CHAPTER 4.6 - CLASH

Servant's Mockery made this cursed world with the help of their creator. It was supposed to be an incubator for their juvenile Beast and to ambush, then trap the servants here. Then just this afternoon, one of their other selves managed to drag two kids inside this world. At first, they were confused about why their other selves bothered to do that in the first place.

It didn't take them long to finally understand.

One of the kids, the girl, was their future Lesser Grail. This was quite a surprise, but not as mind-blowing as the other kid—a young boy who turned out to be the source of their problem, the master of the servants.

It was honestly so laughable. As soon as the boy entered this cursed world, the other servants all over the world ceased their activities at once. They found their fatal weakness, their Achilles' heel.

They then let the boy struggle, sending hordes of their other selves to chase him around. They thought that because the world cut every connection to the outside world, this would be easy. They were wrong.

The boy suddenly managed to somehow graft a Saint Graph of a servant onto his body. After that, he quickly disposed of their other selves with countless swords—a rain of steel that cut, sliced, and pierced their other selves like a hot knife through butter.

While their other selves that they sent consisted of the weaker ones, they certainly didn't expect the boy to handle them all. They then noticed something—the Beast was awakened. They pondered for a moment before letting the juvenile Beast do as it pleased.

Juvenile as it might be now, The Beast seemed to be too much for the young boy, as Mockery saw none of his attacks affected The Beast, not even the Broken Phantasm he used. But then the young girl from before suddenly also became able to graft—no, it was more like assimilated with something.

Mockery's eyes widened as they felt a divine energy surge around the girl. How surprising! A divine spirit had descended and used the girl's body as their vessel. They then watched as the girl rushed towards The Beast and helped the boy fight it.

Mockery's attention was now focused on the girl, but in hindsight, this might be their greatest mistake so far. The boy did something and summoned another world—his own world. The two worlds collided and tried to destroy and swallow each other. But then from this new world, they appeared—lines and rows of servants ready for battle.

Mockery clicked their tongue. This wouldn't do. They should have killed the boy as soon as possible, but now it was too late. Oh well, at least this was a good time for farming more Saint Graphs.

From the mud, numerous humanoid creatures rose up. Some were plain featureless creatures, but the rest eerily resembled some servants.

...

"Well, that is disturbing," a hooded man holding a crossbow grimaced as he caught sight of the dark red creatures. The ones they called The Shadows had taken on humanoid forms and even mimicked some of the servants' appearances.

The Chivalrous Thief, Robin Hood, tightened his grip on his weapon. Beside him, a smiling blond man cocked his revolver. Billy the Kid, The Outlaw of The Wild West, tipped his hat with a grin.

"So, the reports of them being able to take on servant forms were true, huh?" Billy observed.

Robin raised a single eyebrow. "It's weird; we usually encountered them as some sort of animals, not like this."

"Maybe they finally take us seriously now, animals, formless, human—what's the difference?" Billy shrugged his shoulders. "They'll fall after my bullet."

"Not if I shoot first," Robin taunted with a smirk.

Billy chuckled. "Oh, please, we all know that bullets beat your old wooden arrows any day, anytime. You should let go of the poison and the arrow; flashier gunpowder is the way to go nowadays."

"Nah, I'll pass."

"Your loss, stubborn lunkhead."

Without wasting any more time, the thief and the outlaw lunged towards the shadow creatures. Arrows and bullets at the ready. Poison that corroded and gunshots that annihilated anything in their path. The two archers tore through the enemy ranks with wild ferocity.

...

The two armies clashed. Arrows were shot, swords were swung, spears were thrust, and spells were cast. Chain explosions shook the ground several times, and the sky was covered by arrows raining down. Roars and howls of battle cries echoed throughout the battlefield.

In the middle of this, a young woman was running through the battlefield. She moved quickly and swiftly, maneuvering through the enemies' ranks like it was nothing. In her hand was a bow, gifted to her and blessed by her Goddess. She pulled her bowstrings, not all the way though, as she prioritized quick shots over power for now.

Volleys of arrows were unleashed by her. Most fell after they were hit, some survived but not for long as she rushed to them and delivered quick close takedowns herself. Her agility and speed were something she was proud of. Taking them down as quickly as possible became her modus operandi for this battle.

On top of her head, a set of lion's ears twitched; behind her, a lion's tail swayed in anger.

The Chaste Huntress, Atalanta, was furious. There weren't many things that could make her this livid, not even the advance of a certain green-haired rider would make her feel like this. She answered the summon for a simple reason.

To help her young master.

To her, children were precious. They should be protected, taught, and loved. To see a young child burdened with fighting against All the World's Evil was disheartening. She immediately accepted the summon solely to help him and all the children across the world.

And yet...

These monstrous shadows dared to take away her master. They forced her master to survive in this cursed land and even went as far as to hurt him.

How despicable.

Powered by her anger, she pulled her bowstrings to their limit and released it. The arrow that was shot flew so fast it broke the sound barrier. Numerous shadows in its path were instantly obliterated. She heard something from behind; immediately, she turned around with bow and arrow ready.

Another humanoid shadow appeared from the ground, lunging at her. Just before she could react, the shadow's body was shot by multiple arrows and fell down. She glanced at the direction the arrows came from. A centaur galloped toward her.

"Chiron, your help is unnecessary...but thanks."

The centaur offered her a warm smile. "Quell your anger, Atalanta. Blindly charging in would never be a good idea for us, Archer."

"...fine," Atalanta huffed.

It was well-known that Atalanta had a general distrust towards men, except for a few. Chiron was one of the few men whom she could trust and had a somewhat friendly relationship. She respected the famed Teacher of Heroes not only because of his teaching but also his skills.

Seriously, how in the world was shooting one arrow with another an easy task? Chiron had made it sound trivial - just calculate the speed and position.

"It seems we've got some company, and... oh?" Chiron was surprised by what he saw. He then pulled his bowstring.

Atalanta turned her head and saw another horde of shadows rise up from the ground. At first, she saw nothing different from that horde, but then her eyes fell on one specific shadow. A shadow of her that copied everything down to her bow.

"They copy your appearance, how cute," Chiron said jokingly.

Fine, no more holding back. Atalanta focused her senses and tensed her body. Her bow was ready for action. How dare these creatures take on her looks!

Atalanta stomped the ground hard and rushed towards the hordes in a blurry speed. Behind her, Chiron sighed as he soon followed behind her.

...

Hissing of steam could be heard, followed by the sounds of the Shadows being butchered. Rows of armored suits of steel marched forward, their weapons cleaving through the shadows without any mercy. Hot steam was exuded by the suits every now and then.

Though the armored suits marched without stopping, the Shadows didn't back down. They ferociously fought back, scattering steel as they ripped some of the armored suits apart. Some shadows even managed to engulf the suits, infiltrating their insides and taking over control.

Then, from behind, a rumble of dirt was heard before something appeared, flanking the Shadows.

Molded beings created from stone and bronze, an attempt to reproduce God's mystery to create mankind. They were Golems, specifically made through mankind's mystery. Solomon ibn Gabirol, also known as Avicebron, the one who coined the name Kabbalah, stood behind the Golems he created.

"What an interesting... golem you made there," said Avicebron as he looked at the armored suits.

Not far from him, stood an armored suit similar to the one battling the Shadows but bigger and adorned with more intricate details.

Charles Babbage, the father of the computer, let out a hiss of steam. "Not a golem..."

The two Caster-class servants stood side by side, supervising their creations' actions against the shadows. The Shadows were relentless in their attack, but the combined force of both Avicebron's Golems and Charles's armored suit automatons proved to be undeterred.

Avicebron thought this battle happened too quickly for his liking. Of course, it wasn't anybody's fault except for the Shadows. Ideally, he wanted to be more prepared; his current situation left him with fewer Golems than he preferred at his disposal. He couldn't even use Adam yet, as he still needed to work on him.

Meanwhile, Charles silently mused as his creations tore apart the Shadows. As one of the more "modern" Heroic Spirits, his overall strength was considerably lower than older Heroic Spirits. He had to rely more on his ingenuity to make up for this situation. His armored suits, his automatons, were his answer.

With the help of like-minded servants, they created an army of armored steels that could be deployed at a moment's notice. He designed and created the base for the suits.

He called them Helter Skelter.

Avicebron's Golems and Charles's Helter Skelter suits were one of the servants' attempts to combat the ever-growing numbers of Shadows prowling around the world.

...

Sakura was locked in a fierce battle—no, more like stalling—against The Beast, giving her senpai the time he needed. Suddenly, to her utter astonishment, he somehow summoned... a world? From it emerged numerous servants, ready to join the fray. The mystery of how the servants were here and how her senpai had summoned them eluded her. Meanwhile, an ominous surge of humanoid dark red creatures, reminiscent of the one she had encountered before, emerged from the ground.

'Hey, focus on our battle first!' Kama's commanding voice resounded in her head.

Startled, Sakura refocused her attention, witnessing The Beast leaping into the air and lunging towards her with alarming speed. She skillfully evaded the massive creature with a swift slide, dodging its ferocious attack.

"Ah, right, sorry."

Summoning her strength, Sakura drew back the sugarcane bowstrings and launched a flower arrow that split into several ethereal purple beams of attack. The onslaught, unfortunately, did little more than infuriate The Beast further. Even Kama's Noble Phantasm barely left a mark on its scales.

'Hold on for a moment; reinforcements are on their way. We also need to divert this serpent's attention from the other servants,' Kama strategized within Sakura's mind.

Nodding with determination, Sakura adapted to her new task. She skillfully led The Beast away from the group, sliding gracefully through the muddy ground while firing arrows with pinpoint accuracy at her relentless pursuer. However, to her horror, it seemed The Beast had reached its limit, gathering immense energy within its maw.

Recognizing this as the same devastating attack The Beast had unleashed on her senpai earlier, Sakura knew she couldn't withstand it. Just as the monstrous energy was about to erupt into a catastrophic blast...

'Ah, here they come.'

With perfect timing, The Beast's gaping mouth was forcibly sealed shut as a long spear pierced its upper and lower jaws together. A magnificent blue beam followed, striking The Beast's head with unyielding force. The beam transformed into a dazzling orb of celestial light, enveloping The Beast's head entirely. From the heavens above, countless azure beams resembling falling stars homed in on the radiant orb of light. In mere seconds, The Beast was bombarded from all angles, its howls of pain echoing through the battlefield.

Stunned by the awe-inspiring display of power, Sakura witnessed two figures descending gracefully from the sky, landing near her. One was a dark-skinned man wielding an enormous bow, and the other had long, unkempt white hair. The white-haired man effortlessly summoned and retrieved the spear that had sealed The Beast's mouth.

"To think we'd be fighting together...," the dark-skinned man remarked with a small smile.

"Side by side, huh? A first for us," replied the white-haired man.

Sakura then felt Kama taking control of her body. "Heh, Surya's and Indra's brats! Finally, what took you two so long?"

"Now, this is an unexpected encounter," the dark-skinned man, Arjuna, son of the Hindu God Indra, looked intently at Kama. "I didn't anticipate your presence here, Lord—no, Lady Kama."

"Apologies for the delay; we arrived as quickly as possible," the white-haired man, Karna, son of the Hindu God Surya, bowed slightly to Kama.

Kama waved her hand dismissively at the two Mahabharata heroes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now, could you two handle this snake, please? I believe I've done my part for today."

Before them, The Beast roared in both anger and pain, its head visibly wounded by Arjuna's and Karna's surprise attacks. With resolve in their eyes, the two formidable heroes readied themselves for battle.

"It shall be done," Karna responded firmly.

Arjuna nodded, his bow taut and steady. "Very well."

Karna, the Son of the Sun God, the invulnerable Indian hero, stood undaunted before The Beast. His surroundings ignited in flames as he tightly gripped his spear. Revered as one of the world's strongest servants, Karna's power, skills, and weaponry were unparalleled. If anyone could bring down The Beast, it was him.

With his spear raised, Karna charged valiantly at The Beast, leaving behind blazing trails and scorching the earth beneath his feet.

Arjuna, the Son of the Thunder God, the Hero of Charity, and one of the five Pandavas, stood steadfast and resolute. A master archer, he was renowned not only for his unparalleled skill with the bow but also for his capacity to love and be loved in return. With his bow drawn to its absolute limits, his unwavering gaze held the promise of unerring precision and calculated strategy.

The arrow was released, and with it, the might of The Endowed Hero.

Curious about the two formidable figures, Sakura couldn't help but ask Kama, 'Umm, do you know them?'

"Hmm, you could say that," Kama replied nonchalantly. "Anyway, now that they're here, let's retreat for now."

Sakura was taken aback by Kama's decision. 'Don't you want to help? Aren't you worried about them?'

"Hahahaha... no," Kama glanced at the two Mahabharata heroes before smirking. "Let them fight."

...

Mockery frowned; well, this simply wouldn't do.

The tide of battle seemed to be slowly shifting in favor of the servants, who had managed to hold their ground against their other selves and even push them back. Even their juvenile Beast was fiercely engaged by two servants who fought it to a stalemate.

There was a tempting option, they could mobilize more of their other selves to morph into servants using their Saint Graphs data. Such a maneuver could turn the tide of war in their favor. However, Mockery narrowed their eyes in thought. No, now was not the time for that.

Aside from the fact that it would drain their stored magical energy within a matter of minutes, it would also severely deplete the supply of magical energy they had been channeling to The Beast. It was an unfortunate situation they were in, but one positive aspect of this battle was the abundance of Saint Graph data they acquired in a short period of time.

Nevertheless, something had to be done to tip the scales back in their favor.

Humming thoughtfully, Mockery struck upon an idea. They promptly contacted their creator and requested to borrow a particular doll for this crucial battle. The message was promptly received, and the requested doll was sent directly to this world.

In a mesmerizing display, a swirling shadow materialized in the midst of the ongoing battle, revealing a black iron-clad knight who took a resolute step forward.

Mockery hoped that this doll would prove to be a useful asset in their endeavor.

....

In the summoned world, within the Reality Marble known as the Throne of Heroes, Shirou found himself seated on the grass, surrounded by several servants. Some stood guard, while others tended to his injuries. One servant in robes handed him pills and a vial, instructing him to drink them. When he asked about their purpose, the response was rather dubious.

"Just do as I say. Why? Because I know better than you," the servant replied.

Then he went on his way... to somewhere.

Okay...?

Then there was a nurse in crimson attire who approached him, patting his body all over and staring at him intently. After a moment, she nodded to herself and said with a deadpan tone,

"We need to amputate your limbs to prevent infection."

"E-Excuse me? Amputate my what?!" Shirou exclaimed.

It took a couple of other servants to held her back from carrying out her unsettling suggestion. Another servant pointed out that there might be many injured servants in the cursed world, urging her to go and attend to them.

And she did just that.

Huh... Okay then.

As he was being tended to, Shirou noticed a swirling shadow looming in the distance. From within the swirling shadow emerged a figure adorned in black armor. In her hands was a black sword that...

Shirou's vision blurred. His connection to the servant that granted him their power was still there, and because of that, he could use Structural Grasp from afar. He saw the sword.

And it was wrong.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong,

That sword, it wasn't supposed to be like that!

...

"This must be some sick joke," Mordred sneered, standing defiantly near the swirling shadow from before.

With a mechanical sound, her helmet split open, dramatically revealing her fierce expression. Her intense frown and piercing glare were evident to all who laid eyes on her. Before her loomed the one who emerged from the shadow, someone she knew all too well.

A face that mirrored her own, but with an unsettling pallor reminiscent of sickness. Golden eyes that coldly pierced through the surroundings. An ominous black armor pulsating with sickening red veins. And clutched in her hands, a sword that once sang the triumph of promised victory for its wielder, now tainted and devoid of its original light.

Mordred gritted her teeth, tightly clutching Clarent, her sword. "I've been waiting for you to come, but this isn't the reunion I expected. Tell me..."

She shot a wrathful glare, her voice seething with emotion, "What the hell happened to you, father?"

The Once and Future King, Artoria Pendragon, gazed at Mordred with an air of indifference.