Take a Bite

Saber's attack on Kurumi was not without reason.

Manifested as an Avenger in the Holy Grail War, Kurumi bore an undeniable malice that the noble King of Knights could not tolerate.

[Avenger C] symbolizes the skill of one who embodies the collective resentment of humanity.

[Oblivion Correction A] ensures that no matter how much time passes, hatred will never fade.

Under the influence of [Oblivion Correction], the contradictions within the girl named Kurumi Tokisaki became all the more apparent. She aspired to be a hero of justice, yet in the end, she personally slaughtered tens of thousands.

The sins she bore could never be washed away.

No matter the reason, she accepted that she was such a villain and never denied it.

The Hammer of Wind was now within striking distance, aimed directly at Kurumi Tokisaki's slender shoulder beneath her Spirit Dress.

"Dear King of Knights," Kurumi smiled without dodging. "This is just like Artoria."

Even against someone as wicked as herself, Artoria did not immediately strike to kill.

Was it because they shared the same Master? Yes, and no.

The wind roared.

Irisviel nearly gasped, covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes filled with worry.

Emiya Kiritsugu, on the other hand, remained much calmer. Few Heroic Spirits who participated in the Holy Grail War were unknown, let alone the "Spirit of Time."

Clang—

The wind pressure struck the girl's rounded shoulder, but it made a sound like clashing metal.

Status Effect - Super Armor!

Saber stood with her golden sword raised in front of her, on guard. In the same faction, there was no need to hide her true name.

"Vengeance—" Kurumi's lips curled up, and she crossed her arms. It was a skill from another set of Cheats.

"Counterattack!"

A massive golden clock instantly appeared behind her, with the hour hand pointing to 'VII.'

This was her Noble Phantasm ranked as EX, the time-manipulating angel—Zafkiel.

The moment Zafkiel descended, Emiya Kiritsugu clenched his fist.

I've already grasped the future in my hands!

...

"Zayin—Seventh Bullet."

From the muzzle of the gun came a magical bullet that could stop time.

There was no way to dodge it; Saber's instincts told her so.

So she didn't dodge. Saber twisted the sword of promised victory in her hand and swung it toward the incoming bullet.

Did she cut through it?

—Saber's body remained frozen in the middle of her slashing motion, completely still, trapped in time.

Even the strongest of the three Knight classes, even with A-rank [Magic Resistance], was powerless against time.

"Ah~ Ha~!"

Kurumi laughed out loud, walking step by step towards Saber. The shadow beneath her feet squirmed like a living creature, and from within, it seemed there were faint, giggling voices of young girls.

Irisviel clutched her chest in anxiety. Compared to the witch-like Kurumi, the noble King of Knights was clearly more to her liking.

But, as long as her husband could claim the Holy Grail, nothing else mattered.

Kurumi sidestepped the divine sword and leaned close to Saber's shoulder, tilting her head slightly.

She was already a little taller than Saber, and with her black high-heeled boots, the scene between the two looked rather intimate.

"Hehehe," her enticing lips whispered into Saber's ear. "So cute, so cute, so cute!"

"I really like you."

Kurumi Tokisaki loved cute things, especially kittens.

A lion could barely qualify as one, right?

Irisviel and Emiya Kiritsugu couldn't hear Kurumi's murmurs, but they could see that even though time had been stopped, Saber's face seemed to blush in an instant.

Kiritsugu frowned helplessly. He was quite familiar with Kurumi Tokisaki's twisted sense of humor. He just didn't know what she had said this time.

Thud!

It was as if Saber's Magic Resistance briefly surged to EX rank, allowing her to break free from the time stop.

She stomped her right foot on the ground, her body springing back several steps.

"No, no, no, no... Shameless witch!" Saber's face was flushed with anger, her sword pointed at Kurumi, her emerald eyes frantic as she desperately averted her gaze.

There was even a faint fragrance in her breath, like the scent of a young girl.

The young girl, burdened with a tragic fate, had never encountered someone so shameless before, and it completely shattered her worldview. Even her sword was trembling.

The murderous atmosphere was completely shattered.

Pure and innocent girls are such strange creatures; just a simple "I like you" seemed to render her unable to raise her sword.

Kurumi slowly straightened up, the old-fashioned firearm in her hand dissipating along with her Spirit Dress, replaced by a neatly worn winter uniform. The malice that had surrounded her seemed to vanish with the Spirit Dress, and with her black twin-tails draped over her chest, she now appeared as a gentle, dignified young lady.

She put on a pitiful expression. "Saber, do you really dislike me that much?"

"I... I..." The sword fell.

Artoria—completely defeated.

The Einzbern chapel, the most somber place within this ancient, mystical family.

The elderly Acht stroked his beard, his deep-set eyes brimming with fanaticism.

Kiritsugu and Irisviel knelt respectfully on the ground, while Kurumi and Saber stood behind them, though the atmosphere seemed a bit strange.

"Kiritsugu... Kiritsugu! Is this the miracle you've brought us?" The old magus's eyes seemed to brim with tears. "The heavens have not forsaken the Einzberns!"

"We've won!"

He seemed possessed as his hollow laughter echoed through the room.

The Einzbern family's spirit was now solely driven by the obsession to achieve the Third Magic.

An obsession so stubborn that they had forgotten the difference between means and ends.

Emiya Kiritsugu knelt there, his gaze profound. He had knelt here more than ten days ago, and now, he had returned.

He had returned with a completely contradictory goal.

Kurumi quietly stood behind Kiritsugu, looking like an ordinary Japanese high school girl, smiling as she watched the fanatical old man. Her attributes were nothing impressive, but her EX-ranked Noble Phantasm also delighted the old man.

However, Kurumi's attention was not on the old man.

Artoria bit her lip, glancing sideways at the girl beside her, the captivating fragrance tickling her nose.

She took a small step to the side, trying to distance herself from this witch.

The fragrance persisted.

Kurumi silently took a step as well, maintaining a deliberate distance, but not too far away. She smiled at Acht, but in Saber's eyes, it was a devilish grin.

The report was complete.

The group finally left the chapel, and Kurumi Tokisaki's lips curled into a beautiful smile, making Saber's heart skip a beat.

"So~~~ would you like to have some? It's a specialty of Tengu City, soybean flour bread."

"You can't buy it in this world~~~"

Who would want to eat something from a witch like you! Saber thought to herself.

Dressed in her school uniform, Kurumi smiled serenely, like a dignified young lady.

Saber looked at her.

"Maybe... she has her own reasons."

"A specialty is a specialty!"