Rin snorted and turned to walk out of the command room.
At that moment, the butler walked over to Lorelei's side and lowered his voice.
"Miss, is it really all right to disregard Miss Rin Tohsaka's objections like this?"
Having just suffered a setback at Rin's hands, Lorelei now felt she had regained some ground. How could she care about Rin's opinion? With pride carved into her bones, Lorelei waved a dismissive hand at the butler.
"Pay it no mind. Rin has lived among ordinary people for too long and cares too much about them!"
Suddenly, an alarm rang through the command room. On the mana-projected map of Fuyuki City before them, node after node turned red.
"Not good! Someone is seizing control of the barrier!"
Lorelei frowned and hurried over to the map, watching the nodes continuously turn red before turning to the Magi beside her.
"Contact the site immediately and find out what's going on!"
The Magus beside her immediately set down the Mystic Code used to operate the barrier and began chanting. Soon, the image and sound from one of the nodes appeared out of thin air within the command room.
"Ah!"
The moment the feed connected, a scream rang out. Then everyone in the command room saw a Servant somewhat resembling Lord of Celestial Mechanics Marisbury casually casting spell after spell—magic that ordinary Magi could spend their entire lives pursuing without ever reaching—slaughtering the Magi on site.
"A Servant!"
Lorelei muttered coldly, staring at the screen with a furrowed brow, intending to find out why this Servant was seizing the barrier.
Then a figure Lorelei would never forget appeared on the screen.
Sajyou Manaka entered the frame cheerfully with Dr. Heartless. Seeing Sajyou Manaka on the screen, Lorelei clenched her teeth, her fists creaking.
"Lord Aiga, all the nodes arranged along the leylines have been activated, and these key nodes have been cleared as well."
Sajyou Manaka ignored Dr. Heartless. As if she had known in advance, she turned toward the screen.
"Oh my! Rin-chan doesn't seem to be here! Still, I must thank everyone for your help. You've saved me quite a bit of time!"
As she spoke, light shone from Sajyou Manaka's chest. The image then distorted and disappeared.
At the same instant, the barrier transformed. Space was severed, and Aiga relocated the entirety of Fuyuki City into some other dimension.
Lorelei slammed her fist onto the table, smashing it into splinters, and ground out through clenched teeth.
"Sajyou Manaka! Aaaaaah!"
Kiritsugu Emiya's Actions and Illya!
Having left the farm, Rin strolled along a country road and glanced at the barrier before turning to Gilgamesh, who had materialized behind her.
"Gil, can you break it?"
Gilgamesh looked at the barrier with disdain, arms folded across his chest.
"Rin, are you asking something so obvious? Don't say foolish things like those mongrels!"
"Okay, okay, my mistake. Please forgive me in your boundless generosity."
Watching Rin act cute in front of him, Gilgamesh turned his head away and let out a disdainful sound.
"Tch!"
"But even with your Clairvoyance and the Star of Omniscience and Omnipotence, you can't rival Sajyou Manaka's omniscience?"
"That mongrel is indeed, as you said, the Root Princess! My Clairvoyance has been almost completely sealed. I can see only a small portion of the information. I fear only you can break through her omniscience and make events unfold beyond her expectations, just as even my Clairvoyance, combined with the Star of Omniscience and Omnipotence, cannot fully predict your actions!"
"Ah! Forget it, I don't have any good plans right now either. Gil, let's head back."
Gilgamesh nodded at Rin, then lightly swept an arm behind him. A golden ripple appeared at his back, and a golden airship emerged from it—the Vimana.
Rin followed Gilgamesh onto the Vimana and stood beside the throne at its center, holding onto its backrest.
Once Gilgamesh saw that Rin was ready, a thought from him sent the Vimana slowly into the sky, flying steadily toward Tohsaka Villa.
At Tohsaka Villa, the King of Conquerors was fully engrossed in a game of chess with Fujino. No matter how anxiously Waver, troubled by the sudden appearance of the barrier, spoke up several times, he could not sway the King of Conquerors from his match.
"Checkmate!"
The King of Conquerors laughed heartily. Looking at Fujino, whom he had checkmated, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Not bad, little girl. You managed to hold out against me for so long. Your strategic skill deserves praise. Are you interested in joining my ranks?"
Fujino glared at the King of Conquerors indignantly.
"No! The only person I'll follow is my master. Everyone else can just die!"
"Hahahaha, Rin's disciple! Just as expected of the young miss."
At that moment, Waver spoke to the King of Conquerors again.
"King! Outside..."
Waver was interrupted by the King of Conquerors once more.
The King of Conquerors stood and slapped Waver on the shoulder, knocking all the words Waver had yet to say back into his stomach.
"Waver, we all know what is happening outside. Look at these young ladies and summon your courage. How can my retainer panic over such a trivial matter?"
Waver turned to look at Sakura and Gry, who both wore calm expressions, then took a deep breath and steadied himself.
"Yes!"
"Excellent, Waver. That's more like it! Hahahahaha!"
"But King, are we really going to ignore the barrier outside?"
The King of Conquerors stroked his chin and pondered for a while.
"For now, we know nothing about the situation outside. Let's wait until that little girl Rin returns."
At night, Kiritsugu Emiya and Zouken Matou led their Servants through the forest and arrived before the gates of Einsbern Castle.
"Hehehe, Emiya, have you truly made up your mind?"
Kiritsugu Emiya did not answer Zouken Matou. Instead, he looked toward Illya, who slowly appeared before the castle gates with Berserker.
"Kiritsugu, you finally came to see me?"
"Illya!"
"Kiritsugu, why didn't you come back for me? Do you know how Grandfather treated me? Do you know how much I missed you and Mother?"
Kiritsugu Emiya looked calmly at Illya as she emotionally hurled question after question at him.
Illya's voice gradually grew quieter. She had also sensed the resolve hidden beneath Kiritsugu Emiya's calm expression. After settling her emotions, she looked at him coldly.
"Kiritsugu, did you come for the Lesser Grail?"
"Yes!"
Hearing Kiritsugu Emiya's decisive answer, Illya took a step back despite having prepared herself for it. Tears welled in her eyes as she shouted.
"Berserker!"
Berserker, who should have possessed no reason, seemed to feel Illya's sorrow and let out an unprecedented roar.
"Roar!"
The enormous roar shook the forest, sending countless birds fleeing.
Wielding the Nameless Axe Sword in his hand, Berserker launched an attack on Kiritsugu Emiya with unstoppable momentum and unprecedented fury.
Jeanne d'Arc Alter behind Zouken Matou swung her War Banner and leaped forward, blocking Berserker.
Kiritsugu Emiya gave Assassin an order without hesitation.
"Assassin, bring Illya to me!"
"Roar!"
Seeing Assassin vanish, Berserker roared. Ignoring Jeanne d'Arc Alter's incoming War Banner, he allowed his arm to be pierced as he struck her away with a brutal punch.
Then, in a frenzy, he reached Illya before Assassin could appear at her side.
Berserker grabbed Illya and shielded her with his broad back from Assassin's thrown daggers.
But Assassin's Noble Phantasm, Mystery Crush, was not so easily endured. As the daggers sank into Berserker's back, intense pain surged through his entire body.
Even amid the agony, Berserker displayed his invincible bravery. He gently placed Illya on the ground, kicked off with both legs, and performed a backflip to arrive before Assassin, throwing a punch.
"Damned beast, don't forget about me! Roar, My Wrath!"
Countless serrated spears wreathed in flames struck Berserker, nearly burning him into a lump of charcoal.
Even with such grievous wounds, Berserker still threw a final punch with his last breath. However, his injuries were too severe, and Assassin easily evaded it.
"Assassin, while Berserker recovers, seize Illya immediately!"
Upon hearing Kiritsugu Emiya's command, Assassin flashed before Illya. He shrugged at her, then reached out to grab her.
Suddenly, Assassin sensed something. He quickly withdrew his hand and leaped backward, evading a Noble Phantasm flying in from afar.
"How lively! I wonder whether everyone welcomes me?"
Everyone looked up toward the voice. Rin and Gilgamesh were now above the castle, controlling the Vimana.
Kiritsugu Emiya's pupils contracted as he could not help saying.
"Rin Tohsaka!"
An angry expression also rarely appeared on Zouken Matou's face as he stared at Rin Tohsaka in the sky.
"Rin Tohsaka! Why are you here?!"
"So you really didn't die, Old Man Matou. I'm merely returning the favor. You sent people to destroy my home, and I came to cause trouble for you. Fair enough, isn't it?"
Meanwhile, Saber Alter arrived at Tohsaka Estate, only to find it empty. She clicked her tongue and casually fired a Curry Stick, destroying Tohsaka Estate.
"Tch, that disgusting old man actually deceived me. Where here is there an opponent worthy of satisfying me? Damn it, when I get back, I'll make him double the tribute!"
Angra Mainyu Reappears and Kiritsugu's Retreat!
Rin Tohsaka stood atop the Vimana, looking down at the people below, then beckoned to Gilgamesh.
"Gil, please!"
"Tch! To think I must let that damned god touch my treasure. Rin, only this once! Mongrels below, consider it an honor!"
As he spoke, a golden ripple appeared behind Gilgamesh, and a small hand axe shot out from it.
Berserker blankly caught the tiny axe flying toward him. Then he held up the axe, which was not even as large as his palm, and roared at the Vimana in the sky, as though asking, Are you making fun of me?
"Gil, what are you doing?"
"Don't rush. It will change!"
As Gilgamesh's words fell, the axe in Berserker's hand instantly grew enormous, becoming perfectly suited to Berserker's use. Yet as the axe enlarged, the image of a massive cherry tree appeared behind Berserker.
Rin stared blankly at the giant phantom of the cherry tree, then immediately remembered something and could not help shouting.
"Sakura Divine Axe!"
Berserker did not care about any of that. He seemed extremely satisfied with the axe that had suddenly appeared in his hand and let out an excited roar.
Then, with a single stride, he charged near Jeanne d'Arc Alter and brought the axe down again and again.
On the other side, Rin and Golden Flash lightly leaped down from the Vimana and landed beside Kiritsugu Emiya.
"Kiritsugu Emiya, aren't you retreating? Do you have any other trump cards?"
Kiritsugu Emiya first glanced at Assassin, who was being targeted by dozens of Noble Phantasms from Gilgamesh, then turned to Rin and spoke slowly.
"There is no point. Since you are here, I likely have no chance of escaping."
Rin frowned at Kiritsugu Emiya's words. Something's wrong. How could Kiritsugu Emiya possibly know how to give up? They must still have another trump card!
Before you continue