Altair POV
Even from afar, the tanned man caught my gaze and his lips curled into a sarcastic smile.
With fluid motion, he materialized a sword and set it on his bowstring as if it were an arrow. He pulled the string taut before releasing it. The blade sliced through the air, whistling at high speed toward me, leaving only a silver blur tracing a line across the sky.
I stared at the projectile, muscles tensed as I held Olga in my arms.
At the same time, my [Eyes of Fire and Gold] tracked its trajectory with precision.
With a swift movement, I caught the blade mid-flight. The impact made my arm tremble, but using the momentum, I spun my body and hurled it back with all my strength.
The man's eyes widened in shock just before the sword struck him, exploding in a burst of dust and fragments.
"Tsk," I clicked my tongue, watching the smoke dissipate as Archer emerged from it, staggering, one hand clutching his bleeding arm.
I'd dealt considerable damage, but nowhere near enough to knock him out of the fight.
"I'm… dizzy," Olga murmured, still in my arms, a hand over her mouth as she clutched the Monkey King's mantle tightly.
"Sorry," I chuckled, gently lowering her to the ground with one hand.
She steadied herself, gripping my shoulder to maintain her balance, as Mash and Ritsuka drew closer, their eyes wide with concern.
"What was that?" Ritsuka asked, turning her head from side to side.
"A Servant," Olga replied, taking a deep breath to compose herself. "Probably an Archer."
Not just any Archer, I thought, deactivating the [Eyes of Fire and Gold].
I knew that tanned Servant.
Despite the absence of the iconic red coat, he was unmistakably EMIYA, the Heroic Spirit who was a future version of the protagonist from Fate/Stay Night.
I raised a hand to massage my neck, thinking that if EMIYA existed in this timeline, there was a good chance the female version of King Arthur was here in this apocalyptic route as well.
A faint smile escaped my lips—Artoria is one of the best characters in the franchise. I liked her Alter version more, but I'd be content with the regular one.
But my thoughts were interrupted in the next instant when Mash grabbed my hand.
"Altair-senpai!" she exclaimed, voice full of concern.
Ritsuka stepped closer, eyes fixed on my wounded hand. "What happened?" she asked, wide-eyed.
The skin on my right hand was raw, blood dripping to the ground.
It was a bit embarrassing, but I wasn't used to that level of pain. Still, I refused to complain. I've always hated showing pain, in this life or the last.
"It's just a scratch," I said, carefully pulling my hand away. "I'll be fine."
The "scratch" part was a blatant lie, but the "I'll be fine" wasn't. My [Pseudo-Perfect Immortality] granted me powerful regeneration.
After all, Sun Wukong literally erased his name from the Book of Death, devoured the peaches of immortality, and survived 49 days in Laozi's alchemical cauldron. My endurance was nearly legendary, and these myths became the [Pseudo-Perfect Immortality] skill. However, the tiara I wore restricted those abilities, downgrading my immortality from a potential (EX) to a modest (B-).
While I cursed that damned tiara internally, Olga stared intently at my wounded hand, with a faint expression of concern crossing her face.
"I'm fine, really," I insisted, offering a carefree smile.
Just then, the little white fox jumped onto my shoulder. "Fou!" she squeaked, licking my cheek.
"Hey! You're quite bold, huh?" I said, with a light smile.
"Fou!" she chirped again, fixing her bright pink eyes on me.
"Fou… let Altair-senpai rest," Mash said, gesturing to the little fox.
Fou, huh? Not the most creative name.
"It's okay, Mash," I replied, petting Fou's head, now nestled in her arms. "We've got bigger problems to deal with, right?"
"True…" she murmured, but before she could continue, a loud beep came from the silver bracelet on Ritsuka's wrist, glowing with a blue light.
Instantly, a holographic screen appeared, projecting the image of a slim man with orange hair, dressed in green and white tones.
"Hello, hello? Connection reestablished!" the hologram exclaimed, looking quite relieved.
"Doctor Roman!" Ritsuka smiled, eyes sparkling.
"Fujimaru-chan, Mash! Can you hear me?" Roman shouted anxiously, until his gaze fell on me. "And you, who are you?"
"An ally," I answered, waving with a smile.
He frowned, but his attention quickly turned to Olga. "D-Director! You're alive?!" he exclaimed in disbelief.
"Never mind that, Romani!" Olga stepped forward, narrowing her eyes at the oddly-haired man. "Why are you in charge? Where's Lev?"
Lev!? That was the second time she'd mentioned that name. I didn't need to be Sherlock Holmes to realize he was important to her.
Roman's shoulders slumped. "Professor Lev… was at the epicenter of the explosion… I doubt there's anything left of him," he said heavily. "There's no hope he survived, Director."
Olga stepped back, lips trembling. "No..." she whispered, her voice choked, as her knees nearly gave way.
Roman continued solemnly. "I'm the only senior staff left alive, Director. That's why I'm in charge."
She lifted her head, hope faltering. "And the forty-seven Master candidates in Rayshift coffins?"
Roman closed his eyes and shook his head. "All in critical condition. Chaldea has lost 80% of its functionality. We're—"
"No!" Olga cut him off, furious. "Transfer them to cryopreservation now! The candidates' lives are the priority. They are humanity's hope!"
She's… incredible.
In her place, I'd probably be completely lost.
"Understood!" Roman stood and ran off. The holographic call ended.
Olga looked as if she might collapse, her shoulders trembling. "Olga?" I called gently.
She didn't reply, burying her face in her hands. "If they don't die, all of this will have been worth it," she murmured, voice trembling. "I can't bear the weight of forty-seven lives on my shoulders."
"Director…" Mash said softly, worried.
I let out a sigh.
Carrying such a burden isn't easy. With that thought, I looked at my hand, nearly healed.
I clenched it and stepped forward, placing my other hand gently on Olga's head.
"It's going to be okay," I said sincerely. "You're not alone. We'll solve this Singularity together. It might be a little harsh, but you need to pull yourself together."
She froze, then lifted her eyes, tears glistening. "Miller…" She wiped her face, determination returning. "You're right. I let my emotions get the better of me." In a near whisper, she added, "Thank you."
I smiled, withdrawing my hand. She was naturally strong—she just needed a little push.
"We need reinforcements," Olga declared, regaining her composure. "Ritsuka, you're a novice Master and can't handle another Servant. So…" Her eyes fell on the back of my hand, which bore a Command Seal. "Miller, you're a potential Master. You'll summon a Servant."
"At your service, Miss Director," I replied, finding her bossy tone adorable.
"First, a base camp. We need a Leyline Terminal—"
"Director," Mash interrupted, pointing to the ground. "There's a Ley point right here."
"What? Yes, of course, I knew that!" Olga retorted, blushing.
I suppressed a chuckle, covering my mouth with my hand.
"Mash, place your shield on the ground. I'll create a summoning circle for Miller using your Noble Phantasm as a catalyst," Olga instructed. Before continuing, Mash looked at Ritsuka.
"Is that okay, Senpai?"
Ritsuka shrugged. "Go ahead."
Mash nodded and set her shield on the ground.
While they worked, I approached Ritsuka, who was distractedly kicking pebbles.
"You doing okay?"
She looked at me, wry. "Hmm... 'Okay' is a strong word. But I'm alive, so that's something." She clasped her hands behind her back, smiling.
"Good answer," I said with a faint grin.
"That's all that's left for a normal person," she replied, then noticed my hand. "And your hand?"
I raised my palm, already healed. "Good as new."
"You're basically the Incredible Hulk," she said with a smirk, crossing her arms.
"Weird comparison."
"I'm kind of a nerd," she admitted, scratching her cheek with a shy smile.
Before I could reply, the ground beneath us vibrated. Rings of magical energy formed above Mash's shield, spinning slowly—then faster. A white light, dusted with golden sparks, illuminated the circle.
"This is… like Chaldea's summoning chamber," Mash murmured, awed.
"Not quite as good, but it'll do," Olga said confidently. "Miller, do you know the chant?"
"I think so," I replied, stepping toward the shield. As a fan of the first three routes, I knew the ritual by heart.
I'll just adapt it a bit to my taste, keeping the tone of the original.
Hope this works, I thought, raising my hand.
"Let silver and steel be the essence. Let Stone and the Archduke of Contracts be the foundation. Let the will to fight be my tribute. Let a wall rise against the wind that shall fall. Let the four cardinal gates close…"
The marks on my hand ignited with searing heat.
"Let the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom rotate. Let it be filled—again and again and again and again…"
The rings spun wildly, making the circle shine brighter, as my hand burned even more.
"Let it be filled fivefold for every turn, breaking apart each time it is filled."
Light exploded into flames, consuming everything before me.
Amidst the crackling fire, I felt a presence.
A figure emerged from the heart of the blazing inferno—completely naked, yet imposing. The flames receded at her presence, revealing red eyes that met mine, sparkling with a soul-piercing intensity.
As I looked at her, a vision formed in my mind.
A woman as beautiful as a Japanese doll, walking an endless road paved with corpses, broken bones, and rivers of blood under a crimson sky.
"I am Archer, the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven! Oda Nobunaga!"
••• ••• •••
Don't forget to throw power stones and leave a review to motivate me.
A/N: Just Nobbu.