A/N: Another Chapter for this reaction fic! Note I have decided not to add the OST in the fic anymore because it takes me too long to find out which is. I hope you enjoy it!
Episode 6: Night of Stratagem
The day went well in the Grey Void. The students are currently studying in the library, which also had a small classroom for young students.
The first topic was history from their world. Taiyang was the first to instruct their class. His two daughters were happy since they know that he was an excellent combat instructor and well-versed in history, thanks to a specific pro-, doctor in Beacon hammering it on his head.
The next class was Qrow's. he mostly teaches about weapon uses and various them, battle tactics, Dust use, Semblance and Aura, and Grimm. Despite being a drunk, he knows exactly what to teach, which impressed a few of the students, especially Weiss, despite seeing him as an unruly drunk at the beginning. While he teaches, he couldn't help but notice that things were going pretty standard, come to think about it, it was the same when he first arrived here. His Semblance should have seen to that. Questions will wait. Teaching comes first.
The final class was Glynda's, and it was in the training room, where they were given a chance to use the stadium now that it was ready to use. The instructions were all sent to the instructors' Scrolls courtesy of T. Glynda explains that the stadium will provide hard light simulated environments and interestingly opponents to face again.
In a demonstration, she activates the stadium, showing a light construct taking shape and turned into a forest, then people and Grimm were standing inside, not moving at all. Glynda even demonstrated by using her Semblance to lift a Grimm Beowolf and slammed it to the ground showing how solid it truly is.
This shocked everyone, and they asked how this technology is possible since their hard light simulation is nowhere close to this. Glynda confessed that she and her fellow peers, mostly James wanted to learn more about this technology. Still, T said this technology was a gift from Zelretch and requested that its technology remain secret out of respect for a specific late Animusphere, but what he can say was that technology came from an organization named Chaldea, which they will learn soon in the future.
As the students and instructors were teaching them, the other adults were doing their free time.
Ozpin and James discussed with one another what they have learned in the past viewings.
James ordered Winter to go to the library and learn what she can about the technology they had witnessed during Rider's interest in them.
Roman and Neo simply spent their time in the game room just enjoying themselves.
And finally, Sienna was still angry about not learning anything from Torchwick. She decides to do some research in the library as she remembered D mentioned that her people would feel welcomed on Earth. She told this to both Ghira and Kali, and they both agreed to learn more about it. Little did they release what was installed for them.
A few hours later…
After finishing with the day, all of Remnant's residents heard a female voice announcing in their Scrolls.
"All residents, please go to the Cinema room. All residents, please go to the Cinema room. It is time for the next viewing."
Within a couple of minutes, everyone entered the room to find D sitting back in his seat.
"Welcome back." D greets them.
"Hello, D!" Ruby greets with a smile. "We are ready for another day of watching!"
The deity nods as he watches them take their seats, then he notices the expressions of the elderly Faunus.
Ghira had a troubled expression on his face, yet it at the sometimes glad for some reason. Kali was giggling, and Sienna had a hint of red on her face while narrowed eyes while mumbling things.
Blake noticed this and walked up to her parents. "Mom? Dad? What's wrong?"
The said too looked at her. "Oh, it's nothing, sweetie," Kali said as she still giggled.
The Cat Faunus raised her brow the turned to her father, who just tiredly sighs. "It's really nothing, Blake, just… don't worry about."
Blake was about to ask what he means, but D cuts in with a smirk. "I see you discovered one of Earth's media." Ghira gives him the stink eye, Kali just giggled harder, and Sienna hissed at him, confusing Blake even more while the other just watched.
"What media?" Velvet asked, curious about what they are talking about, something possible Faunus topic.
"Don't worry about, bet that you guys find out on your own." D brushes it off as he prepares the next viewing.
While they wait, Yang couldn't help but ask the question. "So, you got a pet chicken?" She grinned while a few of the audience chuckled.
"Yup!" D smiled, getting the blond and other back a bit. "She is my most cherished friend."
"Awe! That's so sweet!" Ruby gushed, understanding what it's like to love your pet, like how she loves Zwei.
"Thanks," D said, then the screen began to open, getting everyone's attention. "It's starting."
The scene fades, showing the night sky as it slowly drops down to a curvy downhill road while a lone car was driving on it fast. Inside, Irisviel is happily driving the vehicle while her Servant, Saber, was back in her business suit, holding the car's handlebar while having a calm, neutral look but clearly showing a bit of discomfort.
"Whoa! Iri is driving the car?" Jaunes says in shock, along with the others, not expecting that the homunculus was the one behind the wheel.
"Damn! Look at her go!" Yang smirked, liking her style.
"See? See?!" The homunculus happily chirped as she drives like a daredevil expert as she made a small quick left turn. "It goes pretty fast!"
"Th-This is some pretty... skillful driving." Saber slowly said with a stiff smile on her face to her False Master before the car bumped a road bump making the two jump from their seats.
"I know, right?" Iri smiled towards the Servant while having the time of her life. Saber just nervously smiled in response.
"Holy shit… how can a woman with a sweet smile like that have such a badass driving skill!? While having a sweet smile at the same time?!" Coco screams as she lifts her shades.
"You may not believe it, but I've been practicing extra hard." Iri confidently said as she quickly changed gear on the gearstick with her right hand while using her left to turn the stearin wheel to the left effortlessly. "Of all the toys Kiritsugu brought me, this one's my favorite!" She happily says with a sweet smile of joy.
"Toys?" Weiss says in disbelief. "Wait, does that mean it was Kiritsugu was the one who taught her how to drive?"
"You know I'm not surprised hearing that," Blake added.
"Toys, you say?" Saber sweatdropped, then she felt her body leaning back on her seat as Iri speeded up the car.
"Wow…! This is intense!" Ruby squeaked as if she was inside the car.
"I could only drive around the courtyard at the castle." The homunculus says as she drifted the car from left to right at its top speed. "This is incredible!"
"That's some smooth driving there." Qrow complimented
"She's like a child in a candy store." Velvet giggled, seeing how cute Irisviel's smile is.
"Shouldn't we have hired a professional driver?" The Servant suggested calmly as she and her driver leaned left to right to the constant drifting.
"Wouldn't that be dangerous?" Penny asked as she tilted her head.
"No, that would be boring– I mean, dangerous!" Irisviel corrected herself with a confident look on her face as she drives. "What if the enemy attacks us?"
Some of the audience chuckled at the stutter that the Einzbern made.
"What Irisviel speaks true." Ozpin comments, "It would be dangerous to bring an outsider to this war."
"That and the fact she just wants to be the one to drive." Taiyang laughed while also being impressed by Iri's skill.
"I suppose so..." Saber mutters but smiles nonetheless but quickly narrowed her eyes at the road. "Stop!"
Before the False Master could respond, Saber took the wheel and took her foot and stomped on the brakes, forcing the car to stop.
Everyone flinched at the sudden action.
"What happened?" Winter narrowed her eyes as she recognized the seriousness in Saber's voice.
The reason? Caster was blocking their way.
The audience gasped in horror. "Caster?!" Almost everyone screamed his Class.
"He actually came for Saber…?" Kali gasped as she held her husband, being fearful of the mad Servant.
"He's dedicated, that I can give him." Torchwick gulped while Neo slowly nodded in agreement, she may be a crazy girl, but even she has a line herself.
In the car, Iri cringed at the sudden stop but was unharmed. "Irisviel." Saber called her name without looking away from the enemy Servant. "Get out of the car and stay close to me."
"That presence..." Iri looked to Saber then towards the road. Where Caster was simply just stood a few meters away from their car. Smiling at them. "It's a Servant."
Some of the audience's spines shivered at the sight. Others narrowed their eyes in disgust at the Servant.
(Opening Theme: Oath Sign by LiSA)
The audience sighed in relief, seeing the opening scene.
"I was not expecting to see Caster this soon on this episode." Pyrrha shook her head.
"Yeah…" Jaune shivered. "I'd hate to be the one getting trouble from of him."
'You have no idea, Jaune Arc…' D deadpans in his head, knowing that Caster's True Name will be revealed.
(Opening Theme ends)
The scene opens, showing the sides of the car's doors being opened. Both Master and Servant came out of the car as they both slowly walked to the front of the vehicle while keeping their distance from Caster as the car's light shines on him.
"Okay…" James whispered. "Let's see how this plays out."
Caster bowed down before the two or most likely to Saber. "I've come for you, O Holy Virgin."
Everyone shuddered at his words, but the women were it hard when they heard it.
"Oh, Oum… I feel so defiled when I heard that." Glynda shudders, not helping that her close appearance to the King of Knights made her gag.
"You speak true human." Sienna shuddered as well.
The two women just silently stared at the kneeling Servant in confusion until Iri broke that silence. "You know him?"
"I've never laid eyes on him." Saber answered, not recalling ether meeting the Servant before her.
"Well, that's certainly a relief." Ren breathes out.
"Didn't I say that they don't know each other?" D raised a brow.
"Hearing it from Saber just makes it even better."
"How could you?!" Caster gasped in hurt as he raised his head to Saber. "Are you saying you've forgotten my face?"
"Is he being serious?" Weiss raised a brow. "This is just a mistake in identity. Saber confessed he never even met this psychotic lunatic!"
"It would clearly show that this Servant is not mentally stable at all." Penny frowned as she states the obvious.
"Forgotten?" Saber raises a brow as she took one step forward. "I've never even met you. Perhaps you mistake me for someone else."
"It's me! Gilles de Rais!" The now named Caster says as he grips his head, feeling hurt for not being remembered.
"Finally!" Qrow shouts as he raises her hands. "We get to know who this motherfu-"
"Qrow!" Glynda cuts her peer's choice of words as she glares at him, quickly making him shut his mouth.
D coughs getting everyone's attention. "Caster's True Name is Gilles de Rais, the version whose notoriety as 'Bluebeard' typically overwhelms his heroic aspect."
"You did mention that some heroes turn bad in their legends." Yang points out, earning a nod from the deity.
"He was a French nobleman of the country of France, ranked as a baron, and a military member during the 15th century. He had a vast fortune, buying up many works of art, and it seemed to many that it would never deplete. Some could even consider him a threat to the king."
"So this guy was a rich prick?" Sienna scoffs as she rolled her eyes. "Explains a lot."
"I would very much appreciate it if you'd let me finish before you start judging." D snaped, making the Faunus cringe a bit, and slowly nodded. "He became a national hero during the Hundred Years War while serving under the Joan of Arc after helping to recapture Orleans, and he was given the highest honor with the title of Marshal of France. Both were present at the coronation ceremony of King Charles, decorated as saviors and national heroes. It became a memory that forever encapsulated his glory that even his corruption could not overwhelm."
Everyone was shocked to hear this. This psychotic lunatic that they are currently watching was a well-known hero that was marked in history. What could have happened to make him this way?
"Wait…" Jaune slowly asked. "Did you say Joan of Arc?"
D nodded. "Joan of Arc or otherwise known as Jeanne d'Arc, the Maid of Orléans."
All of Jaune's friends and those who know the Arc family's history were shocked to learn that there is another Arc in another world. For Jaune, he knew his entire family, and he had never heard this Jeanne before, but for some reason, he felt something warm inside his chest, and he couldn't help but feel happy learning about her.
"Is… is she a hero?" Jaune slowly asked in a hopeful tone.
D smiled as he answered. "Yes. One of History's greatest heroes, in the begging she was but a simple farm girl and a strong believer in God. It is also believed that she heard the voice of God, telling her she was destined to lead the French Army and end the Hundred Year War. From that point on, she left the life of a common girl and raised as a knight and led her people to victory."
Everyone was amazed in learning the Maid of Orléans' achievements, the women feeling pride for another female hero aside from Artoria. At the same time, Jaune couldn't help but smile and wanted to learn more about Jeanne.
Ozpin smiled at this and then sadly frowned, wondering how Gilles became what he was right now. "But how does this affect Gilles?"
D frowns, making everyone feel tense when they all saw his reaction. "Gilles viewed Joan as the basis for everything to him, his sole salvation and the proof that God existed, so his pious heart fell into despair after Joan was executed as a heretic."
Everyone gasped in horror, learning about the heroine's death.
"Why?!" Ruby shouted in horror and sadness. "Why was Jeanne executed as a heretic?!"
"Under the false accusation of her being called a witch." Ozpin froze in horror, hearing such a familiar memory of a certain woman. Fortunately, his circle didn't notice due to their shock as well.
"A witch…?" Jaune whispers in horror as he slightly trembles. Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora notices this and holds his shoulder to try and comfort him. "Why would they do that?!"
"In those times, people fear the unknown." D sadly explains. "Rumours, paranoia, and fear can easily sway people. Which resulted in the tragic death of the Maid of Orléans."
"That's… that's stupid…" Blake breaths out in sadness.
"Indeed…" D nodded in agreement. "Gilles succumbed into madness over Jeanne's loss. It was said that he held her corpse in her arms as he cried out: 'God does not exist.' Thus, He began to perform cruel deeds to prove that God is absent. He dabbled in alchemy and instead concentrating on the aspect of the black magic of summoning demons. François Prelati, a friend of Gilles, was the primary magus in charge of the rituals, Gilles having no real knowledge of the craft and only acting as a patron. He started to abduct young boys from the area of his domain, raping and slaughtering them by the hundreds, which eventually made him the model for the fairy tale "Bluebeard."
Everyone listening was both horrified and disgusted that once a proud man as fallen this far.
"In the end, he was hanged for all the atrocities he has committed while cursing God for abandoning his Holy Maiden." The audience was silent after hearing Caster's history. Some were respected for his heroic deeds before his madness, and some pitied him for the loss of the very person he loved and respected, while others feel disgusted for all the actions during his delirium.
"How could anyone be capable of such things?" Ren shakes his head in disappointment.
"Everyone has a breaking point, Lie," D said. "Even the best of us can break down and turn into something that no-one would expect. I certainly hope that no one here dares betray themselves and turn into something they are not."
This made everyone think about what the deity said—becoming something they are not.
Blake understood this as she recalls Adam being once a good man but turned into the very monster everyone painted him to be. She hoped that she could one day reason with him, but after seeing Caster and his tragic backstory, the Faunus in hiding now convinced that the Adam she knew is now dead and just a mad bull before her eyes and will do everything she can to stop him.
Sienna thought about the current White Fang that she is leading. She knows that it was once used peaceful methods to send their message to the humans that she once agreed with Ghira. Still, the humans were too stubborn and foolish to see to reason, and when Ghira stepped down and took his place as High Leader, she decides to take matters with her hands and used violence and fear to make them see their efforts. She's no fool. She was no stranger in killing but only to those who truly deserve it to achieve her people's goal for equality. But after learning about Gilles de Rais, she was starting to think more carefully about the White Fang and specific members in it.
Ozpin was in deep thought after hearing this tale. He couldn't help but compare his story with his former love, Salem. The only difference was that their roles were reversed, and the information had a different plot, but the setting was all the same. Salem went as far as to challenge the Brothers for not bringing him back, leading her to trick the first civilization into turning against their creators, but only for them to be wiped out by them, and cursing Salem into becoming immortal, and damning herself even further by jumping in the Grimm Pool left behind by Gods. It didn't even help during his first reincarnation. Granted, she was happy at the beginning with him and their daughters. And that happiness ended due to two sides hiding secrets that caused the deaths of their children and Salem now submitting to what she is now. Because of him… because he wasn't open to her initially, she did the same but because she was scared that Ozma would stop loving her as he thought the same. There was one big difference between Gilles and Salem. Though Salem was not a psychotic serial killer like Gilles, it doesn't change the fact that she is dangerous. Taking T's advice, Ozpin hoped he could find something, anything in this viewing that might be the key to stop the Queen of Grimm or maybe set things right.
D mentally nodded in approval seeing few people carefully thinking in deep thought of the rise and fall of Gilles de Rais. He then coughs in his hand, catching everyone's attention.
"Here's his Servant Stats." He said while the screen showed Caster's Stats.
Caster: Servant Stats
True Name: Gilles de Rais
Master: Uryuu Ryuunosuke
Source: Historic Fact
Region: France
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Hidden Attribute: Human
Parameters
Strength: D
Endurance: E
Agility: D
Mana: C
Luck: E
NP: A+
Class Skills
Territory Creation: B
Item Construction: –
Personal Skills
Appreciation of the Arts: E-
Mental Pollution: A
Noble Phantasm
Prelati's Spellbook: Textbook of the Sunken Spiral Castle (Anti-Army): A+
"I'm surprised that his Stats are relatively weak," James said in surprise.
"Save for Mana and NP, though," Glynda added.
"Caster may be weak, but his skills in the Dark Arts compensates for it, making him dangerous." D pointed out the facts.
"I've been praying solely for your revival and spent my life waiting for a miracle to reunite us!" The clearly delusional Servant continued his rant. "I've come all this way to the end of time just for that, Jeanne!"
"I won't lie. That was beautiful. I just wish it was someone else who said that." Weiss gaged being torn about such a beautiful saying being said by a disgusting man.
"Indeed, sister." Winter shivered, along with a few of the audience.
Ozpin just silently gulped, feeling guilty at such words as he mentally saw Salem saying them to him.
Again, there was a muted reaction from the two women who Caster mistaken Saber for as Jeanne.
"Jeanne?" Iri echoed in confusion and slightly turned her head to her Servant.
"I don't know your name, nor do I have any idea who this Jeanne might be." Saber answered, not once dropping her guard against the crazed Servant.
"Why does he think that Saber is Jeanne?" Jaune wondered. "Do they look the same?"
"That… is a topic for another time." D slowly and quickly answered, getting everyone a bit confused at his reaction. 'I'll save the topic of Saberface when we have the right time.'
Caster didn't say anything for a moment before he heartbreakingly muttered. "No... Have you really forgotten who you were in mortal life?"
"Dude, we get it! You're in pain and denial. You're just humiliating yourself." Qrow said in annoyance but slightly cringed at the irony on himself with his consent drinking.
"Since you gave me your name, I shall also give you mine in accordance to the knightly code." The Servant of the Sword stated as she begins introducing herself. "My name is Arturia. Heir to Uther Pendragon and King of Britain. I am of the Saber class in this battle."
"Still being honorable despite the awkwardness." Ghira smiles, respecting the king's patience and how she handles things.
Despite everything that the King of Knights, the Demon Marshal thought otherwise. "How tragic! How lamentable!" He shrieked in pure self-disbelief as he begins to sob. "You've lost your memory and gone mad!"
Everyone was taken back at this development. They knew that this Mad Servant was not right in the head, but this… this just shows how lost the man is.
"He's… crying?" Pyrrha said while feeling creeped out.
"Oh, Oum, I'm going to have nightmares about this." Roman shivered while Neo nodded in agreement with her eyes wide.
"Curse you, God..." The two women just watched expressionless at the mad Servant's reaction as they both looked at each other as they silently asked, 'what's wrong with him?'
Even the audience thought the same.
"Curse you!" Gilles angrily screamed as he smashes his fists repeatedly on the concrete road. "How could you inflict such cruel torture upon my beautiful maiden?!"
"Holy shit! Now that's just going overboard!" Yang shouts while Ruby held her trembling sister.
"That's enough!" Saber shouts as she begins to lose her patience. "You embarrass yourself!"
"I believe he has already had ever since he mistook Artoria as Jeanne." Penny points out.
Caster did what he said as he calmed down and smiled. "Awaken! Call yourself Saber no longer. The Holy Grail War has already ended. The Grail has chosen me, Gilles, with no fighting at all!" The mad Servant dramatically says with his twisted speech as he smiled wickedly. "For you see, my only wish, the revival of Jeanne d'Arc, has been granted!"
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind sliced through the air cutting the ground in a straight line as it passed through Caster on his right.
Caster smiled, dropped in confusion, and looked towards the source of that power.
I was Saber in her battle attire as she held up her invisible sword, pointing at him.
"Oh, thank you, Saber!" Glynda breaths out in relief as she held her chest with her hand. "I wasn't sure how much I could listen to this madness."
"Indeed." Ozpin breathed out while everyone else began to calm down after hearing Caster's crazy speech. 'I am delighted to know that Salem does not have a mindset like Caster.'
"If you mock the prayers of us Heroic Spirits any further, the next strike will be for real." The King of Knights glared at the kneeling Servant while Iri watched in silence behind her. "Now, get up!"
"Yeah! Don't you dare mock the other Heroic Spirits with your delusions!" Ruby growled.
Caster did not move from his spot and just stared at Saber. "Has your heart been that tightly sealed, Jeanne? Very well, then." The Servant of Magic closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, then stood up, making Saber prepare herself for the worst, and Irisveil stepped a bit closer to her Servant. "Since drastic measures are called for, I will make preparations before coming again. I swear to you, Jeanne. I will free your soul from the curse of God."
Finishing his promise, he bows to Saber then motes away in purple particles leaving the two women alone.
"It's official. That lunatic is mentally unstable and irredeemable." Qrow quips as he takes a drink from his flask.
"Really wishing that guy bites the dust early in the war." Jaune narrowed his eyes, not approving Gilles at all. Granted, he may have done heroic deeds in the past, but he despises him from the bottom of the core.
Saber drops her guard, knowing that the Caster is truly gone now. "It's so tiring to deal with someone who won't listen to what you say." The homunculus tiredly says in both annoyance and worry.
"Now, where have I heard that before." Weiss sarcastically whispered.
"What was that?" Ruby curiously asked, hearing her partner's whisper but didn't catch what she said.
"Nothing Ruby."
"I will strike before he can speak next time. People like him infuriate me." Saber declares as she turns back to the car, changing back to her usual attire. "However, this may have been fortunate for me in my current condition. He felt too dangerous of an enemy to face with my left arm sealed."
"Right… I forgot about her injury." Yang cringed as she recalled Saber's battle against Lancer.
"Saber has a point. With her injury, she may have a hard time facing Caster or the other Servants for the matter." Ren points out.
Irisviel looked down, worried at how Saber confessed her condition.
After such a tiring event, they both got in the car and drove off.
However, in the distance, unknown to anyone, among the trees in the forest next to the road, two of the Assassin's jumped on the trees' branches as they had witnessed the entire scene.
"Assassin!" Everyone shouted in the theatre room.
"I forgot that these guys are spying on the other Masters and Servants!" Nora said.
"Following Saber's Master has resulted in an unexpected reward." One of the Assassins happily said. "We actually found Caster as well. Of course, we must follow him, too." The Assassin jumps off from the branch tearing off some of the bark from his bare feet.
"Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise," Ozpin said, getting everyone's attention. "Now that Assassin knows of Caster's whereabouts, the chances for his defeat rises."
"I certainly hope so, Oz," James said. "But then again, since Kirei's father is the mediator of the Holy Grail War, he can take action for Caster and his Master for being serial killers."
"I hope your right, James."
The scene now changes somewhere in an underground base showing pillars that are being shined by flashlights.
"Oh, right, I forgot to mention," D said, getting everyone's attention. "T has informed about warning you about getting mentally prepared for gruesome stuff."
Everyone stiffened and cringed at one of the gruesome memories previously shown in the past viewings, such as Sakura bathed in the basement filled with Crest Worms, the murder of a family Ryunnosuke, and Caster butchering an innocent boy with his monster.
"Brace yourselves. This scene is… unpleasant." D said, making everyone nervous but all the same, mentally prepare themselves.
"No, no." Ryunnosuke's voice echoed in the darkness.
"That voice…!" Weiss shuddered, familiar with the voice.
"It's Ryunnosuke!" Penny shouts.
"Wait…" Blake muttered as she narrowed her eyes. Being familiar with horror theme books, she couldn't help but see something that she recognized. Cliché she knows, but the thought was still there. "A serial killer's voice… a dark area…" She carefully thinks before she slowly widens her eyes in horror as her cat ears hidden in her bow flatten down. "No…"
"Blake?" Yang nervously says as she notices her partner's horrified look.
The Faunus, in hiding, quickly snaps to her partner. "Cover Ruby's eyes, NOW!" Without question, Yang did what her partner says and brings her sister's face to her chest and holds her, much to Ruby's dismay.
"Here's what you do with the thumb." The serial killer said as he moved his hand that tightened a bolt compressed against a twitching, bloody hand on one of the pillars.
The Master of Caster smiles proudly ad his work as he expertly twirls a scapple on his hand "Nice." He stares at the children he and Caster have kidnapped who have been crucified on the pillars before him while he drops his tool back on a plate filled with scapples. "Perfect."
Everyone in the room gasped in horror, minus Ruby as her view was blocked by her older half-sister but hearing their gasps, she couldn't help but shudder in what possible mess has occurred.
"Oh, Brothers… he–" Jaune swore and was about to say something before Yang cut him off.
"DON'T YOU DARE SAY ANYTHING!" Yang shouts as her eyes turned red, making almost everyone in the room jump in their seats as she held her sister before her eyes changed back to Lilac as she calmed down. "Please don't say anything about this…"
"Right… sorry…" Jaune said, looking down, realizing he was close to saying that could traumatize Ruby. Pyrrha placed her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.
Everyone in the room was shocked, angry, horrified, and disgusted by the scene, but after hearing Yang, they got the message about not describing the details.
And on cue, Caster reappears in their hideout as he approaches his Master.
"Welcome back, Mister." The Master of Caster says as he notices the Servant returning.
"And the Servant returns." Tai narrowed his eyes as he growled
The Demon Marshal did not respond. He frowned and walked up to the pillar with the child that the serial killer just crucified on.
He raised his fist and, with a furious grunt and smashed the child's face splatting blood on the pillar, killing the poor soul.
The audience either gasped or scream at the horrific scene.
"Bastard!"
"That disgusting–!"
"How… how could he…!"
It took a while for everyone to calm down to the bloody death of a child. It was at least offscreen when it happened, but it didn't help them imagine the scene.
Usually, anyone would scream in horror at the sight, but not for the crazed serial killer like Ryuunosuke. "No way!" He only gasped in both surprise and annoyance that his work was put to waste.
"Accursed God!" Caster screamed in rage as he walked away from the pillar with his right hand now dripping with the child's blood. "To this day, he keeps an iron grip on Jeanne's soul and refuses to let go!"
"He's still going on about that!" Jaune growled, hating Caster more and more.
"By Jeanne, you mean the girl in that crystal ball?" The Master confusingly asked the Servant.
Caster quickly turned to his Master, slightly startling him. "We have to prove it to her!" The mad Servant declared as e dramatically poses. "That God's might has long gone, and his love is hollow! That no foul deed or horrible crime results in God's punishment!"
'Good lord… he truly has lost all sense of reason and sanity… and this was not even the work of their God!' Ozpin thought in his head, growing more horrified of this Mad Servant while being equally glad that Salem did not have such insanity in her.
"Yeah, I know what you mean." The mad Master says in understanding. "You're so much cooler anyway, Mister!"
"Brother! These two are meant for each other!" Nora screeched while the others gagged at the comment of the murdering couple.
"In that case!" The serial killer smiles as he listens to his fellow serial killer. "We need greater depravities, greater blasphemies. We shall create a blasphemous hill of live sacrifices!"
"How in the world is that going to help?!" Kali trembles as she held her husband, she has nothing against humans, but for Caster, she was never more afraid and angrier at anyone in her whole life.
"How can anyone be this… this evil?!" Glynda covers her mouth in horror.
"It's just as D said, people change when they reached their breaking point," Ozpin said his piece, then looked at the deity who was silently looking back at him with a raised brow. The reincarnater looked away in shame, knowing precisely what his silence meant.
"Uh, so basically..." The Master slowly says as he tries to say the right words. "It's quantity over quality from now on?"
"Oh, what clever mathematical skill you have!" Surprisingly it was Winter who sarcastically spat out.
Both James and Weiss were surprised to hear that from her but understood all the same.
"Yes! Exactly that!" Caster says in approval. "Very good, Ryuunosuke. Let's start by sacrificing the eleven in the cells. Then, we'll find some more kids to replenish our supplies."
Ryuunosuke watches his Servant leave. Then he turns to the pillar, now holding the dead child. "What a waste, though."
"Disgusting bastard…" Qrow growled while he and everyone hated the two.
The scene now cuts to the city, showing many buildings and streetlights lit up in the late night. But the set mostly focuses on a tall building in the center.
"Is it over?" Yang asked D, to which he nodded, making the brawler sigh in relief as she lets go of her sister as she gasps for air.
"That was long!" Ruby took a deep breath after her face was stuffed to her sister's chest before looking at her sister. "Was it that bad?"
"It was bad." D answers before Yang could say anything. "Though you should start getting used to these goriest scenes in the future."
Yang's eyes narrowed and turned red as she glared at the deity. "Care to go say that again?"
"How is she supposed to be a proper Huntress if she can't stomach and be mentally be prepared for such scenarios like this?" D counters making taking the blond back, seeing the point in his words. "You kids are supposed to be ready for these kinds of things. Did you honestly expect not to encounter such cases like this?"
"Well…" Ruby starts trying to piece the right words. "I know it won't be easy, but…"
"It never is." D answers, making the red reaper cringe a bit. "and for the record, I doubt you needed to cover your eyes at this. After all, you already have seen and the innocent-shattering scenes from the first episode."
This made the reaper slightly cringe. Even though she wishes to forget, she couldn't get the images out of her head. She wasn't sure if the previous scene was enough to make her sick or make her cry. All she could do was get ready for it to come.
"Your right…" Ruby said, shocking a few of the audience. "I… don't like it… but… I have to be ready for it."
"Ruby…" Weiss said in concern. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure," Ruby said with a strained smile but held determination on her face. "After all, we did sign up for this."
The students smiled and nodded in agreement. They knew the dangers of being hunters the moment they attended Beacon Academy and somewhat agree to pull through this to desensitize themselves from the horror themes they will watch out for in the future.
After a small drama, they continued the viewing.
The scene now cuts to a television screen showing a male news anchor reporting the news live. "We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news." He starts as the title shows 'Unexplained Explosion' on the screen.
"Where's this?" Nora asked.
"Judging by the building, we saw a short moment ago, that might be a Hotel, and the scene is currently in one of the guest rooms." Ren deduces.
"An unexplained explosion occurred in the warehouse district off the Fuyuki City coast."
"So, people did notice that battle." Ozpin hummed.
"They won't find anything that will affect the Grail War," D said. "All they'll find is an unexplainable case that they will have no choice but to drop."
The scene now cuts to Kayneth sitting in one of the hotel room chairs they are renting, who is listening to the news, frowning at the outcome of last night's events. "We go live to the scene..." Listening enough, he takes a remote and turns off the television.
"So, where now watching Kayneth?" Velvet frowned, not liking this Master not as much as Caster's but still doesn't like him.
He turns to his Servant, who was sitting in another chair next to the television with his head down low. "Why didn't you finish Saber off tonight?" The Master questions his Servant.
"He's scolding Lancer?" Glynda frowned. "I don't see any reason to scold such an honorable man."
"You had not one, but two chances." The Master of Lancer continued to beret the Knight of Fianna. "It's even worse that you made me waste a Command Spell."
"Seriously? That was your own fault!" Taiyang said, disappointed at the Master.
The Servant of the Lance did not respond without glancing towards his Master. "Was your fight with Saber that much fun?" The Master questioned.
"If you ask me, he was doing just fine fighting her without your help." Qrow quipped.
"That's not it." Lancer finally speaks and still doesn't meet his Master's eyes. "I swear by my honor as a knight that I will bring you Saber's head."
"There's no point in swearing it now!" Kayneth angrily says as he slams his left fist on his armrest. "Of course you'll do it. You made a contract with me to get me the Grail! And now, you swear to defeat only Saber? You must be horribly mistaken!"
"The heck is his problem?" Coco raised his brow under her shades.
Weiss hmphed in distaste seeing a familiar scene her father would do. "Reputation. I'm guessing the reason he's acting this way is probably his desire for the Grail or his reputation of a Magus was on the line."
"Couldn't have better myself, sister." Winter added.
"Aren't you the one who's mistaken, Lord El-Melloi?" A female voice cuts in the conversation, making the Master turn to the source of it.
Jaune perked up as he recognized the voice. "Hey, it's the voice from the intro."
"Sola-Ui..." The now named woman walks into the room. She is probably around under Iri's age (appearance). She has short red hair, wears a long white sleeve shirt and a red ribbon tied around her neck, brown pants the reach over her knees, and wears red high heels shoes. This is Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri.
"Who's this new character?" Coco asked.
"Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri," D said, gaining a raised brow from the long and somewhat hard name to pronounce. "Long name, I know. She is Kayneth's assistant in providing mana for Lancer as well his fiancé."
"Fiancé?!" Everyone echoed in shock.
"Who would want to marry this man?" Sienna skeptically said while everyone had the same train of thought.
"It's an arranged marriage that both families agreed on." This earned a little understanding of the situation while the two Schnees frowned as they narrowed their eyes at the idea of arranged marriages.
"Lancer did well." Sola-Ui says she eyed the Servant with a grateful look then turned to her fiancé with a narrowed look of disapproval. "Aren't you the one who's misjudging the situation?"
"Finally! Someone with a brain." Blake said
"Saber is a mighty Servant." Kayneth reasoned while looked trouble now that his fiancé now joined the conversation as he looked away. "I couldn't let the chance to defeat her once and for all slip by."
"She's been dealt a wound that cannot heal." Sola-Ui points as she places her right hand on her hip. "You could leave her be and still defeat her whenever you like. If you find Saber that threatening, why didn't you go after Saber's Master? You merely hid and watched. It doesn't get more pathetic than that."
"Oh, I like her! She's totally grilling him." Coco grins as she watches Kayneth looked uncomfortable.
"This is refreshing to watch," Weiss comments as she lightly grins, seeing something familiar in her family except that the roles are reversed.
Kayneth didn't say anything now. He was one being put on the spot now.
"Kayneth." The woman continued as she begins to walk around the room. "I'm sure you understand the advantage you have over the other Masters, right? You made a special alteration to the usual Master-Servant contract. You get the Command Spells, while I act as an additional Master and supply mana." She walks up behind Kayneth's chair and looks down on him. Not once has the said Master even looking at her. "They don't call you the top prodigy of Necromancy for nothing."
"Damn, she's ruthless." Qrow gave a sit eating grin as he drinks his flask.
"But we must be careful with the beginning." Kayneth reasoned, still looking away.
"Oh, is that so?" Sola-Ui mocked gasped. "Yet you press Lancer for results–"
"That's enough." Lancer cuts in, making the two Magi's looked at him in surprise.
Even the audience was surprised by Lancer's action.
"Any more will be an insult to my lord." The knight said. "As a knight, I cannot allow it."
Everyone was shocked by this. Despite the needless badmouthing from Kayneth, he still defended his Master.
"Why would Lancer defend him? That man is not worth it after the way he treated him." Ghira questions.
"It's because he is a knight of old," Ozpin answered. "Perhaps his chivalry and honor towards his Master's command him so."
Sola-Ui stared at the Servant, still surprised at how he would defend Kayneth after being treated. "No, I didn't mean it like that..." The woman almost quickly said as she moved to Kayneth's side and looked apologetic. "Sorry. I went too far."
Everyone blinked at the sudden shift in personality Sola-Ui did. First, she was looking down and mocking Kayneth. Now, she was apologetic.
"That was a sudden turn." Pyrrha comments.
"Yeah… why would…?" Jaune drifts off as he thinks of why she did it until he remembered Lancer's Personal Skill. "Oh,… right."
Sola-Ui apologized to Kayneth. However, the moment she turned to look at Lancer, she smiled.
Kayneth did not miss a smile. He slightly narrows his eyes and turns to Lancer, who was still looking down on his chair, but what he was mostly focusing on was the Love Spot that was on his face. He didn't need to be a genius to know what was happening to his fiancé due to Diarmuid's Curse.
"Uh oh~, looks like someone's in love~." Yang teasingly grinned, seeing what's happening.
"Yang, you do know that this is just artificial love caused by Lancer's Curse." Blake deadpans.
"I know." Her partner shrugs. "But if it's to keep throwing dirt on Kayneth's face, then I'm fine with it."
Before anything else happened, a fire alarm suddenly rang through the room, startling the three.
Almost everyone in the room was startled by the alarm.
"What's happening now?" Kali asked.
"It sounds like a fire alarm." Velvet said, being familiar with the sound.
"What? What's going on?" Sola-Ui questioned as she looked around.
Next, the room's phone rang. Kayneth regained his calm and composed posture and walked up to answer the phone. He picked it up and listened to who was speaking.
"I see." Kayneth answered after a few seconds of listening to the phone before he placed it back down. He then turns to his associates. "A fire on the lower floors. It's clearly arson."
"Arson?" James narrowed his eyes at the suspicious coincidence after the first night of the war.
"Arson?" Sola-Ui repeated. "Tonight, of all nights?"
"It's a ploy to vacate the place." The Master of Lancer explained.
"Then... it's an attack?" The woman said, slightly alarmed.
"Who would be attacking right now? And in a location filled with civilians?" Blake questions. Though she was shamefully familiar with the chaos during her time in the White Fang, she wondered who would be so daring to do it.
"My money is Kiritsugu doing it," Coco said, earning an understanding nod from everyone seeing the Magus Killer doing this kind of scenario.
Kayneth scoffs. "Saber's Master will want to dispel the spear's curse as soon as possible. Lancer, head down and receive her." He ordered his Servant. "Don't just drive her off this time."
Lancer bowed in acknowledgment. "Understood."
"Bet he'll be very disappointed to know that Saber or Iri will be there, though." Roman points out, while Neo giggled, imagining the disappointed look at Kayneth.
"Our guest can enjoy the magical atelier of Kayneth El-Melloi." The Magus proudly said as he grinned. "A perfect atelier spanning an entire floor."
The scene now cuts quickly, showing the entire floor that Kayneth mentioned.
"Twenty-four field layers. Three mana generators. Dozens of ghosts and evil spirits roaming as guard dogs. Countless traps. Parts of hallways that open out to other worlds."
The whole hall showed relight light patterns all over the walls, floor, roof, specter-like mist, birds flew around the area, static-like electricity filled parts of the walls, and bizarre, colorful rooms showed around the halls.
"What the heck was that!?" Jaune shouted, freaked out at what he just saw along with the other viewers.
"What you've witnessed is Kayneth's level of skill in his mastery of magecraft." D answers.
"Such a variety of magic…" Ozpin says in awe and fear. He had never seen such complexed magic even during his early life when the use of magic was still well-known. If the first civilization was still alive, could it be possible that they could reach this level? Sadly, he may never know.
Back in the room, Kayneth proudly laughs at his masterpiece while Sola-Ui simply looks slightly impressed.
"Both I and my opponent will be able to use every technique up our sleeves in this fight." The Master said he went back to his seat, picked up a glass of white wine in his hand, and looked up to his fiancé. "Your statement that I'm pathetic... I'll have you retract it shortly."
"Good." The woman said. "I look forward to it."
Kayneth simply hummed and drank his wine.
"Confident sonuvabitch isn't he?" Sienna's comments with her eye twitched in annoyance seeing the smug look on the human's face.
Ruby was about to point out her swearing but only for her mouth to be covered by Blake in time.
The scene now cuts outside of the building, showing many civilians with their luggage. Some sit down on the ground or standing among their friends or family, all while taking a great distance from the building.
"Good to know that the civilians have all evacuated from the building." Winter sighs in relief.
"Lord Archibald!" A staff member of the hotel building called out as he held a list of papers containing all the guests' names. "Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald! Are you present?"
"I'm impressed that the staff is well organized to ensure their customer's safety." Ghira compliments the staff as they did their job.
"Yes." The staff member flinched when he heard the voice, which replied.
He turns to see a man he assumes as Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, but in reality, it was Emiya Kiritsugu. At first, the man did not believe that Kiritsugu said that Kayneth's name sounded foreign and that Kiritsugu looked Japanese.
"Kiritsugu!? What's he doing there?" Nora questioned.
"Most likely to cross off Kayneth's name from the guest list to avoid suspicion." Ren theorized.
"But will that even work?" Jaune asked. "I mean that the staff member was suspicious of Kiritsugu."
"That's me. Don't worry." The Magus Killer continued with a calm and collective tone with a gaze that seemed to see right through your soul. "Both I, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, and my wife, Sola-Ui, have evacuated."
All the viewers' felt a shiver from their spine. The way Kiritsugu talked, the way he held his stoic expression, the way his calm, collective and empty eyes that they all gazed upon felt that he was seeing straight into their souls.
"Wow… just, wow…" Jaune shivered.
"I'm so glad we don't need to face someone like him." Ruby squeaked as she slightly trembled at the Magus Killer's gaze.
The staff slightly froze the moment he heard his words and looked at his expression. For a short moment, he snapped out of it and slowly replied. "I see. Okay, thank you." He walked away as he crossed Kayneth's name off the list.
"He believed him?" Pyrrha said, slightly shocked at how the staff believing the lie.
"With someone giving a gaze a posture like that, I think anyone might have." Blake points out, heck, even she would believe Kiritsugu if he answered her pus her Faunus traits would just build up the tension in her.
The staff member walked up to his fellow workmate. "Everyone has evacuated."
The workmate nodded. "Very good." With that, all of the staff workers began to spread out. Most likely to help resolve the situation. While they all ran in the same direction, the Magus Killer was walking in the opposite direction as he got his phone from his pocket.
"Preparations are complete." The Master of Saber said. "And you?"
The scene cuts to Maya, who a distance away, in a half-constructed tall building while she was kneeling with her sniper rifle as she monitors the hotel high up on one of the upper levels. "No problems here. Ready anytime."
"Looks like the Magus Killer as now set the stage for their battle," Penny said.
"I'm curious as to how he will fight against Kayneth and Lancer without the help of Saber," James said as he focuses on the screen.
"Oh yeah! I forgot that Saber is not with him." Nora wondered. "What will Kiritsugu do?"
Back to Kiritsugu, he was standing in the middle of a parking area filled with cars. He lights a cigarette and huffs the contents as he picked up his phone again and pressed a button.
"What is he doing?" Winter narrowed her eyes, searching for the purpose of his phone, what she could assume Earth's version of a Scroll.
Throughout the entire parking lot, tone dial sounds were echoed around the area until a specific beep completely silenced everything.
"Wha–" Before Ruby could ask, this scene happened.
The sound of an explosion erupted in the middle of the hotel building, forcing the upper part to collapse.
On the inside, the explosion spread, destroying the hallways and collapsing the underground parking. The implosion caused the entire building to collapse from destruction on the inside.
All the innocent bystanders who were outside watched the entire thing. Most panicked and talked among one another but what anyone didn't know was that there wasn't a single causality among the innocent.
All of the viewers except D were utterly stunned, silent in what they just witnessed. The Magus Killer blew up a building to kill Kayneth and his Servant.
"Oh, my goodness!" Glynda screamed as she covered her mouth.
"He destroyed the entire building?!" Yang screams in shock. "Just to kill Kayneth and his group?!"
"He's not called the Magus Killer for nothing." D casually says. "He'll do what's necessary to kill his target. There's a phrase where I come from, 'if you cannot reach the enemy's terrain, then take the enemy to your terrain'."
"But what about the civilians?!" Weiss shouted. "He could have gotten them killed from the blast."
"Which is why he caused the fire alarm, to get everyone out of the building, plus the blast was an implosion, making sure that no one else was affected."
"But wasn't that extreme?!" Blake was next to shout. "He didn't need to destroy the entire building!"
"Kayneth and Diarmuid are dangerous, and Kiritsugu knew this, so he chose this option to not only eliminate the two but to remove the curse from Saber's arm."
"Even so! That was crossing a line!" Surprisingly Sienna was the one who said that. Heck, even she wouldn't go so far.
"Why are you guys all surprised by this? Don't you remember that he blew up a plane?" D raised a brow, making everyone cringe at the memory. "And look at this way, he doesn't kill innocents, only his targets, so let's just leave it at that and continue the show."
"But–" Ruby started but was cut off by D.
"But nothing! You want answers? Keep watching the viewing until it shows it to you." D said, ending the conversation, not everyone liked it, but they begrudgingly accepted it and had no choice but to continue watching.
Kiritsugu calmly walked away through the civilians as he tossed his cigar away. He quickly took out his phone again and called his partner. "Maiya."
"There was no activity from the target up to the end." Maya answered, thought phone. "He didn't leave the hotel. A free fall from 150 meters high. No magic field defense could have saved him from that."
"It's just as Maiya said." Penny frowned. "With a force like that, I can't think of any possible way for a normal person to survive that."
"Poor Lancer… I guess he won't be able to have his fight against Saber." Pyrrha sadly said.
As Kiritsugu walked through the crowd, he notices a particular mother and daughter with a slight resemblance two his own family.
His eyes slightly soften, seeing the sight of the mother hugging her crying daughter. He quickly composes himself and speaks to the phone again. "Maiya, withdraw."
"I nearly forgot that the man does have a heart." Ozpin comments.
"Ozpin, don't tell me you justify his action?" Glynda asked.
"No." The Headmaster shook his head. "I will never approve of his action, but I will not deny the fact he did choose not to get any innocent bystanders involved."
Instead of hearing a response of her voice through the phone, he hears the sound of gunfire.
The Master of Saber gasps, quickly realizing the situation.
"What's happening now!?" Kali gasped along with the others as they recognized the sound of the gun being used.
The scene cuts back to the same location where Maiya was. But this time, Kotomine Kirei was there watching the building burning down on the ground.
"Kotomine Kirei?!" Ghira shouts in disbelief. "How did he find Maiya!"
"Though, it's hard to believe that a Mage would go as far as to blow up an entire building." The priest says without looking away from the destruction while the scene shows a Black Key stabbing Maiya's rifle on the ground. "I suppose he's skilled at outsmarting Magi."
"That's a weird-looking sword." Ruby points but was fascinated by its design.
"That's a Black Key, a Mystic Code that the Church mostly favor when they hunt." D answers.
Maiya hid behind one of the steel bars of buildings as she held a pistol in her hand. "Kotomine Kirei..."
"Oh?" This caught the Master of Assassin's attention as he turns around with a smirk. "I don't think we've met before. "Or is there a reason why you already know me? Then I can guess who you are."
Maya clicked her tongue at the mistake she made but remained silent.
"Kirei is clever man," Qrow rubs his chin. "He was able to piece together what kind of connection Maiya has with Kiritsugu."
"She did slip by saying his boss/pretend lover's name." Sienna points out.
"Ugh… don't remind me." Coco lightly growled as she narrowed her eyes. This action was followed by most of the women in the room.
"Don't make me do all the talking, woman." Kotomine continued. "Just answer me this. Where is the man who was supposed to be here instead of you?" He shouts as he threw something to Maiya's side. It was the dead familiar bat still attached with the miniature camera.
"He still has the dead familiar?" Torichwick said, disgusted.
"How long did he have that with him?" Velvet asked, shivered at the idea of pocketing a rotting bat with you.
Without a word, Maiya quickly revealed herself and fired shots with her rifle at Kotomine. But his reflexes were fast as he jumped back while throwing a Black key to Maiya's pistol, disarming her in the process.
Maiya quickly dashed and rolled to the closes steel bar to provide herself cover. She takes deep breaths as she held her bleeding hand while keeping herself guard.
"She has fast reflexes," Winter says, impressed by Maiya's skill in combat, it was short, but it shows how capable she is.
"She was trained by the Magus Killer. It wouldn't be strange she'd be this skilled." Taiyang points out.
"Your agility isn't bad at all." Kotomine praises her as he slowly walks up to her location as he brought out three more Black Keys from each of his hands. "You seem to be well-trained."
Maiya took deeps breaths, knowing that she was at a disadvantage, while Kotomine smiled, understanding the situation as well.
"This is bad." Penny narrowed her eyes as she watches the situation. "Maiya is at a huge disadvantage."
But before he could get anywhere closer, a smoke grenade was dropped on the ground releasing yellow smoke. Completely blocking the Master's sight and giving Maiya a chance to escape as she jumped down on an incomplete elevator shaft.
"What's that?!" Nora says, not expecting a sudden smokescreen.
"A smoke grenade," D answers, earning a confused look from the audience. "You've never heard of smoke grenade?"
"First time I've ever heard of it," Yang confessed while her partner nodded, agreeing with her.
"It's like a portable smokescreen in the size of a hand grenade. How is that none of you have ever heard or developed this when you guys managed to develop mecha-shift weaponry?" D questions them.
"There… have been recent ideas for development, but the project is slow," James admitted.
"Budget problems or certain CEO purposely making it slow because he thinks it's a 'waste of Lien'?" D emphasizes the last part, making the General grit his teeth in annoyance, and Winter slightly flinched and looked away at the truth. D just shrugs and waves it off. "If you guys need to progress, I suggest you start picking people more carefully and getting rid of certain individuals if you all know what's good for you."
A few of the audience were confused by what the deity meant by that, but a few others carefully thought about what he said as they thought of specific individuals that needed focused on or dealt with.
Kotomine dashed out of the smoke and entered a battle stance but slowly dropped, knowing that his target has escaped.
He hummed as he placed his weapons away and took the empty canister to his hand. "She didn't throw this." He then walked up to the elevator shaft and looked down, seeing nobody. "Very well." He shrugged. "Just the knowledge that someone was here to save her will do for tonight."
"Even the smallest information can lead to a bigger cause." Qrow comments, being a tracker, he knows this very well.
Suddenly, a black shadow appeared behind him, revealing to be his Servant Assassin or at least one of them. "Kirei-sama."
"Assassin?!" Ruby jumps in her seat. "What's he doing here?"
"Probably to inform his Master regarding Caster and his Master." Weiss deduces.
"Didn't I tell you not to expose yourself in the open without cause?" He slightly shifted his head behind him as he questioned his Servant.
"I'm sorry, but there's information that you should hear as soon as possible." The Servant of the Shadows apologized. "We've located Caster."
Now, this caught the Master's attention.
The scene now cuts back to the church, showing a small statue of Mother Mary.
"After having Assassin perform a detailed investigation," Kotomine's voice called out, reporting what he has learned. "we learned that Caster and his Master have been kidnapping sleeping children from Miyama and the neighboring district."
"Disgusting…!" Kali hissed in fear, anger, and disgust.
"And with Caster's ability, he would have no problem in achieving this." Blake narrowed her eyes fill with hatred towards the Servant of Magic.
The scene now changes to Kotomine and Risei in the hidden chambers as the Master speaks to the gramophone.
"They had kidnapped fifteen by dawn. I believe..."
"Fifteen?!" Weiss screeched in horror.
"Oh, brothers… those monsters!" Ghira growled in hatred. "How could anyone find joy in this?!"
"Sick twisted people," D answered. "One perfect example would be Tyrian Callows."
Those who are familiar with the name flinched, knowing well who the man is.
"Tyrian Callows? Who's that?" Ruby asked.
"Tyrian Callows is a well-known serial killer in the Kingdom of Atlas," Winter explained. "He was captured years ago and was sent to our prison but only to attacked by a group of Grimm. We never found his body, and is presumed dead."
'You have no idea.' D mentally shook his head, knowing the real truth of the scorpion Faunus's fate.
The scene cuts to Tokiomi in his workshop listening to the whole report.
"…they are the serial killers everyone is all worked up over."
"They mentioned the Master being the serial killer, but it doesn't seem they know who it is." Ren points out, noticing the lack of the Master's identity.
"The same goes for Caster," Jaune added.
Back to the church.
"They use magic without any hesitation and do nothing to hide its traces."
"Shameless, reckless, and careless." Winter spat in disgust. "I can't believe these two are even participating in this war."
Back to Tokiomi.
"I don't think they're even thinking of the Holy Grail War at this point." Kirei concludes.
"My thoughts exactly."
"Caster did mention he wasn't interested in the Grail anymore." Velvet points out.
"A mad Servant out of control, and a Master who won't restrain him." The Master of Archer deduces but was confused. "Why would they be in the Grail War?"
"Didn't D say it was out of pure luck?" Qrow comments being familiar with luck due to his Semblance.
Ozpin, however, was in deep thought regarding that specific topic. Was it indeed out of sheer luck? He needed to watch more to learn.
"We cannot ignore them, Tokiomi-kun." Risei speaks through the gramophone. "Their actions clearly violate the rules beyond what is acceptable."
"Of course." Tokiomi agreed. "As someone responsible for guarding the secrets of magic, I cannot allow it."
"Finally! They're about to do something about those two." Yang threw out her arms.
Back to the Church.
The elder Kotomine hummed in agreement. "We'll have to eliminate Caster and his Master."
"The problem is that defeating a Servant requires another Servant." The younger cuts in. "And we can't send my Assassin."
"One of the risks they can't afford to reveal Assassin." Taiyang points out.
"So, how will they handle this?" Coco wondered.
Risei thought for a moment before turning to the gramophone. "Minor rule changes are within my authority. We'll mobilize all the other Masters to defeat Caster."
"It looks like you were right, James." Ozpin mused to his friend.
"I'm glad that I am." James chuckled.
The scene now changes to the Churches study room where Kirei enters but was greeted by an unexpected guess.
"Where's this now?" Pyrrha wondered.
"Probably some guess room or some study room." Roman guessed.
"Archer?" True to what the Master said, he sees The Servant of Bow lying on the couch of the room while holding a glass of red wine in his left hand and that the place is scattered with wine bottles.
Instead of wearing his golden armor, he was wearing casual clothing. He wore a white long sleeve V-neck shirt, light-greyish pants, white shoes, a golden necklace around his neck, and even his hairstyle wasn't spikey but was combed down.
"Archer?!" Ruby says in surprise, just as everyone else was not expecting the King of Heroes to appear like this. "He looks different."
"I guess wearing casual clothe than your combat ones can give a different feel of appearance." Weiss points out while wondering something. 'Come to think about it. We've been wearing our combat attire almost every day, aside from when we changed clothing during that one time on that stakeout. I wonder what we would look like just in normal clothing.'
"Despite being few in number, yours are of higher quality than those in Tokiomi's room." The Servant said in amusement. "What an outrageous apprentice he has."
"Wait, seriously?" Qrow mused, finding it amusing that the apprentice has a better stock of alcohol than the mentor.
"What do you want?" The Master of Assassin questioned the King of Heroes as he walks into the room.
"It appears there's someone besides me with plenty of spare time."
Kotomine paused and looked at the Servant in confusion. "Spare time?"
"What, spare time?" Jaune tilted his head.
"Looks like Archer doesn't have much to do." Pyrrha points out.
"Otherwise, a Master under the Church's protection need not wander about without permission." Gilgamesh said as he examines the wine he is holding.
"Wouldn't that mean Kirei just has some time off?" Ruby asked.
"What are you talking about?" The priest questioned as he put all the scattered wine bottles back on the shelves of the room. "Are you dissatisfied with your contract this late into the game, Gilgamesh?"
"Tokiomi invited me to this world and maintained my form here. His greeting was also worthy of my status, so I had to respond." Archer answered. "But I never thought he'd be this boring."
"Ha! Couldn't have said it better myself." Sienna scoffed, seeing the irony of the King of Heroes not seeing a good light of his Master.
"I thought you didn't like him," Kali said.
"I only agree with what he said."
"Are you unhappy with Tokiomi as your Master?" Kotomine asked as he stood up.
Archer scoffs. "Reaching the Swirl of the Root, he says. What a pointless-sounding ambition."
"Don't all Magi spend a lifetime to reach the Root?" Glynda said, recalling the first episode.
"If you ask me, it does seem like a waste of time." Qrow points out.
The Master takes what the Servant said to sink in before answering. "The desire to access the Root is unique to the Magi. It's not for outsiders to comment on." The Servant quietly listens as he examines his wine as if he was comparing it to the Root. "The path to the Root can be said to be an escape to the World Exterior. Those of us interested only in the World Interior can only understand it as a 'pointless-sounding ambition'."
"Wow." Roman blinked. "Even I have to admit that sounds like a big deal."
"I see." King of Heroes answers, still not looking away from his wine. "It's true that I'm satisfied from simply admiring my garden, the entire universe. I have no interest in realms outside my dominion. This Root thing doesn't concern me in the least.
"Color me impress; there's one thing he does not want." Coco sarcastically said.
"Perhaps, but the Grail isn't a device specifically designed to seek the Root." The Master said. "When we say that it is omnipotent, we mean that it has limitless potential to alter even the World Interior."
"So you're saying the other Masters have motives other than Tokiomi's for seeking the Grail?" Archer questioned.
"That wouldn't be surprising with wanting an almighty wish-granting device." Penny comments.
"Tokiomi is an archetypal Mage as well as ultra-right-wing." The Master answered. "Others generally seek benefits concerned with the World Interior, the present world. Prestige, desire, power..."
"That suits me fine." Archer cuts in. "I love all of those things."
"Are we listening to a conversation of personal things or something?" Yang asked, starting to feel bored.
"It would seem so," Ozpin comments as he carefully listens for potential knowledge.
"You are a king that rules over the vulgar, Gilgamesh." Kotomine points out.
"Then what about you, Kirei?" The King of Heroes asked the Master as the Servant finally took a drink from his wine and looked at him. "What do you wish from the Grail?"
"I..." The Master paused. "I have no real desire for it."
"He still doesn't know what he wants?" Winter says in slight surprise, after all this time, he still hasn't found his desire?
"Impossible." Gilgamesh scoffs in amusement. "Doesn't the Grail only call upon those who are worthy of it?"
"So they say." The Master admits. "But I don't understand it either. I have no ideals or desires, so why was I chosen to fight in this battle?"
"No ideals or desires. Then why not simply wish for pleasure?" The king suggested.
Everyone blinked at the change of topic. Wishing for pleasure? What brought that on?
"Is… there a difference?" Nora asked unsurely.
"Desire is wanting something while pleasure is something to take joy in." Penny described earning a nod of thanks from Nora.
"Ridiculous." The priest spat. "Pleasure?! You'd ask me to commit something so sinful and corrupt?"
"Is it wrong to have pleasure?" Ruby innocently asked.
"It's… not," Her father slowly answered. "but there is a thing called 'having too much of a good thing', so it's kinda yes and no."
"The reason why Kirei reacted like that is that he is a priest and what Archer was referencing the Seven Deadly Sins."
"The Seven Deadly Sins?" Kali echoed in concern.
"Pride, Greed, Wrath, Envy, Lust, Gluttony, and Sloth," D explains. "These since are often thought to be abuses or excess of faculties and passion. You can see why the Church is strongly against them."
"Sinful? Corrupt? I don't understand your logic." Gilgamesh questionably mused. "Why must pleasure and sin be connected?"
"That's… surprisingly a good question." Girha slowly said, not believing that he agrees with the Servant's argument.
"I did say that 'having too much of a good thing' is the problem," Tai repeated.
"Well..." Kirei narrowed his eyes, not finding the answer to the question.
"Pleasure through evil means could be a sin." The king answered for him. "But people also derive pleasure from good deeds. What kind of philosophy calls pleasure itself a sin?"
"When did this conversation became philosophical?" Weiss said, not expecting this conversation to turn to that.
"Pleasure is another thing that I lack." The Master admits. "I seek for it but cannot find it."
"Kotomine Kirei." The Servant said with a tone found sounded in a very sliver of interest. "I suddenly find you very interesting."
Everyone shuddered when the Archer said that. But none dared to say anything as they continue to listen to how this conversation will escalate.
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said." Archer said as he sat up from the couch and placed his glass on the table next to the sofa. "Sit down."
Kotomine did what he said and sat down on the chair next to the table. "You see, pleasure is basically a form of the soul. The question isn't whether it exists, but whether you know it or not." The king explained as the Master listened while still holding his stoic face the entire time. "Kirei, you don't yet see what form your soul has taken. That's basically what is happening when you claim that you lack pleasure."
"He's lecturing Kirei about the soul?" Glynda raised a brow, confused, and yet in the back of her mind, she was curious.
"So, some Servant seeks to lecture me?" The Master raised his brow at the situation.
"Don't get cocky, mongrel." The Servant said but found no insult in it. "These are the words of a king who has tasted all the pleasures and luxuries of this world. You should just listen to me."
"He is the first known recorded hero." Ruby comments, remembering Gilgamesh's history.
The Master didn't say anything but continued to hold his stoic face as he continues to listen to the Servant.
"Kirei, you ought to learn about entertainment. Start by looking to the outside." Archer got another empty wine glass and filled it with wine. "I know. Why don't you start by joining me in my entertainment?"
The audience didn't know why, but they felt a small sense of dread growing as they continued to listen.
"I have no time to waste on merrymaking." Kirei declined the offer without a second thought.
"Don't be like that." The Servant of the Bow brushed off as he filled his glass. "You can pursue it between the jobs Tokiomi assigns you. Isn't your task to observe the five other Masters anyway?"
"That's right." Kirei admitted as he looked away from the sound logic.
"You should investigate not only their plans and strategies, but also their motives. And then tell me about them."
"That's possible if I instruct the Assassins." The Master admits then looks back at the Servant. "But what does it matter to you, Archer?"
"I told you. I enjoy watching what humans do." Archer simply answered as he drinks from his glass. "One or two of them are bound to be interesting. More interesting than Tokiomi, at the very least."
"Very well, Archer. I accept." Kotomine accepts but still held his stoic face. But it will take some time."
"That's fine." Archer said as he places back the now empty wine glass on the table and turns into golden motes before disappearing. "I will wait patiently. I'll help myself to your wine in the meantime."
Everyone breathed out a breath of relief. They didn't know why but were holding their breaths. But one thing they didn't realize was that this conversation would lead to events that will shock them to the core as they continue to watch.
Sensing that Archer is no longer in the room, the Master sighs. "My reason for seeking the Grail? I've said too much myself." He takes a moment to think before answering himself. "It definitely isn't pleasure." He says to himself as he leans back on the chair and closes his eyes. For a moment, he was quiet. "But..." He says in his head as he slowly opens his eyes and shifts his eyes down on his untouched wine. "If I can learn about him, will I be able to learn what it is that I seek?" He closes them again and thinks of the one person who might help him find his answer. "Emiya Kiritsugu..."
Episode 6
Night of Stratagems
-143:35:18
(The countdown goes down by 2 seconds)
"That… that was something…" Yang comments, not knowing what else to say.
"I'll say…" Coco breathed out. "Can't help but feel that there was a lot of foreshadowing there."
"Can we not talk about this? I can stop shivering of the thought." Velvet says as she held herself, trying to calm herself down. Her team leader helped as she placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.
(Ending Theme: MEMORIA by Eir Aoi)
The audience watched and listened to the ending theme, glad that they have a moment to relax.
(Ending Theme ends)
"Yay! More previews." Nora cheered.
The preview opens, showing Kayneth's Command Spell, but ring-like crystals surround it.
"I'll temporarily alter the rules." Risei's voice sternly said.
"It would appear that they now have plans to stop Caster and his Master," Winter said, curious to what this alter of the rules will be.
The next Command Spell was Kiritsugu's.
"Emiya Kiritsugu will end his own life." Iri's voice sadly said.
"What?" Ruby said, shocked at what she heard along with a few others. What could Iri's voice mean when she said it.
"If we run now, we can still...!" Kiritsugu's voice shouted out.
Everyone slightly tense when they heard the Magus Killer was shouting for the first time.
"It will be my spear that takes Saber's life!" Lancer's voice declared.
"Lancer?! He's alive?" Jaune says in shock, along with the others.
"It would seem Kayneth's group survived the blast." Ozpin points out while wondering how it was possible.
Finally, Ryunnosuke's Command Spell shows but is surrounded by red shards.
"I won't think to fight you for the Grail any longer!" Saber's voice angrily shouts.
"Woah!" Yang said as she leaned back on her seat. "What made her angry?"
"Don't get carried away, you bastard!" Caster's voice cried out in anger.
No one said anything about Caster's voice but was curious about why the Mad Servant was angry.
Next Episode
Forest of Demons
"Another episode done." Jaune breaths out.
"There wasn't much action, but I won't deny that there was a lot of destruction." Yang comments.
"The next episode will have a lot of fighting, but be warned that a few parts will not be pleasant," D said to the viewers as he prepares the next episode while the other viewers ready themselves for what's to come.
To be continued…
Next Update: New Fanfic (Maybe)