Calmly, the man began his preparations. With a practised flourish, he drew his weapon from the guitar case slung across his shoulder.
It wasn’t a gun. Nor was it a sword.
A thick chunk of iron—an axe with a razor-sharp blade—sliced through the Nordic winter air, a single flick of his wrist sending it spinning to point directly toward the shadow monster.
The message was clear: That's right, I'm going to…
"Kiiii!"
In response, the apparition let out a grating screech and burst forth. Instead of running on the ground, it scaled the walls, defying gravity. Its terrifying speed, exceeding five hundred kilometres an hour, tore through the alleyway in a random, lethal trajectory, like a weapon of death. Razor-sharp claws scraped against the wall with an ear splitting screech as it approached. Moving too swift for the human eye to perceive, it could easily shred flesh and bones to pieces.
The whirlwind surrounding it served as a shield, making it impossible to break through.
At least, for a human. But not for him.
As its claws closed in at breakneck speed, the man pierced through the wind's protection and seized its arm with his vice-like grip.
If the apparition had a mouth, it might have gasped, "Huh?"
Instead, it tilted its head deeply and screeched again, "Kiiii?!"
The dark, black shadow cast by the axe raised high above fell over its head.

Fate/Lost Einherjar, Prologue