Japan, Fuyuki – Singularity F.
The crimson blaze devoured the night sky, smoke drifting between the ruins of collapsed buildings. The air itself seemed suffocated, pressed down by the weight of two overwhelming killing intents—so heavy it felt as if the heavens and earth had stopped breathing.
A cold snort escaped Kagami beneath his mask. He leaned forward, legs braced like a beast about to pounce, before slamming his foot down.
BOOM!!
The ground cracked apart, rubble scattering as his armored figure shot forth like a silver bullet, leaving behind a trail of afterimages burning white across the sea of fire. Eternaledge in his grasp flared with azure flames, cleaving downward in a devastating strike!
CLANG—!!
The clash rang out sharp and metallic, sparks ripping the darkness apart. The pink-haired Servant's massive scythe swung up just in time, steel grinding against steel, the sheer impact shaking the air. Waves of force exploded outward, scattering ash across the battlefield.
"Heh… Not bad. But—" she sneered, tightening her grip on the scythe as her body spun.
SLASH!!
The blade carved the air, unleashing a deadly arc. Kagami twisted aside, but the passing edge still scraped across his pauldron, spitting sparks with a shrill screech.
"—I won't be brought down so easily, nameless Master."
"Ohhh~… not bad at all, Servant." Kagami chuckled, Eternaledge spinning in his palm. Azure fire surged, forming a blazing arc as he slashed upward, the strike carving through the night as if to split it in half.
KRAKOOM!!!
The blow tore open the earth, leaving a deep gash that erupted with searing blue flames. Ash burst skyward like a tidal wave, painting the air in scarlet hues.
Yet the pink-haired Servant faltered not. She leapt high, skirt whipping like a bat's wings, her scythe spinning into a circle as streaks of violet-black energy ripped forth, shredding the very air.
Kagami did not retreat. Planting his feet, his white armor flared with light, the black cloak behind him whipping like a shroud of darkness. Eternaledge slashed across, azure brilliance colliding with violet deathlight—erupting into a blinding storm.
BOOOOOOM—!!
The entire district collapsed further. Walls crumbled, power poles split in two, while ash, blue fire, and violet energy twisted into a raging maelstrom.
Within that storm, two figures—one clad in white, the other haloed in pink—clashed without pause, every strike, every collision carrying the force to annihilate the Singularity itself.
On the other side of the battlefield, Olga Marie's eyes widened so much she nearly bit her own fingertip off. Her voice trembled, yet she still screamed out:
"Th-That bizarre-looking Mystic Code… don't tell me that's the damn brat Kagami?!"
Ritsuka, without a shred of hesitation, nodded furiously. Her eyes sparkled like starlight, brimming with excitement no different from a fangirl seeing her idol perform for the first time:
"Sodayo! That white armor is Kagami! Umm… what was it called again… ah, right—Kamen Rider! Totally spot on!"
"Kamen… Rider?" Olga Marie furrowed her brows, a flood of question marks circling in her head as she muttered under her breath like someone half-bewitched:
"A strange identity… brutal combat style… That Mystic Code clearly isn't some ordinary relic. Hmph. Once we return to Chaldea, I must investigate that brat thoroughly."
Beside her, Mash stayed silent, but her violet eyes never left the battlefield. While Olga simmered with suspicion and Ritsuka burned with excitement, Mash simply gripped her shield tighter, her heart caught in a storm of admiration mixed with unease.
And on the frontline—Kagami and the pink-haired Servant clashed once again. Azure fire and violet light exploded, the blast reflected in the eyes of the three behind him, leaving them breathless as they awaited the next strike.
Kagami unleashed a relentless flurry of rapid slashes, Eternaledge carving streaks of radiant azure light across the night sky, his speed resembling a raging storm of blades. Yet—
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The pink-haired Servant did not give an inch. Her scythe spun like a death wheel, intercepting every strike head-on, sparks bursting wildly at each clash. The cold smile on her lips grew sharper with every exchange, like a predator savoring the struggle before sinking its fangs into prey.
Kagami's brows furrowed, his pupils flashing. In the instant an opening appeared, he twisted his body, his right arm snapping back.
Vrrrrmmm!
A surge of azure lightning erupted around his arm. Eternal flames roared violently, wrapping his fist like a fallen star blazing across the heavens.
"You—"
He growled low, then lunged forward. His flame-wreathed fist drove straight toward the Servant's face, a strike carrying the name of legend—
"–are too damn annoying!!"
BOOOOOM!
The impact rang like thunder, the entire battlefield quaking violently as the ground split apart in massive fractures. Shockwaves ripped outward, flinging rubble and dust into a storm that engulfed the area.
The Servant's body was hurled back like a kite with its string cut. CRAAASH! She smashed into the stone building behind, the whole structure trembling before collapsing in on itself, rubble crashing down like a landslide, burying her beneath the ruins.
Not wasting a single second, Kagami immediately pulled out another Gaia Memory.
[Unicorn!]
The mechanical chime echoed as the Memory's joints lit up intensely. Kagami slammed it into the Arm Max Belt on his arm—instantly, a surge of azure electricity erupted, roaring to life.
[Unicorn! Maximum Drive!]
VROOOOM!
An Eternal Wave of energy burst outward, the very air around Kagami seeming to tear apart. The currents of wind twisted violently, condensing into the shape of a colossal drill spiraling around his right arm. Azure sparks crackled as the vortex howled, radiating a destructive force that could grind anything into dust.
"ORA—!!" Kagami roared, his body shooting forward like a fired shell.
At that very moment, the rubble exploded apart. The pink-haired Servant stepped out of the debris, dust still clinging to her form. Her golden eyes flashed with sudden alarm—
FROM ABOVE!
Kagami descended like a falling meteor, Rider Punch fused with the raging Unicorn Drill, crashing down with unstoppable momentum!
BOOOOM!!
The drill of energy ripped through space itself, carving destruction in its path. The Servant twisted her body instinctively, narrowly dodging the full brunt of the strike—
But not completely.
SLASH!
The Rider Punch grazed across her slender waist, tearing flesh as crimson blood sprayed into the night. Her body was hurled aside, skidding violently across the ground and carving a deep trench in her wake.
She grit her teeth, face twisting from the grievous wound, her eyes now blazing with the feral gleam of a serpent cornered to its last breath.
"Tsk! You dodged… huh. But I'll give you this—your speed and reflexes are impressive."
Kagami slowly rotated his wrist, his fingers tapping lightly against the flat of Eternaledge. The golden Visions of his helmet glowed fiercely in the night, locked on the pink-haired Servant like a predator sizing up its prey.
The Servant's breath came ragged, each exhale heavy and sharp. Blood streamed freely from the gash at her waist, soaking the hem of her outfit in crimson. One hand clutched the wound tight, the other gripped her scythe so hard her knuckles turned white, her gaze burning with savage, unhinged fury.
"…"
She said nothing. Instead, her body sank lower, scythe's edge scraping against the ground with a hiss of sparks before—swish—she slid forward, serpentine and swift.
Kagami only smirked at the sight, lips curling into a cold smile beneath his mask. Eternaledge spun once in his hand as he readied to meet her head-on. But then—
Her golden eyes flashed.
In that instant, Kagami's entire body froze. A chilling surge raced down his spine as if invisible chains had lashed around him. His muscles seized, limbs weighed down as though burdened with a thousand tons.
"Damn it…" Kagami snarled through clenched teeth, veins bulging across his neck as he fought to move. Yet his body refused, bound tight by some unseen curse, patches of his white armor already cracking into petrified stone.
"Quick reflexes…" the Servant's voice was a venomous hiss, laced with both scorn and exhilaration.
Shrrrip—!
The metallic shriek split the night.
Her silver-edged scythe swung upward and drove straight through Kagami's chestplate. Metal shattered, scarlet blood erupted, staining the Eternal blue fire still blazing within.
"Ghh—!!"
Kagami's body convulsed violently, staggering half a step back. His trembling hand gripped the scythe's shaft still embedded deep in his chest. Agonizing fire tore through every nerve, but in the burning gold of his helmet's Visions, the flames of defiance raged on—unyielding, unbroken.
"Kagami!!" Ritsuka screamed, her voice trembling as if she wanted to rush forward, but Mash held her back tightly.
"That… that is…" Olga Marie grit her teeth, eyes wide, her trembling finger pointing toward the battlefield.
"Those eyes… eyes that can petrify anyone who meets their gaze. Whoever looks into them is instantly bound! There's no doubt about it— that Servant is Medusa!"
"Medusa…?! The Medusa from Greek mythology?!" Ritsuka gasped, her breath quickening, her face turning pale. "Then how could Kagami-san possibly—"
Before she could finish, the battlefield shook violently.
BOOOM—
At the very spot where Kagami had been pierced through, where his chestplate was torn and parts of his body had already begun to turn to stone… a radiant azure light suddenly burst forth. Shards of Eternal Wave data shattered like glass, then swirled back together, knitting over his wounds, restoring every stiffened piece of flesh and armor.
"No way…" Olga Marie's eyes widened in disbelief.
A surge of azure smoke erupted. Kagami lifted his arm, his white gauntlet hand gripping the scythe still lodged in his chest, bones creaking as he tightened his hold. Tilting his head slightly, a low chuckle slipped out from beneath his mask:
"Khah… that really hurt. But—"
BANG!
He twisted his body and unleashed a fierce kick, Eternal armor-clad leg slamming into Medusa and sending her hurtling backward, crashing through several walls in an explosion of rubble. Dust rose high into the air.
Kagami flicked the blood off Eternaledge, then leveled a finger at her, posture steeped in contempt, as if issuing a declaration:
"Never thought I'd one day cross blades with the Medusa of Greek myth. This… is gonna be fun."
From within the rubble, Medusa slowly emerged. Her long pink hair whipped in the dusty air, golden eyes gleaming like those of a serpent. For a brief instant, her face showed sheer disbelief, her voice catching in her throat:
"How…? How could you possibly break free from the control of my Mystic Eyes of Petrification?!"
A wave of deathly pressure spread outward, freezing the very air of the ruined town.
Bathed in the flickering azure glow, Kagami gave a slight shrug. Eternal Wave wrapped around his body like undying flames, as if to declare: something like "death" could never bind Eternal.
"Let's see…" Kagami raised his hand, his tone detached, as if standing outside the realm of life and death itself.
"I am Eternal—the one who bears the very concept of Eternity. Tell me, do you really think I can die so easily?"
"You…!" Medusa snarled, golden eyes blazing with murderous intent.
Kagami only shrugged again, a faint chuckle escaping beneath his mask:
"No need to guess. Either way—it's about time to end this little game. Let me show you a concept you could never comprehend…
—NEVER."
He pulled the Eternal Memory from his Driver and slammed it into the Maximum Slot of Eternaledge, triggering the Finisher.
[Eternal! Maximum Drive!]
BOOOOM—!
The very air seemed to erupt. Eternal Wave spiraled into a vortex, sweeping away the ashes, azure flames blazing across Kagami's entire frame. Eternaledge flared like a divine blade of judgment, every swing carrying such force that even the air itself detonated under the pressure.
Medusa bit down hard on her lip, every instinct as a Servant screaming in alarm. She let out a sharp cry, swinging her scythe up to block!
CLANG—!!
The clash of steel roared like thunder. But in the very next instant, Kagami twisted on his heel, driving a sharp hook kick that sent her weapon flying.
"What—?!"
No time to recover—Kagami spun Eternaledge in his grip, unleashing a flurry of Rider Slashes. Each azure strike tore through both flesh and space itself. Medusa was forced backward, blood spraying, her body shredded with crisscrossing wounds.
"It's not over yet…!" Kagami growled, golden Visions blazing with ferocity.
BOOOM—!!
He stomped down hard, launching himself skyward. Eternal flames erupted around his armored leg, arcs of blue lightning sparking like a falling meteor.
High above, he twisted his body, channeling all that power into a single, deadly strike—Rider Kick.
A spiraling spear of azure light ripped through the night sky, descending like divine judgment. His voice thundered across all of Fuyuki:
"Just like I said… ENJOY YOUR HELL!!"
KAAA-BOOOOM—!!!
The Rider Kick slammed into Medusa, engulfing her entire form in roaring azure light. A massive pillar of energy blasted upward, scattering rubble, shaking the earth as if an earthquake had struck.
When the dust finally settled, Kagami stood tall at the heart of the smoking crater, black cape billowing in the wind, golden Visions gleaming—an unyielding embodiment of undying death.
"Kagami-san!" Mash hurried over, her eyes glowing with both worry and admiration. Behind her, Ritsuka and Olga Marie quickly followed.
Kagami turned around, smoothly pulling the Eternal Memory out from the Maximum Slot on Eternaledge and slotting it back into his Driver. He struck a flamboyant pose, voice dripping with arrogance:
"Yo! Did you see that performance? Pretty damn cool, huh?"
"Super cool, Kagami!" Ritsuka immediately bounced with sparkling eyes like a fangirl watching her idol live on stage. "That blue spiral light effect was insane! And the final kick—seriously, coolest thing ever!"
"Hahahaha! Well… of course." Kagami laughed proudly, even flicking his cloak back for extra flair.
Olga Marie folded her arms, eyes filled with both curiosity and doubt, before she finally couldn't hold back and asked:
"Hey, Kagami… what exactly is that armor of yours? Some kind of powerful Mystic Code? To be able to rival—no, even surpass the strength of a normal Servant…"
"Eh? Mystic Code? What the hell's that supposed to be?" Kagami blinked, looking utterly baffled like she'd just spoken in another language. Then he smacked his armored chest with pride.
"This is Rider Armor! Rider. Armor. Got it?!"
"…Rider Armor?" Olga Marie arched an eyebrow, still skeptical, but before she could retort, Ritsuka jumped in all excited:
"Just hearing the name sounds badass! Rider Armor… ahh, I wanna try wearing it at least once!"
"No, no, no! This suit's only for me!" Kagami quickly waved his hands, as if terrified someone might actually steal it.
The group's bickering lightened the mood, tension easing bit by bit. But just then—
Kagami's gaze sharpened in an instant. He gripped Eternaledge tightly and swung it toward the shadows among the rubble. The azure blade gleamed coldly.
His voice dropped, hard and sharp as steel:
"…Whoever's there, come out."
Silence fell. Only the crackling of fire filled the ruined night of Fuyuki.
"Oi oi, no need to be so on edge… I'm not your enemy." A deep, husky male voice echoed out, casual yet slightly mocking.
"Senpai, be careful!" Mash immediately reacted, stepping forward to shield Ritsuka and Olga Marie, her eyes locked on the source of the voice.
From the darkness, a figure emerged slowly. Long blue hair spilled over his shoulders, a finely crafted staff in his left hand, his right hand raised to show he meant no harm. His face bore a faint smile, though his eyes were deep and unreadable, as if hiding countless secrets.
Kagami narrowed his eyes. He flipped Eternaledge around, resting it back, though he remained standing tall. His armored figure radiated heavy pressure as he spoke coldly:
"You're a Servant, huh? Why are you here? Looking to fight us? If so… I've got time for a round."
"Now, now~ didn't I just say? I'm not your enemy." The blue-haired man shrugged nonchalantly. "Heard all those explosions and came to check things out. Didn't expect you to already finish her off."
"Then who are you?" Ritsuka peeked out nervously from behind Mash, curiosity written all over her face.
"Me?" The man chuckled, briefly glancing at Kagami. "A Servant's true name isn't something to be revealed so easily… but for now, you can call me Caster."
"Caster, huh?" Kagami tilted his head, hands laced behind his neck, his tone equal parts lazy and mocking. "So what, you came here to help us fight Medusa? Tough luck for you—showed up too late. I already kicked her into the dirt."
Caster let out a short laugh, eyes glinting with something unreadable. "I know. That explosion just now… I arrived right as it happened. Impressive, I'll admit."
He tapped his staff against the ground, then gestured off into the distance:
"But right now… this isn't the best place to chat. There's still one building intact over there. We can rest there and talk further."
"And why should we trust you?" Olga Marie crossed her arms, her tone dripping with suspicion.
Caster simply smiled, offering no explanation.
"Let's just follow. If anything goes wrong…" Kagami swung his hand dismissively, half-serious, half-sarcastic:
"…I'll handle it."
"Hmph…" Olga Marie gave a short, cold snort, but eventually nodded. "Fine then, lead the way."
The atmosphere eased for the moment, but the shadow cast by "Caster" only made the battlefield feel even more unpredictable.
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PS: Bonus Chapter for y'all :))