My Fates Codex of Type-Moon

As the giant finished speaking, Waver finally heard the roar of an engine approaching from afar, rolling in with the force of a collapsing mountain.

A black knight in a suit of armor broke through the bushes, closing in on Waver under the moonlight. Behind him, a girl in strange clothing held onto his waist, her magical energy incredibly abundant.

"C... Caster!" As the Master, Waver immediately recognized the girl's true form and screamed at the top of his lungs.

To be honest, he had completely forgotten about the Holy Grail War until now, simply reveling in the joy of having summoned a Servant.

Now, the arrival of another pair of opponents made Waver realize anew that he was in the midst of a war.

A war where lives were at stake, and death could come at any moment.

"What's with all the panic!" His scream was cut short before it could last long. The red-haired, burly man's eyes gleamed as he stared at the motorcycle, which showed no signs of slowing down. "Is this the mount of this era? Truly admirable!"

Rider's unique skill, "Riding," told him that this steel monster was undoubtedly an excellent mount.

"Is this the time to talk about that! They're about to crash into us!"

Watching the motorcycle charging like a black comet, the burly man ignored his Master's panic and burst into laughter:

"Is the battle for dominance starting already? Then let's have a grand time!"

The burly man, clad in a red cape, drew his sword from his waist, raised it high above his head, and let out a resounding cry:

"King of Conquerors, Iskandar, with this sword, I shall conquer the world!"

After his shout, Rider swung his sword violently from the void, and a thunderous roar like a lightning strike violently shook the surrounding air.

"What is this!" Miyu, sitting behind Sakutsuki, peeked out, looking at the scene before her in surprise.

The void was cleaved open by the giant's sword, a wide gash curling inward. From it emerged a massive war chariot, pulled by two giant oxen exuding divine aura, their hooves striking the ground with dazzling lightning. A chaotic thunderstorm descended from the sky, striking the tiny humans on the ground.

"If you wish to meet me, then pass this trial, Master of Caster!"

"Then, as you wish, King of Conquerors!"

Responding loudly to the king's challenge, in this undeniable desperate situation, the young man displayed incredible skill. He controlled the motorcycle, changing direction multiple times at extreme speed, like a leaping, sacred azure fluorescent light. He smoothly navigated through the net woven from lightning and stopped steadily in front of Waver and Rider.

The moonlight outlined the streamlined body of the vehicle. Amidst the white smoke rising from the tires due to high-speed friction, the young man in the long suit bowed with neither subservience nor arrogance, placing a hand on his chest.

"Master Sakutsuki and his Servant, we have come to pay our respects!"

A normal Servant summon would not be able to summon Miyu, but the protagonist himself is an anomaly. Some things will become clear later~

"Good!" The giant, red-haired man, seeing Sakutsuki's performance, shouted loudly and gave him thunderous applause.

"To witness such valor upon my appearance, excellent! Very excellent! Master of Caster, state your purpose!"

After a slight bow, the young man straightened up. Facing the imposing king, he smiled with neither subservience nor arrogance.

"I have come to propose an alliance."

"An alliance?" Waver, peeking out from behind his Servant, said in disbelief. "The Holy Grail War has just begun, and you're already proposing an alliance? Besides, you haven't explained how you found me. How can I trust you?"

Faced with such intense questioning, Sakutsuki maintained a calm smile. "Since it is the Great Alexander, the born conqueror, returned to the mortal world, how could I not come with joy to greet him?"

"Hmph!" Waver finally realized the problem and couldn't help but cast a resentful glance at the burly man beside him.

"So, it was exposed after all..."

Iskandar is Alexander III's name in Persian, and his epithet "Dhu al-Qarnayn" (the Two-Horned King) is also widely known.

His eastern expeditions are known throughout the Islamic world for his bravery. As for why such a true name was exposed...

That shout of "King of Conquerors, Iskandar, with this sword, I shall conquer the world!" was loud enough that on a battlefield, it might even make enemy warhorses tremble.

However, in the Holy Grail War, announcing one's true name is akin to revealing a weakness. As long as a Servant's true name can be identified, a way to defeat them can be found from history.

Yet, Rider not only ignored Waver's complaint but even intensified his laughter:

"As the King of Conquerors, I disdain such secretive and foolish acts. Charging forth with unbridled conquest is my way of kingship!"

"Precisely!" The golden-eyed youth echoed the king's declaration, looking directly at Waver's evasive gaze with a sincere tone. "Although I believe I am like a tiger with wings with Caster's help, I must inform the King of Conquerors that the three Knight classes summoned in the Holy Grail War—Saber, Lancer, and Archer—all possess 'Magic Resistance.' If I encounter them, it will be quite problematic for me."

"'Magic Resistance'? Is that an ability that provides resistance to magic?" Upon hearing this, Waver instinctively checked Rider's status panel. As expected, he saw the skill "Magic Resistance D," but then he frowned at its extremely low rank.

Waver is truly easy to read right now... Sakutsuki, standing opposite Waver, twitched his lips. Iskandar clearly realized the Master's immaturity and simply lifted Waver to shield him behind his back, continuing, "So, you wish to form an alliance with me to deal with the three Knight classes who possess Magic Resistance, correct?"

"Precisely. Although the King of Conquerors naturally fears no confrontation with the three Knight classes, our side is inherently at a disadvantage, so we should naturally seek a powerful mountain to rely on."

"Then, what can you offer me?" Iskandar took a step forward, a mocking expression on his face. "If you intend to get something for nothing, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Naturally, it won't be like that." Sakutsuki showed a wry smile, as if resigned. "It's impossible to hide things now, so let's be frank—my lovely Servant possesses a special magecraft that can track the scent of Servants."

"What?" In his astonishment, Waver blurted out again, pointing at Miyu, who stood quietly behind Sakutsuki, and said in disbelief, "She can perform such magecraft? Doesn't that mean you can easily find the hiding places of other Masters? No wonder you found us so quickly!"

In the Holy Grail War, information is crucial. If one can obtain the opponent's information first, it's almost half the battle won!

"Yes, this gentleman is indeed intelligent, worthy of being a Master who can summon the King of Conquerors." Sakutsuki casually complimented, subtly holding Miyu's hand.

Waver, dazed by Sakutsuki's praise, couldn't help but grin foolishly. "W-well, it's not that great, really..."

Regardless, if they had an ally to provide them with information, he and Rider could conserve their strength and use "Rider's" high mobility to attack other groups at any time—for Waver, this was indeed an incredibly tempting offer.

Clearing his throat a few times, Waver pretended to be mature and steady, then turned to his Servant. "Rider, if what he says is true, then we really can..."

With a snap, the merciless flick on the forehead echoed through the night sky. Miyu flinched, her delicate body trembling, while Waver, clutching his now-swollen forehead, crouched down with teary eyes.

Aside from his right middle finger, Rider looked as if nothing had happened. He turned to Sakutsuki in front of him and asked, "By the way, I haven't asked your name yet?"

"Sakutsuki. Just call me Sakutsuki."

"Sakutsuki, is it? Hmm, that's an interesting name." The burly red-haired man nodded with feigned seriousness and suddenly asked, "Sakutsuki, there's something I want to ask you."

"...Please, go ahead." Sakutsuki genuinely managed a wry smile this time.

Iskandar scratched his head and said, looking troubled, "I've conquered far and wide, and I've encountered quite a few mages who wanted to surrender. But you're the first one I've met who came in person instead of communicating through a familiar."

"On the other hand, those warriors who, under the guise of surrendering, actually intended to assassinate me, often appeared before my very presence." As he spoke, the King of Conquerors no longer concealed his killing intent.

"Right, right!" Awakened by Rider, Waver momentarily forgot his pain. He instinctively looked up at the young man who called himself "weak" and his Servant, standing boldly before them.

Was it because the Holy Grail War was inherently special that he forgot the true nature of mages?

Mages, by definition, were stubborn individuals who dwelled in their magic workshops and never ventured out unless absolutely necessary!

How could they possibly appear before a Servant completely unprepared!

Facing the wary Rider team, Sakutsuki sighed, "As a king who discerns right from wrong, you should feel the sincerity of my alliance."

"Indeed, you do wish to ally with me." Iskandar had already drawn the Sword of Cyprus, its edge pointing directly at Sakutsuki. "To be frank, your offer was very tempting, and I almost agreed."

"Then why—"

"But!" The roar startled even Waver. The Conqueror King, with a rough demeanor and furious eyes, shouted, "From beginning to end, you never uttered a word about giving up the Holy Grail! Since you chose to stand in the path of my conquest, then we are enemies!"

"Come forth, Gordius Wheel!"

Dark clouds swirled in the sky. The impatient giant oxen snorted and galloped out of the void, unleashing purple lightning along their path, like the wrath of the sky god Zeus descending from above.

Grabbing the collar of his frail Master, Rider leaped up, settled firmly onto his chariot, and roared as he charged at Sakutsuki:

"Feel the power of the King of Conquerors, then obediently offer your head and your ride! I had my eye on that cool chariot from the very beginning!"

"You're not refusing the alliance because you want to steal Sakutsuki's motorcycle, are you!" Waver, curled up on the thunderous chariot, looked as if he was about to turn green.

"How could that be, hahaha…!" With a laugh that tried to cover up the truth, the Gordius Wheel descended from the heavens, pursuing the golden-eyed youth!

"Boom—!"

"Boom—!"

If it had collided with an unprepared body, the sound of flesh being crushed would surely have been drowned out by the rolling thunder.

Therefore, the immense sound was not the result of an egg hitting a stone, but the violent clash born from a head-on confrontation!

But what could possibly withstand such a powerful chariot charge?

The answer was Miyu, who was also a Servant!

"Fire!"

Channeling all her magic for maximum output, a beam of light surged from the sapphire staff. Supported by Miyu's exceptionally excellent Magic Circuits, the powerful beam held its ground against the Gordius Wheel for a moment before dissipating, thereby halting Iskandar's charge.

Holding the reins, Iskandar exclaimed, "Is this the power of Caster? I never expected the young lady, who appears so cool and aloof, to be so wild."

"It's not good to describe a girl as wild, especially someone as cute as Miyu." With his alliance request rejected, Sakutsuki no longer needed to feign deference. He mounted the Kawasaki Ninja H2R and retorted with a smile.

"Oh, leaving already, mage named Sakutsuki?" On the chariot, Iskandar raised his thick, short fiery red eyebrows and provocatively asked, "Are you going to scurry back to your magic workshop like a rat, waiting in fear for my army's arrival?"

"Fire!" Faced with Rider's taunt, Miyu unhesitatingly fired magic orbs like buckshot, scattering them towards Iskandar from all directions, forcing him to rein in his steeds and evade attacks that were harmless to a Servant but immensely damaging to a Master.

Seizing this opening, Sakutsuki did not choose to start his motorcycle and leave. Instead, as if to respond to Iskandar's words, he raised his left hand:

"Although starting a fight at this moment would only benefit the other Masters, since the King of Conquerors has spoken, I can't very well not return the favor—Displace, space!"

"This is bad, he's going to use magic!" Waver, suppressing the urge to vomit, stared intently at Sakutsuki's movements. A moment later, his expression changed, "How is this possible? Why haven't I seen this casting method at the Clock Tower?"

"Don't just stand there, brat!" With a swing of the sturdy Sword of Cyprus, he knocked away a magic orb that was about to hit Waver. Rider's expression was grim as he maneuvered the chariot through the magic orbs that seemed to shadow them. "Anything can happen on the battlefield. Instead of wasting time being shocked, you'd be better off watching for me and figuring out what to do now!"

Prompted by Rider, Waver snapped back to attention. The perilous situation triggered a new wave of astonishment. Countless orbs of light, imbued with deadly magic, followed the Gordius Wheel like phantoms. Even though some were destroyed by the unleashed lightning, new ones quickly replenished them, relentlessly pursuing.

If that were all, it would be manageable. However, what was even more bizarre was that the magic orbs, which had already left the chariot's range, suddenly reappeared near the chariot after passing through a rhombic gate. Worse still, some directly broke through the divine lightning's blockade and headed straight for Waver!

"It really was that guy's doing!" Waver, frantically dodging the magic orbs, couldn't help but look at the youth on the ground with his left hand raised. "To directly attack a Master, how utterly despicable!"

"You can't say that, kid." It was none other than Waver's Servant, Rider, who retorted. "One should resort to any means necessary for victory. Blame yourself for being too weak, or perhaps for our lack of caution, which allowed the enemy to exploit our opening first."

"Rider! You scoundrel!" Enraged by his Servant's taunt, Waver was about to explode. But the magic orbs cleaved in front of him were like a bucket of ice water dousing him. After agonizing over his thoughts under the pressure of death, he finally issued his first command as a Master, "Unleash the lightning with all your might and suppress this space, Rider!"

"Are you sure? That would put a great burden on you," Iskandar glanced at Waver, his tone laced with doubt.

Waver Velvet, as a student of the Clock Tower, due to his family's mage background spanning only three generations, was often looked down upon by other families and instructors. Furthermore, dissatisfied with his instructor Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald's actions, he stole his instructor's Heroic Spirit relic to participate in this Holy Grail War. Incidentally, the quality of his Magic Circuits was below average.

If Rider were to unleash his Noble Phantasm at full power, Waver's meager magical energy would likely be drained very quickly. At that point, it would be difficult to deal with Caster's attacks.

"You don't need to tell me what to do! Do you think prolonging this stalemate will do us any good? My magic is almost depleted, you idiot!" If it were any other time, Waver would have been provoked into a furious rage. But the current situation did not allow him to be petty. He could only glare fiercely at Rider and command again, "Target Caster, unleash your Noble Phantasm, quickly!"

"Then I'll do as you say, kid!" Hearing this, Rider did not hesitate and fully unleashed the chariot's entire power. "Advance, towards the distant horizon! Gordius Wheel!"

Flashing with electricity and resounding with thunder, amidst the agitated roars of the two divine oxen, pillar-like bolts of lightning seemed to shatter the surrounding space, sweeping in all directions before finally engulfing the chariot and charging towards the flower-like purple maiden.

"Ah, the spatial displacement has been broken." Before the Gordius Wheel arrived, the golden-eyed youth retracted his left hand and said with a half-smile, then snapped his fingers again, reappearing with Miyu and his beloved vehicle on the other side.

"Boom!" Rider's attack missed as expected, its residual force entirely absorbed by the earth. The impact kicked up several meters of soil, which was then scattered by the lightning. Rider's sharp gaze pierced through the black fog, fixed on Sakutsuki and Miyu with a look of grave concern.

"Cough, cough, cough..." The flying dust and sand made Waver cough uncontrollably, but his gaze towards Sakutsuki showed no sign of yielding. "You used Caster to launch the attack, then guided its trajectory with your magic, achieving a search-and-locate effect. I never expected you to devise a tactic against me so quickly."

"It's merely a tactical advantage. If we're talking about surprises, I also didn't expect you to realize the problem so quickly and use your Servant's power to disrupt my magic guidance," Sakutsuki said, looking at the youthful-faced Waver. He smiled, holding Miyu's hand. "Let's stop with the probing."

Hearing this, Waver instinctively clenched his right hand, the three lines on the back of his hand glowing faintly. "Come on, we'll see this through until..."

"Beautiful nights are always so short. Let's bid a pleasant farewell!" Before Waver could finish his defiant words, Sakutsuki and Miyu had already mounted the motorcycle, started the engine, and twisted the throttle, driving away with fluid grace. "See you next time, King of Conquerors Iskandar, and Queen!"

"Huh?" Waver had been preparing to use a Command Spell, but Sakutsuki just left. "You're just leaving like this, coward! And what do you mean by 'Queen'!"

A large palm landed on his shoulder, making Waver stumble. Rider laughed heartily, showing no sign that his magic had been depleted. "Isn't this for the best, kid? If we kept fighting, it would have been a fight to the death, wouldn't it?"

Before Waver could retort, the red-haired strongman continued in his hearty voice, "That was a good decision, kid (Master)! I'm starting to see you in a new light!"

"Well, obviously!" Waver snorted through his nose, turning his head away a little sheepishly. "An-anyway, let's hurry back and rest, you idiot!"

A moment later, the Gordius Wheel set off again, speeding towards the horizon and disappearing into the ravaged forest.

Not long after the Rider team departed, a shadow appeared in the thicket. After a futile search for a moment, it rolled up its cloak and vanished as well.