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As the aftermath of the nuclear explosion settled, figures began appearing out of the debris, dust particles refracting the red, green, and fiery hues landing on them.
On one side, Rider was standing near Shirou and Black, all injured and bleeding.
In front of them, holding her flagstaff high, was Jeanne d'Arc, who had blocked the majority of the noble phantasm. However, despite coming out relatively unscathed, there was a worried expression flashing across her eyes. Confused and frowning, she looked up, her gaze landing on the unseen, dark edge of ground, where her Master… had been standing before.
On the other side, not far from them, Saber Alter, Lancer Alter, and Ainz Ooal Gown stood together, with a battered Kirei Kotomine kneeling behind them.
And, far from both sides, were obliterated parts of the Primal Fire and Wind Elementals.
Lancer Alter's Noble Phantasm had torn through the Elementals while they sacrificed themselves to cut off Archer and Saber's escape routes.
To everyone's utter surprise, though, the color of flames and the intensity of the wind over there… was a touch different.
Mixed with raging, reddish-blue flames were the black-purple ones.
And, along with the greenish, stormy winds, a new energy was building up as well.
Slowly, the flames and the winds dissipated, letting all see the spot where Gae Bolg had raged moments ago, exploding a nuclear bomb right on top of the two Heroic Spirits.
Lancer Alter's eyes suddenly widened. "Son of a…"
Saber was mostly uninjured, her body holding only a few burn marks.
Archer's entire body was full of burn marks, bruises, and scars, blood dripping down his chin and his left arm that he had used for Rho Aias dangling by his side.
Other than that, Archer… seemed fine.
And it was all because of the man that had fallen from above, like a star, meeting Gae Bolg head-on with the drill that he carried in his left hand.
All recognised the flames the moment they saw them, as they had seen them before. Not only had they seen them before, but they had also felt the sheer power those black-purple flames had carried.
The ridiculous part was that these flames were just an aftereffect, and not even the real attack.
Only the Holy Maiden remembered the true attack that had demanded her everything just to block it.
Super Granzeboma Anti-Spiral — Giga Drill Break!
But this time, this all-annihilating attack hadn't come to kill someone, but to save. Nor had it been used by an evil man.
Betty Shaw, wearing a torn white suit and carrying a Video Camera with cracked glass on his shoulder, stood tall in front of Archer and Saber, a blurry image of a magnificent drill still lingering on his left hand.
That meant…
"… Master!" Jeanne cried in joy.
If her Master had regained his signature ability, then didn't it mean that he had also regained all his powers?!
If that was true, then didn't it also mean… that the enemy for which they had come here was already dead?!!
If that was indeed the case, then didn't it mean her Master was as powerful as any Servant here and could take care of himself?!!!
And…
If that was indeed the reason behind her Master's appearance on the battlefield, then… didn't it mean that half her purpose had already been completed?!!!
Taking a deep breath, the Holy Maiden sighed.
Slowly, and miraculously, all eyes had already been shifted to her from the scene of Archer and Saber's ridiculous survival.
Something was happening to the Holy Maiden…
Something holy was burning inside her…
Now… she could end the evil…
Now… she could go all out…
BOOOOOM!!!
A beam of golden aura shot toward the sky, reaching the heavens, as Jeanne burned her core, the white flag on the lance she wielded flailing with pure, unmatched majesty.
And, temporarily, as Jeanne discarded all reasons to exist, the faux Ruler Class Servant surpassed even Saber Alter in strength.
Opposite the Heroic Spirit boiling with Mana, Ainz Ooal Gown's heart gave away.
Things hadn't actually happened as he had planned from the very beginning.
It had come as a joyous surprise when Berserker's group had appeared with the Jeweled Sword of Zelretch. However, the Contestant's lack of contact meant that he wanted to keep quiet, not revealing the details of their deal to anyone.
That was fine with Ainz, as he didn't care about anything but the Sword itself.
All he needed was time for Rin to fulfill the Jeweled Sword's destiny, and then he could go and take it with him, without facing any attack from this Timeline.
Time… which he wouldn't have, if the good side won before Rin finished the Jeweled Sword's purpose.
That's why Ainz had been giving his best to keep the Servants occupied here, letting the events in the Greater Grail Chamber play out.
But the Glitched Order's Contestant regaining his original powers had shattered those plans.
Then, the Holy Maiden, as powerful as the likes of Enkidu and Gilgamesh, had discarded the reason of her existence, aiming to end the fight before she disappeared.
Not to mention, the battlefield was missing key players, too.
Ainz hadn't forgotten that Berserker and Medea weren't here.
There was no way Berserker would die. That Contestant… was different. If he and Medea weren't here, then it meant they were cooking something grand, Ainz believed.
Then, there was another Heroic Spirit, not as powerful as the rest of them, but equally disastrous… Or a touch more, perhaps. Assassin!
No.
The edge they had bought because of Blackened Servants on their side was dulling over time.
If something didn't happen soon, something to counter the fate building up on the enemies' side, then he would lose this battle in the very next moment, it seemed.
Ainz Ooal Gown… wouldn't let that happen.
"Sigh…" The Overlord let out a breath, taking a step forward. "… Know that I had no other choice…"
Speaking out in the open, hoping Berserker heard him, Ainz Ooal Gown snapped his fingers.
And a chill ran down all spines, making even Jeanne frown, as they sensed a shadowy darkness gathering between the two sides.
It was time…
… for Medusa Alter to join the fray!!!
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