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"Achilles... you are indeed worthy of the name 'Hero.'"
"Rider!!!"
The collision of Noble Phantasms wasn't just a light show; it was a physics-defying event. When the screen finally cleared, the landscape of Ryuudou Temple was gone.
In its place was a massive, smoking crater.
At the center of the devastation, Artoria knelt. She was using Excalibur as a crutch to keep herself upright. Her silver armor was shattered, pieces of it falling away like broken glass. Her blue battle dress was torn, revealing pale skin and fresh wounds. Blood—startlingly red against the blue fabric—trickled down her arm.
But she was alive.
Achilles was gone. His chariot, his horses, his spear—all erased by the torrent of holy light.
He hadn't held back. He hadn't pulled his punch because he was dying. He had thrown everything he had at her, forcing her to meet him with equal force.
It was a beautiful, tragic victory.
[Chat]:
[Saber_Simp]: ARTORIA IS THE GOAT! MY WIFE!
[Crying_Cat]: RIP Achilles. He went out like a boss.
[DownBad]: Wait... look at Artoria.
[Horny_Jail]: THE BATTLE DAMAGE! LOOK AT HER HAIR!
[Screenshot]:Click. Click. Click.
[Moral_Police]: You guys are disgusting. She just fought for her life and you're ogling her?
[Rebuttal]: It's art! The battle damage tells a story! Also, she looks hot.
[Scammer_101]: "Selling 4K Battle-Damaged Artoria Wallpapers! $10! DM me!"
[Mod_Hammer]:User "Scammer_101" has been banned for 72 hours.
Maverick ignored the chat. He was staring at his Servant.
With her hair loose and her armor broken, Artoria didn't look like an invincible King anymore. She looked vulnerable. Human. The fierce determination in her eyes, contrasted with her physical exhaustion, created a tableau that was both heartbreaking and breathtaking.
"Saber!" Maverick shouted, sliding down the side of the crater.
He reached her just as her knees gave out. He caught her before she hit the ground.
"Master..." Artoria whispered, her voice hoarse. "Did we... win?"
"Yeah," Maverick said softly, supporting her weight. "We won. You did it."
He looked at her torn dress. Without thinking, he took off his trench coat and draped it over her shoulders, covering her wounds (and disappointing millions of viewers).
"Here," Maverick said. "You're hurt."
Artoria looked at the coat, then up at him. A faint blush colored her cheeks. "Thank you, Master. You are... considerate."
[Chat]:
[Boo]: BOOO! MAVERICK RUINED THE VIEW!
[Gentleman]: Respect. A true gentleman covers his lady.
[Jealousy]: I want to give Artoria my coat!
[Funny]: "Young man, do you want to eat leftovers?"
[WTF]: What does that even mean?!
Maverick helped Saber limp out of the crater. At the edge, they found the other two Masters.
The Gamer Girl was on her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Rider..." she wailed. "He was so cool! Why did he have to die?!"
Ryu (A-Bro), or what was left of his avatar's dignity, patted her shoulder awkwardly. "He went out on his own terms. It was a good death."
"I don't want a good death!" she cried. "I want my husband back!"
Maverick sighed. "The war isn't over yet. Pull it together."
The Gamer Girl sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. She looked up at Maverick.
"You won," she said, her voice trembling. "Fair and square. But... can I add you? On the friend list?"
Maverick blinked. "Uh, sure. My ID is 'Maverick'."
"Cool," she said, pulling out her menu. "I'm 'GamerGirl_99'. Don't laugh."
"I'm 'Ryu_The_Dragon'," Ryu added. "Add me too."
"Wait," Maverick paused. "You guys aren't logging out?"
"Nah," Ryu grinned. "We're technically eliminated, but we can spectate until the match ends. I want to see how this finishes. Plus, I want to see who the Assassin is."
"True," the Gamer Girl nodded, her grief momentarily forgotten by curiosity. "There's still one Servant left. The camper."
Maverick checked the player count.
[REMAINING MASTERS: 2][MAVERICK (SABER)][UNKNOWN (ASSASSIN)]
"Right," Maverick said, his face hardening. "The Assassin."
He helped Saber sit down on a relatively intact stone bench.
"Rest," he told her. "Regenerate your mana. We have one last fight."
Saber nodded, closing her eyes. "I will be ready, Master."
As they rested, the game mechanics shifted.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION][PHASE 4: SUDDEN DEATH][THE HOLY GRAIL HAS MANIFESTED][LOCATION: FUYUKI CITY BRIDGE]
"The circle is closing," Maverick noted. "It's forcing us to the bridge."
In Holy Grail War, the "shrinking circle" wasn't a wall of poison gas. It was the Grail itself. When only two players remained, the Grail would materialize at a specific location, radiating massive magical energy. If you didn't go to it, your Servant would starve for mana as the ley lines shifted.
"The Bridge," Ryu mused. "Classic setting for a final duel."
"It's a choke point," Maverick said. "Perfect for an Assassin. He's probably trapped it."
"Traps won't stop me," Saber said, opening her eyes. The rest had done her good. Her wounds were closing, thanks to her high magical resistance and Maverick's mana supply. She stood up, the trench coat falling from her shoulders.
Her armor reformed in a flash of silver light, good as new.
"I am the King of Knights," she declared, raising Excalibur. "I do not fear shadows."
Maverick grinned, reloading his guns. "That's the spirit."
He turned to the spectators.
"Alright, you two ghosts. You coming to watch?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Ryu said.
"Kick his butt, Maverick," the Gamer Girl cheered.
They set off toward the bridge. The final battle was waiting.
[Chat]:
[Hype]: FINAL ROUND!
[Betting_Pool]: ALL IN ON MAVERICK!
[Assassin_Main]: Don't underestimate the Assassin. If it's King Hassan, Maverick is dead.
[Lore_Master]: Or Sasaki Kojiro. The Regend. The Savior of France.
[Suspense]: Who is the final boss?!
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