[center][h2]Ruler[/h2] [@Breo] [@ConstantlyComic] [@Holy Grail] [@DrowsyPangolin] [@Cu Chulainn] [@Beloss] [@Ijoyen] [@Berserk Gene] [@SIGINT] [@Yukitamas][/center] [color=fff79a]"As was said, unless it's quite a coincidence, the presence at the river likely isn't a third-party."[/color] Ruler spoke up, letting out a slight sigh at the lack of leads the group actually had. One would hope that gathering together some of humanity's best and brightest would lead to this being fairly easy, but apparently not. Why couldn't someone have summoned that one detective, what'shisface, the one played by Benedict Cumberbatch? That one would probably have figured this all out in five seconds flat. [color=fff79a]"However, if we don't have anything else to go off of, then it might be worth pursuing just so we're not standing around worthlessly. While I will agree that you are viable as a scout, Assassin,"[/color] Ruler said, giving Cao Cao a nod. It went without saying that he was clear on the Assassin's Noble Phantasm; after all, things like that were the privilege of his class. [color=fff79a]"You should remember that the enemy is something capable of immediately killing a Knight-Class Servant. Even if we assume that was an exception rather than a rule, I can't imagine that you'd last long after encountering the target, if you're on your own. Even your escape tactic might not be quick enough."[/color] He explained, shaking his head with an exasperated groan. [color=fff79a]"With that said, though, if you're still willing to place yourself in harm's way for this purpose, I'll of course reward you and your partner."[/color] Ernest's words drew Ruler's attention next, the Servant nodding slightly. [color=fff79a]"I had considered that possibility. If one knows the right kind of magecraft, taking the Command Seals of another is certainly possible. There's a chance their goal is the Holy Grail as well, but if that's the case, then why bother with all these pretenses? Someone capable of battling a Servant or controlling someone who can would no doubt be seen as eligible by the Holy Grail and given Marks of the Chosen. Why would they not have just summoned their own Servant?"[/color] He murmured, half-speaking to himself. [color=fff79a]"Though, nonetheless, that avenue of thought is probably the most valid one we have for motivation."[/color] After speaking, the Servant turned his eye to the two conversing not-quite-magi. He couldn't deny a sort of slight like of them. The boy had stared that freak in the face and yet, without a Servant, still planned to fight in the Holy Grail War, while the girl had slammed down more burgers than everyone else here had eaten combined in all of a few minutes. It was good to see two such exemplary individuals getting along. A slight chuckle escaped the Servant as he moved to put cheese on the burgers that were ready for it. [color=fff79a]"-Wha...t?"[/color] -Only to freeze up, eyes widening. Ruler was not alone in noticing. The other Servants, no perhaps even some of the Masters would have felt it before they saw it. Wind kicked up, a veritable gale that began as enough to blow up the skirt of a schoolgirl, and intensified until it was enough to nearly knock a human off their feet. Where had it come from? Like an arrow loosed from a bow, a lance stabbed downwards from the kingdom above, it approached. [color=fff79a]"Everybody [i]move![/i]"[/color] The overseer of the war let out a yell, not merely troubled this time. No, now true fear laced his tone. Abandoning his grill and the handful of burgers that were still cooking, Ruler moved. The other Masters had their Servants, so he went for that one who lacked a partner, grabbing him with a rough urgency before falling back from the Party Zone. Now he was not merely concerned by the prospect of a third-party mucking with the war, but well and truly worried that death was about to occur. The reason was simple. [color=fff79a]"What...is that?"[/color] [hr] [center][b]++EVENT OUTSIDE OF EXPECTATIONS HAS OCCURRED++ ++STARS HAVE BEEN GATHERED++ ++STARS HAVE BEEN GATHERED++ ++SUSPENSION OF SUPPRESSION PROTOCOL DEEMED NECESSARY. SUSPENDING.++ ++REQUEST TICKET FILED, TICKET NUMBER 1,000,000,000,529++ [/b][/center] ... ... [sub]Stars[/sub] Yeah, yeah, ticket received. Saint Graph Analysis of gathered Servants completed. Alright, assessment's finished. Collective threat level maximum. Looks like maximum force'll be required. Mm, good thing this happened in a field, otherwise I'd be worried about destroying the city. Well, here we go I guess. Joint Operation, activated. Shapeshift, activated. Shielding capabilities, activated. Thought Acceleration, activated. Memory Partition, activated. Body seems to be moving fine. Bit rusty from disuse but it should work. ■■■■■ ■■■■■ System, activated. Magic Circuits, opened. Ah, god, can never get used to that. Flow of prana seems normal. There's enough mana to hit capacity too. Assessment of the World's returned, seems normal. Nothing involving creating a territory or altered space or anything like that is around right now. Oh, wait, are those burgers though? Damn, those are going to get ruined. Sorry, burgers. Alright, back to business, let's check the Memory Partitions. [i]Apologies to the Servants I'm about to kill. I'll try and make things as quick as possible, alright? I don't like to drag out suffering. I'd ask you to not fight back to make it as painless as could be, but I know you won't. Really, I'm sorry. I would have liked to be friends, but that's impossible. [/i] Partition 1 report. All functions optimal. [i]Masters, magi, they're down there, aren't they? Ah, god, even if they're magi it doesn't make this any easier, you know. They're still people. Hey, little magi, please stay out of the fight, okay? I'm only after the Servants, so please don't get in the line of fire. Please. [/i] Partition 2 report. All functions optimal. [i]...I wonder how that old fool's doing. [/i] Partition 3 report. All functions optimal. [i]Ahaha, a different old fool than what 3 mentioned, but sorry ■■■■■■■■■■■. You'd probably be annoyed if you saw me like I am now, huh? Don't show up halfway through the fight, alright? That'd be really embarrassing for me. [/i] Partition 4 report. All functions optimal. [i]Ah god, I could really use a drink right about now, but drinking on the job's a no. Well, let's get to it then. [/i] Terminal report. All functions optimal. Great. It's been a while since I've gotten to stretch out properly, so even if the circumstances aren't ideal, should at least make the most of it. [center][b][url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5kFa9krzxQ]Initiate.[/url][/b][/center] [hr] Something fell. A dazzling star, a soundless meteor descending from heaven appeared in the Eastern Field at a concerningly short distance from where burgers were being grilled. It was nothing more than a golem. And yet, it took up more space than hundreds of golems ever could. In that sense, it could not be called a golem. Then what? A titan? A monument? No, no, that sort of naming convention didn't do it justice. Would these trifling Servants and humans understand the glory of something such as it? Would they dare to call it golem, titan, or monument? Or, would even one of them witness its splendor and realize the name of its being? In this world, this monstrously large world, there exists a lone man. A wealthy man, an absurd man, a terrifying man who can create golems that equal Servants in might, a monster who in another world would bear the title of Dead Apostle Ancestor. Dead Apostle Valery Fernand Vandelstam. Dark Lord of the Business World. Van-Fem of the Demon Castle. It is from this man that the golem is given its name. It is from this man who gave it form that it can be called a Demon Castle Candidate. "Deploy shielding." Wreathed in black armor, framed with crimson lines that ran along its edge, its outer "skin" pushed up out of it and expanded. Shields, countless shields covered every inch of its body, anti-spirit sigils and spells inscribed on their every inch. Yes, if this golem bore the title of castle, then it was a castle that neither man nor ghost was permitted to enter. Bright, bright, bright. From within the shielding, light started to burn. A freakish light, an otherworldly light. In no more than a second, nearly half of the mana of the entire immediate expanse of the Eastern Field had been drawn into the castle, fuel to feed to that light. And that remaining half too was still being taken. The towers of the castle tore themselves up off of its foundation but remained connected to the greater body, extending out like the stone arms of some profane god before being brought down as hammers upon those who had gathered. Two of the towers swung down to crush those Servants and Masters present, while the other two pierced into the earth, hungrily drawing in yet more light. Now then, let us begin this properly. You call yourselves heroes, do you not? -Then demonstrate what that means. Let this monster of stone and jewel be the proving ground that you carve this truth into, or let it be the herald of the end.