It was only a short while after Artoria had rushed out, having heard the full gravity of the situation from Medea.
Shirou, who had likewise learned of Illyasviel's plight, began his own preparations to depart. Seeing this, Rin interjected.
"—Emiya, what exactly do you think you're doing?"
"We have to go as well, Tohsaka. We can't just stay here after hearing that."
"No. You stay."
"...What?"
Rin shook her head firmly. Stunned by her dismissal, Shirou stared at her in disbelief.
"What are you saying? Why shouldn't we go?"
"If we leave, who will stay here to protect Sakura?"
"....."
Shirou's words died in his throat. She was right. If both he and Rin departed, Sakura would be left entirely alone in the estate.
Should an intruder breach these walls in their absence, Sakura would be defenseless.
Seeing Shirou bite his lip in frustrated silence, Rin allowed a bitter smile to cross her face. Her own heart mirrored his conflict; though her relationship with Illya was fraught with tension, they had received significant help. It felt wretched to be unable to repay that debt.
'Be graceful at all times, and never lose your composure.'
"—So much for being graceful..."
Recalling the Tohsaka family motto, she spoke in a low, self-deprecating murmur. However, her moment of self-reflection was cut short. Through their shared prana path, Archer began drawing energy and simultaneously established a telepathic link.
—Rin. My apologies, but I must draw upon your prana.
—What? Archer, what's happening?
—I have encountered Lancer—Cú Chulainn. Though he attempted to bar our path, I successfully diverted Saber toward the Einzbern manor. However, combat is now unavoidable.
—...What?
Lancer had intercepted them?
Rin's mind raced. If Lancer was blocking their way, it was to serve a specific purpose. And that purpose could only be—
"...To prevent us from reaching the Einzbern castle."
That was it. The Einzbern castle, Illya's stronghold, was currently under siege. It was likely the work of the one Servant who had yet to show their hand—Assassin.
If that were the case, Lancer's faction was likely in league with Assassin's. While one side pinned them down, the other moved to decapitate Berserker's base of operations.
"...But why would Assassin assault Berserker's stronghold?"
Berserker was undeniably the strongest Servant in this Grail War. Even the King of Knights, Saber herself, could barely match him in a contest of strength.
Assassins were historically the weakest class in a direct confrontation, relying on stealth and surprise. For an Assassin to engage in a frontal assault was madness—unless...
"Could Assassin possess a Noble Phantasm capable of neutralizing Berserker...?"
The thought spurred her into motion. They had to help him immediately. Rin turned toward the door in a panic.
Shirou, seeing the sheer alarm written across her face, followed close on her heels.
"Rin, what's wrong?"
"Emiya, stay here and protect Sakura. I'm heading to the Einzbern castle alone."
"You just said we couldn't leave!"
"The situation has changed. I have no choice, so—"
Slide.
As she spoke, Rin slid the door open to rush out into the night.
Or rather, she would have, had a figure not been standing directly in her path. Rin stared at the familiar face and muttered under her breath.
"—What is a fraud priest doing here...?"
"Hmph. I would argue the 'fraud' part... but first, I must apologize, Rin."
"...Wha—"
THUD! CRASH!
"Gah...?!"
"—! Rin!"
Kirei's fist buried itself into Rin's abdomen with the force of a battering ram. She was thrown backward, coughing blood, until her body slammed violently against the wall.
Shirou cried out as Rin slumped to the floor, her consciousness fading. Kirei merely watched her for a moment before turning his cold gaze to Shirou.
"We meet again, Shirou Emiya."
"Kotomine... Kirei! Trace On!"
Bellowing the intruder's name, Shirou invoked his Projection magecraft. He manifested a lead pipe, reinforcing its structure as he lunged forward. However—
"—Futile."
CRACK!
"Gugh!"
The reinforced pipe shattered into fragments against the priest's technique. Kirei's follow-up strike connected with Shirou's jaw, sending him reeling back until he, too, collided with the wall.
"It is not you I have business with, Shirou Emiya," Kirei stated calmly.
"...Cough."
Shirou forced himself up, his body trembling from the impact. Kirei looked down at him and asked a single question.
"Tell me, Shirou Emiya. Where is the Vessel of the Holy Grail?"
"—The Grail's Vessel...?"
Despite the pain, Shirou's mind connected the dots. He remembered what Medea had said while treating Sakura.
—There was a fragment of the Grail within the girl's body, my boy. I have removed it.
He was here for Sakura!
"...Did you really think I'd tell you?!"
"I see. Then you shall die here alongside Rin, Shirou Emiya."
THUD! BANG!
"Gah!"
Another heavy blow to his solar plexus sent Shirou sliding across the floor until he came to rest beside Rin. Spitting blood, he struggled to his hands and knees, glancing at the unconscious girl beside him.
'I cannot fall here.'
Staggering, Shirou forced himself to stand, interposing his body between Rin and the priest. Kirei let out a small, curious sound, seemingly impressed.
"—Oho. You can still stand?"
"...Cough! If I fall... you'll go after Tohsaka... and then her... I won't let you..."
"But Shirou Emiya, you cannot stop me. You must know this already."
"...."
He knew. He was painfully aware that he could not best this man. His strength was laughably insufficient.
Step, step.
The priest closed the distance. Rin was directly behind him. He needed a way. He needed a weapon.
'A weapon... I need something to fight with. Something powerful enough to defeat this man...'
Suddenly, a image flashed through Shirou's mind. It was the pair of black and white twin swords he had seen Archer wield at the school during the battle with Lancer.
'Yes... something as formidable as those!'
"...Trace On!"
His circuits flared into life. Prana surged through his nervous system, a searing current that threatened to burn him from within.
Concentrate. Envision the swords that Archer held. Deconstruct their essence.
Kirei's fist was already in motion. Shirou closed his eyes, sinking deep into the foundations of his world.
Judging the concept of creation. Hypothesizing the basic structure. Duplicating the composition... Mimicking the skill of its manufacture...
It felt as though his very veins were on fire, but he endured. To fall now was to lose everything.
'I will not back down anymore!'
Sympathizing with the experience of its growth... Reproducing its accumulated years... Surpassing every process of its crafting!
And finally...
'Manifesting the phantasm!'
"What—?!"
"—RAAAAAAAGH!!"
Amidst a shower of blue sparks, the black and white twin swords appeared in Shirou's hands. He swept them upward, parrying Kirei's strike with a violent clash.
Before the priest could recover from his surprise, Shirou unleashed a desperate flurry of strikes. Kirei leaped backward just in time, his eyes widening as he surveyed the spot where he had just stood—now a jagged crater in the floor.
"...Urgh."
Thud.
The excessive strain of the high-level Projection proved too much. Overload seized Shirou's body, and he collapsed onto the floor, the twin blades vanishing into mist.
Vibrate. Vibrate.
Kirei looked down at the fallen boy, then reached into his vest to pull out a ringing mobile phone.
Glancing at the name on the display, he answered.
"What is it, Shinji Matou?"
[You said you were going after the Einzbern girl! She's here! She and Berserker are at the castle! (CRASH!) Hieee!]
"Where is Gilgamesh? He should have settled matters if he is there."
[He's fighting Berserker! (BOOM!) Eek! Berserker is monstrous! He's fighting that guy on equal terms!]
Kirei began to piece the puzzle together. Illyasviel von Einzbern, the Grail's Vessel, was not here.
She had accompanied her Servant. Having grasped the situation, Kirei spoke into the phone.
"—I see. I understand. I shall be there shortly."
[Hurry up—!]
Click.
Kirei pocketed the phone and spared one last glance at the unconscious boy before turning to walk out the door.
You are lucky, Shirou Emiya.
Step, step.
I shall let you live for today. But the next time we meet, one of us will find our end.
Such is the destiny of those who bear the name of Emiya.
As he vanished from the estate, a smile spread across his lips—a smile of pure, unadulterated malice.
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