-Chapter 4-
"Heracles..." Narumi whispered under her breath, old memories stirring deep within her. She gazed at the towering figure of Berserker, but the man before her was so different from the hero she once knew.
The man she remembered was a towering hero, not just in size but in heart—a comrade of the Argonauts, a man who bore the burden of divine cruelty with strength and dignity. But the thing standing before her now... this wasn't the same Heracles. This was a monster twisted by madness.
Before she could say more, a familiar voice broke the heavy silence.
"Good evening, Onii-chan! This is the second time we've met like this," Illya said cheerfully, her innocent smile a stark contrast to the danger she exuded.
Narumi glanced at Shirou, and with a teasing grin, she quipped, "Heh, first Rin and my daughter, now this girl? You're really good, Shirou."
Shirou blinked, flustered, but the others remained silent, the tension between them thick. Saber looked at Illya with an expression of regret, her eyes briefly reflecting something more than just the duty of a knight. Narumi noticed, but chose to keep quiet, understanding the weight of the past.
"I'm amazed... In terms of raw strength, that thing outclasses even Saber," Rin muttered, her voice trembling slightly as her gaze locked onto Berserker.
"It's terrifying," Archer added, his sharp eyes narrowing. "That Servant could probably take on the other six single-handedly."
Narumi smirked. "Heh, are you sure about that, Archer?"
Archer turned his head, his face unreadable as he let out a low "Hmph."
"Archer, we can't beat that thing head-on," Rin interrupted, her voice firm with urgency. "We need your specialty—long-range attacks!"
Illya's voice cut through the conversation with a chilling sweetness. "Well, shall we begin? Berserker, kill them now."
With a deafening roar, Berserker launched himself at the group, the earth trembling beneath his power. His massive form hurtled toward them, his stone axe raised high, ready to obliterate everything in its path.
But before Berserker could reach them, a barrage of arrows flew from afar, slamming into him mid-flight. The force knocked him off course, and Berserker crashed heavily into the ground. Another wave of arrows rained down, but Berserker roared again, utterly unfazed. The arrows had barely scratched him.
"W-What the hell?! First Rider, now Berserker? I'm losing hope in you, Archer!" Rin shouted, frustration clear in her voice.
Without missing a beat, Archer replied telepathically, "If you stopped panicking for a moment, Master, you'd see I'm merely gauging the situation."
Narumi couldn't help but chuckle, adding, "Yeah, Archer, even I'm starting to think you're slacking off."
Suddenly, Berserker vanished. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Shirou, his colossal stone axe crashing down toward him.
"Shirou!" Rin's cry was filled with panic.
But before the axe could strike, Saber moved, intercepting the blow with her invisible sword. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, and Saber gritted her teeth, struggling to hold her ground under Berserker's immense strength.
Berserker roared again, his power surging, and with a brutal shove, he sent Saber flying backward, her body slamming into the ground. Berserker turned back to Shirou, his eyes blazing with madness.
"Emiya-kun!" Rin screamed, terror flashing in her eyes.
Narumi's expression darkened, her playful tone vanishing as she stepped forward. "I can't let you die just yet," she said calmly, her form flickering as she materialized in front of Shirou.
As Berserker's axe descended again, Narumi struck. Her fist connected with the side of the stone weapon, redirecting its path and causing it to crash harmlessly into the ground beside them.
"Heh... Heracles," Narumi said, locking eyes with the towering figure. "It's nice seeing you again, but not like this."
Berserker let out another deafening roar, but it was as though he couldn't hear her—his mind lost to the curse of madness.
Narumi's gaze softened, sadness creeping into her voice. "Hah... So the gods weren't done punishing you after all, were they?" she muttered. "All those labors, and this is what they reduced you to in the end?"
Berserker swung his axe again, the movement almost too fast for a normal eye to follow. But Narumi was quicker. She dodged by moving in close, slipping past the arc of his swing. In a single fluid motion, she delivered a powerful punch to Berserker's abdomen, her fist glowing with a bluish light.
The impact was explosive. Berserker was sent flying backward, his massive form crashing through the air. But even in his madness, he landed acrobatically, his feet slamming into the ground with perfect balance.
Both Rin and Illya stared in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief.
"Th-That's Heracles?" Rin stammered, still processing the sheer force of Berserker. Then, turning to Narumi, she added, "What the hell, Rider? I didn't know you were this strong. Or maybe I just got unlucky with Archer..."
Archer, hearing her thoughts, retorted telepathically, "Unlucky? I think you're just underestimating me, Master."
Before anyone could respond, Saber suddenly appeared behind Berserker, her invisible sword poised to strike. But as if he had eyes in the back of his head, Berserker dodged at the last moment, swinging his axe in a brutal counterattack.
Just as the axe was about to make contact, Narumi materialized behind Berserker, her body moving like a blur. She aimed a kick at his head, but once again, Berserker dodged. However, it was as though Narumi knew where he would move—anticipating his reaction perfectly. She spun on her heel and delivered a glowing punch directly to the spot where he dodged, sending Berserker flying once more.
Her hands still glowing with blue energy, Narumi glanced at Saber, her expression calm but firm. "Leave this to me, Saber. Just protect your Master."
Saber opened her mouth to argue, but Narumi cut her off with a smile. "I've been wanting to spar with my old friend here for a long time."
Illya stared in shock, her wide eyes barely able to process what she was witnessing. From the start, she had dismissed Rider as insignificant, thinking her to be another weak Servant like Archer. Saber was the only one who concerned her. Yet now, as she watched Rider engage Berserker, her confidence wavered.
Old friend? Rider had spoken to Berserker with familiarity, addressing him by his true name, Heracles. It was strange, unsettling even. Could Rider be from the same legend? Perhaps Caenis, the half-divine warrior? Or maybe someone from Heracles' labors? Illya's mind raced through possibilities of who this powerful woman could be.
Driven by curiosity, Illya focused her Master abilities on Rider, attempting to analyze her parameters. She expected low readings, confirming her assumption that Rider was weak.
What the—?! Illya's breath hitched. The readings she saw were anything but weak. Rider was no ordinary Servant—her parameters were top-tier, rivaling even Saber's. This wasn't what Illya had anticipated.
"Who is her Master?" Illya muttered under her breath, glancing at Shirou. It couldn't be him. There was no way someone with such limited mana could sustain a Servant like this.
Before Illya could continue her analysis, a Gandr curse shot toward her. She barely dodged, a burst of dark energy grazing past her.
Rin, standing firm, prepared another attack. "Berserker may be strong," Rin called out, "but you're not invincible, Illya!"
Illya clenched her fists, eyes narrowing. "No... Berserker is the strongest! Berserker!"
At her command, Berserker let out a primal roar, shaking the earth beneath him. He swung his colossal stone axe in a wild arc, aiming to crush everything in his path. But Narumi—the seasoned Rider—moved with grace that belied her strength. She dodged each strike with precision, narrowly evading blows that would have shattered the earth itself.
Despite his size and the curse of madness driving him, Heracles fought with calculated power, every strike carrying not just brute force but the accuracy of a master warrior. His movements were a terrifying blend of grace and violence.
But Narumi wasn't simply dodging. Her skill was evident in how effortlessly she moved through the battlefield, each of Berserker's attacks barely grazing her as she read him perfectly. She hadn't even drawn a weapon. Every strike she delivered was bare-handed, showcasing her sheer martial prowess.
Berserker lunged again, his axe a blur of motion as it cut through the air. But Narumi sidestepped the blow with elegance, landing a powerful kick to his midsection, forcing him back.
Illya's voice cut through the chaos. "Berserker!"
The mighty warrior let out another earth-shaking roar, the force of it momentarily stunning Narumi as her muscles tensed involuntarily. Seeing the opportunity, Berserker bounded into the air, his blood-red eyes locking onto Rin, who had been attacking Illya.
As Berserker descended toward Rin, his massive axe raised high, Archer fired a volley of arrows, the projectiles homing in on Berserker mid-flight. But with a single twist of his body, Berserker deflected the arrows with blinding speed, each strike precise, shattering the incoming barrage as if it were nothing.
Berserker's towering form loomed over Rin, his axe already coming down. The sheer size and ferocity of the attack froze Rin in place, her heart racing as she stared at the death rushing toward her.
'Rin!' Archer's voice rang out, but before anyone could react, Narumi appeared in front of Rin. Calm, confident, and utterly composed.
"Maybe you want to move a little farther away," Narumi said, her voice teasing but filled with unshakable resolve.
Berserker, sensing Narumi, adjusted his attack, shifting the arc of his swing to target her instead. The colossal axe descended with devastating force, but Narumi, unfazed, slipped into motion. Her body blurred as she dodged the strike with precision, positioning herself right inside Berserker's guard.
Her hands pressed against the side of the axe's head, halting its descent. "Sorry for this, old friend," she whispered, her tone tinged with regret. A glowing blue orb began forming in her other hand, pulsating with energy.
In one swift motion, Narumi drove the glowing orb into Berserker's abdomen, the energy crackling as it made contact with his flesh. The force of the impact sent Berserker flying backward, the orb detonating and expanding, engulfing his entire body in radiant light.
Berserker's massive form was consumed by the growing sphere of energy, the orb expanding further until it threatened to burst. Then, as quickly as it had expanded, the orb shrank, its power dissipating.
As the light dimmed, the battlefield went eerily silent. Berserker stood, his abdomen visibly carved open, sections of his body missing—organs torn away by the sheer force of the blast. His form, though still towering and intimidating, seemed momentarily frozen, his body struggling to move after such a devastating blow.
For a split second, everything was still. Then, as if rejecting the damage, Berserker roared once more, the madness in his eyes growing fiercer.
Rin let out a deep sigh of relief, her heart finally slowing after the intense confrontation. For a brief, terrifying moment, she was certain she was going to die. If Rider hadn't intervened, if she hadn't appeared just in time to stop Berserker's axe... I'd be dead.
She glanced at Rider again, the woman who had just saved her life. There was no denying it now—Rider wasn't like the other Servants. She fought Berserker toe-to-toe and had even defeated him. Her curiosity burning, Rin activated her Master abilities, focusing on Rider's parameters.
Her eyes widened slightly, then she sighed. Incredible. Just incredible. Honestly, her Archer might be the weakest Servant present. She had known Archer wasn't exactly the strongest, but seeing Rider's sheer power up close—defeating someone like Berserker—made her doubt her chances of winning this war.
Rin's gaze shifted to Shirou, who stood with Saber nearby. Even with Shirou's weak mana supply, Saber had managed to hold her own against Berserker. She could fight him, even with such a poor Master...
But Rider... Rider could fight Berserker on equal ground and even defeat him. That was something beyond Rin's expectations.
Who is Rider's Master? Rin wondered, her mind racing. Rider couldn't belong to Shirou, not with Shirou's mana levels being so low. Whoever Rider's Master was, they had to be immensely powerful. Rin clenched her fists. I need to know who her Master is. If we don't figure that out, there's no way we can beat her.
And then there was the question of Rider's identity.
Rin furrowed her brow, recalling the strange moment earlier. Rider had said she was Saber's mother. But... I don't even know who Saber is. Does Shirou? She glanced over at him again. It didn't seem like Shirou had any idea about Saber's true identity either.
All I know is that Rider is a friend of Heracles—the Berserker, Rin thought, her mind connecting dots. So is she a Greek hero too? And that would mean... Saber's Greek as well? Nothing seemed to make sense. How could two Servants tied to Greek mythology have such a familial connection?
Before Rin could puzzle it out further, a deep, guttural roar cut through the silence. Her eyes snapped to Berserker, who had remained motionless after the brutal injury Rider had inflicted.
No way.
Berserker's wounds—the ones that had ripped through his body, carving away his organs—were knitting themselves together. The gaping hole in his abdomen slowly began to close, flesh regenerating as if the wound had never existed.
"Wha... Resurrection?" Rin's voice was shaky, the disbelief clear in her tone.
Illya's voice, sweet and innocent as ever, cut through the chaos. "Berserker, end them."
In the dimly lit basement of the church, the flickering light of candles cast long shadows against the stone walls. Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, sat languidly in his throne-like chair, a crystal goblet of fine wine in his hand. His golden armor shimmered faintly in the soft glow, though the dark look in his eyes betrayed an intense focus.
A smirk tugged at his lips, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement and anticipation. Narumi, his queen, was fighting again. After so long, after watching from the distance, she was once more crossing blades, her power undeniable.
"Hahahaha!" Gilgamesh's laugh echoed through the room, rich with satisfaction. "As if that mongrel could defeat my queen."
His gaze was not on the wine in his hand but on the unseen battlefield. He didn't need to be there to feel the clash of power, to sense the raw magnificence of his wife. Narumi was not just a Servant—she was his queen, the one who had stood beside him in Uruk, the one who shared his vision of ruling the world.
Standing nearby, Kirei Kotomine sifted through documents, silent as always, though his dark eyes occasionally flickered toward Gilgamesh with interest. He was accustomed to the King of Heroes' moods.
"You seem... pleased," Kirei observed, his voice calm but curious.
"Pleased?" Gilgamesh's smirk deepened, his eyes glowing with a mix of pride and madness. "I am ecstatic, Kirei. Narumi—my Narumi—is magnificent once more. Look at her, clashing with that mindless brute, Heracles. Do you think there is any chance such a fool could defeat her?"
He took a slow sip of wine, savoring the taste before continuing, his tone filled with adoration. "Hmph. As if anyone could match her. Heracles, even in his madness, is a mere toy compared to my queen."
Kirei's eyes narrowed slightly, his interest piqued. "You admire her greatly, more than most Servants. But she fights against Berserker, not for your cause."
Gilgamesh chuckled softly, his voice thick with arrogance. "Cause? My queen is not for some petty cause. She is a ruler, a being beyond the reach of these mongrel wars. She will always be mine, Kirei. She was born to stand beside me, to rule as an equal."
Kirei's eyes sharpened. "And what of Saber?" he asked. "You mocked her in the previous war for her ideals. But now she stands with Narumi, and from what I've seen, you are not as dismissive of her as you were then."
At the mention of Saber, Gilgamesh's expression darkened, though there was a flash of something more—a memory, perhaps, something lingering from the past.
"Saber..." He sneered, recalling the Fourth War. "In the last war, I mocked her for her naïve idealism, her selfless approach to kingship. She clung to that pitiful notion that a king exists to serve their people, as if such a weakness could ever bring order. I saw her then for what she was—flawed."
He paused, his voice growing more contemplative. "And yet... there was something about her. Despite her foolishness, I saw a shadow of Narumi in her. Some flicker of strength, of purity... it reminded me of my queen." His lips twisted into a mocking smile. "Perhaps that was why I did not completely dismiss her back then."
Gilgamesh leaned back in his seat, his golden eyes glowing with amusement. "But now... now that I know the truth, it all makes sense. Saber is Narumi's daughter. That's why she carries that faint trace of my queen's strength within her. It was never her own—it was a mere reflection of Narumi's greatness."
The realization filled Gilgamesh with a cruel sense of satisfaction. "How amusing, Kirei," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "Even with Narumi's blood running through her veins, Saber is still a pathetic king. She is a failure, a flawed product of Narumi's legacy. Raised by the greatest, yet she could never hope to match her."
His voice grew cold and mocking. "Can you imagine, Kirei? To be raised by Narumi—to be taught by my queen—and still cling to such weakness? To believe that a king must sacrifice themselves for the sake of their people? It is laughable."
He scoffed, shaking his head. "Saber was destined to be great, but she failed. How disappointing. How shameful."
Kirei gave a slight nod, his curiosity deepening. "Then she is no threat to your plans? Despite her connection to Narumi?"
Gilgamesh's smile returned, cruel and possessive. "A threat? Saber is nothing compared to Narumi. Even now, as they stand side by side, my queen eclipses her in every way. Saber may carry a flicker of Narumi's strength, but it is Narumi who is the sun, and Saber is nothing more than a fading star."
He chuckled darkly, his fingers tightening around the goblet. "Soon, Kirei, Narumi will return to me. And when she does, she will take her rightful place as my queen. Together, we will cleanse this world, and only the worthy shall remain."
His voice lowered, tinged with both madness and longing. "I have waited long enough, Kirei. Too long. But when this war ends, Narumi and I will rule once more, as we were meant to. And the mongrels will burn."
Kirei remained silent, observing Gilgamesh's growing excitement. "And what of Saber? Will you let her stand by Narumi's side?"
Gilgamesh sneered. "Saber? She is not worthy. Let her continue this pathetic war, thinking herself a king. But she will never stand equal to Narumi. She is nothing more than a pale shadow of my queen."
He raised his goblet once more, his eyes glowing with anticipation. "To our reunion, Narumi. The world will tremble when you return to me, and together, we shall make it ours."
Illya moved to a safe distance, her eyes focused on the battle. Berserker roared once more, the sound shaking the ground beneath him. His eyes gleamed with savage intent as he suddenly jumped high into the air. Perhaps, instinctively realizing that he couldn't defeat Narumi easily, he turned his attention toward Saber instead, his massive stone axe raised to strike.
Saber immediately raised her sword in defense, her stance steady despite the weak mana supply coming from Shirou.
With a deafening clash, Berserker's axe met Saber's invisible blade. Sparks flew as Saber held her ground, her expression determined, but the weight of Berserker's attacks was relentless. He swung again and again, each strike more aggressive, forcing Saber to parry and block with precision.
Even with Shirou's pitiful mana, Saber held firm, but the sheer force of Berserker's onslaught was pushing her to her limits.
Suddenly, Narumi appeared beside Berserker, her fist glowing with a bright energy. She smirked playfully, her tone light despite the tension. "How dare you ignore me and go after my daughter instead," she teased.
Berserker, instead of dodging, instinctively raised his axe to block Narumi's punch. The impact was immense, the ground beneath them cracking from the sheer force. Berserker was forced back, his feet skidding across the dirt as he absorbed the blow.
Saber, still steady but clearly relieved, glanced at Narumi. "Mother..." she said softly.
Narumi turned to her with a reassuring smile. "It's alright, Saber. I'm still having fun with my old friend here. Just focus on defending your Master and Rin—I wouldn't want them getting hurt during our little spar."
Saber nodded, her respect for Narumi evident. Without hesitation, she guided Shirou toward Rin, ensuring their safety as Narumi and Berserker's battle continued to intensify.
Berserker, now fully enraged, roared again, his muscles tensing as he raised his axe high above his head. With a savage cry, he charged at Narumi, his axe crashing down toward her with deadly intent.
Narumi, her eyes focused and calculating, sidestepped the attack with ease, the ground splitting beneath Berserker's missed strike. She retaliated swiftly, her glowing fists meeting his axe mid-swing, the force of her blows knocking him off balance.
Berserker adjusted quickly, his attacks becoming faster, more vicious. He swung his axe in wide arcs, each strike aimed at Narumi's vital points. But Narumi was faster, her movements graceful and fluid as she dodged his relentless attacks, her glowing fists parrying his blows with pinpoint precision.
Their fight was a blur of movement, each impact sending shockwaves through the air. Berserker's brute strength was immense, but Narumi's skill and agility allowed her to stay ahead of him. Every time he swung his axe, she was already gone, positioning herself for a counterattack.
Then, she saw an opening.
In one swift motion, Narumi closed the distance between them. Her fist glowed brighter, a ball of energy forming in her palm. With perfect precision, she drove the glowing orb directly into Berserker's exposed chest. The impact sent Berserker flying backward, his massive body crashing into the ground with a thunderous boom.
Rin's eyes widened as she saw Berserker fall. "Yes, she got him!" she exclaimed, relief flooding her voice.
But Illya stood unfazed, a smile creeping across her face. "Heh... Hehe," she giggled, her voice filled with confidence. "Like I said, Berserker is the strongest."
As if on cue, Berserker rose again, standing tall as if the previous attack had done nothing to him. The wound that Narumi's energy ball had inflicted was gone—completely healed, as if it had never happened. The terrifying power of God Hand, his immortality, was in full display now.
Narumi's eyes narrowed slightly. Unlike earlier, Berserker showed no signs of damage. His endurance was far greater than it had been before.
Illya's laughter grew louder, her voice echoing through the battlefield. "You see? Berserker can't be defeated so easily. No matter what you do, he will always rise again!"
Berserker roared, the force of his voice reverberating through the battlefield. Waves of red mana poured from him, making the air around him shimmer with raw energy. Then, with a sudden and terrifying burst of speed, he disappeared.
In a blink, he reappeared right in front of Narumi, his massive axe already swinging downward, intent on cleaving her in two.
Narumi's body twisted in the nick of time, her palm slamming into the side of the axe mid-swing. The blow rang out like a bell, a metallic screech cutting through the night air. But the sheer force behind Berserker's attack was overwhelming.
Narumi was hurled backward, her body crashing through the air like a stone flung from a catapult. She skidded across the ground, kicking up dirt and debris, before slamming into a nearby wall with a deafening crack.
"Mother!" Saber called out in alarm, starting toward her before halting, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
The battlefield fell silent for a brief moment—until a shrill grinding sound filled the air, as though metal teeth were scraping against each other. It was a sound that cut painfully into the ears, sharp and unnatural.
From the dust cloud where Narumi had landed, something large and spinning shot forward—a sphere, crackling with energy, its whirling edges spinning like the rings of Saturn. It hummed with deadly precision, tearing through the air at terrifying speed.
Berserker saw it coming and leapt into the air, but the edge of the sphere clipped his foot mid-flight.
The sphere expanded on impact, swallowing Berserker's massive form inside it. A cacophony of grinding, slicing noises erupted from within the spinning storm of energy. It was a sound like a thousand blades tearing through flesh and bone.
As the energy storm raged, the grinding intensified, cutting deep into everything it touched. The whirling vortex churned furiously, relentless in its destructive force.
When the energy finally dissipated, the sphere shrinking back into nothingness, the battlefield fell silent once more.
All that remained of Berserker was the upper half of his body—his chest and head, gruesome and motionless, while the lower half of his body had been obliterated.
Rin stared in disbelief, her breath caught in her throat. "What the... What was that?" she whispered.
The attack was unlike anything she had ever seen—not magecraft, not sorcery. It was something else entirely.
"A Noble Phantasm?" Rin muttered, trying to make sense of it, but something about it didn't fit. It wasn't magecraft—it was more like pure energy manipulation, taken to an unimaginable level.
Her mind raced, flipping through the names of heroes from mythology who could wield such power, but none came close. It was too precise, too intricate—as if someone had created a storm of energy with their bare hands.
She turned to Saber, a look of confusion etched on her face. "Is your mother really this strong?"
Saber hesitated, her expression thoughtful. "Honestly... I don't know," she admitted, her voice low.
Rin blinked, stunned. "You don't know? How do you not know? She's your mother!"
Saber shook her head, struggling to explain. "I never saw Mother fight. I only heard stories—rumors of her strength. But seeing it now... It seems the stories were true."
The moment of calm shattered as Berserker's body began to knit itself back together.
The gruesome stump where his lower half had been obliterated pulsed with life, muscle fibers twisting and writhing as they regenerated at an inhuman speed. Within seconds, his legs reformed, whole and unscathed, as if nothing had happened.
"Impossible," Rin whispered in disbelief. "There's no way he can recover from that..."
But Berserker stood tall once again, his monstrous frame renewed, glowing with an ominous red aura.
Narumi stepped forward, her expression unreadable. A subtle shift had taken place—her pupils now slitted like those of an amphibian, her movements flowing with eerie precision.
"You're really hard to kill, Servant or not... Heracles." Her voice was calm, carrying no fear or hesitation.
"Berserker, end this now!" Illya's voice cracked with frustration, her composure slipping.
With another ear-shattering roar, Berserker surged forward, his axe raised high. This time, Narumi didn't dodge—she met his charge head-on.
The two collided in a flurry of strikes, their movements blurring with speed and precision. Berserker's axe came down like a thunderbolt, but Narumi's hands intercepted each blow with perfect timing, slapping the weapon's shaft and diverting the strikes effortlessly.
Her movements were fluid, a dance of precision and grace—no wasted motion, each counterstrike landing with devastating force. The ground cracked beneath them as they exchanged blows, and Berserker's frustration grew with every failed attack.
He roared again, his massive axe swinging wildly, but Narumi slipped between his attacks, her strikes landing with pinpoint accuracy. Berserker began to falter, overwhelmed by her sheer skill.
Illya's voice rang out, sharp with urgency. "Berserker! Do it now!"
A terrifying surge of mana erupted from Berserker, enveloping him in an aura of raw, godly power. His muscles bulged, and his entire body seemed to vibrate with energy.
Then, in an instant, nine consecutive strikes exploded from Berserker, faster than the eye could follow. Nine god-like blows, each more devastating than the last, tore through the battlefield with unimaginable speed.
The sheer power of the strikes sent shockwaves rippling outward, cracking the ground and shaking the air.
"Rin, get away from there!" Archer's voice cut through the chaos, filled with urgency.
Before anyone could react, an arrow streaked through the sky, blazing like a comet. It descended toward the battlefield with the force of a falling star.
BOOM!
The arrow struck the ground, and the world erupted in a blinding explosion. The impact was like a nuclear detonation, sending a massive shockwave across the battlefield.
The explosion rocked the earth, and debris filled the air like a storm of dust and fire. Saber instinctively threw herself in front of Rin and Shirou, raising her invisible sword to shield them from the blast.
"Mother!" Saber cried, her heart seizing with fear as the dust cloud swallowed the battlefield whole.
The world fell into eerie silence. Only the soft crackling of residual energy lingered in the air.
As the smoke began to clear, all eyes were locked on the devastated battlefield—waiting, hoping, dreading what they might see.
-end-
Note: Narumi is Gilgamesh's only queen and love, just as Enkidu is Gilgamesh's only friend. This means he sees her as an equal. Artoria is and always was magically created and does not have a natural birth. She was originally created by Merlin and Uther with the power of the Red Dragon. Here, Artoria was created with Narumi's body to house the strength of the Red Dragon. So, Narumi is somewhat Saber's biological mother.