Just as Luo Zhen and Mashu were preparing to fight with everything they had and face the seemingly unbeatable enemy head-on, a white-haired man with dark skin and a combat suit stood atop a high-rise building, gazing at the scene from several kilometers away.
It was Archer.
"Has the battle begun?"
Having witnessed the scene through the skill Clairvoyance, Archer's face was cold.
"The opponent is that mad god. Forget me—even 'that one' would find him troublesome. As for you two, your odds of victory are zero."
This assessment differed slightly from Luo Zhen's own calculations.
That was because, compared to Luo Zhen, this Archer knew far more about that giant man. He clearly understood that the other party's true terror lay in more than just his astonishing combat prowess.
Besides that, there was another reason Archer could confidently declare that Luo Zhen had no chance of winning.
That reason was himself.
"The opponent isn't one person, but two."
Red, lightning-like magical energy burst from Archer's hand, forming a bow.
Clearly, this Archer intended to secretly strike at Luo Zhen's group while they were fighting Berserker.
Without a doubt, this behavior was utterly incompatible with the existence known as a "hero."
But Archer did not care in the slightest.
"As long as I can complete the mission, I'll do anything—assassination, poisoning, whatever it takes."
With that conviction, Archer raised his bow.
However...
"The best part is only just beginning. You stay right there and watch, you bastard!"
The voice was wildly uninhibited, yet possessed an indescribable personal charm.
As the voice rang out, red light flashed across the rooftop.
It was the radiance released by a scorching fireball.
A blazing mass of fire carrying intense heat suddenly appeared, tore through the air, and shot toward Archer.
"—!"
Archer's expression changed immediately. Without hesitation, he slipped aside and leaped away like an arrow.
The fiery mass skimmed past the spot where Archer had stood a moment earlier before landing at the edge of the rooftop.
"Boom—!"
An explosion rang out. Scalding waves of heat blasted outward, sending shockwaves through the area and scorching one corner of the rooftop.
With that kind of power, even a Servant would suffer terribly if struck head-on, right?
Archer's expression darkened as he looked toward the direction of the attack.
There, on the rooftop swept by cold winds, another person had appeared without him noticing.
"Ah, as expected, sneaking up from the shadows isn't my style, so there was no way it could succeed."
As he complained, the man scratched his head.
He wore a robe resembling that of a sage.
In his hand was a staff made entirely of wood.
His hair was a striking deep blue.
He appeared to be roughly the same age as Archer, though perhaps slightly older, and radiated a wild air.
Looking at the man, Archer narrowed his eyes.
"You came out on your own, Caster."
This person was Caster's Servant.
"You used that skulking style to take out Rider and Assassin one after another, yet now you're saying that sneaking up from the shadows isn't your style? How ridiculous."
Archer mocked Caster without mercy.
Caster, however, did not take offense.
"It's simply a matter of preference. Compared to skulking around, I'd rather fight my opponent face-to-face. But if there's no other choice and that's the only way to do it, I'll do it all the same. You're the same, aren't you, nameless Archer?"
Caster's carefree tone made him somewhat likable.
Archer, however, did not feel that way at all. Instead, he directed hostility toward Caster.
"Are you planning to ruin my plans again, hound?"
Archer's hostility was unmistakable.
Caster burst out laughing.
"I only ambushed Saber's hideout while you were away. You're still holding a grudge? As expected of a believer in that fellow!"
If Luo Zhen had heard those words, he would have understood.
Earlier, when Luo Zhen had confronted Archer, Archer had suddenly retreated without the slightest warning, leaving Luo Zhen thoroughly puzzled.
Now, however, it seemed that Archer's retreat had a great deal to do with Caster's actions.
"The Holy Grail War is supposed to be a contest where all the Masters and Servants slaughter one another. Yet now all the Masters have disappeared, you're standing alongside another Servant who should be your enemy, and the other Servants have all gone mad. Every last part of this is irritating."
Caster looked toward Archer, the corners of his mouth slightly curling upward.
"Now that someone has finally arrived who might break this irritating situation, don't come and ruin things again."
At that point, before Archer could respond, Caster changed tack and revealed news that made Archer's eyes narrow.
"By the way, while you were dealing with those brats and luring Berserker out to cause them trouble, I already took care of Lancer."
A trace of killing intent appeared in Archer's eyes as he looked at Caster.
He had never expected to be bitten once again by this infuriating dog before him.
Facing Archer's killing intent, Caster laughed loudly.
"Who told you to get distracted after those brats arrived here? Of course I had to seize such a rare opportunity! You fool!"
As he spoke, Caster raised the staff in his hand and pointed it at Archer. His gaze, fixed on Archer, filled with fighting spirit.
"Now Lancer, Rider, and Assassin—all the ones who might have gotten in the way—have left the stage. If those brats defeat Berserker, all that'll remain are Saber and you."
"Once six Servants have been defeated and I'm the only one left, this Holy Grail War will end, won't it?"
"We've finally seen a little hope, so don't ruin things again, Archer."
Caster made no attempt to hide his objective, and Archer's expression sank.
Then Archer let out a cold laugh.
"You think those people can defeat Berserker?"
Caster raised an eyebrow at that.
Of all questions, this was one Caster truly could not answer with certainty.
Even so, the smile on Caster's face did not disappear.
"If we're talking only about close-quarters combat, that mad god can surpass the other six Servants of the Holy Grail War by himself. In this Fuyuki City, the only one who can defeat him is Saber—and even she would have to release that Noble Phantasm to do it. Those brats probably can't defeat Berserker, can they?"
Caster said this, his smile becoming extremely arrogant.
"But how would we know without trying?"
That was why Caster had appeared here.
"As long as you don't interfere."
Caster's objective was to keep Archer occupied here.
If possible, Caster certainly wanted to eliminate Archer as well.
Therefore, Archer knew that he could no longer spare any attention to deal with Luo Zhen.
Otherwise, that man would definitely attack him decisively the moment he became distracted.
With a grim expression, Archer finally snorted coldly, transformed into a swarm of particles, and vanished from the spot.
Seeing this, Caster finally relaxed and shrugged.
"Thank goodness that guy is cautious. If we actually fought, my odds of winning wouldn't be very high."
After all, Caster had also suffered considerable expenditure and damage while defeating Lancer's Servant.
"Next..."
Caster turned his head and gazed toward that battlefield.
"Don't disappoint me, Master who came from who-knows-where."
P.S.: Congratulations to "Mama-style Sadist" on becoming this book's sixth alliance leader! Showering you with flowers~~~!
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