Chapter 112: The Retreat of “The Flower of Rome”

Chapter 112: The Retreat of "The Flower of Rome"

"...Looks like I've lost."

Caesar, who had been struck by Jeanne Alter's black sword, lowered his head. Bright red blood gushed from his wound.

Having lost its magical energy, Crocea Mors: Yellow Death reverted to being a normal golden sword.

After a fierce struggle, Caesar finally collapsed.

When he saw that his Noble Phantasm couldn't effectively harm Jeanne Alter, Caesar's morale completely crumbled.

"To think that there could be something in this world I cannot conquer..."

Caesar clutched his wound, unwillingly gazing at Jeanne Alter.

"All you ever talk about is conquest, conquest — what are you, some three-year-old child?"

Jeanne Alter stepped up to him, visibly annoyed.

"Exactly because all you know is how to snatch things from others, you ended up like this, you idiot."

"——————?!"

Hearing Jeanne's words, Caesar was stunned, then gave a bitter laugh.

"So that's it... Because I've spent my whole life conquering... in the end, I lost to a being created from nothing?"

Caesar gently shook his head. As his Spirit Origin began to dissolve, he looked toward Jeanne Alter.

"A flower so beautiful... and yet merely an illusion that doesn't exist... it's enough to break one's heart..."

With those words, Caesar's body turned into motes of light and vanished into the air.

"Senpai, confirmation complete. Enemy Servant — Caesar — has disappeared."

Mash immediately turned and reported to Ethan.

"That means one threat has been eliminated!"

"Umu, but there are still a few others... No idea what's going on over there..."

Ethan didn't even have time to check the split-screen feed in the livestream control room to monitor the other two teams' battles, when a thunderous explosion rang out.

"BOOOOOOOOOOM——————————!!!"

Immediately after, a red-black shockwave pierced through the mountainside, blasting a massive hole through it.

That familiar sensation...

"Senpai, that was Mordred-san's Noble Phantasm!!!"

Who else could it be?

Nice — blasting a hole clean through the mountain...

Even though he wasn't particularly worried about the temporary team's combat capabilities, and hadn't forbidden Mordred from using her Noble Phantasm...

Still — they were currently in a valley! If this caused a landslide, they'd all be done for!

Thankfully, Mordred's beam was so powerful it blasted through half the mountain. As long as she didn't fire another one...

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM——————————————!!!"

Suddenly, a deafening explosion erupted again, followed by an overwhelming shockwave rushing rapidly through the valley!!!

"Senpai, look out!!!"

Mash immediately raised her shield, blocking Ethan behind her.

The immense force slammed into the shield, pushing Mash backwards continuously.

Hey, what the hell is Mordred doing?!

Why are there back-to-back Noble Phantasms like this?!

Normally, Servants can't unleash Noble Phantasms in rapid succession... unless... Sima Yi is charging her NP?!

"Tsk, don't tell me that damn rebellious knight is up to something again?"

Jeanne Alter frowned, visibly annoyed.

She, of course, didn't bother dodging — just stood tall out in the open, relying on the ongoing effect of her Noble Phantasm.

Though her armor was now covered in a layer of dust, she didn't seem to care one bit.

Once the explosions had completely stopped, Mash peeked her head out from behind the shield to observe the situation.

The scene before them left both Ethan and Mash completely stunned.

Just moments ago, they'd been standing in a valley — but now, the cliffs on both sides were completely gone?!

In their place was a giant, circular crater.

Such a massive explosion — clearly, someone had released a Noble Phantasm with no regard for friend or foe, because with that kind of destructive force, even the caster would struggle to escape unscathed.

"Senpai, I think that's Waver-san over there!"

Mash immediately ran forward, catching the collapsed figure on the ground.

"Waver-san! Please wake up!!!"

"How did you get so badly injured?! What the hell just happened?!"

Ethan asked urgently, eyes fixed on Waver — who was covered in wounds.

"Cough, cough... Don't worry about me... The King... The King is fighting the Royal Magus..."

Waver struggled to sit up, but it seemed his injuries were quite serious.

Lev?!

Lev has appeared?!

Ethan instantly became alert.

Could it be that the earlier explosion was caused by Lev?!

"Master!!!"

The mercury steed rushed to the scene, carrying Reines and Mordred.

"We've already taken care of the two Servants on the other side, and came here specifically to provide support."

"Onii-sama?!"

The moment she saw Waver's condition, Reines immediately checked his wounds.

"Luckily, you weren't hit in a vital spot. Honestly, I thought onii-sama had already taken the final step."

"Master, things were really loud over here just now. What exactly happened?"

Ethan said nothing, simply raising a hand and pointing ahead.

After noticing the scene in front of them, both Mordred and Reines were stunned.

Observing something, Reines spoke:

"To destroy an entire mountain like this? Unless there were special conditions involved, a Noble Phantasm of this scale definitely isn't minor. But judging from the residual magical energy at the center…"

Reines' blue eyes shimmered with a red glow like flames as she meticulously analyzed the scene.

"No wonder… was it some idiot that self-destructed?!"

"To think you've all managed to make it this far — truly beyond my expectations, you little rats from Chaldea! Even I feel like clapping for you."

A familiar voice suddenly rang out from above.

Everyone looked up to see a man floating midair, looking down on them with contempt.

"Professor Lev!!!"

The moment she saw Lev, Mash instantly raised her shield into a defensive stance.

"Mash... poor girl, a hybrid existence between human and Heroic Spirit. How much longer are you planning to keep fighting?"

"For as long as it takes to reclaim the future of humanity, of course!!!"

Mash stared firmly at Lev, who hovered in the air.

"Reclaim the future of humanity? Hahahaha... Hahahahahaha... What arrogance. With that pitiful excuse of power you all possess?"

Lev laughed loudly with his head thrown back.

"But most of the Servants under your command have already been defeated by us."

Mordred shouted defiantly.

"They were nothing more than expendable pawns summoned from the Holy Grail. Those foolish Servants — even in death, they still have value. All it takes is the right command, and they'll self-detonate at just the right moment."

Professor Lev spoke as if telling some amusing story.

"That is their final value."

Ethan furrowed his brows.

According to Lev, the explosion just now really was orchestrated by him.

There was a high possibility he'd triggered the NP of Spartacus.

Just like how Matou Zouken once controlled Medea's corpse after her death, Lev too desecrated the bodies of Heroic Spirits summoned to this era in the same way.

"Tssssssssssss————————!!!"

Suddenly, a black steed charged in from afar.

"Haa!!!"

A bolt of lightning suddenly struck down from the sky, aimed straight at Lev, who was floating in midair.

But when the smoke cleared, Lev remained completely unharmed.

Yet now, the smile on Lev's face had become more terrifying than ever.

"Looks like you've really lost your mind. Did you forget who summoned you into this world? Rider!!!"