[FDJ]Chapter 92: Night of Madness (Part 2)

Studying the wooden chessboard on the table, Richard glanced at Caster sitting across from him, holding bone chess pieces. "Is this your first time playing chess?"

"Master, there was no chess in ancient Greek mythology. In the era I come from, there were many ritualistic props, but most of them had religious and ceremonial purposes and couldn't have evolved into entertainment game tools," Caster replied. He didn't put all his focus on playing chess with his Master; he was still controlling his snake familiar and paying attention to the movements of their Berserker.

Just like now, Richard's Knight chess piece, which advanced recklessly, fell into the trap of Caster's chess pieces.

"Don't worry, Caster. I've already dispatched another one to provide support," Richard said as he moved his knight-shaped chess piece forward a few squares, his gaze then falling on the opponent's corresponding chess piece.

The same response.

"Master, may I speak freely?" Caster asked.

"Go ahead. You are my strategist, and when it comes to magic and insight, I am far inferior to you."

After Caster put down his chess piece, he continued, "Who summoned those monsters from another world? The distortion and madness of the monsters can spread like a disease in a certain sense, and war is an excellent catalyst."

"That's why I'm not in a hurry to go to war with Saladin's army, even if victory is within reach."

"No, what I mean is instead of directly searching for the summoner, why don't we suspect who might be behind all this mischief? Not many people are capable of orchestrating such a big event." Caster had long had his suspicions, but his previous work was not closely related to this matter, so he didn't focus his attention on it. Magus doesn't care about the lives of ordinary people, and some Servants are the same. There is no contradiction between saving the injured people around them and turning a blind eye to the increasing danger in the distance.

His snake familiar spread throughout the entire area, and while it couldn't track down the summoner, it was effortless to trace the clues leading to the summoner. With the clues they had obtained, they could quickly narrow down the suspects and easily apprehend the summoner who had summoned those unidentified monsters. All it took was for him to decide to do so.

Richard nodded in response. Previously, he had been more focused on Saladin's summoned Servants, and because his mother had been summoned as a Servant, he hadn't paid much attention to the appearance of the strange monsters. "After tonight's battle, we will immediately capture the troublemaker magus. I'm curious to know who would dare to summon monsters from another world in the territory of the Holy City."

"Has Master figured it out already?"

"Through the Holy Grail, I have gained knowledge of future history, including the fact that, under normal circumstances, we will fail in the Battle of Hattin and that certain troublemakers will be personally beheaded by Saladin. This war, in name, was provoked by that troublemaker. I recall his family practicing the Shadow Magecraft lineage. And through marriage, he has gained a considerable amount of territory and magic Crests? We don't need to gather evidence; it's most likely that guy. After all, if I were in his position, I would be cowering under the bed right now, terrified. Not only does he have to worry about Saladin and his 100,000-strong army from Egypt wanting his head, but many people in Jerusalem also want to exchange his head for an end to the war."

"According to Archer's report, this person has been frequenting the palace lately, which contradicts your inference."

"That means there's something fishy going on. After tonight's battle ends and at dawn, directly send your snake familiar to capture him. Archer can provide support within the city. Even if he's not the one, it wouldn't hurt to use his head to deceive Saladin."

Richard continued his chess game with Caster, exuding confidence in tonight's battle. So what if high-level monsters appeared? No monster could defeat Berserker; after all, the Berserker he summoned this time was the guardian of the Holy Sepulchre who led the first Crusade. Apart from his brother, Rider, the remaining four Servants combined were no match for Berserker.

Making a bold move like sacrificing a pawn in the chess game seemed extremely reckless, but in the face of absolute strength, tactics were simply unnecessary. It appeared as if an ambush had been set up, allowing the opponent to counter-ambush. In reality, the Servant sent to the front lines, whether Richard or the opponent fell into the trap, once the battle erupted, the outcome would be determined. It could only be Berserker's victory, and along with it, the high-level monsters that had appeared in the area would be eliminated. Richard had great confidence in Berserker; he didn't trust reputations, but when it came to absolute-level strength, there was no room for criticism.

...

Quietly approaching the second village, the elderly knight Don Quixote sensed the magical presence of a Servant. A sword beam, accompanied by undeniable divine power, swept through the ruins of the houses, seemingly accompanied by a multi-tentacled monster.

"Heathens! Yet another one! Ahh... Your crimes shall receive just judgment!!!"

Surrounded by about ten distorted monsters, the sword-wielding warrior stood proudly on the slope, clad in full armor that resembled a robotic figure. His hands and armor naturally emitted a holy light, shining like fireflies in the night and posing a threat to the surrounding monsters.

Amidst his wild ravings, the warrior roared and used his sword to fend off the charge of a black giant beast, overpowering it with his strength and forcing it to the ground.

Releasing a sword beam at close range, the warrior eviscerated the giant beast, causing blood and dust to scatter in all directions. The divine light automatically protected the warrior from the corrosive properties within the beast's blood.

In a flash of light, all the blood on the warrior's body evaporated, and his armor regained its pristine condition.

His sanctity was inviolable, and in his crazed eyes, both humans and monsters fell into two categories—heathens and believers of the Lord. The former would be judged without exception.

The divine light swept towards the approaching Don Quixote. In an instant, the sword beam swept towards the entrance of the village. Don Quixote dodged in time, avoiding the devastating "cleave" attack.

"Heathens! You appear one after another! Why have you not yet realized your crimes and shamelessly continue to live!" The warrior suddenly charged towards the nearest large tree. The animate tree extended all its branch-like limbs in an attempt to hinder him, but the holy light easily penetrated the tree's trunk.

With a swift turn, the warrior severed more blood from the broken tree, continuing his duty of purging the heathens. For his Lord, he passed judgment upon all enemies who defied the will of the Lord. The darkness of the night couldn't take away his radiance, and the twisted and monstrous presence throughout the village couldn't erode him. He was immensely powerful, standing alone.

Eyes, tentacles, pus, bloody masses... The remnants of these monsters, mixed with mud, sand, and broken stones, covered the entire village as if it had been plowed. The sight was enough to drive a sane person mad, but it didn't capture attention as much as the undefeated warrior among them. Don Quixote felt that this warrior was a truly incomprehensible presence. The monsters may have had bizarre appearances, completely different from the creatures of this world, but it was the warrior's sword techniques that made him seem unbeatable.

Advantages in terms of compatibility and restraint may not necessarily bridge the gap. It was like asking a cat to evaluate a griffon-like rat; it would be impossible to defeat the opponent. This thought, more terrifying than the crazy scene itself, "infected" Don Quixote and immediately made him consider fleeing.

"And... there are heretics!" The berserker slowly turned around, facing the elderly knight who had dodged his sword beam. His madness was fully revealed through the gaps in his helmet. Perhaps sensing the presence of a Servant, influenced by his Master's command, or simply because he believed that the other was more worthy of fighting, he pointed his sword at Don Quixote, and a muffled and chaotic voice came from under the helmet.

"Berserker. Guardian of the Holy Tomb, defender of the holy city in the name of my Lord. Heretic, state your name!"

"Master, do not approach this village. Find a safe place to hide. The Servant here is particularly strong!" Don Quixote did not engage in battle. Through the connection of their contract, he immediately warned his Master and turned his head to flee.

Seeing that his respected enemy ignored his invitation to duel, Berserker's helmet emitted a fierce glare as he searched the surroundings. He felt that his honor had been insulted. He had thought he had encountered a courageous heretic, but he turned out to be a timid nobody.

"Fleeing? A meaningless act of cowardice!"

Gripping his sword with both hands, Berserker didn't bother to chase after him. He raised his large sword high, and his entire body radiated a divine light. The monsters that had surrounded him sensed the danger and began to retreat and dodge.

But these actions are meaningless.

"The Holy City stands at the end (The Endless Crusades)!!!"

The radiance of the holy city suddenly appeared above this ravaged village. After the previous battle, the village still managed to retain a complete remnant, but now it was different.

In the direction pointed by Berserker's sword, the divine light instantly cleared everything along its path. Monsters, houses, trees, weeds... everything that could be named disappeared without a trace after the light dissipated. It was as if a divine judgment had descended, declaring that their existence contradicted the will of the gods. Half of the village, the over-kilometer-long forest, and the hills all "vanished."

Except for an elderly knight lying on the charred ground, looking unable to stand up.

Lowering his greatsword, Berserker glanced at the motionless monsters, paying them no further attention. He then walked towards the fallen Don Quixote, who was struggling to get up.

"Why?! Why do you reject the divine judgment?!" Berserker had thought that his opponent would be obliterated by his Noble Phantasm, even when he used only half of its power. He had stopped to minimize damage to the environment. However, the result left him extremely dissatisfied. The heretical Servant still existed, albeit lying severely injured on the ground, tarnishing his honor.

"Get up! Get up quickly, and I'll give you another chance to duel!" Berserker stopped at a distance of about 20 meters from Don Quixote, waiting for the elderly knight on the ground to respond.

A momentary flash of magical light passed over Don Quixote's body, and he suddenly disappeared from the spot.

After a moment of silence, Berserker erupted with even greater anger. The monsters that were already intimidated and unable to move became the targets of his subsequent outburst.

One by one, he mercilessly slaughtered all of these creatures with his greatsword. And, of course, after killing these monsters, he would continue to chase down the fleeing heretic. The heretic must be completely eradicated!