"By my [Command Spell]—break free of your restraints, Rider!"
If Achilles hadn't shouted that order so furiously, Jeanne might never have considered using her [Command Spells].
After all, Achilles's sudden attack didn't violate any rules of the Holy Grail War. It was entirely within the rights of the hidden Master to seize the Grail this way.
Jeanne had no grounds to oppose it. Yet, the moment she saw the swarming insects and Achilles's enraged expression, memories of something terribly similar surged back.
Before Emiya Shirou had summoned her to the Church with a [Command Spell], Jeanne had confronted Jack the Ripper alone in Trifas. There, Jack's Master had been a slender woman with vibrant emerald-green hair.
Jeanne had pleaded with that woman, but the woman couldn't hear any of Jeanne's words. Her eyes were fixated solely on her Servant—Jack the Ripper.
As Jeanne fought Jack, the woman had collapsed in agonizing pain, veins bulging grotesquely beneath her skin. It was as if something were draining her blood from within, the veins growing thicker, pulsating faster the fiercer the battle became.
When Jeanne finally defeated Jack, the woman's life had also reached its end. She fell to the ground, motionless.
Hoping to save her, Jeanne approached—but at that very moment:
BOOM—!
A violent explosion burst from the woman's body. Blood, organs, flesh—scattered in a grisly shower. Countless insects erupted with the carnage, horrifying and nauseating.
Thanks to Jeanne's lightning-fast reactions as a Servant, she retreated instantly as the woman exploded. Blood that splattered onto the ground sizzled corrosively.
That Master had been nothing but a trap from the start.
Snapping back to reality, Jeanne immediately informed Emiya Shirou of her victory via [Command Spell].
Shortly after, Emiya Shirou had used another [Command Spell] to summon Jeanne directly to the Church.
Now, seeing these similar creatures again, Jeanne immediately recalled the horror she'd faced confronting Jack.
That was why, upon hearing Achilles's plea, Jeanne didn't hesitate, immediately invoking two of her [Command Spells] to counter Zouken Matou.
But against Zouken's overwhelming number of [Command Spells], Jeanne's two were utterly ineffective.
The instant Achilles regained control over his body, Zouken neutralized Jeanne's spells with two of his own. After all, Achilles wasn't alone; riding alongside him was Zouken's summoned Assassin—Hassan-i Sabbah.
Clang—!
The spear collided violently with Jeanne's white banner, sparks erupting as Jeanne was forced back by the tremendous force.
A numbing shock traveled through her limbs—Jeanne knew immediately she was at a serious disadvantage.
Though Achilles's Strength parameter was only at B+, Zouken had gone even further. Determined to completely overpower Jeanne, he had used an additional [Command Spell], bolstering Achilles's strength.
Under the absolute compulsion of Zouken's spells, Achilles couldn't even hold back his blows.
Normally, if a [Command Spell] conflicted directly with a Servant's will, it wouldn't unleash their full potential. But Zouken had no shortage of [Command Spells], enough to forcibly override Achilles's resistance.
Despite Achilles's ferocious defiance, he was forced to attack Jeanne with all his strength.
Meanwhile, the endless swarm of insects rushed toward Kairi Sisigou's group like a tidal wave.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Zzz—! Zzz—! Zzz—!
Under the overwhelming numbers, the Magecraft cast by Sisigou and Astolfo's Master barely slowed the insect swarm.
"Hippogriff—!"
"Kyuu—!"
The Hippogriff lying at Astolfo's side weakly responded, struggling to rise.
Naturally, Sisigou and the others couldn't leave Astolfo collapsed on the ground; they had placed him aside to recover slowly.
Yet, none of them had expected this crisis.
In truth, Zouken Matou had never planned to attack the Red Faction immediately on the following day. He had no idea Shirou Kotomine had already obtained vital information about the Greater Grail.
From the beginning, Zouken had never discovered that the Greater Grail lay beneath the Yggdmillennia castle.
His lack of critical intelligence had been why Zouken remained hidden in the shadows. After all, his Servants—primarily Assassin-class—were unsuited for direct combat.
Even after acquiring Jack the Ripper, Zouken never intended to openly battle either the Red or Black factions.
But with Jeanne easily seeing through Assassin's [Presence Concealment], Zouken could no longer hide safely in Trifas. Whether due to Jeanne's [Revelation] skill or her ability to detect any Servant within ten kilometers, Zouken found himself utterly cornered.
Hassan-i Sabbah couldn't fight Jeanne head-on; her EX-rank [Magic Resistance] alone severely hindered any attempts at assassination.
So Zouken had remained cautious, gathering intelligence from afar. Learning about Ruler's various abilities had been part of that careful preparation.
In addition to intelligence gathering, Zouken had also stockpiled strength. He didn't know if, upon death here, his consciousness could reawaken in his original world. Thus, Zouken's primary goal had been to create numerous spare bodies, ensuring he could immediately revive here if killed.
To further monitor Black's activities, Zouken had allowed Jack the Ripper to remain in Trifas, returning her contract to the green-haired woman while keeping her [Command Spells] for himself. Jack couldn't kill Zouken, and now that he had Achilles, Jack was disposable.
When Zouken's familiars suddenly reported Jeanne's disappearance, he immediately understood something was terribly wrong.
He knew very well that Jeanne vanishing so suddenly could only mean one thing: the use of a [Command Spell]. Thus, Zouken immediately concluded that the Black Faction had already advanced toward Red's position after a single day's rest.
As for why Zouken hadn't stayed directly in Sighișoara—
He wouldn't gamble on being discovered there. After all, Zouken Matou was already the Red Faction's most-wanted enemy.
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bonus chaps
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200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
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