However, the massive stone sword—taller even than Sakura—didn't crush the two girls into pulp like "Rin-sauce" and "Sakura-sauce" as expected.
Berserker was using all his strength, yet the blade couldn't push any further.
Sakura's wand flew from her hand, spinning rapidly through the air like a glowing, circular shield.
"Gewicht, um zu Verdoppel ung!"
From behind her, Rin hurled a piece of obsidian into the air. It scattered into countless streaks of silver light, which fell like shooting stars, transforming into a descending stone canopy that interfered with the Berserker's sword strike.
Even so, it only slightly weakened the blow—it wasn't enough to fully stop his assault.
But it was enough.
Sakura seized the opening, pulled Rin back, and the two of them vanished from sight.
The spinning wand gradually slowed and dropped to the ground.
Einzbern's eyes widened in surprise. She scanned the area, trying to locate them.
But the tide of battle had already shifted.
Saber poured Mana into her silver sword. Crimson lightning crackled along the blade.
It wasn't a full True Name release—but it came dangerously close in power.
The blade suddenly swelled to twice its normal length and cleaved through the obsidian gravity dome created by magecraft, sinking into Berserker's back like a knife through mud.
"——————!!!"
Berserker let out a voiceless roar and swept his stone sword at Saber—but her reinforced armor took the hit.
"Die already!"
Gritting her teeth through the force of the blow, Saber kept pressing forward, slicing inch by inch through Berserker's body like she was sawing through solid rock.
Both Servants roared in defiance. A flash of red light. Blood sprayed.
Saber dropped to one knee.
Berserker fared worse—his body had been cleaved diagonally from shoulder to waist, the cut bisecting him completely.
His lower half still stood in place. His upper half tumbled to the ground. The red glow in his eyes faded—the mark of his death.
Saber spat blood from her mouth, staggered to her feet, and was about to confirm the kill—when she saw something impossible.
The blood on the ground began to flow in reverse, as if time itself were rewinding, returning to the body.
Not just the blood—the severed upper half of his body began to rise, slowly, as if drawn by magnetic force, drifting back toward the lower half.
"He's not dead... No! This bastard can revive!"
Saber instantly grasped what was happening.
This wasn't self-healing. It was a Noble Phantasm—a resurrection curse triggered the moment of death, as if rewriting causality itself.
"Saber! Get back!"
Sakura's voice rang out from behind.
Turning, Saber saw the two sisters standing at a safe distance. Her wand suddenly shot back into her hand with a spin.
Sakura had used Imaginary Number Space to pull Rin out of Berserker's range just in time.
Feeling distant magical energy locking onto her position, Saber cursed under her breath and leapt back toward Sakura, where the two sisters pulled her down into a naturally formed trench for cover.
"Master, did you see that? That Berserker's totally cheating! He just won't die!" Saber complained to Sakura.
"We can talk about it later... Brace for impact," Rin said, shielding her head with her arms.
"Eh?" Saber blinked in confusion.
Sakura raised her wand, casting a Mana shield that enveloped the three of them.
The next moment, an arrow streaked across Fuyuki's night sky like a meteor, aiming straight for the freshly revived Berserker.
The arrow struck, transforming the cemetery into a field of molten earth. A massive crater tore open at the point of impact, as if a meteor had slammed down.
That had to be Archer's Noble Phantasm, Saber thought.
But the problem was... even after a blow that powerful—undoubtedly A-rank—Berserker was still standing.
When the three regrouped to assess the aftermath, they couldn't tell whether that strike had actually killed him or not.
"Berserker's ability is bizarre," Sakura said. "If he can revive even after being killed like that, we'll be the ones drained first."
Rin glanced at the motionless Berserker and guessed, "He probably hasn't finished recovering yet. Looks like we need to fall back for now."
She'd just witnessed her sister's magecraft firsthand. With the Imaginary Number Space, not even Berserker could chase them.
"Tch... I guess we have no choice," Saber muttered, her shoulder still aching from a slight dislocation that would need time to heal.
Sakura stood and addressed Einzbern, "That's an impressive Servant. Looks like we won't settle this tonight. Let's pick it up another time."
With that, she swung her wand, and the three of them vanished.
"Imaginary Number Magecraft..." Einzbern was a step too late to interfere and could only watch them leave.
...
"Something's definitely off. Is Einzbern's Servant immortal?"
After the battle, Tenkei Shiomi repeatedly replayed the final moments, confirming that Berserker had revived twice.
"Maybe it's some kind of immortality curse," Morgan said lazily. "Like your master's."
She lay stretched out on the bed, her porcelain skin flushed pink, a sheen of sweat glistening across her flawless back. She looked completely at ease.
"My master's case is different... Still, Saber and Archer's Noble Phantasms definitely killed Berserker—twice," Shiomi replied, sighing. Morgan's comparison wasn't entirely wrong. "Retreating was the right move. Otherwise, they might've gotten caught in a war of attrition, and we'd be the ones running out of steam first."
Sakura's decision had been wise.
All Einzbern needed to do was stall them—wear down Sakura and Rin's Servants until they collapsed. Even with a Command Spell to call Archer back, survival chances would've been slim.
Morgan climbed onto Shiomi's back, resting her chin on his shoulder.
"So what's the plan?"
"The Holy Grail War's more dangerous than I expected. We can't stay at this hotel in Shinto anymore," Shiomi said, turning to pull the naked Morgan into his arms. "We need to move somewhere closer to Sakura."
And not just that—there were definitely others watching tonight's fight, through familiars or Servants.
With all participants now summoned, Shiomi knew caution was essential.
Ideally, he'd gather intel on every other Servant before reuniting with Sakura.
"Why not just join the Holy Grail War outright?" Morgan suddenly suggested. "Sakura's probably gone home by now. We still have time to catch up."
"You serious?" Shiomi cupped her face, gently stroking it.
"I'm joking," Morgan caught his hand. "Whatever you decide, I'll be with you. The Fourth War was supposed to be my end... everything now is just a bonus."
Shiomi ran his fingers through her soft hair, and Morgan tilted her head, savoring the touch.
"Still, just like I thought—peaceful life doesn't suit you. The battlefield's where you belong, my husband."
"...Hard to argue with that," Shiomi admitted. Years at the Clock Tower had nearly dulled his edge.
"Don't worry. Even if we're up against thousands, I'll fight by your side."
"Even now, you're saying that."
"As long as you understand."
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake