The salty breeze faded behind them as Leonel and his group advanced toward the heart of the island. The mountain, dark and imposing, rose like a natural colossus. The goal was clear: reach the summit, where, according to Tamamo, the adult dragons fiercely guarded their scaly treasure.
"This is crazy!" murmured Mash, seeing the steep path surrounded by charred trees and rocks marked by enormous claws.
Leonel, adjusting his coat and checking his grimoire:
"Yes... but it's the only option. There's no turning back."
The group climbed slowly, surrounded by a brittle silence. Tamamo and Nero alternated between complaining about the terrain and flirting with Leonel, while Jeanne and Artoria maintained constant vigilance.
It wasn't long before the first roar filled the air.
"Young dragons, from the right flank!" shouted Tezcatlipoca from the grimoire.
Five reptilian figures descended like projectiles from above. Their wings cut the wind violently, and their eyes glowed with hunger.
Artoria was the first to respond, driving her sword into the ground and releasing a shockwave that pushed two enemies away.
Mash covered the group with her shield.
Jeanne invoked her holy banner to keep morale high.
Leonel, coordinating with his Persona, pointed out the dragons' weaknesses with precision.
"The neck and wings! They're more fragile than the body scales. Aim there."
Tamamo, with a wild smile, threw explosive talismans that blinded one of the enemies.
"Don't underestimate the adorable magical wife!"
Nero, jumping with drama:
"For the honor of Rome! And for my emperor!"
With a clean cut, she finished off one of the smaller dragons.
The battle repeated two more times during the ascent. Each stretch was steeper, each enemy fiercer. Halfway up, even Mash began to show signs of fatigue.
The sun bled on the horizon when they finally reached the summit. Their bodies were covered in dust, blood, and sweat. But before them stood a spectacle worthy of legend:
A gigantic emerald-green dragon, with scales that shone like emeralds in the reflection of the dying daylight. It stood easily twenty meters tall. Its wings were partially folded, as if asleep... but its eyes were open, golden and eternal.
Around it, four smaller dragons flew in circles. They seemed like guardians... or offspring.
Jeanne whispered:
"Is that... the father of all the dragons on this island?"
Tamamo, voice tense:
"Rather... it's the alpha. If we can distract or put it to sleep... we might get some scales."
Tezcatlipoca, from the grimoire:
"That dragon... is not common. It wasn't summoned. It belongs to this world, but the Holy Grail has blessed it with anomalous power. It won't let you approach so easily..."
Leonel closed the book and took a step forward.
"Then we'll have to find the right way... without dying in the attempt."
The air grew thick and searing. The roar of the giant green dragon shook the mountain. The young dragons took flight in formation, surrounding Leonel and company from all angles.
Leonel immediately activated the grimoire.
"Tezcatlipoca, analyze all enemies! Send it straight to everyone's mental channels!"
A rain of tactical data was sent to all the Servants. Weak points, flight patterns, attack range, signs of fiery breath.
Tezcatlipoca:
"All young dragons have flexible but lightly armored necks, wings sensitive to cuts. The large one... needs time to use its breath. Avoid confronting it head-on."
Leonel, with determination, raised his voice:
"Nero, Artoria! Advance! Jeanne, form a shield between them and the giant dragon! Tamamo, provide magical support from the rear! Mash, you and I will cover our backs and support with distraction!"
The roar that resonated from above was enough to make the ground vibrate. The great green dragon, with its eyes shining like golden suns, fully raised its head and exhaled a gust of air so hot it seemed like boiling steam. Around it, a horde of young dragons emerged from between the rocks, the sky, the hidden caverns of the cliff... dozens, flying or crawling with murderous intent.
"Diplomacy is over!" exclaimed Nero, drawing her sword with a blazing smile. "Rome will respond with fire!"
Leonel, with one hand on his grimoire and the other pointing forward:
"Tezcatlipoca! Analyze and broadcast weaknesses!"
"They are already receiving the information, Champion. Tell them where to strike, and they will."
[Battle Front – Nero, Artoria, and Jeanne]
Nero advances with war cries, her sword wreathed in magical flames provided by Tamamo's talismans. Her movements are graceful, theatrical, but precise.
"For the honor of my emperor, burn in imperial justice!"
Artoria, serious as always, advances like an arrow of steel. Her sword traces swift arcs, repelling the assaults of three dragons at once.
Jeanne, with her banner held high, wields her holy spear, protecting both of their flanks with light shields that block snapping jaws and claw swipes.
"Maintain the rhythm, trust in your faith, and do not retreat!"
[Support and Strategy – Tamamo and Leonel]
Tamamo, on a high rock, waves her arms and launches talismans that explode into beams of spiritual energy.
"Magical strength for Nero! Speed for Saber! Reaction for Jeanne!"
Her charming smile mixes with the fierce gaze of a goddess at war.
Leonel, from the center of the group, speaks loud and clear, receiving data from his Persona:
"Blue-scaled dragons! They have blind spots behind the neck!"
"Gray-scaled ones, cut between the wings and legs! They're weaker there!"
Tezcatlipoca, sending data directly to each Servant:
"Distributing optimal impact coordinates. Rating aggressiveness. Prioritizing targets near Leonel."
[Close Defense – Mash]
Mash moves like a human shield, intercepting any dragon that approaches Leonel. The weight of her shield clashes with claws and teeth without respite.
"I won't let them hurt you, Senpai!"
One of the dragons tries to bite Leonel's side, but Mash blocks it with a magical barrier.
"Back, monster!"
Suddenly, a thunderous crash rumbles. The great green dragon rises to its full height and roars with magical force. The young dragons intensify, and part of the terrain begins to tremble.
Tamamo, sweat running down her temple:
"That roar... it's blessed by the Holy Grail! Careful, it can use distortion magic!"
Leonel:
"We have to hold out until we find an opening! We can't die here!"
The earth trembled with each step the green alpha dragon took, its outstretched wings covering the sky as if night itself grew darker. Its size eclipsed the rest, and its gaze was that of a wise and brutal predator. The aura of the Holy Grail felt dense in the air, distorting magic, making every spell more dangerous and every wound more costly.
Leonel, with the grimoire open, in an elevated position for a better field of vision, takes command:
"Formation two! Artoria and Nero to the front! Jeanne, cover their flanks! Mash, with me, Tamamo, to the rear! Tezcatlipoca, begin analysis!"
Tezcatlipoca (mental voice):
"Copied. Calculating attack trajectories. Locating weak points in the neck, belly, and wing joints. Broadcasting to the combatants."
Artoria:
"Understood, charge!"
She runs firmly toward the creature, dodging tails that could topple mountains.
Nero:
"Rome fears neither beasts nor gods!"
Her sword traces red lines in the air, her presence burning like an empress ignited by love and duty.
Jeanne, with determination, places her banner to create a protective wall when a flare threatens to incinerate them.
"The Lord guides our swords, let us resist!"
The creature roars, releasing a draconic breath of pure magic that razes trees and melts rocks. Jeanne deflects part of it, but the heat still burns.
Tamamo, sweating from the effort, places talismans on the ground to slow the dragon or seal parts of its mobility.
"Talismans in defensive formation! They will help block the next breath!"
Mash, as Leonel's living shield, blocks the secondary magical projectiles the dragon releases as it flaps its wings.
"Senpai, I'm with you! I won't let it reach you!"
Leonel, synchronized with Tezcatlipoca, issues real-time orders:
"Nero, aim at the left side of the chest, there's an old scar there!"
"Artoria, divert its attention to the right wing!"
"Jeanne, prepare defense for a tail attack, coming in five seconds!"
Tezcatlipoca:
"Distributing predictive movement schematics. Probability of charge increases to 68%. Alerting Nero."
The alpha dragon, wounded, suddenly rises to perform an aerial charge. The force of the wind lifts everyone off the ground momentarily. In that instant...
"Now, Nero!" shouts Leonel.
The empress leaps with an impulse enhanced by one of Tamamo's talismans and drives her sword into the dragon's wing, causing a deafening roar. The dragon falls abruptly, staggering.
Artoria, already anticipating the descent, gathers her energy:
"Excalibur!"
Golden light floods the summit, striking the dragon's neck directly.
Despite the impact, the beast still does not fall.
Leonel, panting, with a racing pulse and hands glowing with magical energy, orders:
"Everyone, prepare maximum abilities! This will be the final assault!"
"Mash, Tamamo, provide covering fire! Tezcatlipoca, tell me if there are more surprises!"
Tezcatlipoca:
"One of the dragon's hearts has been damaged. It has two. Only one more and it will end. Finish it!"
With each wound the alpha dragon received, its fury grew more intense. Its blood, bright like lava, evaporated on contact with the air, and its roar shook the heavens. The Holy Grail's magic wasn't just keeping it alive... it was transforming it.
Tezcatlipoca:
"Its vital energy is increasing in inverse proportion to its consciousness. It's becoming stronger... but more bestial. We must finish it before it loses all reason."
Leonel, with the grimoire open, sweating from the mental effort:
"Tamamo, reinforce Artoria with a magic resistance spell, she's going to take a frontal blow."
"Mash, stand ready on my signal, the tail is moving... now!"
Mash raises her shield just in time to block the colossal impact of the dragon's tail.
"I'm okay, Senpai!"
Tamamo, with eyes shining with determination, recites rapidly:
"Oh talisman of the five blessings, protect my knight princess!"
A shield of energy envelops Artoria, just before the dragon lets out a sonic roar charged with destructive magic.
Artoria, covered in minor wounds, maintains her composure:
"The beast still fights... but not for much longer!"
Nero, with an arrogant smile and passion in her eyes:
"Not even the gods of sea or sky can match the passion of Rome!"
With each thrust, her sword shines with a vibrant red, burning scales wherever it strikes.
Jeanne, between defense and support:
"Divine judgment shall fall! Be held back, corrupted creature!"
Her banner invokes a momentary barrier when the dragon tries to envelop them in black flames.
Tezcatlipoca:
"A critical point detected. At the base of the neck, under the broken scale Nero struck before. It's vulnerable for 8 seconds..."
Leonel:
"Artoria! Attack the base of the neck, where the broken scale is! Now!"
Tamamo, synchronized:
"Talisman, impact amplification, speed increased... go!"
A magic circle beneath Artoria increases her speed and power for a fleeting instant.
Artoria, swift as lightning:
"For honor!"
She jumps, spins in the air, and drives her sword right into the indicated point. An explosion of golden magic seals the impact.
The dragon lets out a scream of pain that echoes throughout the island, its body trembles... and for a moment it seems to stagger.
But the beast, with its last breath of power, releases a magical wave all around. Everything trembles. Magical gusts whip the terrain. Rock and fire rise.
Leonel:
"Mash, shield now!"
Mash:
"Lord Camelot!!"
An impenetrable dome surges forth, protecting the team from the dragon's final explosion...
When the light dissipates... the alpha dragon lies on the ground. Its breathing fades. The corrupt glow of the Grail that sustained it dissolves into black motes scattered by the wind.
Tamamo, exhausted, falls to her knees.
"It's over...! Phew, that took ten years off my life, for sure..."
Nero, still panting, approaches Leonel:
"My emperor, Rome conquers even mythical beasts. Are you alright?"
Artoria, in silence, observes the creature's remains with respect.
"It was a wild force... and yet, it felt... forced to fight. What a cruel fate."
Jeanne, leaning on her banner, prays for the fallen creature.
Leonel, breathing deeply, puts away his grimoire.
"Good work, everyone... now, let's collect the scales before the rest of the island stops us."
The team, exhausted but victorious, begins carefully cutting the scales from the alpha dragon. The mountain summit, once a nest and sanctuary of chaos, is now a symbol of their teamwork and resilience.
The scales gleam with an emerald sheen, as resistant as magical steel. With these, they could repair the ship... but they knew this battle was merely the beginning of what the Sea Singularity had to offer.
The sun broke through the clouds, gilding the green scales piled up like freshly plundered treasure. The air smelled of burnt wood, sweat, and a quiet sense of accomplishment.
Drake, with a wide smile and her hands on her hips, shouted orders:
"Come on, ruffians! We have dragon scales and idle hands, I don't want to see a single backside resting! This ship will sail the seas again as if it had never been bitten by a spoiled brat of a kraken."
Her carpenters and sailors began adapting the scales, shaping them with help from Tamamo's magic, who, though exhausted, offered structural reinforcement enchantments.
Leonel watches the horizon while drinking water. His face reflects worry, not for the ship, but for what's to come.
Mash, sitting beside him, crosses her arms over her lap.
"Senpai... this island shouldn't exist like this. Dragons from Orleans, a kraken from Norse folklore... it's impossible for so many disconnected elements to be gathered unless there's a catalyst."
Leonel:
"A Holy Grail, most likely. But not a passive one. Whoever has it knows how to use it. They are summoning enemies that don't even belong to the same timeline or region. That means... the perpetrator is intervening directly."
Jeanne, listening attentively, nods:
"And with warlike intentions. This isn't accidental. Someone is deliberately seeking to create chaos."
Nero, with her legs crossed, smiles confidently:
"Whoever it may be, Rome will face them with all its splendor! But first... my emperor needs rest. And affection. Lots of affection."
Leonel only sighs softly, neither rejecting nor confirming.
Drake approaches the group, wiping sweat with a handkerchief.
"Three days, as I said. The ship will be ready to set sail at nightfall on the third. Until then... you can prepare your next move."
Tamamo, who arrives walking with renewed elegance, though still somewhat tired, raises her hand.
"I propose that, once on the open sea, you trust in me. I can detect sources of intense magic if I concentrate my senses. The Holy Grail is not subtle... nor silent."
Leonel looks at her seriously, then nods.
"Then that will be the plan. We'll sail without a fixed course... but attentive to any magical fluctuation. When you sense it, we'll head that way."
Mash:
"It seems like a risky strategy, but it's better than advancing blindly."
Drake:
"Sounds like the kind of madness that could end with someone's head on a pike... or with a victory toast. I like it!"
Jeanne, calmly:
"Then, to wait and prepare. The enemy already knows we are here... I have no doubt they will come sooner than we expect."