A filthy screech echoed as the spear-tip at the end of Jeanne's flagpole tore through the insect, green, acidic blood spurting out.
She boomed across the space, tracing a flashy, silver line. Wherever she passed, the insects burst apart, the buzzing intensifying in her surroundings.
Suddenly, a flood of worms appeared in her vision.
From all directions, they came for her — like a black avalanche.
Buzzing. Clicking. Screaming with madness and thirsting for blood, they trapped Jeanne in a circular ring, rising higher.
A massive circular wall of worms appeared around the Servant before they began covering her up from above as well.
"… Oh, lord…" Jeanne prayed, closing her eyes.
Then, she lifted her flag and planted its butt into the ground.
Thud!
The sound echoed, seeping into the crevices of the earth.
A great storm surged out of the flagpole as the white flag itself flailed, radiating holiness.
With a BOOM, all worms were sent flying before they were reduced to golden points of light, getting purified.
Flying high in the sky, recording everything through the Video Camera on his shoulder, was Evil Betty Shaw in his black suit, his vile gaze fuming at the sight.
On the ground, far behind Jeanne d'Arc, was original Betty Shaw, with his eyes barely open.
He was still wearing his white suit. He still had his flesh over his bones. But this Betty Shaw could neither feel strength in those bones nor could he get rid of the nauseating feeling — a constant nauseating feeling as if someone had sucked his blood, replacing it with water.
All that remained was his vision, reflecting an armored woman standing tall for him, a white flag flapping over her in all its holy glory.
Jeanne d'Arc was born in a small French village.
As a teenager, she claimed to hear the voices of saints who told her that she had a mission: to help France drive out the English. Despite her young age, she convinced leaders to trust her, and she led soldiers in battle with surprising success.
Many saw her as a symbol of faith and unity.
Her story ended when she was captured, put on trial for heresy, and executed at nineteen. She never took back her words or her mission, even at the end, when she was getting burned. Alive.
What defined Jeanne was her belief that she was chosen to protect others.
She valued faith, duty, and hope above her own life.
And that's why Jeanne d'Arc had been chosen as a Ruler-Class Servant to oversee the Great Holy Grail War many years ago.
The Ruler Class was reserved for impartial Overseers in the Holy Grail War.
Unlike other Servants, they were not meant to fight for personal wishes, but to keep balance and enforce the rules.
Jeanne d'Arc was chosen because she represented fairness and devotion beyond self-interest.
The same was happening in this Holy Grail War now, where the Counter Force had summoned Enkidu as the Ruler-Class Servant.
Zelretch had granted a Servant to the Contestant, hoping he would be able to counter his Evil counterpart.
However, unlike the true Great Holy Grail War from years ago, this Jeanne d'Arc was neither a Ruler-Class Servant nor was she a true Servant.
Zelretch had pulled Jeanne d'Arc from another timeline, letting her manifest as a Servant in the current one as a pseudo-Ruler-Class Servant.
The pseudo here didn't mean that Jeanne lacked in strength, though.
Other than the Command Seals available to a Ruler-Class Servant, she was as strong as she would have been if Betty Shaw had been a Master and had summoned her traditionally.
Of course, Evil Betty Shaw knew this as well.
"… Can you see this audience?!" he roared. "Can you believe it?! Is this not tempering by a higher power just because I played an… unorthodox hand?! Do you think I should show this higher power that He has underestimated us?! Do you think that I should put an end to this charade of eighth pair of Master and Servant, making a mockery of the Holy Grail War's rules?!
"You do, don't you?! Yes! I knew it!! Thanks a lot, dear viewers! I hope you are looking forward to seeing me using my trump card, right?! Right?!! HAHAHA!!!"
Running away wasn't an option for Evil Betty Shaw, as now he knew a power at the level of Deep One was involved — against him.
The best way to handle this was to finish Master and Servant, instead.
Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssssssssssssssssss!!!
The entire sky gained a black tinge around Evil Betty Shaw, his entire body becoming black, oozing blacker flames.
Slowly, he lifted his left hand, facing the palm toward the sky.
Super Granzeboma Anti-Spiral —
A white-purple-black gigantic drill took shape on Evil Betty's palm, his vile grin widening behind the mass of black energy on his face.
Then, as he faced the drill toward his original body and the Servant, it became a beam, shattering space behind him.
— Giga Drill Break!
"… Run…" Betty Shaw stuttered, seeing the armored Servant appearing in front of him.
Jeanne looked over her shoulder and smiled mercifully at him. "… No. Let's face it together, Master."
Betty Shaw couldn't even sense his Items, Skills, or Abilities.
What could he do to help her? What did he have left to face the world-dooming attack coming at them?
Suddenly, Betty smiled, a blurry image of a Video Camera appearing on his shoulder.
"… The lord helps those who stand for righteousness and justice," Betty said, one of the Command Seals on his hand bursting out with a red glow. "Won't you agree, dear audience?"
Wind and Holy Aura surged around Jeanne d'Arc.
Noble Phantasm —
"O Lord, I beg of you…" The Holy Maiden prayed, planting the flagpole deep into the earth in front of her. "Grant me the strength to protect those precious to me—"
— Luminosite Eternelle!!
A holy dome shot out of the flagpole, covering Jeanne and Betty Shaw under it.
And, the screeching, unholy black drill struck the barrier, shattering dimensions.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
*****************
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