To know that, judging from Iori's performance of cutting through the void with his sword… it should be very easy for him to destroy the Greater Grail.
"An enemy? I don't know if that counts."
Iori thought for a moment, then gently shook his head. "However, my Master is working hard right now, so could I ask you all to stay here for a while?"
"…No!"
Ritsuka's gaze turned heavy as she realized she could no longer avoid clashing with Iori.
But former companions turning into enemies was not something she was facing for the first time, so she quickly steadied her emotions.
"The Einzbern wish… is just as dangerous as Amakusa Shirou's. We absolutely cannot allow this to continue!"
"Then there's no helping it."
Holding the Ame-no-Murakumo no Tsurugi, Iori let out a clear ringing sound from the blade and smiled.
"Alright, let's have the final boss battle, Master of Chaldea!"
Clang!
Steel collided with steel, scattering a chain of brilliant sparks.
Cold blades stirred up sword pressure that seemed to tear the earth apart.
Arrows filled the sky like a torrential downpour.
BOOM!
Flames and lightning intertwined, triggering a spectacular explosion...
At the bottom of the crater, Berserker Susanoo's battle against many Servants was raging intensely.
1 vs 5? No, 1 vs 6.
Those opposing Iori were not only Karna and the others from before, but also a shadow Servant temporarily summoned by Ritsuka using a "green cube" (a magical energy crystal manufactured by Chaldea).
Although its strength was somewhat inferior compared to a true Servant, it could still play a significant role.
Because the spiritual veins were controlled by the Greater Grail, and the green cubes were a scarce and important resource, Ritsuka did not recklessly waste this precious summoning opportunity.
[El-Melloi II]!
The long-haired man in a black suit was summoned here. With little conversation, he grasped the situation and quickly began providing magical support to the Servants.
As the tactical core, he combined these heroes of distinct styles, allowing them to fight as a single unit.
As a shadow Servant, his own power was not particularly strong, but the enhancement he brought was extremely obvious.
Originally, these experienced heroes would not drag each other down in battle. Sometimes they even showed remarkable tacit understanding, but at most this only reached the level of "you take the left, I take the right."
But El-Melloi II used the highly versatile formation... [Eight Formation of Stone Soldiers]... to assign different "roles" to the Servants.
While allowing them to fully display their own strength, it also let them cover each other's weaknesses and unleash power far greater than fighting alone.
In addition, he used various magecraft to provide support. At critical moments, he could even achieve effects similar to spatial displacement through the formation, swapping endangered allies with the nearly invincible defender Karna.
Karna and Jeanne fought head-on. Achilles and Atalanta moved around for sudden strikes. Mash provided all-around protection for everyone. Meanwhile El-Melloi II (El-Melloi II) sat at the center directing everything…
This was basically a battle against an army! And not just any army, but one composed of great heroes from across history.
It could be said that even someone as strong as Iori was feeling considerable pressure.
"Yamata no Orochi's Raging Waves!"
After a long fight, an impatient Iori released the divine sword. Lightning gathered along the blade as eight Noble Phantasm-level slashes burst forth at once, aiming to crush the "great formation" before him head-on.
Snap!
El-Melloi II snapped his fingers. A phantom flickered, and Jeanne appeared in front of Iori, her holy banner raised high.
"[My Lord is Here]!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The slashes struck the white barrier, shaking the surroundings like heavenly thunder descending. Even Jeanne could only hold on briefly before withdrawing on her own.
And behind that barrier was a golden light wrapped in crimson flames, "[O Brahma, Curse My Body]!"
Crimson lotus bloomed. The divine spear turned into a meteor piercing the heavens, splitting the aftershock of lightning and striking the boy amid his shocked gaze...
BOOM!!!
Like a volcanic eruption, a massive pillar of fire shot into the sky. The surging heat forced everyone to raise their arms to shield themselves.
"Did it work?"
"If he took that head-on, even a Berserker should… no, wait!"
An invisible sword pressure flashed past. The pillar of fire split cleanly down the middle, then collapsed into countless streams of flame.
The immense heat warped the surrounding light and shadow, and from within that hellish scene, a figure slowly walked out.
Iori...
The Shihakusho he wore was gone, replaced by a rather ornate black and white haori. Beneath it was scale-like light armor resembling dragon scales, making him look like an ancient noble prepared to go hunting.
"…Why does it feel like he got even stronger?"
Seeing this, Ritsuka couldn't help swallowing, her voice strained.
It seemed that with the forces she currently had, defeating Iori would be incredibly difficult.
"No, stay calm. Don't be deceived by appearances, Master."
El-Melloi II narrowed his eyes, observing Iori as he spoke to the orange-haired girl. "His presence has grown stronger, but it lacks endurance."
"It feels strong on the outside but weak within… Most likely he wants a quick battle, so he increased the output of his Spirit Origin."
"What comes next will surely be an overwhelmingly powerful offensive. But if we endure it, victory will be ours!"
"Right!"
Ritsuka clenched her fist before her chest, her eyes firm and decisive.
"This is a trial we must overcome!"
Karna gave her a deep look. Though she was only an ordinary human, she was this brave, unwavering in carrying out her beliefs without the slightest hesitation.
This deeply moved the Son of the Sun. With Amakusa Shirou's life and death unknown and the Master-Servant contract flickering in and out, the Red faction Servants could disappear at any time.
Until Amakusa's death was confirmed, Karna had no intention of changing sides on his own.
In that case, he would treat this battle as the final destination and offer everything to protect this girl's justice.
"Good eyes… it seems you've made up your mind."
Iori smiled as he met Karna's gaze. Even though he held the advantage, he showed no arrogance, because in his eyes every Servant was an opponent worthy of respect.
"Then it seems I must prepare myself accordingly as well!"
Lightning wrapped around the blade. Flames ignited upon the spear. Two great heroes from mythology faced each other, and the heavy atmosphere left everyone speechless.
Jeanne. Achilles. Atalanta. Mash…
The Servants silently adjusted their stances and formation, forming a perfect battle array under the strategist's guidance.
No single Servant could fight Iori alone. In fact, even together they were only barely managing… but at this moment, no one would retreat.
Even Atalanta, who had once made an agreement with Iori, had unknowingly changed her mindset and chosen to stand with Chaldea, or rather with Ritsuka and the others.
"Begin!"
It was impossible to tell who made the first move. Their speed surpassed the limits of human perception.
By the time Ritsuka came back to her senses, the Servants were already locked in fierce combat with Iori.
The orange-haired girl watched the scene while holding her breath, her lips pressed tightly together. Having experienced similar situations before, she could already sense a world-shaking change about to occur.
But she could not run. This was what she had to do as a Master. She had to repair the Singularity and save this world!
Just as the battle reached its peak, the Greater Grail, which supported the pillar of light reaching the heavens, suddenly emitted a strange noise.
The vast energy that had been contained began to destabilize, and the magical arrays in the void flickered like faulty circuits.
"What?!"
Iori turned back in shock, anxiety filling his eyes.
"Master!"
He instinctively tried to break away, but Karna used his overwhelming mobility to block him. Noticing his abnormal reaction, the Servants intensified their attacks, entangling him tightly and preventing his escape.
As time passed, that massive magical power became increasingly unstable. Finally, the pillar of light completely dissipated, and the magical patterns shattered like crystal.
"So it failed…"
Holding Achilles' spear back with his sword, Iori's expression dimmed for a brief moment before flames reignited in his eyes.
"But even so… I will guard it to the very end!"
Clang!
Another direct clash. Achilles was knocked flying, but an excited expression appeared on his face.
"He's gotten weaker!"
Bang!
Chang!
After several exchanges with Jeanne and Karna, Iori's momentum and pressure were rapidly declining. Even Ritsuka, with her ordinary human senses, could clearly see his weakening state.
"His power is gradually disappearing!"
The orange-haired girl suddenly understood.
"Is it because he lost his Master… and his connection to the Greater Grail was cut off?"
A trace of reluctance flashed in Ritsuka's eyes, but she still ordered the battle to continue, because she understood from Iori's gaze, even if the battle had already lost its meaning, he would absolutely never give up.
"It seems this is the end… it is the dew that opened heaven and earth, the thing that formed the stars!"
Surging magical power burst from the boy's body. The divine sword in his hand took on magnificent colors, like the eight-colored storm clouds above the heads of the Yamata no Orochi.
Lightning. Water patterns. Raging wind… divine powers were being gathered together.
"Then I'll respond with my strongest strike as well!"
Karna's expression remained calm as he slowly rose into the sky wrapped in flames. The brilliant golden armor on his body began to peel away piece by piece within the fire.
Each piece of armor that fell was equivalent to cutting away part of Lancer's Spirit Origin. An agony beyond words descended upon the Son of God, like being sliced apart piece by piece.
Yet he never showed pain, only silently endured it all.
In the end, the fallen golden armor reassembled around the divine spear in his hand. After being tempered by both lightning and pale blue flames, the golden spear transformed into a monster no one could possibly wield.
This weapon had already surpassed the limits of what humans could control.
"I offer you my respect, warrior god from another land!"
"No matter how today ends, I feel sincere joy from having once fought alongside you…"
The swirling flames all vanished as Karna poured all his magical power into the divine spear.
At that same moment, Iori also raised the Ame-no-Murakumo no Tsurugi. The scale of his "final struggle" was beyond anyone's imagination. The total magical power he gathered even exceeded that of Karna's divine spear.
Lightning flashed. Crimson lotus blazed. Karna chanted the name of the miracle in his hand.
"Comprehend the compassion of the King of Gods."
"Indra, watch closely."
"Annihilation lies within this strike."
"Burn completely... [O Sun, Abide by Death (Vasavi Shakti)]!!"
The sun fell.
It was karmic fire that could burn the three thousand worlds to ashes. The wrath of the crimson lotus. The divine spear that brings extinction to all things.
At the same time, it was also Indra's spear, wrapped in lightning powerful enough to destroy the surface of the earth.
BOOM!
The fire-attribute magical power compressed to the limit erupted. The ground shattered once more, melting into flowing magma. Broken stones turned into golden-red liquid before they even touched the ground…
Death and destruction intertwined. Karna's self-sacrificing strike would surely burn away all existence.
"Good!"