"Finally shook off that guy, whew." Sitting atop the Pegasus, once Tohsaka Sakura could no longer sense the Berserker's presence, she finally let out a breath. Both the Berserker and Illya were monstrous threats to her; battles against such opponents demanded strategy, as a mere clash of raw power was utterly meaningless.

Although the encounter had been messy, escaping without a scratch felt like a stroke of luck.

"Rider, thank you. If it weren't for you, I might have been the first to exit this Holy Grail War. Thank you for saving me." Sakura turned, offering a slight smile to the Servant behind her.

"It is what I must do," Rider stated calmly, seemingly unconcerned by Sakura's gratitude.

Sakura didn't mind. Having spent time together, she had come to understand Rider's nature. Though she appeared cold on the surface, Sakura could sense the hidden gentleness beneath that aloof exterior... Perhaps Rider was simply the type who struggled to express her feelings.

Thinking this, Sakura continued, "Since we've evaded Berserker, he shouldn't pursue us immediately. Let's head back now. Though it's a bit far from home, walking might be better to conserve magical energy."

Rider nodded, then patted the Pegasus's neck, guiding it to descend.

"Eh?!" Rider let out a faint gasp midway through the descent, abruptly halting their downward trajectory.

"What is it?" Sakura caught the surprise and questioning tone in Rider's voice and quickly asked.

Rider spoke in a grave tone, "I just felt a strange ripple of energy below—wicked and potent. Since I myself hail from the demonic side, I am acutely sensitive to such power... It feels as if it’s about to emerge. Stay vigilant."

"Wicked power?" Sakura blinked, instinctively looking down. Only then did she realize they were deep in the mountains behind Fuyuki, and directly beneath them lay a vast lake. She couldn't sense any energy, however; under the moonlight, it appeared quite beautiful.

Of course, she never doubted Rider's perception and remained cautiously guarded.

About half a minute passed when the previously tranquil lake surface suddenly began to churn as if boiling, emitting countless bubbles with a pala-pala sound. At this point, even Sakura could clearly feel it... an intensely malevolent aura emanating from the lakebed, sending a chilling dread up her spine.

The fear Sakura felt wasn't just due to the sheer power of the aura. While undeniably strong, it was worlds apart from the Berserker they had just escaped. The true reason was that the sensation felt achingly familiar—a terror recalled from a distant, deeply buried memory.

Could it be?

Sakura suddenly thought of someone, her body trembling as she tightly clenched her fists.

Rider glanced down at her. Though unsure why, she clearly perceived the fear blooming in Sakura’s heart. Instinctively, she pulled Sakura closer and whispered, "That entity is strong, but still no match for me. A single strike will suffice."

Sakura heard the comfort and concern woven into Rider's words, and a wave of relief washed over her. Yes, she was no longer the weak girl from ten years ago. Even though her sister was gone, and her brother would no longer protect her, she had grown strong. And she had reliable friends by her side. Facing something like this again, she wouldn't be afraid... Correct. Inheriting all of the Tohsaka family's magecraft, fighting alongside Rider, she would no longer fear anything!

In that moment, Sakura utterly shed the shadows of her past and laughed lightly, "It's fine. I just recalled some unpleasant memories, but it's alright now."

"AAAAAAHH!!!" Just as Sakura finished speaking, a terrible, aged voice roared up from beneath the lake, wild and furious. "I have been sealed beneath this lake for ten years... enduring the agony of a thousand crawling things day and night... Now, the seal is finally broken... Ten years of torment did not kill me... rather, it greatly increased my strength... I am finally free... I demand vengeance! I demand vengeance... No one, absolutely no one, shall stop me now... AAAAAAAAHHH!!!"

The sound rising from the depths was bone-chilling. As the voice resonated, the boiling bubbles intensified, and a shadowy figure could faintly be seen breaking the surface, as if a great Demon King were about to emerge.

Sakura took a deep breath. There was no fear, no confusion; only an immensely resolute determination permeated her gentle tone. "Rider, I have always believed that one cannot live in the past. I thought so before, and I still think so now. But the former me was perpetually bound by it... concerning my sister, concerning my brother, concerning the matter between the Tohsaka family and that other clan. After understanding the cruelty of being a magus, I was thankful my brother saved me, and I felt guilt over the disappearance of my sister and brother. If it weren't for me, perhaps my sister would be the one inheriting the Tohsaka name now... I enjoyed the happiness they bestowed upon me, yet I couldn't truly find joy. But now I understand—that way of thinking was wrong. Today, I will bid a final farewell to the past. Therefore, Rider, lend me your strength!"

Sakura's words caused no change in Rider's expression. She merely uttered a single sentence with unwavering finality: "Yes, Master!"

Rider had only addressed Sakura as "Master" twice before. The first time was immediately after Sakura had summoned her; then, at Sakura's request, she had used her name exclusively. The second time was now.

At this moment, that word carried a profound significance for them both.

The next instant, a golden rein suddenly appeared in Rider's hand. With a flick of the rein, the Pegasus lifted them high into the sky, drawing a white streak that vanished like a shooting star. But in the very next moment, the Pegasus violently wheeled around, plunging downward at a speed that seemed to tear the heavens apart.

This was Rider’s Noble Phantasm—not one designed for one-on-one combat, but an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm capable of annihilating foes over a wide area, her ultimate offensive capability.

She employed this Anti-Army Noble Phantasm because she instantly perceived the enemy's regenerative ability; conventional attacks couldn't destroy it completely. Only instantaneous, total obliteration would suffice, and that required an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm.

Furthermore, to acknowledge Sakura's resolve, she had to use this technique.

Although it would drain a significant amount of Prana, and using a large-scale Noble Phantasm on an enemy outside the Holy Grail War felt wasteful, this time, she felt no regret.

Because Sakura was not just her Master, but also...

"Bellerophon!"

As Rider called out the name of her Noble Phantasm, only a blinding white light remained in the sky. Just as the entity beneath the lake began to surface, the white light struck the earth. In the ensuing colossal explosion, the creature’s painful shriek lasted only a moment before it, along with the entire lake, vanished.

Standing on the ground beside Rider, Sakura slowly closed her eyes. She was commemorating, honoring the past, because from this moment on, she would no longer be shackled by it. Instead, she would walk her own path with dignity. However, this did not mean she would forget the past. At the very least... the desire to see the two people she loved again would never change.

"Let's go, Rider."

Opening her eyes, Sakura walked forward without looking back.

Not as the heir to the Tohsaka family, but as the individual named Tohsaka Sakura—a name she had once lost—she would win the Holy Grail War. She would never run away again!

Rider followed behind her, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching her lips.

She was like a shadow, the most loyal shadow, and the most dependable one.

...

As Tohsaka Sakura led Rider back toward home, under the same sky, a bespectacled girl with medium-length black hair, appearing somewhat earnest yet slightly dark, gazed into the distance, her expression tinged with contemplation.

"Honestly, that expression—the one you wear when contemplating matters like a scholar—doesn't suit you at all," suddenly remarked a golden-haired youth dressed in casual clothes as he approached the girl, his tone laced with mockery.

The girl whipped her head around, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. "What did you say? Saber!"

"Oh? Did I misjudge?" The golden-haired youth spread his hands in a display of nonchalance. "And another thing, you failed your magic practice again today, didn't you? I’ve told you repeatedly, that complicated spell isn't suited for you. You should employ simpler yet potent magic... or in your own words, magic that is utterly idiotic, as that would perfectly match your personality."

The girl instantly erupted in fury. "My business is none of your concern!"

"How can I not be concerned? After all, we are now bound by fate..."

"If that’s the case, then tell me what that beam of light just now was!" Before the golden-haired youth could finish, the girl fiercely cut him off.

The youth smiled serenely. "What else could it be? A Phantasmal Beast, most likely Rider's Noble Phantasm. And Rider's Master is one of the Tohsaka line—they seem quite capable, much stronger than you... Well, I never expected much from you anyway. You just need to trot obediently behind me and let me protect you."

"You..."

The girl was left speechless with anger. She truly couldn't fathom how such a boorish person could become a Hero. However... she had to admit, the man was undeniably powerful, both in strength and intellect.

Still, cooperating with someone like him in the future—could that truly work out?

She felt a sense of unease, thinking she might be driven to death by irritation first! This thought made her feel even more apprehensive about the Holy Grail War.