Clank... Clank...
"Ha... Ha..."
"So, we lost in the end."
"Shut up, Purgatorio..."
Empirio Lady (Nero) returned completely defeated. Purgatorio Lady (Jeanne) felt sorry for her, and Nero glared at her angrily.
"Let's go to Limbo. The damage is considerable. Even for a Spirit Sword Hero, this level of damage... The limits of a living body, I suppose."
"I told you to shut up! Some country bumpkin... Move aside!"
Nero pushed Jeanne aside and entered. Jeanne didn't seem to mind, acting as if it were nothing. An unnamed guard approached her.
"Are you all right? Empirio Lady has such a bad temper."
"I'm fine. I'm used to this; most nobles were like that."
"I see. Black Sacred Hell has prepared a meal, so let's go in."
"...All right."
Jeanne followed the guard into the temple. The meal prepared by Black Sacred Hell (Raikou). As Spirit Sword Heroes, they didn't need to eat, but the fundamentally good magician (Amakusa) chose to maintain human dignity by eating.
"You're here. Empirio Lady said she won't eat, and everything is ready."
All the Spirit Sword Heroes except Nero had gathered.
"Ha~am... But why are there only five of us, not seven?"
Berserker Combined Hell (Shuten Douji). Including her and Caster Limbo, there were only five Spirit Sword Heroes. Archer and Assassin had not been summoned yet. They had a Holy Grail, but since it was an unstable parallel world, it took some time.
"Mmm~ Black Sacred Hell's food is truly delicious!"
"Thank you."
"..."
"? Aren't you eating, Magician?"
Amakusa looked at the rice served in a heaping bowl and shook his head.
"Take some away."
"Ah, sorry."
"You need to eat a lot to grow, Amakusa Shirou."
When Jeanne said that, Amakusa frowned. The two were similar yet polar opposites in nature. Originally not on good terms, they cooperated due to similar goals. Naturally, their relationship was generally hostile. Watching this, Shuten drank sake as a snack, and Limbo ate rice without side dishes.
"Here you go."
"... Take more away."
"That's why you're not growing."
"Purgatorio, you're not much taller..."
Amakusa was about to say that Jeanne was a little under 160 cm, but then glanced at her chest and swallowed his words.
"Where are you looking, Magician~! So you do have carnal desires after all!"
"Shut up, Limbo! Just give me the rice, Black Sacred!"
"Yes!"
Amakusa finally received a bowl with only a quarter of the rice. Then Nero walked in.
"What is this, Empirio? After all the trouble of bringing you here, you just lose."
"... They were stronger. I still need more power."
"Mmm~ Leave that to me! In just one more day, the ritual will begin."
Nero ground her teeth, craving more power, and Jeanne roughly predicted the outcome while watching her.
She hadn't come hoping for victory. She came only for a reunion.
Shuten, intrigued by Nero's reaction, secretly slipped away and headed toward Ritsuka's group.
==================================
This time, with Danzo joining, we acted in the evening after it got dark.
We had rested enough, so next was scouting the enemy.
Guided by Merlin, we headed to a certain forest. In the forest, as if someone was waiting, a girl sat on a rock drinking sake.
Shuten...? Judging by the atmosphere, it's not the Chaldea version.
"You came? I was planning to come myself, but you're here first~? Are you trying to get us killed?"
"Roughly? Looking at it, the situation seems to be escalating faster than expected? Also... I'm in a situation where I'm under unnecessary suspicion, so I want to deal with it quickly."
Suspicion? Is something happening over there? Is Dumpty suspicious? What karma does Merlin have...
"I don't know what... but you guys are strong? Should I fight a little~ seriously~?"
Whoosh!!!
The moment Shuten stood up smiling, a hole instantly pierced through her chest. Okita, when did she get there...?
"... What's your deal?"
Slurp...
Shuten immediately recovered. She's not dying...
"It's a test. A simple test. Of course~ I decline being sickly anymore, so let's get a little serious."
"... Is that look of yours serious?"
"Yes, absolutely serious. In the Servant Universe, although the tech is a bit analog, it's a collection of scientific power comparable to Olympus. Boosters utilizing primordial universe energy. Okita's instantaneous movement and the boosters firing simultaneously... Can you see it or not?"
"What the..."
Kaboom!!!!
Then, the moment she kicked off the ground, with a tremendous roar, her figure vanished, leaving only a blue afterimage.
"What!? Why so fast!?"
"What else... Servant Universe!"
Swoosh!!!
Shuten was instantly cut into 17 pieces. But she immediately regenerated. What, some kind of oni from Demon Slayer...
"This is troublesome, of all people, Shuten? A serious Shuten is strong, you know~"
"Should I step in?"
"Or should I go? My body's itching~"
"... It's too much for Danzo to join. Ninjas are a bit... in close combat."
A way to win. Clearly, Merlin had something else prepared.
"Merlin, if you have something prepared, why not use it?"
"As expected, sharp senses~ Well then, shall I show you? Come forth, Divine Dragon~!"
Merlin's staff emitted a bright light, and the dark sky suddenly brightened.
What's that appearing in the sky...?
"Did you summon me... And there's Musashi, who ran away and passed the seat of the sword saint to me."
"Ah~ Sorry, sorry~ Since we're both swimsuit Servants, want to have a drink and make up?"
"... Later. First, that one over there."
"... What?"
"Normally, those two wouldn't recognize each other, but? It can be seen as a convenient development due to the Master!"
Merlin explained while looking at the void. What kind of setting is that...?
"Well, I'll just eliminate the Spirit Sword Heroes too."
"This... won't be easy."
Shuten tensed up and made a serious expression, but then a black flame slash flew at her from behind.
Crash!!!
"What are you doing here, Combined Hell."
"Came to play, but it's getting tough~"
Jeanne Alter...? Something feels different. And twin spears? Another version...?
"T-This can't be... How, how is that person...!"
"Okita? Is she that strong of an opponent?"
"No, she's super weak, but... that rarity is overwhelming! A Lancer version of a saint turned Alter! Surely the Master will definitely want to get her! In that case... it's kidnapping!"
"... Huh?"
She was taken aback, and immediately Merlin moved behind her, struck her head with his staff, knocking her out. Nobunaga picked her up and ran away...
"... What? Am I weird?"
"You just have to fight me."
The group dragged me along and ran... we dashed all the way to the lodging, leaving that big-breasted person and Shuten behind. What...
======================================
Thud, thud...
"Is the item ready? Illya."
"Ah, yes! But, why suddenly...?"
"Nothing much, I have a use for it myself. The picture is roughly complete. Now, we just need to put a period on it with this."