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Hard to approach, distant, and stuck in her ways.
That's what people always said about her.
The girl with the ahoge in this world wasn't the knight king from Britain's legends. She was just a high school girl.
Artoria Von Einzbern had a striking beauty, a steady posture, and a seriousness that set her apart from other girls her age. Though small in stature, she was a master of the sword, with golden hair and emerald eyes that turned heads even in this quiet town.
You'd think a girl this cute would be popular, but Artoria's strict nature and selfless habits kept most people at a distance. Her adoptive mother often warned her that she'd struggle to fit in. Artoria took the advice to heart but never changed, staying true to herself.
Since starting high school and joining the disciplinary committee, she'd clashed with classmates over little things; skirt lengths, hairstyles, that sort of stuff. It earned her a reputation as a teacher's lackey, and most students avoided her. Still, she wasn't completely alone. A few rule-followers and good-natured honor students got along with her well enough. They'd tell her to loosen up, to stop being so harsh and learn to be "gentle."
Artoria didn't get what they meant by "gentle." She'd tried to figure it out, but it never clicked.
"Whatever. Let's head to the sports field and see what's going on," she decided, brushing off her scattered thoughts.
Her slim legs, wrapped in thin black stockings, carried her quickly to the field's edge.
Then she saw it, two figures moving so fast her eyes widened in shock.
"What… is that?"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Metal struck metal, sparks flashing bright enough to sting her eyes in the dark.
"Am I dreaming?" Artoria couldn't make sense of it.
Her pupils shook. Her body trembled. Her breathing sped up. Why was something this unreal happening at school? Who were those two, one in black and one in purple?
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sharp sound of spears clashing cut through the usual chatter of the school's sports field. The black and purple figures darted through the air, locked in a fight too quick for Artoria, the kendo club captain, to track. Their speed and strength were beyond human, their movements a blur.
Spears gleamed under the moonlight, striking again and again. Each hit sent shockwaves rippling out, loud enough to pierce the silence.
Artoria swallowed hard. Even from hundreds of meters away, the killing intent hit her like a wave.
The ground split under the pressure, walls cracked and fell and sparks flared up in bursts.
Boom!
Another clash sent a gust her way. It was weak by the time it reached her, but she still stepped back, letting out a small gasp.
"Who's there?!" a strong, commanding voice called out, and the fight stopped.
Artoria's heart pounded. Her blood rushed to her head. This was too strange. In a panic, she turned to run.
They'd spotted her! If they caught her, she'd be dead, wouldn't she? That killing intent, it was sharp, even from so far away, making her skin prickle.
She bolted from the field, running on pure instinct, her small frame disappearing into the night.
"A witness?" came a calm voice. He turned toward Artoria, his eyes cold and deadly.
He didn't want to hurt regular people, but this war in the shadows couldn't be exposed. If someone saw it, they had to be silenced. That was the harsh truth of the Holy Grail War.
The fight wasn't done, though, and his Master hadn't given any orders. So he lowered his spear, facing the purple figure without chasing Artoria.
Seconds passed and the witness was probably long gone.
"Master, should we deal with the witness?" the purple figure, a tall woman with a red spear and a flawless build asked, speaking to her Master through telepathy.
After a moment, she nodded. "The Holy Grail War shouldn't drag in ordinary people. That's what my Master said. She doesn't want pointless deaths."
"Kind girl," said an old man with a slight nod.
He didn't restart the fight, but his face grew grim.
"Too bad my Master isn't like that," he muttered.
He didn't move, but his body faded, turning see-through. In a blink, he was gone.
It was a skill he'd perfected in his later years, blending into the world around him, vanishing even mid-battle.
"Lancer, did he back off?" a twin-tailed girl stepped out of the dark, her voice unsure.
"That Assassin's strength is unreal," she added.
The purple woman, Lancer nodded. "His fighting skills are top-notch."
"Rin, don't forget what he said," Lancer pointed out.
"What?"
"We've got to follow him, or he'll kill that girl!"
........
Artoria's body felt like it was on fire as she raced home without stopping. She slammed the door shut and collapsed against it, her muscles aching and her chest tight.
"Huff… huff…"
Her lungs burned. Each breath scratched her throat, tears stinging her eyes from the pain.
She slid down the wall, swallowing hard.
Thinking back, it didn't feel real, it was just too ridiculous.
"Maybe I imagined it?" she wondered.
Then a loud crack split the silence, coming from the ceiling.
"Not good!"
She didn't think and just ran.
A black spear sliced through the ceiling, cutting into the tatami where she'd been.
"A detection spell?" the old man said, pulling his spear free.
He watched Artoria stumble away, his old eyes narrowing. He'd planned to kill her quietly, without pain, but a trap had tipped her off.
'So she wasn't just some normal girl?'
The Assassin walked through the house, past the messy courtyard, and saw her duck into a storage shed. She must think something in there could save her.
Too bad for her. Even if she wasn't ordinary, she couldn't outrun a Servant, especially an Assassin like him.
Killing intent burned in his eyes. He'd sworn loyalty to his Master, and he'd do whatever it took, even if it meant ending a few lives.
"Let's finish this."
He crossed the short distance in a flash. His instincts warned of traps, but he trusted his skills and reached for the door.
A sharp bird cry rang out.
Golden light spilled from the room, small sparrows made of magic hovered inside, their wings buzzing.
"Magic?" the Assassin said with a faint grin.
"Zahre (Tears)!"
Bang! Bang!
The sparrows fired magic shots, stronger than bullets. It was a trick Artoria's adoptive mother had taught her for protection.
But the shots passed right through him, doing nothing.
"What?!" Artoria's eyes widened, fear taking over her.
She gritted her teeth and tried a stronger spell against the approaching old man.
"Degen (Sword)!"
Light flashed, and the sparrows turned into thin swords, shooting toward him.
This time, he moved. His fists swung out, fast and hard. The air twisted, and the swords broke apart, falling as threads.
'No way, he broke my magic with his fists?!'
The spell snapped back at her, and the leftover force knocked her to the ground.
She stared up as he stepped into the shed, despair filling her green eyes.
"Neat magic," he said, looking down at her. "Didn't expect a secret magus. You might even have what it takes to be a Master."
Artoria didn't know what he meant. His raised fist made her blood run cold.
'Am I going to die?'
'No!' she thought. 'I can't die, not here!"'
A fierce will surged inside her, and light burst out.
It was a miracle, born from her desperation, reaching out to something far away.
Behind her, a dusty magic circle in the corner flared to life.
Buzz!
Bright light filled the shed, making the Assassin squint.
Then a sharp slash cut through the glow, rushing at him with enough force to slice steel.
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