And just like that, the battle was over.
In the dark forest, the magus Freddy had been defeated.
"May I ask your na?"
Before coming here, Freddy had been confident—confident that he was different from those sheltered flowers in the Clock Tower. Even the feared Executors couldn't stop him.
But despite that, he lost to this guy, much younger than himself, and accepted his defeat wholeheartedly. He wanted to know his na.
As a warrior, he wanted to know the na of soone stronger than him.
As a magus, he wanted to know the na of soone who was even more unconventional—a magus whose decisive punch was enhanced by magical power, of which Freddy was certain.
Shinji's expression beca even more exasperated.
"This is already the second question. And why should I tell you my na? There are plenty of people who want the Crimson Fruit; telling you would just cause more trouble. Besides, what makes you think the na I told you would be my real one?"
Realizing it was pointless to continue, Freddy left, as silently as when he had arrived.
"Now that I think about it, didn't a magus also appear in the sequel to Tsukihi? Was it this Freddy? No, the role was too small to rember. Anyway, just be careful."
Projecting his ntal energy outward, carefully scanning every inch of the surrounding area, Shinji, who had just won a great victory, seed to notice sothing.
"It seems we have more visitors. Since you're here, why not co out and show yourself?"
"Huh? Discovered?"
A voice echoed through the silent forest, difficult to distinguish if it was male or female, though it sounded very young, perhaps a boy around twelve or thirteen.
"Not bad, not bad at all. You're certainly worthy of being the princess's knight. With you guarding her, it might be possible to destroy the Night of Wallachia."
Shinji's expression changed instantly, this ti not in feigned panic but in genuine shock. He hadn't revealed any of his signature abilities, so how had he been recognized?
"Don't be so tense. I just ca to say hello."
The voice remained light as if they weren't in a treacherous place but enjoying a spring outing.
"Nice to et you, Shinji Matou. I knew I'd et you soday, but I never expected it to be today. Why have you co here? Hunting Dead Apostles? The princess I rember wasn't so diligent."
Shinji ignored the voice's inquiry, quietly loading bullets into his Thompson Contender. His blue eyes glowed with a dangerous intensity, ten tis more nacing than when he had fought Freddy.
"Stop that. I have no intention of fighting you. The reason is too despairing; you have no way to win against . It would be better to give up on this aningless task."
The voice was not angry but instead carried a tone of kind advice.
Shinji's wrist flicked, the gun barrel snapping into place with a taunting snort.
"Don't be so sure."
"Oh? Then let's see. I'm curious to witness the power of this knight of the princess."
In the distance, the growl of beasts could be heard—like a wolf's howl or a tiger's roar.
"Let's do this."
The downward curve of Shinji's lips suddenly lifted into a grin, a flash of vivid red appearing deep within his eyes.
The next mont, a shocked cry echoed, and the once-relaxed voice suddenly lost its composure.
"W-What did you do?"
"Nothing much just shared a bit of the pressure I've been dealing with. And by the way—don't act superior in front of ! Ever since I got tricked by soone, I've wanted to slap anyone who acts that way."
Shinji didn't know if the voice's owner heard his words, but he knew his attack had worked; the voice was fading away, revealing the speaker's identity in its final echoes.
"Get away, Ciel... Stay 50—no, 100 ters away. I can't hold on much longer."
"Ciel... what a nostalgic na. Now we've gathered all the main characters of Tsukihi on this stage. Her appearance ans the Church's ultimate force, the Burial Agency, has also set its sights on Forest of Einnashe."
Ciel, the second female lead in Tsukihi, second only to Arcueid in popularity, and the Seventh mber of the Burial Agency.
The one who partnered with her, who could speak to Shinji in such a manner, was none other than the Fifth mber, rem Solomon, a Dead Apostle Ancestor like Forest of Einnashe.
"But with Roa still around, Ciel wouldn't be used as a pawn. This ans the Burial Agency genuinely intends to take down the Forest of Einnashe. But why would the Church need a reason to hunt vampires?"
Using the information he had, combined with his knowledge, Shinji quickly made a decision.
"Let's go take a look. Ciel and rem are here to eliminate Forest of Einnashe, not to fight over the Crimson Fruit. rem himself is a staunch supporter of Arcueid, so if I can establish a cooperation agreent, the rest will be much easier. The direction that consciousness left in was..."
rem had projected his consciousness nearby to talk to Shinji, but his real body was not present, which was why he believed Shinji couldn't defeat him.
However, he didn't know that Shinji feared nothing more than spiritual and ntal confrontations. Even the Old Man of Jewels might not surpass him in this area.
So rem was tricked. Fortunately, Shinji hadn't gone all out, or else rem would have been left in a weakened state for a long ti, if not turned into a complete idiot.
Following the trace of rem's departing consciousness, Shinji walked along, burning everything in his path with a flathrower.
Whether it was resonance magecraft or out-of-body consciousness, it couldn't stray too far from the body. Even soone as close to the Third Magician as Shinji couldn't project his consciousness over long distances. rem had to be nearby.
Sure enough, after about fifteen minutes, Shinji pinpointed his target's location—indicated by projectiles coming from above. Thin, sharp blades with short, inconspicuous handles, they were the hallmark of the Church's Executors—Black Keys!
Unlike ordinary Black Keys thrown by Executors, these didn't behave like typical projectiles but rather like firearms. Even a reinforced concrete wall would be pierced by them—this was the unique technique of the Burial Agency, Armor-Piercing Effect, greatly enhancing the power of thrown weapons.
However, these powerful Black Keys were not aid at Shinji's body but at the ground in front of him, warning that the path was blocked.
Shinji flicked his toe, making the Black Key fall into his hand, then looked up in the direction it had co from.
There stood a woman, dressed in a nun's habit.
The woman shared a similar style to Shinji, around sixteen or seventeen years old, with Eastern features, Western blue hair and blue eyes, and a physique sowhere between East and West.
The mont their eyes t, Shinji confird her identity—she was Ciel, the last person rem had ntioned.
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