Or, why don’t you find another savior?

A fighting spirit and agility beyond ordinary people's imagination.

Is this really the Master who participated in the Holy Grail War as a magician? Or is he an unknown hero born in an era when heroes have fallen?

It was clearly a weapon that he had just obtained not long ago, but now it was being danced by Xi Jian like a dazzling flower.

In the blink of an eye, Shiomi once again shortened the distance between himself and Archer to the point where he could stab the other party with just a stretch of his magic spear.

The Noble Phantasms behind Archer gathered and flew forward, and Shiomi's body disappeared again.

This time everyone saw it clearly. When Xi Jiantianxi disappeared, a ray of light appeared.

"That's——!" Diarmuid exclaimed again.

Previously, when Shiomi tried to stop him from intervening in the fight between Morgan and Altria, he also appeared in that strange way.

Now it seems that it is most likely a magic trick like space transfer.

It’s just that that slow form mostly belongs to long-distance movement, while the one in front of us is short-distance.

In just a moment, Shiomi appeared in the air behind Archer, swung the magic spear without saying a word, and slashed down with the axe-shaped blade on the side.

Bang-!

Shiomi held the gun handle with both hands and pressed down hard, but he could not move at all.

Archer held two golden swords and crossed them in front of him to block the attack.

Even though he could rely on magic and physical skills to dodge the opponent's Noble Phantasm and launch an attack, there was still a gap in physical strength, and he could not suppress strength above rank B.

"snort--!"

Gilgamesh snorted and easily parried Shiomi's attack with his two swords, then retreated. The two swords turned into golden light and disappeared in his hands.

Surprisingly, Archer did not seem to continue to be furious. A sneer appeared on his face again. The golden Servant crossed his arms and looked down at Shiomi with a condescending look.

"I didn't expect that I would be able to take out Enki. A mere bastard is quite capable, isn't he?"

Along with the extremely joyful sound, Archer laughed wildly, and suddenly opened his arms. The space around him began to distort again, and this time, thirty-two "doors" appeared directly.

Xiomi took a deep breath and secretly calculated in his mind how to break through this situation.

"Human! Prove your worth to me, or you will die."

The solemn atmosphere made the air of the winter night even more solidified. If everyone could still watch from the sidelines just now, now facing so many treasures, there was no way to continue watching the show.

If Archer suddenly feels like annihilating the other Servants present, and there are thirty-two "gates" open now, will there be more later?

Sixty-four, one hundred and twenty-eight, or even more?

No one can predict the true strength of the Golden Servant.

Morgan quietly stepped forward and blocked Shiomi again.

"Is this enough? I will use magic to block Archer's attack, and you will be responsible for launching the retreat magic." She gave instructions to Shiomi calmly.

"It seems so." Xi Jian remained calm and prepared to retreat with Morgan.

At this moment, Altria suddenly landed in front of him and Morgan.

"I will cover here, you retreat first."

About ten minutes ago, Altria, who was still hostile to Morgan on the sea, appeared in armor again, holding an invisible sword in her hand to cover the two of them.

Morgan couldn't help but ask:

"What are you planning?"

Chapter 18: Extracellular Branches

It was difficult for Altria to explain the purpose of her action.

Was it out of sympathy or was it because the Master was being played around by his own sister?

Or is it because Morgan, who is known for his harshness and cruelty, would try so hard to protect someone?

Even though the other party was just Morgan's Master in this Holy Grail War, he and Morgan only had the most basic cooperative relationship.

"Even if they are enemies, there are priorities." As Artoria said this, she looked at Gilgamesh warily.

Seeing another servant step forward to oppose him, Gilgamesh's attitude became more wild and joyful.

"Very good, very good! If you want to leave here, I will grant your wish!"

He raised his hand slightly, and with just one movement, the treasures that had already appeared would pour down on Shiomi, Morgan and Altria like an overwhelming rain of arrows.

But this is not a big deal, because Artoria can completely release the Wind King Barrier used to hide the Noble Phantasm and block Archer's attack.

With Morgan's magic, it was not difficult to create a gap for retreat.

Normally, such acts of aiding the enemy in the Holy Grail War would require the intervention of one's own Master.

But Irisviel, the acting Master, had already retreated, and Artoria, who had originally planned to come and observe the battle situation before retreating, did not expect the battle situation to evolve to this point.

Thanks to this, she did gain a considerable amount of intelligence.

However, since Hisau Maiya appeared and led Irisviel away from the seaside, Saber deduced that her real master, Emiya Kiritsugu, should also be nearby.

It's just... it's hard to expect the man who refuses to communicate with his own Servant to give any instructions on the current situation.

Altria could only make her own judgment.

"What are you hesitating about? While this guy is holding Archer back, retreat quickly." Morgan urged Shiomi in a low voice.

But the tone of his voice clearly indicated that he was going to abandon Altria here as a pawn.

As expected, it’s still the same Morgan. Saber couldn’t help but sigh in her heart.

"No, it seems that it is not necessary." Shiomi said easily.

Then, everyone saw Gilgamesh's mouth corners suddenly raised, revealing an angry expression.

“Do you think you can make me withdraw my troops just because of someone like you? You are so audacious, Tokiomi…”

He said this in a disdainful voice, but the treasure behind him dimmed its light and disappeared into the void.

Although he was dissatisfied, Gilgamesh's cold gaze passed through Altria and looked at Shiomi who was blocked behind Morgan.

"For the sake of my subject, I will forgive you for fighting me today. But if you fail to eliminate the other rubbish the next time we meet on the battlefield, you will also die soon."

After saying this, Gilgamesh dismantled his physical form. The golden armor lost its texture and disappeared, leaving only a little residual light.

"Tōsaka Tokiomi's character is far from being as resolute and belligerent as this golden Servant." Shiomi said with a knowing tone: "The first battle has come to this. For Tokiomi who wants to play it safe and step by step to win in the end, what happened just now is definitely not what he wants to see."

He reached out and gently pressed Morgan's arm.

She maintained this posture until Archer left.

"So, you and Archer's Master are also acquaintances." Morgan suddenly remembered this.

Rider was also quite surprised by this. "What? So he's your acquaintance? So you deliberately challenged that Gilgamesh?"

"Not only Tōsaka Tokiomi, but also Lancer's Master Kenneth and your Master Weber. I know them all." Shiomi buttoned up the front of his coat. "After all, I am also a nominal member of the Magic Association and a regular magician who used to go to the Clock Tower frequently."

"Is that really the case, kid?" Rider asked Waver.

"Yeah!" Weber nodded vigorously in acknowledgement.

He didn't expect that Xijian knew him.

After all, the Velvet family is just a rookie magician without several generations of accumulation, and their own qualifications are not outstanding.

But Shiomi is different. Although he has no background, he is said to have been favored by the top puppeteer Aozaki Touko, and has also participated in the designated execution of sealing work.

Even though their ages were only a few years apart, Weber could still sense the difference.

"So, since it's so rare for us to meet in this far east, don't you want to come out and say hello to each other? Professor Kenneth El-Melloi Archibald?"

Shiomi took a few steps forward and greeted loudly in Kenneth's direction.

Although he heard it, Kenneth did not respond, but just stood there and stared.

"Magicians are really a group of heartless guys." He turned around, spread his hands helplessly, and complained to others, as if the remaining masters and servants were not enemies.

His eyes swept across all the servants, and even though the one being talked about was his own lord, Lancer couldn't help but express his agreement helplessly.

Iskandar laughed. "Hahaha! If that's the case, aren't you a magician yourself? What an interesting fellow!"

"That's right." Xijian curled his lips.

He put his hand down and looked at Morgan, "If the remaining few do not intend to continue the fight, we will retreat today."

"It's okay. I just came here to say hello and ask if there is anyone who wants to join my team and give up the Holy Grail." Iskandar said with great enthusiasm, "Unfortunately, it seems that no one is interested in doing so."

Altria nodded, "My Master has also retreated. Even if we have to start a war, we cannot continue without the Master."

"Really? Then let's go back." Xi Jian yawned and called to Morgan, "Come over here for a moment."

Morgan nodded silently, she didn't care about it, it all depended on what Shiomi thought.

At this moment, Kenneth's voice suddenly sounded:

"Xijian Tianxi, although I shouldn't ask you this in this place, but let me confirm one thing."

"Go ahead." Shiomi, who was about to leave, stopped preparing to perform the transfer magic.

"You are just a magus with no background. Do you want to prove your worth to those democrats through the outcome of this Holy Grail War?"

A special question came from Kenneth's mouth.

Weber suddenly realized that he also remembered something.

There are three factions in the Clock Tower: Democrats, Aristocrats and Neutrals, among which the struggle between Democrats and Aristocrats is the most intense.

Kenneth is from El-Melloi, a noble faction.

And Shiomi is the former designated executor of the seal who has close ties with the democratic monarch.

Chapter 19: Extension of the Factional Struggle

"Is this matter important? Or, as the head of the El-Melloi family who is the only one among the nobles who has a relationship with Barthelmero, do you want to bring the factional fighting in the Clock Tower into the Holy Grail War?" Shiomi looked at Kenneth from a distance and asked, "I advise you to give up, otherwise you will die."

After all, this is the Holy Grail War. Although it is currently regarded as a rural magic competition ceremony in the Far East in the Clock Tower, once the truth is revealed, even if Shiomi kills the aristocratic monarch Kenneth in the war, the Clock Tower will not sentence him to death.

"This is my ultimatum. If you continue to maintain contact with Baliueretta, then I will have no choice but to eliminate you first in the upcoming Holy Grail War." Kenneth announced.

Shiomi raised his eyebrows high. He actually underestimated the value he had revealed to the outside world. He did not expect that the monarch of the aristocratic faction would actually issue a death sentence for him.

Of course, this was not Kenneth's impulse or simply out of interest.

Another reason was that before he left the Clock Tower, he had heard various warnings from El-Melloi's faction.

"If you meet Xi Jian Tianxi, you will die, because the Democratic Party also expects this result."

The leaders of various factions within El-Melloi are aware of the general situation of the Holy Grail War, and the reason they have no intention of participating is simply because of their own lack of strength.

Perhaps he did it to preserve the strength of his faction, or perhaps he had other plans and deliberately said this to provoke Kenneth.

In any case, three people make a tiger.

So many people said so that Kenneth had to take it seriously.

If we can unite and win him over to the aristocratic faction as a thug, then we will unite with him first. If not, then we will eliminate him.

Kenneth knew very well the level of the designated executor of the seal.

Hence he made this declaration.

"Okay, if you want to fight, I'll accompany you. Do you want to fight now or another day?" Xi Jian looked at Weber, "Weber, this is a good opportunity to defeat the teacher you hate. We can join forces."

Then, he looked at Altria again: "Saber, although I don't know what your Master thinks, if you help me kill Lancer here, your Master will definitely not object. Or you can help the other side. But two against two is definitely not as safe as three against one."

In just a few words, Shiomi used the threat to shake Rider's Master and Saber.

“Hahahaha! You’re such a good diplomat! What should we do, Master Lancer! Do you want to start a war here or retreat? I’ll give you a little time to hesitate.” Rider didn’t mind starting a war.

Whether it is a melee or a team-up, it suits his taste very well.

After all, Waver also looked like he was interested in this proposal.

"Retreat, Lancer..."