Fate: Question And Answer System of Traversing Heroic Spirits

"What!"

Kariya hurriedly asked, "Is Aoi really saved?"

"Would I lie to you about this?"

Tokiomi replied coldly, his tone full of disdain. "But you, do you even have the right to call Aoi so affectionately now?"

Kariya was left speechless.

He wanted to argue, but the events revealed in the video earlier had crushed any grounds he might have had. With all that had been exposed, how could he still claim to love Aoi?

Just as the awkward silence dragged on, there was a sudden noise.

"Ding ding ding…"

Several dark shadows flickered across the forest. It was Hassan of the Hundred Faces clashing with another figure— Heroic Spirit Kiritsugu.

It seemed that the two had stumbled across each other by accident. The resulting confrontation had escalated into an impromptu battle.

Surprisingly, Heroic Spirit Kiritsugu was caught off guard.

Hassan of the Hundred Faces, often regarded as mere cannon fodder, was now showcasing unexpected strength. Four of Hassan's clones worked in perfect unison, their coordinated strikes putting Heroic Spirit Kiritsugu on the defensive. Even a Heroic Spirit like Kiritsugu found it hard to counter multiple simultaneous attacks.

This sudden advantage was thanks to the exclusive Item Hassan of the Hundred Faces had acquired earlier. The enhancement significantly improved their combat capability.

If not for this new advantage, even four of Hassan's clones combined would have been unable to suppress a Heroic Spirit like Kiritsugu.

Still, the gift had come too late. Hassan's dwindling number of clones made it impossible to capitalize fully on this newfound power.

---

"What are all of you doing here?"

Zhang Jiao, who had just rushed back to the battlefield, was stunned by the chaotic scene before him.

He had only been away for a short while, yet the forest had already descended into chaos.

"Hahaha! It seems everyone has arrived!"

Iskandar bellowed as he forced Darius III back, his booming voice carrying a sense of excitement.

Indeed, except for Qin Shi Huang, who remained a spectator, and El-Melloi II and Ishtar, who had stayed behind at their respective strongholds, the rest of the Holy Grail War's participants had now gathered in this forest.

"Now that everyone's here, let's settle things properly!"

The pitch-black forest under the night sky suddenly transformed. The ground turned into a vast, sunlit desert, and the scorching heat was almost palpable.

Iskandar had unleashed his Ionioi Hetairoi: Army of the King, pulling everyone into his Reality Marble.

"There's no need for tricks anymore," Iskandar roared, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. "Let's have an all-out battle!"

---

"Haha! You truly are a willful king," Chihiro said with a smirk.

After days of strategic maneuvers and schemes, he had grown somewhat weary. Now that the opportunity for a direct confrontation had presented itself, he wasn't about to shy away.

"Alright, no more games. Let's settle this with raw strength!"

Zhang Jiao and Sigurd exchanged determined smiles before stepping behind Chihiro.

Hassan of the Hundred Faces and the other allies regrouped, taking positions to act as a defensive line in front of Chihiro.

Chihiro then turned to Tokiomi, who had been standing silently at his side.

"I have no objections," Tokiomi replied calmly. "The Holy Grail War ends tomorrow anyway. If this is inevitable, then let it happen now."

His meaning was clear. He had no intention of retreating.

"I agree as well!"

Artoria stepped forward, her voice ringing with resolve. "Come at me with all your strength!"

Beside her, Kiritsugu the Heroic Spirit Assassin looked exasperated. An Assassin-class Servant was ill-suited for a direct battlefield confrontation, but there was no avoiding it now. Reluctantly, he braced himself for the impending fight.

Meanwhile, Lancelot, who had been wild and erratic moments ago, suddenly regained his composure. Like a knight standing at attention, he moved to stand solemnly behind Artoria.

Even in his Berserker state, Lancelot's loyalty to Artoria remained unshaken. The prospect of fighting alongside his king momentarily suppressed his madness. Without hesitation, he took his place, awaiting her orders.

Watching this, Kariya sighed in defeat. Knowing his own combat abilities were the weakest among those present, he retreated to the back for safety.

---

"Hahaha, excellent!"

Iskandar climbed onto his chariot, his army already assembled in perfect formation behind him.

This time, he did not mount his horse but drove his Gordius Wheel into battle.

---

"DARIUS!!!"

Darius III, standing atop his undead war elephant, roared furiously.

Blue flames erupted from the peculiar horn-like structures on his head and from the axes he wielded. The ground beneath him trembled as his Noble Phantasm activated.

"Athanaton Ten Thousand: Immortal Ten Thousand Soldiers"

The earth split open as soldiers clad in armor and wielding shields and spears clawed their way up from the ground. They surrounded Darius III in a fearsome display, forming an unholy legion.

Beneath Darius III, a massive war elephant draped in purple cloth emerged from the depths.

This was the true power of his Noble Phantasm: summoning an undead army of 10,000 immortal soldiers and his monstrous war elephant to overwhelm his enemies with sheer numbers.

---

"Hahaha! That's more like it!"

Iskandar gazed at Darius III's undead legion with neither fear nor hesitation. Instead, his face lit up with exhilaration.

At this moment, he felt as if he had returned to the glory days of his conquest, when he had faced armies on the battlefield.

This was the kind of battle that stirred his blood.

"Charge!!!"

Standing atop his war elephant, Darius III raised his axes high and roared, leading his undead soldiers forward.

The undead legion surged like a tide, their roars echoing as they charged toward Iskandar's forces.

---

"Hahaha! This will be a glorious battle!"

Iskandar roared with laughter, raising his sword high.

"Forward, my army! Show them the strength of the King's Army!"

"OUUUHH!!!"

The soldiers of Iskandar's army shouted in unison, their battle cries reverberating across the battlefield as they advanced.

In perfect synchronization, they formed a Macedonian phalanx, lowering their three-meter-long spears as they marched forward.

The sight was nothing short of magnificent.

---

Unlike their previous encounter with Gilgamesh, where they had abandoned formation due to their opponent's overwhelming firepower, Iskandar's army now faced an opposing force that could be challenged head-on.

The disciplined phalanx moved with precision, their spears acting as reaping scythes that effortlessly cut down the advancing undead soldiers.

The cavalry units on either side flanked the undead horde, cutting off any attempts at a pincer attack.

This was the same formation that had enabled Iskandar to conquer vast territories and establish his empire.

---

Watching this, Artoria tightened her fists.

"This… is the strength of Iskandar's army."

Her calm demeanor betrayed a flicker of unease. In this battle, her side was at a disadvantage.

For now, all she could do was observe.

---

But just as the tide of battle seemed to favor Iskandar's army, the undead soldiers began to rise once more.

"What?! Impossible!"

The soldiers Iskandar's forces had slain stood back up, their broken bodies moving with eerie precision.

Even those decapitated continued to attack as though unaffected by their wounds.

The once-disciplined phalanx began to crumble under the relentless assault. The undead legion advanced, exploiting every gap to wreak havoc.

Iskandar's forces, for the first time, found themselves at a disadvantage.

---

"I see now… these soldiers are immortal," Waver exclaimed from the safety of the Gordius Wheel.

He watched as one of the undead soldiers, decapitated by Iskandar himself, continued to fight as though its head were merely an accessory.

"They're like puppets," Waver continued. "They can't be killed. If we want to win, we'll have to defeat their commander!"

He pointed to Darius III atop the war elephant, signaling the key to victory.

"I see. I was careless," Iskandar admitted, his tone losing its earlier mirth.

He had assumed Darius III's Noble Phantasm functioned like his own, a summoning of troops that would retreat upon defeat. But he had underestimated his opponent.

"In that case, it's time for a clash of kings!"

Wielding his sword, Iskandar urged the Gordius Wheel forward, aiming directly for Darius III.

But before he could close the gap, a radiant light intercepted him.

---

Chihiro had stepped in, activating his class card and summoning the God Force to block Iskandar's advance.

"Go!"

Zhang Jiao handed Sigurd a talisman that lightened his body. Sigurd leaped toward Iskandar with incredible speed, his blade gleaming with deadly intent.

"My love, please forgive me," a sorrowful yet determined voice rang out.

At that moment, Brynhildr descended from the sky atop her Pegasus, interposing herself between Sigurd and Iskandar. With her lance burning in blue flames, she deflected Sigurd's strike, forcing him back.

Brynhildr's expression was unwavering as she raised her lance. "Sigurd, if you must die, it will only be by my hands!"

***

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