"Master, the number of these sea demons is simply overwhelming!"
Okita stepped forward, shielding Roy behind her, her delicate face hardening with determination.
'How do we get past them to defeat the corrupted Caster?'
Should she use her third Noble Phantasm?
Through telepathy, she made the suggestion to Roy.
Okita possessed three Noble Phantasms in total.
The first was her ultimate demon-slaying sword technique—the nameless three-stage thrust imbued with the power of "phenomenon collapse."
The second was her haori, known as the "Coat of Oaths," a result of the famous Shinsengumi attire being sublimated into a Noble Phantasm.
When equipped with this haori, her parameters would receive a significant boost, and her weapon would upgrade from the historically accurate "Kojiki Kiyomitsu" to the "Kiku-Ichimonji Norimune," a sword with eight hundred years of mystery that later generations associated with her.
This Noble Phantasm was of the perpetual activation type, currently equipped and active. Combined with her Master's immense magical energy supply, it allowed her to contend with top-tier Servants.
The third Noble Phantasm was her true trump card, named the "Flag of Sincerity."
A B-rank Anti-Army Noble Phantasm, unfurling this flag would allow her to summon members of the Shinsengumi—including Kondou Isami, Hijikata Toshizou, and others—within a certain range.
Although the summoned Shinsengumi members lacked Noble Phantasms and were noticeably weaker, each was an independent Servant with combat capabilities equivalent to an E- rank Independent Action skill, allowing them to fight briefly without a Master.
Their numbers weren't vast—just over a hundred.
But for this situation, it would be more than enough.
'These sea demons are weak, relying solely on numbers. If I activate my Noble Phantasm, a hundred Shinsengumi swordsmen will absolutely carve a path through them for you, Master!'
Okita declared confidently through telepathy.
"What do you all think?"
Roy stroked his chin, a contemplative expression on his face.
He didn't answer immediately, instead turning his gaze toward the other duo.
"Your Saber is clearly a modern-era swordsman. It's normal that she can't unleash wide-range attacks like beam cannons."
Rin covered her mouth with a chuckle, relishing the small victory.
"Archer, how much effort would it take for you to clear out this hillside?"
"Hmm, if it's large-scale attacks, I've got no problem."
Archer pondered for a moment before nodding decisively.
"But there are quite a lot of sea demons. It might consume a significant amount of my Master's magical energy. If that happens, we'd only be able to hunt one corrupted Servant tonight at most."
Okita puffed out her cheeks.
Fuming with indignation.
So what if she couldn't fire beam cannons?
Did swordsmen not using beam cannons eat her rice or something?!
"A swordsman should fight with their blade!"
"Yes, yes, I didn't mean to look down on you. Ohohohoho!"
Rin grinned smugly at Okita, looking every bit the villain.
"Grrrr!"
Okita gritted her teeth in frustration.
"In that case, let me handle it!"
Roy shook his head with a sigh and stepped forward.
"Huh? What are you going to do?"
Rin blinked in astonishment.
"Watch and learn."
Roy curled his lips into a faint smile.
Even on such a battlefield, his expression remained relaxed and carefree.
As if the sea of demons before him was nothing worth worrying about.
"Archer, could you shoot an arrow into the mountain to lure out the corrupted Caster?"
"I'm not your Servant!"
Archer turned away, crossing his arms and looking up at the sky.
"I asked so politely, yet you refuse? How rude! Were you raised without a father or mother?"
Clench!
His fists clenched!
A thick vein bulged on Archer's forehead.
"Archer, go help. I'm also curious about what he plans to do."
"...Tch. Fine, since it's my Master's order, I have no choice. Brat, don't think I'm doing this because you provoked me!"
Archer snorted coldly.
Then, he drew his bow and released an arrow deep into the hillside.
The small hill wasn't tall—only a few dozen meters—but his arrow struck the summit with pinpoint accuracy.
The next moment, a deafening BOOM echoed as violent winds and blinding light erupted from the mountaintop. The entire hill shook as if struck by an earthquake.
Then, a small mushroom cloud rose from the peak.
Such destructive power!
Okita watched with envy, practically drooling.
"Damn it, I want a beam cannon too!"
On the hillside.
The sea of demons was thrown into chaos by the explosion, many of them sent tumbling.
Some noticed the group at the foot of the hill and immediately surged toward them, their slimy bodies flopping like grotesque octopi, nauseating to behold.
At the summit, the corrupted Caster was also drawn by the disturbance, emerging at the forefront.
His pitch-black, oversized eyes—resembling something out of a Picasso painting—locked onto the group below.
An ordinary person meeting that gaze would lose sleep for weeks.
In his arms, he cradled a grimoire bound in human skin.
The corrupted Caster—Gilles de Rais, the Caster of the previous Holy Grail War.
He wasn't particularly skilled in magecraft himself; his qualification for the Caster class came solely from the grimoire in his possession.
That grimoire, the Prelati's Spellbook, not only contained rituals for summoning and controlling deep-sea demons but also functioned as a magical reactor, enabling the casting of high-level magecraft regardless of the user's skill. A terrifyingly powerful artifact.
"At the end of the day, it's all just relying on the spells in that book!"
Roy slowly closed his eyes.
When they reopened, his glass-like crimson pupils had transformed into voids of absolute darkness, entwined with chains of black-and-white mystical runes.
A pair of Mystic Eyes brimming with paradoxical intensity manifested.
In an instant, Roy's gaze locked onto the Prelati's Spellbook in the corrupted Caster's hands.
Silently, the Mystic Eyes activated.
"It's over."
Roy's eyes flashed.
"Wha—?!"
Before the corrupted Caster could utter a single word, he flung the Prelati's Spellbook away as if it had burned his hands.
The grimoire glowed like an ignited bomb midair.
Then—BOOM!
It exploded into countless fragments.
"Wha—what?!"
The corrupted Caster's face was frozen in stunned disbelief.
He hadn't even begun processing why his book had exploded before his thoughts blanked entirely.
While he stood dumbfounded, the sea of demons covering the hillside began fading like illusions.
"Saber, go!"
"Yes!"
Spurred by her Master's display, Okita's morale soared.
Her figure flickered like a ghost as she soundlessly leaped to the summit.
No fierce battle ensued.
With a single slash, Okita cleanly beheaded the corrupted Caster.
Only as his head hit the ground did realization dawn on him.
But by then, it was far too late. His body dissipated into motes of mana, vanishing without a trace.
Rin and Archer stared at the scene in stunned silence.
The way they looked at Roy was as though he were a monster.
***
Hey readers!
Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.
🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹