Part 319: Distraction

Music: Clashing Souls



"Behind you, Emiya-kun…!"
She must be worried about us. Even though she could've escaped by now, she slows down and turns to look at us.

"……!"
I know that the enemy is right behind us.
But I can't shake him off.
Servant Assassin is after us.
There's no way I can shake him off when I have Ilya with

Video: Retreat (mirror)

"That is far enough. There is no need for you."



I hear an ominous voice right by my ear.
When I look to my side…



I see a white death's head, smiling as he licks the dagger.









"…Hah. So you cannot even kill a kid unless you attack him by surprise, you third-rate?"
Archer does not slacken his pace as he talks.



"I will take the rear. You take Ilya and run.
Hurry. We'll all die if that thing catches up to us."
Archer is looking at Assassin and something else that is coming from behind him.





""
…It's after us.
That shadow is coming after us while staining the ground black!

"What is that, Archer…!?"
"We can talk later. Run, kid. You took Ilya's hand, so protect her until the very end."

Archer slows down a bit and goes behind us.
…At that instant.
Right before he leaves, he gives Ilya a look heavy with regret.





Their attacks are matched.
Even the daggers thrown at me are shot down, and it's obvious that Assassin is not in control of the fight.
But it's not because Assassin is weak.









"Hah!"
Archer repels the multitude of daggers.
His vigor is incomparable to before.
The scales of victory are tipping towards Archer.
I don't know why, but he is as strong as a fierce god right now.







In response…


"It's simple. I'm not a respectable hero like the others. A heroic spirit that is not pure is no different from that mud.
In other words"
Archer must consider it his chance of victory, as Archer charges.
"Although it is not to your degree, I am a distorted heroic spirit as well……!"





He cuts the white skull with one blow.



It is not a retreat to regroup, but a retreat to save his life.
The black Servant runs away from Archer and disappears into the trees.

"Nice job…! We don't have to worry about getting overtaken now…!"

Music: Stop



Tohsaka looks relieved.
"Rin!"
Behind her…



"Toh-"
It appears, as if born from the trees' shadows.



She looks behind her.
At the same time, the black shadow extends its tentacle and

"Toh… saka"
I won't make it even if I run.
I'll witness Tohsaka getting pierced by that black tentacle.







Tohsaka looks up at Archer without comprehension.

""
It's the end for Archer.
He's still breathing, and he's not bleeding much.
It should be possible for him to heal himself even if he is pierced, as long as it's not fatal.
…But somehow, I understand that Archer cannot fight anymore.

…That thing kills Servants.
No matter how strong a heroic spirit one is, one cannot beat that black shadow as long as one is summoned as a Servant.
I vaguely comprehend that fact for some reason.


"No way… What… are you doing… Archer?"
…Tohsaka must have felt the same thing.



She calls to Archer with a trembling voice, stands up unsteadily, and



"Don't come…! Run away, you fool…!"
Archer's shout stops her cold.

Music: Violation (Realta Nua)







The black shadow throbs.
The forest is dying.
All the magical energy here is being sucked by that shadow.

""
For some stupid reason, it reminds me of a water balloon.
It's like putting more water into an already-full balloon.
It's expanding beyond capacity, and I get the bad image of it explo