A New Unlimited Blade Works

The girl even saw something fall to the ground along with the Black Mud the chest of a female humanoid figure. Because it was heavier than the Black Mud, it fell directly to the ground, trembling and rolling as it hit the ground, leaving only a bloody, mangled crater... She also saw that the fallen Black Mud contained oval chunks of flesh that were white in color.

The girl was certain that the black humanoids were human, and had once been human. Now, after being skinned and hollowed out, they were left with only red flesh and skeletons. Then, they were filled with Black Mud and used as familiars.

"I'm sorry..." The girl felt sad for the people here, but she still ran forward resolutely, as she had important things to do.

Not only were there humanoid figures made of Black Mud, but also creatures made of Black Mud —black mud cats, black mud dogs, and black mud birds. They were much more agile than the humanoid figures, rushing towards the girl.

A flash of lightning, and the girl transformed into a bolt of lightning, instantly shifting her position to dodge the Kuro Neko that leaped down from the roof to ambush her, the black bird with outstretched wings, and the black dog that bared its fangs and tried to attack—all of them missed their target.

Then... lightning struck from the sky, electrocuting the animals covered in Black Mud into charcoal.

Faced with absolute power, such a being, possessing only magical abilities, is utterly vulnerable.

Finally, Sakura found Zouken Matou, the terrifying old man, who was in a village, leaning on his cane and watching the Great Hollow was constantly gushing out Black Mud.

"Grandpa, stop harming this town and tell me where my senior is!" Sakura stepped forward and said to the old man.

"You've arrived, Sakura. Besides the Magecraft of imaginary numbers, have you gained new powers? As expected of my chosen successor. I've already prepared an opponent for you," Zouken Matou said with a smile.

Flames rose up, carrying a black magical aura, and a middle-aged man dressed in a red suit, holding a noble-style jeweled cane, and exuding an extraordinary air, emerged from the Black Mud.

"Father... why?" Sakura asked in surprise as she saw the familiar, elegant middle-aged gentleman.

"Ah, Sakura, you've grown up. That's true, so many years have passed. You're now a qualified heir to the Matou family," Tokiomi Tohsaka said gently.

A man resembling Tokiomi Tohsaka approached the girl, suddenly revealing an evil smile. He drew a short sword and stabbed at the girl.

Sakura quickly raised her gun to block the attack and retreated repeatedly.

"Grandpa! This is too much! Why did you summon his, Father's, appearance?" Sakura asked the old man angrily.

Tokiomi Tohsaka was merely a puppet, a record of his Master's likeness made by the Black Mud.

Zouken Matou laughed and said, "Hehehe, anyone who yearns for the Holy Grail cannot escape the curse of the Black Mud within it. It contains the evil of the world, and also the pure evil of humanity. So what can you possibly escape? If you want to change anything, you must first make a sacrifice."

In the girl's memories, her experiences as Lesser Grail, coming into contact with the Black Mud, were mostly troublesome.

Pain, roars, blackened bodies, burning inferno—all the worst images of the world flooded the girl's mind in an instant.

I'll kill you, I'll kill you all!

It's all your fault!

The power of the Black Holy Grail shattered the barrier between parallel worlds, connecting identical souls. Memories from another world flooded her mind, and she wandered the streets unconsciously at night, instinctively consuming the nourishment that served as magical energy.

Her rampaging shadow, a humanoid Lesser Grail, a mutated monster.

At that moment, long, black and red ribbon-like tentacles sprouted from the shadow beneath the girl, entangling Tokiomi Tohsaka, who had transformed from a Black Mud doll, and then pounced on Zouken Matou from behind.

Zouken Matou, however, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, lightly leaping away to dodge the attack. He laughed and said, "Very good, very good. Just like when you were on your deathbed, you took my true form out of my heart and then crushed it to death. You really are very much like me."

"That's not it. I just want to protect you, I don't want to give my body to you. My thoughts are fundamentally different from Grandpa's."

"Same here, Sakura. You really are Matou family heir. Abandoning others for your own life, that's the optimal solution. We're the same," Zouken Matou said with a forced smile.

"No! That's not right! I know what I did was wrong. If my senior saw that, he would definitely be angry." The girl shook her head repeatedly.

"Then I'll help you!" Zouken Matou his hand, and two black-clad humans in armor rose from the Black Mud. They were Servant: a black-clad spearman and a black-clad archer.

It's not the real thing, but a fake of the Black Mud Holy Grail, but it's very similar, with almost all of its abilities being identical to the real thing.

The black-clad spearman's spear pierced the shadow created by the girl's magic.

The black archer released chains, chasing after the girl. Ultimately, he couldn't escape; the chains bound her hands and feet, rendering her immobile. The Black Mud slowly slid towards the girl.

Without the Holy Grail's buff, the shadow-generated monsters posed little threat to the black Servant simulated by the Holy Grail. Instead, the Black Mud kept approaching the girl. When the girl came into contact with the Black Mud while in her summoned state, she instantly dispelled it and was about to be enveloped by the black shadow monsters.

Just as she was about to be enveloped by the Black Mud, the girl's body flashed with light, and the Black Mud reacted as if it had encountered a natural enemy, exhibiting a repulsive reaction.

When the girl was brought into this world, she received a blessing from the gods, and she would never have anything to do with the Black Holy Grail again in her life.

"Wow, that's an interesting reaction. If the Black Mud doesn't work, how about this?" Zouken Matou said, his expression full of curiosity, as he pulled out a Crest Worms.

"No!" Sakura shouted when she saw the insect, struggling powerfully but unable to break free of the chains.

"You're already used to it, aren't you?" Zouken Matou said, holding up the insect and approaching the girl.

As the insects drew closer, the girl cried out the name of the person she longed for.

"Senior... Senior... I'm sorry..."

"Sakura, accept it. The most important thing for Magecraft is ruthlessness." Zouken Matou raised his hand, holding a strange little insect in his hand, intending to force it into the girl's body.

With a whoosh!

A sword light, transformed into a shooting star, flew past and severed the old man's hand.

"Huh?" Zouken Matou looked at his upper arm lying on the ground, turned around in surprise, but didn't see anyone.

The black-clad spearman was struck in the waist by a flying Greatsword and sent flying.

The black-clad archer had a spiraling longsword pierce his chest, and a tremendous force sent him flying, pinning him to the wall behind him.

Call out!

Call out!

One after another, Noble Phantasm were hurled from afar, piercing the black Servant's body before exploding with a deafening roar. The black Servant was reduced to dust and dissolved in the explosion.

Only then did Shirou reveal himself; his class was Berserker! Wrapped in an invisibility cloak, he appeared as a dark hero.

A righteous hero can sometimes become avenger because of hatred, coldly punishing and destroying the enemies who deserve their fate.

Then he appeared in front of the person he wanted to protect, sheltering her from the wind and rain.

"Senior! You're really back?" Tears welled up in Sakura's eyes as she spoke, her heart filled with both melancholy and the joy of reunion.

"..." Shirou turned and nodded to the girl. He was restraining the impulse caused by his class, so he chose to keep quiet to constantly remind himself to remain calm.

Given his relationship with the girl, it wouldn't matter if he didn't talk to her; he would understand what she meant.

Some things will never change, even if they become Berserkers.

If it were for this girl, Shirou genuinely felt he could give up everything. He admired his Hero of Justice, hoped the whole world could be happy, and wanted to keep everyone around him away from misfortune. But in his previous life, he couldn't even protect the people important to him.

But this time, this time, we absolutely will not let those things happen again.

Zouken Matou didn't seem too surprised. Instead, he laughed and said, "So you did make it in after all. Shinji, that piece of trash, couldn't stop you for long. Even with the magic power granted by the Holy Grail, trash is still trash. But you're the same way—still as impulsive and reckless as ever."

"..." Shirou stared silently, Projection his Noble Phantasm once more, gripping it in his hand, preparing for battle.

Zouken Matou said, "It's a real shame. Kiritsugu Emiya refused the Holy Grail, so there's no way to summon it. Otherwise, it would have been quite interesting to have you two fight each other. Hehehe, but it doesn't matter. I'll make up for their absence."

The black-skinned assassin wearing a skull mask and the female Caster with Servant face covered by a purple cloak were even more extreme than the previous enemies. Their bodies were covered in Black Mud, which had infected their skin and turned it a different color. Their stiff, moving bodies had no will of their own; they were completely the old man's puppets.

"The messenger of justice is always late. You are no exception. Hundreds of thousands of people in this town have already become nourishment for the Holy Grail. What were you doing at that time?" Zouken Matou asked with a smile.

Chapter 407 The New Unlimited Blade Works

A black hole appeared in mid-air, from which black soil flowed continuously. At this point, a quarter of the town was covered by Black Mud, turning it into a black swamp.

Shirou ignored the old man, walked up to the girl, Projection white Holy Robe with healing abilities, and draped it over her shoulders. At this moment, Sakura, having broken free from her possession and summoning state, was so gentle, petite, and endearing.

Although she didn't speak, Sakura could still feel the gentleness from her senior's heart, and she was certain that the person in front of her was indeed her senior. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"However, even if he answered the summons, I wouldn't conscript him." Zouken Matou didn't look at Shirou and Sakura, and said to himself, like a lonely old man talking to himself, except that his words were much more sarcastic and bitter than those of an average old man.

"That man, Kiritsugu Emiya, is a useless scoundrel. Although he possesses considerable abilities, he squanders them. When I first heard that he was an opponent of the Einzbern, I also thought he would be a troublesome man, so I chose to back down and observe. A ruthless and cold-blooded killer, an expert in hunting Magecraft, he will stop at nothing; he is simply a man without any flaws."

"Completely different from a good-for-nothing like Kariya who joined Kariya through. Even the Lord Kaineth El- El-Melloi, who made a name for himself as a prodigy in the Clock Tower at a young age, fell to him."

The old man rambled on and on, as if telling a long story.

"But in the end, he didn't betray everything Einzbern had done. He even abandoned his wife and daughter. He obtained the Holy Grail, yet he thought of destroying it. It was utterly foolish."

"But those who possess talent yet do not strive for it are even worse than trash. At least Shinji knew how to make an ugly struggle, but Kiritsugu Emiya up everything, was just superfluous dust, a disgrace to the Magecraft world."

Shirou turned his head and glared angrily at the old man.

Zouken Matou continued unhurriedly, "Even though you were taken in as an adopted son, you resemble that man in the most unnecessary way. Kiritsugu Emiya is a useless scoundrel, and so are you. Shirou Emiya, you possess the power of a god, yet you don't try to use it. Instead, you recklessly barged in like a hero, and that's why you failed."

"Zouken Matou! Shut up!!! Kiritsugu is not someone a guy like you can comment on!! Roar!!!" Shirou roared, unable to contain himself any longer. At this moment, Shirou, influenced by his class, could not tolerate evil that harmed others. The more despicable the villain, the more violent he became.

Zouken Matou revealed a triumphant smile and said, "The participants in the Fourth Holy Grail War are indeed very strong. The Tohsaka household has changed the decline of the previous generations of closed-door development. After returning from studying at the Clock Tower, they have shone brightly and brought about changes to the family. Tokiomi Tohsaka is a noble Magecraft."

"Lord has come from the Clock Tower, seeking honor in the Holy Grail War,"

As the old man spoke, one after another, black humanoid figures struggled to crawl out of the Black Mud swamp, constantly changing their appearance until they finally took on human form, with their faces and hair also changing shape.

Tokiomi Tohsaka, who had been entangled by Sakura's shadow, suddenly melted away and turned into scattered Black Mud.

Meanwhile, on the black-clad humanoid side, a haughty young man with blond hair and a slicked-back hairstyle and an elegant middle-aged man with black hair and a small mustache appeared.

The principle here is very similar to that of Servant possession. The Black Mud can create a humanoid figure as long as there is a corpse, and then the soul of the person in question can be injected into it to summon a specific person. Master participated in the Holy Grail War and were chosen by the Holy Grail have Command Spells engraved on their flesh and blood. They have already established an indelible bond with the Holy Grail.

As Zouken Matou said, if one does not truly abandon the existence of the Holy Grail, but still harbors even a slight desire for this place, then one is destined to become a puppet of the Black Holy Grail.

They are not human, nor are Servant; they are merely emotionless soldiers created by the Holy Grail through its records to fight.

Regardless, he would show no mercy to those who wanted to harm Sakura.

Shirou glared at Zouken Matou, preparing for battle.

At that moment, the enemy on the other side made the first move! Assassin threw six throwing knives in succession, aiming at Shirou's left side.

The blond, slick-back-haired man manipulated the Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid, slashing towards Shirou's right side like a flying blade. Now blessed by the Holy Grail, with inexhaustible magical power, he used this supreme Mystic Code without hesitation.

On the other side, the red-clad man, wielding a jeweled staff, unleashed a series of fireballs, accompanied by waves of heat, rushing straight towards Shirou.

Berserker Shirou stood unmoved in place.

Throwing knives, Magecraft flames, and thin blades formed from sharp Moon Spirit Marrow Fluid bombarded Shirou from three directions.

The next moment, three cherry blossom shields appeared out of thin air around the boy, blocking all attacks projected from afar.

White flames flickered in Shirou's eyes, instantly Projection. In his current berserker form, he had transformed his body into the most suitable form for combat, with both magic output and Projection speed surpassing his peak in life. Magic flowed with his will, and a giant axe appeared in his hand. He spun to the side, causing the giant axe to spin along with his body.

Surrounded by three forces, Shirou was now like a whirlwind.

The back of the axe slammed into the blond man with the slicked-back hair, carrying him into the man in the red suit, sending them flying more than ten meters away.

Finally, he released his grip, and the axe flew out of his hand.

The axe struck Assassin squarely in the waist, cleaving through half of his body and sending him flying.

His initial fighting style as a young boy leaned towards direct, head-on clashes, trading injury for injury, and even life for life. This style was further shaped by his involvement in the Holy Grail War during his youth.

The boy, who had no regard for his own life, felt no fear of death when facing evil, and every battle he fought was a life-or-death struggle. He was like someone who would run headlong into the axe of the Great Hero Heracles, face Kirei Kotomine who summoned Black Mud, and challenge the King of Heroes alone.

Every Projection of his Noble Phantasm carries a risk; it could burn out his body's Magic Circuit or even cost him an arm. In some people's eyes, his fighting style, which disregards his own body, is no different from that of a Berserker.

When he unleashed his Divine Power all at once, he displayed unprecedented strength. His sole belief was to defeat all evil and protect Sakura at all costs.

The Black Mud caster vanished in an instant, teleporting back to Shirou's side, unfurling her robes like a bat spreading its wings. Hundreds of beams of light, reaching the power of A-rank Magecraft, erupted from behind her, bombarding Shirou relentlessly.

Shirou thrust his sword forward with a backhand motion, aiming for her heart. Caster, with her slender female body, was no match for the sharp blade.

"What!"

"Well..."

However, this Servant, who was infused with Black Mud, seemed to feel no pain and lunged forward, letting the blade pierce through his chest.

But instead of retreating, she advanced. Caster ignored the sword that had pierced his body, coughing up black blood, and grabbed the sword with both hands, pulling himself closer to Shirou. The tip of the sword emerged from behind the woman, followed by the blade, until only the hilt remained.

"Ugh... Haaaaah..." Caster opened his mouth, the empty mouth emitting a mournful cry. He stretched out his hands, which were covered in black blood, and hugged Shirou's body. He activated spatial teleportation, carrying Shirou to the swamp covered in Black Mud, and collapsed there.

It flowed out from the black hole in mid-air, and now it has spread across half of the city, forming a swamp of Black Mud.

The invincible berserker felt his feet go limp, unable to find any support, and fell into a state of weightlessness, sinking deeper and deeper. When the Black Mud touched his skin, something suffocating seeped in.

War, violence, abuse, massacre, injustice, resentment...

The most unbearable and cruel scenes in human history flashed through Shirou's mind, causing him repeated psychological shocks. He was so overwhelmed that he was on the verge of fainting.

Driven by his fighting instincts, Shirou Projection a red wooden stick that pierced the ground, continuously extending as it tried to reach the surface.

But it was all in vain. The imaginary number of the Black Mud, an element that did not belong to this world, a product from another dimension, could never surpass the omnipresent nothingness, no matter how long the wooden stick became.

"Hehehe, Berserkers are strong, but due to class limitations, they are easily blinded. Once enraged, they fight recklessly and without regard for anything else. Your Mad Enhancement level may not be as high as that of the Einzbern Family, but in the end, the messengers of justice are just this kind of boring guys. I still won." Zouken Matou said with a smile.

"Senpai!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise.

Shirou's mouth was already stuffed with mud, so he couldn't reply. He could only stare at the girl with his white eyes open, and then he was slowly dragged into the Black Mud.

Zouken Matou chuckled and said, "Heh heh heh, if you hadn't voluntarily given up the power of the gods, I really wouldn't have been able to deal with you. But now you have no chance of turning the tables, what a pity about that layer of divine power. So~! Kid, will your justice prevail to the end, or will you be overwhelmed by the evil of the world? You'd better put on a good show and let me see!"

"Damn it!" Shirou was helplessly dragged down by the Black Mud in the Holy Grail. He shouted and his head sank directly into the pool of Black Mud.