IBHJ Chapter 848

Altera's attacks became a whirlwind, overwhelming the mud Lancer and pushing him into a corner.

Ayaka, fists clenched, turned to face the undead horde rushing towards her. "I won't run away anymore!"

While Altera kept the Lancer busy, Gray and Ayaka worked together to mow down the undead. Gray, fueled by the Red Dragon's Heart, unleashed powerful magical blasts that made Ayaka's Dark Arts look sluggish in comparison.

As soon as the undead were cleared, Gray rushed to cast a healing spell on Nero.

The bloody gashes on Nero's body vanished, leaving her skin smooth. Gray let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness it wasn't a wound from Diarmuid's Yellow Rose," she said with a smile. "I wouldn't have known what to do then."

"Umu, umu, Gray truly loves me! Heh heh heh! From now on, Master will be the first to hear all my new songs!" Nero beamed at Gray, her smile bright.

"..." Gray clutched her chest, a pained expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Nero asked, concerned. "Are you hurt from the battle?"

"No... it's just my heart..." Gray choked back a sob.

Nero tilted her head, confused. Then, suddenly, her face lit up. "I get it! You're so excited that you can barely contain yourself, knowing you'll be the first to hear all my future masterpieces! Umu! Umu! It must be that!"

Gray could only stare, her heart aching even more.

As Gray worried about the fate of her heart and ears, she noticed something strange. The mud Lancer, whom Altera had stabbed through the chest, was now standing before Ayaka, his mouth moving as if he were saying something.

Before Gray could do anything, the mud Lancer had already completely dissipated.

"What did that Servant say, Ayaka?" Gray asked, getting up and joining her.

"Lancer told me about this connection point..."

Ayaka explained that a Holy Grail War had once taken place in this Shinjuku connection point, but it had been twisted. The Servants had all become mud creatures and the people of Shinjuku had been transformed into the undead.

"So, to fix this connection point, we need to defeat all the Servants who've become mud creatures?" Gray asked, frowning.

The idea of a Holy Grail War in Shinjuku didn't surprise her. This was a connection point, after all. The Romanian connection point had even experienced a Great Holy Grail War, so such things weren't surprising at all.

"That's right. One of them has the Black Grail," Ayaka confirmed.

"Did that Servant tell you who they are?" Gray inquired.

"Yes. Lancer is Cu Chulainn, Assassin is the legendary swordsman Sasaki Kojirou, Caster is the treacherous witch Medea, Rider is the Greek hero Perseus who slew Medusa, Berserker is Greece's most famous hero Heracles, Archer is the King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, and Saber... Saber is King Arthur, Arthur Pendragon!" Ayaka listed them off.

"There are other versions of Gilgamesh and Artoria in this connection point? And they've been turned into those mud Servants?" Gray was taken aback.

"Yes. But... this King Arthur might be different from Artoria. He's male..."

"Male?" Gray paused, then blurted out, "How can King Arthur be a boy? That's so weird, isn't it?"

"No! King Arthur being a girl is what's weird!" Ayaka retorted.

"Hmm... You're right. Traditionally, a king wouldn't be a girl... I guess living with Artoria for so long has messed with my sense of reality..." Gray admitted, a bit sheepish. After years with Artoria, her perspective on this had definitely been skewed.

"What's there to argue about? I like both, male or female. Umu, umu. Don't you agree, Altera?" Nero turned to her fellow Servant.

"No." she shook her head. "Sorry, Nero... Even if there were a thousand King Arthurs, the only one I want to destroy is Artoria, the one who killed me."

Nero grinned. "You're quite dedicated. Umu, I'm starting to like you too. How about this, I'll invite you to my next concert!"

"Sorry... Is it okay if I decline?" Altera looked troubled.

"Why?" Nero asked, puzzled. "My concert is an opportunity to experience art that transcends the divine!"

"I apologize. I only know how to destroy. I can't appreciate art. Besides, if I saw Artoria at your concert, I'd probably trash the place, so it's better if I don't go..."

Altera hid behind Ayaka, clutching her clothes. She lowered her head, her eyes darting nervously as she said to Nero, "I'm sorry..."

Altera's timid demeanor surprised both Nero and Gray.

But fixing the connection point was the priority, so Nero's invitation to Altera had to be put on hold.

Just then...

"Roar roar roar roar roar roar——!!"

A monstrous roar echoed from Tokyo Tower in the distance.

Gray, Ayaka, and the others instinctively covered their ears.

Altera's expression turned grave as she stared towards the tower.

"What is it, Altera?" Ayaka asked.

"There are powerful enemies over there!" she declared.

With a loud "boom," the ruins in the distance exploded, and Sasaki Kojirou, who had been kicked away by Altera earlier, emerged from the debris.

"Be careful!" Gray warned.

But Sasaki Kojirou just glanced at them, then turned and sprinted towards Tokyo Tower.

"That must be their base! The Servant with the Black Grail could be there! Ayaka, let's head to Tokyo Tower!"

Gray was about to grab Ayaka and run, but Ayaka hesitated and shook her head. "Sorry, Senpai."

Gray stopped, turning to look at her with a puzzled expression. "What's wrong, Ayaka?"

Ayaka bit her lip, then lifted her head, determination shining in her eyes. "I have to go somewhere. I'm sorry, Senpai."

Gray was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I understand. We'll split up then. But please, be careful."

"Thank you, Senpai." Ayaka put her black-rimmed glasses back on and smiled at Gray. It was a bright, sunny, and sweet smile.

Gray stared at Ayaka's smile, and then it clicked. She finally understood where that strange feeling about Ayaka had come from.

It was the glasses!

Gray turned and ran towards Tokyo Tower.

Watching Gray and Nero disappear into the distance, Altera turned to her Master. "Why did you lie to Gray, Master?"

Altera had been close enough to hear clearly. Before his death, Cu Chulainn had only spoken a single word to Ayaka.

—Master!

"He fulfilled his oath. And I... I have a promise to keep. A promise with Lancer."

Ayaka lowered her head, determination shining in her eyes.

...

A shadow flickered, and a massive stone axe whistled through the air, only to be met by an invisible holy sword.

The two clashed mid-air, a thunderous boom echoing through the streets.

Crack, crack, crack!

The ground shattered like a spiderweb.

The sheer force of the impact pushed Artoria back three steps, landing in front of Shirou.

"Such strength..." Artoria's hand trembled around the hilt of her holy sword, not from fear, but from the sheer power of her opponent.

"...Heracles!"

Shirou frowned at the hulking mud Servant. They had barely left the Fujimaru residence on their way to Tokyo Tower when this monstrosity attacked them.

Artoria's grip on the holy sword tightened. "I knew this feeling was familiar... It's Heracles!"

"Raaaargh!"

Heracles roared, his massive form blurring as he appeared before Shirou and Artoria, stone axe raised high and ready to strike like a thunderbolt.

Shirou and Artoria both dodged the attack, unwilling to meet it head-on.

Boom!

The axe slammed into the ground, leaving a gaping fissure in the earth.

As Shirou landed, black mud surged from his body, forming a spear. He was about to attack Heracles when something in his peripheral vision made him freeze.

[Hint: Heracles has released his Noble Phantasm [God Hand] Heracles's die roll is 57. God's Hand is successfully activated. In battle with you, Heracles is invincible.] 

God Hand...?

Shirou stared at the TRPG status display in disbelief, then looked up at Heracles, astonishment on his face. This was the Heracles who had the legendary God Hand: Twelve Labors?

God Hand, the Noble Phantasm from the old Fate/Prototype setting, was even more absurd than Heracles' usual twelve lives. It guaranteed victory in eleven consecutive battles, which meant in a typical Holy Grail War with only six other Servants, he was virtually unbeatable.

In Fate/Prototype, Heracles defeated Ayaka Sajyou's Servant, but he ultimately fell to Gilgamesh, whose own Noble Phantasm ensured his survival. The clash between an entity who "cannot lose" and one who is "certain to live" created a paradox, resulting in Heracles not technically losing the battle while still dying to Gilgamesh.

And now, the Heracles standing before them possessed this same God Hand?

Artoria let out a battle cry, her pace quickening as she rushed towards Heracles, the Sword of Promised Victory flashing as she launched a swift attack.

"Wait, Artie, you can't beat..." Before Shirou could finish his warning, he saw Artoria's blade flash with lightning speed, pushing Heracles back.

"When did she get so strong?" he muttered in astonishment.

—The king is behind me, I absolutely, absolutely will not let you harm him!

Artoria's eyes blazed with determination, her sword sinking deeper with each stroke, her attacks growing faster and faster.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Her ferocious onslaught forced even Heracles into a defensive stance.

Just as she had single-handedly brought down the Western Roman Empire, as long as she thought of her king, there was nothing she couldn't do!

Despite its power, God Hand only guaranteed Heracles wouldn't lose, not that he would always win. Otherwise, he wouldn't have fallen to Gilgamesh even with that absolute protection.

This gave Artoria an opening, and she pressed her attack relentlessly, giving Heracles no chance to counter.

Shirou marveled at her combat prowess. Just then, he heard a whooshing sound by his ear. Turning, he saw a scythe-like blade, radiating a chilling aura of death, hurtling towards him from the sky.

He didn't flinch, watching the blade calmly. With a resounding boom, a thick mud arm erupted from behind Shirou, slapping the sword away with a sharp crack.

Shirou turned his head, locking eyes with the mud figure floating in the sky.

He glanced down at the figure's feet, his eyebrows raising slightly at the sight of a pair of winged sandals.

"There are two of them?" he raised an eyebrow.