A certain crossover anime's nuclear-powered sword immortal

Ayako Mitsuki finally managed to recover from that incredibly shocking scene.

Coming to my senses, I finally realized that someone was holding my waist.

When she finally saw the person's face clearly, Ayako Mitsuki's pupils widened in disbelief.

"You...you are...Orihara!?" She never expected that the person who saved her would be this person.

They had met and chatted at school not long ago, yet they reunited in this incredible way at this moment in the night.

"Even though there was a curfew, you were still running around at night. If I hadn't happened to run into you today, you would be dead, you know that?"

Shirou sighed and looked at the girl he was holding in his arms, who was staring at him nervously.

“I…” Ayako was speechless. She wanted to explain, but her body was trembling from the scene just now, and she could not even speak clearly.

After all, putting aside her superhuman strength, Ayako is just a high school girl, so it's perfectly normal for her to be scared by something like this.

Just as Shirou was thinking this, Saber happened to walk over.

"Where's Morgan?"

Shirou looked at the blonde girl who had come up in front of him with some confusion.

She seemed a little angry; her cheeks were still puffed up.

"Ran."

Saber said in a somewhat annoyed tone, "That guy said he'd only fight me after he'd prepared the throne."

"That's really... casual."

Shirou couldn't help but sigh.

"By the way, Shirou, that Noble Phantasm you just used..."

Saber was about to ask Shirou when she suddenly remembered that Ayako Mitsuki was next to him.

"She's already seen it, so it doesn't matter if she says it."

As Shirou spoke, he looked at Ayako Mitsuki, who was shrugging her neck nervously.

"Don't tell anyone about tonight's events, Commander!"

"I...I understand...!"

Ayako nodded repeatedly. Even if Shirou didn't say it, she could vaguely guess that if this matter were to be revealed, it would cause some trouble, and might even endanger her life.

After confirming that Ayako Mitsuzuri understood, Shirou looked at Saber again.

"Let's talk as we walk. By the way, Mizuki, where do you live? I'll take you home."

When suddenly asked this question, Ayako Mizuki was taken aback for a moment, and then quickly answered.

“I live in the Shinto Genki-zaka 4-dan Channa Apartment.”

"Is that so? Let's go then."

After having Ayako lead the way, Shirou told Saber about his past experiences in obtaining these powers. Of course, he omitted anything about the system and the girls in another world, as he didn't intend to dig his own grave.

……

As the red-haired boy and the two girls gradually disappeared into the distance, Karen, who had been observing from the top floor of a building using magic, finally withdrew her gaze.

Her expression at that moment was blank, tinged with confusion, and bewildered.

Simply put, I was completely bewildered.

"Why would Orihara-san...!?"

Although she knew that the other party was a magician, and a very powerful one at that, capable of eliminating that constitution for her, Kallen never imagined that the magician who stole her first kiss would actually be a participant in the Holy Grail War.

"That Saber must be his Servant..."

Despite having a Servant, he personally went into battle, demonstrating a level of power that allowed him to handle Archer with ease, and even defeat him.

What Karen saw and heard tonight was so unbelievable that she even wondered if she was dreaming.

At this moment, Joan of Arc spoke in a serious tone.

"I think I understand why I came into this world; it's probably because of that person."

Upon hearing Joan of Arc's words, Karen's face showed a look of panic.

"Ruler, I don't think Mr. Orihara is a bad person. There must be a reason why he did this!"

"..."

Joan of Arc was taken aback, because she hadn't said anything about what she was going to do, yet her Master was suddenly so eager to explain on her behalf.

All these signs point to one thing.

That means there is a connection between them, and the relationship must be extraordinary.

"Master, do you know him?" Jeanne asked Karen with a questioning look.

She suddenly had a feeling that there was a traitor among us.

“Ugh… I… I do know Mr. Orihara. He helped me a lot before and didn’t ask for any reward…” Karen hesitated for a moment.

She suddenly wondered if her first kiss could be considered a reward.

Mr. Orihara said that if he wanted to change my cursed constitution, he would have to kiss me, so it shouldn't count as payment...

Karen was lost in thought, her face flushed in the moonlight.

It turned crimson.

“Master, you’re overthinking it. I appeared in this world to prevent the Holy Grail War from being disrupted. As long as he doesn’t do anything heinous, I have no reason to do anything to him.” Jeanne’s tone was extremely serious.

Hearing Joan of Arc's words, Karen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But before she could fully relax, Joan of Arc added a sentence.

“Master, as you know, as the Ruler, I have the ability to locate Servants. But that person doesn’t have the aura of a Servant at all, and is definitely not a Heroic Spirit. So it’s really unbelievable that he can possess that kind of power.”

With Karen looking somewhat dazed, Joan of Arc continued.

"If he really does something to disrupt the order of the Holy Grail War, I will have no choice but to take action against him. At that time, I hope you will not be too obsessed with him."

"I...I know..."

Under the hazy moonlight, Karen's gaze was somewhat unfocused.

The moon seemed to cast a double shadow, and my feelings were more complicated than ever before.

Before participating in this Holy Grail War, she never imagined that one day she would become an enemy of the man who had helped her.

"I didn't want it to be like this..."

The reason for participating in the Holy Grail War was simply that I didn't want to leave this world, which was different from the boring and ordinary life and was full of fantasy, and... I wanted to see that person again.

But as things stand now, their reunion may well be fraught with conflict.

Thinking of this, Karen couldn't help but clench her hands tightly, her fingers interlocked.

My feelings right now are like fingers tightly clasped together, full of entanglement.

"Please don't be a bad person, Mr. Orihara..."

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Ayako's Hospitality

In the darkness, illuminated by orange streetlights, a somewhat old apartment building came into view.

"I never imagined that you, Shirou, would go through so much to restore the Holy Grail to its original state..."

Saber listened to Shirou's stories, and she was especially amazed by his battles with those high and mighty gods.

Even when Saber realized that he had done all this for her sake, she felt a warm current flowing through her heart.

Saber was somewhat puzzled by this sudden feeling, only that she felt both happy and somewhat sad at the moment.

Shirou noticed that she had become somewhat awkward and was puzzled.

"What's wrong, Saber?" Shirou asked.

"Even though Shirou doesn't seem to need me, I'm still thinking about protecting him and stuff..."

Looking back on what she had seen today, Saber felt a pang of shame as she recalled her earlier promise to protect Shirou.

"Who said I don't need you? Without Saber, what if someone as handsome as me were to take advantage of me?" Shirou said seriously.

"..."

The girl looked at him speechlessly, wondering how this person could be so shameless.

If he had been there during the Battle of Camlann, even if he fought with his face alone, probably no one could break through his defenses. Saber thought to herself.

At this moment, Ayako Mizuki suddenly stopped and spoke.

"This is my home."

Room 204—that was the apartment number where Ayako Mitsuki lived. Finally back home, Ayako couldn't hide her excitement.

After all, I had just been on the verge of death, and now that I'm finally back in my most familiar home, I naturally feel an unprecedented sense of security.

"Want to come in and sit down?"

Ayako Mitsuki took out her key from her pocket, opened the door, and invited the two of them in.

"You are my saviors, and I should repay you both out of gratitude and reason. Although I probably don't have anything that will interest you, please come in and have a cup of tea."

"Ah..." Saber hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do, and turned to Shirou for help.

"Since you've invited me, please sit for a while." Shirou walked into the house without any hesitation.

After all, he was her savior, so Ayako was quite pleased that he was willing to accept her invitation. She quickly ran to the kitchen to make tea for them.

"Come in, Saber." Shirou took the opportunity to grab the girl's hand and led her to the entrance.

"Shirou..." Saber's face showed a troubled expression when her hand was suddenly grabbed, but she couldn't break free and could only let him pull her to the entrance.

After changing into slippers, the two headed towards the living room.

Walking down the corridor, Saber nervously nudged Shirou's arm with her other hand.

"They'll see..." The tone, which had clearly weakened, carried a hint of pleading.

Saber would probably only show this kind of expression when facing Shirou, who is also her Master and has a close relationship with her.