The Headless Horseman Attacks / The Holy Lance, Gray, and Shirou

For a time, neither side could gain the upper hand.

"Ha ha ha ha! You two are really close, aren't you? But save this match for after we defeat the Phantom Demon Alliance. Now that we've gathered our forces, let's discuss how to strike back." The Bearded Uncle stepped forward and laughed.

"Who's close with this cold-blooded woman—this Assault Girl—anyway?!"

A flash of sword light and a burst of flame attacked the Bearded Uncle at the same time.

"Too dangerous!" The Bearded Uncle hurriedly retreated, patting at clothes that had nearly caught fire as he cried out in alarm.

"Ah! I remember now—it was you, you bastard!" Jeanne d'Arc recognized Shinjuku Archer and furiously thrust her spear at him.

"Wait! Even if I trespassed on your turf, that doesn't warrant this much hatred, does it?" The uncle said as he dodged her attacks and retreated again and again.

"What?! I'm settling the score for you suddenly kicking me in the stomach and sending me flying! Because of that, all I've run into these past few days has been one irritating thing after another... Now I'll make you pay it all back with interest!"

The silver-haired girl who had been summoned into this world had refused to submit to the Phantom Demon Alliance. She had also parted ways with the King of Knights, whom she could not get along with. Because she had a habit of setting fires at the slightest disagreement, the Phantom Demon Alliance's leader had deemed her an unstable element and sent a large force to hunt her down.

The silver-haired girl was blunt by nature. Faced with the Phantom Demon Alliance's threats, she naturally snapped back without a second thought. And then... naturally, they focused their firepower on her and chased her down.

To evade pursuit, she had spent these past days fleeing through Shinjuku's underground passages. Yet no matter where she went, an ambush was waiting for her. She had not even had time to rest or catch her breath. It was enough to drive her mad.

In the end, she was still caught by the Archer Servant summoned by them.

The black-haired, black-clad Archer Servant wielded a white bow that emitted deep blue flames. His magical energy far surpassed hers, and every arrow he fired trailed flames behind it. They were devastatingly powerful and so fast they were nearly impossible to see.

Jeanne d'Arc had only barely managed to block the attacks with fortress-like defensive techniques.

But he was still a monster that simply would not die. Even when she burned him, the disgusting black mud spilling from his body would quickly heal him.

Driven into a corner, she had run out of options.

Only then had Jeanne d'Arc decided to unleash her final Noble Phantasm. Even if it meant self-destruction, she would drag him down with her.

Her Noble Phantasm summoned the flames that had burned Saint Joan of Arc to death. Through the Flag of Curses, it transformed herself and the resentment around her into magical energy, burning the enemy inside and out, all the way to the marrow of their bones, until they burned to ashes.

Since she was a creation of the Holy Grail—a rootless duckweed, a phantom like a bubble—she had never truly experienced Jeanne d'Arc's agony as she burned to death. All she could unleash was the hottest, most painful demonic flame she could imagine.

But as an Avenger-class Servant, as the embodiment of hatred and resentment, she possessed hatred that could never be erased and emptiness that could never be filled. The destructive demonic flames born of that rage and despair were not to be underestimated.

Jeanne d'Arc had been confident that she could kill that hateful black mud Heroic Spirit.

But at the very last moment, the black mud Heroic Spirit had blasted blue flames from his entire body, propelling himself away at several times the speed of sound.

With all her magical energy depleted, she had collapsed pathetically in the street and met Shirou. All things considered, it had not been such a bad outcome.

Mm... it wasn't exactly bad, but that didn't mean it was a good thing either! Jeanne d'Arc glared viciously at Shirou as she thought that.

"?" Shirou looked at the girl in confusion after being glared at.

Jeanne d'Arc turned her head away and stopped meeting the Youth's eyes.

The worst part was that the cold-blooded woman had seen her. Just thinking about it made her furious! Nothing could have annoyed her more.

Artoria looked thoughtfully at Jeanne d'Arc's stomach.

The silver-haired girl felt as though she was being mocked and angrily raised her flag, ready to set everything ablaze.

"Anyway, burn already!!!"

"Stop! Calm down! It may be hard to believe, but that Shinjuku Archer you're talking about is actually someone else." The uncle said as he backed away repeatedly.

"Huh? Is your Saint Graph so damaged that even your brain has broken down?" Jeanne d'Arc stared at the uncle in disbelief.

The Bearded Uncle flailed his arms as he tried desperately to explain. "That's what I'm saying! The one who kicked you was the bad me, while the one standing here is the good me. Ah... calling myself good is such embarrassing play! Even uncle finds it humiliating!"

"Do you honestly think anyone would believe that? Turn to charcoal!" Jeanne d'Arc raised her flag.

"Wait! Master, say something for me too!" The Bearded Uncle pleaded with his own Master.

"Mm, he's a good person." Gudako nodded and said to Jeanne d'Arc.

Jeanne d'Arc looked at Gudako in astonishment. "Um... little sister from Chaldea, are you sure there's nothing wrong with your head? Did he infect you? Should you go see a doctor?"

"Jeanne d'Arc, it's hard to believe, but the Shinjuku Archer here really is different from the enemy's." Shirou explained.

"Is... is that so?" Jeanne d'Arc frowned as she studied everyone's expressions. She still could not believe it and worried that they might all be playing a trick on her together.

"Believe him," Gudako said.

"Sorry, impossible." Jeanne d'Arc waved her hand in refusal without a moment's hesitation.

"Why?!" The Bearded Uncle burst into tears and fell to his knees again.

"He is suspicious in every possible way, but this Shinjuku Archer's Saint Graph is damaged. He has even forgotten his True Name. He simply does not have the strength to injure you, Jeanne d'Arc. And he did risk his life to save Gudako before, so let's trust him for the time being," Shirou said.

Jeanne d'Arc considered it for a moment. "Hm... if Shirou and Gudako both say so, then fine! I still can't trust you, but I'll permit you to stay with us for now!"

"What are you deciding on your own?" Artoria said. "We haven't even given you permission to come with us."

"If that suspicious Archer can travel with you, there's no reason I can't! Besides, Shirou already invited me!"

"Let's head back to the base first. After all that commotion earlier, plenty of troublesome things have probably heard us and are coming this way," Shirou said.

"Wait! Shirou, are you really taking this girl back to the base? Think it over carefully. Once this Assault Girl latches onto you, you'll never shake her off for the rest of your life. Just listen to her rattling on and on. Every step she takes makes her armor and chains clank nonstop. It's incredibly annoying," Artoria Alter warned.

"Aren't you, the black one, the same... Hm? What is with that outfit?" Only then did Jeanne d'Arc Alter notice Saber's current attire: a black trench coat paired with shorts, with X-shaped silver jewelry around her neck.

Jeanne d'Arc said awkwardly, "It suits you surprisingly well. Not that I care, but tell me why you're dressed like that. I totally don't care, though."

"Hmph, foolish girl. Unlike a newly summoned Servant like you, I'm experienced. This is Shinjuku! As a summoned Servant, changing into the outfit best suited to this world's customs is only reasonable, isn't it?" Artoria Alter said with a hint of smugness.

"Hmph... hm, hm... ah! I sense something strange over there! I'll go scout it out for a moment." Jeanne d'Arc Alter drew out her words as her eyes swept across the abandoned buildings around them, finally locking onto a run-down shop.

"Shirou! Wait here for me! If you dare leave me behind, I'll burn you!" Jeanne d'Arc shouted before running straight into the clothing store.

"That excuse was so flimsy that it somehow left no reason to stop her," Artoria said.

"Let's wait for her," Shirou said helplessly.

"Waiting for her is fine, of course, but troublesome things have already arrived," the Bearded Uncle reminded them.

The roar of engines came from ahead as a motorcycle gang charged toward them.

Mash spoke through Chaldea's detection system. "Senpai, please be careful. There are three powerful magical energy signatures mixed in with the convoy ahead."

Several arrows flew out at that moment, embedding themselves in the road several meters ahead of the charging motorcycle gang.

"Yahaha! What are you aiming at?!" the leading Bōsōzoku mocked loudly, twisting the throttle and accelerating as he prepared to charge through.

At that moment, the arrows that had struck the ground suddenly exploded.

The tremendous force overturned the motorcycles at the front, sending them crashing into the motorcycles behind them.

The horrific crash left more than a dozen motorcycles tangled together in a chaotic heap, crushing the Bōsōzoku Mages before they could react. The three Demonic Beasts chained behind them—the tamed Chimeras—simply lay down on the ground after no one remained to lead them, too lazy to move.

"Mm, that should keep things quiet for now, right?" Shirou put away his bow and spoke softly.

The instant he finished speaking, a gigantic beast roared. The ground began to shake as something enormous charged toward them.

"A much more troublesome opponent has appeared!!!" the Bearded Uncle cried out in alarm.

"Was this monster drawn here by the earlier flames and explosions?" Artoria frowned.

The black Headless Knight rode atop a giant wolf, charging toward them at a speed that seemed ready to break the sound barrier.

Before the three Chimeras could even resist, the giant wolf bit down on their heads one by one and crushed them.

"Waaahhh!" The Bōsōzoku who had not yet crawled out from beneath their motorcycles were slapped back down by the giant claws.

It paid no heed to the motorcycles, which had begun leaking fuel from the damage.

Boom! With a deafening roar, the pile of motorcycles a hundred meters away exploded one after another.

Blue-red flames surged several meters high in an instant amid the blast waves. The giant wolf stood beside the soaring blaze completely unharmed, like a demon god from legend that had bathed in divine blood and devoured flesh. It raised its head and let out a piercing howl.

Awooo! Awooo! Awooo!!!

"This monster... isn't that completely unfair?"

The rising hot wind carried the stench of gasoline and charred flesh toward Gudako and the Youth.

Shirou hurriedly raised a hand, pulled Gudako into his arms, and grabbed one side of his coat to cover her head. He could feel dust striking his skin with a faint sting and the scorching heat carried by the wind.

Holy Lance Gray Shirou

"Shirou, Gudako, listen carefully! Don't turn around. Slowly back away like this, widen the distance as much as possible, then find an opportunity to escape. Understood?" Artoria changed into her armor, raised her holy sword warily, and stood in front of the Youth and the girl.

"No, we're already at maximum strength. And without your motorcycle, it will be difficult to escape while taking Gudako with us. We can only fight," Shirou said.

"Uncle agrees. Now is the best chance to defeat this Headless Knight."

"Then there's no other choice. Gudako, I'll be counting on your support afterward," Shirou said.

"Got it! Leave the support to me, Shirou-senpai!" Gudako agreed.

"Artoria, I want to fight beside you this time. Is that alright?" Shirou walked to the blonde girl's side and asked.

"Hmph! If you have some trump card, Shirou, use it! But if you're going to hold us back, then run away immediately!" Artoria said without taking her eyes off the enemy.

"Don't worry. I can't say I'm especially strong, but I'm pretty good at struggling desperately." Shirou placed his hand over his abdomen and activated the Holy Grail's pseudo-Saint Graph hidden within his body.

At that instant, the blue-and-gold scabbard inside him seemed to awaken. Thump, thump—something flowed through his blood vessels, and his pulse shifted irregularly. The pseudo-Saint Graph connected with the scabbard, and under the observation of the Magic Eye that could communicate with parallel worlds without limit, it found a certain possibility.

A black-and-white hood concealed the upper half of the Youth's face, while golden hair spilled out from beneath it.

It was unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar at the same time. He stood there leaning on a weapon, a scythe held in his hand. It was the Holy Lance, something that should never have appeared here, and it seemed to have acknowledged the Youth under the scabbard's influence.

In this world, the scabbard did not alter the Youth's nature, but his flesh. As a result, he had begun assimilating into a certain person.

His hair and eyes had both turned gold. His face and body had changed to a degree, and his physical growth had been fixed at a state just under twenty years old.

A tall Grand Mage with long black hair stood smoking a cigar and looked at the Youth he had brought back to the Clock Tower. Seeing his current appearance, he said with disgust, "When you stand there, you look just like that Prince Charming reincarnated. It makes me sick."

"Teacher, don't worry. Even if the scabbard and the Holy Lance changed my body and appearance, I'm still myself. Shirou Emiya cannot become King Arthur." The golden-haired Youth turned around with a smile that could have been called the ideal Prince Charming's smile and looked at the tall man.

The person the Youth called teacher was Lord El-Melloi II, who was currently frowning at the golden-haired Youth.

Back when he had still been known as Waver Velvet, he had encountered an old acquaintance's adopted son in Fuyuki. Though the boy had been Japanese, he had unexpectedly become like this, with his physical growth stopping just before he turned twenty.

On one hand, Lord El-Melloi II needed the other's abilities. On the other, he pitied the Youth for being alone in a foreign land. Having no other choice, he took him in and accepted him as an inner disciple.

This body was not a Magecraft practitioner. Instead, as an expert in fighting spiritual entities, he was the "gravekeeper" of this generation's Royal Mausoleum. Now, as a member of the El-Melloi classroom, he served at Lord El-Melloi II's side, caring for his daily needs and acting as his guard.

During the Fourth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki of this world, Kiritsugu Emiya had summoned Arthur Pendragon, a majestic golden-haired man. He obtained the Holy Grail, yet ultimately ordered King Arthur to destroy it. Interfered with by the King of Heroes, the black mud within the Holy Grail overflowed and caused a great fire.

The dying boy was found among the ruins by Kiritsugu Emiya, who had wanted salvation. To save that small life, Kiritsugu implanted King Arthur's scabbard, which still retained an incomplete connection to Arthur Pendragon, into the boy's body...

After his adoptive father died, Shirou Emiya received help from the underworld despite barely understanding anything. He came alone to Britain and, by chance, recklessly wandered into a remote village somewhere in Wales.

A certain clan lived in that village. For a thousand years, they had been planning a ritual to resurrect the King of Knights, Arthur Pendragon.

The ritual required Arthur Pendragon's body, mind, and soul to be united as one. They had produced descendants bearing King Arthur's genetic factors in hopes of creating a physical body identical to the king's.

That goal had failed for a thousand years. Yet one day, someone possessing those qualities had entered the village from a foreign country.

The Holy Lance reacted to the Youth. When he came into contact with King Arthur's Holy Lance, Rhongomyniad, the Holy Lance acknowledged him. The clan in the village took the Youth in, and he received their corresponding training.

Gradually, the Youth's appearance became more and more like Arthur Pendragon's. The village regarded him as the "king's body" and treated him with the respect and worship of the entire village.

Later, the Youth was chosen as the gravekeeper of this generation's King Arthur at Blackmore Mausoleum, until he met Lord El-Melloi II.

In truth, he was only the Youth who still dreamed of becoming a hero of justice who could save the world, while carrying a touch of nihilism within him.

Pseudo-Saint Graph summoning complete.

Converting physical body to maximum compatibility.

Lancer Shirou manifests.

A handsome Youth draped in a black-and-white cloak appeared there after the glow faded, carrying a box enclosed within a cage in his right hand.

The Youth removed his black-and-white hood, revealing golden bangs. His appearance had also changed slightly. His once fairly handsome face had gained several fine european features. His eyes had become green-gold, captivating eyes that would completely draw in any female who met their gaze.

Before the Youth could speak, the box in his right hand spoke first.

"Hey, not only do we have to fight over there, but now we've been summoned to fight in some inexplicable alternate world too. This is really enough already!"

"Hey, hey, Shirou, shouldn't we find somewhere to hide?"

"Quiet, Add." Shirou spoke to the box held in a miniature birdcage-like enclosure fixed in his hand. It was a talking Mage's Formal Wear that had been summoned along with him.

The box looked behind the Youth and proceeded to comment on everyone one by one.