-204- Underestimating others comes with a price

Group battles were the specialty of the Akabane Clan.

The Akabane Clan's "Puppetry Technique" was the culmination of knowledge in manipulating puppets, tactics, and technique. Rozen had placed significant priority on practicing the "Puppetry Technique" due to its thousand-year accumulation of techniques and strategies that were immensely useful.

Perhaps when manipulating a single puppet, the true essence and profundities couldn't be fully exhibited. However, when controlling multiple puppets, the formations that could be composed, the tactics that could be employed, and the strategies that could be executed would increase significantly. Coupled with the skills of magus in various tier, the effects generated weren't simple.

As the "Divine Child" of the Akabane Clan and being regarded as the same level as the "Heaven Child" Akabane Tenzen, Rozen understood how profound the "Puppetry Technique" was.

If it weren't for the need for the secret technique, "Crimson Wing Formation" to fully unleash the depth of the "Puppetry Technique," Rozen's mastery of it alone would surpass Akabane Tenzen.

And now, this effect was being demonstrated.

Controlling both Servants simultaneously allowed Rozen to maximize his skills, abilities, and intellect, showcasing the combined combat strength of the two Servants. This was a stark contrast to the passive situation he had faced when attacking Orleans two days prior.

Rozen wanted to convey a message to everyone present.

"If you underestimate a human, you'll definitely regret it?"

Because he was human, in this Singularity, Rozen was systematically ignored by multiple powerful Servants. Especially Jeanne Alter, who had never taken Rozen seriously, even after he took down Fafnir. In this witch's eyes, there was only Jeanne. She didn't even acknowledge Mash, let alone Rozen.

Even the mad man, caster, treated Rozen as if he can be casually crushed.

In that case, Rozen would give these two mentally unstable Servants a lesson.

"Underestimating others comes with a price."

Rozen once again infused magic energy into Jeanne and Mash's bodies.

In return, a voice filled with hatred resounded.

"Roar! My Hatred (La Grondement du Haine)!"

In the wide Audience Hall, unprecedentedly intense magical energy surged, transforming into infernal flames that exploded, spreading everywhere.

The temperature in the air instantly skyrocketed, flames turning into a sea of fire that swept through the entire hall.

"She unleashed her Noble Phantasm?"

Rozen wasn't surprised. He gave the order without hesitation.

"Defend!"

As the command fell, Mash and Jeanne simultaneously rushed in from the left and right directions, landing before Rozen.

Magic energy also surged withen these two.

"Virtual Noble Phantasm Pseudo-Deployment/Foundation of Anthropic Principle (Lord Chaldeas)!"

Mash struck her shield against the ground, causing intricate patterns to shimmer on its surface. It transformed into a protective barrier, rotating and unfolding.

"My Lord is here(Luminosite Eternelle)!"

Jeanne raised the holy flag in her hand high, allowing the flag to loosen from its staff and flutter upwards, emitting a brilliant radiance.

The protective barrier and the shielding radiance appeared before Rozen, forming the most robust defense, securely protecting the trio.

The roaring flames surged forth like a crimson avalanche, engulfing the area where the trio stood.

"Haa------!!!!!"

Mash and Jeanne both shouted loudly, sustaining their defense against the engulfing flames.

"Burn! Burn! Burn! Burn! Burn!"

The voice of Jeanne Alter, filled with hatred, kept releasing its pent-up energy into the blazing inferno, causing her magical power to surge even further.

As if fueled by this burst of power, the roaring flames expanded again, becoming even more scorching.

"Ugh...!"

"Ugh...!"

Strained expressions appeared on Mash and Jeanne's faces simultaneously, showing signs of struggles.

Behind the two of them, Rozen, protected by their defense, remained exceptionally composed.

"Do you plan to exhaust us?"

Empowered by the Holy Grail, Jeanne Alter's magical energy seemed near endless.

Similar to the Singularity's Arthur, whose terrifying holy sword could be used infinitely, the horror it could bring was unimaginable.

Jeanne Alter was the same.

Maintaining the Noble Phantasm's continuous operation wasn't a big deal for her, given the power she gained from the Holy Grail.

On the other hand, once their magical energy was depleted, they would be consumed by the sea of flames.

"My anger...! My hatred...! My resentment...! They won't be erased by you!"

Standing in the center of the firestorm, Jeanne Alter's face was full of hate, her eyes filled with black emotions. She roared towards them.

"Until all of France, this entire era, and the whole world are consumed by flames, my revenge won't end!"

"Absolutely not!"

"So, burn!"

Jeanne Alter fervently squandered her magical energy, turning the floor below them into molten rock, making it not only red but also intensifying its heat with each wave, continuously assaulting the barrier in the middle.

Gradually, the air was warped by the heat.

Gradually, the floors, walls, and ceilings of Audience Hall seemed to melt, becoming not just red but also dripping with molten lava.

"Senpai...!"

"Master...!"

Mash and Jeanne groaned simultaneously.

It was a sign that they could hardly endure any longer.

"Use your Command Seal, Rozen!"

Even Romani, within Chaldea, shouted in this manner, with an exceedingly anxious owl flying by his side.

As Romani had said, using a Command Seal was one way to escape from this perilous situation.

However, Rozen had no intention of using a Command Seal.

With only one left, he was reserving it for another possible crisis.

Moreover, even without using a Command Seal, Rozen could overcome the current danger.

The reason was simple...

"When hatred is all you see, it's easy to overlook many things, you fool."

Under Rozen's seemingly compassionate whisper, Jeanne Alter didn't even notice.

Behind her, a piece of rock, red-hot and sharp, floated in the air. The psionic energy that enveloped the rock twisted it into a shape of blade, forming a sharp psionic blade.

In the next second, the psionic blade shot up.

Unprepared, absorbed in using her Noble Phantasm and unleashing a torrent of flames to incinerate Rozen's party, Jeanne Alter was unaware that the psionic blade is darting towards her.

"Splut!"

A sound of tearing flesh echoed.

The red-hot stone spike, empowered by "Magic Resilience," plunged straight into the flesh, leaving behind a vivid trail of crimson blood.

"What...!?"

Jeanne Alter's pupils shrank.

"This...!?"

In the sea of flames, both Mash and Jeanne, who had been struggling to hold on, were equally surprised.

Even Rozen was astonished.

Because...

"Ugh...!"

As a large quantity of blood spewed from his mouth, Gilles, the mage holding the spellbook, slowly collapsed.

On his body, an abnormally conspicuous wound.

"Gilles...!"

Jeanne Alter finally let out a cry of shock.