6
The transition from the bridge to the heart of the crater was punctuated by the rhythmic, metallic ping of projectiles shattering against an invisible barrier. High atop a skeletal skyscraper, Archer (EMIYA Alter) had decided that the "Counselor" and his motley crew were too much of a wildcard to be left to their own devices.
Blackened, twisted arrows rained down with the force of ballista bolts, but they never reached their targets. Cu Chulainn's "Protection from Arrows" flickered in a sphere of runic blue, but even more profound was the silence surrounding the Christ-Servant. The arrows didn't just miss; they seemed to lose their "intent" to kill as they entered His proximity, tumbling harmlessly to the ground like dead leaves.
"Man, this is frustrating," Ritsuka muttered, ducking his head as another explosion rocked a nearby car. "I feel like a total NPC. Mash-malow is out here tanking hits, Cu is doing his best Lancer-as-a-Caster impression, and even the Director is throwing out 'Spirit Gun' knockoffs like she's a teenage delinquent in an old anime. And me? I'm just standing here holding a Rosary and looking for a place to hide."
"You are the Anchor, Ritsuka," the Lord said, his voice cutting through the sound of Archer's snipes. "A ship needs a hull as much as it needs a sail. Your presence keeps Mash in this world. Your heart gives her a reason to lift that shield. Do not confuse 'quiet' with 'useless.'"
Ritsuka took a breath, tightening his grip on the silver beads. "Fine. No more whining. I'm the Master. I'm the support. I'm the one who's going to buy everyone Jollibee when we get home. I can do this."
The Shadow of the Labrys
The air suddenly grew heavy, thick with the scent of wet iron and ancient rage. From the mouth of a collapsed subway tunnel, a mountain of shadow and muscle emerged. He was nearly nine feet tall, skin the color of bruised granite, and he carried an axe-sword that looked like it had been carved from the foundation of the world itself.
Berserker (Heracles). Even as a Shadow Servant, the Greek Hero's presence was a physical weight that made it hard to breathe. He didn't roar; he emitted a low-frequency growl that vibrated in Ritsuka's teeth.
"Oh... oh no," Ritsuka whispered, his eyes widening. He looked at the massive Hero, then at his own thin arms. He remembered every survival movie he had ever seen. He remembered the golden rule of facing an opponent you can't possibly beat.
"NIGERUNDAYO!" Ritsuka yelled, his voice cracking. "Run! Mash! Director! Run like your life depends on it, because it literally does! That is a Nine-Lives-having, Labors-completing, god-tier death machine! We are outclassed! We are out-leveled! We are out-everything!"
"Senpai! I can't leave you!" Mash cried out, bracing her shield as Berserker took a step that cracked the pavement.
"I'm not leaving! I'm retreating with style!" Ritsuka scooped up Fou and began a tactical sprint away from the advancing titan.
The Lion and the Lamb
Cu Chulainn didn't run. He stood his ground, spinning his staff. "I'll buy you some time, kid! This guy is a nightmare even on a good day!"
But as Berserker raised his massive blade for a strike that would have leveled the entire block, the Christ-Servant didn't move. He stood directly in the path of the Greek Legend.
The contrast was staggering. On one side, the pinnacle of human strength, a man who had conquered hydras and defied the heavens through sheer violence. On the other, a Man in a simple tunic who had conquered the world through a surrender.
"Heracles," the Lord said. His voice wasn't loud, but it resonated with a command that stopped the Berserker's blade mid-swing. The massive sword trembled, inches from the Lord's forehead.
The Berserker let out a sound—not a roar of anger, but a confused, pained whine. The madness in his red eyes flickered. For a moment, the "God Hand" seemed to lose its dark luster.
"You have carried the weight of the sky," the Lord said, reaching out a hand to touch the rough, stone-like skin of the Berserker's arm. "You have fought until there was nothing left but the fight. But your labors are finished, Son of Alcmene. You do not need to be a monster for a dead Grail."
Berserker froze. The air around him, usually filled with the "Mad Enhancement" pressure, became strangely cool. The titan looked down at the Man, and for the first time in his existence as a Shadow, the rage was replaced by a hollow, profound silence.
The Tactical Opening
"Now, Ritsuka!" the Lord called out, though He didn't look away from the Berserker. "The Director! Use the opening!"
Ritsuka stopped his "Nigerundayo" sprint and turned back, seeing the impossible: the strongest hero of Greece held at bay by a gentle word.
"Director! Now!" Ritsuka signaled.
Olga Marie, shaking but seizing the chance, channeled every bit of her Animusphere mana into a concentrated burst. "Gandr! Callistoooo!"
The blast hit the Berserker's chest, pushing the Shadow back into the dark tunnel. Cu Chulainn followed up with a burst of runic fire, sealing the entrance with falling rubble. It wouldn't kill him—nothing truly killed Heracles easily—but it bought them the minutes they needed.
The Final Approach
They stood at the edge of the central crater. Below them, the fires converged into a single, blinding point of black and violet light. In the center of that light, sitting on a throne of twisted metal, was the King.
Saber Alter. She clutched Excalibur Morgan, the holy sword of the Lake now dripping with the liquid darkness of the Grail.
"She's waiting," Cu whispered, his face grim. "And she's not interested in 'negotiations.' That sword... it's a 'Promise of Victory' that has been twisted into a 'Verdict of Destruction.'"
Ritsuka felt the Rosary in his hand pulse with a steady, warm rhythm. He looked at the Christ-Servant.
"Lord... can she be saved?" Ritsuka asked. "She's a King. She thought she was doing the right thing. It's not fair that she ends up like this."
The Christ-Servant looked down into the pit, His eyes reflecting the black flames. "No soul is too far gone for the Light, Ritsuka. But a King's pride is a thick armor. To reach her, we must first break the sword."
Ritsuka nodded, his fear finally settling into a cold, determined resolve. "Mash-malow, get the shield ready. Director, keep the Spirit Gun hot. We're going down there. We're going to save the King of Knights."
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