Selene: Ehehe, Playing with Snakes

"No, Miss Ataegina, we are not enemies...."

As he spoke, Shirou Emiya made a move to step forward, but suddenly let out a cry of pain. "Ugh...." His leg gave out, and clutching his left hand, he fell to his knees, trembling as if in muscle spasms.

"Shirou?!"

Saber's eyes sharpened instantly as she moved to stand protectively in front of Shirou.

"Senpai, what should we do?" Holding a large shield at the front, Mash looked back at Fujimaru Ritsuka, a glint of inquiry in her violet eyes.

"Emiya... as expected, it's the aftereffect of excessive mana depletion!"

Half crouching beside him, Rin Tohsaka placed a hand on Shirou's shoulder. She sensed the already meager magical circuits in his body had been drained dry. Hurriedly, she took out a red gemstone and crushed it. (PS: Shirou Emiya's magic circuits are considered numerous in the 'First Generation,' with 27 in total, but compared to Rin, they're still considered poor.)

Crack — Buzz~

"Quick, drink this.... This should make you feel better."

Fujimaru Ritsuka also stepped forward and took out a small bottle of magical essence, uncapped it, and handed it over.

Magical essence, one of the various magical equipment items provided to Fujimaru Ritsuka by Chaldea, is an elixir capable of turning ordinary people into magi. Once injected into the spinal cord, it can form pseudo magical circuits in a short time.

For magi with aptitude, it serves as a good mana supplement during battle.

"Thank you."

The effect was immediate. Shirou Emiya's complexion improved slightly, and he nodded before resolutely walking toward Durandal on the other side.

Saber clearly seemed a little unsure. After hesitating, she followed along. Although the Foreigner on the opposite side hadn't assumed a combat stance, she still tensed her muscles, ready to fight at any moment.

"You're not afraid I'll just ambush and kill you?" Durandal asked.

"No. With such fierce fighting spirit and upright conduct, you're clearly not the kind of despicable person who harbors evil intentions."

A Caster who treats human lives as mana fuel; a Rider who, cold and ruthless in battle, would use innocent civilians as bait without hesitation if ordered by her Master... those kinds of Servants from the evil alignment—

Shirou Emiya wouldn't waste a single word on them.

But Durandal was different. Whether it was her bottom line of not harming innocent students or her upright style of declaring war face-to-face before acting, she gave Shirou very little reason to want to fight.

Just like when he encountered Illyasviel von Einzbern and Berserker at the Shinto Church.

Though he didn't understand why magi would fight upon first meeting, since the other side hadn't harmed innocent people or used underhanded means, even though he was nearly killed, Shirou still didn't hold hostility toward her.

That is the kind of person Shirou Emiya is.

"...." Durandal was speechless.

It was just her luck to be stationed at the private Homurahara Academy. If it had been Kiana or that guy with the exaggerated praise, who knows how carried away they'd have gotten. Kiana probably had a lot in common with him.

But....

Durandal turned her head and let out a soft laugh. Her massive lance gradually lowered to the ground, and on her heroic, vibrant face emerged a bright smile, like the radiant sun, seemingly dispelling the surrounding gloom.

"Shirou Emiya, a soft-hearted guy like you... honestly, I don't dislike you. But there's no need to flatter me so much. I'm not noble, nor righteous—just a Valkyrie who uses violence to punish all violence."

"If you survive, maybe one day we'll fight side by side in the Empire."

This string of inexplicable words left Shirou Emiya a bit confused.

"Wait! Miss Ataegina, what exactly do you mean by that?"

Durandal didn't offer any explanation. Instead, she raised her lance and casually glanced toward one side of the academy. Then she said, "Holy Spirit: Command!"

With Durandal's motion, crystalline blue ripples spread outward, and a diamond-shaped energy shield appeared in an instant—brilliant and dazzling.

At the same time—whoosh!

A rugged, heavy blade, like a chunk of rock, tore through the air and slammed heavily into Durandal's energy shield.

Rumble rumble—!

The already shattered surface of the schoolyard from the earlier battle cracked again under this "heavy bomb" impact, breaking into jagged chunks of earth.

Pebbles of all sizes scattered in every direction. Shirou Emiya, who had been trying to ask more questions, was knocked to the ground, only managing to stop himself thanks to Saber's timely rescue.

"That weapon is... Berserker!" Watching the massive axe-sword that had smashed through the school wall, Rin Tohsaka muttered a single word.

Then, a childish voice echoed through the chilling night air.

"Hey, are you all done talking?"

The childish tone stood in stark contrast to the devastated surroundings, creating a disturbing sense of dissonance.

Whoosh~

A gentle breeze passed through, blowing away the dust that obscured the moon. In one corner on the eastern side of the academy's perimeter wall, the falling moonlight illuminated two starkly contrasted silhouettes standing on the slope.

One was a little girl dressed in a purple dress, with beautiful red eyes and white hair—like a snow fairy. Behind her stood a massive shadow!

Standing nearly three meters tall, his exposed upper body bulged with thick, corded muscles. The terrifying mass of flesh was covered only at the waist with a simple armored skirt. His black skin glowed faintly, as if strange lava-like energy pulsed beneath the surface.

Just standing there barefoot and unmoving, he exuded such an overwhelming presence that everyone's nerves tensed—this was undoubtedly a monster not of this world.

Beauty and the Beast?

That was probably the first thought that came to everyone's mind upon seeing them.

Recalling the earlier clash, Berserker's pure and savage brute strength remained vivid in memory. Saber subtly shifted her stance, positioning herself between Shirou Emiya and the monstrous pressure emanating from him.

Mash also wore a solemn expression. She stepped forward, holding her shield and standing beside Saber.

"Lady Artoria, be careful."

"Mm."

Saber nodded. Although she had little recollection of Mash and Fujimaru Ritsuka or why they knew her name, the fluctuations in Mash's spirit origin gave her a strange sense of familiarity, and an unexplainable feeling of trust.

Most importantly, she was far too familiar with the shield Mash held!

She had many questions she wanted answers to, but Saber knew how to prioritize. She suppressed her doubts, knowing that dealing with the threats of Berserker and the Foreigner came first.

Everything else could wait.

"Good evening, everyone. We meet again, big brother, Rin... and that unknown big brother."

The snow fairy-like little girl smiled down at them. But that innocent smile made both Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka involuntarily shiver.

"Illyasviel von Einzbern." Rin Tohsaka's face immediately darkened. This little girl's tone was really grating!

"Hm?" Likewise, Illya noticed Durandal, who stood alone opposing Shirou Emiya, Rin Tohsaka, and the others. Judging from the surrounding damage, it seemed Durandal had the upper hand?

"Those stats...."

To be able to go toe-to-toe with Berserker, this Servant must have been a great hero in life, likely no less than Berserker himself—maybe even a demigod.

But that thought only briefly flashed through Illya's mind. "Berserker is the strongest!" she declared like a child proudly showing off a toy.

"Big brother is Illya's prey."

Then, the snow fairy smiled joyfully and said in a clear, sweet tone, "You dared to steal Illya's prey, so let's just kill her too. Take her down, Berserker~!"

Just as Berserker let out a harsh roar and stepped forward—"Haah!"

Being struck without retaliating wasn't Durandal's style. She had no interest in listening to a brat spout nonsense. And since Illya had declared war, she better be ready to face death!

Crackle~!

From her lance, silver serpent-like arcs of electricity periodically crackled, releasing a sound like muffled thunder through the air.

She tucked in her abdomen, twisted her waist, aimed, and launched!

Buzz—RUMBLE!

The ground trembled, and the deafening explosion drowned out all noise. A terrifying shockwave swept up everything nearby, rolling out like waves. The entire private Homurahara Academy quaked under the impact that pierced the heavens.

When silence finally returned—

The once verdant slope was gone. The surrounding rocks and soil were either melted into lava by extreme heat or scorched into glistening glass by intense pressure.

Where Berserker had just stood was now a crater dozens of meters in diameter!

"Oh? Even as a mindless beast, he still instinctively threw his Master out of harm's way at the last moment...."

"A resurrection-type Noble Phantasm...." What surprised Durandal the most, of course, was Berserker himself.

She was fully aware of the energy level of the magical projectile she had launched—and Berserker's torso had been blasted open, nearly melting his entire upper body.

A normal Servant receiving such an injury would've long been eliminated....

Yet before Durandal's eyes, the gaping wound was visibly healing—no, not healing, but being restored, repaired.

Not far away, Illya, her face dirtied and scraped, looking quite disheveled, stood up from the grass.

"Berserker! No way—my Berserker is the strongest, he'll never lose!"

"Lady Durandal, you seem quite spirited tonight."

High heels crunched over the rubble of the collapsed school building. Retracting her gaze and dropping the half-dead Rider she'd been dragging, Rita stepped up beside Durandal with a smile.

She even lifted her skirt with elegant grace, giving a curtsey unfitting for the situation.

"Rider's Spirit Origin is intact—captured."

"Mm. Rita, take Rider back to Ryuudou Temple. This is the vessel Her Majesty selected for descent. She must not be allowed to die."

"Understood." With a slight bow, Rita lifted Rider in a princess carry, and a purplish-red teleportation array activated at her feet.

"That's... Ana?!"

At that moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka finally saw clearly—the over-knee-length purple hair, the graceful figure dressed in a highly revealing purple-black bodysuit. Despite the difference in physique, he was certain: the one captured alive by the Foreigner was none other than the Ana who had once fought alongside him....

...Ana's adult form.

Perhaps the "Ana" before him didn't even recognize him anymore, but her plight still filled Fujimaru Ritsuka with rage.

"Mash, rescue Ana!"

"Yes, Senpai!"

"Wait, Fujimaru Ritsuka! Let's talk fir—"

Step!

Before Shirou Emiya could finish speaking, Mash launched forward, her figure shooting out like an arrow loosed from the bowstring, wielding her massive shield as she charged straight toward Rita, who was preparing to leave via spatial teleportation.

"You won't make it!"

In a flash, Durandal appeared in front of Mash. Her raised lance was already coated in violently surging magical energy.

Boom—!

Durandal delivered a no-frills sweeping strike.

The lance, strengthened by magical energy release, collided with the shield. The two clashed with a deep, resonant thud, like ancient bells echoing, or massive stones crashing together. An invisible shockwave burst outward in all directions.

"Too slow!"

Pivoting sharply on the tip of her foot, Durandal followed with a clean whip kick that broke through Mash's guard, striking her square in the side. The girl's body was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through several walls before skidding dozens of meters across the ground.

"Kiana, Fu Hua, Li Sushang. You may proceed."

With Rider secured and the Lesser Grail's vessel along with Chaldea's attention pinned down here, Durandal relayed her signal to Kiana and the others stationed elsewhere.

"The real battle is just beginning!"

Without another word, Durandal entered a focused combat state, suppressing all emotions as she gripped the Hler's Serenity tightly and raised it high.

"Awaken, Glorious Guardian!"

Buzz—!

...

Meanwhile, in the mountain town of Miyama, Ryuudou Temple—

"Your Majesty, Rider has been delivered."

Kneeling on one knee, Rita bowed toward the violet-red crystal tower at the center of the courtyard.

At this moment, due to Ryuudou Temple being transformed by Honkai energy into something resembling a divine era environment, the damage to Rider's spirit body began rapidly healing, and her depleted mana quickly replenished.

But none of it was by Rider's will, for she already sensed it—an arrogant, icy will, more haughty than even Athena's, had descended upon her.

"Let me see... a beautiful snake woman."

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