"The Greater Grail is inside. The path ahead is a little complicated, so be careful not to get separated."
Cú Chulainn gave them this reminder.
"It looks like... a natural cave. Was this originally part of Fuyuki City as well?" Mash could not help asking.
"Probably. It's half natural, half artificial. An underground workshop developed by magi over many years."
As she spoke, Olga Marie glanced around.
"You look exhausted?" Koizumi happened to notice Fujimaru Ritsuka standing to the side listlessly.
"Eh!" Ritsuka froze, seemingly surprised that Koizumi had actually spoken to her. But she quickly recovered and hurriedly shook her head. "No, it's just that I don't really understand magecraft. When all's said and done, I'm only a mediocre magus. I'm good at hand-to-hand combat, so the only magecraft I'm really skilled at is physical reinforcement. I barely understand anything else, not even healing or anything like that. So hearing about magecraft workshops and all that gives me a headache."
As she said this, Ritsuka rubbed her forehead, making Koizumi chuckle.
"Actually, I don't understand much about this either. After all, I don't even know my own past, and I can't use magecraft at all." Koizumi scratched his head as he spoke.
"So I guess we're the same kind of people."
"Haha... I suppose so..." Koizumi's words seemed amusing to Ritsuka, and she laughed.
"Hmm?" Remilia was not interested in this sort of thing either, but—
"Who's there?!"
As she shouted sharply, a pink orb of light burst from Remilia's right hand and slammed toward a boulder behind them.
"Boom!"
An explosion rang out at once, and Cú Chulainn realized who had arrived.
"Speak of the devil, and a believer shows up." With that, Cú Chulainn turned around with a teasing grin.
"You're still protecting the owner of the holy sword?"
"...Hmph. I don't recall ever being anyone's believer. My job is merely to show boring visitors the door."
As that voice rang out, the smoke gradually dispersed, revealing a man before them. He wore a combat suit and gripped a black bow. His skin was dark, his hair gray-white, and strange markings covered his face.
He was a man with an exceptionally weathered gaze.
This was Archer! Archer, as their enemy!
A Lancer Who Looked Like a Caster
"...Hmph. I don't recall ever being anyone's believer. My job is merely to show boring visitors the door," Archer said flatly.
"Isn't that just being a gatekeeper? I don't know who you're trying to protect Saber from, but we'll settle things here." Cú Chulainn curled his lip, then said gravely, "Isn't an endless game boring too? Whether the ending is good or bad, you have to move a piece first, don't you?"
"From the sound of it, you seem to have roughly grasped the situation. Yet despite understanding the bigger picture, you still cling to your own selfish desires... I can tell that even as a magus, your nature has not changed in the slightest. Then let me knock some sense into you with my swords." Archer spoke coldly, and a pair of black-and-white twin swords instantly appeared in his hands.
"Boom!"
The moment Archer finished speaking, another pink orb of light blasted straight toward him.
Archer was briefly startled and swiftly dodged aside. Then his gaze fell upon the one who had ambushed him—Remilia.
"What a pile of boring nonsense. Selfish desires, good and evil... it's all ridiculously dull. Are all Heroic Spirits this tedious? And you, Caster, why waste so many words on him? Isn't it enough to know he's an enemy?!" As soon as she finished speaking, Remilia flashed forward and appeared before Archer, swinging Gungnir at him.
"What an efficiency-first vampire..." Archer said, revealing a mocking smile.
"Of course. People like you, still agonizing over righteousness and selfish desires, are boring to death! If I spent every day here pondering righteousness and selfish desires, I would've died centuries ago!"
As she spoke, intense killing intent surfaced in Remilia's scarlet eyes. Gungnir grew even sharper in her hand, and a massive shockwave swept through the surroundings, cracking the ground beneath them.
"This vampire Servant sure acts fast." Cú Chulainn scratched his head and glanced at Mash.
"Don't just stand there, girl. Time to move!"
As he spoke, Cú Chulainn rapidly chanted a spell and waved his staff. A blazing fireball shot toward Archer!
Mash also hurried forward to shield Remilia from Archer's attacks.
Mash's sudden entry into her battle made Remilia frown slightly. She had been about to scold her, but when she saw Mash's resolute expression and sensed the presence from her that no ordinary human should possess, Remilia hesitated briefly and said nothing, silently accepting it.
With his attack blocked and another attack coming at him, Archer decisively leaped backward to widen the distance. Remilia was stronger than him in close combat, and with Mash helping block the damage, he had no chance of hurting them. Since that was the case, he might as well fight from range.
"Bang!"
Brilliant firelight and cold swordlight flashed. Archer cut apart Cú Chulainn's fireball with one strike. Then magical energy surged around his hands, and an unadorned black longbow and black arrow appeared in his grasp. He was an Archer, after all. Even if he could fight at close range, that only meant he was an Archer who could fight at close range. Besides, Archers generally possessed some melee ability.
Faced with a disadvantage in close combat, Archer could only choose a ranged battle, so—
The instant the bow appeared in Archer's hand, he wasted no time. He nocked the arrow, drew the string, and aimed!
"Whoosh!"
Archer released the string, and the black arrow became a streak of red light, shooting toward Cú Chulainn like lightning.
Cú Chulainn leaped away as well, but the instant the arrow struck the ground, enormous magical energy erupted from it.
"Bang!"
The arrow exploded, engulfing Olga Marie, Ritsuka, and Koizumi.
"Senpai!" Mash was instantly horrified. She had never expected Archer's arrows to explode!
Archer frowned slightly. He had indeed intended for that arrow to catch the Masters in its blast, but—
According to his senses, they did not seem to be dead. He did not feel as though he had killed them.
Remilia also paused her attack. Her scarlet eyes turned toward the rear, deep in thought. She had a contractual connection with Koizumi. If he died, she would feel it, so she knew he was alive.
What she wondered was just who exactly this Master of hers was. Setting aside the fact that she could not feel even the slightest killing intent toward him, what was stranger was that in front of him, she could barely even generate hostility. That was truly strange.
Gradually, the dust cleared. Koizumi stood in front of Ritsuka and Olga Marie, with a pink, wall-like barrier before him. Remilia's brows furrowed tightly at the sight.
If she had not sensed wrong, that was her magical energy. Did that mean Koizumi could use her power?
Hey, hey, hey! What kind of joke is this? My magical energy is being fed back to him as power—what kind of bullshit contract is that?
"Senpai, Mr. Koizumi, Director, are you all right?" Mash asked anxiously.
"We're fine... It seems this guy saved us..."
As she spoke, Olga Marie looked at Koizumi before her with a puzzled expression.
She began to doubt her judgment. Even though Koizumi had now revealed power beyond that of an ordinary person, she started to wonder whether his amnesia might actually be real. If he were the mastermind behind this Singularity, there would have been no need for him to save her and Ritsuka. Especially Ritsuka—if Ritsuka died, Mash would lose her power as a Demi-Servant.
But he had not done that. Instead, he had been the first to stand before them and block the attack. Thus, Olga Marie began to doubt her judgment.
"Be careful. Archer's arrows explode. Especially you, Mash—unless it's necessary, try to evade Archer's attacks instead of blocking them. I'll handle Ritsuka and Miss Marie, so don't worry."
Koizumi stared cautiously at Archer. Though he did not know why this power existed within him, he knew it was Remilia's power, so he attributed it to the contract.
But this was not the time to worry about that. They had to deal with Archer quickly.
"Eh... Understood!"
Mash blanked out for a moment. Normally, Ritsuka should have been the one giving her orders, so having Koizumi do it made her feel a little unaccustomed.
"Hey, hey, hey! Shouldn't Ritsuka be the one giving Mash instructions? How did it become you?"
Olga Marie could not help commenting on that as well.
"Director, this isn't the time to worry about that. And I think Koizumi is right."
Ritsuka seemed rather easygoing and did not care about it at all. Instead, she thought Koizumi's instructions were correct.
"Milady!" Koizumi ignored the conversation behind him and looked toward Remilia.
If he remembered correctly, Remilia could use ranged attacks as well. Since Archer wanted a ranged battle, then they would give him one.
"Got it!" Remilia answered instinctively and flicked her hand.
But Remilia then froze. Wait, why am I listening to him? I'm the lady here!
Taking advantage of Remilia's moment of distraction, Archer seized the chance. He quickly drew his bow, nocked an arrow, aimed at Remilia, and released several streaks of red light like lightning.
Sensing the incoming attack, Remilia hurriedly came back to herself and dodged.
At the same time, an enormous magic circle appeared behind Remilia. In a single instant, countless light bullets burst from the magic circle behind her.
"What?!"
Mash and Cú Chulainn were instantly shocked, especially Cú Chulainn, who was practically speechless.
I'm the mage here! Why does a Lancer look more like a Caster than I do?!
Putting aside Cú Chulainn's inner frustration, Archer was equally shocked at that moment.
A Lancer was using a Caster's methods. What was this supposed to be? Had she just filled in her class at random?
Countless explosions erupted at once. It was not that Archer did not want to dodge—there was simply nowhere to dodge. Even if he tried to block them with attacks, he would still be caught in the blast.
"Hey, hey, hey! Are you sure your Servant is a Lancer and not a Caster? She looks more like a Caster than a Caster!" Olga Marie looked utterly unable to accept it, while Fujimaru Ritsuka wore a speechless expression.
From the way she looked at him, Koizumi could read a message in her eyes.
"Isn't your Servant a little too bizarre?!"
Gradually, the smoke dispersed, revealing Archer drenched in blood. He wore a bitter smile as his body began to turn into particles of light. "This really is... an unusual Servant..."
"Hmph! That's because you haven't seen enough of the world..." Remilia said with a snort.
At that, Archer gave another bitter smile. "Perhaps..."
With that, Archer's body completely turned into particles of light and vanished.
Even Cú Chulainn could not help smiling bitterly at the sight as he shook his head.
"This vampire lady really does make quick work of things."
There was nothing he could do about it. He had practically been useless in this battle.
Being able to take it easy was a good thing, but being too idle made him feel like he was neglecting his duties.
"Obviously. If we waited for you to make a move, how long would that take?"
Remilia rolled her eyes at Cú Chulainn and spoke flatly.
Cú Chulainn sighed helplessly but said nothing more. As long as they defeated the enemy, that was enough.
However, Cú Chulainn happened to glance at Mash and noticed that she seemed somewhat absent-minded.
"What's wrong, girl?"
"Although I'm happy that Mr. Cú Chulainn trusts me so much, can I really block Artoria's holy sword?... That holy sword... Artoria's holy sword, famous throughout the world. It feels like it might be beyond my abilities. Just thinking about that holy sword makes my fingers tremble."
As she spoke, Mash looked at the shield in her hands, her face full of uncertainty.
"Then you'll just have to overcome it. But from where I'm standing, you should be quite compatible with that holy sword."
Cú Chulainn patted Mash on the shoulder and comforted her.
"That shield will not break. If you truly lose, it'll be because you, the little girl holding it up, screwed things up. If you let go of that shield, the Master behind you will evaporate in an instant."
As he spoke, Cú Chulainn pointed at Ritsuka beside him.
Hearing Cú Chulainn's words, Mash pressed her lips together. Then determination flashed in her eyes.
"I will definitely protect Senpai!"
Remilia's Shock
"I will definitely protect Senpai!"
Mash spoke with a determined expression. Cú Chulainn nodded, approval glinting in his eyes.
"Listen. Don't think about defeating the holy sword. You only need to consider how to protect your Master. You're good at that, aren't you?"
"Well, in other words, leave dealing with Saber to me and Lancer. You just do what you want to do."
"...All right. Your advice has given me strength."
Mash revealed a faint smile.
"What's wrong, Mash?" Ritsuka looked at Mash in confusion. She felt as though something about Mash had changed.
"Nothing. I will definitely protect you, Senpai!" Mash said firmly.
"Yeah, yeah... I've always believed in you, Mash." Ritsuka smiled knowingly.
From the moment they entered this Singularity until now, she had always believed Mash would protect her.
Ritsuka could fight as well, but she was far too weak compared to Servants, so she could only watch from behind.
"Are you all right?" Remilia slowly flew before Koizumi and looked down at him.
Before you continue