"Shinjuku's Berserker is dead."
"Shinjuku's Rider will also have difficulty returning to battle anytime soon."
"But we still have two fiends. Chaldea, you did well, but fundamentally, you haven't had much impact on our plans."
As he spoke, he turned around, intending to leave.
"I heard you plan to shatter this planet. Are you serious?"
Rustle—
Cold sweat covered Lawrence's face as he stared gravely at Archer's back.
"Hm? Ah, right. It's only natural that you wouldn't know."
Archer glanced back at Lawrence, then wore an expression of sudden realization.
"After all, you aren't one of the leaders. You're merely an obedient follower. Of course he wouldn't have contacted you. The person he contacted must have been that Master."
"Ritsuka...?"
That phone call—?
Lawrence immediately realized who Archer meant by the person who had "contacted Fujimaru Ritsuka."
Edmond Dantès, the Count of Monte Cristo. No, there had to be someone else.
"So it's true? You intend to—use this gunshaft to shatter the planet?"
Lawrence pressed on, cold sweat still on his face.
"What's wrong, Lawrence? Why are you making such a fuss? You're a genius too. You should be able to understand me, shouldn't you?"
Archer looked at Lawrence with an odd expression.
"I can tell you my objective plainly: to break down the planet beneath our feet. As for the reason..."
"It's because I can do it."
Archer stared into Lawrence's eyes as he spoke seriously.
"You can do it...?"
Lawrence muttered.
"Haha, have you ever heard that rumor? The one about the world ending in 1999. It was originally a joke, but I'm about to make it a reality, you know?"
"—Then why!?"
Lawrence asked sternly.
"Why would you do something like this?"
"You're asking me why?" Archer looked at Lawrence helplessly.
"I just told you, Lawrence. I