Did the Heroic Spirit I conquered become a reality?

Under Artoria's precise and sharp shooting, the elemental shield that Yu Tohsaka hastily conjured was easily torn apart like paper.

Each spear strike carried a sharp whistling sound that sliced ​​through the air, forcing Tohsaka Yu to dodge and parry in a disheveled manner.

However, to Artoria's surprise, the masked boy in front of her, although he seemed clumsy and embarrassed in dealing with gun techniques, had a seemingly endless frequency and power in releasing gem magic!

One by one, the finest magic gems were consumed in his hands like flowing water, transforming into a surging torrent of elements that clashed with her holy spear time and time again.

"This magical power..." For the first time, a hint of surprise flashed in Artoria's emerald green eyes.

She could sense that this Caster's skill in using magic itself might not be top-notch, and could even be described as somewhat... crude.

But the almost limitless supply of magic power forced those seemingly ordinary gem magic spells to exert a power far exceeding their expected level, dissolving her attacks time and time again.

Who is this guy...?

After dozens of rounds of fighting, Artoria's Holy Lance was still fierce, but there was a hint of... admiration in her eyes when she looked at Tohsaka Yu.

It wasn't just his magic skills that were admired, but also his ability to remain calm and composed despite being at such a disadvantage, thus resisting her attacks.

“Caster,” Artoria’s spear tip drew a graceful arc in the air, temporarily creating a small distance. Her emerald green eyes calmly gazed at the slightly panting Tohsaka Yu, and her cool voice rang out in the night wind.

“Your magic is indeed astonishing. Tell me your name. To have fought Artoria Pendragon to this extent, you are qualified to know my real name, and you are also... worthy of my knowledge of your identity.”

Yu Tohsaka supported her knees, trying to regulate her slightly disordered breathing.

Even he felt a bit tired after continuously and intensely activating EX-level magic for offense and defense.

He looked at the dashing Lion King before him and couldn't help but sigh helplessly, but he didn't answer her question.

Revealing my identity now will only bring more unnecessary trouble.

Seeing that Tohsaka Yu remained silent, Artoria's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Since you refuse to answer," her tone remained calm, but the holy lance in her hand once again emitted a sharp, cold light, "then let me personally unveil your mask and see who you really are!"

Before she finished speaking, Artoria's figure transformed into a streak of silver-blue lightning once more, her Holy Lance sweeping towards Tohsaka Yu with even greater momentum! This attack was even faster and more... ruthless than before!

Yu Tohsaka's eyes narrowed, and he immediately unleashed the remaining magic power in his body without reservation. Dozens of high-purity magic gems instantly condensed in front of him into an incredibly thick prism shield that shone with a seven-colored halo!

boom--! ! !

The Holy Lance and the Prism Shield collided violently!

This time, there were no dazzling elemental explosions like before, only a pure and ultimate clash of power and magic! The Prism Shield trembled violently under the indestructible sharpness of the Holy Lance, emitting a mournful cry of unbearable strain, and spiderweb-like cracks spread rapidly!

"It's not over yet!" Tohsaka Yu gritted her teeth, and more magic power surged in, trying to repair the shield that was about to collapse.

However, Artoria's eyes became incredibly sharp at this moment, and she suddenly exerted force on her wrist, causing the Holy Lance to erupt with an even more dazzling light!

The powerful aftershocks of magic spread out like an invisible shockwave, slamming into Tohsaka Yuu's body!

Although the immense magical power withstood Artoria's attack, as he staggered backward, the mask on his face, formed from the power of the "Primordial Sea," shattered completely under the violent impact, scattering across the cold stone steps.

"Lancer, now's the time... to finish him off!"

Kenneth, who was watching the battle from another location, saw this scene through a magical medium. A smile flashed across his eyes, and he prepared without hesitation to use the first Command Spell to completely erase Caster from the Holy Grail War!

Sajo Aika is still deep inside Ryudouji Temple and cannot provide immediate assistance.

Although Gilgamesh was present, his attitude towards Caster was ambiguous, and he might not take action again.

This is the perfect time!

However, just as Kenneth was about to chant the Command Spell—

As the shattered mask slid off, the boy's slightly pale face came into clear view of Kenneth.

Kenneth's pupils suddenly contracted, and the voice that was about to issue the command spell abruptly stopped.

For the first time, an incredulous shock, bewilderment, and... an emotional fluctuation that even he himself could not understand appeared on that handsome face that always maintained aristocratic elegance and composure.

"Tohsaka...Yu?"

……

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Kirei Kotomine's figure had already retreated silently to the edge of the battlefield, like a cheetah blending into the shadows. His usually deep and calm eyes were now fixed on the boy's face.

The moment he saw that face clearly, Kirei Kotomine's heart, which was always as steady as a rock, skipped a beat.

For the first time, his face showed undisguised shock and... a complex emotion that even he himself was unaware of.

That face...

Although he looked a bit more youthful and naive than I remembered, and although he was now pale and exhausted from the battle, that familiar silhouette, those dark eyes…

He will never admit his mistake!

That is……

That was the adopted son whom his teacher, Tokiomi Tohsaka, had mentioned to him more than once, the one on whom he had placed high hopes... the one who had gone to study at the Clock Tower several years ago, and who was also a magical genius of the Tohsaka family...

Yu Tohsaka?!

How did he get here?! And... in Servant form?!

Countless questions exploded in Kirei Kotomine's mind like thunderclaps, causing him to momentarily lose his composure.

The adopted son of the Tohsaka family has become the Caster in this Holy Grail War? How did this happen? Does the teacher know about this?

A strong, indescribable impulse drove Kirei Kotomine's body.

Almost instinctively, he pulled out the cell phone from his pocket that he used specifically for encrypted communication with his teacher, Tokiomi Tohsaka.

His fingers, stiffened by the tremor in his heart, moved with an almost instinctive skill as he rapidly pressed the keys, dialing the number he knew by heart...

Then, just as he was about to dial the number, his movement abruptly stopped.

In the Holy Grail War, all Servants and Masters are enemies. If we tell the teacher now that Caster is Tohsaka Yuu... will the teacher still target Caster?

What if... the teacher never knew the Caster's identity?

Kirei Kotomine's eyes flickered slightly. For some reason, just thinking about certain interesting scenes gave him an indescribable sense of pleasure.

Finally, with trembling fingertips, he made an incredibly bold decision.

Kirei Kotomine silently put down his phone.

He merely turned his head slightly to look at Assassin not far away and transmitted his voice through special magic: "Assassin... go inside the core of the Greater Grail and take a look."

"If necessary... you are permitted to kill the caster's master."

……

Deep within Ryudong Temple, at the heart of the Greater Grail, is currently shrouded in an indescribable magical power, a mixture of the sacred and the ominous.

Sajō Aika stood in the center of this area, her emerald green eyes, which were connected to the Root, now flickered with unsettling black vortexes.

Beyond this chaotic flow of magical energy, a ghostly figure, almost blending into the darkness, lurks silently.

Assassin, the one with the most striking features.

Like the most patient hunter, he concealed all his presence, quietly waiting for the best opportunity to strike.

Assassin couldn't understand why Master was so wary of a Master who looked like just a human girl, even going so far as to let him risk exposure to infiltrate Ryudouji, a place where spiritual veins converged and powerful figures were lurking.

But a Servant's mission is to obey; he only needs to execute commands.

He carefully observed his surroundings. The chaotic and violent magic in the core area of ​​the Greater Grail provided excellent cover for his stealth.

His gaze, like the most sophisticated radar, searched for targets in the darkness.

Soon, he found it.

Within a relatively calm "eye" formed by turbulent magical currents, a blonde girl in a pure white dress stood quietly with her back to him, her bare white feet seemingly performing some kind of ritual.

Her figure looked slender and fragile, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.

She didn't emanate any powerful magical energy, just like an ordinary human girl who had accidentally wandered into this place.

Is that her? Caster's Master?

A flicker of doubt crossed Assassin's mind.

This girl... seems far too ordinary, and far too unguarded.

But the Master's commands are not to be questioned.

Moreover, the more harmless a target seems, the more dangerous it often is. In the Holy Grail War, any carelessness can cost you your life.

Without further hesitation, Assassin moved like a venomous snake slithering into the shadows, silently and step by step approaching the seemingly unsuspecting girl who had her back to him.

His steps were so light that they made no sound at all, not even disturbing the flow of air.

The short blade in his hand gleamed with a cold, eerie light in the darkness.

The distance is gradually closing.

Ten meters... five meters... three meters...

Assassin could even smell the faint, sweet fragrance emanating from the girl, like the scent of honey.

It's now!

He suddenly sprang from the shadows, the short blade in his hand transforming into a deadly flash of cold light, silently stabbing towards the girl's slender, fair nape!

With this attack, he used all the assassination techniques of the Assassin class. The speed, angle, and force were all perfect, enough to take the life of any unsuspecting magician in an instant!

however--

Just before the blade tip was about to touch the girl's skin, the girl, who seemed completely unprepared, didn't even turn her head.

A melodious voice, utterly innocent, pure, and even tinged with curiosity, suddenly rang out in this space filled with an ominous atmosphere, like a clear spring in a valley:

"Mr. Assassin...did you see Yu-kun just now?"

Assassin's seemingly certain assassination attempt suddenly froze in mid-air!

His pupils suddenly contracted, and a storm raged in his heart!

Discovered? !

How could this be?! He had perfectly blended his aura and figure into the shadows, and she... she didn't even turn around, how could this be...?

Before Assassin could recover from this immense shock, the girl with her back to him, without turning around, continued softly in her pure and innocent voice, as clear as a celestial melody:

"This is really a headache. Yu-kun just asked me to 'purify' this big, dirty-looking thing, and now someone has come out to cause trouble."

Her tone carried a hint of childlike complaint, as if Assassin's appearance had merely interrupted a fun game.

The girl's voice paused, and the innocence in her tone gradually faded, replaced by an indescribable calm and... majesty that seemed to see through everything.

"Yu-kun... you shouldn't be hurt, right? I would be very sad if something happened to him while protecting me."

Assassin felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head!

He could clearly feel that as the girl finished speaking, the surrounding space seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand, the air became thick and heavy, and an indescribable, terrifying pressure that exceeded the limits of his cognition emanated from that petite body, like an ancient god awakening.

That was not simply magic, but a more primal, more advanced power that seemed to be able to directly interfere with the "rules of the world" themselves!

Faced with this power, his assassination skills, which he was so proud of, and his Servant spirit origin, all seemed so insignificant, so... vulnerable!

He even had the illusion that he was not facing a human girl, but... the "Root" itself!

Assassin's body trembled slightly from extreme fear. The short blade in his hand could no longer advance an inch, and even maintaining a stealthy posture became incredibly difficult.

He struggled to lift his head and look at the petite figure in a pure white dress who was still facing away from him.

Moonlight filtered through the dilapidated dome of Ryudong Temple, dappling her body and casting a holy yet eerie halo over her soft golden hair and pure white skirt.

She was clearly just a seemingly frail and boneless human girl, but standing there at this moment, she seemed to have become the sole ruler of this world, radiating an absolute sense of oppression that made one's soul tremble!

It was a kind of terrifying beauty that defied description, a kind of "existence" that was pure to the extreme.

What kind of monster is this girl?! Why would Master send him to assassinate such a being?!

"He's fine..." For some inexplicable reason, Assassin honestly answered Sajou Aika's question.

Upon hearing this, Sajou Aika finally turned around slowly.

Her face, as exquisite as an angel's, still bore a hint of innocent smile, but deep within her emerald green eyes gleamed a chilling, dark light that seemed to see through the very soul.

"That's strange—"

Her voice was soft and melodious, yet it carried an undeniable authority and a morbid pleasure.

"You seem... to be very afraid of me? It seems that everyone in this world treats me pretty much the same, except for Yu-kun."