Under the watchful gaze of a myriad of spectators, the recording continued its steady progression.
『 Elsewhere on the battlefield, Rin Tohsaka wasted no time. The moment Artoria's voice reached her ears, she sprang into action. In the mere blink of an eye, she had closed the distance, lunging toward Medea's flank.
"SABER!!" She cried out.
Hardly had the words left her lips when a gemstone appeared in her hand as if by magic. IN THE NEXT HEARTBEAT—SHOO—!—a streak of azure mana tore through the air. This concentrated burst of terrifying magical energy hurtled toward Medea with blistering speed.
Against a common magus, such an assault might have proven decisive. However, Medea was no ordinary sorceress; she was the Witch of Betrayal. To a grand magus from the Age of Gods, such Jewel Magecraft was little more than a trifle. With a casual flick of her wrist, she dispersed the devastating mana as if swatting away a fly. 』
『 .....』
Witnessing this display, Heroic Spirits and magi across the various worlds could not help but voice their astonishment.
〜Viewer's Chat Room〜
[ Christopher Columbus (Rider): Jewel Magecraft… Is that really how you use gems? What a scandalous waste! I prefer gold myself, but jewels are a fine resource! If you're just going to throw them away, you might as well hand them over to me. ]
[ Emiya Kiritsugu: I see… Jewel Magecraft. Storing one's own magical energy within gems to use them as disposable bombs. It is an effective method, certainly, but unless one possesses a bottomless fortune, the estate would surely collapse under the cost. ]
[ Fujimaru Ritsuka: Talk about a money-sink… In modern terms, that's a total "Pay-to-Win" playstyle! I doubt there are many people out there who could afford to make Jewel Magecraft their primary combat style. ]
[ Emiya Shirou: To be honest, I'm starting to suspect the only reason Rin likes jewels so much is specifically so she can blow them up like that. ]
[ Olga Marie Animusphere: Well, now I think I understand why the Tohsaka family is perpetually broke. I was wondering how a distinguished lineage could fall into such financial ruin, but this kind of extravagant spellcasting explains everything. ]
[ .....]
While the discussion regarding the cost of the Jewel Magecraft, no one ignored Medea's sheer prowess. As expected of the legendary Witch of the Age of Gods, she neutralized such high-level thaumaturgy with nothing more than a wave of her hand.
〜In the Worldline of Fourth Holy Grail War〜
Tokiomi Tohsaka watched the screen, his brow furrowing in concern.
"The Witch of the Age of Gods is indeed a formidable opponent…"
A seed of anxiety began to take root in his heart. While the Caster class was notoriously weak in direct physical confrontation, that did not guarantee a swift victory for Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka. After all, he hadn't forgotten the title of this video.
"Could the turning point of this battle truly lie with that man?"
Tokiomi mused, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the unremarkable figure of Souichirou Kuzuki. He cared little for the fate of Shirou Emiya, but his daughter was another matter entirely. Driven by this paternal dread, he continued to watch.
—
As the audience's chatter hummed in the background, the scene on the screen unfolded further.
『 Rin Tohsaka had harbored no illusions that her opening gambit would defeat the witch. Her true hope rested entirely on Saber's shoulders.
Across the clearing, Artoria had instantly grasped Rin's intent the moment she heard her name called. She moved with the suddenness of a lightning strike. A torrential surge of mana erupted from her frame, weaving a mantle of brilliant blue light around her. Her garments fluttered violently in the wake of her power.
Her eyes sharpened.
BOOM—!
With a deafening roar that shook the very earth, Artoria lunged forward. Her target, however, was not Medea. It was Souichirou Kuzuki.
The duo's strategy was clear: strike the shepherd to scatter the sheep. If they could eliminate the Master, even a witch as powerful as Medea would be rendered helpless without a source of mana.
Medea realized their plan in an instant. "Stop right there, Saber!"
She commanded, her hands already glowing with condensed magical energy. She unleashed a volley of mana bolts with a mere thought. For a witch of her caliber, "High-Speed Incantation" allowed for the instantaneous casting of spells that would take modern magi minutes to prepare.
BANG—!
The bolts of light slammed into Artoria's position in the span of a heartbeat. A thunderous explosion echoed through the ruins, and a thick shroud of smoke veiled the battlefield.
Seeing her attack find its mark, a faint, triumphant smile tugged at the corner of Medea's lips. While the spells were cast in haste and lacked the full weight of her destructive power, the King of Knights had been caught without any visible defense. Under such conditions, even a Servant should have been severely staggered.
However…
As the smoke began to dissipate, Medea's smile froze. Charging out of the haze was Artoria, unscathed and resolute, without a single mark upon her armor.
Medea's mind raced as the realization hit her.
"Magic Resistance?!"
Then, as if struck by a sudden premonition, she turned her gaze toward her Master. "Souichirou-sama!"
But that momentary lapse in concentration was all the opening Artoria needed. In the time it took for Medea to gasp, the King of Knights had already closed the distance to Souichirou Kuzuki.
Artoria raised her great invisible blade high, poised to deliver a finishing blow that would surely claim the man's life. To every observer, the outcome seemed certain.
And yet, in the very next heartbeat, something occurred that defied all expectation… 』
『 .....』