Just when things seemed to be spiraling further into disaster, a new voice rang out across the bridge.
"What the hell are you two idiots doing?!"
Shirō barely had time to register the voice before a column of brilliant blue light crashed into the bridge like a meteor, the sheer force of it blasting the air apart and sending debris everywhere.
Berserker staggered.
Illya's expression twisted in surprise. "Huh?"
And then, stepping out of the dust cloud, hands on her hips, expression thunderous, stood Rin Tohsaka.
Shirō almost collapsed in relief.
"Finally!" she gasped. "Where the hell have you been?!"
Rin glared at her, tossing her long black hair back with a dramatic flick of her hand. "I wake up to find half the city getting torn apart, and this is what you idiots have been up to?! Fighting Berserker?!" She shot a glare at Archer. "And you! I thought you were supposed to be the smart one!"
Archer crossed his arms. "We had a plan."
Rin's eye twitched. "Oh? What was it? Die?"
Berserker, done with being ignored, roared—a sound that shook the entire bridge.
Rin didn't even flinch.
She reached into her pocket, pulled out a handful of jewel-like crystals, and, without even hesitating, threw them at the raging monster.
The air exploded.
A series of magical detonations erupted around Berserker, slamming into his massive form with the force of multiple high-level spells. Each crystal she threw was packed with ridiculous amounts of stored magical energy, and now, unleashed all at once, they blasted the black giant backward in a storm of energy.
Shirō stared.
"…Holy shit."
Rin flipped her hair. "Oh, now you appreciate me?"
Archer smirked. "Took you long enough."
Illya, from the other end of the bridge, pouted. "That's not fair! You brought in a third wheel!"
Rin pointed dramatically at her. "Oh, shut up! Do you have any idea how much this city's repairs cost?! Some of us actually live here, you know!"
Illya huffed. "I don't care. Berserker! Kill them all!"
Berserker—who had just finished regenerating—charged.
Shirō barely had time to react before Rin grabbed her wrist and dragged her backward.
"Alright, new plan," Rin snapped. "You two, keep him busy. I'll prepare a real attack."
Archer sighed. "Oh, so now it's my job to get punched in the face?"
Shirō gritted her teeth, readied her sword, and nodded.
"Fine."
And just like that—
The battle began again.