The cold morning wind blew in through the gaps in her clothes. Ritsuka sat by the corridor, hugging her legs, her face looking slightly tired.
She had insomnia.
Ritsuka rubbed her head vigorously.
She had intended to rest for a night to adjust herself before searching for the other Holy Grail War participants, but as expected, she ended up with insomnia.
The gate of the Emiya Residence swayed in the cold wind. The thick winter clothes on Ritsuka's body disappeared, replaced by a set of efficient combat gear.
A combination of a Guardian from the future and an Avenger who rebelled against the gods.
Dressed in a black and red color scheme, Ritsuka stepped over the threshold of the Emiya Residence. The belt of Ares, the God of War, appeared on her waist, and the 'divine beast cloak' hung around her neck like a scarf.
Her boots made a faint crunching sound on the snow, which could easily be missed if one wasn't paying attention.
She applied a basic suggestion magecraft to herself so that ordinary people wouldn't notice her strange attire. Ritsuka walked toward the Fuyuki Bridge.
The Holy Grail War had only just begun, and two participants had already exited. She had also obtained three class cards. The next step was to find other prey.
Shinto was a high-tech modern area far more developed than Miyama Town, with buildings generally taller than those there.
Using her excellent eyesight and finding a high enough vantage point, Ritsuka could even snipe any corner of Fuyuki City from its center and casually unleash a top-tier Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm.
As she got closer to Shinto, Ritsuka suddenly heard news about the huge explosion that destroyed Ryudou Temple last night—
"Regarding the massive explosion last night that resulted in the destruction of Ryudou Temple on Mount Enzou."
"After investigation, it was discovered to be a gas pipeline leak, which in turn affected nearby gas pipelines on Mount Enzou, causing a series of chain explosions."
"For unknown reasons, fortunately, the monks of Ryudou Temple were not in the temple last night, so there were no casualties."
"Behind this incident are the serious consequences of a gas transport company using inferior materials to steal profits. We will continue to follow up on the investigation and wait for the penalties against them..."
Gas leak, gas explosion.
Fine, this is very Fuyuki!
If she remembered correctly, the official records of the disasters caused by the previous two Holy Grail Wars were also brushed off as gas explosions.
Listening to the nonsense in the news, Ritsuka couldn't help but raise her hand and scratch her head. Wasn't this just fooling idiots?
However, ordinary people couldn't sense magical energy. Perhaps under the influence of the official term, they would still choose to believe this explanation. Only those involved with magecraft would certainly not think so.
The crystal dice emitted light, and Ritsuka took a card from it—the class card of Heroic Spirit Emiya!
At that time, she had essentially used herself as a Catalyst.
In her heart, when she subconsciously felt that no one around her supported her choice, Emiya Shirou (Archer) on the Throne of Heroes responded to her through the class card.
Although she couldn't use the class card due to the crystal dice and the power of the Heroic Spirit could no longer be engraved on her body, she indirectly learned a lot of information through EMIYA's class card, and her understanding of the world suddenly increased by a large margin.
In the distant future of a world different from this one, a man named Emiya Shirou, who was roughly equivalent to her, had achieved the status of a Heroic Spirit.
A Counter Guardian who signed a contract with the world, the ideal form of the justice Kiritsugu pursued!
This was a power that should be used for all of humanity... "Sorry, this power can no longer be used to protect all of humanity."
Heroic Spirit Emiya is a guardian on the side of humanity, and fighting for all of humanity is his duty. In this conflict, the one standing on the side of all humanity was indeed Julian Einzbern, while she was instead the villain who would harm everyone.
Looking down at the clothes on her body, which were similar to those in the card, Ritsuka raised her hand and pressed it to her chest.
She was gradually transforming, moving in the direction of Alcides and EMIYA, achieving the status of a Heroic Spirit with a human body, and then completely burning herself out at the final moment of completion.
How could a mere mortal body fully bear the power of a Heroic Spirit?
"Will anyone be drawn here?"
Tennd of seconds later, Ritsuka stood at the top of a building, completely releasing the aura of the class card while fully concealing her own.
Whether it was other individuals holding class cards or Magicians, they would all feel this power. If they had the guts, they would come straight to her door.
Of course, even if not a single one came, Ritsuka wouldn't feel any surprise.
Most Magicians were very cautious beings. Unless they had set up a Magecraft Workshop and were waiting for someone to step into it, no idiot would come to seek death.
Standing at the edge of the rooftop, Ritsuka held her breath and focused, running both of her Minds Eyes to their maximum. If someone looked at her now, she would definitely capture their gaze within twenty kilometers.
Suddenly, a gaze appeared in the nearby Fuyuki Park.
A young man wearing a hood was trembling, his head tilted high as he looked toward Ritsuka's position, the demonic aura on his body completely uncontrollable.
This was a guy who held a class card and was already in a state of using it. The Heroic Spirit power he possessed came from a demonic Heroic Spirit.
"That... So there really are idiots in this world," Ritsuka narrowed her eyes, staring intently at the hooded man below. "And this aura feels very familiar. Another Greek one?"
There were quite a few Greek ones.
Among those who had already appeared before her, Beatrice, Erica, and the hooded man all had an aura that felt very familiar to the Alcides part of her body.
And the only difference was the concentration of divinity.
They were all beings related to Greek gods; one even felt like a god themselves.
"Phew~"
Exhaling softly, Ritsuka looked at the still early sky and the many pedestrians below, yet there was not a hint of hesitation in her eyes.
With a step, she leapt directly off the edge of the rooftop. The golden greatbow was drawn to its limit by her fair fingers, and an arrow coated in Hydra Venom was notched on the string.
The swelling magical energy surged in the air as she fired a probing shot.
Boom—!!
The arrow blasted through the atmosphere, the supersonic projectile instantly crossing a distance of over a hundred meters and landing inside Fuyuki Park.
Amidst the rumbling sounds, half of the park was blown into the sky, the ground was completely overturned, and the shattered earth and stones swept the hooded man away, slamming him deep into the park.
She hadn't harmed any ordinary people. Ritsuka had confirmed beforehand that there was no one in the park before firing the probing shot. After all, it was still early morning, long before students went to school, and only some early-rising commuters were passing by in a hurry.
Coinciding with the news of the gas leak on the street, the newly landed Ritsuka shouted, "A gas explosion!"
Immediately, the onlookers all vanished as the suggestion magecraft successfully took effect, and the ordinary people present all fled in panic.
Putting away the greatbow, a long blade formed in a flash of azure magical electricity. Ritsuka projected a high-quality demonic blade, its tip pointing directly at the hooded man who had revealed his true form in the ruins.
He was at least 1.7 meters tall, with silver hair reaching his buttocks, and his face was covered by a strange cloth that obscured his eyes.
His weapons were two chain swords—simple armaments consisting of short swords wrapped in chains.
"I must take it back... I must take it back..."
The hooded man's murmuring reached her ears. Ritsuka frowned; the guy gave her the impression of a very pitiful person, but unfortunately, she also had a reason why she couldn't lose.
Holding the demonic blade horizontally, Ritsuka charged forward.