Chapter 202: Matou Shinji's Revenge
"Damn it, I was defeated by the transfer student? No way, absolutely no way!!!"
Tohsaka Rin clutched her head and screamed in despair, just one step away from rolling on the ground guru guru style.
"Clearly, there's no one left in this academy who could beat me, and yet some strange guy suddenly showed up. I was even planning to take this chance to pachiu him into becoming part of my forces, so why… why did it end up like this!!!"
Tohsaka Rin screamed while running up to Elizabeth.
"Hey, Lancer, get up already! If you don't get up, then my dream of becoming a queen will be completely ruined!!!"
But no matter how much Tohsaka Rin called, Elizabeth, after taking Mash's blow, still couldn't recover in such a short time.
"Shouldn't you just surrender already?"
Ethan let out a sigh.
"Even if you're unwilling to admit defeat, there has to be a limit, right? Otherwise, aren't you just acting like a brat—like Matou Shinji?"
"What did you say?!"
Tohsaka Rin seemed to have a strong reaction to the mention of Matou Shinji in Ethan's words.
"You dare say I'm on the same level as that immature brat?! I absolutely refuse to be called that!!!"
Though unwilling to accept it, Tohsaka Rin still raised her hand and took off the red key hanging around her neck.
"This is what you wanted, right? All I have to do is give it to you, isn't it?!"
Ethan received the key from the sulking, puffed-cheeked Tohsaka Rin.
He examined it carefully.
The key didn't seem to have anything special about it—its only notable feature was the BB logo printed on it.
It felt like some kind of twisted fetish.
The key still retained the warm temperature from Tohsaka Rin's chest…
"So you're satisfied now, huh?! Hmph!!!"
Tohsaka Rin acted like a child and sat down next to the still-dizzy Elizabeth.
"Now that my plan's been ruined, the mastermind—someone like you—can just sing and leave the stage, while I, a helpless and pitiful young maiden, sit here and cry alone!"
"..."
Why did it sound like Tohsaka Rin was the victim here?
Wasn't she the one who attacked first?
"Senpai, Tohsaka-san looks really pitiful…"
Mash also started feeling sympathy for Tohsaka Rin.
She placed her hand on her chest and quietly looked at the black-haired young lady with twin tails who was sobbing, hu hu hu.
"…Eh, she's definitely faking it."
Ethan immediately pointed out how fake Tohsaka Rin's performance was.
And it was true—three keys were needed; holding just one was meaningless.
"Hey, you red demon pretending to cry over there."
Ethan shouted toward Tohsaka Rin, who was lying on top of Elizabeth.
"Red demon… Hey! You bastard, what kind of nickname is that to give a young maiden in her twenties!!"
Tohsaka Rin still wore a sulky look on her puffed-up face.
"Here, take this back first."
Ethan directly tossed the key in his hand toward her.
"——————?!"
Tohsaka Rin quickly reached out and caught it.
"What now? Have you finally realized the charm of this young lady? Wait—why are you suddenly being so generous? Don't tell me… you have intentions toward my body?!"
Who knew what she was imagining, but her face immediately flushed red with a loud pop!
Then she hugged herself tightly with both arms, trembling in fear.
"…Why are you looking at me like that? I can feel your eyes licking my body! You're even staring at my thighs… It's the thighs again, isn't it? No way!!!"
"No, seriously, what the hell is wrong with your delusions?"
Ethan couldn't even muster a response anymore.
Out of nowhere, a cold, piercing gaze suddenly stabbed straight into his back.
"————————?!"
Turning his head, he saw Mash staring at him with eyes so cold they could freeze the air.
"Senpai… You returned the key to her so quickly… Could it be you really do have intentions…"
"No, I don't! And besides, weren't you the one who said she looked pitiful just now!!!"
Ethan frantically explained.
"In this academy, Tohsaka Rin isn't the only one holding a key. Besides, we still need her information to figure out how to actually enter that 'labyrinth.'"
Doing this was essentially like exchanging a favor for more intel from Tohsaka Rin, and at the same time they could also find out who held the remaining keys.
Not to mention, they couldn't fully trust only Matou Shinji's words—much of what he said still needed to be verified through Tohsaka Rin.
"So Senpai gave the key back… just to get information?"
Mash's expression still looked terrifying.
"…Yes, what else would it be for?"
"I see!"
Mash's expression immediately softened, and she gave a bright smile.
"Then I'm relieved. Senpai is still Senpai after all!"
"…I'm suddenly feeling a bit curious whether your impression of me just now had drastically changed or not!"
When she heard Ethan say he wanted to buy a favor from her, Tohsaka Rin quickly regained her smug expression.
She stood up, dusted herself off, and put the key back around her neck.
"Well then, since you've begged me so much, I guess there's no helping it. Besides, I know a little something about almost everything that goes on in this academy."
"…Why are you suddenly talking like you're the one who won?"
"Because clearly, right now you need me. I know how to read the situation. This is what you call a reversal of positions~~~"
Tohsaka Rin stylishly brushed her hair back with a hand.
"Ask whatever you want!"
Ethan sighed, not even bothering to argue anymore.
"To enter the 'labyrinth,' you have to have all three keys, right?"
"That's right. Only someone who possesses all three keys can apply for a teacher's permission to enter the 'labyrinth.'"
Tohsaka Rin quickly answered Ethan's question.
"You guys want to enter the 'labyrinth' to get that so-called 'knowledge,' right?"
Before Ethan could even respond, Tohsaka Rin immediately said with a serious face:
"I advise you not to go in. That place is extremely dangerous—it's crawling with 'illegal programs' full of threats. You've seen those black hounds, haven't you?"
"…Black hounds?"
Ethan immediately recalled.
Weren't those the exact kind of monsters that had attacked him and Sesshouin Kiara that afternoon?
"You mean those demonic beasts that vanish into thin air right after dying?"
"Exactly. The 'labyrinth' is full of monsters like that. And besides, each floor has a 'guardian' stationed there. Their power far surpasses that of regular 'malicious programs.' Not only that—once you enter the 'labyrinth,' you can't get out again."
Tohsaka Rin seemed to be very well-informed about the place and repeatedly warned Ethan.
"Thank you for your concern, but we have to go in."
It wasn't just to search for information, but also to correct this distorted era.
"But how do you even know what goes on inside?"
Ethan looked suspicious.
"Of course—because I've been in there before."
Tohsaka Rin replied calmly.
"——————?!"
Mash and Ethan looked at each other.
Both of them seemed to realize a contradiction in Tohsaka Rin's words.
"Didn't you just say earlier that once someone enters the 'labyrinth', they can never come back out?"
"Normally, that would be the case."
Tohsaka Rin seemed to be trying to recall some key detail.
"Actually, at that time, I was being hunted down by a 'guardian'. At the last moment, someone suddenly opened a door and saved both me and Lancer."
"A door?"
Ethan seemed to recall something.
"That's right. According to what the medic inside told me, it was the infirmary of Tsukumihara Academy, though I've never heard of there being an infirmary here."
"Matou Sakura?!"
"It's Sakura-san!"
Mash and Ethan exclaimed in unison.
They hadn't expected that she had even saved Tohsaka Rin before.
"After treating me and Lancer, she opened a door and let us out. I just didn't expect that the moment we stepped through, we ended up in a completely unfamiliar city. It took us a lot of effort to make it back here."
As she said this, a clear look of hardship crossed Tohsaka Rin's face.
"Senpai, the place she mentioned was probably Old London, right?"
Mash asked from beside him.
"Yeah… it's very likely."
Although they weren't sure exactly when Tohsaka Rin left that place, what they could be certain of was that by that time, MoonCell had already begun invading London, forming a Singularity.
"After returning, I tried asking around to see if this academy had an infirmary, but there didn't seem to be any records of it at all. After multiple confirmations, I finally found a room in the old school building whose door couldn't be opened. It must've been the abandoned infirmary from long ago."
"————————?!"
Ethan suddenly raised his voice, questioning Tohsaka Rin:
"You said you found the infirmary?!"
Wasn't that exactly the place Matou Sakura had asked him and Mash to find no matter what?!
"Yes… But it couldn't be opened from the outside at all. Eh? Don't tell me you want to go check it out?"
Ethan's face suddenly appeared right in front of Tohsaka Rin, his eyes locked on her.
"Tell me immediately—where's the old school building?!"
Tohsaka Rin's face flushed red with a loud pop, and she meekly raised her hand to point to the right, then muttered softly:
"I-it's… over there…"
"Senpai, looks like we've found it!!!"
Mash also beamed with joy.
"Umu, let's go right away."
Ethan made a quick decision to take Mash there immediately. As long as they found the infirmary, they could recruit Draco and Little Jack into the team. With that lineup, the so-called labyrinth would be nothing to fear.
"No matter what you two are planning… I'm sorry, but I can't let you leave!"
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the distance.
Following the sound, a familiar figure with blue hair appeared before everyone.
"How pathetic, Tohsaka. And you call yourself someone who once defeated me?"
"Matou Shinji?!"
Tohsaka Rin looked at Matou Shinji in disbelief.
"Who would've thought you'd have to rely on handouts from others just to keep hold of your key."
"Hmph, that was an exchange, not a handout!"
Tohsaka Rin retorted, then immediately added in a frustrated voice:
"But why do I have to listen to you say something like that? You're the one who lost to me!"
"Lost to you? Haha!!!"
Matou Shinji burst out laughing.
"It's true I once lost to you. But as long as I don't give up… then it's absolutely not Game Over!!!"
He pointed straight ahead with his hand!
"If you've lost, then you've lost. What kind of twisted logic is that?"
"Shut up! This time I absolutely won't lose! Let them taste it! Caster!!!"
With Matou Shinji's shout, a graceful figure appeared behind him.
"As you wish, Master~"
A fox-eared girl in a blue shrine maiden outfit appeared.
On her face was an ambiguous, bewitching smile. Her long, silky hair was tied neatly with a ribbon at the back of her head.
A pair of soft fox ears stood upright atop her head, irresistibly inviting the urge to pet them.
Behind her was a large, fluffy tail full of charm.
Ethan rubbed his eyes.
Tamamo-no-Mae?!
Wait a minute—Matou Shinji's Servant was supposed to be Captain Drake, wasn't it?
Why is it Tamamo now?
"That damn fox bitch again…"
Tohsaka Rin clearly wasn't pleased with Matou Shinji's presence.
"As someone who's already lost, what do you even think you can do?"
"Don't think I'll lose forever! Can you still say that after seeing this?!"
Behind Matou Shinji, a swarm of black hounds suddenly appeared.
"Grrrraaaa————————!!!"
The black hounds began closing in relentlessly.
"Malicious programs?! Since when did you start controlling those things?!"
Tohsaka Rin cried out in shock at Matou Shinji.
But soon enough, she caught on.
"Don't tell me… those monsters that suddenly showed up in the academy this afternoon—was that your doing too?!"
"Oh yes, Tohsaka. Everything I've done… was of course to defeat you—no, to defeat all of you!!!"
Matou Shinji's gaze swept over Tohsaka Rin and Ethan.
"Even if I have to cheat, I will win this battle!!!"
His face was now full of manic excitement.
"I'm the Champion! There's no way I could lose to anyone!!!"
"At first I thought he was just some harmless fool… I didn't expect him to end up like this…"
Tohsaka Rin muttered in slight self-blame.
"Unlike you, I won't go easy! Caster!!!"
"Getting ready to strike now~?"
Next to Tamamo-no-Mae, a large mirror suddenly appeared.
From within the mirror surged an enormous amount of magical energy.
"Though I'm so sorry, everyone~ but if it's my Master's order, then I guess I have no choice~~~?"
Led by the magic power from the mirror, the black hounds began to grow restless, snarling and growling with rising tension.
"Grrraaaa————————!!!"
Suddenly, as if receiving a command—
The black hounds howled and charged straight at Ethan and Tohsaka Rin!!!
"Run for your lives, Tohsaka, Ethan! The Champion of this academy… will be me and me alone!!!"
Matou Shinji looked completely possessed, the smile on his face twisted into something terrifying.