No Contestant, Master, or person existed who hadn't heard the BOOM that had come from Fuyuki City's outskirts.
The sky in that direction had turned the horizon golden-black, as if some corrupt god had decided to incarnate, the earth failing to hold his first step.
Venom-Kai rushed in that direction, cursing Zelretch under his breath.
The Deep One had not only severed spacetime to trap Kai in a pocket dimension, but He had also tampered with Kai's innate sense of time as well.
In the pocket dimension, Kai had spent less than 20 minutes.
Outside, hours had gone by, though, deceiving not only Kai but also Black somehow.
That made going to the Tohsaka Mansion to confront Archer and Shirou utterly useless. Even if Kai couldn't kill a Servant, he could send Shirou to the afterlife, using Medea's help.
Now, Saber and Rin must have returned, significantly lessening Kai's chances of success.
Then, as he was about to return to the Einzbern Castle, where Assassin was trapped and was still battling the Book's Characters, the explosion had rocked the city.
As Berserker, Kai had experienced quite a magnificent display of firepower by the Servants till now.
Nothing came close to the Saber Alter's Excalibur that had obliterated Orochimaru's Triple Rashomon.
Then there was Archer's Broken Phantasm — almost as powerful as a small nuclear attack.
But this — this golden-purpleness lingering on the horizon — exceeded even those two.
Not only that, there was something in the air, Kai realized as he blurred in that direction. Not Chakra, Mana, Aura, or the most commonly known forms of energy.
It was something entirely new to Kai.
So, even if it meant absolute danger, he needed to see what was going on.
With another push, space rippled around Berserker as he crossed over a mile instantly, appearing at the site of the explosion.
Crackkkkkkk!
Black bolts of lightning were rumbling out of the healing spatial cracks across the space.
On one side, a massive golden dome was radiating holiness, light golden particles lingering on its boundary like pollen.
On the other side, a black-white-purple fire raged on the earth, the screech of metals deafening the ears.
It was from this fire that Kai was sensing the unknown form of energy — energy that made him remember what greed felt like.
Suddenly, the fire flickered.
From a massive crater, a figure walked out.
It was like a massive black skeleton, with white and purple fire burning inside it.
The figure was holding a Video Camera on its right shoulder. In his left hand, he was holding a broken piece of metal.
The figure lifted its left hand, and that remaining chunk of metal disintegrated as well.
Venom's white eyes widened so much that they covered his entire skull.
In the next moment, he blinked out of existence.
Doom descended on the burning, black skeleton-figure, yellow bolts of lightning crackling around Berserker as he punched.
Before the punch could land, though, the entire figure disintegrated, becoming worms and insects.
"Kekeke…" The cackle buzzed and clicked across the space.
Then, all the insects dispersed, the Evil Contestant running away.
Venom's long tongue slithered out, saliva dripping off its fangs in annoyance.
"… So you are indeed useless without your Master, huh? Couldn't even kill insects?!"
Berserker looked to his right and found Archer standing on top of a charred tree, eying the golden dome as well, a mocking smile planted on his face.
"I didn't see you making a move, Preacher! Too scared to even take out your bow?!"
Both Berserker and Archer looked in another direction and found Lancer staring at the same dome, holding his spear on his shoulders with a grin on his face.
"… Partying without me, lads?" From the darkness in the sky, Ainz Ooal Gown materialized, holding his staff.
"Is that a Servant?!"
All eyes suddenly fell on the ground, just in front of the golden dome.
Gilgamesh, wearing his golden armor, was standing there majestically, eying the blurry figure behind the golden boundary.
"… I thought all Servants were already summoned."
From the crater burning with white-purple fire, Enkidu stepped out, holding a spark of those fires in his palm.
A silence lingered in the surroundings suddenly.
From the crackling of fire to the hum of the golden dome, everything could be heard crystal clear.
The entire situation had taken a very delicate turn, it seemed. One wrong move, one wrong step, and one wrong word, and everything stood a chance to get utterly destroyed in the resulting aftermath.
"Hahaha…" Berserker laughed, licking his lips. "It's not Caster and Rider."
All eyes narrowed at that.
It was clear that they needed to find out who this Servant was right now.
It wouldn't happen unless they willingly shared the information about the missing Servants among them.
"Tch!" Archer tsked, two swords appearing in his hands. "… It's not Saber and Assassin as well."
Lancer and Ainz Ooal Gown's eyes glinted at that. So, Archer, Saber, and Assassin's Masters were continuing their alliance even after last night's battle?
Ainz Ooal Gown, holding two black cruciforms in the holes of his skull, grunted. "It's not her, either."
So, Saber Alter was out of the picture as well.
Who remained, then?
The answer was clear.
No one!
Archer and Lancer exchanged shocked glances.
Enkidu and Gilgamesh looked at each other, raising their brows.
Berserker looked up and found the Overlord looking back at him.
"A new Servant…" Enkidu mumbled, smiling. "How amusing, isn't it?"
"Quite indeed…" Gilgamesh replied, his eyes narrowing, dozens of golden circles appearing behind him.
Slowly, the golden dome began disappearing.
Under the shocked eyes of the Servants, the blurry figure finally revealed itself, a white banner flapping mightily over her head.
And the first name that surged in all hearts looking at her was — Saber!
With a chill in their eyes, they all looked at Archer, who was still looking at the figure holding the banner. "… It's…" he hesitated. "It's not Saber!"
Suddenly, the figure took a step forward, attracting all eyes.
"I am the Standard Bearer of the Great Holy Grail War," the Servant declared. "And let it be known to all that—"
"—that I am not here to vie for the Holy Grail."
Then, before even Gilgamesh could react, a mass of golden holiness surged from the Servant, blinding everyone.
When the radiance receded, the Servant with Saber's appearance had already vanished.
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