Please Win, Arkhan...
A roaring darkness extended its claws and fangs into the world.
A mass of flesh boiled like a grotesque sea.
Chaos multiplied.
Above Camelot, emerging from the chaos and feasting on souls, a twisted monster about to be born elongated countless mouths in the moment of merging with a young girl it deemed as its kin, emitting a cacophony of grotesque screams.
The monstrous sound transformed into waves of space-corroding power, causing cracks to appear in Camelot's towering walls. Its violent behavior seemed to announce the end of its slumber, its change, and its waiting.
Desires and chaos cried out in greed, looming over the land.
Eating, evolving, eating, evolving, eating, evolving!
The embodiment of sin and depravity, its name was Beast VI, Beast of 666, and the Beast of Revelation.
"What... is that thing?"
As everyone on the ground watched the tumultuous mass of flesh, everyone's faces turned pale.
Partly because of the discomfort caused by its nightmarish, grotesque form, and partly because of the mental shock brought by the presence of its dark and chaotic existence.
Once upon a time, there emerged from the depths of antiquity a creature on the brink of crawling out of the abyss, assaulting the holy city from beyond the sea, born as the king of the world with the authority to profane all things, governing the phenomena of prosperity and depravity.
Carrying an evil woman on its back, it summoned countless accusers, slanderers, and abusers from all over the world, embracing, melting, and devouring them in the center of a golden whirlpool, destined to hold the power of death.
At this moment, an indescribable fear seized the hearts of everyone.
It was the suppression imposed by the impending transformation of the monster upon them, just as squirrels would hoard food before hibernating. All of them had long been regarded by the hungry monster as its first feast in this world.
Suddenly, a surge of mental power swept through like the sun melting snow, instantly dispersing the cold fear in the hearts of everyone.
In the warmth and comfort it left behind, a steady male voice soon resonated in everyone's hearts.
"Beast VI is about to descend! Everyone, move away from the walls! The farther, the better!"
It was undoubtedly an unquestionable order.
The remaining soldiers of the Holy Roman Empire glanced at each other, nodding simultaneously, and dashed toward the direction away from Camelot.
They didn't know what the Beast VI was, but they knew that the next battlefield was no longer one where mere mortals could tread.
"Beast VI..." Ritsuka muttered and stared blankly at the writhing mass of black flesh, then turned to the blond emperor beside her.
Nero froze for a moment, rubbed her forehead, and sighed.
"No wonder she wanted me..."
But after saying that, Nero became puzzled.
"But I'm still here, aren't I? How did she manage to summon Beast VI?"
"It was a sacrificial ritual."
A virtual screen suddenly opened up, and Romani's serious face appeared before them.
"Merlin must have sacrificed a large number of souls and then forcefully awakened Beast VI."
"A large number of souls?" Ritsuka paused for a moment, pondered for a while, and then her face suddenly turned pale. "Doctor, you don't mean..."
"..." Romani fell silent and didn't answer.
Seeing this, Da Vinci sighed and looked at the white wall beside her, her tone melancholic.
"In this city, there's probably not a single living person left..."
Although it was a foreseen fact, the horrifying truth still hit Ritsuka's mind, causing her to step back involuntarily.
"Hahh... Hahh..."
Her vision darkened, her heart clenched in pain, and breathing became incredibly difficult.
Those were tens of thousands of lives!
After a long time, she took a deep breath, and with a slightly hoarse voice, she asked.
"If... if we destroy that Beast, can those souls be saved?"
Upon hearing Ritsuka's question, Romani, Da Vinci, and Nero remained silent. Although they didn't say it outright, their silent attitude subtly revealed some facts.
"I see... I... understand..." Ritsuka lowered her head, her frail figure seeming incredibly desolate at this moment.
"You don't have to blame yourself so much, Ritsuka..." Romani sighed tiredly. "This has nothing to do with you, after all... no one could have anticipated that Merlin would go crazy to this extent."
"Senpai!"
Mash hurriedly ran over, but when she saw the expression on Ritsuka's face, she couldn't help but pause.
"Senpai... what's wrong? Why do you look so terrible?"
"I'm fine, Mash..." Ritsuka forced a faint smile. "How are the others?"
"Miss Melusine's injuries haven't improved. I've entrusted her to Miss Atalanta for care, and they're currently retreating with the soldiers..." Mash replied with a low tone.
"Hahh... in that case, let's go too." Da Vinci nodded, then turned her head. "Ritsuka?"
"Sorry... but I want to stay here..." Ritsuka said softly.
"Ritsuka, this is not the time to be stubborn!" Romani urged anxiously. "That is a Beast!"
"I know... but Arkhan is still there..." Ritsuka lifted her head, her eyes showing an unprecedented determination. "I believe he can handle it!"
"My goodness, I know Arkhan is a Grand Servant, but the power of a Beast is way beyond what you can imagine! Normally, it takes at least seven Grand Servants to stand a chance against one!" Romani was genuinely anxious. "If Arkhan can't stop that Beast, you would've been in real trouble!"
"If it really came to that, where would we run to anyway? What would be the point?"
Ritsuka chuckled, incredibly carefree as if she saw through something, lightening up considerably.
"We came here to fix this Singularity, to restore the human order. That's why, even if our enemy is staring us down, we've long passed the point of no return... If that's the case, why not just quietly witness this moment? Even if darkness looms ahead endlessly, I'm willing to pray for the arrival of light in this very moment."
"Ritsuka... You... I..."
Didn't know how to counter Ritsuka's statement, Romani was speechless and ran his hands through his hair, creating a mess.
After a while, Romani sighed tiredly, shaking his head in resignation.
"Fine, I get it... I'll put the Rayshift system on standby. If anything happens, I'll bring you back immediately, no matter what."
"Thanks, Doctor..." Ritsuka nodded with a faint smile.
"No choice, maybe I'm just destined to be a busybody..." Romani chuckled self-deprecatingly, closing the communication and preparing the Rayshift system.
"I can't help but feel like... we're causing the doctor a lot of trouble..." Ritsuka scratched her head.
"Don't let his demeanor fool you, he's actually quite happy, y'know!" Da Vinci hugged Ritsuka's neck, smiling warmly. "Honestly, that line you just said was really cool! You've really grown a lot, Ritsuka..."
"Rest assured, Senpai! No matter what happens, I'll always be by your side, keeping you safe!" Mash declared firmly.
"Umu, as the Master who made a contract with me, your courage and conviction truly embody the spirit of Rome!" Nero praised, patting Ritsuka's shoulder with a bright smile.
Feeling a warm surge in her heart, Ritsuka turned to look at the chaotic mass of flesh looming over Camelot, silently offering prayers for this world and someone in particular.
'Please win, Arkhan...'