Chapter 595: Traditional Skills Encore
The fleet feet that could traverse a thousand miles were bound; the hands capable of shattering all restraints were suppressed.
The projection that birthed iron radiance was exiled; the spatial displacement that pierced through dimensions was startled into retreat.
The demonic wood catalyzed by the Druid drained the young man's vitality, venom-laden arrows aimed for his throat, and the final, most vicious bullet had already crossed the distance of life itself, sending Sakatsuki's instincts into a frenzy of warning.
Yet he could no longer move.
"It's over..." In the screening room, a Master sighed. "Even heroes have moments of powerlessness, let alone when the one killing him is also a hero."
As he spoke, he stole a glance at the two figures in red dresses, inwardly grumbling about Sakatsuki's luck with women while deliberately raising his voice. "Ah, with this extra income, I can finally buy that Craft Essence I've had my eye on. Sorry, Rin Tohsaka, but this time, I'm claiming it first."
His words immediately drew a chorus of mocking laughter. Rin Tohsaka ignored him, but Nero, upon hearing this, flew into a rage, her peach-blossom eyes glaring fiercely at the crowd. "Do not celebrate too soon, you uncouth lot! No matter what, Sakatsuki would never lose to someone like him!"
The Masters frowned, dismissing Nero's words as mere bravado. Just as they were about to retort, the young King of Heroes seated at the front turned his head slightly and remarked coolly:
"In a direct confrontation, the victor would be obvious. But the current circumstances are different. Sakatsuki's arrogant actions have led him straight into the enemy's domain."
"Even Servants have their limits. Does the Far East not have a saying about 'heaven's timing, earth's advantage, and human harmony'? Right now, Robin Hood holds both heaven and earth. What can Sakatsuki possibly do? How can he, alone, overcome the combined might of a Master and Servant, let alone the entire world itself?"
"Unless he can overturn the entire Second Lunar Sea, victory is impossible—especially now that he's fallen into Robin Hood's trap."
Leo's analysis was airtight, leaving no room for rebuttal. Even Nero fell silent, her gaze fixed on him with an odd mixture of surprise, astonishment, and unmistakable... delight?
No—
Leo jolted, his eyes sweeping across the others. Whether it was Nero, who supported Sakatsuki, or the gloating Masters, all were staring intently in his direction, their mouths agape with identical expressions of shock. He turned to Rin Tohsaka—the girl who had remained silent all this while, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her skirt—only to find her hands now relaxed, her expression eased.
Noticing Leo's questioning look, Rin tilted her chin up slightly and gave a haughty hum, nodding toward the massive screen still playing in front of Leo.
The screen? The Second Lunar Sea? Could it be—?!
Leo whirled around just in time to see the demonic wood tremble violently before shattering into splinters with a soundless wail. Amid the flying debris, the young man's crimson robes billowed, his bearing untouchable, as though he were no mere mortal.
Under the stunned gazes of Robin Hood, the old knight Dan, and everyone in the screening room, Sakatsuki smiled, his lips parting as he spread his arms wide.
His golden eyes had long since shifted into iridescent blue, now brimming with a radiant, platinum brilliance.
His voice rang out, clear and resounding, piercing the heavens themselves.
"Announcement—I exist here!"
————
Time rewinds slightly, back before the debate among the Masters in the screening room.
The woods, the enemies, the lethal tension in a confined space.
And himself, skilled in Baji Quan, now subjected to the humiliation of being tied up.
All the familiar elements were in place.
At the critical moment, Sakatsuki raised his eyes, his lips curling into a faint smirk as he gazed ahead, as if he could see Robin Hood's ecstatic expression. The illusory premonition of victory—of cutting that man down—must have intoxicated the righteous thief.
Was that guy overestimating himself, or had he committed the sin of arrogance by underestimating me?
How utterly—ridiculous!
BOOM!
A tremendous shockwave erupted, the deafening roar causing Robin Hood's pupils to contract, leaving him speechless.
The earth was crushed into powder under overwhelming force, scattering into the air as thick dust obscured everything. The enchanted canopy of the druid-blessed demonic trees trembled, shedding leaves as bullets and poisoned arrows vanished into the haze, swallowed as if by demons.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Even just listening, one could imagine the violent shaking of the tree trunks—as if struck by a full-powered fist. A spine-chilling sound of splintering followed, and Robin Hood, whose spirit was linked to the trees, felt a sharp pain. Unconsciously, he loosened his grip on his crossbow, his vacant eyes fixed on the depths of the smoke as he muttered under his breath:
"You've got to be kidding me…"
How could someone with bound wrists, unable to move, possibly destroy a druid-blessed demonic tree?!
"It wasn't just brute arm strength. He multiplied the force of his feet planted on the ground, the rotation of his waist, and the twist of his shoulders, concentrating the sum of his body's explosive power into his fist. Even the 'force' from parts beyond his arms could shatter mountains and shake the earth."
Beside Leo stood a man in a dark coat, next to whom a Servant clad in gold-red martial attire crossed his arms and confidently explained the principle behind Sakatsuki's feat. Then, his black eyes flashed with a bloody light as he turned to the high-ranking NPC overseeing the order. "I'm sure Father Kotomine here understands the name of this technique as well as I do."
"The Inch Force—a signature skill of martial artists," said the priest who introduced himself as Kotomine Kirei, his voice resonating deeply as if his chest and organs vibrated in unison. He, too, watched the young man emerging slowly from the dust, his tone calm. "Hmph… But it's not just that. This contestant's eyes seem quite interesting as well."
Prompted by Kotomine Kirei's remark, the Masters looked closer and noticed that Sakatsuki's golden eyes had, at some point, transformed into a dazzling rainbow-blue.
A weapon of causality—the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
By severing the lines of death, even a demonic tree that could withstand ordinary Noble Phantasms became as fragile as paper.
The figure in the dust gradually solidified into an unharmed form. A broken arrow lay at his feet, while a dangerous bullet was pinched between his fingers, toyed with before being casually discarded. Sakatsuki surveyed his surroundings—the shadows of the trees loomed, every patch of darkness seeming to conceal lurking specters.
If they lost their will to fight after a single setback, they wouldn't be worthy of being called heroes or veterans. By now, Robin Hood and Dan Blackmore had likely regrouped, preparing for the next phase of guerrilla warfare.
The young man lowered his gaze, the rainbow-blue light fading as the platinum hue of the Third Magic veiled his pupils, rendering him as indifferent as a deity.
What a pity, I've already grown tired of this game.
Even if you can evade observation through various means, can you truly escape from the 'world' itself?
Spreading his arms wide, the platinum-haired magus loudly invoked his miracle:
"Declare, I exist here!"
Thus a blizzard rose with the wind, the moonlight transformed into a mesmerizing afterglow, yielding the sky to the slowly ascending sun. A mental landscape belonging solely to one individual rapidly expanded. Robin Hood's expression changed drastically—he barely had time to push his Master aside before being drawn into this brand-new world.
And the master of this world wasn't him, but Sakatsuki!
———
While Sakatsuki, as a Servant, was thoroughly enjoying his battle with Robin Hood, his Master Hakuno found herself idle due to being overprotected.
During the first round, she had been busy with studies and training. Now with free time to wander around, she noticed for the first time that a church had appeared behind the school building—when exactly had it been built?
Was it to respect the faith of the Masters? Or simply to provide spiritual solace?
With these random thoughts running through her mind, Hakuno stepped forward and pushed open the church doors.
Stained glass windows painted images of saints in the sunlight, golden dust particles floated in the air, and from the empty, unmanned pulpit came the soundless hymns of praise.
No other souls were present. The entire church was as quiet as a mirror, reflecting the turbulent heart of its visitor.
The first round, the second round... until the final seventh decisive battle.
Though the battle for survival had only just begun, the girl was about to lose her most powerful weapon and ally, left to face the storm alone.
No... it wasn't his fault. That young man had promised—if she were truly helpless, he would return again, spreading protective wings to shelter her.
It's just that in daily life, she wouldn't be able to see him anymore...
The moment this realization struck, an inexplicable ache welled up in the girl's heart. She sat in the frontmost pew, clenched her fists, and closed her eyes.
Calm down, Hakuno. You're not this weak. Besides, the second round isn't over yet. If Sakatsuki loses...
Ah, but try as she might, she couldn't imagine that young man ever failing.
Conversely, if Sakatsuki became someone else's Servant, became her enemy...
No, even the mere thought of such a possibility made her heart ache unbearably.
Stop. Don't think about this anymore!
To rein in these dangerous thoughts, Hakuno emptied her mind, allowing herself to be immersed in the church's sacred atmosphere.
[Girl praying.jpg]
Time passed indeterminately—as if time and space themselves had blurred—and Hakuno sat there quietly, having forgotten everything: her troubles, her anxieties about the future.
Until steady footsteps sounded beside her.
"So it's you... that young man's Master."
Hakuno opened her eyes to see the silver-haired old knight standing before her.
"Might we speak for a moment, Kishinami Hakuno?"