The scene where Rider effortlessly annihilates Assassin, though brief, is a pivotal moment in the "Three Kings Banquet." Its buildup and overall pacing are exceptionally well-executed, making it enjoyable even for those with little understanding of the Fate series' lore.
Thus, when the King of Conqueror summoned his Noble Phantasm—Ionioi Hetairoi (Army of the King)—the spectacular image of golden sands instantly won over countless viewers.
In the scene:
"This is the land my army once traversed, engraved forever in the hearts of my loyal warriors. This scenery, this world, can be recreated because it lives on in each of us."
"Behold! My unparalleled army!"
"Even though their bodies have perished, their heroic spirits remain, summoned here. These are the legendary, loyal warriors of my army—eternal friends who answer my call across time. They are my greatest treasure! They are my kingly path! Iskandar's ultimate Noble Phantasm—'Ionioi Hetairoi!'"
Seated proudly on his horse, Rider proclaimed with unrestrained joy:
"A king must live more vividly than anyone else—to inspire awe!"
"Indeed! Indeed! Indeed!"
"The one who gathers the faith of all heroes and uses it as a banner for conquest—that is the true king! Thus, a king is never solitary, for his will embodies the desires of all his subjects!"
"Indeed! Indeed! Indeed!"
The overwhelming cheers of the countless heroic spirits within the Ionioi Hetairoi surged like a tidal wave, while the once-menacing Assassins now quivered like lambs awaiting slaughter, standing helplessly amidst the boundless desert.
"Now then, shall we begin? Assassin, as you can see, my manifested battlefield is a plain. Unfortunately for you, trying to win through numbers gives me the upper hand here."
Amidst the chaos of the Assassins' panicked retreat, the King of Conqueror roared with laughter and gave his order without hesitation:
"Trample them!"
"AAAALaLaLaLaLaie!!"
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In nearly every theater screening the movie, cheers erupted at that moment.
The overwhelming applause highlighted not only how beloved the King of Conqueror was but also how undeniably unique and charismatic he was as a character.
Whether through his bold demeanor or formidable strength, viewers were captivated by the King of Conqueror's distinctive charm, as if they were right there on the battlefield with him.
In contrast to the unified cheers of the regular audience, the mages at the Imperial Mage Academy naturally focused on different aspects.
As they watched the Ionioi Hetairoi unfold on screen, most mages, aware that it was merely a fictional depiction, were nonetheless captivated by the concept of a Reality Marble.
"A Reality Marble? Manifesting an internal world? That's what Waver just said, right?"
"I... I'm speechless. As Ryuunosuke would put it—this is cool! That's the only word that comes to mind. If only we mages could learn such magic!"
"Does such a power truly exist? And Rider isn't even a mage. How is he able to use such an extraordinary ability?"
"Wait, this isn't a mage's ability? Why is it like this? It feels like we've lost something here..."
"No, didn't you hear Waver's line? 'How can you use a Reality Marble? You're not even a mage!' Clearly, this type of power is exclusive to mages."
"But still..."
Various discussions echoed across the plaza. Meanwhile, atop the Mage Tower, a group of Arch Mages watched the scene, stunned into silence. No one dared speak until the administrator, Hohenheim, finally broke the tension.
"First Origin Theory, and now Reality Marbles. That boy Edward never ceases to surprise us. The last time I heard of something similar was during a lecture by the previous administrator. If not for his obsession with research and his secret experiments on undeath, he might have died with honor rather than in disgrace..."
"Indeed. But bringing up that person now is hardly appropriate. The real issue is this movie's depiction of Reality Marbles. Old Hohen, you said you've seen similar concepts before in the previous administrator's notes?"
To this inquiry from a fellow Arch Mage, Hohenheim replied gravely, "You wouldn't know because the specifics of this magical research were something I discovered later, among his belongings. The previous administrator's research on undeath began with studying human fear to construct a vast immaterial world. His ultimate goal was to create a mirage-like false reality to increase the success rate of undeath experiments. He even envisioned expanding the magic's scope to transform everyone within the boundary into undead, ultimately creating a post-death kingdom."
"While the Ionioi Hetairoi depicted in the movie is completely different in execution, the core concept seems the same—constructing a fictional world from human emotions and replacing the real one. Whether it's the Reality Marble in the movie or the old administrator's experiments, the principle is similar. Magic itself is fundamentally about using mental energy to forcibly reshape the material world."
Hohenheim's explanation enlightened the other Arch Mages, who began speculating further. One of them even suggested:
"Do you think there's a connection between Origin Theory and the creation of Reality Marbles? It doesn't seem coincidental that this movie ties the two concepts together. If an Origin attribute is a prerequisite for a Reality Marble..."
Hohenheim sighed, shaking his head. "That kind of conjecture lacks logic. Still, after watching this movie, I almost feel like I've glimpsed the path to the seventh rank..."
"To be honest, I feel the same way..."
"Oh, give me a break! Watching a movie suddenly reveals the seventh rank to you? What are you, some protagonist from one of those popular novels? Eating, farting, and leveling up?! I don't buy it. But this Reality Marble thing is pretty cool. I'll definitely look into it later."
"..."
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