Chapter 23. Treading Water

I Will Eventually Embark on the Path of No Return Called a Hero [Arc2] - 23. Treading Water

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"It really did make quite a commotion."

Cyd stood atop the clock tower, looking down at the city shrouded in mist.

"Your approach was not wrong, but it was a bit reckless."

The crimson lightning effectively cleared the mist around Mordred, revealing Jack's figure. Once Assassin had to face her opponent directly, her advantage was greatly reduced.

However, the mist did more than just conceal Jack's movements; from a certain perspective, Mordred was also hidden within it. Clearing the mist did remove Jack's advantage, but it also made Mordred more conspicuous, like a target.

"Indeed, a bit reckless," Chiron said as he drew his bow.

"Teacher, are you planning to deal with Assassin as well?" Cyd raised an eyebrow. "She should be one of your allies, right?"

"From my personal perspective, I'm not very willing to share space with her," Chiron sighed. "No matter how pitiable her appearance might be, it can't hide the resentment she harbors. Not only does she kill magicians to replenish her mana, but she also mutilates the bodies unnecessarily. My master feels the same way."

He still remembered the expressions of those victims, who likely endured a great deal of pain before dying.

"I'll leave now. If I stay any longer, some village girl might get upset," Cyd stretched lazily. "And… teacher, thank you for the gift."

With that, Cyd leaped into the mist.

"Indeed, you're still alive. That's great," Chiron smiled, his heart finally at ease. The decision made back then was correct.

The Holy Grail War could not be lost now. Chiron felt a rare surge of excitement.

"Saber!!!"

Sisigou roared as he detected the breach in the barrier.

Mordred, who was engaged with Jack, immediately pushed Jack back with a sword and looked around. Her master was an experienced individual, and every action he took was purposeful. Mordred's instincts made her feel a shiver down her spine.

She was being targeted, but where could someone target her in the midst of the mist?

Mordred looked up at the highest point of the city—the clock tower—where a tall figure was drawing a bow and aiming at her.

A storm struck suddenly.

"Hmph, it's the black faction's Archer?"

An arrow shot from the darkness accurately struck Chiron's arrow aimed at Mordred, while Jack was thrown off by Chiron's arrow but quickly retreated into the mist.

The mist began to dissipate, and Assassin from the black faction withdrew, but the battle for the night had only just begun.

"Hey, don't meddle, Archer!" Mordred waved her sword in dissatisfaction. "That guy is mine."

"Your opponent is here," Atalanta landed on the roof of a nearby building.

"Hmm?" Mordred looked towards the end of the street, where, at some point, a girl in a wedding-like dress with a hammer had appeared.

"I'll handle the black faction's Archer," Atalanta took an arrow from her quiver and aimed at Chiron on the clock tower.

"Tsk, don't order me around!" Mordred shouted in displeasure and then charged towards Frankenstein.

"Ah, I didn't expect you to target me," Chiron said, placing an arrow on his bow with some headache.

Atalanta, the most famous female hunter of Greece, had a complicated relationship with her student Cyd—partners, married couple, hunter and prey. Atalanta had even chased Cyd to the underworld. In many ways, she was formidable.

"So my opponents are the two of you?" Sisigou looked at the sibling duo with a headache, wondering why he had to face two instead of one.

"If you leave immediately, we won't pursue you," Fiore's magical attire, which looked quite intimidating, slowly unfolded. Its spider-like limbs supported her body flexibly.

"You think… I'll just leave obediently?" Sisigou began searching for cover.

"Of course not, but without this, I'd find it hard to make up my mind," Fiore replied with a smile.

"Alright then," Sisigou set his shotgun aside.

"Hm? Are you planning to leave?" Fiore looked puzzled, wasn't it said he wouldn't just leave?

"Watch out, sister!"

Caules, ever vigilant, tackled Fiore, while a huge crack appeared in the wall behind them. The debris from the crack hit Caules on the back of the head, causing him to pass out.

"No way, you managed to dodge that? Miss Medusa, you wouldn't be holding back, would you?" Sisigou stroked his chin.

Setting aside his weapon didn't mean surrendering but rather that he no longer needed to act.

"Mm," Medusa, dragging a scythe that was too large for her frame, emerged from behind Sisigou.

"This destructive power," Fiore held Caules tightly, the mechanical arms on her back supporting them as they stood up.

The crack in the wall made Fiore's expression stiff. "Could it be a Servant?"

"It seems your intelligence isn't particularly accurate. You don't even know what kind of monster has infiltrated the red faction's master," Sisigou leisurely lit a cigarette.

"—Iron Arm of War, firing order!"

The mechanical arms behind Fiore fully extended, making the sound of bullets being chambered. But before it could attack, a cold light sliced through its body.

"Clang—"

The imposing mechanical arm crashed heavily to the ground. Fiore's eyes widened as Medusa, who had somehow appeared in front of her, stared at her with an expressionless face.

"—Arm of Protection, intercept order!"

Fiore gritted her teeth and continued to operate her magical attire, with another mechanical arm reaching for Medusa's neck.

At this distance, you can't wield that scythe!

Medusa glanced calmly at the menacing mechanical arm and slowly raised her hand to grab it.

Accompanied by a cringe-worthy metal distortion sound, the imposing mechanical arm began to twist under Medusa's delicate hand.

"Wow~" Sisigou clapped his hands. "Thinking about facing you after defeating the black faction makes me want to go home."

Using a Command Seal…

Fiore instinctively glanced at the back of her hand. Her only chance of survival was to call Chiron, who was fighting the red faction's Archer. But given the speed Medusa had just shown, did she really have a chance to use the Command Seal?

"Victory is divided; you should leave," Medusa tapped Fiore's tightly-wound forehead with the tip of her scythe.

"Eh?" The cold touch made Fiore shiver.

"Eh!" Sisigou's mouth dropped open as a cigarette fell to the ground.

Weren't you trying to take them out? What was the point of that terrifying attack earlier?

"Why?" Fiore's face was full of complexity.

"It's not the right time yet," Medusa dragged her scythe and left the shadows.

Sisigou blinked and instinctively reached for his shotgun. With Fiore's magical attire damaged and her brother unconscious, she was essentially a burden. Did this mean he could get a double kill?

Noticing Sisigou's small movements, Fiore's expression immediately turned tense.

"Forget it, why should I be a lackey for that guy?" Sisigou scratched his head and put the half-drawn shotgun back.

Winning by picking up the pieces amidst the red and black factions' brawls was his strategy. He couldn't let the black faction suffer losses just yet.

"See you next time, little girl~" Sisigou bent down to pick up the still-burning cigarette from the ground and waved at Fiore. "You two are good, but neither is suited to be a magician."

Fiore sighed in relief and gently patted the unconscious Caules's head.

"Fool."

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