Two targets must fall for victory to be secured.
Gilles de Rais and Fafnir.
Fafnir was already collapsing, having taken a point-blank hit from Balmung. While Jeanne d'Arc Alter and Gilles de Rais were desperately trying to stabilize the situation, there were no wyverns or other Sea Horrors summoned by their side. At most, the Berserk Servants they had previously called forth constituted their entire remaining force.
'And summoning more wyverns is impossible.'
This was a fact I hadn't known until I received the briefing from Romani.
The reason the Dragon Witch—Jeanne d'Arc Alter—could command wyverns with her skill was partly due to her title, but primarily because those wyverns were effectively scraps generated from Fafnir's magical energy core.
A dragon's heart acts as a type of magical energy reactor, possessing a pool of resources comparable to the Greater Holy Grail we know so well.
In other words, the Dragon Witch was able to turn all of France into a wasteland because Fafnir, the 'Evil Dragon' she summoned, was a single weapon with an output on par with the Grail itself.
'But even so, one cannot ignore conceptual compatibility.'
A magical energy reactor, destructive power exceeding an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm—these are all formidable traits and dangers that cannot be overlooked. However, if the opponent is an overwhelming natural enemy, there is no way to resist.
'Wyverns are merely creatures Jeanne d'Arc Alter can command; they aren't "Servants" she summoned personally. Therefore, she cannot simply manifest them here on the spot!'
"Oh, Jeanne! Now is the time to retreat! This Gilles de Rais was foolish to be deceived by the honeyed words of that wicked man! I implore you, my Holy Maiden, let us withdraw and properly reorganize our forces!"
"Tch, I suppose it can't be helped for now. Move, Fafnir! Even if you have to squeeze out your very last dregs of strength, burn those insolent bastards to ash!"
The Berserk Servants were being dragged off somewhere and annihilated.
The Archer who resisted until the end was eventually pulled in and skewered by a blade. The Rider, once called the Saint of the Waterfront, was eliminated after being caught by our own Rider in her glass carriage, who struck and retreated repeatedly.
Even the Assassin, who had followed orders most faithfully, perished by the blade of the Dragonslayer.
...Yes, they would retreat here just as Gilles suggested. They would retreat, gather their strength, ensure they never fell for another trap, and then surely reclaim France...
"I cannot let you do that!"
"You... right, the Lancer from that time. We must shake her off and escape, Holy Maiden!"
"...Wait, Gilles. I sense the presence of other Servants... counting the woman there, there are more than five of them."
Right as Jeanne d'Arc Alter spoke, Mash arrived, carrying Ritsuka on her back, accompanied by the true Jeanne d'Arc.
...Right on top of the infuriated Fafnir's head, no less.
-Static.-
'...Dammit, the Master shouldn't be moving like that...!'
Quickly establishing a communication link, I barked at Romani.
"What are you thinking sending Ritsuka there, Romani! Tell them to get down immediately!"
[I can't. We have to secure their Holy Grail right here and now.]
"What kind of nonsense is—"
[Gilles de Rais de-summoned all the Berserk Servants and concentrated their magical energy resources into Fafnir. Both Ritsuka and you have exhausted your Command Spells. The moment Fafnir regains consciousness here, we're all going to the underworld.]
"Bloody hell... estimated time for Fafnir's recovery?"
[Twenty minutes. We have to take down Gilles de Rais before then!]
A twenty-minute time attack, huh...
"That sounds doable!"
Ceasing the barrage of fire I was raining down on Fafnir's wounds, I transformed my arm into a long-barreled anti-materiel sniper rifle. Altering my feet to anchor myself firmly into the ground, I fired at Gilles de Rais, who was confronting Gareth while preparing a thaumaturgical circle atop Fafnir's head.
Even from a distance, the sound of tearing flesh and Gilles de Rais's profanity-laced scream confirmed a hit. Utilizing my excess magical energy, I summoned a Nue into the void and ascended high into the air to look down upon the battlefield.
'I missed the Spiritual Core. Still, this gives Gareth a better opening... The Saint's side is being pushed back. I should probably help.'
Jeanne d'Arc's parameters were inferior to her duplicate, Jeanne d'Arc Alter, and she had naturally shifted from offense to defense, barely holding her ground.
"You claim you will reform me? That you will capture me alive? If you wish to dream, do it by the side of the God you love so much, you hollow imitation of myself! To embrace vengeance and teach these filthy wretches the meaning of true retribution—that is the duty of the real Jeanne d'Arc!"
"Right, I'm sure burning your own family is part of that 'duty' of yours too."
"You again! Do you think I'll let you escape this time?!"
With a roar of hatred, she swung her flag. I blocked it with Shinra Tensei, only for the Witch's flames to surge toward me next.
"Whoa, her output increased... Ritsuka! How much longer until Siegfried's magical energy recovers?"
"I don't know... It looks like it will take at least ten minutes...?"
Ritsuka's magical energy path was likely in tatters. If she said ten minutes with Magic Circuits that had been put through the wringer by a long battle, she probably meant twenty.
"...Fine. They'll be trying to heal Fafnir as well, so Ritsuka, just focus on staying safe and dodging their attacks. Use an Emergency Evade the moment things look dangerous."
"Understood!"
Glancing toward Gareth, I saw she was doing remarkably well, weaving through the Sea Horrors that flooded the area while occasionally thrusting her lance at Gilles de Rais. Her claim of holding out against the Knight of the Sun for two hours at high noon was clearly no exaggeration.
"Karma-san, could we use that means of temporarily sealing my other self, like the Master suggested?"
"No, I need to conserve magical energy for something else. Besides, we might need your 'method' elsewhere, don't you think?"
"...So you knew?"
"It's your ultimate trump card. Using it isn't exactly ideal, so save it!"
Jeanne d'Arc's second Noble Phantasm, 'La Pucelle.'
Much like Arash's Stella, it is a Noble Phantasm that reenacts the legend of her own burning at the stake. As a true Broken Phantasm, its power is... beyond imagination.
"Chatter, chatter, you're so noisy! Why won't you people just die?!"
"Spouting nonsense as usual. Who in their right mind actually wants to die, you moron?!"
"...Master."
"Jeanne. It seems it'll take time for Siegfried to recover his Noble Phantasm. Until then, we need to weaken Fafnir. Can you help me?"
"Is there a problem?"
"My techniques will be partially sealed. But I can still fight."
She gave a warm smile and raised her flag before me.
"If you are prepared, then by all means."
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Since I had to concentrate on my magical energy, I deactivated the Asura Path and pushed back her flag with Shinra Tensei. (1:38 left)
Sensing a pincer attack, Gilles de Rais summoned grotesque Sea Horrors and lashed out with tentacles to bind me.
"Jeanne, Instant Reinforcement!"
"Thank you, Master... I shall give it my all!"
Bolstered by the Instant Reinforcement buff, Jeanne parried every tentacle flying toward me. (1:13 left)
While Gilles diverted his attention toward me for a split second, Gareth used the shield in her other hand to bash his head. As he staggered, I trusted in Jeanne's defense and used Bansho Ten'in to throw him further off balance.
"How dare you look away from me—"
"Where do you think you're going? Your opponent is me, Jeanne d'Arc... my other self."
"Get out of my way!"
In an instant, I switched positions and joined Gareth's side.
Launching a barrage of tentacles that swarmed around like massive dumplings, I used my magical energy to 'analyze' the tentacles that were inducing dizziness as if trying to pierce the mind.
[Maintaining this for too long might yield ill effects. They seem similar to the fairies who once kidnapped me, do they not?]
"Thanks for the advice, Professor Godword...!"
At that moment, Shinra Tensei wore off, and a tentacle pierced the top of my foot. (37 seconds left)
Magic Bullets fired from Gilles de Rais's Prelati's Spellbook grazed me, followed by dozens of tentacles shooting out from all directions.
"Karma-san... Master! Pull yourself together!"
"I won't die from just this... Gareth, handle the tentacles!"
While Gareth cleared the tentacles with her lance, I sent Gilles de Rais flying again, knocking him down...
10.
"Oh, I simply cannot comprehend you, Master of Chaldea. Why do you not use your abilities? Surely you haven't run out of tricks? I certainly hope not! Because you—specifically you! I intend to keep you alive and make you experience the maximum agony possible before you die!"
5.
"Answer me, Master of Chaldea!"
4.
"...Um, Master? Why have you been looking up at the sky for a while...?"
3.
"Wait, old man! What the hell is that?!!!"
2.
[Ritsuka, get out of there now!!]
1.
Fafnir and Siegfried would recover at roughly the same time.
If Fafnir recovered perfectly, Gilles de Rais would just heal any damage Siegfried dealt with Balmung. Furthermore, there was no guarantee they would be caught so easily a second time.
Therefore, I had to weaken Fafnir now to ensure it could never recover.
The first Balmung destroyed its wings and mobility, and the French army's cannon fire provided sustained damage.
"We have Emergency Evades and means of transport. But you don't."
Even if they did, it was just Gilles de Rais's Sea Horrors.
I could fly, and Gareth was of the Lancer class—the fastest among the standard classes.
Mash and Ritsuka could evade easily using their Emergency Evade Mystic Codes, and I was already carrying Jeanne d'Arc as I took to the sky.
So, what about the two Servants we had been fighting until now?
Well. We were about to find out.
[Tengai Shinsei — Heavenly Obstruction: Shattering Star]
The same technique that once partially destroyed the Clock Tower, the one that had traded blows with the Marshal of Magic...
And now, a meteorite—a guillotine designed to sever Fafnir's head—began its descent.