Shinji Matou At Your Service

Chapter 20: Battle

The first battle of the Fourth Holy Grail War began with the summoned Servants, Assassin and Caster.

As soon as Scáthach sensed Caster's presence, she dispelled the primal rune used for concealment and abandoned her stealthy approach. Sneak attacks were not her style; she preferred direct combat like a warrior.

Therefore, she did not interrupt the summoning ritual or attack Caster's master and even gave Caster time to prepare his magic.

Since Shinji had said this was her appetizer, Scáthach decided to approach the situation as pleased.

Sensing the obvious otherworldly aura surrounding Caster, Scáthach laughed, broke open the door, and launched an attack on the prepared Caster.

At the entrance, Scáthach reached up with both hands. On her left hand, she held a red longbow, while on her right hand, she gripped a similarly colored arrow.

In the next second, the arrow tore through the air with a powerful force comparable to a sniper rifle.

Caster, who had remained expressionless since appearing, finally showed a change in emotion.

He was surprised. There was no doubt that the Servant before him was an Assassin, but her fighting style was nothing like an assassin. Instead, it resembled that of an archer.

However, to even surprise, he didn't forget to defend herself. A very sturdy belt-like sash—or rather, an indescribable creature composed of countless snakes–or perhaps it would be more appropriate to call it an organ of a living being—extended from an unseen corner and precisely blocked Scáthach's arrow.

Flesh and blood scattered.

Deep purple blood and magically infused flesh with corrosive properties burst from the impact of the arrow, adding an extra touch of eeriness to the already macabre room.

Unfazed by this, Scáthach regarded her previous arrow as a greeting and test, and she could tell that Caster's fighting style was worth her attention.

Summoning magic, summoning monsters. With this conclusion in mind, Scáthach initiated her second round of attack.

Once again, the arrow is unleashed. However, this time, it was not just one arrow; it was three arrows.

The three arrows attacked Caster from different angles like Barrett rifles equipped with guidance systems.

The monster summoned by Caster unexpectedly shows remarkable resilience, enduring Scáthach's arrow while remaining agile. It circled its master and used its body as a shield to block the simultaneous volley of the three arrows from Scáthach.

At the same time, the floor beneath Scáthach suddenly collapsed, and three smaller but more agile tentacle-like monsters emerged underground, launching a counterattack against the enemy.

Despite being surrounded by tentacles, Scáthach remained calm and somewhat disappointed. She casually discarded her bow and grasped a purple katana from the thin air. With the swift flick of her wrist, she fiercely slashed, severing all three tentacles.

Using the momentum from cutting the tentacles, Scáthach's body turned into a wisp of smoke moving at an imperceptible speed. Just before the flesh of the monsters touched her own, she dashed towards Caster, who still stood motionless.

Caster calmly turned the page of the human skin book on his hands. The mist formed from his magical energy suddenly thickened, causing the entire room to shake as if being struck by a tremendous force.

Numerous thick tentacles, numbering in the double digits, extended from the ground, transforming into walls that protected Caster while recklessly demolishing the house.

"COOL! Awesome! You're so COOL!" Ryuunosuke's entire being was captivated by the "demons" summoned by Caster. Ignoring his perilous situation, he shouted and screamed like a child.

However, the poor child, the only one left in the house, had long since reached his limits and fainted.

Scáthach's strikes were swift, but Caster's speed was not slow. For every tentacle severed by Scáthach, Caster summoned another one. Despite severing ten tentacles in one breath, the "walls" that stood between the two showed no signs of diminishing.

Realizing that using her blade was ineffective, Scáthach did not persist in a direct assault but instead retreated with light footsteps.

The monsters driven by Caster seemed unwilling to let go of this prey and swarmed towards Scáthach, appearing like a chaotic dance of demons.

"Yes, that's it. Devour her, devour her," Ryuunosuke loved demons and also had a fondness for young, beautiful women. When the two merged into one, his excitement would double (although from appearances, who would know that his summoned was a demon).

Of course, Scáthach did not comply with his wishes. With her right hand holding the blade and her left hand index and middle fingers close together, she swiftly traced a line of circular symbols in the air.

In the instant the final rune formed, the dark house was illuminated by crimson flames. The tentacle, which was only a meter away from Scáthach, became engulfed in the fiery light, burning until it turned into ashes.

The screams of the monsters echoed in the crumbling house as Scáthach crossed the final distance towards Caster and swung her sword, aiming for the latter's head.

Caster, as a mage, generally does not excel in close combat. Being approached by an Assassin meant that death was imminent unless it was someone like Scáthach, who possessed multiple aptitudes. However, such individuals are extremely rare.

However, the conventions are meant to be broken. This Caster wasn't a traditional mage. Before the blade could reach him, he created a "sword" using the newly summoned monster and blocked Scáthach's strike with this living "blade."

The "sword" was not as hard as a real blade, but it carried a comparable force. Caster was pushed back by the strike, and likewise, Scáthach was pushed back by the "sword," interrupting her attack.

This turn of events indicated that Caster and Scáthach possessed equal physical strength, both at the Rank D level.

"Your magic may be lacking, but your swordsmanship is impressive," remarked Assassin, who was skilled in magic tricks. This was her first time speaking to the other Servants.

"Thank you for the compliment," replied Caster, the melee combatant, with gentlemanly grace. "Although I manifest as a Caster, I indeed lack talent in magic. Comparatively, Miss Assassin is better suited for this class."

"Your perception is also commendable."

Scáthach switched her sword for a crimson spear, its flowing magical energy indicating a significantly higher quality compared to the sword and bow she previously wielded. Scáthach was proficient in various weapons, but her greatest mastery lay in spears, which allowed her to reach the realm of gods.

"Let's end the warm-up here and bring out our true abilities," said Scáthach.

"If possible, I would prefer for today to end here," Caster casually discarded the monster "sword" in his hand. "The Holy Grail War has just begun. There's no need to determine life and death at this moment."

"Are you planning to escape?" Scáthach gripped the spear with both hands and with the spear at its core, her magical energy formed a swirling vortex, emitting a distant humming sound. From afar, it resembled a burning flame.

"If you choose to interpret it that way," Caster closed the human skin book in his hand, emitting a dull sound.

As if it were a signal of destruction, the remaining monsters in the house instantly exploded. The splattering of blood and magical mist obstructed Scáthach's vision and the resulting impact destroyed the foundation of the house.

Amidst the continuous explosions, the house that held cherished memories of a family collapsed with a resounding crash.