Otherwise, you can find another savior.

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Ophelia guessed that the only Hidden Ones capable of opposing Shiomi were probably Kirshtalia and Debit.

So for the past few days, she had been constantly by Skadi's side, and when the Nordic barrier detected the appearance of the strange object, she immediately reported it to Skadi.

"Since they are enemies, then we should just kill them all."

At this moment, Ophelia's servant, Saber Sigurd, offered his opinion.

"Stop!" Ophelia immediately stopped him. "...No, you're no match for them. We don't know about the other things in Chaldea, but Shiomi Tenkai, who leads them...that man is definitely not someone you can kill."

In fact, Saber is doomed to die.

That would make things even more complicated for Ophelia.

The Saber before her was not the real Sigurd, but rather the demon who had usurped the soul of the dragon-slaying hero during her summoning of Sigurd, and was now imprisoned in this body.

"Hey, are you getting scared already, Ophelia?" another bold voice rang out, laced with mockery. "She's just a girl who was beaten to a pulp by an alien apostle. Is it really necessary for her to be this afraid?"

“Things aren’t what you think, Goddess Caenis,” Ophelia said seriously. “I don’t know what Lord Kilshtalia wants to do by sending you here. If you want to fight, I can’t stop you. But if you die here, I’ll have a hard time explaining it to Lord Kilshtalia.”

"Oh?" Katniss was not angered by these words; instead, she became even more excited. "Since you've put it that way, I'd like to see what that man is made of and whether he's really that capable!"

After saying that, Katniss turned and walked out of the hall, clearly intending to intercept the Chaldea group who had just finished their Imaginary Number dive and landed in the Norse Lostbelt.

According to Kirshtalia, one of the main reasons for Kadoc's failure was that he was caught off guard by Chaldea's landing.

Therefore, he sent Katniss across the Lostbelt to Northern Europe, partly to observe the situation there, and partly because there was a barrier there that could monitor the movement of people.

“Interesting. I’d like to see a man who can frighten Ophelia to this extent.” Saber replied coldly. “If you want to stop me, use a Command Spell. If you’re too late, the prey will all belong to that god.”

After saying this, Sigurd turned and left, ignoring Ophelia's warning.

Ophelia felt deeply anxious in the face of one or two disobedient Servants.

"Are you just going to give up on stopping them like this, Ophelia?" Skadi seemed unconcerned about the commotion.

She knew everything about this Lostbelt and could sense that after the Chaldea group arrived, they did not wreak havoc in a big way, but instead set up a barrier to prevent attacks from the Jotunheim giants and prepared to establish a logistical base for exploration.

“…No, I just think this might be a good opportunity.” Ophelia said thoughtfully, “Back when we were training for combat at Chaldea, that man…Shiomi-sensei said that for unruly Servants, you either have to sever the contract and make them leave, or you have to seize the opportunity to make them realize the consequences of disagreeing with their Master.”

Now, it's clear that what Shiomi said as a combat instructor has been fulfilled.

She had already used a Command Spell to stop Saber from committing suicide, and couldn't waste another Command Spell on this.

If Saber dies in front of Chaldea, it wouldn't be a bad thing, as it would allow Chaldea to confront the true form within Saber's body.

"Judging from your tone, although you're afraid, you also admire that man's strength, and even behind his back, you still respectfully call him 'teacher'?" Skadi asked.

“Yes, that man is said to be not only skilled in rune magic, but also knows how to wield primordial runes,” Ophelia said.

Skadi raised an eyebrow slightly: "Primal Runes? That magician locked in the dungeon also knew how to use all the Primal Runes, but in the end, he became my prisoner just like me."

“My understanding of Shiomi-sensei is very limited, and I am even less aware of his true strength.” Ophelia bowed apologetically. “However, according to reports, the crisis of the burning of humanity caused by the Magic King was successfully resolved under his leadership.”

“Hehe, that’s interesting.” Skadi chuckled to herself. “Even though I’ve never seen them, just hearing you mention them has piqued my interest. If they can survive the combined attack of Sigurd and Katniss, I’d like to meet them.”

“Letting them into the capital would be too much—” Ophelia was about to remind them.

Skadi raised her hand to stop her from speaking.

The decision has been made, and no one is allowed to argue further.

Chapter 8 Lostbelt of Ice and Snow (2)

In the southeastern Lostbelt, the Storm Border emerged from the imaginary space right in the icy forest region. The massive warship instantly destroyed a large area of ​​the icy forest before briefly stopping on a clearing in the nearby snowfield.

"Whether it's Russia or Northern Europe, they're all covered in ice and snow... Are all Lostbelts like this?"

As she walked through the snowy forest, Shio sighed helplessly.

Like the Russian Lostbelt, the Nordic Lostbelt has temperatures so low that they are unbearable for ordinary people, comparable to Chaldea in Antarctica.

Therefore, after the warship finished its submerged voyage and came to a stop, the first team to disembark and explore consisted of Shiomi and her three companions.

"It's indeed unusually cold. It seems that, like the Russian Lostbelt, it has diverged from Pan-Human History for some reason, and its most prominent characteristic is this icy landscape." Scáthach casually caught a falling snowflake and quickly crushed it between her fingers. "If the divergence point of the Russian Lostbelt was the meteorite that struck Earth in 1570, bringing with it the harsh environment..."

"And what about in Scandinavia?" Morgan took off his hat, shook off the snowflakes, and put it back on.

“Ragnarok,” Artoria continued, “When I think of Norse mythology, this is the first thing that comes to mind.”

“If Ragnarok had unfolded differently, leading to different outcomes, that would also make sense,” Scáthach said, her gaze falling on Shiomi and Morgan.

He reached out and adjusted Morgan's cloak over his shoulders.

When he set off, Morgan found a white robe somewhere and put it on, which fit him exceptionally well.

“I was just about to ask, when were these new clothes made?” Scáthach asked.

“No, these are old clothes.” tide Jian withdrew her hand and explained for Morgan, “I thought these clothes were lost long ago, but I didn’t expect that they had been kept all this time.”

Morgan explained with a faint smile, "It was kept in Orkney's old house until I entrusted it to Habertrot for safekeeping. This time, considering that the Lostbelt might be prepared and we didn't plan to launch a surprise attack on the main base, I just impulsively... Will you think I'm being naive?"

As she finished speaking, her face flushed slightly.

“How could that be? The clothes have always fit perfectly. I can wear them whenever I want. It’s not a big deal.” Shio said affirmatively while seeking the opinions of her master and Artoria.

“It fits perfectly, or rather, it looks more like a witch’s outfit.” Artoria nodded in agreement.

“Or perhaps it’s more in line with Caster’s identity; looking like this, she probably wouldn’t be able to engage in close combat with the enemy.” Scáthach agreed.

But Morgan frowned slightly, placing one hand on her chest: "I don't know why, but my chest feels much tighter than before. This outfit was supposed to be quite loose..."

"This shows that things are growing in some areas, which is the advantage of the fairies in the paradise."

tide Jian smiled brightly, then slowly turned her head to look at the other end of the forest, and said with a composed expression:

"We've been walking for about an hour, but we can't sense any human presence at all. It's like a primeval forest."

“It’s not that there’s no one around. Didn’t we just fight a giant?” Scáthach encouraged Shiomi cheerfully. “Those must be giants from Jotunheim.”

“They were all attracted by the noise of the warships landing, and after witnessing our power, they naturally retreated.” Artoria showed considerable interest. “But since even giants exist, perhaps this Lostbelt will allow us to see the complete Nine Realms.”

"Let's keep walking. If we still don't see any signs of human settlement after another hour, let's turn back." Shio shrugged. "We didn't bring any camping gear. We can't just make do with what we have and camp in this freezing weather, can we?"

"It's alright, this cold won't hurt us. If you're really afraid of the cold, we can hold you in our arms to keep you warm." Scáthach affectionately hugged Shiomi's back, seemingly encouraging her.

Shiomi couldn't help but scratch her head: "In that case, it will only end up as a situation where extra calories are burned."

“The King of Knights’ cloak is quite thick and soft; it might be good for padding your body,” Morgan suggested, tugging at Artoria’s cloak.

"Wait a minute, isn't this a bit inappropriate...?"

Artoria had already been led into the same line of thinking, only hesitating whether to offer her cloak, and whether she could be the first to offer it if she did...

She never even considered that she should object to the risky camping trip in the Lostbelt at this time.

Pleasant sounds drifted through the woods, shaking the snow off the treetops and even startling some birds away.

A bone-chilling winter wind swept through the woods, causing the hair of the group to flutter in the breeze.

The four people, who had been acting frivolously and not being serious until now, suddenly changed their expressions and became tense.

"You were just saying there was no one around, and now people are here," tide Jian said calmly.

“I mentioned it when we left Storm Border: this Lostbelt is covered by a massive barrier, and our every move might be under the control of the Lostbelt King,” Morgan said calmly. “Just like back in Britain.”

“That was a very persuasive statement.” Scáthach’s smile turned sharp, but not directed at her.

"It's coming."

After saying that, Artoria took a step forward and instantly released the 'Wind King Barrier' that was wrapped around the Holy Sword, which stirred up wind and snow and swept through the forest.

Then, the relentless blizzard was cleaved in two, revealing a dark-skinned servant clad in silver armor, his face beaming with excitement.

"That's right, that's how you do it when you take down the Russian Lostbelt guy!"

Katniss's gaze fell on Shiomi, then swept over the others, and she paused for a moment when she saw Scáthach.

"You... could you be Scáthach from the Land of Shadows?"

"Oh? You recognized my Heroic Spirit at a glance? I don't remember seeing you before?" Scáthach smiled. "That's right, I am Scáthach."

"Hahahaha! What a masterpiece! One of Chaldea's Servants is actually Scáthach!" Katniss laughed a few times, then stopped abruptly, coldly staring at them. "But it doesn't matter. Since they're from Chaldea, there's no need to be polite."

“That’s quite an interesting statement. Aren’t you going to say anything more?” Scáthach pointed her crimson spear at Katniss. “Unknown Heroic Spirit.”

“No, Master, this guy’s spirit level…” tide Jian added calmly.

“Of course I know.” Scáthach smiled knowingly.

Katniss grinned, her teeth gleaming with a chilling white light.

"That's right, I'm not a Heroic Spirit, but a God!"

Before she could finish speaking, Katniss charged forward.

"Since it's a deity, then it's perfect!"

Accompanied by a sharp and assertive voice, Scáthach was the first to respond.

The crimson spear clashed with the long spear and round shield, sparks flying.

Chapter Nine: Fierce Battle on the Snowfield (1)

Both Scáthach and Katniss realized the same problem.

That means you misjudged the opponent's strength.

Because in her original form, she violated the world's "rules" by leaving the Land of Shadows, which she was not supposed to leave, Scáthach's actual combat power is not much higher than that of a Servant.

That being said, when Scáthach arrived at the Singularity under special circumstances, she was already considered a top-tier Servant.

However, the opponent in front of them possesses outstanding strength that allows them to hold their own against top-tier Servants.

"Well--!"

The guns clashed violently, the impact causing both men to stagger backward.

Scáthach stomped her knee-deep footing in the snow, steadying herself, and pointed her crimson spear at Katniss.

"Is this level of strength due to the excellent spiritual rank of a divine servant, or is it because of the support of a top-tier Master?" Scáthach asked calmly.

"Tsk..." Katniss clicked her tongue unhappily, her eyes closed. "Both!"

After saying that, he launched another attack.

Scáthach, the Queen of the Land of Shadows, was someone Katniss had heard legends about from her Master, Kilshtaria.

—The reason for this was that Kirshtalia only explained the situation after confirming that the King of the Norse Lostbelts was Scáthach.

The woman who is rumored to have killed many gods and taught many heroes has become so troublesome.

Just by engaging in combat with her opponent, Katniss could feel an discomfort, like something sticky clinging to her mind, preventing her from gaining the upper hand.

The God-Slaying Spear is truly the worst match for a god.

"Just who is that Servant whose name I don't even know?" Shiomi stepped forward, spear in hand. "He's actually causing Master so much trouble."

This was not a one-on-one duel, but a bloody battle. He planned to seize the opportunity to join the fight and help his master eliminate this Servant.

Regardless of which Hermit it was, losing such an excellent Servant would be as painful as losing a broken arm.

Even if Katniss's Master were to be summoned again or a new Servant were chosen to fill the gap, that's a story for another time.

“I do have a name!” Katniss raised her shield to parry Scáthach’s spear thrust. “My real name is Katniss, the goddess Katniss. Remember that!”

“Kainese…”

tide Jian's eyes widened slightly as she quickly learned about the other person's background from their real name.

The reason for revealing her true name so easily is simple: for a moment, Xi Jian really couldn't think of anything that could target Katniss. Only her master's god-slaying power had an advantage in compatibility.

However, Katniss actually made up for this disadvantage with her strength alone, which was truly surprising.

Do not linger.

Having made up her mind, Shiomi charged into the battlefield like an arrow released from a bow, ready to join Scáthach in attacking Katniss.

The sound of clashing weapons came from the side; a short sword aimed at him was stopped by Artoria before it could strike.

"Who are you?" Artoria asked, gripping her longsword horizontally.

A man dressed in black armor, carrying a ruby-colored longsword, and wearing a mask emerged from the forest.

The eyes on the mask glowed red.

"A Lostbelt Servant? This one really exudes an ominous aura, quite unexpected."

Morgan, who had been observing closely, offered his assessment in a low but clear voice.