[ Shirou Emiya was also shocked by this scene, but before he could recover, Saber Alter had already landed beside him. ]
[ It was then that Shirou Emiya clearly saw Saber's transformation. The Holy Sword in her hand now emitted an ominous aura, and her armor was covered in red patterns like blood vessels! ]
[ At this moment, the iron mask-like armor on her face suddenly cracked and fell to the ground. Shirou Emiya stared blankly at Saber Alter's lifeless eyes. ]
[ Saber Alter pointed her sword at Shirou Emiya and watched him for a while before suddenly returning to the center of the battlefield. She spoke coldly to Hassan of the Cursed Arm, who had appeared, "My mission is complete. The rest is up to you." ]
[ Hassan of the Cursed Arm looked at Shirou Emiya and the others in front of him and thanked Saber Alter, "Thank you very much. I will redeem myself." ]
[ Shirou Emiya watched as red patterns began to appear under Saber Alter's feet and cried out to her in pain, "Saber!!" ]
[ Saber Alter ignored him. A shadowy figure that had been trying to infect Emiya Archer emerged from under Saber Alter's feet, engulfing him in a red sphere, which then disappeared into the red patterns below. ]
[ .....]
~Projection of All Worlds~
"So she can talk after all. Does this mean Saber still has consciousness?"
Everyone had watched Saber Alter from her appearance until now without her uttering a single word. They had initially thought she had been completely corrupted, losing her consciousness and becoming a puppet-like existence controlled by someone.
It wasn't until Saber Alter spoke that everyone was dumbfounded. So you do have self-awareness!
~Type-Moon World, Fourth Holy Grail War Worldline~
"Is it because of the influence of that inexplicable black mud infection?"
As the saying goes, an outsider watches the show, while an expert sees the inner workings. The King of Conquerors had already discovered the unusual aspects.
"Saber Alter only released her Noble Phantasm for the final blow; everything else seemed to be pure magical energy release!!"
It was precisely because of this that he felt incredibly surprised. The power unleashed by just the magical energy release in the previous attacks was something no ordinary Servant could match.
However, that Berserker should not be underestimated either. Dying and resurrecting again and again, and then being greatly weakened by the influence of the black mud, yet still possessing such outstanding combat power, he must have been a great hero in the past.
It's just a pity that he was summoned in the Berserker class!! He was greatly weakened instead.
~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~
To say who understood Saber Alter best, it was Saber herself. Looking at Saber Alter's performance, she could already roughly discern the situation.
"After being corrupted by the black mud, my Instinct has decreased, and my speed has been greatly weakened, but my Strength has increased. I've practically become half a Berserker!!"
Berserker's punch was actually blocked by Saber Alter, and she even counter-killed with an uppercut. Does this mean she's like Saber with the Strength boost of a Berserker?
And her consciousness still exists, so why would she attack Shirou Emiya and the others?! It doesn't make sense!
"I think Saber has a point, but what about that magical energy?!"
Rin Tohsaka largely agreed with Saber's view. The only thing that didn't make sense was Saber's magical energy.
Heroic Spirits need their Master to supply magical energy to maintain their actions and release their Noble Phantasms. Shirou Emiya was weak precisely because he couldn't meet Saber's magical energy demands.
But... looking at Saber Alter on the screen, who was throwing magical energy around like it was free, who could have such immense power, unless it was the Holy Grail!!
.....
[ After Saber Alter left, Shirou Emiya held Illya's hand, and with Rin Tohsaka, they began to flee through the forest, because Hassan of the Cursed Arm was relentlessly pursuing them from behind! ]
[ "Ah!" Illya accidentally tripped over a vine. Shirou Emiya quickly embraced Illya, and the two tumbled down the hillside. ]
[ Seeing this, Rin Tohsaka gritted her teeth and decided to cover their retreat, transforming into a Gatling gun and firing red magic bullets at Hassan of the Cursed Arm behind them! ]
[ As a Servant, Hassan of the Cursed Arm easily dodged the magic bullets. With a few leaps through the forest, he bypassed Rin Tohsaka and appeared behind Illya and Shirou Emiya. ]
[ "This is the end, boy! Die!" As soon as Hassan of the Cursed Arm finished speaking, several red arrows pierced through the air, forcing Hassan of the Cursed Arm to hastily dodge. ]
[ The next moment, Emiya Archer appeared. After his sword strike was dodged by Hassan of the Cursed Arm, he kicked Hassan of the Cursed Arm away! ]
[ Emiya Archer's large bow in his left hand gradually dissipated into blue light, and the familiar Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in his hands. He pointed them at Hassan of the Cursed Arm and taunted, "You can't even take a kid's life without a sneak attack, can you? Third-rate!" ]
[ Hassan of the Cursed Arm looked at Emiya Archer with confusion, "How did you appear here?" ]
[ Rin Tohsaka also ran over to Emiya Archer, slightly relieved, "Archer!!" ]
[ Emiya Archer immediately said, "Hurry and go! If that thing catches up, it'll be too late." ]
[ Rin Tohsaka and the others followed Emiya Archer's gaze and saw countless red whips made of shadows constantly waving in the forest not far away, bringing with them the black mud, surging towards their direction. ]
[ "I'll explain later. Run, kid!" Emiya Archer said words of unclear meaning to Shirou Emiya, "Since you've taken Illya's hand, you must protect her to the very end." ]
[ Illya looked at Shirou Emiya with some confusion, not quite understanding Emiya Archer's words. ]
[ .....]
~Projection of All Worlds~
"Every time I see Emiya Archer, I feel a strange sense of relief. He says he wants to kill his past self, but he's saved his past self countless times. He's practically a nanny!"
"What did Emiya Archer mean by that last remark to Shirou Emiya? He never explains clearly... But this black mud is an old acquaintance; it's always there!"
Everyone in other worlds felt a bit strange about Emiya Archer. He's good, but he likes to be a riddler! Does his remark mean that in the future he knows, Illya has a terrible fate?
Coupled with his gentle handling of Illya before, everyone realized the unusualness of the situation.
~Type-Moon World, Fifth Holy Grail War Worldline~
At the Emiya residence, Shirou Emiya also had the same question,
"Archer, why did you say in the end that since I took Illya's hand, I should protect her to the very end?"
Emiya Archer was silent for a moment, then spoke, as this was already another worldline,
"Because she is Kiritsugu's daughter, your adopted elder sister."
"What!?"
Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka were both stunned. Shirou Emiya was surprised that he actually had an adopted elder sister, something Kiritsugu Emiya had never told him about!
(Translator-kun: No, it's the other way around, she is the legitimate daughter while you're the adopted one...)
This little girl, who looked more like a younger sister, was actually his elder sister!
.....
"If we're talking about relationships, I'm the older sister, okay? Not a younger sister who needs protecting."
Meanwhile, in the Einzbern Castle, Illya, sitting on Berserker's shoulder, grumbled angrily.
However, although she resented Kiritsugu Emiya for abandoning her as his daughter, it seemed that this unexpected younger brother, Shirou Emiya, wasn't so bad. He had risked his life to protect her time and again.
But... why did her on-screen self appear more like a younger sister!!
So, sensing that her status was about to shift to that of a younger sister, Illya immediately set off for the Emiya residence, intending to let Shirou Emiya know what an elder sister's dignity was.
The Emiya residence was now becoming increasingly lively.
.....
[ After Shirou Emiya and the others were far away, Emiya Archer and Hassan of the Cursed Arm began to fight in the forest. In just a few rounds, ]
[ Emiya Archer, with his excellent martial arts, hooked Hassan of the Cursed Arm's neck and slammed him heavily onto the ground. Hassan of the Cursed Arm spat blood and, while fleeing, asked Emiya Archer in confusion, "Why, why can you still move?" ]
[ Emiya Archer seized the opportunity, lunging forward with Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands, but Hassan of the Cursed Arm barely blocked him. "It's nothing special. Because I'm not a pure Heroic Spirit." ]
[ The parts of Emiya Archer's body that were being corroded gradually disappeared. "I'm different from those orthodox Heroic Spirits, so it doesn't matter if I'm stained with a little impurity." ]
[ "Because I myself am a distorted Heroic Spirit." Emiya Archer exerted force, and Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands scratched Hassan of the Cursed Arm's mask. ]
[ "Ah...!!!" Hassan of the Cursed Arm quickly retreated a few steps, covering his face and letting out a painful wail. Even with his face covered, blood continued to flow. ]
[ .....]
~Projection of All Worlds~
"This Hassan of the Cursed Arm... even the mask that proves he's a Hassan has been cut. He's practically too ashamed to show his face. King Hassan is almost ready to come out and kill someone."
"Is this really the Hassan of the Curse Arm from the past famous scene?"
"It doesn't matter if he's stained with a little impurity... because he already considers himself impure."
The black mud's corrosion did not affect Emiya Archer because Emiya Archer had long felt himself to be in hell. Ever since he became a Counter Guardian...
The missions he carried out to save people constantly involved killing. For the sake of saving the majority by sacrificing the minority, perhaps in Emiya Archer's self-perception, he was already thoroughly defiled. He himself was the most distorted existence...
.....
[ Hassan of the Cursed Arm realized he was no match and, without lingering, flashed away from the scene. ]
[ "Good work, Archer! Return to your spirit form!" Rin Tohsaka emerged, looking at the black mud in front of them with lingering fear, "Let's get out of here quickly." ]
[ Emiya Archer turned his head, suddenly noticed something, and rushed forward with his twin blades! ]
[ Shirou Emiya also sensed something was wrong and immediately yelled, "Tohsaka!!" ]
[ A shadowy figure had appeared beside Rin Tohsaka at some unknown point. The next moment, Emiya Archer arrived and pushed Rin Tohsaka away! ]
[ "How could this be...?!" When Rin Tohsaka got back up, she couldn't believe her eyes. To save her, Emiya Archer's body was pierced by three tentacles of the shadowy figure and lifted into the air. ]
[ "Archer!!!" ]
[ The shadowy figure threw Emiya Archer directly into the black mud. Emiya Archer got up, "Get out of here, you idiot!!" ]
[ Then Emiya Archer looked at the shadowy figure's constantly expanding body and was slightly stunned. Illya also felt something was wrong, "Magical energy is gathering!! If this continues..." ]
[ As they fled, Emiya Archer was still in the black mud, constantly fending off the shadowy tentacles attacking him. Because he was already injured, his body was pierced by tentacles again! ]
[ At this moment, the constantly gathering magical energy of the shadowy figure was about to reach its limit. The magic cannon was already aimed at Rin Tohsaka and Shirou Emiya, and the others, about to fire!! ]
[ Emiya Archer was thus held aloft, pierced by tentacles, his face covered in blood, as he laboriously stretched out his hand forward, beginning to chant. ]
[ "I am the bone of my sword..." ]
[ Emiya Archer's body was already emitting faint blue light, seemingly gradually dissipating. ]
[ "Steel is my body, I have created over a thousand blades." ]
[ As Emiya Archer chanted, a purple petal began to appear from his hand. At this moment, the surging torrent of magical energy from the black shadow had already swept towards them! ]
[ "Rho Aias!" ]
[ "Boom—" The magic cannon crashed into the petals. Seven cherry-pink petals spread out in front of them, and the heavily wounded Emiya Archer blocked the terrifying magical energy torrent from the shadowy figure! ]
[ But! ...it couldn't block the shadowy figure's characteristic of devouring magical energy. Rho Aias was not broken, but eroded away. ]
[ Anything made of magical energy would be corroded by the black shadow. Just like that, with a burst of blue fire, the entire forest was burned to ashes. ]
[ As the smoke cleared, Emiya Archer was now covered in wounds, his white hair hanging down. He stumbled behind Rin Tohsaka and fell to the ground. ]
[ Emiya Archer sat beside Rin Tohsaka, and could no longer hold it in, spitting out another mouthful of blood. ]
[ "Shirou!! How could this be..." ]
[ Emiya Archer looked back and realized that Illya was not calling him, but calling out to the fallen Shirou Emiya. ]
[ Illya kept calling Shirou Emiya sorrowfully: "Shirou... Shirou!!!" ]
[ Emiya Archer looked at the unconscious Rin Tohsaka, reached out and stroked her hair, feeling a bit sad. He looked at her with incredibly gentle eyes: "I can only accompany you this far. Take care... Rin!" ]
[ Then, after bidding farewell to Rin Tohsaka, Emiya Archer walked to Shirou Emiya's side, projecting Kanshou into his hand. Shirou Emiya lay heavily wounded, his remaining consciousness looking at Emiya Archer. ]
[ Emiya Archer placed the blade on his own shoulder... ]
[ "Are you serious!" Rider Medusa's figure appeared behind Emiya Archer. "If you do this, you'll...!" ]
[ "There's nothing to consider. If I do nothing, both of them will disappear." Emiya Archer extended his arm, embedding the blade slightly into his arm, and blood began to flow. "Doing this, at least one person can survive." ]
[ "Pffft—" ]
[ .....]