The Uninvited Guest

Just as Mo Li used the same strategy as Ritsuka Fujimaru to resolve the Lancer team's problem and headed home to make preparations, in a corner of Fuyuki City...

Fou licked the face of the girl, Fujimaru Ritsuka, while calling out, "Kyuu... kyuu..."

"Mmph?" Ritsuka Fujimaru reacted.

"Senpai, wake up, please, Senpai..." Mash felt uneasy in this remote place and shook Ritsuka Fujimaru's body a few times.

Ritsuka Fujimaru sat up, her head spinning, and then heard Mash say, "Thank goodness, you're finally awake, Senpai. It's such a relief that you're all right!"

"What about you, Mash? Are you okay?" Ritsuka Fujimaru came to her senses and looked at Mash anxiously. This was her first time crossing worlds, and she had no idea what might happen.

"I'm fine, Senpai. But before that, please look around. This place seems different from what we saw. Based on the information we have on Fuyuki City, while it does match its current peaceful and tranquil appearance, it's far too safe here. If that were all, it wouldn't meet the conditions for Singularity F. Something must have happened for us to identify it as a Singularity."

Ritsuka Fujimaru looked around, then fell silent in disbelief. "Is it really safe? What's that skeleton over there?"

"Huh?" Mash hurriedly looked in the same direction and saw an unarmed Dragon Tooth Soldier that seemed to be watching them.

Ritsuka Fujimaru stared warily at the Dragon Tooth Soldier. "Doesn't look like we can communicate with it."

As if it had noticed Ritsuka Fujimaru's guarded stance, the Dragon Tooth Soldier did nothing and simply turned around and left.

Mash said, "That didn't seem hostile?"

Ritsuka Fujimaru breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good if it isn't hostile. Can we contact the doctor and the others now? What world is this? Is this really the Singularity we saw?"

"I'm sorry, Senpai, but we can't contact the doctor right now. Do you feel unwell anywhere?"

"No. I've mostly recovered."

At that moment, a series of beeping sounds rang out beside them.

Dr. Roman's projection appeared beside the two of them. Having been unable to contact them until now, he looked extremely anxious. "Ah, we finally got through! Hello? Hello? This is the Chaldea control room. Can you hear me?!"

Mash immediately responded, "This is Team A member Mash Kyrielight. At present... I do not know which world we are in. This place does not meet the conditions of Singularity F. We have found no signs of Servants fighting. Instead, it matches the peaceful era described in the records. My only companion is Ritsuka Fujimaru. Both of us are physically and mentally unharmed. Spiritron Transfer compatibility and Master compatibility are both good. Please register Ritsuka Fujimaru as an official investigator."

"Not Singularity F... Still, it's good that you're all right." Dr. Roman was somewhat puzzled, but seeing that neither of them was injured, he breathed a sigh of relief. "So Ritsuka Fujimaru, you got caught up in the Spiritron Transfer too. Without the help of a transfer capsule, it's remarkable that you were able to endure it. I'm truly glad."

Dr. Roman paused, then looked at Mash, surprised by what she was wearing. "Also, Mash... I'm glad you're safe too, but what is with that outfit?! That's far too shameless! I don't remember raising you to be that kind of girl?!"

At that moment, Mash was wearing her transformed combat gear. Seeing Dr. Roman on the verge of turning into a roaring beast, she blushed and hurriedly explained, "I transformed. Chaldea's uniform couldn't protect Senpai, and this is an unfamiliar world. Besides, we just saw a moving skeleton."

"Transformed...? You said transformed? What are you talking about, Mash? You... Fine, let's put that aside for now. Did you say a moving skeleton?"

"Yes, Dr. Roman." Relieved that he was no longer fixating on her outfit, Mash began describing the skeletal soldier's appearance.

Dr. Roman said, "This... sounds like a Dragon Tooth Soldier? But why didn't it have a weapon?"

"I don't know either. Also, please examine my condition. I think then you'll understand what I meant by transforming."

After examining her carefully, Dr. Roman looked astonished. "I see. Checking your physical condition... hmm... Oh?! Your physical abilities and Magic Circuits have all been enhanced. Rather than human, this is more like..."

"Yes, I became a Servant. I don't remember how it happened, but it seems I survived by merging with a Servant. For the investigation and resolution of Singularity F, Chaldea had prepared a Servant in advance. But that Servant lost his Master in the earlier explosion, and his fate should have been to disappear. Yet at the last possible moment before vanishing, he asked me to form a contract with him."

Mash recounted everything that had happened to her. Her previously resolute expression softened involuntarily, and recalling what had happened at Chaldea made her feel a little sad.

Mash tucked away her sadness and continued, "He transferred his abilities as a Heroic Spirit, as well as his Noble Phantasm, to me. In exchange, he hoped I would eliminate the cause of the Singularity. The fusion of a Heroic Spirit and a human—a Pseudo-Servant. Chaldea's sixth experiment."

Dr. Roman did not seem particularly pleased by this news. The experiment performed on Mash had not been humane. With a sigh, he said, "I see. So it finally succeeded. Then, does the Heroic Spirit's consciousness remain inside you?"

"No. He disappeared after entrusting his combat abilities to me." Thinking of the Heroic Spirit who had formed a contract with her, Mash felt inexplicably sorrowful. "He never told me his True Name, even at the very end. So even now, I still don't know which Heroic Spirit I am, or what kind of Noble Phantasm the weapon in my hands is."

"...I see. Still, I suppose it's a blessing in disguise. The summoned Servants might not all actively assist us, but since Mash has become a Servant, things will be easier. After all, you are completely trustworthy."

Dr. Roman looked toward Ritsuka Fujimaru. "Ritsuka Fujimaru, it seems you were the only one who successfully transferred over there. Also, I'm terribly sorry. This happened before we could explain anything to you. I know much of this must be confusing, but please rest assured—you already possess a powerful weapon. Humanity's strongest weapon, named Mash."

Hearing those words, Mash thought of the Heroic Spirit who had given her his power and seemed somewhat lacking in confidence. "Calling me the strongest isn't quite appropriate. That sounds like an exaggeration. I'll be the one blamed for it later."

Hearing Mash's words, Dr. Roman smiled and encouraged them both. "All right, all right. It's enough for Ritsuka Fujimaru to understand that Servants are something like this. But Ritsuka Fujimaru, although Servants are reliable companions, they also have a weakness. If the human who provides them with magical energy—that is, their Master—disappears, then they will disappear as well."

Dr. Roman glanced over the analysis and said, "It's still being analyzed, but according to the current data, Mash has already become your familiar."

From afar, the Dragon Tooth Soldier faithfully reported everything it had seen. However, little Medea was immersed in Artoria's beauty and was planning to make some King of Knights figurines. She paid no attention to Mash and Ritsuka Fujimaru's actions. It was as though the intelligence had been delivered right into her hands, but she had no intention of reading it.

After talking for a while longer, Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others had finished exchanging information and began heading toward the Ley Line location designated by Dr. Roman.

By the time Mo Li learned of their arrival, it was only because he had happened to check the intelligence he had gathered. During a Holy Grail War, the requirements for surveillance were not particularly strict—he only needed to keep special watch on anyone in the Type-Moon World dressed strangely and carrying odd objects.

"Good grief..." Mo Li got up, knocked Medea on the head as she continued peeping at Artoria through a crystal ball, and then helplessly headed out.

Medea looked up at Mo Li's retreating back and asked curiously, "Huh? It's so late. What are you going out for?"

"To save the world," Mo Li said without looking back.

Mo Li admitted that he had panicked a little when Ritsuka Fujimaru appeared before his eyes.

There was no way his side could develop into Singularity F, right? And even if Ritsuka Fujimaru were going to Singularity F, shouldn't she have been sent directly to 2004?

Besides, even if she had entered the FZ event storyline, Ritsuka Fujimaru shouldn't have had only Mash and Fou at her side. This looked like a beginner's party.

"Save the world? What a load of nonsense!" Medea did not believe him at all and continued indulging in Artoria.

Beside Fuyuki City Bridge, Mash and Gudako looked toward the harbor, while Fou also stared in that direction with a grave expression.

"The doctor said he detected traces of a major battle there. Now that we can see it for ourselves, it really was true. And there are so many skeletons." Mash looked at the Dragon Tooth Soldiers in the harbor as they repaired the environment damaged by the Heroic Spirits' battle. For a moment, she could not think of any reason this world would become a Singularity—or perhaps they had simply arrived in the wrong world?

"Senpai, should we go take a look?"

Ritsuka Fujimaru was somewhat tempted. "If they aren't dangerous, maybe we can go have a look. By the way, Mash, can you beat those strange skeletons? They don't look like human skeletons."

"Ah? Well, they didn't seem very strong. I could probably take on all the skeletons there by myself, but they looked like they were doing work meant for people. Is it really okay to attack them?"

"Uh, before they attack us, let's try not to go into places where there are a lot of them, and not attack them first either. Or should we go to the Ley Line location first?"

"Anyway, let's cross the bridge first. It seemed pretty safe even at this late hour." After saying that, Mash Kyrielight instinctively glanced around. When no Dragon Tooth Soldiers jumped out to prove her wrong, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mm."

The two quickly crossed the bridge and immediately saw Mo Li standing alone at its edge. Judging by the expressions on their faces, it was obvious something had happened.