Section 2: The Masked Killers

Trace on.

Okay, the junk I just projected against the door should hold for a little while, but it won't be long enough.

Especially not against that Phantom's Monstrous Strength.

That's all right. If my reading of the situation is correct, it'll take him some time to reach us.

He stopped pounding on the door? Why would he do that?

Do you have some idea of what's going on here, Murasaki?

...I can't yet say anything for certain. Right now I'm just guessing, really.

As you know, this Lord Phantom we just fought was both impossibly strong and incredibly durable.

...Yes, he was.

It felt as though we were up against a Servant straight out of mythology.

I certainly can't remember Lord Phantom ever fighting like that in the time I've been at Chaldea.

Me neither.

He's always fought true to his Assassin naturesinging to mess with the enemy's mind before quickly closing in for a single fatal strike.

But thischarging in headlong regardless of the damage he takes, trying to simply overwhelm us with raw strength...

The real Phantom would never do that. It's simply not how he operates.

Indeed. Watching him fight just now...

...was like watching the killer from a slasher movie.

...

Huh?

Remember when the TV turned on by itself and played that strange trailer?

It did?

？！

And you think it's relevant somehow?

I do.

In fact, I think that trailer may have been speaking to this very situation.

But tonight's not a full moon.

No, it wasn't. And yet, when I looked up at the night sky earlier...

...I saw that what should have been a crescent moon had become a full moon.

My suspicion is that the moon became full because this slasher showed up.

...So, you think this Phantom is the slasher the trailer mentioned?

I do.

This next part gets into some even bolder supposition on my part...

...but I think stepping into this Singularity has put us in, well...a horror movie.

...Huh?

？！

Ulp.

I'm so embarrassed, saying that out loud...

This is exactly why I was so hesitant to bring this up!

Don't be. You're exactly right.

I wish you would call me "Lily."

That's me. You were making so much noise, you woke me up.

You shouldn't stay up so late, you know. Hehehe.

？！

...Getting back on track: You're saying Murasaki's theory is correct?

That's right. Rules come into effect whenever night falls.

And I think Murasaki is exactly right about tonight's rules.

I knew it. Furthermore, I think we're dealing with a specific kind of horror movie: a Hollywood B movie.

...I'm sorry, could I stop you there?

I have some familiarity with horror movies, but I've never heard of Hollywood or B movies before.

Oh, no, I'm sorry. I should have explained what I meant.

... ...

All right, we should still have some time, so I'll try and elaborate.

To acquire this Spirit Origin, I, Murasaki Shikibu, née Fujiwara-no-Kaoruko, pored over every kind of story I could find.

And I don't just mean books. I also studied all kinds of films and TV series. That's where I learned that a staple genre of summer entertainment is

Horror movies.

Yes, exactly!

There are a great many genres of film, and even more tropes and patterns they tend to follow.

And when I think back on the various horror films I watcheder, studied in Chaldea's library...

...it's clear to me that Lord Phantom is behaving just like a slasher in a B movie.

So you're saying he's acting according to those conventions?

Yes. That's exactly right, Lord Emiya.

I know this may sound ridiculous...

...but I believe the rules I am about to tell you apply to virtually all horror movies.

"The slasher will be invincible until the third act." "The slasher will prefer to attack young people, especially couples."

"The slasher will never kill children." "The slasher is capable of all manner of impossible things."

...There are other rules besides those, and of course, there are many films which do not conform to any such rules...

But broadly speaking, I think it's safe to say many B horror movies have those four rules in common.

That would explain how Phantom could be so much stronger than most Servants, let alone ordinary people.

Yes, I think it would.

As the real Lord Phantom is nowhere near so strong as we have seen, I expect this unusual strength is a result of his having become a horror movie slasher.

The same is true for his abnormal durability as well. To put it simply, that Lord Phantom simply isn't capable of dying yet.

I guess that's because there'd be no movie if he died at the beginning.

He may be a terrifying monster, but it's also a very sad way to live.

I wish there was something I could do for him, but even though I'm Yaobikuni, I'm afraid I can't fight...

Hey, don't worry about it. Every Servant here knows their way around a battlefield.

We'll find a way to resolve this as long as we keep looking. Heck, that's why we came here in the first place.

So, Murasaki, do you think this door has any special significance?

It's a bit hard to say, since there are so many exceptions...

...but one rule does come to mind:

"The slasher needs some kind of opportunity in order to break through a constructed barrier."

What kind of opportunity?

For example, one of the characters feels safe after putting up a barrier and gets too close to the door...

...only for the slasher's arm to burst through it. That sort of thing.

Aha. Now I get it.

That being said, we can't stay here forever. Eventually, the slasher will find another way inside.

My guess is he'll wind up teleporting into the cottage, impossible though that is.

Yes, I would agree.

The slasher will almost certainly murder anyone who goes off on their own.

So there's nothing we can do to fight back?

I've been sensing powerful charmsor curses, if you willall throughout this Singularity...

...and they've only gotten stronger since night fell.

Strong enough that I've been able to sense them acutely, even though I'm not a proper onmyouji.

I wonder... Maybe this curse is taking the concept of our being Servants...

...and overwriting it with the concept of movie characters?

If it is, what do we do?

Assuming my hypothesis is correct...

...we should be able to repel the enemy by strengthening our concepts as Servants.

I can think of two ways we may be able to do that.

One, we follow the movie's rules and reach the end of the film.

Two, we go against the movie's rules and cause the whole film to break down.

？！

Definitely.

I might not know as much about them as Murasaki, but I've seen a few horror films myself.

And usually, by the time the credits roll, there are one, maybe two characters left alive...at most.

On top of that, I don't think you'd be one of the survivors, Master.

In fact, if you follow the movie's rules, I think you'd probably be one of the first to die.

？！

Uh-huh. I can tell a person's destiny by reading these conventions and auras, so to speak.

You could say it's like being able to see the flow of fate itself.

Hang on. Isn't it normal for the protagonist of a movie to still be alive at the end?

Generally it is, but horror movies often subvert that particular convention, so...

That's right. The protagonist is in even more danger in these situations.

？！

All right, then how exactly do we go about breaking down this movie we're in?

... ...

There are two ways.

One: we face the slasher directly and survive till morning. If we do that, we should be able to defeat him.

Why's that?

From what I can tell, this movie's killer is designed to only last a single night.

Now I see. So it really is like a traditional horror film then.

The killer's job is to show up at night and terrorize the hell out of the cast for a solid ninety minutes.

So what's the second way?

The second...

...is to use Lady Illya as a decoy.

Huh?

...S-seriously!?

Aha, I see. So we'd be using the movie's rules against it.

H-h-huh? What do you mean?

I believe the very same rules that are magnifying Phantom's strength also render him unable to kill children.

That's why he never went after Lady Illya during our battle.

The only thing is...well...

That would be a cruel and cowardly method, and I am afraid it is also one I cannot endorse.

...I don't see any reason not to use it.

Illya's a powerful Servant. She's as able to fight or withdraw when she has to as any of us.

That doesn't mean we can just use her like some sort of pawn!

I agree.

I know it was my suggestion, but I wouldn't feel right about using her as a decoy.

？！

Wait, wait! All of you, just hang on!

Illya?

Lady Illya?

...It's okay. I can do this. I can do this!

I'm still Fujimaru's Servant, after all!

？！

...Yes, I suppose you are.

You may be a child, but you are a Servant first and foremost.

It seems I was being overly protective of you.

Forgive me, Lady Illyasviel.

O-of course... (I've never seen someone so handsome sparkle with pure virtue before!)

Well, Master, it's your decision. We'll do whatever you think is best.

？！

Understood!

Okay, I'll give the signal, then open the door. From there, it'll be business as usual.

... ...Let's go!

Okay. I'll do my best!

It'll be fine. I'm a Servant too, after all!

Okay, I'll give the signal, then open the door. From there, it'll be business as usual.

...(Gulp)

You're stiff as a board, Illya. You sure you'll be okay?

You're not scared, are you?

N-no! Okay, yes! But it's not what you think!

I'm scared of what might happen if I mess up and ruin everything!

Don't worry. If something goes wrong, me, Prince of Lan Ling, and Murasaki are all here to back you up.

And don't forget, we've got a Master who's seen more action than an army of mages right behind us.

Just fight like you always do and you'll be fine.

... ...

Thank you, Emiya! I feel much better now!

... ...Let's go!

Time to wake up, Phantom. Now snap out of it!

... ...

Ghh. Rrraaahhh!

...Hm? Where...am I...?

Ulp...

Yikes. That was about as hard as I'd expect a fight against a horror movie slasher to be, but

Yes! We did it, everyone!

I'm really sorry, Phantom, but I hope this will snap you out of it...

Hyaaah!

... ...

...Ghh... Ngh...

I... ...

Look, Fujimaru. It's morning...

I'm so glad that's over with...

？！

Thanks! I did my very best!

It looks like Lord Phantom is okay, too. Ahh, thank goodness.

It would seem our nightmarish night is at an end, then.

It'd be even better if the Singularity had disappeared as well, but I guess that was too much to hope for.

At least the most pressing crisis is over now, so we can at least celebrate that.

Hooray!

？！

Hey, Kouhai. I'm not quite sure how to tell you this, but...

I died.

... ...

... ...

... ...

... ...

Say what!?