Shinji Matou at Your Service

Ciel glanced at the Seventh Holy Scripture in her hand and the Black Keys hidden under her nun's habit. She then looked at the sea of flames that was holding back the encroaching forest, her eyelid twitching.

She had thought her actions were extreme, but she hadn't expected someone to go even further. However, she also recognized that Shinji's approach was the best option available.

The first incendiary bomb was nearly overwhelmed by the relentless advance of the tree horde, but the scale of the resulting firestorm rivaled her most secret ace. Yet within the forest, she couldn't use that ace due to her inability to connect with the Great Source.

There was no room for hesitation—after all, using technological weapons wasn't a big deal. Members of the Burial Agency were not like the old-fashioned magus of the Clock Tower.

The blue-haired, blue-eyed nun kicked a barrel of gasoline into the dying fire, stoking the flames to extend the incendiary barrier.

She then picked up a six-barrel Vulcan and unleashed a barrage on the shadowy trees emerging from the flames. Having modified the Seventh Holy Scripture into a battering ram, Ciel's familiarity with personal weaponry was no less than Shinji's.

The Vulcan gun excelled in both rate of fire and power. Even the vampiric plants that had absorbed the King of the Land would be shredded by a burst of bullets.

If these plants were surrounded by their kind, they could rely on their vampiric nature to quickly regenerate. But now, engulfed in fire, they had no time to recover before the flames consumed them and spread further.

"Nicely done."

Shinji didn't hold back his praise for Ciell's sharp maneuvers. As he expertly reloaded the RPG, he launched another round in a different direction—the trees had already begun to adapt and change their approach.

Ciel immediately adjusted her aim and unleashed a new round of suppressive fire. Although it was their first time working together, their shared interest in weaponry allowed them to coordinate effectively, and any animosity between them, stemming from their connection to Arcueid, dissipated in the thunderous roar of gunfire.

Even as they unleashed their firepower, they kept an eye on their less mobile companions.

"Caren, come behind me."

"Merem, keep yourself safe and alert us if you notice any stragglers."

"Thanks for the concern, but we're not so weak that we need protection—it's time to get up, Caren."

In Merem's voice, which was laced with both sweetness and menace, an ominous energy flared once again.

This time, the source was not Caren, but Merem himself. The young member of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors was famous in the mystical world as the Daemon Summoner and summoning daemons was as natural to him as breathing. It was largely thanks to him that the Demon Nun had become what she was.

The power of the demon filled the air and was quickly absorbed by Caren.

"Ughhh—!"

The smaller girl let out a piercing scream as mysterious wounds appeared all over her exposed skin—such was the nature of her Masochistic Spiritualist Constitution.

Despite her wounded body, her face grew increasingly flushed until she eventually wobbled to her feet, grabbing a Gatling gun in one hand and several grenades in the other. She appeared even more ferocious than Shinji and Ciel, who were unscathed.

Shinji, keeping an eye on the rear, nearly popped his eyes out of his head in shock.

"You can do that? But—at this rate, her body could collapse at any moment."

"It's the price to pay. If you want something, you must give something in return. It's a simple concept. To gain great power quickly, you must take risks. This is all voluntary on her part."

As Merem explained, everything was Caren's own choice. Although she had inherited the talents of Kotomine Kirei, she was not particularly outstanding among the many Executors. She had also missed the prime age for human growth, making it difficult to ever reach Kirei's level through normal training.

From the moment she decided to join the Burial Agency, Caren had mentally prepared herself for destruction. As long as she could gain power, as long as she could fill the void in her heart, she was willing to pay any price.

The Burial Agency hadn't disappointed her. Though its members were all twisted in one way or another, they had indeed opened new doors for her. There were rare secrets, and unimaginable techniques, and she was a beneficiary of one such technique—a method called Demon Fusion.

When a demon possesses a human, it amplifies the human's desires and drives them mad, but it also grants them immense power. This technique's goal was to allow humans to control demonic power for their use, converting demons into combat strength, similar to Pseudo-Servants.

Given Caren's Masochistic Spiritualist Constitution and her willingness, Narbareck had made her the subject of this experiment. With Merem's help, they crafted the perfect demon for Caren, resulting in the creation of the Demon Nun.

Because of this, as long as Merem was around, Caren could always replenish her demonic energy. Of course, the fusion process was excruciatingly painful.

"Caren, let me know if you can't hold on. I can stop anytime."

"I'm fine, Merem-sama. I'm not at my limit yet."

Her once golden eyes now blackened by madness, Caren showed no sign of giving up.

"This is nothing compared to that sinner."

With Carens resolve and the stirring of the forest, the young apostle felt his long-dormant passion reignite.

If they were going to fight, they had to win. Merem had no intention of losing to anyone except the master he had pledged his loyalty and admiration.

"Let's go, Daemon of the Right Arm, Lady Windup!"

His right arm became ethereal, and another of the Four Great Daemon Beasts manifested behind him.

Like the King of the Land who served as his right foot, Lady Windup had no name, only a title derived from her appearance.

Mechanical doll, as in machine, mechanism.

Lady, as in a noble girl or young woman.

The demon of the right arm embodied these traits perfectly, born from the wishes for guns, swords, and warfare, modeled after a large statue of the Holy Virgin, ultimately materializing as a 10-meter-tall mechanical doll (anthropomorphized gear-activated divine statue).

The doll took the form of a delicately crafted and adorable young girl, with parts of her outer armor designed to resemble a black lace dress. Considering this, it was more appropriate to refer to the daemon as she.

However, in Shinji's eyes, Lady Windup should have been called Mecha Girl or Mechanical War Angel.