The dense black aura, as dark as ink, enveloped Kaguya, exuding an icy and sinister evil aura. Even the ground around her was covered in a layer of pale frost.
"What is happening?" Saber stared in astonishment at the scene before her, gripping her sword tightly. She could feel the chilling atmosphere gathering rapidly in this place.
"Ah!"
At that moment, a suppressed cry of pain abruptly sounded nearby.
Saber's pupils contracted as she quickly turned around. She saw that at some point, Irisviel had fallen to her knees, clutching her chest tightly. Her face was pale, as if she was enduring intense pain, and her body was trembling slightly.
"Irisviel!" Saber hurried over and extended a hand to support her. "What's wrong?"
But before she could touch Irisviel, a flash of black and purple light appeared and repelled Saber's hand.
When Saber pulled her hand back, a blackened burn mark had already appeared, as if she had been scalded.
"What's going on?" Saber looked anxiously at Irisviel, who had fallen to the ground, but she didn't know what to do.
Suddenly, both Irisviel and Kaguya began to emit black and purple auras. Then, the aura expanded rapidly, like a massive tornado, instantly blasting Saber away, throwing her hard against the wall.
"Irisviel!" Saber, burning with anxiety, stood up and rushed toward the vortex, but the closer she got, the greater the resistance became. Eventually, she couldn't take another step forward.
With a dull boom, Saber was thrown back once more.
Propping herself up with her sword, Saber stood again, her eyes filled with disbelief. She bit her lip and gripped her sword tightly. She wanted to use Excalibur to cut through the strange black-and-purple vortex, but she was afraid of harming Irisviel inside.
What should I do?
Inside the vortex, everything was completely different from the outside. There was no violent storm, no bone-chilling cold—only an eerie silence that was almost terrifying.
In this space, two figures floated in the air—one was Irisviel, the other was Kaguya. They were both unclothed, their eyes closed, quietly drifting as if unconscious.
Between them swirled thin, threadlike strands of black and purple light, connecting the two. Upon closer inspection, one would notice that the black and purple light was slowly flowing out of Irisviel's body and into Kaguya's. It cycled back and forth.
No one knew how long this continued, but Irisviel suddenly trembled. A pained expression appeared on her face, and a golden light began to radiate from her chest. The light grew brighter and brighter until, finally, with a dazzling flash, a golden cup emerged from her body, shimmering with radiant light.
It was the Holy Grail!
To be precise, this was not the Holy Grail, but the Lesser Grail—the key to the Greater Grail. Only with the Lesser Grail could the Greater Grail be summoned.
At this moment, the Lesser Grail floated quietly in the black-and-purple-lit space, slowly drifting toward Kaguya, like a small boat on a river.
When the Lesser Grail touched Kaguya's body, a blinding light suddenly burst forth from it, illuminating the pitch-black night as if it were daytime. Even Saber, who was outside, had to close her eyes.
At that moment, a black hole appeared above Kaguya's head. From the hole poured a sticky, black-red substance, like blood, which flowed down onto the silver-haired loli below, completely engulfing her.
In her dazed state, it felt as though she was in a cold, dark abyss, filled with shadows and gloom. Around her, biting winds raged, cutting into her like knives, threatening to freeze her to the core, as though she would be turned into a block of ice.
Kaguya's thoughts were like a tangled mess of glue, unable to function properly. Her body felt as though it was being manipulated by an unseen force, leaving her unable to move—like a leaf drifting in a violent current, helpless against the flow. At the same time, a dark energy surged from within her body, transforming into a thick, pitch-black mist.
Just as Saber could no longer hold back and was about to use Excalibur, the black fog ahead suddenly began to dissipate, and the fierce winds gradually died down, revealing two figures—it was Kaguya and Irisviel.
Kaguya was standing there quietly, while Irisviel lay motionless on the ground. Their clothes had returned, but Kaguya's once bright outfit had turned into a pure, ink-black attire.
"Irisviel!" Saber shouted in alarm. She dropped her sword and rushed toward Irisviel.
But before she could get close, an invisible force suddenly struck her, instantly hurling her away. With a loud boom, she crashed into a distant wall, breaking a large hole in it.
"Did I allow you to come over?" Kaguya, now dressed in black, retracted her arm, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly as she spoke.
Saber supported herself with her sword and stood up, wiping away the crimson blood that trickled from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were fixed on Kaguya as she said in a deep voice, "What are you trying to do? Why are you doing this?"
"Why?" Kaguya tilted her head, blinking as if in thought, then suddenly smiled brightly. "Maybe it's just for fun."
"What?!" Saber's face showed a flash of anger. She tried to suppress the rage in her heart and said, "If you want to do something, come at me! Attacking a defenseless woman—is that what you consider a heroic act?"
"Hero?" Kaguya blinked, curious, "When was I ever a hero? I didn't know that."
"As a Heroic Spirit, do you not have any pride or honor? Such a despicable act not only harms others but also disgraces yourself," Saber said, gripping Excalibur tightly in her hand.
"It seems you care deeply about her, considering how anxious you are," Kaguya remarked, lifting Irisviel off the ground and hooking a finger under her chin. Smiling, she said, "I wonder—do you have the power to save your dear friend?"