Shirou, who returned from the Fairy Kingdom

"I never knew you could joke like that, huh."

Misaki Ayako reluctantly released Shirou.

There's a reason why Shirou Amamiya, Ayako Misaki, and Sakura Matou all agreed to ask for leave from school today—

Rin Tohsaka hasn't been to school for the past three days.

Moreover, it seems that after having dinner with everyone at Shirou's place that night, she never went home again.

Rin Tohsaka, the school idol, perfectionist superhero, and the one who never missed a day or was ever late for Homurahara, actually staying out all night and running away from home... It just doesn't seem possible no matter how you look at it.

If this continues, I might become a suspect in a criminal case.

With that in mind, Shirou decided to begin the search.

"What suspect? Can't you just honestly say you're worried about Tohsaka's safety?"

Miyako frowned, dissatisfied.

As Rin Tohsaka's best friend... and possibly only friend, she has been searching for her in the deep mountain town for three days after school.

Unfortunately, we have yet to achieve anything.

Miyako decided to expand the search area to Shinto, but that would mean there wasn't enough time before school ended.

So it turned into a pattern where the three of them collectively asked the school for leave and searched together.

"I'm sorry, Sakura... I've taken up your time."

"That's not true. I'm also worried about Tohsaka-senpai."

Sakura Matou said with a gloomy and tired expression.

Like Ayako Misaki, she searched for Rin Tohsaka's whereabouts for three consecutive days.

"What did the Tohsaka family say?"

Sakura Matou shook her head: "Mother... Aunt Tohsaka said that Senpai still hasn't come back."

"This feels really bad. Could Tohsaka really be in some trouble...?" Misaki Ayako murmured.

Shirou remained silent.

This is really bad. This is not like that guy's style. We can only assume that something has happened.

If it's just a simple criminal case...

Well, the Tohsaka family is a well-known wealthy family in Fuyuki. It's not impossible that the daughter of a wealthy family living in a villa in the mountains could be kidnapped.

But Shirou doesn't believe any kidnapper in the world could handle that guy; they'd probably get their heads blown off by Tohsaka's well-trained biceps.

Therefore, it can only be assumed to be related to magic.

In that case, it would be inappropriate to involve an ordinary person like Mitsuko Ayako.

Although she was obsessed with all kinds of martial arts since childhood, she became the instructor of the dojo at the age of 15. She was stronger than an adult male and could break ten tiles with her bare hands (according to Rin Tohsaka).

With that kind of fighting power, spinning Shinji with one hand wouldn't be a problem, but if he encountered a true magician...

By the way, if possible, I hope Sakura won't get involved either.

But... Shirou doesn't think he can convince them.

There's no other way but to play it by ear.

On the bright side, what if Tohsaka just got obsessed with pachinko and spent three days and three nights playing in the pachinko parlor?

Haha, it's not entirely impossible.

Shirou and the others quickly arrived in the new capital.

Since it was still during class time, the three people in their school uniforms were very conspicuous on the street and were always stared at by passersby.

"If we get targeted by thugs, you'll have to protect me and Sakura, okay?"

Misaki Ayako gave Shirou a mischievous grin and nudged him.

"Leaving aside Sakura, who would be so blind as to fall for a strong, tomboyish woman like you... Guh!"

"Amamiya~ Did you say anything just now?"

"...didn't say anything."

Shirou clutched his stomach and shook his head.

The group took Rin Tohsaka's photo and began searching for her.

In fact, although he didn't tell Misaki and the others, Shirou had been paying attention to the messages on the local online message board since yesterday.

It's said that there have been quite a few foreigners in Shinto lately... even though Fukayama-cho is the real gathering place for foreigners.

Feeling something was amiss, Shirou accepted Ayako Misaki's invitation to come and investigate.

"Senior, I hope nothing bad has happened to Tohsaka-senpai..." Matou Sakura asked anxiously.

Although Shirou had no evidence, he said confidently, "Don't worry, Sakura... Tohsaka will be fine."

Don't you know very well how outstanding that guy is?

"Ah."

Sakura Matou felt much better after being comforted by Shirou.

The three of them spent the entire afternoon running back and forth in the commercial streets of Xindu, even venturing as far as the Fuyuki Church in the north.

Incidentally, it was like a shop in an RPG game that hadn't been unlocked yet, its doors tightly shut.

Since the Fourth Holy Grail War, the Church has not sent any more priests, and Fuyuki has officially become a den of iniquity that the Holy Church cannot reach.

However, it's ironic that the Demon Lord Tohsaka, who rules this demonic lair, has disappeared without a trace.

After their joint investigation yielded no results, the three decided to increase their efficiency and split up.

Around 5 p.m., Shirou and the others finally met up in front of a restaurant.

"How about it?"

Mitsuya Ayako shook her head regretfully: "And you?"

Shirou shrugged helplessly.

"I see, Sakura... Ah, it seems we didn't find anything after all."

Rin Tohsaka vanished as if she had evaporated from the face of the earth, disappearing from the vast city of Fuyuki without any eyewitnesses.

That is to say-

Shirou stroked his chin and analyzed, "Tohsaka was most likely murdered on his way home that night."

Ayako Misaki's lips twitched: "Don't turn her into a dead person without my permission."

Sakura Matou's face turned deathly pale: "Tohsaka-senpai... has she already met with some misfortune? No!"

"See! It's all your fault, Amamiya! Sakura believed it!"

The group decided to return the investigation to its original focus—

That is, the night that Rin Tohsaka, Sakura Matou, and Ayako Misaki visited the Amamiya residence to congratulate Irisviel on her pregnancy.

"Was Tohsaka acting strangely that night?"

After thinking it over, everyone realized there was nothing particularly noteworthy.

Besides, even if Tohsaka has something on her mind, she would never show it.

Shirou and Misaki Ayako thought of it at the same time.

Who was the last person to speak to Tohsaka that night?

After Ayako asked that question, Shirou and Sakura Matou raised their hands at the same time.

"Tohsaka-senpai asked senpai to take me home; that must have been her last conversation with us."

Ayako patted the red-haired boy on the shoulder: "Amamiya, the suspicion against you has increased further."

Don't reuse the same joke over and over again!

Did you two encounter anything strange that night?

Matou Sakura shook her head and replied, "No."

Shirou initially wanted to answer no, but—

"what."

"What's wrong, Amamiya?"

"..."

That night, after taking Sakura home, Shirou decided to go for a run. He then encountered an injured female magician nearby and took her home.

Is this really just a simple coincidence?

Is Ye Sizhen related to Rin Tohsaka's disappearance?

Although they only spent a few days together, Ye Sizhen left a very good impression on Shirou.

Shirou really didn't want to associate her with the incident, but the current situation forced him to think so.

“…Senior?” Matou Sakura blinked.

“Let’s go back,” Shirou said.

“It’s still early, shall we look some more?” Misaki Ayako suggested.

"No, Tohsaka shouldn't have been to Shinto—"

Just then, Shirou noticed something unusual.

Resonance.

This is a frequently used technical term in physics, referring to the tendency of a physical system to absorb more energy from its surroundings at its natural vibrational frequency and wavelength.

At the resonant frequency and resonant wavelength, even a very small periodic vibration can produce very impressive vibrations because the system stores kinetic energy.

It is said that in the early 19th century, a group of Napoleonic soldiers marched in step across a bridge in Angers, France, on the command of their commander.

As they approached the middle of the bridge, it suddenly began to vibrate violently and eventually collapsed, causing many soldiers and civilians to fall into the water and perish.

Subsequent investigations revealed that the culprit behind this tragedy was resonance.

When the soldiers marched in formation, the frequency they generated matched the natural frequency of the bridge, amplifying its vibrations. When the amplitude of these vibrations exceeded the bridge's compressive strength, the bridge easily broke.

At that moment, Shirou keenly sensed the abnormality in his surroundings—

That is the vibration wavelength emitted by many people walking in an orderly fashion.

Upon closer inspection, although it was working hours, the shopping street was completely deserted, except for the three of them!

"Amamiya?" "Senpai?"

Without saying a word, Shirou grabbed Ayako Misaki and Sakura Matou's hands and prepared to leave.

But it was too late.

Seven or eight figures emerged from different directions of the shopping street and surrounded Shirou and his group with perfect coordination.

They were dressed uniformly, without exception wearing green hoods and capes, looking like a well-trained army.

Shiro immediately realized that they were probably the foreigners who had recently infiltrated the new capital, as mentioned on the local online message board.

"Who are you!?"

Mitsuya Ayako shielded Matou Sakura behind her, assumed a karate stance, and questioned her loudly.

"nothing dealing with you."

One of the men surrounding Shoshiro spoke up.

"The person we are looking for is Amamiya Shirou."

“What…?” Misaki Ayako frowned.

Shirou breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the other party did not intend to do anything to innocent civilians and still had some bottom line.

"It seems so... Misaka, you should take Sakura and leave."

However, Shirou's words had the opposite effect.