Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

The "Red" faction's plan is to lure Spartacus to the vicinity of the Yggdrasil Clan's castle and detonate it. Ideally, they would be able to eliminate the enemy's Master in one fell swoop, but even if they cannot, they can at least damage the outer walls of the castle.

Their plan is progressing very smoothly.

Spartacus is unstoppable; his self-destruction will blow away all buildings on the ground.

Joan of Arc witnessed the berserker's rampage.

She was certain that Spartacus was about to unleash his most powerful attack, which would also be his final blow.

He will use up all the magic he has left to exist in this world before disappearing.

If this is the path chosen by the Heroic Spirit Spartacus, Ruler, as the Overseer, will not stop him.

however--

"what?"

Jeanne blinked.

Spartacus suddenly changed direction, no longer charging towards the castle but instead rushing towards her and Shirou.

"What...what happened?"

Mordred also exclaimed in surprise.

Shirou was equally confused.

He recalled the scene of being chased by Spartacus the night before last, and it seemed he understood something.

Could it be a matter of the level of hatred?

For a rebellious hero, there is always an oppressor (target) that must be defeated.

At the beginning of the Holy Grail War, the target was the lords who ruled Tulipas, namely the Yggdrasil race.

Then, he encountered a new oppressor in the forest. Although he was not as high priority as the enemy Master, Spartacus immediately made Shirou, who possessed the "King" attribute, his target.

However, the Berserker actually has an enemy with a higher priority than the King's Servant or the enemy Master—

That is the oppressor who holds the highest power in this Holy Grail War, namely Ruler Jeanne d'Arc.

"Huh? I...I've become Berserker's target!?"

Spartacus veered off course and roared as he charged toward Jeanne d'Arc and Shirou.

"...You really know how to cause trouble for others," Mordred teased.

"I'm really sorry!" Joan of Arc puffed out her cheeks.

"They're getting ready to escape."

Shirou spoke to Jeanne, but she stood still.

"what happened?"

“I…cannot escape. Berserker sees me as a thorn in their side as a mediator in the Holy Grail War.”

His Noble Phantasm can release accumulated magical power in any direction.

If I escape, it could very likely harm innocent civilians nearby.

The saintess's expression was solemn.

Since the berserker has made her his target, all she can do is endure his wrath.

"Artorius and the 'Red' Swordsman, please retreat immediately. Leave this to me..."

As she spoke, she gripped the pure white holy flag tightly with both hands.

The "Red" Berserker shattered the earth beneath his feet, still smiling even though he had become inhuman.

Spartacus was filled with ecstatic pleasure, indulging in his fantasy of destroying tyranny and overthrowing power.

As long as there are oppressors in the world, he cannot stop his own pleasure and anger.

Now, having gained a second life, he is preparing to unleash the most beautiful blow of his life.

The pain of his entire body being replaced gnawed at his brain, but it was about to end.

This is not a simple strike using all one's strength; it is the ultimate destruction that can only be achieved by sacrificing everything as a sacrifice.

"————Ahhh."

The berserker regained his rationality in his dying moments and let out a blissful sigh.

He didn't care how ugly his body became, and after dedicating his life to the rebellious masochistic gladiators, he finally unleashed a soul-risking blow.

At the same time, Joan of Arc prepared to unleash the true name of her Noble Phantasm, raising the banner symbolizing the saint with both hands.

"My God (Luminosite) — Hmm? Artorius?"

Shirou wrapped one arm around Jeanne's waist, pulling her under his arm like a child.

"Wait... what are you doing? Put me down! Don't stop me from revealing my true name!"

Joan of Arc instinctively struggled desperately, flailing her arms and legs wildly.

Upon closer inspection, she noticed that Mordred was also being held by Shirou's other arm.

However, unlike the fiercely rebellious Ruler, the legendary rebellious knight now behaved like a docile kitten, obediently letting the red-haired boy carry him.

"……There."

Shirou looked up at the dawn sky.

Joan of Arc followed his gaze and finally saw the fiery figure floating high in the sky.

"The Red Lancer!"

"It seems they intend to wipe us out along with the berserkers..."

Shirou paused, then looked at Mordred: "Prepare to liberate 'Avalon, the Distant Ideal World'."

The girl nodded blankly: "Ah, yes... Huh? Ah? I'm here to unsheathe my sword?"

Mordred stared in astonishment.

"Yes, I just put the scabbard back into your body."

I'm currently too busy; Ruler is just too heavy, so you'll have to free it up. I'll grant you access to it in return..."

"It's not heavy at all! Altoris, put me down! Waaaaaah! I'm really angry!!"

Seemingly having stepped on a landmine, the saintess became even more agitated, but Shirou ignored her.

"I...I can't do it...Father..."

Mordred momentarily showed a cowardly expression.

"No, you can do it."

Shirou looked into her eyes and said, "If you were King Arthur and Morgan's child, you could definitely do it—"

Prove it to me, Mordred.

"Waaaaah...!"

The blonde girl bit her lip.

Then the confusion on her face disappeared, tears welling in her eyes, and she nodded resolutely to Shirou.

"I understand, Father... I will do my best!"

the other side.

Karna leaped from the ground, raising his fiery, glowing spear above his head.

"It's about to begin—'Brahmastra, curse my body!'"

The divine spear he hurled, carrying the speed of light and the destructive power of an avalanche, pierced directly through Spartacus's monstrous body.

The next instant, the berserker's body, which resembled a mountain of fleshy tumors, cracked and emitted light.

The sky, just beginning to lighten with the dawn, was filled with the most intense sunlight, captivating everyone's attention—

……

……

“Guwu…!”

Joan of Arc's bottom fell heavily to the ground.

"Can't you be a little gentler!?"

She glared angrily at Shirou.

It's all over.

The Berserker in Red and the Lancer in Red unleashed their Noble Phantasms in quick succession, destroying half of the Thousand Worlds Castle and sweeping away the surrounding battlefield.

However, even with such a terrifying and violent torrent, the three people who got close were not injured.

After Shirou transferred the right to use the scabbard, Mordred successfully liberated "Avalon".

"It actually succeeded..."

Mordred looked incredulously at the golden scabbard he held in his hands.

"Father...Father King!"

She looked at the red-haired boy with ecstatic joy, while he turned his face away and said indifferently, "Well done."

"And please stop calling me 'Father'... I am Artorius, the king's double, not King Arthur as you think."

"Understood, Father!"

"..."

Meanwhile, the "Black" Masters, who were hiding in the Yggdrasil Castle, also experienced a disaster.

Fortunately, their position as observers was not directly affected by the aftershocks, but the area a dozen meters away was already a mess.

"What on earth is going on tonight! Damn it!"

Gold, in despair, pounded his fist against the wall.

Danic, the clan leader, has become a vampire and his whereabouts are currently unknown.

The captured berserkers were used by the enemy to turn against them, resulting in the destruction of the city of Mirenia.

Furthermore, the army that the Yggdrasil clan had built up over decades was almost entirely wiped out in the explosion just now.

Those who survived were likely either those who remained in the rear waiting for orders, or those who sensed something was wrong and fled.

Although all the Heroic Spirits except Siegfried and Vlad III are still alive, the war prospects of the Yggdrasil race have been shrouded in shadow.

However, this is not the worst of it—

The Sky Garden is now positioned directly above the castle.

If the Empress, the Lord of the Garden, were to liberate the fortress's surrounding turrets ("The Black Coffin of Ten and One"), the magicians in the city would be slaughtered in an instant.

But she didn't do that.

She never took the enemy Master seriously from the beginning.

“Short magicians, open your eyes wide and watch—this is the true realm of magic.”

Semiramis laughed loudly and opened her arms to release the spell.

A strong wind suddenly blew up from the bottom of the air fortress.

A powerful, tornado-like wind, like some kind of conduit, connects to the center of the castle.

The land and rubble crumbled in the gale and were absorbed.

More than two-thirds of the castle has been destroyed; the exposed rock foundation has crumbled, and the golden cup can be seen floating in mid-air.

“…It’s unbelievable.”

Joan of Arc immediately recognized the Holy Grail as genuine.

What she couldn't believe was that she wanted to pull out the "red" camp.

This is a war for the Holy Grail.

If the "Red" faction ultimately wins, the situation will predictably become what it is now, provided that the Holy Grail War is completed normally first.