"Chihiro, hurry up! Take it out and show us already!"

  As soon as they returned, Iskandar couldn't contain his excitement and reached out toward Chihiro.

  "I know, I know. Why are you so impatient?" Chihiro sighed before taking out the Holy Grail and pcing it on the table.

  "So this is the Holy Grail?"

  The gathered Servants, including Iskandar and Artoria, leaned closer, examining it curiously.

  Although some had participated in previous Holy Grail Wars, most had never seen the actual Grail in person.

  "This is the Holy Grail?" Qin Shi Huang picked it up, his expression contemptive. "Holding it in my hands feels as if my entire body is brimming with boundless magical energy. Interesting."

  After a moment of observation, he carefully set it back on the table.

  Iskandar asked eagerly, "Can this Holy Grail grant a wish?"

  "Not yet," Chihiro expined. "It's not full."

  "Oh, no! That's not what I meant!" Iskandar waved his hands in dismissal. "I was talking about your mecha! The one you piloted earlier! Didn't you say you'd let me take a closer look once we got back?"

  Chihiro hadn't expected Iskandar to still remember that promise and scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Well… there's not enough space here."

  "Then let's fix that!" Iskandar decred confidently, waving his hand as he summoned his Ionioi Hetairoi.

  The group was instantly transported into Iskandar's Reality Marble. The vast desert battlefield provided plenty of room for what he had in mind.

  Realizing there was no avoiding it, Chihiro reluctantly summoned the Light Messenger once more.

  The towering machine appeared, its metallic surface gleaming under the sunlit expanse of Iskandar's Reality Marble.

  The Emperor's eyes sparkled as he approached the Light Messenger, running his hands over its exterior with unrestrained enthusiasm.

  "Magnificent!" Iskandar excimed, practically glowing with excitement. He inspected every inch of the Light Messenger, completely absorbed in its design.

  Gilgamesh, though intrigued, maintained his characteristic aloofness. His golden eyes betrayed a flicker of interest, but his pride wouldn't allow him to act as openly fascinated as Iskandar.

  Qin Shi Huang, meanwhile, remained calm. Though impressed, he was reminded of his own twelve golden men, which were not dissimir to mechas in function. Unfortunately, his current css as Berserker prevented him from summoning them.

  Diarmuid, somewhat unsure of what to make of the Light Messenger, hesitantly poked it with his Gáe Buidhe to confirm it wasn't some eborate illusion.

  After allowing the group their fill of exploration, Chihiro finally retracted the Light Messenger. The excitement gradually settled, and everyone returned to the present.

  ---

  The next day, just before noon, an announcement echoed through the air:

  [Ding! The question-and-answer session will begin in ten minutes. Please prepare accordingly.]

  [Ding! New members "Sieg" and "Fionn mac Cumhaill" have joined the group chat.]

  Sieg: "What… is this?"

  Astolfo: "Sieg! Are you okay?!"

  Sieg: "Who… are you?"

  Astolfo: "It's me, Astolfo!"

  Sieg: "Mr. Astolfo! Is it really you?"

  Astolfo: "Of course, it's me! No doubt about it!"

  Chiron: "Sieg, how did you leave the castle st night?"

  Sieg: "I… I'm sorry, I can't say."

  The previous night, Jeanne d'Arc had entrusted Sieg to the care of an elderly widow. Before leaving, she had warned him not to tell anyone—especially the Bck Faction—that she had saved him. Jeanne herself seemed to realize that her actions had overstepped her role as Ruler.

  Gordes: "Hmph, a traitor."

  Celenike: "He should be executed immediately."

  Astolfo: "Hey, that's too harsh! He just wanted to live. What's wrong with that?"

  Celenike: "Shut up, Rider! You're becoming more insubordinate by the day!"

  Vd III: "Enough. Let's not waste time arguing over this."

  Darnic: "Exactly. Focus on what matters. The homunculus is insignificant. Our priority is reciming the Holy Grail."

  Caules: "Frankenstein, are you alright?"

  Frankenstein: "Ahhh…"

  Fionn: "Darnic, is this the Q&A group you mentioned?"

  Darnic: "Yes, Lancer. I'll expin the rules and how to use it."

  Diarmuid: "My lord… is that you?"

  Fionn: "Diarmuid…"

  The reunion between the two was far from joyful. Instead, it was fraught with tension.

  Fionn mac Cumhaill, the legendary leader of the Fianna Knights and Diarmuid's superior, was one of Celtic mythology's greatest heroes. His fame rivaled even that of Cu Chuinn.

  But their shared history was stained by one of the most infamous betrayals in myth: Fionn married into the Kingdom of Ailin and ordered Diarmuid to escort his bride, Princess Gráinne. However, due to the effects of his Mole of Love, the princess fell in love with him at first sight and decred her vow to him. Diarmuid was forced to elope with Gráinne, which led to the marriage being ruined.

  During their escape, Diarmuid remained loyal to Fionn and never crossed the line with Gráinne. Eventually, after reconciling with Fionn, Diarmuid was allowed to marry her.

  Later, Diarmuid was attacked by his half-brother, who had been reincarnated as a wild boar, and suffered severe injuries. Desperate, he begged Fionn for help. However, Fionn, still harboring resentment over the incident with Gráinne, refused to save him and instead watched as Diarmuid succumbed to his wounds.

  It was true that Diarmuid had wronged Fionn, so it was natural for Fionn to feel resentful. Yet, the fact that he had stood by and let Diarmuid die without offering help was equally undeniable. This history made their reunion in the group chat especially awkward.

  Fortunately, the system quickly intervened to diffuse the tension.

  [Ding! The first question is about to begin!]

  [This will be a five-part quick-response question. The first three questions are multiple-choice, and the st two are essay questions.]

  [Each question will have a 1-minute timer. All group members are eligible to answer.]

  [Correct answers will reward 3 Saint Quartz. Incorrect answers will deduct 1 Saint Quartz. If no one answers correctly within the time limit, the question will be marked invalid.]

  [Please watch the video below.]

  Tohsaka Rin: "Ah! Today, it's five quick-response questions."

  Waver: "Well, there are so many people in the group now. It makes sense to give everyone more chances."

  [The video begins.]

  [In the dark night sky, a massive floating garden slowly advances toward Yggdmillennia's castle.]

  [Partway there, it suddenly stops, scattering countless dragon teeth across the grassnd below.]

  [Upon hitting the ground, the dragon teeth transform into skeletal soldiers and begin marching toward the castle.]

  [Chiron observes everything clearly from the city walls.]

  Illya: "What's that?"

  Irisviel: "Those are Dragon Tooth Soldiers, constructs commonly seen in the Age of Gods."

  Illya: "Dragon Tooth Soldiers? Are they really made from dragon teeth?"

  Irisviel: "That's correct."

  Waver: "All of them are made from dragon teeth? That's unbelievably extravagant!"

  The cost of dragon teeth wasn't cheap. The amount needed to create an army of this size would have been staggering.

  Sisigou: "I didn't expect you to be hiding such wealth, Kotomine."

  Kotomine Shirou: "Thank you for the compliment. I've merely accumuted resources over the years."

  [Fiore: "Archer, what's happening?"]

  [Chiron: "The Hanging Garden has stopped. It seems they intend to use the grassnd as a battlefield."]

  ["So it seems."]

  [Darnic leaps down from a higher ptform, saying, "Fiore, head inside. From here on, victory will rest on the Servants."]

  ["Understood."]

  [Vd III, after finishing his spirit transformation, steps forward and decres solemnly, "The next stage belongs to the Servants."]

  [Avicebron, Caules, and Celenike also arrive at the gathering.]

  [Vd III: "How audacious, trespassing on my territory without permission and deploying such grotesque constructs."]

  [Darnic: "My king, feel free to unleash your power as you see fit."]

  [Vd III: "Indeed. Release Rider and the Red Team's Berserker as well."]

  [Darnic: "Are you certain?"]

  [Vd III: "The enemy desires a full-scale war. We should respond in kind."]

  [Darnic: "Understood. I'll handle it immediately."]

  [Soon, the magi and homunculi of Yggdmillennia, along with Avicebron's golem army, assemble outside the castle.]

  Tohsaka Rin: "So the battle between Red and Bck is finally about to start?"

  Tohsaka Tokiomi: "I thought Bck only used the homunculi as mana batteries."

  Iskandar: "I didn't expect Bck to have such a sizable force. Why didn't we see this st night?"

  Darnic: "These are some of Yggdmillennia's most important assets. We wouldn't deploy them unless absolutely necessary, knowing they'd be destroyed."

  Vd III: "Exactly. These ordinary troops would have been meaningless in st night's battle."

  Waver: "As expected of the Holy Grail War, it's really escating now."

  Iskandar: "Why are you so surprised, boy? You've already seen the might of my army. This number of troops is hardly impressive."

  [Vd III: "Archer, you'll command the homunculi troops."]

  [Chiron: "Understood. But if the Red Rider appears…"]

  [Vd III: "It doesn't matter. You only need to issue orders at the start."]

  [Chiron nods.]

  [Vd III: "Caster, stay at the rear and await instructions. The timing of Berserker's deployment will depend on your judgment."]

  [Avicebron: "Understood."]

  ["Hey, Lancer, you're riding a horse? That makes me feel irrelevant."]

  [At this point, Astolfo, who had been released, rushes over.]

  [Vd III: "Rider, I won't repeat myself. Show us the strength of Charlemagne's Twelve Padins."]

  ["Leave it to me."]

  [Astolfo grins. "One mission at a time. This war is mine to fight."]

  [Vd III: "Berserker, you're free to act. Dance until the end."]

  [Frankenstein: "Hmm…"]