Rin looked concernedly at Shirou as he stepped forward, Black matching his pace, walking past Caster as well.
Assassin had told her how Black, carrying Sakura, had left even him behind while running away from The Shadow that night.
Even Kirei had warned her not to indulge in a fight with Black, as he wasn't an ordinary Master.
Generally, the Masters' role was to act as a support for their Heroic Spirits. Fueling their Mana reserves, occasionally providing assistance in offense and defense, and gathering intel were the best ways in which a Master could shine.
The same was true for Rin as well.
Despite being a first-class Mage, she limited herself to assisting Archer and Assassin.
Moreover, Masters weren't supposed to step onto the battlefield themselves, as the Heroic Spirits' existence depended on them.
Yet, in this Holy Grail War, everything was happening beyond norms.
One thing was sure to Rin, though — There was no chance for Shirou to win against Black.
There was a high probability that Caster had done something to his body, letting him reach, and even surpass, a Heroic Spirit's strength.
How in the hell's name would Shirou ever… Rin couldn't go on with the thought.
Shirou's pace had suddenly fastened before he began running, holding the pipe in his hands like a sword, reinforced with magic.
…
This was it.
This was his chance to get Sakura back from this monster.
This was the only way he could make things right — the only way he stood a chance to win this Holy Grail War.
Shirou — couldn't afford to lose now. Not to Black. Not to anyone. Not anymore.
"Haaaaaaaa!" Shirou hacked.
Black's fist met the reinforced pipe.
Booooooom!
Crrackkkkkkk!!
Shirou, gobsmacked, watched as the weapon he was counting on shattered.
Through the shards, his eyes landed on Black, whose red pupils were planted dead on his face, holding no amusement.
Shirou knew that look.
Black was not looking down on him.
It was the look that said — even looking down on you is beneath me…
Black's hand blurred and landed on Shirou's stomach, lifting him with a muffled thud.
Shirou's eyes popped out, last night's food pouring out of his throat. Before he could even register the pain, though, another punch landed on his face, making him spin midair. Then, a whip-like kick caved his chest, blasting him away like a bullet.
Booom!
Shirou struck the dilapidated walls of the petrol pump and went right through them, blackness surrounding his vision.
Silence.
Outside, Black frowned, looking at his fists.
Behind him, Sakura had her hand on her mouth, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Rin's hands were shaking, her gaze jumping from Black to Sakura, and then back to him.
This was it! She realized, suddenly. Sakura was the trap! Black goaded Shirou in challenging him to a duel… And, despite being prepared for it, they fell right into it!!
"Saber!" Rin shouted, pointing her hand toward Black like a rifle. "Now!!"
Black looked over his shoulder, mentally commanding Medea to stand down.
With a hum, many red-black spheres of magical energy were hurled across the space like bullets toward him as Rin fired Gandr Shots.
Black didn't even block them.
Shifting his steps minutely, he walked past all Gandr Shots, advancing toward Rin.
Suddenly, burning a stormy hole through the space behind him, Saber arrived, her invisible weapon materializing in her hands.
With a burst of magical wind, she donned her armor and shot toward Black, closing the gap between them in one jump.
And then, like Shirou, Saber hacked.
Even if Black was fast enough to dodge the Gandr Shots, he couldn't dodge Saber's sword, Rin knew.
As Saber's blade blurred, a storm surged, gusts of wind picking up rubble and throwing it dozens of meters away.
In the next moment, Rin's eyes popped out, making her stumble back involuntarily. "… Impossible…"
Not only her, but even Saber had quietened, an unbelievable expression planting itself on her face. "… How…"
Forget dodging, Black hadn't even budged from his position.
Forget blocking, Black hadn't even tried to defend himself.
Instead, defying all logic, shocking even Medea, he had grabbed the invisible blade between the tips of his finger and thumb.
Black looked at Saber into her green eyes and said, "This was a mistake."
Booooooooom!
Black's hand blurred, landing on Saber's stomach and caving her back, just like Shirou.
Unlike Shirou, though, Saber instantly tried to create distance between them as per her battle instincts. However, with a speed even faster than the last punch, Black's hand blurred again, his fingers wrapping around her throat.
With a monstrous power, he SLAMMED Saber into the ground, caving the entire earth.
Then, as Saber bounced, letting out a gasp, Black's foot landed on her face, sending her flying across the space — in the same manner she had appeared.
BOOM!
"Was this your duel?!" Black shouted suddenly, facing the blackness where Shirou had disappeared. "Was this your way of challenging someone?! You dare blame me, spout nonsense, and then rely on others to stand in your place! Where are you now?!"
A red-black magical sphere came for him.
Black flicked it away, a buried boom echoing where the Gandr Shot landed.
No… Rin's heart gave away.
Letting Saber join the fight was already a stretch.
If she called Assassin, then Medea would enter the fight, too. What if even Berserker appeared, then?!
Hurriedly, Rin took out a set of jewels from her pocket, getting ready to throw them at Black.
But when she looked up, he was already standing in front of her. Before she could even move, Black grabbed her by the throat and lifted her, clenching his grip tighter, her feeble kicks landing on him uselessly.
"… Let… her… go…"
Black looked to his left.
Bleeding from the head, Shirou walked toward him.
"No more outside interference…" he said, hoping Assassin was listening to him. "Not even from Saber. Just you and me… to the end."
Smiling with blatant mockery, Black let go of the girl and faced Shirou. "… to the end? Don't tell me you will be fighting me barehanded… Haha!"
Shirou closed his eyes. In the blackness, a sunset took shape. It was like he was standing atop that hill once more — the same hill from his dream — a dream that seemed to have lasted for thousands of years.
He had created weapons there… Uncountable… Unbelievably strong weapons…
Archer's dual swords flashed across his mind, suddenly.
Yes… Shirou smiled. Just like those blades…
It was time — to call upon them.
Shirou's eyes slowly opened —
— an ancientness seeping out from his gaze as he said, "… Trace On!"
*****************
AN: Original images of Shirou-Black and Saber-Black's duels are available
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