Chapter 25

All the facilities on the Academy Island are designed to facilitate students' learning and daily life. Therefore, not far from the main gate of the Second High School, there is a bus stop with a canopy.

The bus that passes by the Far坂 family had just left. Rin was still standing under the shelter at the bus stop, not because she arrived late and missed the bus. In fact, she had already been at the stop for some time.

"Is it about time?"

Borrowing the light from the bus stop sign, she glanced at the watch on her left wrist and muttered to herself.

"Hey, do you think that guy really went to White Imperial?"

Rin asked the person beside her.

However, apart from her, there was no one else at the bus stop. Most students had already returned home or to their dormitories before it got dark. The classrooms and staff who were dealing with the remaining work also left shortly after. Apart from her, the only other person who stayed at the school until now was Levi, who had just left in the opposite direction.

"I don't know."

A faint voice answered her. The voice was not just ethereal in the sense that it entered her ears and left an impression in her mind; it was as if the voice came from the empty space beside the bus stop sign.

"I just arrived in this world and haven't even understood the geography of this island. Asking me if he went to White Imperial is meaningless."

"Is that so?"

Rin responded casually, then seemed to remember something.

"Didn't you go to the library and bookstore during the day? Weren't you investigating the island's information to prepare for the Holy Grail War?"

As soon as she spoke, the air beside Rin rippled like ripples in water. Then, as if a magician performing on stage, a black-haired girl dressed in ancient attire slowly materialized.

For some reason, the black-haired girl's face was slightly flushed. However, the way she tilted her head allowed her black hair to almost completely cover the side of her face that was visible to Rin, so Rin didn't notice.

"I did investigate some information, but the time was too short, and I haven't had the chance to find a map of the area yet."

The girl in ancient attire, who had just been conversing with Rin, nodded in agreement. Although she appeared to be from ancient times and her original world was indeed different from this one, she might be more proficient with modern technology, especially everyday gadgets, than the young lady who always stayed at home to study magic.

However, since Rin had already found an excuse for her laziness, it was best to go along with it to avoid damaging her noble image.

"The time is almost up..."

Rin looked at her watch again.

"Can you still find him?"

There was no need to mention his name. When Levi and Rin were clearing the barrier earlier, the girl had been following them all along. She naturally knew who Rin was referring to.

"Of course."

The girl lifted her head proudly. Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she quickly added,

"Last time, I was careless and he noticed me. Let's see if he can do better this time, hehe..."

As her laughter faded into the distance, the girl disappeared into the night without waiting for Rin's response.

What an impolite person!

Rin, being just an ordinary human with magical abilities, could never keep up with the speed of a Heroic Spirit. She had wanted the girl to take her, but the girl left without a word. Rin stomped her foot in frustration and followed the sensation from the command spell on her hand, heading in the direction the girl had left, which was also the direction Levi had gone.

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

A burst of red light illuminated the parking lot outside the Bokei-za. The blinding light interfered with Levi's vision. He heard heavy breathing from the center of the red light, where Shinji Matou stood. The rapid and fierce breathing was not something a human could produce; it was like that of a wild beast, each breath exuding a strong, bloody odor.

Sensing the approaching force, Levi instinctively dodged to the side, even though his eyes had not yet adjusted to the light. The subsequent event made him glad he had made the right decision.

A loud explosion shook the ground. It was as if someone had activated a demolition machine parked nearby and used the giant hammer attached to the mechanical arm to smash down on him.

The late summer breeze blew, and the swirling yellow dust in the air settled. Levi finally saw the beast.

Standing over two meters tall, it was a terrifying sight. The Heroic Spirit, with disheveled hair, glared at Levi with a right eye that glowed with an eerie red light. Clad in tattered armor, the exposed muscles, which looked like they were made of steel, revealed that the explosive commotion was caused by this giant.

"Kill him! Berserker!"

Following his master's command, Shinji Matou's Servant raised the massive rock 'sword' in his hand and swung it down at Levi without any finesse. The powerful force tore through the hard ground. Levi could only keep jumping to avoid the attacks, and even the flying debris had the force of bullets.

"Hey, where did you find such a powerful brute? You could save a lot on demolition costs."

While dodging, Levi didn't forget to taunt Shinji Matou, who was watching from a distance. If he could anger the narrow-minded young man, it would undoubtedly affect his control over the Heroic Spirit, making the situation more favorable.

"Hmph, let's see how long you can keep dodging."

Shinji Matou's mind was actually a bit better than his earlier display. After calming down, he realized that Levi, who had broken his barrier and tracked him down, was not an ordinary teacher. Being able to withstand a few attacks from a Heroic Spirit was still within his tolerance.

With a deafening roar, the giant leaped. At a speed that defied his massive size, he appeared directly above Levi. The rock sword, weighed down by the giant's own body, pressed down straight toward Levi's head.

Not expecting such speed, Levi hastily drew his weapon and deflected the powerful attack at a clever angle. Although he avoided serious physical harm, the force still sent him flying several meters away.

"Hahaha, I didn't expect your weapon to be a gun! Do you really think you can defeat my Servant with such a weak modern weapon?"

Ignoring the taunt, Levi skillfully dodged Berserker's attacks. Although he couldn't match the strength and was surprised by the speed, the repeated misses confirmed his suspicions.

Berserker, a berserker from Norse mythology. Fearless and painless, they fought with superhuman strength. As a Heroic Spirit, they gained this extraordinary physical power at the cost of their sanity and emotions.

Possessing unmatched strength but lacking reason and thought, even the most skilled combat techniques from their lifetime were forgotten, and all attacks were instinctive, like a wild beast hunting prey.

While feeling sad that a legendary hero had become a beast, a confident smile appeared on Levi's lips.