Diarmuid, who was carrying two spears, spoke with confidence.
"As long as I can strip that guy's treasure away from him, I can use Gae Dearg to destroy the spell in one fell swoop!"
"Lancer, can you aim at Caster's Noble Phantasm and throw your spear from the shore?"
Hearing Saber's question, Lancer smiled disdainfully.
"To this extent, it's not much effort at all."
"Very well then. I'll be the striker with Rider. No problem, King of Conquest?"
"Of course! My chariot doesn't need roads, Saber. But what can you do against the enemy in the river?"
Hearing Rider's question, Saber smiled.
"I am blessed by the Lady of the Lake. No amount of water can stop me."
"Oh, that is rare. I wish you would come under my command," Rider sighed.
But Saber didn't like the joke and gave him a stern glance.
"No matter how many times you say it, my answer is no. The most important thing now is to expose Caster from that monster."
"Haha, that's right! Well, I'll deliver the first blow!"
Rider struck a bold pose and then spurred the bulls pulling the chariot. In the next moment, the Gordius Wheel rushed into the sky with a high-pitched crackle of thunder.
"Good luck, Saber."
Saber nodded to a worried Irisviel and jumped from the shore into the river. Her glittering boot armor stepped on the water, splashing silver—but her toes didn't sink. The water beneath Saber's feet was as solid as the earth, supporting her as she ran. This is exactly the miracle that can be triggered by the king who has been blessed by the spirit of the lake.
As she approached, the sea devil's size grew larger, as if it were about to overwhelm Saber; its hideous form was shocking. Countless tentacles stretched out like snakes to meet the approaching King of Knights. However, its weirdness and ugliness could not stop her from moving forward; Saber had nothing to fear.
"Take this, Caster!"
Filled with fighting spirit, she unleashed the power of Invisible Air and slashed at the Sea Demon mercilessly. On the embankment, Shirou also spoke to Diarmuid.
"Go ahead, Lancer."
"Yes!"
In response to Shirou's order, Diarmuid turned into a shadow and rushed toward the Sea Demon. Seeing the fighting posture of several Servants, Shirou's heart couldn't help but surge.
I want to rush forward and fight alongside them, but it's better not to expose my strength too soon...
Shirou let his restless heart gradually calm down and then slowly retreated, his body merging into the shadows.
...
Far away, in the thunderous clouds that even birds cannot reach, radio waves turning into electronic signals sounded alternately.
"Command center calling First Class Lieutenant Ogami, please answer."
"This is Ogami, communication is clear, please speak."
"The Fuyuki City Police Department issued a disaster dispatch application. Immediately terminate the patrol mission and rush to the scene."
Disaster dispatch? Lieutenant Ogami wondered what he was hearing through his headphones. If it were a helicopter or a reconnaissance plane, it would be understandable. What exactly was the "disaster" that required recalling F-15 fighters patrolling territorial waters?
"Command center, please explain. What is the situation?"
On the other end of the wireless communication, there was a strange silence.
"Ah... listen well, and don't laugh. Ahead... monsters have appeared."
Hearing this in the cockpit of a subsonic flight was the ultimate joke. However, they were forced not to laugh.
"That's awesome. I didn't join the Air Self-Defense Force in vain."
"Regardless, it's a formal application. Ogami, report the situation at Mion River."
"... It's a joke, right?"
"Ogami, repeat."
The controller's voice was stern, making it clear that he was also part of this inexplicable situation. Lieutenant Ogami sighed and repeated:
"Ogami understood. We are rushing to Mion River for reconnaissance. Communication complete."
However, Lieutenant Ogami still didn't believe the content of the call at all. He felt uncomfortable at the thought that such an idiotic conversation would be recorded.
"Kobayashi, just like I heard, turn around and go back immediately!"
"Yes, but... is that wise?"
However, for better or worse, orders must be executed. The good news was that the destination, Fuyuki City, was on the return route. Although it wasn't known who was responsible, the waste of expensive fuel could be minimized.
"If there really are monsters, will they give us permission to engage?"
Hearing the words of Second Lieutenant Kobayashi, who was already eager, Lieutenant Ogami snorted.
"If this is a monster movie, we're the characters destined to be killed—the meat the monsters slaughter before the Hero appears."
Regardless of what the pilots thought, the engines rumbled, and the majestic posture of the fighter with its silver wings was as powerful as ever.
"Hey... wait, what is that...?"
The pilot couldn't help but make a puzzled sound when he saw strange black gas emerging in front of him. Catastrophe, unknown creatures, airspace violations.
"Drop some altitude to get closer."
"Wait—Kobayashi, stay back."
Feeling an indescribable chill, Lieutenant Ogami reflexively tried to stop his wingman. However, Second Lieutenant Kobayashi's fighter had already completed a descent maneuver.
"Come back, Kobayashi!!"
In an instant, a strange black gas permeated the fighter jet, directly devouring it. The plane began to flip at an incredible angle. The pilot found that no matter how he moved the joystick, it seemed to be out of order. Then, the black object began to spread to the cockpit. The pilot was eroded before he could even scream.
The black color on the armor, like ink, eroded the shell of the fighter little by little. It was the special ability of Berserker, who had captured Archer's Noble Phantasm and was able to transform scrap metal into magic weapons. For one who could control all things, did the concept of ordinary "weapons" even apply?
The black magic eroded the aircraft again. The highest crystallization of modern science, the silver-winged jet, instantly transformed into a grotesque shape. Completely in control of the twenty-meter-long machine, Berserker gripped its back like a legendary dragon knight, and a resentful roar resounded through the night sky.