I, Kurumi Tokisaki, Am a Wanderer

Kurumi lowered her arms, watching Lancer and Kayneth retreat rapidly.

She wasn't unaware of the dangers of letting an enemy escape, but she couldn't pursue them.

In her left eye, the inorganic clock ticked away, the hands moving steadily towards zero.

This was Tokisaki Kurumi's time—or rather, her lifespan.

Indeed, Kurumi's Angel possessed incredibly powerful abilities, but each use consumed a large amount of time.

On her last day in Tengu City, she had recklessly squandered much of her time, leaving her with very little now.

In other words, she was "hungry."

The melee between Saber and Berserker continued, their skills equally matched, making a quick resolution unlikely.

But Irisviel and Emiya Kiritsugu were no match for someone like Kariya Matou, who was merely a half-baked magus.

Kurumi lightly tapped her sakura-colored lower lip with her finger.

"Hmm~~~ Did I forget to tell them that Berserker is actually Lancelot?" But the gleeful look on her face showed that she wasn't the least bit remorseful—in fact, she was quite excited.

Other Kurumi clones, equally as alluring, emerged from the shadows and began hunting. She had no intention of being eliminated due to something as embarrassing as running out of time.

Yet, there was a touch of self-mockery. Despite being identified as "Nightmare," the most evil spirit who had stained her hands with the blood of tens of thousands, she wasn't one to kill without reason.

The clock in her heart ticked away, warning her, but despite her clones wandering around Fuyuki City for so long, they hadn't encountered any prey that would willingly come to them. Should she praise Fuyuki City for its peace?

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"According to this report..."

···

"A serial killer..."

···

Kurumi, dressed in her winter school uniform, stopped at the entrance of a shop, watching the news being broadcast. Her wine-red eyes lowered in thought. To replenish her time, the Caster and his master, the serial killer Ryuunosuke Uryuu, were indeed a good choice. But there was a significant problem: Kurumi had no idea where Caster and that murderous maniac were hiding.

However, another figure came to mind—Zouken Matou the head of the Matou family. Or rather, Makiri Zolgen.

"Hehehe," Kurumi's lips curled up into a smile. "How convenient, how convenient~~ Berserker and the little lion cub are having so much fun together."

"Little girl." An elderly shopkeeper with a concerned face approached her, offering a kind reminder. "It's very late, and it's not safe out there."

"Thank you for the warning." Kurumi gracefully bowed, her demeanor that of a true lady.

As she watched the exceptionally beautiful girl walk away, the shopkeeper's anxiety grew heavier. "Where is Kotone... why hasn't she come home yet?"

Humming a cheerful tune, Kurumi skipped lightly to another opulent residence in Fuyuki City—the Matou family's mansion.

Unlike the similarly luxurious Tohsaka family residence, the Matou mansion was located in a more remote area and always seemed to have an eerie, ominous atmosphere. Additionally, with the occasional cases of missing youths, the residents of Fuyuki City consciously avoided coming near this place.

Tap, tap, tap—

Kurumi lightly knocked on the door of the Matou mansion. "Excuse me~~ Is anyone home?"

The door creaked open by itself, and from the hinges, faint rustling sounds could be heard.

The interior of the Matou mansion was exceedingly dim, much like the territory of most magi who disliked modern conveniences. A solitary, dim lamp flickered, illuminating only a small area.

Under the dim light, the ancient, 500-year-old insect user sat quietly on the sofa. He wore a dark gray kimono, leaning on a wooden staff. His entire body exuded a stench of decay, his hunched figure bald and hairless.

Zouken Matou's eye sockets were deeply sunken, but they glimmered with a sinister light.

"Hehehehe. Let's see, who is this noble guest that has graced us?" Zouken Matou's frail body quivered as he chuckled, showing no fear of the Servant girl who had intruded upon his domain. This was the fortress he had maintained for 500 years—he was confident that even against a Heroic Spirit from myth, he could put up a fight.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of such an esteemed visitor in my humble abode?" He tapped his staff lightly on the ground, and the entire Matou mansion was filled with faint rustling sounds. From every corner, from every crevice, large shadows began to spread.

"My, my~~~ ('Ara, Ara~~~') I'm just here to borrow a little something from you, old man." Kurumi tilted her head slightly, smiling gently. The shadows crept up her body, transforming into a black and red Gothic Spirit Dress. A pair of ancient firearms, one long and one short, appeared in her hands.

"Hehehehe. This old man has nothing to lend, but if you have the ability to take it, you're welcome to try." Zouken Matou seemed to meld into the shadows as he spoke, his eyes burning with greedy desire. The vibrant body of this Servant girl would certainly sustain him for a long time.

A dense swarm of various insects wriggled around, completely surrounding Kurumi.

"Hehehe~~~ Hahaha!" Kurumi covered her right eye and laughed wildly, her head twisting mechanically downwards, revealing the cold, inorganic clock eye, which stared indifferently at Zouken Matou.

"You're quite generous, old man," Kurumi's voice turned icy. "Then, I'll be starting my meal."

—"City of Devouring Time, expand."

A black-purple spiritual domain spread out, sealing off the entire Matou mansion.

The sky darkened—

Zouken Matou looked on in horror as his carefully cultivated insects aged and withered at a speed visible to the naked eye. Even he felt an unusual sense of exhaustion and weakness.

The air seemed sticky, pressing his beloved insects to the ground, rendering them immobile.

Zouken Matou stared at the girl before him. She wasn't a Heroic Spirit of great accomplishments; she was clearly a terrifying witch.

She knew perfectly well that this was Zouken Matou's territory—she had come here specifically to feast.

-150:33:21