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Under the dark clouds, a fine drizzle fell.
No one paid it any attention.
Every gaze was fixed on the battlefield ahead.
In the shattered remains of the land, two figures moved without pause, colliding again and again. Steel met force. Each impact sent compressed gales roaring outward, violent enough that Ritsuka Fujimaru and the others had to raise their arms to shield their eyes. The pressure alone made it difficult to even keep them open.
"As expected of Shirou. Even with his abilities sealed, his combat power is still this formidable. Truly worthy of being called heroic."
Merlin spoke casually, admiration clear in his voice.
"Sealed?" Ritsuka and Mash echoed at the same time, confusion written across their faces. Even Ana tilted her head slightly, curiosity showing in her eyes.
"Oops. That slipped out," Merlin said, smiling without the slightest hint of regret. Then he continued, completely unconcerned. "Compared to when I first met him, Shirou's current strength is much weaker. That can only mean one thing. It's sealed."
"The seal should be located in the sword he carries on his back."
Merlin's gaze locked onto the sword embryo resting there, his expression growing serious.
He had been watching Shirou Emiya closely for a long time. They lived in the same building, after all. Every morning they passed each other, and every morning Merlin felt it clearly.
Shirou Emiya's aura was shrinking.
Little by little. Day after day.
It was as though all of that power was being drawn inward, compressed toward a single point. Waiting. Waiting for the moment it would finally erupt.
As far as Merlin knew, in all of Uruk, only he and Gilgamesh were capable of perceiving this change.
It wasn't a decline.
It was a transformation.
A violent one.
"This guy..." Merlin murmured. "His future really is boundless."
As the thought crossed his mind, a new presence suddenly appeared on the edge of his perception.
An aura.
Closing in fast.
Among everyone present, only three noticed it at the same time.
Merlin.
Shirou Emiya.
And Jaguar Man.
All three stiffened.
But their reactions couldn't have been more different.
Merlin's expression turned solemn in an instant. "Ritsuka. Mash. Ana. Prepare yourselves. A second goddess is approaching rapidly."
He didn't hesitate before continuing.
"If I'm not mistaken, it's the true goddess of the dense forest."
The air around Ritsuka, Mash, and Ana immediately grew heavy.
One goddess had already pushed them to the limit. Two?
There was no realistic way to fight that head-on.
Jaguar Man, however, looked delighted.
Relief and excitement flickered across her face. Under Shirou Emiya's relentless pressure, she had already accumulated more injuries than she ever had during her usual training sessions with the goddess of the dense forest. This battle was far harsher than she had expected.
If help didn't arrive soon, she was certain she would be finished today.
Compared to all of them, Shirou Emiya remained calm.
Almost detached.
He knew exactly who the goddess of the dense forest was. He also knew how she fought.
Even if conflict broke out, it would never turn into a two-on-one. That wasn't her way. If they clashed, it would be a one-on-one battle, nothing more.
And that was something Shirou Emiya could handle.
Besides, fighting wasn't the only option.
With Merlin present, retreat was always on the table.
"What should we do, Shirou?" Merlin's voice echoed directly in his mind. "The goddess of the dense forest is almost here. Should we withdraw?"
Shirou Emiya didn't respond verbally.
Instead, he expanded his own magical thought network, pulling Merlin, Ritsuka, Mash, and Ana into a shared mental space.
"Ritsuka," he said calmly, "you're the one in charge of this operation. The decision to retreat is yours."
"Me?" Ritsuka froze. The weight of it pressed down immediately. "Am I supposed to abandon the citizens of Ur?"
Her teeth clenched.
"Damn it..."
"Citizens of Ur?" Shirou asked, sounding genuinely puzzled. "What's going on?"
"Emiya-senpai, it's like this," Mash said quickly, stepping in. She explained the situation in Ur, the people who had been taken, and the urgency driving their actions.
Shirou Emiya listened without interrupting.
When she finished, he turned his attention to Merlin.
"Merlin. Your Clairvoyance can't see goddesses. But since the goddess of the dense forest is moving, check her lair instead."
"Ah, I see. Understood, understood."
Merlin didn't waste time. His eyes focused, vision piercing far beyond the battlefield.
What he saw made his lips curve upward.
The people of Ur.
Unharmed.
Alive.
"So that's how it is," Merlin said softly, understanding clicking into place all at once. "Not a single one of those taken has died."
"Really?" Ritsuka's voice tightened. "Merlin, you're sure?"
"Of course," Merlin replied lightly. "Your big brother wouldn't lie to you."
That was enough.
Ritsuka inhaled once, steadying herself, and made the call.
"Then we retreat for now. We'll deal with the goddess of the dense forest after we've prepared a proper strategy."
"A wise decision," Shirou Emiya said, a small smile forming. "To be honest, I can't fight that one right now either."
Mash blinked. "Eh? Is the goddess of the dense forest stronger than you, Emiya-senpai?"
Shirou shook his head. "It's not about strength. It's compatibility."
He paused, choosing his words carefully.
"She's the feathered serpent god of South America. The apex of benevolent gods. Any attack born from good intentions simply cannot harm her."
There was no exaggeration in his tone.
Only fact.
"I'm completely countered," he continued. "Especially now. With Hero's Destiny on me, it's even worse."
Against her, Shirou Emiya was almost helpless.
Before he began preparing for his transformation, things would have been different. Back then, he still possessed world magic.
Magic that represented the apex of malevolence.
That could have worked.
But now, every bit of his magic was sealed. Locked away. Unable to harm her in any meaningful way.
"However," Shirou said, eyes narrowing slightly, "before we go..."
The approaching presence was almost upon them.
Shirou Emiya disengaged from Jaguar Man in a single smooth motion and shot forward.
Straight toward the incoming goddess.
In midair, the two figures collided.
Fist met fist.
In less than a heartbeat, they exchanged hundreds of blows. The compressed air from each impact detonated outward, forming a storm that swept across the battlefield.
Then, at the same time, both were forced back.
Perfectly even.
Behind Shirou Emiya, Merlin was already prepared.
"Feathered Serpent God," Shirou called out, voice steady. "This battle was evenly matched. We'll decide the victor next time."
Petals bloomed in the air.
And then they were gone.
Shirou Emiya vanished along with Merlin, leaving behind a battered Jaguar Man-and a Quetzalcoatl still eager for more.
The rain continued to fall.
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