Night had fallen. Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others sat around a campfire, and Musashi's arrival worked like a shot of courage. It gave them a little more confidence against Wu Ling.
"I see. For me, it only felt like an instant, but you have already gone through that much? Ah, I really wish I could have seen those monsters and the Genji warrior leader. And those fairies too. Even just hearing you talk about them makes me feel like they would be very satisfying to cut."
Musashi spoke while eating the simple food Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others had prepared. Her bright attitude helped everyone relax.
"Miss Musashi, we have to rely on you again," Mash said, a little embarrassed. Back in Olympus, Musashi had already risked everything against Chaos. She had finally survived, yet now she had to fight again because of them.
Musashi waved it off and laughed. "Do not worry about it. You fed me, so I repay the debt with interest. You have taken care of me before."
Kadoc cut into the conversation. From a magus's point of view, he analyzed the situation without emotion.
"But Musashi alone is not enough. The other side has nine Servants plus one Evil of Humanity. Counting Mash, we only have three Servants. Even if Musashi stands near the top among Servants, any Servant summoned by that Evil of Humanity will not be weak. One or two is manageable. If more appear, she will only delay our defeat."
As expected, Kadoc's words dragged everyone's rising spirits back down. Then Moriarty offered his own view.
"There is still hope. Musashi was not summoned by this land. Chaldea cannot send in Servants because space is sealed, but that does not mean every other existence is unable to do so."
Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at Mash. When Mash shook her head, he asked, "You mean?"
"The Counter Force," Moriarty said.
That name hit Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others like a sudden answer.
"Right. Mr. Moriarty can still exist because he made a contract with the Counter Force. In that case, Miss Musashi may be the same," Mash said, surprised and hopeful.
Musashi tilted her head in thought. Then, as if remembering something, she struck her right fist into her left palm.
"Now that you mention it, I did feel something strange. Whenever I drifted between worlds before, I felt the world's rejection. This time, I felt a pull instead. If my previous crossings were passive, this one felt like something actively guided me here. My Saint Graph, which should have almost burned away, was repaired too. I feel like I could cut that one slash again."
After hearing Musashi's description, the others believed it. As long as reinforcements existed, they had a way forward.
Kadoc looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka. "Well? If reinforcements are possible, this is your specialty, right? Gather combat strength, then launch the final assault and win."
Fujimaru Ritsuka nodded. If the Counter Force had sent Servants, then those Servants were unquestionably on their side. And this situation had no unnecessary detours. In a sense, judged only by directness, this game ranked near the top among every Singularity and Lostbelt they had faced.
"But will it really be that simple?" Fujimaru Ritsuka felt uneasy. For some reason, he had a feeling this would not proceed smoothly.
Wu Ling, meanwhile, was seated on his throne with a steaming bowl of instant noodles in his hands. He had grabbed it while crossing through parallel worlds. He no longer needed to eat, but when conditions allowed it, he still enjoyed satisfying his appetite.
A screen-like object floated before him. Through it, Wu Ling saw everything around Fujimaru Ritsuka's group, including Musashi's arrival and their entire conversation.
When he had transferred Fujimaru Ritsuka and the others, he had not done anything to their bodies. That did not mean the space around them was untouched.
"So that is it. Musashi should have died in the Olympus Lostbelt, yet she appeared here. Alaya wants to solve the threat I pose by using this method.
"From the structure of the fight, Musashi corresponds to Sasaki Kojiro. Then the other Servants should each correspond to one of mine.
"On the surface, the players in this game are Fujimaru Ritsuka and me. But beside Fujimaru Ritsuka stands another player: Alaya.
"Isn't that right, First Hassan?"
Clang.
The sound of colliding metal rang out. First Hassan appeared behind Wu Ling. Standing before him was another First Hassan.
Slurp.
Wu Ling took a mouthful of noodles while looking at the two First Hassans facing each other. He understood the setup.
"So Alaya sent First Hassan to deal with First Hassan. That makes sense. With Grand Assassin First Hassan's strength, even other Grand-class Servants would have no guarantee of stopping him. In the end, the one who can defeat you is yourself."
The two First Hassans stared at each other in silence. Neither was rattled. They were simply searching for openings.
As Assassins who had comprehended death, First Hassan did not care who his target was. Even if that target was himself, blades crossed only because their positions differed.
The two tested each other with two sword clashes. Their movements were identical, and neither could break through the other.
By the time Wu Ling finished his noodles, Alaya's First Hassan had begun considering retreat. As an Assassin, he did not need to rush. He had moved because Wu Ling seemed completely unguarded while eating. He had not expected another version of himself to appear.
Wu Ling's First Hassan noticed the thought. The moment Alaya's First Hassan tried to move, Wu Ling's First Hassan attacked and pinned him in place.
Wu Ling wiped his mouth with calm elegance. Looking at Alaya's First Hassan, who now found himself unable to advance or retreat, he smiled. Someone stronger than First Hassan might still fail to keep him here. But against himself, who knew every method he had, there was no way out.
"I was not planning to step in. I was not even planning to command them. But if each of my Servants has a direct counter, then this has become a little interesting."
Wu Ling snapped his fingers. Two more figures appeared behind Alaya's First Hassan. Together with Wu Ling's First Hassan, they surrounded him in a triangle.
From his throne, Wu Ling looked at the surrounded First Hassan and said, "Since you came, do not think about leaving. Finish him."