Kaguya didn't turn back. Under the gaze of everyone present, she walked along the war-torn streets, slowly fading from view.
The expressions on everyone's faces varied, but one thing was clear: Kaguya's significance in their minds had increased considerably. She was bound to become the focus of various factions in the future, and undoubtedly, more people would start plotting in secret.
The key issue was that word had somehow spread about her holding the Lesser Grail, which would bring her considerable trouble going forward.
But wasn't that more fun?
A flash of purple flickered in Kaguya's beautiful, watery eyes, and a subtle, enigmatic smile crept across her lips.
Back in the Einzbern castle, forced into a desperate situation, Kaguya had used a power she originally did not want to rely on—the Dragon Veins Chakra, a dark and formidable force. The sheer magnitude of this energy was overwhelming. Even though it was only a projection, it had effortlessly shattered the protective barrier of the Einzbern castle. What had once been an unbreakable shield crumbled into fragments in an instant.
The strength of this energy was so terrifying that even Kaguya herself felt uneasy. It was like an endless torrent, as if a mysterious source constantly poured energy into her. If she had to describe it, it was akin to a faucet that, as long as it wasn't turned off, would keep flowing indefinitely.
Of course, that was assuming you had enough money to pay the water bill.
However, this energy wasn't pure. It was tainted by a myriad of negative emotions—rage, greed, bloodlust, suffering. With every bit of it she used, Kaguya found herself increasingly stained by these feelings, as though a once-pristine white sheet was being covered in blotches of different colors.
Kaguya didn't want to use this power. She feared that continuing to rely on it would eventually corrupt her, leading her to lose herself completely. That sense of losing her identity was terrifying. Earlier, Kaguya had been so immersed in the bloodlust from the chakra's influence that she couldn't even be bothered to speak; all she wanted was to kill. Unfortunately for Caster Gilles, he had become the perfect target for her wrath.
However, there was an obvious upside. After absorbing the Dragon Veins Chakra, Kaguya's power had surged dramatically, and her personal stats had undergone a massive transformation.
Name: Kaguya Ōtsutsuki
Strength: A
Endurance: A
Agility: A
Mana: A
Luck: ???
Most of her stats were now incredibly high, all at A-level, surpassing even Gilgamesh's legendary attributes. Her Mana stat was especially astonishing, rated at A, which was unprecedented. No one had ever possessed such a vast amount of magical energy before, and this likely had something to do with the Dragon Veins Chakra.
However, her Luck stat had disappeared entirely, replaced by three question marks. Kaguya didn't know what this meant. Had her luck stat been removed, or had it exceeded the system's ability to calculate it? Perhaps it had been blocked altogether.
Regardless, as long as it wasn't as bad as Lancer's infamous E luck, and as long as she didn't turn into a calamity magnet like Kamijou Touma, Kaguya would be fine.
Speaking of Lancer, his luck really was terrible. Whether in Fate/Zero or Fate/Stay Night, he was always ordered by his Master to commit suicide. It was quite tragic. One could only wonder if he'd meet the same fate this time around.
Suddenly, Kaguya stopped in her tracks. Looking up, she realized she had arrived outside an old, modest church.
The church wasn't very large, probably about 300 square meters. Outside, a small, elegant garden was planted with flowers and plants, giving the place a simple charm. The church's exterior was equally unassuming, with its gray walls adding a sense of solemnity.
Kaguya was about to turn around and leave when a pungent smell of blood hit her nose. She frowned, tapping her chin thoughtfully, then turned and headed towards the church.
Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, Kaguya stepped inside. Rows of pews lined the sides for prayer, and at the front of the church stood a large altar. Paintings adorned the walls on either side. As Kaguya walked further in, she saw a tall, broad-shouldered elderly man lying in a pool of blood near the altar.
If she guessed correctly, this was probably Risei Kotomine, the father of Kirei Kotomine.
He was lying in a pool of blood, with a gunshot wound to the chest where his heart had been. This was clearly the cause of death. It seemed he had been dead for a while, as the blood around him had begun to congeal, turning into a dark, foul-smelling mess.
Kaguya raised her hand and waved it gently, releasing an invisible force that flipped up Risei's sleeve, revealing his pale arm.
Kaguya frowned because she noticed that the Command Seals, which should have been carved into his arm, were missing, leaving only patches of dried blood.
The Command Seals had been removed.
A familiar figure popped into Kaguya's mind—could it be him?
Yes, it must have been Kirei Kotomine. He was the only one who could have deciphered Risei's hidden messages and transferred the Command Seals. Without the ability to decode the secret messages, the transfer would have been impossible.
If that were the case, then an interesting plot twist was about to unfold—the moment when Kirei Kotomine kills his own Master, Tokiomi Tohsaka. Kaguya couldn't help but find this amusing. She didn't particularly like Tohsaka either. If he hadn't been so self-righteous, many tragedies might have been avoided.
But if he were to die just like that, wouldn't it be a little boring? Perhaps she could add a bit of spice to the mix...
A sly smile played at the corners of Kaguya's lips.
The sky was gradually lightening as dawn approached. A pale sliver of light spread across the horizon, and the bright morning star began to fade in the growing daylight.
"You've returned," a calm voice said.
As Kaguya walked through the garden of a villa, she saw a man in a red suit bowing gracefully toward her.
"Oh?" Kaguya chuckled as she walked along the garden path. "I never thought I'd see you being so polite, Tokiomi Tohsaka."
The man before her, with his refined appearance and air of nobility, was indeed Tokiomi Tohsaka. Kaguya hadn't expected him to be here.
"Power deserves respect," Tokiomi straightened up, smiling respectfully. "Please forgive my previous rudeness. I trust someone as honorable and magnanimous as yourself wouldn't hold such trivial matters against me."