IBHJ 1181

Back at the battlefield, Shirou's group was still struggling against Galahad when a black flash suddenly streaked through the air. The impact rang out with a thunderous boom as Galahad went flying backwards.

In stunned silence, everyone turned toward the source of the attack. There stood a girl, her black rifle still smoking in her hands.

"Je-Jeanne?" Astolfo's voice trembled with disbelief.

"Greetings, everyone!" Jeanne smiled as she lowered her weapon.

Turning to Shirou, she straightened her posture and gave a crisp military salute. "Class Ruler, Jeanne d'Arc, reporting to Eternal King!"

…

"It's happened... the Empire's barrier is really breaking." King Leodegrance stared at the distant shore, where spider web-like cracks spread across the sky.

"Father," Guinevere looked at him with worry in her eyes.

"The fairy queen's prophecy has come true. There's no need to say more."

King Leodegrance's gaze shifted to the white tower, but his thoughts weren't on the tower itself, they were with the girl who lived there.

Camlann was different from all other kingdoms in the empire, not because of the nation itself, but because of that one girl. She was the only person in the empire who could age and die, living just sixty years before her time ended. Each day she would stand at the top of that white tower, looking out at the endless horizon. She would grow from a child to a young woman, become an adult, grow old, and finally pass away - only to be reborn as a baby. While everyone else in the empire lived forever, she alone experienced life and death.

Day after day, year after year, she kept her watch. Through each new life she would forget everything, but something always pulled her back to that high tower, where she would gaze toward the distant unknown.

What kept drawing her gaze? What sight could be so powerful that she would repeat this cycle for a hundred million years?

She herself didn't know. She only knew that beyond the Empire's barrier, across that vast sea, there must be something she desperately needed to see. That's why the King confined her to the narrow borders of Camlann. The King knew she was like a goldfinch in a cage, destined to fly away someday.

The King couldn't bear to let her go, but he understood the inevitable truth that the bird in this gilded cage would one day spread its wings and leave.

"If only we had more time..." King Leodegrance's voice was heavy with sorrow. "My daughter, Guinevere..."

As the wind swept past them, Guinevere watched her father's once-proud frame seem to shrink, looking small and lonely against the sky.

When the heart aches, even a single day feels endless. But when the heart soars with purpose, what are a hundred million years but a passing moment?

…

"Jeanne! Good to see you," Shirou greeted her with a nod, his eyes drawn to the black rifle in her hands. "That's one of Atlas Institute's Seven Superweapons, isn't it?"

"That's right," she confirmed.

He couldn't help but be impressed. This was the same weapon that had taken down Aristoteles in the Land of Steel and now with a single shot, it had sent even Galahad, forged from super metal, flying.

"My King," Merlin spoke up, "now that we've driven back the invaders, perhaps we should fall back and regroup?"

"No." Shirou's eyes gleamed as he shook his head. "We can't keep playing defense forever."

"What are you suggesting?”

He drew his sword with a flourish. "It's time we strike back!"

"Raaaargh!!" The Berserkers howled in excitement, their battle lust awakened by the scent of blood.

They'd been playing defense from the start, but now that Adam had cracked the barrier and destroyed the Rainbow Bridge, the enemy was in chaos. This was their chance to strike back.

"Mordred, are you ready? It’s your time to shine." he turned to face her.

"My sword's been waiting for this!" she gripped her weapon, strange patterns flickering across her skin.

Nearby, Bedivere caught her words and lowered his head, his fists clenched so tight that his nails drew blood from his palms.

Mordred glanced his way, her eyes sharp with determination and killing intent.

As Ambrosius passed down Shirou's orders to the four legions, the Heroic Spirits had mixed reactions, but they quickly fell in line to prepare for the counterattack.

…

Meanwhile, at the Imperial Camp...

"Well, well... destroying the Empire's barrier in the middle of war. They're not messing around," Morgan mused, her eyes fixed on the massive breach. A slight smile played on her lips. "Even Agravain will have a hard time explaining this to His Majesty."

"Lord Apostle!"

Mordred turned to see Guinevere rushing toward her, panic written across her face.

"What's wrong?"

"We need to get out of here now!" Guinevere's voice was tight with urgency. "If we stay, we'll be in grave danger!"

Morgan raised an eyebrow. She knew better than to dismiss Guinevere's instincts about these situations. "Explain."

"If the Imperial army fails here, there's a high chance they'll strike back in a counterattack immediately! And since they can kill eternity itself, they won't waste this chance to deal maximum casualties to our army while we're in disarray. So I think we should retreat to gather our forces!”

"Hmm but..." Morgan paused, deep in thought. "You're right." If these so-called Heroic Spirits didn't seize this moment of chaos, they wouldn't deserve their title.

She quickly relayed the intelligence to the other Apostles and ordered the army to fall back. Just as she gave the command, word came from the capital that Agravain had already ordered a full withdrawal.

"Sharp as ever," she muttered with a slight smile.

A long howl split the air as a massive white giant burst into view, crashing into the heart of the Imperial army and shattering their formation.

"That's—"

"The giant that broke through our barrier!" Guinevere's face went pale.

Morgan's eyebrow twitched as she assessed the situation. She looked from Adam to her panicking soldiers and shouted, "Stand your ground! Take that giant down!"

Her voice cut through the chaos, and the army rallied. Divine hunting spears and slaughter swords rose as one against Adam.

Then space itself cracked open. Five gates materialized, and Heroic Spirits poured through, plunging into battle with the Imperial forces.

Lightning crashed and thunder boomed. The clash of metal against metal mixed with battle cries, creating a symphony of war. The earth itself seemed to burn as the battle raged on.

"Princess, we must go." The guards brought the horses closer, dropping to one knee before Guinevere.

She hesitated before nodding, then turned quickly to Morgan. "Lord Apostle, watch yourself, they're hunting for Apostles!"

"Understood." Morgan was about to activate Imperial Armor to warn the others when her instincts screamed danger. Without thinking, she conjured seven magical shields around her lower back.

An instant later, a sword covered in strange runes erupted from the ground, aiming straight for her spine. The blade broke through four shields before finally stopping.

Morgan sprang back, pulling a wand from her robes. With a wave, she summoned countless True Ether chains that snaked around the blade. With a sharp tug, she yanked the assassin from the earth. Mordred rolled away from the pursuing chains, her blue eyes locked onto her enemy.

"So I'm the first target..." Morgan's lips tightened into a frown. She silently thanked her luck at heeding Guinevere's warning.

Without that heads-up keeping her alert, that blade would have pierced straight through her back and into her heart. Those strange runes would have snuffed out her life in an instant.

Morgan's eyes gleamed as magical circles materialized around her. A storm of mana bullets rained down on Mordred.

"Not yet!" Mordred darted through the storm of bullets, her blade ready to strike at any opening.

The assassination plan had been clear - Agravain was the primary target as the empire's strategist, with Morgan second on the list as their caster. After searching fruitlessly underground for Agravain, Mordred had settled for Morgan instead.

But now that Morgan had survived the surprise attack, she was in her element. While she couldn't finish Mordred quickly due to their mismatched abilities, it was clear that Mordred had lost her advantage. Taking Mordred down was now just a matter of time.

Mordred knew it too. After a few more failed attempts, she watched Morgan growing stronger by the second. Gritting her teeth, she shifted her focus to a new target - the retreating Guinevere.