I, Ritsuka, Siscon Grand Hero

In the room, the kotatsu radiated warmth as Matou Sakura stretched her legs inside, her face filled with ease.

Ritsuka opened the refrigerator, took out the last remaining meat, and made two bowls of Mapo Tofu noodles.

However, hers were different from Kirei Kotomine's; they were specially prepared, focusing more on the numbing sensation than the spiciness, making them much tastier. The original version was something no normal person could eat.

With her Immortality, she had barely escaped disaster.

"It looks delicious, thank you for the treat, senpai."

"I'm starting."

Clasping her hands together, Sakura, who hadn't visited the Emiya residence in a long time, smiled happily as she looked at the bowl of noodles in her hands.

Picking up a large mouthful with her chopsticks, Sakura chewed slowly, her cheeks flushing from the spicy and numbing flavor.

"It's so good..."

Listening to Sakura's heartfelt exclamation, Ritsuka smiled helplessly and began to eat silently. Even though her own bowl was the spicy version, her expression remained unchanged, showing no emotion.

"Senpai, I'm glad you're not sick. You had me so worried for a long time."

Sakura smiled gently, her chopsticks pausing by the edge of the bowl, her gaze shifting to Ritsuka's face.

With Miyu gone, the atmosphere in the Emiya household had indeed changed significantly, so much so that she almost didn't recognize it... Sakura's fingers clenched until they turned white.

"I'm sorry, due to some personal matters, I haven't been to school recently. I've already applied for withdrawal."

Time was short, and no one knew when the Holy Grail War would begin. The entire city of Fuyuki was now eerily quiet, making Ritsuka, even with her dual Clairvoyance active at all times, unable to find any trace of Enzō.

Honestly, she really wished Sakura could leave this city, because it was possible this city might truly disappear soon.

Suddenly thinking of a possibility, Ritsuka raised her eyes, "By the way, how has Shinji been lately?"

"...Ah, my brother? He's been doing well lately, hitting on girls at school just like before. He's already gone through two girlfriends this month."

Sakura's expression was natural, and her tone was slightly indignant, unchanged from before.

Ritsuka breathed a sigh of relief. When Miyu was taken away before, Shinji had been by Julian's side. Just now, she had suspected that the Matou family, where Sakura resided, was also a participant in the Holy Grail War. It seemed Shinji had been controlled by Enzō's Magecraft at the time.

She didn't have many things she valued. Shinji was a friend she acknowledged. Although he was a bit of a scumbag, there wasn't much left around her.

The rest of the time seemed to return to the past. The two ate dinner quietly, occasionally chatting about things at school. As usual, the sky gradually darkened.

The snow was falling heavily, blanketing Fuyuki in silver.

After they finished cleaning the dishes together, Ritsuka walked Little Sakura to the door. She had tried to get her to stay, but Little Sakura insisted she had to go home tonight, so Ritsuka couldn't say much more.

"It's snowing hard, be careful on your way."

"Okay, senpai should also get some rest. You have dark circles under your eyes."

Reaching out and tapping Ritsuka's cheek, Sakura smiled and ran out of the Emiya residence, her figure disappearing into the darkness.

With a wry smile, Ritsuka rubbed her face with her hands, then pulled up the hood of her coat and tied the 'Scarf, Divine Beast's Fur' she had just taken out, preparing to depart.

She hadn't slept much in the past month, relying entirely on Alcides's power for support. Dark circles were completely normal. She couldn't rest until she found Miyu, and Ritsuka couldn't fall asleep even if she lay in bed in her current state.

It could only relieve a tiny bit of fatigue...

On the side of the street outside the residence, Sakura stopped. At this distance, she was already far from the Emiya residence.

"Long time no see, brother."

Her fingers tightened around the card in her pocket as Sakura stared intently at the figure emerging from the shadows, warily watching the familiar man, Matou Shinji.

Although she called him brother, Matou Sakura's expression was incredibly gloomy.

"Oh my, isn't this my useless little sister...? Sakura, what are you doing here? Could it be... you've already dealt with that guy who barged into the Holy Grail War?!"

Covering his face with his right hand, Matou Shinji shouted exaggeratedly, his expression behind his palm contorted to the extreme.

His maniacal laughter made Sakura grip her Class Card, her eyes filled with almost overflowing rage. Beautiful butterflies appeared around her, casting purple halos in the night.

"Don't talk to me with that face, you puppet!!"

Sakura didn't use her Class Card, but with a flip of her hand, she unleashed her most skilled Butterfly Magic. Shinji's expression faltered for a moment.

Immediately after, countless tentacles surged from behind him, and darts sliced through the air, shattering all the magic butterflies. Glittering powder instantly covered the entire street.

Class Card - Dream Summon!

Completely recreating a Servant's power within one's body, thereby transforming oneself into the concept of a Heroic Spirit. The core usage of a Class Card was displayed in Shinji's hands.

Wielding a throwing dagger, he effortlessly tore apart the magic Sakura had used. His speed was so extreme that he almost appeared as a black blur.

"Wahaha hahaha—!!"

Shinji cackled sharply, his dagger aimed directly at Sakura's neck, as if intending to decapitate her.

"You dare to attack me without even using a card? You're asking for death..."

"Even without a card, you're no match for me. You're just a mere puppet."

An explosion roared in front of Sakura. Amidst the flames, countless crimson butterflies burst forth, engulfing the screaming Matou Shinji and forming a fiery red sphere.

Sakura snapped her fingers crisply, and the entire street was enveloped in rolling flames.

Chapter 32: The Reincarnation Pandora

Late at night, Ritsuka, who was about to head out, stiffened as a significant magical energy reaction suddenly erupted in the distance.

However, before she could reach the source, an uninvited guest arrived.

"You are..."

Hearing this, the red-haired little girl standing outside the gate grinned ferociously, her expression turning bloodthirsty.

"Beatrice, remember my name, because it will be the last name you remember in your life!"

She strode into the courtyard carrying an axe-sword. The roughly two-meter-long weapon looked rather peculiar compared to the user's height.

Instantly, a chilling killing intent descended, engulfing everything.

"Are you here to eliminate me...? Now that you've appeared, the Holy Grail War is about to begin, isn't it?"

Ritsuka's expression was calm, her eyes lowered, her cloudy golden gaze fixed on the small girl not far away.

Beatrice froze. "Hey, hey! Is that all the reaction you have? Shouldn't you be more spirited, put up a bit of a fight?"

Ignoring the person at the gate, Ritsuka instead looked towards the direction of the magical energy burst in the distance.

That way lay the path to the Matou family, Sakura...

Ritsuka turned her head and looked at Beatrice, who had just stepped into the courtyard, raising one hand slightly.

"Perhaps it's because I've grown accustomed to loss that your appearance doesn't stir much emotion in me."

Beatrice's lips twitched. She looked at Ritsuka, who appeared calm, as if she saw through everything, her eyes lowered and narrowed, feeling a strange sensation. This apparent lack of resistance made her—

Feel even more exhilarated!

Her mouth split into a wide grin, Beatrice swung her axe-sword and vanished from her spot, the snowflakes on the ground exploding backward.

Ritsuka's slightly raised right hand suddenly clenched. Amidst a brilliant radiance, an identical axe-sword appeared. Simultaneously, she widened her stance and swung the axe-sword down like hitting a baseball.

BAM—!!

The front gate of the Emiya residence was smashed to pieces. Sent flying by a single blow, Beatrice was propelled out into the street beyond the Emiya house, crashing through walls and into the adjacent yard.

It was an abandoned house; the residents had moved out long ago, so Ritsuka didn't have to worry about harming anyone.

After sending Beatrice flying with one strike, Ritsuka strode forward. Suddenly, an air explosion sound erupted ahead.

From the thick dust, an axe-sword shot out, hurtling towards her like a hidden projectile.

Finding the angle, Ritsuka leaned slightly to the side. The weapon grazed past her. She shifted her gaze back, and in her sight, the little girl with red twin-tails had a contorted face.

"Cough, cough, cough... Damn it, who exactly are you?!"

"Just an ordinary person, one who is gradually becoming Alcides and Emiya Shirou, a mere ordinary person."

Donning the War God Ares's belt, Ritsuka was enveloped in divine energy, which she then channeled entirely into the axe-sword under her control.

Stomping her foot, a sonic boom echoed as a crimson shadow streaked down the street. The axe-sword, now sharper than before, slashed horizontally. The murky axe-light directly peeled away the wall, and half the yard was sent flying by the single strike.

Beatrice narrowly dodged the attack. Ritsuka's speed was even more exaggerated.

Moreover, her own speed had significantly decreased!

"What's going on?! That form... and my body?"

Wearing a form-fitting top, a blood-red Sacred Cloth around her waist, her left arm, marked with burn scars, was covered. She wore trousers and leather boots that crunched on the snow. In her right hand, she held an axe-sword, while her left hand carried a long cloak she had just removed.

Casually discarding the cloak, Ritsuka also removed the troublesome headscarf before facing the one who possessed Heracles's card.

Regarding Beatrice's questions, Ritsuka said dismissively, "This form? It's nothing. Just an unnamed Heroic Spirit, and a revenger who rebelled against the gods."

"I've finally found it, a chance to join the Holy Grail War... You're the first."

By using the Hydra's poison to lower Beatrice's attributes across the board, intense pain would soon follow, presenting Ritsuka with an opportunity.

"How does it feel, this pain etched into my very being?"

"Ughhhhhh...!"

Grabbing Beatrice's head with her left hand, Ritsuka slammed her violently to the ground. The Hydra's venom corroded her body, and screams echoed incessantly in her ears.

Heracles was undoubtedly the greatest hero of Greece, but Beatrice was merely a counterfeit who borrowed his power. She couldn't withstand the poison's corrosion throughout her body. The pain, like countless beasts gnawing at her nerves, was something that could torment Chiron.

The Noble Phantasm known as Twelve Trials was adapting to the Hydra's poison. Beatrice writhed on the ground, looking as if she could faint at any moment.

Unfortunately, Ritsuka wouldn't give her the chance to adapt further. She activated her own Noble Phantasm—

The exclusive Noble Phantasm of Alcides!

Alcides, also known as Heracles, or Hercules, was the most famous Demigod of Greece.

His most renowned life experience was the twelve impossible trials for humans, which gave birth to a series of his exclusive Noble Phantasms, all of them quite extravagant.

Alcides's original Class was Archer. Due to irresistible factors, he transformed into an Avenger, a revenger who rebelled against the gods, harboring hatred for the gods who should have brought him glory, and vowing to take revenge upon them.

—Why was I born to suffer so many hardships?

—Why should I, who was meant to be king, become a plaything for the gods?

—Why were my children killed by my own hand when I suddenly went mad?

Because of the gods!

Looking down on mortals, despising mortals, scorning mortals, arrogantly gazing upon the human world, the gods who brought down many calamities for their own selfish desires.

Under the influence of many factors, Alcides abandoned his high divinity and the immortality granted by the Twelve Trials, causing a decrease in his base stats.

But because of this, he gained the complete Noble Phantasms corresponding to the Twelve Trials.

That is to say, he exchanged the "Twelve Trials" for the "Twelve Glories."

The "Divine Beast's Fur" and "War God's Belt" used by Ritsuka both come from the "Twelve Glories," a powerful and versatile Noble Phantasm.

However, at this moment, the Noble Phantasm in effect was neither the "Twelve Glories" nor the "Hundred-Beast Slayer" that symbolized Alcides' unparalleled martial prowess.

It was a hidden third Noble Phantasm, only able to be activated because he was twisted into an Avenger.

"——Reincarnation Pandora!"

In an instant... fate, hope, and everything changed. Things alternated, and the power within Beatrice that constantly adapted to poison abruptly vanished.

"Ughhhh—!!"

Heart-wrenching screams echoed in her ears. Beatrice writhed on the ground in agony, her immense power smashing into the ground, carving out huge craters.

With a sudden strike, the out-of-control Beatrice's eyes turned blood red, and she punched Ritsuka in the stomach, sending her flying.

After a roll, Ritsuka quickly stabilized herself, feeling the drain on her magic. The fist imprint on her abdomen had quietly disappeared. The power known as the "Twelve Trials" had easily adapted to the punch, and it was now difficult for Beatrice to harm her.

Even the pain from the immortality within her had a secondary relief.

"To steal Noble Phantasms, even to plunder them conceptually, it truly is an extraordinary Noble Phantasm."

Entering the courtyard, the frenzied sounds had ceased. The agony of the rampant poison had caused the girl named Beatrice to faint, and Heracles's Class Card fell beside her.

Casually picking up the card and dispelling the Hydra poison, Ritsuka ignored the unconscious Beatrice. Killing her held no meaning for Ritsuka.