(Heartfelt thanks to Kaede no Chōrei for the 1888 reward! And to Liunian Cheng Shang love, Yunqi Qinggu, An Zhi Menghuo, and Ryūjin no Hime for their rewards!)
"Stop!"
A sharp cry rang out over the entire Eldfelt Family estate, reaching the ears of the three girls present without missing a word.
But the Railgun had already been fired. How could it possibly stop now?...
Rin Tohsaka could only watch helplessly as the orange beam, like a meteor, flashed across the Eldfelt Family courtyard. Carrying power enough to make space itself tremble, it shot toward Bazett...
Facing the ever-approaching Railgun, Bazett showed no fear. She raised one foot, and instead of retreating, she stepped forward heavily.
The stone sphere floating above Bazett's fist suddenly trembled. The tiny Magic Array beneath it shook as well, and the ring covered in runes on its reverse slid down, wrapping around Bazett's fist.
Then, as though supporting Bazett, the ring shrank by a circle. Bazett's fist immediately closed the distance to the tiny Magic Array until they came into direct contact.
"Sword of Retribution!"
With a low, cold shout, Bazett aimed at the incoming Railgun—or rather, at Mikoto behind the Railgun, maintaining her firing stance with electricity still crackling across her body. Bracing the stone sphere atop her fist, she thrust the short sword's blade forward through the air!
"—Fragarach!"
At that instant, the entire world seemed to fall into stillness...
From the stone sphere pressed above Bazett's fist, the rune-covered ring slid beneath the lower end of the forward-thrust short sword like an escort. Together with the blade, it transformed into a streak of light and shot straight toward the Railgun.
Yet the short sword's blade, transformed into light as it shot forward and collided with the Railgun, did not directly clash with