Konosuba Side Part 17.

In a world filled with the technology of the modern era, a huge fire that spread to the whole planet was burning slowly.

The cities, buildings, even the smallest creation made by humans on this planet was engulfed in the red-orange flames, blackening, melting, and crumbling under the flames.

Looking at what happened to this planet, one might think it's a dream or a nightmare, but the dust and hot air made the one realize this is reality and everything was getting consumed by the raging fire.

In this doomsday scene, no person, well, at least no human was visible around the globe anymore. Instead, some weird skeletons and zombies were visible everywhere, even some ghosts like creatures, which were wraiths, were wandering aimlessly.

The number of undead in a certain place usually shows how many people died and all the massacres that went around, but this scene was repeating all around the globe, like the human race was completely extinct, which was, in fact, the truth.

The history, civilization, achievements of humans, and all their traces on the planet were vanishing bit by bit, starting from their lives to their creations, slowly melting under fire.

In the year of 2004, the world was still normal and everything was proceeding in the usual ways. Suddenly, a large, bright light appeared in the sky on a certain day. Humanity, including magi, didn't understand the nature of the light, nor they ever will.

The light didn't halt for a moment before it fell down. Like a massive tsunami, the light shone on the whole planet. The light that carried so much heat values, which made it the hottest thing on the planet, swept the world like a storm and ignited it on fire.

Yet, like it was a judgment from the sky, the light mostly targeted a specific target, the humans race. No human was able to escape the blazing brightness as they burned into ashes before melting into the light.

On that day, humanity, which ruled the planet as the self-proclaimed superior race, vanished like snow melting in summer. The Counter Force, especially Alaya, stood helplessly, without any power to resist as the humanity turned into heat values and merged with the light ring in the space.

However, not everything was burned to the ground. In the nuclear city of Fuyuki, a particular activity called the Holy Grail War is still active. Seven mages and seven historical figures, sometimes more, fight for the not so all-mighty Holy Grail to achieve their wishes.

Apparently, the Holy Grail won't wait for anyone, even if humanity was extinct. But if you look at it in another way, the Holy Grail was one of the causes of this event like always.

However, when the light swept the magi, who summoned servants, were directly burned into dust, leaving the war and their servants. But their servants didn't care that much about the situation.

The seven servants, well, at least what is left of them, are still fighting against each other, even during humanity's visible extinction.

Yet, the fighting suddenly stopped as a new force emerged, which attracted the hatred of the defeated servants, who turned into shadow servants. A state of Heroic spirits that's one rank less than actual servants.

Despite that, in an abandoned school building in Fuyuki, the new force that joined the war was having a weird time.

"That's quite the look you have there, Archer. Did you pierce yourself with your swords? Quite interesting for an 'archer'" Leaning on the wall, a man with long blue hair and robes said with a lot of sarcasm in his tone.

However, his grin was wide while looking at the reaction of a tall man with red clothing despite being unable to see the screen in the air.

The man in red clothing was looking at the air, exactly at the holographic screen, as his expression darkened. Hearing the voice of the other man, Archer snorted and said " Did you only learn to bark after losing your teeth, Caster?"

The Caster of the current war, Cu Chulainn, clenched his long staff before he said " Nothing to worry about, I can still easily crack your skull with my staff. No need to waste my spear on you"

Cu immediately knew that Archer was talking about his current Class, so he retorted immediately as the smell of gunpowder was filling the air between the two servants.

"That stick, huh? You're really becoming more and more honest with yourself, Hound of Culann" Archer glanced at Cu as his tone was calm, but Cu felt a vein had popped on his head.

"Oh? Really, Archer?" Cu said as the atmosphere was showing the sign of an upcoming fight, but then he heard " Caster, Archer, please stop! Our current situation is very bad and the last thing we need is a fight here"

"Tch!" Cu just leaned on the wall again while clicking his tongue.

"Hmph!" Archer snorted before returning his attention to the screen in front of him.

Despite their reaction, both of them stopped as an orange-haired girl sighed before looking to the side.

"What do you mean by the emergency protocol of Chaldea? How come I never know about this? Also, why is there nothing at all, even a fluctuation of mana? Mash Kyrielight, are you making fun of me?" A girl with long white hair and orange eyes said to a servant holding a giant shield. She had a stern expression while looking at the pink-haired servant.

"No, no, you got me wrong director! I would never dare, but there's clearly a screen in front of me!" Mash, the servant with Shielder's Class, panicked a little while explaining, but the white-haired girl, who is the director of Chaldea, Olga Marie Animusphere, still has a lot of doubts.

Ritsuka massaged her temples while looking at the current situation. Chaldea's group was standing inside one of the classrooms, which Cu reinforced with runes and made a lot of anti-tracking spells around it. This was their temporary base in Fuyuki's Singularity.

After getting her 'wish' and returning to 2004 Fuyuki, Ritsuka started her new battle immediately. This period was one of the hardest for Ritsuka, yet it could also be called the easiest.

Using the memories in her head, she was able to quickly get a grasp of the situation and led Mash to find Olga. Although Mash was just a new servant without not a lot of experience, her power was more than enough to take care of the skeletons in the city.

But what really made Ritsuka shocked was the so-called Chaldea Powered Up By Salt. At first, she thought this was some weird illusion, maybe Merlin left a parting gift, which reminded her of the woman's voice in her head.

However, after studying it a little, she was beyond startled. She followed the instruction and rolled her first 10 Gacha. After getting 'Torch of Wisdom' x 5 and 'Blaze of Wisdom' x 3, she got Craft Essence 'Steel Training'. But that wasn't the most important because, after the last pull, she summoned a Servant. Yes, a true Servant.

The red magic ritual appeared from the void as the mana was raging before a pillar of light flashed and Archer appeared. With this summon, Archer also appeared as a card like Mash in this 'system'.

The miracle of summoning a servant casually on the spot was something Ritsuka only saw with another servant, but that servant was a Beast! A being who the Counter Force is mostly helpless about his existence. Mash was surprised and Olga's eyeballs were almost popping out of their sockets.

Archer, who just got summoned and saw Ritsuka, pulled a long face as he started looking left and right. Only until he confirmed something, he breathed a sigh of relief. Ritsuka knew that he was looking for Lucifer(Leo), which made her smile wryly.

After looking at the burned Fuyuki, Archer shook his head. However, without getting a chance to talk, he projected his swords and Mash picked up her shield.

The mana of the summoning ritual attracted some uninvited guests as a battle started immediately between shadow servants and Ritsuka's group. But the combination of Archer and Mash, coupled with Cu, who appeared suddenly, was more enough to defeat all the servants.

However, that was the end of the easy part. In the middle of the battle, several red lasers fell from the sky, targeting everyone in the area.

This was beyond Ritsuka's speculation as Mash and Archer used their own shields to block them before a giant pillar-like creature with a lot of eyes appeared. The creature rushed directly while firing a lot of lasers.

The battle was very big as Chaldea's group couldn't defeat the creature. So, they could only retreat after Ritsuka reinforced Cu, who used his Noble Phantasm to entangle the creature.

The blazing wooden giant, who was a symbol of sacrifices, hugged the creature and gave Chaldea's group the time to run away.

Losing his target, the creature started wreaking havoc before leaving as Chaldea's group found the school and made it their base.

Ignoring Olga's questions, Ritsuka was lost in thoughts. That creature was clearly one of Solomon's Demon Gods Pillar, which she saw from the core of Shinji's reality marble, but what is it doing here?

Regardless of her current thoughts, Ritsuka knew that everything changed and the memories in her head won't help her much. She didn't know if she should laugh or cry because this change of events was clearly what she wanted.

A new opportunity to change everything. It seems it came before she even did a meaningful thing.

However, her thoughts were cut off again by a new screen, which resembled her 'system' screen a lot.

[A battle to save the world and restore history! The path for Humanity's salvation is not an easy one, it may even be impossible. But if this reality didn't allow it, then another reality must have the solution! If you wish to walk on this path and protect those around you, then this deal is for you, Master of Chaldea. It might be another disappointment or maybe it'll have what you're looking for]

Ritsuka was surprised by the sudden message while looking at the 'Yes' and 'No' buttons. Without giving her a chance to think, another message arrived.

[Ps: Lucifer has taken this deal and gave it 5 stars, totally recommended! What are you waiting for! Join now and you can even ask him yourself!]

"..." Ritsuka blinked her eyes as she started to really feel that this is a prank from Merlin.

However, she is still hesitating to agree to this unknown deal, until she took a deep breath and said " Are you the one that gave me this thing(Chaldea's system)?"

Ignoring the others' eyes on her, Ritsuka didn't wait long before one message with 'Yes' appeared. So, she sighed and accepted the deal.

The one who can easily give her the ability to summon servants wasn't someone who she can mess with, nor a being like that has any gain for messing with her. Also, maybe it has a relation with the woman's voice in her head, which helped her once.

Ritsuka was surprised after that. Honestly, her mind thought of this deal as a contract with a demon, which is definitely not Lucifer because she felt that he's trying to avoid humanity related stuff a lot.

A Chat Room like the one she used before she joined Chaldea appeared in front of her. The small notice about the Infected Replicas and the Chaldea's channel made her confused, but it seems everyone in the Chat was okay. Nothing like selling your soul.

However, Ritsuka now was sweating slightly while looking at the Chat exploding.

[Advocate of Gender Equality: *Wheeze*!!!]

[NEET Princess: Pfff... Hahahahahahaha!!!]

[NEET Princess: Now! Master of Chaldea, carry this blessing and curse, go fight, struggle!! Maybe you'll be...pffff… the one… Hahahah!!]

[Advocate of Gender Equality: Write that down! Write that down!]

[NEET Princess: I don't understand, why does it sound so fitting with that world!]

[Advocate of Gender Equality: Well, maybe because 'it's the beauty that even I can't call it superficial'… Hahahahahah!!!]

[NEET Princess: We need this version of Beast VI in FGO!! Gods of the Chat Room, make it happen!]

[Advocate of Gender Equality: Yes! And include these lines, so I can play them in front of him!]

Ritsuka saw the Chat exploding with messages from these two. Although she joined, she is still wary of this unknown Chat Room, so Ritsuka didn't say anything about Leo's powers or abilities.

Luckily, those two only asked if Lucifer said something to her. At first, she didn't want to answer, but she also wanted to verify if Lucifer was really here.

Although these people seemed to know him, Ritsuka wasn't taking any chances, so she only said the last words she heard from Leo.

Those words were meant for her and they have a little relation with Lucifer, so she thought that's okay.

However, after looking at Kazuma and Kaguya losing their shit, Ritsuka started to feel that joining this Chat Room might not be a wise choice.