"Otto! Keep it steady!" Shiro shouted as a rain arrows struck the massive white whale, but it had no effect. Its skin was too tough that Shiro's attacks were not dealing any damage. "W-Why is that thing here?! I thought it was just a rumour!" Otto frantically shouted as he tried to outrun the beast, but it was slowly gaining speed towards them. "Tsh. This is bad. Rem, try hitting it with a barrage of ice spells!" Shiro ordered his blue-haired companion, to which she quickly acted upon. Rem went to the back of the wagon, and after a few seconds, a number of ice spikes flew towards the beast. This time around, it managed to pierce through its thick skin, but it was unfazed and kept going.

The white whale let out a roar as it released a fog which followed its trail. "T-That fog could completely erase someone! Be careful!" Otto stated as he tries his best to stop his hands from shaking. Even with the combined attacks of Shiro and Rem, the whale didn't flinched. It was a few metres away when Shiro quickly noticed Rem's action. She looked at him for a while and gave him a tender smile while readying her morningstar. A dreadful feeling swelled in Shiro's heart. He quickly grabbed onto her wrist, stopping her from jumping. "What the hell are you doing?!" Shiro sternly asked her. "I'll … keep it back. So that the two of you could escape." Rem said as she tries to pull her wrist free, but to no avail. The scenes of Rem's death in the three previous loops flashed in Shiro's mind. "I refuse! I won't lose you! No matter what, I'm not going to lose you … even if I have to do this!" He sternly said.

Rem was left stunned as a bolt of magic struck her. She fell down onto the wooden floor, paralyzed, unable to move her limbs. "S-Shiro-kun … What … are you … doing?" Rem weakly muttered out as Shiro took a step towards the end of the wagon. "Should I use another card? No, that thing is too big. I won't last a second if I try to go melee with that. Tsh. Let's see about this, then." Shiro said to himself as he steeled his body. His circuits began to flare up and it burned through his left hand once more. "Lend me your strength, Archer." He muttered as the flow of mana around him caught Rem's attention. As he extends an open palm to the air, a sword materialized in his hand, but soon he grabs onto it, it twists itself, forming a cylindrical arrow.

Listen, Master. Don't try to copy this during an Include. It will definitely fry your circuits.

An old conversation popped into Shiro's mind where someone was lecturing him. That person was like his teacher, but in the same time, different. "I know, EMIYA. I'm really quite a handful." Shiro said with a smirk as his circuits began to etch itself through the left portion of his face. He takes a deep breath and focuses in onto the white whale.

"I am the bone of my sword."

His body was on fire, and his circuits were going haywire. Shiro could only grit his teeth as he releases the quiver.

"Cadalbolg!"

The twisted sword flew towards the beast with great velocity. The moment it struck the beast's skin, a huge explosion occurred and finally, the beast flinched. The shockwave from the blast left the wagon shaking as the winds blew past through them, destroying the wagon's canvas covering. Rem and Otto were in awe as the beast was engulfed by flames. As the smoke dissipates, they saw the beast reeling in pain as the attack took a good chunk off it with its blood splattered across the ground. "Heh. Fucking got you." Shiro muttered as the black bow suddenly dematerialized. His gold card landed near Rem, and his body suddenly stumbled backwards, falling flat on the wooden floor of the wagon. "S-Shiro-kun! Hang in there!" Rem cried out, but as soon she sees his circuits burning his skin, she can't help but to shed a tear as she quickly tries to mend him. His vision slowly blurred, and the last thing he saw was Rem scolding him.

Why do you keep on standing? You're defeated, are you not? Why? I don't understand.

A lone man slowly stood up, sluggishly pushing himself off the dirty ground. His servants were down for the count, and his pink-haired kouhai was already at her limits. "Assassin, Berserker, can you guys stand?" Toshirou asked his two servants. Upon hearing their master's voice, they slowly stood up, enduring the pain that they received from the corrupted king. "S-Senpai … I can still fight …" Mashu said as she leans onto her shield for support. "This is why a master shouldn't fight in the frontlines! Why are you so hard-headed, Toshirou?! Look at you! You're nearly dead!" Olga sternly scolded the inexperienced master, but he chooses to ignore her.

In front of them was the corrupted version of King Arthur, or to be precise, King Artoria. She carefully observed the group as she held her black, holy sword at the ready. She was the only one who's stopping them from fixing the singularity, but she was simply overpowering them. "Tsh. She's good at close combat. I can't get a clean hit. Heh. I'm a good martial artist but she's something else." The black-haired Assassin said as he fixes his long-black hair. He brushes off the blood from his cheek and readies his stance. "She's strong, but I can't go down here. Master-chan is watching me after all." The eccentric Berserker stated as she readies her claws. "Ridiculous. Let me ask you this, struggler. Can you carry the responsibility of saving the world? If your resolve is weak, then I will cut you down from where you stand." Artoria asked coldly.

"Saving the world, huh? I don't know, but I can't stop here. Sensei, Tohsaka-san, Sakura-san, Shizuka … If I die here, then I wouldn't give their deaths any meaning!" Toshirou shouted as his command seals began to glow. "I will stop you, and all of these calamities! Their deaths and wills … will be my strength!" He furiously shouted as he charged towards the corrupted king with his servants behind him. "Hmph. Let's see about … that!" Artoria said as she readies herself to meet her adversaries.

"Card Art: Install!"
"Class: Archer!"
"Servant: The Hero of Wrought-Iron, EMIYA!"

Shiro slowly opened his eyes. The familiar ceiling of his own room was the first thing he saw. "A memory …? The time where I first met … Artoria? Heh. Why did I suddenly remember that?" Shiro muttered to himself as he slowly sat up. "Ah, you're awake." A voice beside him said. As he turns his eyes towards the voice, he sees his superior beside him. "Nee-sama. Good morning." Shiro said. To his surprise, he felt a burning sensation in his left arm. "Rem should be here anytime soon. Are you well? You guys suddenly arrived last night, after all. You were unconscious and your hand …" Ram said as Shiro began to inspect his circuits.

He could still feel his circuits working, though, his mana is quite low. Not to mention, he pushed himself too much that his circuits began to wreck his body, but that didn't surprised him. After all, he already experienced that feeling when he fought Elsa and Meili. "I'm okay. Is … Otto still here?" Shiro asked. "The merchant? Yes, he's waiting for you to wake up. He was in the reception hall earlier. Do you want to eat breakfast first?" Ram replied. "No. It's fine. I'll … talk to h-"

Shiro! Are you okay?

As the door swung open, Emilia enters the room with a frantic expression on her face. "Y-Yo, Lia. No need to look so worried." Shiro said as he greeted his royal candidate. "Of course I'll be worried, you idiot. You're my knight, and if something happens to you … I wouldn't know what I'll do!" Emilia sternly said as Puck comes out behind her silver hair. As Shiro saw Puck and heard Emilia's words, he suddenly remembers the scene in the previous loop where he encountered a large beast before he froze to death alongside Rem. "That was … Puck, right? That means … Lia died …" He muttered to himself. A sudden jolt of anger filled his mind, but he chose to ignore it for now. "I'm sorry. I am reckless." Shiro said as he bowed his head towards Emilia.

Yes, it was quite reckless indeed.

Shiro lifts up his head and sees Rem standing beside her elder twin. Her blue eyes looked stern and it felt like she was glaring at Shiro. "R-Rem. I'm glad you're sa-" "Why did you do that? Why did you force yourself to use that kind of attack?" Rem asked as Emilia noticed her annoyed tone. "I … had to? I mean, come on. Our attacks were not leaving a dent against that beast. I have to f-" "Yet Felix told you not to use your magecraft due to the large strain that your body receives. You … promised me that you wouldn't put yourself in danger …" Rem said, cutting Shiro mid-sentence. She can't help but to bite her lip as she stared onto the butler's magic circuits. Annoyed, Shiro slowly stood up. "I don't get it. Why are you angry, Rem? We managed to escape the white whale, right?" Shiro asked her. "But, you placed yourself in danger once more!" Rem cried out. "I rather throw my life away than to watch you commit a sacrifice that nobody will even remember! Otto said it himself, right? That beast can erase your existence, like what happen with those other merchants with us! I don't want to lose you, damn it!" Shiro annoyingly shouted as his anger resurfaced.

It was the first time the two had an argument, and it was the first time Shiro raised his voice towards Rem. His shout surprised everyone in the room, and left Rem shaking. Realizing his actions, Shiro clenched his fists. "I … I'm sorry. It's just that I …" Before Shiro could even finish his words, Rem turns around and exits the room. Ram lets out a sigh as she shook her head. "Hm. The lovebirds are arguing. That's new." Ram commented as Emilia looked towards Shiro. "W-What's going on?" Emilia asked. "A-Ah. Tsh. I'll deal with that later. For now, Nee-sama, could you bring Otto here? We need to discuss something." Shiro replied.

As Otto entered the room, Shiro quickly started the discussion. "Alright. I'll make this simple. Lia, I heard something in the capital, and we have to act fast. The cultists will attack us." Shiro said which caught Puck's attention. "The … cultists, you say?" Emilia muttered as Puck flew towards Shiro. "Oy. What's happening? Where did you hear this?" Puck asked. "I managed to eavesdrop on a conversation in the capital. We need to d-" "You're lying. Shiro, where did you hear this?" Puck asked in a serious tone, cutting Shiro-mid sentence. The butler remembered the Puck could detect lies, but he can't bring himself to say the truth without putting them in harm's way. "I can't tell them that I died twice now. Satella … will kill them." Shiro muttered in his mind.

"Does it matter where I heard this from? We have to act now, Puck. Or else, the Ordeal will take place." Shiro replied. Hearing his words, Puck can't help but to rest his case since preventing the Ordeal is more important to him. "You … have a point. So? What do you know about this … attack?" The feline-looking spirit asked as he went back to Emilia's shoulder. "They'll attack us this midnight. They'll be coming from a cave near the outskirts of Irlam Village, since that's their meeting spot. The villagers are defenseless and it'll be a massacre." Shiro stated. "Then we have to evacuate them, right?" Emilia asked. "Not just them. We need to evacuate you too. They're targeting you after all." Shiro replied as he crossed his arms. "Should we take the emergency pass in the basement? Tsk. This has to happen while Roswaal-sama is away." Ram muttered, feeling a bit frantic after hearing the news from Shiro. "No. It's too risky. That's why, I brought Otto here to help us." The butler said as he points towards the merchant in front of him.

After discussing their plans, Shiro and Ram quickly went off to the nearby village to evacuate the people. By the manor's gate was Rem, who was waiting for them. "Oy. Talk to her, Shitro." Ram instructed as she pinched the butler by his ear and dragged him towards Rem. The two were awkward with each other, but they somehow settled their argument from earlier. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice. We'll have a talk later, okay?" Shiro calmly said. Rem nodded, but Shiro saw the soreness in her eyes. "Now that's over, come. We have no time to waste." The elder twin said as she began walking towards the village.

The evacuation process began and while the twin maids round up the villagers in an orderly manner, Shiro was inspecting the wagons. He remembers that someone planted a bomb-of-sorts in one of the wagons and aims to find it. Like in the previous loop, he instructed Rem to attack anyone who has a trace of the witch's scent on them. While inspecting, he encounters a wagon with a loose plank flooring. Curious, he moves the loose plank and sees a sack hidden from plain sight. He opens it and sees some red crystal that are unknown to him. "Hm? Is this … it? I better ask Nee-sama or Rem." Shiro muttered to himself. As he was about to go back, a sudden shout startled him. He hurriedly went back and saw Ram trying to hold Rem back as she tries to pounce on a man.

Making eye-contact with Rem, Shiro quickly ran towards the man, who was trying to run away but the other villagers were blocking him. "O-Oy! Let go!" The man shouted but Shiro quickly locked one of his arms behind his back. The butler shoves the man down without hesitation. "Rem. Is he the only one?" Shiro asked the blue-haired maid. Now that Shiro's in the scene, Ram lets go of her younger sister, who immediately went towards their co-worker's side. "There's no doubt about it, Shiro-kun. He has the scent of the witch. As of now, he's the only one who has the scent." Rem replied as she readies her morningstar. "Also, he was acting a bit suspicious when you began to inspect the wagons." Ram added as she approached the two.

"I-I'm innocent! I don't know what are you talki-" "Nee-sama. I think I found the explosives. It's some crystal or some sorts. Could you check it out?" Shiro said, ignoring the man that he was pinning. The villagers were watching closely as Ram inspects the sack. To her surprise, the crystal began to glow brightly. "Nee-sama! It's going to explode!" Rem frantically shouted. Before the villagers could panic, Shiro quickly includes a card. Before the light could even dissipates, the sound of a person gasping for air was heard with the sound of blood splashing through the ground. As their vision returned to normal, everyone was in shock as they saw the butler with a bloody black dagger. The pinned man's throat was slashed open and the cut was large enough to kill a person immediately.

As the man gasps for air one last time, the crystals stopped glowing. "Card Art: Include. Assassin." Shiro said as he slowly sat up. Since Rem was in his presence, he quickly stops his magecraft in respect to their promise. "Y-You … killed him? Why Shiro-san?" The village elder asked Shiro. "The man is a part of a witch cult who's going to attack us this midnight. Rem, who can distinguish the smell of a cultist, pointed him out." Shiro replied as he began checking the man's pockets. He finds a mirror or some sort that he placed inside. "T-That's all? There's no evidence that he's a pa-" "When the man was cornered, these crystals began to glow, right? He was planning to detonate it, killing everyone here in the process." Ram said as she backs up Shiro's claim. Though the villagers were hesitant at first, they soon believed in their words due to the fact that the man in question was a merchant who arrived a few weeks prior.

By nightfall, the evacuation was already complete. The villagers set camp in the manor's grounds while the wagons are stationed near the manor's gates. By the balcony was Emilia, who had a weary look in her eyes as she observed the villagers from a distance. Beside her is her knight, accompanying her while his co-workers were preparing meals for the people. "This feels … surreal." Emilia muttered out. "I know. You don't know how … dreadful this is." Shiro, who experienced and saw the deaths of the villagers with his own eyes before, said as he crossed his arms. "Do you … think we can survive this?" Emilia asked, lightly clenching her fists. "Yeah. I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, everyone. Whatever … it takes." He replied as the thought of an Install entered his mind.

"Have you talked to Beatrice? Is she going to help us?" Emilia asked her knight as she turns her attention towards him. "Yeah. She … declined, I think. She said that she'll only attack those people if they set foot in the Forbidden Archive. She was really adamant about it, so I didn't press her any further." Shiro replied with a sigh. "So it'll be … you, Ram, and Re-" "It'll be just me, Lia. The twins still don't know this yet, but I'm going to fight alone. I'll use an Install, and it'll be a dangerous one." The butler stated, cutting Emilia mid-sentence. "Alone …? Are you … crazy? You won't survive that! The cultists are no joke! That's why … no. You're using that … servant … right?" Emilia said, referring the servant that tried to take over during the duel.

"You're pretty smart, Lia. Keep at it, and you'll be a good ruler." Shiro said with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "Shiro. Don't do it. Please." Emilia sternly instructed, completely ignoring Shiro's compliment. The knight scoffs, but can't help but to look down as he tries to avoid eye-contact with his royal candidate. "I know … I know. I just got back to your side and here I am again, going head-first into a battle where I'll die. Stupid, right? But Lia, who's going to do it? Who's going to stop them," He said as he shakes his head. "The four of us … are not enough. Even if Rem uses her horn, even if you rain ice spells on them, they will not stop until they've killed you. They'll cull us down one by one, first it will be Nee-sama, who'll probably throw herself in harm's way to protect Rem, then it'll be me, and Rem, leaving you to fend those people on your own. We … can't win this one, Lia. We can't win this one without me using this magecraft." Shiro stated with a deep, and weary sigh.

"Even if you're going against an order? Will you still do that?" Emilia asked with a serious tone in her voice. Without any hesitation, Shiro nodded. "Your life comes first than your orders, my dearest royal candidate. I will do my best to survive and catch up with you guys. The three of you will accompany Otto and villagers in their wagons. I'm pretty sure those fanatics will chase you down once they realize that you're not in the manor. I'll bluff them as much as I can." Shiro stated as Emilia casted her eyes down. Her heart began to tighten as the thought of her knight throwing his life away for her entered her mind. She wanted to refuse his words, to lecture him so that he might change his mind, but knowing him and his determination to see things through, she's pretty sure he wouldn't listen. She simply sighs in defeat and turns her back. "Don't die, please." Emilia ordered as she exited the balcony.

A few hours before midnight, Shiro resigned in his quarters for a brief rest. He takes off his black top and readies his equipment for the upcoming battle. "Install, huh?" Shiro muttered to himself as he inspects the chainmail armour that one of the villagers gave him earlier. He knows that in his current state, an Install wouldn't last long. At most, he can only fight at his max capacity for 10 minutes. Though he can push his body even further, it's a huge gamble since his body might break down even before he could reach his time limit. "Lancelot … no. A Saber will not suffice. I need to use the other one …" He muttered.

His door suddenly swung open. To his surprise, Rem enters the room, looking a bit gloomy. "Rem? Shiro muttered as he turns his attention towards her. Even though they settled their argument earlier, there's still an awkward air between them. "I-I … couldn't sleep." Rem said as she gently closed the door and approached the butler. "Well, my bed's vacant, so how about you try lying down on top of it?" Shiro said with a smug tone, trying his best to erase the awkwardness. "I'll wait for you." She insisted as she sat down on his bed. "Got it, got it. I'll be done in a few minutes." The butler said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry." Rem said which caught Shiro's attention. "Sorry for what? I mean, you were right earlier. I was pushing my body to its limits." Shiro remarked as he continued inspecting his armour. "I … I didn't think about a plan B when the whale was chasing us. I … feel like I forced your hand whe-" "No, Rem. You didn't. I was planning to use a broken phantasm from the get go to shake off the whale, though I just couldn't get a good foothold on the cart," The butler said, cutting the maid mid-sentence. "Besides, I … I don't want to lose you." He added which made Rem's cheeks turn red.

Hearing his words made Rem's heart tighten. She stood up and quickly embraced his back. Her eyes were getting teary as she felt guilty. "No need to cry. I'm just doing my best to impress you. Is it working?" Shiro asked, trying his best to comfort his companion. "You really don't know when to stop pushing yourself, huh?" Rem whispered as she tightens her arms around him. "You did say I'm quite reckless and a handful. Think of it as a … package deal or some sort." He stated with a chuckle. After he pushes his inventory aside, he turns around and faces Rem. For a brief moment, the two stared at each other's eyes, caressing one another's cheeks. With a smile, Shiro presses his lips towards the young oni's, which surprised Rem a bit, but she whole-heartily accepts it.

As they share a tender kiss, Rem began to feel a mixture of emotions inside of her. First, her love for her hero made her heart ache. The kiss made her heart race but oddly, a sudden sense of stupor filled her mind. She tries to resist it as she gently pushes the butler back, but to no avail. As the butler withdraws from her, her vision was already fading. The last thing she saw was the butler muttering some words to her before hugging her tightly.

"I'm sorry I'm going to do this. I love you."

As midnight approaches, the wagons began leaving the manor. In one was Emilia, who nervously looked back at the manor as they left the grounds. In the next was Otto and lastly, Ram, who carried her sleeping sister away from the approaching danger. "They're gone now, huh." Shiro muttered to himself as he stood alone in the manor's courtyard. He takes a deep breath and takes out a cigarette. "I hope Rem won't kill me for using a sleeping spell on her. Heh. If I survive this mess, that is." He said with a scoff as he begins smoking. Unknown to him, Beatrice was watching him from afar. She stood silently in one of the upper floor hallways, surveying the grounds.

In a matter of minutes, the hooded cultists began to appear by the gates. In the middle was their leader, Betelgeuse. "Oh my, my, my, my. By chance, are you here to welcome us?" Betelgeuse asks in an bizarre manner as he sees Shiro. "Pretty much. I am your host, knight-to-be and Emilia-sama's butler, Shiro." Shiro replied as he takes out his card. "No more hesitation. If my body breaks, it … breaks. I'll stop them here." He muttered to himself as he steeled his resolve. "Ah, such pleasantries! I am Betelg-" "Blah blah blah. I know who you are. You're here for the Ordeal, right? If you want to get to Lia, you have to get past me." The butler stated, cutting the cult leader. "And when I thought you're civilized enough. Alright, have it your way. Kill him." Betelgeuse ordered as the cultist charged in.

Seeing this, Shiro takes a last whiff on his cigarette before flicking it towards the ground. His circuits began to flare up as he concentrated his mana onto his crest.

"Card Art: Install."
"Class: Berserker."
"Servant: The Mad Knight, Lancelot!"

As the magecraft takes effect, Shiro found his consciousness being pulled away from his body. Normally, an Install would allow its user to use a servant at 75% of their power. A magecraft that allows the use of a servant's skills and noble phantasm, but in return, the magi and the servant's mind will mesh briefly. The reason why Shiro went berserk when he first used this magecraft was due to his emotions meshing, combining with Hercales' grief and madness. This time around, it was different.

Shiro found himself inside a dark medieval room. The rustic masonry caught his attention. "Is this … a cell?" He asked himself. In the other side of the room, was a man cladded in black armour. He was kneeling down and facing the wall. He was saying words hysterically, but Shiro could understand some of the words. He was apologizing, begging for someone to punish him for his wrongdoing. He kept on praying to be punished, and seeing this man like this made Shiro's heart strain for a bit.

"She's not going to punish you, you know," Shiro said as he slowly approached the man. The man's chants suddenly stopped as he slowly steered his attention towards the black-haired magi. Suddenly, he erupted in anger as he quickly sprang up and grabbed Shiro by his collar. He banged him on the wall, lifting him up with his incredible strength. Though he could feel a tremendous amount of rage coming from the man, Shiro simply scoffs and places his hand on the man's shoulder. "Aim the rage somewhere else, dear knight. I need your help on this one." Shiro said with a smirk. Hearing his words, the man's hands began to shake. With one loud roar, darkness enveloped the room, swallowing the two.

With a flash of light, the cultists were suddenly culled down. Their bodies were slashed, torn to pieces, and were sent flying back towards the gate. As the light dissipates, Betelgeuse felt a tremendous aura coming from the butler. To his surprise, black armour began to materialize on his body. "W-What … power! This is … complete madness that is unhinged!" Betelgeuse erratically commented as his cultists charged in once more.

With a loud snarl, a black sword materialized in Shiro's hand. He lunged towards the cultists, killing them with ease. As their bodies were mid-air, the black helm materialized, completely covering Shiro's face. A red glow appeared in his eyes as he let out a terrifying roar. "I applaud you, o black knight! But, I can't let you stop the Ordeal from happening!" Betelgeuse shouted as his Unseen Hands sprang out, making their way towards the Berserker. Surprisingly, the hands were torn to pieces, which alerted Betelgeuse. "W-What?! You could see my Authority?! A-Ah! The smell of the wi-"

Before Betelgeuse could point out the stench that was coming from the black-armoured knight, his head was sent flying in the air, but just like in the previous loop, the cultists were still relentless. Though they were getting killed with ease, some of the cultists managed to drive their blades into the knight. Soon, the first wave was over. In a couple of seconds, another batch of cultist began storming in the manor. "You sure are quite barbaric! Cutting someone down mid-sentence? Didn't your royal candidate teach you any manners?" Betelgeuse, who is now in another body, stated in an irritated manner.

As a group of cultists charged in, Shiro smashed one of them with his sword. Seeing an opportunity, the remaining cultists tried to go for an attack, but to their utter surprise, the knight was agile enough to pull out the blades that was sticking out from his body and kill them with their own weapons. While the Berserker was busy fighting in melee, another group of cultist began raining fire spells on him. Though he managed to dodge some of them, a number of fireballs landed, scorching him through his armour. Normally, Shiro would take a step back to rethink a new strategy, but Lancelot had other plans. He lets out a grunt as he ignores the pain from his burns and wounds. He flung his sword towards one, killing the cultist in an instant. Like a feral beast, he tore the casters into shreds with his bare hands.

The fight went on, wave after wave, the black knight stood triumphant. Lancelot's rage was filling his mind, nulling any pain that his body was experiencing. Not even broken bones, stab wounds, and third degree burns were enough to stop him in his tracks. But soon, Shiro's mana slowly reached its limit. After the 8th wave, the knight began to show signs of fatigue. He falls to one knee, while trying to catch his breath erratically. Soon, another wave enters the corpse-littered courtyard. "To think I'll be down to my last three fingers. That half-elf is sure is lucky to recruit a beast like you," Betelgeuse commented as he began biting his nails. As Shiro let out a grunt, the cult leader began laughing madly. "My brain! My brain, it trembles! The time of the Ordeal is near!" He shouted as his cultists charged in once more.

This time around, things went differently. Due to his dwindling mana, the knight couldn't focus and the cultists took advantage of it. They managed to drill their blades into his body, rupturing whatever left in his internal organs. Another landed a huge fireball point blank, sending Shiro flying into the shed while his right arm was torn apart. As his body crashed onto the wooden planks, the black armour began to dematerialize one by one. Slowly, his consciousness began to creep back into his mind, and he was welcomed with tremendous pain. He let out some pained grunts as the cultists stormed the manor. "N-Not … yet …," He muttered as blood filled his mouth. Trying his best to stay alive, he coughs out the blood while pushing himself to stand up once more. "My … main mana crest … is in my right hand. I … only have … a few seconds left." He muttered. The sound of fighting in the manor altered him. With a hazy vision, he limped back towards the courtyard.

"What do you mean she's not there?! Are you even using your eyes?! Slothful! Slothful," Betelgeuse screamed as he smashed one of his follower's face onto the ground. Suddenly, his rage dissipates and he wipes off the dirt from his hands. "It looks like she's in one of those wagons we saw earlier. Get everyone here and chase them. Bring her back here alive." He ordered to his cultists as Shiro enters the fray once more. While Beatrice was busy fending off the cultist out of the manor, Shiro shakingly grabs onto the black Aeonlight. "Oya? You're still alive? What … diligence you have! I admire you, yes, I admire you," The cult leader commented with a clap. "Though the diligence of yours, is quite … prideful." He said with a snicker.

Shiro gritted his teeth. His circuits began to turn red as he began using his own life force to keep the magecraft going. His eyeball began to darken as his remaining circuits went wild. With one primal roar, he charged in. He could feel Lancelot's consciences fading, but he pressed on. He culled down the cultists down. Like a cornered beast, he let out one last attack onto Betelgeuse. Though he manages to tear Betelgeuse apart, an Unseen Hand managed to grab onto his left leg. With his dying breath, Betelgeuse manically laughed as he tore Shiro's left leg from his body.

Shiro falls down. His breathing was erratic and shallow as his lungs were damaged. His left hand is scorched and he could see some of his bones poking out. His body was filled with stab wounds and most of his internal organs were stirred up. He's dying, and he fully knows it. "I … need to see … this through. Not … yet …" He weakly muttered. As the remaining cultist stormed out the manor, one was left by the gates. The cultist takes off her hood to show the downed butler a thrilled expression on her face. The butler weakly pushed himself up. With his shaking left arm, he weakly raised a dagger towards the cultist.

My brain … it trembles …

As Rem slowly opens her eyes, she finds herself inside a wagon. Though her body is still sluggish, she carefully stood up, trying her best not to fall down. She notices that there were some villagers with her and some of them were familiar faces. "Ah! Rem-san woke up!" Petra, the orange-haired girl that she and Shiro would play with from time to time, notices her. "P-Petra? Where are we?" Rem asked. "We … left the village. Right now, we're trying to reach the capital while using a roundabout path." One of the villagers replied. Slowly, Rem made her way towards the front of the wagon. She opens the flap and sees her elder twin sister, busy driving the wagon. "Rem? You're awake." Ram said as Rem began to look at the other wagons. "What … happened, Nee-sama?" She asked, trying her best to remember what happened before she suddenly lost consciousness.

Before Ram could answer, an ominous feeling alerted the twins. Cultist began to appear on the wagon's side and began attacking them. Rem brought out her morningstar and began smashing them while Ram kept them in bay while using her wind magic. "Tsh. It's … over, huh." Ram said as she gritted her teeth. "W-What do you mean by that, Nee-sama? Shiro-kun? Where is he?" Rem asked her sister, trying her best to remain calm.

With Rem dropping her guard, a cultist tried to attack her, but a torrent of ice rained down on their group. "Rem! Focus! They're still attacking!" Emilia shouted as she sprang out in one of the wagons' rear. "E-Emilia-sama? I'm … sorry!" Rem said as she avert her attention back towards the cultists. While they were culling down their numbers, a tense feeling lingered in Rem's heart. "Where's Shiro-kun? Is he in one of the wagons? I don't see him …" She said in her mind as she pressed her attack. Soon enough, all of the cultists that were chasing them are dead, giving them some time to catch their breaths.

"The two of you, good work!" Emilia said as she catches her breath. "Likewise, Emilia-sama! Is … Shiro-kun in your wagon? Is he okay?" Rem asked. To her surprise, a gloom expression appeared in Emilia's face. "N-No … he … isn't." Emilia replied, averting her eyes away from Rem. "H-Huh? Where is he then?" The confused younger twin asked. Though she knows that saying the truth would destroy her sister, Ram steeled herself. "Rem, listen closely," Ram said as Rem looked towards her. "Shitr- No, Shiro stayed behind. He bought us time while we escape from the manor." She stated.

Hearing her sister words, Rem's heart sank. Her hands began to shake as the thought of her beloved hero fighting alone appeared in her head. "W-What?! Why?! We have to go back!" Rem cried out. "Calm down, Rem! The manor is filled with cultists right now! Our main objective is to get Emilia-sama to safety! We can't let his sacrfic-" "What do you mean sacrifice?! He isn't dead! I'm sure of it!" Rem cried out once more. A look of despair began to appear in her eyes, which alerted Ram. "Y-You don't get it … Rem," Ram said as she averts her gaze from her younger sister. "The cultists managed to chase us down here, right? That means they … managed to storm the manor. Shiro … is dead." She continued.

"I refuse to believe it! Please, Nee-sama! Turn the wagon around! We need to save him!" Rem desperately pleaded her elder sister, while Emilia was listening in her pleas with a heavy heart. "Rem … please. It's too dang-" "They stopped chasing us, right," Emilia chimed in, catching the attention of the twins. "If so, that means Shiro managed to thin them out by himself. I believe in him. That's why, I think we should go back. He's probably waiting for us with a smirk on his face. Saying like "What took you guys?", right?" Emilia stated, trying her best to hide her nervousness. "But Emilia-sama! They are targeting you!" Ram said, but the royal candidate remained adamant on her decision. "I have the two of you to protect me, and besides, I still have enough mana to fight them back." The silver-haired girl said with a reassuring smile.

After transferring the villagers onto another wagon, the trio made haste back to the manor. To their surprise, they didn't encounter any cultists along the way. "See? Shiro defeated them. You doubt him too much." Emilia said, though a slight shake in her tone caught Rem's attention. "That's right, Emilia-sama. I know Shiro-kun. He's my hero, and I know he can survive whatever mess he's in." Rem commented, as she remembers the kiss that she shared with her beloved hero.

Nearing the manor grounds, Ram thought it would be a good idea to scout the area with her clairvoyance, but the moment she used her ability, a sudden feeling of nausea filled her as she saw what was happening. She began vomiting, which alerted Rem. "N-Nee-sama?! Are you okay?! What hap-" Before Rem could ask what happen, it was too late. The wagon reached the gates of the manor. They could hear a maniacal laughter coming from the courtyard. As Emilia alighted the wagon while Rem was trying her best to calm her sister, the sight stunned Emilia. Bodies and limbs were scattered throughout the courtyard, the smell of blood mixed with the smell of burning flesh sent a wave of nausea to the trio.

In the middle of the mess was a woman, laughing in a bizarre manner. She sounded like she's angry but at the same time, enjoying herself. Behind her was a levitating corpse, desecrated and ruined. The corpse had no lower half, his entrails dangling in mid-air as it levitated up and down, like someone was playing with it. His eyes were plucked out, his right arm missing, and after being shaken by some mysterious force, something fell out from his clothing. "A … c-card …" Emilia weakly muttered as her limbs began to shake. She finally recognizes the corpse from afar. She fell to her knees as the sight of the mutilated knight etched into her mind.

"Ah? Ah … the girl has returned," The woman said as she notices their presence. "Welcome, o important person of the nig-, wait, should I say night, or day? Whatever. Welcome, dear half-elf, the one who will bring back our beloved Witch of Envy!" The woman manically said with open arms. "My name is Betelgeuse Romani Conti, Archbishop of Sloth! And beside me, is … was it, Shiro? Yes, yes. Shiro. The most diligent … and prideful knight! Well, whatever remains o-"

While she was busy in her speech, a large ice spike smashed the remaining cultist into bits, freeing the butler's mutilated corpse. Before it could even hit the ground, the blue-haired maid catches it mid-air, embracing her hero. Rem was in denial at first, but when she saw her hero's face, she can't help but to burst into tears as she embraced his corpse tightly. "Why?! Why did you choose to stay back?! Why didn't you take me with you?!" Rem cried out, her voice filled with deep sorrow and anguish. Ram could only comfort the shaking Emilia, who's also in distraught. "You … promised me, Shiro. You … promised …" Emilia said as she falls down, losing her consciousness.

The halls of Chaldea became quiet after the final singularity. While the staff were still busy trying to maintain the operations, a dreadful atmosphere lingered in the air that they try their best to ignore.

The white-haired Archer carried a tray towards the intensive care unit room in the medical ward. He was greeted by some staff along the way, though he could feel something is still off. He reaches the room, and notices the blonde-haired woman who was sitting just outside of the room. "Why aren't you going in? You want something to eat?" Archer asked as the woman takes notice of his presence. "I'm not hungry. Besides, Lancelot is in the room right now." Saber Alter replied. "Are you sure? Ever since we got back, you never ate anything, not even my cooking. Here. You want an app-" "I'll eat once he wakes up. He did promise me that he'll cook something for me." She stated, cutting Archer mid-sentence.

The door slid open, and a purple-haired man steps out the room. "Get some rest, Mashu. Your eyebags are getting darker." Lancelot said as he bid goodbye to the pink-haired girl inside the room. She was none other than Mashu Kyrielight. Unlike her previous cheery disposition, she looked completely stressed out, though she tries her best to smile for her comrades. "Ah. Emiya-san. I see that you brought something again." Lancelot said as he sees Emiya beside him. "Yeah. I made it for Mashu. I asked Medea for something that could help with her health." Emiya replied. "I see. I do hope master wakes up soon. Anyway, I shall take my le-"

A sudden roar surprised the three. With a nod, the three sprang into action, ready for a battle. When they reached where the roar originated, which was in one of the storage rooms, they found the black knight on his knees, screaming. "B-Berserker? What's wrong? What's going on?" Emiya asked, though he knows that the servant would just reply in grunts or roars. "W-Wait. His scream … it isn't filled with rage." Artoria commented. "M-Mas … ster …" The black knight muttered before screaming in anguish once more, leaving the three servants confused. "M-Master ...? What's happening?" Lancelot asked as he looks towards the two, but to no avail, no one can answer him.