Merlin's words struck directly at the Achilles' heel of Iskandar's side.
The durability issue of the Army of the King and the lack of personal strength from Iskandar and Faker.
Indeed, Iskandar's Army of the King was a miracle. Despite not being a magus, he wielded a Reality Marble, one where the magical burden was shared by the entire army, reducing the strain on him significantly.
But reducing the burden didn't mean eliminating it. No matter how much the strain was reduced, the magical energy required to sustain a Reality Marble of tens of thousands of people was immense. They couldn't fight endlessly. The limit of the Army of the King was thirty rounds. Once that limit was reached, this peerless army would dissipate.
At that point, Iskandar and Faker would have to rely on their strength to face Artoria. Unfortunately, neither of them was a true combat-focused Servant. Even combined, their combat prowess wouldn't be enough to handle Artoria, who had trained for over a thousand years.
Furthermore, Faker's Mystic Eyes and magecraft would be difficult to fully utilize against Artoria's A-rank Magic Resistance. In other words, if they couldn't secure victory with the Army of the King, Iskandar's side was doomed to defeat.
"What will you do? If my calculations are correct, you have less than half your time left."
Regardless of his personality, Merlin was still a great magus and a wise sage. No one could doubt his assessment of the Army of the King.
As the brutal reality was revealed, Gray was at a loss, and even the battle-hardened Faker struggled to remain calm.
"Teacher!"
"Waver Velvet!"
Instinctively, they both turned their gazes to Waver, the man who, despite his weak combat ability, had repeatedly performed miracles.
And this man did not disappoint them. Pulling back his sleeve with determination, he spoke in a raspy but resolute voice.
"No, you're wrong—did you forget I still have Command Seals? Even if it costs me my life, I will ensure he wins!"
"My King, Waver Velvet offers his wish through the Command Seal."
"Rider, you must win the final victory!"
"Rider, you must seize the Holy Grail!"
"Rider, you must conquer the world. Failure is not an option."
These were the same three commands as ten years ago, but this time, Waver's resolve was even more unyielding.
Ten years ago, my incompetence led to the King's defeat. This time, I won't let that happen. I will stake my ten years of growth, everything I have.
"My King will not fail!"
Three Command Seals were released in succession, unleashing miraculous magical energy that shattered Waver's glasses, flooding the scorching desert with his will.
Through the shattered lenses, Waver finally saw the same vision that every vassal under the Conqueror King, bound to him by their loyalty, had seen.
And everyone within that vision could feel the passionate conviction of their new comrade, a loyalty that rivaled any of their own.
"Well done, newcomer."
"New guy's got some skills."
"Don't call him newcomer, he's got a name—Waver Velvet."
"Oh, Waver, is it? Not a bad name."
"Let's have a drink together sometime, Waver."
Whether it was reality or illusion, Waver heard these voices in his ears. It was the Army of the King acknowledging him. If he were to die one day, his soul would join them, becoming part of the King's power.
No, he didn't need to die. He had already become a part of the Conqueror King's strength, the power that summoned miracles.
With the strongest support behind him, for the first time, Iskandar was able to overpower the famed Knight King, using his ever-increasing pure strength.
As he pressed his advantage, he let out a roar.
"Waver has given everything he has—we're still waiting? Do you want him to laugh at us after we fail?"
The entire army responded: "No! No! No!"
"Then, what should we do?"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Conquer! Conquer! Conquer!"
"Victory! Victory! Victory!"
"All troops, charge! AAAALaLaLaLaLaie!!!"
The roused Conqueror King let out a long howl, and those of the Army of the King who could still speak echoed his voice—everyone except Faker, the shadow warrior.
But this time, she wasn't sulking. She had more important matters to attend to.
"Gray, my Master, please bless me as well. To overwhelm that legendary magus, I need even greater power. If you could—"
"—Say no more, Faker," Gray interrupted, which was rare for her.
"I feel the same way. I offer all my Command Seals to my Servant as a blessing! Help the Conqueror King win! Help my teacher fulfill his wish!"
Due to Heartless, Gray had one fewer Command Seal. But her sincerity reached the deepest parts of Faker's spirit.
If that is my teacher's wish, and if it's your wish, then go for it. I'll support you with everything I have.
For the first time in her life, Faker felt respect for her Master, this girl was burdened with a fate chosen for her. She had expected Gray to use only one stroke of the Command Seal. Instead, without hesitation, Gray used all of them, leaving no room for retreat.
This also meant that Faker had no way to back out now.
There was no choice but to fight to the death.
Perfect. Just what I wanted! I acknowledge that the enemy is strong, but the stronger the enemy, the more worthy they are of being conquered. That is true conquest.
"Come, Merlin. Let's start round two. Even if I die, I won't let you support the Knight King."
With that, Faker launched a furious assault.
Magecraft, swordsmanship—everything Olympia had taught her, everything learned from her life in the military was unleashed. The goal was simple: to lock down the greatest threat, the unfathomable Merlin.
The playful Flower Magus finally abandoned his carefree demeanor.
"An indomitable will push someone beyond their limits, turning the impossible into possible. That's why I love humanity so much, why I was willing to leave that place. As a reward for this rare activity, this is more than enough. However, if you think this guarantees your victory, you're gravely mistaken. Their belief and resolve are no weaker than yours."
Before he finished speaking, a miraculous power began to surge from Artoria as well, even greater and purer than ten years ago.
Because this time, she wasn't only trusted wholeheartedly by Irisviel but by the entire Emiya family.
They might not be able to charge into battle like knights, but they could support Artoria when she needed it most!
"Saber, bring me victory."
"Saber, defeat your enemies."
"My Saber is the strongest!"
Amid the pure prayers of Irisviel, Emiya Kiritsugu, and Illya, and with the power of the Command Seals, the two peerless kings and their allies launched into a life-or-death struggle.
There would be no retreat, no surrender!