Step... step...
At the sound of footsteps, Yoshikage Kira shifted his gaze toward the entrance.
"I didn't expect to see you returning with an injury."
"It seems your opponent was more formidable than we anticipated."
Kira had already sensed the spiritual residue of the wound on Itachi's shoulder. Despite the injury, the shinobi's expression remained as calm and unreadable as ever, a display of discipline that Kira found quite admirable.
To land a blow on [Saber] was a feat that established the quality of the adversary.
In this war, most encounters were over in the blink of an eye.
"It was [Rider]."
"Oh? To be honest, we haven't seen much of that specific group until now."
Kira's eyes narrowed at Itachi's response. He had been curious about the identity of the Master of the vampire they had heard rumors about.
"Were you able to entrap him with your ocular powers?"
He followed up with the question that mattered most.
The original plan had been to seize control of a Servant to serve as a tactical buffer. If they had a pawn to throw against Jotaro Kujo and Josuke Higashikata, their own safety would be exponentially increased.
"No. He managed to escape."
Itachi shook his head, his voice maintaining its characteristic, level chill.
"I see."
"That is a shame."
"But to escape from your reach is a rare achievement. What kind of capabilities did he exhibit?"
"He is a Stand user... one with an exceptionally powerful spirit."
Kira listened with interest. A Servant who was also a Stand user?
It was a fascinating combination.
The Servants they had encountered so far, like the artist and the high-schooler's companions, didn't seem to follow that specific archetype.
"Will he be a difficult obstacle to overcome in the future?"
"No."
"Then there is no cause for concern. Did you manage to gather anything else of value?"
"I have a rough assessment of the status of [Lancer], [Archer], and [Berserker]."
"Excellent. You should rest for the remainder of the night. Once your shoulder has healed, we'll move out to eliminate them."
***
"Hoho... the conditions are finally coming together."
"Everything is falling into place."
DIO stood on the rooftop in the dead of night, looking down at the town as it was slowly consumed by shadows. His voice was thick with a dark, predatory joy.
"However... before the final phase begins, I really should deal with Jotaro."
It was a thought he couldn't simply discard.
The previous iteration of the timeline had proven that if Jotaro's fist connected with his body, the result was an immediate "Defeat."
To ensure the success of his evolution and avoid any unforeseen variables, it was imperative to remove his nemesis from the board as quickly as possible.
"The Morioh Grand Hotel..."
"Is that old fossil Joseph still there as well?"
"What a pathetic, withered sight he must be."
DIO looked toward the center of town, his eyes fixed on the distant luxury hotel as if he could see through the walls themselves.
"Hmph. It's a shame Polnareff isn't here to join the fun."
"Otherwise, I could send the entire group to the other side to reunite with Kakyoin, Avdol, and Iggy."
He rubbed his chin, a specific tactical approach already forming in his mind.
"Well, they should enjoy themselves while they can."
"This is the last night they will ever know the luxury of 'Safety'."
"A truly fitting end to such unremarkable lives!"
"Hahahaha..."
***
"What's up, Goku?"
Subaru Natsuki lay on the floor, looking at Kid Goku who was curled up on the sofa with his hands pressed firmly over his ears.
"I don't know... I thought I heard someone laughing just now."
"?"
Subaru sat up, his expression one of confusion.
He hadn't heard a thing. The night was as silent as a grave.
"Ah... it stopped."
Goku looked around, his expression relaxing. Subaru knew better than to assume the boy was simply hearing things.
A Saiyan's sensory capabilities were on an entirely different level compared to a normal human.
Given Goku's pure, straightforward personality, there was zero chance he was playing a prank.
'It doesn't seem like there's a battle going on, though. I don't feel any magic in the air.'
'Whatever it is, it can wait for tomorrow.'
Considering the exhaustion of dealing with the temporal reset and the subsequent search, Subaru had no desire to engage in any "Night Raids."
He and Homura were more concerned with the "Irregular" behavior of the other participants.
Every single group that should have followed the previous "Script" had instead chosen to diverge.
The only logical explanation was that everyone possessed the memories of the future.
Subaru looked at Goku, who had already drifted back into a deep, peaceful sleep, and let out a long sigh.
'Still, I have to hand it to Homura and the others. Finding an empty house like this was a stroke of luck.'
'Kira... that's a strange name for a family.'
'They said the place looked like it had been searched recently, though. I wonder if it belonged to some kind of criminal?'
***
"Archer... are you afraid of dying?"
"Why would you ask such a pointless question?"
"I don't know... it's just that this war is starting to feel... scary."
"Scary?"
"Yeah. I think for Lancer and me, we don't really feel the weight of it as much. But for you and Subaru-san... it must be exhausting."
"Time is being manipulated so much that I can't even tell how long we've really been here anymore."
In the adjacent room, Homura Akemi listened to Miyu's concerns. For her, the concept of a time loop was a familiar, if bitter, environment.
She had experienced hundreds of iterations of her own struggle.
This level of "Torment" was something she had long since adapted to.
"If it's possible... I really want us all to make it to the end safely."
Miyu looked at the moonlight pooling on the floor, a flicker of longing in her eyes.
She thought of her "Brother" and the simple life they had once shared.
That small, fragile wish was the engine that drove her forward in this world.
"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."
Homura reached out and took Miyu's hand, offering a faint, reassuring smile.
Miyu looked at the girl who had spent countless lifetimes trying to save a single person, and she offered a silent prayer.
"Yeah. I believe you."
***
"Man, I really slept like a log last night!"
"I can't believe nothing actually happened."
Okuyasu, Rohan, and Koichi were walking down the street, their voices filled with the energy of a fresh morning.
"I feel like I'm full of energy today! Like I could take on anything!"
"Okuyasu-kun is certainly... lively this morning."
"Wait...!"
As Okuyasu and Koichi continued their chatter, Rohan suddenly stopped, extending an arm to block their path. His expression was one of intense, surgical focus.
"What is it, Rohan-sensei? Is there an enemy nearby?!"
Koichi and Okuyasu immediately shifted into a defensive stance, scaning the environment for threats.
"No... didn't you notice?"
"This is the peak of the morning rush. The streets should be crowded with people heading to school and work."
"But look at the road..."
"There's literally no one here!!"
Rohan pointed toward the major intersection and the rows of shops. Every single shutter was closed tight. The bustling commercial district was a ghost town.
"Now that you mention it... yeah. It should be packed right now."
Okuyasu looked left and right blankly, scratching his head as he tried to process the discrepancy.
"What exactly is going on...?"
"It's way too quiet."
Koichi felt a shiver of unease. Morioh had never been this peaceful, even in the middle of the night.
"It seems that while we were resting, something catastrophic occurred."
Rohan looked at the empty streets, the cold morning wind rattling a discarded newspaper. His voice was grim.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]