A New Battle

That's right! It is that time of year once again! I am proud to announce the fourth Nero Fest!

Hehehe. Quite the jubilant reception, is it not, Fujimaru? And who can blame them!

Of course it is! This is a festival of Rome, by Rome, and for Rome! Why shouldn't I be excited!?

I have prepared plenty of prizes once again, and would like nothing better than for everyone to test their strengths against one another in fierce competition!

Though it hardly need be said that I will be this year's victor! Yes, this is the year where all will sing my praises as Rome's greatest swordsman!

Of course! The mere fact that Olympia shall open its doors again is enough to content me!

Heh heh heh. Some things are better left unsaid.

Nero Fest is getting a bit long in the tooth, so I thought it would be a good time to present myself in all my steamy goddesslike glory!

Forget the Venus de Milo! Now is the time for the Venus de Nero!

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Senpaaai! Emperor Nerooo! Excuse me, please let me through!

Phew, what a crowd. I'm a little exhausted just from making my way here.

Still, it just goes to show what a great success Nero Fest has been, and how much everyone loves it. I think that's a wonderful thing.

Umu, you will have to forgive me for my overwhelming success! That aside, you look even more daring than usual today, Mash!

Thank you. Please watch me, Master. I'm going to do my very best again this year.

My goal is to place at least in the top ten!

Only the top ten, Mash? Shouldn't you be aiming for first? You are Chaldea's signature Servant and all.

Not to mention that this year's Nero Fest prize is exceptional. Even more so than usual!

So for my part, I was really hoping Fujimaru would be the one to take it home.

Morning! I'm glad to see you haven't forgotten your manners!

"Never forget to properly greet someone, no matter what's going on."

Or at least that's what we've been doing since the Incineration of Humanity.

Oh, come now, Da Vinci! Don't give the game away so early! Wait until my official announcement!

Oops, right, of course. So sorry about that. It just slipped out.

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Umu. It seems all the participating Servants have assembled.

Then we shall proceed to the Colosseum. See you later, Fujimaru and Mash.

We will be broadcasting the opening ceremony in the cafeteria via Sheba, so feel free to bask in its glory from here.

Yeeeaaahhh! Neroooooo!

Uncle!? It is too soon for you to be cheering for me yet! I appreciate your enthusiasm, but please wait until the ceremony...

...

Yeeeaaahhh! Empty treasury Neroooooo!

What do you take me for, some petty tyrant who used up all her nation's money!? I will admit I came close to that once, but I never went so far as to

...Wait. Were you speaking of Rome's current treasury, Uncle!?

...Heh. (Smirking in agreement)

That cannot be right! All the money I have been saving over this past year was in that treasury!

Along with the Holy Grail I had purchased from Da Vinci to present as this Nero Fest's grand prize!

A Holy Grail!? Your "exceptional prize" is a Holy Grail!?

Yup. Every now and then, a Singularity comes along that ends up disappearing on its own.

And when it does, it sometimes leaves a Holy Grail behind. They may not be the best-quality Grails, but they're still pure, crystallized magical energy.

So when one of those low-quality Grails falls into our lap, it's my job to retrieve it, polish it, and make it into something usable.

Emperor Nero happened to find me fixing up the latest such Grail, and I agreed to let her have it at a fair price as long as she made it her grand prize☆

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This will never do! We cannot have Nero Fest without a suitable prize! Uncle, who is the villain responsible for

Wait! Sheba just turned on! It's about to show us something...!

Hahahahaha! Greetings to you at this late hour of 3:00 a.m., my fellow Heroic Spirits!

Oh, wait, it's morning there, isn't it? Hahahaha, forgive me. Just a little KoH humor.

I have lost all sense of the various time zones here, as there is neither day or night in this city!

Truly, this is a glittering cityscape even at night, worthy even of me! Perhaps that tells you where I may be speaking of?

Now then...I must first convey my apologies to the Saber in red regalia.

Fifth Emperor of Rome, all of the money you worked so hard to save...now belongs to me.

Caesar knows why. You should ask him.

Though of course, he is most likely long gone by now. Indeed, there are few things more frightening than being related to an unrepentant grifter.

"Yes, I admit that I am deep in debt, a not inconsiderable portion of which I owe to you."

"But here is how I see it: I am the embodiment of Rome; therefore, my debt is Rome's debt."

"Accordingly, those affiliated with Rome are my family, and must stand in joint surety with me."

"And as it happens, there is a magnificent vault right here filled with riches. Riches enough to repay my debt in full."

Juuullliiiuuusss!

Heh. And so the contents of your vault are now mine. Unfortunate, but that is how it is.

However! While I may pity you, I cannot commend you!

A sporting spectacle for Servants to pit their skills against one another? A fourth Nero Fest? You fool!

What were you thinking, using the same arena all four times!? And a decrepit relic as the Colosseum at that!

If I were running this festival, I would ensure my contestants compete in the greatest arena in the world.

For example...the pinnacle of entertainment, right here in Manhattan!

The Garden!

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What!? An all-weather stadium!?!?

Hahaha, did you think I spent my time in that tropical resort merely idling the hours away? Of course not! I have been planning this ever since that trip began!

Furthermore, I declare here and now, that it is THIS festival which will determine the strongest Servant!

And so I have come to New York! The only place in the world suitable enough to act as the stage for this historic event.

To all you Heroic Spirits watching this now, listen well! I have opened a gate in Chaldea that will take you here!

Those among you who fancy yourselves the strongest of all Servants, come to New York and prove it.

Needless to say, this event will also consist of team battles. I await you here, atop this skyscraper!

Once you have defeated all the other challengers...

...that is when I, the Golden Archer, the oldest King of Heroes in all humanity, shall pass my final judgment!

Furthermore, my full-time secretary, Moolah, has prepared a host of incredible prizes for you to win!

Fight hard, play hard, and challenge me for supremacy! Now is the time to prove that you are the strongest!

Hehehe... Hahaha... Haaahahaha!

I can't believe it... Gilgamesh took over Nero Fest!

And, um... I'm sorry, Emperor Nero... I... I don't know what to say...

What to say... What to say... What... What...

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What...an incredible idea! You are right, accursed King of Heroes!

I have been clinging to my Colosseum like a fool! If there is a better stage to be found in the modern era, then that is what I shall use.

Flashy lights! Gleaming skyscrapers! Classy champagne flowing from bottle to glass in the very poshest of penthouses!

Umu! Enemy though he may be, I must commend him on his decadence, his ostentatiousness, and his sheer wealth! That is what entertainment should be!

I will gladly accept his challenge! Hear me, all you Heroic Spirits gathered around!

Nero Fest may be no more, but our festival itself remains unchanged!

This event shall henceforth be called... Battle in New York 2020!

That arrogant King of Heroes clearly believes that HE is the strongest one of all! Let us show him how wrong he is!

We shall pummel him with the full force of our greatest Noble Phantasms and send him tumbling off his high perch!

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Umu! Just leave it all to me! To be frank, I am looking forward to visiting New York myself!

Hehe. Fujimaru, Mash. This is where our competition truly begins.

Only one team will be able to challenge the King of Heroes. I cannot wait to see who emerges victorious!