The Beginning of the War

Camelot, Royal Palace.

In a dim underground chamber, Merlin stood silently in her usual white wizard robe.

On the ground before her, a complex magic circle emitted a bloody glow.

Nero lay at the center of the magic circle, her eyes closed as if in peaceful slumber. She furrowed her brow, a hint of pain on her face as if trapped in a terrible nightmare.

"It's finally begun..."

Merlin lifted her head, her gaze piercing through the thick Wailing Wall, spanning kilometers, toward an army marching to Camelot.

"Almost there..." Merlin sighed softly.

 Originally, in her plan, this final stretch of time was supposed to be covered by Barghest.

The Gift of 'Fury' gave Barghest the ability to grow stronger with each kill. If Barghest could slay tens of thousands, she might have the combat power to rival a Grand Servant.

Even though she even made arrangements for it, that black dog just ran off without a second glance, lonely on a path to certain death.

'Was it to avoid more bloodshed...? Such foolish thinking, you're not even human...'

As Merlin thought that, she truly didn't know what Barghest ultimately wanted.

She could understand everything as if the world lay bare before her, yet the only thing she couldn't see through was people's hearts.

Because of this, whether humans or fairies, in her hands, they were no different from puppets.

Despite everything, there were always those who broke free from her strings, making moves even she couldn't predict.

What absolute foolishness.

"Prepare the army. Under no circumstances are those people to disturb His Majesty."

After Merlin gave an order, a pitch-blackness peeled away from her shadow, forming a tall figure clad in black armor, nodding slightly.

"As you command."

Merlin silently watched Nero's slumbering figure in the magic circle, her violet eyes devoid of emotion.

'At least this time, I won't allow anyone to interfere with him...'

===

As the sun rose on a new day, signaling the arrival of another, it also marked the countdown of this era moving forward by another notch.

From today onward, the doomsday clock will forever be frozen at this moment.

A majestic eight-legged horse stood at the forefront of the Holy Roman Empire's army, with a man of black hair and eyes mounted on it.

His gaze, piercing through the endless expanse of land, fixed upon a glorious white city.

Suddenly, a burst of pure white radiance ascended from above the white city.

A colossal silhouette slowly took shape, adorned in pristine silver armor, wielding a radiant lance. His gaze, as if tangible, passed through his helmets and settled upon the people in front of him.

"Lion King..."

Instantly, the gazes of every Servant turned solemn, instinctively tightening their grip on their weapons.

On the other hand, the Holy Roman Empire's soldiers couldn't help but bow their heads. Even if it was just a gaze, it was the gaze of a divine being, bearing a weight mortals like them could not withstand.

"Are you people here to challenge me?"

The Lion King's voice was calm, yet resonated like the tolling of a great bell in everyone's ears.

Many soldiers began to sweat profusely.

Were it not for the Servants standing before them, sharing the burden of pressure, they might have fled in fear by now.

Before a divine being, mortals were nothing but ants.

The eight-legged horse stepped forward, and Arkhan, looking at the silhouette of the Lion King with unwavering eyes, spoke up.

"No one has the right to deny humanity's future, even a god... is no exception."

Upon hearing that, the Lion King's gaze fell upon Arkhan, and after a long silence, he nodded gently.

"Then, let your sword be the proof in your hands, I will be waiting at the edge of the world for your arrival."

After saying that, the Lion King's silhouette vanished, and soon, the heavy iron gates of Camelot swung open.

A tall figure, clad in black armor, led thousands of knights charging forth like an endless tide, heading straight toward the army of the Holy Roman Empire.

"I leave them over to all of you." Arkhan spoke solemnly.

Ritsuka and the others nodded solemnly and led the Holy Roman Empire's army, charging forward.

"CHAAARGE—!!!"

The war had finally begun.

Red and white forces clashed with each other like ice meeting boiling oil, creating an intense reaction in an instant.

Clashing swords, roars, and screams—the deafening sounds resembled a grand symphony, escalating the atmosphere to its peak!

There was no need for understanding, let alone fake mercy.

This was a battle for survival, for the future, and for loyalty and faith. From the beginning, there was no room for any possibility of reconciliation.

They would fight, letting blood and fire vent their anger, letting their spear and sword determine the future.

The victor took all and the loser lost everything!

Both sides were consumed by rage, charging forward with the belief in death, even if comrades fell beside them, none chose to retreat.

In terms of scale, Camelot's knights undoubtedly outnumbered the Holy Roman Empire's soldiers, but with the addition of the Servants, the battle surprisingly shifted to a magical state of balance.

Atalanta's arrows pierced the sky, each taking the lives of several Camelot's knights.

Medusa moved through the battlefield like a ghost, her Mystic Eyes emitting the most powerful light ever seen in history, turning every knight she gazed upon into stone.

Asterios, wielding two massive axes, tore through Camelot's knights like a heavy tank, neither swords nor arrows could inflict effective damage on his body. Countless knights fell under his sharp axes as if they were fragile paper, blood and flesh raining down like a downpour.

===

Riding atop Sleipnir, Arkhan glanced around for a moment before diverting his gaze.

This wasn't his battlefield; he had more important matters to attend to.

He gazed once again at the towering white walls.

At the summit of the walls stood a woman in a flowing white robe, holding a staff, calmly observing him with an expression devoid of joy or sorrow.

Her violet eyes met his black eyes.

"Merlin..." Arkhan muttered and squinted his eyes slightly.

Indeed, just as he had suspected, this woman had truly given him a sense of danger from the moment they met.

"What a pity, my target isn't you either..."

*ROOOAAARRR—!!!*

As a majestic roar echoed, a graceful black dragon descended from the sky, its golden bell-like eyes locked onto Merlin, fury flickering within.