-05:46:12

The motor of a certain high-power motorcycle rumbled steadily as its owner guided it along the streets of Shinto. It was a quiet night, rather warm considering the time of year, and nary a breeze. It was almost as if the world itself was holding its breath in anticipation of the battles soon to be waged, the rider of the already armored Yamaha V-Max mused idly, all senses on alert. Saber knew the flares had first been launched over two hours ago, but she had agreed with the rest of her team not to rush in blindly. Better to let the streets empty first and make some final preparations, then approach with caution.

Such caution quickly proved warranted when a high-pitched whine came out of nowhere, heralding the arrival of a particular extraterrestrial aircraft. Its blasters chased the motorcycle as its occupant accelerated down the street, swerving left and right to dodge energy bolts. Rider X chuckled to himself as Saber glanced over her shoulder to glare at him. "Running away from your enemy? Has our last encounter shaken you so, King of Knights?"

Rather than dignify her pursuer with an answer, Saber took a sharp right into an alley too narrow for the larger Servant to follow. Megatron scoffed at this tactic and arched upwards to fly over the buildings, but no sooner did he reach halfway was he suddenly snared. "What in-" He assumed his robot form to rip himself free of the nearly invisible wires…

And triggered the paper bombs attached to them through his struggles.

A chain of explosions erupted above the buildings, followed by the Servant's large body hurtling uncontrolled to an abandoned parking lot below. A cursing Rider X landed on one knee, a crater cracking open in the asphalt underneath him. Smoke wafted from him, but the bombs had done little damage to his mighty armor. At most, he was irked at falling for such a cheap trap.

His audio receptors processed a familiar rumble, and he drew himself to his full height with his right arm out. Saber burst into view, narrowly ducking her head under the blast of his fusion cannon before she raced straight at him, sword at the ready. Rider X evaded her for the most part as she passed, but a slight miscalculation on his part allowed Invisible Air to slice off part of his shoulder pauldron. He retaliated with another shot from his cannon that struck the motorcycle's rear wheel under its armor. Saber was forced to leap off before it crashed.

Though she couldn't afford to spare a glance at the Yamaha's wreckage, Artoria Pendragon swore to avenge it. The fiend before her had already become the target for a great many grudges in this War, what was one more? "You seem to have grown careless, Decepticon. This War is far from over, and we have no intention of letting you be the victor."

Rider X sauntered out of his crater, his fusion cannon still primed. He had yet to call upon Dark Energon, so his optics remained the same crimson as when Saber had first met him. "We, you say? So, where is your sneaky little partner?" He chuckled. "Did I scare him off?"

"Hardly." The broad Servant whirled around one-hundred-and-eighty degrees with his cannon first. Assassin X slipped under the heavy arm and thrust Lightning Blade at his chest, but a burst of violet energy flared up before him. The electricity coursing around his fingers crackled against it, even briefly turning the same shade to the ninja's shock. And in that moment of hesitation, Rider X brought down both fists upon his head.

The smaller Servant buckled under the crushing blow… before disappearing with a Poof! Frowning at the smoke coiling underneath his fists, Rider X turned his head to see Saber charging him again. He made to face her when the ground broke away beneath his feet and a long chain sprang out to coil around his neck. He grabbed it just as an electric current traveled up its links, shocking him. The Heroic Spirit of the Mount's body convulsed about from his lost leverage and the electrified chain, nearly leaving him open for Saber to behead him. Rider X barely blocked her sword with his arm blade, but the strength of her arms was the final step to send him toppling onto his back with an angry grunt.

Saber landed on the street right as Assassin X burst up from his hiding place, pieces of rubble falling from his limbs. In one hand, he still clutched his chain tightly, in the other, Lightning Blade crackled at the ready. Neither hero spared a word as they lunged simultaneously at their enemy again.

Megatron gritted his denta, his optics blazing violet. Five large crystals of black and violet surged from the ground, their tips nearly impaling the duo if they hadn't dug into their heels. Saber and Assassin X hopped out of range before the spikes receded again, revealing their maker back on his feet.

"Layering diversions, sneak attacks and traps upon one another…" Rider X rose to his full height. "Well done. But do not think for a moment you can take my head so easily." He snapped the chain around his neck with a casual tug. "You may have to compare efforts with Iskandar once I am through with you and your lapdog, Saber."

Assassin X rose an eyebrow at the moniker, but it was his partner who responded. "Considering this 'lapdog' has confounded you again and again, Megatron, I would think twice about mocking my comrades." The King of Knights shot him a glare cold but stormy as the winds surrounding her sword. "And once this night is ended, you shall be the one seeing the real King of Conquerors again, that I promise you."

Her comrade noticed Rider X's fists tightening; for once, the cruel tyrant was the one being goaded. Let's see how much prodding he can take. "The way I hear it, you and your little rock collection," he nodded at where those crystals had been, "couldn't even finish off Rider or Berserker X. Despite your best efforts, it took another Servant to kill those two."

The smile Rider X shot him seethed with palpable fury and Dark Energon. "They may have both escaped death by my hands, but you will not be so lucky, ninja." He raised his fist as it swirled with power visible even without the Sharingan. "And once I've stripped you of your life and our little King of her title, I shall teach that golden fool not to steal another's kill."

Both made to dodge as that hand pointed towards them, but whatever dark force Rider X would've unleashed on them was cut short by an oncoming barrage from down the lot. Assassin X hastily summoned a Mud Wall in defense, and those weapons not halted by his efforts were swiftly batted away by Saber. Rider X slashed and blasted those aimed at him. The assault ended as swiftly as it had begun, but no one dared relax. "Speak of the devil…" Kakashi muttered under his breath; good thing he had already set up a passable Bounded Field in this area (his lessons with Irisviel hadn't been one-sided), because it was about to get noisy. He exchanged a look with Saber before she narrowed her eyes at the newcomer.

"What a splendid sight you make, Saber." Archer materialized from spirit form atop a neon sign, arms crossed and usual smirk across his lips. "Standing defiant in the face of darkness, a commanding presence for your ally, and ultimately doomed for all your efforts…" He sighed in delight. "Your radiance stands out anywhere, I swear. It nearly blinds me."

"I don't doubt you have a pair of sunglasses somewhere in your treasury," Saber drawled, eyes shifting from him to Rider X and back. It was hard to say which was the greater threat. To some tiny relief, though, the two were keeping a fair distance from each other unlike her and Assassin X. In fact, Megatron's body language had only stiffened more so upon Archer's arrival. They're not allies after all. She then added, "It appears as though you've finally begun filling your quota of battle," with a pointed nod at his scar. He is vulnerable. Killable.

A hearty laugh cut through her strategizing. "And you've even developed a sense of humor since last I saw you, splendid indeed!" Archer's red eyes fixed on Assassin X. "Your doing, I wager. For this, I suppose I ought to reward you with a swift and mostly painless death."

"Tempting offer," the shinobi adjusted his stance slightly in case weapons started flying, "but I think I'll pass. I'm a busy Servant, and there's a certain chalice waiting for Saber and me."

"The Holy Grail?" The King of Heroes shook his head with a scoff, his gaze returning to his rival King. "I can see why such a gaudy thing may entice these dogs intruding upon my garden, but you, Saber? Why in all heavens would you squander your energy in seeking it? Isn't the existence of a woman such as yourself enough of a miracle?"

Flattering though the words may have been, she raised her guard all the more. Something about the Babylonian Servant was unsettling right now. "Tell me, King of Heroes, how do you tolerate being in the presence of this monster, let alone join forces with him?" Saber glared from the silver tyrant to the golden one. "You look down your nose at the rest of us and then go and assist one who is the absolute worst? Do you just turn a blind eye to his atrocities because he amuses you?"

Archer's smile slipped away. "I did indeed. More than I should have…" Finally, he glared at Rider X who returned his fire with an expression that said, "As if you could have ever stopped me." A statement he intended to prove wrong. "But tonight, I shall correct Tokiomi's greatest mistake and remove this blight upon my garden once and for all."

Assassin X tilted his head, an idea coming to mind. "If that's the case, maybe we can work together on this." Saber thankfully didn't stare at him in shock, but she was clearly expecting an explanation, a sentiment shared by Archer. "You could probably pulverize Rider X and us with your eyes closed, King of Heroes, but you're not the only one with a grudge against our metallic devil here. What say you let us join in on the removing, and then we settle whatever scores between the three of us afterwards?" He scanned the area before adding, "I imagine Gandalf would've agreed to this."

Saber observed silently. Mentioning their friend's name was a gamble, but from the way Archer stiffened, it had paid off. You didn't condone of Megatron killing Gandalf last night, did you? She remembered now, Lancelot had mentioned the moody King being rather patient, almost friendly, with his partner during their few encounters. Maybe Gilgamesh had simply wanted to finish off Caster X himself, but either way, if it netted them a temporary advantage…

Rider X, having reached the same conclusion, summoned another row of crystals to rise, but three treasures shot out from Archer's portals to crush them into dust. The King of Heroes tutted in mock disapproval before turning back to the last Servant team in this War. "Crafty, but I should expect no less from a mongrel who hides his face. And your offer is an amusing one." His gaze focused on one particular Servant. "And you could make it reality, Saber."

King Arthur didn't lower her guard for an instant. "And what exactly would be the price you expect of me? Because I warn you now, Archer, if you want me to turn my sword against my comrade or my Master, then-"

"Oh, nothing so dull," Gilgamesh waved off her accusations, drinking in the quiet fury in her form. Her strength, her passion, the splendor of her sword, the anguish on her face at the banquet when her dreams had been attacked (at least, before Olórin had intervened) …Now, more than ever, he was absolutely certain of his decision. "There is but one simple thing you must do to receive my favor:

"Throw down your sword and become my wife."

A long silence descended upon the battlefield as three very different Servants processed the words of a smug fourth. "…Come again?" Assassin X finally asked in a dull tone.

Archer rolled his eyes at the mongrel's slowness. And here I thought he was one of the cleverer ones. "If you seek my favor, Saber, this is the simplest way to earn it. You may consider the upstart's demise a wedding present, and a most generous one at that."

Saber simply stared at him dumbfounded (for now). "Well, I can't say I've ever seen someone propose to a woman quite like this before," Assassin X noted wryly. It's a shame Lord Jiraiya isn't here, this would've made a lovely scene in a Make-Out sequel…

Then the glare Saber shot at him made him wonder if he'd said that last part out loud. He hastily cleared his throat. "I-I mean, couldn't you try more regular tactics like showering her with gifts? Y-you know, flowers, chocolates… promises you don't intend to-"

"Assassin X," Artoria narrowed her eyes at her stammering best friend, "shut up."

"Yes ma'am."

Meanwhile, the other King was much more amused at the foreign mongrel's antics. "Ah, but this is truly among the finest gifts I could bestow upon a woman: The head of her hated enemy presented to her." Archer gestured towards Rider X whose only response was a raised metallic eyebrow. "Cast aside those pointless duties and ideals of yours, Saber. All they do is shackle you and bring you misery. Under me, you would only want for me and be blessed with all my affection. And as your King, I would grant you every happiness in this world. Why, I might even let you keep your 'comrade,' he'd make a delightful court jester."

"Gee, thanks…" Assassin X muttered.

Saber trembled where she stood, though only a fool would believe it was out of fear. "Do you mean to tell me… the only reason you stand between us and the Grail… is because of this lunacy?" She bit out as she clenched her sword's handle tightly from her indignance.

"There it is!" this world's oldest hero pointed at his adversary's face in delight. "Such a radiant fire you carry within you, how brightly it burns! Oh, what a sweet sight to see it reduced to embers once it has been exhausted of heat… How I will cherish the moment tears of despair would glisten those perfect cheeks of yours, Saber…" He sighed, his inner desire making him shiver. "Oh, I simply cannot let you throw yourself into battle when the greatest of excitement await us in our bed!" He nearly giggled at how her face briefly turned green.

Besides, he added to himself in a more reserved state, I refuse to lose another to the upstart. Setting aside the memory of the wizard (He'd have tried to interfere if he were here, anyway.), Gilgamesh spread his arms open to the one he sought. "Seeing as you still seem slow to comprehend, let me speak plain, Saber: You are to be my bride. The sooner you accept this, the quicker you will reap the benefits."

Ah, how beautiful those eyes were glaring at him like that. "Then I shall speak even plainer." Like shining emeralds. "No."

"A little shy, aren't we?" Archer chuckled to himself. "Do not fear, I will forgive you as many times as I need to. First, I will teach you suffering, then I will show you a joy you could only ever experience through me."

A disgusted sound escaped Rider X. "You meatbags and your ridiculous mating rituals… I've indulged this farce of yours long enough, Archer." The Cybertronian's eyes shined violet as he gathered the Dark Energon within him. "If you wish to debase yourself and make a pet out of Saber, then do so back in the Throne of Heroes. I have a multiverse to conquer."

"What a strange little fantasy world you still live in if you presume to give me orders, upstart." As so many times before, golden portals shimmered into existence around Archer, the Gate of Babylon answering its King's call. From one of the dual portals emerged the gleaming hook belonging to Harpe, the weapon the Greek hero Perseus wielded to behead the Gorgon Medusa; from the other peeked out the spiral tip of Caladbolg, the feared sword of the Celtic King Fergus mac Róich. They had yet to be aimed at anything specifically, but Gilgamesh's enemies knew this combination, deadly though it was, to be merely an opening salvo.

Even so, one of them calmly stepped forward. "I don't make a habit out of defying royalty," Assassin X planted himself a fair distance between Archer and Saber, "but King of this world or not, I'm not going to just stand by and let you have your way with my comrade."

Saber made to protest her partner's interference; for one, she was perfectly capable of defending her own honor. More than that, though, they both knew how powerful and temperamental Archer was. Facing him alone was madness. But before she could move, his voice reached her mind. 'Saber, I want to try something. Stand ready, but don't interfere unless you have to.'

Artoria forced herself to relax at the levelheaded words. 'Alright, I'll trust you, but don't take unnecessary risks.' So, she kept watch on the ever-smug Rider X who had yet to make another move. That said, she prepared to jump in front of Kakashi if need be.

Archer's smirk only widened at the masked fool standing tall before him. "Your opinion in this matter is irrelevant." Thus, he aimed and launched his treasures with a simple mental nudge. The twin projectiles hurtled towards their target who hadn't moved a muscle…

Then Assassin X ducked underneath Caladbolg milliseconds before contact, reached out with his right hand to snag the massive sword's handle, pivoted in place, and obliterated Harpe with one swing.

Archer's eyes shot wide open in outrage, fragments of his shattered scythe scattering across the asphalt. "What?!" His shock was shared by Rider X and even Saber; impossible though the shinobi's feat had been, there was another layer to it. His movements, all three realized, were… familiar.

A step-for-step reenactment of another Servant's first clash with the King of Heroes.

"Sorry," Kakashi Hatake straightened again, "I forgot to mention one little detail in my introduction at the banquet." He hefted his freshly acquired sword experimentally. "See, back on my world, I was given a title, too. Nothing as magnificent as King of Knights or King of Heroes, mind you, but it did contribute quite a bit to my own legend."

Aside from its Celtic origin making it fundamentally different from swords the Japanese-esque Heroic Spirit was familiar with, Caladbolg was a Noble Phantasm he had never encountered before. The Servant of the Shadows shouldn't be able to use it effectively. And yet he sliced the air before him in a swift series of practiced, graceful motions.

Motions, Saber noted with a tiny smirk, that were a perfect replication of hers with Excalibur.

Assassin X's Sharingan twinkled. "They knew me as the Copy Ninja."

Sometimes, it was easy to forget how potent a Mystic Eye could be, no less when it was a Noble Phantasm. With or without his participation, the Sharingan had been active throughout all of the battles Assassin X had witnessed. Warriors and legendary figures of so many variations had gathered for the Holy Grail War, and he had watched them very attentively with "A Gift from a Fallen Brother". While he couldn't copy their weapons or powers themselves, of course, he did pick up on their fighting styles and certain techniques.

And as it turned out, Berserker's Knight of Owner fell under the latter category.

Rider X frowned at the little man rolling his shoulder. He didn't know of Assassin X's past or home, but from what little he did know, he could draw one clear conclusion: Letting him last this long in the War was a mistake.

Then his smile returned. Mistakes like this were easily rectified, especially with all this power at his disposal. "Do you actually think a little mimicry is enough to turn the tide of this battle in your favor, little ninja?" He spread his arms wide, and Dark Energon surged from his body. Violet crystals began to spring up from the ground before him, sharp as stakes and twice as eager to pierce. His silver metallic body bathed in purple "flames" as they grew.

Saber stepped forward before they could reach anyone and shattered the crystals with one windy swing of her sword. "I've heard the tales of how you fought my fellow monarch, Megatron." She leveled her veiled blade at him. "Do you actually think the same tricks you used on Iskandar will work on me or Assassin X?"

"Oh rest assured, I have been saving something very special for you, King of Knights." Saber remained where she was, and Assassin X and Archer turned to Rider X despite the freshly born tension between them. It was as though a black pit had opened where the foreign conqueror stood, and something was coming out. Something monstrous.

"Yes…" A delighted hiss slipped through Megatron's exposed denta as he reached over his right shoulder. He had entertained drawing this if his initial gambit against Rider had failed, and watching it fell the old wizard had been a treat. But this was truly the moment he had been waiting for. "I believe the time has finally come to teach you heroes the fate of all those who defy me." The darkness seemed to consolidate behind him, then he brandished his ultimate Noble Phantasm.

Saber, Archer and Assassin X eyed the sword Rider X had drawn with unbridled revulsion. It was a massive thing, nearly as long as its master was tall. Its handle was metallic but gave off the impression it had been carved from rock. The guard had been shaped with many edges which coalesced in the form of a fearsome visage. The blade was dark with a violet outline and spikes jutting out like thorns at random parts, ending in a single sharp edge. That same loathsome Dark Energon pulsed audibly along its length like some twisted heartbeat.

It was idle for now, but Saber sensed… something from her own sword just before Invisible Air vanished against her will, revealing Excalibur in all its glory. With wide eyes, the King of Knights concentrated to reassert her will over her Noble Phantasm when its illuminant blade emitted an angry hum into the night. Rider X's sword flared up in turn, a vicious growl emanating from it. Saber wondered how this extraterrestrial sword's presence could've provoked such a reaction…

And then the truth struck her. 'Rider X's sword,' she explained to a visibly confused Assassin X, 'it is a Divine Construct like mine.' She glared at that terrible weapon and its even more terrible wielder before amending her conclusion. 'No… It may be Divine, but it is an antithesis to Excalibur. My blade has recognized it as its enemy and declared war.' She eyed it with undisguised disgust; this was what had saved Megatron from the power of Excalibur.

Assassin X nodded slowly in comprehension. 'And from the sound of it, Excalibur's animosity isn't one-sided.' He shuddered despite himself as the Sharingan locked onto that blade. Never before in his original life or as a Heroic Spirit had he seen such concentrated, solidified… evil. That Noble Phantasm wasn't a sword of celebrated tales meant to inspire the masses into becoming their best. This was a weapon of one single purpose: Desolation.

"Feast your eyes…" Their attention returned to the one who had unsheathed this object of horror and destruction. Rider X for his part seemed to be drinking in their reactions with delight, for he swung his Noble Phantasm before him. Violet energy crackled in its wake. "This is the sword I personally forged from Dark Energon, the greatest symbol of my power, a weapon like no other of my world."

The Decepticon tyrant's voice rippled with pride. He may have harnessed and tamed the Blood of Unicron to suit his own purposes, but this was a weapon all his own. Witnessing the reaction of King Arthur's sword to its debut only made him more eager to reveal its name:

"The Dark Star Saber."

Since his summoning to this Grail War, Archer had been admittedly, to some minor whimsical degree, tempted to add one or two foreign items to his treasury. The drunken bird's transforming sword, for example, and that may be a viable option yet. And he could think of a quaint little pedestal which would go nicely with the masked dog's eye.

But that twisted perversion of a Divine Construct, in the upstart's claws? Gilgamesh would sooner raze all of the Gate of Babylon before letting that thing anywhere near it. "You should have left your toy behind in your universe, Megatron," he snarled, golden light surrounding him. "I cannot, will not, stomach your dragging such a blight into my garden."

Rider X laughed in retaliation as he pointed his Saber's tip at his final enemy. "Then allow me to rend your stomach from your body, o King of Heroes, and this garden from your unworthy hands."

Rrrrrrrrr… But before he could make good on his words, a dark mass shot out of nowhere, barreling straight towards him. Rider X turned and swung, the Dark Star Saber's edge slicing through the object like butter. Its twin halves crashed to the ground as a black shape sprung from it to hurl a spear towards his face. He split that in half as well, revealing it to be a pipe as ordinary as the car that had tried to run him over. So, you've finally made your move…

Berserker executed a perfect three-point landing to the right of Saber and Assassin X, a hand raised to forestall their movements. "Forgive me, my King." For Someone's Glory continued to enshroud the knight's voice and body despite all present already knowing his True Name. "It warms my heart to stand by your side again," he stood up with his gauntlets balled into fists, "but this is my battle."

"It's all our battle, Sir," the King of Knights refuted him with no small amount of worry. "I know the hatred you feel for what Rider X has done, and it's well deserved. But he has garnered hatred from us all, so you needn't face him alone. I promised you that, remember?"

She made to approach her Knight of the Round Table, but a tug on her shoulder kept her from being struck by a golden axe. "Promises are dangerous things, my dear." Saber turned to scowl at Archer's smirking face. "You are promised to me, after all, and I do not appreciate you deviating your attention from me." He scoffed as Assassin X took a step towards him. "And don't think your thieving friend alone can stop me."

Inwardly, Gilgamesh was all the more pleased at the black dog's timely intervention. Best case scenario, Megatron killed him and thereby removed his irritating thieving Noble Phantasm from the game; as much as Archer wanted to do that himself, he could settle for inflicting his wrath upon Assassin X. And the upstart would be left dead or too wounded to distract me any more than claiming my prize. So, go, mad dog. …Avenge your friend.

Lancelot du Lac couldn't have known what the King of Heroes was planning, and frankly, he didn't care. Removing his helmet, he turned his head just enough so he could look at Assassin X while still keeping the monster before him in view. The Servant who had supported his King so well in his War seemed to read the unspoken request in his eyes, for he nodded.

And that was enough. Lancelot knew he could trust Kakashi Hatake to aid his King no matter what happened to him. He's a better friend than I ever was. The Servant of Madness let this sobering thought linger in his mind before he glared full force at the one he'd sworn to kill.

Megatron leered down at the naked face before him; his expression was nothing he hadn't seen to one point or another. And now he finally had the chance to be rid of a persistent meddler in his plans. "You should put your helmet back on, Berserker," he taunted with a mock salute of the Dark Star Saber. "Otherwise, you may perish sooner than your partner did."

Lancelot's fury blazed inside his chest at the mention of his murdered comrade, but he took a breath before replying. "I need no helmet for this battle, Rider X. I want my face to be the last thing you see in this world."

That earned him a throaty cackle from his enemy. "A bold statement, but no amount of pilfered trinkets and fighting prowess can hope to stand against my blade."

The knight's eyes focused on that unholy weapon, its edge pulsing with energy and destructive intent. "Yes, you do carry a fearsome sword there." A humorless smile crossed his lips. "Let's see how it compares to mine."

The shadows surrounding his form promptly receded, revealing his dark armor in all its tarnished splendor. Knight of Owner was now sealed alongside For Someone's Glory as well, the price for Berserker's decision to unveil his true Noble Phantasm. Mana swirled around his right gauntlet as it solidified into a clear shape, a sword only Saber had seen before.

Arondight was different than how King Arthur remembered, though. While it remained a work of art in its sleek edge and the Fairy Letters engraved exhibiting its craftsmanship, the sword once deemed equal to her own had lost its luster. It now was nearly as dark as the Saber Rider X flaunted… and that detail did not go unnoticed by either sword.

The unsheathed Arondight released a howl of hot fury not unlike that of Excalibur. "The Unfading Light of the Lake" had once been the counterpart to the "Sword of Promised Victory" in their knights' time, and it, too, recognized an enemy in the Dark Star Saber. However, whereas one sword had been used for the most chivalrous of lives only to fall from grace alongside its wielder, the other had been created from evil and only ever committed evil. In that sense, their hatred towards one another was perhaps even stronger.

To say nothing of the tension between the Knight of the Lake and the Leader of the Decepticons.

The "Deathbringer to the Cosmos" trembled slightly in its creator's grip. Yes, you're eager for this battle as well, aren't you? Megatron determined from his sword's tangible fury. You seek to face these proud swords and show them how inferior they are in comparison to you. You wish to shatter them just as you did your predecessor, don't you? His smile widened. It was a desire he had shared since he had first learned of this world's Kings and their grandeur.

Neither Servant wasted any more time on boasts, threats or proclamations. Lancelot and Megatron simply charged at each other with matching battle cries, and the world itself seemed to tremble as Arondight met the Dark Star Saber. A heavy whine rang out from their first impact, sparks and mana danced in the air as the ground cracked apart, then the blades separated briefly only to meet one another again, and so they did. Faster than a human eye could track, strong enough to have drawn witnesses from everywhere were it not for Assassin X hastily reinforcing the Bounded Field he'd prepared. I owe you big time, Irisviel.

Saber watched the blurring figures attacking one another with no small worry. She might've jumped in to support her old subject and friend if Assassin X tapped her on the shoulder. 'Let Lancelot have this, Artoria.' She looked at him, only to receive a pointed nod. 'Grudges aside, we have another problem.'

She followed his gaze to where Archer had hopped down from his perch, lazily eyeing the duel. Of course… They couldn't be sure the King of Heroes wouldn't blindside Lancelot if he felt like it. And he did need to be vanquished one way or another if they wanted to win the Grail. Besides, Saber wasn't about to let what he said or intended with her go unpunished. She consented with a firm nod.

Thus, the Man of One Thousand Techniques settled into a new stance, Caladbolg raised to level with his head. "Hope you don't mind if I borrow a move or two from you, Saber."

His partner advanced to his side, mirroring his stance. Or, if one were to get technical, he was mirroring hers. "These days, I believe they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," she shrugged in good nature, "so please, Assassin X, borrow away."

Archer clicked his tongue as he watched the mad dog clash with the upstart. That mutt is always interfering… Though I suppose I can't fault him for wanting to tear out Megatron's throat. He huffed in bittersweet amusement. No sooner are you gone, Olórin, does he forget all that you taught him. What a fool you had for a partner.

He pulled himself from such melancholy musings. There was no need for them, after all, considering he was about to chastise this little trickster for laying his hands on his treasure and have the first of many dances with his bride-to-be. All at the same time, no less.

Archer smirked as the duo rushed him from opposite sides, the Gate of Babylon opening to greet them. Yes, why would I possibly complain?

-05:32:28

While it looked mostly complete from the outside, Fuyuki's city hall was still under construction on the inside. What few officials allowed had already closed up, and it was long since empty of any workers. Lights deactivated and doors locked, no one would've guessed this modern building to be the endpoint for a conflict that had been waged for one-hundred-eighty years.

Even so, Kiritsugu Emiya had kept a watchful eye on the other focus points for Fuyuki's leylines, and his investigations had all confirmed no activity… save for here. He reached the entrance with brisk steps to find the lock had been broken. A magical scan confirmed the reports his Servants had made minutes ago; all five remaining Heroic Spirits were duking it out about twenty blocks from the hall. Far enough that their battle wouldn't interfere with the ritual to summon the Grail, Kiritsugu noted, but close enough for them to get here quickly should a Master recall them.

He removed his gloves. Both hands still displayed two Command Seals for each of his Servants, but Kiritsugu doubted he held the advantage in that regard. Kirei Kotomine has probably stocked up on Seals from his father and Tohsaka. And who knows what other weapons he has at his disposal? The Mage Killer had thus far avoided meeting the onetime Executor face-to-face, so what he knew of the other Master's battle capabilities was limited to written theories and reports from Maiya. And he survived a point-blank explosion…

But as much as he didn't like it, this wasn't the first time Kiritsugu had taken on a mission with little intel. And it wasn't as if he had an alternative. So, he stepped inside the building, hands out and ready. His lack of trouble merely entering was enough of a clue. The city hall was magically the least likely spot for the Grail to emerge or the worst fortified base of operations, but Kotomine had obviously not bothered to add any defenses. For Kiritsugu or any other Master to move through this place so easily, it had to be a trap.

It's like Assassin X said, his real target is me, not the Grail. He knows the usual magecraft tricks wouldn't stop me, so he's not bothering in the first place. As he walked past a glass divider, Kiritsugu frowned uneasily at his reflection. I can't ambush him like I normally would, either. He's holding all the cards. He tapped a finger against his leg. Or maybe not…

It took a few minutes for him to pick up on a small trail of mana, and he delayed his approach even more. Kiritsugu had already resigned himself to the fact his confrontation with the one man he'd hoped to avoid was inevitable, but that was no reason for him to throw caution to the wind. He still didn't know why this priest he'd never met before was so keen on seeking him out, nor was he entirely sure he could beat him. Yet in the end, none of that mattered.

Kariya Matou might have survived up to this point, but he was no threat to Kiritsugu's plans. Kirei Kotomine remained the obstacle in his path to fulfilling his lifelong wish. So, he needed to be removed.

Kiritsugu had already drawn the Thompson Contender as he stepped into the auditorium taking up most of the first to third floors. It was one of the only rooms nearly complete in construction, but he refrained from flicking on any light switches. His night vision was sufficient for peering across to the other side.

He therefore aimed his gun instantly at the figure that suddenly rose up on the stage… but before he could pull the trigger, the figure turned to him. "…Iri?" Kiritsugu asked despite himself.

Even with no natural light, he would recognize that pale face anywhere. Alabaster hair shook about as she stepped haltingly off the stage, Kiritsugu barely catching himself from rushing towards her. Stop and think, you idiot, he scolded himself. Iri shouldn't be able to move right now, hell, she should be almost dead… And yet as the woman walked with stiff steps down the aisles toward him, he found himself moving to meet her.

And it was only through closing the distance that Kiritsugu could see her eyes properly.

They weren't the vibrant red that had eventually captivated him… but a familiar sickly violet.

He was already rolling to the side when Iri's arms jerked out. Multiple strands wove together into the magecraft she had developed herself in the hopes of fighting alongside him, and Kiritsugu nearly got his eyes clawed out by the freshly formed eagle. He managed to avoid that, too, noting how even the construct's wires had turned purple. Dark Energon purple.

The Master scowled at the flying perversion of his wife's efforts. Rider X… He turned with a heavy heart to see Iri's veins pulsing the same color as her eyes. That metal bastard… He corrupted her, too!? In hindsight, he should've expected this. It was a well-established fact by now that there was no depravity that alien tyrant wouldn't commit. Kiritsugu also realized the logic behind this move: sending Iri to attack him and rattle his thought process.

Unfortunately, it was working. The Mage Killer set aside his bag and aimed his Contender at the bird as it made another pass at him, but his index finger stalled. He ducked and made to aim at the source, but again, he froze, almost leaving himself open. I can't risk hitting her with an Origin Round, Kiritsugu thought, ducking low among the seats. Its properties may damage the Grail by proxy, assuming Rider X's mojo hasn't already.

It was a flimsy rationalization even to him, but nevertheless, Kiritsugu stowed away his gun. Alright, if I can't shoot her, I'll just have to immobilize her.

Irisviel von Einzbern's face was as blank as the day she had first met him, her eye color being the only difference. Outwardly, she showed no sign of having anything left of the woman devoted to her husband and daughter, proof of the Dark Energon's control of her.

There was a possibility, of course, that part of her consciousness, her soul, still remained inside her body, but in this state, it would be utterly incapable of resisting as her limbs and mind directed the eagle to chase after Kiritsugu. All that piece of the real Iri would be able to do was watch helplessly as she tried to kill the man she loved and pray he could stop her in time. But only an utter sadist would create such a cruel situation…

Kiritsugu ducked, darted and evaded as best as he could, but he'd inadvertently trapped himself among the seat rows. There was precious little room for him to maneuver, and when he leaned away from yet another dive, his foot slipped. His back fell against a seat, then the eagle's talons were already sinking into his throat.

Something resembling a gasp escaped Iri's mouth at registering the impact through her wires… Poof! But then Kiritsugu was gone, and the eagle had only caught smoke.

The homunculus marionette turned stiffly her head in every direction, her construct rising to get a better view of their quarry. No matter where either looked, though, there was no sign of the Mage Killer. Iri slowly took a step towards the exit; perhaps he had fled?

A hand shot out of the ground and grabbed her ankle tightly. Iri didn't even have time to yelp before she was yanked down into the floor until only her head remained visible. Meanwhile, a familiar shape slowly rose up behind her.

The construct wheeled around upon recognizing Kiritsugu and dived to attack, but he was faster. He flicked out his hand to send twin little papers fluttering towards the "bird," their detonation blowing it apart. There, even with Rider X's parlor trick, the backlash of its destruction should take her out of action for a while. Kiritsugu watched stray wires flutter to the ground before kneeling in front of his wife's head with a sigh. And here I thought the Headhunter Jutsu was just for pranks. He brushed some dirt off his coat. The name says it all.

He gazed at her struggle even in this predicament, but her body was too feeble to break free of the ground any time soon. Still, to see her reduced to a puppet, not granting her the dignified death she deserved for accepting her fate so gracefully… Kiritsugu couldn't think of anything to do for her right now, nothing that mightn't jeopardize the Holy Grail.

No, he corrected himself while standing up, there is one thing I can do. He turned with a stony glare to the other end of the auditorium. Rider X was facing Saber and Assassin X, but Kiritsugu could detect the mana trail again. He retrieved his gear and brought out the Contender once more. I can take down the puppeteers.

Kirei Kotomine stood at the other side of the corridor, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He couldn't "see" through the eyes of the Einzbern woman such as through shared perception, but he noticed a distinct resistance through the Dark Energon's connection to her. Said connection clearly hadn't been severed, but he couldn't make her move at the moment.

So, he disabled her nonlethally. The fallen priest chuckled to himself. How uncharacteristic of the Mage Killer. It seemed the woman had truly told Kirei the truth about Emiya's softness and their bond. Well, in that case, shattering his resolve would be all the easier. Kirei could hear his enemy's footsteps now with Reinforced ears. Quick, heavy, practically stomping. Just as he'd thought, Emiya's encounter with his little homunculus had rattled him. Good.

Kirei began to walk himself, stepping into the field he'd chosen would best suit their "meeting." He rolled his shoulders a little as the foreign power began to stir inside him. No doubt it senses its host's anticipation. Spurring me on for the final battle, maybe, Kirei mused as he suppressed the Dark Energon. Temperance was a crucial aspect for a priest, and he wasn't keen on letting an alien corruption dictate all of his decisions. He thought he could detect… disappointment from the power before a memory took front stage in his mind. This one belonged to the one who had introduced this world to Dark Energon:

Megatron stood proudly on the cracked ground near a volcano. He could practically feel the eruption bound to happen, the molten liquids churning within, but he remained calm as ever. A Groundbridge opened up a short distance from the leader of the Deceptcions stood, and out strode the leader of the Autobots.

Orion Pax. Optimus Prime. His greatest adversary. The one he hated and respected above all others. His nemesis.

Footsteps captured Kirei's attention, and for a single second, he thought he could see the Last Prime stepping into the dark hall. He blinked, and his vison cleared to see Kiritsugu Emiya, black coat rippling from his movements. Guns in hand. Dark eyes glaring at him.

The lights flickered on, revealing the plain storage space that was to be their battleground. Kirei Kotomine kissed the side of his cross, thanking the Lord for this opportunity. And if damnation awaited him at the end of this night for his transgressions… Well, he surely deserved them. But he would gladly accept any and every punishment for this. The Executor drew six Black Keys from his frock as the Mage Killer snapped up his right gun.

Yes… this was always how it had been meant to be. This final encounter, this battle of two. One shall stand. One shall fall.

Saber sprinted past three separate weapons that buried themselves in the ground behind her, sword pulled back. The swing she unleashed would've split a two-story house in half if Archer hadn't intercepted it with two swords. A broad shockwave swept across the field from their impact, the latter shaking the King of Knights' defense for half a second. Archer exploited her little lapse by launching a Greek spear at her left thigh, but Assassin X caught it, spun it about as he had seen Diarmuid do countless times, and hurled it back.

Gilgamesh dodged his treasure with a slight frown that only grew as Saber suddenly appeared on his left. He called forth a shield to deflect her thrust, but she advanced into the move and turned it into a slash perfectly in tandem with Assassin X Caladbolg thrusting opposite from her. Gritting his teeth, Archer managed to halt their attacks with a large Egyptian khopesh and a Mesoamerican macuahuitl respectively, both legendary weapons that shattered on impact. They nevertheless bought him a crucial second to leap out of reach and fire another volley, forcing them to fall back a little.

Archer widened the distance between them with another two steps backwards. Calling the Wedge of Heaven a coward was slander and a sin deserving of the most violent punishments imaginable, but he was no fool, either. His battle with Berserker X had taught him not to let his opponent dictate what range the battle ought to be, particularly when his opponent knew how to fight. Moreover, Kenpachi had happily let opportunities slip to draw out their match a little longer. These two, though, they were out for blood.

He drank in Saber's expression a little, her visible fury and concentration painting such a marvelous picture, before pulling his attention back to the battle. The masked mongrel had tossed out a spread of those metal stars, but Gilgamesh didn't bother calling upon his treasury. He raised his left arm defensively over his face as the shuriken bounced harmlessly off his golden armor, then directed four portals with his right at the approaching dog.

Assassin X batted away the first sword, then caught the axe, spun, and sliced through the halberd with his newly acquired weapon, then raised Caladbolg to intercept the final dagger. But he fumbled in the final step, a pang running through his shoulder. He tried not to wince as the blade hurtled towards his right eye… Then another appeared to send it spiraling away. Saber landed next to him, a little reassuring smile in her eyes.

He nodded gratefully at her before planting the axe to massage his shoulder. The brief lapse in battle meant the Copy Ninja had to catch his breath, though. The Sharingan's helping me keep track of those "arrows," but I'm physically not at the same level as Artoria or Lancelot. Even with For One's Comrades, it's taking all I've got just to keep up with Archer's barrages. He looked up to find twelve new portals surrounding the golden King. And Lancelot made it look so easy… For all my copying, a guy like me just isn't in their league.

Saber listened to her partner's panting, but even as she realized his limits, she had nothing but appreciation for Assassin X's contributions. Something must've happened to Archer in his battle with Berserker X, she surmised, her gaze drifting to that scar on the King of Heroes' forehead again. One portal released a spike she parried, two more swords that she struck away, but they almost drew her attention away from the twin knives at opposite sides. A twist of her wrist stopped one, but the other would've landed in her abdomen if not for Kakashi. He's acting… cautious. He's using strategy now rather than just carelessly throwing weapons at us. I can barely keep track of all his portals. And… I don't have that with me…

These facts spelled out a clear truth for both Heroic Spirits: if either of them had faced the King of Heroes alone, he'd have demolished them by now. "A fine display for a dog," he taunted, "and you stand out as ever, Saber." He snapped his fingers. "But do not take me lightly. This dance has only begun."

The Gate of Babylon opened even more, forming a sort of dome around the two. Noble Phantasms rained down on them for an entire minute as Archer watched with a neutral mien. A massive cloud of dust emerged from the multiple impacts, obscuring his sight. His eyes narrowed in an effort to peer through before widening as twin holes opened in the cloud. A lightning bolt scorched his breastplate while a razor wind split open his left cheek.

Archer straightened and wiped away some blood, frowning at the dust scattering to reveal Saber in a post-swing stance and Assassin X discarding Caladbolg's broken hilt. Neither had suffered any notable injuries, nor had their resolve wavered. "You should take your own advice, King of Heroes," Assassin X commented, kicking up a scythe to twirl it gracefully.

Never before were the Once-and-Future King and the Man of One Thousand Techniques more grateful their partnership existed than in this moment.

Further away, only two Servants faced each other, but their duel was even more ferocious. Berserker ducked under a slash and swung for the neck, but Rider X twisted his grip to bring the Dark Star Saber into a defensive position. The blades collided for the umpteenth time, then Arondight became a steel whirlwind of thrusts and swings, each one aimed for a vital spot. Even with Megatron's augmented strength and swordsmanship, he suffered more than a few grazes.

Rider X put some distance between him and Berserker with a kick, then transformed. He was under no obligation to fight solely by a knight's rules, after all. The Decepticon's Alt-Mode Starship opened fire while gunning its engines, forcing the Knight of the Lake to take evasive action. Then as Rider X drew closer, he reassumed robot form and swung with both hands.

Lancelot tried to block the attack with his sword but was sent flying from its momentum. He crashed into and through the lot's abandoned booth, wood and glass fragmenting around him, but it had done little physical harm. The real trouble for the Heroic Spirit of Madness was keeping a lid on what defined his class. Even as he got up, he could feel Mad Enhancement churning and bubbling inside of his soul. I can't let it overtake me, Lancelot reminded himself. Not now. Kariya had sent him off with the power of his final Command Seal to fuel him, but Arondight was consumptive enough without Mad Enhancement active, too.

If I go all out now, I will burn through Master's remaining mana within a minute, maybe two if he's lucky. Besides… what if I lose control and attack the King again? Lancelot had worked so hard to make amends with Arthur again, but judging how easily Avenger X had managed to rile him up in their battle, he couldn't be sure she had ceased being for the target for his maddened fury. I cannot let Gandalf's efforts go to waste. And I have to support-

A cruel chuckle battered through Berserker's thoughts. "Giving up so soon?" He turned his glare up to find Rider X flying again, more energy bolts heralding his descent. "I see now how Camelot fell so easily to pieces with such pathetic guardians!"

A growl escaping his lips before he could catch himself, Berserker stabbed the ground. Knight of Owner remained sealed so long as Arondight was out, but he could still make use of his surroundings. With a mighty heave and some leverage, he wrenched loose a large mass of asphalt and catapulted it into the oncoming blasts, rendering them harmless.

Rider X scoffed at the makeshift cloud created from the impacts. I know a smokescreen when I see one. He veered upwards to regain altitude and make another strafing run. When he turned back around, the cloud was dispersed… to reveal Arondight hurtling towards him.

The Starship attempted to dodge, but the legendary sword flew like a javelin to bury itself into its left thruster. Grunting in pain and anger as he spun out of control, Megatron attempted in vain to shake the blade loose. Because it proved too deep, he braced himself before changing into robot form just in time to hit the ground. The transformation pushed Arondight out of his body (rather agonizingly, too), and Rider X made to seize it in midair.

However, Berserker blurred in front of him to reclaim his blade and swing with both hands. Rider X was sent skidding backwards from the attack, his metal feet screeching across the lot. "If this is the best you have to offer," the Knight of the Lake adjusted his stance with a dark glare, "then it's no wonder you failed to conquer your world."

The Lord and Master of the Decepticons scowled at the taunt, the Dark Star Saber's glare intensifying. He took one massive stride forward and slashed horizontally. A wave of dark violet energy erupted from the blade, traveling the distance between them instantaneously, eager to destroy all in its wake.

Lancelot copied his opponent's move just before it made contact, and Arondight dispelled it. "That was far from an Anti-Army attack, let alone an Anti-Fortress." He lunged forward, Rider X barely managing to parry the five swipes he took at him before their blades locked. "It will take more than a mere lightshow to shatter this sword."

Megatron bared his teeth in a savage expression. "I accept your challenge, sir." He poured more mana into his Saber, and it lit up again as though to unleash another energy wave. Arondight seemed to flare as well, and both swordsmen were blasted back backwards from the resultant collision of violet mana. Yet they landed on their feet and rushed to clash again, not a hint of hesitation between them.

Kariya Matou toppled over into the alley, a scream finally bursting out of him from the ordeal he was suffering. G-g-good thing t-they're not h-h-here for this… He'd luckily had the forethought to get as far away from the Zenjou house as possible before letting Lancelot go. Here in his old "base," no one could find him or hear him scream. …Or watch him die.

The Crest Worms weren't holding anything back anymore. Kariya had lost nearly all feeling in his legs a minute ago, but they were still thrashing about from the goddamn creepy crawlies rummaging inside of them. He could barely control his arms anymore; it had taken all of his strength just to invoke his last Command Seal and send Lancelot off at full power, otherwise, they might have made a meal of that powerful magic, too. And Kariya's spine… Well, "excruciating," "agonizing," and "tortuous" all seemed too tame for what the Worms were doing there.

Still, the Matou "magus" managed to draw just a tiny shred of hope from his state. Yes, he was dying horrifically, but he wasn't dead yet. I'd be a rotting, lifeless corpse by now if the Worms were serious. Hell, I shouldn't even any mana left to supply Lancelot with… But the fact that I can… You're pretty weak right now, aren't you… Zouken?

Kariya could sense his "father's" will within the Crest Worms, but it was more a desperate nudge than absolute dominance, nowhere near what Zouken ought to have been capable of. I bet Gandalf gave you… a thorough ass-kicking. Kariya drew strength from that thought and channeled it with what little training the old bastard had bothered giving him into making the Worms do as he wanted. He knew this was his final act as a Master. He could literally feel his life being devoured just to buy Lancelot a little more time in this world.

But even with tears streaming down his cheeks, the Master curled together on the mattress and summoned all of his willpower. Dead man or not, Megatron needed to be stopped. Come on, body. You can do it… J-Just a little more… Do it for Sakura… for Rin… for Aoi… for Lancelot… f-for Jade… even f-f-for Tokiomi… a-and for you… Gandalf…

Kiritsugu aimed the Contender and fired. Based on Maiya's intel, Kotomine boasted high physical strength and expertise in martial arts. The Black Keys widened his range, but weapons like that still required a certain closeness to be really effective. The best move, therefore, was to take the initiative while distance was still on Kiritsugu's side.

Kirei didn't slow down at all despite the rifle bullet hurtling towards him. He simply crossed his arms before him and channeled more mana into his Keys. The blades widened to more than twice their normal size, making them cumbersome for combat or throwing but suitable as shields. The projectile struck the Keys in his right hand, but with his strength, even the impact couldn't rattle him.

Not that it mattered to Kiritsugu. Once his Origin Round made contact, it would wreak havoc on the magecraft, and the rebound would take Kirei out of action, just like with Archibald. The Black Keys glowed red before shattering…

And Kirei rushed through the shards unimpeded. What? Kiritsugu was left with no time to process this development, for the priest was already in front of him with a roundhouse kick. Time alter, Kiritsugu activated his personal magecraft on reflex, Double accel! His body went into twice its regular speed, allowing him to just barely lean out of range from Kirei's right leg. Kiritsugu promptly used the time bought to flip backwards and fire the Calico in midroll.

Kirei instinctively jumped back from the Parabellum rounds, drawing his Black Keys again for parrying maneuvers. Quicker than I had expected, and that didn't look like ordinary Reinforcement. And unknown to the Executor, he had found the perfect counter to Kiritsugu Emiya's secret weapon.

The Mage Killer ceased fire with a thoughtful frown; he'd already deactivated Innate Time Control, but he couldn't let the aftereffects slow him down. Why didn't my Origin Round work? He scanned his opponent from the Keys with their damaged blades (courtesy of his Calico's ammo) to his black frock covering his body… Hang on… Peeking out from his right sleeve was the distinct sign of Command Seals. And one of them looked spent. So, that's how it is, Kiritsugu determined. He's tapping into his Command Seals as an additional mana supply. By the time the Round hit him, the Seal had already been used up. And due to them being separate magic from his Magic Circuits, the Origin Round's effects won't work.

Kiritsugu kept his gun raised as Kotomine stowed away his Keys and settled into a bajiquan stance. But a .30-06 bullet has enough power on its own to blow his brains to mush. His Contender could only chamber one round at a time, but if he moved fast enough…

However, Emiya had underestimated his target. I'm not letting you slip away this time. Kirei reeled back in preparation. If you can move at double speed, I'll simply adjust. Thought became deed, and Kirei's target could only gape in shock as a body ten centimeters taller than his crossed the distance in one slight step. Before he could react, a punch in the "Eight Postures of the Buddha Guards" stance had sunk into his chest.

Kirei finished by slamming his foot to the floor as Emiya gasped. This single blow could pulverize a grown man's heart and lungs instantaneously. He'd be sent flying once the second was up. I had expected more of you. How sad… But this time, Kirei was in for a shock.

Kiritsugu's body burst into smoke with a loud Poof! Kirei nearly gaped; no trace remained of the magus hunter save for his Calico falling to the space's floor with a clatter. The priest had no time to work out what had happened as the click of a gun's hammer reached his ear. He turned his head just in time before a bullet would've struck him in the mouth. It still grazed his throat, though, and he could only clamp a hand on the bloody wound and stare. Lurking with a rifle by the entrance's shadows was… Kiritsugu Emiya?!

The Magus Killer ratcheted a fresh shot in his Walther and pulled the trigger again. The next .300 Winchester Magnum cartridge nearly tore through Kotomine's left calf. The latter dodged in time, but it still tore through his pants. As expected; the Eight Sacrament of the Church provided its subordinates with frocks specially tailored to protect them against both magecraft and firearms, but that protection wouldn't hold up against a rifle's firepower.

Still, Kiritsugu knew better than to take chances. It was why he had sent in a Shadow Clone first and held back. Now with the clone's experiences fresh on his mind, he planned his next course of action. The element of surprise is lost, and he can match my Time Alter's speed. I can't let him reach me again, but if I want to fire a kill shot… I'll need reinforcements.

Kirei had recovered his composure to see his nemesis do something with his hands. Then two bursts of smoke appeared beside the crouching Master, dispelling to reveal two more Kiritsugu Emiya's. There's that duplication trick again, he thought back to that battle in the forest, where the dark-haired woman had summoned a replica of herself. I suppose it's only logical Emiya would know how to perform it, too… So, the one I "killed" just now was a duplicate he sent to scout.

And now from the looks of things, whatever this odd technique was, more than one duplicate could be created at a time. One Kiritsugu rushed for the discarded Calico while the other caught something the third -the original, Kirei surmised- had tossed and was moving in the opposite direction. The priest stepped towards the original, suspecting the others would be dispelled if he killed that one.

As Shadow Clones with the exact same thought process as the Mage Killer, however, neither was going to let it be that easy. The one on Kotomine's right immediately went into double speed, firing his Glock one-handed while the other reached into his coat. Kotomine stopped and brought up his arms to cover his head, then was forced to turn as the other opened fire with the reclaimed Calico. As they circled him while maintaining fire, the real Kiritsugu switched the Walther's settings to semi-automatic.

Kirei grunted from the many distractions. Even if his frock stopped the bullets from getting through, he could still feel the many impacts against his body. Then the Emiya with the rifle joined in, and he was forced to dodge as well as keep his guard up. The three also exchanged reloading and firing sequences at alternating intervals, leaving him with little opportunity to go on the offensive.

He pushed down his frustration and closed his eyes, avoiding the bullets through sheer instinct as he waited. Finally, he heard a click; the sound of an empty magazine. Kirei opened his eyes and flung a Black Key at the source with lightning speed. It pierced the left side of a Kiritsugu who then Poofed out of existence. Wrong one, he noted with displeasure.

Only then did he realize he'd just stepped into a trap.

Time alter: Double accel. The original Kiritsugu fired a bullet that sliced into his enemy's right leg, hobbling him. Then his remaining clone engaged double accel again and fired his Thompson Contender. Though a replica, the gun and its ammo were certainly real enough to kill someone. A fate Kirei only barely avoided by putting his right arm into the flight path. He grunted wide-eyed in pain but still managed to Reinforce his right flexor, radius muscle, and pronator teres enough to divert the bullet so it blasted out the other side.

Both Kiritsugu's clicked their tongue at the outcome. Not what they'd been hoping for, but at least he was down an arm and his moving speed had been blunted. The clone ejected the spent cartridge from his Contender and reloaded it. I suppose I'll just have to take out his limbs one after the other until he's immobile, then finish him off. A brutal plan, but efficient.

And yet, despite his mangled arm, despite the rising possibility of death… or rather, because of it… Kirei Kotomine could only chuckle. Now this is more like it.

Credit where credit was due, Kiritsugu Emiya's strategy was superb. He had backed Kirei into a corner and cut off any escape routes. If he had been any other man, no, if he had been the same man as when he had invoked the first summoning ritual of the Fourth Holy Grail War, this would've surely been the end for Kirei.

But people change. Some in more dramatic ways than others, as the fallen priest demonstrated with his eyes glowing violet.

Kiritsugu could've sworn his heart stopped when he saw those eyes. Oh, no… He immediately took aim at Kotomine's head. "Take him down now!" But even as his clone thumbed back his Contender's hammer, he already sensed it was too late.

The Executor stiffened as Emiya fired, then he was suddenly in front of the clone, his right leg suddenly fully functional again as it kicked hard enough to blow a man's head off. The faux-Kiritsugu faded into smoke as he settled onto both feet again, a dark energy seemingly radiating off of him. Kirei's right arm trembled before snapping out to his side, fingers twitching before they clenched into a tight fist. Kirei then bent his elbow to flex his fingers in front of his face. The bullet wound sealed up with a flash of purple, as though it had never been made.

Dark Energon… Kiritsugu hurriedly opened fire again, but Kotomine was moving even faster than before. He sidestepped each round with almost lazy movements before plucking the final one out of midair. Rider X even corrupted his own Master with that stuff?! The Mage Killer fought down his panic to scrutinize the situation more carefully. No… this isn't like the Assassins. Kotomine is… aware of his actions… He's in control.

A sudden thought struck him at this conclusion. This Dark Energon substance seemed to originate from Rider X, but the Servant was kilometers away, embroiled in battle. Does that mean… It wasn't Rider X who… did that to Iri? Was it… him? His grip tightened on his gun.

Kirei turned the captured bullet over between his fingers. Even at his best, he'd have never attempted such a feat, especially with a rifle, but now, it felt like child's play. He could feel his Magic Circuits coursing with the blood of Unicron, too. Who knew what he could do like this? Time to find out.

Kirei blurred again before suddenly reappearing in front of his prey. Emiya's attempts to strike were halted by clamping a hand around his throat, tearing the gun from his hands and hurling him out into the storage space. Crushing the firearm with one hand, he caught Emiya again before he could hit the floor and hoisted him up by his collar. Kirei drew back his left fist, then performed a different Bajiquan move: "Six Grand Opening - Elbow Upthrust."

Kiritsugu coughed out blood and bile; it felt like someone had smashed an iron bar into his chest, and it had all happened so fast, he couldn't use the Substitution Jutsu to escape. His heart was crushed almost instantly.

Kirei smirked at feeling the solid body through his elbow. No stunt double this time. He slammed the soon-to-be-dead Emiya against the floor hard enough to crack it, then sighed. Disappointment flickered inside his dull heart at this outcome. Dark Energon might've saved my life, Kirei lamented, but it made this fight too easy. He eyed the corpse still in his grip. Then again… He raised his other hand, purple magic dancing in his fingertips. Perhaps I can squeeze a little more fun out of this. He smiled as the energy began to crystalize-

Ch-chuck.

Then a bullet blasted straight through his left lung.

Stunned from the development, Kirei's grip loosened on Kiritsugu's throat, allowing the latter to gasp for life. He sucked in precious oxygen before reactivating his magecraft. Time alter: Double accel! Time slowed down again, and he Poofed free of his enemy's grip while a chunk of floor took his place. A panting Kiritsugu appeared twenty paces behind Kotomine, rubbing his throat as a smoke still wafted from the Thompson Contender's barrel.

For a moment that had felt like eternity, he had been dead. His heart smashed to pulp, all kinds of fractures and internal damage… but now, Kiritsugu's organs and bones were back in tip-top shape. He patted his chest with his free hand. Avalon…

Kiritsugu hadn't forgotten the last gift Iri had left him besides her wishes. True to what his wife's words, Saber had made no effort to demand Avalon's return, so, loathe though he was to rely on her power, the Mage Killer had kept it inside his being. This decision had saved his life just now, and in a more peaceful setting, Kiritsugu might've contemplated the novelty of having bonuses from both of his Servants.

For the moment, though, he settled for catching his breath and watching Kotomine pull himself trembling from his crouch.

Kirei's eyes flickered purple, then reverted to their natural darkness before becoming purple again. Blood trickled out of his mouth as he tried to heal from the damage. He could tell Kiritsugu had wanted to destroy his heart, but his aim had been a little off. Still, a destroyed lung hurt like hell, and for some reason, the Dark Energon's regenerative power was having trouble. He sucked in a breath and invoked another Command Seal, the additional mana successfully completing the process.

Or so he thought. While he reloaded his Contender, Kiritsugu analyzed the priest's reaction to his Origin Round. For a moment, it looked like he was being affected as it usually would… but now the damage is healing up. …It must be because of the Command Seals again. He somehow substituted one with that Dark Energon stuff, redirecting the Round's effects. But… it still hurt him. So, the Rounds do work on foreign energies.

But, Kiritsugu glared at Kotomine's right arm, I have no idea how many Seals he still has. And as long as he can rebound my Rounds on them, it won't matter. Not to mention he was still suffering a hefty dose of pain, the aftereffects of overusing Innate Time Control. His blood vessels were probably a mess right now, and his bones fractured… Except they weren't. Oh, the pain confirmed Kiritsugu's self-diagnosis, but the internal damage had all been restored, too. Avalon can also heal self-inflicted injuries, then.

Meanwhile, Kirei had recovered as well, but he didn't charge back into the fray, either. I let myself get carried away from the rush of Dark Energon and dropped my guard. Foolish, he scolded himself. Taking in his opponent's state, he discerned, Along with his unorthodox magecraft, Emiya has some way of restoring himself, too… King Arthur's treasure, Avalon.

But no healing factor could function without a coherent mind. I still have eleven Black Keys and ten spare Command Seals. A technique such as "Eight Grand Openings – The Standing Upward Cannon" would crush Emiya's skull and its contents even without Dark Energon. With Dark Energon, the attack would probably vaporize it, leaving no molecules behind.

Kiritsugu took stock of his own options. If Avalon can mitigate Innate Time Control's backlash, I might be able to match his speed again. The Contender's reloaded, but I lost the Calico and the Glock, and the Walther is scrap metal. I have spare magazines for the Glock, a knife, two grenades, a flashbang, some paper bombs… and the jutsu Assassin X taught me.

The end conclusion for both Masters was the same: If I want a certain kill, I have to destroy his brain.

Kirei took the first step, clearing ten paces in the process, but Kiritsugu was ready this time. Time alter… five paces away… Triple accel! Mana and blood surged in overdrive through him, and he gritted his teeth at the initial flash of pain. He knew it was only going to get worse. Still, Kiritsugu had felt pain before, and by the time Kirei had reached his spot, he was already gone, two paper bombs fluttering in the space he'd occupied.

Kirei got his guard up right before they exploded; he'd encountered these odd papers (the hard way) often enough in this Grail War to recognize the markings. Wafting away the smoke revealed Emiya had moved to where his doppelganger had last been and retrieved the handgun. That doesn't have enough power to pierce my clothes, let alone kill me. What's he up to…?

Either way, no sense in standing around and letting him set the pace. A Black Key slid out from each sleeve and Kirei's waiting hands. Their blades extended immediately, though a slight purplish hue crept along their length. With practiced motions, the Executor hurled one after the other with enough force to penetrate an armed vehicle and minutely different angles.

Kiritsugu reactivated Triple accel and aimed the Glock carefully as soon as they took flight. His heightened reflexes also meant he could see faster objects better, allowing him to shoot one Key out of the air with three barks of his gun, then he sidestepped the other, its blade cutting a few strands of hair loose as it whistled by. He didn't spare it a second thought, for Kotomine had used the opportunity to charge again.

Three more Black Keys rested between Kirei's left fingers as he lunged. The blades slashed through the air and nearly Emiya too, hadn't he jumped away from them. He fired at Kirei's head, but a slight tilt made the bullets whiz past harmlessly. However, those had come from the Glock. The other gun snapped out, and he barely managed to divert its trajectory with a kick before it went off.

Kiritsugu's wrist felt like it might snap off, less from the kick and more from Innate Time Control. Then Kotomine's fist was rising towards his chin, and it was all he could do just to lean back and dodge. Then the Black Keys swept in again and sliced off his head.

Kirei didn't so as much blink this time from the Poof! This exchange had felt much too easy, considering how tricky the battle had become. Nothing remained of the body save for the Glock, which Kirei crushed underfoot, so it wasn't that odd teleportation trick of his again. In that case, where was the real Emiya…?

He registered a cracking sound half a second before the floor burst apart for Kiritsugu Emiya to rocket up, combat knife aimed at his eye. Kirei caught the arm and made to drive his Keys into Emiya's side, but a gunshot rang out right before something nearly blew his left shoulder into mush. The sensation from before crackled inside him again, forcing him to drop the Black Keys, and Emiya almost shot him in the head before he threw him away.

Kiritsugu's clone managed to turn his flight into a flip and land on both hands. Meanwhile, the original dug himself out of the tunnel he'd made with the Hidden Mole Jutsu. He wanted to follow up with another shot while Kotomine was grappling with the Origin Round's power, but weariness washed over his body. It seems Avalon can't affect fatigue. And between Innate Time Control, the jutsu and supplying Saber and Assassin X with mana…

Kiritsugu spat out some blood with a huff. I'm gonna be sore in the morning… He backed away as Kotomine straightened again, matching the glare shot at him with his own. Provided I live that long. Truthfully, the Darkened Executor was proving a foe beyond even the capabilities of the Mage Killer from ten years ago.

But Kiritsugu wasn't that man anymore. Like his enemy, he, too, had learned much from the otherworldly being he'd accidentally summoned not so long ago. In this, though, there was yet another crucial difference between these two dangerous men:

Whereas Megatron had empowered Kirei Kotomine, Kakashi Hatake had trained Kiritsugu Emiya.

Kiritsugu rubbed some blood from his lip. It was painfully obvious going by his usual playbook alone wouldn't cut it anymore; his Servants had warned him of that. He had been given plenty other options, and not using them at this point was just stupid. He wasn't desperate enough to summon his Servants with Command Seals, but even without Assassin X or Saber by his side, he didn't have to fight alone. Teamwork… still a new concept to me.

Kirei's eyes narrowed at the odd signs his enemy's fingers formed. There was something familiar about them… Then he recalled a couple of moments witnessed through Assassin's eyes, moments of the other Assassin making similar formations right before unleashing his odd magic. Well, well… It seems we've both profited through this Grail War's irregularities.

Kiritsugu slapped his hand against the floor, and with a puff of smoke, all eight of Assassin X's ninja hounds crouched before him. Upon arrival, they recognized the scent of the man before them, and judging from how they collectively bared their fangs, they were not happy to see him. Their summoner had held off on calling them before; cold though he was, he didn't have it in him to break their sweet little hearts at seeing Iri's present state. But now…

"Boys…" Kiritsugu kept an even tone but didn't take his eyes off the man backing slowly away. "This is Kirei Kotomine. …He violated Iri."

Kirei readied a fresh set of Black Keys as a chorus of growls rolled over him. He thought he could recognize one of them, his shoulder still had some trace bite marks.

"Sic' him."

-04:52:13

While all these confrontations had been raging inside Fuyuki City, there was another matter occurring in its outer parts.

A dark figure crept stealthily through the shadows of trees, ducking down every now and then as someone lurched by. Well, "someone" was a bit of a generous description, given the beings wandering about in these woods were basically zombies. Slouching bodies in varying states of decay, shuffled movement, moans as their only vocalization, instinct to attack anything living… Yeah. Pretty much zombies.

Taking his Servant's advice, Kiritsugu had created a Shadow Clone with the express purpose of investigating his hunch over where Rider X had stashed his little toy. The drive here had been uneventful, and he'd parked the car about two kilometers away from the woods so as to not attract attention; in hindsight, a wise precaution, considering he almost ran into a zombie.

He had managed to avoid detection until now; uncoordinated though these things moved, they could lunge pretty fast. He'd caught a glimpse of a poor deer who had learned this lesson the hard way. That scene wouldn't be leaving his nightmares anytime soon. There was a silver lining to this horror-movie cloud, however: Each of these standing corpses' eyes (or in a couple cases, empty sockets where eyes should've been) glowed that same dark violet the Assassins of the previous night had exhibited, lending credence to Kiritsugu's theory.

Clone Kiritsugu still needed to be careful, though. One solid hit from these things, would reduce him to a memory in the original's head, and who knew if a new clone could be dispatched here? Hence his slowly creeping through bushes and shadows of trees to avoid a direct confrontation. Kiritsugu had needed to silently take out a few who couldn't have been avoided, and this batch proved a little harder to kill (again) than the regular kind. Severing the head from the neck wasn't enough, they had to be disassembled as much as possible.

Good thing I packed a fresh knife, he quipped to himself, hefting his duffle bag as he slipped over to a larger elm. The explosives he was carrying hindered his speed a little as well, but the seasoned hunter's sense of direction was sharp enough that he could clearly make out his destination within another minute of sneaking about. His eyes settled into a cold glare.

Hidden in the last place the Mage Killer would look… Kiritsugu Emiya's clone glanced about what remained of the Einzbern castle that had previously been home base for his team. That banquet Rider had instigated in its courtyard had confirmed to Kiritsugu this location was too compromised, so he'd pulled out along with Iri and the Servants. The homunculi staff were sent back to Germany, their purpose fulfilled, and aside from the odd trap for unwanted visitors, nothing had been left behind. Kiritsugu had therefore paid the castle no mind…

And judging from how his Magic Circuits prickled uncomfortably beneath his skin the closer he got to the castle, it was clear Rider X truly had made the most out of Kiritsugu's slipup.

He scanned his surroundings. The distance between him and the nearest entrance was only a couple of meters, but two zombies were prowling about, and it was only thanks to the elm's shadows they hadn't spotted him yet. Kiritsugu calculated the time it would take him to reach either and disable them before the other could notice. The answer was a little too close for his taste, and if he used a gun, he'd alert the rest. I knew I should've packed a silencer…

Kiritsugu took another look around for an alternative when his shoe brushed against a rock about the size of his fist. He picked it up and tossed it into his palm experimentally, an idea coming to mind. With one last check, he hurled the rock against another tree to his right. The dull thud of its impact drew both zombies' attention, and they lumbered moaning towards it.

The path temporarily clear, Kiritsugu sprinted towards the mansion. By the time those rotten guards had lost interest in their assumed prey, he had already barred the door and was drifting along the halls, gas mask over his mouth. Alright, now to find that Reactor, the hunter noted to himself. Shouldn't be too hard, Megatron wouldn't have put any extra effort in hiding it after picking this location and setting up his guard dogs…

Even so, it took him at least five times the usual duration to navigate through the distorted halls. Though the outside of the castle had appeared untouched, inside was a very different story. Glowing cracks had spread across every solid surface, crystals of varying sizes and jaggedness springing out from them at random intervals. Kiritsugu carefully stepped around the cracks on the floor. He couldn't afford cutting himself on any of the crystals, either; best case, he'd disperse and return to the original. Worst case, he'd wind up another zombie. Neither was an option, he moved with caution. Slow, steady and stealthy wins the War…

On a positive note, the symptoms of Dark Energon all came from the same direction, and the closer Kiritsugu followed this trail, the more pronounced they became. There was just barely enough room for zombies to lurch about at this point, but the Shadow Clone didn't let up. I'm definitely on the right track.

Another ten minutes of careful sneaking around, and he reached a balcony not from what seemed to be the epicenter of the corruption. He flicked open the door and slipped out before finally removing his mask. He sucked in a deep breath of clean air; even the atmosphere inside had felt polluted. And seeing as he was now overlooking the castle's courtyard, he had a clear view of the source.

Seated amidst a crown of crystals where the Servants' banquet had occurred, wisps of dark mana curling around its illuminant core, was the Prismatrix Reactor.

The Mage Killer scowled at the Reactor. He'd witnessed plenty of evil over the years, dispatching magi, fighting in warzones. By more than a few metrics, including his own, he was evil. But nothing could compare to this sickening sensation washing over him at the sight of that ominously violet-glowing metal contraption, asymmetrical spikes protruding from every side, energy pulsing around its center. Almost like a heartbeat, he noted.

Whatever the hell it is, I have to destroy it. Kiritsugu unzipped his bag a little and began inspecting his C4. Never before in his life had he felt more certain about an elimination than right now. Seeing it through, though, would turn out to be easier said than done.

A groan echoed out into the yard, but it was so close the Mage Killer doppelganger couldn't help but turn around. A zombie was pushing against the glass door, cracks appearing along its surface. Kiritsugu bit back a curse and made to stab it into proper death, but a second one appeared, then a third, then a fourth and a fifth, and finally the glass gave away.

He backed away reflexively from their grabbing hands, but in keeping an eye, he'd forgotten how close he was to the rails. Before he could stop himself, Kiritsugu had tumbled off the balcony… without the C-4. He managed to land somewhat gracefully by Reinforcing his legs, but it was still loud enough to be heard. Kiritsugu sprang away as the zombies tumbled after him, registering more pouring out of all the entryways.

Where the hell did Rider X find all of these bodies? Kiritsugu's nose scrunched up upon picking the scent of decay. Probably looted a cemetery or something. At least, I hope he did… Regardless, the courtyard was soon packed with the undead.

Kiritsugu's clone backed away from the horde. Aside from his knife, he only had the Contender, a gun with a single cartridge chamber. His explosives were still in the bag up on the balcony, there were too many corpses between him and them even if he could somehow climb up the castle's corrupted walls, and the Reactor seemed to have registered a threat. Larger crystals were beginning to erupt like spikes from the ground, drawing closer to Kiritsugu. He must've grown delirious from desperation because a thought popped in his head: Huh, those cracks in the crystals remind me of Magic Circuits…

A light bulb went off; it was a crazy idea, but there wasn't any time to second-guess or doubt himself. On instinct, the Shadow Clone drew his Thompson Contender, aimed and fired.

The .30-06 Springfield round struck the Reactor dead-center, breaking through to the crystal within. Though a product of the Shadow Clone Jutsu, it still carried the same properties as actual Origin Rounds, which meant the machine's complex technomagical functions soon founds themselves disconnected and then imperfectly reconnected an instant later.

The clone couldn't have known what his progenitor had discovered about the Origin Rounds' potency against extraterrestrial powers like Dark Energon, it had been an act of desperation and a stroke of luck. The Prismatrix Reactor shook and sputtered where it sat, sparks flying off of it like a faulty engine. Bolts of energy shot out to burn and/or corrode all they struck, some even colliding with one another, until the machine simply couldn't bear it anymore. It gave one final shudder before bursting into an explosion of pure mana. The Dark Energon element had destroyed itself, resulting in an energy that didn't corrupt or control but just blasted everything in its radius out of existence. A cloud erupted from the forest visible for miles; fortunately, no one in Fuyuki was awake to witness it.

Very little remained of the Einzbern castle once the smoke had settled, a smoldering crater where its main structure and garden had once stood. The zombies had all been eradicated with nary a hair or a speck of skin left. Nor any trace of a certain Mage Killer's clone.

The body which had once been Irisviel von Einzbern had finally managed to dig itself free. It had been struggling ever since Kiritsugu Emiya had planted it int the auditorium's ground, but not only from its confines. Despite the oppressive power of Dark Energon spurring it on to finish the task Kirei Kotomine had given it and wreak further havoc, something within the tainted vessel had… resisted. Its limbs and reaction time had been sluggish, even during the initial confrontation with Emiya.

Now though, the body was free and could sense a pull towards the storage space, an instinctive drive to aid its master. It managed two jerky steps forward before spasming precisely as the Reactor self-destructed. The homunculus' eyes shot wide open, flickering from violet to their natural red again, then it tipped over to fall on its back to the floor.

Crystals rose and surged towards Berserker as he skipped away from their pursuit, managing to keep one step ahead. Rider X altered their trajectory to force him into backing up against him, but Berserker deflected the Dark Star Saber, vaulted over the titanic body in one smooth leap, and slashed him across the back for good measure. "Raaarrrh!"

That growl rattled Saber, but she forced herself not to risk a peek from her side of the battlefield. She couldn't have interfered easily, anyway; Megatron had summoned a ring of large crystals to surround himself and Berserker. Even with her Servant eyes, she could barely peer inside. Saber would've surely been able to punch through this wall, but such an endeavor would leave her open to her opponent's "affection."

So, she had to focus on punching a hole through Archer's defenses, Assassin X covering her with a series of wind-enhanced fireballs. Archer's weapons were countered for the most part by her partner's attack, though a serrated Indian knife found its way into her left shoulder. Powering through the pain, the Heroic Spirit of the Sword released a defiant yell as she slashed into Archer's side. Sparks flashed from her blade against the golden armor.

Gilgamesh summoned another portal directly in front of her, the blinding light stunning her so she nearly fell victim to the sword that emerged half a second later. Assassin X pulled her back while his clone took her place, dispersing from the treasure. Placing a hand with a quick remedy over the wound in his side, Archer grumbled to himself. Meddlesome trickster…

Assassin X followed up by throwing some smoke pellets mixed with paper bombs, buying him and Saber a minute to treat the latter's shoulder and catch their breath. Roughly an hour had passed since these five Servants had come together, and at this point, nothing was unscathed. The parking lot had become ravaged and shattered beyond recognition, but Assassin X's Bounded Field had fortunately remained intact. Good thing, too, because any one noise would've woken people up for miles.

As for the Servants, they'd all collected a noticeable share of injuries. Saber and Assassin X sported bruises and scratches all over their person; it was a testament to their teamwork that neither had suffered any grievous wounds yet. The Gate of Babylon supplied Archer with potions and healing artifacts, but his armor was showing mileage. He had even lost his left pauldron courtesy of Assassin X's Kamui; An instant slower, and it'd have been his head.

Berserker and Rider X had given each other a heavier beating by comparison. With For Someone's Glory inactive, the damage to the Knight of the Lake's armor was fully visible for all to see. Slashes and puncture holes lined nearly every area of his garb, and without his helmet, Lancelot had received a wound on his forehead and another across his right cheek. Still, his reflexes had kept him, too, from being more heavily injured, and what little pain he might've felt was swallowed by the Skill that distorted his handsome face so much.

"Mrrh..." Her shoulder cleanly bandaged, Artoria couldn't help but wince as she caught a glimpse of those shadowed eyes, the pointed teeth and the bloodthirsty scowl warping her knight's features further. Lancelot had finally invoked Mad Enhancement to keep up with Rider X calling upon Dark Energon's more dramatic applications, but it still pained her to see him like this. The true face of the class he'd been summoned into…

The only consolation was that Megatron alone remained the target of Berserker's wrath. He hadn't spared his King so much as a second glance. "Mmmmmegarrrr…" And seeing the many, many scars lashed across Rider X's body, for Arondight had lost none of its edge since its unsheathing, Saber was honestly grateful not to be the recipient of Lancelot's unchained fury.

Megatron simply sneered back at Berserker's hateful stare. Despite the injuries he'd suffered, the Decepticon tyrant's confidence had never been higher. His "Deathbringer to the Cosmos" was normally gargantuan in mana consumption, to say nothing of invoking Dark Energon at the same time, but through his connection to that delightful little Reactor Archer X had collected for him, Rider X could wield it at full power indefinitely.

And that's when he suddenly sensed the severance of said connection.

Megatron's optics flickered briefly back to red, and the Dark Star Saber lost some of its sheen. The Dark Energon circle he'd created fractured and began to crumble. He quickly recollected himself, but even in the throes of rage, Lancelot knew an opportunity when he saw one. With a predatory pounce, his first swing with Arondight nearly wrenched the enemy sword from his grip, the next slit open part of Rider X's leg, and the third would've nearly beheaded him hadn't he leaned away in time. Metal went flying.

Still, Rider X reclaimed his stance and drew upon his power once again; whatever happened to the Reactor, he couldn't afford any slip-ups with this opponent. Not to mention he was going to relish killing this fool knight as he had his partner after such a lengthy battle.

The more their swords clashed, the more the two Servants locked glares. The Berserker's restraint continued to slip, his Mad Enhancement asserting itself once again. Finally, a furious howl escaped his lips, familiar yet unfamiliar simultaneously. "MMMMegatroooooon!"

The blades struck again but locked against one another, their wielders pitting their might against one another. The surrounding air screeched from blessed steel cursed by insanity clashing with a weapon created from pure evil. Arondight and the Dark Star Saber were both Noble Phantasms of A++ rank, and between Berserker's Mad Enhancement, plus the bonus from his sword, and Rider X's Dark Energon, the swordsmen were nearly equal in strength.

Megatron, however, held the advantage in size and weight. And Lancelot was more skillful.

The larger Servant took a step closer and leaned in, bearing his heavy body down on the locked swords, and for a moment, he relished the oncoming victory when Berserker buckled slightly. But the stumble turned out to be a feint. Before Rider X knew this, the black knight was shifting to one side, taking Arondight with him. Deprived of a counterforce, the Dark Star Saber's massive blade sank into the ground, purple mana rippling from it. Rider X tried to regain his stance, but Berserker was faster.

Arondight carved deep into the Cybertronian warlord's body as its master struck. Dark Energon pulsed and fought to overpower this intrusive force, but "The Unfading Light of the Lake" which had once been deemed the perfect sword for the perfect knight refused to be stopped. Spurred on by his madness and hatred, Lancelot forced his arms up with all of his strength and completed the slash with a furious howl equal in volume to the screeching metal.

Staggering backwards, Megatron snapped his vocal processor shut to stop the scream trying to escape. That damnable sword had missed his Spark by mere millimeters. Pain wracked his torso as he clamped a hand over the massive gash in it, tainted Energon splashing through his fingers, but he would not give this mad fool the satisfaction of announcing all of this. Such was his pride as a gladiator champion of Kaon.

Berserker completed the slash, then swung Arondight about to bring it into a thrusting stance. No more dallying, Megatron was going to die NOW! He lunged forward-

And froze.

-04:08:29

The clock struck two, almost in accordance with Kariya's final heartbeats. The Master slumped against his mattress, his breathing reduced to a wet wheeze that stained the fabric crimson. So… This is my limit, huh…? He tried to push himself up one last time, but his arms wouldn't move anymore. Even the scuttling of the Crest Worms was coming to an end. Guess they've run out of food… Probably gonna starve to death now… Serves them right…

Gallows humor, of course. Kariya was done for, and he knew it. The fate he'd resigned himself to a year ago in making that deal with the devil had finally caught up with him. Now that he was at death door, though, he felt mostly at ease. He'd given it all he could, gotten farther than would have been expected of a loser like him. Third-to-last Master… He'd outlasted Tokiomi, too, if by mostly luck, in all fairness.

But most importantly, Kariya had succeeded in what he'd set out to do in the first place. Sakura was safe and back home with her real family. Rin had her little sister again, Aoi could watch her daughters grow up together. It was a pity, he admitted, that Tokiomi couldn't witness this, but at least he helped correct his mistake. For that… Kariya could forgive him.

He did have one final regret, though. Sorry, Lancelot… This is it for our partnership, I'm afraid… Kariya knew it was a weak apology, and if Lancelot hadn't reported his triumph over Rider X, then that meant he probably hadn't avenged their friend's murder. I'm sorry… Gandalf… One final tear trickled from his right eye. I'm sorry you couldn't… return to Frodo… and the Fellowship… I'm sorry you and Lancelot had… me… for a Master.

"You gave everything you had, Kariya." A presence seemed to loom over the broken man. Most likely, it was just a hallucination of his brain as it slowly stopped working… "None of us should be expected to give more than that." No way it was really Caster X crouching down to pat his Master's shoulder… "And death is simply another journey, one we must all take. Even we Servants." He probably wasn't seeing the wizard's smile at all… "Are you ready to take this journey, my friend?"

Even so, Kariya Matou smiled one final time. "…You know… what? I think… I think I am."

Saber had been busy deflecting another volley of Archer's treasures when a certain sound reached her ears and made her freeze. It was one she had heard far too many times in her life, one she had even instigated painfully often for her conscience:

The sound a human body made when a blade was running it through.

This lapse in the King of Knights' discipline nearly cost her an arm, but Assassin X managed to slice through the axe hurtling towards her. She didn't thank him for the intervention, but he couldn't hold that against her. For he, too, had picked up on the outcome of the other duel.

Lancelot du Lac stood hunched over, his right hand still grasping Arondight tightly even as the arm hung weakly by his side. The Dark Star Saber was run through his chest, his front nearly touching the hilt while the dreadful blade rose out of his back. Red blood stained it, visible despite the violet glow.

The Saber's wielder leered down upon his enemy in triumph. A single moment of weakness had indeed made the defeated for this fight. Rider X would've preferred to channel Dark Energon into the fallen knight; it would be a waste to let such a sword and skill fade away. Unfortunately, the loss of his support was no temporary thing. Oh, well. Megatron settled for a final taunt in victory. "A pity a warrior like you had such a weakling for a Master."

He then snapped his blade to the side, the sudden action flinging Berserker free and sending him tumbling limply towards the other battle. His sword finally escaped his grip, clattering a little way from him. "LANCELOT!" Saber cried despite herself. Her legs carried her without thinking towards the side of her knight, herself nearly dull to the danger around her.

Rider X smirked at the King of Knights kneeling beside Berserker. For all her words, she was not so inhuman to be unaffected by a friend's death. Two for one… He raised the Dark Star Saber anew when his legs suddenly buckled, and he fell heavily to one knee. An Energon-laced cough escaped the Decepticon, and pain flared from his chest, specifically, the deep wound Arondight had inflicted upon him. Blast it… He concentrated on the wound there.

Megatron had not won his duel with Lancelot unscathed; his stamina, while great, was not infinite, and with the Reactor apparently destroyed, neither was his mana. Violet Energon poured out of the broad gash, forcing him to seal it up with his other power. Doing so drained him more, though, and Rider X knew that with only his link to Kirei to sustain him, he couldn't use both of his Noble Phantasms simultaneously anymore.

Very well. The monstrous Cybertronian propped himself up by the Dark Star Saber and began to rise to his feet. If I must, I'll tear these three fools apart with my blade and my bare servos.

Archer for his part cared little for the mad dog's end. At least, he put a good fight and hobbled the upstart. I suppose there was some use for him after all. But his interest resided in the one hovering over his diminishing form. My, the despair radiating off of Saber, the heartbroken posture, her sword practically discarded by her side… Gorgeous. "Oh, no need to fret forever over a dead fool, Saber," the King of Heroes practically purred as he sauntered towards her. "Rest assured, the upstart's head shall roll, and you shall know joy again… with me."

He received no answer for his generosity. Saber didn't even bother turning her blonde head to him, causing Archer's eyebrow to twitch. "I can forgive many things, dear, but I do not appreciate being ignored." A golden portal shined beside his head, but the weapon it held was stopped by a snarling beast comprised entirely of lightning. Shielding his face from the light, Archer grunted at the one now standing protectively next to Saber. What a loyal, irritating dog…

Kakashi's eyes darted from the two approaching monsters of Servants to his partner standing shaken next to the fallen knight, then back again. Rider X had returned to a standing position while Archer was rubbing his eyes, a glare peeking out through the fingers. They would recover soon, the two needed to take them down now and not let Lancelot's work go to waste. That was the only way left to help him, the logical part of Assassin X knew that.

But as he watched his partner, his friend, he sighed to himself. This is probably the dumbest thing I've ever done… but you would do the same, right, Obito? Rin?

Staring at Lancelot's paling face, Mad Enhancement receded again, blood pooling beneath him, Artoria knew she had to snap out of her daze, she had to get back into the fight. This… this wasn't the first time she'd lost a friend, she needed to stop Archer, she needed to kill Rider X, she, she needed to- A series of thick earthen walls shot up around her out of the blue, snapping the King of Knights back to reality. Her eyes widened at Assassin X kneeling before her, both hands on the ground, just before another eruption of mud separated them.

Panicking, Saber smashed her fist against the new wall. 'Kakashi, what are you doing?!' She nearly screamed over their link. 'Don't you even think about sacrificing your life now-'

'I'm not,' her partner's voice, aggravatingly calm despite the situation, cut through her protests. 'I'll buy you as much time as I can, but…' A tremor rippled through the rock, Saber glancing about before stiffening at what Assassin X said next. 'Do me a favor and don't drag out the goodbyes too much, please?'

Drag out… Goodbyes… Saber slowly turned around to glance at the prone form of Lancelot next to her, the only other occupant of the impromptu shelter. She glanced back at the wall, covering her mouth to stop the gasp nearly escaping it. Kakashi, you fool… She couldn't even maintain the link. You kind, noble fool…

Assassin X knew there was no preventing the Knight of the Lake's death, not without Avalon. And even so, despite his own fatigue, despite the absolute danger they were facing… Kakashi was doing everything in his power to give his partner a last chance for closure.

"It seems…" Artoria started, her teary eyes shifting down to her fallen friend. Lancelot met her gaze with a tiny, bloodstained grin. "It seems we've… both been… blessed…" he coughed out, she quickly kneeling down closer to his level, "with truly… kind… partners… eh… my King?"

Saber sniffed slightly, her composure slowly crumbling away despite her best efforts. "They are, aren't they… sir? Kind, incredible…" She patted his arm with a sigh. "Far better friends than either of us deserved." She received a silent nod as her answer.

The dying knight's grin faded away in shame. "A pity… I failed mine-"

"Don't say that, Lancelot." He stopped, stumped to see his King glaring down at him with tears still unshed. "You supported your team in every way before this tragedy. You fought valiantly for Gandalf even in the throes of madness. And…" She hesitated, then gripped both of his shoulders. "I swore to you he would be avenged, and so it will be. I shall strike down Megatron in Gandalf's name and yours. Not out of vengeance, but for justice, I promise."

A difficult statement, she knew… but she would find a way. And this was not her only promise. "And I shall win the Grail, Lancelot… I will return to our time, right my wrongs, and do everything to be the King our home needs. Not a perfect King… but a human one."

The former Berserker's grin returned… for half a tiny moment. "What a… demanding… woman… you are. Even with… yourself." He sighed in defeat and regret. "A pity… I could not be there… to see… the fruits of… your labor… You think too… kindly of me… I failed as… your knight… as a Servant…" His breath hitched. "As a partner… I placed so great… a burden… on Gandalf… forced him to… temper my… follies… Couldn't repay… his kindness… I cannot even… thank… Kakashi… for shouldering… my duty… to you…"

Truly, what a pathetic person he was. "Do with me… however you see… fit… my King… I am not… deserving of… charity."

Saber heard his soliloquy with wet cheeks and a heavy heart, cursing herself for her own weakness. Here one of her closest, most trusted friends was falling apart, and she couldn't do a damn thing for him. Not without Avalon… and even then, Kariya was most probably dead by now. Lancelot couldn't hope to live on without a Master, let alone wield his sword-

As soon as the dreary thought crossed King Arthur's mind, she knew what she could do.

Lancelot could only watch as the one he admired above all reached across his body. Her hand returned into view holding Arondight, his eyes widening at its sight.

"This is my final judgement of you." Before he could say anything, Artoria laid the hallowed sword atop his body and placed both of his hands on its handle. "A knight does not die with empty hands," she managed to smile despite her tears, "remember, old friend?"

Sir Lancelot du Lac began to weep as well, but he returned her smile inch for inch as his fingers closed around his sword one last time. His body continued to fade away, and he knew his time was nearly up. He had one last thing to do in this new life, though. One final vow.

"You are… and have… always been… the greatest… amongst the Kings… Arthur." Servant Berserker of the Fourth Holy Grail War closed his eyes in peace, his beloved King by his side. "All who served you… believed thus."

And then Artoria Pendragon was silently crying inside this sealed space, her own beliefs echoing in her head: A King stands alone.

…No… A cry of pain reached her ears despite the thick rock around her, bringing her back to reality. Anguish gave way to determination on Saber's face as retrieved Excalibur. I'm not alone. She briskly got to her feet and wiped away her tears with her sleeve. There would be time for them later, when she had won the Grail and earned her knights' faith in her. But right now, she had the murders of two friends to avenge, two monsters who needed to be stopped…

And a comrade awaiting her return.

Assassin X crashed hard with his back first against the wall he'd crafted. He slid down a little, hand clamped over the fresh gash in his left side, then pushed himself up to leap over a slash from Rider X. The ground split into a deep crevice from the force of his attack. Assassin X dodged and caught a spear shot by Archer, then jabbed his new weapon at the larger Servant to drive him back. His Mangekyō Sharingan glared at Rider X. "Kamui!"

Rider X growled as reality distorted and started sucking in his torso. Too broad and battle-weary to dodge, he instead released a blast from the Dark Star Saber without bothering to aim. The resultant flash shattered Assassin X's concentration, ending his Noble Phantasm before he could complete it. The Heroic Spirit of the Mount found his enemy staggered and raised his sword for a killing blow, but a heavy warhammer smashed into his side.

Archer watched with amusement as the upstart went sprawling, metal screeching echoing across the yard. "You have no idea how long I have been waiting to do that." His attention turned to the other alien mongrel present. "And you…"

Assassin X fought through his weariness to defend against the two swords shot at him. He survived, but the spear was reduced to splinters, and he found himself slumped against Saber's makeshift retreat again. "You have been a very amusing oddity, mongrel," the King of Heroes approached him before stopping at a distance of roughly five paces, "but I have little tolerance for thieves. And you are making a grave mistake keeping me from my possessions."

"Borrowing your weapons without permission is bad manners, I'll grant you that." Kakashi forced himself to his feet despite his body aching in protest. "But Saber is nobody's possession."

Archer scoffed at his defiance. "As I said before, all treasures what exist in this world belong to me. Such is the right of the King. And Saber is truly a treasure of the finest quality." He nodded towards the wall. "Step aside and let me claim her, and I shall reward you by killing you quickly. You may even die after the upstart, if that suits you more. But this is my final offer, Assassin X." The King was bathed in golden light from his portals. "Step. Aside."

Kakashi Hatake knew he couldn't hope to face Archer alone. He couldn't even use Kamui while still recovering from its prior use, and Rider X was still in play as well. Without Saber, he was a dead man walking in this fight. And yet, he made no effort to call her back from her mourning, nor did he even think of running away. He only said two words: "Not happening."

This response provoked a smirk from Gilgamesh. Infuriating though this masked mutt was, he couldn't help but recall the creed uttered at the banquet: "Those who abandon the mission are trash, and those who abandon their comrades are lower than trash."

Truly, beings of other worlds can still hold true to their principles. "Such strong conviction for mere trash." With that final acknowledgement, Archer let loose his "arrows."

Not a single one touched his target.

A heavy gale erupted from behind Assassin X, blasting the walls into rubble and blowing the Gate of Babylon's projectiles away. "Then I, too, am trash," Saber stood resolute before her partner, "for I gladly seek to share his conviction."

Assassin X sighed in relief as he stepped to his partner's side. "Welcome back." She turned to him with a bittersweet yet deeply grateful smile, prompting him to ask softly, "How are you holding up?"

"…I'll manage," she sighed in response. They were both familiar with the pain which came from the loss of a comrade, as well as how long it could linger. But through that familiarity, they could both endure the pain to see their missions through. And Saber was more than to claim the Grail. "Let's put an end to this."

"Oh, I shall." She didn't even bother turning to see Rider X striding towards them, idly dragging that infernal sword along the ground. "I hope you haven't wept too pitifully for your fallen knight," the Decepticon sneered despite his own battered state, "for you will join him soon enough, King Arthur."

Saber finally faced him with a glare colder than the space he had traveled through in life. "Not before I send you to the scrapheap once and for all, Megatron." She dispelled Invisible Air of her own accord, revealing the "Sword of Promised Victory" in all its vibrant might.

Another voice chimed in. "I reserve that right for me alone, Saber." Archer walked to the side to gain a full view of all three targets. "I have waited far too long to crush this mongrel."

"We don't always get what we want, Your Highness." Assassin X flexed his right hand's fingers, electricity already dancing between them. "And it's rude to cut in line."

The final four Servants stood in a sort of triangle amidst the ruined parking lot: Rider X at one end, Archer at another, and Saber and Assassin X together at the final one. They all showed the wear and tear of battle, yet their resolve to win had never been stronger. Every fight, every argument, interaction had led to this final battle of the Holy Grail War. Muscles tensed and Noble Phantasms were readied, two in particular repeating a declaration of war.

Thus, Excalibur met the Dark Star Saber, golden and violet light illuminating the battlefield.

Back at the city hall, Irisviel von Einzbern's body hadn't moved an inch from its spot in the auditorium, seemingly dead in every way. Then something began to seep out of it even as its form seemed to… melt…

-03:54:28

One floor down, the battle between the remaining two Masters was rapidly approaching its apex. Kirei Kotomine swung a Black Key at his enemy's neck, but Akino leaped out to bite onto his arm while Bull slammed against him from behind, buying Kiritsugu Emiya time to draw his knife and attempt his own lunge. Kotomine was still blinded by the flashbang going off earlier, but his other hand blocked the attack, then the next one and third, fourth, fifth… Damn "hearing a move"… Emiya cursed to himself, veins stretching across his face from Triple accel's power.

Scowling, Kirei leaped high and landed hard enough to shake off the final two dogs summoned, then Dark Energon crystals grew along the blades of his keys like sharp branches. He then fired blindly, forcing Emiya to roll away and the hounds to de-summon themselves lest they suffer critical injury. They and the rest of their pack had all literally taken more than one bite of him, and worst of all, he hadn't managed to infect a single one before they disappeared. Note to self: Check for rabies tomorrow.

Kiritsugu hurled his knife into Kotomine's right leg and then ran up to stomp on the hilt, driving the blade in further. Rewarded with a snarl of pain, he pressed the Contender's barrel against his forehead, only for Kotomine's eyes to snap open with a dark violet glare. The priest forced the gun away before it went off, the Origin Round flying past him. He'd lost seven of his spare Seals to that damned gun and those of duplicates Emiya summoned. He released the wrist to grab hold of the Mage Killer's throat.

Despite the fingers constricting his throat, Kiritsugu didn't give up. Flipping the Contender around in his grip, he struck Kotomine's chin with the gun's wooden butt as hard as he could. From everything Kiritsugu had learned in this past hour of fighting, Dark Energon might've been flowing through the man's Magic Circuits, but he retained the same weak points as an average human being. Crack the chin, and the brain will rattle.

Sure enough, the grip slackened enough for him to escape, and a wild slash against his arm was quickly healed by Avalon. Even the Dark Energon "poisoning" the Black Keys was nullified by Saber's sheath. Still, it didn't erase the pain or exhaustion its current wielder felt. Time to bring this fight to an end. Kiritsugu sucked in a deep breath, hands blurring through four separate handsigns (this time in the correct sequence, too). Fire Style, he opened his mouth to exhale a large gray cloud too wide for the priest to avoid. Burning Ash!

The cloud surrounded Kirei within seconds even as the hounds scattered. He scoffed. Trying to blind me? I don't need my eyes to find you- He sniffed again, an odd scent coming off the smoke around him. It took Kirei a second to realize he wasn't smelling smoke… It was gunpowder.

And then Kiritsugu snapped open his lighter.

BOOM.

The "smoke" cloud became a gigantic mass of fire that would've incinerated its occupant if he hadn't leaped out in time, and even then, he suffered quite a few burns before the shockwave struck him. As Kirei tumbled painfully across the ground, he wondered bemused how he kept winding up so close to explosions in this Holy Grail War. The Lord has an odd sense of humor if this is His way of punishing me for my transgressions.

Kiritsugu, by contrast, was able to roll controlled away from the explosion. The Burning Ash Jutsu had consumed a lot of his remaining od, though, and as he swiftly exchanged the Contender's spent cartridge for a fresh one, he knew he wouldn't be able to perform another jutsu. Even Shadow Clones were no longer an option. He had to bet everything on this bullet.

Kirei got up, embers flickering across his tattered frock. His burns and other injuries healed slowly, but there was little the Dark Energon could do without being replenished. And with the Reactor gone, that would mean letting it take complete control of him, which was a nonstarter for Kirei. He had begun this fight, he would end it. This was his final attack.

The Executor dug into his heels before launching himself forward, two final Black Keys flicking out, while the Mage Killer invoked Innate Time Control and rose to his full height at quadruple speed, Thompson Contender primed.

Kiritsugu Emiya and Kirei Kotomine. Two men, each with hollow eyes, each an outlier of this world's wider magus community, each having developed in unexpected ways courtesy of a foreign being. In the moment one aimed his gun and the other readied his Keys, yet another similarity emerged between them. Two thoughts raced simultaneously through their brains:

I will kill him.

I will die.

And then darkness engulfed them both.

Phew wee, what a rush! I have been bombarded with ideas and mental images of how this final confrontation would go down, and it's been so frikkin' hard to sort through them all and put in the ideas I liked. Naturally, I mixed in canon scenes, but I hope there's still enough of my own contributions to make it look original.

Sorry for all you Kariya and Lancelot fans, but this is the end of the road for them. Believe me, it damn near broke my heart writing out their final moments, and I did my best to let them go with some feeling of accomplishment. Besides, Megatron isn't getting away with his atrocities. I swear, what I have in store for that megalomaniac…

But the final battle isn't over just yet of course. Stay tuned, let's see if I can't deliver the conclusion to the Grail War in one month, with all the twists, turns and trauma involved. And then the epilogue, plus a chapter with extras… and that'll be a wrap. Wish me luck!

PS: You have no idea how hard it is for me to keep the bloody timestamps in mind while I've been writing scenes. I thought they'd be cool as a homage to the original light novel, but no way am I using such precise timestamps again in whatever future Fate/Paradox stories I write. Day 1, Night 1, stuff like that ought to suffice.