Fate/Magus Path

"Please, I beg you! Help me!"

In the living room, Shiki Tohno knelt heavily on the floor, pleading desperately with Roy.

Roy had only just returned to their base and hadn't yet had the chance to share the day's findings with Shiki Ryougi, Aoko Aozaki, or the others.

Out of nowhere, Shiki Tohno rushed out of a room, and with a loud thud, fell to his knees before him.

This sudden display left Roy momentarily stunned.

Groveling right at the start?

"What happened? Where are Shiki and Aoko?"

Roy quickly helped the kneeling Shiki Tohno to his feet, his tone calm yet concerned.

"Don't panic. Tell me everything in detail first, and I'll see how I can help you."

"Roy, there's a Dead Apostle's scent in the air…"

Standing nearby, Arcueid sniffed the air lightly, her sharp senses picking up an unusual trace.

It was faint but unmistakable... a mixture of human and Dead Apostle auras, both so weak that only someone deeply attuned to such energies would notice.

And there was no one more sensitive to the scent of Dead Apostles than Arcueid.

Sensory Reinforcement Magecraft.

Hearing this, Roy sharpened his own senses, spreading them outward. Sure enough, he too detected the faint, lingering presence of a Dead Apostle.

It was coming from deep within the room.

Without hesitation, he drew his Black Key and infused it with magical energy, preparing to teach the intruding Dead Apostle a lesson it wouldn't forget.

"Wait! Please don't hurt her! She's my classmate... she's not a bad person!"

Seeing Roy ready his weapon, Shiki Tohno panicked, shouting desperately to stop him.

"You're aware you brought a Dead Apostle into the base?"

Roy turned to him with a raised brow.

"I… I had no other choice. You're the only person I could think of who might be able to save her."

Understanding his sister's temperament, Shiki Tohno knew that bringing his classmate home would only infuriate Akiha. Moreover, he doubted she would show any mercy to someone who had been turned into a Dead Apostle.

And truthfully, he didn't know how he could even face his family right now.

Left with no options, he had placed all his hopes on Roy... the mysterious and seemingly capable man before him.

Surely Roy would be able to save Yumizuka Satsuki!

This belief burned in Shiki Tohno's heart.

"You're saying the Dead Apostle in that room is your classmate?"

"Y-Yes."

Shiki Tohno's voice trembled as he answered.

"What's her name? Is she important to you?"

"Her name is Yumizuka Satsuki, and she's a very dear friend of mine!"

His voice was firm, unwavering. Then, bowing deeply, he pleaded again, "Please… please save her!"

"…I understand."

Roy glanced at the young man, who was on the verge of tears, and let out a long sigh. He decided to lend him a hand.

From their brief exchange, Roy had pieced together the situation: someone Shiki Tohno cared about had been turned into a Dead Apostle. Out of desperation, he had sought help here.

However, even though Roy agreed to help, he had no guarantee of success. He'd never heard of anyone reversing the transformation of a Dead Apostle back into a human.

Once a person became a Dead Apostle, they gradually lost their humanity and sanity, consumed by the vampire instincts taking root within them. Eventually, hunger would drive them to surrender to their bloodlust, turning on friends and family alike.

For this reason, Roy's approach to Dead Apostles was simple: eliminate on sight.

But if the transformation was recent and no harm had yet been done, he was willing to attempt a rescue.

"Arcueid, stay outside and keep this guy from barging in. I'll handle things inside. If he tries to force his way in, just hold him down."

"Understood."

"One more thing…"

Roy turned back to Shiki Tohno, whose mental state was clearly fraying, and said, "I'll do my best to help your classmate. But let me be clear... I can't promise success."

"If I determine that she cannot be saved, I will purify her before she has the chance to harm anyone. I'll grant her release before she succumbs to her bloodlust. Do you understand, Shiki Tohno?"

"Release…"

The implication that Yumizuka Satsuki might be killed made Shiki Tohno's already fragile mind snap. His eyes widened, and he began shouting frantically, "No! Don't do that! Please, there must be another way! There has to be!"

In his desperation, he tried to push past Roy and rush into the room. But Roy raised a hand, signaling Arcueid to intervene.

Clink!

Arcueid acted swiftly. With a mere gesture, several materialized chains wrapped tightly around Shiki Tohno's limbs, lifting him off the ground with ease.

Knowing firsthand the deadly potential of Shiki Tohno's Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, Arcueid took no chances.

Before he could get close, she summoned more chains to bind him securely, keeping a wary distance.

She had to respect the danger those eyes posed... whether it was his or Shiki Ryougi's, such eyes were terrifying weapons.

In his current unstable state, Roy couldn't risk letting Shiki Tohno run loose, so he entrusted Arcueid to restrain him.

However, Shiki Tohno's tenacity exceeded Roy's expectations.

Even with his limbs tightly bound, he continued to struggle. A concealed knife slipped from his sleeve into his grasp.

Gripping the blade, his ice-blue eyes locked onto the chains holding him, and he thrust the knife toward a critical point.

Snap!

The sound of metal breaking echoed through the air.

The chains Arcueid had conjured were severed by Shiki Tohno's precise strike.

"How is this even possible?!"

Arcueid's eyes widened as she locked gazes with Shiki Tohno's icy blue stare. A sharp pain coursed through her body, and an inexplicable fear gripped her heart.

The memory of being severed by the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception resurfaced vividly, paralyzing her for a moment.

Her body froze instinctively.

"Out of my way!"

Shiki Tohno wasn't trying to hurt anyone. He was simply overwhelmed by the fear that Roy might follow through on his words and kill Yumizuka Satsuki.

Having recently recalled the deaths of his father, mother, and family, Shiki's mental state was already at its breaking point. This final blow shattered his ability to think rationally.

His Mystic Eyes of Death Perception flared to life, and with the knife clutched tightly in his hand, he charged recklessly toward the room. He was determined to protect Yumizuka Satsuki with everything he had.

This damn kid... always causing trouble!

Watching Shiki Tohno dash toward him with no regard for his own safety, Roy furrowed his brow. A flicker of anger flashed in his eyes.

There was no time for lengthy explanations. Roy unleashed a surge of overwhelming magical energy. A powerful gust of wind, brimming with oppressive force, slammed Shiki Tohno to the ground.

Effortlessly kicking the knife out of his hand, Roy stood over him, his expression icy.

"Arcueid, restrain him. Disarm him completely and cover his eyes. Without sight, the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception are useless."

"Understood."

Finally snapping out of her daze after being stunned by the Mystic Eyes once again, Arcueid wasted no time. This time, she didn't underestimate him.

The moment Shiki Tohno hit the ground, she teleported behind him and pinned him down, locking his arms in a firm hold.

This time, she opted against using her usual materialized constructs. Instead, she restrained him with her own hands to ensure he couldn't escape.

But Roy wasn't satisfied with mere restraints. Watching Shiki's frenzied eyes and unstable demeanor, he sighed and reached for the nearest object on the table... a flower vase.

Without hesitation, he brought it down hard on Shiki Tohno's head.

Smash!

The vase shattered on impact, and Shiki Tohno's vision went dark as he lost consciousness.

Finally, some peace.

Roy exhaled in relief as he stared at Shiki Tohno, now lying motionless on the floor. But he didn't allow himself to fully relax... there was still the matter of the Dead Apostle waiting in the other room.

Judging by the aura emanating from within, the transformation was already complete.

Although Roy had already realized this harsh reality earlier, it didn't make the task ahead any less troublesome.

After this, he'd have to make Shiki Tohno sign some sort of servitude contract. That boy owed him far too much.

___

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