It was evening.
Darnic stood in the operations room, a topographical map of the area surrounding Trifas spread out on the table in front of him.
The map was marked with the routes of the android search team and the areas that had been searched.
The dense markings covered almost every corner within a 50-kilometer radius of Trifas.
However, the Red Faction's stronghold has still not been found.
Darnic's brow furrowed.
Still no.
He muttered to himself.
The abandoned monastery stronghold we saw last time was a fake, a trap set by the Red Faction. The real stronghold has been moved somewhere.
The Red Faction's concealment methods are extremely sophisticated. It could be Semiramis's concealment barrier, or it could be some kind of Magecraft technique used by the Red Faction's Master.
In short, it's impossible for the androids to find them using their search capabilities.
We need to change our approach.
Perhaps we should have Mukuro Hoshimiya use the portal to conduct a wide-area scan? Or should we send Heracles out to search himself?
As Darnic was mentally considering various options, the reconnaissance barrier surrounding the fortress suddenly lit up.
Darnic's thoughts were interrupted. He abruptly raised his head and looked at the feedback panel of the reconnaissance spell embedded in the wall.
A magical reaction of Servant caliber is rapidly approaching.
And there's more than one.
"What?"
Darnic strode to the feedback panel and read the detailed data.
Three Servant- level mana sources.
They are approaching the fortress from the northeast at an extremely fast speed.
Darnic's pupils contracted slightly.
Red Faction?
Given the current situation, how dare the Red Faction launch an offensive?
"Rider!"
Darnic contacted Astolfo via communication technology.
"Three Servant- level magical energy signals have been detected to the northeast of the fortress, and they are rapidly approaching. Proceed immediately to investigate and confirm!"
"Receive!"
Astolfo rode his Hippogriff out of the main gate of the fortress, tracing an arc through the night sky as he flew northeast.
Less than a minute later, Astolfo's voice came back through the communication spell.
"Mr. Darnic! I see it!"
Who is it!?
" The Red Faction's Lancer Karna and Rider Achilles are in front! A little further back is the Red Faction's Archer Atalanta!"
Darnic's expression turned icy in an instant.
Karna, Achilles, Atalanta.
The Red Faction fielded almost their entire squad.
After their intelligence and trump cards were almost completely exposed, instead of continuing to cower, they chose to take the initiative and launch an attack.
What gave him such audacity?
But since you've come here to die...
Darnic's lips curled into a slight smile.
Of course, I won't be polite.
"Archer."
Darnic turned to look at Mukuro Hoshimiya, who had gotten out of bed, rubbing his eyes as he walked into the operations room.
" The Red Faction is here. Three Servant, almost their entire main force."
Mukuro Hoshimiya yawned.
"Yes, I saw it."
She blinked her still slightly drowsy eyes and expanded her senses.
It was indeed the magical energy of three Servant, rapidly approaching.
"Let Heracles go out first."
Darnic's voice was decisive.
"With his strength, plus your enhancements, he should be able to fight Karna and Achilles alone."
"Good."
Mukuro Hoshimiya raised the Michael.
"Put".
A beam of enhanced light shot from the tip of the Michael's staff, striking Heracles precisely.
Heracles's base attributes surged dramatically in an instant. Strength, Endurance, Agility, and Magic Power were all pushed to their limits.
Without uttering a word, the great hero, axe in hand, strode towards the direction from which the enemy was attacking.
To face Karna and Achilles.
"Archer, you should go to the front lines to provide support too."
Caules ' voice came through the communication spell.
"Archer Atalanta is in the backline for the Red Faction. If you can keep her occupied, the pressure on Heracles will be much less."
Mukuro Hoshimiya yawned again.
"All right."
She really didn't want to move; she had just been sleeping soundly in bed.
However, the Master's request cannot be completely ignored.
Mukuro Hoshimiya tore open a spatial portal in the air and stepped inside.
The next second, she appeared at the edge of the battlefield.
In the distant night sky, Heracles ' figure had already collided with two beams of light.
Golden sparks and the fire of the sun god flickered alternately in the darkness, and shockwaves rippled through the air.
Further away, a pale green figure stood atop a withered tree.
Atalanta.
The bow in his hand was nocked an arrow, but he did not shoot it.
Mukuro Hoshimiya landed about fifty meters in front of Atalanta.
The two people looked at each other in the darkness.
Atalanta's ears twitched slightly.
She recognized Mukuro Hoshimiya, the person she had eaten with just a few hours earlier.
"..."
Atalanta's bowstring was taut, but her fingers did not loosen.
Mukuro Hoshimiya did not immediately raise the Michael.
The two stood quietly in the night breeze, fifty meters apart.
Jeanne d'Arc arrived from a distance further from the battlefield.
She stood on the outermost edge of the battlefield, her flag planted in the ground.
Her duty was to prevent the fighting between the two sides from accidentally spilling over into nearby towns.
As for the outcome of battles, that's not something she should interfere with.
Millennia Fortress.
Only Astolfo, who had been "released" and strengthened, remained Servant guard the main camp.
Astolfo patrolled the city on his Hippogriff, his pink hair standing out in the moonlight.
"I'm all alone at home... I feel a little lonely."
He muttered to himself, Hippogriff flapped its wings and continued circling in the night sky.
The walled city was very quiet.
The vast majority of the combat-type androids had been wiped out in the previous battles. The remaining few dozen patrolled various parts of the fortress, but their numbers were far fewer than before.
Gordes was holed up in his room; without Servant, he was basically just a decoration.
Celenike was also in the room, her Servant Astolfo was the only defensive force.
Fiore and Caules stood by in the central hall, monitoring the information coming back from the battlefield.
Darnic stood in the center of the operations room, his eyes glued to the battlefield footage streaming through the window.
Everything seems to be under control.
Red Faction fielded its full force, while Black Faction countered with its two trump cards, Heracles and Mukuro Hoshimiya.
Leaving Astolfo to defend the home base, although the forces are small, should prevent any problems in the rear given the overwhelming advantage on the front lines.
The facts will soon prove that leaving Astolfo to guard the home was the right decision.
Because the Red Faction's true objective was never the direct battlefield from the very beginning.
The southwest corner of the walled city.
A blind spot where almost no androids patrol.
Two figures emerged from the darkness.
Amakusa Shirou Tokisada.
Semiramis.
The two stood silently in the shadows of the outer wall of the fortress.
Amakusa Shirou's white hair gleamed with a cold, silvery light under the moonlight.
He raised his head, his gaze piercing through the gaps in the city wall to look inside the fortified village.
Semiramis stood beside him, her long, dark purple hair swaying gently in the wind.
" Karna and the others have already drawn all of the enemy's attention."
Amakusa Shirou's voice was very low.
"Only one Servant remains inside the fortress: Rider Astolfo."
A cold smile appeared on Semiramis's lips.
"A feint to the east while attacking in the west, then directly raid the enemy's base."
"That's right."
Amakusa Shirou placed his hand on the stone bricks of the city wall.
There is only one goal.
" The Greater Grail."