A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 1133 - Chapter 1133 Chapter 776 A Long Night

Chapter 1133: Chapter 776: A Long Night Chapter 1133: Chapter 776: A Long Night Rin Tohsaka had imagined many scenarios of reuniting with her sister, but, she had to admit, this was the most awkward one yet.

“Anyway… why are we here?”

Rin Tohsaka coughed and looked around. She knew Fuyuki City like the back of her hand and recognized immediately that they were near the old residential district. But she had just been in the office building in the new district?

“This is the characteristic of imaginary number magic. I can open a portal from any space and teleport, and because I was watching Sister closely, I was able to rescue you so quickly.”

“Um… thanks…”

Although Rin Tohsaka had asked casually, Sakura quickly provided an answer. However, the answer made Rin Tohsaka’s heart sink. Teleportation among modern magicians was considered nearly as powerful as magic, and it was shocking to see Sakura using such high-level magic so effortlessly.

“Is that your ASSASSIN?”

Rin Tohsaka quickly changed the subject, turning to look at the girl standing behind Sakura. She couldn’t help but admit, even by Rin Tohsaka’s standards, the girl’s attire was quite strange. She understood why ARCHER had been somewhat at a loss for words when describing her; it was really hard to know what to say.

Behind Sakura was a girl who seemed slightly older, with golden hair and red eyes. She had dazzling long golden hair, and her head was adorned with what seemed like wing-like ears. Of course, as a Heroic Spirit, this wasn’t too strange, but what was most odd was not her appearance but her attire.

The girl wore something like a one-piece swimsuit, with a holster at her waist and a huge firearm in hand, and she also wore a long-sleeved jacket and a black beret, which made her look more like a soldier.

Moreover, what puzzled Rin Tohsaka even more was the design on the girl’s clothes–a skull and War Hammer… was this some religious symbol?

If it’s an ancient religion, isn’t this equipment too modernized?

“Ahahaha…”

Hearing Rin Tohsaka’s question, Sakura scratched her cheek embarrassedly.

“This… there was actually a problem…”

“Problem?”

“Yes, there might have been something wrong with the medium I used when summoning the Servant, which caused the Servant’s spiritual foundation to become abnormal and appear like this…”

“What kind of medium did you use to summon such a Servant?”

Hearing Sakura’s answer, Rin Tohsaka was dumbfounded while Sakura gave a bitter smile and looked away–in fact, the medium Sakura used to summon the Servant was not an ancient Holy Relic. Although the El-Melloi family, being in control of the archaeology department, had come into contact with many Holy Relics, Sakura had not used those ancient relics. Instead, she chose the amulet that Duanmu Huai had left her and also Reines and Fiore before he departed–the Cross of a skull and War Hammer.

Perhaps, Sakura was not very concerned about the Holy Grail War, she just wanted to try if she could summon a Servant using this medium.

But she hadn’t expected to summon such a Servant…

“Anyway, thanks for saving me.”

Rin Tohsaka didn’t ask further; it was Sakura’s Servant after all, and asking too much might seem like fishing for information. Of course, she wasn’t surprised that Sakura had found her, considering that Sakura had the most skilled ASSASSIN, who might have been following them during their investigation.

“By the way, what was that shadow? Sister, do you know?”

At this moment, Sakura also turned her gaze back to Rin Tohsaka, who shook her head.

“No, I’ve never heard of anything like it in the Holy Grail War, but I can say for certain, that thing is definitely not a Servant.”

That’s right, as Masters, both Rin Tohsaka and Sakura could affirm this. The boiling, seemingly self-aware black mud was not any Servant’s Noble Phantasm but rather resembled some kind of mysterious living entity.

“Anyway, it seems that the entity attacking humans in Fuyuki and causing their disappearances is that thing, and clearly, it’s somehow related to RIDER’s Master.”

Rin Tohsaka’s investigations had not been in vain; dozens of students had disappeared without any information or clues. After witnessing the shadow’s attack, Rin Tohsaka suspected that the shadow was the mastermind behind it all. After all, even Servants couldn’t escape its engulfment, so ordinary people probably wouldn’t stand a chance before being completely devoured.

What exactly was that thing?

Rin Tohsaka didn’t know, and neither did Sakura, but clearly, this was no longer merely a time to fight each other for the Holy Grail War.

“So, Sakura,”

Rin Tohsaka took a deep breath and started speaking to her sister.

“I hope we can make a temporary alliance contract, stop fighting each other, and together confront that shadow and RIDER to eliminate the threat. What do you think?”

Faced with Rin Tohsaka’s request, Sakura gave an immediate and decisive answer.

“I refuse.”

“…”

Perhaps it was the abrupt nature of Sakura’s refusal that left both Rin Tohsaka and ARCHER momentarily speechless.

“Sister, you’re speaking as the head of the Tohsaka family and the manager of this land, right? If that’s the case, then I won’t agree to your request. I detest the Tohsaka family that abandoned me, so if you’re speaking in that capacity, no matter what you say, I’ll refuse.”

Sakura stared quietly at Rin Tohsaka. Although her voice wasn’t loud, the firm will within those soft tones was something even Rin Tohsaka could feel–it was obvious that Sakura truly despised the Tohsaka family. Of course, standing in her shoes, Rin Tohsaka could understand.

“However, if sister is asking for help from your sister in your own capacity, then I might consider it.”

After saying this, Sakura blinked at Rin Tohsaka, who closed her eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then took a deep breath before reopening her eyes to look at Sakura again.

“Then, can you lend me your strength, Sakura?”

“Of course.”

This time, Sakura smiled and quickly responded.

“I’d be happy to help Sister.”

Subsequently, she spoke.

At that very moment, Duanmu Huai and his group also left the Einzbern Castle and returned to Fuyuki City.

“How is Ilya?”

Watching Alice Phil emerge from the room, Duanmu Huai asked, his expression somewhat grave.

“Ilya… she is indeed my child.”

“? What are you saying at this point?”

Faced with Alice Phil’s sudden statement, Duanmu Huai was utterly confused, while Alice Phil shook her head.

“To tell the truth, I’ve always been thinking, maybe Ilya isn’t my daughter, maybe this memory was fabricated by Grandfather Acht to control her. After all, most artificial humans are created with a blank memory, making them easy to manipulate. But that child… she is not an artificial human; she was born a human, and she had undergone modifications…”

“I see.”

Hearing this, Duanmu Huai nodded.

“So, you mean to say that because Ilya underwent modifications, she couldn’t possibly be an artificial human.”

“……….”

Alice Phil nodded. The reason was, in fact, quite clear because artificial humans are designed before being created, so there was no need for further modifications. Only humans would need such modifications, and the technological strength of the Einzbern Family in this area was something Alice Phil naturally knew.

“That child’s body underwent severe modifications, her lifespan is almost at an end, but it’s a good thing Medea is here… at least she can restore much of her vitality, though it will be tough for her to grow any further.”

“What’s the difference, Ilya is just over ten years old, she hasn’t even hit puberty yet, she might still grow.”

“……….that child is already eighteen years old.”

“……….ha?”

Duanmu Huai was genuinely stunned.

“You’re joking, she looks only about ten?”

“Due to the modifications by the Einzbern, her physical development stopped… that child probably has to live out her life looking like this.”

Well, what a Celestial Maiden of Mount Tianshan…

Duanmu Huai silently made a remark in his mind when Alice Phil once again looked at him seriously.

“MASTER, in fact, there’s one more thing I need to inform you about, we’ve found where the abnormality in the problem lies.”

“Oh?”

Hearing Alice Phil’s words, Duanmu Huai immediately became more alert.

“Really?”

“Yes, this is what I found out after conversing with Ilya.”

According to Alice Phil, during her brief interaction with Ilya upon awakening, Ilya, puzzled, told Alice Phil that she had not retrieved any Servants’ souls, so Ilya wanted to ask if it was Alice Phil who had retrieved these souls.

This naturally shocked Alice Phil–Ilyasviel was the Lesser Grail, which was not surprising. But the actual issue was that, since yesterday, they had personally killed CASTER, and that golden, shining ARCHER before. As the Lesser Grail, Ilya should have retrieved the souls of at least two Servants.

However, Ilya said she hadn’t received any, thinking it was Alice Phil who had taken them.

But Alice Phil knew that she hadn’t retrieved the souls of any Servants either.

Then the problem arose.

Where did the souls of CASTER and that glimmering ARCHER go?

“Could it be that they went back to the Holy Grail?”

After hearing Alice Phil’s report, Duanmu Huai furrowed his brows and asked while Alice Phil shook her head.

“Absolutely not. After the Third Holy Grail War, the Holy Grail’s functions became partially impaired, so since the Fourth Holy Grail War, I have been used as the vessel for the Lesser Grail to retrieve the souls of Servants. Logically speaking, in the Holy Grail War, the souls of defeated Servants should be retrieved by either me or Ilya. If neither of us received them, then it means… there must be another Lesser Grail in this Holy Grail War!”

“Wow, are these things now wholesale and retail? Do you have any leads?”

“None.”

Alice Phil shook her head.

“The technology to create a Lesser Grail is only known by the Einzbern family, and adjusting an artificial Grail takes time; it’s simply not possible to complete it quickly. To be honest, if Ilya and I hadn’t failed to retrieve any souls, I wouldn’t even consider this possibility…”

“So, what now?”

“Absorption of souls will inevitably leave traces. I plan to collaborate with Miss Medea to conduct a comprehensive scan of Fuyuki City, starting from this aspect. If we can discover any anomalies…”

“I understand.”

Since Alice Phil already had a plan, Duanmu Huai naturally wouldn’t stop her.

“Then go ahead.”

After all, he just needed to focus on fighting. Letting others handle the thinking was probably for the best.