Fate: How About a New Savior?

"Isn't that going a bit too far...?"

Shiomi scratched his head as he looked at Nitocris slumped against a broken stone pillar.

She wasn't fatally injured, but she couldn't keep fighting either. After falling, she'd murmured a few words of self-blame—something about her lack of strength and having failed the trust Ozymandias placed in her—before losing consciousness.

"...I already held back enough." Morgan turned away slightly, like she was sulking.

As expected, the clash of Noble Phantasms ended in Morgan's victory.

"I'm not blaming you, really. I just think that beating someone up this badly might make them refuse to ally with us against Camelot. Wouldn't that be a loss for us?" Shiomi quickly put an arm around Morgan's shoulder, explaining that he hadn't meant anything by it.

Morgan gave him a teasing look. "If it had been my husband fighting her from the start, I imagine Nitocris's heart would've been pierced by your spear long ago."

"...Am I some kind of killer?" Shiomi sighed and held his forehead.

"Hard to say. They weren't exactly going easy on us either. Even I could get swept up in the moment if I wasn't careful," Scáthach agreed. "That's why it's better to have someone as composed as Morgan take the lead."

"Not you too, Master..."

Realizing there was no winning this argument, Shiomi gave up trying.

Defeating Nitocris likely marked the final trial before meeting the Sun King, Ozymandias—it meant they had passed.

After entrusting the wounded female pharaoh to Olga Marie's care, the three of them made their way through the crumbling temple to where Ozymandias awaited.

...

Unlike the grand hall outside, the innermost sanctum—the seat of the pharaoh's throne—was resplendent in gold and splendor. The man seated upon the throne lived up to his name, his very presence radiating a brilliance that rivaled the sun.

"Oh? Even Nitocris has fallen... No, perhaps it was only a matter of time."

Ozymandias sat high upon his throne, gazing down at Shiomi and the others who had come before him.

Having already visited once, Morgan and Scáthach didn't even warrant a second look.

The Sun King's gaze landed directly on Tenkei Shiomi.

Those golden eyes scrutinized him with piercing intensity, as though measuring every facet of him—as a Master, a human, a warrior—leaving nothing unseen.

Faced with the overwhelming pressure behind those unfriendly eyes, Shiomi stood firm, meeting Ozymandias's gaze head-on without the slightest flinch.

"If defeating your Sphinx army and taking down Nitocris still isn't enough for the Sun King to acknowledge Chaldea's strength, then I'm fine with settling things through another fight," Shiomi said, breaking the silence before the throne.

He wasn't someone who sought out battles, but he understood that some people only communicated best through strength.

"There's no need for that. I saw everything—your battles in the desert and in the mountains," Ozymandias replied, his smile radiant and majestic. "To survive the Lion King's Holy Lance and arrive here without a scratch is more than enough proof of your strength."

"Oh? I didn't expect the Sun King to be so reasonable," Shiomi said, genuinely surprised. "I thought you'd be more like that King of Heroes."

"The King of Heroes..." Ozymandias let out a low scoff. "So, you really do know him."

"What?" Shiomi blinked in confusion.

The Sun King's tone sounded as if he had already met the King of Heroes.

"Your strength has indeed shown you're worthy of facing the Lion King. Originally, I was meant to judge whether you had the qualifications to fight alongside a Pharaoh myself," Ozymandias said with a faint smirk. "But as it turns out, someone already did that in your place—before Chaldea even arrived at this Singularity."

Those words came as a surprise to Morgan and Scáthach, who had entered the temple earlier leading Chaldea's group after being invited by Nitocris—at a time when Shiomi was still missing.

Morgan recalled that during her first meeting with Ozymandias, he had firmly stated that he wouldn't consider an alliance beyond mere friendliness until they had recovered their captured companion.

Because of Ozymandias's pride and refusal to elaborate, even Morgan had assumed it was just a polite way of saying he didn't recognize Chaldea's strength.

But looking back now, it was clear that Ozymandias had known about Shiomi from the beginning. He had mentioned him by name—if Shiomi hadn't been with Chaldea, there'd have been no further discussion of cooperation.

"And can you tell us who this person was?" Shiomi pressed.

"No need to be in such a rush, man named Shiomi," Ozymandias said casually, clearly in no hurry to answer as he dangled a riddle instead. "If what that man said was true, then once you've resolved this Singularity, only one will remain."

With that, he suddenly laughed out loud.

"Hahaha! If you want to know the answer, defeat the Lion King and survive this place. When you arrive at the next Singularity, you'll naturally meet that man—and his Master!"

"His Master?" Shiomi echoed, clearly stunned.

So, a Servant had already appeared at the Sixth Singularity—and together with his Master, had acted early on Chaldea's behalf, convincing Ozymandias ahead of time.

"They simply took a longer path to get there. He's a man I get along with quite well, and his Master is incredibly amusing," Ozymandias added with a smile after finishing his laugh. "I'm not one to spoil the mystery. Even if the journey is perilous, it's far more fun to let the unknown reveal itself at the very end!"

Shiomi's shoulders slowly slumped. He'd already guessed who that man and his Master were—the ones who had arrived early and paved the way for Chaldea.

It all made sense now. After their battle with the Knights of the Round Table, Morgan and the others had withdrawn and just so happened to encounter Nitocris, who then brought them an invitation from Ozymandias.

Being the Lion King's enemy wasn't reason enough for such treatment. Only someone who already understood the situation deeply could have orchestrated such a plan.

"To think my husband's charm is so impressive. I really thought our fight with Nitocris was just the warm-up and that the three of us would challenge the Sun King next," Morgan said with a teasing grin, clearly more relaxed now that everything had gone smoothly thanks to Shiomi.

"I think it was probably because he found it amusing, so he stepped in on a whim," Shiomi laughed awkwardly. "Or maybe... it's because his Master wanted to help, and that guy just went along with it…"

"We walk this path together. That's something to be grateful for," Scáthach said, stifling a smile as she comforted the still-dazed yet pleased Shiomi.

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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