The fissure in the ground extended for a few hundred meters within the barrier.
Berserker had caused a fissure with relative nonchalance.
The power behind what caused the fissure was not small. It was probably a Noble Phantasm, or two… after seeing Berserker using a strange energy and the staff with a skull in his hands, the Servants believed Berserker had at least two Noble Phantasms.
Saber was not unprepared. She immediately positioned her sword in a defensive stance.
But…
"As you can see, Saber…"
Berserker's tone was calm, showing no signs of exhaustion or a lack of Magical Energy after performing such an extreme attack with his Noble Phantasm.
"…I'm not able to control myself very well right now after accumulating so much… energy for my attack against Archer. It's better we postpone our battle until we're both in better condition, you and I, of course."
Berserker spoke calmly to Saber after demonstrating his power by creating a massive fissure hundreds of meters long. His tone seemed kind?
"Saber…"
Irisviel murmured behind Saber. She was very worried about the sudden shift from the calm and friendly conversation among the Servants.
"I understand. You're right, our conditions aren't the best. We can fight another day when I've recovered from my injury."
Saber looked at her hand, which couldn't be healed with healing magic or her natural Servant regeneration.
"Alright. I'm leaving. See you later."
Berserker turned to leave but stopped and looked back.
"Oh, right. Lancer, there's a sniper targeting your Master, so you'd better go back and stay by his side to protect him."
"What?"
Lancer was surprised by the last-minute warning Berserker gave him.
"Sniper?"
Irisviel murmured, already knowing who Berserker was referring to by calling them a sniper, not an Archer, as Servants of the Archer class were typically called by other Servants.
"Lancer, what are you waiting for? Return to my side immediately."
The distorted, stern voice of Lancer's Master quickly called Lancer to his side because of the last-minute warning Berserker had given.
If it were any other Servant, Lancer's Master would have doubted it. But this was a Berserker who maintained normal sanity and was already withdrawing from the battlefield, which now looked like a war zone.
"Thank you. I'll remember this favor, Berserker."
Lancer nodded toward Saber.
No words were needed. They confirmed their oath to each other. Saber also nodded to Lancer.
The duel would continue another time…
After Lancer confirmed this, he assumed his spiritual form and disappeared, dematerializing from the material plane.
After the destructive storm that lasted nearly an hour and a half passed through the battlefield, silence fell.
Soon after, as if suddenly remembered, the sound of waves crashing against the cliff and the bustle of distant streets returned to the night sky.
Lancer's Master had released the barrier cast over the area.
In the distance, Kiritsugu cursed his terrible luck. Berserker had ratted him out to the enemy just as he was withdrawing from the battlefield. Kiritsugu lost his perfect chance to kill Lancer's Master… he even had a plan to distract Assassin with a shot alongside Maiya for a successful assassination of Lancer's Master.
What's with Emiya Kiritsugu's awful luck today?
"Should I follow Berserker?"
Maiya's voice reached Kiritsugu. But Kiritsugu shook his head into the wind with a direct response.
"No. Berserker will notice. It's better to leave him alone… for now."
Walking away, Berserker had left the battlefield. It was clearly a trap. Berserker could have dematerialized but chose to leave the battlefield without dematerializing, deliberately to lure other Servants and Masters into a trap… those were Kiritsugu's thoughts about the lucid Berserker's actions.
"I won't fall for your trap, Berserker."
Kiritsugu wouldn't be foolish enough to fall for such an obvious trap. If he were any other Master, he would probably have fallen for it and followed Berserker to his death.
On the battlefield, only two Servants remained.
Saber looked at the last person on the battlefield, Rider, with mixed feelings. She still didn't understand what the King of Conquerors wanted on the battlefield until now.
"So, why did you really come here, King of Conquerors?"
"Hah, I never properly considered that."
Faced with Saber's inquiry, the loyal Servant appeared unconcerned and shrugged indifferently.
"All those things like reasons and plans, those troublesome matters, should be left for future historians to find a reason to give me. Heroes like us only need to obey the desires of our hearts and gallop across the battlefield with our blood boiling."
"…That's something only kings can say."
Saber's disappointed response was unwavering. She believed in the chaste path of knights, a world apart from Rider's barbaric principles used to justify his actions.
"Oh? Are you saying my way of kingship is strange to you? Hmph, that's natural."
Rider snorted and ignored Saber's challenging gaze.
"All forms of kingship are unique. For me, a King, I'm as incompatible with you, also a King, as fire is to water… You're trying to divide this world into two clear lanes of black and white."
"That's what I desire. Today, in this place, I also will…"
"Enough, enough, don't be so vigorous."
Rider gave a small smile and pointed to Saber's left hand.
"As Alexander, I won't take advantage of your weakness like others would. Saber, fulfill your promise with Lancer first and then with Berserker. Then I'll duel with Lancer, Berserker, or you, whoever is the victor in the battle among you three."
"…"
Saber was about to retort, but her left thumb was indeed a significant disadvantage. It wouldn't be wise to underestimate the combat skill of this Heroic Spirit who hadn't yet shown anything, unlike Berserker, who had already fought and demonstrated what he was capable of. Rider was still a mystery.
Saber had more confidence in defeating Berserker, who had already shown the power he possessed. Although the earthquake and the fissure stretching hundreds of meters across the street and warehouses was something to truly fear if it was a real attack.
"Then, King of Knights, let us part ways for now. The next time we meet, I'll stir all my hot blood to fight you… little Master, do you have anything else to command?"
However, the young man lying on the platform beside Rider's feet didn't respond. Rider grabbed him by the collar and lifted him, but the little Master's eyes were rolled back, and he had already fainted.
It seems the shock of the Servants' power was too much for Rider's Master.
"…This one needs to learn to be unshakable."
Rider sighed and placed his Master in his arms, then tightened the reins of his two divine bulls. The bulls roared, emitted thunder, and shot lightning from their hooves as they ascended into the sky.
"Until next time!"
Accompanied by the booming thunder, Rider's chariot galloped into the southern sky.
Irisviel finally shook off the tension and released the breath she was holding. When she looked around, it was a scene of total devastation. That was to be expected. Five Servants had gathered in one place, some unleashing their Noble Phantasms without restraint, destroying everything at will—Berserker and Archer.
"The first battle was already conducted with such intensity. Has there ever been a Holy Grail War like this before?"
Irisviel wasn't worried about the traces of destruction. The supervisor of the Holy Church is responsible for the war's secrecy. This place looked like it had been hit by an earthquake… no, it *had* been hit by an earthquake that must have struck the city at that moment.
Irisviel could hear the sirens of firefighters and ambulances outside the area where the barrier had been.
Saber was still silent, looking at the sky where Rider had flown by. Her delicate silhouette showed no signs of the excitement or exhaustion from the wild battle but remained stern and silent on the battlefield. The figure of the girl clad in armor was like a painting, an image of beauty that allowed no violation.
But Irisviel was different from Saber's calm demeanor because she knew Saber had suffered a serious injury.
"Saber, your left arm…"
"Yes. The hand hurts a lot, how shameful. As Rider said, if I don't finish my duel with Lancer and remove the curse from this wound, it will interfere with my battles against other Servants. I also can't fulfill my promise to fight Berserker in better conditions."
Irisviel couldn't detect any sign of discomfort in the indifferent tone of the King of Knights. Instead, Saber's resolve comforted Irisviel.
"…Thank you, Saber. My life was saved because of you."
Irisviel said with her head bowed. Saber responded with a smile.
"I fight on the front lines only to protect you behind me, Irisviel."
Irisviel once again felt a pang. Saber's strength, courage, and kindness.
Despite appearing decades younger than her, the stature of a girl who hadn't yet become a woman… such a delicate figure, such slender wrists, but she was a true knight, GOOD a heroine.
"The war has only begun, Irisviel. Tonight's battle was just the first night of the war's start."
"…Yes."
"They are all strong enemies with equal power. Heroes summoned from different eras… none of them can be easily defeated."
There was no anxiety or fear in Saber's voice. Before the arrival of the storm, a warrior's heart is both excited and calm. The elevated spirit and boiling blood wouldn't change in any era or any world. That is the true testament of a hero's soul.
The girl looked at the southern sky and calmly proclaimed.
"This is… the Holy Grail War."
*****
The barrier had fallen, and the battle had ended for the night.
I slowly walked to where I had left Kariya hidden. It was a warehouse outside the battlefield.
The battle was tough, much harder than I expected.
Using my shield without the staff causes a lot of damage to my left hand.
If Kariya hadn't healed my hands after I tried to force the Void God, I wouldn't have been able to move my hand right after Gilgamesh was forced to retreat with the absolute order of the Command Seal.
But thanks to that… I discovered some things and now have many questions.
One of them is…
What Are Vibrations, Really?
After accumulating a lot of Vibrations in my hands and arms, and having all the veins in my arms burst from accumulating and condensing the Vibrations, even my bones were damaged because I tried to force the Void God.
In the end, I had to cancel the Void God, and the accumulated Vibrations from the Void God are still lingering on a smaller scale in my arms and hands. My hands are hurting a lot because of these accumulated Vibrations.
This pain in my hands is the reason to avoid a battle with Saber now. I can't move my arms and hands without the pain spreading through them like a tsunami.
The real reason I'm enduring this pain without showing it on my face is because of my A++ Endurance and also because Beelzebub himself seems to have a high Pain Tolerance due to the Vibrations.
But it's worth it. Thanks to today's battle, I know my current limits. With my normal shield, I can withstand Rank A attacks, but a Rank A+ can destroy my shield. Noble Phantasms of Rank C usually have Rank A or even A+ attack power… but like some Noble Phantasms, my Vibrational Shield applies to the Rank, not the destructive power that even a Rank C can exhibit. This also means my Vibrations are like Noble Phantasms, at least on the same level.
I wouldn't be surprised if I manifested in another Class and had my Vibrations as my Noble Phantasm.
The Apomyius should be able to block attacks from Rank A+ and even Rank A++ Noble Phantasms or higher. Even the attack of a Sealed Excalibur might be stopped by my shield if it doesn't receive power from the World to defeat me.
But not everything is as easy as it seems at first glance.
Even my Vibrational Shield has a certain limit against overpowered things.
I may be very confident in blocking Excalibur, but absurd things like Gilgamesh's Ea are out of the question.
Ea is a big problem. Ea has power comparable to Excalibur, which isn't a big deal; I can block it. But Ea at its maximum potency can cut through space with its powerful tornado.
Blocking a Spatial Cut? I don't see the slightest possibility of that happening.
There's also Rider's Reality Marble, the King of Conquerors, Alexander. Perhaps only the Void God can destroy his Reality Marble.
Two threats. I have two threats in this Holy Grail War. No… three, if the Chains of Heaven, Enkidu, are used against me again.
Enkidu normally relies on Divinity to bind someone. Though it has its limits with someone of Rank A Divinity or higher.
My Divinity is low, making Enkidu almost useless.
But…
The Concept of those chains is still the Concept of "Reigning Over Gods" when binding.
I don't have high Divinity, but I am a… God. Even without the Divine Spirit Classification, I'm still a God.
I wasn't bound by Divinity… but by the Concept.
Next time, I need to be cautious and destroy the Chains of Heaven before they touch me.
I'll also cut off Gilgamesh's head at my first chance. Screw the future Fate/stay night… Gilgamesh is a threat to me with Enkidu and Ea.
But forgetting about the half-mongrel king of mongrels.
What Are Vibrations?
Everyone knows that Vibrations basically cause earthquakes, as well as sounds that can shatter glass or some crystal goblets, and it's also possible to cut things with extremely fast Vibrations like my right-hand Vibrations.
But that doesn't say what Vibrations are.
Earthquakes, Sounds, and super-fast Vibrational Movements capable of cutting metal.
The Vibrational Shield is also something that Reflects, from what I know and understood from fighting today. A Reflecting Shield.
I didn't study much physics, but I have the Technological Knowledge I received from Beelzebub when I transmigrated to the Nasuverse in the Reverse Side of the World.
Vibrations are exactly what I just said. Super-fast movements.
Vibrations are about movement. But not simple movement, rather Mechanics, the study of motion in physics.
There's Classical Mechanics, which studies all motion on a macroscopic scale, motion that can be seen with the naked eye. However, that doesn't explain my Vibrations; only the Law of Action and Reaction is explained in Classical Mechanics. But…
Something that explains my Vibrations is…
Quantum Mechanics.
While Classical Mechanics deals with motion phenomena that can be seen and observed with the eyes.
Quantum Mechanics deals with what cannot be seen with the naked eye. And it's with what cannot be seen with the naked eye that explains my Vibrations.
Quantum Mechanics is the atomic and subatomic realm. Because Quantum Mechanics studies the movements of particles and how they behave.
And that's exactly what a Vibration is.
It's the particles and molecules moving.
Molecules or particles move in various ways. Translation, Rotation, and, of course, Vibration.
So my Vibrations are caused by the Vibrations of molecules and particles.
The secret of particle or molecule Vibration. Atoms and molecules vibrate and exchange energy. Normally, it's thermal energy…
I supply energy, and my particles and molecules vibrate more because the energy exchange process becomes faster.
Vibrations are the movement of particles, and they are also… Energy.
That's why my hands are covered in energy, both for attacking and defending. It's the transfer of potential and kinetic energy.
But there's a terrible problem I don't understand.
All molecules have energy and are in constant motion; they vibrate. This Vibration is the energy of matter and can be measured as temperature. Most matter expands when heated and contracts when cooled. The more energy something has, the higher its temperature, and the more its molecules vibrate.
So… why don't my Vibrations generate heat?
If my Vibrations were normal as explained in physics, where is the heat that my Vibrations generate?
I think I should read a physics book and see if there's anything about how Vibrations are and how they work. It's much better than me just thinking about it.
The Grail provides a lot of information about the Modern Era, but nothing as advanced as basic physics knowledge. Everything that's common, I know about… I even know how to pilot a plane, but it's better not to try without the right Skill.
Hmm…
There's also the matter of my blood. I need to check its properties since it seems special. At least Hades's and Zeus's were.
My Vibrations and Blood.
I need to conduct several experiments with my Vibration power and my Blood.
Sensing Zeus's blood in Saber's body was shocking. Although I already knew she was a direct descendant of Zeus, well… she's more a descendant of Aphrodite than Zeus, actually.
Aeneas, son of Aphrodite.
His descendants are the founders of Britain. King Arthur's reign was what ended that lineage by losing the war, and the Saxons migrated to Britain, nearly bringing the lineage of Troy descended from Aphrodite to an end…
If it weren't for Gray's existence, she is the last descendant of Aphrodite in this Era.
Artoria is still alive, so she and Gray are the last descendants of the Olympians in the world.
But in other Worlds, Gray truly is the last if she exists in them too.
I don't know if Gray is really the last, since there's still her mother, plus several villagers. But officially, she would be the last confirmed, since everyone will die in ten years.
But really, now that I think about Gray's mother's face. It's like an Artoria who's a mother and housewife.
But Gray, hmm…
Since Artoria was summoned, she went through a lot to become the New Coming of King Arthur in this Era.
Well, that ritual has nothing to do with me.
I entered the warehouse and found Kariya on the floor, unconscious.
"What's that smell?"
This warehouse mostly smelled of fish, but there was a new smell in the air.
It smells like piss, no, it's stronger than the smell of urine, it's more like…
"Huh?"
I understood what the smell was when I saw a stain on Kariya's pants.
The Worms, besides feeding on Magical Energy or flesh to produce Magical Energy… they feed on release, no, they cause sexual stimuli by feeding on the host.
That Worm serving as a familiar wasn't enough to cause such a strong reaction in Kariya.
Zouken, he really seems to want to kill Kariya by the end of the Holy Grail War.
Kariya used a Vision Worm to watch the battlefield, limiting a technique a Master would use with a Servant to see what the Servant was seeing. A Shared Vision, literally.
At least his pain was masked by extreme pleasure.
"…"
I'd better wait for Kariya to wake up so we can go.
I don't want to touch a man who just came.
*****
After watching the events unfold, Kotomine Kirei ordered his Assassin to return from the field and stopped his shared perception with his Servant.
When Kotomine ceased his ability and stopped sensing the smell of the winds blowing over the sea and the feeling of assessing the battlefield, he returned to the church's basement.
Kotomine Risei appeared out of nowhere beside Kirei. It was as if he had been listening to Kirei's report to Tokiomi about the battle. As soon as the battle ended, Kirei assumed his role as regulator, quickly giving orders on his phone.
"…Mion District. Yes, the streets and warehouses by the sea. Massive damage… Ah… ah. Alright, I know how tough it is for you now because of the earthquake… hmm, that's right, mobilize the city guards to clean up part of the battlefield, the earthquake signs can help… use Plan D too, the earthquake will help a lot with that… I'll rely on you for the on-site identifications as well…"
They had already made agreements with the police and local government.
But because of that earthquake Berserker caused, there was almost no need to clean up the battlefield.
While glancing at his father out of the corner of his eye, Kirei began his analysis of the people who appeared in tonight's battle. The elite mage from the Clock Tower, El-Melloi, lost Alexander's great artifact, which he possessed.
Tokiomi's spy had also reported this once. Alexander entered the Holy Grail War as a Rider-class Servant, and his young Master seemed strangely connected to Lancer's Master.
But… there's no doubt that Lancer's Master is El-Melloi. After Alexander's artifact was stolen by a young man named Waver, he must have obtained the Heroic Spirit Diarmuid's artifact to summon another Heroic Spirit.
When Matou Kariya summoned Berserker, he reported the events to his father. At that moment, neither Kirei nor Tokiomi paid much attention to it.
However, they hadn't anticipated the immense powers of the Berserker Servant or his exceptional ability to create Energy Shields, cause earthquakes, and split the ground without moving a finger. It was also revealed that, like Tokiomi's Gilgamesh, he was a demigod from the Age of Gods. Although the priestly attire didn't give the impression of a demigod from the Age of Gods.
For the battle to turn in Tokiomi's favor, the other Servants must first defeat Berserker. This task is best performed by Lancer.
Diarmuid's Noble Phantasm, Gáe Dearg, as a spear that pierces magic, seemed to be the best Noble Phantasm to nullify Berserker's Shield.
The Caster and his Master remain an enigma, as they haven't appeared yet. But considering the Caster class, that wasn't surprising. Besides Berserker, all the other Servants had already revealed their true names.
Besides the major threats, Saber lost her battle. The injury will greatly affect her upcoming matches.
Berserker was fine, not very controlled after canceling his Noble Phantasm, but he was indeed still fine and at 100% after fighting Gilgamesh.
As for Gilgamesh, he displayed his Noble Phantasms with great fanfare and put himself at a disadvantage but didn't reveal his true name. Moreover, no one noticed that Assassin was still alive. Thus, judging by the current situation, Tokiomi still held a significant advantage.
Kirei calculated calmly while organizing, but there wasn't a shred of excitement in his heart.
According to the church's wishes, Tokiomi Tohsaka should achieve the final victory.
Kirei's mission is to help Tokiomi achieve that goal. He didn't see many obstacles to that. It was a mission without any real expectations. It was also the culmination of everything over the past three years.
"…Master Kirei."
Kirei tensed.
A shadow silently appeared beside him. Someone, a woman wearing a skull mask and dressed entirely in black, was the Assassin responsible for reconnaissance near the warehouse street that served as the battlefield.
"…What is it?"
"Reporting. I found something strange outside the church."
The Assassin respectfully handed over the corpse of a bat. Although its head was twisted and broken, it was slightly warm… suggesting it hadn't been dead for long.
"A familiar?"
"Yes. However, it was outside the designated field, but it was obvious it was placed there to monitor the church."
"…"
The Assassin's conclusion was unthinkable. The church is neutral in the Grail War and must not be challenged. If someone dares to interfere in the church's affairs, the regulator may choose to punish them by reducing their Command Seals or temporarily suspending their combat ability.
There's no reason to risk such a heavy penalty to monitor the church. Unless…
The story that Kirei is with the lost Assassin Servant and is now under the church's protection…
'Is there a Master who's already doubting the validity of this event?'
He took the bat's corpse from Assassin's hand. Kirei fixed his gaze on a strange object when he noticed small electronic components attached to the bat's belly. A button-sized battery and… a seemingly wireless miniature CCD camera.
If the bat was a mage's familiar, then this was a strange combination. Kirei knew most mages despised and ignored mundane technologies. His teacher, Tokiomi, was one such man. This mage, on the other hand, not only used magical vision but also machines to record everything. That wasn't something a normal mage would consider.
'…Completely indiscriminate in their methods. Completely unaware of pride as a mage…'
Like a bolt of lightning, Tokiomi's words flashed in Kotomine Kirei's mind as he recalled his mentor's words.
Kirei couldn't deduce which mage did this or why they did it. He stared at the small mammal's body for a long time. In his heart, the answer to this enigma was more significant than the battle tonight between five Servants.
*****
Walking through the bustling night, there were many visible cracks in the residences and streets of most of Fuyuki City.
The dejected Matou Kariya looked at all the damage caused by Berserker.
As bustling as the night was, Kariya and his Servant passed through places without people, and so no one noticed them.
Although a bounded field could help them hide from normal people on the streets, Kariya wasn't exactly one of the best mages.
Kariya was different from other mages. He was just a skimmer mage… without the formal training and learning of a true mage, he was more like a student who had just attended a crash course. He wasn't like the others and didn't share their arrogance or carelessness. On the other hand, however, he lacked the confidence to face other mages.
But on the bright side, he felt lucky to have summoned a Berserker who maintained his sanity and had an extremely high Independent Action rank.
Thus, it was probably better to let Berserker throw bombs at his opponents. Let him fight as he pleased. Kariya decided to protect himself first while observing the events from a safe location… Berserker also agreed and told him to stay hidden far from the battlefield.
Kariya remembered when he and Berserker picked up Lancer's trail while pursuing the Heroic Spirit to that location. When the battle began, he only sent Vision Worms obtained from Zouken, hid in the warehouses far from the battlefield, and observed the battle.
Emerging from an alley onto an empty street, Kariya and his Servant climbed the street's incline.
Through the shop windows, Kariya could see his appearance.
Most of his capillaries had burst. Blood flowed slowly and ceaselessly from the cracked parts of his skin. Besides his pale appearance and half of his body paralyzed.
Long ago, Kariya once saw a victim of a nuclear plant explosion struggle with diseases. At this moment, his appearance and situation were no different from those victims before their deaths. His fleshly body had already been destroyed. But the Crest Worms spread throughout Kariya's body. His magic extended his lifespan and allowed him to move.
Kariya sighed deeply and couldn't help but think the future was bleak.
To defeat Tohsaka Tokiomi, there was still a long way to go.
Then, to defeat everyone else and obtain the Holy Grail… that future was even further away.
However, to save Sakura, he must overcome all these obstacles.
There was only pressure. He couldn't fall. Even if it cost him every last drop of his blood and every inch of his flesh, Matou Kariya must reach that distant shore. If he didn't succeed, it would all lose meaning.
Kariya forced his extremely weakened body to climb the street. Berserker didn't want to touch him to help him walk… he understood.
Even he couldn't believe what had happened.
_______________
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