"!"
A sudden chill ran down Amakusa's spine, as if some higher power had set its sights on him. He jolted to his feet, but the sensation vanished as quickly as an electric shock, leaving him utterly bewildered.
"What's wrong?" Semiramis asked, setting down her red tea as she watched Amakusa abruptly rise.
"I just had a sudden, ominous premonition," Amakusa explained. Servants of the Doves faction possessed the Revelation Skill, which sometimes granted them inexplicable glimpses into the future, though these visions were usually frustratingly vague.
"If you have such a premonition, it's best to be extra vigilant," Semiramis advised. "Even if it's just Revelation, we should at least consider it, right?"
"But with even Beasts emerging now, things can't possibly get any worse," Amakusa countered, shaking his head. Unlike Jeanne d'Arc, he didn't place much faith in Revelation, as its accuracy was far from guaranteed.
"Let's focus on the immediate problems first. By the way, is the Black Faction still refusing to cooperate?"
"Only Berserker's Master, Caules, has come here as a liaison. He and his servant are likely pursuing Jeanne d'Arc as we speak."
Semiramis frowned. The Yggdmillennia Clan was nothing more than a motley crew of ragtag groups. She could understand if they were a Magus family with centuries of refined traditions, but these scattered and diluted inheritors dared to reject her invitation. This infuriated her.
"Do they have some grievance against my Hanging Gardens?"
Though her Hanging Gardens weren't its true form (merely a Noble Phantasm materialized through the misplaced faith of countless believers), it was still a top-tier Noble Phantasm. Yet the Yggdmillennia Clan had rejected even her goodwill.
"There's no need to be upset," Amakusa reassured her. "The animosity between Yggdmillennia and the Mages' Association is common knowledge among Magi. Their refusal to cooperate is only natural."
Everyone here harbored their own ulterior motives. Their alliance was merely a necessity born of circumstance. They all understood that none could face the Beast alone.
"They likely intend to use the glory of defeating the Beast as their foundation. If they truly possess the power to defeat it, they'd have no need to bow to others."
"Based on them?" Semiramis scoffed.
Semiramis laughed. "Darnic of Yggdmillennia is certainly a formidable figure, but that's all he is. My Hanging Gardens are complete and ready to ascend at any moment."
"Our primary enemy remains the Beast. We haven't confirmed its identity yet, but its appearance suggests it's a servant connected to Magical Beasts."
Amakusa had initially intended to have the Yggdmillennia Clan join them in the Hanging Gardens to fight together. Whether it was to defeat the Beast or to eliminate the other servants with poison in one fell swoop, it would have been a brilliant move.
"Let's focus on eliminating the Beast first and consider other matters later. Our grand ambition is to save humanity. We can't allow the Beast to rampage unchecked."
"It's only at times like this that you resemble a Saint," Semiramis remarked with amusement.
"But a Magical Beast, you say? Within the Hanging Gardens, my Noble Phantasm, Sikera Usum, can summon Bašmu, a colossal venomous serpent from Mesopotamian mythology. With its dragon-like form and toxicity surpassing even that of the Hydra, as a child of Tiamat, the Earth Mother Goddess, it should be more than capable of holding its own against even a Beast."
Though these mythical creatures often serve as mere stepping stones for heroes, it is precisely this role that amplifies the heroes' might. (A certain Great God of Strength might have something to say about that.)
For some reason, Amakusa felt his ominous premonition growing stronger.
"Don't underestimate the Beast," he warned. "As an enemy of humanity, it's not the kind of foe you can easily defeat. Its sudden disappearance likely conceals some sinister plot."
-
"Wait for me!!" Caules shouted, his voice straining.
Caules's mediocrity extended beyond Spell to his physical stamina. As a result, their Berserker team couldn't keep pace with the Archer team and Rider of Red during the pursuit of Jeanne d'Arc.
"Seriously, are you even a Magus participating in the Holy Grail War?" Deimlet Pentel scoffed, rolling his eyes. Communication with Archer had been lost, and only Archer's exceptional mobility prevented Diemlet from falling behind. Otherwise, he would never have agreed to this Class-based team division.
"At your level, if it weren't for this sudden emergency, you'd be the first one eliminated. Is this all the Yggdmillennia Clan's Magus are capable of?"
Caules didn't know how to respond. He had only been selected as a participant for some inexplicable reason. He felt no real sense of belonging to his family, but he couldn't abandon his sister, so he reluctantly agreed to come.
Though Caules desperately wanted to retort, Aren't you the one who looks like he's about to be eliminated first?, he refrained, considering they were currently cooperating.
"Seriously," Deimlet Pentel sighed. "If Berserker didn't require a Master's commands to act with any semblance of order, we wouldn't have to get involved personally. And this guy is just impossible to control."
In truth, if Tiamat hadn't suddenly appeared and been perceived by Spartacus as the greatest oppressor in history, the Berserker wouldn't have obeyed any of his Master's commands at all.
Caules glanced at his servant, Frankenstein. Though a Berserker, she possessed surprisingly high intelligence and could act independently without issue. If not for Frankenstein's subtle hints that Caules needed to conceal certain information (it was remarkable he even understood her hints), he would have already revealed everything about her. This confirmed his belief that even after defeating the Beast, they would still have to fight each other—and even after the Black and Red factions settled their score, infighting within his own camp would erupt. Therefore, even after everyone revealed their servants' True Names, they would still need to conceal some information.
Caules felt a little helpless, but his thinking was simple: sticking by his sister was all that mattered.
Soon, the distant roars of Noble Phantasm activations echoed through the air. The two exchanged a glance, and Deimlet quickened his pace. Caules could only grit his teeth and keep up.
Before long, they witnessed another violent explosion and massive arrows raining down from the sky.
"Ooooh, oppressors!"
Spartacus visibly thrilled at the sight. The colossal impact only fueled his battle lust, and finally, completely disregarding his Master, he charged forward with massive strides.
"Damn it!"
Deimlet groaned, his head throbbing. The successive use of Noble Phantasms by their servants meant a fierce battle was underway. Rushing in rashly now would likely end badly.
"Hey kid, hurry up!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
Caules barely had time to catch his breath before Deimlet dragged him and Frankenstein into a run.