Bluntly rejected, Iskandar—the founder of the Alexandrian Empire—felt a rare flicker of doubt about his own charisma.
Of course, the feeling vanished in an instant.
Rider awkwardly muttered to himself, rubbing his temple with a knuckled fist. The gesture looked almost comical, but it didn't diminish his overwhelming presence in the slightest.
He truly exuded a singular, commanding aura.
Only soone like him could stand above thousands and rule a nation.
"Maybe I didn't explain the benefits clearly enough. Young folks these days are all worried about their livelihoods..." the King of Conquerors continued without missing a beat.
Shiomi lightly tapped the frozen ground with Morgan's magic spear.
"A Servant with no known true na suddenly shows up and talks about hiring . How do I know this dramatic entrance isn't just a setup to steal my Magic Circuits or Magic Crest?"
"Hahahaha!" Iskandar burst into a hearty laugh.
Shiomi ignored the laughter. He slowly stepped out from behind the chariot, eyes fixed on Lancer—his posture and expression clearly showing that this unexpected interruption wouldn't stop their duel.
"Hmph..."
Though the appearance of a new Servant had put Lancer on edge, he couldn't help but feel pleased by the sincerity in Shiomi's desire to fight. He chuckled softly in return.
"Both of you—put down your weapons. You stand before the King!"
Rider, now fully aware that the two intended to proceed with their fight as if he weren't there, raised his voice with calm authority.
His clear intent to interrupt forced Shiomi and Lancer to halt once more.
After all, if they resud their battle now, there was a Servant nearby with an active Noble Phantasm—one that could charge them down with that very chariot at any mont.
"My na is Iskandar, King of Conquerors! I have manifested in this Holy Grail War as Rider!"
Everyone present was stunned.
On the battlefield of the Holy Grail War, a Servant's true na was a crucial secret—one never revealed lightly. For a Servant to announce it so brazenly was unheard of.
And no one was more shocked than Waver, crouched beside Rider in the driver's seat.
"What the hell is going through your head, you idiot?!"
Waver, panicked and completely disoriented, had forgotten all fear of Rider. Gripping the edge of his cloak, he shrieked in protest.
"King of Conquerors... Iskandar?" Shiomi paused briefly. "Oh, so it's Alexander the Great."
Once he confird the man's identity, he returned to his stance—spear in one hand behind his back—and looked up at the towering figure of Iskandar atop the ox-drawn chariot.
"So what now? The fad King of Conquerors barges into soone else's battlefield, blurts out his true na, and posts a job offer?"
Sensing no real hostility from him, Shiomi's tone relaxed, tinged with sarcasm.
Iskandar looked slightly sheepish. "No, I wasn't only recruiting you. It's just that you, a man of this era, possess strength on par with a Servant. I couldn't help but admire your talent, so I spoke to you first."
"Haah..." Shiomi sighed.
"My offer extends not just to you, but to Lancer, and even to Saber and Berserker watching from the sidelines! If any of you are interested, I welco you to serve under my banner!"
Iskandar radiated the kind of passion for talent that only a true monarch from legend could possess.
"I'm not sure about that Lancer over there, but I can almost guarantee that Saber won't take you up on it." Shiomi chuckled knowingly. "You know what they say—kings don't bow to kings. No monarch would kneel to another without a damn good reason."
"Oho... So you've already figured out Saber's true na? Care to share it with —?"
Iskandar asked casually, his tone entirely open and curious.
"Why not ask her yourself?"
Shiomi wasn't about to spill the answer.
"They say recluses are usually arrogant, but even my teacher, Aristotle, wasn't this hard to talk to," Rider grumbled, casting his eyes down—only to et Waver's tearful, wide-eyed stare.
"Rider—!!"
Waver's voice cracked from strain.
First, Rider had charged in out of nowhere. Then he revealed his true na without warning. Now he was recruiting not just other Servants, but even their Masters.
"So it was you all along..."
A cold, haunting voice echoed across the battlefield, making Waver flinch hard.
Lancer's Master had finally spoken. Amplified by Magecraft, his voice rang out clearly from atop a gantry crane in the warehouse district, reaching everyone present.
"I was wondering what gave you the gall to steal my holy relic... Turns out you planned to enter the Holy Grail War yourself. Waver Velvet."
Lancer's Master—Kayneth El-lloi Archibald—stepped from the shadows.
Only then did Shiomi recall: the intel said Waver was a student at the Mage's Association's Clock Tower, and Kayneth was his instructor.
While Kayneth "reminisced" with Waver and everyone's attention drifted, Shiomi quietly tapped the ground with Morgan's spear, activating pre-engraved Runes to scan the surrounding presence.
Masters—or rather, Magi—besides himself, there were three in total.
Servants... five. No, wait—six?
Didn't expect all the remaining Servants, excluding the defeated Assassin, to be gathered here. If a brawl breaks out, things could get ssy. Better prepare a fallback plan. And if I can use the retreat to eliminate one or two Servants... all the better.
He relayed this silently to Morgan.
No. The sixth Servant here isn't Caster. Caster is just observing us with clairvoyance. Don't mix them up, Morgan replied.
...
Shiomi fell silent.
Everything that exists leaves traces—so even an Assassin-class with Presence Concealnt couldn't fully escape detection once inside his Rune field.
But... failing to distinguish which was which and drawing the wrong conclusion—that left Shiomi sowhat frustrated.
More importantly, if Assassin was still active despite supposedly being defeated... then Kirei Kotomine's request for Church asylum was suspect from the start.
After all... the current Overseer was Risei Kotomine.
Just as Shiomi was deep in thought, the King of Conquerors' booming voice tore through the night.
He had no interest in the drama between Kayneth and Waver, but clearly, Iskandar—true to form—had co up with yet another bold proclamation.
"Now then! All Heroes chosen by the Holy Grail, gather before ! And if any cowards dare to hide in the shadows—prepare to be scorned by the King of Conquerors, Iskandar!"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake
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