Fate: How About a New Savior?

At the Singularity, Shiomi wouldn't have been surprised if enemies had appeared at any moment. They were mentally prepared for that.

But when Paracelsus and his group blocked their path to the museum, flanked by Helter Skelters and artificial lifeforms, and claimed they were atoning for their sins to their "king," even Shiomi was taken aback.

"King?"

Shiomi stood beside Artoria's horse, eyeing the blue-haired man at the front of the group. As expected, the three of them weren't the real masterminds—just underlings responsible for creating the Singularity and burning away human order. But the true mastermind was someone they referred to as "King."

His mind raced through the many renowned kings among the Heroic Spirits, then shifted his gaze toward Artoria. A new hypothesis surfaced. If Artoria had responded to the summons not just for the usual reasons, but because she had ties to the mastermind behind the Singularity…

The first name that came to mind was the Usurper King, Votigen.

According to legends he'd read at the Mage's Association, Votigen's power once eclipsed the radiance of the Holy Swords of both King Arthur and Gawain, forcing Arthur to bring out the Holy Spear and slay him.

But… even if Votigen was the embodiment of Britannia itself, could he really have orchestrated a catastrophe on the scale of incinerating human history?

"You don't need to know that," the blue-haired man sneered. "As long as we kill all of you from Chaldea here, our king won't punish us for failing."

Pulled from his thoughts, Shiomi looked up at the man again.

"You're…"

There was something oddly familiar about him—like someone he'd seen before but couldn't fully recall.

"I am Makiri Zolgen, the one leading the London Demonic Fog Project," the man introduced himself, then burst into a low, sinister laugh. "Or perhaps it's more convenient for you if I say… Zouken Matou?"

The moment he heard the name, Shiomi knew who he was dealing with. But Makiri's next words stunned him even more—and something clicked.

"No wonder the Matou family vanished after the Fifth Holy Grail War."

Shiomi let out a knowing chuckle.

"The Mage's Association couldn't trace a single lead after that. Who would've thought… you actually managed to rejuvenate yourself, Matou!"

"That body was already too decrepit to be of any use. And you outsider Magus kept interfering with our rituals," Makiri spat with disdain. "I gave up on the Holy Grail and the Matou family long ago. Only an idiot like Shinji would've insisted on joining."

He showed no sympathy for his descendants. Instead, his eyes turned toward Sakura.

"If you hadn't taken that little girl away from the Tohsaka family back then—"

Sakura stiffened, clutching her wand as she moved closer to Shiomi.

As an adult, she'd heard from Shiomi that when Tokiomi Tohsaka was struggling to decide Sakura's future, both Shiomi and the Matou family had shown interest. In the end, Tokiomi chose Shiomi because of his status and connections at the Clock Tower.

If he hadn't...

Just thinking about the inhuman wreck that was Shinji Matou made Sakura shudder at what might have been.

"Makiri Zolgen."

Shiomi reached out, shielding Sakura behind him as a surge of fury rose within. He couldn't forgive anyone who looked at his family like they were some kind of contagion.

"You've finally regained your youth, and you're already looking to die?"

Makiri remained expressionless.

"This body is a gift from our king. Naturally, I must offer everything for his 'great cause.' Life and death are no longer concerns. Still, I didn't expect that, just as Paracelsus said, evil would inevitably be obstructed by those who walk the path of good."

Shiomi didn't know what Makiri had been through, but he could tell—this man fully understood the evil he committed and still pressed forward without hesitation.

"Just as our king burned through human history in pursuit of his grand vision, the Counter Force will never sit back and allow such things to happen. For the sake of humanity, a Messiah will inevitably rise to oppose us," Paracelsus said, his tone melancholic as he spoke his cryptic philosophy. "That's what destiny is."

Shiomi locked eyes with Makiri's group, his gaze ice-cold.

"P and M have already shown up. That means the remaining B… is that mechanical Servant over there, right?"

"My name is Charles Babbage, one who has devoted everything to the glorious steam world," the mechanical Servant introduced himself in a flat, emotionless voice.

"So all three bastards who caused the demonic fog are here."

Mordred knocked her sword against her shoulder armor.

"And they even brought a whole army. Trying to wipe us out in one go, huh?"

Artoria, unusually, picked up where Mordred left off.

"Then the question is, which side's getting wiped out?"

Mordred blinked, then broke into a fierce grin.

"Good point."

"Looks like there's no avoiding it now," Makiri said with mock regret, though it was clear he had planned for this from the start.

Shiomi gripped his magic wand.

With Mordred and Artoria handling the front line, he intended to push Odin's wand further—to see how much it could really do.

"Sakura, don't pay any attention to that guy. Stay by my side."

He squeezed her hand and encouraged her.

"I'm here. You'll be fine."

"I understand. I've known that for a long time, Dad."

Sakura clasped his hand firmly, fully activating her Magic Circuits to unleash the maximum amount of Mana.

No signal marked the start of the battle. The army of Helter Skelters and artificial lifeforms surged toward them like a tidal wave, intent on crushing them.

If they could be crushed, that is.

With two massive bursts of magical energy, the King of Knights and the Rebel Knight shot into the enemy ranks like twin comets—red and black—tearing through the horde from the front, toppling and ripping apart mechanical soldiers and artificial lifeforms alike.

The advancing enemy line faltered.

But this wasn't going to be a simple hack-and-slash fight. Makiri's group launched their own offensive.

"You remember the Grand Magecraft spell I taught you, right?" Shiomi asked with a grin.

"I'm not an idiot. Of course I remember everything."

"Then sync your Mana frequency with mine. We'll strike together and cover Lancer and Saber!"

Shiomi raised his voice.

The two wands crossed, and a Rune Magecraft array bloomed beneath their feet, centered around them. Mana surged from the glowing Runes, streaming forward and held within its bounds.

Together, they chanted the same incantation, raising their wands toward the sky.

"Meteor Judgment!"