Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Type-Moon, inheriting the legacy of Zi-O.

The enemy's reduction in numbers only accelerated their pace, and they easily wiped out the reconnaissance unit just as the sun was setting.

They quickly returned to camp, leaving the unconscious enemy soldiers to be carried by the Roman soldiers themselves.

"---That's the gist of it." Mashu briefly reported the situation to Boudica. "We might be keeping you here for a while."

"Huh? You guys are from another realm?" Boudica was also a little surprised after hearing Mashu's brief introduction. "I see, there's such a thing."

"It's fortunate that you grasped the situation so quickly." Now that Mashu had finished explaining their situation, Dr. Roman opened the communicator. "Your name is Boudica, right? You're a Servant too?"

"Doctor...!" Mashu frowned slightly, realizing that the doctor's words were somewhat impolite.

"It's alright~ Don't worry about my feelings." To everyone's surprise, Boudica smiled and patted Mashu's head to indicate that it was okay. "Yes, I should have been dead."

Mashu, who was well-versed in history, looked quite surprised.

"Judging from your expression, you seem to find it incredible?" Pointing to Mashu's wide eyes in surprise, Boudica smiled and touched her golden earring. "Don't you understand why Queen Boudica wants to become a general of Rome?"

“Yes.” Having been seen through, Mashu nodded. “Based on the history I know, you—”

Boudica.

In the first century, she was a young, warlike queen of ancient Britannia. The ruthless invasions of the Roman Empire even resulted in the humiliation of her daughters. Unable to endure it any longer, she eventually led a rebellion with the princes, but was defeated and killed by the army of Emperor Nero.

Nian Zhuo understood, and as someone who also knew this history, he was also somewhat puzzled. Although in the game, due to the text, he joined Nero's side, which should have been hated, he was still somewhat confused after meeting the real person.

“Yes, that’s right.” Before Mashu could continue, Boudica already knew and had experienced her own end. “I will never forgive Emperor Nero and Rome, and I swore the same to the Celtic gods.”

"...And this is me." With a hint of sadness and anger, Boudica pointed to herself, "I've actually appeared in an era not long after I died. I thought this was a good opportunity for revenge." She flicked the blade in her hand, but Boudica's expression turned to one of reluctance.

"But when I saw Rome ravaged by the allied forces..." Boudica looked up at the people listening intently and continued with a smile, "I acted instinctively. Not for Emperor Nero, but for the people living here." As she spoke, her face became somewhat dazed, and Boudica forgot why she had chosen to stand on Nero's side in the first place.

“...Perhaps it’s because I feel guilty towards the people of Lontinion who were massacred because of my revenge…” As she spoke, Boudica looked embarrassed again and subconsciously scratched her cheek. “I don’t even understand myself anymore. But thinking about it carefully, I’ve always been like this.”

"I have a natural inclination to fight for what I believe in. It seems to suit me best." With a grave expression, Boudica looked at the three before her and pleaded in a serious tone, "So… during this time when Emperor Nero mistakenly believes me to be a {living formidable enemy}, I'll trouble you…"

"Don't tell her about your death... okay?" Looking at the woman in front of him who was laughing when her thoughts were exposed, Nian Zhuo suddenly felt that she also had a maternal glow about her towards Nero.

“Ah, you guessed right.” Now that the Emperor had been mentioned, Boudica’s smile vanished. “She seems more restless than before. If she has any unnecessary worries, who knows what she might do.”

“…Understood, Your Highness Boudica, Queen of Britain.” Bowing respectfully, Zhuo gained a deeper understanding of the people in this world. “You are a true Heroic Spirit, the very hero of humanity’s dreams. A symbol of power that punishes evil and saves countless people.”

"Haha~ It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing." Boudica waved her hand, not expecting such high praise. "If you think I'm that kind of person, this feeling isn't so bad."

“Indeed, Queen Boudica.” The doctor, who had listened to the whole thing, agreed with this view. “There are very few Heroic Spirits who can be worthy of such praise. The quality that you are so proud of is absolutely dazzling.”

"Hmm, I understand your conversation, okay?" Ritsuka, who had been silent all along, waved her hand at Nencho, who wanted to explain, indicating that it wasn't necessary. "Actually, I guessed pretty much what was going on halfway through."

“…That’s good.” Nian Zhuo shut his mouth and simply looked at the deceased queen bathed in the sunset.

The light seemed to drape a golden veil over her head, or perhaps it was just a distorted illusion.

Cuenca Cuenca~

"It's precisely because we understand your past, Queen Boudica." Looking at her smiling face with a complex expression, Nian Zhuo still found it difficult to speak... "You were also a Heroic Spirit, a Servant. You were a figure who died in the war against Emperor Nero's legions earlier in this era. You were the queen of Britannia, ravaged by Rome. And yet, despite this, you stood on Nero's side..."

"It's not actually that complicated." Boudica's smile remained unchanged, only disappearing when the topic of factions came up. "To put it bluntly, I dislike the Allied Forces more than Nero. Spartacus feels the same way. He probably thinks he's fighting against a bunch of tyrants." Pointing to Spartacus exercising nearby, Boudica leaned closer as if whispering a secret.

"To put it somewhat frighteningly, he's just not our enemy. I doubt he ever intended to join Emperor Nero's side?"

Upon hearing his name being called, Spartacus walked over with a smile.

"Hahaha! The walls of the arena have collapsed, and this vast land has been completely transformed into my arena." With these cryptic words, Spartacus resumed his training as if no one else was around.

"Right?" Boudica smiled and pointed to a figure who was still fighting hard.

"I didn't understand at all." Mashu complained in her mind as usual.

"Does she possess some kind of special skill..." The doctor said, taking a sip of coffee. Without turning on his communication device, he still couldn't understand why Boudica could understand Spartacus's words. "Like understanding Berserk... or something, you know what I mean?" He secretly sent a message to Mash's communication device.

“In short…” Mash concluded, turning to Ritsuka, whose eyes were swirling with confusion because of Spartacus’s words, “They are all Heroic Spirits, Servants. Just like in Orleans, multiple Servants will manifest in the era of singularities. But they are not all enemies; some will stand on the side of the Correction Era according to their own will.”

"You're making me so embarrassed..." Boudica scratched her cheek, a little embarrassed. "It's not that exaggerated, is it?"

"Hahahaha!" Spartacus appeared again, laughing and brandishing his short sword. "Watch closely, my body is proof of rebellion. Tyrants will eventually understand that the pain inflicted upon me is the source of my power."

"Look, Spartacus is shy too~" Boudica nudged Spartacus beside her with her elbow, her smile becoming increasingly amused.

"..." This comes from Mash, who is gazing at Spartacus.

"..." This came from the doctor who fell into deep thought after hearing these words.

"..." This comes from Ritsuka, who was utterly astonished upon hearing this.

"..." The last one came from Nian Zhuo, who was looking at Spartacus's proud expression. "{You call that shyness??}" Looking at Spartacus's "love!" smile, Zhuo felt that his definition of shyness had been rewritten.

"---Alright, let's begin." Boudica smiled and turned her gaze back to Nian Zhuo and his group, raising her wooden shield and short sword.

"What?" Mash was puzzled as she watched Boudica assume a fighting stance.

“I’m not doubting your strength…” Boudica said, then shook her head. “Ah, no, I should say I’m doubting it, right? Now, most of Gaul has fallen into the hands of the allied forces, and even we can’t conquer it.” As she spoke, she described the situation in Gaul to them.

"One of the rulers of Gaul—the Emperor—is incredibly powerful. He is invincible in both mind and body, a hero whose appearance belies his strength. Do you possess the power to confront him directly? Or is your strength limited to ordinary reinforcements?" Boudica pointed her short sword at Nianzhuo as she spoke.

"Excuse me, let me confirm your strength?"

"Huh?!" Even the doctor was startled by Boudica's reaction as the screen turned from green to red. "I thought you were a sophisticated queen, but it turns out you're a woman who lets her abilities speak for themselves?!"

"Haha~ You really are sensible." Boudica, implicitly acknowledging the doctor's words, assumed a fighting stance, pointing her short sword at the three who were still bewildered. "Then let's begin. Don't accidentally die, okay? After this, I'll cook you something delicious. Of course, I won't make Roman food, but British food!"

"---Come, let's clash head-on!" Judging from her tone, Boudica was completely serious; she truly intended to kill them as she swung her sword. "My name is Boudica, and my class is Cavalry! My chariot is incredibly tough!"

“A man can’t say he can’t do it…” Nian Zhuo looked at Boudica in front of him and silently took out his Zi-O watch.

“Zio----” The bright silver knight reappeared, but it wasn’t over yet.

To gain Boudica's recognition, one must be as committed as her, or even more so.

That is, the resolve to defeat her, even to kill her.

The magician, who took out a white and red watch face from his pocket, calmly looked at Nianzhuo, a symbol of hope.

"Come on, Haruto, I'm counting on you this time." Twisting the dial, Zhuo placed the wizard's dial onto the driver for the first time.

A huge magic circle appeared behind him, and Haruto's phantom stood beside him.

"Is it our turn?" "Ah, lend me your power."

"Rider Time! Kamen Rider Zio!! Armor Time! Please! Wizard!"

"Hi-Hi Hi-Hi-Hi!" "henshin----"

Turn the watch face around, and Zi-O's figure soars into the air.

A crimson magic circle passed through the bright silver figure, staining his body crimson.

Two bright red capes were engraved with magical runes, and at this moment, Nian Zhuo had transformed into the Zi-O Wizard form.

"I will definitely become your hope!" Nen-chou's voice rang out from behind his mask, pointing a single finger at Boudica, who was slightly dazed by the scene. Haruto simply watched all of this, smiled slightly, and vanished into particles of light.

"Hey! Show time!"

The crimson magician knight charged toward the cavalrymen who still harbored doubts about hope.

The battle has begun again.

I will ignite hope along with it.

At this moment in the camp, the crimson-clad mage stood facing the Queen of Britannia.

Then, at the same moment, both of them disappeared from their original positions and rushed towards each other.

As Boudica raised his wooden shield, he thrust his short sword straight out in his right hand. Simultaneously, the buzzing sound of a fist breaking through the air accompanied the thrust.

"Thump----" Nian Zhuo's right fist slammed into the wooden shield, and a heavy thud came from the point of impact.

The air was also stirred up in ripples that spread outwards.

However, the battle between the two is not over yet.

Just as Boudica's right hand was about to thrust out his short sword, Nianzhuo's left hand suddenly burst into bright red flames and grasped at Boudica's thrusting short sword.

"?!" Seeing the situation was bad, Boudica immediately pushed her shield forward. The sudden force from her right fist caught Nian Zhuo off guard, causing him to lose his balance and stumble backward.

"Got it!" The next moment, Boudica removed the wooden shield and thrust the short sword straight at Nian Zhuo's left chest.

"Heh----" A soft laugh escaped his lips, and a silver light emerged from Nian Zhuo's left hand, which had been parried. He then grasped the slender blade in his hand. "Sorry, senior. Compared to magic---" He then raised the sword, deflecting Boudica's thrusting short sword, and punched Boudica in the side with his left fist.

"I'm better at physical combat!"

Just as Nian Zhuo's attack seemed certain to succeed, Boudica raised her right leg and thrust her knee into Nian Zhuo's elbow.

"?! What?!" A surge of force caused his left fist to rise, and the force dissipated by seven or eight tenths. At this moment, Boudica had already slashed horizontally at Nian Zhuo's neck with his right short sword.

"It's not over yet!" Nian Zhuo raised his left hand, which had been struck, into a knife shape and swung it at Boudica's short sword.

"Clang---" The armor on the left hand clashed with the short sword, sparks flying, accompanied by a piercing sound like glass being scraped.

"Huh?!" Ritsuka and Mashu, who were around the arena, covered their ears in discomfort, but the two people locked in a stalemate in the arena remained unchanged.

Then, the two figures retreated in opposite directions.

"Hiss---" Zhuo moved his slightly aching hands and looked at Boudica, who was still in a fighting stance opposite him. "I have to admit, the Wizard Armor is not very suitable for melee combat. It gives me almost no increase in strength, but I can feel the presence of magic around me now."

Yes, this was Nian Zhuo's first time using the Wizard dial in actual combat. From the moment he equipped the Wizard armor, he could feel the flow of magical molecules in the air, and he could even see the magical fluctuations on the servant in front of him.

If the data of Nenju were analyzed again at this point, the people of Chaldea might find that, while other values ​​have not changed significantly, the value of magic power has reached the level of A.

This was not to be underestimated; Boudica had understood this principle from their brief exchange. She could see the raging winds whipped up by Nian Zhuo's almost tangible magic, yet for some reason, his method of using it seemed somewhat rusty. However, none of this was the most important thing…

“Why… does his physical skills and swordsmanship bear the mark of Britain…” From the moment he swung that bright silver blade, Boudica recognized a familiar look in his movements.

Shaking her head to clear her mind of distractions, Boudica looked at the other person again, her body radiating magical light. "Although I don't know who you learned that swordsmanship from... you do know Servants related to Britain, right? Well then, you'd better hold on tight!" Her figure shot out like an arrow released from a bow.

"As for me, I also know a little about martial arts!"

"Of course, fight with all your might, Your Highness Boudica!" This time, even the blade of the Time Gunsword was wreathed in crimson flames, and the two figures and blades clashed once more.

"Clang-----" This time the sound of the clash was even crisper. Although the blades of the two swords did not actually collide, they still made a sound of air being cut.

Both used magic to extend their blades, but compared to Boudica's exquisite technique of imbuing her short sword with magic, Nenzo simply converted his magic into flames that wrapped around the blade.

Even so, Nian Zhuo's demonic power still held the advantage.

The magically conjured blades clashed and echoed repeatedly, their sword shadows growing faster and faster. The muffled thud of the wooden shield and the crisp sound of the blades rang out almost simultaneously, a complete contest of endurance between the two!