The sound of explosions, the clashing of blades... Tohsaka Rin looked at the shadow in the center of the altar, her heart a whirlwind of emotions. She couldn't connect that somewhat timid and introverted younger sister with this dark figure.
"Is it looking at me?"
Though she couldn't tell if the shadow had eyes, Tohsaka Rin could clearly feel its murderous gaze.
Jealousy, longing, murderous intent... countless complex emotions converged in the shadow's gaze. A pitch-black shadow appeared with the figure as its center, extending outward continuously.
"This is..."
As a Magician, Tohsaka Rin instinctively wanted to dodge. However, the slowly expanding shadow suddenly transformed into a blade and lunged at her. It was so fast that she had no chance to move.
"What are you dazing off for!"
Akatsuki shoved Tohsaka Rin aside and grabbed the shadow-blade with one hand. For a moment, she froze.
"Wait! Akatsuki!"
Seeing Akatsuki push her and grab the shadow, Tohsaka Rin tried to rush forward to push her back, but she found she couldn't move. Her legs wouldn't stop trembling; her human body was shaking and frantically refusing to get near Akatsuki.
"Am I... am I afraid?"
The entire Great Underground Cavern was enveloped in this unspeakable aura. For a moment, everyone fighting nearby turned to look at Akatsuki.
A sense of crisis suddenly rose in Caster's heart. Without hesitation, she raised her hand with the command spells and shouted.
"Saber, release your Noble Phantasm! Destroy that shadow and the True Ancestor!"
As the crimson command spell vanished, the Invisible Sword suddenly erupted with golden light. The holy sword that embodied the legend of King Arthur revealed its true form, and an unparalleled power was about to be unleashed!
"What?!"
Saber struggled with all her might against the compulsion of the command spell. "Ugh... the command spell..."
"Lord Sōichirō, please leave with me first. The plan for Matou Sakura's transformation into the Holy Grail has failed. After Saber destroys everything, we will use the Einzbern Family's lesser grail to summon the greater grail once more!"
"Understood."
"By my second command spell, I order you, Saber! Return to my side immediately after destroying the shadow!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Caster left the Great Underground Cavern of Mount Enzou with Souichirou Kuzuki, leaving only Shirou Emiya, Saber, Tohsaka Rin, Akatsuki, and the shadow.
Saber struggled to resist Caster's command spell using her Magic Resistance. She didn't dare relax for a moment because she knew that once she released her Noble Phantasm, not only would the shadow be destroyed, but Akatsuki and Matou Sakura would likely die as well.
But as a Servant, she couldn't resist the power of the command spell. All she could do was delay the release of her Noble Phantasm.
Just then, Akatsuki moved.
She let go of the shadow-blade and, under the horrified gazes of everyone, allowed the blade to pierce her body as she approached the shadow.
"Sakura, it's painful, isn't it?" Akatsuki said softly. "It's no wonder. After all, you were too young back then. If the Fifth Holy Grail War were held on its usual sixty-year cycle, your fate would probably be even more unfortunate than this."
Her hand plunged into the murky shadow and pulled the purple-haired girl directly out from within.
"Rin, protect your sister this time."
Holding the Matou Sakura that Akatsuki had tossed to her, Tohsaka Rin suddenly felt a terrible premonition. She wanted to say something, but no sound came out when she opened her mouth. Her vision blurred; she only felt that everything was happening too suddenly.
"Saber, if there really is a chance to start over without side effects, don't pull out the sword in the stone. Though you are an ideal king, you personally are not suited to be one."
"Wait! Akatsuki, why are you talking like this is a final farewell?"
Shirou Emiya looked painfully at his savior, whose face was now half-corroded by the shadow.
"Shirou Emiya, take Rin and Sakura and go. If you truly want to be a hero of justice, you must understand that you cannot save everyone. All you can do is save those around you."
Akatsuki grinned. "This is advice from your senior."
"Saber, do it!"
Saber's heart ached, and tears welled in her eyes. She gritted her teeth and used all her strength to resist the mandatory power of the command spell.
"Akatsuki!"
Shirou Emiya showed a pained expression. But seeing Akatsuki like this, and thinking that if the shadow went completely out of control, all of Fuyuki City and even the entire world would become a living hell, he forced himself to calm down.
"Tohsaka, take Sakura and let's go!"
"Eh?"
He dragged Tohsaka Rin and Matou Sakura away from the Great Underground Cavern, the birthplace of the Holy Grail War.
At the moment Saber swung her holy sword, the radiance of the Holy Sword of the Star instantly engulfed everything. A massive pillar of light shot into the sky, and the explosives Kiritsugu Emiya had set at the leylines of the Great Underground Cavern were detonated prematurely, shaking all of Fuyuki City.
"Oh?"
Crimson eyes narrowed slightly while looking at the massive pillar of light in the distance. "For the one that fellow Kirei took an interest in to die under Saber's sword like this... it's a decent enough end."
"Now then, the side show is over. Have you thought of how to please This King!"
When the light dissipated, the shadow and Akatsuki had vanished, as if the radiance had dissolved them together.
Shirou Emiya, Tohsaka Rin, and Matou Sakura were pushed out by the massive explosion. Saber had disappeared; to fulfill Caster's second command spell, she had to follow the contract and go to Caster's side.
"Not far away."
"As expected of an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm..."
Caster looked at the radiance in the distance, a hint of triumph flashing in her eyes. A sense of pleasure rose in her heart after eliminating her opponent. Without the variable of the True Ancestor, and with Saber and the Einzbern Family's lesser grail under her control, the outcome of this Holy Grail War was already clear.
"Lord Sōichirō, please wait a little longer. The leylines of Ryūdō Temple have been completely destroyed by Saber's holy sword. Once we find a new leyline, we will summon the Holy Grail immediately."
"I'll leave it to you."
Souichirou Kuzuki nodded and said no more.
"Saber, you did well."
Feeling Saber's approach, Caster smiled. The pure white wedding dress paired with Saber's humiliated expression was the perfect dessert for Caster.
"Caster!"
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