The silence following the conversation with Romani was almost suffocating. The revelation that the Holy Grail was guarded day and night by the Saber class eliminated any possibility of traps or infiltration. The only remaining option was direct confrontation.
Mash crossed her arms, worried.
"Are we really going to face her head-on? Caster said her power is overwhelming..."
Caster, with a serious look for the first time since joining them, nodded gravely.
"There's no other choice. She's protecting the Grail as if it were her very life. If we want to stop this Singularity, we must defeat her. And fast."
The protagonist said nothing at first. His eyes were lost in the void, but in his mind, everything moved with surgical precision. He knew who that Saber was. He knew it from the moment he first saw her. It wasn't Jeanne d'Arc. No. That figure shrouded in darkness, with a sword that spat out mana as black as night, was Artoria Pendragon... corrupted. Altered.
But he didn't say it. He let Caster do it.
"That woman... that draconic energy... is Artoria Pendragon. But not as she should be. This is the version that embraced darkness, pride, and rage. Saber Alter."
Mash fell silent. The impact was evident.
"Huh?!" Mash exclaimed, eyes wide open. "That can't be! King Arthur was a man! And... she can't be... like that!"
Caster sighed, as if he'd had that conversation too many times.
"The history as you know it was told, modified, and embellished for common understanding. Bards, scribes, even contemporary historians omitted or altered what they found inconvenient. King Arthur... was a woman. But that wasn't something easily accepted by her people in her time, nor by later generations. So the narrative was adjusted."
"We can't trap her. We can't ambush her. But we can make her make a mistake," he said calmly.
They spent the rest of the night clarifying the details of the plan before sleeping restlessly.
The next day, the confrontation was inevitable...
In the cave where the Holy Grail was located...
The figure of the new Servant emerged from the smoldering ruins, covered in heavy black armor that seemed to absorb the light around her. Her sword, enveloped in a dark aura, vibrated with a palpable thirst for blood.
Mash instinctively stepped back, scrutinizing the figure with a furrowed brow.
The protagonist watched her intently. His eyes fixed on every detail: the armor, the face, that icy gaze that contrasted with the memories he had of her nobler counterpart.
He knew. He knew exactly who she was.
But he said nothing.
It was Caster who broke the silence, with a grave expression and a voice that seemed to carry the weight of centuries.
"Artoria Pendragon. The King of Knights, though this version of her... has been corrupted by hatred and despair. She is but a shadow of the legendary figure. This is Saber Alter."
Mash lowered her shield slightly, confused. The protagonist, however, kept his gaze fixed on Saber Alter.
"So this is how they decided to portray you in this singularity..." he thought. "A shadow of the ideal... but with the same iron determination. This won't be resolved with reason."
Mash looked at him, seeking direction.
"What do we do? Do we fight?"
He nodded slowly.
"Don't try to beat her. Just endure. Keep your eyes on her sword and stay on the defensive. I'll handle the rest from behind... And Caster..."
"I know," the Servant replied with a crooked smile. "I'll handle the final blow."
The roar of clashing steel echoed throughout the improvised battlefield. Each impact between Saber's dark sword and Mash's shield sent a shockwave that shook the ground beneath their feet.
"Mash, lateral movement! Don't block head-on, redirect her force!" shouted Leonel, his calculating eyes not missing a detail of the duel.
Mash obeyed instantly. There was no time for doubt, not against an opponent like that. Artoria Pendragon Alter was like a hurricane of contained fury, each slash faster and more brutal than the last. Her power was unnatural, as if the corrupted Grail itself fueled each of her blows.
"Kouhai, don't try to match her strength! Just deflect, resist, and hold on a little longer!" added Leonel, his voice firm but on the verge of urgency.
Mash panted, sweat beading on her forehead. The shield glowed with magical energy, but even with her noble phantasm still inactive, it was clear she was reaching her limit. Her legs trembled every time she blocked a direct hit.
Meanwhile, Caster kept his distance, both hands extended, magical circles forming in the air before him one after another. He muttered ancient words, channeling mana at alarming levels. The air around him vibrated, and the sky began to darken.
Leonel couldn't lose focus. He couldn't afford mistakes.
"Now, roll to your left! Block with the lower part of the shield and turn to cushion the impact!" he ordered.
Saber Alter growled, frustrated to see her prey not falling. Her black sword traced a horizontal arc, so fast the air whistled behind it. Mash managed to intercept it, but this time the impact made her retreat three steps.
"Damn it..." Leonel gritted his teeth. "Caster, how much longer?"
"One more minute! Just one minute!" Caster replied, not taking his eyes off the spell, each of his words rumbling like contained thunder. "But if Mash falls, I won't be able to cast it!"
Time was becoming their enemy. Leonel knew they couldn't allow Mash to be hit head-on by one of Saber's attacks. And she knew it too, but she didn't back down.
Mash endured. Not because she was stronger than Saber, but because she trusted Leonel's instructions. Because each of his words was a guide, an anchor. And she would not fail.
"Mash! Final order, retreat five meters and prepare to cover! Caster, as soon as she retreats, launch the spell!" Leonel yelled, sweat running down his forehead.
Saber let out a war cry and lunged again, the black sword raised to deliver a decisive blow.
It was now or never.
[Battlefield - Facing Saber Alter]
Mash retreated with difficulty, her arm trembling from the last impact. Her breathing was ragged; the shield barely contained Saber Alter's fluctuating mana.
"Caster!" she shouted, tension palpable.
"It's almost ready!" the Servant responded, the spell finally taking definite shape: an immense magical sphere adorned with ancient Celtic symbols, slowly rotating in the air above his head.
[Command Room - Chaldea]
Romani ran his hands through his hair, eyes fixed on the floating screens showing every angle of the battle.
"This isn't good! Mash is at her limit, and if Caster fails, we could lose her!"
Da Vinci, in contrast, leaned forward, a hand on her chin and a half-smile.
"Not so fast, Doctor. Watch how the boy is moving..." she said, pointing to a screen where Leonel was gesturing. "He's not improvising; he's reading the flow of battle like it's chess. He's one step ahead."
Romani frowned.
"Really? Can you really be so calm right now?"
"Of course. He's not fighting with strength. He's fighting with his head."
[Battlefield]
"Mash, cover yourself now!" Leonel ordered.
Mash obeyed, raising her shield in a full defensive position as Caster finally stepped forward.
"By the name of the ancient druids, by the will of forgotten kings and the pacts sealed with blood and stars...! Let the unshakable truth punish the darkness!"
The magical circle expanded, erupting with a deafening roar.
"Wicker Man!" Caster shouted, and the energy sphere shot forth like an ethereal meteor toward Saber.
The explosion that followed was like a second sunrise inside the cave. The air filled with pure energy, and the impact threw dust and fragments in all directions.
[Command Room]
Romani leaned toward the console.
"Saber's signal is... weakening! Mash, now! It's your chance!"
Da Vinci nodded, not losing her smile.
"Let's see if that tactical mind of yours pays off, boy..."
[Battlefield]
Saber was still standing, but her armor sparked, her sword had lost intensity. And for the first time, she staggered.
"I won't fail!" Mash shouted, charging forward with her shield. "For Chaldea, for Senpai... and for this world!"
With a war cry, she rushed Saber with everything she had left. The final impact was like the echo of distant thunder. The figure of Saber Alter fell to her knees, then slowly faded away, in specks of light.
But just before disappearing completely, a crooked smile crossed her face. She opened her lips, her voice still laden with dark power:
"Well played... but this was merely the prelude. The true darkness still sleeps... and has already begun to awaken."
And with those words, she vanished.
Mash looked at Caster, confused. He seemed equally puzzled.
"What did she mean...?" Mash asked, panting.
Leonel, however, already knew. He felt it. The sweat on his back turned cold. That hadn't been an empty threat.
Then, an unexpected sound broke the quiet of the cave.
Applause.
Slow. Sarcastic.
"Bravo! Truly, an outstanding performance," said a familiar voice, laced with mockery.
The shadows distorted, and a figure stepped out from among them. Standing there, with a mocking smile and a cruel glint in his eyes, was Lev Lainur.
"Congratulations on your 'success' in this singularity. Though, I'm afraid this is barely the beginning..."
"Lev... what are you doing here?"
"Me? I just came to see the results. And I'm pleased with what I see," Lev replied with a sneer. "Though I must admit I didn't expect you to save the Director. What a nuisance."
Mash tensed. Caster stepped in front of her and Olga, already in a defensive stance. Da Vinci frowned with suspicion.
"Lev... this wasn't an accident, was it?"
"An accident? Oh, Da Vinci..." he chuckled. "You really haven't figured it out yet?"
Lev raised his hands to the air like a preacher.
"All of this has been orchestrated from the start. The Singularities, the destruction of Chaldea, the disappearance of humanity. It's not a coincidence. It's the beginning of the only true destiny."
Leonel took a step forward, the shadow of a blue spark flickering in his eyes. He didn't speak, but his presence was enough for Lev to turn toward him, smiling with a different nuance: irritation disguised as mockery.
"And you... you are the true anomaly. A constant that shouldn't exist. I've been observing you since you appeared. How do you do it? How do you dodge what should be inevitable?"
Leonel crossed his arms.
"I'm just a human. One who won't let you destroy what's left."
Lev scoffed.
"Typical cheap protagonist answer."
Romani interrupted, already tired of the game.
"Lev! What did we do to you?! We were your colleagues!"
"Colleagues? Bah," he replied with disdain. "I was your guardian... until we no longer needed you. The plan has progressed more than you imagine."
Mash took a step forward, clenching her fists.
"What plan?"
Lev looked at her with a dark smile.
"The End of Humanity. The restoration of the true order. Do you really think humanity deserves to continue? Look at what they've done to the world..."
Romani's eyes widened.
Lev gave a mocking bow.
"Soon," Lev continued, "all the Singularities will manifest. The past will be torn apart. The present, rewritten. And the future, eradicated. This... is the beginning of the Grand Order."
Da Vinci covered her mouth.
Romani lowered his head.
"So... the future of humanity depends only on us."
Lev turned around, his figure beginning to distort into a black cloud of magical energy.
"Try to stop it if you want... It will be fun to watch you fail."
And he disappeared.
Silence.
"What do we do now?"
Leonel looked ahead, where Lev had vanished. His hand clenched tightly.
"We gather what's left. We repair what we can. And then... we travel."
"To where?" asked Da Vinci.
Leonel lifted his gaze, with a determined spark in his eyes.
"To the Singularities. To where history broke. We're going to fix it... step by step."
Mash nodded.
Caster sighed but smiled with pride.
And so, even though the world had been turned upside down, a new order was born in the darkness: a battle for all humanity.
The Rayshift portal dissipates with a soft bluish flash. Mash and Leonel appear on the circular platform, still covered in dust and soot, their breathing ragged after the battle against the imposing figure of Saber Alter. The atmosphere is quieter than usual: only a few technicians are still repairing damaged systems.
Romani Archaman (from the main console):
"You're back! Thank God! Mash, Leonel, can you hear me?"
Both nod. Mash leans slightly on her shield, exhausted but smiling. Leonel looks around, alert.
Mash:
"Doctor Romani... we've returned successfully. Singularity F of Fuyuki has been corrected."
Romani:
"Good work, both of you! Facing a Saber-class Servant like that... was no small feat. In fact, I still have trouble believing you did it. The magical readings from that city were off the charts. You were up against someone incredibly powerful."
Leonel crosses his arms, thoughtful.
Leonel:
"She wasn't a simple Servant... she seemed... corrupted. As if something had transformed her. A shadow of what she once was."
Romani:
"Yes... we noticed from here. That 'Saber' wasn't normal. We've cataloged her as Saber Alter. We don't have precise information about her identity yet, but her level of hostility and energy were anomalous. I'm afraid that was just a sample of what's to come."
Romani pauses, his expression darkens.
Romani:
"And speaking of which... I have bad news."
On the command center's main screen, six red dots appear blinking on a hologram of the globe.
Romani:
"While you were in Fuyuki, our readings of the global timeline detected six new distortion points. Seven new Singularities. All equally or more unstable than the first. What Lev said before disappearing... was true."
Mash:
"Seven more...?"
Leonel (mutters):
"This is just the beginning..."
Romani:
"Exactly. The fire of Fuyuki was only the prologue. Now we must prepare for what comes next. And with great regret... I'm afraid we still can't count on Director Olga-Marie. She survived the command center explosion, but she's in a delicate state. She's stable for now and receiving constant medical attention."
Mash:
"I understand... I'm glad to hear she survived, but... poor Director..."
Romani:
"And as for Da Vinci, she is on a maintenance mission in the outer sectors of Chaldea. She's repairing life support and Rayshift control systems. She hasn't been able to meet you yet, but I trust she will very soon. She'll surely be an invaluable ally."
Leonel observes the map with the Singularities, his gaze determined.
Leonel:
"Then there's no time to waste. If there are seven more... we have work to do."
Romani:
"Rest for now. Your next destination hasn't been defined yet, and we need to stabilize Chaldea before sending another team. But when the time comes... we'll need you."
Mash (with a faint smile):
"We'll be ready, Doctor."
The camera pulls away from the command center, showing the holographic globe with the Singularities blinking like fallen stars. A silence settles... momentary, but full of tension.
The air in Chaldea was colder than normal.
The battle for Fuyuki had ended only a few hours ago, and although the facilities were quiet, an invisible tension hung in the air like stagnant smoke. The kind of silence that comes after a catastrophe, when everyone tries to act normal without knowing if there will be a tomorrow.
In one of the break rooms, Leonel and Mash were sitting together. They didn't talk much, but in that calm, every word felt heavier than usual.
Mash held a cup with both hands but didn't drink. She watched her reflection in the dark liquid, as if searching for answers in it.
"Fuyuki..." she murmured. "It wasn't just a mission. It was a nightmare."
Leonel stayed quiet for a few seconds. His eyes also looked at the cup, though his thoughts were miles away. He knew more than he could say.
And the danger... was real.
"It wasn't our fault," he replied calmly. "We were thrown into a fire that was already consuming everything. What matters is that we came out alive... and that we learned."
Mash nodded slowly, though the shadow in her eyes didn't disappear.
"Do you think this is just the beginning?"
Leonel took a deep breath. His memories from his past life, of what he knew about Chaldea, about the Singularities... it all seemed like a puzzle that was now assembling itself before him.
"Yes. But I also believe every battle counts. And this time... we'll be better prepared."
Mash looked at him, surprised by his certainty. She didn't know that this firmness stemmed from a truth he wasn't yet ready to share.
[Later, on the threshold of sleep...]
Leonel's consciousness faded away with a strange softness. It wasn't sleep or fainting. It was as if he were being pulled into another dimension. Darkness enveloped him and then, suddenly, blue light.
He was in the Velvet Room.
But not as he imagined. The atmosphere was oppressive, denser, as if the room itself was suffering. The endless train car seemed shorter, less stable. The walls trembled subtly, and the piano music sounded muffled, out of tune. Like a ruined world wrapped in velvet.
And then he saw him.
Sitting at the far end, behind the familiar desk, a hunched man with an elongated face and penetrating eyes: Igor. The archetypal figure of the master of the Velvet Room. His smile was faint, but his eyes were serious, more so than in any version Leonel had known before.
"Welcome... to the Velvet Room, Leonel," Igor said in a deep, measured voice. "This is a place between dream and reality, between mind and matter. Normally, it is a refuge... but even this place now trembles with the fragility of the outside world."
Leonel felt a shiver. It was the first time he had seen the Velvet Room so... unstable.
"What's happening?" he asked cautiously, feigning ignorance.
Igor narrowed his eyes, but his smile disappeared.
"Humanity stands on the brink of extinction. Not from war, not from hunger, but because its very history has been interrupted. The Singularities are devouring the course of time. And when the future disappears... everything that depends on human existence begins to fade."
Leonel understood perfectly. The Velvet Room wasn't just a psychic space. It was a construct connected to the collective unconscious of humanity. If humanity disappeared... the Velvet Room would too.
"Even this place..." Leonel murmured.
"Correct," Igor affirmed gravely. "Your soul has been chosen. The power to embody infinite potential. A bridge between worlds. And perhaps... our last hope."
Next to Igor, a female figure emerged from the shadows. She was young, with an elegant bearing, silver hair tied in a bun with strands of electric blue, ruby-red eyes, and a uniform similar to that of a Victorian librarian. Her voice was melodic, but her gaze was analytical, almost inquisitive.
"My name is Selene," she said, giving a slight bow. "From now on, I will be your guide in this place. Though I must warn you... the path you face is dangerous even for those who master the power of Personas."
Leonel looked at her in silence, his heart pounding. The fact that the Velvet Room was in danger only confirmed how deep the crisis was. This wasn't a game. History itself was unraveling, and he was a key piece in the desperate attempt to restore it.
Igor spoke again, solemnly.
"I observe you with great interest, Leonel. The fate of many may tilt based on the choices you make. Now awaken... and move forward."
A sound of clock bells filled the space as everything faded away.