"And there we go."
Ritsuka said as he tied the belt of his mystic code under his jacket. He still thought it was a weird design choice, but he was glad he could fix it to his liking. Checking himself over and noticing everything is where it should be, he nodded in satisfaction.
[PerfectlySaneHex: I can die happy now. ]
[Congrats, Hex, you finally got the shirtless stream you always wanted. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: I will treasure this moment for the rest of my life. ]
[Girl, the guy just took off his shirt pants; it's not that big a deal. ]
[Just let her have this. ]
He then took a moment to dust himself a bit to look more presentable, and as he did so, he noticed the faint sweet and earthy scent of what he thinks is sandalwood coming from his jacket.
He pressed his nose closer to it and took a whiff.
Yep. Definitely sandalwood.
[Gudao acting real sus rn. ]
[I mean, I don't blame him. I would do the same if a cute girl wore my clothes. ]
No wonder Chiyome was so eager to get out of his clothes. Compared to him, she smelled rather nice.
After Chiyome killed Archer, she came up to him and hastily returned his clothes to him.
He noticed she seemed rather eager to take them off, wincing every time she took off a piece of clothing and looking relieved when a piece of clothing came off.
Seeing that actually made him feel self-conscious about his body odor. He tried his best to not be a stereotypical streamer who never showers, but he also has been sweating, bleeding, and other things without getting a chance to clean himself the past day.
Ritsuka laments how Chiyome has been a great ally to have, yet he keeps trampling on her personal life and making her uncomfortable.
He'll definitely make it up to her.
Ritsuka walked out of the public bathroom he had commandeered to dress himself.
"Took you long enough, Fujimaru."
He felt his heart nearly jump out of his throat as he was caught off guard by the sudden unexpected voice of a white haired tsundere.
"Director Olga Marie? Can I help you with something?"
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: oh great, what does she want?]
He asked her a simple question, yet her intense gaze didn't leave him for a long minute. The woman had her lips pursed and had an expression of constipation.
"Oh sorry, does the ladies restroom not work? I'm sorry I took to long here you can-"
The woman's face suddenly turned annoyed, her cheeks reddened like a tomato. "That's not why I'm here you oaf!!"
[Well what did you expect him to think? You look like you are gonna pee your pants! ]
He tilted his head, which just made Olga's face go through another set of emotions before she just sighed in defeat.
"I'm sorry." She ended up saying.
Ritsuka's mouth fell open, a soft but audible "Huh?" falling out of his mouth.
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: Huh?! ]
[Huh?!] x652
The woman's face reddened even further, except she also started to show a small scowl, "I said I was sorry!"
"For what?" Ritsuka didn't mean to sound dense, but he sincerely had no idea what Director Olga was going on about.
"For underestimating your skill, treating you like a lesser person, and… for having my subordinates kidnap you from your home. "
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: Well, what do you know, miracles do exist. ]
[What do you mean "For What"? Gudao, have you started to grow senile at your age? ]
[I am gonna be honest, Olga apologizing for her shitty behaviour was not something I was expecting to have in my bingo card but here we are. ]
Ritsuka blinked in surprise, not expecting this sincere apology from the Director Olga Marie of all people. However, before he could interject, she kept talking.
"All this time, I've been treating you horribly, thinking badly of you just because you were a public applicant." Her eyes met his and once again, his words died in his throat as he saw the sincerity in them.
"While we were getting sniped by Archer, I was too busy panicking and complaining like a child to come up with a plan… you on the other hand, held yourself together in a very high-stress situation and quickly turned the tables on Archer by making the most out of your servant's abilities to close the distance and finish him off."
[I still can't believe that plan worked. ]
[Kohga: Having Chiyome play Zorua was definitely a brilliant move. ]
[@Kohga We all know Gudao didn't have Zorua in mind when he came up with that plan. ]
[Kohga: A victory is a victory, and let's leave it at that. ]
"It wasn't a big deal, anyone could have done that." Ritsuka tried to argue but she cut him off.
"No. Stop trying to discredit yourself. I won't allow it!" She got close to his personal space and agressively poked his chest with her sharp fingernail.
"Take pride in your abilities. You not only have the capacity to be a great commander to your servants, but you also managed to stay conscious when Gareth used her noble phantasm without your use of a command seal. Any normal public applicant who had never heard of magecraft like you would have passed out if they did the same."
"But-"
"No buts! This is an order! Take the compliment you dumbass!"
[Man, what has the world come to? Olga Marie being nice? Telling Gudao to shut up and actually accept praise? Is the world coming to an end? ]
[I mean, they are surrounded by smoldering buildings in a ruined modern city, so yea, it technically is. ]
He stared at Olga for a moment, before he finally gave in, "alright Director, thank you for the praise."
The Director stared at his face for a good moment, leaning in close so that she could spot dishonesty in his eyes.
Seeing none, she pulled back and nodded, then she turned to walk back to the group.
He followed after her but stopped when he saw Olga do the same.
"Once this ordeal is over with and we resolve this singularity, I will arrange a transport for you to go home if you wish to leave Chaldea behind. Do not worry about the Clocktower coming after you, using my authority as the heir to the Animusphere Family, I will place you under my protection for as long as you remain alive, and provide you with a monthly stipend for your service in helping preserve the Human Order."
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD) Wowza!! Even Olga is for #GudaoGoHome. Can this day get any crazier? ]
[Ikr? ]
[Lanette34: Well, things are finally starting to look up for Gudao once more! Heck, now he'll be able to stream without having to bother looking for a job. Depending on how big the stipend is of course. ]
Director Olga was just full of surprises this day. Ritsuka honestly wondered If he was still dreaming because this attitude was a complete 180 from when he first met her.
"I'm not planning on leaving Chaldea." Ritsuka ended up saying, and now it was Olga's turn to be surprised because she whirled back to look at him.
[Ecruteak_Gal: *pinches bridge of nose* I should have known. ]
[(－‸ლ) ] x471
[Heart0f6old: Gudao got hooked by all the cute girls clinging to him and calling him Master. I wouldn't wanna leave either. ]
"I already made up my mind. I am sticking around. Honestly, I find your organization's goal and efforts as something that I greatly admire… and Director, you shouldn't knock yourself down either. You are extremely rough around the edges most of the time-"
[That is an understatement. ]
At that Olga's face turned indignant but Ritsuka quickly got to the point before she could yell at him, "-but I can tell you are still a caring person on the inside. And frankly speaking, you are one of the best bosses I've had thus far in my working life, because most of the narcissists I worked for would have not bothered to go out of their way to talk to me in private to apologize for their wrongdoings like you have, so thank you."
Olga's eyes widened, just a tad at his statement. Before she turned away from him, "I see… well, let's go. The others must be getting antsy waiting for us to come back."
Ritsuka nodded and followed her to rejoin the group.
[GudakoBot: Harem Counter: 4. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: Oh Come on!! ]
[Olga has joined the harem!! ]
[It's about time!! ]
[Man, I just lost my paycheck for the week. ]
[GroundHippowdon: Wooo baby! I'M RICH!! ]
[HippityHoppip650: Wait, people were betting on Olga gettin rizzed? ]
[Oh yeah we were! There's an official forum for it and everything! ]
[Kinda fucked up, but funny at the same time. Send me a DM with the link? ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: You guys need help. ]
[GroundHippowdon: @PerfectlySaneHex lol, you're just salty cuz you bet against it. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: I am many things, but a gambler I am not. ]
[GroundHippowdon: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ whatever. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go treat myself to a fancy dinner!! Later guys, and Gudao, stay safe man and I hope you survive the final battle!! ]
"Finally!! It's about time you two came back!" Cu said with a bit of impatience, but that changed when he saw the blush on Olga's face and the happy smile in Ritsuka's.
He gave the duo a feral grin, "Oh, I see… no wonder you two took so long. Nice. "
Then his focus went back to Ritsuka and shot him a thumbs up, a gesture which was returned by a confused Ritsuka.
[I can't, I can't breathe. ·°՞(˃ ᗜ ˂)՞°·. ]
[He totally thinks the two of them did something dirty, and poor dense Gudao confirmed it lol]
[PerfectlySaneHex: for all the parts of Gudao I love, his denseness is one of the few I love and hate. ]
Olga saw the interaction and rolled her eyes, keenly aware that whatever Cu was implying was something perverted.
"Enough of that. Let's get a move on. I want to get this singularity resolved already!"
✦✧✦
"Director. Are you okay? We're only halfway up the stairs, you know?" Ritsuka asked Olga, who was panting and huffing while struggling to walk up the long staircase of the Ryuudou Temple.
The only reason he and Chaldea knew its name was due to the untouched signs that were made to guide tourists to the shrine at the top of the mountain.
[KicksYouIntheFace193 donated 100 bits]
["Come on Olga, just a few more steps, you got this!! "]
"Don't… patronize… me… " Her words barely spoke between gasps for breath.
"Are you sure you don't want me to carry you again?!" Cu yelled from next to him.
Olga's face reddened in embarrassment and anger, her hands held protectively over her butt as she glared at The Hound of Chullain with distrustful, hate filled eyes, "HELL. NO. You manhandled me and slapped my ass like some whore!! I'd rather die walking up these steps than let you touch me again!!"
"Well, if I didn't, you'd have died. Besides, you wouldn't quit whining like a baby, so I treated you like one." Cu said, a smirk on his face.
[Oh right, that happened didn't it? Man that was wild!Lol. ]
[I was laughing my ass off when I saw that xD ]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: Personally, I don't really approve. There are better, more tasteful ways to bully Olga, slapping her butt was uncalled for. ]
[That's surprising. Our #1 Olga hater not approving of Olga having her get slapped like a baby? ]
[Heart0f6old: It's almost as if@ShortShorts_QUEENknows what it's like to be randomly slapped in the ass out of nowhere. ]
[Based on what we know of her, the likelihood of her having experienced something similar is high. ]
[Ah, so she's speaking from a place of empathy. I see. ]
Cu and Olga continue bantering; meanwhile, Ritsuka decided to focus on something, or rather, someone else.
Mash was walking a bit away from the group, looking a bit sad.
"You okay Mash? You've been kind of quiet for a while." Ritsuka asked with concern in his voice.
Mash looked at the stairs below her feet, with sadness in her eyes.
"Sorry for worrying you master, but it's just… I'm not sure if I will be able to help during the final battle."
Ritsuka, alongside all the other people in the group, sans Olga who was still struggling to walk up the stairs, focused their attention on Ritsuka's depressed kohai.
"Why do you say that?" Ritsuka asked.
"Because I'm a burden." Mash said.
[Says who?! ]
[Mash no!! Don't think that way!! ]
"And again I ask, why do you say that? You've been my rock since the start of this singularity Mash. In fact, if it wasn't for you, I'd have been smooshed by that assassin servant when ai first got here!"
[Gudao owes Mash his life, literally. ]
"That much is true, but I still feel like I haven't really done enough after the fact." Mash held herself in a hug, "When I fought Medusa, I nearly got myself killed for my inexperience. Chiyome-san had to rescue me for my incompetence."
Her head dipped lower, "both her and Ser Gareth are amazing. They were able to go toe-to-toe and surpass any obstacles in their way, meanwhile I was overwhelmed and nearly got myself killed."
[I mean… she has a point. Mash has been getting overshadowed by Chiyome and Gareth since they arrived. ]
[But if they weren't here, she would have also died. Why is she being butthurt about it? ]
[Because she feels like she doesn't belong in the group. Imposter syndrome is hitting her rather hard. ]
Ritsuka furrows his brow, "that's not true at all! You were quite literally the MVP of our team when Archer was shooting those arrows at us. Not to mention that you still dealt the final blow to Archer."
["Gudao is right, Mash. You are doing great!! Fantastic even!! Don't beat yourself up for being new to your powers!!" ]
Mash shakes her head, "It was only luck that I was able to deflect all those attacks. Archer could have, at any time, used one of his explosive blasts and I wouldn't have been able to protect you. Not like Chiyome, Gareth or Cu san would have."
She pursed her lips, "I am just a demi-servant after all, one who doesn't know which heroic spirit they fused with, let alone use their noble phantasm."
[Also a great point. Archer could have easily bombarded them with explosions, yet he didn't. ]
[Even so, this kind of negative thinking isn't healthy. ]
[Mash needs a hug!! ]
[Gudao!! Go comfort your girl!! Give her a hug!! ]
"So that's why you can't use it, huh?" Cu licks his teeth, as if tasting Mash's statement and finding it lacking.
"Well, frankly speaking, with that lack of spirit, you ARE a burden."
[Hey!! ]
[IliekQTthings: No one asked you, you stupid dog. ]
[Should we let him cook? I feel like we should let him cook. ]
[Nah, take the apron and ladle away from this man, I don't trust him near an oven. ]
The group around him frowned at his statement. Ritsuka was about to say something, but Cu held out a hand, indicating he wasn't finished.
"Using a Noble Phantasm is instinctual to us heroic spirits. It is a part of our legends, sure, but it's something that we have an unwavering feeling about." He points a finger at her. "If you keep wallowing in your own self-pity and keep thinking, 'I can't,' then you'll never be able to use it."
"So have confidence, brat! Leaning on others is not a weakness! Being a burden isn't a permanent state, it's something that can be overcome!"
[Wow. I'm impressed. That man actually knows how to cook. ]
[It could be better, but overall, I agree with the message. ]
"He's right. We are comrades Mash." Mash turned to Gareth.
"I know how you feel. There were times where if I didn't have the confidence to show my strengths, I would have never become a Knight of the Round. But I did, because I knew I would do it." Gareth lightly tapped Mash's shoulder, "I am telling you this as your senpai in being an underdog, listen to your gut, grit those teeth and take the bull by the horns and everything will be fine." Gareth gave the shielder a toothy smile, one which reached all the way to her eyes.
Mash blushed, her eyes filled with a bit of hope at hearing all the praise, "You really think I can?"
"We don't just think, we know. " Chiyome materialized from her spirit form, "you managed to hold your own against your enemies thus far despite your inexperience, and have fulfilled your duty as a servant." she points to Ritsuka, "protecting him. That alone makes you a real servant in my eyes." Chiyome's lone eye then softened, a gentle smile on her face as she looked to Mash with what seemed like motherly affection, "don't worry your cute little head about it Mash-san. So long as you give it your all, so long as you find your inner courage, you will be able to call upon your Noble Phantasm."
[Chiyome-chan is so mature. ]
[NinJanine: Mochizuki-sama is not a child! People keep forgetting that, appearances aside, she is a fully grown woman, a woman who taught dozens if not hundreds of young women the art of ninjutsu in her era for decades!!
So please do not disrespect her by using such honorifics!! ( ｡ •̀ ᴖ •́ ｡) ]
[Sorry. I didn't mean no harm! (;へ:）]
"Chiyome-san… everyone… thank you. "
"Alright, enough of this sappy sidequest, time to go visit the final boss!!"
Cu looked down to Olga, who had given up climbing and was laying on the staircase on her stomach.
"The offer still stands little lady, wanna ride my back?"
The woman responded to the Caster's offer by flipping him off.
The Hound saw the gesture and shrugged, "suit yourself."
✦✧✦
"Alright kiddies! We're here!"
The group had arrived at the entrance of the cave where the greater grail laid.
"We're almost there." Ritsuka said, his shoulders sagging a bit in relief.
[Man, I can hardly believe its almost over. We've been following Gudao's journey for just one day and it feels like its been months. ]
[Yeah, its a good thing its the weekend and off season without major pokemon league events going on. I would have missed this otherwise.]
"Don't feel relieved yet boy. We still have the massive roadblock known as King Artie who stands in our way."
"Please stop calling him that. His name is King Arthur." Gareth said, a sharp edge in her tone.
"Eh, potato, Potahto, the king is a bit of a shrimp, so that's what I call them."
[So King Arthur is a literal Short king, and he's banging the tall Red Archer? Noice. ]
[This love story just keeps getting better and better the more we learn about them lol. ]
Gareth still gave a look of disapproval, but she's been around Cu long enough to know that arguing with him is pointless. So she turned her head towards her passenger, this time it was not her master.
"Would you like me to keep carrying you?"
Olga shook her head.
"It's alright, you don't need to. I can walk the rest of the way. They are going to need your help, and carrying me is only going to be a hindrance."
Gareth nods and carefully puts Olga Marie on the ground.
The white haired woman stretched her legs, letting the blood flow and took a deep breath.
"Alright. Fujimaru, Kirielight. It's time we go over a plan on how we will deal with Saber."
"What's there to plan? Just go in and cave his skull in, simple and effective. And if that fails, have the ninja girl stab the son of a bitch in the face."
[Kohga: The most straightforward approach is often times the best to take. Complex plans have their use, but it can easily fall apart and leave us with the straightforward approach regardless, but in a weaker position. ]
Caster put his staff behind his head his arms resting on opposite ends.
"Though if you ask me, I still find the sneaky approach distasteful. But I won't stop ya if you do."
[Kohga: You find it distasteful, yet it brings results all the same. ]
[SerWikstromE4: As a knight, I am conflicted. I disapprove of such methods, but also, as someone who has grown attached to the people in this stream, I wish for them to make it past this battle alive.]
[TheIcePryce: Honor has its place, but we are dealing with a mad king who brought death and destruction to innocent lives. So such things can be disregarded. ]
"Yeah, that's basically what our plan will be."
["And if they fail?"]
"We die. Simple as that." Cu gave a lazy one eyed look at the Chat's camera.
["Oh."]
"Yeah, oh."Cu scoffed and rolled his eyes at the innocent naivete of Chat, "Normies."
[Argh. That hit me right in the kokoro, and not in the good way. ]
[I want to refute him, but I can't because he's right. We are normies to his world. ]
"Well, since there's not much to discuss, we should just get going." Ritsuka said, his eyes determined and ready for what lay ahead.
✦✧✦
"Woah!"
Ritsuka exclaimed as he saw the massive underground cave before him. Oh, and also the equally as impressive pillar of light that shone at its center.
"So this is the Greater Grail…" Olga said, a small frown on her face, "and to think such an ultra-superior Magical Reactor would be hidden away in this island nation in the Far East."
[This place is huge!! ]
[StevenLieksMinerals: What a breathtaking scene. Truly, this cavern is one of the largest I've ever seen in my life!! ]
[Shame it's going to be damaged by the climactic fight thats about to take place. ]
[StevenLieksMinerals: Hopefully Gareth's king sees reason and it doesn't lead to this beautiful wonder of nature to be destroyed. ]
[That's the Greater Grail? ]
[It doesn't look like a cup at all. Just a massive pillar of light. ]
[Dang, that is a lot of energy gathered in one place. It feels exactly like a Dynamax Den. ]
[It's so wild that Gudao's stream lets us actually FEEL the power from his world. While yes, it can be dangerous, it also makes the experience immersive af. ]
[Hopefully our scientists manage to crack the secret of the stream, that way everyone can experience this raw power from the comfort of our homes. ]
"Yeah yeah. Its impressive and whatever. Look alive everyone, The lady has noticed us."
Everyone turned to Cu, a look of confusion on their faces.
Mash looked to Cu with furrowed brows, "A lady? Who are you talking about-"
An intense magical energy crashed into everyone in the group.
They all instinctively moved their heads at the source of the power. Before them stood a blonde haired woman in black armor, looking down at them with her harsh golden eyes.
[DragoonRuleZ: 〣 ( ºΔº ) 〣 ]
[DragonMasterLance: …such powerful draconic power… this… It's like I'm staring at a centuries old Dragonite from the Wilds…. ]
[Ranger75: @DragonMasterLance I've stationed in the wilds for years and have regular encounters with Alpha pokemon at least once a month, so I can confirm. This servant definitely gives off the same, no, more vibes than the strongest pokemon out here. ]
[What is this heavy feeling? It feels like I am out of breath… ]
[Junior_Researcher: That is pure, unadulterated, raw energy. Pokemon of significant power have the ability to leak refined type energy or raw infinity energy inside their bodies to intimidate weaker pokemon in a show of dominance. This woman is doing much the same. ]
[Fuck, this really is going to be the final battle isn't it? ]
[Frisky1ntheFlowers:𓇢𓆸 (• ᴖ •｡ ) ]
"My King… " Gareth stared at the figure, a look of nostalgia marred with disbelief and pain as she beheld the servant before her.
"That Unbelievable magical output… Is that really King Arthur?" Mash asked, an audible tremble in her voice.
"No question about it. That is definitely King Arthur, although it seems our Hound of Ulster omitted the King's true gender from us. "
Gareth gave Romani a look, "what are you talking about Doctor? My king is a man."
"But she's wearing a dress." Mash points out.
Gareth looked at Mash with betrayal. "Et tu, Mash?"
"Her gender's different from the legend, but I understand why she decided to dress like a man in Camelot. Honestly I am disappointed that you of all people would say such things Gareth."
"What, you, disappointed? I am disappointed in all of you for assuming my King is a woman!" Garerth said, exasperation in her tone.
Everyone jumped in place when an unexpected voice chipped in her opinion.
"Your comrades are correct, my Wolf Knight. I am indeed a woman."
Gareth's head snapped loud enough to bounce off the walls of the cave as an echo.
"Eh?!!!" Gareth's eyes widened like a dog who had just been told by their owner that they had been adopted.
[Wait, why is Gareth acting all surprised? Was King Arthur her king… er, queen? ]
[So all this time… Archer and King Arthur weren't in a complicated, and romantically spicy gay relationship, but just a complicated, straight relationship? ]
[Lame!! ]
[I still wanna see my dramatic Gay dodecahedron infidelity romcom dammit!! ]
"What? She was your king, and you were one of her loyal knights of the round. How did you not pick up on it?" Cu asked the dog knight with a raised eyebrow.
Gareth fidgeted where she stood. "How was I supposed to know?!" I can't go around asking insensitive questions to my king! It would be improper and rude!!"
[Take notes professor Oak. Even Gareth knows not to ask those kinds of insensitive questions. ]
[Mighty1Oak: Oh please, I am nowhere near as insensitive and senile as my game counterpart. I can tell what a boy and a girl looks like at a glance, and I can tell that King Arthur is at least 99% a girl. ]
[Junior_Researcher: But professor, how can someone be 99% a girl? ]
[Mighty1Oak: Nothing in this world is 100%, that is an impossibility. ]
[MalasadaMayhem: You're fucking with us aren't you?]
[Mighty1Oak: @MalasadaMayhem what do you think? ]
"Well, surprise! Your king is a girl. I didn't know why she was one either at first, but that doesn't change the fact that she is an obstacle."
"Well spoken, Caster. My gender IS irrelevant." She sinks her sword into the stone floor and stares down at Gareth.
"For I am the greater grail's protector, and none shall pass!"
The atmosphere tensed at Saber's words, and it only got worse as the sound of steel touching rock grabbed everyone's attention toward Gareth, who was kneeling on one knee with her head bowed.
"Your Majesty, King Arthur!! I wish we could have met in better terms… but if you'll forgive me, I come to seek a truce!"
[Oh boy. Let's see if the King will accept the olive branch Gareth is giving her. ]
"... my Fair knight Ser Gareth, you need not lower your head." The King of Knights narrowed her eyes, "For unlike in the past, we are enemies, not allies. So cast away your hopes for peace, you will not find any here."
Gareth raised her head, a bit of fear in her features, "Please do not say it is so!! I know you have committed many wrongs in this singularity, but I am sure you can still redeem yourself if you join our cause to help humanity!! We don't have to fight!"
[And King Arthur just took the olive branch, broke it and gave it back to you Gareth. I think that was a clear message that she's not going to be convinced to join us. ]
[DragoonRuleZ: Gareth really doesn't want to hurt her king. But I don't think its going to go her way. ]
[I am naive to many things in both worlds, but even I can see these talks are pointless. King Arthur doesn't seem to show any remorse or rather ANY emotion for her wrongdoings at all! ]
Saber considered her knight's words for a moment, however, her response was something that filled Gareth's stomach with dread.
"Nay. I shall not join your cause, my Fair Knight. My duty lies in keeping trespassers away from claiming a grail. Nothing more. Nothing less."
[Yup. I knew it. ]
[Welp, she said it herself. No truce. So that means it's time to beat her up! ]
"Heh, is that why you didn't interrupt our banter? Because it was beneath your duties?" Cu retorted with a sarcastic tone.
The woman just gave a lazy shrug, "I was merely intrigued by the colorful assortment of intruders that made their way into my domain." a small smile graced her lips as her eyes roamed over Gareth and Mash's forms.
"I just never expected to encounter a familiar face… as well as an interesting noble phantasm finding their way here. Truly, it must be the work of fate that we are all gathered here on this very spot."
[I see a spark of something there. Perhaps she can still be convinced? ]
"B-But!"
"Enough!!" Gareth flinches when her king harshly interrupts her.
"No more words. If you wish to put an end to the atrocities I have committed, then stop whimpering like a pup, take up your blade, and fight." King Arthur stared down at her heartbroken knight, her cold golden eyes staring at her with an intense, raw emotion that she had never seen her king emote before.
[Nevermind. It was just a bit of nostalgia, but this woman doesn't seem the type to lay down her arms for such things. ]
"Well, I think it's safe to say negotiations have failed." Cu said with boredom in his voice.
"A shame. It would have been nice if she joined us without a fight, but It was an endeavor doomed to fail. "
[That's an understatement. She just literally told her to 'man up' and fight her. Question is, how will Gareth respond? ]
Hearing her King's response, Gareth stood from her kneeling position, her eyes hidden behind her bangs.
"As you wish… My King."
Gareth materialized her Lance; However, before she could get into a proper stance, the tense atmosphere was cut by the high-pitched screech of metal scraping metal.
"Chiyome?! What are you doing?!" Gareth looked aghast that her ally would attack before she had a chance to confront her King.
The woman did not respond as she clicked her tongue at her blade being blocked by Saber's arm guard.
Before Chiyome could recover and retreat, the Black knight raised one of her hips and, like an annoyed steed, sharply kicked the assassin in the gut.
Chiyome gasped and was sent tumbling down into the ground.
Her small body rag dolled down the long stone hill, the force of gravity offsetting the friction between the sharp rock and her sensitive skin, Chiyome grunted as her body slid to a painful stop at the base of the hill.
She did not get up.
All of this happened without Saber even bothering to look in her would be assassin's way.
[Oh no! Chiyome is down!! (ʘᗩʘ') ]
[That was fast!! I could barely see what happened!! ]
[WhismurAnnouncer: Ouch. That looked like it hurt. ]
[No shit! She rolled several dozen feet on hard terrain!! Any normal human would have died from that!! ]
"Now then, ready your shield mystery girl." Mash gulped as she felt the King of Knights shift her attention toward her.
"For This blade shall test to see if you are truly worthy of wielding it."
[Cold indifference. She treated one of the strongest servants Gudao has in his team like a hindrance. ]
[This doesn't bode well. ]
The anticipation of the attack caused Mash's heart to pound in her chest, each consecutive beat strong enough that it nearly broke her ribs.
The still air of the cave suddenly awoke like a hurricane as the evil blade crashed into Mash's shield with a loud 'kwang.'
Thankfully, Mash had reacted fast enough to defend herself.
Unfortunetely, much like when she fought Medusa, the block could not prevent the force of the heavy upward strike from lifting her off her feet and crash into the ceiling.
Mash lay embedded on the rock, her body unmoving.
Saber was not finished with her.
The woman crouched, her legs tensing with enough power to crack the floor beneath her as she shot herself up to the ceiling, her blade ready to finish the demi-servant off.
Somehow, Mash still found the strength to protect herself as she managed to block the finishing blow away from her.
"Grk" Mash grunted as a wave of pain swept through her arms, like a tsunami through a coastal city. Her legs were unresponsive when she tried to jump away to safety, and she unceremoniously face planted onto the solid rock floor.
[WhismurAnnouncer: And Mash is down too!!This battle is proving to be a an unstoppable curbstomp!!]
[It hasn't even been a full minute yet and alreadySaber has taken down two of Gudao's servants!! ]
Without missing a beat, Saber was now in front of Gareth who was still stunned by her king's ruthless and relentless attacks.
By the time the wolf knight had attempted to block the attack it was too late.
Saber's fist smacked into Gareth's mouth.
A small object clinked as it fell on the ground and few feet away. It coincidently landed in front of Ritsuka's feet.
It was a tooth. Gareth's bloody tooth to be specific.
Gareth clasped her mouth and groaned due to the sudden, sharp pain from losing her tooth.
[DragoonRuleZ: NOOOOO!!! (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞]
[Fuck! I felt that!! ]
[Stop lazing around and Fight Back Gareth!! ]
Saber capitalized on the reaction by crouching and sweeping the girl's feet from under her.
The wolf knight involuntarily closed her eyes, and grunted as her head hit the floor.
"Ow!!" Gareth clutched her head in a vain attempt to soothe her pain.
[Get up! Get up! Get UP!! ]
Suddenly, something deep in her spiritual core started to scream at her.
She opened her eyes and felt her breath hitch as she saw her corrupted king raise an armored boot over her head.
For a moment, Gareth lay there in shock, events of her life flashing before her eyes, but she managed to recover quickly enough to avoid the impact by rolling out of the way.
The floor under Saber's foot shattered, sending debris flying everywhere in a display that was no different to a grenade explosion.
[Oh thank Arceus, she dodged. ]
Gareth got on her feet and stared at the Black knight before her in a new light.
[WhismurAnnouncer: And Gareth is back on her feet!! But will she fight back, or will she let her past loyalties get in the way of her duty to her new friends?!]
Gareth's eyes narrowed, her gaze now focused and ready to fight back.
Seeing this reaction, her king merely gave a smile of approval.
"Good. I nearly believed you had given up and decided to go out like a coward, but there's hope for you yet, Gareth."
Gareth winced as she licked the missing gap in her tooth, her nerves still sensitive to the touch.
[IliekQTthings: Saber you fool!! You thought you would disfigure Gareth, yet your efforts only made her cuter!! ]
[Well, hopefully this lost tooth will serve as a wake up call for Gareth to start taking this fight seriously. It's starting to frustrate me seeing her get tossed around and not fight back. ]
The armored lancer grit her remaining teeth and let out a war cry as she charged towards her king, the tip of her lance aimed at her chest; however, she wasn't alone, as Mash had recovered from her beating to join her charge.
[WhismurAnnouncer: Hell yeah!! The dream team is back again!! Show that shadow lady who's boss!! ]
[Here's hoping the numbers game will work on Saber like it did with Archer… ]
Seeing the two join the fray at once brought a smile to Saber's face, and she welcomed their challenge with open arms.
By now the two had gotten comfortable fighting together as a team, but unfortunately for them, Saber was still beyond them.
Stabs, slashes, and shield bashes were easily countered, parried or dodged with barely any effort from Saber.
The sheer number of attacks coming from multiple angles would have felled a lesser heroic spirit, but Saber was no mere heroic spirit.
It was so obvious to see how outmatched the two were that all the cheer and optimism from chat had slowly started to shift into worry and fear the longer the fight dragged on.
In the sidelines, Ritsuka, Olga and Cu were equally as stressed as they saw the losing battle unfolding before them.
Olga turned to Cu Chullain, who had a grave look on his face.
"Hey! Don't just stand there!! HELP THEM!!"
Without taking his eyes off the battle, Cu responded, "I can't."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T!!? YOU'RE A SERVANT!! FIGHTING OTHER SERVANTS IS YOUR JOB!!"
Cu let out an annoyed huff, "listen, I would love to help, but that woman has an annoyingly high Magic Resistance skill that will render most of my attacks pointless."
[So Saber has a major type advantage against Caster huh? ]
[Makes sense why he would be hesitant to help. ]
[But he should still find a way to help! Doing something is better than nothing!! ]
"Then use the attacks that will hurt her! Do it or else she's going to kill us all!!"
Cu shook his head, "the only magical attacks I have that will be able to hurt saber are ones that could just as easily hurt our allies as much as our enemies, especially in this enclosed space." Cu sighed, "so forgive me, but this battle is beyond me. "
"Useless!! Utterly useless!!" Olga exclaimed before she dismissively looked away from Cu and turned back to the fight once more.
[Not useless, rather, he's looking out for everyone's sake. ]
[Man, that must suck. Having the power to help but unable to do so because it could harm the ones you want to help. ]
[Can't be helped then. ]
A gentle breeze blew past Saber when she sidestepped an aerial swish of the blade from Chiyome as she entered the fray once more from above. Her skin now scraped red from rolling on the floor earlier.
[WhismurAnnouncer: And here comes Chiyome with the sneak attack from the back!! Too bad it missed. ]
The kunoichi yelped as Saber seized her leg midair, causing Gareth and Mash's attacks to pause as they stared at the scene with disbelief.
Saber merely gave the duo a blank stare before she raised the small japanese woman into the air.
[No way, is she… ]
"Gah!"
"Ack!"
"Nkh!!"
And used her as a bludgeon to swat Mash and Gareth away from her.
Two explosions of dust and debris polluted the air once more, this time coming from opposite ends of the cave as Gareth and Mash crashed into the walls of the cave.
[Oh crap! She did!! She used one mother fucker, to beat another motherfucker away from her!! ]
Chiyome yelped as Saber lifted her high into the sky and was preparing to slam her tiny body into the rocky floor below her.
However, just before she could, Saber's hand stopped.
"Urk!"
Chiyome dropped to the ground as Saber used her hands to clasp her throat.
"What's going on?!" Olga said from the sidelines.
"The king is choking." Cu responded.
"I know that! But on what?!" Olga asked, utterly confused by the event happening before them.
As if to answer her question, a snake suddenly popped out of Saber's mouth.
"Kyaaa!!" Olga screamed and she instinctively hugged Ritsuka's body, unintentionally enveloping his arm in between her soft breasts.
But Ritsuka was too focused on Chiyome's well-being to notice.
"That. She's choking on that." Cu said, a finger pointed in Saber's direction.
[Gross!! Not again!! ]
[Desperate times call for desperate measures. And this definitely qualifies!! ]
[Thanks for pointing out the obvious Mr. Hound. ]
[Tbf, Olga was the one who asked, so he's answering. ]
Unbeknownst to the viewers, that snake was not the only one that Chiyome sunmoned.
The Black armored woman convulsed as dozens of snakes materialized inside her body, attacking her from the inside out.
[Oh man, this is even worse than last time!! ]
[WhismurAnnouncer: Chiyome is not playing around!! She really is going all out! ]
[Getting attacked from inside your body is truly a horrible way to die. But alas, such is the fate of those who refuse to stop their evil ways even after being given a chance to be better. ]
Chiyome stood on her feet and saw the servant with her guard down. She drew her blade and was about to finish her off.
"!!!"
But her plans came to an abrupt end as a massive explosion of energy erupted from Saber.
The overwhelming power was so dense, so suffocating that it caused the snake in the woman's mouth to fall limp and unmoving.
Chiyome's attack had failed.
Then, to the shock and disgust of everyone around her, Saber made a slurping sound as she swallowed the snake into her mouth like an oversized ramen noodle.
To everyone's horror, Saber began to chew, the crunching of bones and the grinding of flesh into a bloody mulch filling the silence of the cave.
Then, she gulped her meal down, followed by a sigh of satisfaction.
And to add insult to injury, Saber looked the assassin in the eye and gave her a sincere, "Thank you for the meal."
[Gah!! ]
[*shivers* ]
[WhismurAnnouncer: Did-did that woman just eat a raw, dead snake?!! ]
[Gross!! I think I'm gonna puke!! ]
[Well, at least she said thank you? That has to count for something right? ]
Chiyome stared at Saber like she was some strange, unknown species of animal before she shook her head.
"I see. I'm glad you enjoyed the appetizer… now here comes the main course!!"
Chiyome threw her hand forward and a massive snake shot out from the shadows of the cave where the light couldn't reach.
The massive snake's jaw unhinged, revealing a soft, pale interior that was poised to devour Saber.
Saber responded to her taunt with a smirk and pulled another crazy stunt by jumping straight into the snake's mouth.
The snake snapped its mouth shut.
The battlefield went silent once more.
[Is she dead? ]
[Idk. It's a toss up whenever servants are involved. ]
Suddenly, the snake convulsed.
The creature writhed on the ground, its midsection ballooning into a sphere that exploded in a shower of gore.
[Of course it wouldn't be that easy. ]
[Wouldn't be much of a fight if the final boss got murked like Boudica's horseys. ]
Saber stepped out of the fading carcass, covered in viscera.
Before Chiyome could even blink, Saber had already crossed the distance between them and punched her in the face.
Chiyome reeled back from the force of the attack, but not far as Saber grabbed her by the hair, holding her body in place.
The Black Knight raised her blade and chopped her body down the middle like a log.
*Poof*
Saber let out an annoyed huff as a literal split log took Chiyome's place, the cleaved pieces clattering on the floor.
[NinJanine:Hah! Overwhelming power or no, she still fell for the good ol' substitution technique!!]
The kunoichi had used the opportunity to retreat a fair distance away from Saber, reevaluating her odds as Saber continued to defy everything she threw at her.
[WhismurAnnouncer: Man, Saber is proving to be quite the unstoppable force!! Will Gudao and his friends be able to put Saber down or are they doomed to fail?! ]
"I have no choice left." She used her mental link to send a message to her Master.
'Master, I am going to use my Noble Phantasm. Please use your last remaining seal to empower it.'
'But Chiyome… are you going to be alright?'
'You care too much about me my lord. It is not a one time use noble phantasm. I will not succumb to it. That I can promise to you.'
Ritsuka looked hesitant but after taking the time to look at the state of the battlefield, and more specifically at Saber, he made his choice.
'Fine. I'll do it, but you better not have lied to me Chiyo… I still haven't paid you back.'
'On the contrary My Lord, it is I who owes a debt to you. You are the kindest master I have served, and I would gladly die for you if it meant I kept you safe.'
Ritsuka clenched his teeth, 'Please don't die, Chiyome. That is an order.'
Chiyome smiled, 'Very well, if that is your wish, then I will see it through'
"Are you quite done scheming with your master, Assassin?"
Chiyome's lone black eye stared into Saber's golden, "Yes. I am."
Saber nodded in pride, "Good. Then show me your resolve."
A bright light shone from Ritsuka's hand.
"With this command seal," Ritsuka grunted in pain as his hand started to burn, but he continued to give out his command.
[Noble phantasm time!! Hell yeah!! ]
[I completely forgot!! All is not lost!! ]
"Chiyome, I command you, Use your Noble phantasm on Saber!!"
Chiyome's body exploded with a dense, crimson cloak of magical energy.
"Curse the blood that courses through me. Seek vengeance for my own sins. No matter how much time has passed."
The shadows inside the cave slithered, all of them coalescing into a single spot behind Chiyome.
The weight of what felt like a thousand atmospheres fell on everyone in the vicinity, as the evil dragon within Chiyome emerged from its den.
In the pokemon world, every person watching the steam focused on the beast before them with trepidation and awe due to the sheer power it exuded.
The dragon-type and Dark type specialists in particular were reeling from the sheer evil draconic presence before them.
[DragonMasterLance: This feeling!! This is the power of a true dragon!! ]
[DragoonRuleZ: (ó﹏ò｡) ]
[It's not just that!! I can sense a lot of Dark Type energy as well!! ]
"What has been passed from Kouga Saburou is something here that cannot be cleansed."
The shadows gained form.
A serpent's head emerged, then a second, a third, and many more followed until all eight heads manifested in the world.
This beast was a fragment of the serpent god of legend that originated from the earth beneath everyone's feet.
Yamata no Orochi.
[So this is the legendary dragon that inspired Hydreigon… yeah, I can see why. This thing's aura definitely has the same feel like a hydreigon. ]
[Saber is so cooked. ]
And now, all eight heads were laser focused on the maiden before them, who didn't look the slightest bit afraid or panicked, only amused, "A snake god who fancies himself a dragon? A worthy target for my blade."
[Oh no, she's not panicking. Why is she not panicking?!! ]
[Maybe she's just really good at hiding it? ]
[I have a bad feeling about this…. ]
Saber clasped her hands over the hilt of her corrupted blade.
The black blade then glowed a faint red before exploding into a cloak of red and black energy, matching the color scheme of the greater grail behind her.
The foul power emitting from her own blade matching the beast before her.
[Oh… ]
[Fuuuuck that looks so cool. ]
[Dang it!! Why does Saber always have a response to Chiyome's attacks?!! ]
[Please let Chiyome win, please let Chiyome win. ]
"N-No way… Vortigern?" Gareth muttered in disbelief as she saw her king raise her blade high in the sky, the evil energy turning into a violent pillar of light.
The Wolf knight clenched her lance harder than before, so much so her bones creaked from the strain.
"My king, to think you would lower yourself to use such foul power…."
The onlookers could only stare at the scene with trepidation, hoping that Chiyome's noble phantasm will prevail over Saber's.
"Kuchiyose… ibukidamyoujin-Engi"
All eight massive serpent heads unhinged their jaws and jumped to devour Saber, however, unlike in its legends, this maiden fought back.
"Excalibur… MORGAN!!!"
The twisted, purple light engulfed the empowered dragon god.
The beast was a fragment of the dragon god of legend, and was only slain by a divine blade.
Unfortunately for Chiyome and her allies, Excalibur, even in its corrupted state, was THE holy blade that surpassed other Holy blades.
A blade forged from the core of the planet, designed as a countermeasure against an alien invader that destroyed entire civilizations and pantheons alike…. and was victorious.
The lowly divine snake stood no chance.
Chiyome, seeing her noble phantasm disintegrate before her eyes, jumped at the last minute in hopes of dodging the attack.
The intense, evil light engulfed the snake, and pushed past the meat, but it didn't stop there as it hit the cave wall, and kept going, going and going.
Chat's camera was nowhere near the attack, so they did not suffer instant death, but the camera did follow the blast as it carved through the earth until the camera's POV suddenly appeared high in the sky, over the flaming ruins of Fuyuki.
Chat was still too stunned to chat any response as the same beam of energy burst out of the ground and obliterated the houses a few miles from the mountain.
BOOOM!
A massive pillar of light, far exceeding the size of the mountain could be seen rising and parting the clouds in the sky.
[We never stood a chance in the first place did we? ]
[No… no we did not. ]
[That…. I… I… That was no hyper beam… nor a solar blade… even if they looked the same…. It feels wrong to call it that. ]
[TheIcePryce: Its name is Excalibur Morgan…. What a terrifying power… ]
Once more, without bothering to give chat a moment to breathe or react, the camera shifted back inside the cave.
Everyone in the pokemon world gaped in horror as they saw all that remained of Chiyome was the upper half of her torso.
"Impressive. To think you would manage to survive utter annihilation somewhat intact. Unfortunately, you were not fast enough to evade your fate… assassin."
Chiyome grunted as she stared at Saber in defiance before she collapsed on the ground, utterly defeated.
"I'm sorry, My Lord… please forgive me…" Those were Chiyome's last words as she disappeared into motes of light.
The cave fell silent.
But it didn't last.
Saber turned her indifferent gaze away from where Chiyome was and in the direction of the Shielder Servant and her former knight.
"Next."