Sakura: The Ten-Year Deadline Is Here

This concludes the third episode of HF.

"Huh?? Huh! Huh heh heh heh------!!!!!"

In less than a second, the audience outside the screen screamed even louder than those on screen.

Chapter 168 Sakura: The Ten-Year Deadline is Approaching √

In the Type-Moon Company staff break room, the third episode of HF had finished playing, but no one stood up to turn on the lights or put away the DVD player.

Everyone remained quietly seated on the sofa.

"Wait, it's... it's over just like that?"

As an outsider, Ryougi Shiki stared blankly at the scrolling list of staff on the TV screen, her mind momentarily unable to process it.

Tohsaka Rin was ambushed, and then what?

What was the outcome of the sneak attack?!

Did they manage to save Archer?!

Don't let this battle end abruptly, give us a result!!!

Feeling unsatisfied, Ryougi Shiki secretly poked Shinji, who was lying on the sofa, with her finger.

"Shinji, is that all?"

Unfortunately, Shinji, still petrified, didn't have the chance to answer Ryougi Shiki's question.

"Hmm... looks like we'll have to wait another month."

Ryougi Shiki shook her legs helplessly and pouted regretfully.

She believed that Type-Moon Company should have a fourth volume of HF, even if it wasn't the final complete version, it should at least be a version that was more than 80% complete.

Unfortunately, judging from Shinji's conversation with the others during the screening, they don't seem to have the habit of watching movies in advance.

In other words, even if they have the fourth episode, they will only air it next month.

"Well, it's nice to watch a movie with everyone."

Although there was considerable regret, now that the series had ended, Ryougi Shiki was ready to leave.

However, Artoria grabbed Ryougi Shiki, who was about to get up.

"Don't worry, there's a post-credits scene!"

"An Easter egg??"

End credits scenes, a highly commercialized element, are not popular in this world dominated by art films; even Ryougi Shiki, who has some knowledge of filmmaking, had never heard of them.

Artoria quickly explained, "It's just some interesting little details that will be related to the sequel... Well, that's how Master explained it."

"What?"

"Actually, it's to make the audience watch the end credits. The production team will show these short clips, which are only a few minutes long, during or at the end of the credits."

Since Artoria, being such a glutton, couldn't explain it clearly, Sakura explained it again in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

"I see!"

Ryougi Shiki suddenly realized why the other people in the room hadn't gotten up to turn on the lights or turn off the TV.

"Commercial film Director are really cunning."

After saying that, Ryougi Shiki gave Shinji a provocative look.

"..."

Shinji really wanted to say something and give Shiki a disapproving look, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Master said this episode ended too abruptly, and he needed to give people some closure," Artoria added. "He said he was afraid people would insult his mother and then demand a refund."

"They are indeed very cunning."

Ryougi Shiki nodded slightly.

Despite being perfectly aware of their own limitations, they still deliberately cut off the story, all to boost the sales of subsequent discs. Isn't that cunning?

To prevent extreme viewers who were unhappy with the abrupt ending from going berserk, a segment was added at the end to appease them. Isn't that cunning?

"But Shinji, how did you come up with the brilliant idea of using a post-credits scene?"

[Because it's been used to death.]

Shinji thought to himself.

Before he traveled through time, post-credits scenes were nothing new.

There have even been cases where commercial films without post-credits scenes have surprised audiences, leading some to believe the films were cut.

The one who popularized the post-credits scene culture and even made it a mainstream feature in commercial films is none other than the renowned Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Marvel's early use of post-credits scenes was a reluctant move. Early Marvel movie Director did not want the main films to be affected by the development of the cinematic universe, but they had to lay the groundwork for other Marvel movies.

So the Director and Marvel chose the post-credits scene, a way to connect the movies that is unrelated to the main film but can link other movies together.

Of course, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe grows larger, Marvel has also been making increasingly exaggerated use of post-credits scenes.

There were even post-credits scenes like those in Spider- Spider-Man: Homecoming and Deadpool, designed to tease fans.

The audience waited anxiously for ages, only to see Captain America's inspirational quotes and Deadpool's complaints about the producers' stinginess.

I know you're waiting for a bonus scene, and I have one too, but I'm just messing with you.

Only Marvel has a big enough business to dare to do this.

The audience won't mind being fooled; they might even laugh it off.

If other movies did this, the Film Company would probably be receiving tons and tons of razor blades.

Of course, in the end, Marvel went a bit too far.

Shinji cannot accept the post-credits scene in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

When audiences leave the theater, they should have seen a complete story.

Of course, double standards are a flaw in human nature.

Second Master was unhappy with how Marvel was doing things, but he was quite adept at using the fragments in HF.

Anyway, HF is a TV series, not a movie. To boost sales of the next volume, I, the Second Master, will naturally have to use some tricks.

Anyway, Shinji, the boss, isn't the one who opens emails at Type-Moon Company. Even if he received razor blades and bullets, he wouldn't be the one who gets frightened.

As the first ending theme song played, and after the credits finished rolling, Shirou Emiya and the other main characters reappeared on the television screen.

However, the main characters were not in good condition at this time. In a devastated open space, the group lay on the scorched earth, covered in wounds.

Judging from the ending of the episode, the shadowy figure clearly succeeded in the sneak attack.

The most shocking case is that of Shirou Emiya —he lost an arm!

The camera then shakes violently, and after a chaotic transition Matou Sakura wakes up from her sleep.

Sakura, who shares the same vision as the Servant, clearly knows what happened on the battlefield in the forest through the Rider's eyes.

"Mmm... mmm..."

Sakura, feeling nauseous, rushed into the bathroom and began vomiting violently while leaning over the sink.

"Mmm... mmm..."

After a long time, the vomiting gradually subsided, and Sakura returned to calm.

Sakura, however, remained gripping the sink, panting.

With heavy breathing and shoulders heaving in pain, Sakura looked as if she had finally finished a marathon that covered dozens of kilometers.

"You're lying... it's your senior's hand..."

With a brief murmur and a dazed voice, the girl truthfully expressed her feelings.

The girl looked up at her reflection in the mirror, overwhelmed by guilt.

His face, bowed in deep apology, showed his concern for Shirou Emiya's safety.

She sincerely and genuinely hoped that Shirou Emiya was alright.

But at the same time--

"However, in this state... Senior can no longer fight... Hehe... Hehehe~"

The mirror reflected the girl's profile, her mouth twisted in a smile.

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"Hiss----"

The audience, who were startled by Matou Sakura's final smile, gasped in shock.

"So the gentle Matou Sakura's smile is actually this terrifying."

Shibamatsu shrugged; that single shot had completely shattered his previous impression of Matou Sakura as a gentle, Yamato Nadeshiko.

"So all that gentleness and virtuousness was just a facade for this girl. Her true nature is... she's... what's that word again... ah, yandere!"

Consider the straightforwardness of the Tohsaka Rin, and then look at the cunning of the Matou Sakura.

Shibamatsu was puzzled.

They're sisters born to the same parents, so why is there such a big difference between them?

At least, Shibamatsu had completely given up on Matou Sakura; that crooked-mouthed Dragon King's smile was too much for his little heart to bear.

But--

"Saber Alter is really beautiful!"

Shibamatsu whispered to his friend sitting next to him.

Of course, it wasn't Kuonji Azu Aratama; he didn't have that kind of guts.

Instead, he became friends with Fujita, who had initially despised Saber Alter but had now turned to the dark side.

Fujita nodded, probably recalling how Saber Alter looked in a gown in the TV series, and even swallowed hard.

"That skin is so white... like milk."

"..."

Shibamatsu glanced at Fujita in surprise; he had no idea the other man had this kind of hobby.

Of course, Shibamatsu himself also found Saber. Alter's fair-skinned appearance to be stunning.

But what Shibamatsu likes most is Saber Alter's otherworldly, ethereal aura, which gives one the feeling of facing a goddess without worldly desires.

"Compared to the original Saber, the black version looks more regal and imposing. Is this what Mr. Matou wants to tell us—that even for the same Heroic Spirit, different Spirit Origin will ultimately Heroic Spirit in different outward appearances?"

As someone who specializes in studying Magecraft, Azu's perspective is clearly different from that of Shibamatsu and the other guys.

"... I think it's just a simple case of him turning evil, right?"

Shibamatsu reminded him in a low voice.

But Azu, already deep in thought, was no longer listening.

"Anyway, Saber Alter is undeniably beautiful. I wish there were people like her in real life."

Half an hour later, Shibamatsu, who was already lying in bed, looked at the ceiling and sighed.

He certainly knew that Saber Alter in the series was played by Artoria.

Shibamatsu really likes Artoria and her portrayal of Saber, but if possible, he also hopes to have another actress like Saber Alter.

That Black Tyrant truly possesses a unique charm, making it irresistible...

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Meanwhile, in Fuyuki City, inside the Great Hollow of Mount Enzo.

"It should be about time. The first group of people who finished watching HF should all be asleep by now."

Matou Zouken put away his pocket watch and glanced at Irisviel and Tokiomi Tohsaka standing beside him.

At this moment, the three of them were standing on a huge True Magic circle drawn with mercury.