A shiver traveled down Ritsuka's spine, goosebumps breaking out over his skin as the situation rapidly deteriorated since the intervention of the unknown entity in the guise of wiseman.
"Gh," Ritsuka grunted, arms raised to shield his face from the fierce wind emanating with Nero Beast at its center.
"Careful!" Mash rushed in front of Ritsuka and braced her shield in front of him, protecting him from the headwind.
The man's identity at this point didn't matter half as much as trying to resolve the current Singularity before it could lead to disaster. Everything was already going wrong moments before everything could have been resolved.
Even the expression on Shirou's face had hardened, and Ritsuka had always seen his fellow Master as the most reliable figure.
Ritsuka squinted his eyes, trying to peer into the mass of magic energy converging over Nero Beast's form, but the effort was moot as a deafening blast of magic energy created a towering pillar at the center of Rome.
The only benefit was that the tower of energy absorbed and dispelled the bounded field surrounding Rome. In its stead-
"T-This energy is…" Mash cried out in alarm as the invisible weight of sheer magic power pressed her shoulders down.
The sensation was magnitudes worse than the feeling in Fuyuki against Saber Alter and the blackened Grail.
Moving was difficult, and even then, each action felt sluggish and delayed. It was almost like lethargy, encouraging her to indulge in sloth and ruin. Her arms buckled, armor clanking as the dark red light pervading the area began to abate into a steady hum.
"Fufufu. Not quite the form I expected, but becoming an adult isn't easy."
A mockingly concise laugh escaped red lips, juvenile eyes greedily taking in the surroundings.
Nero Beast's figure had regressed to that of a child marked with the symbol of triple six. Scantily clad in barely anything but ribbon-like fabric over her delicates, a dark sludge pooled by her feat, a golden crown was adorned over her head. What she traded in stature and age in another class, she gained in strength as power welled up almost infinitely in this form.
In her right hand, she held aloft a corrupted Holy Grail spewing forth tainted mud.
"Grovel."
The pressure intensified; Nero Beast's eyes narrowed into slits glowing crimson red.
"Kneel."
The animalistic fangs and red marking over her face spoke not of humanity, but of a different primal sort.
No longer was this merely a fragment of a Nero born from the outcome of a Singularity and a botched summon, but a true partial manifestation of the darkness within her.
The Beast of Revelation.
"Beg, and then I will grant thee deliverance." Sodom's Beast chuckled, immorality and a decadent air of degradation bleeding out from her eyes.
The one who lays waste to the most prosperous city of an age.
Her echoing laugh brought about a stifling pressure to the surroundings. She was the fall of Rome, its maker, and its herald. The current power of the world was not enough to enter adulthood as the Whore of Babylon, but that would require a separate Singularity where she could draw on the sins of man from parallel worlds.
Her current form for the current Singularity was more than enough.
Bang!
Sodom's Beast raised an eyebrow, Saber Alter's sword pinched between Sodom's thumb and index finger.
Quickly, a grin revealing a row of serrated teeth appeared on Sodom's face.
Grunting, Saber Alter channeled the full weight of her mana into a swing of Excalibur Morgan. The energy outstretched over her sword cleaved through the area in front, but the part still caught in Sodom's hold exploded and sent Saber Alter tumbling back as Sodom released her grip.
"Weak."
Authority of the Beast: Whether they be Heroic or Divine Spirits, so long as they have relation to man and humanity, all damage is reduced.
A desperate transmission from Romani overseeing the situation of Master Team A, confirmed the direness of the ordeal.
["It's no use! Your attacks aren't getting through. Her magic energy output is immeasurable. We need a different approach!"]
"Saber," Shirou said cautiously with a stout shake of his head. "Don't go in alone."
"Hn," Saber Alter grunted as she brushed off the dust and grime from her face and armour.
"Do you know what's the most delicious?" Sodom languidly eyed all present before glancing at the entirety of Rome. "It's the flesh of a fruit the moment before it rots."
"-God's Resolution!"
Halos of white light suddenly surrounded Sodom, rapidly tightening around Sodom's figure as Jeanne planted her banner into the ground and channeled her faith into restraint. Divine prayers manifested in choir and song, rapidly strengthening the durability of the halos.
Meanwhile, a beam of light broke through the clouds and shone over the faithful.
"Jacob's Limbs!" Martha leveraged her staff to vault into the air and strike down with holy power converging on her fists.
"Pitiful Saints." Sodom hardly reacted; her features devoid of emotion at the fruitlessness of it all.
Raising an arm, the bands of light restricting her shattered all at once before a single hand caught Martha's attack and threw her like garbage beneath her.
Jeanne and Martha's pupils dilated as they distinctly felt the divine power of their skills vanish all at once.
Nega-Messiah: A potent skill that negates all blessings from faith.
Sodom's lips curled up into a sneer as she raised her foot and stomped down on Martha's back.
"I bring the apocalypse; I bring the end and a beginning of depravity as foretold."
Martha thrashed and bucked, but Sodom continued to increase the weight on Martha.
Sodom's figure was petite, but the magic coursing through her was no joke. Amplified, the energy bolstering her strength was not to be underestimated.
"Martha!" Jeanne came running with resolution and will.
Jeanne swung her banner, trying to force Sodom to back off, but contrary to expectation, she remained firm and batted aside Jeanne's attack with a reptilian tail on her back.
Gasping, Jeanne had a second to react, but failed as Sodom grabbed her by the hair and pressed her face into the dirt.
Meanwhile, Martha gasped as blood pooled in her mouth, the creaking of her bones and the pressure on her organs were putting them on the verge of rupturing.
"Martha!" Ritsuka dashed forward himself, miraculously tackling Sodom off of his Servant and rescuing Martha.
That still left Jeanne who Sodom still held in her grip.
Ritsuka had succeeded not because he was strong, but because of the novelty of it. No one would have ever expected a Master to act in a battle between Servants let alone put themselves in danger.
The only one with a similar experience was staring at Ritsuka with a sense of recognition.
Sodom wasn't laughing.
No, she stared hard at Ritsuka with an unreadable expression before throwing him off and into the arms of a gaging Martha who was casting trying to catch her breath while using healing prayers on herself.
"Ugh," Jeanne held the ends of her hair with her hands, trying to mitigate the pain on her scalp.
Sodom narrowed her eyes and placed a sharpened nail beneath Jeanne's throat, causing her to freeze, beads of sweat on her brow.
Sodom felt the repugnant taste of aversion.
Sodom despised the futility of resistance, no; futility in general which was she disliked fighting, and yet-
"Let her go!"
A Dragon soaring through the air with a certain Dragon Witch, could not maintain his composure from the moment Jeanne was pinned.
Unable to use his breath attack in fear of consuming Jeanne in the aftermath, Sieg even went as far as to prevent Jeanne Alter from dousing the area on fire for the same reason.
"Y-You idiot!" Jeanne Alter's voice could be heard echoing in the sky as Sieg chose a physical confrontation and dived towards Sodom with sharpened claws.
The sight of a massive Dragon with its maw opened to her did not deter Sodom in the least. Rather, she took a step forward and one of the seven crowns on her head illuminated.
A towering pillar suddenly pierced through the ground and into Sieg's exposed chest moments before Sieg could reach Sodom. Torrents of blood splattered over Jeanne as Sieg's vision blackened.
Huh?
Jeanne's mind blanked completely at the warm sensation on her face. The red splatters on her body caused her breath to grow short as she felt them with trembling hands. Her fingers came up wet, her mouth opening and closing in abject silence. Blood stuck to her fingers as her eyes trailed up to the massive wound pierced through Sieg's Dragon body.
"Sieg!" Ritsuka yelled in concern.
Jeanne Alter was already on it, more for her sake than anything else. If Sieg went down, she'd go down as his Rider.
Doing her best as she cursed and pulled on the manifested reins around Sieg's Dragon neck, she steered Sieg's momentum towards a safer location.
Sodom merely stepped aside, and Sieg's rushing form zipped past her, his leather wings catching air and lifting the colossal body up enough to give Jeanne Alter leverage.
Jeanne Alter's Riding Skill in the form of 'Dragon Witch,' enabled her control over mounted Dragons. Using her magic energy, she forced the injured Sieg to glide away to a safer location, but her grim expression revealed that she was now out of the battle.
/-/
"Shit!" Jeanne Alter cussed as she created a burning field around her to ward off magic blasts and encroaching pillars.
She'd jumped off of Sieg and was now stuck guarding him while the former homunculus had reverted to his human form. Buried in a ditch from the impact of his fall, Sieg was covered in dirt and bleeding heavily, a hole pierced right through him. However, Jeanne Alter was unable to attend to him.
Servants died all the time, so she cared little.
Not when Shirou was in danger.
He was still there, fighting, and here she was protecting some lanky excuse of a Dragon who fell prey to impulsive action.
Sneering, a look of concern crossed Jeanne Alter's expression as she looked back towards the distant battlefield, and then towards Sieg.
She scowled, but did not leave. She knew her Master well enough to understand that he'd be disappointed if she left an ally behind to die.
"Wake up already, you skinny shit!" Jeanne Alter hissed at Sieg's unconscious form.
A soft grunt of pain was her only response.
"You owe me," Jeanne Alter grimaced, pulling out her sword and war banner in tandem as the approach of enemies drew near.
/-/
"That settles one annoyance," Sodom murmured, as if the entire matter had been insignificant.
But how could it ever be?
"AAAAGH!" Jeanne's eyes were bloodshot, fury simmering in her expression even as Sodom continued gripping her hair.
"Oh, did I strike a nerve, Saint?" Sodom barely budged an inch, glancing down at Jeanne with indifference.
"You monster!" Jeanne could hardly bear the pain in her heart. Drawing a blade, she cut off parts of her hair and tried to strangle Sodom.
However, Jeanne was quickly pulled away into safer hands.
"Jeanne, she's goading you." Martha cautioned, beads of sweat forming on her brow as the words appeared to be going over Jeanne's head. "Peace sister."
Jeanne was staring at the place Sieg went down, and bit her lips hard enough to draw blood. Martha kept a firm grip on Jeanne.
Now wasn't the time for blind attacks.
And yet, Sodom continued to watch with a leisurely attitude. No matter what anyone did, she was undefeatable.
The comparison of magic energy output was a comparison of life forms. A single ant or even a dozen could not hope to kill an elephant let alone annoy it. That was the difference in their levels.
The magic energy of her enemies could not come close to rivaling Sodom's even when combined.
Yet there was more.
No matter how much she despised futility, there was a deeper part of it that she would never admit to.
Deep down, Sodom knew what her heart desired.
A longing for a human who can shake off temptation, and become a beacon of enlightened brilliance…
"Nero!" Shirou could not endure things any longer.
So what if Sodom displayed an overwhelming advantage in magic energy and origin, they'd just have to think of something. It wasn't as if he'd been inactive for no reason.
From the moment Romani had called and made the difference in strength apparent, Shirou had been searching for an answer. Rule Breaker would not work here, as the origin of Sodom's beast could arguably be attributed to Nero naturally. It existed even in Nero's base state, and its influence would not be hindered enough to put everything to an end.
"You're in there, aren't you?" Shirou spoke softly, his voice carrying in the wind.
It was minute, but a quiver passed over Sodom's lips. Whether it was Nero's influence or not, a reaction was a reaction.
Think.
Think.
The moment everything had gone wrong was the moment a third-party had intervened and redirected the energy of Nero Beast's ritual ceremony from Rome into solely Nero Beast.
If that was the source of power, could it not be cut off?
"Useless." Sodom said, the pause in her tone growing into a distant nostalgia. "That name no longer resonates."
Shirou's gaze remained firm.
Sodom subtly grunted, expression twisting.
It was in the midst of this action that Shirou found a clue; an object one could not help but notice in Sodom's hand that acted as the source and storage of power.
"Your efforts will amount to nothing."
Sodom's words didn't phase Shirou in the least, his focus directed solely on the Grail Sodom held aloft.
That was the key, the enabler.
"No. No they may not," Shirou eventually answered, his grip on Kanshou and Bakuya tightening. "But so, what?"
All eyes turned to Shirou.
Whether it was Jeanne and Martha, Saber Alter, or Ritsuka who was being supported by Mash (who ran up to Ritsuka and stood guard), they could all feel a change in the air.
In this overwhelming situation where succumbing to despair could become all too easy, a will to strive emerged to confront the odds.
"Just you wait."
Shirou took one step forward, then two.
"I will save you."
"..."
Sodom was struck silent not because she belittled the words, but because she could tell that they were sincere and of genuine motive.
Lust of supple flesh did not blind him.
Greed of power did not sway him.
It was a selfless desire to save another in need.
He was truly…?
A Servant that answers the call of a Master without a catalyst always had meaning as a suitable partner.
A person who inherently resonates.
"I will save you."
Sodom shook her head, resenting this futile parable of the underdog. Yet still, she could feel her blood course through her, her heart thumping to her ears with each beat.
Yes. Yes indeed.
"Weak. Too weak, and yet," Sodom did what she did best as was her nature. She indulged. "…Very well, show me your mettle, human."
"Saber!" Shirou dashed out without another word, circuit-like patterns flaring over his skin.
Saber Alter didn't have to be told twice and ran on Shirou's right, sword drawn.
Torrents of wind formed around Saber Alter's sword before she smashed the blade down, creating a could of dust and debris.
"Is that all?" Sodom's eyes flashed before a storm of magic energy blew the dust away.
Raising one arm, Sodom parried Saber Alter's stab, while she used the other to tauntingly pull the corrupted Grail out of Shirou's reach.
Not once did Shirou's expression change despite the failure because one thing was clear from this brief exchange:
She was severely underestimating him.
It was likely that the 'Shirou,' of another timeline that Nero Beast knew, did not reveal the full extent of his hand.
"Lord, grant us strength. Lord, grant us perseverance," Martha blessed Shirou with a prayer, increasingly his concentration and decreasing the success of mental ailment. "Let a Miracle fall here."
A glint flickered across Shirou's features even as Sodom punched Saber Alter in the gut, and blew a gout of black flame from her mouth towards him.
Saber Alter's armour cracked and chipped from the strength of the blow, her feet lifting off of the ground and blowing her back several feet.
In contrast, Shirou ducked out of the way, evading the breath that left the ground smoldered.
Sodom reached out for Shirou.
Bang!
Jeanne's war banner smashed against Sodom's outstretched wrist, as Jeanne threw her weapon, expression furious.
Shirou didn't waste the opportunity and spun around; one hand outstretched to the air where he Traced several weapons and left them hovering high above the sky.
Unlimited Blade Works would surely be overpowered by the difference in magic class, and deploying it would be less than subtle against a Beast-Class enemy.
The gap in knowledge would be the key to present an opportunity.
Planting a foot into the ground, Shirou threw Kanshou and Bakuya into the air where the two collided and shattered into falling fragments. Reflecting light, Shirou threw another sword burning with flames.
"Aestus Estus!" Shirou called for the name of the sword belonging to his own Servant.
As the sword caught fire and sailed into the sky, the brilliant flames reflected off of the fragmented pieces, creating a beacon throughout Rome.
The pieces of the married blades resembled the feathers of a bird, each reflecting Aestus Estus's flame, the sky formed the image of an Aquila, the eagle of Rome that watches over all Romans in battle.
It was the rallying standard.
The sky opened, lightning writhing as a chariot pushed down from up high, its rider pointing forward with sword drawn.
Rider, Julious Caesar.
With Sodom having removed the bounded field over Rome, the boundary restricting Julius's movements vanished.
The first to begin the legacy of Emperors would face she who would seek to bring the Empire to ruin.
"A Roman Servant can never hope to best me."Sodom redirected her attention away from Shirou and the others to stare at Julius above.
Wind whipped past Julius's hair as he manned his chariot, the very image of the motif of him in the Triumphal arcs of Rome.
Still, he was never much of a fighter even in legend.
What he was known for, was for his mind and wit in battle and politics.
He was not a Servant nor man who would blindly charge towards death.
"It is not Rome that you should fear, but its distant colonies that laid out the groundwork of a greater legend!"
Julius made room on his chariot, revealing the other figure standing aboard.
"?!"
"SLAVE!" Julius called out.
The Servant next to Julius leapt off of the ride and onto stable ground across from Sodom.
Arthur Pendragon, undefeated King of the Britons.
"...He's not even hiding what he thinks of me anymore." Arthur sighed with frustration, but it was his own fault to uphold his own sense of duty and obligation. "I fell under the debt of a crook."
"You," Sodom felt goosebumps raise over her skin, not from Arthur, but from the sword he was holding.
"Whether or not this is the purpose of my summoning, a King of the Just cannot stand against the sight of evil."
-That weapon, and that weapon alone.
"Beast of Sin, product of mankind's folly, my sword stands in your way."
-Was a threat.
Arthur held his sword aloft, motes of golden light flickering into a spire around him. His eyes narrowed even as the golden energy around him beat away the pressure of Sodom's magic energy.
Such was the sword's purpose and meaning of existence.
"Thirteen Seals. Decision, start."
Arthur placed both hands on the handle of his hilt and pressed the weapon in salute by his chest. Locks placed over the sheath of his weapon shone brilliantly in the twilight.
The restraints of the Round Table.
Sir Lancelot, Agravain, Gawain, Tristan, thirteen knights of the Round Table representing the stature of knighthood's oaths and ideals.
"Protect Saber!" Ritsuka yelled as he quickly caught up to what was happening.
Mash moved first, stepping away from Ritsuka and raising her shield to guard Sodom's path to Arthur.
Martha and Jeanne were also far from idle and showered Sodom in Faith and prayer. It did nothing against her, but at the very least, it slowed her down.
The thirteen seals began to unravel.
The first broken was that of the ephemeral image of a one-armed knight, faithful and a true friend.
Bedivere: "The enemy must be more powerful than one's self."
"Approved."
The voice echoed, one followed by the other.
Noble Palamedes: "The battle must be one on one."
"Abstained."
Sodom pushed against Mash, picking up the shield with her bare hand and tossing it and Mash aside. She barely took a step forward before Saber Alter was back with a sword aimed at her throat.
Lancelot of the Lake: "The enemy must not be an elemental."
"Approved."
Annoyance began to bleed in Sodom's expression, as each seal removed saw a swell in Arthur's opposing presence. There was no time to waste.
Misguided Mordred: "The battle must be one against evil."
"Approved."
Cracking the visor of Saber Alter's armour, Sodom tried to snap Saber Alter's neck but was met with resistance as Martha suddenly punched her in the jaw and Jeanne struck the back of her knees. It hardly tickled due to Sodom's class skills, but the opposition was like walking through mud.
Wise Galahad: "The battle must not involve personal gain."
"Approved."
Another swell of power had Arthur's hair rising from a fierce wind as the breadth of the planet began to awaken.
Stalwart Gaheris: "The battle must not be against humanity."
"Approved."
Purpose and duty were what bound Arthur, and represented his rule as the King of Knights. Any enemy he found himself facing would have stood on the wrong side of chivalry and honour.
Gentle Gareth: "The battle must not be inhumane."
"Approved."
Sodom head-butted Martha, staggering the saint whose knees gave out on her from the impact before kicking Jeanne away. Left on her own, Saber Alter groaned as Sodom began to grow serious and shattered her arm with a tail swipe that pushed her through several buildings.
Level-headed Agravain: "The battle must be for truth."
"Abstained."
Mash came running back, fueled by one of Ritsuka's command spells. She charged like a moving train, shield at the forefront. Sodom batted her away, hastily turning back to Arthur.
Brother Kay: "The battle must be to live."
"Abstained."
From then on, it became too late for intervention. The light surrounding Arthur by the release of over seven seals was already pushing back Sodom's influence. In her juvenile state, her odds of survival were limited against that sword.
"-One's comrade in arms must be courageous."
"Approved."
"-The battle must not be against one of pure heart."
"Approved."
"-The battle must be honorable."
"Approved."
And finally,
"-Arthur."
"The battle must be to defend the human order."
Arthur's eyes flashed with an azure hue, the weight of the sword in his hands magnifying exponentially.
"Approved," the answer escaped his lips.
The sword was raised ever higher, behind it, a golden tower that stretched far above the clouds appeared as if summoning the planet's wrath.
A Last Phantasm.
"This," Arthur hardened his resolve, knowing what was at stake and the purpose of his journey. "Is a battle to save the world."
Sodom took a step back, then two, her expression unreadable as she stared at the light. This wasn't her true manifestation, one that would require vast energy to reach adulthood. In fact, a semblance of self still existed within her that was spurred by that light.
"Did you really think I would just stand here?!"Sodom turned to leave.
But it was then that numerous Traced swords of anti-evil properties descended from the sky and trapped her in a cage that would take her more than a few seconds to free herself of.
There were hundreds if not thousands of such swords.
Off to the side, Shirou was panting, strands of his hair turning white from the strain of conjuring so many swords outside of his Reality Marble.
The futility was still there.
It would be so easy. Sodom could feel that she hadn't even begun to tap into the full extent of her power and yet…that aspiration and light within Shirou was what had ultimately drawn Sodom's beast to Shirou's summoning circle and Nero Beast.
She laughed, giggling as she turned her attention back to Arthur and then to Shirou with a deep look.
There would certainly be a next time.
"EX-"
And at that time, without the charity of another Evil of Humanity.
To have been used on the whims of another was already a disgrace to her existence.
For the time being, let the Dracoling foster her affection.
After all, fruit tasted best moments before it began to rot.
Fufufufu…
"CALIBUR!"
The sword that stands at the end of the world was swung.
/-/
Saber Alter's expression sobered at the regal golden light, a reminder of what had once been and what was lost.
There was a sinking feeling in her stomach, her heart clenching as old aspirations came to mind while adventuring with Merlin and Kay in her Lily days.
What did it mean to be a King?
What should have been the idealist form of the King of Knights?
Saber Alter had thought she'd buried such sentiments behind, but that light had an uncanny tendency to draw out and remind people of what was supposed to matter.
Glancing at Excalibur Morgan, and then glancing at the sword in Arthur's hands, Saber Alter felt a rare moment of defeat and a lack of worthiness.
This was what she'd forsaken.
That radiance and the ever-distant glow that represents eternal hope, longing, and dreams.
"..."
Shaking her head, Saber Alter eventually looked away as the light receded.
Mash and the others dashed forward, focused on retrieving the Grail that had slipped out of Sodom's hands in the chaos.
Slipped, was putting it neatly. It didn't give credit where credit was due as it appeared more like Sodom had relinquished possession of the Grail rather than actually losing it.
What sort of sight did Sodom see moments before the light engulfed her?
Regardless,
"Holy Grail acquired."
Mash beamed, storing the potent magic item in a compartment near her shield.
"Singularity complete."
Thanks for reading! Arc Epilogue next chapter.
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