[161] The Premiere of Fate/Zero Chapter Two! (3)
Chapter 161: The Premiere of Fate/Zero Chapter Two! (3)
At the Imperial Mage Academy, the mages were abuzz with discussion about the gigantic sea monster summoned by Caster. No one had expected such a lifelike and terrifying creature to appear in a movie, leaving everyone feeling an overwhelming sense of awe.
"What kind of creature is that?"
"It makes me feel incredibly uneasy."
"Could summoning magic possibly bring forth such a powerful creature?"
"Impossible. Simply sustaining its existence would drain any mage completely!"
"Then how is Caster maintaining its presence? Such a colossal creature must be of an extraordinary tier!"
"Remember how Caster was capturing children earlier? Perhaps the magical energy extracted from human souls is the foundation keeping this monster alive!"
"That's unlikely. Even if human souls could be converted into vast amounts of magical energy, it wouldn't be enough to sustain a creature like that for long. Caster must be using some other method to supply the magic!"
The mages' voices rose and fell in the Imperial Mage Academy as everyone discussed the gigantic sea monster on screen. Ordinary students, though stunned by the scene, did not associate the creature with any real-world monstrosity; they merely assumed it was all special effects, a magical projection.
Only the archmages gathered once more at the top of the Tower of Mages discerned the creature's substance and illusion.
"I don't even know how to describe my feelings right now," Dean Hohenheim remarked with deep complexity while maintaining the release of his Eagle Eye spell.
Meanwhile, the other archmages were equally taken aback, left speechless by the terrifying creature on the film.
The Archmage of Fire Elements, Warden, couldn't help but exclaim, "What is this? An exceedingly high-tier beast? A chaos deity? Even though we're seeing it through a movie screen, it looks real, doesn't it?"
In response to Warden, Archmage Rosa took a deep breath and said, "Even though it's my second time seeing it, it's still hard to fathom. Durin actually managed to summon something close to a deity-level creature for a movie."
"So, did Durin really summon this?" As a few archmages turned their eyes towards her, Rosa shook her head and said, "I don't know; Durin didn't tell me. But I doubt it. A creature of this magnitude is only conceivable in the realm of chaos. It's impossible for a Grand Mage like Durin to summon it. Brady, you should have the most informed opinion on this, right?"
Agreeing with Rosa, Archmage Brady of the Summoning Department nodded and said, "It's not possible. Neither the exceedingly high-tier summoning circle nor the enormous magic required to sustain it is within the capabilities of a Grand Mage, not even for me. It seems Durin harbors quite a few secrets unknown to us."
Hearing the summoning archmage's statement, the other archmages felt a profound sense of awe and intrigue.
Even though they didn't specialize in summoning, the archmages understood the formidable power required to summon such a massive and terrifying creature. They suspected that Durin might have backing from an existence far beyond their own capabilities.
"There are clearly still many secrets in this world that even we cannot unravel," Dean Hohenheim sighed, continuing, "Sometimes, it's best to pretend we're unaware. If the entity supporting Durin prefers to remain hidden, we should avoid exposing them. Otherwise, it wouldn't benefit either party."
"But, should we really do nothing? Anyone capable of summoning such a high-tier monster is unlikely to be a normal being," one archmage remarked.
Dean Hohenheim smiled and responded, "Does it really matter? The fact that they're helping Durin make a movie suggests they have no hostility toward us. As long as they aren't a threat to the world, like the former headmaster was, it's best for us mages not to take unnecessary actions. After all, we're seekers of truth, not like the fanatical extremists of the church."
"…"
Listening to Hohenheim's words, the gathered archmages eventually nodded in agreement.
As the pinnacle of human power, they understood that there were many entities in the world that humanity couldn't contend with. Often, pretending not to see was the wisest course of action; otherwise, it might invite unnecessary destruction.
Thus, the archmages ultimately chose to selectively forget about who might have summoned the lesser demon god, redirecting their focus back to the movie.
...
In the movie, the colossal sea monster summoned by Caster finally emerged from the thick mist. Fortunately, the dense fog obscured the view, limiting the locations where the monster could be seen, so most residents were unaware of this terrifying creature. However, as time went on, the sea monster would eventually invade the land, threatening to destroy the entire city. The implicit rule that the Holy Grail War must be conducted in secrecy was completely shattered.
"I underestimated this guy; I didn't expect him to summon so many monstrous creatures."
"No, no matter how powerful a servant is, there are limits to the quality of familiars they can summon and control. However, if you disregard controlling it after summoning, theoretically, any powerful monster can be summoned. All it takes is enough magic power and an expanded summoning circle."
"So that means the creature isn't under Caster's control?"
"That should be correct."
The conversation between Irisviel and Artoria highlighted how Caster managed to summon the gigantic sea monster. In response, Artoria clenched her fists in anger; her knightly honor couldn't accept the fact that an irrational monster was about to wreak havoc on the city.
Meanwhile, Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, approached with a smile.
"Hey, King of Knights, it's a beautiful night, isn't it? I'd love to chat, but it seems we don't have time for small talk."
"Conqueror, are you really making jokes at a time like this?"
"Come on, let's call a truce for tonight. I can't concentrate on fighting you with that gigantic thing running loose."
"Just you and me?"
"I've already called for Lancer, and he should be on his way."
"Understood."
Artoria nodded, solemnly placing her hand over her chest plate as she declared, "I have no objections to fighting alongside you, King of Conquerors. Even though it's a temporary alliance, let's pledge together."
"Heh, seems you're still sharp-minded when it comes to battle. What about your Master; does he have any objections?"
Seeing the Conqueror's demeanor, Waver, Iskandar's Master, quickly shook his head.
Irisviel also spoke up, "I have no objections. The Einzberns agree to the truce!"
Soon, Lancer Diarmuid and his Master arrived at the scene, and the group began strategizing.
"That guy's spellbook acts as an autonomous mana furnace. 'Prelati's Spellbook,' this extraordinary Noble Phantasm, has now become the heart of the sea monster along with Caster."
"But Caster's at the core of that mass. What should we do?"
"If we can separate his Noble Phantasm, I can use the Red Rose of Exorcism to destroy the spell."
"Lancer, can you target Caster's Noble Phantasm and throw your spear from the shore?"
"That's hardly a challenge," Lancer replied confidently.
"Alright, then Rider and I will take the front line. Is that okay with you, King of Conquerors?"
"No problem. My chariot needs no roads. Saber, how will you deal with enemies in the water?"
"I have the blessing of the Lady of the Lake. No body of water can hinder my advance."
"Oh, that's quite an unusual trait," Rider laughed boisterously, urging his bulls forward, as Waver, unprepared, cried out in surprise as they charged into battle.
Meanwhile, Artoria leapt into the river from the shore, running across the water's surface as she advanced toward the heart of the battle.
...
The scene on the screen sparked intense discussions, especially among the mages of the Imperial Mage Academy, who were already animatedly debating the unfolding events.
"I see, that's how Caster could summon such a massive sea monster. It's nearly unbelievable."
"Not needing to control it means not needing mana—makes a bizarre kind of sense."
"Does that mean we could summon such monsters too?"
"The Mage's Tower explicitly forbids untested summoning circles. If you want to be hunted by every mage, go right ahead."
"..."
"And Saber's ability is really something else—walking on water like that? Normal magic can't do that."
"Saber mentioned being blessed by the Lady of the Lake. Who or what is that?"
"I think if you master wind elemental magic, it might produce a similar effect."
The mages were fervently engaged, most of them thrilled by the epic battle about to unfold in the movie.
But what took them even more by surprise was the sudden appearance of two entirely black, bird-like contraptions etched with mysterious alchemical sigils on screen.
"Oh my gosh, what's that?!"
"Are those things flying?!"
The sight of these magical alchemical flying devices sent the audience, especially the mages, into a frenzy of excitement.
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