A brilliant, dazzling radiance instantly enveloped Shirou and Esdeath mid-battle.
It was the teleportation formation they'd encountered before.
Previously, it had dropped them onto a deserted island—presumably, this time, it would send them somewhere else.
Of course, there was no guarantee it wouldn't drop them somewhere equally strange. Still, the scale of this magic circle was immense.
Both Esdeath and Shirou knew they had no time to avoid it. Even if they hated being pulled around like puppets, all they could do now was face whatever came head-on.
CLANG—!
The next instant, a blinding flash stole away Shirou and Esdeath's vision. In less than a blink, Shirou heard the clear chirping of birds nearby.
Just as Shirou attempted to open his eyes, a sudden, intense sensation of weightlessness surged beneath his feet.
Esdeath, experienced and powerful, opened her eyes immediately after the teleportation. From her perspective, a strange, black wooden door suddenly appeared beneath Shirou's feet.
With an eerie creak, the door swiftly opened like the jaws of a beast, leaving Shirou standing on empty air.
"—!"
Instantly, Esdeath summoned a massive hand of ice, lunging forward desperately to grasp Shirou.
But she reacted too late—her frozen hand caught nothing but air.
Shirou vanished through the dark door, swallowed completely.
He felt as though he'd been cast adrift into the vacuum of space, spinning uncontrollably until a fierce gust of wind slammed against his face.
Crack!
Snap!
Crack!
Thud—!
After snapping through countless branches, Shirou landed heavily on the forest floor with a resounding crash.
"Agh—!"
Pain from the impact forced Shirou to groan aloud. None of his previous wounds had fully healed, and after his fierce clash with Esdeath, his entire body screamed in agony.
Falling directly from such height—if not for those branches slowing him down—he'd surely be dead.
Grimacing against the searing pain in his left arm, Shirou slowly forced himself up from the ground.
He was standing in a dense, moonlit forest, gentle winds rustling softly through the leaves, casting faint silver beams around him.
Where exactly am I now...?
His thoughts lingered back to the fight against Esdeath, interrupted suddenly by the appearance of the teleportation formation.
He hadn't even seen the wooden door beneath him.
But now, Shirou felt a strange weakening in the familiar sensation that usually accompanied the door's appearance—as if it had suddenly lost interest in him.
"Esdeath?" Shirou whispered cautiously into the silent woods.
They'd been teleported together, so logically, they should've ended up at the same place.
However, he quickly brushed this question aside. Shirou knew nothing about teleportation; perhaps it could send people separately.
Now, he had to figure out how to leave this forest and return swiftly to the Imperial Capital.
Otherwise, if Esdeath returned to the Empire first and encountered Night Raid again, they might not escape so easily next time.
Shirou had to hurry.
Yet before he could even begin to move—
"Ah…!"
A sharp, stinging sensation abruptly appeared on the back of Shirou's left hand.
He quickly glanced downward.
A faint glow appeared, as if some unseen force was etching a mark onto his hand.
It was as though the outline of a mysterious pattern was gradually taking shape.
What is this...?
Raising his left hand, Shirou examined the newly formed marking closely, rubbing it vigorously against his clothes.
It didn't fade in the slightest, as if it had emerged naturally from his own body.
This…shouldn't be a big problem, right?
He checked his hand again, sensing nothing unusual from the mark, and temporarily set it aside.
What mattered most now was reaching the Empire. Besides, Shirou didn't have the time to investigate further at the moment.
Without hesitation, he immediately began moving. Though uncertain of the direction, his first priority was leaving the forest.
Even wandering randomly was better than staying put. Shirou wasn't the type who'd wait helplessly for rescue.
No one would come for him, after all.
---
"No—!"
Splurch!
"Agh—!"
"What is this thing—!"
Splurch!
"Please spare me!"
Splurch!
Terrified screams echoed through the quiet woods, panic instantly spreading among the trees.
"Hmm..."
A gravelly voice emerged from a tall young man, perhaps around thirty, with long, dark green hair. He wore an elegant black-and-white formal suit beneath a white cloak, holding a staff gracefully. He leaned forward, calmly gripping the terrified man who cowered helplessly against a tree.
"Deliver a message for me, would you?"
He gently placed his palm atop the trembling man's head, confidence unwavering in his hoarse voice.
"This is a declaration of war from Yggdmillennia."
BOOM—!
As soon as he spoke, a loud crash echoed through the nearby forest.
"My King, did another small insect escape our notice?"
Brushing dirt casually from his trouser legs, the green-haired man turned respectfully, bowing deeply toward the distinguished figure seated on horseback nearby.
That person had pale white hair, a noble presence, and wore an impeccable black suit radiating a dignified air that compelled respect.
"No," the white-haired man calmly replied, "it isn't another remnant from the Mage's Association. Rather, it seems to be another magus entirely."
He briefly closed his eyes, concentrating, then quickly regained his composure.
"I have already subdued him. However, he managed to evade my first strike, avoiding fatal injuries even under such circumstances. Someone like that should have some status in the world of magi, no?"
"Darnic, what would you prefer? Shall we investigate personally, or shall I simply end him now?"
The pale-haired king held limited knowledge about modern affairs. Even he preferred seeking advice from subordinates in matters regarding magi, rather than acting rashly on his own.
"Let us take a closer look," Darnic responded respectfully. "A magus capable of dodging even one attack from my King… Such a person piques one's curiosity. I imagine Your Majesty feels the same."
With impeccable courtesy, Darnic swiftly directed his familiars toward locating their intruder.