Fate: I Will Eventually Become the Hero of Justice II

Chapter 223

War had spread across the entire earth, from the southern reaches of Cornwall to the northern expanse of Scotland. No corner of the world was untouched by its reach, and conflict raged on without respite.

In the south, Cornwall valiantly held its ground against Vortigern's forces, while Scathach's army controlled the mountains and forests, launching raids on Caerleon. Farther north, under cover of darkness, Altrouge led her undead army to attack north of the Barton fortress, successfully cutting off Vortigern's supply lines.

To counter the escalating conflict, the kings rallied their armies and joined forces with their fellow lords, forming a solid line along Hadrian's Wall. From this strategic vantage point, they launched a coordinated attack on the north while holding fast to defend the middle.

Artoria, Gawain, Lancelot, and other allied knights converged in the vicinity of Londinium, where they divided their forces into sea and land units. Utilizing the armies of Kings Ban and Bors, as well as prisoners of war, they launched a coordinated attack on the southern border of Scotland.

Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, Gaheris forged an alliance with the Northern Irish kings and led his forces across the channel to attack the northern border of Scotland. This pincer attack, in combination with Artoria and her allies' assault from the south, effectively cut off the Pictish people's support for Vortigern.

Responding to Arthur's call to action, the kings of Gaul joined forces with King Bors to mount an assault on the Saxons.

This multi-faceted attack had already been foreseen by Shirou, who had used the prosperity of Cornwall as bait to lure Vortigern into a stalemate. This, in turn, allowed for the consolidation of allied forces and the opening up of a new battlefield behind enemy lines.

With Vortigern effectively stalemated in Cornwall and Shirou successfully withstanding his attacks, other allied forces were able to exploit this situation by steadily harvesting the land and weakening Vortigern's grip on power. Over time, these concerted efforts would eventually lead to Vortigern's downfall and demise.

Although Vortigern was undoubtedly a formidable foe, his power was significantly diminished after Shirou seized control of Londinium and toppled him from his divine throne. No longer possessing the same devastating destructive power he once wielded, Vortigern became increasingly vulnerable to the coordinated attacks of Shirou and his allies.

Despite Vortigern's formidable strength, a consensus had emerged among the allied forces that he needed to be eliminated first. Thus, a situation had arisen where a pack of wolves were converging to take down a lone tiger.

This state of affairs was, in part, brought about by Vortigern's own actions and the enemies he had made along the way.

Had Vortigern exercised more patience and refrained from launching a direct attack on everyone using the Tower of Light, Altrouge may not have felt compelled to take action. Similarly, the kings might not have responded with such extreme measures, and Shirou would not have been forced to engage in battle against him so prematurely.

With Londinium already lost and the situation irreversibly altered, Vortigern's fate had been sealed. Despite his immense power and stature, he had become like a giant spider, targeted by a swarm of relentless ants. Over time, he would inevitably be slowly bitten and consumed, his reign and influence gradually eroded by the concerted efforts of his enemies.

In theory, there was still hope for Vortigern if he abandoned his claim to Camelot and confronted Altrouge head-on, thus restoring the north-south line. However, the problem was that Shirou's forces had become formidable at this point, and when Vortigern conquered Camelot, he also breached the city walls.