The entire meeting room was immediately engulfed in silence. Despite having access to Merlin's Clairvoyance, they still faced a staggering power gap of nearly twenty times their own force.
To execute this plan, they would require nearly 2,000 soldiers to break through the army of nearly 30,000 magical beasts, and then charge into the Saxon army of roughly 10,000 in order to capture the commander.
Who could possibly carry out such a daunting task? Who possessed the courage to attempt it?
As the others looked on with disbelief, Artoria stepped forward with a resolute expression on her face and declared, "Please leave this to me!"
Gawain and the rest of the group were astounded. While they had agreed to the strategy, they lacked the courage to execute it. Yet here was Artoria, a young girl, volunteering without hesitation.
Her bravery was truly remarkable!
Feeling ashamed of their own hesitation, one by one they stepped forward to offer their assistance as well.
Shirou ignored Gawain and the others, frowning as he looked at Artoria and asked, "This is an extremely dangerous mission. Are you sure?"
Artoria met his gaze with a determined look in her eyes and replied, "There is no one more suited to this task than me. Don't worry, my King. I will bring you victory!"
Clad in mithril armor and a lion-like helmet, Artoria was a striking sight to behold. Her entire body shone like a silver lion, exuding a sense of majesty and imposing strength.
"Excellent," Shirou declared, rising to his feet. "As this strategy was proposed by Tristan, he will serve as the overall commander of this battle, and all other troops will follow his lead. Anyone who disobeys will be dealt with accordingly."
Tristan appeared taken aback by the sudden announcement. "My King, I am the nephew of King Mark!"
"I have already expressed my trust in you, and I will not doubt you. Lead the troops well," Shirou reassured him, patting his shoulder before departing the camp, with the others following closely behind.
"To be your knight is my greatest honor!" Tristan clenched his fist, took a deep breath, and then followed.
As they exited the camp, flying wyverns could be seen circling high above, and the sound of magical cannons bombarding the city's defensive barrier could be heard in the distance. Despite the relentless enemy attacks, Kay and Lamorak continued to hold the city.
Upon reaching the city gates, they found the last of their troops already assembled and ready for battle.
Shirou stepped forward to the front of the army, and the previously disorganized soldiers quickly shifted their attention towards him.
Despite the unrelenting nature of the enemy's attacks, Shirou had no time to discipline his troops. However, with his natural charisma, he was able to inspire and motivate the soldiers to fight with renewed vigor and determination.
Shirou then drew Caliburn from its scabbard and held it high in front of the eager soldiers.
"Listen closely! Gathered here are the most glorious and elite warriors who can conquer a thousand enemies at once! The army of Vortigern has arrived, leaving destruction and devastation in its wake. This is a battle for survival! Although we come from all directions and may not know each other, we must be willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of survival. Entrust your backs to your comrades and fight for life, for the future, for everything precious! Your names and glory will be immortalized!"
"King Arthur! King Arthur!"
"King Arthur! King Arthur!"
The soldiers responded with loud cheers, and even the frightened civilians in Caerleon couldn't help but join in.
"I will stand with you against our enemies!" Shirou roared. "I won't back down from the mountain of blades or the sea of fire. I will charge into battle and won't turn back even in death!"
The external light cannons continued to flash, casting intermittent illumination upon Shirou's profile.
Despite the roars of beasts and the screams of wyverns that shook the mountains and forests, the shouting from the city was like a raging fire, burning everything in its path.
With a nod of approval, Shirou passed command over to Tristan and called Artoria forward.
He entrusted Caliburn, the legendary sword, to Artoria, who stood before him like a fierce lion, and also presented her with a silver horse to ride into battle.
"My king! This is the mount that Lady Morgan gave you," Artoria reminded him.
Shirou smiled warmly. "A good horse for a good knight. Take it, and it will follow you wherever you go," he replied, presenting the horse to Artoria.
She looked at the horse, then glanced over at Morgan, who was standing not far away. Although Morgan appeared displeased, she ultimately gave a nod of approval.
Artoria gratefully accepted the horse.
Shirou's voice thundered out, "Cavalry, assemble!"
The 243 cavalrymen quickly gathered, ready to receive their orders.
"Your mission is the most difficult, the most dangerous, and also the most honorable! I have nothing tangible to give you. The only thing I can offer you are my sincere prayers and some handy weapons!"
The people looked around in confusion, wondering where the weapons were. However, as they looked upon Shirou, they could sense his unwavering confidence, which filled them with hope and reassurance.
King Arthur - the king of miracles, the one who will lead them to a brighter future!
Shirou stretched out his hand and took a deep breath, imagining the spear he needed to create. The spear he had copied from the King's Treasure Trove - Gae Bolg.
With a rapid consumption of magical energy, crimson spears began to materialize one by one in the square, standing tall and proud like pillars. Shirou managed to project an incredible 243 of them at once!
Despite the significant amount of magical energy that was consumed, Shirou remained resolute and determined, though he was visibly fatigued. He raised his voice once again, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"This is the legendary spear Gae Bolg, once wielded by the great hero Cú Chulainn! All cavalry, advance with your spears! Today, you will all be great heroes!" he declared, his voice ringing out across the square.
The crowd was stunned by the sight before them. For these ordinary people, the ability to create something out of thin air was a rarity beyond imagination. And now, witnessing over two hundred Noble Phantasms projected before them, even the magi of the end of the age of gods were left awestruck.
Although projection was considered a basic magecraft, the fact that Shirou was able to project Gae Bolg was already terrifying. What was even more astonishing was that he managed to project over two hundred of them at once! This feat left many in shock, as it was a rare and impressive accomplishment that even the most skilled magi of the time couldn't match.
But that wasn't all. Shirou also projected over a hundred holy swords - Caliburns - and handed them over to the team leaders of the troops.
The spectacle of nearly four hundred legendary weapons being projected at once left even the most experienced magi in utter disbelief. Such an incredible display of skill was unheard of, and it sent shockwaves through the gathered crowd.
It was once just a dream to project these legendary weapons, but Shirou had made it a reality by projecting nearly four hundred of them at once. The feat was so extraordinary that it left everyone in complete awe.
Furthermore, the question that lingered on everyone's mind was: does he really have that much magical energy?
"My little brother truly lives up to his name!" exclaimed Morgan.
However, Artoria, who stood beside Shirou, noticed that his complexion was pale, and his eyes showed signs of exhaustion.
It was to be expected. Shirou's magical energy was not the same as when he had received All the World's Evil in Fuyuki City. Back then, the evil had been accumulating for 240 years in the city, providing him with an almost endless supply of magical energy.
However, this time, he had started from scratch. Over the course of a year, he had absorbed the Evil from people in cities and towns to build up his magical energy. But even with this preparation, the one-time projection of so many high-spec Noble Phantasms had depleted more than half of his reserves.
What's more, the mental exhaustion was enormous.
Ordinarily, the projection of regular swords would not have required as much magical energy or mental strength. But the projection of high-spec Noble Phantasms naturally consumed a significant amount of both.
Despite the toll it took on him, Shirou knew that all of this was necessary for victory. He believed in doing everything humanly possible and leaving the rest to fate. It was a risky approach, but one that had served him well in the past.
"King Arthur! King Arthur!"
"King Arthur! King Arthur!"
The soldiers holding the Noble Phantasms let out a deafening roar, their voices shaking the very sky itself.
Shirou, though clearly exhausted, stood tall and proud, accepting the thunderous cheers of the people.
Clad in her lion-shaped armor, Artoria rode upon a silver horse, wielding Caliburn in her left hand and Gae Bolg in her right. Riding behind her were 243 cavalrymen, each one holding their own Gae Bolg, ready to charge into battle.
The cold autumn wind whipped through Artoria's golden hair, which was tied back like a lion's mane on her shoulder armor, giving her the appearance of wearing a golden cloak. It was a majestic sight to behold.
However, beneath her helmet, Artoria's blue eyes betrayed a hint of concern as she glanced over at Shirou.
Shirou remained silent as he mounted his war horse and projected a sword. He raised the weapon high and let out a mighty shout, "Charge!"
The city gates swung open, and the army, with their noble phantasms at the ready, poured forth like a tidal wave.
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