[She killed her. Saber fucking killed Chiyome!! ]
[NinJanine: MOCHIZUKI-SAMA NOOOO!! ]
[Kohga: A tragic loss. Chiyome-Sama was an admirable shinobi until her very end. ]
[SurgeOfLightning: Gudao and his friends were, unfortunately, relying too much on her to win their hard fights. Since the moment she was summoned, her abilities have been able to match and outclass their enemies. But Saber changed that dynamic. ]
[Kohga: a shinobi is not meant for prolonged fights. We are assassins who fight from the shadows, not knights or samurai who fight face-to-face in an open field. Chiyome-sama's greatest strength was her speed. Combined with her powerful snake summons, it made for a deadly combination, especially when you consider how she could spawn them inside her targets. Unfortunately, the moment she failed to kill her superior opponent with her initial attack, her fate was sealed. ]
[NinJanine:.·°՞(っ-ᯅ-ς)՞°·. ]
Ritsuka stared at the spot where Chiyome used to be with tears running down his eyes. His throat clenched as memories of her played in his head.
He opened his mouth, and only one word slipped through his teeth.
"Liar…"
Mash was not faring any better, her face equally devastated as her Master as she saw her savior. Chiyome was a person who, in the short time she's known her, has grown to respect due to her strength and conviction… was now gone.
Gareth in particular looked traumatized, as she realized just how badly she had misjudged the potency of the mud's corruption on her king.
Although Chiyome's demise wasn't her fault, her guilt still weighed down her mind enough that she believed it.
[Man, poor Chiyome got fucking murked like a caterpie. ]
[Honestly, I think I would have preferred if Chiyome had just been swallowed up by the entire blast, that way we wouldn't have had to see her suffer in her last moments. RIP Chiyome. ]
[RIP ] x1834
[And that is why the Pokémon League has rules to prevent these kinds of tragic bloodbaths from happening in our tournaments. ]
[At least she went out with a bang. Literally, because Ho-Shit was that a huge explosion. ]
[It's honestly a miracle that blast didn't cause a cave-in.]
Unfortunately for the Chaldeans, Saber didn't bother to pause so they could mourn their friend and continued her assault.
This time, her focus and blade was aimed at Gareth's head once more.
But unlike last time, this time the Wolf Knight was prepared.
The small armored woman held her lance with both hands and blocked the overhead swing.
She snarled as she attempted to deliver a kick to Saber's midsection but only hit empty air as Saber jumped back.
"Ah, so the pup does have the courage to bare her fangs towards her owner after all, but will she bite the hand that fed her?" The lady in black taunted, and it worked, considering how the burning glare from her target intensified.
"Shut up!! You are NOT my king!" She pointed her lance at the black knight. "The true King Arthur would NEVER stoop so low as to use the vile power you wield in your foul hands, nor would she EVER besmirch its sacred name by appending that evil woman's name to it!!"
Now she was determined.
A powerful red aura exploded from Gareth, her muscles filling with power as she clenched her lance in rage. "I swear upon my honor as the 7th seat of the Knights of the Round Table, I will cut you down!!"
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): What a complete 180! Saber has kicked the yamper too many times, and now she'zz bout to get shocked!! ]
[NinJanine: Even a fool would know not to taunt a Houndoom by poking its snout. Use Crunch on her hand, Gareth!! Mochizuki-sama MUST be avenged!! ]
[What did this Morgan lady do that was so bad that it caused even sweet Gareth to act this way just from hearing her name? ]
[Frisky1ntheFlowers: You poor, sweet summer child. What didn't that petty bitch do? ]
[That bad huh? ]
[Frisky1ntheFlowers: I could sit here all day and list off all her wrong doings and it would barely cover the tip of the iceberg. That's how bad she was. ]
[Yeesh… ]
Saber gave Gareth a smirk. "Took you long enough. You are right, I am not the king you swore fealty to." She readied her blade. "I am better than her."
As soon as Saber uttered those words, Gareth was already upon her.
Saber dodged a stab.
Then another.
And another.
No pauses.
No mercy.
In a short span of time, Gareth had already struck out 20 times, yet, despite the fervor and frequency of her attacks, none of them hit their target.
Not only that, but her target was not idle during this attack, as she countered each strike with her own.
Gareth had managed to avoid the hits aimed at her face, bar a few minor cuts to her cheeks, but the same couldn't be said for her body, as visible scratches could be seen accumulating on the once shiny armor.
But even then, the attacks were not free for Saber, as each hit Gareth took, she received a boost of power.
The wolf knight finally lived up to her title of 'Rampaging Wolf' as she pushed her body harder and harder and harder, uncaring for the damage she endured.
Despite the many heavy blows she took head-on.
Or how much blood and sweat she shed.
Gareth only cared for one thing, and one thing only. To put down the false shadow that pretended to be her king.
Even with her overwhelming advantages, Saber herself still broke a sweat defending against the knight.
"There!!" Gareth saw an opening to strike and took it.
Unfortunately, her rage and focus had left her vulnerable to tunnel vision, which prevented her from seeing that the subtle opening was completely intentional.
"AAAAHHH!!"
Gareth screamed as the evil blade, coated in a thin red aura of energy, sliced through her armor, flesh, and bone.
[GARETH NOOOO!!! ]
[DragoonRuleZ: MY BABY!! ]
"GARETH!!"
"SIR GARETH!!"
Ritsuka and Mash called out as they saw the spray of blood from Gareth's body splashing Saber's face and armor.
"Guhah-!" Gareth vomited blood and bile as her former king finished her off with a violent kick in the sternum, her body sent flying backwards at a speed that nearly broke the sound barrier.
"Guh-!" Mash let out a groan as Gareth's body crashed into her and sent her tumbling on the ground.
The impact managed to slow Gareth down enough that she rolled to a slow, painful stop a few feet behind where Mash once stood.
The valiant knight now lay on the unforgiving ground, her face to the ground as a puddle of blood slowly pooled under her body.
With the Wolf Knight taken care of, Saber now set her cold eyes on Mash, who shrank under the intense gaze of the Black Knight.
[Oh Arc, now she killed Gareth!! ]
[Noooo!! ]
[Wait. She's not glowing or turning into balls of light, so she's not dead yet!! ]
[Will it even matter? Once Saber takes care of Mash, she's going to come over and finish Gareth off, and then it will all be over!! ]
Saber slowly walked towards the girl, her metal armor making clinking and clanking noises that reverberated on the cave walls around them.
With each step, Mash's heart beat faster.
With every clink, her blood vessels constricted harder.
And when the sounds finally stopped, for a brief moment, so did her heart.
Mash struggled to look Saber in the eyes, as her head and her body could barely hold the weight of King Arthur's aura.
Saber beheld Mash's trembling form.
The wavering uncertainty in her teary eyes.
Her projected weakness.
And she was disappointed.
"Is this truly the extent of your capabilities, Shielder girl?"
Mash refuses to respond, her fear preventing her from raising her voice.
"I see… How dull."
The woman then relaxed her posture, albeit slightly, her shoulders still squared and filled with power.
Power, which she was about to tap into as she gripped the hilt of her blade with both of her hands and slowly raised its tip to the ceiling.
[Oh no… oh no… Oh No!! ]
[Looks like this might be the end, folks. ]
[We've been saying that all the time since the start of the singularity!! It's never come true!! Gudao and everyone always makes it!! ]
[But Chiyome didn't. ]
[...Fuck…. ]
"It's no good… We can't win like this…" Olga said, panic, fear, and hopelessness in her voice, "We're going to die here. Without returning to Chaldea."
"This will be the end." Saber declared with finality in her voice.
The sudden increase in magical energy was enough to jolt Mash back into fight mode as she looked behind her, her eyes widening in realization that Gareth and her Master were in the direct line of fire.
Mash's eyes widened in horror as she realized that she was now the only thing standing between Saber and her comrades.
"Vortigern, hammer of the Vile King, reverse the rising sun and swallow the light…"
The black blade once again shone with unholy red and black light.
The overflowing power simultaneously condensed on the blade like fog on a blade of grass.
[Uh oh, she's using a chant this time. It's going to be a big one. ]
[Shitshitshitshitshit!! ]
[If Mash doesn't manage to block this, it's over. ]
[Well, I'm not giving in to despair!! I believe in Mash!! ]
[It's nice to be hopeful… But the reality is going to come crashing down on us all as we speak. ]
Mash steadied her breath as she cemented her stance, nervously awaiting the impending train that was going to crash into her.
The wind once again kicked back into life, its whistle promising death for all who dared to oppose the king.
The beam exploded in size, the light towered over the battlefield, the very air becoming oversaturated with energy.
[Here it comes. ]
[Brace yourself, Mash!! ]
"EXCALIBUR MORGAN!!"
Saber boomed the name of her noble phantasm and mercilessly unleashed the blade of light downward.
And crashing into Mash's shield.
Had this shield of Mash been a normal one, this attack would have been overkill, as no normal metal could withstand ita might.
However, this shield was special because it held.
[Oh, thank the stars above, the shield is holding!!]
[I knew it!! Mash could do it!! ]
[Just barely, but it's enough. Keep at it, Mash!! ]
On the sidelines, the trio looked at the scene with less optimism. All they could do was watch as Mash struggled to defy the king's power, which was stress-testing Mash's resolve and grit.
Ritsuka, seeing Mash give it her all to keep them safe, clenched his fists.
The knot of guilt and uselessness in his stomach had not gone away.
He hated this feeling.
He HATED to see the people he had grown to view as friends throw away their lives for him while he just stood there, doing nothing.
Mash was out there, with the weight of their lives on her shoulders, all by herself.
He takes a deep breath, calming his nerves and sharpening his focus on the present and dulling the anxiety in his heart.
[PerfectlySaneHex: Gudao is making that face again. ]
[Oh dear. ]
[What? What face? ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: The face he makes whenever he's about to do something stupidly dangerous and reckless. ]
Opening his eyes once more, he stared at the clash of wills and magic happening in front of him. But before he did anything, he glanced down at the glowing chatbox and skimmed the messages for what could be the last time.
He immediately noticed Hex's comment, and he couldn't stop his face from turning a bit sad. He looked back at Mash, then at his comment section, until finally he sighed.
[Gudao: Hex. You're right about me… as always. ]
[Gudao: And guys… I'm sorry for all the stress I've put you through during this whole singularity business. I never wanted for this to happen, but here we are. ]
[It's ok, Gudao. We understand. You got dragged into this mess by an entire organization of wizards. You couldn't have stopped it no matter what you did. ]
[Yeah, don't sweat it. Sure, we saw a lot of scary stuff, but this whole debacle was also incredibly enlightening! We got to see a part of your world even you and the majority of your people have no idea about!! That alone makes any trauma we have been afflicted with worth it. ]
[Gudao: Thanks, guys. I really appreciate you guys being there for me all these years. It's been fun. ]
[Please say it isn't so!! ]
[Dude… ]
[TheIcePryce: I see you have come to terms with your end. I might as well say it, but despite your inexperience, you've done admirably so far as a commander. You have my respect. ]
[Gonna miss you, my man. I loved your content. ]
[JigglyWiggly: Same. It's honestly a shame it's going to end after all this time, but we'll never forget you. ]
[MalasadaMayhem: Man. I hate how all of these comments are assuming Gudao is going to die and we're just saying our goodbyes… So I'll be the one to say it. Whatever you have planned, Gudao, just make sure you come out of it. Alive. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: I want to say that you should run away and save yourself but knowing you, I know its a futile attempt. I can't stop you no matter how much I or anyone else spam your chat. So do what you want, you cute dumbass. Just remember that WHEN you survive this ordeal, you owe me. Got it?! ]
He chuckled before he replied out loud with "I promise."
Olga and Cu turned to look at him, the former in curiosity while the other looked like a faint glimmer of hope had been dropped on her lap.
"Fujimaru… your Twitch thing… Does it have a way to save us? If it does!! Then please—" Olga stopped her plea when she saw Ritsuka shake his head.
"B-but then what are you-" Olga's words died in her mouth as she saw the resolute look on his face. Without exchanging a single word, Olga knew what he was planning.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but Ritsuka beat her to the punch.
"I'm sorry, Director, everyone… But I have made up my mind."
The last Master of Humanity turned his gaze back at the fight.
He was going to do something reckless and stupid.
✦✧✦
Mash POV
Everyone says that she is doing a good job, that she is a vital member of the team. But Mash knew better.
Her initial spark of confidence at the start of the singularity that senpai and everyone talks about is a lie.
She was scared from the start.
Because she was weak.
Because she was only a demi-servant. Half of what a servant should be.
It was why, when Senpai summoned Gareth and Chiyome-san, she was relieved.
Relieved that someone else came to take the responsibility off her shoulders.
That she didn't have to fight.
She thought that all she had to do was keep Master safe in the back while real servants took care of the scary things trying to kill her.
Yet, part of her hated it.
She hated feeling like a burden.
To feel relieved at the prospect of being told it was okay to not fight.
So she foolishly believed she could stand alongside real servants as an equal. And that nearly got her killed.
She deeply admired Sir Gareth and Chiyome-san, but… she can't keep up with them.
Yet despite their strength as servants… even they fell before Saber.
Tears welled up in her eyes, the image of Chiyome disintegrated from the waist down still fresh in her mind.
And now… and now… She was the only one left. The last line of defense between life and death.
She wants to run away.
It's scary.
Her arms are tired. They scream at her, begging her to give up, but if she does, the torrent of energy is going to swallow her and everyone behind her up.
S-She can't endure this by herself.
She can feel her shield getting heavier.
It's nearly ready to slip from her fingers.
'Someone… please… save me… '
She pleaded, but no one came. She was alone. Like she always has been.
She was going to die… And so was everyone else… because of her weakness.
Because she is a bur-
It was then that Mash noticed that her shield had gotten slightly lighter. Her eyes saw the pair of hands holding onto the metal shield.
Her eyes trailed up the arms to see…
"Sen…pai? ... why?"
Why was he here?! He was a master!! He shouldn't be here!!
"Because… I refuse to stand back and do nothing!! I hate being dead weight!!"
Senpai gripped the surface of her shield, his fingertips turning white from the lack of blood flow.
"I know I don't stand a chance against a servant!! Even a weak one!! So my strength may not mean much… But if we are going to die anyways, I'd rather die trying than die doing nothing but watching the people I care about die in vain to keep me alive!!"
She was about to refute him, but it was then she noticed he was trembling.
Not just from the strain of helping her, but also from fear.
"... even if I am scared."
Her mouth parted slightly, her pupils clearly visible as her eyes showed just how surprised she was.
She looked away from her senpai and back to the front; she couldn't see anything due to the paradoxical black light blocking her vision.
The feeling of dread, which weighed heavily on her, was now much lighter. The fear was still there… But it was diminished as she came to a realization.
Senpai was just a human.
One brush with this evil light, and it would disintegrate him.
His physical strength means nothing in the face of a servant.
And yet, he still has the courage to fight.
To stand strong in the face of an impossible task, even if they are afraid.
'If he can do it… then I should too.'
She grunted as she fixed her posture, doing her best to ignore the pain in her joints as she channeled more strength into her arms and legs.
Energy flowed through her.
She felt something.
A feeling… no, an instinct takes hold of her.
The magical energy in her arms and legs intensified, and her body shone a white-blue light.
It felt familiar.
Like something that was a part of her. Something that she hadn't been able to access until this very moment.
This was… this was…
A pleasant heat filled her stomach.
A heat that burned into a blazing inferno, all because of her senpai.
Memories played through her mind, memories of Cu, Gareth, Chiyome, all of them lending their advice.
"If you keep wallowing in your own self-pity and keep thinking, 'I can't,' then you'll never be able to use it."
Cu Chullain was right. She was dumb to think she couldn't use her noble phantasm.
Mash gritted her teeth and glared at the black light of Excalibur Morgan.
Her mind was utterly focused on the daunting bull in front of her, her body now ready to take it by its horns.
'I'm going to do it.'
"Deploying Noble Phantasm!!"
It was a crude chant.
One that pales in comparison to the eloquence and length of a proper servant.
But it will do.
Because it was hers.
The blue light exploded, and a shield of light projected itself in front of her metal shield. Its intricate designs were a sight of beauty, but they did not last long as they disassembled, stretched, and spread. The small shield of light had now turned into a literal wall of light.
The unshakable force of Excalibur Morgan was pushed back, much to the shock and awe of everyone spectating the fight.
But to Mash, they were just background noise.
With a shout, she pushed, and with it, the shadow lasers followed and were redirected back at the corrupted King of Knights, who had a dumbfounded look on her face.
The attack landed and exploded.
Thankfully, the explosion was nowhere near the size that took out Chiyome-san, but she wouldn't question it.
She had done it.
She had won.
✦✧✦
Saber dropped to one knee, panting in exhaustion, her form starting to dissipate.
[She did it. She actually did it!! Mash beat Saber!! ]
[Well, of course she beat Saber!! I never doubted her from the start!! You guys were so far up your own pity party that you forgot to believe!! ]
[You're right. I was wrong!! From now on. I WILL BELIEVE!! ]
"To think you would exhaust my magical energy to such a degree… I underestimated you, girl…no, Shielder."
Mash and a tired-looking Ritsuka turned to the king of knights with surprise.
"Your conviction. Your courage. Never forget it. You will need it for the trials to come."
"Oi! What do you mean by that, you bastard! Is there something you know that we don't?" Cu yelled as he appeared before Saber, with Gareth and Olga hanging off his shoulders.
The former of whom had recovered enough that she was able to lift her head to look at Saber.
[DragoonRuleZ: Gareth is alive and well!! ]
[Woooo!! ]
[Man, they patched her up already? Since when? I don't think they had time to do that in the short amount of time that conflict took place. ]
[DragoonRuleZ: Who cares? As long as Gareth is safe, I am glad!! ]
"Ireland's Child of Light. Even you must realize it, Grand Order."
Olga flinched when Saber uttered that name, but Saber paid it no mind.
"The battle to obtain the Holy Grail has only just begun."
[MalasadaMayhem: Oh joy, more cryptic bullshit. I hate it when that shit pops up. ]
[What does she mean that the battle for the Grail has just begun? It just ended! ]
[HippityHoppip650: This reeks of something… and it ain't a grimer… What is Saber alluding to? ]
She turned to Gareth, an expression of sadness in her eyes, and said, "I apologize, my loyal knight, but know that this will not be the last time we will meet. Keep your heart hardened, for you shall need it when we meet once again."
Gareth's suspicious look turned to shock as she realized what Saber was implying. "So all this time… you were actually—"
Saber nodded solemnly but didn't verbally respond.
[Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed all the red flags Saber just planted on the ground there? ]
[Maybe she's giving her a heads-up for next time they meet for another Grail War in some other place. A place far away from Gudao or Chaldea. ]
Saber's form started to glow brighter until finally, she looked at Ritsuka. She stared at him for a long moment before she smiled and said her final words.
"You remind me so much of him…"
Ritsuka was confused by what she meant. "Wait, who?"
She looked away from him and stared at the ceiling with a look of nostalgia. "Just a reckless, suicidal idiot that I know."
Saber burst into a shower of golden lights, and her temporary life came to an end.
And in her place, a small crystal shone where Saber once was. However, Chat didn't pay the crystal any mind as it was focused on more important matters.
[So let me get this straight, there's someone equally as stupid and reckless as Gudao? ]
[*Rubs temples* Arceus above, we can barely handle one Gudao; two would be too much. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: I could take both at the same time, from both ends. ]
[Geez, you waste no time, do you, Hex?]
[Hex's thirst-related antics aside, I think Saber was referring to that guy in the past tense. So more than likely, she's talking about her former master. ]
[Oh? You don't say? By the looks of things, she spoke quite fondly of him. Poor Archer. ]
[Ikr? Guy dedicated his life to her, and she leads him on, making him believe he was her "sheath," yet now we come to find out that she was actually seeing someone behind his back. ]
[Well. It's not the gay soap opera I wanted, but it would still make for an amazing drama nonetheless. ]
"Weird. Who could she have been talking about?"
"Meh. It's probably no one important. In any case," Cu Chullain turned to Mash, "congrats, lass. You did it. You deployed your noble phantasm."
[That's right!! After struggling for so long, Mash finally achieved her goal!! ]
[Congrats!! ]
[It was actually really cool!! It reminded me a lot of Mirror Coat. A really fancy one. ]
[And it came at a perfect time too!! It was like watching a shonen MC unlocking their hidden power and using it to defeat the Big Bad!! Absolute Cinema!! ]
"That was amazing, Mash!! You pulled through at the last moment, and you saved us all!!" Gareth gave Mash a shaky thumbs-up and a toothy smile, albeit not a perfect one since one of her teeth had fallen out.
Mash then looked to Ritsuka, who smiled and said, "What did I tell you, Mash? You are our MVP. The rock of our team. Without you, we wouldn't have made it this far. Congratulations, Mash."
Mash's cheeks burned in embarrassment. "Thank you for your kind words, everyone…." Mash then looked to the ground, sadness returning to her features.
"I just wish Chiyome-san was here to see it too…"
[Dang it, and I was trying so hard to not bring it up… But Mash beat me to it. ]
[… we only knew her for so little, yet she left a huge hole in our hearts. ]
[NinJanine: (◞‸◟) ]
The mood soured a bit, which caused Cu to let out a retort, "Geez, kid, lighten up. I'm positive if she were here, she would be happy for you too."
Mash looked up. "You really think so?"
"Heh. I know so. That girl was practically mothering you the entire singularity. So don't worry about it. In fact, she'd be overjoyed knowing you have become a first-rate servant."
Mash's frown turned into a smile, "thank you, Mr. Chullainn."
[Mr. Chullain is a surprisingly great motivational speaker… when he isn't being a horndog that is. ]
While Mash had regained her joy, Ritsuka was another matter. His eyes were still moist as he remembered Chiyome again. He honestly felt so indebted to her, and in the end, he won't be able to pay her back.
"Chiyome…"
Seeing his sad mood, Romani decided to give Ritsuka some good news.
"Actually, about that… Cu is right; you guys shouldn't worry about Chiyome."
[What the hell, Romani!!?]
[Gible_Archeologist: You have 5 seconds to explain yourself before I start unleashing my wrath on you, Trubbs hater!! ]
At that, Ritsuka immediately felt rage and was about to reprimand Romani, but the doctor cut him off before he could start his rant.
"I know what you are thinking, and it's not what I meant. What I mean is that unlike the servants who were summoned by the grail, those summoned by the FATE system can be resummoned with their memories intact. "
That caused everyone's heads, excluding Olga who already knew, to turn their attention towards Romani.
"Wait… So does that mean… We can bring her back?!"
"Of course we can. Did you forget about the FATE system's functionalities, Mash? "
[NinJanine: I don't know how I feel about that. On the one hand, I am happy that Mochizuki-sama can be brought back… On the other… I feel bringing her back would be… wrong. ]
[Yeah, bringing back someone after they died to fight and die for you again… that is just blatantly inhumane. ]
[We're going to have to ask about that when we have the time. Right now they seemed more focused on the victory. ]
Mash blushed once more, this time out of actual embarrassment. "Sorry, it was rather stressful, and I got caught up in the moment. So I forgot."
[Mighty1Oak: Again, Mash, it's ok; it's only to be expected. The human mind is capable of many great things; alas, it is still human. Forgetting things is something none of us can avoid. ]
[What ^ he said. ]
"In any case, I'm pleased to see that you are able to use your Noble Phantasm now."
Mash nodded, which gave Olga the opportunity to give her a playful grin, "To think you deployed it after getting a cozy pep talk from Fujimaru~"
Mash's cheeks were already red, but the implications of what Olga was saying caused them to redden further.
"I-uh-"
"Ah, how nice it must be to have your hidden power awaken after finding your inner feelings for Fujimaru. It's actually very romantic, and dare I say something that could have easily come from a fairy tale."
[PerfectlySaneHex: *sigh* Gudao truly is lucky with the ladies. ]
[@PerfectlySaneHexSo what are you gonna do about it? ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: The girls might have the advantage of distance, but I have something they don't. ]
[And that is?]
[PerfectlySaneHex: a favor from Gudao. :) ]
[Heart-of6old: And what exactly are you going to redeem this favor on? A shirtless stream? Because the girls already have the chance to see that if they want to. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: Tempting, but no, I'm going to keep this favor safe for when the right opportunity arises. ]
[Heart-of6old: Sure… whatever you say, Hex.]
"D-Director! It's nothing like that!! I-"
"Heh, I'm just teasing you, Mash. But seriously, I'm really glad you've managed to overcome your insecurities and find your inner courage. Now that those mental blocks are gone and you're able to use your Noble Phantasm, I imagine it must be a bit awkward to activate it without calling out its true name, huh?"
A knowing smirk came to Olga's face when she saw Mash nod, "In that case, I'll think of a good spell for you."
She hummed as she took a moment to observe the shield. "Since it's a pseudo-deployment of an already existing Noble Phantasm… let me see…"
[We know Olga can complain. But can she cook? ]
[We shall see. ]
[I really hope she doesn't come up with a cringy name. ]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: If she does, I reserve the right to bully her poor naming skills. ]
[Frisky1intheFlowers: Permission granted. ]
Olga stopped before she turned her gaze back to Mash. "Yes, let's call it 'Lord Chaldeas: Foundation of Human Order.'"
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: Ugh, of course she names it after something that her family invented. ]
[I mean, its not THAT bad. The latter half sounds pretty cool. ]
"Chaldea is a name that has meaning for you too. So it should be a good spell to activate your Spirit Origin, right?"
"Y-Yes! Thank you, director!!"
"Lord Chaldeas… I like it. That fits you perfectly, Mash!! "
[Well, at least Mash likes it. ]
[I suppose… ]
[I mean, it sounds a bit vain to name it that, but I dunno why, but I feel like Romani is correct. It would feel weird to call it something else. ]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: Alright, fine, Olga has avoided the bulli… for now. ]
"Lord Chaldeas… that's a… good name…" Ritsuka's body started to sway, which caused alarm to his team.
"Senpai?!" Mash quickly grabs Ritsuka before his head hit the ground.
"Senpai? Senpai?!! Are you okay?!!"
[Gudao?!! What's wrong?!! ]
[0ffDoodyJoy: Looks like his exhaustion just caught up to him and hit him hard. ]
"It's ok, Mash."
"Director? Do you know what is going on?!!" Mash was deeply worried for the safety of her beloved senpai.
Olga sighed and came closer to inspect the fallen Master, "It's because Fujimaru's body finally gave in after he abused his magical circuits so much."
[0ffDoodyJoy: Wait. WHAT?! There were such drastic downsides to using Magic Circuits?! ]
[Magical circuits are more dangerous than they were presented as. ]
[It honestly would have been nice if he got a little warning that this could happen. ]
[Not that it would have mattered, the situation called for it and he used his circuits. If he didn't, he would be dead. ]
"He managed to use all of his command seals, plus had 2 servants unleash their noble phantasms one after the other, and that was while he was still recovering from using Gareth's."
Gareth's head drooped at hearing Olga's words, still feeling guilty about that incident.
[El_Kukui: Ah, that will do it. It follows the same logic as Mega evolution, Dynamaxxing, Z-Moves and terrastilization. You can only use a certain amount of that energy before it gets too exhausting. The more stamina the trainer has, the more often they can deploy these ultimate techniques in a battle. ]
[Ecruteak_Gal: Seeing Gareth sad fills my heart with rage. Dang it Gareth, you couldn't help it!! You didn't have another choice but to do it and Gudao was fine after so no harm no foul!! ]
[:Sad Gareth Emote:] x2638
"Still, it's rather odd that he was able to achieve such a feat, especially since his medical reports showed that he would have fainted after barely empowering just one, not three of them."
"It's possible his physical capabilities might have changed after he was rayshifted. "
"But how is that possible? You're monitoring his vitals as we speak! How can you stand there and tell me that somehow, Fujimaru gained the ability to empower multiple noble phantasms for seemingly no reason?!"
"It's possible it's related to his special Twitch stream. Because as soon as he revealed them to us, we noticed that he started to leak some unknown energy from his body. "
"And you didn't think to tell me this sooner?!"
"Ahahaha, there were more important things going on at the time."
[Oh, Romani. Never change, you lazy bum, you. ]
[0ffDoodyJoy: Well, at least he is honest about his mistakes. ]
[JustaBill: I'm curious about seeing that medical report… But I think looking at his medical records might be too much, even for me. ]
[Same. Truth be told, I have a feeling I know what this 'unknown energy' is, but I'd rather hear it from the horsey's mouth when the time comes. ]
"Right. Well, we can always have him go get another in-depth physical once we make it back to Chaldea.
"Oh, he's already starting to wake up. That was fast." Cu spoke up as he noticed Ritsuka's eyelids twitching awake.
"Wah… what happened?"
"You pushed yourself too hard, dumbass." Olga bluntly informed him before she sighed, "Honestly, it's a miracle you made it this far before you fainted."
"Sorry…"
[Watching Gudao get scolded by other people is surprisingly therapeutic. ]
[I KNOW. I was screaming at my screen back before he was ray shifted when I tried to get his attention but ignored us. Now thanks to Olga, I finally feel validated. ]
"It's alright. Well, while some points remain unclear, I can say with confidence that this mission has come to an end."
"Great! Now we can finally put an end to—aw, crap." Cu's body began to shine with a golden glow.
"Your body!" Ritsuka was surprised to see Cu disappearing.
[Cu is dying?!! Why?!! ]
[KicksYouIntheFace193: It would seem his time is up then. ]
[Gible_Archeologist: So abrupt. I honestly thought we had more time with him. ]
"As much as I hate it, it seems like my part has come to an end now that Saber kicked the bucket." He let out a sigh of frustration.
"Well, not much I can do about it." It was then that Cu gently handed Gareth over to Mash, who helped her companion by letting her lean on her shoulder. The man looked at everyone in the group before he smiled, "You did well, kiddos. Surviving a grail war is no easy feat. Be proud."
[It really has been quite the journey. Honestly speaking, it's a journey that is badge-worthy. ]
[Absolutely. Though I guess in this case, since the holy grail is a cup, that means that the prize is a trophy then? ]
His eyes focused on Ritsuka, "And you, despite being a novice as a master, you got the most important thing someone in your position needs."
He leaned in closer, and poked Ritsuka in the chest with his finger. The will to oppose fate, that decisive recklessness you showed to help that shielder friend of yours—never forget it. It's going to help you in the long run, trust me. Don't let your eavesdroppers tell you otherwise; it's an admirable quality."
[PerfectlySaneHex: Hey, we mean the best for him! ]
[It's ok to be daring, but being reckless is an unreliable form of achieving success!!]
Cu's body started to glow brighter. "Oh, and before I forget, be sure that when you summon me, you summon me in my Lancer form. That way I can show off my shaft to your viewers."
[He ruined the moment. ]
[Honestly, with how much he brags about it, I kinda want to see it. And if he's just showboating, we should bulli him. ]
[Heart0f6old: Regardless, Cu will always be THE GOAT in my eyes. ]
[Agreed!! ]
Ritsuka lets out a chuckle before he looks Cu straight in the eyes and goes for a handshake.
"It's a promise."
Cu smirked and returned the handshake.
"You better, or else I'm going full commando in protest."
[Huh?! What does he mean by "going full commando?" ]
[Ranger75: It means he's going to go walk around without any clothes on. ]
[(⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄) ]
[Why? ]
[Ranger75: Heck if I know. Servants are weird. ]
After saying his piece, he looked at the assembled group before him, and naturally, his gaze had drifted to Olga, who noticed the saddened resignation in his face.
He disappeared without saying a word.
Olga tightened her fist and looked to the ground. One of her bangs covered her left eye as she felt the weight of sadness settle on her chest.
Tears began to form in Olga's eyes as she came to realize that, despite the man being a pervert who sexually assaulted her and flirted with her, she still felt hurt that he didn't even bother to say a word to her.
Not a single one.
[What's going on with Olga? She looks sad. ]
[I honestly have no idea. ]
Ritsuka, seeing the Director look sad, decided to do what he does best.
Moral support.
"Thank you, Director. For being with us during our ordeal."
"Huh…?" She looked up and saw Ritsuka smiling at her with warmth in his eyes.
"Honestly, without your guidance, we would have never survived long enough to have made it this far. And despite what my chat says, you are truly a wonderful person."
Tears streamed down her face as she heard him praise her.
"Thank you… Your words mean a lot…"
[Oh… so that's why. Olga felt sad because she felt left out. ]
[You know… I think we've been too hard on her. Sure she was a bitch to Gudao at the start, but really she means well. ]
[Yeah, she apologized to Gudao for what happened to him and actually offered compensation FOR LIFE. That's really sweet of her, ngl. ]
[But of course, Gudao got attached, so he's still going to stick around in Chaldea. And while I'm sure a lot of you are disappointed, I am not! In fact, I am excited!! This is honestly a great opportunity for research!! An entire world hidden under another world!! It's something straight out of one of those anime Gudao has shown us!! ]
[Agreed! I can't wait to get a more in-depth explanation of Magecraft and how it correlates and differs from the energies we are familiar with!! ]
[The future never looked brighter!! ]
[After what Gudao and the team went through, it better. They deserve it after all. ]
She looked away from him, a futile effort to hide her tears as she held out her hand towards him.
"I look forward to working with you, Ritsuka Fujimaru."
Ritsuka looked at her dainty outstretched hand and decided to return the favor.
[Awww. That's so cute! She called him by his full name!! ]
[And to think, just a day ago, she hated his guts and called him a 'peasant.' I dunno how Gudao does it, but he truly is a heck of a Rizzler.]
[The man, the myth, the legend. Rizzuka Fujimaru. ]
However, just before he could, an unsettling voice interrupted their happy moment.
"Disgusting."
Mash and the worn-out Gareth immediately stood protectively in front of Olga and Ritsuka.
"Who's there?!" Mash declared, a sharp edge in her tone.
[Ecruteak_Gal: Can Gudao and his friends not catch a break… FOR FIVE FUCKING MINUTES?!!! ]
[But the fight is over!! We won!! Why does this singularity keep dragging on?!! Let the poor guy and gals go home!! ]
Soft footfalls graced everyone's ears.
Despite their softness, the quiet tension allowed the sounds to echo all around the cavern.
[No way… it can't be… He was supposed to be dead!! ]
[PsychicMoostache(MOD):There's no mistaking it… it's him. ]
[Top-Hat-PSY: Lev Lainur…. The man with an impeccable taste in fashion… but… there's something off about him…]
"Lev?" Olga was the one who spoke, her words laced with many emotions.
Disbelief, shock, and most notably relief as her mood shifted into that of a shoujo manga protagonist who had reunited with her male lead.
"Lev!!! Thank goodness you're alive!!"
[Wow. I knew Olga had a crush on Lev, but man, the girl is seriously down bad for him. ]
[Then why did Gudakobot include her in the waifu counter? ]
[IceCold-Melony361: A woman's heart is complex. That's all you need to know. ]
[That or GudakoBot has a different way of measuring what counts as a "waifu" ]
Olga made a dash to reach Lev's side but stopped in her tracks when Mash blocked her way.
A small frown graced her features, "what are yo-" the words died in her lips when she saw Mash's serious expression.
"Director. Stay back! There's something off about Professor Lev… if that even is him… "
"What are you saying, Mash? Of course that's Lev!" Olga said with anger in her voice, her eyes blinded by love and admiration so much that she ignored the sudden change in vibes.
"Professor Lev… so you were still alive."
The man didn't respond at first, but then, everyone heard a chuckle.
A soft, low one for sure, but it was there.
It was coming from Lev.
[Wide_OpenSky-la: This guy is starting to give me the creeps. ]
[Yeah… this guy is definitely up to no good. ]
"You took the words right out of my mouth, Romani…" then the good cheer stopped and now his smirk shifted into a frown, "I ordered you to come to the control room. Yet… you defied me, which let you survive the blast."
[Noo… he didn't… ]
[Yea, he did. The bastard just admitted it. He's the one who blew up Chaldea. ]
[Murderer!! ]
[Top-Hat-PSY: It can't be… He was the saboteur?!! Why?!! For what reason would he do such a horrible thing?!! ]
The man gritted his teeth, and for the first time, his composure and his disguise fell apart.
Gone were the straight, normal teeth and molars; now Lev's teeth were razor sharp, like shark teeth. A dark magical energy leaked from his body, pressing everyone down with its power.
But the trait that truly showed his inhumanity was his piercing red eyes with cross-shaped pupils.
Even when standing next to the glowing pillar of light, his own eyes stood out as they glowed faintly in the shadow cast by his body.
"All of you… You all DEFIED ME!!" Lev's voice was filled with rage as he glared at the group.
[ Ó﹏Ò ]x1293
[T-that man!! What the heck is he?!! ]
[This aura… it's so… evil… ]
[Nevermind the aura!! What the fuck is up with his eyes!!? And those sharpedo teeth?! ]
[Mew_TheSecond: I see… So he was not human from the start. ]
[PsychicMoostache(MOD): I'm not surprised. That bastard is a cold-blooded monster who hurt my Sabrina. Unforgivable. ]
[GudakoBot: Spectator Mode: ON.
Chatters are now unable to interfere with Gudao's world.
TTS has been disabled.]
[PsychicMoostache(MOD): ??!! ]
[What happened?!! ]
[PsychicMoostache(MOD): It would seem the system has cut off all forms of interaction from our world. I can't sense anyone's emotions anymore, nor can I use my psychic power across worlds. ]
[What?!! Can it do that?!! ]
[It did. GudakoBot just demoted us to regular Twitch chat. ]
[Not quite, it seems. I can still feel that monster's energy. So it's only closed the connection on our side. ]
He turned his glare at Mash, "Mash Kyrielight, the fake human who was never meant to amount to anything except as a catalyst for summoning… Yet you became a demi-servant."
[Who are you calling a fake human you Fake Human?!! ]
[Fuck, the audacity of this bitch! Truly he is a fucking hypocrite!! ]
His intense gaze went towards Ritsuka, "The 48th Master candidate, who I overlooked because of their background as a public applicant and their supposed lack of talent." He spat the last word out with contempt, made even more obvious as his eyes lingered on Gareth.
[Bastard is just salty shit didn't go his way. ]
[Dragon's-Iris: What a kid. ]
[TheIcePryce: So it was his own arrogance that led to his misfortune, yet he has the gall to blame others. Pathetic. ]
Then, he moved onto his final target.
"And then there's you." Olga flinched as Lev's face unnaturally shifted into an ugly scowl.
[Here it comes… I can't watch. ]
[He's going to say something soul shatteringly hurtful… isn't he? ]
"Out of all the unexpected events that transpired… you are the most unexpected of all. Olga Marie Animusphere, the bratty, annoying, attention seeking little girl… who hasn't realized that she is already dead."
[....what did he say? ]
"...Huh?" Olga let out a soft exhale, her eyes wide in perplexion.
Lev's anger suddenly flipped into cheerfulness once more. "Oh, Marie, I knew you were pathetic and slow, but I didn't think you were this dimwitted. Did your brain stop working when you died?"
[Olga is many things, but stupid she is not!! How dare you!! ]
[Oh look, the mass murderer is a cruel asshole towards even the people who admire and love him. Why am I not surprised? ]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: Shut the fuck up, Lev!! You don't deserve Olga's love, you jackass!! ]
His smile grew into an evil smirk, "Let me spell it out for you. There were bombs placed directly under your feet, Why? Because I put them there."
The room fell silent once more—no, even much more quiet than that—when Lev revealed the truth.
[Olga is dead? ]
[Prof.Burnet: But she's there!! She's still breathing!! She physical!! How is she dead?!! ]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: He's lying… he has to be fucking lying. The bastard is a sadist!! Just look at his face!! He's trying to get into her head!! Don't let him Olga!! ]
Suddenly, Lev's posture changed, and with it, his voice did as well. Deeper. Crueler and less… human.
"Your body is long gone. There is not even a trace of it left. The 'you' that is here with us is nothing but your lingering regrets, a mere residual consciousness."
"W-what are you saying? I mean… I'm alive-"
"Did you forget how rayshifting works?"
He grinned at her, "Tell me, Olga. How is it that a pathetic human like you, who never had the aptitude to rayshift, suddenly become capable of rayshifting?"
Olga's eyes widened at the realization in horror, her pupils shaking in trepidation.
[ShortShorts_Queen: no… It can't be… ]
[Fuck I forgot about rayshifting. ]
[SurgeOfLightning: That bastard… He wasn't lying?! ]
[So Olga… she's really dead? ]
[ACinnamonRola: D-Does that mean we've been on a journey with an honest-to-goodness ghost this entire time? Ó﹏Ò ]
Lev saw Olga's reaction, and his evil grin grew wider.
"I see you're finally getting it. The obvious answer is that your body no longer exists."
"No… it can't be…" Olga's voice was soft, heartbroken at the betrayal that happened before her eyes.
"And that is why you will not go back to Chaldea… because as soon as you rayshift back into your precious organization…"
"You're wrong!!"
"Your consciousness will dissipate!!"
"SHUT UP!! LIAR!! BACKSTABBER!! I LOVED YOU!! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!!?" Olga laid out her feelings for Lev to hear, each one spoken out in anger and and sorrow.
"Wasn't it obvious? It's because I HATE you."
Olga instinctively clutched her chest, the sharp pain stabbing into her heart strong enough that it would have felt no different to getting skewered by a spear.
"It's honestly revolting to be on the receiving end of a human's affections. You have no idea how much self-control I had to put myself through not to blow my cover and kill you before I set my plan into action."
[Stop Lev!! She's already dead!! She doesn't deserve this disrespect! ]
[Fuck. This is hard to watch. ]
[Poor girl just found out she was betrayed, murdered, and hated by the man she thought she could trust and whom she fell in love with. It's devastating. ]
[Shit, no wonder this scene looked so familiar. It's Dusknoir situation all over again!! ]
[Krystal: I hate to compare real life to games, but yeah. Lev fooled an entire organization into thinking he was there to help but, in the end, betrayed them all at the last moment. ]
"Not that your return will even matter even if you somehow manage to survive. Because Chaldea no longer serves a purpose."
"What do you mean? "
Lev levels a one-eyed glare at Romani's hologram, "I'll do you one better. I'll show you."
Lev reached out, and through some unseen force, the crystal that Saber dropped flew into his hands.
[Shit, he knows psychic too?!! ]
[What's he planning to do with the grail? ]
[No clue… but I don't like it. ]
He smirked as he stared at the jewel in his hand, before he turned his wicked gaze back to the group and snapped his fingers.
Then, a massive portal opened behind him.
A portal that showed a rather familiar-looking structure.
[Woah!! ]
[What did he do?!! ]
[Hool4hHoops: He opened a portal to connect two different worlds. Cheh, show off. ]
[Magecraft can do that?!! ]
"Chaldeas… It turned red… No… There's no way… It has to be a fake… right?" She turned to look at her companions, but her hopes were dashed when she saw no one deny Lev's words.
Olga then looked back at the red replica of Earth with disbelief and panic in her eyes.
[What does Chaldeas turning red even mean?! ]
[Lusamine_Aether: I recall it mentioned something about not being able to predict the existence of humanity in the next 100 years… ]
[Come on, there's no way that it could be the case. ]
"It's no fake. It's the real deal. I've linked space-time together… just for you. With the Holy Grail, even this is possible."
Lev stared down Olga, a sadistic smile on his face, "So take a good look; not a sliver of blue in this fireball. You of all people should know what that means, don't you? It means that humanity's existence. It has not simply come to an end; it has been incinerated!!!"
As soon as the words left his lips, Chat's point of view changed once more, much to everyone's confusion, but that confusion turned to horror when they saw the images on screen.
A city on fire, but it wasn't Fuyuki; it was Big Ben, engulfed in flames.
The Galarians gasped when they beheld the scene, many of them horrified to see what looked like their home engulfed in flames.
The Unovans followed suit when the image changed again, showing another ruined city; this time it was Lady Liberty, the city of New York set ablaze in the background.
Then, it was the Kalosian's turn to cringe when they saw the Eiffel Tower up in flames.
Many of them have grown fond of the Eiffel Tower, as it was the parallel version of the Prism Tower in their world. To see it in such a state caused a lot of discomfort, fear, and sadness to the residents of Kalos, and especially those who lived in Lumiose City.
Dozens of images continued to show, each one showing the state of Gudao's world. And during this time, no one in chat commented or emoted, as everyone who was watching was too stunned by the imagery to take their eyes off the screen, let alone type out their thoughts.
All these images, they had proved one thing that everyone had hoped was false.
That Lev was right.
Humanity in Gudao's world had come to an end bathed in flames.
After what felt like ages, the camera returned to Fuyuki, and the viewers, including the hardened ones, jumped in their seats when they saw the camera giving them an up-close zoom-in shot of Lev's face grinning like a wild beast.
Not at them, but rather at Gudao and his group.
[Monster… he's a monster… in every sense of the word. ]
[... so it's true… everyone is… ]
[All this time… we've been pushing for Gudao to go home… But never in my life could we have guessed that he no longer had a home to go back to. ]
[Billions of lives… all gone. ]
[Then that means… even Gudao's family, his friends, Gudako-chan… even she's gone… ]
"Isn't it beautiful, Marie? Your gross lack of competence has truly created such a wonderful jewel of tragedy. One that is worthy of being displayed in a museum for all to see! If they were still alive, that is, which they aren't, and it all came as a result of your failure!"
"NO!!" Olga weaved around Mash and Gareth, ignoring their pleas to stay back as she charged at Lev with hatred and anger.
"I'm not responsible for this!!! I didn't fail! And I'm not dead!"
Olga pointed her finger and fired a gandr at Lev, which he didn't bother to dodge as it dissipated as soon as it hit his body, but she didn't care; she kept firing.
"Who the hell are you?! What have you done with my Chaldeas?!!"
She fired one last shot, and this time, it hit Lev square in between his furrowed brows.
"Tch. Chaldea isn't 'yours' you insufferable child!"
He then pointed his open palm at Olga, and she came to a screeching halt.
Her body glowed for a brief moment, like something taking hold of her body, and lifted her into the air.
[Olga!! ]
[Gudao!! Mash, Gareth!! Anyone!! Save her!! ]
Unfortunately for Chat and Olga, because Olga chose to break rank and go off on her own, she was too far away to help.
Ritsuka, Gareth, and Mash stared at the floating body of the Director in fear as it climbed higher and higher into the air.
"Let me go! Let me go!!" Olga said as she desperately tried her best to move her body but failed, as the psychic hold proved too much for her to break out of.
"And why should I do that? You attacked me first. I am merely defending myself."
[Stop the cap!! Lev, you rattata bastard!! Her attacks didn't do shit to you!! And you killed her! So she has every right to try to return the favor!! ]
"Director!!" Ritsuka yelled out at Olga as he saw her being dragged away by Lev.
He turned to his servants and said, "We have to do something!!"
"We can't senpai!! Lev already has her in his grasp!! Who knows what Lev would do to her if we tried!"
"But we can't just leave her!! We need to-"
"Wait, what are you doing!!!?" Ritsuka was interrupted by Olga's scream, which caused them all to turn back to the Director, who was now getting closer to the portal in the sky.
"Can't you tell? I'm merely returning your hostility with kindness. I care too much for you, Marie, so I am granting you your final wish…"
Lev's smirk widened farther, stretching far beyond what a normal human could do.
"I am giving you back 'your Chaldeas'"
Hearing his words, Olga's pupils shrank into pinpricks as she realized what Lev's intentions were.
"N-No, stop. Please… don't!! Chaldeas is a high-density body of data!! It's no different from a Black Hole or the sun!! If I touch it then I'll die!! "
"Heh. Exactly. A human who touches it will experience a hellish disintegration at the molecular level. A taste of eternal, infinite death!!! A fate worthy for the name Animusphere!!!"
[Mighty1Oak: O_O ]
[Junior_Researcher: dropping a person into a black hole… inconceivable… How could such a horrible person exist? ]
[No way… What's gonna happen to her?! ]
[MagnetKing: Under normal circumstances, when someone falls into a black hole, they don't get swallowed up immediately. They go through a process called spaghettification, as the high gravity stretches out and rips molecules apart atom by atom. Time holds no meaning inside a black hole. Hundreds, thousands, or even millions of years will have passed for people outside while only a moment has passed for the victim. But based on what Lev told us, it seems like it's going to be even worse. She's going to be suffering for an eternity before she dies, while it will only be a moment for us. Truly, it is a fate worse than death. ]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: Oh… Olga… No… ]
[No!! Someone save her!! ]
[PsychicMoostache(MOD): NO NOT AGAIN!! DAMN YOU, LEV, DAMN YOU!! I SWEAR I'M GOING TO FIND A WAY TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE AND KILL YOU!! YOU HEAR ME!!!? ]
"NOOO! Someone help me! Help me!! I...I don't want to die!"
Olga's raw screams echoed across the large cavern.
Everyone could only watch in horror as Olga's body slowly started to fall towards her impending death.
All the while, all everyone could hear was her screams as she begged for her life.
"Why does this always happen to me?! Why is it that every time I find happiness in my life, it gets ripped away from me!?
It's not fair!! I didn't do anything to deserve this!! All I wanted was to be accepted, to be praised!! So why?! Why does everyone hate me!? Why?!!"
[Someone save her, dammit!!]
[Fuck you, GudakoBot!! At least let us talk to her so she knows she was loved!! Why did you do this?!! GIVE US BACK TTS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!! ]
Olga's body was now mere inches from Chaldeas.
"No, no, NOOOOO!!" Olga's skin burned as it touched the surface of Chaldeas, and her screams begging for mercy turned into screams of agony as the high-density field ripped her body apart, atom by atom.
Chat, despite being filled with tens of thousands of people, collectively stood still as they saw a young girl, one who was the age of a budding Ace trainer with her whole career ahead of her, lose her life in the most brutal, painful, and horrifyingly traumatizing way possible.
The horror was only made worse due to the cackling coming from the monster who threw her inside the death sphere.
In a moment that seemed like it stretched for hours, Olga's screaming, her life, and the portal connecting Fuyuki to Chaldea came to an end.
It was at this moment the Pokémon world realized the true gravity of the situation.
Statements like "Humanity's extinction" were hard for the human brain to grasp. But to see a young girl be mercilessly executed by a gleeful lunatic was much more comprehensible.
Did the people of Earth who died suffer, or did they just die without knowing they died?
Despite the brutal showing, no one logged off, but Chat had also come to a standstill, but that didn't last as a single comment popped up.
A comment from GudakoBot. One that twisted the knife that had stabbed them in the heart.
[GudakoBot: waifu counter: 3. ]
[Fuuuck, she's really gone! ]
[GudakoBot!! WHY?! WHY ARE YOU SO CRUEL?!! ]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: Olga… I'm sorry. ]
"Now that the pest is out of the way," Lev turned to the group, who were all pale and horrified by what had happened to Olga, "I believe I should reintroduce myself. My name is Lev Lainur Flauros. I was put in charge of the year 2015 by my king to dispose of you humans."
His jagged smile grew more manic, "and don't get the wrong idea. While Chaldea may have survived, outside its protective magnetic fields, the rest of the world is no different than Fuyuki.
Whatever struggle you attempt from now on is meaningless. There's nothing left to save. It's all gone. We already won."
[Well, shit, he's a time traveler too. Damn. He really is like Dusknoir. ]
[If he is Dusknoir… then who is his Primal Dialga? ]
The cave starts to collapse.
[Oh no!! The cave is caving in!! ]
[We can see that!! Stop stating the obvious!!]
"Cheh, the singularity has reached its limit. Damn that Saber servant. Stubbornly keeping this singularity intact. What a pain in the ass."
He looked down at his watch. "Oh, would you look at the time? I hate to leave so abruptly, but believe it or not, I am a busy man. Farewell, Romani, Mash, Candidate #48, and you as well, Mutt of the Round. It's been fun. Enjoy being swallowed up by the dimensional warp!"
With that said, Lev floated into the sky and left in a flash of light.
[Did he just… leave? After all the shit he did?!! ]
[Yeah, he did. Fucking asshole!!! ]
The cave's rumbling began to intensify, the ground beneath everyone's feet growing more unstable by the moment. "Doctor! Perform an emergency Rayshift!"
"On it!! Hold on for a few more seconds!" Shit! It's collapsing faster than I thought!! Just do your best to hold onto your consciousness!! "
Mash batted a piece of rubble that nearly fell on Ritsuka.
[Hurry up, Romani!!]
[They aren't gonna make it!! ]
"Senpai!! Give me your hand!!"
Ritsuka looked at Gareth, "But what about Gareth!?"
Another stone was about to fall on Ritsuka, but this time it was intercepted by Gareth: "I'll be fine, Master!! Just focus on reaching safety!! You can always resummon me!!"
[DragoonRuleZ: No Gareth!! Don't do it!! ]
[Fuck I hate this!! But Gudao's life takes priority!! ]
"But!!"
Mash got annoyed, and for the first time, she yelled at her senpai, "Your hand!! Give it to me!! We're running out of time!!"
Mash grabbed his hand, and once again, the world and chat screen turned black, with the only thing visible onscreen being the following words:
SINGULARITY F - ORDER RESTORED
_____________________________________________________________________
New Chatters:
ACinnamonRola: Acerola, the ghost type Trial Captain of Alola.
Dragon's-Iris: Iris, the Champion of Unova.
MagnetKing: An NPC scientist from Devon Corp.
Mew_TheSecond: He's the one and only Mewtwo. He has been in chat since the very start of Gudao's channel, but he rarely comments. A true lurker of the highest order, both in life and online.
Hool4hHoops: Hoopa, the mythical pokemon from Kalos who can cross dimensions. He is an infamous troll that has plagued the PokeNet for as long as it has existed. Hard to piss off, but when it happens, the user who managed to achieve the feat will have to watch their backs.