"Utterly absurd."
That was the thought racing through Atalanta's mind as she watched the ferocious whirlwind before her.
It wasn't that she'd never seen a Magus. Semiramis, on her side, was an ancient Magus of exceptional skill. And during her lifetime, Medea, a fellow Argonaut hero, had demonstrated the power of ancient Magecraft to her.
But even for those two, using Magecraft capable of affecting an entire city required extensive preparations—it couldn't be done on a whim. In ancient times, the ability to alter the weather with a mere gesture was a privilege reserved exclusively for gods.
Yet now, Naoki was doing something she thought only gods could achieve.
"Sensing the aura of nature… The world feels joyful and invigorated?"
Bathed in the fierce wind, Atalanta was slightly stunned. She detected no trace of Magecraft, as if it were just a natural gale, yet it was clearly summoned by Naoki…
"Could it be, the world willingly changes for him? Altering reality with sheer will?"
"Red Saber's Master, who exactly are you?"
At the very least, this man was no ordinary Magus. Neither the strength to fight a Servant head-on nor the ability to reshape the world were feats an average Magus could accomplish. Some might achieve one of these, but both simultaneously…
"—!"
A sudden surge of Mana within her sensory range snapped Atalanta out of her thoughts. She immediately focused, tracing the Mana's source.
'Below!'
Her gaze shifted downward, and she spotted a figure emerging on a rooftop not far away.
It looked like a tiny white-haired girl, about seven or eight years old, dressed in Assassin attire that clashed bizarrely with her appearance. Her body bore several wounds, large and small, evoking pity at a mere glance.
"Jack the Ripper…"
Drawing her bow, Mana coalesced into an arrow as Atalanta aimed at the Assassin on the distant rooftop.
'It seems she's targeting Red Saber's Master. Did she track him because of that massive wind? Such a large move would naturally draw attention.'
Especially since Naoki had blown away the fog, forcibly canceling Jack the Ripper's Noble Phantasm. As its wielder, Jack would undoubtedly rush to deal with the threat.
Unfortunately, she seemed unaware of another presence here. One arrow would suffice.
*WHOOSH!*
But just as Atalanta was about to release the bowstring, a chilling sensation crept over her body. The feeling of being targeted made her ears and tail stiffen, her fur standing on end.
Like a predator stalking prey, Jack crouched low, her eyes locked sharply on her target.
"From here, hell begins…"
An unsettling black Mana began enveloping Jack.
"We are fire… we are rain… we are power…"
'Noble Phantasm?'
Natsukawa Naoki is male; Jack the Ripper's Noble Phantasm shouldn't— Atalanta's thoughts halted. Though Naoki was male and outside Maria the Ripper's specific targeting range, that didn't mean there were no women present.
Jack, who had been staring at Naoki, suddenly looked up at Atalanta.
"—Maria the Ripper!"
The moment the True Name was released, Jack shot toward Atalanta on the bell tower with godlike speed.
Two daggers thrust straight at her!
But as she lunged, another fierce gust erupted from the ground, as if anticipated. It struck Jack's abdomen, redirecting her trajectory ninety degrees upward.
"Miss Atalanta."
*TWANG!*
Answering Naoki's voice was the clear twang of a bowstring. An arrow pierced Jack's forehead, its devastating force penetrating her skull.
Though the Noble Phantasm had been unleashed, in his Fairy Possession state, Naoki perceived everything around him clearly. Once the Assassin emerged from her darkness and attacked openly, dealing with her became far easier.
Brushing back her wind-tousled hair, Atalanta leaped from the bell tower. "Your warning was a bit much, but thanks. Is it over?"
"Yes, as long as you don't let an Assassin gain the upper hand, they're this easy to handle."
Of course, except for Grandpa Hassan (King Hassan), Naoki would just charge forward and behead the enemy with a single swing.
Looking at Jack, who had fallen to the ground nearby, Naoki asked Atalanta, "Sorry if this is bold, but how do you feel after shooting a child like that?"
"Are you underestimating me?" Atalanta's brows furrowed in displeasure. "This is the Holy Grail War. Despite her childlike appearance, she's clearly an enemy and a killer who's slaughtered dozens of innocents. You don't think I'd go soft on a creature like that, do you?"
"Is that so?"
Naoki narrowed his eyes, pulling a gem from his pocket. "Little Mo, I'm done here. How about you?"
[Hiyah—Yo, you're Jack the Ripper's Master, huh? Stay still—Hey! What are you doing?!]
Mordred's voice from the gem sounded odd. From the context, it seemed she'd just entered Reika's room, but her next words…
'Command Spell?'
The moment Naoki thought this, Jack, who should've been killed by Atalanta's shot, slowly rose like a puppet. Her head abruptly twisted 180 degrees, suddenly glaring at both of them.
"Why… why…"
With blood-red eyes, Jack questioned them in a tone filled with sorrow, confusion, and rage.
What was she asking?
Why they killed her? Or why they refused to be killed by her?
*BOOM!*
For some reason, Jack's body suddenly swelled rapidly and exploded. A fog denser than before surged from her body like a tsunami, instantly engulfing Naoki and Atalanta, who were close by.