Why could The Shadow suddenly use Imaginary Element?
The question was a grave one, forcing all minds to come to a rest to contemplate it.
However, Caster's Bounded Field, covering such a large field, wouldn't remain active for long. Nor could they just stop The Shadow from actively trying to kill them… trying to rip the Field apart from within.
So, as Saber and Rider attacked The Shadow, Archer continued to rain down arrows on it, backing them up.
Assassin had already distanced himself from The Shadow. His Noble Phantasm might still work against the thing, but for it to work, he would need to be as close to it as he could — making him vulnerable to the Hollow Element.
Not far from the booms and bangs, Rin was looming over Shirou, a giant hole in his stomach, spurting out blood.
Next to them, Black's eyes were planted dead on Shirou's wound, too. As they narrowed, he observed the flesh microscopically. Shirou's flesh looked nothing like an ordinary human's one. Instead, it was as if hundreds of thousands of nano-sized swords were replicating themselves over and over, healing him from within.
Sure enough, as Rin's face paled, worrying about Shirou's blood loss, she also noticed the wound healing itself.
Rin's eyes widened at the baffling scene.
As if this wasn't enough, in the very next moment, Shirou stood up, as shocked at the phenomenon as Rin and Black.
"… Change of plan," Black suddenly said, making sure all Servants could hear him. "I and Shirou will be taking the center stage in this fight now."
Saber and Rider's bodies suddenly shook.
Far on top of a building, knocking an arrow, Archer's brows pressed as well.
But neither the Servants nor Rin and Shirou could say no to Black's suggestion. Not anymore.
It was already a huge trouble, letting the Servants fight The Shadow. Now, with her blatant display of Hollow Spike's usage, it would take one moment to mortally injure a Heroic Spirit.
"… Yeah…" Shirou massaged his stomach, feeling oddly… full. "I never liked the idea of Masters hiding behind Servants anyway."
"Rider…" Black said, walking forward, jumping lightly on his feet.
"Saber…" Shirou said, the twin swords reappearing in his hands with a thundering crackle.
Then, breaking out in a blurry run, leaving behind storming afterimages, they said together. "Switch!"
…
Enkidu, flying through the clouds in the sky, suddenly paused.
Betty Shaw and Jeanne d'Arc, who were flying behind him under the effect of his powers, paused as well.
"What is it?" the Holy Maiden asked, sharing a glance with her Master.
Enkidu's eyes narrowed. He looked forward, as if he could see something filthy in the far distance at the horizon. Then, slowly, he looked in another direction, a frown replacing his confused expression.
They were already heading toward the resting place of the Greater Grail.
As a Ruler, Enkidu could instinctively know the location of All Evil at any point in time. However, because he had no confidence in winning against the ones protecting the girl, he hadn't made a move.
With the 10th Servant by his side, though, things had changed.
Not to mention, he had deliberately kept himself from using the Command Seals bestowed upon him as a Ruler-Class Servant.
A total of 14 Command Spells — two for each Servant in the Holy Grail War.
Enkidu had been keeping them for the very last moment, hoping to force all the Servants to help him end the All Evil using these Command Seals.
By now, these Servants must have thought that he didn't have any Command Seals, to begin with, dropping their guard.
However, just now, an unbelievable thing occurred.
The same instinct that was telling him All Evil's location… was also picking up another, similar existence.
"… Interesting…" Enkidu suddenly smiled. "… I told them to kill that girl… Sigh!"
Then, before Jeanne or Betty Shaw could ask what he meant, Enkidu fired himself in the direction — rushing toward the city.
…
Lancer landed on top of a tower, eying the spatial fluctuations in front of him.
His red pupils narrowed as he realized that a Bounded Field was cast, trapping The Shadow, with many Servants fighting against it.
He wasn't here to get it out, though.
Knowing what that Lich and his rascal-of-a-Master had done, the people within the Bounded Field would let The Shadow go by themselves… soon.
Lancer was just here to observe — something he had been doing all this time because of his Master's cowardice.
Suddenly, Lancer felt a gaze upon him.
Beast… No! Demon… No! Emperor… No!
Words after words bubbled in Lancer's heart involuntarily as he shifted his head, his eyes landing on top of a building not too far from him.
There, clasping his hands behind his back, was a man with short-white hair, donning a long white coat and pants… smiling calmly.
Lancer couldn't even react when… a sea of blood oozed out from that man, replacing Reality.
…
"Haaaaaaaaaa!"
Shirou and Black shouted, rushing through the red-black strips, parrying and dodging them.
Black's foot landed on The Shadow and sent it flying up. Shirou appeared on top of the sky and hacked, sending it back toward the ground with a massive shockwave. As The Shadow created dozens of Hollow Spikes to attack both of them, hundreds of arrows landed on it, changing its trajectory.
Black appeared right behind it, letting out a pulsating breath.
Dodging The Shadow's strips by the width of a hair, he blurred, kicking it three times. And as it hung midair, Shirou passed Black, spinning, cutting off the dress.
A soul-piercing screech escaped, as if someone had rubbed metal against metal.
Where Shirou's blow had landed, one could see half a hand coming out, losing the dress' protection.
And, sharing no words, they all knew this was their chance.
Saber let out a shout and hacked the sword in her hands from afar, firing a golden arch. Purple thunder rumbled around Rider as she threw the needles in her hand, a BOOM ringing out behind her.
Simultaneously, Archer knocked another Broken Phantasm, burning the surroundings.
When their attack landed on The Shadow, the entire Bounded Field shook, consuming Medea's entire strength to keep the annihilation within.
Huffing-Puffing, Black, Shirou, Saber, Rider, and Archer appeared near Rin and Assassin, and eyed the spot where flames raged, melting the earth.
Just as a smile surfaced on their lips, they saw a figure crawling out of the flames.
Broken hands. Burnt legs. Half the face missing.
White gown and locks of purple hair… purple hair…
And the feeling of victory in their hearts — became one of utter dread.
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