(Attendance… plz…)
….
Somewhere else, far removed from the cold, salty winds of the harbor, a heavy black curtain was drawn across a hidden space.
It was not merely an empty darkness. The dark here felt viscous, condensed, and thick, clinging to the skin like a physical matter or goo.
It was like breathing in fetid, decaying matter, a darkness that completely surpassed the normal limits of black.
The air was dense with the nauseating, heavy stench of copper and rotting meat.
Weak moans and broken, wet cries echoed from the corners of the room. Blood was splashed across the walls and the floorboards in sweeping, chaotic arcs, resembling some kind of twisted, profane holy water scattered across an unholy sanctuary.
If a normal person were to accidentally wander into this room and see the horrifying spectacle, the only words that could possibly tumble out of their mouth would be a terrified, "What in the world is this place?!" before they lost their sanity entirely.
In such a suffocating darkness, the only people who could stand comfortably were those who belonged in it.
The owner of this secret place, and the Master who had gleefully painted this grotesque scene.
Two beings stood amidst the slaughter, their attention focused not on the dying victims around them, but on a translucent, tennis-ball-sized crystal sphere resting on a pedestal.
The crystal was not entirely clear at the moment. It was projecting moving images, much like a television screen, broadcasting a vision of a place miles away.
The faint, ghostly light from the sphere illuminated the faces of the two watchers, letting them observe the aftermath of the battle that had just concluded at the seaside container port.
They had watched the entire confrontation from start to finish. They had watched the Gojo, The Knight, the King of Conquerors, and the brutal, one-sided execution of the spearman.
The younger of the two men, almost a boy, judging by his height and youthful appearance, was watching the crystal intently.
Even though it was like watching a late-night action movie with high-budget special effects, he knew it was real.
He knew the blood spilled in that projection was just as warm as the blood soaking his own shoes.
A profound, intoxicating joy blossomed in his chest. It seized his mind, bubbling up his throat until he threw his head back and began to laugh, standing right beside the tall, robed being who was sustaining the magical projection.
"Hahahahahah! That was awesome... truly awesome!" the boy burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.
He hadn't had this much fun since... well, forever!
Even though he wasn't directly at the scene to feel the vibrations of the battle, just knowing it was real, knowing that he was actually a participant in this insane game, was pure bliss for his twisted mind.
"Impressive! Just impressive!" the boy cheered, his slanted, snake-like eyes sparkling with a genuinely childish innocence.
"It was real, right? Right, Sir Bluebeard? I mean, I know it was, but they are really, really real, right? Not just some special effects like those in the movies? No, no, they were way better than the movies! They were totally awesome! Hahahahahaha!"
The boy couldn't contain his laughter, his excitement, his overwhelming joy. He was in this Grail War, and he couldn't possibly be happier.
Uryuu Ryuunosuke, a serial killer who had stepped into this magically extraordinary world through pure, astronomical luck.
Driven purely by boredom, he had tried to summon a demon using an old, dusty book just so his current victim would feel a deeper, more exquisite terror before dying.
He had merely painted a fake circle, muttered some gibberish as it was in the book, and by some stroke of absolute rarity, the Grail had chosen him.
"Damn it, it was so cool!" Ryuunosuke rambled, waving his hands animatedly as he recalled the white-haired man.
"That guy in the dark clothes, he just went foosh and foosh and totally wrecked that spear guy! He killed him so easily! And not to mention that ending, stabbing him with his own spear while he was just pooled in his own blood, not even able to lift a finger! Man, that was cold… but awesome!"
Ryuunosuke practically danced in place, his shoes squelching on the bloody floor.
"Ahhhh, so this is the Grail War you spoke of, Sir Bluebeard! It's exactly as awesome as you said. I can still feel the rush!"
He had been shouting in joy for quite some time, but his Servant, the Caster he called Bluebeard, hadn't spoken a single word in response.
Finding the silence a bit strange, Ryuunosuke stopped his dancing and looked over. "Hey, Sir Bluebeard? Are you listening?"
When the tall, gaunt Servant finally turned his head to face him, Ryuunosuke paused.
Caster was smiling. But his wide, bulging eyes were overflowing. Huge, thick tears were rolling down his pale, hollow cheeks, streaming endlessly as if someone had opened a tap in the kitchen.
"Ryuunosuke..." Caster whispered, his voice trembling, choked with an overwhelming, reverent emotion. "I found her... my wish... it has finally come true."
Caster clutched his own face, his eyes wide and fixed on the lingering image of the petite, blonde knight in silver armor that had been displayed in the crystal.
"We have already won this Holy Grail War, Ryuunosuke. I found her... I finally found her."
"…. My Jeanne."
…
Somewhere else, in the quiet safety of a brightly lit hotel room:
Sakura was sitting in the exact same spot on the bed, staring blankly at the television.
Bright, colorful cartoons flashed across the screen, reflecting in her dull purple eyes.
Gojo had told her to watch cartoons and wait for him to come back from his 'party' as soon as possible, so that was exactly what she did. She didn't move. She didn't play. She just watched.
Suddenly, the air in the room shifted.
Sensing the change, Sakura turned her head. Gojo had returned. The white-haired sorcerer was standing near the center of the room, stretching his long arms above his head like a lazy cat, a bright smile on his face as he gave her a casual little wave.
"Did you enjoooy the cartoons?" Gojo asked, dragging out the syllables playfully.
Sakura stared at him for a second, then gave a small, slow nod in response.
Gojo let out a dry, breathy laugh, dropping his arms. "Hahaha, man, I can't even tell what you're thinking behind that face, but I'll trust your word for it."
He walked over and dropped a crinkling plastic convenience store bag onto the foot of the bed.
"I was running back and saw a sweet shop still open, so I bought some stuff for a late-night snack!" Gojo announced proudly, rummaging through the bag.
He paused and pointed a finger at her.
Sakura staaaared.
"And don't look at me like that! I get bored in the night, okay? I bought a lot, so even you can eat a few. Though, definitely not all of them. Too much sweet stuff is bad for you and your tiny teeth."
Sakura just stared at him. She hadn't said a word, nor had she made any sort of accusatory expression.
Gojo deadpanned, putting his hands on his hips defensively. "I'm telling the truth! I can eat as many as I want because I'm an adult, and I'm super strong. You are just a kid. So don't look at me like that... I won't give you extra even if you sparkle your eyes at me, you hear?"
Sakura blinked slowly, hugging her stuffed monkey a little tighter against her chest.
She wasn't doing any of those things at all. She wasn't begging, and she certainly wasn't sparkling her eyes. Her gaze remained exactly the same as it always was, empty, quiet, and perfectly cold.
"Okay." Sakura muttered.
….
A/N: Yeeeessssshhhhhh!!!
Next chapter already on my discord.
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