Chapter 43: Zod and the 5th Holy Grail War (10)

"So, this is the second time we’ve met face-to-face? It's a pleasure to meet you, Shirou. Or should I call you 'Onii-chan'? My name is Illyasviel von Einzbern... I am both your younger sister and your older sister. I look forward to our time together."

With the summoning of the final Servant, Saber, the Holy Grail War had officially begun. This was the time for the curtains to rise on a slaughter where everyone kills everyone.... However, an unexpected faction chose this moment to launch a sudden raid on the Emiya residence: the Einzberns, the faction of Berserker.

She looked entirely composed, perched upon the shoulder of a towering, hulking mass of violence—a giant with skin the color of dark ash.

"Hmm.... So that is Berserker...."

Altria Alter observed Berserker's arrival with mild interest, while Saber was visibly tense, her guard raised to the maximum.

"He’s a more machismo specimen than I expected for a Berserker."

Zod stepped past them, moving to the front of the group.

"And who might you be?"

"A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Illyasviel, daughter of the House of Einzbern—one of the Three Founding Families of Fuyuki City. My name is Zod. I am the Master of Lancer."

"Heh.... Zod, the American war hero.... Just because you have psychic powers, don't go getting ahead of yourself. Even you won't be able to defeat Berserker...."

"Heh.... Well now, that is quite the statement...."

Zod did not lose his composure despite Ilya's bold provocation. Instead, he lunged forward with explosive speed, his fist plunging directly into Berserker’s chest.

THWACK—!!

With his chest pierced and his heart extracted, Berserker expired on the spot.

"What a fascinating joke.... You say Berserker is the strongest?"

"Wh—What?"

Ilya was frozen in shock.

*****

"Unbelievable.... This is impossible! The strongest Berserker, taken down in a single blow?!"

"See? You shouldn't use such strong words. It only makes you look weak."

"Shut up! I don't know what kind of trick you used to bring him down, but don't think for a second that this is the end!"

I tilted my head in confusion at Ilya’s words, but in that moment, an immense surge of magical energy swirled around Berserker. The giant, who was undeniably dead, began to resurrect.

"Oho.... I suppose he possesses a Noble Phantasm that allows him to return from death?"

"Berserker won't die! No matter how many times he falls, he’ll come back to me! Because Berserker is the strongest!!"

"■■■■————■■■■■■!!!!!!"

Berserker roared as he returned to life. Looking at him, this bratty little girl—this Ilya—began to smirk. I wonder if she has some other trump card, or if it's simply because of this specific Noble Phantasm?

"Even so, a Noble Phantasm that reverses death must have its limits. A stock of lives, perhaps?"

"Hmm.... Do you have a basis for that claim?"

"A Servant’s Noble Phantasm is the crystallization of their deeds or legends in life, sublimated into a physical form. There are plenty of heroes who returned from death, but none possess true, invincible immortality. If such a broken Servant existed, every Tom, Dick, and Harry would be using him. No one is without a weakness."

Even I, a being akin to an invincible god, have weaknesses—like my inability to see through lead, or the unknown effects of extraterrestrial materials. So for someone merely playing dress-up as a hero in this land....

"Therefore, there must be a limit to that resurrection. In that case, I'll just keep killing him until he stays dead!"

Vvvvvvvvvv— KRA-KOOOOOM!!!

I used my Heat Vision to completely incinerate Berserker's head. And yet, Berserker resurrected once again.

Dead twice, and he still comes back... Well, I suppose he'll stay down after about ten deaths or so.

"Ugh... Berserker won't die! He won't lose! Because Berserker is the strongest!!"

"■■■■■■■■■!!!!!!"

Seriously, Shirou’s self-proclaimed sister is quite a mindless girl. I gave her such a gentlemanly explanation; the least she could do is understand the situation.

I lunged at Berserker, grabbed him by the throat, and rocketed into the sky.

Berserker resisted by pummeling my body, but it was like being annoyed by a mosquito. My physical durability has already reached a point where nothing on this planet can harm me. My body remains unscathed even within a furnace or magma. Unless it’s a nuclear strike, nothing can pierce this transcendental durability and Super Aura—and truthfully, even a nuke wouldn't suffice now. At the very least, there is no one on this planet capable of wounding me.

Lost in these thoughts, I flew through the stratosphere and reached the void of space. Deprived of oxygen, the heartless Berserker suffocated to death, but he resurrected again. Scanning him with my vision, I noticed his heart and lungs beginning to pump once more. It seems he gains resistance to whatever killed him previously.

"Interesting. You gain resistance to death, do you...? Then tell me, Berserker... how about I leave you out here in space and see if you can adapt to that?"

I tightened my grip on Berserker and headed for the Moon. At my sub-light speeds, I could reach the Moon in mere minutes. I could make a one-way trip to Mercury in less than a day, so the Moon was just a stone's throw away....

It was a shame I couldn't burn him to death there due to the lack of atmosphere, but I slammed Berserker onto the lunar surface—using him as my own personal airbag—and immediately burned through his chest with my Heat Vision. He had apparently developed a resistance; though it scorched his muscle, it didn't reach his heart.

I had adjusted the output, but he’s quite the entertaining fellow to have survived that.

However, taking him all the way back to Earth was too much of a chore. I decided to abandon him on the Moon and return home leisurely by myself.

"Well then, Nameless Berserker~ Try resisting death in the vacuum of space. If you're nothing special, you'll stay dead after a few more times. You develop resistance, but you aren't truly immortal, right? Oh, don't worry. I won't kill your Master, so don't look so serious. I intend to pamper her as my own little sister. So, die in peace, you mad dog."

I left the barking Berserker behind and headed back to Earth. Since sound doesn't travel in space, I simply ignored whatever he was screaming... and returned to the world below.

BOOOOOM—!!!!

Streaking through the atmosphere, I returned to my original position. I stuck the 'Superhero Landing,' and despite trying to control the impact, a massive crater formed. The surrounding area was decimated, sending Shirou Emiya, Saber, and Ilya tumbling away. Oops~ my bad!

And then, everyone looked at me as if they were looking at a monster. Honestly, that's a bit hurtful, isn't it?

"I just took a quick trip to space. Isn't looking at me like I'm a monster a bit much?"

""A monster?!"" / "Are you a monster?!" / "Is he a monster?!"

"Oho~ A collective retort."

"You.... What did you do to Berserker?!"

In this chaos, only Ilya stared at me with a deathly serious expression. I spoke as if it were of no consequence.

"I abandoned him on the Moon. No matter how much of a Berserker he is, what can he do in the vacuum of space? He’s ultimately just a Heroic Spirit of Earth. Even if he can return from death and gain resistances, he won't survive the cosmos."

"No......."

"Still in denial? You should know by now. This world isn't composed solely of Mystery and Magecraft. There are many others with paranormal abilities like mine. Cast aside your arrogance that your Servant is the strongest. Right now..."

"NO! No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no———— NO!!!!!!!!!!"

My, my. Shirou’s sister is truly slow on the uptake. To remain in denial after I explained it so kindly... Or does she simply trust Berserker that much? Goodness~ I might be getting a little jealous.

"Berserker is the strongest! He won't lose! Berserker is Heracles himself!! He is the demigod hero who overcame the Twelve Labors, ended the Gigantomachia single-handedly, and ascended to godhood!! There's no way Heracles would lose so easily!!"

Heracles? That mad dog? Well, that is a bit surprising. That brute-force berserker? Is he a Berserker because Hera drove him mad enough to kill his own wife and children? Poor guy~ Still, for a guy touted as the God of Strength and Heroes, why is he so weak? I split him in half with just a few punches....

"Ilya, are you sure you didn't get scammed? That guy is really the legendary Heracles? He seemed way too weak."

"Shut up! By the power of the Command Spell, I order you! Come to my side! Berserker!"

...........Silence. Nothing happened.

"Why.... why....."

"Isn't it obvious? What's the point of using a Command Spell on a Servant that’s already dead and gone?"

"No... that’s impossible! Again, by the power of the Command Spell, I order you! Come to me! Berserker!"

...............As expected, nothing happened.

"How pitiful... It seems you've been abandoned by your own Servant as well. Just like Kiritsugu, your father... and now even the servant you trusted. What a tragic child."

"Ugh... No.... Berserker... gah... he would... he would... protect me.... There's no way... he was defeated... by the likes of you!! By the power of my final Command Spell, I order you!! Please... please..... Return to me!! HERACLES!!!!!!"

"Honestly... what a waste of effort......!!!!"

"■■■■■—————■■■■■■■■!!!!!!!!!!!"

Impossible?! Why is Berserker here?! I definitely left him behind in space?!

"Berserker! Berserker!!!"

"■■■■■—■■■■!!!!!"

Could it be...... Even though he had been neutralized, he answered Ilya’s desperate plea and descended from the Throne of Heroes by his own strength alone?

"This defies all logic. A Heroic Spirit shouldn't be able to descend from the Throne by their own volition.... Does it mean Ilya is that special to you?!"

"■■■■■■■■!!!!!!"

Berserker’s roar seemed to respond to my question, and I found myself unable to stop the laughter bubbling up inside me.

"This makes me want Ilya for myself even more! Thank you, Heracles! Thanks to you, my reasons for claiming Ilya have multiplied!!"

"■■■———■■■■■■■■!!!!!!"

Heracles went even more feral, as if to say that would never happen..... Ah! How thrilling! Nothing has ever excited me this much before, nothing has made my heart race like this! Show me, Heracles! Show me the legend that surpasses your own myth! Show me everything you have!! HERACLES!!!"

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