Another One Bites the Dust

"ALalalalalala~~~"

Accompanied by Rider's wild roar, thunder rumbled across the land. The mighty bellow of his divine bulls seemed to shake the heavens, lightning coiling around the chariot as it charged straight at Berserker.

"My king, I sacrifice myself to you."

Facing the oncoming charge of Rider's chariot, Berserker did not panic. His right hand gripped his sword, while his left hand slid along its blade as if polishing it. The black magic sword glowed with blood-red runes.

This was the sword with which he had once slain his fellow Knights of the Round Table, a corrupted holy sword.

Arondight—The Unfading Light of the Lake.

"Pity the enemy isn't a dragon," Lancelot sighed as he wielded the magic sword, rushing headlong into Rider's charging bulls.

Under the divine bulls' stampede, the distance of dozens of meters vanished in an instant. Their hooves, pounding like a tempest, crackled with lightning as they trampled toward Berserker.

Dazzling golden lightning spiraled and twisted, as if it could light up the night sky. The black specter of rage stood his ground, unmoved. Waver was nervous—after all, he was witnessing a battle straight out of myth, one he could scarcely believe he was a part of.

The black-and-red magic sword sliced through the lightning, tearing the air like a comet, exuding a bone-chilling aura.

Waver felt as if his heart was being shredded by the sword's aura, but he was unafraid.

For the broad hand on his back never wavered.

The magic sword cleaved through the thunder, while the divine bulls barreled toward the resolute knight. Sparks exploded between them, the clash of their powers blinding.

Waver felt the Gordius Wheel jolt violently before it shot forward, as if the divine bulls had trampled Berserker.

Glancing back, he saw the once malevolent, black-armored knight kneeling on the asphalt, trampled underfoot by the chariot.

The road was left with two long, charred black streaks where the chariot had passed, melted by the scorching heat of the bulls' hooves. Black smoke rose into the air, carrying an acrid stench. Even the nearby houses bore the scars of the rampaging lightning.

Had Kurumi not evacuated the nearby citizens earlier, the scene might have caused a full-blown panic.

"Is it over?" Waver hesitated.

"Not yet, kid!" Rider shouted, snapping the reins. The divine bulls turned and charged at Berserker again.

Waver saw the black blood staining the bulls' hooves, and the crimson blood still dripping from their searing bodies.

"MOO!!!"

Once again, the divine chariot hurtled toward Berserker.

"Can't we just break through!?" Waver shouted over the deafening roar, though his voice was lost in the chaos.

"Kid, did you notice his Agility?"

"Ah..." Waver suddenly understood.

They couldn't escape. Their only option was to grind him down—destroy him completely!

He watched as the black-armored knight slowly rose again, propping his black-and-red sword on the ground. His armor was cracked all over, but Waver couldn't shake an ominous feeling.

It was as if some dragon had awoken inside the knight, gazing into the distance.

"Rider!" Waver shouted, but it was too late.

The Gordius Wheel was already bearing down on Berserker once more.

"I see it." Lancelot whispered to himself.

His skill was unmatched. Mind, technique, and body were completely united.

He had even achieved A+ level proficiency in his unique skill, Eternal Arms Mastery—a reflection of the world's acknowledgment of his unparalleled martial prowess.

As his sword rose, the world itself seemed to dim.

The divine bulls' mournful cries still echoed in Waver's ears as the cold wind whipped through his jacket, lifting him into the air.

Rider reacted with lightning speed, grabbing Waver by the collar and leaping clear of the explosion.

Trembling, Waver looked back to see the burning wreckage and the solitary, dark silhouette of the knight in black armor.

Then Berserker collapsed, his body slowly crumbling into nothingness.

"My king, with this final sword, I fight for you."

Amidst the swirling spirit particles, Berserker disappeared, fading from existence.

But in his last act, he succeeded in destroying Rider's Noble Phantasm—Gordius Wheel.

Even though Rider still had one trump card left, Waver couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.

The Noble Phantasm that had carried them to so many victories was gone, leaving behind two dead divine bulls, their hooves forever still.

"Well, I guess we'll have to walk now." Rider scratched his chin, sounding resigned.

"Ah, idiot, idiot, idiot!" Waver hammered his fists against Rider's side. "How can you be so calm after losing your Noble Phantasm!?"

"Lost is lost, kid. What's the point in writing an apology letter?" Rider laughed, patting Waver's back. "Don't dwell on it. Your teacher is still waiting for you, isn't he?"

"Wh-what teacher!?"

"That lemon-headed guy. You're going to save him, right?"

"No, I'm not going to save him!" Waver yelled, blushing as they marched toward the Hyatt Hotel.

"You're not going to kill me?"

Kariya Matou's dry voice trembled as he spoke, watching Rider and Waver walk away.

"Huh?" Rider and Waver turned around simultaneously. "Why would we kill you?"

"Ha... ha..." Kariya gasped, forcing a bitter laugh as he watched them leave.

"What's this?"

"A couple of soft-hearted fools..."

But by the time Rider and Waver arrived at the scene, it was too late.

A pool of silver mercury shimmered under the night sky, while a red-haired woman cradled the unconscious Kayneth in her arms, sobbing softly.

Kayneth had lost consciousness.

"Teacher..."

Waver rushed forward, slipping and falling in front of the two.

"Professor Kayneth..."

"We need to get him to a hospital, fast."

Waver tried to lift Kayneth onto his back, but he was too small and weak. In the end, Rider carried Kayneth as they headed toward Fuyuki Hospital.

After they left, a team of Executors from the Holy Church arrived to clean up the scene.

Their job was to make it look like a meteor had struck the building—not that terrorists had crashed a plane into it.

It was an exhausting task.

At Fuyuki Church, Risei Kotomine looked quizzically at the woman standing before him.

She was from the Einzbern faction, claiming to be here for negotiations regarding the recent incident.

Her voice was cold and sharp, her gaze cutting like a blade. She was far more difficult to deal with than the witch-like woman on the phone.

"The Einzberns have violated the sacred rules of the Holy Grail War!" Risei tried to intimidate her by invoking his authority as the Overseer.

Though the Einzbern family had become the Church's most reliable client in the Grail War, Risei still hoped they would pay some price for their actions.

But this woman, who introduced herself as Maiya Hisau, was stubborn and unyielding.

She paced back and forth, as if waiting for something—or someone.

Her gaze flickered toward the shadow behind Risei, which twitched and signaled an "OK" with a hand.

Maiya pulled out a Calico M950 submachine gun, and with a cold, steely expression, fired directly at Risei.

Risei's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"Kirei Kotomine is not at the Church." The paralyzed body of Risei was dragged into the shadows by countless slender arms.

Kurumi's voice whispered in Maiya's ear.

The black-and-red-dressed girl had appeared beside her at some point.

"This man cannot be allowed to stay in the Church."

Because his right arm carried the Command Spells—every last one that had never been used by Masters of previous Grail Wars.

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