—Rider of Black by no means had a tough or sturdy body. His stamina was just as could be imagined from his showy appearance.
"Owowow..."
Even so, he wasn't all that wounded by the damage from the fall and blasts of prana. That was probably because of—the immense effect of his Noble Phantasm Luna Break Manual: Universal Magic Guide (Temporary Name).
"—Ah man, I give up. What should I do now?"
His hippogriff wasn't dead. It had been injured, but since he sent it back right away, it would be able to recover. But he wouldn't be able to use it again in this battle.
When he thought back on it, he couldn't deny that he'd been a bit too impatient. If he had completely released his hippogriff's power, he definitely could have gotten through that magic attack.
The reason he wasn't able to do that—was because he had decided not to.
"Ah, geez!"
He scratched his head. Had he hesitated and wavered this much during his life as well? He understood, at least in theory. He truly did understand that they had to win this battle. But his body wouldn't listen to what he said no matter what.
—Ah, damn it. I really give up.
The image that faintly arose in his mind was that feeble hand seeking help. That person's voice had been thin and fleeting like a mayfly, trembling so frailly.
—Because we are grave sinners who fatten ourselves by eating the weak like that.
The words 'It's too late for that' floated to his mind. Yes, it truly was too late for such sentiments. He was a monster who consumed prana just by manifesting. That was his true form. Who knew how many homunculi might have already died for his sake?
It truly was too late to start thinking like this. But even so, he wouldn't do it. He had decided that and resolved himself not to do it.
"...For now, let's look for the others."
He wanted the Holy Grail, and he wanted to exert himself for the sake of his comrades—that much was fine. But the question of whether or not he could do that while following his heart had become a problem, obstructing his path.
"Hmm?"
Claaaaaaang—Rider frantically turned around at the high-pitched metallic sound. With bloodstains and dents here and there over its red frame, a conventional American sports car, a Chevrolet Corvette, plunged towards Rider while dodging golems and sending Dragon Tooth Warriors and homunculi flying.
"No way!?"
Though he was shocked at the appearance of such an overly mismatched intruder on this traditional battlefield, Rider was still a Servant, and so he immediately took evasive maneuvers. Passing right by him, the Corvette's steering wheel was apparently spun with absurd force, as it came to a halt while spinning around as if it were swung by a giant.
As Rider watched the car in mute amazement, a clattering sound came from the driver's seat. The driver seemed to be trying to open the door, but perhaps due to having hit something, it appeared to be completely bent shut.
"Gah, how irritating!"
Along with those words, the door was blown off.
Slender feet stepped out from the driver's seat. A girl, with her face dirtied black here and there, came out and hit the roof of the car with obvious displeasure. She wore a vivid red leather jacket and tube-top on her upper body, and cut jeans that exposed her thighs on her lower body. The door of the front passenger's seat was also similarly blown off a moment later, and a man slowly crawled out from the car. He was a giant of a man who wore black boots with black trousers, and his overall appearance truly made it seem like he lived a showy and destructive life totally unconnected to that of a proper and respectable person.
