Anchor, Stop Pretending, You're in Chaldea - Chapter 26

“She just said her name is Johanna, right? The female Pope who disguised herself as a man?”

“Isn’t she supposed to be a person who has been proven to not exist?”

“Oh, in the Fate universe, even non-existent people can appear in reality.”

“Legend has it that she suddenly gave birth to a child during a parade, which revealed her true gender.”

“It’s hard to imagine. If she gave birth to a child, wouldn’t it have been discovered earlier? Why didn’t she secretly give birth using her Pope identity?”

“Well, rumors are just rumors. Just listen and enjoy.”

After spending quite some time, the girl in the Pope’s attire finally emerged from the summoning circle, which was filled with piles of dolls and miscellaneous items.

“Senpai, who is this…?”

Mashu seemed to have gotten used to her Senpai summoning Heroic Spirits at this time and was simply asking about the newcomer’s identity.

“This miss Demi-Servant, you can call me Johanna. As fellow Masters’ Servants, let us fight together for the great cause of our Master,” Joan said with a smile.

As she spoke, a sacred radiance seemed to emanate from behind her. Just looking at her smiling face felt like being healed.

But Bai Qiu wasn’t concerned about that. Instead, they raised their own question.

“By the way, your class… is it…”

“Oh my, has Master discovered it?” The girl smiled and nodded. “My class is Ruler.”

Bai Qiu’s heart skipped a beat. It was indeed not a problem for Joan, as the female Pope, to have the Ruler class. The problem was with the original Ruler, who should have been Jeanne d’Arc. The possibility of the white Jeanne existing in France seemed to decrease…

Why was it that the Servant who should have been automatically summoned by the Counter Force didn’t appear on time?

Bai Qiu didn’t have time to dwell on this question now. After all, their current situation was still very dangerous.

“Chirp——————!!!”

The snow-white white kite chirped towards the city gate.

“It seems this is not the time for idle chat. Master and the lovely Demi-Servant miss, let’s discuss in detail later,” Joan said as she took a step forward, holding her sacred staff.

Pure divine radiance emanated from her, and a faint halo appeared above her head.

Then, she devoutly lowered her head and began to pray.

“Oh Lord, guide us and protect us!”

With her words, a silver radiance slowly spread outward from her, creating a holy domain around her.

“Oh, I can’t take it anymore. This light… I’m being purified!!”

“This gentle radiance reminds me of the peaceful times of my childhood, ah, the warmth of my mother…”

“I’m going to perform a baptism right here. From now on, I’ll come to the livestream as a pastor. Amen… no, I mean, Amen!”

“Haha, how could an atheist like me believe in this? Wait, why do I feel like my desires are being expelled? Stop, oh dear, help!”

————————–

It seems that Mordred and Emiya Kiritsugu are still engaged in battle in front of the city wall.

“Roarrrrrrrrrrrr!!!”

Fafnir’s eyes were continuously covered by intense gunfire. Although it couldn’t cause substantial damage, it was enough to disrupt its attacks.

“What’s wrong? Weren’t you arrogant before?!”

Mordred laughed and forcefully struck Fafnir’s tough scales, creating a sparkling explosion!!!

Looking again, it was clear that there were marks of being scorched by lightning on the scales.

“That’s enough!!!”

Jeanne Alter put away her confident smile and revealed her anger.

“Don’t make me laugh. The destruction of France is unquestionable. You all have been a boring pastime before I destroy this country, but it’s about time to end it.”

Jalter raised the Evil Dragon flag in her hand.

Suddenly, a whistling sound came from the sky, growing louder and louder. Even the surrounding air began to tremble uncontrollably.

Mordred quickly noticed it.

In the distance, it seemed that dark clouds were drifting towards this direction. No… those were not dark clouds…

They were densely packed Wyverns!!!

There were at least twenty times… fifty times… no, at least a hundred times more Wyverns than before!!!

They seemed to have received some kind of command and started rushing towards this direction.

“Hey, this doesn’t look good at all…”

Even Mordred, who feared nothing, had to admit.

Emiya Kiritsugu, hiding in the shadows, quickly made his own judgment. He aimed his pistol, loaded with Origin Rounds, at the Evil Dragon flag.

That flag seemed to be some kind of magical device. Although Origin Rounds couldn’t destroy something without Magic Circuits, they could temporarily prevent this device from being infused with Magical Energy.

There was only one chance.

Emiya Kiritsugu was precisely adjusting his aim.

——————？！

Suddenly, Emiya Kiritsugu released his finger and looked behind him.

A sacred domain had already surpassed his position and was advancing towards the city gate.

Just being within this domain made one feel a sense of inner tranquility.

This comforting feeling seemed like something he had experienced before.

“Kiritsugu…”

Suddenly, a gentle call came to his ears.

Emiya Kiritsugu immediately looked around, but he didn’t see anything.

…Was it an illusion?

However, he quickly noticed that a holy girl dressed as a priest was standing beside Bai Qiu, praying.

“It’s a new Servant.”

Emiya Kiritsugu temporarily breathed a sigh of relief but still maintained his posture ready to shoot at any moment.

The Wyverns in the sky flapped their wings and continued to fly under the call of the Evil Dragon flag, seemingly about to enter the city.

“No, the Master must retreat first.”

Mordred immediately came to this conclusion. As he fought and retreated, he was preparing to cover Bai Qiu’s retreat. Meanwhile, the sacred domain had already spread to the city gate.

Those Wyverns, who were originally imposing, suddenly halted and kept roaring towards the domain below but didn’t dare to approach.

Not only that, Jeanne Alter, standing on Fafnir’s back, also suddenly felt an indescribable discomfort.

It seemed as if the domain in front of her was driving her away, preventing her from advancing.

“——————?!”

Jeanne Alter’s gaze eventually fell on the center of the domain, the holy girl holding a cross staff.

“Ruler?”

At some point, the ruined city below had turned into a Magecraft battlefield, covered by some mysterious barrier, making it difficult for the Wyverns to approach.

Realizing that the situation had become complicated, Jeanne Alter looked disappointed.

“Hmph, consider it a performance by you bunch of clowns. The destruction of France is already inevitable. Afterward, I’ll let my knights have some fun with you.”