A Villain's Journey Begins in the Type-Moon World

……

"Watch out! There's a large number of hostile reactions coming from the other side." At that moment, Joan of Arc shouted to the Conqueror King in front of her using a magic spell.

"Hmm?" Iskandar, driving the oxcart, also saw 2000 dragon tooth soldiers and 200 wyverns flying out of the castle, and even more and more magical beasts descending.

"Charge! Let those monster bastards see our might!" Seeing so many monsters, Iskandar became even more excited, and the morale and fighting spirit of the entire legion reached their peak as they clashed with the charging monsters.

"Conqueror King Iskandar, let me see whether your legion is more powerful or my new monster army is superior. Hahahaha!" A familiar female voice rang out from the sky, and Jeanne d'Arc Alter, wearing a mask, once again appeared riding a dragon.

"Hahaha, unknown black knight, let's fight to our hearts' content this time! Via Ecspgnatio (distant ravage and domination)!!" Iskandar, driving the Divine Wheel, sent two bulls flying into the air and crashing into Jeanne d'Arc Alter's dragon. Meanwhile, thunder and lightning crackled around Iskandar, also rushing towards Jeanne d'Arc Alter.

At this moment, Lancelot, who had blended into the warrior legion, was wielding a weapon he had picked up from who-knows-where, slaughtering the monsters. However, his indiscriminate killing was forced to stop as a dozen purple arrows shot towards him. Of course, with Lancelot's martial skills, he easily shattered all the arrows... or so it seemed? Instinctively sensing something was wrong, Lancelot did not choose to confront the attacks head-on with his weapon, but instead chose to dodge immediately.

"Boom boom boom!"

Mud flew everywhere, and many magical beasts and Macedonian soldiers perished as a result. These arrows, formed from purple magic, were no less powerful than Noble Phantasms. A single arrow would have been manageable, but the enemy's barrage was like that of a certain Golden Pikachu, unleashing a multitude of Noble Phantasm-level projectiles at once. If Lancelot hadn't relied on his exceptional combat experience and instincts to dodge them, he would likely have been defeated long ago.

Amidst the monsters, a figure was rapidly moving, constantly changing position while simultaneously firing arrows at Lancelot and attacking Macedonian soldiers.

"Ah—!!!" Lancelot roared loudly and charged toward the figure, trying to capture it.

But the opponent was too fast; not only could he not catch her, but he was also pushed back by the chaotic army. He could only watch as the woman with the white hair tossed her arrows at him, and in the end, he could only dodge them. She moved freely in the chaos of the army; for her, this place was a killing paradise.

"If my Master hadn't warned me long ago that you were on our side, and that my only request was to prevent you from contacting the King of Knights, I would have already blasted you to pieces." The white-haired woman moving at high speed was none other than Atalanta. Atalanta disliked Lancelot's aura intensely; she was only following Wang Chong's orders to restrain him and prevent him from going berserk and interfering with the duel between Mordred and Artoria. Everything else would wait until the matter between Mordred and Artoria was resolved.

"Mordred really does receive a lot of care from her Master in every sense of the word," Atalanta thought sourly as she moved along.

Kirei Kotomine's Hassan left a group to protect him, while the rest roamed and observed from the perimeter of the battlefield. After all, such a chaotic battle was not conducive to combat for an Assassin-class like Hassan; being able to perform reconnaissance was already quite an achievement.

Seeing the fierce battle unfolding before them, the Masters couldn't help but feel worried. Jeanne, in particular, understood that the key to victory in this war lay not in the battle below, but in the conquest of the Hanging Gardens. Yet, even with their strongest warriors, Gilgamesh and Wang Chong, working together, they hadn't been able to capture this aerial fortress. Furthermore, the departure of these two powerful characters had already put their ground-based Servant forces at a disadvantage in terms of numbers, not to mention the disparity in quality.

"This time, I'm afraid I have no choice but to take action." Joan of Arc took a deep breath and made her decision. If the situation turned unfavorable, she would immediately reveal her true identity and begin her attack.

Chapter 164 The Great Melee (Part 2)

On the yellow sand, Artoria and Diarmuid were arguably the two most unfortunate Servants of all. Artoria was naturally targeted by Mordred, while Diarmuid, though not facing Mordred alongside Artoria this time, was in no better shape than Artoria.

Diarmuid was fighting a petite figure while simultaneously fending off a barrage of arrows raining down on her. Indeed, Diarmuid was fighting the Gorgon sisters alone. Medusa was handling the frontal assault, while Euryale constantly used her high position on the dragon's back to fire down at Diarmuid and disrupt her.

For a moment, Diarmuid was truly in a sorry state, experiencing the taste of being outnumbered two to one. The only saving grace was that the opponent wasn't targeting her Master. Meanwhile, Artoria was having a much harder time. Without Diarmuid's assistance, Artoria was basically being overwhelmed by Mordred, constantly forced to retreat.

Artoria used every technique at her disposal, except for her Noble Phantasm: Wind King's Barrier, Wind King's Hammer, Fallen Star Slash... Even using Intuition was futile. After all, she and Mordred knew each other too well, and Mordred was currently a pure stat monster. Based on skill and stats alone, Artoria had absolutely no chance of winning.

In the end, Artoria only lasted a few dozen rounds before Mordred knocked the Excalibur from her hand with a single strike, and then pointed the sword at Artoria's neck. It was a defeat without any suspense; Artoria could have lasted much longer. Unfortunately… the events at the banquet still deeply wounded Artoria, making her hesitate and even feel guilty when facing her former Knights of the Round Table, even Mordred.

"Saber!" Jeanne d'Arc, seeing Artoria's defeat, was about to rush forward when she heard Wang Chong's voice: "Jeanne d'Arc, wait a minute. Don't forget they're both Kiritsugu's Servants. Do you think Kiritsugu would let Mordred kill Artoria?"

“This…” Joan of Arc hesitated because of Wang Chong’s words.

"Once Gilgamesh and I break that tortoise shell up there... if anything happens to us up there... we'll have to rely on you, Joan of Arc," Wang Chong transmitted in a deep voice.

“…Alright. I’ll wait.” Trusting Wang Chong, Joan of Arc chose to remain silent and watch.

Meanwhile, the battle between Artoria and Mordred didn't seem to end with Artoria's defeat. Mordred, looking at the somewhat gloomy Artoria, gritted her teeth and asked, "Why? Why have you become like this?"

Artoria opened her eyes and slowly said, "I don't know what you're talking about. But now, you've won. And only this once."

Mordred was silent for a moment, then spoke: "So, this is your reason for pursuing the Holy Grail? To change the fate of Britain? Then tell me—"

"Why didn't you wish for the destruction of me? Was the Kingdom of Britain destroyed by my own hand?! If you care so much—why would you rather erase yourself than erase me?! Do you think I'm that despised by you?!"

Mordred threw away his sword and grabbed Artoria by the collar, yelling at her.

"You heard everything? Our conversation?" Artoria asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Ah, yes! I heard you arguing with that guy in the forest, and it made me want to just unleash my Noble Phantasm and cleave you both in two!!" Mordred roared. "So answer me!! Do you look down on me that much? I'm the one who destroyed Britain! Not you! Understand!? How long do you intend to insult me ​​with those words!!"

"It's not an insult, it's just... the truth." Artoria opened her eyes, but the previous resolve was gone, replaced by a deep sorrow. She slowly said, "Mordred, you were born because of me, and because I never understood your heart, you ultimately went down that path. The real culprit who caused the destruction of the Kingdom of Britain... was me. If I hadn't drawn the Sword of the Kings, if someone else had been more suitable to lead the Kingdom of Britain... perhaps everything would have been different."

"You will not be born as a clone... Perhaps you will be born into the family you were meant to be born into, free from the intrigue and treachery of your origins. You can live healthily under the sun, with the happy family you were meant to have." After saying this, Artoria seemed to remember something and added, "Even during the final battle, I criticized you for not having the qualities of a king. But in reality, have I ever properly taught you... The truly irresponsible one is me."

"What a joke!!" Mordred slammed Artoria to the ground, roaring as if she were in a fit of impotent rage, as if the one who had won was not her, but Artoria, who was being shoved to the ground.

"What is that expression of yours! What is that pitiful look in your eyes! What is that self-righteous word of compassion!" Mordred roared. "I don't need your pity! I don't need your so-called salvation! Or do you think that by erasing everything with the Holy Grail you can save Britain and save me?"

"I tell you! King Arthur! I respond to this Holy Grail, and I have only one purpose in seizing the Holy Grail! Like you, I also want to return to the moment of the Sword of the Chosen King! Ha, don't you want someone else to be king? Fine! I will grant you that wish! I will make a wish on the Holy Grail, I will take up the Sword of the Chosen King! And become the King of Britain!" Mordred roared.

"...Why did you go to such lengths, Mordred?" Artoria struggled to her feet, supporting herself as she spoke, "What is it that you hate, Mordred?"

"..." But a casual remark from Artoria caused Mordred's anger to falter at that moment.

"What am I hating...?" Mordred repeated the same question. Did he hate Artoria in front of him? He probably did... but if he hated a person, wouldn't he just kill them? So why hadn't he made a move yet?

Was it resentment towards Artoria for neglecting him and never fulfilling her responsibilities as a "father"? Perhaps... But if that's the case, why wasn't Artoria ignoring him this time, and even seemed remorseful? Why couldn't he accept it? Why couldn't he even allow Artoria to feel remorse?

Come to think of it, why was I so angry this time? In the conversation between Artoria and Iskandar, which sentence completely enraged me?

"...You have always been saving your subjects without providing guidance, never demonstrating the desires of a king, and ignoring their confusion. You simply maintain your aloofness, indulging in what seems like a beautiful ideal. Therefore, you are not a true king, but merely a little girl bound by an idol called 'King,' existing only for others."

Iskandar's words echoed in Mordred's mind once again. Mordred seemed to have grasped something, and her emotions began to rise.

"...just a little girl bound by an idol called 'King'."

"...Its idol bondage is called 'King'..."

"...The 'King's'...Binding..."

"So...so that's how it is. Hehehe...hahaha, how stupid...hahahaha." Was Mordred laughing? Or crying? Mordred herself didn't know, but at this moment, she picked up the King's Sword from the ground and put it back in its sheath.

"If we meet again and you're still like this... I'll kill you. I'll really kill you." Mordred turned his back to Artoria, who was still lying on the ground, and stepped into the chaotic army without looking back. Then, he leaped onto a wyvern and retreated directly.

Chapter 165 The Great Melee (Part 2)

Mordred's sudden departure surprised the Masters watching the battle, as they were some distance away and hadn't heard their conversation. They only saw that the two seemed to have exchanged something, and that Mordred looked rather angry.

But soon everyone came to the same conclusion: it must have been their shared Master, Kiritsugu Emiya, who had interfered, causing Mordred to leave in such anger. Even Irisviel thought so, but seeing Artoria escape unscathed, she breathed a sigh of relief and even managed to reduce one of the opposing Servants' numbers. In a sense, Artoria had played a crucial role in this chaotic battle.

"Mordred... are you the same?" Gazing in the direction Mordred had gone, Artoria's resentment deepened. She blamed herself for everything, and therefore, even for Mordred, the direct culprit behind Britain's destruction, she no longer felt anger or unforgiveness. Artoria could even sense the profound sorrow Mordred felt as she left. It was the same sorrow as the other Knights of the Round Table—sorrow for herself.

"I must... I absolutely must win and obtain the Holy Grail." Under this pent-up frustration, Artoria's heart became twisted and obsessed. She stubbornly believed that only by obtaining the Holy Grail, only by making that wish for a miracle, could all of this be changed.

Artoria then turned her gaze to the chaotic battlefield. Thunderclaps and pillars of fire rose as Iskandar and Jeanne Alter were locked in a fierce battle. Meanwhile, their Berserker Lancelot (whose identity Artoria was unaware of) relentlessly picked up javelins and other weapons from the ground and hurled them with incredible speed, locked in a fierce fight with the newly appeared Berserker female Servant. The battlefield was now littered with wreckage and a hail of bullets, with hardly any other survivors in sight.

Only Diarmuid was being repeatedly defeated in a two-on-one battle. Artoria decided to break the deadlock by targeting Diarmuid. However, Artoria didn't rush to support the battlefield immediately, as she had just fought Mordred and accumulated many sword wounds. Therefore, Artoria needed to find Irisviel to heal her.

Seeing Artoria rushing towards her with her sword drawn, Irisviel understood Artoria's intention: to recover her strength before rushing to her aid with lightning speed. Irisviel stepped forward and said, "Saber, I'll heal you."

"I'm leaving it to you... Irisviel!! Get out of the way! Quickly... Ugh!!" Artoria, who was about to say some polite words, suddenly changed her expression, froze on the spot, and trembled all over, as if she was resisting something. Her hands were already gripping her twin swords, ready to launch an attack.

"This...this is!? Could it be?" Irisviel immediately stopped and looked around. The other Masters also changed their expressions. Kirei Kotomine even ordered Hassan to cover him and Tokiomi Tohsaka—Artoria was already bound by Command Seals.

"In the name of Emiya Kiritsugu, by the Command Spell, Saber, kill Tokiomi Tohsaka at all costs!" A man stood beneath the yellow sand, activating his magical energy.

Just moments before, amidst the dissipating yellow dust, Kiritsugu Emiya's mood grew increasingly somber. He too had noticed Mordred's restraint, and knowing he was not Mordred's Master, he naturally shared the same thought as the other Masters present.

This undoubtedly confirms that he possesses two Heroic Spirits. It seems the other side intends to use this series of irrefutable facts to completely smear him. Conversely, what Emiya Kiritsugu sees is that Kotomine Kirei's Servants have almost completely withdrawn, refraining from rash actions and conserving their strength; what he sees is Tohsaka Tokiomi's Servants feigning to force Gilgamesh to face the strongest, most direct, aerial fortress of suppression, but that fortress never again unleashes that fierce, high-energy magical barrage as before.

"We can't let Tokiomi Tohsaka and his apprentice continue this charade! Saber is about to reach the position closest to those Masters! Now, I'll use these three Command Seals you gave me to make you pay the price!" A red glint flashed in Kiritsugu Emiya's eyes. In his eyes, only the Overseer of the Holy Grail War, who had previously handled the task of retrieving Command Seals, could bestow such gifts upon others. And this Overseer and Tokiomi Tohsaka had long been in cahoots, which further convinced Kiritsugu Emiya that everything they were suffering stemmed from Tokiomi Tohsaka, the head of the family.

"Perhaps it was precisely because so many additional Servants were summoned that the Holy Grail War started a year earlier... If the timing hadn't been so unfavorable, and if seven Another Servant had been summoned earlier and a year's worth of preparations had been made in Fuyuki, the Holy Grail War would probably have been over on the first night. Now, success or failure hinges on this." Counting the three Command Seals given to him by the other party, plus the three he already possessed, he had a total of six Command Seals, enough to kill Tokiomi Tohsaka.

"In the name of Kiritsugu Emiya, by the Command Spell, Saber, kill Tokiomi Tohsaka at all costs!" Finally, Kiritsugu Emiya seized the crucial moment and began to use the Command Spell. Unbeknownst to Kiritsugu, his every action was being observed by a delicate yet angelic-looking girl behind him. The girl revealed a mocking smile, the alluring light in her eyes fading, before disappearing into the shadows, far away from Kiritsugu Emiya.

"So she's resisting after all? How stubborn..." Sensing the resistance emanating from Artoria, Kiritsugu Emiya didn't hesitate. The opportunity was fleeting, and he had to get Artoria moving quickly. So he continued to issue Command Spells: "With the second Command Spell, Saber, kill Tokiomi Tohsaka at all costs! With the third Command Spell, Saber, appear before Tokiomi Tohsaka immediately!"

"Kiritsugu—!!" With three commands issued in succession, even if Artoria, whose magical power had reached rank A, resisted stubbornly, she could not defy the issuance of more than two Command Seals. In the next instant, Artoria moved under the influence of the Command Seals and rushed towards Irisviel, who seemed to be the closest.

"Irisviel!" Concerned that something might happen to Irisviel, Jeanne, who had followed along, reacted instantly, standing in front of her and preparing to activate her Heroic Spirit form to stop her. But the next instant, Jeanne was shocked to find that Artoria had vanished.

"Three Command Seals at once!? Oh no!" Jeanne realized that Kiritsugu Emiya's target was not Irisviel, and that she had misjudged the situation in her haste.

Artoria appeared instantly in front of Tokiomi Tohsaka. Just as Tokiomi was about to chant a magic incantation, he found the sword, brimming with energy, about to strike his head. The Heroic Spirit's speed was simply too fast; Tokiomi had no time to react.

"Is it over already!?" Tokiomi Tohsaka was very unwilling. He thought Hassan could stop the opponent, but the opponent's Command Seal drop came too suddenly. Hassan was deployed at the front and had no time to provide support.

All three Command Seals were meant to kill him. As expected, Kiritsugu Emiya's next target was himself, the strongest Hero King Servant among the three starter families. Only by eliminating him could he win this victory with minimal losses.

Just as Tokiomi Tohsaka gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and awaited death, a deafening metallic clang rang out. A massive blast of air instantly knocked Tokiomi to the ground, leaving him looking utterly disheveled. Tokiomi quickly got up and opened his eyes, only to see Lancelot standing in front of him, shielding him from harm.

"Berserker!? How could this be? Could it be Kariya?" Tokiomi Tohsaka blurted out, looking at Kariya Matou who wasn't far away. Sure enough, the Command Spell on Kariya's hand had faded, but Kariya still wore a sour expression and said, "Don't get me wrong, I didn't come to save you. When I saw Saber acting strangely, I immediately used a Command Spell to call Berserker back to protect myself. Who knows why this guy came to save you."

"Because she sensed Saber's killing intent... so she instantly listed Saber as her most threatening opponent? Oh well... none of that matters!" Having narrowly escaped death, Tokiomi Tohsaka now only wanted to resolve the problem completely. After all, even with a Servant blocking her way, Artoria's target was still him. And with the Command Seals activated, this Berserker Servant probably wouldn't last long.

"Ah... Ah... Ah-Se!" At this moment, Lancelot, who was feeling Artoria's familiar aura, seemed to fall into a state of half-madness and half-awakeness, and the purple flames on his body instantly surged.

"A-Se-!!!"

Chapter 166 My Lord is Here!

"Arthur—!!!" The voice was unclear, but it clearly called out Artoria's nickname—Arthur. Lancelot, with a powerful strike of his sword, actually knocked Artoria back.

"What...what's wrong with him?" Although Artoria was grateful that the other person had stopped her from being controlled by the Command Spell, the painful roar he let out made her heart tremble again, and a very bad feeling came over her again. Just like the feeling she had when she watched Mordred leave.

"Who is he? Why does he know me? Why is he in so much pain?" Artoria pondered, but her sword didn't stop; she only wanted to rush towards Tokiomi Tohsaka behind Lancelot. But Lancelot showed no intention of letting her go, his twin swords slashing at Artoria relentlessly, managing to stop her with sheer strength.

"Teacher!" At this moment, Kirei Kotomine arrived beside Tokiomi Tohsaka, with Hassan surrounding them. Tokiomi Tohsaka said in a deep voice, "Go! Kirei, quickly have your Servant find Kiritsugu Emiya! He must have observed us in this area. This place is completely unobstructed, with only the yellow sand blocking the view! Kiritsugu Emiya must be hiding in that dust and sand."

"But there's a problem here..."

“There are already Berserkers stopping Saber, and I’m not some magician who can only stand by and watch. You must take down Kiritsugu Emiya as quickly as possible; only then can this all end!” Tokiomi Tohsaka said, and immediately began using his Jewel Magic to construct one magical formula after another around himself to defend against any attacks that Artoria would launch after breaking through Lancelot’s defenses.

"Alright, everyone, immediately go into the yellow sand and dust to search for Kiritsugu Emiya's whereabouts!" Kirei Kotomine immediately gave the order, sending all the Hassans into the rolling yellow sand and dust to find Kiritsugu Emiya's location.

Just as Hassan left Tokiomi Tohsaka's vicinity, a bullet suddenly shot out from the dust and mist! It struck Tokiomi Tohsaka directly. The defensive magic seal that Tokiomi Tohsaka had hastily constructed reacted instantly, appearing on the side of his head and striking a barrier.

"Ugh! Damn it! So that's what happened!" However, although Tokiomi Tohsaka's barrier defended against the bullet, blood gushed from Tokiomi Tohsaka's legs, and he almost lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"Teacher! Go that way!!" Kirei Kotomine immediately pointed in the direction the bullets were coming from, ordering the Hassans to rush there immediately. Then he turned and helped Tokiomi Tohsaka up, asking, "Teacher! Your magic circuits won't also..."

"The damaged end of my left leg... it's alright, it didn't damage the magic crest. As expected, it's related to the amount of magic circuits used. The more you use, the more magic circuits will be completely disrupted in the end," Tokiomi Tohsaka said through gritted teeth with some difficulty.

"Teacher, did you do this on purpose?" Kirei Kotomine quickly realized what was going on.

“He couldn’t have exposed himself without doing this. The magic circuit that sacrificed a leg not only exposed him but also completely revealed his origin. His bullets now have a weakness, so there’s no need to worry anymore,” Tokiomi Tohsaka said.

"My servants are already chasing him. This time there's no cover, and we'll catch him soon... Lady Leticia, shouldn't we use that Noble Phantasm you mentioned? Or is everything you've said just a lie to buy time?" After Kirei Kotomine finished speaking to Tokiomi Tohsaka, he saw Irisviel and Jeanne d'Arc running back and immediately questioned them.

“Caster is ready. Berserker’s Master, please have your Servant control Saber, keeping her in a stalemate, unable to free her hands or dodge.” Jeanne had already informed Wang Chong, and then relayed Wang Chong’s reply to everyone present.

"Where do you think you're going?! Berserker over there!" Just then, a female Servant's voice roared as she rushed over. A black figure was running at incredible speed from afar. When she saw the group of Masters, she let out a maniacal laugh and said, "Good! So you're all hiding here. Perfect, I'll wipe them all out in one go! Dark Sky Bow! Tauropolos Skia Thermokrasia (Dark Sky Eclipse)!!!"

Approaching rapidly was the Berserker-class Servant, Atalanta [Alter]. A dark green longbow appeared in her hand, and she fired an arrow into the sky. A massive light screen appeared above, encompassing all the Servants and Masters below. Soon, countless purplish-black arrows rained down from the light screen, soon to completely obscure the area below.

"Make your move, Joan of Arc."

A rather helpless voice sounded in her ear, but Joan of Arc was already prepared and simply replied, "Mr. Wang Chong, I'll leave the rest to you. Now, I need to protect these people."

"I offer my prayers. Please protect my friends, my companions. Luminosite Eternelle (My Lord is here)!!" Jeanne's casual clothes changed, transforming into her original battle spirit attire. Under the increasingly shocked gazes of the crowd, she held the banner in both hands and prayed, then raised it high. A golden, semi-transparent field unfolded from the tip of the spear, enveloping everyone in the light of the activated Noble Phantasm.

The rain of purplish-black light arrows all struck Jeanne d'Arc's encircled domain, failing to penetrate it even slightly. After the arrow rain subsided, the outer edge of the domain was completely riddled with purplish-black light arrows, a dense and eerie sight. However, within the domain, no arrows struck, and all the Masters, including the two Servants still locked in combat, remained completely unaffected.

"Bang—" At this moment, Atalanta spread her wings and arrived outside the domain, looking down at the crowd inside. When Atalanta saw the blonde woman holding the flag, her first reaction was: "This girl really looks exactly like my companion named Jeanne d'Arc Alter."

However, her eyes soon filled with a strange sense of disgust. She instinctively disliked this servant named Jeanne, as if they had some past grudge. In short, their compatibility was terrible.

“So you’ve finally shown your true colors, Joan of Arc,” Atalanta said directly.

"Wait? Miss Leticia is... a Servant? Or the famous French Saint Joan of Arc?" Irisviel asked with an incredulous look.

“I apologize, but Mr. Wang Chong has been the one who asked me to keep this a secret. After all, it concerns the Holy Grail War and the Another Servants, so I must investigate thoroughly before taking action. And now, basically all the Another Servants have appeared. As long as I eliminate all these Servants, my mission as Ruler will be complete.” Jeanne d'Arc lowered her flag, staring warily at Atalanta [Alter] before her, and spoke slowly.

“Mr. Wang Chong… could he be Caster? Wait… could it be that you two have swapped Master and Servant roles!?” Irisviel, having also swapped Master roles with Kiritsugu, quickly realized the strange connection between Jeanne d'Arc and Wang Chong.

"No, the situation is more complicated than that... Let's explain properly after this battle is over... The enemy is coming again! Lady Ellie, step back!" Joan of Arc sensed the killing intent emanating from Atalanta [Alter], and in an instant, she moved forward, holding a banner, and charged towards Atalanta [Alter], who had already drawn her bow and was preparing to shoot again.

Chapter 167 Saber Changes Hands

The rivalry and grudges between Atalanta and Joan of Arc may have already been clashed in a similar timeline, and now, in this world, their contest is being staged once again. Joan of Arc, waving her banner, caught up with Atalanta at an incredible speed and went straight for Atalanta's sprouted wings.

Atalanta, with her high mobility and aerial combat capabilities, managed to create distance while continuously firing at Jeanne d'Arc. Countless light arrows rained down upon her, and Jeanne d'Arc would sometimes dodge, and sometimes, in order to protect the Masters behind her, she would have to forcefully rotate her spear to block the light arrows one by one. The battle between the two sides was very intense.

"No wonder Jeanne Alter warned me to be careful of this guy. It's no wonder he has the Ruler class's blessing; his stats are just average, yet he's no less agile than me, and his strength is on par with Servants like Jeanne Alter and Mordred, who excel in bursts of power." Atalanta leaped away again, dodging Jeanne's high-flying thrust. Dust billowed from where she had landed, and a massive shockwave spread outwards.

"They've finally arrived." This time, Joan of Arc didn't rush to pursue them; instead, she looked up.

"Hmm?" Atalanta also looked up and saw a cloud of black mist carrying something flashing as it rapidly descended from the sky. Atalanta narrowed her eyes slightly; she naturally knew what it was, but since the act had to be convincing, Atalanta immediately raised her arrow to the sky to predict the trajectory of the black mist.

"How naive! Don't even think about it!" Joan of Arc naturally noticed Atalanta's attempt to interfere, so she instantly lunged at Atalanta, forcing her to shift her attention to herself.

"Damn it." Atalanta feigned anger, but inwardly she sneered.