As the sun set, Homurahara Academy was bathed in the golden glow of dusk. Golden tassels of light spilled across the blue-tiled eaves of the windows.
The gentle evening breeze carried faint floral scents, bringing peace to the heart and elevating the beauty of the sunset.
Students, done with club activities, strolled out of campus in small groups. The soft light of the setting sun painted their youthful figures in a glow of vitality.
But Shirou Emiya had no mood to enjoy such scenic beauty. The emergence of a new group of Holy Grail War participants left him with only one thought: he needed these students to leave this dangerous place.
He couldn't even guarantee his own safety, yet he worried more for others. It was foolish, contrary to the self-serving nature of magi—but it was exactly who Shirou Emiya was.
As the chatter of students faded into the distance, leaving the school quiet, Durandal, standing beside Rita at the shoe locker entrance, withdrew her gaze from the departing students and looked at the red-haired boy.
"Shirou Emiya, correct."
"The area is cleared. Let us begin... the battle between Servants, for the Holy Grail."
"Huh? Miss Artagina, what are you talk—mmph..."
Wearing black protective sleeves and a simple kyudo uniform, Ayako Mitsuzuri was confused—until she suddenly felt darkness consume her vision.
A sudden mental shock and intense drowsiness overwhelmed her. Dizzy and disoriented, she began to collapse.
"Ayako!"
Shirou quickly caught her before her head hit the floor, brown eyes flashing with guilt.
Innocents are getting dragged into this again...
"Relax. She's not hurt. Just asleep for a while," Durandal said as she lowered her palm.
She frowned slightly as she examined Shirou's reaction. Her sharp blue eyes glinted with curiosity.
It was faint, but she had sensed magical energy from him.
Moreover, she sensed several magical signatures scattered across multiple school buildings—likely the activation nodes of magical formations.
So there were Servants hiding in this school.
Could it be the one connected to that other student, Shinji Matou? A so-called magus who wasn't even half-trained?
Durandal made her assessment.
Though only having observed for less than a day, she already had a good read on the two young Masters.
Shirou Emiya gave a good impression. He reminded her of Kiana: cheerful on the outside, a do-gooder to the core. The way the other students treated him said it all.
As for Shinji Matou... well, her first impression was terrible. He looked like a sleazy playboy with a hollowed-out physique and an ever-present dark smirk.
The life-draining magical formation embedded within the school was clearly his doing.
"I'll say it once: hand over control of your Servant, or use a Command Spell to order its self-destruction."
"Only by doing so may you live."
Durandal, hoping to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, extended her hand one last time in peace.
With her statement, the auxiliary officer posing as Kuzuki Souichirou stepped forward, no longer bothering with his disguise.
Boom—crack!
With a thunderous stomp, the polished wooden floor cracked into a web of fractures. Nearby shoe lockers toppled with a crash.
"Lady Durandal, it seems this is far easier than we planned."
To think he even went to the trouble of crafting a fake identity to scout the school—it all felt like a waste now.
He had overestimated this Holy Grail War's participants.
"A magus? Hah, what kind of terrifying opponent? Turns out he's got no defenses, no awareness, no contingency plans. This so-called Holy Grail War is practically a child's game."
Tearing off his courteous mask, the auxiliary officer's face contorted with scorn and fury, emanating a chilling hostility.
"Why must we fight, Miss Artagina? I have no interest in the Holy Grail at all!"
"If you want it, we can cooperate. Once we've eliminated the truly evil Masters who harm innocent civilians, I have no problem giving you the Grail."
Gently laying Ayako Mitsuzuri against the wall, Shirou stood up and pleaded earnestly.
"And how do you know I'm not one of those villains?"
"It may sound abrupt, but one can judge a person by their words and deeds. Miss Artagina, you strike me as a righteous knight. I could feel it. You had every opportunity to kill me or disregard innocent bystanders—yet you did not."
Honestly, when he met Durandal and her maid earlier that day, Shirou's heart had pounded with dread. He thought it was over and was ready to summon Saber with a Command Spell.
But Durandal hadn't acted aggressively. She simply observed him and continued her campus inspection.
That let Shirou breathe a sigh of relief. He figured she must be a good magus—so good, in fact, he followed her around offering to be her tour guide, constantly mentioning he had no interest in the Holy Grail.
Very Shirou Emiya of him.
Even Rita was stunned. You're either incredibly idealistic... or just plain dumb. Aren't you afraid we'll kill you on a whim?
Still, she later whispered to Durandal that the boy's innocence and sincerity made her feel guilty about taking advantage of him.
"You chose to fight fair, without harming innocents. That alone proves you're nothing like those other magi who kill for mana!"
"Enough, Shirou! I don't know how your blockhead became Saber's Master, but let me show you what a real magus is!"
From the shadows emerged a familiar figure, his usual smirking, arrogant face now twisted with madness.
"Shinji? Why did you come back?! It's dangerous, get out of here!"
"Oh my, it seems this Mr. Matou... the seaweed-haired gentleman, hid his identity quite well. Shirou, you really didn't notice he was a Master too?"
Rita chuckled with theatrical delight.
"Don't call me seaweed-head, you damn wench! Can't you see I'm speaking to your master? Know your place, servant!"
Crack!
The tile beneath Durandal's feet exploded.
"No need to lose your temper, Lady Durandal."
Rita wasn't angry—on the contrary, she gently held back Durandal, whose expression had grown dangerously cold. Her wine-red eyes narrowed with a flicker of killing intent.
"You escaped, yet deliberately came back. A magus with no circuits... Who gave you the courage to face us?"
"What did you say?! You filthy wench! I'll kill you!" Shinji Matou snarled, face contorted in fury.
Born into a magus family yet completely devoid of magical talent or circuits—that had always been his greatest shame.
"I'm gonna ra—gah!"
An overwhelming murderous intent, cold and oppressive like a tidal wave, surged forth and locked onto Shinji Matou in an instant.
Humm!
A split second later, with a sharp "clang!", his venomous shouting was cut off by a glint of icy light streaking past his neck, turning his yell into a shriek.
Clatter! A burst of metal rang out as a jagged black dagger materialized in midair, intercepting the energy slash headed for Shinji's throat and knocking it aside.
"Rider! Where were you?! I almost died!"
Shinji, now planted flat on his butt, looked dazed from terror for a moment, but the instant he realized his backup had arrived, he turned arrogant again.
"..."
The newcomer said nothing.
A tall woman clad in a tight black outfit stood silently. Her bewitching purple hair fell past her knees. In both hands she held short swords with chains and vicious spikes.
Her commanding presence was chilling. Coupled with the snake-themed visor covering her eyes, she exuded an aura of dangerous allure.
Rita let out a soft "Oh my~" and chuckled. "To end up with such a garbage-tier Master... a trash heap among trash heaps... Rider, I almost feel sorry for you."
As she spoke, she donned her [Stygian Nymph] armor, and the Frost Scythe Skadi materialized in her hand. In a flash, she lunged forward!
Boom!
Rita swung her scythe with brutal precision—no mercy at all.
BOOM!!
The clash between Servants erupted in a flash of explosive light and shrapnel.
Shinji Matou was blown back like a ragdoll, rolling across the floor before smashing into a wall nearly ten meters away.
"Damn it! Rider, kill her!"
Whoosh!
The frosty scythe tore through the air. The building around them was shredded, gouged with countless razor-sharp scars. A storm of spinning blades surged outward in all directions.
Rider instantly sharpened her senses, knowing she couldn't afford the slightest slip-up.
Reacting without hesitation, she slashed at the connection between the scythe's blade and shaft. Her black high-heeled boots danced with eerie agility, her chains gleaming with a magical luster as they swung into view.
The shifting chains not only hindered her opponent's movements but also let her zip around like she had her own personal 3D maneuver gear.
With exceptional agility and a serpentine flexibility, Rider weaved through hallways and classrooms like a predator from the Age of Gods.
Clang! Boom! Clack!
After yet another clash, Rider twisted mid-air and bounced off a wall, pulling her chain taut with a whip of her arm.
The spiked chain lashed through the air toward Rita.
"Huh?"
The blow landed squarely—but it did nothing. Rider's face darkened.
"That armor... a defensive Noble Phantasm."
She had seen it clearly: her chain-blade had struck the frosty white armor dead-on, but it hadn't left a scratch.
Crack!
No good!
A wave of chilling frost surged toward her. Rider threw up her blades to parry, curling into a tighter stance as she layered her chains defensively in front of herself.
Shlick!
Blood sprayed.
Rider gritted her teeth as she leapt backward, a deep, bone-exposing gash carved across her back from shoulder to hip. Blood gushed freely.
By now, Rider understood all too well: with only the meager magical energy her current Master could supply, she couldn't even bring out her Noble Phantasm. Her base stats were significantly weakened—breaking through that white armor might not even be possible.
Still, if she wanted to retreat...
Her gaze flicked to Shinji Matou, cowering on the ground, clutching his head.
Honestly? She wasn't sure he could be saved.
Tap tap! "Oh my~ Rider, trying to escape with your Master?"
Frost Scythe Skadi shimmered with soul-chilling cold. Rita's face wore a sweet smile, but the killing intent in her eyes was colder than the scythe itself.
"There's no way I'd let that detestable seaweed-headed brat walk away alive."
Shunk!
....
Shirou Emiya, thrown back by the shockwave, stared wide-eyed as the front wall crumbled.
"Miss Ataegina! Shinji, he—"
"There's no need for negotiations."
Durandal stepped forward, making her meaning clear with actions rather than words. Her sapphire eyes flickered with a golden light.
Massive magical energy surged up from beneath her feet. Her school uniform faded away, replaced by a dazzling silver-white set of armor that looked more like a work of art than equipment.
Only now did Shirou realize the truth: he'd been mistaken all along. Miss Ataegina was never a Master!
She and Rita were Servants—the real magus, the one who called himself Kuzuki Souichirou, must have been the hidden Master!
And if he had summoned not one but two Servants, he must be the rule-breaking participant Rin had warned him about!
Whumm! A brilliant purple glow radiated outward. Strange dark violet ripples spread across the entire Homurahara campus, forming a crystalline barrier composed of thin, mirror-like six-sided plates.
Crack! Crack!
The school building trembled. Debris rained down.
Cradling the unconscious Ayako Mitsuzuri in his arms, Shirou didn't have time to think. He raised his left hand, where the Command Seals shaped like a sword and sheath gleamed.
"Saber!"
"Shirou!"
A golden-haired girl in knight's armor manifested before him, face beautiful and grave, her small frame cloaked in heavy metal. Her invisible sword swung through the air.
Boom!
With overwhelming force, the collapsing rubble exploded into harmless chunks of concrete and scattered across the floor.
"Saber? Perfect!"
Durandal lunged forward, her metallic gauntlet extending. Her massive lance swept out.
"Come, fight me!"
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