You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

—The above is a general route deduced by a certain nightmare demon, and the one responsible for ensuring the process goes smoothly is Iori.

"You are indeed not simple." Karna watched Iori's movements intently, because from now on the two of them were enemies, and they could face each other at any time. He could not relax for a moment.

"You, as a deity, have descended here not only because you were summoned by 'fate,' but also for some purpose of your own... but that has nothing to do with me!"

As a Servant and a warrior, Karna never hesitates or wavers, nor does he think too much about things that are not his concern. Looking back and forth only makes his weapon heavier.

Before the battle began today, Karna had asked Amakusa to awaken his original Master and grant him freedom, in exchange for which he would fight wholeheartedly for Amakusa.

The priest readily agreed and released all the mages, including Karna, the former Master. Originally, these people were only imprisoned to reduce trouble, but now that the time had come to decide the winner, there was no need to keep them around.

Karna will keep his promise. No matter what Iori wants to do, the Son of the Sun only knows that his mission is to enter the labyrinth and seize the Greater Grail, and those who stop him from doing so are his enemies!

"I do not wish to be your enemy."

Iori glanced at Atalanta, the huntress gave a barely perceptible nod, and then turned his gaze to Karna.

"I don't need you to betray Amakusa. Just stay here with me for a while and wait for the Chaldea Master to arrive."

"I'm sorry, I can't do that!"

"Well, there's no other way... We'll have to use this method to get things done in the end!"

Iori drew the Kusanagi Sword, its ancient blade sweeping across the air, creating layers of translucent ripples—water vapor manifested from the dissipating magic.

Karna swung his spear, and a wisp of scorching sunfire ignited at the tip, the astonishing heat palpable even from a great distance.

"Karna, son of Surya!"

"Berserker Aizen Iori!"

--boom! ! !

The two vanished from their spot in an instant. The raging flames collided with the overwhelming shockwave, and the billowing steam instantly engulfed everything around them, only to be separated by the surging wind pressure in a flash.

"it is good!"

Karna praised him, having exchanged only one move, he could feel Iori's spirit, which was no less than that of any hero.

The fiery magic burned intensely, granting the Son of the Sun unparalleled propulsion, instantly breaking the sound barrier to deliver the golden spear—

Clang!

The sharp divine sword clashed with it, and the interplay of blades stirred up steel fragments, which flashed a fleeting crimson in the high temperature.

Realizing he was losing the arm-wrestling match, Karna decisively unleashed his accumulated magical power, and the raging flames transformed into a tangible shockwave that engulfed Iori, who had no time to dodge.

But then the flames were separated by the flowing ripples, and Iori also released her magic, emerging from the flames unharmed.

The two exchanged a glance in the flickering firelight, and time seemed to stand still for a moment—

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

What followed was a rapid exchange of blows that left everyone breathless. The Kusanagi Sword swept across the cold, clear path, while the golden spear, with its exaggerated size, was swung at a speed no less than that of a divine sword. In the clash of water and fire, the two were locked in a fierce battle!

Atalanta watched the two fight in amazement. Although she was confident in her own skills, she had to admit that the two were far stronger than her.

Karna, the Son of the Sun, needs no introduction. His martial arts and abilities are impeccable, making him a figure who stands at the pinnacle of human history. A simple normal attack from him has the destructive power of many Servants activating their Noble Phantasms.

Even ordinary Servants couldn't last more than a few rounds against Karna, let alone him, who possesses not only brute force but also an almost unbeatable defensive Noble Phantasm.

Even the ultimate form of Ibuki-doji could only suppress Karna in terms of combat power, but he couldn't seriously injure or kill him, which is enough to prove the power of that golden armor.

If it were any other Servant, stopping Karna, who possesses extraordinary mobility and astonishing destructive power, would be an impossible task. Only a Servant of similar exceptional quality—Aizen Iori—would have absolute confidence.

Atalanta's guess at the seaside was correct. Iori's weakness was only a symptom. Although he burned his spirit origin in the battle of Yamata no Orochi, it did not affect his core. During this time, through the evil thoughts of hunting Yamata no Orochi, he gradually repaired the damage and increased the strength of his spirit origin.

While it cannot yet compare to its peak, it far surpasses ordinary Servants, and even surpasses Karna.

Another point is that after a Servant died and Sera's function as the Lesser Grail was officially activated, Iori's supply of magic power exceeded the scope of a human mage, allowing him to expend it freely in battle and fully exert his destructive power!

-

On the other side of the battlefield, Mordred and King Arthur's duel had ended. The two warriors, who knew each other best, did not test each other and went all out from the start, ravaging everything around them with red lightning and storms.

Mordred was empowered by the three Command Seals, which boosted all her attributes to the peak of her Spirit Origin. However, Artoria also had the Greater Grail to supply her with magic, and almost every move she made was accompanied by the release of magical power. She managed to suppress Mordred with her outstanding martial arts and the aura of a conqueror.

In the end, the Rebellious Knight's Noble Phantasm clashed with Artoria's Holy Lance... In terms of Noble Phantasm rank alone, the Holy Lance was undoubtedly the winner, but the confrontation between the two ended in an unexpected way.

The storm shattered Red Saber's armor and helmet, and the spear tip pierced Mordred's chest, but Mordred's longsword, carrying the final power of thunder, successfully sliced ​​diagonally across King Arthur's body, leaving a horrifying and hideous wound.

"This time it's actually me... Even though we are Servants, we should have died long ago in the river of time and would not change anymore, but you have grown a lot, Mordred."

The Queen of the Wild Hunt looked at the rebellious knight with a sigh. The ruthless queen revealed her last bit of tenderness and said with some relief, "Although... he's still just a child after all..."

"Cough! That wretched old man... he probably didn't hold back, cough!"

Mouthfuls of blood gushed from Mordred's mouth as he grimaced and complained, "Even when you're about to die, you won't say a few more words of praise to me... Master, I'm sorry, it seems I can't help you get the Holy Grail."

"It is indeed a pity." Lion's Robbery looked at her calmly and sadly, and although he was reluctant, he still managed to force a smile.

"In that case, answer my call again next time and help me achieve victory."

This world has no shortage of subspecies Holy Grail Wars, and this probably won't be my last... It would be even better if we could continue to cooperate.

"I think you're quite pleasing to the eye, haha!"

Mordred was quite happy at first, but then regretted it, saying, "It's a pity I gave the relic to..."

"You mean the fragments of the Round Table?"

Lion's Roar grinned: "Don't worry, I didn't throw away the fragments. I secretly collected them behind your back. Although the effect is much worse, but—"

"But we will definitely respond if given the opportunity."

The little red lion laughed heartily: "We'll meet again, necromancer..."

hum~

Accompanied by Ritsuka and Shishikatsu, Mordred vanished into spirit particles with a smile.

She never managed to break free from the shackles of fate as everyone had hoped, and ultimately died at the hands of her "father."

However, she seems to have come to terms with it. Even if she cannot escape her own destiny, she will not give up on pursuing the path to becoming a king!

Before she disappeared, her eyes held a hint of pride and satisfaction.

Because this time, her subjects (Masters) are far more outstanding and loyal than Artoria's!

Ritsuka and Mash witnessed the final moments of the two Servants, their lips pressed tightly together, deeply moved.

...High in the sky, or even further than the concept of the sky, on a watchtower separated by countless layers of time and space.

Merlin, the Flower Magician, watched this scene quietly, his eyes dimming slightly before regaining their composure. He wrote something down in the book in front of him and then turned the page.

For Chaldea, to which he belongs, this is just one small chapter in a long story, and the tale of Fujimaru Ritsuka will continue...

Chapter 147: Even as a Demon (4K)

When Ritsuka, Mash, and Jeanne arrived at the Yggdrasil Castle, they saw Karna standing there silently. Although his face was expressionless, the crimson lotus swaying on the tip of his spear revealed his turbulent emotions.

"Have you arrived, Master of Chaldea?"

The Son of the Sun glanced at Ritsuka, then turned towards the castle, raised his golden spear, and his aura surged higher and higher. The surging magic power transformed into blazing sun flames, and the heat wave billowed his cloak.

Ignoring Ritsuka and the others' reactions, he hurled his spear with force, transforming it into a streak of fire that met the invisible barrier in the void. Even though the barrier was based on the earth's veins, it appeared somewhat weak under the attack of the national treasure, and immediately ripples of crimson gold spread out.

After a brief stalemate, as Karna's eyes flashed with divine light, his fiery magic was unleashed a second time, successfully piercing through the massive barrier with a deafening roar!

"Well……"

The trio withstood the strong wind, while Karna leaped into the gap and entered the Black faction's base.

"That's strange," Ritsuka said, somewhat puzzled. "Is Lancer not too happy?"

"senior?"

“Karna may seem aloof, but he actually has a very good temper. There aren’t many things that can make him this angry.” Ritsuka stroked her chin, a little gesture she’d learned from Sherlock Holmes when thinking. “Arjuna is here?”

“It shouldn’t be,” Jeanne said confidently. “I didn’t sense any new Servant’s presence, but this place definitely looks like it’s been the site of a major battle.”

"Hmm... never mind, we don't know how long this gap can hold, let's hurry up and get in!"

As the three of them passed through the gap, they saw a series of golems emerging from the city gate. These somewhat clumsy familiars could not stop Karna, the Son of the Sun, but they were insurmountable obstacles for Ritsuka and her companions.

Racing against time, Ritsuka didn't hesitate to command Mash and Jeanne to join the battle, but it was difficult for them alone to quickly clear out the massive army of puppets. These rock creations seemed endless, and no matter how many were cleared, there would always be a constant stream of spares.

The Chaldea team expended tremendous effort to advance even one step, and at this rate, they risked missing out on many things.

"Without Saber, our offensive capabilities are indeed insufficient!" Ritsuka's expression was grave as she pondered a way to break the deadlock.

At this critical moment, a barrage of arrows rained down from the sky, like a barrage of rockets, easily shattering the puppets in the area and clearing a path in front of the three.

"This is... Atalanta?!"

Ritsuka immediately recognized whose Noble Phantasm the overwhelming rain of arrows was, and her face lit up with joy.

Sure enough, the lithe huntress appeared before the three of them and greeted Ritsuka: "There are too many enemies, and I also need some vanguard to draw fire. How about we team up for now?"

"I can't ask for it!"

With the addition of Atalanta, the team's firepower output was replenished, and their advance speed was greatly improved.

"Don't linger in the fight!"

This must be a trap set by Caster. If we get bogged down here by these grunts, we'll not only waste a lot of energy, but we'll also become separated from the other Servants and be picked off one by one by Caster.

"The best course of action for us is to charge into the underground labyrinth. Although it's the most dangerous place, it's also the witch's weak point. Only by seizing or destroying the Greater Grail can we truly defeat Medea!"

Ritsuka, with her rich experience, commanded the battle, with Jeanne d'Arc leading the way, Mash protecting her on both sides, and Atalanta's arrows eliminating the enemy, swiftly penetrating the castle like a sharp sword.

Chaldea was not originally on either side of the Red or Black factions, but after these days of exploration and contact with the Servants, she has gradually come to understand why this Holy Grail War has become so distorted, to the point that a singularity has formed.

The Yamata no Orochi that was summoned by accident was not the main cause; Medea and Amakusa were the real culprits!

Ritsuka is very familiar with these two, and has even encountered "darkened BOSS versions" of Medea and Amakusa in other singularities. She doesn't know what state the two are in in this timeline, so she can only prepare according to the worst-case scenario.

The Greater Grail falling into their hands will undoubtedly have extremely serious consequences, and it will be very difficult for Ritsuka and Mash to stop them.

This would normally have been an impossible task, but Joan of Arc offered to do so, saying that if she could get close to the Greater Grail, she was confident she could end it all.

Therefore, Ritsuka and the other two had only one idea: no matter what means they used, they had to break into the Great Labyrinth as soon as possible and destroy it before Medea or Amakusa could activate the Greater Grail!

So far, the operation has been going quite smoothly. The loss of Mordred is indeed regrettable, but fortunately Atalanta has joined the team and we can still enter the Black faction's base through the gap created by Karna.

Compared to the difficulties of exploring singularities in the past, Ritsuka felt that she was relatively lucky this time, as if someone in the dark was helping her.

Rumble——!

A shadow that covered the earth descended from the sky, and the Sky Garden, far exceeding the size of the Thousand World Tree Castle, arrived!

"What's going on... Is it going to just crash down on us?!"

As a floating fortress, the garden did not send out numerous combat units or fire powerful light cannons like in science fiction movies. Instead, it crashed down directly, intending to crush the castle with unimaginable mass!

Unlike regular Noble Phantasms, because the garden is built with earth and stone from the present world, it can exist even without the blessing of "mystery," and its enormous mass cannot be reduced in any way.

Medea's protective barrier against spirits can withstand Noble Phantasms and magic, keeping Servants' spirit origins at bay. However, it reveals its weakness when faced with pure physical pressure, unable to withstand this unconventional entity. Under the pressure of the Hanging Gardens, visible ripples spread, before the barrier twists, dents, and shatters!

—Medea probably didn't anticipate that the barrier would be broken in this way in her strategic plan.

However, the Black side was well prepared. Medea never expected that a single barrier could stop the Red side's attack, so she also deployed her strongest commander to guard this place!

"You are infidels who have invaded my homeland, foolish barbarians who only know how to plunder. Today, in the name of the King of Wallachia, I bring down the hammer of judgment upon you wicked sinners!"

boom! boom! boom!

The hard bricks were pierced by huge "spikes," which slowly extended out like the tentacles of a deep-sea monster.

Upon closer inspection, it was not a single, intact entity, but rather a wave composed of thousands upon thousands of rusty, blood-stained spears!

These spears, seemingly slow, instantly transformed the entire castle into a demonic city of torture and curses, their power piercing through all sinners as they reached upwards to contact the Hanging Gardens, deeply embedding themselves in the hard earth and stone.

Rumble~

Fragments of earth and stone fell from the sky, not only the Hanging Gardens, but the castle itself also gradually collapsed due to the immense force, with its walls covered in various cracks.

"Senior, be careful!"

Mash swung her shield to knock away a falling rock, then grabbed her Master's hand and ran to safety.

In an area with fewer falling rocks, the four looked up at the surreal scene and were greatly shocked. Fortunately, the two Chaldea members, master and servant, were worldly-wise and quickly regained their composure.