Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover-Chapter 222: [] Second Singularity: Eternal Madness Empire

The barrage of javelins ended, and Nero closed the eyes of the dying warhorse before standing up.

"Are you... alright?"

"Just a scratch," Sakatsuki replied expressionlessly, pulling the javelin from his shoulder. Blood spurted out, but the wound healed at a visible rate. "It seems my endurance parameter is quite high."

The man's blood-red eyes scanned the surroundings, and a cold smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "A bunch of cowards..."

"Huh?"

"Master, do you mind handing the soldiers over to me?"

"What?"

Before Nero could react, Sakatsuki raised his hand, and a black banner adorned with a mystical bird appeared in his grasp.

Though Sakatsuki was only dressed in ordinary clothes, Nero, in a daze, seemed to see a legendary general clad in armor standing proudly, issuing his first command in this world.

"All troops, hold your ground!"

The military order echoed far and wide. The guards loyal to Nero, as if drawn by an invisible force, turned their gaze to Sakatsuki, their eyes flashing with a crimson light.

"Understood!"

A response utterly foreign to Rome rang out. The soldiers fighting against the guards were shocked to find that their exhausted enemies, who had been on the verge of collapse, suddenly regained their strength and began to wield their weapons once more. They fought while retreating, eventually gathering in front of Sakatsuki.

"Wait, if you do this, then..." Nero's words were cut off as a suppressed, excited command rang out from the enemy's rear.

"Release!"

Once again, a volley of javelins was hurled. But this time, the blood aura connecting the souldiers surged, and with a thunderous crash, a colossal shield of blood slammed into the ground. Then, tilting backward, it formed an angled shield wall. At its base, mechanical blades sprang out, locking seamlessly into the earth.

Like raindrops hitting a windowsill, the barrage of javelins clattered harmlessly against the shield formation, leaving the hundreds of guards under Sakatsuki's command unscathed.

In the next moment, Sakatsuki waved his hand again.

"Wind!"

The massive shield disassembled, and the blood-red aura reformed. The guards, now armed with crossbows, knelt on the ground. Cursed arrows were nocked, and the bows were drawn halfway, their tips aimed upward. In almost an instant, a fully prepared crossbow formation was ready.

"Great Wind!"

The wind swept through like a storm, lifting the hem of Sakatsuki's black-and-gold coat. He mercilessly swung his hand down.

And so, a true rain of arrows soared into the sky, trailing fiery blood-red light as they descended. They pierced through shields with no magical resistance, claiming the lives of one enemy after another.

After killing their targets, the arrows dissolved back into the blood-red aura, carrying with them the life force and resentment of the slain, returning to the main formation where the white-haired man stood.

The unwillingness of the living, the hatred of the dead—these conflicting emotions assaulted the man's mind. But above them was an even more dominant will, suppressing them completely and refining them into his weapons, his claws and fangs.

The blood-red aura surged once more, far more intense and violent than before, trailing chaotic crimson shadows before coalescing into a massive battle-axe!

This was the blood-red aura sufficient to sustain hundreds in battle! This was the fury of all who had killed and been killed on this battlefield!

And now, it had all merged into a colossal weapon, towering dozens of meters high, as if capable of cleaving heaven and earth!

"This... this is..." Nero was dumbfounded.

"All troops, retreat—!" A centurion let out a heart-wrenching scream.

She finally understood why that man had gathered the remnants of the army. It wasn't just because he had a means of defense—it was because he also intended to annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop!

But... how could something so unreasonable be possible!

There was no time to think, for the blood-red weapon lowered its blade, and a devastating slash swept through, cutting hundreds of enemy soldiers who hadn't managed to escape in half.

Bodies split in two sprayed blood, drenching their comrades. Severed limbs flew in all directions, crashing into their former allies.

The excessive blood evaporated rapidly under the sun, and an indescribable stench of blood filled the air. The scene of this hell on earth crashed like a tsunami against the mental defenses of those who witnessed it.

In an instant, hundreds of soldiers were annihilated.

Though in terms of numbers, a few hundred soldiers were only a small portion of the army, the visual impact of hundreds of soldiers being cut in half was an immense blow to morale. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

"Ah... ah..."

"No, no, no, no, no! Help, I want to go back!"

"I'll never come to this cursed place again! Run, run away!"

The army collapsed. No one wanted to face such a monstrous force, especially with the overwhelming bloodlust that made them feel as if they had returned to the savage era of survival of the fittest, where they were the prey at the bottom of the food chain.

The hunter standing in the formation cast a murderous gaze at them, the black battle flag in his hand fluttering in the wind. The mystical bird embroidered on it seemed ready to devour the crimson and gold that symbolized Rome.

"Chase them down, leave no—"

"No! Don't chase them anymore!" The man's words were cut off as the young emperor, deeply shaken by the carnage, finally regained her senses and desperately covered Sakatsuki's mouth to stop him from continuing.

"That's enough, that's enough!"

Sakatsuki halted his command, his golden-red eyes locking onto the Master who had stopped him. He could feel the slight trembling in her hand, and indeed, her entire body.

In her emerald-green eyes, there was relief at having survived, as well as deep sorrow.

He looked down. His black-and-gold coat was stained with blood, its colour now murky and indistinct. Blood from his wounds flowed down his exposed skin, forming scabs that had yet to fully dry.

Before him, the emperor, as beautiful as a rose, stood with her golden hair dishevelled, her body bearing the scars of battle.

—On her hand, three Command Spells glowed with a warning light.

"...I see." Finally, Sakatsuki's gaze softened. He gently freed himself from Nero's grasp, and the black mystical bird banner in his hand dissolved into spiritrons.

"Then, declare victory, Your Majesty."

Nero looked at the smiling Sakatsuki, and a joyful smile spread across her face as well.

"Umu! Then I hereby declare—we have won! We have defended the capital! The glory of victory belongs to me and you, my dear Romans!"

The madness in the guards' eyes faded away. They looked at each other, then joined Nero in a cheer.

"Hooray!!!"

Amid the noisy crowd, only the white-haired man stood with a calm smile, as if he were a mere bystander.

***

"Let me explain. My Rome is currently in a critical situation. The once-prosperous empire has been torn apart."

On the way back to the capital, Nero began to explain the current state of the war to Sakatsuki.

"On one side is the legitimate Roman Empire ruled by me, with the capital Rome at its center. On the other side is the United Empire, which appeared out of nowhere, led by multiple 'emperors' who do not include me. Those guys call themselves the United Roman Empire and have taken half of the empire's territory."

"Hmm, I see." Sakatsuki nodded thoughtfully.

Things were as he had imagined. He had not been transported to the Moon Holy Grail War but had instead arrived in another worldline—the Second Singularity of Fate/Grand Order, the Eternal Madness Empire.

But why?

As he walked alongside the rose-like emperor, who was not riding a horse but walking beside him, Sakatsuki pondered deeply.

According to the Fate Compendium's reminder, he had been summoned here due to a call of fate and his own connection.

The call of fate was obvious—it referred to Nero, who had summoned him. But what about his own connection?

Moreover, why was Nero judged to have a connection with him? Even if there was one, it should have been something that would happen in the Moon Holy Grail War. Could this connection include the future?

If that were the case, then the skill 'Endless Sorrow' might be far more troublesome than he had imagined...

"By the way, I haven't asked you in detail yet. Who exactly are you?" Nero's voice interrupted Sakatsuki's thoughts.

As a Master, she had not followed the proper summoning ritual and thus did not know the relationship between a Servant and their Master. Moreover, their first meeting had been in the chaos of battle, with Nero on the brink of despair. She had no choice but to trust Sakatsuki and no time to ask questions.

But now that the battle was over, she finally had the time to inquire about the true identity of this mysterious man.

Who was this man who had descended like a saviour to help her break through the siege? Where did he come from?

Was he just lending a helping hand, or was he a steadfast comrade?

Could she trust him, or should she treat him like a double-edged sword, using him while remaining wary?

Sitting high on her throne, Nero had far too many things to consider.

"I am..." Sakatsuki instinctively began to answer, but upon seeing the three Command Spells on Nero's hand and recalling the look in her eyes at that moment, he instantly changed his mind and spoke again.

"Who I am is not important. I am merely a nameless man who has answered your wish to protect you."

Before Nero could react, the white-haired man continued.

"Once I have safely escorted you to a secure location, I will leave."

"Huh?" Nero tilted her head, and upon realizing what Sakatsuki meant, her pupils dilated. She couldn't help but exclaim at the city gates.

"Whaaaaaat—?!"

***

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