บท 339: Jack the Ripper (I)
"Stop... please, stop, don't, don't do this..."
Fiore, a kind-hearted woman at heart, was the first to break down, tears of pain streaming down her face, helpless sobs escaping her throat.
Brutal truth and despair—this was the true face of hell. No one could remain calm in front of this scene. Not even Kairi, who had grown accustomed to life and death, or Darnic, who had lived for nearly a century, which should have made his resolve hardened like steel, could bear to watch, and turn his head away.
Why did it have to be like this?
Weren't children supposed to be the embodiment of their parent's love?
Weren't they supposed to be blessed with their birth?
Why let them face such awful things?
Why wasn't anyone coming to save them?
However, as everyone pondered these questions, the scene soon shifted again.
Everyone stepped onto the cold street once more, and soon, countless children emerged from the shadows of alleys. Though their appearances varied greatly, they all had a unified sense—dirty and disheveled, with eyes dull and devoid of hope.
The children reached out their hands toward them, countless voices overlapping.
""Please, save us, save us souls, take our hands, please... please...""
*BOOM!*
A crimson thunder suddenly descended from the sky, and the children instinctively withdrew their hands, looking surprised at the knight covered in silver armor with red patterns.
Why, even after witnessing their hell, their misfortune, did these people still hesitate to accept their hand?
The children's faces conveyed such a message.
"Because I'm just that kind of unforgivable bastard..." Mordred muttered to one.
No one knew what expression she wore under her demonic helmet at the moment. All they could see was she raised her sword in her hand toward these defenseless children, her voice devoid of any emotion.
"Since your existence was a mistake from the start, then, let me correct it!"
"Saber—" Kairi's face showed a hint of reluctance, but before he could say anything further, she cut him off.
"Master, do you really think they can be saved?"
It was impossible.
These children's era was long gone; they were souls forever bound to that time, and no one could go back and save them, just as no one could erase the sins and ugliness of that era.
This hell was engraved in the depths of Jack the Ripper's soul like a shackle, and only by breaking it could these children truly be freed.
The fragile humans were blinded by the illusion before their eyes, but only the Knight of Treachery saw the truth hidden behind it all.
If uncovering the truth was a sin, then—
"Clarent—"
She would bear it.
"Blood Arthur!"
===
"This feeling is..."
As Jeanne dashed towards the destroyed Fortress of Millennia, she suddenly sensed something, abruptly halting her steps and shifting her gaze toward a small hill shrouded in thick fog in the distance.
"It's Assassin of Black... Is she eliminated? No, wait!"
Jeanne furrowed her brows, pulling out a vial of holy water from somewhere and sprinkling it into the sky. The once clear and transparent liquid quickly turned into a gloomy dark color, while at the same time, a faint cry of a baby echoed.
"So, that's how it is... This is Assassin of Black's true identity..."
Some thoughts crossed her mind, her expression momentarily complex, but soon her eyes regained their firmness.
"If that's the case, I can't just stand by."
Jeanne took a deep breath, glanced toward the direction of Fortress of Millennia, then decisively turned around and sprinted in a certain direction.
About six hundred meters away from the battlefield, in a small grove, Reika, Jack's Master, stood beside a large tree, her eyes filled with worry as she gazed toward the chaotic battlefield not far away.
The war between the Red Faction and the Black Faction was a perfect opportunity for Jack. With her abilities as an Assassin, as long as she didn't confront those dangerous Servants head-on, she could easily harvest prey on this chaotic battlefield. Mages and homunculi wouldn't stand a chance against her.
However, for some reason, Reika had been feeling uneasy since a while ago, especially after seeing the thick fog rising. As Jack's Master, she knew well that the fog was Jack's last resort. Using it at such a critical moment indicated that her situation was probably dire.
After hesitating for a few minutes, Reika finally made up her mind. After all, nothing was more important to her than Jack's life.
"By my command spell, Assassin, come to my side immediately!"
A crimson light flashed and dissipated, followed by a surge of magical energy. In the next moment, a small figure soon lay before her.
"Jack!"
Reika hurriedly went to pick up Jack, looking at the girl whose face contorted in pain, feeling as if her heart was being pricked by countless needles.
"Mother..." Jack muttered, barely able to keep her eyes open.
Though there were no visible wounds, her breath was extremely weak, giving the impression that she could disperse like a gust of wind at any moment.
"No need to say anything, Jack, what you need now is rest. Be good and get some sleep first..."
Despite her inner anxiety, Reika gently comforted Jack as if she were her own daughter. The most urgent thing now was to find a way to save Jack's life no matter what.
Reika quickly picked up Jack and stood up.
Although Jack was a Servant, she was still a teenager in appearance and body. As a result, Reika could easily lift Jack as if her body was hollow.
They had to retreat for now.
Although the thick fog hadn't dispersed yet, without Jack's control, the fog wouldn't last long either. If they didn't retreat soon, they could easily be discovered by those Masters and Servants. As for the Holy Grail, they couldn't worry about it now.
Having made her decision, Reika quickly stepped away, preparing to retreat to a hiding place. But as she turned, she suddenly noticed a figure of a stranger standing not far away.
It was a woman dressed in a style completely different from modern fashion, adorned with splendid silver armor. Her hands held a flag with a fleur-de-lis pattern, exuding a dignified countenance and a sacred aura as if a divine angel had descended to earth.
Yet instead of feeling safe, Reika started to panic. She instinctively took a few steps back, her heart filled with indescribable fear.
Without needing to think, with such distinct features, the woman in front of her was undoubtedly a Servant, just like Jack!
"Why have you come at this time..."
"Finally found you, Assassin of Black..." Jeanne looked at the girl in Reika's arms, her tone slightly complex. "Jack the Ripper—or rather, the nameless girl who has taken on the identity of Jack the Ripper."
Hearing that, Reika's body instantly froze. How could this woman see through Jack's true identity at a glance?
"Which side do you belong to, Black or Red?" Reika attempted to delay the unknown Servant with words, hoping to find an opportunity to escape later.
At this moment, she had completely ignored the gap in power between herself and the Servant in front of her. Her only thought right now was to let her daughter survive, by any means necessary!
"I don't belong to either of them..." Jeanne calmly took a step forward with the flag in her hand. "I am the overseer of this Holy Grail War, Ruler Jeanne d'Arc."
"Ruler... Jeanne d'Arc?" Reika was slightly taken aback. "Are you that holy maiden from France?"
"I'm not exactly a holy maiden... I'm just fulfilling my responsibilities as guided by God." Jeanne admitted her identity quite frankly.
Hearing that, Reika instantly saw hope.
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