Clatter! Clatter! Clatter—!
The echoing sound of rubble rolling down from the ruins filled the empty, shattered space.
Suddenly, an armored hand burst forth from beneath the debris.
BOOM—!
A surge of power flung countless pieces of rubble aside, as an armored figure clutching a spear leapt upward into the air.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Sharp cracking sounds erupted from the armor, which shattered into fragments and scattered away just as the figure reached the apex of his leap.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
With a heavy crash, Shirou fell from midair, landing heavily upon the ground.
Cough—!
Blood splattered from Shirou's lips. He clutched his abdomen, feeling internal injuries that even his breathing techniques couldn't suppress.
The entire underground facility had been completely obliterated by the terrifying explosion.
Shirou's projected armor, Incursio, had also been utterly destroyed by the blast.
I need to get back to Night Raid's base first.
He was heavily wounded from multiple shocks and the fall; he needed to rest and recover before planning his next move.
Dragging his battered body forward, Shirou slowly walked toward the distant forest.
How to return to Night Raid?
Returning to the Capital, Shirou could find one of Night Raid's hidden tunnels. Those passageways were single-use and destroyed themselves afterward, leaving no trace.
Through those tunnels, he could reach the forest near Night Raid's base. After masking his scent and traces, he could safely approach the hideout.
BOOM—!
Before Shirou could even take his first step, a massive boulder shot upward from the rubble and crashed violently down in front of him.
"[Enma's Spear of Justice]!!"
Under the pale moonlight, the orange-haired girl emerged from the rubble, radiating murderous fury. She stood atop the wreckage, resembling a demon clawing her way out from hell.
A wave of suffocating killing intent surged towards Shirou.
"I will avenge Koro!!"
In the final moment, her small dog had grown rapidly, shielding her from the explosion and falling rubble. Yet, even its enlarged form was partially obliterated by the golden blast, destroying its upper body and core entirely. Without Koro's sacrifice, Seryu herself would have been annihilated by the attack.
A fierce wind roared through the night sky as Seryu charged forward at incredible speed.
"[Shinkou's Ball of Justice]!!"
Without warning, an enormous flail appeared in front of Shirou, its oppressive force knocking his injured body backward.
A flash of silver appeared in Shirou's hand.
Clang—!!
The clear, resonant sound of steel rang out as Shirou desperately raised his reverse-blade katana, bracing against the blow. The powerful impact forced him backward, carving two deep grooves into the earth beneath his feet.
But Seryu's assault wasn't finished yet.
"[Sung Dynasty Blade]!!"
A blade flashed terrifyingly fast toward Shirou's neck, far surpassing Toby in speed, strength, and ferocity.
Shirou barely managed to tilt his head back and retreat, a thin line of blood appearing on his neck.
"[Trace—On]!"
He suppressed the sweet metallic taste rising in his throat.
Instantly, a pair of gigantic scissors materialized above Seryu's blade-arm as Shirou retreated.
Snap!
The sharp sound of shears echoed through the air as Seryu's blade-arm was effortlessly severed.
This was Shirou's final drop of mana. For the moment, he couldn't use any magecraft—not even his breathing techniques.
THUD—! THUD—! THUD—! THUD—!
The ground suddenly began to tremble violently.
"Justice shall never yield to evil!!!"
Seryu's body transformed like a mechanical fortress, countless cannons emerging on either side of her body, every dark muzzle instantly aimed at Shirou.
"Die!"
With a furious roar, Seryu unleashed a relentless bombardment toward Shirou's retreating figure.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosion after explosion rocked the mountainside, attracting attention from all corners of the Empire.
Dr. Stylish's laboratory occasionally produced failed experiments or powerful weapons, and as he required many prisoners for his experiments, his lab was strategically placed in the mountains near the Capital—close enough to supply test subjects quickly, but far enough to avoid interfering with the city itself.
A violent storm of explosions and fire engulfed the forest, shredding even the air in the targeted area.
In mere seconds, everything except Seryu's position had been flattened.
Yet, from above, a shadow descended.
Under the glow of the moon, Shirou's reverse-blade katana gleamed brightly.
Then, he swung down.
Clang—!
A flash of silver steel illuminated the darkness.
BOOM—!!
Shirou's immense blow landed squarely on Seryu's neck.
Blood gushed from her mouth as Shirou crashed onto the ground, rolling painfully several times.
But Seryu was not knocked unconscious by the attack.
Her cannons vanished, replaced by human-shaped arms as she straightened herself with fury in her eyes. A heavy mechanical hum sounded beneath her feet.
Unknown to Seryu herself, Dr. Stylish had heavily modified her body—much like Toby—transforming nearly every part of her into machinery, far beyond simply replacing her arms. Shirou's attack had merely struck her mechanical neck.
As Stylish's proudest creation, Seryu's armored body far exceeded Toby's.
Blood trickled from Seryu's lips as she glared hatefully at Shirou.
"JUSTICE! EXECUTION—!!"
She kicked off the ground, hurtling toward Shirou at tremendous speed.
Gripping his reverse-blade katana tightly, Shirou rushed straight at her.
Shhhk—!
Blood splattered beneath the moonlight.
The reverse-blade katana plunged through Seryu's chest, piercing her heart. Shirou's hands followed through, embedding deep within her chest.
Shirou hadn't expected Seryu to charge directly onto his blade without even attempting to dodge.
"Heh…hehehe…HAHAHAHA!!"
Seryu laughed maniacally, unfazed by the sword through her heart. It was as if this had been her goal from the start.
"Evil will always be vanquished by justice—[Chakravartin Furnace of Five Hells]!!"
An overwhelming sense of mortal danger assaulted Shirou's mind. Pure instinct screamed at him to pull back, but Seryu's hands had clamped tightly around his arm, immobilizing him completely.
"You'll die here with me, becoming Koro's offering in the afterlife!!"
A terrifying heat rapidly gathered in Seryu's abdomen.
BOOOOOOM——!!
A colossal mushroom cloud erupted into the sky, visible across the entire Empire.
The entire mountainside disappeared instantly, replaced by a massive, smoldering crater.