Although the Assassin class lacked strong frontal combat ability, its stealth and mobility were among the best of all Servants. If Jizi wanted to flee, those Tentacle Monsters could never catch her.
But Jizi was not the only one targeted by the tentacles—Rin, still just a little girl, had no way of handling a situation like this. Having to look after her inevitably left Jizi somewhat constrained.
Rin's body could not withstand a Servant moving at full speed, and without her greatest advantage—speed—it became far more difficult for Jizi to escape safely.
Besides, Loli Rin was a magical girl! "Against Magical Girls" was practically a Tentacle Monster's Inherent Skill. When attacking magical girls, all its attributes would rise dramatically (fog).
"Ahhh, this is so damn annoying!"
With one arm holding Rin Tohsaka against her chest protectively and the other swinging her blade to continuously cut down Sea Demons that came too close, Jizi fled while racking her not particularly brilliant brain for a way out.
The situation was getting worse and worse. The Sea Demons that had appeared this time were clearly of much higher quality than the ones Jizi had swept aside earlier, which meant Caster had personally intervened. Having fought through countless campaigns alongside Joan of Arc, he possessed knowledge and skill in battlefield command that Jizi could hardly compare to. Even with a group of monsters under his command, he could gradually force the two girls into an encirclement.
"What the hell are those things!?"
"They're basically starfish cut open and forcibly grafted with octopus tentacles... Though some of them seem to use squid tentacles?"
"Don't describe them to me in that much detail! I'm never eating seafood again!"
"If we even have an 'after this'..."
By the time the panicked Jizi and Rin realized they had fallen into a trap, it was already too late.
A net woven from tentacles covered every direction around them, while the ground below and the air above both carried the Mana signatures of monsters.
"There's nowhere left to go..."
The monsters that had been pressing them step by step no longer hurried to attack. They slowly tightened the net, first to ensure their targets could not escape, and second to wait for someone to make an entrance.
Naturally, that "someone" could only be Caster.
Jizi set Rin down behind her for protection. With both hands free, she drew her twin blades, preparing for a desperate final struggle.
"What do we do? Are we going to die?"
Rin's eyes were red, and her voice trembled badly. She had probably used every ounce of strength she had to keep herself from crying.
"Well, I won't let anything happen to you."
So that meant I won't be the first to die, Rin realized once more from Jizi's answer just how dire their situation was.
Do I regret it?
Of course she did. If she had not secretly run off to Fuyuki, she would not have encountered so many monsters, would not have come face-to-face with death like this, and would not have dragged Asashin into it.
But if she had not come, Kotone would definitely have died! At least she had not died for nothing. Kotone was safe now...
But why should I die here!? And be killed by something this ugly! That was absolutely unacceptable! Besides, if these monsters were the masterminds behind everything, then unless they were eliminated, more children like Kotone would be abducted in the future!
So how could she turn this situation around?
In the mind of seven-year-old Rin Tohsaka, an idea emerged that even surprised her.
"Asashin," Stop! Are you crazy? A voice tried to stop her from voicing that idea.
"Yeah?"
"If I weren't here, you could escape, right?" Why are you saying that!? What if she really abandons you and runs away?!
"Why ask that?"
"Then don't worry about me. Run away by yourself!" What are you saying!? Being killed by those monsters, dying all alone... That would be too miserable!
"What!?"
"But," Stop forcing yourself, your voice is shaking! "you have to swear that afterward, you'll wipe every last one of them out and make them receive the punishment they deserve!"
"..."
"That way, that way..." You're so scared you're crying! "my death won't have been for nothing!"
The voice in her head—the weak, frightened version of herself—was screaming, cursing, and condemning that foolish proposal, but Rin said it anyway.
"Go!" If you don't leave now, I'll change my mind. If you don't leave now, I'll burst into tears and beg you not to leave me alone!
"...I see." Afraid that opening her eyes would reveal her tears, Rin had no idea what Jizi was doing. Judging from her tone, though, she had probably reached a decision too.
"Go! You have to kill them all!" And avenge me too!
"Very well, I promise you..." An unreadable voice spoke.
Ah, Rin Tohsaka, you really were an idiot. Had you forgotten everything Father taught you? A magus would never willingly put herself in danger...
Just as Rin Tohsaka was wallowing in self-reproach, she suddenly found herself being held. Not like before, when Jizi carried her like luggage, but in a gentle yet fervent embrace.
"I promise you, you will live."
"Idiot! You'll just die here for nothing."
"Maybe—but never give up hope, little one."
Because both of them had rested their heads on each other's shoulders, Rin was certain her face could not be seen. At last, she could no longer hold back, and large tears streamed down her cheeks.
Feeling the dampness spreading across her robe, Jizi had intended to comfort her, but the presence that approached made her abandon the thought.
The ground before them burst open from below. Rising out of the hole atop a writhing mass of intertwined tentacles was Caster himself.
"What touching affection. A bond born amid crisis—if I can destroy it, surely my Saint will realize the emptiness of so-called virtue! Don't you agree, impostor?"
"Hah!"
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How many times had she swung her blades already? How many tentacles had she severed? How many times had she pushed herself beyond her limits?
She did not know. She did not know. She did not know. None of it mattered anymore. In Jizi's mind, only one thing remained clear—protect the little girl behind her.
At first, she had tried to contact Kirei, but for some reason, the Tofu Priest Mapo, who was usually on standby around the clock, was suddenly unavailable in every possible way. Did he think she could handle this alone, or had he shut off his phone because he was on a date with Gilgamesh?
It did not matter. It did not matter. It did not matter. None of that mattered. At least she still had the strength to wield a weapon!
"Asashin!"
Who was screaming? What was happening...
She was ultimately not the sort suited for prolonged combat. Exhausted to the limit, Jizi's reaction speed had fallen drastically. Even with Rin's warning, she could not evade the spike that had circled around from above and struck from behind, piercing a hole through her abdomen.
"Fuck..."
Fortunately, her true body was the mask, while her humanoid form was merely something akin to a puppet. As long as she still had Mana remaining, even if she was battered full of holes, Jizi could continue fighting.
That said, it still hurt like hell! The pain also dragged Jizi out of that selfless state. Unable to focus, her movements grew even duller, and she was immediately struck hard several more times.
"Oh my, impostor, it seems you've reached your limit. An assassin fighting while protecting someone—what kind of script is this?"
Caster's disgusting voice rang out again. Apparently, he had decided Jizi was no longer a threat. Otherwise, he would never have approached an assassin.
"A magus leaving his workshop and showing his face in a direct confrontation—you really aren't afraid of dying, are you?" Jizi shot back.
"So scary, so scary," Caster said, though he did not stop moving. He deliberately walked to a spot not far from Jizi. "At this distance, even heavily wounded, you could still kill me with one desperate strike, right? But would you do that?"
Several tentacles closed in on Rin Tohsaka, forcing Jizi to turn and defend her.
"Attacking a child, and you still have the nerve to call yourself a Heroic Spirit? Gilles de Rais!"
"If you know that name, then you should know that my most famous legend is that of Bluebeard."
Luring children away, hanging them, draining every drop of their blood, removing their organs—he had caused the deaths of hundreds of children. Even to this day, Bluebeard was the monster parents used to frighten disobedient children.
"Yes, yes, that expression! Fear, hatred, and yet utter helplessness! That was what I became after losing my Saint! Then I finally understood. Faith and virtue are both lies. Only blasphemy and evil are the truth of this world. Only through even greater evil could I take my Saint back from those people!"
"..."
"Nothing to say? Then become a sacrifice for my great ritual!"
Ignoring the tentacles extending toward her under Caster's command, Jizi crouched down and gently lifted Rin's chin.
"Sorry—but since you're not even afraid of death, you probably won't mind this either."
The mask gradually faded away. With nothing in the way, Jizi and Rin's lips met...
"!"
Soft... *2
A little sweet... *2
Tongues and saliva intertwined... *2
(Keywords provided. Imagine the rest yourselves. Also, this did not last long at all—only an instant.)
Having drawn enough Mana (liquid) from Rin, Jizi suddenly erupted with a powerful aura.
Caster, however, did not care in the slightest:
"So what if you've recovered a little strength? Even if you were three times stronger, you still wouldn't be my match."
"Hehe." Jizi gave a smug little laugh. "Whether I'm your match or not is another matter. First, you have to be his match!"
Only after Jizi's reminder did Caster notice that a new, powerful presence had entered the area. It was—
"That fellow who also covets my Saint!"
Materializing amid a mass of black mist was Kariya Matou's Servant, Berserker!
With her exceptional senses, Jizi had discovered earlier that Yanye and his Servant were nearby. But their poor searching ability had prevented them from locating her, so Jizi had unleashed a burst of Mana, using herself as a beacon to draw Berserker over.
The black knight sent the nearby Sea Demons flying the instant he appeared. He casually grabbed a fire hydrant from the roadside and swung it with terrifying force, while the shockwaves raised by his immense power alone swept away the remaining Sea Demons.
"Are we saved?"
Though she had just lost her precious first kiss, Rin's attention was focused entirely on the unfolding situation, so she seemed fairly normal.
"Yes and no. But you'll definitely be fine."
Just as Rin was about to ask what that meant, she turned and saw that the black knight who had barged in to save them was now raising his weapon at Jizi—
"Ameliorate!"
--------------Notes------------
Seems like there are no notes...
------------------PS---------------
PS: The situation was not actually that dangerous. After all, Jizi still had her lifesaving ahoge. She simply did not want to reveal it—she was afraid the Tofu Priest Mapo might be watching from the shadows—so she drew Yanye over instead.
PS2: The purpose of this chapter was to raise the little girl's affection level.
PS3: I originally did not want to write it this way, but after watching the newest episode of UBW, I felt terrible... How could someone who gave everything to protect a little girl end up like that!? I refuse to accept it, so...
PS4: Don't ask me why Yanye showed up. The original work never explained why he suddenly appeared either... right? Anyway, just assume he suddenly felt like taking a nighttime stroll through Fuyuki's New Town tonight.
PSP: In 300 Heroes, pick Nyarlathotep. Whenever you see Gilgamesh, kill him. Kill him even if you have to dive a tower, kill him even if you die yourself, and ignore losing team fights—just kill Gilgamesh... If your teammates ask, say you watched UBW and wanted to vent. Then everyone will understand, and eventually it turns into a team effort to farm Gilgamesh...
PSV: The weird part was that they actually won in the end...
Before you continue