บท 109: Chapter 109: Brawl with the Sea Monster
The alleys of Miyama Town were ancient, with narrow and intricate roads. Generally, it would take at least half an hour to reach the riverside where Caster was located. However, this common knowledge did not apply to extraordinary Servants.
Under the effects of her A-ranked Riding skill, Saber skillfully maneuvered Irisviel's Mercedes-Benz sports car, showcasing driving skills that even professional stunt drivers would find hard to match.
With precise steering just a hair's breadth away from the collision, the silver car glided through the narrow corners of the alley. The exceptional speed made one question the constraints of the laws of physics. In just a few minutes, they traversed the complex maze of alleys, faster and more efficiently than Shinji's "Winged Shoes."
The Mercedes-Benz raced out of the alley and onto the riverside road, executing a graceful sharp turn before coming to a stop. Saber didn't wait for the gull-wing doors to fully open before leaping out of the car and running up the riverbank.
The thick fog that would obscure the vision of an ordinary person had no effect on Servants or magi who enhanced their vision with magecraft.
Soon, Saber spotted Caster standing at the center of the Fuyuki River, and Caster noticed Saber as well.
"Welcome, Holy Maiden. It is my utmost honor to see you again," Caster greeted with his usual courtesy, igniting a blazing fury in Saber's eyes.
"Fiend, have you not learned your lesson? What do you plan to do tonight?" Saber's voice was filled with anger.
"I apologize, Jeanne... Tonight's guest of honor is not you," Caster replied. His answer was accompanied by an eerie smile, distorting his face into a madness never seen before.
"However, if you would grace us with your presence, it would be the greatest delight for me. Please enjoy the death and corruption hosted by Gilles de Rais."
Suddenly, a streak of silver light appeared in Saber's field of vision. This silver light pierced through the dense fog at terrifying speed, heading straight towards Caster as he spoke. It exploded into a dazzling blaze upon hitting Caster's chest, emanating intense heat and extraordinary magical power that could be felt across the river.
Only then did the ear-piercing explosion sound arrive, characteristic of supersonic weaponry, with bullets fired from a rifle being the most common example.
However, conventional bullets couldn't produce the effects of a thermobaric bomb. In Fuyuki City, only one set of equipment met this standard—the "Divine GunBlade" and the "Rune Bullets"!
Shinji arrived a few tens of seconds later compared to Saber. Without wasting any words with the enemy, he immediately locked onto his target and fired.
The "Divine GunBlade" was fully charged, set to sniper mode, operating at maximum power.
The "Rune Bullets" were specially crafted magical bullets by Scáthach, imbued with the primal "FEHU" rune, symbolizing primal, unrestrained flames. In the Age of Gods, a single runestone could turn an entire river into a sea of flames. Even in the diminished age of mysteries, it could release high-temperature flames that could instantly melt steel.
This was Shinji's most powerful long-range attack at present.
However, despite the flames and the tremendous kinetic energy from supersonic speed, it still couldn't claim Caster's life. The powerful magic enveloping Caster's body formed an invisible armor, negating most of the bullet's kinetic energy and the original flames. The sniper shot only caused superficial external injuries to Caster's chest and minor burns on his body.
Seeing this result, Shinji sighed with regret as he floated in mid-air, wearing his flying shoes.
"Indeed, Servants are not so easily killed. Sensei's words were correct. The restricted power of the original Rune is still a bit weak. To kill a Servant, one still relies on a Servant."
At the same time, the magical fluctuations emanating from Caster grew stronger and stronger. The dark waters at his feet suddenly churned, and countless monstrous creatures gathered, extending their tentacles toward the summoner's feet.
Surprisingly, the tentacles gradually engulfed Caster, who stood atop them, wearing his long robe.
At first glance, it seemed as though the familiar had turned against Caster and was attacking him. However, Caster, completely enveloped by the tentacles, showed no signs of panic. Instead, he emitted a sharp, almost discordant laughter, filled with excitement and satisfaction.
"The guests have arrived. Now, let the feast begin."
The foaming surface of the water swelled, pushing up the engulfed Caster. The horde of monstrous creatures beneath his feet had multiplied exponentially. Considering the depth of the river, the mere thought of their numbers was terrifying.
"Now, let us raise the banner of salvation once again! Gather, those who have been abandoned, gather, those who have been oppressed. I shall lead you! I shall command you! The resentment of us, the oppressed, will soon reach the heavens! O Lord above! I shall praise you through atonement!"
The number of monstrous creatures gathered around the summoner continued to increase, centered around his body. The summoning of the "Prelati's Spellbook" seemed truly endless. Thousands upon thousands of tentacles intertwined and merged, gradually forming a mass of flesh.
It was a revolting, slimy flesh island, drenched in filth. But the collective entity of the monstrous creatures seemed unsatisfied, constantly expanding and growing larger.
Only Caster, absorbed by the mass of flesh and invisible within it, continued to voice his words like a triumphant hymn, echoing in the surroundings.
"Arrogant gods! Cruel gods! We shall pull you down from your thrones! Lambs beloved by the gods! Those who possess bodies similar to gods! We shall humiliate and tear you apart! The mockery of us rebels shall open the gates to heaven with the wails of the children of gods!"
The filthy mass of flesh gradually took shape. No, this was the true form of the extradimensional monster. All the familiars that Caster had manipulated were nothing more than fragments of this entity.
"That is..."
Against the backdrop of the night, a grotesque shadow stood towering. Its terrifying and imposing form left everyone breathless.
Even the rulers of the deep sea, such as the Leviathan or the Giant Squid, did not possess such a colossal body. This aquatic behemoth was the embodiment of nightmares, the true "Sea Demon" that ruled the realm of the otherworld.
Although there were no people on the riverbank due to the curfew, the lights in the houses on the opposite side were turned on, and the chaotic sounds carried on the wind.
Witnessing such a stunning and bizarre sight naturally caused a commotion. Fortunately, the dense fog limited the visibility of the monster to a small area. Only a few locations could see the creature and the panic of the residents was confined to specific areas.
Even so, the principle of conducting the Holy Grail War in secrecy had been completely shattered.
"I underestimated him... I never expected him to summon such a terrifying monster!"
"No, even as a Servant, there should be limitations on the number of familiars he can summon to serve him. But if we don't consider how they are 'controlled,' then it goes beyond the limitations of this condition."
Irisviel, who had been calm until now, couldn't hide the fear in her voice this time.
"If we don't consider how to control it after summoning, just summoning it... No matter how powerful the monster is, theoretically, it can be summoned. All that's needed is to expand the magical power and the ritual of the Gate."
"...Are you saying that the monster is not under Caster's control?"
"You're right."
The one who spoke was not Irisviel, but a female Servant who had transitioned from the realm of illusions to reality.
"Assassin!"
The female Servant, who had rushed from the Fuyuki Bridge, nodded in greeting to Saber and Irisviel before waving her hand towards her Master, who kept muttering "Danger, decreasing Sanity points, decreasing Sanity points" in the air. Only then did she continue speaking.
"The so-called Lovecraftian beast refers to the 'art of manipulating magic.' But 'that thing' is not such a simple concept. It is unquestionably true wickedness. It is something that does not belong to this world, something older than the Earth, something from the depths of the universe's darkness, something known as the taboo of the ancient rulers. Although it is just a negligibly small part of its true form, it is boundlessly greedy and consumes concepts without limit. It can no longer be called magic."
Anger tightened Saber's fist as she contemplated Caster's madness.
"So, that monster isn't here to fight anyone..."
"Right, it's just here to be 'fed.' A city like this would be completely devoured by it in a matter of hours."
"!!!"
Caster no longer cared about what constitutes battle or victory. He intended to destroy the ritual known as the Holy Grail War and, in the process, erase all life from this city.
Familiar thunder and lightning filled the sky, and a shining divine chariot descended onto the park square where the four were located. The hulking Servant holding the reins greeted the arriving guests with a wild and arrogant smile.
"Well, King of Knights and Queen of the Fairyland, it's a splendid night... That's what I was going to say, but it seems it's not the time for greetings."
"King of Conquerors!"
Seeing Saber adopt a defensive posture, Rider calmly raised his hand.
"Don't get excited. Let's temporarily call a truce for tonight. We can't have a proper fight with that big guy over there. I've been gathering reinforcements since earlier, and Lancer has agreed to help. He should be here soon."
"...What about the other Servants?"
"Let's not talk about Berserker for now. As for Archer... well, even if we call, it'll be in vain. He's the kind of person who won't cooperate with others."
Saber nodded, placing her hand on her chest with a serious expression.
"I understand. I also agree to fight side by side. King of Conquerors, although it's a temporary alliance, I pledge to treat you with sincerity."
"Heh, you're quite clear-headed during battle. And what about Assassin?"
"I have no objections either." Scáthach nodded decisively. "I guarantee it in the name of a warrior."
"Do the Masters have any objections?"
In response to Rider's imposing inquiry, Shinji casually waved his hand.
"No, I have entrusted all matters of battle to Assassin. Her attitude represents my own."
"You've found yourself a good Master," Rider exclaimed sincerely while patting Waver on the back. "Hey, kid, express your stance too."
"Uh, yeah, I know. A truce until we defeat Caster!" Waver reluctantly poked his head out of his seat. He wasn't opposed to the idea, but he maintained a necessary level of caution towards the Einzbern camp after the unpleasant events of last night. Irisviel shared the same caution.
Having never been on the battlefield themselves, they understood that taking an enemy's life and forming alliances were matters that shouldn't be influenced by personal emotions. They required calm judgment.
At this stage, the most important thing was to stop Caster. As long as their vows were enough to trust each other, working together was the smartest decision.
"Einzbern pledges a truce."
Irisviel's words signaled the establishment of an alliance, and the next step was to discuss the battle plan.
"Assassin, it seems like you've been pursuing Caster. Do you have a good strategy?"
"Swift and decisive. Use a fast attack to defeat him. The manifestation of the ancient ruler currently relies on the magical energy supplied by Caster. It will be difficult to deal with once it starts hunting for its sustenance."
Scáthach, fully in battle mode, spoke directly and without hesitation.
Saber nodded in understanding.
"That grimoire of his."
The Prelati's Spellbook, the magical energy furnace—that peculiar Noble Phantasm had become the heart of the Sea Demon alongside Caster's body.
"I see. So, we have to determine the outcome before it comes ashore to feed. But..."
Rider frowned in disgust and gazed at the constantly writhing dark green colossal form.
"The most important thing, Caster, is hidden deep within the mass. What should we do about that?"
"We have to drag him out. That's the only way."
A voice replied from behind Rider, and a figure holding dual spears appeared in the glow of the streetlights. Lancer, slightly later than the soaring chariot, had also arrived on the battlefield. The four Servants opposing Caster were finally all assembled.
"As long as we can expose his Noble Phantasm, my 'Gáe Dearg' can destroy his spells... Although I don't think he would fall for the same trick twice."
"Lancer, can your thrown spear reach Caster's Noble Phantasm from the shore?"
Saber's question made Lancer smile arrogantly.
"Such a trivial matter requires no effort at all. Don't underestimate the Heroic Spirit of Lancer."
"Good. Then Rider and I will take the vanguard."
"No need for that. We'll all go together." The light of the runes shimmered, and two rows of runes quickly formed as Scáthach traced them with her hands.
"I have no problem... My chariot can travel without needing a road, but how will you attack the enemy in the river?"
In response to Rider's question, Scáthach displayed a confident smile. The two rows of runes moved like serpents in the air, one coiling around herself and the other lingering at Lancer's feet.
"These are water-avoiding runes. They can allow the recipients to tread on the waves for a short period."
Rider curiously raised an eyebrow. "And what about Saber?"
"I don't need such reinforcement. I am protected by the Lady of the Lake, and no matter how deep the water is, it cannot hinder my footsteps."
"That's truly a rare ability... I'm increasingly tempted to recruit you."
In a different setting, Rider's jest would have surely provoked Saber's reprimand, but this time she merely glared at Rider before letting it go.
"Someday, I will make you pay for your insolence. But for now, the most important thing is to pull Caster out."
"Haha! You're right! Then let me lead the way!"
With booming laughter, Rider urged the bull pulling the chariot and thunderously charged towards the sky, paying no attention to Waver's seemingly unprepared scream of terror.
"Let's go too."
Scáthach exchanged a glance with the two fellow Servants who hailed from the same homeland as her and jumped into the river first.
Saber and Lancer, unwilling to fall behind, joined the hunt against Caster, and the grand spectacle unfolded.
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