Explosion!

Even in its enraged state, the Chimera didn't lose his capability to think clearly. The goat head was the most clear-headed, especially considering it was the one that gave the beast its characteristical intelligence compared to any other creature.

Its next action proved this. The monster faced the prey that got away, Jeanne, and the one that took her away from it, Lancelot. It moved like it was about to attack the two, causing said Servants to be on guard. However, contrary to their expectations, the Chimera suddenly turned around and charged at Jalter and Cu Chulainn.

Avenger and Caster were surprised by the abrupt action of the beast. With incredible speed, the monster rammed the lion head in Cu Chulainn and the goat one in Jalter.

Both Servants were thrown back but quickly managed to stabilize themselves in the air. After the initial surprise, the others also decided to launch their attacks. The first ones to do it were Martha and Kiyohime, who could attack from a distance without problems.

The Berserker girl manipulated her flames very carefully to avoid the serpent head and just attack the lion one. She assumed that using the same element it breathed wouldn't bring too many results.

Fortunately, Martha didn't have the same problem. As what she used was basically 'holy power,' she didn't have to worry about causing an explosion by igniting the venom cloud.

Kiyohime sent small balls of blue fire toward the lion head while Martha pressed her staff against her forehead, simulating a prayer before pointing it upward. A blue beam descended from the imaginary sky and impacted on the monster's back.

The lion head roared in anger after being hit, but the goat head simply ignored it and opened its mouth. Not long after, its mouth released a sea of flames that tried to engulf both Caster and Avenger. However, Jalter was having none of it.

"You are going to pay for what you did, you stupid creature." Being hit by that creature was not a pleasant thing. Cladding her sword in flames, she swung it, creating a wave of fire that managed to offset the Chimera's attack.

Cu Chulainn took this opportunity where he was covered by the fire moving around and slammed his hand on the floor. A white circle of runes formed all around him before giant vines sprouted from the ground and hit the beast like a whip.

The monster did a small jump back to get away from them. However, the moment its paws touched the ground, it was met with Lancelot's sword. The Black Knight slashed down on the creature's side, creating a thin line of blood. By the looks of it, the defense of this monster was something extraordinary.

Raising his sword again, Berserker prepared to strike once more. It was at that moment the serpent head moved; it launched an attack with the intention of bitting Lancelot.

Before the venomous fangs could touch it, Mash appeared for a rematch. She jumped and bashed her shield against the body of the tail, effectively changing its trajectory.

Berserker changed its target from the body of the monster to its tail. Nevertheless, the Chimera noticed this and took swift actions. Instead of making it a bite attack like the previous one, it released a cloud of poisonous gas.

Mash covered her mouth and nose while Lancelot was swinging his sword left and right to disperse the venom. Still, the Chimera's assault didn't end just there, without minding them. It jumped high up in the air before breathing fire on the venom cloud below it.

"Watch out!" Jeanne and Fujimaru shouted in concern. The Corrupted Knight looked up to see the incoming flames. Without a moment of hesitation, he grabbed Mash by the shoulders and threw her out harm's way.

*Boom*

A massive explosion that made the cave tremble occurred. Smoke and dust blocked their vision from the ground zero. It was at that moment that the figure of Lancelot shot from it, cracks were present all over his armor.

"Sir Lancelot!" Once Mash regained her footing after the shockwave proceeding the explosion, she saw the man that had saved her crashing on the cold floor.

Seeing this, and unaware to her, a seed of doubt planted itself inside her heart. She was already self-conscious about her not being a proper Heroic Spirit, and now that someone saved her when she was the one supposed to protect. Many questions found a place in her mind, was she good enough? Could she stand by her Senpai's side? Will they think she was not needed?

Her questions were interrupted by Vlad's voice. "Get yourself together; the enemy is not going to wait for you!"

The Impaler has been observing the beast in hopes of finding a way to kill it with swiftness. That was when he noticed the girl with the big shield standing there with a lost gaze.

He had to get her to be alert, or she would become just a burden. Fortunately, it seemed to have worked as the little girl snapped out of her trance.

"R-right. I'm sorry!" Mash quickly apologized and took a stance once more. Fujimaru was worried about her, but he also understood that now was not the time.

Looking at Martha, he made sure to raise his voice so she could hear clearly. "Martha, please, your heal!"

The Saint of Bethany nodded her head, repeating the same motion she did when she attacked the Chimera. This time, however, particles of light emerged from her staff and moved to the bodies of the injured people close to her, mainly Jalter, Cu Chulainn, and Lancelot.

The pain Caster and Avenger had due to the impact from earlier was disappearing little by little. Berserker's wounds beneath the armor were also healing, albeit not by much. Strangely enough, the cracks were repairing themselves too.

Just then, the beast landed on the ground. As it did so in the middle of the smoke and dust cloud, its figure could not be spotted.

There was a moment of silence where they didn't know what the creature was going to do next. However, Cu Chulainn was not going to waste an opportunity like this.

"Ansuz!" Writing runes in the air, he sent them toward the beast's location. If they couldn't see it, the monster wouldn't be able to see them either.

Kiyohime decided to back-up Caster with her flames. As they didn't know the exact location, they chose to attack randomly.

Some of the sounds from their attack were accompanied by the Chimera's pained roars and bleats, so it was safe to say that they were successful in their offense.

Tired of the continuous onslaught, the monster used its tail like a whip, dispersing its cover. When its figure became visible, the group saw multiple scorch marks throughout its body.

It looked pissed if the veins in its two faces were anything to go by. Its tail moved forward and released venom at Caster and Berserker once more.

This time, however, it didn't do more than that against them. Instead, it turned around and charged at its previous target, Jeanne.

The Saint in question didn't wait for it and advanced to meet its charge. Shielder, having recovered a good enough mental state to fight, accompanied her.

Shield met lion head and flag met goat head. The impact created a loud sound that resonated with echo around the cave.

The strength of the Chimera was not to be taken lightly. Although both girls managed to avoid getting sent flying, the creature was still pushing them back.

"Gh!" Mash and Jeanne gnashed their teeth as a way to endure without much success.

"Leave it to me!" Just then, Nero, who hadn't had any influence on the fight up until now, appeared behind the Chimera. With her sword covered in flames, she slashed the tendons of its hind legs.

As the force from its attack came from them, the Chimera couldn't keep its charge. Everyone could hear the pained cries from the beast; they had to admit that Nero ended up being useful, after all.

The monster wanted to get away from there, so it decided to jump away. As its hind legs were practically useless at this point, the Chimera used its front legs; the jump was weaker, though.

Unfortunately for it, this was something a certain someone was waiting for. "I will be taking your Magical Energy, my vassal," Vlad told Fujimaru, who nodded, signaling he was okay with it.

"Your impertinence ends here, foolish creature." Magical Energy colored red and black started gathering around him in the shape of a spiraling tornado.

『Kazıklı Bey!! 』Vlad grabbed his chest like he was trying to rip it apart. 'Stakes' shot out from it, they traveled with incredible speed and pierced the Chimera who was still in the air.

Fujimaru felt a little light-headed but otherwise didn't look that affected. It seemed he was learning how to give Magical Energy without wasting it needlessly.

The creature remained pinned mid-air for a few seconds. That was until the stakes disappeared, with nothing to support its weight, the beast fell powerlessly on the ground.

"Is it over?" Mash asked, seeing the unmoving creature. Jeanne, who was beside her, slowly nodded. "It looks that way."

The others slowly approached the Chimera. "Umu! I just proved that this ugly creature was nothing more than a bigger lion! Who said I couldn't do anything?" Nero asked with a smug smile on her face.

The only answer she got was a knuckle on the head, courtesy of Martha. "Be humble."

Nero felt wronged by that; she rubbed where she was hit as a tear threatened to fall from her eye.

"Don't let your guard down, the creature still breathes." Vlad reminded them, and indeed. It was almost unnoticeable, but the chest from the beast was going up and down, signaling a faint breath.

"What can it do? It barely moves!" Nero, with the same wronged expression, commented on his words.

Ignoring Nero's rambling of which he was used to, Fujimaru turned to Mash to ask if she was okay. That was when he noticed in the corner of his view the tail of the Chimera slowly moving.

By reflex, Fujimaru tackled Nero, who had her back against the beast. Although he didn't have time to think, he subconsciously chose Nero knowing full well if the tail hit a Servant, then they wouldn't suffer much damage.

The exact moment that happened, the tail did a sing where Nero's head used to be. Meaning that if Fujimaru hadn't acted, she would have been decapitated.

The other Servants quickly acted and stabbed their respective weapons on the beast. "I congratulate you for your quick reaction, my Vassal." Vlad praised Fujimaru after thrusting his spear on the Chimera's body.

"T-Thanks..." The Emperor thanked him with a blush on her face, considering their position looked ambiguous at the moment.

Fujimaru also realized this, so he also shared her embarrassment. He felt a piercing stare from behind him, so he quickly got off her.

This awkward moment was interrupted by the Chimera, who after being impaled by stakes and stabbed by a variety of weapons, still had fight left in it due to its immense rage.

The monster did a last struggle. It moved its tail once more, but the beast didn't use it to attack them. Instead, the serpent head entered the goat's mouth.

The only thing they could see before their world turned white was the look of 'I win' the creature gave them. Although finding expressions on a beast was hard, they couldn't deny that was what they saw.