Chapter - 22

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Chapter - 22:  Sefar?

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[Ryuudou Temple]

[Third Person]

"Magnificent..." echoed through the empty remains of the mountain as the sounds of applause resonated. The temple lay in ruins, obliterated into dust, as if two stars had collided.

Nobunaga, who harbored a deep aversion to gods and cults, found immense satisfaction in this sight. As the Demon King of the Six Heavens, she couldn't tolerate their existence any longer.

The humans had grown strong enough to thrive without the interference of arrogant deities. The era of the gods had long passed, bringing her great joy.

Raising a hand, Nobunaga clapped it against the other, gazing into the distance with a glint in her crimson eyes. "Such a weapon, capable of causing such devastation, halted so effortlessly... I can't help but desire him by my side; he would be a valuable addition to my armies."

Nobunaga seemingly grasped at thin air, a smile adorning her face as she reminisced about the handsome silver-haired youth who had wielded a blood-red spear to nullify the power of a divine spirit's weapon.

It was as if a literal star had halted the colossal spear descending from the heavens, only to shatter it completely. And given the absence of prana fluctuations, it seemed more like a weapon or skill rather than magic.

However, for the time being, the Demon King had grown weary of the ongoing charade. She spoke with a solemn tone, addressing the person before her who seemed unwilling to depart.

Karl der Große, overwhelmed by frustration at the savagery that had transpired, offered prayers for all those who had been affected. The thought of how many lives had been lost infuriated him, yet he felt utterly powerless, given the vast distance that separated him from the events. 

"Lord, grant me strength," he beseeched, closing his eyes and folding his hands in prayer.

"You've become quite bothersome!" Nobunaga simply waved her hand, unleashing a deluge of scarlet flames that consumed everything in their path, leaving only ash behind. A volley of gunshots followed in the wake of the fiery destruction.

Tethering to this particular leyline would prove impractical for the duration of the Holy Grail War. Thus, Archer redirected his attention toward the most substantial source of magical energy he could discern.

Nobunaga, her frustration mounting as she grappled with her limitations, found herself compelled to locate a Master to sustain her participation in the Holy Grail War.

"I extend the same offer to you, Sovereign. Remove yourself from my presence!" The Demon King of the Sixth Heaven began to fade into her spiritual form as she departed, fully aware that she too required a more reliable source of prana to regain her mobility.

Karl der Große gripped the broadsword in his hands and silently observed as Nobunaga's figure dissolved into the distance. He had chosen not to pursue her further, for too many lives had already been lost.

[Interlude]

[Secondary Villa of the Saijou Family]

[Ayaka Saijou Pov]

"Why was all this happening to me?" I couldn't help but think as I gazed down at my right hand, marked with a symbol signifying my participation in the Holy Grail War.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips. "Why, out of all the people in the world, would fate grant such an opportunity to someone as seemingly useless as me?"

Recalling those haunting blue eyes and that deceptive angelic smile, which concealed her sinister nature and sent shivers down my spine, I muttered, "My little monster of a sister is participating, and it's nearly impossible for me to emerge victorious... In fact, it's more likely that she'll kill me just to use my remains for her Formalcraft ."

It wasn't enough to be discarded by my own father due to my lackluster talents as a Magus and to live perpetually in the shadow of Manaka, as if I were invisible, utterly inconsequential.

From my earliest memories, I'd harbored a deep-seated fear of her. I still remembered that fateful day when I first laid eyes on her, a realization dawning upon me as I beheld her diminutive form: I could never hope to stand on equal footing with her.

She was an unequivocally superior being, one who cared only for her personal amusement, regardless of the suffering it inflicted upon others.

And most of all, it wasn't a pleasant experience to endure that daily look of superiority, as if he were constantly measuring me against a mere pet, a reminder that he held the power to crush me at any moment.

In the end, I was cast aside by my father, with the simple excuse that I could become a target during the war, and that this decision was in the best interest of our family...

But I wasn't willing to wither away in obscurity, unnoticed by the world. I had my pride, and I refused to let it be disregarded.

"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone."

The magic circle grew even brighter, and I continued to recite the incantation while channeling Prana into it.

"The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg. The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.

Shut (fill).

Shut (fill).

Shut (fill).

Shut (fill).

Shut (fill).

Repeat every five times.

Simply, shatter once filled.

――――I announce.

Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword.

In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.

Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead. You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――!"

As I completed the line, the area around me erupted in blinding light, forcing me to avert my gaze momentarily. In that moment, my right hand seared with a brief but intense burst of pain as my command spells took form.

"Ahh..." I couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, tumbling backward onto the ground, my eyes widening as I beheld the figure that had materialized before me.

A breathtaking tan-skinned girl with striking red eyes and cascades of white hair, like delicate veils beneath her actual white veil, stood before me. Her body bore the marks of battle, adorned with tattoos that added a unique allure, impossible to ignore. She was the epitome of exotic beauty, the kind that could drive men to wage entire wars just for a fleeting glance.

"My name is Altera... I am the Hun, and I am a warrior in service to the God of War."

[Picture ---> Altera]

Her crimson eyes fixated on me, as if gauging my reaction, expecting me to cower in her presence. However, my shock at what I had managed to summon eclipsed any fear I should have felt.

"T-Thank you for accepting my summons," I stammered, mustering the courage to meet her gaze as my eyes widened at the sheer power emanating from her.

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Name: Altera

Strength: B

Endurance: A

Agility: A

Mana: B

Luck: A

NP: A+

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Class Skills:

Magic Resistance: B

Riding: A

Divinity: B

Civilization Erosion: EX

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Personal Skills:

Tactics: B

Natural Body: D→EX

Crest of the Star EX

Scourge of God: A

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Noble Phantasm:

Photon Ray: A

Teardrop Photon Ray: A++

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"W-What's with these astonishing statistics and your otherworldly abilities?" I was genuinely taken aback by the plethora of powers this girl possessed right before my eyes.

What in the world had I summoned? I was fairly certain I had used the standard chant to summon a Saber, but the being before me was far beyond anything I had anticipated...

Seeing that I remained silent, the girl tilted her head in an endearing manner. "I'll handle the dirty work without needing words. I'm a fighter, a savage killing machine. Use me as you see fit... That's who I am, Master..."

I didn't quite grasp the meaning behind her words. "I-I understand. I'll do my best to utilize you to your fullest potential, Attila." However, instead of a response, I received only silence and a look of indifferent and quite frightening, leaving me baffled about what I had done wrong.

"It's Altera. I'd prefer if you didn't call me Attila. I'm not fond of that name. It...doesn't sound...cute..." She spoke in a monotone voice that sent a slight tremor through my body, causing me to nod hastily.

"Oh, I see!"

Our conversation was abruptly interrupted as Altera turned her head with obvious intensity, sensing something ominous approaching. "Master, a Servant is drawing near... I will eliminate him"

Everything was unfolding rapidly, and my mind struggled to keep up. I could only place my trust in my Servant. "I trust you, Saber. Do what you must, for both of us."

"Are you giving me an order? Hmph, interesting," Saber muttered, a faint smile gracing her lips as she took a few steps forward, positioning herself protectively in front of me.

Simultaneously, at a bewildering speed that I could not comprehend, a female figure materialized before me.  A petite girl with ebony hair trimmed with moles and piercing red eyes, dressed in a military uniform. wielding a sword that was pointed in my direction. 

"I am the Demon Archer Nobunaga, the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven!!! Very well... I shall permit you to be my Master!!!"

"Eh?!"

It appeared that my journey in this Holy Grail War hadn't exactly kicked off on the best note.

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A/N: I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Tell me what you think of the story with lots of comments to let me know what you think and what you would like to see or even some improvements I could make.

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Assassin - ???

Berserker - Morgan (Lostbelt)

Saber - Altera 

Lancer -???

Rider -???

Archer - Oda Nobunaga 

Caster - ???

Ruler - Karl der Große