[Now we can go back and talk to Rin again.]

Rin :: …there’s something else you need? Backup to go into the Labyrinth? To build up experience with your Servant? …Hey. Haven’t you been listening to us? It’s pointless. No matter what we do now, it’s pointless. The future is determined. All we can do is try to survive here and…

Rani :: …Indeed. If the Moon Cell still functions as a database, then for Miss Hakunon and Miss Tohsaka to continue to exist here as samples of humanity is meaningful. …that’s all…the purpose left in our existence…

There’s no vitality in their faces. It’s not finding BB too powerful a foe, but losing what they had to protect that has stolen their will to fight. …I understand their feelings. I was in a similar state of mind until recently. I can’t force them by insisting that we fight. But, if I want to go to the Core Zone again, their strength is indispensable. If I can’t somehow at least get their cooperation in order to get to BB —

Gilgamesh :: Argh, Rin, Rani, will you not look up! Are you the brave women who stood before me as a miser and a demon overseer, or are you a pair of fools!

Rin :: — Wha

Rani :: Eh —

Gilgamesh :: Indeed the Moon Cell Core has fallen. The future where you prevent that was never in your reach. That is natural. She called you here on the premise that their victory was already sealed. Thus far all has been according to BB’s plans. You have done nothing but dance in the palm of her hand. But why don’t you see the many things here that are out of order. BB’s expectations end here. Her plan was to close the curtain on her victory and your failure, all according to her determined future. However. There is one here who still has the will to fight…no, a fool who does not vanish even when erased. There is one who continues even after defeat. This fated defeat cannot be changed. This alone is an impossible request even for me. Therefore — This was a battle which first had to be lost. Now that this established fact has come to pass, what waits for us is only blank pages. Your battle is what arises after that. To “change the future” is an incredible conceit to begin with! The present is constantly turning, the future is a cloth that extends and extends, and I am the eternal, indestructible King of Heroes! As long as I am here, nothing will be over. If you see a future of destruction, then you must change it as if you were the editor of history!

Gilgamesh’s encouragement echoes through the silent council room. The change comes like waves drawing in. Strength returns first to the brown-skinned girl.

Rani :: — You’re right. Ah, why didn’t I notice something so obvious. BB only defined the future. We cannot change the future, but the present can be changed. After all — The present is still our territory. It is the only point where the observed universe surpasses the recorded universe. To be able to change the present moment of tomorrow. With our hands we — No. This is the “now,” which only we can change!

Rin :: ——. I see. I guess that’s true. What was I doing.

The red girl’s eyes regain their former gleam. …I faintly remember. There were so many times in the Holy Grail War when she extended her hand to help me, her enemy. Overflowing with energy, always fair, they were the hands of a worthy rival.

Rin :: Even though I said it myself earlier. This isn’t a fight to stop BB. We’re fighting to change the future BB determined. That’s just it. What determines the future is that here on the far side there is no time where we have defeated BB. But if we can create that present time, new possibilities will be created. The future can still go in a different direction. Once there are two futures, the future that happened here will no longer coincide with the real world. …To be honest, defeating BB might not hugely change the future. But —

Rani :: But errors in measurement will certainly arise. We will eliminate BB and return to the Moon Cell to its normal state. That act in and of itself is not pointless. We still have things which we must do…!

Gilgamesh :: Hmph. Making an appeal to rouse these fools, what a stupid act. Consider it your responsibility, mongrel.

Rin :: …Sorry you had to see me act that way. It’s not about restoring my honor, but from now until the end I’m going to give my best as an operator.

Rani :: …Indeed. That we who should form the strategies became a burden to you…But you can count on me from here on out. As as operator, and as an alchemist of Atlas, I will make sure to be of help to you until this is done.

“At least I’ll get them to send me to BB.” That’s what I thought, but this breathes life back into me. Rin and Rani are warriors, and better wizards than I. Having better faculties of judgment, they had a more realistic sense of the difference in power between us and BB, and grasping the situation were overwhelmed by the weight of it. The anxiety and fear they felt was many times more than my own. But they’ve shaken off that pain for me. Since there are still things we must do.

…that’s right. We always knew that there was a great difference in strength. “Because we can’t win.” “Because it can’t be changed.” If we were going to stop walking for reasons like that, we never would have started fighting. When Leo, who excelled above all of us, said he would leave the rest to me, this must be what he meant. He knew we would lose. And he knew we wouldn’t win. But still — he entrusted everything to a person who still wouldn’t give up.

Rin :: All right. In that case we have two problems. One of which is that huge Labyrinth core.

Rani :: Yes. We cannot reach the Moon Cell Core with bringing down that core. It is genuinely the final wall.

Sakura :: — I can resolve that.

Sakura…? She’s returned from the infirmary to the student council room with a serious expression on her face.

Sakura :: That Labyrinth core doesn’t belong to BB. It’s…the wall of my heart.

Rin :: Eh!? Y, you have such incredible trauma as that, Sakura!?

Rani :: …though I believe SGs are secrets, not trauma…rather, Sakura. If that’s true, then can you release it quickly?

Sakura :: ………Yes. That wall, I can bring down. I couldn’t say it then, but…

Rani :: No, there was no help for that situation. Miss Tohsaka’s mental state was abnormal at the time. I did notice that you were trying to say something. Though Miss Tohsaka was losing her cool.

Rin :: Hey, you’re saying it’s all my fault!? Gh…fine, you’re right, my bad! But it was incredible, that huge thing! Could any hacker’s soul not burn up seeing a fire wall like that? No, it couldn’t.

Rani :: ………Sakura. I will consider what can be done about Miss Tohsaka’s personality. So please remove the Labyrinth core without any reservations.

Sakura :: …Miss Rani. No, everyone. I have a request on this matter myself. Please let me set a condition for opening that door. I am an AI designed to oversee your health and safety. By my nature, I wouldn’t be able to let you go into a battle you have no hope to win without warning you against it. But……I have no more words that can stop you. I will help you in your battle.

Rin :: Then…!

Sakura :: No. I can’t give you my approval as you are now. Countermeasures against BB. Please search for a way to cancel out the Ten Crowns. When you do that, I will open the gate of the Labyrinth’s core…Sakura’s heart. That’s the only condition I well set for you.

With a look that hides her determination, so Sakura says. “The Ten Crowns” — It’s true that eliminating that skill the minimum requirement here. I’ll consult with Rani about it first.

Rani :: Miss Hakunon. On the matter of the analysis of the “Ten Crowns,” the truth is — in fact difficult to say. Further analysis than this is impossible for myself and Miss Tohsaka alone.

Right…it wouldn’t be that easy, would it. The “Ten Crowns” is also in BB’s matrix. I don’t think she’d disclose her own weak point that easily. We were able to obtain this fragment of information because of the green-mantled Archer in particular, but now we —

Rani :: So, please give us sakurament. If we have this many points, we’ll be able to accomplish the analysis in three minutes.

[System notice: “Bill: 50,000Sm As fee for ‘Ten Crowns’ analysis”]

So it really is that easy then…! It’s an enormous number of points, but if that’s what it takes I think I can raise that much!

Gilgamesh :: As I would expect, money has the final say. The King of Heroes Money is Power System…heh, it has a nice ring to it.

Rin :: Hey, that’s ripping me off! The Money is Power System is a Tohsaka business!

Rani :: We can’t help it. Machine power is simply not enough. We have to supplement our deficiency.

[I do have that much money on hand, though this is also the point where we can go and pick up another quest from Taiga, so I head down stairs and do that (now she needs a girl’s secret, like everyone else I suppose) before paying up.]

Rani :: You’ve gathered the sakurament? Then please transfer it to me. [I do so.] Thank you very much.If we have this as a power source, we can break the seal on the black box. Please wait a few minutes. By the name of Isis, the mother of magic, I will expose the Ten Crowns.

[A moment of loading later.]

Rani :: Finished. I will send you the matrix data.

[BB’s matrix opened.]

Rin :: Whoa…this is BS. You could just call it “BB can do whatever she likes.”

Sakura :: But…this isn’t enough on its own…isn’t there some way to block it?

Rani :: We haven’t found a way to seal the “Ten Crowns,” but we can devise countermeasures.

Rin :: Really!?

Rani :: As a result of analyzing the “Ten Crowns,” we too have acquired rights to access “original power” from the Moon Cell. The “Ten Crowns” is the beginning of human history, the dawning of the light of civilization…In summer, it is the power of the Origin that began the human genome. It is something all human beings hold within them. Therefore, we can append this ability it to your Servant as well. If we have the same power the Ten Crowns cannot make us “things that weren’t.”

Gilgamesh :: Oh? So you would lay hands on my origin.

Rani :: Yes. You must enter your Servant’s virtual mind/body, access the heroic spirit core directly, the heroic spirit’s root that the Moon Cell has sealed away — and release the “legendary mystic code.”

[I’ve generally been going with the literal translation “formal wear” for that word, as the localized Fate/Extra did, but the “mystic code” term feels more appropriate here.]

Rin :: Going directly to the heroic spirit’s core…you mean spirit infiltration like we did with Sakura!?

Rani :: Yes. Fortunately we know how to do it. It should be quite an achievable operation.

I, I see. So basically, like when Sakura was being attacked by Meltlilith, but this time I’ll be diving into my Servant, that’s it!

Gilgamesh :: This is an unprecedented situation. It’s not that you can’t touch my origin without authorization, but…it will be accompanied by appropriate dangers? As it is a human body, there will be sanitation programs acting as immune functions. To which there are no enemies and allies.

Rani :: …That is the problem, isn’t it. We can send Hakuno in with the Ten Thousand Colored Stagnation, but she will be without the protection of her Servant. I had planned to attach a guard doll as a quasi-Servant, but the dolls’ stats are not very high…

Rin :: So going inside could backfire on us…just a doll would never be up to it. What if we use a custom-made familiar?

Rani :: …That isn’t realistic. Sakura’s memory is already going beyond its limits maintaining the old school building’s systems. Analysis is one thing, but we don’t have the memory to spare on a new self-supporting function. Therefore…I would like to appeal to Jinako Karigiri for her cooperation. We can take Lancer from her, and have him act as Hakuno’s guard. With Lancer we have no need to worry about fighting strength.

Gilgamesh :: That man, is it…he is sufficiently qualified. His character, his strength, both are nothing to criticize. But do not contract with him, Hakuno. If it’s as a trial contract prior to a temporary contract, there will be no problems.

Rin :: There’s nothing else to do, so bear with it. Strengthening your Servant is an absolute requirement if we’re going to oppose BB. You too, Hakunon. This will be your second dive, but please prepare yourself to go in.

Of course, I nod in reply. I know that infiltrating a virtual mind/body is dangerous, but this is our last hope.

Rani :: Before that we must negotiate with Jinako Karigiri. It was my proposal, but as to whether she’ll agree to cooperate that easily…

Rin :: …Right. If it comes down to it we’ll have to do it by force…which Hakunon couldn’t do even if she gave her life in the process. In which case…we consider that way too…If we propose it well I’ve sure that girl will go for it…

Rin…? She’s muttering something or other over there, but what is she talking about? It doesn’t sound like it’s about Jinako…

Rin :: Just something on this side, don’t worry about it. You go persuade Jinako. That girl doesn’t talk to anyone but you anymore.

…it’s true, Jinako definitely isn’t going to open her mouth if Rin or Rani talks to her. I’m not confident that I can persuade her well myself, but infiltrating my Servant’s spirit will be too dangerous without Karna’s cooperation. Anyway, let’s go to the janitor’s room.

[But first, a look at the BB’s new matrix info: the skill “Ten Crowns EX” has been changed to “Womb of One Hundred Beasts EX,” and the background entry Spirit Particle Fabricated Trap has been added.]

Potnia Theron: Womb of One Hundred Beasts. This is the power of the goddesses BB compiled and consumed from the abyss of the Moon Cell. Coming forth from a goddess about 8000 years ago (the goddess of Çatalhöyük) whose name has been lost, derived from the likes of Tiamat and Cybele, Ishtar, Inanna, Anat, Astarte, Gaia, Hera, Artemis, Aphrodite, Demeter, and Athena, this is the embodiment of the power of a mother goddess to give birth to all things.

It is often pictured in the form of a mural crown. This is because most of these goddesses were also the guardian deities of cities.

<>

Symbolized by gates opened in the earth and the sky (caves and the moon), by tornadoes and whirling tides, by the mouth of a volcano, from which it gives birth to the destruction that brings death to all. Properly, after that destruction has spread death, it promises great fertility and abundant harvests. This ability is none other than the power to simultaneously bring life and death.

Earth mother goddesses are worshiped by people, to whom they provide divine protection as guardian deities, and at the same time, by the grains and crops, the animals of the fields and forests that spring from their bodies, they are the sacrifices that sustain those people. Earth mother goddesses raise people on their own flesh and blood, then when the time comes they kill those people and by that food restore their flesh and blood, with which they raise people again. This process is the cycle of the food chain, and this cycle of life and death can also be called the true nature of the earth mother. With this power, goddesses mostly either birth countless monsters and giants and become a menace to humanity, or birth heroes, and so become humanity’s protector. Tiamat and Gaia are examples of those who became threats, while Hera is an example of those who became the mother of heroes.

<>

Those born of the earth cannot oppose the power of the mother goddess. To do so would be to rebel against the system of life itself. But perhaps when our childhood as sapient beings has ended and we leave the earth, aiming for the stars, this power will be lost. The wish of Çatalhöyük lies in the coming of that day.

[Well that was full of blatantly incorrect statements about Greek goddesses. Anyway.]

Cursed Cutting Crater: Spirit Particle Fabricated Trap. The formal name of this stage. This place, which used to be only an imaginary number space for storing malignant information, was established as real number space in past, present, and future, by the fact of BB’s arrival at the Moon Cell Core. By her hands it was reconstructed as “the far side of the moon,” where Masters can exist.

<>

Having obtained the power of the original goddess, BB successfully digitized the “nothingness” before life was born. This made her a master of imaginary number space, where time and space are both uncertain. No matter how much time hacking the Moon Cell requires, BB achieved it by placing herself in the concept of “infinite time.”