Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover

Chapter 258 - [258] The Battlefield of Saber and Caster

In the original storyline, the Mirror World here was far from peaceful.

Not only was there Caster, who had transformed it into her workshop, but also Saber, shrouded in a dense fog of magical energy, making it extremely difficult to even breach her defenses.

Naturally, Sakatsuki wouldn't overlook such a crucial detail. For Saber, lying in ambush, he chose to call for outside assistance—

"Apologies, but my master has declared this path forbidden."

On the Fuyuki Bridge, the golden-haired, visor-clad black swordsman was blocked by a petite figure.

Her gentle kimono had been shed, replaced by a form-fitting ninja outfit that marked her identity. Her long black hair was tied high, fluttering alongside a red scarf, lending the ordinarily expressionless ninja an ethereal beauty akin to drifting smoke.

The creation of Kashin Koji, Sakatsuki's restored puppet—Katou Danzou.

Clearly, as someone who had yet to ascend to the rank of Heroic Spirit, she stood no chance against Saber in a direct confrontation. But since Sakatsuki had assigned her the more challenging task of handling Saber, he naturally had his reasons.

At the ninja's waist, a magical device resembling a card holder shimmered with a platinum glow.

With delicate fingers, she plucked a card and slotted it into the holder.

"Third Magic activated. Spiritron connection established. Lancer · Musashibou Benkei, ability reproduction."

"The Pilgrimage of the Five Hundred Arhat"

If the Second Magic drew power from the infinite cosmos, then Sakatsuki's Third Magic seized a sliver of radiance from the myriad stars upon the Throne of Heroes.

With hands pressed together before her chest, the girl assumed the stance of a guardian deity, her face a picture of compassion. Buddhist light spread behind her, unstoppable as it illuminated the three thousand worlds.

In the distance, a far more spectacular explosion erupted, masking the sacred and serene glow here. Saber instinctively raised her sword to block, but the Buddha's light was never meant solely for slaughter.

To the reversed swordsman, the Sanskrit chants were more akin to a curse. The protective fog of magical energy around her melted away like snow, her limbs grew numb, and even her resonance with the reversed holy sword became precarious.

The surging magical energy came to an abrupt halt. Stripped of her mana, Saber was reduced to nothing more than an ordinary swordsman on the battlefield—while what faced her was a barrage of bombs unleashed by a demon!

"Caster · Mephistopheles, Ticktock Bomb."

Deep purple sword energy slashed through the explosives, swift and fierce, yet it failed to strike its target.

Behind Saber, Katou Danzou calmly inserted the final card.

"Rider · Medusa, release—Bellerophon!"

The peerless phantom steed reared with a piercing neigh, spreading its pure white wings as it transformed into a true streak of light.

Though its use against Artoria, who possessed a star-ranked Noble Phantasm in the Fifth Holy Grail War, failed to showcase its true worth, the fact that it withstood an attack from Excalibur—even if only briefly—spoke volumes of Bellerophon's might.

Now, history was poised to repeat itself. But the swordsman, having endured the interference of two Noble Phantasms in succession, had no time to gather her strength. All she could do was raise her reversed holy sword high.

"Excalibur!"

Noble Phantasm against Noble Phantasm.

Replica against replica.

Both drawing power from Class Cards, the outcome hinged on something anyone could achieve—preparation.

And so, the phantom steed reared once more, its hooves driving forward as it shattered the hastily fired beam of magical energy.

BOOM—!

The bridge fractured, the seawall twisted, and towering waves surged forth, engulfing the battlefield entirely.

***

BOOM!

Beams of magical energy fired wildly, and amidst them, a figure moved with leisurely grace, narrowly dodging each attack while twisting his body to forge sharp, deadly weapons from molten steel, retaliating without hesitation against the witch reigning in the heavens.

A magical plane unfolded, intercepting the blades before the great witch at the cost of being pierced.

"Then, how about this?!"

"!!!" Medea whirled around in shock as the priest emerged from a diamond-shaped void, dual blades crossed for a devastating slash!

CLANG!

Sparks erupted from her staff. Sakatsuki followed up with a kick, not giving her a moment to breathe—but this time, there was no satisfying impact.

The image of the shocked witch dissolved into an afterimage. Above him, the great witch raised her staff, summoning lightning as she pointed it at Sakatsuki from afar.

Lightning erupted. Steel gleamed.

As the twin blades were hurled to intercept the thunder, Medea waved her hand, and countless infrared-like beams locked onto the boy below once more. Sakatsuki grinned, summoning a great Qin war bow, an arrow of flowing imaginary numbers nocked and ready.

Before the barrage of A-rank spells could reach him, he released the bowstring.

"Imaginary Arrow: Veil of Night!"

An irregular curtain unfurled, hungrily devouring every trace of magical energy like a living thing. When the passage closed, both figures had vanished.

"Where did they go?" Rin and Luvia, their vision enhanced by magecraft, barely managed to keep up with the battle. After scanning the area, they finally caught sight of the two clashing again in a corner. "They moved to the riverbank?!"

"No, they shifted again—now they're at Fuyuki Bridge!" Luvia pointed elsewhere, but in the next instant, the figures she saw disappeared once more.

Age of Gods High-Thaumaturgy: Teleportation Magecraft.

Fundamental Magecraft, evolved: Displacement Magecraft.

The two reached a delicate equilibrium. As the caster, Medea sought to create distance, while Sakatsuki—more a battlemage than a traditional magus—pursued relentlessly. His projection magecraft, honed for slaughter, conjured yet another weapon.

"This is...!" Rin and Luvia's eyes widened in disbelief.

"A sniper rifle?!" Illya and Miyu exclaimed in unison.

"No way! Modern firearms can't possibly harm a Servant!"

"I refuse to believe this priest would do something so foolish, Luvia. That weapon's ammunition must be special..."

As Rin surmised, Sakatsuki had abandoned the endless chase for one reason alone—

Speed.

"I'll kill you before you can teleport again!" His pupils had narrowed into golden slits. With unbelievable arm strength, he steadied the rifle one-handed while his other hand traced magical runes.

"Reinforcement, activate."

"Trigger off."

"Third Magic activated. Spiritron connection established. Concept extraction—Gáe Dearg!"

A bullet engraved with crimson curses slid into the chamber. The force of the trigger traveled to the firing pin, igniting the gunpowder and propelling the bullet with overwhelming energy.

From afar, the momentarily suspended priest spread his wings like a harbinger of death, twisting his body for a swift, decisive shot.

BANG!

The explosive sound echoed like muffled thunder.

In the distance, Caster coughed up a mouthful of blood, clutching her chest. Dozens of magical barriers—large and small—shattered before her, scattering like dust in the wind.

Diarmuid Ua Duibhne's Noble Phantasm, Gáe Dearg, possessed the power to nullify magical defenses.

Using the Third Magic, Sakatsuki extracted only the concept, then temporarily reinforced the bullet to attach the concept before firing. The result was a terrifying projectile that would self-destruct soon after—but not before finding its mark.

Fired. Struck.

Thus, it pierced the unprepared Caster's heart.

"The Magus from the Age of Gods couldn't comprehend modern weaponry, so she had no defense at all." The battle fever cooled. Sakatsuki watched as the Class Card materialized, his face the picture of a victor's composure.

[Class Card · Caster defeated.]

[Current energy charge: 5/7.]

"It's over. My victory."

Yet in the next instant, a blade of dark magical energy sliced through the night, striking his back.

***

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