Fate/ConQUEST

[Bird of Hermes]

Jumping of the wagon here with 1 for all the same reasons.

[King Prussia]

2. Magellan already got her nice share of screentime and scenes dedicated to establishing her relationships and personality, I feel that Ass-chan needs some focus more than Maggie.

[Ayr]

2

[Faux]

2

[Spartacus]

INTERLUDE

The mean-spirited magnanimous man walks in the street of Europe. The street is in merry and his name is shout aloud. With a proud-puffed out chest, he walks straight to the King's palace without the slightest sense of fear. Knowing full well that he brings a glory that even the highest of man can't deny.

Trailing behinds are his trusted sailors. They too, understand fully what they achieved. Perhaps not as much as the great admiral, but enough to expect their life will turn into everlasting goodness for generations. These seamen soon will be knights.

Trailing far behinds are people that more or less, 'different.' The people of Europe don't understand what are they, are they even people in the first place? Never they have seen people as tall, never they saw such color in human skin, never they have seen such clothing made of animal skins with an equally curious pattern.

One thing they did know, however, is the shackles and chains gagging their entire bodies. This is not new, this is a sight that always been a prove which is privileged, which is superior.

This sight happened in two different kingdoms of the New World explorations, Spain and Portugal. The city was different, the court was different, of course, the king was different. But the sight is always the same, the admiral is the same.

Christopher Columbus.

The explorer determined to find a dreamland beyond the known world and colonize the new, which eventually become what's known as 'Conquistador.'

WItnessing the man from two different locations and time. There is two individual whose entire life changed for eternity. The two are a young boy and a young girl.

These two, who saw the same scene, come to a different conclusion. They see the man so differently they can wage war for it, and yet in the future, they will become a brief but a good friend.

For the girl, born from a minor noble in Portuguese court, she decided that his radiance is more important than any other factor.

That is me, Ferdinand Magellan, an explorer credited for the world's circumnavigation and the final proof that the world is round.

If someone asked me, 'what do you think of him?', undeniably I will describe him as a great man. How come I not? Truthfully he is a man that causes destructions and feels sorry-not of it, I fully understand that. But I simply decide his brilliance outweigh his sins. Recognizing that he is an inspirational man that blinded me with his radiance above anything else. From a certain point of view, the me that recognizes what he did is unjust yet still idolizes his great deeds is even worst. Not like that I care.

I only met the man once, and our conversation was brief.

I simply ask: "How do I become a great man like you? Someone like me who lacking power and know nothing, wishing to achieve greatness?"

"The important thing is not your own limitation." He pats my hat lightly.

"Even if it's just a meager success, even if it's just a single step. The most important thing is to keep on moving forward without giving up." Coupled with a huge, but gentle and adventurous grin on his face.

"If you do that, someday, you'll reach your destination."

It's just something that he always said towards stupid kid like me, he may not even means what he says. To him, that words may just be nothing but him saying irresponsible things solely to look cool, but-

That time, a flame ignited on my heart.

To be like him, to go beyond what I know, to search for something that may not exist, to never give up my dreams no matter the circumstances.

Even today...

"Piggy, can you bring me my phone? I am in a very comfy position right now. If I get it myself, I don't think I can pull it off again, say something, hey. What about you, Enrique? Ah, you don't understand what I say, I must~ speak~ a little~ slowly~ for you-"

it was at the end of 2019, right after European Confederation raided the Greek Servants and almost wiped them out. While we lost almost half of our rank to defeat monsters such as Herakles and Achilles, now nothing in this world could oppose us.

"Ouch! Now you guys ruined it, gee--"

And I regret everything about it.

"...geez. Being alone sucked."

I let a sigh, wonder how many times I have done that today. I want this whole world to know how bored I am, how boring this whole situation is.



"Yes, yes, hello? Can you wait for a little, God." I answered my phone call.

"Boss, there is a pirate ship 3 km Southwest from your current location."

The guy that phoned me is one of my lackeys tasked to report whatever they see. I think his name was, err, Umidan or something? Anyway, I think he once says that he originally a mafia but changes his occupation into a pirate due to the constant war.

I was tasked to survey the ocean by my boss, EC Lancer of Spain coalition. Originally, another sailor was tasked for the job, but we lost him during the raid. Now only me the Naval Servant EC have and by default replaced him for the task. Since I'm too lazy doing it right, I decided to pay people around to do so. Without knowing they grow into a huge intel network.

"Ohh, how does it looks like?"

"It looks like yours, a sailship that belongs in the past."

"Oho, my fellow seaman! And then and then?"

"It has black flags with a skull, and dozen of cannons lined together in the front deck. It seems has serious firepower compared to yours."

"Ah ✰, that's probably my kouhai."

"It is easy then? As a senior, you are stronger than him. That's how it works, right?"

"On the contrary, he is more famous than me and known for being exceptionally cruel!"

"Well shit, what are we gonna do?"

"Let him be, I'll go back to sleep."

"So Irresponsible."

"You are a pirate, pirate-kun."

"I have nothing to protest as long as I get paid. But do you think it's okay letting them be? Aren't you tasked specifically to clean the sea from those unaligned superhumans?"

"Yeah, but what will it changes?"

"...? Obviously, the sea will be relatively safe for you Factions to move around?"

"Nothing, then."

Feeling bored from this Grail War mess. I put my gun next to my skull, with my index finger on the trigger. Servants are already dead anyway, if we have nothing to gain anymore, what's the point?

"To think meeting people as famed as me is such a big disappointment. Maybe I should just quit."

I pressed the trigger without hesitation. Luckily, the gun jammed and didn't fire the bullet inside. Or perhaps I'm unconsciously done so.

"Sigh... This is so not my style. Hmm?"

I receive a message from another informant. Unlike Dan, I don't know how they look like, but their information is always accurate.

> Mission Report No. 1550. The pirate Servant suspected as Edward Teach has been sighted around the Indian Ocean. His coordinate will be sent in real-time.

"Beep, that the same news."

> Among Edward Teach's subordinate pirates, a young girl highly suspected to be the sole Master of this war has been sighted.

"The Master, huh..."

Every Servants has heard of her. A magus named Lestari Elliwyn has been spotted with a Command Spell on her hand. And the moment we heard a Master exist, we thought that there is a need to be contracted to one to activate the Mana Reservoir. Of course, that simply jumping to a conclusion, as there is no proof. That's how desperate all of us are. Even if she can't, her strategical value is already desireable and give a major edge to anyone who has contracted with her.

"If I understand, the Master is someone you superhumans sought, right? If I remember she can grant you guys complete victory against the other. Don't you want to capture her too?"

"That's the gist of it. Well, I don't really care but I guess it is rare enough occasion, so I gotta check."

At first, I simply want to know how she really looks like as I observe her from afar with a telescope. She looks dead in spirit, seemingly has no energy to continue living. I might intentionally let her die to end her misery.

"Hello, Boss. What do you see?"

One of the pirates approached her, she shocks him with her electric spell despite being tied up. She then explodes a generator of the ship and makes it sinking in minutes. I can't hear their conversation, but she then seemingly shouts and threatens all of them. After a hard-fought battle, she is able to secure a lifeboat afterward.

"..."

The moment she is far from them, she falls and limped her body. She then hides her face with her arms, crying herself out.

She struggles, really-really hard. She knew it was impossible to running away as the Servant nearby will catch up to her at this point and nothing will change. But she continues to clench her teeth with a fresh tear coming from her eyes as if she will continue to struggle even if her head cut off.

She looks really in pain. She looks going to snap anytime soon. She looks like going to kill herself in a second. And yet...



"She doesn't give up to live." I grin without knowing, very widely.

All those tears she shed, and lashes she let out...

Those are not a frustration born from giving up. It was born from someone who tried so hard but frustrated that her efforts aren't rewarded at all.

"You make us Servants looks bad, Lestari-chan."

It was at that moment, the dying flame inside me ignites for the second time.

"Boss?"

"Change of plan. I'm going to intercept the Servant in question."

If she is going to struggle in the sea, at the very least I can ease her task by defeating those Servants that beyond her league.

* * *

Year: 2022
Location: El-Dorado Base, Cusco, Peru, El-Dorado
Daytime: Day

Saber - Uesugi Kenshin



As Kenshin asks about the military strength of Cusco, the King for unknown reason took a liking of her and decides to explain it by himself. Not to mentions that El-Dorado Caster is not present during El-Dorado glory days, his understanding of their strength is solely from what the King and the soldier have told.

"We have around 300 tanks, 150 aircraft, and 100 AA. The number of combat-ready soldiers in this base is around 1000."

While the robots SFA employs are capable to harm a Servant, they are still conventional weaponry. Even if they are durable, with enough hits even normal artillery capable to penetrate them in theory.

"Compared to SFA's 5000 robots... Those are too low of a number to slow them down."

"I am painfully aware."

The main needs of soldiers in this war are to gain awareness of the combat zone, and a countermeasure strategy can be built from that information. This allows the Servants to enter combat as efficient as possible, as their critical flaws are their very limited Magical Energy reserves.

But still, to hinder a Servant's rampage even so slightly needs overwhelming human resources. As El-Dorado lacks a way for their soldiers to harm a Servant, the only real way for them to annoy a Servant is by creating infuriating terrains or tricky situations.

For example, the base built around Sacsayhuaman has been modified 200 meters taller to gain an advantage from the high altitude and sharp contour, as land-based weapons and Servant will be slowed down to reach the high base. Then with their labyrinth-like interior which has confused her and Magellan to help Assassin in time, they can slow them even more and employ a hit and run strategy.

Kenshin honestly thinks that is not a bad strategy with the limited resource the Singularity has but that pretty much what they possess.

"What about on the SFA side?" Kenshin's face turns toward Bell.

"..." As much as the King hated everything about him, he too understands that his cooperativeness is a blessing for something that can be considered a hopeless battle.



"Let's see... As expected, the altitude only slows down our Turrets, Patriots, and Rider. Other than Archer, what you need to fear the most is our Walkers and Machine Lords."

"Walkers and Machine Lords?" Kenshin asked again as this is the first time she has heard of it. She already knows about the Turret drones that look like garbage cans of death from Assassin's earlier encounter and the humanoid Patriot soldiers back in the New Japan invasion.

"Massive carriers with four insectoid-like legs. Their main purpose is to get through any slopes and climb vertically to reach a strategical position. They also built to be very durable using Tuscarora Courser's data, as they carry our forces inside."

Bell then further explains the Walkers are specially built for attacking El-Dorado, after learning they favor to use height as a natural defense. As it is a carrier, those land-based machines will have no issue reaching the base unless they destroy the Walkers. The four legs have a mechanism to magnetize and plant itself on natural walls, then proceed to accelerate with their build-in treads like a vertical tank.

"As for the Lords... they are gigantic humanoid robots with very powerful offensive and defensive capability. They are strong enough to take on a Servant. One of them currently engages Benjamin as we speak."

"Can we immobilize them with Master's magecraft?"

"If she can stop a mechanized Servant like me, she can do so on the Walkers. It's more a matter of how much Magical Energy she had or can she stop something that massive en masse. But the Lords were built with defeating Benjamin in mind, so they have resistance toward electricity. She needs to get around that defenses first before immobilizing them."

"Is the sole Master that good of a magus? Personality aside, she is not very impressive from what I have seen." The King ask frankly.

"Personality...?" Kenshin tilts her head in confusion as if that matters but continues anyway. "It's less she is a great magus but more about her magecraft is an exact counter against SFA's robots. She also has more common sense than most and knows her limitation."

Kenshin answers and explains her Master's capabilities just as frank as the question. While she wants to defend her Master, lying about her capabilities not going to do any good for them both. And as a hero, she didn't value a person merely from their magical capabilities. Her willingness to try the impossible, uniting the world, despite being ridiculed is something she can relate and value highly above all else.

"And it seems she holds a spell that she thought will work to some extent against SFA Archer. However, I don't know the detail about it."

"An electronic magus. That's indeed a blessing."

Sparks of hope reignite inside both the King and El-Dorado Caster. His original plan to summon Servants was foiled. But with Chaldea in their side, the sole Master's magecraft and her personal Servants and Bell's intel about the invading force; their chance to win the upcoming attack is not zero.

"Good... Good..." The King is visibly smiling as if victory is in his grasp. And Bell notices that subtle changes.

"But in the end, all of these are meaningless." Kenshin continues. "Unless we can subvert SFA Archer's blasts."

"The trojan horse..." The King murmurs.

Once again, SFA Archer.

The Servant that wield an absolute Noble Phantasm in term of firepower. He also has an abnormal ability to convert nitrogen into magical energy, And then he has an unfair advantage to be able to attack from the stratosphere. Even among Servants, only view capable to do that and there is none left in this war, effectively making him invincible.

Without a doubt, he is the strongest Servant SFA has and perhaps among the most powerful in this global scale war. And Leader didn't shy away to sent him first as an opening act.

"I rather have an idea of how to deal with Archer. From the information our Caster has provided us, SFA Archer should have enough magical energy to fire three Noble Phantasm. And we can use Lancelot's Noble Phantasm to stop it."



"Indeed. I have no trouble to stop an energy attack with mine. But the problem is the magical energy needed for it, as my current magical energy is not enough. It takes a single Command Spell for my Master to fire it, and she only has two."

"We originally bring a battery-like Mystic Code called Craft Essence. But we already spent them during our initial attack."

"So he down with a single shot..."

Kenshin is at loss. Even with a single shot, it is powerful enough to obliterate an entire radius of the base. There is no Servant capable to defend against it outright as Lancelot can. However...

"Then, it's enough!" The King is surprisingly calm, or rather, he overjoyed that they can stop it that far.

"You have another way to stop it?" Kenshin is dumbfounded.

"No, but with only one left, he will reconsider wasting his last chance. Not to mention, he was monitored by a team of engineers; they may not want to risk failure. And they don't know we have no more shot to defend another, as far as they know, we still have the energy to intercept it."

"I mean there is a basis in that logic but... that's it? You are going to gamble everything on an assumption?"

"Well, what else have we left?" The King is amazingly carefree about this for someone who seemingly has lost hope before. "What we need the most is how do we determine where he is going to bombard us."

After all, even if they have the means to, if they are unable to react in time and position themselves, everything will be pointless. Just like modern AAs will unable to deal with planes if they don't know where the planes are.

"Oh, I rather have an idea for that." Kenshin looks at the sky of the base, which has a giant golden chain shrouding them like a snake. "We can just shroud the base with the chain like a snake."

"I'm sure you notice, but it has not enough length to completely shroud the base. There will be a spot left undefended on a plainsi---!"

"Exactly what you think of. We can use that weakness to lure Archer shooting through the gap, making Lancelot know exactly when he will shoot and easily intercept it."

Among the three New Japan Servants, Kenshin is the trickiest. One of the more famous episodes of Kenshin's campaign is the Battle of Toderigawa. A clash with the Oda force led by Nobunaga's most famous generals like Shibata Katsuie, Hashiba Hideyoshi and Maeda Toshiie; three of them are powerful Heroic Spirits if summoned. She was able to outsmart Nobunaga by luring her army to a river with an easy catch, only for her to break the river's dam resulting in a wave of very strong current flooded and massacre thousand Nobunaga's men.

"I'm impressed." And the King didn't hide the fact that he didn't think of that before.

"And I can provide the exact coordinate where Archer currently located. Then the rest is just a simple projection of azimuths and zeniths." Bell adds.

Everything shaping nicely and nicely. While their plan is still a far cry from ideal, they now have a realistic chance to deal with him. The only thing left is how to hurt him as he located in the sky, which seems Lestari has some sort of a way to do so.

"Now, we can use the time we have to strengthen our defense." Says Kenshin.

"Wait," but then Bell received a sudden message. "I understand."

"I have bad news for you all. It appears that Archer will arrive in 6 hours."

"Oh no... we have not prepared enough yet."

"And the civilians too."

"..."

Kenshin brings her right hand in front of her mouth as the other panicked.

"We don't have time to waste then."

That's an understatement on her part.

choice!

The strategy for the upcoming battle is all set, the next chapter will go right to the battle. Now what we need to do is to increase their chance! We only have 6 hours; we can't do all of the choices. Choose two of the choices below and it will alter the fight against SFA Archer and SFA forces greatly!

1) Evacuate the civilians. They can be bothersome if captured.
2) Recruits combat-ready civilians. We may need to fills our rank to stand a chance.
3) Set bombs around the city of Cusco. Explosive can wear out some of the robots down.
4) Fortify El-Dorado base for extra durability. If we make the base stronger, it may slow down the enemy's bombardment.
5) Make the ground around El-Dorado base muddy and slippery. Difficult terrain can slow down the enemy's advance.
6) Write-in!

[SleepMode]

1 + 3

Though "The best offence is a good defense," the nature of SFA's machines can't allow us to utilize that to its greatest potential.
In that case, an offensive defense will do; if they wish to claim El Dorado, then we'll make them bleed for it.

[Ayr]

Hm, tough choice. 1, 3.

[Sunny]

Mm.

I’m inclined to go with 2 and 3.

Ordinarily my heart says to evacuate the civilians too but...

Well, Kenshin’s full power needs an audience and I suspect machines won’t count. And I’m not sure where a safe place to evacuate them would be any way. A pragmatically strategic choice but I think they’d be better to protect and inspire.

Slippery surfaces would be more tempting without the intel that walkers probably counter it.

[zikari8]

2 + 3

[Bird of Hermes]

I say 2+3

When overwhelmed by superior tactics and tech, guerrilla tactics tend to work wonders.

[Half-Blood Master]

2+3
Doing guerrilla against an American army? Is it Christmas already?

[Daneel Rush]

2+5

[King Prussia]

2 + 3. Sunny is renowned for her military brilliance, and I am fully trusting our Generalissimo's tactical assessment. *nod*

[Spartacus]

15 Hours remaining until SFA invades El-Dorado Base.

Year: 2022
Location: El-Dorado Base, Cusco, Peru, El-Dorado
Daytime: Day

Lestari Elliwyn
Health: Great
Magical Energy: Good--->Excellent

Party Status

Field:
Ferdinand Magellan
Health: Great
Magical Energy: Good--->Great

Assassin
Health: Great
Magical Energy: Excellent

Uesugi Kenshin
Health: Great
Magical Energy: Excellent

Reserve:
Alexander Graham Bell
Health: Good
Magical Energy: Excellent

"..."

I wake up from my rest. The first thing I do is to check the time. I'm thankful that I haven't lost my self-discipline to wake up on time. I feel the magical energy within me at max, I am thankful that I have a monopoly on the city's entire leyline.

"Good noon. Wait, is that a word?"

"Ah, Tsuru... Thanks."

"No problem."

Tsuru sits next to my bed reading some old newspaper, it seems she protected us when we sleep. Then, I saw three soldiers tied in the corner and unconscious. Looking at her again, it seems she is sweating cold? Perhaps when we are out, there is an untold great adventure that can be a gold mine for a multi-dollar franchise.

"Where are Magellan and Assassin?"

"Kenshin wake them up earlier to help on preparing our defense. Now Magellan is taking a shower, while Assassin is cooking for you."

"Oh... How thoughtful of her."

I never know Assassin can cook! I always thought she is a troubled character that barely has self-discipline. But thinking about it, she should be self-sufficient as she is a ninja that sent to the enemy's territory for a long time. Somehow, there is a feeling of pride in my heart.

I wonder what kind of food she makes? Regardless of how it tastes, I must compliment her so she doesn't feel down and discouraged.

"Oh, Master. Good timing."

"Afternoon, Lestari-chan!"

Both Assassin and Magellan enter at the same time. Assassin has a plate on her hand, it seems she makes some sort of powdered drink(?) enough for all of us. Magellan has a small towel wrapped on her neck, she smells like soap but she didn't dry her hair properly.

And knowing the reason why I can survive for long in the sea is because of her, I can't see herself in the face.

"...?" Magellan tilts her head at first, but then she realizes something happened as she hides her eyes with her hat. "Ah... you tested the dreaming ability thing."

"Yeah... and thanks..." I avert my face to the side as speaking about this make me very conscious.

I just learned that all this time, Magellan has assisted me numerous times. She has been going around the sea defeating Servants that may cross path with me, many of the encounters almost lead to her death. I know myself the most that I can't do everything alone, I should be aware that all this time there is an outside force assisting my journey.

To think that I am suspicious of her once.

"Mm," Magellan answers with a nod.

"Is something happened between you two?" Assassin has no clue but she gives her drinks to each of us. "Anyway, have some drink."

I look at the glass of drink curiously. I was expecting food since Tsuru says she is cooking for me, but this looks like some kind of black tea with a very foreign smell. Without thinking much of it, I decided to drink it as the others follow.

"!!!"

What- what is this...? What did she put there? What kind of ingredients belongs from a different universe that should never meet being put on it? Because it tastes like... toxic scum on a stagnant pool. I appreciate her thought but that's what makes this more heartbreaking. Dreadful, hideous, absolutely--

And looking at Tsuru and Magellan froze as they take a sip... holy shit, did she cried? Did Magellan cried from drinking that?!

"Umm... it tastes interesting. But I think you should... think what you put in the drink."

"I... I think it's... good. But... Kenshin must drink this too." Says Tsuru as she held her glass tremblingly.

"It's... it's kinda... worse than piss..." Magellan?! Take her feeling into consideration! Besides, how did you know piss taste like?!

Hearing that, I expected Assassin to be annoyed as usual. But instead, she pinches her nose and drinks it in one big gulp. She then closes her eyes in pain as she let her tongue out.



"Why you guys act all constructive like that? It's a ninja supplement, of course it tastes like shit."

She then put our drinks on our mouth forcefully.

"C'mon, drink them all so we can join others. The Mount Hakusan medicine is the better tasting one passed down on the Hattori family. You don't want to try those manju from the Fuuma clan, they smell like a toilet."

Being a ninja seems rough.

wise up!

Thanks to Mount Hakusan powdered drink: Lestari, Magellan, and Assassin will perform better than usual!

* * *

14 Hours remaining until SFA invades El-Dorado Base.


After some consideration, everyone agrees to recruits some civilians to fights. The Chaldea pair and El-Dorado Caster seems reluctant to the idea, but they also know our chance are slim. It may be cruel, but their lives are in danger if they didn't fight. The most deciding factor is even if Servants are strong enough to plow against hundreds, they still can only be in one spot at the time, meaning they can't protect them all. Even so, civilians only useful if they can fight in some form.

Thankfully, there are ex soldier-like Alejandro back from the Church that isn't warped away along with the El-Dorado Singularity, though I haven't met him. But now, our numbers are more or less 1000 personnel. I was afraid that they will not take their reappearance warmly, but it seems their desire to counter-attack and the King's charisma make them welcome him back. Kenshin also helped him to convince the people by explaining why they are gone for 2,5 years.

The civilians that physically able but aren't trained soldiers are assigned to help on support tasks such as helping to transport ammunition. They also helped greatly to set explosives around the roads that lead to the base. Considering all of these done in 5 hours without notice, this is super impressive. It's all thanks to the combined efforts from all the Servants such as the King's speed increasing boundary field, Bell's instantaneous communication and Kenshin's effective administration.

Magellan, Assassin and I didn't contribute to the discussion. We just accept the role assigned to us without complaint. But still, being responsible to bring down SFA Archer makes me a little nervous.

"What's wrong, you seem down." Ask Assassin.

"I did say my spell can reach SFA Archer. But now that the time has come, I started to feel nervous."

For years, I only fighting for myself. No matter how dangerous, all the danger I have been going through only leads to my demise. But this time, I must once again gamble other people's lives. I wasn't expecting for us to suddenly fighting with El-Dorado like this, half a day ago they are as much as an enemy like SFA. Failure means the death of good people I have met personally like the people from San Blas Church, which they have been courteous to us even if brief.

I'm not my past self, I aware that I have a limit. I don't want to carry anymore lives on my shoulder. I don't want to be responsible for other people's fate.

"I understand that, way too much." She looks to the ground, seemingly remembering something. I was expecting her usual insults, but she is surprisingly considerate. "However, we gotta do it."

"If you need assistance, just ask us." Magellan's add with her usual carefreeness.

"Yeah."

But then we avert our eyes again as we being too conscious about what she had done to me.

As we are waiting for SFA Archer's arrival, the King walk pass to us and glare at Magellan silently.



"..."

"...What?"

"You are a conquistador, aren't you?"

"Yup. I am." Magellan answers bluntly without changing her expression.

The King is an Inca ruler. Even if during his reign, he may not encounter a European explorer, he could hold a grudge toward what happened to his people and descendants. And despite Magellan's mission is to find an alternate spice route to Southeast Asia, her visits still assisted the other explorers to come.

But exceeding my expectations...

"I hold a grudge on your people and I want to avenge mine. But at the same time, the current people of El-Dorado are descendants of the invaders. They have been fighting alongside me, struggling to protect the same land we were born at. The wills and flames of the Inca have been passed down to them."

"I see... that's great." Magellan's usually indifferent eyes grow wide, she is as surprised as I am.

"The less enemy we have, the better. I wanted to focus on defeating SFA right now."

And right after, Magellan saw El-Dorado Caster. She waves her hand happily, in which the man replied her back. This time, even the King is surprised with the development between the two Servants.



"Ohhhhh, fancy seeing you here--, whooaaa?!"

"You are going to carelessly address me with my True Name!"

Before she can finish her sentence, El-Dorado Caster fires a bolt of black-orb to her feet. Somehow, this scene feels like a deja vu despite never seen something like this.

(Huh, I can speak his True Name if I want to. That's mean, Caster is not part of EC Lancer's plan.)

Magellan thought something in her head, but continue her conversation as he pats his back repeatedly like an old friend. "But wow, I don't know you are being summoned! This must be fate!"

"Same here." The usually temperamental Caster seems oddly okay with Magellan's rudeness. I can tell these guys know each other back when they are alive. "One of the reasons why I trusted your group is because of you."

"You two know each other?" The King and I ask curiously.

"Yeah, we have met several times at King Carlos I's court. She is a very troublesome and annoying kid to deal with, but she is a very honest person." He said that as he tugs down her hat to her face.

"Hey, don't treat me like a kid. I'm older than you!"

"It's not a matter of age."

"Hmm." The King seems in deep thoughts until he suddenly figured out her True Name.

"Ah, so you are Ferdinand Magellan. You are very famous among the conquistadors, even the famous strait is named after you. Someone that conquers the sea of famine, that would make us a very bad match up. Good things Caster is here to control you and become our ally."

"I don't think anyone can control Lady Fernan, but you are not wrong that she is a dependable ally." El-Dorado Caster explains so the King doesn't get the wrong idea about her being loyal to them.

Caster honestly doesn't understand where to begin to explain what kind of person Magellan is. At one hand, she is a rare conquistador that befriended a South American native whom she thought to be a giant and set him free out of pity at the island of Patagonia; she also has a very good relationship with her slave Enrique whom she promised to set free. At the same time, Magellan was the very same person that tried to kidnapped two people she didn't bond with from the same island to present them to Spain.

"She is a very problematic person. I think she is someone that value personal relationship above all else."

Still, Caster will not tolerate such deeds and fight her with all of his might if he sees it first hand. Nor does she is justified doing such even the slightest of it, regardless of practical reason. As someone that just saw what she did for me and also sharing the same root with one of her slaves, this thought suddenly makes me conflicted.

"Everyone figuring out my True Name these days..." She let a sigh and I put my hand to her shoulder, hoping to make her feel better.

"It can not be helped, the King probably knows El-Dorado Caster's True Name. He simply connecting the dots, like some sort of an identity guessing game."

Thankfully, the King didn't catch on she is the one that put the base under attack despite knowing her identity. I can see Kenshin taking a big breath in relief as we just dodged the worst scenario.



Noticing our discussion, Miss Fujimaru eagerly joining the chatter. "Wait, Magellan? Like, Ferdinand Magellan, the explorer that almost as famous as Drake? You are him?!"



"What do you mean I almost as famous as that pair of meat?! She just copied my achievement, you give her too much credit!!"

"Amazing! I remember that the other marine Servants talk about you! They say you want to search for Antarctica or something!"

Magellan is out-of-characteristically annoyed by the mentions of Francis Drake. If I recall, the man did the same thing as Magellan but voyaged more smoothly, and often credited as the first person to circumnavigate the earth. Which, I have learned from Magellan's briefing back in our base that the man is a Servant of Avalon Britain and apparently a woman too.

"You are not surprised that Magellan is a girl?"

I ask Miss Fujimaru because I am surprised about the revelation. Because if I remember my history right, her expedition is known to be full of internal disputes as she murdered her fellow captains. Knowing the rivalry between Portugal and Spain at the time, I can see why many of her peers hated her, then coupled with her being a girl too. However, it seems she is popular among the lower crew as many betrayed those captains, and it reflected with how she created an information network in the present.

"Well, Chaldea has like, what, twenty heroes that recorded as a man in history and myth? You will stop thinking about it eventually. And then once you checked their historical biography, a physical description like 'he was an active youth, delighting in adventure; athletic, though slight of frame' will quickly make you realize they talking about a tomboy girl instead of a small boy all along."

"That another kind of amazing..."

Truthfully, Kenshin is also recorded as a man too. And Assassin is probably one too, as the only noteworthy female ninja recorded in history is Mochizuki Chiyome, which Kenshin has seen her in action back she was alive and she confirmed Assassin is not her. I also hope what inside of Bell's mask is not a cute blonde girl or something...



As we chatter, Bell announced: "Archer has entered Peru. In a minute, he will arrive here."

"Everyone get to your assigned posts." Says Kenshin from the sky with her voice broadcasted by Bell.

Hearing that, everyone stopped being idle and relaxed. We go to our assigned post just as planned. I use Via + Populus to drag me and Magellan to the top of the golden chain. The golden chain has been shaped to shroud the entire base with a gaping hole at the top, reminiscent of a python's constriction, or the Pantheon's oculus in Rome. Kenshin said the chain should be strong enough to withstand Archer's Noble Phantasm repeatedly, and the hole is a bait for Archer to aim there, allowing us to intercept him easily.

"Five." Bell started a countdown.

I take out all 16 of my mystic codes and take a deep breath. Both Magellan and Assassin are mostly useless on aerial combat, so they decided to protect me from harm.

"Four."

The King seemingly holds the massive golden chain to make it stay in shape. The entire base is shrouded with the chain, only leaving a hole above for Archer to attack.

"Three."

Kenshin, who has fulfilled her Noble Phantasm's condition spread her wing-like aura and jump to the sky.

"Two."

El-Dorado Caster seemingly chants a biblical passage to increase our defense.

"One."

The Chaldea duo ready to intercept his attack, waiting right in the middle.

"Zero."

The time has come.

And silence suddenly envelops the entire area.

As expected, we don't see the profile of Archer that Magellan described as a 'mechanical trojan knight' arrived at the battlefield. Miss Fujimaru being unfamiliar with SFA Archer is definitely confused.

"Where is the enemy?"

But we do know he already arrived here, as there is a 'second sun' that appears in the bright, blue sky.

"Here he comes!" Yells Bell.

The second sun suddenly expands, followed by a giant pillar of light from the above. Archer doesn't even spend any chit-chat, he just straight nuked us!

The nitrogen Rod of God launches to the Earth bringing a heavenly judgment. Even from a hundred meter below, I can tell this light is as hot as thousand of Nobunaga's matchlocks. But more dangerously, this one's range covers a block or two. And I remember we barely able to evade this blast back in New Japan.

"Is this guy serious?! Starting with a Noble Phantasm?!" Fujimaru Ritsuka is genuinely astonished, completely forgot that exactly what she did to El-Dorado 6 hours ago.

"With my Command Spell---"



"

Arondight---

Breaking All Restraint--

"

The knight already holds firm to the ground preparing a big swing, with his Master standing behind him giving all of her energy and moral support. A whirlpool of magical energy storming on Lancelot's Arondight. Everyone present knows with such Noble Phantasm that he could destroy the base during their attack if he wants to.

Just like Kenshin predicted, Archer will fire his Noble Phantasm through the hole. Combined with Bell telling them Archer's current position in real-time, Lancelot knows precisely where to aim.

"-show them who is the boss!" , "

Overload!!!

Overloaded Light of the Lake!!!

"

Another literal pillar of light, reminiscent to a waterfall torrent, shot to the sky intercepting the rivaling blast. It is way bigger than the one he uses against Magellan, as we can easily tell the blast can destroy an entire town. These blasts soon clash with each other, a short battle of supremacy between heaven and earth, sky and lake. And the result is clear as Lancelot's Noble Phantasm is more powerful than Archer's, swallowing the enemy's light with his own.

We are lucky to have such powerful allies like the Chaldea pair. If the battle between us and Lancelot take place without the El-Dorado soldiers around, he can easily kill all of us in a single swing. The only reason why they didn't is their moral compass, which also the reason why now they helped us to begin with.

And with that, the entire El-Dorado army's morale soars up-high.

"OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH YEEEAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

"Did you guys see that?! The blast we unable to fight against for years has been deflected!!!"

"Of course I see that, idiot! Who will miss the sight of giant lasers pushing each other like that?!"

The soldiers revved up and the King point his spear upward and shout with his youthful energy. He is as excited as they are, but he also hopes to capitalize on such excitement strategically.

"The trojan horse no longer invisible! All units, prepare to intercept the enemy's attack!"

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

After we blocked Archer's Noble Phantasm, it seems he changed his tactic as he opts to bombard us with rapid firing. Even if Lancelot is strong, he can't be in a different place at the same interval.

And Kenshin already takes that into account.



"Ha!!!"

Kenshin has gathered enough recognition from the soldiers and civilians within 5 hours we had. Her aura's output is high enough to access flight capability, and her physical parameters are boosted too. She becomes our second line of defense, as she swiftly deflects most of the barrage in the sky.

"Some of the bombardment escaped me. Soldiers, El-Dorado Caster!"

"On it!"

"The spirit of those that fear God; is sought after, and by his regard shall be blessed. For their hope is on him that saveth them, and the eyes of God are upon them that love him."

The soldiers in charge of the AAs able to shots the barrages accurately and disperse them on the sky before it reaches the ground. Of course, conventional weaponry shouldn't have any effect on magical barrages. And it's all thanks to El-Dorado Caster's blessing sacrement that coated the AAs with magical energy.

Unlike two years and a half ago, El-Dorado now has the perfect defense. Even after 10 minutes of barrages, none has dealt any damage to us.

And Archer grows impatient as he fires another Noble Phantasm.

"Lancelot!"

"Hmph!"

And once again, Lancelot able to push back Archer's blast with his Arondight Overload. But with all of Miss Fujimaru's Command Spell is gone, Lancelot can't intercept Archer's Noble Phantasm anymore. And according to the information, Archer has still enough magical energy to fire one more.

"YEEEAAAHHHH!!!"

The soldiers are in merry. Never been they hoped to repel SFA Archer's pillar of light, definitely not twice. Their confidence is at the highest, as the prospect to return to El-Dorado's glory days is no longer impossible. After all, we only need to repel the same attack one more.

In contrast with the soldiers, I continue swallowing my own saliva.

But this time, Archer stopped attacking entirely.

It seems that Archer has judged his attacks are no longer effective, he decided to make his move cautiously.

"Now he really-really stopped, huh?", comments Miss Fujimaru off-handedly.

"Waiting for more than this will give him enough magical energy to fire a fourth Noble Phantasm. We must stop him fast."

We have waited for about 10 minutes, Bell confirmed that Archer currently gathering nitrogen in the atmosphere to replenish his magical energy. While it gives us time for a break, his charge rates are way beyond normal. Which unlike me, Miss Fujimaru's Od don't charge at a very fast rate. If we don't defeat him, he will be totally untouchable.

Knowing that, Kenshin calls me from the sky. "Master! Are you ready?"

This signals that it's up to me stopping Archer's Noble Phantasm now.

"..."

Honestly, there is no way I can be ready.

I can't help it. If I failed, it will be the doom of us. This is not a situation where a mere determination and tenacity could be enough, not a situation where I have many options to do over and over again. After all, I probably have only one chance.

I will make the same mistake again if I fail.

A mistake without any reset options, failing at a situation I absolutely should never fail.

Just like that day.

It doesn't matter how many times you fails, you only need to succeed once.

...Kid. Shut the fuck up.

What a goddamn joke. Remembering that may give me a PTSD which my Laetitia will unable to calm me down.

I can't fuck this up, no, I can't fuck anything up. Not even once, that's the cruel rule of this world we are living in. It's a lesson that the once optimistic me learned the harsh way from this war, mocking my entire ideal with a cruel truth of reality.

What's wrong with me, suddenly being all sentimental and doubtful.

Where is the Lestari Elliwyn that decided to challenge the entire world head-on after learning she unable to run? Where is the same magus that willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of her goal?

Remember you could take on not only one Servant but two! I mean, the circumstance is pretty damn Robo-Servant specific but who cares about that?!

Yet, as I try to reassure myself, I squeeze my heart even harder and clench my teeth even rougher.

Damn it...

This is not working at all.

What should I do... to do this right?

Critical Choice!

What should Lestari do with her having doubts in mind? Please choose very carefully.

1] Just do it, don't think unnecessary concern! It will all work out in the end!
2] We must wait for Archer to give an opening, then I strike with my spell.
3] Rely on my friends to protect me, so I can focus solely on the spell.

[Bird of Hermes]

Aaahh, these are all 'Protagonist' choices in one way or another. We need some form of defence otherwise we're gonna get taken down in one-shot and waiting for an opening is just asking for a sneak attack. Therefore by process of elimination I go for ​3

[SleepMode]

3

[Half-Blood Master]

3

Don't believe in yourself! Believe in the Servants who believe in you!

[Sunny]

I’ll bandwagon 3 - it seems like what would shake her the most out of that hesitation and waiting too long could backfire.

[zikari8]

Are we bandwagoning? Okay

3

[Spartacus]

Location: Pentagon, USA, SFA

Among SFA Servants, Archer is the most special.

His Saint Graph has been enhanced by Leader's Noble Phantasm far from anyone in SFA, to the point that the man has lost his original identity and consciousness. His current self, no, its current self very similar to the Machine Lord-type robots SFA has; that it operates with a precise, but simple logic. In fact, the Lords can be considered the mass-produced version of Archer. Unlike them, however, there are many strategical functions its theoretically able to do but requires human outputs to be executed effectively.

Compared to Nobunaga's self-conscious and irritating AI, It is no different than a puppet.

"Status: Stable. Magical Energy: 25% remaining, it is required 30% at the minimum to perform

Star Shooter

Desperation Mercy Shot

without risk. Archer, requesting 20 minutes to recharge."

To compensate this, Leader and Bell have gathered a team of engineers to monitor the Servant. These engineers range from a technician, chemist, psychologist, and magus that equally as important as the others. Sometimes a technical problem will run into a psychological one, or a foreign substance will mess with the process to turn nitrogen into liquid form and then magical energy; these problems can be too complex and specific to be handled by each specialist. There is a need for a supervisor that can easily convey the problems toward the others.

"Good. Tell Archer to continue recharging. We can't risk this mission."

"Roger."

Enter the group's supervisor, which existence can be described as an 'enigma.'

Supervisor

The supervisor joined SFA 2,5 years ago and his competence is just right the Archer team needed at the time. The man is both multi-talented and well-mannered. His ability as an engineer is inferior to his specialized underlings, but he learned the four subjects at a very fast rate. In lesser than two months, he able to communicate on the same level and contribute to problem-solving to the team. As a person, he is a pleasant individual that listens and gives helpful advice to his co-workers, some even tend to share their personal problems with him.

An ideal diligent worker that rapidly climb the bureaucratic ladder. People can easily see him obtaining a seat in the top-brass easily. Yet after such smooth sailing, he stopped as a modest supervisor, declining every promotion offers that come after.

It's as if being Archer's supervisor is his end goal.

"Sir. If I may."

"Yes?"

"I don't think it is a good idea to continue this attack."

The magus whose job consists to make sure there is no defect in Archer's magical energy, raise his hand and spoke in a very mild-manner. It is quite clear he respects the supervisor as superior. No one in the room understands the magical world, but a magus, by nature, tends to see normal people as a lesser being, even if he is not a remarkable one. He just like Lestari is a graduate of the Clock Tower and barely noteworthy, but unlike her, he lacks the tenacity to challenge the impossible. The fact that a man from an arrogant society like him speaks politely to his 'normal' superior should speak volumes of the latter's competence.

"As you can see, El-Dorado acquires a Servant that has a Noble Phantasm as strong as Archer's Star Shooter, I think their output is even greater. Even if we able to fire another Noble Phantasms, they can deflect it again with theirs. I believe there is no merit for Archer to continue bombarding them anymore."

Prior to the bombardment, Archer has suffered damage from Nobunaga's demonic giant Noble Phantasm. it seems that Nobunaga was able to land some lucky shots to space. The magus understood that they shouldn't risk any more damage, considering the enemy has the same pillar of light-type Noble Phantasm. And as low the chance it may be, he fears the enemy has a magus that able to create meteor shower or something similar like the former Animusphere's head.

"I can see where you are coming from."

The supervisor approaches the magus, then he opens the game plan of their invasion on a computer screen and details of their role can be read. He points his finger to the advantage they can have, the risk of failing the mission, etc. He did so without trying to demeans the magus, using the most polite and gentle words he can use.

"But our role is to destroy their Mana Reservoir so the main force can easily overwhelm them. The fact that there is a Servant strong enough to deflect Star Shooter suggests more reason to destroy their Reservoir asap. Or else, the Lords bear a high risk to be destroyed by that Servant. I think in this situation; we should stick to our initial plan."

"Right..."

"Well then. Archer, continue attacking."

In all honesty, he still disagrees with the supervisor's logic. But he refrains doing so out of respect to him, or perhaps he has faith that the supervisor thinks far ahead much more than he does. Either way, the magus resumed his work earnestly just like everyone in the room.

Regardless of differing opinions, everyone in the room wishes greatly to protect their home country, which is now synonymous with the Faction SFA. That's contributed to why a magus lowers his pride and work together without complaint.

And they want to end this war as fast as possible. They want to go home, embrace their family and says: there is no need for us to fight anymore.

"Don't worry. We will come victorious, no matter what."

The supervisor, or in this case - the enigma, returns to his seat. Smiling mysteriously as if everything will progress favorably.

Hoping he can finally go home just like they do.

* * *

14 Hours remaining until SFA invades El-Dorado Base.

Year: 2022
Location: El-Dorado Base, Cusco, Peru, El-Dorado
Daytime: Day

Lestari Elliwyn
Health: Great
Magical Energy: Excellent



"Master, are you ready?" Kenshin asks from the sky.

...

Of course, I'm not ready.

If I fail, history will repeat again. The same mistake will repeat again. The people that I know are in danger, and that fact haunts me to no end.

What the hell are you hesitant for, Lestari Elliwyn? You are no longer alone anymore. You now have Servants to rely on, the friends that will sincerely offer their shoulders for me to lean on.

A situation where I can't fail...

If I can't do it by myself, obviously I should rely on others.

"Yeah, let's go!"

I throw all the geomantic cards to the air, then all sixteen of them start to spin and shuffle at an extremely fast rate. The principle behind Recursion is rather simple, it will rapidly divines each combination of the cards to brute force every single possibility for my spell to activate. But I can easily mess the divination if I don't concentrate.

"Recursion, activate."

So far, it is only useful and applicable to hack electronics. It will be slightly different this time around.

wise-up!

Magical Energy: Excellent ---> Great

"Incoming bombardments. Archer will resume his attack, he clearly targets the Master."

Bell informed us that Archer going to strike again and purposefully targeting me. And soon after he informed us, energy blasts rapidly fired to the place we currently stand now. Kenshin and the AA team able to repel most of them, but the blasts suddenly increased in power and speed, causing some of them almost able to reach the ground.

I muster my self to ignore those dangers, braving my heart to continue collecting the magical energy around the area. To make myself extra focused, I did the elementary technique all magi learned, imagining a snapped branch in my head as a switch. I can feel the leyline below me reacts to my Recursion, as the mana in the air dance around my barely calm self, dancing with my Od in harmony.

With me directly connected and monopolize the land's leyline, the only thing left to do is for my Recursion to finish its divination and the extra-long incantation.

wise-up!

Magical Energy: Great ---> Good

"Assassin, Magellan."



Both of them, without saying a word deflects all the incoming blasts. They use all of their best, despite many times one of them almost slipped, the other will come to assists. They continue the routine far from perfect, but they get the job done by sheer tenacity. Servants are amazing, five hours ago the two almost died, but as long their Saint Graph is healed; they can be as effective as ever.

But what if they failed? What if an attack slipped through?

No... this is not a one-man job, it's a group effort. I call myself their Master, their friend. What kind of a friend that has no faith on her own? I rely on them exactly because I can't do this alone. The only reason I can dream to end all of this because they are here.

Yeah... a friend should support each other. That's common sense.

They are my treasured friends, just like the friends I have in the past. Back then, I was reluctant to ask for their help. No, I'm too arrogant, as I can deal with every hardship before me through my own. Fixing all problems left and right, not simply mine alone but also others.

Thinking I can always be the hero, thinking I can shoulder everything alone.

Having my friends rely on me, yet rarely I rely on them.

And they paid the price.

Everyone...

This spell that all of you helped to create back then, I will use it!

* * *

Year: 2012
Location: Somewhere near Clock Tower



"When you guys are going to fuck off?" Karissa irritatedly glare to us as usual.

"10 more minutes," the word offhandedly escapes from my mouth while continue doing what I currently doing: reading a magazine lazily.

"You heard her, I'm going back once Lesi is done too," Canda put down her classic novel, she glances at me with her mouth wide open and eyes rolling as I put Karissa's (non-existent) patience to its limit.



Karissa Gwynedith and Candis Etherauletta, my closest friends. The two are, unlike me, the forefront of the magical world. They are also unfortunately dragged along as my confidants during the infamous 'Bank Account Incident', which is not something I want to detail because there is a conflicting feeling between being proud and guilty.

"She has said the same thing six times now!"

Located less than 2 km from the Clock Tower, my friends and I often gather at this place after finishing our classes. We like fancying this place as our atelier, but really, it is just simply Karissa's apartment. The reason this place is (unfortunately) preferred as it is the nearest, and there is a shop that sells amazing fried chicken nearby. It goes without saying, Canda is self-aware that Karissa is irritated by it, but I managed to convince her to continue crashing here somehow.

Karissa's apartment is a fuck ton of great, I tell you. She is the scion of the very old Gwynedith family, yeah, but that's not the important part. She is quite the skilled Bounded Field-maker, and she can instantly make an uncomfortable house comfortable. She also has all these neat stuff like a microscope, advanced furnace, coffee maker, etc; all to help her focus on studying.

Though knowing her, she probably spends her time watching movies.

"It feels lonely without Lior and Ulle here." I totally didn't say that to distract them from the real issue.

"It is unfortunate they are our juniors; our schedule is rarely aligned."

"Hmph. They are a good girl compared to you two, that's for sure. But hell, I feel inferior whenever Lior walks next to me. No matter how I see it, she is cooler than any of us! We are the senior, damn it." Commander, reporting! The distraction is successful!

Ahem, anyway, to explain who Lior is... she is eccentric and sweet.

Unlike the three of us which more or less forced to hang out because of our (my) own fuck up, she suddenly pops up in our lives and declares herself as our fan. The girl is somewhat hyper and excitable, but that's what makes her so charming. And you know, whenever she arrives at the campus with her awesome motorcycle, remove her glossy helmet, and waves her gloved hand to us; the girl looks so damn cool I want to apologize for being the lamer senior.

As we are in the mood of talking about our impressionable junior, Canda being Canda took this too seriously as she deeply thinks what Lior has done to her. She removed the sealing curse imposed on her pocket diary that she habitually carries all the time, you can tell that the diary is her version of a smartphone. She then starts skimming the diary quickly and precisely, then soon realized Lior has done plenty.

"H-have I repaid her once? Once I asked a favor for her to help me to dress for the annual ball. She overdid on doing so and making someone unnoticeable as me into a center of attention. Uwaaahhh, I don't want to remember the rest!" She said that as she shyly drowns her face with the diary.

"Yeah... about the last part..." Karissa and I cut her in unison. I mean, we know Lior is very cool and all, but that's not the sole thing that contributed here. Canda is overwhelmingly popular, and she is oblivious to that.

As we chat about how great our junior was, and why she makes us look lame as a result; I continue reading the magazine while rolling around on the sofa. Karissa wanted to urge me to go home again, but she suddenly expressed interest in what am I doing.

"What are you reading for, anyway?" Ask Karissa.

"Thinking of a new spell."

"Heeeh. The spells your family passed down isn't enough? Wait, why are you reading scientific discovery of all things?!" She is surprised as she notices the magazine is a space program article published by NASA.

"I decided to pursue Modern Magecraft because I know I have no chance to compete in a traditional Divination most Astrologers do. Moreover, if you think about it, aren't a lot of mystery is founded from phenomenons that people from the past don't fully understand?"

Even if I don't attend the Astrology class, the Geomancy we practice normally is a divination method invoking both random chances and planetary elements. I already trained the basics of it from my Granpa personal lesson and the Crest on my back neck. I actually an oddity that didn't take many classes at once, as I focus solely on perfecting my Recursion on Modern Magecraft.

"The last one is news to me."

"I forgot you missed a lot of Lord El-Melloi II's class..." Both Karissa and Canda took Lord El-Melloi II's class as their magecraft is related to Chaos Magic as I do.

If I think about it, our respective families belong in three opposing factions. As one can expect, my Granpa is initially among the democratic Trambellio Faction, though we are basically factionless now due to an incident in the past. Canda's family supported the largely neutral Meluastea's, while Karissa comes from a lineage of nobles remain undoubtfully a firm supporter of Barthomeloi's. Considering our political standing, I'm surprised we can get along fine like this.

Perhaps once we reached adulthood, all of us become enemies. But what's matter the most we are friends in the present.

"Hmph, I merely want my name attached to a famed lecturer."

"I... guess that's smart in some ways. But anyway, look at this phenomenon."

I pointed my finger to the images of natural phenomenons that could happen in the upper atmosphere. The two immediately gather and try to fathom what is it about. Red lightning, red cloud, halo-like shockwave; all of them are phenomenons that rarely can be seen in quotidian life.

"Red lightning? Cool." Sometimes I don't know if Karissa is nonchalant or stupid.

"Uhh, not that. I mean, look at the names."

"Elves, sprites, gnomes... those are the names of famous mythical beasts and spirits."

"Yes, as expected from Canda. It pretty much the same thing with naming the Roman gods on celestial bodies, right? And Astrologer frequently invokes the planets to activate their spells, despite at this point we know that planets are scientific in nature."

"Not to mention from this article, the scientists haven't figured how exactly these phenomenons work," Canda adds.

"Yup. And even has been proven to be correct in the scientific world, many magus still practices heliocentric magecrafts. There are many things we don't know about the nature of Mystery, we know it powered by faith, but the more people understand can degrade it too. So I figured if something as widespread such as heliocentrism hasn't noticeably degraded yet, an obscure phenomenon like this is even more so."

"As expected of our Gremlin, you walk in a tightrope between mystery and common sense. Honestly, you people on Modern Faculty are a bunch of monsters!" Karissa declares in a tone she is not part of Modern Faculty despite taking one of its classes. However, she then being blunt, which I always found as valuable coming from an aristocrat like her. "But still, something on that scale. No offense, but your capacity isn't enough."

"Normally, yes. But if I have a monopoly on the local leyline, like the one below my home, I could have regenerated my Od before the spell depleted me dry. And Geomancy is so widespread I don't need to fear incompatibility with the land. Besides, once I graduate, I will inherit the Crest fully."

The Elliwyn, or rather me, is technically a 4th Generation magus family. But that's only technically, as we are in fact hundreds of years old. To be sure, there is a truth behind it, as my deceased far-far uncles and cousins that unable to resist our unexplained curse died after receiving Granpa's Crest. The Crest will continue to be fully functional, undamaged and take all the knowledge gathered by his dead descendants; powering him up even further. While most magi think such ability as a blessing, my Granpa is too human to be happy about it. As my dad decided to pursue normalcy, I become my Granpa's successor.

That is the origin of our Sorcery Trait, Branch Rot, which my sister Rosa and I are the only ones immune by a cosmic chance of birth.

The Crest I currently have on the back of my neck is minuscule of it, so I can be independent and self-reliant. And if I received it fully like he cheerfully promised, there is no problem for me to activate the spell. The third-rate Lestari Elliwyn will jump into a first-rate magus for sure!

"Ah, your grandfather is that Ambrosius guy who is found dead, right? The one said to has monstrous talent, almost immortal and massive natural circuit? I'm unsure that sounds stupid or enviable."

"Oh, this is news to me too! Good for you Lesi!"

People believed him to be dead, but it's actually a ruse. One of his confidants, the third head of the Nomikata family, give the Clock Tower a false testimony about his death in exchange for my Granpa's body as a guinea pig. It seems my Granpa is no longer useful for him as he is always at home now, training me every Saturday.

"Hahaha, thanks." I can't tell them he actually still kicking though.

* * *

The ground around me violently sparkles.

The sparks then turn into raging electrical discharges. The electricity continues to furiously run amoks, the soldiers started to worry if the charge will inadvertently shock them. Needless to say, someone on my caliber will not make such an honest mistake. After all, we Elliwyn pride ourselves in the discipline of controlling on our magical energy.

From brown earth to blue currents. From blue currents to red thunders.

The discharges turn the dim earth to shining in cheerful hues. What is once looks like a nuclear meltdown turns into something more otherworldly and sight stealing.

The color change is the cue that my Recursion almost divine everything, and I take a breath calmly and start the incantation.

wise-up!

Magical Energy: Good ---> Normal

In this labyrinth of uncertainty, I continue believing.

Not for a light to illuminate my way, not for a hand to extend herself.

This heart is forged to walk through a storm, unshaken from a myriad of trials.

The pathway constructed, alongside every big step I made.

Already existing, unthinkable roads of greatness.

Red sparks circling on a radius of my center. They then raise from the ground like upward lightning but continue to maintaining their form instead of a momentous phenomenon. Their appearance is barely descriptive, as these solid lightning groups together forming into what seemingly looks like bundles of straws. The only distinctive feature they display is the single circular ring on the top of their 'head', which make them be mistaken as the terrifying angels from those Abrahamic beliefs.

Red sprites

"..."

These red angels float idly in front of me, they can't speak or feel, nor in any form should be considered as life forms. Honestly, they are a little too flashy for a fourth-generation magus like me should be allowed.



"Red... lightning? I never thought such a thing is possible ever since my birth." Speak Miss Fujimaru in awe, out-of-characteristically hyperbolic.

"Sir Mordred has one. But it is indeed rare." Lancelot correcting his Master while shielding her from the sparks.

"Is she? Oh... yeah, you are correct."

Nonetheless, red lightning is a phenomenon that a person couldn't observe most of the time. It doesn't surprise me she never heard such a thing on her entire life, I'm sure most people too. The flashy preparation that transforms the entire surrounding gives the illusion that the world around me changed into something not belong in the world of man. Their spirits like appearance, alongside the actual scientific naming of the phenomenon, make this spell is rightfully named as:

"

Rubeus Spiritus

Great Ascension.

"

The red sprites stream up toward space, just like spirits of the dead ascend to heaven. Red lightning can travel more than ordinary lightning bolts, as they can reach up to 100 kilometers to the sky. And more importantly, red sprites are natural positive lightning, which means the bolts travel upward.

To SFA Archer's 80 km, the sprites are fully capable to enter his untouchable realm.

Naturally, lightning bolts travel kilometers of distances in less than a second. Archer too occupied on bombarding, he realized too late the angelic lightning outstretching in light speed.



"Wido-, ...!!!!"

He attempted boosting himself from its range, but the sprites give him a solid hit before he could.

"Aaaahh!!! I have nothing left now!" My leg collapsed from the combined stress of extreme focus and the lost of Od. Just like that, I depleted all of my magical energy except to barely maintain my Servants' physical forms.

wise-up!

Magical Energy: Normal ---> Critical

"It is undoubtedly an impressive spell, but Archer only suffered damages considerably," informs Bell about Archer's status.

"You mean, it fails...?" Says the King, as the fear of losing everything he has like two and a half years ago returns to him.

But unlike him, what Bell says is good news in my ears.

"Considerably? Even barely will be plenty."

As long as Rubeus Spiritus able to penetrate his Magic Resistance, it doesn't matter whatever the spell damages him or not.

After all, Geomancy Recursion is a magecraft I mostly used to interfere with the scientific.

Spoiler:

A bright light seemingly appears from space; I know that the explosion I counted on. Accompanying it was the figure of SFA Archer reentering the sky in flames. He finally able to be seen with naked eyes, which looks exactly like Magellan described: a bizarre mix between a cowboy, robot, knight, and trojan.

Wise-up!

SFA Archer
Health: Normal ---> Poor
Magical Energy: Normal ---> Critical

"The rest is in your guys' hand."

The invincible, invisible Archer is no more.

Wise up! Rubeus Spiritus

Rubeus Spiritus: Great Ascension

Red Sprite. A spell that summons red lightning. A Five-Count Spell.

The principle behind the spell is similar to her usual brute-force hacking. The geomantic cards rapidly divines phenomenon until reaching the 'exact series of phenomenons' needed to fire the spell. But instead of synchronizing it with binary code, she uses the regular usage to actualize spells instead.

The most important component is the geomantic cards Rubeus and Tristia. Rubeus represents an overturned glass; an inversion, meaning good in all that is evil, and evil in all that is good. Tristitia resembles a broken arch or a stake being driven into the ground. It is bad in most cases and connotes sadness or mourning, and it invokes the angel Gabriel the most out of all the cards. Thus, Rubeus Tristitia means an inverted arch, an upward lightning.

It takes the form of a lightning elemental, and invoke the mythological sprite (spirit). Its appearance, which has a halo on the top (a side effect called Elves) emulates both the appearance of Mercurius and Gabriel. A red lightning that arches to the sky instead of to the ground, as if the spirit returns from Earth to heaven.

While they can reach 100 km to the sky, they weren't made with attacking someone on space in mind. Lestari created the spell simply for her to have a large scale attack that able to be used once she inherits the full Crest. This spell is several times stronger and hotter than regular Tristitia, but its most dangerous aspect is its range and speed. It takes her a day after the New Japan invasion to finally grasp its true potential.

Rubeus Spiritus can be categorized as familiars. But they can only be ordered for a simple command nor Lestari can gather information with them, so they are considered to be 3rd rate in this department.

Wise-up! SFA Archer

Servant Stats:
STR C
AGI A+
END D
MAN A
LCK C
NP A

Star Shooter
Desperation Mercy Shot

Anti-Unit
Rank A

A trick shot, to reach the star.

A Noble Phantasm that can be fired from high energy railgun, firing off a precise line of piercing light. It needs to be charged before being shot, but it will never miss a single inch from the designed point. Its greatest ability is its range, as its effective range is 80 km, the range from atmosphere to earth.

It is originally a Noble Phantasm fired from a pistol without any firepower whatsoever, only boasting its 3 km effective range, the range from the sky to earth.

Wise-up! Branch Rot

Branch Rot

The Sorcery Trait of the Elliwyn, a blessing for magi that taken as a curse by men.

It gives the enviable benefit that their Crest is virtually indestructible and undegradable. But as a price, the Crest will gradually deplete the current user's life force, inflicting them with loss of body immunity overtime. The life forces its absorbed from the 'branches' then be used to increase the longevity of the 'trunk.' Combined with Ambrosius's unique element: gravity; the two become the secret behind Ambrosius' apparent immortality.

By the birth of Lestari and Rosa Elliwyn, the Crest has recognized that the two as the new 'trunk' of Elliwyn family. Upon receiving a small part of the Crest, the immortality effect on Ambrosius has ceased to function, slowly crippling him in the process. For most magi, such mechanism is desirable as it gives them the benefit of an indefinite lifespan to continue their research. For Ambrosius, who is a horrible person but still human at his core, the idea he will outlive his descendant is truly devastating.

Unlike other wise-ups which assume the characters have the same knowledge with the reader. Branch Rot exact mechanism is still unknown to the Elliwyn, and this information only accessible to the reader. The Association issued Sealing Designation for Ambrosius due to his immortality, but they don't know the secret behind that is the Crest.

As right now, she only inherited 15% of the Crest.