Fate

11th Day

Arturia
Since her coming-of-age ceremony, the maiden was known to her countrymen by this name

It was an age of chaos
The beginning of the chaos, was the collapse of an empire
The supposedly invincible empire, awaited death under the invasions of many heretics
In order to fight with the heretics, the empire mobilized an army which was originally instructed to guard an island country

That was the beginning
Her country, after losing the protection from the empire, and unable to maintain their state of independence, quickly disolved into many small kingdoms

The attacks of the heretics
Among tribes, civil wars that could only be called suicides broke out
After that, was a long period of wartime that was known as 'the days dark as nights'

And at that time, she was born as the successor of the crown

It was an endless, age of chaos
The King belived in the Magus' prophecy, and expected a perfect successor
However the child came into being, was not the man the King had wished for
That child, was not a boy
Even with the fate of a King, a girl cannot success the crown

The maiden was entrusted to a vassalage, and grew up as a offspring of knight
Though the King was hence disappointed, the Magus was very contented
To begin with, gender has nothing to do with Kingship
More importantly, the Magus believed, the true testament of King, is for the maiden to leave the castle before the Day of the Prophecy

The maiden grew up in the household of a sincere and wise old knight, as his successor

Not because of believing in the prophecy of the Magus
The old knight sensed an air resembling a leader about the maiden, hence he thought he had to raise her to be a knight, and expected her growth

However there was no need for expectation, the maiden trained days after days, to become stronger than anyone

If the only one who can save this dying country, is the King

Then without others' words, the maiden swore to swing her sword for that sole reason

And then, the Day of the Prophecy arrived
To select a King, the King gathered the lords and knights in the country
Eveyone speculated, since they were to select the champion of champions to become the King, then it must be decided by fighting
However, there was only a sword in a stone prepared at the gathering site

There was an golden inscription on the hilt of the sword

'The one who pulls this sword from the stone, shall become the King of Britain---'

Many knights followed this inscription, and grabbed the sword
However no one was able to pull it out, and so the knights decided to do what they intended originally, to decide who shall take the throne through fighting

At that time, the maiden was still a knight in training, who didn't have the qualification to fight
The maiden approached the stone when no one was around, and extended her hand to the hilt without hesitations

"Ahem. Before holding that thing, you should first think about the consequences carefully, after all"

She turned her head, and saw the most respected Magus in this country
The Magus said
Once you pulled that out, you would not be a human anymore as a result

The maiden just nodded, to the Magus' words
To become the King, she would not be a human anymore
She had that determination, since the day she was born
For the sake of protecting his people, the King is also an existence that slaughters people the most
Her younger self, thought of this every night, trembled until daybreaks
There wasn't a day she wasn't in fears

But the maiden said, fears should be ended by that day

The sword was pulled out as if it was meant to be, she was surrounded by glows

---In that instant, she was no longer a human

King has nothing to do with gender
As long as one maintains the functions of a King, no one would care, its physical features

Even if someone notices the King is female, as long as she's a outstanding King, there shouldn't be a problem

Because of the power of the sword, her growth has stopped since then

Though there were some knights felt uncomfortable and feared, however the majority of the knights praised the mysterious immortalisty of their Lord

---And then
Began what the later generations would call, the legendary age of the King

The newly-ascended King, whose battles are like acts of the Military God
The King often stood on the frontline
All the enemies would be swept by winds

The God of War, Arturia
Who was praised to be a King of dragon incarnated, who could not possibly be defeated

Ten years in battle fields, twelve great wars, all ended with her victory
Those were the days, when she focused, and charged as a King

She never once looked back, never once injured

She grew up as a King, and fulfilled her duty

Is that why, I'm witnessing this illusion

Her soul, is perhaps still on the battle field even now
Before daybreak
Under the azure sky, she let the gentle breezes to brush against her body, just gazes into the distance

The sky is very high, the clouds are flowing really fast
In the clear air, she holds a sword in her hands, looking at the army she's supposed to meet and attack

---That posture, is left inside of me like a stigma

She and that sword, are united in one
The Sword in the Stone which chooses a King
I think, the radiance on that sword which decided her fate, was her own radiance

However, I was confused in the dream
That sword, is different from the one she holds
Though similar, yet it was different
The sword she brandished last night, was different from this sword

......Then
Where did she, lose that precious sword......?

[----]

Wake up from my dream, I'm in my own room
It's already rise and shine outside
Yesterday I had yet to make the decision and just returned to my room, it seems that I fell asleep while taking care of Saber

"......The dream, just now......"

What a strange dream
Events which I did not know of, the Saber whom I did not know of
How could I dream of such

"......But, that one is different from the sword carried by Saber......"

I am preoccupied by the thoughts
Saber's true identify that I knew nothing about
......Honestly, even now, I still can't accept her for who she really is
Saber is Saber
Even knowing her past, I cannot change my attitude toward her, and I believe Saber would not wish for that either

"......But. That and Saber, really compliment each other well"

Though the sword from last night really suited her, but the one from my dream is even more so

No, you could say that I was mesmerized at that time
Be it last night or the time in the dream, I seem to be specially drawn to swords

Though I also thought Lancer's lance was aesthetic, but I care more for the swords
Emiya Shirou apparently, has a personality that's easily obssessed with 'swords'

"Aah forget it...... It's not like I just started it this couple days"
I breathe out deeply, and raise my hand to the sweating forehead

"......Anyway, it's really hot"
I wipe away the sweats on my forehead
It's winter, yet my body is firing up
How should I put this, it's as if the blood flow inside me is heated up and can't calm down

"......What's going on......Ever since I saw Saber's sword, it's like"
My body is burning up for no apparent reason
My left hand which was engraved with the command spells, is as if holding a stove (Note: 'stove' and 'circuit' pronounced the same way in Japanese)

"......Just like back when I swallowed Tohsaka's gems...... My whole body is itchy, and I want to run"
I take a deep breath, and calm myself down

"......Saber, is she still sleeping......"
Saber hasn't woke up since last night
But her condition seems improved
As of now her breaths are calm, and no more painful panting
Saber is sleeping quietly
This is a morning scene no different from the past

"---Peraps, just like this"
Just keep sleeping like this, perhaps Saber can return to normal
Then it wouldn't be necessary to make Saber to kill
Saber can be like this, stay with me just like before---

"---How selfish of me---!"

I pound the wall
Disgust by my feebleness

"---I'm the one that made Saber like this, what was I thinking---"

Is Tohsaka still in bed
There's no life in this house, the hallways are like ruins
No, this is only because I'm depressed
Only because I can't make the decision, wandering in the gray area

"......?"

Just now, I hear the sound of wind breaking

"Again...... Just now, it was coming from over the yard----"

I heard that sounds before
......Fine
I'm not in the mood of making breakfast anyway, I'll take a stroll

[----]

It's a lot colder outside than normally
Even I, whose body is burning up, feel that way, it must be really cold
And the sky too, a cold sky as if it's going to snow

"......It's coming from, the Storehouse"

The sounds of breaking wind have a constant frequency
I walk through the yard as I breathe out white air

And that guy is right in front of the Storehouse
......I'm not surprised, perhaps I already noticed this guy is here
Has he been pulling a bow until now
Archer put down his bow as if he's bothered, once he caught sight of me

"So very dangerous. Don't shoot arrows in somebody else's household. What would happen if you shot someone"

"............"
He doesn't have to say anything, and I know
The wind breaking sounds just now, are the sounds of bow string breaking through air
Archer for some reason, is only pulling his bow

"......What a great bow. I didn't know better, but you truly are an archer"

"I'm different from the archers you know, I can't tell you what Kyudo is. Your bows are aiming at oneselve, but my arrow is shooting toward the enemy. The archers you speak of, I suppose are people who emphasize on etiquette" (Note: Kyudo is lit. Way of the Bow)

Archer raises the corner of his mouth sarcastically
As expected, I just can't get along with this guy

"Nobody is asking you about Kyudo. I'm just minding what you're doing"
"As you can see, I'm testing my conditions? The wounds inflicted by Saber are already healed. I can't take guard duty forever"

"--------"
......Is that so
This guy's already recovered. So Tohsaka can officially start to fight again

I turn around
Since Tohsaka and Archer are going to officially return to the battlefield, then I have to make the decision too
I need to find a place, to think about it seriously by myself

"---There's a word, called 'zanshin' I suppose"
"Eh?"

"A period of time to stay still after a job is done. I think that is, the only similarity between your Kyudo and my archery"
"......What. I don't recall telling you about hassetsu"

"Forget it, just listen up. After you release the arrow, your body stops all movements naturally. This is called a zanshin"
"............"
Certainly, there are eight stages of shooting called hassetsu in archery
And in the final stage, is zanshin or a state of mind after shooting the arrow-----

"......Aah. And so what"
"Such is a preparation. Zanshin is an act of oneself, not an act to confirm whether the released arrow hits the target. The arrow, already hit the target before shooting. The archer only releases his finger according to his anticipation. So there's no need to confirm whether the target was hit. Since if one thinks it will not hit before shooting, then it will not hit, and vice versa"

"---How can that be. No matter how much you want to hit it, sometimes you won't. If you only need to think about it to hit the target, then anyone can do it flawlessly"

"Is that so. At least, you can do it flawlessly"
"Wh----"
Now that he mentions it, I'm intrigued
Indeed----

"Forget it, this kind of things doesn't matter anyhow. I only want to say one thing. Zanshin is not an act of confirming whether you hit the target. Because you knew the outcome of that shot already. And so, wouldn't zanshin be a preparation made to accept that result"

"---I get it. Simply put, you are trying to say that I have to see to it to the very end"

"Precisely. I heard about Saber. You already knew it since the beginning, didn't you. If she fights without mana supply, she will be gone sooner or later. This is an undeniable fact. So----"

......Afterward, I can only accept that outcome
Is he saying, regardless of how Saber will turn out because of my decision, I can only see to it to the very end

"--------"
I turn my back against Archer
This time I'm really leaving this guy

"......Aah, by the way. Since it seems that you didn't notice, so let me tell you"
His voice comes from my back

"Saber, should've known that she will disappear once she uses her Noble Phantasm. I'm afraid, she never intended to use her Noble Phantasm even in the end"

That voice doesn't sound as annoying as before

"Yet she still used her Noble Phantasm, there can only be one reason. Even if she'd disppear, Saber would rather choose to protect you. You absolutely cannot forget this"

In that voice, there's only an honesty that simply tells a fact

[----]

There is no one in the park yet
Perhaps it's because today is a lot colder than usual
I'm the only one coming out for a walk, I can't sense anyone around me

"--------"

I sit on the bench exhaustedly
......As I wished, I'm now in a place with nobody around
I came here, because I have to make a choice

Can't drag this on any longer
I have to make Saber stay if I want to defeat the other Masters and end the Holy Grail War
No, this reason is irrelevant, I just don't want Saber to disappear

However
This means, I'll have to make Saber attacking others just like Rider

"----Uuh"

I can't do it
Making Saber to do that sort of thing, is like telling her to die
And Saber herself would insist on going against it
----But

My solem sight falls on my left hand

Two command spells left
If I use this, Saber will have to execute my order even if she's reluctant

"--------"

I bite my lips, wave away this pointless fantasy
And then, not sure how long I've been agonizing
Just as my fingers are going to be trembling from the coldness

"Ah-! Seriously, I thought you're not coming, so this is where you were-!"

Suddenly, someone calls out to me

"Ah hah, as expected. Good afternoon, Shirou. You look troubled, did something happen?"

"Ilya......? You come here by yourself again. It's very dangerous, you never know where the other Masters are hiding for the chance---"

I'm dumbstruck before finishing my sentence
Ilya is a Master as well
Not only that she doesn't need my concerns, aren't we basically enemies?

"......I'm sorry. I don't have enough strength left to talk to Ilya. Though we hardly meet each other, but I can't accompany you right now. Also, today is very cold, it's better if you go back"

Still sitting on the bench, I refuse Ilya
......Though there are many things I have to tell this child, but right now I can barely handle thinking about Saber's troubles

"--------"
......?
What is it
Ilya has said nothing, just looking at me like some stranger

"......Ilya......? No, I'm not ignoring you. It's just right now, I have many troubles to take care of----"

"I know. Saber's going to disappear soon, right. That's why Shirou is in trouble"

Suddenly
The girl in front of me, speaks in a cruel tone like someone else

"Ilya......?"
"You're actually troubled by things like this, what a fool. Shirou, this is how you let Rider's Master escaped. A failure doesn't deserve to live"

My feet twitch
Just as I feel like I shouldn't be sitting, and ready to stand up

---My body
Can't budge an inch as if it's been pressed down by Ilya

"Ilya, how---do you, know, about that"

"Do I really have to explain. Last night, I was also in that edifice. But well, I could only get a general idea from inside the edifice"

"----!"
Though I'm exerting strength on my limbs, there's no movement
No, it feels as if the more I exert, the more rigid they become

----It's those eyes
Once I caught sight of Ilya's red eyes, my body became paralyzed---

"Ah, you're already binded. Seriously Shirou, you don't have any guard. Though I did think it'd be easy to catch you when you're alone, but it actually went so smoothly, Shirou's adorable"

"Ilya, you----"
"It's pointless, Oniichan. You can't move already. You won't able to even make a sound soon enough, but don't worry. ---Today, I'm not here to talk to you either"

Ilya's eyes are glistening with murderous intent
Just like that night, she's Ilya, the Master of Berserker

"Grr......! Do you intend to kill me off, right here......!"

I grit my teech, and exert the strength all over my body
But I can't even move the tip of my finger
Even my nerves are gradually taken control by Ilya's eyes

"Uh huh. Because it's pointless even if Shirou continues to being a Master, right? After Saber's gone, you will be the only one left, I can't let you continue to being a Master. Shirou, who has no combat ability, can be killed easily"

Ilya raises her hand
The thin and white finger, touches my chest lightly

"It's great that I can find you before you are killed by someone else. Then, good night, Oniichan. Saber is going to vanish anyway, the sooner the better, right?"

My sight blanks out
My limbs lost their sense since a while ago, now even my sight is gone

......I fall into a complete darkness, and then not sure how long have passed
Just when I don't even know whether I'm alive or not, finally, even my conscious is broken down

............My body is so hot

Even if my conscious fell into darkness, yet the my body, which is seemingly on fire, pronounces my survival
---Is that so. So, it seems like I'm still alive
But, even if I'm alive, it's only for now
Didn't Ilya say

---Shirou who has no combat ability, can be killed easily---

......And seriously, just like what she said
If Saber's not around, I can't fight at all
The Holy Grail War is a war among Servants
And I can't fight with Servants no matter what
This is a fact, which has already been confirmed again and again

Too reckless
Saber was right, for me, to fight with a Servant, means how to survive

But I couldn't even do that
I was beaten up and had wounds all over, in the end I fell to the ground from the third floor
My life was only saved, because of this abnormal body that even myself can't figure out

In respond to that, I regretted so much that I nearly made a fist
Even though the opponent was someone I couldn't handle, but I wasn't able to stop the tragedy right in front of me anyhow
I clearly decided to fight
To fight as a Master, to let everyone goes unharm, but I couldn't protect them

---Mad

The protectors of justice that I have been admiring since childhood, would be meaningless if they don't retain victories forever

.........My body is so hot
My body is trembling, thinking about how I must win
But not only do I not have any change of winning, I don't have any combat ability either
How would I fight by myself

I don't have the strength to help Saber fighting, and not give her any burden

---Wrong again. Emiya Shirou is not suited to combat. Your fight should be a battle of mentality, a fight with oneself---

Suddenly
I recall the back of the man, who said this

---Emiya Shirou has no chance of winning in battles. With your skills, no matter what you do, it's useless against Servants---

I know
I already understand this fact to the point of hating myself

---Then, at least imagine it. What you can't defeat in the reality, defeat it in your imagination. If you can't win by yourself, then imagine something that can win

......This kind of things, I understand even without him mentioning it
If I want to win, I can only win in my mind
However, what should I imagine in order to win
I can't imagine myself defeat a Servant
I'm not smart enough to deceive myself, and an imagination created by self-deceiving is also full of flaws
This kind of third-rate imaginations, can't possbly match with Servants created by the first-rate fantasies

---So

What can I win at

With what

Right now, I'm still looking for that answer----

----Am I looking for it

The golden sword
That's a sword only belongs to her
Not that I want it

It's just, I think it's really beautiful
If possible, I want to hold it in my hands, and that's all

......Seriously, the bad habit of a Magus-in-trainning

Since I only have the ability to see the interior, and so I have dreams like this which is completely out of my league
However---since this is a dream, I can at least think about it

First off I have to imagine the basic structure, reproduce the composing material
......Aah, only relies on the basic steps of 'Enhance' is not going to work after all
For enhancing is to reinforce what already exists, it's meaningless for things that don't exist to begin with
Therefore, I need to add a couple more steps if I want to recollect that sword

---Prior than, even the basic steps

The technique before I mastered 'Enhance,' before Kiritsugu taught me, I figured out myself, a pointless Sorcery Engineering

Erm, I remember it was---how did it formulate............?

.......................................................................................
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.................................When I come to, I find myself in an unbelievable place

"----What, this is----"

This is not only a room I've never seen
The bed is ornated with luxurate canopy, and the fur on the carpet seems long enough to cover up to your ankle
There's even a fireplace, not just for decorating, but a real operational one

The patterns on the walls are not wallpapers, but carved in there directly
Though I'm already used to Western-style mansion like Shinji's place, but this is not on that level already
......Though saying my impression is a bit embarassing, but this is just like a castle out of fairy tales

"Uuh............"
My conscious starts to blurr
Body is unusually heavy
Is it because of the interrupted blood circulation. It seems like once I relax, I will fall back to sleep again

"---Uh...... What happened, to me"
I'm recollecting with a fuzzy memory
I was......right, my body was paralyzed by Ilya, and lost my conscious that way

"......Captured by Ilya......is that so"
There's no one around in this room
Though my body is heavy, but it's like before when I can't even move my fingertips
If I pull my strength, I should be able to raise a hand at least, however----

"Uwa, I'm tied up----!?"
My blurry mind, is awake at once
I recognize my crisis, and confirm the situation

"......I'm been prisoned on the chair, and my hands are tied on my back, is that it......erm......not handcuffs. Only ropes tying up my wrists, huh"
Though the situation is not as bad as I imagined, but I still can't move
My body is still in a state of paralized, and I can't stand up since my hands are been tied up

"......How long has it been since then......clock......so there isn't one, as expected"
There isn't anything resembling a clock in this room
Window---is it in the back
I try to turn my head as much as possible, but the curtains are preventing me from looking outside
Anyway, the sun is already set
I met Ilya in the day, so half a day has passed already at least

".................."

It's not the time for this
Though I don't know where is this place, but I have to hurry back to Saber's side right now
......Saber is very weak
I can't give her any more burden by been taken as a hostage

"Nm----!"
I'm sitting on a chair, and exert my strength on the arms which are been tied on my back
Even if I'm going to escape, I need to figure out a way to slip out of the ropes tying my hands----

"!?"
The door opens
I ease up in a hurry, at the same time she comes in

"Ah, you're finally awake! Good morning, Oniichan, are you feeling well?"

Ilya appears to be way different from before
Her cold eyes are gone, the Ilya in front of me is the girl in white, who talked with me in the park

"Nm, what's wrong? You seem to be dispirited, can't your body move yet? ......So strange, you should be able to speak up about now"
Ilya tilts her head to stare at my face
......Judging from her expression, she seems to be really caring for me

"......I'm fine. I can speak up, and my head is awake enough to understand that I'm captured"
I stare at Ilya who is looking over here

"What, are you not satisfied? The captured enemy is supposed to be imprisoned in the labyrinth. But that way Shirou is too pitiful, so I specially took you to my own room"
Ilya pouts
Am I supposed to thank her, or not
......Anyhow, I grasp the situation somewhat

"......I understand the situation more or less. I was captured, and this is Ilya's living quarter, right"
I raise my voice coldly
Since I understand my situation, now I can only listen to what she says

"Yep. I told you before, I live in a castle in the forest"

"This is the castle in a tree sea, there's nothing nearby at all. It will take many hours of driving from the city Shirou lived in. It's impossible for someone to come to rescue you, and there will be no one to interrupt us"

"---Is that so. This much I know, but why are you doing this. If you wanted to have me killed, couldn't you do it when we were in the park"

"Why? I wasn't going to kill Shirou? Shirou is mine after all. Though other Masters are all damned, but Shirou is an exception. I locked Shirou up here so others wouldn't interrupt us"

"----!"

I can't help but feeling surprised
Ilya seems to ignore my falter, presses her face against mine instantly

"I-Ilya, hold on......!"

Thou-though I don't know whether this is right or not, but the sensation of Ilya sitting on top of my thigh makes my heart beats faster
Though Ilya is not heavy, but the delicate stimulation of sitting on one's lap directly, makes me unable to think calmly----

"Nm, Shirou is special as expected. ......Neh, do you want to be my Servant? If Shirou becomes my Servant, you won't be killed. If Shirou nods your head, you can be saved"

Ilya utters as if to sweet talk me
This is definitely not something I can agree to easily
For Ilya, you can't turn back on your words once you give them

......And, if I resist, perhaps it will all simply turned into hatred

My conscious is frozen in the part that's extremely close to Ilya
This is not some simple courtesy question
What Ilya is asking, is the equivalent of asking someone whether he wants to live or die

"You don't even need to think about it, right? Shirou lost Saber already. So you don't have any mean to fight anymore. It's useless even if you continue to being a Master, isn't it"

"---No. Saber's not gone yet. I won't let her disappear"

"Humph. But this way you will be killed easily? C'mon, Shirou can just stay here. As long as Shirou stays besides me, I will protect Shirou forever"

Ilya leans her body against me
And I'm not even allowed to have the freedom to avoid

......I don't know how would I end up if I were to resist her
However, I can't agree to Ilya either

"......No. Let me go, Ilya. No matter what you say, I"
Ilya's finger, presses on my lips
That girl giggles softly and happily, and raises her head to look at me, who is confused

"So insensitive. Listen, right now Shirou is like a bird in a cage? It's my choice to let you live or die, so you can't say anything that'd anger me. ......I waited for ten years. If I just kill off Shirou like this, it'd be really disappointing, right?"

"Wh--------"

The girl's tone sounds like she's begging for a toy
And from that tone, I sense a cruelty that chills my spine, I can't help but halt my breath

"This is the last time, Oniichan. I will ask you again"
She raises her head with full of hopes and looks at me

"Shirou----become mine"

Seductive to the point of impossible to refuse, Ilya utters in this fashion

[----]

---I don't even need to think about it

There's a limit to how much one can put up with
How come everyone believes that Saber will vanish
Saber won't, and I will fight along side with her till the end
No way I will let this kind of thing to ruin my oath

"......Ilya, I won't listen to you. I have Saber. As long as Saber is here, I can only fight as a Master"

"--------"

Sound of halting breath
In an instant, the red pupils wide open, rigid like a corpse's

"......Is that so. Even you're going to betray me, Shirou"

Ilya retreats
The girl, in a composed manner, lowers her head to look at me calmly

"Fine. Since Shirou is not going to listen to me, then I'm not going to listen to Shirou's words either. Though I've been letting you roam freely in the past, but this is the end"
In Ilya's voice, there's only killing intention
A very ill-omened sensation comes over me

"Please wait for a minute. I will be right back after I take care of some business"

"Hold on......! What do you want to do, Ilya......!"
"What to do, I'm going to kill Saber and Rin of course. If I kill those two, Shirou will be regretting a little, right?"

"Wh---don't speak nonsense......! This has nothing to do with Saber or Tohsaka, I'm only saying I don't want to be with Ilya because of myself......!"

"Is that so? But those two are still damned. It's Shirou's turn after that's over. Since you don't want to be mine, I don't need Shirou anymore"

The footsteps are drifting apart gradually
Ilya is serious
She's really going to kill Saber and Tohsaka
......And if it's Ilya, I suppose it's easy for her to success

"Stop Ilya......! This has nothing to do with Saber or Tohsaka......! I'm the one who is captured, if you want to hate someone, just hate me......! You don't have any reason to kill them......!"

"But I do have a reason. I can't let any other Master besides me to survive. Isn't this the Holy Grail War?"
"Fool, don't talk about killing people that easily......! You're not suited to do things like that. Ilya is still a child, you can't do this kind of thing......!"

Ilya looks at me idly, and then

"What a shame. I already killed a Master, Oniichan"

With a very happy expression, she replies with this sentence

"But, that was yesterday. It was rather surprising. I thought Oniichan would finish off that guy"

"Wh----at?"

In an instant
The context of the event rush through my mind in a speed that even astonishes myself
......Which means, Ilya was also in the edifice last night
Then
Wouldn't the Master running away right in front of her, be a perfect prey

"Ilya----you"
"I'm sorry. I only did it because Shirou couldn't. In fact, I don't enjoy taking away others' preys"
She doesn't seem to feel any guilt in the least
For Ilya, perhaps this really is no big deal

"--------"

......I see
No, I should've known this since we first met
This girl in white, doesn't have the concept of good or bad
The one laughing innocently is Ilya, the one laughing cruelly is also Ilya
......Angel and demon are not coexisting on this girl
Ilya is just, a demon named angel----

"Then I will be going. It's Shirou's turn when I'm back, so please try your best to run away"
"However, a bird is a bird because it can't escape from the cage. You can't escape out of this cage by yourself, Oniichan"

......Ilya left
What that girl said is true
For this girl who doesn't know how to threaten or negotiate, everything she said is true
Then, I can't stay here for long
Before Ilya assaults Saber, I have to figure out a way to runaway, and meet up with them

"Grr---damn it......!"
I swing my body, and work hard to untie the ropes on my hands
Does Ilya really believe that I can't run away, there's no one in this room
As long as there is no one keeping an eye on me, this kind of rope I can untie by myself, however----

"Uuh----damn it, my body, still----"
Still can't move according to my will
My limbs are as heavy as lead, my breath starts to labor once I start to move

"......That Ilya......did she know this, that's how she could tell that I wouldn't run away"
......I certainly can't move around this way
Even if I manage to untie this rope, if I can't move around agilely, I won't be able to run away once I leave this room

"......My body is this heavy, probably not because of fatigues. ......Right, it's because I stared into Ilya's eyes, and then I couldn't move......"

I suppose those are the so-called Mystic Eyes
Allegedly, an outstanding Magus, can cast some mana intervention just by staring into others' eyes
Mystic Eyes in general are 'Binding,' this body binding spell is perhaps that sort as well

The eyes' weakness is, at the same time of receiving visual information it is also easy to be suggested
Therefore, Magi would make defense for their eyes to a certain degree to isolate opponents' mana

"......I was actually defeated not by real spells, but a suggestion-like body binding spell, what would Tohsaka say if she finds out about this......"

......However, that's at most an acquired Mystic Eyes nurtured by Sorcery
Other than this, there are also those born with this talent, monsters who possess innate Mystic Eyes, who can't exchange looks with others
Allegedly they can activate special abilities just by 'looking,' but those people are very rare

And
Fortunately, Ilya's Mystic Eyes don't seem to belong to that special lot. Just mana intervention through sending mana to the opponent

Then there should be a way to cancel the spell
The reason that my body can't move, is because Ilya's mana invaded my nerves
So, if I eliminate that mana, the body binding spell will be dispersed as well

"---It's actually quite simple. If you got dirt on you, just wash it away with water"

I close my eyes, let my conscious head toward inside of my body
......I can't find the foreign mana that invaded my body, nor can I take it out
However, if it's mana that haven't rooted inside my body and turns into a curse, I wouldn't need that kind of techniques
If Ilya's mana is jammed inside of me, then I can only use a stronger mana to flush it out

"......Sorry about this. Though it's a very rough method, but unfortunately this is all I know"
I apologize to my body for a bit

Then I only need to practice my daily training

A ceremony of implanting a foreign nerve from my back
......No, right now I don't need that
No need to make a new one
I only need to press the button in my brain
It's not to make a magic circuit inside my body, but switching my nerves to magic circuits

"----Trace on"

I murmur the utterances of self-suggestion
Spells are not words that apply to the world
Rather they are recited for us who are going to apply to the world
For a Magus, spells are words that most easily make oneself to change
A command to execute the Mystery of oneself and only effective against oneself, which is the most fundamental Sorcery, and is therefore called a spell

"----Basic substance, confirmed"

Blood circulation is going faster
Power is storing in the blood streams
I turn myself into, a device of functioning mana
......Perhaps it's thanks to the gem Tohsaka made me drink up
Normally producing mana would take an hour, but now, it's done in a flash

"----Composing materials, confirmed"

......There's not even a need to put the switch on
As long as I can keep the mana functioning, all I need, is to set my hands free
......However
Talking about turn on switch or what not, the switch itself can't be seen

----The hot flow is rushing
I restrain the gradually increasing rate of pulsation calmly, while untying the Binding

"Cough......!"

My mouth is spitting out blood
Perhaps some blood vessels were broken, and the blood inside ooze out
Let mana that's enough to wash away the mud in my body to flow. It's already a miracle that I'm only spitting blood, fortunately it doesn't hurt either

"......No pain, it's probably thanks to that again...... That self-regenerating......"
Though it's a strange phenomenon that I've yet to understand the cause, but at times like this I can only appreciate it
I can be healed as long as I don't die on the spot, for the present me, this is my best and only merit

......But what I have to watch out, is not to rely on it
After all the cause is still not clear. If I'm wounded because of relying on self-regenerating, that ability might disappear after a second

Therefore, I absolutely cannot rely on this uncertain miracle

"---OK, and next rope is the only thing left"

I untie the rope
Though my hands have blood stasis from being tied up, but it doesn't obstruct the flow of blood
......I suppose the one that tied up the rope was not Ilya, yet it was not tied up tightly either
And Ilya has no way to bring me here by herself in the first place
There should be people besides Ilya, and it's someone who doesn't have much strength

"......Berserker doesn't count. If she let that guy tied it, my hands would've been ripped already"

I make some lame joke, and stand up from the chair
"Uuh----"
.......It's fine and dandy that I'm free again, but this seems to be too reckless

Though I'm not hurt, but mana is still roaming inside my body
Every time I move, it's as if my body is been hit massively
......Perhaps it's too painful
My head is light and I want to vomit, the extremities of my limbs can't feel anything either

This way even if I want to hurry home before Ilya, is practically----

"---What am I doing. Now is not the time to say that"
I clap my cheeks and walk outside

"......?"
As I cling to the walls, and barely walk to the door
There are sounds coming from the other side of the wall
......Footsteps
And it's not just one. It appears to be that people are talking while approaching here, the footsteps stop in front of the door

"......Patrols......!? Damn it, it just has to be now......!"
There's no time to hide
I have to----

"----!"

No time to think twice
With my body in this condition, I don't stand a chance, I have to avoid making a scene before my body recovers......!

"Heave-ho......!"
I clasp my hands, and try to act as if they're been tied up by ropes

"......!"
The door is opened
Is it Ilya, or someone else in the castle
Anyhow, I have to sit on the chair, and put my hands behind my back, before whoever enters this, room----

"---Are you all right, Shirou......!"
"----"
I widen my eyes
Thought I've witnessed the illusion in my dream

"Are you tied up. I will untie you right away, please don't move----"
"Ah, no. The ropes are untied already"
I show my hands from my back

"......I don't quite understand this situation. Shirou, weren't you locked up here......?"

"......Uh, I was. I managed to free myself, and just as I was going to run away, I heard somebody's coming, so I pretended to be tied up at first"

"---I see. First make the enemy let their guards down, so you can later escape for sure, is that it?"
Saber appears to be admiring
......Forget it, I'm not going to mention that I actually had no plan for what comes afterward

"Anyway, is that you, Saber!? Not an illusion, but the real Saber, right......?"
I stand up and touch Saber

"! Shi-Shirou, hold on, don't touch me that way"
"Mm, it's real---ah, but why are you here?"

"Wh-what do you mean why, that goes without saying. A Servant doesn't need a reason to protect her Master. Since Shirou was captured, isn't it nature for me to come here to rescue you"

"Ah......no, I mean. How do you know I was captured. Wait, and why are you here, Saber. This is the Ilya's hideoout. Not safe for Saber to come in this condition"

"That-that's my line! You're the one to talk, what exactly were you doing. I already lost count of how many times I've said to you not to act alone, yet you still got captured by Ilya easily, and been locked up in a place like this......!"

"Shirou is not qualified to be a Master. Regarding this matter, I won't stop until you offer an apology"

"Aw......I was certainly too reckless. But, why is Saber here. You're not supposed to move around like this. But you even made it to Ilya's stronghold, what are you thinking!"

"What are you thinking. A Servant has to protect her Master. Since Shirou was captured, then it doesn't matter whether it's Illyasviel's stronghold or not"

"--------"
Saber claims
......That composure, just like the old Saber
Different from her feeble self, who suffers in sleep

"......Shirou? What's wrong, you're quiet all of a sudden. Were you hurt when you got captured af-after all......!?"
"Ah......no, that's not it. I'm fine. Saber, you look spirited, I'm happy for you"

......Seriously, I sigh with relief
Though I'm very surprised that Saber is here, but I'm glad that she's back to her usual self

Though this is only my idea
But I think, after all, Saber definitely has to act this way

"......I'm sorry, Saber. I don't quite get the situation, but you did come to rescue me, right"

"Ah......yes. As a Servant, it's natural for me to come to rescue my Master"
"Thanks. It's great to have you here"

---Great
This way there will be no problem
I just have to get out of here with Saber----

......Uh
Why, why do I see Tohsaka here......?

"Toh-Tohsaka......?"

Uh-uh
Is the Tohsaka over there, real......?

"You're more spirited than I imagined. In this case we didn't really have to come along then"

"That's why I told you, don't mind Emiya Shirou, Rin. Men like him, only survived by causing troubles to people around him. This is a good chance. You should've left him to die"

"......I can't pretend I didn't hear that, Archer. Though I was the one requesting helps, but you don't have the right to insult Shirou"

"---Humph. Is this how you act after your Master is rescued. Like Master like Servant. No appreciation for allies at all. ......Forget it, one day we're going to fight each other anyway. It is more convenient to foster no personal feelings"

"............"
Did that hit the spot, Saber shrinks to slience
......This guy
Not just with me, does he have a bad relation with Saber as well

"That's enough. Archer, I don't suppose you forget about the situation we're in right now. There's no time for chit-chatting. We have to retreat before Illyasviel returns"

"......? Hold on. Tohsaka, did you come here because you knew this is Ilya's residence? And----"
Ilya did depart saying that she's going to kill Tohsaka et al
Which means...... did Ilya miss Tohsaka

"----Good. I believe Ilya is heading toward my house at the moment. If you didn't come here, you would have to fight with Ilya and Berserker"

"Mm, so it seems. I already confirm that Ilya and Berserker left. ......If that wasn't the case, we wouldn't trespass this kind of place"

......Is that so. Tohsaka et al already confirmed that Ilya left, hence they devised such a bold plan
Agressive as usual, though it's all thanks to her aggression this time

"Leave the chats to later. I was prepared for this ever since I found out this is the stronghold of Einzbern, but it's better if we don't meet up with her after all. Saber in this condition can't oppose Berserker either"
Tohsaka pulls Saber and I apart

"......Tohsaka. What do you mean by Saber in this condition. She looks fine, isn't she no different from her usual self"

"Wouldn't that be nice. Saber has not recovered at all. She's exhausted just from standing there, can't you tell after looking at her?"
"Rin......! We made a deal not to tell him......!"

"My fault, I'm going to break our promise. If I don't tell him, there's more harm than good, plus this is an issue can't be solved by covering up in the first place"
"......That is true, however----"

Saber can't raise her voice because of the pain
And I finally realize, her problems have not resolved in the least

"---Saber. Is what she said, true"
"......Yes. Rin was right. I am sorry, in my present condition, I cannot fight as a swordsman. What I can do, is only being a shield for Shirou"

"Humph, I knew it. You are obviously too weak to even arm yourself, yet you still want to come along. You were thinking that even if you can't fight, you have to protect your Master anyway"

"Wh----"
I halt my breath
What's that
What's with too weak to even arm herself
What's with even though she can't fight, she has to protect her Master, what's with these foolish ideas

"......Sorry, Shirou. I know a useless body like this is unqualified to be a Servant, but I sstill hope to become your shield. You might disagree with me, but for now, please just----"

---Like I said
Why do you always have such foolish thoughts----!

"Don't joke around, of course I won't agree......! Tohsaka, why did you take Saber along! Don't you understand Saber is much more important than me......!"

"Wh-what, I was opposed to this too. But Saber wouldn't listen no matter what I said, and without Saber, we wouldn't know where you are. I knew the risk involved, but Saber's presence was still a necessity!"

"Even then, you still----"

I intended to yell that she shouldn't have brought Saber along, but I stop myself
......I don't have the right to accuse of Toshaka
My being captured, is the main cause of how things turned out this way
Tohsaka, or Saber, just did what they thought was right

"......Quarreling is fine, but not now, Rin. A Master is very sensitive to the abnormalities about her own residence. There's no time to explain elaborately"

"......That's right. Illyasviel, should be hurrying back right now. ---Fine, let's talk later. We have to leave this castle first. Is this all right, Shirou"

"Shrou, let's hurry too"
"---Uh, but"
If Saber's the same as last night, then wouldn't she have a hard time just from walking too
I can't let Saber goes on to force herself like this

"......Seriously. It seems that I'm been looked down upon"
"Eh, Saber......?"

"Even if I used up my mana, I can still fight better than Shirou right now. From my point of view, I'm the one who's afraid of Shirou vanishing. ......Though Rin doesn't seem to catch it, but isn't the mana inside you too chaotic?"

"Ah......no, this is nothing. I just need to endure it a bit, and it will be all right soon enough. I, about this---have no problem at all, really"

"Then, I'm the same as Shirou. Tough, but not unbearable. Although I don't think you have yet to grasp the situation, because it's all too sudden, but just listen to Rin for now. If you have something to say, wait until we're home"
Saber rushes me

"-------"
......I'm beat
Have a word with that expression of hers, I can't even keep up worrying

"......That's true. Even though I have many things I want to say, but let's wait until we return safely"
......Right, I have to talk to Saber about her condition, and thank her for coming to rescue me

---Right now is not the time to ask about that dream

"----Fine. Let's go, Saber"

I nod in reply, and move as fast as I can

......Sweats come off of my forehead with each advancing step, but I don't want to say any complaint
Saber also came here sick
So as a man, I can't let her see that side of me----

"--------Uwa"

At the same time as I walk out of the room, I can't help but gasp
This is a hallway... all right
Judging from this hallway, which looks like it's from an art museum, this building is incredibly large

"Hey, now is not the time to zoom out. Even if we got out of this castle, there's still a tree sea outside. Sun will be up if we don't hurry"

"A tree sea---? So this place really is on a mountain? The tree sea that takes a few hours of drive from Miyamachou?"

"Yes, the castle of Einzbern. Even if we can get out of this castle, it'll still take a few hours to leave the forest. It's night time now, we should be able to leave the forest before daybreak"

Tohsaka runs without hindering on the hallway
I suppose she's running toward the back door they used to enter here

"......I know it's at night......just how long have I been captured"
Though I feel like it has only been half of a day, but perhaps many days have passed already

"I suppose Shirou was captured by Illyasviel in the morning. It's already been half a day since then. ......The date has changed, so it can be counted as a whole day"

"Uuh......is that so, how embarrassing"
"No, that's not it. Shirou was kept captive by Illyasviel for so long, yet you're still perfectly fine. Isn't this evident that although your body was lost, yet your mind was not"

"----Well, maybe"
"Mm. Illyasviel, though appears to be a girl, but she's also a Magus of Einzbern. If he submited to her, Shirou won't be Shirou anymore"

"......It's not like I didn't take this possibility into consideration. I did think that you might be dead already, before stepping into this castle"
"--------"

"So, it's truly great to be able to reunite with Shirou again here. Now that I see my Master is safe, I can't lose either"

......Saber speaks with a faint smile
Same here
I kept thinking about whether Saber was safe or not, too

"Hey, are you leaving or not----! I really will go on ahead by myself if you guys linger any longer............!!"
Tohsaka shows her face from the end of the hallway's corner and yells angrily

"Shoot, it's not the time to talk. Let's hurry, Saber"

I rush Saber and start to run
............Uuh
With each step, I felt the pains of as if boiling water are poured in my blood vessels
But this is nothing, grit my teeth, and I can keep running

I force my painful body to move, chase after Tohsaka's back
The one after my forced steps, is Saber who is running like a patient
......It's tough for her after all
Though she acts vigorous, but Saber's not in a condition where she can move the way she wants

"Saber, if you're tired----"

I was going to say that I want her to hold on to my shoulder, but I stopped myself
If I said that, Saber would just run by herself more stubbornly

Right now I'll just see how it goes
Saber seems very tired, I will wait until she doesn't even have the strength to oppose, then take her in my arms

......Saber, has some problem that's hard to deal with too
For a girl as impregnable as her, wouldn't rest lest someone forces her to

[----]

---And then
Led by Tohsaka, we arrived at the exit of the castle

"Uh, what exit, isn't this the front entrance, Tohsaka---!?"
"? Of course, what are you talking about. This is what a doorway looks like. It's the fastest way for both enter and exit"
Tohsaka goes down the stairs

"........................"
......Forget it, I'm in no position to complain
Saber and I also walk down the stairs into the lobby
This place seems to be the hall
So we can probably run outside going through that door at the end of the passage

"OK, it should be fine once we're here. Though the problem is after going in the forest, but right now is at night, we should be able to take advantage of the dark and return to the national road. When Ilya is back and finds out that Shirou is gone, it'd be too late for her. And that girl should be back at around morning......hey, Shirou, what's with that expression. You look like you're not very content"

"......No, that's not it. I just reconfirmed that Tohsaka is indeed an amazing individual"

"? You sure know how to confirm strange things in strange places"

......Not many people would just invade the enemy's territory from the front entrance
"Forget it. Anyhow let's get out of here. I still remember the route we came in, we won't be lost"

We run to the doorway
A narrow and long passage extended from the living room, and on the other end, stood a huge door
What surprises me, is this passage is thirty meters in length
......Just as I'm thinking that this really is a castle, and start to run

"---What, you are going back already? You hardly come by, what a shame"

The girl who shouldn't be present, her voice and giggles sounded at the same time

"----!?"
I turn back my head promptly
Everyone halts their steps
Because just as we turn our heads back and recognize the 'enemy', we all realize, we'd be killed if we turn our backs against the enemy

"Ilya......sviel----"

Tohsaka's voice is trembling
At the other end of the hall
On top of the stairs we just passed by, there's someone who shouldn't be there

---Curious enough, this situtation resembles last time quite a lot

Ilya who stands on top, and the Berserker behind her
The overwhelming presence of Berserker
Knowing the strength of the Servants, I am able to comprehend what a monster he is more than before
......What a grave mistake
That monster, Saber can't fight him on even ground even if she's in her normal shape

......Definitely can't go into fight
No one can defeat that monster
In order to defeat Berserker, we should be looking for a way to make him vanish without resorting to fight

Which means
If we don't want to die, we definitely can't meet up with that monster

"Good evening. I'm very pleased that you came over yourself, Rin"
Ilya's voice is bouncing cheerfully
That smile is the same as the one from eight days ago. It's a naked emotion, innocent yet cruel, like a child who impaled a captured insect

---And I come to realize

Whatever we do, we can't escape
No matter what I do, I can't stop Ilya
Even if I figure out a way to attract Ilya's attention, Tohsaka et al still won't be able to run away

"What? It's so boring if no one's talking. I seldom spare you time, I thought it would be better if you can at least leave behind some last words"

Soft laughters
......However, we don't have the leisure
If there's an opening, we have to rush to the entrance
Despite knowing that it's impossible to have such an opening, we can only wait for that chance

"............Is that so. Then, let me ask you one thing"

Even so
Tohsaka takes one step toward Ilya

"Ilyasviel. I didn't sense you ever coming back, you weren't hiding here the whole time, were you"

"Yeah, I didn't go anywhere. I, was here the whole time, looking at the show you put on"
"---Is that so. So the one that left the castle was a fake?"

"Mm, because I knew you were coming. Since I'm the host, how can I not entertain my guests?"

At the same time, that giant subject vanishes
Did he jump up, or just move to the side
Vrrmmm, Berserker appears in the midst of the hall, along comes a whirlwind

......This is it
If we run toward the back---the doorway, we'll be cut into halves by that axe-sword one by one
However, we'll only be killed if this continues
The only option left, despite knowing it's only suicidal, we can only fight with that giant chunk of death

"Is that enough talking? Then let's begin, Berserker"
The maiden in white raises a hand as if to initiate some sort of ritual, and looks down upon us

"----I vow. Today, I won't let anyone go"

Announcing with murderous intents and joys

Berserker's eyes beam with lights
......The Servant who only followed Ilya around before, is temporarily released from rationality, and targets the enemy in front of him

"--------"
Clack
"......Tohsaka......?"
Tohsaka who advances one step, grits her teeth as if she's regretting

"......Archer, can you hear?"
A calm voice, Tohsaka whispers without turning back

"---Just a little while. Stall that guy by yourself"

She just told her own Servant, to die

"------"
Archer has not responded
"What......! Are you serious, Rin, there's no way Archer can fight Berserker by himself......!"
"We can take advange of that opening and escape. Archer can earn the time we need"

Tohsaka continues to instruct, ignoring Saber
It's a cruel, and emotionally-restrained voice

"--------"
Archer is still staring at Berserker, remains silent as if he's pondering, he nods his head slightly

"Clever. If Rin and you all can escape first, I can run away too. Taking actions independingly is an Archer's attribute"

Archer steps forward to protect Tohsaka

Berserker has not moved
From upward, we can only hear Ilya's laughters

"Heh, you really surprised me. You said you're going to let that nameless Servant to stop my Hercules. What, I didn't know you are so cute, Rin"

"--------"
Neither Tohsaka nor Archer has the leisure to talk back
This kind of things, Tohsaka and Archer know all too well themselves

Archer advances
He appears to be barehanded just as before

".................."
Tohsaka looks at Archer's back
......There's not much to say
Tohsaka should know herself, her order was too ruthless
For herself to run away, she ordered Archer to die

"...............Archer, I"
Tohsaka seems like she wants to say something
But Archer

"By the way, Rin. Let me make sure of this"

He interrupts her with a voice indifferent to the point of not fitting this scenario

".........All right. What is it"

Tohsaka lowers her eyes to look at Archer

"Aah. earning time is fine by me---but it's all right to defeat that monster, right?"

And then, he blurts out something unbelievable

"Archer, you----"

"---Mm, don't hold back. Make him enjoy some beatings, Archer"

"Is that so. Then I shall do as you wish"

Archer advances
Only ten meters from Berserker
This much distance, I suppose that monster can shorten it in a flash

"Are you taking us for fools......! Fine, kill them Berserker! It's fine even if you tear apart these arrogant guys into pieces......!"

Ilya's tone sounds hysteric
Tohsaka turns around ignoring her

"---Go. Once we're outside, victory will be ours"
Tohsaka holds Saber and my hands, and runs

"--------"
Saber also follows Tohsaka without complain
......I, too, leave Archer behind and run toward the doorway
Behind me

"Emiya Shirou"

That guy calls out to me, still has his back against us

"--------"
I let go of Tohsaka's hand and turn around
In the midst of that already faraway hall, there's the back of the man who's going to face off with Berserker

"---Listen well. You're not a figher, but merely a maker"

Berserker is approaching
Archer is still empty-handed, going against the approaching enemy without taking a step back---

"Don't concern yourself with insignificant thoughts. There should be but one thing that you can accomplish. Try to make it to perfection"

Archer raises one hand
Since when, a short sword is held in that hand

"---Don't forget. What you should be imagining is the strongest self. You don't need any physical enemy. Your imagination alone, is your opponent"

The crimson shade lowers his body
Berserker's sword is screeching in the air

I start to run before I see that conflict
Tohsaka and Saber are already near the doorway

---I run without turning back

That crimson shade, is saying, hurry

We came through a long, long hallway, pass the front entrance
---Hard to believe, this really is a castle
An ancient site hidden deep inside a forest
There are woods in any direction you look, in a distant, you can't even see the sky, much less buildings

"This way. We can reach the national road in three hours of running, keep it up"
Tohsaka turns her head toward us while leading the way

"----"
......Three hours. To be honest, I don't know if my body can hold together that long
Though not tire, but the pain has became more intense as I move around more
My fever should go down if I rest a little, but right now we don't have that kind of time

"Shirou, hurry"
Tohsaka's voice is burdened anxious
Tohsaka is the one that made that order to Archer
Though she appears to be calm, but that girl's heart must be filled with regrets

"I know, I will be right there. Saber, let's hurry"
"Ah......yes. Let's hurry, Shirou"
Saber lowers her head and responds, she starts to run as well

We follow close behind Tohsaka, cross the woods
Running alongside me, Saber is panting
I can't take a good look in the dark, but it sounds bad

......I can't go on ignoring this

"Ah----"

Saber suddenly loses her balance
I pull up her out-of-balance body from the side

"That's it. This won't do, Saber"
"What......what're you saying, Shirou. I have went through predicament like this countless times in the past. I can still run"

"What're you saying. No matter how many times you went through, pain is still pain. All right, take it easy"
I pull Saber over
For Saber is very light
It's easier than I'd imagine to take Saber in my arms

"Eh---what, what are you doing, Shirou......!"
"What I am doing, just take a break already. If you're running wearing an expression like that, I will be the first one to lose it"

"......! Insolent, let me go! Do you believe that this is enough to take me down......!"

Saber is squirming in my arms
However, this resistance is nothing
The slim arms that push against my chest really don't have much strength
......And now I am painfully aware of just how weak she is
I never thought that, that Saber can't even push away someone who holds her up

"What're you thinking, Shirou! I won't allow this even if you're my Master......!"
Saber is blushing and squirming
......Anyway, that's true
This is probably very embarrassing for a knight, however this is not the time to care for decency

"Liar. You're obviously so weak that you can't even push me away, how can you be fine. All right, behave yourself, this is a Master's order. If you don't listen, I can only make use of my Command Spell"

"Wh----De, despicable. How can I let you cast a Command Spell for this"
"Then behave. We'll be left behind by Tohsaka if we don't hurry"

"........................"
Did she give in, Saber stays quiet reluctantly

----Forget it, this is fine for now
As long as Saber doesn't squirm around, I can run while carrying her

[----]

My view becomes blurry
Bloodstream is flowing faster and faster as I step on
As I push down the nausea well up in my throat, I bite my teeth and run in the woods

"Haa----haa, haa, haa----"

Though I breath heavily, but I try to overcome the pains
For just one reason

"Shirou, please put me down. I can run still----"

Because once I show my suffering expression, Saber would look at me uneasily
I can't stop here

"Humph, don't underestimate me. It feels like nothing to me. Compare to a broken stove, a girl is as light as air"
"But----"

"All right, enough chatting. Do you know what's equivalent exchange? I've always been protected by you in the past, it wouldn't balance out if I don't do this. If I don't return this favor to you right here, I can't let you protect me tomorrow"

"No, that's not true......and, this way I'm the one who's at debts"
"Then that's great. Just put up with me this one time. I'm at full strength again all of a sudden"

I draw in a deep breath, step on the ground
That Tohsaka, she chooses all the narrow roads despite knowing I'm still carrying Saber
Though Saber is very light, it's tiring just from following her

"Heh, you will bite your tongue if you talk. It will make it easier for me as well if you don't talk, just behave yourself"
"----Fine. Then, I will obey Master's instruction"

As she speaks, Saber's whole body becomes relax
I had trouble with holding her still out of concerns, but now I can take it easy
The only problem left---is just whether Saber's and my body can keep it together

[----]

......How long have we been running
It feels like we've been running for thirty minutes, or an hour

"Haa---haa, haa, ha----"

No, running is not the hard part
My body wasn't trained that poorly, and Saber really is light

However, right now----

I don't know what's going on inside of me
I feel dizzier as I exert more strength, and more nausea
Since here is a forest, so it would make sense if I was poisened from a snake bite

"Grr----but, this way----"

This is not a pain that'd kill me
Just feels really heavy around the chest, as if I'm going to throw up
This is nothing compare to the heat on my hand

......Saber closes her eyes as if she has fallen asleep
This is not a sleep where she relax and rest
Saber's body temperature keeps going up
Even in a frosty winter, her clothes are soaked with sweats, she lowers her head so as not to let me see it, hiding her heavy breathings

"No----if this goes on, it really will"

Will become like that night
Saber was weakened, ever since she swung that sword toward Rider
......Saber's condition has not changed since then
Can the energy she showed when talking to me before, really be her last strength before disappearing

"Ha----haa, haa, haa, ha----!"

I run harder as if to deny it
Doesn't matter what happen to my body
Just keep believing in as soon as we get home, we can make it, I move forward desperately---

Almost lost my balance, I quickly lean against a tree and come to a stop

"Uuh--------"

......The taste of blood
Is this the source of nausea
Though it is only a little so it has not spilled on Saber, but a sense of nausea is entangling my chest

"......Forget it, this is much better than I expected"

If I throw up what's inside my stomach, it looks like I will make Saber angry for another reason
Now that I think about it, perhaps Saber really will take her sword and cut me down

"Haa----"

....Nm, this is gold
With a pleasant imagination, I recover my spirit somewhat
OK, this much of rest should be efficient

"No. This is it, you have to stop forcing yourself, Shirou"
"Saber......?"
She isn't sleeping
Saber says, still in my arms

"......What's wrong. What do you mean this is it"
"I'm saying, Shirou should run away by yourself. It is impossible for your body, to escape while carrying me"
"Wh----how can I do that......! I just trip myself. This is nothing at all----"

"Liar. What else do you want to say with a face like a dead man's"
---Mm
What is she thinking, Tohsaka who was running ahead turns back again

"Humph, push yourself however you want. But even in a dark night, please wipe off the blood at the corner of your mouth. Of course this would make Saber worry"

Is she angry, Tohsaka stares at me closely
Saber picks up her voice

"......Good. It'd be much simpler if Rin's here"

Without looking at Tohsaka, Saber says quietly

"True. I know what Saber wants to say. And there's no time, let me spell it out so even that moron can understand"
Saber nods, upon hearing Tohsaka's words

"......Yes. Rin, please put me down here. You can't run away while carrying me, and---I already, can't hold out for long"

"--------"
'What nonsense' I can't make out these words
I don't have any intention of leaving Saber behind
However, even then---what annoys me is, clearly, her body is deteriorating

Saber, already can't hold out for long
Vaguely I realize, she won't make it to the morning if this goes on----

"Is that so. And, Shirou? Are you going to commit suicide for your frustrated love with Saber just like this?"
"---Not a chance. I won't do that, and I won't let Saber disappear. If Saber shall vanish, then whether it's command spell or whatever I will----"

"OK, then it should be fine. Let's take care both problems together. Let's set the plan from now on, first help Saber, then us three leave the forest"

"............Ah?"
My mind goes blank
Tohsaka sometimes would make the most difficult thing sound so simple

"Hold on......! I do want to do that as well, but because I can't----"

"All right, come over here. Let me say this beforehand, I don't intend to let Saber vanish easily either. ......Mm, can't let this opportunity to slip away. I will let you fulfill this duty. Shirou also agreed, so you are OK with it, right, Saber?"

Tohsaka looks over Saber meaningfully

"...................................."

Without replying, Saber just lowers her eyes as if she's very embarassed

After crossing a few especially tall woods, something rather unexpected appears in front of us

"......Ru-in......?"
I'm still holding Saber, while raising my eyes to look at this building in astonishment
Is there a reason, the building in the middle of this forest, is now a ruin with no trace of men

"I suppose we can hide here for a bit. Archer found this place when we were on our way here. He said this can be used as an emergency secret hideout"
Tohsaka walks in the ruin with I-don't-know-what on her mind

"......Forget it, this shouldn't collapse again"

I step over the rubbles and walk toward the entrance
......How many months and years have people last been here
This building, is like a skeleton undermined by green

--The first floor of the ruin is completely occupied by woods

Only the rooms on the second floor are usable, and this place is in the best shape
The windows are still intact miraculously
Not sure how this was set up, but you can see the night sky faraway from here

"Hm-mm. Pretty clean. Perhaps somebody was just sleeping here not too long ago"

......I really don't know what she's thinking
Tohsaka steps over the rubbles, hits lightly on the bed next to the wall

"Shirou, come over here. Wouldn't it be bad if you don't let Saber go to bed. It's exhausing to carry someone"
"A----ah, I will be right there"
I walk up to the bed carefully, and slowly put Saber down

"How is it, is it unbearable, Saber? Can you move your body?"
"......Nm, since Shirou carried me here. My body should be able to hold out"

"---That so. So there's only one problem remains. It's been an hour since then. Even if Illyasviel chases us to here, it should take her a while. ......No, it will take more than that, we should be able to hide until daybreak"

"Ah----"
I let out a cry, now I remember
Though we ran to this ruin, but what about Berserker and Archer
That guy stayed in the castle to stop Berserker
And it's been an hour already
So Archer should be retreating from that castle alone too, but---

"Tohsaka, that guy---"
"------"
Tohsaka did not say a word
Just, as if holding on to a precious item, she presses her right hand against her chest
......And I, just found out Archer's fate

Tohsaka's command spells are on her right hand
Masters and Servants are connected
Just as Saber is aware of my danger, if a Master can also learn of the death of a Servant, then

"......Tohsaka, that guy"
"Pretty much. I only told him to buy us some time. That guy---annoyed me even in the end"

Tohsaka utters softly, as if to dismiss the idea with a laugh

......Silence
A silence that makes one believe that it will last forever, but

"---But I won't let his death go to waste. Since we lost Archer, we'll have to defeat Berserker right here"

It was broken by the sound of her right fist pounding on her left palm

"This is as far as regrets go. Better take action if you have time to worry, this is my creed. ---Since we already made it here, you should be prepared"
"......? Prepared for what"

"What else. To prepare for defeating Illyasviel......defeating Berserker. We can't escape this forest carrying Saber, and it will take a long time for her to recover. We're going to be caught up by Ilya regardless"

"Do you see? If all three of us want to leave this forest together, we can only defeat Berserker. If not, we will only go after Archer"

"----To defeat, Berserker......?"

To defeat that monster?
To defeat the death storm that can nullify numerous attacks, smashes down all who approach him with one strike......?

"--------"

I can't imagine
We're as good as dead once we start the fight
Tohsaka should know this as well
Even then, is she still talking about defeating it

"-------No, that's not it"

What nonsense is this
Tohska is not saying we can
This girl never counted on this since the beginning

"Aah----is that, so"

That's right, we're not defeating it in order to win
......I should've noticed this since the beginning

"It's that we must, defeat it"

That's all
---If we don't want to die here
We can only defeat that monster

"Precisely. But it's not that hopeless. Even for Berserker, he would take some damage after fighting Archer. I took all my previous gems along, we can come up with something once Saber is recovered"

"---On the other hand. Precisely because Berserker is wounded, this is the prefect chance to bring down Illyasviel, wouldn't you agree?"

"......Perhaps. But is there a way for our main force Saber to recover. ......I'm sorry, I don't believe we can cure Saber in a place like this"

"No, curing Saber has nothing to do with location. Saber is just weak because she used up her mana. Once she is recharged with a certain amount of mana, she can use her abilities like before again"

"Tohsaka, let me say this. I'm troubled because I can't recharge mana, did you forget"

"There is a way. Yesterday......the day before yesterday, I explained at that time. The way to distribute mana to a Servant, other than Communal Sorcery, there's one more method. Because at that time, hm......I didn't anticipate this development"

"Hm----?"
I recall the conversation from last night
Now that I think about it, it was----

"......But, you should've exchanged recognitions with Saber when you summoned her, perhaps there's anothe way, however----"

Tohsaka did say something like this

"......Now I remember. You said because we already exchanged our recognitions, therefore there's a way besides Sorcery"

"Nm. You and Saber are connected not just mentally, but also physically. So it doesn't require a very difficult Sorcery to distribute mana. You only need to share your energy with her"
......?
How

"Wait a minute. You said to share energy from the Master, but how do you do that"
Tohsaka turns her head sideway to look at me

After staring for a while, Tohsaka says that's very simple

"Make love to her. Fortunately Saber is a girl, isn't that very simple"

Then she says something like this straightforwardly

"--------Wh"
What, make love to her
And even said, fortunately Saber is a girl, so it's very simple, meaning

"Wh, eh------!!??"
Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait-wait-wait a minute, where did this come from!!!!

"Why are you so surprised, isn't harmonizing by having sex very common. The sperms of a Magus are crystals of mana. A poor Magus would even sell his sperms to the Association, didn't you know?"

"Who-who, who would know that......! isn't the Tachikawa-ryu cult, and Black Goat merely a superstition! Humph, I won't be trick by your sweet talks......!"

"......Let me tell you this. Tachikawa-ryu really does have a secret ceremony, and the Black Goat also has official contracts. Though I don't know what you're panicking about, but didn'y you just say you are prepared. This is the only way for us to survive, so don't give me more troubles, all right?"

"No, but, this"
Even if you make it sounds so simple there are still some issues......!

"Seriously, you don't have time to hesitate! Since Archer is already defeated, Illyasviel will come after us soon enough. If we're going to live on, we can only let Saber to recover right here. You should understand that without, you, Saber and I, all three of us together, we stand no chance against Berserker, right!? So there's only one thing for us to do!"

"Listen, I won't let Archer's life goes to waste. I will definitely make the opportunity that guy created with his life to succeed. For this, I will do anything to survive......!"

Tohsaka talks on and on
However, my mind becomes more confused as she rants on, my head blanks out more from just imagine the scene of making love to Saber

"------"
......Damn it. Even I know I'm blushing. But how can I help it
I'm really troubled by her sudden suggestion, and right in front of me, Saber is still lying on top of the bed, breathing heavily
Inside my head is a mess, as if I hop into another dimension suddenly----

"......Uh, Tohsaka, I can't do it after all. Put me aside, Saber will definitely refuse. Even if it's for recharging mana, Saber won't possible give up her chastity!"
"Really? Have you asked herself?"
Tohsaka's attitude hasn't changed a bit

"Wh----"
I look over to the bed
......Saber is still panting, looking at us without saying no to Tohsaka

"......Saber?"

"---Yes. I'm fine with it, Shirou"

......And then
With an embarassing voice, Saber says such

"--------"
This truly is, a cruel betrayal
Under these circumstances, how can you say----that would make one lose his sanity

......If someone asks me whether I want to make love to her, of course I do
Saber is a girl, a beauty that would blow one's mind away and make him can't think straight, yes, if that wasn't the case I wouldn't run out of my room to the storehouse to sleep
---That's why, I think not
The feels of touching her are still on my hands
Whether it's that feverish body, that skin soaked with sweats, or that indescribable lightness, they're still on my hands
Thinking over, even if it's not for helping Saber, I do want her---of course I desire her body
"What, you're so backward. Doesn't Shirou want to make love to Saber? Ah, is it possible that you're impotent?"
"No way-----!!!!! Not that, I---"

This is rude to Saber, and right now is not the time for it either, my head is empty, and, this is, my first time
......I'm so panic that I haven't noticed that I've been mumbling
"Well, you're already in the mood. Forget it, I understand how you feel, but give it up"
Tohsaka approaches
"Uuh......!"
Mm, is she coming, I take up my stance, but the enemy makes a surprising move
"Sorry about this, we don't have time to create the atmosphere slowly. Shirou, come here for a second"
Tohsaka extendes her hand
That's just, in an instant
Tohsaka puts her hand on my cheek, turns me toward her forcibly, and then just like that----
Takes the advantage, kisses me
"--------!!!!?"
Can't breath
Extremely confused, my brain won't process at all
---Yet I still come to recognize that, foul play of a sensation
......Tohsaka's lips, are just soft
I've always thought, to feel other's skin with lips is something special
But right now what I'm touching isn't the skin, but it's the touch of flesh
Lips are very soft, though there's no taste, but really sweet
Tohsaka is not used to this either, our lips are only feeling each other
......I can feel Tohsaka's body temperature strongly now
Her breaths are feverish. ......And the saliva, I suppose. The moisten lips, are exchanging a smidgen of water
My nose is tickled from the rubbing, just holding back takes a lot of efforts
"--------"
......Men are animals, all right
Though my head is still empty, but because of this, I can no longer step on the break inside of me----

......Our lips parted
Leaving me standing there in shock, Tohsaka recedes to the bed
"Well, have you calm down?"
......How contradictory
Tohsaka herself is also blushing, yet she's saying that
"Tohsaka, you---"
"Sorry about this, let me handle it"
---How does that work
Why is Tohsaka apologizing. If anyone's to apologize, it should be me
"Anyway, I don't intend to stop here. ......Just look from there, Shirou. It's probably not going to work out under these circumstances, I will help too. ......For Shirou and---Saber, to foster that kind of feeling"
Tohsaka places her hands on the bed, and slowly moves above Saber
"Wh----Rin, what are-......?"
Saber's voice betrays her puzzlement
"......What I am doing? Helping you of course. Because you both look so not used to this, so just let me lend you a hand"
Tohsaka chuckles softly
......Did my switch turn on just now, because of her kiss
The way Tohsaka moves seems seducing because of the heat, slowly, she lets her fingers crawl on Saber's body
"Wh-don't-Tohsaka----............!"
Without hindering
Tohsaka bends on top of the bed, fingers creep on Saber who can't move because of the high fever
"Rin----please wait-a minute-I"
"......All right, just leave it to me. It's not easy for you by yourself. Rest assure, very soon I will rob off your ability to think---"
Tohsaka's fingers slip on top of Saber's breasts
"......You see. First you'll have to relax your body. Having clothes on, is very uncomfortable for this"
"Ah----yah- ......ng......"
Saber pants lightly, is it due to her confusion
Saber raises her head facing Tohsaka, with a blush and bewildered expression
And Tohsaka too---as if infected by Saber's fever, her cheeks are tinged with red, breathing heavily
"Toh----------"
I want to call out to Tohsaka, but my throat won't make a sound
......Is it Saber's panting
The motions of Tohsaka's fingers, are just that seductive
She unties the blue ribbons, undoes the buttons on her shirt one by one
The works of her fingers seem elegant and experienced
As if this is a ritual of releasing a knight from her armors, to expose the maiden inside, coquettishly
"Uuh......mm......haa, Rin, if this goes on, even without taking off clothes---I'm already---"
"......No, this is necessary. You're going to do that in a minute. You have to reveal the skin, and let the bodies collide"
Tohsaka, panting, whispers softly besides Saber's ears
Saber though grabs onto Tohsaka's hands in an attempt to stop her, but she can't resist letting Tohsaka does whatever she so desires
And then, when the last button on her shirt is undone

"--------"
I struggle to stop the image from overflowing my eyes
......Saber's naked body
The posture that I tried hard not to look at, not to think about, is displaying right before me---
"Uuh----"
I close my eyes
Shut the rebelling eyelids with will
......If I take a look, it will break
That something nurtured by Saber and I up until now will break
Out of fear, I grit my teeth to push down this foreign impulse
"Aa......mm......that's no good, Shirou......you have to take, a good look. It's going to start once Saber is ready......You will have to, feel it, too"
"---Feel what, Tohsaka"
"......All right, open your eyes. We're accomplices. Let's love Saber together, and then help Saber. ......Or else, do you intend to wait over there alone......?"
"Uuh----"
Tohsaka is talking nonsense
Nonsense, yet what I'm doing is contradictory as well
......To help Saber out, I can only make love to her
If I want Saber to stay, I can only accept this suggestion
......And, I've already accepted it long ago
Close my eyes means nothing, I already had my chance to leave if I don't care whether Saber stays or not
So---I'm not allowed to close my eyes
"---It's fine. But if I open my eyes, I won't be able to hold back"
"......Ah ha. Did you hear that, Saber? Shirou said, he will get excited from looking at you"
A soft chuckle
Is Tohsaka laughing from looking at Saber and I both blushing
"---Mm. But just hold it down a little while longer. Before Saber is ready, Shirou you just wait over there. Before I say go, stay there----"
Tohsaka is speaking with a tone more on fire than Saber
She wants me to stay aside to look at Saber
"--------"
......I exhale slightly
The instant I open my eyes, I have to forget everything
Forget Saber
Forget Tohsaka
Forget the trusting relation in the past and the days together with Saber, and make love to Saber for the sake of helping her
"........................"
I take a deep breath, hands grasp tightly into fists
Calm myself, so as not to be shaken by any sight
And then----

At that very instant, all the defenses I put up are demolished

Two colors intertwine
Pure white, the body of a maiden akin to a beautiful statue, overlapping with a slightly more developed body of another maiden
"Huu......chu, mm......ah. ......Saber's lips, are so tiny"
Just a kiss, touching each other
Tohsaka lowers her lips as if she's trying to get a taste of it
"Haa......eh......what about it, Saber......though it is a little faint, was Shirou's taste carried over......?"
Is she trying to say that was an indirect kiss
Tohsaka is uttering words that make me feel extremely embarrassed
"............This is, Shirou's bodily fluid----"
Saber makes an unbelievably hot sound, and swallows that
"......Mm, ah---......No, Rin......that wasn't clear enough. ......A bit, harder"
Saber pulls near Tohsaka voluntarily
Tohsaka, not resisting, this time she does it with force---not just touching each other's lips, but kissing passionately as if to melt into one another
"Haa----aah, uuh---mm......Shirou's, is so sweet"
"Mm......mm......But Saber's, is just as sweet......"
Interlaced colours of crimson
The rosy flesh of tongue intertwine, licking each other's tip of tongue
......No, that's not it
Saber is only dominated by Tohsaka
Sticking out her tongue, responding to her, are also according to Tohsaka desires
Saber's body is trembling, she looks at Tohsaka perplexedly----

"Mm......Saber......more forceful----"
The hot breaths overlap
Tohsaka is touching Saber carefully, carefully, as if treating something fragile
From the breasts like flowing hills, to the navel, beautiful lines are carved on her body
"Rin's......hand, on top of, my body----"
The fingers inch down even further, climb to the place that shuts close stubbornly
"Haa......mm"
Saber shivers ever so slightly
Tohsaka casts her eyes down at her pleasingly
"Heh, and next......it's about to start, Saber"
"......! Ah----no, Rin, that's---"
"......Where is, that? N-o, I won't listen if you don't spell it out clearly. ......Mm, say as loud as you want......enough to let Shirou to hear you......!"
"......Uuh"
Saber's resistance is futile
Tohsaka is panting fervently, pressing on Saber's body
"......Well......even if you spell it out clearly now, I can't stop"
"......Uuh, aah......! No, aah, Rin, Rin......!!"
Tohsaka is sucking on Saber's lips hard
"......Come, more moans. This is not enough, Shirou and I both want to take you to heaven----"
"Mm......! ......Ah, a finger, in there......----"
......Tohsaka's body covers up Saber's tiny figure
The panting of the two are the only sounds that can be heard in this rundown mansion
The white blossom, is been trampled by the rose
"Haa, mm......! No Rin, I can't, breath----let me go, for a little----"
Saber's lips are released, she pants
Tohsaka looks at the blonde girl under her, and takes in a deep breath
"Aah......mm...... I would have never thought......I didn't intend, for this to happen"
The finger clings to Saber's secret place, sinks in

"Uuh---ah, ah----"
......The touch seems very gentle
Saber only raises her shoulder, she isn't shuddered by Tohsaka's fingertip
"Mm......aah, haa......"
......In the midst of the burning panting, sounds of wetness are mixed in

Obscene, drops of sex juice that testify the maiden's love making
Are flowing out between Saber's thighs
"---Mm---......Rin, is too gentle---"
......Saber's voice sounds a bit impatient
Saber raises her head to look at Tohsaka, as if to complain the gentleness----no, her overly light finger movements
"Aah......but, don't worry, such......hm......even without Tohsaka's helping hand, I too can----"
"......Are you saying that you are already done......? Hm...... No way, Saber's not wet here yet......if you take Shirou in like this, you will definitely be in pain, Saber......"
The caressing sounds
As if pleasuring herself, Tohsaka touches Saber's secret place lovingly
"Mm......so......Saber's, is so adorable......mm, let me----love it more"
Tohsaka's lips suck on Saber's lips
Sounds of water spreads out from between tongues
"Mm......aah, haa, mm......! ......Haa, all, it's all right, Rin......I-I'm already used to, pains. On-on the other hand"
Saber says, she's afraid of losing her cool in front of the two
However----
"......Is that so. But Saber? You won't be the only one in pain, so will Shirou. We not only have to make your thighs wet, even the hole on your bottom will have to be soaked as well"
Tohsaka throws back with a sly smile
"Wh----what bottom----"
"......Sigh. I'm fine with it either way? But, the only one in trouble here Shirou"
"Eh......is, Shirou......?"
"Of course. Even my finger feels tight in Saber's. If you do it like this, you will only make Shirou dislike you. He would say Saber's is just painful, Saber is no good at all"
"----"
Saber is blushing, not from the caress, but the embarrassment
And Tohsaka laughs softly and looks at her, with a mean expression
"Well? I will stop if that's what you want. Though Saber's still can't feel good but I would change place with Shirou. ......Come. What are you going to do, oh Saber who doesn't want her womanhood to be seduced by me......?"
"--------"
Not just cheeks, Saber's skin also starts to carry heat
Chu, chu
The obscene noises of stirring that wet flesh
And in the midst of that
"............A little"
"I can't hear you. Spell it out clearly, Saber. I won't listen if you don't beg me with that clear voice of yours"
"............I'm in-in-your hand, Rin......that finger movement from before, please, do it a little harder---"
---Saber is begging Tohsaka with a completely red face
And what does this make Tohsaka do
"--------"
"......!? Rin-Rin, it hurts----!?"
Tohsaka presses Saber on the bed, and clings to her more violently

"Haa, unh............!"
Saber's body is arching
And in order to restrain her----no, to let her moves more vehemently, Tohsaka thrusts in her flex finger deeply
"Wh----Rin, so, deep----!"
"Haa......of-of course---Saber said so yourself, let me do whatever I-I want----!"
Can't she hear Saber's voice anymore
Tohsaka, as if she's possessed, cups Saber's breasts with her palms, and kneads that soft blossom, with the tip of her tongue she circles as if to taste that apex
"Yaa......!? Wh-what are you doing, Rin......!"
"Mm----Saber, so cute----"
Chu, an obscene and lovely sound
"......Haa, ah......mm, ah......yaa, haa"
Tohsaka is still panting, she starts to lick the pink blossom
"Ah......uuh......! Haa, ah......no, breasts, this way, hurts, ah......!"
Her body is squirming to rise up, her toes curling up, as if to refuse Tohsaka

Is it because she has never been touched there before---the small breasts that symbolize the air of a young girl are caressed, and Saber's sensation is overloaded
Saber desperately resists her with a weak, and feverish body
"Mm, ah, ah......! Ah, yaa----!"
From the cheeks coloured with strokes of blush, and the voice that shows pains, that coquettish from before is gone
"......Come. Don't lie, Saber. Saber's, is getting hotter, and hotter. ......That small breasts are teased, that obscene place is messed around by me, you are tortured, so why are you, feeling good---"
"Haa---no, I-I'm not, mm......!"
......From Saber's light-complexioned flesh, drops of sweats are spilled
"......Haa......haa......, mm, ah......don't......"
Saber's wild posture, is as if she's been possessed by something other than heat, the level of obscenity is increased in seconds
"Ah ha---what, you really are wet. Saber, do you like to be tortured, like this......?"
"Uuh......Rin, you......"
"Mm......your nipples, are erected......Saber's body, is so hot......"
"--------"

[----]

......Uuh
My throat is painfully thirsty
Saber who is been defiled by the crimson rose, is way too different from the Saber in the past, adorable, enough to make me want to steal her for myself

"......Uuh, ah......haa, ah......Rin, if this continues, on"
---Tearful face
The molested small breasts, the place that has just begun to moisten are seduced by fingers, that lovely throat is bearing the overflowing happiness with shames
I want to take over all of this, right now
Take Tohsaka's place to caress Saber's body, let me, make her groans in agony----

"Huu, ah......!! Yaa, haa......aah, yaa---!"
Saber's reaction is changing gradually
What used to sound like the splashes of playing in a puddle, is now clearly making sticky sounds

Looking carefully
Tohsaka probes in the seam of Saber's secret place, the fingers stirring inside, along with her wrist are soaked by clear liquid
"Mm......it's wet......aah, mm---but, Saber doesn't seem like the sensitive type"
"Haa......Rin, no, you can't go any deeper---"
"......Uuh......I know......beyond this is Shirou's job......and Saber's place is, so tight......so impressive, my fingers, are sticky"
"......Have-have you seen it, Saber......? Your sex, is like meat soaked in hot water---very, lascivious"
One more finger sticks inside Saber
"......! Ah, yaa............!"
Sticky sounds
Tohsaka is making those wet sounds to let me hear them, continues to torture Saber
"Grr, ah, no, spare, me----!"
And Saber raises her body every time, swallows down the moans that were just about to burst out
Approaching the limit
Judging from her look, a few more seconds---no, maybe she can accept me right now
"--------"
And me, no need to ask
That thing is fully erected already, pulsing shamelessly
My pants are so tight
My male part is already at the border of exploding, as if it will be all over just by touching it for a bit

"Huu, ah......!! Mm, aah, haa, yaa----!"
Saber's voice
Tohsaka is fidgeting with her secret place further, Saber can't resist at all under Tohsaka's fingers
The white blossom has no freedom at all
Tohsaka seals her off completely, with her palms
"Ah----haa, ah, Rin----! Mm, guu, ah, yaa, I'm, already"
"Mm......so you're starting to enjoy like a good girl......? ......Then it should be fine......Saber's, is saying that she wants Shirou's that. ......Then, I'll do this----!"

"Ah, yaa, mm............----!!!!"
At the very end, Tohsaka suddenly penetrates the paralyzed Saber

And then

"............Haa----ah, haa............ah"

Tohsaka turns Saber toward me, as if to display this burning fair-skinned flesh

"......Mm......are you ready, Shirou......?"
Tohsaka is already completely, in synchronization with Saber
Saber, whose eyes have lost light and rationality, her body is burning up because of the caresses
And Tohsaka, whose eyes are mixed with passion and sadistic, is flirting with Saber
These two stare at me, who is standing there, and reveal their bodies with nothing on
"--------"
The white flesh of a half-conscious Saber, and the blushing cheeks of Tohsaka who is exited by shames and certain expectations
Compliment by these two, even the air is dominated by a lascivious atmosphere, the ruins appear to be more and more moisture
"......Come, hurry. Shirou's pants are already prop up, isn't that right......hurry up and take them off, let us see. ......Saber also wants it very much, and I too---want to see, boy's sex organ in erection"
Tohsaka's voice is abnormally sweet, nothing like her usual attitude
"Uuh--------"
Dizzy
The vapor inside my throat is evaporated all at once
My mouth is dry, my head is been spliced to pieces
---Completely and utterly defeated
Saber and I, are fooled by Tohsaka's smooth talks
"Uuh.................."
My head goes blank, with one last bit of sense, I pull down my zipper
The male part embossed with bulging blood vessels, is exceptionally ugly compares to Saber's
"-----------"
The two hold their breath for a little
"......Uuah. You see that, Saber? That is going to enter your body in a minute. ......Are you, nervous? The way Shirou is looking at Saber, he can't hold it back anymore"
"Ah-------Shirou, I"
What are they thinking
Saber and Tohsaka is concentrating on staring at my reproductive organ
"Uuh----"
This-this is torturing......!
Even under normal circumstances I would feel very embarrassed, and of all things I'm erected like this, my brain is almost boiling from shames----!
"......Toh-toh, Tohsaka......! Anyhow, all I have to do is make love to Saber, and that's all......!"
I bluff with my nearly depleted rationality, and walk toward the bed
"Mm. Emiya is a boy after all. You can't run way, if the meal is presented right in front of you, no?"
Tohsaka laughs softly
"Uuh......!"
Very well, this gives me courage instead......!
My last bit of rationality is blown away by one breath from Tohsaka
"--------Shi, rou"
Saber looks at me, who is stepping forward
"--------"
......No
That's not it
I just, can't take this anymore
I want to touch Saber
I want to do what Tohsaka has been doing, touch that fair skin, listen to Saber's voice close to my own ears
But, is that----
"......Are you fine with this, Saber. Can I, really"
Because of how beautiful she is, and how much I want her
I don't want to make it happen this way

"----Yes. Please, Shirou"
Saber utters, spilling out a few drops of tear
"Uuh"
With what little sanity I have, I surpass my overflowing desires
At least
I'm going to do this, without hurting Saber
"......I see. Please bear it with me then, Saber"
I place my palms on top of Saber's shoulders
"So hot......!?"
"Mm, mm----!"
I'm burned by the heat at that instant
Not physically, I'm mentally burned
Saber's body, is very hot, very soft
"Haa----, uuh----"
I can't keep up my sanity anymore
Touching such skin, listening to Saber's panting, would drive anyone mad
"......Shirou......? I'm fine, just-just like this----"
Saber's pupils look over anxiously
"--------"
I'm infected
Infected by that high fever
......My head is light
My limbs lose their strengths
"Uuh----, ............!"
I try to surpass my dizziness, lying on top of Saber
"......Let's start, Saber"
I don't have the leisure to be thinking this is my first time, or worrying about Tohsaka's stares
With a pair of shaking hands, I position my erected self against Saber's slit----
Then, paralyzed by that heat
I can feel, Saber's, dripping love juice, is moistened as if to accept me, the soft muscles are beginning to part as well
No problem
Just stick it in, slowly, little by little, I can certainly come through, just as I think to myself, an electric current is sent through my spine

"Uuh----! ......Ah, haa, haa----"
......So hot
I only have my tip probes in slightly, and it is already so hot and sticky inside Saber, the thrill, like vines, entangles me

"Aa......Haa, ah......Shirou......are you, inside----"
There's an illusion of as if my reproductive organ is turning into bare nerves
My whole body is clutched by an unfamiliar sensation, strength begins to slip away from my knees

This is the pleasure of sex---this is how it feels inside Saber, I bear with it, as I slowly thrust out my hips
......Collide, enter slightly, I'm not sure what to do after putting my tip in
But that's fine
Compare to worries like that, right now, I just want to melt into this lava more
"Ah......mm-aa-guu......!"
I advance farther inside Saber
"Haa----"
......Once I'm in, it becomes easy to go in deeper
Saber relaxes gradually, and accepts me

"......! Haa......mm, Shirou, so, forceful......!"
......I'm definitely not been forceful
My erected sex, is penetrating little by little
"Mm, guu......!"
Have she felt the touch of the tip of my penis, Saber raises her waist slightly

"Ah, haa----! ......A-ah......so full......but, is this......did everthing go in, Shirou---"
"----Sorry, not yet"
There's barely anything inside, and it's definitely not enough

My sanity is dissolving
The temperature inside Saber, is higher than this supposedly congested male part
Saber is the same, the softness and suffocating sensation of those folds that cover me, in hesitation, give me a pleasure that almost makes me bite through my lips
"Haa----, uuh"
Though only a few centimeters of sensitivity is inside Saber, I feel as if my whole body is been caressed
Then---if not just the tip, what if I stick the whole thing in, how much will that---
"......Haa......haa-haa, haa..........uuh......"
Saber relaxes as she works hard to adjust her breathing
"............Uuh"
No, I can't stick it in forcefully
I have to be calmer, slower, without giving Saber any burden
"---No-way. It's going to be morning if this keeps up"
"?"
Tohsaka's voice comes from besides my ears

Suddenly
My waist is been pushed from behind ruthlessly

"Ahh-mma-aah----!!!!!"
"Wh----!?"
My conscience is back because of this sudden turn of event
Not slowly, or gently in the least
I stick my thing deep inside Saber ruthlessly
"Uuh......! Ah-guuh-uh......!"
Saber's face is distorted from the pains
Was it because of the unexpected, my insertion was very smooth
But on the other hand, this sudden pain stiffens up Saber's body, the softness from before vanish without leaving a trace
"Tohsaka, you----!"
I turn my head around, prepare to yell at that jerk behind me angrily
---However
"Ah, guu......!"
My thing that is bonded inside of Saber, doesn't give me even that much of freedom
"Ha----guu----"
It's wrapped up
Is this the resistance toward the penetrator, the ever so soft inside of Saber, wraps around my manhood tightly
"Shi---rou, haa, aauh, yaa----!"
"Wait---a minute, Saber, too tight----!"
I can't help but want to pull it out
But I can't
It was so smooth when I put it in, but now it's so tight as if I will be shattered to pieces if I pull out
"Haa----yaa, shit, Saber......!"

My testicles are contracting
The root of my manhood, is saving up stream of lava, of passion
---To be honest, it really hurts
Why does it wrap around so tight, I don't get why the pain is so intense
The tender flesh, the folds of a maiden, as if trying to resist me, wrap around my thing with everything, fix it up so it can't budge an inch
That pain of tightening up is coming from everywhere, like those inexperienced caresses that drive people nuts
"Haa----, guu"
I force my waist, to repel the urge welling up
Though I want to come out, but can't
This, is different from vomiting
How can I come out, because I want to feel a little better from the pains......!
"Saber, please, a little----"
Just as I'm begging her to relax, I notice
Saber's body, is stiffened stubbornly
I know at once, when I see the red stream flows out between my manhood and her slit

"Hnm............a-haa-haa---............hnm"
......How stupid of me
Saber never cries out in pain
How can I----!
"......Saber. I will pull out immediately, relax. If it really is tough on you, I will stop"
Lies
I actually want to make love to Saber like crazy, and I'm about to burst, yet I'm trying my best to cover up
"Haa......hmn......no......I-I'm-almost-used to it----please go on, Shirou"
"Saber, almost?"
"Hnm......I beg of you---now I need your sperms, Shirou---"
"Uuh............"
I halt my hips
......Oh
If I ejaculate the sperms first, then I wouldn't make Saber suffer anymore----
"......It's coming out, Saber"
I grit my teeth, and press on between Saber's thighs
However
"No, that's too soon......! It'd be pointless if you just pour in the sperms......You'll have to truly share the feelings---both of you in unison"
Tohsaka, breathing as heavily as Saber, stops me
"......What, unison"
Saber and I have already united as closely as possible
What else can I do----
"Blockhead, I'm telling you to hold back before Saber reaches climax......!"
"Wh---I'm feeling very good already!?"
"That's, only you---If you don't please Saber properly, then she wouldn't feel good"
"A--------uuh"
In other words, she wants me to make Saber feel good!?
This-this is too much......!
I'm already at my limit, I would ejaculate if I let go for a second
Saber also looks as if she would suffer from just a bit movement
Me too, moving a little bit and I will----
"Haa......that's fine, Shirou. I-I can endure this---please-please don't mind me and go on"
"------"
......Saber speaks as she endures the pain
I try to pull back a little after I caught her words

"Hnmuhh......! ......A, haa, a----"
Some vigor is back to Saber's body
Her legs that locked me, are trembling from pains
"Uuh-nm......! Haa, uuh......haa, haa, aah......!"
......Inside Saber, it is still very tight
Like a jug made of flesh, been filled up without any space
And I'm slowly forcing it to open, pulling out, then push back in again
"Guu----"
My mind blanks out
As if I'm going to lose my mind just from pulling out a few centimeters
The sensation of Saber's tight grasp, is pressuring to snap my penis
"Mn, mnuu, huu, aah......! Yaa---Shirou, a bit, slower......!"
"Haa----, guu............!"
I stubbornly push in my hips, pull out
Can't stop
Every gesture she makes blows my mind away, I can't even stop because it feels so great
And----if I can slowly soften her stiffness, Saber can also---
"......Uuh-h......how wonderful......Saber, so"
......I hear Tohsaka's voice
From my back, the sounds of flesh kneading are spreading here
Did she become excited from watching Saber
Tohsaka is matching Saber's breaths, moans as she masturbates behind me---
"Aah---guu, slow-slower---I can feel Shirou's shape......!"
......It's Tohsaka's fault
Making that kind of noises behind me, I can't take it anymore
Slowly moving back and forth is not enough
But Saber is still in pains
Though it is tough for me holding back, but Saber seems to be in a tougher situation

"Uuh-guu-uuhn......! Can't, it brushes inside, I, I'm becoming......!"

Suppress that blissful pain
And endure the physical pain
I really want to do something for her
"Saber, I'm turning to your behind"
So as to ease her a little, I change my position

"Aah----Shirou......?"
I hold Saber up, and place her in front of me
"Eh......No, you can't, wait......! This-this position, I don't know----"
"Alright, take it easy. This way, it will be a lot more comfortable"
"Aah----uuh......but, this way......!"
I have no mind to spare to listen to Saber's complaint
My heart is going to explode as if it has just being struck by a needle

I have to apply my remaining sanity to ease Saber's pains
"Yaa......! ......yaa-hn......! Shirou's, is, coming in again, aah----"
......The stiffness in Saber's voice is no more
Is it because I hold her from the back, her shame has surpassed the pain
Saber's body is no longer stiffened, my meat gradually begins to go back and forth smoothly
"Haa----Wha......It's more than, hnm, hnmya, hnm......!"
......Her reactions have changed
Out of breaths, like when she was mingled with Tohsaka
"Mmm......aaa......"
Inside the rigid body, the softness in the beginning is starting to return
"......See. Like I told you, this is easier"
"Aah......aauuh, not true, I haven't done---"
The confusing tone, not even a slight hint of her usual vigorous
Saber's obviously, starting to feel something
Feeling shameful for herself, who finds pleasure in being penetrated from behind
"......Aaaha. Saber is terrible. It's only your first time, yet you're enjoying this"
Tohsaka's fingers inches up along Saber's thighs
"......! No, liar......! I'm not, I'm not enjoying this at all......!"
"Is that so......? Then I will help too. Shirou is about at his limit---Saber's, spills so much. ......It's unsightly if I don't lick you clean"
"Wh......! Rin-Rin, what're you......!"
The bed shakes a little
Is she reacting to Tohsaka's tongue, Saber squirms her body to dodge
"......! Guu, Saber, if you move like that......!"
"Aah, eh, Shiou......!?"
I can't hold out any longer
Though I was moving slowly up and down, but as if to respond to Saber's soften inside, I speed up
"Haa......! No, Rin, don't, lick, that......!"
---I'm about to blow up
Folds and folds of flesh are rubbing against my nerves, amidst Saber's warmth, I'm reaching my limit
"Nmm, mguu, haa----! ......Wh-why...... My brain, is blanking out---............!"
Perhaps Saber's the same
Saber can't feel the pain anymore
What she has, is the same as Tohsaka and I, the sensation of emptying our heads
......And perhaps she's afraid of this unfamiliar sensation
Saber's eyes are filled with tears that weren't there even when she was penetrated, she's resisting while shaking her head
"Nmm......nmm, haa......! Stop, stop, stop, Shirou......! This, I----"
Saber wants to run away
Tohsaka's caress is holding her down
Saber wants to run way from the pleasure given by penetrating from behind, but she's captured and entwined by Tohsaka's tongue

"Haa, yaa......! Aah, no Shi----rou......body, itself......!"
......Near losing my mind
Or should I say, I was driven mad since a while ago
Saber's voice, sounds so enticing
The slender limbs, and inside Saber, so enticing that I'll be content to whither away like this
"Aah, haa, I can't stop......! No, Shirou, don't do, this......!"
Why is she
Refusing this impulse, with so much fear
"......Why. Don't you feel good, Saber"
I speak dryly, as I hold back what's going to come out soon enough
And she

"Haa, aah, nmm......! Haa, because...... I can't see...... I can't see Shirou's face-I'm scared"
Saber answers, with what I can only consider my last straw
"......!? Shirou, wait up, yaa, aah......!"
I can't hear
I don't have any spare mind to hear
Saber's panicking
Every time she wants to evade, the movement of her hips
I continue my thrust, try not to drown in this wave of pleasure
"Nm-huu-aah-haa......! No Shirou, if this continues, continues, I will become, a bit, weird----"
Not fair
I'm like this already
I want to relax
I want to reach climax
For this

"Yaa, mmhuu, aah......! aah, yaa, aah, nmmaah, aaaaaah............!!!!!"

I prop up my hips
Nothing like the steadiness in the beginning, I'm only moving according to my instincts
"Yaa, huuh, no, haa, hnmm......! Haa, no Shirou, I, am, am feeling so, strange----!"
---Saber's back is squirming
And I, holding her down
"Haa---guu, Saber............!"
"Aah----mmaa, aa, aaaaaa.........!!!"
Ejaculate the accumulated, oppressed, boiling hot sperms into Saber----

......I'm losing it
I hold back for too long, so after cum in Saber, my body needs a rest

Unconsciously, I raise my head to look at the sky, which gradually beams white rays
Sunrise is near
......I'm going to wake up from a night of dreams
That's right, I'm going to wake up from the dreams
Now is not the time to dwell in the afterglow, more importantly, this is a mean to survive

......So I have to treat this as a dream
Saber's touches and moans
If I don't treat these as some far-fetching dreams, I won't survive----

And thus, the fight between the two is over
Their severe dual to the death, ended with the destruction of the red knight

The once glamorous brilliant receiving hall has completely changed
Cracks on the floor
Huge holes on the walls
The stairway collapsed, and the crumbling marbles turned to sands spread out in the winds

The entire space is utterly abolished, the receiving hall has lost its past features
Perhaps this can be called accelerating the passage of time
For collapsed ruins of such grand scale, one can't simply recall its appearance from two hours ago

"--------"
In the center of this ruin, erected a statue that suits the atmosphere well
The statue is far taller than two meters, looks like a portrait carved out of a huge stone
Needless to say
This is the Servant of Ilyasviel, the Berserker

The giant statue is not still
Covered in red, with cavities all over
Not a place on this giant has not been wounded

First. Legs are melting
Second. Traces of being cut on the neck
Third. Arms barely connect with the elbows
Fourth. Penetrated from shoulder to the thigh
Fifth. Large amount of blood spilled from the chest
Sixth. Innards are vaguely visible from the stomach

Berserker is not moving

Of course
No matter how one looks at it, it's like a corpse

The battle was over in an instant
Just that the Master of Berserker is shocked by this unexpected outcome
The plan was supposed to be chasing after her preys right away, but she has been looking at the disaster idly

"---I can't believe this. Who was, that guy"

The girl speaks viciously
The fight just now, was an embarrassment to the girl

The girl's Servant is the strongest
Even among Heroic Spirits, there should be only a couple that can match Herakles, who claimed to have the highest fame
However, he was defeated by this nameless Archer
That red knight, after a defying battle with Berserker, in the end, took down Berserker who had never once fell before

---This is not acceptable

To the girl, this is like been ran through the heart by a bug crawling on the road
To be pushed to this point, by an opponent who was supposed to be stomped by her, and wagging its tail pitifully to her, is what this most prideful girl's ego can't accept

"Aah seriously, this is pissing me off! You were actually been defeated by that guy six times, you didn't go easy on him, did you Berserker!"
"----"

The statue does not respond
Does he not have any strength left to respond, or does he feel there's no need to
Berserker is only standing still, concentrating on recovering his body

......From his point of view, this fight was truly unusual as well
His "Noble Phantasm," can nullify many attacks
As long as it is not the highest ranking attack, nothing works on his physical body

Hence, he is rarely wounded
In the age of myths, after his great achievements, no one was able to make him bleed

However, six times
Archer made it happen six times, with nearly fatal hits

Needless to say, these hits were all caused by different methods
For even an attack of the highest degree of purity, it would not work against Berserker the second time

......This would be, the source of unusualness

If Archer was a hero who had so many talents, he should be able to tell his true identity right away
But even as he demolished his body, he still doesn't know his true name
What is surprising, is his all too paradoxical existence

"--------"

......Berserker's apertures, are lighted up with faint glows
If he was summoned normally, he would've lamented for this fight

Regardless of his true nature, Archer was a rare opponent
If his rationality has not been taken away, he could spar with Archer to his heart's content for a change

"......Unforgivable. I won't forgive him. How dare him insulting me......!"

Master's voice raises
The faint flickers of rationality, disappear once again
Right now he's nothing but a berserker
His mission is nothing but obey Master's orders, defeat, and crash the enemy

"I'm not waiting! Are you done healing, Berserker!"
"--------"
It is pointless to respond
As long as it is not a fatal wound, it'd only takes a few minutes to heal
However---it'd take three days to restore to his original state

"I can't wait! Enough, we're going to kill them right now!"
"--------"

The giant protests with silence
It is his instinct
On the battlefield, Berserker has instincts similar to those of Saber's

Certainly the enemy can be easily liquidated
However, it's another story if that Servant of Saber can take up her Noble Phantasm again
Though Berserker does not fear holy swords or the sort, but there's still a one in a million chance
His instinct is telling him, if he wants to quarrel with that Servant, he should be in his best form

"......What, shouldn't five times be enough. Those guys wouldn't stand a chance even if we don't have The Twelve Labors. If not so? Do you want me to let the guys who insult us to run away, Berserker?"
"....................."
"Right? No one can escape from my forest. Mm, I will leave Rin and Saber to you Berserker. You can do whatever you want"

The girl jumps down from the stairs
Paying no attention to Berserker, who is taunted by blood all over in the rubbles, and walks toward the exit

On her way
The girl stops her steps, as if she suddenly think of something

"Come, let's start the hunt, Berserker. But don't kill off Saber's Master easily, OK? Shirou, I will award him with the most painful way to go"

The girl chuckles cheerfully, and leaves the castle

---Sunrise is almost here
For her, this forest is like her backyard
No matter where the preys hid, she doesn't need to look for them at all
The remaining life span of those targets, is no more than a few minutes

[----]

And then
Not sure for which reason, I was chased out of the ruins

......Tohsaka said, even though the energy was transferred to Saber, but she still has to adjust her clothing or something, anyhow the girls have many things to take care of, so I was chased out

"---Humph, what is she talking about, guys have many things to take care of too"
I speak as I lean against the wall
I feel very regretful, because I am

"...................................."
......Sunrise is coming soon
The sky to the east produces a few strokes of red, the forest is becomes brighter and brighter

The forest is fairly calm
Acting all casual, I can hardly remember I was been chased, and even done that

"--------Uuh"

Once I recall it, I try my hardest to sweep aside the fuss
I have to forget about what happened
I will lose my life if I dwell in Saber's touch too much. More importantly, this is rude to Saber

I only made love to Saber to help her
If that's so, I shouldn't have any other emotions
Regardless of how soft Saber's body is, and how nice it felt----

"Uuh--------"

What a liar
This is not something I can make excuses and pass off
I can't forget about Saber's warmth
However, I have to, for now
......Seriously, I've got no time to worry about stuff like this
Right now what we should be worried about, is how to deal with Berserker----

"......Oh. Do what one can do. Didn't that guy leave this line in the end"

The silhouette of Archer comes to my mind
......Though he's a guy I just couldn't like, but I keep remembering his words

"....................."
I stare at the tree branches
......What I can do, there's really not much to say
Even if I'm weak right now, I still have to put everything on the line

I bend a branch of suitable shape
And then I will just have to look for branches straight enough

"Shirou-! Come in we're ready-!"

Tohsaka's voice reaches here
I hold the branch that I bent, and return to the ruins

[---]

......However, the problem is going to be
Whether I can face Saber the same way as before, after what happened, but

"Here, Shirou. Rin seems like she has something to say"

---Looks I'm the only one worrying about that

Saber is as composed as ever
Unlike my immatureness, she is able to put things aside

"A---aah, I will be right there"
......Damn it, I'm not going to lose
I'd look like a fool if I'm the only one blushing, let's try my best to act calm

"Is he here. Then let's have our strategy meeting, but even though I said meeting, we don't really have time to discuss. And there is only that many ways to defeat Berserker, so first just listen to me, all right?"
Saber and I nod

"The strategy is fairly simple. Normal methods won't work against Berserker. If we want to win, I have to make an ambush, and make it a one shot kill without him ever has a chance to counter"

"......I share the same sentiment. Even if we fight Berserker head on, we won't be able to give him fatal hits. I suppose we need methods other than attack him head on to defeat him"

"......Methods other than head on, are you saying we should strike first before Berserker find us......? Though it's thoughtless to fight that guy face to face, but wouldn't this be even more thoughtless. How would a guy like that allow ambushes"

"Mm, I'm not going to make any tactical plan to approach Berserker without him noticing. Our opponents including Ilyasviel. She can at least detect Saber and Shirou's presences. I'm fine because I can hide my presence"

......Mm
For some reason, Ilya can detect Saber and I
If only Tohsaka can hide her whereabout----

"......You aren't saying that you are going to make the ambush, are you"

"Of course. Shirou is our opponents' main target, and I'm the one with the most freedom. So just leave it to me to get rid of them when I've seized a chance"
"Get rid of them when you've seized a chance, Berserker can't be that amateur"

"Well yes. So I will need Saber to create an opening for me. Saber, how are your conditions?"
"General fighting would be fine. However, I should avoid using Noble Phantasm. I'm afraid the mana I acquired from Shirou wouldn't support my body the moment I use it. Even if I do use it, the degree of purity would be lower as well, I don't believe that can defeat Berserker"

"Mm, that would be enough. I will ask Saber to go against Berserker. Of course with Shirou together. And I will be observing the situation. From Ilyasviel's point of view, I'm only an extra, if she doesn't see me, she will probably think that I abandoned you and ran away"

"......True. This......is not impossible"
"Let me know if the chances are very low. It seems Shirou and Ilya are getting along well, can we fool her?"
Tohsaka looks over meaningfully

"......Though I want to say no, but I will accept it. If I say Tohsaka ran away, Ilya would believe me. That child doesn't know to suspect other people"

"There's still a problem even if that's the case. I'm fine with going against Berserker. But, we can't let Shirou go too. Shirou can't take one strike from Berserker"

"No one is saying Shirou has to fight him. Shirou is going to be at some distant away supporting you from behind. It is difficult for Saber to stifle Berserker by yourself, let him go if it's dangerous"
"How is that possible. Shirou doesn't know black sorcery like Rin. What can he do even if he's supporting"

"Leave that to Shirou. ......However, since the opponent is Berserker, Masters are not supposed to interfere. Not only Shirou, even I'm a hindrance to Saber as well"

"But we can't leave anyone out of this. I know if Shirou is killed then Saber is done, but right now we have to do this. ......This battle is like a gamble"
"That..................is true"

Saber becomes quiet with a perplexed expression
Tohsaka is not speaking a word either, she should know how ruthless her own words are

Both of their worries are reasonable
That night when I met with Saber
The time when we were assaulted by Berserker, I could only defend with my body
It is very possible that night might reenact this time around as well
So it would be better for me to stay far away from the battle field, needless to say, I don't have a shred of intention to do that

"I get it. I will figure out a way to support you from behind"
"Eh?"
Both of them turn toward me
Uh, was what I said that out of character

"I just have to support Saber from somewhere far. I think I can do something about that"
As I speak, I pick up the branch I bent from before

The length is just about right. I can deal with the curve too
......This is the first time I cast this kind of 'Enhance'
But I believe the principles are correct
Basically I just have to enhance and enhance again, until the object is prepared to be used

And with this, I have take reference from what that guy had
Plus, my mana has been flowing around to no end since a while ago
I just need to repeat the usual procedures

Comprehend basic structures then alter
Clarify composing materials then reinforce

......However, I still can't make that guy's bow with this branch
My thought should start from the ideas behind such creation
To be as close to the genuine one as possible, I should at least think of various features in my head

......I open my eyes
The curved branch finally has that shape, but how should I put this, this----

"Uwa. Somewhat like it"

Should I say it's rugged, or twisted
But I feel, it should be fine as far as a bow is concerned
And then I just have to collect arrows using the same method

"---Shirou, that was"
"Aah. I learned the knack of it after Shinji's incident. Tohsaka told me already. I won't push myself too hard"
"............Is that so. Forget it, as long as you find a way, this is fine for now"

"Back on topic. Anyhow, I will leave the battle with Berserker to you two. I will climb up on a tree first, and observe the situation from above. And then, Saber can think of a way to create an opening from Berserker, I will use my treasured gemstones to penetrate Berserker from the blind spot overhead. That's all for the strategy, very simple"
Tohsaka inquires if we have any question with her eyes

"......Gemstones, is that Rin's Sorcery? However half-baked Sorcery is useless against Berserker's body. To hurt him attacks of the highest degree of purity are required"

"I know. Simply put, we need Level A attacks, right?"
Tohsaka takes out gemstones out of her pocket as she talks

"---This gemstone is?"
"I've saving it up ever since I can remember, just like a saving account. With only one of these I can immediately cast a Level A Sorcery. I had ten, I used one on you"

"Is that so---if it's the Sorcery from that time, certainly Berserker wouldn't be able to block it. He doesn't have the same anti-Magic status as I do. Even with just Sorcery, surely it can penetrate as long as it's at least Level A---"

"Precisely. I thought I'd just use a bit, but I can't take any chance. Since we're dealing with Berserker here, I'll spend a few"

Tohsaka thrusts out her chest confidently
......But

"......Hey. Aren't you a little cheap"
"......Agree. Though I'm not in the place to say this, but I thought you'd be generous enough to use up half of it"

"Uuh......wh-what, this is my choice! You two, do you know how much I've been through to save all this up!"

"........................"
"........................"
Both Saber and I protest with silence
After all this is a matter of life and death to Tohsaka. It wouldn't be funny if she failed because she's cheap

"......I get it. I will use half! ......What's the matter with you, I was only kidding. Even I know that much"

"---Anyhow, this is our battle plan. Find me a place to hide, and somewhere Shirou can easily support Saber. Let's find a good location before Ilyasviel is here"

......Aah, true we can't stay in this ruin any longer
Let's follow Tohsaka's instructions, look for a place to wait for Berserker
But, before that----

......Saber, is she really all right

Although she said she will be fine fighting normally, but after how much she has weakened, wouldn't it be tough on her to fight with Berserker right now

No, the matter with Noble Phantasm is more important

'I wouldn't be able to keep myself together the moment I use it'

Saber once said something like this
In other words, once Saber swings that sword, she will be gone, right?

"---Saber"
"Yes. What's the matter, Shirou"
"......Aah. Before the fight, can you promise me one thing"
"......? Mm, if it's something within my power"

"......Mm. About that. I don't want you to use your Noble Phantasm under any circumstance. The result of using that on ground level is very serious, so---even if we can defeat Berserker with that, I don't want Saber to vanish"

"Mm, I see. I don't have any intention to use my Noble Phantasm either. Whether or not that can defeat Berserker with my current mana is still unclear, and we won't obtain the Grail if I am to vanish"
Saber gives her words with certainty
And that makes me glad

"Good, just the usual Saber. Calm to the point of bored me to death, I'm relieved"
"......Hm. What do you mean by that, Shirou"
"Oh, nothing special. Let's hurry now. Tohsaka'd complain again if we make her wait"

"That's true. Rin seems to really enjoy complaining to Shirou"
......Saber speaks of an unbelievable thought, and leaves for the exit

---And all of a sudden
Is she tripped by the rubbles, Saber's body falls forward at once
"Uh!"
I pull her hand from behind in a rush

"Look careful at where you walk. The floor is all messed up----"
".................."
......Uh
Saber appears to be very embarrassed, all blushing

"Sa-Sa-ber......? What's the matter, did something happen"
".........No-not that......just that you're holding my hands, that"
Saber's face is increasingly red
......Her looks, are just like mine from a short while ago

"Ah--------"
I can't help but start to blush too
The hand I'm holding. ......Reminds me of the touch on Saber's body vividly, I withdraw my hand immediately

"--------"
"--------"
Us two stand there, speechless

"......Let's go-go outside. There's no time, we have to hurry"
"Tru-true. Let's hurry, Shirou"
Talking unnaturally, we rush our steps

......Once we're outside, we probably will never return to this place again
I look back at the ruin one last time, try to quell the pounding heart beats, walk toward the battle field

[----]

We arrive at an open ground in the middle of the woods
The sun rises about midway through the dome, the forest is surrounded by a cloudy white morning mist
Compare to the woods growing at will in the forest, the view here is quite decent

"Tohsaka. This place isn't bad"
"......True. All the conditions are met, but it's a bit of a problem if the view is too good. Put me aside, this way Saber and Shirou won't be able to run away"

"......Mm"
She even took escape route into account, should I say Tohsaka is a perfectionist or what

"Let's look for another place. It's fine, we still have time"
Tohsaka walks back to the woods
"........................"
However. Saber is staring into the space, not moving

"Saber? What're you doing, if we don't hurry Ilyasviel will----"

The chill
That you can never forget if you experienced once
Don't even need to see the shadow, or notice the atmosphere

But this pressure that assaults toward my being, definitely belongs to that guy

----Tee-hee, I fooound you----

The girl's voice is raised amidst the forest
From the other side of the mist
From faraway deep in the woods, a black thing is heading here in a straight line

---Wait for me. I will be right there to kill you---

......Perhaps it's because the sky can be seen from the open ground we're at
I'm grabbed by the illusion of Ilya looking and talking down to us from above

"Shit, that girl already found Shirou......!? No, the view here is too wide---uh, what timing, this way in less than two minutes we would be......!"
Tohsaka is panicking

"Hey, why are you two so relaxed......! I said this place is no good, if we don't hurry and change to another location......!"

Tohsaka grab our hands
---However, we won't make it

"---That's fine. Let's fight here and now, Tohsaka. It's fortunate enough for us three to fight together. We can't ask for more"

"Fool, I already told you this won't work......! The ground is too wide......! We can't stop Berserker with Saber alone, even if you stand next to her you will be taken into Berserker's attack range right......!"

"I can understand what Tohsaka is worrying about. But we're all taking risks anyhow. And, right now we don't have anywhere to run to either, isn't that right?"
"Uuh......well, that's true"

"Saber is fine with this too, right? Counter Berserker right here"
Saber nods quietly
"Se-seriously......! I get it-I will be mad if you're defeated by Berserker easily......!"

I suppose she agreed, Tohsaka's body melts into the mist
This girl's fast
Left the ground and hid in the woods, she's already climbing up a tree

"---They're coming, Saber. Are you ready?"
"......You too. Once the fight starts, please do not move forward. No matter what happens, I will not allow Berserker to close in"

Saber replies with a determined and calm voice
......The morning mist is rippling
And in the mist
Leading by the white-clad girl, Berserker appears like a shadow leaking out of the mist

"What a surprise, I thought you'd run until the very end. Or should I say you've already given up, Oniichan?"

......There's probably around forty meters between us and Ilya
We stand facing each other from the opposite sides of the open ground

"......Humph, Saber is recover. Is that so, that's why you're not running around. ......What a shame. But that's still very cute of you to think you can win like this--------a shame really. Shirou is dead for sure"

Soft laughters resounded in the forest
Should I feel anger toward this
Saber, who stands beside me, is emanating killing intents as if she's going to charge in right away

"Seriously. How boring, you're not even talking no more. I don't suppose you're afraid of dying? Is it truly such a shame? If you beg me now, I still won't forgive you"

......Has Tohsaka climbed up on a tree yet
If that girl is to find a location, it should be near the center of the open ground. There happens to have many tree branches crisscross, they should be able to hold a person's weight, and hide her presence

"......Is that so. This is all you have to offer. Then let the chit-chat stops here. I will kill you along with Rin------wait a minute. What happened to Rin, Shirou"

Ilya's tone changed
......No wonder she's the Master of Berserker
She clearly knows what to take note of, and what not

"---Tohsaka isn't here. That girl is separated from us"

"On her own? Make sense, Shirou is carrying Saber around, so it must had been a burden. If Rin is by herself, she can run away farther"

"......That's it. If it's her, she should be out of the forest already. You won't catch her even if you run to her now"

"---Is that so. This forest is Einzbern's barrier. I know who is coming and going. No one has left since then. Rin is still in the forest. I'll just have to look for her afterward"

"--------"
......Good
Ilya only knows who is going in and out of the forest, she has not found out about Tohsaka
Now that I think about it, she actually did believe what I said
......Ilya certainly is a cruel Master
But even so---this cruelty should be able to put right

"......Ilya, I will ask again before the fight. Can you give up on being a Master, and withdraw from the battles"

"Afraid not, because what Grandpa said. As long as Berserker is still around, I'm a Master of Einzbern. Ilya has to kill the other Masters and take back the Holy Grail"

"......And, I'm the one who should ask again. I'm the head of Einzbern, so I won't say these words twice. ......But if Shirou is willing to change your answer, it is still possible for me to listen to you......?"

......There are some hopes hidden in that tone
However since Saber is the one besides me, I can't yield to Ilya's words

"----I won't change my answer. I'm the Master of Saber. If you don't give up on being a Master, then we'll defeat Berserker to make you give up"

I stare at Ilya and Berserker and speak
At the same time
The air lingering above the open ground, makes a Ching! sound and freezes

"......Is that so. Then I really have to kill you. Liquidate you and that arrogance of yours......!"

"Wh----"

......What, is that
Patterns are emerging on Ilya's face
---No, not just face
It's all over her body---incomparable humongous command spells, that we can see from a distant

"---Game over. Berserk, Herakles"

A low voice
As if to respond to that voice, the giant behinds the girl gives a shout

"■■■■■■■■■■■■"

Thunders that send ripples through the earth
The giant roars in despair as if he has lost his rationality---and all of his abilities, have turned into a ever swelling mutated tumor

"---How can that be. He was only robbed of rationality, and wasn't in berserk......?"

A hint of fear is mixed in Saber's voice
Of course she would be frightened
For even a man who can't see through the strength of a warrior such as I, know for sure that monster is untouchable

"Go forth......! Liquidate everything comes close to you, Berserker......!"
"■■■■■■■■■■■■----!!"

Sound of explosions
The dark giant makes a nearly crying sound, and leaps

"---Saber......!"

A silver stream follows suit
Berserker lands at the center of the open ground
The monstrous thing that lands on the ground, and Saber who rushes toward that same spot

---The earth shakes

As if to block a fallen meteor, Saber counters Berserker

---A reenact of myths

Amidst the forest enveloped by morning mist, two shadows continuously cross each other
Berserker's power, is overbearing

If to say the across strikes are like hurricanes, then the downward strikes would be waterfalls. It would be a fatal wound to Saber if she is to be hit directly

And Saber is coming out front, bounces off those attacks with all her mights fearlessly
Facing that storming attacks, she concentrates her strength on one shot and returns the hit

Otherwise she would be cut in halves along with the sword
Blowing several swings without a break, in actuality Saber has placed all her strength behind every single blow

The sounds of sword crossing never stop for a second
The attacking ranges are different
Speeds are different
Even the remaining staminas are too great of a difference

What Saber can do, is only raising her sword in the middle of the unavoidable sword storms, neutralizing that power, so she would not be cut down along with her armors

In analogy, Berserker is like an out-of-control boring machine
The blades rotate in all directions, mercilessly destroy everything in sight
You're done for if you stick your hand out a bit
Can't even run, once you're dragged into the rotating blades you will spill blood and innards

......A living human wouldn't be able to go against that thing
You die the moment you approach it, so you'll just have to make a run for it
However Saber is situated in the middle of the rotation, not even taking a step back

Only to be cut and peeled
Not surprisingly fire sparks are bouncing on top of her blade, and armors are falling into pieces
She situates herself, in a whirlpool that would lead you to death momentarily

"--------"

Upon witnessing this scene, I can only hold my breath
In ancient times
The heroes that went up against magical beasts such as dragons, must all be like her

They clearly knows the difference in combat abilities
But even then, they would still bet on that one in a million chance

The overwhelming violence way beyond and above mankind
Before that slim chance of opening appears, they can only defend, and then---many warriors who did not have the miracles come to them, passed on as if it's only natural

The battle between these two is like that
This fight is brilliant enough to snatch away one's heart and soul, however
As Saber taking more hits with each blow, it can only lead to the inevitable ending of Saber's lose---

"■■■■■■■■■■■■"

The angry cry shakes the land
Berserker's whirlwinds tear apart the air, blow away Saber who's blocking from aside
Saber's armor becomes more broken each time, like she's been thrown to the ground---however she would not kneel down, only charge toward Berserker ever more ferociously

......But this is the limit
Saber's breathing is in disarray, from her body's movements one can tell she's slowing down
Creating an opening from Berserker is out of question
I'm afraid just within a few more shots, and Saber will be cut in halves by that ax sword----

"Uuh--------"

In my tightly gripped hand, there's a bow
I will----

"Humph----!"
The moment Saber was bumped up, I take my shot at Berserker
This isn't effective
But, at least I can draw his attention away----!

"Wh----"

The arrow that aimed at Berserker's temple, didn't do anything at all
Not even disperse his attention
The giant doesn't even defend against the arrow, or should I say, he doesn't care

"That's right Berserker, leave Shirou alone. After you're done with Saber, you can do whatever you want with him"

Ilya's chuckles come through the forest
"Damn it..................!"
I can't do anything
Saber's gradually losing her strength right in front of my eyes, but I can't do anything for her

---I'm too powerless
No matter what I pull is useless against Berserker, I would only distract Saber, isn't that it----!

---Slash
Saber blocks that blow, her ankle sinks to the ground
A rapid yet heavy second blow
The axe sword is dancing on top, strikes toward Saber like lightnings
Saber quickly maneuvers her body, the steel sword peels pass her armor and smashes into the ground

"Uuuh.............!"

My teeth are almost broken from all the grindings
In the end, can't I do anything
Protect Saber, or even fighting along side her
There's nothing that I can do
What I can, after all is only----

---Then, at least imagine it
After all. This is the only thing left for you to do

"--------"

That man, said something like this

---You don't need any enemy. Only your imagination, is your opponent

......Right. What did that guy say. Not the usual annoyance. In those words, there's a point that I have to understand right now

---No, if I really think about it
Everything that guy has said up till now, have been warnings that I should not ignore

Saber's been sent flying
This is not a jump to block the attack
She's hit
Those slashes like hurricane, hit the side of Saber's stomach directly

Saber steps forward with force
Pours power into her numb fingers, facing Berserker even as she coughs

"----Stop"

My voice can't reach there
It's pointless even if it does, it's pointless even if I imitate Archer to take up a bow

Do I not get it yet
What I can do
What these hands of mine, can do

How can I help Saber

A bow is out of question. A gun won't penetrate him. The same weapon that he uses won't work either
That giant
To slash open that rock mountain I can only use a sword
Sharp and brilliant, one that never dents, a King of swords that can break the enemy with just one strike
Just like, yes
Just like what I've seen in the dreams, the golden sword that matches her perfectly

"Grr----"

---My head hurts

I bears with nausea, yet my eyes are still following Saber closely
However ironically, with every time I see Saber falls down, I feel as if I'm increasingly losing my rationality

I feel as if Saber and Berserker's movements, are in slow motion
The switches are in a row
Saber is coughing, her body bends in an L shape
Berserker applies all his mights to bring down his ax sword
One by one sets the firing pin uniformly
And then, like domino----
In unison, pull the triggers

"Saber............!"

Berserker's ax sword cuts Saber
A fatal strike
Saber's body is cut open from waist, flesh is flying in the air

"No---that's not......!?"

What's flying in the mid-air, is only the silver armor
Berserker only broke Saber's armor
Saber purposely revealed an opening, which led Berserker to make one huge swish---then with the strength she saved up, rushes in in full speed......!

"■■■■■■■■■----!"

Black roars
Yet, he can no longer escape Saber's closing up
She grips the sword with her two hands once again, steps toward the giant ever closer, draws the strength from all over her body and strikes at Berserker---!

"■■■■■■■■■■■■"

---Unbelievable
The giant who looks like he's rooted on the ground, is sent flying for quite a many meters by Saber's one swing

And then, just like that

"Step down, Saber......!"

The real attack, hops on stage in a hair's breadth

---Does she plan to cast the spell as closely as possible

Tohsaka jumps down from atop, as she falls she throw the gemstones at Berserker---

"Neun, Acht, Sieben----! Stil, schießt Beschiesen Erschießung----!" (No. 9, No. 8, No. 7, throw in all, eliminate the enemy......!)

The rain of ice falls
Among them are three huge ice lances, with a compressed mana that can easily shatter a villa----!

"No, dodge it Berserker, fast......!"

Ilya who had only stood there quietly as an audience suddenly screams
She realizes how much of a crisis it is, but it's already too late
The ice lances are not in free fall
They're launched, and 'accelerated' for the purpose of penetrating Berserker

Can't possibly evade those
One in a million chance, Saber's self-sacrificing shot and the ice lance shot gun matched perfectly

The mana with a power to completely defeat Berserker----!

However

"■■■, ■■■■■■■■■----!!!!!!"

The course of the ax sword draws a large arc in the air
Though Berserker is beaten on the ground by Saber, still he takes up the ax sword singlehandedly in a rush, breaks three ices

---Fresh blood spilled
Because he only used one hand, so not all the ices are destroyed, one of Berserker's hands is cut open
Not only that
Through freezing the giant's hand, the ice restrains its activities

"Wh----"

Saber makes a sound
---But of course
For Berserker's other hand, catches the falling Tohsaka just like that

"Uuh......!"
Tohsaka's face is twisted from pains
With Berserker's strength, squeezing Tohsaka to death should be a piece of cake

"Toh-Tohsaka----!!!"

I charge to the front
So what if I'm only a burden
So what if I can't do anything
How can I, let you kill Tohsaka---!

"Rin......!"
Though she shouldn't have the strength to stand up, yet Saber braces herself
"............"
Is she in pain because her stomach is compressed, Tohsaka lowers her head and stickes out her hand
---And then

"---Humph. I knew this was going to happen"

Smiling, she speaks fearlessly

"!"
We all hold our breath
Saber, I, perhaps even Berserker freezes up

---There should be a limit to how cunning one can be
That girl knew this would happen, yet never told us----!

"■■■■■■■■■■■■----!"

Berserker starts to grip harder
However, that split second, makes all the differences

"Success......!"

The bullets of light are launched
Four gemstones are used
A consecutive shots from the closest range, this time it truly, robs away the life of the black berserker

No
This is a heartily, undoubted, 'crushing one's life'

I suppose the Berserker's head is blown away
The blood spill for ten meter away to here

......Uh, are these, brains
Some stuff that's obviously not blood are mixed in, which somewhat distracts my high spirit
......Anyhow, this isn't too much
The opponent is that monster after all
If she didn't blow away his head in one shot, Tohsaka would definitely be crashed in his grip

"----Phew"

I slow my steps
Though Tohsaka is held by Berserker, but the result is clear
Berserker's head is still surrounded by the white smokes
And making some noises, the explosion from before must be quite huge----

"----Impossible"

Tohsaka's voice resounds to here
She's stunned, staring at those white smokes

----Wait a minute

Am I thinking too much
Or are Berserker's fingers, are sinking deeper in Tohsaka than before

"--------"
Tohsaka just keeps staring at the white smokes
......But that doesn't continue for long
The smokes that blocked the visibility start to fade away
And after that

Is what should be blown apart, the face of Berserker

"--------Ah"
Under the stares like a demon's, Tohsaka is scared speechless

"......Tee-hee. Tee-hee, ahahahahahahaha!"

Laughters
The silver-clad Master who controls Berserker from a corner is laughing

"I've taken a better opinion of you, Rin. I can't believe you actually killed Berserker once. But what a shame-. Berserker won't be gone just like that. Because, that guy's body won't disappear without being killed over twelve times"

"......Being killed, over twelve times......?"

Has she found some profound secrets in Ilya's words
The once stunned Tohsaka, her eyes have revealed a few regrets

"......Is-that so. I should've thought of this when I realized he was Herakles. People usually think of the bow of Hydra when you hear Herakles, but he only has that stone. ......Therefore, that guy's Noble Phantasm isn't an object. The hero Herakles' Noble Phantasm, is---"

"That's right, Herakles' Noble Phantasm is the flesh itself. You should've heard of Herakles' twelve labors. Greek hero Herakles went through twelve adventures in order to redeem his sins, and the reward was 'immortality.' You should know what that means, right?"

"......Storing lives......a Revival Sorcery that can be accumulated?"

"Uh huh. That's why this guy won't die easily. Because he was born from the deaths in the past, he has the spell of immortality casted upon him by gods. That is my Berserker's Noble Phantasm, 'The Twelve Labors' "

"So now do you see? Though Berserker just died once, but he still has five more lives. Tee-hee, what a shame, Rin. If you had five times the gemstones from before, Berserker would be gone"

I can't hear Ilya's voice clearly
From a corner of my sight, Saber is charging toward Berserker

"---Rin, run away!"

Saber is rushing up
Tohsaka is making an effort to free herself from Berserker's fingers, but she can't do it

"That's fine Berserker. Turn that girl to pulps"

Ilya stares at Tohsaka with burning eyes

"Ah---grr............!"

Tohsaka is screaming in pain
The giant's fingers are sinking in as if he's gripping her intestines
And in the future, inevitably
Awaits the horrid scene of Tohsaka being crushed piteously

"--------"

I'm running
Not thinking about who the opponent is, not thinking about where this is
My rationality has been burned down long ago

"---How can I let you......!!"

Saber slashes Berserker
The invisible sword is like cutting carrots, aims at Berserker's defenseless arm and strikes down
However it's fruitless

The sword is bounced off, there's not a scratch on Berserker's arm, he has not even lower his strength in gripping Tohsaka
"Uuh----!"
Is she in pain just from moving around
Blood streams out of Saber's mouth, yet she's still putting her life on the line and swings the sword

"Wh----Shirou......!?"

Her expression, is frozen the moment she notices that I'm charging toward Berserker

"Let her go, you bastard--------!"
I simply concentrated on hitting Berserker's back with my bow
The giant doesn't budge an inch
He never took me seriously, ever since I rushed to his back

"Uuh......!"
My fingers are numbed
Things are happening to my fingers just from hitting him, what exactly, is this guy's body, made of----!

"Hurry and run, Shirou----!"

......Eh?
I hear Saber's voice and raise my head
In an instant
My body floats like falling leaves

"----, Uha"

Again I'm thrown down like a piece of garbage
---Berserker sweeps me aside with his frozen sword
The bow I used to defend myself in a rush is broken easily, and I'm set back, to, this place----

"Aa----a, haa----!!!"

I squirm around in terrible pains
Bow is not the only thing that's broken
One of my hands, is bend like a smashed spider
Every time I inhale, my lungs are hurt as if they're being crashed

"Aa......ah, cough......!"
I can't breath normally because of the blood well up in my throat
Aah, but that's fine
It would only cause more pain if I can breath
For now it's better if I don't

"Haa----haa, aa----!"
I stand up
Right now I have to hurry, hurry and take that guy----!

I run
This is my turn. Break that guy's hand, and save Tohsaka
Does that guy have eyes on his back, he swings his sword around like he's keeping some gnats away

I can dodge this
His arm is frozen, how can I get hit by that----!

"Ah----"
Damn it, I fail......!
Did one of my legs got hit. Stop joking, how can you break someone's leg without even touching them----!

"No---this is enough, leave, Master......!"

I can't do it
I can't let Tohsaka be killed just like this
I have to do something

Weapon. Preferable swords. There's a broken bow besides my foot. Berserker's sword is approaching from above. I pick up the scrap. The sword sucks. But I don't have time to think. I activate my mana. Finish enhancing easily. But this sword sucks so bad. This piece of junk really turns to ashes this time, and my body is lying on the ground as wel, can't run. It's pointless to enhance this scrap. I'd have to start from the fundamental if I want to do it.

I can do it. Anyone can imitate as long as he has an example. Just repeat the basic, the constructing, the making, the experiences and the time----

"■■■■■■■■■■■■"

The giant turns this way
Does he intend to kill the annoying interference then finish off Tohsaka

"----"

I brace my body and stare at the giant
Fearless. My rationality has broke a long time ago
But, behind the giant's back

Burn onto my retina
Is the one who has given up on herself and determines to use the holy sword

[----]

The winds are gradually released
The golden sword in Saber's hands are beginning to take form

---That's the sword
I told her never to use

"--------"
It broke
The last line that hardly managed to connect Emiya Shirou, broke because of this

"Don't, Saber----!!!!!"

My left hand is burning
One command spell is gone

"Wh---why, isn't this the only way, Shirou......!"

I don't care
I don't care about that
I only know, you will vanish if you do that
I won't allow it
The self who can't save Tohsaka, or the self that can't even use a sword properly, I won't allow any of them

"Guu......"

Saber half kneels down
......She's like that just from releasing the sword
No way you can use that sword right now
So just wait
If you can't use that sword, then let me, prepare your sword----!

---Something you can't defeat in reality, defeat it in your imagination
If you can't win by yourself, then imagine something that you can win with

Now that I think about it, but of course
That's the only thing I can do
So let's make it
Make something that won't lose to anyone, always have the strongest imagination, deceive everyone, deceive even myself, imagine the strongest duplicate

Not difficult
Not impossible
My body to begin with
Is a magic circuit enhanced especially for this purpose

"Oo----"

I jump
My entire body is hot as if it's burning, my left hand is like Benihas (TL Note: Or Red Lotus, which the Buddhists claimed to be the color of the flames of hell.)

"Wh---that sword, is my......!?"

Saber's astonished
In front of her eyes, in my hands, is something that shouldn't exist

"Oo----"

This is not my will, does the sword possess a will of its own

"Oooooooooooh----!"

The golden sword is like being sucked into, breaks the giant's arm effortlessly

The captured Tohsaka falls down, and my sword shatters like glasses

My entire body's blood is streaming in reverse
But I don't bother with that
The sword broke
This is impossible. If this is a duplicate of that sword, it can't possible break
My imagination is not enough
My own imagination, can't reach that sword's level yet

"■■■■■■■■■■■■"
The giant throws a glance at me
Then a swing of the steel blade follows, this time he really is going to cut me down

---Whatever
My opponent is not you
To Emiya Shrou, there's only one opponent that I should fight
The one just now was not perfect enough
The sword that shouldn't break broke because my ideal has flaws
To duplicate, not just the appearance, I have to reenact even the making of the blade----!

"----"

Everything is quiet down
In front of me is the sword that raises a storm, and the gradually forming sword that blocks it little by little

I suppose subconsciously, I'm fighting with Berserker with the sword in my hands

---I shouldn't mind that
What I should do, is enhancing the sword in my hands to genuine

---Wrong again.
Emiya Shirou is not made to fight
Your fight is in your mind, a fight with yourself

I know that without he saying it
What I should do is simple

"----Trace, on"

I sharpen my mind
The one I'm supposed to challenge is myself. Therefore I can't allow one step back or compromise

"Grr---guu, uuh, aaa, ah---"

Identify idea behind creation
Define basic structure
Duplicate constructing material
Imitate producing techniques
Share growing experiences
Reenact accumulated years
Go beyond, finishing various constructions---

"Grr---aa, aaaaaaah............!!!!"

Right at this moment, I finish the sword of phantasms----!

"■■■■■■■■■■■■----!"

The giant roars
One by one I block the chaotic whirlwinds with the sword in my hands......!

"Uuh............!"
But that's the end of that
I'm sent flying
The sword let me take over, when my consicous is return
I took the hit that I should be able to counter easily

"Haa----ah"
My arm doesn't feel anything. There are scratches all over my wrists, the red flesh underneath are exposed

"Uuh----grr............!"
My lower half can't move. Make me feel like all my nerves and muscles are disconnected
---I can't stand up
I made a sword---a sword greater than Berserker
But that's it
I'm at most a maker, I finally made this one sword, yet I can't use it----!

I'm covered by a dark shadow
He was considering who to kill first
Now Berserker chases after me like a storm
And then strikes down that steel blade

The steel blade is parried aside

"Eh----!?"

Someone else's hands are on my own

"■■■■■■■■■■■■----!!!!"

Explosions and ripples throughout the air
The giant releases the strongest strike, intends to turn everything into ashes
But, before that

"Shirou, give me your hands---!"

I hear her voice, from a place closer than anyone

If the Berserker that chases after me is like a storm
Then Saber who rushes to my side is like a hurricane

Saber rotates her body as if she's sucking me in------

The stone sword broke
A flash of gold breaks the giant's ax sword, cuts into that rock body without a break, and then----

......Since the appearances are similar, perhaps the abilities are close as well
The golden sword sinks into Berserker's body deeply, and then cover the giant's body in a light from inside

----In an instant
The glow disappears, and the forest is surrounded by quiescence

"Haa----ah"

I'm gradually losing my strength
My body that was unbelievably hot before is starting to cool down
And the sword, begins to turn into sands and vanish starting from the blade

"--------"

I watch idly
Still leaning against Saber, before it's completely gone, continue to hold that sword

---A wing blows across the field in the middle of the forest

The roar that sends waves through the earth, or the slash that tears the air apart no longer exist

"Is that your sword, Saber"

The infallible giant, fixes his unshaken eyes on the knight that defeated him, speaking with a deep voice

"This is 'The Sword of Promised Victory'......the sword pulled from the stone that chose the King. Also a sword that I have lost forever. But---"
"That wasn't your sword. Just a phantasm made by that man"
Saber nods quietly

"A duplicate after all. A sword that shouldn't exist. However---"

Berserker's chest cracks open
And then
Starting from the wounds given by the flash, he's disintegrating into sands

"---That phantasm is not to be taken lightly. It managed to destroy me seven times over, with one single strike"

His last words, don't carry any emotion
Berserker sacrifices himself to the mission to the very end, amidst the thin white air, vanishes like morning mists

Dizzy
It's the price for casting a spell beyond my capacity. The out-of-control blood stream is pressuring my brain, there appears to be too much oxygen
......More over, my head hurts like it's cracked open
With the vanishing of the enemy, the emotion that once numbed the pains is gone as well
Dizziness and headache are pouring out as if to demand for all the expenses that have been piled up until now

"----Uuh"
"Shirou......!?"
Saber holds my collapsing body still
But, Saber shouldn't have any strength left to take care of me

"......No, it's nothing. Though I have fractures everywhere, but my life is saved. That regeneration is working too, it can recover"
"---What are you saying. You just used such a powerful tracing sorcery, now you have to rest"
"......No, but"
Before that, I have to talk to her

"............"
"Ilyasviel......!"

Saber takes up her stance
Ilya lowers her head, and stares at where Berserker was with hollow eyes

"......Fine. Though I don't know what you intend to do, but I will spare the trouble of asking. Right here I will simply put you----"

"Uuh......! No, Saber----don't do it to, Ilya. Since Berserker is not here anymore, then Ilya"
I stop Saber with my remaining strength

Did she notice us
After staring at the ground, Ilya

"......Lies. Berserker, is dead......?"

Like an abandoned child, murmurs

"............Ilya"
I press Saber down with my hands, and call out to her softly
Is that how Ilya took notice of us
She raises her face expressionlessly
"Aah----hm, ah..................!"
Suddenly
Like a doll whose switch is turned off, she falls to the ground

"Wh----"
We look at the girl on the ground confusingly
"Uuh......haa, ah, cough......!"
Like taking a turn, Tohsaka brace herself up
Looks like she breaks free after Berserker's hand is gone

"--------"

Is it because my mind is at ease after confirming that Tohsaka is fine
I almost lose my conscious all at once

But I can't give up now
Though we defeated Berserker, but we're still in the forest
In a short while, we still have to leave this forest with these bodies full of nasty wounds and pains

......I look at the sky to the east
We're still very faraway from the town, my comrades and my body aren't fully recovered either
But morning still comes

---The night that we once thought we'd never pass on

After defeating our greatest adversary, we leave the forest of winter