"Wait! If Emiya is my guardian spirit, does that mean..."

"...Even if I leave here, Emiya will always follow me?"

After saying these two sentences, Elysia brought her tear-stained face close to Emiya Shirou's eyes, her pink pupils unabashedly brimming with extremely strong anticipation.

Emiya Shirou raised his head slightly and looked directly at Elysia's smiling face, covered in tears but still brimming with anticipation and joy. After a moment of silence, he gently raised his index finger and pressed it against her smooth, white brow.

"Just because of such a trivial matter, you cried like a picture of pear blossoms and rain. Even if you want to leave, I can't feel at ease," Emiya Shirou smiled helplessly and said softly in a soothing tone, "Don't worry, as I have become your guardian spirit I will protect you no matter what happens until you can be on your own." The response was serene and quiet.

After hearing Emiya Shirou's answer, Elysia's eyes shone brighter than ever.

After being comforted by him, Elysia, who was completely at ease, washed her tear-stained face and returned to her bedroom, falling into a deep sleep.

Although Emiya Shirou had successfully calmed Elysia's emotions, he realized that her uneasiness was not unfounded.

He sat by her bed, watching her peaceful and reassuring sleeping face, and recalled everything that had happened that day.

Finally, he turned his gaze out the window.

It was late at night, and the date had changed from an hour ago to the next day.

Today was a moonless night, and the windows of all the houses were shut. Except for the street lamps on the road, which still held on to the last light, the entire town of Vostok was immersed in darkness.

Shirou Emiya, in his spiritual form, traversed the roofs of houses, moving swiftly through the sky. He turned the roofs into movable platforms and flew toward the town's intersection at high speed.

If it had been before today, even as a Servant, Emiya Shirou's athletic ability would not have been enough to perform such extraordinary movements. However, during the day, when faced with Himeko's killing intent, the class card he had obtained in advance—Archer—formed a connection with the Throne of Heroes under that intense pressure.

The reason Emiya Shirou was able to resist Himeko's killing intent was not solely due to his own ability and perseverance. If it hadn't been for the power bestowed upon him by the class card at that moment, his willpower alone might have been insufficient, and he would have been completely defeated by the captain's killing intent.

Emiya Shirou silently arrived at the town's entrance and exit. As he expected, the entire intersection was heavily guarded by the soldiers he had encountered earlier.

Two soldiers wearing night vision goggles stood on both sides of the road. Soft breathing sounds emanated from the house requisitioned by the military, and a faint fluorescent light emitted from the parked jeep, indicating someone was monitoring from inside the car. A temporary sentry tower, about three stories high, stood in the middle of the road, keeping a constant watch on the surroundings.

The defense was tight. The soldiers on both sides of the road wore high-tech night vision goggles, and they were prepared to snipe any targets that might pass through the road at any time. The temporary sentry tower monitored the area within a few hundred meters, ensuring no opponent could hide from its strict surveillance.

However, all these methods had no effect on Emiya Shirou, who had transformed into a spiritual entity.

Unseen by everyone, Emiya Shirou quietly approached the glowing jeep. He effortlessly passed his upper body through the window, where he spotted the captain of the team, who had shown a serious expression during the day. Her slender, white fingers were typing rapidly on the laptop resting on her lap.

Emiya Shirou silently observed the electronic screen emitting a faint glow. Contrary to his expectations, this assertive captain did not seem to belong to the country's border guards. Based on the progress report she was writing, she and most of the team members subordinate to her were part of the "Fifth Squad," under the "Anti-Honkai Organization, called Fire Moth" an organization directly affiliated with the United Nations.

Anti-Honkai organization? Fire moth? Emiya Shirou furrowed his brows. He was certain that neither his self in Fuyuki City nor his self in Nagazora City had ever heard of a similar concept. In a literal sense, the "anti-collapse" organization was undoubtedly meant to fight against the "Honkai."

But before that, what exactly was the "Honkai"? The term itself sounded ominous.

Moreover, within the captain's mission report, Emiya Shirou came across a mention of the "Honkai energy wave that suddenly appeared in the forest on the outskirts of Vostok seven years ago." Those words couldn't be ignored.

Seven years ago... Wasn't that when Elysia appeared in that forest?

Emiya Shirou, still in his spiritual state, withdrew his upper body from the jeep, silently took a deep breath, and surveyed his surroundings. His amber eyes narrowed slightly, filled with an intense sharpness.

Although there was currently no concrete evidence linking the "Honkai energy fluctuation" these people were investigating to Elysia, the close proximity in time and location made his vigilance skyrocket.

Now that the answer was right in front of him, there was only one choice left for Emiya Shirou.

Although he felt a tinge of regret for the soldiers diligently manning their posts since their activities had a "possibility" of being connected to Elysia, Shirou Emiya had no choice but to seek answers to all his questions.

With this in mind, Emiya Shirou silently approached the soldier on the left side of the road. He positioned himself behind the soldier, his right hand raised high, ready to strike.