The United Roman Empire occupied the territory between Brittany in the northwest and the capital city of Rome. Effectively, they were hostile to both Boudica's forces and the metropolitan capital led by Nero.
Since Boudica was also hostile to both factions, and the capital was naturally antagonistic toward the United Roman Empire, you could visualize it as a tripartite deadlock of mutual carnage.
"…You certainly are full of tricks. Is this really a horse that can run a thousand li in a single day?"
"A thousand li is just an expression. In reality, it can travel much faster than that. As long as our magical energy connection remains stable, we can cover the distance in about four to five hours… Of course, once the range exceeds a certain point, magical energy replenishment becomes impossible and it will automatically de-manifest, but it's more than enough for scouting the surrounding area."
"Even that much is an incredibly competent ability in war. Moreover, it's not just this horse—there are giant birds that fly the skies and monstrous hounds that split apart… At this rate, one could truly call you a one-man army."
"In a sense, it could be seen as a legion. If provided with enough magical energy, I truly could overwhelm an army… But that's not what's important right now. First, we need to observe the current status of the United Roman Empire and the capital. If the United Roman Empire is in a state of collapse, we'll have to force a bypass and march straight for the capital."
"…Wouldn't it be better to solidify our internal foundations and prepare?"
"Let me tell you this in advance. From your perspective, the world is facing an immediate crisis of extinction, but there are five more Singularities similar to this one—and perhaps even worse—yet to remain. Furthermore, my comrade who should be in the capital is essentially the ultimate joker card for resolving other crises."
[If it is to save a comrade resisting oppression, then I am in agreement! Uooooooh!!! My muscles are telling me to sprint to the capital this instant!]
"…Calm down, Mr. Spartacus. If you run off on your own now, you'll just be surrounded and end up flat-lining."
Right then, something caught the eye of the Thousand-Li Horse, which was sprinting like a madman while being supplied with a surplus of magical energy.
The vision of the Rinnegan can be shared with summons. Turning my focus to the horse's field of vision, I identified a rotund Servant wearing a laurel wreath. It was none other than Gaius Julius Caesar.
"I've spotted a Servant. It's Caesar… The one who has been deceiving and agitating the citizens is likely that fellow."
"Right, that pig… So he was alive after all…!"
At the mention of Rome, the aura of rage began to overflow from Boudica's eyes once more.
"There are other troops as well. They look like heavy infantry… roughly 9,000 in number. That's three times our current forces."
"…Assuming a standard battle, you'd need at least three times the numbers to attack an enemy that has established a defensive line. Though, Servants like us or a Magus like you should be treated as outliers."
"There's one more thing. Our troops haven't even been properly trained, right? But the enemy Servant is clearly a commander-type focused on agitation… You have those kinds of abilities as well, don't you?"
"Of course. And on this side, we have three Servant-class combatants… It seems there are pros and cons on both sides."
Whatever Caesar's reason for leading his troops here was, it didn't look like it was for a pleasant visit.
"It seems the United Roman Empire intends to pick a fight with us for good."
"…We have refugees with us. Should we hand over the refugees and head straight for the capital, Rome?"
"I hope for your sake you're not serious, Master of Chaldea. Otherwise, Spartacus will try to kill you right here and now."
Right, so it means we have to fight that Servant named Caesar in the end… and we'll have to deal with all those troops, too.
"Since we can't afford to exhaust Spartacus here… I'll have to take down Caesar with my own hands."
"What? Wouldn't it be better if I and Spartacus engage in a frontal assault together?"
"He is a master of command. Furthermore, battles between Servants are influenced by 'Special Attacks' of sorts. Boudica, you have a 'Legend' of being defeated by Rome. I don't know if that will affect his command specifically… but it means there's a chance it could work against you. On the other hand, Spartacus is the opposite, but his Noble Phantasm is the type that must be saved for the final moment, right?"
"…So, what is your plan?"
"A decoy strategy."
Spartacus, who had been listening silently to our conversation, shook his head.
[Hmph! From the perspective of the weak, a decoy strategy is a splendid tactic, but that Oppressor will not fall for such a ruse! They are vile and cowardly, and above all, they prioritize their own safety! To catch that Oppression, we must not wait for them to come, but run so that we may catch them!]
"Don't worry. I have a way to catch him without fail."
First, I used the Animal Path to summon a beast to stand in for Spartacus. After that…
"Boudica-san."
"…?"
"Are you good at taunting?"
It was time to show off the skills I'd previously used on Vlad III.
*
Gaius Julius Caesar could not suppress his complicated feelings.
'Ah, Rome, which should continue its beautiful and brilliant history, is meeting its complete destruction at the hands of a contemporary emperor. How utterly sorrowful.'
The advance guards from the future were being played like puppets by the mastermind, absorbed in trying to deduce the true enemy. Stray Servants had long since been dismissed by the arrogant ones controlling them.
At this rate, it felt like it wouldn't be bad to die at the hands of the messengers from the future, or perhaps intentionally challenge them to a fight only to lose and dump these troops on them. It was a mere 9,000 men, a drop in the bucket compared to a Servant, but… it was surely better than nothing, was it not?
"In that sense, the King of Conquerors was quite a waste. His potential could have been a great help to them."
Boudica and Spartacus. The abilities of those two Servants were not inferior to his own; in fact, their Spirit Origins could be considered superior when facing himself, who had manifested in the Saber class. However, the situation was grim.
Most of the Servants summoned by the Human Order had fallen into the hands of the 'United Roman Empire.' Even if an advantage were given, it was spoiled by the penalty of having to protect refugees while fighting.
"But if this is fate, then so be it. Unwilling as I am, if this is the duty assigned to me, I shall gladly—hm?"
At that moment, the superior vision of a Servant caught sight of a dust cloud rising in the distance.
Looking closer, there were two people atop a horse; one was controlling the animal, and the other held a long sword high, acting as an escort to prevent anyone else from closing in.
"…A single-horse charge? How foolish! If so, I shall crush—"
[Hey, you fat bastard!!!]
"…Hm?"
[Yeah, I mean you! You self-proclaimed Emperor (Lol)! I heard you took money from creditors and refused to pay, is it true that you sold your backside to them instead, you pig!]
Caesar let out a hollow laugh.
"Foolish. Do you think a commander would move based on such a pathetic taunt? This is clearly intended to lure us into an ambush and finish us off as traitors—"
[Oh, that's right. You were also bald, weren't you? It seems you're hiding it well with a laurel wreath and a wig… Well, it doesn't matter, right? For the first emperor of Rome, a man with money and popularity, you're truly a man who is 're-seeding' with nothing to lose! Hahahaha!]
"…You brat!!!!!!"
*
"Your head looks like a takoyaki!"
"…Um, is this really okay?"
Surprisingly, the one who expressed concern over the plan to taunt a Servant was none other than Boudica.
Perhaps it was because she was hailed as a 'mother' in other circles, but she worried about the reck-less strategy.
"It's fine. Unless he's a Rider-class Servant, they won't be able to catch this horse."
And the Rider Servants appearing in the Empire of Eternal Madness were… at most Boudica herself and Alexander—or here, likely the King of Conquerors, Iskandar. Although the Caesar over there possessed the Rider class qualification, his manifestation here was in the Saber class.
In other words, as long as they took the bait, they wouldn't be able to pursue us properly…
"They're tracking us from the rear. Roughly 3,000 legionnaires."
"…Piecemeal commitment? That can't be it. It seems he intentionally only deployed that many."
"He doesn't seem to be on guard against you at all, though?"
Just as Boudica said, Caesar seemed to be paying much more attention to Boudica and Spartacus than to me.
If he had known about my abilities, he would have brought the entire infantry for a defensive skirmish or would have retreated by ignoring the taunt. Bringing only a third of his thousands of troops meant he was clearly wary of Spartacus, who possessed a suicide-bomb-type Noble Phantasm…
'The boss of the United Roman Empire is Leif Lainur Flauros… There's no way he doesn't know my abilities. Did he hide them on purpose? Why?'
Whatever the case, I have to take down Caesar first.
If he's under a Geas, I'll break it with the Preta Path, and if that still doesn't work, I'll use the Truth Discrimination of the Human Path to force a verification of what the hell is going on here.
"In mid-Edo period Japan, they used to believe that a giant catfish beneath the earth caused earthquakes."
A giant fish inhabiting the earth. A mystery that opened its mouth to swallow children. A monster born from a man-eating sinkhole.
"…! Halt! It is dangerous ahead!"
"It's already too late, you fat baldy."
Huge, truly massive.
An enormous catfish, so gargantuan it looked capable of swallowing hundreds of people at once, emerged from the ground with its mouth wide open.
The foundations and trees, people, weapons, and warhorses… The monstrous fish, threatening to swallow everything in sight, began greedily dragging the army of thousands into its maw.
"You shouldn't try to face a Magus with mere soldiers, especially when I'm not even a Servant!"
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