Nine Lives

is the most trusted of all of Heracles's Noble Phantasms, a combat technique devised at the end of a lengthy battle by Heracles.Fate/Grand Order material II - Heracles, p.074-079 It is not utilized during the Fifth Holy Grail War because he lacks the motor skills to use it while in the Berserker Class, but he proves capable of utilizing it in the Grand Orders. It originally had the form of the bow and arrows used to simultaneously exterminate the one hundred heads of the Lernaean Hydra, an immortal nine-headed serpent that would grow back no matter how many times it was cut down. Upon slaying the Hydra at the end of a lengthy battle, Heracles devised this combat technique and became able to utilize abilities that emulate the combat technique of this Noble Phantasm with other weapons, transforming it into , an all-purpose Noble Phantasm capable of adapting and changing how it appears depending on the target and the circumstances of its use. It is said that the meaning of the name Nine Lives comes from one having a possession of nine lives, this originating from Heracles' monstrous opponent that possesses the special characteristic of entirely "resurrecting no matter how many times it is killed"; it is implied that he has attained this martial arts technique in response to that characteristic, a technique that "exterminates no matter how many times his opponent resurrects."Fate/Grand Order material II - Heracles, p.074-079
It is Heracles' school of techniques, so to speak. Mastering every armament for use of this technique, Heracles successfully overcame various monsters and surpassed various penances. Regardless of whether it is delivered with a bow, large sword, shield, spear, axe, or possibly even unarmed, the technique boasts power on the level of Noble Phantasms by drawing out the maximum power of the weapon. It was said that if he were to demonstrate its maximum power with a bow, it would be the greatest bow, if demonstrated with a spear, the greatest spear, if demonstrated with a sword, the greatest sword, etc. It can display power from Anti-Unit to Anti-Army, even up to fortress sieging all depending on the circumstances. In essence, it is “a high speed attack consisting of nine consecutive strikes, as swift as if the attacks are overlapping.” It can also be a rush of extreme speed that adds up to a hundred attacks within a single breath. It changes form depending on the target, such as the Anti-Unit Nine Lives Blade Works with a series of slashes and the Anti-Phantasm Beast skill that discharges nine dragon-like homing lasers at the enemy. The skill can be called a style of its own that has a nature similar to Cú Chulainn's Gáe Bolg: Barbed Spear that Pierces with Death, a technique that is part of Gáe Bolg, as Heracles' technique shares its name with the original Noble Phantasm. The ability would be best suited for the Saber Class even though the Archer Class is the most suitable to Heracles.
The variation utilized by Berserker in Fate/unlimited codes and Fate/Grand Order has him release the technique with his large axe-sword as the greatest sword, having him rush onto the opponent, begin a series of powerful slashes that quickly increase to levels of "godspeed", and hit the enemy a total of one hundred times within a single breath, with the final strike being a jumping slash that smashes the opponent into the ground. The world of Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA☆ILLYA features Nine Lives as the Include feature of the Berserker Class Card, but the martial ability of the technique is lost. The only thing brought forth is Berserker's axe-sword, which can not be wielded without his strength. Illya utilizes it in the air to drop it down at the opponent.
==Variations==
===Nine Lives Blade Works===
 is a variation of Nine Lives used by Shirou Emiya upon projecting the technique from Berserker and using it with Berserker's axe-sword. Analyzing and projecting the axe-sword and copying Berserker's monstrous strength, Shirou uses Nine Lives Blade Works to attack the corrupted Berserker with a pummeling, high speed series of eight strikes. He targets and slashes the upper arm, collarbone, windpipe, temple, diaphragm, rib, testicles, and thighs simultaneously at "godspeed", faster than the speed of sound. These eight strikes destroy 80% of Berserker's body, but that is still not enough to stop his charge. When Berserker is halted by Illya's presence, Shirou has time to perform a lance-like thrust through the heart as the ninth strike, ending the battle that lasted merely an instant.
===Fake Nine Lives===
 is a projection of Nine Lives utilized by Kuro in the world of Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA☆ILLYA. Kuro projects it to use it as a shield to charge at Illya, but not displaying any other usage with it.
===True Nine Lives===
 is the prototype version of Nine Lives owned by Gilgamesh in his Gate of Babylon in the world of Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA☆ILLYA. It is a massive ballista-like weapon that utilizes an automatically guided nine laser Anti-Phantasmal Beast ability. Gilgamesh uses this technique to destroy Illya's regular Nine Lives.Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA☆ILLYA 2wei! - Chapter 26: "Black Fate"
===Nine Lives - Roma===
 is the Noble Phantasm of Romulus-Quirinus.
The method of combat devised by the great hero of Greek mythology Heracles. Combat information transmitted by the war god Mars (Ares), who watched over his heroic battles — or alternatively, a sublimation in his new summoning of the lore related to Romulus in which “Heracles is his father”.
;School Heracles · Roma Branch.
The battering of fist flashes resembling spears of light exterminates even lifeless monsters, and makes them gush out as a sparkle in the starry sky. A constantly active-type Noble Phantasm. It unleashes a battering of ardent light at the time of the True Name release, but in this work it’s fundamentally unused.
In Fate/Grand Order, it is treated as a Skill in gameplay.
==References==
Category:Noble Phantasms
Category:Unknown Noble Phantasms
Category:Anti-Unit Noble Phantasms
Category:Anti-Army Noble Phantasms
Category:Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasms
Category:A+ rank Noble Phantasms
Category:A rank Noble Phantasms
Category:B rank Noble Phantasms
Category:C rank Noble Phantasms
Category:Bow and arrows
Category:Techniques
Category:Noble Phantasms introduced in Fate/stay night
Category:Noble Phantasms of Heracles
Category:Noble Phantasms in Unlimited Blade Works