-27- A City in Flames

Time, back to the second before being engulfed by the great fire.

Holding Mash tightly in their arms, Rozen's heart is filled with determination.

(At this point, this is the only way...)

Rozen instinctively tightens the hand wearing the "Miracle."

To escape the current crisis, Rozen indeed has a way.

That is to use the power of the "Miracle" to open a gate to another world, leave the current timeline, and thus evade the imminent danger.

However...

(This power is not something that can be used lightly...)

As mentioned before, opening a gate to another world other than the "soul" requires a price.

Furthermore, the opened "door" cannot allow anyone other than Rozen to pass through.

In other words, relying on this method, even if it leads to survival, only Rozen will be able to pass through the "door," and Mash won't be able to do it alone.

Even if they manage to go through the "door" to another world, how to save the heavily injured Mash remains a problem.

After all, Mash's injuries are urgent and cannot be delayed.

Moreover, on the other side of the "door," there might be something that could heal Mash's injuries, but Rozen can't afford to be too optimistic.

(But now, this is the only way!)

Without using this method, there's only a dead end.

By using this method, there's still a glimmer of hope.

So, besides using it, does Rozen have any other choice?

As for how to let Mash pass through the "door," which theoretically only opens to Rozen, Rozen does have a way.

(Although I really don't want to use this method...)

But there's no other option.

Just as Rozen makes up their mind...

"Spiritron transfer, commence."

As Chaldea's system announces, Rozen feels as if their entire existence turns into particles and enters a dazzling channel.

It is a passage leading to another timeline.

"Spiritron transfer...!?"

Rozen can't help but gasp, and then a sense of dizziness takes away their consciousness.

When consciousness returns to their mind, and the dizziness disappears, it is already an unknown amount of time later.

As Rozen's vision completely returns, and the scene before them enters their sight, Rozen stands still in shock.

Appearing before them is a ruin no different from Chaldea's control room.

Buildings collapsed, wrapped in fiery red light.

Roads stood like deserted streets in all directions.

Before them lies a town reduced to ruins, still burning.

"Where is this...?"

Rozen tries hard to grasp the current situation.

At this moment, a sudden pang of pain strikes the back of Rozen's right hand, drawing their attention.

When Rozen sees what's on the back of their right hand, a look of astonishment appears on their face.

There, a prominent red pattern is branded.

The pattern consists of three lines, like three rings interlocking, forming a design.

From this pattern, Rozen can sense a tremendous surge of magical power.

This confirms what the pattern on their hand is.

"A Command Seal..."

---------------A Command Seal.

It is a highly precious command authority, proof that one is a Master.

It connects with the mage's magical circuits, and by giving orders to it, one can use it as a magical resource to issue commands to the contracted Servant, making them come true.

Given this, Command Seals can be used to strengthen the contracted Servant or heal the injuries they've suffered. If the mage is skilled, they can even use the Seals to impose a binding similar to a "curse" on the Servant they've materialized using the magical power they have manifested.

And its appearance naturally means...

"A Servant... has formed a contract with me...?"

This is the only explanation for the appearance of a Command Seal.

"No way...?"

At this moment, Rozen is truly bewildered.

If it were before, Rozen would undoubtedly be overjoyed by this situation.

After all, forming a genuine contract with a Servant, using the Heroic Spirit Summoning System as a Master, has always been Rozen's desire.

Now that this desire has been realized in such a way, Rozen is completely devoid of excitement and can only sink into confusion.

Fortunately, Rozen is a skilled mage in summoning magic, and they soon react to this unexpected situation.

"Now is not the time to think about this...!"

Rozen shifts their attention from the Command Seal on their hand and anxiously surveys the surroundings.

"Where's Mash? Where did she go?"

This is the most critical thing to consider now.

Recalling the touch of the girl in their arms whose body temperature is gradually fading away, Rozen immediately prepares to run forward.

However, this action is thwarted in the next moment.

"---------!"

Rozen's body, which was about to dash out, suddenly freezes in place.

In front of their eyes, at the edge of the deserted town, a meteor appears on the horizon.

"Whoosh...!"

The sound of breaking through the air echoes like a rainstorm.

Those are...

"---------Arrows...!"

Rozen can only understand up to this point.

As for escaping, it's already too late.

The meteor shower-like arrows coming from the horizon have long surpassed the speed of the Shadow Servant's projectiles used during simulated combat.

In other words, it is a level of shooting that surpasses that of upper-level familiars.

In terms of power, speed, and quantity, it surpasses the Shadow Servant Rozen summoned at the beginning.

Facing such an attack, Rozen can only shrink their pupils to the size of a needle, as if seeing a slideshow of their imminent death.

And in just one more second, the rain of arrows will pierce Rozen's body and tear it into countless pieces.

A more imminent death crisis than when in the control room is now erupting head-on.

Facing this blatant death, does Rozen have any way to resolve it?

Magic?

There's no time to cast it.

Evasion?

Given Rozen's meager physical abilities, it's simply not realistic.

Before Spiritron transfer, Rozen definitely did not have the means to deal with this crisis.

But now, Rozen has an ace up their sleeve.

"Clang!"

A dazzling light blooms from the back of Rozen's hand.

Within the Command Seal, which is formed by three interlocking rings, one of the rings suddenly fades and transforms into a surging and overwhelming magical power.

Using this magical power, Rozen gives a command.

"Come to my side! My Servant!"

Under the support of immense magical power, this command becomes reality.

And then...

"Ha!"

Amidst a clear shout, within the surging and overwhelming torrent of magical power, a shadow-like black figure shoots out like lightning and stands before Rozen.

Looking at this figure, Rozen widens their eyes.

"Mash...!?"