It was a harsh reality: I had no means of defeating Saber right now.
Even excluding that damn beam-firing sword, Saber herself was in perfect condition.
Aside from the slight drop in stats due to her Alteration, she was near-flawless.
Even if I resolved to fight her again, she wouldn't suddenly become weak, nor would her condition deteriorate. Saber would simply wait forever in front of the Greater Grail until we arrived.
But that was also a matter of time.
One way or another, if left like this, the Singularity would act as an obstruction and devour the Human Order.
And it wasn't just this place. Even excluding this one, there were seven more to go—and if event stories were included, the number was mind-bogglingly high.
Fujimaru Ritsuka arrived at the right time and won at the right time, but I might not be so lucky.
I might go to the First Singularity only to find Jeanne d'Arc already gone, or the Second to find Rome already destroyed, or the Third to find Drake's ship already sunk.
That was why I had to clear this as quickly as possible. The faster we reached the end, the lower the difficulty of the Singularity would be.
"Hey, Master. I picked up those stones you called Saint Quartz like you asked. But there weren't many; three or four is all I found."
"That's enough for now. While they're used in Chaldea's summoning system, they're honestly potent mana resources on their own. If we can use them in this battle, we should. If we don't survive this, summoning or anything else won't matter."
I might be able to solve my mana deficiency with those. I checked my watch and confirmed my two remaining Command Spells.
It was almost 10:00 PM, the time when my mana condition was at its peak. I had gone to face Saber at that time before and gotten completely trashed, though. Regardless, the key was firepower.
Technique is good, everything is good, but in the end, I needed absolute firepower to overcome Saber.
To defeat that glutton who was constantly gorging on mana from the Greater Grail, I had to take her down with one heavy blow.
An attack so powerful she would be forced to de-manifest immediately due to the sheer damage.
Alternatively, destroying her Spiritual Core was another way. Either way, my task remained the same.
I had to provide full support to create an environment where victory was possible. I am not a hero, I am not a genius, and I do not hold absolute destiny in my hands.
If so, I couldn't afford to be picky about my methods.
...Therefore, I decided to execute a plan that could only be described as a gamble. Surely I won't die, right? If I die from something like this, I'll just have to laugh it off.
At least I won't have time to feel despair.
[I guided you to the leyline as you asked, but what are you planning to do?]
"I'm going to bet everything on my luck. Literally, Fate!"
Scritch, scratch. I picked up a branch and moved it across the ground as if drawing a picture.
The Director tilted her head in confusion at first, but as the circle began to take shape, her expression shifted to one of realization.
...Is this right? A momentary doubt flickered through my mind, but since she hadn't complained yet, I assumed I hadn't drawn it wrong.
It was a pattern I had seen countless times at Chaldea and even back at the Clock Tower, so it was burned into my memory.
Even if I messed up, the Director or the Doctor would surely point it out, so I didn't feel too much pressure.
"I've been thinking. That terrifying monster... no, the King of Knights. Why hasn't she come to hunt us down? She has overwhelming power; if she wanted to, she could come kill us herself instead of using Shadow Servants. Fuyuki might not be small, but it's not so large that she wouldn't hear the commotion. Pinpointing the location of people like us, who have been fighting all over the place, shouldn't be hard. So why does she insist on waiting in front of the Greater Grail?"
[Isn't she guarding the Grail? It would be a disaster if it were destroyed.]
"So you're saying she'll fight us while protecting the Grail when we get there? Besides, it's better for us to obtain the Grail too. The Grail itself is a massive mana resource; there's no downside to having it. I believe we need it for the future. ...Anyway, back to the point. Ownership of the Grail is supposed to transfer to the final victor of the Holy Grail War, right? It only appears when two Servants are left... Am I remembering that correctly?"
"That's right. Since the others have effectively retired, only Saber and I remain in this Fuyuki Holy Grail War. That's why the Grail appeared."
Right, I knew that much, so I hadn't questioned it. It wasn't something addressed in the original story, so I had just glossed over it.
But I should have questioned it.
I should have found it strange. I continued drawing the circle on the ground as I spoke.
"But Caster is right here, alive. ...So why does Saber have the right of ownership?"
[......In other words, you're saying this? The enemy King of Knights, Saber, doesn't actually have ownership of the Grail; she's just 'holding onto it.']
"That glory, the owner of that throne, has not yet been decided. Saber just happened to sit in it first."
If that weren't the case, there would be no reason for her to pose and wait in front of the Greater Grail.
She could have just come out and fought us head-on. But there was a risk, however small, that she might lose ownership of the Greater Grail.
For any other Servant, such a delicate task would take time, but if the opponent was a Caster, it might be possible to do it quickly.
That was why Saber cautiously used Shadow Servants and remained in place as the 'final trial.' Caster, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
"Kid, if you're planning to steal ownership of the Grail, it'll be difficult. For me, the task itself isn't impossible. However, it would result in a tug-of-war with Saber, and there's no doubt that Saber, who already has it in her hands, would have the advantage. Furthermore, I'd be completely defenseless while trying to seize ownership. In that state, Saber wouldn't even need a Noble Phantasm; just the pressure from a swing of her sword would be enough to make me de-manifest. Unfortunately, that plan won't work."
"Huh?"
"Eh? ...Wait, weren't you trying to steal ownership of the Greater Grail?"
"That's possible!?"
No, I just thought Saber was being cautious. I didn't think it was actually possible.
But hearing him explain it, it sounded near impossible. Even if she was Altered, she still had Instinct; even if I tried to distract her with a puppet, I might only fool her for a second.
If I could draw her aggro completely, maybe, but the Saber I saw earlier was focused entirely on Caster. She didn't even spare me a glance until the very last moment.
Thinking about it now, it's a bit annoying, but what can I do about it?
What else can I do besides get turned into dust by the Holy Sword again? My personal feelings about Saber weren't important right now. ...Honestly, I couldn't see a future where we won, which was proof that I was completely losing to my fear of her.
She'd be a great asset once she comes to Chaldea, but I'd rather she didn't...
No, you don't have to come, King of Knights.
A noble person like you wouldn't get along with a selfish guy like me. Even if you're Altered, we just don't click.
Anyway, I had to assume that seizing the initiative during battle was impossible. I wasn't smart enough to think of a way even if one existed.
Since I wasn't a strategist, my plans were just a mess—nothing more than a child's game that only appeared to be connected.
Caster, realizing his prediction was wrong, asked me.
"Then what were you trying to say?"
"What I'm saying is that this Fuyuki Holy Grail War hasn't ended. And because of the Singularity, this Fuyuki is not in a normal state. Furthermore, to be precise, despite still being manifested as Shadow Servants, they're 'retiring' themselves at will and then showing up again like, 'I'm here!'"
[Are you saying the Holy Grail War system, the Grail itself, is malfunctioning? ...I can't say the possibility is zero.]
"Yeah, it's just a hypothesis. I have no proof. It might not even matter since it's still functioning despite the errors. But I thought about it—I didn't have Command Spells when I was at Chaldea. I only got them after arriving here in Fuyuki. The system at Chaldea might have issued them to me, but... the existence of the Singularity, the Grail's errors, me coming from a completely different world, and finally, the Command Spells that appeared when I came to Fuyuki."
I finished the circle as I spoke.
"If it recognizes me as a Master, and specifically as a 'Master who has never attempted a summoning'... it might be possible."
But this was a total gamble. Since it was a deduction built entirely on hypotheses, it was in the realm of fantasy or delusion—to put it more bluntly, it was 'wishful thinking.'
But if it was possible, if it really worked, a miracle would happen.
I'll make that indifferent Saber make a face like, 'This guy!' That's what I revived from despair for! The Human Order!? I'll worry about that later!!
Looking at a person like they're a passing bug!! I'm going to break that indifferent face! I swear!!
[You have the face of a villain.]
"What are you talking about? I'm a hero moving to save the Human Order right now. You can go ahead and applaud, or even praise me."
[You really get ahead of yourself... Well, it's not a completely impossible hypothesis. Besides, even if this fails, you'll just be a little embarrassed. There's almost no risk to failure, and if it succeeds, it's a massive return. ...You really thought this through.]
I thought of it after getting hit by Excalibur.
As they say, anything will work if you hit it hard enough, right? Isn't that proof that humans are ultimately the most analog of analogs, surviving since the Stone Age?
It meant my brain was ultimately analog too. Excalibur is amazing.
[A Servant summoning circle... Wait, you.]
"Don't worry. If my hypothesis is wrong... I don't know, we'll find another way!"
[I like that positive mindset, but... the summoning circle is wrong.]
"Eh?"
[......I'll send you an image, so fix it.]
"Yes, ma'am."
"Kid..."
Caster grabbed my shoulder, his own shoulders shaking. Why don't you just burst out laughing already?
I can practically see the 'LOL' floating in the air. Man, I acted all cool only to get it wrong. I should have paid more attention when the professor was teaching us. They kill each other just to get the Grail?
I thought, 'Wow, what a bunch of lunatics,' but who would have thought I'd be doing something even crazier? I corrected the circle according to the image the Director sent.
...I got quite a bit wrong. Only the general shape was right. I had to fix a lot of the fine details. Hey, it's weird to remember all that! But I remember the incantation perfectly!
Probably.
"Anyway, if someone comes out, I hope it's someone good at close quarters or someone who can fire beams from their sword! I'd love the original version of the person posing in front of the Greater Grail over there!"
"If that happens, it would certainly be the jackpot of jackpots, but why the honorifics?"
"Because I've already instinctively accepted defeat!"
[Don't accept it!]
Director, honestly, did you see Excalibur? Did you?
Have you been hit by it? Have you? The honorifics come out automatically. Just look at that insane power. Lancelot or whatever, his dick must have been controlling his brain. How could anyone commit adultery after seeing that? If you ask why I use honorifics, the answer is simple.
Excalibur turned my body into dust!!
[So the class you want is Saber?]
"In a broad sense, any of the Three Knight Classes. There's a prejudice that Archers are just back-row support, but seeing the Shadow Servant Archer, that wouldn't be bad either."
Honestly, I wondered how many Archers actually used bows. Nowadays, it's more common to tease them by saying, 'Hey, look at that Archer actually using a bow!'
It wouldn't be bad if our Mr. Nameless showed up, but the best would still be a beam-firing Saber. The problem was that I had no Catalyst. In other words, everything depended on my luck.
Luck to see if my hypothesis was correct, and luck to pull the Servant I wanted...
It was like the probability of pulling the exact 5-star you wanted twice in a row in a mobile game gacha.
But I'll do it. I have to, so I'll do it here.
"Casters can be great, like our friend here, so that's worth considering. Riders are average? Not a fail, but not a jackpot either. ...And the worst fails would be 'Berserker' and 'Assassin.' Even with Chaldea's support, if I have to provide mana to a Berserker along with Caster, I might die of mana depletion on the spot."
[True, Berserkers have worse fuel efficiency than other Servants. What about Assassins?]
"If the opponent were human, an Assassin would be great, but our opponent is the King of Knights, right? She even has Instinct. Honestly, an Assassin is pointless."
Unless some Grand-class old man showed up, it was meaningless.
No... well, any class would be fine as long as a strong Servant appeared. Imagine if Ozymandias came out as a Rider. I'd be screaming my head off with joy.
On the flip side, imagine if Jason came out as a Saber.
The Greek Shinji is no help in this situation! Please, God of Gacha, Grand Berserker! Please let my hypothesis be right! And then a good Servant! Preferably a Servant!!
Since Excalibur is the strongest in my mind right now, let it be the original! The root!!
Taking a slow, deep breath, I reached out my hand. After all this, I'll be honestly embarrassed if it doesn't work.
"Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill."
I never thought the day would come when I'd say these lines myself. Even though I wasn't a hardcore Type-Moon fan, I was the type who enjoyed the games and watched the various media, and I always thought it was cool.
Even if you weren't a fan, most magi knew the Servant summoning incantation.
The Holy Grail War was surprisingly famous even at the Clock Tower, so there was an atmosphere of 'let's at least memorize it just in case.'
Memorizing this much was as easy as breathing for the people there.
"Repeat five times. But when each is filled, destroy it. Silver and iron shall be the foundation. Stone and the Archduke of Contracts shall be the basis."
Whirrr. The drawn summoning circle was reacting. Light flickered.
...No way. This is actually working!? It's really working!? My heart pounded. Calming my frantically beating heart, I raised my voice to hide my agitation.
"And the wall shall block the wind that descends! The gates in the four directions shall be closed, coming forth from the crown, let the three-forked road that leads to the Kingdom circulate!"
[I've detected a massive mana reading. It's the sign of a Servant summoning. You were actually right...!! This is a miracle...!!]
The Director rejoiced. Not as much as me, though. I was feeling a sense of catharsis right now! I can win against that Saber.
I can see a possibility of victory. I see hope. Please, Holy Grail, give me a chance to at least clear the prologue and stand at the starting line.
I can't fall in a place like this; it wouldn't befit the name of the Last Master of Humanity.
Whirrr... The light of the summoning circle grew more intense. The mana was surging so much that even a novice magecraft user like me could feel it. Come to think of it, since the Grail is providing the backup, Saber might realize I've summoned someone.
No, I don't care if she notices. What matters is that one more Servant is added here.
"I hereby declare. Your body shall be under me, and my fate shall be with your sword. In accordance with the will of the Holy Grail, if you heed this intention and this reason, then answer. Here is my oath. I am the one who shall become all the good in the world, I am the one who shall lay low all the evil in the world."
Even as I said it, I wondered what the person who first came up with this summoning incantation was thinking when they made it so long. Were they showing off how smart they were?
My mind went blank for a moment on the next line. As if she had expected it, the Director wrote the next phrase and showed it on the screen.
...I'm not sure how to feel about this kind of trust.
"You are the Seven Heavens, clad in the three great words of power."
The power of cheating is great.
BOOM...!!! The summoning circle shone as if it were about to explode. A Servant! It's a Servant!! Rainbow light! No, gold!! No, in this situation, I don't even care if it's silver!!
It's better to avoid a fuel-inefficient Berserker or an Assassin who doesn't fit the current situation, but there are strong ones among them too. So they're fine as well.
I just hope it's someone strong.
"Come forth from the circle of binding, O Guardian of the Scales!!!"
KABOOM!!!! Light erupted. My Command Spells, with only two strokes left, began to glow.
Even though I was only acting as a pass, my Magic Circuits felt like they were throbbing with pain.
Now, who is it? Who came out? Anyone is fine in this situation, but the stronger the better.
Even a Berserker would have good combat power if I could just handle the fuel efficiency. Just not an Assassin!
If it's an Assassin, give me the Old Man!! Please!!
As the light faded, a silhouette appeared within. I, Caster, the Director, and the Doctor all watched, quietly swallowing our dry saliva.
I had already performed one miracle. If I had something like destiny, if I truly was a man with the capacity to save the Human Order, I wanted to show that I could perform a miracle here once again.
Work for me, please. Counter Force...!!
Brown hair was the first thing I noticed. A pure white dress, an atmosphere so familiar it felt more like something you'd see in a village than on a battlefield—I was momentarily captivated.
But then, the dagger held in one hand snapped me back to reality. It was a comfortable yet strange feeling, as if it were inducing a lapse in my mental guard.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
Her beautiful blue eyes perceived me accurately.
She might not have fully understood the situation, but she seemed to recognize that I was her Master, as she gave a smile as bright as a flower.
A feeling of friendly approach—she didn't have the flashy, eye-catching beauty of a peerless beauty or a femme fatale, but she possessed a charm that would somehow catch your eye and make you look twice while walking through a village.
To summarize simply, it was a beauty that put the heart at ease.
She was far from the aggressive beauty one usually associates with the word 'beautiful,' but she was still a woman who deserved the term.
The woman, not realizing that I was dazed in many ways, slowly bowed her head in greeting and spoke.
"I have appeared in response to your summons. Servant, Charlotte Corday! I look forward to working with you, Master."
Cha-Charlotte Corday...?
The Charlotte Corday I know...? Seeing her in reality rather than as an art style, she felt completely different.
That was why I didn't recognize her at first, but I could tell instantly from the egg-like thing floating nearby, the clothes she was wearing, and the voice I heard.
As I fully grasped reality, blood slowly trickled from my mouth.
"Gah!!"
"Kid!"
[Hey!! Don't cough up blood!! You're already short on it!!]
I collapsed forward.
"Eh?" Charlotte, who hadn't grasped the situation, looked at me with a 'What? What's going on?' expression.
Caster was laughing with an 'Oh boy' face, and the Director was screaming at me to save my blood. Everyone had their own reaction, but they all seemed to understand why I was reacting this way.
No! Not yet! I'll bet on my last hope!
"Wh-What's your Class...!?"
"U-Um, I'm an Assassin."
"It's... over..."
[Hey!! Get a hold of yourself! Romani! What's his condition!]
[Um... he's fainted.]
[I can see that! His wounds haven't reopened, have they?]
Caster approached me, placed a hand on my body, and spoke.
"The wounds on his body have already exceeded normal levels, and on top of that, he took mental damage, so he collapsed. Oh, he's foaming at the mouth."
As my consciousness faded, I felt Caster poking my cheek.
No... there's such a thing as a battle of probabilities, and this is how the 1-in-7 turns out? Even in my memory, Charlotte Corday's direct combat power is...
Are you crazy, Counter Force?
Come to think of it, I had forgotten. That guy doesn't do his job. Startled by the Master who collapsed and foamed at the mouth immediately after her summoning, Charlotte spoke in a panicked voice.
"Um! I don't really know what's going on right after being summoned...!!"
"Ah, it's not your fault, Assassin lady. If anything, it's the fault of this fragile kid who wasn't prepared for the shock. I really can't tell if he's brave or just a coward."
[I agree. We can't do anything until he wakes up anyway, so I'll explain the situation. Assassin.]
"Ah, yes. I look forward to it."
Is it because I've fainted so often? These people... they don't even worry anymore.
Why don't you worry a little? ...The voices grew distant, and this time, my consciousness was truly cut off.
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