Rin Tohsaka stared at the figure before her, already her heart was filled with terror. Even her father's magical energy had only warmed the gem slightly. But the heat radiating from it now was almost unbearable, as if the being in front of her wasn't human, but a concentrated mass of magical energy.
Years of cultivating a stoic demeanor kept her expression neutral. However, her composure faltered when she saw the small figure in the stranger's arms.
"Sakura?" Rin's eyes narrowed. "Were you the one responsible for all those missing children?" Her voice dripped with venom. "You monster! You deserve to die a thousand deaths!"
Rin charged, intent on attacking the stranger and rescuing her sister. However, a single finger pressed against her forehead stopped her in her tracks.
"Little girl, this isn't a place for children. Go back where you came from."
Rin, expecting a fatal blow, blinked in surprise. "You're not the one who's been kidnapping and killing children?"
"Hmm, while I wouldn't call myself a good person, I would never harm a child."
"That's not true! Berserker is a good person!" Sakura interjected, nestled in Ailin's arms.
"Hahaha, Little Master, the lines between good and evil aren't always so clear. But judging by what we're about to do, I suppose we can be considered the 'good guys' today."
After this brief explanation to Sakura, Ailin turned back to Rin. "Little girl, while you possess some magical energy, you lack the means to utilize it. And the battle about to take place isn't something a child like you should witness. Leave now, before it begins."
"No!" Though fear flickered in her eyes, Rin stood firm. "My friend was kidnapped by that monster. I have to save her."
"Is that so? As you wish." Ailin smiled, withdrawing his finger.
"Berserker…" Sakura concerningly tugged on Ailin's haori. She thought he'd abandoned Rin.
"Don't worry, Little Master," Ailin nodded reassuringly. "That Servant is insignificant. He poses no threat to me." Then, to Rin, he said, "Stay close. I won't be responsible if you're caught in the crossfire."
"Hmph, you should treat a lady with more respect. Why don't you carry me too?" Rin grumbled, falling into step behind him.
From the conversation between Sakura and this terrifyingly powerful being, she deduced that her sister, like their father, was a Master in the Grail War, and this man in the white haori was Sakura's Servant.
"Little lady, do you think I can defeat the enemy with just my feet if I'm carrying both of you?" Ailin glanced at his left arm, currently occupied by Sakura.
Rin, though annoyed, fell silent. He had a point. If he carried her as well, he'd have to fight with his feet.
Compared to Rin's gem, Ailin's spiritual awareness was far superior. He easily detected the magical energy clinging to Ryūnosuke Uryū, the lingering traces of Gilles de Rais.
Stopping before a nondescript house, Ailin paused. The scene inside wasn't suitable for children. He wouldn't let them witness it.
"Chains of Heaven!" Sensing several life signs within, Ailin decided against using his Zanpakutō. He would bind his targets and drag them out.
Blackish-red spatial ripples shimmered above him. Five golden chains snaked through the walls, descending upon Ryūnosuke Uryū and Gilles de Rais in the basement below.
Gilles de Rais, a third-rate Servant, was no match for Chains of Heaven.
The chains bound their targets, then ripped through the walls, dragging the two figures out into the open. Ailin, after a quick glance at the startled onlookers, scooped Rin into his arms and leaped into the air. The blackish-red ripples followed, pulling Gilles and Ryūnosuke along as Ailin flew towards the port.
The residents, drawn by the commotion, turned on their lights. Some of the braver men, armed with sticks and bats, cautiously entered the house. Inside, they discovered a gruesome scene—the victims of Ryūnosuke and Gilles, their bodies mutilated, and in the basement, four children, bound and gagged.
A wave of horror washed over them. Ryūnosuke Uryū, in their eyes, had been a respectable young man with a steady job. None had suspected him of being the child kidnapper and serial killer who had terrorized their city.
The police arrived soon after, sealed off the area and launched a full investigation. They were horrified to discover that Ryūnosuke's victims numbered sixty-seven, including children, missing women, and even some seemingly random individuals, all meticulously documented in his journal. However, they couldn't explain how the walls had been destroyed, or how Ryūnosuke himself had vanished.
…
The wind whipped at Rin's face as she buried her head in Ailin's shoulder. She found herself even more annoyed by Sakura's Servant. He'd claimed he couldn't fight while carrying her, yet here he was, flying effortlessly with both her and Sakura, having effortlessly captured both the Servant and his Master.
Ailin's speed, enhanced by Sakura's magical energy, was incredible. With his Agility now at A++ rank, it took him only seconds to reach the port where he had fought Artoria and Diarmuid earlier that night.
Gently lowering himself to the ground, Ailin ignored Ryūnosuke Uryū and focused on Gilles de Rais, pulling him closer with Chains of Heaven.
"Gilles de Rais, once a comrade of Jeanne d'Arc…"
At the mention of Jeanne d'Arc, Gilles's calm façade cracked, replaced by a look of desperate longing. "Jeanne… you know Jeanne? How is she? Where is she?"
"Silence, Gilles de Rais." Ailin frowned. "You may have been a valuable comrade to Jeanne in your earlier years, but your actions since her death have brought shame upon her name. You are unworthy of even speaking it."
Gilles de Rais, Jeanne d'Arc's right-hand man during her campaigns, had descended into madness after her execution, delving into alchemy and murdering hundreds of children. It was this shared depravity that made him so compatible with Ryūnosuke Uryū. Even without a catalyst, Ryūnosuke had successfully summoned him.
"For Jeanne's sake, I'll grant you a swift, painless death." Ailin released Gilles from Chains of Heaven.
"Jeanne… where is Jeanne?" Freed from his restraints, Gilles didn't attack. He stumbled around, desperately searching for his lost saint.
Ignoring the now-deranged Servant, Ailin turned his attention to Ryūnosuke Uryū. Like Kirei Kotomine, Ryūnosuke was pure evil, believing his actions were a form of art. Ailin would show him true art.
A blackish-red spatial ripple appeared. A Zanpakutō emerged, embedding itself in the ground before him. Gently setting Rin down, Ailin placed his hand on the Zanpakutō and his spiritual pressure increased.
"Bankai—Muramasa!"
Ailin was now utilizing the Bankai ability of Koga's Zanpakutō, Muramasa. This ability allowed him to enter a Shinigami's inner world, amplify their Zanpakutō's resentment towards its wielder, alter its memories, and grant it a physical form to serve him. However, as the master of countless Zanpakutō, Ailin didn't need to manipulate their emotions or memories. He simply granted them physical form.
The Zanpakutō before him glowed brightly. As the light faded, Retsu Unohana, Captain of the Fourth Division with pigtails, stood before him.
"Lord Ailin."
After bowing slightly to Ailin, the woman who looked like Retsu Unohana stood up and listened to Ailin's instructions.
"Unohana, I'll leave that human to you. I've already cast Kyōka Suigetsu on him, amplifying his senses a hundredfold. Ensure he experiences everything his victims endured. Can you do that?"
"Of course, Lord Ailin. Whether it's killing or healing, I'm the best."
Rin, witnessing this transformation, gaped. This Servant could turn his weapons into other Servants? And judging by the similar haori worn by this new Servant, Rin felt she was on the verge of a startling revelation.
After Unohana led Ryūnosuke away, Ailin frowned at the still-deranged Gilles de Rais.
"I gave you a chance, Gilles. Don't blame me for this." He shook his head.
Blackish-red spatial ripples appeared above him. Dozens of Zanpakutō emerged, pointing at Gilles.
The blades transformed into blackish-red lightning and struck.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Amidst the explosions, Gilles de Rais, impaled by multiple Zanpakutō, stared at the surrounding flames. He was suddenly back in the square, watching Jeanne d'Arc burn. Back then, he hadn't had the power to resist. But now…
Despite his injuries, Gilles de Rais reached for his Noble Phantasm, Prelati's Spellbook. This A+ rank Noble Phantasm, equal in power to Iskandar's Ionioi Hetairoi, was a summoning-type Noble Phantasm. By unleashing its true name, Gilles de Rais could command the monsters of the deep.
BOOM!
An immense surge of magical energy erupted from the human skin-bound book. The Mion River seemed to connect to an abyssal realm. Countless sea monsters emerged, surging towards the shore.
"Tch, such foul creatures."
Ailin shook his head in disgust. Abyssal monsters were inherently corrupt. Even Gilgamesh, after using three Noble Phantasms to destroy a similar monster at Tokiomi Tohsaka's behest, had refused to retrieve them, due to him being disgusted by the taint.
Unlike Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon, the Zanpakutō within Ailin's Unlimited Blade Works possessed a rudimentary consciousness, even the Asauchi, the unawakened blades.