While Adam and his group reach for the inner city to investigate the situation.
Ritsuko and Mash are still wandering the outer edge, dealing with skeletons and also encounter a Servant, Medusa.
The reason why Adam went unimpeded is because his presence alone killed the lesser wraiths possessing those Skeletons. But the opposite happened for the Ritsuko group, they had to wade through numerous Skeletons and were battered and tired by the time they encountered Medusa but the lurking Servant made his appearance and helped them to defeat Medusa and introduced himself as Caster, Cu Chulainn.
"By the way, missy. Is that big guy in silver armor part of your group?"
"Silver armor?" Ritsuko wondered in confusion.
"Ah, it must be Adam senpai. He was wearing silver armor when I first encountered him in the hallway." Mash answered with Fou chirping in on her shoulder.
"Well, that's great because he might be a great help to us. Although he is already heading into the city. Probably encountered that Archer." Caster's mouth felt foul when mentioning Archer for some reason.
"Then, shouldn't we hurry to regroup?" Mash said urgently and worriedly.
"Nah. Lady, the last thing I would worry about is that guy. Even if I cannot discern him, my instinct alone tell he is very capable to defend himself and even defeat Archer if needed." Caster shrugs with a carefree look and divert their attention.
"Speaking of which, didn't you two need to find the Leyline?"
"Right! We almost forgot about it because of distractions." Ritsuko said and then the group hurried and left.
———
With Adam.
He was investigating the city, trying to recall and refresh what little memories of this place that he once knew about. He and his group made a detour to a ruined church because he sensed something that exuded dense Arcane energy.
"An arm?" Alina mutters after seeing what Adam fished out from the pile of rubbles.
"Indeed. But that's not the focus." He said and presented the mummified arm filled with red tattoo markings which is the origin of the Arcane aura.
"Although it does exude Arcane energy, I didn't think it is related to the demonic energy that contaminated the city, Milord." She commented and Adam nodded too.
"Indeed, but I feel that this is an important object. Although I do not have the knowledge how to utilize it." Adam shrugs before storing it away in his Inventory.
"Where shall we go next, Milord?" Alina asked while her eyes looking at the distance where the demonic energy is the strongest.
"We will regroup with the Chaldean. I had a feeling that they might need our help." Adam raised his arm and Sif already approached him and lowered her body to allow Adam and Alina to climb up her back easier.
Then, after both are properly mounted. The majestic Fenrisian Grey Wolf strode off toward the bridge that connects both parts of the city split by a river.
Not long after, they heard a loud enraged howl coming from the right side of the city and Sif ran even faster to hopefully arrive in time.
———
With Ritsuko and her group.
After they set off to find the Leyline, they encountered the annoying and loud Director, Olga Marie Animusphere. Who nagged Ritsuko along the way until enemies started to appear again and silenced her.
With Caster's guide and help, they quickly reached the inner city, skipping the investigation since Caster already brief them of the situation of this botched Holy Grail War.
But at the bridge, they encountered another Shadow Servant, the Assassin.
The encounter with Assassin raised a concern, which is Mash's lack of Noble Phantasm to defend Ritsuko despite being a Shield user and almost cost Ritsuko her life if not for Caster being there to help. So, they took a detour to fix just that. However, by their rotten luck. The Berserker, which Caster said not to worry about because he rarely left his territory suddenly appeared and attacked them.
Which now leads to the present.
"Girlie, there's no time like the present. Trust in yourself and invoke your Noble Phantasm or all of us will die!" Caster shouted while deploying an array of runes to fight Berserker but losing ground very fast.
"We are going to die!" Olga shrinks behind Mash and Ritsuko, terrified and panicking because even if Mash defends the strikes, they are only extending their life expectancy by a few moments if they can't defeat it.
Following Caster's advice, Mash trusts her heart and desire to protect her Master before she invokes her Noble Phantasm.
A bluish projection of a round shield appeared as Caster quickly retreated while gasping for breath while Berserker slashing, ramming, slamming, punching and kicking the unbreakable shield in a mad frenzy when his prey escaped.
"Now what, Caster? I cannot deploy my Noble Phantasm for long and Master is quickly running out of Mana." Mash urgently asked Caster who sat sprawled on the ground with his battered body while mentioning something about being summoned in the Lancer class.
"Don't worry, the cavalry has arrived." Caster mumbled cryptically.
Before Olga could lash out to release pent up frustration, a blast of dense silvery white lightning bolts descended upon the Berserker and erupted into an earth shattering blast of destructive energy.
Then arrived a giant wolf as big as a truck, biting the critically injured Berserker and flailing it around with its powerful jaw before slamming it down to the ground. The wolf snarled before releasing a satisfied and victorious howl at the sky.
A giant in pure silver armor adorned with many unknown etching, runes, seals and talismans while exuding his presence of inviolable purity and holiness that burn away evil with his aura alone, dismounted from the giant wolf along with a woman in similar but less glorious armor wearing a white robe on top.
"Good job, Sif." The giant knight pet his canine companion affectionately which it responded with a low growl and lick his helmet.
"Although, better if you step away because that thing isn't dead yet." Adam said which brought everyone's attention to the Berserker except for Caster who wanted to warn Adam but it seems to be an unnecessary endeavor on his part since Adam discovered it himself.
"What kind of creature is this, Milord? To not die from your Warp Lightning?" Alina unsheathed her falchions while curiously looking at the quickly regenerating Berserker.
Caster quickly rose up from the ground and answered after a quick evaluation on Alina and nodded approvingly, giving his own acknowledgement from one warrior to another. Although Alina seems to find it offensive.
"That 'thing' is the Berserker servant, Heracles and I think anyone will understand why he is seemingly immortal knowing his legend. But his Immortality is not absolute."
"Nine lives…" Adam mumbles, he recalls some of his faded memories and immediately understands what Caster was trying to indicate.
"Yes, Sir Knight. He has nine lives and to kill him permanently, you need to kill him nine different times with nine different methods because he will become immune to the previous attack that fatality injured him." Caster explained and sighed. "Reluctantly, I have to admit that I wish Archer was on our side for this battle."
However, not sharing Caster's sentiment. Adam looked at Sif and noted the one that landed the kill was Sif who finished off Berserker with her sharp fangs. So, his Warp Lightning should still be usable.
While Adam is in deep thoughts, the Ritsuko group except for Caster had retreated when the Berserker started to rise up from the ground. While Caster is boggled by the relative calm and confidence of Adam's group. But when he saw the silvery white lightning once again dancing in Adam's palm, he quietly watched and tried to evaluate as even stronger Lightning Bolts struck Heracles before he could even release a roar, striking it down once again and rip open a large hole on its torso and reveal it's crushed heart, ribs and lungs which quickly start to regenerate again with tumor-like angry red and steaming hot flesh.
"What a fascinating enemy. However, it is still pale in comparison to the Greater Daemons. Especially those of Nurgle's." Adam said as blazing Warp Fire already appeared in his palm after unleashing the Warp Lightning.
Those who know about Daemon like Olga, Caster and the backseater Romani made a collective gasp as Adam just casually revealed himself to be a Daemon Slayer. Considering what Daemon are in this universe, none can blame them. Although it brings a question to how and why a Daemon Slayer finds himself here with Chaldea.
Their questions are forgotten when Adam spawn camp Berserker again with his Warp Fire before he summons a baleful Daemonic Sword into his hand and starts talking to it.
"Shut up and be grateful I grace you this opportunity to feast on some blood." He said before dueling with the already resurrected Berserker.
It seems that the smaller the damage was, the faster it resurrected.
Aside from Alina and Sif who are used to Adam's martial prowess, the others are in for a feast with their eyes because Adam displayed in his fight that he had even greater technique and experience. Overpowering the legendary demigod's martial technique, which although degraded, is still very impressive. Even Caster felt his blood boil in excitement, wishing it was him fighting Adam instead of Berserker.
Then, with a one swift act after outsmarting Berserker to reveal a gap in his defense, Adam plunged the Daemonic Sword into Berserker's throat and pulled back swiftly to cause blood gushing out and bathed Berserker in his own boiling blood.
"That's four and five more to go." He mutters like he is doing a boring chore.
If The Berserker retains even a bit of intelligence, the fight might be enjoyable. But Berserker is nothing but a rabid beast filled with rage. No matter how much martial technique he shows, his moves are all easily predictable, like fighting against a mindless beast without intelligence.
He repeats the process, swapping to other weapons until he finally completes nine total kills with nine different methods. Berserker finally stop regenerating his wound and Adam noticed the Berserker's madness wore off but had yet to die, clinging to his last speck of consciousness.
"Thank you for freeing me from this curse." Berserker… No. Heracles said before his body flake off into golden motes of particles and fade away.
"You're welcome." Adam replied and recited Heracles a prayer for his peaceful rest before turning around and saw the shocked crowd except for Alina and Sif who congratulated him for his victory.
Also there is Olga Marie who wanted to interrogate Adam but the moment she fell under his gaze, she stiffened up as if she was a small rabbit being started by a mythical dragon.
To dissolve this tense atmosphere, Adam looks at the shivering Olga, spirited Mash and drained Ritsuko. All of them look very worn and to proceed into the next battle, a rest is necessary. So, that is exactly what he suggested and no one had any objections. Mainly because of the two pairs of eyes behind him glaring at another who dares to
"Good. I know a place that is quite intact and well defend." Caster chip in to the offer.
"Lead the way then, Caster." Adam nods and accepts his offer.
"You all ride on top of Sif. We will get there swiftly." Adam ordered while point at everyone except for himself.
As for Sif, she whined. Why should she allow those unworthy to ride on her majestic self?
"Bear with it please, Sif. I'll promise to give you your favorite reward later." Adam coaxes his sulking canine companion which immediately becomes excited once reward is on the table.
With that, they swiftly moved under Caster's guide and reached a mansion which Caster introduced as the Tohsaka residence, the owner is one of the Holy Grail War participants and the Master of Archer.
Olga Marie immediately recognised Magus family name, a popular one with Rin Thosaka being a disciple of the 'Wizard Marshal', a very powerful figure in the Clock Tower and prominent figure of the Moonlit World, whatever that means.
They all rest inside the mansion while Adam fulfills the reward he promised Sif. Sif was eager and lay on the ground and had Adam give her a thorough belly rub which she enjoyed very much, growling and barking in satisfaction the entire time.
For the onlooker, it's a strange sight to see such a fierce great wolf with such a cute side. If Sif isn't as big as a truck, she might look no different from a normal dog, enjoying a belly rub from her owner.
After that is done, Adam and Sif also enter the mansion. Thanks to its style of architecture, the door and hallway are big enough for the two to squeeze into the living room and found Caster manning a makeshift cooking station on the fireplace, making a soup of some sort while the others are resting except for Alina who is standing next to a seat she prepared for him that she assembled from the furnitures that can withstands his weight. He finds it unnecessary as laying on his walking bed of fluff is enough but he didn't have the heart to reject her offer after the effort she made.
Also, his arrival seems to have woken up the resting ones.
"Ah, Adam senpai." Mash greeted after waking up from her brief nap and rubbing the tiredness away from her eyes.
Olga snapped awake when Adam's name was mentioned while Ritsuko was accidentally hit by Olga in her panic and also woken up.
"Ah, good that everyone woke up. The soup just completed. Let's eat and regain some of your energy. Especially you, Master. You need to be in top shape to consistently supply Mana to your Servants." Caster said and lectured while handing out bowls of soup.
When it was Adam's turn, Alina stopped Caster angrily. "Your cur! How dare you serve Milord with such dis—"
"Alina." Adam's stern voice silenced her in a heartbeat. Then he accepted the bowl of steaming hot soup. "It's fine. Food is food. Not like I care if it's an imperial banquet or just simple cooking. At least it's better than eating Corpse-Starch rations." Adam sighed.
"Yes, Milord…" Alina quieted down and accepted herself a bowl of soup and silently sipped it next to Adam while the room tried to digest what curious and morbid knowledge Adam just casually dropped again.
Adam took off his helmet with a hiss which made many stare at his face. But he didn't care since he had been started by billions before and it didn't affect him in the slightest.
He looked at the soup and found vegetables and meat in the soup added with cornmeal and milk to make it thicker and richer. It makes him wonder where these came from because during his investigation, most food here is already contaminated, decomposed or burnt to ashes.
Perhaps sensing his burning curiosity, Caster revealed the answer. "I made it using the supplies my Master received from Chaldea."
"Oh. So, it's possible to transfer objects through Rayshift?" Adam looked at the Director, Olga to answer his question but someone else answered before she could.
"Yes, we could, although only when necessary." Romani replied swiftly. "Because of the explosion, we only have a backup generator up and running right now and to Rayshift anything would cost a lot of energy, have a severe shortage of and barely have the bare minimum to keep all critical equipment up and running."
"I see… Thank you for answering."
"No. No. It's my pleasure. To be honest, I'm bored right now and being able to converse is a good distraction lest I accidentally fell asleep. Haa… if only the coffee machine survived the explosion too." Romani went silent after that. While Mash is giggling and Olga gritting her teeth at Romani's carefree attitude.
After the meal, everyone went back to sleep later except Caster, Adam and Alina. The former is making preparations, carving runes on pieces of stones. Adam meditates and connects himself to the Warp of this universe. Alina stood guard by Adam's side, glaring at Caster like he wronged her which left him helpless at her bad impression of him.
—————