I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Behold, a gift from the Hydro Archon herself—bonus chapters, born of your devotion and my boundless generosity! Bask in this rare blessing!

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The Ruler-class Artoria's Noble Phantasm, [Radiant Glory, My Shining Hall], is classified as an A+ Anti-Army Noble Phantasm.

Its true form is Rhongomyniad, the holy lance capable of land, sea, and air deployment, which, when activated, unleashes devastating beams of magical energy upon all enemies. However, astute observers recognize that the "hall" itself is merely a pretense—these beams originate from the lance itself. Artoria has always remained tight-lipped about this overlap with her Lancer-class self, offering no explanation.

In theory, Artoria Ruler can detach and wield the lance directly.

And now, she had done precisely that.

Rhongomyniad.

The Storm Anchor that binds the storm to the stars. The Tower that connects reality and the Reverse Side of the World.

Though the lance was not fully unleashed, even a fraction of its starlit brilliance was enough to illuminate the battlefield in unparalleled radiance.

For an instant, the entire world turned gold. All sound, all color, was consumed by its majesty.

A beam of light extended from one end of the earth to the heavens themselves.

Karna's figure disappeared within it, for it was him that Artoria had targeted.

Even Rhongomyniad could not bypass Karna's Golden Armor entirely and kill him outright, but Artoria was certain—if he took this strike head-on, he wouldn't emerge unscathed.

At the very least, Karna would not be returning to the battlefield for a while.

Achilles had narrowly evaded the strike, his incredible speed saving him. Artoria hadn't expected to hit him anyway.

It didn't matter. With Karna temporarily out of the picture and Achilles battered and alone, Artoria felt fully capable of managing the situation.

"Ha, this is looking bad for me, isn't it?"

Achilles knelt on one knee, his spear driven into the ground for support as he flashed a self-deprecating smile.

Before him, Artoria descended gracefully, her golden eyes radiating a crushing aura of authority.

"This is really bad..." Achilles muttered, his voice laced with dry humor. "Am I going to be the first Servant to get eliminated in this war? What a joke..."

Despite the grimness of his words, his expression remained fearless, his gaze locked unwaveringly on Artoria.

With his unmatched speed, Achilles could likely retreat from this fight if he wanted.

But that was not who he was. Not even the thought of fleeing crossed his mind.

As a child, Achilles had chosen his destiny.

Would he live an ordinary, peaceful life, dying of old age? Or would he blaze like a meteor across the battlefield, his life short but resplendent?

Without hesitation, he had chosen the latter.

This decision had made him one of the greatest heroes of Greek mythology, second only to Heracles.

Achilles never feared death. He would rather die gloriously in battle than live a mundane life.

Gripping his spear tightly, he planted it firmly into the ground and pushed himself to his feet, his grin wild and defiant.

But as he prepared to take another step toward Artoria, her focus shifted away from him.

Following her gaze, Achilles turned toward the source of her sudden attention.

"So, you're stepping in now?" Artoria's voice was calm yet sharp.

"Indeed. After all, Rider and Lancer are key assets to our side. Losing them here would be... problematic," replied the newcomer—a white-haired man dressed as a priest.

With a courteous bow and a mild smile, he introduced himself. "A pleasure to meet you, Ruler. I am one of the Masters of the Red Faction, and the Master of Assassin—Amakusa Shirou Tokisada."

"Why are you here, you damn priest?" Achilles growled, his voice tinged with irritation. "Are you here to disrupt my fight with Ruler?"

"Rider, you must realize you've already lost," Amakusa replied evenly.

"And so what?!" Achilles snapped, his frustration boiling over. "I'm not such a coward that I can't accept my defeat! I lost fair and square, even if fighting alongside Lancer left a bad taste in my mouth. I have nothing more to say about it!"

He tightened his grip on his spear, his voice rising with fierce conviction.

"Combat is cruel, but it's also just! If I defeat my opponent, I'll kill them without hesitation. And if I'm defeated, I'll face my end without running away!"

He raised his spear high, his emerald eyes burning with passion.

"My life is like a shooting star—brilliant but fleeting! To grovel for survival in the middle of a fight would be the ultimate disgrace!"

Achilles turned his glare on Amakusa, his voice dropping to a deadly tone.

"I don't care who you are—even if you're my Master, if you dare beg for my life, I'll kill you first!"

His words carried no trace of jest.

Amakusa knew this, which made the situation all the more difficult.

He had no desire to lose Achilles, one of the Red Faction's strongest Servants.

Karna and Achilles were the linchpins of their offensive. Losing either of them would severely compromise their strength.

The Red Faction had already lost Berserker Spartacus, who had succumbed to madness and been captured by the Black Faction. It was only a matter of time before Spartacus would resurface as one of their enemies.

Losing Spartacus was manageable. Losing Achilles, however, would be a devastating blow.

Especially considering Achilles' Noble Phantasm, [Andreias Amarantos: Amaranth of the Brave], rendered him nearly invincible against any opponent lacking divine attributes.

Against the Black Faction, only Archer possessed such an attribute, making Achilles a near-perfect counter to their forces.

But this Holy Grail War had brought unforeseen variables.

The presence of two Rulers, and one of them being a literal goddess, turned the tide.

Achilles' greatest defense meant nothing against Artoria, and even teaming up with Karna had proven futile.

Amakusa grimaced, his gaze shifting sideways.

"So, are you expecting me to change that hothead's mind?"

The voice was scornful, belonging to a woman who materialized gracefully nearby. Dressed in hunter's attire, her piercing eyes glared at the priest with thinly veiled disdain.

"I'll tell you now—you're wasting your breath. That speedster is as stubborn as they come. Once he's made a decision, not even the Calydonian Boar could stop him."

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Ah-ha! So you mortals truly have outdone yourselves this time, haven't you? To think your offerings could summon forth these bonus chapters—what a feat worthy of my recognition! You've brought glory to Fontaine, and naturally, to me.

But do not think for a moment that your work is complete! This is but a single step on the journey to greatness, and there are still many more chapters, many more stages, and of course, many more opportunities to bask in my brilliance.

So, continue your efforts, loyal followers! Shower this endeavor with your support, and who knows? Perhaps I shall reward your dedication with even grander displays of my magnificence.

For now, savor these bonus chapters. And remember, this is your moment to shine... because I allowed it.

With admiration and just a dash of benevolence,

Furina ✨