On the Road to Growth: The Ryougi Family / On the Road to Growth: A Body That Attracts Vengeful Spirits!

It was precisely Rin's actions that made Souren Araya mistakenly believe she had learned something from Touko and had set her sights on this chance to reach the Root. Not wanting to become enemies with the Grand Magus, the legendary witch, the Fifth Magus, a Church Executor, and the "once-in-a-century" magical genius causing such a stir in the magecraft world, Souren Araya had lured Kirei Kotomine into meeting him and used Kirei to issue Rin a warning.

At the same time, Souren Araya had great confidence in the sixty-four floors of his Offering Hall. Even if Rin saw this as a provocation and chose to retaliate, he was not worried in the slightest.

"People are falling apart, looking for a wife, too many girls, can't decide."

Rin Tohsaka on the Path of Growth — The Ryougi Family

"Huh?"

Rin took the Holy Grail from Kirei Kotomine, her face showing confusion and surprise. For Souren Araya, that "monk" who had lived for over two hundred years, to appear now was indeed beyond Rin's expectations. It was only January 1998, a full five months before Ryougi Shiki's awakening in the Kara no Kyoukai story. Rin had never expected that merely approaching the comatose Ryougi Shiki once out of curiosity would make Souren Araya appear nearly half a year early.

Rin bit her thumbnail, pondering Souren Araya's intentions. Why had that guy Souren Araya appeared so early?

Unable to figure it out, Rin irritably clutched her head and let out a wail.

"Forget it, I'm done thinking about it. Doesn't Souren Araya not want me getting close to Ryougi Shiki? Then I'll do exactly that!"

At that moment, Touko walked over to Rin and pressed a hand on her head.

"Rin, don't approach Ryougi Shiki. She is sweet poison to Magi. Don't you understand what the Ryougi family represents?"

Of course Rin understood. She even knew perfectly well about the existence of Root Shiki. It was precisely because Root Shiki existed that Rin had only dared to secretly meet Ryougi Shiki once. She had not even planned to interfere with the Kara no Kyoukai plot, fearing that the Root would notice an outsider like her.

"I know, Touko. I'm just annoyed at that guy Souren Araya. He actually dared to threaten me."

Touko shook her head, withdrew her hand, returned to the sofa, and continued playing Chinese checkers with Aoko and Arisu.

Rin carefully recalled every detail of the original work. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. She stared at the Holy Grail in her hand, an insidious smile appearing on her lips.

Servant Shiki, the Servant who appeared in the future Human Order incident, within the Kara no Kyoukai Singularity.

Although Servant Shiki was an exception born from a Singularity because of the future Human Order incident, didn't that prove that Ryougi Shiki, as an individual, truly possessed the potential to become a Servant? Touko and Rin had already been planning to use the Holy Grail ritual to study the creation of a Blank Spirit Foundation. Why not change their plans and directly use the Holy Grail ritual to grant Ryougi Shiki that Spirit Foundation, creating a Servant Shiki? That "monk's" expression would surely be a sight to behold then.

Thinking of this, Rin impatiently called out to Touko.

"Touko!"

Touko looked at Rin's excited face and mischievous grin, and a headache came on. Over the past month or so of living with Rin, someone always ended up unlucky whenever Rin wore that expression. Either Touko or Aoko, though more often it was those mercenaries. Seeing that expression again, Touko wondered what scheme that little devil had cooked up this time. Afraid that she would be the one suffering, Touko cautiously asked.

"Rin, what awful idea did you come up with this time? Who's going to be unlucky?"

Aoko also warily turned around, rose to her feet, and struck a pose ready to flee. The moment she heard her own name, she intended to run.

Watching the two sisters, the veins on Rin's forehead bulged as she said irritably.

"What is this supposed to mean? What kind of image do I have in your eyes?"

"Little devil!" That was Touko.

"Walking natural disaster!" That was Aoko.

Hearing their remarks, Rin felt as though an arrow had pierced her heart. Clutching her chest, she leaped into Arisu's arms on the sofa.

"Arisu! Look at the two of them... sob, sob, sob."

Even Arisu could not help tilting her head as she looked at Rin.

"Trouble."

Rin was utterly defeated!

Kallian and Shirou Emiya, standing behind Kirei Kotomine, had both been uneasy ever since entering and seeing the legendary Grand Magus, Fairy Tale Witch, and Fifth Magus. Only now, seeing that these legendary figures were not much different from ordinary people, did they finally relax and laugh happily.

After the playful commotion, Rin finally put on a serious expression and slowly laid out her entire plan for Touko.

Touko rubbed her chin and thought for a while before asking Rin.

"How can you be certain Ryougi Shiki can endure that Spirit Foundation? As far as I know, that young lady is merely an ordinary person with decent swordsmanship."

Rin had wanted to retort that Touko was calling Ryougi Shiki someone who only knew swordsmanship, but upon further thought, it was true. Among those present, aside from Kallian and Shirou Emiya, Ryougi Shiki—who did not yet possess the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception—really was just an ordinary person in everyone else's eyes.

"Touko, didn't you just tell me what the Ryougi family represents? Don't you understand? When we went to the hospital to observe Ryougi Shiki, you should have already realized it."

"Yes, we did examine Ryougi Shiki with magecraft at the time. Don't tell me... Are you saying the Ryougi family has already succeeded? Then, Rin, I understand why Souren Araya, my old classmate, warned you not to approach Ryougi Shiki again. If I were Souren Araya and planned to use the same method, I would also see you as the greatest threat."

Seeing that Touko had figured it out, Rin asked eagerly.

"Then, Touko, are you willing to carry out this plan with me and properly screw over your old classmate?"

A wicked smile appeared on Touko's face.

"If that's the case, I'd also like to see whether my old classmate can make any other expression."

Aoko looked at the two of them in confusion and asked.

"What are you two talking about?"

As a halfway-trained amateur, Aoko was utterly lost in Rin and Touko's conversation.

Seeing Aoko's confusion, Arisu shook her head and explained.

"The Ryougi family, an exorcist family, attempted to create an omnipotent being by placing multiple personalities into the same body. In magecraft terms, they wanted to create someone connected to the Root. Rin and Touko seem to believe the Ryougi family has succeeded, and that Ryougi Shiki is the result. That Magus, Souren Araya, appears to want to seize that result, which is why he saw Rin as a threat and issued a warning. Now Touko and Rin intend to screw Souren Araya over. That's all."

Aoko suddenly understood and eagerly asked Rin.

"Hey, Rin, I'm interested in Touko's old classmate too. I want in. You have to take me with you this time!"

Seeing Aoko's excitement and Touko's wicked smile, Rin clenched her little fist. Souren Araya, you old "monk." You actually dared to threaten me. Let's see how you die this time.

"Sure, Aoko. No problem!"

Arisu calmly glanced at her three troublesome friends. Her face slightly flushed as she reached out and poked Rin's cheek with a finger.

Feeling her cheek being touched, Rin turned to look at Arisu. Though her expression was calm, the blush on her face and the longing in her eyes had betrayed her. Rin immediately understood and held out her hand to Arisu.

"Arisu, you should come too."

Arisu placed her hand atop Rin's. Feeling the amused gazes of Touko and Aoko, she turned her head away.

"Rin invited me. It's not like I wanted to go with you two..."

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Rin Tohsaka on the Path of Growth — Abuse Spirit Medium Constitution!

After Rin and the others finished discussing their plan, Kirei Kotomine came over to her.

"Rin, do you have a way to deal with an abuse spirit medium constitution?"

Upon hearing Kirei Kotomine's words, Rin immediately turned toward Kallian and carefully examined the frail, slender girl two years younger than herself.

The moment Kirei Kotomine mentioned an abuse spirit medium constitution, Rin knew that he must have discovered Kallian's condition ahead of time. However, Rin did not have any particularly good solution for such a constitution.

Rin could only give it a try. She summoned the system and began searching for a solution through the knowledge and techniques from the A Certain Magical Index world within it.

The others watched strangely as Rin suddenly fell silent and kept tracing something through the air before her with her finger. No one interrupted her, assuming it was simply one of Rin's strange ways of thinking.

Unlike Kirei Kotomine, who waited patiently, Shirou Emiya, now Kallian's older brother, anxiously watched Rin's continuously moving finger. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails pierced his flesh, blood slowly dripping through the gaps between his fingers.

Then Rin's eyes suddenly lit up, and she sped up her movements across the panel.

Akiha Himegami, the Gemstone from the A Certain Magical Index world, was a girl with the ability Vampire Killer. She was an excellent reference.

Rin looked at the knowledge displayed on the panel beneath her fingertip and silently called out, System. As a flood of knowledge filled her mind, Rin rubbed her temples and said to Kirei Kotomine.

"I've thought of a solution. Kirei, I can create a mobile shrine to block Kallian's abuse spirit medium constitution. That way, Kallian won't need to worry about the effects of that constitution."

Upon hearing Rin's words, a pleased smile appeared at the corner of Kirei Kotomine's mouth. He gratefully said to her.

"Rin, thank you. I've troubled you again."

Hearing Rin's solution, Shirou Emiya impatiently rushed to her side, grabbed her shoulders, and shook her as he urgently asked.

"Rin, really? Then hurry up and make it!"

Rin had already been dizzy from the sudden influx of knowledge into her brain. After Shirou Emiya grabbed her shoulders and shook her, she could no longer endure the dizziness and collapsed onto the floor.

Arisu frowned, crouched down, and supported Rin with her right hand. She cast a cold gaze at Shirou Emiya while her left hand unconsciously slipped into her pocket, gripping her Mystic Code.

Then Arisu felt someone tugging at her sleeve. She hurriedly lowered her head and looked at Rin, who was faintly shaking her head.

"Rin, are you alright?"

"Arisu, I'm fine. Please help me up."

As Shirou Emiya stood there at a loss after Rin suddenly fell, Arisu's glare sent a chill shooting from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

"Rin, I'm sorry. I didn't know, I..."

Supported by Arisu, Rin stood up and waved a hand at Shirou Emiya.

"It's fine. I just overworked my brain and got a little dizzy. I understand you were worried about Kallian and didn't mean it. I'll be fine after resting for a while. Shirou, I only came up with an idea just now. I still need to research how to put it into practice, so there's no use being impatient. But I'm not letting you off for shaking me down. Shirou, think carefully about how you're going to compensate me."

Touko also came over to Rin, curiously studying her. In only a dozen or so seconds, Rin had consumed so much mental energy that she could barely remain standing.

"Rin, do you know what I want to do right now? I kind of want to dissect you, you monster."

Aoko happened to walk over with Touko. Hearing Touko's words, she slapped Touko's backside.

"Touko, shut up!"

Touko turned and viciously glared at Aoko, while Aoko stared right back at her without backing down.

Watching the sisters start up again, Rin quietly said to Arisu.

"They're at it again. Arisu, please help me over to the sofa. I need to rest for a while."

"Mm."

After helping Rin to the sofa, Arisu expressionlessly turned around, walked over to Touko and Aoko, grabbed both of them by the ears, and dragged them upstairs. "Aah, Aah, Arisu, slower! They're going to come off!" ×2

After Arisu dragged Aoko and Touko away by their ears, Kallian slowly walked over to Rin, who was lying on the sofa. She smiled at Rin, and her delicate little face was so lovely that even Rin could not help gazing at her in admiration.

"Big Sister Rin, thank you!"

After saying that, Kallian stood on tiptoe, bent down, and lightly kissed Rin's cheek. Then, blushing like a little rabbit, she skipped away from the room while pulling Shirou Emiya along.

Rin lay on the sofa, blankly touching the cheek Kallian had kissed. Then Kirei Kotomine came over to her.

"Rin, today I found someone worth saving, so I may leave for the next few days. Please look after Kallian and Shirou for me."

Rin looked at Kirei Kotomine with slight confusion. He was a man she had never been able to see through from beginning to end. When Rin had first approached Kirei Kotomine, she had done so with murderous intent. But as time passed, she came to know more and more about him and gradually began treating him as her tool. Only after the Fourth Holy Grail War, when Rin saw Kirei Kotomine again with his heart filled, and watched him gradually become normal, did she finally regard him as a person, a companion.

Hearing that Kirei Kotomine intended to leave and save someone, Rin could not help but wonder what kind of person could make him set aside matters concerning his daughter Kallian and decide to leave to save "him." Still, faced with Kirei Kotomine's request to look after Kallian and Shirou, Rin nodded and agreed.

"Fine. Kirei, stay safe. Watch out for Souren Araya. And if you need help, come back to me anytime."

After leaving Garan no Dou, Kirei Kotomine took a taxi. After asking the driver about the city's largest church school, Riyoda, he arrived at Riyoda Girls' Academy.

After showing the gatekeeper proof of his identity as a Church member, Kirei Kotomine went straight to the headmaster's office. Under the headmaster's eager hospitality, Kirei Kotomine finally obtained the girl's name: Fujino Asagami!

At Riyoda Girls' Academy, the dismissal bell rang, and teachers and students gradually left the school.

Fujino Asagami walked alone with her head lowered, silently carrying her schoolbag toward the school gate.

"We meet again. Do you need saving?"

Fujino Asagami raised her head toward the source of the voice. The priest who had saved her in the alley that day stood by the roadside with his hands behind his back, staring intently at her.

Confused, Fujino Asagami walked over to Kirei Kotomine and asked.

"Why do you think I need saving?"

Kirei Kotomine calmly looked at Fujino Asagami and casually pointed at the passing students nearby.

"Your eyes. Those hollow eyes. Don't you think you are different from everyone else?"

Upon hearing that, Fujino Asagami suddenly raised her head and looked at Kirei Kotomine...

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