Outside the cave, on the cliff facing the entrance directly.
Naoki listened to the sounds coming from within: "The battle is truly intense. Senior Hinako is really getting into it. At this rate, defeating Black Saber is only a matter of time."
No matter the situation, the most troublesome opponent was undoubtedly one with immortality. If there was a vast difference in strength, it wouldn't matter. But if both sides were nearly equal in power, the immortal side would almost certainly win in the end.
Artoria Alter wasn't weak. Although the level of each of her skills had decreased, in one-on-one combat, she hadn't weakened significantly. Combined with mana supply from the Greater Grail, she could consecutively unleash Noble Phantasms.
Even if Artoria from Naoki's household came, victory wouldn't be easy.
But Hinako was different. Though her offensive upper limit was capped at Heroic Spirit level, she possessed infinite mana and could perform suicide attacks anytime, anywhere. If one failed, she could simply do it again. She wouldn't need many—perhaps around ten suicide attacks—and Artoria Alter definitely wouldn't be able to endure.
"However, Miss Hinako cannot use such suicide attacks now. Based on my real-time environmental monitoring, Ritsuka's physical condition is extremely dangerous."
Rei, standing beside Naoki, said with a frown.
"Should I go assist them, Master?"
"Yes, go ahead. I'll stay here. There's a small matter I need to resolve. I'll follow shortly."
Hearing Naoki's words, Rei didn't ask further. She immediately leapt from the cliff and rushed into the cave—her master didn't need her worry, no matter what he intended to do.
After watching Rei enter the cave, Naoki turned to face the forest behind him: "Alright, you can come out now. I didn't know you had a hobby of spying like this, Professor Lev."
"No, perhaps I should call you Pillar Demon God Flauros now, right?"
Stepping out from behind a tree in the forest, Professor Lev tipped his hat and clapped his hands a few times: "You truly surprised me. I never expected you could sense my presence. My concealment technique should've been perfect… No, how are you still alive and standing here, Naoki? You were the closest person to me. You should've died in that explosion, just like Marie."
Why was he still standing here?
"Heh, if I could die from an attack of that level, I'd have died hundreds of times over the years, Flauros. Besides, Marie isn't dead either. Though her soul and body are separated, both are unharmed. Chaldea has already recovered eighty percent of its functions after my repairs and will be fully restored in two or three days."
"Unfortunately, the impact of your suicide attack might not have been as great as you imagined. Everything's still under my control."
As he spoke, Naoki raised his hand: "So now, only you remain. I know killing you here won't have any real effect. Unless all seventy-two Pillar Demon Gods are destroyed, the death of one individual means nothing."
"But… I'm not the type to just sit still after being attacked. Consider this retaliation for the explosion you gave me."
*BUZZ!*
Blazing fire began to ignite around Naoki, instantly surrounding Professor Lev in a roaring sea of flames.
Seeing the sea of fire, as if he had already confirmed something, Professor Lev covered his face: "As I expected… Just as my King said, you truly are a great threat to our plan, Star Holy Sword Bearer."
"That's why I must eliminate you here."
"Eliminate me? With just you?"
Flauros' words were so absurd that Naoki couldn't help but frown. One Pillar Demon God couldn't possibly be his match. Why would Flauros say something like that?
The answer appeared in the next second.
*SHUA!*
Inside the nearby cave, a new mana reaction suddenly emerged without warning. And when Naoki sensed that mana reaction—
"Hey! Natsukawa! This mana reaction is dangerous!"
Roman's panicked voice came through the communication bracelet on his wrist.
"This mana reaction is undoubtedly from a Servant, but its scale… It's at the level of a Divine Spirit—or even beyond! Natsukawa! Mash and the others are in danger!"
"I know!"
Without hesitation, Naoki waved his hand, shrinking the ring of fire and consuming Flauros' figure, then rushed toward the cave without delay!
He knew why Roman was so panicked. In truth, the panic in his own heart was no less than Roman's, because both he and Roman were very familiar with the mana reaction that had just appeared!
Because it was mana he had faced directly before—and mana Roman himself had once possessed!
But why? Why had it appeared here? Why now? It should have first appeared in the Fourth Singularity, in London. Why had it come so early?
(Could it be because of me? Flauros said I'm a threat to them. To eliminate me, did they decide to act from the very beginning?)
If that was the reason, Naoki felt slightly flattered. He never expected they'd consider him so important.
But now wasn't the time to reflect. Even though Rei was there, Naoki didn't want to be even a second late! After all, against that person, it was impossible to imagine what they could do in just half a second!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
And at the same time, inside the cave—
Mana density had reached an extraordinary level. The heavy pressure caused by the excessively dense mana forced Mash to brace her shield with all her strength just to avoid collapsing. Beside her, Hinako's face was also extremely pale. Only Rei, shielding Ritsuka, remained calm, but from her expression, she wasn't at ease either.
Struggling to lift her head under the immense mana pressure, Mash looked ahead. On the platform, essentially equivalent to the core of a massive mana reactor, a figure had appeared—she didn't know when.
A presence that, just by standing there, made it hard to breathe.
"You are…"