I Will Eventually Embark On The Path Of No Return Called A Hero

[Arc4] - 19. The Unmatched Army, The Unmatched Strategist

---

It wasn't out of fear, just a simple feeling that there was no need to make a big deal out of this trivial matter. Besides, Illya seemed like a good kid, so there was no need to bother her parents with their work.

Especially her dad. Although it was said that Mr. Emiya had been rather lazy with work in recent years, if it involved his daughter, he'd likely become very diligent. So, better leave it at that.

Let the Mystic Code - Ruby play some magical girl games with her. After all, they had Cyd on their side for the Class Cards. This was what Waver Velvet (Lord El-Melloi II) had thought.

Until he saw Illya crouching in the corner, drawing circles with a huge paper stuck on her forehead that had the word "dunce" written on it, making him start to feel a stomach ache.

"Damn it! What's with that Servant anyway!" Tohsaka Rin stomped her feet in frustration. "There's no intention of direct combat, just a bunch of weird formations going around!"

"I can't take this off!" Illya cried, pointing at the paper stuck to her forehead.

"There's a spell on it," El-Melloi II stroked his chin and then turned to pinch Rin's head. "Remember what I told you!"

Her father is the mage killer, Emiya Kiritsugu! Do you not value your life?

"Ow! I just wanted to give it a try!" Rin moaned, holding her head in pain.

"And the result?" Cyd tried pulling the paper, but it stuck to Illya's forehead like glue, lifting her off the ground. "You got this thing stuck on you?"

"I still have to go to school…" Illya cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Seems like we should resolve this quickly," El-Melloi II let go of Rin's head. "Rin, did you notice anything about the Servant?"

"No, we didn't even see him. Just some pillars and then mist. It's probably his Noble Phantasm," Rin rubbed her forehead. "Even when I rushed in, nothing happened."

"You charged into an unknown Noble Phantasm!" El-Melloi II's eyes widened as he raised his hand again.

"I couldn't just send Illya in!" Rin quickly covered her head.

El-Melloi II paused and sighed helplessly as he lowered his hand. "Then what's with the paper on her forehead?"

"Well… I didn't see any reaction from Rin after a while, so I followed her," Illya timidly raised her hand.

"I don't get it either. I was leading, and I didn't get attacked," Rin scratched her head.

Cyd, rubbing his chin, walked behind Rin.

There, a huge paper with the word "poor" was stuck to her back.

Rin had actually been hit by an incredibly malicious attack.

Cyd sighed in pity and patted Rin's shoulder.

"Maybe you just got lucky."

Lucky no one saw it.

Though now he did.

"The Noble Phantasm was prepped beforehand, so it's probably Caster," El-Melloi II rubbed his shoulder. "Let's move out."

"Miyu, stay outside this time," Cyd stopped Miyu from transforming into a magical girl. "With Caster, there's likely to be troublesome magic."

At that moment, Illya, with the word "dunce" still stuck to her forehead, nodded vigorously. Seeing the overly conspicuous paper bob up and down, Miyu… retreated.

"Come back soon."

"Alright~"

Cyd chuckled, waving his hand. Like a kaleidoscope, ripples unfolded, and with a brief flicker, the world shifted. Then he saw it—pillars barely visible through the thick fog.

"As expected, it's a Noble Phantasm, but it doesn't seem to be aggressive for now," El-Melloi II inspected the pillars, stroking his chin.

"This formation makes people lose their way inside. In war, losing your direction is far deadlier than any weapon," Cyd picked up a rock and threw it into the fog.

Boom!

The rock, carried by a fierce wind, shot through the fog like a cannonball. The wind easily tore the fog apart, but it soon filled back in.

"Interesting, you're not letting us see unless we go inside?" Cyd stretched and jumped in place. "Then I'll just do as you wish and—no way~"

Cyd lifted a massive bow, and a glowing arrow, bright as the sun, gathered between his fingers.

"One arrow to flatten your entire formation!"

This was the type of opponent mages hated the most: you painstakingly set up a complex formation, waiting for them to enter, only for the enemy to lob a nuke at you, taking down both you and your formation.

Such a bully...

"Clack clack—"

With the crisp sound of rotating wheels, a figure appeared slowly in the thick fog, sitting in a wheelchair and holding a feather fan. But it quickly vanished again, seemingly guiding Cyd and the others deeper inside.

Cyd tilted his head and nocked an arrow onto his bow.

"Thanks for specifically telling me you're in there."

"Ah…"

Accompanied by a soft sigh, the mist began to disperse, and the Servant in the wheelchair gradually revealed himself to Cyd and the others.

"This outfit… and this bizarre formation," El-Melloi II's eyes widened slowly. "Zhuge Liang!?"

Seemingly pleased that El-Melloi II had called his true name, Zhuge Liang raised his chin slightly and gently fanned himself with the feather fan.

"To have a consciousness of your own… no, it must be a deviation caused by the forced summoning due to incompatible magical foundations," El-Melloi II squinted his eyes. "So, does that mean we can communicate?"

"Communication? That might allow for mutual understanding," Cyd lowered his bow, then raised it again. "But this is faster!"

A white paper floated up, and a line of text slowly appeared on it.

[Is it alright that the paper on those two kids can't be taken off?]

"That twin-tailed girl is whatever, but Illya can't be compromised," Cyd frowned and lowered his bow, the shining arrow transformed into light particles and gradually dissipated.

"Hey! Great Strategist, you're not seriously going to use a little girl to threaten us, are you?" Cyd grinned. "Forcing others to breach their own formations is just too low."

[Whether it's righteous or despicable, as long as it helps my master win, it doesn't matter how it's done. When you refused to enter my formation, my strategy was already seen through, meaning it has failed.]

Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan.

[But it's just a strategy being seen through. I wonder if you can withstand my overt strategy?]

Boom—!

Waver's eyes narrowed sharply, and he took a step back, clutching his chest.

"Master, what's wrong!" Gray said anxiously, supporting Waver.

His heartbeat was quickening; something… something was coming…

[Can you withstand it?]

A beam of sunlight appeared in the alternate space, and the sun that should have set began to rise as a figure advanced.

A new world was overshadowing the old.

A massive divine bull raised its head and bellowed, and with a billowing red cape, a towering figure slowly lifted the sword in his hand, his mouth opening and closing as if announcing something.

Countless forces were converging toward the herald of conquest.

[This is the army that will conquer the world.]

"What the…," El-Melloi II laughed, covering his face. "Even if it has turned into that…"

"Master?" Gray tilted her head, feeling that El-Melloi II's reaction was stranger than she had expected.

"You're still that fool," El-Melloi II—no, it should be Waver—helplessly wiped the corner of his eye and raised his head.

"I told you not to casually reveal your true name."

"Rider."