Fate: How About a New Savior?

"What a sly disciple… Pretending to be seduced just to carry out an assassination." Scáthach could only chuckle and shake her head at Shiomi

"What a sly disciple… Pretending to be seduced just to carry out an assassination."

Scáthach could only chuckle and shake her head at Shiomi's stunt.

Until he drew the "Erosion," even she had thought Shiomi had fallen under the spell of Medb, the Holy Grail bearer, and was about to drink the golden mead she offered.

"Just because I like a queen doesn't mean any queen can fool me." Shiomi regretfully sheathed the golden dagger and gripped the crimson spear in his hand.

Medb realized her wound wasn't healing as fast as she'd expected. That dagger must've been cursed—her body was limp, her strength drained. She couldn't fight.

A cruel smile spread across her face.

"I love men like you—bristling with thorns. If you won't become mine willingly, then I'll just break your limbs first and tame you slowly."

Cú Chulainn scowled in disapproval. "Huh? Your brain short-circuited just because someone disobeyed you, Medb? He's like me—one of her disciples. Capturing him alive won't be easy."

"It's fine, little Cú. Killing him is fine too. He's just a human. With the Holy Grail, even a corpse has its uses." Medb licked her lips, her devastatingly beautiful face twisted by something utterly inhuman. "If we take down Chaldea's Master, we'll have leverage to negotiate with the King of Magecraft."

Shiomi felt a wave of nausea. He hadn't expected to attract the attention of someone who was practically the embodiment of lust.

At that moment, Scáthach stepped forward and stood at his side.

"Medb, did you forget something? You were injured by my beloved disciple. You're in no condition to fight. Or do you really think Sétanta alone can take on the two of us?"

Cú Chulainn's face twisted with discomfort. "...Stop calling me by that name, Master."

"Sigh… a master should just forget an unfilial disciple like that. From now on, just focus on me." Shiomi turned to her with a teasing smile.

"That doesn't sound so bad," Scáthach replied softly, taking it completely seriously.

Shiomi looked mildly surprised, then chuckled. He pointed his spear at Cú Chulainn and asked his final question.

"I've only seen you twice, and each time was brief. But there's something I don't get, Cú Chulainn… Why would a man like you sink so low as to fight for Medb, the very woman who orchestrated your death?"

Medb's wound had begun to close, though the bleeding hadn't stopped. She raised her bloodstained hand and licked her wrist.

"Isn't it obvious? It was my wish! I wished on the Holy Grail for little Cú to become a 'king'—a wicked, powerful king who could stand as my equal!"

"You made a wish to the Holy Grail… to the King of Magecraft?" Shiomi frowned, stunned that a Heroic Spirit etched into human history would go that far. "Do you even know what that means?"

"I don't care. I can't see it anyway," Medb said casually, spreading her arms toward Cú Chulainn. "Because he's the only one I see."

"Shut up. You're a pain. Go die somewhere you won't actually die," Cú Chulainn replied coldly.

"Aww, so cold. But I like that about you too~" Medb giggled flirtatiously, smearing the blood from her hand across her face with a crazed charm.

Shiomi had no interest in talking anymore. The answer was clear.

In the icy Reality Marble, the frigid air grew even colder. Killing intent seeped into every breath.

From a distant hillside, a heavy layer of snow collapsed with a thunderous crash—that sound marked the start of battle.

"I'll take the lead!"

Before Shiomi could respond, Scáthach shot forward like a streak of violet lightning. In an instant, her red spear clashed with Cú Chulainn's hundreds of times.

Of course. She wanted to deal with her own disciple first.

Shiomi understood her intentions. He sighed and swapped out the crimson spear for a wand said to be crafted from a fragment of the World Tree.

Amidst the wind and snow, blades of ice formed and locked into place.

Just as he was about to fire, a sharp, resolute chill surged in from another direction. Without hesitation, Shiomi pivoted and unleashed the ice blades.

They collided with a volley of arrows incoming from afar, each impact setting off a chain of explosions.

Scáthach and Cú Chulainn disengaged from their clash and backed away. She glanced toward the source of the disturbance and heard Medb's mocking voice ring out:

"Did you think sending out all the Celtic warriors and delaying my ability to summon soldiers would guarantee you could assassinate me without fail?"

As her triumphant voice echoed, an Archer-class Servant emerged slowly and gracefully from the thick fog—dark-skinned, black-haired, clad in white.

"Getting through the fog took a bit of time. Are you unharmed, Queen?" the Archer asked with calm courtesy.

"I'm fine. Keeping you on standby just in case was clearly the right decision, Arjuna," Medb replied, brushing aside her pink hair with smug confidence.

"Arjuna?"

Shiomi narrowed his eyes. His luck really was something else.

The very pinnacle of misfortune.

A week ago, he had fought Karna. Now, just as he launched a surprise attack on the berserk Cú Chulainn, he ran into another legendary Heroic Spirit—one equal to Karna in the great epics.

Arjuna—the hero who slew Karna during the Kurukshetra War. Karna's half-brother.

"That makes it three against two… No, two against two." Medb lifted her hand and gave a slow, deliberate wave. "You think just because you're Scáthach's apprentice, a mere human can stand alongside Heroic Spirits?"

The moment her hand fell, Arjuna fired without warning. Five or six arrows shot toward Shiomi at once, streaking through the air in a flash of red.

Shiomi raised his spear with his left hand, holding it diagonally in front of him. The shaft hissed with trails of white smoke where the arrows had struck.

"Impressive archery…" Shiomi glanced at his spear, then looked to Arjuna. "I wonder how you stack up against the other Archer—Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes?"

Arjuna, unfazed by the provocation, remained stoic and gave a slight shake of his head.

"The ancient King of Heroes is not one I am familiar with. If you wish to compare us, I can only say I am modestly honored."

He drew his bow again. Shiomi readied both his wand and crimson spear.

It seemed that joke from earlier had come true—he and his master would each be facing a formidable opponent.

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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