Steel Eyed Faker Chapter 28: Save the Lord Part 3 (Patreon)

beta read by Paragon of Awesomeness and Shihiya

Edit 1: Lionel Leone lemon scene added

Lemon took a while.

Also, here is a link to a few images that inspired the lemon. (Made by Jmspikey)

Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CFlLm7Q-OM8HicqhIROk-Q1BZU_WmEeg

Oh right, Lemon warning ofc!

Next update is Hound

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-Night Raid Hideout-

(One day earlier)

If there was one commodity that always remained fully stocked in every hideout chosen by the group of assassins, it would not be food, the armory, or even basic necessities like comfortable bedding or a source of clean water. Instead, the cellar held rows upon rows of alcoholic drinks. Barrels, bottles, and wooden crates of the stuff filled the shelves, enough to keep a small army drunk for a month if someone felt inclined to test it. Cheap beer, darker brews, honey-yellow mead, and even a few dusty bottles of wine sat side by side as if they had always belonged there.

Was it wise for the leader of an assassination group to show that kind of bias while managing the base? Not really. It leaned closer to personal preference than proper planning, and anyone looking at the cellar for the first time would probably question the priorities involved. Still, nobody in the group had ever bothered to complain. Some simply did not care. Others quietly appreciated having easy access to a few drinks after a long mission.

A few even helped keep the supply stocked whenever they returned from the Capital.

All of that meant Emiya hardly needed to search long to gather what he wanted. Two wooden cases of beer rested under one arm while a pair of wine bottles hung loosely in his other hand as he walked back to his assigned room. The task required little effort. The real reason for the trip stood across from him now.

"Puah! Now this is the good stuff!"

Leone let out a satisfied noise as she slammed her mug down on the table. Foam clung to the rim while a few drops spilled across the rough wooden surface. She had already drained her drink for the third time. The blonde wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and leaned back in her chair, looking far too pleased with herself.

Meanwhile, Emiya still held his first mug. The wooden cup rested calmly in his hand, barely half empty.

"Why the hell are you drinking like some prissy noblelady?" Leone said with a loud laugh. "I know you can chug that thing in seconds. Don't be shy!"

"I think I told you this before, but I'm not much of a drinker myself," he replied.

The man raised the mug and took another slow sip. The beer carried a taste that felt rough compared to the alcohol he remembered from modern times. The flavor came out thin and slightly bitter, lacking the smooth finish that better brews usually had. Still, it served its purpose. The locals drank it by the pint and managed to get drunk just fine with no complaints, so long as it wasn’t noticeably watered down.

Leone leaned forward again and refilled her mug from the bottle sitting between them.

"Even if you're not a drinker, you should still treat it like it's your last day," she said. "Live your life properly and enjoy the buzz."

"And then deal with the consequences the next morning."

"Hangovers can always be fixed by drinking more beer."

"That turns responsible drinking into teetering one narrow step away from alcoholism."

The blonde scoffed and waved his words away.

"You and your big vocabulary," she said. "Seriously, for someone who deals with so much crap every day and spent years getting chased by that crazy ice demon, I'd expect you to lean on something to take the edge off. The fact that you're not a walking bundle of nerves still surprises me."

Emiya gave a small shrug and set the mug down on the table beside the bottle.

"Suffice to say I handle stress differently," he said. "And I'm more used to it than most."

His answer sounded simple, though the truth behind it ran deeper than the assassin could guess. Serving as a Counter Guardian forced a person to endure far worse than battlefield pressure or the tension of being hunted. Anyone bound to that role learned how to bury emotions and keep moving forward regardless of the situation.

…Or they went insane, though they were made to fulfill their function regardless of their mental state.

Many Heroic Spirits shared that same trait. Others chose a different path and drowned their thoughts in drink whenever the chance appeared.

Leone clearly belonged to the second group, though he saw there was enjoyment in the act, as opposed to drowning one’s sorrows.

She took another long gulp before lowering the mug again. Her eyes drifted toward him with a curious look that replaced the playful grin from earlier.

"Hey, Emiya," she said. "I don't remember if I ever asked you this…"

He glanced up to meet her eyes.

"But what's really going on between you and Esdeath?"

That made him raise an eyebrow. "I feel like you asked this before. Why even ask? We are enemies who will more than likely end up killing one another if we cross paths again."

His answer might have come out a little colder than he intended, though at least the meaning stayed clear. There was no point dressing the matter in softer words when both of them already understood the situation they stood in.

"You know that’s not what I’m asking."

"I honestly do not know what exactly you are asking," he replied, resting his elbow against the table while the faint smell of alcohol drifted through the small room.

The woman glared at him and reached for her third bottle to fill her mug with, this one containing mead. The mug felt heavy in her hand as she tilted it slightly, testing the weight before taking a long drink. She gulped down the contents in several loud swallows, then slammed the wooden mug back onto the table with a thud that made the surface rattle.

"I am asking whether or not you love her! You know, have a crush on her. Whether you want to pull her into your bed and fuck the crazy out of her. If you see Esdeath in a different light from the rest of us. If your heart flutters whenever you think about her. That sort of thing. You get what I mean."

"…?"

The man simply sat there, the surprise plain on his face. That was not the sort of thing he expected to hear from her tonight. For a moment, he remained silent, his thoughts drifting back to the scene on that quiet island. The memory lingered longer than he expected. What had happened between them that day, and what might have happened if no one had interfered, made it harder to give the answer he first intended.

"I would not call it love," he finally said. "I do not love her that way, and she does not love me. That much is clear."

"Oh?"

She sensed there was more behind the statement and did not interrupt. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, eyes wide with interest. The look on her face almost resembled a child listening to a story before going to sleep, waiting to hear how the tale concluded.

"For you to understand my answer, the first thing you need to understand is Esdeath herself," he continued. "Trying to judge her with common sense is a mistake. She sees things in a completely different way. The way she thinks, the way she understands certain concepts, it all works differently. To the point that calling her a normal person would not be accurate."

"Well, as someone who gathers information for a living, I do know her childhood was not exactly pleasant. She lost her tribe, and there are plenty of rumors about how frightening she used to be during her years at the Imperial military academy."

"Her academy years," he repeated quietly.

The words brought back many memories. A faint trace of nostalgia passed through him before he continued speaking.

"From the very beginning, whatever the Partas tribe taught her remained planted deep in her mind. Even long after she joined the Empire, those ideas never disappeared. In her eyes, the world works like a jungle. Strength decides everything. It is not about love or fairness. The strong take what they want, and the weak either submit or are crushed."

He paused for a moment, rubbing the side of his temple as he searched for the right way to explain it.

"But sometimes she shows a side that does not fit that line of thought. Moments where she acts in ways I cannot easily explain, because I do not fully understand them myself. It creates a strange contrast. She maintains those harsh beliefs, yet she is also strangely affectionate with those she respects. Additionally, when she’s willing to discuss the subject, Esdeath is very particular about the kind of person she would accept as a lover. She has a clear idea of what she wants."

"She has a type of guy she likes?" the woman asked, leaning back in her chair while folding her arms. "Aside from being ridiculously powerful, what else would she want?"

The list she had told him years ago drifted back into his mind, and the memory made him let out a quiet chuckle.

"She told me she has five requirements. Her ideal man needs to have a pleasant smile, be fearless in battle, be younger than her because she finds such men easier to dominate, not have had his upbringing be influenced by living in the Capital, and possess immense martial potential."

"Wow, that sounds kind of… normal? Aside from her reasoning on the guy’s age, every other part is something you'd expect to see in a naive young girl's list of ideal qualities in her future husband. The only thing missing is being rich." Leone said, clearly not expecting that sort of description to come from someone talking about Esdeath.

"I had the same reaction," he replied. "That is why it’s so hard to get a read on her. She embodies several extremes at once, and it is difficult to know which part of her is in control at any given moment. And that list is also the reason why I do not think we could ever become lovers."

The woman gave a low hum as she leaned back slightly.

"Then let me rephrase my question a bit. What do you actually feel for her? Do you like her?"

Again, the first answer that rose to his mind was a simple no. The word almost left his mouth on instinct. Yet before he could say it, the memory of that moment on the island resurfaced.

If he truly hated Esdeath, then why had he done that?

Why had he accepted the outcome of that situation and returned her kiss instead of rejecting it? The man was honest enough to admit that had Syura not appeared, things would have escalated far beyond just a simple kiss.

If he claimed to hate her, then none of that would have happened.

For the first time since the conversation started, he lifted his cup again and took a slow swig of the drink. The alcohol slid down his throat and left a faint burning sensation behind that lingered for a few seconds.

"I think… she has the abilities to be a good person," he answered after a moment.

The words came out honestly. At the same time, he decided to blame the alcohol for the ridiculous answer. Even if it was not the real reason, it gave him something simple to point at. While not a lie, it wasn’t the real reason.

"She was not like this before. Esdeath had her issues even back then, sure, but I could tell that a push in the right direction might have helped her. As for loving her…" He paused briefly, his fingers tapping once against the side of the cup. "I honestly do not see myself being in a relationship and having it work out."

"What a cop-out answer," Leone said without hesitation.

"But it is an honest one," he replied. "It is not love. You can think of it as a strange form of attachment mixed with several years of emotions that built up and briefly turned into something else. But if she truly loves me, then her way of showing it is twisted enough to involve trying to kill me. Even though I did not meet her requirements."

At that point, Leone scoffed loudly and crossed her arms.

"What the hell are you talking about? You fit all those requirements perfectly."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Think about it," she continued. "You were adopted, right? That means you are not actually related to the Empire's nobility or any of those political families in the Capital, and you clearly don’t think the way any of those assholes do. And since you ran away from that place years ago, you barely have any connections there anymore aside from the boss, who also defected. You are the boss's little brother, so that means you're younger, and I'm pretty sure you embody the very concept of fearlessness easily. Cause only the stupidly brave or the stupidly insane would fight Esdeath not once, but twice and still willing to go again."

She pointed a finger at him while speaking.

"And I have seen you smile plenty of times. You have a pretty handsome face, and there is still some innocence in it, even if you try to hide it. As for potential, do not even get me started on that."

"Potential?" he repeated.

"Yeah, potential!" Leone leaned forward as she spoke. "Who else sprouts swords out of his own body just to imitate some kind of emergency regeneration? That alone is enough to tell anyone you are not normal."

"How exactly is that potential?"

"I have no idea," she admitted while scratching the side of her head. "It was the first thing that came to mind."

Then her eyes lit up as she thought of something else.

"Oh, wait. Doesn't Tatsumi also fit those requirements?"

He thought about it for a moment and slowly realized she was not wrong. The kid did meet all five of those conditions.

Even though the boy had not fully unlocked the abilities of Shambhala yet, Emiya could already tell that with enough time and training, the boy would become a serious threat on the battlefield.

"Let us change the topic," he said at last. "This conversation is going nowhere, and I would rather not think about her anymore tonight."

Leone shrugged in response and reached for another bottle nearby, pulling the cork out before pouring herself another drink.

"Alright then. But don’t blame me if I ask something more personal."

He looked at her but said nothing.

"So tell me this," she continued. "Do you think you would ever be open to something more casual?"

His brow creased slightly.

"I am not asking you to tie yourself to someone or get into a serious relationship," Leone clarified while lifting the bottle again. "Just something to scratch that itch. You know what I mean."

He hummed quietly and looked down at his cup. The liquid swirled in slow circles as he tilted it slightly in his hand.

"Usually I do not have time for something like that," he answered after a moment. "Even a physical relationship still requires some level of effort… and I just lack the desire to invest myself in such a thing. Usually, I prefer spending some alone time by myself, indulging in my hobbies to relieve my frustrations.”

“That just means you haven't had a good woman to show you otherwise!” she said while slapping her hand on the table. “I tell you, with the right woman in your life, you won't even be able to think about your hobbies and be completely satisfied with what she has to offer. Physically.”

The man just hummed with amusement. “Interesting, though it is unfortunate that I have yet to find such a woman. Unless you know some already?”

“Looks to me like you may need to check your eyes; clearly, something is wrong with them, given you can't even see what’s right in front of you.” Leone crossed her arms beneath her chest, pushing them up just enough to make them more pronounced and push against the soft fabric of her clothing. “I have a cute face, hot body, endless stamina, and some damn good technique if I do say so — who else would it be aside from me? Unless you got your eyes on Akame… or Najen—”

“Something just tells me you have had too much to drink.” Emiya cut her off as she grinned at him mischievously.

“Come on now, I was just kidding! Besides, the two of you aren’t related by blood, so what's the big deal?”

“We may not be related by blood, but that doesn’t change anything. Also, shouldn't you be happy that I'm not in that kind of relationship with her?”

“Can't argue against that, but I wouldn’t have minded if she decided to join…”

“Seriously, how much have you drank already?”

The conversation went on for another hour, the stack of empty bottles growing in the background, with Leone having already consumed an entire crate by herself while he peacefully sipped on his third serving. Though at a certain point he did wish to have brought along some snacks; a few of them could have gone quite well with this beverage as a combination.

Regardless, the alcohol seemed to be getting to Leone, who started to sway left to right with her eyes growing hazy and unfocused. “I'll go… lie down over there for a bit.” Without even waiting for his permission, she went over to his bed and jumped on the mattress. She rolled around several times and even rubbed her head against the pillow while pushing the material onto her face and taking a deep sniff.

Emiya found her behaviour very weird… though Leone clearly did not care.

“For a guy who spends all his time cleaning and cooking food, your bed smells surprisingly nice. Also, what are you standing there for? Come join me!” She got up briefly and went to pull his arm, having Emiya land on the bed with his back against the mattress and gazing at the ceiling along with Leone for the next several minutes in complete silence. At some point, the woman even turned around and had her arms rest across his chest.

“Hey, after all of this is done, what do you want to do? Are you just going to go back out there and travel the world?” she asked, his face turning to look at her while she looked back at him with several emotions behind those eyes.

“Probably not. I'm a bit tired from travelling all across the continent. I wouldn't mind settling in one place for some time before even thinking about traveling again,” he answered truthfully; as much as the world had to offer with all its mysteries and the various faraway kingdoms… repeating history was not an enticing prospect.

“No mentions of living with someone once you settle down.”

He chuckled. “Everyone has their own path to follow. I wouldn't want them to let go of what they wanted to accomplish and to rebuild the Empire just to spend a few years in a shabby wooden house in the middle of the forest.”

“…I wouldn't mind that,” Leone answered with a much more sober tone, staring at the ceiling without turning her head. “Aside from being an assassin, I don't really see what I'm going to do afterwards. And if this thing manages to work out, the new country really wouldn’t have much need for assassins.”

“Here I thought someone like you would want to open a bar or something similar.”

“Heh, that does sound like a good idea.” This time, she turned her head towards him, staring back at his eyes with a beautiful smile. “Would you consider helping me with that? It might not be in the middle of the forest since we'd go out of business in a month. So maybe a small town or a village at worst. Either place, we'll get rich in no time with a master chef like you and a hot, sexy barkeep like me running the place!”

While he wouldn’t say it like that, it wasn’t a bad idea; Maybe call it Copenhagen.

“Hahaha… I suppose you are right.” Strange, he almost imagined that happening, and it being a success. A good pastime, with him finally having all the time in the world to experiment in the kitchen with various Danger Beasts' meat and several types of vegetables foreign to his own world. Potentially adding more recipes to that book. “Ah…”

His musing ended up getting cut off not by a word, but by a sudden shift in weight and pressure. Leone, with a predatory grace that defied her earlier drunken swaying, had moved. In a fluid motion, she swung her leg over his waist, settling herself atop him with her knees digging into the mattress on either side of his hips. The thin fabric of his shirt did little to mask the heat radiating from her body, a stark contrast to the cool night air. A big, silly grin was plastered on her face, her golden eyes gleaming with a mischief that was both intoxicating and dangerous.

“Hey, Emiya,” she purred, her voice a low, husky whisper that vibrated through her chest and into his. “For tomorrow’s mission… I might need a little ‘boost’ to my confidence. Something to keep this lioness motivated to take on the dangers awaiting me and go beyond my limits. You up for it?”

His mind, still sluggish from the alcohol, tried to process the question. He was about to ask if she was sure, if she wasn’t too drunk, but Leone was faster. She leaned forward, her long, wild hair tickling his neck as she placed a finger against his lips.

“It’s exactly like I said before, and don’t you dare ask if I’m too drunk,” she cut him off, her tone turning serious for a fleeting moment. “I don’t expect this to be anything deep. No emotions attached, no wanting to form a bond or start something. Just… this.” She gestured vaguely between them.

“…”

“Before each assassination mission with a high danger rate, I always prepare by going with the mindset of no regret left behind. To go ahead and treat the current day as if it were my last. Usually drinking plenty of wine, mead, or beer does the trick, but well… I did not get that feeling of satisfaction yet.” She paused, her golden eyes searching his gray orbs. “I wonder if you’re willing to help me out with that.”

A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by the crackling of the dying fire in the hearth. Leone’s confident smirk faltered slightly, and she looked away, a flicker of vulnerability in her gaze. “Then again, ahem! T-This could just be the alcohol talking, b-bedtime must be close. I have a habit of saying crazy things when I’ve had too much, hahaha…”

Emiya saw it for what it was.

The blonde just gave him an out, a clean, easy way to decline without any hard feelings lingering between them. He could laugh it off, blame it on the alcohol, and they could go back to their prior drinking — then both of them going to bed.

But the thought of doing that felt… hasty.

Instead of backing away, he did the opposite, and sat up.

“Oh!” The motion caused Leone to gasp softly as she was suddenly lifted with him, still straddling his waist, but now they were face to face, her chest pressing firmly against his. He could feel the frantic beat of her heart through her thin top. He brought his face close to hers, their lips mere inches apart, his gray eyes locking onto her wide, anticipating golden ones.

“I may also be too drunk today,” he murmured, his voice barely reaching her ears. “And I may make some irrational decisions tonight.”

Leone’s stunned face soon melted, her lips slowly curled into a genuine, breathtakingly happy smirk. “Yeah,” she breathed, her voice thick with relief and anticipation. “We just had too much to drink. We might even forget about this entire drinking session tomorrow and go about our regular day. It… doesn’t have to mean anything.”

It was a lie, and they both knew it.

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(Lemon start)

The last sliver of distance between them vanished as their lips crashed together. A simple peck at first that turned into a genuine kiss, and then followed with a more intense exchange between them. Her hands shot up, tangling in his hair, her nails scraping lightly against his scalp as she pulled him deeper into the kiss.

It did not hurt, funnily enough.

His own hands roamed her back, tracing the curve of her spine, each movement earning a brief shiver from the assassin, before his hands settled on her hips, gripping them tightly as if to anchor himself to this moment.

Her lips were soft, but the kiss was anything but. He tasted the mead on her tongue, a somewhat bitter but intoxicating flavor that only fueled the fire raging within them both. She bit his lower lip, not hard enough to draw blood, but just enough to make him flinch — this had him retaliate by deepening the kiss.

Her tongue explored every corner of his mouth. “Mmmmn!” Of course, he would not let her stay so dominant for long and managed to overwhelm her quickly enough and snatch back control.

The air grew thick with the scent of sweat and alcohol, the sound of their heavy breathing and the soft, wet noises of their kisses filling the small room. Leone ground her hips against his in a sensual motion that sent a jolt of electricity straight through him. He could feel himself hardening beneath her.

She broke the kiss, panting heavily, her golden eyes dark with lust and even a bit of amusement. A thin trail of saliva connected their lips for a moment before she licked it away with a wicked grin.

“Getting excited, are we? Still gonna blame it all on the booze?” she teased, her voice a sultry rasp, her fingers tapping his chest.

He didn’t answer with words. Instead, he flipped them over, pinning her beneath him on the mattress. “Woah~!” The sudden movement made her gasp, her eyes widening in surprise and delight, he hovered over her, his arms caging her head.

“Definitely, what else would it be?”

She responded by wrapping her legs around his waist, pulling him down until their bodies were flush against each other. “I guess you're right,” she whispered, her hands sliding under his shirt, her fingers tracing the hard lines of his abdominal muscles. “Guess that means there’s nothing holding us back. So do something with it.”

He didn’t need any further encouragement, and so captured her lips again with Leone doing the same. His hands were everywhere, tearing at her clothes, feeling her skin against his. She was just as eager, her own hands fumbling with the surface of his armour, getting visibly more frustrated when she became unable to get the armor off.

“A little help here? I’ve got half a mind to use my Teigu and just rip it off.”

A laugh nearly left his mouth hearing her growl like an animal. With a simple mental command, the armor broke down into light, surprising the young woman.

“…Showoff.”

“I aim to please.”

“Hoh? Then I shouldn't lose out~!”

His words were met with a challenging glint in Leone’s eyes. With a sudden surge of strength, she pushed against his chest, forcing him back down onto the mattress.

“Oof,” he didn't resist, letting her take control as she swung her leg over him once more, this time to straddle his stomach. Reaching down, she grabbed the hem of what remained of her black tank top and, in one smooth, pulled it over her head and tossed it aside.

The dim firelight danced across her skin, which was already gleaming with a fine sheen of sweat from their earlier exertion. It made her look like she was carved from bronze, every muscle and curve defined. His eyes were drawn to her chest, to the full, heavy weight of her breasts. They were large and round, sitting high and proud on her frame, the soft flesh looking almost fluid in the flickering light. Her nipples were a dusty rose, already hardened into tight peaks from the cool air and the heat of the moment. They swayed slightly with her every breath, a mesmerizing, hypnotic sight.

A smug, confident smirk played on her lips as she noticed where his gaze had landed.

Leone leaned forward, propping herself up on her arms and letting her breasts hang just above his chest. “I’m pretty confident in my girls’ sizes,” she purred, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “So, tell me, Emiya… how do I stack up against Esdeath? That ice bitch is pretty stacked herself given how much cleavage she shows — but I don't feel like I lose out to her. In fact, I'm definitely bigger.”

He knew it was a test, a question designed to feed her ego. He let a small smile touch his own lips. “There’s no comparison,” he said, his voice a low murmur. “You’re in a league of your own.”

Leone’s smirk widened into a full-blown, triumphant grin. She loved that answer. “That’s what I thought! You know what to say to a girl.” With a final, lingering look, she pushed herself off him, sliding off the bed and kneeling on the wooden floor beside it. Her golden eyes never left him as she reached for the waistband of his pants.

Her fingers were deft, undoing the clasp and slowly pulling the fabric down. He lifted his hips slightly to help her, and as she tugged his pants and underwear down, his erection sprang free, coming to rest heavily against her cheek. The heat of him against her skin made her let out a soft, surprised moan.

“Wow,” she breathed, her eyes wide as she pulled back just enough to look at him. “Someone’s excited.” She leaned in, her lips brushing against the side of his shaft as she spoke. “Is this your first time, Emiya?”

He let out a soft grunt, his breath catching as her warm breath ghosted over his skin. “I’ve never slept with anyone else in my life,” he admitted, which was technically the truth. Leone didn’t need to know about the life he’d lived before.

“Good,” she whispered, and then her tongue was on him.

She started at the base, a slow, deliberate glide of wet heat that traced a thick vein all the way from the base up to the sensitive tip. He let out a sharp hiss of air, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. “Mmm,” Leone moaned, the sound vibrating against his flesh. She did it again, this time swirling her tongue around the head before taking him into her mouth.

She took her time, her movements a mix of teasing licks and slow, sensual suction. Each time her lips slid down his length, a soft grunt would escape his throat, his hips twitching involuntarily.

Enjoying every sound and expression he made, her own moans became more frequent, more desperate as she lost herself in the act. The wet, rhythmic sounds filled the room, mingling with their heavy breathing.

"Slurp… mmm… chu…"

The sounds of her mouth on him filled the room, pulling back with a wet pop, only to press a soft, lingering kiss to the tip. "Mmm, chu…" Her tongue would dart out to flick against the sensitive slit before she took him in again, deeper this time.

Her hand moved to cup his balls, gently massaging them as her mouth worked its magic. She didn’t neglect them either, occasionally extracting herself from his length and then leaning down to press open-mouthed kisses against the soft, tightened skin while she stroked his length.

"Slurp… mmm… chu…"

Her tongue would glide over them, tracing their shape before she’d return her attention to his throbbing shaft. The dual sensation was overwhelming, and he could feel the pressure building deep within him, a tight coil of pleasure ready to snap.

“Leone…” he grunted the next time she swallowed him, giving her a warning to which the woman responded by just humming in response, the vibration making him see stars as she took him deeper than before. That was all it took.

“Hm!” With a final, strangled grunt, he came, his release pulsing out in thick, hot ropes that painted her throat once before she pulled back, letting the rest soak her face and lips. She angled her head slightly, letting the last few spurts land on her cheek and chin.

For a moment, she just stayed there, breathing heavily, her face a beautiful mess. Then, a slow, wicked smile spread across her face. Her tongue darted out, lazily licking the cum from her lips with a soft "slurp". Using a finger to scoop up a glob from her cheek, she brought it to her mouth and sucked it clean with an audible "mmm".

Her tongue then darted out again, flicking and lapping at the corners of her mouth, chasing every last drop. "Chu… slurp… mmm…"

A shudder ran through her body, and her golden eyes, already dark with lust, now practically burned with a deep blazing hunger. Her hands were still sticky with his seed, and without a second thought, she brought them down between her legs. She rose to her feet and took several steps back until she leaned back against the sturdy wooden table, spreading her thighs as her fingers, slick with his cum, began to circle her clit before sliding into her wet folds.

A soft gasp escaped her lips, her head falling back. She looked at him from under half-lidded eyes, a picture of pure, unadulterated carnal need. "Are you just going to stand there and watch?" she panted, her voice thick with desire. "Or are you going to come and take what's yours?"

He didn't need to be asked twice, rising from the bed and crossing the short distance to the table. As he reached her, Leone smirked, though her breath hitched as her fingers continued their work. "I'm not one to care much for foreplay," she confessed, her voice a husky whisper. "And after that massage you gave me, I'm not about to trust you with that either, and I am genuinely at my limit already"

“Still salty about that, I see.”

“Salty? I'm livid to get some payback.” That answer earned an amused head shake. “So I'll get my revenge today by draining you dry. To the point you won't even be able to walk the next day.”

“Now that's a bold claim.”

Her free hand shot out, grabbing his still-hard cock and guiding it to her entrance, rubbing the head against her slick, waiting cunt. "Just… push it in already. I am seriously about to lose my mind and might jump on you like an animal if you don't…"

Not wanting to trigger the feisty lioness, he obliged, gripping her hips and thrusting forward in one smooth, deep motion that buried himself to the hilt inside her. Leone cried out, a mix of shock and pleasure, her back arching off the table.

“If you intend to stay true to your prior words, then this is nothing.” Not waiting for her to adjust, Emiya pulled back only to slam into her again and then relentlessly repeat the action. The table groaned under the force of their movements, the sound of skin slapping against skin echoing through the room.

"F-Fuck, yes! Just like that!" Leone yelled, her hands flat on the table to brace herself. The force of his thrusts was relentless, each one driving the air from her lungs in a sharp, desperate gasp. With every powerful thrust, her large breasts jiggled wildly, the sight mesmerizing in the flickering candlelight. The flame cast their shadows on the far wall, two silhouettes locked in a frenzied dance, a spectacle of raw passion that played out for minutes on end. Her knuckles were white from how hard she was gripping the edge of the table, her body rocking with the sheer power of his strokes.

The room was filled with the lewd, wet music of their bodies, a rhythmic pounding of flesh meeting flesh that grew louder and more frantic with each passing second.

"Don't you dare slow down," she panted, her voice a husky command laced with pure need, nails dragging down his back. "Fuck me like you mean it, Emiya!”

"Hn," Emiya grunted, his rhythm never faltering.

"All for you," she moaned, her pussy clenching around him. "I've been waiting for this all night!"

In the midst of their frantic fucking, Leone's eyes darted to a half-empty bottle of wine sitting on the table behind her.

Making use of her flexibility, the blonde reached back and snatched it up. "Thirsty?" she asked, her voice breathy and punctuated by his thrusts.

Emiya just raised an eyebrow, the question so bizarrely timed that it almost broke his concentration. "I wouldn't mind something for after," he managed to say, his voice tight with exertion.

Leone just smirked. "I have the perfect solution." She uncorked the bottle with her teeth and took a long, deep swig, her cheeks puffing out. But instead of swallowing, she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. As he opened his mouth to kiss her back, she let the cool, sweet wine flow from her mouth into his. He was caught completely off guard but obliged, drinking the wine directly from her lips in the most unusual kiss he'd ever experienced.

As the last of the wine passed between them, he pulled back, a smirk of his own on his face. His hand came down in a sharp, stinging slap against her ass.

Slap!

"Aah~!" The blonde cried out, the sound a mixture of shock and intense pleasure. Her moans grew louder, more desperate, and her hold on him tightened, her inner walls clamping down around his cock like a vice as the unexpected pain sent a fresh wave of arousal crashing through her.

The sting of the slap on her ass was still sending electric shocks through her system each time Emiya rammed his hips into her, making her pussy clench rhythmically around him. Leone panted, a wild, ecstatic grin on her face as she looked at the dark red handprint blooming on her pale skin. "Hah… hah… d-did you like that?" she asked, her voice a sultry challenge. "The little drink I gave you?"

He was still moving inside her, a steady, punishing rhythm that made the table rock with every thrust. "It's not half bad," he grunted in response, his hands gripping her hips so tightly he was sure he’d leave bruises.

Leone threw her head back and laughed, a throaty, aroused sound. "Oh, I think you might change your opinion after another taste." Before he could ask what she meant, she tilted the wine bottle she was still holding. A stream of dark red wine cascaded down, splashing directly onto her chest. The cool liquid flowed over the heated skin of her breasts, tracing paths through the sweat that already gleamed there, dripping from her hard nipples and down her stomach to pool at where their bodies were joined.

The sight was intoxicating.

“How is it now~?”

“Better.”

Without missing a beat in his relentless thrusting, Emiya leaned down, his mouth closing over her wine-soaked breast. He sucked hard, the taste of her skin and the sweet, fruity wine mixing on his tongue.

"F-Fuck! Yes! Suck them harder!" Leone cried out, her hands flying from the table to tangle in his hair, holding him to her. "Don't you dare be gentle with them!" He wasn't. His teeth grazed her nipple, pulling and tugging at the sensitive bud until Leone was screaming in a wonderful mixture of pain and pleasure. "Ahhh! Gods, yes! Bite me! Mark me as yours!"

He switched to her other breast, giving it the same rough, demanding treatment, his hips never ceasing their powerful, driving pace. The room was a symphony of their carnal symphony; the wet slap of their bodies, the creak of the protesting table, her wanton moans, and his low grunts of exertion.

"Fuck, Emiya! You're so deep!" she shouted, her voice hoarse with passion, wrapping her legs around his waist, and pulling him deeper. "Don't stop! Please, don't you dare stop!"

He could feel his own climax approaching, a familiar tightening in his groin. "Leone… I'm getting close," he grunted out, a warning.

"Good!" she screamed back, her golden eyes burning with a feral light. "Do it! Cum for me! I want to feel it!" He started to slow, intending to pull out, but Leone was one step ahead of him. Sensing his intention, she unwrapped her legs from his waist and then, with a fluid, powerful motion, wrapped them tightly around his lower back, crossing her ankles to lock him in place.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going!?" she panted, her voice a demanding growl as she reared up to wrap her arms around his chest. "Don't you dare pull out. I want all of it. Pump every last drop inside me! Fill me up, Emiya! I want your cum to fill my womb!"

Her words, her tight embrace, the sheer force of her will — it was too much. With a final, guttural groan, he slammed into her one last time and buried himself as deep as he could go. "Leone! I'm cumming!" he roared, his cock throbbed violently as he came, pumping her full of his hot, thick seed.

The feeling of him pulsing inside her, the sheer heat and volume of his release, sent Leone over the edge.

"YES! THAT'S IT! CUM INSIDE ME!" she shrieked, her entire body seizing up, a silent scream catching in her throat as her orgasm crashed over her. Her eyes rolled back into her head, her mouth falling open in a silent 'O' as her tongue lolled out to the side.

Instincts taking over, the flash of clarity instantly had her open her mouth and bite hard against his neck. With enough force to draw some blood and most definitely leaving a lasting mark.

“Ugh! Leone!?”

“Hah… hah…” She did not answer, proceeding to lick his neck as if trying to mend the wound.

Another forceful thrust immediately pushed her back into ecstasy.

“Ah~!”

Her face — a mask of pure, unadulterated orgasmic bliss — was a sight of pure debauchery.

"I can feel it! So much! It's so warm! It's filling me!" she babbled, her pussy convulsing around him, milking him for every drop as wave after wave of pleasure wracked her body.

They stayed locked together for a long moment, both panting and trembling in the aftermath.

Finally, Emiya slowly pulled out. As he did, a thick trickle of his cum flowed out of her, overflowing from her still-spasming womb and running down the inside of her thigh to mix with the spilled wine on the floor. Leone slumped back against the table, her legs falling limply to the sides, a thoroughly satisfied, fucked-out smile on her beautiful face. "Gods… I can still feel it dripping out of me…" she whispered, panting for breath as lay on the table.

“Phew…” Despite it being a brief moment of intimacy, she really did drain him more than he anticipated. His chest was heaving, but the moment of exhaustion barely lasted that long before he started to recover. A sheen of sweat covered his body, and a deep, bone-deep satisfaction settled in his limbs.

With a passing silence, he glanced over at Leone, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "Hey," he breathed, running a hand through his damp hair. "I wonder if the entire Capital heard that. You were… incredibly loud at the end."

Leone, still basking in her own afterglow, let out a low, throaty chuckle that vibrated through her chest. She propped herself up on one arm, her golden eyes gleaming with a predatory light that sent a fresh jolt of anticipation through him. "Heard us?" she purred, her voice a husky whisper. "If they didn't hear us then… I'll just have to make sure they hear us now."

“What?”

Whoosh!

Before Emiya could process her words, a brilliant, blinding flash of golden light erupted in the room, forcing him to shield his eyes. When he lowered his hand, his breath caught in his throat.

Leone had activated her Teigu, Lionel, and transformed.

“What are you… huh?” A pair of sleek, powerful lion ears twitched atop her head, a long, sinuous tail swished slowly behind her and her hair now flowing till her back. The assassin's fingernails had sharpened into dark, formidable claws, and her entire body seemed to thrum with a potent, primal energy.

"What are you doing?" Emiya asked, his voice a mix of uncertainty and even a bit of apprehension.

Leone's grin just widened even further at his reaction, revealing the subtle points of her canines. "A fun fact for you, Emiya," she said, her voice dropping to a seductive rumble. "Lionesses have a much higher sex drive than male lions. They're the ones who initiate, over and over again~"

With that, she got off the table and got down on the plush carpet not on her feet, but on her hands and knees. The transformation had only amplified her natural predatory grace. She moved towards him in a fluid motion, her back arched just enough to accentuate the perfect curve of her spine and the swell of her firm hips and buttocks.

Her muscles flowed like a river under her skin as she crawled, each movement a display of feline sensuality. Her tail swayed hypnotically behind her, brushing against the floor with a soft whisper.

She reached the edge of the bed and paused, looking up at him with eyes that burned with an animalistic hunger. Without breaking her gaze, she dipped her head, her warm breath ghosting over his already re-stiffening cock.

“Aaaah-mmm~” Then, with ease that was utterly breathtaking, she took him back into her mouth. She swallowed him whole, her lips gliding smoothly down his shaft until her nose was pressed against his pelvis, taking him all the way to the back of her throat without the slightest hint of discomfort. The sensation was overwhelming, a tight, wet heat that enveloped him completely and the feel of her now, slightly rough tongue.

“Uhn!”

She held him there for a heart-stopping moment before slowly pulling back, her tongue swirling around him as she did. When he emerged from her mouth, his cock was glistening, fully erect, and cleaner than it had ever been, standing proudly at attention.

Leone licked her lips, a wicked smirk playing on her features. "I'm just getting warmed up," she growled, her voice thick with lust. "I hope you have enough stamina to last until sunrise, big boy."

The challenging tone was met with an equally stubborn gaze.

“You’re far to cocky when you use your Teigu.”

“Let's see.”

The challenge hung there for a second before she moved. She didn't just climb onto the bed; she flowed onto it, a predator claiming her territory.

"Mmm, you smell really good," she purred, her voice a low rumble. "All ready for me."

Her body, now a beautiful canvas of taut muscle and soft fur, covered him. Her knees pressed into the mattress on either side of his hips, pinning him in place. She didn't go for his mouth again. Instead, she lowered her head, her warm breath a stark contrast to the cool air on his skin.

"Let's get a taste," she hummed.

Even her tongue had changed, now rougher than a human's, it traced a slow line up his sternum. He let out a hiss at the strange, abrasive sensation.

"That's... that's new."

"Hehehe~! You like that?" she chuckled, lapping at his chest again, her saliva leaving cool trails that quickly warmed against his flushed skin. She moved higher, her teeth grazing his collarbone, not hard enough to break the skin, but enough to make him gasp. "Ah!" Her hands, with those razor claws, rested on his shoulders, the points pricking his skin just enough to not be too painful while being keenly aware of how sharp they were.

Just a step away from becoming lethal.

She licked a path up to his neck, her tongue swirling over the frantic pulse point there. "I can feel your heart racing," she murmured against his skin. "Are you scared, Emiya? Or just excited?"

Then she bit down. It wasn't a gentle nip. Her canines sank into the muscle where his neck met his shoulder.

"Given what we just did, of course my heart will be beating this fast, I'm still human. Rgh!" he grunted, the mix of pain and pleasure making his head spin.

At the same time, her hips shifted, grinding her wet pussy against his already hard cock. "Ohhh, yes," she moaned, the sound vibrating against his neck. "Feel that? That's all for you, it still wants you~!"

The friction was maddening, a slick heat that promised everything but delivered nothing yet. She did it again, a slow, circular grind of her hips, her bite tightening on his shoulder as she did.

"Leone..." he breathed out, his hands finding her hips, his fingers digging into her firm flesh. "Stop teasing."

She released his shoulder, her tongue laving over the red marks she'd left behind. "But teasing is so much fun," she mumbles mischievously but her voice, still thick with lust. "You like it when I bite you, don't you?" She ground down again, harder this time, her clit catching on the head of his dick and making them both gasp. "Mmmph! Right there!"

He couldn't form words, just a sound of agreement as she repeated the motion. Marking him, tasting him, all the action drove him insane. It seemed that all of her previous exhaustion had vanished and was now replaced with an endless well of energy. She bit him again, this time on his pectoral muscle, a quick, sharp sting that she immediately soothed with her rough tongue.

"Ah! Are you getting addicted to biting me? I'm not food.” He said with a strained smile.

All the while, her hips maintained that relentless, teasing grind, coating his cock in her fluids. He could feel how ready she was, how much she wanted it, and the anticipation was a physical ache.

Then, just as he was about to flip her over and take control, she moved. With a fluid, impossible grace, she lifted off him, spun around, and settled on all fours. She presented her ass to him, a perfect, heart-shaped offering which she eagerly shook back and forth.

“Come over here~! It's all yours to take~!”

Her tail lifted, curling slightly over her back, giving him an unobstructed view of everything as it made a come-hither motion. Her pussy was glistening, swollen and flushed with arousal, the lips parted slightly in invitation. Her back was arched, the muscles in her thighs and ass tensed and ready. It was the most wanton, most provocative thing he had ever seen.

He didn't hesitate.

He immediately moved behind her, his hands latching onto her hips. He lined himself up, the head of his cock nudging against her slick entrance.

“A-ah~!” Another moan escaped the blonde's lips as he pushed forward, sinking into her tight heat inch by inch. The feeling was incredible, her walls clamping around him, pulling him deeper. He groaned as he buried himself to the hilt, his hips pressing against the bountiful flesh of her muscled ass.

"Yessss," she hissed, pushing back against him, taking him even deeper. "That's it. Give it to me! Breed me!"

He started to move, pulling out almost all the way before slamming back in. The sound of his hips smacking against her ass echoed in the room, a loud, lewd clapping rhythm. He set a fast pace, his grip on her hips tightening as he drove into her again and again. The bed frame began to creak in protest with each powerful thrust. Her moans loud and unrestrained, filling the room in a chorus of pleasure that spurred him on.

"Harder! Fuck me harder!" she demanded, her long mane-like hair rippling in a similar manner to her flesh each time he thrust into her, and the result was absolutely racishing.

So he obliged; his movements becoming more forceful, more erratic. The room soon became a symphony of carnal sounds; the slaps of skin on skin, the squeak of the bed, her loud cries, and his own harsh grunts. His gaze glued on the sight of how her body writhed in pleasure and was sent rocking each time his manhood disappeared into her, over and over. A slick, wet piston driving into her welcoming heat.

It was a hypnotic, filthy sight, and he wanted it to never end.

Emiya leaned forward, his chest pressing against her back, his hand reaching up to tangle in her long, blonde hair. He wrapped the strands around his fist, pulling her head back, forcing her to arch her spine even more. Her neck was exposed to him, a long, vulnerable column of skin. He could see the frantic pulse beating beneath her ear.

He leaned down, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear. Then, he bit down. Not on her neck or shoulder, but on one of the furry, lion-like ears perched atop her head. His teeth gently biting into the soft, fuzzy cartilage.

"AH! FUCK!" The scream that tore from her throat was different from the others. It was high-pitched, shocked, and filled with an explosive, masochistic pleasure. Her entire body seized up, her pussy clamping down on his cock like a vise. She came, hard, her walls fluttering and spasming around him as a gush of her juices flooded his thighs and the bed beneath them.

But he didn't stop. He kept fucking her through her orgasm, his hips never ceasing their relentless pounding. He kept his grip on her hair, keeping her head pulled back, his teeth still grazing her sensitive ear.

"T-Too much! Ah! Emiya, my ears!" she cried out, her voice breaking. "They're too sensitive! I can't— ah! I'm cumming again!"

Another orgasm ripped through her, even more intense than the previous one. Her thighs were shaking, her arms gave out, but he held her up by her hair, his other arm wrapping around her waist to keep her from collapsing. He was pounding into her now, chasing his own release, the wet sounds of her dripping cunt being fucked filling the air. He could feel his own climax approaching, the pressure building at the base of his spine.

“Leone!”

With a final, brutal thrust, he buried himself as deep as he could go. “Argh!” He came, his cock pulsing, shooting thick ropes of his seed deep inside her. The feeling of him filling her triggered one last, shuddering orgasm from her, her body convulsing in his arms and her tongue lolling out as her body milked him for every last drop.

For a moment, they just stayed like that, a panting, sweaty mess of tangled limbs. He slowly released her hair, letting her head fall forward.

"Hah... hah... Leone..." he breathed out, his chest heaving. "I think... I think we should calm down a bit… hah… The bed might break otherwise."

A weak, satisfied chuckle was her only reply. He was about to pull out, to collapse onto the bed beside her, but he had underestimated her.

In a blur of motion, she moved. "My turn," she growled. With incredible strength, she twisted around, her clawed hand shooting out to grab his wrist.

"Hey!" he yelled in surprise. Before he could even understand what she was doing, the woman had used her momentum and her enhanced power to fling him back, landing hard on the middle of the bed with a loud "Oof!" The mattress bounced violently from the impact. He lay there, stunned for a second, the wind knocked out of him.

"What the—"

She was on him in an instant, straddling his waist, her knees pinning his arms to his sides. "No resting," she chimed with an ominous tone, her eyes wild, the pupils blown wide with an unquenchable lust. She looked completely and utterly lost to her beastly pursuit of pleasure.

A beautiful, terrifying apex predator.

Without another word, she reached down, grabbed his still-hard, slick cock, and positioned it at her entrance. "Time for round two."

“Ah~!”

And just like that, her waist slammed down, impaling herself on him in one swift motion.

"AHN! FUCK!" The blonde cried out in unison, the sudden, deep penetration stealing her breath. Her head fell back, a long moan tearing from her throat. "Ohhh, yes! Still so hard! Just for me!”

Then she started to ride him. Immediately setting up a punishing pace, her hips rising and falling, up and down, ferociously primal. Her entire body was a blur of motion, her breasts bouncing with each powerful descent and her hair flaring up to surround her like a kind of halo. She was using him, fucking him with a reckless abandon that was both exhilarating and a little frightening. The bed was screaming now, its frame groaning and creaking under the assault.

"Le-Leone! Hey, calm down!" he managed to gasp out, as he managed to work his hands free and gripped her bouncing thighs.

“Ha~! Ha~! Ha~!” She didn't seem to hear him.

Her head had been thrown back, her mouth open in a silent scream of pleasure. Her furry hands came up, not to touch his chest, but to grab his face. Her claws pricked his cheeks as she held him in a grip he couldn't break. She leaned down, her hips never ceasing their wild rhythm, and started to lick his face. It wasn't a kiss. It was a possessive, animalistic act. Her rough tongue lapped at his forehead, his cheeks, his chin, leaving trails of her saliva everywhere. She was marking him, claiming every inch of him.

He could feel another orgasm building in her, the way her walls started to flutter around his cock again. Her movements became even more frantic, more erratic. She was grinding down on him now, her clit rubbing against his pelvis with each slam of her hips.

The sounds were obscene, a symphony of wet, slapping flesh was suddenly joined by her voice. "Ohhh fuck! Yes! Right there!" she screamed, her words punctuated by the violent slam of her hips. "Your cock feels so fucking good inside me! Deeper! I want it deeper!"

Her moans were constant now, a loud, wanton soundtrack to the brutal fucking she was giving him. The headboard was slamming against the wall in a rhythmic, violent thump that matched the ferocious pace of her hips. He could feel the entire bed frame shuddering, the wood straining under the force of her unrestrained passion.

"Leone! The bed!" he yelled, his voice getting more and more strained as she rode him mercilessly.

The assassin either didn't hear or didn't care. "Ahhh! Ahhh! Ahhhh!" she cried out with every downward thrust, a high-pitched, lewd chant.

Her grip on his face tightened, her claws digging into his skin just enough to sting. She licked his lips, then forced her tongue into his mouth, a dominating, possessive kiss that was all teeth and desire. “Mmmmm~!” He could taste himself on her, a musky, salty flavor mixed with her own unique sweetness. Her hips were a blur, the slick heat of her pussy engulfing him over and over, the pleasure so intense it was almost painful.

He was just along for the ride, a tool for her pleasure, and everything about it was so fucking hot it made his head spin.

"Fuck me! Fuck me! FUCK MEEEE!" she shrieked, her voice cracking with sheer ecstasy.

Crack!

“—!”

With a particularly violent downward slam, there was a loud, splintering crack! One of the bed's wooden legs finally gave way. The mattress tilted violently until the entire remaining legs also collapsed, but she didn't miss a beat.

“Doesn't matter!” She adjusted her angle, her powerful legs absorbing the shift, and kept fucking him, her movements even more ferocious on the now-unstable surface. The broken legs scraped against the floor with each thrust, a new, grating sound added to the chaos.

"YES! LET’S BREAK IT! BREAK THE FUCKING BED!" she howled with laughter, her eyes wild with insane pleasure. "Don't you dare stop! Don't you fucking dare stop pounding my cunt with that fat cock! Keep fucking me!"

"Leone!" he grunted, his hands flying to her waist, trying to steady them, to slow her down.

She growled into his mouth, a low, feral sound that vibrated through his entire body. "Nnngh! Gonna cum! Gonna cum all over your big, hard cock! Oh god, I'm gonna... I'm gonna..."

Her words dissolved into a series of high-pitched, breathless whimpers. "Ah! Ah! Ah! AH! AH! AHHHHHHHH! …Gonna… Gonna... CUM!" she finally screamed, the words torn from her as her body went rigid.

Her back arched, her head thrown back in an ecstatic scream. "FUCK! FUCK! FUUUUUCK!" she shrieked as her entire body convulsed, her walls clamping down on his cock in a series of powerful, rhythmic spasms. He felt a flood of her juices, hot and copious, soaking his thighs and the ruined mattress beneath them. "I'm cumming! I'M CUMMING SO HARD!"

The sight of her lost in the throes of her orgasm, her face a mask of pure, unadulterated bliss, was enough to push him over the edge.

Emiya came with a hoarse shout, his hips bucking up into her as he emptied himself deep inside her again. "Leone!" he roared her name, his vision going white, his entire body tensing as wave after wave of pleasure washed over him. Able to feel her milking him, her inner muscles working to draw every last drop of his seed from him.

For a long moment, they were both still, the only sounds in the room their ragged, gasping breaths.

“Fuu… I'm spent." She collapsed onto his chest, her body limp and trembling with the aftershocks. Her furry ears twitched against his cheek, and he could feel her heart hammering against his ribs, and he was certain his own was doing the same to her.

He lay there, staring up at the ceiling, his mind completely blank. He felt utterly spent, drained, and used in the best possible way. The bed was a wreck, tilted at an awkward angle, the sheets a tangled, soaked mess. His body was covered in bite marks, scratches, and her saliva.

‘It’ll be a miracle if the entire base didn’t hear our activity. I should have added a basic sound-dampening bounded field…’ Slowly, he became aware of her breathing, the way it was starting to even out. She shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position on the broken bed. Leone stirred, lifting her head to look at him. The wild, almost feral look in her eyes had faded, replaced by a sated, lazy warmth.

"Mmmmm," she hummed contentedly, nuzzling his neck. "That was... intense."

He just huffed in response, a sound that was part exhaustion, part anticipation. He had a feeling he was in for a very long day, come morning.

Hours later, the sound of snoring and gentle breathing were echoing off the walls, with the first rays of the morning sun beginning to pierce the darkness. Atop a shattered bed, two figures were entangled with each other, enjoying a moment of peaceful comfort in each other's company.

.

.

.

(Lemon end)

{Break}

(Present)

-Kyoroch-

While Tatsumi and Akame split ways and went about their side of the mission. The other half of the group went inside the somewhat bustling but mostly peaceful town where barely any people paid any attention to them.

“Not sure if you noticed, but the place feels kind of odd.” The newest member of Night Raid added, observing her surroundings while sucking on her lollipop.

“I noticed. But it could be because of the war sending refugees flooding into this place; they will carry over their grief and sadness. So we can't expect this place to be all sunshines and rainbows.”

“I suppose so,” the brunette mentioned while continuing to follow her blonde colleague. The side street Leone and Chelsea ducked into was narrow and smelled of damp earth and unwashed bodies. Not the most welcoming of environments, but one both seemed to have gotten used to it and were completely unbothered.

A stark contrast to the main thoroughfare, a grimy artery feeding the town's underbelly. They moved quietly, blending into the crowds so as to not draw attention, their cloaks shielding them from the few listless glances they received and on top of that, Chelsea’s Teigu helped to add another layer to the disguise. Leone led the way, until she stopped before a heavy, unassuming wooden door. A faded sign, depicting a foaming mug of ale, hung precariously from a single rusted hinge.

“This is the place.” Leone said, pushing the door open and stepping inside. Chelsea followed, her senses immediately assaulted by the thick, stale air of the establishment.

“Not the best tavern I've seen, even if we only count those in slums and rundown villages… but passable, I guess.” The lighting was dim, provided by a few sputtering oil lamps and the large, crackling fireplace in the back. The air itself proved to be a pungent cocktail of cheap ale, woodsmoke, and the sharp, salty aroma of roasted meat. A handful of patrons hunched over their drinks, their faces obscured by shadow or the hoods of their own worn cloaks.

“No wonder we didn't get any weird looks like in the capital. Everyone is doing it… neat.”

Leone waved her hand, “Meh, we didn't even need the hood to be honest, I've travelled around plenty of times without anything covering my face with no problem. You just need to know the proper road and the kind of people that frequent these places. The Empire has plenty of people they want to kill aside from just us, so we tend to stick together.”

“Neat.”

Leone strode directly over to the long, scarred bar that dominated one side of the room. She leaned against it, the worn wood groaning slightly under her weight, and rapped her knuckles on the surface. The bartender, a portly man with a greasy apron and a face that looked like it had seen one too many brawls, ambled over.

"Two pints of beer," she said. "With a side of roasted nuts, don't forget the chef's special either, and make sure it’s nice and spicy."

“Humph,” The bartender grunted, his eyes flicking over them with practiced disinterest before he turned to fetch the order.

Chelsea, who had taken up a position beside her, leaned in closer, her voice barely a whisper. "Still, a rundown tavern. Really? I expected something a bit more… discreet for a meeting with an informant."

Leone let out a soft chuckle, leisurely stretching her arms over her head, the motion causing her cloak to shift and reveal the toned muscles of her midsection and the swell of her prominent breasts for a brief moment. "Rule one of information gathering, my dear junior. The best places to find it are where people are either trying to forget their troubles or brag about their successes. That means a brothel or a bar. This place just so happens to be owned by the man who's going to point us in the right direction. The 'chef's special' is just our way of asking for the daily gossip."

That made the girl next to her roll her eyes but did not comment on that last part. Instead, she hummed in understanding, her gaze sweeping across the room before landing back on Leone. A bored, almost dry expression touched her face. "So," she began, her tone shifting from laid-back to casually curious. "What kind of guy is this Archer, anyway? I have heard of his name while traveling around, a guy known to help people from Danger Beasts and very mysterious and elusive. Just never expected him to be Najenda's little brother of all people and much less someone with a weird Teigu that involved swords like that."

Leone gave her a side glance, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. It dawned on her that this woman still believed Emiya possessed a particular Teigu, which she could not blame her for that misunderstanding — even though she barely understood his abilities herself. Chelsea just met her gaze with a leisurely, unbothered grin, “what?”

“Just wondering if there is more to that question.”

That made her raise both arms in mock defeat. "Relax, I'm not trying to flirt with him nor am I interested in him in that way; just curious. My first impression of the guy was him giving you a very… flirty look back then. And like I said, the whole mystery surrounding him.”

A faint blush, barely visible in the dim light, crept up Leone's neck. She cleared her throat, turning her attention back to the bar. "I still feel like an idiot for that happening," she admitted, her voice a little tighter than before. "But fair enough, your question makes sense."

The bartender returned, setting down two heavy, frothy mugs of beer, a small bowl of nuts, and a chunk of bread on a wooden plate. Leone accepted the items, flicking a coin across the bar, a gold coin that landed with a heavy, audible clink that made the bartender's eyes widen for a fraction of a second before he quickly pocketed it and moved away.

Leone tipped back her mug, foam clinging to her upper lip as she lowered her voice to just above the tavern's ambient noise. "No point rehashing what you already know—the whole adoption story with Najenda and all that history. Ancient news that doesn't change anything now."

"Oh, I know," Chelsea chimed in, popping a nut into her mouth with a smirk. "They've got the same glare and faces. They might as well be actual siblings, are we sure they are not blood related after all? The old general could have had an affair and just used the story of the destroyed village as an excuse."

“Nah, I confirmed it myself. Plus his original hair colour used to be red and even his eye colour was different. Not sure why they changed.”

“Maybe a side effect of overusing his Teigu?” Chelsea added, “It's not rare for people to experience physical change from overusing their weapons.”

Leone considered it and just stored it in her mind as a ‘Maybe’, taking another sip of her drink. "To talk about him rather than his background, overall, he's a good guy," she said simply. "A bit of a worrywart if you stay around him long enough. It may not look like it at first, but he's one of those people who just can't help themselves, seeing someone in trouble. and he has to jump in to help, no matter the risk to himself. Heh, especially when dealing with Tatsumi, he's a bleeding heart when comes to that brat." She paused, a flicker of something complex in her eyes.

“I see. A bit boring but it does explain his actions throughout the years.”

"It's admirable."

Chelsea's smirk softened as she leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper that was still loud enough to reach Leone's ears. "A bleeding heart who gives sensual back rubs and has enough stamina to go all night.”

Leone’s grip on her beer mug tightened as an awkward smile encroached itself on her face. "Ah, you heard that," she tried to laugh it off but just made it more awkward. "It was just both of us releasing some steam, that's about it."

"Uh-huh," Chelsea drawled, popping another nut into her mouth. "Not like it's my business to meddle in other's affairs, but usually romance does not end well in our profession. Getting attached to someone in this line of work usually ends with one of you burying the other, or both of you ending up on a slab."

“Pft-hah! That man, dying? That ain't happening any time soon, even though he seems to pick and choose when it’s dangerous or not. As for me, well, this girl doesn't see herself kicking the bucket yet. Not until I get to punch that ice demon at least.”

“General Esdeath?”

“Her and killing Honest too. It doesn't even have to be me, as long as I get to see it with my own eyes.” Leone then stared into her mug, the foam slowly dissipating, taking another long swig, draining half of it in one go. She set it down with a heavy thud and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "As for the romance part, well, I'm not searching for a happy ending. I ain't no ten year old kid anymore, I've lived long enough to know life can be a bitch. Right now, I'm working towards a life worth living. If it ends tomorrow, then so be it. I had a good run and dying wouldn't hold back the group from finishing their mission. But I'm not going to spend today being miserable just because tomorrow might not come."

“I can respect that.” Chelsea showed no disappointment towards that speech.

“By the way, since you are still a newbie, I did not get to ask you this question but what made you join our group?” From the moment she appeared, Leone had been curious about their latest edition that served as a sort of replacement to Bulat. Clearly not meant for combat given the nature of her imperial arm, but one Najenda empathized to be just as — if not more — deadly during her assassination.

“Me? Well there is not much to talk about. To give you a summary that won't bore you out of your mind, I worked under a cruel viceroy, got hold of this Teigu and killed him. Left the place and ended up a scary old hag who taught me a lot before joining the Nightraid and then ended up getting recruited.”

“Quite the explanation, I feel like a lot has been skipped over.”

To that, Chelsea just shrugged. “No point in telling you my tear jerking tragic past given those kinds of stories are the norm for people like us.”

“I suppose so. But given I'll be leaving my life in your hands in case we are attacked, getting to know my ally sounds like it’s increase my chances of not dying.”

Chelsea studied her for a moment, a flicker in her own expression before she nodded slowly. "Fair enough, I'll tell you more later then. So what constitutes a 'life worth living' for Leone of Nightraid?"

"Simple," she replied, a genuine grin finally breaking through her stoic facade. "You live every day like it's your last. You take the risks, you enjoy the moments of peace, you drink the good beer, and you never, ever back down from a fight that matters! Whether it be on the field or on the bed!” exclaimed the blonde as she tore off a large piece of the bread that had come with their order and shoved it into her mouth.

She chewed for a moment, her brow furrowing in concentration. Suddenly, she stopped, with a slight cough, she discreetly brought a hand to her lips and, with a subtle motion, plucked a small, tightly rolled piece of paper from her tongue. Palming it smoothly, her expression never changing as she finished chewing the rest of the bread.

Chelsea's eyes narrowed, her gaze flicking from Leone's face to her hand. "Let me guess," she whispered, a sly grin spreading across her face. "The 'chef's special' comes with a prize inside?"

"The daily gossip, as promised," Leone murmured back, her eyes scanning the note for a split second before she crumpled it in her fist. "Our contact has a new location for us. Time to go."

They both slid off their barstools, leaving the half-finished drinks behind. As they stepped out of the bar and into the cool night air of the town's seedier district, the sounds of debauchery fading behind them, Chelsea spoke again. "Wait, give me a moment."

Leone watched, intrigued, as Chelsea held a hand to her own face. Holding on to several makeup tools, foundations, brushes and lipsticks before waving her hand with her entire face and build changing in the blink of an eye. Turning into a woman around the same height as her and the more mature face.

"How's this?" the new Chelsea asked, her voice now a touch higher and more timid. She adjusted the simple brown cloak she wore, completing the transformation into just another faceless citizen.

"Was it really necessary or you're just showing off?," Leone asked while looking at Chelsea from several different angles with approval. "Damn, even your scent is different… This is scary good. Can you use it on me?"

“I can but not the way you think. At best, I can make your face a bit different but overall the changes are very limited. I can't change your shape, scent and other factors. It basically becomes no different to just instant makeup.” She explained before using it on Leone, the latter looking at herself at a nearby window. Her blonde hair now styled differently and the overall shape of her face made her look different at a glance but still somewhat recognizable if someone looked very closely.

“Woah, this is awesome.”

“Thank you~!”

After that, they navigated the winding streets, leaving the relative bustle behind for a much more desolate and barren part of the town. The buildings here were skeletal remains, their windows empty and their walls crumbling. They finally stopped before a derelict house that looked like it would collapse if a strong wind blew through. Leone stepped up to the rotting wooden door and knocked. It wasn't a simple knock, but a specific, rhythmic pattern: three quick taps, a pause, then two slow, deliberate knocks.

The door creaked open just wide enough for a pair of beady, nervous eyes to peer out. The man who opened it was a rat of a man, with a long, pointed nose that seemed to twitch constantly, and greasy, thinning brown hair that was plastered to his forehead. He was thin to the point of being gaunt, and his dirt-stained fingers drummed anxiously against the doorframe.

"Followed?" he asked, his voice a conspiratorial whisper.

Leone rolled her eyes, pushing the door open wider and stepping inside, forcing him to scurry back. "You should know my methods by now, 'Nezumi'. It's clear."

The man, Nezumi, flinched at the nickname but gestured for them to follow, used to her barbs. He led them through a dusty hallway and into what might have once been a living room. The air was thick with the smell of mildew and neglect. Chelsea wrinkled her nose.

"Charming decor," Leone remarked sarcastically, her voice echoing slightly in the empty space. "A real step up from your last hole."

Nezumi just brushed it off, too accustomed to her commentary to be offended. "So," he began, getting straight to business. "You're here for the information on the Path of Peace's new leader, and their recent workings?"

Leone crossed her arms. "That's right."

"Things have been… strange with them lately," Nezumi said, lowering his voice even further. "They've ramped up their efforts. Feeding people, helping them, offering shelter. It's a full-blown campaign."

Chelsea, now in her meeker disguise, tilted her head. "What's so strange about that? Isn't that a good thing?"

"That's the thing," Nezumi insisted, his eyes darting towards the boarded-up windows as if expecting spies. "This isn't the first wave of refugees the Empire has sent our way. Why the sudden surge of charity now? It doesn't add up."

Leone, who had been listening quietly with her eyes closed, finally spoke. "They're preparing for something."

Chelsea turned to her, letting out an audible, "Huh?" She looked genuinely confused. "What do you mean, preparing?"

"It's an open secret," Leone explained, her tone flat and analytical. "If you want help from the Path of Peace, some of your people are expected to become members. It's not forced, but the incentives are too good for desperate people to ignore. Most of the new recruits end up as soldiers or filling other positions under their flag."

Chelsea still looked lost. "Okay… but that doesn't sound so bad, does it? It's just recruitment."

"That's where I dug deeper," Nezumi interrupted, a greedy glint in his beady eyes. "The timing is too convenient. I found something… valuable."

Leone's eyes snapped open, her patience worn thin. "Spit it out."

Nezumi simply shook his head, a smug little smile on his lips. He held out a grubby hand and rubbed his thumb and index finger together in the universal gesture for payment. With an annoyed sigh, Leone reached into a small pouch on her belt and tossed him a small, heavy coin purse. He caught it deftly, weighed it in his hand with a satisfied jingle, and finally leaned in.

"A mutiny," he whispered, the word hanging in the dead air of the dilapidated house. "There's going to be a coup."

Leone clicked her tongue in annoyance, the sharp sound cutting through the dusty silence. "Tch. Figures," she muttered, eyes narrowing. "Peace was never going to last with vultures circling, waiting for their chance at getting the largest pieces of the corpse."

Chelsea sighed, crossing her arms. "Well, conspiracies like this are pretty common with these types of groups, both inside and outside the Empire. Someone always wants a bigger piece of the pie."

"Someone must have gotten quite irritated at how peaceful the Path of Peace has been lately," Leone said, her voice dripping with a thick layer of irony that neither she nor Chelsea missed.

Nezumi hesitated at first. “It sounds like your assassination was planned all along. Everything is pointing at Bolic possibly putting a target on the Lord and having the others do his dirty work for him. And another piece of information, Bolic has more to gain from this than anyone else. On top of that, there is proof of him having had connections with Honest in the past, before he joined the Path of Peace.”

"But it's a good start," she continued, her tone shifting back to business. "It still doesn't clear up much. This doesn't explain why the Lord is potentially innocent. A coup doesn't automatically absolve him of anything since we still have no proof he is behind the case of human trafficking. It can also be that everyone is involved and the coup is just replacing one slaver with another."

"Though I will agree, it is kind of suspicious this is happening now," Chelsea countered, tapping a thoughtful finger against her chin.

Leone nodded in agreement. "Right." She turned back to the informant, ready to press for more details. "Nezumi, who's leading this—"

Bang!

A heavy fist slammed against the front door, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the quiet house. It was a single, violent impact, completely devoid of the rhythmic pattern they had used.

Nezumi's eyes widened in terror, his face paling. He shot a furious glare at the two women. "I thought you said you weren't followed!" he hissed, his voice a panicked whisper.

"We made sure of it!" Leone shot back, her own voice low and urgent. "There's no way."

The door shuddered again, this time the sound of splintering wood clearly audible from the frame. "Were you expecting any other guests?"

Nezumi shook his head vigorously. “T-There is a passageway underneath the rug, it will lead you away from here. Leave now, I don't want any trouble!”

Leone’s eyes met Chelsea’s across the room. A single, silent nod passed between them. In an instant, they moved with the former ripping it up, revealing a dark, narrow tunnel. Without a word, she and Chelsea dropped in, pulling the cover shut behind them just as a low, menacing voice spoke from the front room.

They moved into the passageway single file, Leone first. The tunnel was narrow enough that her shoulders brushed both walls when she didn't angle them, the packed earth damp against her sleeves. The boards overhead were old, spaced unevenly, and pale strips of moonlight fell through the gaps at intervals — enough to see by, barely, if she kept moving forward.

She counted her steps out of habit.

Chelsea's footfalls came soft behind her. The girl knew how to move quietly, at least. Leone had half-expected her to stumble on the uneven ground, but she kept pace without complaint.

Fifteen steps. Twenty.

"Something feels off," she whispered, her voice low but sounding very clear within the narrow space "That wasn't a random patrol. The timing is too convenient."

Chelsea didn't answer right away. Leone heard her shift her weight, a small adjustment on the dirt floor.

"Maybe, but I don't see how they could have kept track of us with all the precautions we took. Are you sure we can trust that guy?”

"Not so much anymore. Like I said, he has as much beef against these people and his brother went missing. I don't see him working for them that easily unless something changed recently." The blonde ducked under a low beam. A trickle of loose dirt fell from the ceiling where she'd grazed it, and she brushed it off her hair without slowing.

Another stretch of silence. The passage curved slightly to the left and Leone followed it, one hand trailing the wall.

"Do you know this route?" Chelsea asked.

"Nope, but it should be simple to figure out. After this, we need to move faster once we're out," Leone said. "We go straight to Akame and Tatsumi. No detours."

"Got it, hah… things really are never simple with your group I see."

"Heh, lately yeah, but we'll figure it out. For now, Bolic is the priority. Whatever else is happening tonight, that doesn't change."

"I know," Chelsea said.

The space ahead transformed into a wider cavity in the earth. They continued on without hesitating, into a passage that angled upward. The grade was gentle at first, then steeper. Her boots found better purchase in the dirt here — someone had cut rough footholds into the floor at some point, long ago.

She could see the outline of the trapdoor above, a faint rectangular seam of grey against the black of the ceiling. She slowed as she reached it, one hand pressed flat to the underside, and listened.

Nothing.

“Coast is clear.”

Leone pressed upward. The trapdoor gave with a soft scrape of wood on wood, and she held it an inch open for three full seconds before pushing it the rest of the way.

She came up into darkness. The room around her had the particular blankness of a space stripped clean — no shadows cast by furniture, no shapes breaking the flat walls.

Leone's boots hit the wooden floor, “Humph, neat little pla—!?”

Her body stopped before her mind caught up with the reason.

"GET DOWN!"

She grabbed Chelsea by the collar and lunged sideways, throwing them both out of the way just as a massive shape came crashing down from above.

Crash!

The ceiling exploded in a shower of plaster and wood, the floor where they had just stood shattering under the impact. A man of towering height and mountainous muscles landed in the newly created crater, his sheer weight cracking the floorboards around him. He was bald, with thick, black sideburns and a simple black tunic that struggled to contain his colossal frame.

The giant let out a booming laugh that shook the very foundations of the house. "Heh heh heh! Greetings, members of Night Raid! I have been eager to confront you! Ah, can't forget to introduce myself this time, I am Sten of the Four Rakshasas!"

Aside from his sudden appearance, Leone did not even question how they got found out and how he appeared here for she already knew the answer. The woman clicked her tongue, her teeth grinding in frustration. "Tch. That damn rat sold us out. This was an ambush from the start."

Left with little options, she turned to Chelsea. "Head towards where Akame and Tatsumi are! Help them out and relay what we learned!"

Chelsea hesitated for a brief moment, her eyes darting between Sten and the escape route. “…Alright.” Chelsea nodded and bolted for the door. She didn't even get to take three steps before Sten intervened.

"Where do you think you're running off to?"

His body blurred.

One moment he was in the crater, the next he was standing directly in front of Chelsea, his speed mind-blowing, catching even Leone by surprise. His massive fist, larger than Chelsea's entire head, was raised to crush her.

“—!”

Before it could fall, Leone was there. “Oof!” She had launched herself across the room, intercepting the punch, not even trying to block it head-on. Instead, she grabbed his thick wrist with both hands, pivoting on her back foot and using his own forward momentum against him. With a powerful grunt, Leone twisted and pulled, yanking him off balance and using her own enhanced strength to slam him face-first into the wooden floor. The entire house groaned from the impact.

"Go, I got this!" she yelled at Chelsea, who didn't need to be told twice. The smaller girl darted out the door and vanished into the dense forest.

Leone's moment of victory lasted less than a second. “Wonderful, now that was a perfectly executed move!” Before she could disengage, Sten's leg shot up in a vicious, lightning-fast kick.

“Gah!”

The sole of his boot connected squarely with her midsection. The force was immense, knocking the wind out of her and sending her flying upwards through the very hole in the ceiling he had created. She crashed onto the roof, rolled several times across the shingles, and then fell off the edge, landing hard in the dirt alley below.

"Hargh…!" she gasped, clutching her stomach. Having never felt a kick that powerful in her life. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to her feet, her body aching. Just as she found her footing, Sten literally burst through the wooden wall of the house beside her, showering the alley with splinters. He was already mid-air, his massive fist aimed right at her face.

“Shit!”

She knew she couldn't block it. Instead, she ducked under the punch, the wind from his fist whipping her hair across her face. The fight exploded.

Sten was a whirlwind of destruction. His speed was his greatest asset; he moved like a blur, his massive fists and feet becoming a storm of lethal strikes. Leone was forced into a desperate retreat, dodging and backtracking as fast as she could. A punch shattered the wall where her head had been. A kick cratered the ground where she'd been standing a second before. She weaved and sidestepped, her senses screaming, but it was all she could do to keep up.

"Too slow!" Sten roared, his voice a deafening bellow. He disappeared from her front and reappeared behind her, swinging a haymaker that would have taken her head off. Leone threw herself forward, rolling under the attack and popping up to her feet several meters away.

"Is that all you've got, little kitty?" he taunted, stomping the ground and sending a shockwave that made her stumble.

“You ain't even seen half of it, brute.” She couldn't waste too much time here. Akame and Tatsumi were counting on her. She needed to end this, fast. Leone smirked, wiping a trickle of blood from her lip. "You must feel quite proud of yourself, going after a single woman this hard. Even had to set up a little ambush to do it. What, those muscles of yours are just for show?"

Sten merely grinned. "I can recognize the scent of a warrior anywhere. I don't mind using dirty tricks to ensure a good hunt." He then charged back at her, his massive form a juggernaut of destruction.

Leone's own grin widened. "Fucking pervert. But I can’t deny the last part." Instead of meeting him head-on, she leaped onto the roof of a nearby shed. "Dirty tricks are my specialty!" She jumped from the roof to a second-story balcony, then to the top of a wall, using the environment to her advantage. Sten followed, his powerful fists smashing through everything in his path. A wall crumbled where she had been a second before, a balcony railing was pulverized by a wild swing.

“Ugh!” She landed a kick to his side as he overextended, making him grunt in pain, but he retaliated with a backhanded swing that clipped her shoulder, sending a jarring shock through her body. She rolled with the blow, using the momentum to flip over a stack of crates and put more distance between them. She was holding her own, but he was relentless.

‘His body feels like it's made of steel. This is ridiculous, I don't even think I'm doing any damage to him.’

Not to mention just how that much mass did not hinder his movements. It wasn't just fast; it was damn near instantaneous. One moment he was ten feet away, the next he was on her, his massive hand wrapping around her throat. Lifting her off the ground, her feet kicking uselessly. "I'm disappointed," he growled, his voice a low rumble. "I expected more from a member of Night Raid. This fight can barely be counted as a warm up!"

Her air cut off, Leone's eyes widened. 'This is bad.' In a desperate move, she kicked out with all her might, her foot connecting with a nearby wooden support pillar for the house's porch. The wood cracked and then, it shattered. “Wha—!” With a groan of stressed timber, the entire corner of the porch roof collapsed, a torrent of wood and shingles crashing down on top of them.

Sten roared in surprise as he was buried. Leone hit the ground hard, gasping for air.

For a moment, there was only silence and the settling of dust.

Crack!

Then, rubble began to move. A piece of roofing was thrown aside, and Sten emerged, his body a canvas of cuts and bruises, his eyes burning with pure rage. “Hahaha! Using an entire building against me won't help you! I'll crush you even if you break every bone in my body!”

But as he focused on his surroundings, a shadow moved at the corner of his eye. "You're still too slow!" he bellowed, lunging forward, his hands outstretched to grab her wrists.

He didn't get it.

A transformed Leone, her arms now covered in yellow fur and tipped with deadly claws, shot up and grabbed his hands first. The force of her grip stopped his momentum dead, her fingers clamping around his wrists like unbreakable shackles. “Huh?” Before he could process her sudden strength, her second hand, claws fully extended, shot out and brutally grabbed onto his throat. The sharp tips dug deep into his flesh, drawing beads of blood.

"And you get too easily tunnel-visioned," Leone said, her voice a cold whisper.

And then she squeezed. There was a sickening, wet crunching sound as his larynx collapsed under the inhuman force.

“Uurrghl…!”

A gargled sound left his mouth.

She let his body slump to the ground, a mess of blood and broken bones. Leone took a few moments, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. “Phew, alright, hopefully I can catch up to her.”

Now that the fight ended, she intended to get back to the Path of Peace headquarters and catch up to Chelsea. But she only took a few strides when her instincts screamed at her.

“Ah!”

She threw her arms up just in time.

The block was useless. An impact with the strength of a battering ram slammed into her guard. There was an audible snap as the bones in both her forearms broke, splintering under the force. She was sent flying backwards, crashing through two trees before finally hitting the ground in a heap of pain.

"Argh…!" she groaned, pushing herself up with her broken arms. She looked with disbelief as Sten was back on his feet. His throat was a mangled ruin, but he was standing, his eyes filled with an undying light — somehow still grinning like a monster. He couldn't speak, but his charge was a clear enough message.

"Fuck!" Leone cursed loudly, forcing her Lionel to work overtime, the pain already receding as her regeneration kicked in.

This time, the exchange was different. With Lionel fully active, Leone could keep up with him. Her speed matched his, her claws becoming a blur of steel. They clashed with their exchange sounding like a battle between swords, her smaller frame helping avoid the more deadly hits while the claws kept raking deep gashes across his chest and arms while his fists slammed into her, each blow a thunderous impact that she barely managed to roll with. He was a relentless force, but she was a blur of deadly precision.

“What the hell are you made of!?”

He threw a powerful knee strike aimed at her ribs. Leone's leg shot down and blocked it, the force of the impact making the ground beneath her crack. “Hn!”

But then, his beard moved. “What the hell!?” The thick, wiry hairs shot out like a volley of needles, aiming to pierce her face. Leone's hand shot out, faster than the bristles, and grabbed his beard by the root.

Sten's eyes widened in shock.

Leone smirked, even as blood dripped from her own wounds. "Alright, I don't know how that's even possible but I ain't letting this disgusting thing touch my face. Lionel grants me more than just strength and speed," she said, her voice tight with effort. "It also gives me regeneration too!" She yanked his beard down hard, pulling him off balance, and drove her knee squarely into his face with a sickening crunch. Before he could recover, she spun around his massive body, putting her back to his, and wrapped her arms around his thick neck in a chokehold.

“Aaa-aaah!”

Sten roared, a muffled, gurgling sound, and began to thrash. He was a bull in an antique shop, smashing her backward into the ground, the impact knocking the wind from her lungs.

He rolled, crushing her against rocks and trees, each impact sending fresh waves of agony through her body and opening new wounds. But Leone just gritted her teeth and held on, tightening her grip with every second. “Just fucking die!” For several long minutes, it was a brutal battle of attrition, his frantic struggles growing weaker and weaker until his movements slowed to a stop.

She let go, and he slumped forward. But she wasn't finished. She grabbed his entire head, her fingers digging into his skin, and with a guttural shout, twisted with all her enhanced strength. “Aaaaaaaah!” There was a horrific series of pops and snaps as his neck was broken, his head twisting at an impossible angle.

With there being absolutely no way a person could survive this. His muscles, nerves, spine, everything getting crushed and snapped.

“Hah… hah… hah… felt like I was fighting a Danger Beast… hah… hah…”

Thankfully, despite his absurd speed, it was not nearly as frustrating as her brief spar against Emiya. While not faster, his swords might as well move at impossible speeds with how he kept managing to bypass her defenses with several tricks.

Panting, visibly exhausted and covered in wounds, Leone stood over the corpse, taking a deep breath, the coppery scent of blood thick in the air.

That's when she heard it.

Boom!

A massive explosion in the distance. Her head snapped around, and she saw it: a plume of fire and smoke rising from the direction of the Path of Peace headquarters.

"The others!" she gasped, and broke into a limping run.

Whoosh!

She didn't get far.

Her path was suddenly blocked by a wall of ice that shot up from the ground, towering over her and sealing the alleyway completely.

Clap, clap, clap.

An eerie sound of clapping reached the blonde’s ears. With her turning to find a figure walking closer and stopping near Sten’s body.

“I had high hopes for him, but then again, no amount of enhancement will allow one to surpass a Teigu user. Honest remains as foolish as ever.” Her air temperature dropped and a chill crept up Leone's body.

Blue eyes coldly stared back at wary golden ones with the former putting on a face of intrigue.

But the assassin felt anything but that, for she knew that at this moment… she had no chance against her.

“But I have to give it to Najenda, she sure knows how to choose a capable subordinate.”