archer, the future Shirou Emiya, looked down at his former self. "The empty ideal of being a ally of justice only breeds more tragedy. Saving others means taking their lives, and in the end, you'll be sent to the gallows yourself. What can you save? You can't save anything!"

"Give up your foolish dream now!" Red A's wish was to change his deceived future. As the agent of the Counter Force, he thought he could save more people after his death, but the reality was that he personally took more lives. "Just live an ordinary life honestly! It's better for everyone that way."

But Shirou Emiya has never been one to compromise. He had made a promise with his father that he would become a champion of justice: "Then let me ask you, what did you say to your future self back then?"

"How could I possibly remember such a thing clearly?" Archer could not remember many things from his life, but he was certain that he had never seen this special Noble Phantasm.

Emiya Shirou keenly noticed his own subtle movement; after all, even if he knew himself well, he couldn't help it: "You're lying. What you experienced back then was definitely different from what you're experiencing now, so I'm not you! And I will never become you!"

"Is that so?" Red A's face had completely darkened. He had had enough of this constant fighting; it tormented him every moment. "Then you'd better keep your last Command Seal safe, or I will definitely kill you with my own hands!"

"The battle continues!" Red A didn't want to see that innocent, foolish look in his eyes anymore.

"Huh? Great!" Jason was so engrossed in watching the drama that he almost forgot he had entered Red A's kill threshold.

"Rin Tohsaka, right? Shirou Emiya, if I win this match, I'll kill this little girl." Archer uttered cruel words, intending to teach him a lesson. "Then hate me with all your might!"

As the main body, Emiya with 2500 attack power launched the attack first, and hit Jason smoothly, causing Jason to scream in pain.

Jason LP3500 → LP1000

"Then, this is the final blow!" Archer raised his hand, and another version of himself drew back the bowstring, ready to strike. "Because of the rules of the duel, even if it's not a Dark Game, it will still cause great damage to a Heroic Spirit. So, no one here can stop me. If you want this Rin Tohsaka to live, use your final Command Seal!"

"But, once I've used up my Command Spells, I will kill you!" This was a purely calculated move. If Jason lost, only one of Rin Tohsaka and Shirou Emiya could survive. And Shirou Emiya, being of a character, would never stand by and watch Rin Tohsaka be killed by Archer.

"I haven't even answered yet! Who gave you permission to touch my Master?!" Jason forced himself to stand up despite the pain. "So what if it's a dark history? Watch me overcome it! The effect of my hand card [Medea Lily]! When you take fatal damage, this card can be Special Summoned from your hand! Negate the damage and restore 1000 Life Points! Perfect Fix!"

Jason LP1000 → LP2000

"Lord Jason, you have finally summoned me! I am so happy!" Medea, full of girlish charm, appeared in the soft purple light. It was hard to imagine that she would look like that many years later.

【Medea Lily】Caster, 4-star, Attack Power 1600

"Is it actually the Medea of ​​this period? I'm sweating just thinking about it." Jason wiped his sweat off his forehead. "Medea, you are really reliable in this period. Please lend me a hand!"

Medea nodded obediently.

"Looks like the Greek hero is quite popular." Red A shrugged; he hadn't expected to defeat Jason so easily. "I'll set a card in my back row and end my turn."

"For my Master, I will not lose!" Jason, biting his thumb, finally uttered words befitting a hero, though Medea secretly cast a murderous glare at him at the same time. "My turn, draw a card!"

"As expected, even Hercules is helping me!" Jason was beaming with pride. He had drawn a powerful card that could secure victory. "At the start of the turn, thanks to the effect of [Hercules], he returns to the field!"

Hercules: Attack Power 3000

"This is your last round! I'm going straight into battle!" Jason entered the battle phase without hesitation.

"You can't break through my defenses like that." Red A has two Servants with over 2000 HP in the front row, and their HP hasn't been reduced at all. Even someone as strong as Heracles can't defeat him in one turn.

"Who said I can't? I activate a quick-play magic card! [Shoot Hundred Heads], card name, once per turn, can only be activated when [Hercules] is on the field. During this turn, increase his attack power by 1500 points, and this card can attack the enemy a number of times equal to the number of servants on the field at this time, a total of 2 times!"

"This is a Noble Phantasm that evolved from Hercules's martial arts technique in slaying the Hydra. If it were placed here, the Hydra would be a monster with an attack power of around 3500. As expected, Hercules was invincible!" Jason did not hold back his admiration for Hercules.

Red A looked at the trap card covering him. [Sevenfold Rings of Blazing Sky] can be activated by discarding a card when the enemy attacks. During that turn, the servant will not be destroyed by battle and will not receive battle damage.

"You looked at that card in the back row, right?" Jason sensed danger from that card when he was biting his hand, but it disappeared after activating [Shoot Down a Hundred Heads]. "The Hydra is a legendary immortal monster. Guess how Hercules succeeded—because, of course, during the turn [Shoot Down a Hundred Heads] is activated, if Hercules attacks, the opponent cannot activate any monster effect spell cards or trap cards until the end of the damage step!"

"Come on, first strike!"

The axe and sword came down with the force of a mountain, and the red A was directly and evenly split into two halves.

Red ALP4000 → LP3000

"It's not that simple! The effect of [Emiya] can only be activated once per turn. When a card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon 1 Shirou Emiya from your hand or Graveyard!"