3rd day of the Holy Grail War,
02:00 AM
The group of Rin, Shirou, Saber, Archer, and Assassin walked through the empty streets under the moonlight.
Archer and Assassin were in their spiritual forms, and only Saber was visible, donning a yellow, hooded robe.
"Is this really necessary?" Shirou asked.
Rin nodded. "We don't know when Lancer will come back for you," she explained. "Also, Saber's injured… because of us. Moreover, we are in an alliance. So, it's natural that I need to guard you until she's healed completely."
"Still…" Shirou scratched his head, smiling wryly. "I don't want to impose on you…"
"Humph!" Rin scoffed, skipping steps. "I just don't like owing someone…"
She approached a railing along the bridge and let the wind play with her long hair. "Once we are done saving Sakura," she said, smiling, "we will be enemies. So, you'd best learn everything you can from me by then…"
That made Shirou let out a genuine smile. "You know," he said, looking at her, "I kinda like people like you, Rin."
"Wha…" Rin fumbled on the railing, blushing hard. "… Whatever… Let's keep going… idiot!"
After walking for another hour, the group of Masters and Servants reached a wide road, the fog thickening in their surroundings.
"How far…" Shirou began asking, feeling hungry.
Suddenly, a current ran down his spine.
It wasn't just him, though.
Saber spun around first, followed by Rin. Archer gasped in Rin's mind as Assassin took a deep, hissing breath.
Deep into the mist, a hundred meters away from them, two silhouettes were taking shape.
One looked like an 8-9 ft tall, black-skinned monster with a long tongue slithering out of its mouth. The very fog was coiling around him, black fumes rising off its body with pulsating rhythms.
Standing a step ahead, next to the monster, was a boy.
Even though the boy was 6ft and 3 inches tall, the monster's silhouette dwarfed him.
Rin, feeling an itch in her body, stumbled back. "What… What is that?! In terms of raw ability, that thing outclasses even Saber…"
It was like someone was squeezing her heart and pressing tons of weight on her shoulders.
The most puzzling thing was that she couldn't sense any Mana. That meant, whatever was happening to her wasn't a Spell, but… fear.
"Berserker…" Saber hissed, grinding her teeth.
She looked at her injured shoulder from the corner of her eye and then back at that ridiculous thing. Even if she was at her best, it would have taken her everything to fight against that monster. Now that she was injured and could barely take out over 70% of her original strength…
On the other side, Archer had the same thoughts as well. "Rin!" he was screaming in her mind. "Take Shirou and run! Leave this to me and Saber… Old man!"
"I know what to do," Assassin stated flatly, hiding his presence even more.
But, to their utter surprise, there was someone among them who wasn't ready to leave, instead taking a step forward.
Shirou looked at the boy's silhouette, his eyes holding rage.
"Shirou!" Rin shouted. "Wait…"
From a distance, as Shirou stepped forward, the boy walked toward him as well.
A black jacket over a skin-tight black t-shirt, and black jeans and shoes. With white hair and red eyes, Black felt the many soul-chilling presences in front of him with a smile on his face, throwing his hands into his pockets.
"You look well, Shirou," Black said before staring at Rin. "I don't think I have introduced myself to you, yeah, Rin? Black Von Einzbern. Nice to meet you."
"Cut the crap!" Shirou shouted. "Where's Sakura?"
Black took his eyes off Rin, noticing the gloves on her hands. "The way you asked me that question…" he said, looking at Shirou. "Don't you think it will give a false impression that I am holding Sakura against her will?"
"Because you are!" Shirou shouted. "If you aren't holding her hostage, then why don't you let her…"
Shirou stared ahead with such an expression as if the sun had risen from the opposite direction.
Behind him, Saber and Rin weren't faring any better, either, their eyes widening at the inexplicable, shocking sight.
From behind Berserker's massive figure, a girl walked out, with purple eyes and purple hair. She was wearing a white, pristine gown with a small, golden cruciform necklace around her neck.
Slowly, taking small steps, Sakura Matou walked up to Black and stood next to him.
"No…" Rin stumbled back a step, feeling the sheer Mana boiling in Sakura's surroundings. "That's… That's Sakura?"
Because of the Crest Worms, it had been impossible to tell if Sakura even possessed Mana. Much less needed to be said about her being classified as a proper Mage.
However, after Black had methodically removed Crest Worms and then restored her body using the Philosopher's Stone, her original Magic Circuits had taken over, restoring her status as a Mage as well — a Mage on par with the likes of Rin Tohsaka… or better.
"Sakura!" Shirou screamed out of his lungs. "Get away from him! He's a murderer!!"
Shirou had seen Black regenerating from a charred corpse, plunging a dagger into Sakura, and killing dozens of people by creating those huge walls.
Even if Black claimed he had done it to save Sakura, Shirou knew he couldn't trust this man anymore.
To his great surprise, Sakura shook her head, smiling gently at Shirou. She grabbed the golden cruciform at her neck with both hands.
"I have talked with Black at great length, Shirou," she told him, her sweet voice seeming full of mercy. "The way that he has shown me… is the only way we can end this cycle of perpetual violence once and for all."
Shirou couldn't believe what he was hearing. His gaze snapped toward Black. "What… What have you done to her?" he asked, appalled.
Sakura shook her hand, stepping in front of Black. "Blame him not for these feelings, Shirou," she said piously, smiling at him. "He has done nothing to me, but help me see the truth…"
"And what truth is that?!" Rin asked, feeling odd.
Sakura lifted the cruciform higher, tiny black bubbles boiling around her.
"That Salvation lies in nothing," she proclaimed, looking at Black over her shoulder, "but in his absolute Victory!"
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AN: Original Image of Black and Shirou's group is available
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