Another chapter guys!
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...No seriously.
Hello everyone, AgentZwolf here.
And i finally finished this chapter, Yay! *Cue Confetti*
I know it's been a while since i posted a chapter, so i decided to make it up to you guys and make it an extra long chapter. :D
Well, that's all i wanna say guys.
Enjoy the chapter.
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Chapter 9: And then it all went wrong from there
"Are you sure about what you saw, Assassin?" Kirei asked, with a rare look of confusion on his face.
Kirei stood in front of the bowing Assassin in the Tohsaka mansion with his mentor, Tokiomi sitting in his desk behind him.
"Yes, Kirei-sama. Originally we were going to set up an ambush if only one servant and master pair came, but Caster's master made us think otherwise." The Assassin class servant spoke, and while Tokiomi didn't notice as he was too busy thinking just how a magus managed to do the things described by Assassin. Kirei on the other hand, noticed the slight fearful tone in Assassin's voice, and even then it was from his years of experience as a part of the Church's Burial Agency.
"I see, very well Assassin. I'm sending you to scout him." Assassin's head perked up.
"Kirei-sama?" Assassin almost stuttered, they were afraid of Caster's master after seeing what he did to Gilles de Rais. But they were professional killer, they did not hesitate or question their orders. So instead they asked for clarification.
"He is a wild card; thus we need to know more about him. Make sure you aren't seen. You've seen what he can do, use it as motivation." Assassin merely bowed.
"Yes, Kirei-sama." With that said, Assassin disappeared into the shadows.
With Assassin gone, Kirei then turned to his mentor. "What do you think?"
"I think Caster's master need to be dealt with." Kirei could see Tokiomi slightly trembling as he held his wine glass.
"I agree, Caster was already a huge obstacle in this war, now with a master equally if not more powerful than her? It will be difficult to defeat them."
"Yes, if it was only Caster, Assassin can simply dispose of him. But know that we know of his abilities, Things just became a whole lot harder." Tokiomi placed a hand on his chin as he thought of ways to dispose of Caster and her master. "What information do you have on Lancer and Kayneth El-Melloi?" He asked his student.
"I'm afraid Lancer's master is out of commission. I had one Assassin scout his hideout and found that Kayneth El-Melloi have had his magic circuits crippled. Most likely the work of Kiritsugu Emiya. Unless Kayneth hands his command seals to his fiancée, I'm afraid Lancer will be eliminated."
"I see." Well, that rules out Lancer, and he can't ask Kariya for help. Call it a man's pride if you will, but unless the situation is truly dire, he won't ask his wife's ex-boyfriend for help.
And he had a feeling that it was mutual.
"Very well, Kirei. You are dismissed for the night. We'll continue as we already have, and maybe things will be better for us tomorrow." Kirei bowed to his mentor before leaving.
"Caster's master, Minato Arisato. A reaper sent by god, I wonder what a being of that caliber is doing participating in this war?" Kirei thought as he walked out of Tokiomi's study.
As Kirei walked to the living room, he saw Archer sitting on the couch, his feet propped up against the coffee table, holding a glass of wine with his face contorted into a frustrated look.
"I pulled out my finest wine from the Gate of Babylon, and yet I cannot enjoy it." Archer said the moment Kirei was in hearing range.
"Is something troubling you, King of Heroes?" Kirei asked the Archer servant.
"I know what you and Tokiomi were talking about in his study, and as much as I loathe to request help from mongrels, I doubt I can take on Caster alone, especially with that thing under her control." Gilgamesh scowled at the memory. "Allow me to be honest with you, Kirei. When I fought that creature I felt something I haven't felt in a long time. Fear." Kirei was surprised that Gilgamesh was afraid of something, let alone admit his fear. "The only other time I felt this way was when the realization of my demise dawned on me the moment by best friend, Enkidu passed away. And as much as I can boast of how the Gate of Babylon holds all the treasures in the world, anti-god weapons are a rarity even by my standards, and even then I only know of one."
"If I may ask, my king. What is the name of this weapon you speak of?" Though normally Gilgamesh would say something along the lines of 'You dare demand something from me, mongrel?'. But since Kirei has been such an amusing individual for him in this war, he decided to humor him.
His eyes look into the distance, a look of longing, of nostalgia, adorned his features. "Enkidu. And for the record, he was my closest friend." A rare smile grew on the Golden King's features, which quickly turned sour as he remembered the day Enkidu passed away in his arms.
Gilgamesh laid down the wine, and stood up from the couch before walking away. "Where are you going, my king?" Kirei asked.
"I'm going to get rid of a pest that's been wandering through my garden for too long."
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Meanwhile
"Are you sure about what you saw, Saber?" Kiritsugu asked. He could feel a headache coming up.
"Yes, another servant has appeared tonight." Saber confirmed.
"Maybe Caster was responsible; she did display the ability to summon servants a few days ago at the docks." Irisviel asked.
"I am aware of that, Irisviel. I just don't think summoning a servant that does all those heinous things is above what Caster will do. She seems like a person who has a penchant for theatrics, not a murderer."
"I agree with Saber; from what I've seen of Caster, she seems to be the kind of person to go over the top to disorient and confuse her opponents, making them overestimate her skill." Kiritsugu deduced.
"Yes, quite. Caster exudes an aura of raw power, I noticed that the first time I met her ta the docks, combined with her ability to summon heroic spirits, and she's an unstoppable powerhouse unless we, along with the other masters' work together."
"There's just one problem…" Kiritsugu trailed off, and the others nodded.
"There's no guarantee they'll want to work together."
"Kiritsugu, what do you know about the other masters?" The King of Knights asked.
Kiritsugu walked to a desk and picked up some files before laying them all on the table one by one. "Matou, Kariya." He said as he placed a folder with Kariya's picture on the table. "Master of Berserker. He ex-communicated himself from the Matou family decades ago, and since has been living a normal life away from any form of Thaumaturgy. Though he has been in touch with the Tohsaka family, more specifically Aoi Tohsaka, and her daughters Rin Tohsaka, and formerly Sakura Tohsaka, now named Sakura Matou, after Tokiomi, current head of the family sent her off to the Matou's as the Matou have no suitable heir to inherit their magecraft. Considering how close he is to the matriarch of the family, Aoi, not to mention her daughters. It's safe to say that Kariya didn't take Sakura being sold off to the Matou's, especially since Kariya himself is a former Matou."
"He probably knows the more, darker aspects of the Matou magecraft, considering he was once a part of that family." Irisviel commented.
Kiritsugu nodded. "And considering how he stayed away from the world of magecraft, I'd say dark is an understatement. He probably went back to the Matou's to beg for Sakura to be relieved of the responsibility of participating in this Grail war."
Irisviel picked up a picture, showing the image of Kariya. The date at the bottom showed that it was taken a few nights ago. The picture itself was quite close, but not close enough for Kariya to notice. "Poor man, if this is what the Matou magecraft did to him, I dread to think of what Sakura is going through." She could see how Kariya leaned on the wall for support, holding a limp arm, and she could see white hair despite the hoodie. And in contrast to his old appearance, she took pity on him.
Meanwhile, Saber had a newfound respect for Kariya. It was admirable really, risking one's own life to protect their niece from the horrors of their former family and bring her back home to her family. It spoke volumes of his character.
"Next." Kiritsugu spoke up, as he laid down another folder, this time with the picture of Waver Velvet. "Velvet, Waver. Master of Rider. A student of the Clocktower in London, it can be assumed that he stole Rider's catalyst from his teacher, Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi. He's quite talented, and his thesis on the combined use of magic and modern technology could result in a breakthrough of all forms of magic." He sighed. "Sadly, the members of the Clocktower are a bunch of stuck up snobs."
"Sometimes I wonder which is the master and who's the servant between the two. Rider is impulsive and does his own thing. While Waver is busy keeping Rider on a leash." Irisviel giggled.
Saber only had a smile on her face. "Despite his impulsiveness, Rider is a formidable opponent. His chariot has the ability to fly, and the bulls pulling the chariot generates lightning where they walk."
"It's safe to say that his chariot is the Gordius Wheel, and the bulls are the divine bulls once offered to Zeus by King Gordius. With that said, I think we can safely assume that Rider's noble phantasm is summoning the army he fought with against the Persian king, Darius III. Though despite the history books saying that they were enemies, they acted like rivals more than anything."
"I'm sure that when Rider confronts Caster. He'll probably ask for her to summon Darius again." Irisviel added.
Kiritsugu nodded and laid down another folder. "Next. Kotomine, Kirei." He grimaced as he saw the image. "Has been involved with the Church since a very young age due to his father, Risei Kotomine. And was chosen as an Executor form the age of ten."
"Ten, he was an executor of the church from the age of ten?" Irisviel almost yelled, a child shouldn't be in the business of killing, regardless of the age.
"This is why I dislike modern Magus; children are always involved these days." Saber spoke her dislike of the subject, recent events including Gilles de Rais' use of children as sacrifices for his demons, and the new of the youngest child of the Tohsaka family being sold to another family has made her rather angry. Now she knows one of the master of this war was a part of a group within the church that not only dealt with killing Magus, but also Demons and Dead Apostles? since the age of ten at that?!
"Yes, and he is the most dangerous master in this war barring Caster's master. He has no qualms taking a life, having been conditioned at an early age suppress any emotions that might get in the way of being an Executor."
"He reminds me of you." Saber said.
"He reminds me of who I once was." He subconsciously held Irisviel's hand, and she returned the gesture. He steeled himself and placed yet another folder on the table. "Next. Tohsaka, Tokiomi. Current head of the Tohsaka family, and formerly father of two." Kiritsugu grimaced, he had a newfound dislike of the Tohsaka master. Just the idea of a father, giving away their daughter, regardless whether the daughter is the youngest or eldest, and regardless of the guy you're giving her away to being a close family friend. It makes him sick.
"Gave her daughter away to the Matou family. And is a highly capable magus." Kiritsugu laid down a picture of Tokiomi wielding a staff with a jewel at the top. "He has created a mystic code that he has charged for at least several years. I assume he's charged it in preparation for this war."
"I see. It's understandable considering the Tohsaka were among the ones who created the Holy Grail." Irisviel commented.
"And finally, Caster's master." Kiritsugu laid down the picture of a blue haired boy wearing what seems to be a school uniform. "We've yet to know his name." His eyes narrowed upon the boy's emotionless look. The boy may seem harmless, but Kiritsugu looked into the boy's eyes, and saw not a harmless teenager, but an experienced fighter. And when it comes to magus, it's never a good idea to judge them based on age.
And considering there were True Ancestors who took the appearance of young children – take Merem Solomon for example. It's better to overestimate than underestimate.
"He doesn't seem like much, but his eyes show experience a young man like himself shouldn't have." Saber assessed.
"Eh? But he's a teenager." Irisviel said, not quite believing that a teenage magus can be so dangerous, especially compared to older magus in both magical strength and experience.
"And yet, he was able to summon the strongest servant in this war." Kiritsugu countered. "Either the boy managed to get his hands on a catalyst for Caster, or his personality and Caster's aligned very well."
"Assuming that the catalyst for Caster's summoning is Caster's book, I highly doubt it's the former." Considering Caster is a Sorceress of the 3rd True Magic, Saber doubted Caster's master came across the book by mere coincidence.
"I agree on that, for centuries the Einzbern have been obsessed with regaining the 3rd True Magic that they lost. It's the entire reason they created the Holy Grail War. If such a book still existed, we would have known about it." Irisviel said.
Saber nodded. "Is there anything else you know about him, Kiritsugu?"
He shook his head. "I've managed to follow him to his house, but I've never managed to get any further than that." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Caster practically has the place on lockdown. A bounded field spanning the whole house, I don't know what it does just yet. And frankly, I'm reluctant to find out." Kiritsugu hid his slight fear well, but both Saber and Irisviel noticed. Kiritsugu coughed into his fist before continuing. "I tried to use an x-ray camera to try and get a look inside, but it Caster had already caught on to my presence and sent an Assassin to drive me out of the area."
"Hmm, that Caster is a really troublesome with the 3rd Magic at her disposal." Saber concluded.
Irisviel could only nod in agreement. Were Einzbern family this powerful, back when they still had the 3rd Magic? No wonder they're obsessed with it, with the ability to summon Heroic Spirits at will, they would be nearly unstoppable.
"By the way Kiritsugu, where's Maiya? I haven't seen her." She asked her husband.
"I sent Maiya to go scouting for the other masters, we need all the information we can get our hands on to win this war." He was about to say more when his earpiece beeped. "Yes, Maiya. Did you find something?" He heard a bit of shuffling, before he heard a voice that clearly wasn't Maiya's.
"Oh, hello? Who is this?" Spoke a voice that's a bit too jovial.
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Elizabeth was not happy.
Granted it took a lot to get under her skin, a lot of people have annoyed her, but never really made her angry. The times when She and Minato sparred together and Minato broke the rules was only just one example. Again, annoyed, not angry.
But there's a first time for everything.
Minato and her had just finished dinner, and were about to enjoy a bit of alone time, when she caught notice of a presence nearby, watching from the distance. She may have been annoyed with rule breakers, but people who disturb her private time with her Minato-sama?
That is where she draws the line.
She summoned Robin Hood to track down the annoyance, before following suit. When Robin Hood stopped, she saw a woman in her twenties, with short black hair, looking down the scope of a rifle. Elizabeth ordered Robin Hood to keep an arrow trailed on her while she stepped forward to the assassin.
Just as she approached, the woman spun, knife in hand, in an attempt to attack her, but Elizabeth caught the blade in her hands, snapped it in half, before kneeing the assailant in the solar plexus, causing her to lose air. The woman slumped down to the ground, coughing, and Elizabeth yanked the woman up by the hair.
"Tsk, tsk, don't you know that stalking is bad?" Elizabeth whispered in the woman's ear, she yanked the woman's hair a bit more forcing to see Robin Hood aiming an arrow right at her face. "Now, if you want to live. I want you to tell me who sent you." Elizabeth got no response, the woman clearly valued whoever she was working for more than her own life.
Elizabeth considered torturing the girl, but it just wasn't her style. Then she saw the earpiece in her ear. "Oh, what's this?" She picked up the ear piece. "An earpiece, let's see who's gonna take the call." She placed the earpiece in her ear, and pressed the button in the middle.
Meanwhile, Maiya prayed Kiritsugu wouldn't answer the earpiece.
It was then she heard a man speak. "Yes, Maiya. Did you find something?" The voice was clearly male, but she didn't know anyone with that voice.
"Oh, hello? And who is this?" She said almost too jovially.
"Who is this? Who are you? Why do you have this earpiece?" She heard fear in the man's voice. That's good, that means he values the woman's life. She would make use of it.
"Did I hear you right? Is Maiya this girl's name?"
"What have you done with her?" His tone was cold, but Elizabeth wasn't bothered one bit.
"So Maiya is her name, then? Don't worry, she's alive, for now. Normally, I would've scared her off. But sadly for her, I was just about to do something special for my master, and your lady friend here decided it was a good idea to interrupt our alone time. To summarize, I'm pissed. So if you want her unscathed, and breathing, I'll arrange a little get together for you to pick her up. Deal?"
She couldn't see it, but the man on the other side of the call was shaking. There were a few moments of silence before the man responded again. "Where, and when?"
"Tonight. Let's say…." She looked around for any secluded meeting spots. "The graveyard, how's that sound?"
"….I'll meet you there."
"Excellent." She took off the earpiece, and knocked the woman unconscious.
"Will he really come, Master?" Robin Hood asked her.
"Yes, Robin. I heard the fear and concern in his voice, no doubt he cares for the girl."
"And you're not worried he'll come armed?" Robin Hood watched as his master walked over to the edge of the building they were on.
"And when have I been worried about someone being armed or not?"
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Omake I: Recon
Kiritsugu was laying down, his eyes looking through his binoculars as he watched Caster's master walk to his house.
He's been watching they teenager for a while now, trying to figure out as much as he can about the boy. So far he's figured out that they boy has been visiting Home Depot a lot these past few days.
As the boy went inside, Kiritsugu was about to switch to a camera with an X-Ray function when he spotted two women walking to the house.
One seemed to be a young girl with dark skin, and blonde, and clothing that left little to the imagination. While the other was a grown woman with…. Ahem, generous assets – Hey, he's a healthy man, don't judge him – wearing conservative clothing yet it greatly accentuates her features.
The two-walked side by side, and even from afar, Kiritsugu can tell they weren't exactly friends.
There was an air of tension between them, like they were mortal enemies but decided to have a ceasefire, albeit a very temporary one. Kiritsugu watched as the two came up to the front door of the house, either unfazed by the bounded field or allowed into the house - the latter being more likely - when the two stopped, and Kiritsugu swore they turned and looked straight at him.
He had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things, but there they were, the two women looking at him, the younger one was even waving at him!
It was clear that the two women weren't human, so he decided to hightail it out of there. But just as he stood up, the clicking of a gun was heard behind him.
"Don't. Move." The voice was male, and yet it seemed oddly familiar to him.
"I was just about to leave." Kiritsugu says. It was clear whoever was pointing the gun at him worked for one of the two women in front of Caster's Master's home.
"I know, and I have my orders to chase you out, and make sure you leave and not come back."
"Then, why aren't you?"
"Simple, I'll do something suicidal and disobey my orders so I can kill you." Kiritsugu tensed, whoever it is really wanted him dead if he considered disobeying his orders to be suicidal.
"And why do you want to kill me so badly?"
"Turn around." The man ordered. Kiritsugu obliged and when he turned, he saw a figure wearing full body armor, a cowl and even a face mask. Another thing that caught his attention was the gun pointed at him, and it wasn't just any gun.
It was his Thompson Contender.
"Who are you, why do you have that gun?" He received a chuckle from the man in front of him.
"Haven't you figured out yet?" The man took his hood and mask off, and Kiritsugu stumbled back in shock and horror.
"No, no it can't be!" Kiritsugu's voice broke, he couldn't come to terms with what he had just seen.
The man in front of him was Kiritsugu, with dark skin, and snow-white hair. "What's wrong? This is what happened to me when I kept going to fulfill my dream of protecting everyone, and it will happen to you as well." White haired Kiritsugu spoke with a harsh, cold tone, with a hint of anger in between. "I followed our dream, tried to save everyone. Now look what happened. Now I don't save, I kill. It's what we've always been, Kiritsugu, Killers. But now, I can finally put that to an end, I just need to kill you here and now." Black haired Kiritsugu was too shocked to respond, and White haired Kiritsugu's eyes narrowed. But just as White haired Kiritsugu was about to pull the trigger, a searing pain erupted, bringing him to him knees.
Pain rang through White haired Kiritsugu's skull. His screams were enough for Black Haired Kiritsugu snap out of his shock. When the pain subsided, White haired Kiritsugu was on his knees, panting. And his body started t fade into motes of light.
"Damned, Alaya." White haired Kiritsugu growled out. "It seems I won't be killing you today, but remember my face, Kiritsugu." White haired Kiritsugu gestured to himself. "This is what will happen if you continue to follow your dream." His last words echoed as the White haired Kiritsugu dispersed into motes of light. Leaving the real Kiritsugu to deal with a shocking revelation.
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Meanwhile
"Did you really have to torture the man like that, showing him his future Counter Guardian self?" Gaia asked her young mortal enemy.
"Oh, you know you had just as much fun watching the whole thing as I did. Don't deny it." Alaya was grinning from ear to ear, while nudging Gaia's sides.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Gaia says as she walked away.
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Oh, and by the way guys. Anyone who's waiting for Aigis to show up, she'll show up in the next chapter, probably.