Boom!
Boom! Boom!
A succession of violent explosions erupted beneath the night sky within the grounds of Homurahara Academy, terrifying blasts instantly sweeping through the interior and unleashing devastating shockwaves.
Unlike the earth-shaking clash between Durandal and Saber, the confrontation between Rita and Rider—or rather, between Rita and the so-called Master qualifications of Shinji Matou—was far more one-sided. As the fight progressed... no, it could not even be called a fight.
It was a complete—crushing defeat.
Once Rita, maintaining a cautious mindset, had familiarized herself with Rider's strange weapon and agile combat style, the scales of victory tipped in an instant.
Although Rita already harbored killing intent toward the pseudo-magus named Shinji Matou, she did not allow anger to make her reckless. On the contrary, she chose a steady and methodical approach.
After all, Lady Durandal was right beside her.
It was not often that she could fight shoulder to shoulder with Lady Durandal again, and under Servant spirit form, where their differences in strength were greatly narrowed. Rita had to perfectly demonstrate the qualities befitting the 'perfect maid.'
She absolutely could not embarrass herself on Rider and that piece of trash.
Any injury, any unsightly display, allowing prey to escape... even the slightest blemish to her composure—none of it was acceptable to Rita.
Over the years, as vice-captain of the Immortal Blades and Lady Durandal's personal attendant, Rita had keenly felt it—the gap between them was growing wider and wider...
As Lady Durandal matured and her talent continued to blossom, her explosive growth in strength left Rita far behind.
Rita had understood from the very beginning that such a disparity could not be bridged by effort or diligence alone.
Indeed, for Rita to rise from the daughter of an ordinary gardener's family to an S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal spoke of extraordinary talent. But when she compared herself to Durandal, Fu Hua, Kiana, and Raiden Mei...
A chasm like a natural abyss lay between them.
To say she did not care at all would be a lie.
Therefore, an opportunity like this—where Servant spirit forms brought their strength nearly to the same level (though Servants varied in power, a Servant's Saint Graph had its limits)—was exceedingly rare. Rita had to perform flawlessly.
Clang!Clang-clang-clang!
A frost-covered scythe blade collided with jet-black, spike-like daggers. They struck, separated, and struck again, composing a metallic symphony that only clashing steel could produce.
The corridor cracked inch by inch. Shattered glass fragments glittered like crystals under the assault of an extreme cold storm.
Bang!
Her attack patterns have already been read. That woman is altering the surrounding environment... My body feels heavier and heavier.
If Master weren't here, retreat would be the wiser choice.
Gritting her silver teeth, feeling the overwhelming force transmitted back through her daggers, Rider stared at Rita, who stood within arm's reach radiating a freezing aura. A few beads of sweat formed beneath the serpent-shaped blindfold covering her eyes.
Even for someone as cool-headed as Rider, the frustration of being unable to fully exert her strength caused a surge of anger in her heart.
Mana... isn't enough!
"Rider, you've slowed down."
Expanding her frost-eroding domain, Rita smiled charmingly. Magic gathered in her hand as she gripped Skadi Ondurgud and slammed it downward, shouting coldly, "Awaken! Lord of Frost!"
Hum—
The azure Skadi of Thrymheim manifested out of thin air. The gigantic frost scythe cleaved downward like the wail of a frozen hell.
"Flying Light · Azure Blade!"
Crisscrossing chains snapped one after another. A massive circular blade of icy frost burst forth from the enlarged Skadi Ondurgud, crushing through the layered chain formations Rider had set up before roaring forward and striking Rider directly.
Crack!
With a muffled groan, Rider's alluring body became an afterimage as she was blasted toward the wall at the end of the building, carving a frozen trench across the ground.
Only the shattered remnants of two spike-like daggers scattered through the air before gradually dissolving into spirit particles.
Sensing the feeble, nearly extinguished presence at the far end, Rita slowly turned her head. A flash of killing intent flickered in her wine-red eyes.
"Now then, it's your turn, Mr. Shinji Matou."
"Ugh... c-cough... so cold..."
Not far away, within frost-covered ruins, Shinji Matou shivered uncontrollably under Rita's freezing domain. Cowering in a corner, tears and snot streamed down his face as he wailed hysterically.
"Rider! Useless trash! You can't even suppress some damn bitch! Trash! How can I die here?! Trash! I have to escape—"
Clutching a crimson book that exuded a sinister aura, Shinji scrambled to his feet. His school uniform had been torn to shreds by the frozen shards of glass scattered across the ground.
"When I get back, I'll definitely—"
Suddenly, his words caught in his throat. His frost-streaked face twisted into an expression as though he had seen a ghost.
"I was wondering why Rider never used her Noble Phantasm..."
Holding her scythe in one hand and dragging Rider with the other, Rita spoke calmly, "Only now do I understand. It isn't that Rider didn't want to use it. It's that her Master is too incompetent."
Rider no longer possessed her former beauty and composure. Her arms were broken and hung limply at her sides. A gaping wound in her abdomen and chest was filled with blood-streaked ice crystals. The fluctuations of her mana were pitifully weak.
Even though Rita's attacks carried no curse such as 'incurable,' with Rider's current mana and supply, let alone counterattacking or unleashing a Noble Phantasm, even regenerating her physical body would require an extremely long time.
"Ahhh! Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! If you want Rider's life, you can take it! Her control, anything! Just spare me!"
"Don't come over here!" Shinji collapsed onto the ground without dignity.
"I... I've already withdrawn from the war! I'm under the protection of the Holy Church! That's right, I've been defeated and withdrawn! If you harm me, you'll invite the Holy Church's retribution!"
Facing Rita's steady approach, Shinji blustered without the slightest presence, kicking his legs as he scrambled backward.
He flailed his hands wildly. He even hurled the crimson book used to control Rider toward Rita. His frostbitten face continued dripping with mucus. He looked both pitiful and ridiculous.
Rita truly had no desire to comment on Shinji Matou's disgraceful display.
"For Rider to have drawn a Master like you... how tragic."
She picked up the crimson book bearing the Command Spell pattern that Shinji had thrown onto the ground.
With the basic knowledge instilled into her by the Holy Grail system as a Servant, Rita could easily sense the mana connection between this book and Rider.
The Book of the False Attendant.
A book created to transfer the authority of a Master to another. The creation of this book required the consumption of one Command Spell. Shinji Matou himself had not been chosen by the Holy Grail as a Master, and thus no Command Spells manifested on the back of his hand. The Command Spells used to control Rider were instead attached to the Book of the False Attendant.
"I see. So you are not Rider's true Master. You are merely a clown who stole control over her."
In other words, Shinji Matou had entered the war directly as Rider's second master. For some unknown reason, the original summoner—the true Master—had handed control over to such a worthless individual.
"Borrowing power that never belonged to you, yet lacking even the capacity to wield it."
Holding the Book of the False Attendant, Rita let out a soft laugh. "What kind of magus family would ever entrust the position of Master to someone like you...?"
Hearing this, Shinji Matou lowered his head and did not refute her. He cautiously glanced at Rita's face. "Then... can I leave now...?"
"To think I would feel anger toward a coward like you..."
Rita interrupted him, shaking her head. Her voice carried no fluctuation as she spoke.
"Shinji Matou, I will now take your life—as a Master."
That calm tone, that sweet smile, and those casually spoken vicious words sent chills down Shinji's spine.
"No! You can't—hngh—"
Slash!
The scythe in her hand pressed down slightly and swept across his neck. Murky blood gushed out, carrying a stench almost like rot.
The azure shaft flickered past. The spurting blood and the body itself were instantly frozen and shattered without a single drop escaping. Without even the slightest interest in glancing again at the corpse, Rita lifted the ever-weakening Rider and headed straight toward where Lady Durandal was fighting.
Speaking of which, Lady Durandal had said to keep an eye on Rider. There was tremendous potential hidden within her—she seemed to have caught Her Majesty's attention.
...
True Name: Bianka · Durandal · Ataegina
Class: Foreigner
Height · Weight: 168cm · 54kg
Strength: A+
Endurance: A
Agility: A
Mana: A
Luck: B
Noble Phantasm: A++
Class Skills
Existence Outside the Domain: A
A descender from outer space and the void. One favored by the lord of alien gods, bearing and utilizing the precursor of divine authority within herself.
Madness: E--
Anxiety and fear. A discordance with the world (the Type-Moon world), fundamentally incompatible with its natural order. The energy she carries, if not converted and guided, can distort the surrounding reality into aberrant forms (Dead Apostles, Honkai Beasts).
However, because Durandal herself seals—and even rejects—certain aspects of the 'power of the gods,' this rank has been suppressed to the greatest possible extent.
Personal Skills
Divinity: A
A pioneer of higher-dimensional lifeforms lurking in outer space, a child of the gods, possessing strong divinity. If she so wished, she could even rewrite the very appearance of the world—an incalculable threat. The price would be inescapable madness.
Independent Action: C
Normally, if a Servant loses their Master and does not replenish the mana required to remain materialized, they will disappear from the world within a few hours. However, at rank C of Independent Action, even without any replenishment, she can remain materialized for a full day.
Mana Burst (Honkai Energy): A
She can reinforce her weapons and body through mana, or convert mana into various elemental attacks.
The Unbeaten Valkyrie: A
The strongest Valkyrie in the history of Schicksal. Durandal is beautiful, dashing, elegant, and powerful. She leaves an impression of flawless reliability wherever she goes.
The eternal No.1, never defeated. Her name is spoken across the world like that of a legendary hero.
The Valkyries who follow her sing of her deeds, bestowing upon her titles such as 'Bright Knight,' 'Heir of the Holy Spear,' and 'That Valkyrie.'
Tempered through countless campaigns against Honkai Beasts, she has honed an instinctual, sixth-sense-based ability to evade danger. Famous for her undefeated legend, she nullifies mental interference such as pressure, confusion, and bewilderment.
Heaven Rewards the Diligent: B+
Heaven fairly rewards those who labor. In any field, there exists an invisible 'ceiling' that ordinary people cannot surpass no matter how hard they try.
But in the realm of battle, as long as Durandal puts in effort, she can continue to grow. Even skills that do not originally belong to her can be learned and possessed through diligence, turning the impossible into possible—she can even learn and break through in the midst of combat.
Noble Phantasms
Bright Knight · Excelsis: A
Hler's Eternal Silence: B+
Sixth Divine Key · Genesis · Abyss Flower: A++
Military Authority · Tiger Tally of Axe and Halberd: EX
...
With base parameters all at rank A except for Luck, she was in no way inferior to the Berserker previously encountered. In fact, she retained her reason and possessed higher-ranked Noble Phantasms.
(PS: As a Master, unless a Servant uses special means to conceal them, one can view the enemy Servant's five base parameters. This was demonstrated in both the Fourth and Fifth Holy Grail Wars.)
Even though he had only formally come into contact with magecraft a few days ago, Emiya Shirou could clearly tell that such nearly rule-breaking parameters likely made Miss Ataegina the strongest Servant of this Holy Grail War.
"Haah—!"
"Too light."
Boom—!
Crash—!
The clash of steel roared. The entire school building trembled as though on the verge of collapse. With another explosion, several adjacent classrooms were blasted apart in an instant. Hundreds of desks were shredded by the terrifying shockwave.
Shrill metal-twisting sounds accompanied fragments scattering in all directions. Under the horrifying blast, they erupted outward like a volcanic spray, forming a deadly tide of steel.
The violent explosion caused the ground itself to quake.
The tremendous impact shoved the memorial stone where Emiya Shirou stood, dragging it more than ten meters sideways.
Shielding the unconscious Ayako Mitsuzuri behind him, Emiya Shirou panted and shouted, "Saber! Be careful! The opposing Servant's base parameters are no weaker than Berserker's!"
"Miss Ataegina, please stop fighting! We have absolutely no reason to battle!"
As he spoke, a fierce gust of wind swept over him. Emiya Shirou stumbled forward, about to rush in when suddenly—
"Ugh..."
A sensation of being instantly drained nearly made his legs buckle.
Saber was drawing mana...
This is bad!
The mana that had been replenished to Saber when he used the Command Spell for spatial transfer was probably about to be completely exhausted. With insufficient mana, even Saber might not be able to hold on...
Just as Emiya Shirou endured the twisting pain of forcibly extracting mana—
"Emiya!!"
The female voice ringing out from the school gate sounded to him like the voice of heaven.