Fate: Question And Answer System of Traversing Heroic Spirits

"Charge!!!"

Following Iskandar's command, the remnants of his legion regrouped and charged toward the Great Wall.

Halfway there, the defenders of the Great Wall launched their counterattack. Arrows, javelins, and other projectiles rained down from above in a coordinated assault.

"Hold formation!"

On the Great Wall, the soldiers were calm and organized. At the command of their leader, they leaned forward, raising their shields to block the incoming projectiles. The formation of shields worked flawlessly, deflecting the storm of arrows and javelins with precision.

"Archers, loose!"

As soon as the command was given, the shield bearers stepped aside, and rows of archers advanced. These archers operated in a systematic formation, divided into three teams. The first team loosed their arrows, immediately stepping back to reload, while the second and third teams fired in quick succession.

Within seconds, a relentless rain of arrows blanketed the battlefield, targeting Iskandar's charging army.

The King of Conquerors' forces suffered significant losses almost instantly.

It was a strategic miscalculation on Iskandar's part.

The Great Wall had been originally constructed to repel cavalry invasions, giving it a natural advantage against Rider-class Servants and mounted armies like Iskandar's. On top of that, his army had already been severely depleted after their clash with Darius III's undead forces.

Victory seemed almost impossible now.

"Advance!"

Undeterred, Iskandar played his last card.

From his inventory, he retrieved the "Gordian Knot", a bonding relic that amplified the combat abilities of his troops by 15%. This item, acquired from a silver treasure chest, was a treasured piece of his arsenal.

Strengthened by this additional power, his army roared with renewed vigor and pressed forward through the hail of arrows. They brought out ladders, scaling the Great Wall in an effort to breach its defenses.

However, the defenders were prepared.

As the enemy soldiers climbed, the archers retreated, making way for spearmen who stepped forward. From behind the parapets, they thrust their sharp spears downward, driving back or killing the attackers.

As the battle escalated, the defenders began hurling boulders and logs from above, crushing the soldiers who had reached the wall's base.

The sight was brutal. Not a single soldier managed to breach the top of the Great Wall.

Iskandar, witnessing this grim reality, sought to rally his troops by leading the charge himself. But the defenders unleashed yet another rain of arrows, this time focusing their fire on the king and his immediate forces.

Although the arrow barrage was less dense than before, the concentration of firepower was devastating. Iskandar's forces, now tightly packed at the foot of the wall, became easy targets.

Iskandar himself, marked as the primary threat, bore the brunt of the assault. Arrows pierced his armor, riddling his body with injuries.

One by one, his troops fell, and his army dissolved into the mists of the battlefield. The King of Conquerors stood alone, his defeat inevitable.

His Reality Marble, Ionioi Hetairoi, faded away as the battle came to an end. The remnants of both armies returned to Fuyuki Bridge, leaving the battlefield behind.

Iskandar had lost.

Despite bolstering his troops with every advantage at his disposal, the gap in power was insurmountable.

"King of Conquerors, do you have any last words?"

The First Emperor, Ying Zheng, addressed the defeated king calmly. His tone carried no malice, only a sense of finality.

"Ah, this battle… it wasn't as satisfying as I hoped," Iskandar admitted, his tone laced with frustration. His expression betrayed his disappointment, not only in himself but in the nature of the battle itself.

Iskandar had sought a glorious clash of armies, a passionate battle between equals. Instead, he had been forced into a siege, unable to overcome the impregnable defense of the Great Wall.

"What you desired was impossible from the start," Ying Zheng replied, his understanding of Iskandar's dissatisfaction evident. "Had I been summoned as a Rider, you might have witnessed the iron legions of Great Qin. But I am a Ruler in this war, and my role is different."

"Rider, huh? What a pity," Iskandar said, managing a faint smile. "It seems that the duel I dreamed of will have to wait."

"Besides this, is there anything else you wish to say?" Ying Zheng asked, his tone still formal.

"Hey, kid!" Iskandar suddenly called out, reaching into his pocket and retrieving a card. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed it to Waver, who barely managed to catch it.

"This is…?" Waver's brows furrowed as he examined the card. It bore Iskandar's image, but its purpose was unclear.

"That's a Class Card," Chihiro said from the sidelines, instantly recognizing it. After all, he had one of his own.

"A Class Card?!" Waver's voice trembled as he almost dropped it in shock. He now fully understood the immense power these cards could grant.

With the Class Card in hand, a Master could temporarily assume the role of a Servant, allowing them to fight alongside their own. Chihiro had demonstrated this capability before, using his own Class Card in battle.

"Rider, when did you obtain a Class Card?!" Waver asked, stunned.

"Ah, it was from the last golden treasure chest I opened," Iskandar replied nonchalantly. "I was going to give it to you earlier, but I forgot."

"Forgot?!" Waver's voice rose in disbelief. "How could you forget something so important?! If you'd given this to me earlier, I could've fought by your side instead of just standing and watching!"

Iskandar smiled warmly. "You've always wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with me, haven't you? Well, now you can. Take this as my strength, entrusted to you. Use it well, and I'll be watching over you from wherever I go."

Tears welled in Waver's eyes as he clutched the card tightly. "You… you really won't stop until you make me cry, will you?"

"Haha, tears are nothing to be ashamed of!" Iskandar said with a hearty laugh before turning to Ying Zheng. He spread his arms wide in a gesture of acceptance.

"Come, Ying Zheng! Let's finish this!"

Ying Zheng nodded solemnly. "King of Conquerors, as a worthy opponent, I will grant you the highest honor in death."

At his command, a sword materialized in the air before him.

This was the Tai'a Sword, one of the most revered blades of Chinese history, a symbol of power and imperial rule.

Ying Zheng raised his hand, and the sword flew forward, its blade glowing with an imposing aura.

The Tai'a Sword pierced Iskandar's chest, its light enveloping him.

"Ah… to fall to your blade… is no dishonor," Iskandar murmured, a contented smile on his face as his body dissolved into golden particles of light.

With that, the King of Conquerors vanished.

Iskandar, exit.

Waver stood silently, staring at the spot where his Servant had stood moments before. His grip tightened on the Class Card, determination flickering in his eyes despite his grief.

Meanwhile, El-Melloi II watched the scene with a heavy heart. Despite his tactical acumen and his efforts to assist Iskandar, there had been too many variables. In the end, he was not the real Zhuge Liang.

---

At the same time, far away in the Einzbern Forest…

Emiya Kiritsugu and his companions finally arrived at the Einzbern Castle.

"Maiya, stay here," Kiritsugu ordered. "We'll go in to retrieve Illya."

Maiya nodded. She knew she would be of little use in what lay ahead and stayed outside the forest as instructed.

Kiritsugu, along with Artoria and Irisviel, passed through the magical barriers guarding the forest, entering the castle grounds.

"Emiya Kiritsugu, why have you returned so suddenly?"

The voice that greeted them was stern and cold. Its owner was an elderly man whose expression betrayed displeasure at their arrival.

This was Jubstacheit von Einzbern, also known as "Ahad," the eighth-generation patriarch of the Einzbern family. Unknown to them, he had been the one to summon the Avenger-class Servant, Angra Mainyu, in the Third Holy Grail War.

"We're here to take Illya," Kiritsugu said bluntly, his expression unyielding.

"You're violating our agreement," Ahad replied, his tone sharp.

"I'm sorry, but even if I obtained the Grail, I wouldn't hand it over to you," Kiritsugu said firmly, holding up the Small Holy Grail in his hand.

Ahad's eyes widened in shock as he saw the Small Holy Grail in Kiritsugu's hand. His gaze darted between the Grail and Irisviel, who stood intact behind him.

"How… how is this possible?!" Ahad exclaimed. "How did you obtain the Small Holy Grail, and why is Irisviel still alive?!"

But Kiritsugu didn't allow him time to dwell on his confusion.

"I'm here to take Illya," Kiritsugu said, his voice cold and resolute. "The Holy Grail is no longer safe, it's been corrupted and is unusable."

"Corrupted?" Ahad's tone shifted to one of disbelief, his brows furrowing deeply. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting now? You expect me to believe that?"

"It's the truth," Kiritsugu replied sharply. "The Grail has been tainted by a being sealed within it, a demon known as Angra Mainyu. If used, it will only bring ruin."

"Ridiculous!" Ahad snapped, his voice laced with fury. "I personally oversaw the last Holy Grail War. There was no sign of any such corruption. And now, you dare claim that a demon has somehow tainted it?"

"I don't know what you missed, but it's the reality we face now," Kiritsugu said flatly.

"Angra Mainyu… what nonsense is this? I've never heard of such a name!" Ahad roared, but his words belied his unease. Though he had summoned the Avenger-class Servant during the previous war, he had never known its true identity.

"It doesn't matter what you believe," Kiritsugu continued, his gaze icy. "You can no longer count on the Grail for your plans. Illya will not remain here as your pawn for the next war."

"You dare—" Ahad's voice was filled with rage, but Kiritsugu cut him off.

"I didn't come here to negotiate, Ahad. I came to inform you."

As if to underscore his words, Artoria materialized behind him, her presence radiating power as she released her spirit form.

"Saber!" Ahad gasped, his composure breaking. His eyes darted to Irisviel. "Irisviel, do you mean to betray your family?!"

It was clear to him that Artoria was contracted to Irisviel, not Kiritsugu. He sought to pressure her.

***

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