Shirou Emiya Stands on Terra, Chapter 3

Another him stood on the gallows, and after looking at the people around him, he seemed to understand something. He smiled sarcastically and stepped onto the platform.

With a dong, the screen flickered again. This time, the image was like static on a screen with no signal. After flashing for a few seconds, the final image was displayed.

The Red Guardian holding a bow, and the Black Guardian with Twin Pistols.

────His consciousness gradually blurred, followed by a severe sense of falling.

His consciousness was thus interrupted.

On the wilderness, a minivan was moving at high speed.

Four women were sitting in the car. Although their faces were dirty, they seemed to be in very good spirits.

"After this delivery, we can finally rest for a while. No more long hauls."

The red-haired woman in the passenger seat stretched as she spoke. Her curves were fully visible when she stretched. Fortunately, everyone in the car was a woman. If there were any men, they would surely not know where to look?

It was just that the halo above her head was a bit bright.

"Ah! I'm so envious of you, Exusiai. I still have a few more performances to go!"

Hearing her words, the ears on the head of the blonde woman in the back seat twitched slightly, and she responded with a look of utter despair.

The woman called Exusiai turned around and looked at Sora in the back seat with a grinning expression, responding:

"After all, Sora, you're an idol. Don't worry, Texas and Croissant and I will come to cheer you on, okay? Right, Texas?"

"Mm."

The black-haired, beast-eared woman in the driver's seat—Texas—nodded in agreement while driving, with a Pocky stick in her mouth.

"I have something to do these few days. I have a batch of goods to sell."

On the other side, Croissant, with a pair of horns on her head, spread her hands and indicated she was busy.

"Croissant, did you buy something else to sell?"

"Heh heh~ It's a secret! But I really found something good this time?" Croissant raised her head proudly, feeling like she was about to blow air out of her nostrils.

However, the other three only believed about half of Croissant's words, out of a hundred. This was because Croissant often bought strange things, but it had to be said that she occasionally found good items. However, compared to other things, it was really rare.

"Don't go setting up a stall at Sora's concert, okay? You were caught last time, and it was only because Sora spoke up for you that you were okay." Texas's Pocky in her mouth flicked as she warned Croissant.

"Don't worry, I'll set up my stall outside this time." Croissant looked confident, showing no signs of repentance.

"Sora, please remember to bail Croissant out later." Exusiai, after hearing Croissant's words, had already envisioned Croissant being pinned down by the concert security.

"Okay, no problem. I'll bring Croissant out safely." Sora clasped her hands together, as if repenting for Croissant.

"Can you not assume I'll be caught?" Croissant pointed at the two with her right hand, her index finger pointing downwards to express her dissatisfaction.

"Shouldn't you be the one not to cause trouble for others?" Texas in the front switched to a new Pocky.

Boom────

Before Texas could bite into the Pocky, a huge sound came, followed by violent shaking, almost lifting the entire car into the air.

"Hold on tight!"

Texas gripped the steering wheel tightly, and the Pocky fell to the ground during the sudden vibration. The others in the car also held onto whatever they could to maintain their safety.

The car landed smoothly, spun twice on the ground, and then stopped.

After the car stopped, Exusiai raised the gun in her hand, full of indignation.

"Praise Lateran, what happened? Did we get bombed?"

"Prepare for battle." Texas looked at the empty Pocky wrapper, glanced out the window to confirm there was nothing else in the sky, then picked up her sword hilt, reminding the others what to do.

Croissant grabbed her shield, opened the door, looked around, and confirmed the source before calling out to the others.

The few of them gathered behind Croissant, waiting for Texas's next command.

Texas fiddled with a device in her hand, seemed to confirm something, and then nodded, saying, "There's no sign of Originium concentration spiking. It's still within safe limits. It shouldn't be a Catastrophe or an Originium bomb."

"Not a Catastrophe or an Originium bomb? Just a meteorite? Longmen vulgarity, he sure hit accurately."

After learning it wasn't a Catastrophe or an Originium bomb, she breathed a sigh of relief and had the leisure to joke.

As for being ambushed...? Not to mention who would choose to ambush in such a vast plain with almost no cover and no signs of digging, it could basically be ruled out.

"Should we go take a look?" Exusiai's gun remained in her hand.

It's always right to be careful. This land is very dangerous.

"Let's see what it is. My last Pocky is gone." Texas flicked the sword hilt in her right hand, and the lightsaber appeared with a swish.

She was very angry now and wanted to cut something to vent her frustration.

"Ugh, Sora, do you have any Pocky?" Seeing Texas's unhappy expression, Exusiai took a couple of steps back and asked Sora.

"I think I might. I'll check my bag later." Sora responded softly after recalling. She remembered she should have put some in her bag, but she had used it for emergency last time and forgot to restock.

"Let's pray you do, otherwise we'll be on the death train later."

Exusiai sincerely hoped that Sora's bag would contain Pocky. Last time, Texas was driving remotely, and because of her mistake, she forgot to bring Pocky into the car, which caused Texas to be in a irritable state the entire time, even pressing the accelerator harder. Although she trusted Texas's driving skills, Exusiai stated that she did not want to experience it again.

She felt as if she had seen God that time.

Unfortunately, she didn't want to see her God again in that way for the time being.

As the few people walked closer, Croissant, who was at the front, stopped and said to Texas, "Texas, the drop point is just ahead."

Texas nodded, gripped the lightsaber in her hand, and moved forward.

The area around the pit was still shrouded in smoke. As Texas cautiously approached, she finally saw what was in the pit—or rather, a person.

It should be a man, with red hair, wearing a black and white coat, dark blue pants, and a pair of black and white shoes. His overall attire was very simple and common; many people in Longmen probably dressed like this.

The problem was, how did someone dressed so plainly end up crashing here?

Although Texas didn't quite understand physics, she knew very well that with the impact force just now, anyone would have been reduced to an unrecognizable mess.

"What's wrong, Texas? Why do you look like you've seen pineapple on your pizza?" Exusiai asked, seeing Texas standing by the edge of the pit with a strange expression on her face, and leaned closer to check on her.

Then she also saw the person in the pit and joined the ranks of those who found an apple pie without apples.

Sora and Croissant, who followed, also came closer and quietly looked at the man in the pit.

The man was facing the ground, with his left hand reaching forward, which looked really striking.

After a while, Croissant spoke, "Longmen curse words What is this thing!"

"It's a person." Since Texas had nothing to chew on, she bit her thumb to relieve her anxiety.

"Mm, it's a person," Exusiai said, staring at the man in the pit.

"He looks like a person," Sora added.

"Of course I know he's a person, my eyes still work!" Croissant felt like her teammates were underestimating her.

"Stop messing around. What should we do now? Leave or rescue?"

Texas hesitated for a moment before deciding to ask her teammates for their opinion. If they were in the middle of a mission, she definitely wouldn't bother with the person, but now, it was still possible to save him.

However, her inclination was not to save him. It was definitely not because her Pocky was gone because of him, but because on this continent, not everyone would accept kindness with gratitude.

After all, they had just finished a mission, and there was no need to risk saving someone else.

"Since we've seen him, let's save him?" Exusiai said, and at the same time, she jumped into the pit.

"Well... if Sister Exusiai jumped in, then let's save him?" Croissant looked at Exusiai, who was already approaching the person, and jumped into the pit to follow her.

"Sigh... Sora, do you have an emergency medical kit with you?" Seeing her teammates already in action, Texas sighed and asked Sora.

"Yes... yes."

Sora hurriedly rummaged through the small bag at her waist and took out bandages and some medicine.

Texas nodded and then jumped into the pit. Sora followed closely behind.

When the group met up with Exusiai, they saw that Exusiai had already turned the man over and was checking him for any wounds.

"Texas, give me a hand. I don't see any obvious external injuries."

There were no obvious bloodstains on the man, and his clothes weren't even torn. He was just a little dirty from being on the ground.

Hearing Exusiai, Texas put her lightsaber aside and began her examination. Since Exusiai was checking the upper body, Texas started from his feet.

"No injuries on his feet or torso. His hand... his right hand seems to be wrapped?"

She didn't feel any broken bones or swelling, but his right hand seemed to be wrapped.

Although she had seen a red cloth strip tied around his palm when he was closer, after touching it, she realized it seemed to be wrapped all the way to his right shoulder.

"He might be infected, be careful," Texas warned her teammates. Then she took off his jacket and lifted his right arm.

The red cloth strip was indeed wrapped around his right arm. After a brief look, Texas decided to remove the cloth strip to check for injuries.

As long as they were careful, the infected weren't that scary.

She reached out and gently pulled the cloth from his shoulder, and Texas vaguely heard a crackling sound.

She stopped what she was doing and looked around. Her ears twitched from time to time.

"What's wrong?" Seeing Texas's actions, Exusiai leaned closer.

"It's nothing, maybe I heard it wrong." Seeing that her teammate didn't seem to hear anything, Texas shook her head and then used some force to undo the part that was securing his right shoulder.

The cloth strip seemed to be secured from his wrist, so she could only pull it down to his wrist.

"There's nothing here? Then why did he wrap it with cloth?" Exusiai held the man's hand and looked it over, but couldn't find any wounds or Originium.

"Uh... maybe it's a fashion statement?" Sora offered her thought from the side, tilting her head.

"Tsk, anyway, it should be fine. Tie his hands and feet and lay him on the back seat," Texas grumbled, not finding what she wanted to bite, and directly used the red cloth strip to tie the man's hands. Then she took the bandages from Sora and tied his feet as well.

They weren't tied tightly; the ones on his feet were at a level where he could easily untie them with a little force.

Then, she and Croissant carried the man out of the pit and placed him in the back seat of the car.

"Phew... should we take him back to Longmen?" Croissant asked, wiping the sweat from her forehead after lifting the man into the car.

"Mm, let's take him back. The boss should be very interested," Texas said, taking the Pocky handed to her by Sora, and felt a sense of peace and quiet in her life.

"Indeed. Someone who falls from the sky and is completely unharmed would definitely pique the boss's interest," Exusiai said, stroking her chin.

Their boss seems to have taken a recent interest in these kinds of special people.

They say their boss changes hobbies every day.

"Hmm... I'll just hide him a bit better then." Sora nudged the cargo beside her, making the man less conspicuous.

"...What if he wakes up during the inspection?" Croissant asked.

"Then he'll be taken away by the Knights of the Round Table, if he's unlucky." Exusiai shrugged. After Sora finished, she closed the car door and got in.

The engine roared to life, and they continued on their way back.

If anyone saw this scene...

Four people carrying weapons, with one unconscious and bound in the back seat, it screamed of crime.

The car smoothly entered Longmen. After all, they were regulars at the Knights of the Round Table, and the person conducting the inspection today was someone they knew, so they were only briefly checked before being allowed through.

Exusiai couldn't help but sigh in relief:

"I didn't expect to get in so smoothly, we're really lucky."

"Croissant, call the boss and let him know to prepare an empty room." Texas, chewing on her last Pocky, swayed it back and forth. She suddenly thought they should notify their boss to clear out a room to place the person in the back seat.

"And let's extort a dinner while we're at it, hehe." Croissant flipped her chair, took out her phone, and made a call.

"...Ah! Boss! We've arrived at Longmen, the cargo is safe... Don't worry, don't worry, ah! Wait, could you prepare a room for us? We picked up a very interesting person on the way, I think you'll be interested... Okay, and about dinner... What? You're busy tonight? Damn it!" The others watched as Croissant's expression shifted from reporting and requesting to fawning, and finally to outright frustration.

"Alright, alright, it's not the end of the world if we miss out on a meal, don't be upset." Sora comforted Croissant, and it worked wonders.

Croissant stuffed the phone into her pocket and said, "The boss said he'll prepare a room, the one downstairs from our dorm. He's quite busy these two days, so he'll probably only come to see this guy tomorrow night. As for a doctor, if it's not urgent, we won't call one for now. We can find one the boss knows when he gets back."

"Hooray! If the boss is busy, it means we can relax and have a holiday without worrying about last-minute jobs." Exusiai cheered, clenching her fists.

Usually, holidays meant being on standby, ready to work if there were any urgent tasks. But if the boss was busy and hadn't assigned any long-term missions, then it was a complete holiday!

"Don't celebrate too early, we still have to take care of the person in the back seat." Texas's ears twitched slightly. She was quite satisfied with the two days of rest as well.