Chapter 153 : Countdown

 

Tetsuya didn't care about the curfew and the fact that martial law was in effect, no man could tell him what to do and what not to do but he certainly had never seen so many people so scared and depressed just by a fallen tower; he had heard somewhere that many were fleeing London for fear of terrorist attacks while the royal family was secured.
On the street you could see soldiers carrying out constant checks and there were fewer people in the subway stations than in a bar. The Clock Tower area was made safe and the government began to blame terrorists: there are those who blamed the Middle East and those who blamed immigrants and, of course, others remembered the good old communists.
Tetsuya was looking for informations on the other Masters who seemed to have completely disappeared from the city since the fall of the Clock Tower. Cleta appeared behind the Master and asserted, preparing to fight:
« We are observed. »
« By who? »
« By me. » Yukiko Kumahira, who was with Berserker, replied.
Tetsuya seeing Yukiko raised a satisfied smile and exclaimed:
« I'm finally meeting you, brat. I knew that sooner or later I would see you again, but I bet you're not here to talk and you want to know something? Me neither! »
Tetsuya threw a punch at the girl but she parried the blow with one hand, moved a little and then counterattacked with a flying kick that broke Tetsuya's nose; Lancer immediately started to attack but was stopped by Berserker who hit her several times with her fists enveloped in fire, Lancer had to move away after the fifth blow but was unable to study a tactic to face the opponent because, in less than two seconds, she was forced again to defend herself against another series of heavy attacks.
Tetsuya got up from the ground and tried to hit Yukiko again but the latter kicked him in the ear and then hit him repeatedly in the face with her boots. 
« Did you really think you had any hope against me, Tetsuya? You're little stronger than a cockroach, I can kill you without a problem. »
Tetsuya promptly got up and punched the girl's chin then, quickly, kicked her, with all his strength, on the chest; the girl fell to the ground, visually she seemed dead but Tetsuya wasn't so stupid as to believe he had won the battle, in fact he had noticed that Berserker and Lancer were still fighting.
« Maybe you won't be a complete waste of time ... » Yukiko said, getting up.
« Fuck you, bitch. LANCER! » Tetsuya yelled.
Lancer moved away from Berserker, jumped and prepared her Noble Phantasm but didn't target Berserker but Yukiko; Berserker, however, didn't stand still: she took a car and threw it at Lancer and then, without a moment's hesitation, used her Noble Phantasm:
« Ashes of Camelot! (My Hell is Eternal) »
Berserker launched a powerful vortex of fire from her hands that hit Lancer and the machine in full, causing an explosion.
Yukiko, with an ironic tone, said:
« Next time I'm sure it'll be better. »
« I know. » Tetsuya answered with an unwarranted smile.
Yukiko, confused, turned around but didn't notice anything strange from the flames, Lancer had not moved but sent Berserker to check; at that moment five yellow astral spears surrounded Yukiko, Lancer was on a roof with the weapon lit, she jumped and used the Noble Phantasm:
« Katadíki Tou Krótona! (My Condemnation of Crotone) »
Lancer threw her spear at Yukiko, the impact of the attack generated a gigantic bright explosion but Tetsuya immediately realized that Berserker had the Master in her arms, she had managed to save her with superhuman speed. Yukiko was taken to safety by Berserker, on the roof of a house, and with an amused tone asserted:
« Do you really think you can beat me, Tetsuya? »
« I think I can kill you easily, brat, you just have to give me the opportunity to get my hands on you again, but I guess you prefer to be up there like a frightened kitten. »
« Okay… you convinced me. » Yukiko nodded to Berserker and she stepped aside.
Yukiko flew off the roof and, once touched the asphalt, did a bit of stretching and then Tetsuya heard a strong bone sound coming from under her long sleeve.
« Oh, this? Don't worry, now I'll fix it right away ... »
Yukiko tore off her sleeve showing that skeletal arm made of solid mercury; Tetsuya, shocked, didn't know what to say and the girl didn't comment, she simply approached him and Lancer to which the man asked, perplexed:
« What do you want to do? Aren't you calling Berserker? »
« Berserker? No, no, you misunderstood ... you misunderstood everything, I will kill you both with my hands. »
« Ah, ah, ah! You're crazy! I like you! It's a real shame that you will die in this battle! »
« Jag är Oövervinnlig. » Yukiko said, illuminated by the Magical Circuits that appeared on her body, then said again: « Jag är Stark.  »
« Are you strengthening yourself? It will not be enough. »
« Let's find out. » She said.
Lancer was the first to attack but Yukiko stopped the spear with one hand and then, with her skeletal hand, she grabbed Lancer; the woman kicked Yukiko but she didn't even move an inch, the girl lifted Lancer and threw her to the ground. Tetsuya, shocked, came to the aid of his Servant but was overturned by a punch in the chest that broke his ribs, the man spat blood and fell on Yukiko who, with a movement of the shoulder, dropped him on the asphalt.
« Don't touch me, worm. I don't want to be stained with your blood. »
« How can you be so strong? Where do you get the magical energy from? »
« Well, Lancer, first of all I'm not human, as you may have noticed, and therefore I can store more magical energy than an ordinary human being , and secondly, I have the pleasure of descending from a very powerful family of magi. As I said before: I'll kill you both with my hands. » 

Berserker vs Lancer by Bikowolf