The horror began with Zelretch's appearance on the battlefield, a sigh escaping His mouth.
This was the time-node, beyond which lay nothing but destruction — the end of mankind. This was the time-node, drawing the line of no return — the time-node where all the possibilities of salvation ended.
If Red failed to prevent the horror from taking shape, then He would have no choice but to intervene, Zelretch had known.
His appearance on the battlefield not only meant that Red had failed, but it also meant that the modified deal the Contestant had made with Him had also ceased to exist.
And that was nothing but a bloody shame…
A massive Spell Circle, hundreds of meters in diameter, drawn in blood, took shape over the battlefield. The same Spell Circle, as large as the upper one, appeared on the ground, washing the land with blood.
Then, with a sizzling hiss, both Spell Circles entered Medusa Alter.
All was happening so fast that, other than the Deep One watching it, none could even perceive it. Much less needed to be said about doing something to prevent it from happening.
Others probably didn't know how Medusa Alter was doing it, but He knew.
It wasn't unlike how, in some timelines of Fuyuki's Holy Grail War, Medea summoned a faux Assassin as her Servant, breaking rules.
A similar event was happening on the battlefield as well.
A few key differences were there, too, though.
To summon a Servant, one needed a Catalyst before performing the Summoning Ritual using the Magic Circles.
Without a Catalyst, the Holy Grail would, rather than basing it on the Summoner's power, choose a Servant based upon similarities to the summoner's own nature.
The two bloody Spell Circles that had entered the Blackened Rider were nothing but the Magic Circles of the Summoning Ritual itself.
It didn't mean that there was no Catalyst involved.
The Catalyst was none other than Medusa Alter herself!
Moreover, because of the similarity between her and the to-be-summoned Servant, and the fact that it was the Greater Grail powering the ritual, the summoning itself crossed all logic!
Normally, summoning a Divine Class Servant would need enormous preparation.
Even the Einzberns had to methodically prepare before summoning Heracles through Illya because of her Lesser Grail Status.
Still, it wasn't impossible in the ordinary Holy Grail System.
What Medusa Alter was summoning, though, wasn't a Divine Class Servant. It had a Divine nature, but…
… the Servant being summoned by the Blackened Heroic Spirit had the Class of Avenger!
Medusa Alter acting as the Catalyst…
The similarity between the Summoner and the Summoned…
And the Summoning Ritual being powered by the Greater Grail that was about to give birth to Angra Mainyu…
All factors combined to turn the most improbable impossible event into Reality.
Roars. Hisses. Growls. Screams. And Screeches.
A plethora of beastly noises filled the space, a blinding, black and purple band of light shooting out of Medusa Alter, reaching the sky, and going beyond.
Even Enkidu and Gilgamesh, perhaps the strongest Servants in this timeline, could do nothing but see the event playing out, caught dead in the time node.
On the battlefield, Medusa Alter began transforming, sacrificing herself as the Catalyst, becoming a vessel for the Avenger Class Divine Spirit's descent.
Her entire body swelled, turning into a 30-foot-tall giant.
Several locks of her enormous white hair came together as they coiled around each other, gaining a red-black snake head at their end, their eyes glowing red.
Her Rider armor shattered, but before her naked figure could fully reveal itself to the world, red-black strips of cloth covered her just like Dark Sakura, becoming a striped frock.
Her arms and legs became those of a beast, gaining sharp claws, and a 100 ft long, massive, serpentine tail sprouted out from her back, lashing like a whip at emptiness.
"So, it is you…" Zelretch looked at the Avenger. "… Gorgon… Sigh…"
And, just as the Deep One sighed for the second time…
… just as Gorgon stole the crown of the STRONGEST in this timeline from Enkidu and Gilgamesh combined…
… the time regained its momentum, revealing the serpentine Horror to all eyes.
…
"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!"
Innate Skill —
Her first cry made even the strongest remember what true fear felt like.
From Betty Shaw, Shirou, Black, and even Ainz Ooal Gown to Saber, Archer, Medea, Assassin, and even Medusa herself…
Other than the corrupted Heroic Spirits, Kirei Kotomine, and the Holy Maiden, all kneeled as Fear fell upon them, a blackness forcing out all thoughts from their minds.
— Scream of Fear!!!
Crrrrrr…
Even if the Fear hadn't made her kneel, it had still left Jeanne's mind as blank as her comrades, her hands clinging to her flagstaff to keep herself up.
So, as Saber Alter came for her, she even failed to put her hands up for defense.
Saber's black sword traced a bloody path as it opened up Holy Maiden's chest, blood spraying out like a fountain, painting the Servants' faces red!
Squelch…
Lancer Alter's spear punctured Archer's chest, making him cough blood.
Simultaneously, Kirei Kotomine's Black Keys entered Black and Shirou's stomachs, making them burn through cursed electricity from the inside.
Sizzleee…
A snake head opened its maw and fired a purple colored, hall-sized thick beam of magical energy, hitting squarely on Saber's chest… burying her alive dozens of meters into the earth.
Another beam of magical energy hit Medea, ripping off her left arm.
Betty Shaw survived as one of the beams came for him, using his Glitch. In the very next moment, though, a massive tail came into his vision before it swatted him away with a deafening boom, the Video Camera exploding to smithereens.
And Rider… she couldn't even lift her head… the bloodline suppression making her feel powerless.
Silence.
One moment.
In one moment, the battle had turned tables — Gorgon's mere presence claiming victory for herself!
And this was when the Avenger Class Servant hadn't even descended with Gorgon's true consciousness, but only her form.
Even if Rin won against Sakura now, it wouldn't matter.
As long as they didn't stab her with Rule Breaker, Angra Mainyu would still incarnate — something that was…
… as impossible and improbable as Gorgon's appearance in this timeline!
"… Sigh…" Zelretch sighed for a final time, lifting His hand to intervene, accepting the irreversibility of this impossible event.
"And I say…"
The Jewel Golem, housing Zelretch's soul, jolted as the words entered His ears, making Him look back.
Kai, with the widest, vilest, and cruelest grin planted on his face, was walking toward Him.
"… And I say — Nothing Is Impossible!"
*****************
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