Fate: Hero of Justice Takeover

Imagine this: you've just won a battle and are chasing down the fleeing enemy when suddenly—someone stabs you in the back.

Surprise? Shock?

"ROAR—!" The magical beast roared as it turned its head, immediately ordering its forces to wheel around. After all, their combat strength far surpassed that of ordinary humans—tactics and strategy were hardly a concern.

When dealing with heretics and demons, there's no need to talk about chivalry—just swarm them together!

Though it would be better if these so-called "righteous warriors" weren't howling with bloodshot eyes while doing so.

Faced with the chaotic scramble of the Allied Forces trying to turn and counterattack, the general standing atop the fortress walls calmly raised his hand. Countless arrows rose like cold stars before raining down, covering the swift and mighty cavalry of Great Qin as they charged into the disordered enemy ranks. They split the battlefield, cutting horizontally and vertically, reducing the already disorganised enemy forces to utter shambles.

"GRRR—Huh?" The shadowy mass that was the magical beast initially roared in fury, ready to revert to its true form and teach these dishonourable bastards a lesson. But the moment its eyes landed on the nightmare-like figure atop the walls, its furious roar choked off mid-sound—its gaze even clearing slightly.

T-This… isn't that the God of Slaughter?!

In an instant, the resentment of its three brothers slain by this man, along with the humiliation of its master failing to kill him despite attacking, flooded its heart.

The beast stared fixedly at the man high above, its eyes filled with determination and ferocity. Just as Sakatsuki thought it was about to unleash some hidden power—

It turned and ran.

Like lightning, it bolted sideways, moving so fast that even Sakatsuki—who had anticipated its retreat—was a step too slow. All he could do was watch as a streak of red light vanished into the distance without so much as a backward glance.

Bet you didn't see that coming! This is my escape route!

Not just Sakatsuki—everyone else was caught completely off guard by this development, freezing in stunned silence.

Sakatsuki stared at the fleeing beast for a long moment before finally curling his lip and looking away.

"Continue the advance. Leave none alive."

With the Holy Grail's support, he no longer had to worry about mana. He freely commanded his once-invincible army, delivering a brutal blow to the enemy.

Against the well-equipped, highly disciplined forces of Great Qin, the tide of battle reversed instantly. Sakatsuki expertly maneuvered his troops to divide the battlefield, encircling and annihilating the trapped beasts—executing a masterclass in the art of slaughter in mere moments.

The golden-red sunset faded, replaced by a cold silver moon hanging in the sky. The battlefield, once marked by the remnants of Rome, was now dominated by the solemn black-armored cavalry. Even the blood splattered across their armour seemed dyed a deep, ink-like black.

"This…" Boudica had heard of Sakatsuki, but she had never imagined the man commanded such a formidable army. "What kind of army is this?"

"It's the Qin army—no mistake, the army of Great Qin!" Jing Ke, unusually excited, seemed to recall some past regret, her eyes burning with fervour. "If it's him… then is King Zhaoxiang of Qin here too? Or—could it be the First Emperor himself?!"

"■■■!" Even Lü Bu grew agitated. Compared to Rome's Emperor Nero, an emperor from the land of his origins—especially one who had unified all under heaven—was far more tempting as a target for betrayal.

Of course, the others didn't understand Jing Ke and Lü Bu's betrayal complex, assuming they were just thrilled to encounter fellow heroes from the ancient East.

"Mr. Sakatsuki…" Fujimaru Ritsuka stared blankly at the unfamiliar black banner of the Dark Avian, and at the magical beast that had fled the moment it appeared. Gritting his teeth, the Master's resolve flared once more.

"We're going back. We can't let these enemies escape!"

"Ooh!" With the greatest threat gone, the Servants had no reason to fear mere foot soldiers. Morale soared as they turned and charged back into the fray, further crushing the remnants of the Allied Empire's forces.

Before long, the battle was completely over. The soldiers of the Allied Empire were either dead or surrendered, their resistance utterly broken. Under Boudica's orders, the Imperial Army began repairing the battered defenses while the quartermasters directed the cooking of meals. Soon, the scent of smoke and food rose from the once-chaotic battlefield.

"But… what exactly happened to make that beast flee the moment it saw Mr. Sakatsuki?" Muttering in confusion, Ritsuka glanced up at the fortress walls—only to find the white-haired general staring intently at a single spot on the ground.

Or rather, at a single person.

"Is that… Saber?"

Looking up, he saw the black-armored Saber, her face obscured by her visor, staring back at the white-haired, crimson-eyed general. The two stood frozen, locked in a silent standoff.

"What's going on?" A voice interrupted. Ritsuka turned to see Boudica approaching, followed by a golden-haired girl in a red dress.

"General Boudica! And… Emperor Nero? Why are you here?"

As if hearing something of interest, Saber glanced briefly at Nero before returning her gaze to the general on the walls, the tension between them unbroken.

"We heard our forces were at a disadvantage and came to assist. But it seems we were too late."

"Yes, the battle is already over, Your Majesty," Boudica said with a smile. "Thanks to General Sakatsuki's timely intervention from the rear, we were able to seize the opportunity and crush the enemy."

Ritsuka nodded eagerly. "That's right, Your Majesty! It's all thanks to General Sakatsuki that we won. He must have come to rescue us, right?"

…Is that so?

Did he come… to save me?

Nero's expression softened as she looked up at Sakatsuki on the walls. Just as she was about to speak—

"No."

The cold denial came with a sudden surge of mana.

"Saber?!" Ritsuka immediately felt his energy draining. But what horrified him more was the icy aura erupting from the black-armored swordsman. Her blade swung around—the massive black demonic sword swelling with power—before unleashing a beam of light identical to the one that had destroyed "Caesar," hurtling straight toward the man on the walls!

"What are you doing?!"

"Saber!"

"Have you lost your mind?!"

Shouts of alarm rang out, with Nero reacting most violently. She nearly drew her sword to attack Saber, only held back by Boudica's desperate restraint.

On the walls, a crimson shadow emerged—a terracotta soldier expressionlessly raised a beast-faced shield, intercepting the blast at the cost of its own disintegration. But the white-haired general did not reappear. Instead, he seemed to have been forced back, vanishing from sight.

The commotion naturally drew attention. Soldiers and Servants alike turned toward the walls—only to find the general who had single-handedly turned the tide gone. In his place stood a young man with long flowing hair, leisurely fanning himself with a feathered fan.

"Greetings, everyone. I am Lord El-Melloi II. Due to certain circumstances—no, perhaps it's fate—I serve as General Sakatsuki's strategist."

"Lord…?" A surprised voice came from Ritsuka's communicator as Dr. Roman quickly pulled up records. "It's true. He is indeed one of the current Lords of the Clock Tower. But… why is he here?"

"A Pseudo-Servant… a being born from a heroic spirit possessing a human. Sakatsuki once told me he was also this type of Servant." Nero's expression darkened as she stared at the man on the walls, an inexplicable sense of foreboding rising in her chest.

And soon, that foreboding proved true.

"Well, since a certain someone fled at the critical moment, I'll have to deliver the final declaration in his place."

The strategist smiled faintly, his fan swaying gently as he spoke the formal proclamation in place of the vanished general:

"Following the United Roman Empire and the magical beast, and the Roman Empire and Chaldea—General Sakatsuki shall now lead our nation of the Great Qin, standing as the third power in this world. We welcome your allegiance."

Thus, Sakatsuki's betrayal was declared.

Thus, the Great Qin Empire was proclaimed.

The strategist's calm yet icy words carried on the biting wind. Nero felt as if struck by a hammer—her vision darkened, and she collapsed on the spot.

"Your Majesty!"

Amid the chaos of the governor's betrayal and the emperor's collapse, Jing Ke and Lü Bu showed little surprise. They didn't even bother pretending, simply holding their wine jars as they stared intently at the two faint figures atop the walls.

"Hah… the world just keeps getting messier, doesn't it?"

"■■■."

"Like my Lady Xu's dagger, even you—the Omen of Destruction—are getting restless, aren't you, Brother Wuyang?"

"■■■■■!"

"Right, right. I believe you won't flee at the critical moment."

Without looking back, Jing Ke raised her wine jar, clinking it against the berserker's across centuries of separation. Dressed in flowing white robes, she smiled faintly—a smile of absolute certainty.

"Zhuge, the Marquis of Wu… Wu'an, the Lord of War…"

"We await your next move."

***

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