As the Master of Chaldea and first-person participant in FGO, what is Fujimaru Ritsuka most afraid of?
Sudden Singularities and Lostbelts? Anti-heroes with destructive or chaotic tendencies? The brutal battleground between admirers and self-proclaimed wives?
No, these are merely challenges—obstacles that must be faced and overcome.
But there are some things that cannot be conquered through effort alone.
Like the agony of an F2P player versus the laughter of a whale, when the golden summoning circle reveals a shirtless hunk instead of a waifu, when the dreaded Black Grail Cosplayer visits yet again, when you finally save enough Saint Quartz only for the banner to disappear...
Some things are beyond human control, some regrets cannot be undone.
For Ritsuka, this is the most painful and terrifying reality.
[Penalty: All QP and Saint Quartz of Contestant No. 6 will be confiscated as stakes.]
"What—NO!" Ritsuka tried to resist, but her hand moved against her will, inputting a long password into her wrist terminal before "generously" surrendering all her hard-earned resources to the Holy Grail System.
With a thud, the orange-haired girl collapsed to her knees, howling at the sky, "That was my waifu fund! I farmed a whole crate of Golden Apples for that! QAQ... My golden-haired bondage beauty, my busty red saber emperor..."
Red saber emperor? What kind of weird, awful nickname is that?
Sakatsuki raised an eyebrow, ignoring Ritsuka's nonsense as he sneakily checked the Holy Grail System. Seeing Ritsuka's hundreds of millions of QP and four-digit Saint Quartz, he suddenly understood the despair.
"This girl... really went all-in for the country bumpkin and the 'Umu' freak, huh?" he muttered before realizing the truth. "Wait... she's probably only cleared up to the second Singularity, just like Fujimaru."
But then, how did she get Mordred? A buy-one-get-one deal with Artoria?
"C-Calm down, Senpai!" Mash held back the urge to smack her embarrassing Master, who was now rolling on the floor. "The Holy Grail System said it's just stakes! Stakes!"
"That means you can still win them back, Senpai!"
At those words, Ritsuka sprang up like a dying man revived, grabbing Mash's arms with teary eyes as if clutching her last hope.
"Really, Mash?!"
"Absolutely, Senpai!"
Wiping away her tears, Ritsuka looked at her empty wrist terminal—and flames of determination ignited in her eyes.
Sakatsuki recognized it: the fury of a proletarian warrior against capitalist exploitation, a Moon Cell dweller's rebellion against cruel fate.
"Then let the storm rage harder!"
With her art style completely shifted, Gudako raised a fist to the sky. "No matter the challenge, I'll win and prove it!"
Even in her skimpy summer swimsuit, nothing could stop Ritsuka's resolve to reclaim her Saint Quartz.
This is the Master who fights to reclaim the future, the shining star of Chaldea!
The Holy Grail system responded to Ritsuka's call, quickly presenting the detailed punishment:
[Please engage in a Master battle with Contestant No. 1. Free selection of Servants is allowed. Command Spells cannot be used. Magecraft support and Mystic Codes are permitted. The victor will obtain all resources.]
"...Huh?" Sakatsuki never expected to find himself dragged into this mess. After a brief moment of stunned silence, he felt Ritsuka's complicated gaze fall upon him.
"Mr. Sakatsuki... I never imagined you'd be my opponent."
The absolute king who emerged victorious from the Fourth Holy Grail War, defeating six teams of magi and Servants to stand triumphant at the end.
Even after traversing numerous Singularities, this was Ritsuka's first time battling another Master as an equal.
To say she wasn't nervous would be a lie. The stakes were too high for her to hold back, and Sakatsuki's strength didn't permit underestimation.
"Senpai, let me help you!" Before anyone noticed, Ritsuka's most loyal kouhai had already changed into her spiritual attire, standing at the forefront with the Round Table Shield at the ready.
"Hmph!" Draco materialized behind Sakatsuki, matching the challenge.
"Thank you, Mash!" Ritsuka patted the eggplant-haired girl's shoulder, visibly moved. "No matter what happens, I know you'll always stand by my side!"
"Yes...! Wait, what do you mean by that, Senpai?"
"It's just that in a 1v1 situation, you're still too weak, Mash!" Ritsuki ruthlessly patted Mash's shoulder before withdrawing her hand and pulling out some exquisite pastries meticulously prepared by Tamamo-no-Mae from her pocket, declaring dramatically:
"Take this! Anti-Artoria Special Attack: Delicious Treats!"
With that, Gudako tossed the food into the air. Before the aroma could even disperse, a golden figure came charging from the distance. Her 'Mana Burst' skill made her arrive like a streak of light, kicking off the ground to leap high and catch the treat mid-air before landing perfectly!
"Servant·Nomnomnom (Artoria), munch munch... Are you the Master who summoned me?"
The strongest class... The ahoge suddenly glanced at her own outfit, her pretty face blushing as her summer spirit origin faded, replaced by gleaming silver and azure armor.
The strongest Saber class, King of Knights Artoria, has arrived!
"Don't blame me for striking first, Sakatsuki!" Ignoring Mash's depressed state, Ritsuka stepped forward with righteous determination. "This is a battle to reclaim the future, and I'll give it my all!"
With four-digit Saint Quartz on the line, this did technically count as gambling with the future.
Sakatsuki smiled without speaking, while Draco tilted her head slightly.
"Shall I assist thee?"
"No need." Similarly declining Draco's offer, Sakatsuki watched as a man slowly approached, nodding in recognition.
"Looks like our enforcer came to us willingly."
It was a man with unruly hair slicked back, his handsome features complemented by his weapons—a crimson spear over two meters long that exceeded human height, and a bright yellow short spear held in his left hand.
"The leisure of summer is indeed refreshing, but as a warrior, only by flaunting one's valor can one truly feel alive."
Lancer, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, spoke in a deep, resonant voice. For a moment, it seemed as though the cozy garden had vanished, replaced by a night thick with dark energy. Shipping containers lining the streets reflected the moonlight, and towering cranes stood like the fossilized remains of giant dinosaurs.
The handsome dual-wielding spearman. The gallant King of Knights.
The silver-haired, crimson-eyed homunculus princess was no longer present, nor was the proud Lord of the Clock Tower. In their place stood a young woman and man dressed in casual attire, yet their eyes burned with fighting spirit and determination.
"Diarmuid... no, Servant Lancer, is it..."
Saber too recalled the battles of that time. Her expression softened, then tensed again, as the man across from her laughed:
"That pure, icy fighting spirit—you must be Saber, correct?"
"...."
Artoria couldn't help but close her eyes, letting the memories flow quietly. But when she opened them again, only undisguised battle intent remained.
"Indeed. And you are Lancer, I presume."
"Precisely, Saber—Artoria. Let us fight for the honour of our respective masters, King of Knights!"
Diarmuid's smile was cold and intense, carrying the madness unique to warriors—the kind of grin only worn by those prepared to stake their lives in combat.
Precisely because he knew his fate in that war, precisely because he was dissatisfied with his defeat, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne stood here once more, brandishing his twin spears to wrest victory from her grasp!
Moreover...
Lancer glanced briefly at Sakatsuki before quickly looking away.
He still remembered how earnestly that young man had once invited him to join his side—only to be refused, before walking straight to his death.
He would only pledge loyalty to one master. Even if humiliated, even if his spears shattered, he would never regret it.
Such was the chivalry of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne.
But at least, in this dreamlike second life, let my spirit, my will gallop freely for that young man!
With a single step, red and yellow lightning split the air as Diarmuid—not bothering to hide his grin—closed the distance to Artoria in an instant, spearpoints gleaming with deadly radiance under the sun.
"Come, Saber—fight me!"
The golden-haired swordsman, having shed her summer attire and returned to her peak strength, met him without hesitation, her holy sword gleaming eagerly:
"Gladly, Lancer!"
***
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