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Chapter 6: A Oni is better than a knight

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[Third Person]

In an alley, our favorite Oni stood, his usual indifferent face turned to the impure world before him.

Accompanied only by his Master, Manaka, they had arrived alone. Convincing Manaka's father not to accompany them had proved difficult. Hakuno's presence was entirely unnecessary.

It took Manaka's persuasion to assuage her father's concerns, making him understand her desire to live the war independently and to understand firsthand the life of a true Magus who follows the way of the Root.

Fortunately, his efforts were fruitful. Otherwise, Otakemaru would have been ready to resort to extreme measures to reduce the man's unbearable presence, perhaps cutting out his tongue or, if necessary, ending his life.

Returning to the present, Otakemaru contemplated his strategy for the coming war. Among his thoughts, there was one amusing aspect to consider: his opponents would know nothing about him because of his origins in an alternate timeline.

His opponents would be mostly unaware of his abilities, with the exception of recognizing him as an Oni, of course...

The need for strategic considerations weighed heavily on Otakemaru's mind. Gathering information was imperative at this time, or at least it was something he had learned from the past so as not to make the same mistakes twice.

Caster and Assassin had made their presence known at the Ryuudou Temple, while Archer's alliance with the double-tailed girl, the heir of the Tohsaka lineage, was confirmed through his Master's father's sources.

Lancer's activities were observed throughout the city, Rider remained an enigma, and the identities of Berserker and Saber remained shrouded in mystery, their presence still undisclosed.

"Otakemaru!"

Amidst these thoughts, his Master's voice snapped his attention. She emerged, an ethereal figure with pale skin, cascading light blond hair, and piercing blue eyes. Her attire, a light blue dress with exposed shoulders and a short skirt, bore evidence of a battle, stained with blood.

Otakemaru couldn't deny the intrigue he felt as he observed the spectacle before him – an innocent monster revealing its true nature after a little slaughter.

"Are you finished, Little Monster?" he inquired with a faint smile, his demeanor remaining indifferent.

Otakemaru allowed Manaka her freedom to target specific individuals. Those she eliminated were no ordinary people; they were criminals of the worst kind – rapists, peddlers of narcotics to teenagers, monsters masked in human form.

He didn't harbor any aversion to ending the lives of humans in this world. Back in his cherished Mt. Suzuka, any humans attempting to invade and conquer the sacred lands would be met with ruthless death or even tortured until their desire for life was extinguished. Their flesh and bones would be offered up in celebration of victory.

With a childlike exuberance, Manaka confirmed her completion of the task. "Uh huh! I'm done! But why didn't you kill any?" she questioned with a slight pout. "I wanted to see how you do it!"

"My method of killing is rather straightforward," Otakemaru explained impassively. "I strike them with my claws, targeting their heads to destroy their brains – it's a swift end. I find nothing particularly remarkable about it."

Undeterred, Manaka's childlike determination held steady. She pointed towards a still-breathing victim on the ground and made her plea, her eyes wide and eager. "Then use a special method! I saved one just for you!"

Otakemaru initially denied her request with his typical indifference. However, Manaka persisted, her beguiling expression tugging at something within him. Her persistence triggered memories of moments long past.

"Please? I want to see some of your personal skills! Just once!" Manaka begged, her cute demeanor striking a chord with Otakemaru, reminding him of distant echoes from his history.

Amusement flickered in Otakemaru's gaze as he considered her request anew. "Very well, Little Hime. Since you're so insistent."

As if responding to his will, lightning danced and crackled between his fingers, a living force of nature under his control. Before the thug could react, the lightning consumed him.

Agonizing screams pierced the air as the lightning seared through his flesh, reducing him to ashes. Manaka had foreseen this, using her abilities to set up a boundary field that stifled any cries for help.

Once the flames had reduced the group to charred remains, Otakemaru's mastery of the elements came into play again. With a simple gesture, he summoned a gust of wind that swept away the ashes, leaving the scene clean.

Manaka's eyes were wide with a mixture of awe and intimidation. "You can create lightning so easily!" she exclaimed in a voice tinged with a touch of fear.

Otakemaru's expression remained stoic as he regarded her. "You're a Magus, aren't you? Isn't that a normal skill for your kind?"

Manaka shook her head, her excitement evident. "Well, I've never seen a human who could generate lightning so effortlessly! It's quite rare, and even among Magi, I've never heard of anyone with such an ability," she replied, a chuckle escaping her lips.

Otakemaru rolled his eyes in response to Manaka's fascination, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. He found his Master's quirks rather intriguing. "Now that you've had your fill of killing, how did it make you feel?" he inquired.

Manaka's giggles subsided, replaced by a thoughtful expression. After a brief pause, a cherubic smile graced her face. "It was quite an interesting experience. Watching them beg for their lives, feeling their blood on my hands... It was something entirely new to me. Their screams were particularly enjoyable."

Otakemaru's expression remained unperturbed by her response. He had expected such reactions from her, given her peculiar nature as an innocent monster. It seemed that she relished the opportunity to reveal her true self without the need for pretenses.

"Coming from someone like you, that doesn't surprise me at all..." Otakemaru mused, his tone neutral. "Let's go before someone notices the effects of your Boundary field. Can you clean up the bloodstains?" he inquired, to which Manaka nodded enthusiastically, her smile undimmed.

In a matter of moments, they managed to erase all traces of the recent events, leaving the alley behind. Once they were out of sight, Otakemaru assumed his astral form and reactivated his Presence Concealment. As they strolled through the city, he gazed at his surroundings with a detached air, his indifference masking the complexity of his thoughts.

As they continued to walk through the city, Otakemaru's thoughts swirled with a mix of fascination and curiosity about the modern era. "This era is quite fascinating... While mine had its own charms in war, this one, particularly in terms of architecture and technology, surpasses it," he mentally conveyed to his Master.

Manaka listened through their mental link and nodded in agreement. "Even if the Grail imparts knowledge of the modern era, experiencing it firsthand is a different kind of fascination," she responded, her eyes taking in the cityscape.

To Manaka, Otakemaru remained an enigma. While she wasn't particularly concerned about his desires, she was intrigued by his story. Despite reading about him in the book "Japanese Legends: Japan's Three Most Evil Yokai," she found that his legend was shrouded in mystery.

The tales she had come across were set in various historical periods, ranging from the feudal era to potentially before World War I or even the Age of the Gods. However, beyond those stories, there seemed to be a distinct lack of historical information about Otakemaru.

As they strolled through the city, the enigmatic aura surrounding Otakemaru piqued Manaka's curiosity even further. Despite reading a few stories about him, she found that there was a significant gap in historical information that could explain his extraordinary abilities and values.

It was as if, just as he had mentioned, his story was more akin to a fairy tale than a documented historical account. This mystery only added to his allure, making Otakemaru an enigmatic puzzle that she was determined to unravel.

And the fact that he was handsome and cute with those two horns also helped. He was like a prince... No, Demon King. Yes, rather than the Knight in shining armor is more like a King leading his army.

He is clearly better than a Knight.

As the Master and Servant pair continued their leisurely walk, a comfortable silence settled between them. Otakemaru delved into his own contemplations about Servants and the impending war, while Manaka relished in the presence of her enigmatic hero, enjoying both his company and the city around them.

However, their peaceful reverie was interrupted as they neared a local school in Fuyuki City. Sensing something amiss, both Otakemaru and Manaka came to a sudden halt, their senses on high alert.

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