Archer's swords clashed against a jet black blade, his teeth gritted, barely holding his ground.
Foreign words flowed out of Cu Chulainn's mouth, runes forming around the daunting enemy.
Yet, these efforts barely slowed down The King of Camelot.
As if it was an elementary exercise, King Arthur swiftly dodged the pillars and orbs of fire below and around her with ease, whilst whittling down Archer's defenses with her sword.
"Tch!" Archer grunted, swinging his swords down onto Saber, only to be met with strong resistance as a dark beam emerged from the king's sword, blasting him away.
Turning her attention to the other servant, King Arthur pointed hand towards the caster, dark magical energy gathering in her palm, before a dark red beam homed in on Cu Chulainn.
Barely reacting in time, the Celtic hero avoided the beam, but not the explosion caused by it, leaving his hair slightly charred.
"YAAAHHH!"
From behind the grail's guardian, Mash attempted a surprise attack, sprinting at the royal saber, before jumping with her shield raised overhead, intent on a downwards smash.
However, imperceptibly fast, King Arthur's sword now pointed itself against the young girl, attempting to stab through her head.
Mash barely avoided the strike, the blade grazing her cheek, causing a wound to appear.
As her shield met nothing but ground, the shielder's eyes hastily searched for her opponent, yet met none in her surroundings.
CRACK
Her answer came with a hideous noise, as King Arthur's foot landed on her back, having launched herself above the girl.
Blood spewed out of Mash's mouth as The King pinned her to the ground with her foot.
Once again, the grail's guardian raised her sword overhead, preparing a killing blow for the young servant.
BOOM
Only to be stopped by an explosion, courtesy of Archer's bow. Although the attack was blocked by her sword, causing the king little to no harm, it succeeded in repelling her fatal blow.
Mash scrambled to get up, now standing beside Archer, with Cu Chulainn opposite them, behind Saber, providing ranged support.
For the first time since the battle started, the participants were allowed a moment to catch their breath, with King Arthur unwinded.
In short, the battle was one degree shy of being one sided.
Yet, Karna has yet to jump into the fold.
Steadying his breath, along with his grip on the spear, Karna had merely watched on from the sidelines, keeping his feet still on the ground since he arrived.
His blood boiled at the thought of clashing blades with The King of Knights, chronicled by her legends as the apex of chivalry, royalty, and bravery.
Even with those renowned feats, she preceded her reputation, holding off and almost overpowering three servants, none of them weak by any stretch of the word.
Even so, his body kept itself still.
Why?
Because of the man beside him, doing the very same thing.
Karna observed his master, arms crossed, feet still, and eyes trained on the battle, like a hawk would its prey.
It was for this very reason, Karna kept himself from entering the fray, even with his love of battle telling him to do otherwise.
If a man such as his master merely stood and observed, it could only mean the path to victory was being built in his eyes at this very moment.
So, Karna stood, waiting for the scarred man to make an order, for he was but his master's weapon.
Or perhaps, his master would be the one to make the first move.
'So, what will it be, master?'
King could feel his body.
Typically it would not be something of note, but this was different.
He could feel everything.
The blood flowing from his heart to the ends of his fingers.
Each particle of air coming in and out of his lungs.
Twitches from his muscle reverberate throughout his whole body.
All these miniscule, insignificant, autonomous things were now assaulting his nerve endings, damn near overloading his five senses.
The reason for all of them can be traced to one, singular thing.
And it was right in front of him.
And so, King did the one thing no one present could have ever imagined.
He ran.
Ritsuka could only look on in disbelief.
He didn't expect to come out of Fuyuki unscathed, hell, he even expected to suffer a serious wound or two.
But perhaps the constant brushes with death he had experienced thus far had instilled a false sense of security in him.
For in those battles, as close as he was to biting it, he made it out alive.
Perhaps that was why going into this battle… he thought he would win.
BANG
A fantasy that had now been thoroughly broken.
His breath came out heavy, he did not remember how, but his voice reached Mash, who now stands in front of him, blocking a powered up slash from Saber.
"Are you okay, master?!" Mash shouted, worriedly looking behind her.
Ritsuka opened his mouth, yet no sound came.
"Senpai?! Is something wrong?!" Mash yelled again, breaking him from his trance.
His voice still muted, Ritsuka simply shook his head in response, though Mash was unconvinced, looking worried for a brief moment before jumping into the fight again.
As Ritsuka stood there, he tried his best to calm himself down, taking deep breaths.
The skeletons could have killed him, he was just an ordinary teenage boy, after all.
Rider, Lancer, and Berserker all would have killed him had stronger servants not interfered in time.
Yet, this time the looming threat, no, promise of death hangs over him in a way those moments did not.
This time, he was not so much unsure of his victory as much as he was sure of his impending death.
Regardless, Ritsuka yelled out orders to Mash as he regained his voice. Even if he was sure of his own death, he will do all he can for Mash and Olga to avoid the same fate.
Like he did with Cu Chulainn, Ritsuka once again took a deep breath and observed the battle with as much calm as he could muster.
Time seemed to slow down as his eyes went from each servant, analyzing their positions and possible openings on Saber.
Archer crossed his arms, preparing a cross slash as he lunged towards King Arthur.
Cu Chulainn closed in the distance between himself and the king, lighting his staff on fire with his runes.
Mash's back was facing him, seemingly in a defensive stance, but having battled with her throughout the entire singularity, he could tell she was actually preparing an attack.
With all these in mind, he turned his attention to Saber.
In contrast with the servants surrounding her, her stance was far more lax, gripping her sword with both her hands, its blade dragged behind her, the tip touching the ground.
Despite that, Ritsuka could see how impenetrable her guard was. Her blonde locks swaying in front of her eyes not taking away from their sharpness, akin to a lioness.
As he continued his observation, Ritsuka found that no more air came through his nose, his lungs were full.
And it was here that his focus is at an all time high.
Slowly, a crack revealed itself in King Arthur's ironclad guard.
As air let itself come out through his nose, Ritsuka prepared his mystic code.
Focusing on Mash, he poured his energy into it, enhancing her strength.
Mash seemed to have noticed in the split second, readying herself for the incoming order.
All of the air in Ritsuka's lungs slowly left, as Archer and Cu Chulainn honed in on the king.
The moment Saber goes to deflect the strikes of the stronger servants will be the moment Mash delivers a heavy strike. Done perfectly, it could help turn the tides of battle.
Ritsuka's lungs were now empty, this is it.
Saber slowly turned her back towards Mash, preparing to engage the synchronized attacks.
Ritsuka took another deep breath. "NOW MASH!"
"HAAAAA!" Mash lifted her shield off the ground, causing cracks to form where it was once.
The sharp edge of her shield traveled towards the king's neck.
'Yes!' This is it, the strike that could turn the battle to their favor.
Then, Ritsuka saw something.
King Arthur smirked.
In an instant, she disappeared from his sight, appearing on top of Mash's shield.
'W-what?'
Deftly, she delivered a sweeping slash that not only knocked back Archer and Cu Chulainn, but also Mash.
Mash's body flung backwards, catching Ritsuka as a stray, taking the wind out of him as he fell flat on his back.
"Gah!" Ritsuka yelled out, briefly losing the ability to breath from the impact.
"Senpai!" Mash yelled out worried, though unable to stand from taking the blow.
Damn it! He misjudged things. The one Saber had her attention on weren't Archer, Cu Chulainn, or even Mash.
It was him.
"Hmph, impressive, master of Chaldea." King Arthur praised.
In any other situation, Ritsuka might've jumped with glee at getting praise from The King of Camelot herself.
But all it brings now is creeping dread.
"You observed my movements well. Had you used it against The Round Table's lesser members, it might've even worked." She continued her appraisal while slowly approaching Mash.
"But you lack experience."
As she said those words, power began gathering at her sword.
"Now, meet your ends at the tip of my sword…"
"Master! Run!" Mash yelled as she tried her best to stand up, yet she could barely grip her shield.
Ritsuka, however, could only admire the sight before him.
Ha! Seems like those battles made him overconfident. To think he could win against such a legendary weapon…
"Vortigern, Hammer of the Vile King, reverse the rising sun."
King Arthur drew her sword back, more energy gathering at the weapon, creating a dark beam covering the blade.
It is Britain's sovereignty made tangible, granted by the lady of the lake to Britain's destined king.
"Swallow the light…"
The Sword of Promised Victory.
"EXCALIBUR…"
Ah, so this is what it feels like.
His impending, inevitable death.
Somehow, it's far more peaceful than he expected. Well, at least he goes out fighting a legendary hero.
As he closed his eyes, Ritsuka thought about his life so far, he hoped he made his parents proud enough by graduating high school. Mentally, he apologized to them for everything wrong he ever did.
He never had many friends in school, the ones he had never got quite close, either. His hobbies… he supposed he got pretty decent at volleyball, so that's nice.
Really, thinking about it, he only has a single regret.
He wished that he could spare Mash from this fate.
…
'...Huh?'
Seconds passed, yet he could still feel the heat from Saber's incoming attack.
Slowly opening his eyes back open, he found the odd sight of King Arthur.
Her sword is still drawn back at her hip, the beam of magical energy surrounding it, threatening to swallow him whole.
That was not the odd part, no. What is, is her eyes.
It had shifted to his right, now glancing at something.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
A familiar sound can be heard coming from his right.
Slowly, Ritsuka followed her, leading him to see an incredulous sight.
King, his fellow master, was running at her.
There was no hesitation in his movements as he kept charging towards her, his eyes burning holes into her own.
Ritsuka's throat caught the incoming air as he was struck with awe. Even if King was an exceptional mage, everything he had learned told him that no human should be able to match a servant, let alone someone as powerful as King Arthur.
As King closed in on them, Camelot's King looked conflicted, astounded by the master's lack of self preservation, or perhaps lack of fear as continued his sprint.
With a grunt, Saber changed the direction of her stance, now facing the other master.
Surely he could see it, the absolute death that is King Arthur staring at his face.
Yet, he did not slow down in the slightest.
Now, King had closed in the distance, mere meters away from King Arthur.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
A murderous gaze against a determined one. Vibrant amber against deep blue. A King's eyes against King's eyes.
It was here that Ritsuka witnessed something incredible, something he could not fathom even if one were to give him an entire lifetime to wonder.
King Arthur wavered.
Her sword still covered in darkness, King Arthur clicked her tongue and sidestepped. Perhaps the man's indomitable spirit had unnerved her. Maybe she saw something in his eyes that convinced her to move out of his path. Either way, the fact that she conceded in their clash of wills was unchanged.
Still, King Athur kept her eyes on the man, thinking of ways to intercept the incoming threat now that they are no longer on a collision course.
But it didn't matter.
For King simply ran past her, disappearing from the battlefield.
Stunned silence came from all witnesses, none of them could understand what had just happened.
But Ritsuka did not need to understand.
Slowly, he clutched his right hand, hard enough for his nails to start digging into his palm.
He was a fool to resign to his fate so quickly. So what if his opponent is King Arthur?! Even if death stared him in his face, he will not concede to it, not anymore.
Ritsuka held up his right hand to his face, one of the three red markings glowing bright in the darkness.
Noticing the act, King Arthur quickly tried to shift herself back to her original target.
King didn't need to do anything to her, nor did he need to spell his message to Ritsuka out loud. What he did is already more than enough.
'Never giving up hope is the key to the right decision, isn't it, King?'
"Mash Kyrielight! By my Command Spell, unleash your Noble Phantasm!"
Immediately, Mash felt a surge of power, far greater than the ones Ritsuka had used earlier, allowing her to grab her shield and stand straight.
From the surge of power, her master's order compelled Mash to act. Beyond anything she had ever wanted to do, all she wanted to do now was protect what was precious to her.
"EXCALIBUR MORGAN!"
"LORD CHALDEAS!"
From Excalibur, a ray of darkness tinted with red made its way through the battlefield, demolishing the ground in its wake.
From Mash's shield, a barrier of light stood tall, enveloping her master and Chaldea's director.
And between them, a clash ensued.
Excalibur's beam split into two as it came into contact with the shield's barrier, covering Mash's vision in darkness.
Even faced with the overwhelming power, the shield does not waver.
…But the same could not be said for its bearer.
Although her shield stayed strong against Excalibur, the continuous outpour of power from King Arthur slowly began to eat away at her strength.
Eventually, Mash found herself driven back as she kept her shield up, her feet digging into the ground, creating a trail.
"Gah!" Mash grunted, exerting all her strength to keep her feet planted on the ground, lest her master meets his end.
As she was being pushed back, she felt something pressing against her back.
"Senpai…?"
Ritsuka stood behind his servant, his hand placed on her back.
He's gone this far, used everything he had to make sure Mash could match King Arthur, but it wasn't enough.
But so what?
That just means he has to dig even deeper, pull things out of himself he didn't know he had.
Ritsuka put his right hand above Mash's, their hands now intertwined holding the shield together.
He could feel his vision fading, his legs quivering, his grip weakening, even so, he will strive to press on, see the battle to its end.
"Mash… By my command spell, repel Excalibur."
The second red marking on his hand glowed, reflected on Mash's eyes, before disappearing.
Ritsuka could feel his kouhai's grip getting stronger, stirring what little power was left in his body to come out. They now held the shield with the same intensity.
"HAAAAA!" As they both yelled, pushing the shield forward together, the barrier protecting them grew larger, now deflecting Excalibur's ray whole.
With one last push, the darkness covering them was repelled, now heading towards its wielder.
"...So that is your strength, is it?" King Arthur whispered before being engulfed in her own attack, a cloud of explosion and dark energy covering her.
"Did- did that do it?" Mash asked, gasping between words.
Ritsuka tried to say something, but found that he had no energy to spare. Slowly, his body lost its posture and he began to fall.
"Senpai!" Mash yelled, catching him and supporting him by putting his arm around his shoulder.
"...Very good, Shielder. You exceeded my expectations."
The voice of The King of Knights snapped both of them into caution.
From the smoke, King Arthur walked out, though the damage was visible. Chars and bruises marred her pale skin, parts of her black armor broke away, leaving some of her skin exposed.
"But will it be enough, master of Chaldea?!" King Arthur yelled, foregoing her composure as she covered Excalibur with dark magical energy once again, charging at Mash and Ritsuka.
But before she could even get close a blast of fire drove her away, slightly burning her armor.
From the edge of the battlefield, another servant has joined the battle.
"M-mister Karna!"
"Yes, master King has made his move, as such, I am now free to join." Karna replied to Mash's relief.
Karna pointed his spear to The King of Knights, preparing to engage her.
Seeing this, King Arthur tried to lunge at her enemy again, only to be stopped by two simultaneous explosions.
From both of her flanks, Archer and Cu Chulainn each fired off a sword and a spell respectively.
"Hmph, forgot about us?" Cu Chulainn snidely taunted, walking towards Karna.
Now standing beside each other, all three servants pointed their weapons at King Arthur, who could only grit her teeth in response.
Seeing this, Ritsuka tried to stand up from Mash's shoulder to join, but instead collapsed.
"D-don't push yourself, Senpai!"
'D-damn it!' They need all the firepower they can afford right now. If Mash is stuck helping him, then-
Suddenly, he felt a calming presence soothing over him and felt strength return to his limbs.
Slowly, he stood up, tracing the magical energy behind him, to Director Olga.
"...There's not much I can do to help, but that spell should help you stay in the fight a little longer." Olga said, her hand stretched out.
"Y-yes! Thank you so much, director!"
"That's not a healing spell, mind you. You're tired rather than injured, so it's more of a painkiller than anything else, so don't push your luck."
Nodding at her, Ritsuka took his arm off Mash and beckoned her to join the rest of the servants.
Now, all members of Chaldea, humans and servants, stood opposing King Arthur, their weapons drawn.
Well, all except one. But to Ritsuka, King had done more than enough for his part.
"Even now, master King keeps finding ways to surprise me." Karna said, looking towards the direction King had run towards.
"Heh, you can say that again." Ritsuka agreed behind him.
For a brief moment, silence permeated the battlefield, allowing the crackle of fire and the whistling air to take over.
And as soon as it had come to be, the silence disappeared.
King Arthur let out a battle cry, Excalibur engulfed in darkness as she charged forward.
The final battle has now truly begun.
King felt an indescribable feeling of relief.
To be honest, he wasn't sure he could make it, but when he saw it right in front of his eyes, his mind could not think of doing anything else.
Now that the deed was done, he regained control of his body. His hands no longer shook, his muscles relaxed, and his heart rate returned to normal.
The experience was unbelievably harrowing, but in the end, he put his all into it and came out the other side victorious.
Yes, it was perhaps one of the hardest things he ever needed to do in his 29 years of life.
Unzip
Finding a place to do his business, that is.
King let out an unreasonably long sigh of relief as the fluid exited his body with a gushing stream.
How long had he held it in again? It's been more than half a day since he got into this world and every attempt he made to relieve himself had been met with failure, whether it was the stress affecting his bladder's functions, Mash's misunderstanding, or that he had just plain old forgotten about it.
But when he saw the innocuously tall rock from across the field, his bladder reignited, forcing him to remember the pain he had held in for the last 12 or so hours.
When it happened, he immediately became tunnel visioned, his body seized up and he ended up sprinting here, ignoring everything else that was going on.
In fact, everything became a blur in his eyes as he ran to the rock now hiding him from the others.
That being said, he remembered staring into an unfamiliar face on the way here, a girl, if he recalled correctly.
Running past her without saying anything is pretty rude now that he thought about it, hopefully she isn't too mad about that.
Well, maybe the others could introduce them after he finished his business.
The fight for the Greater Grail of Fuyuki raged on.
King Arthur held her ground against the assault on her, an impressive feat, though perhaps expected from the centerpiece of Arthurian legend.
But even such a powerful figure could only hold on so long against the four servants.
Karna's addition had been a sorely needed one, for what else could counter a strong individual, but another strong individual?
Karna and King Arthur danced in the air, their spear and sword clashing as fire and darkness swirled in the air.
In terms of pure skill, they are evenly matched, neither giving an inch towards the other.
However, the king's previous injury courtesy of Mash and Ritsuka, compounded by the fact that Karna is aided by allies, gave her enemies the edge.
As the powerhouses were engaged in a clash of strength, King Arthur felt extreme heat coming from the back.
Glancing behind her, Cu Chulainn had formed multiple runes, all aimed towards her.
"Ansuz." With a single word from the mage, a hailstorm of fire launched itself to their target.
"Tch!" Seeing the more immediate threat, King Arthur kicked Karna, launching herself from him, to dodge and deflect the fire spell.
"Too slow." A deep voice from above her alarmed her.
Looking up, Archer notched a jagged sword into his bow, before firing.
Seeing the incoming attack King Arthur jumped backwards, propelling herself up
…But the arrow changed its course midair.
In her shock, King Arthur failed to block the attack, causing the arrow to pierce her side.
"Gah!" The pain caused her to drop back into the ground, unable to bring her sword up.
Leaving her open to Cu Chulainn's spell.
A rain of fire was unleashed upon King Arthur, engulfing her in fire as far as the eye could see.
For a moment, it would seem as though that did it, but the three more experienced servants knew otherwise.
In an instant, a blast of darkness rose from the middle of the fire, nearly touching the night sky.
The dark energy engulfed the fire around her, showing the injured but still standing figure of King Arthur.
Mana Burst, the exercise of expelling massive amounts of magical energy imbued within oneself.
Using the power imbued to her by the grail, the king expelled a large amount of energy behind her, lunging forward and leaving a trail of broken ground from the blast of energy.
The speed from the energy was such that none of the servants could react to it, leaving a wide open path to her target, Cu Chulainn.
Despite that, her sword instead met a shield.
While her speed made her invisible to the naked eye, Ritsuka had expected her move and watched on from the sidelines, watching her eyes to determine her target.
As such, Mash had acted before the strike even began.
Deflecting Excalibur, Mash followed up with several attacks of her own. Though normally she would easily block all of them, fatigue caught up to King Arthur, letting several strikes past her guard.
Clicking her teeth, the king retaliated with an upwards strike, a ray of darkness following it, knocking Mash back through her shield.
From her peripheral, a pair of swords flew through the air, aimed at The King of Knights.
Mere centimeters away from her neck, King Arthur deflected the swords, sending them above her.
While her sight was taken by the swords, she felt a presence suddenly making itself known under her.
Before she could react, a flurry of slashes from the same pair of swords were unleashed on her, ending with an upwards slash that sent her flying in the air.
As she floated, the pair of swords she deflected earlier made its way back, slashing her across the chest, creating a deep wound that made her hiss.
Not done yet, Archer projected Kanshou and Bakuya once again, their blades now longer and edges jagged.
Jumping into the air, Archer executed a cross slash across King Arthur's back, further propelling her up and creating deep gashes on her back.
Up in the air, the king struggled to open her eyes, a combination of damage and fatigue creeping up on her. However, through her squinting eyes, she could see a figure holding a staff preparing a spell in the air.
In response, she put Excalibur up to block the attack.
Only to find it barely moved her sword.
Confused, King Arthur frantically looked towards the source of the spell, and found the true culprit.
Olga Marie had her palm pointed to her, having cast another Gandr with Ritsuka by her side, directing her timing.
'A decoy?!'
Looking back to Cu Chulainn's figure, she was appalled to find it turn to wood and slowly crumble.
"Heh, can't believe you fell for that."
The taunting voice of the Celtic hero took her attention to the ground. There, Cu Chulainn planted his staff, which caused her to realize the rune growing in size beneath her.
"WICKER MAN!"
A giant of fire came to life from the rune and grabbed her with its hand. Before she could retaliate, a door to the giant's belly opened, which the Wicker Man shoved her into.
Inside, she felt the heat go up as the giant laid down flat on its back, intending on taking itself out with her inside, which would be her demise.
However, The King of Camelot has one last ace up her sleeve.
"Whew, that should do it." Cu Chulainn breathed out while maintaining his Noble Phantasm.
Suddenly, the giant's fire turned into corrupted magical energy, slowly but surely coming apart at the seams.
"...Aw damn, shouldn't have said that."
From a crack on the stomach of Cu Chulainn's Noble Phantasm, the servants could see King Arthur, pouring the last remains of her power into one last attack, her Noble Phantasm.
"I'll finish it."
Karna jumped up towards the sky and began to fly using his flames as boosters.
He put up his spear to his head, next to his right eye.
"O, Agni."
Uttering those words, his eye shined brightly, lighting up the sky and enveloping his spear in magical energy endowed with flames.
It could be said that this is a secret Noble Phantasm of Karna's, a modification upon the divine weapon Brahmastra using his own flames.
"BRAHMASTRA KUNDALA!" O' Brahma, Curse Me.
"EXCALIBUR MORGAN!"
In tandem, Karna threw his glowing spear as Excalibur expelled its beam of darkness.
In a situation where both were at the height of their strengths, this clash would have been a meeting between equal powers.
But that was not the case.
Unable to bring out the full power of Excalibur, Karna's spear cleaved King Arthur's dark energy in two, flying directly into its target.
BOOM
Karna's spear made contact with King Arthur inside Wicker Man, the resulting explosion causing a small mushroom cloud, akin to a miniature nuclear blast.
As the dust cleared, King Arthur can be seen laying on the ground, her lower half missing.
"...Hmph, it would seem that no matter how my fate changes, my end is always the same when I'm alone." King Arthur mused, heard by all present.
"I lost because my tenacity wavered. Shame, I was going to defend the grail till the very end."
"Huh? The hell you mean by that? What do you know, bastard?" Cu Chulainn interrogated her dying words.
"You will see it too eventually, Child of Light. The Grand Order has just begun." King Arthur replied as her body began to dissolve into golden light.
Archer watched as King Arthur started to disappear, the sight stirring something from deep within him.
"Hm, what's with that look, Archer?" King Arthur asked without much emotion, just curiosity.
Archer did not reply, merely turning his head away in response, missing the slight smile on the king's face as she fully disappeared.
"Hey wait- whoa! Damn it, seems like my time is up too." Cu Chulainn said, startled as his body began to disperse as well.
"Hey, kid! I'm leaving the rest up to you! Summon me as a lancer if you can!" Cu Chulainn shouted at Ritsuka.
"If at all possible, I'd rather you never summon him, master." Archer commented beside the disappearing servant.
"...Man, fuck you." With those last words, Cu Chulainn disappeared.
"Grand Order… How did she know that name?" Olga muttered under her breath.
"W-we did it…" Ritsuka said, before falling backwards.
"Senpai!" Mash yelled, catching Ritsuka on the way down and resting him on her lap.
"D-don't worry Mash. I-I'm fine, just can't stand, that's all." Ritsuka's assurances did not convince a single one of them.
"We need to redefine your definition of 'fine', Fujimaru." Olga said, walking to the downed master.
"W-well anyway, we won, didn't we?" Ritsuka asked between gasped breaths.
"Yes, that was excellent, Ritsuka!" Romani said, his hologram suddenly appearing.
"Fou! Fou!" Fou exclaimed excitedly, circling Ritsuka after coming out of his sleeve.
"...Yeah, you really did it. Great job." Olga replied, a complicated look in her eyes.
"Haha… Hell yeah." Ritsuka said, missing Olga's look and letting his head fall to Mash's thighs, content.
Mash blubbered as Ritsuka's head made contact with her skin, something he himself is too tired to truly care about.
"Let's retrieve the Holy Grail, it should be the source of this singularity." Olga ordered.
"Yes, Director, if what Cu Chulainn said was true, then that would be the case." Mash said, helping Ritsuka to his feet, slinging his arm around her shoulder.
"So you made it this far, huh? Hmph, today just got even shittier."
Before they could proceed, a voice interrupted them.
An impossible voice belonging to an impossible man.
In front of the Holy Grail, Lev Lainur stood.
Olga Marie Animushere's bad day is finally coming to an end.
Saber has been defeated through their combined efforts and sheer attrition, and the Holy Grail is right in front of them, waiting to be taken.
She could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
So why is she hesitating?
A rhetorical question, she knew exactly why.
After this is over… What's left for her?
Continuing as the director of a place that she barely understood? Where she is despised by many? Without Lev?
Yeah, she knew about it, always has even if she feigned ignorance. Chaldea's members, whether it be the rank and file or the higher ups never took her seriously, only as a bratty loudmouth yelling orders she herself knows little about.
The one and only saving grace was the presence of her mentor, Lev Lainur, who guided her even though he had little to gain from doing it. Ever since her sudden promotion, she had made countless fumbles and stumbled over many obstacles.
Through all her mistakes, Lev had been the one to hold out his hand and pick her up. Without him, she would have fallen to the machinations of Chaldea's top brass or The Clock Tower's mages long ago.
But… Lev's not here anymore.
The light at the end of the tunnel may now be visible, but what about beyond that light? What is it that lies beyond for Olga Marie?
Everyone else here surely would land their feet in Chaldea. Ritsuka, even though he only took his first step into The Moonlit World today, had persevered through fights against multiple servants, one of them being the legendary King Arthur.
King had not only summoned an extremely powerful servant, but he also used him like an expert and put himself on the line of fire for the sake of the mission. Maybe it's to be expected, coming from an agent of her father's.
With their performances, they will definitely become Chaldea's greatest assets as two elite masters.
'Masters…' Ha, she once dreamt of being one. Having overheard her father's goals with Chaldea when she was a young girl, she imagined herself standing there, legends of the past at the forefront of saving the world.
Her low aptitude as a master quickly crushed those dreams, but having spent time with said heroes and their masters, maybe it was for the best.
If Ritsuka, who just barely had enough circuits to technically be a mage, and King, who didn't even use magecraft a single time, could stand in the frontlines by their servants then what's her excuse?
All she did today was hide behind stronger beings and braver humans. Even her potential as first rate mage meant nothing, her only contribution being two meager spells that the enemy barely registered.
When they get back, Ritsuka and King will be hailed as heroes, while she will eventually be disposed of, especially after the remaining crew at Chaldea saw how she acted here.
How ridiculous, to think that she once thought life screwed her over with her lack of talent, when in truth even if she could be a master, she would fail spectacularly.
Just like everything in her life had.
"So you made it this far, huh? Hmph, today just got even shittier."
A voice broke the millions of jumbled thoughts in her head as she walked towards the grail.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
There, just in front of the grail, a man dressed in green stood.
"Professor Lev?! You survived!" Mash said behind her.
"D-did you say Lev, Mash?! Is he really there?!" Romani joined in from the comm device.
"Oh, so you survived too, Romani… Honestly, if it wasn't for that fucking guy…" Lev said, though everything he said after became white noise in Olga's ears.
It's Lev… her mentor, right in front of her eyes. Mash and Romani's reactions told her his presence wasn't a figment of her imagination.
He really is here.
"L-Lev!"
Olga ran to the older man, ignoring or perhaps unable to hear the warnings behind her.
'H-he really came back.' Of course he would, he was there to help her every time things went wrong didn't he? Why would it be any different now? Of course a mere explosion wouldn't kill him!
"Lev! Y-you're alive!" Olga said, now a few meters away from her mentor.
"You too, Olga. It's been rough, hasn't it?" Lev said, not moving from where he had appeared.
His voice came to her ears like the sound of calming waves on a peaceful night on the beach. Yeah, now that Lev's here, it's all going to be alright.
"Yes, yes, it has! First the command room blew up just where I was about to stand, then I somehow rayshifted here and- and- So many things happened after… I…" Olga's voice trailed off, running out of breath as she listed off today's events to Lev.
"I see… That must've been hard on you." Lev replied, his smile unmoving.
"I-it really is… B-but with you here, we'll be fine, right? Things here have been driving me crazy, but you'll help me get back up, won't you? Like you always did!" Olga asked hopefully to Lev.
"Yeah, things have been driving me crazy too… especially you." Lev's voice suddenly laced itself with venom as it uttered that last word.
"...W-what? What do you mean by that?" The sudden vitriol Lev showed brought Olga back to reality.
Glancing back, she could see Mash shouting something at her, though her mind was much too focused on Lev to hear what she was saying.
"Well… See, you were supposed to die back there, in the command room, so should most of Chaldea, in fact."
"But that fucking man, that goddamned irritating piece of shit! If only he wasn't there, then the bombs would have gone off at the right time, killing all of you!" Gradually, Lev's voice took a more sinister tone. Almost… demonic.
"L-lev… you're scaring me." Olga whimpered, shaken yet unable to move.
"Oh yeah? Good. You know, the only reason you were able to rayshift here is because of your near death experience. Who knows? Maybe almost dying awakened what little aptitude you had. Won't happen again, though."
Olga could only respond with silence at Lev's rant.
"You know, I always hated you. Following me around like some lost puppy. Do you have any idea how much I wanted to blast you off the face of the earth whenever you come crying to me?!"
Lev's voice that mere moments before soothed her now pierced her heart with every word.
"N-no… Y-you're lying! You can't be Lev! He would never do this!" Olga yelled with whatever is left of her willpower.
"Me? Hmm… Well, you're right in a way, but let me tell you, I have inhabited this body since Marisbury died. So you see, it was still me who 'guided' you." Lev said snidely.
Olga's breath quickened, hyperventilating. She found her legs had started to shake.
Is that really true? The man who guided her, who she looked up to as a mentor and trusted… hated her?
The world around her began to spin. No, it can't be true. If even Lev hated her then… is there anyone in the world that even accepted her?
The realization made Olga's knees cave in, causing her to fall to the ground.
"Director!"
Now past denial, she could hear Mash's voice. Looking back, she could see her shouting while banging on an invisible barrier in a futile attempt to save her.
"Oh that, don't mind it, I just thought we ought to have some privacy. You know, as mentor and pupil." Sarcasm dripped from Lev's voice like a poison laced knife.
"D-damn it! Archer, Karna! Don't you guys have something to destroy that barrier!" Ritsuka asked desperately, still on the ground from the accumulated fatigue of the previous fights.
"...I'm afraid I'm rather low on magical energy, master." Archer said, looking regretful.
"I do… but I doubt I could destroy it without killing the director, master Ritsuka." Karna replied, his stoic gaze still trained on the scene in front of them.
At their responses, Ritsuka looked to the last command spell on his right hand. Maybe…
"Don't, master. You already overworked your circuits with how new you are to this. Using another command spell now will kill you." Archer warned.
"...Fuck!" Ritsuka slammed his fist into the ground, gritting his teeth.
"Well, that sure took the wind out of you, didn't it. Why don't I show you something to cheer you up…" As lev said those words, a portal opened up above him, showing CHALDEAS.
"W-what is that?" Olga managed to ask through the chaotic state of her mind.
CHALDEAS, the perfect replica of the planet earth, was bright red, as if bleeding.
"This is the real CHALDEAS, of course. Behold, this is the end result of the Animusphere's mission. You see, Marie, I wanted to show this to you as a sign of my gratitude. After all, how would I accomplish this had it not been for your gullible self?"
"I-I am responsible for this?" What little will Olga had disappeared, her eyes almost becoming listless.
"Yes… A fitting last sight, wouldn't you agree?"
Out of the blue, Olga felt a force pulling her towards Lev.
"H-huh?!" Olga tried to hold herself still to no avail as she slowly skidded on the ground.
"As your last deed, I've decided to let you lay your hands on your family's treasure. How nice of me, right?" Lev smiled at her, though no longer a serene smile, sharp teeth baring and dilated pupils showing her his true face.
"CHALDEAS? N-no! Please, stop!" CHALDEAS? A high-density body of data? A territory of dimensional anomaly? If she touches it, then-
"You should have seen how pathetic you looked." Lev's voice caught her attention again.
"Always asking me what to do, running to me at the slightest inconvenience… You are without a doubt, the most irritating and useless human I have ever met. I admit it was useful, seeing as how it gave me access to most of Chaldea, but in the years we've become close, I came to despise you."
"…" Slowly, life started to go out in Olga's eyes.
"So make yourself useful for once in your life and wail in pain as you die. That way, at least your death will give me satisfaction."
Ha, Haha, Hahahahahahaha. So this is all she will ever amount to, huh? A girl who will die horribly just to satisfy a sadistic desire to see her suffer. A pathetic, worthless existence, not even comparable to the worms that burrow under the ground.
No one ever praised her, valued her, saw her as anything more than an annoyance. Yes even if she lived, there is no hope for someone like her. From the moment of her birth until now… no one ever accepted her.
If that's the case then…
'Maybe… I should just-'
"Now hold on."
"You again?!
The spell moving her body suddenly stopped, causing her to fall to the ground.
From there, she looked up to find a massive back shielding her.
She recognized the voice and clothes.
"K-King…?" Olga asked, her voice weak.
How did he…? Right, he had run to this side of the field back when they were fighting King Arthur.
'What are you trying to do?' As her father's agent, surely he had seen just how weak and pathetic she was. Is he here to witness her demise? maybe even join Lev in enjoying it?
After all, that is the only thing a worthless girl like her had to offer.
"I see where you're coming from, Lev, I really do." King said.
"Yes, you're right, Olga can be a brat, annoying at times, and mostly stayed behind today." He continued.
"So yeah, I see where you're coming from." King finished.
His deep, rumbling voice crushed the last bits of hope Olga didn't even know she still had.
Maybe… maybe it's for the best that she let herself di-
"But even so, I think she is a brilliant woman."
Olga's neck almost snapped at how fast she turned her head.
'W-what?'
"Throughout this entire mission, it was her that took the lead and gave us direction. Without her, the servants responsible for our victory would not have even been summoned here." King calmly said to the man in front of him.
"When it came down to it, she always prioritized her subordinates' lives and well being, even at the cost of her reputation and at times, safety."
As Olga Marie looked at the man in front of her coming into her defense, she felt an indescribable warmth behind her eyes.
"I've dealt with many corrupt executives, all merely there to line their own pockets or fulfill their agendas. None of them could ever do what she did here today."
"Initially, I thought the same as you did, that she was nothing but a spoiled girl, and yes, she may not be fit to be a combatant or a master. But, with everything she has done here, even if it takes her years to become one, even without help, I can confidently say…"
Slowly, but surely, life was restored in Olga's eyes, her heart becoming more full with each word.
Eventually, they overflowed into tears streaming down her face.
"...that she will be a brilliant leader for Chaldea." King finished.
"...sniff, hic, hic" Olga tried to wipe away at her eyes in a futile attempt to stop the flow of tears. Her throat racked with choked sobs.
Olga finally realized what was happening to her. It was something she had never experienced even once in 22 years of her life.
Tears were not something she was unfamiliar with… but this is the first time they ever fell from happiness.
Olga let her tears fall down as she stared at King. Many feelings swirled in her heart. Joy? Definitely. Embarrassed? Slightly. Gratitude? Very much so.
But if she had to pick one then, she would say that she felt relieved.
For there truly was someone that saw something in her.
"Whew, that sure took a while."
His 'business' had taken way longer than expected, but that's what you get when you drink two liters of water and hold it in for half a day.
Now that his bladder is out of the way, maybe he should see what it is that he ran past in the rush to get here.
Peeking behind the large rock, King saw Ritsuka and their servants in the field, with varying degrees of exhaustion. Strangely, Cu Chulainn was nowhere to be found, or the lady he ran past, for that matter.
Had he just imagined their brief eye contact? That wouldn't really explain the missing caster, though.
"Yeah, things have been driving me crazy too… especially you."
"Hm?" A voice from the other side of the field caught his attention. Though familiar, he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Looking to the source he found a few things, the director, a glowing object and… Lev?
He survived! When King heard the news of his passing, he felt rather sad, after all the guy was kind enough to guide him when he got lost. Hell, with their small banter, he would even call the guy a friend or at the very least a good acquaintance.
That being said, Olga must be really happy now, with how she reacted to the man's apparent death, they must have been close.
Shaking his thoughts off, King focused his hearing on the pair's conversation.
"You know, I always hated you. Following me around like some lost puppy. Do you have any idea how much I wanted to blast you off the face of the earth whenever you come crying to me?!"
…Huh? That doesn't sound like a conversation between close friends. Maybe Olga did something to piss Lev off, but saying that after she thought you died is kinda harsh, isn't it?
Maybe he's missing something?
Once again, King got his ears closer to the argument, yet only found even more verbal abuse hurled Olga's way. He didn't quite understand the full scope of their talk, but it was becoming increasingly clear to him that the Lev King met was not all there is to the man.
Lev… can be a pretty big dickhead.
Taking away his ear from the commotion, King thought about it a bit more. They seem to have a mentor-pupil relationship, but even so there's no good enough justification to give Olga so much grief when she just led an operation for so long. Still, as his friend, King is willing to hear it a bit more. Maybe… just maybe there's something he isn't getting.
"Always asking me what to do, running to me at the slightest inconvenience… You are without a doubt, the most irritating and useless human I have ever met. I admit it was useful, seeing as how it gave me access to most of Chaldea, but in the years we've become close, I came to despise you."
…Alright, yeah that's way too far.
Seeing his friend's actions, King marched to them both until he placed himself between the two.
"Now hold on."
After all, what is a friend for if not to reel you back when you go too far?
King spent the next minute or two waxing poetic about Olga's role as a leader in this singularity. None of them were lies, he truly did feel that way about her. A boss like her would be a refreshing change of pace compared to the old executives at The Association.
"...that she will be a brilliant leader for Chaldea."
'Alright, that should do it.' Surely after hearing about the good job she did, Lev will take it easy on the poor girl.
But instead of softening, Lev's facial features grew sharper, almost reminding King of how some people would monsterize.
'Wow, he is REALLY pissed off.' King thought. Still, King kept his ground. No matter what she did, she didn't deserve to be demeaned like that.
"Y-you! What are you doing here?!" Lev shouted at him. Wow, rude.
Perhaps he should talk to Lev directly about his behavior. "Well, I'm here to judge you, of course." King said, pointing his finger at Lev.
"M–me?!" Lev said, taking a step back. King was a little confused at his scared expression, but hey, it would probably make him take King's words more seriously.
"Yeah, you see, I saw what you did and I can't really let that slide." King continued, stepping forward.
If they're going to talk things out, then they should do it eye to eye.
"S-stay back!"
Suddenly, Karna appeared in front of King, holding his spear up.
"Shit! The barrier!" Lev cursed under his breath.
"Nice one, master." Karna said, his spear trained at Lev.
Whoa, whoa, sure Lev was a big asshole back there, but surely there's no need for violence? All they need to do is hash things out a bit.
"Move over, Karna."
"But-"
"Karna, I got this." King assured his servant, putting his hand on his servant's shoulder.
Karna stared at him for a few seconds before chuckling and moving aside.
Now, King's path was impeded no longer.
Before Lev realized, a large hand was draped onto his shoulder.
"Look, Lev, I don't want to ruin what we had going, but I can't just sit by and let you go down a path you'd regret." King said, giving the best reassuring squeeze he could to his friend's shoulder along with a smile.
"If you know what's best, then you should wisen up quickly." King said, staring intensely into Lev's eyes to send the message.
If he wanted to salvage his relationship with Olga Marie, then he should stop being an ass to her.
All of a sudden, Lev disappeared right in front of him, reappearing in front of the giant portal to the globe he saw earlier, which was now red for some reason.
'…Hold on, has that thing always been there?'
"You… You! You always keep getting in my way! W-who the fuck are you?!" Lev shouted with immense vitriol.
King's mouth moved to respond but something in the back of his head prevented him. Did he perchance… misunderstand something?
"No… It doesn't matter who you are, Chaldea, and humanity is finished."
Oh, he definitely did.
"Let me reintroduce myself, I am Lev Lainur Flauros…"
King's head is spinning.
This world… ended? Really? Just like that? They didn't even get a chance to fight?
If what Lev said is true, then the world outside Chaldea has been incinerated, burned to ashes, with the red spinning globe as proof of its destruction.
Chaldea is now the last remnant of humanity, and that may soon not be the case if they can't stop this in a year.
Oh and Lev is apparently a spy.
"...Oh? It would seem like this singularity is about to end." Lev said.
From its skies and even the surrounding empty space, King could see the world around them warping, slowly imploding within itself.
"Farewell Romani, Olga, Mash, Candidate #48… and you, King." Lev spitted out his name like poison, singling him out.
"When we next meet, I will not tolerate any more humiliation." With those parting words, Lev Lainur Flauros disappeared, leaving them stranded in the crumbling city.
King looked around, even the ground beneath them had started to crack. Shit, it's not looking good for them.
"Doctor! We need an emergency rayshift now!" Mash shouted into the comm device.
"A-ah yes! Avoid the collapsing parts of the singularity and stay conscious! Otherwise I won't be able to do anything!"
With Romani's warning, the group set off, running away from the collapsing reality. Archer carried the still prone Ritsuka on his back, while the rest of them ran on their feet.
"Watch out, Mash!" Archer yelled, pulling the girl by her shoulder, preventing her from stepping onto crumbling ground which soon became a dark abyss.
As the earth itself fell apart, the only viable path left led them to underground caverns that led them here.
As they went in, King could feel the day take its toll on him. His feet felt as if they were stepping on nails and he could feel his muscles burning. The only thing keeping him running is pure adrenaline and fear.
"...!, Hold on, master!" Archer suddenly exclaimed, swiftly throwing Ritsuka away lightly and took out his bow, destroying falling rocks that would have killed his master.
Crack
However, it would seem that fate is not done yet with the young boy, as even more rocks started to fall above him.
"Senpai!" Mash yelled, running to her master. But she was too far, so were Karna and Archer.
King tried to move his legs to his fellow master, but his body seized up at his attempt to change courses, telling him that momentum is the only thing carrying his body forward.
Ritsuka closed his eyes, expecting to never open them again.
CRACK
He heard the sound of rocks breaking, yet… he felt no pain.
Opening his eyes, Olga Marie greeted him.
"D-director?" Above her, a golden barrier of magical energy shielded both of them. In her raised hand, a crushed stone could be seen.
"Ugh, don't just stare, will you! You can at least crawl, right?!" Olga half asked, half ordered. Though her legs shook at the weight of the boulders, she held her ground.
Somehow, even though she had been meek when it got rough for the last day, right now Ritsuka felt, no, knew that she would not falter even if her arm was to be crushed.
The sight brought a surge of vitality to his body, allowing him to launch himself forward, away from the falling rocks.
Seeing that her subordinate was safe, Olga rolled to the side as her barrier dissipated, gasping for air after the act.
"We're trapped." Karna said in a matter of fact tone. In front of him, boulders were stacked, blocking their way forward. Any attempt to destroy it would bring the whole cave down on them.
"Are you guys still alive?! If so, get ready! The rayshift will commence in 15 seconds!" Romani shouted from Mash's comm device.
As they heard the doctor, everyone assessed their positions. Karna was ahead, in front of the blocked pathway. King, Mash, and Archer were farther, but safe. However, Olga and Ritsuka were dangerously close to the ever advancing collapse of the singularity.
"Master!" "Director!" Shouts came from Archer and Mash as they ran to help the two.
CRASH
Only for their hopes to be dashed as rocks caved in, blocking their way.
"Fuck!" Ritsuka cursed, looking at the pile of rocks in front of him separating him and Olga from the rest.
He could no longer move his feet, the overuse of his circuits along with the general fatigue rendering his lower half immobile.
That being said, the same couldn't be said about the director, who picked herself up.
…He's just a civilian hire, probably replaceable in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention, King, who was leagues above him. Comparatively, she is far more important than he is, so…
"Director, save yourself, don't try to-"
Before Ritsuka could speak any further, he felt a tug at his collar.
Bewildered, he looked down to see Olga's fingers clutched on his shirt. Her teeth were gritted and she angled herself forward.
She was not particularly strong physically, but with enough momentum and adrenaline, even she could throw him.
"W-wait, direc-" His words were once again cut off as he found himself thrown across the cave, landing him farther to the collapse.
Frantically, Ritsuka turned his head.
Olga was on her knees, panting, the ground behind her falling apart.
"Director! Take my hand!" Ritsuka yelled, desperately reaching out with his hand.
But it was too late.
In front of him, Olga slowly fell down, the ground below her cracking as it began to swallow her.
Though she was at death's door, her face was not terrified, or even uncomfortable. Instead, a serene smile graced her face, painting a satisfied look as her figure slowly disappeared from Ritsuka's sight.
"DIRECTOR!"
Suddenly, light filled his eyes.
Ritsuka could hear muffled chatters around him, some in Japanese, others in English, and some in languages he did not recognize.
His eyelids steadily parted, giving light a way in.
As his eyes fully opened, a familiar face with orange hair greeted him.
"Rits… Oka…" Ritsuka's ears still rang, making the man's voice sound like it was coming from a bad phone call.
"Ritsuka… Ritsuka! Can you hear me?! Are you okay?!"
"D…Doctor?" The man's voice was now closer, as was his face.
Memories rapidly surged in Ritsuka's brain. Right, this was Romani, Chaldea's head of medical facility. And Chaldea was… right, an organization to safeguard humanity, in which he is a master.
Oh yeah, he just went into a singularity, and…
"W-wait, Doctor! W-where's the director?!" Ritsuka shouted in panic, grabbing the older man's shoulders.
"Oh- uh- she-" Romani stumbled around his words as Ritsuka shook his body.
"Did- did she die to save me?! Damnit, I-!" Ritsuka's words were caught in his throat as he looked down.
So, the director sacrificed herself for-
"Stop shouting will you?! You're hurting my ears!" Another familiar voice came to his right.
'Wait, that voice…' Slowly, Ritsuka turned his head towards the voice, finding the very much alive Olga Marie Animusphere being tended to by some Chaldea employees.
Noticing him gawking, she sighed. "The rayshift happened just before I fell to my death, so we both survived, got it?" Olga said in an annoyed tone, before hissing as a woman pressed a cotton ball dipped in medicine to her shoulder.
"O-oh, is that so… Thank Go-"
Before he could finish his words, Ritsuka passed out, his snores heard by everyone in the room.
"Falling asleep, huh…? Go ahead, Fujimaru, you've earned it." Olga whispered as she slowly regained her bearings and stood up.
She looked around her, many of Chaldea's staff were gathered in the room, talking with each other after what they saw in the singularity. Not a surprise, a lot of insane things happened in that city.
Around her, the servants were each doing their own thing. Mash worriedly kneeled beside her master while Archer chuckled and reassured her. Karna merely stood by his without uttering a word, simply a face that said 'Mission Accomplished' or something along those lines.
As for King…
Emotions began to well up in her heart before Olga averted her eyes from him. This is neither the time nor place.
For now…
"Romani, could you take King and Ritsuka to their rooms? The servants can go into spirit form for now. We'll decide about the specifics tomorrow. I'm sure everyone here wants a rest."
Romani seemed taken aback before nodding and calling several of the staff to guide the masters to their room.
Mash followed after the staff while carrying Ritsuka, while Karna and Archer seemed to disappear into thin air.
Olga took a deep breath and released it into a long sigh before blinking several times.
The chaos was over.
"Romani, could you accompany me to my room? I need a more detailed account of damages, tell me as we go." Olga asked as she walked out of the command room.
"A-ah, yes, director, of course!" Romani replied, following her suit, leaving the rest of the staff as they went on getting their own rest.
On the way, Romani reported the explosion in more detail, the staff affected, areas destroyed, and Lev's words pertaining to the incineration of humanity.
Though heavy, they are working hard to repair the damages, with that eccentric artist in particular devoting all of her time to minimize the damages from the fire and explosion. Olga supposed she should thank her later.
"...So Lev was a spy, huh?" Romani asked, leaving the question up in the air.
"...Yes, he was." Olga replied curtly.
An awkward silence filled the hallways as they continued their walk.
"...Um, director. Sorry for saying this, but… it seems to me like you changed somehow. Was it something Lev said? The communications were cut off from you when he put up that barrier."
Olga sucked in a breath.
"...No, but I suppose you're right about the other part. Which is why I want to say…" Olga stopped her walk before turning to Romani, prompting him to do the same.
"I'm sorry. I haven't been acting as a proper director. I once had dreams to be a master and even though I had no aptitude, I suppose it never truly went away." Olga confessed, baring her heart to the doctor.
"I suppose up until this point, everything I did as a director was a proxy to achieve that dream. So once again, I'm sorry for everything until now… and let's work together now, properly." Olga finished, bowing her head slightly.
"...Can I know what changed? I mean, you were able to rayshift today, wouldn't that reignite your dream instead?" Romani asked, his voice taking a curious tone.
"...Someone told me that even if I can't help in the frontlines as a master, even if I stumble here and there, he believes I can become a great leader, one necessary to win this." Olga said, closing her eyes.
She thought back to that moment, when his words reached into her shattered heart and filled it with joy and relief.
One day, she will thank him for what he did back there, but not now. Tomorrow? Next week?
No, she will express her gratitude when she has lived up to his expectations.
She opened her eyes to find that a smile had made its way onto her face.
"...Besides, Lev said that it was a one time thing anyway, so me going on another adventure is a no go." Olga continued flippantly.
Romani stayed silent for a few seconds before chuckling. "So that's how it is… Well, let's do our best going forward, Olga." He said, stretching his hand forward.
"Likewise, Romani." Olga reciprocated the gesture, the smile still present on her face.
Another silence came over the two, though this time, it was pleasant, almost warm.
"But if going on one singularity can change you this much, maybe we should find a way to have you tag along for other ones too, don't you think? Hahaha!" Romani joked, before laughing at his own joke.
"...Another suggestion like that and I'm cutting your pay." Olga warned, a vein popping on her head.
"W-wait, please don't be so cruel! …Hold on, would that even mean anything if the world is gone?!"
Olga only laughed as she went ahead, leaving the doctor behind.
As her laughter reached her own ears a thought came into her mind.
How long has it been since she laughed so earnestly?
"Well done Flauros. The Incineration of The Human Order has started."
"Yes my King, I thank you for your praise."
"Yet… it would seem that you made some… mistakes in your plan."
"M-my apologies, my King! But it matters not, two masters and a handful of those wretched humans surely stand no chance against your might!"
"...Perhaps, but for someone to have evaded my Clairvoyance, one that I have brewed for 3000 years, he could not simply be ignored."
"I-I see."
"It seems that we may need to change some of our plans around this… anomaly. Flauros, do what needs to be done."
"At once, my King!"
King opened his eyes.
A pure white ceiling greeted his eyes.
An alarm he had never heard before assaulted his ears.
His back lay above an unfamiliar, though admittedly comfy bed.
"So… that wasn't just a crazy dream?"
"Ah, damn it! Genos! Have you seen my hero costume?"
"I believe I hung it by the window, Sensei, It was rather sunny yesterday, so I wanted to dry it out."
"Oh yeah, it's here. Thanks Genos."
"Why are you wearing it, Sensei? Aren't you just going to play games with King?"
"Yeah, but even on a quiet day like this, you never know when trouble might strike."
Well damn, that's the first arc done.
I had a small surgery to remove something under my skin a week ago. I'm fine now so it's whatever but the few days I couldn't get out of bed was pretty shitty.
This one's a bit long and I fall into waffling at times, so I understand if you just skim the action scenes.
As this is the first arc I wrote, tell me what you think. Personally, I think it was too boring and samey to canon at times, which I admit is something I wrote myself into with only 2 servants. I also think some of King's moments are a bit too out there, particularly in 2nd chapter, but I wrote that part pre-hiatus and I can't really find a way to make it better so I left it in.
Still, I'm proud of it. When I took a break I didn't imagine it would last a year, and when I came back I almost expected to drop it again, so it's been nice on a personal level.
On a side note, I am going to be addressing the criticisms regarding Karna's skill and the summoning system in probably the chapter after the next.
And oh yeah, this story is up on AO3.
Later.