Rider of Red

"You're a surly bastard, aren't you? Men who don't laugh on the field of battle, may forget how to by the time they reach Elysium. This world is enough of a gloomy, festering pus as it is - you should at least try to get a laugh in... before you die. You know?"

- Rider.

Rider of "Red" ("赤"のライダー) is the Rider-class Servant of Shirou Kotomine of the Red Faction in the Great Holy Grail War of Fate/Apocrypha. Originally summoned by one of the five puppet Masters of the Red Faction, he later becomes one of the Servants of Shirou.

Identity
Rider is Akireusu (アキレウス), one of the famous heroes in the. He is the son of and. He is also a former pupil to Chiron.

Appearance
Rider appears to be a great hero just from his appearance, one who would be admired by any man or woman, young or old. While his face is pleasing to the eyes, it is not like the knights of old whose courteousness softened the hearts of noble ladies. He has the eyes of a raptor, a strong and firm build, and the lack of any appearance of crudeness.

Personality
Rider is described as being broad-minded and audacious, often displaying a carefree smile on his face. He is not a hero like Berserker of Red who rebelled against all authority, but he is far removed from knights who valiantly served kings. Even if ordered by his Master, he is a Servant who will accept tasks he does not wish to complete, showing his nature as a "hero." He thinks little of those called kings, so he has "fatal lack of compatibility" with those like Assassin of Red. During the course of a regular war, the first clash would likely have been between the who of them. In such a way, he once openly ignored orders from a king he disliked, only taking up arms for the sake of a slain comrade. Due to he and Archer being from the same lands, Assassin believes that he will no doubt make advances on her. While his charm and demeanor are enough to fluster even a "virtuous wife" with his words, though they are not effective due to her time in the wild.

He has striven to live his life in such a way that he is constantly the target of killing intent and hateful animosity, and he has become accustomed to it. He was one who stood out alongside other heroes, displaying confidence in any battle and a great will to fight. His thirst for blood is such that normal humans will have their spirits utterly crumble before him. He freely boasts before his opponents and mocks them severely, even while outnumbered and not fighting at full power. He was one whose one true friend and the women who loved him meant all the world, so such things are nothing to him. For the opponents of the war whose scornful glares are directed at him, the only difference compared to those who directed animosity towards him in his life are the time in which they existed and the weapons they wielded. He views them as all the same, and plans to cut them down like they are nothing.

He wishes to fulfill the vow he made with his mother, "live like a hero and die like a hero".

Development
He was not part of the designs for the original canceled online game project. He was planned by Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi, Ototsugu Konoe was responsible for the character design.

Fate/Apocrypha
Rider, on his own judgement, follows Archer of Red as she chases the marching Berserker of Red to the Black Faction's base in Trifas, later officially asked by Shirou to provide backup after he decides that Rider would not willingly accept the task of killing Ruler. Rider attempts to make an advance on Archer when she asks his reason for being there, but her lack of any reaction leaves him only able to cough and get back to his mission. He relays that they are to support Berserker in his actions as much as possible to obtain information, but he will not fight with his chariot to avoid giving the enemy any information about himself. Curious about only having interacted with Shirou Kotomine instead of his Master, he asks Archer if it has been the same for her, which she affirms. As they speculate on the reasoning for them not showing themselves, they think it to be a possible magi eccentricity or plan for future battle, but find Shirou and Assassin of Red to be suspicious.

Berserker soon encounters his first enemy resistance from the Black Faction, but the two observe the battle because they are not enemy Servants. Unnerved by Berserker's constant smiling throughout the battle, they speak of his battle potential before Archer senses the coming of enemies, and they prepare a battle strategy. Unwilling to show his true power to the enemy, Rider only takes up his spear rather than his rightful weapon, his mount, and Archer takes to the woods to provide support from the rear. Preparing for battle, he engages Berserker of Black and Saber of Black, taunting the other side in underestimating him with just two Servants and that their entire force would be needed against him.

After introducing himself and taunting them once again that they are not worth bringing out his mount, his opponents are both angered, but he takes their killing intent while smirking. Believing his weapon to be greater than any other in its thrust and with the support of Archer, he feels no disadvantage against them as they come to blows.

Abilities
Rider is seen as one of two Servants of the Red Faction to have unparalleled strength, the other being Lancer of Red, and Shirou believes him to be the only one capable of matching Lancer. He is a "hero of the world" whose fame is comparable to Vlad the Impaler, even within Romania. Although a serious fight would have him use his mount, Troias Tragoidia, he is perfectly capable fighting even multiple Servants at once on-foot with his spear, Diatrecon Aster Logche, due to Andres Amarantos, his invulnerability that nullifies all attacks of those who do not possess Divinity of a certain rank. With the exception of his (アキレス腱), a critical weakpoint, he cannot be harmed in any way by the Black Faction Servants aside from Archer of Black, making it impossible for them to win in combat without him. When stepping out of his chariot, he activates Dromeus Cometes to make him the fastest hero on foot, but forces him to expose his heel. He also possesses an unrevealed fifth Noble Phantasm.