In Type-Moon, it all starts with adopting Sakura.

On the city wall, under the watchful eyes of everyone, King Gilgamesh roared at the battlefield that had become scorched earth, causing Kingo and Enkidu to frown.

"A single volley of fire can cover half of Uruk! It will last for about three minutes! And just one volley can consume a full tenth of the Gate of Babylon's inventory! This is a testament to my wealth! Hahahahahahahahaha—!!"

Gilgamesh burst into laughter, which initially sounded particularly majestic and domineering, but as he laughed, those around him sensed a strange sadness and heartache in his tone.

"Who asked you?"

Kingu frowned, somewhat puzzled as to why Gilgamesh would say so much, while Siduri offered her suggestion at that moment.

“King Gilgamesh, now that the Rahmu have finally retreated, shouldn’t we gather everyone together to discuss our next strategy? And everyone can take this time to rest and recuperate.”

"Oh? You mean?"

Gilgamesh turned his head away.

"Based on previous battles, we know that those monsters have no sense of pain or emotion. Their retreat is certainly not due to simple fear, but rather for other purposes. In addition, I have almost finished studying the situation of these monsters. They do not follow biological rules, but evolve by torturing and killing humans and collecting fear. Their only purpose is to eliminate humanity. Therefore, we do not need to worry about their surprise attack, but should prepare to meet the next attack with far greater numbers than this one. After all, letting the soldiers pursue the enemy will only result in the needless loss of lives."

Siduri said this.

"Hmph, it seems your previous experience of being captured has given you a better understanding of these monsters, Siduri. But you're right, I've noticed that too. Putting aside the fact that this isn't a problem that can be solved by chasing them, Uruk doesn't have the resources to pursue them right now."

"Those two goddesses have already exhausted their strength by working together to counteract Tiamat's ecological-altering power. They no longer have the resources to lead troops into battle. Scáthach and Ereshkigal are still busy relocating in the Underworld. There are only a few left who can be of any use now, so let's call it a day."

After analyzing the situation, Gilgamesh immediately agreed to Siduri's suggestion, allowing the soldiers to retreat and rest before figuring out how to engage the enemy.

Because Tiamat possesses the power to alter planets, this singularity must suppress this power to prevail. The two Holy Lance goddesses have just used the power of the Star Anchor to dispel the authority of the Mother of Creation, so they are currently weak. Excluding those from the Underworld, only Quetzalcoatl, Ishtar, and Kingu are currently capable of leading an army. Sending only these three would be far too few, not only ineffective but also extremely dangerous; Gilgamesh would certainly not make such a mistake.

In the meantime, let's first find a way to welcome our mother who will soon be able to walk again, and let the soldiers have one last rest. After all, no matter what the outcome, their home will be gone.

——South——

Compared to the meat grinder to the north facing the Persian Gulf, the battlefield here is much easier.

With the presence of the three gods—Alter, Quetzalcoatl, and Ishtar—Rahmu wouldn't be able to break through even without the HMS Alter.

"Senior, Rahmu has retreated..."

Having received Gilgamesh's orders, Mash and Ritsuka, exhausted, returned to Uruk and sat down together on the ground.

After being under constant mental strain for so long, the moment you relax even slightly, a wave of fatigue washes over you.

"Yes, we held them off."

Ritsuka nodded in response, then wiped the blood off her hair.

Mashu, standing beside Ritsuka, was in a similar situation. Although her shield and armor were stained with countless scratches and blood, her eyes showed no confusion or fear. Although she and Ritsuka had always been by Artoria's, Merlin's, or Anna's side, these two girls had long been capable of standing on their own after experiencing so much. After all, they were partners who had traversed six singularities to reach this place, and they had already changed.

Moreover, it wasn't just them; others in this singularity also had their own thoughts and gains.

Regardless of what era we come from, what our feelings are, or what beliefs we hold, everyone here is now a partner we can entrust our backs to and a companion we can trust.

"However, King Gilgamesh's power is truly formidable; he has so many cannons. Although I didn't see it with my own eyes, I can still feel the awe-inspiring scene from this distance..."

Ritsuka sighed, and Mashu nodded slightly.

Beep beep beep!!

It was accompanied by a crisp sound.

Just as they were chatting, the communicator, which had been silent for a long time, finally made contact again.

"Hey, can you hear me? Ritsuka, Mashu."

Leonardo da Vinci's face is projected in it.

"It's Leonardo da Vinci's relative!!"

Upon hearing this sound, Ritsuka and Mashu immediately exclaimed in surprise.

This also relieved Leonardo da Vinci.

"It looks like it's been fixed."

After seeing that the two were alright, she was relieved. She then began to inquire about Ritsuka and Mash's situation and recount their predicament. Because Goetia had destroyed half of Chaldea, Ramses II, Joan of Arc, and the others, who were originally scheduled to depart, had been put on hold and were now in Chaldea trying to find a solution.

However, it's good to know they're alright; she'll find a way to fix the rest.

As for Tiamat, she already knew about it. After all, Dr. Roman used Merry's blog to communicate with this singularity and relayed the information back. Chaldea and Holmes were already searching for information related to Tiamat.

At this point, just as Leonardo da Vinci was about to ask Ritsuka some questions privately.

Suddenly, a male voice appeared behind them, causing Ritsuka and Mashu to tense up immediately.

"So you're the Masters of the Observatory? Humans from the same place as my Pact Holder? You seem quite interesting... How about we make a deal?"

Chapter 300: The Prelude to the Final Battle

"Looks like I'm really lucky. I just got back from Gilgamesh's place and ran into the people I was looking for, the guys at the observatory."

A slightly frivolous male voice sounded in her ear. Although it sounded somewhat flippant and contained no hostility, it reminded Ritsuka of voices like Jason or Blackbeard. However, they were both horrified that the other person could approach them from behind without them noticing.

Ritsuka and Mashu, who were leaning against each other, hurriedly stood up. Mashu even raised her shield, controlled her strength, and instinctively slammed it down.

clang!!

A sharp, crisp sound—the kind of sound that only comes from the collision of metals.

The two turned around and stared wide-eyed.

A blond man held a pistol with an axe blade in his hand, steadily blocking Mash's shield, which was larger than a person, and smiled at them.

"That was a powerful and forceful strike, a very impressive, or rather, a very beautiful attack. The strength, the angle, and the awareness displayed were all impeccable. Even in my Netherworld, you would be considered a qualified warrior. It seems you are not as weak as that guy described, Shieldbearer."

Instead of being angered by Mash's shield, Smoke Mirror commented on her attack with interest, a hint of amusement in her eyes. Meanwhile, Ritsuka raised her gloved left hand, the bright red Command Seal on it glowing. Then, the modern Mystic Code that Da Vinci, Eddie, and Tesla had prepared for her emerged from the glove, with two slender, black gun barrels pointed at Smoke Mirror's face.

Like Mashu, Ritsuka instinctively became wary of the evil gods who had come up behind her without permission and whose hands had just touched their shoulders.

After all, this is not Chaldea, so they cannot let their guard down. In the situation of the Seventh Singularity, they have already witnessed enough tragic scenes, and they are no longer simple girls, so they will not easily lower their guard.

"Someone I've never seen before..."

Ritsuka murmured.

In just one glance, she determined two crucial pieces of information: that Smoke Mirror was a Servant and that she had never seen him before, meaning he was definitely not a Servant from Uruk.

Since he's not a Servant from Uruk, then...

Who are the other Servants in this singularity?

Enemy?

She and Mashu exchanged a glance and nodded, preparing to work together to subdue Smoke Mirror or wait for others to come and provide support.

At that moment, Leonardo da Vinci also noticed the sudden approach of the smoke mirror, and was equally alarmed that Sheba hadn't noticed him before.

She quickly turned on the instrument to detect the smoke mirror and finally confirmed its location, along with more information.

"This spirit origin reaction is Berserker, definitely not a Servant from Uruk. His attire is modern, so is he a Servant from the Western World? And look at the size of his spirit origin... No, no, this, this is—!!"

Da Vinci, who was seriously investigating the Smoke Mirror and had begun providing information to Ritsuka and Mashu, immediately widened his eyes.

"What's wrong, Leonardo da Vinci!"

Ritsuka and Mashu immediately inquired about the situation, but the Smoke Mirror in front of them simply smiled and didn't seem to care about them.

"It's nothing, Ritsuka, get away from this guy right now! Leave immediately before you're sure if he's friend or foe! He's definitely not an enemy you can handle!"

"His class is Berserker, his true name is unknown, but his Spirit Origin is Grand! He is a genuine Grand-ranked being, on the same level as King Hassan encountered in the Sixth Singularity and Solomon seen in the Fourth Singularity!"

Leonardo da Vinci immediately informed them of the information.

"Grand Servants?!"

Upon hearing this information, Ritsuka and Mashu were slightly taken aback, and then showed expressions of surprise.

But just as they were about to retreat, the Smoke Mirror, who had been in front of them, appeared behind them without them noticing. He casually put his arm around their necks, then looked down at Leonardo da Vinci on the communicator and smiled.

"So fast!"

When suddenly brought so close, Mashu and Ritsuka trembled slightly, their bodies immediately stiffening.

Given his position and the strength he displayed when he caught Mash's shield with one hand, it would have been as easy as blinking an eye for them to snap their necks. But the fact that he didn't means...

Ritsuka quickly regained her composure and asked a question.

What do you want to do?

"Oh, you calmed down so quickly? That's a rare quality."

Smoke Mirror smiled slightly, satisfied with Ritsuka's composure in the face of adversity. He then placed his fingers on the back of Ritsuka's hand and infused her with magic power, helping her activate that interesting Mystic Code. The next moment, several specially made bullets enhanced by Da Vinci were fired, hitting the city gate and leaving several bullet holes.

Upon seeing this, his eyes lit up, and he then pulled off Ritsuka's gloves before leaping away.

"Interesting thing, what an ingenious design, a combination of firearms and magic? Interesting..."

As if he had lost interest in Ritsuka, Smoke Mirror, like a child who had received a toy, began to seriously play with the gloves in his hands, then adjusted them slightly and put them on his own hands.

"What exactly is this...?"

Although Ritsuka and Mashu were somewhat relieved to be out of danger, they still couldn't figure out the other party's unusual behavior.

Fortunately, Chaldea had many problematic Servants, so they didn't hesitate for long before asking the other party their questions, such as—

Who exactly are you?

What do you want to do?

And, Leonardo da Vinci's.

Are you on friendly forces?

Upon hearing these words, Smoke Mirror shook his arm, his smile vanished, and he greeted them.

"You are allies. I am Grand Berserker, and my real name is Witness of Flame and Future. My paradise will always welcome those who dare to challenge all difficulties. But this time, I am your ally."

He didn't reveal his real name, but Smoke Mirror did explain his location.

"I shouldn't be here, but because someone completely disappeared, the Counter Force sent me to fill in for the First Beast. I just came to see you all. How should I put it? Although you still look like somewhat immature little kids, you already have the awareness of warriors. On the contrary, I underestimated you before."

Smoke Mirror stroked his chin and gave Mash and Ritsuka this evaluation.

"Although you may lack some talent compared to those guys, you have your own unique qualities. So it's still uncertain who will win or lose. Anyway, keep up the good work! I'm really looking forward to your future performances."

"……what?"

After listening to Smoke Mirror's cryptic and enigmatic words, Ritsuka and Mashu were quite confused. They didn't know where to begin asking, and they also knew that even if they asked, he might not answer. So they went straight to the point.

"Um...you mean you're here to help us this time?"