During the filming of the Tohsaka and Matou family scenes, Edward went all out and purchased several mansions in Arkans, transforming them into the sets he envisioned.
This move earned him some sharp remarks from Chase, who found such expenditures extravagant—especially for just a few fleeting shots.
As the troupe manager, Chase winced at the sight of the expenditure reports.
However, for Edward, nothing about Fate/Zero was going to be done half-heartedly.
Even a brief, passing scene had to be realized as authentically as possible.
After all, who knew? He might end up filming Fate/Stay Night here in the future.
It was more practical to prepare everything thoroughly now.
While Chase could only sigh at Edward's "extravagance," he also acknowledged the fortune Edward had accumulated through his movies.
If Edward wanted to, he could probably buy the entire Arkans City.
Even setting aside the box office revenues from his films, just the royalties from the Mage Tower's patents and the Adventurers' Guild's licensing fees brought him staggering wealth.
At this point, the only noble in the southern territories who could compete with Edward financially was the Southern Grand Duke.
A month before venturing into the Chaos Territory, the construction of the Tohsaka and Matou estates was completed.
As for the Emiya residence, while its construction had begun, it wasn't needed for the current scenes, so the work there was deliberately slowed down.
Edward focused his attention instead on these two estates and the location for the first large-scale Servant battle: the "Fuyuki Port."
Upon arriving at the port, Edward found that it had been completely transformed to match his vision.
Yes, he had outright bought the port, which was rarely used except by local fishermen to dock their boats.
Given the empire's stagnant naval development, the land was public property and reasonably affordable.
Edward's investment in Fate/Zero far outstripped his previous projects, highlighting just how much he was anticipating the film's release.
To Edward, Fate/Zero wasn't just an engaging story—it was a groundbreaking introduction to the possibilities of alchemy on the big screen.
After completing the earlier scenes, including those featuring Ryuunosuke Uryuu and Caster Gilles de Rais, as well as Waver and Rider Iskandar, the crew took a brief day off. But before they could fully recover, Edward rallied them again to begin the next sequence.
This time, they would be filming the iconic first battle involving multiple Servants at the port.
<+>
Under Edward's meticulous direction, Arkans' labor force had transformed the port area, creating an industrial-looking warehouse district complete with towering structures.
Several lighthouses were constructed at Edward's insistence to stand in for the bridges and cranes of the original battle setting.
As night fell, the camera captured two silhouettes approaching in the distance.
Following the trail of magical energy, Saber and Irisviel walked boldly along the wide streets, their movements purposeful and confident.
"Welcome. I have spent the whole day searching the city. Everyone simply slinks away, hiding in their little holes. You alone have accepted my offer?"
Emerging from the shadows of the warehouse, a male knight revealed himself, gripping two spears that exuded intense magical energy.
It was as if his very presence was declaring war on anyone watching.
At the sight of his weapons, Saber—Artoria Pendragon—immediately identified him as another Servant. This was Lancer.
Seeing Saber and her Master step openly out of the shadows, Lancer spoke in a deep, yet clear and noble voice:
"That pure energy surrounding you… You are Saber, I presume?"
"Indeed." Saber replied, "And you are Lancer.."
"Being unable to honorably name myself to my opponent in combat troubles me. I dislike these rules."
Saber nodded slightly, appreciating his honorable demeanor. Her icy expression softened ever so slightly as she replied,
"Indeed, there's no helping it. This isn't a battle for our own honor, is it? You wield your spears for your Master's sake, I presume."
"Ha... That's right," Lancer replied, his expression carrying a hint of mischievous charm.
This subtle shift in his demeanor caused Irisviel, standing behind Saber, to furrow her brows slightly.
She immediately called out, "—A charm spell? That's incredibly rude to a married woman, Lancer!"
Lancer had boldly unleashed a wave of enchanting magical energy aimed at women.
Thankfully, as a homunculus with enhanced physical capabilities, Irisviel's magic resistance was twice that of a normal human.
Without it, she might have succumbed to his allure as easily as any ordinary woman.
At Irisviel's protest, Lancer gave a sheepish shrug and responded with a wry smile, "Sorry. It's a curse I was born with. There's nothing I can do about it. Blame it on my birth or the fact that you were born a woman."
Lancer's blunt response drew a sharp scoff from Saber. "Surely you don't believe that a pleasant face will save you from my blade, spearman." she said icily.
"I certainly hope not. It would spoil the fun." Lancer replied. "Then the tales of the Saber -class magic resistance were accurate. Very well. I prefer not to kill a girl who's throwing herself at me, anyway. It would sully my reputation. I'm pleased that my first opponent is made of stern stuff."
"Oh? So you desire a fair fight? I consider myself fortunate to encounter such a proud hero."
"Then… let us begin."
As the tension in the air thickened, Irisviel nervously swallowed and murmured, "Saber Be careful. I can use healing magic to act as support for you. But more than that…"
Before Irisviel could finish, Saber nodded decisively. "Leave Lancer to me. But it troubles me that the other Master has not shown himself. Perhaps they plot something. Watch yourself. Irisviel, watch my back."
"Very well, Saber. Grant me victory!."
"I will," Saber replied firmly before stepping forward to meet her first true battle.
<+>
As Saber and Lancer's duel commenced, the camera panned to reveal Kiritsugu Emiya and his assistant, Maiya, hidden behind the warehouse district. They were silently observing the unfolding battle while discussing their next moves.
Kiritsugu cradled an alchemically crafted weapon known as a "gun," which Edward intended to annotate in the final cut of the film to explain its unique construction.
"Is there any place where we can get a clear view of the battlefield?" Kiritsugu asked.
Maiya pointed toward several lighthouses towering in the distance, their silhouettes barely visible against the dark night sky.
It was clear that climbing one of them unnoticed would provide an ideal vantage point for observing the fight.
Kiritsugu didn't argue with Maiya's suggestion but shook his head after a moment of thought. "Indeed. That is certainly the best vantage point. Anyone seeing it would think as much."
"..."
Without further explanation, Maiya understood his meaning.
"Maiya, you'll infiltrate from the east bank. I'll go in from the west. Find a location where we can monitor Saber's fight and keep an eye on the lighthouses."
"Understood."
<+>
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