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.

6. Chapter 6

Summary:

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Having defeated the other Servants, only Saber stands in the way of the Singularity team. Can they defeat the blackened King of Knights? Is Caster annoying enough to distract her? And what is the cause of this disturbance?

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However, before any of these questions are answered, before they even get a chance to catch a glimpse of the King of Knights, a certain Legend makes his appearance.

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Chapter 6: A Pyrrhic victory

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Serene...

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Even though they were in a burning city contained inside a singularity in spacetime, that was the most fitting word Olga Marie could use to describe the current moment. After being attacked by everything and the kitchen sink, this was something they desperately needed.

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She spied Kyrielight petting that furball of hers while sitting on one of the office chairs, staying right beside Repo who was now solely occupying the couch. After they had finished eating, the spot had been unanimously relinquished to her, so that the Master could properly rest. Though while she did lie there with her eyes closed, it was fairly obvious that she wasn't actually sleeping, seeing how she gave a slightest peek at the room from time to time. But considering their circumstances, that was hardly surprising. Even if they were currently enjoying a quiet moment, it didn't change the reality of their situation.

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Yet it did help reduce stress.

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Honestly, after she got something to eat, the Director couldn't deny that her mood had improved significantly. With all the chaos going on, she hadn't even noticed that she was hungry until Mash had started unpacking the backpack. The food and the coffee, especially the coffee, had been like an elixir for her overworked nerves.

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Although, as frustrating as it was, there really wasn't anything for her to do at the moment. She could have monitored the repair work at Chaldea, but since she would've had to do it through the communicator instead of being present, trying to work through it would mostly just be a waste of time and energy. But, just sitting idly by would be inappropriate for someone of her status, so she focused on doing something that at least had some use.

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Having collected pebbles off the ground, one by one, Olga Marie charged them with mana, preparing what were essentially one use spells for later usage. By chucking the stones at something, they would break, releasing their spells, which ranged from barriers, to tiny explosions and blinding flashes of light. They weren't exactly useful against Servants, but something was still better than literally nothing.

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"Working hard, I see."

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And then there was him... Returning from Spirit Form, Caster materialized right behind Olga Marie, eyeing the stones she was preparing. She really wasn't sure whether it was from sincere curiosity, or if it was preparation for a quip or something. She could never tell with this Servant. Well, considering that his capabilities as a mage were far above her own, far above basically anyone living in the 21st century, it was most likely the latter. "It's better than just sitting idly by, isn't it."

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"True enough, I suppose." Picking up one of the pebbles, Caster tossed it in the air a few times before taking a closer look.

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"Don't just touch them without permission!" Ugh. Olga Marie had realized it quite soon after first meeting him, but there was no way she would ever get along with this Servant. That carefree attitude of his reminded her way too much of Arista. And just when her mood was starting to improve too...

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She really needed to think about something else. Anything that would be both practical and move her attention away from this man. Sadly, there just wasn't much in this room... Although...

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Her eyes focused on the red haired woman laying on the couch. That... That was actually something worth thinking about.

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This woman, Ritsuka Repo... At first, Olga Marie had judged her as a worthless slacker, just one of the fillup Masters, but after everything that happened, she was unbelievably glad that she had tossed the redhead out of the Command Room. At this point, it was absolutely undeniable to the Director that she would have been long dead without her presence in the Singularity.

'

But what really drew her attention was what she had said earlier. "I'm well aware of my shortcomings, so you don't need to hesitate when bringing them up if necessary. In the end, it just means that I've got to work harder to mitigate the loss in strength as much as I can." That type of ideology... It was surprisingly similar to her own, and because of that, she was also aware of a fact: No matter how hard someone worked, some things would always be beyond their ability. These things could only be accomplished by those who had been born with the ability to achieve them.

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And that's why Olga Marie knew, that despite excelling in some areas, Repo's unremarkable, mediocre magic circuits kept her from ever achieving the same prestige as some of the other candidates. Much like her lack of ability to Rayshift had prevented her from...

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No! That wasn't going to happen! This was her Chaldea now, and she refused to let those who worked their hardest be left unacknowledged! In some manner, she would make sure that the Master's efforts were recognized!

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Though that left the question: how? She couldn't move Repo to the A Team, considering they had all been handpicked by father, making tempering with it impossible, but... After everything Olga Marie had seen, she was clearly capable enough to at least join the B Team, potentially even as the leader. This was something that required heavy consideration after they returned to Chaldea. Well, after she had dealt with the current chaos that haunted it.

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Ugh. Then there was that... The fact that they would most likely be able to solve the problem that created this Singularity in the first place was promising. It would at least give her a solid argument that Chaldea was still capable despite the disaster that had occurred, hopefully shutting the Association up for a while at least. A major concern were the Master Candidates. They were all in critical condition, meaning that it would take quite a bit of time for them all to recover. But that wasn't exactly something she had control over...

'

But then came the toughest part of this entire situation, the fact that she needed to effectively replace the entire staff and all the repair work needed to restore Chaldea. She would need massive amounts of funds, and while her family was far from poor, there was a limit to how much she could spend on such a short notice. As much as she hated it, she might need to resort to asking Arista for financial support. The man had already used an absurd amount of money when it came to improving certain parts of Chaldea, so it would definitely be possible... It was just the fact that she had to ask that infuriating man for help that irked her.

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"It's time, guys."

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Romani calling out brought Olga Marie back to the present. Right, this really wasn't the time to be thinking about these things. First they'd actually have to return to Chaldea. "Lancer is back, then?"

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"Yup, I can sense her too. She's just coming inside," Caster confirmed.

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"So, we can finally get started?"

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Repo sat up on the couch, stretching her shoulders and neck. It had only been a bit over an hour, but Olga Marie could guess that the couch wasn't exactly the most comfortable place to sleep on. Mash seemed to agree, looking her Master over as she stretched. "Did you have a good rest, Senpai? Does anywhere feel particularly stiff?"

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"Nothing a little stretching can't fix. As for the rest, while it wasn't particularly long, I do feel a lot better."

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Mash nodded with a smile, appearing at least satisfied with the answer. That was another thing Olga Marie had noticed during this whole debacle. Over the time she had spent in Chaldea, the Director had never seen the Demi-Servant showing any significant emotion, yet all of a sudden she was expressing genuine happiness and concern, as well as frustration at her own powerlessness. If she had to guess, Ritsuka was most likely the key to this. Aside from maybe the Doctor, Mash had never had anyone particularly close to her, so after everything they had gone through together, even if it was in a short amount of time, she'd grown attached to her Master. In all honesty, Olga Marie vastly preferred this Mash to her usual, emotionless self. In the past, she could never tell what she was thinking, but now, the girl's feelings were obvious with just a single look at her face.

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"I have returned, Master. Apologies for the wait." Walking in with her inhuman grace, Brynhildr presented a familiar, colorful stone to Ritsuka. "I had to move most of the building out of the way. I am sorry if my sluggishness has cost you time."

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"No problem. I'm pretty sure that all of us were in need of a break anyway, so there's really no need to apologize." Nodding in confirmation, the Servant moved next to her Master, standing by the side of the couch, immobile like a statue once more. "Now then... Originally, we were supposed to hold this meeting after Lancer's summoning, yet we somehow managed to defeat three of the four enemy Servants before getting to it..." Rubbing the back of her neck, Ritsuka looked around the room awkwardly. "I'm really not sure whether I should laugh or thank Lady Luck with every fiber of my being..."

'

While she wouldn't admit it, Olga Marie was very much in the same boat. The entire situation had been absurd, yet they somehow managed to pull through without losing anyone, thanks to both Repo's direction and the capability of the Servants. And as much as it irked her, she herself had almost been more hindering than helpful throughout it. Well, if nothing else, she did manage to blast that one Assassin, preventing Mash from getting injured. "Let's just put that whole debacle behind us. Caster, you sounded like you've fought Saber several times before. Any advice on how to fight them? An exploitable weakness perhaps?"

'

Shaking his head, Caster shrugged in response. "Nah. Not really." That ever present carefree tone really drove her crazy. "Saber's a monster, you see. The King of Knights' power is not of muscle, but a ridiculous amount of magical energy. Every single strike is massive. If you're not paying attention, the top half of your body will go flying."

'

"Yes, that makes sense," Ritsuka muttered. "If I remember correctly, didn't King Arthur get infused with the power of a dragon from birth? In that case, it wouldn't be strange that Saber possesses a massive amount of mana. Which also rules out the possibility of a battle of attrition."

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Caster nodded. "Yeah. Even if we all fight at the same time, the three of us would run out of mana faster than Saber."

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"And while the two of us can receive more magical energy, it would also put Senpai's life at risk..." Mash muttered, looking at Ritsuka anxiously. And for good reason too. If put into a similar situation as before, Olga Marie was quite certain that the Master would end up dying due to the drain. Even if she had rested, she wasn't even close to the amount of od she'd had before the fight against Berserker.

'

"Oh yeah, that reminds me. I really want an explanation on something." Calling out suddenly, all attention moved to Caster. "I thought that Chaldea was supposed to fuel your Servants with magical energy, but it was without a doubt Ritsuka here who was being drained during both times the Noble Phantasms were used. What's up with that?"

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An uncertain silence fell over the room. Not sure where to look, Ritsuka's eyes moved around, no doubt hoping for an answer of some kind. Mash too seemed out of the loop, which made sense considering that she wasn't particularly educated on the exact workings of some of their systems. It was up to her then. "The reasoning is rather simple: There is no anchor to properly transport the magical energy with."

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Now it was Olga Marie's turn to be the center of attention, drawing especially confused looks from both Repo and Caster. "Wait a minute. Didn't you say that you formed a path to Chaldea when young lady synched her shield with the leyline?"

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"That's the reason we are able to send any magical energy at all." The Director really didn't want to waste any more time than necessary on this topic, seeing how their battle strategy had made no progress at all. But, considering that it was at least useful for both Mash and Ritsuka to know this, she decided to go through with it. "Usually, the magical energy path would be linked through her coffin, thus acting as the anchor, but since we Rayshifted without them, we are lacking this connection. But that's not the full reason why she's so drained. You see, the path provides Servants with a steady, constant stream of energy, but if they try to draw faster than what it provides them, the rest of the energy comes from Repo herself. When these two were using their Noble Phantasms, they went over the limit, thus draining their Master."

'

Caster rubbed his chin curiously, seemingly grasping the situation now. "Huh. Well, that at least makes things a whole lot clearer."

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"Yes, thank you for clearing that up, Director," Ritsuka agreed, looking much the same. "This is actually really helpful when it comes to planning what we can and cannot do during the battle."

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"Ho? You sound like you have something in mind," Caster grinned.

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"Yes, well, at least some basics. But before we can go any further, I need to know something. Caster, are runes able to affect Saber?"

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"That monster used to have an absurd Magic Resistance, but thanks to being blackened, it has fallen in rank. So, yeah. As long as the runes are powerful, they should work just fine."

'

In response to the positive answer, the Master smiled slightly. "That's good. Really good, in fact. Alright, I have a very basic strategy in mind. If you have any questions or suggestions, please wait till the end to give them. I do believe we have a real chance at victory here."

'

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'

Walking up the staircase leading to the top of the mountain, Mash could quite positively say that she was the most confident she had been since first taking up her shield.

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It had been almost an hour since they had started working on the plan, but now that they had finished it and everyone knew their roles, the Shielder too shared Ritsuka's belief in their chance at victory.

'

Of course, that didn't mean that she wasn't at least a bit nervous. They were facing King Arthur after all. But in the end, Saber was still alone, while there were three Servants on their side. Well, even with her Noble Phantasm unlocked, Mash was perfectly aware that she still fell behind the others, but her allies more than made up for that. With the three of them and Senpai supporting them, victory was a very real possibility.

'

"...Director, are you alright?"

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Hearing Ritsuka's question, Mash turned around to look at the same, pitiful sight as she was. They were only around halfway up the stairs, yet Olga Marie was already huffing and wheezing, struggling to continue climbing. While she'd had a hard time running earlier, Mash had expected the Director to last at least a bit longer than this. Then again, this time there was no one chasing them, so stopping for a second lacked the risk of certain death. The theory that Olga Marie had kept running through sheer adrenaline alone seemed quite plausible at this point.

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"I-huff am completely-gasp fine." Answering in the least convincing tone possible, the Director leaned against her knees, sweat dripping down her forehead. "It's just-cough. What type of-huff madman would build something-ugh something like this? Why couldn't they-gasp just make a normal road?"

'

That was something Mash couldn't deny. The staircase they were currently climbing was astonishingly long, maybe close to a kilometer in length. The amount of time and effort needed to build it must've been staggering. Walking all the way to the top without a break would certainly be a challenge to a regular person. And while it was possible that there was a mountain path that would be easier to take, letting the Director walk on her own would be extremely dangerous.

'

It had certainly been a surprise when Caster had informed the group of the powerful Bounded Field surrounding the mountain. Aside from the stairway path, it was extremely straining for Servants to get to the top, as the barrier would quickly drain away at their magical energy. And while it had no effect on humans, letting Olga Marie and Ritsuka walk by themselves was simply out of the question. Thus forcing the Director to face this strenuous challenge.

'

"Well, we're not exactly on a strict timer here, so there's no need to push yourself too hard, Director," Ritsuka noted.

'

"She's right, you know. No need to work yourself to death over something like this."

'

Calling out from a higher part of the stairway, Caster seemed to agree as well, though judging by his amused tone, he didn't exactly mind the holdup. "You should really follow Ritsuka's example here. Just because you're a mage doesn't need to mean that you're squishy. You could- ...What the hell?"

'

Caster's sudden shift in tone prompted Mash to immediately turn around and look at him, yet she couldn't see anything that could be a cause for concern. The druid had stopped still like a statue, staring towards the top of the staircase where an open gate loomed. What exactly had caught his attention to such a degr- "Huh?"

'

At the top of the stairs stood something that shouldn't have been there. An existence that should have been impossible. It's form clearly resembled that of a human, yet as if covered in fog, making detecting finer details like his face impossible. Clad in what appeared to be Japanese clothing, it stood there like a shadow, without moving. Only one thing stood out about the misty figure, proving it was actually there instead of being some sort of mirage: An absurdly long katana, which reflected light from the fires far behind them. But that wasn't what made the sight in front of them impossible. After all, a ghost like this existing was hardly unbelievable in the Singularity. The reason being, this was no mere ghost standing in front of them.

'

Ritsuka stood by her side, clearly aware of the figure's true nature judging by the look of disbelief on her face. "That's... that's a Servant. Why is there another Servant?"

'

"How the hell!?" Caster exclaimed, looking even more confused than the rest of them. "That Witch wasn't even..." Falling silent, Cú glared at the obscure figure, seemingly contemplating this new development. Mash carefully positioned herself in front of Ritsuka and Olga Marie, making sure that she was ready for whatever this unknown Servant could do. Brynhildr was much the same, raising her spear into position in anticipation for an attack, until... "All right, group huddle." Caster drew a rune in the air, creating some kind of wall between them and the Servant. A wall they could clearly see through.

'

"What is this, Caster?" Olga Marie questioned in a mix of confusion and frustration. "How can there be another Servant? One that you clearly at least know something about. And what's that wall supposed to do?"

'

Returning the Director's questions with a blank stare, Caster pointed at the wall. "All right. First up, we can see through the barrier from this side, but it fully covers us from the other. As for the second..." Rubbing his temple in frustration, it was quite clear that the druid wasn't exactly pleased with the situation either. "I've encountered this pain in the ass before, but not in this war. He's an Assassin, kind of... You could say that he's an irregularity that was kinda just fitted into the class."

'

"An irregularity..." Ritsuka muttered, eyeing at the shadow still standing there. "Roman, can you get us any info on this guy? To me, he seems like a Servant... But something definitely feels off."

'

"On it. Let's see... Huh? Are these readings right?" Appearing perplexed, the Doctor clicked at his keyboard a few times. "I can barely detect any magical energy, and nothing about a Noble Phantasm. He seems closer to a wraith than a Servant. Is this guy really a threat, Caster? Maybe you've got the wrong person."

'

Shaking his head, Cú glared towards the lone figure at the top of the stairs. "Nah, it's definitely him. There's no mistaking that sword of his. And what you're saying just confirms it. In terms of raw strength, this guy's bottom of the barrel when it comes to Servants. What makes him such a pain in the ass is his absurd skill."

'

"Skill?" Mash wasn't sure how to feel about that. Thus far, with the exception of Assassin, all the enemy Servants had displayed overwhelming power in some form, yet this one was dangerous because of his skill. She could only imagine what terrifying swordsmanship he could demonstrate if Cú Chulainn was very of it. "What type of techniques does he use?"

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"That's exactly the point. Against this bastard, no matter how many times you fight him, you can never adapt to his technique. You'll always get forced back to square one and fight as if it was the first encounter again."

'

That... That was certainly troublesome. Mash really wasn't sure how she would even begin to approach such an opponent. Looking to her side in hopes of some guidance, they were unfortunately left unanswered as Ritsuka too appeared uncertain on their next course of action. "Do you have any suggestions, Caster? Any advice that could help, even a little?"

'

"Well, ideally, I would just like to unleash Wicker Man on him and be done with it, but I only have enough juice left to use it once, and we need that for Saber. ...If I was a Lancer, I'd already have chucked Gáe Bolg at him," muttering the last part quietly, Caster pointed at their unmoving enemy. "Well, what I'm getting at is; ranged attacks are our best option against this guy."

'

"And since we don't want to use any more magical energy than necessary, it's going to be tough," Ritsuka mumbled. "But when it comes to melee, if he is as skilled as you say, there's a great deal of risk even with numbers on our side."

'

Shaking his head, Caster appeared somewhere between amused and agitated. "Oh, that's not even the worst part. This 'Assassin' has one hell of a trump card up his sleeve. His strikes are already like flashes of light, but this goes on a whole 'nother level. It's a special technique that's on the same level as a Noble Phantasm. A flash from this world, followed by two absolutely simultaneous, overlapping flashes that disregard the concept of time and space, producing a slash attack that arrives from three different directions. In that single instant, three swords exist, all coming for the target's life."

'

The silence that followed the disclosure was painful. While seeing the obvious shock on both Ritsuka and Olga Marie's faces was expected, even the usually composed Brynhildr couldn't hide her surprise. And through all the information 'taught' to her by Sheba, Mash was well aware of what Caster's description matched. It was quite clear that everyone present understood what that meant. For a Servant to possess a technique like that through his skill with the sword... "Caster... Are you really saying that this Servant-"

'

"Ridiculous!" Olga Marie shouted out angrily, interrupting the Demi-Servant. "You seriously expect us to believe that this wraith, that is barely a Servant, has somehow managed to achieve the Multi-dimensional refraction phenomenon with sword skills!?"

'

If it weren't for his serious expression, Mash would've been sure that Caster was playing some sort of prank on them. "Hey, it might sound crazy, but it's true. This guy is just a monster like that."

'

The Director looked just about ready to explode, but thankfully Ritsuka managed to cut in before she could truly begin her ranting. "OK, OK, let's all try to stay calm. Caster, I'm willing to believe you since you seem so sincere, but do you have any advice on how to deal with this... absurd attack? If it's really the Multi-dimensional refraction phenomenon, trying to take something like that on sounds extremely dangerous."

'

"You got that right. Really, the only true countermeasure against the skill is to not allow him to use it in the first place."

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Ritsuka stared at the druid as if he were an idiot. "Isn't... isn't that a countermeasure against basically everything?"

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Caster shrugged. "Yeah, but that's all I got. Well, technically young lady here could block it with her Noble Phantasm, but that's just wasting more magical energy and doesn't actually get rid of the bastard."

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"Well that's just great," Ritsuka sighed, falling deep in thought trying to figure out a plan of attack. "...To win in the most efficient way possible... While also avoiding losses..."

'

"Couldn't you all just charge him at once," Olga Marie suggested. "Even if he's absurdly skilled, with all three of you, couldn't you cower each other-"

'

"No chance." A swift declaration without a hint of hesitation. Despite the Director's usual hardheadedness, Caster managed to silence her immediately. "If we did that, no matter what, at least one of us would die. In the first place, if a powerful Servant would attempt to rush him with brute force alone, he gives off a vibe like: 'If you come any closer, I'll probably die but I'll definitely take you with me.' Any close range attack, even if it would kill him, will be answered in kind. And since he doesn't really care if he dies, all rush in attacks are basically suicide charges."

'

"And that sword of his... Its range is only slightly shorter than that of my spear..." Brynhildr muttered while gazing at the man. "A troublesome foe indeed..."

'

"That's why ranged attacks are the best for the job. But if they're too weak or slow, he can just dodge or deflect them. Needs to be strong enough to kill him in one go and somehow block him from escaping."

'

Still dubious, the Director suggested another approach. "Couldn't Mash's shield be used as cover while rushing in?"

'

"Nah, he'd get around it. She's skilled in defense, that's for sure, but this guy's footwork and annoying curved strikes would let him slip past her shield."

'

"Ugh. Then could we try talking to him? He might appear a bit... ghastly, but he at least appears sane, seeing how he continues to just stand there without attacking, so maybe we-"

'

"Doubt it. He doesn't really care about anything else besides fighting."

'

"Seriously!? What's this guy's deal!?"

'

While Olga Marie groaned with frustration, trying to think of a new suggestion, Mash's attention was currently elsewhere. Ritsuka was silent, with the exception of a consistent, rhythmic sound originating from her right hand. Like a few hours ago near the bridge, she was doing that snapping thing again, reinforcing Mash's theory that she used it to focus.

'

Though suddenly, the snapping stopped and Ritsuka raised her head to address the group. "...Okay, everyone gather up. I think I might have a winning strategy for us."

'

Moving his attention away from the annoyed Director, Caster looked at the redhead expectantly. "Ho? Let's hear it then."

'

"Well, now that I'm better aware of what you're both actually capable of, I believe this would be the most efficient way for us to win. Obviously, all three of you are needed." Shifting her eyes to Lancer and then to Mash, Ritsuka received two approving nods. "Although I still need to make sure you're all up to it." Moving back to the druid, a mischievous look, one that Mash had yet to see on her, crept on the Master's lips. "Caster, since you've been so open about your desire to just fight enemies head on with melee, this plan should work perfectly for you."

'

Groaning loudly, Caster looked amusingly annoyed for a change. So much so that Mash had to hold back a giggle. "I'd want that against literally anyone but this guy, though!"

'

'

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'

Fate truly was a mysterious thing...

'

Once again, he found himself standing in front of this gate, atop a long, long stairway overlooking a city.

'

Once again... Hmph. The very thought that a nameless ghost like him would be summoned not just once, but twice as a Servant was humorous enough to nearly make the swordsman laugh out loud. Though even putting that aside, this materialization was certainly bizarre.

'

While he was quite grateful that that vixen was nowhere to be found, he was also rather curious that there was no summoner of any kind as far as he could see. He only felt a connection that anchored him to the mountain, as if he had been summoned by the land itself or something similar. At least the location made sense. This temple was quite likely the sole physical object in the world he had any relation with, so if there was a catalyst for summoning a wraith like himself, it was effectively the only option. But other than that, this was certainly far from a Grail War norm.

'

Well, judging by his fitting, ghostly appearance, this wasn't exactly a normal Grail War in the first place. If it weren't for the signs of other Servants doing battle in the distance, he would've been sure that he was nothing more than a ghost summoned to haunt this now dead city.

'

Yet, there they were. About an hour after he had materialized, he spotted the flashing lights, likely Noble Phantasms, shining amidst the burning city, confirming that he indeed was not alone. And with that in mind, all that was left to do was wait. If there were other Servants here, they would most certainly make their way to the temple at some point, making a battle an inevitability instead of a possibility.

'

And that was fine with him. It's not like he had any desires to begin with, other than swinging his sword, so battling against a skilled opponent was the best case scenario for him. Even the outcome itself had no meaning to him, as long as the battle was at least a bit enjoyable, he'd be fully satisfied.

'

And so, after a bit over an hour since the last flash of light had dimmed, they appeared.

'

Keeping his eyes on the approaching figures, the swordsman was pleased with what he saw. Instead of just one, three Servants were ascending the stairs, followed by two humans. Two of the Servants didn't seem quite promising, a mage of some sorts, more than likely Caster, and a girl with a sizable shield, completely devoid of killing intent. While the former had the air of a warrior about him, it didn't seem likely that either of them were the type he could engage in a satisfying bout.

'

Thankfully the third Servant was the exact opposite. Holding a spear that appeared far too heavy for her graceful arms, the woman perfectly suited the quietness and darkness of the night. It was as if she was not a person who was properly alive under the midday sun, but a woman of the night, a shadow woman. An ephemeral existence much like himself, but for different reasons. While he had wished to duel against a Saber in a battle of swordsmanship, if this woman was to be his opponent he had no complaints. From the way she moved, he could tell that this woman, most certainly Lancer, would be a fine adversary.

'

Suddenly, a magical wall erupted between him and the group, blocking his sight of them. Ah, they were quite likely working on a plan of attack. Certainly, while he had nothing to lose, these strangers no doubt had a goal of some sorts, so they wished to move past him with minimal casualties. But that was no issue of his. The only meaning in his existence was to clash blades with others. No matter their story, if these people wished to pass through the gate, he would take this as an opportunity to fulfill himself.

'

After a short while, the magical wall disappeared, revealing the party once more. Nigh instantaneously, Lancer charged towards him, spear aimed at his chest, prompting the swordsman to raise his blade in return. Considering the spear's notable bulk and the fact that this female warrior was almost certainly stronger than him physically, trying to block her attacks was completely out of the question. It's quite likely that his sword would break from a single strong hit, leaving him with the option to only parry blows and push his opponent back by attacking her body.

'

As Lancer approached rapidly, preparing a thrust to pierce him with, the swordsman began his own attack. Stepping to the side to avoid the thrust and simultaneously swinging his sword in a curved path, a graceful arc aimed directly at his opponent's neck, he wished to see how she would react.

'

Much to his delight, while there were signs of surprise in her eyes, Lancer straightened her spear, stopping her thrust and deflecting his attack skillfully. But this was hardly even the beginning.

'

Without losing momentum from his attack, the swordsman's blade curved through the air, coming in with another strike to decapitate his enemy. While it paled in comparison to his first one, Lancer reacted with more surprise, clearly not expecting him to recover so quickly. Yet once more, she shifted her spear in time to block his deadly blow before taking a step back, moving out of his range. Even if she had been unable to counter, to block two of his strikes so skillfully was not something an average warrior was capable of. To think that this enemy was as graceful in battle as she was in appearance. How truly gratifying.

'

"...I see that Caster's words were no exaggeration," Lancer spoke softly, her voice like a bell. "...No. It would be more accurate to say that even his description did no justice to your terrifying skill. While I can tell that you are no hero by your nature, surely, you must've been a renowned swordsman famous throughout this land."

'

"Hah. I am no warrior worth mentioning." Upon hearing his voice, Lancer once again showed some surprise, though this time it was somewhat shared by the man himself. As he appeared like a ghost, so too his voice sounded like something spoken from a distance. An echo in a quiet mountain. Well, it was fine. To him, just being summoned was a miracle, so he could deal with his ghastly state if it allowed him to face this foe. "Fitting my appearance, I was simply a madman who devoted his entire life to the sword. This blade and my skill are all I possess."

'

"...A pity." Lancer seemed hesitant before speaking again. "...This might be late, but is there no chance of you letting us pass here?"

'

He couldn't help but chuckle at the question. "Late indeed. But, even if you had asked that from the beginning, I still would have refused. Fighting skilled opponents like yourself is the only thing giving my existence meaning."

'

"...I see. Then I must apologize. I will not be fighting you alone, so that won't-"

'

"No matter," he interrupted, drawing a curious gaze from his opponent. "You have your mission, while all I do is endulge my whims. I can hardly blame you for your loyalty to your Master." While he truly did wish to duel this opponent peacefully, the swordsman did also mean what he said. It was only natural that these people wouldn't just go along with his whims, so he had no reason to complain. That's why he didn't mind seeing the girl with the shield ascending the stairs behind her.

'

"I thank you for your understanding..." Saying that, Lancer smiled for the first time during their encounter. An act that would have completely overwhelmed most men with its loveliness. But while he did appreciate its ephemeral beauty, his main focus was elsewhere. On the hand that had strengthened its grip on her spear. "...Then let us continue."

'

Barely waiting to finish her sentence, Lancer was upon him again, ready to tear him apart with that monstrous spear of hers. A swing from the right, which he easily repelled and moved to counter, only to be blocked by her gauntlet. But before he moved to make another move, he noticed something... curious. Lancer's attack, coming from a different direction than the first, was noticeably faster. Most would have guessed for her to have simply held back during the first strike, but his eyes knew better. As he deflected the second strike and watched her begin the third, again from a different angle with increased speed, he figured out the trick behind it. She was increasing her speed by piling on 2 levels of released mana and brute strength. An attack pattern in which her spear comes down on her opponent from five different directions, all at different speeds. Amusing.

'

Repelling the third strike, the swordsman was intrigued. Just how many successive strikes like this could she use before reaching her limit. If he had to guess; either five or six, with the former being the more likely answer. That was the moment when he decided to strike. Would she be left vulnerable upon the completion of her attack, or pleasantly surprise him again?

'

Fourth strike, which he decided to dodge instead of trying to repel. At this point, it would unquestionably shatter his sword with a single hit, not touching it at all was the safe option. Just before the fifth strike could begin, he took note that the girl was only a few steps away. This would be quite close.

'

And the fifth one came. This time from above at a frightening speed. He was certain that even getting scratched by it would be enough to destroy his body. And even more certain that most Servants experiencing it for the first time would be unable to react in time and be crushed.

'

Luckily, he wasn't most Servants.

'

Retreating and stepping to the side simultaneously, he moved out of Lancer's attack range, dodging the attack that crushed a portion of the stairs, leaving a crater in its wake. Yes, he most certainly would have died. But since he didn't, this was now a prime opportunity. From her expression, it was quite clear that Lancer hadn't expected him to dodge the final strike, much less escaping with absolutely no damage. His opponent realized too late that her missed strike would leave her open to a counter, not giving her enough time to block or dodge his attack. She had simply been too slow.

'

Unfortunately, so had he.

'

When faced with such a powerful attack, the swordsman had been forced to retreat a bit further than usual to avoid the shockwave from hitting him. Given the absurd force behind the strike, even the shockwave could have dealt serious damage to him, making him just the tiniest bit late on delivering his counter.

'

That was all the girl with the shield needed.

'

"Yaaaaa!"

'

Pushing forward with her shield, the girl came from Lancer's right to block his attack. Her shield was quite impressive, more than enough to block his sword. From her positioning, it would be impossible for him to strike her from his left or from the front. Yet it left her completely incapable of blocking a curved strike from his right, which would have meant her death in a normal situation. Unfortunately for him, Lancer had managed to recover just enough to block any attack from that side.

'

It was quite a beautiful display of trust. Had either of them chosen to retreat or worry more about themselves, it would leave the other vulnerable to an attack from him, meaning certain death. Yet they had chosen to cover for each other with the possibility of death. Beautiful indeed.

'

As the two of them retreated downward a number of steps, still covering each other, the shield girl spoke. "Are you alright, Lancer?"

'

"To have seen through my 5 speed spear attack like this on his first time experiencing it..." the woman in question wondered quietly. "Thank you, Mash. If it weren't for you, I would have certainly lost my head."

'

Quite an accurate assessment. Though he was somewhat thankful for the interruption. Lancer most likely still had something he had yet to see, so getting to continue their fight wasn't exactly displeasing.

'

Taking a step forward, Lancer prepared to engage him again. "...Remember what we spoke of with Master. Do not join the fight unless absolutely necessary."

'

Though she looked hesitant, the girl seemed to push down her feelings and replied firmly. "Yes!"

'

The swordsman was glad that Lancer had said that. From just the small rush in he could see that this girl would hardly be an enjoyable opponent to face. While her defensive power was impressive, that's all she had going for her. It wouldn't take much for him to outmaneuver her and slice her past that shield. But for now, he moved his full attention back to his real opponent. "I hope that you have more to offer, Lancer. It would be a shame to end things so quickly."

'

"Hardly."

'

And thus they engaged again, exchanging blows in a dance of death. However, the swordsman noticed something off about Lancer. Suddenly, her attacks had overall become faster. But unlike with the 5 hit attack, the increase wasn't to that level, instead being more consistent. He could tell that there was an increase in the magical energy flowing through her limbs, along with a subtle glow, leaving him guessing that the likely cause would be magecraft. But whether it was her own or the Master's doing, he wasn't sure. Well, not like it really mattered. Just the fact that it made Lancer quicker was enough to make their fight more enjoyable.

'

However, there was something that bothered him. They clearly had a plan of some sort, as suggested by their words earlier, but its execution was currently eluding him completely. Surely they weren't just counting on Lancer to defeat him alone? Yet the girl behind her had yet to make any additional moves, only watching nervously. The two humans, having now climbed closer, were looking equally as nervous. And the Caster-

'

His senses jumped into overdrive as soon as he noticed. The Caster was nowhere to be seen. The swordsman had only moved his focus away from him for a few seconds, yet he had disappeared in that short period of time. But where-

'

A faint sign. Barely strong enough to be felt, yet his senses caught it. Someone had just passed him high from above. No, not someone. He knew exactly who it was. "So, this was your aim."

'

Forcing Lancer to retreat with a few focused strikes, he spied a man in blue suddenly appearing in his peripheral, the missing Servant. He had used some type of magecraft to conceal himself, but knowing just that wouldn't be enough, also made sure to pass him at such a high altitude that he wouldn't notice quickly enough to counter. Now he was left between Caster and Lancer...

'

"Man, talk about a pain in the ass. You still noticed even with the concealment rune," Caster grumbled. Though his annoyance was quickly replaced with a grin. "But, still noticed too late! Ansuz!"

'

Drawing a symbol of some kind in the air, Caster launched a great ball of fire towards him. One powerful enough that even with his nonexistent knowledge on magecraft, he knew it might be able to kill him. Locked between it and Lancer, the swordsman was certainly left in a tight spot. This plan of theirs was quite effective.

'

But what they didn't realize was that this plan also had some benefits for him.

'

With the little time he had, the swordsman swiped at Lancer, his attacks restricting her to move slightly to the side, right into the line of Caster's fire. Moving away at the last possible moment, he could feel the heat radiating off the spell, slightly charring one of the sleeves of his kimono, but that was all that it did. His foe on the other hand...

'

"Lancer!"

'

The girl with the shield jumped in front of Lancer just in time to block the ball of fire, resulting in an explosion of flame that covered the section of the stairs they were in. It was enough to keep them busy for a second or two. Long enough for the swordsman to begin his next task.

'

"Aw, hell."

'

Drawing a set of symbols in the air, Caster fired a cluster of smaller fireballs at the rapidly approaching swordsman, who proceeded to dodge most of them while slashing two apart. While surrounding him was an effective strategy, his enemies had made an error in leaving Caster alone. Had the girl with the shield joined him, they might've held him off for a bit, but alone, the mage would quickly be cut down by his blade.

'

But that wasn't his sole objective. While he was planning to cut him down, the swordsman also used his approach as a lure. A lure that, judging by the presence of rapidly approaching Lancer, worked perfectly. As she was close enough, he stopped on the even ground between the flights of stairs, taking his stance, the only stance he had, and waited until she was close enough. As Lancer rushed him, the swordsman prepared to unleash his great technique on her

'

However.

'

"Get back! He's gonna use it!"

'

Lancer's eyes widened in shock as Caster's warning rang through the air, clearly knowing what the swordsman was planning. As soon as her feet touched the stones, the beautiful warrior kicked off the ground with great force, jumping a considerable distance away.

'

"And just out of range too." he sighed. But with that kick, Lancer would be too far away to reach him before he could reach Caster, while the girl with the shield would be too late due to her speed. Turning around, the swordsman evaded another spell and rushed the mage once more, blade prepared to cut him down. He would reach him with the next step, and it would all be over...

'

And yet.

'

"Damn that crazy Master! Making a Caster do something like this!"

'

Much to the swordsman's surprise, an identical glow to the one that danced on Lancer's body surfaced on Caster's, all the while he spun his staff and took a stance unlike any proper mage. A stance of a spearfighter. The wooden staff glowed and lit aflame as he thrust towards his approaching foe.

'

Of course, the swordsman deflected the thrust without issue, yet was pleasantly surprised by the strength, speed and skill behind the strike. So that small intuition from earlier had proved fruitful after all. This would be far more enjoyable than he had imagined...

'

As Caster blocked his counter, he was once more pleasantly surprised as the wooden staff managed to cleanly withstand a strike from his sword. Exchanging a series of blows with his foe, the swordsman was getting quite excited. Despite standing lower than his opponent for a change, he couldn't deny Caster's skill with his staff. Though as his foe released another set of lightning fast thrusts, he couldn't help but notice that there was now something else affecting Caster than the previous glowing. Something that made him both faster and stronger. Well, not that it mattered to him that much. Magecraft was no concern of his, and if it made his duel more interesting, all the better.

'

But, all fun had to eventually come to an end.

'

The clash between the swordsman and Caster only lasted a few seconds, yet well over a dozen blows were exchanged. That was all the girl with the shield needed to catch up. Jumping from above, she landed between the combatants with a tremendous force, slamming her shield down between herself and the swordsman. "Caster, it's time! If you would, please!"

'

"On it!"

'

As a symbol appeared on the ground in front of the swordsman, he was forced to jump back while the two above him were protected by the girl's shield. But what exactly were they planning?

'

He received his answer as Caster drew another symbol on the shield. Glowing together with the added mark, the shield released a wall of light that covered the entire width of the staircase, making moving around it impossible without entering the forest. Meaning there was no effective way for a Servant to get around it.

'

Yet what was the point? Certainly, it kept him away from them, but how long did they expect to keep that wall up? He was in no hurry, so stalling time was useless. Unless they were expecting support from Lance-

'

As an overwhelming sense of danger ran through the swordsman, his instincts told him to look at the sky. And as he did, everything became quite clear.

'

"Ah. Well played."

'

The wall wasn't for him in the first place.

'

Lancer floated high in the air, situated right in front of the moon for an indescribably lovely sight. The swordsman could've stared at it for hours, if it weren't for the other unusual sight in the sky.

'

A great, majestic lump of rock clad in flames floating above her.

'

"Freyja: Venus."

'

With the command, the giant rock began plummeting towards him, outshining even the moon with its flames. As it approached, the swordsman was well aware that he could neither avoid nor block it. Well, technically he could dive in the forest, but that would only buy him a few seconds before being put down by one of the enemy Servants.

'

So, he did nothing, with the exception of sheathing his sword. He simply stood there as the meteorite approached, smiling lightly. It had been a short, yet a somewhat fulfilling summoning. They hadn't been long, but his fights with Lancer and Caster had both been enjoyable to a degree.

'

Just before impact, he moved his eyes towards the source of his predicament further down the stairs; the red haired woman that was the enemy Master. She looked happy at the assured victory, yet held the tiniest bit of regret in her eyes, much different from any mages he'd encountered. If he had to guess, she knew of his desire, but had chosen this unfair course of action for the sake of her group.

'

How curious.

'

As the great, flaming rock descended on him, the swordsman wondered if by some bizarre chance they could meet again, under different circumstances. And if he would be able to achieve his modest desire then.

'

'

---

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---

'

'

Roman watched through his screen as Mash and Brynhildr helped Ritsuka and Olga Marie across the giant crater where the stairs used to be. While this 'Assassin' had certainly been a fearsome foe, they had thankfully managed to deal with him without any notable injuries. As long as there weren't any further complications, Saber should be the last opponent left, meaning that the team were already on the final stretch of returning back.

'

Back... to Chaldea...

'

The Doctor still had trouble believing this was all actually happening. How would they even begin explaining to the Director that all the Master candidates had in fact died? How could they ensure that she didn't have a mental breakdown over everything? There was just so much to do...

'

"Hey! Wake up, Archaman! We have a situation here!"

'

Alarmed by Olga Marie's angered shouts, Roman snapped his attention back to the screen, where he saw the group and... something in the background. Like, tiny pillars of some sort. "Huh? What are those?"

'

"That's what we're asking from you!" the Director growled as Mash shook her head in the background. "Can you get us any data on these things? These... arms?"

'

"Arms?" Confused, Roman zoomed in on the 'pillars', only to realize they were just what Olga Marie had said they were. A group of brown stone arms were rising from the earth. Strange orange veins that formed patterns ran across their forms, and in the middle of their opened hands there were circles where the veins gathered, above which, orange orbs floated. "...Oooookay? I'll try to see if we can find anything from the database after the scan." While he had seen quite a few things in his life, far more than most would believe, the Doctor had never encountered anything quite like this. Well, a scan should definitely clear things... out? "Ah, huh?"

'

"What? What did you find?"

'

"Well... Those orbs contain a notable amount of mana..." Oh man. The Director was not going to like this.

'

"...And?"

'

Watching the impatient Olga Marie tapping her foot, Roman prayed that she would by some miracle understand. "That's... that's all a scan is getting from them..."

'

"Huh!?" Looking at him incredulously, the Director reacted just how he had feared. "You're telling me that Chaldea's equipment is unable to scan these puny rock hands!? Redo the analysis, and this time do it properly!"

'

"I am. But the equipment can't read any more data from the scan."

'

Olga Marie looked just about ready to yell at him again, but thankfully Caster managed to cut in. "Now hold on. The weakling might not be actually at fault here." Though he really wished he'd stop calling him that. "I've seen plenty of things in my day, but never these things specifically. It's pretty hard to get a read on them. How about you, Lancer?"

'

"...I am much the same," the Valkyrie agreed. "...It's quite strange. They have a noticeable amount of mana, yet everything else seems so... hidden. But if I had to guess... Seeing how they protrude from the earth and hold those orbs, they most likely gather mana through the leylines and store it into them."

'

"Good guess," Caster nodded. "This is where all this city's leylines gather, making this a prime spot for these kinds of things."

'

Olga Marie sighed as she kept looking at the strange figures. "Alright, that's at least an attempt at analyzing them. Let's see if we can learn anything else. One of you, get close to them and see how they react."

'

Caster sighed in turn while shaking his head, Brynhildr on the other hand turned to the Master expectantly. "Oh, ahem. If you could, Lancer?"

'

"...Of course." Moving out of the cover of the large stone they had chosen as an observation point, the Valkyrie walked towards the creatures without hesitation.

'

Which started to immediately blast fireballs through their orbs at her upon detection.

'

"Violence it is," Ritsuka muttered as Brynhildr dispersed the attacks with her spear. "Take them out, Lancer. But do try to destroy only the arms. The orbs might have some kind of use."

'

"...Yes, Master." Without wasting a second, the Valkyrie dashed forward while dispelling the oncoming attacks, thrusting her spear at the first arm, shattering it on contact. The glowing, orange orb, now left without a hand, clattered onto the ground as Brynhildr had already moved on to the next one. Considering everything that had happened till now, it wasn't really much of a fight. Mash taking out a group of skeletons had been more dramatic and engaging. Within six seconds, the last of the arms had been shattered, leaving only 6 orbs behind.

'

"Is... is it over?" Olga Marie scanned through the surrounding area nervously, as if expecting something to follow. The Doctor couldn't exactly blame her. Given how things had gone thus far, he wouldn't be surprised if another threat suddenly popped up. Yet as seconds passed and nothing happened, the Director moved out from cover with a relieved sigh. "Ahem. If that is all, then good. Repo, pick up those orbs and store them in the Field Satchel. We can analyze them properly once we return to Chaldea."

'

"Yes, Director."

'

Seeing Ritsuka walking up to Brynhildr, who had already picked all of the orbs off the ground, and packing them without an issue, Roman fell into his own thoughts once again. Considering the deaths of all the Master candidates, the Mage's Association wasn't going to be their sole problem. The families of the deceased would also be gunning for their heads, especially the notable magus families. Without a doubt, the aftermath of this disaster would be a nightmare to deal with.

'

"We're here."

'

Caster's words focused him back to the situation at hand. He really had to stop spacing out like this. While he definitely wasn't thinking about something jovial, there was a time and a place for these thoughts, and this was neither. Looking at the group now standing in front of an entrance to a cave, Roman took a few quick scans of the area. "Yes, this definitely matches the map Sigma created earlier. And the density of the magical energy inside that cave is crazy. I assume you can all feel that?"

'

"No need to even ask," Olga Marie muttered, looking at the cave wide eyed. "The density of the magical energy leaking out here isn't normal..."

'

"Yeah. It's pretty crazy, right?" Pointing at the cave, Caster created a tiny ball of flame that floated above his staff. "Let's get going. In the deepest parts of that cave, Saber and the Holy Grail are waiting."

'

Led by Cú Chulainn, the group entered the cave, all the while Roman began scanning the path ahead. While the massive amount of magical energy did hinder the process a bit, he couldn't detect anything notable besides the two absurd sources at the back of the cave. Hopefully there would be no further complication-

'

"Roman, it's me. We need to talk more."

'

Before he could even finish the hopeful thought, another call came up. One that, judging by the tone, wasn't good news. Shutting off his voice from the Singularity team with a sigh, Romani turned to Arista's comm channel. "...More bad news?"

'

"Trust me, I'm getting sick of them too. I see you've silenced us from Olga and the others already. Good. They really don't need to hear any of this right now."

'

The Doctor didn't even want to imagine what this was about. "And Da Vinci?"

'

"Already here." Popping out on the screen, the Universal Genius was keeping her usual smile, yet it seemed just the slightest bit dimmer than usual. Guess even she couldn't stay completely chipper in these circumstances. "What type of disaster did you discover now?"

'

"Well... At a rough estimation, I'd say apocalyptic."

'

Upon hearing the words, Roman felt his heart sink again. If it happened literally, he didn't even want to guess how many he'd lost at this point. This really was what he had seen, then. Even Chaldea's resident Caster's smile faltered the tiniest bit as she spoke. "...How sure are you?"

'

Letting out a sigh, Arista proceeded to... drink something, at least judging by the sounds, before speaking. "I've tried to communicate with 458 different locations across the world, through both technological and magical means, and haven't gotten through in any of them."

'

Roman was almost afraid to ask. "And no one answered?"

'

"Oh, no. It's waaaay worse than that." A map of the world appeared on the screen, showing off hundreds of dots across its surface. It was quite an impressive network, having points in almost every country in the world. Yet the sight didn't prepare him for what was about to be said. "There is no 'signal', so to say. In other words, the communicators themselves no longer exist."

'

Da Vinci finally began to show signs of unrest as she looked over the map in scrutinizing detail. "...There is no way anyone could visit all of these locations so quickly and destroy them." After a few seconds, she moved away from the screen and leaned back on her chair, letting out what could best be described as a frustrated sigh. "...So, Chaldeas going red is the result of the future being identical to the current world then?"

'

"Yeah..." Another screen appeared, this time showing what appeared to be a live feed outside of Chaldea. Likely through one of the security cameras. And while the snowy landscape appeared mostly normal, in the horizon, the sky was unmistakably red. Similar to what it would look like during massive wildfires. "Basically the whole planet's surface is currently on fire, if we look at all the evidence."

'

Roman slouched back in his chair, staring at the footage playing on it. He knew this was coming. He'd known for a long time. But seeing it actually happen...

'

Judging by the rare look on Da Vinci's face, she was currently mulling over the same questions as he was: How could this have happened? Who or what was responsible? Why did they do this? And most importantly: "...What do we do now?"

'

"The same as what we've been doing," the Caster answered, her smile having returned, yet tinged with the same frustration from earlier. "We continue working on getting Chaldea back to full operating condition."

'

"Right now, it's all we can do," Arista agreed, sounding quite agitated himself. "Currently, we know basically nothing about this incident. Though whatever is going on in Singularity F is most likely linked to it in some way, so keep supporting them Roman."

'

Of course, he would've done that no matter what. "Right... right... Should we... make any kind of precautions?"

'

"I've already locked down all exits. I doubt anyone would want to go outside right now anyway, but one can never be too careful."

'

Well, that was at least something. This was all just happening so fast... Roman really didn't know what to think. If nothing else, he at least had to make sure that he appeared as normal as possible to the Singularity team. "...All right. I'm getting back to work then."

'

"Cool. I'm heading to the main reactor right now. Da Vinci, you come too whenever you get a chance. We need to get the big girl running if we hope to get even half of Chaldea into working condition."

'

Upon hearing the request, the Caster's smile returned shockingly close to her usual one. "'Whenever I get a chance,' huh? More like; 'whenever you need me.'"

'

"Oh, you know what? Fuck it. I'll just do it myself. Wouldn't want you there screwing up some vital component anyways."

'

"Don't you mean, fixing up the parts you already screwed up?"

'

Before the two could go any further, Roman removed himself from the call. While he did find these 'fights' of theirs amusing, he couldn't afford to get distracted right now. If humanity truly was in a state as catastrophic as they believed, their future almost certainly rested on the success of the Singularity team.

'

"Just please..." the Doctor whispered. "Please return safely, all of you..."

'

'

---

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---

'

'

"And here it is. The end of the line."

'

With Caster's announcement, the group entered a cavern far larger than any of the previous ones. Judging by the sheer size, one could fit several buildings inside it. Mash could only wonder if the mages who had repurposed this cave had hollowed this enormous space out.

'

But, that came to an end once she felt the presence of their final enemy from the other side of the area. Standing atop a rocky platform rising from the otherwise flat area, a figure clad in armor that seemed darker than the shadows around the cavern watched them, hands placed on top of a black and red greatsword. With skin that was disturbingly pale compared to their armor, coupled with piercing yellow eyes, their enemy's appearance was ghastly to say the least. The pressure emanating from Saber's gaze alone was enough for Mash to subconsciously raise her shield. "...Confirmed, Master. The one standing atop that hill is Saber... King Arthur."

'

"...You really weren't kidding, Caster." Ritsuka mumbled in amazement, eyes locked on Saber. "While Berserker had a slight edge in terms of pure Parameters, that sword would definitely more than close the gap between them. They really don't call Excalibur the strongest Holy Sword for nothing..."

'

"Indeed..." Brynhildr nodded. "The only comparison I could make would be Gram..."

'

"Sorry, that's it for the chitchat. The lady has definitely noticed us." While Caster's warning was meant to focus the group's attention on Saber, it had the exact opposite effect as all present turned to look at the man in confusion. "...Huh? What? What'd I say?"

'

Ritsuka was the first to speak, her now strengthened eyes darting between Saber and the druid. "Wait... King Arthur is a woman?"

'

Now it was Caster's turn to look confused. "Huh? Yeah. Didn't I mention that?"

'

"Nope."

'

"Definitely not."

'

"...Not even a hint."

'

"No such mention was made," Mash agreed with the other three present, now looking at Saber more closely than before. Yes, she could definitely see it now. Ignoring her sharp stare and frightening aura, the knight's face was quite fair, and she overall appeared a tad short for a legendary knight.

'

Rubbing the back of his neck, Caster seemed the slightest bit embarrassed. "...Well, this is awkward. Although... Does her gender really matter? We've still got to beat her."

'

"I suppose..." Ritsuka mumbled. "But it's just kind of confusing. Like... why?"

'

"Her gender's different from the legend, but she had her reasons for dressing like a man in Camelot," Roman suggested through the comms. "I mean, you can't assume the throne unless you're a man, right? She must've had to pretend to be a guy for family reasons."

'

"...Yeah. I guess that makes some sense."

'

"Are you quite done?"

'

A voice echoed throughout the cave, snapping everyone's attention to the previously silent figure of Saber. To Mash at least, the voice was actually quite beautiful, yet the harsh tone made it unbelievably threatening. But despite that, the dark knight's expression had yet to change, staring at them with indifference.

'

"What! You can talk?" Caster asked in disbelief, as if a stone had just begun to speak. "You were just maintaining your silence all this time?"

'

"Yes, and you were being watched the whole time you were chatting. l merely acted as a scarecrow," Saber confirmed with continuing indifference. And yet. "But... it's interesting." As she suddenly turned her gaze on Mash, the Shielder felt a chill run through her. The indifference from seconds ago had faded completely, with the yellow eyes appearing almost... roused. "I'm curious about that Noble Phantasm."

'

A sudden burst of magical energy shook the cave, putting the Investigation team to high alert. Reddish-black waves of mana overflowed from Saber's body as she raised her sword, pointing it straight at Mash. "Be ready, strange girl. This sword shall test the truth of your shield."

'

Feeling the enormous pressure of the King of Knights focused on her, Mash gripped her shield harder than ever, hands shaking the slightest bit. "Here she comes, Master!"

'

"Alright, remember the plan, everyone!" In response to Ritsuka's words, both Brynhildr and Cú Chulainn stepped forward, making at least some distance between themselves and the humans before the battle truly began. The Shielder... wanted to do the same, yet her legs refused to take a single step towards Saber. Why? She had unlocked her Noble Phantasm, at least partially, and she had two powerful allies. Even if their enemy was King Arthur, surely they could win. But... What was stopping her? Why was she still afraid?

'

"Mash."

'

Feeling a familiar hand on her shoulder, Mash turned to see Ritsuka looking at her benignly, a soft smile on her lips. "I know you're still afraid, and there's nothing wrong with that. We're facing a seriously powerful enemy here. But don't worry. We'll definitely win with this lineup. Just remember: Focus on defense. That's what you're best at. Don't worry about attacking Saber and leave it to the other two. You're not fighting to win. Fight so that you won't lose."

'

The advice was the same she'd given earlier, yet it was still helpful. That's right, she wasn't supposed to try to defeat their enemy. Her role was to thwart the enemy's attacks to protect the others. "Yes Master! Mash Kyrielight, here I come!" Tightening her grip on her shield, she rushed to the side of the other two Servants, ready to face Saber, who still stood on the hill, mana flowing all around her.

'

"Now then..." For a second, Mash could've sworn she saw Saber smile, yet she had no time to think about it. An explosion rang out, like a rocket taking off as the King of Knights had closed the distance between them in an instant. "Let's see you wield that Noble Phantasm."

'

The Shielder barely had time to brace herself as Saber's sword collided with her shield, pushing her backwards. Red and black mana enveloped the blade completely, hiding its previous form and making it seem much larger than before. And not just seem, but no doubt amplifying the destructive force of her strike several times over. Caster had been absolutely right. Unlike Berserker who's brute physical strength was absurd, Saber's power was her equally absurd amount of magical energy.

'

And yet, despite skidding backwards, Mash didn't falter, but kept her feet firmly on the ground, holding out against the strike. As she managed to stop her momentum, Saber seemed... pleased for some reason. "Hmph. Seems this may actually be interesting."

'

"Forgetting someone?"

'

A blast of flame came from the side, courtesy of Caster, large enough to easily engulf Saber's entire body. At least it was, until Saber's dark mana infused blade sliced it apart, leaving behind only tiny cinders. Yet it still worked as a distraction for Brynhildr, who struck from the opposite direction, her mythril spear clashing with the dark sword. Blue flames rampaging against dark mana.

'

...Blue flames?

'

With everything obstructing her vision, Mash hadn't noticed it immediately, but Brynhildr's form was fully enveloped by her flames, making her appear like a complete opposite of Saber with her light colors. Not only that, but the streaks running around her body were clear signs of a physical reinforcement rune. But if she was doing that, it meant...

'

Her thoughts falling back to their strategy meeting, Mash recalled what Ritsuka had specified: "Given how this whole blackening thing is making things uncertain, I'll leave the choice up to your judgement, Lancer. If you feel a strong love towards King Arthur, then fight with restraint, so that you can launch a full force strike with your Noble Phantasm when a suitable opportunity comes. However, if you feel no strong love towards Saber, you're free to go all out with your Mana Burst and rune enhancements. From what Caster's told us, it won't give you the advantage, but it should close the gap between the two of you a bit. It'll also let us know which course of action we should take without conversing in the middle of a fight."

'

So, with Brynhildr using her flames to this extent, it meant that they'd be going with Plan B... Mash felt a tinge of nervousness running through her. That also meant that her role would be bigger. No, not bigger. More like the entire plan depended on her. Meaning if she made a single mistake during the execution, their whole strategy would fall apart...

'

As another explosion of power from Saber's sword shook the earth, Mash was forced to put her worries aside as she saw Brynhildr getting blown back by the strike. The Valkyrie didn't seem to be injured, though there were clear signs of fatigue on her form. Hardly surprising. Mash had only taken a single strike from Saber thus far, so she could only imagine how exhausting it would be to straight up fight her.

'

"Ansuz!"

'

Caster's continued bombardment was once again swept aside by Saber, making the druid visibly frustrated. The knight didn't give him more attention than necessary as she continued her assault on Brynhildr, annoying him even further. "Ignoring me, huh?" He growled, twirling his staff and slamming it on the ground just as Saber was making a dash towards Brynhildr.

'

"Guh!" Stopped midair during her jump, Saber looked at her feet in confusion, finding them wrapped by a set of branches growing from the desolate ground. Mash saw it as well, realizing what it meant for Caster to use that. Before the King of Knights could even begin any sort of countermeasures, the Demi-Servant was already sprinting towards the druid at full speed. "A trick like this won't-!"

'

Just as Saber cut the branches apart, Brynhildr was upon her once more, lance swinging towards her side. The opposite side where her sword was. Realizing she didn't have time to move the blade, the knight engulfed her other arm with her dark mana, dark gauntlet blocking the mythril lance coated in flames. And for the first time since the battle started, Saber was blown backwards by one of their attacks, though much to their discouragement, aside from the slightest crack on her gauntlet, she seemed perfectly fine.

'

"Damn. She's as frustrating as ever," Caster growled, drawing another set of runes as Mash moved to his side. "Whether it's dealing out or tanking damage, this monster just doesn't falter."

'

Blasting the flurry of fireballs aside like the others before, Saber turned to face Caster properly for the first time. "Hmph. When it comes to avoiding death, I doubt there are any Servants capable of matching you, Child of Light." As the King of Knights pointed her sword towards the two, the dark mana around her intensified once more. And Mash was well aware of what it meant, moving in front of Caster in anticipation. "You've been quite an annoyance for a while. It's time I got rid of you for good."

'

Bracing for the coming impact, Mash gripped her shield tightly, focusing as much mana into it as possible. As she did, she felt Caster lightly touching her back, just like they had planned. This was the beginning of their endgame.

'

Identical to her first strike, Saber blasted forward like a rocket, her dark blade blowing away the earth as it mercilessly collided with Mash's shield. But the result was much different from the first strike.

'

Mash could see the clear surprise in Saber's eyes as her sword's momentum was completely halted by the cross-shaped shield. It was as if a regular sword had clashed with a block of solid steel, completely unable to do any noticeable damage. Well, that's what it looked like at least, but given how her arms nearly went numb from the impact, the Shielder was well aware just how close the clash had actually been. Without Caster's rune enhancing her sturdiness even further, she would've been pushed back just like the first time. But, that still didn't change the fact that she had stopped it, which was precisely what she needed to accomplish.

'

"Quite a shocker, ain't it? Not even Berserker managed to completely stop a full force strike from you," Caster grinned, his satisfaction over the result obvious to anyone seeing him. "Shocking enough to make even you drop that guard of yours for a second."

'

Saber's eyes widened as she realized what was going on, but as Caster had said, she was a second too late. The Shielder prepared for the imminent blast, focusing mana on her shield once more. After all, Mash's endurance wasn't reinforced just to block the attack from Saber. She also had to be sturdy enough to withstand the force of the explosive set of runes Caster had carved on the ground well before the attack.

'

During the strategy meeting, Cú Chulainn had mentioned that this 'landmine' rune combination of his was 'quite potent'. In Mash's opinion, 'quite potent' was an extreme understatement. She was well aware that runes were at their most powerful when they were physically carved into something, but this was far beyond what she had imagined. The explosion shook the cave, coming extremely close to blowing Mash away as she grit her teeth and held on with all she had. Caster's rune did protect her ears a bit, but the sound still rattled her eardrums to the point they nearly burst. And then there was the light and the smoke, which reduced her visibility close to nonexistent. If an attack came directly from her front or from the side, she'd have no way to react to it.

'

And yet one never came. Over the course of what felt like an eternity, Mash waited for the area around them to clear, her heartbeat seeming louder than the explosion. How would the King of Knights retaliate? Would she dare to try and look?

'

But as the area cleared enough to see and Mash finally managed to peer over her shield, she saw Saber, who had been blasted high into the air, looking absolutely livid. Her vicious glare was aimed towards them, though the Shielder could tell that it was mainly meant for Caster. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to have suffered much damage, but there at least were some cracks and dents in her black armor.

'

For just a second, Mash dared to look away from the fight to check on both Ritsuka and Olga Marie, making sure that they weren't caught in the blast. Thankfully, there was a barrier with quite an elaborate appearance in front of them, no doubt courtesy of the Director, that would work to keep them safe from anything weaker than a direct attack from Saber. Though judging by the amount of rubble in front of the shield and Olga Marie's irate expression, if it hadn't been there, the two of them would've been blown back as well.

'

"Focus, young lady," Caster grinned by her side, looking quite pleased with himself over the successful attack. "We're almost at the home stretch. Now just get Lancer to help you out and we're set." And with that, the druid dashed away from her, making sure to stay in Saber's line of sight as he ran. "That's quite a look, King of Knights! Haven't really seen that stone face of yours crack, even against Berserker! I must've gotten you real good!"

'

Mash was admittedly quite impressed. Caster actually managed to make Saber even angrier with his taunt. Her scowl somehow grew deeper than it already was as she glared at the offender. "I thought you were just an eyesore, Child of Light, but it seems you're quite intent on violating my ears as well." Dark mana pouring out of her blade once more, the knight seemed quite intent on erasing the druid at once. "I'll suffer from your nonsense no more!"

'

Yet that was exactly what they had wanted.

'

In all honesty, Mash wasn't sure if she should feel impressed or disillusioned over the fact that Ritsuka had formed a plan that depended on: "Caster annoying Saber enough to ignore everyone else for a second or two." Certainly, it had worked, but... the implications were quite obvious to anyone... Well, at least Caster himself didn't really seem to mind.

'

Saber's glare diminished slightly in favor of surprise as she realized their aim. Turning around, she came to face Brynhildr, who had gotten dangerously close due to the distraction. With both runes and her Mana Burst fueling her, the full force strike from the Lancer's spear would have dealt serious damage even to Saber had it connected properly. Yet, just like Caster had warned them, the knight once again realized the oncoming attack through her Instinct, blocking the blow with her blade.

'

But, that was something they came to expect at this point.

'

While Saber could block Brynhildr's powerful strike without issue, she was unable to stop the momentum of the swing due to lacking leverage in midair. And so, the King of Knights was launched away... right towards the spot where Caster had drawn another one of those 'landmines' of his. Once more, Saber's temper flared. "You think I'll fall for the same trick twice!" Excalibur shone black and red as Mana Burst flowed through it, moving to a swinging position as Saber rapidly flew towards the rune trap. Right before collision, she swung the blade at the runes, causing the fiery explosion and dark mana to clash in an absurd burst of force. Covered by a ridiculous amount of magical energy to shield herself from the explosion, Saber was blasted high in the air for the second time. Though unlike the first, she seemed mostly unharmed. And while it may not have caused any damage, the main purpose of the explosion was to buy them a few extra seconds of time anyway.

'

Taking advantage of the explosion, Brynhildr was quick to move to Mash's side, prepared for her part in the finale. "Get ready, Mash. What happens next will decide this battle."

'

"Yes!" Planting her feet firmly on the ground and gripping her shield with both hands, Mash concentrated her full attention on Saber. At this point, she couldn't afford to mess her part up!

'

Though another problem had just presented itself. Due to her Mana Burst, Saber had diverted the course of her flight away from what they had planned, leading to her landing in the worst possible spot. From their position, Caster was caught between them and Saber, and while he was moving to the side to give Mash a clear shot, the knight's relentless pursuit kept her a bit too close to him. Not only did the Shielder need a direct path, but she had to ensure that Caster was behind her once she got her hit in. If this didn't work... they might need to repeat the process. But given how Saber now knew what to expect, would they even be able to...

'

"Oh, to hell with it!" Caster growled, focusing fully on Saber instead of running away. With a wild glare, he gripped his staff tightly with his right hand and raised it above his head. "I am not going to be the reason this plan fails!" What happened next was something Mash certainly hadn't expected. The raised staff began to glow with a bright golden light, and was then thrown with all of Caster's strength.

'

As the golden javelin raced towards her, the clear surprise on Saber's face made it evident that the act had even caught her off guard. Though not enough to get hit by such an obvious attack. Taking a quick step to her side, the staff passed by the knight's head, wiping away the previous surprise and leaving her completely unfazed. After all, with the desperate act, Caster had left himself defenseless, practically guaranteeing her victory.

'

Or so it seemed.

'

Just as Mash was about to rush towards Caster in a desperate attempt to assist him, something even more unexpected than the staff throw happened. Almost immediately after passing by Saber, the golden javelin made an absurdly sharp U-turn, heading right towards her unguarded back. From her suddenly widening eyes, it was clear that the King of Knights understood what had happened through her Instinct before she could turn around. But while she understood it, the event was simply too fast for her to act, forcing her to take the hit.

'

"How did-!?" As the javelin struck her back, Saber's form was enveloped by an explosion of golden light, blasting her further away than before. Something that Caster was quick to take advantage of, making a mad dash to get out of Mash's attacking line.

'

The Shielder was still trying to understand what exactly had happened, but for now at least, she had to focus on her part in all this. There would be time for questions later. As Saber, somehow even angrier than before, began to pursue Caster again, Mash focused her legs and...

'

Why was nothing happening? Brynhildr was supposed to enhance her with a rune, yet she still felt nothing. Turning around, Mash faced the Valkyrie in confusion. "Lancer, what is-"

'

The words were cut abruptly as she noticed Brynhildr's appearance. Eyes wide, mouth slightly agape, the Lancer appeared completely stunned. It was as if she had seen something utterly impossible, leaving Mash only further confused. Certainly, Caster's trick had been shocking, but to have a reaction like this... They didn't have a moment to waste! "Lancer! Please, we have to get ready!"

'

Blinking a few times, Brynhildr's expression changed so suddenly that Mash had to do a double-take. In the blink of an eye, the Valkyrie had gone from absolutely shocked to her normal, expressionless self. "Hm? Mash? Why are you looking at me? Please, focus on Saber! We can't let Caster's distraction go to waste!"

'

Mash was growing more confused by the second. What... What had just happened? Was this bizarre reaction something that occurred due to Brynhildr's nature as a goddess rather than human? Ugh. Again, there would be time for questions later. She had to focus on Saber now! "Yes! Mash Kyrielight, here I go!"

'

Feeling a familiar burst of energy running through her body as Brynhildr drew the physical reinforcement rune on her back, Mash crouched, much like a cat ready to pounce its prey. Almost immediately, she felt more power being added through Ritsuka's Momentary Reinforcement and Emergency Evasion. The feeling was... overwhelming, to say the least. Even if it only lasted for a few seconds, the amount of power she had right now was astounding. And she'd need every last drop of it if she hoped to succeed. Due to Caster's distraction, Saber was right on her trajectory while he was a good distance away, making this the perfect opportunity. Focusing most of her magical energy on her legs, Mash released the bent limbs and burst forward like a rocket.

'

With speed that surpassed even Saber's first jump at the start of the battle, Mash crossed more than half of the massive chamber in a fraction of a second. Her target, the King of Knights, barely had time to react due to focusing on Caster, leading to a perfect, direct hit. The impact was staggering, and without it, Mash wasn't even sure if she'd hit Saber due to her shield being in the way. Feeling her momentum diminishing along with a loud crash, the Shielder carefully peered over her armament to check the results.

'

And they were quite astonishing.

'

The crash Mash had heard was caused by Saber smashing into the rocky platform she had previously stood on top of, creating a large crater on the wall that completely hid her form. Judging by the trail on the ground, the knight had attempted to halt her momentum by stabbing Excalibur into the ground, yet the short distance combined with the speed she was launched with left the act useless.

'

Staring at the hole Saber had been plunged in, Mash felt exhilarated. Their plan: 'World's Strongest Shield Bash' had been a complete success. Though it was still far too early to celebrate. The Shielder knew her part was far from over as another burst of mana shook the cave.

'

To say that Saber exited the crater would be a gross understatement. It was more like she exploded out of it, increasing the hole's size considerably. Feeling the full force of the King of the Knights' glare, Mash felt a powerful chill running through her body. Saber didn't look like she had taken much damage. She mostly just looked a bit dirty and very, very angry. The Shielder would've been unbelievably scared if this wasn't the intended result.

'

"...Very well. This will be the final test of that shield, strange girl." A burst of mana, far more potent than anything before it, rushed out of Excalibur. Mash didn't even need to guess what was about to happen, raising her shield firmly in front of her. "Cry out. It is time to fall to the ground."

'

This was it.

'

This would be the moment where everything was decided.

'

"Just like with Berserker, getting into a war of attrition with Saber means certain defeat for us. As a strategy, it's only useful if we had more resources and/or could deplete hers faster than our own. Our best chance to win is to delude her into thinking we're just planning to fight her head on, instead of baiting her to attack us at full force. And when she does, we'll deal the finishing blow. Once she unleashes that Holy Sword of hers on Mash, we'll win if everything goes according to plan."

'

Of course, when Caster had explained Excalibur to them, Mash had gotten a rather clear idea of what she would be facing. But obviously, imagining and actually seeing something were completely different things.

'

It was like a black storm of magical energy, yet it's all being concentrated to a single point, all for a single, devastating attack. Unlike her Master, Mash is unable to tell things such as the exact ranking of a Noble Phantasm just by looking at it, but even she knows that the coming attack is far more powerful than anything she has faced thus far. Even Archer's final arrow completely paled in comparison.

'

That is what she has to face.

'

That is what she has to stop.

'

It is an absurd demand.

'

...And yet, what choice does she have?

'

This was the position they had planned, with her at the front and everyone else behind her. If her shield broke before that sword, they would all be dead. Neither Lancer or Caster had any way of stopping that blade, speaking nothing of Ritsuka and Olga Marie. Right now she was the only one who could do this.

'

The only one who could face that sword.

'

The only one who could stop that sword.

'

So, obviously, failure wasn't even a choice.

'

"True Name, Pseudo Register."

'

Her shield began to glow. It shone with a pure, blue light to oppose the storm of dark light in front of her. Raising it above her head much like Saber did with her sword, Mash placed every bit of power she had into it. The power to keep those behind her safe from harm.

'

"Hammer of the Vile King. Overturn the aurora. Swallow the light!"

'

All the magical energy that had been swirling around the blade had now been drawn into it. Instead of a storm, the mass of black and red mana appeared more like a flame. A dark flame that burned all in its path.

'

"Deploying Noble Phantasm!"

'

Unless it was stopped by her.

'

"Excalibur Morgan! [Sword of Promised Victory]"

'

The Holy Sword came down, releasing a merciless torrent of black light.

'

"Lord Chaldeas! [Human Order Foundation]"

'

The cross-shaped shield was slammed down, releasing it's light blue barrier.

'

The collision between the two was instantaneous, shaking the entire cave. Mash grit her teeth as she held against Saber's sword, doing everything she could to stop it. The shaking of the earth and the unceasing noise that rattled her eardrums were assaulting her senses mercilessly, coming dangerously close to distracting her focus away from her task. She knew that it would be more powerful than Archer's arrow, but to this degree...

'

No, she couldn't afford to get distracted now! They were so close! She just had to hold out and protect everyone behind her! No matter how hard it got or how scary it was, she had to shield them from this calamity. She had to stand at the front of-

'

Over the ceaseless shaking of the earth, another, familiar sensation came over Mash. A warm hand on her bare shoulder. Before she could even turn to look, she heard her voice over the explosive noise, speaking right into her ear.

'

"You're doing great, Mash. Just a bit longer." Ritsuka's reassuring words calmed Mash down as her warm breath tickled her ear. Just like on the top of that building, the flow of magical energy between them had greatly improved due to the immediate distance, helping her channel more power into her shield. "Everything is set in place. All you need to do is give one last push and victory is ours."

'

With her right hand still resting on Mash's shoulder, Ritsuka laid the other on top of one of hers holding onto the shield. Giving a quick glance to her side, the Demi-Servant saw her Master's warm, encouraging smile. In such a situation, she couldn't help but to return it in kind.

'

Yes. That was right. Senpai was exactly right. She'd held on for this long, so she couldn't possibly lose at this point. Just one last push and it would be over.

'

"Haaaah!"

'

Shouting out as hard as her lungs allowed, Mash poured out every bit of magical energy she could and unleashed it through her shield. The barrier formed by the shield shone brighter than ever as it let out a pulse of power, completely dispersing the dark light rampaging against it all the way to its source.

'

Saber, while uninjured, stumbled backwards as she stared at the shield in bewilderment. She clearly hadn't expected such a strong reaction, one that would snuff out Excalibur Morgan's light in a single stroke. That reaction was exactly what the group had hoped for, giving them an extra second of time, just in case. After all, this light show had been a distraction first and foremost. All that blinding light and deafening sound made it really easy to work without being detected.

'

"Burn up, giant of the trees!"

'

Upon hearing Caster's voice, Saber's eyes snapped towards him, understanding her situation immediately. The druid was coated in a great amount of magical energy as he grinned at her, knowing full well that it was too late for her to escape or counterattack.

'

"Wicker Man! [Cage of Scorching, Consuming Flames]"

'

Before Saber could do anything, a burning magic circle formed on the ground beneath her, radiating with great power. And out of it, an enormous figure rose, leaving the knight standing on top of its head. Giant composed of tree branches, burning with scorching heat, began its assault.

'

"And here's the grand finale," Ritsuka smiled while holding up an exhausted Mash. The Demi-Servant nodded in agreement, smiling just as happily. She'd managed to stop the Holy Sword while giving Caster enough time to finish his chant undetected, making all their troubles worth it.

'

The Wicker Man opened the cage in its torso while its other hand tried to grab Saber, coming dangerously close to snatching her up. But through a Mana Burst powered jump, she managed to avoid the hand and began running along the arm, intent on escaping its grasp. Admittedly, Mash got the slightest bit worried as Saber jumped off the arm, putting some distance between herself and the giant. Though her nerves were quickly calmed back down as she noticed the red glow coming from Ritsuka's right hand.

'

"Strike her in, Lancer!"

'

While Saber was still midair due to her jump, Brynhildr appeared in front of her without warning, catching the knight completely off guard. With rune enhancements shining on her arms and spear, and her form completely coated in flames, the Valkyrie was more than capable of accomplishing her given task. Although the King of Knights managed to raise her sword in defense, all it did was protect her from a fatal blow. She was completely incapable of stopping her momentum as she was launched inside the burning cage.

'

Before Saber could even think of escaping or attacking the giant with Excalibur, the Wicker Man slammed the cage shut and began falling over. As it fell flat on the ground, a fiery explosion took over the area, until a flame roughly in the shape of the giant rose from the blaze and stretched towards the heavens, bursting through the roof of the cave.

'

As the flames died down, the eyes of the entire group were locked onto their enemy, ready to act in case she had somehow managed to survive. But thankfully, much to Mash's relief, the embers scattered to reveal Saber, now coated in golden sparkles. In front of their eyes, the knight's feet were already dematerializing.

'

It was their victory.

'

'

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'

'

An overwhelming sense of relief took over Ritsuka as Saber began to disappear. And from the way she noticeably relaxed in her arms, she knew that Mash felt much the same. They'd won.

'

"...To think that my sword would be defeated," Saber mumbled while looking towards the two of them. Though what confused Ritsuka was that for some reason, she was smiling even as she had disappeared up to her waist. The King of Knights didn't really seem to mind her defeat. "I was going to defend the Holy Grail to the end, but I lost because my tenacity wavered. Ultimately, no matter how my fate changes, I will always meet the same end if I'm alone."

'

"What's that supposed to mean? Bastard, what do you know?" Caster called out, sounding just as frustrated over Saber's cryptic last words as Ritsuka. Like come one. They'd won a hard earned victory. She could at least leave them some proper information as a prize.

'

"Eventually, you too will realize it, Ireland's Child of Light. Grand Order, the battle to obtain the Holy Grail has only just begun."

'

And with those final words, Saber was gone, leaving behind only golden dust and a rainbow stone...

'

And many questions.

'

"Hey, wait! What do you mean by- Whoa!" Hearing the sudden, surprised cry, Ritsuka turned to Caster... Only to see he was now suffering the same fate as their adversary. "Oh crap, I am getting sent back too?"

'

"Ah, Caster!" Mash called out, doing her best to stand on her own. "Caster, you're leaving too?"

'

Nodding in response, the druid seemed a bit sad, but still grinned at them merrily. "Yeah. Seems like my part's over now that Saber's been defeated. Hah, Servant's partings are always so damn quick. I don't really like this, but whatever. Master, lady, I'm leaving the rest to you!" Turning to Brynhildr, Caster gave her a quick wink and a sly smile. "You keep watching over them, Valkyrie. That's what you're best at, ain't it?"

'

Several emotions ran across the Lancer's face before Ritsuka could even register them all, but in the end, she gave a quick nod to the vanishing Servant. "...Indeed. I swore to be her spear, and I intend to until my end."

'

"Um... Thank you very much for all you did for us!" Mash shouted awkwardly. "I don't... I'm not sure I could've protected Senpai and the Director without your help!"

'

Ritsuka had to admit, Mash was completely right. She honestly didn't even want to imagine what might've happened if he wasn't there. "...Yeah. You really did a lot for us..." She was somewhat sad to see Caster go. Sure, he could be a bit annoying at times, but he was still far from a bad guy, so Ritsuka didn't exactly dislike him. And his contributions to their victory were undeniable. "Thank you, Cú Chulainn. I... seriously doubt we would've even made it here without your help. And even if we did, there's no way we could've beaten Saber on our own."

'

"No need. This type of stuff is all a part of being a Servant," Caster shrugged, though he still appeared quite pleased with the praise. "While you two might still be novices as a Servant and as a Master, but you've both got hell of a lot of potential. Do your best to live up to it." But as soon as he finished those words, the mage's expression shifted to one the Master had yet to see on him. Somewhere between sly and mischievous. "And above all, don't forget, Pioneers... About all those Shining Stars, brighter than any storm can conceal. They will be your guide to the horizon."

'

Before Ritsuka could even question what he meant, Cú Chulainn had returned to his earlier, merry self, his body gone all the way up to his chest. "Being sent off like this for a change is pretty nice. Oh, and if there's a next time, try to summon me as a Lancer!" And with one last wink at the end of his request, the druid was gone.

'

Ritsuka admittedly felt a bit frustrated. Both Saber and Caster had disappeared while speaking in such a cryptic manner. If they were going to disappear anyway, couldn't they at least have given the Chaldeans some solid information?

'

"Confirming both Saber and Caster have vanished." Mash mumbled solemnly. "...Does that mean we've won?"

'

"Yes, you did a fine job, Mash, Ritsuka!" Popping up on his screen again, Roman appeared... quite happy, as well as relieved. Well, given their situation, the fact that they had all made it through it in one piece was incredibly lucky, so his reaction was certainly understandable. In fact, Ritsuka was feeling pretty elated herself.

'

"Fou!"

'

Jumping out from somewhere, Fou landed on Mash's shoulder and nuzzled against her cheek, prompting a giggle from the girl. "Thank you, Fou." Petting her little friend, Mash was all smiles.

'

Giving the critter a few pats herself, Ritsuka was glad to see Mash so happy. And quite bizarrely, she felt genuinely... proud. While it was pretty rough, they'd successfully taken out Saber. With a plan she had made. Even if she wasn't quite sure why, the Shielder had placed a lot of faith in her, so to live up to that faith... It felt really nice.

'

Roman was also looking at Mash quite warmly, seeming to enjoy the situation. "The Director must be so pleased... Hey, where's the Director?"

'

Becoming slightly worried for a second, Ritsuka was glad to notice that the Director was perfectly fine, just standing a bit further from the group while mumbling to herself. "Grand Order... How did that Servant know that name?"

'

"Excuse me, Director Animusphere?" she called out, snapping Olga Marie from her mumbling. "What are your orders? Should we inspect the Grail now that Saber is gone?"

'

Appearing slightly unprepared, the Director coughed into her fist while turning towards her. "Oh, ahem. Yes. We'll get to that in a moment. But first." Walking briskly to their side, Olga Marie offered her hand to Ritsuka. An act that nearly dazed the Master. "As the Director of Chaldea, I acknowledge your accomplishments, Ritsuka Repo. You have done first class work as a Master."

'

The redhead could simply stand there in shock for a second, only shaking the offered hand once she realized how crude she must've appeared just staring. To have her new boss, who was also one of the damn Lords of the Clock Tower, appreciate the effort she had put into something... It was all so overwhelming that Ritsuka didn't know if she should laugh or cry out of happiness. Thankfully she could hide it, much like her fear. After the catastrophe that was her first hour in Chaldea, this was all like some kind of miracle. "I... um... Thank you. Thank you for your words, Director. Ah, and now that we're talking, I almost forgot to thank you for what you did earlier too."

'

Olga Marie stared at her, clearly confused. "Huh? What for?"

'

"Well that barrier you put up, of course. If it hadn't been there, Caster's crazy bomb would've blasted me across the cave. Or bombarded me with rubble" Had she really forgotten about that? It wasn't the most outstanding contribution, but the Director had definitely been helpful in that regard.

'

Judging from the dumbfounded look on her face, Olga Marie really had forgotten it. Or maybe she just didn't think it was important in the first place. "That... but, I... Well..." As she struggled to find words, Ritsuka couldn't help but think that the Director was quite... cute when she got embarrassed. "Well, it was the least I could do after... After... Well, not doing... much during this investigation..."

'

Now it was Ritsuka's turn to look confused. Was her boss really this unaware of her own actions? "That's not true at all. You've done plenty for us," the redhead noted, earning a... hopeful look from the Director. "Without you, we wouldn't have headed to the bridge immediately, meaning we would've most likely missed Caster. And even though he offered to do it, you still took responsibility as a leader and healed me after the battle there. Of course, then there was that moment you helped Mash during the fight against Assassin. While she wouldn't have died exactly, she could have been seriously injured if you didn't blast that Assassin when you did. So please don't undersell your own work, Director."

'

Olga Marie's expression was difficult to read. It shifted between embarrassed, glad and thankful so rapidly that it looked like she might suffer a stroke. But, Ritsuka wasn't going to let that stop her. There was no way she could ignore the efforts of someone who acknowledged her own. If she would get praised for her work, she wouldn't let the Director sell herself short. That would've been incredibly cruel.

'

After well over ten seconds of battling with herself, Olga Marie finally managed to calm herself down enough to speak. "Yes, well, good. You've got sharp eyes and- and a great sense of awareness, Repo. Keep this up and you might even get yourself a spot on one of the higher teams."

'

"That's great, Senpai," Mash congratulated her with the sweetest smile Ritsuka could imagine. She had called herself lucky that she'd gotten the redhead as a Master, but from Ritsuka's perspective, she was the lucky one to have received the trust of this wonderfully earnest girl.

'

"Ah, and of course, you did well too, Mash." Olga Marie quickly added, realizing that she'd nearly forgotten the Demi-Servant. "Now, that's long enough of a break. Several points are still unclear, but let's call this mission complete. We'll do a few extra inspections and then Rayshift back to Chaldea." With that, she began to march towards the spot where Saber had disappeared.

'

A spot where Brynhildr was already waiting for them, like a statue. She really went all in with this 'emotionless weapon' role of hers. "...I trust everything is fine, Master? I've kept an eye on this... Grail, for the lack of a better term, while you talked."

'

"Grail?" the Director repeated, speeding up while Ritsuka and Mash followed suit. "What Grail?"

'

Pointing at the spot where Saber had vanished, Brynhild's words were quite literal. Floating a few centimeters above the ground, there was, literally, a grail there. "It contains a considerable amount of power, so while I picked up this Saint Quartz, I refrained from touching it until you ordered me to."

'

Moving closer to get a better look, Olga Marie began to meticulously inspect the cup without touching it. "Saber had this? Well done, not touching it. This could very well be the reason she became abnormal... And the reason why Fuyuki City became a singularity."

'

"Ah, wait a moment, Brynhildr," Ritsuka interrupted, moving the Valkyrie's attention to her. "Saber dropped a Saint Quartz when she disappeared, but Caster didn't? Why is that?"

'

"I'm unsure. I have a few possible theories based on the examples thus far, but nothing concrete."

'

"It's just another question we'll work on getting an answer to," Olga Marie stated, straightening herself out. "I don't think there is any harm in just touching this 'Grail', so please pick it up. Romani, start preparations on the rayshift so that we can-"

'

"Truly, I didn't expect you'd get this far. Beyond my plan's expectations and my own tolerances."

'

The sudden voice put everyone on alert, prompting Brynhildr to raise her spear while Mash materialized her shield. Ritsuka's eyes darted around the cave, but she couldn't tell where the voice was coming from. And judging by the others, they were much the same. With a single exception.

'

"Fou! Grrrr!"

'

Letting out an angry bark and a growl, Fou glared towards the center of the cave, where the hill where Saber had stood on was. However, it now had a new occupant.

'

"Master Candidate #48. It was my mistake to naively overlook you as an improbable child."

'

Olga Marie audibly gasped as she recognized the speaker, followed soon by Mash. While Ritsuka herself had only met him once, the dark green tophat with a matching coat and the long, purplish brown hair made him instantly recognizable.

'

"Lev..." the Director muttered in disbelief before starting to sprint towards him at full speed, pure joy taking over her features as tears started to appear on her eyes. "Oh, Lev! Lev! You're alive!"

'

Mash too seemed astonished, simply standing there and staring at the man. "Professor Lev?"

'

"Lev-! Professor Lev, you say? He's there?" Roman questioned through the comm line.

'

Turning from the running Olga Marie, the man in question now focused on the group still by the Grail. All the while keeping that disturbingly calm smile. "Hm, is that Romani I hear?" A question that instantly put Ritsuka on guard. There was far more than a hundred meters between them. For him to be able to hear something like that... "So, you survived as well. I told you to come to the command room immediately, but it seems you didn't listen. Honestly-"

'

The eyes that had stayed effectively closed all this time were opened, revealing red, inhuman pupils. The calm smile grew into a twisted grin, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth. "Trash who can't even follow orders. Just the mere sight of it makes me want to throw up. Why is it that humans always try to avoid their preordained destinies?"

'

Without a word, faster than Ritsuka could even blink, Brynhildr moved in front of her in full guard. Mash as well, now between the two of them, moved to at least cover her Master. And she herself needed no explanation. It was clear to anyone sensible that this person was no human. And yet, someone who wasn't thinking straight was running towards him at full speed. "Wait! Director, stop! Don't go near him!"

'

But the overjoyed woman couldn't even hear the warning as she scampered up the hill and tackled the professor in a hug. "Thank goodness! If you were gone, I'd... I wouldn't know how to keep Chaldea safe without you!"

'

"Hello there, Olga. You seem well. Looks like you had a rough time, too." Returning back to his calm smile like nothing had happened, Lev began talking with the Director with a kind voice.

'

"Yes, yes, that's right, Lev! The command room blew up, the city's in ruins, and, and-! I thought I was going to go crazy from all these unforeseen complications! But it's okay, as long as you're here we'll be fine, right?" As Olga Marie smiled at the man desperately, Ritsuka felt... sick. Just how much did she rely on this man, only for him to clearly betray her without her even noticing. "That's how it's always been, right? You'll help me this time too, won't you?"

'

"Yes, of course. Honestly, all these complications have irritated me. And the biggest complication is you, Olga. I set the bomb right under your feet, and yet here I am, face to face with you!"

'

Ritsuka could feel her stomach turn. Even more horrifying than the words spoken, was the way this monster had delivered them, never losing that smile of his. Even as the Director's face switched to utter confusion, he still kept it on. "...L-Lev? Um, wh-what's that supposed to mean?"

'

"Why are you so dimwitted," Lev sighed, shaking his head, but still keeping that smile. "Has your brain stopped working since you've died? Whatever, that unpleasantness won't change." Delivering his unbelievably cruel explanation while Olga Marie grew paler and paler, the monster seemed to almost enjoy himself. "Sorry, you're not actually alive. You're already dead. Your body, at least, long ago. Trismegistus thoughtfully transferred you into this land after you'd become residual thoughts. You had no aptitude for Rayshift while alive, right? You can't teleport while you have a physical body. Understand? You only gained the aptitude you so desired after you died. That's why you can't return to Chaldea. The moment you do, your consciousness will vanish."

'

"What... what are you saying?" Olga Marie nearly whimpered. "That can't be... You're wrong... You're wrong!"

'

Ritsuka couldn't bear to watch this any longer, moving close to Brynhildr to whisper to her. "Lancer... I don't know what Lev is, but... Can't we do something? I still have one more Command Spell, so-"

'

"I'm sorry, Master..." Far from her usual emotionlessness, the Valkyrie sounded genuinely sorry as she replied. "...Even with a Command Spell, I can't see us winning against this creature. Frankly, it should be used for escaping above all."

'

"But... Isn't there anything-?"

'

Without warning, the Grail that had remained in place since its discovery moved, flying directly to Lev's hands. Soon after, a large portal opened in the air, showing Chaldea. "But, I care too much for you. Since you gave up so much of your life for Chaldea, I'll show it to you. This is the state Chaldea is in right now."

'

Staring at the miniature model of Earth, Olga Marie's terror seemed to grow by the second. "Wh-What is that? Chaldeas is bright red? It's a lie, right? It's just an illusion, right, Lev?"

'

"Oh, it's very much real. I've connected the dimensions for you. Having the Holy Grail allows me to do so. Now behold, scion of Animusphere. Behold your folly! Not a sliver of blue representing human survival remains? Nothing but blazing crimson. That is the outcome of this mission. Isn't it wonderful, Marie? Once again, your incompetence has brought forth tragedy!"

'

Listening to the man clearly enjoying himself, seemed the final straw, prompting Olga Marie to overcome her fear with anger. "Don't- Don't be absurd!" she screamed, glaring daggers at him. "I'm not responsible! I didn't fail! I'm definitely not dead! Who are you? What have you done to my Chaldeas!"

'

And with that, she managed to finally stop Lev's endless smiling.

'

"It isn't 'yours'." With a single flick of his finger, the man in green lifted Olga Marie off the ground, making her float towards the portal. "Honestly... Right until the very end, you were nothing more than an annoying little brat."

'

"Wait. No! Stop! What are you doing!?"

'

"I've taken pity on you, poor girl," Lev stated matter of factly in response to the terrified screams. "Let me grant your last request. Go ahead and touch 'your treasure'." Hearing the words, Olga Marie began flailing even harder, trying desperately to stop herself from moving. Yet there was nothing she could do. "After all, Chaldeas is a high-density body of data, a territory of dimensional anomaly. No different from a black hole. Or perhaps a sun. Well, either way. A human touching it would be a hellish disintegration on the molecular level. By all means, enjoy the taste of infinite living death!"

'

...This was cruelty on an unimaginable level. Ritsuka nearly threw up in her mouth, and she could see Mash shuddering in front of her. Brynhildr looked unbelievably frustrated, looking like she really wanted to do something. To at least try and help the poor woman. Yet she didn't, and Ritsuka understood why. It was because she was currently a Lancer serving her Master. Brynhildr knew that by trying to interfere, Lev would immediately focus on them as well.

'

She was ignoring Olga Marie to protect Ritsuka.

'

...Of all the moments the Master had hated herself throughout her life, this might've been at the top.

'

"No- No, no! Someone help me! Help! l...l don't want to die here!" Tears streaming down her face, Olga Marie tried to reach out towards them, to reach a helping hand. Yet there was none to reach. "Because I've never been praised... I've never been praised by anyone! Why? Why does this always happen to me!? No one ever valued me! Everyone hated me! No! Stop! No, no, no, no, no... l haven't even accomplished anything yet! From the moment I was born. I've never been accepted by anyone-!"

'

The voice was caught off the moment she made contact with the sphere.

'

Like a drop of water falling into the ocean, Olga Marie Animusphere disappeared without a trace.

'

Ritsuka could feel blood running down her palms... She had clenched her fists hard enough in her frustration that her nails had pierced the skin... Yet at this point, she couldn't even feel the pain over her scorn...

'

"Now then, shall I reintroduce myself? My name is Lev Lainur Flauros..." Speaking as if he hadn't just committed the most horrifying murder imaginable, the monster holding the Grail addressed the remaining people with his usual, calm smile. "I am in charge of the year 2015 sent to dispose of you humans. Are you listening, Dr. Romani? As a friend who studied magecraft with you, let me give you some final advice. Chaldea no longer has a purpose. You humans have reached the moment of your destruction."

'

"...Professor Lev," Roman replied, trying his best to sound calm. "No. Lev Lainur. What do you mean? Is it related to us being unable to see 2017?"

'

"It's not 'related.' It's the reality that this is the end. Unable to observe the future, you babbled that it had disappeared. That was truly wishful thinking. The future didn't disappear. It was incinerated. The moment Chaldeas was dyed crimson. Your end is certain. Your era no longer exists. Chaldeas' magnetic field may be protecting Chaldea, but anything outside of it will face the same fate as Fuyuki City."

'

As Lev continued reciting all this horrifying information with perfect calmness, Ritsuka's mind could barely keep up. The future was... incinerated? Everything... was just like Fuyuki? What was...?

'

Glancing around, she saw Mash looking as horrified as she felt, Brynhildr looked angry more than anything, while Roman looked... agitated, yet shockingly calm...?

'

"So, he was right then," the Doctor muttered somewhat solemnly. "We didn't lose contact with the outside world due to interference, we simply lost the outside world itself."

'

"Hmpf, you really are perceptive. A shame I didn't kill you immediately. But that too is futile resistance. If the time within Chaldea passes 2018 it will be wiped from this universe." Lev's tone suddenly changed. Gone was the calm smile, replaced by a wicked grin as he ranted. "No one can change the outcome now. This is a rejection of humanity by human history. You didn't perish because of your inability to evolve, nor did you perish due to war with foreign species. Rather, it was your own foolishness! Your incompetence! Because you lost the grace of our King! Like a bunch of worthless scrap paper. you'll be burned away without a trace!"

'

And then his eyes moved to them. The unmistakable hostility washed over them like a wave, prompting Brynhildr to act. "Mash. Take Master and run away as quickly as you can. I'll hold this monster off as long as I am able, but it won't be long, so get as far away as possible and hide."

'

Her words finally brought the two girls fully back to the present, only for them to stare at her in shock. "Wait. But you can't- What can I-?" Mash was overloaded by all this information, looking around in confusion, all the while Ritsuka's frustration grew.

'

So now Brynhildr was going to die because of her inability to do anything too? But what could she even do? Although... if they got far enough and she was still alive, then perhaps she could use the final Command Spell to summon Brynhildr and-

'

Without warning, the cave began shaking, as if an earthquake had hit. Ritsuka's eyes shot to Lev, had he-?

'

No. Even the monster was looking at the ceiling with apathy. While this posed no danger to him, he wasn't the source.

'

"Ah, is this singularity at its limit? ...Cursed Saber. If you'd just obeyed, you would have been allowed to live. Even when given the Holy Grail, she caused trouble by wanting to sustain this era." With a flick of his finger, Lev opened another hole in space and proceeded to walk towards it. "Farewell, Romani. And you Mash, Candidate #48. Believe it or not, l have other things to do. My enjoyment of your destruction ends here. Now, be swallowed by the dimensional warp. But I'm not that evil, I'll allow you to say a final prayer."

'

And with that, he was gone, leaving the three women alone in the collapsing cavern. His last words were practically burned to Ritsuka's mind. 'I'm not that evil'? What absolute horseshit after how he had just killed the Director!

'

But those thoughts were forced aside as Mash suddenly pulled Ritsuka to her side. "The underground cavern's collapsing! No, the cavern wasn't stable in the first place! Doctor! Perform an emergency Rayshift! At any rate, we can at least save Senpai!"

'

Oh, that was it!

'

Angrily grabbing the Multi-Appliance, Ritsuka shouted into it as hard as she could. "You either save all of us or none of us! Got that, Doctor!? If you even consider leaving Mash behind to save me, I will kick your teeth in!" Shocked by her Master's sudden outburst, Mash nearly failed to protect them from a boulder falling from the ceiling as she stared at her.

'

"I won't, but I'm sorry, it may collapse faster than I can fix it! If it does, then do what you can on your side! I mean, we can survive in space for a few dozen seconds, right?" Did he seriously just...?

'

Before Ritsuka could even say anything, it was Mash this time who showed previously unseen fury. "Sorry, but please shut up, Doctor! I'm so mad, I'm about to lose my cool!"

'

"Mash! Master!" While the two had shouted at the Doctor, Brynhildr had begun to act, drawing runes in the air around them that formed a bounded field. The three of them had now been enclosed in a sphere. "Hold on to each other!"

'

Simultaneously, they looked at each other, with Mash being the first to reach out. "Senpai, your hand!"

'

Without a second to waste, without hesitation, Ritsuka did as she asked, holding onto Mash's hand as hard as she could. She heard a familiar bark as Fou appeared on Mash's shoulder. The cavern was already collapsing at such a rate that they'd been completely crushed without Brynhildr's barrier. Yet they still hadn't Rayshifted out. She could hear the Doctor pounding away at his keyboard even over the collapse. What was taking so long!?

'

"Just hang on to your consciousness! If we don't lose that, I might salvage-"

'

"Get your butterfingers off that damn console and let me link the system!"

'

For a moment, Ritsuka thought she heard Arista yelling over the comm line, yet a second later, she saw the familiar whirlpool of light as she felt like she was being pulled through space. But at the moment, those kinds of details didn't matter. Right then, all she had to focus on was keeping hold of Mash's hand as tightly as possible.

'

'

---

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---

'

'

"And so it begins~" a lone voice in a realm unknown spoke.

'

Looking at the image of a Servant holding onto her Master in a wine red pool, identically colored eyes sparkled with excitement. No matter how many times they saw it, the beginning of a journey always got them passionate.

'

Well, frankly, the events of the last few minutes had fouled the mood quite a bit. While it was true that the tragic loss of a companion added spice to a story, what that ingrate dressed in green had done was in its own realm of bad taste. Such a barbaric way of execution for one who didn't earn it by any stretch of the imagination.

'

But that was in the past for now. It was in the future where this tale would truly reach its stride.

'

"Ah, but O'Maiden and her Guardian Knight, you have no idea what has just begun . You've just taken your first steps on a journey unlike any other~"

'

"Yes, in this story of Heroes and Villains, Gods and Monsters, which shakes the very history of this world, it will not be the Famed Spirits of Humanity, but you, who will stand at the Center Stage, bearing witness to it all~"

'

The being reached out their hand and the image, showing the two, vanished into nothing, leaving only the two of them behind. Raising their hand, the figures, no longer mere images, but perfect replicas of their forms rose from the crimson pool, settling on the being's hand.

'

"The Maiden with a heart of glass coated with steel, who only seeks for a purpose in her existence~"

'

"And the Fledgling Knight who journeys for her own birth as a human~"

'

Looking at the two figures, the being began to smile.

'

A smile lovely enough to fill Gods of Beauty with jealousy.

'

A smile so kind and compassionate that it could halt the Cruelest of Demons.

'

A smile that had bloomed as a result of Human Virtue since before the recorded history.

'

"I cannot wait to see what the answers you find will be."

---

.

---

.

---

Notes:

---

First off: Holy shit. I'm so sorry this is like a week late.

'

As I'm sure you're all aware, this summer has been pretty hot no matter where you live. Adding to that the fact that my apartment building absorbs heat like a goddamn sponge, and you've got a recipe for pain.

'

So, for the last couple of weeks, I've effectively been constantly dying of a heatstroke. Writing has been hell due to lack on concentration and there were nights where I just straight up couldn't sleep due to the heat and ended up passing out during the day.

'

But, that changed a few days ago, since I'd finally saved enough extra money to buy myself a really good fan, meaning that I could sleep like a normal person once more.

'

Now, onto the actual story:

Welp, Olga is dead, so hopefully I made it as depressing as possible. Lev really is a grade-A piece of shit, but don't worry. Once we get to Septem, we'll be getting a sweet dish best served cold, so look forward to that.

'

About those few moments with Cú and Bryn... Well, I won't be spoiling anything, but the JP crew already know what that's about. Those who read some of their earlier interactions in the story carefully, might've noticed that they felt somewhat odd. I wanted to be a bit subtle with it, since it was still a theory, but the game threw subtly into a goddamn shredder with the latest story chapter, so I did the same. All I can say is; look forward to where this goes when CasCú comes to Chaldea.

'

And then the big one: Why was Kojiro there?

Long answer: Given the whole; Grail summons more Servants if it's already owned by someone thing, he was the natural choice. Since unlike any other Servants, he actually has an existing catalyst due to the gate, meaning he'd respond to summons faster than anyone else. Plus, given how Chaldea Summoning System works in this story, he had to appear somewhere and this was the most natural spot. (The Summoning System rules will be explained in the chapter after the next one.)

'

TLDR: To save France.

'

Also, hoooooooooooo boooooooooooooiiii. A Mysterious Hot Person at the end. Who could they be?

That's actually gonna take a while, so don't get too exited.

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As always, if you have any more questions, feel free to leave them.

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Next chapter, we're gonna get more depression, but also some extra mushy fluff to help it all go down, so look forward to it.

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Next time: [The Weight of the World and a Tiny Shard of Fortune]