Gokou Ruri: "That gave me goosebumps."
Gokou Ruri: "Isn't this an extraction combat game? Why are there horror elements at night?"
Kischur Zelretch: "Why are there so many incidents in Fuyuki City? What are the local leyline manager and the person in charge of the Church doing?"
Tokiomi Tohsaka: "I didn't exist at this point yet. Strange... why is only Rin at home? Where did Aoi and I go?"
Inside Fuyuki Church on the Fifth Holy Grail War timeline,
"Heh heh heh heh heh."
Kirei Kotomine looked at the message and could not help but laugh.
This was... far too delightful.
He had not expected a dead man to bring him such immense pleasure.
When the truth behind all this was revealed, what kind of reaction would "Master" have?
An utterly wicked smile hung on the priest's face. After his limited purchase was restored, he returned to his expressionless look and touched the cross on his chest.
"Lord, thank You for Your mercy."
"A... men."
Elsewhere, at Tohsaka Villa.
Rin Tohsaka pondered that black-and-red shadow and recalled the final "lag."
At first, she frowned. Then cold sweat suddenly broke out across her forehead.
No way, right?
A possibility came to her mind, making even her fingertips tremble.
"What's wrong, Rin?"
Archer looked over.
"Nothing."
Rin Tohsaka could not believe her own guess and could only hypnotize herself.
No, no...
How... could it possibly be this?!
At the Clock Tower.
Leinys thought for a long while before speaking.
"Is this... the Imaginary Number Attribute?"
Lin Zhen closed his eyes and replied casually.
"That's right."
"I never expected an attribute like Void Arts to grow to this extent. This... completely counts as a monster, doesn't it?"
Leinys found it somewhat chilling, then suddenly realized something.
"Then why does it seem like it's afraid of... Kazuma Satou?"
Lin Zhen opened his eyes and gave her the answer.
"It's simple. Luck."
"Luck?"
"Imaginary Numbers are an extremely dangerous attribute. They are dangerous to enemies and nearby threats... but equally dangerous to their user. A slight mistake can cause collapse."
"You mean... this Kazuma Satou's luck is good enough to affect the probability of Void Arts magecraft going berserk?"
Lin Zhen chose his words carefully.
"More or less. But it is actually only a tiny bit. A mature user generally wouldn't be affected, but if 'this user' isn't mature, then that tiny bit of luck becomes fatal."
"This Fuyuki City... so many incidents have happened in such a small place. That's somewhat frightening."
As Leinys spoke, she suddenly felt a little worried about Kischur Zelretch, though she did not say it aloud.
"Don't worry. I'll go to Fuyuki later."
Lin Zhen saw through her thoughts.
"That's wonderful."
Though Leinys did not know Lin Zhen's exact strength.
Judging from his current performance, his attainments and knowledge in magecraft should greatly increase Kischur Zelretch's chances of survival if he served as his assistant.
Lin Zhen closed his eyes. Going over there to protect his teacher would only be a casual matter.
His real objective was to gain inspiration for designing the next map, "Classified—Fuyuki City."
However, there was no need to rush for now.
The most important thing was to improve the closed beta.
He had to lay a solid foundation and optimize it first.
There should still be some time before the closed beta players fully explored ordinary Fuyuki City.
On the riverbank beneath Fuyuki Bridge, under the azure moonlight.
Kazuma Satou and the other three confronted thin air.
Then he suddenly remembered someone. There was a local in the group chat—he could ask how the guy had managed to grow up alive here.
Kazuma Satou: "@Shirou Emiya, bro, you there?"
Kurisu Makise: "He can't move."
Shirou Emiya: "I... am here."
Kurisu Makise: "That guy shattered so many of your bones, and you're still awake?"
Shirou Emiya: "I can't move in real life, but I can still chat in the group."
Shirou Emiya: "@Kazuma Satou, what did you want to ask just now?"
Kazuma Satou: "Is there anywhere safe around the Miyamasu District? We want to sleep for a night before leaving."
Shirou Emiya: "Wouldn't any guesthouse do?"
Kazuma Satou: "No. There's something incredibly strange and terrifying."
Shirou Emiya: "Huh?... I've lived here for so many years, and I never knew our city had this much going on."
Shirou Emiya: "I don't know where would be absolutely safe, but you can come to my house."
Should they really go?
Kazuma Satou glanced at Yu's Footprints Map. Its colors had darkened with the night.
Looking at the half-black Emiya Residence, he was deeply suspicious that this group friend named Shirou Emiya was trying to trick him.
Kazuma Satou: "Bro, is it really safe?"
Shirou Emiya: "There are only three people in my house at most. Aside from me, there's a teacher and a younger schoolmate. They're both ordinary people, so even in the game, they should just be ordinary citizen NPCs. Just be careful not to bully them."
Kazuma Satou: "Still feels kind of iffy... Forget it, let's not talk about that for now. By the way, are you guys in danger right now?"
Kurisu Makise: "That Damn Red P chased us all day long. I barely got to eat any mouse food either. (Pouting angrily.)"
Kurisu Makise: "If it weren't for a blue-clad young man rushing out to help us several times, we would probably have already been eliminated."
Hachiman Hikigaya: "Cú Chulainn?!"
Kurisu Makise: "You ran into him too?"
Hachiman Hikigaya: "This morning, he saved me twice from Red P... Red Archer. He probably went after Red Archer because of me."
Kazuma Satou: "In that case, do you need our help?"
Kurisu Makise: "...I actually wanted to ask from the start, but things didn't seem great on your side either, so I didn't say anything."
Kazuma Satou: "Our side is weird too. Let's head over to you instead and try to extract before dawn today. Shirou Emiya, your house still feels... Forget it. We won't go."
Shirou Emiya: "..."
Kazuma Satou: "By the way, you're across the bridge. Can you make some noise and draw that Red P away?"
Kazuma Satou: "That way, we can cross the bridge and meet up."
Hachiman Hikigaya: "Then we'll charge that Damn Red P!"
Ryuguuin Seiya: "@Kurisu Makise, you still have one final Healing Command Spell, right? Heal me. I'll go."
Shirou Emiya: "I should go instead."
Ryuguuin Seiya: "I might still have a chance of surviving if I go. You won't."
Shirou Emiya: "..."
Ryuguuin Seiya: "It's settled, then. In fifteen minutes, I'll draw that guy's attention on time. Take the chance to cross the bridge. You'll have three minutes of safe time at most. Once time is up, I'll leave whether you've made it across or not."
Kazuma Satou: "OK."
Kazuma Satou exited the group chat. "Did you see the messages in the group?"
"Yeah." x3
The other three, Hachiman Hikigaya included, replied.
Shido Itsuka: "Then let's head that way."
Mahiro Oyama tried hard to suck in her large "abdominal muscle," which was really just a little belly.
"I'm tired. I wanna go home and drink Otaku Happy Water."
"Push a little harder. Let's get ready to cross the bridge first."
Hachiman Hikigaya took the lead and walked ahead.
"I'll go in front. Kazuma, keep your eyes on my surroundings at all times. If that strange figure appears, make sure you keep an eye on it for me."
Kazuma Satou gave a knowing thumbs-up.
"Leave it to me."
The four formed a single-file line and arrived at the shore beside the dark Fuyuki Bridge.
Like they were standing at the starting line of a track.
They waited for the right moment, preparing to force their way across the bridge.
Then,
they would charge that bridge-blocking mutt on the other side!
The Seven Super Roaring Brothers Assemble! (4K, Third Update, 14,000 Words)
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A massive explosion erupted on the other side of the bridge.
"Go!"
Kazuma Satou and the other three quickly rushed onto the bridge.
On the other side of the bridge.
Red Archer watched Ryuguuin Seiya dodge several arrows and successfully enter the building below.
He jumped straight down from the rooftop, smashing through the glass windows of the fortieth floor below and drilling inside.
After landing, he immediately drew his bow at the elevator display as it continued rising, ready to fire.
"Ding—"
The number on the elevator display jumped from 39 to 40.
Before you continue