Chapter 30: Roar of the Flame God
"It appears the Servant you summoned is an Archer, correct?"
Barthomeloi Lorelei's gaze swept across Waver and Arjuna. Simultaneously, the queen-like Servant in the blue and black gown standing beside her began to radiate a violent, surging magical energy. The sheer force of that power caused the very space around them to tremble with ripples like disturbed water.
Being scrutinized by the cold gaze of the Grand Marshal of Magecraft gave Waver an unpleasant feeling of being looked down upon. However, he quickly calmed himself. The Waver of today, tempered by the passage of time, was no longer as prone to impulse as he was ten years ago. No matter the circumstances, he was now capable of analyzing the situation from a much cooler perspective. He already possessed most of the essential qualities of an excellent Master.
"Even if he is an Archer, that doesn't mean an Archer is incapable of direct frontal combat."
Waver held absolute confidence in Arjuna.
"I shall surely repay your trust, Master."
The black-clad Archer spoke. His voice was exceptionally pleasant, polite, and elegant, yet beneath it lay a terrifying power that felt as though it could explode at any moment.
"The ensuing battle may be somewhat intense, Master. Please move further away."
Having said this, a fierce magical energy—resembling both fire and lightning—erupted from the hero endowed by heaven. The aura he radiated was, remarkably, not inferior to his opponent's in the slightest. Despite his noble status as a member of the Pandava royalty and the son of the Thunder God, Arjuna was not an all-consuming, arrogant Kshatriya. He would humbly listen to the valuable opinions of others, and he held a profound level of respect for the Master he served.
"Understood."
Waver could naturally feel Archer's surging battle intent and hurriedly agreed. With magical energy applied to his legs, Waver immediately distanced himself from the battlefield, retreating several hundred meters. Even so, he still didn't feel entirely safe.
One had to remember that Servants are existences with immense power and Noble Phantasms that cannot be measured by common sense. This was especially true for Arjuna and the Servant summoned by the "Grand Marshal of Magecraft," Lorelei; both could be described as top-tier Heroic Spirits with unparalleled strength. A battle between them—perhaps even a casual strike—could possess the destructive force of a nuclear explosion.
Thinking of this, the silhouette of that red-haired youth from the Fourth Holy Grail War inexplicably surfaced in Waver's mind again; the impression left back then had simply been too deep.
"I should focus my energy on the battle in front of me first."
Shaking his head slightly, Waver cleared his thoughts and applied magecraft to his eyes, allowing him to clearly observe the battlefield even in the dark. At that moment, he witnessed the battle erupting between those two top-tier Servants.
Prismatic light tore through the air, and an indescribable, ear-piercing noise filled his eardrums. The city beneath them seemed as fragile as if it were made of paper. Yet, incredibly, while the city should have been destroyed by such a battle with irresistible force, the ultimate damage was limited to the destruction of floor tiles. This state of affairs was truly baffling.
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"The fighting has started so soon."
In the somewhat chilly night wind, long silver hair fluttered slightly. Caren, residing in the Semina Apartments in Shinto, naturally couldn't fail to notice the commotion over there.
"Master, it's right over there, near the park."
Jeanne had already materialized and was leading Caren forward, leaping across the rooftops. Initially, Caren had screamed incessantly because this method of travel was too thrilling, but after a few minutes, she had grown accustomed to it.
"Are we going to watch from here?" Having finally stopped, Caren lightly patted her chest to calm her heart, which was beating so fast it felt like it might jump out.
"Yes, Master. The purpose of my manifestation... well, to put it in terms easier for you to understand, my job is to maintain the order of the Holy Grail War and prevent excessively terrifying powers from breaking the rules."
Listening to Jeanne's words, Caren tilted her head, only half-understanding. "Terrifying powers? Isn't the power of a Servant already terrifying enough?"
Hearing this, Jeanne couldn't help but give a bitter smile. "The information I received upon manifestation concerned the chaos of this world. If we compare the rules of the world to a straight line, then the current world is like countless lines intricately and messily tangled together."
"It does sound quite chaotic..." Caren nodded in understanding.
"Exactly. The Lord cannot directly interfere with all of this, which is why I am needed to carry out my duty." Jeanne's gaze was filled with a sense of conviction.
"So... we are going to wait for the chance to strike, right?" Caren said, her eyes brightening slightly.
"Something like that. However, based on the information I've acquired, the source causing this world's chaos isn't actually that powerful; I suspect there are other reasons." Jeanne paused thoughtfully before continuing. "If the opponent's power is too great, I will eventually need your magical energy, Master, to release my strongest Noble Phantasm to restore the order of the Holy Grail War to normal."
"I will help you," Caren nodded knowingly. In her eyes, any existence that would disturb the rules of the Holy Grail War must be an exceedingly evil one, surely requiring this Saint to purify it.
"Let's go. It's time to start working. First, we must minimize the degree of disaster caused by the Holy Grail War." Jeanne smiled and reached out her hand toward Caren.
Caren followed suit, placing her hand in the Saint's. "Yes, let's go."
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At this very moment, the battle between Morgan and Arjuna had unfolded. Arjuna's hand reached for the string of the divine bow Gandiva. An arrow of blue light instantly emerged, and as Arjuna pulled the string, it accumulated an unparalleled amount of magical energy.
Swoosh—!
The blue projectile pierced the air, flying forth with a momentum that could destroy anything in its path! Just a moment before that light arrow could strike, Morgan raised the magical spear in her hand. Magical energy rose like blue flames, transforming into a raging blizzard that swept across the area.
Squandering a massive amount of magical energy, a throne manifested behind Morgan. Then, the surrounding space began to warp, becoming covered by a cerulean domain. The sky looked like a black hole, surrounded by rotating shades of eerie blue. Halos of light appeared, and countless ethereal blue Spears of Heaven descended rapidly!
Facing such a powerful assault, Arjuna pulled back his bowstring. Azure flames began to ignite on the divine bow in his hand, and a bolt of light appeared between the bow and the string that had previously been empty.
"In the karmic fire of the Fire God Agni, turn to dust! Agni Gandiva (Roar of the Flame God)!"
This Noble Phantasm, the "Roar of the Flame God," was bestowed upon Arjuna by the Fire God Agni. It was originally a bow of flames that no human (mortal) should be able to use. Normally it remains an ordinary bow, but upon the release of its True Name, it transforms into a turret wreathed in flames. While it lacks a homing function, because Arjuna is a natural genius of archery, when combined with his Clairvoyance skill, it possesses a precision nearly equal to a homing missile.
"Go!"
The instant Arjuna shouted his cry, the light arrow wreathed in intense flames shot forth! The light arrow, carrying the conflagration, sliced through the air and soared into the sky.
Boom—!!
The firelight reflected against the heavens—a sight so dazzling it left the mind racing! Intense roars echoed continuously, and the night sky was illuminated as bright as day by the succession of explosions. Streetlights, benches, and cars were all reduced to ash in this instant.
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