Bang!
Mechanical arms slammed heavily against the thick iron gate, the harsh noise echoing down the wide corridor.
Bang!
Another strike.
"!"
Fiore tried again and again, but no matter how much force she used, the gate would not budge.
"Mars: Iron arm of War!"
Clack. The mechanical arms shifted into cannon muzzles, flames coalescing at their tips.
Boom!
"Uwah!"
The blast nearly blew Caules off his feet. Scrambling upright, he hurriedly tried to stop his sister.
"Sister, calm down! Now isn't the time for brute force."
"Haa… I am calm."
Fiore hadn't been acting rashly. She had only wanted to test it. But being separated from her Servant like this made her uneasy—her chest weighed heavily.
As the smoke cleared, her eyes widened. The iron gate stood untouched, not a single mark from the blast. Clearly, this was no ordinary material. Assassin's magecraft had reinforced it.
"As I thought…"
She sighed, murmuring the words as though she had expected it.
"It must be designed to sever the bond between Master and Servant. After all, this entire fortress is her Noble Phantasm."
Caules reached out, touching the flawless surface that had withstood Fiore's strikes. Not a scratch marred it—it looked brand new.
"In that case…"
Fiore raised her hand, the Command Seal with only one stroke left glowing faintly upon it. She began the incantation to invoke it.
"By the Command Seal of Black, I order—"
Nothing.
No glow, no reaction. Even the basic light failed to appear. The seal's power had been nullified. This gate severed the Command Spell's function entirely, much like the Plane of Euthymia had during the battle with Mordred. The enemy had prepared thoroughly.
It seemed she could only believe in the Shogun's strength.
"Shogun… please be safe."
Placing her hand over her chest, she clasped it in prayer, whispering softly. The muffled booms that echoed from beyond the gate gnawed at her heart like a nightmare.
...
Boom!
The Shogun landed from above, turning and sending a slash of sword energy at Semiramis, who had returned once again to her throne. Was she truly that unwilling to abandon even a throne cut in half?
Crackle…
The arc tore through the air like a storm wind. Semiramis raised magic circles, their lasers scattering the slash before chains of black iron erupted forth, countless spear-tipped serpents snapping at the Shogun.
The Shogun leapt again, her feet finding purchase in the air. Musou Isshin rose in her grip, and from behind her several Eyes of Electro fired chains of violet thunder. Dazzling lightning clashed with the black serpents, biting and entwining, the air filled with the harsh clatter of their collision.
"Hoh~ impressive. Why not be a Caster instead?!"
The Empress laughed proudly from her throne and snapped her fingers.
"Try this on, Saber."
Snap!
Hiss…
At once, the entire hall filled with a hazy gray-violet gas. It spread swiftly, rolling through every corner. This was her trump card!
"!"
The Shogun dropped back to the ground, frowning as the environment shifted. Fortunately, her barrier still held, buying her a few seconds.
Poison gas.
There was no mistaking it. This haze was no perfume.
"Oh? Still keeping a shield? Futile. These fumes ignore defenses. Let's see how long you can hold your breath."
The Empress lounged, her tone dripping with certainty.
The Shogun's gaze turned to the violet shield enclosing her. Just as her enemy claimed, the gas was seeping inside. Already the haze had begun to fill the barrier.
And then—
[Shogun… shut down all respiratory functions.]
In the Plane of Euthymia, Ei opened her eyes, issuing the command to the body's inner systems.
Beep—
At Ei's command, the Shogun's violet eyes flickered, as though receiving input. The next moment, every function in her body related to breathing ceased. Intricate gears, conduits, and even the organ-like core within her chest halted and shifted, reverting to their original factory state—the Electro-driven motor that had powered her from the beginning.
The Shogun was never human. She was a puppet, a machine, an intelligent construct. A robot did not need to breathe. The breathing mechanism had only been added for appearance's sake—a private indulgence of Ei's.
Her eyes lit once more, rebooting. Without hesitation, she dispelled her Electro barrier, standing calmly in the poison fog, twin blades raised once again.
"What?!"
The Empress's shock was plain. How could she still move? Was she simply holding her breath? No—that wasn't right. There was no trace of respiration at all. Could it be…?
She quickly shook off the thought. Impossible! If true, it would be far too absurd.
But the Shogun gave her no time to ponder. Musou Isshin flashed down in a single stroke.
A violet scar split the air, a cut that severed even space itself, hurtling toward Semiramis.
"Tch!"
Layer upon layer of barriers bloomed before her, only to be sliced apart like paper.
Thrown back and forced to the ground, she scrambled upright, biting hard at her thumbnail, her brow furrowing darkly.
Her trump card needed several more seconds to complete. At this rate, she would not last. There was no choice.
Pressing her palms together, she spread a vast azure magic circle across the hall's floor.
Rumble!
From it burst a colossal black serpent, water surging up to flood the chamber until it was deep enough to swallow a full story of the fortress. One of Assyria's divine beasts—her familiar.
"Devour her!"
At her command, the serpent bellowed and surged forward, waves crashing like tsunamis in its wake.
Another snake?
The Shogun sighed in resignation. First Orobashi, now this. Compared to Orobashi, however, this thing was like an earthworm.
Boom!
She swung her blade, scattering the poison gas with waves of lightning before stepping onto the rising water. Beneath her feet, violet stairs of Electro formed, allowing her to walk across the surface as though it were solid.
ROAR!
The black serpent lunged from the waters, jaws gaping.
"Haa…"
With a faint sigh, the Shogun looked up at the beast's maw with weary disinterest, then burst into lightning and charged straight inside.
Crunch…
Its jaws snapped shut, biting down. But pain exploded through its body the instant it closed. Musou Isshin had pierced through its upper lip, twisting cruelly. Agony forced the serpent to spit her out.
She landed gracefully upon the steps, glancing with disdain at the saliva clinging to her barrier. A flicker of current, and it all evaporated.
As the serpent writhed in pain, she flashed forward once more. Engulfing Lightning carved into the corner of its mouth, blood spraying as she leapt onto its back. Musou Isshin in hand, she plunged the blade deep into its seven-inch vital spot.
Slash!
Driving the cut downward, she surged in a streak of thunder, cleaving the serpent's body vertically from head to tail.
Squelch…
Split in two, its carcass rained blood and entrails like a storm, staining the flooded hall crimson.
The Shogun raised Musou Isshin, pointing it toward the throne. Lightning gathered along the blade, before erupting in a torrent of thunder.
"Tch… King of Waters!"
Semiramis projected before herself a shield like overlapping scales. This was no cheap construct like her earlier defenses. It was one of her Noble Phantasms. The memory of Musou Isshin cleaving through her previous barriers still lingered, and for once, she felt apprehension toward this blade. She had no choice but to use her treasure to hold it off.
Boom!
The torrent slammed against the shield. Unlike before, it did not shatter instantly, though the strain was visible.
Yet beneath the rain of blood, Semiramis only smiled, her plan falling into place.
It was time.
Kneel at my feet and beg for mercy, Saber!
Snap!
Her crisp finger snap echoed through the hollow hall. In that instant, space itself seemed inverted, like the negative of a photograph. From the throne's center welled a bubbling pool, swelling in seconds until it drowned the entire chamber.
The hall's splendor was swallowed by murky yellow-green. Corrosive gas and sludge filled the air and water alike, seeping even past the Shogun's barrier.
For a moment, it was as though she had sunk into the ocean's depths, her ears ringing with pressure. Raising a hand, she found her motion sluggish, as though dragging through thick water. Bubbles floated from her movements.
"My Noble Phantasm… Sikera Ušum: Arrogant King's Alcohol. It transforms the surrounding space into poison. Air, water, microbes, even mana itself—all becomes venom."
She lifted her palm, where yellow-green slime pooled, bubbling with corrosive gas.
So that was it. No wonder her movements felt heavy, resistance clinging to her limbs. The very air had been turned to venom, and she was immersed in a sea of poison.
Yet she felt no discomfort. No pain, no corrosion. To her, it was as though she were simply underwater. Poison filling her lungs meant nothing—her body had no fragile organs to be ruined, and her materials could not corrode.
"Ahahahahaha—! What's wrong, Saber? Doesn't it feel wonderful?"
From the throne, Semiramis laughed loudly, her arrogance echoing through the toxic sea.
[Shogun… are you alright?]
Ei's voice held worry—the instinct of a mother.
'I'm fine. I feel nothing.'
The Shogun reassured her silently.
[Good… that's a relief.]
Ei exhaled, her tension easing. Perhaps this was simply a mother's reflex.
'Ei… I have a plan.'
[Hm? What plan?]
'I'm going to act for her.'
[Act? Ah… you mean—]
Ei fell silent, resignation coloring her voice. She already knew what the Shogun intended.
'Heh…'
The Shogun chuckled softly, a childlike mischief in her tone.
At once, she shifted, slipping into character like an actor on stage—her performance flawless.
"Cough! Cough!! This… ugh… cough!"
Her hand clutched her chest, her face paling visibly. Weakness painted her brows. Her body trembled, faltering.
Clatter!
Musou Isshin slipped from her grip, clattering to the ground. She staggered back, using Engulfing Lightning as a crutch, her chest heaving with labored breaths, legs quivering as though she would collapse at any moment.
"Hahahahahaha~!! Yes!! That's it~!! Tremble beneath my wine of poison!!"
The enemy had taken the bait. Excitement lit her features as she rose from the throne, fists clenched, her expression exaggerated in triumph. Victory was within her grasp—or so she thought.
"Cough… my body… it hurts… you… you despicable…"
The Shogun delivered her lines like a master actress, her once cold and commanding voice now weakened, breathless, frail.
The violet glow in her eyes slowly dimmed, fading as though she had lost all power. In truth, she was merely lowering the brightness, feigning collapse, luring her foe into complacency.
"Oh my~ Despicable? Ahahaha~!"
Semiramis, convinced she had stripped the Shogun of her strength, smiled in satisfaction. Slowly, she descended the throne, her steps exuding superiority.
Yes… come closer. A little closer…
Behind her feigned weakness, the Shogun's eyes measured the distance, noting every careless step.
"Oh, my poor little beauty. Look at you now… tsk, tsk. How pitiful."
The Empress relished her apparent victory, striding forward in pride.
"Haa… what… what do you intend to do with me…?"
The Shogun's voice trembled, a show of stubborn defiance.
[Pfft…]
Inside, Ei nearly burst out laughing, covering her mouth to stifle the sound. Her daughter had grown so mischievous.
'What are you laughing at? Don't laugh! Shh—'
The Shogun scolded her inwardly, refusing to let anything disrupt her performance.
[Fine, fine… not laughing…]
Ei obediently muffled herself.
"Haha~ Saber… I remember my Master once wanted to recruit you, saying you and he were alike in some way. I didn't really understand that, but… for my Master's sake, I'll ask you."
"Will you join us of the Red faction? Then we can cut down your Master, annihilate Black, and claim the Holy Grail for ourselves."
Semiramis leaned over her "weakened" beauty, a sadistic delight stirring within her.
"..."
The Shogun bit her lip, feigning helplessness. The subtle gesture only made her look more enticing.
"Not speaking? Hmph… I know you're reluctant to leave that girl behind. How about this—bring your Master over and defect to us. How does that sound?"
"..."
Silence.
"Although your beautiful face vexes me… I do rather like you. To think, a god brought low by my hand. What a humiliation for you, isn't it?"
Semiramis lifted her chest proudly, gloating over the woman before her.
—
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