A person is in Type-Moon, goes out, and then picks up an Outer God girl?

The black hair that should have been in his prime quickly turned white at this moment. The wind and waves generated by magic pulled off the hood on his head, revealing his face that had been tortured by the engraving worms and was no longer recognizable.

The knight didn't die with his bare hands. For some reason, he couldn't capture the black shadow. The shadow that kept extending from under his feet should be some kind of weapon...

Unable to think, countless chaotic thoughts made Matou Kariya a little crazy at the moment, but he still had hope, the hope called Berserker!

"Berserker, I allow you to unleash your Noble Phantasm and kill him with all your might!"

If the Command Spells couldn't be used, then he would overdraw his life! He had to rescue her from Caster no matter what, because he had promised her that he would save her from the Matou family. Even if he couldn't see that day, he absolutely...absolutely!

Under the dark fog, Berserker's reaction did not slow down even though several yellow flowers had bloomed around him. Duanmu Ye, who quietly used the power of the Water Priest and easily dealt with Berserker with his tentacles, understood what was going on.

About magic...

Although it had some effect, compared to the obvious feedback from Matou Kariya, Lancelot, who was the strongest of an era and possessed the protection of elves, was not so quickly dominated by the power of the Great Flower of Mars.

That being said, in reality Duanmu Ye did not seriously use the power of the Martian Flower on Berserker. Matou Kariya was the target this time. By depleting his vitality to the point where he could no longer resist, he could easily take away the Command Seals that bound Berserker from his hands.

There's no point in engaging in an all-out fight with a mad dog.

At this moment, Berserker, who had discarded the broken street lamp that he had used as a spear, suddenly had a pitch-black sword in his hand. Although he was still shrouded in black air, there was no doubt that his condition was completely different from before.

"Arrrrrrr——"

The Berserker's roar resounded throughout the entire illusion, even causing the ground where he stood to tremble.

That pitch-black sword is a demonized holy sword, one of the most advanced treasures that humans in this world can possess. It is the life proof of the knight named "Lancelot".

Even though it was covered by black fog, Duanmu Ye recognized the sword at a glance, and could not help but smile in his heart.

Finally got fooled...

With the two Noble Phantasms [Knights Do Not Die Unarmed] and [Not for One's Own Glory] in existence, all Lancelot can do is plunder the props around him that can be used as weapons and turn them into his own "Noble Phantasms", but unfortunately, his tentacles are part of his body and do not meet the triggering conditions of [Knights Do Not Die Unarmed].

Even the black mist that enveloped his entire body, which was the magical mist formed by [Not for One's Own Glory], isolated the pollen of the Martian flower to a great extent.

And this is why, when he was summoned for the first time, even though Matou Kariya was already deeply trapped in the illusion and unable to extricate himself, Lancelot did not immediately transform into a spirit and leave under his command. Matou Kariya could not see clearly, so how could he, the strongest Knight of the Round Table in the era of King Arthur, not be able to perceive the changes and anomalies in his surroundings?

Without realizing the current situation, I still indulge in unrealistic fantasies. The so-called hope is so fascinating and so persistent...

But so what?

The indestructible lake light struck the tentacles in an instant, and the sparks produced by the magic power were far more intense and hotter than the street lamp spear that was transformed by the knight's bare hands with the help of his immortality. While he continued to swing the magic sword in his hand with the skills he had in his lifetime, his speed and strength continued to rise with the blessing of magic power.

Hurry, very quickly!

The pitch-black magic sword flashed with elven characters, and the sword skills that almost formed afterimages in the swing were the result of endless martial arts training, which completely integrated the mind, skills, and body into one, recreating 100% of the combat skills in his previous life.

Duanmu Ye had to admit that compared to Gilgamesh, who relied on the almost infinite treasures in the King's Treasure to compete or suppress, Lancelot was undoubtedly a more troublesome existence than Artoria in close combat.

This year's Holy Grail War saw the emergence of many talented people. If it weren't for Matou Kariya lowering Lancelot's ability, the final battle with Artoria might not have ended so easily.

After all, a knight who has experienced hundreds of battles and regards death in battle as an honor is far more terrifying than an arrogant king or a little girl who does not understand human nature. Perhaps as long as it is used properly, even the army of the Conqueror King may not be unable to win, not to mention dealing with the careless Hero King and King Arthur who is restrained by Lancelot.

Creepy laughter began to echo around. Matou Kariya, whose vision had long been blurred by the pressure of magic, raised his head and looked at Caster who was fighting in front of him. His hearing, which had also become blurred due to the pressure, was the first to hear such creepy laughter.

That was not a sound that a human could make. It was like the creaking of an old, dilapidated wooden door blown by the wind, or the sound of some non-human creature imitating human laughter by squeezing its vocal cords. A look of confusion appeared on Matou Kariya's face.

Is he laughing?

Why? Berserker, with his Noble Phantasm out, should have already subdued him. Why was he laughing? What was so funny?

Blurred vision made it impossible for him to see Caster's figure in front of him as clearly as before. It was like a dark yellow or pitch-black oil painting smeared with paint. At this moment, Matou Kariya, who was kneeling on the ground, realized something from the bottom of his heart.

That guy... wasn't serious from the beginning...

Whether it was kidnapping Sakura Matou or fighting Berserker, it was like a child who hadn't remembered anything yet and got a toy that interested him. Whether it was putting it together or smashing it, these were all actions without any basis. Trying to figure out his motives didn't exist from the beginning. It was even possible that he wasn't even a human being, but some kind of monster that manifested as a Caster.

Matou Kariya's face turned even paler when he suddenly realized this. He kept using the indestructible lake light to carry out the battle orders, as if the countdown of his life kept ringing in his ears. The feeling of powerlessness after realizing that he might not be able to defeat the opponent and save Sakura before the end of his life swallowed up the hope he placed on Berserker, and as he understood this fact more and more, it gradually turned into unspeakable despair.

That Caster was not a human being, but some kind of "thing" that she had no way of understanding. Her best efforts were like the struggle of an ant in front of him, small and useless. The idea of ​​killing him and saving Sakura from his hands was impossible from the beginning.

And in the next moment, through his hazy vision, Matou Kariya saw it. He saw Matou Sakura's head tilted weakly to the side, and then thrown to the ground like trash...

"Sakura!"

Water, Wind, Flower: Chapter 28: Still Steaming? Still Steaming?

The girl's delicate body fell to the ground like a kite with a broken string, and the spreading darkness seemed to be devouring her flesh, which had not yet cooled down.

At this moment, Matou Kariya's eyes widened, and he even forgot to breathe for a short while. He quietly watched the scene happening in front of him. It was as if something in his mind was disconnected, and it suddenly became blank in an instant.

Matou Kariya, whose strength was drained from his body, drooped down. Even his body, which had been straightened up in extreme shock, fell to the ground at this moment along with his hands.

Despair, incomparable despair spread from the bottom of my heart.

The despair of not being able to save Sakura, the despair of not being able to defeat Caster, the despair of not being able to take revenge on Tōsaka Tokiomi...all of these things flashed through Matou Kariya's mind. The feeling of powerlessness of being unable to do anything even made him ignore Berserker who was still fighting.

“Arrrrrr——!”

The unresponsive Matou Kariya has reached the point where he can no longer control himself. Despair and fear have taken over his heart, just like a ripe leek that is ready to be harvested. However, Duanmu Ye did not take any action.

Lancelot's attack was even more fierce than before. Even though his Master had given up hope of survival, Lancelot, as a Servant, still waved the magic sword in his hand, repeatedly knocking away the tentacles that blocked his way, and moving towards his direction at a very slow speed.

That was the belief of a knight. Even though his sanity had been lost to the point where he could no longer communicate, even though he had long since passed away as a heroic spirit, he still had his own pride and persistence.

Therefore, even after losing his Noble Phantasm [Not for One's Own Glory] and being affected by the hallucinogenic effects of the Great Flower of Mars, Lancelot still insisted on following the orders given by Matou Kariya, using an almost insane sword-swinging posture to gain a little chance of moving forward.

But at the moment, the vitality of Matou Kariya is already being consumed to maintain the situation. Even if Lancelot can do this, what can he change?

At this moment, Duanmu Ye suddenly felt a little curious, as if a little joy that did not belong to him suddenly emerged from the bottom of his heart. An inexplicable will drove him not to take any action at this moment.

"Naiya, you are peeking!"

While disguised as the Faceless Walker, these words were not spoken out loud, but came from the bottom of his heart and mind. Duanmu Ye knew that the guy must be able to hear them!

However, there was no response, as if it was just an illusion, nothing happened.

But when he knew clearly that his body was unable to move, there must be external interference, and when Hastur appeared here, the force that could interfere with him could definitely not be the restraining force.

Duanmu Ye looked past the dark knight blocking his way and looked at the man behind him whose hair had already turned pale. He discovered something unusual.

Just like the play "The King in Yellow" always gives people a very gentle feeling in the first act, it is also a kind of tenderness to Matou Kariya just to make him realize the gap between himself and him, and his powerlessness in saving anyone, not even himself.

If I give up at this time, maybe I can still have a little time to meet the real Sakura Matou. Why do I have to try to peek into the possibility of the "unknown"?

Duanmu Ye's expression was extremely indifferent, just like the pale mask he was wearing at the moment, revealing that he didn't care about the life or death of the person in front of him.

When the [First Act] ends, even though the play has not yet ended, the [Second Act] will naturally begin.

Under Berserker's contract, Matou Kariya, who gradually regained consciousness, slowly raised his head. His gaunt face looked like a dried corpse that had been drained of all its energy, but there was a faint light rekindled in his bright red eyes.

That’s right, he can’t fall down yet. He, Matou Kariya, must not fall down!

Wrapped in madness and despair, doesn't he want to die at this moment?

Tired, he was really too tired. The magic of the Matou family had been transformed beyond recognition. He had been carrying the expectations of his elders since he was a child and was trained as the "head of the family". After learning the truth about the magic of the Matou family, he resolutely chose to turn away from the path of magic, abandoned the training of the Matou family and left. Except for occasionally returning to Fuyuki to see Aoi and her two daughters, he never asked for too much.

But the magic of the Matou family was like a curse that entangled him. Before the Holy Grail War started, the fact that Sakura was adopted into the Matou family made him feel unprecedented pressure. Knowing the truth about the Matou family's magic, he immediately found Matou Zouken to question him, but the result he got was the consent of Tōsaka Tokiomi.

He hated it. He hated that the end of the Matou family was caused by his "father". He hated that he could have stopped all this but chose to escape from the path of magic. He hated that Tohsaka Tokiomi never really cared about Aoi or Sakura. Otherwise, how could he have given Sakura to the Matou family as an heir?

With the Tohsaka family's financial resources, they could obviously train two children. If it were him, he would definitely take good care of Rin and Sakura...

That’s right, he can’t die, he can’t die!

He hasn't killed Tōsaka Tokiomi yet, making him see the truth about the Matou family, he hasn't defeated Caster yet, saving Sakura from him, and he hasn't fulfilled his promise to Sakura to take her, Aoi, and Rin on a trip after all this is over!

Right now, Berserker has not been defeated yet, and Sakura still has a chance of being rescued. How could he fall? How could he fall? He absolutely cannot fall!

A miracle almost like Hawking standing up from his wheelchair happened to the dying Matou Kariya. Although his magic power was almost drained away by Berserker and he could hardly maintain his consciousness, he stood up from the ground with difficulty and completed what he had not been able to do just now.

"..."

Duanmu Ye was not surprised at all when watching this scene. The inexplicable joy that arose in his heart disappeared without a trace after Matou Kariya stood up again.

And he said he didn’t peek!

Duanmu Ye cursed in his heart, but still kept his eyes fixed on the still struggling Matou Kariya. Under the pale mask, he couldn't help but feel a little ashamed. Could he think he was wearing a white mask?

No, it seems that he, Duanmu Ye, is the white mask!

Duanmu Ye, who suddenly realized this, couldn't help but feel a chill on his back, as if the feeling of being stared at by so many eyes made him quickly put himself into the state of wearing the "Hastur" coat.

The next moment, the twisted tentacles under the yellow robe began to spread, and the originally dimly lit sky was suddenly surrounded by darkness. With the bright moon overhead, the starry sky gradually emerged as if falling into the night.

Just as Matou Kariya was about to say something, he raised his head blankly. Then he saw the stars in the sky. The stars also saw him and blinked in response...

Water, Wind, Flower: Chapter 29: At this moment, Kariya lost all his strength and means

The stars were blinking, the breeze was smiling, and the yellow flowers were swaying in the wind, like dancing elves, surrounding him.

Matou Kariya, who had finally stood up, staggered a few times and looked down. He saw that the little people made of flower petals were holding hands and spinning in circles around him.

The petals began to burn, the stamens began to smile, and the flames and the wind seemed to have an incomprehensible murmur. Matou Kariya wanted to listen, wanted to distinguish something from the murmur that seemed like an incantation.

Madness and chaos were like a drill constantly stirring his brain, messing up the little consciousness he had finally recovered.

Eyes, eyes are everywhere. The stars are eyes, the moon is eyes, the windows are eyes, the trees and flowers are eyes...

No, that's not right. How could it be eyes? How could stars be eyes?!

"Berserker!"

Matou Kariya raised his arm and knew that he could not use the Command Seals in his current state. It was impossible just now, and it was even more impossible now.

However, Berserker had already reached the attack range. Regardless of whether the Command Spell could be used or not, he would take Caster, who had hurt Sakura, down to hell at this moment when he was closest to death!

The moment the pitch-black demonic sword was grasped by both hands, it burst into an inky demonic light. This ability, which was supposed to be wielded only by Saber, now seemed to be manifested on Berserker for some reason.

Above the undamaged lake light, even though it had degenerated into a magic sword, the elf's words still possessed a power that could not be ignored. The moment it burst out with tremendous magic power, it leaped into the sky in an instant with astonishing bounce, blending into the night, and then suddenly fell down, avoiding the tentacles that blocked it in the air.

The magic sword, overflowing with magic power, slashed down, cutting the yellow clothes and the tentacles that continued to spread out from under the body into two halves, and the remaining cloth fell to the ground.

ended?

Matou Kariya, who was unable to even cough up blood, covered his chest. His heart, whose vitality was being squeezed by the Crest Bugs and Berserker, was beating violently.

But even so, Matou Kariya's face was filled with joy at Berserker's victory over Caster.

The wind blew quietly, and the darkness did not usher in the light...

There was that creepy laugh again. Matou Kariya raised his head and looked around again with wide eyes. The piece of cloth that was split into two by Berserker was returning to the air again, turning into two identical Casters in yellow clothes.

Then, the third, fourth, fifth... just like the yellow men who surrounded him before, they kept emerging from the ground and surrounded him. The yellow-clothed Caster just stood quietly in his original position, completely blocking all his routes.

Caster in yellow moved, but did not attack. The tentacles that kept twisting under him turned into black waves, changing the surface of the ground. A hint of purple gradually appeared in the constantly twisting and folding darkness.

Sakura, who should have died by having her neck broken, stood in front of Matou Kariya, but as if they were copied and pasted, more and more Sakura walked out from the dark tentacles, but their faces showed completely different expressions.

Matou Kariya knew better than anyone what the expressions on Matou Sakura's and the others' faces were. They were the struggle, helplessness, collapse, sadness, and despair he saw when he followed his "father" to the insect cave where Matou Sakura was staying...

"Hey, Uncle Matou, didn't you say you would save me?"

"Hey, Uncle Matou, didn't you make a promise with Sakura that you would take her, her mother, and her sisters out to play?"

All the promises that had been made to Sakura were like sharp swords at this moment, piercing the only remaining, still beating heart of Matou Kariya.

He had no idea what to say, even though he knew that the Sakura in front of him was all fake, but the postures, expressions and words each of them displayed were all things that only the real Sakura would have, show and know.

"No, don't say that again... don't say that again!"

Matou Kariya's cry resounded between heaven and earth, and heaven and earth seemed to have really heard his cry and suddenly became quiet.

Looking blankly, all the Sakura stopped talking at this moment, but they all showed a sad expression.

"Uncle Kariya, do you really hate me too?"

Dead, dead... Just as they stood up from the tentacles, the "Sakuras" at this moment also fell among those wriggling tentacles in various ways of death. Matou Kariya was the most familiar with it. He showed no emotion under the direct attack of the insect swarm, and his expression was like a puppet floating in the sea of ​​tentacles.

"Berserker...Where's Berserker?!"

Fake, all of this is fake! It's all an illusion created by that yellow-clothed Caster. Maybe the real Sakura is fine, and all of this is just an illusion created by that yellow-clothed Caster!

At this moment, looking towards Berserker who had "killed" Caster, Berserker, who should have been attacking, was now standing still with the magic sword in his hand.

"Berserker, what are you doing Berserker? Why are you just watching? Why are you just standing there watching!"

At this moment, Matou Kariya had reached his limit, but the existence of the Command Spell allowed him to rely on the magical backflow provided by Berserker for some reason to hold on to his last breath.

As if hearing Matou Kariya's call, Berserker slowly stood up while maintaining the posture of slashing, but the next moment he turned around, he swung the long sword in his hand once again.

The next moment, the withered arm was picked up by the tentacle, and the red mark on it disappeared completely when it was handed to Caster in yellow, becoming a useless right hand.

Berserker... betrayed?