"Ciel, I've always been one to give people chances—take Kirei Kotomine, for instance. Now, I'm giving you a chance: leave Fuyuki City."
Inside the enclosed space created by her Marble Phantasm, Akatsuki's crimson eyes stared at Ciel's snow-white neck, her gaze devoid of any emotion.
"Leave Fuyuki City, and you can continue your hunt for Roa. Otherwise, you can take your wish to kill him with you to hell!"
The stench of death permeated the enclosed space. As if to intimidate Ciel, Akatsuki licked a trace of blood off her black blade, but the moment her tongue touched the blood, her expression contorted.
"Kirei Kotomine, did you marinate yourself in black mud?! How can your blood taste this foul?!"
Spitting out the blood, Akatsuki looked at the headless corpse on the ground with disgust.
On the other side, Ciel remained silent. She knew exactly how dangerous the woman before her was. If she didn't agree to the terms, she might truly die here.
However, giving up on hunting Roa was absolutely out of the question.
The reason she had become like this and was forced to abandon her childhood dreams was all because of Roa. Killing him was her ultimate goal.
"Haven't decided yet? Then stay here forever!"
The black blade swept through the air in a plain, unadorned slash. Yet, it was this simple, featureless strike that forced Ciel to focus with every fiber of her being, because this slash was unavoidable!
Similar to a causality-based attack, Akatsuki had already created a future where Ciel was struck before she even made her move. Thus, the Ciel existing in the 'past' had no power to fight back.
That was how it should have been. However, as Roa's reincarnation and an agent with immense magical potential wielding the Seventh Holy Scripture, she possessed a trait that gave her confidence.
That was: until Roa died, she would not die, even if she were turned to ash!
And so, she was able to stand up once more from the pool of blood.
"Vampire, is this all the strength you have?"
"Hmm?"
Akatsuki raised an eyebrow. She watched Ciel leaning on the Seventh Holy Scripture without much emotion, simply observing her gradual recovery. "In this world, gaia is not stronger than alaya, so the side that denies the human order will eventually be suppressed. Though, for me, it makes no difference."
The black blade dissolved into specks of blue light and vanished within the enclosed space.
Raising the Seventh Holy Scripture, Ciel launched an attack against that humanoid monster. In an instant, hundreds of Black Keys shot toward Akatsuki. Behind that rain of Black Keys, Ciel held the Seventh Holy Scripture, holding her breath and focusing as she waited for the right moment to strike.
"Heh."
Akatsuki wasn't fond of technical fighting styles. She excelled at using pure power to directly crush her opponents. This was true when she was an ordinary human, and it remained true now that she had become a True Ancestor.
Without using any supernatural means, Akatsuki simply clenched her fist and threw a punch in Ciel's direction.
In an instant, it was as if a typhoon had erupted within the enclosed space. The hundreds of Black Keys in the air were blown everywhere, while Ciel barely managed to stay in place by relying on the sixty-kilogram weight of the Seventh Holy Scripture.
The violent gale from the punch lasted only a few seconds.
Akatsuki looked at Ciel, who was standing there panting heavily, and spoke again. "There is no direct conflict of interest between us. If you're worried about me going on a bloodthirsty rampage, there's no need. My Bloodlust Impulse is much lower than other True Ancestors. Besides, you should know you can't kill me."
"Likewise, you can't kill me either."
Ciel gave Akatsuki a thin smile and gripped the Seventh Holy Scripture again. It seemed she had no intention of giving up.
"You really are stubborn. I gave you a chance, and this is how you use it?"
In the next second, Ciel's arms were brutally torn off by Akatsuki. The immense pain made Ciel scream out instantly, and the Seventh Holy Scripture was kicked aside by Akatsuki.
"Sorry, I used a bit too much force."
Akatsuki tossed Ciel's arms aside, her eyes now completely devoid of emotion. "Listen carefully, you only get one chance. If you don't agree, I'll have to take your legs off too and turn you into a human stump."
"I'm actually quite curious to see just how long a reincarnation of the serpent of akasha can last!"
Ciel gritted her teeth, enduring the agonizing pain as she tried to activate all her trump cards. However, a moment later, she froze—none of her trump cards were working!
"You!" Ciel looked up, staring directly at Akatsuki.
"I told you, we have no direct conflict. Besides, since I arrived in Fuyuki City, I've basically killed no one. You can check if you don't believe me." Akatsuki narrowed her eyes slightly, as if enjoying the sight of Ciel's struggling expression.
"Ugh..."
Seeing Ciel remain silent, Akatsuki frowned. "We aren't enemies. We might even be friends in the future. After all, if possible, I'll eventually find Roa boring too."
"You just need to promise me not to disturb my peace."
"Do you think you're a god?"
Ciel looked at Akatsuki with mockery. "Arbitrarily deciding the lives and fates of others, taking offense and retaliating at the slightest resistance... you're nothing more than a parasite (Vampire) that relies on humans to survive."
"A parasite?"
Akatsuki walked over and crouched beside Ciel, her gaze becoming eerily calm. "Laughable. Ciel, do you know the biggest difference between a parasite and a predator?"
"A parasite doesn't have the strength to face its host head-on, but a predator does."
"Now, I'll give you two choices," Akatsuki said expressionlessly. "One, get back to the Church and continue hunting Roa. Two, die here by my hand. Don't worry—even if Roa isn't dead, I have ways to kill you for good. Of course, you could also try to run or kill me instead."
Ciel's heart was filled with despair and rage. In the face of absolute power, even she was forced to submit. Thinking of Roa, she knew she really only had one choice.
"I... I choose... the first one," Ciel said through gritted teeth. "I can't die yet..."
Hearing the answer she wanted, Akatsuki flashed a satisfied smile.
In the next instant, the enclosed space was dispelled. If Kirei Kotomine's headless corpse hadn't still been there, Ciel would have thought everything that just happened was an illusion.
"So, when do you plan on returning to the Church?"
Ciel replied to Akatsuki's question while struggling to heal her injuries. "Don't be in such a hurry. Haven't I already promised not to interfere with you anymore?"
"Fine, suit yourself."
Akatsuki shrugged.
"Akatsuki, what happened?!"
In the distance, Tohsaka Rin came running toward Akatsuki with Archer in tow.
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