Following Rin's incantation, the starlight gathered on the surface of her body shifted to her back. From her spine, ribbons of starlight emerged one after another, forming massive wings. Then, from the various tips of the wings, they changed direction and extended infinitely, shooting countless beams of light toward Araya Souren.
The starlight disintegrated everything in its path—the air, the ground—and shone directly onto Araya Souren's barrier. Under such an attack, his six-fold barrier resisted for only a few seconds before shattering, followed by Araya Souren's body... As the light faded, Asagami Fujino rubbed her eyes and looked closely. Rin was now draped in a veil of starlight, with wings made of hundreds of starlight ribbons behind her. As the ribbons pulsed, she floated gracefully about one meter above the ground, looking just like a goddess from mythology.
Asagami Fujino watched the goddess-like Rin with obsession, ripples finally forming in her hollow heart.
Rin slowly ceased the release of her magical energy and dispersed the starlight. She landed on the ground as light as a feather, looking at the earth decomposed by her sorcery and the riddled body of Araya Souren. She raised her hands and looked at them in disbelief. 'Did I really do this?'
Using her Starlight Form for the first time, Tohsaka Rin truly hadn't expected this sorcery she had envisioned to be so powerful. Now, with the Starlight Form, Rin could likely hold her own even against a combat-oriented Magus of the Brand Rank.
While Rin was reflecting on her Starlight Form, Touko walked over to Araya Souren. Squatting down for a brief inspection, she realized this wasn't Araya Souren's original body. Touko roughly inserted her finger into the wound on the corpse's head, then held her brain-matter-stained finger before her eyes for a detailed observation, understanding everything.
Then Touko turned toward Rin and spoke.
"Rin, this isn't my old classmate. This should be a double he was operating."
Touko then showed her brain-stained finger to Rin.
"See, this brain matter clearly belongs to two people, and my old classmate happens to be an expert in transferring consciousness through brain matter."
Rin looked at the brain matter on Touko's hand with disgust, covering her small mouth and gagging.
"Touko, don't show me such disgusting things!"
Touko shook her head. 'When did I start forgetting that Rin is actually still just a young girl?' She then wiped her brain-stained finger on the corpse's clothes.
At that moment, Kirei Kotomine approached Rin's side, bringing Asagami Fujino with him.
"Rin, I plan to take Asagami Fujino to the church now. Do you need me to cover up what happened here?"
Rin looked at the street destroyed by her sorcery and nodded to Kirei Kotomine.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Kirei."
"Yes. Kallen and Shirou will be in your care for the time being as well..."
Church of Null.
In the room assigned to Kallen and Shirou, Kallen was currently sitting on the edge of the bed, mocking her 'brother' with her sharp tongue.
"Stupid onii-chan, do you have any idea how foolish your behavior was this afternoon? If you had made them angry back then, we would probably be corpses by now. In fact, Kirei might have been the first to move against us. Do you understand, you stupid onii-chan?"
Shirou Kotomine scratched his head awkwardly and said sheepishly.
"Well, Kallen, that can't be right. Why would father move against us? And even though Rin is a violent girl, she wouldn't go as far as killing people."
Kallen rolled her eyes at Shirou Kotomine in exasperation, feeling despair toward this naive idiot who had only just begun to touch the world of magi.
"Stupid onii-chan, we are in the Magus world, not the world of ordinary people. Have you forgotten the Fuyuki 'Great Earthquake' four years ago?"
Shirou Kotomine's pupils shrank. How could he forget? The soaring flames, the flowing black mud, the fleeing crowds, his home turned to ruins, and his biological parents lying dead at his feet. Shirou Kotomine clenched his fists.
"Was that caused by magi?"
Looking at Shirou's bloodshot eyes, Kallen hopped off the bed, walked up to him, and flicked his forehead hard. Seeing Shirou snap out of his memories, she nodded in satisfaction.
"Yes, that's right. And the ones who caused it were our acquaintances. But, stupid onii-chan, do you really want to know?"
Shirou Kotomine looked up at Kallen and nodded.
Seeing Shirou Kotomine's serious expression, Kallen began to slowly recount the past of the Holy Grail she had heard from Kotomine Risei.
"Rin, Father, Uncle Tokiomi, the Holy Grail, all the worlds evils... so that's how it was. Kallen, if we destroy all the worlds evils and the Holy Grail, do you think things like that will never happen again?"
"Don't you want revenge, stupid onii-chan?"
Shirou Kotomine shook his head calmly.
"I don't have such thoughts. From the day Father pulled me out of the ruins, I decided that I would follow him and become a Hero of Justice who saves others."
Kallen looked at Shirou Kotomine as he declared his dream with such conviction and murmured.
"A hero who saves others? Good luck, onii-chan. Kallen will support you too."
In a cemetery on the outskirts of Miyako City.
Araya Souren slowly turned his head to look at the figure who had just entered the cemetery.
"Araya Souren, your taste is as poor as ever, choosing a place like this to meet me. Speak, where is Touko?"
"Cornelius Alba, there is no need to rush. Facing Touko now would be nothing but a death sentence for you. You need a large amount of manpower."
Hearing Araya Souren's words, Alba glared at him with a vicious look.
"Araya Souren, what do you mean? Weren't you the one who informed me Touko was hiding here? Do you think I am weaker than Touko?"
"No, Alba. Touko is not alone now. She has the Fifth Magus, the Fairy Tale Witch, and that genius girl Tohsaka Rin by her side."
Upon hearing that these famous figures of the Magus world were all with Touko, Alba felt a sudden urge to retreat.
Cornelius Alba was in his fifties, yet he appeared as a young man in his twenties. His strength as a Magus was first-class; he had no interest in the Vortex of Radix, believing it sufficient to pursue the realms of mystery. He was one of the few magi who believed there was no need to trace back to the Root.
Watching Alba's hesitation, the aforementioned information flashed through Araya Souren's mind. He then slowly spoke to the conflicted Alba.
"Alba, I have now found the path to the Root. If you can ensure Touko and the others do not interfere while I carry out my plan, then in return, once I complete it, I will assist you in killing Touko!"
Even after hearing Araya Souren's offer, Alba remained conflicted. He did not agree as readily as Araya Souren had expected, precisely because the warning from the Second Magus and the prospect of making an enemy of the Fifth Magus put too much pressure on him.
After a moment of internal struggle, Alba asked Araya Souren.
"Araya Souren, tell me your entire plan. I must be certain of it before I can make a decision..."
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