"Thank you, Berserker."
After soothing Sakura back to sleep, Kariya emerged from the bedroom and thanked Ailin again.
"It was nothing. I couldn't stand by and watch what that child was enduring," Ailin replied.
"Heh…"
Kariya began, but a sudden surge of pain from the Crest Worms within him cut him short. He bit back a cry and his teeth drew blood, determined not to wake Sakura. After several agonizing minutes, the worms, having sated themselves on his flesh and blood, subsided. Kariya slumped against the wall and gasped for breath.
Ailin sighed. "Kariya, your condition is dire. It's fortunate I didn't draw upon your magical energy during my fight with Gilgamesh. Had I done so, even consuming your entire body wouldn't have been enough to sustain that battle."
"My apologies for being such a burden, Berserker," Kariya said with a wry smile. "After summoning you, I believed I could win this Grail War, wish for Aoi, Rin, and Sakura's happiness. But now… it seems I'm only holding you back. With your power, Berserker, a more capable Master could have defeated all the other Servants in a single night and claimed the Grail."
"No, Kariya, you're mistaken." Ailin shook his head. "Compatibility between Servant and Master is crucial. It's precisely because of our high compatibility that you were able to summon me without a catalyst. Even with a different Master, limitations imposed by incompatibility could hinder my performance. So don't underestimate yourself, Kariya. In this Grail War, you are the most suitable Master for me."
Ailin's words weren't merely meant to comfort Kariya. They were the truth. Of the seven Masters in this war, Tokiomi Tohsaka, the perennial scapegoat, was out of the question. Kiritsugu Emiya was too self-righteous, too delusional. A mere human concerning himself with world peace… who did he think he was? Gaia? Alaya?
Neither of those forces bothered with such trivial matters. What right did Kiritsugu have to interfere, weighing lives on a scale of "kill one to save two"? At best, it was a lofty ideal. At worst, it was the delusion of a madman who couldn't comprehend the true weight of life. Ailin wouldn't consider him until he understood the value of a single life.
Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, despite Ailin lacking his signature teardrop birthmark, would likely find some other reason to resent him, perhaps his superior looks. He was out.
Kirei Kotomine, before Gilgamesh awakened his true nature, might have been a suitable Master. Unfortunately, his inherent sadism couldn't be masked forever.
Ryūnosuke Uryū… had he summoned Ailin, Ailin would have killed him instantly.
Waver Velvet, before being humbled by Iskandar, was merely a rebellious teenager seeking validation.
"Is that so? I'm honored." Kariya smiled. He sensed the sincerity in Ailin's words.
"Kariya, regarding your and Sakura's condition… I possess a Noble Phantasm capable of healing you." Ailin had intended to reveal this after dispelling Mad Enhancement, closer to the end of the war. However, as he had already regained his speech, there was no reason to delay.
"What? Berserker, is that true?" Ignoring the lingering pain from the Crest Worms, Kariya stood up hopefully.
He knew that as long as the Crest Worms remained within him and Sakura, they would never escape Zouken's control.
After summoning Ailin, he'd placed his hopes on the Grail, on wishing for their recovery. Then, he would take Sakura and leave Fuyuki City forever. However, Berserker's clash with Archer had cast doubt on his chances of obtaining the Grail. If Berserker truly possessed a healing Noble Phantasm… it would be a miracle.
"Indeed." Ailin nodded. "I have a Noble Phantasm that can corrode flesh to the bone, but also restore the gravely injured to peak condition. Your and Sakura's bodies are ravaged by Crest Worms. For a complete recovery, I recommend purging your flesh and blood entirely, then regenerating you to your original, untainted state."
"Thank you, Berserker." Kariya looked at Ailin with his remaining eye. He opened his mouth to request the treatment, then hesitated. "Berserker, you said… restore us to our original state. Does that mean… once I'm healed, I'll become an ordinary human, without any magical energy?"
"Yes." Ailin nodded. "You possess no natural Magic Circuits, Kariya. Your current circuits were created by the Crest Worms. A complete recovery will remove them."
Kariya lowered his head, lost in thought. After a long silence, he looked up. "Then, Berserker, heal Sakura first. I still need these Crest Worms to provide me with magical energy."
Whether to kill Tokiomi or help Berserker obtain the Grail, Kariya needed magical energy. If he underwent the treatment now, without his magical energy, Berserker would be forced to return to the Throne of Heroes. Then, killing Tokiomi would be impossible. Besides, every Servant had their own wish. Berserker must have a reason for answering his summons and participating in this war. To deprive him of the Grail after he had healed Kariya… it would be a betrayal.
Ailin saw through Kariya's thoughts. While he would indeed be limited to a few hours in the physical world without a Master's magical energy, he could simply find another mage and form a new contract. At worst, if Kariya lacked magical energy, Sakura certainly didn't.
However, this was Kariya's decision. Ailin respected his choice. "Very well. I'll heal Sakura first."
"Thank you, Berserker."
Kariya opened the bedroom door. To his surprise, Sakura wasn't asleep. She looked at them.
"Sakura, Grandfather put something terrible inside you. Berserker is going to remove it. Are you afraid?"
"No." Sakura shook her head firmly. Her resolve only strengthened Kariya's hatred for Tokiomi and Zouken.
"What a brave girl," Ailin said, smiling. "Don't worry, Sakura. It will be over quickly. I won't hurt you." He gently placed his hand on Sakura's forehead.
"Sleep." He released a burst of spiritual pressure.
It was a simple but effective technique. By concentrating a controlled burst of spiritual pressure into his palm, he could instantly render someone unconscious. While Sakura, having endured a year of torment from the Crest Worms, might have been able to withstand Minazuki's corrosive effects, Ailin didn't want her to suffer unnecessarily.
Blackish-red spatial ripples appeared. Ailin reached into a ripple and drew Retsu Unohana's Zanpakutō.
"Bankai—Minazuki!"
A boundless crimson tide engulfed Kariya's vision. He felt as if he were submerged in a sea of blood. A swirling vortex of blood enveloped Sakura. Seconds later, the vortex dissipated.
Kariya's surroundings returned to normal, as if the crimson sea had been a mere illusion. However, looking at Sakura, now cradled in Berserker's arms, her hair returned to its original black, Kariya knew it hadn't been a dream. Sakura's restored hair color was proof.
"Berserker," Kariya said, looking at Sakura's rejuvenated form, "I won't allow that monster to lay his hands on her again. Tomorrow night… let's pay Zouken a visit."
"Very well."
Having decided on their next course of action, Kariya and Ailin left the bedroom, closing the door behind them.
Kariya suddenly remembered something. "Berserker, you dispelled your class skill. What effect did that have on you?"
Mad Enhancement was Berserker's signature ability. While under its influence, Ailin had been wreathed in blackish-red flames. Now, having regained his speech, those flames were gone. Kariya couldn't believe it had no effect. He knew the Servants summoned by the Grail weren't their true selves, but merely constructs of magical energy, echoes of a specific moment in their existence. The same Heroic Spirit, summoned under different classes, possessed different abilities. Even the time of their summoning could result in significant variations. The most obvious change in Berserker was the absence of the ominous blackish-red flames.
"There are some effects. Most notably, all my parameters except Luck and Mana have decreased by one rank."
Kariya's eyes widened. He used his two fingers to activate his Mystic Eyes of Binding, focusing his remaining eye on Berserker.
…
Class: Berserker
True Name: XX
Strength: B++
Endurance: B++
Agility: B++
Mana: A++
Luck: A
Noble Phantasm: EX
…
Kariya's heart sank. He remembered Berserker's parameters had all been A-rank or above upon summoning. His strength had decreased by at least threefold.
Ailin saw Kariya's dismay. "Don't worry, Kariya. The effect on my parameters isn't as significant as you think. Magical energy is the most crucial factor for me. As long as I have sufficient magical energy, my strength remains largely unaffected. Take a look."
Kariya continued reading Berserker's status. He soon found a new skill.
…
Mana Burst: A++ (Releases magical energy to enhance all parameters. The greater the magical energy consumed, the greater the enhancement.)
…
Kariya felt a wave of relief. As Berserker had said, with A++ rank Mana Burst, as long as he had sufficient magical energy, he could raise all his parameters to A++. He also noticed that with Berserker regaining his speech, the question marks in the Noble Phantasm section had been replaced with actual information.
…
Noble Phantasms:
Ailin
Rank: C
Type: Anti-Unit
Effective Range: 1-99
Description: N/A
Unlimited Blade Works
Rank: EX
Type: Reality Marble
Effective Range: 1-99
Description: N/A
…
Kariya was overjoyed. He disregarded the C-rank Noble Phantasm. But the second… it was a Reality Marble! A Reality Marble was a high-level magecraft that allowed a mage to overwrite the world with their inner world, a bounded field of their own creation.
It was the closest thing to true magic. With such power at his command, how could he lose this Grail War? Even against the golden-armored Servant, Kariya was confident that Berserker, with his unleashed Noble Phantasm, would emerge victorious.