Davidian's Holy Grail War

Seeing Davidon nod, Artoria became even more energized. She felt that she had let these people down, let down those of her generation who believed in her, so she continued, "That's why I can't forgive myself, you should understand, Davidon! That's why I regret it, I wanted to change that ending, because it was my responsibility!"

If she weren't King Arthur, David's next words would probably be—Don't drag me into this! It's all history now, why are we trying to change anything?

"King of Knights, are you going to personally deny the history we... no, the history you all forged together?" Davidian changed his pronoun here, since he wasn't part of their history. But he couldn't help asking the question; he had no choice.

“Exactly! Why can’t you understand that the country that bestowed the holy sword upon me and made me dedicate myself to it was destroyed? Is it any wonder that I feel heartbroken about this? As a king, shouldn’t I stand up for the prosperity of the country I rule?” Artoria was getting more and more excited as she spoke, because Davian was practically her opposite. They were both from that era, so why didn’t Davian ever think about changing that outcome?

David couldn't help but cover his forehead, inwardly cursing, "Isn't this a complete denial of the efforts of those of us who believe in you and fight alongside you? It makes us, your loyal subjects who believe in you and are working with you to build the future, seem like idiots or blind people."

“No, it’s not the king who sacrificed himself for the country, but the country and the people who sacrificed themselves for the king.” The Conqueror King tried to refute him with his own theory, but Davidian glanced at him. Good heavens, no wonder the country fell apart after your sudden death; this idea doesn’t quite hold up.

Artoria reacted vehemently: "Wouldn't that just be the rule of a tyrant?!"

"Indeed, but it is precisely because we are tyrants that we have become heroes. However, King Knight, if any king regrets his rule, regrets the end of his kingdom, then he is merely a tyrant, even worse than a despot."

While most of it didn't quite add up, there were a few things Davidian agreed with: there was no need to regret the rule, nor the ending. They had done what they could, and that was the outcome; there was nothing wrong with that.

“Iskandar, didn’t you also die without an heir, and your empire was divided into three? Don’t you regret this ending?” Artoria was currently somewhat obsessed and couldn’t break free from that obsession. She just couldn’t understand why Davidan could understand her feelings but didn’t agree with her thoughts.

Iskandar was even less likely to indulge her: "No, if this is my decision, the end result of the lives of my followers, then destruction is inevitable. I will mourn, I will weep, but I will never regret it. Let alone overthrow it! Such a foolish act would be an insult to all those who built this era with me!"

"Only soldiers take honor in destruction! How can we not protect the weak, and what is the true meaning of a king: proper rule and proper governance?"

"So, are you, the king, the 'correct' slave?"

"That's good. A true king should sacrifice for his ideals!"

"This is not how humans live."

Davidian heard every word of their ensuing argument. He kept his eyes closed, drinking without speaking. He would only speak when the argument ended, or when there were things he simply couldn't understand. Until then, he just needed to listen.

"Therefore, you are not a true king, but just a little girl who exists only for others and is bound by an idol called a king."

Davidian opened his eyes. These words had enraged him, and he couldn't help but say, "That's enough, Iskandar. After all, we're not from the same era, and I can overlook some of your words. But please take back this one sentence. My lord Arthur is the absolute king. If you use such words to tarnish my lord's glory, I will punish you now!"

Chapter 175 The Last Glory of Fifth-Century Britain

Regarding the salvation of the people, whether the king lacked desire, and whether he could guide the people, Davian could now laugh off such matters. But when it came to whether Arthur was a true king, Davian could not tolerate Iskandar's words insulting the King of Knights.

“What if I say… no?” Iskandar chose to stand his ground, and Davidan took a deep breath through his nose before exhaling, indicating his anger.

"So today, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I'm going to make you bleed five steps away." Heavy flames surged from David's back, forming wings. The bright light even changed the color of the walls that should have reflected the cold moonlight.

Gilgamesh chuckled softly and said, "Heh heh, I just said that I would kill this guy with my own hands, and now you're suddenly showing up to steal him away. Isn't that a bit too sudden?"

"Please understand my anger, but I don't mind if you want to join this battle. After all, we're bound to meet sooner or later; this is just bringing the outcome forward." With that, David put down his wine glass and raised his hand, and the dark, nameless sword flew into his grasp.

However, at this moment, the atmosphere suddenly changed, and assassins appeared one after another in the small courtyard. The group looked around and realized there were quite a few of them.

"Did you arrange this, Gilgamesh?" Iskandar asked calmly.

"That Tokiomi fellow, he only does despicable things." Gilgamesh drank his wine with dissatisfaction, distancing himself from the matter.

What happened next was quite simple. Whether out of overconfidence or for some other reason, the assassin, who only dared to attack from behind, actually had the audacity to directly provoke the entire group of Servants present. Everyone couldn't help but laugh inwardly; this was tantamount to suicide.

When Davidan saw the red wine Iskandar had used to entertain the assassins spilled on Iskandar's shoulder, he stood up. It seemed even the assassins were no longer to his advantage. What a pity; he could only blame these people for arriving at such an inopportune time.

"Hold your hand for now. As I said before, this wine is infused with their blood. Since they're discarding it like trash, they can't blame me!" Iskandar stood up, a powerful whirlwind rising from his body, scattering the surrounding flowers.

"And this is my final question for today: Is it necessary for a king to be aloof and arrogant?"

Gilgamesh laughed; no answer was needed. Davian laughed too; how could the king…

"Since one is a king, one has no choice but to be aloof and independent!"

【My goodness! What are you thinking?!】 David's mentality exploded instantly. Arrogant my ass! You're just making us look like idiots.

Iskandar, helpless, could only laugh and say, "No, you simply don't understand! I must demonstrate my true kingly demeanor here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone was engulfed by the powerful light. When they opened their eyes, they found themselves in a vast expanse of yellow sand.

"It's a Reality Marble? How is that possible? It's a manifestation of a mental landscape!" Irisviel explained the current situation to everyone. Even though they were all quite knowledgeable Servants, they found it quite interesting to see such a rare Noble Phantasm.

Iskandar explained the Noble Phantasm to everyone with a proud smile, watching the valiant army marching towards them. Everyone except Davian looked on in surprise.

"Behold, my unparalleled army! Though their bodies perish, their souls are still summoned by the world to become heroic spirits! And yet, they remain loyal to me, the legendary warriors! The bond between me and them is my treasure, my kingly way, and my strongest Noble Phantasm—the Army of the King!"

His response was met with the shouts and roars of tens of thousands of people. The black warhorse strode over to Iskandar's side, and the Conqueror affectionately embraced his beloved horse's neck, rubbing its mane affectionately.

"A true king is one who lives the most brilliant life, captivating all who admire him! One who commands the admiration of all warriors and guides everyone forward—only such a person can be a king! Therefore, a king is not solitary. For his great ambition is the union of the ambitions of all his subjects!" With these words, the warriors' response grew even stronger, and then the conqueror king mounted his warhorse to face the assassins, numbering no more than a hundred.

“Then, let’s begin! Assassins! As you can see, the battlefield we’ve conjured is a plain, and unfortunately, we have the numerical advantage.” Iskandar drew his sword and pointed it forward. “Therefore! Crush them!”

What followed could no longer be called a battle; it was more like a one-sided suppression. Davidian sighed. It was indeed a powerful Noble Phantasm, a summary of the will of this massive army. Even Davidian, who possessed the same Noble Phantasm, had to admit that he couldn't summon so many people—it was simply absurd.

“However, a large number of people does not necessarily indicate greater nobility or purity.” Davidian was completely ablaze; his will and fighting spirit were burning fiercely. For fifteen hundred years, since the Battle of Cado, there had been no war of this scale.

"Roar, are you going to make your move? I'm looking forward to it." Seeing that Davian was completely engulfed in flames, Gilgamesh understood his meaning. He stood up and waved his hand, and the golden warship named Vimana appeared from the sky.

"Come aboard, all of you. A grand spectacle is about to unfold. I grant you permission to board this warship and watch together." Gilgamesh didn't mind sharing the view of the sky with them; a good show was indeed in store.

Artoria didn't know what would happen next, but since this golden-haired guy had said so, she decided to take Irisviel with her and Waver along as well, boarding the warship together.

Gilgamesh then maneuvered his warship to fly above Iskandar, and took out a cup of something that was hard to identify from the treasury and tossed it to Iskandar.

"Drink up. Your current magic power isn't enough to sustain you for the upcoming battle. This is a gift from me, after all, this is a rare and exciting show."

Iskandar drank the contents of the cup without hesitation, and his magic was instantly replenished. Such a powerful substance was rare in the world.

"Thanks! Your treasure trove really does have all sorts of strange and wonderful things. I really want to take all of them."

Gilgamesh merely responded to Iskandar's disrespectful words with an arrogant smile. The phoenix, however, flew past Vimana and soared to the front of Iskandar's army.

The phoenix, transformed from David, flew low over the ground, its flames creating a two-meter-high, hundreds-of-meters-wide wall of fire across the desert. Once the wall of fire was complete, David landed back on the ground, now fully armed once more.

"Alright, I'll spare your life today, considering what you said earlier. But since you claim it's your most precious treasure, your path to kingship, I can't just sit idly by."

At this point, Davidan looked up at Artoria on Vimona: "King of the Other Side, behold! This is the last glory of fifth-century Britain, the pride of me, Davidan Slyrek! A miracle of undefeated conquest of Britain for twenty-one years before its complete annihilation!"

At that moment, he raised the Nameless Sword high, pointed it to the sky, and shouted: "Come, my comrades! My compatriots! Its name is the glory of Britain forever!"

Chapter 176 Fight Him

As he spoke, hordes of warriors marched out of the wall of fire in perfect formation, their steps steady. Equipped with fine armor, sharpened battle axes and longswords, arrows and spears, and neighing warhorses, this was a fully armed legion, honed over countless years just to step onto the battlefield and fight.

Among them, Artoria saw familiar faces: the gentle Gareth, the passionate Tristan, the pure Percival, and the reliable Wincenrib. These people were all encompassed by the Legion's Noble Phantasms, and when Davian needed them, they would come to the battlefield and wage a miraculous war.

"This is not for my loyalty, nor for my personal glory! It is the convergence of our beliefs. We are united under this banner because we believe in our King Arthur, and from this, this legion was born! This is the First Glorious Everlasting Legion of Britain! My King, you are never alone, for we will follow in your footsteps and fight to the very last moment!"

Upon seeing this legion, Iskandar couldn't help but burst into laughter. He couldn't stop praising, "So this little girl doesn't understand what arrogance is. Isn't this a group of people who trust you and fight to the very end under your guidance? Then come on, since you're all here, let's fight to the last moment! Lord Camelot! Before you stands I, the Conqueror King Iskandar!"

David raised his nameless sword and pointed it forward, shouting, "Do you hear me? My comrades, my brothers and compatriots, our enemy is the world-renowned conqueror Alexander the Great! But because of his inappropriate words and actions towards our lord today, we must attack, we must fight! Winzenrib, unfurl the battle flag! This is a battle of convictions, and we will fight to the last moment!"

"Yes!" Wincenrib raised the banner high, a gift from King Arthur himself. Its emblem bore King Arthur's crown and the holy sword of Camelot. And at the very moment the banner was unfurled, a surge of white light erupted from them once more, shooting straight into the sky!

Everyone stared wide-eyed. What kind of effect was this? The moment the battle flag was unfurled, the First Legion's warriors' aura completely changed. Was this the enhancement they received as a Noble Phantasm?

"Truly a miracle achieved while still alive. Fighting such an army is going to be a real challenge for the Conqueror King." Gilgamesh looked at the scene before him; this was a huge problem.

But the Conqueror King was not afraid. On the contrary, he felt an unprecedented excitement, the same excitement he had felt when facing Darius III's 10,000-strong cavalry. He drew his sword forward and roared, "Our conquest will never end here! Fight, and we will surely win!"

"Counterattack! Throw short spears, Tristan's arrow barrage! Fourth assault force to break through, fifth heavy assault force to hold the front!" Vincenrib issued the most effective orders, leading the 6,001-strong Glorious Perpetual Legion against tens of thousands of enemy soldiers. This would be a tough battle, but as Davidian had said, they would fight to the death!

Therefore, instead of adopting a defensive posture, he chose a frontal assault, sending out his two heaviest units to directly block the enemy's momentum. He was confident in these two units; with David's Noble Phantasm fully activated and his combat capabilities greatly enhanced, not just anyone was qualified to break through their lines.

Sure enough, when the fourth and fifth battalions blocked the enemy's path, their battle-axe swings were always accompanied by a surge of bloodlust. The Macedonian warriors suffered a heavy loss against such a fierce enemy. The enemy was well-trained and well-equipped, and their bodies were strong from years of training. It was extremely difficult to eliminate such a warrior.

Not to mention that when faced with the short spears thrown by the Ninth Company and the arrow rain from the Tenth Company, the Macedonian warriors, whose armor coverage was insufficient and who only had light round shields, could not provide complete protection. During the charge, thousands of them had already fallen.

Iskandar, observing this scene, had completely calmed his mind as a military strategist. He waved his hand, and those around him immediately signaled with flags. Apart from the troops already engaged in the initial skirmish, the remaining warriors who had not yet engaged in battle instantly changed formation, holding shields in one hand and spears in the other, pressing forward with extremely steady steps.

"Oh? A change of formation? The historically renowned Macedonian phalanx? But, Iskandar, your troops aren't complete right now, so this Macedonian phalanx has a weakness. Percival! Lead your cavalry battalion and charge the enemy's left flank with all your might! Ryan, Vinal, take your two assault battalions and stick close behind Percival. Once Percival creates an opening, unleash your fury and slaughter them!"

Vincenrib issued his second order, leveraging the advantage of the Glorious Eternal Legion. They possessed a cavalry company, and at the moment of their miracle, the warhorses of the Sixth Cavalry Company were also incorporated into this Noble Phantasm. Now, Vincenrib was exploiting Iskandar's less-than-perfect formation; while they had infantry and support troops, the lack of key cavalry meant Vincenrib was not without a way to deal with this incomplete phalanx.

Percival, brandishing his holy lance, charged toward the left flank of Iskandar's army on Vincenrib's orders. Through countless battles, his trust in Vincenrib had become unwavering. If David was the soul and spirit of this legion, then Vincenrib was undoubtedly its heart, controlling its every move.

The Sixth Cavalry Company even equipped its warhorses with horse armor; they were the strongest armed force that Davidan had amassed by emptying his coffers to complete the organization. Even the Fifth Heavy Assault Company, equipped with heavy armor, did not suffer as much damage as they did. And the greatest damage also brought the most ferocious assault capability. Percival had never disappointed Davidan and Wincenrib.

"For King Arthur! For Lord Camelot!" Percival shouted the names of his monarch and comrades. He swung his holy lance to sweep away the spears thrown at him, and then, using the momentum of his warhorse, he knocked away all the Macedonian warriors in front of him. With the strength of him and the vanguard, the rest of the men rushed into the gap at top speed.

The two company commanders of the second and third assault companies, Ryan and Vinal, charged in as quickly as possible before the enemy could complete their formation, ensuring that the enemy could not maintain their left flank. The tide of the battle had already turned in Britain's favor, but Iskandar remained calm. He reorganized the remaining soldiers into a defensive line. He was now under pressure, but he was not yet about to lose.

Because he was still calculating the battle casualty ratio, through his extraordinary abilities as a Servant and his control over this Noble Phantasm, he accurately calculated the battle casualties on the scene and then drew his own conclusion.

He might still have a chance.

Chapter 177 Victory

"Oh? I guess this is typical of Servant battles? Because they're all already dead, they can fight without hesitation until only one soldier remains. Iskandar really holds the key to this battle." Wingeonrib observed the battlefield's development and also discerned the Conqueror King's thoughts.

If everyone were still alive, the Glorious Everlasting Legion would have already routed the King's army and forced them to flee. Even the Saxons, who were barely surviving, had to obediently leave Britain after being decimated by 60%.

But this is a Servant war, and everyone here is already dead. So they won't surrender until they are completely wiped out. This gives Iskandar the confidence to fight. With his superior command skills compared to Wincenrib, and an army several times larger than the Glorious Eternal Legion, the Conqueror King has a chance to conquer them.

However, Iskandar was already fired up. He had made a preliminary assessment, so he spurred his warhorse and led his personal guard in a charge. The primary objective was to halt Percival's cavalry charge and completely eliminate Davidian's greatest advantage.

Vincenrib brandished his spear and sidestepped the Conqueror before him. In that instant of exchange, Percival realized that, in his weakened state, he was unlikely to kill Iskandar. Therefore, his task remained to destroy the phalanx; Iskandar would be left to the legion commander.

Seeing Iskandar's attack, Winzenrib immediately made a decision: "It's time! Commander, please lead the First Company into battle!"

Davidian nodded, then looked at Gareth beside him. Gareth had been by his side since the start of the war; she had already pulled down her helmet visor, gripped her lance and shield, and was ready to join her father in the fiercest battle at any moment.