C67

"Caster, are you planning to trap him with your Noble Phantasm?" asked Iskandar. He was the only one who had truly seen the full extent of Shirou's Unlimited Blade Works.

"That's right," replied Shirou. "Only my Unlimited Blade Works can suppress his massive self-detonation."

"What a pain," groaned Iskandar, "I feel like a side character for the first time. So, what do you need me to do? Just tell me."

"Caster," said Artoria, "if you need the power of my sword, just ask. I may not be good at strategy or calculations, but I excel in warfare and defeating enemies. My sword is at your disposal."

Diarmuid chimed in, "The same goes for these spears."

Shirou nodded in understanding. "Heroes, I appreciate your support. But first, Irisviel," he turned to her, "do you have contact with Kiritsugu?"

"Yes," Irisviel replied, handing him the communication earpiece.

Shirou took the earpiece and spoke into it, "Kiritsugu, I'm aware you have a sniper trained on me right now."

Everyone was stunned, and Kiritsugu's monotone voice came through the earpiece, "That's right."

Shirou continued, "And I know you're not pulling the trigger, even if I were to cut off a piece of your flesh."

Kiritsugu confirmed, "Correct."

Shirou went on, "You don't believe a word I say, but you also know you can't kill me at the moment."

Kiritsugu agreed, "Also correct."

Shirou then asked, "How much explosive do you have right now?"

"20 kilograms of C4 and 32 kilograms of TNT," replied Kiritsugu without hesitation.

"That's enough," said Shirou. "Can you bring it all out? I need it."

"Yes," Kiritsugu answered promptly. "What do you need me to do?"

"Can you go to the area near the Fuyuki Bridge, bury the bombs, and mark them with an 'X' symbol? I need it done within two and a half minutes."

"Impossible. I've already started the operation, but it would take 34 minutes to bury the explosives."

"We don't have that much time! I'll send someone to help you, but you only have two and a half minutes!" Shirou declared before ending the call.

He then turned to Iskandar and said, "Iskandar, lend me your power!"

Iskandar eagerly replied, "Say no more! I'm yours to command."

Shirou instructed, "Your mission is twofold. Firstly, send soldiers to evacuate the civilians in the surrounding areas to a safe place. Secondly, send soldiers to the Fuyuki Bridge to assist Kiritsugu in burying the bombs."

Iskandar smiled confidently and said, "Easy! Use Iskandar's power as you see fit."

Shirou nodded, "I'm sure you'll have no problem, it's just-"

His eyes shifted towards Waver.

"I won't give up! I still have Command Seals!" Waver declared firmly. He can't mess up again!

"But before that," Waver asked, "Are you going to use the Reality Marble to trap Berserker inside? Why not use it here?"

"Don't waste your breath with pointless questions," Shirou replied, his tone sharp. "This is a city, filled with innocent people. We can't risk endangering them."

Waver nodded in understanding.

Turning his gaze to Artoria and Diarmuid, Shirou said, "Berserker will keep pursuing me, but I'll lure him away. I'll take him to the location where the bomb is hidden. During this time, I'll entrust my safety to you two knights."

"You have doubted my Code of Chivalry, mocked it even," Diarmuid said, his eyes blazing with resolve. "But as a knight, I swear on the honor of my code, my lance will defend you until the end of this war."

Artoria turned her back, revealing her slender yet reliable back to Shirou, "I will protect your life with my sword, but I do not trust your words. Yet, for now, my sword is yours to command."

Shirou took a deep breath and stood up, nodding. "Let's do this, heroes."

Waver raised his hand, his voice ringing out: "Command Seals, give Rider unlimited magical energy!"

The Command Seals glimmered and took effect.

Iskandar let out a thunderous roar, his arms raised high. "Ahh! Ahh! Ahh! Come forth, my fearless warriors, and answer my summons in this world!"

With the generous use of magical energy, spirits converged in front of Iskandar, gathering into a mist before forming into hundreds of figures.

"Scatter! Go save the people!" Iskandar commanded.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the figures responded in unison.

Iskandar mounted his horse, placing Waver and Irisviel on its back. "They will be under my protection. As for Caster, I'll leave him to you two knights," he declared.

"In the name of my sword," Artoria proclaimed.

"And in the name of my spears," Diarmuid added.

Shirou watched as Iskandar departed, leading his troops on the task assigned to him by Shirou himself. It was now Shirou's turn to carry out his own assignment. But before that, he had one more thing to do...

Wisdom of Mortal!

—"No! You cannot use this!"

As soon as the Wisdom of Mortal was triggered, Scathach's distinct, gentle voice echoed in Shirou's ear.

"What!"

Shirou was stunned. This has never happened before.

Under the blessing of the Wisdom of Mortal, both Artoria and Diarmuid's auras have grown stronger.

However—

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

Spartacus let out a thunderous bellow, his aura surging with power to an extent far surpassing that of Artoria and Diarmuid.

The force of Spartacus's roar alone was so powerful that it shattered glass in a radius of hundreds of meters. The deafening sound echoed through the city, sending shockwaves through the buildings. Those who were caught within its blast radius were left stunned and dazed, their ears ringing with the aftershocks of the giant's roar.

"This can't be!" Shirou exclaimed, shocked to see the Wisdom of Mortal actually had an adverse effect.

--'He's now an Alter Servant. Wisdom of Mortal is having the opposite effect. Turn it off, now!'

With no other option, Shirou deactivated the Wisdom of Mortal. But it was too late, the rampaging Spartacus had already set his sights on Shirou.

"Protect me!" Shirou said gravely.

"Leave it to us!" The two knights assured him.

And so, Shirou began to lure Spartacus away.

...

"Who are you?" Gilgamesh scowled at the girl standing before him.

"I'm just a pitiful woman who desires death but can't have it," Scathach said with a faint smile.

"Ha!" Gilgamesh sneered. "Get out of my sight, scrap from the Shadow Land. Your putrid soul is nauseating. But I'm in a good mood, so I'll spare you this time."

"Is it right to bully a child like this?" Scathach asked.

"Child? That messy soul is certainly not a child! I gave him a chance to leave this city, but he chose to come back and face the trial. If he wants it, how can I not oblige?"

Scathach sighed, "He didn't return willingly, he was just misled by a rotten and deceitful woman. I used an unpleasant man to deceive him, but he put his trust in me, seeing me as his mentor. His belief in this disgraceful woman was unwavering. I considered him my disciple, but he was too young to endure this trial. That's why I came! I won't let you continue, Wedge of Heaven."

"Wedge of Heaven?" Gilgamesh was stunned. "How dare you address me with such a disgusting name? Wait, what's this about a disciple and teacher?"

His anger erupted like a volcano. "You're the one who opened it? How dare you tarnish my treasure with your filthy hands! Mongrel, you're looking for death!"

"This king will blast you until not a scrap remains!" King Gilgamesh shouted as he opened the Gate of Babylon and unleashed a barrage of 128 Noble Phantasms on Scathach.

But Scathach was unfazed, her eyes narrowing as she gripped her dual spears tightly. Deathly cold energy radiated from her weapons.

"You can't kill me," she said coolly. "Only my disciple can end my life."

...

Next 80 Chapters are up on my Patreon: patreon.com/bcloud