Chapter 380

Chapter 380: Chapter 380

In an instant, more than a thousand sword strikes converged upon the same point, crashing into Berserker’s steel-hard muscles with power that surpassed even Esdeath’s Afterglow.

The enormous body that had been rampaging through the cemetery only moments earlier abruptly stiffened, becoming as motionless as a statue cast from solid iron.

"Berserker...?"

Illya called out softly, but received no response.

Her expression immediately changed, and she turned toward Kiriya with a mixture of shock and anger.

"What did you do to him?!"

Click.

Kiriya calmly returned the Dragon Fang Sword to its sheath.

With his back still turned toward Illya, he spoke in a voice that seemed to drift from somewhere impossibly distant.

"Didn’t you hear it? That faint sound of death."

Shhk—!

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a deep wound suddenly split open across Berserker’s enormous body.

Blood erupted from the opening like water from a high-pressure hose, and the legendary hero collapsed heavily onto the ground.

"Berserker..."

Tears gathered at the corners of Illya’s eyes.

She knew her Servant possessed the extraordinary Noble Phantasm God Hand: The Twelve Labors.

She understood perfectly well that an attack like this would not permanently kill him, and that he would eventually recover.

Even so, an inexplicable sadness tightened around her heart.

It felt as though something sharp had pierced straight through her chest, leaving behind a pain she could not explain.

After all, although Illya’s understanding of the world had been twisted by the cruel values of Magus society, she was still, at heart, a little girl who looked no older than eight or nine.

She wanted affection, warmth, and a family that genuinely cared about her.

That was precisely why she had never regarded Berserker as a mere familiar or mindless beast, the way those decrepit old monsters of the Einzbern family did.

To Illya, Heracles was family, someone who occupied a place in her heart not unlike that of a father or an older brother.

How could she remain calm when someone so important to her was being hurt?

"Berserker, get up! Beat him! I know you can do it!"

Illya raised her voice, desperately encouraging him.

"ROOOOAR—!"

As though the little girl’s voice had activated some extraordinary switch, a brilliant crimson glow erupted from Berserker’s body.

The horrifying wound across his chest rapidly closed, and within moments, his flesh had completely regenerated.

Anyone witnessing the scene would have little doubt that the giant could resume fighting at full strength in the very next instant.

Illya’s confidence immediately returned.

Kiriya had already suffered numerous injuries, while her Berserker was back in perfect condition.

If the fight continued, it would be a fresh, fully restored Berserker against an exhausted opponent.

Surely the advantage belonged to her!

A hopeful smile gradually blossomed across her delicate, doll-like face.

Unfortunately, that hope lasted only a moment.

Several wooden vines suddenly erupted from the ground beneath Berserker and wrapped around his legs.

Before he could respond, they rapidly climbed upward, winding around his waist, arms, and torso until nearly his entire body was covered.

"ROOOOAR—!"

Having only just finished resurrecting, Berserker was naturally furious to find himself restrained by something as insignificant as a collection of vines.

His enormous muscles bulged as he exerted his monstrous strength, instantly tearing apart the vines binding his arms.

But destroying two accomplished very little when another dozen were already rushing toward him.

Dense masses of wooden tendrils surged from every direction, wrapping around his limbs, abdomen, and neck before tightening relentlessly.

Then the energy-draining properties of Forest of All Things activated.

Within moments, Illya was horrified to discover that the magical energy inside her Servant was being depleted at an astonishing rate.

"Berserker!"

This time, her panic was genuine.

Whether Berserker suffered injuries or even died was not necessarily disastrous.

With God Hand protecting him, he could recover from such wounds, and there would still be opportunities for the two of them to escape.

But now her Servant had been completely restrained, and their enemy possessed a technique capable of draining his strength.

How was Berserker supposed to rescue her under those circumstances?

If this continued, both Master and Servant would end up captured.

Illya knew perfectly well what could happen to a captured Magus.

As a member of the Einzbern family, she had been exposed to more than enough of the darker realities of Magecraft.

’No! I have to do something, or we’re finished!’

Her little mind raced as she desperately searched for a way out.

People often said that adversity brought out hidden potential, and apparently there was some truth to that saying.

Within only a second or two, Illya suddenly came up with an idea.

"Hehehe... Big Brother, you’re amazing!"

Her voice became sweet and cheerful again.

"You’re so strong that even Berserker couldn’t beat you!"

She raised her head and gazed up at Kiriya with enormous, watery eyes, putting every ounce of her considerable cuteness into the expression.

"Let’s form an alliance!"

The tiny girl delivered her proposal with complete confidence.

"If we join forces, winning this Holy Grail War will be easy!"

"An alliance?"

Kiriya paused and exchanged a glance with Esdeath.

Both of them struggled to keep from laughing, and when he looked back at Illya, his expression had become rather peculiar.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course!"

Illya fluttered her enormous crimson eyes and deliberately softened her voice even further.

"Actually, the very first time I saw you, Big Brother, I thought you looked really kind! I felt this wonderful sense of closeness, almost like we were already family."

"Family?"

Kiriya smiled meaningfully.

"You tried to kill someone you considered family the moment you met him? Being related to you sounds pretty dangerous."

For some reason, that reminded him of a certain red-haired individual who behaved in much the same way.

"Uh..."

Illya briefly ran out of words.

Her eyes darted around as she frantically searched for an explanation.

"T-That was only a joke! Just a little joke!"

She quickly put on another adorable smile.

"I could tell right away that you and Big Sister weren’t ordinary people, so I only wanted to test how strong you were. Hehehe..."

She even tried tilting her head in an extra display of cuteness.

Unfortunately, the only reward she received was another flick to the forehead.

"Ow!"

"You certainly think quickly for such a little thing."

Kiriya smiled like a proper villain.

"Unfortunately, that trick won’t work on me. After all, it’s that extraordinary body of yours that I’m interested in."

Esdeath merely smiled without saying anything.

She knew Kiriya’s tastes far too well.

He preferred mature women with generous figures. There was no way he would suddenly become interested in a little girl like Illya in that sense.

Which meant his interest had to lie elsewhere.

Perhaps he wanted to study her unusual constitution?

BOOM—!

To Illya, however, Kiriya’s words landed like a thunderbolt.

Her entire mind went numb.

’I’m finished! Have I really run into one of those legendary super-perverts?! What do I do? What do I do?! Berserker, please save me!’

She desperately called out to her Servant in her heart.

"Rrgh..."

Unfortunately, the only response was a weak, exhausted growl from Berserker, who was still trapped within the draining vines.

"All right. We’ve had a pretty productive outing tonight."

Kiriya glanced toward the old church in the distance, then looked back at Esdeath.

"Let’s head home and get everything sorted out."

With that, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.

Kiriya, Esdeath, Illya, and the restrained Berserker disappeared together.

...

"Hm? That ability..."

Inside the church, Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow as he watched the four figures vanish.

"So it really is spatial movement."

Interest flickered in the King of Heroes’ crimson eyes.

"That boy certainly has quite a few secrets hidden away."

"This situation is becoming troublesome," Kirei Kotomine said gravely.

"The boy himself is extraordinarily powerful, as are that blue-haired woman and the girl who resembles an elf. Now he’s acquired both Berserker and Caster as well. His forces are only becoming more formidable."

Gilgamesh glanced at him.

"What’s this? Are you afraid?"

"Afraid? Of course not."

Kirei shook his head.

"I’m merely concerned that his actions will interfere with the proper course of the Holy Grail War. It would be rather unfair to the other participants."

First Caster, and now Berserker.

There was no telling how many more Servants that mysterious young man intended to recruit.

Was he planning to bring the entire Holy Grail War under his control?

If that happened, would they still be able to control the Greater Grail?

And without the Greater Grail manifesting as intended, how could All the World’s Evil emerge into the world?

More importantly, how was Kirei supposed to savor the pleasure of witnessing widespread suffering and despair if the disaster he anticipated never occurred?

"Heh. Such trivial concerns are meaningless."

Gilgamesh turned his wine-red gaze toward the world beyond the church windows.

"Whether they are Masters or Servants, any who dare oppose this king will inevitably crumble before me."

His voice carried absolute confidence.

"Our plans will not be disturbed by anyone. Those unnecessary humans will receive the cleansing they deserve."

There was not the slightest trace of uncertainty in his words.

And from their conversation, one thing became unmistakably clear.

These two men intended to summon the corrupted Holy Grail and unleash All the World’s Evil upon Fuyuki City, bringing about a catastrophe that would engulf countless innocent people.