Chapter 29: Black Alice in Action

"Berserker!"

The white-haired loli cried out in alarm, watching helplessly as her Servant was sent flying with a single strike, crashing back into Shirou Emiya's original house.

Amidst the rumbling sounds, more than half the house structure collapsed, debris falling continuously, directly burying the giant alive within.

However, the white-haired loli's worry seemed to have been unnecessary.

Almost in that very instant, from within that pile of rubble and fragments covering the ground, a massive hand suddenly reached out powerfully, and immediately after, a black giant's figure, seemingly wreathed in scorching steam all over its body, stood erect once more from the ruins.

Still that same appearance: dusky skin, upper body exposed, wrists wrapped in bracers, muscles knotted and brimming with a sense of power.

Not even a trace of battle remained on its bare chest; neither the cutting of formless Sword Qi nor the fierce blows of the lamppost had managed to carve the slightest shallow mark upon it. One wondered whether its regenerative power was beyond imagination, or its defense utterly impregnable.

"Aaaaaaaaaah——!!"

This berserk giant roared instinctively once more, the crimson light in its right eye even more glaring, but it only looked around — the empty street held not a single human figure.

Only the white-haired, red-eyed innocent loli came running over anxiously, tilting her little head up and looking at her Berserker with great worry.

Faced with this scene, the berserk black giant's anger cooled rapidly; it no longer roared in vain, but rose steadily from the ruins. Though its movements remained rough and powerful, they clearly revealed a hard-to-detect caution.

As if to maintain a certain subtle carefulness, lest overly violent actions cause debris to scatter and possibly injure that white-haired loli, its actions appeared exceptionally prudent.

"Hmph... as expected, forget it, let big brother live one more night!"

Seeing her Servant wasn't truly injured, the white-haired loli relaxed slightly; immediately after, she also discovered the enemy on the opposite side had already seized the chance to vanish without a trace, and feeling a surge of stifled vexation, she stomped her foot and said this.

If one looked only at the surface, this was like a scene of an innocent little girl purely expressing dissatisfaction, that purity and childishness evoking pity, but the killing intent hidden deep in her words was incomparably real, not to be ignored.

That's right, she had come for Shirou Emiya.

Tracing back to the Fourth Holy Grail War ten years ago, her father — Kiritsugu Emiya — accompanied by her mother Alice von Einzbern, participated in the battlefield as the Representative of the Einzbern Family, one of the Three Families.

The two parents left their young daughter, who was her — Ilyasviel von Einzbern — waiting in their homeland.

Before departure, Kiritsugu Emiya promised Ilya he would definitely return.

A promise similar to "When this war ends, I'll go back to my hometown."

So, having recklessly set such a classic flag, Kiritsugu Emiya naturally would not have a good ending.

That Holy Grail War indeed saw a huge upheaval; at the final stage of the Holy Grail's Arrival, this man, to stop the "All the World's Evil" inside the Grail, ordered his Servant to release its Noble Phantasm, directly destroying the Holy Grail.

It was precisely this choice that caused him to never see his daughter again until his death.

Because it was believed that his betrayal at the final moment caused the Einzbern Family's efforts to fail at the last minute, the Einzbern's Bounded Field refused him entry.

Young Ilya kept waiting at home for her parents' return, but ultimately received the news that her father had betrayed the family, abandoned her, and adopted another child outside... her longing transformed into a blazing fire of hatred.

Probably from that time on, the wish to take revenge on Kiritsugu Emiya was deeply engraved in the depths of her heart.

However, the Holy Grail's Curse caused that man to not have enough time to face the arrival of the Fifth Holy Grail War; he did not live to see the moment of its opening.

Ilya, who had entered Fuyuki City due to participating in the Holy Grail War, naturally directed the arrow of revenge toward the child her father adopted after betraying her mother and the family — Shirou Emiya. Her arrival at this moment was not unexpected, but the result of meticulous planning.

She came straight to the door, resolutely executing her revenge plan, striking a killing blow without hesitation.

It was just a pity that, clearly on the verge of success, it was ruined by a mysterious Servant barging in.

The two of them soon left the scene of the incident as well.

"..."

"..."

The cold, clear street remained empty, and no one was seen coming out to take a look.

In fact, the commotion caused by what just happened was a bit large, but Fuyuki City residents are very experienced with this: don't be curious about what you shouldn't be curious about, don't investigate what you shouldn't investigate... not even much interest in calling the police or filing complaints.

Anyway, it's surely the usual "gas leak", "pipe explosion" routine again.

This damn Fuyuki City, can't stay even one more day.

……………………

On the other side.

"Alright, should have shaken off that Berserker... can we stop now?"

Having made a tactical retreat in one breath into Fuyuki City's cemetery, and confirming the berserk giant warrior had not pursued, the golden-haired swordswoman steadied her footing, while her gaze vigilantly turned toward the strange youth leading the way ahead, still maintaining a state of high alert.

Although the other party had just helped her escape danger, this could not immediately prove he was a trustworthy ally.

After all, in this Holy Grail War — this cruel struggle where only one group is allowed to survive — the concept of a true ally is truly a luxury.

Only then did Shirou Emiya realize he had already stopped, feeling the sensation of feet on solid ground again with a blank, bewildered face.

He hadn't even reacted just now before he felt his collar tighten from behind, and under a tremendous dragging force, his whole body floated up like a kite, feeling only the strong wind scraping against his face continuously.

Of course, this situation was also to be expected; otherwise, relying solely on his own ordinary-person-level movement ability, shaking off combat in a short time would not be easy.

"Not going to walk a bit further?"

Xia Zhi sighed inwardly at the pity; run a bit more and they would have entered Yuan Cang Shan's range. But he still turned back, revealing a harmless smile.

"I think not..." The golden-haired swordswoman replied calmly, vigilance flashing in her eyes, "Unless you first clearly tell me where you intend to take us."

She didn't want to just escape the wolf's den and fall into the tiger's lair.

The scene just now had fully demonstrated the strength of the person before her, absolutely not to be underestimated. To be able to contend with such a terrifying monster while clearly inferior in both strength and agility, and not be directly crushed without any power to resist...

Even at the critical moment precisely perceiving the berserker giant's fleeting flaw, and accurately seizing that instantaneously changing opportunity to counterattack...

This alone already explains a great deal.

Although no very significant battle results were caused, such ability is enough to make one gasp in astonishment.

After all, that Berserker may indeed have undergone Mad Enhancement, lost Rationality, and no longer possess any detailed tactics, but this does not mean the opponent's combat skill is low; in fact, supported by absolute Mors Brave and Mors Original Invincibility physique —

Merely the close-combat ability exerted through bodily instinct has already surpassed the level of all Servants, reaching a super-first-class tier.

And besides that.

The state of magical energy excess revealed by the opponent at the end felt very much like the "Mana Burst" technique; although there are obvious differences between the two, in the aspect of instantly greatly reinforcing bodily functions, they exhibit many similarities.

This also shows the opponent likewise possesses means for explosive combat power amplification, and added to that, even at the most critical moment, the opponent was unwilling to bring out their true weapon, revealing a deliberate posture of concealing a precious Noble Phantasm...

All of this, naturally, made the golden-haired swordswoman's vigilance rise, elevating her regard for this strange Servant directly to a considerably high level.

"No need to be so suspicious, beautiful young lady. I'm merely here to deliver an invitation..."

Seeing the girl's vigilant look and those eyes that were completely strange to him, Xia Zhi understood at once — she most likely wasn't Vivian, though for some reason her figure was exactly identical.

Perhaps she really was an Extraterrestrial Same-Time Isomorph or something of the sort?

Burying that thought in his heart, he revealed nothing of it, instead maintaining that gentle attitude, sunny like the boy next door, and looked directly at the bewildered red-haired high school student beside him:

"Mr. Shirou Emiya, correct? My Master wishes to invite you to Liu Dong Si on Yuan Cang Shan to discuss an alliance."

"Your Master? Who?" Shirou Emiya froze for a moment, subconsciously asking.

"Naturally, the young lady of the Tohsaka Family, Rin Tohsaka."

The young man spoke with a straight face, maintaining the persona of a Servant loyally devoted to his Master.

Mm, loyally devoted.

————

————

Beneath the night curtain.

Yuan Cang Shan lay like a giant beast prone upon the earth, sleeping quietly.

"Aaaaaaaah, how could this be——!!"

A somewhat frantic voice rang out from within Liu Dong Si — it was Rin Tohsaka's voice — and such commotion naturally drew Medea's concern at once; the Greek Witch hurried over with the ancient swordsman she had just summoned in violation of the rules.

"Master, what happened?!"

Pushing open the door to the room, what met her eyes was the red-clad girl staring at the box on the tatami, eyes wide in disbelief, hair a mess with many strands sticking up — clearly scratched into disarray by her own hand.

"My, my jewels..."

Seeing the witch's puzzled gaze, Rin Tohsaka opened her mouth, and for a moment grief welled up from within.

How had her jewels dwindled to just this little bit?

After getting a clear understanding, Medea also frowned, looking at the jewels in the box: "Are you sure they're fewer? Could it be you remembered wrong, Master, and actually used them up before?"

"How could I possibly remember wrong!!"

At this, Rin Tohsaka was like a cat that had its tail stepped on, subconsciously denying that possibility.

"But there's no reason, who would steal your jewels, Master? If they really wanted to steal, wouldn't it be better to just take them all at once?" Medea frowned slightly; although the young lady Master spoke with conviction, she simply felt this made no sense.

If it were an ordinary thief, how would they sneak in and steal the Master's treasured jewels? And why not steal them all, only taking a portion?

And if it weren't an ordinary thief, then it should be an enemy — wouldn't such behavior be even more inexplicable? What's with sneaking in just to steal things?

She hadn't considered any other possibility from beginning to end, nor the possibility of another colleague stealing from their own post — after all, Servants simply come to participate in the competition, and win or lose they'll be gone in a few days.

What use is stealing jewels, to exchange for money?

If it were to replenish that tiny bit of magical energy, it would be even more unnecessary — wouldn't it be better to just tell the Master directly?

Moreover, although the time in contact was still short, Medea had more or less understood some things about her new Master's miserly characteristic, and so naturally and subconsciously leaned toward the other possibility.

"Th-this..."

Rin Tohsaka was momentarily at a loss for words; she had mainly been too shocked just now, temporarily unable to accept it, and after Medea raised the question she also noticed the issue — it did seem a bit hard to explain away.

Could it be, could it be...

That she really used them herself?

But that night's summoning should have used only half her savings, not the vast majority!

She subconsciously recalled how low her state had been that night, muddled and dazed, forgetting even the most important intelligence, even getting the optimal summoning time wrong... could it be that at that time she likewise misremembered the amount of jewels used?

With a track record of prior mistakes, Rin Tohsaka lost confidence too, even glancing guiltily at the jewels in the box.

The more she thought, the more she felt it was very possible — maybe she really did use too many?

But she still felt something wasn't quite right...

Just as the girl frowned, racking her brains, Medea's expression suddenly changed: "Enemy attack——!!"

And that very quiet ancient swordsman Servant vanished from the spot in the first instant.

Rin Tohsaka started, no longer caring about the trivial matter before her, hurriedly tidied up, and rushed out following Medea, heading for the mountain gate. By the time the two arrived, that ancient swordsman was already battling a frenzied giant.

The white-haired loli waved her little fists from the rear, cheering for the Berserker.

That terrifying muscle monster was injected with chicken blood once more, launching a frenzied charging posture.

And the ancient swordsman opposite showed no fear either, actively seizing the mountain gate's height advantage, brandishing that five-chi-long pole, striking a bizarre pose — he was confident he could take this terrifying enemy down with him.

At the moment the opponent's weapon struck him——

His magic sword, which transcended the human realm and could challenge gods and Buddhas, would also inevitably sever Berserker's severed head at the same time!

————

————

At the foot of Yuan Cang Shan, where no one perceived anything.

A shadow was gradually coalescing an outline; from the atmosphere in all directions, wisps of imperceptible black qi seemed to be drawn out by some force, gathering bit by bit toward that shadow.

Before long, "it" gradually took on a rough shape.

One could see it was an exceedingly rare beauty, with a face so beautiful and perfect it seemed doll-like, ruby-red pupils, silver long hair shining like snow.

Only clad in a black dress, a pitch-black color as if stained by a curse.

Making this woman, pure and spotless as snow, seem like a reversal — bewitching and dangerous.

Moreover, "its" presence was extremely fleeting; its bodily outline would blur from time to time, the whole person not looking very three-dimensional at all, more like a wisp of a shadow, as if a gust of wind would disperse it.

Of course, this much was barely enough.

At least it had a certain degree of mobility.

"It" looked back deeply toward the direction of Yuan Cang Shan's mountain body, unconcerned with the battle occurring above, caring only for the great void beneath the mountain — that was where "its" main body resided, and the place truly needing attention.

Because as the true body, the "All the World's Evil" within the Great Holy Grail, "it" knew exactly what had happened.

This Holy Grail War summoned a Heroic Spirit who should not have appeared.

That is an amount of Intelligence too vast to be fully copied from the Singularity Record; without using the framework of "Class" as a Soul Vessel, there would be no way to shape a Servant as an Avatar...

If it were merely that, it would be nothing much.

But this Heroic Spirit also harbored covetous designs on the Great Holy Grail, not only having ideas but actually acting on them; if this continued, the Great Holy Grail would likely not survive, causing "It" to develop a sense of crisis.

It wasn't that "It" hadn't thought of stopping it, but that strange Heroic Spirit possessed an extremely tyrannical energy conversion Technique...

The Malice mixed into the Magical Energy naturally Emitted by the Great Holy Grail simply had no Method, or rather no Opportunity, to take effect — "It" originally intended to go with the flow and Utilize the other party's actions, letting the Magical Energy mixed with Malice erode and control them bit by bit.

However, under that efficient and tyrannical energy conversion Technique, any Malice or impurity could not escape and was directly filtered out.

In this situation, the Main Body of Malice inside the Great Holy Grail could only seek another Way Out; continuing like this, "It" worried that before the Opportunity for its birth arrived, it would be eaten alive by the other party.

Fortunately, "It" also had some other means.

For instance, Ilya's arrival, and this model of Artificial Human, were actually designed as the final product based on the original "Winter Saint" as the Foundation Personality. So Ilya's Personality also recorded her mother, her aunt, her countless predecessors.

And the most ancient prototype — the "Winter Saint" — is the Main Body of the Great Holy Grail.

(Chapter End)