Fate Grand Order: Blessing of the Fortuity Shard

by FGO-BoFS

Meetings are something that most people experience often. They can be either frivolous or life-changing. Or anything in between. But there is a type of meeting that is rarer than any other. The type that has occurred scarcely more than a few times throughout Human History. A meeting between two people that could decide the future of Humanity itself.

5. Chapter 5

Summary:

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As the Singularity Team faces their greatest foe yet; a thoroughly heated, mostly naked, two and a half meter Demigod, they are blissfully unaware that the situation is Chaldea somehow manages to take a sudden turn for even worse.

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Chapter 5: HE'S WHO!?

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"Oh my God..." Ritsuka muttered as Berserker finally got close enough for her to get a good look at his parameters. She knew that it would be bad, but this? This was a straight up catastrophe. "His lowest stat is a B, and that's luck. Just A's across the board..."

'

Reactions were about what she had expected. Both Caster and Brynhildr remained as they were, the former knowing the enemy already while the latter could probably gauge his strength herself. Mash's shoulders shuddered lightly, her fear leaking out again. And the Director... went from scared to horrified. "Seriously!? Wh-what are we going to do!? How are we supposed to compete with a monster like this!?"

'

"By being smart about it," Ritsuka replied, though it was mostly to convince herself. There had to be some way to beat this thing. After all, Saber had defeated it before. "This guy is still a Heroic Spirit, and every hero has their weakness. Something that caused their death."

'

"That's right." Concurring with the statement, Romani appeared on his projected screen once again. "No hero is truly invincible, no matter how strong they might be."

'

Caster seemed amused by the pair's words, grinning at the Master. "That's the spirit! So, wanna throw in a guess before I tell you?"

'

Of course this man couldn't just give it to her straight. Well, she did have a guess in mind, mostly due to Berserker appearance and behavior. A guess she really hoped would be right, since it made dealing with him very much possible. "Well, based on his absurd, primal strength and flowing black hair, my most likely guess would be Samson from the Old Testament."

'

"Ah! You're right, that could be it!" Olga Marie exclaimed, her mood improving considerably. Ritsuka was more than happy to receive support for her guess, especially due to the Hero's considerable weakness. "Then, if we manage to cut his hair, he would become basically powerless!"

'

"Hmm... Samson, huh?" Typing away on his console, it seemed that Romani too agreed with Ritsuka's guess. "From what I can see, he does seem to possess a considerable amount of divine power, so it's definitely possible."

'

The overall mood around the group was improving rapidly due to this new possibility and Ritsuka couldn't have been more content. The plausibility of her guess was growing by the minute, and Mash too seemed far more confident, smiling at her softly. Now all that remained was for Caster to actually confirm Berserker's identity, and considering how the smile remained on his lips, an affirmative answer seemed likely.

'

Unfortunately, even while the smile remained on his face, it became slightly apologetic as Caster shook his head. "Sorry, Master. As much as I hate bursting your bubble, your guess ain't right. This guy's Heracles."

'

Over her 18 years of life, not once had Ritsuka seen a mood drop so quickly. The previous hopefulness was replaced by pure dread. Olga Marie's face was roughly the same color as her hair as she looked like she could pass out any second. Mash nearly dropped her shield, and judging by the sound, Romani did drop his coffee cup. Brynhildr did keep up her countenance, though the grip on her spear noticeably tightened. Ritsuka... wasn't really sure what to do. Her face thankfully showed no signs of fear, her calm expression doing its job well, even if she did feel like crying right about now. Her brain desperately tried to deny what she had just heard, despite the fact that it was undeniably what Caster had actually said. A part of her tried to reason that the man was joking, trying to scare them. If there was a straw to grasp, her consciousness tried to grip it with all her might. As if praying for another answer, Ritsuka blurted out:

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"HE'S WHO?!"

'

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Archer was overall in a rather good mood. The Assassins had done their job well, buying him time to successfully lure Berserker to the group, practically ensuring their victory. Yes, practically, but not completely. The fight with Saber had completely exhausted Berserker's spare lives, and while he had recovered some of them over time, Archer had no idea of the exact number. Caster utilizing his runes to the fullest would definitely be able to kill him once and considering how Lancer had managed to deflect his charged Hrunting, she would most likely also be capable of killing him at least once. He couldn't get careless.

'

But, the reason for his pleasant mood was simply the looks on the outsider's faces. Caster had no doubt revealed Berserker's true name to them, striking unmistakable terror in their hearts. The white haired woman was frightened to her core, while the girl holding the shield wasn't far behind. The man on the translucent screen was also clearly unnerved. However, the Master's reaction was the thing that bothered him. While it was natural for a Servant like Lancer to keep her calm, the red haired woman's calm, collected expression was perplexing to say the least. He had seen her make quick, decisive decisions over the course of the battle, so she certainly wasn't an idiot. She clearly understood the danger they were facing, which was precisely why it was so disconcerting. Did she have some sort of trump card to play, or was she simply extraordinarily skilled in the art of poker face?

'

Well, whichever it would be, it wouldn't matter in the end. They would all die here, either smashed apart by the Raging Destroyer or by being shot down by him. With his arrows backing up Berserker, he would grind even their faintest hopes to dust, crushing these outsiders completely...

'

That last thought felt... bizarre for some reason. A reason he couldn't immediately pinpoint. "...Grind their hopes to dust, huh?" Archer muttered to himself. While he was far from a saint as his usual self, as he was now, he was downright heinous. He was still cognizant enough to understand that he had changed, yet he didn't really mind it. The feeling was... quite curious. "Heh. So this is the high of being maddened... An effect of that mud, eh?"

'

Well, not that it mattered much. If the outsiders were unable to handle something like this, they would be useless in the long run, and ultimately better off just dying here. Nocking another arrow and aiming straight at the Master, Archer began his assault anew.

'

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When she had first laid eyes on Berserker, Mash had been frightened. Now, she was absolutely horrified. Their enemy was the greatest hero in greek mythology, one of the most powerful heroes in the entire world, without question among the strongest Servants. How... how were they supposed to fight him? Even the proper Servants were outmatched, so a mere Demi-Servant like her, who couldn't even use her Noble Phantasm, was practically helpless against him. She couldn't think of any possible way for them to win.

'

She could see the Director crouching on the ground next to her, shaking her head while holding it in her hands. Just like Mash, she had realized just how hopeless their situation was. The only sensible option was to attempt an emergency Rayshift, hoping it might work. If nothing else, she would do everything in her power to protect Senpai to the very end. She owed her at least that much...

'

"So Caster, about those details on Berserker. Now would be a prime time to tell us all you know."

'

"Ah, of course," the druid replied. "Where should I begin...? Oh, incoming!"

'

Even as another exploding arrow shook the area, Mash could barely believe what she was hearing. Was Ritsuka seriously trying to form a strategy in this situation? She had heard everything they had, yet she was still thinking of fighting? For a moment, Mash was sure she was hallucinating, it all just seemed so absurd...

'

Yet as she turned her gaze to the right, Ritsuka stood there, her face as calm as ever as she listened to Caster's explanation. The Demi-Servant couldn't hear a single word he said, her attention fully focused on her Master. Again... She was seriously doing this again... Even while Ritsuka was still focused on planning their survival, Mash was ready to give up, incapacitated by her personal anxieties and unable to help...

'

No... No!
If Ritsuka hadn't given up, neither could she!
If Ritsuka was still trying, Mash had to too!

Even if she was afraid, with Ritsuka there, they could somehow pull through!
Even if she was a failure as a Servant, she would still do everything she could!
She wouldn't be a hindrance for Senpai... She wouldn't!

'

Slapping herself on the cheeks hard, hard enough that it actually hurt a bit, Mash snapped herself back to reality. If Ritsuka and Caster were going to talk about their strategy for the battle, she would have to listen carefully too, so that she could help in any way possible. With her stinging cheeks keeping her focus in the present, Mash turned to face Caster and Ritsuka. ...Who were both looking right at her, the former amused while the latter seemed concerned.

'

"...Are you okay, Mash? That looked like it really hurt." Mash's cheeks were already red from the slap, but hearing her Master's question managed to make them warmer still. Had the sound of her slapping her cheeks actually been loud enough to attract both of their attention?

'

"Nah, there's nothing to worry about," Caster laughed. "Young lady is just getting herself fired up."

'

To Mash, the situation was awkward to say the least, but what he had said was still true. No matter what, she would help Ritsuka with defeating Berserker. "...That's right. Feel free to ask me to do whatever you need, Senpai."

'

Smiling in response to her words, Ritsuka gave Mash a quick nod. "Of course. I'll be relying on you as always." A reply that made the Shielder content. Even if she was a half baked Servant, the fact that Senpai relied on her was more than she could ask for. However, the smile soon faded from the Master's face as she turned to look at the ever approaching threat. The mad Servant still continued rushing straight towards them, smashing straight through all obstacles on his path without slowing down. "He'll reach us in about twenty seconds, not giving us time to plan... Lancer, if you use the same trick you used to convince everyone that Caster was inside the store with us, can you slow him down?"

'

So Brynhildr had been the one behind that. The ordeal had bothered Mash for a while, but since the source was apparently one of Lancer's runes she felt more at ease. The Valkyrie observed Berserker, most likely judging her chances against him. "Understood... I should be able to buy you a few minutes."

'

"Thank you. We'll make the most of it."

'

Nodding in response to Ritsuka, Brynhildr leapt off the rooftop with unparalleled grace, as if she was skating through the air. Without a hint of hesitation, she headed straight towards the mad warrior, gripping her glistening spear tightly. And despite his clear lack of sanity, Berserker focused on the approaching woman immediately, roaring violently as he leaped to intercept her. Drawing back his enormous fist, he swung, and... missed the Valkyrie completely...

'

To Mash, the scene was baffling to say the least. Heracles had seemed so sure of his attack, yet he had missed by several meters. As soon as he landed, Berserker struck again, yet the result was the same. Brynhildr gracefully darted around the area, keeping a safe distance between herself and the enemy, all the while said enemy was constantly releasing blow after savage blow, as if she was right in front of him.

'

Thankfully, there was someone present to explain. "She's using a rune to mess with Berserker's perception," Caster noted. "She's probably making it look like his attacks are just barely missing. Smart. Simple illusions are harder to see through. Though even that won't hold against this guy for too long."

'

"Are you sure? Hasn't he almost completely lost his mind?" Ritsuka asked. A question that has also lingered on Mash's mind.

'

"Nah. Even though he's not that much smarter than an animal, this bastard has really sharp instincts. Like she said, it should work for a few minutes, but most likely won't work a second time."

'

"I see... That's frustrating." Ritsuka's discontent was understandable. A rune like this could have been incredibly useful in an actual fight, yet they were just using it to buy time. "Well, we don't have a second to waste. Caster, could you start your explanation?"

'

"You got it. Though before that." Hopping on the northwestern edge of the roof, Caster inscribed some runes on it, and soon enough, a barrier formed there. Not even a second later, another arrow collided with the newly made shield. "Now then. First off, he's thankfully lost his weapon, so that already makes things easier. He used to have this massive axe-sword thing, but it got smashed to pieces during his fight with Saber. Without it, all he can do is basic hand-to-hand stuff, plus throw things."

'

That was definitely a relief. Berserker was already frightening enough as he was. Mash didn't even want to imagine him fighting with a gigantic weapon. And judging from her expression, Ritsuka agreed. "Well, that's nice at least. Keep going."

'

"Secondly, his Noble Phantasm. Thankfully, again, his fight with Saber also weakened the damn thing. If it hadn't, our chances of victory would be basically nonexistent." Also a relieving detail, calming Mash down slightly. A weakened Noble Phantasm was definitely a blessing. "Originally, it was a constantly active Noble Phantasm that made him invulnerable to any attacks under A Rank, and as if that wasn't enough, it also made it so that he had 12 lives, meaning that as soon as he died, he would resurrect. To win, you'd have to put the bastard down 12 times. Oh, and he'd gain resistance to any attack that harmed him, so killing him twice with the same method would be basically impossible."

'

That sounded like an absolute nightmare. Mash didn't even want to imagine fighting something like that, seemingly something that Ritsuka seemed to concur with, if the baffled look on her face was anything to go by. "That's... that's just cheating... Like what the hell? How is any one Servant supposed to beat him?" the Master questioned. "Well at least it's disabled for now, so we shouldn't have to worry about it."

'

"Nah, it still works," Caster said, filling Mash with dread. Ritsuka turned to the druid, her eyes wide. "I said it's weakened, not that it no longer works. His invulnerability is still there, but his lives haven't fully recovered after Saber spent them all. Guess it'll take a while for them to do that. He most likely has 3-5 right now."

'

That didn't exactly make Mash feel any better. If what he said earlier was anything to go by, it would still be impossible for them to win. Her Master also clearly understood this, holding a fist by her mouth in contemplation. "But if that's the case, we still can't win. We don't have that many methods to kill him with..."

'

As Ritsuka continued trying to think of anything to help them, Caster rubbed his neck awkwardly, looking somewhat abashed. "Oh... Guess I didn't explain it properly, huh? We don't need a different method for every life." A revelation that caught both of them off guard. The Master stared at him in pure exasperation, an act Mash joined with. Caster had a habit of explaining things poorly, but this was just something else. "Yeah... While they are called 'lives', they each seem to have a limit on how much damage they can absorb. A single, powerful attack can technically kill him multiple times."

'

"...You seriously couldn't have started with that?" Ritsuka crumbled, appearing to have had just about enough of the man's half baked descriptions. Taking a few deep breaths she tried to calm herself back down, though worry still lingered on her face, for a reason Mash understood as well. "That doesn't change our situation though... Aside from your and Lancer's runes we have nothing capable of an A Rank attack. I doubt it'll be enough..."

'

"I wouldn't worry about that," Caster said shockingly nonchalantly, knocking Ritsuka from her worrying. "What rank is Lancer's Noble Phantasm?"

'

"Um, B," she answered uncertainly. "Why?"

'

"Huh. Same as my Gáe Bolg, then. She should be able to kill him with that at least once if she enhances it with her runes."

'

Ritsuka's eyes lit up noticeably from hearing his answer, beginning to contemplate again. Mash was just happy knowing there was a chance. Even if she couldn't directly damage Berserker, maybe she could at least give the others some cover. "In that case... We need to amplify her Noble Phantasm to the absolute limit... Alright! I think I got something!"

'

And that was what Mash had hoped to hear. Yes, as long as Ritsuka had a plan, she was sure that everything would work out just fine. Maybe it was a tad presumptuous to think like that, but the results of their earlier battles spoke for themselves. "I'll be ready to help in any way I can, so don't hesitate to use me, Senpai."

'

Nodding in appreciation, the redhead smiled at her. "Thanks, Mash. Honestly, we'll be needing everyone in on this just to scrape by. Caster, you should be able to enhance Mash's physical abilities with your runes, even if just for a short time, right?"

'

"Can do," the druid confirmed. "But you're not gonna make young lady here fight him, are you? Even with an enhancement, she won't last long."

'

"That's right. It's basically suicide," Romani added, much to Mash's grievance. Of course she already knew this, and Ritsuka would surely know it too, but she couldn't just sit around doing nothing. If there was any way for her to assist her Master, Mash would take it.

'

"I obviously know that, but we really don't have many options here. This whole operation needs to be quick. If it turns into a prolonged fight, we'll get slaughtered." Glancing towards Mash, Ritsuka gave her an apologetical look, knowing her request to be an extremely arduous one. "Half a minute. At most. That's how long we need you to distract him, Mash. Caster, after you buff her up, avoid Berserker like the plague, and don't attack him unless absolutely necessary. We don't want him to gain any resistance to your runes. Instead, focus on intercepting any possible attacks from Archer, Mash has enough to worry about already." Nodding in response, Caster gave the Shielder a quick thumbs up and a wink. Mash was just thankful that Ritsuka once again seemed to put a lot of thought towards her safety. Even if her role in the plan was dangerous, her Master at least sought to minimize the risk, which was all the Demi-Servant could ask for in a Master. "Once I finish informing Lancer on the details of my plan, I'll give you a signal, and once you receive that, I need you to blast Berserker with the hardest hitting runes you've got and kill him. If possible, try to cripple his body as much as possible. Even a single extra second of regeneration can go a long way in this fight."

'

"Got it. Let's get going then, young lady."

'

"Ah, one last thing, Mash!" Ritsuka called out quickly before either of them could leave. "Don't forget: You're not fighting to win. There's no reason for you to try to beat him. Fight so that you won't lose. That's the important part here."

'

For a second, Mash could only stare at her. That was... something the Demi-Servant hadn't thought of. Yes. Why would she try to compete with an enemy she obviously couldn't beat? All she had to do was stall him, to buy the others time. "I... Thank you, Senpai."

'

As Caster jumped off the roof, Mash quickly gave Ritsuka one last appreciative look, which was returned with an encouraging smile. Taking a deep breath, the Shielder followed after the druid, the grip on her shield tightening in anticipation for the coming battle. After all, the enemy was in a league far above any of the others thus far. While Lancer had been both quick and strong, her strength fell far behind Berserker's. ...Who was Heracles. She was supposed to fight Heracles... This monster that caused all of her instincts to go on full alert, telling her to run away. But... she couldn't. Like Ritsuka had said, Berserker would keep chasing them no matter where they went, so there was no escaping from him. And that's why she had to fight. This was currently the only way she could be of use to Senpai. To hold out against him for half a minute, while Ritsuka prepared Brynhildr to use her Noble Phantasm on him. And if that's what was asked of her, as a Servant, Mash couldn't afford to fail.

'

As the two of them landed on a rooftop close to the ongoing battle, Mash couldn't help but to be once again mesmerized by Brynhildr's fighting. She was just so... inhumanly graceful, every dodge and leap made with no wasted movement. In the face of it all, the Shielder admittedly felt envious. Maybe once they finished their mission, she could ask the Lancer for some tips on how she could improve her performance as a Servant, and-

'

"Hey, hey. I know she's quite a looker, but don't get distracted now, young lady," Caster quipped from her side, bringing Mash back to the situation at hand. Yes, of course he was right. This was no time to think about something like that, considering the importance of her role in the plan. "As soon as you're ready to go, I'll engrave the rune on your back, so if you've got any last second grievances, better get them out now."

'

No, there really was nothing more to be said, and even if there was, Mash had no intention of wasting their precious time. "...I'm prepared. Please go ahead, Caster."

'

"Alright, here goes then."

'

As soon as Caster finished his sentence, Mash felt his finger trace a few lines along her back, and immediately once he pulled it away, a familiar feeling surged through her body. It was like a mix of Ritsuka's Mystic Code's strengthening and the rune Brynhildr had used on her earlier, and the effects were notable to say the least. Just like the rune from earlier, its power far surpassed the quick strengthening from the Mystic Code, making Mash feel like a storm was brewing inside her body. There was so much energy, just wanting to be released, something she was thankful for. She would need every bit of power available to her in order to even hold back this monster.

'

"Everything feel good?" Caster asked, with Mash quickly nodding in response. "Okay, let's get to it!"

'

"Right!" As Mash dropped down on the street, leaving Caster behind, Brynhildr was quick to take action. The Valkyrie avoided one last hit from Berserker before making a dash towards Ritsuka, giving the Shielder an apologetic, delicate smile as she moved past her. And now, with the Lancer gone, Heracles would soon be freed from the illusion, provoking Mash to raise her shield in anticipation.

'

It took the mad warrior approximately three seconds to realize he was no longer fighting anyone. It took two more for him to lock on Mash. And one more to cross half a block and reach her. The first blow was more than enough to confirm all of the Shielder's worries. Berserker's massive fist collided against her shield, nearly knocking her over as her knees threatened to buckle. If her strength hadn't been enhanced by the rune, she would have been blown away without a doubt.

'

Taking a quick step back to create at least some distance between them, a sudden flash of light on her right, combined with an explosion, informed Mash that Caster had also begun his work. The blast thankfully also distracted Berserker, shifting his attention towards the blast for the slightest moment before he resumed his attack, but Mash was still grateful. Even if the distraction lasted less than two seconds, it was still something to widen the gap between his strikes. Instead of a punch, this time the attack was a wide, arching kick that collided against her shield, pushing the Shielder back, her armored boots skidding along the road as they left fractures on its surface. Yet still, she managed to keep standing.

'

As more explosions rang out in the background and Heracles charged at her again, Mash couldn't help but to feel the slightest bit happy despite the vicious dread threatening to swallow her mind. Even if the situation was obviously desperate, at this very moment, she was undeniably useful to Ritsuka. Even if she was nothing more than a bait, something to hold Heracles' attention, she was still pulling her weight as a Servant. This was currently a role only she could fulfil...

'

Another kick, even stronger than the last one, pushed Mash back again, nearly losing her balance as her boots scraped off chunks of the asphalt. Without giving her time to recover, Heracles threw a punch, sending her flying backwards into a wall. Twisting her hips to adjust her stance, Mash landed on her feet, feeling the wall buckle from the impact. Jumping before she even had time to fall off, Berserker rushed towards her once again, preparing another punch. As the giant drew closer, Mash kicked off the wall, dodging his fist by mere centimeters as the attack demolished her foothold. Carried by his absurd momentum, Heracles crashed inside the building, which soon collapsed on top of him due to the smashed wall, burying the mad warrior in rubble.

'

Taking the much needed chance to catch her breath, Mash winced as a subtle pain ran along her right upper arm. Just the blast of air from Heracles' punch had caused a mild friction burn on it. Her last dodge had truly been far too close to comfort. She didn't even want to imagine what would have happened if she had taken a direct hit, something that had bothered her since the first blow. Aside from the burn area, rest of her arms were beginning to feel numb, and she had only taken four hits, all blocked with her shield. Without Caster's enhancement rune, she would have definitely died already. As for time, while she had lost exact count, Mash was certain that not even twenty seconds had passed. More than ten, most likely, but it was still below twenty, meaning she had survived roughly half of the maximum time Ritsuka had given her. It really put into perspective just how long a period of 30 seconds was in a battle between Servants.

'

"▂▂▂▃▃▃▅▅▅!"

'

With a ferocious roar, the pile of rubble that had been a building just seconds before exploded, revealing Heracles standing in the middle. The collapsed structure had bought Mash maybe three seconds worth of breathing time, but it was still better than nothing. Without bothering to look at his surroundings, Berserker charged right towards her once again, his gigantic fist prepared to pummel the Shielder.

'

Gritting her teeth and holding her shield tightly, Mash was pushed back once more by her monstrous enemy. Immediately after the punch, a kick followed up, sending her flying and bringing Mash closer to falling over than ever before. Her knees felt weak, as did her arms. She couldn't handle many more of these attacks. She had to think of something before-

'

As Mash landed and moved her eyes back towards the direction she was flung from, a catastrophic problem presented itself: Heracles wasn't there. In the next half a second, her eyes flashed across the area, trying to find her enemy. Losing him for even a second could be lethal, so where did he-?

'

From above!

'

When Mash finally located him, it was far too late to dodge. Berserker was rapidly descending, seemingly attempting to stomp her with both of his legs. But as Mash crouched and lifted her shield, another problem presented itself: Would she actually be able to block this? All of his attacks thus far had been strong enough to either push her back or send her flying, yet this attack, done with both legs using the weight of his entire body, would be the strongest thus far. And since he came from above, he wouldn't be pushing her back, but smashing her into the ground, putting her in a lethal position. But really, what other options did she have? All she could do was try her hardest and hope for the best. And thus, gritting her teeth in anticipation for the attack, Mash waited...

'

And received another option.

'

In that instant, two acts occurred. One; The ground under Mash's feet began to glow. While she didn't have time to actually look at it, she did see the glowing from her peripheral, taking notice of it. And two; a familiar current of magical energy running through her body: Chaldea Mystic Code's Emergency Evasion.

'

Not wasting time to even consider trying to counter the attack, Mash dashed away as quickly as she could, escaping the immediate area with the Mystic Code's boost. The effectiveness of said boost never failed to surprise her. First the dodge and the following attack she had managed to land against Lancer on the bridge, then how she dealt with the twelve Assassins in a few seconds and now this. On her own, she wouldn't even have had the time to move out of the attack's way, yet with the boost, she had managed to dash a distance of ten meters before Heracles even landed. Not that she'd look back, she knew better at this point, but it was practically impossible to not hear the crash of Berserker's landing, followed by the massive explosion immediately afterwards.

'

Although her ears rang from the force of the blast, she didn't dare to turn until she was far enough away from the spot. Judging from both the earlier glowing and the force of the explosions, it was more than likely caused by Caster's runes. ...Which meant that she had completed the objective given to her by Ritsuka.

'

Feeling the boost from the Mystic Code wearing off and judging herself to be far enough away, Mash finally dared to turn around to look at the area. The sight was about what she had expected. Right where she had stood, a burning Heracles now occupied the spot, missing chunks of his body, most notably on the head. Caster had really gone all out with his runes, though she could only wonder when he had placed those runes on that spot, and how he had known to place them there. Well, she could always ask when the time allowed it, but for now, she-

'

"Love. Hate."

'

And right on time, the second phase was beginning. Hearing Brynhildr's voice echoing across the area, Mash wondered if there was a better location for her to be in. The last thing she wanted was to be in the way at a crucial moment, yet she wasn't quite sure where she could avoid being in the way while simultaneously being ready to act if anything went wrong.

'

"Love. Hate."

'

Ah, but if Brynhildr was attacking from the same direction where Senpai was, Mash would just need to choose one of the buildings from the sides to avoid being in the direct line of fire. She'd better be quick, seeing how the Valkyrie was already chanting to activate her Noble Phantasm with-

'

"Love. Love. Love, love, love―"

'

Upon hearing the suddenly intensifying chant, Mash froze. Until that point, Brynhildr's tone had stayed relatively the same throughout their trek, extremely reserved, if a bit sad. Yet this... As she chanted the word 'love', the Valkyrie's tone grew increasingly passionate, more emotion added with each repeat. It was... unnerving to say the least.

'

No. Now wasn't the time to get distracted by something like this, she still needed to move. Jumping on the nearest roof available to get a better understanding of the situation, Mash came to face a sight she most certainly hadn't anticipated.

'

Brynhildr was floating in midair, holding her spear, now drastically changed. Originally, it had been roughly as long as the Valkyrie was tall, yet it was currently roughly three times as large, with a length between five and six meters. But it still paled in comparison to the other surprise. Since her summoning, her expression had remained extremely passive, only hardening slightly during combat. Yet now...

'

Brynhildr was smiling. But it wasn't a smile expressing happiness or compassion. Mash couldn't place a proper emotion to match it, yet she found it... unsettling, frightening for some reason. Without warning, blue flames emerged from the Lancer's body, enveloping both her and the spear. The pressure of the magical energy around her intensified as Brynhildr flipped her spear, as if it was as light as ever, aiming its tip straight towards the still healing Heracles. Coated with flames, with the frightening smile on her face, she spoke:

'

"Brynhildr Romantia! [Until Death Divide the Two Apart]"

'

'

---

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'

'

"And you're absolutely sure that it's fine for me to use that command?"

'

"As I stated, I have no problem with it. Strategically speaking, it's effectively the best command you could use on me."

'

As Mash was busy keeping Berserker distracted, Ritsuka was occupied with explaining to Brynhildr her part in the plan. And while it was going well, the Master couldn't help but to be bothered by her own part in it. She had planned to use a Command Spell to maximize the effectiveness of the Lancer's Noble Phantasm, something that, according to the Servant, would work extremely well. Yet the command itself... felt wrong to say the least. And while that was the reason it was so effective, it was also absurdly cruel...

'

Despite all that, Brynhildr had still been completely fine with using it, something that baffled Ritsuka. In all honesty, she would have wanted to find another option, but there was simply no time. She had promised Mash that they would take 30 seconds tops, and she wouldn't let her down. "Alright, please get ready to-"

'

BOOM

'

Interrupted by another explosion, Ritsuka winced as her eardrums cried out. In all honesty, she was getting really sick of this Archer. While Brynhildr had enhanced the barrier Caster had put up while listening to her explanation, that didn't seem to stop the bowman from bombarding both them and the other group. Though she had noticed that the high power shots had definitely decreased. Well, it only made sense. Archer didn't have unlimited magical energy, so he was probably saving his strongest arrows for the best possible moment. "...Like I was about to say, please get ready to attack. I'll check in with Caster to coordinate our assaults."

'

Nodding in acknowledgement, Brynhildr moved out quickly, positioning herself a few buildings away from the battle to be both close enough to effectively attack, and far enough to not attract Heracles' attention. Good, everything was going well. Now she just needed to- "And you're absolutely sure this is going to work?"

'

Ritsuka held herself back from yelping as an unexpected voice suddenly spoke up behind her. "Director!? You're, uh... alright?" She was surprised to say the least. For the last few minutes Olga Marie had been crouching on the ground, appearing as if end times were upon them. She was still clearly nervous, but at least seemed rational for now.

'

"Of course I am!" the Director huffed in her usual tone, though it quickly melted away, worry taking over. "...I've been listening. So, are you sure this is going to work?"

'

"...Pretty sure." Judging from the disbelieving glare she received, Olga Marie would need a bit more than that. "Out of everything I can think of, this has the highest chance of success, so we can only try our hardest and hope for the best..." That seemed to have done the trick. While the Director looked far from happy, she at least appeared to be somewhat satisfied with the answer.

'

The situation in battle however, was far from ideal. Ritsuka grimaced internally as she saw Mash just barely dodging Berserker's punch, the giant man collapsing a building on top of himself as a result. It thankfully bought the Shielder a precious few seconds of breathing room, but that was it, Heracles was soon back in action and immediately charged her. Ritsuka was getting quite anxious at this point. The deadline she had promised Mash was fast approaching, yet Caster hadn't commenced his attack. Was he waiting for something specific, or...

'

"(Oy, Master. Get ready to act and keep your eyes on young lady.)"

'

...And there it was. This man really had some astounding timing. But... that last part really stuck with Ritsuka. Keep her eyes on Mash? Not on either him or Brynhildr? Granted, she couldn't see him in the first place, thanks to a rune most likely, but it was still a bit odd. Why was it so important for her to watch Mash getting thrown around? Heracles had just landed another kick, sending her flying backwards, though thankfully she managed to block it once again, so-!

'

Ritsuka could feel her nerves straining. Berserker had just jumped while Mash was still recovering from the kick, unable to see the giant man due to her shield being in the way. He was planning to stomp on her, and the Master doubted that the already exhausted Demi-Servant could handle the impact.

'

Firing up her magic circuits, Ritsuka placed all of her focus on Mash. She had to seriously thank Caster, even if his advice was as low on details as usual. Without him, she would've kept her focus on Brynhildr, being most likely far too late to actually help Mash. Just as the Shielder began looking around, Ritsuka released the Emergency Evasion from her Mystic Code, hoping that it would be enough to let Mash dodge the oncoming attack and-

'

What followed happened so quickly that Ritsuka barely had time to comprehend it all. Just as she used her spell, a large number of runes appeared below Mash's feet, lighting up the ground. And as the Demi-Servant escaped in a blur, they exploded just as Heracles hit the ground, creating a giant pillar of flame. Once the pillar died down, only a burning corpse remained in its place, large chunks of the body missing due to the force of the blast... This was it, then!

'

Feeling a slight burning sensation on the back of her hand, Ritsuka fully focused on the connection between Brynhildr and herself. From the glowing on her spear, she had definitely finished enhancing it, which meant everything was ready. All she would need to do was use the Command Spell and... No! She couldn't get emotional now! If she missed this chance, they wouldn't be able to get another one!

'

Pushing her feelings aside, the Command Spell on Ritsuka's hand began to glow as she gave her order: "With my Command Spell, I order you! Brynhildr! Slay the great hero!"

'

The results were both immediate and breathtaking. The very air around the Valkyrie changed as her spear began to grow and she floated upwards while chanting. "Love. Hate." First doubling, then tripling in size, becoming something closer to a light pole than a polearm when it came to mass. "Love. Hate." The Master felt another pang of guilt as Brynhildr's chant began to intensify. With the order from the Command Spell, there was no doubt that the Lancer now saw Heracles as a hero to be loved by her. Well, she had said that she naturally possessed at least some amount of love for all heroes, it was simply increased with the command. Though that didn't exactly make her feel any better. "Love. Love. Love, love, love―" The spectacle was so enticing that Ritsuka couldn't focus on anything but it, that is, until Brynhildr flared up like an inferno.

'

As the raging, blue flames erupted from her Servant's body, Ritsuka immediately felt a powerful pulling sensation running through her magic circuits. She had felt similar during earlier battles, but nothing this strong, meaning Brynhildr was drawing a lot of magical energy from her. Well, she really shouldn't be surprised. After all, this was the first time a Servant she had a proper contract with had used their Noble Phantasm. Something like this should only be expected from something that powerful. She would just have to deal with it.

'

As Brynhildr flipped her massive spear as easily as ever, Ritsuka prepared to further boost her with the Mystic Code. They needed to finish this with a single shot, so putting as much power as possible into the attack was a must. Waiting in anticipation for the moment, the tip of the spear pointed straight towards the smoking Heracles, and:

'

"Brynhildr Romantia! [Until Death Divide the Two Apart]"

'

The flames erupted all around the massive spear, most notably at the base of the blade and the butt, propelling it and its owner forward like a rocket. Seeing this, Ritsuka fired off her Mystic Code's Momentary Reinforcement, further adding to the attack's destructive power. And as Brynhildr charged towards the still smoldering giant, the Master had a tiny bit of hope that they could finish this off with no resistance. And then Heracles' eyes began to glow.

'

The once empty sockets erupted into life as red, blazing irises focused towards the approaching foe. His skin, originally somewhere between black and gray, shone red as Heracles rose to confront the attack, no trace of the burning damage to be seen. As Brynhildr drew closer, he raised his massive arms right towards her, as if to...

'

"He's," Ritsuka muttered, staring at his stance in disbelief. "He's not seriously going to..."

'

SLAM

'

Much to the shock of everyone watching, as soon as Brynhildr entered into melee range, Heracles slammed his open palms together, catching her spear's blade from the sides. Ritsuka even heard the Director letting out a terrified yelp behind her. Though as absurd as that had been, while he had managed to stop the spear from piercing him, Berserker was unable to stop the massive amount of kinetic energy behind the charge, his massive body being pushed backwards even as his grip held. His feet dug into the earth, leaving large trenches into the street as Heracles attempted to stop the Noble Phantasm. His hands burned from the blue flames, yet the giant warrior persevered with a roar.

'

"Holy shit. Leave it to Heracles..." Even though he was an unbelievably deadly enemy, Ritsuka couldn't help but to admire Berserker, not only for his absurd strength, but for the fact that despite being essentially a beast, he still had the skill required to catch the spear. Once she first saw him catch it, she had been dreadfully worried, horrified that the entire plan was a bust. But then she felt the pulling on her magic circuits growing even stronger, realizing Brynhildr was far from done.

'

"Reach!"

'

As Brynhildr screamed out, her blue flames, as if they had just been warming up, flared with a sudden burst of energy, propelling her forward even faster. Along with the speed, the heat had also increased tremendously, spreading the flames from Heracles' hands to his forearms.

'

"Reach!"

'

If Heracles hadn't been maddened, it was quite possible that even the great hero would've been shaken by the Valkyrie's absurdly intense fervor. The Command Spell was certainly fulfilling its purpose as Brynhildr's frenzied visage could've fooled anyone into believing that she was a Berserker herself, maddened eyes locked on to the hero in front of her.

'

"REACH, MY BRYNHILDR ROMANTIA!"

'

One final time, Brynhildr's flames intensified, blasting her and the spear forward in a blazing burst.

'

And that was finally enough.

'

Already weakened by the constant burning, Heracles' fingers shattered from the burst, leaving him unable to hold the spear back any longer. The massive blade, about as long as a person was tall, pierced right through the Berserker's chest, impaling him. Immediately on contact, the flames spread throughout his whole body, completely enveloping his form. Yet despite clear contact, Brynhildr wasn't slowing down, continuing to push the now impaled Heracles as she dashed forward like a comet. Leaving behind a trail of burned asphalt, the spear finally crashed into the wall of a building, resulting in a massive explosion of flame.

'

"Please tell me that did it," Olga Marie prayed, giving voice to Ritsuka's hopes as well. If Heracles managed to survive this... she really had no idea what they could even do at that point. As the Master waited for the flames to die out, she gave a quick glance to the area Mash had run to earlier, thankfully finding the girl to be safe, though just as astonished as the rest of them. And as the flames began to fade away...

'

"▂▂▂▃▃▃▅▅▅!"

'

"No no no, come on! How much punishment can this monster take!?"

'

Ritsuka felt her blood turn cold as the Director screamed next to her. He was still on fire and Brynhildr's spear continued impaling him, yet Heracles was clearly alive and trying to fight back. She... what could they do? Should she use the other Command Spells? Ask Caster to try using his Noble Phantasm? Would that be enough? But she had no idea how many lives he had lost and how many he had left. Crap crap crap, she had to do something! Just think of something! Quickly before he has a chance to-

'

"Haaa!"

'

Snapped out of her panicked planning by a cry, Ritsuka watched as Brynhildr lifted her spear astonishingly quickly, splitting Heracles' upper body in half with the slash, and...

'

The formerly glowing eyes lost their light, becoming empty sockets as the split torso slumped to the side... The area grew quiet, the only audible sound the endless crackling of fire as everyone waited. And waited. And waited. And... sparkles of golden light took over the grey body, dancing around it for a few seconds before the entire corpse shattered into identical particles, fading away. As the golden cloud faded away, a single, colorful object fell out of it, clinking gently as it made contact with the ground...

'

A piece of Saint Quartz...

'

No one said anything for the next few seconds, just staying still and trying to comprehend what had just occurred. And then, an overwhelming sense of relief came over Ritsuka.

'

"It... worked?" Olga Marie muttered, still in disbelief over the last few seconds, until reality started sinking in. As her doubt turned into a smile, she looked just as relieved as Ritsuka felt. "Oh, thank God, it worked!"

'

As the Director cheered, Ritsuka sat down, exhaustion taking over now that the adrenaline started wearing off. This whole thing had taken a lot out of her both physically and emotionally, especially Brynhildr's Noble Phantasm, but at least she could now take a breather. Turning to her relieved boss, she-

'

In the instant she turned her head, Ritsuka saw a light shining behind Olga Marie. The light of another arrow. At a glance, she could tell it was more powerful than any she had seen thus far, quite likely able to pierce the barrier Caster had set up.

'

Ah. That's right. Now that Berserker went down, with both Mash and Brynhildr away from them, and the relieved atmosphere, it was the absolute perfect opportunity for Archer to strike... It was the last thing Ritsuka could think of before the area was swallowed by light.

'

A flash that blinded her and a booming explosion that stunned her eardrums... If it weren't for the sensation of the building collapsing under her, Ritsuka would've been sure she had died instantly. Even as she felt wind rushing against her skin, revealing she was airborne, the redhead couldn't focus on trying to do anything due to her overly assaulted senses. Even with her eyes closed, all she could see was white, and just trying to open them sent a sting of pain running through them. Her ears fared about as well. As she had instinctively slapped her hands over them, even though it was clearly far too late for that, she could feel something wet trickling down her palms. Great, blood most likely.

'

...And then she felt her feet hitting the ground, except unlike what she had expected, the feeling was soft and she felt something pressing on her back over the pack she was carrying. Apparently she didn't have to worry about being killed by falling, so that was nice at least. She was still blinded and her ears were ringing like an alarm bell, but since she wasn't dead, someone had most likely saved her, though she currently lacked the mental stability to guess who.

'

Ritsuka could feel herself being lowered into a sitting position and hear something faint over the endless ringing, then, a strange feeling on her back. Someone had taken off the backpack and touched the back of her neck, making her feel... clearer. Rune no doubt. Those things could do basically anything, so basic healing like this would be no issue. As the effect grew stronger, the stinging in her eyes eased up, letting her see things beside whiteness, while the ringing in her ears lessened, allowing her to hear a bit.

'

"...ai...e yo...ight...ar me..."

While picking up what was most likely speech, Ritsuka could see something moving in front of her. Shapes were still hard to distinguish, but judging by the colors, it was Mash. Of course, with what had happened, she was definitely worried sick. Ugh, she had seriously just caused the poor Shielder more to worry about. She'd need to clear herself quickly, or the worrying would only get worse.

'

"...leas...spond...npai..."

'

Yup. Definitely Mash. Ritsuka still couldn't hear properly, but she had to at least answer, to calm the girl down if nothing else. "...No need... to worry, Mash... I'm just... a bit dazed... I'll be fine..." She could only hope that sounded natural, considering she could barely even hear herself speak due to the lingering ringing.

'

Seeing Mash move back a little, or at least she thought she did, Ritsuka closed her eyes again, hoping to ease her pounding head just a little. She could feel her tinnitus subsiding by the second, so the healing was at least working, and after a short while she could at least make out the words of the speakers. "That should just about do it. Oy Master, open your eyes if you're alive."

'

Yup, it was Caster like she had expected. Doing as she was told, Ritsuka lifted her eyelids to peek at the still blurry, but at least discernible scenery. As she had feared, Mash was crouching down next to her, looking worried. She could also spot the Director to her right, so she was thankfully fine too. Though judging from the Valkyrie crouching behind her, her ears had taken a shock as well. Considering how both Mash and Brynhildr had been a bit farther away during the explosion, it was pretty easy to guess that the missing member of the group had come to their rescue. "So, you're the one who saved us, right Caster?"

'

"Yeah. Figured that the bastard would try something when Berserker was going down, so I snuck a bit closer. Unfortunately, didn't expect him to fire that heavy a shot. Damn thing blasted right through my old barrier, and while I quickly made another one to shield you from the blast, I didn't have time to stop the light or the sound. Unfortunately, you were vigilant, Master, so you ended up looking right at the explosion and got your eyes screwed up."

'

Vigilant wasn't really the right word. She'd just happened to see the oncoming arrow as she turned towards Olga Marie. Well, if that was everything that happened, Ritsuka could still deal with it. "And now?"

'

"He's shot quite a few strong ones during the fight, so I doubt he's got that much mana left. Though you never really know with this guy. He might still have something sneaky tucked away."

'

True enough. Ritsuka was honestly impressed that Archer actually had enough power to shoot all of those powerful arrows. Who the hell was this guy anyway? Those arrows of his didn't match any legend she'd heard of.

'

"...Senpai... are you really fine?" Mash asked meekly. Just from her tone and expression, Ritsuka could guess what she was thinking. "...I'm sorry... Once again, I-"

'

"Mash, what were you doing right before Archer's attack?" As the girl in question looked at her in surprise, Ritsuka returned the look as seriously as she could. She was putting an end to this self berating before it could even begin. "Because unless my memory got damaged by that explosion, I'm pretty sure you were just following my directions again."

'

...No response. While Mash looked as if she was trying to come up with something, some way to make it seem like this was her fault, Ritsuka's words had the desired effect of striking hesitation into her. "...Mash, I know you're earnestly trying to do as much as possible, but you can't blame yourself for things that are out of your control. You did an admirable job distracting Heracles while the rest of us prepared for the attack, so please don't think of yourself as worthless. In my eyes at least, you're an invaluable partner."

'

There was no answer, but Ritsuka's vision had already recovered to the point where she could tell Mash looked quite flustered, color rising to her cheeks. Honestly, she felt quite embarrassed herself. She had wanted to both speak truthfully and make Mash feel better, but that last part in particular had come off as, well... quite intimate. Ugh, the redhead couldn't even look her in the eye right now, mostly out of fear that her face might match her hair if she did so. All she could do was wait for the mood to shift...

'

...Oh God, why was no one saying anything? It had been nearly ten seconds since she finished her sentence. In her head, Ritsuka begged for anyone to break the painfully awkward silence, even if it was something dumb. Hell, she'd take Archer shooting another arrow at them at this point.

'

Thankfully her prayers were finally answered by Romani on his projected screen. "...Uhh, but yes, she's right, Mash. You did well and while she's a bit dazed, Ritsuka will be just fine too. There is no need to beat yourself up."

'

"...Alright, if you both say so."

'

While Mash didn't sound quite as convinced as she would've liked, Ritsuka was happy that they'd at least managed to ease her worries somewhat. And at least it had given them something to talk about while she healed. The ringing was barely noticeable at this point and her vision seemed perfectly fine too, which meant that her break was over. "Now then, what do we do about Archer?"

'

"My recommendation," Caster replied, pointing towards the northwest with his staff. "Direct assault. Me and Lancer head over, destroy any arrows he shoots our way and finish him off, while young lady keeps the two of you safe."

'

Ritsuka began mulling over the suggestion, thankful that she could now think clearly without the noise. The plan was extremely simple. Simple, but it would most likely work. Like Caster had said, Archer should've been low on mana at this point, preventing him from shooting anything too powerful at them. And even if he did, both Brynhildr and Cú had proven to be able to deal with them. The two Servants were both also quicker on their feet than Mash, making them much more suited for the assault, while Mash excelled at defense. As for herself and the Director, well, dragging them around would just make things harder for the Servants, so it'd be better if they just waited in a singular location while the two finished off Archer. "...Yes, I agree with that strategy. Any objections?"

'

"None," Brynhildr confirmed, now standing straight, seemingly finished with healing Olga Marie's ears.

'

Mash however, seemed hesitant. "...Are, are you sure it's fine to leave me alone to protect both the Director and Senpai? Unlike the two of you, I doubt I can block one of Archer's stronger arrows..."

'

"Nah, there's nothing to worry about," Caster noted nonchalantly, as if this wasn't a battle to the death. "He shouldn't have anything too strong left, plus, since we're heading straight for him, me and the Valkyrie can stop anything coming our way." In response to the statement, Brynhildr nodded in agreement, the gesture directed at Mash more than anyone. "And if he tries to get tricky and shoots a long, curved shot, you'll have time to move both of the ladies out of the way before it hits."

'

Caster was making some good, informative points for a change, something that Ritsuka was especially thankful for. Mash's earlier hesitation had disappeared almost completely, with the Shielder even appearing a bit confident. "Very well. Senpai, I promise to keep both you and the Director safe with all my strength."

'

"And I know that you'll keep it." Things were finally looking a bit better, mostly on Mash's part. Ritsuka was just glad that they'd managed to avoid another scenario of the Demi-Servant doubting herself. "Well, if there's nothing else, let's get ready to finish off-"

'

"Actually," Roman suddenly interrupted, giving the Master an uncomfortable feeling for some reason. "I do have something that needs addressing. Ritsuka, how are you holding out? And I mean aside from the whole exploding building thing." Ugh, so that's what it was. "Your vitals have dropped a bit, though not anywhere close to being dangerous. You've been through quite a bit of activity, both physical and magical, in a short period of time, so it's not really surprising. I just want to make sure that you're not working yourself too hard."

'

Yeah, she really should've seen this coming. As Romani spoke, Mash turned to Ritsuka, her expression a tad worried. Now really wasn't the time for something like this. "I'll be fine. It's true that I'm a bit tired, but I can hold out for a proper break until we finish things with Archer."

'

Honestly, she really wasn't feeling all that well. The running she could handle, so that wasn't an issue, but two far more glaring problems were present.

'

First: Her magical energy was running somewhat low. The main culprit was obvious, Brynhildr had gone pretty wild with both her spear and the flames, which had taken a lot from her. Mash had also drawn quite a bit, using a lot of mana to guard against Heracles' blows. Then there were the Mystic Code's spells, which didn't take too much power thanks to the structure of the garment, but did add up over time.

'

Second: While she tried to keep calm and be quiet about it, Ritsuka was really, really hungry. Her eating schedule had been blasted to hell and back at this point. On the flight over, she had been given a few simple sandwiches and some water, while in Chaldea, all she had eaten was the piece of cake and tea Roman had offered her. She would've loved nothing more than to open the backpack and wolf down her own portion of the food, but there really wasn't any time right now.

'

The Doctor didn't seem fully convinced, but thankfully didn't push the issue any further. "...Alright, if you say so."

'

"And that's our que, then."

'

Before anyone else could say a word, Caster had already jumped away, moving across the rooftops with astonishing speed. Brynhildr gave Ritsuka a quick nod of acknowledgement before dashing after the druid, catching up to him in no time. It was now up to them.

'

As the Master looked at the receding backs of the two Servants, she moved a bit closer to the still quiet Director, motioning the Shielder to do the same. "...Mash, while I hope it's not necessary, please be on your guard. We don't know if Archer will focus solely on Cú and Brynhildr, or if he'll try to take us down with him."

'

"Yes, Senpai." Positioning herself between the two and Archer's line of fire, Mash raised her shield in preparation for any possible attacks.

'

Though now that there really wasn't anything else to talk about, Ritsuka couldn't help but to focus her attention on uncharacteristically quiet Olga Marie. She hadn't said anything since they'd been rescued from the exploding building, or at least the Master hadn't heard any words. "...Umm... Director? Are... you alright?"

'

In response to her voice, Olga Marie turned to Ritsuka with a slight frown. Though it noticeably lacked her usual bite. "I'm fine, just... recovering from the tinnitus. Keep your focus on the target! Archer isn't down yet!"

'

"Yes, ma'am." Ritsuka was well aware that the tinnitus should already be completely gone, but kept quiet since the Director would most likely get angry if she mentioned it. The real explanation for her mood was more than likely the near death experience, or, to put it more accurately considering everything thus far, the nearest death experience. After all, Ritsuka had genuinely thought she had died for a second, and the white haired woman had quite possibly too. Considering her status, Olga Marie definitely had more worries than the Master, meaning much more regrets left behind in the case she had died...

'

Before she could go any further, Ritsuka shook her head in an attempt to focus back on the situation at hand. Ugh, that thought process was heading into way too dark places. There was a time and a place for wallowing in these types of thoughts and this was neither. She just had to stay in the present and hope that Archer wouldn't try anything crazy.

'

'

---

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---

'

'

They had actually done it.

'

Archer almost couldn't believe his eyes when Berserker began to fade away, yet it was the undeniable reality of the situation. While Heracles had been far from top form, managing to take at least four of his lives was impressive. Even if it had been enhanced by a Command Spell, that Lancer's Noble Phantasm had been something he hadn't expected.

'

While he didn't take pride in many things, when it came to analyzing weapons Archer considered himself to rank quite highly among all possible Servants, and that spear, without a doubt, was something specifically meant for killing heroes. And considering Berserker's true identity, it would be extremely effective against him. A fine trump card indeed.

'

Looking at the two Servants heading his way, Archer was well aware of the outcome of this battle. He was going to die, no way around it. He had hoped to finish off the Master with Caladbolg, but Caster had managed to anticipate it and saved her, making him ultimately waste his little remaining mana. Considering how many Broken Phantasms he had fired up to this point, he had enough power left to fire a few dozen regular arrows and a single powerful one. And he knew exactly what to use it for.

'

Firing off a quick burst of arrows at the attackers, Archer did his best to put up a convincing performance. There would be little point in running away, since both Caster and Lancer were definitely fast enough to catch up to him, making escaping nothing but a waste of time and energy. And no matter what, he doubted he would be able to kill the quick footed rune users even with his most powerful weapons. They would either dodge them or use a combination of runes to survive the blast. There was no point in trying to attack them, which is why he chose a different target.

'

The Servant with the shield and the two humans had stayed close to the spot where they fought Berserker, making them prime targets for his final assault. While the Servant had yet to use her Noble Phantasm, her battle earlier had proved that even without it her defense was extremely solid, meaning that no halfhearted attack would be enough to break through it. Which was precisely why Archer was going to hit her with everything he had.

'

While firing more arrows at the approaching Servants, his real focus lay in calculating both the time needed for the projection and the best firing spot. The location had to be far enough to prevent Caster and Lancer from interfering with its line of fire, yet straight enough to keep the remaining Servant from escaping with the humans. There were no second chances or do-overs, it had to go perfectly.

'

And then he spotted it. By jumping off the western edge of the building and firing midair, he would be in a perfect position. Plus, considering the result, there was no reason for him to worry about landing.

'

Focusing on the image of the weapon in mind, Archer activated his magic circuits. Moving his gaze on the target, both his body and mind were fully prepared now.

'

He would give the shield-bearing Servant two options: To either die with her Master, or to unleash the power of her shield to save them.

'

"Trace On."

'

As Archer focused most of his remaining mana into this final projection, he felt his magic circuits crying out, most of them burning out instantly. His Spiritual Core was damaged severely, giving him less than a minute before fading away. Yet it would be enough to fire off this one last shot. As he held the 'arrow' in his hand, its nostalgic form and power nearly made him lose focus, but thankfully the pain of the projection kept him in the present.

'

Moving his eyes on the two assaulters, Archer was quite pleased to see their shocked expressions, especially Caster's. Though surprise soon faded from his old foe's face, replaced by frustration, which Archer replied to with a smirk. Cú Chulainn was well aware of what he was planning to do, yet was unable to stop it. Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't try, seeing how he was already accelerating towards the bowman, but it was simply too late.

'

Jumping off the western edge of the roof, Archer locked onto his target and drew his bow to the limit. Both the weapon and his arms screamed due to the enormous pressure the 'arrow' radiated, but he used his little remaining mana to strengthen them to endure his shot. He would fade away before hitting the ground anyway, so there was no point in saving it.

'

His targets had definitely realized just what they were up against by now, and judging by their reactions, greatly doubting their chances. The white haired mage that had remained sitting quietly for a while now regained the earlier dread in her eyes. The shield-bearing Servant peered over her armament, fear now dominating her features. Yet the Master, while clearly distressed, remained abnormally calm, saying something to her Servant. Archer could only wonder if the red haired woman was simply deranged or if there was some reason for her behavior. Well, only one way to find out.

'

Even if his final arrow was simply a shoddily made imitation, it was not something that could be stopped without something extremely powerful, something far above what the Servant girl had shown during the last battles.

'

The instant Archer released his arrow, both his bow and right arm shattered like glass, his body reaching its limit. He would vanish in just a few seconds, yet it was long enough to see the fate of these outsiders.

'

"Now then, will you vanish here, or will you show me the reason the Mage of Flowers chose you?"

'

With these final thoughts, Archer watched as the great, golden sword tore through the air, heading straight towards the cross-shaped shield and the girl holding it.

'

'

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---

'

'

When the bright, golden light had first begun to shine from Archer's location, Mash had been captivated by it. The light had seemed so pure, like a torrent of life given form. Yet as she and the two behind her realized that it was a weapon aimed right at them, that captivation was replaced by dread.

'

"Just what is he...!? Is he seriously going to shoot something like that at us!?" Olga Marie shrieked in terror, her legs shaking far too much to allow her to stand.

'

"You need to get out of there right now!" Yelling over the commline, Romani sounded just as distressed. With the observational equipment, he could probably tell even better than them just how powerful the attack was. "Mash! Grab the Director and Ritsuka and run! You might still make it if-"

'

"No. That's not something we can run from..." Ritsuka interrupted with an absurdly calm tone, yet the weight of her words revealed just how anxious she was. "Not only would Archer adjust his aim if we tried to escape, but the blast radius on that thing is massive. There's no way to evade it..."

'

Yes, Mash had felt like that as soon as the light was targeted at them, but this just confirmed it. That light would swallow everything up, leaving nothing in its wake. Neither Cú Chulainn or Brynhildr could stop it at this point, leaving them with no hope for survival. Her shield might as well be paper against that thing. There was nothing they could do to-

'

Out of nowhere, a firm hand was placed on Mash's shoulder, prompting her to turn around in surprise. Ritsuka stood right behind her, looking at her as level headed as ever. Ah, that's right, Senpai was here. If it was her, then everything would be fine. Surely she had some way to save them, a plan to survive the attack. Something that-

'

"...Mash." The Shielder's thoughts froze with that first word. Even as she appeared calm, Ritsuka's voice sounded unbelievably fragile, unlike anything Mash had heard from her up to that point. Her eyes too, seemed to almost be pleading. "I'm sorry, but all I can do right now is give you as much magical energy as I can, the rest is up to you..."

'

For a moment, Mash was confused. Why was Senpai saying something like that? Up until now, Ritsuka had always given her precise instructions and saved her from time to time by using the spells on her Mystic Code. If she couldn't protect her, what hope would Mash have of accomplishing anything...?

'

"Remember what Caster said: 'A Noble Phantasm is a Heroic Spirit's instinct. It's your own self.' And don't forget, you're a Shielder. You're not supposed to fight that light to win, but to survive. To protect. If you put your faith in it, I'm sure that that shield will respond to your feelings."

'

And with that, Mash finally realized what had been wrong. It was neither anything her Master had said, or some mystery with her Noble Phantasm. It was her own feelings on the matter.

'

...Why did she think that Ritsuka would be protecting her? She had the whole thing backwards. She wasn't a Servant, she was her Master, and while she could support her, Mash was the one who was supposed to protect Ritsuka. Even if she wasn't a hero, she was still Ritsuka's Servant!

'

A sudden burst of energy shook the air around the city. Archer had released his arrow. Judging by the previous shots, it would only take a second or two to reach them, and that would be the end... Unless!

'

Yes. Ritsuka had been right once again, there really was no other option. Gripping her shield tightly, Mash focused every single bit of magical energy she could into it. Use it... She had to use it! She had to protect... To unleash her Noble Phantasm now, or everyone would-!

'

Even if it's fake, even if it's just this once!
If she didn't unleash it properly, everyone would die!

'

"Ahhhhhhhh —!"

'

As Mash placed every bit of faith she had in it, her shield began to glow. In contrast to the blinding, golden light, it was a calm, soothing blue. Expanding outward, the light formed into sigil with a cross at its center, and grew to cover the entire building they were standing on. Mash could just barely comprehend what was happening, overwhelmed by the new sensation, but as soon as Archer's attack collided with her shield, she felt her focus return to her task. The arrow was strong and her shield was burning through magical energy at an alarming rate, yet she could feel it rapidly being replaced through the hand still on her shoulder.

'

Yes, that's right. With Senpai right behind her, supporting her, she wouldn't fail. And more than anything, since she was behind her, Mash couldn't afford to fail!

'

As she gave one last push against the arrow with her shield, a blinding light overtook the area, and... it was gone. Her shield, her Noble Phantasm, was still there, yet the golden weapon that Archer had launched was nowhere to be seen. All Mash could see in front of her was a massive crater, yet the building they were standing on was the same as before. Had she... Just now... did she...?

'

"...She did it..."

'

Hearing the Director softly mumbling behind her, Mash's question was confirmed before she could even voice it. So... it really was over. She had activated her Noble Phantasm and faced off against Archer's attack... and survived. Protected. The attack was over, and everyone was safe...

'

"Fou, fooooouuuu!"

'

Seeing her little friend barking on the ground and feeling the hand still on her shoulder removed the last doubts the Shielder held of the situation. A foreign feeling of elation rose inside of her. She really, actually did it. Not only had she protected Senpai, but she could now be overall more useful to her thanks to unlocking her Noble Phantasm! Even if she hadn't learned its true name, it was still something!

'

"...Good... good job, Mash... I knew you could do it..."

'

Hearing Ritsuka speak so close to her ear with such a quiet voice made Mash feel a bit fidgety, but it was calming in its own way to know that she was right behind-

'

"Ah!"

'

Suddenly, Mash felt a lot more weight being placed on her shoulders, and it didn't take much to figure out what it was. Instead of just her hand, she felt Ritsuka's entire body resting against her back, the Master's arms falling over her shoulders. ...Was this a hug? Was Senpai hugging her? Well, certainly in a situation like this, it wasn't completely unusual to congratulate someone with a hug, yet Mash didn't know what to feel. It was just so sudden. The weight on her back made her both happy and kind of embarrassed. But it also felt so warm and she didn't really want it to stop... "...Ah, um... Senpai? I'm also happy that I managed to unleash my Noble Phantasm, but could you give me a bit of a warning-"

'

"Woahwoahwoah! Ritsuka, are you alright!?"

'

Hearing the Doctor calling out so suddenly, Mash didn't immediately register what he had said, her thoughts still jumbled over the unexpected hug. Yet when she heard Ritsuka's breathing by her ear, she realized what was wrong.

'

It was strained. Very strained.

'

"She's looking really pale!" The Director called from her side, raising Mash's concern to the max. She hadn't thought about it at the moment, but Ritsuka was leaning against her with her full bodyweight, something that she knew, even with her limited experience, was not exactly common when hugging. "Mash, help me support her!"

'

As Olga Marie helped move Ritsuka's arms from her shoulders, Mash finally got to see her face, and it just made her more worried. Like the Director had said, she was very pale and sweat was dripping down her face as the Master continued breathing strenuously.

'

"Senpai! Can you hear me!?" Mash called out, only receiving confirmation when Ritsuka's pupils focused on her through squinted eyes, but no words were spoken as she continued her arduous breathing. "What's wrong with her!? Did... did she get hit somehow, or...!?"

'

"Of course not, she was right behind you, and you blocked the attack completely," Olga Marie retorted quickly, making Mash realize the irrationality of her question. Of course it didn't make sense for her to get hit if everything else had been left unharmed. "She's just running low on mana after supporting two Noble Phantasms so close to each other." For a moment, the Director looked frustrated once again, only for it to be replaced by a sad concession. "But as much as I would like to chide her, there really weren't any other options but to use them in both situations..."

'

Ah! Yes, that would explain it. But even if Mash had figured out the reason, it also made her feel worse. She had definitely been low on mana after burning through it to defend against Heracles' attacks, so when using her Noble Phantasm, she had drawn quite a bit from Ritsuka... And even if her Master had told her to do it, this kind of result was still-

'

"And before you start blaming yourself!" Olga Marie called out sharply, focusing Mash's attention back on her. "Lancer was the one who used most of it. That much was needed when bringing down Berserker. And think about the alternative. If you hadn't drawn mana from her, you would've been unable to use your Noble Phantasm and we would all be dead. No matter how you look at it, this was the right call."

'

...She was right. There really weren't any alternatives, Mash understood that well, yet it didn't make her feel any better. "...Doctor, is Senpai in any notable danger?"

'

"No. She didn't burn her circuits or anything like that, so there's no serious or permanent damage. She's just extremely exhausted." That was good at the very least. Now that the only remaining enemy was Saber, they could most likely take a break to give Ritsuka time to recover. "She needs to rest and eat something, as well as get some water. You should have everything you need with the supplies we sent you."

'

Ah, that's right. The backpack that'd been taken off of Ritsuka earlier was still lying on the roof. Noticing the bag a few meters away, Mash moved out to get it. "Excuse me, Director? Would you mind holding Senpai for a bit?"

'

"Yeah, yeah. Just go and fetch it."

'

After making sure that Olga Marie had a proper hold of Ritsuka, Mash moved to the bag and opened it, bringing out one of the water bottles. Though as she turned back, she noticed that the Director was having some trouble holding her Master up. While she had a good hold under Ritsuka's arms, both her arms and legs were shaking slightly. In hindsight, it really wasn't that surprising. Given how she was almost a head taller than her and possessed such a muscular build, Mash doubted she could've held her Senpai up without her Servant powers.

'

"H-help me sit her down," Olga Marie grunted, just about ready to fall over as Mash got to her. As they lowered Ritsuka on the ground, Mash opened the bottle while the Director kept her upright.

'

"Senpai, can you hear me? I have some water here."

'

Though she was still breathing quite heavily, Ritsuka raised her head a bit to be able to drink better. "...Yeah-huff, thanks... Mash..."

'

As Ritsuka brought the bottle to her mouth, Mash kept one of her hands on it to make sure she wouldn't drop it. Though as the redhead actually drank from it, the Shielder was surprised how nearly half of the half liter bottle was gone in a few gulps.

'

"Ahhh, that's-huff much better... already." While her breathing wasn't completely even yet, it really did seem that some water had helped Ritsuka. Thinking about it, her throat must've been awfully dry considering this was the first bit of water she'd had since coming to the Singularity. Adding the extremely dry air and all the running, Mash was honestly impressed she wasn't suffering from severe dehydration. And on that note...

'

"Hand me one of those too, would you?" Olga Marie asked, holding out her hand. Yes, she too must've been quite parched. Not wasting any time, Mash handed the requested item to her, which the Director popped open and began drinking too. Breathing out in relief, she seemed quite satisfied for a change. "Finally, a proper break. I lost count of how many times I almost died."

'

"...Seven on my end..." Ritsuka answered... shockingly seriously to what may have been a joke. At least color was returning to her face. "Oh, they're-huff back too."

'

Feeling the two approaching presenses before even turning, Mash watched as the two remaining members of the group returned from their mission. Caster appeared to be somewhere between happy and embarrassed as he landed on the roof, rubbing his neck. "Damn, you look like hell, Master."

'

"And whose fault do you think that is?" Olga Marie snapped, glaring at the druid.

'

"Yeah... Really sorry about that. I honestly didn't expect the bastard to pull a suicide move like that. I seriously should've." At least appearing genuinely sorry, Caster presented the group with another piece of Saint Quartz. "Though since you made it through in one piece and we did bring back some slight spoils, I'd call this a win."

'

"A win!? Do you have any idea how close we were to dying!?"

'

"Pretty," Caster admitted in a tone so nonchalant that the Director looked just about ready to burst a vein in her forehead. "But you didn't. Young lady really pulled through on you." Turning to Mash for a change, the usual grin now spread on Cú Chulainn's lips. "You already praised her, right Ritsuka? This young lady here is without question, a first-rate Heroic Spirit."

'

First rate... Mash felt heat rising to her cheeks due to the sudden, exaggerated comment. While it was true that Mash had managed to block Archer's final arrow, calling her first-rate was far too much.

'

"Of... course," Ritsuka nodded, only adding to the Shielder's embarrassment. "I knew she'd-huff be able to do it if... she just had faith in herself." As her Senpai turned to her with that warm smile of hers once again, Mash, despite the embarrassing compliments, could only return it. Even if it was a bit undeserved, she couldn't help but feel happy over the trust Ritsuka had placed in her. "Though I was surprised by... how potent her Noble Phantasm actually is... It's only D Rank, yet it managed to-huff completely block that final, absurd arrow."

'

"But..." Olga Marie cut in, looking at Mash questioningly. "You didn't obtain its True Name, did you?"

'

A perfectly valid question, yet one that made the Shielder dispirited. This was the problem she had feared. "No... I did not." While Mash had thought that she needed to activate it no matter what, she still would have wanted to actually know the name of the Heroic Spirit she was fused with. "I'm sorry, I was just so caught up in the moment..."

'

"There's no need to apologize," Ritsuka said, her smile as warm as before. "All you wanted was to protect me and the Director, and your Noble Phantasm responded to that wish. How could anyone find fault in something like that?"

'

Warm...

'

The genuine words of praise Ritsuka gave her made Mash feel so warm... Even if she hadn't learned her True Name as a Servant... Even if she couldn't completely use her abilities... To her Senpai, it had still been enough...

'

Thinking like that, Mash recalled what Ritsuka had said by the bridge: "As you get more used to your Servant powers, using them should become easier." For the first time since then, the Shielder truly felt like she had lived up to that expectation. And if she had done it once, surely she could do it again! Yes, this was just the first step! If she kept on working harder and harder, she could definitely grow as a Servant and be of more use to her Senpai!

'

"...What a moving story. It's like a fairy tale..." Hearing a soft sigh from her side, Mash turned to the Director for the most unexpected sight. She looked genuinely touched, even smiling slightly. Over the time she had spent in Chaldea, she had not seen Olga Marie looking anywhere close to this peaceful, this serene. Ritsuka too seemed surprised, staring at the Director as well. Something that the white haired woman clearly noticed, coughing to her fist. "Ahem, Don't mind me, I'm just teasing. And of course I'm pleased that you're able to use your Noble Phantasm now. But it is inconvenient to use it without a True Name, right? I'll think of a good spell for you."

'

As Olga Marie started pondering, Mash fell quiet. She hadn't really thought about it, but that was definitely right. Even if she could unleash it only partially, to have a name go along with her Noble Phantasm just felt right. "Since it's a pseudo-deployment of Noble Phantasm... Let me see... Yes, let's call it 'Lord Chaldeas. [Human Order Foundation]'"

'

Hearing the suggested name, something clicked inside Mash. Lord Chaldeas... It sounded... right. She wasn't really sure why she felt so strongly, yet she couldn't think of a more fitting name. "Chaldea is a name that has meaning for you too. So to activate your Spirit Origin, that's a good spell for you, right?"

'

Mash felt a smile growing on her lips. She just felt so happy at the moment. For both her own success and the Director's suggestion. It really was the perfect name. "Right... Lord Chaldeas, my own Noble Phantasm."

'

"Lord Chaldeas... Yes, I like it," Roman noted, sounding quite happy himself. "That fits you perfectly, Mash!"

'

Moving her eyes to Ritsuka who was smiling at her, Mash was glad to see that she too seemed to agree. "Sounds good to me. It has a nice ring to it."

'

To hear everyone approving of the name made Mash feel even warmer, and more determined. She'd need to work even harder to answer these expectations she was receiving.

'

"Now, as much fun as all of this is," Caster chimed in, becoming the center of attention for a change. "If you're gonna be holding a proper break and getting some rest, sitting on this filthy roof isn't really the best option." Looking around, Mash could definitely agree. It hadn't really occurred to her earlier, but the roof really wasn't the most comfortable resting spot. There was nothing here to use as proper seating, the only place to sit on was the roof itself. And like Caster had said, it wasn't exactly sanitary. Even if the building itself wasn't burning, the wind had blown ash all over the roof. Fortunately, judging by the grin on his face, Cú seemed to have a suggestion. "I know a much better place. It has both intact tables and chairs, and as a bonus, isn't even on fire. If we Servants carry the humans, it'll only take a few minutes to get there."

'

"That's a good idea," Roman agreed. "Ritsuka should get as much rest as possible, so a change of location while avoiding long distance walking would be good for her."

'

That was something Mash agreed on as well. She had done it a few times already, so carrying Senpai was an easy task. Though for some reason Ritsuka herself didn't seem pleased with the idea. "Senpai, is something wrong?"

'

"Ah, no. Nothing. Let's go with that."

'

"Very well. Should I carry the Director?"

'

Mash nearly jumped when she suddenly heard a voice right behind her, turning around instantly to face the speaker. But before her brain could recognize the voice, she was already facing Brynhildr, standing there as calmly as ever. How long...? Oh, but she had returned with Caster, so that explained it. But... had she just been standing there silently this entire time?

'

"Well, if you don't mind, I kinda have another job for you," Ritsuka answered a bit sheepishly. "You see, since Archer also dropped one of those Saint Quartz thingies, it would make sense that Assassin did the same. The problem is, well..." Pointing awkwardly towards the southeast, the Master moved the group's attention to a smoldering ruin. Specifically the one Caster had created with his Noble Phantasm. "It'd be really helpful if you could search for it. Is it safe to assume that you've got a rune for finding things?"

'

Moving her eyes back to her Master, Brynhildr nodded. "I do. The task shouldn't pose any issues, but may take some time. Should I begin right away?"

'

"Please do."

'

With another nod, the Lancer dashed away, heading right for the burning pile of brick and metal. In all honesty, despite her eagerness to help, Mash was glad this mission wasn't assigned to her. If it took 'some time' for Brynhildr to do it, it would've most likely taken several hours for her. It was effectively trying to find a needle in a haystack.

'

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?"

'

Upon hearing the Director scream, Mash immediately turned back to the group, only to find a... strange sight before her. Caster had picked Olga Marie up and flung her over his shoulder, walking towards the edge of the roof as his haul's legs kicked the air. "Hey, I've got to carry you somehow. Now that Lancer has gone off to find the jewel and young lady carrying her Master, there's no one else for the job." Looking back at the two women still on the roof, Caster motioned them to follow. "Come on now. Pick her up and let's get going. Like I said, it'll take a few minutes, so better head out sooner than later." And with that, he jumped on to the next building, taking the screaming Director with him.

'

"Ah, yes!" Moving quickly to Ritsuka, Mash carefully placed her hands on her back and under her thighs, ready to carry her once she was ready. "You're not in any pain, right Senpai? If anything starts feeling strange, please tell me right away."

'

"Um, no, I'm alright. You can go ahead." Looking sheepish once more, the Master moved her eyes away from Mash, focusing on the white fluff ball sitting by her. "C-come on Fou. You can ride with me."

'

"Fou!"

'

Not wasting any time, Fou jumped on Ritsuka's stomach where she wrapped her arms around him to ensure he wouldn't fall. Taking this as a sign they were ready, Mash lifted her as carefully as she could and ran after Caster, now a few buildings ahead.

'

As she began closing the distance, she noticed Ritsuka looking down, appearing dejected. Before she could ask for the reason, the Master quietly mumbled: "Sorry about this... Needing you to carry me around..."

'

That's what was bothering her? She hadn't apologized the last two times they did this, though admittedly those were both life-or-death situations. Was she feeling like that since it wasn't completely necessary for Mash to carry her? Ah! Ritsuka didn't think she was bothering her by having her do this, did she? That was something she'd have to clear up right away. "Senpai."

'

As Ritsuka turned in response to her call, Mash smiled at her as warmly as she could. She had to be as convincing as possible to stop Senpai from worrying over such a trivial matter. "You don't have to worry about bothering me at all. You're light enough that I could carry you with a single arm without an issue."

'

No response. For the next few seconds, Ritsuka just stared at Mash, mouth slightly agape. Then without warning, she turned her head away from her, moving her eyes on Caster ahead of them. "Ah... umh, I see. That is... That's good if that's really the case..."

'

Blinking at the odd response, Mash wasn't sure what to think. While Ritsuka's voice was somewhat unsteady, she seemed to have understood her point at least, so that was good. Well, if that was so, she could leave this matter at least for now. After all, if Ritsuka continued thinking she was somehow bothering her, all Mash had to do was truthfully tell her that it wasn't so.

'

'

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'

'

"This is... a school?"

'

Ritsuka could barely perceive Mash's question as she continued staring at the ground. It had been a few minutes since the 'incident', yet she could still feel her face burning up over the words. Mash had looked her straight in the eye and called her 'light' and 'easy to carry', all with that smile on her face. Even though that was a total lie, she had said it so sincerely...

'

Well, given that Mash is a Servant, it was true in a certain sense. But Ritsuka was well aware that if she wasn't, the description would've been very different. After all, she was almost a head taller, and maybe around 1.5 times heavier than Mash. Without her Servant strength, Ritsuka doubted the girl could've even lifted her off the ground. Hell, even the Director seemed to have a hard time holding her up, much to her chagrin.

'

Ugh, why did Mash have to say it so earnestly? The current awkwardness just served to remind Ritsuka of all the embarrassing things that happened before it too. She had called Mash an 'invaluable partner' and collapsed on top of her after she had used her Noble Phantasm. What was wrong with her today? She was way too careless. Was it all the stress? Or the exhaustion? Whatever it was, Ritsuka could only hope that it would at least somewhat subside after she got something to eat and a nice rest.

'

"Senpai? Can you hear me?"

'

Realizing she was being called, Ritsuka swept the thought process under a metaphorical rug and tried to appear as neutral as possible as she turned to face Mash. "...Yes? What is it, Mash?"

'

"We're here. If you want to take a nap, at least wait until we find you a proper spot."

'

Hearing Caster calling from the front, the Master turned back to see the druid looking at her with a frustratingly impish smile, while the Director stood beside him, tapping her foot impatiently. Looking around the area, Ritsuka noticed that they were suddenly indoors, much to her grievance. Ugh, she'd seriously gotten so caught up in getting embarrassed over what Mash said that she didn't even notice that they'd arrived. As for the location itself, as she recalled Mash saying, they seemed to be inside a school. This was the spot Caster had chosen? "...Alright, I think you can let me down now, Mash. If we're going to be resting here, I should be able to walk on my own."

'

The Shielder looked a tad worried, hesitating to grant her request. "Are you sure?"

'

"Yeah, I'll manage. And, um, thanks for carrying me all the way here..."

'

Smiling at her words, Mash began slowly lowering the arm that held Ritsuka's thighs. "You're welcome, Senpai."

'

As Fou hopped on the floor as she began straightening herself, Ritsuka took a few experimental steps, thankfully noticing no problems with walking. "So, do you have a specific room in mind, Caster, or should we search for one ourselves?"

'

"I've got you covered, there's a pretty nice one right here on the first floor."

'

As Caster began leading the group down the hallway, Ritsuka couldn't help but to notice Mash walking very close behind her. And as much as it bothered her, it was most likely just in case her legs gave out or something. Ugh, the break couldn't come soon enough. She'd need to recover at least to the point where Mash could stop worrying about her.

'

Eventually stopping, Caster pointed at an open door with his staff. "Here it is. You guys go on ahead. I don't really need to eat, so I'll check the area for any annoyances so that you get to take your break in peace."

'

Looking at the sign on top of it, this seemed to be the staff room. Huh, this actually was a pretty good spot. It'd definitely have some chairs, and if they were lucky, maybe even a couch. Honestly wanting to lay down for a bit, somewhere other than Mash's arms, Ritsuka was the first to walk in. And immediately cheered internally.

'

All the windows had been shattered and the furniture was all over the place, but most of it looked still perfectly functional. And best of all, there was a small couch in one of the corners. "I admittedly was a bit worried, but this really is a nice spot. Thanks, Caster."

'

"Seriously." Walking past Ritsuka with a relieved sigh, Olga Marie moved straight to the couch and sat on it after dusting it off a bit. As soon as her feet were left free, she raised them to remove the bane of her stay, her heels. "You wouldn't believe how long I've waited for this."

'

Following her boss' example, Ritsuka sat beside her, overcome with a bizarre feeling as she did so. Never had she felt so comfortable sitting on something even relatively soft. The redhead couldn't help but to let out a sigh of her own. "Mash, could you bring one of the tables closer?"

'

"Yes, Senpai." Lifting said table with a single hand, Mash set it in front of the couch and placed the backpack on it. Opening the bag, she took out two of the packaged sandwiches and handed them to the pair on the couch. "Here you go, Senpai, Director."

'

"Thank you." Nearly snatching the food from Mash's hand, Ritsuka wasted no time opening the package. Inside were two simple, triangle shaped ham and cheese sandwiches, something she would consider a passable meal on most days. Today however, it was the only proper food she'd had.

'

Taking the first bite, Ritsuka was surprised by the actual quality of the sandwich. She'd expected it to be on the level of a cheap snack available at basically every gas station, yet the bread was actually more like something one could get from a cafe. It stayed together very nicely, there was a hint of mayonnaise but not enough to spill over, and it didn't taste completely artificial. Good to know that Chaldea wasn't stingy when it came to their field food.

'

As Olga Marie began eating as well, Mash pulled the thermos out and laid a few cups on the table. Again, Ritsuka was happy to see that they were actually usable cups, instead of flimsy, disposable ones. "Would you like some coffee, Senpai?"

'

Ritsuka stopped mid bite, praying what she'd just heard was what Mash had actually said. And much to her joy, the scent that entered the room once the container was opened was all the proof she needed. She was so happy to be alive right now. "Yes. Yes, please." Watching Mash happily pour the brown nectar into a cup, before the girl could even ask, Ritsuka added: "Black, please."

'

Upon hearing her request before the question was even asked, the Shielder blinked in surprise, but started smiling again as she handed the cup over. "I see you have very mature tastes, Senpai. Here you go."

'

Ignoring the last part to avoid falling into another mental brawl, Ritsuka happily received the cup and after blowing on it a few times, took a sip. Ah, this was the good stuff. While she had guessed by the smell earlier, the taste cemented it, it was actual, proper coffee. And even if she wasn't exactly picky at the moment, she would take the real deal over some instant-coffee any day.

'

After handing the Director her coffee, Mash took out one more container from the bag, setting it on the table. At first Ritsuka was just a bit curious, wondering what it was, but once she found the answer, the smile already on her face grew even broader.

'

And Mash seemed to notice too. "Ah, feel free to take some, Senpai. Having something sweet will help with exhaustion."

'

The small pack she had set on the table had dried fruit in it, which was something Ritsuka appreciated. It was definitely better than something like candy if one needed to eat something sweet in a situation like theirs. But what really made her happy was the specific fruit the pack contained. Pineapple. The Master wasn't sure if it was pure coincidence or some divine luck, but she gave silent thanks to whatever it was for delivering a treat in the form of her favorite dried fruit variety.

'

Having finished setting things up, Mash finally began eating herself, taking a seat on Ritsuka's side. Offering a quick appreciative smile, her gesture was returned in kind by the pink haired Servant. It really was amazing how they were somehow having this pleasant, tranquil moment in this hellscape of a city. And while it did make Ritsuka a bit anxious, there was a small amount of hope in her that they would be able to finish their mission without too many difficulties.

'

'

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'

'

Romani couldn't help but to smile at the scene presented on screen. The investigation team were finally getting their much needed break, and seemed to overall have a good time as well. Seeing the usually quiet Mash chatting so happily was just so heartwarming, and even the Director appeared to be enjoying herself, even if she tried to deny it. Soon they would have to begin a proper strategy meeting on how to deal with Saber, but for now, this little respite, this moment of peace, was more than welcome.

'

"Roman. We need to talk." Well, all fun things had to end eventually.

'

Hearing Arista call out suddenly, the Doctor was reminded that while the others were allowed a break, he still had work to do. With a sigh, he cut the communication with the Singularity and moved back to Chaldea. "Alright then. Did you figure out that thing you were mulling over earlier?"

'

"I'd like to know what this is about as well. I'm quite busy, you know."

'

Cut off guard by another voice joining in, this time a female, Roman blinked with surprise as another face popped up on his screen. "Leonardo? Why are you joining in?"

'

"Because I was asked to, of course," the brunette answered as if it was obvious, her usual, alluring smile shining on her lips. "So, get on with it."

'

"You cut all communications with the Singularity, right?" Arista asked in a tone that immediately wiped the smile off of the Caster's face, removing all traces of carefreeness from her. Romani felt a chill running down his spine. Whatever this was about, it was absolutely serious. "No one can hear what we'll be discussing right now, especially not the Singularity crew. Am I understood?"

'

He really didn't know what to say for a second. Roman was just trying to guess what this could be about. Da Vinci also seemed curious, appearing as if she was trying to figure out the reasoning before Arista even explained it. Looking around to make sure no one was in his immediate area, he turned back to the screen. "...Ah, yes. I'm alone... So what is this about?"

'

"...Pull up the Coffin monitoring program. Answer everything I ask as accurately as possible."

'

That was... sudden, but there really was no reason to refuse, so the Doctor did as he was told. Pulling up the screen, he was once again greeted with a wall of red, sinking his mood a bit. Even if they were currently frozen, to have so many people in critical condition... It would be tough for Chaldea to recover from this. "I'm ready, ask away."

'

"What is the condition of the Master Candidate 34?"

'

Oddly specific, but oh well. Finding the person in question, Roman read out the info. "He's currently frozen, like all the others, and in critical condition. Apparently there are some injuries to the head and the abdomen. After defreezing, immediate medical attention will be required." What was so special about this candidate, though? Why had he been chosen specifically?

'

A long sigh. That was the only thing he heard for a short while. Nothing to explain the question, nor more instructions, until; "His brain activity... How is it?"

'

Another question then. Roman could only wonder where all this was going. "Well, he is frozen, so the activity is minimal. Before freezing, it was mostly unsteady."

'

No words. All that could be heard was another sigh and something that sounded like a hand being slapped against something. What was all this drama about? "Could you get to the point? We do have a crisis in our hands."

'

"...¿Qué carajo? ¿Cómo sucedió esta mierda?" Arista mumbled quietly, sounding... sad. Romani felt another chill. Over the past few years, he had never heard the man speak like this. "...You see, I'm by his coffin right now."

'

Yet another wave of confusion ran over the Doctor. He was by the coffin? Why was he asking all this info then? He could only wonder if even a genius like Leonardo could figure out-!

'

The thought process was completely cut once Roman moved his eyes to the Servant in question. She too appeared dead serious now, her eyes unusually wide. "You mean...! Oh, I really hope I'm actually wrong for once!"

'

That... Arista had said something like that earlier... What was he missing here?

'

"Brain activity unsteady, huh? Well, it'd be strange if it wasn't." His tone had shifted once more, now sounding a bit humorous, yet bitter. Ugh, he was really lost now, where was this all go- "Seeing how a sharp metal plate has smashed through the coffin screen and separated about two thirds of his head from his body, it'd be pretty weird if it was functioning normally."

'

Silence.

'

Absolute silence.

'

No one said anything. Couldn't say anything.

'

Da Vinci's expression had shifted to a sad frustration. As if hoping she could do something, but knowing she couldn't. Roman on the other hand, couldn't think of anything, still trying to process the information.

'

...What was happening? That couldn't be true. The system was still picking up clear signs of life, and yet... This couldn't have been a prank. Sure, the two of them liked to give him a hard time every now and then, but to go this far...

'

"Candidate 41..." Arista spoke, bringing Romani back to the present. What... what was he going to say now? "...Severe puncture wounds in the abdomen. Up to her knees in now frozen blood. Recovery... completely impossible..."

'

...Another one? What was all this? No matter how the Doctor tried racking his brain, he just couldn't figure out why, and how this was all happening. All the while, Da Vinci kept the same, sad expression on her face, as if she knew exactly what was about to be said as Arista kept listing Candidates.

'

"Candidate 17, body composition now closer to charcoal than human tissue... Candidate 23, a large block of concrete has smashed through the coffin screen, completely crushing 4/5 of her body... Candidate 9, impaled by shards of glass all across the chest, shredding his heart and lungs..."

'

With every word, Romani's heart sank further and further. This couldn't... But the instruments in the coffins, they should be reporting constant, accurate data...

'

"...I think that's enough. I'm sure he understands the situation by now," Leonardo muttered, looking him straight in the eyes apologetically. "Roman, I'm not sure if it's due to sabotage or just an error caused by the explosion, but there is a loop in the system. Reset all the observation equipment in the coffins. Then we'll see the Master Candidates' actual conditions."

'

So that was the cause... But surely there couldn't be many more-

'

No. He was just lying to himself at this point. He should've understood from the beginning the true state of affairs, yet had been making excuses. Just from how the two geniuses had acted, the situation should've been obvious, but his mind tried to deny it. Still, as Roman rebooted the observation equipment, he still held a tiny shred of hope in his heart.

'

A hope that was instantly crushed...

'

As the gauges detailing the Master Candidates' bodily functions turned back on, the Doctor felt his heart sink even further. Instead of the alarming red that detailed critical condition, every single gauge was now black...

'

Empty...

'

No bodily functions detected...

'

"...So. Every single one," Da Vinci muttered, frustration still strong in her tone. All the while, Romani still continued to stare at the screen in disbelief. All of them? Not a single survivor? This... So this really was what he had seen...

'

"There is no way in hell we can tell Olga about this," Arista stated firmly, his voice beginning to sound much more like usual now. "If she hears about this with everything else going on, she might have a complete mental breakdown."

'

For a fraction of a second, Da Vinci looked hesitant, but was quick to nod in confirmation. "...Agreed. We have to wait until they return and explain things after she has calmed down."

'

As much as he hated keeping this a secret for any amount of time, Roman had to agree. Not only was the Director's breakdown quite likely, but the news would also completely annihilate the group's morale. "...Very well. The Singularity team can't afford any distractions right now, so we'll inform them later."

'

Da Vinci sighed deeply, clicking at something off the screen. "If that is all, I'm heading back to work. There's way too much to do."

'

"No. That's not all."

'

Just about to stand up, the Caster stopped in her tracks, looking at the screen in disbelief. Romani hadn't even managed to stand up, yet he almost felt like falling over. What more could there be? Wasn't the situation already bad enough?

'

"I've already locked down all exits, but I want to make sure that both of you know. No one is allowed to take even a single step outside of Chaldea. Not to check if the outside needs any repairs nor to check any of the side buildings. Everyone must stay within the Main Building."

'

Exchanging dubious looks, both the Doctor and Da Vinci seemed to be on the same page for once. As in; not even she was sure what this was about. "Would you care to clarify? That's not exactly something you just say out of the blue."

'

"There is no concrete proof, frankly, this is more of a hunch than anything, but I have a feeling some absolutely fucked shit is going down." Well, that didn't explain anything at all. Once more, the two exchanged looks, Roman mostly to make sure that he wasn't the only one left out. "I've been trying to contact the outside world, through both technological and magical means of communication, yet there has been absolutely no answer. Whatever is happening at Chaldea right now has consequences reaching the rest of the world. I can't say for certain just what it is yet, but something is clearly afoot. We need to plan our next move carefully."

'

The rest of the world... If Romani's heart could've literally sunk, it would have fallen out of his body by now. This really was it then... Should he tell the other two? No, at least not yet. Telling them now wouldn't really help them, nor had he any concrete proof. "What do you want us to do?"

'

"You keep supporting the Singularity crew. Da Vinci, you just do what you do best. We've got to get as much of Chaldea operational as soon as possible."

'

"No need to tell me," Leonardo smiled, yet it lacked some of its usual carefreeness. "Being a genius is a 24/7 job. There are no breaks."

'

"That it is."

'

As the two cut communications simultaneously, Roman was once again left to his own thoughts. There was no question about it. This really was the worst case scenario. Where would they even go from here? Solving the Singularity might shed some light to the situation, yet there was nothing certain...

'

With a sigh, the Doctor switched the visual footage from the Singularity back on, relieved to see that the mood there had stayed the same. As he continued watching the lighthearted scene in front of him, a tiny bit of hope returned to Roman's chest. Not all of the Master Candidates were gone. There was still one right there. And judging by everything thus far, she was a capable one too.

'

Mash too had gained confidence, considering how Romani had yet to see her mull over her capabilities even once after unlocking her Noble Phantasm. She would be there to help Ritsuka alongside the other two Servants, making victory against King Arthur an actual possibility.

'

And of course, while Chaldea had been greatly crippled, the Director still lived, making recovery that much easier. Honestly, if she had died, Roman had no idea what they would've done at that point. He might have been forced to take full command at that point, something he wished to avoid at all cost.

'

Watching both Mash and Ritsuka smiling as Fou snatched a piece of fruit from Olga Marie, prompting her to grumble something along the lines of: "rude, untrained furball," the Doctor couldn't help but to start smiling himself. Praying wordlessly, he wished for the Singularity team to emerge victorious without any further complications.

---

.

---

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Notes:

---

Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooo boi. That "twist" at the end. Some crazy stuff, am I right?

Now, you may be wondering: "Why would the author do this?"

The explanation is actually pretty simple: [To make a story that doesn't create an absurd plothole within its first Singularity]

'

As for the proper explanation, here it is in three parts:

1: Remember how Roman says: "47, all in critical condition and we're short on medical supplies. We might be able to save a few, but all of them might be—"

OK, cool, cool. So... why aren't we saving a few? Or maybe 2? Or maybe even 1 just to make sure Guda doesn't need to go through this bullshit alone? This has always bothered about the start of the game, so I decided to just straight up get rid of it.

2: This is more relevant later on, but considering all the OP Casters Chaldea summons as the story goes on, there is no way in hell that they'd be unable to heal some of the Master Candidates.

3: This final part actually goes along with the game's story, since those of you who have at least started Part 2 know that there is something really weird going on. Like, no matter how you interpret it, the game makes it pretty clear that the Crypters legit died in the fire. Especially if you've read the translated JP parts not yet available in NA. So, I'm kinda just rolling with it.

Now, I know some of you are also thinking: "There's already 5 chapters in this damn thing, yet they haven't even mentioned the Fortuity Shard!"

And to those people: Don't worry we'll be getting to it in the Part... after the next, once we get back to Chaldea.

Next time: [A Pyrrhic victory]