Chapter 52: Tohsaka Rin's Dangerous Adventure

["It's cold!"]

[Tokiomi Tohsaka arrived just in time, sensing the magical disturbance. He swiftly threw down a gem, neutralizing the dark magic surging from the book.]

["It's still too early for you to be handling these things."]

[Tokiomi closed the book and set it back on the table before pulling out a small compass. He handed it to Rin.]

["This is a magic detector. It's usually silent, but if there's magic nearby…"]

[Tokiomi brought the compass close to the book, and immediately, the needle began to spin wildly, pointing directly at it.]

["Be careful. There are many magical items in this world, and you're not ready to deal with most of them yet."]

[Hanging the compass around Rin's neck, Tokiomi smiled gently. "Consider this an early birthday present."]

["Thank you, Father!" Rin's face lit up with a smile, reassured by the gift.]

[The scene shifted, showing Rin alone on an empty train.]

["Don't get into trouble, Kotone..."]

[As the train pulled into Fuyuki Station, Rin stepped off, returning to the city alone.]

---

Tokiomi Tohsaka sighed deeply, massaging his temples. "Rin… sneaking back into the city on her own… I didn't realize she was so headstrong."

Rin, watching the scene with the others, felt a tightness in her chest. "Kotone… Something happened to her, didn't it?" She recognized the worried murmur from herself on screen, mentioning her elementary school friend's name.

The adults exchanged somber looks. It was becoming clear that Rin's determination to help her friend had driven her to take risks alone.

---

[The video split into several clips.]

[First, a news report flashed, announcing a series of child disappearances in Fuyuki City. Then, a funeral scene, with Rin overhearing adults discussing how a classmate had died in a "horrific" manner. Lastly, Rin was shown dialing her friend Kotone's number repeatedly, but there was no answer.]

"A case of missing children…?" Tokiomi's face darkened, and he turned to Kotomine Kirei, his apprentice. "Kirei, have you heard any news of this recently?"

Kirei shook his head, equally disturbed. "No, I hadn't heard of any disappearances in the city."

Rin's eyes widened with worry. Only yesterday, she'd spoken with Kotone, who'd called to check on her after she took a leave from school. But in this alternate version of events, her friend was unreachable.

---

[The screen returned to Rin, now walking alone through the silent, darkened streets of Fuyuki City.]

["Fuyuki at night feels… wrong."]

[Rin moved cautiously, glancing around as she walked. The streets were eerily empty, with only the faint, distant wail of police sirens echoing through the silence.]

[As she walked, the magic detector around her neck began to glow faintly. Rin stopped, pulling it out to examine it, watching as the needle spun erratically.]

["What's happening? I've never seen it react like this…"]

[Rin looked around, her expression turning wary. "Is there magic everywhere in this area?"]

[Thinking it might be safer to cut through a nearby alley, she turned and slipped into the shadows, muttering to herself, "Hang on, Kotone, I'm coming."]

[As she navigated through the winding backstreets, she paused upon spotting a figure on the other side of the alley—a man walking, with a young child trailing behind him.]

---

"It's him!" Several voices in the group gasped, recognizing the man in the video. It was none other than Ryuunosuke Uryuu, the twisted individual they'd seen in earlier scenes, now confirmed to be the one responsible for the child abductions.

"Now it all makes sense," Tokiomi murmured, a cold anger settling in. "The missing children… it was Ryuunosuke Uryuu and Bluebeard."

The truth settled like a weight over everyone. Those familiar with Ryuunosuke and his twisted partnership with Bluebeard knew the horrific fate of the children they targeted.

"Kotone…" Rin whispered, her hands clenching into fists as worry and fear flickered across her face.

In another part of the hall, Bluebeard's normally twisted expression took on an even darker shade. Upon seeing his lost "partner" appear on the screen, he began to seethe, muttering vows of revenge.

"Hmph. A monster like you has no place here," the First Emperor declared coldly. With a simple gesture, he made Bluebeard vanish from the hall.

"Where did he go?" Artoria asked, startled.

"I placed him in confinement," the First Emperor replied. "Such depravity has no place in my presence."

No one protested the Emperor's decision.

---

[In the video, Rin watched as Ryuunosuke Uryuu disappeared around a corner. She decided not to follow him directly, realizing she might put herself in greater danger. Instead, she focused on the direction the magic detector pointed her.]

[The compass led her to a basement entrance hidden in the shadows. Gathering her courage, Rin pushed the door open, descending carefully into the darkness.]

[Inside, she froze. There, on the cold basement floor, lay her friend Kotone, her eyes vacant and unresponsive.]

["Kotone! Kotone!"]

[Rin rushed to her friend's side, her heart pounding. "Kotone, wake up!" But Kotone remained still, as if trapped in a nightmare.]

["Is this… a curse? What do I do…?"]

[As she panicked, the shadow of a figure fell over her. She turned, her heart sinking as she saw Ryuunosuke Uryuu standing in the doorway, blocking her exit.]

["Well, well, what's this? Did you get lost, little girl?"]

[Ryuunosuke's grin was wide and twisted, his eyes gleaming with malicious amusement.]

[Rin's courage wavered, but she held her ground, clutching the magic detector tightly. She tried to take a step back but found herself paralyzed by fear.]

["Perfect timing! We're about to have a little 'party,' and we needed a few more guests. Now you can join us."]

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