Summoning Magecraft is the art of calling spiritual entities from the past or future into the present.
By invoking and describing beings known as the "72 Demons," the King of Magecraft, Solomon, can summon them into the current world as powerful familiars. The Heroic Spirit summoning system used in the Holy Grail War is, in some sense, also a branch of this type of Magecraft.
As the founder who established phenomenon manipulation as a formal branch of Magecraft, the demons commanded by the King of Magecraft are far beyond the scope of typical adversaries.
Right now, Shiomi and Morgan were being blocked by several demons sent in advance to monitor the forest's perimeter.
"Man... these things really come in all shapes and sizes," Shiomi muttered, brushing aside a few arrows fired from deep within the woods as he glanced toward Morgan, who was unleashing spells on the attacking demons.
"I told you—they're not showing their true forms," Morgan replied, firing spell after spell with no pause. Her Magecraft collided with the demons' attacks, triggering a chain of explosions. "That said, I've never actually seen what they truly look like. Only heard rumors."
"I see."
Shiomi held up his magic spear, watching the indistinct figures moving in the fog between the trees.
Beyond the green-clad archer who had first appeared, more demons emerged one after another—some carrying lances, banners, or snakes; one clad in red armor; another with a serpent tail, riding a colorfully-patterned steed.
They moved in perfect sync. Though they couldn't overpower Shiomi and Morgan, they weren't easy to defeat either.
Just thinking that there were seventy-two of these things made Shiomi feel the weight of the situation.
If the King of Magecraft also possessed a Reality Marble...
No—he most likely did. Shiomi shook off any doubts.
As the originator of modern Magecraft, casting high-tier forbidden Magecraft like Reality Marbles would be second nature to him—he might even have something beyond that.
Sensing the severity of what lay ahead, Shiomi instinctively enhanced his mana circulation. The bluish-black magic spear in his hand flew forward, hovering in midair deep within the forest.
"I'll leave it to you, Morgan," Shiomi said.
Without hesitation, Morgan reached out and touched the spear. In an instant, it vanished—splitting into countless smaller weapons that flew into the forest, targeting the demons as they awaited their next opening.
But that was only the distraction.
Shiomi summoned a more suitable weapon: Gae Bolg Alternative.
Then, with a sudden strike, he slashed the cold earth before him with the spear's blade.
From the crack, vines erupted wildly, spreading outward from the fissure and rapidly snaking through the forest, consuming the terrain.
The demons, realizing they would be ensnared by Shiomi's plant-based Magecraft if they remained on the ground, leapt into the air—only to be met with Morgan's attacks from above.
Caught in a deadly pincer, Shiomi ignited the vines at that moment, setting off an even greater explosion.
Flames shot up nearly ten meters high from the once-pristine forest.
Shiomi wasn't concerned about the fire spreading unchecked—he had already laid down a containment barrier of ice Magecraft during the battle to keep it under control.
Within the raging fire, smoke and ash billowed.
One demon god waved his banner, and the blaze gradually weakened.
The snake-tailed demon conjured a strong gust of wind, dispersing the smoke that clouded their vision.
But where there had been two enemies moments ago, there was now nothing.
Only a little farther down the path stood a car, engine silent, waiting quietly.
A feint.
Shiomi and Morgan had appeared to launch a coordinated frontal assault using Magecraft, aiming to overwhelm and eliminate the Four Demon Pillars. But after disrupting the enemy's senses, they swiftly broke away from the skirmish, leaving the demons behind and heading straight for the ghostly mansion hidden deep within the forest.
As they dashed through the woods, Shiomi wrapped one arm around Morgan's waist while slashing through obstructing branches with the magic spear in his other hand, carving a clear path forward.
"They're just four of the Demon Pillars. Strong enough to match Servants, sure—but if it's you and me together, we could've taken them all out," Morgan said.
"It's a matter of time," Shiomi shook his head. "We're already late. I'm betting Lancer and his Master are fighting Caster's camp right now. I can't be sure whether Lancer will hold out longer, or whether we could've finished those four faster."
"He is your senior, after all. There's that tale of him fighting for days before finally falling. Even against the King of Magecraft, he should be able to last half a day," Morgan offered reassuringly.
"...If you went all out against Lancer, how long would it take to finish the fight?" Shiomi asked.
"Hard to say. Probably a bit longer than it took with Diarmuid Ua Duibhne." Morgan paused to think. "That's about the best comparison I can give."
Ten years ago at the Hyatt Hotel, Morgan had effortlessly used five of her clones to heavily wound Diarmuid. Though he managed to hold on for a few minutes, he was eventually forced out of the fight.
"Would it take half a day?"
"No," Morgan whispered into Shiomi's ear. "If my husband asked me sweetly, it wouldn't take more than twenty minutes to kill Cú Chulainn."
After all, even prey puts up a fight.
"Then that sounds about right." Shiomi nodded. "Maybe it's just me, but I can't sense any passion from the King of Magecraft. He's the Magus of Magi."
It might've sounded like stating the obvious, but it was the only way he could describe Caster.
That man radiated the very essence of a Magus—someone who prioritized results, used the fastest, most effective methods, and never mixed emotion into the equation.
If Marisbury had ordered Caster to eliminate Lancer's faction swiftly, then Caster would do just that—without arrogance or theatrics, without glorifying the fight.
The more stubborn Lancer appeared, the more decisively Caster would escalate, ending it as quickly as possible.
"Pretty sharp of you…" Morgan murmured.
Before Shiomi could reply, two powerful surges of mana erupted ahead of them—each stronger than the last.
One of them, Shiomi recognized immediately. It was Gae Bolg's mana signature, released in its True Name state.
The other...
"They've clashed with Noble Phantasms?"
Shiomi broke into a sprint. The edge of the forest was just ahead—but he had to stop there, raising a defensive spell with Morgan as a massive shockwave swept through the trees.
When the light finally faded, Shiomi saw it.
The once-grand mansion lay in ruins.
And Lancer was collapsed at the foot of the front steps.