C247: Beginning of the End Pt5
Alt title Teaser: Top Secret News
Date published: 8/9/2025.
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Washio was blasted away by Heracles (alter) as he had protected Rin from the assault. While the physical force was plentiful, it was primarily the magically enhanced physique that had hurt him the most.
The berserker already has plentiful experience with fighting mythical creatures such as dragons (the great dragon, Ladon, that protected the divine garden where the golden apples, immortal fruit of hera resides).
Nevertheless, Washio was only struck by the shockwave of a legendary warrior, as the primary force was sent towards Sheba who had raised her smoke barrier in time. The draconic boy crashed into the far wall, near where Angra Mainyu had collided and took some time to recover before once again being harassed by Archer.
All forces with the exception of Caster had joined the battlefield, intense magical collisions resound every second. Sheba turned into a defensive tank against Heracles with Luna becoming the primary fighting force to destroy his undead legion. Rin acted as a support for both, mostly creating obstacles for the berserker and just being a typical nuisance. 'Shirou' is being harassed by Shirou. There does not seem to be any short term solution to the battlefield until a new voice is raised, amplified by modern magus magic, specifically a magi-tool microphone
"Alright everyone, Halt or they get it" All stop and look in confusion as they soon spot an elegantly draped middle aged man with two guns in his hands pointed at the back of two young girls with fearful expressions on their faces.
"Sakura!!" Rin and Washio calls out but Washio's voice is far more strained as he had just climbed out of the rubble.
"Nee-san" Surprisingly, it's Angra Mainyu that calls out to Illya, though if anyone heard it better, they would hear a second more endearing voice say, "my Darling daughter". A conflict of mental states that Angra Mainyu still possesses from Irisviel, even in the heat of battle. Both girls keep walking forward until told to stop.
Berserker is feeling a conflict of emotions as his new mental state does not actually care about the child anymore, yet it's the corrupted bond that he still retains with her that makes him hold his stance. That and the command from 'Shirou' that tells him to stop.
Most are emotionally restricted with the exception of Sheba and Luna who remain calm and speak up. "What are your conditions for releasing them?"
'Hmmph, all masters with the exception of the Tohsaka heir are to release their servants. The tohsaka heir can pass their servant to me since they had killed mine." Takehiro Hikari states as he jabs his gun against the two girls' backs.
The tension begins to grow by quite a bit until Sheba, Luna and Rin begin to laugh, falling over onto the floor holding their guts. On Luna's side, she just spins in the air. None have diminished their barriers.
"Hey, what's so funny?" Hikari grows nervous as he yells in confusion.
"Mou, Nee-san, you shouldn't ruin my fun like this. It's very rude." Sakur puts her hands on her hip as she raises a finger to scold her sister first before moving on to do the same with Luna and Sheba who had been her second and third teachers after her adoptive father, Axel Gram.
Washio and the others bear confused expressions as they take in the situation.
Rin decides to reveal the real reason of why Sakura had been set to stay outside the battlefield and only provide miniscule artillery fire from outside for each fight.
"Sakura Tohsaka, no, Sakura Gram. You were always considered amongst the two of us to be the most talented. Afterall, if you had joined the fight from the start, you could replicate our teacher and personally suppress every servant and master even at the same time." The grand reveal shocks all sides as even Hikari steps back in slight fear as he had heard the tales from Bazett had told him that ensured both of them feared the coordinator Axel Gram.
Now hearing that his adoptive daughter who was trained alongside one of the current masters was considered comparable to their teacher is awe inspiring but also confusing.
'How could I possibly take her hostage?' his thoughts can only repeat in his head as he instinctively clenches his han which is holding the guns right now and fires.
"Huh?" "AAAGGGHHH"
Takehiro firstly has a confused expression as neither of the two hostages have looks of pain on them. Especially the little girl who was supposed to just be the master of Berserker.
Then he soon loses hold of the two guns in his hands as the pain finally hits him. He spots two holes in his hands, shattering the bones from the two bullets that passed through them.
Hikari shambles backwards as he looks at Sakura in confusion as she exhibits a pure and cheerful smile. It is Sheba who reveals the details this time around.
"Sakura has an affinity for imaginary numbers. That means she has the power to create portals to the reverse side of the world. Under our lord's teachings, that portal ability also functions in this world. The bullets you fired were sent back at you."
All forces soon shiver. Illya from both fear and relief as she soon realizes that she was never in danger but that she likely could never win this war if the older girl had properly joined.
'Shirou' shares the same sensation but even worse as he is properly against the girl right now. Archer has a properly confused expression as this is completely different from the timeline he was from. Back then, Sakura had been well endowed with magical talents, but they were mostly stifled by the Matou's or corrupted by the grail in which case made her very dangerous.
That describes the current situation as she willfully manipulates space itself to shuffle the ghosts of Heracles (alter) around like mismatched puzzle pieces. The head of a hydra is now on the neck of a cerberus.
Typically that would be a nightmarish combination but the change was too smooth. As such, the hydra head simply feels like it's body has changed in a way it doesnt understand, as if surgery had been done to it and it just woke up. To that point, it begins to attack the rest of the cerberus as even if it's an incomplete spirit, it can still sense where its body is no more.
Treating the body of the three headed dog like a virus, and vice versa, the two species begin to fight each other for dominance.
Other changes begin to flow as the self proclaimed goddess of space begins to snap space itself apart via fractures in portals which directly shatter the connection between the spirit and the relic in the alter servant's chest.
The berserker could summon the spirit back but as the servant is not known for his magical abilities, these spirits will gradually grow weaker and weaker until even heracles will return into a skeleton.
A shade of his former self
This is especially true as Sheba and Luna return to fight back, stopping the berserkers physical attacks as well as destroying the spirits with Luna's holy light spells.
Seeing that the Berserker is gradually falling, Washio had moved to meet the two girls, bringing them to 'safety' but not before knocking out Takehiro Hikari who was still groaning and moaning about his hands.
He had almost begun to run away but Washio was too angry to let them go. Sakura had even kicked one of her feet up, planting a kiss on Washio's cheek like a damsel who was saved by a noble knight.
"Sister, your acting skills are growing by the day" Rin offhandedly comments as she too returns to the fight but not against Berserker, instead she begins to assist her own servant who is gradually falling on the backfoot once more.
"I don't know what you mean nee-san. I'm obviously a dainty young lady in the prime of her life. A big ferocious dragon wishes to keep me under lock and key for the rest of my life." Sakura offhandedly comments as she hugs Washio. The boy blushes hard and even grows worried that his secret had been revealed to his 'adopted sister'.
"Sakura…even if you are probably the strongest one here, you should still leave and be safe, we can handle it from here." Washio cups Sakura's cheeks and looks at her directly as the two lock eyes. Washio's draconic pupils meet Sakura's light blue and deep blue bordering purple (blue is original color before crest worm surgery) heterochromic eyes.
It is Sakura who blushes this time around and she nods in agreement as she begins to grab Illya's hand and pull her away.
She doesn't forget to tie a magical rope around Hikari's hands which lifts him up so she doesnt have to drag him along.
With the three heading out once more, Washio turns to help Rin take down Angra Mainyu. While Archer is talented in physical combat, due to 'Shirou' taking in all that Archer had, he is mostly on the back foot.
At least, that changes once Washio joins in. Archer is able to retreat as he takes up his true role as Archer, using a bow with swords. He unleashes a torrent of 'arrows' at 'Shirou' while Washio utilizes his draconic features to tank all the blades that strike. At least the ones created by the original body of Shirou Emiya.
The gunblades clash against Washio's draconic scales and they typically get stuck as the half dragon scales are hard enough to prevent being cut along with any sort of other injury Angra Mainyu could unleash against him physically.
His only noteworthy ability is his speed which allows him to outspeed Washio but with the combination of both Rin and Archer, he struggles to escape Washio .
The half dragon unleashes a large assortment of draconic spells like dragon spells like dragon breath, Dragon orbs which is floating dragon breath that shoots down spears of fire at it's target. With the last spell being draconic aura which is a boost type spell that enhances all physical parameters of Washio and his designated allies who are within it's range. The only downside is that it's a localized spell, meaning that the spell stays wherever it was casted instead of following the user.
The Dragon aura is especially good for Archer who stays close enough if he has to shift between range and close combat.
"Master, May I?" Archer suddenly asks Rin vaguely.
"Sigh, Might as well, But try to keep it around this area, I don't want the others to be pulled into it" Rin gives her permission. Both Washio and Shirou are confused as they fall under the impression that Archer might have some sort of secret skill.
By all technicalities it is a secret skill but this one is unique to him but other servants have a similar technique. Medea's has been already used multiple times. Ruler has utilized her own under Medea's command and Berserker has used his but it's nature is much more passive as it cant be turned off due to his very nature and legend.
"Very well" Archer resolutely accepts the order as he begins his chant.
"I am the bone of my sword"
"Steel is my body and fire is my blood"
"I have created over a thousand blades"
"Unknown to death nor known to life"
"Have withstood pain to create many weapons"
"Yet, those hands will never hold anything"
"So as I pray,"
" Unlimited Blade Works"
As the chant finishes, an orb of light begins to gather around Archer, spreading out like a bomb, the 5 of them are enveloped by the light. Angra Mainyu, Archer, Rin, Washio and the last last minute addition is Martha who found that any role she took in the other side was worthless and thus she had chased after her master to support him once more.
All five find themselves in a vast desert with an assortment of rusty and chipped blades scattered around. Though there are those which are pristine, as if just waiting for their destined user.
Of the fight is not over yet but it's not Washio who has to take the front lines this time around, no he is lost in his thoughts over the current sight he has been blessed with. Martha must take charge but neither Rin nor Archer are preoccupied as all three take charge once more against Avenger (Alter).
Martha has to be more careful as her defenses are not as solid as Washios'. Thankfully she has her staff to block most of the blows to her. Her speed is only slightly inferior to the Avenger and her physical prowess and endurance are both higher than his but not drastically so.
It certainly doesnt help that both Rin and Washio are conduits for Archer which is why Washio is experiencing so many sensations. Rin has already experienced high grade magic multiple times thanks to her teacher but Washio, even with his intense training, is still very much a newbie in such intense magic.
"I get it now" as if an echo, both Washio and
'Shirou' states all of a sudden.
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Word count: 2260
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