Stepping forward and pulling Mash's arm back, Ritsuka's mind was in turmoil.
'Run away?' Ritsuka thought to himself.
His eyes stared straight at Rikka and Olga's argument, but his mind drifted to the conversation with his teacher a few moments ago.
'Even in my previous life, breaking through the succession of Singularities and surviving in the midst of the Lostbelt hell... when I was truly at my lowest point, the thought of running away and resting never once crossed my mind. But, upon hearing Zelretch's offer earlier... for the first time, the temptation to let go of everything truly gnawed at me.'
Ritsuka let out a faint sigh. His chest felt heavy.
'Besides, it's fine if I run away, right? This world is no longer my responsibility. I could just wash my hands of it and hand this burden entirely over to Rikka. Technically, she is 'me' in this universe. She should... have the potential to overcome all these crazy obstacles.'
However, the logical argument in his head instantly shattered to pieces upon seeing Rikka trembling in fear with tears wetting her face.
'But... standing here, seeing her face and hearing her sobs, I am reminded again. She is just an ordinary teenage girl. Weak, scared, and helpless... exactly like I was when I was first forced to set foot into this hell.'
Ritsuka's hands slowly clenched at his sides.
'Imagining the wheel of fate that once crushed my mentality will now befall and gnaw at her unprepared soul... I cannot allow it. I cannot let this girl suffer alone in the dark.'
'Is this because of the influence of your Dragon Core, Arthur? Is your holy knight ideology unconsciously forcing me to step forward and protect her?' Ritsuka closed his eyes for a moment, and the silhouettes of dozens, even hundreds of heroes who had smiled and fallen before him flashed in his mind.
'Or... perhaps it's because I cannot bear to betray them. The heroes who were willing to fight by my side, shedding their blood, and entrusting the strength and hope of humanity upon my shoulders. If I were to turn back and run away now, they would surely be very disappointed.
'Especially King Gilgamesh... what kind of contemptuous glare would the King of Heroes give from his Throne... if he saw the last Master of humanity acting like a coward?'
'So what if this isn't my world?' Ritsuka thought to himself, steadying his heart with every step.
'This world also has a future that deserves to be protected. The people here breathe, they live, they weave hopes... It is no different at all from my old world. Alright. I will do it. I will reach an ending where everyone can smile happily, without anyone having to be sacrificed or suffer anymore in this world.'
A spark of hope slowly reignited within his calm eyes.
'Besides, I am very certain... my friends in the Shadow Border must still be alive somewhere out there. I believe you are all safe. I will definitely find you, whatever obstacles I must face. Hold on and wait for me... Mash. With this power, I will find you.'
'This parallel world... will be my stage of redemption,' Ritsuka thought right before he stood to intervene between the two emotionally flared girls. 'The precious things I failed to protect in my previous life... I will protect them with my own two hands right here.'
Just as Olga and Rikka were about to attack each other, Ritsuka took quick action.
Pat! Pat!
"Calm down, you two."
Not with a slap, Ritsuka landed both his palms on the top of Rikka and Olga's heads, then patted and rubbed the two girls' hair a bit roughly until it looked very messy.
The sudden jolt to their heads made Rikka and Olga fall silent in shock. Their anger instantly evaporated. As they both looked up with confused faces and disheveled hair, they were greeted by Ritsuka's smile. A smile that was so warm.
"S-Stop it!" Olga scolded, flustered. She hurriedly brushed Ritsuka's hand off her head with her face slightly flushed out of pride. "Ritsuka! Why did you only get here just now, huh?!"
Before Ritsuka had the chance to answer, his body was suddenly tackled from the front.
"Brother...!" Rikka's tears broke out. The girl rushed to hug Ritsuka's waist, burying her messy face into the young man's chest while sobbing. "Bro... Mom... Dad... all of them..." her voice caught in her sobs, unable to finish her sentence.
"Yes, I know. I have heard everything," Ritsuka replied in a very gentle tone. His hand rose, softly rubbing Rikka's violently trembling back. "You don't need to worry anymore now."
Rikka looked up, her tear-wet eyes meeting Ritsuka's pair of emerald green eyes. The young man's eyes no longer implied any doubt, but rather radiated a calmness that seemed capable of holding up the sky from collapsing.
"I will be the one to handle all this," Ritsuka said firmly.
"Brother...?" Rikka muttered softly. This Ritsuka felt different to her. The girl slowly released her hug.
Ritsuka shifted his gaze from Rikka, sweeping across the entire room. He looked one by one at the pale faces there—Olga, Romani, Da Vinci, Romani, and the Chaldea staff.
"You all seem to have forgotten," Ritsuka spoke, his voice breaking the tension and fear in the room. "It is true that our connection with the outside world has been completely severed. However... we are not alone here. We still have another alliance."
Right as those words were spoken, the rustling sound of flapping wings could be heard from the direction of the corridor.
From behind the open door, a crow darted in, then landed gracefully on Ritsuka's shoulder.
The gazes of everyone in the room were instantly drawn to the crow.
"We still have hope," Ritsuka continued, his voice echoing full of conviction. "You don't need to shoulder the burden of this destruction alone. People from other worlds will also extend their hands to help us."
Ritsuka took a slow breath, carving a determined smile on his face.
"From now on, there are no more words like 'only I have to fight' or 'only he has to sacrifice'. This time... 'We' will face this hell together."
Silence instantly enveloped the room. Ritsuka's speech successfully seeped into everyone's minds, slowly wiping away the air of despair that had previously choked the air.
Olga stepped forward. A faint smile was carved on the young Director's face.
"That was a very convincing speech, Ritsuka," Olga stated firmly. "Your words just now will be the determining steering wheel for our next fate."
Without wasting a single second, Olga immediately turned around to face her staff. Her leadership aura ignited brightly once more, no longer muffled by fear.
"Attention everyone! Distribute these instructions to all surviving Chaldea staff!"
Olga shouted loudly, her voice echoing throughout the room. "Starting this second, Chaldea officially opens the door for diplomacy with other worlds! We will not only establish supply trade routes with them, but we will also establish direct diplomatic relations with their governments! Immediately prepare all the necessary files, drafts, and protocols. Move now!"
"Understood, Director!" the staff exclaimed in unison. Their pale faces were now colored by new determination and hope. They quickly dispersed with hurried steps.
Slowly, the room grew quiet again. Rikka walked unsteadily towards the black-haired young man in front of her.
"Brother..." Rikka called out softly. Her shoulders were still trembling slightly. The memories of her parents and her friends drowning in the sea of fire still haunted her mind, leaving behind agonizing sobs.
Seeing the girl's fragility, Ritsuka's gaze softened. He reached out his hand, patted the top of Rikka's head very gently, and then pulled the girl into his embrace. Ritsuka let Rikka rest her head against his chest, providing her with a sturdy and safe place to lean on.
"It's okay... we will definitely get through all this together," Ritsuka whispered soothingly, stroking the back of the girl's hair. His voice flowed like a promise. "I will protect you all. Believe in me... my little sister."
"Um..." Rikka nodded slowly within that embrace, absorbing the remaining traces of Ritsuka's warmth.
After Rikka's crying subsided a little, Ritsuka saw Dr. Romani stepping closer towards him. The man smiled warmly, looking at Ritsuka with a gaze full of admiration and curiosity.
"That was a truly extraordinary speech, Fujimaru-kun," Romani praised sincerely. He then scratched his cheek slowly, his awkward habit starting to show. "I still don't know the exact details about that 'gathering'. But as a scientist and a doctor, I am genuinely very interested! Is it possible... that I can come along to see it later?"
Ritsuka returned the smile. There was an immense sense of relief being able to hear the Doctor's enthusiasm again.
"Of course, Dr. Roman," Ritsuka answered without hesitation. "When there's another meeting between members, I will definitely bring you there."
Hearing that promise, Romani's face instantly brightened. "Really?! Alright, I'll be looking forward to it very much!" he replied with his typical cheerful tone.
After making sure the mood of the Doctor and his sister improved, Ritsuka spoke again.
"Now..." Ritsuka turned toward Director Olga who was busy monitoring the remaining staff members. "Madam Director, where are Assassin and Nobu right now?" he asked.
Hearing her name called, Olga turned her head slightly.
"If you mean Avenger and Assassin, they seem to be in the training arena," Olga reported while checking one of the panels on her screen. "Avenger said she needed a little 'warm-up' to stretch her muscles, so she dragged Assassin along with her."
Ritsuka let out a soft sigh with a faint smile. "It seems Nobu is already getting bored, this isn't good," he muttered softly. He then looked at Olga seriously. "Madam Director, please call them both here immediately. I need their strength right now."
Olga's brow furrowed sharply. She stopped her work for a moment and stared at Ritsuka suspiciously.
"For what? This facility is already safe for the time being. What are you planning to do that requires the strength of two Servants?" Olga asked.
Ritsuka turned his body.
"I need an escort..." Ritsuka answered. "...because I am going to summon one more Servant to this place."
. . .
"Are you sure you want to perform a summoning now? You just rested yesterday. Is your body really capable of withstanding it?" Olga bombarded him with questions. Her eyes scanned Ritsuka from top to bottom.
"Yes, I am fine, Director," Ritsuka answered reassuringly.
They were all currently gathered inside the Summoning Room of the Chaldea facility. Ritsuka stood at the very front, preparing to perform the summoning. Right in front of him, Mash's large cross shield had been placed in the center of the room as the foundation of the summoning circle.
Behind Ritsuka, Mash, Rikka, and Nobu stood watching in silence. Meanwhile, Assassin chose to conceal his presence, melting into Rikka's shadow to guard against any unexpected threats.
"But..." Olga took a step forward slightly, still looking reluctant to give her permission.
"Director," Ritsuka called out in a gentle yet firm tone. "I really have recovered now. Please, trust me."
Hearing the conviction in the young man's voice, Olga finally let out a resigned sigh. "Alright, if you insist. But... to summon a Servant, you need a catalyst, right? Remember, our facility is currently in a very dire state of emergency. I cannot provide a good historical relic for you at this time."
"No need to go through the trouble of finding a catalyst, Director," Ritsuka replied casually. "We already have a very worthy and powerful catalyst relic right here."
Olga's eyebrows knitted together, looking around in confusion. "What do you mean? What is the item?" she asked.
Ritsuka raised his right hand, then pointed directly at his own chest. "Me."
"You...?!" Olga was stunned for a moment. However, a second later.
"Goodness, of course!" Olga exclaimed in amazement, her eyes widening. "You forcefully transplanted Arthur's Dragon Core into your body! And his blood should have also flowed into it. Your body itself has technically become a holy relic! If you use your body or your blood as a catalyst, it's highly likely you can summon the King of Knights back, or at the very least, summon one of the strongest Knights of the Round Table!"
Ritsuka smiled faintly, his eyes looking straight at Mash's shield.
"Exactly," Ritsuka answered. "That is my plan."
After Olga stepped back to give him space, Ritsuka turned around to face the cross shield in the middle of the room. A mischievous smile was suddenly carved on his face.
"Hehe... I've wanted to do this pose for a very long time," Ritsuka muttered softly.
The young man raised his right hand high. Responding to his intent, a magic circle of light instantly formed and glowed brightly above Mash's shield. The Command Spell on the back of Ritsuka's hand also glowed a blazing red, indicating that his magic was active.
However, instead of chanting a standard summoning incantation from the Mage's Association, Ritsuka suddenly pulled his hand back and aimed his thumb between his teeth.
Crunch!
Ritsuka bit his thumb hard until it bled. Without wasting any time, with a very dramatic and swift movement, he crouched down and slammed his blood-smeared palm right onto the surface of Mash's shield.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Ritsuka shouted loudly.
Seeing his incredibly ridiculous behavior in the middle of such a critical situation, Olga's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. A vein of annoyance immediately popped on the young Director's temple.
"What kind of ridiculous pose is that?!" Olga scolded.
Ritsuka, who was still in his crouching position, didn't feel guilty at all. "You completely don't understand men's romance, Madam Director," he replied stylishly.
In stark contrast to the headache-stricken Olga, Rikka's eyes actually sparkled brightly. Her teenage blood boiled upon seeing the pose.
"Brother, that pose just now was so cool!" Rikka praised in an incredibly amazed tone. "Teach me next time! I also want to try that pose!"
Beside Rikka, the innocent Mash completely didn't understand the reference, but she kept nodding enthusiastically with a serious face, as if it were a high-level ritual she had to learn.
Meanwhile, Oda Nobunaga, who was leaning against the wall, merely crossed her arms over her chest.
"Hoo... you're imitating the secret summoning technique of the people from the Fuuma ninja clan, huh, Master? Not bad," Nobu commented.
Right after Nobu's words, the magic circle above Mash's shield exploded violently. The blinding glow of light instantly filled every corner of the Summoning Room, forcing everyone to squint their eyes.
As the light slowly faded, a female figure slowly materialized in the middle of the room. Her appearance was very striking and intimidating: pale blonde hair with glowing white skin contrasting against a thick set of pitch-dark armor, her golden eyes shone cold and sharp, and a solid black sword with blood-red engravings was tightly gripped in her hand.
To Olga, Mash, and Rikka, who had set foot in the hell of the Fuyuki Singularity, this figure immediately triggered deep trauma.
"You...?! Impossible!" they shouted in panic. The atmosphere in the room instantly turned tense.
The presence of the Assassin who had been hiding earlier exploded instantly; he materialized in the blink of an eye in front of Rikka, standing his ground as a shield. Mash swiftly summoned her shield back, getting ready in a perfect defensive stance. The tips of their weapons were all pointed straight at the figure of the dark knight.
"Ritsuka! What exactly did you just summon here, huh?!" Olga screamed hysterically, hiding herself completely behind Mash's sturdy back.
On the other hand, Oda Nobunaga instead narrowed her red eyes, smirking arrogantly looking at the dark knight. "Oya, oya? I didn't expect that you of all people would answer this Master of mine's call, Tainted King of Knights."
The newly summoned female figure lowered her sword slightly, glancing sharply and flatly at Mash, Assassin, and Nobu who were preparing to attack her. "A very unwelcoming reception," she said coldly.
Ritsuka stepped forward, breaking the tension without the slightest bit of fear. He chuckled softly seeing everyone's reaction, then looked at Artoria. "Hahaha... I guess that's natural, considering your actions in Fuyuki back then."
Ritsuka carved a faint smile, his gaze calm as if speaking to an old friend. "Oh right, I've prepared a few pieces of burgers for you in the cafeteria. Not a lot, but I think it's enough for your dinner."
Hearing the word "burgers", the look in Artoria's golden eyes shifted slightly, the intimidating aura around her faintly thinning. "It seems you are indeed a Master who keeps his promises."
"But before that..." Ritsuka stopped in his tracks, standing right in front of the Dark Knight. He began to stretch his body, casually flexing his muscles in front of the servant. "...I want to do a little 'warm-up' first. Just you and me. The two of us in the training arena."
Ritsuka looked straight into Artoria's golden eyes with a challenging, confident smile. "How about it? Ready for a rematch? Artoria Alter?"