Erza knew about Assassin's arrival, not just in the storyline. Tokiomi had also hinted to Erza that they should first squeeze every last drop of value out of the gymnastics team. But she hadn't expected Assassin's intervention to magically ignite everyone's anger. It made everyone want to rush up and slaughter these black guys! Interrupting the curiosity of those already aroused by gossip is a very dangerous thing.
"These are...Assassins?" The princess... Waver, his legs trembling from the murderous aura, looked around uncertainly at the shadowy figures slowly appearing in the garden.
Strange white objects emerged in the moonlit courtyard. One after another, pale faces appeared in the courtyard like blooming flowers. That paleness was the color of cold, withered bones.
Skull masks and black robes. The deserted courtyard was gradually filled with this strange group.
"...You did this, didn't you, Archer?"
The golden retriever shrugged innocently.
"Who knows, I don't need to understand what those bastards are thinking."
Despite saying that, the golden retriever was actually very angry inside. How dare they interrupt my interest (gossip)? You'll regret this!
"Could it be... that we've been being watched by these guys all along?"
Irisviel murmured in anguish, and Saber couldn't help but shiver. Even though she was the strongest Servant, she was still a considerable threat. Therefore, both of them felt a chill run down their spines.
"Hmm...it's a complete mess."
As the enemy drew ever closer, Waver let out a sigh that was almost a scream. This was incomprehensible; it completely exceeded the rules and restrictions of the Holy Grail War.
"What's going on?! One Assassin after another... Aren't there only one Servant per class?!"
Seeing their prey's pathetic state, the Assassins couldn't help but smirk (and suicidal).
"...You're right. We are Servants who are a whole, and the individual members are just shadows of the whole."
Unlike Artoria, whose expression changed drastically, the other person at the King's Banquet was still leisurely drinking.
Yes, the Conqueror King remained calm and continued drinking his wine naturally.
While the wine is indeed a rare and exquisite beverage, things are not what they used to be, are they? The assassins' target wasn't obvious when they first appeared, but now all their killing intent is clearly directed at Waver. It's obvious that the assassins' reason for appearing this time is to eliminate the Conqueror's master, thus completely stripping him of his right to contend for the Holy Grail.
If the master is killed, no matter how powerful the Conqueror King is, he will be powerless. Therefore, the situation, with all the assassins gathered, is extremely precarious.
The giant, upon learning of this situation, was still leisurely drinking, which surprised everyone.
Weber, the target of the assassination attempt, couldn't help but shake his shoulders and anxiously call out:
"Rider, hey, hey…" Even as Waver called out anxiously, the red-haired man remained motionless. He glanced at the Assassins around him, his expression still calm and composed.
"Hey kid, don't be so pathetic. It's just that there are guests at the banquet, you can still drink."
"They don't look like guests at all!" The Conqueror sighed with a wry smile, then, facing the assassins surrounding him, he greeted them with a foolishly indifferent expression:
"Gentlemen, could you please tone down your ghostly aura? My friend is terrified."
Artoria thought she had misheard, and even the golden retriever frowned.
"Do you intend to invite them to the table, King Conqueror?"
"Of course. The king's speech should be heard by all people. Since someone has come specifically to listen, it doesn't matter whether they are an enemy or a friend."
The Conqueror King spoke calmly, scooping red wine from his glass with a spoon and extending it toward the assassins.
"Come, don't be shy. If you want to drink together, help yourself to the cup. This wine is in your blood."
"Whoosh"—a sound piercing the air answered.
The Conqueror King was left with only the handle of the spoon; the spoon itself had fallen to the ground. This was the work of one of the assassins, and the wine from the spoon was scattered across the courtyard floor.
"..."
The giant looked down speechlessly at the wine scattered on the ground. The skull masks seemed to laugh mockingly at him.
"—Don't say I didn't warn you."
The Conqueror's tone remained calm, but it was clear that the feeling within it had changed. Only the two men who had been drinking with him earlier noticed this shift.
"I said, 'this wine' is 'your blood'—right? Since you've let it spill on the ground so carelessly, then I'll…"
Before he finished speaking, a whirlwind suddenly rose up.
The wind was hot and dry, as if it wanted to burn everything. It didn't sound like the wind one would expect from a forest at night or a castle courtyard—it sounded like it came from the desert, roaring in my ears.
Feeling sand enter his mouth, Weber quickly spat it out. It was indeed sand. Bringn by the strange wind, it was truly hot sand that shouldn't have appeared otherwise.
"Saber and Golden Pikachu, the final question of the banquet—is the king truly aloof?"
The Conqueror King, standing in the center of the scorching wind, asked. Looking at the cloak billowing over his shoulders, it was clear he had somehow donned the attire befitting a Conqueror King.
The blond-haired man burst out laughing. There was no need to ask at all, so he answered with silence.
Artoria hesitated for a moment, recalling the stunning figure in her mind. Without hesitation, she answered!
"Your Majesty... is not aloof!"
The cavalrymen laughed loudly. As if in response to the laughter, the whirlwind intensified.
"Haha! Not bad, Saber, you now show some desire. That's what makes you a proper king. But today, I'll still teach you what the true path of conquest really is!"
An unknown hot wind eroded the present world, and then, it overturned it.
In the strange phenomena that occurred that night, distance and location lost their meaning. Dry, fierce winds carrying hot sand transformed everything in their path.
"H-How could this happen..."
Webber and Irisviel exclaimed in amazement... This was a phenomenon that only those who knew magic could understand.
"It's actually... a Reality Marble?!"
The sun scorched the earth, the sky was clear and blue, stretching all the way to the horizon blurred by sand. There was nothing obstructing the view.
The fact that Einzbern at night can transform in an instant undoubtedly demonstrates that it is merely an illusion eroding the present world. This, one could say, is the limit of magic that can be called a miracle.
"How is this possible... to actually materialize the scenes in your mind... You're clearly not a magician!?"
"Of course not, how could I do that by myself?"
Standing proudly within the vast barrier, Iskandar smiled and denied it.
"This is the land our army once traversed. The warriors who shared joys and sorrows with us have this scenery firmly imprinted in their hearts."
As the world changed, the seven people who were originally surrounded were also relocated.
His intentions were clear: the assassins who had surrounded the group had been gathered to one side, with the red-haired man in the middle, and the blond man, Artoria, Lance, and the three magicians on the other side. With this formation, it was obvious that the King of Conquerors intended to single-handedly defeat the assassin group.
Like phantoms, figures appeared... one, two, four, the figures gradually increased, resembling an army. In a short time, all the figures became clear, as if colored, each figure revealing its individual characteristics.
"The world can be restored because it is imprinted in the hearts of each and every one of us."
To everyone's astonishment, materialized cavalrymen began to appear around Iskandar. Although they varied in race and equipment, their strong physiques and valiant knights unmistakably demonstrated the army's formidable strength.
Weber uttered the decisive words in a daze.
"These people... are all servants..."
Everyone was astonished, only now realizing the trump card of the renowned Conqueror King. Among them, only Erza remained calm. There were more people, but without the right equipment, they still couldn't defeat the boss. Just like the famous saying from a certain game company: how can you be strong without spending money!
"Behold, my unparalleled army!"
Filled with pride and self-satisfaction, the Conqueror King stood before the cavalry ranks, raising his arms and shouting.
"Even though their bodies are destroyed, their heroic spirits are still summoned. They are my legendary loyal warriors. My eternal friends who answer my call across time and space."
They are my most precious treasures! They are my path to kingship! Iskandar's strongest Noble Phantasm—'King's Army'!
An EX-rank anti-army Noble Phantasm, Sevant's continuous summoning.
There are war gods, King Maharaja, and the founders of dynasties throughout history. Gathered before you are unique spirits of heroes who have only been heard of in legends.
They were all renowned warriors—they had fought alongside the great Iskandar.
A horse without a rider galloped towards the cavalry. It was a powerful and enormous steed. If it were human, its imposing presence would certainly not be inferior to that of the other heroic spirits.
"Long time no see, partner."
The Conqueror King smiled like a child and hugged the horse's neck. Clearly, "she" was the legendary horse Bessephales. Even the horse became a heroic spirit by the Conqueror King's side.
Everyone was speechless with awe. Even the blond guy, who also possessed an EX-rank super Noble Phantasm, stopped scoffing after seeing such a radiant army.
These are the heroes who stake their dreams of becoming kings, fighting alongside their king on the battlefield. Such unwavering conviction needs no further explanation from the king; he need only offer them his undivided attention.
The King of Conquerors transformed his unwavering loyalty, which lasted until his death, into an extraordinary Noble Phantasm.
Although he is Waver's Servant, just looking at Waver's appearance tells you that even Waver couldn't have predicted that the King of Conquerors would have such a trump card. This means that opposing the King of Conquerors would require someone to single-handedly challenge countless Servants. One person fighting multiple Servants is already overwhelming, let alone the King of Conquerors' army.
It's no longer a question of whether they're strong or not. Without wide-area attack capabilities, just seeing an army like this would be enough to induce despair.
Then, the cavalry, having gathered such an army, shouted loudly:
"A king must live more authentically than anyone else—and be admired by all!"
As if in agreement, the army unleashed a deafening thud of shields. This method was used in ancient times to boost morale, but this army was clearly different. They were a loyal force willing to go through fire and water for their conqueror.
"The one who unites the beliefs of all heroes and embarks on an expedition with that as their goal is the true king. Therefore—"
"The king is not alone. For his will is the wish of all his subjects!"
"Exactly! Exactly! Exactly!"
The heroic spirits' triumphant shouts soared through the sky. No enemy or bulwark posed a threat to the Conqueror and his friends. Their unwavering fighting spirit could traverse the land and cleave the seas.
Therefore, assassins are nothing more than clouds in their presence.
"Alright, let's begin, Assassin."
The red-haired man's smiling eyes were filled with ferocity and cruelty. He was magnanimous, but he no longer cared about showing any mercy to those who ignored the king's words and refused the wine offered by the king.
"As you can see, the battlefield I've materialized is a plain. I'm sorry to say, but if we're talking about winning by sheer numbers, I still have the advantage."
At this moment, they forgot the Holy Grail, forgot the mission of victory and the Command Seals. They had lost themselves.
Some fled, some shouted in despair, and some stood there blankly—the disorganized skull-masked men were indeed just a rabble.
"Ruin them!"
The Conqueror King gave the order without hesitation. Then—"aaaalalalalalaie!!"
The only response he received was a deafening roar. The once invincible army that had swept across Asia was now shaking the battlefield once more.
This can no longer be called a struggle; it's more appropriate to call it a sweep.
Even if you used a millstone to grind mustard seeds, the reaction would be larger than it is now.
Wherever the "King's Army" went, no trace of the assassins could be seen; only a faint smell of blood and swirling dust remained in the air.
"—Ooh!!"
Cheers of victory rang out. Offering the victory to the king and praising his mighty name, the heroic spirits who had completed their mission transformed back into their spirit forms and vanished into the distance.
Then, the barrier maintained by their combined magic was also dispelled, and everything shattered like bubbles. The scenery returned to the original night, and the group stood once again in the courtyard of Einzbern Castle.
The Conqueror King nonchalantly drank his wine, ignoring the astonished looks of the crowd, and said...
"Let's continue our previous topic, about the little girl's courtship of the Knight King, right?"
"Do you have any objections, Rider?" Artoria said coldly, looking at the red-haired guy who still wanted to gossip.
"How curious! It's hard to believe your queen must be so beautiful that even the holy knight king couldn't resist her!" Red Hair said, scratching his head.
"I'm curious too! You've already married her, so why did you still say things like 'I love her'?" The golden-haired man's gossipy nature was ablaze.
"Alas! Rather than being a king, I actually wanted to be someone's knight. But I could never express my true feelings. As a result, she was framed and misled! She was even forced to leave. It's all my fault!" Artoria said, tears of regret streaming down her face.
The four gossipy people didn't disturb her venting.
"I made a terrible mistake because I didn't understand my feelings back then. Now all I want is to see that person again, to say to her, 'I'm sorry! And I love you.'" She spoke her mind without hesitation, revealing that she, as a queen, had suppressed her feelings for quite some time.
"Hmm! You only regret it when you've lost it, Saber, you're a cowardly incompetent fool. But since you've admitted your mistake, I won't give you the Holy Grail," the red-haired girl said sternly. He acknowledged her right to be king, and a king must be able to take what he wants and let it go. What you desire, you must seize; Saber's actions now were taking away her own happiness and her precious possession. Therefore, the King of Conquerors granted her wish.
"Hmph! You two bastards who dare to covet my treasure! I will personally slaughter you!" The golden-haired man arrogantly declared his war. Then! He stood up and transformed into a spirit, walking away.
"Hurry up and get up there, kid."
"Hey—kid?"
"Huh? Ah, umm."
Ever since witnessing the assassin's easy defeat, a strange shadow had been hanging over Waver's heart. After all, it was the first time he had seen such an illogical Noble Phantasm, so such a reaction was understandable. Besides, it was the power of his own Servant, something he was witnessing for the first time today.
"Well then! We'll take our leave too." Erza glanced at Lance, who stood there dumbfounded. As she said goodbye to his wife, Lance muttered to himself the whole way. "Impossible! Your Majesty, aren't you going to give Guinevere to me?! No way! Even if she's the king, I won't give Guinevere away!" Wait…
The more this happened, the more uneasy Erza felt. Why? How could this happen! The whole plot has fallen apart, and what's more! Guinevere! Just who is she? She gives me a strange sense of familiarity.