Inherent Reality: Nevermore. It was a canopy of death feathers that covered the sky, devouring the moonlight and stars—an absolute "world of death" without a single trace of light. Yet, Aoko, who was currently inside it, was illuminating this world with her own magical radiance.
The prolonged battle and the intermittent sneak attacks from the Black-Winged Duke made Aoko feel somewhat exhausted. Just as she was seizing a lull in the fighting to recover her stamina,
Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Aoko found herself back in the square in front of the Ogawa Apartment. Simultaneously, the Black-Winged Duke, having deactivated his Inherent Reality, instantly turned into a black shadow and rushed into the Ogawa Apartment.
"Don't run!" Ignoring Alice, who was still in a fierce battle with the Dead Apostles in the square, Aoko hurriedly gave chase, fearing the Black-Winged Duke might harm Rin.
Aoko, a step too late, had just entered the Ogawa Apartment only to watch helplessly as the Black-Winged Duke escaped via spatial transfer with the assistance of Araya Souren.
"Damn it, Rin, you better be okay!"
Aoko clenched her fists, her face full of self-reproach and worry. Just as she was about to rush upstairs, Touko's voice suddenly appeared behind her.
The recently transferred Black-Winged Duke was, as Aoko had expected, moved to the floor where Rin and Fujino were.
The Black-Winged Duke extended a hand in front of Rin, who was using the Spear of Venus, and casually crushed the Spear of Venus she fired. Ignoring Rin and Fujino, he turned and spoke to Alba, who was being controlled by Araya Souren.
"Araya Souren, my subordinates have brought the person you wanted. Show yourself."
Following the Black-Winged Duke's words, a Dead Apostle carrying Ryougi Shiki emerged from the Duke's shadow. At the same time, Araya Souren arrived via spatial transfer.
Araya Souren looked at Ryougi Shiki being held by the Dead Apostle, his expression remaining indifferent.
"Give Ryougi Shiki to me."
The Black-Winged Duke gestured to his subordinate to do as Araya Souren said, while also not forgetting to remind him.
"Araya Souren, remember our agreement. Once you connect to the Root, help my Master return to Earth with all your strength! If you break your word, I don't think I need to remind you of the consequences."
Hearing the details of the deal between the Black-Winged Duke and Araya Souren, Rin couldn't help but shout at Araya Souren.
"Wait! Araya Souren, do you have any idea what the consequences would be if True Moon returned to Earth!"
The Black-Winged Duke frowned and looked at Rin with annoyance, shouting angrily.
"How dare you! My Master's name is not for you to speak so casually. Kill her!"
Upon receiving the order, the Black-Winged Duke's subordinate leaped up, kicked off the ceiling, and lunged at Rin. Meanwhile, Fujino, who was about to support Rin, was held back by Alba, controlled by Araya Souren.
Just as Rin and Fujino were in a predicament, Touko and the now-Servantized Ryougi Shiki met Aoko in the lobby of the Ogawa Apartment.
"Aoko, why are you here? Weren't you supposed to be blocking the Black-Winged Duke?"
Aoko turned her head in surprise, looking at Touko as she slowly walked into the Ogawa Apartment with Ryougi Shiki.
"Damn it, I was careless and let the Black-Winged Duke escape. By the way, Touko, Rin is in danger right now. Do you have a solution?"
Touko nodded to Aoko, then raised her right hand, and a Magic Circle expanded.
Before Rin and the others arrived at the Ogawa Apartment, Touko had set out early for the hospital and found the comatose Ryougi Shiki. The ever-cautious Touko, while using the soul fragment of the Winter Saintess provided by Rin to help speed up Shiki's awakening, sensed the Dead Apostles sent by the Black-Winged Duke to capture her.
At that moment, Touko had a sudden inspiration. She took out a puppet of Ryougi Shiki she had made after her first visit and performed a bait-and-switch with the comatose Shiki.
Touko never expected that her sudden inspiration at the time would end up being the key to saving Rin and Fujino.
Upstairs, just as Araya Souren was about to teleport while holding the "Ryougi Shiki," he suddenly groaned, a trickle of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.
At this critical moment, Touko's Ryougi Shiki puppet was activated. The magical reactor in the puppet's chest instantly began operating at full power. Simultaneously, the puppet used its reinforced right hand to strike Araya Souren's heart.
With Araya Souren's sudden attack by the puppet, the Alba he was controlling also froze in place. Although Fujino lacked combat experience, she wasn't about to miss such an obvious opening. Her Mystic Eyes operated at full power, instantly twisting the frozen Alba into a mass of mangled flesh.
However, although the immediate crisis was resolved, an even greater one was approaching. The Black-Winged Duke watched his subordinate fighting Rin with impatience. Already eager to act, he stepped forward to join the battle as Araya Souren was injured.
Fujino nervously stepped forward to desperately block the Black-Winged Duke, shouting to Rin.
"Run, Master! Let me hold them off!"
Meanwhile, in the lobby of the Ogawa Apartment, Touko, who had established a connection with the Shiki puppet, also discovered the danger Rin and Fujino were in through the puppet's eyes. Without hesitation, she took a Holy Grail out of her briefcase and began continuously injecting magical energy into it.
"Shiki, please. Release your Noble Phantasm and attack this apartment. Aoko, get ready too. As soon as the apartment collapses, stop the Black-Winged Duke immediately."
Ryougi Shiki, dressed in a pure white patterned kimono, nodded slowly. She drew the Kujiki Kanesada, a rainbow light emanating from her pupils as she murmured.
"Amala-Vijnana: Kara no Kyoukai!"
A flash of the tachi, as if from the far shore, instantly severed the lines of death of the Ogawa Apartment. Araya Souren's Enshrinement Hall of the Sixty-Four Layers was killed, and the Ogawa Apartment was killed as well.
The entire apartment seemed to have suddenly aged by centuries. Starting from the cut Shiki had made, it began to turn into powder and drift away with the wind.
Araya Souren spat out a mouthful of blood and slumped to his knees. As the apartment was killed, the entire building began to teeter. Feeling the apartment shake, the Black-Winged Duke glared fiercely at Rin, then turned, grabbed Araya Souren by the collar, broke through a window, and flew out.
While the Black-Winged Duke abandoned his attack to rescue Araya Souren, Fujino's Mystic Eyes of Distortion lit up, twisting and breaking the legs of the Dead Apostle who was fighting Rin.
Rin also seized the opportunity to fly to Fujino's side, grabbing her and flying out of the collapsing apartment.
The Black-Winged Duke, carrying Araya Souren, landed in the square. Before he could even catch his breath, Aoko was already upon him. Several Magic Bullets sealed off all paths of retreat, and a fist burning with green magical energy struck along with the bullets.
Rin landed with difficulty beside Touko and Ryougi Shiki in the square, carrying Fujino. She watched with admiration as the Black-Winged Duke was sent flying dozens of meters by Aoko.
"Aoko's punches are as powerful as ever! Thanks, Touko. You arrived just in time."
Ryougi Shiki also tilted her head and looked at Rin curiously. 'I didn't expect her to really be such a kid!'
Rin deactivated her starlight mode and took out a diamond. She used jewel magecraft to restore her aching mage circuits while speaking to Araya Souren.
"You've lost, Araya Souren."
Araya Souren forced himself to stand. He looked around; everywhere he saw was utter defeat, with Dead Apostles fleeing in all directions. Not far away, the Black-Winged Duke was locked in combat with Aoko, and his own trump card had now turned into a pile of dust.
"Tohsaka Rin, so you're the one the counter force manipulated to stop me this time!" After saying this, Araya Souren coughed up another mouthful of blood.
"It seems this body has reached its limit. Cough, cough. I have no spare bodies left. Touko, Tohsaka Rin, if we meet again, it will likely be in the next century."
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