Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Type-Moon, inheriting the legacy of Zi-O.

"Ritsuka, protect yourself." Zhuo summoned the Time Limit Sword and walked towards them.

A zombie lunged at him, and Zhuo's figure dodged to the side, the bright silver blade lightly grazing the zombie's neck as he dodged.

The same behavior continued to unfold, with Zhuo trying his best to give them death in the most painless way.

These people, who once lived in this city, have now become this miserable.

"May your souls rest in peace—" Ritsuka prayed softly, her hands clasped together, as if afraid of disturbing their peaceful dreams.

However, the increasing noises around them forced Ritsuka and Takumi to become alert.

From nowhere, more and more zombies sprang out, their faces contorted as they approached them.

At the same time, Joan of Arc and Mashu finally arrived. Crystal-like horses soared into the sky, and the dignified queen and the musical genius gently landed on the ground.

"Ah~ As expected, we rushed back. The enemies here are endless. You may not need any help, but I really can't calm my own anger. I'm here to help, Ritsuka!" With a crystal-like rose in her hand, Mary also chose to join the battle.

With helpers joining them, things were undoubtedly much easier, but before they could even catch their breath after eliminating the zombies, the dragon's roar from the sky once again put them on edge.

"A wyvern...!" Before they could think any further, the threatening creature circling overhead swooped down.

"It's no big deal, just some tired lineups. They're all cheap, third-rate instruments anyway. I'll beat them all down and send them to the pawnshop!" The staff kept waving the notes of death, carving wounds into the wyverns.

—Finally, this protracted battle came to an end.

“Phew… the sweep is over. May their souls find peace—” Before Joan of Arc could finish speaking, Zhuo suddenly looked behind her.

There stood a man—no, not quite a man, for his left hand was a blood-soaked claw, and his right cheek a skeletal face. The man did not attack, but instead pondered Joan of Arc's words.

"Peace...a desire for peace...what foolish talk. Their souls will never find peace. We Servants have no certainty whatsoever—this world is frozen in the distant past..."

“…Servant!” Mash immediately raised her shield and looked at the man.

"Who are you?" Joan of Arc asked, pointing her weapon at the man.

“That’s right—people call me the Phantom of the Opera. Authorized by the ‘Dragon Witch,’ I have absolute control over this city.” He spread his arms, twirling around as if in a trance. “Come, come, come, this is the heart of hell where the dead awaken.” He looked at the Chaldea members. “—What do you intend to do?”

"—I'll crush you!" Ritsuka pointed directly at The Phantom of the Opera.

“That’s right! Master! Let’s go…!” Wielding her shield, Mash charged forward.

The battle, silent and fierce, began on this land.

Thump thump thump

How could a single Servant withstand the onslaught of several Servants? Unable to even unleash his Noble Phantasm, the Phantom of the Opera was slammed to the ground by Amadeus's musical notes.

"Ugh...cough!" Spitting out a mouthful of blood, the Phantom of the Opera knew he had reached his end. "However, I have completed my mission. Nothing to show for it, truly a mission with no reward...My song will end here, but the chapters of hell will begin." His sharp claws pointed directly at Joan of Arc, and he shouted as if singing, "Rejoice! Saintess! Your evil has grown beyond yourself! Cough, hahaha—" Covered in wounds, even his internal organs were severely injured, he could hardly believe how much longer he could hold on.

"Shut up! You're already having trouble speaking, aren't you?" Joan of Arc glared at him, trying to stop him from this suicidal act.

"These are not words, but songs. They are lamentations for your future, songs of worry. You should give up the search for the 'Dragon Slayer' and flee to the ends of the earth!" Blood gushed out as he spoke, yet the Phantom of the Opera continued as if completely unconcerned.

"If we're lucky—we might be able to survive." Turning his head to look at the horizon, he saw a huge black shadow flying towards them, carrying immense magical power.

"Here it comes! The dragon comes! The demon comes! An evil dragon you have never seen before!" With a wild and satisfied smile, the Phantom of the Opera sings loudly, announcing the arrival of the demon.

"You're so annoying. The finale is over. Go back to your hell." With a flick of his staff, Amadeus etched the notes of death, offering this man his last song.

"Cough cough—hahahahahahaha! Christina—" Perhaps with a hint of reluctance, the Phantom of the Opera announced her departure.

"The evil... dragon?" Mash pondered the words the Phantom of the Opera spoke before his death. At that moment, the communication device on Mash's wrist finally beeped.

"Ah... we're connected." Mary's stunned voice came from inside, but it immediately turned anxious. "Anyway, we're connected. But you guys run now! Chaldea here—they've detected a life force beyond that of a Servant—an incredibly strong life force!!! It's rushing towards you at breakneck speed!"

"...Beyond Servants?! Such life forms exist in this world?!" Mash's eyes widened in disbelief.

Servants are either beings who have left an indelible mark on human history, or possess the qualities of guardians of humanity. Life forms capable of surpassing these are...

"Don't underestimate the world of magic! It'll be there wherever it's supposed to be!" Mary's tone grew increasingly anxious. "Hey! Sorry, let's talk about that later! Not only that, but three Servants have also come after us!"

"...It must be Jeanne Alter and the others. This is really troublesome." Even the usually gentle Mary showed a hint of anger.

"The orchestra has finished playing. Let's run away. This was a complete waste of effort, but oh well, that's life." Amadeus frowned.

"...But wait. If there truly is a 'life form' that transcends Servants, then we need the 'Dragon Slayer' even more. He's somewhere in this city, isn't he? Let's find this Servant first before we escape—"

"No, no, no! There's no time, no time at all!" Mary's voice came through the communication device as she slammed her hand on the table.

"But if we abandon that Servant now, we might never have another chance like this again...!"

"Ritsuka—" He patted Ritsuka on the shoulder and silently conveyed his thoughts with his eyes.

—Now is the time for you to make your choice.

"Running away now is not my intention. Let's all prepare for battle!" Ritsuka Shiro flicked her ponytail and finally chose to fight.

On the other side, Zhuo Wuyan took out the God Limit experience card.

"Amadeus, prepare for battle!" Mary scratched her cheek, a blush rising to her cheek. "...Um, can you fight alongside me?"

"Didn't you just give me a command? Just do it like usual, head up, chest out, and a smile." Amadeus smiled, encouraging her. "Don't worry about me. If things go wrong, I'll make a quick getaway!" Just as she was about to say he was reliable, Amadeus's words started to float away.

“Yes, that’s Amadeus. It’s alright, we’re just buying some time.” Mary regained her confidence, a smile returning to her face. “I won’t die, at least not here.”

"Director! Are there any Servants reacting around here?" Mash called out to Chaldea, hoping for some good news to boost morale.

“I’m still searching…! Wait a minute…” Mary anxiously operated the main console. “--Okay! Although it’s very faint, a reaction was indeed detected in the castle in front of you.”

"Everyone! Let's go!" she called to Mary and Amadeus behind her, and the group headed towards the castle ahead.

Behind them, a massive, dark shadow was cast over Lyon.

Oh my god, thunder is raging! (Lots of thunder!)

The group entered the dilapidated castle, groping their way forward in the dim light, following the faintly reacting "dragon slayer".

Finally, in the dim light, Mashu spotted the huge figure sitting in the corner.

"...Found it!" she exclaimed in surprise, startling the figure and drawing everyone together.

But upon seeing his injuries, no one could be happy anymore.

The man had long silver hair, green dragon runes on his chest, and wore heavy silver armor. However, almost no part of his body was intact, and the huge wound on his chest indicated his weakness.

But upon seeing the person approaching, he still chose to raise the longsword in his hand.

"...Ugh!" Struggling to her feet, the unknown Heroic Spirit slashed at Mash's shield with her sword.

"Ah!" Even with such a severe blow, Mash felt a slight numbness in her hand holding the shield.

"This is... never-ending." Staring at the crowd in front of him, the man had already resigned himself to death.

"Wait! We are your comrades! At least I have no intention of harming you!" Joan of Arc immediately stepped forward to persuade the male heroic spirits not to fight.

There was no answer, but the man clearly chose to listen to what they would say next.

"Let's get out of here as quickly as possible! The dragons are coming!" Mashu urged, the increasingly frequent warning signals flashing on her wrist making her anxious. "Besides, they also have several Servants; we're at a crushing disadvantage in terms of combat strength!"

“A dragon… huh,” the male Heroic Spirit murmured. “…So that’s why I was summoned and attacked.” Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on the greatsword, regaining his resolve.

“We’re here to help you escape from here!” Mashu walked to his side first and carried half of his arm on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry... thank you for your help!" Having just released his strength, a sharp pain shot through his wounds. The man had no choice but to relax and lean on the petite girl.

"Hurry up! Ritsuka! The enemy is so close we can sense them!" Mary urged, the warning signals in her mind growing louder and louder.

"The enemy... has entered visual range!" Director Mary's eyes widened suddenly as she looked at the image transmitted from Chaldea. "This... Hey! Could it be...!"

“Wyverns are nothing compared to this; that’s a true dragon!” Mash’s eyes widened as she looked at the enormous figure flying towards them.

What kind of figure was that?

Tens of meters? No, a colossal body nearly a hundred meters long, its scales gleaming black in the sunlight, each as long as a human forearm, its mouth revealing sharp teeth, and its chest adorned with green patterns. With each breath, it could feel the vibrations in the surrounding air. Its enormous wings blotted out the sky, casting a deathly shadow over the ground.

—That dragon was undoubtedly one of the top-ranking dragon species among fantasy species, and it was among the best of all dragon species.

But the dragon lowered its head obediently, and a young girl jumped off its back.

—It is Jeanne d'Arc Alter.

“I thought you’d found something good,” the metal leg armor clattered on the ground. Jeanne Alter easily spotted the heavily wounded Servant being carried by Mash. “So it’s just a dying Servant.”

"Alright, I'll just wipe you all out in one fell swoop, so let's all disappear together...!" Waving the dragon banner in her hand, the witch charged forward.

"...They're coming!" Mary hurriedly summoned a crystal-clear rose, trying to stop her. A blue magical glow surged from her body, as if she were about to unleash a powerful weapon.

"No! Maria, step back! Your Noble Phantasm can't handle this situation...!" Amadeus interrupted Maria's actions, brandishing his musical staff.

“…I will do it! I will do it!” Mash wanted to gently put the Servant off her shoulder, but he was too badly injured.

"Mash! Don't talk nonsense!" Looking at the severe injuries of the dragon slayer on her back, Ritsuka believed that if she put him down, the man would definitely not be able to hold on due to the impact of the battle.

"Mr. Nianzhuo! Let's go together!" Joan of Arc waved her flag and invited Zhuo beside her to fight together.

“…Hmm.” Nodding silently, Zhuo skillfully took out his driver and watch face.

After the silver gears dissipated, Zi-O reappeared.

"...Hiss—" After feeling the tearing pain in his hands and feet, Zhuo's face, hidden behind the mask, couldn't help but change.

Jeanne Alter waved the dragon flag in her hand and gave a command to the giant dragon behind her that had remained motionless.

"Burn everything... Fafnir!"

A green magical light surged from the dragon's mouth, and instantly, scorching heat rose from within. A vast amount of magical power gathered in the dragon's mouth, comparable to that of a Servant.

"My Lord—" Joan of Arc could no longer care about anything else. She removed the banner that had been holding her, and golden magical power surged from her body, a prelude to unleashing her Noble Phantasm.

On the other side, Zhuo took out the drive watch face and immediately attached it to his own drive, transforming it into drive mode.

"drive!" "type Speed──"

Without giving it much thought, Zhuo immediately pressed the button on the driver.

"Flish Time!" A huge red tire appeared, blocking everyone's way.

Although I know that finishing moves aren't used like that, I can't worry about that now!

“My Lord is here!” (Luminosite Eternelle)

The golden light, responding to the Lord's glow, showered down iris petals, pure white and pristine, as if bathed in His radiance.

Ruler's Noble Phantasm. By revealing the Holy Banner, it converts EX-rank Magic Resistance into defense against physical attacks. It is the embodiment of the legend of waving the banner on the battlefield and winning almost without taking damage. However, each use accumulates damage.