"That's... awesome! Totally awesome!"
Uryū Ryūnosuke was so overwhelmed with excitement that, heedless of his surroundings, he raised his voice to a strange shriek, his whole body shaking.
He raised his fists high in triumph, singing and springing and celebrating this victory of a lifetime. Ryūnosuke shouted encouragements to his comrade who had become the rampaging monster.
"Go for it, Sir Bluebeard! Destroy them! Slaughter them! This is God's own toy box!"
Just then, he was shoved hard by an unseen hand.
"What is it? Hey, what?"
Falling painfully on his backside, he looked around, shocked, the people around him started to scream and back away when they saw him.
Just as Ryūnosuke expectantly started asking the people around him where this new oddity was occurring, he casually put his hand to his stomach and felt something hot and slippery... and then, he started fixedly at his own hand, dyed crimson.
"Whoooa..."
Lovingly, he embraced his abdomen, gushing with fresh blood.
"I see... I never realized, huh..."
"The darkest place is under the candlestick"
Those words were well said. He had never thought that what he was seeking could be hidden somewhere so near himself...
He was intoxicated, his skull completely filled by the surging analgesia. The second shot struck him in the center of the forehead.
Even though his entire head above the nose had been blown away without a trace, his lips still traced a smile of total bliss.
Emiya Kiritsugu, kneeling on one knee on one of the building roofs, lowered the muzzle of the Walther night vision sniper rifle.
After they arrived, he decided to separate himself with Saber, while she confront Caster, he would scout the perimeter for Caster Master. What he didn't expect is that Caster summoning a building size monster right off the bat on the river in the middle of the city, there goes the statue of secrecy, damn maniac.
Needless to say, it never crossed his mind to attack the monster Caster had become. Using the panic as cover, Kiritsugu's aim once again was to 'hunt' the Master.
The light amplification scope loses its efficiency as the number of particles in the air increased, making it useless in this fog; however, this was no trouble for the infrared scope, crucial for differentiating magi. Within the gathering crowd of onlookers, Kiritsugu searched for the thermal pattern characteristic of Magic Circuits. As a result, one of those individuals was gunned down.
Under these circumstances, anyone loitering near the riverside while keeping Magic Circuits active must be involved in the Holy Grail War.
The probability of his target being the Master of Caster was over sixty percent. For now, taking the shot was the right choice.
"...This is bad."
Although that particular incident was resolved successfully, Kiritsugu's expression soured as he turned around and confirmed the situation.
No matter how favorably he looked at it, Saber strenuous attempt to halt the sea monster was going poorly.
Even presuming that he had hit his target, it still requires a certain amount of time before the Servant, cut off from a prana supply, becomes unable to maintain its link to the modern era and disappear. If Caster reaches the bank and begins 'feeding' before this happens, that would be the end. Once it gains a new prana source, they would have no choice but to eliminate it physically.
Saber moved across the river with a blur, her sword decapitate any and all tentacles that tried to touch her, her foot floating in the river water due to the blessing of the Lady of the Lake.
Circling the massive creature she slashed at any tentacles that came at her and any that targeted the people on land, Saber then looked up seeing another tentacle reaching toward the people on the riverside.
"No, you don't!" Saber claimed while jumping and severing the offending tentacle.
Saber then fall and skidding on the water after dealing with the creature reach, only to see another her tentacle grow on the place she just cut, this view frustrated her enough to make her gritted her teeth.
Despite grinding her teeth in despair, Saber was neither frightened nor daunted, and continued to brandish her sword.
No matter how deep her slashes, the wound would be filled instantly without a trace. This was a fruitless effort ― no, if they could just slow the monster down even by a little this battle would have meaning.
However, when the impending outcome is considered, this equates to no more than futile resistance.
To defeat this horror, one must simply deliver a strike that covers it entirely, obliterating it down to the last scrap of flesh ― what is needed is not an Anti-Army, but an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm.
Excaliburcould achieve this, but Saber could not use it now. The fatal secret technique which releases in a single blow an enormous surge of energy rivaling her entire prana supply; no matter the circumstance.
But there was just one problem, that is the power of Excalibur could definitely damage part of the city and brought immense disaster. Caster apparently didn't just summon the creature out of whim, because for some reason no matter where she stand, if she uses her Noble Phantasm a part of the city will overlapp with her attack.
If it happened that would be a disaster, not only lives would be at stakes the statue of secrecy will be broken even more. It was unacceptable both to her and her master, hell Kiritsugu even warn her not to use excalibur unless it was the very last option.
Looking at the people watching on the riverside Saber know using her Noble Phantasm is a bad idea. Seeing another tentacle trying to reach the land Saber once again moved into a blur, dealing with it. After Saber dealt with the tentacle Kiritsugu suddenly called her.
'Saber.' Kiritsugu called her.
'Master? What's wrong?' Saber asked.
'I've killed Caster Master.' He said nonchalantly, hearing this Saber could not help but twitch her eye, he put himself in danger again, she thought. If he is killed by the enemy master then her Holy Grail War would also end right here. Did he ever thought about that.
'I see.' Saber said with no emotion, if it bother Kiritsugu he didn't show it, instead he continue explaining.
'It was just a matter of time before Caster becomes unable to maintain his form and disappear.' He continued.
'But, if Caster reaches the bank and gains new source of mana before this happens...' He trailed.
'...It would be the end.' Saber finished in horror, looking at the immortal, infinitely-regenerating monster now is on the verge on pushing onto the shallow riverside.
'Master! It's moving toward the city!' Saber urgently reported.
'Saber! This is now become a battle of attrition, all we need to do is keep Caster and his monster long enough until he disappeared.' Kiritsugu said.
'Don't let him to the shore! We can win this, Saber!' Kiritsugu encouragements bring smile to her face.
'Of course, leave it to me, Master' Saber replied, running towards the monster.
Splashes of water keep occurring as Saber move to intercepted the monster advances, just as new tentacle moved, Saber swiftly cut them before they reach the land.
Suddenly the monster become still, unmoving, and silence. Curious, Saber look up toward the creatures.
'Is it time?' She hoped, wanting this battle to end as soon as possible.
Unfortunately her hope soon dashed when the monster start trembling and getting itself up, before swaying and letting itself fall down. Saber gape in shocked as she realized what it is trying to do. She look toward the shore where a group of people started gathering.
'Saber!' Her Master shout in alarm.
'I know.' Saber replied.
Saber crouched above the water as wind started gathering around her, as magical energy accumulated on her feet she jumped toward the falling monster with the force of a storm, strong enough to push the monster. As Saber hit the monster with her shoulder pushing the monster to fall on its back along with her, but, while she is falling toward the monster, unknown to her, tentacles from all sides are prepare for her.
As Saber landed on her knees the tentacles moved in with a blur, clutching Saber tightly on their grasp, immobilizing her.
'Saber!' Kiritsugu shout to her.
'Damnit.' Saber cursed as the tentacle covered her whole body.
Emiya Kiritsugu gritted his teeth as he intently watched this unexpected turn of events. After taking the shoot he quickly coming down from the roof as to change his location, while instructing Saber to their next plan.
But as if luck had adandon him, things goes south rather quickly, after telling Saber to stall time until Caster perished, the monster started to free-falling toward the shore and the group of people gathered there, forcing Saber to use her own body to push the monster back, resulting with her captured by the tentacles.
Kiritsugu looked towards the mob from afar, unable to hold himself from cursing at them. This won't happen if they weren't there, he thought in resentment.
'Damn mob.' He cursed.
He quickly get in the car and drove towards the bridge, trying to get a better view to assist Saber.
Once he get there he quickly get into position, with theRPG-7 his hand ready to shoot its ammunition, the PG-7VR, hopefully it's power is enough to distract it to release Saber from its clutches.
Thankfully the wind is not too strong after the monster fall, he can use this chance to shoot it. As kiritsugu aim at the monster, he make sure to target the place next to where Saber is held by, he pull the trigger.
The booster burst, propeling the grenade out of the launcher toward the target, the sustainer motor then ignites and propels the grenade for the next few seconds. As the grenade hit the target it exploded destroying and spraying part of the monster flesh anywhere close.
While the explosion didn't do a significant damage toward it, as the monster simply regenerated its body, it did successfully distract it enough to ease its tentacles from Saber body, creating a gap for her to jump and escaped its grasp.
While Sighing in relief, Kiritsugu can't help but worry.
'This is not working.' He realized, Saber could not hold this monster on her own without holding back, but using her Noble Phantasm will make more damage than its worth, but that monster is clearly cannot be stopped with just them and chances are it will manage to reach the shore before it dissappear. Kiritsugu clutch his head with one hand in frustration, but just as he contemplating on what to do, he heard something coming from the other side of the bridge.
'Is that a horse?'
When he looked, he saw from the other side of the bridge an impressive and strong black horse coming closer, but what take his attention is the person riding the horse.
'Rider, so he survive.' Kiritsugu thought.
Rider with a jovial smile on his face stopped at the edge of the bridge, ignoring him, after looking at the battle scene, he screamed.
"Oi, King of Knights. What a fine night tonight is...but looks like you're a bit busy."
At hearing familiar voice, Saber turned around, not in the mood for tolerating his antics.
"King of Conquerors...You're still alive. Unfortunately I have no time for you."
Seeing Saber who alertly put herself on guard, Rider calmly raised his voice again.
"C'mon, c'mon. Tonight's the only truce. If that HUGE FELLA is left alone, we can't kill each other in peace."
Saber nodded, and with a serious expression, hit her breastplate with her gauntlet hand.
"Understood. I have no objection to cooperating as well."
"―Anyway, we have to defeat him swiftly. Once THAT THING acquires another source of provisions and starts supporting itself, things would get out of our hands. We need to stop its from reaching the shore until Caster perished from this world along with it." Saber inform Rider.
"So all we need is stall him eh." Rider murmured quietly.
"Rider?" Waver called him from his back.
"If you want to help, you better be quick Rider, it's starting to move again." Saber urged.
"Understood, just wait for me, Saber." Rider shouted.
Rider pull the reins of his horse and backed away several feet. Seeing this Waver feel anxious.
"R...Rider what are you planning?" He stutters.
"Listen, master. Right now we have to buy some time until that monster perished, and I know the best place for it." Rider said to Waver, which confused him.
"Where?" He asked, Rider just grinned.
"You'll see." Was his only answer, before the horse sprint toward the edged of the bridge and jumped.
"Rider!!!???" Waver screamed.
"AAAALaLaLaLaLaie!" Rider shout as they fall from the air.
At that moment, a whirlwind roared to life.
The wind was scorching hot and dry, as if it wanted to consume everything. The wind didn't feel like it should come from the evening river, from the way it was roaring, it seemed that it came from the desert. The unknown hot wind inverted, and eroded the reality.
In the strange phenomenon occurring tonight, distance and position had lost its meaning. The raging sandstorm changed all it touched. As the wind become stronger it engulf the monster and everyone near it, ie Saber, to another battlefield in a flash of light.
Left behind, Kiritsugu can only be heard muttering with wide eyes.
"What?"
As Rider landed on the ground Waver spat as he tasted sand in his mouth. Sand! It was really sand that the strange wind brought. Truly the hot sand was not supposed to exist.
"What?" He mumbled.
"A…Reality Marble-?!"
The earth-scorching sun; the cloudless, clear skies; stretching to the blurry end of the sandy horizon, there was nothing that obscured vision.
Alexander laughed proudly as he majestically position himself in the center of wide, everstretching field.
"This land is the land in which my army once crossed. It is imprinted upon the hearts of every single one of my warriors who shared in my joys and sorrows."
Waver eyes widened as he noticed the mirage-like images that appeared around him. One, two, four….there were more and more images, ever increasing. The colors become clearer and more solid.
"The reason why this world can exist again... is because it is printed uponallof our hearts."
Under Waver expressions of total shock, heavily armed cavalry materialized beside Alexander. Though their faces and equipments differed, their muscular bodies and mighty chargers displayed a fierceness that could only be found in a true army.
"All of these beings…are servants!"
He was Rider Master here, and so he understood. Servant Alexander's trump card, his true noble phantasm, was now appearing before his eyes.
"BEHOLD, MY PEERLESS ARMY!"
The King of Conquerors stood before the lines of cavalry and raised both of his arms to the skies, shouting with immeasurable pride.
"They are my treasure within treasures; they are my right to rule! They make up Alexander's mightiest Noble Phantasm –Ionian Hetairoi!!"
EX rank anti-army Noble Phantasm; the consecutive summon of multiple independent Servants.
"Slay the beast!!" Rider commanded without hesitation.
"AAAALaLaLaLaLaie!"
The collective roar of the Ionian Hetairoi echoed in response. The peerless army that once swept across continents once again thundered across the battlefield.
Seeing this, Saber gaped toward the army who marches toward the monster en masse, trying their best to slay it as their king order. This view make Saber reminiscing in silence of her days as a king where she and her comrade fought together, her silence suddenly broke as Kiritsugu called her.
'Saber, where are you?' He asked Saber, looking around Saber notices she's in a desert.
'I'm in the middle of the desert, I think.' She replied.
'Desert!!?' Kiritsugu exclaimed incredulously.
'Can you atleast determined which desert you are in?' He asked desperately. it would take alot of time to reach Saber depending where she is in the world. Time he didnt want to waste.
'I...I think this is not a real desert Master.' Saber said.
'What?'
'It's a reality marble, Rider Noble Phantasm is a reality marble.'
'I see.' No he didn't see, but that is not important right now.
'Saber, I have made a decision.' His tone heavy, making Saber standing straight, waiting.
'We are going to use your Noble Phantasm to destroy that monster.'
'Are you sure, Master? You said previously...' Saber questioned was cut by Kiritsugu.
'That monster is more dangerous than we thought, we need to destroy it immediately, while we have the chance.' He reasoned.
'Understood, Master.' Saber nodded in agreement.
'Let's not waste anymore time, get ready to blast that monster.' At this mention Saber grew panic.
'W...wait, Master, Rider and his army is still engaging the monster, we need to warned them.' Saber said in panic, afraid he will use a Command Seal to force her.
'Army?' Kiritsugu said in confusion.
'Rider Noble Phantasm allowed him to summon an army.' Saber inform him.
'I thought you said it was a reality marble?' Kiritsugu asked her.
'That too...no, it's not important, we need to warn Rider and his army first, Master!' Saber said forcefully.
Kiritsugu was silence after listening to Saber making her nervous, thankfully his response reassured her.
'Do it when you're ready.' He said sighing, giving a confidant smile on Saber face.
'Of course.' She said before shouting at Rider.
"Rider! that's enough, I will use my Noble Phantasm to finish it."
Rider hearing this, smile at her and nodded while commanding his army to retreat.
Just like that his army retreated toward the back of Saber. Seeing the line is clear Saber inform Kiritsugu.
'Master, I'm ready.' She said preparing herself. adjusting her stance with the golden sword. All obstacles have been eliminated. Now was the time of conclusion.
The prana gushing out from her right now summoned a pressurized surging wind that blow away the sand around her. The time was ripe. Pouring all the strength in her body into the two arms grasping the hilt tightly, the King of Knights lifted the golden sword up high.
Light gathered. As if illuminating this holy sword was its ultimate duty, the light condensed further, merging into a blinding brilliance.
At the fierceness and purity of this beam of light, no one could speak a single word.
Proudly uplifting this will, ascertaining that this faith will be seen to its end, the king of eternal victory now loudly declared the true name of this miracle she held in her hands.
It was –
"Ex – calibur!!!"
Light galloped.
Light roared.
The prana, accelerated by the factor of the released dragon, became a streak of light, a swirling and surging torrent that devoured themonster. All matter was brought into another world, annihilated by the white light.