Ryuunosuke Uryuu had no idea what the Holy Grail War was. All he knew was that the man he'd summoned a few days ago—who called himself Caster—possessed an "artistic sense" far beyond his comprehension.
As long as he followed that man, he could witness an art style brimming with "coolness" and breathtaking spectacles he'd never imagined.
Lying on the bridge over the Mion River, Ryuunosuke clung to the railing, trembling with excitement, practically waving a flag in exhilaration as he shouted his praises to Bluebeard.
He no longer cared that his workshop had been destroyed not long ago.
In fact, he couldn't even remember how he had gotten here, or how he had used a Command Spell to make Caster unleash this Magecraft.
Even Caster's words—"If it's my Master, my dear friend, asking, I, Gilles de Rais, would never refuse"—failed to make any sense to him.
"Ah... ah..."
Ryuunosuke began to wonder if he was so overwhelmed with excitement that he was losing oxygen. His thoughts slowed, his body filled only with overwhelming bliss.
Then, the sharp click of high heels echoed in his ears.
Confused, he turned his head and only then noticed that, at some point, a thick fog had enveloped the entire area. Even the towering sea monster was now nothing more than a vague silhouette in the mist.
There was no one else around, and not a single car passed on the bridge.
Everything had gone deathly silent.
So then, how had he seen all those sights earlier?
"Hey, do you know what's going on? The fog just rolled in out of nowhere."
As he looked at the silver-haired woman emerging from the fog, Ryuunosuke didn't even register her stunning face or think about how to extract pain or despair from her. He just dumbly asked his question.
"So, you're Caster's Master?" Morgan ignored his inquiry entirely.
Ryuunosuke, clearly dissatisfied, stumbled toward her. "Hey, did you hear me? What's with this fog?!"
He reached out, trying to grab Morgan to press for an answer.
But before he got close enough to touch her, his whole body was flung backward and slammed to the ground.
"Ow..."
Ryuunosuke raised his head as the world spun around him. Despite it being a winter night, he felt warmer than he ever had in his life.
His vision was flooded with crimson. Lying helplessly on the ground, he murmured, "So warm..."
Morgan stood motionless, coldly watching as Ryuunosuke Uryuu, his limbs severed, bled out beneath her.
"I've cut off your limbs, yet all you feel is the pain of falling and just enough life left to cling on," Morgan said indifferently. "I already gave you one warning, Worm Magus. Did you really think that living a long life meant you could do as you pleased?"
As her words echoed through the air, a burst of eerie blue flames erupted, engulfing the pedestrian walkway on one side of the Mion River Bridge.
Ryuunosuke Uryuu's body began to swell, and just as the wing-blade insects were about to burst from his flesh, both he and his body ignited in flames.
Over a dozen sea demons, each taller than a man, dropped from the railings or descended from the beams above.
It was now undeniable: Zouken Matou had already taken control of Ryuunosuke's body using his insects while the man was unaware.
Though he still retained consciousness and could move freely, he had become nothing more than a puppet of the Worm Magus.
Zouken had even "thoughtfully" used Ryuunosuke to have Caster arrange for sea demons to lie in ambush here—waiting for any Master who might try to take him out.
"Hehehe~ I was trying to bait another Master, but ended up hooking a Servant instead. What a blunder~"
Zouken Matou's voice echoed through the thick fog, though he never showed himself. It was clear the decrepit old man was deeply wary of Morgan.
Other Servants might be manageable, but a Magus from the Age of Gods was on an entirely different level—far beyond the likes of Caster.
"You can't even raise a proper Master, and yet you still dare to chase after the Holy Grail? As one of the Three Great Families, you don't even understand the current state of the Greater Grail," Morgan scoffed.
But Zouken only chuckled darkly.
"Hehehehe~ Naturally, I understand the nature of the Grail far better than fools like you, drawn in by the so-called omnipotent wish-granter."
"Is that so? Well, that alone might deserve a bit of praise—but nothing more." Disdain laced Morgan's voice without restraint.
Whether it was sea demons or insects, she crushed them all with Magecraft, burning them to ash without mercy.
In an instant, her section of the Mion River Bridge looked as if it had just survived a catastrophic disaster.
"How terrifying... She wiped out waves of familiars without even lifting a finger." Zouken's voice was still laced with that sinister laugh.
He never had to step into the light—just hiding in the shadows, watching from above, was enough to keep his smug detachment intact.
"But Caster's sea demons are endless. How long can you last without a weapon? You'd better run while you can."
With that final taunt, Zouken's presence vanished completely from the mist. Even Morgan couldn't immediately pinpoint his location. She'd hoped to eliminate the bothersome worm while she had the chance, but once again, he slipped away.
A faint irritation flickered in Morgan's chest.
The area was in ruins, yet the sea demons kept coming.
Unless she destroyed the Noble Phantasm functioning as their magical energy core, it would take some time to eliminate them all.
Growing impatient, Morgan prepared to unleash a larger-scale spell to clear the surroundings. As for the bridge, she would take care not to damage its main structure and risk collapse.
...After all, she still had plans to take Shiomi and the kids here to play later. She couldn't have the bridge falling apart.
In a flash of cold light, another wave of sea demons was swept away—but not by Morgan.
Shiomi landed lightly on the scorched railing, now barely holding together, weapon in hand.
"Caster's sea demons suddenly froze. Did something happen?" Shiomi asked.
Morgan paused her casting. "Nothing serious. I just killed Caster's Master. The contract must've been severed, creating an opening. But more importantly, why are you here?"
"I felt you were in a fight, and then Caster's movement suddenly stopped. I was worried, so I rushed over."
As soon as he finished speaking, the massive sea demon in the river stirred violently once more—evidently reacting to its Master's death, Caster had begun acting recklessly.
"Making you worry like that... I must be a terrible wife," Morgan teased, a fleeting softness in her eyes.
"It's not about that," Shiomi said, extending his hand. "No point hanging around here. Want to head to the front together?"
Morgan took his hand without hesitation. He pulled her up, and she wrapped one arm around him.
Together, they leapt from the railing of the Mion River Bridge, diving through the thick fog as they descended toward the river below.
"If this keeps up, we'll still be fighting at sunrise," Morgan muttered.
"So you mean...?"
"I'm going to use my Noble Phantasm."