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"This isn't good… without a boundary-breaking artifact, we can't shatter that barrier!"Kiritsugu Emiya's expression tightened with worry.
He wasn't the only one. Irisviel and Maiya felt the same unease rising in their chests.
But before they could even think of a countermeasure, countless soldiers appeared around them—materializing from the desert sands, sealing off every escape route.
Assassin had multiplied into dozens—no, hundreds of clones.
In that instant, the enemy's numbers completely overwhelmed them.
"It's over… we've lost," Irisviel whispered, despair clouding her face.
"Who says so?" Alex grinned, eyes burning with excitement.
If he played this right, his "blessing stats" would skyrocket after this fight.
And he wasn't the only one itching for action. Esdeath's lips curled in anticipation—ever since arriving in the Type-Moon world, she'd been waiting for a chance to go all out.
On the other side, Iskandar climbed onto a black warhorse, turning to them with a bold laugh.
"Behold—my unrivaled army! Even if their flesh has perished, even if their souls are bound as Heroic Spirits by the world itself, my loyal warriors still march beside me! The bond we share is my greatest treasure—my King's path! Behold, my ultimate Noble Phantasm: Ionioi Hetairoi!"
The spectacle was jaw-dropping—and Alex was streaming the whole thing live, complete with a heart-pumping battle theme.
The chat exploded.
Misaka Mikoto: "No way—this Noble Phantasm is so broken! Those soldiers are all Heroic Spirits!?"
Busujima Saeko: "Good thing the 'Cult Leader' and Hestia are here. Otherwise, they'd be screwed."
Yotsuya Miko: "Not necessarily. Morgan and Merlin are insanely strong too."
Erza Scarlet: "Even so, magic power isn't infinite. If they can't break the barrier, they'll have to fight tens of thousands of Heroic Spirits head-on—and that'll drain them dry."
Tsunade: "Agreed. Looks like Luo Hao and Hestia are about to step in."
Alex: "Heh, maybe they won't need to."
Shinobu Kocho: "Wait—you think Morgan and Merlin can handle that many spirits alone?"
Alex: "Pretty much. Don't forget—they haven't used their own Noble Phantasms yet."
In the original story, Gilgamesh's Ea had shattered Ionioi Hetairoi in one strike, wiping out the entire army.
And when Caster Gilles de Rais summoned that sea demon, even Iskandar's army couldn't deal with it—until Artoria unleashed Excalibur to end the nightmare.
So yeah… the army inside Ionioi Hetairoi wasn't unbeatable.As long as your Noble Phantasm was strong enough, you could wipe them out in seconds.
As Iskandar proudly introduced his army, the vast host of Heroic Spirits roared as one, their cries shaking the desert.
Iskandar raised his sword high, shouting,"A true King is one who lives with unmatched brilliance—one who inspires all who follow him!"
"Indeed! Indeed! Indeed!" the army bellowed in unison.
"To gather the admiration of all warriors, to lead them forward—that is what it means to be King! A King does not stand alone—his greatness is forged from the wills of all his subjects combined!"
"Indeed! Indeed! Indeed!"
Luo Hao watched, smiling faintly. "This King of Conquerors is quite interesting."
She didn't agree with everything he said—but most of it was close enough.
After all, in her world, the Demon Kings were beings who acted purely by their own will, bending all existence to serve them. By that standard, her dominion outstripped even Iskandar or Gilgamesh.
When Iskandar finished his declaration, his excitement flared again."Now then—let us begin, Saber, Caster, Berserker! Our battlefield is a plain—conveniently suited to my army's strength. The advantage is ours!"
"Charge!"
With his command, the army of Heroic Spirits roared forward like a tidal wave.
"'Ravage,' huh? Let's see who gets ravaged first!" Esdeath laughed wildly, drawing her long Western sword and charging headlong into the fray.
"Everyone fight your own battles! Sis, Hestia—you two hold the line. Don't step in unless it's absolutely necessary!" Alex shouted before leaping into the melee himself.
After half a month of training, it was time to see what he could do.
Roxy, Morgan, and Merlin hung back—they were mages, after all. Chanting at lightning speed, they unleashed spells upon the charging army while buffing Alex, Esdeath, and Artoria, boosting their strength to insane levels.
Kiritsugu was about to move in when Kirei Kotomine intercepted him.Tokiomi Tohsaka went after Irisviel.Waver faced off with Maiya.And finally, Risei Kotomine, the overseer of the Holy Grail War, abandoned neutrality and entered the field himself.
Roxy had no choice but to take him on.
Gilgamesh squared off against Morgan again—their previous duel unfinished.
And Merlin found himself surrounded by a swarm of Assassin clones.
Everyone had their opponent. The battlefield erupted into utter chaos.
In the chat:
Misaka Mikoto: "This is insane! I wish I could jump in!"
Erza Scarlet: "Now I regret not taking Alex's quest."
Tsunade: "This reminds me of the Third Great Ninja War…"
Shinobu Kocho: "They're incredible… if I were that strong, I could've avenged my sister!"
Kurumi Tokisaki: "These Noble Phantasms are all so unique. Especially the Reality Marbles… if I had one, I could trap the Origin Spirit for good!"
While the chat boiled over with excitement, Alex was in his element.
Spear in hand, with Merlin's buffs coursing through him, he charged through the enemy ranks like a living storm.
Every movement carried the precision of Luo Hao's Tenfold Martial Arts, his mind slipping into a state of pure flow.
In that moment, he was Zhao Yun reborn—diving into an army of thousands, cutting a path seven times in and seven times out.
The longer he fought, the stronger he became.The blessing sigil on his back glowed hotter and brighter, recording every strike, every kill—turning battle experience into pure growth.
Luo Hao watched, her eyes full of pride.Her once-ordinary little brother had finally grown into a warrior worthy of the path she'd taught him.
Meanwhile, Gilgamesh and Morgan's duel raged with spectacular fury—one hurling weapon after weapon, the other casting spell after spell.
The sky shook with explosions and roaring magic. It was a sight of pure grandeur—an all-out clash that even the chat's powerful streaming system barely managed to keep up with.
A normal live feed would've lagged into oblivion by now.
And they weren't the only ones. Iskandar and Artoria were also locked in fierce combat.
To everyone's shock, Iskandar had put away his army and challenged her to a duel of swords instead.
His weapon, Sword of the Distant Conquest, was ranked A+—and though it didn't fire light beams, it stood toe-to-toe with Artoria's Excalibur without fear.
"..."
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