24: Lingering Embers, Lingering Ashes, Lingering Warmth.

"Wait, wait, wait! You've totally got the wrong guy!" I yell, waving my arms back and forth. "I've got no clue what you're even talking about!"

"I… doubt that." Wheezes Archer. "That scent about you… you're just like one of Sessyoin's cultists. So… die."

There's a sound of sand shifting, and hundreds, thousands of swords rise into the air. Desperately, I pull at the second reservoir of magic stored within my Mystic Code - the first is still refilling, from the healing I had to do earlier. In the previous loop, the Director mentioned that his swords were projection magecraft, so…!

"It's a rush job, but- [Incomplete EMT]!" I yell, a circular screen of light appearing centered on my outstretched hands.

EMT, Emilia-tan Maji Tenshi. 'Emilia-tan is seriously an angel', for any foreigners out there. The absolute invalidation magic that Beatrice and I created together, a spherical field with a diameter of about ten meters, which no other magic can exist within. Of course, without her help, the most I can do is make a four meter disc to use as a shield.

But it's enough. I'm able to safely brace myself and huddle behind it long enough to weather Archer's opening salvo.

"Seriously!? It's not like I chose to smell this way, you know!? The Witch of Envy decided all on her own that she was in love with me, and shoved a bunch of troubling effects onto me!" I yell over the crashing storm of swords. "And I'm not one of her lackeys or anything! I've got nothing but loathing for those damn archbishops!"

"As if… I care. Even if you're just some innocent… caught in the web of a Beast. I'll kill you. To secure humanity's future… no price is too great!" The man yells, slowly stumbling forwards down the hill of swords. His eyes burn, shining the color of molten gold. "I chose not to break free of Saber's control. For a full month, I hid within my unaltered self… just to get the chance to put a bullet between that Demon God's eyes. Every man, woman, and child in Fuyuki… was sacrificed to meet that goal."

...Bastard. Absolute scum. This guy is, without a doubt, no good.

"And where did that get you!?" I yell. "We killed Flauros! You didn't do a thing! Useless bastard, you let thousands die, and for what-!?"

"I'll thank you... for doing the dirty work. But… why do you think, my unaltered self was stupid enough… to let Cu Chulainn get his lance? Why… do you think… Saber wasn't warned that Mordred was coming, equipped… with Avalon!?" He shouts back, flecks of fiery metal spewing from his lips, even as his skin cracks even further, pouring molten gold over the sand.

More and more weapons made of magic crash down upon my barrier - holy swords, demonic swords, spears, axes, even a shield or two. I can feel my arms shaking as my muscles start to tear, and my bones begin to splinter. Ugh… and once he gets to me, he'll probably put a fist through me and that'll be that. After all, EMT only blocks magic, not physical attacks. I guess there's no choice, then-!

"Dumbass! We didn't need your help! We could have done it without you running interference! Hell, if you had allied with Caster, then you probably could have held Saber off and saved thousands of lives! We didn't need to sacrifice anyone- because, I can-!" I cut myself off. That's bad. That's no good. The creeping shadow behind me… I'm certain, with how many times I've called her up recently… I won't get away with it this time. I can't weaponize the taboo.

"Believe what you want… but... it's over." He says as the storm of swords parts for him - and suddenly, he shoots forward, sword raised. I see the swords embedded in his body flay his entire lower half to pieces as he jumps at me, his yin-yang swords gripped in both hands. "I am… the bone of my sword…"

I might be able to block the swords, but one punch from a servant will kill me. So, with that in mind, I change tactics. EMT is dropped, and I tap my final reservoir of mana, flinging out my hands as crystal stakes covered in purple flame manifest. "[Minya]!"

The spikes bite into Archer's flesh, before exploding into smaller spikes that tear him to shreds, spraying flesh and metal everywhere. But, just before his arm is torn apart-

Blam!

A gunshot rings out, a spurt of flame erupting from the sword - no, the gun in his right hand. The bullet goes wide, biting into my shoulder as I scream.

Archer collapses into a pile of swords and meat, still faintly twitching. The swords drop out of the air, the giant gears cease turning, and slowly the cracks in the sky begin to dim.

"So, as I pray…"

There's a meaty sound of blade meeting flesh. A searing pain in my shoulder. A sword... has erupted from the bullet hole.

"...What?" I mutter, as fire bubbles deep within me. It's so hot. Like a forge, hammering away, within my soul. An [Unlimited █████ Works] of my very own.

"[Unlimited Lost Works]."

A dagger emerges from my left thigh. A spear from my eye. An axe from my intestines. And a sword, and another sword, and another sword, and-!

"That... should deal with you." Archer's voice rings out as his body turns to purple dust. "But… just in case you've got some stupid after-death trick… I'll trap you here. The singularity has already disappeared. Nothing exists outside this space. And so, agent of the Seventh… fall and disappear into the Sea of Imaginary Numbers."

And then, the world breaks apart, and deep blue nothingness fills my vision.

I feel a faint, familiar sensation. Like I'm being pulled. And then, all at once, as the ground-up meat of my body impacts a cool metal surface, the pain hits. I can't scream. Can't cry. My throat and eyes were destroyed. But somehow, my ears are still a bit intact. Through the deafening ringing in my ears, I can faintly hear voices.

"Aaahhh! Subaru! No, not again! -can't lose you again! So, don't die -! Please, don't you dare die!" someone yells. A girl. It's someone I should know. I know this person. But my mind, is too overwhelmed by the searing agony engulfing my form.

I rasp and gurgle, in my best approximation of a scream, as my consciousness slowly fades.

"Suba... -will definitely save you! So, don't give up, in... -! Look... -is fixing your wounds, so… don't die! Plea…-die!" Yells someone. "-ena, hurry up and help... -!"

My lungs stop hurting, just a bit. The pain in my temples dies down - and the pain in my limbs returns as they're reattached.

"...Your... -is a lucky guy…" another woman's voice says. "Seriously... -void space, these wounds would be untreatable, you know?"

"Just shut up and give -!" Snaps the first girl.

"Sure, sure~. You're totally different... -you know? Hm, you called him your... -but is there something... -between you two?" the second says. I can't see her eyebrows, but I can certainly hear them waggling.

"Of... -loves Subaru more than anything in the world…" The first says. Faintly, I can feel a warmth in my left palm. A familiar-feeling hand, clutching me with a death grip - and then, slowly, its fingers pass through my hand.

"No, no, no! Not again! Please, Subaru! Don't… -alone again!"

And then, the world dissolves into a tunnel of blue light.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

I open my eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. My left hand… there's still a faint sense of warmth, lingering there. And tears flowing from my eyes. With a confused frown, I wipe them away.

"Oh hey. Looks like you're finally awake, huh?" Asks Caster, giving me a wry grin. I open my mouth to respond, but he cuts me off. "Hey, don't shout or anything, okay? Your vocal cords still need some time to heal, or you might lose the ability to speak altogether. You were in one hell of a state when we pulled you in. Whatever the hell yanked you out of the rayshift, it messed you up something awful."

"Archer showed up." I sigh, giving him a disappointed look.

"Wait, Archer!? You serious!? I'm sure I got the bastard's heart!" He protests.

"I think he replaced his heart with swords or something ridiculous like that." I reply with a shrug.

"...Of course he did. Bastard." Cu spits. "Anyway, it's a miracle you weren't killed. Pretty much every inch of your body was cut to pieces, but all your vital organs and appendages were somehow still intact."

I shrug again. "I think I remember something… someone showed up, and healed me, before the rayshift took effect. Two people, I think. But I can't remember much of it. I was a bit too overwhelmed by pain at the time. Come to think of it, something similar happened when I first arrived in Fuyuki..."

"Time doesn't exist in Void Space, so even lethal wounds aren't that hard to heal there… though you'd need a way to keep your existence stable while doing it." Says a fluffy-looking orange-haired man as he pushes some curtains aside and approaches my bedside. "How do you feel, Subaru-kun?"

"...Less dead than expected." I reply with a wry smile. "I'm pretty sure I was turned into hamburger meat for a bit there."

"That's seriously not something to joke about…" says Romani with a nervous laugh. "Seriously, we would have had to replace or remove around half of your non-vital organs if not for Caster's runecraft, so be sure to thank him! Anyway, you just stay there and get some rest, okay? I'll go let everyone know you're awake."

He leaves the same way he came in, and a few minutes later, my bedside is joined by a relaxed-looking Mordred Pendragon and a slightly smiling Mash Kyrielight.

This whole mess was a massive pain in the ass. Despite not killing me once in the Fuyuki, [Apocalypse Conflagration] definitely let Flauros take the top of the leaderboard in the many deaths of Natsuki Subaru. But, with the singularity resolved, and a way home guaranteed by Zelretch to show up two and a half years from now, I think... things are finally starting to look up!

…

"What do you mean there are seven more singularities!?"

A/N:

Lol Subaru thought he could catch a break.

Surprise bonus update! Rejoice, for fuyuki is complete!

Next chapter Friday.

Review responses:

Crown of Reaper said:

Independent Action is bullshit, and Archer's is only B rank. Imagine the servants that have it at EX rank. Well, EX rank of anything is complete and utter bullshit but imagine Independent Action.

Well, to be fair, EX just means it 'can't be measured', so it's possible that it could just be real heckin weird. Maxwell's demon, for example, might have EX independent action when he turns himself into an archer.

Also, will there be a Singularity that takes place in Lungnica?

Not certain yet, but probably.

darthwolf said:

Wait wait wait! Subaru is an Apostle of the Alien God?! How?!

He's not. Archer just misidentified him, because Satella checks so many of the same boxes.

Fate said:

I thought Herakles concepts of twelve labors would overuse alcides.

True, that's also possible. I'd say their fight could probably go either way.

Guest said:

So Reid, and shaula or Flugel would have similar level via mystery, what about the dragon spirit or puck?

Volcanica for sure. Puck is considerably younger, so he probably would only get about as much of a mystery bonus as Reinhard (though obviously wouldn't be NEAR his level). He's only been famous as the great spirit of fire for a few years (though his time of birth might have been as early as 500 years ago).