I made my way toward the Fuyuki Church alone. I could not be certain when Cu Chulainn or the King of Heroes might launch an assault upon the Emiya estate; thus, I had to act with haste.
Furthermore, given my own martial prowess, it was the only logical course. Even should I encounter that pair, I possessed the means to survive until Artoria and Shirou Emiya could arrive with reinforcements.
As for my Master, I had no choice but to transfer the contract to Rin Tohsaka. Illyasviel had yet to regain consciousness, and the sheer prana consumption required for combat would undoubtedly place an unbearable burden upon her fragile form. It was a necessary precaution.
Moreover, the difficulty of communication between us was a glaring issue. In the end, I used a replica of Rule Breaker, projected by Emiya, to sever the bond and forge a new contract with Rin.
Though I had initially worried that switching Masters might cause a degradation of my parameters, Rin proved herself a first-rate magus. To my relief, my strength remained entirely undiminished.
Arriving at the church situated to the south, I unsheathed my blade and stepped inside, establishing a telepathic link with Rin.
—I have arrived. I am entering the grounds.
—Be careful. That place is the domain of that false priest. You must treat it as if you are entering a hostile magus's workshop.
—I shall be cautious. Besides… I can already feel it.
My expression hardened at the sensations washing over me. This was no ordinary house of God. My instincts screamed at me, detecting the lingering malice and the thick, iron scent of death. This was no sacred ground.
—…Rin. This is no church. This place is a sanctuary of death.
—What? What do you mean by that?
—I have only just crossed the threshold, yet the resentment is palpable. The number of those who have perished here is not small… Rin, I must investigate the interior.
—…I understand. But keep your guard up. We don't know when they might appear.
Hearing the genuine worry in Rin's voice, I allowed a hint of amusement to color my response.
—Acknowledged, my tsundere Master.
—Who are you calling a tsundere!?
I could practically hear her shouting on the other end, but I ignored it. Steeling myself against a potential ambush, I began to scan the sanctuary.
"Is that it?"
Upon closer inspection, I discovered seven carvings etched into the stone wall. Judging by their number and appearance, they served to distinguish the different Classes. Jewels were embedded beneath the reliefs representing Saber, Lancer, Archer, Rider, Caster, Berserker, and Assassin.
I instinctively realized this was the monitoring device Rin had mentioned. I examined the gemstones.
While the stones beneath Saber, Lancer, Archer, Berserker, and Assassin glowed with light, those beneath Caster and Rider remained dark. Having confirmed the status of the war, I re-established the link with Rin.
—Rin, I have found what you spoke of. Given that Assassin's light still burns… it seems he is yet among the living.
—…Understood. Then we'll have to track Assassin down.
—Indeed. I shall finish my investigation of the church before returning.
After relaying the news of Assassin's survival, I pushed deeper into the facility. The further I ventured, the denser the spiritual filth became. Following the trail of malice, I eventually discovered a hidden path.
"…Bingo."
I whispered as I found the passage leading to the basement. The gloomy atmosphere practically screamed that every manner of atrocity had taken place here. And just as I expected, the sight at the bottom of the stairs surpassed my grim imagination.
It was a banquet of desiccated corpses. My face twisted in disgust at the sight of bodies that had been utterly drained of their prana—of their very souls.
"—Nauseating."
Grimacing, I examined the remains. None had found a peaceful end; their faces were frozen in agony, evidence of the violent struggles they had endured.
"…Wait."
I stopped my inspection and scanned the surroundings. This facility was clearly designed to extract prana from human beings. However, for such a process to be efficient, the victims had to be kept alive. Only then could one continuously harvest prana, rather than taking the soul all at once.
Yet these people were dead. Sensing a discrepancy, I looked closer at the remains. I realized what had happened. These victims had been slowly leached of their souls by Kirei Kotomine, but a third party had recently come and snatched away what little remained of their essence in one fell swoop.
The moment that realization struck me, daggers came flying out of the shadows. I swung my blade with lightning speed, parrying the projectiles.
Clang! Clang!
I deflected the knives as they emerged from the darkness. I tried to sense the attacker's presence, but strangely, it was difficult to pin down.
"Presence Concealment. That makes you Assassin, then."
Clang! Grab!
I parried another dagger and caught the next one with my bare hand. I waited. I waited for the enemy to throw again, focusing every sense on capturing the exact moment of the strike.
Then, I spotted a glint of steel in the gloom. The moment I tracked the incoming dagger, I hurled the one in my hand back toward the origin of the attack.
Ting! Thuck!
Assassin's dagger failed to pierce the Armor of the White Dragon, but mine found its mark. I heard the distinct sound of steel burying itself in flesh.
Perhaps because the strike had shaken them, their Presence Concealment flickered. I turned my gaze toward the source of the aura and spoke.
"Cheap tricks will not work against me. Reveal yourself—"
Poof!
I was cut off as a sudden mist erupted, forcing me to close my eyes momentarily. I muttered softly under my breath at the sight of the purple haze.
"…This is…"
"—I am Hassan of Serenity. A poisonous flower blooming in the night. That which you just inhaled… is my venom."
"Poison, is it? Fitting for an Assassin."
"My poison can slay even the mightiest of Phantasmal Species. Having inhaled it, your death is certain. Since physical attacks seem ineffective…"
Serenity emerged from the darkness and approached me. She reached out, cupping my face with both hands.
"I shall grant you a special death, using my most potent toxin."
"...."
Hassan of Serenity. One of the many who bore the name Hassan-i-Sabbah, the Old Man of the Mountain. A girl whose very body was composed of lethal poison.
I see. Because Medea did not violate the rules of the war, a proper Hassan-i-Sabbah was summoned as the true Assassin.
Sensing her face drawing closer, I let out a hollow laugh. To think that my choice to save Medea would lead to this outcome.
However, unfortunately for her, I was her worst possible opponent. I reached up and seized Serenity by the throat just as she leaned in.
"Gah?! How… how can this be!?"
"—It is a pity. Had it been Sir Tristan or any ordinary Servant, they would have succumbed to your toxin and perished instantly."
But listen well. I am no ordinary Servant.
I slowly opened my eyes, staring directly at Hassan of Serenity as she struggled in my grip.
"I am the successor to Albion, the dragon of the Boundary. I am the Third White Dragon of Britain. To me, poison is utterly meaningless."
My blue eyes, locked onto hers, were no longer human. They had narrowed into the vertical slits of a dragon.
--------------------------
...It suits her surprisingly well, does it not?