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- This was a battlefield in the truest sense of the word.
- Molded by alchemists, constructed with intricate magic formulas, homunculi were
- creatures made purely for battle; created to destroy, created to die. They were brought into
- the world as adults, born outside natural reproduction. Their physical defects were many,
- shortening their lifespan to a mere two months. Though given their even further shorter life
- on the battlefield, it wouldn't have mattered if it was two months or two weeks.
- They wielded gigantic halberds, carrying with them massive destruction to the land
- around them.
- Golems, on the other hand, were Doll Servants, constructed by kabbalah magic in
- order to carry out the will of their master. Where homunculi were human-shaped in
- appearance, golems were figures of stone and bronze, not resembling a person at all.
- Fewer in number, they could withstand any attack, crush enemies beneath their
- massive frames, and pulverize their foes beneath massive fists of stone.
- Both homunculi and golems were endowed with such strength that most average
- magi posed them no threat. However, in terms of sheer numbers, the opposing side held an
- overwhelming advantage against both.
- Dragon Tooth Warriors were created by the Red Servants for their own amusement,
- seeming to have no limit to their numbers. They were born from the fangs of dragons, teeth
- sowed like seeds into soil. The Prana contained within those seeds, combined with the
- earth's knowledge, gave rise to a crude, rank-and-file army.
- Their strength was no match for the homunculi or golems, both made purely for war,
- but they numbered many, seemingly without limits. They poured forth like a fog with no
- end in sight. They would not cease till they were smashed into dust. They carried with them
- swords and axes of bone harder than steel, and with them they swarmed and smashed
- through the golems and cut down the homunculi to pieces.
- Calling it gruesome would be inadequate. Golems, Dragon Tooth Warriors, and
- homunculi were never endowed with more than the simplest of thoughts or the slightest of
- emotions. Their assaults continued until they perished, not once laying down their arms so
- long as their enemies still lived.
- Once the flames spread, the soil became their ammunition. The injured were tended
- to with healing magic, once more able to return to the battlefield.
- They went, they fought. They went, they perished. Expenditure was their sole
- purpose. They were simply pawns, never more than statistics. Indeed, the direction of the
- war was not in their hands.
- Occasionally, explosions would occur on the field. Peerless warriors, stronger than a
- thousand men, decimated hordes of soldiers with a single wave of their weapon. These
- were not pawns, but perhaps queens. It was they who decided the war's outcome.
- Tenacious yet quick of wit, these heroic incarnations shone through like flashes of light.
- One such violent tremor tore through the air, mowing down the surrounding Dragon
- Tooth Warriors and golems. They were so smashed to bits that nothing was left but trash.
- This left a strange void in the midst of the battlefield that no one would dare fill. The
- homunculi, golems, and even the mindless Dragon Tooth Warriors alike understood. That
- void was an inescapable death trap. And if they drew close, they would die a brutal,
- needless death.
- Only those called Servants, the chosen ones, possessed the right to fill that void.
- And now, two Sabers sought to fill it.
- On one side, a silver Saber, short in build, clad in thick body armor like a mass of
- metal stood. This warrior wielded a magnificently ornate silver sword, yet their face was
- completely obscured by a helmet, making it impossible to determine their gender or race.
- The other was a tall young man who had an unusual air about him. While he held his
- sword much like his opponent, it boasted such splendor and enormity that any observer
- would not believe it to be made by human hands. A blue gem encrusted on the hilt stood
- out the most.
- The colors of the swords were silver and gold respectively, and despite varying in
- shape and material, they both boasted the same radiant mettle befit of a hero's hands.
- Regardless, this battle was absurd at its very core. The age of swords had long since passed.
- Firearms ruled now as the weapons of war.
- Should they not be complete laughing stocks in the eyes of a gunner, if not as
- savages, then as walking anachronisms?
- No, perhaps that would be even more absurd.
- "En garde, Black Saber."
- At the silver one's call, the gold one responded,
- "Come, Rot Saber."
- In the next instant, the Red Saber leapt forward with a roar like that of a lion's. The
- leap shook the earth, its speed breaking the sound barrier. This was an effect of Red Saber's
- Prana Burst; by expelling the Prana stored within their weapon and body, the Saber can
- shoot forth like a bullet. Such power enabled Red Saber to swing a sword so unfitting of
- their physique.
- The leap itself caused a sonic boom, blowing away the remains of the golems and
- Dragon Tooth Warriors. Even the strongest land weapon of the modern era, the battle tank,
- would be demolished in the wake of its sheer speed and destructive power.
- In some ways, it could be said that both Sabers had strength on par with demons.
- With a war cry as ferocious as a dragon's, the Black Saber stepped forward, golden
- sword in hand. He charged at the enemy with an awesome speed, bringing his broadsword
- down without a moment's hesitation.
- If the silver Saber's suicidal charge could be compared to a bullet, then the golden
- Saber's was like a high-speed guillotine. Metal clashed with metal, bringing with it
- incredible amounts of destruction to their surroundings.
- "Heh. Your strike is too simple, Black Saber!"
- "Ugh!"
- Sparks flew as both steel and spirit clashed. They bore neither sympathy nor hatred;
- only powerful wills that rejected each other's existence, and the rapture that came with
- battling a powerful opponent. Their blades had already crossed ten times. Ever since this
- war had begun, the thrill of battle crossed Red Saber's face in the form of a grin many
- times.
- The two of them didn't quite exist in the world in the usual sense. They were
- incarnations of legendary, superhuman figures whose names were carved in history. These
- heroes lived on in the hearts of man, their names kept alive long beyond their deaths. They
- were known as the Heroic Spirits, Servants, bound to the present world, and these two
- were the shadows of those heroes.
- Their swords clashed for the thirteenth time, and the world stood still. Their
- weapons were not destroyed and their bodies were not blown away. Instead they struck an
- artistic balance, swords locked together. They drew close to each other. At first glance,
- Black Saber might have had the advantage in physique. The difference between the two
- was like that of a child and an adult.
- But it was the golden Saber yielding to the silver's force.
- This was an effect of Red Saber's Prana Burst once more. This time though, it was
- not expelled to charge forward, but instead it coursed through their veins, strengthening
- their muscles. At that moment, the Red Saber was a cannon with a lit fuse, ready to fire at
- any moment.
- "Graaaagh!"
- The silver Saber let out a spirited roar, whose encroaching foot sunk deeper into the
- earth. This was the power of the Red Saber.
- The Black Saber was unable to endure, blown away. But a hero is a hero. He leaped
- backwards instead of tumbling clumsily. He did not fall to his knees or even bat an eye.
- The Red Saber poised the blade at their enemy, stifling a sneer, oozing so much
- arrogance it could be seen through the silver helmet.
- "And you call yourself a Saber, the strongest of all classes? How disappointing. I
- guess that's all an imitation can manage."
- The Black Saber fell silent. It was as the Red Saber said. He was only the imitation of
- a heroic spirit. He would prove no match for the Red Saber, a true Heroic Spirit.
- Even then, backing down was not an option. In order to save his friends who had
- fallen before him, he needed to fight regardless of his feelings on the matter.
- "Sword..." Black Saber decided to choose the best method for the enemy at hand,
- "be filled!"
- Without even the slightest change in his indifferent facial expression, despite the
- fear for approaching death, Black Saber beckoned. From the large sword carried above the
- top of his head, orange light began to encase the blade, then expel outward.
- "Releasing Noble Phantasm..." Red Saber murmured, as if to growl, "ha, all right!"
- There was no impatience in their voice. Noble Phantasms were the Servants'
- ultimate weapons, activated by chanting its True Name.
- Some Noble Phantasms simply have devastating, destructive force. One has a
- property that will always pierce through enemies if thrown, and although not a weapon
- itself, one is the hardest shield, protecting against projectile weapons. The number of Noble
- Phantasms is equal only to the number of legends there are.
- Much like Black Saber, Red must also have their own.
- "Well, I have my master's permission. I'll use my own Noble Phantasm against you!"
- As the Red Saber took their stance, silver sword in hand, the heavy helmet obscuring
- their face broke in two, fusing onto the armor into one piece.
- Their eyes met. The Black Saber's eyebrows rose slightly in a bit of surprise. Most
- surprising was that the Red Saber's face was that of a girl. Normally, Servants were
- summoned in the state of their heyday, so most would take the form of the age where they
- were most active such as the twenties or thirties. This Red Saber, however, could not have
- been past twenty, very evidently too young.
- Despite having the face of a beautiful girl, her atrocities could not be concealed, or
- at the very least she wasn't trying to hide it. Deep down in her gaze towards the Black
- Saber, her eyes reflected a mixture of pleasure and cruelty.
- "Why did you take your helmet off?"
- She answered back in an irritated voice to Black Saber's question:
- "I can't activate my Noble Phantasm without taking my helmet off, that's all. Do you
- really have the strength to be caught up in such a trivial matter?"
- In that instant, blood covered the area centered around Red Saber. Even the blade of
- the sword was coated in a blood-like aura, and it started to transform with a strange noise.
- This was, of course, not the original shape of the Noble Phantasm. With its
- overflowing hatred, the once pure and renowned sword was transformed into a sinister,
- wicked sword better suited to a warlock.
- "The time has come for you to be punished. You'll meet an end suited for an
- imitation, Black Saber!"
- The Red Saber raised her deformed sword. To anyone watching, it would be
- apparent that this was a deathblow.
- "Here I come," Black Saber, much like before, tried to face her head-on without
- hesitation. Whether his chances of success were high or not, he couldn't have cared less.
- This is something I must do.
- Black Saber understood it as such. He wasn't risking his life, since he didn't have a
- life to risk in the first place.
- The orange light and the blood aura swelled up instantaneously. The atmosphere
- around them swirled and screamed, letting the surrounding area know that two Noble
- Phantasms were fully released.
- The renowned, legendary swords roared, living out their fantastical dreams to be
- owned by such heroes, killing their enemies, and piercing through evil.
- They clutched their swords in their hands, defining themselves as Servant, Saber,
- and by the enemy before them who was to be defeated.
- "Clarent..." The Red Saber grew fierce.
- "Balβ" The Black Saber roared.
- "...Blood Arthur!"
- "βmung!"
- Red lightning rushed in and collided with the twilight. These were two torrent-like
- sparks, aimed purely to destroy, and here they were trying to devour one another.
- This scene would normally be impossible in the history that humans had created.
- Here were the deadly Noble Phantasms of two heroes, born of different periods, active in
- different lands. And they were clashing with each other.
- Light filled the atmosphere, annihilating everything it touched. The golems and
- Dragon Tooth Warriors immediately surrounding the two were caught up within, vanishing
- into dust.
- A gasp was let out by those watching the solemn scene. The space filled with red
- and orange, as if foretelling the end of days.
- But with all things, there is an end. The previously overbearing light slowly softened,
- fading out like dust from before a windowpane.
- The land that surrounded them was in a terrible state.
- If you were to imagine a butterfly with its wings spread outward, a similar shape
- would be seen here, now engraved on the ground. The explosion's mark could nearly be
- seen from space.
- But who would believe that this explosive marking was made from the slash of a
- sword? On this day for certain, a new legend was born.
- The nigh-impossible collision of the legendary holy sword and unbelievably wicked
- sword has salted the earth.
- The determining factor in such a match was neither skills nor power nor which Noble
- Phantasm was superior. The Black Saber's Noble Phantasm was the one that shot out a
- twilight wave; it formed a semi-circle shape emanating from where he stood.
- On the other hand, the Red Saber had shot out the red lightning from the tip of her
- blade. The match would be decided by the characteristics of their Noble Phantasms, and
- the distance between the two of them. If Black Saber was only a few meters closer, the end
- results would have been much different.
- The match had been decided. One Servant was lying on the ground, the other down
- on one knee. The kneeled Red Saber stood, shaking with shame.
- "You! How can you be alive?!" She glared down at him, fierce killing intent in her
- eyes.
- A Servant's Noble Phantasm was not only their ultimate weapon, but also a
- manifestation of their pride itself. Because one must release their True Name, not killing
- the opponent is considered a disgrace to their honor. To Red Saber, her Noble Phantasm
- bore the name of the King of Knights, her father; more than pride, this was also some kind
- of grudge for her.
- Thus, to her, the fact that Black Saber still lived was unacceptable. So long as he held
- his sword in his hand, he was a target of her loathing. If he were to raise his head and
- attempt to stand, not even a hundred slashes of her blade would be enough to make up for
- such a slight.
- Even as the pain racked his body, it did not hinder his desire to fight. Knowing that
- she had just used such a powerful Noble Phantasm, an enormous amount of Prana must
- have been spent. However, her master was quite distinguished, so it made sense that she
- still had the strength to move after using such a powerful Noble Phantasm.
- "Don't you dare move, Black Saber. I'm going to kill you. No one but me can kill
- you!"
- I'll cut off his head and stab him right in his heart. This is the right granted only to
- me.
- Red Saber took the first step forward.
- At least I'm still alive. Though perhaps life is all I have at this point.
- His heart beat a strong rhythm. The magic circuits in his body grew excited,
- desperately clinging to remaining a Saber. However, all the Prana he had stored in his body
- dissipated with the strike earlier. He no longer had what it took if he wanted to continue
- being a Saber.
- The armor covering his body began to disappear, as if it was becoming frayed.
- Simultaneously, the golden broadsword he carried, the Saber's symbol, dematerialized.
- In this instant, the Black Saber vanished from the world.
- Just then, the overwhelming amount of pain caught up to his consciousness and the
- man who once was a Saber jumped up. He threw up blood, shedding tears due to the pain
- of getting his nerves cut and the pressure of his flesh being torn apart, the impact of getting
- his bones crushed. Try as he might, he could not suppress his screams any longer, letting
- out a groan.
- After a time, the pain began to fade, but no longer could he even swing a sword.
- Given that he lost his power as a Saber, it would be impossible for him to break through. He
- still had two Command Seals at his disposal, but he could not find his voice. It's not that he
- lacked the courage, but the physical pain instinctively sounded the alarm. A certain interval
- of time needed to pass before he could transform, and his body would not endure a
- consecutive transformation.
- The Red Saber, meanwhile, had taken up a murderous desire and approached him.
- At this point, he had no options. Miracles would not happen. No, perhaps even with a
- miracle, this was the furthest he could come.
- He accepted his fate with regret.
- There wasn't much of a reason to fear death. In his case, it was merely dissipating.
- He could find no attachment or regret either. If he could find one, perhaps it would be the
- fact he could not protect what he was trying to.
- Even then, it wasn't much regret.
- It's not that he desired it, or that he would have asked for help. It's just that it was
- the first time the thought crossed his mind, the first time he made such a decision. He
- thought: I should cherish it.
- There was no regret for the outcome itself. The only thing left was to await death. As
- it approached, time was stretched out like melted candy. Unconsciously, he wished for it to
- hurry up and be done with. The slower time passed, the more he pondered the answer to
- the forbidden question:
- Ah... For what, exactly, was I alive?
- There was no answer. Rather, he wished there wasn't one. He absolutely did not
- want to accept the answer that he was created to be used.
- Yes, it was his destiny to die idly here. There was nothing left to do, nothing left to
- achieve.
- "It's shameful to me that I couldn't finish you off with that strike. Even so, I can't let
- you go."
- The eyes of the impassive warrior, the Red Saber, glare at me. Even as an amateur, I
- understand well that the sword she holds is aimed at my neck.
- "Now, Black Saber. Die."
- Her words were indifferent, her sword swing was swift. My vision was starting to be
- painted in white...
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