TYPE-MOON Universe, Earth, Japan, Fuyuki City.
*Clang!* *Clang!* *Swoosh!* *Crack!* *Boom!* *Clang!*
As the battle raged on, Saber and Archer both doing their best to stop Berserker's rampage while Rin tried to tend to Shirou's injuries. Sakura, with Rider, her mask removed and standing in front of her protectively, and Illyasviel watched the battle. Yet, no one seemed to notice just how sharp Sakura's eyes were at that moment.
The first to notice that something was off was Illyasviel. As sensitive as she was to mana, it came as no surprise. Especially when she realized just how close the threatening mana was to her Servant.
Looking around, Illyasviel felt her scalp go numb when she noticed the creeping shadows, seeming to be alive, as they approached both her and Berserker while avoiding everything else.
"What is this?" Illyasviel asked herself as she tracked the shadows back to their source.
When Illyasviel noticed that the shadows originated from Sakura, the strange feeling when she first noticed them turned into full-blown alarm.
"Berserker! Look out!" Illyasviel shouted, her alarmed tone drawing all eyes to her momentarily as she used her Od to [Reinforce] her legs.
Unfortunately, Illyasviel's warning came a little too late. Just as she shouted to get Berserker's attention, the shadows that had approached sprung up from the ground, coiling themselves around his arms, legs, and neck in an attempt to restrain him. Illyasviel, on the other hand, used her [Reinforced] legs to spring away from where she stood just in time to evade the shadow tendrils that attempted to cease her, as well.
"Rahh~~~!" Berserker roared as the shadows tightened around his limbs and neck.
Yet, with his incredible strength, Berserker was able to tear one of his arms free and reach for the shadow wrapped around his neck. However, before he could grab the shadow restraining his neck, another two shadow tendrils shot up from the ground and wrapped around his recently freed arm.
"Rahh~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!" Berserker's enraged roar grew in volume as he started channeling his mana through his body, increasing his strength even further.
*Snap!* *Snap!*
In the next instant, Berserker once again broke the shadows wrapped around his arm. He also freed his other arm in the process. Then, with both hands, he reached for the shadow wrapped around his neck and tore it apart, as well.
Even so, more shadows shot up from the ground, trying to restrain him once again. However, already familiar with this trick, Berserker swung his axe-sword, cleaving through the shadows shooting up from the ground, and the ones wrapped around his legs with little effort.
Meanwhile, Illyasviel plucked several strands of her hair, using her Magecraft to form them into birds, both flying and flightless, and her weapon of choice, an epée. She then directed the birds to destroy the shadows while she slashed apart any that made it past the birds.
As for Sakura's allies, Rin, Rider, Archer, and Saber, they were so caught off guard that all they could do was watch as Sakura, alone, dominated two of the most formidable foes in this iteration of the Holy Grail War.
"Master." Rider murmured as she put her mask back on, deciding that using her [Mystic Eyes] was not necessary.
"Sakura..." Rin also murmured in wonder. A moment later, however, she shook her head and returned to tending to Shirou. "Just what did that monster, Matou Zouken, do to you for all those years?"
As for Archer and Saber, they both looked on with a mixture of awe and fear.
"Those shadows... They aren't just made to restrain." Saber said while carefully watching Sakura's Magecraft.
"Indeed." Archer added. "Though it was not apparent, as Berserker was able to break them so quickly, but they were trying to drag him in. And something tells me that would not have ended well for him hat it succeeded."
As Archer said, Sakura's Magecraft, [Cursed Boundary Layer], is what she was using to control the Cursed Shadows extending from underneath her. These Cursed Shadows are capable or more than just restraining as previously shown. They can also allow Sakura to teleport herself and other people and objects, heal physical damage, attack physically, and, most terrifying of all, consume objects and individuals.
Originally, before she was adopted into the Matou Family, Sakura could not use this Magecraft. However, after eleven years of having Zouken's Crest Worms altering her Magic Circuits, the Matou Family's primary Magecraft was also made available to her. And her Magecraft was even more potent than usual thanks to Zouken injecting Sakura with Crest Worms that had consumed some of the tainted black sludge that caused the Great Fire of Fuyuki ten years ago.
*Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!*
Sakura's onslaught continued, her Cursed Shadows swinging at both Illyasviel and Berserker repeatedly. Despite the vicious onslaught, she was never able to restrain either of them again. Though, it was obvious to the onlookers that Illyasviel was tiring, and her defeat would not be long coming if she could not escape.
Naturally, if the others could see that, Illyasviel was also aware of the situation she was in.
{"Berserker, we need to get out of here."} Illyasviel said over her telepathic link with Berserker. {"We weren't ready to deal with something like this. I'll need more time to prepare before we can face this girl."}
In response, Berserker only grunted back over the telepathic link. Though, he wasted no time following Illyasviel's implied orders, as he raised his axe-sword over his head and slammed it down at the ground.
*Boom~~~~~~~~!*
When Berserker's powerful blow landed on the ground, the street below him was thoroughly destroyed, dust and debris flying in all directions and disrupting the Cursed Shadows.
Then, with the dust cloud obscuring Sakura's view, Berserker was able to dash away from where he was being entangled and rush towards Illyasviel, cutting down all the shadows in his way.
Berserker then, once he was close enough, scooped Illyasviel up in his large, muscular arms, and ran away from the battlefield as fast as he could, his momentum tearing apart any Shadows that managed to wrap around him while he ran.
Before long, Illyasviel and Berserker were nowhere to be seen, and Sakura slowly pulled her shadows back. Though, the frustration she was feeling at not being able to defeat them was written clearly on her face.
Meanwhile, everyone else stared into the distance where Illyasviel and Berserker ran away. Then, after watching the empty area for a while, they all slowly turned their heads in Sakura's direction.
"That was..." Saber muttered in a disbelieving tone.
"Incredible." Archer added, finishing Saber's sentence.
Meanwhile Rin, after looking at her sister for a short while, turned her attention back to Shirou, continuing to work on stabilizing his condition.
As for rider, she touched her mask, frustrated with herself because of her inaction.
'Had I been more decisive, they wouldn't have gotten away.' Rider thought to herself. 'Next time, I'll make sure they can't run away if Master uses that Magecraft again.'
The next few moments passed in awkward silence that was broken when two figures approached the former battlefield at high speed, causing everyone to get ready for battle once again.
"Whoa! It looks like a bomb went off here."
Hearing the voice, everyone was able to identify it as Elicia's making it clear that the two figures were Tatsuo and Elicia, causing everyone, other than Archer and Saber, to relax their vigilance.
Meanwhile, Tatsuo scanned the surroundings, assessing the situation. And when he saw Shirou lying on the ground, nearly cut in half at the waist, he could only shake his head.
"I think it would be best if we got out of here." Tatsuo said in a solemn tone. "I'm sure it won't take long for people to start showing up to see what happened here."
While Archer and Saber were both wary of the new arrivals, Sakura, Rin, and Rider nodded their heads in agreement. Then, Rin, while trying to keep Shirou as still as possible, reached out to lift him from the ground.
However, before Rin could wrap her arms around Shirou, Saber, in a burst of speed, appeared next to her. She then knelt down quickly and picked him up in a princess carry while making sure not to aggravate his injury.
"It's not like I was going to hurt him." Rin muttered as she stood up. "Anyway, let's head to my place. I can continue to heal him there."
Receiving nods from all around, the group quickly made their way to the Tohsaka Residence.
"I assume you came because you felt the fluctuations from the battle." Rin said while continuing to work on healing Shirou after the group arrived at her house.
"That's right." Elicia said with a shrug. "We just finished making a deal with Caster when we felt what was going on over here. We weren't too far away, so we got here pretty fast."
"I see." Rin said with a nod.
"Why would you make a deal with another Servant?" Saber asked sharply. "Are you planning to become our enemy?"
"Well, in the future." Elicia replied with another shrug. "But for now, we have no reason to fight any of you."
"What kind of deal did you make?" Sakura asked in a curious tone.
"One that would allow us to purify the Grail." Tatsuo replied. "Signed a magical contract, and everything."
While Sakura, Rin, Rider, and Archer nodded in understanding, Saber looked at Tatsuo and Elicia with a complicated look in her eyes.
As it turned out, Saber had been a Servant in the last Holy Grail War. So, she knew exactly what they were talking about, as she was there when the black sludge spilled from the Grail and started the fire ten years ago.
And because of the wish she wanted granted, she was actually the most excited person in the room. Because she knew her wish would never be granted in the way she wanted it to be with the Grail tainted by all of the world's evils.
She knew even more than that, though. As she saw when the sludge washed over Gilgamesh, giving him a physical body in the process. So, she knew that Gilgamesh should still be active at this time.
The only issue was, Saber was unsure if telling everyone that she retained her memories of the last Holy Grail War, which were usually lost upon returning to the Throne of Heroes, would be a good idea.
"When do you plan on purifying the Grail?" Archer asked in a solemn tone while standing behind Rin with his arms crossed.
"In the next few days." Elicia replied. "And once we're done, none of you will have to worry about that deal we proposed anymore."
"What deal?" Saber asked as a frown marred her brow.
"Oh, we never got around to talking with your Master about it, did we?" Elicia asked herself as she looked up toward the ceiling. "Well, now that it doesn't matter anymore, is there really a point in explaining it?"
"I suppose there is not." Saber replied.
"We should still talk to him, though." Tatsuo said. "I mean, after seeing him in this state, it's obvious that he's over his head in this Holy Grail War. Hell, it's obvious that even being a Magus is too much for him. It would probably be best to convince him that he should just give it up. Unless none of you care if he dies or not."
"Personally, I could care less." Archer replied with a shrug. "I was against Rin saving him the first time he got himself stabbed in the heart."
"Archer!" Rin barked in irritation.
"I am against that course of action." Saber added sternly.
"Looks like someone has a wish they really want granted." Elicia said cheerfully. A moment later, however, her tone turned solemn as she continued. "But do you want it granted so badly that you'd be willing to risk the life of a kid who has no idea just how dangerous this life is?"
In response, Saber fell silent. And based on the expression on her face, it was clear she did not want to see Shirou putting his life in danger. But at the same time, her wish meant a lot to her.
"Hmph! Some King of Knights you are." Tatsuo said in a scathing tone. "You put your own wants over the life of a child. I guess Arthur Pendragon was not as noble as legned depicted."
Immediately, Saber's eyes widened as her invisible sword materialized in her hand. However, she was not the only one who was angered by Tatsuo's statement, as Archer's eyebrows visibly twitched, as well. Meanwhile, everyone else, other than Elicia, looked at Saber with dumbfounded expression after hearing what Tatsuo called her.
"Don't look at me like that, Archer." Tatsuo continued while glancing at Archer without letting his guard against Saber. "Or rather, EMIYA."
Once again everyone other than Elicia was surprised by the words coming out of Tatsuo's mouth, their heads snapping towards Archer with disbelief on their faces. Archer, on the other hand, materialized his twin swords, ready to jump into battle to silence Tatsuo for exposing him, even if it was too late.
"I bet you're wondering why I know who you are, aren't you?" Tatsuo asked while looking at Archer from the corner of his eye. "Well, it's simple. Your magical energy has the exact same feeling as the almost dead kid over there. Though, there is something extra mixed in it. Can't really identify that, though."
The room fell silent after Tatsuo finished speaking, Sakura's, Rin's, and Rider's eyes repeatedly switching between the two recently identified Servants.
"So that's why you were summoned when I used the catalyst my father left for me." Rin muttered after a few moments of tense silence. She then shook her head with an uncertain expression on her face. "No, that can't be right. Aren't we supposed to summon Heroic Spirits from the past?"
"Actually, that's a common misconception." Elicia said casually. "The Throne of Heroes exists outside of time. So, you could technically summon a Heroic Spirit from the future if you had the right catalyst."
"That makes sense." Rin replied with a nod. "So, that means, Emiya-Kun kept the jewel I used to save him a few days ago, huh?" Rin then stopped to think for a moment before shaking her head and returning her focus back to Elicia. "But I'm more curious to know how you even came across information like that."
"That's a secret." Elicia replied as she closed one eye and raised her right index finger in front of her lips in a shushing gesture. "But I think we have more important things to talk about. Like whether someone like Emiya should remain a Master, or even a Magus for that matter."