85 – The Headless Rider Attacks
At that moment, Artoria glanced meaningfully at Jeanne's stomach.
The silver-haired girl immediately felt like she was being mocked.
Enraged, she raised her flag, ready to unleash flames.
"Anyway, just burn it all down!!!"
"Pause! Calm down! Hard to believe, I know, but the Shinjuku Archer you mentioned is actually someone else," the bearded man said, backing away in a panic.
"Huh?! Has your Spirit Origin degraded so badly it's fried your brain too?" Jeanne stared at him in disbelief.
The bearded man flailed about in a desperate attempt to explain. "I'm telling you! The one who kicked you was the bad me, and the one standing here is the good me. Ahh... Saying I'm the good one myself—what a humiliating roleplay! Even I feel so ashamed!"
"You think anyone's going to believe that garbage? Toast it is!" Jeanne raised her flag again.
"Wait, Master! Say something to help me out here!" the bearded man pleaded to his Master.
"Mm, he's a good guy." Gudako nodded and told Jeanne sincerely.
Jeanne looked at Gudako in surprise. "Uh... Chaldea's little girl, are you okay in the head? Did he infect you or something? Maybe you should get checked at a hospital?"
"Jeanne, hard to believe as it is, this Shinjuku Archer is not the same as the enemy's one," Shirou explained.
"R...Really?" Jeanne frowned, eyeing everyone's expressions. She still couldn't believe it and wondered if this was all a setup to mess with her.
"Trust him," Gudako said.
"Sorry, that's impossible." Jeanne flatly waved her hand in refusal without a second thought.
"Why not?!" the bearded man wailed, tears flowing as he fell to his knees again.
"Well, he is definitely suspicious, but this Shinjuku Archer's Spirit Origin is damaged.
He's even forgotten his true name. He's in no condition to hurt you.
Plus, he risked his life to save Gudako earlier.
So for now, let's at least give him the benefit of the doubt," Shirou said.
Jeanne thought about it for a moment. "Hmph… another side of you, huh? Since Shirou and Gudako both say so… fine! I still don't trust you, but I'll allow you to follow us for now!"
Artoria interjected, "Who gave you permission to make that decision? I haven't agreed to let you come with us yet."
Jeanne fired back, "If this suspicious Archer gets to tag along, then there's no reason I can't! And besides, Shirou already invited me!"
"Alright, in any case, let's head back to the base. After that commotion earlier, I'm sure we've drawn in some trouble already," Shirou said.
"Wait, Shirou! Are you seriously bringing that woman back to base? Think this through!
Once that charging freak latches onto you, you'll never shake her off!
Just listen to her constant shouting, and every step she takes, her armor and chains go clang clang clang—it's so annoying!" Artoria Alter warned.
"You noisy black thing, you're the same—wait, what are you wearing?" Jeanne Alter suddenly noticed Artoria's outfit for the first time: a black trench coat, shorts, and a silver X-shaped accessory around her neck.
Jeanne awkwardly commented, "That actually suits you... not that I care or anything! I mean, I don't care at all, but I'm curious—why're you dressed like that? Again, not interested or anything!"
"Hmph, foolish girl. Unlike you, a newbie Heroic Spirit, I'm an experienced veteran.
This is Shinjuku! As a summoned Servant, adapting to local customs and wearing the most fitting outfit is only natural!" Artoria Alter replied smugly.
"Hmph... Hmm... Hmph... Uh—ah! I sense something off over there! I'm going to scout it out!" Jeanne Alter suddenly said, dragging her words while scanning the dilapidated buildings around them, finally locking onto a run-down shop.
"Shirou! Stay right here! If you dare leave me behind—I'll burn you alive!" she shouted as she bolted toward the clothing shop.
"That excuse was so forced that I can't even find a reason to stop her," Artoria muttered.
"Let's wait for her," Shirou said helplessly.
"No problem waiting, but trouble's already on its way," the bearded man warned.
From ahead came the roar of engines.
A gang of motorcycles was speeding toward them.
From Chaldea, Mash relayed through detection magic, "Senpai, be careful—three strong magical signatures are mixed into the approaching convoy."
Then several arrows flew through the air, striking the ground just meters in front of the oncoming bikers.
"Yahahaha! What are you even aiming at?!" the leader of the biker gang laughed loudly and revved his engine, preparing to charge forward.
Just then, the arrows embedded in the ground exploded.
The massive blast flipped the front-line motorcycles, sending them crashing into the ones behind.
It was a horrific wreck.
More than a dozen bikes smashed and tangled together, pinning the stunned mage-riders beneath them.
The three-headed magical beasts that had been chained behind the convoy—tamed chimeras—just flopped down lazily, unmoving now that no one was guiding them.
"That should take care of things for now," Shirou said softly as he put away his bow.
But just as he spoke, a thunderous roar shook the ground.
Something massive was charging toward them.
"A more dangerous enemy is coming!!!" the bearded man shouted in alarm.
"Is this monster drawn by the earlier fire and explosions?" Artoria frowned.
A black headless rider, mounted on a giant wolf, was barreling toward them at a speed that seemed to break the sound barrier.
Before the three-headed chimeras could even react, the giant wolf bit off their heads one by one.
"Waaahhhh!!" The biker mages, still crawling out from under their bikes, were smashed flat by the beast's enormous claws.
It completely ignored the leaking fuel from the destroyed bikes.
BOOM! A deafening blast echoed as bike after bike exploded in a chain reaction a hundred meters away.
The blue-and-red flames surged several meters into the air, swept by the pressure wave.
The giant wolf stood unharmed in the inferno, like a mythic demon god bathed in divine blood and feasting on corpses. It raised its head and let out a piercing howl.
"Awooooo!!!"
"This monster... is just unfair!"
The searing wind, thick with gasoline and the stench of scorched flesh, blew toward Gudako and Shirou.
Shirou quickly reached out, pulling Gudako into his arms, and threw one side of his coat over her head.
He could feel the dust stinging against his skin, and the burning heat from the wind was beginning to scorch.
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