Fate: I Will Eventually Become the Hero of Justice

In fact, this was a special trait of Galahad's shield.

While Mash who possessed Galahad's Saint Graph could lift it easily, the shield itself was infused with the concept of Camelot, possessing its full weight. Each blow was like swinging the entire city as a weapon. No wonder even a dragon-blooded hero like Saber found it extremely taxing.

Saber's attacks became increasingly fierce as she sought to break through and reach the head.

Yet every time Mash was beaten back, she would grit her teeth and stand once more before Shirou, as if she was protecting not her Servant, but some irreplaceable treasure.

Such unwavering intent to protect caused Saber to take her more seriously, her strikes growing harsher than before.

Unable to keep up, Mash could only plant her greatshield to block Saber's blade.

Although she blocked her blade, sweat still poured down Mash's forehead under the endless assault on her shield.

This too was related to Galahad's shield's properties. While empowered by Camelot, the shield was stronger than the original, but the price paid was also immense.

The shield's power depended on its wielder's mental strength and willpower. In other words, each attack that landed was also a strike at Mash's mind and spirit.

Yet she did not fall even under such fierce attacks, proving her will remained unbroken.

In fact, she had always borne a knot in her heart.

She was a rookie Master, yet at the same time, a rookie Servant as well.

She once had a Master too.

Yet she had failed to protect her well. As a Shielder, a guardian, she had let fear stop her from keeping them safe.

That was her mental knot.

And this time...

—Master, I leave my life in your hands!

Recalling those familiar words, how could Mash fall here?

She grit her teeth, gripping her shield tightly. Like a juggernaut she charged straight at Saber shield-first.

Saber slashed invisible sword horizontally to block.

A thunderous "thud" rang out as a groan escaped Saber's lips. What had slammed into her felt less like Mash, more like a massive fortress, smashing her right off the Giant's shoulder.

"Well done, Master!"

"It was nothing, Mr. Fujimaru."

Just then, Heracles pried open the Giant's feet. 

Losing its balance, the mud giant staggered.

Now! Arjuna thought fiercely. His entire body radiated terrifying mana, even the surrounding air grew restless. Eyes cold, he stared fixedly at the giant's head as his divine bow shone with hellish flames.

"Turn to ash in the Agni's flames! Agni Gandiva!"

Chanting loudly, he unleashed the full fury of the fire god. Like a blazing pillar, Agni's arrow shot straight for the giant's head!

The surrounding space wavered with heat, as if to incinerate all existence.

Such was the might of Agni. Such was the power of Arjuna.

"The time has come, Master! Unleash your Noble Phantasm!" Shirou shouted.

Mash stared dumbly at that apocalyptic strike barreling toward them.

They would die. They would absolutely, undoubtedly die. How could she possibly block something so horrifying?

"What is Assassin thinking?" Jeanne exclaimed in shock. "Having Mash take Arjuna's Noble Phantasm head on?"

Regaining her senses, she spurred her mount toward them without hesitation, hoping to save Mash's life.

But it was too late—the distance was too far.

Mash gazed blankly at the sea of flame, so terrifying and powerful, yet...why did it seem so familiar?

Memories flashed rapidly in her mind.

The rings hovering over Earth's orbit, with hundreds of millions of beams sweeping across the land, everything in their path incinerated to nothingness.

Goetia's wild laughter.

And...

—Mash, I leave my life in your hands!

Senpai's solemn entrustment.

But...

She had been afraid, she had retreated.

She had... allowed senpai to be hurt.

And so she could no longer stand by senpai's side.

She knew Senpai didn't blame her, that she only wanted to protect her from further harm.

But now... death closed in for them both.

Survival instinct screamed warnings in her mind but she silenced it with silent scream. How could a human repeat the same mistakes?

Half a year of endless regrets over that retreat.

Every moment was spent in self-reproach and blame.

As a Shielder, as a protector, how could she allow those she had to protect to be harmed?

"Aaahhhhh!!!"

Mash let out a scream as she charged shield-first to meet the attack!

"Has she lost her mind!?" Jeanne yelled in shock.

And not just her. It was what every spectator was thinking.

Agni Gandiva!

This was Arjuna's [Agni Gandiva: The Flame God's Roar]!

Who among those present would dare tank that head-on?

Not even Shirou would dare to directly take it. So how could anyone dare try?

Everyone thought Mash had gone crazy or stupid. Everyone except Shirou alone.

Only he kept yelling: "Yes, that's it Master! Empty your thoughts and follow the voice of your heart!"

"Aaahhhhh!!!"

Mash screamed as she charged forward shield-first.

Her mind was already blank.

She thought of nothing, only...only regretting how in the past she had failed to protect her senpai, and now, she only wished to protect the people behind her.

Yes.

What did fear matter anyway?

I have people to protect!

—Who are the people you want to protect?

A voice seemed to question her. Be it her Saint Graph or her own self asking.

Mash loudly proclaimed: "Behind me stand the people I must protect! So I cannot retreat a single step!"

Her shield began emitting a soft glow.

The next moment—

Countless words emerged from the shield's surface.

Names of person after person.

A massive, majestic city slowly materialized.

Countless voices cried out loudly, "We cannot retreat, behind us lies Camelot!"

Thousands shouting, thousands of names appearing over the city.

Agni Gandiva crashed against the towering city. Yet the wall held fast, unmoved!

"How is this possible!?" 

Yggdmillennia magi were dumbstruck!

Agni Gandiva's terrifying blast hadn't even nudged the glittering city behind Mash's shield. 

What city was this?

Even Arjuna froze in disbelief. For Shirou to block his Noble Phantasm would be one thing. But this unknown girl?

How...how could this be!?

Yet matters weren't over!

Vlad's pupils shrank as he yelled loudly, "Arjuna! Run, you fool!"

"What...?" Arjuna muttered.

The shining city absorbed the Gandiva's flames, consolidating the energy into a single crackling sphere. Then hurled it back at its caster!

"Impossible—!" Arjuna's shocked face glowed under the blast of his own reflected Noble Phantasm.

"Boom—!"

A gigantic explosion swallowed him.

"Damn!" Vlad hissed. This battle had swerved wildly out of his control. What power allowed that girl to turn a Noble Phantasm back on its owner?

This was truly too ridiculous and absurd!

Still, Vlad did not miss this chance to attack after Arjuna had fallen. Making full use of [The Lord of Execution], he gathered over twenty thousand stakes into one mass, bombarding them straight at Shirou!

Seeing the stakes shooting his way, Shirou was about to act.

His goal had already been achieved. It was time to deal with Vlad, Saber and Heracles.

Yet then, Mash rushed forward shield held high, screaming: "Aaahhhhh!!!"

Recklessly channeling magical energy, the faint mirage of a city around her seeming to manifest like a Reality Marble around the giant.

That luminous city swelled, thousands more names blazing from within. Crystalizing determination given form. The very soul of humanity's will made manifest.

Vlad's stakes smashed into this phantom city, instantly frozen in place by the sheer will imposed. Then with countless cracks they shattered into a rain of flowers, shooting back at the opposite Vlad and Heracles!

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!"

An all-encompassing rain of flowers!

Vlad took cover behind Berserker, but Heracles' sturdy body was riddled full of holes, losing one of his lives!

Just as Vlad was about to act, Shirou seized the moment. Projecting Rhongomyniad, he thrust it before Vlad's face, "It's over, Lancer!"

Seeing the holy lance appear right before his eyes, Vlad sighed.

He had failed after coming so close to victory.

He had lost.

But not to Shirou. He had lost to that girl's shield and the shining City!

The city's phantom slowly vanished. Mash was drenched in sweat, teetered limply atop the giant's body. Shirou dashed to catch her collapsing form.

She collapsed into his embrace, face pale and weak.

"Did...did I make it?" she murmured deliriously.

"Yes. We won, Master. You did very well."

"I finally...protected you properly this time... Senpai."

With a gentle smile, she went limp in his arms.