What was the composition of Lin Qi's side?
The answer was one Berserker, one Lin Qi who could barely be considered a Shielder, and four... no, five Archers.
If Drake were a Servant, capable of summoning the Golden Hind as a Noble Phantasm, then she would be a qualified Rider.
But Drake, empowered only by the Holy Grail, while not weak, lacking a mount meant she perfectly fit the standard of an Archer.
Lopsided. Anyone would think Lin Qi's team was very lopsided. Only Lin Qi and Asterios counted as close-range units; the rest were all long-range.
David could somewhat be considered a melee unit. His [Five Stones] Noble Phantasm effect was powerful and cost very little, but the earlier battle with Heracles had already drained most of his stamina and magical energy.
As an unaffiliated Servant, he could now only operate on the edges along with Atalante.
As for Artemis and Euryale, excluding the advantages of their Noble Phantasms, they were undoubtedly at the bottom among the gathered Heroic Spirits, probably on par with Jason without the Holy Grail. Once they lost their safe output environment, they could easily be taken out.
So, whether this battle could continue now depended entirely on whether Lin Qi and Asterios could hold the front line. Otherwise, if Heracles or Hector broke through their formation, Lin Qi's side would immediately collapse!
—
Medea's [Territory Creation] skill was high-ranked. During this time, she had constructed a crude but serviceable magical workshop around herself.
Under the protection of the magical workshop, Medea and Jason didn't need to worry too much about the arrow attacks from Lin Qi's side. As long as the attacks didn't exceed the level of Atalante's earlier Noble Phantasm, they could be easily blocked.
They also had a safe output environment. So, what they should do was obvious, wasn't it?
Wave after wave of seemingly endless Dragon Tooth Warriors assaulted them, keeping the Archers busy dealing with them. The occasional appearance of Shadow Servants also forced them to stay highly alert.
The Archers couldn't provide effective support. Lin Qi had gone to block Hector. With only one person holding the front line, Asterios had long since shown signs of faltering under Heracles's assault.
Heracles's axe-sword swung at Asterios from every angle – high, low, left, right. One out of every three strikes managed to break through the defense of Asterios's twin axes, striking his body and leaving behind bloody, mangled wounds.
"Ugh... Haah..."
The ground beneath his feet was soaked with blood, turning a dark red. Large amounts of blood pooled according to the terrain, forming small puddles.
The battered and bruised Asterios panted heavily, standing silently in front of Heracles, swinging the dual battle-axes in his hands, doing his utmost to block Heracles's attacks.
That amount of blood loss was probably something only Asterios could withstand. Anyone else, unless they had a JOJO-level constitution, would have died two or three times over by now.
Faced with an Asterios whose movements had clearly slowed, Heracles seemed to pay it no mind, his expression remaining impassive. The attacks from the axe in his hand never ceased, continuously adding fresh wounds to Asterios's body.
Heracles, already skilled at hunting monsters, now seemed to have found his true calling, suppressing Asterios so thoroughly he couldn't even lift his head.
'Asterios...'
Euryale looked at the Minotaur, who hadn't retreated a single step even after being beaten like this, her expression incredibly complex.
Wouldn't it have been enough to just get rid of me before coming here? Why must you fight to this extent...
Euryale looked at Asterios with a pained and reproachful heart, but she never uttered the words telling him to give up.
After all, all the companions present had come here with the resolve not to abandon a single comrade. How could she suddenly be a killjoy in this situation?
Holding onto this thought, Euryale refocused her attention on the incessant waves of Dragon Tooth Warriors and Shadow Servants.
But a trace of worry still lingered on Euryale's face.
Even if they gave their all like this, how long could they last...?
Euryale could already feel the magical energy being drawn from her Master becoming unstable.
It was clear that Lin Qi's situation in his battle was hardly any better.
Ultimately, Hector was a great hero capable of competing on the same stage as Achilles. Even if he wasn't Achilles's match in direct combat, he still held out against him for years leading his soldiers.
And Achilles was almost the second greatest hero in Greek mythology, just after Heracles.
So how strong was Hector's true power, being able to compete with Achilles?
The [Ultimate Unbroken Spear] was wielded by Hector with immense force and speed. No longer slacking off, he displayed far greater oppressive power than in the previous two battles.
Especially in terms of magical energy usage. Relying on Jason, who possessed the Holy Grail, for supply, he never had to worry about magical energy, constantly driving the power of his Noble Phantasm.
The destructive power displayed by the light diffusing from the spear's blade was not something that could be simply dealt with by blocking it with a mere flagpole.
Lin Qi, who had already been slashed diagonally from his collarbone to his chest by the spear's sharp, diffused light, had no choice but to frequently activate his own Noble Phantasm as well.
This was to protect his body from being injured by Hector's attacks.
Although Lin Qi's Noble Phantasm didn't consume much magical energy when facing attacks with low destructive power, it couldn't withstand such frequent and voluminous use.
Moreover, [Dodge] was also key to Lin Qi's ability to maneuver against Hector, and it was used just as frequently.
In fact, to buy more time against Hector, Lin Qi even brought out the Black Key bombs he had been hesitant to use on the ship for fear of hitting his own people.
It was just a shame that Hector's Magic Resistance was also quite high. Lin Qi's half-baked Rune magecraft posed a limited threat to him.
Taking all this into account, in terms of stamina and magical energy consumption in this battle, Lin Qi probably wouldn't lose to anyone present.
Furthermore, Lin Qi also had to supply the magical energy for Asterios and the others to fight—
'Continuing like this is just a slow death... What should I do? Is there any method left to turn defeat into victory? My brain, move, damn it!'
Feeling the depletion of his internal magical energy and his movements gradually failing to keep up with Hector's rhythm, Lin Qi grew unusually anxious. His mind raced frantically, searching for a way to break the deadlock.
But Lin Qi had already analyzed the disparity in strength before coming here. Back when he had ample time to think, he hadn't found a solution. What could he possibly come up with now, while barely holding his own against Hector?
Borrow the power of other Servants, like in previous Singularities?
But this place was nothing like the first two Singularities, where things were relatively straightforward. Servants like Siegfried and Romulus were allies and major assets...
Here, Hector and Heracles – the two strongest cards in the entire Singularity – were on the opposing side. Where could Lin Qi find an even stronger card to turn the tables?
David? Artemis? Atalante?
Their Noble Phantasms had long since become ineffective against Heracles. What good would borrowing their power do?
"Your mind is in disarray, enemy Master." Hector slightly eased his offensive, speaking with a tone of regret and pity.
At this point in the battle, even if he were in Lin Qi's position, he wouldn't have the ability to claim he could turn things around.
To be honest, this was no longer a battlefield where a little cleverness could reverse the situation.
Both sides had all their members present and thinking clearly. The battle was confined to this small island, difficult to escape from. And the only item that could break the deadlock, the [Ark of the Covenant], was something Heracles always maintain a distance from.
What was the remaining key factor that would decide victory or defeat?
The raw strength of both sides!
Hector glanced at Lin Qi's side's configuration of five long-range units and shook his head inwardly.
With this? What are you using to fight us?
Thinking this, Hector's gaze towards Lin Qi suddenly became somewhat complex.
"You didn't believe you could defeat us either, did you? Even before coming here, you were convinced you couldn't win against us, right?"
"But you came anyway. And you're fighting just as desperately as before, even more so—"
"Ah, it's a bit funny, but I actually see a bit of my own shadow in you? Hahaha, how inexplicable..." Hector laughed self-deprecatingly.
He saw through me...
Lin Qi's heart sank, but he still retorted bluntly with two words: "Shut up!"
"Haha, be stubborn all you want. There's nothing wrong with that." Hector shook his head with a wry smile, and the speed of his attacks returned to what it was before.
…
…
"Darling, what do we do now?" The love-struck Artemis also saw the disadvantage on their side and began to worry.
"How should I know? I'm just a useless little bear." Orion broke out in a cold sweat and rolled his eyes.
He was never a hero known for his strategies. Asking his muscle-bound self to ponder such problems?
And with the enemy being Hector and Heracles?
Are you serious?
Not saying discouraging things was already the limit of what Orion could do!
In contrast to Orion's cold sweat, Jason was utterly triumphant.
Heracles had the upper hand and would soon take down Asterios.
Hector dealing with the enemy Master was only a matter of time.
His combination with Medea had a whole bunch of Archers on the ropes!
Who could possibly stop them now? Who!
If conditions allowed, Jason would probably be opening the champagne at halftime!
"Hahahaha, you're finally at your limit, aren't you?"
"Tsk, tsk, I told you, wouldn't it have been better for everyone if you'd just handed over Euryale to me willingly? You insisted on fighting this battle, and isn't the result the same?" Jason mocked skillfully.
"Damn it, you talk too much!" Drake, with her short temper, couldn't stand this. She immediately hauled out her cannon and fired a shot at Jason.
"Whoosh—"
The cannonball, propelled by some unknown force, shot straight towards Jason's head but was intercepted mid-air by a semi-transparent magical barrier, lost its momentum, and fell to the ground ordinarily.
Although he wasn't hit, Jason's face still darkened instantly.
"It seems I've been too lenient with you, to the point where you lack even the most basic respect for me."
"Heracles! Since they all love protecting Euryale so much, tear through their defenses with all your might and bring Euryale back to me!"
"Let them taste the feeling of powerlessness!"
Medea listened and shook her head, feeling Jason was being too malicious.
Upon hearing this, Heracles, expressionless, increased the frequency of his attacks. Magical energy erupted from his entire body, his black hair flying in the air like a lion's mane.
The axe-blade was like a pack of wild beasts, constantly tearing at Asterios's body. Blood splattered, flesh flew. Under Heracles's full-force assault, Asterios's robust frame seemed no different from an ordinary person's. Muscles on his arms, thighs, calves, waist, and abdomen were torn open, revealing gruesome wounds.
The gap in martial skill meant Asterios could only block a small number of the attacks; the rest had to be endured by his body.
Blood covered Asterios's entire body, flowing down his arms onto the dual battle-axes in his hands. The slippery feel made it hard for him to maintain a proper grip, and several times the weapons nearly flew from his hands under Heracles's attacks.
"Cough... Ugh..." Unconscious sounds escaped his mouth. Asterios's pupils even began to lose focus.
'It's enough. Let it end like this...' Euryale couldn't bear to watch and averted her gaze. No matter how unwilling she was, didn't they have no chance of winning at this point?
As if hearing the voice in Euryale's heart.
The next instant, clarity suddenly returned to Asterios's eyes. Not only that, but a crimson glow began to shimmer in his pupils.
"Uwaaa—!" With a roar, Asterios threw the now-useless Abyss Dual Battle-Axes behind his back. Then, ignoring Heracles's continuous onslaught, allowing him to inflict newer, deeper wounds upon his body.
"Push you, over there!" Asterios roared, wrapping his arms around Heracles and pushing with all his might, driving Heracles straight towards the [Ark of the Covenant]!
Under Asterius's desperate assault, his strength advantage was perfectly displayed. He actually made it impossible for Heracles to fully resist, as dirt was displaced by his feet, plowing a fresh "furrow"!
Bad, bad, bad... Could Heracles actually lose? Impossible, absolutely impossible!
Seeing Heracles gradually getting closer to the [Ark of the Covenant], Jason broke out in a cold sweat.
"Heracles! Stop slacking off! Hurry up and finish off that presumptuous monster in front of you!"
Under the urgency, Jason shouted loudly at Heracles.
Heracles also seemed provoked into anger. The axe in his hand rose high, shimmering with magical energy.
[Nine Lives: Shooting the Hundred Heads]
Nine ultra-high-speed strikes were unleashed almost simultaneously, all pouring onto the defenseless Asterios.
Asterios's pushing motion against Heracles abruptly halted. His pupils completely lost focus, leaving only the whites of his eyes.
The next second.
Nine wounds, capable of shattering Asterios's bones, appeared on his chest. His massive body was sent flying backwards as if an ordinary person had been hit by a truck.
"Asterios—!?" Euryale, watching Asterios vanish into the forest behind, finally couldn't help but cry out his name.
"Hahaha, that's more like it! How could a monster defeat the greatest hero? Ah, I overreacted. To think I'd even waver in my trust in Heracles..." Jason breathed a sigh of relief. With his heart back in his stomach, he actually felt his earlier reaction had been a bit too much.
"But it's fine! As long as I bring Euryale back, my grand undertaking will be perfect!" Under Jason's command, Heracles, like a demon god, strode unhurriedly towards Euryale.
'Sigh, in the end, do I still have to step in? Even I will struggle to endure such high-intensity combat...' David thought helplessly. He put away the stones he had picked up, gripped his staff, and stood in Heracles's path.
There was no other way. He was the only one left on their side who could pose any obstruction to Heracles. There wasn't even a chance to run away. Why? Simply because the most crucial person was right behind him – he had no confidence in outrunning Heracles in a race while carrying someone.
…
…
The smaller battlefield belonging to Lin Qi and Hector.
Hector's [Ultimate Unbroken Spear] fluidly transitioned between sword and spear forms. Cyan-yellow spear glints and sword shadows constantly flashed around Lin Qi, only to be blocked by bursts of golden light.
Sweat soaked his clothes. The wound on his chest burned with a fiery pain. His arms, feet, and calves were long since sore and aching.
The only fortunate thing was probably that Lin Qi's mind remained relatively clear.
After experiencing several Singularities, the strain of using [Dodge] on Lin Qi had significantly decreased. Although it hadn't reached the point where it could be used normally, at least he wouldn't get dizzy, have an exploding headache, or feel nauseous from the physical strain after just a few uses.
"It's over!"
Hector keenly detected a flaw in Lin Qi's defense. The Ultimate Unbroken Spear in his hand transformed into a longsword in an instant, and then he swung it down.
The blade cut into Lin Qi's left shoulder, deep enough to glimpse bone. Only then did a golden light barely manifest, cushioning the blade from below.
Hector applied force, slashing diagonally downward, leaving a bloody line on Lin Qi's body.
After passing through his body, the longsword, carried by its momentum, swept towards Hector's own left rear. He then followed up with a side kick, striking Lin Qi in the abdomen.
In the blink of an eye, Lin Qi's body curled up like a shrimp. A flicker of pain was all that had time to appear in his eyes before he was sent flying backwards like a human cannonball.
This is my true move, enemy Master.
You still have much to learn!
Hector smugly curled the corner of his mouth. Disregarding Lin Qi's condition, he turned and headed straight for Euryale's location.
Lin Qi's tenacity was beyond his expectation. Instead of wasting time on him, it was better to first capture the more crucial Euryale.
A cannonball suddenly struck, almost grazing Hector's chest and obliterating a tree that two people could barely embrace, stopping Hector, who had only been moving for two seconds.
Hector calmly looked up and saw Drake standing in front of him.
"Truly troublesome. I just dealt with one, and now you show up. Are you sure you all only met a few days ago?" Hector scratched his head in annoyance.
"Hey now, it's because Little Lin has always been highly wary of you! Since he's temporarily out of the fight, I, as the boss, have to step up, don't I?" Drake raised an eyebrow, keeping both pistols aimed at Hector's head.
Lin Qi was a crew member she cared deeply about. Probably in this entire battlefield, she was the one who paid the most attention to Lin Qi's movements.
"You think you can stop me?" Hector narrowed his eyes, the longsword in his hand transforming back into its spear form.
"Won't know until I try!" Drake struck first, pulling the trigger before she even finished speaking.
Hector simply lowered his head, easily dodging Drake's bullets, then brandished his spear, its tip aimed straight at Drake's neck.
…