Chapter. 10 Bloody dress.

Fuyuki hardly looked different from London, Laila had thought after leaving the train. The same skyscrapers rose into the sky. And even if they appeared powerful, Laila always felt they were ugly spots. Quietly, she trotted along next to Kurumi, who always had a cheerful smile on her lips. Laila sometimes wondered if they had even arrived in the war zone. She did not find that Kurumi appeared attentive.

Just like Laila, Kurumi wore a closed black jacket. Her left eye was covered by hair, veiling the gold watch. Under the closed jacket, she wore a white shirt and a dark blue skirt that went down to her knees. For outsiders, they would have looked like sisters if Laila did not have pink hair. Kurumi's astral dress stood out from the crowd like a sakura tree in the west. At least, that was how Laila had hoped they could both wander reasonably undetected, but the beauty of both ladies attracted enough attention.

"Maybe I should have gotten different clothes after all," Laila whined as she could feel people's stares.

"Oh, I think you look adorable." Kurumi was energetic as always and tilted her head to the left while her eyes closed with a soft smile. But to be honest, they were both the center of attention. Not only because they were both beauties but also because Laila's unnatural hair color caught the interest of many.

"It suits you well to attract the attention of strangers' eyes!"

"Wa, Kurumi! Why did you always have to phrase it that way," Laila exclaimed.

"Oh, I didn't know you loved the spotlight," Kurumi whispered in Laila's ear. Her skin flushed as she realized every person had stopped to stare at them. Her face was full of embarrassment as she grabbed Kurumi's hand and dragged her. Kurumi just giggled as she was pulled out of the inner city.

When they arrived at the edge of town near the western forest, the sun was already low in the sky and reflected in the small puddles. The recent floods on the North River softened the ground. Earth had washed out of the woods onto the streets, and sticks and leaves had been trampled into the wet mud. Houses with white walls and dark wood adorned the left side of the road, and the red light danced on the damp gable roofs.

It was a spectacle rarely seen. The forests to the right swayed in the gentle breeze. A smell of fresh needles swept across the road. Laila enjoyed this peaceful view and the fresh air, and the scent of needles.

Laila spent most of her time in the room studying. The hour-long hike was too much for her weak legs. A groan could only be heard indistinctly through the damp wind. Driven by curiosity, Kurumi whirled around and watched her Master. She chuckled softly when she saw Laila's clumsy steps. The path was still wet, and Laila kept sliding around in the mud. Although it was winter, the water did not freeze, so her boots and legs were muddy. But there was one thing that worried Kurumi. They had been wandering through the city for hours. One of the clones had already taken care of a house, but Kurumi had reckoned that they were at least under surveillance.

"Is it normal that we haven't been attacked yet? According to past wars, I would have imagined the battlefield to be.... bloodier."

"Well, most magi don't want to risk their lives, I suppose. Their deaths would mean burning down the entire family's progress forever. Especially when the threat of the other Servants is unknown. So I'm sure they're gathering information first. I guess the next few days will be quiet."

"And you're not worried? We've been walking around the city for a few hours now."

"Firstly, that was your suggestion. Besides, I trust your abilities, and secondly," Laila patted her hip, from which dangled a black fan with golden engravings. She had built the Mystic Codex herself and was quite proud of it. Even though Kurumi stole a lot of energy from the tool to create clones, Laila believed she could defend herself in an emergency. "I don't have any experience in fighting, but I should be able to protect myself."

Kurumi raised an eyebrow and looked Laila up and down. She did not believe those words so freely. It was uncharacteristic for Laila to behave so confidently. Not even two days ago, the young woman would have preferred to hide and wait until the war was over. Kurumi, however, said nothing. She was sure she could put Laila out of danger in an emergency. Her clones were ready around the clock. But the uneasy feeling never left her chest.

Although Kurumi was a Master of the facade, she could not decipher Laila's true thoughts. The house in Denmark harbored smells, images, and other things that could trigger a painful childhood memory. But here in Japan, Laila was free from all worries. There was nothing from the past. Laila could be who she always wanted to be, and the freedom she felt for the first time displaced her otherwise reserved personality.

The mud got worse the closer they got to the river. The smacking under their shoes drowned out the rustling of needles.

Kurumi put a finger under her lip. "What you're doing appears to be amusing," Kurumi said, jumping onto the saddle roof as something caught her attention.

"It's unfair that you walk like a model through any terrain. Your movements look like something out of a storybook."

"Oh, you flatter me.."

Kurumi could sense a pair of eyes. She trusted her instincts a lot. And yet it wasn't enough to track down the source. A thin presence that could easily be mistaken for a breeze flew through the air. But for now, Kurumi did not want to alert the enemy, for she wanted to know the strength of a Servant.

"We could have been sitting in a house resting for a long time!" Cursed Laila. Her legs were already screaming in pain. The shoes were soaked, her legs shivered, and her feet began to turn blue. 'I would do everything for a bed.'

"Ahw, do my princess' feet hurt? Does my beloved want to be carried like yesterday? You're a bit old for that, aren't you?"

Laila's face paled instantly. Only yesterday, Kurumi had picked Laila up like a princess and brought her to the airfield at supersonic speed. Even for most Magi, the body strain at such velocity was too much, making Laila's stomach turn. Kurumi had enjoyed the whole mess at the airport, commenting extremely aptly and loudly on Laila's changing skin tones. She would have preferred to sink into the ground when they were visited by the staff.

Without any warning, Kurumi's hair stood on end. Three presences approached from the center of the city. They were fast. Faster than any car and moving across the rooftops in a straight line toward them. However, the enemy was keeping low. Except for the presence, she could see nothing. Kurumi had waited a long time for the bait to bite. She was surprised at how long it took.

"Laila, my dear, we have a pair of visitors behind us."

"What?" Panicked, Laila spun in circles. Her eyes wandered in every direction as she anxiously surveyed each wandering shadow. However, she couldn't have seen anything even if she had wanted to. Trees and houses obscured the view.

"Fufu, if you're already so obviously showing that you're afraid, I could have saved myself the trouble of informing you."

"How long have you known they were following us?"

"A few minutes?"

"Why are you phrasing this as a question?!"

Laila's face was pale as fear flowed wetly down her back. Kurumi looked off into the distance again. The attackers had quickened their movements. Whether it was because of Laila's fear-filled cry or whether they had noticed the flickering aura, Kurumi could not tell. However, she knew that the figures were approaching at high speed. And she was not sure if Laila was able to fight.

"You're talented at startling birds, at least."

"A And what do we do?"

The figures were still far enough away that the wind carried no sound to them. In her right hand, Kurumi's beloved Flintlock formed.

"We should welcome our beloved guests, don't you think? After all, they went to so much trouble to find us." With a giggle, Kurumi leaped from the roof and stood protectively before Laila. Without warning, the air buzzed as knives were thrown with deadly precision from afar.

The knives cut the air at a ridiculous speed. Four weapons were aimed at Kurumi's vital organs, while two more flew at Laila. As if plunged in ice, she froze in the sight of death. Pupils widened, thoughts flooded the skull, and her hands would have become clammy had there been enough time.

On the back of her neck, Kurumi felt the aura behind her tremble. Like a small flame, the light of life threatened to go out. Without turning around, she pushed Laila aside with her hip and let the flintlock sound. Knife after knife fell into the wet mud as the blades collided with pitch-black bullets. With each successive shot, a shadow flowed again into your revolver, manifesting a deadly pitch-black bullet.

Kurumi's hands were fast. Too fast for Laila's eyes. The sound of all six shots popped through the surroundings, leaving no gap and echoing between the streets. Any normal person would have heard six bullets at once.

"Huh," was the only thing that came out of Laila's mouth before her entire body was submerged in the mud.

The Assassins paused. Wearing their bone masks, they looked uncertainly at the young girl on the street. Judging by the aura, they did not suspect that she would be able to parry the throwing knives. They immediately changed their assessment and concluded that Kurumi could mask her aura. Caution was the highest priority if they did not want to drop from the war.

"Ara Ara, with which naughty children do I have the pleasure today? Just like that, attacking defenseless ladies on the street." A wry, almost maniacal smile graced her pearly face, slowly tilted slightly to the left. The Assassins looked at each other, unsure whether to continue. Kurumi was dangerous. There was still the possibility of retreat, but the Master had the last word.

Shrouded in the darkness of the frosty cellar of Fuyuki Church, Kirei sat motionless. No sound or wind from the outside world came through the door.

Although his eyes were closed, he was not asleep but concentrated on the Servants in absolute silence. His thoughts were running at full speed, and he became curious when he saw this unknown and, at the same time, fascinating appearance before Hassan's eyes. Yes, it was Kirei Kotomine who observed the situation his Servant was in.

Kirei kept himself ready the entire day, as it was likely that Assassin would track down one anomaly. It would be a lie to say that he was not interested in Heaven's Feel Abnormality. The Grail had inexplicably chosen him three years ago. And barely three years later, the Grail did something else that no one expected. Not even Tohsaka could tell what it was. No records spoke of such an event.

At the moment, Kirei used a technique he had learned over the past three years under Tohsaka.

Shared perception.

By using a Prana connection, Kirei could share his senses with someone with whom he had a contract. However, the contracting party had to agree. And since Assassin had a large number of different bodies, Kirei easily managed to keep an eye on the entire city.

Kirei, meanwhile, had informed Tohsaka at Risei's request. However, Tohsaka was not present today. He had not thought it necessary. A phonograph stood on a table. The horn faced the wall. Usually, Kirei would use this to converse with Tohsaka. Whether Tohsaka was interested in the spectacle was of no concern to Kirei. Archer was certainly a burden to take care of at the moment. A king, Archer was too proud to follow orders from Tohsaka.

However, Kirei was not worried. On the contrary, He found no joy in this Grail, although that wasn't entirely true; only the knowledge that Kiritsugu, a man like Kirei himself, was taking part in the fight drove him on. This mysterious man had found what Kirei had been looking for for years. The frustration he saw on his Master's face from time to time always brought a smile to his lips and a warm heart. It was something Kirei himself had noticed. Why it amused him so much, he could not say to this day.

"Master, we have been able to detect an anomaly." Assassin's voice vibrated over the string of Prana, and the images, at first blurred, became clear and distinct.

"Is that it?"

"I have no doubt. No human could have parried my daggers without difficulty. And the impacts of the aura feels unnatural even to a Servant like myself."

The vibrations of the utterly emotionless voice lingered over the strand. Kirei frowned. He was sure he would have been able to fend off the Six Daggers as well. Whether it would have been as elegant as with the pretty young lady, however, he could not say.

But something captivated Kirei about this abnormality. Was it the look, the eyes, or the aura? Even though Kirei couldn't tell, some feeling arose in him. The fun and joy this woman had in front of his eyes was something he sought deep inside. Even if Kirei could not pinpoint exactly what it was. The woman had aroused his interest.

"Really? First, you attack a delightful lady like me, and then you don't even have the decency to introduce yourself." The grin disappeared and was replaced by a pouty, even sad expression. Kirei had seen many people before, but never someone who controlled his features like a mask itself.

"Well then, how about letting me eat you? I'll find good uses for your energy." Through the prana string, he could hear the devil's voice himself. And he even felt a slight worry in Assassins. Slightly surprised by the words, he wanted to open his mouth and give Hassan an order. But his eyes were caught by the devilish beauty.

Kurumi spun in circles like a ballerina while at the same time reaching her hand skyward. A red stream of the most profound hatred buried within, mixed with black shadows and bullets, was blown around her slender body by a sudden wind. Her previous school uniform disappeared. The lady's dress swung in the breeze. It was blood red, like the mad grin on her face, and supported by pitch-black stripes that seemed to be as dark as her soul.

As quickly as everything came, it disappeared again, and only the dancing dress was a reminder of the beauty everyone had just watched.

'Beautiful... Is she like Kiritsugu?'

"Master? Shall we take her out?"

Kirei was fascinated, and it occurred to him that the girl might have a key to his happiness, like Kiritsugu. However, he wasn't sure. Kurumi could also be crazy and have animal instincts. If so, Kurumi would have no value to Kirei. Even though he didn't know what happiness was, he had rules and principles to follow.

"Bring her alive, if possible."

"Understood," said Hassan slowly. Surprised by the Master's sudden request, he looked uncertainly at the delicate figures on the street. He would prefer to refuse the order. It was dangerous enough to fight a Servant, especially without knowing the legend and abilities. But capturing such a heroic spirit was almost impossible. But part of them said they should follow the command. 'Maybe that will change his attitude towards the Grail?' But as Hassan's gaze lingered on Kurumi, their skin began to freeze.

Kurumi shook her head when her opponent did not attempt to communicate. "Would you be so kind as to let me eat you? You would be doing me an immense favor."

Kurumi did not know what to make of the situation. Hassan was constantly looking down. It was natural that she could not have known that Kirei was talking to his Servant. But even if Kurumi had known, it would not have changed her plan. What that plan was—well, she wanted to lull the enemy Servants and Masters into uncertainty and give false information; misleading information can be more damaging than having none at all.

Kurumi thought Assassin was perfect for this. It was his job to observe the battlefield from the shadows and was, therefore, an unknown variable. Kurumi had no idea how powerful the Servant would be compared to the others. And she knew that Assassin could potentially not pose much of a threat as long as one was aware of his position. However, Kurumi lacked the information to assess the situation.

Eyes as empty as space itself fell on her existence, causing Kurumi to lick her lips. The Assassin spoke only one word, but his voice was devoid of remorse and drenched in killing intent that flowed down onto his daggers. "Understood."

The dark figures rose from their crouch and leaped down onto the street. The asphalt seemed to crack under each step as the mud exploded in all directions. The tattered cloaks of the figures followed the wind. Two of the assassins sprinted to the side to surround their target. For she believed it was impossible to fend off the daggers that reflected the light of the evening from all sides like a vanishing illusion.

Kurumi could not allow Assassin to take an advantageous position. Without hesitation, the eyes followed a target while the killing intent pulsated around her. Turning her shoulder slightly, Kurumi raised her revolver. The butt of the weapon struck, sending the bullet toward the figure. With a bang, the sound barrier was broken.

As if Assassin had expected this movement, he twisted his body to an impossible angle, but the bullets were too fast even for him and tore holes in the tattered cloak. The unnatural flexibility was something each Assassin trained himself to do over the years to fulfill every mission. As already proven on the Tohsaka estate, some missions required absolute control over every muscle to slip through magical security mechanisms. Magical barriers were the pinnacle of security. If Hassan had been unable to overcome such defenses, the legend conjured up by the Grail would never have been summoned.

The hum of the air cut through Kurumi's black hair. The other two Assassins had prepared for this maneuver by throwing their daggers at a blind angle. But the killing intent infused in the projectiles was enough to determine the trajectory.

Thrown sideways, hands grasped her body and pulled her into the depths of the shadow. A technique she could perform in almost any place. Every shadow served her as an exit point. Between all the houses, trees, and light poles, Kurumi could leave.

'She can disappear into a pocket dimension!'

A groan escaped those three Assassins as they realized their fight had become more dangerous. They had formed a triangular formation in which only Laila remained. Frustrated that their target could disappear from any situation, their senses scanned the surroundings for the woman. There was no aura, no ripple in the air, and even their snake-like tongue could no longer taste anything. With daggers raised, they waited for their target to emerge from the shadows to put bullets through their skulls. They could not afford any mistakes. A blade was inferior to a revolver. The bullets were faster, reloaded themselves, and were more precise.

Only the superior numbers had allowed them to corner Kurumi. However, an attack from a blind spot is ineffective if the target can safely leave the living world. Assassin didn't have an advantage from the start. The only thing left was Laila. Servants could not stay in the world without a master. Depending on their abilities, they could only remain for a limited time and would vanish if they didn't find a new master or get mana from an alternative source. At the same moment, six eyes focused on their new prey as a devilish giggle shook every bone. An elegant figure appeared in an assassin's blind spot with a flintlock ready to kill.

Boom.

Three shots rang out. With a dagger, the first Assassin tried to repel the bullets that crashed into him like a truck. The magic-infused steal splintered like a cube of ice. The otherwise elastic body was hurled into the stones of a brick wall. Dust and cement crumbled from the holes as the wall gave way under the impacted body. An iron stench permeated the mask as blood spurted through the white bone teeth.

For a brief moment, the Assassin's consciousness slipped. In the vocation he carried out, a mistake, however small it might be, was the most dangerous thing. Every Assassin knew that. And yet he could not cling to the light at the impact. Like crazed undead, hands poked out of the ground, pale as if no sunlight had fallen on their skin for hundreds of years. Black and red, the ground rippled like the blood of countless victims who fell prey to the woman.

Leg, body, arm, and neck were fixed firmly to the ground. Before another of the two Assassins could react, one of Hassan's helpless personalities was pulled into the unknown depths of pure darkness.

Laila had no idea what was going on. Everything was happening far too fast for her. While sitting on her knees, she wiped the mud from her face and tried to locate Kurumi. At first glance, Kurumi and the dark figures faced each other before the air shook with Prana. Her Servant had disappeared. Laila had no idea why all her hair stood up under the giggle that resonated through the street. She only saw the darkness that rushed towards her and radiated absolute terror.

Before Laila could collect her thoughts, a red and black circle formed beneath her, arms gripping her waist. She didn't know why, but she instinctively started screaming and thrashing about in panic. The scream fell silent as the gate closed with a chime of the clock. The sound-breaking knives missed their target and struck the empty street, letting the asphalt explode.

Laila had disappeared.

Immediately, both Assassins jumped back. The connection to the third personality was severed moments later when Assassin disappeared into a similar gate. Fingers clenched around daggers. Their knuckles would have turned white had they, not a shadow-like skin. From their observations, both Assassins concluded that the targets must be resurfacing, but they didn't know how long they would have to wait. Only Kurumi knew where the next exit would appear.

The room arched again in two places. Laila reappeared from the shadows under a tree trunk. 'Be quick; her master can only temporarily stay in the pocket dimension!'

Kurumi stepped out on the roof. The gun reloaded and already pointed at the enemies. She had deliberately abandoned Laila in the forest, away from the road. Both left the shadow dimension at the same time. And so it happened that two auras overlapped and appeared on the battlefield simultaneously. The Assassins had no choice but to look at the two appearing presences. Their backs were to each other.

Again, the piston fell with a deafening bang. As if this were a starting signal, both figures started moving in opposite directions. The bullet bore into the road and only grazed the loose scraps of cloth on the masked person.

One Assassin focused on the devilishly smiling Kurumi while the other stormed towards the forest. With one step, he overtook the wind and left the first trees behind. Considering that Kurumi could step in and out of the shadows anywhere, this was arguably the worst decision since both Hassan's parted ways. But Assassin knew that the fight could not go on for long. His opponent was breaking the typical rules. It was like a chess game where the opponent repositioned every piece however it felt like. Without a change of plan, each amount would slowly be reduced to shavings. By separating, they hoped one could escape the curse.

Assassin came ever closer, expecting Kurumi to disappear to save her Master.

And yet...

A bang sounded in his ears as the smile burned into his eyes, and a pain dug through his stomach. Assassin was unable to dodge the short distance as blood poured down the white mask.

A scream that scared away the ravens made the forest tremble and was only drowned out by two more shots.

Beneath their blades, the daggers fell into the bloody puddle. Confused, his head turned to the trees, where his other self had disappeared a moment ago. From his point of view, it should have been impossible that the woman was in both places. Between the trees, the daggers nailed a person. It was undoubtedly the Master of the red Servant.

The other Assassin, also confused, took the opportunity to disappear into the forest's darkness.

"I don't understand --?"

The eyes under the mask slowly lost their color. The gaze turned back to the woman. Her noble shoes stood in the pool of blood while the dress slowly soaked itself. Crouching down, the beautiful face was a finger away. Kurumi's face had a warm smile that perfectly underlined her joy. The hungry look was reflected in Assassin's eyes.

Assassin could not say why the beauty had let her Master die. But now he realized that his string of destiny was over. He could only see the hungry look in Kurumi's eyes as her tongue wandered over her lips. Full of anticipation, Kurumi looked at the Prana being. "I wonder what you will taste like. I haven't had protein-rich food in a long time."

The warm hand stroked Assassin's cold skin and lifted his chin. She looked into her enemy's eyes. His soul was filled with darkness only, and his despair turned to realization. It did not matter what choices made the person a murderer. For the right sum, Hassan would kill. No justice. There was only one goal, which had to be achieved by all means. He was truly a slave shackled by his own beliefs.

A red-black gate opened under him; white hands rose and wrapped around the injured body. Without strength, Assassin had no choice but to let himself be dragged slowly into the depths, which he would soon call hell. One last time, he looked up at the sky, past the clock ticking down.

'Now it's up to you. I will go ahead of time.'

Hungry eyes stared down at the frail person. The sweet spring breath flowed pleasantly through the cracks in the mask; then the Prana thread snapped, and the connection to the Kirei broke. What was Kirei thinking? The abandoned personality wondered.

'Will our wish be granted?'