A black cloud of dust followed a mighty explosion as Saber took the fight with Berserker to the jungle, both landing in an abandoned cemetery.
As they fought, Black and Sakura casually walked through the forest, advancing toward the blast's location.
"… Does it hurt?" Black asked, keeping his eyes straight.
Sakura's hand involuntarily landed just above her stomach. "… It's like… a missing emotion…" she tried to describe. "It doesn't hurt, but it does pain… I don't know…"
Black had tried to simulate this feeling of emptiness by blocking one of his emotions with Ad Infinitum's help. However, he had not felt any emptiness. Whatever it was that was making Sakura feel so, it went deeper than his current understanding of emotions. At least, the AI couldn't replicate the feeling.
It became more ironic given that it was he who had caused this situation using My House, My Rules.
She can't be the only one feeling so, Black contemplated, looking at the girl from the corner of his eyes. If she's feeling this emptiness, then the other her must be feeling the same.
That was a disaster brewing, reaching the brink of apocalypse, nothing else, Black knew. That's why he needed to keep this Sakura close to him even more.
It wasn't for her safety, though.
Black was keeping Sakura on his side for his safety, even if it meant letting her know the truth about his plan regarding the Holy Grail, which, luckily, worked out in his favor.
For beings like Dark Sakura, Saber Alter, Enkidu, Gilgamesh, etc., there was no concept of a power cap.
What if this emptiness that Sakura and Dark Sakura were feeling could become something potent enough to one-shot Black, making his Quality drop?!
Now that was a Lucky Intuition Kai couldn't afford to see come true.
Medea… Black called out in his mind. Anything?
No, Master, Caster replied. If Assassin is here, then he's too proficient in hiding his presence.
What about Rider? Black asked.
She's keeping an eye out for The Shadow, Medea assured him. Don't worry. Even that Thing can't just appear next to you with me by your side, Master.
Black let out a sigh inwardly. If it wasn't for the unknown variables, he could have gone all out, combined his strength with Berserker like he had done at the Matou Mansion, and taken down at least one Servant today.
Now, he could only leave it to Berserker while he remained near Sakura to run away at a moment's notice.
Because, for now, Black had no way to counter Dark Sakura's unlimited powers if Enkidu just decided to let her run amok for a while.
In such an unlucky scenario, he would need Sakura's help because —
— She shared something with her evil counterpart that could turn the tables of the entire Holy Grail War.
…
Rin and Shirou ran toward the new battlefield through the jungle.
"Shirou!" Rin suddenly shouted. "You go after Saber. He will look after you."
Shirou instantly understood that she was talking about Assassin, not Archer. "Where are you going?"
Rin hesitated. "Berserker is too strong," she told him. "Even if Saber had not been injured, it would have been a hard battle. Now that she is, the only way to give Saber and Archer a chance is to take down Berserker's Master."
"Take down…" Shirou's mouth remained open as he realized what Rin meant. "You don't mean to…"
"Or do you prefer Saber getting killed by Berserker, instead?" Rin snapped, making Shirou shut up. "Because that would happen if I don't do anything…"
Shirou remained quiet for a while. "What about that woman?"
"What woman?"
"The one in purple robes," Shirou remembered. "She was with Black and Berserker as well at the Matou Mansion."
"Humph!" Rin scoffed. "If she could join in this battle, then she would have. I am pretty sure Caster must be on the lookout for The Shadow. Don't worry about me. You just… What are you smiling for?"
Shirou looked at Rin with a gleam in his eyes. "You are very smart…"
Rin blushed and instantly took a different turn, cursing him under her breath.
…
"There are two more Servants in a mile radius," Assassin warned as Rin saw Black and Sakura's silhouettes. "One is Caster. She isn't even trying to hide her presence."
"Lancer?" Rin guessed.
"No." Archer rejected the idea. "It doesn't feel like him. Also… He is not Presence Hiding sort…"
"So, if it's not Archer," Rin said, her heart skipping a beat, "it must be Rider!"
Assassin and Archer nodded at her guess in silence.
"Wait… something's wrong," Rin said, frowning. "Why is Rider here? She can't ambush… Unless she's protecting her Master. But then who…"
Suddenly, out of the blue, it hit Rin. Black had mentioned it at the very start — We all are Masters here…
"It's Sakura?!" Rin gasped. "She's Rider's Master?!"
"Your phony Priest did mention Sakura's abnormal state after dividing into two," Archer said. "It's possible that Rider was gathering Life Force to help Sakura without telling her."
Rin's knuckles went white as she realized that she and Shirou, despite having three Servants of their own, were outnumbered from the very start.
Still, for now, it didn't change anything.
The restrictions that applied to Caster were applicable to Rider as well.
So, just as Rin saw Black and Sakura walking next to each other, she pointed her left hand toward him, taking a deep breath.
She wasn't like Shirou when it came to this.
All her life, she had been preparing herself for this War — to win!
There's no way she would let stupid things get in her way, preventing her from doing what was necessary.
So, as her gaze hardened, Rin fired dozens of Mana shots at Black's back.
With a sizzling boom, the Gandr Bullets hurled across the space like missiles, having enough power to obliterate any Mage.
However, just as they were about to hit Black, Sakura stopped and looked over her shoulder.
In a fraction of a second, tiny black bubbles sprouted behind Black, meeting each Mana bullet before — devouring them.
Rin, gobsmacked, saw her Mana disappearing into pure blackness.
"Impossible…" she hissed, stumbling back a step. "Imaginary Number Space?!"
*****************
AN: Original Image of Rin attacking Black and Sakura with Gandr Shots is available
Up to 60 more chapters are available in advance across three Tiers. [Use the link in my webnovel profile to access all options]
You can even subscribe Trial Tier for just 1 dollar to have an experience of exclusive chapters for an entire month. I hope a few of you will consider supporting the work.
100 Power Stones: +1 Bonus Chapter