Ryouma looked at me with a soft smile. "She has three Servants. As of now, we can't win."
Ignoring his words, I rushed toward Ryouma. A kick landed in my gut, sending me flying.
Standing in front of me were Rider and Saber, weapons ready.
Ryouma's grip on Sakura tightened. "Both of you, let Shirou go, or I'll kill *your* Master!"
Both of them reluctantly lowered their weapons.
"Ryouma, don't die on me!" With those words, I reluctantly turned around and fled.
Ryouma, seeing Shirou run away, turned his head back toward Sakura.
Saber pierced his body. He couldn't care about the pain. 'Damn that Illyasviel… she was right…'
"You're pathetic… Sakur—" Before he could finish the word, his body turned to stone.
Saber cut through the stone hand still gripping Sakura. Sakura fell to the ground at once.
"Disappear," she muttered, then stood and walked away.
Rider, blindfold already in place, vanished with Saber.
---
I arrived at the church. Kirei was alone.
"Where's Illya? Where's Rin?!"
Kirei's eyes locked onto me.
"Rin is underneath the soil. As for Illyasviel, she was captured by Matou's daughter."
I ran up and threw a punch straight at his face.
Kirei didn't even stagger. He drove a fist into my stomach and knocked the air out of me.
"You don't know anything, so don't rush in. I buried Rin at her home. She'll recover faster there. Illyasviel was taken before I arrived."
I gritted my teeth. "Can you help me save Illya?"
Kirei raised an eyebrow. "Is that a command or a request?"
"It's cooperation," I said, still clutching my stomach.
Kirei looked amused. "What do I gain from it?"
"I don't know, and I don't care. But I know you want the Grail. It's either Zouken gets it, or you help us."
Kirei was silent for a moment.
"It's not my problem. But if you're going to save Illya, go there." He pointed toward a distant mountain range thick with forest. "You'll find a castle."
I turned to leave.
"Have you abandoned your resolve?" Kirei asked.
I clenched my fist."I still have a fight to finish."
---
Knowing where Illya was being held, I returned home.
In the backyard lay the crumbled remains of Ryouma, still frozen in stone.
I stood there for a moment in the fading light.
"Rest in peace, Ryouma…"
I changed into clean clothes, then prepared a simple lunch. It felt strange cooking for someone who would never eat it.
"I couldn't be a good friend," I said quietly, setting the food down beside the stone. "At least I made this for you. You always asked me to cook before the war started. I never thought, our last meeting would be like this."
I was about to leave when I noticed another blue flower growing near the others.
Maybe… just maybe.
I plucked it carefully. Nothing happened. No blue fire. No familiar voice.
"Why did I get my hopes up?"
Still, he had tended these flowers. That was enough reason to give it to him.
I placed the second blue flower gently in front of the crumbled stone, then turned and left for the mountains.
Here's the **next section** (mansion arrival through the start of the chase), cleaned up only—no added lines or extra drama.
---
Arriving at the mansion, I placed my hands on the wall. "Trace on."
The entire blueprint of the house appeared in my mind.
Illya was on the fifth floor. Sakura was on the main floor.
I can't climb with one arm…
"Which floor is it?"
"The fifth floor. That window."
Before I could question who had spoken, I was thrown crashing through the fifth-floor window.
Illya hurried over. "Shirou, are you hurt?"
I coughed once. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go, quickly."
"Just so you know, it was pathetic watching you try to climb with one arm."
Kirei stood at the broken window.
So he had come after all.
"What about you two?" I asked the maids who resembled Illya.
"We are to protect her safety," the taller one said. "If going with you protects her, we will let you take her. We will stall for time."
I nodded.
Kirei lifted Illya and jumped. I followed. *This is the fifth floor!* Using the Shroud, I softened the landing.
"Found you!" Sakura's voice rang out.
A cold sweat ran down my back. "Run!"
A massive roar answered. Bricks exploded outward. Through the smoke an eight-foot giant appeared, eyes glowing red, staring straight at us.
"Berserker!" Illya cried.
The two maids dropped down, weapons in hand.
"We will hold him off!"
"Can you keep up, child?"
Kirei didn't wait for an answer. He sprinted away, leaving only dust.
"Damn you, Kirei!"
I ran at full speed and still couldn't match him.
"Visualize."
Dagger-sized spikes linked by long metal chains formed in my mind.
"Trace on!"
The weapon projected into my hand. Because it wasn't a blade, the cost in magical energy was heavy.
I used it as a grappling hook, swinging from tree to tree, barely keeping pace with Kirei.
A dagger shot from the shadows and struck the weakest point of the chains.
I crashed hard to the ground.
"Damn it!"
Before I could rise, a pair of daggers flew toward me.
"I'll handle Assassin. Take the girl and go."
Kirei stepped in front of me and deflected the blades.
Another roar shook the air. Hearing Berserker, I moved in front of Illya. "Get on!"
She climbed onto my back and held on tightly.
We ran in the opposite direction from Kirei.
Berserker charged after us. I made a sharp turn, glancing at his sword.
He failed to follow the turn, plunged off the cliff, and roared in fury.
Berserker threw few trees at us.
In a hurry, I projected Banshiyo and Bakugan.
Protecting her from the harm.
I set Illya down. "Illya, stay here."
She shook her head. "Don't. He only wants me. Just leave me!"
"Never." I refused her demand. "No matter what, I can't."
"Why? You don't even know me. You're going to die if you fight him!"
I gave her a reassuring smile.
"Because it's an older sibling's duty to protect the younger ones."
I turned my back to her. *I want to save her. Even if I have to sacrifice myself… I will save at least one person.*
*How are you going to save others if you're dead?*
Another version of me appeared in my mind. His body was covered in scars, his dull yellow eyes empty of light, mirroring Archer, yet different.
*If you use it, you'll die from the backlash before you even reach Berserker. I'll take over.*
*Which version of me are you?*
It was a stupid question. This route had no resemblance to the main three.
*I'm a villain route Shirou. And me taking control wasn't a question.*
Before I could argue, my consciousness was pushed aside. As he took control, the entire mindscape changed.
Long snow began to fall, covering the sand.
My current state of mind had resonated with his. That was why he took control.
*His ideals were nothing like my usual self.*
*I'll fight the entire world for the people I care about. Even if I'm called evil or selfish.*