Rin's Garden of Sinners Journey-See You Next Century / Rin Tohsaka's Garden of Sinners Journey-Going Home!

At this moment, everyone had gathered together.

Rin swept her gaze over everyone present before speaking.

"Kaikiri Leshith, I'll need you to take Kallian and Shirou to the church later. Touko, tonight, go to the hospital, wake Ryougi Shiki, and turn her into a Servant. Then bring Shiki to Ogawa Apartments. Aoko, the Black Wing Duke is yours. Arisu and Kirei will handle the Dead Apostles. Fujino and I will deal with those magi. As for Souren Araya, leave him to Shiki!"

Everyone listened to Rin's arrangements, nodded in agreement, then returned to their respective residences to prepare for tonight's battle.

Kaikiri Leshith led Kallian and Shirou onto the road toward the Kanfushi City church.

Night fell!

Rin, Arisu, Fujino, Aoko, and Kirei Kotomine arrived near Ogawa Apartments.

Rin raised her head and looked at the recently completed Ogawa Apartments before taking a deep breath. The Flame Sword, the "gift that grants pain to giants," flew from her hand and struck the apartment entrance directly, kicking off tonight's battle.

Faced with Rin's attack, the Dead Apostles brought by the Black Wing Duke poured out of the apartment, attempting to stop Rin and the others.

Facing the stream of Dead Apostles, Rin punched one of them flying, then said to Arisu and Kirei Kotomine.

"Arisu, Kirei, I'm counting on you."

With that, magical energy flashed around Rin's legs. She activated Reinforcement Magic and charged into Ogawa Apartments.

Aoko watched Rin charge into the apartment, shouted, and fired several Magic Bullets to blast open a path for her. Then she and Fujino followed behind Rin into Ogawa Apartments.

Arisu silently watched Rin and the others enter Ogawa Apartments, then began to display the power she possessed as the Fairy Tale Witch.

A red gleam flashed through her eyes as she used her Mystic Eyes to restrain the Dead Apostles charging at her. Then she fired Magic Bullets that shattered the nearby fountain. As the fountain broke apart, its water gathered into a stream.

The Bridge Giant, one of Arisu's trump cards, appeared. Its enormous body stood three stories tall, its surface formed from hard stone, brazenly displaying the might of Fairy Tale Magecraft before the Dead Apostles.

With a boom, the Bridge Giant stepped forward and easily crushed the Dead Apostles restrained by Arisu's Mystic Eyes into pulp before roaring at the rest!

Watching the roaring Bridge Giant launch its charge, the Dead Apostles wavered under such pressure. Some of the more cowardly ones even turned to flee, but it was futile. How could Kirei Kotomine, an outstanding Executor, let them go? His right hand casually swung Black Keys, severing the Dead Apostles' heads, while his left hand wrapped the heads in the holy shroud borrowed from the Kanfushi City church to prevent their regeneration.

Suddenly, a breach was blasted through Ogawa Apartments' outer wall. A Dead Apostle with black wings, looking like a fusion of bird and human, was sent flying through it and into the plaza outside the apartment building.

The Dead Apostles saw the figure that had been blasted out and hurried forward to help him up.

"Black Wing Duke, don't think you can run!"

From the breach that had just been blasted open, Aoko emerged while supporting herself against the wall, her hair now red. (In this story's setting, Aoko's hair turned red when she began using magic, unlike in the original!)

The Black Wing Duke casually shoved away the Dead Apostles around him, screeched, and pounced at Aoko.

"Never-Returning!"

As the Black Wing Duke's Bounded Field unfolded, he and Aoko vanished from the plaza together.

Inside Ogawa Apartments, Rin glanced at the massive hole created by Aoko's battle with the Black Wing Duke, then threw herself back into the fierce battle.

The sixty-four-story Offering Hall was the materialization of Souren Araya's inner world. The residents turned into dolls endlessly reenacted the "cycle" of dying at night and reviving at dawn within it. Araya's body was connected to the apartment building as well, allowing him to instantly move to other places inside and even manipulate the space within it. He could accomplish feats close to magic itself, such as spatial severance and spatial transfer.

At this moment, the building's residents were the magi brought by Alba earlier. Under Souren Araya's control, these doll-like magi continuously appeared from spaces all around Rin and Fujino, launching attacks at them.

Rin turned jewels into a massive shield to defend against the attacks. Suddenly sensing danger, she hurled a ruby in that direction. As firelight flashed, Witch-King Slayer swung its enormous cross and blocked the attack for Rin.

The attacker was Alba. Not only had Souren Araya turned him into a doll, but he had also been transformed into a Dead Apostle, making the already Color-ranked magus even more dangerous.

Rin looked at Alba, whose face was twisted as he continuously howled "Touko."

Rin shouted to Fujino.

"Fujino, please hold that guy back for a while!"

"Okay, Master! Consciousness-Only Distortion Mage Eye!"

Rainbow light began to shine from Fujino's eyes. Facing Fujino's attack, Alba roared and raised both hands, gathering flames that collided with Fujino's distortion. At the same time, Souren Araya's signature Six Layers of Defense appeared around Alba.

Meanwhile, Rin swiftly used the Shorthand Codex to set up a defensive temple. She took out jewels she had stored earlier, each containing starlight, and began gathering that starlight.

"Wings of Light Deploy!"

A rain of light poured from the wings behind Rin's back. Most of the doll magi who had not been transferred away in time by Souren Araya were riddled with holes by the rain of light.

Rin then floated in midair and shouted at Fujino, who was still deadlocked with Alba.

"Move aside, Fujino!"

Fujino obediently withdrew her Mystic Eyes and easily dodged the flames that had clashed with her Mystic Eyes earlier.

Nearly half the feathers on Rin's wings wrapped around her right hand and shone with golden light. Then, supporting her right hand with her left in the pose of firing a gun, Rin began to chant.

"Gather, Venus! This is your glory. Forge the light of destruction—this is the Spear of Venus!"

Bounded Field—Never-Returning. It was the Death Feather Sky Curtain that covered the sky, devouring even moonlight and starlight. It was an absolute "world of death," without the slightest trace of light. Yet Aoko, within it, was illuminating this world with the radiance of her own magic.

The prolonged battle and the Black Wing Duke's occasional sneak attacks had left Aoko somewhat exhausted. Just as she seized a gap in the fighting to recover her strength—

In the blink of an eye, Aoko returned to the plaza before Ogawa Apartments. At the same time, the Black Wing Duke dispelled his Bounded Field and instantly transformed into a black shadow, rushing into Ogawa Apartments.

"Don't run!" Disregarding Arisu, who was still fiercely fighting the Dead Apostles in the plaza, Aoko hurried after him, afraid that the Black Wing Duke might harm Rin.

Aoko was one step too late. As soon as she rushed into Ogawa Apartments, she could only watch helplessly as the Black Wing Duke, aided by Souren Araya, departed through spatial transfer.

"Damn it, Rin, you'd better be okay!"

Aoko clenched her fists, her face filled with self-reproach and worry. Just as she was about to charge upstairs, Touko's voice suddenly came from behind her.

As Aoko had expected, the Black Wing Duke had been transferred to the floor where Rin and Fujino were.

The Black Wing Duke stretched out one hand before Rin, who was using the Spear of Venus, and casually crushed the Spear of Venus she had fired. Ignoring Rin and Fujino, he turned toward Alba, who was under Souren Araya's control.

"Souren Araya, my subordinates have brought you the person you wanted. Show yourself."

Following the Black Wing Duke's words, a Dead Apostle emerged from his shadow while carrying Ryougi Shiki in his arms. At the same time, Souren Araya arrived here through spatial transfer.

Souren Araya looked at Ryougi Shiki in the Dead Apostle's arms, his expression remaining calm.

"Hand Ryougi Shiki over to me."

The Black Wing Duke gestured to his subordinate, signaling him to do as Souren Araya said, while also reminding Souren Araya.

"Souren Araya, remember our agreement. Once you connect to the Root, use all your strength to help my master return to Earth! If you go back on your word, I don't think I need to remind you what the consequences will be."

Having heard the contents of the deal between the Black Wing Duke and Souren Araya, Rin could not help shouting at Souren Araya.

"Wait! Souren Araya, do you know what will happen if Crimson Moon returns to Earth?"

The Black Wing Duke frowned and glared at Rin in irritation before roaring.

"How dare you call my master by name! Kill her!"

Upon receiving the order, the Black Wing Duke's subordinate leaped up, stepped onto the ceiling, and charged at Rin. Meanwhile, Fujino Asagami, who was preparing to support Rin, was blocked by Alba under Souren Araya's control.

Just as Rin and Fujino fell into danger, Touko and the now-Servantized Ryougi Shiki encountered Aoko in the lobby of Ogawa Apartments.

"Aoko, why are you here? Weren't you supposed to be stopping the Black Wing Duke?"

Aoko turned around in surprise and looked at Touko, who was slowly walking into Ogawa Apartments with Ryougi Shiki.

"Damn it, I was careless for a moment and let the Black Wing Duke escape. Touko, Rin is in danger right now. Do you have a way to help?"

Touko nodded at Aoko, then raised her right hand as a magic circle unfolded.

Before Rin and the others arrived at Ogawa Apartments, Touko had departed early for the hospital and found the sleeping Ryougi Shiki. While the ever-cautious Touko used the Winter Saintess's Soul Fragment provided by Rin to help Shiki awaken faster, she sensed the Dead Apostles sent by the Black Wing Duke to capture Shiki.

At that moment, Touko had a sudden idea. She took out the Ryougi Shiki doll she had made after visiting Shiki for the first time and swapped it with the sleeping Ryougi Shiki.

Touko had never expected that spur-of-the-moment idea to become the key to saving Rin and Fujino.

Upstairs, Souren Araya, who was preparing to transfer away while holding "Ryougi Shiki," suddenly groaned. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth.

At that critical moment, Touko activated her Ryougi Shiki doll. The Magic Furnace in the doll's chest instantly operated at full power. At the same time, the doll used her reinforced right hand to strike Souren Araya's chest with a palm.

As Souren Araya was suddenly attacked by the Ryougi Shiki doll, Alba, whom Souren Araya controlled, also froze in place. Although Fujino lacked combat experience, there was no way she would miss such an obvious opening. Her Mystic Eyes operated at full power, instantly twisting the frozen Alba into a mass of mangled flesh.

However, though the immediate danger had been resolved, an even greater crisis was about to arrive. The Black Wing Duke impatiently watched his subordinate fight Rin. Already eager to join in, he took a step forward after Souren Araya was injured and entered the battle.

Fujino rushed forward nervously and desperately blocked the Black Wing Duke, shouting at Rin.

"Run, Master! I'll hold them back!"

At the same time, in the lobby of Ogawa Apartments, Touko, who had established a connection with the Ryougi Shiki doll, discovered Rin and Fujino's danger through the doll's vision. Without hesitation, she took out the Holy Grail from her suitcase and continuously poured magical energy into it.

"Shiki, please. Release your Noble Phantasm and attack this apartment building. Aoko, get ready too. Once the apartment collapses, stop the Black Wing Duke immediately."

Ryougi Shiki, dressed in a pure white patterned kimono, slowly nodded. She drew Nine-Character Blade, rainbow light glowing in her pupils as she murmured.

"Pure Consciousness · Boundary of Nothingness!"

A flash of the katana, as though it had come from the other shore, severed Ogawa Apartments' lines of death in an instant. Souren Araya's sixty-four-story Offering Hall was killed, and Ogawa Apartments was killed as well.

The entire apartment building seemed to have suddenly endured several centuries of time. Beginning from the cut Shiki had made, it turned into powder and began drifting away in the wind.

Souren Araya spat out a mouthful of blood and fell to one knee weakly. As the apartment building was killed, the entire structure began to sway on the verge of collapse. Sensing the shaking, the Black Wing Duke viciously glared at Rin before turning around, grabbing Souren Araya by the collar, smashing through a window, and flying out.

While the Black Wing Duke abandoned his attack and turned to rescue Souren Araya, Fujino's Twisted Magic Eye flashed, snapping the legs of the Dead Apostle fighting Rin.

Rin took that opportunity to fly to Fujino's side, grab her, and fly out of the collapsing apartment building.

The Black Wing Duke had just landed in the plaza with Souren Araya when Aoko arrived before he could even catch his breath. Several Magic Bullets sealed off every route of escape, while a fist burning with green magical energy came at him alongside them.

Rin struggled as she carried Fujino down beside Touko and Ryougi Shiki in the plaza, watching the Black Wing Duke get blasted dozens of meters away by Aoko.

"Aoko's fists are still as powerful as ever! Touko, thank you. You came just in time."

Ryougi Shiki tilted her head and looked at Rin curiously. So she really is just a kid!

Rin dispelled Starlight Mode, took out a diamond, and used Jewel Magecraft to restore her aching Magic Circuits. Then she spoke to Souren Araya.

"You lost, Souren Araya."

Souren Araya forced himself to stand and looked around. Everywhere he looked, his forces had collapsed. The Dead Apostles were scattering in all directions, fleeing for their lives. Not far away, the Black Wing Duke was locked in battle with Aoko, while his own trump card had become a pile of dust.

"Rin Tohsaka, was it you whom the Counter Force manipulated to stop me this time?" With that, Souren Araya coughed up another mouthful of blood.

"It seems this body has reached its limit. Cough, cough. I have no spare body prepared. Touko, Rin Tohsaka, if we meet again, it should be next century."

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As Souren Araya fell, the Black Wing Duke also abandoned his battle with Aoko and vanished into the night.

Rin looked at the ruined remains of Ogawa Apartments and could only give Kirei Kotomine an apologetic glance.

Then, recalling the scene in the original story where Ryougi Shiki tried to destroy her own eyes after awakening, Rin hurriedly pulled Touko aside and whispered to her.

"Touko, what should we do about Ryougi Shiki? We forced her awake, didn't we? Once she digests the magical energy and returns to normal, if she..."

Touko turned to glance at Ryougi Shiki, somewhat unable to understand why Rin cared so much about a girl she had met only a few times.

"Don't worry, Rin. Leave it to me."

Hearing Touko's words, Rin nodded in relief.

"Then I'm counting on you, Touko."

"Counting on her for what?"

Ryougi Shiki had silently appeared beside Rin and Touko, her face carrying a complicated expression as she looked at Rin.

Rin jumped in fright and guiltily turned her gaze away, not daring to look at Ryougi Shiki.

Seeing Rin like this, Ryougi Shiki covered her mouth and chuckled.

"I know what you're thinking. And you're right. Just don't let 'Shiki'—the Root Shiki—see you while she's awake. If 'Shiki' sees you, she'll definitely kill you!"

Rin blankly listened to Ryougi Shiki's words, then bowed to her with gratitude.