Seeing Ea in Gilgamesh's hand, a glint of excitement flickered in Ailin's eyes.
"Synchronization—begin!"
He'd already recorded the "sword element" of most of the Noble Phantasms Gilgamesh had unleashed so far. They were mostly low-ranking treasures. But Ea… that was different. It was a Noble Phantasm he couldn't instantly record. It had taken him over ten minutes of fighting Artoria to completely analyze Excalibur, an A++ rank Noble Phantasm. Ea, an EX-rank treasure, would require even more time.
And Ailin knew Gilgamesh wouldn't use Ea in close combat. This made analyzing it even more difficult. He'd have to rely on analyzing its energy signature, its unleashed power.
"The story of the beginning, the separation of heaven and earth…"
Gilgamesh began chanting. Crimson magical energy swirled around Ea. A powerful tornado formed around him, tearing through the port, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Sensing his synchronization with Ea progressing, Ailin smiled. Just as he was about to draw a Zanpakutō to defend against the incoming attack, he felt it—the flow of magical energy from Kariya Matou… it vanished.
His body flickered, becoming translucent. A powerful force seemed to be pulling at his consciousness, trying to expel him. Ailin was stunned. There was only one reason for a Servant's magical energy supply to be cut off: their Master's death. But… he'd personally hidden Kariya in a safe location, ensuring there were no magical energy signatures within several kilometers. And he'd specifically instructed Kariya to use a Command Spell to summon him immediately if he encountered any other Servant or Master.
Then, an image flashed through Ailin's mind: Kiritsugu Emiya. If it was him… it was possible. He could have found Kariya and killed him before he could summon Ailin.
With a surge of spiritual pressure, Ailin solidified his form. He abandoned his analysis of Ea and, with a Shunpo, vanished, heading towards the hotel where he'd left Kariya.
"You're not getting away!" Gilgamesh, seeing Ailin's retreat, stopped his chant. He was about to pursue him, but Iskandar intervened.
"Hold on, Goldy. I saw his body flicker. His Master's probably dead. Chasing him now wouldn't be a fair fight." Despite being insulted, dismissed as a mere mayor of a small town, Iskandar's pride wouldn't allow him to exploit an opponent's misfortune.
"Hmph." Gilgamesh snorted, but didn't pursue Ailin. "He's lucky to be eliminated before I could kill him. Otherwise, I would have made him grovel at my feet. But you two… you haven't run. I'm impressed."
"Oh?" Iskandar's smile faded. "That's not how it works, Goldy. Whether you acknowledge it or not, I am Iskandar, King of Conquerors!"
"A joke." Gilgamesh crossed his arms. "There is only one king worthy of the title, in this world or any other: Gilgamesh, King of Heroes. While I despise that mongrel, I have to admit he was right about one thing. I am the king of all mankind. You… ruling over a territory the size of a small town… you are nothing but insignificant insects."
"Good grief…" Iskandar muttered.
…
As the Servants argued, Ailin raced towards the hotel.
"Faster, faster!"
BOOM!
He pushed his Shunpo to its limit, replacing Nozarashi with Elucidator and Dark Repulser to enhance his speed. It took him less than ten seconds to reach the hotel.
Before he even reached the balcony, he sensed an unfamiliar magical energy signature rapidly descending, fleeing the building.
His face hardened. He swung Elucidator.
"WHOOSH!"
A slash, dozens of meters long, tore through the hotel, slicing it diagonally in two.
"AAAAAHHHHH!" Screams echoed through the night as the building began to collapse.
RUMBLE!
Amidst the dust and debris, Ailin landed on the balcony. He saw Kariya Matou's lifeless body. His neck had been snapped, a clean, swift kill.
"His soul is still intact." Ailin breathed a sigh of relief. While, to anyone else, Kariya was dead, to Ailin, as long as his soul hadn't dispersed, there was still hope.
A blackish-red spatial ripple appeared. Ailin drew a Zanpakutō and unleashed its Bankai.
"Bankai! Minazuki!"
…
"Gasp!" Kariya's eyes snapped open. He sat up in bed, gasping for air.
His memories slowly returned. He'd been talking to Kiritsugu Emiya when, after Berserker's sudden burst of power against Archer, the man's expression had shifted. He'd approached Kariya. Sensing danger, Kariya had tried to use his Crest Worms, but Kiritsugu's speed had increased drastically. He'd twisted Kariya's arm, snapped his neck…
"What… happened? I was… dead…"
Confused, Kariya touched his neck, then his right hand. Both were unharmed. "Is this… the afterlife?" He'd noticed something else. His right eye, his left hand and foot, ravaged by the Crest Worms, were now completely healed. They looked as they had before he'd undergone Zouken's modifications.
"Uncle Kariya, you're awake!"
At this time, the door of the room opened, and the little girl with purple hair spoke.
"Sakura?" Kariya was stunned. What was going on? Was he still alive?
"You're awake, Kariya."
"Berserker?" Hearing Sakura's voice, Ailin opened the door and entered the room.
"It's me."
"You… saved me?"
"Indeed."
Ailin and Sakura entered the room and closed the door behind them. "When I felt our magical connection break, I knew something had happened. I rushed back and found you… well, dead. Fortunately, your soul hadn't dispersed yet. I used my Noble Phantasm to bring you back. You seem to have recovered well."
"Thank you, Berserker." Kariya didn't doubt Ailin's words. He remembered being killed by Kiritsugu. He was grateful. His Servant was truly powerful, his Noble Phantasm capable of even resurrecting the dead. He couldn't imagine what would have happened to Sakura if he'd died.
"Don't thank me yet, Kariya." Ailin shook his head. "You've probably noticed… I reconstructed your body when I revived you. While you're fully healed, you've also lost the magical energy provided by the Crest Worms. In other words, you're no longer my Master."
Kariya's heart sank. He was healed, but without the Crest Worms, he had no magical circuits, no magical energy to sustain Berserker. Berserker should have been returned to the Throne of Heroes. But he was still here… had he found a new Master?
Kariya smiled wryly. "I'm sorry, Berserker. You helped me so much, yet I couldn't even support you in this Grail War. And you're still here, visiting us, even after finding a new Master. It seems they are more suitable for you." He understood. If his own Servant still cared for their previous Master, he would be jealous. But he was also grateful. If not for this new Master, Sakura would be alone in this cruel world.
Ailin touched his nose, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. In a way, Kariya was right. His new Master's magical energy had indeed enhanced his abilities.
Initially, fueled by Mad Enhancement, his parameters had all been A+ rank or above. During his first fight with Gilgamesh, to save Kariya from Maiya's sniper fire, he'd dispelled Mad Enhancement, unleashing his Noble Phantasm. His parameters, except for Mana and Luck, had dropped to B+ rank.
Now, with a stronger Master, his parameters had changed again.
…
Strength: A+
Endurance: B+
Agility: A++
Mana: A++
Luck: A
Noble Phantasm: EX
…
Compared to when Kariya was his Master, his Strength and Agility had returned to A+ rank, matching his initial levels.
"Berserker, please convey my gratitude to your new Master. And now… you should return to their side. It wouldn't do for them to misunderstand."
Having calmed down, Kariya urged Ailin to leave. During the Grail War, no magus would allow their Servant to stray too far. Kariya's own experience served as a cautionary tale. A Servant's presence was a deterrent, a protector. And with a powerful Servant like Berserker, his new Master would undoubtedly be aiming for the Grail.
"Um… Uncle Kariya…" Sakura raised her right hand, revealing three crimson marks on its back. "I'm… I'm Berserker's Master now. He doesn't have to leave…"
"What?" Kariya stared at the Command Spells on Sakura's hand, then at Ailin, seeking confirmation.
"You're not mistaken, Kariya. After I revived you, my own magical energy was almost depleted. I was about to return to the Throne of Heroes after entrusting you to Sakura's care, but then… the Command Spells appeared on her hand. We formed a contract."
Kariya's expression was a mixture of shock and confusion. The Grail sought suitable participants for the Grail War, bestowing Command Spells upon them to control Servants. As one of the three founding families, the Einzberns, Tohsakas, and Matous were always guaranteed a participant with Command Spells.
Zouken was dead. He'd been killed by Berserker. And Kariya himself had been murdered. In this situation, as long as Sakura harbored a wish… the Grail would recognize her, grant her Command Spells.