Ryudou Temple.
A sacred temple that also served as a gateway to the Great Cavern where the Holy Grail was located, and a land barrier that limited the power of even Servants if they entered from anywhere other than the path of the main gate.
The path was a single one, and due to the nature of the mountain, it was a natural fortress. The three families had implicitly never taken control of Ryudou Temple. But…
"So we're going to be staying here for a while."
"Well, it's the plan, so we have no choice."
"Still, it looks nice."
The Einzberns had taken over Ryudou Temple. To be precise, the maids Leysritt, Okita, and Medea had taken over. It was a diversion to hide the fact that the Einzberns had an Assassin and a Caster. And it was also to let Kotomine know, through Cú Chulainn, that an Assassin existed and that the surviving Caster had manifested through illicit means. The other teams would also notice, as it was Ryudou Temple, and it was bait to lure in Rider and the others.
The people of Ryudou Temple were put into a deep sleep and protected by a barrier in another location, and Medea was remodeling Ryudou Temple into a temple.
"I don't know if it's right to be so obvious."
Medea, who was deliberately scattering a ridiculous amount of magical energy and also stealing a little magical energy to openly announce her presence. Okita wondered if this was really the right thing to do.
"Well, it's Lord Fergus's request. He must have a plan. I've heard the plan, and you've heard it too, haven't you?"
"That's true. Honestly, Okita-san, you're not the type to use your head. That's the job of Keisuke-san or Hajime-san, or something that Serizawa-san is good at. I and Hijikata-san are the fighting specialists. We just carry out orders."
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The Shinsengumi's swordsman, the Shinsengumi's ruthless killing machine, Okita spoke nonchalantly. Even if it were to kill a child, she would do it without hesitation if it were an order. She had been like that in life, and that aspect had become particularly strong now that she had manifested as an Assassin.
"Sometimes you give me the creeps. There was no one like you in the Argonauts. No, if I had to say, would Asclepius be the closest?"
"Who's that?"
"He's there, the Mad Doctor."
"Heh, so Okita-san is the villain? It doesn't really matter, though."
Okita sat on the veranda of Ryudou Temple and looked up at the bright sky. The warm, warm sunlight. It reminded her of the time when she could no longer fight with her frail body.
"What are you thinking about?"
"...Lady Medea. You see, I don't really care about good or evil. I'm not interested either. I just cut when I'm told to cut. I believed that the justice of Hijikata-san and Kondo-san was right, and I followed them. I wanted to be with them, always, until the very end. I was even called a killing tool… well, that's literally what I am, so what's the problem? There's only one thing I wished for. I wanted to fight with everyone until the very end, under the flag of the Shinsengumi, which is engraved with sincerity. Even if it was a meaningless death."
"...."
"I didn't want to sit on the eaves like this, bathed in the warm light, and look up at the sky. I just wanted to follow those people, until the very end. I didn't wish for a peaceful death."
"Really… you're the average hero. Everyone wishes for a peaceful end, or at least an end like Perseus'. But sometimes, there are those who want to die fighting, like you. The son of Peleus, Achilles, was a prime example. For a monster in human skin, you have such a belief?"
"Well, I think so too! I didn't think much of it when I cut down Serizawa-san. We had been laughing and spending time together until yesterday, but he became an opponent to be cut down, so I just cut him down."
"That day was just that kind of day. Oh my, did the story go off on a tangent? Anyway… I'm grateful to Lord Fergus for that. Even though it's not the Shinsengumi, I've been given a chance to fight together until I die this time."
"You're really a weirdo… there are quite a few crazy people like you in Greece, but this is the first time I've seen a case of pure evil. Even a god might be afraid…"
"Oh? Was Okita-san on the level of a demon?"
"Even worse… I'm worried about Lord Fergus, who is sincerely friendly with such a woman."
"Are you saying that in front of me? Even Okita-san gets hurt. Anyway, thank you, Lady Medea. I am truly grateful that you and Lord Fergus summoned me. Although the Shinsengumi is not here… my Makoto (Flag of Sincerity) is here. My wish is to die fighting. And Lord Fergus said he would grant it. That is my only wish. So, I'm counting on you until I die."
Okita, who was no longer frail, sincerely thanked Medea for the fact that she could fulfill her wish to die fighting with a healthy body, not to die from illness without being able to fight.
"Really… why are there so many strange people around me?"
"Hey, there are no snacks here."
"Is it because it's a temple? Then shall we go and buy some when we buy dango?"
"Who knows when they'll come, and you're going out!? Just ask Medb to do it. You two just stay here quietly."
""Yes~""
Okita and Leysritt, who got along surprisingly well. Medea sighed, seeing the hardships that lay ahead…
That night…
On a rainy night, Saber headed to Ryudou Temple alone.
Shirou, who had made contact with Shinji and learned that Rider was Shinji's Servant. He rejected Shinji's offer of an alliance, and Shinji, who still looked down on him as a friend and not a mage, had Rider see him off. At that time, Rider, who had been scouting, had given him the information that there was a Servant at Ryudou Temple…
Shirou and Rin, unlike Saber who wanted to charge in at once, had a skeptical reaction, saying that it was dangerous to rush into Ryudou Temple without any information, and they decided to gather information and then go. In reality, it was Shirou's indecisive decision, as he didn't like the idea of a girl, Saber, fighting…
Saber, who had sensed this with her intuition, had her pride hurt, and with her longing for the Holy Grail, she had headed to the temple alone at night when everyone was asleep. She had met the three Knight classes, Rider, and Berserker, so the only ones left were Assassin and Caster. With the confidence that she could handle it on her own, she ran towards the rainy main gate.
And her eyes met with the female swordswoman who was guarding the main gate.
"A sword…? I see, you are an Assassin."
"I am the Captain of the First Division of the Shinsengumi, Okita Souji. I suppose that's enough of an introduction."
Okita closed her eyes and bowed her head. She pulled one leg back and took a drawing stance. The distance between the main gate and the stairs where Saber was standing was quite far. Saber, who was puzzled by this, saw the immediate future with her intuition.
"{Haori of Vows}(誓いの羽織)"
Okita, who wore her Noble Phantasm haori, and her overall parameters were raised by one rank. Her current agility was…
EX rank.
CLANG!!!!!!!
"Kuh!?"
A single flash that was cut down with a tremendous speed. Saber, who had barely blocked the drawing technique that had charged at the speed of sound with her intuition. The single flash that was cut down with a tremendous speed, combined with the force of inertia, almost made her topple backwards, but she barely managed to regain her balance. She couldn't help but be surprised by Okita, who was faster than any opponent she had ever seen.
Okita, whose agility, which was originally A+, had become EX through the sonic speed of the Shunpo and the rank-up Noble Phantasm, was a storm.
Dash! Dash! Dash!
"I can't see her…!?"
Okita, who was moving at the speed of sound, using Shunpo without a break. At such a tremendous speed, only afterimages were slightly visible, and even Saber's vision could not keep up. An Archer who had seen her in a certain Holy Grail War had evaluated her thus.
Warp.
It was literally such a technique. A swordswoman, but at the same time, a killer who would do anything if ordered. There was no reason to fight her head-on in a fair and square manner.
And yet, her strength was D as an Assassin, and even with the rank-up, it was C. Her raw strength was inferior to Saber's. But…
CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!!!!
"Kuh! What power…!"
The power added to the speed was tremendous. And yet, what shocked Saber was the characters engraved on the sword that was cutting her.
The Primordial Runes.
She knew, as she had seen Rune magic before. But she was shocked, as she had sensed with her intuition that those runes were on a different level. The magic of the divine realm that Merlin had taught her as knowledge. The Primordial Runes were a magic created by the king of the Norse gods, Odin.
And she, a mere Japanese swordswoman, was using it.
Not only that. If she looked closely, she could see the runes engraved on her clothes. All of them were enhancement runes. Strength, reaction speed, eyesight, etc. There were numerous buffs. And even…
"Enchant…"
Her sword was enchanted by Medea. It was originally just a good, famous sword, but it had become a Noble Phantasm through Fergus and Medea.
"Hah…! Strike air!!!"
KRAKOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
Saber predicted the next attack with her intuition and instantly released the Invisible Air, unleashing the Strike Air.
KSHHHHHHK…!!!
"You're not bad, Saber."
"What is that sword and those clothes… who is behind you!?"
"Is there any reason to tell an enemy?"
CLANG!!!
Okita's blade, no longer frail, was cut down even faster, like a storm. Saber was gradually being pushed back. The difference between the best swordswoman with the best supporter and the worst Master with a mediocre swordswoman was too great. Unlike Okita, who had no major injuries, Saber was becoming a mess.
Then, Okita's sword began to glow. A blue magical energy that swirled like the wind gathered on the sword, and Okita unleashed a full-force thrust.
BOOM!!!!
"Gah!"
She couldn't dodge it on the narrow stairs, and she tried to block it with her holy sword, but Saber was sent flying backwards and tumbled down the stairs, falling unconscious at the bottom of the mountain.
"...Well, this should be enough. She's not my opponent, after all."
Okita, who had completed her mission by driving her off, saw in the distance, with her enhanced vision, Shirou running over, picking up Saber, and running away. She then entered Ryudou Temple. In the first place, Okita had been hoping to die fighting a warrior acknowledged by Fergus, Cú Chulainn, and she had had no expectations for Saber, who had been evaluated as lacking in skill by Fergus.
And so, the days of the Holy Grail War passed.