The full activation of Avicebron's Noble Phantasm demanded a price: the heart of a first-rate mage.
In the original course of events, after Sieg was protected by Jeanne, Avicebron turned his eyes to his own Master, Roche, sacrificing him in his ambition to complete the greatest work of his life. Now, however, Roche was under strict protection from the Black Faction, making any attempt to lure him with promises or trickery impossible.
Faced with this obstacle, Shirou Amakusa brought forth the solution. He offered Avicebron an alternative means to complete his Noble Phantasm: access to the Masters of the Red Faction.
Compared to the Black Faction's Masters, the Red Masters were undoubtedly an elite force. Each had been handpicked by the Clock Tower itself, an institution that would never allow mediocrity to represent its glory in a Holy Grail War. In other words, any one of them possessed enough quality to serve as the core for Avicebron's creation.
But there was a limit. Out of the five, only Spartacus's Master could be used without igniting internal conflict. The other Servants were still alive, and taking their Masters' lives would mean directly challenging them — something even Amakusa would not allow. Spartacus, on the other hand, had long since fallen. His Master, therefore, became the perfect sacrifice.
And it was precisely that Master who now lay unconscious before the lake at the heart of the forest.
Atalanta observed in silence. Her expression remained serene, but her predatory eyes followed Avicebron's every move. She would not intervene — this was not her mission. She was here as a witness, as the eyes of the Red Faction, to behold the birth of something that could alter the course of the war.
More than the Golem itself, her focus was on something else: the Avenger of the Black Faction, Gilgamesh. Unlike the other Servants, he had already revealed his overwhelming power. Amakusa knew this, and it was precisely why he supported Avicebron's endeavor — believing that only the absolute might of Keter Malkuth could balance the scales.
A fatal miscalculation that would soon reveal itself.
Even with her vast web of familiars, Semiramis could not penetrate the boundaries of the forest. They needed someone with true eyes on the field — and Jeanne, with her spiritual perception, could detect any anomaly. Thus, only Atalanta, discreet and swift, was fit to witness the scene.
Now, before the still waters of the lake, Avicebron began his ritual.
He raised his arms, his voice echoing through the forest as his creation began.
— "Born of Mother Earth, let yourself be filled with the Wind of wisdom, drink deeply from the Water of life..."
His tone was deep, rhythmic, fervent. His words sounded more like prayers than incantations.
— "A mark of Fire shall rest upon your hand, driving away the Demon of sickness. Your rancor will divide you, but your love shall purify your blood..."
The lake began to bubble violently, as though the earth itself had begun to breathe. The air thickened with suffocating heat, followed by the sweet fragrance of flowers that did not exist.
— "Be a colossus, towering among the highest peaks. Be stone, unyielding and firm. Let your form be fit for your task... our guardian, our leader, our great foundation..."
The trees bent as if forced to bow before the invocation.
— "You are of the earth, but not the earth. Of man, but not of man. You shall rest in paradise. You shall rule it, for we shall be led to its gates by you..."
The water burst apart as a colossal mass emerged.
— "You are the Dream. You are the Hope. You are the Love..."
Avicebron spread his arms wide.
— "You are the First Man, bearer of the Holy Spirit Ruwach... Your name is Adam!"
The giant rose in full. Fifteen meters of living matter shaped into stone, its body incomplete yet throbbing with power.
Avicebron turned toward Spartacus's fallen Master. His face showed no hesitation — only ecstasy.
"Now, only the core remains..."
With a gesture, he seized the mage by the neck and, without a shred of mercy, hurled him into the colossus's open chest.
The body was swallowed in seconds, devoured by an abyss. And then, the impossible occurred.
The Golem glowed, and with a single step, rose fully from the lake. The entire forest trembled.
From the soil beneath its feet, flowers, vines, and trees burst forth. Branches tangled in abnormal growth, fruits ripened instantly, falling and birthing new trees in an impossible cycle. Birds materialized in the air, wild beasts emerged from the shadows — and all, as if hypnotized, advanced toward the colossus.
Upon touching it, they were converted into pure energy, drawn into its body, feeding the miracle of creation.
The air was saturated with a sweet, intoxicating scent, making even breathing feel like sin. It was an artificial paradise — but still, a paradise.
"Ah..." Avicebron sighed. "Is this... Eden?"
Yes. This was the dream of the cabalists, the final form of creation: the Golem Keter Malkuth. A being that, by its very existence, reshaped the world into the Garden of Eden.
As long as the creature breathed, the world would be rewritten. A paradise imposed by the will of one man.
Ecstatic, Avicebron climbed onto the shoulders of his colossus. His eyes gleamed with pride, madness, and worship.
"March. March toward the Fortress of Millennia. Let all witness the miracle of Creation!"
And the giant advanced toward the Fortress.
---
"So... this is the Noble Phantasm Avicebron longed to build?"
Fiore leaned lightly against the walls of the Fortress of Millennia, the night wind brushing her face. Her eyes, unable to look away, remained fixed on the figure lumbering in the distance. A breath slipped from her lips as she beheld the Golem.
With each moment, the warped silhouette loomed taller. It was like watching a mountain walk — a monument to its creator's pride and madness.
Earlier, with Arthur's precise warning, they had all prepared for the inevitable clash. Now, there was nothing left to do but face the monster head-on.
Fiore, trying to keep her voice steady, broke the suffocating silence:
"Attacking it... shouldn't that go against your principles?"
The holy maiden gripped her banner tightly, driving it into the ground. Her eyes reflected both the flame of conviction and the weight of responsibility.
"No. Fighting it is my duty," Jeanne answered, her voice solemn.
The first priority of the Holy Grail War was not individual victory, but the preservation of the Secret — protecting the world from the revelation of magic. Yet Avicebron's Noble Phantasm endangered everything.
It was a Golem that defied all natural laws. With every hour it existed, it grew. With every inch, its strength multiplied beyond reason. But that wasn't the true horror. The real terror was that its existence no longer depended on Avicebron himself. Even if the caster were destroyed, the Golem Keter Malkuth would endure, fed by an infinite stream of magical energy.
Astolfo broke the tension, his voice vibrant yet impatient:
"But what about Gil!? Where is he? Why hasn't he shown up yet!?"
All eyes turned to Mordred. If anyone knew Arthur's whereabouts, it would be her.
The knight shrugged, an insolent grin spreading as she stared at the titan.
"The Master had something else to deal with," she said casually, as if it were nothing. "But that doesn't matter. He gave me full freedom to handle this... and I plan to enjoy every second."
Mordred's audacious laughter echoed, a cruel contrast to the earth-shaking footsteps of the Golem.
---
Meanwhile, in the forest, the sound of breaking branches and rustling leaves announced Arthur's swift movements. His golden hair whipped in the wind as he cut through the darkness with inhuman speed.
"Where are you, little cat...?" he muttered, eyes scanning every detail among the trees.
Then, with an almost imperceptible snap, he stopped. His lips curved into a rare smile, golden eyes flashing with amusement.
"Found you..." he whispered, chuckling to himself before vanishing once more into the shadows.
---
Back at the fortress walls, the verbal clash escalated.
"Caster! Why did you betray us!? You even betrayed your own Master!" Astolfo shouted, his voice ringing with indignation.
Avicebron raised his face, cold and devoid of remorse.
"If we are speaking of betrayal, then yes... I betrayed. But not my Master. I betrayed his expectations."
Astolfo nearly jumped in rage.
"Stop twisting words just to justify yourself!"
Yet the Caster remained unfazed. His voice was chilling, impassive, like that of a judge who had already passed sentence.
"I do not intend to hide anything. I accepted the burden of being the enemy. Yes, I betrayed you, and now I will destroy you. With my Noble Phantasm... the Golem Keter Malkuth, I shall bring true salvation to the world."
Astolfo leveled his lance at Avicebron.
"You're insane! How the hell is destroying everything supposed to save anyone!?"
"How insolent..." Avicebron muttered, brow furrowing. "You deserve to be called one whose reason has long since evaporated."
But Astolfo did not retreat. On the contrary, he puffed his chest and declared with a confident smile:
"That's exactly why I'm not afraid! No matter what you build, no matter how much you boast of your power... in the end, it's still just a Noble Phantasm!"
"And that is why I feel no hesitation in loosing this arrow." The voice from the skies fell like thunder.
Avicebron's eyes widened, his head snapping upward.
A flash tore across the heavens.
The barrier he cast in reflex was far too weak. The arrow streaked through the air like lightning, and though it was slightly deflected, it mercilessly ripped through his shoulder.
"Argh!" Avicebron's scream rang out as he tore the arrow free with his own hands.
Mordred laughed loudly at the sight.
"I agree with Rider. Enough of this endless chatter. Let's get this fight started already!"
Avicebron roared with fury:
"Don't be arrogant, Saber! You have no power to defeat it!"
Mordred swung Clarent in a gleaming arc, her voice brimming with pure rebellion.
"That's what you think, you cowardly bastard!"
She dug her heels into the ground, her blade pulsing with crimson energy.
"CLARENT!!!"
A devastating beam of light erupted against the Golem. The air quaked, the earth split, and the thunder of the explosion marked the true beginning of the battle.
---
(End of Chapter)
A/N: Finally!! We've reached 200 chapters!!!
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."