Chapter 18: Battle and Trampling  

"Do you think I would believe your words?"

Artoria pointed her invisible sword, Excalibur, at Gilles de Rais, refusing to trust a single word from the man.

"Wait, Saber. If Caster isn't here to attack us, then we don't need to fight him."

Kiritsugu, standing on the rooftop, could see the full extent of the sea demon army. They filled the entire street, numbering at least seventy or eighty.

With Saber's left hand injured, engaging in combat would be unwise. So, upon hearing Caster's declaration, Kiritsugu decided to avoid the fight.

Through their magical connection, he conveyed his thoughts to his Servant.

"Master, do you really believe his words?"

Artoria frowned and questioned him.

"I don't believe him, but if he's willing to let us retreat, there's no need to fight."

The Command Seals on Caster were tempting, but the man was no pushover. The difficulty of dealing with his familiars had been made clear during their encounter the previous night.

If not for Lancer's intervention, who had supported Saber with his chivalric spirit and struck down the heretic who harmed children, Artoria, with her cursed left hand, might have fallen.

"But Caster is clearly here to harm others!"

"Only a Servant can fight another Servant. Similarly, the one who killed his Master must also be a Master. A mad Servant seeking revenge for his Master's death—we don't need to take the fall for an unknown Master."

As Kiritsugu and his Servant argued, Gilles de Rais's revenge magic, the drop of heart's blood, slipped past Saber and entered the grounds of the Fujimura residence.

"Found you, the one who killed my Master!"

Gilles de Rais also saw it. His magical energy surged, and he made no effort to hide his murderous intent toward the person inside the house.

"Master, do you think there's another Master near our new hideout?"

Kiritsugu didn't respond. Coincidences like this didn't just happen. Caster's target for revenge was right next to their new base.

Seeing the approaching sea demon army, Kiritsugu placed his finger on the trigger and fired the first shot, signaling the start of the battle.

The bullet, of course, had no effect on the Servant. Before it could reach Gilles de Rais's head, it was corroded by the dark magical energy surrounding him.

"Since you insist on standing in the way of my revenge, I, Gilles de Rais, will crush you beneath my feet.

Shine brightly, for when your life withers like a flower, I will hold your corpse in my arms and bind your soul to my curse.

At that time, not even the gods will be able to take you from me."

"Strike Air!"

In response to Gilles de Rais's dramatic monologue, Artoria unleashed a powerful gust of wind, aiming to cut through the sea demon army like she had the night before, targeting the leader first.

"The same trick won't work on me, Gilles de Rais."

Caster chanted a spell and retreated into the sea demon army. The two closest sea demons enveloped his body, melting into a black, spiked armor under the spell. Artoria's invisible sword struck the armor and was deflected, while the spikes counterattacked like spears.

Artoria raised her arm in time, using her gauntlet to block the spike aimed at her face. But in the next moment, Gilles de Rais kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying.

"Are you really a Caster?"

Thanks to her armor, Artoria wasn't injured, but the force of the kick was immense, making her doubt the man's Servant class.

"My saint, have you forgotten even this? But it's alright. I can remind you. I, Gilles de Rais, as your adjutant, was also a skilled noble swordsman."

"Heretic, I told you, you've got the wrong person! My adjutants were never heretics like you!"

Artoria swung her invisible sword, cutting a sea demon in half. But under Gilles de Rais's continuous magical output, the severed halves quickly reattached, restoring the demon to its original state.

"Damn it!"

As the sea demons swarmed in, Artoria found herself in a tough battle.

"What's that noise?"

"M-monsters?!"

The gunfire in the night woke many people. Members of the Fujimura group got up and went outside to investigate.

What they saw was a nightmare—sea creatures, like octopuses, invading the land.

"Hey, don't just stand there! Help us!"

Kiritsugu, now on the rooftop with a submachine gun, providing fire support for his Servant, shouted at the growing crowd of people emerging from the Fujimura residence.

"Mr. Emiya, what's going on?"

Fujimura Raiga, draped in a robe, stepped out and asked Kiritsugu on the rooftop.

"Exactly what your men said—monsters. Creatures from another world. If you don't want to die, grab your weapons and fight with me."

Fujimura Raiga thought for a moment. Seeing the sea demons break into a nearby house and hearing the screams from within, he quickly made a decision.

"Everyone, arm yourselves! Don't let those monsters get any closer. Mr. Emiya, we don't have enough firearms. Can you provide some support?"

"The weapons are in the warehouse. Go get them yourselves."

Kiritsugu, reloading his gun, replied without looking back.

Soon, a group of armed yakuza members climbed onto the rooftops.

From their elevated positions, under Fujimura Raiga's command and Kiritsugu's direction, they provided more effective fire support for Saber, who was struggling in the battle.

Though the sea demons were hard to kill with bullets, the intense barrage of gunfire temporarily halted their advance.

Repairing the familiars required magical energy. If Caster's Master was truly dead, then Caster's own magical energy would be strained.

He might barely be able to maintain his existence, relying on the lives he had taken to sustain his army.

This was Kiritsugu's assessment, and the fact that some sea demons, once destroyed, did not regenerate confirmed his theory.

"Damn it, you buzzing flies, obstructing my revenge!"

Originally focused on Saber, Gilles de Rais now turned his attention to the humans further back, who were raining bullets on his army.

"Go around and kill them!"

He ordered a group of sea demons to flank through the nearby houses. Artoria tried to stop them but was held back by the sea demons surrounding her.

"The monsters are coming, and we're running out of bullets. What do we do?"

Panic spread among the men.

"Damn it."

Kiritsugu gritted his teeth, regretting not having bought a few heavy machine guns for defense.

"Maiya, prepare to evacuate with Irisviel."

Kiritsugu jumped down from the rooftop. The situation was beyond his control.

The only option now was to retreat and use a Command Seal to teleport Saber out of the battlefield.

"Mr. Emiya, where are you going?"

"Everyone, run for your lives. The monsters coming our way are beyond our ability to handle."

Kiritsugu didn't hide the truth. Though he was ruthless, he believed the Fujimura group had been dragged into this because of him. Telling them the truth might allow some to escape. Lying and using them as a distraction was beneath him.

"Grandpa, what is that?"

Fujimura Taiga was also awakened by the gunfire. Seeing the sea demons swarming in, she was terrified and turned to her grandfather.

"There are many things in this world that ordinary people don't know about. Because of my connections, I've glimpsed some of these hidden truths. Those creatures are monsters from the hidden side of the world. Mr. Emiya, you're also from that world, aren't you?"

"Yes."

Kiritsugu nodded.

"This situation might be because of you. The Fujimura group has been dragged into this because I agreed to your deal. I accept that risk. But my granddaughter is only here temporarily. I don't want her to get hurt. Can you take her to safety?"

"Coming with me will only put her in more danger."

"Given the current situation, I don't have any other choice. If you agree, I'll lead my men to hold off those monsters."

"Deal."

Fujimura Raiga and Kiritsugu quickly reached an agreement. The old man then pushed his granddaughter toward the Emiya family's Humvee.

"Huh?"

Fujimura Taiga was still confused, but she remembered there was another child in the house.

"Grandpa, Broly is still in his room."

She called out.

In this critical moment, his granddaughter's concern for a child made Fujimura Raiga's composure waver. But ultimately, adults shouldn't compete with children.

"Then go wake him up and bring him along."

Fujimura Raiga waved his hand.

"We don't have much time. Hurry."

Kiritsugu said, continuing to fire at the sea demons trying to flank them.

Fujimura Taiga ran into the house, heading straight for the guest room. Broly had been sleeping soundly these past two days, and the gunfire outside hadn't woken him. Even when the girl burst in and shook him, he remained fast asleep.

"Wake up, there's meat to eat!"

"Meat?"

Only when Fuyimura Taiga mentioned meat did Broly suddenly open his eyes.

"Taiga, where's the meat?"

Blinking sleepily, Broly looked around the room for the promised meat.

"There's no meat. I just wanted to wake you up. There's trouble outside. Monsters are attacking, and we need to run."

Broly: "???"

Fujimura Taiga grabbed his hand, not even giving him time to put on shoes, and dragged him out of the room.

"Grandpa, if we leave, what about you?"

After shoving the boy into the car, Fuyimura Taiga remembered her grandfather and the rest of the Fujimura group.

"Don't worry about us. This is the Fujimura group's home. We'll repel any invaders."

The gunfire had gradually ceased. The Fujimura group members armed themselves with cold weapons, and the women and children in the house boarded vehicles, ready to follow the Emiya family's Humvee.

"Grandpa, let me stay too."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

"Miss, this is the Fujimura group's business. If you're not planning to inherit the group, this isn't your concern. Go with the others to safety. I promise to protect the old man."

The scar-faced man assured her, the atmosphere turning grim.

"What's going on?"

Broly was still confused. He leaned against the car window, looking outside, when a hand reached out from behind and touched him.

"It's alright, child. You'll be fine."

Irisviel spoke softly, feeling deeply sorry that the Holy Grail War had dragged innocent people into its chaos. But all she could do now was comfort the child from the affected family.

Broly turned his head, and the Crystal Palace in his mind provided information:

[Discovered a potential target: Irisviel von Einzbern. Current happiness value: 0.]

[Reminder: Fujimura Taiga's happiness value is dropping!]

Broly: "Huh?!"

The reminder of the dropping happiness value instantly snapped Broly out of his drowsiness.

At that moment, a sea demon leaped over the roof of the former Fujimura residence and landed in front of the group, letting out a sharp screech. It swung its tentacles, sending several members of the Fujimura group flying.

Fujimura Taiga's happiness value plummeted, and Broly immediately identified the culprit behind the drop.

"Block the monsters!"

Fujimura Raiga shouted.

"Bang~"

A car door flew over the crowd and smashed into the sea demon that was about to attack again.

The car door, carrying terrifying force, sent the sea demon flying.

With a splat, the sea demon was embedded in a nearby utility pole, instantly reduced to a pile of mush.

"Hiss~"

Everyone gasped, turning to look behind them. They saw a small boy jumping out of the broken car door, his face clearly showing his anger.

As everyone stared in shock, he walked forward and began kicking the sea demons that were jumping down from the rooftops, turning them into mincemeat with each kick.

It looked effortless, as if he were kicking blocks of soft tofu rather than the tough-bodied sea demons.

The sea demons suffered horrific injuries, and their regenerative abilities demanded a massive amount of magical energy from their summoner. This demand caught Gilles de Rais's attention.

Caster was puzzled. Normally, sea demons sent to deal with ordinary humans shouldn't require so much magical energy to heal, almost equivalent to summoning a new army of sea demons.

But when Gilles de Rais looked into the distance, he saw a child casually trampling his summoned sea demons.

His sea demons were like toys in front of the child, being crushed into pieces with no resistance.